The Tertiary Education Workers’ Union of Ghana (TEWU-GH) has distanced itself from what it calls an “illegal and misleading” claim by Mr Charles Arthur, the KNUST Local Chairman, who has been circulating information suggesting that he is the National Chairman of the Union.

In a statement issued by the National Secretariat on Saturday, November 29, 2025, the Union said Mr Arthur’s actions constitute a deliberate misrepresentation intended to create confusion among members and stakeholders.

The Secretariat stressed that it has no mandate to speak or act on behalf of TEWU-GH at the national level.

According to the statement, Mr. Arthur has in recent weeks engaged in a series of actions that the Union considers unconstitutional and disruptive.

These include convening unauthorised meetings, mobilising a small group of sympathisers to support what the Union calls his “divisive agenda,” and orchestrating the signing of a letter dated November 5, 2025 in an attempt to declare himself National Chairman.

TEWU-GH revealed that it had cautioned him after the letter was circulated, but the KNUST local chairman allegedly disregarded the directive. The Union further noted that Mr. Arthur refused to attend a meeting scheduled for November 27, 2025, which was intended to address the matter amicably.

Instead, he released yet another statement proclaiming himself National Chairman and threatening strike action if the Union does not receive its bargaining certificate by December.

The National Secretariat described his behaviour as “immature” and “gross misconduct,” emphasising that leadership within TEWU-GH is determined strictly through established constitutional procedures—not personal declarations.

Stakeholders, including university authorities, regulators, and the public, have been urged to ignore communications from Mr. Arthur or any group aligned with him.

TEWU-GH insists that he does not represent the Union and has no authority to issue directives on its behalf.

The statement also revealed that Mr. Arthur’s conduct has been a recurring issue in engagements with the National Labour Commission and the Labour Department.

His alleged refusal to follow due process, particularly in matters concerning the bargaining certificate, has reportedly contributed to delays in the certificate’s issuance.

AgriFair: Three days of innovation, fresh produce, and bold economic possibilities for Ghana

The Member of Parliament for Garu, Dr Thomas Anaba, has appealed to all factions involved in the protracted Bawku conflict to accept the ruling of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, as the final mediation process scheduled to conclude on Monday, December 1, 2025, at the Manhyia Palace.

He lamented the extensive loss of lives, property, and resources over the decades, stressing that peace remains the only acceptable path forward for the people of Bawku.

The Asantehene, whom the government tasked to help find a lasting solution to the Bawku chieftaincy crisis, is expected to deliver his final ruling today—an outcome many hope will bring an end to years of tension and violence in the area.

Speaking to Citi News on Sunday, November 30, 2025, Dr Anaba urged all stakeholders to embrace the Asantehene’s pronouncement in good faith and commit to restoring harmony in the Bawku enclave.

He emphasised that only unity and acceptance of the ruling will pave the way for sustainable development.

“There’s not much to expect but peace in Bawku. We have spent a whole lot of years, a lot of resources, time wasted, lives lost, and businesses destroyed because of this conflict. I know it’s not an easy task. President Nana Akufo-Addo handed it to the Asantehene to manage, and President John Mahama also came and recognised that he could manage it and left it for him to complete. He has handled it gently, step by step, and finally brought us to this point,” he said.

Dr Anaba added that the Asantehene’s ruling should serve as a new beginning for the area.

“What we are expecting is that his pronouncement will bring peace, so the government will take his recommendations and everybody will accept their implementation to the letter. We will all be happy with ourselves and live harmoniously in Bawku because we are already one people.

“We don’t have any real differences—just a small misunderstanding about ownership that has brought us this far,” he indicated.

He further prayed for a peaceful and successful resolution that would restore Bawku to its past glory of stability, vibrant commerce, and growth.

Asantehene to conclude Bawku mediation by December 1

Jabesh Amissah-Arthur was recognised and honoured for his Lifetime Achievement at the Ghana Energy Awards, held yesterday in Accra.

The recognition celebrates more than four decades of service during which he helped shape Ghana’s modern energy sector. He currently serves as the Board Chair of the Volta River Authority (VRA).

Reflecting on the honour, Ing. Amissah-Arthur said the recognition belongs not only to him but to the many Ghanaian professionals he has worked with over the years.

“I am humbled by this recognition. Every achievement has been a collective effort, and I remain proud of what Ghanaian engineers continue to accomplish.

Early in his career, which began in 1979 at VRA, he successfully solved a complex IT challenge that had stalled VRA’s consultants—an indication of the ingenuity that would define his leadership.

He was later asked to lead the Authority’s major digital transformation as head of the MIS Department, modernising operations and improving efficiency across the institution he now chairs.

One of his most significant national contributions was through the Northern Electrification & System Reinforcement Project, where his technical leadership helped secure financing for the project.

He then went on to coordinate all aspects of project Implementation for the extension of the national grid beyond Kumasi to the northern-most parts of Ghana within four years.

This project laid the groundwork for the National Electrification Programme and expanded access nationwide.

At just 42, he was appointed Deputy Chief Executive of VRA, overseeing the country’s generation and transmission systems at a crucial time in Ghana’s energy development.

Later, as CEO of the Bui Power Authority, he led the successful delivery of the 400 MW Bui Hydroelectric Dam—completed on schedule, within budget, and supervised entirely by a Ghanaian technical team.

The dam remains one of Ghana’s landmark engineering achievements.

Mr Amissah-Arthur also authored the Ghana Grid Code, the regulatory framework that continues to guide the safe and reliable operation of the national transmission system and ensures open access to all parties.

Beyond Ghana, he has contributed to more than 40 major energy projects across West Africa, holding key leadership roles including Chair of WAGPA, Chair of TiCO, and CEO & Board Member of Bui Power Authority.

The Lifetime Achievement Award reflects a career defined by innovation, integrity, and a commitment to building national capacity.

It honours a leader whose work has expanded electrification, built a major national generation plant, strengthened energy institutions, and improved millions of lives across Ghana and the subregion with his service to mankind.

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Capt Kofi Amoabeng decorating one of the leaders

Captain Prince Kofi Amoabeng has stated that his greatest fear is that the very environment he is preparing young leaders to transform will ultimately consume them.

His remarks came during the graduation and induction ceremony for the PK Amoabeng Scholars, where 19 graduands, including best graduates Solomon Boakye and Lady Ithra Rachel Naadu, completed the program, and 19 new inductees joined.

“Now, they are fresh. They are ready to change the world. But then we throw them back into the toxic environment, and if there are 20 of them, I will pray hard that not more than 10 are changed by the system,” Amoabeng said.

He framed the initiative as a race to build a critical mass of ethical leaders who can withstand prevailing norms.

“The idea is if we have more funding, we can form an academy and throw in a lot of these hopeful young people so the system cannot eat most of them up,” he explained.

The guest speaker, Nana Sam Agyensaim VI, provided a practical example of the discipline required for leadership.

He recounted working two grueling jobs in London: a 12-hour overnight security shift followed by a day job at Harrods for 18 months to establish himself. His story underscored the resilience the foundation aims to instil.

The event also served as an induction for a new cohort. On their behalf, Gloria Ansah accepted the charge.

“Our promise is to do better as a generation. You can count on us to not simply walk a path already built, but to forge our own,”she said.

But the central conflict remains. The foundation is creating “decent young men with the right values,” yet Captain Amoabeng likened the effort to making asana, a local drink. “The more sugar you put in, the more you can drink it,” he said.

This means the bitterness of the national status quo requires an overwhelming amount of “sweetness” of ethical, trained leaders to make any difference.

Captain Amoabeng’s deepest thanks went to sponsors and mentors, especially Nana Sam Agyensaim VI, whose support provides a counter-cultural sanctuary for the scholars.

The PK Amoabeng Leadership Foundation is running a rescue operation. It is deliberately plucking promising youth from the jaws of a system that threatens to eat them alive, arming them with values, and praying that enough of them survive to leave a legacy that can change the narrative for Ghana and for Africa.

Ghana’s hard-won progress in reducing air pollution is being quietly reversed, not by traffic or household fuels, but by the growing menace of waste burning.

New scientific findings presented at the Breathe Accra National Stakeholder Convening show that while emissions from vehicles and cooking fuels have stabilised or improved over the past two decades, the open burning of refuse is now driving dangerous spikes in particulate pollution across urban communities.

Researchers, policymakers and clean-air advocates warn that the country risks losing decades of progress if urgent action is not taken to curb the practice.

Accra’s traffic continues to pump pollutants into the air, with more than two million vehicles crowding city streets daily. Yet, contrary to popular perception, transport-related pollution has remained largely unchanged for 20 years.

“What we have found is that the proportion that is coming from traffic remains the same. It hasn’t changed over the last 20 years,” said Dr Raphael Arku.

Dr Raphael Arku, Associate Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and his team have spent two decades collecting and analysing particulate matter in multiple communities, mapping the evolving sources of air pollution.

The good news, he explained, is that emissions from biomass burning — charcoal, wood fires and fish smoking — have dropped significantly as more households shift to improved fuels.

“But the good news is that we have also found that the one that is coming from biomass burning, like when we burn wood for cooking or fish smoking or charcoal, that part has reduced significantly, a lot,” Dr Raphael Arku said.

Policies like the ban on old vehicle imports and the new emissions levy were expected to further cut pollution from transport. But the emissions levy fell short of its goals.

A trend analysis by Dr Dan Westervelt of Columbia University found no statistically meaningful improvement.

“We did not see any PM2.5 change between the post-levy period and the pre-levy period. Basically, there were some changes, but statistically insignificant changes, very, very tiny, like a fraction of a per cent change in air pollution due to the policy.

“So we can say pretty definitively that at least for PM2.5, which is the primary pollutant of health concern for air quality, at least for PM2.5, there was not a substantial reduction due to this emissions policy,” said Dan Westervelt.

PM2.5, fine particles that penetrate deep into the lungs, remains the most dangerous air pollutant.

But the biggest red flag from the new research is this: waste burning is on the rise, and it is cancelling out pollution gains from cleaner fuels.

With weak waste-collection systems, many communities resort to burning rubbish, releasing toxic smoke directly into the air people breathe.

“But unfortunately, that reduction, we are making up for it, making it more negative by burning waste. So even though we are making progress in people switching to gas, which is less polluting, we are also not doing well in trash collection.

“So people are now burning the trash. So it’s making up for the gains that we make in biomass burning,” Dr Raphael Arku said

Experts also highlighted the lack of safe pedestrian and cycling infrastructure as part of the broader problem.

Director for Planning and Programmes at the National Road Safety Authority, Martin Afram, said mainstreaming non-motorised transport is crucial.

“We lose about 2,400 people to traffic crashes. And out of this number, 31.3% of them are as a result of the pedestrians. So this tells us that if you’re able to reduce the numbers with regard to the pedestrian fatalities, we’ll be reducing overall road traffic fatalities.

“The key thing is that we want to mainstream the provision of bicycle lanes and pedestrian walkways into the road infrastructure. And this is well spelt out in the National Transport Policy,” said Martin Afram

Breathe Accra, which funds air-quality research, including Dr Arku’s work, says the next phase is ensuring policies can actually be implemented.

“We are hoping we can see some more mainstreaming and then build more on our awareness and also the capacity to implement these policies. Because it’s good to know that we’ve done an air quality action plan, but do the people know how to implement it?

“So we’re hoping to build on the work we’ve done, the foundation we’ve laid, and see how things can scale off to even be able to create more impact and get more results at the end of the day,” said Dr Elvis Gyeabuor

With air pollution now linked to nearly 32,000 deaths, he argues that the stakes are too high for weak enforcement.

Technical Head for Breathe Cities Africa, Seneca Naidoo, praised Accra’s multi-district coordination but urged consistency.

“We want to make sure that we’re able to strike a good balance between protecting people’s health, but still making sure that economies are growing. This is not a problem that respects boundaries, you know, it doesn’t stop at the, you know, the border of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly and say, okay, I can’t go past this, right?

Now you’ve got those in 13 different districts, that’s a lot of people to come together to make sure that you move this work forward. And the fact that the city has been able to do that, I think, is really, really a great achievement. So I think that’s something that we want to see a lot more,” said Seneca Naidoo.

The message from researchers is clear: Ghana has made real progress — cleaner fuels, stable transport emissions, coordinated policy efforts. But without urgent action on waste management and community behaviour, that progress will vanish.

Cleaner air is still within reach. But it demands enforcement, investment in waste systems, and the collective will to stop burning trash.

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This was contained in a speech read on her behalf by the Director of Administration at the ministry, Yaw Sekyi, at the National AfCFTA Dialogue in Accra yesterday.

The minister said in spite of their resilience and economic significance, women and youth continued to face major obstacles, such as limited access to affordable finance, high trade-related costs, customs delays, difficulties meeting product standards, the lack of export information and barriers to digital adoption.

These challenges, she stressed, must be addressed intentionally for Ghana to harness the full benefit of AfCFTA.

“Ghana welcomes this protocol wholeheartedly and remains committed to advancing a structured and inclusive roadmap for its implementation.

As we gather here today, it is important to recognise that women and youth are not peripheral actors in our economy.

They are central to our national productivity,” she said.

The ministry, therefore, pledged its support through regulatory improvements, capacity-building and business development programmes via the Ghana Enterprises Agency, export-readiness and market facilitation through the Export Ghana initiative and agribusiness value-chain interventions.

Mrs Ofosu-Adjare mentioned that inclusive participation in AfCFTA could not be achieved by the government alone, emphasising that it required collaboration across the public and private sectors, financial institutions, civil society and development partners.

“The minister eagerly awaits the recommendations that will emerge from this engagement to support the upcoming revision of Ghana’s AfCFTA Policy Framework and Action Plan,” Mr Sekyi read.

“Together, we can build a trading system that is not only inclusive and fair but full of opportunities; a system where women and youth are not just participants, but the architects of Ghana’s economic future,” he added.

Dialogue

The event, jointly organised by the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, the National AfCFTA Coordination Office and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), focused on harnessing the AfCFTA Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade to promote inclusive growth, access to finance, and trade readiness for women-led and youth-led MSMEs.

The dialogue, which opened with an exhibition of products and services from women-led and youth-led enterprises, featured speeches, presentations, a panel discussion and a plenary session.

It was held on the theme: “Empowering Ghanaian Women- and Youth-Led MSMEs”.

In attendance were UNDP Ghana Resident Representative, Niloy Banerjee; Principal Officer, Women and Youth in Trade, AfCFTA Secretariat, Gemma Mbegabolawe, and the Head of Micro and Small Enterprises of GCB Bank, Cedric McAddy.

Action through financing

The acting National AfCFTA Coordinator, Benjamin Asiam, called for decisive national action to implement the AfCFTA Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade, emphasising its strategic importance for Ghana’s economic future.

He stated that women led 44-51 per cent of all registered MSMEs, and youth entrepreneurs were powering growth across agriculture, ICT, manufacturing, and the creative economy, making their inclusion “indispensable” to Africa’s single market project.

He mentioned that simplified trade procedures, capacity-building support, rules of origin, and digital inclusion measures could help these sectors to scale into continental markets.

He, however, cautioned that major constraints such as limited access to finance, challenges in certification and standards, harassment at borders, logistical bottlenecks, and inadequate sex and age-disaggregated trade data persisted.

Without precise data, he warned, policies risked being “well-intentioned but insufficiently targeted.”

A research team from Hosei University has developed an integrated data model that merges international construction and geospatial standards to streamline maintenance of Japan’s aging bridge infrastructure, according to findings published in Computer Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering.

The system combines Industry Foundation Classes (IFC), used for Building Information Modeling (BIM) in construction, with CityGML, a standard for representing three dimensional geospatial information. This integration enables unified management of both 3D geometric data and maintenance information including inspection results and repair histories in a single framework.

Professor Ryuichi Imai from the Faculty of Engineering and Design at Hosei University led the research team, which included Dr. Kenji Nakamura from Osaka University of Economics, Dr. Yoshinori Tsukada from Reitaku University, Dr. Toshio Teraguchi from University of Marketing and Distribution Sciences, and Dr. Chikako Kurokawa from Asia Air Survey Company Limited. Their findings were made available online October 5 and published in Volume 40, Issue 27 of the journal on November 14, 2025.

Japan confronts urgent challenges with aging infrastructure built during its rapid economic growth period. Extensive inspection data and repair histories have been managed disparately across paper ledgers or departmental systems, leading to inadequate integration between the experience of skilled engineers and digital data. The ineffective linking of on site expertise with vast amounts of digital information has hampered maintenance operations, particularly for bridges across the nation.

The research team’s solution addresses the separate and difficult management of bridges’ three dimensional geometry data and their maintenance information in siloed systems. The resulting framework enables what researchers describe as one source, multi use management that significantly streamlines maintenance workflows including inspection, diagnosis, and repair planning.

Imai explained that the work allows infrastructure managers, specifically local governments, to accurately grasp damage locations found during inspections and past repair histories for numerous bridges under their jurisdiction, all visualized on 3D models. Managers can instantly check information either on site or in the office, such as whether current damage is located in the same spot that was repaired five years earlier. This capability enables precise, data driven decisions about repair priorities and the most suitable repair methods, expected to improve infrastructure safety and longevity while ensuring efficient use of public funds.

The validation experiment was conducted using drawings, inspection records, and point clouds of bridges in Shizuoka City, demonstrating that the schema can be applied to 20 bridges of four types for three different use cases. The research forms part of Japan’s Strategic Innovation Promotion (SIP) Program Smart Infrastructure Management System, a cross ministerial initiative leveraging cutting edge digital technology to establish safer, more sustainable infrastructure management.

The team expects the integrated data model to be widely adopted as a standard by local governments nationwide within five to ten years, leading to the creation of digital twins for social infrastructure starting with bridges. On these digital twins, artificial intelligence driven deterioration forecasting simulations would become possible, accelerating the shift from reactive maintenance to predictive maintenance by repairing at optimal times before failures occur.

This transformation will help prevent critical accidents like bridge collapses and extend infrastructure lifespan, contributing to a society where people can live more safely and sustainably. During disasters, the system will enable immediate assessment of which bridges are passable, supporting rapid evacuation and recovery efforts.

Imai concluded that the technology, aimed at connecting field expertise with digital data and realizing future maintenance where infrastructure is collaboratively monitored across communities, can pave the way to a society where future generations can live more securely.

The research contributes to the growing body of work supporting digital twins and predictive maintenance, reinforcing the role of interoperable data in ensuring safe and resilient transport networks. While IFC provides detailed component level geometry and attributes needed for bridge structures, CityGML offers context of surrounding environments, making the combination particularly effective for comprehensive infrastructure management.

Aspiring National Organiser for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Kwadwo Agyei Yeboah

Aspiring National Organiser for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Kwadwo Agyei Yeboah, popularly known as Nana Kay, has advised the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to refrain from using state institutions for political intimidation.

Instead, he urged the ruling party to focus on delivering the economic transformation it promised Ghanaians.

Nana Kay, a member of the Communications and Elections Directorate, noted that despite government claims of cedi stabilisation, the improvement is not being felt by ordinary citizens.

He made these remarks while reacting to the Tamale High Court’s order for a rerun of the constituency election.

According to him, the court exceeded the reliefs sought by the NDC, alleging that it granted additional, unrequested reliefs “to appease the paymasters.”

Speaking in an interview on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5 FM, Nana Kay argued that the NDC is drifting from its core mandate and its commitment to maintaining economic stability.

He expressed confidence that the NPP will retain the constituency seat even if the court-ordered rerun is conducted.

He further reiterated the position of Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, describing the court’s decision as unfortunate and suggesting that it forms part of a broader agenda to please the government.

While reaffirming the NPP’s respect for the ruling, he stressed that the party “totally disagrees” with it and has resolved to file an appeal.

“This is unfortunate. The intimidation is one too many, and we must deal with it. I totally agree with the Majority Leader that it seems they are working for their paymasters. We know for a fact that he is the sitting Member of Parliament, and nothing can change that,” he stated.

Nana Kay cautioned the government to “tread cautiously,” citing what he described as “serious scandals.” He referenced reports of students seeking admission to senior high schools allegedly being asked to pay GH₵40,000 or more.

“Are they going in search of jobs? If so, then why are they being made to pay GH₵40,000?” he questioned, adding that the intimidation of opposition party members remains a major concern.

“They should be careful. If they think they have the supermajority and can do anything they want, they should be careful because power will certainly change hands.”

He stressed that the country is not operating under normal circumstances, pointing to a recent Afrobarometer report indicating that over 60 percent of respondents preferred military rule to civilian rule.

Given this, he insisted the government “must tread with caution in how it is intimidating opposition members.”

Finally, he stated that the NPP will not withdraw from the rerun, expressing confidence that the party will emerge victorious.

Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmati is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after breaking her leg in training.

The 27-year-old fell awkwardly during a morning practice session at the national team’s training base in Las Rozas, Madrid, on Sunday.

Spain were preparing for the second leg of their UEFA Women’s Nations League final against Germany at the Estadio Metropolitano on 2 December.

Bonmati played 77 minutes of last Friday’s first leg, which finished goalless, in Kaiserslautern.

A statement from the Royal Spanish Football Federation said that “following tests carried out by the medical services”, Bonmati was “diagnosed with a fracture in her left fibula”.

Bonmati will return to Barcelona to begin her rehabilitation, and the injury setback is a disappointing end to what has otherwise been a stellar year for the player.

She became the first player to win the women’s Ballon d’Or three times, achieved a domestic treble with Barca and reached the Euro 2025 final with Spain.

Bonmati was also named the Champions League’s player of the season by UEFA.

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.

Renowned Ghanaian media personality AKwasi Aboagye

Renowned Ghanaian media personality AKwasi Aboagye has officially announced his retirement from radio after more than two decades of remarkable service to the broadcasting and entertainment industry.

The award-winning media personality made the announcement via a post on his Facebook wall. In his post, he confirmed that his final show will air on 13 December 2025.

The full post he wrote reads, “My work as a radio presenter has come to an end. I am officially retiring from radio on 13 December 2025. I am grateful to the entire management of Despite Media. I also extend my gratitude to everyone who supported me throughout this journey. I shall, at the appropriate time, say a big thank you to some individuals who were very helpful.”

AKwasi Aboagye began his radio journey in 1996 at Radio Univers.

He later joined Peace FM in 1999 under Despite Media, where he became one of the most respected and consistent voices in entertainment journalism.

Apart from his long-running entertainment review programme, he also hosted the political morning show on Neat FM, which is also under the Despite Media conglomerate.

Over the years also, AKwasi Aboagye took on roles beyond presenting, including serving as an artiste manager, most notably for legendary highlife musician Amakye Dede, and later becoming the board chairman of the Ghana Music Awards USA.

His retirement announcement has sparked widespread reactions from listeners, colleagues, and industry players, many of whom have praised him.

Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the Acting Minister of Defence

Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the Acting Minister of Defence, has charged members of the newly inaugurated Internal Audit Committee of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to protect public funds.

They are to ensure that the Ministry does not feature in future Auditor-General’s reports for financial infractions.

Dr Forson said recent nationwide audits had revealed “avoidable and troubling” breaches in public financial management, stressing that such trends threatened public confidence in state institutions and democratic governance.

The six-member committee, sworn in on Friday, is chaired by Joseph Frederick Odartey Blankson, former president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana.

The members are Patrick Vug Nanke, Head of Internal Audit and Investigations at the Internal Audit Agency, Gloria Dami-Baah, a Chartered Accountant and seasoned Internal Auditor, Brigadier General Ben Gah, former Commander, 15 Armoured Brigade and Dominic Agyemang.

Dr Forson recounted a special audit he ordered, which reviewed GH¢18 billion in bank transfer advices.

The exercise, conducted jointly by the Auditor-General, SNY and PwC, led to the rejection of GH¢1 billion worth of processed invoices that had passed through various ministries and agencies and were awaiting payment at the Bank of Ghana.

“Had we not paused the payments for an audit, GH¢1 billion of public funds would have been lost,” he said.

“If one audit can throw out GH¢1 billion, then what has happened over the last 10 years? This shows that significant sums may have been paid illegitimately.”

He cited a vehicular procurement transaction in which documents were fully processed, validated and forwarded for payment although no vehicle had been delivered.

“Who signed the stores receipt voucher? Who validated it?” he asked.

“This wasn’t done by a politician. Even if instructed, how do you sign for something that is not physically present?”

Dr Forson called for stronger internal control systems within Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and urged the new committee to ensure that no such lapses originated from the MoD.

“If any part of this country fails, not the Ministry of Defence,” he said.

“This is where the line of integrity must be drawn. I do not want to see an Auditor-General’s report citing this Ministry.”

He emphasised the need for the Ministry to uphold the highest standards of transparency and accountability, especially after a difficult economic period during which citizens lost pensions and savings.

Mr Odartey Blankson, Chairperson of the committee, said members would ensure that audit recommendations were implemented promptly and that internal control systems worked effectively to prevent infractions.

He criticised the practice of endorsing stores receipt vouchers without physically verifying items, describing it as unacceptable.

“How does anyone sign a stores receipt voucher without seeing the item?” he asked. “Our responsibility is to ensure such things never happen. We must be the bridge between auditors and management and work proactively, not reactively.”

Blankson said the committee would advise on risk management, internal controls and governance systems to reduce waste and safeguard public resources.

Thomas Thompson Aryee, Director-General of the Internal Audit Agency (IAA), said structural gaps in the national internal audit framework continued to weaken the ability of internal auditors to oversee payment and procurement processes.

He noted that internal auditors remained excluded from payment and approval workflows within MDAs, allowing transactions to proceed without their knowledge.

Aryee highlighted the introduction of the Commitment Control and Certification (CCC) system to strengthen procurement accountability but said compliance remained low, with only109 out of 647 institutions submitting their third-quarter CCC reports.

He appealed to the Acting Defence Minister to consider sanctions to compel institutions to comply with reporting requirements.

The ceremony was attended by senior officials of the Ministry of Defence, the Internal Audit Agency among other stakeholders.

The Trump administration has halted all asylum decisions following the shooting of two National Guard soldiers in Washington DC, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) director has said.

Joseph Edlow said the pause would be in place “until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible”.

It came hours after US President Donald Trump pledged to “permanently pause migration” from all “third world countries”.

The flurry of immigration decisions comes in the wake of Wednesday’s shooting, which left one soldier dead and another in a critical condition, and which officials have accused an Afghan national for perpetrating.

While the first of these specifically targeted Afghans seeking to enter the US, other decisions have been far more wide-reaching.

The USCIS – a branch of the Department of Homeland Security – has been told not to approve, deny or close asylum applications it receives for all nationalities, according CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.

Its officers can continue to work on asylum applications and review cases up to the point of making a decision, CBS reported.

But few details are known about Friday’s directive.

Trump did not name which countries might be affected by his migration pause, which could face legal challenges and has already prompted pushback from UN agencies.

The US president’s recent announcements represent a further toughening of his stance towards migrants during his second presidency.

Trump has also sought to enact mass deportations of illegal migrants, cut the annual number of refugee admissions, and to end automatic citizenship rights currently applicable to many born on US territory.

Following Wednesday’s fatal attack, the Trump administration temporarily stopped issuing visas to Afghans through the same programme the shooting suspect had, before suspending all immigration requests from Afghans pending a review.

Then on Thursday, the USCIS said it would re-examine green cards issued to individuals who had migrated to the US from 19 countries, without mentioning Wednesday’s attack.

The agency referred to a June proclamation that included Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, Somalia and Venezuela. Details on what re-examination would look like were not provided.

Trump then pledged to “end all federal benefits and subsidies to non-citizens” on Thursday.

‘Third-world countries’

Trump blamed refugees for causing the “social dysfunction in America” and vowed to remove “anyone who is not a net asset” to the US.

“Hundreds of thousands of refugees from Somalia were completely taking over the once great State of Minnesota,” he said.

“I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover.”

The phrase “third world” is one previously used to describe poorer, developing nations.

Earlier this year, a travel ban was imposed on nationals primarily from 11 African and Asian nations, including Afghanistan. During Trump’s first term, he enacted a travel ban targeting multiple Muslim-majority countries.

The UN has urged the US toobserve international agreements on asylum seekers, news agency Reuters reported.

Trump’s reaction to the shooting amounted to a “scapegoating” of migrants in the US, argued Jeremy McKinney, the former president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

He told the BBC World Service’s Newsday programme before Trump’s latest remarks that the attacker’s motive were unclear, and that radicalisation and mental illness could affect anyone.

“These types of issues – they don’t know skin colour, they don’t know nationality.”

Suspect in DC shooting is Afghan

Officials said the shooting suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, came to the US in 2021.

He travelled under a programme that offered special protections to Afghans who had worked with US forces in Afghanistan before their chaotic withdrawal and the return to power of the Taliban.

Mr Lakanwal had been a member of a “Zero Unit” – an Afghan intelligence and paramilitary force that worked with the CIA, a former Afghan defence and security forces member told CBS.

The US considered Zero Units to be among the most respected domestic forces in Afghanistan.

The CIA’s current director has confirmed that he previously worked with the US intelligence agency.

He would have been vetted by the US both when he started working with the CIA and when he travelled to the US, a senior US official told CNN.

A childhood friend told the New York Times that Mr Lakanwal had experienced mental health issues after his work with his unit.

Mr Lakanwal was reportedly granted asylum after Trump returned to office, having applied in 2024.

But his request for a green card – which shows a person has permanent residence in the US – is pending, an official told CBS.

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Professor Issahaku Haruna, Senior Lecturer

Professor Issahaku Haruna, Senior Lecturer, Department of Finance, University for Development Studies (UDS) School of Business, has urged the government to strengthen fiscal discipline and resist the temptations of premature return to costly borrowing to sustain the country’s economic recovery.

He made the call at a public lecture under the theme: “The State of Ghana’s Economy and the Role of Journalism.”

It was organised by the Journalism Students Association of Ghana of the UDS at Nyankpala in the Northern Region.

The lecture brought together students, lecturers, public officials, and the media to enhance their understanding of sound economic management and strong independent journalism towards promoting national development.

Professor Haruna, who made a presentation on the immediate past, present and future outlook of Ghana’s economy, said although recent recovery efforts had brought some stability, weak fiscal management could quickly reverse the gains made.

He traced the country’s economic trajectory from a period of relative pre-crisis stability through severe fiscal and debt challenges to ongoing recovery interventions, noting that sustaining growth required tough but necessary reforms.

Professor Haruna advocated debt re-profiling to reduce interest burdens, expansion of domestic revenue mobilisation and broadening of the tax base without overburdening already compliant taxpayers.

He called for accelerated structural reforms to unlock productivity, improve public financial management, and build resilience in the external sector to cushion the economy against future shocks.

Attah Issah, Member of Parliament for Sagnarigu Constituency, emphasized the need for strong economic and financial journalism to support accountability and informed public debate.

He underscored need for government and other institutions to prioritise supporting journalists to pursue specialised training on economic and finance to better understand complex concepts and policy language, saying this would enable them to interpret and explain economic issues clearly to members of the public.

Issah said an informed citizenry depended on journalists, who could translate economic data and policy decisions into messages that resonated with everyday realities, thereby strengthening transparency, accountability, and good governance.