The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has announced the appointment of Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Manso Opuni as its new Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective Monday, July 14, 2025.

Prof. Opuni takes over from Dr. Delese Mimi Darko, who has served as CEO since 2017. Dr. Darko was recently appointed as the Director General of the Africa Medicines Agency (AMA), marking a significant milestone in her distinguished career in public health leadership.

Prior to his new role, Prof. Opuni served as the Board Chairman of the FDA, bringing with him extensive experience in public health policy, regulatory oversight, and institutional governance.

In a statement, the FDA extended its warmest congratulations to Prof. Opuni and expressed confidence in his ability to lead the Authority in fulfilling its mandate of safeguarding public health and safety.

Prof. Opuni’s appointment comes at a time when the Authority is focused on strengthening regulatory systems, enhancing consumer protection, and ensuring the safety and efficacy of food, drugs, and other regulated products in Ghana.

Algeria secured a vital point in a goalless draw against Nigeria to reach the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) for the first time in their history.

The tightly contested encounter at Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca saw Nigeria dominate possession and create the bulk of the chances, but Algeria’s defensive organisation and goalkeeper Chloé N’Gazi’s heroics ensured the spoils were shared.

With Botswana beating Tunisia 2-1 in the group’s other match, Algeria’s hard-earned point was enough to see them finish second in Group B with five points, behind Nigeria who topped the group with seven.

The Super Falcons, already assured of qualification, made several changes to their starting line-up but still threatened throughout the match. Francisca Ordega, Rasheedat Ajibade and Esther Okoronkwo all came close, but Algeria stood firm.

N’Gazi was particularly impressive in the closing stages, saving Okoronkwo’s powerful header in stoppage time to preserve her clean sheet.

Nigeria, who had scored four goals and conceded none before this match, were left frustrated despite their dominance.

The result means Nigeria will face the runners-up from Group A, while Algeria prepare for a historic knockout stage appearance in a tournament they entered as underdogs.

Algeria’s journey continues, and while the task ahead will be difficult, they’ve already shown they can stand tall against the giants.

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.

Policy think tank IMANI Africa has questioned the Ghanaian government’s communication around a recently approved $360 million World Bank loan, warning that ambiguous framing risks eroding public trust.

Parliament passed the facility this month under the Second Resilient Recovery Development Policy Financing programme, with officials initially describing it as “budgetary support” to clear road contractor arrears.

IMANI’s critique centers on discrepancies in the loan’s stated purpose. While Cabinet reportedly approved funds exclusively for contractor debts, documents presented to Parliament included broader government payments. The government later clarified the facility is a loan solely for arrears after parliamentary scrutiny, but IMANI argues the delayed transparency fuels perceptions of “backdoor liabilities.”

“The core concern is language: referring to a loan as ‘financing’ without stating it adds to public debt invites suspicion,” IMANI stated, noting Ghana’s history of hidden debts. The Minority in Parliament echoed these concerns, highlighting inconsistencies between executive and legislative briefings.

Finance Ministry officials maintain the loan aligns with fiscal recovery goals and will be transparently deployed. Yet IMANI stresses that post-clarification “damage control” cannot undo the reputational impact, urging unambiguous terminology in future borrowing.

The controversy unfolds amid Ghana’s ongoing IMF-backed economic reforms, where debt transparency remains pivotal to investor confidence. The ruling NDC government faces renewed pressure to reconcile development financing with accountable communication.

CBG mistakenly credited trader’s account with GH¢800,000

Constance Gyasi Nimako, a trader facing charges of stealing and laundering money mistakenly credited to her bank account, has refunded GH¢230,000.

Constance, also known as Maa Adwoa, was absent from court but remains in custody.

Her mother, Cecilia Gyasi, appeared before Evelyn Asamoah, the relieving judge.

Constance’s lawyer informed the court of the partial refund.

The judge declined bail, citing plans for an expeditious trial, and directed the prosecution to file disclosures.

The case was adjourned to July 23, 2025.

Constance is alleged to have spent GH¢770,500 out of GH¢800,000 erroneously transferred to her Ecobank account.

She reportedly moved GH¢300,000 to her mother’s Fidelity Bank account, GH¢400,000 to her GCB Bank account, and withdrew GH¢70,500 in cash.

She has been charged with stealing and money laundering, while her mother faces abetment of crime, to wit, money laundering.

Both pleaded not guilty.

At the previous sitting, Presiding Judge Mrs. Susan Eduful remanded Constance due to the seriousness of the charges and concerns about her appearance in court.

Cecilia Gyasi was granted bail of GH¢500,000 with two sureties who must be immediate family members earning at least GH¢2,000 monthly.

According to the prosecution, the complainant, a company Chief Executive Officer, instructed Consolidated Bank Ghana (CBG) to transfer GH¢800,000 to his personal Ecobank account.

However, the funds were mistakenly sent to Constance’s account on February 6, 2025.

The error was discovered after the complainant followed up with CBG.

Attempts by both banks to retrieve the funds failed, as Constance had moved the money, leaving only GH¢29,778.47.

The matter was reported to the police with assistance from CBG’s Head of Security and Investigations.

Constance allegedly refused to cooperate, insulted officers, and went into hiding before being arrested in Kumasi.

Her mother was arrested in Accra.

Investigations revealed Constance informed her mother of the funds and instructed her to withdraw GH¢300,000, which she did.

During interrogation, Constance claimed the money was sent by a foreign company with which she had no prior dealings and said she had ordered goods with the funds.

Prosecution stated that investigations are ongoing to trace and recover the remaining amount.

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John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Akufo-Addo have reportedly petioned against early conference

Fourteen out of the sixteen regional chairmen of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have expressed strong opposition to a proposal submitted by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, which seeks the postponement of the party’s early national delegates conference.

So far, five individuals have already declared their intention to contest for the flagbearership race. The respected individuals in the party include former Minister of Education Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Bosomtwe Constituency; former Minister of Food and Agriculture Dr Bryan Acheampong, MP; former Member of Parliament for Assin Central Kennedy Agyapong; former NPP General Secretary Kwabena Adjei Agyapong; former Minister of Energy Boakye Agyarko; and former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

Speaking to Kumasi Mail ahead of the NPP’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting scheduled for Monday, July 14, 2025, one of the regional chairmen from the Bono Region disclosed that an overwhelming majority of the regional chairmen support the early congress.

“I’m a member of the regional chairmen’s caucus, and I can say on authority that 14 out of the 16 regional chairmen are in favour of holding the congress early. Only two oppose it,” he said.

He emphasised the urgent need for the party to elect a flagbearer by January 2026, citing internal disunity and the aftermath of the party’s significant loss to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2024 general elections.

“Our party is in a state of crisis, grappling with disunity and internal power struggles. Electing a flagbearer early is the only way to restore order and unity,” he noted.

Referencing the recent Ablekuma North parliamentary primary re-run, the chairman lamented the lack of leadership in the party.

“Look at what happened in Ablekuma North. The General Secretary, acting on NEC’s instruction, announced that the party would not contest the re-run in 19 polling stations. Yet, our 2024 parliamentary candidate, Akua Afriyie, defied that and contested with support from some members of the party. That incident clearly shows how divided we are,” he added.

Checks by Kumasi Mail revealed that 16 out of 20 within the party’s parliamentary caucus also confirmed strong support for the early national conference. A member of the caucus told Kumasi Mail that MPs are unified in backing an early congress to mitigate the party’s internal challenges.

“In Parliament, we’ve agreed that early congress is the way forward. We lost the 2024 elections to the NDC by nearly two million votes. We can’t close that gap without early preparation and unity,” the source said.

The MP also dismissed former President Akufo-Addo’s reported proposal to revert to an up-bottom-to-down approach in electing party executives.

“If such a proposal comes up, it won’t last 10 minutes in discussion. It will be rejected outright,” he stated.

The up-bottom-to-down proposal, reportedly gaining traction among some outgoing executives and grassroots members, seeks to restore influence to lower-tier party structures in the decision-making process.

However, opposition to the plan remains strong at the regional and parliamentary levels. Among national executives, only Acting National Chairman Smith Danquah Butey is believed to be hesitant about the early congress.

However, insiders say he is likely to reconsider his position before the NEC meets next week.

Meanwhile, you can watch GhanaWeb TV’s exclusive interview with Arathejay below:

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Ghana continues to cement its place on the global map for youth innovation as My Redeemer School, through its robotics team Redeemer Tech, placed third worldwide at the Robotics for Good Youth Challenge Grand Finale, held during the AI for Good Global Summit 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Competing against top teams from countries, Redeemer Tech demonstrated exceptional technical skill, creativity, and purpose-driven innovation through their disaster response robot. Their performance placed Ghana among the global top three in a challenge designed to highlight the power of robotics in solving real-world humanitarian problems.

About This Year’s Challenge: Robots for Disaster Response

The 2025 competition tasked all participants—both Junior (born 2010–2013) and Senior (born 2006–2009) teams—with designing and building a robot that could assist during natural disasters, such as earthquakes and floods.

Teams were challenged to create robots that could navigate dangerous environments, deliver emergency supplies, and even locate people in need. Using open-source tools and free software, all teams were evaluated on problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration—not on access to expensive hardware or resources.

My Redeemer School’s robot combined smart sensor technology, autonomous movement, and a mission-driven design aimed at saving lives in post-disaster settings.

“We came to learn, we dared to dream — and we returned with a global win: third in the world in the junior category at the AI for Good Youth Challenge!”

— Madam Anastasia Nartey, CEO, My Redeemer School

Ghana’s Delegation and High-Level Support

Ghana’s global success was matched by strong national support. A high-level delegation was present in Geneva to support the team, including:

• Hon. Samuel Nartey George, representing the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations
• Mr. Edmund Barwuah, Director of International Affairs, Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations
• Mr. Alfred Nortey, Director of Finance and Administration, Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations
• Rev. Ing. Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko, Acting Director General, National Communications Authority (NCA)
• Mr. Douglas Tetteh Ayitey, Founder & CEO, The MakersPlace
• Mr. Dzifa Gunu, Chief Executive Officer, Ghana Digital Centres Ltd
• Mr. Asher Safo, Representative, Ghana Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva

“Our quest to position Ghana at the center of African innovation and excellence will be inclusive. At the heart of this transformation are our young people. The remarkable achievement of My Redeemer School in Sowutuom placing 3rd among 194 countries is a powerful testament to the incredible potential we hold as a nation — and a clear sign of how far we can go. I am particularly proud to have been on the ground with these brilliant kids, encouraging them as they prepared for the finals,”

— Hon. Samuel Nartey George

“Ghana Digital Centres has been at the forefront of championing a vibrant robotics industry from the beginning of the academic ladder. This is why we particularly took a keen interest in this project with The MakersPlace. We shall continue to provide the enabling platform, environment, and logistics for the growth of robotics in Ghana,”

— Mr. Dzifa Gunu, CEO, Ghana Digital Centres Ltd

Organised by The MakersPlace – Ghana’s National Host

The Ghana Edition of the Robotics for Good Youth Challenge was organised by The MakersPlace, the official national and regional organiser. Redeemer Tech qualified for the global competition by winning both the Junior and Senior categories at the national finals earlier this year, held at Academic City University in Accra.

“This isn’t just about building robots—it’s about building character, leadership, and global readiness. These young Ghanaians are solving real problems with real technology, and now the world is taking notice,”

— Douglas Tetteh Ayitey, Founder & CEO, The MakersPlace

Education Meets Impact

The Robotics for Good Youth Challenge provides more than technical experience—it builds a generation of problem-solvers. Students gain practical skills in Robotics and coding, critical thinking and collaboration, project management, creative design and communication. 

The programme also promotes inclusion and sustainability, encouraging participation from all backgrounds and using open-source platforms and recycled materials wherever possible.

Ghana’s Legacy on the World Stage

In addition to placing 3rd, Redeemer Tech was given the opportunity to:

•  Exhibit in the Youth Zone
• Pitch on the Youth Stage
• Network with global leaders and innovators in AI, robotics, and sustainable development

Their success affirms Ghana’s leadership in STEM and highlights the results of deliberate investment in youth innovation ecosystems.

National Support and Partnerships

This milestone was made possible through collaboration between public and private stakeholders. Special thanks go to The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, The National Communications Authority (NCA), The Embassy of Switzerland in Ghana, Ghana Digital Centres Ltd, The MakersPlace, Educators, parents, and mentors who guided and supported the team.

2025–2026 Challenge Theme Announced: Food Security

Want to be part of the next challenge? It has been announced!  

The 2025 – 2026 edition theme is Food Security! Participants design, build, and program a robot to complete a mission based on a selected global challenge. While learning robotics and coding, students gain more than just technical skills; they also develop essential workplace and future-ready competencies such as teamwork, problem-solving, project management, critical thinking, and information literacy. The Robotics for Good Youth Challenge features two age-based teams: Junior (born 2010-2013) and Senior (born 2006-2009). This division ensures age-appropriate challenges, fostering engagement and learning for all participants.  

All interested schools—public, private, and community-based—are encouraged to register early to take part in regional qualifiers. Finalists from these events will proceed to the national championship, where top teams will be selected to represent Ghana at the 2026 global summit.

Through this evolving competition, students not only gain technical skills in robotics and coding, but also develop future-ready competencies such as teamwork, problem-solving, project management, critical thinking, information literacy

This holistic learning approach ensures that participants are equipped not only to build machines—but to lead in a world that increasingly demands both technology and empathy.

A National Win, A Continental Moment

With a top-three global finish and support from across public and private sectors, Redeemer Tech’s success is a win for Ghana, a win for Africa, and a compelling demonstration of how inclusive education and innovation ecosystems can unlock the potential of the next generation.

Sponsors and Partners Needed

To ensure the success of this year’s programme, sponsorship and partnership opportunities are now open. We are seeking support in the areas of:

• Robotics kits and STEM equipment
• Teacher training and student mentorship
• Travel and accommodation for finalists
• Awareness campaigns and media coverage
• Prize packages and innovation grants

Corporate organisations, NGOs, government agencies, and donors are warmly invited to partner with us in nurturing the next generation of changemakers.

To partner or sponsor: [email protected]

From Sowutuom to Switzerland, Ghana’s youth are proving that they have what it takes to lead in global innovation. The journey continues—and your school, organisation, or company can be part of it.

Cedi’s appreciation supporting fuel sector

The country’s fuel import sector is seeing signs of stability following a significant improvement in foreign exchange (FX) supply and operational reforms, with Bulk Oil Distribution Companies (BDCs) reporting over US$1 billion in FX inflows in the first half of 2025 alone.

The recent forex support stems from closer coordination between the Bank of Ghana (BoG) and industry players. In addition to the central bank’s biweekly FX auctions of US$20 million, amounting to US$120 million in the first quarter, BDCs have secured over US$800 million through direct bank support.

This combined liquidity has helped absorb shocks from the currency’s rapid appreciation and geopolitical uncertainty.

“For six months, we’ve had more than US$800 million supplied through our banks, plus the biweekly auction amounts,” Dr. Patrick Kwaku Ofori, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors (CBOD), said in an exclusive interview with the Business and Financial Times.

The sector’s total monthly FX requirement stands at about US$400 million, or US$4.8 billion annually. While the Bank of Ghana’s (BoG) monthly auction covers only 10 per cent of that demand, the additional bilateral support has improved predictability and reduced pricing distortions at the pump.

This forex injection comes amid broader macroeconomic support. The BoG’s foreign reserves rose to US$10.67 billion in April 2025, from US$10.17 billion in March, buoyed by higher gold exports and a crackdown on illegal gold smuggling.

The Ghanaian cedi appreciated sharply between January and June, strengthening from GH¢15.30 to GH¢10.31 per dollar. While such shifts exposed BDCs with long FX hedge positions to losses, industry executives say the blended pricing model, combining forward contracts and spot purchases, helped limit exposure.

“We only hedged around 15 per cent of our FX needs. With 50 per cent met on spot and another 20-25 per cent through short-term forward deals, our average cost was cushioned,” Dr. Ofori said. “That clarity in the exchange rate for six straight weeks gave us confidence in pricing.”

The improved FX position has also helped dispel public suspicion that BDCs exploit exchange rate fluctuations to inflate pump prices. “This period has allowed us to prove that when the dollar is at GH¢10.3, we don’t price at GH¢15,” the executive said. “There’s no room for political rhetoric anymore. Prices reflect real input costs.”

Meanwhile, operational disruptions that previously led to high demurrage costs and charges for delayed vessel unloading are being addressed. About 80 per cent of imported fuel passes through a single port facility, where congestion causes delays and financial losses.

CBOD estimates that from January to June, the industry paid over US$44 million in demurrage, translating to GH¢0.47 to GH¢0.60 per litre added to fuel prices at the pump. In contrast, Kenya’s total demurrage bill for all of 2024 was under US$1 million.

Cheque Fraud EXPOSED: How it works and how to stay safe

Jobberman Ghana has launched the SHE CAN campaign with the objective to train 1500 women between the ages of 18 and 35 in future ready skills and place them in dignified jobs across Ghana under the HAPPY Program, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and Agri-Impact Limited.

According to the Programs Manager, Asiwome Biekro, the “SHE CAN” Campaign will focus on training young girls in soft skills, entrepreneurship and customer service to help them thrive in the workforce or start and grow their own business.

“We designed SHE CAN” to break down the barriers women face when trying to access the job market. Through these targeted training and job placement support, we are helping them build confidence, independence and long term success”, he explained.

What’s in it for participants?

At the heart of the “SHE CAN” campaign are two fantastic opportunities, both offered completely free of charge.

Future Ready Skills Training

Participants will receive interactive training in:

Soft Skills like communication, teamwork, problem solving and emotional intelligence.

Entrepreneurship Skills to spark innovation and learn the fundamentals of starting and growing a business.

Customer Service Skills for anyone aiming to make their mark in the hospitality or service industry.

Delivered in two-hour weekly sessions, these trainings are designed to be flexible, impactful and immediately applicable.

Job Placement Support

We are not just training participants; we are connecting them to dignified and fulfilling jobs across various sectors.

Job seekers who sign up for the program gain access to tailored job placement support, helping to bridge the unemployment gap amongst women.

Expanding our reach: The “Charley Job Dey!” Campaign

To ensure that no young woman is left behind, Jobberman Ghana is also actively running the “Charley Job Dey!” campaign, a parallel initiative specifically targeting young women who may have limited formal education or have not had access to skills training or vocational development.

“Charley Job Dey!” focuses on reaching these women through community engagements and offline initiatives, connecting them with opportunities in the informal or blue-collar sector. Our goal is to ensure that every woman regardless of her educational background has the chance to secure a dignified livelihood.

Why “SHE CAN”?

“SHE” stands for more than just a pronoun. It represents the foundation on which this campaign is built.

S – Skills. H-Hope. E – Empowerment.

Skills build up confidence. Hope fuels dreams. Empowerment creates change and we believe when women have all three, there is no limit to what they can achieve.

Whether it’s a recent graduate looking for her first job, a dedicated professional aiming to enhance her skills or a young woman trying to start a business, “SHE CAN” is here to say that “You can land a job. You can empower yourself. You can create the future you desire.”

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 concept of customer satisfaction has long been associated with meeting the expectations of clients, or, in the context of regulation, meeting customer requirements. In contemporary times, such as the era of machine learning, artificial intelligence, big data and data analytics, hotels can no longer perform the minimum service delivery of making customers satisfied. The technological age has also meant that hotels no longer compete between themselves but must respond to disruptors such as Airbnb, which operates outside governments’ regulations and other constraints.

Airbnb, for example, doesn’t own hotels or accommodation facilities, and doesn’t need to deal with the overhead cost of traditional hotels and the regulatory rigidities. Therefore, the actions of disruptors such as Airbnb have added a layer of nuance to the hotel competitive landscape. The business model of Airbnb has meant that they create a customer experience that creates excitement and spontaneity, which is out of reach for most traditional hotels. The element of customer delight is considered to be superior and more desirable than satisfaction. However, it must be established that in the customer’s heuristics, satisfaction requirements must be met before delight. It’s also not feasible to deliver service delight without satisfying the delivery requirements for service satisfaction.

In other words, customer satisfaction is a precursor to customer delight. In a study conducted by Anabila et al (2021) on service quality and customer loyalty in Ghana’s hotel industry, it emerged that for the majority of hotel clients, offering services that go beyond the minimum satisfaction threshold to customer delight is what would keep them coming for more and by extension sustain the hotel business for the long term. The majority of the hotel clients sampled also agreed on the important role played by both satisfaction and delight as total precursors to achieving overall service quality. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1528008X.2021.1913691

According to the study, contemporary hotel management service delivery has gone beyond the discussions on room occupancy rates, restaurant management and airport pick-ups or chauffeuring to providing a holistic 360 service experience that is exciting and spontaneous. The functioning of customer delight moments throughout the entire service delivery must be done deliberately using historical customer experience data deployed by modern AI machine learning tools to proactively design a randomised, customised service experience. The use of modern machine learning tools, both supervised and unsupervised, would address the concerns of many experts’ opinions on the difficulties in addressing the nuances between international and domestic hotel customers.

For example, unsupervised machine learning can aid in modelling appropriate service delight choices, while supervised machine learning predicts the threshold of customer acceptance. A hotel may, for instance, be provided with the option of offering a local gastronomy and indigenous cultural experience for its international guests, with an 85% threshold of acceptance as predicted by machine learning. This would be successful by using comprehensive historical data from the hotels. We highly recommend hotels to jealously gather and use customer data for predictive purposes in designing delightful services.

Since service delight is a risky undertaking and involves elements of surprise and joy, we must be guided by Meller et al’s experiments on emotional reactions to outcomes of risky options. The experiment proved that positive surprises that result in wins generated elation than expected wins, while negative surprises ending with losses generated disappointments. For hotels in Ghana, they can moderate the risk with service-delight delivery by gleaning customer insights from their data using machine learning tools in delivering delightful services that have high acceptance ratios. Spontaneity and surprise must be the building blocks of any delightful service produced as a basis for ensuring the sustainability of the hotel business.

Leeford Edem Kojo Ameyibor, PhD.
The Writer is with the faculty of Management and the Department of Marketing, University of Professional Studies, UPSA, Accra

Crude oil futures traded within a narrow range as geopolitical tensions and seasonal demand dynamics balanced market sentiment, Exness Senior Financial Markets Strategist Dat Tong noted Tuesday.

Prices found support from looming U.S. and European sanctions targeting Russian oil exports, with traders closely monitoring potential supply disruptions following former U.S. President Donald Trump’s pledge of new policy announcements.

Industry reports indicate robust short-term consumption during the Northern Hemisphere’s peak summer season, where transportation fuel and power generation needs are bolstering demand. China’s crude imports further reinforced bullish sentiment, hitting their highest daily volume since August 2023 in June.

These gains remain partially offset by rising OPEC+ output and U.S. tariff negotiations, Tong observed. While OPEC members’ production hikes have added downward pressure, analysts highlight a potential output pause after September could tighten supplies. Ongoing U.S.-led trade discussions continue fueling economic uncertainty, potentially dampening global growth and fuel consumption.

Market participants maintain cautious positioning ahead of clarity on sanctions and OPEC’s next supply decision.

Cedi remains stable on the interbank market

Ghana’s local currency, the cedi, has maintained some stability against major trading currencies on the interbank market, particularly the US dollar.

In its daily update, the Bank of Ghana noted that the cedi is trading at a buying price of GH¢10.39 and a selling price of GH¢10.40 to the dollar.

It was previously bought at GH¢10.34 and is selling at GH¢10.35 to the dollar.

The British pound is being bought at GH¢14.04 and sold at GH¢14.05, while the euro is trading at a buying price of GH¢12.15 and a selling price of GH¢12.16.

Checks by GhanaWeb Business on cedirates.com on July 11, 2025, at 7:40 AM indicate that the cedi is trading at GH¢11.95, while the pound is selling at GH¢16.20 at some forex bureaus across the country.

Additionally, the euro is trading at GH¢14.00 on the retail market.

Meanwhile, the Bank of Ghana has received $360 million from the IMF to further stabilise the cedi.

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Hoda Appiah, Head of Communications and Public Education at the FDA

Hoda Appiah, Head of Communications and Public Education at the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), has called on Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Ghana to embrace regulatory compliance as a critical enabler of trade and competitiveness.

Mrs Appiah noted that the inability of MSMEs to meet international standards locks Ghanaian products out of export markets and deprives the country of much-needed foreign exchange.

She said, “If our foods do not meet international standards, we cannot export, and we lose the chance to earn vital foreign exchange.”

However, by perceiving regulatory compliance not as a bureaucratic bottleneck but as a tool for economic empowerment, Mrs Appiah maintained that MSMEs could identify the right support, enabling them to compete, grow, and attract crucial foreign exchange for national development.

Mrs Appiah made these remarks during a UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce (UKGCC) webinar held in collaboration with WTS Nobisfields, under the theme “The Role of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in Promoting Local and International Trade.”

Progressive Licensing: A Bridge, Not a Barrier

The FDA’s Progressive Licensing Scheme (PLS) emerged as a central theme during the webinar.

Designed to help micro and small enterprises enter and scale within the formal economy, the PLS allows businesses with limited capacity to begin operations under basic compliance and improve step by step.

“Compliance doesn’t have to be intimidating,” said Esther Amufa, also of the FDA. “The scheme allows businesses to meet regulatory standards gradually — through pink, yellow and green stages — each building toward full compliance without overwhelming financial or logistical pressure.”

Through this approach, the FDA has registered over 10,500 products and licensed more than 2,300 facilities since 2019.

Buy Ghana, Love Ghana: Local Brands, Global Standards

The PLS is closely tied to the Buy Ghana, Love Ghana campaign, which encourages major retailers to showcase FDA-compliant local products. This initiative has improved visibility and consumer trust in Made-in-Ghana goods and enhanced market access for MSMEs.

According to Miss Amufa, “We’ve partnered with supermarkets like Palace Mall to create dedicated shelves for local products, especially during festive seasons. But we also provide training on packaging, barcoding, and labelling — everything needed to be retail-ready.”

Infrastructure, Innovation, and Global Partnerships

The FDA, now over 28 years old, is internationally recognised and ISO-accredited, with the largest scope of accredited testing laboratories under one roof in Africa. Its work is benchmarked by WHO standards and supported through collaborations with the European Medicines Agency, the African Vaccine Regulatory Forum (AVAREF), and NEPAD.

Mrs. Appiah added that the FDA’s operations span Ghana’s seaports, airports, and border posts, facilitating efficient regulation of imports and exports and ensuring consumer protection across the supply chain.

The authority is also embracing digital transformation, with an AI-powered registration system and a soon-to-be-launched one-stop harmonised certification portal in collaboration with the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA).

Moderated by Theophilus Tawiah, Managing Partner of WTS Nobisfields and law lecturer at UPSA, the webinar forms part of UKGCC’s ongoing series on regulatory reform and competitiveness of businesses in Ghana.