A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore all jobs and funding for the Voice of America and other U.S.-backed news outlets, ruling that efforts to dismantle it violated the law and the Constitution.

Over 1,300 VOA employees, including about 1,000 journalists, were placed on leave following President Donald Trump’s order. The White House has accused the broadcaster of being “anti-Trump” and “radical”.

VOA, still primarily a radio service, was set up during World War II to counter Nazi propaganda, and has become a major global media broadcaster.

The ruling noted that because of the cuts, “VOA is not reporting the news for the first time in its 80-year existence”.

Judge Royce Lamberth said the administration acted “without regard to the harm inflicted on employees, contractors, journalists, and media consumers around the world”.

He ordered the administration to take steps to restore employees and contractors to the jobs they had prior to the executive order, and to do the same for Radio Free Asia and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks.

The judge found the administration also likely violated the International Broadcasting Act and Congress’ power to appropriate funding.

“My colleagues and I are grateful for this ruling. But we know that this is just a small step forward, as the government is likely to appeal,” said Patsy Widakuswara, the VOA White House bureau chief and a lead plaintiff in the lawsuit.

“We are committed to continuing to fight against what we believe is the administration’s unlawful silencing of VOA until we can return to our congressional mandate: to tell America’s stories with factual, balanced, and comprehensive, reporting,” she said.

Trump has long criticised VOA as part of his broader attacks against the media, frequently accusing mainstream outlets of bias.

After taking office in January, he appointed a political ally, Kari Lake, to run VOA. Lake has previously supported Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him.

In March, Trump ordered the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees VOA and funds outlets like Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, to be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”.

A separate judge in New York temporarily blocked the executive order after journalists, advocacy groups and unions sued, arguing the move was unlawful.

Judge Lamberth, who is based in Washington, DC, ruled the Trump administration lacked the authority to shutter VOA, which is funded by Congress and has a legislative mandate to deliver credible news globally.

“It is hard to fathom a more straightforward display of arbitrary and capricious actions than the Defendants’ actions here,” he wrote.

USAGM and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

…..

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The Executive Director of the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Prof H. Kwasi Prempeh, has proposed significant judicial reforms relating to the removal of individuals holding the fourth-highest office in the country.

The legal expert, who chairs the eight-member Constitutional Review Committee, has identified secrecy and conflict of interest as major issues that must be addressed under Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution.

His comments follow the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo by President John Dramani Mahama, after sufficient grounds were established to proceed with an investigation into three petitions seeking her removal from office.

In accordance with Article 146(10) of the Constitution and on the advice of the Council of State, President Mahama issued a warrant suspending the Chief Justice with immediate effect, pending the outcome of a committee tasked with probing the matter.

The members of the committee are:

• Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang – Justice of the Supreme Court
• Justice Samuel Kwame Adibu-Asiedu – Justice of the Supreme Court
• Daniel Yaw Domelevo – Former Auditor-General
• Major Flora Bazwaanura Dalugo – Ghana Armed Forces
• Professor James Sefah Dzisah – Associate Professor, University of Ghana

However, the content of the petitions and the reasons for the suspension have not been made public as the current law dictates.

Consequently, Prof Prempeh has raised concerns about “the secrecy or lack of transparency concerning the removal petition”.

In a Facebook post, he argued that Ghanaians deserve to know the final decision and the details of the committee’s recommendations. “Even if the removal proceedings must be held in camera, I believe that, at the minimum, the findings and outcome of the proceedings, including the grounds and supporting evidence behind the removal petition, must be made public after the fact—whether or not the petition succeeds,” he explained.

According to Prof Prempeh, it is also inappropriate for a subordinate or peer within the judiciary to determine the fate of the Chief Justice.

Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang and Justice Samuel Kwame Adibu-Asiedu are justices of the apex court, and law expert believes their positions could influence the decision on the case.

“I think that, where the removal petition pertains to a Chief Justice, no sitting judge should be included in the five-person removal committee constituted to hear the petition. In other words, none of the CJ’s judicial peers should be made to sit in judgment on a removal petition involving their judicial colleague or ‘boss’, as they are likely to have an interest in the outcome of the case,” he argued.

As an alternative, he proposed that retired jurists or other retired career public servants, preferably appointed by a special committee of the Council of State, should serve on such committees.

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File photo of the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson

The government has approved private sector involvement in efforts to revive Ghana’s struggling energy sector which is reportedly losing around US$2 billion annually.

The Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson made the announcement during a detailed discussion on the Ghana Energy Compact, held under the World Bank’s Mission 300 program.

“The problem is not just tariffs. The inefficiencies, especially in the distribution sector, are being passed on to the ordinary Ghanaian, making electricity costs unnecessarily high,” he said.

He identified the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) as a major contributor to the issue, arguing that the company could reduce the financial shortfall by half if it addressed its operational inefficiencies.

As part of the government’s strategy to tackle the challenge, Dr Forson said the Cabinet has approved a new approach that includes allowing private entities to participate in the sector.

He added that a Legislative Instrument has already been laid before Parliament to enable competitive bidding in the procurement of power generation services.

Speaking about the Ghana Energy Compact, he emphasised the need for swift and coordinated action, stating that the initiative has come at an opportune time.

“Time is of the essence. We must act quickly if we are to prevent further damage to our economy and improve the lives of Ghanaians,” he said.

SP/MA

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Mohammed Salisu is a player of the Black Stars

Former Black Stars captain John Mensah has expressed strong support for Mohammed Salisu, praising the defender’s versatility and readiness to excel in Europe’s top leagues.

Before moving to France, Salisu had a stint in the Premier League with Southampton where his impressive performances caught the attention of several top clubs.

His commanding displays at the heart of the defence attracted interest from AS Monaco who eventually signed him to Ligue 1.

Although injuries have hampered his progress at Monaco, Mensah remains confident in Salisu’s potential to reach even greater heights.

Speaking to Africa Foot, Mensah highlighted Salisu’s experience and physical attributes, suggesting that a move to a top-tier league such as the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A or the Bundesliga would be a major boost to his career.

“Mohammed Salisu has the qualities to thrive anywhere. He already understands the intensity and demands of the Premier League. Returning to what I consider the best league in the world could benefit his career. However, he also has opportunities in Spain, Italy or Germany where he is capable of flourishing,” he said.

The former Southampton defender has made 15 appearances for Monaco in Ligue 1, scoring one goal.

He has also found the net once in six UEFA Champions League appearances.

FKA/MA

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ChatGPT-maker OpenAI would be interested in buying Chrome

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI would be interested in buying Chrome, the world’s most popular browser, if Google was forced to sell it.

Nick Turley, an executive at the artificial intelligence (AI) company, was testifying on behalf of the US government in an ongoing monopoly trial against Google.

The US wants the tech giant to be broken up, arguing it has too much dominance in the online search market.

But Google says Chrome is not for sale and has called for the antitrust lawsuit to be thrown out.

It is estimated that around 64% of people online use Chrome, according to analytics company Similarweb.

The next most popular browser, Apple’s Safari, is used by 21% of people.

Mr Turley was testifying at the trial in Washington DC, the latest in a series of cases brought by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) against big tech dominance in social media, searching the internet and AI.

Last year, the court ruled Google had a monopoly in online search, while last week it was ruled to have an illegal monopoly in online advertising technology.

Google says it will appeal both decisions.

Its head of regulatory affairs, Lee-Anne Mulholland, said in a blog the government’s proposals “would hurt America’s consumers, economy, and technological leadership”.

Google dominance

The current trial is looking at remedies to curtail Google’s dominance in online search, as the recent explosion in generative AI services such as ChatGPT has expanded the market.

Newer AI models search the internet to improve results and reduce hallucination, which has been a problem from developers since chatbots started to become popular.

Last year, OpenAI offered to do a deal with Google which would have integrated Google search results into ChatGPT, according to Mr Turley’s testimony.

But he says their offer was rejected.

“We have no partnership with Google today,” Mr Turley said, according to Reuters.

OpenAI does however have a partnership with Microsoft, which makes the Bing search engine and Edge browser.

Meanwhile, Google has its own suite of generative AI products such as Gemini – a direct competitor to ChatGPT.

The trial is expected to last three weeks and other big tech companies – including Meta, Amazon and Apple – will be keeping a close eye on it, given they are also facing their own monopoly lawsuits from the DOJ.

Separately, reports in the past week suggest OpenAI is looking into creating its own social network.

The Verge reported the project is “still in early stages,” but the company and its boss Sam Altman have privately been asking for feedback on a potential rival to X.

OpenAI boss Sam Altman and X boss Elon Musk used to be business partners until a bitter falling-out over the direction of OpenAI a few years ago.

X has its own AI tool Grok, which it has integrated into the social platform.

By Naa Shormei Odonkor

Kumasi April 23, GNA – The Alumni of the Jacobs-Abbey Global Institute for Leadership Studies (JAGILS) has reached out to the inmates of the Cherubs Children’s Home at Santasi-Apire in the Kumasi Metropolis of the Ashanti Region.

In partnership with the Rolla Foundation, JAGILS Ghana Campus, and the Inspirers Alumni, the group deliberately visited the Children’s Home during the Easter festivity to reignite hope in the children.

The partners donated educational materials such as the Wise Ant and Golden publication textbooks for basic school level, from Nursery to Junior High School.

Also added were some assorted stationeries such as pens, pencils, notebooks, exercise books, sketch pads, graph books, erasers, rulers, mathematical sets, markers, and art supplies, among others.

Additionally, the Alumni of the JAGILS donated children’s clothes in various sizes to be shared among the inmates in the Children’s Home.

Mrs Vida Osei-Agyemang Naab, the Coordinator of the JAGILS Ghana Campus, who led the delegation, said the charitable initiative formed part of the corporate social responsibility efforts of the JAGILS.

She noted that the initiative also replicated the commitment of the JAGILS to transform learners into leaders who gave back to society and supported vulnerable communities.

Mrs Naab believed that the benevolent act by the JAGILS would instil the values of compassion, responsibility, and leadership through service in the beneficiaries.

“At JAGILS, we believe that education goes beyond the four corners of a classroom.

Supporting Cherubs Children’s Home is a practical way of showing that true leadership begins with selfless acts that uplift others,” she said.

Mrs Naab acknowledged the support from the broader JAGILS community including the Board of Trustees, Advisory Council, the faculty, management, students, and others, who contributed to the initiative.

GNA

KOM/AD

Business strategist and financial analyst, Dr Daniel Armateye Anim

Business strategist and financial analyst, Dr Daniel Armateye Anim, has cautioned that the recent downward revision of global economic growth by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) could significantly impact emerging economies like Ghana, particularly due to their high reliance on imports and vulnerability to external shocks.

In its April 2025 World Economic Outlook (WEO) report, the IMF revised its global growth forecast from 3.3 percent to 2.8 percent, citing escalating trade tensions, particularly with the U.S. announcing a wave of new tariffs on trading partners, as well as a projected global rise in inflation.

Dr Anim believes this signals potential economic turbulence for countries with weaker economic structures.

Speaking in an interview with GhanaWeb Business, Dr Anim noted that Ghana’s import-driven economy and dependence on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) make it particularly susceptible to the effects of the downgrade.

“The recent revision in global growth by the IMF, from 3.3 percent to 2.8 percent, means there’s a high likelihood of significant impact on emerging economies. Economies exposed to external shocks and heavily reliant on imports could be affected if this revised forecast holds true. Ghana is likely to feel the effects because it is largely import-driven, even in terms of attracting FDIs and demand for exports. As a result, it could affect our foreign inflows,” he said.

However, Dr Anim emphasised that the extent of the impact would largely depend on Ghana’s internal preparedness and economic resilience.

He stressed the need to strengthen the domestic economy through aggressive agricultural policies and industrial support aimed at boosting local production.

“If your macroeconomic fundamentals are strong and you have a business-friendly environment, you’re more likely to attract investment and boost your GDP growth. That could cushion the economy against global downturns. In such a case, the global slowdown may not significantly impact us,” he added.

Dr Anim also underscored the importance of maintaining a stable macroeconomic environment to encourage sustained GDP growth and increased FDI inflows.

SP/MA

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The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has released the latest prices for its new investment initiative, the Ghana Gold Coin.

The Central Bank introduced the coin as a measure to discourage the hoarding of U.S. dollars.

As of Wednesday, April 23, 2025, the Bank reported that the 0.25 oz coin is selling at GH¢14,352.32.

The 0.50 oz coin is priced at GH¢27,816.13, while the 1.00 oz coin is now selling for GH¢54,806.36.

According to the Central Bank, the initiative aims to absorb excess liquidity in the market and strengthen the local currency against major foreign currencies.

The Ghana Gold Coin is available in three denominations: a one-ounce coin, a half-ounce coin, and a quarter-ounce coin. These are being sold through commercial banks.

“The Ghana Gold Coin is manufactured from gold mined in Ghana and refined to 99.99 percent purity. It is issued and guaranteed by the Bank of Ghana,” the Bank stated.

pic.twitter.com/iXmytm7GTq

— Bank of Ghana (@thebankofghana) April 23, 2025

SSD/MA

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By Agbaxode Emmanuel

Akatsi (VR), April 23, GNA – The Church of Pentecost, Agorve District at Akatsi in the Akatsi Municipality of the Volta Region has scheduled Sunday, April 27 for its maiden ‘Motor Riders Conference.’

The conference aims to enhance road safety, minimise motorcycle-related accidents, and ensure proper regulation of commercial motorcycle transport.

Reverend Prosper Kofi Kpe li, the Agorve District Pastor of the Church, disclosed to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) ahead of the encounter that the event formed part of the Church’s core mandate of preaching the gospel to everyone and the vision 2028 agenda of possessing the nations by influencing every sphere of society with the values and principles of the kingdom of God.

He said the conference would also offer the Church the opportunity to seek God’s guidance and protection for the riders in general and contribute to society’s transformation.

“These includes equipping riders with formal skills, knowledge of road signs and traffic regulations, and practical riding tactics,” he added.

The one-day conference, to be held at the Church’s Central Chapel, would feature dignitaries such as Mr Daniel Dagba, the Akatsi South Municipal Chief Executive, Leadership of the Church under the Sogakope Area, and other facilitators including the Akatso South Police Commander.

The rest include Mr Hayford Acheampong, the Municipal Manager of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), and Divisional Officer Grade lll Mr Saviour Coffie, the Akatsi South Municipal Fire Commander.

Commercial motor riders, popularly known as ‘Okada’ and all motor riders within the Akatsi South enclave and beyond are expected to participate in the event.

GNA

MA/AD

The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has officially begun licensing service providers in the gold trading sector, starting today, Wednesday, 23 April 2025.

In a public statement released on Wednesday, GoldBod announced that Ghanaians aged 18 and above, as well as fully-owned Ghanaian companies, are now eligible to apply for various categories of licenses.

These applications can be made online via the GoldBod website at goldbod.gov.gh or in person at the organisation’s main office in Accra.

According to the statement, “The categories of licenses that can be applied for effective immediately are as follows: Aggregator license, Self-financing Aggregator license, Buyer license (Tier 2), Buyer license (Tier 1).”

Further categories, including refining, smelting, fabrication, storage, transportation, and importation licenses, will be made available for application starting in July 2025.

The GoldBod also stressed the importance of understanding the legal requirements involved. “An applicant must carefully read, understand and accept the terms and conditions of a license before proceeding to apply for the same,” the statement advised.

The GoldBod reiterated a previous directive for all foreigners to exit the local gold trading market by 30 April 2025. “A breach of this directive shall constitute a punishable offense under the Ghana GoldBod Act, 2025 (ACT 1140),” the Board warned. However, foreigners may still apply to off-take gold directly from the GoldBod.

The regulatory body also emphasised that all gold transactions must now be conducted using the official Bank of Ghana Reference Rate, available at bog.gov.gh.

“The GoldBod reiterates its earlier directive for all gold traders to buy and/or sell gold at the official Bank of Ghana (BoG) Reference Rate,” the statement added.

As the Board looks forward to restructuring the sector, it calls on all stakeholders for their full cooperation. “The GoldBod looks forward to working with all stakeholders to restructure and streamline the gold trading sector to optimise national benefits,” the release concluded.

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