The Institute of Leadership and Development (INSLA) is a civil society center for the strengthening of leadership capacities and the promotion of development. INSLA is incorporated with the Registrar Generals Department (RGD) of the Ministry of Interior, registered with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) of the Ministry of Local Government and licensed by the Non-Profit Organization Secretariat (NPOS) of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.
The Goal of INSLA is to stimulate discussions and actions to make humanity and its environment more productive, safer and healthier.
The objectives of INSLA includes the following:
- To advocate for health promotion and information
- To sensitize and strengthen stakeholders capacity on clean, productive and safer environment including climate change mitigation
- To promote good governance and peace building
- To empowerment women (gender) and youth for development
- To advocate for access to affordable quality education and employable skills
Programmes and Milestones
Narcotics and Substance Abuse:
INSLA assumed the hosting of the CSO’s Coalition on Narcotic Control Commission Law (CNCCL) National Secretariat in December 2019. The CNCCL represents a common voice of NGOs working to advance the implementation of the recommendation of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on World Drug Problem in Ghana. INSLA made recommendations to strengthen the 2019 Narcotic Bill during the Parliamentary Public Hearing in April and May 2019 at the Parliament House in Accra. INSLA has a cordial working relationship with the Narcotic Control Commission (NCC). The Narcotic Control Commission (NCC) Act was passed into law in 2020. INSLA and CNCCL are currently planning to engage Ghana’s Narcotic Control Commission on the implementation and enforcement of the Act.
Community Anti-Drug and Substance Abuse Coalitions:
INSLA initiated an ambitious process of establishing Community Anti-Drug and Substance Abuse Coalition in each community in Ghana to help address illicit drug use, a workshop for community leaders comprising Assembly Members and Youth leaders was held in Accra. Participants are currently establishing their own community coalitions based on the module of the Community Anti-Drug Coalition of America (CADCA).
Smart International:
In ensuring that, in-school youth are prevented and kept informed on the dangers of illicit drug and substance use and abuse, INSLA in collaboration with Smart International based in Sweden is establishing Smart Clubs in schools based on the one year contract module. This module ensures that, school kids who are able to abstain from illicit drug and substance use are rewarded.
Alcohol Prevention and Control Programme:
INSLA has since 2018 mounted a public stance supporting and defending the ban on alcohol advertisement on radio and television. Celebrities have also been ban from alcohol advertisement, the directives was issued by the Ghana Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in accordance with Public Health Act 2012. The ban is to protect minors and other vulnerable groups from alcohol related harm. INSLA currently Chair’s and host the National Secretariat of the Alcohol Policy Alliance – Ghana (GhanAPA).
INSLA together with GhanAPA and in-collaboration with WHO Ghana, MOH Ghana and FDA Ghana are supporting and reviewing the draft National Alcohol Regulations (Legislations).
Healthy Diet and Nutrition:
The rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Ghana is associated with unhealthy diet. Salty food, Fatty (saturated) food and sugary drinks/sugar sweeten beverages and artificial sweeten beverages have been implicated to cause high blood pressure (hypertension), heart diseases, stroke, obesity, diabetes, tooth decay, etc.
INSLA has produced and distributed materials on ‘Healthy Diet, Wealthy Ghana’ to generate public debate towards policy initiative. The flyer has key policy recommendation, which includes nutrition labelling (Nutri-score), graphic health warning, ban/restrictions (marketing, advertising, sponsorship, etc), subsidies for natural fruits and vegetable growers and distributors and tax and price measures.
TFA project: INSLA is currently implementing a project aimed at eliminating Trans-fatty Acids (TFAs) in Ghana’s food and food production. INSLA is collaborating with CSOs, the Media, Ministry of Health, Food and Drugs Authority, etc to implement the World Health Organization (WHO) REPLACE Trans-Fat Technical Package in Ghana. INSLA has issued an advocacy and awareness creation materials on the negative health impact of TFA.
PFP Project: Considering the absence and/or lack of legal regime to regulate the content of food sold in the public places, INSLA in-collaboration with CSOs and the media have embarked on a campaign to pressure government to implement the World Health Organization (WHO) Healthy Public Food Procurement and Service Policies (PFP) in Ghana. The implementation of PFP in Ghana is expected to reduce the intake of sugar and salt, eliminate bad oil and fats, and encourage the consumption of fruits, vegetable, nuts, etc and drinking and provision of free clean water to the population. INSLA has issued a CSOs position paper with recommendations on PFP implementations in Ghana.
SSB Tax project: In-collaboration with the University of Ghana (UG) School of Public Health (SPH) and other CSOs, INSLA is joining other partners to advocate for the imposition of tax and/or levy on sugar-sweeten beverages (SSB) in Ghana. These is expected to reduce the intake of unhealthy drinks and also generate resources for government to strengthen the health sector.
Physical Activity:
The Ghana Physical Activity Network (GPAN) is a network of academia, CSOs and professionals involved in the promotion of physical activity in Ghana. GPAN is being hosted by INSLA. INSLA and the Centre for the Study of Physical Activity and Sports Development, Department of Physical Education and Sports of the University of Ghana (UG) have been advocating for the development of a comprehensive National Physical Activity Policy to help address the challenges of in-activities among Ghana’s population.
INSLA has further developed and distributed educational, communications and information materials known as ‘Physical Activity is Life’ to the general public on how to stay active. To advance the campaign, INSLA and CSPASD/DPES/UG are planning a National Stakeholder’s Consultative Dialogue on the Promotion and Development of a National Physical Activity Policy and Programme for Ghana to implement the Global Physical Activity Action Plan (GPAAP).
INSLA was a member of the Local Organizing Committee that planned and hosted the International Conference on Physical Activity, Sports for Health and Development in Africa (IC-PUSHDA) at the University of Ghana in 2018.
Non-Communicable Disease (NCDs):
INSLA has advocated for the expansion of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to include NCD disease conditions in their coverage especially those affecting the poor. In seeking public and media support, INSLA published articles calling on government to adopt price and tax measures so as to generate revenue to invest in NCDs prevention and management. Data from Ghana’s National Covid-19 Committee revealed that, almost all reported deaths attributed to Coronavirus in Ghana have underling health conditions, the major conditions stated by the President of Ghana are Hypertension, diabetes and Liver diseases.
COVID-19 pandemic:
NCD Alliance project: INSLA has developed a page guide for public educators and also embarked on an outreach public sensitization to call for the protection and support for People Living with NCDs and to enable the general public to adhere to Covid-19 prevention measures and treatments.
ATCA project: With the support of ATCA, INSLA organized media events and engagement meetings to caution and expose the interferences of the tobacco industry in the planning, management and control of Covid-19 pandemic.
Water and Sanitation:
INSLA commence its advocacy on the provision of portable water and good environmental sanitation to deprived and vulnerable communities in the country. This is to ensure fair and equitable distribution of water and sanitation facilities. The expansion of the water industry with their profit motive in the country is threating water supply to poor communities.
Visit the INSLA website today and learn more about the organization.