Sarfo Gyamfi is an ex-international player

Former Ghana international Sarfo Gyamfi has attributed the mass departure of players from the domestic scene to the persistent snubbing of home-based footballers by the Black Stars.

Players who ply their trade in Ghana barely receive invitations to the national team, with Hearts of Oak goalkeeper Benjamin Asare emerging as the only consistent home-based player in the Black Stars.

Speaking to Kessben FM, the former Asante Kotoko star blamed the continuous exclusion of local players for the rampant departure of talent from the domestic leagues.

“Players in the local scene are not motivated enough to stay. The players prefer to play outside Ghana because of the persistent Black Stars snub. They believe playing abroad or outside Ghana can only earn them a call-up into the national team.”

“In previous years, home-based players were dominating in the Black Stars and that was enough motivation for players to stay in the league. Kotoko had 12 players in the Black Stars during our playing days, but the narrative has changed,” he said.

The mass exodus of players in the domestic top-flight has affected the standard of the Ghana Premier League and other leagues in the country.

Most players who perform well in the local scene join other clubs on the African continent or move to Europe for greener pastures.

Meanwhile, a chunk of Ghanaian football fanatics have advocated for the inclusion of home-based players in the Black Stars for the impending 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament to be staged in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

The Minority in Parliament is warning that more tax increases are likely in the coming days—a development they say will further burden already struggling businesses.

According to the caucus, the approval of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Bill 2025, which eliminates the flat-rate VAT system, effectively raises VAT on retail goods and services from 3% to 15% and increases VAT on real estate from 5% to 15%.

Debating the motion on the VAT Bill in Parliament on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, argued that the new tax structure will make compliance more difficult for businesses and could worsen the already challenging economic environment.

“The burden contained therein is this: you are increasing retail services VAT from 3% to 15%. Also, real estate is going up from 5% to 15%. The revenue-neutrality language you are using is not of interest to us. You state in your own report that the introduction of this bill will help the government generate revenue. We are telling you that this bill is being brought because you need revenue,” he said.

Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem, however, rejected the claim, insisting that the new VAT framework will simplify compliance rather than impose additional tax burdens on businesses or the public.

“The bill, contrary to what the Minority Leader is saying, is not imposing any new tax on Ghanaians. It is rather giving back to Ghanaians. The decision to change the treatment of the Health Insurance Levy and GETFund Levy to allow for tax-credit deductibility is giving back. The NHIL alone, by changing from a straight levy to a VAT-creditable levy, offers relief,” he explained.

Minority fabricating sanitary pad scandal to dent Mahama’s image – Apaak

Parliament has approved the Value Added Tax (VAT) Bill, 2025, marking a major step toward overhauling Ghana’s VAT regime to improve clarity, consistency and legal certainty.

The new law replaces the existing flat-rate system with a unified structure designed to simplify the tax framework. It also raises the registration threshold for VAT-eligible businesses — a change expected to exempt many micro and small enterprises from VAT obligations altogether.

But during the debate, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin warned that the revised framework could result in additional tax liabilities for businesses and increase the financial burden on the general public.

Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem dismissed these concerns, arguing that the reforms will make compliance easier, not harder, and will not introduce new tax burdens on businesses or consumers.

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Dr Nana Ayew Afriye during the debate on Wednesday, November 26

Ranking Member of the Parliamentary Health Committee, Dr Nana Ayew Afriye, has taken a strong swipe at the NDC government, accusing it of “high-level inconsistencies” in its 2026 Budget Statement as presented by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.

Contributing to the budget debate in Parliament, Dr Ayew Afriye said the minister’s claims of expanding access to healthcare under the Mahama Care initiative sharply contradict the government’s own fiscal actions—particularly regarding the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

He quoted the minister’s assertion: “Mr Speaker, the National Health Insurance Scheme has been uncapped to provide financing for vaccines, essential commodities, HIV services and Free Primary Health Care under the Mahama Care initiative.”

According to the Ranking Member, this statement does not reflect the real situation on the ground. He revealed that last year, although GH₵8 billion was allocated to the NHIF, the amount was capped at GH₵6.8 billion, and ultimately only GH₵6.5 billion was released—representing about 95.5 percent.

Dr Ayew Afriye argued that this year’s figures present even deeper contradictions. He noted that the projected NHIF envelope of GH₵10 billion—later revised to GH₵8 billion—was again subjected to a further 20 percent cap to fund the Mahama Care Trust. This, he explained, translates to about GH₵1.6 billion being withheld, significantly reducing the funds available to the NHIA.

“Mr Speaker, if this pattern persists, about GH₵6.4 billion will eventually be released to the NHIA—a drastic drop from last year and a clear indication of inconsistency in the government’s budget narrative,” he said.

The Ranking Member further demanded clarity from the government on the true scope of the Mahama Care initiative and the Primary Health Care programme.

He stated: “Mr Speaker, they said they have capped about 20 percent of the GH₵8 billion budget and allocated it to Primary Health Care under the so-called Mahama Care. This is confusing because they also claim Mahama Care is for specialist treatment and non-communicable diseases. Which is which? The government must come clear.”

Dr Ayew Afriye concluded that these contradictions undermine the minister’s claims of expanded healthcare access, insisting the actual allocations point to a contraction rather than an improvement in health sector financing.

Watch a video of his remarks below

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Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema has come out fighting after a bruising month that saw him come under attack by stone throwers as he was trying to make a speech.

Video clips of him crouching and then being whisked away from a rally in the Copperbelt province shocked Zambians and many people, irrespective of their political affiliation, condemned what happened.

But with nine months to go until elections and a run for a second term, the president is under pressure.

On Tuesday, in his first press conference for 18 months, Hichilema set out to defend his record and laid out his achievements on the key issues of the economy and power generation.

“This level of hatred is shocking, you can see and even touch the venom,” he said, while appealing for Zambians to love each other.

But the message may not hit home with those who are continuing to struggle day to day.

The president has lost touch with “the real pulse of the people”, according to an opposition candidate to be mayor of the capital, Lusaka, Simon Mwila, who was trying to explain why people were throwing stones “rather than flowers”.

Sishuwa Sishuwa, a Zambian historian and senior lecturer at South Africa’s Stellenbosch University, argues that the president has turned his back on what he once stood for.

“In power and over the last four years, Hichilema has turned out to be nearly everything he detested about his predecessor, Edgar Lungu, and, in some cases, much worse,” the academic told the BBC.

This is a charge rejected by the president, who pointed out his record on solving the debt crisis that he inherited and stabilising government finances.

On 8 November, Hichilema may have hoped for a friendlier reception in Chingola town, particularly as he had arrived with $450,000 (£340,000) to go towards rebuilding a local market that had been destroyed in a fire.

Instead, an angry crowd forced him to abandon his address.

Police blamed the trouble on “unruly members of the public” who were allegedly looting local shops. At least 27 people have been arrested for violence and arson.

At his press conference this week, Hichilema accused illegal artisanal miners of being behind the violence as his government was trying to crack down on this unregistered work.

“We will not allow any thuggery to return ever again,” he said.

In the 2021 elections, Hichilema, who had already made five unsuccessful runs for the presidency, surfed a wave of popularity that swept him into power in a landslide victory over Lungu.

By polling day, the country had defaulted on its debts, annual price inflation was touching 25% and there were frequent power blackouts.

Under the slogan “Bally will fix it” (“bally” is Zambian slang for father), he positioned himself as the solution to virtually all the problems the country faced.

Debt repayments have since been renegotiated and inflation has come down.

This week, Hichilema said that whereas four years ago there was a “huge debt mountain” and “we were living beyond our means”, now Zambia’s credit rating had improved and it was attracting investment from all over the world.

He also argued that the country’s vital mining sector was rebounding.

But with the August 2026 election approaching, Hichilema is finding out that he is not necessarily thanked for what he has achieved but rather criticised for what has not changed.

Economist Trevor Hambayi has described the progress with the nation’s finances as an “overriding success story”.

Better budgetary controls have helped boost investment in infrastructure, education, social programmes, health and the recruitment of essential government workers.

Annual inflation has come down to just below 12%, and the currency, the kwacha, has recently strengthened following a precipitous decline in the early years of the Hichilema presidency.

But Mr Hambayi told the BBC that the failure to resolve the power crisis had had a big impact on people, along with the “high cost of living and the lack of employment opportunities”.

“These are the metrics that speak to the ordinary Zambian.”

In its October report, the Lusaka-based Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection, which monitors the cost of living, said people were being squeezed by high prices for essential food and non-food items that “continue to absorb a growing share of household income”.

It added that although inflation had eased, “many families still cannot meet basic needs without reducing food quality or skipping meals”.

The president did acknowledge the energy problem in September, saying that the government feels “the pain and frustration of power outages faced by our citizens”.

And this week, he said Zambia’s generation capacity had been “decapitated” by a recent drought owing to its reliance on hydroelectricity.

“This challenge was a wake-up call. Now we have woken up,” he added, promising more solar and thermal energy projects.

Throughout his 15 years in opposition, Hichilema portrayed himself as an upholder of democratic values.

But once in the state house, he has been accused of passing oppressive measures which he had previously opposed, such as the Cybersecurity Law.

This legislation, while seen as necessary for dealing with things like online fraud and child pornography, has been criticised for allowing the surveillance of anyone the state sees as undesirable.

Academic Dr Sishuwa also accused Hichilema of using the law against his opponents – exactly what he had criticised under the previous administration.

“After he commendably abolished the law on defamation of the president, he quickly turned to other repressive statutes to arrest critics and political opponents on a variety of charges such as sedition, criminal libel, hate speech, espionage and unlawful assembly,” he said.

The president insists that his government respects the rule of law and has not targeted anyone for political reasons.

Hichilema has also backed a controversial constitutional review process, including a plan to increase the number of constituencies so there would be more MPs in parliament.

While in opposition, he successfully campaigned against a review that incorporated a similar idea, saying this would enable then-President Lungu to stay in power and that it was too close to elections to embark on such a huge change.

He now argues that, according to the constitution, Zambia needs to create new constituencies every 10 years.

The president says that the delimitation exercise, or the increase in the number of constituencies, is important to ensure that resources are distributed equally.

And he has hit out at critics who are planning to hold national prayers to protest against the process on Friday, saying there is already a consultation process and discussions at state house, as well as legal avenues to object.

With the clock ticking down towards next year’s election, the president appears concerned about the way that people are responding to him.

While calling for tempers to cool, Hichilema has urged patience, saying it takes time for long-term development and investment programmes to have an impact.

But as the volley of stones thrown his way attests, patience may be wearing thin for some.

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Dr Clement Apaak is the Deputy Minister of Education

Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Clement Apaak, has dismissed accusations from the Minority in Parliament that the government is inflating the cost of sanitary pads being supplied to female students.

The claims came after the MP for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, raised concerns on November 25, 2025, about the allocation of GH¢292 million for 6.6 million sanitary pads.

He argued that the numbers do not align with current market prices and suggested that the cost may have been inflated.

‘Chop bar arithmetics’ – Haruna Iddrisu blasts Assafuah over sanitary pads overpricing claim

Speaking to journalists in Parliament on, November 26, 2025, Dr Apaak said the accusations were unfounded and driven by politics.

He claimed the Minority was trying to create a scandal to tarnish the image of the Mahama administration, adding that the Old Tafo MP’s calculations were misleading.

“For the Honourable Member of Parliament to disingenuously perform what the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has described as chop-bar arithmetic, we can only conclude that this is another attempt to manufacture a scandal to discredit the John Dramani Mahama government so the decomposing elephant can feel relevant,” Dr Apaak said.

The Deputy Minister insisted that the government has done nothing wrong.

“There is no scandal. There will never be a scandal. The NDC under John Dramani Mahama and the Ministry of Education has not purchased a pack of sanitary pads for 45 Ghana cedis and will never do so,” he stated.

Dr Apaak stressed that the process has been transparent and that the government remains committed to ensuring value for money.

“We have the data to show that we are a transparent, accountable government that promised to reset governance and guarantee value for money,” he said.

He reported that 3.9 million pads have already been distributed to pupils in 20,744 public basic schools, while another 2.6 million have gone to girls in 906 senior high and TVET schools.

According to him, 398,701 basic school pupils have benefited so far. At the junior high level, 1.1 million girls have received pads, along with 968,285 girls in senior high schools.

Dr Apaak said the programme has reached a total of 2,578,915 female students from Primary Five to SHS, describing the initiative as life-changing and insisting it is being carried out with integrity.

Here’s how much Ghana pays anytime President Mahama and his vice use his brother’s jet

AK/SSM

• Aksa Enerji to build 119 MW power plant in Burkina Faso’s capital
• 20-year electricity sales deal signed with national utility Sonabel
• Project aims to boost energy security amid rising demand and urbanization
  

Turkey’s Aksa Enerji announced a project on Tuesday to build a 119 MW fuel oil power plant in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. The company also announced the signing of a 20-year electricity sales contract with the national utility Sonabel, guaranteeing the full offtake of the plant’s production for two decades.

The construction cost for the infrastructure was not disclosed. The company stated that the power plant will be commissioned in the last quarter of 2026. It said the plant aims to meet growing energy demand, driven by urbanization and a rising population. It will strengthen the reliability of the electricity supply in the capital and surrounding areas, and its construction and operation will create local jobs and involve regional suppliers.

Cemil Kazancı, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Aksa Enerji, said this project aligns with the Turkish company’s strategy in Africa, where it has already built several energy infrastructures, such as in Senegal and Ghana. He cited its ability to provide fast and effective technical solutions due to its financial strength and over 25 years of experience on the continent.

“The initiative we are taking today reflects our vision of creating long-term value in Africa,” he said. “To contribute to Burkina Faso’s energy supply security goals, we will mobilize our experience and competencies to deploy our fastest and most effective solutions. As with our previous projects on the African continent, I am confident we will succeed in this one as well.”

The project provides Burkina Faso with a concrete instrument to close the gap between the supply and demand for electrical energy. The reinforcement of infrastructure also contributes to economic growth and energy security. Separately, Aksa Enerji is conducting other major projects in Africa, such as the construction of a 1000 MW power plant in Gabon.

Olivier de Souza 

US President Donald Trump has defended special envoy Steve Witkoff as doing the “standard thing” after a leaked recording appeared to show him advising a Russian official on how to appeal to the president.

Trump told reporters on Wednesday he had not heard the audio, but that Witkoff was doing “what a dealmaker does” to “sell” the peace plan to both Russia and Ukraine.

The leaked call from last month emerged days after a 28-point draft peace plan presented by the US largely reflected Russian positions on its full-scale war in Ukraine.

Witkoff has visited Moscow several times this year and will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin again next week.

He has never gone to Kyiv in his role as special envoy, although other US officials have visited, and US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll went to Kyiv this week, and Trump says he will hold further talks with the Ukrainians.

Diplomatic talks have continued after the initial draft plan was criticised by Ukrainian and European leaders as being too favourable to Russia. Among the proposals was a handover to Russia of Ukrainian-controlled territory in eastern Ukraine.

The plan has since been revised to better reflect Ukraine’s interests and the views of European allies. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he is ready to meet Trump to discuss outstanding “sensitive points”.

In the leaked audio recording obtained and shared as a transcript by Bloomberg, Witkoff appeared to advise Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy adviser, on how to get on Trump’s good side.

BBC News has not independently verified the reported 14 October call, but Trump said it represented a “very standard form of negotiations”.

During the leaked conversation, the two men reportedly talked about ending the war, with Ushakov asking if it would be useful to get their bosses – Putin and Trump – to speak.

Witkoff is quoted as saying that “my guy is ready to do it”, before suggesting how to go about the call.

“Just reiterate that you congratulate the president [Trump] on this achievement… that you respect that he is a man of peace and you’re just, you’re really glad to have seen it happen,” Witkoff is quoted as saying. “I think from that it’s going to be a really good call.”

“I told the president that you – that the Russian Federation has always wanted a peace deal. That’s my belief,” Witkoff adds according to the transcript. “The issue is is that we have two nations that are having a hard time coming to a compromise.”

“I’m even thinking that maybe we set out like a 20-point peace proposal, just like we did in Gaza,” Witkoff adds.

The call ends with Witkoff telling Ushakov of an imminent Zelensky visit to the White House and that “if possible”, Trump and Putin should talk before that meeting.

What followed was a two-and-a-half hour phone call between the US and Russian presidents, news of which emerged as Zelensky was on his way to Washington last month.

Before the Trump-Putin call, the US president had appeared to be running out of patience with his Russian counterpart and had suggested he might provide Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles.

By the time Zelensky entered the White House, the atmosphere appeared to have changed. Trump said giving Kyiv Tomahawks could escalate the conflict and he believed Putin “wants to end the war”.

Asked about the call being leaked, Yuri Ushakov told Russian state media that it was done to “hinder, probably” and that it was “unlikely” to be done to improve relations.

He also confirmed that Witkoff would be visiting Moscow next week as per a “preliminary agreement”.

It was not clear who was behind the leak, but Bloomberg has also transcribed another reported call between Ushakov and Putin envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who spent days with Witkoff in Miami in late October weeks before the 28-point draft plan emerged.

According to the transcript, Dmitriev tells his Russian colleague: “We’ll just make this paper from our position, and I’ll informally pass it along, making it clear that it’s all informal. And let them do like their own.”

Apparently angered by the report, Dmitriev complained of a “well-funded, well-organised malicious media machine built to spread fake narratives, smear opponents and keep people confused”.

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Thomas Tanko Musah is the General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT)

The General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Thomas Tanko Musah, has called on the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to intervene immediately to prevent possible industrial unrest following delays in the payment of November 2025 salaries to all Government of Ghana workers.

According to him, teachers are angry and upset about the delay in paying the CPD allowance, describing the mood among teachers as deeply troubling.

On November 25, 2025, the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department announced that the allowance would not be paid as scheduled, citing a technical challenge that has forced a rescheduled payment date of December 18, 2025.

The CPD allowance — a benefit negotiated between teachers and the government several years ago — is enshrined in teachers’ collective agreement and conditions of service. Originally set at ₵1,200, it was later increased to ₵2,400.

The government released millions of cedis to pay the allowance in September 2024. Early this year, both the Ministry of Education and the GES assured teachers that the payment would be made again without delay.

Speaking to the media, General Secretary of GNAT, Thomas Tanko Musah, said teachers are angry and upset about the delay in paying the CPD allowance, as they feel betrayed by the sudden change.

“Last year it was paid in September, and this year it was supposed to be paid this month. Everything has been done — validation has been done — and when the validation was completed, there was an indication that the allowances would be paid,” he said.

“Then only yesterday it came to our attention that there was a technical problem at a point in time. We had already communicated to members that the monies would be paid in November.”

He added that the situation has placed union leaders in a difficult position.

“Now the implication is that we have lied to them that the allowances would be paid in November — and since yesterday till now, it has not been easy.”

Musah is calling on the Minister of Education to step in quickly to defuse the growing tension.

“Both the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service should respond to this difficult situation as soon as possible. The Minister gives policy direction, and the GES is the employer. Teachers want to hear from them on exactly what the issues are,” he stressed.

Government has issued a forceful condemnation of the military coup underway in Guinea-Bissau, describing the action as a ‘direct assault on democracy’ and a dangerous attempt to overturn the will of the people.

In a strongly worded statement released on Wednesday, November 26, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Ghana is “profoundly concerned” about the military takeover, which erupted just days after Guinea-Bissau held peaceful presidential and legislative elections on November 23.

According to Ghana, the coup has “brazenly disrupted” the electoral process and blocked the anticipated announcement of results scheduled for November 27, thereby derailing the country’s democratic trajectory.

Ghana is calling for the immediate restoration of constitutional order, insisting that any disputes arising from the elections must be resolved through peaceful, transparent, and legally recognised channels — not through force.

The statement further demands that the rights and safety of civilians and foreign nationals be protected, with particular emphasis on the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission stationed in Guinea-Bissau.

Their secure passage and protection, Ghana stressed, “must be guaranteed without delay.”

Amid rising tensions, Ghana is appealing to the people of Guinea-Bissau to remain calm and avoid actions that could inflame the crisis.

The government reaffirmed its full support for ECOWAS and the African Union as both institutions coordinate a regional response in line with long-standing protocols on democracy, good governance and constitutional rule.

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Nvidia has claimed it is “a generation ahead” of rivals in the artificial intelligence (AI) industry amid growing suggestions a rival may emerge to threaten its market dominance – and multi-trillion dollar valuation.

Shares in the chip giant fell on Tuesday, following a report that Meta planned to spend billions on AI chips developed by Google to power its data centres.

In a statement on X, Nvidia, the world’s most valuable company, said it was the only platform which “runs every AI model and does it everywhere computing is done”.

In response, Google said it was committed to “supporting both” its own and Nvidia’s chips.

Nvidia’s chips have become a critical part of powering the data centres behind many of the most popular AI tools, such as ChatGPT.

In October it became the first company ever to be valued at $5tn (£3.8tn).

The American firm has been looking to expand its reach further in recent months, announcing an agreement in October to supply some of its most advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chips to South Korea’s government, as well as Samsung, LG, and Hyundai.

‘Healthy’ competition

Google rents access to its chips, called tensor processing units (TPUs), through Google Cloud to AI developers.

In other words, they are not sold externally – but kept for the tech giant’s own data centres.

But if recent reports are correct – that the tech company could be in talks to sell its chips to power other data centres – it would represent a significant change.

The news saw Nvidia shares fall nearly 6% on Tuesday, whilst those in Alphabet, Google’s parent company, rose by nearly the same percentage.

In the hours following the drop, the chip giant posted on X to state it still offered “greater performance” and “versatility” than the types of chips Google is producing.

In the past year, both Amazon and Microsoft have announced they also have AI chips in development.

Dame Wendy Hall, Regius Professor of Computer Science at the University of Southampton, told the BBC’s Today programme the news of the potential deal between Google and Meta was “healthy” for the market.

“Investment is pouring into this area,” she said.

“At the moment there is no real return on that investment except for Nvidia”.

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Cassiel Ato Forson is the Minister of Finance

The Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, has described the Bank of Ghana’s latest monetary policy decision as a major milestone in Ghana’s economic recovery, following the reduction of the policy rate to 18 percent, the lowest since March 2022.

Announcing the development, the minister said the decision reflects growing stability in the economy and declining inflation levels.

He noted that “the Bank of Ghana’s monetary policy easing continues,” referencing the sustained drop in inflation, which now stands at 8 percent as of October, down sharply from 27 percent in November 2024.

Dr Forson explained that the new rate represents a deep 350 basis point cut — a move he believes will boost lending and ease credit pressures on businesses and households.

He added, “This marks a drastic fall from the 27 percent recorded in November 2024. The move reflects renewed economic confidence, and it means lower borrowing costs, improved access to credit, and greater room for businesses and individuals to grow, invest, and create jobs.”

BoG cuts policy rate further from 21.5% to 18%

The finance minister asserted that the policy shift signals stronger recovery momentum and a more enabling financial environment for growth, investment, and job creation.

Concluding on a positive note, he remarked: “The recovery is clearly strengthening, and it can only get better!”

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The 7th International Symposium on West African Studies (ISWAS) opened on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) with a mandate extending beyond typical academic discourse. In a series of high level deliberations, diplomats and scholars laid out a concrete roadmap for how Artificial Intelligence (AI) must move from a buzzword to a driver of equity, empowerment, and resilience across the West African region.

The symposium, themed “Sustainable Economic and Social Development in West Africa: AI Empowerment and Innovation,” represents a tripartite collaboration between the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), GIMPA, and the University of Cape Coast (UCC). More than 65 scholars and practitioners participated in the event, which combined policy discussions with practical applications of AI technology.

Delivering a keynote that bridged diplomacy and hard economics, Chinese Ambassador to Ghana Tong Defa emphasized that the value of AI lies in its application to Ghana’s real economy. He called on delegates to visualize a near future where digital infrastructure fundamentally alters national output, asking them to imagine if AI technology were widely applied in Tema Port, in the cultivation of cassava and cocoa, and in the construction of the Volta Economic Corridor.

Ambassador Tong stated he believed such applications would greatly enhance the production efficiency and economic development of Ghana. He framed these proposals within the broader context of the recent Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit in Beijing and the upcoming China Africa Year of People to People Exchanges. He pledged China’s commitment to helping developing nations bridge the intelligent divide, ensuring that West Africa secures a distinct voice and representation in the global governance of AI.

Welcoming delegates to the opening ceremony, the Rector of GIMPA, Professor Samuel Kwaku Bonsu, recalled the inaugural ISWAS at UCC in 2017 and the subsequent Smart City themed event at UESTC in China. He emphasized that the partnership between GIMPA and UESTC has transcended academic exchange to become a bond for cultural integration.

Professor Bonsu stated that for the West African region, artificial intelligence holds enormous potential and is expected to become a key driving force for achieving sustainable development goals. He expressed hope that the seminar could further promote capacity building and cooperation, inspire profound reflection and action, and bring greater and more positive impacts to participating institutions, countries, and even the entire West African region.

On behalf of the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Professor Rosemond Boohene, a former Pro Vice Chancellor of UCC, cautioned against adopting technology solely for speed. She highlighted that for the region to overcome challenges like climate vulnerability and educational gaps, the demographic dividend of West Africa’s youth must be armed with high level digital skills.

Professor Boohene emphasized that as artificial intelligence reshapes industries, governance, and social systems, West Africa must position itself not only as a participant but as a leader. She described the symposium as offering a unique platform to explore how AI can be leveraged not just as a tool of efficiency but as a catalyst for equity, empowerment, and resilience.

Professor Shurong Zhao, Director of the Center for West African Studies at UESTC, outlined the symposium’s rigorous academic agenda. She noted that the 7th International Symposium on West African Studies conference would generate many new ideas and innovative technologies, which could also be applied to different societies based on their political and historical backgrounds.

In her keynote presentation, Professor Zhao outlined findings from high impact research work that pointed out some risks in E Business Cooperation Between China and West Africa and how they could be addressed. Her presentation drew on extensive research conducted by the Center for West African Studies, which has been producing scholarship on regional development issues since its establishment.

Professor Nora Ann Colton, Director of Global Business School for Health at University College of London, highlighted the role of AI in addressing various challenges faced by healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom and how the same approaches could be translated into addressing similar challenges in West Africa. Her presentation provided concrete examples of AI applications in medical diagnosis, patient care management, and healthcare system optimization.

Speaking on how AI can be used to enhance productivity and efficiency within the public sector, the Head of Local Government Service, Engineer Dr. Nana Ato Arthur, called for stronger AI policy governance and regulation to ensure the ethical use and application of AI across all sectors of the public service. He emphasized the need for frameworks that balance innovation with accountability and transparency.

Professor Rosemond Boohene, in her presentation, bemoaned the lack of West African context in artificial intelligence development. According to her, the future of West African studies is not about resisting technology, but rather the lack of West African context in the AI space is where the problem lies. She called for more support for building AI ecosystems by West Africans themselves, ensuring that regional perspectives and needs shape technology development.

Following the plenary interventions, the symposium transitioned into six parallel expert seminars featuring scholars and practitioners who moved the dialogue from policy to practice. These technical sessions explored the critical intersections of the AI Empowerment theme, ranging from the application of big data analytics in public administration, national security, and social governance to strategies for the digital preservation of West African cultural heritage.

The symposium is being held with strategic support from the Ghana Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Center for West Africa Studies (CEWAS). The Center for West African Studies of UESTC is a research center jointly established by UESTC, University of Ghana (UG), UCC, GIMPA, The Akenten Appiah Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development, and University for Development Studies (UDS) in April 2017.

The symposium is also co hosted by Global Afrisino, whose involvement underscores the critical role of private sector investment in digital capacity building. The partnership between Chinese and West African institutions has produced tangible results over the years, including collaborative research projects, student exchanges, and joint initiatives on technology transfer.

The ISWAS series began in 2017 at the University of Cape Coast and has since become a flagship platform for examining development challenges and opportunities in West Africa. Previous symposia have covered themes including digital economy transformation, smart cities, and vocational education cooperation, reflecting the evolving priorities of regional development.

The 6th ISWAS took place in Benin in November 2024, focusing on digital technology enabled economic and social development. That event demonstrated the growing reach of the symposium beyond Ghana to other West African nations, creating a broader platform for regional dialogue and cooperation.

Ambassador Tong’s emphasis on practical applications of AI in key sectors like agriculture, ports, and infrastructure reflects China’s broader approach to technology cooperation with African nations. The reference to the Volta Economic Corridor, a major infrastructure project aimed at transforming the region along the Volta River, illustrates how AI could enhance large scale development initiatives.

The symposium’s focus on AI governance and regulation addresses growing concerns about the ethical implications of artificial intelligence deployment. Dr. Nana Ato Arthur’s call for stronger policy frameworks recognizes that without proper oversight, AI systems could perpetuate existing inequalities or create new challenges in areas like data privacy, algorithmic bias, and digital security.

Professor Boohene’s insistence on West African context in AI development highlights a critical gap in current technology systems. Most AI platforms are developed in Western or Asian contexts, with training data, algorithms, and use cases that may not reflect West African realities. Building indigenous AI capabilities would ensure that technology solutions address local challenges and opportunities more effectively.

The parallel sessions allowed participants to engage with specific technical issues across multiple domains. Topics ranged from using AI for predictive analytics in public administration to employing digital tools for preserving endangered languages, traditional knowledge systems, and cultural artifacts. These discussions connected high level policy considerations with practical implementation challenges.

The 8th ISWAS, scheduled for 2026, promises to be significantly larger as it will form part of the China Africa Year of People to People Exchange. This designation by both Chinese and African Union authorities signals the importance of cultural and educational exchanges in strengthening relations between China and African nations.

The symposium reflects broader trends in higher education cooperation between China and Africa. Chinese scholarships have enabled thousands of African students to pursue advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields, creating a generation of professionals equipped to drive technological transformation in their home countries.

Participants emphasized that AI adoption in West Africa must be accompanied by investments in digital infrastructure, education systems, and regulatory frameworks. Without adequate internet connectivity, electricity supply, and technical training programs, even the most sophisticated AI applications would have limited impact on regional development.

The symposium concluded with commitments from participating institutions to deepen research collaborations, expand student exchange programs, and develop joint initiatives on AI applications in priority sectors. These partnerships aim to ensure that technological advancement contributes to inclusive growth and sustainable development across West Africa.

Parliament has passed the Value Added Tax Bill, 2025, marking the most sweeping reform to Ghana’s VAT regime in over a decade and officially scrapping the COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy.

The reforms fulfil a major pledge announced by the government in the 2025 Budget and Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review to make Ghana’s VAT system fairer, simpler, and more growth-focused. Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, who led the policy revisions, said the new legislation will remove distortions, reduce cascading effects, promote compliance, and improve economic efficiency for businesses and households.

“We promised to abolish the COVID-19 levy. With the support of this House, I am happy to announce today that it is abolished,” Dr. Forson declared on the floor of Parliament.

Under the new VAT structure, the COVID-19 levy is removed entirely, expected to return GH¢3.7 billion to individuals and businesses in 2026 alone. The bill also abolishes the decoupling of GETFund and NHIL from the VAT base, meaning both are now eligible for input tax deductions — a change projected to reduce the cost of doing business by about 5 percent. The government says that cumulatively, the full reform package will give back nearly GH¢6 billion to the Ghanaian economy.

Other approved measures under the VAT Bill include:

Abolition of VAT on mineral reconnaissance and prospecting, aimed at reviving exploration investment and reversing years of stagnation in greenfield development.

Reduction of the effective VAT rate from 21.9% to 20%.

Increase in the VAT registration threshold from GH¢200,000 to GH¢750,000, relieving thousands of micro and small enterprises from mandatory VAT compliance.

Extension of zero-rated VAT on locally manufactured textiles to December 2028, protecting more than 2,000 jobs and enhancing competitiveness in the domestic garment market.

Government ‘abolishes’ COVID-19 Levy

According to the Finance Minister, the previous taxation threshold had eroded significantly in real value since 2015, forcing many micro-businesses into VAT registration and raising administrative costs. The new threshold, he said, restores fairness and frees small enterprises to grow without heavy compliance burdens.

Dr Forson emphasised that the VAT overhaul goes beyond tax adjustments, positioning Ghana for a digitally enhanced revenue future. The rollout will introduce Fiscal Electronic Devices (FEDs) to track taxable transactions, digital VAT collection on cross-border e-commerce, and a new VAT reward scheme encouraging consumers to demand receipts and help police compliance.

The government believes these interventions will boost investor confidence, support local industry, and stimulate job creation — particularly in mining and textiles, where policy distortions have long restricted growth.

“These reforms mark a turning point in Ghana’s value-added tax administration,” the Finance Minister said. “This is not just a tax reform — it is a step toward a more just, predictable, and business-friendly economy.”

The Ghana Revenue Authority will begin a nationwide sensitisation campaign ahead of implementation, ensuring businesses and consumers are fully prepared for the transition.

The passage of the VAT Bill, 2025, signals a decisive shift in Ghana’s tax policy — one aimed at easing the cost of doing business, empowering industry, and anchoring long-term fiscal stability.

Watch the promo to GhanaWeb’s latest documentary, which uncovers the evolution of ‘kayamata,’ an exploitative practice fueled by love charms and manipulation, titled, “The Dark Side of Kayamata,’ below:

Here’s how much Ghana pays anytime President Mahama and his vice use his brother’s jet

The wait is over! The GhanaWeb Excellence Awards 2025 is officially launched. Let’s celebrate impact, innovation and excellence across Ghana.

Who deserves to be honoured this year?

Nominate now 👉 https://ghanaweb.com/ghanaexcellenceawards/nominate

Parliament has passed the Value Added Tax Bill, 2025, marking the most sweeping reform to Ghana’s VAT regime in over a decade and officially scrapping the COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy.

The reforms fulfil a major pledge announced by the government in the 2025 Budget and Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review to make Ghana’s VAT system fairer, simpler, and more growth-focused. Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, who led the policy revisions, said the new legislation will remove distortions, reduce cascading effects, promote compliance, and improve economic efficiency for businesses and households.

“We promised to abolish the COVID-19 levy. With the support of this House, I am happy to announce today that it is abolished,” Dr. Forson declared on the floor of Parliament.

Under the new VAT structure, the COVID-19 levy is removed entirely, expected to return GH¢3.7 billion to individuals and businesses in 2026 alone. The bill also abolishes the decoupling of GETFund and NHIL from the VAT base, meaning both are now eligible for input tax deductions — a change projected to reduce the cost of doing business by about 5 percent. The government says that cumulatively, the full reform package will give back nearly GH¢6 billion to the Ghanaian economy.

Other approved measures under the VAT Bill include:

Abolition of VAT on mineral reconnaissance and prospecting, aimed at reviving exploration investment and reversing years of stagnation in greenfield development.

Reduction of the effective VAT rate from 21.9% to 20%.

Increase in the VAT registration threshold from GH¢200,000 to GH¢750,000, relieving thousands of micro and small enterprises from mandatory VAT compliance.

Extension of zero-rated VAT on locally manufactured textiles to December 2028, protecting more than 2,000 jobs and enhancing competitiveness in the domestic garment market.

Government ‘abolishes’ COVID-19 Levy

According to the Finance Minister, the previous taxation threshold had eroded significantly in real value since 2015, forcing many micro-businesses into VAT registration and raising administrative costs. The new threshold, he said, restores fairness and frees small enterprises to grow without heavy compliance burdens.

Dr Forson emphasised that the VAT overhaul goes beyond tax adjustments, positioning Ghana for a digitally enhanced revenue future. The rollout will introduce Fiscal Electronic Devices (FEDs) to track taxable transactions, digital VAT collection on cross-border e-commerce, and a new VAT reward scheme encouraging consumers to demand receipts and help police compliance.

The government believes these interventions will boost investor confidence, support local industry, and stimulate job creation — particularly in mining and textiles, where policy distortions have long restricted growth.

“These reforms mark a turning point in Ghana’s value-added tax administration,” the Finance Minister said. “This is not just a tax reform — it is a step toward a more just, predictable, and business-friendly economy.”

The Ghana Revenue Authority will begin a nationwide sensitisation campaign ahead of implementation, ensuring businesses and consumers are fully prepared for the transition.

The passage of the VAT Bill, 2025, signals a decisive shift in Ghana’s tax policy — one aimed at easing the cost of doing business, empowering industry, and anchoring long-term fiscal stability.

Watch the promo to GhanaWeb’s latest documentary, which uncovers the evolution of ‘kayamata,’ an exploitative practice fueled by love charms and manipulation, titled, “The Dark Side of Kayamata,’ below:

Here’s how much Ghana pays anytime President Mahama and his vice use his brother’s jet

The wait is over! The GhanaWeb Excellence Awards 2025 is officially launched. Let’s celebrate impact, innovation and excellence across Ghana.

Who deserves to be honoured this year?

Nominate now 👉 https://ghanaweb.com/ghanaexcellenceawards/nominate

Former Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu has congratulated President John Dramani Mahama for giving Inspector General of Police (IGP) Christian Tetteh Yohuno a two year post retirement contract appointment to demonstrate his inability to keep to his own promise to the electorate on post retirement contracts. In a statement dated November 25, 2025, and issued on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, Amidu said the decision is a typical example of the President’s exhibition of fidelity to his family, friends, and cronies as the core principle of his reset government agenda.

Amidu revealed that President Mahama had directed the Police Council to review the original one year post retirement contract it first recommended to him upon his instructions as a matter of form, from one year to two years. He described this as raising the issue of the President’s usual indecisiveness in making conclusive decisions when it comes to family, friends, cronies, and associates.

According to the former Special Prosecutor, the Police Council as a matter of constitutional formality did indeed recommend a post retirement contract appointment for IGP Yohuno initially for one year on the instructions of the President. However, the announcement was delayed because the IGP’s lobbyists objected to the recommendation and insisted on President Mahama making it two years.

Amidu stated that the Ghana Police High Command is like a basket of crabs from which jealousies and rivalries abound, especially when rules and expectations based on a president and his government’s promises are in the process of violation. He noted there are younger officers whose expectation of career progression for consideration for the position of IGP are frustrated even by a one year post retirement contract and had good reason to fight back by leaking like a sieve.

The former Attorney General described as nauseating and an insult to the sovereign electorate the propaganda that the Police Council had recommended the extension of IGP Yohuno’s service for two years without informing the public of the earlier recommendation of a one year post retirement contract.

Amidu revealed that when a friend informed him about the announcement of the service extension, he reminded him that he had told him that once he had written about the subject, John Mahama would grant IGP Yohuno a two year extension contract despite the government’s instructions banning such post retirement contracts. He said both of them knew of the one year post retirement contract on the table, and his response was that the friend had not seen anything of the reset agenda yet.

According to Amidu, another friend said to him that he had mentioned the IGP extension and it has come to pass, to which his reply was that it was and is the reset plan. A third friend told him that Mahama has exposed himself big time with this IGP nonsense.

The former Special Prosecutor compared the IGP’s situation to that of Warrant Officer Class 1 Samuel Bright Acquah, formerly of the Ghana Airforce Jet Fighter Squadron. Amidu stated that Acquah, who as a Judge of the Circuit Court had retired at the age of 60 years on September 16, 2025, as a circuit court judge, was appointed by President Mahama to the High Court on October 23, 2025, to enable him to hang on until 65 years or even to 70 years for the execution of the opaque reset agenda as a justice of the superior courts.

He noted that IGP Yohuno was due to retire on December 27, 2025, and his post retirement extension is technically better than the case of Acquah. Amidu said the electorate will get to know the decisiveness of the President better with time.

The decision comes despite a widely publicized presidential directive this year suspending all post retirement contract appointments across the public service. The directive, issued in a green letter dated April 2, 2025, and signed by Dr. Calistus Mahama, Secretary to the President, stated that the grant of post retirement contract appointments to retired public service staff has been suspended with immediate effect and that all requests for such appointments will no longer be considered.

Earlier, President Mahama won applause during his State of the Nation Address on February 27, 2025, declaring that post retirement contracts distort public sector progression and would no longer be permitted. Critics are therefore interpreting the IGP’s extension as a clear exception to the rule, one that undermines the consistency of the President’s own reforms.

The communication from the Presidency, dated November 25, 2025, stated the Police Council believes Yohuno’s continued stay in office is essential to sustaining ongoing reforms, strengthening operational effectiveness, and ensuring stability within the Ghana Police Service at this critical period. The IGP has been asked to confirm his acceptance in writing within three days.

The impending extension has generated considerable disquiet within the Ghana Police Service. Several senior officers have described the move as discriminatory, given that others have been compelled to retire under the same directive. Among those who proceeded on mandatory retirement is Commissioner of Police (COP) Sebastian Atsu Wemegah, who exited the service on August 6, 2025.

In contrast, COP Martin Kwaku Ayiih, scheduled to retire on June 28, 2025, remained in office as of Friday, August 22, 2025. More controversially, COP Michael Nketia Frempong, Director General of Finance, has also been granted a two year post retirement contract. This followed a letter dated July 16, 2025, signed by Yohuno himself, confirming the extension just three days before Frempong was due to begin terminal leave.

These inconsistencies have fueled perceptions of bias and political interference, with some officers accusing the administration of selectively applying the retirement policy. Tensions heightened in recent weeks amid reports that the IGP had been lobbying for his own contract extension. Neither the Police Service nor Yohuno has publicly addressed the claims.

Amidu has been particularly vocal in recent weeks about what he describes as constitutional violations by the IGP and the broader security apparatus. In earlier statements, he alleged that President Mahama appointed Yohuno as IGP on March 14, 2025, knowing very well that he had only a few months to retirement and would be susceptible to acting unlawfully to please his puppet master to secure a post retirement contract.

The former Attorney General has also questioned IGP Yohuno’s leadership credibility, arguing that the police chief publicly admitted he was not in command of November 12 joint military and police operations. Amidu stated that the IGP’s comments revealed a violation of Article 202(2) of the Constitution, which grants operational control and administration of the Ghana Police Service to the IGP.

According to Amidu, the IGP had ceded operational authority to the National Security Coordinator, who is a serving Commissioner of Police. He argued this arrangement gave political oversight precedence over law enforcement, undermining the independence of the police service and raising serious human rights concerns.

Amidu concluded his statement by saying he congratulates President Mahama for violating his own rules and promises in giving IGP Yohuno a two year post retirement contract. He emphasized that We the People can never be deceived all the time.

The controversy over the IGP’s contract extension reflects broader tensions about governance, constitutional compliance, and political interference in state institutions. Critics argue that selective enforcement of the post retirement contract ban undermines public trust and creates the impression that rules apply differently depending on political connections.

Supporters of the decision point to the need for continuity in security sector reforms and the value of experienced leadership during what they describe as a critical period for the Ghana Police Service. They argue that Yohuno’s retention is necessary to complete ongoing institutional transformation efforts.

The debate has also highlighted questions about succession planning within the Ghana Police Service. Some observers have noted that the extension delays opportunities for younger, qualified officers to assume top leadership positions, potentially affecting morale and career progression within the service.

IGP Yohuno enlisted in the Ghana Police Service on August 1, 1985, with Service Number PO 001731 and is scheduled to retire on his 60th birthday after completing terminal leave on December 27, 2025. His career spans four decades of law enforcement service, rising through the ranks to assume the top position in March 2025.

Martin Amidu served as Attorney General and Minister of Justice from January 2011 to January 2013 under the administration of the late President John Evans Atta Mills. He later became Ghana’s first Special Prosecutor in 2018 under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo but resigned in November 2020, citing interference in his work.

Since leaving public office, Amidu has been an outspoken critic of governance issues, frequently issuing statements on constitutional and legal matters. His latest intervention adds to growing public discourse about the Mahama administration’s approach to appointments, governance reforms, and adherence to its own stated policies.

Whether the criticism will prompt any policy review or response from the Presidency remains to be seen as the IGP’s contract extension takes effect upon his official retirement at year’s end. The matter has sparked renewed debate about executive power, institutional independence, and the application of governance reforms in Ghana’s public sector.

GSS releases data on domestic-violence in Ghana

The latest District-Level Small Area Estimation findings released by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) — based on data from the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey and the 2021 Population and Housing Census — show that the Central Region has become Ghana’s domestic-violence hotspot.

The region recorded the highest prevalence of physical violence at 44.6%. It was followed by the Savannah Region at 42.9% and the Volta Region at 40.2%.

According to the data, the Volta Region posted the highest levels of sexual violence, recording 22.3%, well above the national pattern. It is followed by the Central Region and Savannah at 19.6% each, while the North East recorded the lowest instances at 5.2%.

The analysis also identified extreme district-level vulnerabilities that national averages fail to show.

Sawla-Tuna-Kalba in the Savannah Region recorded the most alarming figure in the country, with 61.9% of women aged 15–49 estimated to have experienced at least one form of domestic violence — physical, emotional, or sexual.

In contrast, districts in Bono, Bono East, Upper West and North East regions posted far lower levels of physical violence, some below 25%, highlighting major protection inequalities across the country.

The GSS report maintained that protecting women in high-risk areas would require a deliberate shift toward district-specific interventions, particularly in Central, Volta and Savannah, where prevalence levels were most severe.

It stressed that institutions such as the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), the family courts and district gender desks must be adequately staffed and resourced to respond effectively to rising cases.

The service also urged the government to integrate the new district estimates into local planning and budgeting processes so that funding and programmes would be directed to the communities with the highest risk.

It further recommended deeper engagement with traditional and religious leaders to help challenge social norms that reinforce domestic violence and hinder reporting.

Julius Neequaye Kotey is the CEO of the DVLA

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has published a comprehensive summary of updated rates for vehicle registration, transfer, reinstatement, and other related services across its operational categories.

The review covers standard (Regular) and expedited (Premium) service options for both private and commercial vehicles, as well as specialised machinery.

The newly released schedule outlines charges for activities such as international vehicle permits, onboarding of vehicles, physical conversions, reinstatement of customised numbers, changes of registration numbers, and vehicle lay-off reinstatements.

Key Service Categories

The updated rates cover a wide range of vehicle classes and special equipment, including:

Articulated Trucks (24–32 tons and above) – both commercial and private

Buses and Coaches – commercial and private

Construction and Mining Equipment

Motorcycles (school and private categories)

Mechanically Propelled Agricultural and Harvesting Equipment

Motor Vehicles (exposed and non-exposed categories)

Road Cargo Vehicles (up to and above 32 tons)

Each category features separate charges for Regular and Premium services, with Premium services attracting higher rates due to faster processing.

Registration, Transfer, and Special Number Services

The DVLA has also provided revised rates for:

Registration and transfer of vehicles

Registration and transfer with customised numbers

Registration and transfer with special numbers

Transfer of commission for articulated trucks, harvesters, and ageing equipment

Special categories such as trace plates and customised number transfers have also been updated.

Ensuring Transparency and Public Access

According to the DVLA, the publication of the updated rates is part of ongoing efforts to enhance transparency, improve service delivery, and ensure that vehicle owners are fully informed of the applicable fees for all vehicle-related services.

The Authority encouraged the public to review the updated fee schedule and contact DVLA offices nationwide for clarification where needed.

This was billed as a clash of two of the best teams in Europe and for most of a cold evening in north London it felt like it. An absorbing game that ebbed and flowed throughout had Bayern Munich’s rising teenager Lennart Karl cancel out Jurrien Timber’s opening goal from a corner before substitutes Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli sealed a deserved win for the home side. It maintains their 100% record in the Champions League and sends them top of the table.

Harry Kane let it slip in the buildup that scoring against Arsenal gives him “a bit more joy” than any other club. But the England striker with 27 goals for his club to his name this season barely had a sniff as a Bayern Munich side that had also won their first four matches in the Champions League group stage and had been unbeaten in 21 previous games this season were taught a lesson. A place in the knockout stages now seems a mere formality.

While it was a night to forget for Myles Lewis-Skelly on a rare start as he was given a severe test by 17-year-old Karl and Leandro Trossard limped off injured before half-time, the return of captain Martin Ødegaard from a knee injury that has kept him out for a month was another reason for Mikel Arteta to be cheerful.

With every week that passes, Arsenal look more like a winning team and perhaps their manager’s pre-game remark that they remain “in a different universe” to the six-time European champions Bayern, having yet to win this competition, could be consigned to history if they can keep this up.

A Premier League showdown with second-placed Chelsea on Sunday will be a further test of their credentials, but at the moment they are passing every test.

“We’ve certainly been very, very consistent in the competition. But it’s just the beginning,” said Arteta. “The energy we created in the stadium, what the team transmits, the energy that we bring, the quality we play with. It’s incredible and we have to maintain that because it’s still very early.”

Bayern’s gameplan seemed to try to take the sting out of a boisterous home crowd still on a high from Sunday’s evisceration of Tottenham. They dominated possession in the opening 20 minutes as Arsenal were restricted to two attempts from set-pieces that were both flagged offside. There was to be no such reprieve when Timber leaped highest at the near post to head in Bukayo Saka’s corner.

Kane admitted grudgingly beforehand that Arsenal have capitalised on the recent proliferation of goals from set-pieces, but Bayern’s defenders were incredibly slow to react as the Dutchman creeped in front of Manuel Neuer to apply the finishing touch.

The goal galvanised Arsenal as the outstanding Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi began to take control in midfield. Bayern were pushed back deeper and one stray pass from Kane was met with hearty jeers.

But after Eberechi Eze could not quite get his shot away after exchanging passes with Mikel Merino, Bayern responded with a sucker punch. A raking ball from the back by Joshua Kimmich picked out the run of Serge Gnabry and his touch was perfect for the diminutive Karl – who became Bayern’s youngest goalscorer in this competition last month and has been tipped for a call-up for Germany’s World Cup squad by the former captain Lothar Matthaus –to fire into the net first time.

Arsenal seemed shellshocked and they could have found themselves behind had Josip Stanisic not dragged his shot wide when Lewis-Skelly was again caught out of position.

There was more bad news for Arsenal when Trossard had to limp off just before the break after receiving treatment. The Belgium forward headed straight down the tunnel and was replaced by Madueke. “He said he felt something, we didn’t want to take any risk,” said Arteta.

Dressed more like he was off to a skatepark in baggy trousers and a hoodie, his opposite number, Vincent Kompany, looked on nervously whenever Bayern conceded a set-piece in the second half. “That’s something they’ve mastered more than anyone else,” he said.

“I don’t think any of us want to be the best team in November. We get to show how we react now.

Merino was inches wide of the target with another header from a corner before Kompany was shown a yellow card for protesting when Dayot Upamecano took out Madueke. The pressure was building.

Somehow Saka did not react quickly enough when Neuer saved with his foot to deny a rampaging Rice and an open goal went begging. It took an error from Upamecano to finally restore their lead as he gave the ball straight to Rice and Riccardo Calafiori’s first involvement after coming off the bench was to set up his fellow substitute Madueke for a tap-in.

Bayern pressed forward in search of an equaliser. Eze’s long ball caught out Neuer on the halfway line and a clever touch from Martinelli with his thigh to take the ball away from the Bayern goalkeeper set up a simple finish and underline that Arsenal definitely means business this time.

Ghana’s economy is moving from crisis management toward consolidation. Following the 2022–2023 shock, sovereign debt stress, sharp cedi depreciation, and double-digit inflation, policy actions and unusual structural moves post-2024 have led to a discernible period of exchange-rate stability and even a degree of appreciation. That stabilisation matters for banks and for credit risk, but the gains are neither automatic nor evenly distributed.

The cedi’s wild depreciation of 2022 moderates into relative stability and episodes of appreciation in 2024–2025. The Bank of Ghana’s (BoG) monthly inter-bank series shows the end-period USD/GHS rate moving from roughly GHS 11–12 in 2023 to a range of around GHS 14–16 through 2024, and strengthening in 2025, with notable month-to-month appreciation from early 2025 levels. This emerging stability is owed to policy actions and a series of interventions that have materially rebuilt foreign reserves, giving BoG room to manage the exchange rate.

A distinct structural driver has been the government’s decision to centralise a large share of gold export receipts (the GoldBod initiative), which, according to BoG commentary, has routed more FX into the official system and materially raised reserves in 2025. That shift has reinforced the cedi and reduced short-term vulnerabilities to external shocks. But the implications of a stable or strengthening cedi are nuanced.

Banking opportunities from FX stability and credit-risk implications

It presents lower immediate FX risk for loan portfolios, particularly for banks with high proportions of clients exposed to FX-indexed costs, such as imported inputs and FX-denominated supplier contracts. The other opportunity is the fact that it reduces liquidity premia.The BoG has signalled that exchange-rate stability, together with tight macro policy, is facilitating easing inflation expectations, a necessary condition for eventual lower policy rates and funding costs, which we are beginning to see.

Additionally, exchange-rate stability creates greater confidence for longer-term lending and makes currency risk hedging cheaper and more available. As volatility falls, private hedging markets typically deepen and costs decline, giving banks and corporates tools to manage residual FX exposures more cheaply.

While the upside of exchange-rate stability is real, stability is not risk elimination. There are credit-risk implications. For example, NPL dynamics may lag exchange-rate improvements. NPLs respond with a delay. BoG data show that while asset quality improved in some months in 2024–2025, the stock of impaired loans remains a legacy drag on bank capital and risk appetite. Indeed, even if currency-driven defaults slow, credit risk can arise from real-sector weaknesses that a stable exchange-rate alone cannot fix.

Strategic implications for banks

This development requires a four-pronged action agenda. First, banks must re-price credit using forward-looking FX scenarios, not rear-view averages. They need to stress-test for tail FX shocks and recast their credit models to include the new lower-volatility regime.

 Second, while keeping hedging corridors, banks need to reevaluate their product mix by increasing local-currency lending to tradable sectors.  Banks can expand local currency financing for import-dependent capital expenditures in conjunction with optional hedging products when exchange rates are more predictable.

Thirdly, banks need to take action to clean up legacy balance-sheet currency mismatches. Banks should use a focused remediation approach to encourage corporates to hedge, restructure legacy FX loans where viable, and transparently reclassify FX exposure on bank books. The quicker banks reduce unhedged FX credit, the faster provisioning needs fall and lending capacity grows.

Fourth, it would be helpful if banks could adopt proactive client remediation programmes for firms that remain vulnerable to FX shocks. Banks that deploy finance-plus-advisory, such as cash-flow restructuring, input-sourcing alternatives, and hedging advice, will both lower portfolio risk and capture market share as lending conditions normalise.

In conclusion, exchange-rate stability in Ghana is a necessary but not sufficient condition for a broad-based credit recovery. It lowers one important dimension of borrower vulnerability and creates clear opportunities to reduce funding costs, expand local-currency lending to the tradable sectors, and rehabilitate impaired balance sheets. But the translation of stability into credit availability and lower lending rates requires deliberate bank actions, namely active currency-risk mitigation, focused remediation of legacy FX exposures, recalibrated provisioning, and client-facing advisory to rebuild borrower capacity.

–

The author, Oscar Onai, is an economist, PMR, National Investment Bank, Ghana

Email: [email protected]

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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.

German Development Cooperation and Innohub Foundation have completed the Ghana SME Impact Investment Support (GSIIS) Project, a two year initiative that combined nearly three million euros in private capital with tailored technical assistance for over 20 small and medium sized enterprises across multiple sectors.

The closing event marked the culmination of targeted support addressing what remains one of Africa’s most persistent economic challenges: the massive financing gap that prevents SMEs from scaling operations, creating jobs, and contributing fully to economic development.

SMEs represent over 80 percent of businesses in Ghana, yet they face substantial barriers accessing finance that hampers growth and job creation capacity. Across Sub Saharan Africa, SMEs confront a financing gap of nearly $331 billion, with Ghana accounting for an estimated $4.8 billion of that shortfall. The GSIIS project aimed to mitigate these barriers by providing resources specifically designed to make participating companies more investment ready and operationally sustainable.

The project provided comprehensive pre and post investment technical assistance covering marketing, e commerce, financial management, human resources, process optimization, resource efficiency, and health and safety. This support model combined private capital injection from impact investors with expertise ensuring long term sustainability for participating companies.

Ms. Eunice A. Agyepong, Head of the SME Component of Invest for Jobs at GIZ Ghana, reflected on the project’s dual approach. The GSIIS project has demonstrated the power of combining financial investment with technical assistance. This dual approach has ensured that the supported SMEs are well prepared to thrive and contribute positively to Ghana’s economy. We are proud of the achievements and the lasting impact this project will have on the local business landscape, she stated.

She called on other stakeholders to join investment support efforts for SMEs, emphasizing that bridging the financing gap requires coordinated action from government, development partners, private investors, and support organizations working in concert.

Mr. Nelson Amo, Executive Director of Innohub, emphasized the integrated nature of successful SME support. The GSIIS Project has demonstrated the unique value of combining pre and post investment technical assistance with catalytic capital. This integrated approach equips SMEs with the clarity, structure, and operational strength they need to scale sustainably, he explained.

At Innohub, initiatives like GSIIS sit at the core of our belief that when development partners, investors, and business support organisations work together, we can build high growth, investment ready businesses that drive meaningful economic transformation. We are proud to have contributed to this ecosystem effort, Mr. Amo added.

The project forms part of the Special Initiative Decent Work for a Just Transition, operating under the Invest for Jobs brand and funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. The broader Invest for Jobs framework supports multiple interventions across African countries aimed at creating decent employment opportunities through private sector development.

Ghana has witnessed steady increases in impact investments into SMEs in recent years, with funds focusing on innovative potential and sustainability efforts of local businesses. Impact investors target enterprises seeking to create social value alongside financial returns, often prioritizing job creation for traditionally disadvantaged groups including women and youth.

The GSIIS project played a role in bridging the resource gap that frequently prevents SMEs from achieving growth objectives. By equipping businesses with tailored technical support and expertise, the project enhanced operational capabilities while contributing to broader economic development goals.

The financing challenge facing Ghanaian SMEs remains stark despite various interventions. While SMEs contribute approximately 70 percent to GDP, constitute 92 percent of all businesses, and account for 85 percent of manufacturing related employment, they struggle to access capital from traditional financial institutions.

Commercial banks typically consider SMEs unattractive and unbankable due to perceived high risk and default rates. Research shows that among SMEs applying for loans from commercial banks, only 16 percent receive approval, leaving 65 percent denied access to credit. This systemic rejection forces SMEs to seek alternative financing sources including microfinance institutions, development finance interventions, or remain constrained in their operations.

The financing gap affects different segments unevenly. Women owned enterprises, businesses in northern regions including Upper West and Upper East, and sectors like agriculture, forestry, and fishing face especially acute shortfalls. These same regions and populations already experience higher multidimensional poverty rates, creating a compounding effect where limited access to finance reinforces existing disadvantages.

Conventional capital seeking market rate returns has proven ineffective at bridging the SME financing gap because investors perceive small businesses as too risky. This reality creates space for impact investors willing to accept concessional terms, longer investment horizons, or below market returns in exchange for measurable social outcomes.

Catalytic capital represents a specialized form of impact investing designed specifically to unlock additional commercial capital that otherwise would not flow to underserved sectors. By accepting first loss positions, providing patient capital, or offering technical assistance grants alongside equity investments, catalytic capital providers enable innovative financing models to launch and scale.

The GSIIS model exemplifies this approach. Rather than simply providing loans or equity investments, the program structured comprehensive support packages addressing both capital needs and capacity gaps simultaneously. This integrated model recognizes that many SMEs lack not just money but also management systems, market connections, operational processes, and strategic planning capabilities that investors require before committing funds.

Pre investment technical assistance proved particularly valuable. Many SMEs possess strong business concepts and dedicated founders but struggle to articulate clear growth strategies, demonstrate financial controls, or present investment ready documentation. GSIIS support helped participating companies clarify their value propositions, strengthen governance structures, and prepare materials enabling productive investor conversations.

Post investment assistance ensured that once capital arrived, companies could deploy it effectively. Technical experts provided ongoing coaching on using new equipment, implementing quality management systems, developing marketing strategies, and establishing human resource policies. This follow through maximized the impact of invested capital and reduced the risk that funds would be wasted through inexperience or poor planning.

The emphasis on resource efficiency and health and safety reflected recognition that sustainable businesses must operate responsibly. Companies adopting green practices, minimizing waste, and protecting worker safety position themselves more favorably for future investment rounds and contracts with multinational corporations increasingly emphasizing environmental, social, and governance standards.

GIZ’s track record implementing SME support programs in Ghana extends beyond GSIIS. The African SME Network for Exchange and Trade initiative, completed in September 2025, provided over 200 pieces of machinery and equipment to more than 50 SMEs through co financing arrangements. That project combined equipment procurement with training in quality management, international marketing, and occupational safety, complemented by customized in factory coaching.

Through AfNEXT, participating SMEs gained international exposure via joint learning sessions with enterprises from Egypt and Ethiopia and attendance at trade fairs across Europe, Africa, and other regions. The program created more than 300 decent jobs and significantly enhanced productivity, competitiveness, export readiness, innovation capacity, and job creation potential of beneficiary companies.

Earlier, an SME Grant Scheme for Job Creation project implemented in 2022 supported 65 Ghanaian SMEs to acquire equipment needed for core operations, enabling expansion and job creation. These successive interventions demonstrate sustained German development cooperation commitment to strengthening Ghana’s private sector through targeted, practical support mechanisms.

Innohub brings complementary expertise as a business accelerator and impact investment platform helping small and growing businesses with high growth and impact potential become investment ready, sustainable, and scalable. The organization sponsors SME finance vehicles including Wangara Green Ventures Capital Fund and Accra Angels Network, positioning it at the intersection of business support services and capital mobilization.

The GSIIS project’s completion comes as Ghana’s broader economic environment shows improvement. Inflation declined to 8.0 percent in October 2025 from 23.5 percent in January, while GDP growth reached 6.3 percent in the first half of 2025. Private sector credit growth turned positive after contracting earlier in the year, signaling gradual recovery in lending activity.

These macroeconomic improvements create more favorable conditions for SME growth and investment. Lower inflation preserves purchasing power and reduces input cost volatility. Economic expansion generates demand for goods and services SMEs provide. Recovering credit flows mean more businesses can access working capital for inventory, equipment, and expansion.

However, structural challenges persist. Interest rates on commercial loans remain elevated despite monetary policy easing, with average lending rates at 22.2 percent in October 2025. Many SMEs cannot service debt at these rates while maintaining profitability. Hidden charges and lack of transparency in loan pricing further discourage borrowing.

Collateral requirements pose another barrier. Bank of Ghana data shows that in the fourth quarter of 2024, SMEs held only 18.5 percent of total secured loans valued at GH₵8.2 billion, while large enterprises commanded 48.5 percent. Micro businesses accounted for just 1.8 percent, down from 3.3 percent a year earlier. Without assets to pledge, small businesses struggle to meet lending criteria regardless of business viability.

Government interventions including the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme Business Support Scheme, Ghana Jobs and Skills Project, and SME Growth and Opportunity programme provided grants and credit facilities to thousands of businesses. However, beneficiaries often report that funding amounts remain insufficient relative to actual capital needs, with grants of GH₵4,000 to GH₵5,000 inadequate for meaningful capacity expansion.

The persistence of these challenges underscores why initiatives like GSIIS matter. By combining patient capital, technical expertise, and investor networks, such programs create pathways for SMEs to overcome multiple barriers simultaneously rather than addressing financing in isolation.

As the project concludes, GIZ and Innohub Foundation remain committed to exploring further opportunities supporting Ghanaian SMEs and driving sustainable economic growth. The partnerships, methodologies, and lessons learned through GSIIS provide blueprints for scaling impact across additional enterprises and sectors.

The fundamental challenge of matching capital to opportunity persists. Billions of dollars in potential value remain locked inside Ghanaian SMEs lacking the resources and support to unlock their growth potential. Development finance interventions like GSIIS chip away at this gap enterprise by enterprise, demonstrating what becomes possible when investment and capacity building work in tandem.

For the 20 plus companies that participated in GSIIS, the project provided more than funding. It delivered expertise, networks, processes, and confidence needed to compete effectively. Whether these enterprises can sustain momentum, scale operations, and create the jobs Ghana urgently needs will unfold over coming years.

The broader ecosystem remains works in progress. More impact investors must enter the market. Commercial banks must develop products and risk assessment frameworks suitable for SME lending. Government policies must reduce regulatory burdens while strengthening contract enforcement and business enabling infrastructure. Business support organizations must expand capacity to serve thousands of enterprises needing assistance.

The completion of GSIIS marks success for two dozen companies and their employees. Achieving the transformation Ghana’s economy requires means replicating such interventions hundreds or thousands of times across all regions, sectors, and business sizes. The gap remains measured in billions. Progress comes enterprise by enterprise, intervention by intervention, partnership by partnership.

The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has cut the Monetary Policy Rate from 21.5 percent to 18 percent, a massive 350 basis point reduction that marks one of its boldest single moves in recent years as inflation continues its rapid decline.

The decision, announced on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, signals a major shift in the central bank’s stance as new economic data and unfolding developments reshape the outlook. Governor Dr. Johnson Asiama stated that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted by majority to implement the aggressive cut following its 127th meeting held from November 24 to 26, 2025.

Officials said the cut reflects improved macroeconomic conditions and expectations for further declines in consumer inflation. The move is designed to encourage borrowing, stimulate investment and support growth across the economy.

With this latest cut, the central bank has now lowered the policy rate by a cumulative 1,000 basis points in 2025 alone, making this one of the most aggressive easing cycles in recent history. The rate has reached its lowest level in more than three years.

“The prevailing high real interest rates provided some scope to ease monetary policy to further boost the growth recovery efforts,” Governor Asiama said. “The bank projects a continued stable inflation profile around the target and well into the first half of next year, 2026,” he added.

After peaking at over 54 percent in December 2022, its highest in two decades, inflation fell back into the Bank of Ghana’s target range of 6 to 10 percent by September this year. It continued to decline further in October, reaching a more than four year low of 8 percent.

The sharp disinflation has been supported by Ghana’s improved fiscal position and a surge in global gold prices. As Africa’s largest gold producer, Ghana has benefited significantly from the commodity rally, helping the cedi appreciate by about 30 percent against the United States (US) dollar this year. The stronger currency has further eased import costs and dampened inflationary pressure.

According to the BoG, the interest equivalent of the 91 day benchmark rate eased to 10.6 percent in October 2025, from 25.8 percent in October 2024. Average bank lending rate declined to 22.2 percent compared with 30.5 percent in the same comparative period.

This has triggered a gradual recovery in private sector credit growth. From 7.1 percent contraction in May 2025, private sector credit growth in real terms has improved to 5.4 percent in October 2025.

At the end of September, the Bank’s updated Composite Index of Economic Activity (CIEA) recorded a strong growth outturn of 9.6 percent, compared to 2.9 percent growth for the corresponding period of 2024. Industrial production, international trade activities, credit to the private sector and consumption contributed to the increase in the Index over the period.

Budget performance over the first nine months was marked by strong fiscal consolidation. Revenue and grants fell below the target by 4.7 percent, while expenditure was below the target by 15 percent. This resulted in an overall fiscal deficit on commitment basis of 1.5 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), better than the target deficit of 3.2 percent of GDP.

The primary balance on commitment basis recorded a surplus of 1.6 percent of GDP, compared with the target of 1.0 percent.

The current account surplus, together with favorable balances in the capital and financial accounts, translated into an overall balance of payment surplus of 1.8 billion US dollars (USD) and supported an accumulation of reserve assets to 11.4 billion dollars in October 2025, equivalent to 4.8 months of import cover.

The reserve accumulation efforts have helped provide cushion for the currency, with the cedi strengthening against the major trading currencies. In the year to 21st November 2025, the cedi recorded an appreciation of 32.2 percent against the US dollar.

Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson, in his recent budget presentation, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fiscal consolidation as the country prepares to exit its International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme. He projected a primary budget surplus of 1.5 percent of GDP by 2026, with Ghana’s overall fiscal deficit expected to narrow from a projected 2.8 percent in 2025 to 2.2 percent in 2026.

Johnson Asiama said on Monday in his opening remarks at the rate setting MPC that sharply rising real interest rates presented a key challenge even as the economy showed its strongest fundamentals in years. He said Ghana’s economy was moving from recovery to expansion following its worst crisis in a generation.

Economic growth was 6.3 percent in the first half of 2025 and international reserves at 11.41 billion dollars, the highest in years, while its cedi currency has remained broadly stable.

The September MPC meeting had delivered a record 350 basis point reduction to 21.5 percent, citing a sustained fall in inflation. Earlier in July 2025, the MPC reduced the rate by 300 basis points from 28 percent to 25 percent, following a marginal increase in March from 27 percent to 28 percent. The Committee maintained the 28 percent rate at its May meeting.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast a cut of 250 basis points to 19 percent after the September reduction. However, the actual cut of 350 basis points to 18 percent matched the median estimate of five economists in a Bloomberg survey.

Ghana’s inflation rate continued its impressive downward trajectory, easing for the tenth consecutive month to 8.0 percent year on year in October 2025, from 9.4 percent in September, the lowest level recorded since June 2021. Food inflation fell sharply to 9.5 percent year on year in October from 11.8 percent in September, supported by favorable base effects and increased food supply resulting from the ongoing harvest season.

The sharp rate cut is expected to translate into lower lending rates in the medium term, offering relief to businesses and households that have struggled with high borrowing costs. The reduced borrowing costs should support increased investment in productive sectors and stimulate consumer spending.

However, some analysts had urged caution. Professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) advised the Bank of Ghana to consider lingering external risks, including rising Islamist insurgency in the Sahel that could threaten Ghana’s growth trajectory.

The aggressive easing cycle reflects the central bank’s confidence in the inflation outlook and the stability of macroeconomic fundamentals. The combination of fiscal consolidation, improved external balances, currency appreciation and declining inflation has created room for monetary policy support to economic growth.

The policy rate guides the interest rates at which banks extend credit to businesses and households, making it a critical tool for managing inflation, investment and overall economic activity. The substantial reduction signals that the central bank believes inflation risks have diminished sufficiently to prioritize growth support.

Going forward, the Bank of Ghana will continue monitoring inflation developments, exchange rate stability, fiscal performance and external sector dynamics to ensure monetary policy remains appropriately calibrated. The challenge lies in maintaining price stability while supporting economic expansion as Ghana transitions from crisis recovery to sustainable growth.

Governance strategist, industrialization advocate and professional chairperson Professor Douglas Boateng has called for bold, long term reforms to strengthen the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), stressing that predictable and protected funding is essential if the institution is to effectively support the transformation of Ghana’s state owned enterprises (SOEs).

In a recent high level governance conversation at his Accra office, Professor Boateng reflected on SIGA’s evolving mandate and the institution’s critical role in Ghana’s broader economic and industrialization agenda. The engagement covered SOE performance, regional competitiveness and the growing urgency for improved public sector governance systems.

Professor Boateng commended the current administration for making visible attempts to reposition SIGA. “The current National Democratic Congress (NDC) government inherited SIGA and, to their credit, is making significant efforts to realign it. If steps are being taken to address its foundational limitations, then those efforts deserve broad based encouragement and support,” he stated.

He further acknowledged that previous Director Generals also endeavored to advance the SIGA vision, despite longstanding structural and resource constraints. He observed that institutional strengthening is often a cumulative process built over many years and across leadership transitions.

However, he emphasized that SIGA’s ability to drive accountability across more than 175 SOEs has been constrained by systemic structural, operational and funding challenges that must be urgently addressed. “The original idea behind SIGA was sound,” he remarked. “But without operational independence, clarity of mandate, and protected sustainable funding, it cannot realistically catalyze the performance improvements our SOEs urgently require.”

To reinforce this point, Professor Boateng referenced a timely NyansaKasa reflection. “When institutions are starved of resources, they survive but cannot serve. And when they cannot serve, the nation pays for the neglect,” he stated.

Professor Boateng recognized the ongoing efforts of the current Director General, Professor Kpessa Whyte, and the Board, describing their work as an important step toward repositioning the institution. He encouraged leadership to view this reform period as an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s governance legacy.

Professor Michael Kpessa Whyte assumed office as Acting Director General of SIGA in January 2025. He is a distinguished academic and governance expert with specialization in institutional design and public policy. A new nine member Board was inaugurated on August 19, 2025, by Chief of Staff Hon. Julius Debrah on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama.

He outlined five priority areas that could help SIGA evolve into a high impact institution: strengthened legal and operational independence, merit based board appointments after multiple nominations, transparent national performance scorecards, guaranteed sustainable funding free from political cycles, and a cultural shift from compliance to measurable value creation.

He added that SIGA must have a role in board appointments to ensure alignment between governance expectations and performance delivery. “Good governance goes beyond box ticking,” he stated. “It is about safeguarding national value with foresight, discipline, and integrity.”

Turning to Ghana’s position within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Professor Boateng underscored that a strengthened SIGA is essential if SOEs are to compete regionally and support Ghana’s industrial transformation. “If SIGA is empowered, it can help SOEs unlock AfCFTA’s full potential. The mindset shift from short term fixes to long term value creation must begin in our boardrooms,” he said.

President Mahama has emphasized that loss making SOEs will no longer be tolerated and that SIGA will evolve from a passive observer to an empowered enforcer of national interest. The president declared that SOEs must deliver strategic value particularly in energy, transport, manufacturing, agriculture and finance to support Ghana’s industrialization and the 24 hour economy initiative.

SIGA has been repositioned as a command center with executive authority to negotiate and enforce performance contracts with Specified Entities, conduct regular in depth assessments of SOE finances to ensure transparency and expose mismanagement, issue binding directives, implement compliance mechanisms and intervene directly in underperforming entities.

The Authority released its 2024 State Ownership Report on August 29, 2025, revealing mixed performance across Specified Entities and highlighting the need for sustained reforms and enhanced accountability. The ninth edition of the annual report offered a comprehensive analysis of the financial and operational performance of Ghana’s Specified Entities.

From financial year 2016 when only six Specified Entities signed performance contracts, the 2024 performance contract was negotiated with 79 Specified Entities. The increase in coverage has enabled in depth assessment of operations and governance, with feedback provided to enable improvement.

SIGA data analyzed for the 2022 State Ownership Report showed that the assets of only SOEs in financial year 2022 represented 40.46 percent of Ghana’s 2022 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at purchasers’ value, demonstrating the significant economic weight of these entities.

The Authority has also called on the Bui Power Authority to strengthen efficiency, enhance profitability and commence dividend payments to the Government of Ghana by the close of the 2025 financial year. SIGA has been engaging Chief Executives of Specified Entities on compliance with performance contracts, emphasizing that compliance is not optional but a legal obligation under the SIGA Act, 2019.

Professor Boateng concluded with a diplomatic call to government, emphasizing that SIGA’s long term success will depend on continued national commitment. He encouraged authorities across the political spectrum to support the need for sustained and adequate funding to enable the institution to fully deliver on its mandate.

“If SIGA is steadily empowered and appropriately resourced, the Director General and the Board have a genuine opportunity to contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s governance legacy, not as custodians of the status quo but as responsible architects of reforms that future generations can build upon,” he observed.

Professor Douglas Boateng is a Chartered Industrial Engineer, a Fellow of the Institute of Directors Ghana and a Chartered Director and Fellow of the United Kingdom’s Institute of Directors. He serves as Director and Chairman of organizations including the Ghana Minerals Income Investment Fund and Labadi Beach Hotel.

He convened the inaugural Boardroom Governance Summit in October 2024, organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, SIGA and the Institute of Directors Ghana. The summit attracted over 700 executives both in person and online. He was honored as Director of the Year by the Institute of Directors Ghana at the 6th Corporate Governance Excellence Awards in December 2024.

Professor Boateng is a prolific author of over 90 publications and creator of NyansaKasa, a thought provoking platform with over one million daily readers. Through his visionary leadership, he continues to inspire ethical governance, innovation and youth empowerment, driving Africa toward a sustainable and inclusive future.

The call for SIGA reforms reflects broader concerns about institutional capacity to deliver on mandates despite legal frameworks. While SIGA was established in 2019 through Act 990 with clear responsibilities, resource constraints and structural limitations have hampered its effectiveness in driving SOE transformation.

Experts argue that without sustained funding mechanisms insulated from political cycles, even well designed institutions struggle to maintain consistent oversight and enforcement. The challenge lies in balancing government fiscal constraints with the need for adequately resourced governance institutions that can prevent the far larger losses that result from weak oversight.

Samartex FC have confirmed that defender Ebenezer Acquah is in stable condition after suffering a head injury during their MTN FA Cup encounter with Eleven Wise.

The incident occurred early in the second half when Acquah “suffered a head injury with an opposing player,” the club said in a statement.

He received immediate medical attention on the pitch before being rushed to hospital for further checks, with Kofi Agbesimah introduced as his replacement.

Samartex added that they are “pleased to confirm that Ebenezer is stable and currently receiving additional medical care and monitoring at the Essikado Hospital.”

The club further noted that “the entire Timber Giants family stands firmly behind him,” and called on supporters to keep the defender in their thoughts as he continues his recovery.

Samartex assured fans that they “will provide further updates when necessary.”

The Timber Giants won the game by 2-0.

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.

Ghana’s cocoa industry faces mounting pressure from the European Union as Brussels cautions the country could lose global market share without accelerated reforms addressing sustainability, deforestation and labor concerns.

The warning emerged during a two-day Cocoa4Future feedback workshop in Accra, where researchers presented findings from a five-year project funded by the EU and France’s Agence Française de Développement (AFD). The study examined agroforestry, disease control, certification, farmer livelihoods and climate resilience in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.

EU officials delivered stern messages at the gathering. “Unless agroforestry adoption accelerates, deforestation is curbed, and labour related risks addressed, West African cocoa could face growing barriers under new European sustainability rules and tighter buyer standards,” they stated.

Research findings revealed that many Ghanaian farmers continue favoring low or no-shade production systems because they boost short-term yields. However, workshop participants noted these approaches undermine forest recovery and leave cocoa-growing areas highly vulnerable to climate change impacts.

Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease (CSSVD) remains widespread across Ghana’s plantations. In severely affected farms, the virus slashes yields by as much as 202 kilograms per hectare, according to researchers. Farmer-led control methods, including pruning and chemical application, prove largely ineffective against the disease.

Researchers recommend scaling up rehabilitation efforts, producing CSSVD-resistant seedlings and strengthening early detection through farmer training programs. The workshop also advocated reforms to strengthen cooperatives, extend agricultural extension services, provide affordable credit, diversify buyer networks, clarify tree tenure rights and incentivize hybrid cocoa varieties.

Illegal small-scale mining, known locally as galamsey, emerged as a critical concern. EU-backed researchers argue that without stronger measures to curb deforestation, cocoa farms remain exposed to environmental degradation. This warning arrives amid broader EU regulatory changes.

The EU’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which prohibits imports of commodities linked to deforestation, will apply to cocoa from 2025. To support producers, the EU recently launched a two million euro Deforestation Free Cocoa Project in Ghana. The initiative targets 5,000 farmers and aims to rehabilitate more than 1,000 hectares of old plantations using agroforestry between 2025 and 2028.

A consortium of Ghanaian civil society organizations, including Solidaridad West Africa and Tropenbos Ghana, is implementing the project.

Ghana’s cocoa sector faces a parallel crisis through massive smuggling losses. The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) revealed that 160,000 tonnes of cocoa were lost to smuggling in the 2023/24 season, representing more than a third of national output.

Charles Amenyaglo, COCOBOD’s Director of Special Services who leads its anti-smuggling task force, said smuggling losses more than tripled during that season. He described how traffickers conceal cocoa in tipper trucks covered by quarry chippings and even inside fuel tankers with original seals intact. COCOBOD intercepted approximately 250 tonnes that season, up sharply from just 17 tonnes the previous year.

Abubakar Omae, General Secretary of Ghana’s Cocoa and Coffee Farmers Association, called the figures alarming.

COCOBOD estimates it has lost over 1.1 billion US dollars to cocoa smuggling between 2022 and 2025. In the Volta and Oti regions alone, authorities documented 7,128.13 tonnes smuggled between 2020 and 2025.

Jake Kudjo Samahar, COCOBOD’s Director of Special Services, identified two smuggling categories in these areas: local smuggling where cocoa beans move directly into Togo, and transit operations that use corridors to reach Togo through various routes.

Economic pressures partly drive the smuggling surge. Farmers turn to traffickers offering higher prices due to delayed payments and low farmgate rates in Ghana. The Supreme Consultative Council of COCOBOD has indicated that a new pricing arrangement could reduce smuggling by 80 percent if implemented.

EU policymakers warn that without meaningful reforms, Ghana’s cocoa could face exclusion from lucrative European markets. The Cocoa4Future project concludes that evidence-based recommendations are now critical as global markets shift decisively toward traceable, climate-resilient and ethically sourced cocoa, standards that Ghana risks falling behind.

Dutch Ambassador to Ghana Jeroen Verheul has echoed similar concerns. He cautioned that without rapid investment to boost productivity and comply with EU sustainability directives, Ghana may face competition from emerging producers like Ecuador and Brazil.

Ghana is responding with efforts to digitize traceability through a Ghana Cocoa Traceability System (GCTS), linking every bag to specific farms, farmers and purchasing clerks. However, time pressures mount as the EUDR will hold cocoa destined for EU markets to rigorous traceability and deforestation-free standards.

The convergence of environmental regulations, disease challenges and smuggling losses presents a complex threat to Ghana’s position as a major cocoa supplier. Industry stakeholders face pressure to implement reforms quickly while maintaining farmer livelihoods and production volumes in an increasingly competitive global market.

Ghana has begun discussions with Mexico aimed at expanding bilateral cooperation in trade, agriculture and agribusiness as part of efforts to diversify export destinations and reduce dependence on traditional markets.

Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Sampson Ahi announced the initiative during a meeting with Mexican Ambassador to Ghana Norma Ang in Accra. The talks centered on identifying collaboration opportunities and supporting Ghana’s push to expand value-added exports while decreasing import reliance.

“Ghana is committed to strengthening commercial partnerships with Mexico to boost bilateral relations,” Ahi stated. Both parties explored ways to advance Ghana’s “feed the industry” initiative, which aims to establish competitive agricultural zones allowing farmers to specialize in crops best suited to their regions.

The deputy minister outlined plans to establish processing factories in high-yield areas, highlighting oranges, cashews and mangoes as products with strong potential for value addition. He emphasized that diversification protects against sudden tariff changes from larger economies that affect countries relying heavily on limited export destinations.

Ghana is actively seeking new markets across Latin America, Asia and Europe. Ahi described Mexico’s renewed interest as timely for these expansion efforts.

The 2026 budget places significant emphasis on oil palm development, an area where Mexico has expressed interest through collaboration with Ghana’s Tree Crop Development Authority (TCDA). Ghana also hopes to increase exports of cocoa products, including chocolate and cocoa powder, to the Mexican market, though stakeholders acknowledge the competitive nature of that space.

Ahi recognized structural challenges facing Ghanaian industry, particularly heavy reliance on imported raw materials that increase production costs. Addressing supply shortages, reducing import dependence and creating employment remain central to the nation’s industrialization agenda, he noted.

The president is leading the Accelerated Export Development Programme designed to increase exports while reducing imports. This pathway, according to Ahi, will “transform Ghana into an export-driven economy.”

Ambassador Ang expressed Mexico’s interest in stronger collaboration and proposed targeting specific sectors for joint initiatives. She suggested that regional partnerships, including engagement with Ghana’s Western Region, could build practical cooperation frameworks.

Anibal Gómez Toledo, Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Director General for Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East, highlighted Mexico’s status as a major agricultural producer. He expressed confidence in Ghana’s stability and investment climate.

Toledo welcomed Ghana’s plans to open an embassy in Mexico City. “We are growing fast in our relationship not only politically but economically,” he said.

The discussions reflect Ghana’s broader strategy to shield its economy from vulnerability to single-market dependence. Trade officials have repeatedly warned that concentration on few export destinations exposes the country to external economic shocks and policy changes beyond its control.

Mexico’s engagement offers Ghana access to a significant Latin American market while potentially providing technical expertise in agricultural processing and value addition. For Mexico, the partnership represents an entry point into West African markets and opportunities to diversify its own trading relationships.

Both countries produce cocoa, palm oil and various tropical crops, creating potential for knowledge exchange in cultivation techniques, processing technology and market development strategies. The proposed agricultural zone model could benefit from Mexican experience in regional specialization and agro-industrial integration.

Industry observers note that successful implementation will require addressing Ghana’s infrastructure gaps, improving power supply reliability and streamlining customs procedures to make exports more competitive internationally.

Ghana’s first hybrid Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation training program has officially been launched.

The groundbreaking initiative led by the CEO of Onpoint Virtual Assistants, Cory Johnson, and Janine Coogler-Hudson, CEO of Mobi9 Tech, is aimed at preparing young Ghanaians for high-demand global digital careers.

The 12-week pilot, run in partnership with OnPoint Virtual Solutions, began this month and will train Ghanaian students in two of the world’s leading automation platforms, GoHighLevel and Make.com.

The program answers a critical question facing Ghana’s digital economy: How can young people quickly gain skills that match global workforce demands?

Speaking at the launch, Coogler-Hudson said the timing could not be more urgent.
“We are in a moment very similar to the early days of the dot-com boom,” she explained. “AI has reached that turning point where those who position themselves early will become the leaders and innovators of tomorrow.”

The hybrid structure, combining self-paced modules with weekly live review sessions, is designed to combat Ghana’s growing challenge of completion rates in online courses.

According to Coogler-Hudson, the model was intentionally created to close that gap.
“Most AI training programs leave students learning alone,” she said. “Our students get mentorship, accountability, and 24-hour access to certified experts, which ensures they don’t just start the program — they finish it and become globally competitive.”

The initiative also creates a direct pathway to income. Graduates are expected to access remote roles at OnPoint Virtual Assistants with an earning potential of $500 to $6,000+ monthly, aligning with Ghana’s digital jobs agenda.

Coogler-Hudson emphasizes the long-term national impact: “This is not just training, it is economic transformation. We are opening doors to global opportunities that can uplift entire families and communities.”

With plans to scale to over 200 trainees, the program positions Ghana as a future hub for AI-enabled work in West Africa.

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.