Government has announced that it will supply free fertiliser and other inputs to cocoa farmers from the beginning of the 2025/2026 crop season.

This was disclosed at a press conference delivered by the Finance Minister, Dr. Ato Forson after a meeting with the Producer Price Review Committee. According to him, government’s decision to reintroduce the free fertilisers is aimed at supporting farmers to increase production.

“In preparation for the new season, COCOBOD has made available jute sacks and related logistics for the smooth take-off of the 2025/2026 crop Season. Ladies and Gentlemen, and to the cocoa farmer, I am pleased to announce that President John Mahama’s administration has reintroduced the free cocoa fertiliser programme as an additional support to the Ghanaian cocoa farmer, beginning the 2025/2026 crop year.”

Dr. Forson detailed the inputs government intends to supply to farmers, stating that every farmer will benefit from the programme.

“Beginning this crop year, President Mahama’s administration will supply free cocoa fertilisers (both liquid and granular), free insecticides, free spraying machines, free fungicides, and free flower inducers to farmers.”

He, however cautioned farmers against smuggling of fertilisers.

“Government strongly advises cocoa farmers to apply these inputs solely for the purpose of improving cocoa yield and their income. Please do not smuggle them,” he said.

The government also announced the approval of a significant increase in the producer price of cocoa, raising it from US$3,100 to US$5,040 per tonne for the upcoming 2025/2026 season. He added that the current Free-On-Board (FOB) value is based on a blend of contracts sold at $2,600 per tonne in the 2023/24 crop year and forward forecasts for 2025/2026.

The increase means cocoa farmers will now receive GH¢51,660 per tonne or GH¢3,228.75 per 64-kilogramme bag of cocoa.

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.

Ghana will launch a six-week Basic Military Orientation Programme for national service personnel starting August 31, targeting 10,000 graduates in pilot cohorts before scaling to 100,000.

Youth Minister George Opare Addo clarified the initiative—developed with the Ghana Armed Forces—aims to instill “discipline, national pride, and leadership,” not militarization.

The reforms align with the National Service Act 2024, repositioning the scheme for workforce readiness as 130,000 graduates deploy across education, health, agriculture, and private sectors this service year.

Concurrently, the Feed Ghana and Happy Programmes will engage 45,000 agriculturally trained personnel in large-scale farming. Current projects include 1,500 acres of maize (1,000 nearing harvest) and 600 acres of tomatoes, with plans to expand to 2,000 acres by 2026.

A new entrepreneurship pathway also allows youth-led ventures to serve as national service sites, targeting 1,000 graduate businesses in partnership with the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP). Opare Addo emphasized transforming “job seekers into job creators” through incubation support and market access.

TIME VS. PERFORMANCE: Rethinking democracy and development in Ghana

In Ghana, and indeed across much of Africa, democracy has long been equated with the regular conduct of elections. Every four years, citizens line up at polling stations, driven by hope, loyalty, or frustration, to elect new leaders. This exercise is typically lauded as evidence of democratic maturity. Yet, after nearly three decades of multiparty democracy, the question must be asked: Are these regular elections truly advancing national development, or are they quietly undermining it?

While Ghana is widely regarded as one of the most stable democracies in Africa, there is growing concern that the very mechanisms meant to safeguard democracy, particularly cyclical elections, are impeding our ability to implement and sustain meaningful developmental progress. In essence, has time, as dictated by electoral cycles, become the enemy of performance?

The Case for Political Continuity.

Across the globe, examples abound where long-term leadership has delivered measurable and lasting development. Take China, where President Xi Jinping has been in power for over thirteen years. Under his leadership, China has advanced technologically, lifted millions out of poverty, and positioned itself as a global economic powerhouse. Importantly, this progress was not achieved within a single electoral cycle; it was the result of consistent governance, strategic continuity, and long-term national planning.

Similarly, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, who has dominated Russian politics for more than two decades, has overseen significant developments in energy independence, military modernisation, and national infrastructure. Although opinions are sharply divided on his methods, one cannot ignore the benefits that political stability and a long-term strategic outlook have brought to key sectors of Russian society.

In both nations, time and continuity have been critical enablers of national transformation. Leaders have had the space to implement reforms, adjust policies, and learn from their own governance experiences without the constant distraction of campaigning for re-election or facing premature leadership transitions.

Ghana’s Contrasting Reality.

In contrast, Ghana’s political structure is built on a strict four-year electoral cycle, often extended to eight years only if the incumbent party secures a second term. This timeframe is considerably short, particularly for leaders tasked with reversing entrenched socio-economic challenges and building resilient institutions. Most Ghanaian presidents spend their first year setting up governance structures, the next two years pursuing flagship projects, and the final year defending their records ahead of the next election. This compresses governance into a race against time, rather than a thoughtful, paced developmental agenda.

Even when a leader is re-elected, the second term is often marked by political fatigue, reduced accountability, and in some cases, lame-duck status. Under such conditions, long-term national strategies are either abandoned or replaced by politically expedient programs aimed at consolidating party loyalty and legacy, not necessarily delivering sustainable development.

This reality breeds what I term “developmental short-termism”, a governance model that favours quick wins over deep reforms, media visibility over policy depth, and electioneering over execution. As a result, rather than voting based on a leader’s performance, Ghanaians often vote because “ne time aso” his or her time is up. In such a system, timekeeping becomes a higher democratic value than transformation.

Learning from Our History.

Ghana’s post-independence experience offers a powerful counter-narrative. Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, our first President, governed with a long-term vision of transforming Ghana into a modern, industrialised state. His accomplishments from the construction of the Akosombo Dam and the Tema Motorway to the establishment of industrial plants and higher education institutions were not the products of a single four-year term. Rather, they were born out of stability, bold vision, and uninterrupted governance.

To this day, many of the country’s foundational assets in energy, transport, and education are traceable to Nkrumah’s era. This alone should cause us to reflect: if Ghana has yet to replicate such a transformational legacy in the multiparty era, could the reason be our excessive reliance on rigid electoral timelines that ignore the demands of real development?

The Pitfalls of Electoral Overreach.

Democracy must go beyond elections. The danger in Ghana and many African democracies is that we have elevated the ballot above the blueprint. The structure of our political system forces every administration to behave as if national transformation must occur within four years, or at most eight. This creates pressure for hasty policies, populist decisions, and visible, but shallow, projects designed more for votes than for impact.

This pressure is now being compounded by calls for constitutional reforms that propose, among others, the reduction of presidential powers and the election of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs). While this may seem like a move towards deepening democracy and decentralisation, it may instead usher in another layer of election-focused governance, one where every unit of leadership, from the presidency down to the district level, is caught in perpetual campaign mode.

This reform risks undermining technocratic governance, as qualified but non-political professionals may be pushed out of public administration in favour of popular or partisan candidates. The unintended result? Even more emphasis on electoral victory and even less on institutional performance.

A Continental Pattern

This is not a uniquely Ghanaian dilemma. Libya under Muammar Gaddafi, despite its authoritarian structure, provided universal healthcare, housing, and some of the highest living standards on the continent before its collapse. Tunisia, before the Arab Spring, had one of the most developed social systems in North Africa. While these regimes were not democratic by Western standards, they illustrate the importance of political stability and long-term planning in achieving development.

Their fall, ironically triggered by demands for democratic reforms, serves as a cautionary tale. Without stability, development is fragile. Democracy must be more than just frequent leadership changes; it must be about improving lives.

Time as a Developmental Asset.

It is therefore time to rethink how we measure the success of our democracy. If performance, not just periodicity, becomes our benchmark, we may find that stability is not the enemy of democracy, but its partner. We need not abandon elections, but we must reform how we view governance. Leaders who perform should not be removed simply because their time is up. Rather, there should be constitutional mechanisms to reward impactful governance with strategic continuity, while also providing checks and balances to prevent authoritarianism.

We must begin to ask ourselves the hard questions:

• Is frequent leadership change synonymous with growth?
• Are we mistaking regular elections for democratic progress?

• Can we design systems that reward performance with continuity?

Reimagining Ghana’s Democracy.

A performance-driven democracy does not mean leaders rule indefinitely. It means leaders are evaluated by results, not merely time served. It means that national interest, not party cycles, dictates the rhythm of governance. And it means that citizens are empowered not just to vote, but to engage critically with policy outcomes. We must not confuse electoral rituals with development. Democracy should be a platform for transformation, not merely transition.

Conclusion: Time is Not the Enemy.

Ghana’s challenge today is not a lack of democratic institutions, but the overemphasis on time- based leadership rotation at the expense of performance based continuity. We are trapped in a model that celebrates the act of voting more than the quality of governance that follows. Let us move beyond democracy as an event, and embrace democracy as a process one that requires time, vision, and the courage to prioritise impact over image. Let us ensure that our future is not governed by the ticking of electoral clocks, but by the steady beat of national transformation.

In rethinking our democratic culture, time must become our ally, not our adversary.

play videoJohn Dramani Mahama is the President of Ghana

In a bid to modernise Ghana’s travel infrastructure and visa processing systems, President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Ministers of Interior, Transport, and Foreign Affairs to collaborate and implement the long-awaited e-visa system.

According to him, the e-visa system will reduce paperwork and bureaucracy, streamline visa application processes, and make Ghana a more attractive destination for business.

He stated that expanding Ghana’s digital platform is essential as the future of travel is digital and Ghana must not be left behind.

Speaking at the commissioning of the Air Navigation Services (ANS) and the Multi-Agency Command Centre in Accra on Monday, August 4, President Mahama noted that the state-of-the-art infrastructure will contribute to regional and global security architecture.

“The e-visa system will ease visa application processes, reduce paperwork and bureaucracy, support tourism, and make Ghana an even more attractive destination for business. The future of travel is digital and Ghana must not be left behind,” President Mahama stated.

He added that the Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) systems will handle passenger and travel document data.

President Mahama urged the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to ensure the platform is extended to cover both sea and land border posts, integrated with e-gate systems, and equipped to support an advanced cargo information system to enhance customs operations.

He stressed that the modernisation of the aviation sector must go beyond Kotoka International Airport, calling for integration at Terminal 2, the newly constructed Kumasi International Airport, and Tamale International Airport.

President Mahama further called for the implementation of e-gates across major entry points to improve the traveler experience and reduce congestion.

He commended the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority and the Ministry of Transport for their leadership in advancing the project.

SA/MA

How Virtual Reality is enhancing business and customer experience

The Greater Accra Regional Fire Commander of the Ghana National Fire Service, ACFO II Rashid Kwame Nisawu, has confirmed that a gas cylinder explosion was the cause of Sunday’s devastating fire outbreak at Madina’s Ritz Junction, near the Redco down washing bay area.

Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Monday, August 4, ACFO II Nisawu detailed how the incident unfolded around 12:36 p.m.

He explained that due to the proximity of the fire scene to the Madina Fire Station, personnel were quickly alerted when affected residents rushed in to report the blaze.

“They saw that people ran to the station that there was an outbreak of fire at Redco down washing bay. And in fact, when they got there, they realized that the fire had already started, because these structures are wooden structures, and the first thing that happened was an explosion,” he said.

“So it gave way for a lot of spread. So quickly, they had to call for assistance.”

When asked what triggered the explosion, he confirmed, “It was a gas cylinder that caused the explosion. So because of that, the spread was very rapid.”

Given the scale of the fire, ACFO II Nisawu stated that the Madina Fire Station requested for backup.

“Madina called for reinforcement, augmentation, and then Legon responded, Abelemkpe responded, National Headquarters responded, the rapid intervention vehicle,” he added.

“So in all, we marshalled about six fire tenders just for the Madina fire.”

Despite the swift response, ACFO II Nisawu admitted that firefighting efforts were hampered by a lack of water in the area.

“There was no water around Redco and its environs. The taps were not flowing. These hydrants are mounted on the water mains, so if the pipe taps are not flowing, then that means you cannot access water from the hydrants,” he explained.

“Some [fire tenders] came to Abelemkpe, some went beyond Legon in search of water… even some came to the National headquarters to look for water to extinguish the fire.”

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.

Subsidy to cushion currency effects

New margins and inputs for the cocoa chain

COCOBOD Reforms to Focus on Core Mandate

By Jibril Abdul Mumuni

Accra, July 31, GNA – The National Insurance Commission (NIC) has announced a new strategic direction aimed at extending insurance coverage to the informal sector, which constitutes the majority of Ghana’s workforce.

The initiative, in line with the government’s economic reset agenda, seeks to provide financial security and hope to a demographic that has traditionally been underserved by the insurance industry.

This was disclosed by Dr. Abiba Zakariah, Commissioner, NIC, during the 3iC Inclusive Insurance Innovation Challenge which was held in Accra.

After an intense pitch competition featuring 10 insurance companies, Agricom Assurance, emerged as first, while Wellmax took the second position and Resolut Business Solutions Limited took the third position.

The competition focused on innovative insurance products designed specifically for the agriculture sector.

The informal sector is the largest employer in Ghana as recent reports indicate that it accounts for approximately 80 per cent of the country’s total workforce.

However, insurance penetration in Ghana hovers at approximately 1 per cent of GDP.

This figure is well below the African average of 3 per cent and the global average of 6 per cent.

To address this challenge, the Commissioner stated that the commission is committed to developing products and services that are tailored to the unique cultural and financial realities of informal workers.

She said that previous products did not adequately consider the needs of this sector.

The Commissioner noted that to address the issue of accessibility, the NIC was leveraging technology to overcome traditional distribution channel challenges, such as the high cost of setting up physical offices in every region.

She noted that technology would enable quicker and more efficient delivery of product lines to a wider audience, including the informal sector.

In a move to support the agricultural sector, she said the NIC would also introduce an agri-insurance concept with a premium subsidy.

This move according to her is in recognition of the financial challenges farmers often face in paying insurance premiums.

She said the subsidy was designed to ease this burden and encourage wider participation.

She revealed that the NIC was also working to restore trust in the insurance industry, an issue it acknowledged as a significant disincentive for many Ghanaians.

The Commissioner stated that a comprehensive strategy was in place to change the industry’s approach and build consumer confidence.
GNA
Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong

play videoA photo of the Air Navigation Services Center

President John Dramani Mahama on Monday, August 4, 2025, commissioned the Air Navigation Services (ANS) Centre and the Multi-Agency Command Center for the Advanced Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) systems at Kotoka International Airport (KIA).

According to him, the state-of-the-art infrastructure reflects the government’s commitment to transforming Ghana’s aviation sector through strategic investment, digital innovation, and global best practices.

With the integration of the API and PNR systems, Ghana joins a growing list of countries complying with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2178 and Annex 9 of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) frameworks, which promote enhanced border security, counterterrorism, and safe mobility.

Delivering his speech, President Mahama said; “This facility represents our resolve to build a 21st-century aviation ecosystem anchored on safety, efficiency, inter-agency collaboration, and service excellence.”

He credited Ghana’s strong reputation for aviation safety and airspace security to continuous investment in regulation and personnel training.

He further noted that the ultra-modern center will serve as the new hub for airspace management, fully equipped with communication, navigation, and surveillance systems, as well as aeronautical and meteorological services.

“With this infrastructure, Ghana’s aviation professionals, particularly our air traffic controllers and system engineers will operate in a conducive, technologically advanced environment. This will enhance air safety, reduce delays, and improve coordination within the aircraft flight information region,” he added.

“But even more critically, this facility underpins our broader national vision to position Ghana as the aviation hub of West Africa,” he stated.

President Mahama explained that the new systems will allow security agencies to collect and process passenger data in real time, enabling the identification of potential threats before arrival or departure.

The systems are also expected to streamline immigration and customs procedures and significantly improve the overall efficiency and security of air travel.

SA/MA

The Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), Nativity Congregation, La, has on Sunday, August 3, 2025 commissioned a medical centre to serve the health needs of the people of La and its adjoining communities.

The medical centre, a first-phase of a multipurpose building being constructed by the church will run an Outpatients Section, Specialist Clinics (ENT, eye, family medicine, minor surgery), Antenatal and Postnatal Clinic, Wellness & Counselling Clinic, Laboratory, Ultrasound/Scan, Electrocardiogram (ECG), Pharmacy, Circumcision and Dietheraphy services.

At the grand commissioning of the facility, the Moderator of the General Assembly of PCG, Rt. Rev. Dr. Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye congratulated the Nativity Congregation for the effort of giving the health centre to the community.

According to the moderator, with this new facility, the PCG contribution to health care delivery in Ghana comes toa total of 63 different hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, etc.

He used the opportunity to appeal to the Member of Parliament of the La Dadekotopon Constituency and Deputy Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs Hon. Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, a special guest at the event to assist the facility with an ambulance.

Minister in Charge of the congregation Rev Andrew Shardow handed over the keys to the facility to the Board Chair, Mrs Evelyn Dowuona, who then took the dignitaries on a tour of the various section.

By Christopher Kotei

The Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, COP Lydia Donkor, has given details of how vehicles stolen in Western countries are imported into Ghana.

Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Monday, August 4, 2025, COP Donkor said that a special task force set up by the CID, which has impounded six vehicles from Canada, discovered the modus operandi of the car smuggling syndicates.

She stated that one of the methods used by the criminal gangs is the use of fake identities to rent cars, which are eventually smuggled into Ghana.

“While the rental agreement is in force, they clandestinely ship the vehicles out of the country. As soon as they are sure the vehicles have been cleared, they stop paying the rental charges and cut all communication with the company.

“By the time the rental company realises that the contract has been abrogated, the vehicle would already have been shipped out of the country of origin,” she said.

She also disclosed that some of the vehicles that have been impounded were actually stolen.

“Some of the vehicles are actually stolen from the premises of the owners. The tracking systems are disabled, and they are shipped into the country,” she said.

“In some of the cases, fake credit cards or stolen credit card details are used to buy the vehicles on hire purchase. While the agreement is in force, the vehicles are shipped out of the country of origin. Once the vehicle is out and sold to an innocent buyer, the payments on the purchase are stopped. That is when the owners realise the theft and report same to the authorities,” she added.

She also said that some of the cars are bought and imported into Ghana to launder illicit profits acquired from criminal acts like romance fraud and sextortion.

COP Donkor urged Ghanaians to be circumspect when buying imported used vehicles and to demand purchase documents from the countries they were imported from.

“Some innocent citizens fall victim and purchase vehicles that have been stolen from abroad. I want to take this opportunity to advise all citizens who want to purchase vehicles, particularly those imported from abroad, to go beyond requesting the customs documents and demand from the importers some proof of purchase or ownership of the vehicle prior to its importation into the country,” she cautioned.

BAI/VPO

Meanwhile, watch as Prophet Worlasi shares bombshell prophesies on Bawumia and NPP on The Lowdown:

Vincent Ekow Assafuah is the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo Constituency

The Member of Parliament for Old Tafo Constituency, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, has criticised the government’s newly announced cocoa producer price, describing it as the “lowest price increase since 2016.”

In a social media post, Assafuah responded to the announcement by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, questioning the significance of the increment.

He pointed out that in 2024, the price of a bag of cocoa stood at GH¢3,100, and after all the government’s promises to transform the cocoa sector, the new price of GH¢3,228.75 per bag reflects a marginal increase of just GH¢128.75.

“Is this the heaven on earth you promised?” the Old Tafo MP quizzed, taking a swipe at the government’s earlier assurances of substantial improvements in cocoa pricing.

He further asserted that the increase represents the smallest margin of adjustment in cocoa prices since 2016, challenging the government’s narrative of significant progress.

Assafuah’s comments add to the growing scrutiny over the government’s economic policies, especially in sectors like cocoa, which is a critical pillar of Ghana’s economy.

His remarks suggest that the announced price increment falls far below expectations, particularly for cocoa farmers who were anticipating a more meaningful increase in light of the government’s campaign promises and speculations that farmers could receive GH¢6,000 per bag of 64kg gross weight.

On July 19, 1965, history was made. Ghana, bold and proud under the visionary leadership of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, introduced the Ghana Cedi as the nation’s official currency. It was more than just money, it was a symbol of independence, identity, and economic sovereignty. Yet, less than two years later, Nkrumah was overthrown in the infamous 1966 coup, a political quake that some historians subtly link to the ripple effects of our new monetary independence—a move that threatened colonial economic interests tied to the British Pound.

Fast forward to 2025, and the Cedi turns 60 years old. But here’s the twist—while our nation’s currency has endured decades of inflation, redesigns, and economic storms, one battle it still can’t win is against us. From crumpling and folding our notes like old receipts, to scribbling phone numbers on them, even using them as “spray” notes at parties, we’ve treated the very symbol of our independence with a level of disregard we’d never dare show to the Dollar, Pound, or Euro. Foreign currencies, we handle with care, smooth and crisp as though they’re sacred scrolls. Our Cedi? It too often ends up sweaty, torn, or taped together before it completes a single cycle through the economy.

Now Stunnin Music, known as Elvis Siaw Baah is a voice determined to change the tune, literally. As an artist manager to Kofi AC with 11 years in the music industry, have seen modern music and all the chaos and “foolery” it brings that is dominating today’s lyrical landscape. Songs glorify spending, flexing, fashion and waste, while the real issues like our economy, our culture, our identity, continue fading into the background.

That changes now.
On August 8, 2025, Stunnin Music will release what might be the first song ever dedicated to the Ghana Cedi, a powerful anthem calling on every Ghanaian to keep “Our Cedi” clean. This isn’t just a song; it’s a movement. It blends entertainment with purpose, a beat you can vibe to with lyrics that remind us of our collective responsibility.

Because let’s face it, when we disrespect our own money, we disrespect our nation. Every torn note, careless spray, and unnecessary bouquet, chips away at the pride that should come with holding the Cedi. And if we can treat foreign currencies like gold, why can’t we give our own the same respect?

This August, as we celebrate 60 years of the Cedi, Stunnin Music invites every Ghanaian to tune in, turn up, and most importantly, stand up. Let’s rewrite the narrative. Let’s make the Cedi—not just a currency we use—but a symbol of pride we protect.

Join the movement. Keep the Cedi clean.
The song drops on all major streaming platforms 08/08/2025.

Because our money is more than paper.
It’s our identity. Our Heritage. Our National pride.