Accra, June 20, GNA - Ms Ekua Sena Dansua, Minister of Women and Children's Affairs, on Saturday said the government plans to raise 20 women in every district to sharpen their interest for parliamentary contest and other political appointments. "No one is born a politician, all politicians go through, training sometimes insults, trials and many hard times to be at where they are, so women must equally be ready to strive for that," she said.

The Minister said this at a rally organised in Accra by the Evangelical Presbyterian (EP) Church, Ghana, Women rally in aid of food processing and resource centre. "Women cannot stand aloof, look on and expect breakthroughs in their political, economic and social emancipation," she said. She said one of the reasons why President Atta Mills could not appoint many women to ministerial positions as expected was the fact that the number of women in parliament were very few.

She said women must be resourceful and earn incomes to the home to assist their husbands. "We cannot stand and stare and expect spiritual and physical development," she said adding, "We must work hard and develop along with the men."

She said some women invested their resources on funeral cloths and neglected their children while others follow wealth inordinately. "Spend your resources to educate your children," she said and noted that investing in the education of children was a long-term investment, which would yield dividend later.

Ms Dansua called for the revival of the old order where biological parents were not the only one responsible for the general upkeep of their children but also all adults in the community, especially when the parents were not around. "Take interest in other people's children because the children are the property of the state and the community," she said. She said women find it very difficult to make time for aerobics and added that when the centre was completed facilities would be provided for people to undergo physical exercise.

Mrs. Dzifa Attivor, Deputy Minister for Transport said though the recent increase in the petroleum products would affect all Ghanaians it would generate revenue to develop the country. Rev. Mrs. Nyuieme Adiepena, Coordinator of the EP Church Women said every one must make the effort to take a child from the street. She said it was very pathetic that it was not only children that found haven in the street but also mothers and their children. "Show love to all manner of people especially those that are not relatives, tribesmen or friends for in this unity we empower ourselves," she said.