The Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC) will require about four billion dollars to expand its operations in bauxite mining, aluminium smelting, as well as refining alumina in the country.

Mr Reindorf Twumasi Ankrah, the Chief Executive Officer of GIADEC, made this known in a media interview when Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, paid a working visit to the company in Accra on Thursday.

Mr Ankrah said, for instance, the Company needed $800 million to expand the operations of VALCO, $1.5 billion for railway and ports expansion and $250 million for mining of bauxite.

The CEO of GIADEC said that although some investors had expressed a desire to invest in the aluminum value chain, they are yet to make a firm commitment to put money into it.

He was of the belief that investment in GIADEC’s operations would be a game-changer towards enhancing the aluminum downstream businesses.

Mr Ankrah stated that Ghana’s bauxite ore was of high quality and investing into its exploration and mining would bolster the country’s economy and create job opportunities for the Ghanaian youth.

Earlier, Mr Buah, the sector minister, engaged the management and staff of GIADEC and shared President John Mahama’s vision to reset the nation and industrialise through the aluminum industry.

He believed that expanding the aluminum industry required a multi-sectoral approach involving the transport and energy ministries to improve the supply of electricity, fuel, and gas to power the factories.

The Ghana Integrated Aluminum Development Corporation was established through an Act of Parliament, 2018 (Act 976) to promote and develop a globally competitive integrated aluminum industry in Ghana.

GIADEC is the holding company for all government investments and interests in their integrated aluminum industry.

The companies under GIADEC are VALCO and Ghana Bauxite Company, and the mining rights to Ghana’s bauxite reserves.

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The Trump administration has granted tariff exclusions for smartphones, computers and other electronics imports supplied largely by China, sparing them from much of President Donald Trump’s steep 125% duties.

In a notice to shippers, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency published a list of tariff codes that will be excluded from the duties. The exclusions are retroactive to 12:01 a.m. on April 5.

The U.S. CBP listed 20 product categories, including the very broad 8471 code for all computers, laptops, disc drives and automatic data processing. It also included semiconductor devices, equipment, memory chips and flat panel displays.

The notice did not provide an explanation for the Trump administration’s move, but the late-night exclusion provides welcome relief to major U.S. technology firms, including Apple (AAPL.O), Dell Technologies and countless other importers.

White House officials did not immediately reply to a request for comment on why the latest tariff exemptions had been made.

But the exemptions suggest an increasing awareness within the Trump administration of the pain that his tariffs had in store for consumers, especially on popular products such as smartphones, laptops and other electronics.

Trump ran for re-election last year largely on a promise to bring down prices that, fueled by inflation from the pandemic and Russia’s war in Ukraine, had rocketed and tarnished the economic reputation of President Joe Biden and his Democratic allies.

But Trump also promised as a candidate to impose the tariffs that have become a central part of his economic agenda, and the president has dismissed the turbulence in financial markets and expected price increases arising from the levies as a disturbance that was a necessary part of realigning the global economy and world trading order with his vision.

His so-called “reciprocal tariffs”, however, raised fears of a U.S. recession and drew criticism from his fellow Republicans, who do not want to lose control of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate in next year’s midterm elections to Democrats, who have sharply attacked Trump’s policies.

Trump, who is spending the weekend at his residence in Florida, told reporters on Friday he was comfortable with the high tariffs on China but respected President Xi Jinping and believed something good would come out of the trade conflict between them.

Source: Reuters

The Otumfuo Commemorative Gold Coin Initiative has called on politicians to depoliticize the Bawku conflict and allow the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to mediate a resolution using his proven wisdom.

The statement therefore urged the feuding factions to lay down their arms and support the Asantehene’sutions to peacebuilding and national development, noted that the acclaimed wisdom that Otumfuo used to resolve the Dagbon conflict over 17 years and involving over 1,000 mediation sessions would bring peace to Bawku.

Pillar of Peace

Hailed as a “Pillar of Peace”, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II will require the full cooperation of all parties involved to achieve lasting reconciliation.

The statement therefore urged the feuding factions to lay down their arms and support the Asantehene’s efforts.

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.

Cocoa is one of Ghana’s largest exports

The President of the Association of Ghana Industries, Dr Humphrey Ayim-Darke, has bemoaned the probable risks associated with the 10% tariff imposed by the US in relation to Ghana’s cocoa exports.

According to him, a chunk of Ghana’s revenue is derived from cocoa; therefore, a hit could be a challenge.

He said the government must account for the deep interconnections between cocoa exports, import-based revenue, and Ghana’s overall fiscal health.

“If you look into the domestic revenue mobilisation, about 50 plus percent — just about 50 — comes from the ports, and these are largely imports. And then from export as well, which includes cocoa. Unfortunately, we know we had a cocoa drop by virtue of the events of the galamsey and the cocoa export,” he was quoted to have said by myjoyonline.com.

If government revenue should take a hit by external factors, he said; “It has a ripple effect on the macro… If you’re not getting enough domestic build, you slap more monetary policies on us.

“It will trigger the policy rate, lending rates. The cycle continues, and it has a consequential effect on the US Dollar as well, which is our medium of trading.”

While Ghana has been slapped with a 10% tariff by the US, its neighboring country, Cote d’Ivoire, has been slapped with 14%.

The AGI president said this calls for a collaboration between the two countries to secure their cocoa exports.

“We are also concerned about the disparity between the tariff on Ghana and Ivory Coast, where we are together seeking to harmonise our total cocoa export and the benefits to the farmers. Today, you are happy, but the next time, it will all catch up with you. You cannot look at this in isolation… We need to be concerned with looking at the macro picture and the micro picture,” he said.

Dr Ayim-Darke also lamented the effects of US inflation on inward remittances.

“Remittances have become part of our inflows. If the inflationary rate hits the U.S. by virtue of the tariffs and chocolate prices going up, and the consumers’ disposable income is reduced, how much remittance will come to your family? That will affect government, too,” he added.

SSD/AE

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The group gathered outside Marlborough House in London’s Pall Mall

In July 1965, a group of sharply-dressed protesters, many holding placards,gathered outside Marlborough House in London’s Pall Mall during the Commonwealth Prime Ministers Conference.

Their target; Ghana’s then president, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, who was once hailed as a hero of African independence before being accused of betraying democracy.

A black-and-white photograph shared on YouTube by Nigerian lawyer, Adeyinka Makinde captures the tense moment, with the demonstrators, dressed in suits, raising signs that read “Ghana is a Prison” and “Free the Judges.”

What Sparked the Protest?

Barely a year after assuming office, Dr Nkrumah, Ghana’s first post-independence leader, was accused of increasingly centralising power and silencing dissent through the Preventative Detention Act (1958), which allowed imprisonment without trial.

By 1964, Ghana became a one-party state after a heavily controlled referendum. The final straw for many was Nkrumah’s dismissal of Chief Justice Sir Arku Korsah in 1963 after he acquitted three opposition figures in a treason trial.

Judges who resisted political interference were removed, and universities faced censorship.

Exiled opponents, including former ministers, helped organise several protests in London to pressure Commonwealth leaders to isolate Nkrumah.

The Aftermath

Just eight months after that protest, in February 1966, Nkrumah was overthrown in a CIA-backed coup while visiting Vietnam. Ghana’s new military junta cited his autocratic rule as justification.

Though Nkrumah remained a Pan-African icon, his later years were marked by exile and disillusionment. Dr

Nkrumah died on April 27, 1972, in Bucharest, Romania, after a prolonged illness. He was 62 years old. Nkrumah had been in exile in Guinea following his overthrow in 1966.

Meanwhile, catch up on the concluding part of the story of Fort William, where children were sold in exchange for kitchenware, others, below:

ID/AE

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Apr – 12 – 2025 , 16:37

2 minutes read

Member of Parliament for Tano North, Dr Gideon Boako

Member of Parliament for Tano North, Dr Gideon Boako, has condemned the decision of the government to increase utilities.

He has questioned where the reduced cost of living they promised the Ghanaian people is if, after three months in government, they are increasing utilities.

In a post shared via social media, Dr Gideon Boako could not fathom why the NDC in power will continue to make the lives of Ghanaians bitter with increased utilities but poor services.

His post chronicled the increases of utilities between the two leading political parties drawing the attention of Ghanaians to the fact that the NPP manages the sector well and do not increase utilities as compared to the NDC.

His post read “The data I am sharing below depicts increases/reduction in electricity tariffs under the NDC (from 2009 to 2016) and NPP (from 2017 to 2024). It is instructive to note that both political regimes experienced IMF programmes in their first and second terms.

Under NDC

* 2009 – nill

* 2010 – 89% increase

* 2011 – 10% increase

* 2012 – 7.42% increase

* 2013 – 58.9% increase

* 2014 – 28.35% increase

* 2015 – 90.93% increase

* 2016 – 10% increase

Under NPP

* 2017 – nill

* 2018 – 17.5% reduction

* 2019 – 17.46% increase

* 2020 – nill

* 2021 – nill

* 2022 – nill

* 2023 – 51.02% increase

* 2024 – 6.47% increase

The NDC from 2009 to 2016 did a cumulative percentage increase in electricity tariffs of 294.6%, which translates into an average increase in electricity tariffs of 36.8% over their 8 years period in government

The NPP, on the other hand, did a cumulative percentage increase in electricity tariffs of 57.45% and an average of 7.2%.

While under the NDC, electricity tariffs were increased astronomically, Ghanaians at the same time were living in dumsor.

Under the Nana Addo-Bawumia government, electricity tariffs saw minimal increase with corresponding steady and reliable supply of electricity power.

Today, the government of the NDC that promised to reduce the cost of living for Ghanaians has, in their first four months in office, increased electricity tariffs by 14.75%. Coming events, they say, cast their own shadows.

And, hey! Let this not be blamed on any IMF programme because the data above shows that under the same IMF programmes, the NPP managed the electricity tariffs better.

Accra, April 12, GNA- Qatar Charity, an International non-governmental organization in Ghana, has commissioned a Centralized borehole water system at Sanalirigu in Tamale in the Northern Region.
The borehole uses solar panel Energy to power reservoirs to produce clean drinking water for residents.

The project was powered with some sustainable climate resilient solar panels and pumps which are sustainable, pilot, and unique to that effect, offering the Qatar Charity their largest ever water solutions model project in Ghana.

The programmes Manager of Qatar Charity, Mr. Abdullah Muslem said the method adopted in the project design was cost effective, environmentally friendly, and implemented to fulfil the needs of clean drinking water for the residents of the area as it operated with sunlight in the day and filled the reservoir tanks to provide a means of water storage for use during the night.

The demonstrated the engineering of the project where two boreholes were dugout to complement each other in case of low or dry water, and allowing two solar pumps to pump the two boreholes water to three water storage tanks installed on the stand with the capacity of 5000 litre each tank (15000) Whereas a main tank was installed on ground with the capacity of 10000 litre.

The total water storage is 350000 liters at main project site. There are 14 main water storage points/tanks, installed at four different locations along with 3 tap stands for easy access to water near to the doorsteps.
All the water points across the area have been connected to the centralized reservoirs.

Mr. Muslim highlighted on the significance of the role and responsibilities of the residents of the Sagnarigu community for purposes of development of the area, and for sustainability of the project.
He saidQatar Charity’s role was to provide clean drinking water, whereas the people, after the implementation, had the ultimate responsibility to ensure its safety, operation, and maintenance.

The main objective for the implementation of the project was to provide a clean and safe drinking water to more than 10000 men, women, and children of the villages through a network of pipelines and fixed storing reservoirs/tanks at various central points along with installation of group taps for easy access to all.
According to the people of Sagnarigu, the project had been the first and best ever water intervention that the village has witnessed so far:

“This project is one of its kind in our village that we have witnessed. We are very thankful for QATAR CHARITY in this regard, and we hope that they will continue to work for our community in future,” the constituency communication officer, Abdullah Muhammed Amin added.

The chief of the area, Mr. Yakubu Abdulai, expressed his feelings of gratitude to QATAR CHARITY during the opening ceremony.
He said the lack of access to clean drinking water was a big issue for the entirearea , which had been resolved by QC.

He acknowledged, with gratitude to Qatar Charity, the fact that the project will forever serve as a lasting blessing for the residents of Sagnarigu, contributing to the promotion of health and well-being for the entire community.

“The efficient solar-powered water distribution system represents a positive step towards improving living conditions and enhancing development prospects in this remote village of the northern region, ” the Chief added.
GNA
GRB

Former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, has called for a complete overhaul of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) leadership following the party’s defeat in the 2024 general elections.

Speaking in an interview on Nhyira FM in Kumasi, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng described the current leadership as ineffective and accused them of contributing to what he termed a “shameful” and “unprecedented” electoral loss.

“All the executives must resign for leading the party to an unprecedented defeat. If the demons in the NPP are not removed from their leadership positions, the party will continue to suffer,” he stated.

The renowned heart surgeon, who previously served under the Akufo-Addo administration, emphasized that the removal of “bad elements” within the party is critical to restoring trust and dignity among the party’s grassroots base and the general public.

Prof. Frimpong-Boateng also took aim at former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, criticizing his leadership style and describing him as “unreceptive and close-minded.”

His remarks come at a time when the NPP is grappling with internal divisions and facing calls for reform in the wake of the 2024 electoral outcome, which saw a significant drop in the party’s parliamentary representation and loss of the presidency.

E/R: Joint Police-Military team arrests seven galamseyers

…..

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Government revoked some small scale mining licenses

The Ghana National Association of Rock Miners (GNARoM) has appealed to the Government to reconsider its decision to halt the issuance of prospecting licences for small-scale mining in the country.

Rather, it urged the government to address the bureaucratic system associated with acquiring such licenses to mitigate the illegal prospecting and its related activities.

The government, early this week, said it was considering halting the issuance of prospecting licences for small-scale mining as part of measures to overhaul the mining sector and curb illegal mining, also known as “galamsey.”

Addressing a news conference in Accra, Dr Twum Barimah, President, GNARoM, said such a decision would create “deep confusion” within the mining sector.

He dispelled claims that the issuance of prospecting licences for small-scale mining was the major cause of “galamsey.”

According to him, the reason for the rise in the illegal mining activity was the hijacking of the small-scale mining by some political figures, adding that such persons circumvented the mining laws to their advantage.

“When we were young guys, when I was about 15, we went into mines, and there was a scatter. The government brought a system where soldiers would come to the site, chasing people. Some fell into the pit, some of the soldiers got injured, and the Police died from that incident.

“So, promulgation of the mining law stopped that system, and the small-scale mining law was introduced. It helped us to a certain level; we formed a small-scale mining association, which also brought it to a certain level,” Dr Barimah said.

He added that: “Now, you know the reason why illegal mining has come out so much? It is because the land, which was demarcated for small-scale mining activity has finished, and some government comes in, changing the rules, but not the law.

“They are not changing the law, they adopted some rules to hijack small-scale mining activities. So, government stopping giving licences or signing licences will lead to a very deep confusion,” he stressed.

Additionally, Dr Barimah indicated that the delay in acquiring these licenses was also a major contributory factor to the galamsey activities and urged the government to address it.

“We are also having a problem where an application will be put to the Mineral Commission, and it will take years for us to get the licence. It will lead the person to go into illegality,” he said.

He expressed GNARoM’s commitment to responsible, environmentally friendly, and sustainable mining, indicating that about 90-95 per cent of its operations occurred underground, limiting destruction of the environment.

Dr Barimah also lauded the establishment of the Goldbod, which seeks to regulate the gold industry, stabilise the cedi, and maximise revenue from gold exports.

He described the Goldbod as a “game-changer” for the Ghanaian economy and pledged the Association’s support to the board to realise its objectives.

“We believe that hard rock mining holds the key to Ghana’s economic growth and development, and we are eager to collaborate with the Ghana Goldbod to make this vision a reality,” he said.

Dr Barimah also pledged the Association’s readiness to collaborate with the Goldbod and other relevant statutory bodies to restore and promote sustainable mining practices in the country.

Eric Offei, Legal Adviser for GNARoM, said as an Association, it was committed to ensuring that its members operated within the established legal framework to ensure sustainable and environmentally friendly mining.

“Operations of mining companies in Ghana cannot be for the fun of it. It must be done within the remit of the law,” he said.

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The taskforce set up by the Eastern Regional Security Council to clamp down on illegal mining has apprehended eight illegal miners and impounded dozens of mining equipment in the Denkyembuor,Atiwa West, Fanteakwa and Ayensuano districts.

The operation was carried out on Friday by the taskforce made up joint police/ military officers from the Eastern regional police command and the Southern Command respectively.

The items confiscated include 24 excavator batteries, 16 pumping machines, a chainsaw,
3 monitors, 5 control boards, 3 single-barrelled guns, 2 pump-action rifles, cartridges and cash amounting to GHȼ3,000.

Addressing the media after what she describes as a successful exercise , the regional minister, Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, emphasised President John Mahama’s commitment to the fight against illegal mining.

“For the past days, we have been combing the Eastern region with our military and police to make sure the mandate by the president is obeyed.”

“If you go around, our waters are so bad, the environment is destroyed, pits are uncovered, our forest is being destroyed. It is a hazard to our nation and the region, so for the few days our men have been on the ground and here you are with several excavators that have been seized from them,” she observed.

According to her, it is as a result of government’s decision to ensure that there is access to clean raw water for the Ghana Water Company Limited to supply for domestic use.

“For the past days, we’ve been to our service providers especially water works because we don’t have clean water and it’s become a problem for us in our communities.”

We are telling the people that the men are on the ground, they’re not leaving anytime soon until we stop the illegal mining and the environment is cleared,” she assured.

She further assured the public that none of the seized equipment would be released to their owners, stating that the suspects will be put before the law courts.

“They’re not disappearing because it is the excavators that are used to destroy the environment and anytime we leave it for the people, they are going back into the forest, we’re keeping it until the president directs us what we should do with it.”

“We’re leaving them to the laws to take its own course, so whatever the law says about what they’ve done, we leave it to them,” she explained.

Unlike previous governments that resorted to the burning of excavators as a solution to illegal mining, the regional minister said “We have said that our government will not burn any excavator but if the orders come that we should use it to work in the region, we can use it.”

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Rev John Ntim Fordjour has been at the center of the flights claims

In the wake of a controversial claim made by Assin South MP and Ranking Member of Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, Rev John Ntim Fordjour, a retired military officer and security analyst, Col Festus Aboagye (Rtd), has called on the lawmaker to back his statements with concrete evidence.

Rev. Fordjour alleged that two aircraft had landed in Ghana under suspicious circumstances—sparking public discourse and raising concerns about national security. However, Col Aboagye believes the matter requires more than vague assertions, especially coming from a legislator entrusted with such a sensitive portfolio.

Speaking during an interview on TV3’s The KeyPoints, Col Aboagye questioned the manner in which the MP chose to share the information.

“The honourable MP, Ranking Member, Defence and Security portfolio, is not an ordinary person on the street. If there is credible threat to the security of this country, I don’t expect anybody of his calibre and stature to go to the media and inform them.

“The first elements that you want to get in touch with are the security structures of the state — a whole plethora of them, including that portfolio committee of Parliament,” he said.

According to Col Aboagye, the MP’s claims raise even more questions, especially since Rev. Fordjour does not work directly at the Kotoka International Airport, where the alleged incident took place. He called for clarity on the source of the information.

“We know that Rev Ntim Fordjour does not work at the Kotoka International Airport, so somebody would have informed him about the goings on. I am asking him today, through this portal, who informed him? Was it one of the security elements — BNI/NIB or was it an external agent? Maybe a member of the diplomatic community. Who gave him that information?”

He added that the lawmaker needed to move beyond insinuations and provide specifics on the intelligence he supposedly received.

“He needs to give us better particulars of the intelligence and so far, he has been hedging. Indeed, in several instances he seems to suggest that the state agencies must come and brief him as a member of the portfolio committee. What is the intelligence? What exactly was he told?”

Smartphones exempt from latest US tariffs

US President Donald Trump’s administration has exempted smartphones and computers from reciprocal tariffs, including the 125% levies imposed on Chinese imports.

US Customs and Border Patrol published a notice late on Friday explaining that the goods would be excluded from Trump’s 10% global tariff on most countries and the much larger Chinese import tax.

The move comes after concerns from US tech companies that the price of gadgets could skyrocket, as many of them are made in China.

The exemptions also include other electronic devices and components, including semiconductors, solar cells and memory cards.

The US is a major market for iPhones, while Apple accounted for more than half of its smartphones sales last year, according to Counterpoint Research.

It says as much as 80% of Apple’s iPhones intended for US sale are made in China, with the remaining 20% made in India.

Along with fellow smartphone giants such as Samsung, Apple has been trying to diversify its supply chains to avoid over-reliance on China in recent years.

India and Vietnam emerged as frontrunners for additional manufacturing hubs.

As tariffs took effect, Apple reportedly looked to speed up and increase its production of India-produced devices in recent days.

Trump had planned a host of steep tariffs on countries around the world set to go into effect this week.

But on Wednesday, he quickly reversed course, announcing that he would implement a 90-day pause for countries hit by higher US tariffs – except China – whose tariffs he raised to 145%. Trump said the Chinese tariff increase was because of the country’s readiness to retaliate with its own 84% levy on US goods.

In a dramatic change of policy, Trump said all countries that had not retaliated against US tariffs would receive a reprieve – and only face a blanket US tariff of 10% – until July.

The White House said the move was a negotiating tactic to extract more favourable trade terms from other countries.

Trump has said his import taxes will address unfairness in the global trading system, as well as bring jobs and factories back to American shores.

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Sir Elton John says he is “blown away” after scoring the 10th UK number one album of his career.

Who Believes In Angels?, a collaboration with US country star Brandi Carlile, has topped the charts 52 years after the star’s first number one.

“It seems quite extraordinary that my career has gone on so long,” Sir Elton told the BBC.

“It always feels good to top a chart, no matter where it is. And with this album, I’m especially thrilled because I think it’s the finest album I’ve done for a long time.

Written and recorded over three weeks in late 2023, Who Believes In Angels? has received rave reviews from critics, who have called it “a gutsy, flamboyant tearjerker” and a “late-career high”.

But the album had a difficult gestation, which was captured in a warts-and-all documentary posted on YouTube.

Sir Elton was seen slamming down his headphones, shouting at his collaborators, ripping up song lyrics and threatening to quit.

‘Bad behaviour moments’

The star was “nervous” and “irritable”, partly because he was recovering from a hip replacement, he said, but also because he was working in a new way – writing live in the studio with Carlile, producer Andrew Watt and long-term lyricist Bernie Taupin.

“It was an enormous challenge, getting those four people together,” he told the BBC. “And the challenge really was at my feet.

“I was very nervous [because] I wanted the album to stand a certain way, but you can’t always guarantee it will.

“I think my nerves and my insecurities and my doubt led to a few bad behaviour moments, which was just about frustrations within myself.”

Once they had recorded the opening track, The Rose of Laura Nyro, “everything fell into place”, Sir Elton said.

“In two and a half weeks, we recorded 14 songs and finished them.”

The album’s release was delayed last year after an eye infection left the star with vision difficulties. Last week, he told the Times he could no longer watch his sons playing rugby.

With the album finally released, there has been particular praise for the single Swing For The Fences, which Carlile conceived as rallying call for the LGBTQ community.

 “I’m a gay woman, Elton’s a gay man and we both have families, and our dreams have come true,” she told the NME.

“I was thinking, wouldn’t it be cool to write an anthem for young gay kids out there that calls them into a bigger, more elegant, more fabulous life? Just like, ‘Go, go! Don’t let anything hold you back!'”

“It’s a tough time out there for LGBTQ+ people,” Sir Elton told BBC News.

“At the moment when Brandi wrote this lyric, she wanted to say, ‘Listen, fight for yourself. Be proud of yourself who you are, never be ashamed of who you are, and you will win through.'”

In the UK, the album sold more than 15,000 copies in its first two days and was the week’s best-seller on vinyl.

Sir Elton has now drawn level with Abba, Queen, Kylie Minogue and Michael Jackson on the list of artists with the most UK number one albums.

The Beatles and Robbie Williams share the top spot, with 15 number ones apiece.

Elton John’s UK number one albums

Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player (1973)

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)

Caribou (1974)

Elton John’s Greatest Hits (1974)

Sleeping With The Past (1989)

The Very Best Of Elton John (1990)

Good Morning To The Night (with Pnau) (2012)

Diamonds (2017)

The Lockdown Sessions (2021)

Who Believes In Angels? (2025)

The other new entry in this week’s Top 10 came from Cambridge indie band Black Country, New Road, whose third album Forever Howlong debuted at number three.

The band’s first release since the departure of frontman Isaac Wood, it trades itchy, off-centre guitar riffs for a more soothing, baroque-pop sound, with lyrics that focus on friendship and camaraderie.

It was the week’s biggest-seller in independent record shops, according to the Official Charts Company.

In the singles chart, Alex Warren’s Ordinary remained in pole position for a fourth week, with Chappell Roan’s Pink Pony Club at number two.

Ed Sheeran had the highest new entry at number three with his comeback single Azizam.

The Persian-flavoured track is the star’s 42nd Top 10 hit in the UK – but it’s the first time since the start of his career that the lead single from an album has failed to enter the chart number one.

By Dennis Peprah

Sunyani, (Bono), April 12, GNA – Mr William Owusu, the General Secretary of the Council for Bono and Ahafo Citizens in North America (COBAABA) has paid courtesy on the Bono Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Addae Akwaboah. 

Mr Owusu, popularly known as ‘Osika,’ was accompanied by Mr Ransford Antwi, a member of the Council and Mr Peter Boateng, a development advocate, and the Chief Executive Officer of the INNORIGTHS. 

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani after the visit, Mr Antwi, also the Chief Executive Officer of the Suncity Group of Companies said the meeting centered on development challenges and some emerging issues in the region and in Sunyani, the regional capital. 

“The Regional Minister welcomes us with excitement, and we also discuss the COBAANA Annual Convention to be held in Denver, Colorado in the USA,” he stated, saying the event was scheduled for August 29 to August 31, 2025. 

GNA 

DEN/LAA 

Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, the Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, will lead a delegation of government officials and top Ghanaian real estate stakeholders to the Canada edition of the Diaspora Property Expo (DPE 2025), scheduled for 24–25 May at the Delta Hotels Toronto Airport & Conference Centre in Toronto.

The Diaspora Property Expo (DPE) is one of Africa’s biggest real estate exhibitions, designed for Africans in the diaspora to explore property ownership and investment opportunities back home.

With the spotlight on Ghana for the 2025 edition, the United States segment was successfully held at 1735 Market Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from 21–23 March.

DPE 2025 Canada was launched on 28 March at the Ghana Consulate in Toronto. In a speech, Consul General Peter Kobina Taylor emphasised the critical role of the diaspora in Ghana’s development. He underscored the importance of investment from Ghanaians abroad to drive the country’s economic growth, particularly within the real estate market.

Various speakers also highlighted the expo’s mission to strengthen ties between Ghana and the Canadian diaspora while promoting sustainable and community-driven developments in Ghana.

All is now set for the main event, which will feature conferences, panel discussions, cultural showcases, and first-rate presentations from leaders in Ghana’s real estate space, state officials, and other stakeholders—all sharing valuable insights into how to make meaningful progress in Ghana’s real estate landscape.

According to Mr Verus Nartey, Executive Director of Diaspora Property Investment Ltd, the Toronto event will offer lively networking sessions where attendees will have the chance to engage with top developers, financial institutions, fellow investors, government officials, and other stakeholders from both Ghana and Canada.

In a message to attendees at the launch, Minister Kenneth Gilbert Adjei stated that Ghana’s real estate landscape is still evolving and that it recognises the diaspora as a key partner in shaping its future.

“Through initiatives like DPE 2025, we are building a bridge that connects the diaspora with verified, credible, and strategic property investment opportunities in Ghana. We invite our brothers and sisters in Canada to take advantage of this platform, and let’s work together to build not just homes, but a legacy of prosperity for generations to come,” the Minister stated.

The Minister was present in Philadelphia for the United States leg of DPE 2025 and will lead the Ghanaian delegation to the Canada edition.

The Chief Director of the Ministry, Rev. Yaw Osei, and the President of the Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA), Dr James Orleans Lindsay, will also be present at the Canadian event at the Delta Hotels Toronto Airport & Conference Centre, located at 655 Dixon Rd, Etobicoke, Toronto.

Organisers of DPE 2025 Canada include Diaspora Property Investment Ltd, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Aim 2 Impact, Made in Ghana Consulting Ltd, Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA), the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources, the Ghana High Commission in Ottawa, the Ghana Consulate in Toronto, and other partners.

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Cedi sells at GH¢18.00 at some forex bureaus

For the first time in 2025, the Euro is currently selling at GH¢18.00 at some forex bureaus.

The cedi has been fairly stable in the last few weeks, even though there are currently trade tensions in the US.

The Central Bank, in its closing rates on April 11, 2024, noted that the cedi was trading at a buying price of GH¢15.51 and a selling price of GH¢15.53 to a dollar.

The British pound is being bought at GH¢20.06 and sold at GH¢20.08, while the euro traded at a buying price of GH¢17.35 and a selling price of GH¢17.37.

Checks by GhanaWeb Business on Cedirates on April 12, 2025, at 02:00 PM indicate that the cedi is trading at GH¢16.05 to the dollar, while the pound is trading at GH¢20.90 at some major forex bureaus across the country.

Additionally, the euro is trading at GH¢18.00 on the retail market.

In essence, to change 100 euros today, one may need GH¢1800.

SSD/AE

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