Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor

Image source, Getty Images

The US president is sitting with other heads of state in the front row, close to the steps of St Peter’s Basilica. And intriguingly he and First Lady Melania are sitting between two staunch supporters of Ukraine.

Estonia’s President Alar Karis is to Melania’s left, and Finland’s Alexander Stubb to Trump’s right.

Because while the main focus is on the funeral service, considerable attention is focused on potential diplomatic moves on the sidelines.

As the US leader talks of being “very close” to a Russia-Ukraine peace deal, we know that Trump had a brief meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky ahead of the funeral.

For 90 minutes or more, Trump is now sandwiched between two of Zelensky’s closest allies.

He knows Stubb well, having played golf with him at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida only weeks ago. At the time Stubb said he told Trump he couldn’t trust Russia’s Putin.

If Estonia’s leader does get a chance to bend Trump’s ear, he would probably say the same.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected a 4 per cent growth rate for Ghana by the end of 2025.

This revised forecast was captured in the IMF’s April 2025 Regional Economic Outlook Report, released on the sidelines of the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, D.C.

The projected 4 per cent growth aligns with the figure presented in the 2025 Budget by Finance Minister Dr. Ato Forson in March.

Looking ahead, the IMF expects Ghana’s economy to grow by 4.8 per cent in 2026.

2025 Inflation Target Likely to Be Missed

The IMF is projecting an end-of-year inflation rate of 17.5 per cent for 2025, significantly higher than the government’s target of 11.9 per cent as stated in the national budget.

This suggests that the government could miss its inflation target for the year.

However, the IMF remains optimistic, forecasting a sharp decline in inflation to 9.4 per cent by the end of 2026, bringing Ghana closer to its long-sought single-digit inflation goal.

Debt-to-GDP Ratio to Rise Before Falling

Ghana’s total public debt stood at GHS 726.7 billion at the end of December 2024, representing 61.8 per cent of GDP.

According to the IMF’s Regional Economic Outlook, the debt-to-GDP ratio is expected to rise to 66.4 per cent by the end of 2025 before declining to 62.7 per cent in 2026.

The IMF programme targets a further reduction to 55 per cent by the end of 2028.

The head of the IMF Mission to Ghana, Stéphane Roudet, told Joy Business at the Spring Meetings that he is optimistic that Ghana will meet all key benchmarks, including the 2028 debt target, provided the country stays committed to programme conditions.

Foreign Reserves and Trade Outlook

The IMF also projects Ghana’s import cover to reach 3.6 months by the end of 2025 and 2026.

Additionally, the report revealed that exports to the U.S. account for about 1 per cent of Ghana’s total GDP.

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President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Dr. Patrice Motsepe, has arrived in Accra for an Executive Committee meeting on the back of the ongoing CAF African Schools Football Championship (ASFC). 

Motsepe touched down in Ghana in the early hours of Saturday, April 26, and was welcomed by Ghana Football Association President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku and Vice President Mark Addo.

Dr. Motsepe is expected to hold a press conference at the Kempinski hotel on Saturday at 13:30 local GMT.

There will also be a meeting with the President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, at the Jubilee House in Accra. He will hold a meeting with CAF’s Vice-Presidents, and later in the day, there will be an Executive Committee meeting.

Dr. Motsepe will also attend a mixed zone session with participants from the Young Reporters Workshop, which was part of the programme lineup on the sidelines of the CAF African Schools Football Championship 2025.

He will wrap up his activities at the University of Ghana Stadium, where he will be in attendance for the finals of the championship. He will attend the closing ceremony and watch the girls’ final between Ghana and Uganda, as well as the boys’ final between defending champions Tanzania and Senegal.

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.

Tension is mounting across the country as members of the Public Utility Workers Union (PUWU) escalate their opposition to government plans to introduce private sector participation in the operations of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo).

In a bold and symbolic protest, red flags have been hoisted at all 92 district offices and 14 regional administrative centers nationwide. The protest action follows confirmation by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson that Cabinet has approved the controversial move.

At the headquarters of the Volta River Authority (VRA) and ECG, located at Electro Volta House in Accra, workers have visibly intensified their agitation. Red cloths have been wrapped around signposts, and protest banners have been displayed at the main entrance.

Security personnel on duty, in an interview with Citi News, confirmed the early signs of protest, noting that the demonstrations are expected to intensify from Monday, April 28, with workers anticipated to wear red armbands and stage further actions.

PUWU has expressed concerns that the government’s decision could negatively impact workers’ conditions of service and the overall management of Ghana’s electricity distribution.

ECG privatisation will hike tariffs, cost jobs – TUC warns

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The Minister for Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has held a high-level meeting with the Managing Director of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Makhtar Diop, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Ghana’s partnership with the global development finance institution.

During the meeting, Mr. Diop expressed the IFC’s keen interest in focusing its investments in Ghana on targeted programmes, suggesting a more strategic approach that could boost productivity and economic returns.

He also noted with surprise that Ghana was not fully leveraging its diaspora, describing it as an untapped resource with immense potential for national development.

Dr. Forson, in response, thanked the IFC for its continued support and extended warm greetings from former President John Dramani Mahama, adding that the government would be pleased to welcome Mr. Diop to Accra soon.

He reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to attracting private sector investment and called for deeper collaboration in infrastructure development and agriculture.

Also present at the meeting was the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Johnson Asiama, who emphasised the importance of financial sector cooperation.

He noted that Ghana stands to benefit from the IFC’s support in stabilising and revitalising the specialised deposit-taking institutions that are currently undergoing recovery after sector-wide reforms.

Joining the discussions as well were the Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr. Nii Moi Thompson, and Senior Economic Advisor to President Mahama, Seth Terkper.

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Mubarick Masawudu is new Deputy Director-General of Ghana Maritime Authority

The Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) has announced the appointment of Mubarick Masawudu as its new Deputy Director-General.

Masawudu, a former National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary aspirant for the Asawase constituency, is widely known for his active involvement in the party and his previous efforts to represent Asawase in Parliament.

His appointment forms part of a broader wave of leadership changes across key government agencies under President John Dramani Mahama’s administration.

In his new role at the GMA, Masawudu is expected to bolster the Authority’s administrative leadership as it works to enhance efficiency, strengthen regulatory oversight, and drive growth within Ghana’s maritime sector.

The Ghana Maritime Authority, established in 2002, is mandated to regulate, monitor, and coordinate activities within the maritime industry, ensuring safety, security, and environmental protection in Ghanaian waters.

The Authority also plays a critical role in promoting Ghana’s maritime trade and safeguarding the nation’s territorial waters.

MA

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Pope Francis’s funeral is being held today, April 26, 2025, in Rome, Italy, to honor the late head of the Catholic Church.

The event has drawn invitees ranging from heads of state and royals across the globe to refugees, prisoners, and transgender individuals, all present to commiserate with the Argentine pontiff’s family.

United States President Donald Trump is also in attendance, accompanied by his wife, Melania Trump, and a delegation to pay respects to the deceased Pope.

The pontiff, who led the Catholic Church for 12 years, was pronounced dead on Monday, April 21, 2025.

Reports indicate that Pope Francis died while recovering from pneumonia, which had kept him hospitalised for five weeks.

Given the late pontiff’s global stature, about 130 foreign delegations from various countries, along with approximately 200,000 pilgrims, have gathered in Vatican City, Rome, to mourn his passing.

Watch the funeral proceedings below:

SB/MA

Kwabena Mintah Akandoh [L] and Dr Okoe Boye

Former Minister of Health, Dr Okoe Boye, has weighed in on the strike action by doctors at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, citing a hostile working environment, lack of basic medical supplies, and what they describe as an insult to their dignity by top government officials.

In a statement released after an emergency general assembly meeting held at noon on Tuesday, the Doctors’ Association of Tamale Teaching Hospital (DATTH) announced that its members would no longer offer services at the General OPD, Antenatal Clinic, Specialist Clinic, and Paediatrics OPD following an altercation during the Minister of Health’s visit to the hospital on April 22, 2025.

They demanded unqualified apologies from the Health Minister and Tamale North MP, Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini, to Dr. Valentine Akwulpwa, the entire medical staff, and specifically the team at the Accident and Emergency Department.

The minister subsequently donated medical items to the hospital and appealed to the doctors to call off their ongoing strike and return to the negotiation table for the sake of patients and the broader healthcare system.

Commenting on the issue during a panel discussion on Asempa FM, Dr. Okoe Boye advised his successor, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, to invite the leadership of the striking doctors to a meeting in Accra to address the issues.

“I called my brother Akandoh, but I couldn’t reach him. I will give him free advice—this problem can be solved in just 10 minutes. The way to solve this problem is simple; the doctors are our siblings. Honourable Akandoh, you don’t mean evil. Instead of saying you have presented items, call the leadership of the Doctors Association of the Tamale Teaching Hospital. You are a minister; just invite them to Accra. Call the Ghana Medical Association too, for a meeting, and meet them in your conference room. There will be no argument. The agenda is that we are all brothers; let us allow peace to reign.

“You know that people want recognition; you can say sorry without actually saying sorry. You don’t need a formal letter of apology in this matter. A minister has paid for the airfare and flown the doctors all the way to Accra; this should set the tone for an amicable settlement. I beg him, he should invite them to Accra, and he can even let his deputy do the invitation. Korle Bu has a different environment, but during my time there, informal routes solved more problems than formal ones.”

This is wisdom 👌 pic.twitter.com/KZy2cuzmk2

— Harrydarling💖 (@AcheampongHarry) April 25, 2025

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Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, Minister of Finance

Ghana’s energy sector has been described as the biggest economic threat currently facing the country.

Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson cautioned that the sector is grappling with a financial shortfall of approximately US$2billion annually.

The shortfall’s magnitude surpasses Ghana’s domestic capital expenditure and must be treated with urgency, he warned.

Dr. Forson, speaking during a deep-dive session on the Ghana Energy Compact under Mission 300 at the World Bank, said the crisis cannot be resolved through tariff adjustments alone, pointing instead to a need for comprehensive reforms across the entire energy value chain.

‘’The inefficiencies, especially in the distribution sector, are being passed on to the ordinary Ghanaian – making electricity costs unnecessarily high,” the minister stated.

However, he observed that the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) can reduce this shortfall by half if it addresses these inefficiencies. It is to this end that Cabinet has approved private sector participation as part of government’s strategy to revive the sector.

In a related development, Dr. Forson said Ghana has taken a key step toward reforming its energy sector by submitting a Legislative Instrument (LI) to parliament that will enable competitive procurement of power generation services.

This move is aimed at addressing longstanding inefficiencies and improving transparency and value for money in energy contracts. “This is essential if we are serious about solving deep-rooted challenges in the energy sector, the finance minister stated.

Ghana’s energy sector, once seen as a pillar of economic growth, is now in critical condition due to years of mismanagement, inefficiency and poor financial oversight. ECG’s failure to collect sufficient revenue from consumers is a primary contributor to its dire financial situation.

Namibia’s new president has announced that university fees will be scrapped from 2026.

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the country’s first female president, made the announcement during her maiden state of the nation address on Thursday evening.

Addressing lawmakers, Nandi-Ndaitwah said that students would pay “no registration [or] tuition fees” at all public universities and technical colleges.

However, she said there would not be “significant” extra funding, raising questions about the scheme’s feasibility.

Nandi-Ndaitwah said free university education would be phased in gradually and that the only “contribution as families and students for now will be towards accommodation and other related costs”.

“We have heard your cries: ‘the Fees have Fallen’,” she said, a reference to previous demands by university students in Namibia, as well as neighbouring South Africa.

She said the money would come from the subsidies already given to some of the country’s public universities and the money allocated to the student financial assistance fund.

“If we are going to add, we are not going to add a significant [amount of funds],” she said.

Primary and secondary education is already free in all the country’s public schools.

While some student organisations welcomed Nandi-Ndaitwah’s announcement, others have criticised it as unfeasible and vague.

One of these is the Affirmative Repositioning Student Command (ARSC), which said it was just an attention-seeking ploy by the Namibian government.

“There is no plan, it is just a confused announcement which raises [the] question of what [Nandi-Ndaitwah] means by tertiary education,” the organisation told the BBC.

Elaborating, the ARSC questioned which students would benefit – post-graduates or only undergraduates – as well as where the funding would come from.

This echoed sentiments expressed by Tannen Groenewald, an economist who spoke to local news site the Windhoek Observer.

He suggested that scrapping fees without providing extra funding could lead to student numbers being capped.

He also speculated that it may eventually only apply to students from low-income households.

This is what happened in neighbouring South Africa.

In 2017, the government gave in to calls for tertiary education fees to be scrapped which were made during what was known as the #FeesMustFall protests – but only a small number of students benefited.

It has since been criticised as being too restrictive because as the so-called “missing middle”, were excluded – those considered too wealthy to qualify for financial aid but who struggle to afford tuition fees.