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President Mahama restructures government Ministries

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Accra, Jan 11, GNA – President John Dramani Mahama, through the Civil Service (Ministries) Instrument 2025, has restructured the government ministries, merging some key portfolios.

The new arrangement reduces the number of ministries to 23 from the previous 30, in a move to enhance efficiency.

Notable changes include the integration of Energy into the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, and the inclusion of Digital Technology and Innovations under the Ministry of Communication.

The also move aims to streamline governance and align with contemporary national priorities.

Ministries of the Civil Service

  1. The following Ministries in the Civil Service are hereby established:

(a) Ministry of Finance;
(b) Ministry of Health;
(c) Ministry of the Interior;
(d) Ministry of Defence;
(e) Ministry of Education;
(f) Ministry of Energy and Green Transition;
(g) Ministry of Roads and Highways;
(h) Ministry of Transport;
(i) Ministry of Sports and Recreation;
(j) Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice;
(k) Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources;
(l) Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs;
(m) Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
(n) Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations;
(o) Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology;
(p) Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment;
(q) Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources;
(r) Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection;
(s) Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts;
(t) Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment;
(u) Ministry of Food and Agriculture;
(v) Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture; and
(w) Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry.

There is no encroachment, our land is intact

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The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Northern Development Authority (NDA), Sulley Sambian, has refuted allegations of encroachment on the authority’s land by unknown individuals.

He assured the public that the land allocated to the NDA remains intact and secure.

This clarification comes after concerns were raised by some NDA staff about the potential sale of portions of the authority’s land following the sudden construction of a fence wall by unidentified individuals.

The Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) committee, led by Chairman Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, inspected the property on Friday, January 10, to assess the situation.

Speaking on Eyewitness News with Umaru Sanda Amadu, Mr Sambian explained that the authority possesses only 1.2 acres of land, not the reported 1.73 acres, and that the 1.2 acres remain undisturbed.

“There is no such encroachment on our land in the sense that what the Lands Commission offered us was 1.2 acres. We have paid the premium on the 1.2 acre land and we have that land intact. As to why there is another person on the lands, it is for Lands Commission and not us,” he stated.

“When I heard that they were erecting a wall, I wasn’t even the first person to tell the officers to stop. Then I asked them to ensure that there is no encroachment on our lands. So, as far as I am concerned and to the best of my knowledge, we have our one 1.2-acre land intact. We have not given that land to anybody.”

However, the Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini expressed dissatisfaction with Mr. Sambian’s clarification, describing it as inconsistent with available records.

“I am scandalized listening to the CEO of the NDA. Available records that should also be available to the CEO indicate clearly that as of 2017 when the NPP government was taking over, the land size which has become the subject of this conversation was 1.714 acres and for the CEO of NDA to reduce the size of the land in his submission, clearly points to what is similar to what has happened to other landed state properties,” he stated.

“… It is imperative that John Mahama actually goes by the promise of setting up an investigative committee to look into the way this government has dealt with landed properties, especially belonging to state agencies.

ORAL committee tours NDA office over land encroachment

Gospel singer Moses Bliss, wife welcome first child

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Nigerian gospel singer Moses Bliss and his wife, Marie Bliss, have welcomed their first child, a baby boy.

The singer shared the joyous news on his Instagram page on Friday, accompanied by a newly released song video featuring his wife.

He wrote, “This is the doing of the Lord. We are in awe of His mercy. Join us to thank God for blessing our family with a baby boy. This song is our testimony.”

The couple, who tied the knot in March 2024, have kept most of their personal affairs private, including the pregnancy. Marie Bliss, a Ghanaian-born, London-based lawyer, and her husband have now shared their testimony with the world.

NPP Energy Analyst Dismisses Claims by John Jinapor on Ghana’s Energy Sector

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Kwadwo Nsafoah Poku
Kwadwo Nsafoah Poku

Kwadwo Nsafoah Poku, an energy analyst and member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has rejected claims made by John Jinapor, the Minister-Designate for Energy, regarding the state of Ghana’s energy sector.

Poku, speaking on Neat FM, emphasized the need to focus on facts rather than politics in addressing the sector’s ongoing challenges.

Poku specifically refuted Jinapor’s assertion that the NPP had left insufficient fuel for electricity generation. He explained that Ghana’s energy mix relies heavily on thermal power, with about 75% of the country’s electricity coming from thermal plants and 25% from hydro. “The claim of insufficient fuel doesn’t align with the reality on the ground,” Poku said, adding that the real issue is managing deficits and ensuring sustainability, not just fuel supply.

Criticizing the politicization of energy debates, Poku pointed out that opposition parties often criticized energy challenges without offering lasting solutions. He noted that when the NPP was in power, similar challenges were faced, but the government worked to ensure a consistent power supply. “Excuses won’t solve the problem,” he stated.

Poku also expressed concern over the current administration’s reliance on expensive fuel for electricity generation, describing it as unsustainable and placing unnecessary strain on the economy. He called for practical, solution-driven strategies to stabilize the sector and ensure a consistent power supply moving forward. “The new administration must focus on solutions,” he urged.


MTN Ghana Foundation delights mothers and babies in 30 hospitals

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MTN Ghana Foundation distributed 600 hampers to mothers in 30 hospitals across the 16 regions of Ghana.

Hampers, containing essential items such as newborn clothing, detergents, toys, blankets, and personal care products, were presented to mothers at the various hospitals, including Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in the Greater Accra Region, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in the Ashanti Region, the Tamale Teaching Hospital in the Northern Region, Wiawso Government Hospital in the Western North Region, and the Dambai Hospital in the Oti Region.

The recipients expressed their gratitude to the MTN Ghana Foundation for the kind gesture. One of them, Madam Sylvia Essuman, said the hamper will help ease the financial burden of the mothers. Another beneficiary, Madam Gifty Amoah, described the donation as a pleasant surprise. “We were not expecting this, but we are very happy; thank you, MTN,” she said.

Victoria Jamoo, senior midwife at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, observed that the donation would go a long way in supporting new mothers who often struggle to afford essential baby items.

Speaking during the presentation in Accra, Samuel Bartels, representing the Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer for MTN Ghana, said, “This initiative is our way of sharing in the joy of new mothers and congratulating them on the arrival of their babies. We believe that these little ones will grow up to achieve greatness, and we are excited to be a part of their journey.”

MTN staff volunteers in Western, Western-North, Central, Eastern, Oti and Volta regions were led by Prince Owusu-Nyarko, Senior Manager, Regional Sales while Kwami Aseye Akude, Manager – Retail Experience led the volunteers in Northern, Bono, Bono East, Ahafo, Ashanti, Northeast, Savanna, Upper East, and Upper West Regions.

Since the inception of the Baby Hamper Project in 2011, the MTN Ghana Foundation has distributed over 3,500 hampers to new mothers across Ghana. The initiative is a testament to the foundation’s commitment to supporting the vulnerable and making a positive impact in the lives of Ghanaians.

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World Bank to commit $30 million to Ghana’s irrigation systems

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An image of irrigation system An image of irrigation system

The World Bank has pledged to fund the $30 million gap in the implementation of the Food Systems Resilience Programme (FSRP) to boost irrigation farming and agricultural productivity.

Ousmane Diagana, the Regional Vice President for Western and Central Africa for the World Bank, made this disclosure when he visited the Kpong Irrigation Scheme and Kpong Left Bank Irrigation System sites.

“There’s a $30 million funding gap to see the full completion of this project. We’re a long-standing partner for Ghana in every area… and we will be happy, of course, to consider adding financing if necessary. So, this is something that is absolutely possible,” Diagana said.

While the Bank estimates Ghana’s irrigable land to be 1.9 million hectares, about 1.6 percent is equipped with irrigation, compared with the West and Central Africa average of 13.9 percent, causing a blow to the country’s agricultural and food resilience.

Speaking to this subject, Diagana noted that agriculture was essential for job creation and fundamental for income generation, adding that “no country can develop without investing in its agriculture.”

He called on the government to provide sustainable investment in smart agriculture to boost productivity and reduce the country’s reliance on the importation of rice, maize, and vegetables.

“The best experience suggests that if you do this type of investment and you are able to be close to seven tonnes per hectare, then you’re really making good use of the time, resources, and the likelihood to have the project really achieve its impact will be extremely high,” Diagana said.

Osei Owusu Agyeman, the Project Coordinator of FSRP, indicated that the project was combining adaptive mobility and sustainable interventions to arm vulnerable households, families, farmers, and communities to withstand uncertainty and shocks in food production and distribution.

He stated that investing in agriculture was an investment in the community for food security and jobs, citing that with an amount of $22.5 million from the World Bank, the FSRP had modernized major irrigation schemes in the country.

Priscilla Adom Tawiah, the Secretary of the Investors Cooperative at the Kpone Left Bank Irrigation System site, said the project had been beneficial, particularly to the youth and women in agriculture.

Tawiah called for increased access to affordable funding for players in the agriculture value chain.

“We believe that if there’s a dedicated matching grant, we’ll be able to develop our businesses faster than we’re doing now, transform the whole of the left bank, and become an agribusiness tourist site for the country and beyond,” she said.

2009 U-20 World Cup winners to receive matured investment cheques

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The Ghana Football Association has received a letter from SAS Finance Group inviting the 21 players who won the 2009 U-20 World Cup with the Black Satellites to collect their investment cheques.

This development follows the maturity of a 15-year investment made by the Ministry of Youth and Sports on behalf of the 2009 Black Satellites U-20 World Cup squad, which reached maturity on January 4, 2025.

The news will come as a relief to the players, who have been requesting their investments in recent months. Notably, Philip Boampong alleged that the returns mentioned by SAS Finance Group were significantly lower than what they had initially been promised.

A letter sent to the General Secretary of the Ghana Football Association, with a copy forwarded to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, formally invited the players to receive their investment returns.

The Ministry had invested a total of GH₵210,000 on behalf of the 21 players in 2009, allocating GH₵10,000 to each player.

The statement from SAS Finance Group read:

“This investment has matured after 15 years, and the players can now collect their cheques from the SAS Office in Accra, starting from January 8, 2025,” said SAS.

“To collect their cheques, players must present a valid Ghana Card for identification purposes. If a player is unable to collect their cheque personally, they can authorize a third party to do so by presenting a notarized Power of Attorney.”

“The SAS Office is located on the 14th floor of the World Trade Centre, Independence Avenue, Accra,” the statement added.

According to SAS, the investment package also included an annual insurance policy that provided life and health insurance coverage for each of the 21 players throughout the 15-year investment term.

The Black Satellites made history by becoming the first African team to win the U-20 World Cup in 2009, defeating Brazil in Egypt leading the government to announce a $750,000 package for the players.

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