The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has paid a working visit to the 31st December Women’s Early Childhood Day Care Centre at Makola Market to assess operations and engage with children, caregivers, and market women.
During the visit, Dr. Lartey met with management of the Centre to discuss challenges facing early childhood care and development. She underscored government’s commitment to child protection and emphasized the importance of safe spaces for children whose mothers work in the informal sector.
The Queen Mother of the Greater Accra Market Women Association welcomed the Minister and expressed gratitude for the engagement, noting that market day care centres remain vital in supporting trading mothers. She appealed for sustained government support to improve infrastructure and caregiving resources.
In a gesture of solidarity, Dr. Lartey donated GH¢10,000 to the Association and the Centre to aid operations, alongside drinks and biscuits for the children. She also interacted with market women to better understand their working conditions and how government interventions could support them.
As part of the tour, the Minister inspected the Makola Clinic, assessing service delivery and reiterating the Ministry’s resolve to collaborate with stakeholders to strengthen child welfare and maternal support systems in market spaces.
Speaking to the media, Dr. Lartey explained that the engagement formed part of follow-up actions after the revision of the Early Childhood Care and Development Policy. She highlighted government’s commitment, under the leadership of H. E. John Dramani Mahama, to child protection during the formative years of zero to eight.
She commended the leadership of the 31st December Day Care Centre for sustaining the initiative despite operational challenges, stressing that effective day care systems are critical in reducing child abuse and neglect. The Minister further outlined plans to modernize and sustain market day care centres beyond political transitions, expand infrastructure to meet growing demand, and scale up the concept across major markets nationwide.
The visit forms part of the Ministry’s broader efforts to strengthen implementation of the Early Childhood Care and Development Policy, ensuring that children in market environments are nurtured in safe and protective settings.
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