Member of Parliament for Amenfi Central, Joana Gyan Cudjoe, has pledged to donate her entire salary from Parliament towards the educational and health needs of her constituents.
Speaking during an interview with the online portal thenewsbulletin24.com on January 13, 2024, she shared her commitment to use the funds to benefit her community.
“I’ve told my national, regional, and constituency executives that my salary from Parliament would go into an educational fund. Even if it’s just one cedi, it can make a difference in someone’s life,” she stated.
Her promise comes as part of her ongoing efforts to elevate the standard of living for her people.
Through the Joana Foundation, Hon Gyan Cudjoe currently supports over 1,200 students annually by providing scholarships and covering school fees.
She has also taken it upon herself to pay teachers’ salaries in schools where the government has failed to do so for months. To maintain transparency, she ensures the proper disbursement of the funds by working with community leaders.
“Every month, I call the chiefs and elders to distribute the funds. This way, the money is used effectively for the benefit of the students and teachers,” she explained.
The MP also revealed plans to build a university in Amenfi Central, focusing on agriculture, business administration, nursing, teacher training, and other specialized fields to meet the region’s unique needs.
She disclosed already attended agricultural conferences in Turkey, Hungary, and Russia and drew inspiration from their systems to build a sustainable agricultural hub in her constituency.
“I’m determined to make Amenfi Central a centre of excellence in agriculture,” she affirmed.
Joana Gyan Cudjoe also addressed the poor state of roads in Amenfi Central, which she described as a critical barrier to development.
According to her, good roads are essential because they are a gateway to development. “When the roads are done, investors will come to farm, establish cocoa projects, and build schools. Even NGOs and embassies will be more willing to collaborate on community projects,” she said.
She revealed that before entering politics, she financed road projects in her constituency, despite facing resistance from local authorities.
“At the time, I wasn’t an MP. I was just a private citizen trying to help, but it became a big fight with the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE). That was when my people started encouraging me to run for office because they saw I could lobby for their needs,” she recounted.
Beyond politics, Joana Gyan Cudjoe is a trailblazer in Ghana’s gold industry. As the largest licensed gold exporter and the only woman with such a license, she has exported over $400 million worth of gold since 2019.
She believes that if Ghana’s gold resources are managed transparently, they could drive national development and reduce the country’s reliance on international financial assistance.
“If we leverage our gold resources wisely, we won’t need to depend on the IMF,” she emphasized.
As the first female MP of Amenfi Central, an entrepreneur and a philanthropist, Joana Gyan Cudjoe views her work as a legacy for future generations.
“I want to be a model for others in my constituency. My success in Parliament will inspire other regions to adopt similar strategies,” she said.
For the people of Amenfi Central, Hon. Gyan Cudjoe’s leadership represents hope and a brighter future. Her dedication to education, infrastructure, and the sustainable development of her constituency is setting a new standard for what an MP can achieve.
As her initiatives unfold, it is clear that Gyan Cudjoe is transforming Amenfi Central into a beacon of progress and possibility.