How would you feel if your internet search history was put online for others to see?

That may be happening to some users of Meta AI without them realising, as people’s prompts to the artificial intelligence tool – and the results – are posted on a public feed.

One internet safety expert said it was “a huge user experience and security problem” as some posts are easily traceable to social media accounts.

This means some people may be unwittingly telling the world about their searches – such as asking the AI to generate scantily-clad characters or help them cheat on tests.

Meta says chats are private by default, and if users make a post public they can choose to withdraw it later.

Before a post is shared, a message pops up which says: “Prompts you post are public and visible to everyone… Avoid sharing personal or sensitive information.”

However – given the private nature of some of the queries – it is not clear if the users understand their searches are being posted into a public “Discover” feed on the Meta AI app and website, and that these could be traced to their other social accounts through usernames and profile pictures.

The BBC found several examples of people uploading photos of school or university test questions, and asking Meta AI for answers.

One of the chats is titled “Generative AI tackles math problems with ease”.

Another user’s conversation which was posted publicly was about them exploring questions around their gender and whether they should transition.

There were also searches for women and anthropomorphic animal characters wearing very little clothing.

One search, which could be traced back to a person’s Instagram account because of their username and profile picture, asked Meta AI to generate an image of an animated character lying outside wearing only underwear.

‘You’re in control’

Meta AI, launched earlier this year, can be accessed through its social media platforms Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp.

It is also available as a standalone product which has a public “Discover” feed.

Users can opt to make their searches private in their account settings.

Meta AI is currently available in the UK through a browser, while in the US it can be used through an app.

In a press release from April which announced Meta AI, the company said there would be “a Discover feed, a place to share and explore how others are using AI”.

“You’re in control: nothing is shared to your feed unless you choose to post it,” it said.

But Rachel Tobac, chief executive of US cyber security company Social Proof Security, posted on X saying: “If a user’s expectations about how a tool functions don’t match reality, you’ve got yourself a huge user experience and security problem.”

She added that people do not expect their AI chatbot interactions to be made public on a feed normally associated with social media.

“Because of this, users are inadvertently posting sensitive info to a public feed with their identity linked,” she said.

President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has described the politicisation of nursing and teacher training incentives as a misguided approach that has weakened the long-term sustainability of Ghana’s healthcare and education systems.

Speaking in the aftermath of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association’s (GRNMA) nationwide strike on Channel One TV‘s The  Big Issue on  Saturday June 14, he argued that successive governments have “pampered” trainee nurses for political gain rather than investing in structural improvements and long-term workforce development.

“How have we treated nurses even when they are training—we’ve pampered them. Haven’t we?” Cudjoe asked, referencing past political decisions to reinstate or cancel trainee allowances.

“Politically, one party says—John Mahama—that he is not going to pay any nurses allowance. The opposition at the time used it against him. And when they came, they started paying and rewarding these entities. I have never understood that game.”

Cudjoe lamented the use of training allowances as political bait, warning that such short-term populist policies divert funds that could be better used to properly equip and reward fully qualified professionals.

“The moment we do these shifty politics and think we can garner votes through these freebies to a section of the population that do not require it, that do not need it, we should not be crying now that they have come back biting at us,” he said.

He further criticised both major political parties for engaging in this form of vote-buying, arguing that the funds could have been reserved for qualified nurses “who actually go through the grind” and contribute meaningfully to the healthcare sector.

Cudjoe’s comments follow the GRNMA’s decision to suspend a nationwide strike that began on June 9, 2025. The strike, triggered by the government’s proposal to delay implementation of newly negotiated conditions of service until 2026, brought significant disruptions to public healthcare facilities, particularly in emergency and maternity wards.

Despite early deadlock between GRNMA, the Ministry of Health, and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, growing public pressure pushed all parties back to the negotiation table. The strike was suspended on June 13 after the government gave fresh assurances to revisit the proposed timeline and continue discussions with the union.

Read also

Mintah Akandoh must resign for mishandling GRNMA Strike – Ahiagbah

Oil prices surged, stocks dropped and investors flocked to safe havens like gold on Friday after tensions between Israel and Iran escalated, stoking concerns of a broader conflict in the region.

The price of oil surged Friday in the market’s largest single-day increase in years after Israel attacked Iran, reflecting fears that a wider conflict in the Middle East could lead to serious energy supply disruptions.

US oil surged 7.26%, settling at roughly $72.98 per barrel Friday. Brent gained 7%, settling at around $74.23 per barrel. US oil and Brent had surged as much as 14% and 13%, respectively, earlier in the day.

Those were the biggest single-day gains for the oil benchmarks since March 2022, weeks after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The oil benchmarks also posted their biggest weekly gains since October 2022.

The surge illustrates “both immediate supply concerns and a growing sense that negative headlines could extend the timeline for escalation unlike the prior Israel-Iran episode,” Ahmad Assiri, research strategist at Pepperstone, a financial services firm, wrote in a research note.

Meanwhile, US stocks fell, sending investors retreating to traditional safe haven investments like gold, which rose about 1.4% to $3,433 per troy ounce. The US dollar slightly strengthened.

The Dow closed lower by 770 points, or 1.79%, on Friday after Iran said it had retaliated. The S&P 500 had dropped 1.13% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite slid 1.3%.

The S&P 500, which had been hovering near an all-time high, closed the week in the red and snapped a two-week winning streak.

Stocks turned sharply lower after reports that Iran has fired “hundreds of various ballistic missiles” towards Israel, in what it called the “beginning” of its “crushing response” to Israeli attacks on the country on Friday morning.

“Moments ago, with the launch of hundreds of various ballistic missiles toward the occupied territories, the operation of decisive response to the savage attack of the Zionist regime has begun,” Iran’s official news agency, IRNA, reported.

Wall Street’s fear gauge, the CBOE Volatility Index, surged 19%.

Israel-Iran turmoil roils markets

Shares in airlines and travel companies fell on Friday amid the turmoil in the Middle East.

United Airlines (UAL) was lower by 4.4%, Delta Air Lines (DAL) fell 3.8% and American Airlines (AAL) dropped by 4.9%. Shares in European airlines tumbled, too: Easyjet fell 3%, British Airways parent IAG fell 3.7% and Lufthansa dropped 2.8%.

Expedia Group (EXPE), a travel company, fell 3.5%. Shares in cruise ships dropped. Royal Caribbean (RCL) fell 2.9%, Norwegian (NCLH) fell 5% and Carnival (CCL) dropped 4.9%.

Meanwhile, defense contractors jumped higher. Lockheed Martin (LMT) gained 3.7% and and General Dynamics (GD) rose 1.1%.

Early on Friday, Israel launched an unprecedented attack against Iran’s nuclear and missile facilities, killing at least two of Iran’s top military commanders. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address that the “targeted military operation” is expected to continue for “many days.”

“This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat,” Netanyahu said.

A state of emergency had been declared in Israel in anticipation of an Iranian retaliation, which appears to have begun. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Israel will face “severe punishment” for the attacks.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US was not involved in the Israeli operation and warned Iran against targeting US interests or personnel.

President Donald Trump told The Wall Street Journal on Friday that Israel’s attacks on Iran are “great for the market” because it means Iran won’t have a nuclear weapon.

“I think ultimately, it would be great for the market because Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. It will be great for the market — should be the greatest thing ever for the market. Iran won’t have a nuclear weapon that was a great threat to humanity,” he told the newspaper in a phone call.

Oil prices spike higher

Investors are concerned about how a retaliation by Iran may play out, whether the US may be targeted and whether a critical oil transport route may be disrupted.

If the conflict eliminates Iranian oil from the market, oil prices could spike by about $7.50 a barrel, according to Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates, a consulting firm.

“Iran knows full well that Trump is focused on lower energy prices and actions by Iran that impact Middle East supply and consequently raise oil prices damage Trump politically,” he said.

The bigger fear now is an even broader conflict that impacts the flow of oil from the Strait of Hormuz, the most critical chokepoint for oil supplies on the planet.

“Should oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz be affected, we could see $100 oil,” Lipow said.

OPEC on Friday pushed back on suggestions that surging oil prices after Israel’s attack on Iran could require the release of emergency oil stockpiles.

OPEC’s secretary general said in a statement on X that there are “currently no developments in supply or market dynamics that warrant unnecessary measures.”

Bob McNally, president of Rapidan Energy Group, told CNN that the OPEC statement is “consistent with their posture, which is to hunker down, lay low and hope this blows over.”

A rise in global oil prices could also reignite inflation, complicating the outlook for policymakers like the Federal Reserve.

“Any rise in energy inflation would be another reason for central banks to proceed cautiously with cutting interest rates, and for the Fed to remain on the sidelines for now,” analysts at Capital Economics said in a Friday note. Fed policymakers are set to meet next week to discuss the economic outlook and interest rates.

McNally at Rapidan Energy Group also told CNN the oil market had been “complacent about the risk of geopolitical disruptions” from the region.

“With Israel having commenced attacks against Iran, we expect significantly more risk premium to come into the price of crude in the coming days,” he said.

Iran’s preparation for a military response “raises the risk of not just disruptions but of contagion in other neighboring oil producing nations too,” Priyanka Sachdeva, senior market analyst at Phillip Nova, told Reuters.

“Although Trump has shown reluctance to participate, US involvement could further raise concerns,” she said.

The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), has exposed what he sees as systemic failures at the National Service Scheme (NSS), warning that the institution continues to use the same vulnerable digital platform that facilitated its massive GH¢548 million payroll fraud.

Sulemana Braimah made this revelation on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, June 14.

Braimah expressed disbelief at the situation, stating, “What for me is quite strange… if I’m not mistaken, the National Service Authority is still using the same metric app that allowed for this scandal to happen.”

His comments come amid ongoing investigations into a public sector fraud case, where senior officials allegedly siphoned state funds through 81,885 ghost names on the NSS payroll.

The MFWA director painted a damning picture of institutional negligence, revealing that red flags were raised as early as 2017 but systematically ignored.

“We had regional directors who were complaining during management meetings,” Mr Braimah recounted, explaining how officials reported finding thousands of service personnel mysteriously pre-approved in their regions without proper authorisation.

“Per the mechanism we are operating, the regional director is supposed to give final authorization after validation,” he worried.

“But in that meeting, what we are told is ‘we will look into it,’ and nothing happens. It continued all the way until these discoveries were made.”

The scheme reportedly peaked between 2022 and 2023, with Braimah disclosing that “that year alone, almost GH¢350 million was lost to ghost names.”

While some attempts were made to address the system after the scandal broke, Braimah noted it was too little, too late: “They started to fidget with the system here and there. But by then, the damage had been caused.”

Most alarmingly, Mr Braimah questioned why the NSS, even under new leadership, persists with the same compromised system.

“It’s really strange that the National Service Authority, under a new leadership, would decide that it is the same metric app that was used for this scandalous exercise,” he remarked, highlighting ongoing risks to public funds.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

Kufuor and Akufo-Addo are seen in the middle as Atta Mills is spotted in the background

The obvious faces of former presidents of Ghana in this old photo are those who actually posed for the camera, but this story will begin with the focus on the not so obvious personality’s face.

And also because he is also the only former president in the image who is late, it ties into the reason to focus this GhanaWeb article on John Evans Atta Mills first.

The old photo, which is sourced from graphic.com.gh, shows John Agyekum Kufuor (the second democratically-elected president of the fourth republic of Ghana) standing side by side with the immediate-past president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to the right of the photo.

But after a careful scrutiny of the photo, the image of an unaware John Atta Mills is seen in the background.

While it is unclear which event these former statesmen had attended, it clearly shows one thing; it was a cross-political outing as some of the other faces in the photo are from the other political divide.

As can be seen from the photo, there were other faces like the late Major Courage Quashigah of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), just as Kufuor and Akufo-Addo.

The rest of he faces in the photo are the late JH Mensah, a senior member of the NPP; and the late Gladys Asmah, a former Member of Parliament for Takoradi on the ticket of the NPP, as well as a former Minister of Fisheries.

And there is one other very striking thing about this photo; the fashion sense at the time.

See the image below:

AE

President Mahama has directed SOEs to present audited accounts

Professor Michael Kpessa-Whyte, Director-General, State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), has disclosed that over one hundred State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) have complied with the President’s directive to produce their audited accounts to SIGA.

This compliance comes against the backdrop of President John Dramani Mahama’s directive for SOEs to submit their audited accounts to SIGA.

The Director-General made these remarks at a high-level meeting on performance contracts with selected specified entities, held in Accra.

The meeting brought together key public officials from various state entities, with a spotlight on the urgent need for compliance with performance contracts and the implications of non-compliance.

This gathering followed a successful meeting between the Chief Executive Officers of SOEs and Joint Ventures and the President in March.

Chief Executive Officers of State Entities were taken through the modalities of the performance contracts and the implications of non-compliance.

Key variables of the performance contracts include efficiency and productivity, management improvement and project implementation, and economic and financial positions.

Professor Kpessa-Whyte stated, “A large majority of them, I don’t have the current figure, but a large majority of them, perhaps about 140-150, did comply. We had submitted a report to the Presidency because, if you recall, the President also stated that SIGA was given until the 14th of May to submit a report on the compliance of the entities. We had submitted that particular report to the Presidency.”

The Director General explained that some entities failed to comply with the directive due to delays in constituting their boards.

He said, “Some argued that at the time the deadline was approaching, their boards were not in place to even sign what you call audited accounts. Others also argued that their accounts were still with the auditors, and so they were quite confused as to what to do.”

He also highlighted the financial positions of the state enterprises, stressing that SOEs must fully adhere to the Public Financial Management Act by ensuring that they furnish their audited and management accounts annually to SIGA as stipulated in the Act.

The Director-General noted that a key priority for the Authority is the debt management strategies of SOEs, emphasising that SOEs must submit their requests to borrow to SIGA for overall assessment before they do so.

He asserted that adhering to performance contracts is crucial in addressing the debt challenges of state-owned enterprises, adding, “If entities operate without a performance contract, the possibility that they will not have clear goals and the temptation to spend as though there is no tomorrow is very high.”

The Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry plans to engage exporters of non-ferrous scrap metals in a bid to make more raw materials available locally to sustain jobs in the industry. 

The ministry said the engagement, which would focus on the possibility of mandating the sale of a portion of non-ferrous scrap metals to local processors, was aimed at protecting local industries and enhancing job creation.

This comes at the back of a call for a ban on the export of non-ferrous scrap metals.

Non-ferrous scrap metals refer to any metal waste that does not contain iron or steel. 

Engagement

Speaking to journalists last Thursday after a tour of Recyclers Ghana Ltd at Shai Hills in the Greater Accra Region, the Deputy Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Sampson Ahi, said the scheduled engagement with exporters of scrap metals would discuss potential solutions such as requiring them to sell a percentage of their materials to local factories for domestic processing.

Mr Ahi explained that the visit was to understand the factory’s operations, challenges and how the government could assist them, especially as the government intend to implement the 24-hour economy policy, which aims to boost economic activity and employment.

“If you look at the capacity of the factory as against the amount of raw material that they get to process, there is a deficit and that is why they are calling on the government to do something about the export of the scraps,” he said.

“We want to sit at the table and discuss with the other parties and find a better way to resolve this problem,” he said. 

Challenges

A Director of Recyclers Ghana Ltd, Manish Kumar Jangir, who took the Deputy Minister round the facility, revealed that the company was currently operating below capacity due to the non-availability of non-ferrous scrap metals locally.

Mr Jangir said 60 per cent of Ghana’s non-ferrous scrap metals were exported raw, denying local factories the needed raw materials and forcing shutdowns.

He disclosed that the continuous export of raw non-ferrous scrap metals was resulting in an estimated $250 million in potential foreign exchange earnings lost annually.

He stressed that increasing the company’s operational capacity would lead to sustained jobs, boost production levels, and enhance the potential for growth of the industry.

“We are doing around 50,000 metric tonnes per annum, and this includes recycling batteries, aluminium, old car tyres, as well as plastic, but currently we are only running at 30 per cent of our installed capacity,” he said 

Job creation

Mr Jangir said the plant currently employs 150 people but can generate over 700 direct jobs if it operates at, at least 70 per cent of its production capacity.

He, therefore, called on the government to implement an export ban on non-ferrous scrap metals to enable local industries to increase job creation and contribute to the country’s economy. 

Writer’s email: [email protected]

The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has warned that it will not hesitate to resume its suspended strike if the government fails to fulfill its commitments regarding improved conditions of service.

The caution was issued by Samuel Alagkora Akolgo, First Vice President of GRNMA, during an appearance on Newsfile a day after the Association called off its nationwide industrial action on Friday, June 13.

The strike, which began on June 2, was suspended following “fruitful” negotiations with the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health and government representatives.

However, concerns remain as the government has indicated that GH¢2 billion needed to meet the nurses’ demands was not budgeted for and will only be available in the 2026 budget.

However, he made it clear that the GRNMA would not hesitate to resume strike action if the government fails to deliver.

When asked whether the GRNMA expects the government’s position to change before the follow-up meeting on June 26, Mr. Akolgo expressed cautious optimism.

“We don’t want to speculate, because the honorable members in the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health are honorable men of integrity, and we believe whatever understanding that we had, they will not relent on their part of the bargain,” he said.

Pressed further by host Samson Lardi on whether the strike would resume if the government fails to act, Akolgo responded:

“We are not going to contemplate resuming, whether to resume or not resume, it is better. We remain positive and hope that the right thing will be done for nurses and midwives so that they can continue to offer… nursing and midwifery services to the people of Ghana. So, we are not going to prejudge what will happen.”

Samuel Akolgo made it clear that the GRNMA’s patience is not infinite.

“We expect government to hold up its end of the bargain regarding our conditions of service, for which reason we decided to suspend our strike action,” he stressed.

The strike, which disrupted healthcare services nationwide, was called off after the GRNMA and government reached a temporary agreement.

However, with no immediate funding allocated, the June 26 meeting will be crucial in determining whether the truce holds or if nurses and midwives will once again take industrial action.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare is the Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry

The Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry will meet metal scrap exporters and local processors on June 16, 2025, to address challenges surrounding non-ferrous metal scrap export

The meeting is part of the government’s efforts to boost job creation, improve foreign exchange earnings, and attract investment.

Deputy Minister Sampson Ahi, during a familiarisation visit to Recyclers Ghana Limited at Shai Hills, said the ministry had observed that local factories lacked sufficient raw materials for processing.

“If you look at the capacity of the factory as against the amount of raw material that it gets in processing, definitely there is a deficit, there is a shortfall,” he noted.

Local processors, through the Non-Ferrous Association of Ghana, have been advocating for an export ban on non-ferrous scrap to boost the domestic industry.

Manesh Kumar Jangir, a director at Recyclers Ghana Limited, said the shortage of raw materials had forced some factories to shut down.

“Sixty per cent of Ghana’s non-ferrous scrap metal is exported raw,” he said.

Jangir estimated the country loses about $250 million in potential foreign exchange annually, citing a 70 per cent undervaluation of processed metals.

He added that banning scrap exports could create over 3,000 jobs and strengthen the currency.

Currently, the company operates at 30 percent capacity, employing about 150 workers, due to raw material constraints.

Non-ferrous metals, which include aluminium, copper, brass, bronze, lead, zinc, gold, and silver, are non-magnetic and resistant to rust and corrosion.

Kufuor and Akufo-Addo are seen in the middle as Atta Mills is spotted in the background

The obvious faces of former presidents of Ghana in this old photo are those who actually posed for the camera, but this story will begin with the focus on the not so obvious personality’s face.

And also because he is also the only former president in the image who is late, it ties into the reason to focus this GhanaWeb article on John Evans Atta Mills first.

The old photo, which is sourced from graphic.com.gh, shows John Agyekum Kufuor (the second democratically-elected president of the fourth republic of Ghana) standing side by side with the immediate-past president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to the right of the photo.

But after a careful scrutiny of the photo, the image of an unaware John Atta Mills is seen in the background.

While it is unclear which event these former statesmen had attended, it clearly shows one thing; it was a cross-political outing as some of the other faces in the photo are from the other political divide.

As can be seen from the photo, there were other faces like the late Major Courage Quashigah of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), just as Kufuor and Akufo-Addo.

The rest of he faces in the photo are the late JH Mensah, a senior member of the NPP; and the late Gladys Asmah, a former Member of Parliament for Takoradi on the ticket of the NPP, as well as a former Minister of Fisheries.

And there is one other very striking thing about this photo; the fashion sense at the time.

See the image below:

AE

Cashew industry players, mainly farmers in the Bono Region, have appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to establish the Cashew Development Board (CDB) and a processing factory to ensure sustainable growth and development of the industry.

The farmers said the establishment of the board and the factory would also help sustain their interest in the sector.

The region, with 12 administrative municipal and district areas, is one of the highest producers of the commodity in the country.

It has eight of its districts producing the commodity in commercial quantities. 

Cashew districts

They include the Jaman North District, the Jaman South Municipality, the Tain District and the Banda District.

A section of the cashew farmers at the press conference

Others are the Wenchi, Berekum and Sunyani West municipalities and the Berekum West District.

Although the rest of the administrative areas such as the Sunyani and Dormaa municipalities, Dormaa West and Dormaa East districts, also produce the commodity, the farmers are not into full-scale production.

It is estimated that the region, with a total land size of 11,107 square kilometres, accounts for 48 per cent of the national production annually.

However, there is no board or a processing factory to regulate the activities of the industry and process the huge volumes of raw cashew nuts respectively.

Over the years, cashew farmers and dealers in the region have continued to lament about low producer prices and some other marketing challenges due to the lack of regulation in the sector.

In some seasons, farmers have had to suspend the sale of raw cashew nuts because of poor pricing of the commodity.

Other frustrated farmers stopped picking raw cashew nuts from their farms because the cost involved in processing a bag of nuts was more than the price of a bag of nuts.

Meanwhile, some of the farmers, who have no facilities to store the nuts or need money for various reasons, have continued to sell them at low prices.

Press conference 

In order not for history to repeat itself, the Jaman South Concerned Cashew Farmers Association organised a press conference to appeal to the government to establish the Cashew Board and a processing factory to help resolve farmers’ challenges.

 Ripe cashew fruits on a tree

At Drobo in the Jaman South Municipality, the Secretary of the association, Nicholas Foso, said the establishment of the board would help oversee pricing regulations and market access.

“The cashew board will regulate marketing, pricing and export of cashew nuts, similar to the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD),” he said.

Mr Foso said, “As we speak, due to the poor pricing in the 2025 cashew season, many farmers are still keeping their nuts at home because the price is nothing to write home about.”

He said the establishment of the board would ensure farmers received fair prices for their produce and reduce exploitation by middlemen.

He said the cashew sector lacked proper organisation, pricing regimes and supply chain linkages.

Mr Foso said that currently, farmers were at the mercy of buyers, who determine prices, often to the disadvantage of farmers.

“A board would facilitate better planning, budgeting and business improvement for farmers,” he stated.

Regulation benefits

Mr Foso said that if the industry was properly regulated, the cashew sector could contribute significantly to Ghana’s economy through foreign exchange earnings.

Trucks loaded with bags of raw cashew nuts at Suma Ahenkro

He said farmers and other industry players would also benefit from stable prices, subsidies, support and vibrancy and flexibility in the cashew sector.

“We are urging the government to consider the establishment of the board to provide a framework for the sustainable growth and development of the industry.

“This would not only benefit farmers and dealers but also contribute to the country’s economic growth,” he said.

Factory

Mr Foso said the establishment of the factory would help process the raw cashew nuts, including the apple (fruit), into juice to boost the local economy and create sustainable jobs for several youths.

He said about 900,000 tonnes of the cashew apple, which could be processed into juice and several other recipes, went to waste.

Mr Foso said the economic benefit of cashew apple outweighed its nuts, explaining that its benefits ranged from culinary, medicinal and industrial, to beverages such as wine, liquor and other non-alcoholic beverages.

Close border

Mr Foso also urged the government to close the cashew growing area borders during cashew seasons, particularly the Sampa Border, to avoid smuggling or intruding cashew nuts to and from Côte d’Ivoire.

He reminded President Mahama about the promise he made to the chiefs and people of the area during the 2024 general election campaign that he would establish the board and a cashew factory if he won the election.

 Cashew fruits

“President Mahama promised and assured the good people of Jaman South and North during his 2024 campaign tour in the areas to establish a regulatory board for the cashew industry, to stabilise prices, provide subsidies and farm inputs,” he said.

Mr Foso said the people had confidence in President Mahama’s capacity to deliver on the promise and urged him to speed up processes leading to the establishment of the board and the factory.

Poor prices

Corroborating the sentiments expressed by the Secretary of the Jaman South Concerned Cashew Farmers Association, Nicholas Foso, at the press conference, a farmer, James Owusu Takyi, lamented about the low producer prices for cashew, saying currently the commodity is sold at between GH¢4 and GH¢5 per kilogramme in the region.

 Nicholas Foso, Secretary of the Jaman South Concerned Cashew Farmers Association, addressing the conference

He explained that initially the commodity was selling between GH¢25 and GH¢28, but that had reduced drastically to the current price.

Mr Takyi said farmers were going through several challenges and frustrations daily to produce and he could not understand why he had to go through similar difficulties to get a good price.

He said that the buyers always refused to go by the minimum pricing set up by the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA).

Mr Takyi said the current situation in the industry was demotivating several farmers from expending their energy and resources in the industry.

Cheating

A female cashew farmer, Charity Ninbalayel, told the Daily Graphic that some of the buyers had also adjusted their weighing scales to cheat them, particularly farmers without formal education like her.

She also mentioned the lack of funds to procure farm inputs, poor roads and the influx of foreign cashew nuts from neighbouring countries such as Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Togo as a challenge they were contending with.

Mrs Ninbalayel explained that she had to share the picked raw nuts with the pickers by dividing it into three, where he took two out of the three, because the cost involved in picking the nuts was more than the price at which she was selling the cashew.

She added that buyers purchased both well-dried cashew nuts and partly-dried nuts at the same prices.

A 42-year-old farmer, Thomas Kofi Yeboah, also told the Daily Graphic that the process involved in producing cashew nuts was tedious.

He said he did not expect that after several years of hard work, they would be given such treatment by buyers.

Mr Yeboah appealed to the government and other stakeholders to swiftly intervene to save the cashew industry.

Writer’s email: [email protected]

American boxer Andrew Tabiti stunned the home crowd at the Bukom Boxing Arena on Friday night with a dominant fourth-round knockout win over Ghana’s Jacob Dickson to capture the WBC African Cruiserweight title.

The highly anticipated bout headlined the “Battle of the Beasts” boxing event, organized by Legacy Rise Sports and Amir Khan Promotions. But for Dickson, it was a night to forget.

From the opening bell, Tabiti; who once trained under Floyd Mayweather Sr. showed his class and power. An early uppercut sent Dickson crashing to the canvas in the first round, setting the tone for what would be a one-sided affair.

Not even the presence of Ghanaian boxing legends Azumah Nelson and Joshua Clottey could lift Dickson’s spirits, as Tabiti continued to dominate, breaking him down with powerful body shots and brutal combinations.

Dickson hit the canvas three times before the end came at 1 minute and 34 seconds into the fourth round, when Tabiti landed another crushing blow to seal the knockout victory.

With this win, Andrew Tabiti improves his professional record to 21 wins in 23 fights, cementing his return to form on African soil.

For Jacob Dickson, it’s back to the drawing board after suffering the first major blemish of his career on home turf.

A major economic announcement was made last week in faraway Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province in China – one with the potential to transform the trajectory of industrial development across Africa, from light to heavy manufacturing, and possibly help lift millions of our people out of poverty if well managed.

Surprisingly, it has so far not generated the level of discourse I was expecting across African media, economic, and social networking platforms.

China has declared its readiness to drop 100% of tariffs on products from all African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations.

This bold move could reshape Africa’s export potential and unlock unprecedented access to a market of over 1.4 billion people, extending into the broader East Asian economic zone.

This moment is the result of years of groundwork. A visit to Hunan Province in 2018 during my tenure as Ghana’s Ambassador to China marked a pivotal turning point in China-Africa economic relations.

During that visit, the then Director General of the Hunan Ministry of Commerce initiated serious discussions on how Hunan could become a gateway for African products into the Chinese market.

He followed up with a crucial meeting at the Ghana Embassy in Beijing, which helped lay the foundation for what would later become the first China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, launched in 2019.

Following Ghana’s early engagement, other African ambassadors—including colleagues from Tanzania, Rwanda, Benin, and Kenya—were brought into the preparatory discussions and follow-ups. The then Ambassador of Tanzania to China, Amb. Mbelwa Kairuki, became my close partner on this initiative. Together with our colleagues, the Dean and members of the African Diplomatic Corps, and key Chinese stakeholders, we worked tirelessly to shape a shared vision for stronger, mutually beneficial trade ties.

Last week’s announcement at the fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo in Changsha is a powerful testament to that vision. The policy shift to eliminate tariffs on 100% of taxable African imports is not just symbolic; it is a game-changing opportunity for African exporters, particularly in sectors like agriculture, textiles, processed goods, and light manufacturing.

However, we must recognise that Chinese enterprises are already deeply embedded across African markets—well-positioned in every sector to benefit from this policy, as well as the broader advantages offered by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

If Africa does not organise itself by building infrastructure, improving quality standards, supporting local entrepreneurs and communities, and strengthening supply chains and regulatory frameworks, others will seize the space that should be occupied by African producers.

This is a historic opening. Africa must move with strategy, urgency, and purposefulness to ensure that this policy shift translates into real economic transformation for the continent. Our media should hail and talk more about this policy initiative and explore how we can drive it to our advantage.

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Author: Amb. Edward Boateng, Former Ambassador of Ghana to China