By Anthony Adongo Apubeo  

Sirigu (U/E), Jan. 3, GNA – Mr Mahama Ayariga, the Majority Leader in Parliament and Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, has called for an increase in the percentage of national revenue allocated to the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) to accelerate development at the local level.  

He said development should be driven largely from the grassroots, stressing that Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) had, over the years, developed the capacity to effectively utilise resources to address the needs of their people.  

Mr Ayariga, who is also the Leader of Government Business in Parliament, was speaking at Sirigu during the maiden celebration of the Azuko Festival of the chiefs and people of Sirigu in the Kassena-Nankana West District.  

The Azuko Festival, celebrated in honour of the founder, Azuko, also coincided with the 10th anniversary of the enskinment of Naba Atogumdeya Roland Akwara III, the Paramount Chief of the Sirigu Traditional Area.  

Mr Ayariga noted that although five per cent of national revenue was currently allocated to the Common Fund, there was the need to increase that share to ensure that more resources reached rural and deprived communities where most of the population lived.  

“As a country, development really should be taking place at the local level. It is no longer necessary to keep the bulk of the money at the centre and send only a small percentage to the rural communities,” he said.  

The Majority Leader commended President John Dramani Mahama for directing that 80 per cent of Common Fund allocations be paid directly into the accounts of district assemblies, saying the move had significantly improved the financial position of local authorities.  

According to him, the policy had increased the availability of funds at the district level to create jobs, stimulate local economic activity, reduce poverty and promote wealth creation among local populations.  

Mr Ayariga said that prior to the directive, many district assemblies received little or no funds from the Common Fund, limiting their ability to undertake development projects.  

He stressed that increasing the allocation to the Common Fund would further strengthen decentralisation, empower local authorities and ensure a more equitable distribution of development across the country.  

The Majority Leader assured the people that the government remained committed to rural development, particularly in agriculture, education, health and infrastructure, and pledged to support initiatives aimed at improving living conditions in rural communities.  

GNA  

Edited by Caesar Abagali/Kenneth Odeng Adade  

GoldBod has not recorded any losses and is on course to declare a significant surplus for the 2025 financial year, Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi has insisted, dismissing claims to the contrary as unfounded.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newfile, Sammy Gyamfi said management accounts show that the Ghana Gold Board generated about GH¢960 million in revenue in 2025, with expenditure kept below GH¢120 million.

According to him, this positions the institution to declare a surplus of between GH¢700 million and GH¢800 million, subject to auditing.

“GoldBod has not declared profit. It declares surplus. There’s a big difference between profit-making institutions and surplus-making institutions,” he explained.

“If you look at our management accounts, we are on our way to declaring a surplus of nothing less than GH¢700–800 million, to put it very conservatively.”

Sammy Gyamfi stressed that the figures cited are unaudited, but maintained that GoldBod has complied with legal requirements under Section 42 of the Ghana Gold Board Act by publishing its quarterly financial reports on its website.

“We have done so, and if you check, you will see that everything I’m telling you is factual,” he said, adding that the Auditor-General is expected to complete an external audit of the Board’s accounts by the end of the first quarter of 2026.

He rejected assertions that GoldBod had incurred losses, describing such claims as misleading. “When you hear people talking about GoldBod losses, maybe they are dreaming or hallucinating. We’ve not made any losses,” he said.

The CEO’s comments come on the back of growing political debate over the Gold-for-Reserves programme.

In its fifth review of Ghana’s IMF-supported programme, the International Monetary Fund reported that losses linked to artisanal and small-scale doré gold transactions under the scheme had reached about $214 million as of September 2025.

Following the IMF’s disclosure, the Minority in Parliament has called for the establishment of a parliamentary ad-hoc committee to investigate the matter, warning that criminal prosecution should follow if wrongdoing is established.

Sammy Gyamfi, however, expressed confidence that the forthcoming audit would put the matter to rest, insisting that GoldBod’s financial position remains sound and transparent.

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The Ghana Police Service have arrested self-styled prophet Ebo Noah, also known as Evans Eshun, age 33, after his widely shared end-time prophecy failed.

The arrest happened around New Year’s Eve and is believed to be linked to his prediction of a global flood on December 25, 2025.

Ebo Noah had predicted a catastrophic flood would destroy the earth on December 25, 2025, and built an ark to save people.

He claimed to have received a divine message from God, similar to the biblical story of Noah. His prophecy gained widespread attention on social media, with some believing him and others criticizing his claims.

However, on December 24, 2025, Ebo Noah announced that God had changed his mind and would not destroy the world due to his prayers and fasting.

The Elmina police declared him wanted after his prophecy failed to materialise, and he was later arrested for spreading misinformation.

However, Ebo Noah made a surprise appearance at Sarkodie’s Rapperholic concert on December 25, 2025, at the Grand Arena in Accra. He introduced Sarkodie on stage, and the crowd went wild. Ebo Noah claimed the flood he predicted didn’t happen because he prayed against it, and many others, including social media users, also prayed for the disaster to be averted.

The appearance sparked mixed reactions, with some fans defending his right to a platform, while others criticized him for misleading people with his prophecy. Some attendees even expressed disappointment, accusing him of deceiving the public.

By Prince Fiifi Yorke