play videoJohn Dramani Mahama is Ghana’s President

President John Dramani Mahama has assured that the report of the Constitution Review Committee will be implemented in a bipartisan manner.

According to him, the implementation will be carried out in a way that brings all Ghanaians together.

He made the assurance when the committee presented its final report to him on Monday, December 22, 2025.

Constitutional Review Committee set to present report to President Mahama

“You were carefully chosen for your integrity, your credibility and we haven’t had the experience of constitutional review committees before and the fact that at the end of it we had been unable to agree how to move the process forward.

“This time we said let’s choose the committee very carefully, so that it’s a committee that Ghanaians have trust in, so that when the report comes it would be nonpartisan, it would not have been influenced by any political interest, so that it would make it easier for all of us to come together and move the process forward,” he noted.

President Mahama said that early next year, a committee will be set up to oversee the implementation of the recommendations.

BREAKING: Constitutional Review Committee proposes five-year Presidential term

“As soon as we resume early next year, we’re moving from the constitutional review process into the implementation process, and so early next year we’ll announce an implementation committee”, he added.

The committee proposed several changes, including a review of the powers of the Attorney-General and a proposal to increase the presidential tenure by five years.

It also recommended transferring some of the Attorney General’s responsibilities to an Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, allowing the office to focus on “international arbitration and big constitutional cases.”

The committee was formed by President Mahama to promote the Constitutional Review Process’s implementation.

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AG to prosecute Kofi Akpaloo, wife over alleged COCOBOD contract fraud

There were no apologies from Mohamed Salah to his teammates in red on Monday night, with Egypt’s players grateful to Liverpool’s troubled superstar for conjuring a stoppage-time winner.

After failing to capitalise on a dominant start, the seven-times Afcon winners required a stunning equaliser from Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush and Salah’s late winner to spare their blushes against the aptly named Warriors from Zimbabwe, who have never progressed beyond the group stages.

Salah had sparkled initially before fading as his lack of recent playing time at Liverpool took its toll, but ended up making the decisive contribution as he swivelled in the penalty area to score with a scuffed left-foot half volley.

The sparsely populated bowl of the Grand Stade d’Agadir, which began the game with around 10% of its 45,000 seats occupied before the lowest of its three tiers eventually came close to filling up, is not the grandest of stages on which the so-called Egyptian King usually thrives, but neither is this tournament. For all the adoration he inspires in Egypt and throughout Africa the lack of an Afcon winner’s medal is the one major absence on Salah’s CV.

After losing in two finals in 2017 and 2022, Salah is desperate to fill that gap, all the more so given the possibility that his club career in Europe may be winding down, with several Saudi Pro League clubs ready to pounce on his unhappiness at Anfield.

Salah’s situation in this tournament could not be more different from the previous Afcon in Côte d’Ivoire two years ago when, ironic as it may now seem, he was accused of prioritising club over country. Egypt’s greatest player left that tournament early to return to Liverpool for treatment after a hamstring injury during a group stage game against Ghana, with the country’s most-capped player Ahmed Hassan accusing him of letting the nation down.

Salah appears to have found salvation in being reunited with his countrymen on this occasion, however, with Egypt’s coach Hossam Hassam saying “he regains his strength with the national team”, as he demonstrated by guiding them to a hard-fought win.

It was clear that the start that Salah has the freedom to roam as he wishes in this team, drifting into central areas and dropping deep to pick up possession in his own half as he saw fit. He remains most threatening from the right however, and twice in the space of one first-half minute he came close to conjuring the opening goal. A lofted cross to Trézéguet produced a header that was saved by Washington Arubi before Salah cut in from the right and had a shot from the edge of the penalty area blocked. Salah created another chance in the 12th minute for Eman Ashour, which he slashed wide, his last notable contribution of a truncated evening, which ended in the 34th minute when Hassam replaced him with big striker Mostafa Mohamed in a tactical switch after falling behind. Zimbabwe’s goal stunned Egypt, who should have been cruising at that stage. Instead they were caught on the counterattack, with Emmanuel Jalai crossing from the right to Prince Dube, who produced a wonderful turn and finish from the edge of the area.

Egypt continued to dominate in terms of possession, with Marmoush spurning several chances before delivering a sumptuous equaliser in the 64th minute. He collected the ball with immaculate control on the left flank before racing away from Godknows Murwira and beating Arubi with a powerful finish from a tight angle.

As Egypt pushed for a winner, their substitute Ahmed “Zizo” Sayed spurned two further chances, the latter created by Salah, who inevitably had the final word.

By Yussif Ibrahim, GNA 

Ayease (Ash), Dec. 22, GNA – Mr. William Kofi Adzowu, the Municipal Chief Executive for Obuasi East, has cut the sod for the commencement of the construction of a Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound with nurses’ quarters at Ayease. 

The project, which seeks to improve access to quality healthcare delivery in the area, is being funded through the District Assemblies’ Common Fund. 

It comprises a fully furnished CHPS compound, a two-bedroom semi-detached nurses’ quarters, and a mechanised borehole fitted with two 500-litre polytanks mounted on concrete stands, among other essential facilities.  

Addressing the chiefs and people of Ayease, Mr. Adzowu noted that the lack of a nearby health facility had, in the past, contributed to the loss of lives, as residents were often forced to travel long distances to access medical care.  

He stressed that the government places high priority on the wellbeing of citizens and remained committed to ensuring equitable access to quality healthcare across the country. 

The MCE assured residents of his firm commitment to ensure that the project was completed on schedule, commissioned, and officially handed over by June 2026. 

Mr. Adzowu further disclosed that the project site had been strategically selected to allow for future expansion into a full clinic and, eventually, a hospital, should the need arise.  

He, therefore appealed to the community to fully cooperate with the contractor to ensure smooth and timely execution of the project. 

Nana Oduro Gyekye, the Odikro of Ayease, commended the MCE for what he described as an impressive performance since assuming office. 

He also urged the contractor to engage local artisans, particularly masons, carpenters, and labourers to create employment opportunities for the youth in the community. 

Additionally, Nana Oduro Gyekye appealed to the MCE to give urgent attention to improving the road network within the municipality, especially the Abusco Junction–Ayease stretch. 

GNA 

Edited by Kwabia Owusu-Mensah/Kenneth Odeng Adade 

Liverpool striker Alexander Isak has undergone surgery after breaking his leg, the Premier League club said on Monday.

Isak suffered the injury in scoring Liverpool’s opening goal in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur when his foot got caught between Micky van de Ven’s legs as the defender dived to block his shot.

“Alexander Isak today successfully underwent surgery on the injury he sustained on Saturday,” Liverpool said. “After diagnosis, an operation was completed today on an ankle injury that included a fibula fracture. No time frame (is) yet placed on his return.”

Liverpool smashed the British transfer record to sign the 26-year-old Sweden international for 125 million pounds ($168 million) in September after Isak made it clear he wanted to leave Newcastle United and was frozen out of the squad.

Isak, who scored 54 Premier League goals in 86 games for Newcastle, made his debut against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League after a lack of fitness kept him out of the first league game after his arrival.

He has struggled in a Liverpool side who have failed to replicate last season’s title-winning form and has scored two league goals in 10 appearances.

Isak netted his first goal for the club in a League Cup win over Southampton in September and has failed to find the net in his five Champions League appearances.

Liverpool, fifth in the standings and 10 points behind leaders Arsenal, were already without Mohamed Salah who is on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Egypt.

They will now have to rely heavily on striker Hugo Ekitike, another new signing who has scored eight league goals including five in the last three games, and may need to invest in the January transfer window with Salah’s future at the club in doubt.

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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.

The Bank of Ghana has outlined a phased and collaborative approach to regulating virtual assets in Ghana, as Parliament’s approval of the Virtual Asset Service Providers Bill, 2025, awaits presidential assent, a move expected to formally usher the country into a regulated digital asset era.

Speaking at the WEB 3 Accra VASPs Ecosystem Mixer in Accra, the Lead for Virtual Assets Regulation at the Bank of Ghana, Dr Seyram Pearl Kumah, said the Bill, once assented to, would become the primary legal framework guiding the sector, but stressed that regulation would not begin immediately.

“So until the President signs it, it cannot be a public document. So we hope that before the end of this year, the President will sign so that we can all have access to the Act,” she said.

Dr Kumah explained that the Act would be supported by additional instruments, including guidelines and directives, to operationalise its provisions. According to her, regulators and market operators would need time to study and align with the new legal framework before licensing and supervision could begin.

“The Act is the primary document with high rules to guide the sector, to guide the VASP sector. It is not the only document we are going to use,” she said, adding that Bank of Ghana, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Ghana Revenue Authority, the Data Protection Commission and law enforcement agencies would all play roles in implementation.

She noted that anti money laundering and counter terrorism financing considerations were central to the law, describing them as key regulatory concerns in the virtual asset space.

“The virtual asset service providers Act is built on Act 1044 which is the Anti Money Laundering Act,” Dr Kumah said, explaining that VASPs would be required to comply with existing AML laws and guidelines, while taxation of virtual assets would be handled by the Ghana Revenue Authority under provisions in the Act.

Drawing on international experience, she said it typically takes about two years for a new virtual assets law to be fully operationalised, but expressed optimism that Ghana could move faster due to preparatory work already done by regulators.

“So I can say that three months into the Act, so by this first quarter of 2026 all these instruments will be out, so that the VASPs will have some time to know the requirements if you want to be licensed or registered in Ghana,” she said.

Dr Kumah also clarified that Ghana’s regulatory framework would be activity based rather than entity based, meaning firms would be licensed for specific virtual asset services rather than granted a single blanket licence.

“You do not license an entity. You license the various activities,” she said, adding that details of licensed services and providers would be published on the websites of the Bank of Ghana and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The ecosystem mixer was held against the backdrop of the pending law and brought together regulators, innovators and global industry players to discuss the future of digital assets in Ghana. The event was organised by Web 3 Accra and sponsored by Binance.

The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Web 3 Africa Group, Del Titus Bawuah, described the engagement as part of efforts to build a collaborative and responsible digital asset ecosystem in Ghana.

“The whole purpose of this is to basically ensure that we are collaborative, right, to build a responsible ecosystem, because by building a responsible ecosystem, we are going to have a much more robust, progressive industry,” he said.

Mr Bawuah welcomed the progress made so far, describing the passage of the Bill as significant after years of advocacy.

“I’m just happy that Ghana is even taking the step. Let’s be clear, the Bill is not fully at where it should be. It is passed subject to presidential assent. That is very important,” he said.

He expressed confidence that the virtual assets industry could contribute significantly to economic growth across Africa, particularly through youth employment and skills development.

“I don’t see why Africa cannot add an additional trillion dollars in GDP based on this industry alone, not just in Ghana, the whole entire continent,” he said.

Mr Bawuah also disclosed plans to support upcoming initiatives with the central bank focused on education and literacy, stressing that awareness should precede commercialisation of the sector.

Legal Counsel for Binance across Africa, Larry Cooke, said Ghana was well positioned to lead crypto adoption in West Africa, citing existing financial infrastructure and regulatory engagement.

“I think Ghana is well poised and well positioned in the sense of leading that adoption in West Africa,” he said, adding that regulation would further legitimise the industry and increase public confidence.

Mr Cooke challenged common misconceptions about cryptocurrency, particularly the perception that it is primarily about fast money or criminal activity.

“Crypto is not about fast money,” he said, noting that fraud exists across all industries and that education and compliance were key to addressing risks in the digital asset space.

He praised Ghana’s decision to enact a dedicated virtual assets law rather than relying on existing financial regulations, describing it as a more sustainable approach.

“I think that Ghana has positioned itself quite well in advance, in the top three, in my opinion, in terms of crypto regulation that we see on the continent,” he said.

Highlighting opportunities for the Ghanaian economy, Mr Cooke pointed to job creation, innovation and the potential role of stablecoins in bridging traditional finance and digital assets.

“Stable coins is probably the most easiest opportunity for us to capitalize as Africans and Ghana specifically,” he said, urging local innovators to explore the creation of a Ghana cedi stablecoin.

The WEB 3 Accra VASPs Ecosystem Mixer, held on December 22 at the Pelican Hotel in Cantonments, underscored growing momentum around digital assets in Ghana, as regulators and industry players prepare for the next phase of implementation once the VASP law receives presidential assent.

By Iddi Yire, GNA  

Accra, Dec 22, GNA – The Office of the Attorney-General (AG) will file charges against Mr Percival Kofi Akpaloo, the Founder and Leader of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) and his wife, Delvine Akpaloo for engaging in various criminal offences. 

Dr Dominic Akurutinga Ayine, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice said that the evidence showed that the couple engaged in various criminal offences, including stealing, forgery, and money laundering. 

The AG made the disclosure on Monday when he presented to Ghanaians final conclusions of investigations by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) during the Government Accountability Series Press Conference at the Presidency in Accra. 

He said the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) flagged and filed a suspicious transaction report with First Bank Ghana regarding transactions on an account belonging to Pomaah Universal (Gh.) Ltd.  

He noted that following the STR by the FIC, the EOCO began an investigation into the matter.  

Dr Ayine said the investigations revealed that Pomaa Universal (Gh.) Ltd, a business entity owned entirely by Akua Pomaa, was the legitimate contractor that was awarded a COCOBOD feeder road contract.  

He said the contract, valued at over Ghs29.5 million, was awarded in December 2020.  

He noted that although the project commenced and an initial payment was properly deposited into Pomaa Universal Limited account, subsequent payments raised serious concerns regarding misrepresentation, forgery, and unauthorized handling of cheques.  

“Our investigations revealed that Akpaloo secretly incorporated a separate company, Pomaah Universal (Gh.) Ltd, deliberately designed to closely resemble Pomaa Universal (Gh.) Ltd, differing only by the addition of an “h”. ” Dr Ayine said. 

“Between December 2022 and June 2024, Akpaloo collected eight cheques issued by COCOBOD in the name of Pomaa Universal (Gh.) Ltd, totaling Ghs3,169,432.22, and deposited them into the account of his own company at First Bank Ghana.” 

He said investigations also confirmed that Akua Pomaa was unaware of both of the existence of Pomaah Universal (Gh.) Ltd and the diversion of funds until COCOBOD contacted her in June 2024 regarding outstanding balances on the contract. 

The AG said she subsequently discovered that Akpaloo had collected and misdirected the payments without her consent.  

He said Akua Pomaa also alleged that Akpaloo forged her signature on the COCOBOD contract using her former name, Mercy Owusu, to secure the agreement without her authorization. 

Dr Ayine said First Bank Ghana’s internal investigations corroborated the fraud allegations, concluding that Akpaloo knowingly misrepresented ownership of the cheques and deposited them into the wrong account.  

He said the Bank acknowledged operational failures in detecting discrepancies between the cheque payee names and the account numbers.  

Dr Ayine said the suspects who had been investigated were Percival Kofi Akpaloo, Pomaah Universal (Gh.) Ltd, and Delvine Akpaloo, the spouse of Percival Kofi Akpaloo.  

He said the evidence showed that they engaged in various criminal offences, including stealing, forgery and money laundering and would be charged by his Office in January.  

GNA  

Christian Akorlie