• A St John Grammar School graduate has expressed frustration over what they describe as delays and challenges in the University of Ghana’s admission process
• The graduate raised concerns about transparency and communication, calling for clearer guidelines for applicants
• Some social media users have shared mixed reactions after watching the lady’s viral interview on TikTok

Ghanaian lady who completed St John’s Grammar School has expressed her frustration over the University of Ghana admission process.

In a viral video, the Ghanaian student shared her frustrating experience after she didn’t get her first-choice course.

Lady expresses frustration over UG admission process

A prospective tertiary student has expressed frustration over the University of Ghana’s admission process after encountering multiple challenges in securing a place for the upcoming academic year.

According to Claire, her first-choice course was unattainable because her grades did not meet the cut-off point. Her second choice, BSc Education in Computer Science, was not being offered by the university next year, despite being available as a selectable option on the self-placement admissions platform.

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The University of Ghana recently introduced a self-placement system to support qualified applicants who were not automatically placed in any of their selected programmes.

Through this system, eligible applicants can log back into the admissions portal, view alternative programmes for which they meet the qualifications, and choose one that suits them.

This initiative aims to give students a second opportunity to gain admission into available programmes they are eligible for, especially when competitive cut-offs or quota limits prevent placement in their original choices.

However, Claire says this new system has not eased her experience. Her third-choice course, BSc Education in Information Technology, was offered on a fee-paying basis.

She is frustrated because the admissions help desk could not provide a specific tuition fee, only giving a broad range of GH¢ 5,000 to GH¢ 7,000, leaving her uncertain about whether to accept the offer.

The TikTok video is below:

Reactions as UG offers lady fee-paying course

Netizens have expressed disappointment with the self-placement system, criticising the University of Ghana for the confusion and lack of clarity.

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Many online users have urged Claire to consider rival universities such as KNUST and UCC, where she may have a smoother admission experience. YEN.com.gh has compiled some reactions below:

Richbadext2 commented:

“Just go for other institutions , Ucc and knust hands are open for you but you’re just stressing yourself out”.

@itsjustmo_8 stated:

“UG will frustrate oo.”

Astro Godwin396 commented:

“Ella pls go and apply for AAMUSTED, AAMUSTED is the best for that program…. I also read the same BSc information Technology Education program at AAMUSTED and I’m a graduate now.”

Enjoy Clips stated:

“Come to Ghana telecom.”

Khophi Turner commented:

“They’re not offering the second choice probably because they didn’t get the required number of students to take that course!.”

Clarajens commented:

“Please go to UEW and study I.c.T education if you really want to do education.”

ITS_BOUT_TAGLAFICO commented:

“Masa go to TTU ”

Shemariah stated:

Read also

KNUST provides instructions to newly admitted students facing challenges with admission offers

“Hmmmmm this is just the beginning you have not seen anything yet.”

How to manage GH¢1000 at Legon

Navigating life as a student at the University of Ghana, Legon, on a ₵1,000 monthly budget can be quite challenging.

It is certainly achievable with careful planning, strategic decision-making, and a dash of creativity.

Start by outlining all your monthly expenses. Break them down into essential categories such as accommodation, food, transportation, academic materials, and personal expenses. Track your spending weekly to identify areas where you can cut costs.

KNUST gives admission information

Earlier, YEN.com.gh wrote about Students at KNUST who have received a fresh update regarding the academic calendar for 2025–2026.

In a statement, the institution gave information on the arrival date, orientation, and course registration.

The institution also gave information about when lectures would begin and when tests will be administered.

Source: YEN.com.gh

Dr George Domfeh is an Economist and Senior Lecturer at UG

Economist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr George Domfeh, has questioned the source of trading funds for the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod).

Speaking on Joy News in the wake of the reported $214 million Bank of Ghana (BoG) losses linked to GoldBod operations, Dr Domfeh expressed concern over the lack of clarity regarding GoldBod’s trading funds.

He stated that there are no official records, either in BoG books or in Parliament, indicating approval or the source of funds for Goldbod.

“Looking at the model, you promised to give GoldBod a revolving fund of around $201 million, but it stalled. You promised $4.5 billion in the budget, yet nothing was released!” Dr Domfeh said.

He added, “There is something in finance called quasi-fiscal operations—when budget spending vanishes from the budget but then appears as a central bank loss, or when spending approval bypasses Parliament and hits taxpayers.”

GoldBod has been in the news this week following a report by the IMF highlighting a $214 million loss by the Bank of Ghana, reportedly linked to GoldBod operations.

Both GoldBod and the BoG have issued statements downplaying the reported losses as inaccurate.

However, Dr Domfeh, on the same Joy News programme, accused GoldBod and the BoG of being disingenuous, insisting that the BoG was aware of the IMF report capturing the losses but did not raise any objection before it was released to the public.

Veteran statesman Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe has firmly opposed the proposal by the Constitution Review Committee (CRC) to extend presidential term limits, insisting that the current constitutional arrangement of two four-year terms is adequate and should remain unchanged.

In a statement issued on December 27, Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe said four years is sufficient time for a serious and well-prepared government to implement its policies and make a meaningful impact.

“On the matter of presidential tenure, I state without hesitation that there must be no extension of the current term limits. The existing arrangement of two four-year terms is sufficient and must remain unchanged,” he stated.

According to him, governance is a continuous process and political parties seeking office must be ready to govern effectively from their first day in power. He argued that claims that governments need more time to perform only open the door to inefficiency and corruption.

“Four years is adequate time for a serious and prepared government to make its mark. Governance is a continuum, and any responsible political party must be ready to govern from the first day in office. Arguments suggesting a need for additional time only create unnecessary opportunities for inefficiency and corruption,” he said.

Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe also stressed the importance of continuity in national development, calling on successive governments to complete ongoing projects rather than abandoning them to start new ones.

He described the abandonment of inherited projects as a major source of waste and corruption, adding that while continuity may not necessarily be entrenched in the Constitution, it must become a binding principle of responsible governance.

“The practice of abandoning ongoing projects in order to initiate new ones has become a major source of waste and corruption,” he noted.

Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe urged all stakeholders involved in the constitutional review process to act with integrity and a long-term vision for the country.

“I urge all stakeholders to approach this constitutional review process with honesty, courage, and a genuine commitment to the future of Ghana,” the statement, which he signed, concluded.

Look beyond GDP growth, focus on job creation – Bokpin tells gov’t

The serene Aburi Botanical Gardens played host to an electric atmosphere as hundreds of music lovers, families, and festival-goers gathered for the 2025 edition of the Joy FM Family Party in the Park.

Held annually on Boxing Day, December 26th, the event has become one of the biggest highlights of the festive season, and this year’s edition lived up to its reputation with an unforgettable blend of live music, entertainment, and family-friendly activities.

The event kicked off with a captivating live band performance by the Shakers Band, setting a lively tone for the day’s festivities.

Their high-energy tunes and infectious rhythms immediately got the crowd moving, drawing in festival-goers from all walks of life.

The band’s smooth fusion of Afrobeat and highlife kept the energy buzzing and served as the perfect prelude to the exciting day ahead.

As the event unfolded, the audience was treated to the smooth and soulful sounds of Kwan Pa Band, renowned for their mastery of palmwine music.

For many, the performance evoked a sense of nostalgia, as the group’s engaging music, laced with rich cultural rhythms, had the crowd swaying and clapping along.

Kwan Pa Band’s engaging presence on stage is what has made them a fan favourite, always leaving audiences asking for more.

Among the highlights of the festival was the appearance of highlife legend Kwabena Kwabena, who was marking 20 years in the music industry.

The crowd erupted with excitement as he graced the stage with his classic hits, including his latest remix of “Aso,” which has become one of the hottest songs in the country.

Kwabena Kwabena, widely regarded as a top act for parties and celebrations, delivered a memorable set filled with a diverse mix of songs, ensuring that there was something for everyone in the audience.

Adding to the star power, DopeNation, the dynamic music duo known for their energetic party anthems, electrified the stage with their fast-paced, crowd-pumping hits.

Tracks like Zormizor, Gbohe, Gboza, Naami, Thank God, and Zanku kept the energy levels soaring, making sure the dance floors stayed packed. The duo’s vibrant performance was a true reflection of their reputation as one of Ghana’s leading musical acts for youth-driven parties.

However, the family-friendly atmosphere of the event was what truly set the Joy FM Family Party in the Park apart from other music festivals.

Patrons enjoyed a wide array of traditional games, including sack races and dancing competitions, which brought out the competitive spirit in people of all ages.

There were also thrilling treasure hunts and cooking contests, with participants showcasing their culinary skills in a fun, relaxed setting.

For the younger attendees, there were plenty of activities to keep them entertained, including bouncing castles and face-painting stations.

Despite intermittent drizzles, the festive atmosphere at this year’s remained undiminished, as patrons continued to dance enthusiastically at the Aburi Botanical Gardens.

Although rainy spells at times dampened the ground, they did little to dampen spirits. Revellers embraced the weather, sheltering under umbrellas and canopies while continuing to enjoy the entertainment on offer.

Many danced and sang along to performances, demonstrating the resilient festive mood that has come to define the annual event.

Parents and children alike could be seen laughing, playing, and bonding over shared experiences that transcended generations.

The 2025 edition of the festival was powered by Ecobank and sponsored by a range of popular brands, including Gino, Frytrol, Jamaa Detergent Powder, M Ticket, Anomansa Beach Resort Elmina, and Doormaster. Their sponsorship helped ensure that the event was a smooth and enjoyable experience for all attendees.

Photo Credit: David Andoh & Judy Yayra Avanu

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.

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GoldBod. GoldBod. GoldBod.
This name keeps resurfacing for all the wrong reasons. Ghanaians were first invited to believe that this novel state-owned enterprise would work near-miracles for the cedi, Ghana’s reserves, and the gold value chain. Instead, what do we see? GoldBod has worsened the galamsey menace, and the IMF now confirms that it has generated financial losses of $214 million to the state. Beyond partisan ping-pong and performative defence, any serious citizen must be alarmed that this much-celebrated intervention has crossed the line from bold experimentation into institutional recklessness.

Is this part of the so-called “reset” scam sold to Ghanaians? A scandal of this magnitude demands accountability. The Governor of the Bank of Ghana must resign with immediate effect. If these figures reflect just nine months of operations under this so-called “galamsey board’s” operations, then one must ask—how much worse could the damage be by the time this NDC government leaves office in the next three years?

The losses are real. This is government-provided data—not conjecture, not opposition propaganda, and certainly not figures pulled out of thin air. Just as GoldBod is quick to claim credit for any positive forex-related development in the economy, these losses cannot be dismissed as “speculative.” For months, stakeholders demanded granular information on pricing, volumes, fees, and counterparties. That data was consistently withheld. Yet it somehow existed in sufficient detail to be submitted to the IMF. Now, the IMF has confirmed what concerned citizens have been saying all along.

If we are expected to distrust the IMF on these losses—despite the fact that it obtained its data directly from the government—then why should Ghanaians trust anything else the IMF reports, including claims that the economy is recovering? Should the positive assessments be discounted too? Transparency cannot be selective.

Anyone who follows the sequence of the NDC’s arguments will recognize the pattern. When facts become inconvenient, the response is often audacity masked as ignorance—clouding evidence to manufacture narratives that serve propaganda rather than truth.

True to its track record, the NDC government is now attempting to conceal these losses on the monetary side—burying them on the books of the Bank of Ghana so they can be treated as routine trading losses of the central bank. Ghanaians have seen this before. Prior to 2017, SOE debts were deliberately hidden off the central government’s books to understate public debt. Eventually, those liabilities crystallised—compounded by COVID—and the NPP government was forced to absorb them, contributing significantly to the depth of the DDEP.

GoldBod has now emerged as an SOE with a larger-than-average systemic fiscal risk, and the IMF is right to sound the alarm early, before it becomes another energy-sector-style catastrophe that Ghanaians will pay for over decades.

How GoldBod Operates
To understand the source of these losses, it is necessary to examine GoldBod’s operations:

When the Ghana Gold Board was established, it was intended to act as the sole buyer and exporter of gold from the small-scale mining sector, financed through a $279 million revolving fund announced in the 2025 Budget. That model has since collapsed. By September 2025, the budgeted funds had not been released. GoldBod now functions primarily as an intermediary—collecting funds for gold purchases on behalf of clients, including the Bank of Ghana, and earning income through service charges and assay fees.

In practice, this arrangement places the Bank of Ghana at the center of GoldBod’s financing. The central bank supports operations through two main channels:

1.⁠ ⁠By collecting cedis from commercial banks, forwarding them to GoldBod to purchase gold from small-scale miners, and later reclaiming the dollar proceeds to supply foreign exchange to the same banks.

2.⁠ ⁠By using high-powered money to purchase gold directly from GoldBod, which is either sold on the international market or refined into Ghana’s reserves.

The losses arise primarily from pricing distortions. GoldBod buys gold at international market prices—sometimes even at a premium to discourage smuggling—but sells unrefined gold at a discount to cover refining, transport, assay, and financing costs. In October 2025, for instance, the world price of gold averaged $4,054 per ounce, yet Ghana realised only $3,919 per ounce—a shortfall of about $135 per ounce, or 3%.

This outcome completely contradicts the original logic of the GoldBod model. Gold was supposed to be purchased at a discount so that fees and margins would cover costs. Buying at a premium and selling at a discount is mathematically indefensible. So, under the current structure, GoldBod collects profits while the Bank of Ghana absorbs both trading losses and balance-sheet risk.

Accountability Is Non-Negotiable: The BoG Governor Must Go!

At this point, accountability is no longer a matter of debate; it is an obligation. Hundreds of millions of dollars in losses have been absorbed by the Bank of Ghana, while GoldBod records profits from the very same transactions. This is not an accounting anomaly; it is a structural failure deliberately embedded in the programme’s design. And it has all happened under Governor Asiama’s watch.

When a state-backed intervention systematically transfers risk from a state-owned enterprise onto the central bank’s balance sheet, responsibility rests squarely with the Governor. Under Ghana’s legal and institutional framework, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana is not a ceremonial figure. He is the final custodian of the Bank’s balance sheet, the guardian of monetary credibility, and the ultimate authority over quasi-fiscal operations. He cannot plead ignorance, outsource blame, or distance himself from outcomes executed under his watch.

This is not a minor error of judgment. It is a sustained policy choice that has inflicted material losses on the state. In any serious jurisdiction, such a failure would trigger immediate resignation. Anything less sends a dangerous signal—that public institutions may gamble with national finances without consequence.

Resignation is therefore the minimum standard of institutional accountability.

Legal Scrutiny Is Inevitable — Mr Attorney-General, Silence Is Complicity

Beyond resignation lies a constitutional obligation for legal scrutiny.

The Attorney-General cannot avert his gaze. The IMF report—based on data supplied directly by the Bank of Ghana—confirms losses that are real, quantified, and avoidable. These are not market shocks or acts of God; they are the foreseeable outcome of a flawed pricing model and weak oversight. Where public officials authorize or tolerate arrangements that impose avoidable losses on the state, the law is not optional.

Quasi-fiscal operations that quietly bleed the central bank while insulating an SOE from risk raise fundamental questions of fiduciary duty, abuse of discretion, and financial mismanagement. The Constitution does not permit such losses to be waved away as technicalities. Nor does it allow accountability to be suspended for political convenience.

The Attorney-General must therefore investigate and prosecute those responsible. If this were about the habitual persecution of political opponents, we would by now have seen the familiar spectacle of hurried press conferences and hollow media theatrics. Yet he is quiet on this matter.

Silence, in this context, is not neutrality. It is complicity.

If the Attorney-General is serious about protecting the public purse, investigations must commence immediately, followed by prosecutions where the evidence leads. Ghana has paid too high a price for a culture in which officials deny obvious failures today, only to admit them years later when the damage is irreversible. This moment demands a clean break from that tradition.

The Time for Action is Now
Ghana cannot afford another round of polite denials or political theatrics. The facts are undeniable: the GoldBod programme has generated hundreds of millions in losses, borne by the state. The Governor of the Bank of Ghana cannot escape responsibility. Leadership that allows such a misalignment of risk and reward is institutionally reckless.

The Attorney-General also has no room for inaction. Where fiduciary duty has been breached or oversight neglected, the law must follow. Accountability is not a political gesture, it is the only mechanism to restore public confidence.

Beyond individuals, systemic reform is urgent. GoldBod’s model—buying at a premium, selling at a discount, and shifting the burden to the central bank—cannot continue. Seed capital without structural reform amplifies risk: losses will compound, capital will erode, and the state will bear the fallout again. Transparent pricing, rigorous internal controls, and clear fiscal responsibility are essential to prevent repeating SOE mistakes.

Ghana deserves economic management that is truthful, accountable, and sustainable. GoldBod may yet play a constructive role in the national gold value chain, but success requires honesty, transparency, and leadership willing to confront inconvenient truths and to be accountable to the people. The alternative is a financial and institutional crisis that Ghana cannot afford.

The choice is now stark: accept responsibility, submit to scrutiny, and reform—or compound the damage and drag the state deeper into another preventable crisis.

Officials of MTN Ghana’s Northern Business District distributed 70 fully loaded baby hampers to babies born on Christmas Day at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and the Kumasi Children’s Hospital on Friday, December 26, 2025.

The heart-warming gesture formed part of a massive nationwide outreach that saw 700 baby hampers distributed across Ghana.

Within the Northern Business District alone, a total of 310 hampers were presented, with 240 distributed in other regions outside Ashanti on the same day.

Moving from ward to ward, MTN officials personally handed over hampers packed with essential baby items, including diapers, detergents, baby oil, towels and other necessities, bringing smiles and visible relief to mothers who had just welcomed their newborns.

Speaking to the media, Mr. Obed Adu-Amankwaah, Area Sales Manager for the Ashanti, Bono and Bono East Regions, said the initiative is an annual MTN Ghana tradition designed to spread love to mothers and babies born on Christmas Day.

“Christmas is not just about merry-making,” he said. “It is a season of giving, sharing and showing love to one another.”

He emphasized that MTN Ghana remains committed to giving back to society, noting that the company believes in leading with love because “the people make us who we are.”

Grateful for the timely support, Mrs. Dorcas Asamoah Nyamekye, Nurse Manager at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, thanked MTN Ghana for standing with mothers during such a critical moment.

She appealed to the company to expand the initiative and urged other institutions to follow MTN’s example by extending support to patients in health facilities.

As carols faded and Christmas Day passed, MTN Ghana ensured that for many families, the true spirit of Christmas lived on, wrapped in care, compassion and a baby hamper full of hope.

By Michael Foli Jackidy 

Dzodze (V/R), Dec 24, GNA – The Ketu North National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has held its 2025 Stakeholders’ Engagement at the Ketu North Health Directorate to review the scheme’s performance and discuss strategies to strengthen healthcare delivery in the Municipality. 

The engagement, led by Mr Ignatius Amaglo, Ketu North NHIS Manager, brought together health professionals, traditional authorities, opinion leaders, and representatives of the Municipal Assembly. 

Reverend Martin Amenaki, Ketu North Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), commended the NHIS for its role in improving access to healthcare for residents, particularly the vulnerable.  

He described the meeting as timely and crucial for identifying challenges and finding practical, locally driven solutions. 

Rev Amenaki reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to collaborate with the Health Directorate, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), and the NHIS office to address challenges.  

He stressed that equitable access to quality and affordable healthcare remains a priority for the Assembly and government. 

Mr Amaglo, in his presentation, reviewed the NHIS performance over the past year, highlighting achievements and challenges such as funding constraints, client education gaps, and operational difficulties faced by service providers.  

He called for stronger stakeholder collaboration to ensure the scheme meets the health needs of the people. 

Discussions focused on service quality under NHIS, claims processing and management, access to healthcare facilities, and the scheme’s long-term sustainability.  

Stakeholders shared field experiences and proposed practical recommendations to improve service delivery, reduce delays in claims reimbursement, and enhance client satisfaction. 

The engagement concluded with a call on all stakeholders to intensify public education on NHIS, promote responsible service use, and support initiatives that enhance efficiency and sustainability for the benefit of all residents of Ketu North. 

GNA 

Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Lydia Kukua Asamoah 

Constitutional rights and policy strategy advisor Oliver Barker-Vormawor has called on President John Dramani Mahama to take an active role in steering Ghana’s constitutional reform process to ensure its success.

Speaking on Newsfile on JoyNews on Saturday, December 27, Barker-Vormawor said that for the constitutional review process to become a lasting legacy of the current administration, the President must personally supervise the implementation phase.

“I think if this is to be the President’s legacy, then it means that he must superintend the process more closely,” Barker-Vormawor said. “Showing all the right signals at this point is well and good, but the next point of carrying it across to the finish line is perhaps the most important aspect of all the processes.”

The Constitution Review Committee (CRC), chaired by Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, recently submitted its final report to President Mahama. The report contains recommendations aimed at strengthening Ghana’s democratic framework and governance institutions.

Barker-Vormawor noted that while the CRC’s work is a critical step, the real test lies in transforming its recommendations into policy and law. “I’m hoping that on 7th January, there will be an announcement from the presidency in terms of what the pathway forward is. Whether that looks like an implementation process, hopefully that retains some of the members of the existing committee…” he said.

He emphasised the importance of continuity and institutional memory, cautioning against forming an entirely new committee that could lack context. “When the CRC finishes, we need an implementation committee that builds on the work of the old one. Some of us had to spend months trying to hold them and give them a sense of why we are going in a particular direction,” Barker-Vormawor said.

Barker-Vormawor also called for a collaborative and inclusive approach, involving international partners and legal drafting experts to translate the recommendations into actionable legal provisions. “I hope there is a mixed process, with international partners on board in terms of a drafting committee that can translate these recommendations into drafting language, so we are able to see the process,” he added.

Highlighting the need for strong engagement from the Presidency and Parliament, he urged a clearly defined leadership structure to guide the reform process. “I hope the Presidency is involved, and we can know who is leading the process from the Presidency, to help engage Parliament in the way forward,” he said.

He further advocated for the creation of a parliamentary committee dedicated to studying the proposed constitutional changes, ensuring the process does not become mired in partisan politics. “I want Parliament itself to have a committee that studies and thinks about the way forward so that we don’t retreat into partisan echo-chambers. I genuinely believe that if Parliament sits together with this document, they will see that there is much more in it for them that liberates Parliament,” Barker-Vormawor said.

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.

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Dec – 27 – 2025 , 13:15

1 minute read

Thomas Nyarko Ampem, Deputy Minister for Finance

The Deputy Minister for Finance, Thomas Nyarko Ampem has commended the Board, Management and Staff of the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) PLC for turning the fortunes of the Bank and recording historical growth and performance.

He made the call when he opened the 6th Quadrennial Delegates Conference of the ADB Local Union of the Union of Industry, Commerce and Finance (UNICOF) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) recently held at Miklin in Accra.

The Deputy Minister commended ADB for recording a strong financial performance by posting a profit before tax of GH¢447.49 million in the 2025 third quarter, representing a 154 percent increase over the same period in 2024.

He attributed the Bank’s growing balance sheet position, operational efficiency, and renewed public confidence to the dedication, professionalism, and commitment of its Board, Management and Staff.

“The strong financial performance ADB recorded doesn’t happen by chance but as a result of discipline, professionalism, and collaboration between management and staff of the Bank,” Nyarko Ampem stated.

He urged management, the union, and the entire staff of ADB to continue to engage constructively and work together, at all times, to create a sustainable bank that will be admired globally for its people, processes, and performance.

“I urge you all to work hard to help achieve the vision of the Bank, thus being among the top three (3) performing banks in Ghana,” he said.

He reiterated government support for ADB to achieve its strategic vision.

Nyarko Ampem said that 2025 marked a turning point for Ghana’s economy, citing easing inflation, improved cedi stability, ongoing fiscal consolidation, and a gradual return of investor confidence.

He noted that these gains had been achieved through difficult reforms and the resilience of workers across all sectors of the economy, including the banking industry.

According to him, macroeconomic stability should lead to stronger institutions, while stronger institutions must invest in their workforce to sustain growth, describing the relationship as essential to building resilient and competitive organisations.

Earlier, the Managing Director of ADB, Edward Ato Sarpong, reaffirmed Management’s commitment to staff engagement and dialogue, outlining the Bank’s transformation agenda under Project 135, which he said was aimed at improving performance, strengthening operational efficiency and repositioning ADB as a competitive and people-centred institution under its Beyond Banking identity.

“As part of the strategic direction, our beloved Bank will continue to introduce innovative products and services, expand its digital channels and open more branches to enhance convenience and bring banking closer to everyone,” the ADB MD said.

“Our hallmark is service excellence and we are taking the necessary steps to ensure service experience that delights our valued customers across all our channels,” he added.

He reiterated the unwavering commitment of management to staff welfare, whilst ensuring a strong and sustainable Bank for everyone.

The delegates conference was attended by top officials and staff of the Bank, union executives and other invited guests. New union executives were subsequently elected to steer the affairs of the local union.

A newly released International Monetary Fund (IMF) report says Ghana’s economic stability is highly sensitive to fluctuations in global gold prices.

The analysis underscores that the country’s macroeconomic outlook is particularly vulnerable to changes in gold prices and the resulting exchange rate movements, given that gold is Ghana’s largest export and main source of foreign exchange.

The IMF’s detailed Risk Assessment Matrix revealed a landscape where external shocks and domestic vulnerabilities intersect.

A specific adverse scenario analysis suggests that a potential drop in gold prices of about 30 percent by end-2026, bringing prices down to around US$2,820 per ounce, would significantly reduce gold exports, weaken foreign exchange inflows, and put pressure on the cedi and reserve adequacy.

IMF staff estimated that foreign exchange reserve coverage in 2026 could decline by 1.1 months of imports compared to the baseline scenario.

This decline would also weaken the Bank of Ghana’s balance sheet due to the large share of its foreign exchange reserves held in gold assets.

The Fund warned that intensifying geopolitical tensions, escalating global trade measures, and heightened commodity price volatility could trigger sharp price swings, reignite inflation, and severely hamper growth by eroding investor confidence.

It also noted that financial market volatility in major economies poses a high risk, potentially worsening the domestic impact of Ghana’s recent debt restructuring on the banking sector and impairing banks’ ability to lend.

The IMF further flagged critical domestic risks.

It noted that delays in concluding debt restructuring negotiations are a high-impact risk that could further deplete reserves, trigger sharp cedi depreciation, and fuel inflation.

The Fund added that domestic fiscal slippages from the agreed path under the US$3 billion Extended Credit Facility (ECF) programme carry a high likelihood and could widen budget deficits, undermine debt sustainability, and place severe pressure on the exchange rate.

The Bretton Woods institution also warned that rising social discontent, driven by the high cost of living, presents a medium-term threat that could slow the pace of critical reforms.

To navigate these multifaceted risks, the IMF outlined a comprehensive policy response.

It urged the Bank of Ghana to strengthen foreign exchange reserve buffers and allow greater exchange rate flexibility, while ensuring orderly market conditions.

The IMF also advised the central bank to hedge its reserve assets against market risks, including exposure to fluctuations in gold prices.

In addition, it recommended that Ghana deepen structural reforms to boost domestic production, diversify the economy, and improve the business environment in order to reduce import dependency.