Former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, has raised concerns about the government’s management of the economy despite the recent appreciation of the cedi.

Speaking on Adom TV’s Badwam morning show, Mr. Boadu questioned how the government has utilised the gains made by the local currency.

“So far, what has the government used the dollar for? They are not spending. For the past eight months, we haven’t repaid our loans, contractors haven’t been paid, and even interest on delayed payments hasn’t been made,” he said.

He expressed worry that economic activities remain stagnant, with no new projects and declining revenue inflows.

“The more there is no economic activity, the fewer resources the government will have to work with,” he added.

Presenting the 2025 Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review in Parliament, Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson hailed the cedi’s recent performance as historic and unprecedented, describing it as the strongest in the currency’s 60-year history.

According to him, as of the end of June 2025, the cedi had appreciated by 42.6% against the US dollar, 30.3% against the British pound, and 25.6% against the euro.

He contrasted this with the same period in 2024, when the cedi depreciated by 18.6%, 17.9%, and 16.0% respectively, against those currencies.

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.

Locals at the scene of the crash site picking up the debris of the helicopter

Correspondence from the Ashanti Region

A rescue team has retrieved the burnt and mutilated bodies of eight individuals who died in a helicopter crash at Adanse Brofoyedu in the Ashanti Region.

According to reports, the helicopter crashed into a tree on a high mountain in the area, resulting in a massive fire that burned the helicopter beyond recognition.

The eight victims comprised three military officers and five top government officials who were on board the helicopter, including two sector ministers, among them the Minister of Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah.

Also confirmed dead is the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed.

The others include Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator; Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Samuel Aboagye, NADMO Deputy Director-General.

The remaining three (3) are Airforce officers – Squadron Leader Peter, Flying Officer Twum Ampadu and Sergeant Ernest Addo.

GhanaWeb’s regional correspondent, Kwame Agyenim, who visited the scene, reports that a team of military officers, fire service personnel, police, ambulance service officers, and national security officials were at the scene to retrieve the bodies.

The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, and further investigations are underway to determine the cause of the crash.

More details will be provided as the situation unfolds.

Samson Asaki Awingobit is Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana

The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) has raised concerns that the ongoing conflict between the National Identification Authority (NIA) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) could seriously disrupt business operations, particularly within the maritime sector.

Speaking at the Association’s 11th anniversary launch on August 6, 2025, Executive Secretary Samson Asaki Awingobit sounded the alarm following reports that the NIA has formally notified the Data Protection Commission of its intention to access the GRA’s servers to delete its data.

According to Awingobit, such an action could lead to widespread delays in the customs clearance process, disrupt supply chains, and significantly increase the cost of doing business for importers and exporters.

“This is crucial, considering the potential implications for businesses, especially in the maritime trade sector. From a professional standpoint, if the NIA proceeds to delete its data from the GRA servers, it could severely impact operations across the maritime space,” he stated.

He urged both agencies to exercise restraint and called on GRA leadership to engage the NIA in constructive dialogue to resolve the issue swiftly.

Awingobit also appealed to the government and policymakers to intervene and ensure institutional cooperation, warning that continued tension between state agencies could undermine Ghana’s trade competitiveness.

The Association said it is closely monitoring the situation and reaffirmed its commitment to advocating for stability and efficiency in Ghana’s trade ecosystem.

DR/MA

Meanwhile, watch the trailer to GhanaWeb’s yet-to-air documentary on teenage girls and how fish is stealing their futures below:

The Ghana Cocoa, Coffee and Sheanut Farmers Association (COCOSHE) has thrown its full support behind the government’s recent upward adjustment of the cocoa producer price for the 2025/2026 crop season.

At a press conference in Accra under the theme “Supporting Ghana’s Cocoa Vision – A United Voice of the Farmer,” COCOSHE praised the government and Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) for what it called a fair and progressive decision aimed at protecting farmers’ livelihoods.

The National President of COCOSHE, Alhaji Alhassan Bukari, lauded the increase in the producer price from GH¢3,100 to GH¢3,228.75 per 64kg bag, which translates to GH¢51,660 per tonne. The new price constitutes 70 per cent of the achieved Free-on-Board (FoB) price—an improvement on last season’s 63.9 per cent share. “In many other producing countries, the price would have been slashed. But here, the Government and COCOBOD chose instead to protect farmers,” Alhaji Bukari stated, highlighting the administration’s sensitivity to economic pressures, including the recent appreciation of the cedi against the dollar.

COCOSHE also praised the transparent process that led to the price announcement. According to the association, four farmer representatives participated in the Producer Price Review Committee, while COCOBOD engaged with regional heads of COCOSHE across the country. “We appreciate the transparency shown. This was not a backroom decision,” Bukari noted.

In addition to the price adjustment, COCOSHE expressed strong support for a range of initiatives introduced by government and COCOBOD to revitalise the cocoa sector. These include the free distribution of fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, flower inducers and spraying machines starting in the 2025/2026 season; the launch of the Ghana Cocoa Traceability System to align with global regulations, particularly the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation; and the introduction of a tertiary scholarship scheme for children of cocoa farmers, which begins in the 2026/2027 academic year.

The association also welcomed the transfer of the cocoa roads portfolio from COCOBOD to the Ministry of Roads and Highways. According to COCOSHE, this move will allow COCOBOD to focus on its primary mandate of promoting and regulating the cocoa sector.

Alhaji Bukari extended special appreciation to President John Dramani Mahama for initiating the scholarship scheme, calling it a “beacon of hope” for rural families striving to access higher education.

While commending these developments, the association urged COCOBOD to ensure timely delivery of farm inputs and to improve farmer education on the new traceability system. It also called for greater clarity on pricing and exchange rate mechanisms.

Alhaji Bukari dismissed suggestions of unrest or dissatisfaction within the farming community, stressing that cocoa farmers are active partners in Ghana’s development agenda. “We are not here to protest. We are here to commend,” he said. “Ghanaian cocoa farmers are patriotic and hardworking. Our vision is to see cocoa farmers recognized not just as producers, but as agents of economic transformation.”

COCOSHE concluded with a call for unity and continued collaboration among cocoa farmers, COCOBOD and the state, encouraging all stakeholders to maintain focus and momentum towards a sustainable and prosperous cocoa sector.

Ghana’s defence and environment ministers were killed in a helicopter crash Wednesday, the Ghanaian presidency said, hours after the armed forces reported a chopper carrying three crew and five passengers dropped off the radar.

Edward Omane Boamah became President John Mahama’s defence minister earlier this year shortly after Mahama’s swearing-in in January.

Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed was serving as the minister of environment, science and technology.

Everyone onboard was killed in the accident, authorities said.

“The president and government extend our condolences and sympathies to the families of our comrades and the servicemen who died in service to the country,” said Mahama’s chief of staff Julius Debrah.

Also Read: African Union helicopter crashes in Mogadishu airport in Somalia

Boamah was helming Ghana’s defence ministry at a time when jihadist activity across its northern border in Burkina Faso has become increasingly restive.

While Ghana has so far avoided a jihadist spillover from the Sahel — unlike neighbours Togo and Benin — observers have warned of increased arms trafficking and of militants from Burkina Faso crossing the porous border to use Ghana as a rear base.

A medical doctor by training, Boamah’s career in government included stints as communications minister during Mahama’s previous 2012-2017 tenure. Before that, he was the deputy minister for environment.

The Ghanaian Armed Forces had reported earlier Wednesday that an air force helicopter had fallen off radar after taking off from Accra just after 9:00 am. It had been headed towards the town of Obuasi, northwest of the capital.

The statement had said that three crew and five passengers were aboard, without specifying at the time that the ministers were among them.

Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, Ghana’s deputy national security coordinator and former agriculture minister, was among the dead, along with Samuel Sarpong, vice chairman of Mahama’s National Democratic Congress party.

As Ghana has pursued increased diplomacy with Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger — all ruled by juntas who have broken with the ECOWAS west African regional bloc — Boamah led a delegation to Ouagadougou in May.

He had been set to release a book titled “A Peaceful Man in an African Democracy”, about former president John Atta Mills, who died in 2012.

All flags were to be flown at half-staff, Debrah said, while the presidency said Mahama had cancelled his official activities for the day.

Ghana’s ministers of defence and environment have died in a military helicopter crash in the central Ashanti region, along with six other people, a government spokesperson says.

Chief of Staff Julius Debrah told a press conference that Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment, Science and Technology Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed had been killed in the crash, which he described as a “national tragedy”.

Earlier, the Ghana Armed Forces said the aircraft, which was carrying three crew and five passengers had gone “off the radar”.

It had taken off from the capital, Accra, at 09:12 local time (and GMT) and was heading to the gold-mining town of Obuasi for a national event.

The authorities have not confirmed the cause of the crash.

The chief of staff has directed the country’s flags to fly at half-mast.

He extended condolences to “the servicemen who died in service to the country,” on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama and the government.

Ghana’s ministers of defence and environment have died in a military helicopter crash in the central Ashanti region, along with six other people, a government spokesperson says.

Chief of Staff Julius Debrah told a press conference that Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment, Science and Technology Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed had been killed in the crash, which he described as a “national tragedy”.

Earlier, the Ghana Armed Forces said the aircraft, which was carrying three crew and five passengers had gone “off the radar”.

It had taken off from the capital, Accra, at 09:12 local time (and GMT) and was heading to the gold-mining town of Obuasi for a national event.

The authorities have not confirmed the cause of the crash.

The chief of staff has directed the country’s flags to fly at half-mast.

He extended condolences to “the servicemen who died in service to the country,” on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama and the government.

play videoDr Johnson Asiama is the Governor of the Bank of Ghana

The Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Johnson Asiama, is urging financial institutions to prepare for a major shift in the banking sector as banks will soon be required to lend at rates below 10 percent.

According to him, it is time for local banks to move away from treasury bills and the central bank’s lending instruments, and instead provide a more secure foundation for private sector growth.

Ghana’s current lending rate hovers around 27.4%, making access to affordable credit a challenge for businesses and SMEs.

Meanwhile, the central bank is targeting a single-digit lending rate within the next four years.

Speaking at the Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIB) Ghana post-MPC roundtable discussion on August 5, 2025, Dr Asiama urged banks to refocus on credit expansion to productive sectors, particularly the private sector to stimulate economic growth.

“What are our banks going to do in the post-stabilisation phase? Are they prepared to lend at less than 10%? Are they ready to look beyond T-bills? Are they willing to move away from high-yield Bank of Ghana instruments? The era of high interest rates and passive investment by banks in government securities is ending. Banks must now begin to reimagine their business models, refocusing on intermediation, innovation, and credit expansion to productive sectors,” he stated.

Dr Asiama also emphasised the need to fully support key sectors of the economy, in line with the ongoing decline in inflation.

He noted that banks should prioritise and commit to green financing to support the government’s sustainability agenda.

“With inflation decelerating and rates on a downward path, there is a unique opportunity to support private sector growth, SMEs, agriculture, and above all, green financing,” he said.

“A stable macroeconomic environment is only meaningful if it translates into access to affordable credit, job creation, and inclusive economic transformation. The financial sector must be the bridge your industry must be the bridge, not the bottleneck.”

SP/MA

How Virtual Reality is enhancing business and customer experience

By Michael Foli Jackidy

Ho (V/R), Aug. 6, GNA – Mr. Lawrence Awilo Attitoe, Vice Chairman of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) in Ho, has dismissed reports of a 20 per cent transport fare increase as false and unauthorized.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr. Attitoe stated that no transport union, including the GPRTU, has approved any fare adjustment. He emphasized that the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC) lacks the authority to unilaterally declare fare increases.

His remarks follow a GRTCC press release, signed by its General Secretary, Mr. Emmanuel Ohene-Yeboah, and Acting Chairman, Alhaji Tanko, announcing a 20 per cent fare hike effective Friday, August 8.

“That directive should be disregarded. No driver union is implementing any fare increase,” Mr. Attitoe stressed.

He said GPRTU’s national office confirmed that no meeting had been held to consider or approve the proposed increase and insisted that decisions on fare adjustments are made collectively by driver unions—not the GRTCC.

“The GRTCC does not speak for us. We consult among ourselves and with the Minister for Transport before any adjustment,” he explained.

Mr. Attitoe added that the Automatic Adjustment Formula, which previously guided fare reviews, was abolished by the former government, making consensus and consultation essential.

He acknowledged the impact of the recent GH₵1.00 per litre fuel levy but urged patience, expressing hope that commodity prices would fall rather than prompting fare hikes.

He also warned that any union implementing the proposed hike would face legal consequences.

Meanwhile, the GRTCC has justified the fare increase, citing rising operational costs due to the new fuel levy, lack of price reductions in spare parts, and worsening road conditions that have escalated vehicle maintenance expenses.

GNA

Edited By: Maxwell Awumah/Audrey Dekalu

Olympic torchbearer at 109, now Japan’s oldest citizen at 114: About former doctor Shigeko Kagawa

She graduated from medical school prior to World War II, served at a hospital in Osaka during the conflict, and subsequently managed her family clinic until retiring at the age of 86. According to a local television interview, her family emphasised that she follows a simple and disciplined lifestyle — rising and sleeping at fixed times and eating three modest, balanced meals every day.

A Ghana Air Force helicopter carrying eight people, including top government officials, has gone missing after reportedly crashing near Adansi Sikaman in the Adansi North District of the Ashanti Region.

Eyewitnesses at the scene say the aircraft caught fire upon impact around mid-morning, sending thick plumes of smoke into the air and drawing dozens of residents to the site. “It just came down fast and burst into flames,” one resident recounted, and added, “We couldn’t get close because of the heat and smoke.”

Local reports indicate that the passengers were en route to Obuasi to attend a high-level government programme when the incident occurred. While the exact number of casualties remains unconfirmed, onlookers fear that all on board may have perished.

In a press release issued this afternoon, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) confirmed that the aircraft – a Z9 military helicopter – took off from Accra at 0912 hours heading for Obuasi, but went off radar shortly after. Efforts to re-establish contact have so far been unsuccessful.

According to the statement signed by Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin, Acting Director General of Public Relations for the GAF, three crew members and five passengers were on board at the time of the incident.

The military and emergency responders have since moved into the area, cordoning off parts of Adansi Sikaman as search, rescue, and recovery operations continue.

More details will be shared as they become available.

A Daily Guide Report

South African supermarket store Shoprite is selling its operations in Ghana and Malawi.

The move, announced by the retailer on Tuesday, is part of the chain’s efforts to focus on its home market. The planned sales follow the retailer’s exits from DR Congo, Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, and Uganda in the last few years.

The retrenchment follows years of expansion across the continent during which the grocery store became Africa’s top food retailer in around 15 countries. Shoprite changed course after encountering currency volatility, double-digit inflation, restrictive import regulations, and leases pegged to the US dollar — problems which were most pronounced in Angola and Nigeria.

Shoprite’s departure from other African markets contrasts with its expansion within South Africa. It has launched hundreds of new stores in its home market over the last year, scaled up its Sixty60 e-commerce delivery service, and diversified into pet supplies, health care, and outdoor gear.

The development, which caused power outages across the area, prompted an urgent working visit

The Ministry of Energy and Green Transition has announced the full restoration of electricity supply to Tamale and surrounding communities, following a temporary service withdrawal by staff of the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) and the Volta River Authority (VRA).

The development, which caused power outages across the area, prompted an urgent working visit by the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor (MP), who held a series of high-level engagements with stakeholders to resolve the impasse.

During his visit, John Jinapor met with the Northern Regional Minister, the Mayor of Tamale, the management of NEDCo, leadership of the Senior Staff Association and Workers’ Unions of NEDCo and VRA, as well as regional heads of the Ghana Police Service and National Security.

The Minister also paid courtesy calls on the Gukpenaa, Kuga Naa, and Gbewaa Palaces, where he listened to the concerns of traditional authorities. He extended the Ministry’s appreciation to the Overlord of Dagbon, Yaa Naa Abukari Mahama II, for his warm reception and leadership.

“The Ministry extends its gratitude to the Overlord of Dagbon, Yaa Naa Mahama

Abukari Gariba II, for his gracious reception and insights during the visit.

“As a direct result of the Ministry’s proactive engagement, power has been fully

restored to the affected areas. The staff of NEDCo and VRA have rescinded their

decision to suspend services. The security services remain vigilant to ensure the safety and security of all,” the statement noted.

Following the intervention, staff of NEDCo and VRA have rescinded their decision to withdraw services and returned to work. The Ministry noted that security personnel remain deployed in the area to ensure the safety of utility workers and installations.

The statement signed by Energy Ministry spokesperson Richmond Rockson urged the public to avoid any acts of aggression toward utility staff.

The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to continuous stakeholder engagement, stressing that proactive dialogue is key to preventing future disruptions.

The Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has inaugurated a committee to lead the operationalisation of the Komenda Sugar Factory. 

The factory, constructed more than 10 years ago, has remained dormant for the better part of its life.

The interim management committee (IMC), chaired by Kwame Owusu Sekyere, a lawyer, also has Douglas Mensah, an engineer; John Doku, Lt Col George Afful (retd), and Ransford Vanni Amoah as members.

The six-point Terms of Reference given to the IMC comprise conducting a technical assessment of the factory’s assets, reviewing its financial and business viability, evaluating the sugarcane raw material supply chain, identifying a credible strategic partner, reviewing the ministry’s operational roadmap, and proposing a transition plan towards full operations.

The committee is expected to submit its preliminary findings and recommendations to the ministry within eight weeks.

The inauguration, held in Accra last Monday, marks a renewed national effort to restore the factory to full functionality and economic relevance.

Government officials said it signalled a renewed determination to breathe life into one of Ghana’s key industrial initiatives and transform it into a sustainable source of employment and import substitution.

Inauguration, history

Inaugurating the committee, Mrs Ofosu-Adjare emphasised the significance of the factory as a “prized national asset” initiated under the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.

She said it had been left to deteriorate due to a host of operational and supply chain challenges.

The factory dates back to 2013, when the government at the time contracted Seftech India Pvt to construct a sulphurless sugar plant on a turnkey basis.

Designed to produce 125 tonnes of sugar daily, with plans to expand into ethanol production and power generation, the project initially cost $36.25 million, funded through a loan from India EXIM Bank and a grant from EDAIF, now Ghana EXIM Bank.

Mrs Ofosu-Adjare said in spite of subsequent efforts, including the engagement of Park Agrotech as a strategic investor in 2020 and the involvement of West Africa Agro-Tech Company Limited (WAATCO) under the 1D1F initiative, the factory had not been able to achieve sustainable operations.

“In spite of these interventions, several attempts to operationalise the factory have not been successful,” the minister said.

To break this cycle, she said the government had constituted the high-level IMC to diagnose and address the root issues hindering the factory’s viability. 

National significance

Mrs Ofosu-Adjare underscored the broader national significance of the project.

“The Komenda Sugar Factory holds the potential to create enormous jobs in the catchment area, and cutting down on the volume of sugar imports into the country,” she said.

She added that the ministry was committed to supporting the IMC with the resources required to fulfil its mandate effectively.

The chairman of the IMC expressed appreciation to President John Dramani Mahama and the Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry for entrusting the committee with the task of reviewing and reviving the factory.

“We are honoured by the confidence reposed in us and pledge to diligently work on the terms of reference and deliver within the timelines assigned to us,” Mr Owusu Sekyere said.

Background

The Komenda Sugar Factory was originally established in 1964 by Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, but later collapsed.

The government secured a $35-million Export-Import (EXIM) Bank, India loan to re-establish the factory.

An additional $24 million facility was set aside to support out-grower farmers.

The factory was commissioned on May 30, 2016, by President John Dramani Mahama to produce sugar, but it became stillborn due to a multiplicity of factors that were described as “technical and operational challenges”.

The factory, which was expected to employ 7,300 people along the value chain in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem municipality, has not been operational since then.

While addressing a durbar of the chiefs and the people of Komenda in the Central Region on September 14, 2018, then President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, gave an assurance that the government was in the process of getting a strategic investor to revive the factory.

On April 5, 2019, a former Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen, also assured Parliament that a strategic investor would be named by the end of that month to acquire the assets of the factory and help to operationalise it.

Following mounting pressure from the chiefs, youth groups and the people of Komenda for the revival of the factory, the government announced on November 26, 2019, that Park Agrotech Ghana Limited, a Ghanaian-Indian company, had been selected as the strategic investor to revamp the factory.

It was explained that Park Agrotech emerged as the successful bidder after a rigorous selection process conducted by the accounting and advisory firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

The Ghana-based company, a subsidiary of the Skylark Group of Companies of India, one of the largest integrated farming businesses in India, was expected to inject $28 million into the factory between 2020 and 2023.

The company was expected to invest $11 million of the amount into sugarcane cultivation, $6 million to upgrade plant and machinery and $11 million as working capital to bring the ailing factory back on its feet.

The STM Project Limited, a company renowned for sugarcane development and sugar plant modernisation, expansion and rehabilitation for more than 200 sugar factories in India and other parts of the world, was supposed to serve as the technical partner, with technical support from the University of Cape Coast.

However, when the Daily Graphic followed up on the progress of work in March 2020, it emerged that no contract was signed between the government and the company.