President John Dramani Mahama has nominated 40 individu­als for appointment as Metropolitan Munic­ipal District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) for various districts in the Ashanti Region.

This is in accordance with the 1992 Constitution and Ghana’s local governance laws.

A statement from the Presidency copied to The Ghanaian Times on Tuesday, confirmed that the nom­inations were made in line with Article 243 of the Constitution and the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936), as amended by the Local Governance (Amendment) Act, 2017 (Act 940).

These legal provisions of the state­ment said empowered the President to appoint MMDCEs, subject to the approval of the respective assem­blies.

The nominees are Akwasi Adusei, Ahafo Ano North; Ibrahim Yamba Nelson Issaka, Ahafo Ano South East; Abubakar Sedik, Ahafo Ano South West; Mba Zechariah Alen­billa, Atwima Nwabiagya North and Wisdom Osei Boamah, Atwima Nwabiagya South.

Others include: Benjamin Marfo, Amansie South; Manu Prince Morris, Amansie West; Salifu Issaka, Bekwai; Frank Owusu Amoah, Offinso South; and Caesar Acheampong Ofosu, Offinso North.

Also nominated are Rafiu Adam Seidu for Ejura Sekyedumase; Evans Amoh Twumasi for Sekyere South; Ebenezer Ekow Aidoo for Asante Akim Central; Kwasi Amankwaa for Kumawu; Samuel Somuah for Sekyere Central; and Abubakar Issa­ka for Sekyere Afram Plains. Ibrahim Adams; Sekyere East; Joseph Amankwa, Kwabre East; Eunice Ohenewaa Ansu, Juaben; and Jerryne Asante Ejisu.

Furthermore, Emmanuel Obeng Agyemang, Odotobri; Sarah Amoa­koaa, Asante Akim North; Maame Sarfoah Appiah, Asante Akim South; Abdullah Hamidu, Bosomtwe; Emmanuel Jackson Agumah, Afigya Kwabre North; and Pearl Patricia Ankrah, Afigya Kwabre South.

Charles Koff Ogbeh, Adansi North; Oheneba Kobena Andoh, Adansi South; Albert Dakurah, Adansi Asokwa; Charles Appiah-Ku­bi, Bosome Freho; Faustilove Appiah Kannin, Obuasi West; and Adzowu Kofi William, Obuasi East.

Other nominees include Grace Agyemang Asamoah, Atwima Kwan­woma; Amoh Kemel, Asokwa; Gari­ba Mohammed Mustapha, Adansi Akrofuom; Eric Asibey for Kwadaso; Owusu Ansah Frank, Suame; Abuba­kar Sidiq, Tafo; Anwel Sadat Ahmed for Oforikrom; and Ben Abdallah Alhassan, Asokore Mampong.

According to the statement, the nominated individuals are expected to assume office following approval by their respective district assemblies. Their appointments formed part of the President’s commitment to en­hancing decentralisation, improving local governance, and accelerating development throughout the Ashanti Region.

The Presidency expressed confidence in the competence and leadership of the nominees and urged the assemblies to support the process for effective governance at the local level.

 BY STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG

Accra, May 8, GNA – Delta Air Lines is set to introduce a new seasonal daily nonstop service between Accra and Atlanta, United States, from December 1, 2025.

The announcement was contained in a press release issued by Kingdom Concepts Consult on behalf of the airline, and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.

According to the statement, the new route is expected to improve travel options for Ghanaians heading to the United States by reducing layovers and enhancing convenience.

It said the Atlanta – Accra service would be operated with the Airbus A330-900neo, a modern aircraft offering Delta One Suites, Premium Select, Comfort+, and Main Cabin seating.

The new route would serve as Delta’s second direct connection between Ghana and the U.S., signalling the airline’s continued investment in the Ghanaian aviation market, it said.

It explained that Atlanta, as Delta’s largest hub and the world’s busiest airport by passenger numbers, offeredtravellers seamless onward connections to more than 215 destinations in the U.S. and beyond, including cities such as Miami, Dallas, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, and Honolulu.

The release noted that the route would be particularly beneficial to Ghanaians traveling for business, family visits, or seasonal festivities such as “Detty December.”

Delta was also reported as saying that passengers on the route would benefit from complimentary high-speed Delta Sync Wi-Fi throughout the flight. 

The service, available to SkyMiles Members, would allow passengers to stream content, access real-time travel updates, and shop online while airborne.

The release this development formed part of Delta’s broader effort to equip its fleet with next-generation connectivity, including the installation of dual-network systems on regional and newly delivered aircraft.

With the rising demand for travel between Ghana and the United States, Delta remained committed to providing efficient, comfortable, and digitally connected travel experiences,  it assured.

Delta has been operating in Ghana for more  than a decade. 

It deems the new route an important step in deepening the ties between the two countries through air travel.

GNA

BAS

A new pope has been chosen, signaled by the iconic white smoke billowing from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. The name of the new pontiff is expected to be announced shortly when he appears on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.

The decision was made by 133 red-robed cardinals from across the globe, who gathered in secrecy for the papal conclave.

During the highly guarded process, the cardinals were completely cut off from the outside world as they cast their ballots to elect the next leader of the Catholic Church, which serves more than 1.4 billion faithful worldwide.

News of the white smoke sent waves of jubilation across St. Peter’s Square, where thousands had been holding vigil in anticipation. Applause, cheers, and tears erupted as the signal continued to rise, confirming that a two-thirds majority had been reached.

“I’m so happy, it’s so incredible to be here at this moment,” said 42-year-old Roseleia Cordeiro from Brazil, overcome with emotion as she hugged her friends. “I don’t know how to express myself but I am grateful to God for this moment.”

Each new puff of white smoke drew louder cheers from the crowd, as worshippers celebrated the historic moment with prayers, songs, and joyful tears, awaiting the first glimpse of their new spiritual leader.

The overlord of Dagbon, Ndan Yaa Naa Abukari II, has acknowledged the contributions of former Vice President and NPP 2024 Presidential Candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, to the development of the country, assuring him that his efforts will be rewarded soon.

Welcoming Dr. Bawumia to the Gbewaa Palace in Yendi, during the NPP’s Thank You Tour of the Northern Region, the Yaa Naa, told Dr. Bawumia, not to be discouraged by his defeat on his first attempt to be President, adding that his remarkable record as Vice President, will earn him the support of Ghanaians in the future.

“We recognise your contributions to Ghana’s development, particularly in digitalisation and economic modernisation initiatives during your tenure as Vice President,” the Yaa Naa told Dr. Bawumia.

“As a Vice President, you did your best and contributed more actively than most of your predecessors in the Fourth Republic.”

“With determined efforts, you spearheaded several transformative projects, including Ghana’s digital addressing system and mobile money interoperability. All these have not gone unnoticed and Ghanaians are grateful for your efforts,” the Ya Naa added, listing many other government interventions credited to the former Vice President.

The Yaa Naa encouraged Dr Bawumia not to despair, but be hopeful for the future, which he stressed, will be brighter for the former Vice President.

“Your electoral loss is a battle lost, but not the war to lead the development of our dear nation. So I entreat you to still have the interest of this country at heart and not despair prematurely.”

“This is only your first attempt, and there are several chances ahead. All that we need is to pray for a longer life and good health. May Allah continue to guide and guard you in all your endeavours.”

Dr Bawumia and the NPP have been embarking on a nationwide Thank You Tour for the past two weeks, to thank party faithful and Ghanaians for the support offered the party, regardless of the outcome of the 2024 elections.

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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.

Professor Emeritus Stephen Adei feels Ghanaians should be measured in their praise of Mahama

Renowned Ghanaian economist and former Director-General of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Professor Emeritus Stephen Adei, has cautioned Ghanaians against prematurely praising President John Dramani Mahama for his performance in the first 120 days of his administration.

Speaking in an interview on JoyNews on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, Prof Adei urged citizens to adopt a measured perspective, citing the disappointing trajectory of the previous Akufo-Addo government as a lesson.

Prof Adei noted that while President Mahama’s early performance may appear commendable, particularly when contrasted with the Akufo-Addo administration’s second term, Ghanaians should remain cautious.

“I think that the Akufo-Addo government in the second term did so badly that we must be very careful overpraising John in 120 days because the first term of Akufo-Addo, he performed very well and then almost everybody’s hopes were dashed with every indicator, economic management, corruption, everything else almost going down the sink,” he said.

He emphasised that the sharp decline in economic management and governance during Akufo-Addo’s second term made it easy to view Mahama’s initial efforts favorably.

However, as a lifelong public servant, Prof Adei stressed the importance of objectivity, stating, “If you are a true Ghanaian, and some of us have been public servants all our lives, we can only wish John and the NDC well. Because their success will be our success.”

Prof Adei, who previously served as Chairperson of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) and Board Chairman of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), called for patience in evaluating the Mahama administration’s long-term impact.

His comments come as President Mahama marked 120 days in office, highlighting progress on key campaign promises, including reopening investigations into unresolved criminal cases such as the 2020 Election violence and the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence of 2019.

According to President Mahama, his government has kept to its word by fulfilling some 25 core promises made to Ghanaian electorates ahead of the December 2024 election.

GA/AE

Operational setback ends at Sentuo refinery

These countries together account for 75% of Africa’s tropical forests

Representatives from ten West and Central African nations have convened in Accra for the 9th Africa Sustainable Commodities Initiative (ASCI), reaffirming their joint commitment to promoting sustainable agricultural production that safeguards forests, supports rural livelihoods, and drives economic growth.

These countries together account for 75% of Africa’s tropical forests and 25% of tropical forests globally, making their cooperation critical to the continent’s climate and development agenda.

In his keynote address, Ghana’s Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, underscored Ghana’s leadership in climate-smart agriculture and sustainable commodity development.

“Ghana has taken bold steps, particularly in the tree crop sector, through the establishment of the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA), which plays a pivotal role in regulating and supporting the sustainable growth of priority crops such as oil palm, rubber, coconut, mango, cashew, and shea,” he said.

The minister continued, “These steps are reshaping the future of our non-cocoa agricultural landscape.”

The ASCI platform, established to empower African producer countries in setting sustainability principles for key commodities like cocoa, palm oil, rubber, and coffee, has become a driving force in aligning agriculture with forest conservation, global trade standards, and climate action.

Eric Amoako Agyare, Solidaridad’s Country Representative in Ghana, emphasised the importance of inclusive, climate-resilient innovations.

“We are pleased to co-host this 9th ASCI platform under our NISCOPS programme, which seeks to ensure oil palm landscapes are sustainably managed and smallholder farmers measurably benefit from their inclusion in the supply chain,” Agyare said.

He highlighted a recent pilot as an example of innovation in action, “Through the NISCOPS programme, we piloted two artisanal oil palm mills equipped with modern technology to reduce methane emissions and increase oil extraction rates, an initiative aligned with Ghana’s Article 6.2 commitments under the Paris Agreement.”

The ASCI’s achievements were recently recognised on the global stage when it received the Schwab Foundation Collective Social Innovators’ Award 2025 at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Abraham Baffoe, Africa and Global Director at Proforest, on his part emphasised the platform’s broader significance, “This platform has a track record of working regionally across ten countries, so we have much to contribute to the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agenda.”

“The lessons we’ve learned from producers and companies on the ground are critical to engaging all stakeholders in effectively implementing emerging regulations such as the EU Deforestation-Free Regulation (EUDR),” he concluded.

The two-day high-level summit, co-hosted by Proforest and Solidaridad, brought together ministers, senior government officials, civil society organisations, and private sector leaders from Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, and Sierra Leone.

SSD/MA

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has described the first 120 days of President John Dramani Mahama’s government as an uninspiring one that is laced with failed promises and retardation across the various sectors.

Apart from being accused of what they referred to as “executive lawlessness”, the party also said President Mahama was superintending over a government that preached inclusiveness but was practicing divisiveness. 

At a press conference held at the NPP headquarters in Accra on Thursday to respond to President Mahama’s national address in which he gave an account of his first 120 days in office, the NPP stressed that the reset agenda promised by the NDC had become a breakdown of governance system and businesses. 

The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, who addressed the press, accused the President of exercising “executive lawlessness” leading to the sacking of numerous civil servants and replacing them with persons affiliated with the NDC. 

“We now have two Ghana – one for the NDC and one for other Ghanaians. This was not the reset President Mahama promised Ghanaians, he stressed. 

Among the key issues he raised as constituting the basket of failed promises were failure to decisively deal with illegal mining; resurgence of power outages; failure to implement the 24-hour Economy policy; and failure to reduce import duties. 

The Minority Leader expressed reservation about what he described as the gradual collapse of businesses, weakening of the private sector, attack on the judiciary, and fragile security in the country. 

Galamsey 

During the peak of the campaign for the December 7, 2024 elections, there was heightened call by environmentalists, CSOs, the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, and some labour unions for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to declare a state of emergency over the galamsey scourge. 

Environmental activists and other stakeholders also mounted pressures on the NPP administration to revoke the law that permits mining in forest reserves (L.I 2462), but that did not happen. 

In the heat of the campaign, the NDC presidential candidate (President Mahama) promised to repeal L.I 2462 when given the mandate. 

He also promomised to ban mining in forest reserves and take steps to restore the country’s degraded landscape. 

At the press conference, Mr Afenyo-Markin said it was worrying that after 120 days on office, President Mahama had failed to keep his promise on dealing with galamsey. 

“Illegal mining has flourished in the full glare of the President; foreigners involved in galamsey are deported instead of being prosecuted; he criticised former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for not doing much about galamsey, but he is now giving excuses. He has failed to declare state of emergency,” he said. 

Dumsor

Additionally, he said after inheriting stable power supply, President Mahama had plunged the country into darkness, although he promised to improve on the power sector. 

“We have witnessed persistent power outages these 120 days of President Mahama, and we do not even know where our Minster of Energy and Green Transition is. We are using torchlights to search for our Energy Minister, but we cannot find him,” he said.

The Minority Leader said the erratic power supply situation in the country has forced some businesses to fold up while others were also suffocating. 

Mr Afenyo-Markin also said the 24-hour Economy policy the President promised Ghanaians had become mirage.

He said instead of building up on the one district, one factory (1D1F) industrialisation policy the previous government had implemented, President Mahama had abandoned it and was also not implementing the 24-hour economy.

Education and social policy

The Minority Leader said although President Mahama made a plethora of promises in the education and social sector, not much had been done in redeeming those commitments.

He cited commitments such as no-academic fee for all first year tertiary students, free tertiary education for persons with disability, and distribution of free sanitary pads to school girls as some of the failed promises.

“These were headline-grabbing pledges intended to ease burdens on students and parents. But how many of these have been truly fulfilled? The reality is stark: not a single first-year university student has received a fee-free education under this policy so far,” he said. 

Lean government

Mr Afenyo-Markins also alleged that despite the promise by President Mahama to run the leanest and most efficient government, more persons had been appointed to political positions than expected.  

“This government has gone to great lengths to create the impression that it is cutting down on expenditure by appointing fewer ministers.

They parade this move as an act of prudence and fiscal discipline, but in reality, it is nothing more than political theatre designed to deceive the Ghanaian people,” he said.

He indicated that “the supposed reduction in ministerial appointments had little to no impact on the ballooning cost of government.”

By Benard Worlali Awumee

Keta, (V/R), May 08, GNA – The Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), under its Strengthening Accountability, Rule of Law, and Institutional Responsiveness in Ghana (SARIS) project, has landed in the Volta region.

The move aimed to intensify efforts to build grassroots capacity in the fight against corruption through a series of citizen training workshops across some selected Districts in the Region.

Funded by the European Union in Ghana, the initiative is designed to empower ordinary citizens to play an active role in promoting transparency, accountability, and good governance at the local level.

Following successful workshops in South Tongu and Ketu South Districts, where participants were educated on public financial management laws, types of corruption, and how to effectively report misconduct, the project has now moved to the Keta Municipality.

The two-day training session in Keta, which begins Thursday, 8th May 2025, is expected to bring together key community actors, including youth groups, civil society representatives, government officials and traditional leaders, among others.

Participants would be equipped with practical tools to monitor local governance processes and hold duty bearers accountable and also explore their roles in shaping a responsive and transparent public service environment.

In previous engagements, the CDD-Ghana team collaborated with local radio stations to broaden public outreach and spark community-wide dialogue on corruption and civic responsibility.

This series of workshops forms the second round of a similar project held with the same aim of Capacity Building Training on Public Financial Management and Anti-Corruption Sensitisation in July 2024

Facilitators, such as governance and Anti-corruption expert, Mr. Senanu Edem, emphasised that changing public perception around accountability is critical to Ghana’s democratic progress.

“The aim is to build a network of informed citizens who are not only aware of the laws but are ready to act when those laws are breached,” Mr. Edem noted.

Participants in earlier sessions expressed renewed confidence in their ability to identify and challenge corruption within their communities.

“We are now better informed and can speak up against wrongdoing,” one trainee in Ketu South affirmed.

The Keta workshop marks a significant step in the broader campaign to strengthen democratic governance in Ghana, particularly in underserved areas. With eight workshops planned under the SARIS project, CDD-Ghana remains committed to fostering a citizen-led movement for accountability.

GNA

MA/KOA

The Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Johnson Asiama, has acknowledged the impact of Ghana’s improved gold reserve initiated by the previous government.

According to him, this reserve is helping to stabilise the cedi against foreign currencies.

In an interview with Joy News, the new Governor said the Central Bank now has enough gold reserve.

“Going forward, we have enough reserves to maintain the current stability the cedi is enjoying against the US dollar,” he said.

Dr Asiama’s revelation that the Bank of Ghana has adequate gold reserves vindicates Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s strong proposition for the Bank of Ghana to commence a gold purchasing initiative to boost Ghana’s gold reserve.

The former Vice President of Ghana, Dr Bawumia argued that an improved gold reserve by the Central Bank is key to stabilising the country’s currency and, in 2022, following the depreciation of the cedis, he launched the Bank of Ghana’s gold purchasing initiative which has boosted Ghana’s gold reserve after three years.

Ghana’s gold reserves, at the time that Dr Bawumia introduced the Central Bank’s gold purchasing programme, was a paltry 8 tonnes but had significantly increased by more than threefold to 30.5 tonnes when the previous government handed over in January 2025.

This significant rise in Ghana’s gold reserves through the gold purchasing agreement which the current government has sustained through the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), coupled with global impact of the United States’ trade war which has weakened the US Dollar, have been cited by experts as factors contributing to the recent strength of the cedi.

The Bank of Ghana’s gold purchasing programme also helped the country to successfully implement the “Gold for Oil” programme aimed at stabilising both the cedi and fuel prices.

AME

Professor John Gatsi, Dean of the School of Business at the University of Cape Coast

The performance of President John Dramani Mahama in the delivery of his ‘social contract’ with the people of Ghana in the first 120 days in office is “remarkable,” says Professor John Gatsi.

President Mahama took office on the back of the implementation of a US$3 billion loan-supported programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), aimed at restoring macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability.

Within the 120-days, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) withdrew its support to Ghana, creating US$156m funding gap, while the US Government also imposed 10 per cent tariff on the country.

However, the Professor of Finance, in an exclusive interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the Government had demonstrated commitment towards restoring and resetting the economy to ensure stability and progress.

“From day one, the agenda is being rolled out progressively and steadily, in a manner that touches every facet of the economy, good governance, young people, economic entrepreneurship and business development, reforms of institutions, and reform of the Constitution,” he noted.

Professor Gatsi lauded the Government for its moderate approach to expenditure and focus on value for money, a gesture he said would help create the needed stable macroeconomic environment to propel business development.

He noted that the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (Mahama Cares), launched last Tuesday, for example, would help address critical health needs of citizens, citing the President’s experience in governance as a contribution to his current “excellent” performance.

Professor Gatsi, the Dean of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) Business School, urged the Government to remain steadfast in maintaining the momentum in rolling out initiatives and ensuring their full implementation.

“The successful rollout of initiatives should be maintained across multiple sectors of the Ghanaian society,” he said, calling for sustained-stable economic environment going forward.

“This will provide multiple benefits: a resilient and better economy, lower inflation, a steady and stable generating environment, and then lower interest rates that will govern business development in the country,” he stated.

He said the actions of the Government in the 120-days had provided the stage for a more comprehensive economic agenda in the days ahead.

Professor Gatsi was confident that when the “standard” was kept, the outcomes would benefit citizens through export progress, skills development for young people, and improved governance through transparency and accountability.

Already, the Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations (GUTA), has commended the Government for stabilising the cedi against its major trading currencies [Dollar, Pounds and Euro] since January 2025.

Meanwhile, the Bank of Ghana (BoG) has indicated that as of May 6, 2025, US$1 was bought at GH¢13.64 and sold for GH¢13.65; £1 was bought at GH¢18.11 and sold for GH¢18.13, while €1 was bought at GH¢15.42 and sold for GH¢15.44.

As of January 6, 2025, US$1 was bought at GH¢14.74 and sold for GH¢14.75; £1 was bought at GH¢18.26 and sold for GH¢18.28, while €1 was bought at GH¢15.15 and sold for GH¢15.17.

The stability over the past five months, GUTA said, had brought some level of respite and confidence to the economy, enabling the business community to recoup some of the lost capital in the past few years due to depreciation and exchange rate pressures.

“These prudent measures, if sustained, would lead to full economic recovery and make businesses competitive, increase productivity, as well as alleviate the high cost of living in the country,” it said in a statement copied to GNA on Tuesday.

President Mahama, who served as Ghana’s President from 2012 to 2017, returned to office on January 7, 2025, providing an 11-page document, with 26 itemised promises to fulfil as a social contract in his first 120 days.