TIG Post

Author: Abigail Ampofo

  • Egypt FA files complaint to FIFA over controversial refereeing in Argentina defeat

    Egypt FA files complaint to FIFA over controversial refereeing in Argentina defeat

    History repeated itself yesterday, as another African country gave up their lead after the 80th minute.

    Just fifteen  minutes into the game, Egypt scored after Yasser Ibrahim header from Marwan Attia’s cross.  And at the 67th minute,  Mostafa Zico doubled Egypt’s lead after a counterattack involving Mohamed Salah and Haissem Hassan.

    A minute before the 80th minute, Argentina’s Cristian Romero scored with a header from Messi’s corner to make it 2–1. Messi then secured the equaliser in the 83rd minute with a powerful strike to level the score at 2–2.

    Before Argentina’s stoppage time goal, Egypt’s coach claims that Salah was bundled over in the box while Fathy was also clipped.

    Egypt appealed for a penalty, but referee François Letexier waved play on after a brief VAR check and just seconds later, Argentina scored through Enzo Fernández leading to their elimination from the Round of 16 yesterday at the at Atlanta Stadium (Mercedes-Benz Stadium), USA.

    Egypt sends a complaint to FIFA over disallowed goals, VAR controversial decisions 

    Consequently, Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has lodged a formal complaint with FIFA over how they were treated by match officials including the referrees urging that they all be removed in the rest of thetournament fixtures.

    According to the EFA the referee François Letexier and his team’s  “serious refereeing mistakes, double standards, and discriminatory decisions against Egypt” led to their unwarranted defeat against the defending champions.

    “We call for the immediate removal of the referee and his assistants from the remainder of the tournament, and for FIFA to investigate both the officiating crew and the VAR team,” Egypt urged FIFA.

    Egypt’s complaint cited three specific incidents in one sequence: the disallowed goal by Mostafa Zico after VAR review, the ignored penalty appeal involving Mohamed Salah and Hamdy Fathy, and Argentina’s stoppage‑time winner that followed immediately after the denied penalty.

    Coach’s complaint after the game

    Egypt coach Hossam Hassan echoed those concerns after the match, insisting his side had been denied fair treatment.

    “Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champion in the competition. Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running,” Hassan said.

    Goalscorer Mostafa Zico also criticised the officiating, saying: “The referee was really unfair. The injustice was clear. There’s been unfairness right from the start of the match. It is clear that this tournament has been fixed.”

    The defeat denied Egypt a place in the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in the nation’s history, while defending champions Argentina progressed to the last eight to face Switzerland.

  • Dominic Nitiwul urges Muntalka to contact 1,300 HIV-positive security recruitment applicants

    Dominic Nitiwul urges Muntalka to contact 1,300 HIV-positive security recruitment applicants

    The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, appeared before Parliament’s Government Assurance Committee on Tuesday, July 7, to answer questions on assurances he made in Parliament regarding policies and programmes of the ministry.

    During the engagement, he revealed that results from the mandatory medical screening exercise for security service recruitment applicants showed that 1,300 out of the over 100,000 applicants tested positive for HIV.

    In response, the Chairperson of the Committee and former Minister for Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, urged the minister to reach out to the affected applicants, inform them of their status, provide counselling, and encourage them to seek early treatment.

    “Please, find a way of reaching out to these people as the number is huge and scary,” Mr Nitiwul said.

    He explained that such an intervention would help protect the lives of the affected applicants and prevent further transmission of the virus.

    Drawing from a similar experience during his tenure as Defence Minister, Mr Nitiwul said the recommendation was necessary to save lives, noting that early treatment and proper management could enable persons living with HIV to lead normal lives.

    “We called them, counselled them and told them, and you must do that too. Because trust me, if it is a boy, he may have a girlfriend, and if it is a girl, she may have a boyfriend, and if they are not aware, trust me, the next time this 1,300 figure will jump to 10,000 or 20,000,” he said.

    “So you have to find a way of assuring them so that they can treat themselves because getting HIV is not the same as getting AIDS,” he added.

    Applicants yet to be contacted

    Mr Muntaka’s response followed a question from a member of the committee and MP for Ahanta West, Mavis Kuukua Bissue, who sought to know whether applicants who tested positive for HIV or had drug-related concerns had been contacted for counselling and medical support.

    The minister explained that the applicants had not been contacted yet, as his outfit intended to do so after completing preparations to provide proper counselling.

    He noted that such news could be emotionally distressing for individuals and that the ministry was taking steps to avoid causing unnecessary psychological stress.

    According to Mr Muntaka, a contact had instead been provided to allow affected applicants to voluntarily reach out and receive the necessary guidance before being informed of their results.

    He said the approach was in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, which recommend that certain medical results, including HIV and hepatitis B diagnoses, should be disclosed with appropriate counselling and support.

    “You just do not throw it on a person’s face that you have hepatitis B and you have HIV,” Mr Muntaka said.

    Muntaka responds to Nitiwul’s counsel

    Mr Muntaka described Mr Nitiwul’s advice as “very useful” and agreed that the matter was a public health concern.

    He assured the committee that the ministry would take steps to support those affected.

    “Yes, you are right because this is a public health issue, and it is something that we should not gloss over because it will lead to many innocent people getting it. So, advice is well taken, and I assure you that we will try what we can to help, especially those with HIV, as it is a public health risk,” he said.

  • CSA raises alarm over online fraud as victims lose GHC 3.4m in Q1

    CSA raises alarm over online fraud as victims lose GHC 3.4m in Q1

    The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) has raised concerns over the increasing incidence of online fraud and scams, where perpetrators use fake identities and accounts to lure unsuspecting victims with unrealistic yet attractive investment schemes.

    In a statement dated July 6, the authority indicated that the trend has cost victims millions of cedis, with hundreds of cases recorded so far this year.

    “In the first six (6) months of 2026, the CSA recorded 352 such cases, resulting in a total financial loss of GH¢3,429,447. The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) has noted a surge in fraudulent online investment schemes operating under various aliases or pseudonyms.

    “These scammers lure victims with promises of high returns on investments and primarily use social media for advertisements and mobile money for transactions,” parts of the statement read.

    How scammers operate

    According to the CSA, these fraudsters present themselves as representatives or subsidiaries of credible foreign companies, often using social media advertisements to promote investment opportunities.

    The authority further revealed that many victims are told their investments will fund crypto-mining equipment leases or online business tasks.

    “In their bid to appear credible, threat actors falsely present their schemes as subsidiaries of established foreign companies, e.g., Darazz, a legitimate e-commerce company headquartered in Pakistan. The scammers run targeted advertisements on social media platforms, encouraging potential victims to invest money,” it added.

    According to the CSA, victims are promised substantial returns. However, once funds are transferred, they neither receive any returns nor recover their initial investment.

    “The threat actors frequently rebrand themselves to evade detection by law enforcement agencies, local regulators and users. The latest names being employed include Darazz, Daily Trade, Ghstore, KUKA and Edollar,” the statement said.

    How to avoid falling victim

    As part of measures to protect the public from online investment scams, the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) has urged individuals to exercise caution when engaging with investment opportunities advertised on digital platforms and to verify their legitimacy through official channels.

    “Be cautious of online platforms promising unusually high returns on investments. Refrain from joining WhatsApp groups or responding to unsolicited messages claiming affiliation with reputable organisations.

    “Always verify the legitimacy and credibility of investment opportunities by consulting official channels or recognised regulatory bodies.”

    The CSA also urged the public to “report any suspicious contacts or fraudulent schemes to the CSA for further investigations.”

    The authority noted that it operates a 24-hour Cybersecurity/Cybercrime Incident Reporting Point of Contact (POC) for reporting cybercrimes and obtaining guidance or clarification on suspected scams.

    The public can contact the CSA via call or text on 292, WhatsApp on 0501603111, or email at report@csa.gov.gh.

    In a related development, the CSA last year revealed that more than GH¢600,000 was lost by consumers to online shopping fraud between January and October.

    The national cybersecurity regulator disclosed this in a statement dated November 28, as the Black Friday shopping period approached, a time that usually witnessed a surge in online purchases.

    Black Friday traditionally took place on the day after Thanksgiving in the United States. The event that year began on Friday, November 28. Given that Ghanaians often took advantage of the heavily discounted prices offered on online shopping platforms, scammers also capitalised on the opportunity, leading to a rise in fraud cases linked to the event.

    Consequently, the CSA warned the public to be vigilant and take steps to avoid falling victim to online fraudsters.

    The CSA also explained how scammers typically operated, luring victims with attractive offers that were often too good to be true. Once victims made payments for the supposed goods, the scammers blocked them.

    “Black Friday” marks a period in the shopping season where retailers offer significant discounts and promotions to buyers. The CSA anticipates a surge in online shopping scams and urges citizens to conduct due diligence when shopping online”, parts of the statement noted.

    The CSA, in a three-detailed breakdown, outlined the major tactics used by scammers, brand impersonation, fake online shops, and phishing schemes, to deceive and defraud unsuspecting online shoppers.

    Under Brand Impersonation, CSA explained that “Scammers mimic known brands on search engines such as Google and then use optimisation techniques to manipulate search results to list their contact information at the top.

    “Unsuspecting victims, after engaging these scammers, make advance payments for products or services which they never receive. The scammers proceed to block their victims after receiving payments”.

  • Ramaphosa’s state visit was scheduled long before xenophobic attacks – Govt clarifies

    Ramaphosa’s state visit was scheduled long before xenophobic attacks – Govt clarifies

    Reports emerged yesterday that Ghana has rejected a proposed state visit by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

    According to the reports, this was in connection with the xenophobic attacks on immigrants in South Africa, including Ghanaians, many of whom have been evacuated over the last few months.

    However, clarifying the narrative, the Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, stated that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s planned state visit to Ghana was arranged long before the recent outbreak of xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

    He explained that the decision to postpone the visit was intended to prevent ongoing tensions arising from the xenophobic attacks from overshadowing critical issues of mutual interest that both countries needed to discuss.

    He added that the visit, initially scheduled for early August 2026, had been in the pipeline before the latest attacks targeting foreign nationals in South Africa.

    “Let me indicate that this is a visit that had been planned well in advance of the outbreak of the recent xenophobic attacks. Indeed, it was slated to take place in early August 2026, but given the outbreak of these attacks and all the issues that have arisen therefrom, we sent a diplomatic communication to the South African government that we believe it is best to defer the visit until such a time when these matters have been resolved and there is relative calm,” he said while speaking on Joy FM’s Midday News on Tuesday, July 8.

    His comments follow reports that Ghana had declined President Ramaphosa’s proposed visit amid concerns over renewed xenophobic violence and its implications for the safety of Ghanaian nationals living in South Africa.

    Mr Kwakye Ofosu stressed that Ghana attaches great importance to its longstanding relationship with South Africa, adding that both countries share strong historical, political, economic and social ties.

    “Because we value the relationship we have with South Africa, a relationship that stems from shared values and cuts across several sectors, from economic and political relations to social cooperation, any such visit should focus on these important matters that have direct benefits for the people of both countries,” he stated.

    He explained that allowing the visit to proceed under the current circumstances could shift attention away from key bilateral discussions and place greater focus on the recent attacks.

    “Given the nature of the recent attacks, there is a likelihood that they will overshadow the very important issues that would have to be discussed during such a visit. So we believe that when matters settle and the issue of xenophobic attacks no longer hangs over such discussions, it will then be appropriate to have the visit,” he added.

    The proposed state visit was expected to strengthen cooperation between Ghana and South Africa, with discussions focusing on deepening bilateral relations and exploring opportunities in areas of mutual interest.

    Meanwhile, a Ghanaian national in South Africa was confirmed dead following the massive xenophobic protest exercise embarked upon by thousands of South Africans on June 30.

    Confirming the death of the Ghanaian national, the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Western Cape, in a statement issued via its official Facebook platform on Thursday, July 2, denied that the death of the deceased was linked to xenophobic attacks.

    According to the police, “… SAPS in the Western Cape confirms the murder of a Ghanaian national in Nyanga on Monday, 29 June 2026, in circumstances believed to be linked to the crime of extortion”.

    The deceased, identified as 35-year-old Mr Kwabena Boagen, was reported by SAPS as follows: “Official crime scene reports indicate that the deceased male, later identified as 35-year-old Mr Kwabena Boagen, was shot at the Nyanga Terminus in front of the NTG Hair Salon and Shoe Repairs at approximately 15:45 on Monday, in circumstances that point to extortion-related crime perpetrated by yet-to-be-arrested gunmen.

    He was declared dead at the scene by Emergency Medical Services personnel.”

  • Security service recruitment: 1300 applicants tested positive for HIV after mandatory medical screening – Interior Minister

    Security service recruitment: 1300 applicants tested positive for HIV after mandatory medical screening – Interior Minister

    About 1300 applicants out of the over 100,000 applicants who participated in the recent security service recruitment mandatory medical screening tested positive for HIV, the Interior Minister has revealed.

    He made the revelation during an appearance before the Government Assurance Committee of Parliament on Tuesday, July 7.

    Explaining why applicants who fail the medical screening stage of security service recruitment exercises do not receive their medical results directly, the Minister said the decision is guided by international medical protocols, particularly in cases involving sensitive health conditions such as HIV, hepatitis B, and other serious diagnoses that require professional counselling before disclosure.

    According to him, individuals who do not meet the medical requirements are provided with a means of contacting the recruitment authorities if they wish to know the reason for their disqualification. Once they make contact, they are taken through the necessary counselling process before any medical findings are discussed.

    “I remember the recent recruitment we had. I think about 1,300 also were on HIV. Can you imagine sending somebody a result telling the person that you have HIV? That’s not the procedure. The person has to go through some orientation,” he said.

    Mr Muntaka indicated that the screening process uncovered a range of health conditions among applicants, including HIV, hepatitis B, heart-related ailments, mental health conditions, complications from previous major surgeries, and drug-related issues.

    He noted that many of the identified conditions are manageable or treatable, making it important for affected persons to seek medical attention and improve their chances of qualifying in future recruitment exercises.

    “Some of the things that we realised are treatable. People need to know and then also get treatment so that, in subsequent recruitment, they could join,” he stated.

    The Minister therefore encouraged unsuccessful applicants to take advantage of the channels provided to obtain information about their medical status, stressing that some may be living with health conditions they are unaware of.

    “It may be something minor, it may be something major. Whichever it is, if you get to know, it will be of great interest to you,” he said.

    He further revealed that more than 100,000 applicants progressed to the medical screening stage after completing the aptitude test component of the recruitment process.

    Addressing concerns over whether applicants who tested positive for HIV had been informed, Mr Muntaka said the government had deliberately avoided directly communicating such results without counselling. Instead, affected individuals were allowed to voluntarily seek clarification regarding their disqualification.

    “We provided contact for people to call who were interested in knowing why they failed… We are obliged to give them the results, but we can’t send them to you on the phone,” he explained.

    Some members of the committee, however, suggested that authorities should consider a more proactive counselling approach for applicants diagnosed with HIV, arguing that early awareness could support timely treatment and help reduce transmission risks.

    In response, the Minister maintained that the current system safeguards applicants from receiving life-changing medical information without the necessary psychological and professional support, adding that it conforms to internationally accepted procedures for communicating diagnoses such as HIV and hepatitis B.

    Meanwhile, over 6000 prospective applicants have missed the opportunity to become security personnel in Ghana after failing the medical screening as part of the requirements in the recruitment process.

    During an interview with Accra-based Pan African TV on Saturday, May 23, the Interior Minister, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, indicated that the disqualified applicants were disqualified in the medical screening stage of the ongoing security services recruitment exercise after testing positive for drug use or being diagnosed with mental health conditions.

    According to him, his outfit introduced these extra examinations due to long-standing concerns about the mental health of the security personnel in the country. However, following the screening (drug testing and mental health assessments), more than 4,000 applicants failed the drug tests, while about 2,000 others were disqualified on mental health grounds.

    “We have over 100,000 people who have gone through the medicals. Because of the large numbers and because of what we have observed within the services, we introduced additional checks, including mental health assessments and drug tests. Interestingly, over 4,000 people failed the drug test, and we have over 2,000 who also failed due to mental health conditions,” he said.

    Mr Muntaka noted that the outcome of the screening highlights the importance of strengthening recruitment procedures to ensure that only qualified and medically fit individuals are enlisted into the security services.

  • GhIG recommends risk mapping, construction controls, expert inclusion in flood prevention efforts

    GhIG recommends risk mapping, construction controls, expert inclusion in flood prevention efforts

    The heavy downpour that flooded major parts of Accra, leading to loss of lives, properties and displacement of people, has sparked several recommendations from experts.

    President Mahama flew in a helicopter over the capital to inspect the extent of damage and then linked the cause to engineering and human activities, after which he ordered a disbursement of GHC300 million from the contingency fund for mitigation efforts and relief.

    However, the Ghana Institute of Geoscientists (GhIG), a professional body made up of experts who study the Earth, its materials, processes, and natural resources, in a statement dated July 6, have indicated that Ghana’s flooding problem should not only be treated as an emergency after disasters happen, but as a scientific and planning issue that needs long-term solutions.

    Consequently, they have recommended what they describe as “three urgent actions that can be implemented without delay”, including the need for the government to adopt scientific tools to map flood-prone areas to prevent and avoid such disasters. 

    “First, the government should commission a rapid geohazard mapping exercise for the most severely flood-affected districts, using existing satellite imagery and remote sensing data, to identify high-risk zones and inform emergency shelter and resettlement decisions”, parts of the statement read.

    Also, it suggests that authorities, including the District Assemblies, be barred from issuing permits for works such as the erection of structures in floodplains and waterways, citing that this comes at no cost but remains an important move in the fight against flooding in Accra. 

    “Second, District Assemblies should immediately suspend the issuance of development permits in known floodplains and geologically unstable slopes pending a geoscientific site assessment. This step costs nothing but can prevent future loss of life and property, it added. 

    Third, “GhIG calls on NADMO to formally co-opt member geoscientists into its current field assessment teams, so that geological expertise informs the damage assessment process already underway.

    “These immediate measures, taken together, can begin to shift Ghana’s flood response from pure reaction toward evidence-based action, and lay the groundwork for the longer-term reforms that GhIG has outlined and is ready to contribute to, including a National Geological Hazard and Flood Risk Atlas. As part of GhIG’s contribution to long-term solutions, GhIG has officially launched the “Geoscience for a Safer Ghana Initiative.” 

    Aside from the recommendations, GhIG has designated the month of July to embark on a public training campaign “to share professional expertise, provide scientific clarity, understand the root causes of these perennial disasters, and contribute evidence-based perspectives to the national discourse…. to elevate the national conversation beyond short-term blame”. 

    To achieve this, the institute will implement four core strategic initiatives under the campaign this July:

    National Media Campaign: A series of educational expert articles will be published in major national newspapers this week to explain how geosciences like hydrology and soil analysis are essential for long-term flood prevention. 

    Mudslide Field Assessment: A specialised team of geoscientists will visit areas affected by mudslides to study landslide tracks and ground conditions to help protect vulnerable hill communities. 

     Public Technical Webinar: A free virtual public forum will take place on Wednesday, 29th July at 6:00 PM GMT via Microsoft Teams to break down the science behind the crisis and share practical, data-driven solutions.  Our objective this July is to channel our professional grief into a constructive contribution to national safety. Understanding the earth is the first step toward living safely upon it, and GhIG remains fully committed to defining the critical role our profession must play in safeguarding lives and building a more resilient nation. The public, media houses, civil society organisations, and state development agencies are invited to actively follow and participate in these dialogues.

    Registration links for the public webinar and updates on the field findings will be shared continuously on GhIG’s official communication channels:Facebook: @GhIGeoscientists; X (Twitter): @GhIG_1; LinkedIn: Ghana Institute of Geoscientists.

    Govt releases GHC 350 m for mitigation, relief

    On Tuesday, June 30, the Finance Ministry disbursed GHC 350 million from the Contingency Fund to the respective National Disaster Management Committee accounts to finance urgent flood relief and mitigation efforts, as earlier directed by President John Dramani Mahama following the devastating June 29 floods in Accra and southern Ghana.

    In Ghana, the Contingency Fund is a constitutional fund set aside to meet urgent and unforeseen government expenses that cannot wait for the normal budget approval process.

    The allocation comprises GH¢200 million for immediate relief assistance to flood victims and affected communities, while the remaining GH¢150 million has been earmarked for flood prevention and mitigation interventions to help minimise the occurrence and impact of future flooding.

    The flood emergency, providing timely assistance to transfer, gives effect to President Mahama’s directive for an immediate government response to the affected communities while supporting long-term measures to reduce the impact of future flooding.

    Death toll after Monday June 29 downpour

    Authorities reported 12 deaths, with 7 people still missing as of July 1, following Monday’s, June 29, floods. Earlier, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) reported nine (9) deaths.

  • Ghana’s floods are a geoscience emergency: Here is what we must do

    Ghana’s floods are a geoscience emergency: Here is what we must do

    Accra is underwater for the umpteenth time. Overnight rains that began on Sunday,  28th June, have submerged communities across the Greater Accra Region. Already, deaths have been confirmed. Across the city, emergency responders and community volunteers have been using boats to rescue citizens stranded by rising floodwaters.

    Fire broke out at the Odawna Rubber Market while the city flooded around it. The Ministry of Interior issued a public safety advisory, and President Mahama undertook an aerial inspection of affected areas, citing climate change and “the issue of human behaviour.”

    140 millimetres of rain fell on Accra in a single day, which is the highest the city has experienced in several years, and nearly triple last year’s peak. Accra was not built to absorb 140 mm of rain in a day, partly because no one ever intentionally involves geoscientists in identifying areas that could facilitate groundwater recharge to reduce surface runoff during extreme rainfall events. We often mention that people should not build in waterways or on Ramseyer sites, but are we intentional about it?

    The consequences are what we see all around us. Destruction, loss of property and sadly death. At GhIG, we believe, we should no longer stay silent about a truth that our disaster response culture continues to sidestep. While Ghana’s flooding crisis is multifaceted, geoscience sits at its core.

    Engineering, planning, governance, and emergency response all matter, but they are most effective when grounded in an understanding of the land, the water, and the processes that connect them. Until we treat it as one, we will remain trapped in this brutal cycle of reaction without prevention.

    We Have Been Here Before. Many Times.

    Most of the communities that are underwater today are the same ones that flooded in March 2026, in 2024, in 2023, in 2021, in 2019, in 2018 and in 2015. Of course, new communities are continually being added to the disaster-prone areas,  but these names have become almost ritualistic: Weija, Kasoa, Kaneshie, Dansoman, Spintex, Tse Addo, Darkuman, Mallam Junction.

    The cycle is always the same: the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) warns us; the rains come; the water rises, we are shocked; we mourn; we make promises; we clean up, and we wait for next year. I dare say we have lost thousands of lives to floods, with hundreds of thousands displaced since we started recording data.

    The economic losses are estimated to be in the billions of dollars. These statistics point to the compounding cost of failing to integrate geoscience into how we build, plan and govern this country. And yet we build on this Earth. So it is true, the rains are getting heavier, but we are also building in precisely the places we should not be building, and governing land use in precisely the ways that guarantee catastrophe.

    What Geoscience Can Do That Drainage Engineering Cannot

    There is a tendency in the public conversation to frame Ghana’s flooding problem as solely a drainage problem, with consequential suggested solutions such as building more drains, desilting gutters, and clearing waterways. Even though these interventions are necessary, they are downstream solutions to an upstream failure. And that failure is the absence of geoscience from the decisions that determine where people live, where buildings are sited, and where infrastructure is laid.

    Geoscience is the discipline that reads the earth, that is, its structure, its composition, its surface processes, and how water moves through it and across it. Hydrogeologists can map the subsurface conditions that determine whether a given area will flood during heavy rainfall and how severely.

    Engineering geologists can assess the stability of slopes and identify zones of high landslide risk. Soil scientists can characterise soil types and their capacity to absorb rainwater. Remote sensing specialists can use satellite imagery to map flood extents, monitor changing drainage patterns, and track encroachments on natural waterways. Geomorphologists can identify floodplains, drainage corridors, and natural retention zones, which are the same zones that, once built upon, become the disaster areas we know so well. These are all essential pieces of knowledge for building and deploying early warning systems.

    None of this is new science. The Egyptians, the Chinese and those who came before us knew this. That is why there were designated living zones and no-go areas in our communities long before modern times. In modern times, scientific expertise exists in Ghana, with a whole professional body fully dedicated to geoscience and competent institutions, including the Ghana Geological Survey Authority, playing key roles.

    What does not exist, in any meaningful or enforceable way, is the legal and institutional requirement for these tools to be applied before decisions are made about where and how to build.

    A Warning Ghana Has Already Ignored Several Times

    This year’s crisis is not only about urban flooding. On 20th May 2026, debris flow from the 600-metre Adaklu Mountain buried at least five houses and nine vehicles at Adaklu-Helekpe in the Volta Region. Dozens of residents were displaced. On the 22nd of June, 2026, the Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson directed all individuals operating along landslide-prone sections of the Albert Bosomtwi-Sam Fishing Harbour in Sekondi to evacuate immediately to prevent future disasters due to a fire outbreak triggered by a rainfall-induced landslide.  Furthermore, two weeks ago, a night of heavy rainfall triggered a mudslide on the Akoon–Bogoso Junction stretch of the Tarkwa highway, blocking a key transport route and halting movement.

    All of these have happened before. For instance, in 2017, rocks on the Adaklu Mountain broke apart and sent debris cascading into the same community, compelling residents to flee. A proper geoscientific assessment of slope conditions at that time, embedded in the district’s spatial planning, should have resulted in enforced building setbacks and early warning protocols. Instead, nine years later, we are back at Adaklu with more destroyed homes, more displaced families, and more calls for investigation. For us at the GhIG, this is a disturbing pattern where an investigation is commissioned after the disaster with nice recommendations, and then we wait for the next disaster to rediscover these old reports.

    The Governance Gap That Is Costing Lives

    After the devastating floods on the 9th of June, 2026, President Mahama directed the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA) and other relevant agencies to prepare a comprehensive flood assessment report. This was a welcome directive, and another has been issued after the recent floods. But it points directly to the structural problem: geoscientists are summoned after the disaster strikes, not embedded in the systems designed to prevent it. Currently, Ghana has no legal requirement for geological hazard (geohazard) assessments to inform land-use planning decisions. District Assemblies approve developments on floodplains and unstable slopes without mandatory geoscience review. NADMO’s technical architecture does not include a geoscientist on its governing board. The national spatial planning framework does not require a geological hazard map as a precondition for zoning approvals. And more importantly, the legislation that would empower professional geoscientists at the centre of these processes, the Geoscience Act, has yet to be passed.

    What the Ghana Institute of Geoscientists Is Calling For

    The Ghana Institute of Geoscientists represents the professional body of earth scientists in this country. Our members work in petroleum exploration, mineral exploration, environmental assessment, groundwater management, engineering geology, and academia. We have the expertise to contribute to Ghana’s flood resilience architecture. Specifically, GhIG is calling on the government to act on five fronts. First, include credentialed geoscientists in the national flood assessment taskforce that President Mahama has directed NADMO to lead.

    The geological dimensions of Ghana’s flooding require geological input. Second, commission a National Geological Hazard and Flood Risk Atlas as a living, legally binding spatial document, mapped at a scale useful for district-level planning, and updated regularly using remote sensing and field data. This should include providing instrumentation and equipment for acquiring the requisite data needed to make such assessments. GhIG stands ready to co-create a National Geological Hazard Atlas with GGSA. Third, establish a mandatory geoscience review requirement for all development permits in flood-prone areas and geologically hazardous zones.

    No building should be approved in a high-risk geological zone without a professional geoscientist’s sign-off. Fourth, NADMO’s governing board would be significantly strengthened by the addition of a credentialed geoscientist, ensuring that its disaster management decisions are grounded in solid geoscience, so that this expertise is part of the institutional architecture of disaster prevention, not an afterthought. Fifth, facilitate the passing of the Geoscience Act, being championed by GhIG. And this is not as a gesture to a professional body, but as the legislative foundation for everything else on this list.

    What Happens If We Do Not

    GMet has issued a further warning: more heavy rains on the way. The flooding across Accra will almost certainly continue. More communities will be affected. Emergency services are already stretched. And somewhere in a flood-prone district of this country, a structure is sitting on geologically unstable ground that no one has assessed, waiting for the next heavy rain.

    Over the past decades, we have lost the lives of precious Ghanaians to floods; we have lost billions of dollars; we have written reports, formed committees, and made speeches from the same flooded streets, year after year. What we have not done is place the right science at the centre of the decisions that matter. 

    Ghana cannot engineer its way out of a problem it has not yet mapped. Geoscience is not a luxury for a developing country. It is the discipline that tells us where it is safe to live, where it is dangerous to build, and what the earth beneath our feet will do when the rains come. After the events of the past week, we at the GhIG hope that it becomes impossible to ignore.

    Dr. Cyril Dziedzorm Boateng is the General Secretary of the Ghana Institute of Geoscientists (GhIG), a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Physics, KNUST and a Geophysicist

    DISCLAIMER: Independentghana.com will not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article. The views expressed in the article are solely those of the author and do not reflect those of The Independent Ghana

  • Govt records GHC 2.1bn revenue shortfall in Q1 of 2026 – BoG

    Govt records GHC 2.1bn revenue shortfall in Q1 of 2026 – BoG

    The government raised GH¢57.531 billion in revenue and grants in the first quarter of 2026, equivalent to 3.6% of Ghana’s GDP, the Bank of Ghana (BoG) has reported.

    This was revealed in the Central Bank’s May 2026 Monetary Policy Report. According to the BoG, the revenue accrued represented 3.6% of Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    The report indicated that total revenue and grants fell short of the target by GH¢2.115 billion, representing a shortfall of about 3.5% against the projected GH¢59.646 billion (3.7% of GDP).

    Tax revenue amounted to GH¢47.884 billion, representing 3.0% of Ghana’s GDP. It was derived from taxes on income and property, domestic goods and services, international trade, as well as oil and gas-related activities.

    This was lower than the target of GH¢49.752 billion (3.1% of GDP), representing a negative deviation of 0.1 percentage points.

    Non-tax revenue totalled GH¢6.180 billion, 17.7% below the target of GH¢7.512 billion.

    Oil and gas revenue also fell below target, with the government receiving GH¢2.825 billion less than the projected GH¢4.532 billion. The shortfall was mainly attributed to lower international oil prices and reduced production from Ghana’s major oil fields.

    However, other revenue exceeded expectations, generating GH¢3.466 billion, which was 70% higher than the target of GH¢2.025 billion.

    Revenue performance recorded shortfalls across all major categories, except other revenue, which exceeded its target. The appreciation of the local currency also affected revenue mobilisation.

    The report attributed the lower tax revenue performance to the slow implementation of some planned revenue measures, including VAT reforms, as well as lower-than-expected CIF values of imports.

    CIF value refers to the total cost of imported goods, including the cost of the goods, insurance, and freight charges. A lower CIF value results in a smaller tax base for import duties.

    Non-tax revenue also underperformed due to lower-than-projected dividend and interest income, as well as reduced earnings from oil-related investments under the CAPI arrangement.

    Meanwhile, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) reported a GH¢1 billion revenue collection in April 2026, a performance the Commissioner-General attributed to improved tax compliance, administrative efficiency, and digital reforms aimed at strengthening revenue mobilisation.

    Mr Anthony Kofi Sarpong, speaking at the 10th Ghana CEO Summit, said the revenue performance marked a significant improvement in tax collection.

    He attributed the increase to the introduction of the Republican Artificial Intelligence system at the ports.

    The “Republican AI” (also called Publican AI) system is a GRA initiative introduced in early 2026 to automate customs valuation at the ports, modernise operations, and reduce revenue leakages.

    “The Republican Artificial Intelligence system introduced at the ports helped improve compliance and blocked revenue leakages. Indeed, the results from the first two months of deploying the AI are amazing and promising. In April alone, we added GH¢1 billion to our revenue generation for customs,” the Commissioner-General stated.

    He said the GH¢1 billion collected in April demonstrated the potential of a more efficient and modernised tax system, but stressed that broader structural reforms were needed to sustain and expand revenue gains.

    “Our aspiration for a reset and transformed economy is not attainable if we fail to mobilise the needed domestic revenue as one of the most important catalysts for national development,” he said.

    Mr Sarpong also highlighted the need for sustained revenue mobilisation to support national development as Ghana works to reduce its reliance on external financial inflows.

    “Education and development of Ghana rest and thrive on the provision of relevant enablers, including infrastructure, energy, a well-trained and equipped workforce, and efficient public services,” he stated.

    The Commissioner-General warned that reliance on external financing was becoming increasingly uncertain, making domestic revenue mobilisation a matter of economic sovereignty.

    “The alternative to mobilising domestic revenue is dependence on financing that is no longer reliably open or available,” he said.

    Mr Sarpong explained that ensuring fairness within the tax system remained essential to protecting compliant businesses from unfair competition created by operators who evade their tax obligations.

    “The compliant business pays its share, while the non-compliant business does not. The gap between the two becomes a competitive penalty paid by firms that are actually doing the right thing,” he said.

    He indicated that ongoing tax reforms were aimed at widening the tax net and strengthening compliance through digitalisation rather than imposing additional burdens on already compliant taxpayers.

    “We want this era of tax reform to be about ensuring that those who pay are no longer being competed against by those who do not,” he stated.

    Touching on the role of innovation, Mr Sarpong said technology was transforming tax administration by creating efficiencies that were previously difficult to achieve.

    “Technology is now available for us to change structurally what was not possible yesterday. A credible tax system is in itself a factor of production for the Ghanaian industry,” he noted.

    He further praised ongoing reforms under the current administration, stressing that the focus had been on improving revenue collection efficiency rather than introducing new taxes.

    “We are focused on the efficiency of collecting those that are there,” he stated.

    Mr Sarpong also revealed that the GRA was reviewing several tax laws, many of which had existed for more than a decade, to make them more responsive to current economic realities and address compliance gaps.

    “We are comprehensively revising our tax laws, many of which are over 10 years old, to make them relevant, practical, and up to date with current requirements,” he said.

    He stressed that modernising Ghana’s tax framework would be key to sustaining recent revenue growth and advancing the country’s broader economic transformation agenda.

  • Otumfuo announces Nana Ama Bonsu as new Asantehemaa

    Otumfuo announces Nana Ama Bonsu as new Asantehemaa

    The overlord of the Ashanti Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has announced a new Asantehemaa (Queen Mother of Asante), months after the death of Nana Konadu Yiadom III, the 14th Asantehemaa.

    The appointment of Nana Ama Bonsu as the new Asantehemaa was announced by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi on Monday, July 6, during a formal traditional outdooring ceremony.

    Nana Ama Bonsu is the 15th Asantehemaa, succeeding Nana Konadu Yiadom III, who served as the 14th Asantehemaa until 2025.

    The installation of a new Asantehemaa became necessary following the demise of Nana Konadu Yiadom III, whose passing created a vacancy in one of the most important traditional positions within Asanteman.

    The Asantehemaa occupies a highly influential role in the governance and preservation of the Asante Kingdom. Beyond being the Queen Mother, she is the custodian of the royal lineage and plays a central role in the selection and nomination of an Asantehene when the Golden Stool becomes vacant.

    Profile of Asantehemaa Nana Ama Konadu Yiadom III

    The Asantehemaa was named Nana Ama Konadu at birth and was also known as Nana Panin or Naa Panin. She later became Nana Konadu Yiadom III after her enstoolment as the 14th Asantehemaa on February 6, 2016.

    She was born in 1927 at the Benyaade Shrine at Merdan, a small town located in Kwadaso, Kumasi, during the period of the restoration of the Asante Confederacy.

    She was born to Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II, Asantehemaa, who reigned from 1977 to 2016. Her father was Opanin Kofi Fofie, popularly known as Koofie or Keewuo, a carpenter from Besease near Atimatim in Kumasi.

    At a very tender age, when she was just over a year old and still being breastfed, Nana Konadu Yiadom III was separated from her biological mother and given to her aunt, Nana Afia Konadu, who lived at Ashanti New Town (Ash-Town), a suburb of Kumasi.

    Nanahemaa never received formal education, but she underwent rigorous and quality informal training, acquiring knowledge and skills that were not taught in the classroom.

    She was initiated and underwent puberty rites together with her niece, Nana Abena Ansa, during their early teens. She later married Opanin Kwame Boateng, a blacksmith from Aduman in Kumasi.

    She was religious, kind-hearted, calm, fair but firm, hardworking, humble, unassuming, and accommodating. In the mid-1990s, Kwaku Firi Bosomfo, the priest of Kwaku Firi, prophesied through Baffour Akoto, a senior linguist of the Asantehene, that Nanahemaa would one day become the Queen of Asante, and indeed, the prophecy came to pass.

    Nanahemaa achieved a great deal and was widely recognised for her contributions. Through her generosity and commitment to charitable causes, the Saviour Church named a school after her, Nana Konadu Saviour School.

    She exhibited a high level of equity, justice, and fairness, and cases brought before her were settled amicably to the satisfaction of all parties involved.

    In celebrating her 5th anniversary as Asantehemaa, she made significant donations to mothers at the Mother-Baby Unit (MBU), the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), and the Paediatric Emergency Unit (PEU).

    She also paid the medical bills and expenses of new mothers receiving care at the Mother-Baby Unit of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and the Manhyia Government District Hospital.

    Nanahemaa also spearheaded a vigorous campaign and instituted an annual event to encourage breastfeeding among mothers. This initiative informed her decision to make generous donations to the Mother-Baby Unit at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and the Manhyia Government District Hospital.

  • Chronic kidney disease cases rising across Ghana – Experts warn

    Chronic kidney disease cases rising across Ghana – Experts warn

    Cases of chronic kidney disease are fast rising nationwide, and experts have expressed concern.

    A report from myjoyonline.com suggests that out of every five people sampled in Ghana, at least one person is likely to be suffering from kidney disease, without knowing they have the condition.

    Because many do not know they are living with the disease, they turn up at hospitals when it has reached its final stages, where dialysis or a kidney transplant becomes the most convenient treatment option. 

    According to a Consultant Nephrologist at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Mensah Amoah, the growing burden is no longer confined to a few specialist facilities.

    “Countrywide, not just at Korle Bu, hospitals are recording very high numbers of kidney disease cases. Clinicians are increasingly diagnosing glomerular disease conditions that damage the kidneys’ filtering units in communities where such cases were previously uncommon,” he said.

    He believes environmental factors, including pollution from illegal mining activities, are contributing to the trend alongside established risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes.

    “Beyond hypertension and diabetes, pollution from illegal mining activities is worsening the situation. Heavy metals in contaminated water sources are directly damaging kidney function.”

    One of the major challenges medical experts say Ghana’s health system is currently facing is delayed diagnosis.

    Consequently, he urged Ghanaians to undergo routine medical screening, particularly annual health checks that include kidney function tests, blood pressure monitoring and blood sugar assessments.

    Health professionals are also encouraging healthier lifestyles through regular physical activity, balanced diets and better management of chronic conditions to reduce the risk of kidney failure.

    The warning comes amid growing concern over the country’s capacity to manage the rising number of patients requiring specialised renal care, with dialysis remaining inaccessible for many because of cost and limited treatment centres.

    Meanwhile, the government has unveiled the Mahama Cares Ghana Medical Trust Fund, a new program dedicated to providing financial aid to those battling with chronic conditions like kidney failure, cancer, and heart diseases.

    The fund is designed to alleviate the financial burden faced by patients in need of life-saving medical care.

    The event marking the launch took place at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) in Accra on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. The ceremony saw the attendance of key stakeholders from the healthcare sector and the corporate world.

    President John Dramani Mahama, who officially introduced the fund, called on the private sector to support Mahama Cares as part of their corporate social responsibility.

    “I want to encourage corporate Ghana, businesses, the mines, the banks, and all the other companies, that this Ghana Medical Trust Fund is coming to your clients who save their monies in your banks or do business with you. Some of them are even your own staff.

    “So, as part of your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), if you give anything, consider that you are giving to your own staff or customers. So, I would like to encourage all corporations in Ghana, both private and public, to, at the end of the year, donate some portion of their annual CSR to Ghana Medical Fund because it is going to do a lot of good to the country,” he stated.

    The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, expressed his support for the initiative, describing it as long overdue. He emphasised that the fund would ensure equitable access to healthcare, particularly for individuals facing financial barriers to treatment.

    “The draft bill for the Mahama Care is ready and will be submitted immediately Parliament resumes,” he confirmed.

    Akandoh also announced a significant policy change to strengthen the programme, revealing that the government has removed the capping of the national health insurance fund. This, he explained, will unlock substantial resources for the fund.

    “Most importantly, the uncapping of the capping of the national health insurance fund has been removed. This move has unlocked substantial resources to ensure

  • Health Ministry announces recruitment of Medical, dental officers effective July 8

    Health Ministry announces recruitment of Medical, dental officers effective July 8

    The Ghana Health Ministry (MoH) has announced the recruitment of Medical Officers and Dentists. This was communicated in a statement shared on the Ministry’s X formerly Twitter) platform and dated July 6.

    The Health Ministry stated that applicants who have “.…completed their House Job and have been verified by the Medical and Dental Council” can apply when the portal opens on Wednesday, July 8.

    “The recruitment process will commence on Wednesday, 8th July, 2026 at 10:00 am. Qualified applicants are requested to formally apply on the Ministry of Health online application portal by logging in to https://mohrecruitment.com and following the instructions to select the preferred district for postings”, the statement noted.

    Available vacancies are currently under the GHS, CHAG, Ahmadiyya, and the Mental Health Authority.

    According to the Ministry, the portal will remain open for one week. It also cautioned applicants to be wary of individuals posing as middlemen and demanding payment in exchange for securing slots.

    “The deadline for submission of applications is Wednesday 15th July, 2026 at 6:00 pm. Kindly be informed that the recruitment process remains transparent.

    Applicants are therefore advised to be cautious of fraudulent Individuals who may claim to offer assistance for a fee. The Ministry advises all applicants NOT to make any payment for this process”, parts of the statement read.

    Also, all applicants who were part of the 34th and 35th batches are eligible to reapply when the portal is opened; however, on condition that their application request fr a reporting should be within the previous region they were posted to.

    “The 34th and 35th batches of Medical and Dental Officers who applied but did not report may also participate in this process. However, participation by this group will be limited to their original regions, as posted, if vacancies remain. We count on your usual cooperation,” the statement ended.

  • Ghana has talent, create the right environment for player growth – Carlos Queiroz

    Ghana has talent, create the right environment for player growth – Carlos Queiroz

    Carlos Queiroz announced his resignation as Ghana’s Black Stars coach on Sunday, July 5, in a Facebook post. 

    He announced his resignation just two days after the Black Stars lost 0-1 to Colombia on Friday, July 3, at Kansas City Stadium in the USA

    Ghanaians are known to be quite connected emotionally and mostly react seriously to losses in games like this, particularly the World Cup. In his farewell message, he urged authorities to prioritise building players by creating a conducive environment for their growth. 

    “The future of the Black Stars will not be built only on the pitch. Black Stars Success must start off the field, by creating the best possible environment to prepare, protect and develop Ghana’s extraordinary football talent”, he said.

    He also noted that “Football, like life, teaches us one timeless lesson: you either win, or you learn.

    “I leave this journey with pride in what we achieved….. Reaching a higher level should never be the destination-it should be the beginning of even greater ambitions”.

    Carlos said he was leaving with a sense of unfinished work or unfulfilled ambitions, not regret or bitterness, as he believes more could have been achieved.

    “…..But also with the healthy dissatisfaction of those who always wanted more”.

    He told the fans, ” We cannot claim complete sporting satisfaction, but we can proudly say that we honoured the colours of Ghana and restored respect and credibility to the Black Stars on football’s greatest stage”.

    He also expressed his gratitude to the coaching staff and all other supporting staff for their help since his short-lived term as coach.

    “To my players and staff, my deepest gratitude for your courage, commitment and unwavering dedication to the team”, and I expressed gratitude to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) as well.

    He ended his message with a note of optimism, writing: “Thank you, Ghana. The journey starts now. To the future.”

    His term as coach

    The Portuguese coach took over from former Dutch talent coach Otto Addo, who was dismissed after a poor run of form leading to defeats against Austria and Germany in the last international friendlies played on March 27 and Monday, March 30, respectively.

    Queiroz’s contract was for a short period (a four-month agreement), according to reports that emerged after his appointment, after which an extension will be subject to his performance at the global tournament.

    His contract lasted just under four months (April–July 2026). He guided the team through the FIFA World Cup, recording 1 win, 2 draws, and 2 losses across five matches, before resigning on July 5, 2026, after Ghana’s elimination by Colombia.

  • Jordan Henderson suffers serious wrist injury during England’s celebration against Mexico

    Jordan Henderson suffers serious wrist injury during England’s celebration against Mexico

    England’s former captain Jordan Henderson has suffered a wrist injury while celebrating his side’s win against co-host Mexico on Saturday, June 27, at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, USA.

    Speaking on his injury, England’s head coach Thomas Tuchel has described it as  “quite serious” as the Three Lions progressed to the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals. 

    England beat co-host Mexico 3-2 with Jude Bellingham scoring twice in the win that had Jarrell Quansah dismissed over a rash tackle made in the 54th minute.

    How did he get injured?

    Per reports, Henderson landed awkwardly after tripping over an advertising board close to the pitch.

    He stayed down clutching his wrist after the fall and was taken off the pitch on a stretcher and later to the hospital. Speaking in a post-game presser, Thomas Tuchel said to the BBC that,

    He stayed down clutching his wrist after the fall and was taken off the pitch on a stretcher and later to the hospital.

    Speaking in a post-game presser, Thomas Tuchel said to the BBC that,

    “Jordan [Henderson] just fell over and injured his wrist. It looks really bad. It’s quite a serious injury, and it doesn’t fit the evening that Jordan is now not with us. The doctor told me he is in hospital.”

    Thomas Tuchel on goalless draw with Ghana

    England manager Thomas Tuchel applauded the Black Stars’ stellar performance during his side’s Group L encounter on Tuesday night.

    The Three Lions were held to a goalless draw by the Black Stars despite controlling 78% of possession, the highest possession ever recorded by a team that failed to score in a World Cup match in more than six decades. The statistic underscored Ghana’s disciplined defensive setup, which neutralised England’s dominance.

    Speaking at the post-match press conference, Tuchel admitted his side had struggled to penetrate Ghana’s well-organised defensive structure throughout the contest.

    “Credit to them. I rarely saw a physical performance like that from a team. They defended with 10 players in a deep, deep block, so it made it difficult for us because they were very disciplined and very physical in every position, so it took us a while to break this block down, to find this rhythm,” he said.

    However, he believed it was his side’s responsibility to find a way to score.

    “Everything was our responsibility was to find our footing. At the same time, you need to be careful not to concede counterattacks,” he added.

    About the game

    England controlled 79% of possession, the highest recorded by a side that failed to score in a World Cup match in more than 60 years, but were repeatedly denied by Ghana’s organised backline.

    In the first half, England controlled the tempo from the start, stringing together 343 passes compared to Ghana’s 99. Declan Rice came closest early on, curling a free‑kick over the bar in the 14th minute. Despite the pressure, Ghana’s compact defensive shape kept England from creating clear‑cut chances.

    The Black Stars sat deep, absorbing wave after wave of attacks, and went into the break level at 0–0.

    The Black Stars came with a different energy in the second half, securing their first shot in the 50th minute. Six minutes later, Anthony Gordon tested goalkeeper Benjamin Asare, who produced a sharp save to keep the scoreline intact.

    The Black Stars nearly stunned England in the 80th minute when Abdul Fatawu broke through the defense, but his effort was inadvertently blocked on the line by teammate Antoine Semenyo.

    England responded with late pressure, and in the 87th minute, Nico O’Reilly’s header rattled the crossbar. The rebound fell to Harry Kane, but the captain blasted over from close range, summing up England’s frustrating evening.

  • Jordan Ayew has outlived his stay- Titus Glover after Ghana’s exit from World Cup

    Jordan Ayew has outlived his stay- Titus Glover after Ghana’s exit from World Cup

    One of the players who has been heavily criticised and slammed during this 2026 World Cup is Black Stars captain Jordan Ayew, with widespread criticism of his performances, particularly his lack of attacking output despite being team captain.

    Among the people who have come out to express their plain discontent with Jordan is former Member of Parliament for Tema East, Nii Kwartei Titus Glover.

    Speaking on Channel TV, Glover questioned the forward’s impact and suggested that his role in the national team has significantly diminished, hence the need for him to be benched and probably substituted later in future.

    According to him, Jordan’s play style attracts unnecessary tackles as he mostly falls to get the referee’s favour.

    “Jordan Ayew has outlived his stay, and he can only play 20 to 25 minutes. He holds onto the ball too much, and he is so slow, but I know that is his style, and by doing that, you invite hard tackles on you.

    “He is always on the floor, expecting the referees to protect him, but as a striker, you don’t hold onto the ball too much. With aerial balls and ground balls, you should be quick, but you only hold onto the ball when you don’t have anyone around you,” he said.

    He believes that old players like Jordan should have been given limited time to give younger players more opportunities.

    “So for me, Jordan Ayew was a disaster, and he should have played a maximum of 20 minutes and allowed the young players to feature,” Glover added.

    Ghana’s early exit has also led to changes in the technical setup, with head coach Carlos Queiroz stepping down after taking charge on a short-term contract in April.

    The Black Stars were knocked out in the Round of 32 after a narrow 1-0 defeat to Colombia, with Jhon Arias scoring the only goal of the match in the first half.

    On the other hand, Carlos Queiroz has announced his resignation as the Black Stars head coach following his side’s elimination.

    The Black Stars lost 0-1 to Colombia on Friday, July 3, at Kansas City Stadium in the USA. Carlos officially announced his resignation as Ghana’s Black Stars coach on Sunday, July 5, in a Facebook post stating that “Football, like life, teaches us one timeless lesson: you either win, or you learn.

    “I leave this journey with pride in what we achieved….. Reaching a higher level should never be the destination-it should be the beginning of even greater ambitions”.

    Carlos said he was leaving with a sense of unfinished work or unfulfilled ambitions, not regret or bitterness, as he believes more could have been achieved.

    “…..But also with the healthy dissatisfaction of those who always wanted more”.

    On his part, the bLack Stars Ghanaians seek to see cannot be built only on the pitch; there is more work beyond just playing. The need to create a good environment for players to thrive and give their best, citing Ghana’s exceptional football talents.

    “The future of the Black Stars will not be built only on the pitch. Black Stars Success must start off the field, by creating the best possible environment to prepare, protect and develop Ghana’s extraordinary football talent”, he said.

    He told the fans, ” We cannot claim complete sporting satisfaction, but we can proudly say that we honoured the colours of Ghana and restored respect and credibility to the Black Stars on football’s greatest stage”.

    He also expressed his gratitude to the coaching staff and all other supporting staff for their help since his short-lived term as coach.

    “To my players and staff, my deepest gratitude for your courage, commitment and unwavering dedication to the team”, and I expressed gratitude to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) as well.

  • Carlos Queiroz resigns as Black Stars headcoach

    Carlos Queiroz resigns as Black Stars headcoach

    Carlos Queiroz has announced his resignation as the Black Stars head coach following his side’s elimination.

    The Black Stars lost 0-1 to Colombia on Friday, July 3, at Kansas City Stadium in the USA. Carlos officially announced his resignation as Ghana’s Black Stars coach on Sunday, July 5, in a Facebook post stating that “Football, like life, teaches us one timeless lesson: you either win, or you learn.

    “I leave this journey with pride in what we achieved….. Reaching a higher level should never be the destination-it should be the beginning of even greater ambitions”.

    Carlos said he was leaving with a sense of unfinished work or unfulfilled ambitions, not regret or bitterness, as he believes more could have been achieved.

    “…..But also with the healthy dissatisfaction of those who always wanted more”.

    On his part, the bLack Stars Ghanaians seek to see cannot be built only on the pitch; there is more work beyond just playing. The need to create a good environment for players to thrive and give their best, citing Ghana’s exceptional football talents. 

    “The future of the Black Stars will not be built only on the pitch. Black Stars Success must start off the field, by creating the best possible environment to prepare, protect and develop Ghana’s extraordinary football talent”, he said.

    He told the fans, ” We cannot claim complete sporting satisfaction, but we can proudly say that we honoured the colours of Ghana and restored respect and credibility to the Black Stars on football’s greatest stage”.

    He also expressed his gratitude to the coaching staff and all other supporting staff for their help since his short-lived term as coach.

    “To my players and staff, my deepest gratitude for your courage, commitment and unwavering dedication to the team”, and I expressed gratitude to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) as well.

    He ended his message with a note of optimism, writing: “Thank you, Ghana. The journey starts now. To the future.”

    His term as coach 

    The Portuguese coach took over from former Dutch talent coach Otto Addo, who was dismissed after a poor run of form leading to defeats against Austria and Germany in the last international friendlies played on March 27 and Monday, March 30, respectively.

    Queiroz’s contract was for a short period (a four-month agreement), according to reports that emerged after his appointment, after which an extension will be subject to his performance at the global tournament.

    His contract lasted just under four months (April–July 2026). He guided the team through the FIFA World Cup, recording 1 win, 2 draws, and 2 losses across five matches, before resigning on July 5, 2026, after Ghana’s elimination by Colombia.

  • COCOBOD releases GHC 2.6bn to pay cocoa farmers

    COCOBOD releases GHC 2.6bn to pay cocoa farmers

    The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has released GH¢2.6 billion to Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) for cocoa purchase from cocoa farmers nationwide.

    Detailing the purpose of the disbursement, COCOBOD, in a formal statement released on Thursday, July 2, indicated that

    “Accordingly, out of the GH¢2.6 billion released today, approximately GH¢1.4 billion has been earmarked to clear the remaining balance LBCs owe cocoa farmers for cocoa taken on credit”.

    According to COCOBOD, “Since the beginning of the 2025/26 Crop Season, COCOBOD has paid an amount of GH¢34,523,447,255.64 to Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) for onward payment to farmers”.

    To ensure that all farmers owed any arrears are sorted, COCOBOD has set up monitoring systems to check the appropriate disbursement of the funds. 

    “COCOBOD is working closely with the Licensed Buying Companies to ensure that all affected farmers receive their payments. The Board has also instituted monitoring mechanisms to ensure that the funds reach the farmers who are owed,” parts of the statement noted.

    Commending cocoa farmers for their patience towards government. It went on to assure that all farmers owed will be sorted in due course. However, it urged all farmers with outstanding debt to contact the appropriate authorities.

    “COCOBOD acknowledges the patience, resilience, and understanding demonstrated by cocoa farmers during this challenging period and wishes to assure all cocoa farmers that no farmer will be denied payment for cocoa legitimately sold through the approved cocoa purchasing system.

    “Farmers with outstanding payments are encouraged to engage the relevant Licensed Buying Company through which they sold their cocoa. COCOBOD will continue to work with all stakeholders to ensure the full settlement of outstanding obligations”, the statement added.

    The release of these funds underscores the Government’s commitment to safeguarding the welfare of cocoa farmers and preserving the integrity of Ghana’s cocoa industry. COCOBOD remains committed to protecting farmers’ interests and ensuring that they receive the full benefits of their hard work.

    This release comes about just three months after the government disbursed an additional GH¢4.2 billion to the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to be given to Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) for onward payment to cocoa farmers who have been owed since November last year, at a time when some cocoa farmers continued to wallow in discontent over the producer price cuts in mid-February.

    Speaking in an interview with Citi Business News, the Head of Public Affairs at COCOBOD, Jerome Sam, highlighted his outfit’s commitment to clearing all outstanding debt before the end of the 2025/2026 cocoa season, expected around August.

    “We hope to complete all payments before the close of the season, which is expected to end around August or September,” he stated.

    He continued that the GH¢4.2 billion was released by COCOBOD around last week to the Licensed Buying Companies to facilitate payments to farmers.

    He explained that while some farmers are still owed, others have already received payment due to existing financing arrangements between COCOBOD and the Licensed Buying Companies.

    Jerome Sam added that COCOBOD remains focused on improving liquidity within the cocoa purchasing system to ensure prompt payments to farmers and sustain production across the country’s cocoa-growing areas.

    “Some of the payments are recent, while others are older. Since 2023, when we experienced challenges with the syndicated loan, Licensed Buying Companies sometimes stepped in to pre-finance cocoa purchases. COCOBOD later reimburses them for those purchases.

    “That is why some farmers are not owed by the LBCs, while others still have outstanding payments. As COCOBOD, we are working tirelessly to ensure that every cedi owed to the Licensed Buying Companies is paid so they can also settle any outstanding debts with their cocoa farmers,” he explained.

  • Government approves GHC 100 million annual funding for special needs education

    Government approves GHC 100 million annual funding for special needs education

    Ghanaian students with special needs are set to enjoy more inclusive and equitable access to education following the government’s allocation of GHC 100 million to support their education nationwide, effective next year, 2027. 

    Addressing the press on Thursday, July 2, the Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, indicated that under the tenure of President Mahama, these yearly allocations will remain in effect until the end of the incumbent president’s term.

    This, he said, is aimed at guaranteeing sustained financing for the implementation of free education for learners with special needs and disabilities nationwide under the amended GETFund Act.

    “For 2027 into 2028 and for the tenure of President John Dramani Mahama, every other year, this GH¢100 million is allocated to support special needs education to allow for the effective implementation and to reach persons with special needs,” he said.

    Mr Iddrisu stressed that disability must never limit educational opportunity, adding that the policy reflects government’s commitment to inclusive education.

    “Special needs and disability never mean limited opportunity. The promise of education must reach every child in every community regardless of ability, background, gender and circumstance,” he said.

    He noted that Ghana currently has 39 public special and integrated schools, comprising 29 special boarding schools, seven integrated schools for the visually impaired and three integrated schools for the hearing impaired, serving about 9,000 learners.

    The Minister also announced an increase in the daily feeding grant for students in special schools from GH¢8 to GH¢15, aimed at improving their welfare.

    He said the government remains committed to ensuring that learners with special needs receive the support required to access quality education and achieve their full potential.

    Earlier, special needs education in Ghana did not enjoy a dedicated annual budget. Funding was mostly ad hoc, coming from general education allocations or donor support, which meant schools often struggled to meet the needs of learners with disabilities.

    Feeding grants, for instance, were set at GH¢8 per student daily, a figure widely seen as inadequate for providing nutritious meals. Assistive devices such as braille machines, hearing aids, and mobility tools were supplied irregularly, often depending on external partners rather than guaranteed government funding.

    Infrastructure improvements were also piecemeal, with many of the 39 special and integrated schools facing challenges in classrooms, dormitories, and accessibility features.

    How different is this new arrangement in funding?

    Under the new funding system, the situation changes significantly with the introduction of a dedicated GH¢100 million annual allocation under GETFund.

    This funding guarantees free education for learners with disabilities, raises the feeding grant to GH¢15 per student daily, and earmarks GH¢40 million specifically for assistive devices.

    It also allows for systematic infrastructure upgrades, ensuring classrooms and dormitories are more inclusive and accessible.

    In essence, the new allocation transforms special needs education from a system of survival-level support into one of empowerment and sustainability, directly benefiting about 9,000 learners nationwide.

  • Beverly Afaglo’s funeral venue changed, family announces

    Beverly Afaglo’s funeral venue changed, family announces

    The family of the late Ghanaian actress and entrepreneur, Beverly Afaglo, has announced a new venue for her funeral service ahead of her final burial rites.

    According to the family, the funeral, previously scheduled for the Lashibi Funeral Home, will now be held at the Forecourt of the State House on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at 7:00 a.m.

    The burial service will be conducted privately after the funeral.

    A thanksgiving service has also been scheduled for Sunday, August 9, 2026, at Action Chapel International at 9:00 a.m.

    Aside from the funeral, which will be held in Ghana, another is slated for August 1 in Laurel, Maryland, her family has announced.

    They announced the arrangements during her one-week memorial service on May 30 in Tema and later clarified that the rites will not be held only in the US but also in Ghana, with Ghana’s slated for August 7, 7 August at Lashibi Funeral Home, Greater Accra Region.

    According to the family, the Maryland ceremony is expected to host close relatives and members of the diaspora community.

    Why the USA?

    According to the family, Beverly’s immediate relatives include her husband, Eugene Kwadwo Boadu Baah, popularly known as Choirmaster, a Ghanaian musician and former member of the music group Praye. Eugene, along with her sisters, is based in the country, making it culturally appropriate for mourning to begin within that community before the final burial rites in Ghana.

    It is a common practice among members of the African diaspora to hold portions of funeral ceremonies abroad, allowing friends and loved ones who reside outside their home countries to participate in mourning and celebration of life.

    Further details on the Ghana-based funeral arrangements are expected to be communicated by the family in the coming days.

    Death of Beverly

    Beverly died in May. Afaglo died in Ghana on Sunday, 24 May, at the International Maritime Hospital in Tema after a two‑year battle with cancer. Her family and husband, musician Eugene Baah (Choirmaster), confirmed the news publicly the same day.

    The family is calling on relatives, friends, colleagues and members of the public to join them in honouring her memory and celebrating her life.

    About her cancer battle

    Her manager, Abu Iddris, disclosed during an interview with Ghana Weekend on Sunday, May 24, that,

    “She’s been battling cancer for two years. It’s been a relentless war. She really fought hard, and this is where it ended,” he said.

    He detailed that she had been checking occasionally due to her family history with cancer, as she lost her sister and father to the same disease.

    After some time, she developed breast cancer, which later spread to other parts of her body due to its genetic nature.

    Her death was announced by her husband in a social media post on Sunday, May 24, 2026. She was 42 years old.

    Iddris disclosed that despite her deteriorating condition, Beverly remained committed to her career and family, even while undergoing treatment.

    “In fact, we shot things for her while she was undergoing treatment. The premieres, the promotions, she was undergoing treatment. She lived while doing her very best until the cancer really overtook her,” he stated.

    He further revealed that Beverly had travelled to the United States for treatment and was advised to remain there because of the advanced medical care available, but she chose to return to Ghana to spend time with her children.

    “She chose to come be with her kids, knowing the situation. This is the kind of person she is. She chose to come see her kids and spend the last days with them at a cost,” he added.

  • South African police confirm death of Ghanaian national, deny links to xenophobic attacks

    South African police confirm death of Ghanaian national, deny links to xenophobic attacks

    A Ghanaian national in South Africa was confirmed dead following the massive xenophobic protest exercise embarked upon by thousands of South Africans on June 30.

    Confirming the death of the Ghanaian national, the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Western Cape, in a statement issued via its official Facebook platform on Thursday, July 2, denied that the death of the deceased was linked to xenophobic attacks.

    According to the police, “… SAPS in the Western Cape confirms the murder of a Ghanaian national in Nyanga on Monday, 29 June 2026, in circumstances believed to be linked to the crime of extortion”.

    The deceased, identified as 35-year-old Mr Kwabena Boagen, was reported by SAPS as follows: “Official crime scene reports indicate that the deceased male, later identified as 35-year-old Mr Kwabena Boagen, was shot at the Nyanga Terminus in front of the NTG Hair Salon and Shoe Repairs at approximately 15:45 on Monday, in circumstances that point to extortion-related crime perpetrated by yet-to-be-arrested gunmen.

    He was declared dead at the scene by Emergency Medical Services personnel.”

    Consequently, in a bid to establish the circumstances leading to his death and identify the perpetrators involved, the police said it has launched investigations into the matter. Meanwhile, the family of the deceased has been informed accordingly.

    “A murder docket was subsequently opened for investigation by Nyanga detectives, who have been in contact with a relative of the deceased and, on behalf of the SAPS, conveyed their heartfelt condolences. The victim resided in the Khayelitsha area but worked in Nyanga. A post-mortem examination is currently being conducted today by Department of Health officials, in accordance with South African protocols,” the police said.

    Reacting to Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement linking the death of Mr Boagen to the xenophobic attacks launched on immigrants during the protests, the police said:

    “About the media release issued by the Ghanaian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the South African Police Service has no record of the alleged murder in Khayelitsha. An earnest plea is therefore made to the authorities concerned to provide details of the alleged Khayelitsha incident to the SAPS to enable further investigation.

    Nyanga detectives are hard at work investigating the murder with a view to apprehending the perpetrators.”

    Meanwhile, the SAPS is yet to explain what kind of extortion led to the death of Mr Boagen.

    In a related development, Ghanaians in South Africa (SA) so far are safe, with none in custody following a temporary detention by authorities, Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie, has assured.

    He made these remarks following anti-immigration demonstrations that took place across parts of South Africa on Tuesday, June 30.

    According to the Commissioner, his outfit was monitoring developments surrounding the anti-immigration campaign in the early hours of June 30, and every Ghanaian who was detained by authorities during the protest had been released following their intervention.

    “We’ve been monitoring the situation since 6 a.m. this morning. A couple of Ghanaians were arrested and all of them, I can confidently tell you, have been released through the intervention of our consular officers,” he said.

    He explained that as part of measures to safeguard Ghanaians in South Africa currently, the Ghanaian government has arranged with the SA government that any national who is detained must be communicated to the Commission there.

    When any Ghanaian encounters the SA police, they undergo immigration checks, which include presentation of documents, after which the Ghanaian consular is consulted to confirm their nationality. Some of those detained were stopped by police during the immigration checks.

    “The agreement is that if any Ghanaian is arrested, the authorities should first confirm with us. We verify whether the individual is indeed Ghanaian and advise accordingly,” he stated.

  • Savings and loans sector records GHC 515.32m profit in 2025 as assets grow and bad loans decline

    Savings and loans sector records GHC 515.32m profit in 2025 as assets grow and bad loans decline

    The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has reported that the Savings and Loans sector recorded GH¢515.32 million in profit last year, 2025. 

    This indicates that the sector recorded a GH¢373.75 million increase in profits, representing a 264% surge year-on-year, according to BoG’s Annual Report and Financial Statement, 2025.

    The report also noted that the sub-sector recorded a Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) of 3.5% in December 2025, increasing from -0.6% at the end of December 2024, below the prudential minimum of 10.0%.

    The Non-Performing Loan (NPL) ratio decreased from 15.0% at the end of December 2024 to 11.8% in December 2025, representing a decline of 3.2 percentage points and a year-on-year reduction of 21.3%.

    More Savings and Loans companies secured licenses in 2025. According to BoG, at the end of December 2024, the total number of licensed microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Ghana was 132. 

    By December 2025, this number had risen to 172, representing an increase of 40 institutions, or about a 30.3% year-on-year growth.

    Total assets also stood at GH¢12.63 billion at the end of December 2025, representing a year-on-year growth of 31.2%.

    The total assets of MFIs amounted to GH¢3.06 billion, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 55.5%, compared to 35.7% the previous year. Deposits increased by 27.8% year-on-year at the end of December 2025.

    The average CAR and NPL ratios stood at 22.1% and 26.4%, respectively, as of the end of December 2025. Overall, profitability improved during the review year.

    Last year, the Bank of Ghana (BoG) announced a slight increase in Non-Performing Loans (NPLs). This was revealed in the central bank’s July 2025 Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) Report.

    NPLs referred to loans that were in default, typically when borrowers had missed payments for between 90 and 180 days, and they posed significant risks to banks and the wider economy.

    According to the MPC report, as of June 2025, NPLs in the banking sector had reached GH¢20.7 billion, representing a 1.3% increase compared to the GH¢20.4 billion recorded the previous year.

    Despite this marginal increase in the value of NPLs, the data indicated an overall improvement in asset quality across the industry. The NPL ratio, which measured the proportion of total non-performing loans, declined to 23.1% in June 2025 from 24.2% in June 2024. This improvement occurred even as the share of foreign currency-denominated NPLs continued to fall, reflecting a gradual strengthening in loan performance within the sector.

    When the fully provisioned loan loss category was adjusted for, the industry’s NPL ratio fell further to 8.5% from 10.8%, reflecting a reduction in sub-standard non-performing loans.

    “The decline in the NPL ratio during the period under review was explained by the lower growth in the NPL stock relative to the growth in total loans,” the Bank of Ghana noted.

    According to BoG, the sector accounting for the bulk of non-performing loans remained the private sector. The proportion of NPLs attributable to the private sector rose slightly to 96.4% in June 2025 from 95.6% in June 2024, while the public sector share declined to 3.6% from 4.4%.

  • Finance Ministry releases GHC 350 million for flood relief and mitigation efforts

    Finance Ministry releases GHC 350 million for flood relief and mitigation efforts

    The Finance Ministry has disbursed GHC 350 million from the Contingency Fund to the respective National Disaster Management Committee accounts to finance urgent flood relief and mitigation efforts, as earlier directed by President John Dramani Mahama following the devastating June 29 floods in Accra and southern Ghana.

    In Ghana, the Contingency Fund is a constitutional fund set aside to meet urgent and unforeseen government expenses that cannot wait for the normal budget approval process.

    It is established under Article 177 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.

    The President issued the directive after conducting an aerial assessment of the extent of damage caused by the floods and announced the intervention in line with Article 177 of the 1992 Constitution.

     The Finance Minister first secured parliamentary approval through the Finance Committee for the withdrawal from the Contingency Fund.

    Following Parliament’s approval, the Minister for Finance authorised the Controller and Accountant-General to release and transfer GH¢350 million from the Contingency Fund to the National Disaster Management Committee in Accra on Tuesday, June 30, to implement the National Emergency Response Programme and support flood relief efforts.

    Acting on the Minister’s instructions, the Controller and Accountant-General established a dedicated account for the National Disaster Management Committee at the Bank of Ghana and subsequently transferred the approved GH¢350 million into it, completing the full disbursement.

    The allocation comprises GH¢200 million for immediate relief assistance to flood victims and affected communities, while the remaining GH¢150 million has been earmarked for flood prevention and mitigation interventions to help minimise the occurrence and impact of future flooding.

    The flood emergency, providing timely assistance to transfer, gives effect to President Mahama’s directive for an immediate government response to the affected communities while supporting long-term measures to reduce the impact of future flooding.

    Death toll after Monday June 29 downpour

    So far, Ghana has recorded 12 deaths following Monday’s, June 29, devastating floods that swept across large parts of the Greater Accra Region. Earlier, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) reported nine (9) deaths.

    Addressing the media, a member of the Public Relations Department of the Ghana National Fire Service, Alex King Nartey, said the Service has been leading rescue efforts in some of the worst-hit communities.

    “So at this time now, the confirmable or confirmed figures that I have, the only case is in the case of about nine people,” he stated.

    Parts of Accra were submerged following heavy rains that started late on Sunday, June 28, and continued into the morning of Monday, June 29, 2026. This caused commuters to be stranded and disrupted traffic flow.

    Affected areas include parts of the N1 Highway, Apenkwa towards Tesano, the Accra–Kasoa stretch, Weija, Mallam, Achimota, Spintex, Atomic in Madina, Kaneshie, Darkuman Junction, portions of the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, and other surrounding communities, according to residents and road users.

    Weeks ago, several commuters were left stranded following a heavy downpour in Accra on June 3. The incident disrupted traffic flow as a result of flooding from the rain.

    Commuters using routes from Ashaiman to neighbouring communities including Sakumono, Kaneshe, and Adjei Kojo were left stranded for hours as floodwaters submerged key sections of the road.

    Also, the heavy downpour on Monday, June 29, led to the collapse of a three-storey, seven-bedroom house at Tabora No. 9.

    The unfortunate incident occurred around 9 p.m. in Accra, when the 90 percent-complete structure gave way and collapsed to the ground.

    Speaking to Adom News, the landlady, Serwaa Prempeh, said she heard something fall, followed by a sound similar to that of an avocado dropping to the ground.

    She then asked her children to check what had fallen, only to learn that a block had fallen from the top of the building. They quickly ran to safety and escaped unharmed before the structure caved in.

    “When I asked my children to pick it up, they discovered it was actually a block that had fallen from one of the building’s pillars,” she narrated.

    Although no casualties were recorded, some property remains buried under the rubble.

  • No exam papers were lost in June 29 floods – WAEC

    No exam papers were lost in June 29 floods – WAEC

    A statement purported to be from the West African Examination Council (WAEC) was trending online yesterday following the devastating floods that wrecked major parts of Accra on Monday, June 29.

    Homes, communities, market centres and shops were heavily flooded, with affected victims still counting their losses.

    In the statement, which was shared yesterday and sourced to WAEC, it claimed that some of the examination papers of the just-ended West African Senior Secondary Council Examination (WASSCE) had been swept away. 

    Consequently, the Ghana Education Service is considering the option of allowing the affected students to rewrite and would communicate a revised examination timetable and further details in due course.

    However, GES has described the circulating statement as fake and urged the public to disregard it.

    The Service also called on the public to verify information before sharing it, advising students, parents and other stakeholders to rely only on official GES communication channels for updates.

    Meanwhile, the Ghana Education Service (GES) announced that Ghana will rejoin the international West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), starting from the May/June 2026 examination cycle.

    In 2020, the Akufo-Addo-led administration introduced the “Ghana-only WASSCE” under the then Education Minister, Yaw Osei-Adutwum. In the last five years, Ghanaian Senior High School candidates sat a localised version of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), separate from the international May/June exams written by Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and The Gambia.

    Also, it was reported that, due to COVID-19, which became a global pandemic, Ghana adjusted its exam calendar to fit its own reopening schedule for schools, which differed from other WAEC member countries.

    At the time, the government explained that the move was to deal with cross-border leakages of exam papers, which were undermining credibility. By isolating Ghana’s exam, they could better control distribution and monitoring.

    However, following the release of the 2025 provisional results by the education regulator, GES announced in a statement dated December 1, explaining facts surrounding the 2025 WASSCE results.

    The statement revealed that: “As Ghana moves away from the Ghana-only WASSCE introduced under the previous administration to take the international WASSCE, written by all West African member countries in May/June 2026…”

    Consequently, it urged candidates to adequately prepare for the exams in the coming year, as it seeks to adopt the necessary measures to uphold the integrity of the exams without compromise.

    “…the Management of GES admonishes students to prepare very well for the examination. Management of GES will not compromise the integrity of examinations. GES will continue to work closely with all stakeholders, heads of schools, teachers, students, parents, communities, Civil Society Organisations, and WAEC, to improve teaching and learning and the integrity of the examination,” parts of the statement read.

    While GES, in its statement, didn’t explain the reason behind the return to the international WASSCE in 2026, according to WAEC, students in all five member countries write the same WASSCE because it ensures uniform standards of assessment, comparability of results, and credibility across the sub-region.

    It also helps students move freely across any of the West African countries to pursue higher education using their exam certificates and, later, even secure job opportunities since their certificates are recognized equally.

    Meanwhile, GES’ statement wasn’t only intended to announce the return to the international WASSCE next year, but also to address some remarks made by the former Education Minister, Dr. Adutwum, when the 2025 WASSCE results were released.

    Dr. Adutwum, in reaction to the abysmal performance by the students, particularly across the four core subjects, blamed the government. According to reports, Dr. Adutwum suggested that “the performance of students in the 2025 WASSCE was due to unsupportive management practices of GES,” adding that the government’s cancellation of allowances for teachers is a contributory factor to the students’ performance.

    2025 WASSCE performance

    WAEC released the provisional results of the 2025 West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) on Saturday, November 29.

    The results showed a massive surge in outright failure rates (Grade F9) across all four core subjects compared to the 2024 performance.

    According to the provisional results released by WAEC, the percentage of students who failed Social Studies increased steeply from 9.55% in 2024 to 27.50% in 2025, representing a 188% increase.

    The other core subjects, namely Integrated Science and English Language, also saw a doubling of their previous failure rates.

    For Integrated Science, the failure rate increased by 8.93 percentage points; that is, the 2024 rate was 7.12%, and in 2025 it rose to 16.05%.

    The failure rate for English Language also rose from 5.88% in 2024 to 12.86% in 2025. Core Mathematics recorded the sharpest decline, with the proportion of candidates who failed rising from 6.10% in 2024 to an alarming 26.77% in 2025, more than four times higher.

    Consequently, only 48.73% of candidates achieved grades A1 to C6, a steep drop from the 66.86% recorded in 2024. In absolute terms, 209,068 candidates passed Core Mathematics, while 114,872 (26.77%) failed outright with an F9. Put simply

  • Why Tse Addo was among the worst-hit areas during Accra’s Monday floods

    Why Tse Addo was among the worst-hit areas during Accra’s Monday floods

    Floodwaters from Monday’s downpour submerged parts of Accra, leaving residents stranded and motorists abandoning their vehicles.

    Several lives and properties were lost, with some people still missing.

    One of the communities severely affected by the flooding was Tse Addo, a suburb of the La Dadekotopon Municipal Assembly. This was not an isolated misfortune but a problem that has persisted for decades, one rooted in the area’s history as a wetland that was never meant to be built on.

    According to a social media user who grew up in the adjoining community of La, the area now known as Tse Addo was once farmlands crisscrossed by streams and bordered by the Kpeshie Lagoon and what was known as the African Lake.

    Long before it became a residential enclave, it was referred to locally as “Tradefair Sɛɛ” — literally “behind the Trade Fair” — named after the now-demolished Ghana International Trade Fair building.

    According to the user by name Sylvia Adjeley Konney, the land was waterlogged for much of the year, suited to crops rather than housing.

    “As a child who grew up in La, I followed my grandfather a lot to his farm, he had an okro farm, tomato farm, maize and watermelon farms. The farmland had multiple streams, and the areas were mostly waterlogged,” she noted.

    Over time, the farmlands were cleared and settlements sprang up, eventually taking the name Tse Addo after one of the first people believed to have moved there.

    As the new community grew, the streams that once drained the area were filled in, and even parts of the Kpeshie Lagoon were reclaimed for development.

    “Before we knew it, these farm areas were being cleared and some of our people from La moved to stay there, then the name Tse Addo came up (from what we were told it’s a name of one of the first few people who moved there “Addo”). The place became a whole new area on its own and our grandparents sold most part of it.

    “Eventually, the beautiful streams got filled, a part of the African lake got filled, and the Kpeshie as well got filled,” she shared.

    Is this account true?

    https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2181920229257711

    This account aligns closely with what environmental and planning authorities have said about the area in recent years.

    The Kpeshie Lagoon, which sits between the Whistler Barracks corridor and the La-Trade Fair corridor, has historically served as one of Accra’s natural flood-control systems — absorbing and gradually releasing stormwater that would otherwise overwhelm the city’s drains.

    Studies have noted the lagoon’s deterioration due to pollution, illegal encroachment, and the loss of buffer zones meant to hold excess water.

    In 2023, the then Works and Housing Minister, Francis Asenso-Boakye, named Tse Addo among several communities in Accra where unauthorised development had destroyed natural stormwater buffers, identifying it as a key contributor to recurring flooding in the area.

    Actions taken by the government

    In January 2026, the Greater Accra Regional Minister led a demolition exercise targeting illegal structures along the banks of the Kpeshie Lagoon, with NADMO officials explicitly citing flood prevention as the goal.

    NADMO’s Director-General, Major (Rtd) Dr. Joseph Bikanyi Kuyon, has been blunt about the underlying cause of such flooding.

    “Water is supposed to have its home. So, if you take the home of water and the rains come, where will it go? Flooding is because we have caused it,” he said to JoyNews after a related demolition exercise at Bush Road, also aimed at protecting the Kpeshie Lagoon.

    The social media post also points to a structural problem beyond the choked waterways — absentee ownership.

    Most of the housing built on reclaimed land, the post notes, was constructed by landlords who do not live there, renting the properties out to tenants while keeping their own families elsewhere. Some landlords, aware of the flood risk, have reportedly left the ground floors of their buildings vacant specifically to absorb floodwaters.

    Monday’s flooding in Tse Addo only reflects a familiar and well-documented pattern in Accra’s flood story: a city that once relied on an interconnected network of wetlands, lagoons and floodplains to manage stormwater, only to have those natural systems built over piece by piece.

    Researchers studying Accra’s flooding have noted that when such watercourses are blocked or narrowed, the water does not disappear, it simply finds another route, often through people’s homes.

    For Tse Addo residents, with the lagoon, lake and streams that once absorbed this water now filled in and built upon, they will likely deal with floods whenever the rains are heavy, unless decisive enforcement action, including demolitions where necessary, is taken to restore the natural drainage the community was built over.

    DISCLAIMER: Independentghana.com will not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article. The views expressed in the article are solely those of the author’s, and do not reflect those of The Independent Ghana

  • National Thanksgiving: Remain grateful despite flood devastation – Mahama

    National Thanksgiving: Remain grateful despite flood devastation – Mahama

    A massive flood swept through homes and communities and inundated major roads, disrupting daily economic activities and costing affected citizens millions of dollars and cedis worth of property.

    About 15 persons have been confirmed dead following a heavy downpour in the early hours of Monday, June 29, which continued through to about 4 p.m.

    Despite this, President Mahama has urged Ghanaians to be grateful and give thanks to God. He made these remarks during the second edition of the National Thanksgiving Day celebration held on Wednesday, July 1, at the forecourt of the State House in Accra under the theme, “Resetting Our Values to Build the Ghana We Want.”

    “We do not gather because every challenge confronting us has disappeared or because our work as a nation is complete. Rather, we gather because, through every challenge, God has remained faithful to us.

    “Today, Ghana pauses not because our journey is complete, but because every nation that seeks lasting greatness must occasionally stop to remember, to give thanks, to reflect, and to renew its covenant with Almighty God and with one another,” President Mahama said.

    President Mahama stressed that Ghana’s transformation cannot be achieved through government policies and infrastructure projects alone, but that the values, choices and decisions of citizens continue to play a critical role in shaping the country.

    “Lasting national transformation is not achieved solely through policy. Laws can regulate behaviour, but laws cannot instil integrity. Governments can implement programmes, but governments cannot legislate honesty, compassion or patriotism,” President Mahama noted.

    He added that, “The Ghana we seek will not be built solely through major infrastructure projects or economic reforms. The Ghana we seek will be built by the millions of ordinary Ghanaians who make the right choices every day and commit themselves to doing what is right.”

    President John Dramani Mahama noted that Ghana cannot achieve sustainable development and economic prosperity through prayer and faith alone, but also through hard work, discipline and responsibility.

    According to him, every citizen has a role to play in building a prosperous nation, therefore urging all and sundry to take responsibility and actively contribute to the country’s development.

    “Our national journey reminds us of an enduring truth: ‘Faith without works is dead,’ says James 2:26. Prayer without responsibility cannot transform an economy. Hope without discipline cannot create prosperity.

    “Throughout history, God’s people have always combined faith with hard work. When Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, the people prayed, but they also laboured. When Joseph prepared Egypt for the years of famine, they also planned wisely,” he added.

    Meanwhile, Ghana has today, Wednesday, July 1, marked sixty-six (66) years since attaining republican status. This year’s celebration, initially scheduled for Wednesday, July 1, had to be moved to Friday in accordance with Section 2 of the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act (Act 601).

    As part of the amendment, statutory holidays that fall on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday are commemorated on Monday or Friday.

    Ghana first became a Republic under its first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, on Friday, July 1, 1960, three years after independence. Today, Ghana functions under the Fourth Republic established by the 1992 Constitution.

    July 1 had been marked as a statutory public holiday until 2019, when former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo assented to the Public Holidays (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 986). Every July 1 was thereafter recognised as a day of remembrance under the Akufo-Addo administration.

    Part of a statement from the Interior Ministry read:

    “The general public is hereby informed that Friday, July 3, 2026, marks Republic Day, which is a statutory public holiday.

    “However, in view of the fact that July 1, 2026, falls on a Wednesday, His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Ghana has, by Executive Instrument (E.I.), in accordance with Section 2 of the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act (Act 601), as amended, declared Friday, July 3, 2026, a public holiday and it should be observed as such throughout the country.”

    The Convention People’s Party (CPP) has repeatedly called for a repeal of the law that changed the status of July 1 and September 21 from statutory public holidays to commemorative days.

  • Photos: Ghana marks National Thanksgiving Day on July 1

    Photos: Ghana marks National Thanksgiving Day on July 1

    Formally commemorated as the Republic Day in Ghana, President John Dramani Mahama in 2025 announced it as Ghana’s National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving.

    And this year’s celebration marks the second edition since its inception and is celebrated on Wednesday, July 1, at the forecourt of the State House in Accra under the theme  “Resetting Our Values to Build the Ghana We Want.” 

    Speaking at the gathering, President Mahama stressed that Ghana’s transformation cannot be achieved through government policies and infrastructure projects alone, but the values, choices and decisions of the citizens continue to remain critical in shaping the country.

    “Lasting national transformation is not achieved solely through policy. Laws can regulate behaviour, but laws cannot instil integrity. Governments can implement programmes, but governments cannot legislate honesty, compassion or patriotism,” President Mahama noted.

    He added that “The Ghana we seek will not be built solely through major infrastructure projects or economic reforms. The Ghana we seek will be built by the millions of ordinary Ghanaians who make the right choices every day and commit themselves to doing what is right.”

    In the past two days, an overnight and extensive downpour which has claimed the lives of about 20 people, cost people properties worth millions of dollars have made headlines however, acknowledging that, President Mahama has admonished the need to be grateful to God the current state of the nation.

    “We do not gather because every challenge confronting us has disappeared or because our work as a nation is complete. Rather, we gather because, through every challenge, God has remained faithful to us. 

    “Today, Ghana pauses not because our journey is complete, but because every nation that seeks lasting greatness must occasionally stop to remember, to give thanks, to reflect, and to renew its covenant with Almighty God and with one another” President Mahama.

    According to the President, every Ghanaian has a role to play in building the prosperous nation the country aspires to become.

    Delivering the sermon, Apostle Eric Nyamekye urged Ghanaians to stop placing the blame for corruption solely on politicians, insisting that citizens must equally take responsibility for the country’s governance and development.

    The service brought together religious leaders, government officials, political figures and members of the diplomatic and security communities in a display of national unity and shared purpose.

    Among those in attendance were Cardinal Peter Appiah Turkson, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, Founder of Action Chapel International, Mrs. Gifty Afenyi-Dadzie, President of Aglow International Ghana, and Apostle Eric Nyamekye, Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, alongside several other Christian leaders.

    The event was also marked by moments of praise and worship led by celebrated gospel musicians Nacee, Diana Hamilton and Daughters of Glorious Jesus, whose ministrations added to the solemn and uplifting atmosphere.

  • Any obstruction of goalkeepers is punishable – FIFA explains Germany’s disallowed goal

    Any obstruction of goalkeepers is punishable – FIFA explains Germany’s disallowed goal

    Germany was eliminated at the Round of 32 stage on Monday, June 29, after losing to Paraguay on penalties.

    Following their elimination, many expressed concern and shock given the team’s history of strong performances in previous tournaments, with some attributing the exit to a goal scored by Jonathan Tah in the 105th minute that was later disallowed.

    The goal was ruled out after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review showed that Waldemar Anton pushed Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill just before the ball crossed the line.

    The decision proved a major blow to Germany, which had dominated possession with about 75 percent of the ball and created several chances throughout the match.

    In response to the controversy, FIFA, through an official media briefing in Dallas, United States, and a simultaneous statement from its Zurich headquarters on Tuesday, explained that goalkeepers must be allowed to challenge for the ball without obstruction and that any attempt to impede them would be punished.

    FIFA’s head of refereeing, Pierluigi Collina, explained that officials had been instructed to penalise incidents in which players attempt to block opponents without making any effort to play the ball, particularly when goalkeepers are involved.

    “Goalkeepers must be allowed to challenge for the ball without obstruction. Even minimal blocking that prevents movement is punishable.

    “Although holding a position is not a foul in itself, when an attacking player is not interested in playing the ball and deliberately moves, even marginally, with the clear intention of obstructing an opponent’s movement and preventing him from defending, referees and VAR, when necessary, should carefully analyse the incident and intervene.

    “This is especially the case when the tactic is aimed at preventing the opposing goalkeeper from defending the goal,” he said.

    According to Collina, coaches and players had already been informed of the interpretation of the rules beforehand; therefore, the decision should not have come as a surprise.

    “Coaches and players were informed, so it should come as no surprise that referees will punish these fouls.”

    Collina also said efforts to curb time-wasting during matches had been successful.

    There are now time limits on goal kicks, throw-ins and substitutions, while players are required to leave the field for one minute after receiving treatment for an injury.

    “These measures have all been very effective and have been unanimously regarded as very positive innovations,” Collina said.

  • I wouldn’t swap him for anyone – Norway coach gushes over Haaland after winner against Ivory Coast

    I wouldn’t swap him for anyone – Norway coach gushes over Haaland after winner against Ivory Coast

    Norway coach Stale Solbakken says he wouldn’t swap Man City’s ‘goal-scoring machine’ and Norwegian striker Erling Braut Haaland for anybody. With excitement, appreciation and admiration, he showered praise on the 25-year-old following his stunning performance in the World Cup.

    The highlight was the winner notched by Haaland in the 86th minute, which secured his country’s ticket to the Round of 16 against Ivory Coast as they ended the game with a 2-1 win against the latter, which was played on Tuesday, June 30, at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

    With his goal against Ivory Coast, it brings the total number of goals scored in the World Cup after three matches to 5, just one behind football legend Lionel Messi in the race for the tournament Golden Boot.

    This has earned him accolades from Solbakken, who has described him as 

    “…the greatest goal scorer in the world, there is no doubt about that. Today he didn’t have much involvement, but he had a big chance in the first half and then scored the goal in the game. He is out of this world. To score five goals in three games at a World Cup for a little country like Norway is amazing, so all credit to him. And no, I wouldn’t swap him for anyone.

    “He brings calm and a coldness to the team when you have a player like him. I actually think he is very underrated in terms of holding the ball up. He didn’t lose the ball once today, and that brings so much to the team”.

    I know he feels proud to be part of this, playing for his country, but he also knows this is a team that works together and he needs service from his teammates”, he indicated.

    Norway face Brazil on Sunday having never previously lost to the five-time World Cup winners in four previous meetings. But Solbakken said he would not focus on Brazil until the dust has settled on the win against Ivory Coast, Norway’s first ever knockout win at the World Cup.

    “You win a match in the KO phase of a top tournament against a major team, historians are better at ranking this than I am, but it’s the first time Norway has won a KO game, and that is a historic performance for us. “We will talk about Brazil later and let that rest for today, though. I wouldn’t like to go into analysing new matches.

    “We know that they are the favourites, but it is not about Brazil today; it is about the Ivory Coast and us.”

    Meanwhile, last year, Haaland broke and set a new record after notching his fiftieth (50) Champions League goal.

    He snatched the spot of fastest player to reach 50 UEFA Champions League goals from the legendary Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, who achieved the milestone in 62 appearances.

    However, in Haaland’s case, he has achieved it in 42 appearances, covering van Nistelrooy’s record by a stunning 13-match margin.

    He notched the fiftieth UEFA goal after lofting a header following an assist from Phil Foden in the fifty-sixth minute during Man City’s clash with Napoli yesterday, Thursday, September 18.

  • Lukaku admits he shouldn’t have received a World Cup call-up

    Lukaku admits he shouldn’t have received a World Cup call-up

    SSC Napoli centre-back and Belgium’s all-time leading goal scorer, Romelu Lukaku, has admitted that due to his injury-plagued season at his club, many, including himself, were sceptical about his call-up to play the 2026 FIFA World Cup, describing his presence at the tournament as a personal triumph.

    The 33-year-old suffered muscular injuries and rehabilitation setbacks, limiting him to just 60 minutes of playing time for Napoli across the entire 2025/26 Serie A season.

    However, he seems to be doing some magic at the national level, giving his country a good display and helping them secure a top spot at group level (Group G) in the Round of 32 where they are set to compete with Senegal.

    Rather than reflecting on the frustrations that threatened to end his World Cup hopes, Lukaku says he is simply grateful to be contributing when many believed he would miss the tournament altogether.

    “I’m just happy to be here because, if you look at my season and how it went, normally I should never have been at the World Cup. So for me, being here, playing, helping my team, making a difference, being decisive in a match, it’s great. So yeah, like they say in English, go with the flow,” he said.

    Consequently, he has given a stellar performance since the World Cup. Although he barely starts a game, his presence is felt right when he is substituted into the game.

    His relentless speed and pressure forced an own goal after his side struggled to create chances.

    He then started Belgium’s goalless draw against Iran before returning to the bench for the decisive group 

    clash with New Zealand. Once again, Lukaku delivered almost immediately, scoring after coming on to help Belgium reclaim top spot in the group.

    His tally of one goal and one assist in just 121 minutes underlines the impact he continues to have despite his limited role.

    Lukaku revealed that watching games unfold from the sidelines has helped him identify weaknesses to exploit when introduced.

    “I have plenty of time to analyse where the spaces are, and then I just try to be able to slip in or do a bit more.

    “I think that when you look at it as a substitute, you really have to pay attention together with the other players sitting with you on the bench.”

    One of the few remaining members of Belgium’s celebrated golden generation, Lukaku hopes his experience can help guide the Red Devils through the knockout stages after years of falling just short on the biggest stage.

    Belgium’s next challenge comes against Senegal, and Lukaku expects one of their toughest tests yet.

    He warned his teammates not to underestimate the African side, describing them as a balanced team capable of hurting opponents in every area of the pitch.

    “Technically they are very good, tactically they are very strong, physically they can make the difference, so for us it will be a big challenge intensity-wise. I said in the dressing room it will be 50-50, so let’s see what the game brings.”

  • June 30 protest: All Ghanaians detained in SA freed – Ghana High Commissioner

    June 30 protest: All Ghanaians detained in SA freed – Ghana High Commissioner

    Ghanaians in South Africa (SA) so far are safe, with none in custody following a temporary detention by authorities, Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie, has assured.

    He made these remarks following anti-immigration demonstrations that took place across parts of South Africa on Tuesday, June 30.

    According to the Commissioner, his outfit was monitoring developments surrounding the anti-immigration campaign in the early hours of June 30, and every Ghanaian who was detained by authorities during the protest had been released following their intervention.

    “We’ve been monitoring the situation since 6 a.m. this morning. A couple of Ghanaians were arrested and all of them, I can confidently tell you, have been released through the intervention of our consular officers,” he said.

    He explained that as part of measures to safeguard Ghanaians in South Africa currently, the Ghanaian government has arranged with the SA government that any national who is detained must be communicated to the Commission there. 

    When any Ghanaian encounters the SA police, they undergo immigration checks, which include presentation of documents, after which the Ghanaian consular is consulted to confirm their nationality. Some of those detained were stopped by police during the immigration checks.

    “The agreement is that if any Ghanaian is arrested, the authorities should first confirm with us. We verify whether the individual is indeed Ghanaian and advise accordingly,” he stated.

    His comments come as anti-immigration protests intensified in several South African cities, including Pretoria, where hundreds of demonstrators marched through the city centre demanding stricter enforcement of immigration laws.

    What happened in SA on June 30

     On Tuesday, June 30, the anti-immigration protesters embarked on a massive protest, which has so far been described as the peak of the demonstrations against illegal immigrants. They coordinated marches across all nine provinces. The protests, driven by groups like Operation Dudula and March and March, turned violent in several areas, leading to arrests, looting, and at least one confirmed death.

    State of Ghanaians so far 

    Despite the tensions, the High Commissioner said the mission had not received reports of widespread attacks against Ghanaians.

    The Ghanaian High Commissioner indicated that Ghanaians left to be evacuated have been advised to stay indoors to prevent any possible danger. So far, his outfit has yet to receive any news of attacks against Ghanaians.

    He disclosed that only one Ghanaian had been caught up in an incident during the protests after ignoring advice from the High Commission to remain indoors.

    “The only case we recorded involved a Ghanaian who admitted that he left his accommodation to visit his shop despite our advice. Unfortunately, protesters confronted him,” Mr Quashie said.

    Apart from that incident, he stressed that no Ghanaian-owned property had been destroyed and no Ghanaian had been injured or caught in the crossfire of the demonstrations.

    The Ghana High Commission has continued to urge Ghanaian nationals in South Africa to remain vigilant, avoid unnecessary movement, and comply with safety directives while authorities monitor the evolving security situation.

    The mission is also preparing to undertake another voluntary repatriation exercise next week for Ghanaians who wish to return home amid the growing anti-immigration tensions.

    Events on the ground

    The June 30 protests have been described as the day that saw the highest number of clashes, arrests, and international diplomatic reactions, marking it as the climax of the campaign.

    Protest leaders branded it a “national march to freedom”. Protests happened across almost all provinces in South Africa, including Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Pretoria, and the Eastern Cape, among other regions, leading to the death of one person during a break‑in at a storage facility.

    Shops were looted in Cape Town’s Delft, and 10 arrests were made. About 250 arrests were made in the Eastern Cape, plus 200 undocumented migrants detained.

    Protesters smashed windows in Johannesburg (Yeoville/Hillbrow), fires were set, and police and soldiers deployed. 

    In Durban, protesters marched in Zulu warrior attire with spears, whips, and shields, underscoring ethnic identity politics. 

  • Floods: Govt to relocate major state offices outside Accra to reduce overcrowding in the capital – President Mahama

    Floods: Govt to relocate major state offices outside Accra to reduce overcrowding in the capital – President Mahama

    President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to decongest Accra by relocating some major government departments and creating a new growth centre outside the capital as part of a long-term strategy to address the city’s persistent flooding challenges.

    Speaking after inspecting flood-affected areas following Monday’s heavy downpour, President Mahama said the government was considering measures to encourage development beyond Accra, noting that excessive concentration of people and infrastructure in the capital had worsened urban pressures.

    “We will try and move some of the city out. That is the major government departments, and then also create a new centre of growth so that our people start building outside Accra in a new city, instead of everybody looking for some space in Accra to build,” he said.

    The President, however, acknowledged that the proposal represents a long-term solution and expressed sympathy to residents who suffered losses during the floods.

    He noted that the destruction caused by the flooding was extensive and commended the military, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ghana Police Service, the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources, the 48 Engineers Regiment and other emergency response teams for their rescue efforts.

    President Mahama also disclosed that he had directed the Minister for Finance to release funds from the Contingency Fund to support relief efforts for affected persons.

    The Minister of Works, Housing and Water Resources, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, said an assessment of the flooding had identified both engineering and attitudinal factors as key contributors to the recurring problem.

    According to him, the ministry would work with engineers and other stakeholders to ensure that the necessary technical interventions are implemented while encouraging Ghanaians to adopt responsible practices that support flood prevention efforts.

    President Mahama further urged citizens and authorities to pursue lasting solutions to Accra’s flooding problem, stressing that temporary responses after every disaster were no longer sufficient.

    “This time should be different,” he said, calling for a collective commitment to addressing the root causes of flooding in the capital.

    Addressing the nation after the flood, the Interior Minister, Muntaka Mohammed has revealed that more than 38,800 people have so far been displaced and 12 lives lost Muntaka, has disclosed.

    Addressing Parliament, Interior Minister Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak disclosed that Ghana recorded 169 millimetres of rainfall within a single day during the recent downpour, making it the fourth-highest daily rainfall volume recorded in the country since 1995.

    He noted that the flooding impacted 25 communities spread across 16 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), causing widespread disruption to transportation and limiting access to Accra’s Central Business District for many residents and commuters.

    The assemblies affected include Ga East, Ledzokuku, Ayawaso Central, Ga Central, Ga West, Ablekuma North, Ningo Prampram, Weija-Gbawe, Ga South, Adenta, Korle Klottey, Okaikwei South, Okaikwei North, Tema West, Tema Metropolitan Assembly, La Dade Kotopon and Krowor.

    According to the Minister, the floods affected 7,761 households and displaced an estimated 38,802 individuals across the impacted areas.

    Korle Klottey recorded the highest number of displaced residents, with 6,500 people from 1,300 households forced from their homes. It was followed by Tema Metropolitan Assembly, where 3,601 people were displaced, Tema West with 3,450 displaced persons, and Ayawaso Central, which recorded 3,021 displaced residents.

  • Govt orders disbursement of GHS300m for relief and flood mitigation measures

    Govt orders disbursement of GHS300m for relief and flood mitigation measures

    Following the heavy floods that inundated parts of the capital after a massive overnight downpour extending into the day on Monday, June 29, President Mahama has directed the Finance Minister to disburse a sum of GH¢300 million from the Contingency Fund.

    The directive forms part of the government’s response to the flooding of parts of Accra and other communities in the southern sector of the country after hours of unusually heavy rainfall.

    In Ghana, the Contingency Fund is a constitutional fund set aside to meet urgent and unforeseen government expenses that cannot wait for the normal budget approval process.

    It is established under Article 177 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.

    In a statement issued on behalf of the President by the Spokesperson to the President and Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, it was indicated that the GH¢300 million will be divided into two, with portions designated to provide relief and implement measures to mitigate flooding.

    “President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Minister for Finance to release GHS 300 million from the Contingency Fund to finance urgent flood relief and mitigation efforts.

    GHS 150 million out of the amount will finance urgent relief efforts for flood-affected persons and communities in the southern sector of the country. Another GHS 150 million will be spent on flood mitigation measures aimed at reducing incidents of flooding,” parts of the statement read.

    Also, due to the scale of destruction and the effects of the floods, President Mahama has ordered that additional support be provided by the Ghana Armed Forces and other security services for the rescue operations ongoing across the city.

    “The President has also directed the deployment of personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces and Police to work with NADMO and other security services in the rescue and relief operations currently underway across the city,” adding that, “the President earlier today undertook an aerial tour of the flooded areas to assess the full extent of the situation and announced a raft of steps being taken to safeguard residents and prevent further flooding.”

    Death toll after Monday June 29 downpour

    Ghana has recorded 9 deaths following Monday’s, June 29, devastating floods that swept across large parts of the Greater Accra Region.

    This information was made known by the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) on Tuesday, June 30. Addressing the media, a member of the Public Relations Department of the Ghana National Fire Service, Alex King Nartey, said the Service has been leading rescue efforts in some of the worst-hit communities.

    “So at this time now, the confirmable or confirmed figures that I have, the only case is in the case of about nine people,” he stated.

    Parts of Accra have submerged following heavy rains that started late on Sunday, June 28, and continued into the morning of Monday, June 29, 2026. This has caused commuters to be stranded and traffic flow at a standstill.

    Affected areas include parts of the N1 Highway, Apenkwa towards Tesano, the Accra–Kasoa stretch, Weija, Mallam, Achimota, Spintex, Atomic in Madina, Kaneshie, Darkuman Junction, portions of the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, and other surrounding communities, according to residents and road users.

    Weeks ago, several commuters were left stranded following a heavy downpour in Accra on June 3. The incident disrupted traffic flow as a result of flooding from the rain.

    Commuters using routes from Ashaiman to neighbouring communities including Sakumono, Kaneshe, and Adjei Kojo were left stranded for hours as floodwaters submerged key sections of the road.

    Also, the heavy downpour on Monday, June 29, led to the collapse of a three-storey, seven-bedroom house at Tabora No. 9.

    The unfortunate incident occurred around 9 p.m. in Accra, when the 90 percent-complete structure gave way and collapsed to the ground.

    Speaking to Adom News, the landlady, Serwaa Prempeh, said she heard something fall, followed by a sound similar to that of an avocado dropping to the ground.

    She then asked her children to check what had fallen, only to learn that a block had fallen from the top of the building. They quickly ran to safety and escaped unharmed before the structure caved in.

    “When I asked my children to pick it up, they discovered it was actually a block that had fallen from one of the building’s pillars,” she narrated.

    Although no casualties were recorded, some property remains buried under the rubble.

  • Herald Editor credits media, friends, others for support in securing his bail

    Herald Editor credits media, friends, others for support in securing his bail

    Managing Editor of The Herald newspaper, Larry Dogbey, was granted bail barely 24 hours after the court sentenced him to a seven-day prison term for contempt of court.

    Speaking in gratitude to friends, colleagues and family who helped secure his early release while pending appeal, he admitted that such happenings are part of the journalism profession, describing them as an ‘occupational hazard’.

    “It’s the hazard of the job. We go through this all the time. But thanks to friends, family and people who have followed my work over the years and appreciated the level of dedication we put into it,” he said while speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Tuesday, June 30.

    Expressing his surprise at the level of support and solidarity shown him during his sentence, he indicated that he was deeply touched, citing support from unexpected individuals, including policemen and prison officers, among others.

    “Good friends, lawyers, judges, politicians, the average policeman, prison officers, everybody. I was shocked that people came out with that level of support,” he said.

    Dogbey further confirmed that the legal process is ongoing, noting that he remains on bail pending the determination of his appeal.

    “We are still going through the process. I’m on bail pending an appeal. The bail was granted ex parte, so we are supposed to file additional documents, after which they will be served. I want to say thank you to everybody for coming through for me. It was overwhelming,” he added.

    Dogbey was granted bail in the sum of GH¢100,000 with two sureties after being sentenced to prison for contempt of court by an Accra High Court. The bail is valid for 10 days pending the hearing of his appeal.

    He was sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment on Thursday, June 25, after being found guilty of contempt of court for breaching an injunction order in a case involving businessman Kevin Okyere and Swiss oil trader Petraco SA.

    Background

    It all started on June 11, 2025, when the High Court issued an interlocutory injunction restraining The Herald from publishing material on Kevin Okyere pending trial.

    Kevin Okyere is a Ghanaian oil and gas entrepreneur, best known as the Founder and CEO of Springfield Group, the first indigenous Ghanaian company to drill for oil in deepwater offshore fields.

    About four months later, around October that same year, the Ghanaian Times published the injunction, which was served via substituted service, including WhatsApp delivery. However, despite the court exhausting all channels for the notice to reach The Herald newspaper, the media house went ahead and published multiple articles alleging fraud and legal troubles involving Mr Okyere, including claims of arrest warrants and bail in Dubai.

    According to the court, the editor purposely disregarded the injunction order and was consequently sentenced in order to preserve the dignity and authority of the judiciary, while the judge stressed that press freedom was not an excuse for disregarding court orders.

    The court also slammed the media house for damage to reputation linked to its choice of words, such as “fraud albatross”, adopted in the publication about Mr Okyere.

    Although Dogbey maintained during cross-examination that he had not been served with the court order prohibiting further publication, the court rejected the explanation and ordered his immediate imprisonment through a warrant of committal issued to the Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service.

  • Floods: 7-bedroom, 3-storey building collapses; mother, children escape unharmed

    Floods: 7-bedroom, 3-storey building collapses; mother, children escape unharmed

    The heavy downpour on Monday, June 29, led to the collapse of a three-storey, seven-bedroom house at Tabora No. 9.

    The unfortunate incident occurred around 9 p.m. in Accra when the 90 per cent-completed structure gave way and crashed to the ground.

    Speaking to Adom News, the landlady, Serwaa Prempeh, said she heard something fall, followed by a sound similar to that of an avocado dropping to the ground.

    She then asked her children to check what had fallen, only to be informed that a block had dropped from the top of the building. They quickly ran to safety and escaped unharmed before the structure caved in.

    “When I asked my children to pick it up, they discovered it was actually a block that had fallen from one of the building’s pillars,” she narrated.

    Although no casualties were recorded, some property remains buried under the rubble.

    The landlady said she suspects the heavy rainfall caused the land to become waterlogged, which may have contributed to the collapse.

    Residents in the area are currently awaiting the arrival of officials from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to assess the situation.

    Meanwhile, yesterday’s downpour caused flooding in major parts of the capital, Accra, inundating roads, submerging homes and communities, and causing significant damage to property.

  • ORAL: AG releases list of cases scheduled to be heard from June 29-July 2

    ORAL: AG releases list of cases scheduled to be heard from June 29-July 2

    The Office of the Attorney General has released a list of Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) cases scheduled for hearing this week.

    In an infographic shared on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday, June 29, the Attorney General’s Office listed about seven cases, including that of the embattled New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, and the high-profile National Service Scheme (NSS) case involving the government and former NSS Deputy Executive Director, Gifty Oware-Mensah.

    From June 29 to July 3, the courts will hear these cases.

    At 9:00 a.m. on Monday, June 29, Criminal Court 4 will convene to hear the case involving Bernard Antwi Boasiako, alias Chairman Wontumi, and the Republic. The case is linked to charges of illegal mining activities in a protected forest reserve allegedly carried out by his company, Akonta Mining Limited, and includes an application for deferment of judgment.

    On the same day, Specialized Court 1 will sit to hear the case between the Republic and Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba and another person in connection with the Buffer Stock case, involving charges of alleged mismanagement and corruption at the National Food Buffer Stock Company.

    Also on Monday, the case involving the Republic and Kwabena Adu-Boahene, together with two others, in the cybersecurity software scandal will be heard at Specialized Court 1. The accused persons face charges relating to alleged procurement and financial irregularities in cybersecurity software deals.

    On Wednesday, July 1, the court will continue hearing the Adu-Boahene case, with the cross-examination of the fourth prosecution witness in relation to the cybersecurity software matter.

    The following day, July 2, the court will hear the case brought by the government against Asamoah and Annor in connection with the Sky Train case, during which a ruling on the submission of no case to answer will be delivered.

  • Cholera outbreak imminent as floods inundate major roads, communities in Accra – MoH warns

    Cholera outbreak imminent as floods inundate major roads, communities in Accra – MoH warns

    Health officials have warned the public about an imminent cholera outbreak as flooding increases nationwide, particularly in the nation’s capital, Accra. 

    It is a common practice in Ghana for residents to empty their bins and open sewage and faecal systems during heavy downpours, contaminating drinking water sources with sewage, waste, and faecal matter and creating ideal conditions for the Vibrio cholerae bacterium to spread.

    Consequently, the Ministry of Health has warned of a potential cholera outbreak, cautioning that poor sanitation practices during heavy rains could significantly increase the spread of waterborne diseases across affected communities.

    Speaking during an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, June 29, the Spokesperson for the Health Ministry, Tony Goodman, indicated that ahead of the rains, his outfit began awareness campaigns regarding an imminent outbreak of the disease during rainy seasons like this.

    “You know, even before the rain started, we had begun giving this information out, letting the people know that when we are flooded, what follows is cholera,” he said.

    He warned that some residents continue to dump waste into water bodies during floods, a practice he described as dangerous and a major driver of disease outbreaks.

    “We need to stop throwing garbage into our water bodies. But whenever there is a flood, that is when people think they can empty their dustbins and the rest,” he added.

    GHS has already activated its monitoring systems and is preparing health facilities across the country to quickly detect and respond to any cholera cases that may arise due to the flooding.

    “We prepare for it. If it’s a wet season, rainy season, we prepare for cholera. We are endemic,” he stated.

    The Ministry says it continues to intensify public health messaging as flooding persists in parts of the country.

  • Alajo: 3 die from electrocution in their homes after Monday flood in Accra

    Alajo: 3 die from electrocution in their homes after Monday flood in Accra

    Three persons have lost their lives through electrocution following the heavy downpour in the early hours of Monday, June 29.

    According to reports, the first two victims were electrocuted when floodwaters inundated rooms in their homes and came into contact with electrical sources.

    Residents, alongside a rescue team from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), recovered the bodies from the flooded area and have since sent them to the Maamobi Polyclinic.

    After some time, another distress call was made to NADMO, reporting another fatality by electrocution, bringing the total number of flood-related deaths in Alajo to three.

    Some reports have suggested a possible fourth casualty, though this has not been independently confirmed.

    Alajo is one of the communities worst affected by the heavy rains that began on Sunday night and continued into Monday morning, inundating large parts of Accra and leading to road blockages, among other disruptions.

    Following the reports of electrocution, the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) temporarily shut down power supply from the Mallam and Achimota primary substations as a precautionary measure following flooding at those facilities, to avert further deaths.

  • Floods: No job worth one’s life- Allow employers work remotely – Interior Minister to employers

    Floods: No job worth one’s life- Allow employers work remotely – Interior Minister to employers

    The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has directed employers not to force their employees to report to work amid the severe flooding in Accra following a heavy downpour in the early hours of Monday June 29, warning that no job is worthany employee’s life.

    During an interview on Citi Breakfast Show the minister suggested that workers be allowed to work remotely where possible as emergency services respond to widespread flooding caused by heavy rains.

    Due to the challenge of limited responders given the scale of the flooding emergencies he insisted that workers be allowed to stay off work today.

    “Our numbers are not enough to cover all the areas that have been affected, but we have deployed all the personnel we have, and we are doing all that we can to deal with the matter,” he said.

    Mr Mohammed-Mubarak said employers should prioritise the safety of their staff rather than threaten them with sanctions for failing to report for work.

    “But most importantly, to the employees and employers, let’s help to keep everybody alive. Employers should be mindful. Do not force people to come out, threatening that ‘if you do not come, I will not pay you or something’,” he noted adding that productivity continues after the safety of employees amid just a day absence other than forcing presence which is life risking.

    “Remember if they are alive, they will come back the next day to work. If you force them to come out and something happens to them, you may end up spending more on them. If they should die, you will end up spending more at their funeral than you will spend today. So, let’s understand that and get them to work remotely,” the minister added.

    Meanwhile the downpour has caused heavy disruption including road blocks, communities submerging, commercial vehicles inaundayed in flood waters and and fire outbreak at circle linked to the downpour prompting safety advisories from government agencies.

    He advised residents of Accra to remain at home, citing forecasts of more rainfall that could worsen the flooding situation.

    In the same vein, the Ghana Meteorological Authority earlier announced the downpour forecasting that it is likely to rain until 3p.m today June 29 and subsequent downpours nationwide linked to storms from Togo and other neighboring countries.

  • Ghana Law School reschedules ADR, GLS exams to June 30 following heavy rains

    Ghana Law School reschedules ADR, GLS exams to June 30 following heavy rains

    Management of the Ghana School of Law have announced a rescheduling of the examinations slated to be written today, June 29.

    This comes after a heavy downpour which started in the early hours of today, Monday have submaerged major roads, communities and some commercial vehicles leading to a disruption of commuting across the capital.

    Consequently the Registrar of the school on the instructions of the Chair of the Independent Examinations Committee (IEC) has issued a statement alerting all students that the “Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Ghana Legal System examinations scheduled for today Monday June 29has been rescheduled to Tuesday June 30th”.

    The Registrar added that the venues for both papers remains unchanged and expected time for the paper is 12pm.

    The Achool authorities apologized for any unconvinced the resecheduling may have caused citing that the move had become necessary for the interest, safety and well being of all students and other stakeholders.

  • Heavy downpour: NADMO urges Interior Ministry to declare today an emergency holiday

    Heavy downpour: NADMO urges Interior Ministry to declare today an emergency holiday

    The Director of NADMO for the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly, Hendrick Noble Kinnah, has urged the Ministry of the Interior and national security authorities to declare an emergency holiday in Accra as heavy rains continue to cause widespread flooding and disrupt commuting across the capital.

    His remarks follows a gridlocks, heavy overflowing of river banks and blocked roads and drenched commercial vehicles in homes, communities and major roads linked to the heavy downpour which started in the early hours of Monday June 29 which has paralysed economic activity in parts of the city.

    Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily On Monday June 29, Mr. Kinnkah warned that conditions on the ground were deteriorating rapidly, stressing that emergency intervention was needed to prevent further risk to human life.

    He cautioned that movement within Accra had become increasingly dangerous, adding that even familiar routes around the city centre were heavily flooded and impassable.

    The Assembly Member further appealed for urgent coordination from national security authorities, suggesting that a temporary suspension of work activities would help reduce congestion and allow emergency services to respond effectively.

    “I will just advise that if national security can order an emergency holiday in Accra so that everybody will stay at home. Because if you try coming to Accra it will be bad for you. If you don’t know the situation around Circle and flooded areas, don’t come because you may lose your life,” he warned.

    To prevent worsening future occurrences Mr Kinnah called on stakeholders to adopt longterm solutions citing live threatening conditions.

    He believes the current situation reflects deeper challenges in urban planning and drainage management.

  • Education Ministry rolls out daily searches, sensitization campaigns in schools to combat drug abuse

    Education Ministry rolls out daily searches, sensitization campaigns in schools to combat drug abuse

    The increasing trends of substance abuse among youth in Ghana including Senior High School students have prompted a response from the Education Ministry and the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC).

    Consequently, the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, through his Press Secretary Hashmin Mohammed in a statement shared on June 27, 

    has directed the Ghana Education Service (GES) to introduce a compulsory daily anti-drug awareness message in all senior high schools as part of a nationwide Behavioural Change Communication (BCC) campaign to combat the growing menace of drug abuse in schools across Ghana.

    “The initiative forms part of the government’s innovative and proactive response to protecting learners from the harmful effects of substance abuse and promoting safe, healthy, and disciplined learning environments across the country”, parts of the statement mentioned. 

    It continued that “Effective immediately, students will recite the approved campaign message during morning assemblies, immediately after the National Anthem and before the National Pledge.

    The campaign message is as follows:

    Leader: “Don’t start it as a greeting.”

    Students: “To live in regret.”

    The Ministry said the daily recitation forms part of a broader national Behavioural Change Communication strategy designed to discourage drug use among school-aged children, strengthen preventive education, and promote responsible decision-making among learners.

    Beyond the daily school-based messages, the campaign will be reinforced through sustained public education, sensitisation programmes in schools, stakeholder engagement, and collaboration between educational institutions, parents, community leaders and other partners.

    The Ministry of Education said the initiative reflects government’s commitment to protecting learners from the harmful effects of substance abuse and safeguarding their wellbeing.

    It also called on parents, teachers and stakeholders to support the nationwide campaign aimed at eliminating drug abuse in schools and promoting a healthier learning environment for students. 

  • MASLOC CEO began her sentence right when she got to Ghana – Interior Ministry

    MASLOC CEO began her sentence right when she got to Ghana – Interior Ministry

    The Interior Ministry has a denied claims of delay in imprisonment of former Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) Chief Executive Officer Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu following her extradition to Ghana. 

    Her arrival was confirmed by the government on June 9. 

    However, the Minority argued that Sedinam wasn’t detained to begin ger sentence right when she touched down but began serving her sentence on June 24 citing it was delayed by 15 days which they insisted was a contempt of court. 

    Responding to the allegations, the Press Secretary at the Ministry of the Interior, Julius Kwame Anthony, has dismissed the claims that she received special treatment following her extradition to Ghana, insisting that she has remained in the custody of the Ghana Prisons Service since her arrival.

    He also shot down allegations that she had never been held in a private facility or left outside the control of prison authorities, contrary to allegations made by some members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

    Mr. Anthony said the responsibility for enforcing prison sentences rests with the Ghana Prisons Service once a person has been convicted by a competent court.

    “Sedina Tamakloe has been in the possession of the Ghana Prison Service from the moment she landed in Ghana,” he said during an interview on News Digest on Citi FM on Saturday, June 27. 

    He added that “I have heard the opposition New Patriotic Party make claims about her being left to herself or being on her own private expeditions or whatever. No such claim can be substantiated.

    “Sedina Tamakloe has never been at any private facility whatsoever since she landed in Ghana. She has never been at any private facility, and for that, I would say that you can subject me to any scrutiny whatsoever.”

    According to him, government wouldn’t have arranged her extradition tirelessly from the USA if it was only for her to arrived and move freely in Ghana in the first place.

    “If the National Democratic Congress that has formed the government of the Republic of Ghana were interested in letting Madam Sedina Tamakloe be free from the liabilities of her conviction, the easier option would have been to allow her to stay in the United States. But we pursued her coming back to Ghana. Why would we pursue her coming back to Ghana if we do not want her to serve the term?” he asked.

    He maintained that the government is complying with the court’s judgment and that the legal process would continue in accordance with the law while any appeal pursued by the former MASLOC Chief Executive Officer is determined by the courts.

    Earlier reports by Manasseh Azure

    A report by Joy News, which sourced award-winning Ghanaian journalist and anti-corruption campaigner Manasseh Azure Awuni, indicated that former Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, had begun serving her 10-year jail term.

    Even though she was not sent to jail the day she touched down due to a pre-existing medical condition, which was confirmed by the US authorities before she was extradited, the report confirms that she has started serving her sentence at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison after spending several days receiving medical treatment at the Police Hospital in Accra.

    According to the publication shared on the website of the Pledge Against Corruption (PAC), it noted that, following her arrival at Accra International Airport on June 9, she was left in the hands of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and later transferred to the Ghana Prisons Service.

    According to the sources, she was admitted to the Police Hospital, where she received treatment for several days.


    However, the exact duration of her stay at the facility could not be independently confirmed.

    After undergoing treatment, the Police Hospital reportedly declared her medically fit to begin serving her sentence. She was subsequently given medication and transferred to the Nsawam Medium Security Prison to commence her 10-year jail term.

    Currently, she is being held in the female side of the Nsawam with limited visitors’ permission aside from her family members.

    The report also claims that while under medical supervision, she remained under the watch of prison authorities and was not allowed to seek treatment elsewhere, like from a private health facility.

  • Black Stars qualify for Round of 32 – FIFA

    Black Stars qualify for Round of 32 – FIFA

    Even before the Black Stars kicked off their final group-stage match, FIFA had confirmed their place in the Round of 32.

    FIFA announced Ghana’s qualification for the Round of 32 on Friday, June 27, 2026, through its official tournament communications after results elsewhere mathematically guaranteed the Black Stars’ progression.

    Spain’s 1-0 victory over Uruguay secured the qualification threshold, ensuring Ghana’s four points from their first two matches were enough to advance, regardless of the outcome of their final group game against Croatia.

    With FIFA’s expanded 48-team World Cup format, Ghana became one of five countries, alongside Egypt, England, Portugal and Paraguay, to secure a place in the Round of 32 before completing all three group matches. The Black Stars achieved the feat after collecting four points from their opening two games, courtesy of a 1-0 victory over Panama and a goalless draw with England.

    The new format has created several scenarios in which teams can secure qualification before playing their final group-stage fixture.

    Despite already booking their place in the knockout stage, Ghana’s clash with Croatia remains crucial, as it will determine the Black Stars’ final position in Group L and, consequently, the calibre of opponent they will face in the Round of 32.

    A victory over the 2018 World Cup finalists could hand Ghana top spot in the group and potentially a more favourable knockout tie. A draw or defeat, however, could see the Black Stars finish second or qualify as one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams, depending on results elsewhere.

    The Black Stars have impressed with their resilience throughout the group stage. A dramatic stoppage-time winner against Panama gave Ghana the perfect start before a disciplined performance against England strengthened the belief that the four-time African champions are capable of making a deep run in the tournament.

    Elsewhere, Paraguay has also secured its place in the Round of 32 and will face Germany in the knockout stage. The identities of Ghana’s opponents, as well as those of Egypt, England and Portugal, will only be confirmed after the conclusion of the final round of group-stage matches.

  • Utility tariff hikes not the solution to ECG’s problems – Fmr ECG boss Dubik Mahama warns

    Utility tariff hikes not the solution to ECG’s problems – Fmr ECG boss Dubik Mahama warns

    Ghanaians are to brace themselves for another tariff hike in water and electricity, effective July 1, according to the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC).

    Among those who have reacted to the proposed hike is the former Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Mahama Dubik.

    Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Big Issue, hosted by Umaru Sanda on Friday, June 27, Mr Dubik described the proposed increase as an unnecessary burden on consumers, citing the need to address the operational challenges facing the nation’s power distributor.

    According to him, once these challenges, such as metering and software issues, are addressed, there would be no need for the upward trend in utility tariffs by the national regulator, PURC.

    “What does inflation have to do with the operations of ECG? We keep going round and round on this issue. The solution to this tariff problem is in operations. Tariff increment is not a solution at this point. If we are to tie things properly, do you think we still need to have these tariff increments that are going to burden the customer? The answer will be no,” he said.

    He further urged the company to address the operational challenges to help Ghanaians better appreciate any tariff adjustments.

    “There are certain operational steps that have to be put in place for us to appreciate the tariff increment; otherwise, the tariff increment is a theoretical exercise. There’s a metering problem, a software problem, which was solved,” he added.

    His comments come after the PURC announced an upward review of electricity and water tariffs on Monday, June 22.

    Under the Commission’s third-quarter tariff adjustment, electricity tariffs have been increased by 3.49 percent across the board, while water tariffs have been raised by 0.85 percent.

    This was revealed in a press release issued by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) on Monday, June 22. Justifying its decision, the Commission cited the Ghana cedi–US dollar exchange rate, inflation, the electricity generation mix, and the cost of natural gas used in power generation as factors behind the increase.

    In April, electricity and water tariffs were reduced by 4.81% and 3.06%, respectively. The reduction followed the Commission’s quarterly tariff review.

    The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission attributed the decision to changes in the Ghanaian Cedi–United States Dollar exchange rate, domestic inflation, electricity generation mix, and the cost of fuel, particularly natural gas used in thermal power plants. This was contained in a statement issued by the Commission on Friday, March 13.

    “The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) wishes to inform consumers of electricity and water that the existing electricity and water tariffs have been reviewed downwards to take effect from April 01, 2026.

    “The Commission applied a projected Weighted Average Ghana Cedi-US Dollar Exchange Rate of GHS11.1931/US$1.0000 for the second Quarter of 2026. This projected exchange rate is based on a 3- month Actual Inter-Bank Average Ghana Cedi-US Dollar Selling Exchange Rate for the period December 01, 2025, to February 28, 2026. This indicates a 6.78% reduction from the last Quarter rate of GHS12.0067/ US$1.0000,” the statement said.

    As part of PURC’s multi-year tariff review process covering 2026 to 2030, electricity tariffs were increased by 9.86 percent, while water tariffs were rose by 15.92 percent.

    Justifying the increases, the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission cited the investment requirements of utility providers, the need to ensure industry competitiveness, and the necessity of safeguarding consumer interests. PURC also attributed the adjustments to the cedi–dollar exchange rate, domestic inflation, the electricity generation mix, and rising fuel prices, especially natural gas.

    However, speaking to the media on Tuesday, December 9, GWCL’s Public Relations Officer, Stanley Martey, indicated that the 15.92% tariff increase is inadequate to ensure taps keep flowing often.

    He stressed that the adjustment fails to provide lasting solutions to GWCL’s major financial and operational problems.

    “Let’s admit that we can only keep the taps on 24/7 when we have built new treatment plants, when we have extended pipelines and all that. This tariff cannot do that,” he said.

    In October, electricity tariffs for all consumer categories increased by 1.14 percent. However, water tariffs saw no increase for the same period.

    According to a press statement by Acting Executive Secretary Shafic Suleman, the Commission indicated that the adjustment had become necessary due to factors such as the Ghana cedi–US dollar exchange rate, domestic inflation, the electricity generation mix, and fuel prices, especially natural gas.

    The review was in line with the Commission’s Quarterly Tariff Review Mechanism, which tracks key economic factors that affect the cost of delivering utility services.

    The PURC notes that the incoming hike will maintain the real value of tariffs and keep service providers financially stable. The Commission stated that it did not fully recover some costs in the previous quarter (Q3), due to currency changes or other factors.It added that it was short of GHS0.3980 per US$1 in the third quarter and therefore incorporated this shortfall into the new tariff.

    Earlier in September 2025, the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission received proposals from eight utility companies calling for a significant adjustment in utility tariffs to ensure they can fully operate at their capacities.

    Proposals from the electricity distributors and the water provider for the 2025–2029 tariff period cited rising operational costs and the need to maintain efficient service delivery.

    The eight companies include the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Volta River Authority (VRA), Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo), Ghana Water Limited (GWL), the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo), and Ghana National Gas Limited, among others.

    ECG pushed for a massive 225% hike in its distribution service charge. For instance, a household consuming 150 kWh monthly would pay an additional GHS64, while a residence using 100 kWh per month would pay about GHS43 more in distribution charges.

  • Ghana to receive €415,437 from EU, Germany to boost pharmaceutical industry

    Ghana to receive €415,437 from EU, Germany to boost pharmaceutical industry

    Ghana is set to receive €415,437.78 from the European Union (EU) and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development to support the implementation of the PharmaVax Programme, one of the government’s flagship initiatives aimed at transforming the country’s pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing sector over the next four years.

    It seeks to strengthen Ghana’s pharmaceutical industry and reduce the country’s and the wider region’s dependence on imported medicines and vaccines.

    In his remarks on Thursday, June 25, at a stakeholder engagement meeting in Accra, representing Trade Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, the Director of Administration at the Ministry of Trade and Agribusiness, Yaw Sakyi, highlighted the government’s commitment to positioning Ghana as a leading pharmaceutical manufacturing hub in the West African sub-region as it massively improves and transforms its pharmaceutical system.

    He said, “The government is committed to making Ghana the pharmaceutical manufacturing hub in the sub-region, and the pharmaceutical policy will provide the necessary implementation systems for the growth of the industry.” He added that measures are underway to create the necessary framework to drive growth in the sector.

    He said the country’s pharmaceutical policy will establish the institutional framework needed to drive sustainable growth within the sector, while expressing gratitude to the European Union and the German government for their continued support.

    “The country’s pharmaceutical policy will establish the institutional framework needed to drive sustainable growth within the sector, and we are grateful to the European Union and the German government for their continued support,” he added.

    Adding to the engagement, the Head of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Development Unit at the Ministry, Godfred Gobah, said the programme will work closely with private pharmaceutical companies and ensure Ghana takes part in more pharmaceutical conferences, exhibitions, and trade events both in Ghana and abroad to help promote the country’s local pharmaceutical manufacturing industry, which will help open new export and market opportunities for Ghanaian companies.

    The initiative aims to double the value of Ghana’s pharmaceutical exports to ECOWAS countries by 2030, increase the share of locally manufactured medicines in the domestic market from 30% to 60%, and reduce the country’s reliance on imported pharmaceutical products.

    The PharmaVax Programme is anchored on four strategic priorities: strengthening governance institutions in the pharmaceutical sector, deepening collaboration between government and private industry, improving conditions for foreign direct investment and trade, and enhancing transparency in investment and regulatory approval processes.

  • The Herald Editor Larry Dogbey granted bail barely a day after 7-day prison sentence

    The Herald Editor Larry Dogbey granted bail barely a day after 7-day prison sentence

    Barely a day after his sentence, the Editor of The Herald newspaper, Larry Dogbey, has been granted bail. The announcement was made at the Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Isaac Addo, through a formal court ruling that set bail conditions.

    He was sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment on Thursday, June 25, after being found guilty of contempt of court for breaching an injunction order in a case involving businessman Kevin Okyere and Swiss oil trader Petraco SA.

    Background

    It all started on June 11, 2025, when the High Court issued an interlocutory injunction restraining The Herald from publishing material on Kevin Okyere pending trial.

    Kevin Okyere is a Ghanaian oil and gas entrepreneur, best known as the Founder and CEO of Springfield Group, the first indigenous Ghanaian company to drill for oil in deepwater offshore fields.

    About four months later, around October that same year, the Ghanaian Times published the injunction, which was served via substituted service, including WhatsApp delivery. However, despite the court exhausting all channels for the notice to reach The Herald newspaper, the media house went ahead and published multiple articles alleging fraud and legal troubles involving Mr Okyere, including claims of arrest warrants and bail in Dubai.

    According to the court, the editor purposely disregarded the injunction order and was consequently sentenced in order to preserve the dignity and authority of the judiciary, while the judge stressed that press freedom was not an excuse for disregarding court orders.

    The court also slammed the media house for damage to reputation linked to its choice of words, such as “fraud albatross”, adopted in the publication about Mr Okyere.

  • Sedina Tamakloe has begun sentence at Nsawam Prison after days at Police Hospital – Manasseh Azure

    Sedina Tamakloe has begun sentence at Nsawam Prison after days at Police Hospital – Manasseh Azure

    A report by Joy News, which sources award-winning Ghanaian journalist and anti-corruption campaigner Manasseh Azure Awuni, indicates that former Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, has begun serving her 10-year jail term.

    Even though she was not sent to jail the day she touched down due to a pre-existing medical condition, which was confirmed by the US authorities before she was extradited, the report confirms that she has started serving her sentence at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison after spending several days receiving medical treatment at the Police Hospital in Accra.

    According to the publication shared on the website of the Pledge Against Corruption (PAC), it noted that, following her arrival at Accra International Airport on June 9, she was left in the hands of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and later transferred to the Ghana Prisons Service.

    According to the sources, she was admitted to the Police Hospital, where she received treatment for several days. However, the exact duration of her stay at the facility could not be independently confirmed.

    After undergoing treatment, the Police Hospital reportedly declared her medically fit to begin serving her sentence. She was subsequently given medication and transferred to the Nsawam Medium Security Prison to commence her 10-year jail term.

    Currently, she is being held in the female side of the Nsawam with limited visitors’ permission aside from her family members. The report also claims that while under medical supervision, she remained under the watch of prison authorities and was not allowed to seek treatment elsewhere, like from a private health facility.   

                          

    When her arrival was announced, and reactions 

    In a Facebook post, the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications and Presidential Spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Fosu, indicated that Sedinam has returned to Ghana from the USA, two years and two months after the Accra High Court sentenced her to 10 years in prison for over 70 corruption-related charges. The charges include the alleged embezzlement of more than $6 million in public funds.

    He noted that she arrived at the Accra International Airport at approximately 7:18 a.m. on Tuesday, June 9, aboard United Airlines flight UA 996 from Washington Dulles International Airport in the United States.

    “In April, 2024, the High Court convicted and sentenced SEDINA TAMAKLOE-ATTIONU in absentia. In July 2024, the Government of Ghana submitted an extradition request to the United States for her surrender to Ghana to serve her sentence.  After over two years of court proceedings, the United States authorities notified the Government of her surrender in January this year. She arrived in Accra on Tuesday, June 9, 2026.

    “Officials of the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Prisons Service have taken her into custody and are making the necessary preparations for her to begin her sentence. Meanwhile, the Attorney-General is scheduled to meet his counterparts at the United States Department of Justice for a bilateral discussion on all pending extradition requests between the two countries”, Kwakye Fosu said in the post.

    The Minority in Parliament earlier alleged that former Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu’s jail term was delayed by the government by 15 days.

    They cited contempt of court as the CEO was to have begun serving her sentence right when he touched down in Ghana following her extradition from the USA on June 9.

    Addressing a press conference in Parliament, a member of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, disputed claims that she was placed in custody immediately upon her return.

    “We can categorically state that until yesterday, June 24, Madam Sedina Tamakloe was not in prison custody. From June 9, when she arrived, to June 24, she was not in prison custody. That is a matter of record,” Mr Awuah stated.

    The Minority described the delay as interference with a lawful court order.

    “By preventing her from serving the prison term for the 15 days that she has been in Ghana, the government has interfered with a lawful order of a court of competent jurisdiction, and that is contempt of court. The government will only do that because Madam Sedina Tamakloe is one of its own, and that has been the trend,” he said.

    He also alleged that Madam Tamakloe has been assured that efforts will be made to avert her sentence.

    “She is in prison custody now. She was admitted yesterday, and she has been given assurances. Another assurance she has been given is that they are going to work around the clock to have the decision overturned,” he claimed.

  • I had no hand in Otto Addo’s dismissal – Winfried Schäfer breaks silence

    I had no hand in Otto Addo’s dismissal – Winfried Schäfer breaks silence

    Ghana’s Head coach, Otto Addo, was sacked just 72 days before the World Cup, and he was sacked alongside his technical team, including Winfried Schäfer.

    Speaking for the first time after his dismissal as Black Stars technical director, Winfried Schäfer has denied having a hand in the decision to dismiss the former Dortmund talent manager, arguing that such a decision was entirely outside his responsibilities.

    “I had absolutely nothing to do with Otto’s dismissal. That wouldn’t have been within my remit as Technical Director,” Schäfer told Transfermarkt.

    Otto Addo was dismissed after a poor run of form leading to defeats against Austria and Germany in the last international friendlies played on March 27 and Monday, March 30, respectively.

    Winfried and Black Stars

    Winfried Schäfer served as the Ghana Football Association’s (GFA) Technical Director from 2025 until April 2026.

    He was brought in to assist Otto Addo by helping shape strategies, scouting talent. Under his tenure, Ghana achieved World Cup qualification, but did not win any major trophy.

    “On the contrary, we worked very closely together. I joined the team in 2025 to support Otto, as well as the sporting management and the president of the federation, with my experience,” he explained.

    He however expressed shock over Otto Addo’s dismissal noting tthat within such a short period (74 days) to the World Cup he expected that he’d be allowed to lead the team to the global football tournament.

    Schäfer also revealed that his own spell with the national team ended shortly after the coaching change.

    Despite the abrupt exit, he maintained there was no bitterness towards the Ghana Football Association, expressing appreciation for his time with the team.

    “It’s a shame when it ends so abruptly because I really enjoyed working with the guys. But sometimes that’s how it is, and you can’t change it now,” he said.

    Before his dismissal, Otto Addo admitted that his job was never secure, regardless of whatever results he achieves with the Black Stars.

    He made these remarks after his side suffered a wanton 5-1 defeat to Austria during the international friendly on Friday, March 27, in Vienna.

    The 50-year-old former Ghana international has faced mounting pressure since returning to the role, with concerns over the team’s inconsistent performances growing louder in recent months.

    Despite increasing calls for his dismissal, Addo insists he remains focused and undistracted by public criticism.

    “Even when we qualified for the World Cup, people were calling for me to step down. So, [my job] is always under threat, but I don’t really care,” the former Borussia Dortmund assistant coach said.

    On his part, his focus is to give his best for the team and make the best out of the squad as well.

    “For me, the most important thing is that I prepare my best for the team to the best,” he added.

    World Cup fundraiser

    Meanwhile, an amount of at $10m was raised at the launch of Black Stars’ fundraising campaign organised on Monday, March 23, ahead of the World Cup qualifiers.

    This information was disclosed by the Deputy Finance Minister and Chairman of the Fundraising Committee, Thomas Nyarko Ampem.

    “The fundraising target is $30 million, and if you listen to the pledges and donations, on day one of the launch, we got about $10 million. We are going to put together other events, and we believe that the contributions that are coming in from the short code as well,” he said.

    The launch event was attended by high-profile individuals, including President John Dramani Mahama, Sports Minister Kofi Adams, and Ghana Football Association President Kurt Okraku.

  • Photos: Black Stars touch down in Philadelphia ahead of Croatia match

    Photos: Black Stars touch down in Philadelphia ahead of Croatia match

    The Ghana Black Stars have touched down in Philadelphia ahead of their crucial Group L encounter against Croatia on Saturday, with both teams looking forward to securing a place in the Round of 32.

    Following their recovery session at Bryant University on Wednesday, after their match with Ghana ended in a stalemate, the Black Stars are expected to begin their preparatory training ahead of their final group match scheduled for  June 27 at Lincoln Financial Field.

    Currently, the Black stars hve 4 points and share the top position with England. A win against Croatia will secure their tickets to the knockout stages for the first time since their memorable run to the quarter-finals at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

    The team’s arrival in Philadelphia comes on the back of a morale-boosting visit from a high-profile Ghanaian delegation in Rhode Island earlier on Thursday.

    The delegation included Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, H.E. Victor Smith, Minister for Sports and Recreation Hon. Kofi Adams, Minister for Foreign Affairs Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and businessman Ibrahim Mahama, all of whom met with the players and technical staff to offer their support ahead of the decisive encounter.

    Elsewhere in Group L, England will take on Panama on Saturday in the other final-round fixture, with both matches set to determine the teams advancing to the knockout stages.

  • Minority alleges govt delayed Sedinam Tamakloe’s sentence by 15 Days

    Minority alleges govt delayed Sedinam Tamakloe’s sentence by 15 Days

    The Minority in Parliament is alleging that former Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu’s jail term was delayed by the government by 15 days.

     They have cited contempt of court as the CEO was to have begun serving her sentence right when he touched down in Ghana following her extradition from the USA on June 9.

    Addressing a press conference in Parliament, a member of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, disputed claims that she was placed in custody immediately upon her return.

    “We can categorically state that until yesterday, June 24, Madam Sedina Tamakloe was not in prison custody. From June 9, when she arrived, to June 24, she was not in prison custody. That is a matter of record,” Mr Awuah stated.

    The Minority described the delay as interference with a lawful court order.

    “By preventing her from serving the prison term for the 15 days that she has been in Ghana, the government has interfered with a lawful order of a court of competent jurisdiction, and that is contempt of court. The government will only do that because Madam Sedina Tamakloe is one of its own, and that has been the trend,” he said.

    He also alleged that Madam Tamakloe has been assured that efforts will be made to avert her sentence.

    “She is in prison custody now. She was admitted yesterday, and she has been given assurances. Another assurance she has been given is that they are going to work around the clock to have the decision overturned,” he claimed.

    Madam Tamakloe-Attionu was convicted in absentia in 2024 on charges including causing financial loss to the state and conspiracy. She was extradited to Ghana earlier this month to begin serving her sentence.

    Background

    In 2017, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) launched an investigation into MASLOC’s operations under Sedina Tamakloe Attionu’s leadership during her three-year tenure at the Centre. Following the investigations, EOCo discovered massive financial irregularities and embezzlement by the MASLOC bosses.

    Findings

    EOCO found fraudulent disbursements of MASLOC funds. Inflated procurement of vehicles and mobile phones without approval from the Public Procurement Authority. misappropriation of funds meant for victims of the 2013 Kantamanto Market fire and questionable ex-gratia payments to herself and her deputy.

    Consequently, in January 2019, she was formally arraigned before the High Court on 78 counts, including stealing, conspiracy, causing financial loss to the state, money laundering, and procurement breaches.

    After two years of legal tussle, she requested permission to travel to the USA to seek medical care, which was granted; however, she failed to return to Ghana to continue participating in the proceedings, hence she was tried in absentia.

    In 2024, the Accra High Court sentenced Attionu in absentia to 10 years’ imprisonment after finding her guilty of multiple offences, including causing financial loss to the state and stealing. The court held that her actions during her tenure as MASLOC Chief Executive between 2013 and 2016 resulted in a financial loss of nearly GH¢90 million to the state.

    Following her conviction and sentencing, Ghanaian authorities intensified efforts to secure her return, with the government formally requesting her extradition from the United States in 2025.

    A United States District Court in Nevada subsequently considered the extradition request and, after reviewing the application and supporting legal documentation submitted by Ghanaian authorities, certified the request, paving the way for her return to Ghana.

    Officials have yet to indicate whether any additional legal proceedings will arise following her return. However, her extradition and transfer to prison are expected to bring closure to a case that has remained in the public spotlight for several years.

    Meanwhile, the Ghanaian government was making arrangements to bring her to serve her sentence, but it appeared a bit challenging. Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, disclosed that the United States government has given its word to Ghana that it will not impede the extradition of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori‑Atta and former MASLOC boss Sedina Tamakloe Attionu.

  • Herald Newspaper Editor jailed for contempt in Kevin Okyere case

    Herald Newspaper Editor jailed for contempt in Kevin Okyere case

    The Accra High Court yesterday sentenced the Editor of The Herald newspaper, Larry Dogbey,to a  seven days jail term after being found guilty of contempt for breaching an injunction order in a case involving businessman Kevin Okyere and Swiss oil trader Petraco SA.

    The judgment delivered by Justice Isaac Addo on Thursday, June 25 was later confirmed by Mr Dogbey and in a Facebook post.

    Background

    It all started in 2025, June 11, when the High Court issued an interlocutory injunction restraining The Herald from publishing material on Kevin Okyere pending trial.

    Kevin Okyere is a Ghanaian oil and gas entrepreneur, best known as the Founder and CEO of Springfield Group, the first indigenous Ghanaian company to drill for oil in deepwater offshore fields.

    After about four months later, around October that same year, the Ghanaians Times published the injunction and served via substituted service, including WhatsApp delivery. However despite the court exhausting all channels for the notice to reach The Herald Newspaper, the media house went ahead and published multiple articles alleging fraud and legal troubles involving Mr Okyere, including claims of arrest warrants and bail in Dubai.

    According to the court, the editor purposely disregarded the injunction order consequently, served him a sentence to preserve the dignity and authority of the judiciary while the judge stressed that press freedom wasn’t an excuse for disregard for court orders.

    It all slammed the media house for damage of reputation linked to choice of words such as “fraud albatross” adopted in the publication of Mr Kyere’s article.

    Read full order below: 

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