Ms. Sanderine Coet delivered remarks on behalf of the European Union Delegation to Ghana

The Centre for Local Governance Advocacy (CLGA) has commended the European Union (EU) for its instrumental role in funding the 2024 edition of the Public Financial Management Compliance League Table (PFMCLT) and other governance-related initiatives.

The PFMCLT serves as a vital accountability tool for assessing the financial management practices of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs). It was officially launched at a high-level event attended by key stakeholders in Ghana’s governance and decentralisation space.

The launch was officiated by Dr Eric Oduro Osae, a United Nations Audit Advisor, who underscored the importance of transparency, accountability, and evidence-based policy interventions in strengthening local governance.

This year’s league table ranked La Dade-Kotopon Municipal Assembly as the top-performing district in public financial management compliance.

However, notably, none of the Metropolitan Assemblies made it into the top 30, highlighting persistent challenges in urban fiscal governance. Agona East District ranked last, placing 258th out of 261 districts assessed, while three districts could not be evaluated due to prevailing security concerns.

Delivering remarks on behalf of the European Union Delegation to Ghana, Ms. Sanderine Coet highlighted the PFMCLT as a critical instrument for promoting accountability and improving financial governance.

She emphasised that the league table provides a structured mechanism for identifying weaknesses, offering data-driven insights, and informing targeted support to elevate standards across all districts.

“This initiative underscores our shared vision with Ghanaian institutions to strengthen fiscal discipline, advance fiscal decentralisation, enhance domestic revenue mobilisation, and promote efficient expenditure management,” Ms. Coet stated.

“These are essential steps towards reducing financial leakages, curbing corruption, and maximising the impact of public resources for improved service delivery,” she added.

The Centre for Local Governance Advocacy reaffirmed its commitment to working with both national and international partners to promote transparent, responsive, and accountable governance at the local level.

By Evans Worlanyo Ameamu

Keta (VR) Jun 19, GNA-Mr. Wonder Setsoafia Deynu, the Keta National Democratic Congress (NDC) constituency deputy communication officer, has been appointed the new Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) of the area.

Mr. Deynu’s appointment is expected to bring fresh energy and ideas to disaster control and management in communities in the Keta municipality of the Volta Region.

Mr. Deynu, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on his new appointment, said that NADMO’s mandate was to prepare disaster plans, provide relief and rehabilitate services, and educate the public on disaster prevention and management and promised the mandates would be fulfilled accordingly.

“NADMO plays a critical role in ensuring effective response and support to affected communities during disasters, and we will ensure that is manifested,” he said.

He explained that expectations were high to strengthen the efforts by NADMO in disaster risk reduction and management in many communities within the municipality, and with the necessary expertise, the organisation would be poise to improve its disaster preparedness, response, and recovery efforts which would ultimately enhance the resilience of communities in the area.

He promised to work closely with the NADMO team to implement disaster management programmes, provide emergency response, and support vulnerable communities which were crucial to ensure effective response and support to affected communities during disasters.

“Effective disaster management requires community engagement and education; we will involve working with local communities to raise awareness about disaster prevention and management to promote a culture of resilience and preparedness.”

He said that Keta municipal is a coastal with areas prone to various natural disasters such as floods, erosion and tidal wave destruction and NADMO would face the challenges by developing and implementing strategies to mitigate the impact of these disasters on communities to alleviate the plight of the residents along the coast.

He called on various communities, stakeholders and individuals to collectively collaborate with the NADMO to enhance disaster management efforts and build stronger partnerships with other organisations including government agencies, NGOs, and community groups to curb challenges that cause natural disasters.

GNA gathered that Mr. Wonder Setsoafia Deynu, who took over the NADMO office from Mr.Godknows Blebu, would be assisted by Mr. Philip Abotsi, NDC Keta constituency activist as the deputy director and are expected to improve disaster management efforts in Keta Municipality.

The NADMO at Keta is also expected to explore innovative approaches to disaster management, including community-based initiatives and technology-driven solutions to make Keta ready for natural disasters.

GNA

Edited by: Maxwell Awumah/Kenneth Odeng Adade

Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, John Dumelo, has highlighted agriculture as the foundation of Ghana’s economy and called for a renewed national focus on unlocking its full potential.

Speaking at the Citi Business Forum held on the theme Harnessing Agribusiness for Economic Growth: Expanding Ghana’s Agribusiness Frontiers, in Accra on Thursday June 19, he said Ghana was at a turning point where agriculture can drive massive economic growth — not just through farming, but through related industries such as agro-processing, value addition, research, and market development.

“Ghana’s economic backbone has always been agriculture. Today, we stand at a pivotal moment, poised to unlock its immense potential,” he stated.

He continued: “The opportunities in agribusiness go far beyond planting and harvesting. They lie in value addition, environmental management, and creating efficient market linkages. This is where our collective expertise truly comes into play.”

Mr. Dumelo reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transforming the agricultural sector through major initiatives, including the Feed Ghana Programme, which seeks to increase productivity, strengthen agricultural value chains, and create jobs — particularly for the youth.

He also spoke about the Youth in Agriculture Programme (YIAP), which aims to make farming more appealing to young people by providing inputs, technical training, and support to turn agriculture into a sustainable business venture.

“The goal is to rebrand agriculture and motivate young people to see it as a lifelong, profitable career,” Dumelo emphasised.

Read also

Citi Business Forum timely and crucial for Agric growth – Dumelo

Ghana international Kwabena Owusu is now a free agent following the expiration of his contract with Hungarian champions Ferencvaros.

The 28-year-old winger spent the last season on loan at Turkish side Ankaragucu, where he looked to gain regular playing time.

With his deal officially ending, Owusu is currently exploring new opportunities as he eyes the next chapter of his career.

He joined Ferencvaros in 2023 and made several appearances before being loaned out.

His next move could prove crucial with Ghana’s upcoming international assignments in sight.

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.

Daniel Fahene Acquaye highlights immense job creation in Ghana’s agric sector, for youth

Daniel Fahene Acquaye, CEO of Agri-Impact Group, has highlighted the immense job creation potential in Ghana’s agricultural sector, particularly for the youth.

Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on June 19, 2025, he emphasised that the HAPPY Program aims to create opportunities across the agricultural value chain.

According to Acquaye, strategic investments in local production can transform Ghana’s reliance on food imports into a powerful engine for employment.

“If we invest in local production, we can create massive job opportunities. For instance, the $600 million spent on rice imports could translate to over a million jobs in rice production alone, if infrastructure development is prioritized and private sector investment is encouraged,” he said.

To unlock this potential, he calls for strong agribusiness anchor champions within the private sector to complement government efforts in agricultural infrastructure development.

By partnering with the government, private sector entities can leverage their expertise, resources, and networks to maximize the impact of infrastructure investments.

This collaborative approach to him, would enable Ghana to tap into the full potential of its agricultural sector, creating new opportunities for economic growth and development.

DR/MA

Meanwhile, watch as victims of the June 3 disaster decry 10 years of neglect by the state:

Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta offered employees of rival OpenAI signing bonuses of $100 million to switch companies, according to Open AI CEO Sam Altman.

“They started making giant offers to a lot of people on our team,” Altman said Tuesday on the “Uncapped” podcast hosted by his brother Jack. “You know, like $100 million signing bonuses.”

Altman said that Meta’s attempts to poach his staff have failed, at least so far.

“None of our best people have decided to take them up on that,” Altman said.

Meta declined to comment on the report.

The OpenAI CEO criticized Meta, saying that “their current AI efforts have not worked as well as they have hoped and I respect being aggressive and continuing to try new things.”

“There’s many things I respect about Meta as a company, but I don’t think they’re a company that’s great at innovation,” Altman continued. “I think we understand a lot of things they don’t.”

The revelation comes amid reports that Zuckerberg is personally recruiting for a new team to achieve “superintelligence” machines that are capable of surpassing human capabilities.

Zuckerberg is reportedly so frustrated with Meta’s efforts in the AI space that he has taken it upon himself to meet with experts in the field at his homes and has reportedly shifted the layout of the company’s Menlo Park headquarters to put the new team near his office, according to Bloomberg and the New York Times.

Last week, Meta announced a $14.3 billion investment for a 49% stake in Scale AI to help Zuckerberg’s ambitions, including the hiring of the 28-year-old founder and CEO Alexandr Wang. Some employees from Scale AI will join Meta as part of the deal.

Over the past few years, Zuckerberg has pushed increasingly further into repositioning Meta into an AI powerhouse with mixed success. His intensity in the area has sharpened following the leaps in advancement from OpenAI, a rival that raised tens of billions of dollars in funding.

More than 60 Members of Parliament from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are currently gathered at the office of former Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to affirm their support for his anticipated bid to lead the party into the 2028 general elections. 

The MPs, drawn from various constituencies across the country, are reported to have held a closed-door meeting with the former Vice-President on Thursday afternoon.

This show of solidarity follows the NPP’s recent decision to hold its presidential primary on 31st January 2026. 

The move, announced after a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Tuesday, 17 June, is aimed at giving the party ample time to prepare for the next general elections and to unite around a chosen flagbearer. 

Dr Bawumia, who was the party’s presidential candidate in the 2024 elections, is widely expected to contest again.

Sources close to the meeting say the MPs expressed confidence in Dr Bawumia’s leadership and urged him to formally declare his intention to run. 

“We believe he remains the best hope for our party’s future, and we are ready to stand firmly behind him,” one MP who attended the meeting told journalists on condition of anonymity.

The gathering at the former Vice-President’s office is seen as an early indication of the momentum building around his expected candidacy. 

While Dr Bawumia has yet to officially announce his decision, Thursday’s strong show of support from NPP lawmakers suggests he continues to command significant influence within the party.

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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.

Professor Vladimir Antwi-Danso

The La Dade-Kotopon Municipal Assembly (LaDMA) has emerged as the top-performing municipal assembly in Ghana’s 2024 Public Financial Management Compliance League Table (PFMCLT), achieving a remarkable score of 57.5%.

This places LaDMA ahead of 261 other assemblies nationwide and highlights its unwavering commitment to transparency, accountability, and sound fiscal governance.

The 2024 PFMCLT was officially launched by the Centre for Local Governance Advocacy (CLGA), with funding support from the European Union (EU). The initiative is designed to assess and rank Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) based on their adherence to public financial management standards, including planning, budgeting, procurement, accounting, and auditing.

At the launch event held in Accra, the Deputy Executive Director of CLGA, Gladys Gillian Naadu Tetteh, emphasised the importance of the rankings in strengthening local governance.

“This league table is not just about numbers, it is a call to action. It holds our local governments accountable and encourages continuous improvement,” she stated.

She further noted that the national average compliance score rose to 33%, a significant improvement from the previous year’s 22%.

“We are encouraged by the steady progress being made in financial governance at the local level,” she added.

LaDMA’s success has been attributed to its robust financial planning, regular internal audits, and active citizen engagement in budgetary processes.

The assembly’s leadership has been praised for fostering a culture of fiscal discipline and setting a benchmark for other MMDAs to emulate.

The event brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development; the European Union; development partners; the Parliamentary Select Committee; and other dignitaries.

The chairman of the event, Professor Vladimir Antwi-Danso, in his closing remarks, commended LaDMA for its exemplary performance and urged other assemblies to rise to the challenge.

“Though only 4.5% of MMDAs scored above the 50% benchmark, this should serve as motivation for all to strive for excellence in public financial management,” he said.

The PFMCLT continues to serve as a vital tool for promoting good governance, efficient resource utilisation, and public trust in local government institutions. LaDMA’s achievement not only reflects its internal strength but also signals a broader shift toward improved financial accountability across Ghana.