John Dramani Mahama with Colonel Abdul Wahab Issah
The Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to President John Dramani Mahama, Abdul Wahab Issah, has been promoted from his previous rank of Lieutenant Colonel to Colonel.
The news was shared in a Facebook post by Kasambata Yaro on Wednesday, December 24, 2025.
“Colonel Abdul Wahab Issah, Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to President John Dramani Mahama, has been promoted to the rank of Colonel, advancing from his previous rank of Lieutenant Colonel,” the post stated.
An ADC (Aide-de-Camp) is a military officer who acts as a personal assistant or military aide to a more senior officer. In the case of the President, the ADC serves in this capacity because the President is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
President Mahama breaks silence over alleged ownership of Chain Homes Estate
The post noted that prior to his appointment as ADC, Colonel Issah served with distinction as the Commanding Officer of the Army Recruits Training School (ARTS) at Shai Hills, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of Ghanaian soldiers.
In 2024, Colonel Issah graduated as the Overall Best Student at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), earning a Master of Arts degree in Peace, Security, and Intelligence.
The post added that, despite his typically reserved demeanor, Colonel Issah has earned widespread admiration on social media for his unwavering discipline, quiet confidence, and exemplary service.
See the post below:
JKB/MA
AG to prosecute Kofi Akpaloo, wife over alleged COCOBOD contract fraud
Osman Abdulai Ayariga, Esq., Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority, has reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to inclusive youth development and leadership empowerment, citing landmark initiatives implemented in 2025.
Delivering his year-end address, Mr. Ayariga announced the training of 1,000 young people in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity through expanded digital skills partnerships, equipping Ghanaian youth with competencies relevant to the modern economy.
He further revealed the inauguration of the Ghana Youth Federation, a platform established to enhance youth participation in decision-making processes, in line with the NYA Act 939. Additionally, the Authority initiated the establishment of District and Regional Youth Committees to strengthen youth policy implementation at the local level.
Youth leadership and volunteerism were also deepened through the Youth Leadership Fellowship, which mentored and built the capacity of 261 young change-makers nationwide.
On inclusion, Mr. Ayariga announced the establishment of the Network for Youth with Disabilities, following extensive stakeholder engagements aimed at championing disability inclusion in national youth programming.
“Our vision is to nurture a generation of responsible, skilled, and inclusive young leaders who are actively contributing to national development,” he emphasized.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP), has constituted a joint committee to study the final proposals submitted by the Constitution Review Committee (CRC) to President John Dramani Mahama and advise the party’s National Council.
The party’s National Organiser, Henry Nana Boakye, also known as Nana B who announced this in a Facebook post on Tuesday, said all members of the party should be cautious with their commentary on the CRC as the party awaits the outcome of it’s joint commitee’ s report.
The Constitution Review Committee, on Monday, December 22 presented its final report to President John Dramani Mahama as part of ongoing constitutional Reform process.
The committee, chaired by Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, Executive Director of the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), was tasked with reviewing the 1992 Constitution and propose reforms to help strengthen Ghana’s democratic governance.
“Following the submission of the CRC’s final proposals to the President, the General Secretary of the Party has now directed the joint committee to carefully study the proposals and advise the National Council of the Party accordingly”. Parts of the statement read.
According to him, Members of the committee are led by the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee, Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, and the Chairman of the NPP’s Constitutional and Legal Committee, Frank Davies.
Other Members of the committee include Member of Parliament for Gushegu, Hassan Tampuli, former Member of Parliament for Akuapem South, O.B. Amoah, Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah.
The rest are Member of Parliament for Ofoase Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Director of Legal Affairs of the NPP, Gary Nimako Marfo, Member of Parliament for Tachiman South, Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, Member of Parliament for Walewale, Dr. Mahama Tiah Abdul-Kabiru, Former Minister of Information, Fati Abubakar, and a private legal practitioner Hanifa Adjoa Yahaya.
“The position of the Party on the final proposals submitted yesterday will soon be made public,” he added.
Michael Randrianirina is the presint of Madacascar
The U.S. has signed four new global health memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with Madagascar, Sierra Leone, Botswana, and Ethiopia, which total nearly $2.3 billion in funding, the State Department said on Tuesday.
The Trump administration unveiled its “America First Global Health Strategy” in September, a new approach to overseas aid that seeks to improve target countries’ self-reliance in managing their health sectors.
“Each MOU includes clear benchmarks, strict timelines, and consequences for nonperformance – ensuring U.S. assistance delivers results against priority disease threats and reduces long-term dependence on U.S. assistance,” the State Department said in a statement.
“Across the four MOUs, which total nearly $2.3 billion, the United States has committed almost $1.4 billion, with recipient countries co-investing more than $900 million of their own resources.”
The U.S. embassy in the Ivory Coast’s commercial capital, Abidjan, said a signing of a five-year health cooperation memorandum between the two countries was scheduled for Thursday.
The MoU is aimed at strengthening disease detection and health worker capacity, the embassy said, adding that the State Department planned to provide up to 273 billion CFA francs ($491 million) in health support, while the Ivory Coast commits to increasing its national funding to 252 billion CFA francs.
Earlier this month, the U.S. signed a five-year health cooperation agreement with Eswatini to provide up to $205 million for investments in health data collection, disease monitoring and response, and HIV prevention and treatment.
Eswatini, in turn, will increase domestic health spending by $37 million during the five-year period.
The U.S. has also signed health cooperation agreements with Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and Lesotho.
Asante Kotoko recorded a comfortable 2-0 victory over Eleven Wonders on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, in their Ghana Premier League Matchday 15 encounter at the University of Ghana Stadium.
The Porcupine Warriors made their intentions clear early in the contest and broke the deadlock in the 16th minute through Peter Amidu Acquah.
The forward capitalised on a lapse in concentration from the Wonders defence, pouncing to slot home after the backline was caught napping, giving Kotoko a deserved lead.
Wonders attempted to respond but struggled to cope with Kotoko’s organisation and intensity, particularly in midfield.
Kotoko continued to dictate the tempo for the remainder of the first half, creating half-chances while keeping their opponents at arm’s length.
The second half saw total dominance from the Kumasi-based giants, who pinned Wonders deep in their own half for long spells.
Wonders, battling at the foot of the table, found it difficult to mount any meaningful attacking threat and were largely limited to defensive duties as Kotoko pressed for a second goal to kill off the contest.
That decisive moment arrived in stoppage time when Johnson Owusu sealed the victory in the 90th minute.
The win moves Asante Kotoko further up the standings and keeps them firmly in contention for the league title, while Wonders remain rooted at the bottom, with their survival hopes continuing to fade as the season progresses.
Yaw Sarpong has been spotted publicly for the first time after the sudden demise of his close friend and bandmate, Maame Tiwaa
In a video, the embattled gospel musician was honoured with an award at his residence amid his recovery from health issues
Yaw Sarpong’s latest public appearance has triggered reactions from Ghanaians on social media
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Embattled veteran Ghanaian gospel singer Yaw Sarpong has made a rare public appearance days after his bandmate Maame Tiwaa’s death on Sunday, December 7, 2025.
Yaw Sarpong makes a rare public appearance after Maame Tiwaa’s death amid his recovery from a stroke. Photo source: Yaw Sarpong, Akrofi Foundation Source: Facebook
The Ghanaian music industry was sent into a state of mourning after news emerged that Maame Tiwaa had passed away at 60. The cause of her death was not specified.
The late singer had been renowned for her role as a prominent member of the iconic Yaw Sarpong and Asomafo music group for many years before her death.
Nana Poku Ashis, the manager of the music group, announced the news of Maame Tiwaa’s death in an emotional social media post.
Yaw Sarpong’s bandmate had been active in the weeks leading up to her death. She performed at the birthday celebration of Apostle Abraham Lamptey of Believers House of Worship, which was held at the end of October.
Earlier in the year, she performed at the 2025 Telecel Ghana Music Awards at the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) on Saturday, May 10, 2025.
Maame Tiwaa also received the Lifetime Achievement award on behalf of the embattled Yaw Sarpong at the prestigious awards event.
Before her death, she was also a caretaker of her music bandleader, who has been recovering from a stroke for over a year now.
A one-week observance event will be held at the Bantama Presby School Park in the Ashanti Region on January 7, 2026.
Below is the Instagram post confirming Maame Tiwaa’s death:
Yaw Sarpong makes appearance after Tiwaa’s death
On Monday, December 22, 2025, executives of the Akrofi Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), in partnership with Thinking Minds Ghana, Yaw Sarpong’s residence at the New Jerusalem Worship Centre in Sokoban-Ampayoo, Ashanti Region.
The delegation led by the foundation’s CEO, Reverend Susana Akrofi, honoured the embattled gospel singer for his contributions to the music industry for many decades.
In a TikTok video seen by YEN.com.gh, the Akrofi Foundation CEO presented a plaque, citation and money to Yaw Sarpong as part of their visit.
Bishop J Y Adu speaks on Maame Tiwaa’s death and Yaw Sarpong’s health condition. Photo source: GH BRAIN TV, Yaw Sarpong, Bishop J Y Adu Source: Facebook
The embattled gospel singer appeared to have made significant progress in his recovery and looked much healthier as he posed for the camera with the foundation’s executives following the award presentation.
Prophet Kwadwo Atta, who received the awards on behalf of Gospel Legend Yaw Sarpong, also thanked Akrofi Foundation for their unwavering support.
The TikTok video of Yaw Sarpong making a rare public appearance is below:
Yaw Sarpong’s stroke and recovery journey
Yaw Sarpong has been on a recovery journey following a stroke he suffered in early 2024. The illness left him bedridden and unable to perform with his Asomafo Band, leading to public appeals for financial assistance to cover his medical expenses.
His health issues drew the attention of former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who visited him at his residence in the Ashanti Region with prominent New Patriotic Party (NPP) officials and offered financial support.
In recent months, Yaw Sarpong has been spotted at numerous church events with his musical band.
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has secured the conviction of a 34-year-old Nigerian national, Beauty Alakwe, for causing harm to a minor at Duase near Kenyasi in the Kenyasi District.
The conviction follows an incident reported on November 22, 2025, when a resident of Duase, with support from the area’s Assembly Member, lodged a complaint with the police over an alleged assault on a nine-year-old girl. Police subsequently arrested the suspect, who is the child’s mother.
Investigations, according to a police statement, were conducted by the Kenyase District Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) under the Tafo-Pankrono Division, after which the accused was arraigned before the Circuit Court in Tafo, Kumasi.
On Friday, December 23, 2025, the court, presided over by Festus Fovi Nukunu, found the accused guilty of causing harm, contrary to Section 69 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
She was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment with hard labour and fined GH¢6,000, in default of which she was to serve an additional 15 months in prison.
The convict failed to pay the fine and has since been conveyed to the Central Prisons in Kumasi to begin her sentence.
The court further directed the Department of Social Welfare at Mamponteng to work with the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection to ensure the welfare and reunification of the victim and the convict’s nine-year-old son with their family in Nigeria.
The Ashanti Regional Police Command commended members of the public for their cooperation in the investigation but cautioned against mob justice, reaffirming its commitment to protecting children and other vulnerable persons.
Akandoh praises doctors, nurses, frontline staff for sustaining healthcare delivery
Tema, Dec. 24, GNA – The Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) has adopted a 2026 Annual Action Plan comprising 241 programmes and activities at an estimated cost of GH¢140 million.
Madam Ebi Bright, the Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), disclosing this in a sessional address, said the plan would be financed mainly through internally generated funds, the District Assemblies Common Fund and other sources.
Madam Bright said the IGF would be used to implement 58 per cent of the plan, while the District Assemblies Common Fund and funding sources would cater for 33.5 per cent and 8.5 per cent, respectively.
She explained that the 2026 plan responded directly to persistent challenges of ageing sewer systems, deteriorated roads and drains, waste management gaps, encroachment, slum conditions, and deficiencies in educational, health, and recreational infrastructure.
She said the plan focused on data-driven governance and digital transformation, stating that “Our vision is to transform Tema into a data-driven, innovative, and model digital metropolis, one where decisions are based on evidence, where services are delivered efficiently, and where the Assembly knows precisely what it governs.”
Reporting on some works done in 2025, she said within the first week of assuming office as the MCE, the TMA completed emergency repairs on a 310-metre stretch of Harbour Road between Mankoadze and Harbour Roundabout.
She added that the Padmore Road junction upgrade, in partnership with the Swiss Government through SECO, was advancing, announcing that the District Roads Improvement Programme (DRIP) for all communities had been scheduled for 2026.
She said projects awarded included the paving of El Paso Lorry Station, renovation works at the Urban Roads Department and Waste Management Department, and refurbishment of the Community Centre.
She indicated that the construction and rehabilitation of lorry terminals across the metropolis was a priority for 2026.
Madam Bright added that the Authority’s Committee had rightly drawn attention to pedestrian safety concerns, and the assembly would prioritise the provision of zebra crossings, road signs, and speed ramps at identified high-risk locations.
The Committee had also recommended interim truck parking measures, which management would review, noting that the TMA would intensify its Facelift Campaign in 2026 to reclaim public spaces and organise informal trading activities.
Madam Bright said an audit revealed over 3,000 temporary structures across the metropolis, with only 19 having valid permits.
She said structures within declared security zones would be removed without relocation, while traders outside security zones would be provided with organised trading clusters.
The campaign was aimed at ensuring safety, fairness and orderly urban development, she said.
On lighting the metropolis, she said the assembly had repaired 320 streetlights across all 21 electoral areas to improve safety and night-time visibility, noting that the distribution was done equitably, with a minimum of 12 streetlights per electoral area.
An additional 100 streetlights were expected to be installed, while comprehensive maintenance works were ongoing on principal streets, in partnership with the Ministry of Energy.
Madam Bright acknowledged delays caused by underground cable replacement challenges but assured that works would be expedited.
Former presidential hopeful granted GH¢10m bail in land fraud case
Prophet Daniel Yaw Nkansah, 2008 Presidential Candidate of the New Vision Party, has been granted GH¢10 million bail with two sureties by the Accra High Court over alleged land fraud.
Nkansah, standing trial at Accra Circuit Court 10, secured the bail on Monday after two previous applications were refused.
Algeria’s parliament has unanimously passed a law declaring France’s colonisation of the North African state a crime, and demanding an apology and reparations.
The law also criminalises the glorification of colonialism, state-run TV reports.
The vote is the latest sign of increasingly strained diplomatic relations between the two countries, with some observers saying they are at their lowest since Algeria gained independence 63 years ago.
France’s colonialisation of Algeria between 1830 and 1962 was marked by mass killings, large-scale deportations and ended in a bloody war of independence. Algeria says the war killed 1.5 million people, while French historians put the death toll much lower.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron has previously acknowledged the colonisation of Algeria was a “crime against humanity” but has not offered an apology.
Lawmakers wore scarves in the colours of the national flag and chanted “long live Algeria” as they applauded the bill’s passage through parliament, AFP news agency reports.
It says the legislation states that France has “legal responsibility” for the “tragedies it caused”, and “full and fair” compensation was an “inalienable right of the Algerian state and people”.
France has not yet commented on the vote.
It comes at a time of growing pressure on Western powers to offer reparations for slavery and colonialism, and to return looted artefacts still kept in their museums.
Algerian lawmakers have been demanding that France return a 16th Century bronze canon, known as Baba Merzoug, meaning “Blessed Father”, that was regarded as the protector of Algiers, now Algeria’s capital.
French forces captured the city in 1830, on their third attempt, and removed the cannon – which is now in the port city of Brest in north-western France.
In 2020, France returned the remains of 24 Algerian fighters who were killed resisting French colonial forces in the 19th Century.
Last month, Algeria hosted a conference of African states to push for justice and reparations.
Algeria’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf said that a legal framework would ensure that restitution was neither regarded as “a gift nor a favour”.
Diplomatic relations between between Algeria and France soured last year, when Macron announced France was recognising Moroccan sovereignty of Western Sahara and backed a plan for limited autonomy for the disputed territory.
Algeria backs the pro-independence Polisario Front in Western Sahara and is seen as its main ally.
French-Algerian novelist Boualem Sansal was then arrested at Algiers airport in and jailed for five years, before being pardoned by Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune last month.
Prosecutors said he had undermined national security for making remarks that questioned Algeria’s borders.
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.
A patient is transported to the hospital in Khartoum, Sudan, on Monday, April 17, 2023
Pain and suffering continue unabated in Sudan after years of civil war and widespread destruction.
As the army consolidates control, some residents have begun returning to the capital, Khartoum, hoping to rebuild their lives. However, the humanitarian crisis is deepening.
Alongside severe food shortages, the collapse of the health system is pushing civilians to the brink.
Authorities are unable to provide adequate support, and a functioning healthcare network is largely absent. Many people are struggling to access even the most basic medical treatment.
Aid organizations are playing a vital role in keeping limited services alive. Speaking to TRT, Sudanese doctor Omar al Derdiri said the health system is currently being sustained almost entirely through volunteer efforts.
Meanwhile, the rise in infectious diseases across Khartoum is placing further strain on already overwhelmed facilities.
The lack of medical equipment remains a critical problem.
Perhaps the most devastating loss is at the Burri Health Center, where the dialysis unit -once a lifeline for kidney failure patients- has completely ceased operations.
The ongoing civil war has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced more than 14 million people, leaving Sudan facing one of the world’s most severe humanitarian emergencies.
In the entertainment industry, Afro dancehall artiste Stonebwoy has disclosed that he does not really have anyone he can identify as a true friend.
In an interview with Joy Entertainment, when asked if he has anyone he could call a friend besides his wife, Stonebwoy said his wife, Dr Louisa Satekla, is his closest companion. However, within the creative industry, he has a few people he respects.
“My wife is… the wife alone is a graduation of all. There’s my friend in there, my lover, my kid’s mom, my bonafide. But when it comes to the industry, I have a few persons that I respect and relate to,” he said.
Stonebwoy-made-hypeman-culture-in-Ghana-attractive-OgeetheMC-2002598″>Stonebwoy made hypeman culture in Ghana attractive – OgeetheMC
Stonebwoy explained that at this moment, he does not consider himself to have a true friend in the industry, as none of his current relationships meet his understanding of genuine friendship.
“But at this particular moment, if I say friend, I do not really have one. Truth be told, I cannot describe any relationship I have right now as a very true friendship, industry-wise, that is, music to music. Understanding what friendship really is, I can’t claim any relationship I have now as friendship; that would be deceiving somebody,” he stated.
The BHIM Nation President, however, clarified that this does not mean there are no people in the industry he respects and relates to.
“But that doesn’t mean that I do not have people that I respect and can relate to,” he added.
Does @stonebwoy really have friends in the music industry?
GoldBod CEO, Sammy Gyamfi described the claims as inaccurate and misleading
The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has strongly rejected claims contained in the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Fifth Review report under Ghana’s three-year Extended Credit Facility (ECF) programme that the Bank of Ghana (BoG) incurred losses of about US$214 million under the Gold-for-Reserve (G4R) program.
In its report, the IMF flagged the alleged losses as a key downside risk to Ghana’s broader macroeconomic stabilisation agenda, attributing them largely to trading losses under the Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM) doré gold transactions component, as well as what it described as “GoldBod off-takers’ fees.”
However, responding in a detailed statement on his Facebook page on December 24, 2025, the Chief Executive Officer of GoldBod, Sammy Gyamfi, described the claims as inaccurate and misleading, insisting that the institution has made no losses in 2025.
“First and foremost, the Ghana Gold Board has made no losses. Rather, the GoldBod has made significant profit or surplus under its gold trading programs in the year 2025,” he stated.
He added that unaudited financial statements published on GoldBod’s website indicate the entity is “set to declare income surplus of not less than GH¢600 million for the year 2025.”
Gyamfi further clarified that GoldBod’s role in 2025 has been limited to the local purchasing, assaying, and export of gold on behalf of the Bank of Ghana, stressing that “the selling or trading of gold purchased by GoldBod to off-takers lies in the exclusive domain of the BoG.”
He also dismissed claims regarding off-taker fees, stating, “For the records, there is nothing like ‘GoldBod off-taker fees’ under the ASM gold trading program. That assertion is incorrect.”
According to him, the only fees charged by GoldBod are a statutory Assay Fee of 0.25 percent and a Service Charge of 0.5 percent, both inherited from a 2023 Gold Purchase Agreement between the Bank of Ghana and the now-defunct Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC).
The GoldBod CEO further disclosed that the institution generated over US$10 billion in foreign exchange in 2025 alone through ASM gold purchases for the Bank of Ghana, contributing significantly to increased reserves and the stabilisation of the cedi.
He added that GoldBod is scheduled to fully take over the ASM gold trading programme in January 2026, describing the future of the sector as “bright for Ghana.”
Social media is buzzing following comments made by Ghana’s leading content creator, Kwadwo Sheldon, host of “Yawa of the Day,” against MC/hypeman Big Paradise, on a statement concerning the need for event organisers to reduce the time allocation for hypemen at concerts.
Kwadwo Sheldon, discussing the just-ended Kweku Smoke “Revival” concert, was heard lamenting on how some Ghanaian artistes are not conscious of time during concerts, emphasising that it directly impacts the overall energy and flow of the show.
“It is about time our artistes were time-conscious when it comes to their performances. And those MCs working, shouting to the crowds and singing—nobody is interested in that. I’m not saying MCs are not relevant when it comes to these shows, but you cannot give an MC one hour to be charging the crowd; we are not batteries. At some point, people’s social batteries are dying. Let us be serious; we waste so much time, and you don’t understand. Last year, Kweku Smoke came to perform at 1 a.m., and this year we were entering into 2 a.m.,” he lamented.
Big Paradise also responded to Kwadwo Sheldon’s comments, arguing that the content creator is envious of his achievements. He warned Kwadwo Sheldon to tread cautiously when commenting about his work on social media.
“Joy Prime was asking some random people who they wished to see on stage and they said Big Paradise. And as far as those five people in the video were concerned, they were heard mentioning my name. Even Cina Soul’s Manager, who was part of the organisers of the show, even came to call me while my time was not up to perform on stage.
“People like my matter. You this one person will not say something negative to affect me. I’m not an artiste, but Ghanaians love me; obviously, you will get people to hate on you, but Ghanaians love me, and I am grateful for their support. Even you, people don’t tell you that you are shouting in that studio of yours (sic),” he said.
The two social media sensations have had some feud sometime back. Kwadwo Sheldon and Big Paradise’s rift stems from the latter’s departure from Kwadwo Sheldon Studios (KSS). Big Paradise, a former employee, left KSS due to a disagreement with Kwadwo Sheldon.
He felt Sheldon’s attitude towards him changed after a heated podcast debate about dancer Afronita’s request to the government, where Big Paradise spoke up and was reportedly seen as disrespectful to Scanty, another co-host.
Big Paradise also mentioned that a colleague, Elikem, backstabbed him by sharing content they agreed to work on with Kwadwo Sheldon without informing him. These issues led to Big Paradise leaving KSS after his six-month contract expired.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke
Big Paradise Fires Kwadwo Sheldon Over MC/Hypeman Work appeared first on .
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has secured the conviction of a 34-year-old Nigerian national, Beauty Alakwe, for causing harm to a minor at Duase near Kenyasi in the Kenyasi District.
The conviction follows an incident reported on November 22, 2025, when a resident of Duase, with support from the area’s Assembly Member, lodged a complaint with the police over an alleged assault on a nine-year-old girl. Police subsequently arrested the suspect, who is the child’s mother.
Investigations, according to a police statement, were conducted by the Kenyase District Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) under the Tafo-Pankrono Division, after which the accused was arraigned before the Circuit Court in Tafo, Kumasi.
On Friday, December 23, 2025, the court, presided over by Festus Fovi Nukunu, found the accused guilty of causing harm, contrary to Section 69 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
She was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment with hard labour and fined GH¢6,000, in default of which she was to serve an additional 15 months in prison.
The convict failed to pay the fine and has since been conveyed to the Central Prisons in Kumasi to begin her sentence.
The court further directed the Department of Social Welfare at Mamponteng to work with the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection to ensure the welfare and reunification of the victim and the convict’s nine-year-old son with their family in Nigeria.
The Ashanti Regional Police Command commended members of the public for their cooperation in the investigation but cautioned against mob justice, reaffirming its commitment to protecting children and other vulnerable persons.
Akandoh praises doctors, nurses, frontline staff for sustaining healthcare delivery
An undocumented Ghanaian man based in Canada, identified as Wofa Kwabena Emmanuel, was reportedly found dead on a bus after allegedly being swindled by a fellow national
Toronto-based Ghanaian nurse and TikToker Serwaa Broni announced the sad news on December 22, saying Wofa Kwabena worked multiple jobs to survive after his ordeal
Serwaa Broni’s video stirred sad reactions on social media and triggered a discussion over the hardship Ghanaians face when abroad
An undocumented Ghanaian man based in Canada, identified as Wofa Kwabena Emmanuel, was reportedly found dead on a bus after allegedly being swindled by another Ghanaian.
Ghanaian man Wofa Kwabena reportedly dies in a bus in Canada after allegedly being swindled by another Ghanaian. Image credit: @maamepokuahkumasi Source: TikTok
Ghanaian nurse and prominent TikToker based in Toronto, Serwaa Broni, broke the news of Wofa Kwabena’s death on the platform on December 22, 2025.
In a lengthy video, Serwaa Broni said the Ghanaian was under severe strain in Canada due to his undocumented status.
She said that he allegedly paid another Ghanaian to help him with his documents, only to be swindled.
“Kwabena Emmanuel, may your soul rest in peace. There are a lot of prominent Ghanaians in this country who do not speak the truth. You are living in government housing and receive some government support. You know you cannot sponsor anyone to come to this country, yet you take money from people, $30,000 to $40,000, and claim you can sponsor them to come here through marriage. After you sign the documents, you do nothing to actually help the person with their documentation. This is the story of Wofa Kwabena,” she said.
Serwaa Broni said Wofa Kwabena was swindled by such an individual, which made him find life difficult in Canada. She said he constantly thought about his legal status and complained bitterly to anyone he met.
“He worked in a cold room for 12 hours and then worked a second job. There is another Ghanaian here who took his money and has refused to take the necessary steps to get him citizenship. He recently said that due to the pressure of working two jobs to survive after being swindled, he planned to return to Ghana. He came here to get his documents so he could bring his wife and children to join him, but ended up being duped.”
Below is the TikTok video of Serwaa Broni speaking about Wofa Kwabena’s situation.
In another video, the Ghanaian said Wofa Kwabena left many voice notes with his wife and kids about his situation, and that they planned to identify the individual involved and retrieve his money to send back to his family in Ghana.
Serwaa Broni’s video stirred sadness online, with many Ghanaians living abroad sharing their experiences of struggling to survive on a daily basis.
The TikTok video is below.
Belinda Sarkodie sings and praises God for her life in a resurfaced video after she was shot and killed in Canada on July 11, 2025. Image credit: @belsark1 Source: TikTok
Ghanaian shot dead in Canada
Previously, YEN.com.gh reported that a 26-year-old Ghanaian student, Belinda Sarkodie, was fatally shot at a bus stop in Hamilton, Ontario.
The tragic incident happened on July 11, 2025, in what is believed to be a gang-related shooting.
Everything is in place for the 2025 edition of the Channel One TV and Citi FM Citiuation All White Party, as Accra prepares to come alive on Wednesday, December 24, with one of the city’s most anticipated Christmas celebrations.
Renowned for its electric atmosphere and signature all-white elegance, this year’s Citiuation All White Party promises an unforgettable night of music, fashion, and festive excitement, featuring a powerful lineup of some of Ghana’s most celebrated performers across multiple genres.
Highlife and Afrobeats sensation Kofi Kinaata headlines the event and is expected to thrill patrons with his witty lyricism, relatable storytelling, and infectious stage energy. The multiple award-winning musician has assured fans of a memorable experience, urging them to turn up in their numbers.
“Everyone should pull up. It’s the festive season. Come with your friends and family, and let’s have fun. Your entertainment is assured, looking at the lineup,” Kinaata said during an appearance on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily.
Also set to grace the stage is Akwaboah, whose smooth vocals and emotionally rich highlife compositions are expected to strike a perfect balance between romance and rhythm, offering moments of reflection alongside the night’s high-energy performances.
Gospel music lovers will also be uplifted by Perez Musik, whose powerful worship songs and inspiring stage presence are expected to add a spiritual and reflective dimension to the Christmas Eve celebration.
Keeping the energy high throughout the night is DJ Mingle, who will command the turntables with his signature high-energy mixes and seamless genre blends, ensuring the dancefloor remains alive from start to finish.
Adding a strong cultural flavour to the event is the Nyinkyim Band, whose rhythmic live-band performances infused with traditional instrumentation promise an exciting fusion of heritage and contemporary sound.
Organised by Channel One TV and Citi FM, the Citiuation All White Party has grown beyond a music event into a vibrant celebration of Ghanaian creativity, lifestyle, and music culture. With live performances, interactive experiences, and a buzzing social atmosphere, patrons are guaranteed a premium entertainment experience.
The event takes place at Ghud Park, near the Accra Mall, with gates opening at 8:00 p.m. Patrons are encouraged to step out in stylish all-white outfits in keeping with the party’s iconic theme.
The 2025 Citiuation All White Party is proudly sponsored by Ecobank, Bethel Logistics, and Hallmark Café, with support from Oswal Investment Limited, Veuve Du Vernay, and Logistics Movers, promising a well-coordinated night filled with music, fashion, and festive excitement.
Ghana is at a crossroads where a constitutional review committee tasked by President John Dramani Mahama has recommended extending the presidential term from four to five years.
The committee cites the need for more time to implement policies, and looking to other African countries, presidents usually have more than four years in one term, and so Ghana could learn from them. However, a closer look at Ghana’s democratic history, especially voting patterns in presidential elections, shows that extending the term will not benefit the majority of Ghanaians. On the contrary, it risks deepening political dissatisfaction and consolidating power in the presidency at the expense of the people.
Ghana’s democratic record under the Fourth Republic demonstrates a clear pattern: incumbent presidents who seek a second term tend to receive a lower percentage of votes than they did in their first election, even when they win. The popular mandate for leaders diminishes over time which indicates that the longer a president stays in office, the more the electorate seeks change, and this is reflected in the voting pattern of Ghanaians as depicted below:
Jerry John Rawlings: In the first presidential election under the Fourth Republic in 1992, he won with about 58.4% of the votes. In his re-election bid in 1996, his vote share fell to 57.4%, a drop, even as he remained victorious.
John Agyekum Kufuor: In the 2000 election run-off, Kufuor won with 56.9%. In the 2004 election, his vote share dropped to about 52.45%. He won, but the like Ghanaians had for him diminished.
John Dramani Mahama: When Mahama first won in 2012, he secured 50.7% of the votes. In 2016, running for re-election, he only managed 44.4%.
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo: He won the presidency in 2016 with about 53.7% of valid votes cast but saw this decline to approximately 50.4% in 2020 during his second term victory.
This consistent reduction in vote share for incumbents signals a broader trend: Ghanaians tend to grow less enthusiastic about leaders the longer they stay in office even if those leaders are ultimately re-elected. The electorate, by voting patterns, has shown a desire for accountability and change and not necessarily longer stays in power.
What Longer Terms Mean in Practice
The argument from the constitutional review committee’s chair, Professor Henry Kwasi Prempeh, is that four years is “too short” for policy implementation, as presidents spend significant time settling in and preparing for re-election campaigns. While at first glance this seems logical, the political reality in Ghana suggests otherwise. Here’s why:
More Time in Office Does not Mean More Popularity As demonstrated above (per the voting pattern since 1992), longer service does not translate to increased public support. If anything, the opposite is true: the electorate becomes wary of extended power, holding leaders accountable through elections rather than increased vote share. Extending the term only gives unpopular leaders more time to make decisions that citizens may reject, prolonging dissatisfaction.
Political Disillusionment and Accountability
The Fourth Republic has been celebrated for peaceful transfers of power and democratic stability. Ghanaians express their democratic will at the ballot box even ousting incumbents. This dynamic is vital for accountability. Longer presidential terms could dampen this accountability, making it harder for citizens to express disapproval and remove leaders more frequently when policies fail.
A Bad President Hurts Ghana for Longer
No matter how competent a leader might be, if a presidency delivers abysmal leadership economically, socially or ethically, Ghanaians suffer the consequences but will take a longer for them to remove such abysmal leadership and therefore, four years is a reasonable period to assess performance. With five years, a bad administration could entrench policy failures for an additional year before voters can intervene.
Shrinking Time Horizons Increase Risk of Power Consolidation
Extending term lengths often benefits sitting presidents more than citizens. Longer terms can lead to entrenched leadership, reduced responsiveness to public sentiment, and over time, weaken democratic checks and balances. While the committee says it does not support a third term, longer terms can still foster a culture where extended leadership is normalised. This is not how responsive democracies function.
Why Ghana Should Look to Progressive Democracies, Not Lower-Performing States
The committee referenced other West African nations with five-year presidential terms as justification for extending Ghana’s presidential term to five years. However, these countries rank lower than Ghana in democratic governance, economic development and civil liberties. Emulating them in terms of length does not inherently improve governance, and in fact, those West African countries should rather learn from Ghana by reducing their presidential terms. It is more instructive to look toward advanced democratic systems that Ghana’s leaders often cite as models:
For example, the president of the United States serves a four-year term, with a constitutional limit of two terms. This system has been tested for over 200 years, and it fosters accountability and regular performance review by voters. Something that has stood over 200 years is worth emulating and not that of West African nations, whose main political hallmark is a coup d’état. The second prime example is that of Germany. While Germany’s Federal President serves for five years, the executive leadership (Chancellor) is subject to parliamentary confidence and effectively serves within a four-year legislative cycle. German politics emphasise responsiveness to public sentiment and robust institutional checks.
These systems underscore that the length of a term is not what makes governance effective but rather the strength of institutions, checks and balances, and democratic accountability mechanisms.
Four Years Is Enough Time to Govern Effectively
Four years provide ample time for a president to craft and implement key policies:
Economic strategies can be rolled out and assessed.
The legislative agenda can be advanced through Parliament.
International agreements and reforms can be pursued.
In many advanced democracies, leaders achieve significant progress within four-year spans. What matters is focus, efficiency, responsiveness and above all, putting in place measures to ensure continuity of projects and policies implemented by past governments and not simply the extension of tenure.
Conclusion
Ghanaians have consistently shown, through their voting patterns, that they do not grow more attached to presidents the longer they stay in office. Instead, second-term vote percentages tend to drop, reflecting a healthy democratic impulse for change and accountability. Extending presidential terms from four to five years would benefit sitting presidents, giving them more time between elections, but it does not fundamentally improve governance for the average Ghanaian.
Ultimately, democracy thrives when leaders remain closely accountable to the people. Four-year terms strike the right balance between policy implementation and voter oversight.
What Ghana needs is not a longer stay in power for its presidents, but stronger institutions, transparent governance and policies that reflect the will and interests of its citizens.
Author: Scott Edward Agyemang, doctoral researcher
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.
At first light in Tanzania’s main city, Dar es Salaam, some of its six million residents begin their day with a frantic search for water.
Christmas is approaching, but the festive mood is dampened by the dry pipes, as the city experiences serious water shortages.
In some homes, plastic containers are stacked outside the door, ready to be carried at a moment’s notice whenever word spreads that a nearby tap is flowing again.
City authorities ration water. Homes get it once a week, but the wait can stretch for weeks for some families. The crisis, caused by a drought and rising demand, has persisted for months.
Many people are forced to turn to private vendors, who source their water from boreholes and tanks. They are a respite for thousands of families, but their high costs are a heavy burden to low-income households.
Cedric Ndosi, who lives in Madale, north-west of the city, plans to host guests for lunch on Christmas Day, but he is worried.
“Christmas is here, and there is no water in our taps. We are forced to buy water from shops for cooking and from water trucks for bathing, but it’s expensive.
“We were used to spending money on drinks, but now even water for cooking has become an added cost,” he adds.
Furaha Awadhi, a mother of two living in Tegeta on the outskirts of the city, says the price of water has risen from $4 (£3) for 1,000 litres to $10.
Cedric Mushi, who lives in Ubungo, west of Dar es Salaam, says that whenever the city authorities switch on the taps, he makes sure that he stores water so that her family does not suffer.
“It comes only once a week, usually in the late hours of the night,” he says.
As a result of the prolonged dry spell since the end of the rainy season in May, the water levels in rivers and groundwater that the city depends on have sharply reduced, officials say.
The authorities say this has forced a cut in supplies from water treatment plants. They also blame leaking pipes in the distribution network, leading to water being lost.
Dar es Salaam, on the Indian Ocean coast, is among Africa’s fastest-growing cities. Over the past two decades, its population has more than doubled as an increasing number of people move in, looking for better economic opportunities.
New neighbourhoods have spread far beyond the city’s original boundaries, and even in good times, the available water supply could barely serve its inhabitants.
For the festive season, Joyce Fredrick is planning to escape the heat and the inconveniences of having no water.
“Here in Dar es Salaam, it’s extremely hot, no rain, no water. We are going to Arusha (in the north), where at least the weather is more friendly,” she tells the BBC.
Unlike many other major Tanzanian cities, Dar es Salaam has been particularly vulnerable to the failure of the October to December rainy season.
Even Dodoma, which often receives little rainfall throughout the year, is less affected thanks to its man-made dams.
In contrast, Dar es Salaam lacks a nearby freshwater source, is heavily populated, and experiences some of the country’s highest temperatures, currently averaging around 33 °C.
Although it is next to the sea, there is no desalination plant to make the ocean water usable for residents.
Much of the city’s drinking water (about 70%) comes from the Ruvu River, whose flow is closely linked to seasonal rainfall inland.
Smaller volumes are drawn from other rivers and from sources such as boreholes, but these provide only limited relief when rains fail.
When the Ruvu’s flow drops, as has happened this time, the effects are felt almost immediately, especially in high-lying areas and newly developed suburbs of the city.
The impact is widespread but uneven, depending on a household’s economic status.
People have invariably adapted to the uncertainty: some stay awake until morning not to miss the rush of water in their pipes, others line their rooftops and courtyards with containers to store every precious drop of water from the little rain that falls.
For small business owners, the crisis has become an acute strain. Some food vendors, salon operators, and car wash businesses have cut back hours or raised prices.
Women are often seen looking for water for their homes.
“When water is scarce, everything else stops. At times,s hygiene suffers, stress increases, especially for us mothers, and the whole household feels the impact,” says Tegemeo Kombe, who lives in Kibamba, west of the city.
The government has acknowledged the severity of the problem. Water Minister Juma Aweso told the BBC that Dar es Salaam’s dependence on rainfall-fed rivers had left it particularly exposed.
“Longer-term solutions are underway; we are in the process of building a dam that will collect water from different freshwater sources to solve the problem in the future,” he said.
Aweso added that investments in the drilling of more boreholes will help meet future demand and protect the city against climate shocks.
The Dar es Salaam Water and Sanitation Authority (Dawasa) has apologised to residents for the disruption in their lives, and has appealed to them to conserve water.
Critics, however, have called for better communication, clearer rationing schedules, and faster implementation of long-promised projects.
And while some are concerned that water shortages risk becoming more frequent, Ms Fredrick is hopeful that the situation will improve.
“When water is missing, life changes too,” she tells the BBC. “We believe things will be better next year.”
The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) says conditions are ripe for government to accelerate infrastructure projects under the Big Push programme, urging it to capitalise on the current decline in building costs.
Mr. Omar Seidu, Acting Deputy Government Statistician, at the release of the Prime Building Cost Index (PBCI) for November 2025, in Accra, stated that the year-on-year building construction cost had seen a significant decline.
The PBCI, which tracks how overall construction costs change over time by measuring prices of building materials, labour, and plant equipment, recorded year-on-year inflation of 5.9 per cent in November 2025, down from 21.7 per cent in November 2024.
At the sub-group level, labour inflation dropped from 22 per cent in November 2024 to 12.7 per cent in 2025, materials inflation reduced from 22.3 per cent to 4.2 per cent, while plant inflation declined from 9.7 per cent to 5.3 per cent.
“The construction economy is in a period of relative stability. Costs are still higher than last year, but the pace of increase has slowed dramatically. This is a useful environment for households, businesses, and government to plan and execute projects,” Mr. Seidu said.
“With prices relatively stable, it is an opportune time to fast-track the infrastructure programme, especially the Big Push programme. The current stability provides an ideal environment to accelerate road construction, hospital building, school infrastructure,” he noted.
The Acting Deputy Government Statistician, however, called for investments and incentives for local production and improvement in utilisation of the top 10 high contributors of inflation in the sector, noting their impact on overall sector inflation.
They are steel (37.1 per cent), skilled labour (26.3 per cent), unskilled labour (15.5 per cent), tiles (13.2 per cent), equipment (4.7 per cent), glazing (4.2 per cent), coarse aggregate (3.2 per cent), surface finishes (2.1 per cent), timber (1.9 per cent) and door (1.6 per cent).
“Ghana now has local capacity for plumbing materials and other exports. If more companies produce these essential items locally, it will reduce our reliance on imports and stabilise the inflationary pressures we currently face,” he stated.
He encouraged the government to target the top drivers to help stabilise the prime building cost index for the construction sector as well as upskilling artisans by expanding training for them.
He also urged households to phase their projects to take advantage of the reduced cost, advising businesses to fix the price of major items for medium-term contracts before any potential price hikes.
Mr. Seidu said GSS had rebased the PBCI, using 2023 as the rebasing year, with the new series now tracking 406 items from 16 regional markets across 489 outlets, providing much greater detail than the old series.
He explained that the new system tracked four different building models including hotels and office blocks, compared to only a two-bedroom house used previously, giving a comprehensive view of the construction industry.
Mr. Alhassan Iddrisu Abdulai, the Head of Price Indices and Inflation, speaking exclusively with the Ghana News Agency after the event, said: “a steady decline in construction costs could make building cheaper.”
“Fiscal policy discipline by the government is contributing to economic stability [and] inflation is easing partly due to the stabilisation of the local currency. If this stability continues, building will become more affordable than it was in the recent past, which the government could benefit from current economic conditions,” he said.
Maame Efua Houadjato is the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Maame Efua Houadjato, has thrown her support behind the 2025 edition of Christmas in Chorkor, describing it as a community-driven festival with strong potential to grow into a major Christmas tourism destination.
The festival, which runs from December 24 to 27, 2025, will take place across multiple venues within the Chorkor community in the Ablekuma South Constituency.
Widely regarded as a celebration of community bonding, love-sharing and youth creativity, Christmas in Chorkor has steadily grown into one of Ghana’s most vibrant grassroots festive events.
Designed as a “Walking Festival,” activities officially kick off with a Boxing Recap and Bonfire Night on December 24 at Pub 9, followed by an All-White Party at the same venue on Christmas Day, December 25.
One of the highlights of the festival, the Inter-Chorkor Suburbs Aponkye Cup — a small-posts football gala — will take centre stage on Friday, December 26 (Boxing Day) at the Extra O Park.
The football event will be complemented by a series of community activities, culminating in a special celebration of musician Mzbel’s 46th birthday with the children of Chorkor.
The Extra O Park, which hosts the football gala, is recognised as a local tourism site, having produced iconic football talents including former Black Stars captain Stephen Appiah, who led Ghana to its first-ever FIFA World Cup appearance, as well as other notable players such as Bobby Short.
Although the festival is not officially listed among the national “December in GH” events, Maame Efua Houadjato has identified Christmas in Chorkor as a unique initiative worthy of institutional support.
In that regard, the Ghana Tourism Authority is providing logistical backing, including the popular double-decker bus, popularly known as “Auntie Dede,” packs of water and branded T-shirts for the festival’s final-day activity — the Kolikoliko Street Invasion Walk.
The Street Invasion Walk, traditionally the most patronised activity of the festival, attracts large numbers of participants from within Chorkor and surrounding communities.
In a personal gesture of goodwill, the GTA CEO has also donated goat trophies for winners of the Aponkye Cup, in addition to drinks and other logistics to support children-focused activities during the celebrations.
The 2025 edition of Christmas in Chorkor, driven largely by the youth of the community, will climax with a Karnival in the Pool at the Nordsee Beach Resort on the night following the Street Invasion Walk.
The festival is produced by Playhouse.kom and Chorkor Republik, in collaboration with the Office of the Ablekuma South Sub-Metropolitan Chairman and V-Studios.
Sponsors include the Ghana Tourism Authority, Ghana Library Authority, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation and Apple Man Mzbel, with support from the Creative Arts Agency of Ghana, Kessben Media, Cadling Fashion and Duo Concept Foundation.
Participation in all activities is free to the public.
The Western Region recorded 2,800 road traffic accidents, resulting in 465 deaths, between January and November 2025, according to the Motor Traffic and Transport Division (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service.
The Western Regional MTTD Commander, Superintendent Paul Bruce Amoah, disclosed this at a stakeholders’ meeting on “Safe and Responsible Driving During the Festive Season”, held on December 23, 2025.
“In the Western Region, we recorded 2,800 accidents from January up to November, leading to 465 deaths,” Superintendent Amoah stated.
5 killed in tragic head-on crash on Cape Coast-Takoradi highway
He expressed concern about unsafe driving practices among some motorists, noting that human error remains the leading cause of road traffic accidents in the region.
Superintendent Amoah explained that in response to the rising incidents, the MTTD has intensified sensitisation and public education campaigns, particularly during the festive season, to help reduce accidents and save lives.
“As a result of the Christmas festivities, we have stepped up our education in all transport terminals. We intend to cover all terminals from now until the end of Christmas and beyond,” he said.
Watch CCTV footage of another tragic accident at Asamankese that claimed one life
Recent tragic accidents, including a deadly head-on collision on the Cape Coast–Takoradi Highway and another fatal crash captured on CCTV at Asamankese, underscore the urgency of improved road safety awareness.
The MTTD has therefore appealed to drivers to observe speed limits, avoid reckless driving, and adhere strictly to road traffic regulations, especially during the festive period when road usage significantly increases.
Watch the video below:
The Western Regional MTTD Commander, Superintendent Paul Bruce Amoah, says 2,800 road accidents recorded between January and November resulted in 465 deaths in the region.
Speaking in Sekondi-Takoradi, he noted that about 95% of the crashes were caused by human error and urged… pic.twitter.com/qMfi5Udti6
play videoSome traders agreed that this year’s sales are better than last year’s
Christmas hampers in Ghana signify care, appreciation, love, and unity. They serve as a key way for families, organisations, and businesses to share festive joy, boost local trade, and help the underprivileged.
As part of the Christmas celebrations, GhanaWeb’s Patience Adu took to the streets to engage traders about hamper sales during the 2025 festive season.
Some traders agreed that this year’s sales are better than last year’s because prices of goods have dropped, while others said last year was better due to the election.
“The market is very good. We’re just getting into the festive season, but so far, the market is very good compared to last year,” a trader noted.
“Compared to this year, last year was very good. But all the same, it is still moving, so we thank God for that. I also want to extend warm greetings to my family and loved ones,” another trader said.
However, the majority of market women praised the current government for the recent drop in prices, noting that items bought at higher cost last year are now selling for less.
“By the help of the current government, prices are very low, especially for foodstuffs. Compared to last year, prices are very low. And one thing is we don’t struggle to get the goods to sell,” one trader said.
DVLA Chief Executive Julius Neequaye Kotey has reacted to a court injunction filed by members of the Vehicle Embossment Association of Ghana seeking to block the rollout of a new digital vehicle number plate system planned for January 2026.
Addressing the issue at a press briefing on December 24, Mr Kotey said the legal action was unexpected, stressing that the company awarded the contract had expressed readiness to work with existing embossment firms.
The 2025 edition of the Made in Taadi Concert, hosted by multiple award-winning artiste Kofi Kinaata, lived up to its billing as one of Ghana’s biggest music events, drawing over 65,000 patrons to the Takoradi Sports Club on Friday, December 20, 2025.
The highly anticipated concert, which commenced at 9:00pm and climaxed at 8:00am on Saturday, December 21, delivered an unforgettable night of music, culture and unity, further cementing Takoradi’s status as Ghana’s emerging Christmas destination.
The night saw thrilling performances from top-tier artistes including Sarkodie, Kuami Eugene, Medikal, DopeNation, Oseikrom Sikani, OliveTheBoy, Lalid, Kwabena Kwabena, Kwaku Bany and Hyndu, Jack Alolome, among several others. The energy at the venue peaked with surprise performances from Samini and Donzy, sending the massive crowd into a frenzy.
In addition to the headliners, over 40 up-and-coming artistes were given the opportunity to mount the Made in Taadi stage, reaffirming Kofi Kinaata’s commitment to nurturing young talents and projecting the Western Region as a breeding ground for musical excellence.
One of the most memorable moments of the night was when Sarkodie and Kofi Kinaata, for the first time, performed together Kinaata’s latest release, ‘Have Mercy 2’. The historic collaboration ignited wild excitement among patrons and stood out as a defining highlight of the 11-hour musical marathon.
Addressing the crowd during his performance, Kofi Kinaata expressed heartfelt gratitude to patrons, stakeholders and fans who have supported the concert over the years. He noted that Made in Taadi has officially become the event that sets the tone for Christmas in Takoradi, describing the city as Ghana’s new festive hub during the yuletide.
A defining moment also came when Sarkodie, at the end of his performance, paused to commend Kofi Kinaata for his impact on Ghanaian music. He stated that Takoradi is blessed to have Kinaata, adding that his music is trans-generational and will continue to be appreciated even more with time.
Speaking in Fante, Sarkodie thanked the people of Takoradi for the immense love shown him and promised to return to the Made in Taadi Concert in future editions.
Beyond the music, the concert was also praised for its high level of security, with over 200 security personnel drawn from the Ghana Police Service and private security agencies deployed to ensure safety and order throughout the night.
With its massive turnout, seamless organisation and cultural significance, Made in Taadi 2025 once again proved why it remains a flagship event on Ghana’s entertainment calendar, reinforcing Kofi Kinaata’s vision of using music to promote community, tourism and regional pride.
Ken Ofori-Atta and his US lawyer Enayat Qasimi
The International lawyer representing former Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta, Enayat Qasimi, has broken his silence concerning his client’s extradition brouhaha.
Enayat Qasimi highlighted that his client, Ken Ofori-Atta, is fully committed to the laws of Ghana and is fully committed to answering for anything he did as Ghana’s finance minister.
He, however, claimed the case against his client is politically motivated and not being given the rights that he’s
The Governing Board of the of the Volta Aluminum Company Limited (VALCO), led by Horace Nii Ayi Ankrah, has held a strategic engagement meeting with the management of the Company.
The meeting provided an opportunity for the board to engage management on key operational, administrative, and strategic matters aimed at strengthening VALCO’s performance and advancing its mandate within Ghana’s industrial and manufacturing sector.
During the engagement, the board reaffirmed its commitment to providing strong leadership, policy direction, and effective oversight to support management in repositioning VALCO as a critical driver of value addition, job creation, and economic growth.
Management, in turn, briefed the board on ongoing operations, prevailing challenges, and strategic plans for the future.
The engagement underscores a shared commitment by both the board and management to work collaboratively towards ensuring long-term operational excellence and sustainable growth at VALCO.
VALCO is the country’s national aluminium smelter in Tema, established in 1967 as a key part of Ghana’s industrialization, linked to the Volta River Project and Akosombo Dam, and is now owned by the government through GIADEC (Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation).
The company anchor the nation’s integrated aluminium industry by processing local bauxite into value-added aluminium products for domestic and export markets, with plans for significant modernization and expansion.
For almost six decades, VALCO has been a cornerstone in Ghana’s journey toward developing a robust and integrated aluminium industry.
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.
Dr Opoku Prempeh addressing party delegates in the Ahafo Region
The Presidential Running Mate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2024 general elections, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has intensified his call on party delegates to rally firmly behind former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, describing unity around his leadership as crucial to the party’s chances of returning to power in the 2028 general elections.
Dr Opoku Prempeh made the call during an engagement with former constituency and regional executives of the party in the Ahafo Region, as part of his continued outreach following the NPP’s July conference resolution that formally incorporated them into the party’s delegate system.
He reminded the executives that their inclusion as delegates comes with a significant responsibility, which he described as a sacred trust that must be exercised in the broader interest of the party.
“I want to remind you of the responsibility and sacred trust now placed in your hands. This mandate must be exercised with fairness and with a clear focus on victory for the New Patriotic Party,” he said.
Reiterating his consistent message of unity, Dr Opoku Prempeh stressed that the NPP’s success depends on its ability to remain united and focused on its shared values and long-term objectives.
According to him, a united party, firmly rallied behind the elephant, remains well positioned to reorganise, reconnect with the grassroots and reclaim power.
Dr Opoku Prempeh further explained why Dr Mahamudu Bawumia remains the most credible option to lead the party forward, citing his experience, vision and record in government as key strengths capable of unifying the party and appealing to the wider Ghanaian electorate.
He urged delegates to rise above personal and factional interests and to cast their votes in a manner that reflects the future aspirations of both the New Patriotic Party and the country.
Attorney General Dr Ayine announces charges in high-profile corruption case
Turkish security forces and search and rescue teams work around the crash site
The Libyan army’s chief of staff, Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad, died in a plane crash on Tuesday after leaving Turkey’s capital Ankara, the prime minister of Libya’s internationally recognised government said, adding that four others were on the jet as well.
“This followed a tragic and painful incident while they were returning from an official trip from the Turkish city of Ankara. This grave loss is a great loss for the nation, for the military institution, and for all the people,” Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah said in a statement.
He said the commander of Libya’s ground forces, the director of its military manufacturing authority, an adviser to the chief of staff, and a photographer from the chief of staff’s office were also on the aircraft.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on social media platform X that the plane had taken off from Ankara’s Esenboga Airport at 1710 GMT en route to Tripoli, and that radio contact was lost at 1752 GMT. He said authorities found the plane’s wreckage near the Kesikkavak village in Ankara’s Haymana district.
He added that the Dassault Falcon 50-type jet had made a request for an emergency landing while over Haymana, but that no contact was established.
The cause of the crash was not immediately clear.
Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said an investigation into the crash was underway.
The Tripoli-based Government of National Unity said in a statement that the prime minister directed the defence minister to send an official delegation to Ankara to follow up on proceedings.
Walid Ellafi, state minister of political affairs and communication for the GNU, told broadcaster Libya Alahrar that it was not clear when a crash report would be ready, but that the jet was a leased Maltese aircraft. He added that officials did not have “sufficient information regarding its ownership or technical history,” but said this would be investigated.
Libya’s U.N.-recognised Government of National Unity announced official mourning across the country for three days.
Turkey’s defence ministry had announced Haddad’s visit earlier, saying he had met with Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler and Turkish counterpart Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, along with other Turkish military commanders.
The crash occurred a day after Turkey’s parliament passed a decision to extend the mandate of Turkish soldiers’ deployment in Libya by two more years.
NATO member Turkey has militarily and politically supported Libya’s Tripoli-based, internationally recognised government. In 2020, it sent military personnel there to train and support its government, and later reached a maritime demarcation accord, which has been disputed by Egypt and Greece.
In 2022, Ankara and Tripoli also signed a preliminary accord on energy exploration, which Egypt and Greece also oppose.
However, Turkey has recently switched course under its “One Libya” policy, ramping up contacts with Libya’s eastern faction as well.
Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu and Ece Toksabay in Ankara, Ahmed Elumami in Tripoli, and Jaidaa Taha and Muhammad Al Gebaly in Cairo; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Matthew Lewis.
Nollywood actress, Doris Ogala, has updated the public about the ongoing controversy involving her and the founder of the Grace Nation Bible Ministry, Pastor Chris Okafor.
DAILY POST reports that the actress was arrested by the Lagos State Police on Saturday for dragging Chris Okafor after he allegedly failed to fulfill his marriage promise to her.
VALCO is the country’s national aluminium smelter in Tema
The Governing Board of the Volta Aluminium Company Limited (VALCO), led by H.E. Ambassador Horace Nii Ayi Ankrah, has held a strategic engagement meeting with the management of the company.
The meeting provided an opportunity for the Board to engage management on key operational, administrative, and strategic matters aimed at strengthening VALCO’s performance and advancing its mandate within Ghana’s industrial and manufacturing sector.
During the engagement, the Board reaffirmed its commitment to providing strong leadership, policy direction, and effective oversight to support management in repositioning VALCO as a critical driver of value addition, job creation, and economic growth.
Government sets up investor selection committee for VALCO modernisation
Management, in turn, briefed the Board on ongoing operations, prevailing challenges, and strategic plans for the future.
The engagement underscores a shared commitment by both the Board and management to work collaboratively towards ensuring long-term operational excellence and sustainable growth at VALCO.
VALCO is Ghana’s national aluminium smelter, located in Tema. It was established in 1967 as a key component of Ghana’s industrialisation agenda, linked to the Volta River Project and the Akosombo Dam, and is currently owned by the Government of Ghana through the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC).
The company anchors the nation’s integrated aluminium industry by processing local bauxite into value-added aluminium products for both domestic and export markets, with plans for significant modernisation and expansion.
For nearly six decades, VALCO has remained a cornerstone of Ghana’s efforts to develop a robust and integrated aluminium industry.
A video of the late Ghanaian businesswoman Hajia4040 and comedian Funny Face resurfaced on social media, drawing renewed public attention
In the clip, Funny Face was seen excitedly hyping Hajia4040 and calling her “my girl for years,” while she responded playfully, showing their close bond
Blogger Hypemaster claimed the late Hajia4040 was Funny Face’s first girlfriend, a statement that sparked conversation online
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Kasoa-based businesswoman popularly known as Hajia 40-40 reportedly died on December 22, 2025.
Late Hajia, once Funny Face’s girl, appears in video amid poisoning claims. Image credit: Hypemaster, Funny Face Source: TikTok
She was a prominent Ghanaian businesswoman and social media personality, and her death was announced in an emotional video shared on TikTok by Qwaachi, the father of Ghanaian musician Foto Copy.
Video of Hajia 40-40 and Funny Face surfaced
A video of Ghanaian comedian Funny Face and the late businesswoman Hajia 40-40 was recently shared by the well-known blogger Hypemaster.
The video, which has quickly spread online, shows a cheerful interaction between the two.
In the video, Funny Face enthusiastically hypes up Hajia4040, repeatedly shouting her name, “Hajia4040, Hajia4040, Hajia4040, that’s my longtime girl.
Hajia4040 responded with equal excitement, repeating “funny, funny, funny, funny” in a joyful and playful tone, further adding to the video’s infectious energy.
His excitement and care for her were obvious, reflecting a friendship that fans have enjoyed for years.
Hajia4040 responded with similar enthusiasm, repeating Funny Face’s name joyfully, which added to the video’s lively feel.
The video reminded people of Hajia 40-40’s energetic personality and the lively attitude she brought to her work.
Watch the trending TikTok video of Hajia4040 and Funny Face below:
This exchange shows how social media lets celebrities and public figures share fun moments with their fans.
Funny Face is known for his comedy and energy, but Hajia4040’s charm and warmth in the video were equally captivating.
Ghanaian Snapchat influencer found dead
Social media was plunged into mourning after reports emerged that Netherlands-based Ghanaian TikTok and Snapchat creator Landlord had passed away.
News of the content creator’s death was announced during a livestream hosted by popular TikToker Ashanti Queen on December 17, 2025.
The death of the Amsterdam-based content creator, who was widely known as a diehard Sarkodie superfan, stirred sad reactions on social media.
Miguel Ribeiro Fiifi Brandful reported dead
Miguel Ribeiro Fiifi Brandful, the Fante man from a viral 2020 traditional wedding video, has passed away.
Former Ghanaian diplomat Mokowa Blay Adu-Gyamfi announced his death in an emotional post on December 17, 2025.
Many Ghanaians, including Miguel Ribeiro Fiifi Brandful’s friends, took to social media to mourn his death.
An alleged close friend of Hajia 40-40 addresses intense rumours that the popular businesswoman was poisoned. Image credit: HajiaPalace Source: TikTok
Hajia 40-40 friend said she was poisoned
Previously, YEN.com.gh reported that an alleged Dubai-based friend of late TikToker Hajia 40-40 has addressed rumours that she was poisoned to death by her friends in Ghana.
Speaking with popular TikToker Captain Caesar, he narrated how he had built a close bond with the deceased entrepreneur dating back to 2009.
Gucci and Captain Caesar discussed the reports of her being poisoned and warned Ghanaians to be careful of the kinds of friends they keep, as they might not have their best interests at heart.
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Attractive News Blog of Wednesday, 24 December 2025
Source: Andre Mustapha NII okai Inusah
As Ghana pursues the extradition of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta from the United States, his legal counsel has questioned the conduct of investigative authorities, describing the case as politically driven and procedurally flawed.
Enayat Qasimi, an international legal practitioner representing Ofori-Atta, told the BBC that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) was fully informed of his client’s medical treatment abroad and therefore had no reasonable grounds to issue an Interpol Red Notice against him.
Ofori-Atta is facing 78 corruption-related charges alongside seven other individuals over the Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) revenue assurance contract with the Ghana Revenue Authority. The charges cite alleged violations of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960, and the Public Procurement Act, 2003.
Qasimi emphasised that his client has never sought to avoid accountability. “He is fully committed to complying with the laws of Ghana and answering for anything that he did when he was the finance minister,” he said.
However, he questioned whether Ofori-Atta’s constitutional rights were being upheld, arguing that the decision to issue a Red Notice despite knowledge of his health status amounted to a denial of those rights.
“He was in the US receiving treatment, and they knew all along,” Qasimi stated.
His remarks follow an announcement by Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, on December 18, confirming that an official extradition request has been submitted to the United States for Ken Ofori-Atta and Ernest Akore.
The Chamber of Digital Assets and Blockchain Innovation (CDABI-GH) has commended the Bank of Ghana (BoG), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Parliament for the passage of Ghana’s Virtual Asset law, describing it as a major milestone in bringing clarity and credibility to the country’s digital asset ecosystem.
In a statement issued in Accra, the Chamber said the new law provides a clear signal that while Ghana is open to innovation, it is equally committed to responsibility, consumer protection and market discipline.
According to CDABI-GH, the legislation marks Ghana’s transition from regulatory uncertainty to a structured and supervised digital asset environment.
The Chamber praised the Governor of the Bank of Ghana and the VASP policy and technical teams, as well as the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission and officials of the Commission, for what it described as their discipline, foresight and commitment to the national interest.
It noted that their work has helped translate a complex and fast-evolving sector into a more governed and investable market.
CDABI-GH said the Virtual Asset Act goes beyond providing legal recognition for digital assets, as it establishes the safeguards consumers require, the certainty investors seek and the framework regulators need to supervise the market effectively.
The Chamber added that the law gives regulators clearer authority to oversee virtual asset service providers and related activities, while setting compliance standards for operators.
The Chamber also commended Parliament for passing the legislation without undue delay, noting that the decision reflects a preference for thoughtful regulation over hesitation. According to the statement, the move positions Ghana to shape its digital finance future rather than react to developments elsewhere.
Ghana’s digital asset and blockchain space has expanded rapidly in recent years, driven by growing interest in cryptocurrencies, blockchain applications and financial technology solutions.
However, the absence of a comprehensive legal framework had raised concerns about consumer protection, market integrity and regulatory oversight. Industry players and regulators have repeatedly highlighted the need for clear rules to guide innovation while managing associated risks.
CDABI-GH said the new law addresses these concerns by providing certainty for market participants and strengthening confidence among local and international investors. It added that the framework is expected to support sustainable growth of the sector by balancing innovation with accountability.
As an industry stakeholder, the Chamber pledged its support to the Bank of Ghana and the Securities and Exchange Commission during the implementation of the law. It said its role will include promoting compliance, building capacity within the industry, educating market participants and supporting responsible innovation across the digital asset ecosystem.
According to CDABI-GH, the passage of the Virtual Asset law represents a defining moment in Ghana’s digital development, laying the foundation for a more mature, trusted and well-regulated digital asset market aligned with broader financial sector stability and economic growth objectives.
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The Chinese Consul General in Lagos, Ms Yan Yuqing, says China and Nigeria recorded wide-ranging achievements in political, economic and people-to-people cooperation in 2025.
This, she said, has positioned both countries for greater opportunities in 2026.
Yan highlighted the achievements and expectations for 2026 in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
She described bilateral cooperation between both countries as a “solid bridge” connecting shared development and prosperity.
According to her, the “BRIDGE” acronym represents Bilateral ties, Rapport, Investment and Development, and Growth and Exchange, which collectively define China-Nigeria relations in 2025.
She said high-level exchanges remained central to deepening bilateral ties, with leaders and senior officials of both countries actively implementing outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit.
She recalled that China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, visited Nigeria on January 9 in line with China’s 35-year tradition of making Africa the destination of its first overseas visit of the year.
“During the visit, Wang met President Bola Tinubu and held talks with Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, where both sides agreed to implement FOCAC outcomes, align the Belt and Road Initiative and elevate bilateral relations.
“They also met two other times in Brazil and China’s Hunan Province, reaffirming their support for multilateralism,” she added.
According to the Consul General, these strategic engagements laid a solid political foundation for cooperation across various sectors.
The envoy said cooperation between Edo State and Fuzhou City, as well as Ondo State and Linyi City, also advanced in areas including trade, education and economic development.
Yan said she personally visited Kogi, Taraba, Abia, Rivers, Ogun and Edo states to explore cooperation opportunities in investment, infrastructure, agriculture, education, healthcare and cultural exchange.
On economic relations, she said China-Nigeria trade continued to grow strongly, with bilateral trade volume exceeding 22.3 billion dollars between January and October 2025, representing a 30.2 per cent year-on-year increase.
“Nigeria remains one of China’s major investment destinations in Africa and was honoured as a Guest Country of Honour at both the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo and the China International Import Expo.
“Nigerian products such as cashew nuts, sesame seeds, sorghum and dried ginger gained increased access to the Chinese market,” she added.
She also disclosed that the Lekki Deep Sea Port recorded an annual throughput of 520,000 TEUs in 2025, representing over 82 per cent year-on-year growth.
On people-to-people relations, Yan said China continued to support social development initiatives, including funding cataract surgeries for over 400 Nigerians through the Renewed Hope, Rebirth from the Light project.
“In collaboration with China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, the consulate established a second Window to China library at the University of Port Harcourt.
“China also supported school renovation projects in Edo State, the opening of the Festac branch of AiFei Chinese School, and sporting and educational events, including the Nigerian National Wushu Championship,” she said.
Looking ahead, the envoy said 2026 would mark the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Nigeria, the China-Africa Year of Cultural Exchanges and the first year of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan.
She expressed China’s willingness in 2026 to work with Nigeria to continue maintaining, building, and developing the BRIDGE of China-Nigeria relations.
This, she said, would be through consolidation of the foundation of political mutual trust, strengthening of exchanges at all levels, and deepening of strategic communication.
“We will broaden the scope of practical cooperation, deeply explore cooperation potential in emerging fields like new energy, digital economy, and blue economy, and promote the implementation of more high-quality projects.
“We will tighten the bond of people-to-people and cultural exchanges, expand exchanges in education, culture, youth, sub-national cooperation, and other fields, and enhance mutual understanding and friendship,” she said.
She expressed confidence that sustained cooperation would further strengthen the China-Nigeria comprehensive strategic partnership and contribute to building a China-Africa community with a shared future.
Nigerian music executive, Collins Ajareh, better known as Don Jazzy and an 𝕏 user engaged in an online exchange over allegations about his crashed marriage.
Naija News reorts that the netizen had alleged that Don Jazzy’s ex-wife divorced him due to infertility troubles.
According to the 𝕏 user, if Don Jazzy had died, questions would have arisen about who would inherit his wealth.
Access Bank Ghana has held its end-of-year Thanksgiving Service in Accra, creating a moment of reflection on a year that tested resilience, strengthened character, and reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to Ghana’s economic and social progress.
The service brought together members of the Access Bank Ghana community, including leadership, staff, partners, regulators and customers, to give thanks for a year marked by growth, transition, and renewed strategic focus, while acknowledging the realities of a challenging operating environment.
Speaking at the gathering, Managing Director Pearl Nkrumah described 2025 as a year of mixed experiences, one that demanded courage, adaptability and collective resolve.
“This year has been kind to some, uncertain for others, and deeply painful for a few. Yet we are here. And being here is already a testimony,” she said, setting the tone for a service defined by gratitude and quiet strength.
Beyond reflection, the moment also highlighted the tangible difference the Bank continues to make across the country.
Over the course of the year, Access Bank Ghana impacted over 1,306,035 lives through access to finance, support for businesses, community development initiatives, health and environmental programmes, and everyday banking services that enable individuals and enterprises to grow.
Behind that number are livelihoods sustained, opportunities created, and communities strengthened.
The Board Chair, Ama Bawuah, noted that 2025 marked an important chapter in the Bank’s journey, particularly with the leadership transition from former Managing Director Olumide Olatunji to Ms Nkrumah.
She described the transition as deliberate and anchored in continuity, reassuring stakeholders that the Bank remains stable, focused, and guided by long-term purpose.
According to her, the progress recorded during the year reflected strong alignment between the Board, Management and staff, even as the operating environment required prudence, disciplined execution and a careful balance between growth and sound risk management.
Throughout the year, Access Bank Ghana continued to invest in its people, recognising that strong institutions are built by capable and committed professionals.
This included the induction of Executive Trainees who completed the School of Banking Excellence programme in Nigeria, ongoing professional development through the Chartered Institute of Bankers, and investments in systems, infrastructure and work environments to enhance efficiency and service delivery to customers.
In recognition of loyalty and dedication, the Bank honoured 35 staff members who have served for ten and fifteen years, celebrating their contribution to the institution’s culture, stability and growth.
The Thanksgiving Service also reflected the shared life of the Access Bank Ghana family. Milestones such as marriages and the birth of children were celebrated, while colleagues who experienced loss during the year were remembered, with messages of solidarity and support extended to them.
The Bank further acknowledged staff who participated in its Employee Volunteering Programme, contributing time and skills to community initiatives spanning environmental sustainability, health outreach and social impact projects.
Leadership reaffirmed that responsible banking, sustainability and social impact remain central to the Bank’s identity and long-term value creation.
Looking ahead, Ms Nkrumah expressed confidence in the Bank’s direction as it approaches 2026 and its broader 2027 aspirations, noting that the focus will remain on strengthening the core of the business, deepening accountability, fostering a supportive culture and executing strategy with excellence.
The service concluded with expressions of appreciation to customers, partners and regulators for their trust, and to staff for their dedication and professionalism, underscoring Access Bank Ghana’s resolve to remain a dependable partner in Ghana’s financial and economic journey.
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.
Aspirant for the national chairmanship of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, has issued a powerful Christmas and New Year mandate aimed at healing divisions within the ‘Elephant’ family, amid a season of internal transition and political reflection.
In a message titled “Hope, Renewal & Victory”, Mr Boadu, a former General Secretary of the NPP, positioned himself as the party’s “Unifier-in-Chief”, revealing that he has already embarked on a high-stakes diplomatic mission to engage every presidential aspirant ahead of the party’s primaries
A Strategy of Unity: The Primaries Engagement
As the NPP prepares for its 2026 internal elections and the subsequent 2028 general election, Mr Boadu emphasised that his current priority is ensuring that the contest for the flagbearership does not leave the party fractured.
“I have embarked on a deliberate journey of unity across our party. I am currently engaging every flagbearer aspirant ahead of their primaries, fostering understanding, mutual respect, and togetherness,” Mr Boadu announced.
He assured the party’s rank and file that his intervention would ensure the NPP emerges as the “ultimate winner,” fully prepared to confront the opposition.
Historical Perspective: “We Have Been Here Before”
Drawing parallels between the nativity story and the current political climate, Mr Boadu reminded party faithfuls that the NPP’s history is one of resilience.
He acknowledged that while the party faces significant trials today, its tradition of “rebuilding” is its greatest strength.
“What we are experiencing today is not new to the NPP history; we have been here before. Indeed, our Party has travelled long and turbulent roads before. And because we stood together in those moments, we reclaimed our strength, restored our purpose, and returned to power with even greater impact,” he noted.
He urged the party to honour the sacrifices of the founding fathers and the loyalty of grassroots delegates, stressing that “the NPP never breaks; it rebuilds. We never retreat; we renew.”
A Vision for 2028: Reclaiming Power
He argued that the “sacred season” of Christmas should serve as a catalyst for a “Renewed New Year”, where hope is restored and the party’s organisational structures are fortified.
“I remain committed to leading the NPP into a future where hope is restored, our structures strengthened, and power reclaimed. The road ahead may not be easy… But with your unwavering support and our collective unity, we will overcome every challenge and prevail,” Mr Boadu stated.
The “Kukrudu” Spirit
As the NPP enters a pivotal year, Mr Boadu’s message has been received by many as a steadying hand.
His commitment to “fostering understanding” among the heavyweights of the party signals a shift toward a more cohesive national campaign strategy for 2028.
He concluded his message with a call for divine guidance: “May God bless our families, our communities, our nation, and the New Patriotic Party. Merry Christmas and a Renewed New Year to all Patriots.”
Below is the full message:
Let this Christmas season refresh our hearts, renew our commitment, and remind us that our best days as a Party are not behind us; they are ahead of us. With your support, and with God guiding us, I remain committed to leading the NPP into a future where hope is restored, our structures strengthened, and power reclaimed. The road ahead may not be easy, and the responsibilities before us are demanding. But with your unwavering support and our collective unity, we will overcome every challenge and prevail.
May God bless our families, our communities, our nation, and the New Patriotic Party.
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.
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, on December 18, 2025, disclosed that embattled former finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta has hired top-notch US lawyers to fight his extradition.
Speaking during the Government Accountability Series, Dr Ayine described the lawyers as “very experienced.”
Ken Ofori-Atta’s international lawyer speaks on his extradition saga
The Attorney General’s description has since raised eyebrows, with members of the public keen to know the calibre of the international legal team and what they are capable of.
In response, GhanaWeb’s research has uncovered the profile of one of the lawyers, identified as Enayat Qasimi.
Qasimi is a seasoned international legal practitioner whose career spans high-level government service, global finance, and cross-border dispute resolution.
Currently, he is a Partner and Co-Chair of the International Practice at the US-based law firm Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, where he is based in Washington, DC.
His work focuses on international business transactions, private equity, venture capital, and alternative dispute resolution.
He advises a wide range of US and international clients, including corporations, investment funds, institutional investors, multilateral lenders, law firms, and private individuals.
Qasimi brings extensive experience in complex international transactions, particularly across the Middle East, North Africa, and South and Central Asia.
His portfolio includes advising leading US government contracting firms and law firms on conducting business in high-risk and emerging markets such as Afghanistan, covering areas including corporate structuring, taxation, investments, banking, labour, compliance, internal investigations, strategic planning, and dispute resolution.
Before joining Whiteford, Qasimi served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of a Saudi-based investment banking firm in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he played a central role in managing legal and regulatory issues related to cross-border finance and investments.
His background also includes significant public-sector experience. Qasimi previously worked with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, serving in several senior roles, including Minister of Civil Aviation and Transport, Senior Foreign Affairs Adviser, and Senior Legal Adviser to the President during the enactment of Afghanistan’s Constitution.
His involvement at the heart of constitutional and governance reforms also places him among a small group of lawyers with direct experience in state-building and constitutional processes.
Beyond government and private practice, Qasimi has worked extensively with non-profit organisations and international institutions on legislative reform, rule-of-law initiatives, development, and capacity-building projects in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
He has also served as a Non-Resident Senior Associate with the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, DC, contributing policy and strategic insights on regional affairs.
His expertise has earned international recognition. He was ranked by Chambers Global in General Business Law for Afghanistan between 2017 and 2018. Within the legal profession, he holds several key memberships, including serving on Whiteford’s Executive Committee, membership of the Maryland State Bar Association, and appointment as a court member of the International Court of Arbitration for Afghanistan.
Qasimi is fluent in Pashto, Farsi, and Urdu, a skill set that complements his extensive work across multilingual and multicultural jurisdictions.
He holds a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of Maryland School of Law, an MBA from the University of Baltimore, and a Bachelor of Arts from Bard College. He is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia and Maryland.
With a career that bridges international finance, government advisory roles, and complex cross-border legal work, Enayat Qasimi brings deep global experience to the legal team representing Ken Ofori-Atta, reinforcing the international dimension of the former minister’s legal defence against his extradition to Ghana.
What he told the BBC:
Enayat Qasimi disclosed that the ongoing GRA–SML case against his client is “politically motivated”, insisting that Ofori-Atta is not evading justice.
In an interview with the BBC shared on December 24, 2025, Qasimi said Ken Ofori-Atta is committed to abiding by the laws of Ghana and answering any questions regarding his tenure as Finance Minister.
“He’s committed to fully complying with the laws of Ghana, and he’s fully committed to answering for anything that he did when he was Finance Minister. There’s absolutely no question about that. The question is, is he being given the rights that he’s guaranteed under Ghanaian law? He’s not. He’s never been,” Qasimi said.
Ofori-Atta has hired top lawyers in the US but I’m not afraid – AG
The lawyer added that Ghanaian authorities were aware that Ofori-Atta was in the United States, making the issuance of a red notice unnecessary.
“Ofori-Atta was receiving treatment in the US. They knew this all along. There was no purpose for issuing the red notice, but they went ahead and issued it,” he said.
Ricky Adelayitar presents his Best Actor award won to Dzifa Gomashie
The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has emphasised that awards are not definitive of an artist’s career, but remain meaningful forms of recognition, especially when they are peer-reviewed.
Reflecting on her early days in acting, she recalled a period when industry reviews were conducted by seasoned professionals whose critiques were rooted in deep knowledge of the craft and a genuine desire to see the creative arts sector grow.
She made these remarks when award-winning actor Ricky Adelayitar paid a courtesy call on her to formally present his Best Actor award won at the recently held Reffa Awards. The recognition celebrates Adelayitar’s years of dedication and significant contribution to Ghana’s creative arts industry.
Receiving him, Gomashie expressed delight at witnessing his achievement, describing the moment as deeply fulfilling, given his long-standing service to the industry and the prestige of the platform on which he was honoured.
She noted that Ricky’s award was particularly meaningful because it was conferred by a respected committee made up of industry contemporaries and pioneers who understand the demands and discipline of art.
According to the Minister, such recognition speaks volumes about the quality of his work. She congratulated all nominees and added that being shortlisted alone is a mark of excellence deserving of commendation.
Gomashie further reiterated government’s commitment to supporting the creative arts sector, acknowledging that although Ghana is rich in talent, the industry has historically lacked adequate support.
She highlighted President John Dramani Mahama’s decision to earmark GH¢20 million for the creative arts sector in the national budget and assured that the Ministry is working to establish the appropriate frameworks to ensure the funds are effectively utilised to strengthen and energise the industry.
Presenting his award, Ricky Adelayitar expressed heartfelt gratitude for the recognition, describing the honour as deeply meaningful. He noted that the moment was made even more special by the presence of his mother, sister and niece.
He also explained that the award holds unique significance as it is the very first Reffa Award, making him proud to be its inaugural recipient.
Adelayitar added that receiving multiple recognitions within the same period has been both encouraging and inspiring, reinforcing his commitment to the craft and his appreciation for the continued support he receives from within the creative community.
The courtesy call concluded with mutual appreciation, as both parties expressed hope that such recognitions, coupled with sustained institutional support, will inspire greater achievements and contribute to the long-term growth of Ghana’s tourism, culture and creative arts sector.
Also present at the meeting were the Chief Director of the Ministry, Joseph K Amoah, and the Director for Culture and Creative Arts, Divine Owusu-Ansah.
Head coach of Ghanaian powerhouse Hearts of Oak SC, Mas-Ud Didi Dramani has called on club fan base to rally behind the team and fight as a unit.
Speaking ahead of their Boxing Day clash with FC Samartex 1996, urged the supporters to to patient, united and stay collective as they continue to club push the side to success.
Hearts of Oak will host the Timber Giants at the University of Ghana Stadium in week 16 fixture of the 2025/26 Ghana Premier league.
“Our fans are the people we love. Merry Christmas to you all,” Dramani said, at the pre-match before calling on the fans for support.
“Continue to support our dear club, continue to give your help, and align with the principles, philosophies, and culture we want to build around the club.”
“Sometimes the game becomes difficult, sometimes it becomes very interesting. That is part of the love of the game.
“We are doing our very best to turn things around and make the club very formidable through consistency and sustainable approaches.
“We make mistakes, we correct them. There will be weaknesses, strengths, and challenges. We must align and fight together so we can move forward as one team.”
Hearts of Oak are 6th on the log with 24 points after drawing goalless away to Aduana Stars in week 15 clash.
The boost is attributed to increased consumer spending, festive decorations, and effective marketing
As Christmas Day approaches, the streets of Accra are buzzing with festive energy, and retailers are experiencing varied sales.
In a post by Metro TV Ghana on X on December 24, 2025, traders shared their perspectives on the season’s sales.
One shop owner expressed optimism saying, “So far, as we’re concerned, sales have been fabulously fabulous. This is the best we’ve seen in the last eight years.”
The boost is attributed to increased consumer spending, festive decorations, and effective marketing. However, not all traders are seeing strong sales.
“The business isn’t booming this year. Last year’s items sold well, but this year I’m idle; people buy occasionally,” one retailer lamented.
Despite challenges from fluctuating prices, traders remain hopeful that sales will pick up on Christmas Day, as shoppers seek gifts, decorations, and food items.
The festive spirit continues to energise both businesses and shoppers, creating a sense of hope and prosperity ahead of the holidays.
Watch video below:
“Sales have been fabulously fabulous. This is the best in the last 8 years.”
As Ghana implements its Family Planning Costed Implementation Plan targeting improved reproductive health outcomes by 2030, health experts are highlighting essential steps couples can take to optimize their chances of conception while addressing the country’s fertility challenges.
The guidance comes as recent studies show Ghana’s fertility rate stands at 3.60 births per woman, with significant disparities in contraceptive use and family planning access across regions. While much attention focuses on family planning to space births, experts emphasize that many couples also struggle with achieving pregnancy when they desire children.
Understanding optimal timing represents the foundation of conception efforts, according to reproductive health specialists. A woman’s fertile window spans the five days leading up to ovulation and the day of ovulation itself. Tracking this period through ovulation predictor kits, basal body temperature monitoring, or observing cervical mucus changes can significantly improve pregnancy chances.
However, experts stress that regular intercourse throughout the cycle remains important since sperm can survive in the reproductive tract for up to five days. This means having sex periodically ensures better chances of sperm being present when ovulation occurs.
For couples who have been trying without success for an extended period, fertility testing provides crucial information. Contrary to common belief, these tests are not only for those who have tried for years. Health professionals recommend that women who have been trying for a year without success, or women over 35 who have tried for six months, should consider fertility testing to identify potential issues early.
These tests reveal information about ovarian reserve, hormone levels and whether underlying conditions are affecting conception ability. The sooner problems are identified, experts say, the better positioned couples become to make informed decisions about next steps.
Lifestyle optimization plays a central role in fertility outcomes. Research consistently shows that women with body mass index in the healthy range tend to have better fertility results. Both being overweight and underweight can disrupt hormonal balance and interfere with ovulation. Even losing or gaining just five to 10 percent of body weight can help regulate menstrual cycles and improve conception chances.
Nutrition matters more than many couples realize, health experts note. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats supports overall reproductive health. The Mediterranean diet is often recommended for women trying to conceive, with emphasis on limiting processed foods and added sugars.
Folic acid supplementation stands out as particularly crucial. This nutrient prevents neural tube defects in early pregnancy but also supports fertility itself. Most doctors recommend taking 400 micrograms daily when trying to conceive, starting at least three months before attempting pregnancy to allow folic acid to build up in the system and support healthy egg development.
Exercise represents another important factor, though moderation is key. Moderate physical activity helps maintain healthy weight and reduces stress, but high intensity exercise can actually disrupt menstrual cycles and interfere with ovulation. Experts advise regular, moderate activity rather than pushing to extremes.
Stress management requires serious attention despite being easier said than done. Chronic stress genuinely affects menstrual cycles and fertility. Techniques including meditation, yoga, spending time with friends or simply making time for enjoyable activities can help. Even small reductions in daily stress can regulate hormones and improve ovulation, with consistency being key to maintaining lower stress levels.
Sleep quality directly impacts hormone regulation. Poor sleep can disrupt ovulation and throw off menstrual cycles, making conception harder. Health professionals recommend aiming for seven to nine hours of quality sleep nightly to keep conception chances consistently high.
Smoking stands out as perhaps the single most impactful behavior that individuals can change. Smoking damages egg quality, depletes egg reserves faster and increases miscarriage risk. Stopping smoking tremendously improves fertility while also benefiting overall health.
Alcohol consumption requires careful consideration. While an occasional drink is unlikely to derail conception chances, heavy drinking affects hormone levels and can interfere with ovulation and implantation. Most fertility specialists recommend cutting out alcohol entirely when actively trying to conceive.
Caffeine intake should be monitored as well. Studies conclude that high caffeine consumption, more than 200 to 300 milligrams daily, can negatively impact women’s fertility. That represents roughly two cups of coffee, so keeping intake to one cup per day is generally advised.
Medication review proves especially important when trying to get pregnant. Certain antidepressants, acne treatments, thyroid drugs and even some over the counter painkillers have been shown to impact ovulation, sperm quality or implantation. Couples should discuss all medications with healthcare providers to ensure they are not affecting fertility.
Male factor fertility cannot be overlooked. Roughly 40 to 50 percent of fertility issues involve male infertility, so partners must also take steps to optimize their fertility. Men should maintain healthy weight, eat well, exercise moderately, limit alcohol, quit smoking and manage stress. They should also avoid hot baths and tight underwear, as heat negatively affects sperm production.
Ghana’s reproductive health landscape presents particular challenges and opportunities. The contraceptive prevalence rate among women of fertile age stands at only 25 percent, with modern contraceptive use at 20 percent. Significant disparities exist between northern and southern regions, with southern areas reporting higher contraceptive use.
The Ghana Health Service launched the Ghana Family Planning Costed Implementation Plan 2024 to 2030 in October with aims to increase modern contraceptive prevalence among married women to 44.4 percent by 2030 and reduce unmet contraceptive need among sexually active adolescents from 57 to 30 percent.
Dr. Patrick Kuma Aboagye, Director General of Ghana Health Service, noted that within a quarter century, total birth rate has reduced from 6.4 in 1988 to 4.2 in 2014, and currently 3.9 according to the last study in 2022. This progress reflects improved family planning services, though significant work remains.
However, for couples desiring pregnancy, different challenges emerge. Studies in Ghana show that barriers to assisted reproductive technology services include availability of infrastructure and equipment, skilled professionals, geographical accessibility, affordability, and sociocultural and religious barriers.
Ghana has more assisted reproductive technology facilities than other sub Saharan African countries, all privately owned. These facilities employ obstetricians and gynecologists, reproductive endocrinologists, infertility experts, embryologists, fertility nurses and supporting staff, though many practitioners have less than five years experience.
Research on pharmacotherapy for infertility in Ghana shows that drug therapy resulted in conception rates ranging from 15.9 to 45.5 percent, higher than those without medications. Increasing the number of therapeutic agents generally increased conception rates, with three drug combinations showing statistically greater chances of conceiving.
The overall 20.3 percent conception rate among women in fertility treatment in Ghana reflects both successes and continuing challenges. Conception rates were higher among women diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome and ovulation dysfunction due to availability of specific therapies for these conditions.
Timing for seeking professional help remains crucial. Women under 35 who have been trying for a year without success, or women over 35 who have tried for six months, should consult fertility specialists. Seeking guidance promptly often means more treatment options become available, and all prove more effective at increasing pregnancy chances.
The importance of early intervention cannot be overstated. Delays in seeking help can limit treatment options and reduce effectiveness, particularly for older women whose egg quality and quantity decline with age.
Ghana’s reproductive health infrastructure continues developing. The Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility unit of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons recently admitted its first year Fellows, representing progress in specialized training for fertility professionals.
For couples navigating conception challenges, understanding that multiple factors influence fertility proves essential. Age, lifestyle habits, underlying health conditions, stress levels and environmental exposures all play roles. Addressing these systematically while maintaining patience with the process increases chances of success.
Medical professionals emphasize that conception journeys differ for every couple. Some conceive quickly while others require months or years. This variability reflects the complexity of human reproduction and the many variables that must align for pregnancy to occur.
Support systems matter throughout the process. Whether through healthcare providers, family, friends or support groups, having people to turn to during frustrating moments helps couples maintain perspective and emotional wellbeing.
The integration of traditional and modern approaches to reproductive health in Ghana creates both opportunities and tensions. While modern fertility treatments offer hope to many couples, cultural beliefs and practices around conception and childbearing remain influential in how people approach fertility challenges.
Education about reproductive health, including both family planning and fertility optimization, represents a key component of Ghana’s development strategy. As Dr. Claudette Diogo, Programme Head of the Family Planning Division at Ghana Health Service, noted, the current action plan represents an improved version of previous efforts with many lessons learned.
For couples currently trying to conceive, the message from health experts remains clear: take control of factors within your power. Optimize timing, maintain healthy lifestyle, manage stress, avoid harmful substances and seek professional help when needed. While conception cannot be guaranteed, these steps maximize the chances of achieving the desired pregnancy.
Dr. Hene Aku Kwapong, a Fellow at the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), has argued that a thriving private sector cannot be created through government announcements, policy launches or ribbon cutting ceremonies, insisting that it emerges only when institutions actually work.
In an article titled “Re-imagining Ghana from the Bottom-Up” cited by The High Street Journal, Dr. Kwapong challenges conventional approaches to economic development, making the case that the private sector, widely regarded as the engine of economic growth, grows quietly and steadily only when institutional systems function predictably.
According to the former Senior Vice President of the New York City Economic Development Corporation, institutions are not buildings, offices or impressive titles. Rather, they are the everyday systems that make life predictable for citizens and businesses.
He cites examples including courts that settle disputes on time, regulators that enforce rules fairly, and public agencies that understand their mandates and do not overstep their powers as hallmarks of functional institutions.
“Once social organization is stable, institutions can actually work. Institutions are not buildings or titles. They are predictable processes that interact with centers of authority that are independent and supportive of a dynamic private sector. Courts that resolve disputes in time. Regulators that enforce standards consistently. Agencies that know their mandate and stay within it,” he explained.
When these systems function well, Dr. Kwapong argues, businesses can plan, invest and grow with confidence. When they do not, uncertainty takes over and stifles economic activity.
The CDD Fellow contends that Ghana’s challenge is not the absence of institutions but the way they operate. Too often, he observes, the country copies the outward appearance of institutional frameworks, including laws, boards and procedures, without fixing the incentives underneath that determine actual behavior.
The rules exist on paper, he notes, but in real life, personal discretion and connections matter more than compliance. He describes this phenomenon as “institutional theatre,” where everything looks formal yet nothing works as it should.
“In Ghana, we often copy the outward form of institutions without fixing the underlying incentives. The result is institutional theater. Rules exist on paper, discretion dominates in practice. Under those conditions, institutions cannot support a dynamic private sector. They either suffocate it or push it into informality,” he stated.
In a country where court cases drag on for years and regulations change without warning, Dr. Kwapong argues that compliance feels pointless because outcomes depend more on who you know than what you do right.
Under such conditions, businesses either struggle to survive or move into the informal space, away from the reach of the state. The result is a private sector that is suffocated instead of supported, he maintains.
For this reason, he insists that a dynamic private sector cannot be forced into existence by speeches or policy documents. It emerges naturally when institutions reduce uncertainty and reward those who follow the rules, not those closest to power.
“A functioning private sector is not something you announce into existence. It emerges when institutions reduce uncertainty and reward compliance rather than proximity to power,” he emphasized.
Dr. Kwapong therefore calls for an environment where fairness is predictable, contracts are respected and regulators are consistent. According to him, fixing institutions and how decisions are made and enforced determines whether the private sector truly grows or remains trapped in survival mode.
His analysis builds on extensive work he has conducted on Ghana’s institutional challenges. As founder and Managing Partner of The Songhai Group, a corporate development company, and founder of the Practice School, a management program focused on developing senior management for African companies, Dr. Kwapong brings both academic rigor and practical experience to his policy recommendations.
He holds degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management, where he studied Chemical and Nuclear Engineering, an MBA in Financial Engineering from Sloan School of Management, and a PhD in Non-linear Systems Dynamics from Columbia University.
Currently serving on the boards of NORDICOM (Denmark) and Ecobank (Ghana), Dr. Kwapong previously held senior positions at Exxon Mobil, Deutsche Bank, Microsoft Corporation, GE Capital and the New York City Economic Development Corporation. His international experience informs his comparative analysis of institutional performance across different economies.
In recent months, Dr. Kwapong has published several influential articles calling for structural reforms in Ghana’s governance systems. In one piece, he advocated for a Universal Leasehold system to address Ghana’s broken land administration, arguing that land disputes arise from discretionary authority rather than institutional processes.
In another article examining Ghana’s industrialization challenges, he argued that the country must learn to trust its own entrepreneurs, drawing parallels with South Korea’s deliberate nurturing of domestic businesses like Samsung and Hyundai that eventually became global giants.
He has also called for abolishing the Public Procurement Authority’s current board model and replacing it with a professional, technocratic procurement evaluation unit housed within the National Development Planning Commission. In that analysis, he argued that Ghana’s procurement system has become subject to political capture rather than serving as an independent regulator.
Additionally, Dr. Kwapong has proposed mandatory asset declaration certified by the National Intelligence Bureau for all public officeholders before they assume office, describing it as essential for building integrity into the system rather than relying on post facto prosecution after damage has occurred.
These reform proposals share a common thread with his analysis of private sector development: the conviction that Ghana’s challenges stem not from lack of policies or declarations but from dysfunctional institutional processes that undermine predictability, fairness and accountability.
His emphasis on “institutional theatre” resonates with widespread public frustration that laws and regulations exist primarily on paper while actual governance operates according to different, informal rules. This gap between formal institutions and real behavior creates the uncertainty that Dr. Kwapong identifies as fatal to private sector growth.
The concept that institutions are “predictable processes” rather than physical structures represents a shift from how many Ghanaians think about governance. It suggests that reform efforts should focus less on creating new agencies or passing new laws and more on ensuring that existing rules are enforced consistently and impartially.
Dr. Kwapong’s insistence that a thriving private sector “emerges” rather than being “announced” challenges the tendency of governments to treat economic development as primarily a matter of policy pronouncements and public initiatives. His analysis suggests that the most important government contributions to private sector growth are often invisible: consistent enforcement of contracts, predictable regulatory frameworks and impartial dispute resolution.
The distinction between “compliance” and “proximity to power” as bases for success captures a fundamental tension in Ghana’s economic system. When business success depends more on political connections than on following rules, it creates perverse incentives that discourage productive entrepreneurship while rewarding rent seeking behavior.
Dr. Kwapong’s call to fix “how decisions are made and enforced” points to governance challenges that extend beyond any single institution or policy area. It suggests that sustainable private sector development requires comprehensive institutional reform rather than piecemeal interventions.
His analysis arrives at a moment when Ghana is implementing reforms under an International Monetary Fund programme aimed at restoring macroeconomic stability. While fiscal and monetary policies receive most attention in such programmes, Dr. Kwapong’s arguments suggest that equally important are the institutional foundations that determine whether stability translates into sustained private sector led growth.
The question of whether Ghana can transition from “institutional theatre” to genuinely functional institutions remains open. Dr. Kwapong’s work provides a diagnosis of the problem and principles for reform, but implementation would require sustained political will and potentially painful changes to how power and resources are distributed.
For businesses operating in Ghana, the implications are clear: long term success depends less on securing favorable treatment from officials than on advocating for institutional reforms that make the operating environment more predictable for all enterprises. The challenge is building coalitions powerful enough to demand and sustain such reforms against entrenched interests that benefit from discretionary systems.
An operation by the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) and the Police has led to the arrest of 48 suspected cybercrime operatives at Dawhenya in Greater Accra.
The operation was carried out on Tuesday night [December 23, 2025].
It was a National Security coordinated operation based on intelligence in the Dawhenya area.
Those arrested are believed to be Nigerian nationals, according to the Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Sam Nartey George, who said this was based on preliminary interrogation.
He said the suspects are made up of 46 males and two females.
The suspects, he said, were linked to a range of cyber-related criminal activities, including romance scams, online investment fraud, impersonation schemes, and illicit online gold trading.
Items retrieved during the operation included 54 laptops, 39 mobile phones, one Starlink internet device, and eight MTN TurboNet routers.
“We are committed to carrying out intelligence-led surgical strikes against these crime syndicates to ensure that we rid our cyber ecosystem of these criminals. Ghana welcomes everyone interested in legitimate enterprise. We will remain a hostile domain for cyber criminals. I commend the operatives who carried out this operation with the professionalism for which our security services are globally recognised. Their service is celebrated. I wish all a merry digital Christmas and a cyber crime free new year,” the minister posted on social media.
Once again, we have struck at the heart of cybercrime operations within our beloved Homeland.
A nighttime operation led by the @CSAGhana in collaboration with the National Security and the @GhPoliceService has resulted in the arrest of 48 suspected cybercrime operatives during… pic.twitter.com/FWBdfej08b
Interim General Secretary of the United Party, Yaw Buaben Asamoa, has noted that Ghana’s long-standing two-party dominance has narrowed the political space and limited genuine choice for voters.
He said the continued control of national politics by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has sidelined alternative voices.
According to him, the situation has made the political system less inclusive over the past three decades.
Speaking on Accra-based Starr FM, Mr Buaben Asamoa said many political actors have grown accustomed to a system that offers little room outside the two dominant parties.
“For 30 years, it has been two parties, NPP and NDC, and because they have dominated, there is no space for those who are dissatisfied with the two to operate.
“You either join them or you are out, and unfortunately, that dominance has made them more exclusionary than inclusionary,” he stated.
Mr Buaben Asamoa, a former NPP Member of Parliament, said the formation of the United Party was driven by the need to provide an alternative political home for citizens unhappy with the status quo.
He noted that the goal is not to claim moral superiority, but to expand democratic choice.
“We believed something had to give, and that is why we went into this movement to create a door for people to step into. Democracy is not black and white, but the essential thing is choice and the ability for people to express themselves and influence events,” the former lawmaker stressed.
Burkina Faso’s interim leader, who is part of a regional alliance of military-led countries that includes Mali and Niger, has announced “large-scale” joint operations against armed groups in the coming days.
Captain Ibrahim Traore’s comments came as the three countries, allied under the banner of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), held a joint summit that concluded on Tuesday, days after the launch of a joint military battalion aimed at fighting groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS).
Newly installed as AES chief, Traore provided no further details on the actions planned by the three countries, which have all experienced coups in recent years and have withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) bloc to form the AES in 2024. The three pledged at this week’s summit to deepen their security and economic ties.
The military leaders of the three nations have kicked out longtime security partners France and the United States, turning instead to Russia as an ally in their bid to advance regional sovereignty, with this week’s launch of the 5,000-strong AES Unified Force (FU-AES) seen as a key milestone for the bloc.
General Omar Tchiani, leader of Niger’s military government, said at the summit that the AES had “put an end to all occupation forces in our countries”.
“No country or interest group will decide for our countries any more,” he said.
Burkina Faso’s Traore warned of looming destabilisation in West Africa, which he termed the “Black Winter” – a phase of external threats, violence, and economic pressure aimed at undermining Sahelian sovereignty.
At the summit, the three states launched a joint broadcaster called AES Television, with Malian President General Assimi Goita describing it as a strategic tool “to break disinformation campaigns and hostile narratives targeting our states.
On security, Goita reported positive operational outcomes, claiming that “several terrorist bases” had been destroyed.
On the economy, he rejected narratives portraying the Sahel as structurally poor, lauding the bloc’s “immense mining and agricultural potential”.
The second annual AES summit shows growing collaboration among the three countries, despite fractured relations and coup-related sanctions from global partners, said Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel programme at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
The alliance “enjoys popularity among citizens of the three countries” and is trying to keep momentum going by deepening cooperation beyond cross-border military operations, Laessing told The Associated Press news agency.
Popular Nigerian singer and producer, Abdulrasheed Bello, professionally known as JJC Skillz, has accused fellow music stars Don Jazzy and D’banj of conspiring with others to betray him many years ago.
JJC made the allegation during a recent interview on Echo Room, where he recalled events surrounding their early days as struggling artists in the United Kingdom.
Accra, Dec 24, GNA – Right Reverend Dr. Hilliard K. Dela Dogbe, the Presiding Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion Church, has called on Ghanaians to uphold the virtues of hard work, honesty, patriotism, accountability and unity.
In his Christmas message, the Clergyman urged all to use their skills and knowledge to foster national cohesion and spur prosperity and economic growth.
“This Christmas offers us the opportunity to soberly reflect on our lives, individually and as a collective, and resolve to be responsible and accountable in every sphere of life,” he said.
He said Christmas reminded the citizens about the stewardship and accountability entrusted by God with the precious breath of life, innate skills and abilities, our environment and resources of all kinds.
He said 2025 had been eventful with a smooth transition of political power from the former administration to a new government.
The significant improvement in the economy alongside the strengthening of the local currency, renewed efforts and interventions such as Blue Water Guards and NAIMOS to combat the menace of illegal mining, and efforts at mediating peace in the Bawku crisis had been some positive developments over the period.
He said the tragic loss of eight officials through the helicopter crash and 16 youth of the Saviour Church through a road accident were some of the very challenging and low points of the year.
“The challenges notwithstanding, Ghana remains a progressive, safe and peaceful nation within a relatively volatile subregion, and for this we owe God thanks,” he said.
“On behalf of the officers and members of the AME Zion Church, I wish the President of our nation, Mr John Dramani Mahama, and the good people of Ghana a merry Christmas and a very prosperous new year.”
John Dramani Mahama with Colonel Abdul Wahab Issah
