ILGS to promote women in informal sector

The Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS) would collaborate with non-governmental organizations to promote the activities of women in the informal sector to accelerate national development.

Madam Magdalene Kannae, Head of the Gender and Social Development Centre of ILGS gave the assurance at a policy dialogue session with the informal sector on Friday in Accra. The one-day policy dialogue session, organised by Women in Informal Employment, Globalising and Organising (WIECO), was on the theme: “Ensuring Optimal Involvement of the Urban Informal Sector in National Economic Development”.

It brought together leaders of various trading groups within the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Ga East and Ga West Municipalities.

Madam Kannae said the Institute, in collaboration with WIECO since 2010 had been able to organise advocacy and educational programmes for traders in Accra. She said with the help of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust, they were able to educate the traders on the need for social security for the informal sector.

Madam Kannae said other areas they played critical roles in educating the traders were fire safety, taxation and national health insurance among other things. She called on the leadership of WIECO at the various markets to keep their membership well organised so that they would be in position to present their grievances to their respective assemblies.

Madam Lydia Sackey, Head of Budget and Ratings of AMA, said the informal sector was an important component of the economy and the assembly would always hold it in high esteem. She said the AMA had a gender responsive programme under which women were being trained in vocational skills and supported with capital after their training to start their own businesses.

Mr Alex B. Amoah, Planning Officer of the Ga East Municipal Assembly said his outfit was planning to undertake a reallocation exercise at the newly constructed Dome Market because traders had refused to utilize them and rather sold their wares in the scorching sun.

Among the trading groups that patronised the policy dialogue were Tema Station Traders, Makola Market Traders, and Circle Pedestrian Mall and East Legon Traders associations. The various trading groups presented their grievances for redress through their respective assemblies.