play videoDr Bossman Asare is Deputy Chairman of the Electoral Commission
The Electoral Commission (EC) has given the assurance that the rerun of the parliamentary election in 19 polling stations in the Ablekuma North Constituency on Friday, July 11, will be conducted in a fair, transparent, and credible manner.
Addressing the press ahead of the polls on Thursday, July 10, 2025, Deputy Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr Bossman Asare, said preparations were complete.
He reaffirmed the EC’s commitment to ensuring the process reflects the true will of the constituents.
“On our part as the electoral management body, we are desirous of bringing the election in the Ablekuma North constituency to a conclusion and to ensure that the constituents have a representative in Parliament.
“We assure the public and the political parties that, as always, we will live by our motto and ensure that the rerun is fair, transparent and credible”, he stated.
Dr Asare further dismissed claims of political interference in its decision to rerun the parliamentary election.
“We state categorically that Ghana’s electoral management body is an independent body and will not be influenced by any institution or any person. Our track record speaks for itself,” he added.
Meanwhile, the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) 2024 Parliamentary Candidate for Ablekuma North, Nana Akua Afriyie, has confirmed her decision to contest the rerun.
Her confirmation comes despite an earlier stance by the party not to participate in the rerun, which was ordered by the EC following disputes over the authenticity of results from 19 polling stations during the December 7, 2024, general election.
Watch the video below:
JKB/MA
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Simon Madjie is the CEO, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC)
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Simon Madjie, has stated that the Centre is actively working to identify investment potentials across all 261 districts in the country.
According to him, this initiative aims to promote targeted investments and highlight regional-level opportunities for Ghanaians.
Speaking at the launch of the GIPC’s Investment Opportunities Mapping Project (IOMP) on July 10, 2025, Madjie emphasised that many viable investment opportunities across Ghana remain untapped due to a lack of visibility.
“The Investment Opportunity Mapping Project at GIPC is an undertaking to ensure that we collect and showcase all the investment opportunities across the country’s 261 districts. We will also begin a series of activities to promote the regions and the districts,” he said.
Launched under the theme “Unlocking Regional Investment Potential in Ghana for Economic Growth and Prosperity,” the IOMP is designed to align closely with Ghana’s national development priorities and attract investments that drive job creation, industrialisation, and infrastructure development.
According to Madjie, the initiative also supports the Ghana Diplomatic Investment Drive (GDID) by equipping Ghana’s foreign missions and ambassadors with clearly identified, well-packaged investment opportunities from across the country.
“It will help us generate opportunities that can be shared with our missions through the GDID, making them available to all our ambassadors around the world. This work is part of building a proper national investment framework that showcases Ghana’s full investment potential and attracts people from across the globe to engage with us and our businesses,” he explained.
Madjie further noted that there are numerous opportunities in the regions that have yet to be properly identified and promoted, and he expressed optimism that once these are brought to light, regional economies will attract more investment.
He also announced that GIPC will develop a mobile application that will serve as a central platform listing all investment opportunities in Ghana and making them easily accessible to both local and international investors.
“The overall objective is to have a single, centralised source where anyone interested in investing in Ghana can access reliable, up-to-date information. Every developed country has a go-to platform for such opportunities, and Ghana must have one too. There are priority sectors, but there are also opportunities in districts that often go unnoticed unless we go out, gather the data, and market them effectively,” he said.
“We want Ghana’s investment strategy to be data-driven, informed, and accessible,” he concluded.
SSD/MA
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Head coach of the Brazilian national team, Carlo Ancelotti, has been sentenced to one year of imprisonment for tax fraud by a Spanish court.
The Madrid court imposed a one-year jail term and a €386,000 ($375,000) fine on Ancelotti for failing to pay taxes on his image rights revenue during his time as Real Madrid manager in 2014, the court said in a statement.
Prior to the ruling, prosecutors had sought a four-year and nine-month prison sentence along with a €3.2 million fine, but this was not granted by the court.
Spanish media reports suggest that the former Los Blancos coach could receive a suspended sentence, as Spanish law often allows non-violent offenders with no prior convictions to avoid serving jail time for sentences under two years.
Ancelotti now joins a list of football personalities who have been charged with tax fraud, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Diego Costa, Xabi Alonso, and others.
Following the announcement of the verdict on July 9, 2025, Ancelotti has yet to respond publicly, as he is currently preparing the Selecao for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
His former club, Real Madrid, have also not commented on the issue, despite the fact that the coach was under investigation while leading the team.
SB/MA
Meanwhile, watch as historian Annam details how Swedru All Blacks started as a military club
Dennis Miracles Aboagye, a former presidential staffer in the Akufo-Addo government, has commented on the recent modifications to U.S. visa regulations for Ghanaian applicants and accused Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Ministry of inciting the reaction with its own activities.
Mr. Aboagye denied claims in a social media statement that the U.S. government’s decision to restrict the majority of Ghanaian visa applicants to three-month single-entry visas is related to student overstays.
‘Ladies, this may come as a surprise. The ageing process does not start at 50 – it starts at 20 or 21, when the first fine lines appear under our eyes.’
Those harsh words were coming from our lecturer on the beauty course I’d just joined, a stone’s throw from London’s Bond Street.
The year was 1983, I was 21 myself and the message couldn’t have been clearer: it was all downhill for me from now on. I’d soon look like an old lady. Much worse, the lecturer added: ‘And there’s nothing we can do about it.’
Of course, back then, as Madonna shimmied her way through Holiday on Top Of The Pops and the Trimphone in the hallway was the nearest we got to social media, we knew no better. Our mums might have doused themselves in Nivea at night, or splashed out on Oil of Olay, as it then was, but that was about it.
More than 40 years later and the beauty industry is unrecognisable – literally. The faces we once expected to have at the age of 50 or 60 have been replaced with the strange smoothness of Botoxed skin, filler-injected lips and tightly sculpted jawlines. Just look at Madonna.
Forget the doom-laden ladies of Bond Street – today, beauty is a multibillion-pound industry run by doctors, celebrities and venture capitalists. Aesthetic tweakments such as Botox and fillers were worth around £3.2billion to the UK economy alone last year and the sector is still growing fast.
The British Beauty Council’s Value of Beauty 2025 report recently revealed the industry was growing four times faster than the wider economy, taking its overall value to £30.4billion and, for the first time, Brits are spending more on beauty than going to the gym, football and amusement parks trips combined. And yet, the more I see of it, the more I wonder where it’s leading – and where the dignity of ageing has gone.
For a start, it’s expensive to maintain, and means women are paying a hefty penalty for just, well, getting older. A smooth forehead can cost upwards of £135, lasting about four months before a top up is needed. Frown lines and crow’s feet are the same, each, while a ‘lip flip’ – where Botox turns the top lip upwards – starts at around £100 and has to be done at least twice a year.
Ulla Kloster’s simple hack means she is still mistaken for 40 at the age of 62
Is it any wonder injectors are on constant look-out for ‘new’ lines to plump on our face, hands, knees, cleavage and bottom?
New flaws must be constantly ‘discovered’ and new ‘fixes’ offered. Some years ago I recall a friend of mine, over lunch, pointing at her perfect chin and saying: ‘Look, my surgeon says there’s a tiny bump here. He said he could file a bit off the bone to get a symmetric jawline.’
And then there are the botched treatments which render women droopy, one-sided or weirdly ‘surprised’ or frozen – or even worse.
I fear for future generations of women and the pressure on them to have a line-free face, let alone what effect all this might have on the NHS.
The UK aesthetic tweakments industry is considered a Wild West even though Botox is a prescription drug that should only be administered after a face-to-face consultation with a healthcare professional. But too many people either ignore or are unaware of the few rules currently in place, warns Sally Taber, a former nurse and a trustee of the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners, which is a self-regulating body for the non-surgical cosmetic industry. ‘Some people inject each other in their homes or in garden sheds. They get Botox from places such as Korea, which is completely irresponsible.’
What has happened to the concept of ageing gracefully? Where, really, is the dignity in looking 16 when you’re 69, like US reality TV personality Kris Jenner, mother of Kim Kardashian?
In my view, it is the tragi-comedy of our age: young women, some already paying back student loans or struggling to get on the housing ladder, now being seduced or bullied out of their spare cash for a smoother forehead.
Indeed, looking back at that Mayfair beauty college, I hanker for those simpler times.
Ladies – as my lecturer always called us – here’s the thing: beauty does not have to be so complex and there are easier ways to look fresher.
I’m 62 and yet many people kindly give me the benefit of the doubt when I say I’m not far off 50. What do I do? Ironically, I follow one game-changing little tip that came from that lecturer in the early 1980s, whose voice I can hear even now. ‘Even if we cleanse our face every night, we speed up the ageing process because tap water dries the skin,’ she said, ‘unless we use spring water, which is softer.’
How right she was. In my opinion, calcium in tap water has a drying effect on the fine skin on our face. The water from our taps may also contain chlorine and magnesium, which can strip away natural oils and lead to dryness. And, in fact, this can hinder the skin’s ability to keep in moisture and speed up the signs of ageing.
You only have to look inside your kettle, covered in limescale, to understand how potent the minerals in tap water are. Poorly maintained pipes and storage also mean we don’t know what else might be lurking in the water coming out of our taps.
That goes for filtered water, too – we can’t always be sure how often a filter is changed or how effective it is, although the dry and tight feeling it leaves the skin is a clue that something is not right. People with sensitive skin are particularly vulnerable to inflammatory diseases such as eczema or blocked pores that tap water can cause.
For more than 40 years, bottled water has been the most important beauty product I use (one such as Volvic or Evian, bought for about 72p from the supermarket). I see little point in slapping expensive designer moisturisers on skin that’s been bathed in calcium and chlorine as any benefits are undermined from the start.
I’ve steered clear of Botox, fillers and any other tweakment on my face and had perhaps two facials in the last 20 or 30 years.
Here’s what I do:
l Cleanse my face (using Pond’s cold cream make-up remover);
l Wipe off the cleanser with dry cotton wool pads;
l Remove the remaining cleanser and hydrate with a cotton wool pad soaked in Volvic;
l Moisturise using – yes! – Oil of Olay (also for 40 years);
l Finally, tap gently under my eyes with a finger dipped in Vaseline to seal the area.
This routine is not a quick fix, but it’s painless and cheap. And I always do it at the end of the day, no matter how tired I feel.
My only concession to modern beauty treatments is Chanel’s Hydra Beauty Micro Serum (£84 for 30ml, but a little goes a long way, applied before the Olay). And, as an occasional treat, Creme de la Mer’s moisturiser. And that’s it.
I grew up in Denmark and the Nordic culture certainly gives a healthy ‘less-is-more’ outlook on life. That mantra holds true for Scandi fashion, interiors and even the famed ‘hygge’ concept which prioritises the simple things we all know really matter in life.
Now I’ve turned my easy lessons into a mini-blog called thescandilook.com. It’s about being cool rather than cute and making the best of what we have rather than altering it.
Yes, I have lines on my forehead and in my teens I obsessed over my bumpy nose, but there it is. Those are really first-world problems, so when people take me
for a 40 or a 50-year-old I’m delighted and certainly do not correct them.
I never did work as a beauty therapist. I took the course because, back then, I was interested in make-up and looking great at parties, but I had other career hopes which included working at the Daily Mail.
I don’t regret dropping out of the beauty business, despite the extraordinary fortunes some practitioners now make out of tweakments – but I do regret worrying about ageing in my early 20s. What a waste of time and precious youth!
The real lesson surely is not to worry. Fewer lines that way.
The Minority in Parliament has expressed grave concern over what it describes as a disturbing deviation from Ghana’s traditionally disciplined and principled diplomatic posture under the current administration.
Speaking at a press briefing in Parliament yesterday, Deputy Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, accused the Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, of undermining the nation’s longstanding diplomatic credibility through a series of missteps and poor decisions.
Flanked by fellow Minority MPs, Mr. Ayeh stressed that diplomacy in Ghana had historically transcended partisan politics, serving instead as a national trust built on consistency and institutional competence.
“Since independence, Ghana has earned global respect by speaking with a steady and principled voice abroad. Today, that reputation is in jeopardy,” he said.
According to the Minority, the Minister has mismanaged the chip-embedded passport programme, which they described as a legacy project from the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, fully funded and launched in December 2024.
Mr. Ayeh alleged that the Minister’s decision to stage a “costly and redundant relaunch” in April this year, at a cost of $1.2 million, did not improve service delivery.
He said, instead, it resulted in a massive backlog, with over 32,000 applications unprocessed and 68% of applicants waiting beyond the promised 15-day express service.
He cited official documents, including Contract CEP 2111 and the Passport Office’s June 20 report, noting that the situation has caused significant distress.
“Videos of stranded applicants, including mothers missing scholarship deadlines, have gone viral, with one video reaching over 1.4 million views,” he lamented.
Another major issue raised was the abrupt closure of Ghana’s Embassy in Washington, D.C. on May 26, following an internal directive to investigate a staff-related fraud allegation.
The decision, Mr. Ayeh said, led to the cancellation of 437 scheduled appointments and left dozens stranded, including a woman who missed her grandmother’s funeral due to an unreturned passport.
“Within three days, Ghana lost over $38,200 in expedited fees, and at least 112 travellers missed their flights,” he added.
The Minority also questioned the Minister’s handling of Ghana’s position on the Western Sahara dispute. They criticised what they described as contradictory diplomatic overtures, from endorsing Morocco’s autonomy initiative in a June 5 communique in Rabat to reaffirming support for the Sahara Republic shortly after. The Algerian and Moroccan diplomatic missions in Accra both issued formal responses, illustrating the confusion Ghana’s policy has caused.
“This is not foreign policy. It is confusing. The same NDC that criticised the previous government’s position now embraces it without explanation, raising doubts about strategic judgment and consultation,” Mr. Ayeh stated.
Additionally, the Minority faulted the Foreign Ministry’s delayed response to political unrest in neighbouring Togo, where protests between June 8 and 20 were met with live ammunition and mass arrests.
The Minority asserted that despite reports from Amnesty International and the presence of an estimated 5,000 Ghanaians in Togo, no travel advisory or emergency hotline was issued.
“In 2017, we responded within 14 days to similar events. This time, the Ministry merely claimed it was ‘monitoring’ the situation,” Ayeh said.
The Minority demanded a full public audit of the passport programme, covering costs, supplier contracts, and backlog statistics, within 14 days; a consular report explaining the legal basis and authorisation for the embassy closure in Washington and plans for compensating affected Ghanaians; a detailed policy paper outlining Ghana’s current stance on the Western Sahara, with references to diplomatic briefings and cabinet decisions; and a framework for emergency response in volatile neighbouring countries, including travel advisories, evacuation protocols, and hotlines, starting with Togo.
Parliament, the Minority added, will request the Minister’s urgent appearance before the House to address these concerns.
“Diplomacy is not about headlines or emotional impulse. It demands consistency, consultation, and accountability. We call on all journalists, civil society, and patriotic Ghanaians to demand transparency and protect Ghana’s hard-earned international reputation,” he concluded.
Thankgod, the former manager of Chinwo and head of Eezee Global Concepts Limited, is being prosecuted alongside his company before the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos State.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a three-count charge against Ezekiel Onyedikachuwu Thankgod, popularly known as Eezee Global, over the alleged theft of $443,371 belonging to gospel artistes Mercy Chinwo and Judith Kanayo (Judikay).
On April 29, 2025, a letter signed by the Executive Secretary to the President, Dr Callistus Mahama, and addressed to the acting Chief Justice, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, indicated that seven Justices of the Court of Appeal had been nominated for consideration for appointment to the Supreme Court bench.
The Justices are Sir Dennis Dominic Adjei, Gbiel Simon Suurbaareh, Senyo Dzamefe, Kweku Tawiah Ackaah-Boafo, Philip Bright Mensah, Janpere Bartels-Kodwo and Hafisata Ameleboba. The seven were nominated by President Mahama in accordance with Article 144(2) of the 1992 Constitution.
After a rigorous vetting by Parliament, the Justices were approved last week. The approval of the seven, who currently serve on the Court of Appeal bench, came after the House had adopted the report of the 11-member Appointments Committee on the nominees.
During the vetting, one person who addressed widespread public perception that Ghana’s family law disproportionately favours women in divorce settlements was Justice Hafisata Amaleboba. She firmly refuted such claims, emphasising that the law treats both men and women equally.
“The law is not gender-based, even if it may appear that way in some cases and distribution of property in marriage is guided by equity, not whether one is male or female,” she noted. Referencing Article 22 of the 1992 Constitution, Justice Amaleboba explained that property acquired during a marriage was to be shared equitably, without regard to the sex of the spouses. According to her, the focus is on fairness and contribution, not identity.
Who is Justice Hafisata Amaleboba? Her Ladyship, Justice Amaleboba, was born on June 7, 1973, in Accra. She is a native of Wa in the Upper West Region and was among the 15 Justices appointed to the Court of Appeal in 2022 by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Before her elevation to the Court of Appeal, she had served as a High Court judge since August 2014. She has been a Superior Court Judge for the past 11 years. Justice Amaleboba was called to the Ghana Bar in October 1998 and is currently 26 years at the Bar. She joined the Bench with a little over 15 years of experience from private legal practice. Before joining the Bench, she was the Managing Partner of the erstwhile law firm, Amal Law Consult, a firm she co-founded in the year 2008, with its offices in Accra.
Her specialisation at Amal Law Consult was in various aspects of Commercial litigation, consultancy and negotiations for a wide range of local and international clients. Before she co–founded Amal Law Consult, she had, during different periods from 1998, practiced law as an associate of the law firms Justking and Associates and Peasah–Boadu and Company, both in Accra.
According to her, “in these firms, I gained vast legal knowledge and experience in land law, commercial law, investment law and many other areas of law. Since joining the Judicial Service of Ghana in 2014, as a High Court Judge, I have been a Judge in Courts in the General Jurisdiction, Land Division and in the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Division (now the Family Court).”
“While in these stated Courts, I have been assigned additional responsibility for hearing Probate cases and Judicial Review Applications. I was also issued a Warrant to sit on a treason case, with two other Judges. Presently, in the Court of Appeal, where I sit as a member of a panel of three, I determine cases of varied subject matter. As an Appeal Court Judge, I have sat in Courts of Appeal in Kumasi, Accra and Koforidua. I am presently a member of the Koforidua panel. However, I am occasionally empanelled to sit in Accra,” she stated.
In the Judicial Service, she had also performed other duties and functions assigned to her.
“I am presently the Judicial Service’s Representative/nominee to the Legal Service Board (Attorney–General’s Department). Between November 2020 to June 2023, I was a Judge attached to the Complaints Unit of the Judicial Service. I have also chaired several disciplinary and Administrative Committees.”
Education Justice Amaleboba started her education at the Jack and Jill International School at Roman Ridge in Accra. After a brief period here, she moved to Kotoka Primary School at Burma Camp in Accra, where she wrote the Common Entrance Examinations.
After passing the Common Entrance Examinations, she proceeded to St Rose’s Secondary School, Akwatia in the Eastern Region, where she wrote the Ordinary and Advanced Level examinations. She was then admitted to the University of Ghana, Legon, where she studied Law, graduating in 1996, with a Bachelor of Laws Degree (LLB) (Second Class Upper Division).
“I proceeded to the Ghana School of Law for my Professional Law Course, which I passed, and was called to the Ghana Bar in 1998. I am presently studying for a Master’s of Law Degree in Data Protection and Intellectual Property Law.”
She is married with three children and is a Christian. She is also a member of the Christian Professional Fellowship (CPF), where she sometimes mounts the pulpit to preach the word of God. [email protected]
Member of Parliament for Mpraeso, Davis Opoku Ansah, has boldly declared his readiness to face sanctions from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for supporting Nana Akua Afriyie’s candidacy in the upcoming Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun scheduled for Friday, July 11.
This comes in the wake of internal tensions within the NPP, as Akua Afriyie has confirmed her decision to contest, contrary to the party’s national directive.
In an exclusive interview on Channel One TV’s Citiuation Room on Thursday, July 10, the Mpraeso legislator revealed he is actively campaigning in the constituency for Akua Afriyie.
He acknowledged that his actions, along with those of others supporting her, go against the national leadership’s position, but insisted they are prepared to face the consequences.
“Akua Afriyie will win tomorrow, and when she wins, we should all be sanctioned. We are ready for it. If you think that the people of Ablekuma should not have proper representation, we believe in the NPP that our candidate is better than that of the NDC,” he said.
He further emphasised that Ablekuma North is a traditional NPP stronghold and questioned why the party would abandon a candidate it knows can win.
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for Nhyiaeso, Dr. Stephen Amoah, has also been spotted campaigning for Akua Afriyie, deepening speculation of growing resistance within the party’s rank-and-file ahead of the controversial rerun.
Ablekuma North rerun: Akua Afriyie confirms participation despite party boycott
Bryan Acheampong, a New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopeful, has donated GHs200,000 to Akua Afriyie, $6,500 to coordinators and polling station chairpersons in Ablekuma North to support the rerun.
The Member of Parliament for Abetifi and former Minister for Food and Agriculture’s donation comes amid the NPP’s public declaration that they have boycotted the Ablekuma North rerun.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) holds vast potential to accelerate Ghana’s progress on the Human Development Index (HDI) by improving access, service delivery and innovation, according to the 2024/2025 Human Development Report (HDR) released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The report, titled “A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI”, outlines how AI can help Ghana improve across the three core dimensions of human development: health, education and standard of living.
In healthcare, the report notes that AI could revolutionise service delivery through predictive analytics, remote diagnostics and virtual consultations, enabling earlier disease detection and more efficient treatment, particularly in underserved areas. In education, AI-enabled platforms can help personalise learning, alleviate teacher shortages, and offer adaptive tools that cater to students’ varying needs.
When it comes to employment and income, AI could open up new job opportunities in digital services, boost productivity in agriculture and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, and make public services more responsive.
The report also examines key development indicators for Ghana, including life expectancy at birth, maternal mortality, gross national income, labour force participation among adults aged 15 and over, and female representation in Parliament.
It concludes that while Ghana has laid a strong foundation for inclusive and sustainable growth, it must address critical capability gaps—particularly in gender equity, disability inclusion and transitions from education to employment—if it is to unlock its full development potential in a rapidly changing global environment.
The Human Development Report goes beyond traditional economic analysis to measure progress in terms of health, education and living standards. For Ghana, the report serves as a vital reference point for policymakers, civil society, development partners and citizens by highlighting disparities and guiding decisions on equitable investment and human capital development.
The 2024/2025 report was launched in Accra on Wednesday, July 9, at an event that sought to localise its global findings and foster national dialogue. The gathering brought together stakeholders including policymakers, academics, development partners and civil society groups. It featured a presentation of the global report followed by a panel discussion under the theme “Choices and Possibilities in Ghana’s Digital Future.”
Among those in attendance were UNDP Ghana Resident Representative Niloy Banerjee, Deputy Resident Representative Shaima Hussein, Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission Dr Nii Moi Thompson, and UNDP Governance and Inclusive Growth Specialist Dr Edward Ampratwum.
Panel discussants included Senior Lecturer at the University of Cape Coast Dr Stephen Moore, Chief Statistician at the Ghana Statistical Service Jacqueline Dede Anum, NDPC Commissioner and economist Professor William Baah-Boateng, and Country Manager of Farmerline, Worlali Senyo. The session was moderated by Seth Akumani, Digital Portfolio Lead at UNDP Ghana.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Mr Banerjee called for increased investment in AI research to unlock its full benefits for Ghana’s economy and society. He said the 2024/2025 theme was especially timely as it addressed both the opportunities and the risks that come with the rise of artificial intelligence.
“This year, the theme is particularly about the opportunities that AI brings, but also what we need to safeguard against; what we need to be vigilant about in the use of AI,” he said. He noted that while AI can support progress in agriculture through better planning and market access, it also carries the risk of becoming a tool for further exclusion.
He emphasised that access to AI must not be restricted to the elite or those with higher education. “What we have to worry about is that AI doesn’t become yet another elite tool—something only people with university degrees or digital access can use—while the rest fall further behind. It shouldn’t create a new kind of inequality on top of the ones we already face,” he warned.
Mr Banerjee stressed that AI must be guided by human needs and priorities. “It’s about whether AI will help us progress in human development, or whether we’ll allow AI to run our lives. There’s immense potential. As the panel highlighted, AI can help farmers predict rainfall and plan planting schedules. But we must be careful not to allow it to deepen existing divides.”
He identified four key stakeholders in ensuring inclusive AI adoption in Ghana: government, which must develop policies and enforce data protection; universities, which should educate future generations on digital skills; line ministries, which must extend AI’s benefits to local communities; and the private sector, which must ensure that the economic benefits of AI are shared equitably.
“The private sector must look at how AI can be used not only to grow their business but also to make that growth inclusive. It’s not just about benefits for those who speak English or went to elite schools—it’s about everyone along the value chain,” he said.
Why Human Development Report for Ghana
The Human Development Report provides a comprehensive account of human progress beyond economic growth. It employs critical dimensions including health (longevity), education, and standard of living (PPP).
For Ghana, this report offers Ghanaian policy makers, development partners, CSOs and the citizens a scorecard of Ghana’s progress in inclusive development.
It also serves as a benchmark for assessing equity, social investment impact, and even human capital development because it highlights where disparities exist. The HDI is essential for shaping targeted policies that leave no one behind.
Ghanaian singer and songwriter Akwaboah has stated that he discovered his talent for songwriting during a time when he was broke and looking for ways to make money.
In an interview on MX24 TV, the Ensesa hitmaker shared that he once tried to sell one of his songs to Becca’s then-manager, Kiki Banson, just to earn some quick cash.
“I didn’t even know that I could write songs until I was broke, so I actually wanted to sell one of my songs. So, I spoke to Kiki, who was Becca’s manager at the time. Kiki was like, ‘Do you know the song you have written?’ And I said, ‘I have done my song and just want to sell it.’ Kiki said he was not buying the song, he told me he needs to promote me and promote the song so that people would know that you know how to write songs and then they can come and that would be another way of making money,” Akwaboah recalled.
According to him, though Kiki Banson refused to buy the song, he saw the potential in his writing and decided to help promote the song and him as a songwriter instead.
Akwaboah noted that Kiki gave him some money for his upkeep and arranged for the song to be produced by Kwame Yeboah, Becca performed the song, and it went on to become a hit.
The singer and songwriter revealed that the song he wrote was Daa Ke Da, which was performed by Becca and earned an award, before he became known as a recording artiste himself.
“We went to the studio, Kwame Yeboah produced the song, Becca sang, it became a hit and then anywhere Becca goes she started talking about it from interview to interview. That’s where the industry started seeing Akwaboah behind the scenes but by then I didn’t even have a song out. So, I actually won an award with having a song out,” he said.
He also expressed concern about how songwriters in Ghana are often not given the recognition they deserve. According to him, many artistes take credit for songs without acknowledging the people who wrote them.
“I went for an interview and they asked why I had stopped writing for people; I’ve not stopped writing but now it feels like even if you do it, there’s no credit. They would mention a name, they would go for the award, they would say I thank God, I thank my team and then that’s it, they don’t give credit to the songwriter,” he added.
“I realized I could write music when I became broke.” – @AkwaboahMusic
Kojo Peprah is the Chairman of the Small-Scale Miners Association
Chairman of the Small-Scale Miners Association, Kojo Peprah, has been arrested by the Special Anti-Galamsey Taskforce of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for attempting to interfere in an operation targeting illegal mining activities in the Desiri Forest Reserve in the Ashanti Region.
According to a report by myjoyonline.com, the incident occurred when he confronted the taskforce while it was executing an arrest of illegal miners operating in the forest reserve.
Peprah reportedly questioned the officers about their mission in the area, prompting his subsequent arrest.
Upon his arrest, Kojo Peprah is said to have claimed that he had received reports that the taskforce had invaded his mining site located within the forest reserve.
However, the police have clarified that small-scale mining licenses do not authorise mining activities within forest reserves.
Kojo Peprah has since been handed over to the Nkawie Police to assist with ongoing investigations.
Cheque Fraud EXPOSED: How it works and how to stay safe
GhanaWeb Special: The gold market that fuels galamsey
Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah is the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources
The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has stepped in to mediate the dispute between Azumah Resources Ghana Limited and Engineers & Planners Limited, giving both parties a final seven-day window to amicably resolve their ongoing disagreement over the Black Volta Gold Project.
In a letter dated July 10, 2025, and signed by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Ministry acknowledged the tensions between the two companies, which have recently played out in the media through press releases and public statements.
The Minister emphasised the urgency of resolving the matter, warning that failure to do so within the stipulated time frame would compel the Ministry to act in the national interest.
“I have decided to grant the parties a final period of seven (7) days within which to resolve the matter amicably. Should this period elapse without a mutually agreed resolution, a decision shall be taken in the best interest of the country,” the letter stated.
The Ministry also cautioned both companies against using the media to escalate the situation, urging them to prioritise dialogue and professionalism.
“I strongly urge all parties to refrain from addressing this matter through the media and instead focus on constructive dialogue and responsible engagement,” the Minister added.
To ensure progress, the Minerals Commission has been instructed to support and facilitate discussions between the two parties.
The Ministry’s intervention follows rising tensions over the status of a US$100 million acquisition agreement, signed in October 2023, with both sides trading accusations and contradicting claims about the implementation of the deal.
Read the full statement below:
Cheque Fraud EXPOSED: How it works and how to stay safe
Aweh in a cap with Stephen in blue, watching a Kotoko game together with a lady in the stands
An old video showing the late Ghana Immigration Officer, Stephen King Amoah, and his friend Bright Aweh, who allegedly orchestrated his death, watching an Asante Kotoko match has surfaced online, adding a sombre layer to the tragedy surrounding his death.
The footage, which has gone viral on social media, captures Stephen and Bright, who were known to be close friends and ardent Kotoko supporters, deeply engrossed in the game at the stadium.
In the video, the two appear disappointed as Kotoko trail by three goals to nil, with Stephen, dressed in a blue shirt and army green shorts, regretting attending the match.
The pair is seen seated with a woman carrying a baby and another friend, highlighting their close bond before events took a tragic turn.
Stephen Amoah was reported missing on July 4, 2025, after leaving his Ashongman Estate residence to meet Bright over an alleged GH¢200,000 debt.
His charred body was discovered five days later in a gutter near GBC Satellite, Accra.
Aweh has since been arrested as the prime suspect and is under investigation by the Accra Regional Police Command, which has pledged to unravel the full circumstances behind the gruesome murder.
The haunting video has sparked fresh outrage online, with many citizens blaming Bright for allegedly luring Stephen to his death despite their apparent friendship.
The police have urged the public to provide any information that could help bring all those involved to justice.
Watch the video below:
FKA/MA
Watch as Ghanaians speak out on Thomas Partey’s rape charge, suggest fresh start in Saudi Arabia
US President Donald Trump has praised Liberian President Joseph Boakai for speaking “good English” and asked him where he went to school.
What Trump might have missed is that Liberia shares a unique and long-standing connection with the US.
English is the country’s official language and many Liberians speak with an American accent because of those historical ties to the US.
It may have been this accent that Trump picked up on.
Here are five things to know about the West African country:
1: Founded by freed slaves
Liberia was founded by freed African-American slaves in 1822 before declaring independence in 1847.
Thousands of black Americans and liberated Africans – rescued from transatlantic slave ships – settled in Liberia during the colonial era.
Former US President Abraham Lincoln officially declared Liberia’s independence in 1862 but the country retained a lot of US heritage and it remained in the American “sphere of influence” during the colonial period.
Due to this integration, Liberian culture, landmarks and institutions have a strong African-American influence.
Ten of Liberia’s 26 presidents were born in the US.
The descendants of these freed slaves, known as Americo-Liberians, dominated the country for more than 100 years.
This was resented by some indigenous Liberians and the last president from that community, William Tolbert, was overthrown and killed in a coup in 1980.
They account for about a quarter of the population, according to the Britannica website, which says more than two dozen languages are spoken in the country.
President Boakai is from the Kissi ethnic group and so would have spoken that as his mother tongue, before learning English at school.
2: The capital is named after a former US president
Liberia’s capital, Monrovia, was named in honour of America’s fifth President, James Monroe, who was a strong supporter of the American Colonization Society (ACS).
The ACS was the organisation responsible for resettling freed African-Americans in West Africa – which eventually led to the founding of Liberia.
Not surprisingly the early architecture of the city was largely influenced by American-style buildings.
Many streets in Monrovia are named after colonial American figures, reflecting the city’s founding and historical ties to the US.
The city’s main hospital is called the John F Kennedy Medical Center (JFKMC), named after the former US president.
3: Nearly identical flags
The flag of Liberia closely resembles the American flag. It features 11 alternating red and white stripes and a blue square with a single white star.
The white star symbolises Liberia as the first independent republic in Africa.
The US flag, in comparison, has 13 stripes representing the original 13 colonies and 50 stars, one for each state.
The Liberian flag was designed by seven black women – all born in America.
4: Ex-president’s son plays for US football team
Timothy Weah, the son of Liberia’s former President George Weah, is an American professional soccer player who plays for Italian football club Juventus as well as the US national team.
The 25-year-old forward was born in the US but began his professional career with Paris St-Germain in France, where he won the Ligue 1 title before moving on loan to the Scottish team, Celtic.
His father, George, is a Liberian football legend who won the Ballon d’Or in 1995 while playing for Juventus’s Italian rivals AC Milan. He is the only African winner of this award – and went on to be elected president in 2018.
5: Former president won the Nobel Peace Prize
Liberia produced Africa’s first elected female president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
She was elected in 2005, two years after the nation’s bloody civil war ended, and served as president until 2018.
Johnson Sirleaf has a strong American background as she studied at Madison Business College and later went to Harvard University where she graduated as an economist.
She has received worldwide recognition and accolades for maintaining peace during her administration.
Her story is pitted with remarkable feats of defiance and courage.
In 2011, along with Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karmān, she won the Nobel Prize for Peace for her efforts to further women’s rights.
In 2016, Forbes listed her among the most powerful women in the world.
What do Liberians make of Trump’s comments?
Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti denied it was an awkward moment, saying there was a “lack of understanding” around the world about the languages people speak in Africa, which she described as a “multi-lingual continent”.
“Liberia happens to have the American-English intonation and I believe President Trump heard something familiar in the way President Boakai spoke, which is different from the way others speak on the continent,” she told the BBC’s Newsday programme.
“We were not offended at all,” she said, adding that away from the TV cameras, there was a discussion of the two countries’ shared history.
But there was a mixed reaction among other Liberians.
Accountant Joseph Manley, 40, told the BBC that Trump should have been properly briefed before meeting Liberia’s leader.
“Liberia has always been an English-speaking country. Our president represents a country with a rich educational tradition.”
For human resources professional Henrietta Peter-Mogballah, the US president’s surprise at Boakai’s eloquence reflects a broader problem about global ignorance with regard to African nations and its peoples.
“From travel experiences and observations, most citizens of other nations outside Africa do not know a lot about African countries,” she said. “The few that know a little, their minds are clouded by narratives of war, poverty, and lack of education.”
However, lawyer and politician Kanio Gbala agreed with the foreign minister that there no insult was meant.
“I believe President Trump’s remark was a genuine compliment on President Boakai’s command of English,” he told the BBC. “There is no evidence of sarcasm. Reading it as disrespectful may reflect political agendas.”
Liberia shares a long-standing historical connection with the US and several American presidents, including George W Bush, have visited the country
There is a striking resemblance between the flags of the two countries
Timothy Weah, seen here shaking hands with President Donald Trump last month, plays for Juventus in Italy
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf served as the 24th president of Liberia from 2006 to 2018
Henrietta Peter-Mogballah says many people are ignorant about African nations and its peoples
Dr Kofi Appiah Koranteng, Deputy Registrar at KNUST, has pointed fingers at former Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong, for playing a role in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) defeat in the 2024 general elections, according to a report by Ghana Web.
Speaking during an interview on Neat FM, Dr Koranteng cited Agyapong’s controversial behaviour and public utterances as factors that harmed party unity and public perception.
He argued that the outspoken politician’s actions, especially during the campaign period, sowed internal divisions and weakened the NPP’s cohesion ahead of the polls.
According to him, Agyapong’s mixed messages and public contradictions alienated supporters and undermined trust within the party.
Dr Koranteng also highlighted the loss of Agyapong’s parliamentary seat to the opposition, describing it as unprecedented for a high-ranking party figure.
“Every serious leader exiting Parliament ensures their party retains the seat,” he said, stating that the defeat in Assin Central reflected deeper issues linked to Agyapong’s influence.
He added that despite Agyapong’s repeated claims of supporting the party financially and securing contracts, his conflicting statements only deepened confusion among the grassroots.
Dr Koranteng stated that these contradictions were detrimental, particularly in regions like the Central Region, where the NPP suffered significant losses.
However, Dr Koranteng urged the public to scrutinise Agyapong’s role critically, arguing that his conduct did not only affect electoral results but also damaged the party’s image.
He concluded that for the NPP to recover, it must address the internal issues that led to its fall and rebuild credibility among its base.
The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) 2024 parliamentary candidate for Ablekuma North, Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, has confirmed her decision to contest in the upcoming parliamentary rerun scheduled for Friday, July 11, 2025.
Her confirmation comes despite an earlier stance by the NPP not to participate in the rerun, which was ordered by the Electoral Commission (EC) following disputes over the authenticity of results from 19 polling stations during the December 7, 2024, general election.
Speaking to journalists at her office in Odorkor, Accra, on Thursday, July 10, Akua Afriyie expressed confidence ahead of the polls and reaffirmed her commitment to securing victory.
“I am contesting. We are fully prepared. We are going for this contest tomorrow. First, I want to thank the Almighty God for protecting us throughout these seven months. We went for elections on December 7, and I won that election,” she stated.
Owusu Afriyie’s application to stop the rerun was dismissed on Wednesday, July 9, by Justice Ali Baba Abature, who described the motion as “unmeritorious.” The court ruled that halting the exercise would hinder the EC’s constitutional duty and deny constituents their right to representation in Parliament.
Although the party had initially insisted that the EC’s decision contradicted a binding High Court ruling from January 4, 2025, which ordered the collation and declaration of results from 62 outstanding polling stations, Akua Afriyie appears to have broken ranks with the party’s official position.
The NPP’s legal team had further argued that only three polling stations were uncollated as of January 27, based on public updates from the Electoral Commission.
Meanwhile, the EC has maintained its decision to conduct the rerun in the 19 affected polling stations within the constituency.
Israel DMW, logistics manager to Nigerian Afrobeats star, Davido, has taken a swipe at former Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, over his loss at the Supreme Court.
Naija News reports that the apex court on Thursday affirmed Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the duly elected Governor of Edo State.
Member of Parliament for Mpraeso, Davis Opoku Ansah, has boldly declared his readiness to face sanctions from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for supporting Nana Akua Afriyie’s candidacy in the upcoming Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun scheduled for Friday, July 11.
This comes in the wake of internal tensions within the NPP, as Akua Afriyie has confirmed her decision to contest, contrary to the party’s national directive.
In an exclusive interview on Channel One TV’s Citiuation Room on Thursday, July 10, the Mpraeso legislator revealed he is actively campaigning in the constituency for Akua Afriyie.
He acknowledged that his actions, along with those of others supporting her, go against the national leadership’s position, but insisted they are prepared to face the consequences.
“Akua Afriyie will win tomorrow, and when she wins, we should all be sanctioned. We are ready for it. If you think that the people of Ablekuma should not have proper representation, we believe in the NPP that our candidate is better than that of the NDC,” he said.
He further emphasised that Ablekuma North is a traditional NPP stronghold and questioned why the party would abandon a candidate it knows can win.
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for Nhyiaeso, Dr. Stephen Amoah, has also been spotted campaigning for Akua Afriyie, deepening speculation of growing resistance within the party’s rank-and-file ahead of the controversial rerun.
Ghana maintain 76th spot in latest FIFA rankings; remain 14th in Africa
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The Black Stars of Ghana have held onto their 76th position in the latest FIFA Men’s World Rankings released on Thursday, July 10, 2025. The team’s global standing remains unchanged from the previous update in April, following a series of mixed results in recent international outings.
The steady ranking comes in the wake of Ghana’s participation in the 2025 Unity Cup held in England, where the Black Stars lost narrowly to Nigeria in the semi-finals before defeating Trinidad and Tobago in the third-place playoff. The tournament formed part of the team’s build-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Prior to the Unity Cup, Ghana had climbed one place from 77th to 76th in the global rankings, following back-to-back victories over Chad and Madagascar in the World Cup qualifying series.
Ghana’s performance in recent fixtures, though commendable, was not enough to warrant further improvement in their global standing. However, the team has moved ahead of Montenegro, who dropped three places in the latest rankings.
On the continental level, Ghana also remain 14th in Africa, with no change in position. The team continues to trail the continent’s leading football nations, with the likes of Morocco, Senegal, and Nigeria occupying higher spots.
Black Stars head coach, Otto Addo, is expected to use the team’s upcoming fixtures in September — Matchday 7 and 8 of the World Cup qualifiers — as an opportunity to boost both performance and ranking.
Ghana will be facing Chad and Mali as they aim to strengthen their qualification hopes for the 2026 tournament.
With several competitive games on the horizon, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) will be hoping the team can build on recent successes and achieve a higher ranking ahead of the next update later in the year.
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has reported seven additional Mpox cases, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to 170 as of July 6, 2025
In its latest update, no new fatalities have been recorded, keeping the death toll at zero.
Additionally, there are no patients hospitalised for Mpox, indicating that all active cases are being managed effectively without requiring admission.
The GHS emphasised that Mpox spreads mainly through close contact with infected individuals and urges the public to adhere strictly to safety guidelines to help control the outbreak.
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation and have activated response systems to promptly manage emerging cases.
The family of the immigration officer who was recently found dead has publicly confirmed that the body discovered by police is indeed that of their missing relative, Steffen King Amoah.
This clarification comes in response to earlier reports suggesting the family had denied the identification. According to his brother, the initial denial was made out of respect for their grieving mother and wife, as the family did not want them to learn about the tragedy through social media.
“We were informed by the police that a body had been located, and since we had reported our relative missing, we were asked to come for identification. We were first taken to the location where the burnt body was found. Then the police led us to the mortuary where we identified him,” the brother said.
The family confirmed that the body is currently at the police mortuary as investigations continue.
A suspect, identified as Bright, who was reportedly the last known person to have been with Steffen, has since been arrested.
“He was arrested even before news of my brother’s death became public. Bright was the last person to have been with him. The arrest was based on suspicious messages traced back to him,” the brother revealed.
The suspect has already appeared in court, pleaded not guilty, and has been remanded for two weeks.
According to the family, the officer left home on Wednesday, July 3, 2025, around 8:00 p.m. and never returned. His disappearance prompted an immediate search after he could no longer be reached by phone.
The family, however, became suspicious of the message because the tone and phrasing did not reflect how Steffen usually communicated.
“We knew something was wrong. That’s not how he writes or talks,” the brother explained.
The grieving family is now calling for answers and demanding justice.
“We want the full truth. We need closure. We want justice for Steffen King Amoah.”
THE WIT School has been officially accredited and certified as a Pearson Edexcel International School. This was announced by the Co-Director of the School, Gideon Kodo, at the 4th Annual Graduation and Awards ceremony held recently.
In his address, Mr. Kodo, stated that the school which began in June 2018 at the ANC Mall, with one student and today nurturing nearly 100 curious minds, is a testament to what shared vision and dedication can accomplish.
He said the recognition affirms the school’s commitment to delivering globally benchmarked, high-quality education and opens exciting academic pathways for learners.
Looking ahead, he made known that the school is preparing to open a new campus for the Primary and Middle School, providing more space, resources, and innovation for deeper learning. “And beyond that, we are actively working toward our ultimate dream: to build and relocate to a permanent, purpose-built campus—a home that reflects our values, vision, and global ambitions.”
Mr. Kodo called on parents and stakeholders to recommend The WIT School to other families who are searching for a nurturing, forward thinking school.
“We encourage you to kindly continue to the WIT Education Fund (WEF), our scholarship initiative empowering bright but underprivileged children who enter our doors each year. We know and trust that you will continue to support us in our ongoing efforts to help us achieve these shared dreams,” he mentioned.
The 2025 graduating class celebrated six students from the Upper Dolphins to Orcas, and seven students from the Orcas to Grade One making a total of 13 graduates.
I have been married for a year now. Two months before our wedding, I completed and fully furnished a house for my wife and me.
I work full-time, and since my wife preferred to be cared for and pampered, I supported her choice not to work.
Five months into our marriage, tragedy struck. One afternoon, while my wife was preparing a meal, she got distracted watching a movie.
The food caught fire, which spread quickly through the kitchen and engulfed the house. She tried to stop it, but it was already too late.
Neighbours eventually rescued her, but not before she sustained severe burns. Thankfully, her life was spared, but she was left with significant physical injuries.
We lost everything in that fire, our home, personal belongings, and a large amount of money I had invested in building our life together.
But the emotional impact and her physical suffering have been even more difficult to deal with. Since the incident, her recovery has been slow and painful.
Unfortunately, it has also created emotional distance between us.
I admit that I carry resentment about what happened.
I know accidents occur, but I struggle with the fact that it could have been avoided.
As much as I want to be supportive, I feel detached and unable to rebuild our connection. This has affected every aspect of our marriage, including intimacy and family planning.
It hurts me to say this, but I’ve come to the difficult conclusion that I no longer see a future with her as my wife.
I know people will see this as heartless, and maybe it is, but I believe continuing in a marriage where love and emotional support are gone may cause even more harm, especially to someone who is already dealing with so much.
I do not want to abandon her without ensuring she is treated fairly and with dignity.
She’s been through enough, and I want to know how I can offer support during this transition, especially emotionally and financially, to minimize any further trauma.
So, I am asking, what is a fair and compassionate way to handle this divorce?
How can I offer compensation or support to ease her burden without making her feel discarded?
FG/EB
Also, watch an exclusive interview with Ayisi on the latest edition of Talkertainment below:
The deceased, 38-year-old Steffen King Amoah was reported missing on July 4, 2025
Lucky Dan Mensah, a nephew of 38-year-old Steffen King Amoah, popularly known as Nana Kofi, an immigration officer who was reported missing on July 4, 2025, has recounted his side of the events leading to his uncle’s disappearance and death.
In an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb, Lucky explained that on Thursday, July 3, he was at home with his uncle when the latter received a phone call from a friend named Highest Bright.
“I had received a call from someone in Haatso to come and collect something. On my way back, I called my uncle to check if he was home. He said yes, so I bought food for us to eat together. After we finished eating, he went to the washroom. Before leaving, he asked me to monitor his phone because he was expecting a call from Highest Bright. The call did come through, and I informed him. He returned to answer it.”
Lucky continued to say that, “After the call, I saw him getting dressed. He told me he’d be back shortly as he was going to collect something from the person who had called him. He left around 8 PM.”
According to Lucky, it wasn’t unusual for his uncle to go out and not return home that same day, so he didn’t consider his absence alarming.
However, the next day, Steffen’s wife called Lucky, asking about her husband’s whereabouts.
Lucky told her he had left the house the previous night and hadn’t come back.
“She insisted that her husband had texted her around 8 PM saying he was home,” Lucky recalled, adding that, “But I told her that couldn’t be true because I was home the entire time, and he hadn’t returned. In fact, he didn’t even take his house keys with him. I asked her to forward the message so I could verify the time, and once I did, I was sure he hadn’t been home.”
This discrepancy prompted them to report the incident to the police.
“He told me he was going to meet someone, and that led to the suspect being arrested,” Lucky added.
Lucky further revealed that after the suspect, Highest Bright, was arrested, he was taken to the police station but refused to give a statement until his lawyers arrived.
He was also expecting to be granted bail; however, his request was denied, and he is scheduled to reappear in court on July 23, 2025.
VKB/AE
Maeanwhile, watch as Donald Trump ‘hails’ Liberian President
The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) has launched its Investment Opportunities Mapping Project (IOMP), a transformative national initiative designed to identify and promote viable investment opportunities across Ghana’s 261 districts.
Developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry (MOTAI) and the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), the initiative aims to unlock new economic growth and promote equitable development across the country.
A key outcome will be the creation of a new online platform to provide local and international investors with easy access to up-to-date information on investment opportunities.
Specifically, the project intends to:
• Facilitate new investment projects at the district level, which are expected to create thousands of new jobs.
• Build a national investment database covering all 261 districts and highlighting promising opportunities.
• Strengthen Ghana’s foreign missions to better promote and attract investment.
• Improve the ability of regional ministers, local government leaders, and traditional authorities to advocate for both local and international investments.
Launching the project under the theme “Unlocking Regional Investment Potential in Ghana for Economic Growth and Prosperity,” Chief of Staff Julius Debrah described the IOMP as marking a new era of inclusive investment.
“This initiative is not merely about mapping opportunities; it represents a fundamental shift in our approach to development. It aims to ensure that every Ghanaian, regardless of their location, has an equal opportunity to benefit from investment and economic growth,” he said.
Debrah commended GIPC’s strong commitment to advancing local investment, supporting Ghanaian enterprises, and empowering homegrown entrepreneurship.
He also assured the Centre of the President’s full support for the IOMP and urged all Regional Ministers and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to take ownership of the economic transformation of their communities.
For his part, GIPC CEO Simon Madjie explained that the IOMP was initiated to address several challenges, including the need to encourage more local capital investment by enabling Ghanaians with the means to invest in their own country.
“Through this initiative, the government aims to increase Local Direct Investment (LDI) just as much as Foreign Direct Investment (FDI),” he said.
Madjie also noted that both local and foreign investors, as well as Ghana’s diplomatic missions abroad and foreign embassies in Ghana, have consistently highlighted the lack of reliable data for making informed investment decisions.
The IOMP, he emphasised, is a timely solution, offering readily available and easily accessible information on specific, viable projects to attract investors.
He further highlighted the core pillars of the IOMP, including the Ghana Diplomatic Investment Drive (GDID), which will position Ghana’s foreign missions as key ambassadors for investment.
Another major component is the Ghana International Investment Summit, which will convene international investors, government leaders, industry experts, and local businesses to explore strategic investment opportunities across key sectors of the Ghanaian economy.
Madjie mentioned that several flagship initiatives, such as the Volta Economic Corridor, the Legon Pharmaceutical Innovation Park, the Kumasi Machinery and Technology Park, and the Akosombo–Juapong Garments and Textiles Cluster, will be clearly profiled, strategically presented, and actively promoted under the IOMP.
In addition, a series of high-level forums, including regional roadshows, will be held nationwide to raise awareness of the project.
These events will empower local governments, traditional authorities, and other relevant stakeholders with the tools and knowledge to attract, manage, and facilitate investments effectively.
Madjie concluded by calling on investors and partners to explore the vast array of opportunities Ghana offers through the IOMP.
James Gunu, the Volta Regional Minister and Dean of Regional Ministers, expressed optimism about the initiative, noting that it aligns with the government’s broader vision for regional development, especially through the Volta Economic Corridor, a key element of the 24-Hour Economy Project.
“We are getting our districts and local groups ready to make sure the investment opportunities within the region are well-prepared and presented in a compelling way,” he stated.
SSD/MA
Cheque Fraud EXPOSED: How it works and how to stay safe
GhanaWeb Special: The gold market that fuels galamsey
The Black Satellites are facing Nigeria in their WAFU Zone B U20 Championship clash at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence at Prampram, on July 10, 2025.
Head coach Desmond Ofei has expressed confidence in his side’s readiness and determination.
Ofei says the Ghana U20 team is highly motivated and fully prepared for the challenge as they look to make a strong start in their quest for the 2025 title.
Watch and follow live updates of the game below:
FKA/AE
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Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini is the Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways
Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways, Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini, has stressed that the Ministry will prioritise the development of road networks with wider national impact, rather than paving roads in every single community. He explained that while the need for improved infrastructure across all communities is valid and recognised, limited resources make it necessary to prioritise projects that have far-reaching economic and social impact. Speaking during an interview on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Thursday, Suhuyini pointed out that the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) government is adopting a strategic approach to road construction. This means concentrating efforts on major transport corridors that are essential for trade, movement, and national connectivity, rather than spreading resources too thinly across the country. According to him, priority will be given to critical routes such as the Western Corridor in the northern parts of the country, the Eastern Corridor, and the main roads that provide access into the capital, Accra. He noted that these roads falls under the Big Push project and will be funded by it. ”It is one of the roads captured under the Big Push project and will be funded through the Big Push funds” he said. These routes, he noted, are vital not just for linking regions but also for supporting agriculture, industry, and commerce all of which contribute significantly to national development. He concluded by stating that this approach is not about ignoring the needs of smaller communities, but about ensuring that road investments bring the greatest possible return in terms of economic growth, accessibility, and improved livelihoods across the country. DR/MA
You can also watch the latest news in Twi on GhanaWeb TV below:
Cheque Fraud EXPOSED: How it works and how to stay safe
John Abu Jinapor (3rd from right) breaking grounds to kick-start operation
A new 161kV transmission line project linking Anwomaso and Kumasi has officially commenced following a groundbreaking ceremony led by the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor.
The project, aimed at strengthening Ghana’s electricity infrastructure, is expected to improve voltage stability, boost transmission efficiency, and reduce energy losses across the Ashanti Region.
Addressing dignitaries and stakeholders at the event, Mr. Jinapor described the initiative as a major step in the country’s drive to build a robust and sustainable energy sector.
He said the project aligns with the government’s long-term vision to modernise the power grid and ensure equitable access to electricity for all Ghanaians.
“This initiative is not just about linking substations—it’s about securing the energy future of our nation and empowering our people through reliable power,” he said.
The project is being financed through a collaborative effort between the government, the European Union (EU), and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), reflecting strong international support for Ghana’s energy development agenda.
Once operational, the upgraded transmission line will strengthen the Anwomaso Power Enclave, which is rapidly emerging as a key hub for power generation and distribution in the middle belt of the country.
Mr. Jinapor further outlined government priorities such as expanding renewable energy sources, improving power sector governance, integrating digital and smart grid technologies, and encouraging greater private sector participation.
The government also used the occasion to express its appreciation to development partners, particularly the EU and AFD, for their commitment to Ghana’s energy transformation efforts.
Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mustapha Gbande, has provided fresh insight into the party’s ongoing internal conversations about whether national and regional executives serving in government should vacate their party roles.
In an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show, Gbande confirmed that the matter is being actively reviewed by the party’s leadership.
Firefighters from the Jubilee House Fire Station responded to a fire outbreak at the Police Church in Accra on Tuesday, containing the blaze within 21 minutes and preventing further spread.
Upon arrival, firefighters found a section of the church engulfed in thick smoke and flames. An additional fire tender from the Abelenkpe Fire Station was deployed to support the operation.
According to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), the fire was completely extinguished by 4:36 p.m., with firefighting effort managing to salvage three halls and nine rooms from destruction.
While the incident resulted in damage to choir robes, air conditioners, and office equipment, no injuries or casualties were recorded.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, and investigations are underway to determine its origin and trigger.
Nana Akua Afriyie is the NPP Parliamentary Candidate for Ablekuma North Constituency
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Candidate for the Ablekuma North Constituency, Nana Akua Afriyie, is confident of victory in the rerun of 19 polling stations scheduled for Friday, July 11, 2025.
Speaking in an interview on JoyNews, monitored by GhanaWeb on Thursday, July 10, 2025, she emphasised that her strength, resolve, and political journey are deeply rooted in her faith in God.
“There is nothing apart from God. Everything is with God. There is nothing I do that is outside of God. My strength comes from God. My humility comes from God. My hard work comes from God. Everything is Jehovah… I’m relying on His strength and praying that justice prevails,” she stated.
Nana Akua Afriyie dismissed any possibility of defeat.
“I’m saying I am winning. I am winning, just wait and see. God will prove Himself faithful,” she declared.
She also used the opportunity to appeal to Ghanaian women for their support.
“I’m fighting for my right. I’m standing for every woman in this country. I’m standing firm for every woman who has ever been cheated,” she said.
The candidate further alleged that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has plans to disrupt the rerun with violence.
“They [NDC] said they are bringing in macho men. I’ve heard they are hiding some of them,” she alleged.
Meanwhile, the NPP has reversed its earlier decision to boycott the process. The party initially insisted that its candidate, Nana Akua Afriyie, was the legitimate winner and accused the Electoral Commission (EC) of attempting to subvert the will of the people by calling for a rerun.
JKB/MA
Cheque Fraud EXPOSED: How it works and how to stay safe
GhanaWeb Special: The gold market that fuels galamsey
Three teenage armed robbers have each been handed 10-year jail sentences by the Atasemanso Circuit Court in Kumasi following a robbery incident at Boubai in the Asokore Mampong Municipality of the Ashanti Region.
The convicts — Mamudu Issah, Samuel Takyi, and Alhassan Abubakari, all aged 18 — were sentenced on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, after pleading guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit robbery and seven counts of robbery.
According to the Ashanti Regional Police Command, the trio, along with three other accomplices currently on the run, staged a violent robbery attack on July 1, 2025, during which they assaulted and robbed several residents of mobile phones, bags, and cash.
In a swift turn of events, vigilant community volunteers tracked down and apprehended the suspects at their hideout in Aboabo later that same day. The suspects were handed over to the police along with ten mobile phones and three bags believed to have been stolen during the robbery.
A press release issued on Wednesday, July 9, and signed by the Head of the Public Affairs Unit of the Ghana Police Service in the region, DSP Godwin Ahianyo, confirmed the convictions and praised the role of the community in the arrest.
The court sentenced Mamudu Issah to 10 years’ imprisonment on each robbery charge and an additional three years for causing harm, all to run concurrently. Samuel Takyi and Alhassan Abubakari were each given 10 years’ imprisonment on the robbery charges, also to run concurrently.
The Ashanti Regional Police Command expressed its gratitude to the public, particularly the community volunteers, for their prompt action and cooperation, which led to the successful arrest and prosecution of the suspects.
The police further urged the general public to remain vigilant and continue collaborating with law enforcement by reporting suspicious activities promptly to help maintain safety and order in their communities.
The Accra Regional Police Command has arrested a key suspect in connection with the death of Immigration Officer Stephen King Amoah, whose burnt body was discovered on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, after being reported missing five days earlier.
The suspect, identified as Bright Aweh, was apprehended following investigations that linked him to the officer’s disappearance.
According to the police, Aweh was the last known individual to have contacted the deceased, having invited him to a meeting with the promise of settling a financial obligation.
In a statement issued by the Ghana Police Service and signed by Superintendent Juliana Obeng, Head of Public Affairs for the Accra Region, the police revealed that Aweh had sent WhatsApp images of large bundles of cash to Amoah and requested a meeting at a spot in Ashongman Estate on the night of July 3, 2025. That was the last time Amoah was seen alive.
During interrogation, Aweh admitted to handing over GHS 500,000 in cash to Amoah, allegedly for debt payments and safekeeping. However, he failed to provide a clear source of the money and gave contradictory statements, raising further suspicions about his involvement in the crime.
The body of Amoah was found severely burnt in a gutter near the GBC Satellite area, opposite Comet Estate in Accra. It was later identified by relatives at the Police Hospital morgue, despite the extensive burns.
The police further urged the public to assist with information that may help with ongoing investigations. Anyone with leads is encouraged to report to the nearest police station or call 18555 or 192.
Accra, July 10, GNA – Standard Chartered Bank Ghana PLC has declared a total dividend payout of GH¢227.94 million to its shareholders at its 55th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Accra.
It was to present its Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ending December 31, 2024.
The payout comprises GH¢1.67 per ordinary share, amounting to GH¢225.16 million, and GH¢2.77 million in preference share dividends.
The Bank emphasised its continued commitment to building a resilient and sustainable business that delivered long-term value in an evolving macroeconomic climate.
Mr Ebenezer Twum Asante, Chairman of the Board of Directors, underscored the Bank’s solid foundation and proactive risk management approach, adding that Standard Chartered remained resilient in the face of economic headwinds.
“Standard Chartered is well-positioned with a robust business model, a trusted global brand and a highly dedicated team,” he stated. “We are confident in our ability to unlock shareholder value and drive sustained growth in this dynamic environment.”
Mr Asante also affirmed the Bank’s adherence to strong corporate governance standards and its focus on operational resilience amid global and macroeconomic uncertainties.
The Bank’s Chief Executive, Mrs Mansa Nettey, said the institution remained committed to driving long-term value, powered by innovation, agility and inclusive growth.
“We will continue to execute our strategic priorities within our risk appetite, aimed at enhancing our ability to withstand external shocks while driving strong, safe and long-term sustainable growth,” she said.
Mrs Nettey added that the Bank would continue to deepen client engagement and position them for future success.
She explained that its priorities included enhancing client service, delivering strong shareholder returns and contributing meaningfully to the communities it serves.
With 129 years of uninterrupted operations in Ghana, Standard Chartered aims to sustain business growth by leveraging its integrated cross-border capabilities through its Corporate and Investment Banking business.
It has stated its commitment to delivering tailored wealth management solutions for the growing affluent segment within its Wealth and Retail Banking business.
The Bank’s performance, according to the Board, reflected a balanced approach to risk, returns and strategic value creation, supported by strong capital adequacy and operational efficiency.
Standard Chartered Bank Ghana PLC, listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange, is part of an international banking group with presence in 52 dynamic markets, and operates under the brand promise: “Here for good.”
Ghanaian rapper, Ablekuma Nana Lace (pictured) has described Patapaa as a wack rapper
Ghanaian rapper, Ablekuma Nana Lace, has suggested that Patapaa should pursue a career in stand-up comedy rather than music.
In an interview with Nana Romeo on OKAY FM, shared on July 10, 2025, Nana Lace expressed his belief that Patapaa lacks the talent required to be a rapper.
“It’s Patapaa. I don’t even see him as a rapper. His style of rap is wack. I don’t hate him, and although I’m saying this in a lighthearted way, he is still a wack rapper,” he said.
He added that while Patapaa might not excel in music, he believes the artiste could thrive in comedy.
“If he wants to consider singing, he should do it well. I think his strength is in stand-up comedy,” he stated
Nana Lace also recounted a past encounter with Patapaa, claiming that the singer disrespected him during a scheduled rap battle in 2020 on Adom FM.
According to him, Patapaa declined to participate in the event upon learning he would be sharing the platform with a then up-and-coming artist.
“He disrespected me back in 2020. There was a radio rap battle on Adom FM. After arriving, Patapaa sent a message saying he couldn’t be on the same stage with me because I was new in the industry. But people said he was afraid of me, that’s why he backed out,” he stated
Watch the full video below:
JHM/EB
GhanaWeb Special: The gold market that fuels galamsey:
illegal abortion clinic at Asawase raided by Asokore Mampong MUSEC
The Asokore Mampong Municipal Security Council has uncovered an illegal abortion clinic and an unlicensed drugstore engaged in the unlawful sale of pharmaceuticals in a slum community at Asawase in the Ashanti Region.
The discovery was made on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, during a special operation led by the Municipal Chief Executive, Ben Abdallah Alhassan, as part of ongoing efforts to clamp down on drug abuse and related criminal activities in the municipality.
The illicit facilities, both located in a densely populated slum along the Peleele Stream, were operating without any regulatory approval.
Authorities say this poses a significant risk to public health and safety, particularly among vulnerable youth in the area.
Speaking to the media after the operation, Alhassan expressed concern over the situation, describing it as a threat that demands urgent and sustained enforcement.
“The search brought out a few illicit traits. There is an illegally operating pharmacy there and a clinic. Our intel is that they even perform illegal abortions there,” he said.
“This is a serious health threat to our youth and our community. We have seized some of the drugs for further examination,” he stated.
Data shared by the Bank of Ghana has revealed the significant impact of the gold purchasing programme to boost the bank’s gold reserves.
The programme, introduced by former Vice President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, in the height of Ghana’s economic crisis, was meant to shore up the country’s foreign exchange reserves and help stabilise the falling local currency as well as rising cost of fuel.
As envisaged by the former vice president, the programme indeed significantly boosted the Bank of Ghana’s gold reserves and ultimately the forex reserves, thereby halting the cedi depreciation and ensuring stability of the fuel prices through the “Gold for Oil” policy.
Latest post by the Bank of Ghana of a monthly breakdown of Ghana’s gold reserves addition reveals Ghana’s total gold reserves at the time Bawumia launched the programme in May 2023 was 8.78 tonnes.
Between May 2023 and December 2024, the country’s gold reserves had shot up from 8.78 tonnes to 30.53 tonnes marking a whopping 21.75 tonnes increment.
Between January 2025 and the end of June 2025 under the incumbent NDC government, only 2.45 tonnes have been added, taking Ghana’s total gold reserves from the 30.53 inherited to 32.99 tonnes.
From the Bank of Ghana data, out of Ghana’s current total gold reserves, 8.78 tonnes, representing 26.6%, were amassed since independence while 21.75 tonnes, representing 66%%, was accrued under the erstwhile New Patriotic Party administration within 18 months while 2.46 tonnes, representing 7.4 %, have been accrued by the Mahama administration in 6 months.
Meanwhile, in the first six months after the launch of the programme in May 2023, 9.41 tonnes were added.
Dan Kwaku Yeboah (L) believes Arsenal have influence in Partey’s (R) rape charges
Renowned sports journalist, Dan Kwaku Yeboah has accused Premier League side Arsenal of playing a role in the rape charges brought against Ghanaian midfielder, Thomas Partey.
According to him, the fact that the charges became public immediately after Partey’s contract renewal talks with the Gunners failed suggests that club officials may have influenced the timing of the revelation.
The Peace FM journalist also noted that the alleged incidents occurred in 2022 while Partey was still playing for Arsenal, yet the charges were only made public in 2025 after he left the club which he sees as another indication of the club’s involvement.
Speaking on Radio XYZ, Kwaku Yeboah stated that the charges could negatively impact Partey’s football career as clubs may hesitate to sign him until the case is resolved.
“With the way the charges surfaced, I believe the person who influenced the decision not to extend Partey’s contract is behind this. At this point, it will reduce his market value and discourage interested clubs.
“They [Arsenal] have decided to destroy his career. How could something that happened in 2022 be kept under wraps until he was out of the club? This is a calculated attempt,” he said.
He further criticised those urging men to be cautious around women, suggesting such advice can be hypocritical, given the temptations men face.
“People are advising him and other men to be careful, but that may be hypocritical. Men are moved by sight, so if a woman appears naked, it’s likely the man will be aroused,” he added.
His comments come after Partey was charged on July 5, 2025 with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
According to the Metropolitan Police, the alleged offences occurred between 2021 and 2022 and involve three women: two counts of rape relate to one woman, three counts of rape to a second woman, and one count of sexual assault to a third woman.
Watch Kwaku Yebaoh’s remarks below:
@showdown.trends #sports ♬ original sound – Showdown Trends
SB/AME
Watch as Ghanaians speak out on Thomas Partey’s rape charge, suggest fresh start in Saudi Arabia
Kojo Adu Asare, former Adentan MP under the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has strongly refuted claims suggesting that members of his party were involved in criminal acts during the 2024 general elections as reported by ModernGhana.
His remarks came in response to allegations made by Elvis Darko, News Editor of The Newscenta, during an appearance on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily.
Darko had suggested that NDC supporters were responsible for post-election violence, particularly at parliamentary collation centres.
However, Adu Asare pushed back, describing the claims as baseless and harmful without proof. “To impugn criminality to the NDC is something I won’t take lightly at all because there is no evidence that any NDC member was involved in such acts,” he said.
He further advised that anyone with evidence should submit it to the police rather than making broad accusations in the media.
“If you have that evidence, present it and let the culprits be pursued so justice is served,” he added, stressing the importance of accountability backed by facts.
Darko had also accused the Electoral Commission (EC) of being influenced by the ruling NDC government in its decision to re-run voting at some polling stations on July 11.
But Adu Asare dismissed this assertion as inaccurate, pointing out that the government plays no role in the EC’s operational decisions.
He reminded viewers that the current EC leadership was appointed during the tenure of the previous NPP government, questioning how the NDC could now be accused of manipulating it.
“How does government come into this? This is the EC, the court, the NDC as a party, and the NPP as a party,” he stated.
Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mustapha Gbande, has firmly defended President John Mahama’s decision to appoint his own party members into key positions, saying it is both strategic and necessary.
Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr Gbande brushed off criticism that the NDC is engaging in “job for the boys”, insisting that it is entirely justified.
“Why won’t it be ‘job for the boys’? Yes, it has to be. President Mahama cannot abandon NDC members and rather work with the NPP people. It’s not possible,” he stated.
He pointed out that many appointees are competent and deeply rooted in the party.
Citing specific examples, Mr Gbande praised National Communications Officer Sammy Gyamfi for his leadership as the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod).
“Sammy Gyamfi was appointed to lead GoldBod because we know what he can do. He’s gifted. I wasn’t surprised when he turned GoldBod around. Look at where it is now,” he said.
He also mentioned Godwin Edudzi Tameklo, Acting CEO of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), describing him as a dedicated grassroots party member who has been nurtured by President Mahama.
“Mahama grooms and knows his people. That’s why he gives opportunities to party people, not outsiders. It’s the only way the government can stay connected to the party base,” Mr Gbande stressed.
He was optimistic that the appointment of George Opare-Addo, the NDC National Youth Organiser, as Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment would ensure opportunities for young people.
“It makes sense that youth initiatives should be led by someone who has managed the party’s youth before. He understands their needs and can truly help them,” he said.
Mr. Gbande added that for the first time in the party’s history, about 70 to 90 per cent of the National Executive Committee members have been appointed into office, reflecting President Mahama’s deep trust in the party’s leadership.
He encouraged NDC supporters who have not yet received appointments to remain patient.
“Don’t lose hope. The fact that you haven’t received a call yet doesn’t mean you’ve been forgotten. Be patient; there’s still more room,” he assured.
He also advised party members seeking jobs not to sit at home and complain but to approach their leaders directly.
“When I go to my office, party people are always there. They are engaging, taking care of others. That’s how it should be. Don’t sit at home and just call; go and ask directly,” he urged.
Mr Gbande’s remarks come in response to public concerns that the NDC administration is engaging in favouritism by prioritising appointments for loyal party members, a claim he proudly embraces as a form of political loyalty and strategic governance.
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.
The Minority in Parliament has accused the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of misleading Ghanaians about the nature of Ghana’s abstention during a recent vote at the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC59), describing the Ministry’s explanation as “totally false.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had on Wednesday July 9 clarified the country’s recent vote at the 59th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC59), stating that Ghana did not vote on LGBTQI rights, as suggested by sections of the media, but abstained from a resolution on the renewal of the mandate of the Independent Expert on Protection Against Violence and Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI).
The Ministry emphasised that the issue before the Council was not about support for LGBTQI rights, but whether individuals who identify as LGBTQI should be protected from violence and discrimination.
But Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, Member of Parliament for Damongo and Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee, in statement on Thursday July 10, rejected the Ministry’s claim that the vote was solely about protecting LGBTQI individuals from violence and discrimination.
“The statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that ‘the question before the Council was whether persons who identify as LGBTQI should be protected against violence and discrimination or not’ is totally false,” Jinapor said.
He clarified that the actual subject of the vote was the renewal of the mandate of the Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (IE SOGI) — a role he said includes not just protection but active promotion of LGBTQI rights globally.
“The question before the Council was whether to extend the mandate of the IE SOGI, which had ended, for him to continue performing his functions, which invariably include the promotion of LGBTQ,” Jinapor noted, referencing paragraph 2 of the draft resolution.
He rejected the Ministry’s argument that Ghana abstained from the vote in line with Article 17 of the 1992 Constitution, which prohibits discrimination.
“It cannot also be correct that Ghana abstained from the vote because of Chapter Five of the Constitution. Nothing in Article 17 supports individual choice of sexual orientation or gender identity,” he said.
Jinapor also pointed to Article 12 of the Constitution, which states that rights are subject to the public interest — an important distinction, he argued, given Ghana’s cultural and legislative position on LGBTQI matters.
The Damongo MP further warned that the international definition of “discrimination” includes legal frameworks such as Ghana’s own Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, which criminalises LGBTQI practices. He said it is precisely such laws that the IE SOGI is mandated to oppose.
“In his April 17, 2025 report to the Human Rights Council, the Independent Expert urged that states should end both de jure and de facto criminalisation of LGBTQ,” Jinapor stated.
Ghana didn’t vote on LGBTQI rights — Foreign Affairs Ministry clarifies
President John Dramani Mahama has expressed Ghana’s interest in partnering with the Portuguese government to establish a national airline as part of efforts to boost the country’s aviation and economic sectors.
He made the remarks on Thursday, July 10, during a ceremony at the Jubilee House to receive letters of credence from five newly accredited ambassadors to Ghana, including Maria Da Conceição de Sousa Pilar, the new Portuguese envoy. The other ambassadors present were from Seychelles, Venezuela, Chad, and Gabon.
In his interaction with the Portuguese ambassador, President Mahama noted the strategic importance of deepening bilateral relations with Portugal, particularly in aviation, trade, and investment.
“We appreciate the fact that the Portuguese national airline flies directly to Accra,” President Mahama stated. “Ghana itself is trying to reestablish its national airline. At the appropriate time, we will be looking for partners, and if the Portuguese national airline is interested, we could do a partnership.”
He further emphasised the need to expand economic ties and attract more investment into Ghana, citing the country’s rich natural resources and growing market.
“We want to expand economic relations, and we believe that we can attract more investors to come and invest in Ghana. Ghana has a lot of natural resources, with a market size of almost 35 million people,” he added.
The Electoral Commission (EC) has dismissed claims of political bias in its decision to rerun the parliamentary election in 19 polling stations in the Ablekuma North constituency.
The clarification follows mounting accusations that the Commission is favouring the NDC in the rerun scheduled for Thursday, July 11, in 19 polling stations. The NPP has rejected the EC’s move, describing it as “unjust,” and has officially withdrawn from the election.
Despite the party’s decision, the NPP’s parliamentary candidate, Nana Akua Afriyie, has chosen to defy the directive and participate in the rerun. Attempts by the party to stop the exercise through legal and administrative means have failed.
Addressing journalists in Accra on Thursday, July 10, the EC’s Deputy Chairman in charge of Corporate Services, Dr. Bossman Asare, reaffirmed the Commission’s independence and credibility.
“We state categorically that Ghana’s electoral management body is an independent body and will not be influenced by any institution or any person. Our track record speaks for itself,” he stated.
The rerun was necessitated by disputes over the initial results in some polling stations, prompting the EC to organise fresh voting to ensure fairness and transparency in the electoral process.
Ablekuma North rerun: Akua Afriyie confirms participation despite party boycott
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Former Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Acheampong, has launched a scathing critique of the Electoral Commission (EC), accusing it of reinforcing public doubt in its credibility by failing to act on electoral crimes and inconsistencies surrounding the Ablekuma North parliamentary election.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Thursday, July 10, he questioned the EC’s integrity and suggested that the Commission is playing into claims made by political actors who have labelled it “unfit for purpose.”
“Events leading to the disruption are all criminal. Nothing has happened to that. You haven’t pursued it, and you expect me to believe what you want to do? Take the necessary steps to assure me that you mean well,” he stated, referencing the burning of the EC’s collation centre and other unresolved incidents during the December 7, 2024, elections.
The EC has announced a rerun of parliamentary elections in 19 polling stations within the Ablekuma North Constituency, citing the use of unauthenticated pink sheets that lacked the required endorsements from presiding officers. However, Seth Acheampong believes the Commission has undermined its authority.
“You came to Parliament to say what you wanted to say, and now you’re going back on your word. I think maybe they lost their spine when Mr. Asiedu Nketia made his commentary elsewhere, saying the EC is not fit for purpose. Sadly, the EC is now fueling that narrative,” he asserted.
Despite the Electoral Commission’s constitutional mandate, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has vowed not to take part in the July 11 rerun. Mr. Acheampong reiterated this stance, emphasising that the party remains firm in its decision.
“We will not go back on our words. We just have to stay where we are. We are not going to run the election; we won’t run the election,” he declared.
The High Court in Accra presided by Justice Ali Baba Abature on July 9, dismissed the NPP’s application for an interim injunction against the rerun. The court maintained that halting the election would hinder the EC’s constitutional responsibility and deprive constituents of parliamentary representation.
The NPP insists the EC’s decision contradicts a January 4, 2025, High Court order directing the collation and declaration of results from 62 outstanding polling stations.
According to the party’s legal team, only three polling stations were left uncollated as of January 27, based on the EC’s communications.
Former Vice President and the 2024 flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has expressed his excitement over Ghanaian forward Mohammed Kudus’ imminent move to English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.
This comes after Spurs reached an agreement with West Ham United to sign the 24-year-old in a deal worth approximately £55 million.
Kudus is expected to undergo a medical on Thursday before putting pen to paper on a six-year contract with the North London club.
The transfer, if finalised, will be historic, marking the first direct move between the two London rivals since Scott Parker’s switch from West Ham to Spurs in 2011.
Dr. Bawumia, a known Tottenham supporter, took to the social media platform X to share his enthusiasm, writing: “I am excited to see our Ghanaian starboy make this move to my @SpursOfficial. All the best in your medical @KudusMohammedGH.”
Kudus, who joined West Ham from Ajax in 2023, quickly adapted to life in the Premier League, winning fans over with his flair, pace, and versatility across the attacking front.
His standout performances in his debut season made him a prime target for several top clubs.
Tottenham’s interest in bolstering their attack does not end with Kudus, as the club continues to monitor Brentford forward Yoane Wissa.
Kudus’ move to Spurs adds to the growing presence of Ghanaian talent on the global stage and is expected to further elevate his profile ahead of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers.
Dr Bossman Asare is Deputy Chairman of the Electoral Commission
