TIG Post

Author: Amanda Cartey

  • Ghana leads Africa in gold deposit, places 6th worldwide

    Ghana leads Africa in gold deposit, places 6th worldwide

    Ghana has been ranked sixth in the world for the largest gold deposits, according to the World Gold Council’s 2025 Gold Demand Trends report. The country also leads Africa, holding gold reserves of 140.6 tonnes.

    The report attributes Ghana’s position as the continent’s top gold producer to increased investment in the sector and improved regulation of artisanal mining.

    The Ghana Chamber of Mines notes that gold accounts for about 40 percent of the nation’s export earnings, playing a significant role in sustaining economic stability.

    Globally, China tops the list with 380.2 tonnes of gold, producing roughly 10 percent of the world’s total. The country’s mining industry is dominated by state-owned companies, including China National Gold Group and Shandong Gold.

    Russia follows in second place, with 330 tonnes of gold primarily concentrated in Siberia and the Far East.

    Australia, Canada, and the United States occupy the third, fourth, and fifth spots, with reserves of 284, 202.1, and 158 tonnes, respectively.

    Earlier this year, gold deposits were found in seven out of the 15 District Assemblies and Municipalities in the Upper East Region, presenting new economic prospects for the area.

    Upper East Regional Minister, Donatus Akamugri Atanga, disclosed this development during an interaction with journalists at the proposed site for the Bolgatanga Airport on Saturday, March 29.

    “This region has suddenly discovered mineral deposits. Out of the 15 district assemblies, about seven have these deposits, which presents a significant business opportunity,” Atanga revealed.

    He highlighted the need for improved infrastructure to support mining activities, particularly in terms of secure and efficient transportation of gold to national markets.

    “Once mining begins, there will be a need for quicker transport to move the gold to national markets without the risk of armed robberies. We need to accelerate efforts to improve infrastructure. Upper East is a gateway to Burkina Faso and Togo, and our airport will be a valuable asset,” he stated.

    Atanga further emphasized that the construction of the Bolgatanga Airport would not only boost the mining sector but also facilitate trade and investment in the region. He called on stakeholders to support efforts to make the airport project a reality.

    Also, former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, delivered a compelling address at the 30th anniversary of the Investing in African Mining Indaba in Cape Town on Monday, February 5 2024.

    With a resounding call to “Invest in the number one mining destination of Africa,” the Minister positioned Ghana as the undisputed mining hub of the continent.

    Highlighting Ghana’s mining legacy of over a century, Minister Jinapor underscored the diverse mineral wealth the country possesses, including gold, diamond, bauxite, manganese, lithium, iron ore, copper, zinc, nickel, chrome, lead, and salt.

    “We have three (3) new gold mines currently under construction, one by Newmont in the middle belt of the country, and two in Northern Ghana, by Cardinal Namdini and Azumah Resources, with Cardinal Namdini’s Project expected to pour its first gold this year. With these new mines, and the expansion of existing ones, we expect to increase gold output to some four point five million ounces (4,500,000 oz), annually,” he explained.

    Emphasizing Ghana’s leadership in gold production on the continent, he reported an unprecedented four million ounces produced last year, with plans for expansion and the addition of three new gold mines.

    The Minister invited investors to explore new gold deposits in the Savannah Region, challenging the conventional notion that gold was exclusive to the southern part of Ghana.

    Minister Jinapor detailed Ghana’s commitment to value addition in mineral resources, including the construction of a 400kg capacity gold refinery. Progress toward securing a London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) certification with South Africa’s Rand Refinery was disclosed.

    Beyond gold, the Minister highlighted Ghana’s strategic leverage of over nine hundred million metric tonnes of bauxite resources to build an integrated aluminum industry. Initiatives such as the construction of a $450 million manganese refinery and the establishment of the Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation (GIISDEC) were emphasized for harnessing iron ore resources.

    Addressing the lithium market, the Minister affirmed Ghana’s commitment to value addition, echoing a firm stance against the raw export of lithium resources in alignment with Ghana’s Green Minerals Policy.

    Minister Jinapor emphasized Ghana’s dedication to using mining as a catalyst for sustainable development, citing policy and legislative reforms since 2017 prioritizing efficient exploitation, environmental protection, value addition, local content, and local participation.

    The government aims to shift from the traditional “dig and ship” model to a new era of beneficiation.

    Highlighting opportunities across the entire mining value chain, the Minister presented Ghana’s strategic location and the benefits of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as key advantages for investors.

    “And if we have not said it loud enough, permit me to repeat, Ladies and Gentlemen, under NO circumstance will we export our lithium resources in their raw state,” he stressed.

    Assuring the global investor community of Ghana’s readiness for business, Minister Jinapor positioned Ghana as an attractive investment destination with ease of access to geological information, transparent governance institutions, and highly skilled mining personnel.

    He wooed investors on the global scale to join in the exciting journey towards sustainable and mutually beneficial mining ventures in Ghana.

  • U/E: Family of 5 killed by unknown gun men at Bunduri 

    U/E: Family of 5 killed by unknown gun men at Bunduri 

    Unknown gunmen have killed a family of five, including two children and a family head, believed to be in his nineties, in a night attack at Temgmasug, a farming community in the Koloku–Gumyoko Electoral Area in the Binduri District of the Upper East Region.

    According to graphic.com.gh which shared the report, Assembly Member for the area, Anaba Joseph, said the gruesome incident happened on Friday night, November 7, 2025, between 7 and 8 p.m.

    “I had a call around 7 to 8 p.m. yesterday that five people had been shot dead and another injured at Temgmasug under the Koloku–Gumyoko Electoral Area. Because of the ban on motorbikes, I couldn’t go there at night, so this morning I went there myself and saw it with my own eyes,” he recounted.

    According to him, the deceased family was in the compound of their house when the attackers struck. “When they heard the gunshots, they tried to run inside their room, but before they could enter, they were shot dead right at the doorstep.”

    However, one other person, also a relative, sustained gunshot wounds and was rushed to the hospital for medical attention, the Assembly Member added.

    Mr Anaba said about four gunmen on foot attacked the community, first shooting two cattle. The victims, alarmed by the shots, tried to take cover indoors but could not make it on time.

    More details revealed that after the killings, they picked up a motorbike belonging to the victims. They seemed to have difficulties starting it, so they pushed it away while others continued shooting.

    Confirming the incident, Presiding Member of the Binduri District, Samuel Azure, told Graphic Online that the frequent attacks and killings of innocent citizens has thrown the entire Koloku–Gumyoko Electoral Area into a state of fear and mourning. 

    However, “All five have been buried, and I was there myself. We are really traumatized by the turn of events in our community. It is very sad,” Mr. Anaba bemoaned.

    Residents have raised concerns over the rising insecurity in the area, calling for a stronger security presence to prevent further attacks. The Presiding Member has urged the District Security Council and the police to step up patrols to restore calm and reassure the community.

    As investigations continue, people in Temgmasug and neighboring communities remain anxious, hoping for swift justice and the return of peace in the Binduri District.

    Last month, the same Binduri District experienced a shooting incident that resulted in the death of three individuals and left five others injured.

    According to reports, gunmen attacked and invaded the residence of the victims on Sunday, October 26, and shot them. Among the three deceased individuals was a five-year-old child who died instantly.

    The Manager of Binduri-based Maxx Empire Radio and TV, George Bukari, was reported to be among those who sustained injuries in the aftermath of the incident.

    The incident was linked to the long-running Bawku conflict. The conflict, which resurfaced in 2021, has claimed multiple lives and displaced several families. However, the government has, in several ways, initiated efforts to bring calm to the area. In July this year, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) deployed soldiers to conflict-prone areas such as Bawku, Binduri, Nalerigu, and Zebilla.

    This update came in less than a week after four individuals lost their lives in a deadly daylight attack at the district office of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in the region. The unfortunate incident also left several others injured. The deceased individuals includeded a bystander, an NHIA staff member, a mentally unstable man and Yahaya Bukari, headmaster of Garu D/A Junior High School.

    According to eyewitness accounts, the Garu District Office of the NHIA was invaded by four armed men on two motorbikes, who subsequently fired shots wildly. Two of the gunmen were said to have been masked.

    “Around 10am there about, we heard gunshots. Initially, we thought it was coming from the rural bank area, but later we found out that the attackers had gone to the health insurance office,” a witness stated.

    Speaking to the media, former Presiding Member of the Garu District Assembly and now Assembly Member for Kugri, Edward Ndebugri, recounted that the gunmen later targeted bystanders and fleeing residents.

    “There is a public school close to the health insurance office, and when the shooting started, the teachers and pupils began running helter-skelter. The gunmen chased them in the direction they fled, and when one of the teachers fell, they shot him dead,” he added.

    The assailants reportedly left the NHIA office with nothing. In response to the incident, heavily armed police and military personnel thronged key areas, including the District Health Insurance Office and the Presbyterian Hospital as of 2 p.m. on Monday.

    “The whole town is in shock. This is the first time we are witnessing such an incident. People are living in fear, and we are pleading with the security agencies to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice,” the Assembly Member for Kugri appealed.

    The injured individuals received medical attention for gunshot wounds at the Garu Presbyterian Hospital. The police have since launched investigations into the incident to determine the motive behind the attack.

  • Fufu, kenkey, and fried fish among foods pushing up October inflation – GSS

    Fufu, kenkey, and fried fish among foods pushing up October inflation – GSS

    Traditional Ghanaian meals like fufu with soup and kenkey with fried fish ranked among the top 20 products that influenced price changes in October 2025, data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has revealed.

    These food items were largely grouped under the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages section of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which continues to be the biggest contributor to Ghana’s inflation figures.

    The list also featured everyday staples and ingredients such as smoked herring, green plantain, cassava-based foods like kokonte and dough, yams, onions, ginger, tomato paste, vegetable oil, cooked rice, bread, and beef.

    Non-food items such as charcoal, electricity, and re-sold tap water appeared under the Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels category.

    Spending on hotel accommodation was captured under Hotels, Cafés and Restaurants, while fees for public and private secondary schools were reflected under Education.

    Last week, the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) announced an 8.0% inflation rate for October 2025, down from 9.4% recorded in September.

    The figure represented a 1.4 percentage point drop from the previous month, marking the lowest level since June 2021, sustaining ten consecutive months of consistent decline.

    It also indicated a sharp improvement from the 23.8% recorded in December 2024.

    Addressing the media in Accra, Government Statistician, Dr. Iddrisu Alhassan, attributed the continuous drop in inflation to the stringent fiscal measures adopted in efforts to stabilize Ghana’s economy.

    “For the first time since June 2021, Ghana has achieved single-digit inflation. This means that the rate at which prices of goods and services are increasing has slowed significantly. We’ve seen improvements across food, transport, and housing categories — key indicators of household welfare,” Dr. Alhassan noted.

    A report by the Bank of Ghana (BoG) in October indicated that the government spent less than budgeted between January and July. According to the Bank of Ghana’s September 2025 Monetary Policy Report, the government spent GH¢131.1 billion, which is below the planned amount of GH¢152.6 billion.

    Thus, government spending accounted for 9.4% of GDP, falling short of the target of 10.9%. The report noted that government spending was 14.1% below target but 9.3% higher than during the same period the previous year. The BoG attributed the gains to tighter fiscal discipline and improved expenditure control.

    It further stated that, except for compensation of employees, all major spending categories came in below target. Salaries and wages for public sector workers recorded GH¢44.9 billion from the projected amount, while spending on infrastructure and development projects stood at GH¢10 billion, much lower than expected.

    In September, Ghana’s public debt stock rose by GH¢15.8 billion in July 2025, bringing the overall debt to GH¢628.8 billion, equivalent to $59.9 billion. According to the BoG, this represents 44.9% of the country’s total economic output.

    This increase followed three consecutive months of decline and was partly attributed to the earlier appreciation of the Ghanaian cedi. Ghana recorded GH¢613 billion in June and GH¢769.4 billion in March.

    The fluctuations in the figures during that period were largely influenced by changes in the cedi’s exchange rate. Ghana’s external debt remained mostly unchanged in July at $29.0 billion. However, domestic debt climbed to GH¢323.7 billion, or 23.1% of GDP, from GH¢312.7 billion the previous month.

    The Bank of Ghana also announced a 6.3% Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in the second quarter of 2025. While acknowledging global financial pressures at the 126th Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting held on September 15, BoG Governor, Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiama, stated that Ghana recorded a 1.0% increase in GDP from the 5.3% growth in the first quarter.

    “Ghana’s recovery is gaining momentum even as the global environment remains uncertain. Worldwide, growth is easing, and financial conditions are still tight amid trade tensions and geopolitical risks; yet domestically, improved fundamentals have strengthened confidence in our outlook. Real activity has firmed. Provisional data show GDP growth accelerated to 6.3 percent in Q2 2025, led by services and agriculture, with non-oil GDP expanding by 7.8 percent,” Dr. Asiama stated.

    According to him, some short-term economic measurements, also known as high-frequency indicators, show that the economy is still growing. Among these, the Bank of Ghana’s Composite Index of Economic Activity was 6.1% higher in July than a year earlier.

    “High-frequency indicators confirm this momentum: the Bank’s Composite Index of Economic Activity was up 6.1 percent year-on-year in July, and recent PMI readings alongside our business and consumer surveys point to improving sentiment,” he added.

    In his update, he also touched on inflation, stating that it fell from 12.1% in July to 11.5% in August, marking a 0.6 percentage point drop in just one month — the eighth consecutive month of decline — and the lowest inflation rate since October 2021.

    He added that, even though there was a decline in remittance inflows, the cedi remains one of the strongest-performing currencies globally. “On the price front, headline inflation fell further to 11.5 percent in August, its lowest since October 2021, supported by a tight monetary stance, fiscal consolidation, and better food supplies; core measures and expectations continue to re-anchor.

    “External buffers have strengthened. For the first eight months of the year, Ghana recorded a trade surplus of US$6.2 billion, underpinned by robust gold exports and higher cocoa receipts. Gross international reserves stood at US$10.7 billion in August, covering about 4½ months of imports.

    “Despite seasonal pressures and a moderation in remittance inflows in recent weeks, the cedi remains among the strongest currencies globally year-to-date, appreciating by about 21 per cent as of September 12. It now ranks alongside high performers such as the Russian ruble, Swedish krona, Norwegian krone, Swiss franc, euro, and British pound. This outperformance reflects prudent monetary policy, effective liquidity management, fiscal consolidation, and increased foreign exchange inflows,” he stressed.

  • Government increases student loan, slashes interest rates to 6%

    Government increases student loan, slashes interest rates to 6%

    Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) has seen a 50 per cent increase in loan amounts, with beneficiaries now eligible to receive between GH¢2,250 and GH¢4,500 per academic year.

    The adjustment which forms part of sweeping reforms unveiled in a press statement issued on Friday, November 7, is aimed at improving access to affordable tertiary education, following directives from President John Dramani Mahama.

    “Increased Loan Amounts for Regular Students Loan: Regular student loan amounts, disbursed directly to students, have been increased by 50%. Consequently, loan amounts now range from GHC 2,250.00 to GHC 4,500.00 per academic year,” part of the statement outlining the reforms said.

    The interest rate on student loans has also been slashed from 12 per cent compound interest to 6 per cent simple interest during the study and moratorium periods.

    “Interest Rate Reduction: The prevailing interest rate on student loans has been reduced from 12% annual compounded interest to 6% simple interest during the period of study and moratorium,”

    Government has introduced the “Student Loan Plus,” a flagship initiative under the No Fees, No Stress programme as one major highlight of the reforms.

    “Introduction of Students Loan Plus: Tertiary Students can now apply for the Students Loan Plus package, a component of the No Fees Stress Initiative, which provides tertiary students with full fee coverage loans disbursed directly to tertiary institutions,” other parts of the statement read.

    The Students Loan Trust Fund also unveiled  a streamlined application and disbursement process, concealing the long-standing E-zwich requirement.

    “Streamlined Application and Disbursement Process: The E-zwich requirement for loan application is no longer mandated. GCB Bank accounts for disbursement will now be created automatically within the No Fees Stress portal for all new applicants.”

    All the aforementioned reforms, according to SLTF, form part of the government’s ongoing efforts to promote equity and inclusivity in higher learning.

    Earlier this year, the Fund approved financial aid for 9,433 students enrolled in 62 public and private tertiary institutions nationwide.

    The Ministry of Education has also made accessible a registration portal to help first-year students at public tertiary institutions in Ghana apply for financial assistance under the government’s new No-Fee-Stress Policy.

    Launching the portal on Monday, April 29, Education Minister Hon. Haruna Iddrisu described the policy as a bold and strategic move by the government to improve access to tertiary education and invest in the country’s future workforce.

    The SLTF explained that the new system will make it easier for eligible students to register, submit their details, and be assessed for financial support.

    For additional assistance, students are encouraged to call 0302751020 or visit any SLTF zonal office across the country.

    Meanwhile, the government has clarified that first-year public university students who have already paid their academic fees for the current academic year will not receive cash refunds. Instead, the government will apply the equivalent amount as credit toward the students’ second-year fees.

    Earlier, the Trust Fund announced a refund for first-year students at public tertiary institutions who have paid their academic user fees for the 2024/2025 academic year. The refund is expected to take place in June this year under the “No-Fee Stress” initiative. The Trust Fund emphasized that applications submitted will undergo thorough checks.

    Dr. Shiraz added, “We urge all first-year students to apply promptly to secure their reimbursement.”

    Students have been admonished to channel inquiries via the SLTF’s official website. The “No-Fee Stress” initiative was a major campaign promise by then-presidential candidate John Dramani Mahama, who pledged to absorb academic fees for all Level 100 students within the first 120 days of his administration.

    In response, the government has allocated GH¢499.8 million under the 2025 national budget to support the policy.

    The SLTF, established in December 2005 under the Trustee Incorporation Act 1962 (Act 106), is dedicated to managing financial resources efficiently to support students while upholding national principles.

    In August, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) allocated GH₵67,671,080 to settle five months’ arrears of the non-feeding component of teacher trainee allowances for 30,157 students in 47 public Colleges of Education.

    The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF), Dr. Saajida Shiraz, in a Facebook post on Monday, August 5, disclosed this information.

    According to the Students Loan Trust Fund, it began the disbursement on August 1 to individuals who had completed the verification of their personal and bank details.

    “The Students Loan Trust Fund has received GH₵67,671,080 from the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission to be disbursed as the non-feeding component of teacher trainee allowances for five months to students enrolled in 47 public Colleges of Education. The last of this money was received on July 29, 2025.

    “On August 1, 2025, we proceeded to pay teacher trainee allowances of five months to 30,157 students in 37 public Colleges of Education based on the data available to us at the time,” she wrote.

    The Chief Executive Officer of the Students Loan Trust Fund stated that the Fund has initiated the necessary processes to make a second disbursement to students who have not yet received their allowances. “The Students Loan Trust Fund is committed to transparency in our operations. Please indulge us as we go through the necessary operational motions to ensure you receive the support due you from government,” she added.

    Additionally, the CEO mentioned that the SLTF is actively working on No-Fee-Stress reimbursements, and the extended deadline is to ensure all students eligible for reimbursements are duly registered.

    In June, the Ghana Education Service (GES) asked newly posted teachers to remain calm, as budgetary allocations have been made to settle their unpaid salaries. In a press release issued by the GES Public Relations Officer, Daniel Fenyi, on Tuesday, June 24, it was noted that all legitimately hired teachers who have yet to receive payment will soon be sorted out after the necessary validations and administrative processes are completed.

    “It is important to note that significant progress has already been made. The Service assures all affected staff that every effort is being made to rectify the situation and ensure that all genuinely recruited teachers receive their due remuneration,” parts of the statement read.

  • “It’s okay to laugh at me” – Regina Daniels tearfully tells netizens

    “It’s okay to laugh at me” – Regina Daniels tearfully tells netizens

    Nollywood star Regina Daniels has tearfully acknowledged netizens mocking her over her current marital challenges with Nigerian Senator Ned Nwoko.

    “It’s okay to laugh at me. People saying, ‘When she was flaunting her wealth, who was there?’ What were you guys expecting me to show off; the times I was being beaten or sad?” she asked in a video she shared on social media.

    Regina Daniels has asked netizens to put an end to hurling insults at her mother over her estranged marriage to Nigerian senator Ned Nwoko.

    “Stop insulting my mother. She’s the best woman on earth. She warned me. My brothers warned me. Everybody warned me. Nobody’s going to cry on this camera. Everybody warned me, and then I drove out at night. I was going to kill myself if I didn’t marry Ned,” she said in a video posted on her Instagram page on November 5, 2025.

    Contrary to claims that her parent endorsed her marriage to Ned for money, Regina says she was genuinely in love despite opposition from her entire family.

    She recounted an instance where she drove out of home at night to kill herself over her family’s resistance towards her choice of man.

    “I went to the police station and said, ‘Arrest me. My family does not want me to marry the love of my life.’ But I actually did fall in love. It’s crazy, but I did. And I still care and respect him. That’s love. What is love? Care and respect,” she stated.

    Earlier this year, Regina Daniels returned to Instagram after a brief disappearance, but one striking detail has caught fans’ attention—her husband, Senator Ned Nwoko, is missing from her page.

    The Nollywood actress, who had deactivated her account weeks ago, reappeared with a video post captioned, “Even for convoy I Dey with my Google Map 📌#young&accomplished!” However, what stood out was a noticeable change in her profile.

    Her name, previously displayed as Regina Daniels Nwoko, now reads Regina Daniels Nneamaka Favour. In addition, all posts featuring Senator Nwoko have vanished from her account.

    Her social media break coincided with swirling rumors that the senator had welcomed a child with actress Chika Ike—claims he later denied.

    Though Regina has not addressed the changes, her updated profile and missing posts have sparked widespread speculation, with fans flooding her comment section, eager to know the status of her marriage.

    Regina Daniels revealed that her mother and entire family were against her marriage to Ned Nwoko, the Senator from Delta North.

    Disclosing this during a live on Instagram, the actress said: “I went to visit my boyfriend, and I was so angry about why we had to go sightseeing, but when we got there, I met a cute man.

    “The moral of the story is that your boyfriend should not stop you from seeing your husband.

    “When I started with my husband, I forgot I was to have boyfriends; of course, I had like 20. When people think I don’t have a choice, I’m like, what?

    “People were saying Mummy forced me, not knowing that she was against the marriage; my full family said no.”

    Nwoko tied the knot with Regina Daniels in May 2019 in the Aniocha Local Government Area of Delta State, despite their significant age difference.

    The 63-year-old politician expressed that he chose to marry the 23-year-old actress because she hails from his community.

    “For her particularly, I married her because she is from my place. I wanted to marry a wife from my place and was looking for the right person. By the time I met her, I knew she must be the one,” Nwoko had said.

    Nigerian actress Regina Daniels has expressed her deep joy and pride in being a mother of two, describing it as her greatest honor.

    Sharing a touching photo with her children on Instagram on March 31, 2025, Daniels highlighted her commitment to protecting them and doing everything in her power to ensure their happiness and safety.

    “My greatest honour in life is being a mother to these two adorable angels, and everything I will ever do will be for them,” she shared in the post, radiating love and warmth as she celebrated her role as a mother.

    In her message, Daniels emphasized the significance of motherhood in her life, revealing how her children have transformed her world in ways words can hardly capture.

    Beyond the personal celebration, Daniels also surprised her fans with a generous giveaway, pledging ₦50,000 each to 10 lucky followers to do something special for their own families. She encouraged her followers to share what makes their mothers special, adding an extra layer of joy to the celebration.

    “My children are my everything, and I would do anything for them. It is an honor beyond measure,” she said, clearly overjoyed by the blessing of motherhood.

  •  Lumba’s family head fined for invoking Otumfuo’s “Ntam Kese”

     Lumba’s family head fined for invoking Otumfuo’s “Ntam Kese”

    The Head of Daddy Lumba’s family, Abusuapanyin Kofi Owusu has been fined after the musician’s sister, Ernestina Akosua Bimpomaa for invoked Otumfuo’s “Ntam Kese.”

    The incident took place during a court session on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, in a case brought by Akosua Serwaa, the first wife of the late musician Charles Kwadwo Fosuh, popularly known as Daddy Lumba. She is contesting who should be legally recognised as the musician’s rightful spouse.

    Following the court proceedings, Daddy Lumba’s sister, Ernestina Akosua Bimpomaa, invoked the Great Oath, known in Asante tradition as “Ntam Kese.” The invocation required that the matter be transferred to the Manhyia Palace for resolution under customary law.

    When the case was heard before the Saamanhene and other chiefs at the Manhyia Palace, Abusuapanin Kofi Owusu was fined two sheep for failing to respond to the invocation of the Great Oath by the late musician’s sister.

    Under Asante tradition, any matter involving the Great Oath must be settled at the Manhyia Palace, since conventional courts have no authority to rule on such cases.

    The two sheep served as part of a purification ritual performed by the chiefs to nullify the oath and prevent possible spiritual consequences.

    Meanwhile, Ernestina Fosu, the elder sister of the late Highlife legend Daddy Lumba, has indicated that she is not prepared to organize Daddy Lumba’s funeral on Dec 6.

    She made this known to the media in the aftermath of a court proceeding at the Kumasi High Court on October 28, 2025.

    “I am not ready for my brother’s funeral on December 6, 2025,” she stated firmly in a video shared on social media.

    Akosua Serwaa filed an injunction against the late musician’s funeral scheduled for December 6, demanding that she be recognized as the only surviving wife of the musician and not Odo Broni, who is currently claiming that title.

    While the court has yet to rule on the spousal status of Akosua Serwaa and Odo Broni, the Kumasi High Court has dismissed an injunction application that sought to halt the burial and funeral of the late legend.

    The judgment allows the family to go ahead with burial plans as originally arranged.

    Madam Serwaa’s lawyer, William Kusi, insisted that his client was the musician’s only legally recognized wife and that her rights were being ignored in the funeral preparations. He supported his argument with a civil marriage certificate reportedly issued in Germany as evidence of their union.

    In July this year, a statement by the counsel for the Fosu family confirmed that the music veteran passed on July 26, after a short illness.

    He succumbed to the illness at the Bank Hospital in Accra, per reports.

    The statement read: “With profound sorrow and deep grief, the Fosu family announces the passing of Ghana’s beloved musical icon, Charles Kojo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, who passed away earlier today, Saturday, July 26, 2025, after a short illness.”

    “Daddy Lumba was more than a musician; he was a cultural icon whose music touched countless lives. His soulful voice provided the soundtrack to our love stories, and his poignant lyrics captured the poetry of our struggles, dreams, and resilience.”

    Daddy Lumba was renowned for his incredible talent as a singer, composer, songwriter, recording artist, and producer.

    With an illustrious career that has spanned over three decades, Daddy Lumba was widely regarded as the greatest and most influential musician in Ghanaian history.

    Many artists in Ghana, including Ofori Amponsah, Sarkodie, Kuami Eugene, Paa Solo of Sibo Brothers, Oheneba Kissi, KiDi, and others, consider him their major inspiration in the music industry.

    Daddy Lumba was born 60 years ago to Mr. Johnson Kwadwo Fosuh and Madam Comfort Gyamfi, also known as Ama Saah, in Nsuta, near Mampong in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Both of his parents were teachers, and he was the second of three siblings.

    His educational journey began in Nsuta Kyebi, and he completed junior high school at Suame Methodist, Kumasi in 1979. Subsequently, he attended Adu Gyamfi Senior High School in Jamasi, but later transferred to Juaben Senior High School, where he completed his secondary education in 1984.

    Daddy Lumba’s music career took off in the early 80s when he formed the Nkwanta Wesley Singers, gaining fame at the Anokye Krom Cultural Center.

    During his time at Juaben Senior High School, he led the school choir and composed the song “Lumba Lumba,” dedicated to the freedom fighters in South Africa. This song’s popularity earned him the nickname “Daddy Lumba”, which later became his stage name. He also formed the Lumba Brothers band during his school days, which included his girlfriend at the time, Theresa.

    After completing school, Daddy Lumba, with the help of his high school sweetheart Theresa Abebrese, traveled to Germany. There, he met Ernest Nana Acheampong, and they formed another Lumba Brothers group, recording their debut album, “Yee Ye Aka Akwantuom,” in 1986. Financial constraints delayed the album’s release until 1989, and eventually, the duo split.

    Daddy Lumba then launched his solo career and released his debut solo album, “Obi Ate Meso Buo,” in 1990. The album received immense popularity and critical acclaim, featuring classics like the title track and “Theresa,” dedicated to his ex-lover. He has since released 33 albums, including notable ones like “Sika Asem,” “Aben Wo Ha,” “Wo Ho Kyere,” “Awosoo,” “Give Peace A Chance,” and “Ahenfo Kyiniye.” His latest project, “Ofon Na Edi Asem Fo,” was released in December 2022, reuniting him with longtime collaborator Kweku Mensah.

    In addition to his own success, Daddy Lumba is renowned for nurturing the careers of budding artists who went on to become legends in their own right.

    Some of these artists include Felix Owusu, for whom he produced the debut album “Vida” in 1992, Afia Ampofowaa, Kwabena Sunkwa, Ofori Amponsah with the “Woho Kyere” album in 1999, Selina Orleans, Akua Serwaa Bonsu, Borax, Ateaa Tina, and many others.

    His contributions to Ghanaian music and the support he provides to upcoming talents have solidified his status as an iconic figure in the country’s music industry.

    With his passion, talent, and dedication to the craft, Daddy Lumba continues to be a role model for aspiring musicians, leaving an indelible mark on the rich musical landscape of Ghana.

  • Full list of nominees for 2026 GRAMMYS

    Full list of nominees for 2026 GRAMMYS

    The 2026 GRAMMY Awards will take place in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 1, introducing two new categories known as Best Traditional Country Album and Best Album Cover.

    The event will air live on CBS and will also be available for streaming, both live and on demand, on Paramount+.

    Category 1

    Record Of The Year

    Award to the Artist and to the Producer(s), Recording Engineer(s) and/or Mixer(s) and mastering engineer(s), if other than the artist.

    DtMF
    Bad Bunny
    Scotty Dittrich, Hydra Hitz, La Paciencia, JULiA LEWiS, MAG & Tyler Spry, producers; Antonio Caraballo, Josh Gudwin, Roberto Rosado & Tyler Spry, engineers/mixers; Colin Leonard, mastering engineer

    Manchild
    Sabrina Carpenter
    Jack Antonoff & Sabrina Carpenter, producers; Jack Antonoff, Bryce Bordone, Jozef Caldwell, Serban Ghenea, Sean Hutchinson, Oli Jacobs, Michael Riddleberger & Laura Sisk, engineers/mixers; Ruairi O’Flaherty, mastering engineer

    Anxiety
    Doechii
    Doechii, producer; Jayda Love, engineer/mixer; Nicolas De Porcel, mastering engineer

    WILDFLOWER
    Billie Eilish
    FINNEAS, producer; Jon Castelli, FINNEAS & Aron Forbes, engineers/mixers; Dale Becker, mastering engineer

    Abracadabra
    Lady Gaga
    Cirkut, Lady Gaga & Andrew Watt, producers; Bryce Bordone, Serban Ghenea & Paul LaMalfa, engineers/mixers; Randy Merrill, mastering engineer

    luther
    Kendrick Lamar With SZA
    Jack Antonoff, Bridgeway, M-Tech, roselilah, Sounwave & Kamasi Washington, producers; Jack Antonoff, Ray Charles Brown Jr., Hector Castro, Oli Jacobs, Jack Manning, Sean Matsukawa, Dani Perez, Tony Shepperd, Laura Sisk & Johnathan Turner, engineers/mixers; Ruairi O’Flaherty, mastering engineer

    The Subway
    Chappell Roan
    Daniel Nigro, producer; Chris Kaysch, Mitch McCarthy & Daniel Nigro, engineers/mixers; Randy Merrill, mastering engineer

    APT.
    ROSÉ, Bruno Mars
    Rogét Chahayed, Cirkut, Omer Fedi & Bruno Mars, producers; Serban Ghenea

    Category 2

    Album Of The Year

    Award to Artist(s) and to Featured Artist(s), Songwriter(s) of new material, Producer(s), Recording Engineer(s), Mixer(s) and Mastering Engineer(s) credited with 20% or more playing time of the album.

    DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS
    Bad Bunny
    Big Jay, La Paciencia, MAG & Tainy, producers; Antonio Caraballo, Josh Gudwin, Luis Amed Irizarry & Roberto José Rosado Torres, engineers/mixers; Benito Antonio Ocasio Martinez, Roberto José Rosado Torres, Marco Daniel Borrero, Jay Anthony Nuñez & Marcos Efrain Masis, songwriters; Colin Leonard, mastering engineer

    SWAG
    Justin Bieber
    Eddie Benjamin, Justin Bieber, Daniel Chetrit, Dijon, Carter Lang & Dylan Wiggins, producers; Felix Byrne & Josh Gudwin, engineers/mixers; Eddie Benjamin, Justin Bieber, Daniel Chetrit, Dijon Duenas, Tobias Jesso Jr., Carter Lang, Jackson Lee Morgan & Dylan Wiggins, songwriters; Dale Becker, mastering engineer

    Man’s Best Friend
    Sabrina Carpenter
    Jack Antonoff, Sabrina Carpenter & John Ryan, producers; Zem Adu, Jack Antonoff, Bryce Bordone, Jozef Caldwell, Serban Ghenea, Jeff Gunnell, David Hart, Mikey Freedom Hart, Sean Hutchinson, Oli Jacobs, Jack Manning, Joey Miller, Michael Riddleberger, John Ryan, Laura Sisk & Evan Smith, engineers/mixers; Amy Allen, Jack Antonoff, Sabrina Carpenter & John Ryan, songwriters; Nathan Dantzler & Ruairi O’Flaherty, mastering engineers

    Let God Sort Em Out
    Clipse, Pusha T & Malice
    Pharrell Williams, featured artist; Pharrell Williams, producer; Mike Larson, Manny Marroquin, Rob Ulsh & Pharrell Williams, engineers/mixers; Gene Elliott Thornton Jr., Terrence Thornton & Pharrell Williams, songwriters; Zach Pereyra, mastering engineer

    MAYHEM
    Lady Gaga
    Cirkut, Gesaffelstein, Lady Gaga & Andrew Watt, producers; Bryce Bordone, Serban Ghenea & Paul LaMalfa, engineers/mixers; Henry Walter, Mike Lévy, Lady Gaga, Michael Polansky & Andrew Watt, songwriters; Randy Merrill, mastering engineer

    GNX
    Kendrick Lamar
    Jack Antonoff & Sounwave, producers; Jack Antonoff, Ray Charles Brown Jr., Jozef Caldwell, Oli Jacobs, Jack Manning, Dani Perez, Laura Sisk & Johnathan Turner, engineers/mixers; Jack Antonoff, Ink, Scott Bridgeway, Sam Dew, Kendrick Lamar, Matthew Bernard & Mark Anthony Spears, songwriters; Ruairi O’Flaherty, mastering engineer

    MUTT
    Leon Thomas
    Freaky Rob, Peter Lee Johnson, D. Phelps & Leon Thomas, producers; Jean-Marie Horvat, engineer/mixer; Lazaro Andres Camejo, Freaky Rob, Peter Lee Johnson, D. Phelps & Leon Thomas, songwriters; Dave Kutch, mastering engineer

    CHROMAKOPIA
    Tyler, The Creator
    Tyler, The Creator, producer; NealHPogue, Tyler Okonma & Vic Wainstein, engineers/mixers; Tyler Okonma, songwriter; Mike Bozzi, mastering engineer

    Category 3

    Song Of The Year

    A Songwriter(s) Award. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

    Abracadabra
    Lady Gaga, Henry Walter & Andrew Watt, songwriters (Lady Gaga)

    Anxiety
    Jaylah Hickmon, songwriter (Doechii)

    **APT.**
    Amy Allen, Christopher Brody Brown, Rogét Chahayed, Omer Fedi, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Chae Young Park, Theron Thomas & Henry Walter, songwriters (ROSÉ, Bruno Mars)

    DtMF
    Marco Daniel Borrero, Scott Dittrich, Benjamin Falik, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, Hugo René Sención Sanabria, Tyler Thomas Spry & Roberto José Rosado Torres, songwriters (Bad Bunny)

    **Golden [From “KPop Demon Hunters”]**
    EJAE & Mark Sonnenblick, songwriters (HUNTR/X:EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI)

    luther
    Jack Antonoff, Roshwita Larisha Bacha, Matthew Bernard, Scott Bridgeway, Sam Dew, Ink, Kendrick Lamar, Solána Rowe, Mark Anthony Spears & Kamasi Washington, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar With SZA)

    Manchild
    Amy Allen, Jack Antonoff & Sabrina Carpenter, songwriters (Sabrina Carpenter)

    WILDFLOWER
    Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)

    Category 4

    Best New Artist

    This category recognizes an artist whose eligibility-year release(s) achieved a breakthrough into the public consciousness and notably impacted the musical landscape.

    Olivia Dean
    KATSEYE
    The Marias
    Addison Rae
    sombr
    Leon Thomas
    Alex Warren
    Lola Young

    Category 5

    Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical

    A Producer’s Award. (Artists names appear in parentheses.)

    Dan Auerbach
    Elegantly Wasted (Hermanos Gutiérrez Featuring Leon Bridges) (S)
    Harsh & Exciting (Moonrisers) (A)
    Holy Ghost Party (Robert Finley) (S)
    Love Is Cruel (Miles Kane) (S)
    Medium Raw (Early James) (A)
    A Million Knives (The Velveteers) (A)
    No Rain, No Flowers (The Black Keys) (A)
    Our Time In The Sun (Jeremie Albino) (A)

    Cirkut
    Abracadabra (Lady Gaga) (S)
    AEOMG (Coco Jones) (T)
    APT. (ROSÉ & Bruno Mars) (S)
    Big Sleep (The Weeknd Featuring Giorgio Moroder) (T)
    Disease (Lady Gaga) (S)
    IT girl (JADE) (S)
    A Little More (Ed Sheeran) (S)
    Mayhem (Lady Gaga) (A)
    Red Terror (The Weeknd) (T)

    Dijon
    Baby (Dijon) (A)
    DAISIES (Justin Bieber) (T)
    DEVOTION (Justin Bieber & Dijon) (T)
    THINGS YOU DO (Justin Bieber) (T)
    YUKON (Justin Bieber) (T)

    Blake Mills
    For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women) (Japanese Breakfast) (A)
    Forever Is A Feeling (Lucy Dacus) (A)
    Glory (Perfume Genius) (A)
    That Wasn’t A Dream (Pino Palladino And Blake Mills)(A)

    Sounwave
    GNX (Kendrick Lamar) (A)

    Category 6

    Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical

    A Songwriter’s Award. (Artists names appear in parentheses.)

    Amy Allen
    APT. (ROSÉ & Bruno Mars) (S)
    Bad As The Rest (Jessie Murph) (S)
    Hail Mary (Shaboozey, Sierra Ferrell) (T)
    Handlebars (JENNIE Featuring Dua Lipa) (S)
    Just Keep Watching (Tate McRae) (S)
    Lost In Translation (Carín León & Kasey Musgraves) (S)
    Manchild (Sabrina Carpenter) (S)
    Tears (Sabrina Carpenter) (S)
    WHY (Jon Bellion Featuring Luke Combs) (S)

    Edgar Barrera
    Birthday Behavior (BIA, Young Miko) (S)
    Coleccionando Heridas (KAROL G, Marco Antonio Solís) (T)
    Ese Vato No Te Queda (Carín León, Gabito Ballesteros) (S)
    Me Jalo (Fuerza Regida, Grupo Frontera) (T)
    Me Retiro (Santana, Grupo Frontera) (S)
    Milagros (KAROL G) (S)
    Sigueme Besando Asi (Manuel Turizo) (T)
    Soltera (Shakira) (S)
    Una Noche Contigo (Juanes) (S)

    Jessie Jo Dillon
    Bless Your Heart (Megan Moroney) (T)
    Bottomland (HARDY) (S)
    Dreams Don’t Die (Jelly Roll) (S)
    First Rodeo (Kelsea Ballerini) (T)
    Happen To Me (Russell Dickerson) (S)
    Hello S—ty Day (Jake Worthington, Miranda Lambert)(S)
    If You Were Mine (Morgan Wallen) (T)
    Patterns (Kelsea Ballerini) (T)
    To The Men That Love Women After Heartbreak (Kelsea Ballerini) (T)

    **Tobias Jesso Jr.**
    Another Baby! (Dijon) (T)
    Baby! (Dijon) (T)
    Daisies (Justin Bieber) (T)
    From (Bon Iver) (T)
    Go Baby (Justin Bieber) (T)
    Golden Burning Sun (Miley Cyrus) (T)
    Man I Need (Olivia Dean) (S)
    Relationships (HAIM) (S)
    Walking Away (Justin Bieber) (T)

    Laura Veltz
    About You (BigXthaPlug Featuring Tucker Wetmore) (T)
    Blue Strips (Jessie Murph) (S)
    Grand Bouquet (Maren Morris) (T)
    Leave Me Too (Josh Ross) (S)
    Parallel Universe (Lauren Spencer Smith) (T)
    Someone In This Room (Jessie Murph Featuring Bailey Zimmerman) (T)
    Touch Me Like A Gangster (Jessie Murph) (S)
    What Tomorrow’s For (Blessing Offor) (T)
    You’ll Be OK, Kid – From The Original Documentary “Child Star” (Demi Lovato) (S)

    Category 7

    Best Pop Solo Performance

    For new vocal or instrumental pop recordings. Singles or Tracks only.

    DAISIES
    Justin Bieber

    Manchild
    Sabrina Carpenter

    Disease
    Lady Gaga

    The Subway
    Chappell Roan

    Messy
    Lola Young

    Category 8

    Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

    For new vocal or instrumental duo/group or collaborative pop recordings. Singles or Tracks only.

    Defying Gravity
    Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande

    **Golden [From “KPop Demon Hunters”]**
    HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI

    Gabriela
    KATSEYE

    **APT.**
    ROSÉ, Bruno Mars

    30 For 30
    SZA Featuring Kendrick Lamar

    Category 9

    Best Pop Vocal Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new pop vocal recordings.

    SWAG
    Justin Bieber

    Man’s Best Friend
    Sabrina Carpenter

    Something Beautiful
    Miley Cyrus

    MAYHEM
    Lady Gaga

    **I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 2)**
    Teddy Swims

    Category 10

    Best Dance/Electronic Recording

    For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances. Vocal or Instrumental. Singles or tracks only.

    No Cap
    Disclosure & Anderson .Paak
    Disclosure, producer; Guy Lawrence, mixer

    Victory Lap
    Fred again.., Skepta, & PlaqueBoyMax
    Blake Cascoe, Berwyn Du Bois, Fred again.., Darcy Lewis, Dan Mayo & PlaqueBoyMax, producers; Tom Norris, mixer

    SPACE INVADER
    KAYTRANADA
    KAYTRANADA, producer; KAYTRANADA, mixer

    VOLTAGE
    Skrillex
    John Feldmann & Skrillex, producers; Luca Pretolesi, Skrillex & Virtual Riot, mixers

    End Of Summer
    Tame Impala
    Kevin Parker, producer; Kevin Parker, mixer

    Category 11

    Best Dance Pop Recording

    For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances. Vocal or Instrumental. Singles or tracks only.

    Bluest Flame
    Selena Gomez & benny blanco
    benny blanco, Dylan Brady & Cashmere Cat, producers;benny blanco & Cashmere Cat, mixers

    Abracadabra
    Lady Gaga
    Cirkut, Lady Gaga & Andrew Watt, producers; Serban Ghenea, mixer

    Midnight Sun
    Zara Larsson
    Margo XS & MNEK, producers; Tom Norris, mixer

    Just Keep Watching (From F1® The Movie)
    Tate McRae
    Tyler Spry & Ryan Tedder, producers; Manny Marroquin, mixer

    Illegal
    PinkPantheress
    Aksel Arvid & PinkPantheress, producers; Nickie Jon Pabon

    Category 12

    Best Dance/Electronic Album

    For vocal or instrumental albums. Albums only.

    EUSEXUA
    FKA twigs

    Ten Days
    Fred again..

    Fancy That
    PinkPantheress

    Inhale / Exhale
    RÜFÜS DU SOL

    F— U SKRILLEX YOU THINK UR ANDY WARHOL BUT UR NOT!! <3
    Skrillex

    Category 13

    Best Remixed Recording

    A Remixer’s Award. (Artists names appear in parentheses for identification.) Singles or Tracks only.

    **Abracadabra (Gesaffelstein Remix)**
    Gesaffelstein, remixer (Lady Gaga, Gesaffelstein)

    Don’t Forget About Us
    FKAYTRANADA, remixer (Mariah Carey & KAYTRANADA)

    A Dreams A Dream – Ron Trent Remix
    Ron Trent, remixer (Soul II Soul)

    Galvanize
    Chris Lake, remixer (The Chemical Brothers & Chris Lake)

    Golden – David Guetta REM/X
    David Guetta, remixer (HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI)

    Category 14

    Best Rock Performance

    For new vocal or instrumental solo, duo/group or collaborative rock recordings.

    U Should Not Be Doing That
    Amyl and The Sniffers

    The Emptiness Machine
    Linkin Park

    NEVER ENOUGH
    Turnstile

    Mirtazapine
    Hayley Williams

    Changes (Live From Villa Park) Back To The Beginning
    YUNGBLUD Featuring Nuno Bettencourt, Frank Bello, Adam Wakeman, II

    Category 15

    For new vocal or instrumental solo, duo/group or collaborative metal recordings.

    Night Terror
    Dream Theater

    Lachryma
    Ghost

    Emergence
    Sleep Token

    Soft Spine
    Spiritbox

    BIRDS
    Turnstile

    Category 16

    Best Rock Song

    A Songwriter(s) Award. Includes Rock, Hard Rock and Metal songs. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

    As Alive As You Need Me To Be
    Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, songwriters (Nine Inch Nails)

    Caramel
    Vessel1 & Vessel2, songwriters (Sleep Token)

    Glum
    Daniel James & Hayley Williams, songwriters (Hayley Williams)

    NEVER ENOUGH
    Daniel Fang, Franz Lyons, Pat McCrory, Meg Mills & Brendan Yates, songwriters (Turnstile)

    Zombie
    Dominic Harrison & Matt Schwartz, songwriters (YUNGBLUD)

    Category 17

    Best Rock Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new rock, hard rock or metal recordings.

    private music
    Deftones

    I quit
    HAIM

    From Zero
    Linkin Park

    NEVER ENOUGH
    Turnstile

    Idols
    YUNGBLUD

    Category 18

    Best Alternative Music Performance

    For new vocal or instrumental solo, duo/group or collaborative Alternative music recordings.

    Everything Is Peaceful Love
    Bon Iver

    Alone
    The Cure

    SEEIN’ STARS
    Turnstile

    mangetout
    Wet Leg

    Parachute
    Hayley Williams

    Category 19

    Best Alternative Music Album

    Vocal or Instrumental.

    SABLE, fABLE
    Bon Iver

    Songs Of A Lost World
    The Cure

    DON’T TAP THE GLASS
    Tyler, The Creator

    moisturizer
    Wet Leg

    Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party
    Hayley Williams

    Category 20

    Best R&B Performance

    For new vocal or instrumental R&B recordings.

    YUKON
    Justin Bieber

    It Depends
    Chris Brown Featuring Bryson Tiller

    Folded
    Kehlani

    **MUTT (Live From NPR’s Tiny Desk)**
    Leon Thomas

    Heart Of A Woman
    Summer Walker

    Category 21

    Best Traditional R&B Performance

    For new vocal or instrumental traditional R&B recordings.

    Here We Are
    Durand Bernarr

    UPTOWN
    Lalah Hathaway

    LOVE YOU TOO
    Ledisi

    Crybaby
    SZA

    VIBES DON’T LIE
    Leon Thomas

    Category 22

    Best R&B Song

    A Songwriter(s) Award. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

    Folded
    Darius Dixson, Andre Harris, Donovan Knight, Don Mills, Kehlani Parrish, Khris Riddick-Tynes & Dawit Kamal Wilson, songwriters (Kehlani)

    Heart Of A Woman
    David Bishop & Summer Walker, songwriters (Summer Walker)

    It Depends
    Nico Baran, Chris Brown, Ant Clemons, Ephrem Lopez Jr., Ryan Press, Bryson Tiller, Elliott Trent & Dewain Whitmore Jr., songwriters (Chris Brown Featuring Bryson Tiller)

    Overqualified
    James John Abrahart Jr & Durand Bernarr, songwriters (Durand Bernarr)

    YES IT IS
    Jariuce Banks, Lazaro Andres Camejo, Mike Hector, Peter Lee Johnson, Rodney Jones Jr., Ali Prawl & Leon Thomas, songwriters (Leon Thomas)

    Category 23

    Best Progressive R&B Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of newly recorded progressive vocal tracks derivative of R&B.

    BLOOM
    Durand Bernarr

    Adjust Brightness
    Bilal

    LOVE ON DIGITAL
    Destin Conrad

    Access All Areas
    FLO

    Come As You Are
    Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon

    Category 24

    Best R&B Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new R&B recordings.

    BELOVED
    GIVĒON

    **Why Not More?**
    Coco Jones

    The Crown
    Ledisi

    Escape Room
    Teyana Taylor

    MUTT
    Leon Thomas

    Category 25

    Best Rap Performance

    For a Rap performance. Singles or Tracks only.

    Outside
    Cardi B

    Chains & Whips
    Clipse, Pusha T & Malice Featuring Kendrick Lamar & Pharrell Williams

    Anxiety
    Doechii

    tv off
    Kendrick Lamar Featuring Lefty Gunplay

    Darling, I
    Tyler, The Creator Featuring Teezo Touchdown

    Category 26

    Best Melodic Rap Performance

    For a solo or collaborative performance containing both elements of R&B melodies and Rap.

    Proud Of Me
    Fridayy Featuring Meek Mill

    Wholeheartedly
    JID Featuring Ty Dolla $ign & 6Lack

    luther
    Kendrick Lamar With SZA

    WeMaj
    Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon Featuring Rapsody

    SOMEBODY LOVES ME
    PARTYNEXTDOOR & Drake

    Category 27

    Best Rap Song

    A Songwriter(s) Award. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

    Anxiety
    Jaylah Hickmon, songwriter (Doechii)

    The Birds Don’t Sing
    Gene Elliott Thornton Jr., Terrence Thornton, Pharrell Williams & Stevie Wonder, songwriters (Clipse, Pusha T & Malice Featuring John Legend & Voices Of Fire)

    Sticky
    Aaron Bolton, Dwayne Carter, Jr., Dudley Alexander Duverne, Tyler Okonma, Janae Wherry, Gloria Woods & Rex Zamor, songwriters (Tyler, The Creator Featuring GloRilla, Sexyy Red & Lil Wayne)

    TGIF
    Lucas Alegria, Dillon Brophy, Yakki Davis, Jess Jackson, Ronnie Jackson, Mario Mims, Jorge M. Taveras & Gloria Woods, songwriters (GloRilla)

    tv off
    Jack Antonoff, Larry Jayy, Kendrick Lamar, Dijon McFarlane, Sean Momberger, Mark Anthony Spears & Kamasi Washington, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar Featuring Lefty Gunplay)

    Category 28

    Best Rap Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new rap recordings.

    Let God Sort Em Out
    Clipse, Pusha T & Malice

    GLORIOUS
    GloRilla

    God Does Like Ugly
    JID

    GNX
    Kendrick Lamar

    CHROMAKOPIA
    Tyler, The Creator

    Category 29

    Best Spoken Word Poetry Album

    For albums containing greater than 50% playing time of new spoken word poetry recordings.

    **A Hurricane in Heels: healed people don’t act like that (partially recorded live @City Winery & other places)**
    Queen Sheba

    Black Shaman
    Marc Marcel

    Pages
    Omari Hardwick & Anthony Hamilton

    Saul Williams Meets Carlos Niño & Friends At Treepeople
    Saul Williams, Carlos Niño & Friends

    Words For Days Vol. 1
    Mad Skillz

    Category 30

    Best Jazz Performance

    For new vocal or instrumental solo, duo/group or collaborative jazz recordings.

    Noble Rise
    Lakecia Benjamin Featuring Immanuel Wilkins & Mark Whitfield

    Windows – Live
    Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade

    Peace Of Mind / Dreams Come True
    Samara Joy

    Four
    Michael Mayo

    All Stars Lead To You – Live
    Nicole Zuraitis, Dan Pugach, Tom Scott, Idan Morim, Keyon Harrold & Rachel Eckroth

    Category 31

    Best Jazz Vocal Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new vocal jazz recordings.

    Elemental
    Dee Dee Bridgewater & Bill Charlap

    **We Insist 2025!**
    Terri Lyne Carrington & Christie Dashiell

    Portrait
    Samara Joy

    Fly
    Michael Mayo

    Live at Vic’s Las Vegas
    Nicole Zuraitis, Dan Pugach, Tom Scott, Idan Morim, Keyon Harrold & Rachel Eckroth

    Category 32

    Best Jazz Instrumental Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new instrumental jazz recordings.

    **Trilogy 3 (Live)**
    Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade

    Southern Nights
    Sullivan Fortner Featuring Peter Washington & Marcus Gilmore

    Belonging
    Branford Marsalis Quartet

    Spirit Fall
    John Patitucci Featuring Chris Potter & Brian Blade

    Fasten Up
    Yellowjackets

    Category 33

    Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new large ensemble jazz recordings.

    Orchestrator Emulator
    The 8-Bit Big Band

    Without Further Ado, Vol 1
    Christian McBride Big Band

    Lumen
    Danilo Pérez & Bohuslän Big Band

    **Basie Rocks!**
    Deborah Silver & The Count Basie Orchestra

    Lights on a Satellite
    Sun Ra Arkestra

    Some Days Are Better: The Lost Scores
    Kenny Wheeler Legacy Featuring The Royal Academy of Music Jazz Orchestra & Frost Jazz Orchestra

    Category 34

    Best Latin Jazz Album

    For vocal or instrumental albums containing greater than 75% playing time of newly recorded material. The intent of this category is to recognize recordings that represent the blending of jazz with Latin, Iberian-American, Brazilian, and Argentinian tango music.

    La Fleur de Cayenne
    Paquito D’Rivera & Madrid-New York Connection Band

    The Original Influencers: Dizzy, Chano & Chico Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
    Featuring Pedrito Martinez, Daymé Arocena, Jon Faddis, Donald Harrison & Melvis Santa

    Mundoagua – Celebrating Carla Bley
    Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra

    A Tribute to Benny Moré and Nat King Cole
    Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Yainer Horta & Joey Calveiro

    Vanguardia Subterránea: Live at The Village Vanguard
    Miguel Zenón Quartet

    Category 35

    Best Alternative Jazz Album

    For vocal or instrumental albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new Alternative jazz recordings.

    honey from a winter stone
    Ambrose Akinmusire

    Keys To The City Volume One
    Robert Glasper

    Ride into the Sun
    Brad Mehldau

    LIVE-ACTION
    Nate Smith

    Blues Blood
    Immanuel Wilkins

    Category 36

    Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new traditional pop recordings.

    Wintersongs
    Laila Biali

    The Gift Of Love
    Jennifer Hudson

    **Who Believes In Angels?**
    Elton John & Brandi Carlile

    Harlequin
    Lady Gaga

    A Matter Of Time
    Laufey

    The Secret Of Life: Partners, Volume 2
    Barbra Streisand

    Category 37

    Best Contemporary Instrumental Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new contemporary instrumental recordings.

    Brightside
    ARKAI

    Ones & Twos
    Gerald Clayton

    BEATrio
    Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda, Antonio Sánchez

    Just Us
    Bob James & Dave Koz

    Shayan
    Charu Suri

    Category 38

    Best Musical Theater Album

    For albums containing greater than 51% playing time of new recordings. Award to the principal vocalist(s), and the album producer(s) of 50% or more playing time of the album. The lyricist(s) and composer(s) of 50 % or more of a score of a new recording are eligible for an Award if any previous recording of said score has not been nominated in this category.

    Buena Vista Social Club
    Marco Paguia, Dean Sharenow & David Yazbek, producers (Original Broadway Cast)

    Death Becomes Her
    Taurean Everett, Megan Hilty, Josh Lamon, Christopher Sieber, Jennifer Simard & Michelle Williams, principal vocalists; Noel Carey, Sean Patrick Flahaven, Julia Mattison & Scott M. Riesett, producers; Noel Carey & Julia Mattison, composers/lyricists (Original Broadway Cast)

    Gypsy
    Danny Burstein, Kevin Csolak, Audra McDonald, Jordan Tyson & Joy Woods, principal vocalists; David Caddick, Andy Einhorn, David Lai & George C. Wolfe, producers (Jule Styne, composer; Stephen Sondheim, lyricist) (2024 Broadway Cast)

    Just In Time
    Emily Bergl, Jonathan Groff, Erika Henningsen, Gracie Lawrence & Michele Pawk, principal vocalists; Derik Lee, Andrew Resnick & Bill Sherman, producers (Bobby Darin, composer & lyricist) (Original Broadway Cast)

    Maybe Happy Ending
    Marcus Choi, Darren Criss, Dez Duron & Helen J Shen, principal vocalists; Deborah Abramson, Will Aronson, Ian Kagey & Hue Park, producers; Hue Park, lyricist; Will Aronson, composer & lyricist (Original Broadway Cast)

    Category 39

    Best Country Solo Performance

    For new vocal or instrumental solo country recordings.

    Nose On The Grindstone
    Tyler Childers

    Good News
    Shaboozey

    **Bad As I Used To Be [From “F1® The Movie”]**
    Chris Stapleton

    I Never Lie
    Zach Top

    Somewhere Over Laredo
    Lainey Wilson

    Category 40

    Best Country Duo/Group Performance

    For new vocal or instrumental duo/group or collaborative country recordings.

    A Song To Sing
    Miranda Lambert And Chris Stapleton

    Trailblazer
    Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson

    Love Me Like You Used To Do
    Margo Price & Tyler Childers

    Amen
    Shaboozey & Jelly Roll

    Honky Tonk Hall Of Fame
    George Strait, Chris Stapleton

    Category 41

    Best Country Song

    A Songwriter(s) Award. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

    Bitin’ List
    Tyler Childers, songwriter (Tyler Childers)

    Good News
    Michael Ross Pollack, Sam Elliot Roman & Jacob Torrey, songwriters (Shaboozey)

    I Never Lie
    Carson Chamberlain, Tim Nichols & Zach Top, songwriters (Zach Top)

    Somewhere Over Laredo
    Andy Albert, Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson & Lainey Wilson, songwriters (Lainey Wilson)

    A Song To Sing
    Jenee Fleenor, Jesse Frasure, Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton, songwriters (Miranda Lambert And Chris Stapleton)

    Category 42

    Best Traditional Country Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new traditional country recordings.

    Dollar A Day
    Charley Crockett

    American Romance
    Lukas Nelson

    Oh What A Beautiful World
    Willie Nelson

    Hard Headed Woman
    Margo Price

    Ain’t In It For My Health
    Zach Top

    Category 43

    Best Contemporary Country Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new contemporary country recordings.

    Patterns
    Kelsea Ballerini

    Snipe Hunter
    Tyler Childers

    Evangeline Vs. The Machine
    Eric Church

    Beautifully Broken
    Jelly Roll

    Postcards From Texas
    Miranda Lambert

    Category 44

    Best American Roots Performance

    For new vocal or instrumental American Roots recordings. This is for performances in the style of any of the subgenres encompassed in the American Roots Music field including bluegrass, blues, folk or regional roots. Award to the artist(s).

    LONELY AVENUE
    Jon Batiste Featuring Randy Newman

    Ancient Light
    I’m With Her

    Crimson And Clay
    Jason Isbell

    Richmond On The James
    Alison Krauss & Union Station

    Beautiful Strangers
    Mavis Staples

    Category 45

    Best Americana Performance

    For new vocal or instrumental Americana performance. Award to the artist(s).

    Boom
    Sierra Hull

    Poison In My Well
    Maggie Rose & Grace Potter

    Godspeed
    Mavis Staples

    That’s Gonna Leave A Mark
    Molly Tuttle

    Horses
    Jesse Welles

    Category 46

    Best American Roots Song

    A Songwriter(s) Award. Includes Americana, bluegrass, traditional blues, contemporary blues, folk or regional roots songs. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

    Ancient Light
    Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan & Sara Watkins, songwriters (I’m With Her)

    BIG MONEY
    Jon Batiste, Mike Elizondo & Steve McEwan, songwriters (Jon Batiste)

    Foxes In The Snow
    Jason Isbell, songwriter (Jason Isbell)

    Middle
    Jesse Welles, songwriter (Jesse Welles)

    Spitfire
    Sierra Hull, songwriter (Sierra Hull)

    Category 47

    Best Americana Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new vocal or instrumental Americana recordings.

    BIG MONEY
    Jon Batiste

    Bloom
    Larkin Poe

    Last Leaf On The Tree
    Willie Nelson

    So Long Little Miss Sunshine
    Molly Tuttle

    Middle
    Jesse Welles

    Category 48

    Best Bluegrass Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new vocal or instrumental bluegrass recordings.

    Carter & Cleveland
    Michael Cleveland & Jason Carter

    A Tip Toe High Wire
    Sierra Hull

    Arcadia
    Alison Krauss & Union Station

    Outrun
    The Steeldrivers

    Highway Prayers
    Billy Strings

    Category 49

    Best Traditional Blues Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new vocal or instrumental bluegrass recordings.

    Ain’t Done With The Blues
    Buddy Guy

    Room On The Porch
    Taj Mahal & Keb’ Mo’

    One Hour Mama: The Blues Of Victoria Spivey
    Maria Muldaur

    Look Out Highway
    Charlie Musselwhite

    Young Fashioned Ways
    Kenny Wayne Shepherd & Bobby Rush

    Category 50

    Best Contemporary Blues Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new vocal or instrumental contemporary blues recordings.

    Breakthrough
    Joe Bonamassa

    Paper Doll
    Samantha Fish

    A Tribute To LJK
    Eric Gales

    Preacher Kids
    Robert Randolph

    Family
    Southern Avenue

    Category 51

    Best Folk Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new vocal or instrumental folk recordings.

    What Did The Blackbird Say To The Crow
    Rhiannon Giddens & Justin Robinson

    Crown Of Roses
    Patty Griffin

    Wild And Clear And Blue
    I’m With Her

    Foxes In The Snow
    Jason Isbell

    Under The Powerlines April 24 – September 24
    Jesse Welles

    Category 52

    Best Regional Roots Music Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new vocal or instrumental regional roots music recordings.

    Live At Vaughan’s
    Corey Henry & The Treme Funktet

    For Fat Man
    Preservation Brass & Preservation Hall Jazz Band

    Church Of New Orleans
    Kyle Roussel

    Second Line Sunday
    Trombone Shorty And New Breed Brass Band

    A Tribute To The King Of Zydeco
    (Various Artists)

    Category 53

    Best Gospel Performance/Song

    This award is given to the artist(s) and songwriter(s) (for new compositions) for the best traditional Christian, roots gospel or contemporary gospel single or track.

    Do It Again
    Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin, songwriter

    Church
    Tasha Cobbs Leonard, John Legend; Anthony S. Brown, Brunes Charles, Annatoria Chitapa, Kenneth Leonard, Jr., Tasha Cobbs Leonard & Jonas Myrin, songwriters

    Still Live
    Jonathan McReynolds & Jamal Roberts; Britney Delagraentiss, Jonathan McReynolds, David Lamar Outing III, Orlando Joel Palmer & Terrell Demetrius Wilson, songwriters

    Amen
    Pastor Mike Jr.; Adia Andrews, Michael McClure Jr., David Lamar Outing II & Terrell Anthony Pettus, songwriters

    Come Jesus Come
    Cece Winans Featuring Shirley Caesar

    Category 54

    Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song

    This award is given to the artist(s) and songwriter(s) (for new compositions) for the best contemporary Christian music single or track, (including pop, rap/hip-hop, Latin, or rock.)

    I Know A Name
    Elevation Worship, Chris Brown, Brandon Lake; Hank Bentley, Steven Furtick, Brandon Lake & Jacob Sooter, songwriters

    YOUR WAY’S BETTER
    Forrest Frank; Forrest Frank & Pera, songwriters

    Hard Fought Hallelujah
    Brandon Lake With Jelly Roll; Chris Brown, Jason Bradley Deford, Steven Furtick, Benjamin William Hastings & Brandon Lake, songwriters

    Headphones
    Lecrae, Killer Mike, T.I.; Bongo ByTheWay, Clifford Harris, William Roderick Miller, Lecrae Moore, Michael Render & Tyshane Thompson, songwriters

    Amazing
    Darrel Walls, PJ Morton; PJ Morton & Darrel Walls,songwriters

    Category 55

    Best Gospel Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of newly recorded, vocal, traditional or contemporary/R&B gospel music recordings.

    Sunny Days
    Yolanda Adams

    Tasha
    Tasha Cobbs Leonard

    Live Breathe Fight
    Tamela Mann

    Only On The Road Live
    Tye Tribbett

    Heart Of Mine
    Darrel Walls, PJ Morton

    Category 56

    Best Contemporary Christian Music Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of newly recorded, vocal, contemporary Christian music, including pop, rap/hip hop, Latin, or rock recordings.

    CHILD OF GOD II
    Forrest Frank

    Coritos Vol. 1
    Israel & New Breed

    King Of Hearts
    Brandon Lake

    Reconstruction
    Lecrae

    Let The Church Sing
    Tauren Wells

    Category 57

    Best Roots Gospel Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of newly recorded, vocal, traditional/roots gospel music, including country, Southern gospel, bluegrass, and Americana recordings.

    **I Will Not Be Moved (Live)**
    The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

    Then Came The Morning
    Gaither Vocal Band

    Praise & Worship: More Than A Hollow Hallelujah
    The Isaacs

    Good Answers
    Karen Peck & New River

    Back To My Roots
    Candi Staton

    Category 58

    Best Latin Pop Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new Latin pop recordings.

    Cosa Nuestra
    Rauw Alejandro

    BOGOTÁ DELUXE
    Andrés Cepeda

    Tropicoqueta
    KAROL G

    Cancionera
    Natalia Lafourcade

    **¿Y ahora qué?**
    Alejandro Sanz

    Category 59

    Best Música Urbana Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new Música Urbana recordings.

    DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS
    Bad Bunny

    Mixteip
    J Balvin

    FERXXO VOL X: Sagrado
    Feid

    NAIKI
    Nicki Nicole

    EUB DELUXE
    Trueno

    **SINFÓNICO (En Vivo)**
    Yandel

    Category 60

    Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new Latin rock or alternative recordings.

    Genes Rebeldes
    Aterciopelados

    ASTROPICAL
    Bomba Estéreo, Rawayana, ASTROPICAL

    PAPOTA
    CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso

    ALGORHYTHM
    Los Wizzards

    Novela
    Fito Paez

    Category 61

    Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano)

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new regional Mexican (banda, norteño, corridos, gruperos, mariachi, ranchera and Tejano) recordings.

    MALA MÍA
    Fuerza Regida, Grupo Frontera

    Y Lo Que Viene
    Grupo Frontera

    Sin Rodeos
    Paola Jara

    **Palabra De To’s (Seca)**
    Carín León

    **Bobby Pulido & Friends Una Tuya Y Una Mía – Por La Puerta Grande (En Vivo)**
    Bobby Pulido

    Category 62

    Best Tropical Latin Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new tropical Latin recordings.

    Fotografías
    Rubén Blades, Roberto Delgado & Orquesta

    Raíces
    Gloria Estefan

    Clásicos 1.0
    Grupo Niche

    Bingo
    Alain Pérez

    Debut y Segunda Tanda, Vol. 2
    Gilberto Santa Rosa

    Category 63

    Best Global Music Performance

    For new vocal or instrumental Global music recordings.

    EoO
    Bad Bunny

    Cantando en el Camino
    Ciro Hurtado

    JERUSALEMA
    Angélique Kidjo

    **Inmigrante Y Que?**
    Yeisy Rojas

    **Shrini’s Dream (Live)**
    Shakti

    Daybreak
    Anoushka Shankar Featuring Alam Khan & Sarathy Korwar

    Category 64

    Best African Music Performance

    Love
    Burna Boy

    With You
    Davido Featuring Omah Lay

    Hope & Love
    Eddy Kenzo & Mehran Matin

    Gimme Dat
    Ayra Starr Featuring Wizkid

    PUSH 2 START
    Tyla

    Category 65

    Best Global Music Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new vocal or instrumental Global Music recordings.

    Sounds Of Kumbha
    Siddhant Bhatia

    No Sign of Weakness
    Burna Boy

    Eclairer le monde – Light the World
    Youssou N’Dour

    **Mind Explosion (50th Anniversary Tour Live)**
    Shakti

    Chapter III: We Return To Light
    Anoushka Shankar Featuring Alam Khan & Sarathy Korwar

    Caetano e Bethânia Ao Vivo
    Caetano Veloso And Maria Bethânia

    Category 66

    Best Reggae Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new reggae recordings.

    Treasure Self Love
    Lila Iké

    Heart & Soul
    Vybz Kartel

    BLXXD & FYAH
    Keznamdi

    From Within
    Mortimer

    No Place Like Home
    Jesse Royal

    Category 67

    Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new vocal or instrumental new age recordings.

    Kuruvinda
    Kirsten Agresta-Copely

    According To The Moon
    Cheryl B. Engelhardt, GEM, Dallas String Quartet

    Into The Forest
    Jahnavi Harrison

    NOMADICA
    Carla Patullo Featuring The Scorchio Quartet & Tonality

    The Colors In My Mind
    Chris Redding

    Category 68

    Best Children’s Music Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new musical or spoken word recordings that are created and intended specifically for children.

    Ageless: 100 Years Young
    Joanie Leeds & Joya

    Buddy’s Magic Tree House
    Mega Ran

    Harmony
    FYÜTCH & Aura V

    Herstory
    Flor Bromley

    The Music Of Tori And The Muses
    Tori Amos

    Category 69

    Best Comedy Album

    For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new recordings.

    Drop Dead Years
    Bill Burr

    PostMortem
    Sarah Silverman

    Single Lady
    Ali Wong

    What Had Happened Was…
    Jamie Foxx

    Your Friend, Nate Bargatze
    Nate Bargatze

    Category 70

    Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording

    Elvis, Rocky & Me: The Carol Connors Story
    Kathy Garver

    Into The Uncut Grass
    Trevor Noah

    Lovely One: A Memoir
    Ketanji Brown Jackson

    Meditations: The Reflections Of His Holiness The Dalai Lama
    Dalai Lama

    You Know It’s True: The Real Story Of Milli Vanilli
    Fab Morvan

    Category 71

    Award to the principal artist(s) and/or ‘in studio’ producer(s) of a majority of the tracks on the album. In the absence of both, award to the one or two individuals proactively responsible for the concept and musical direction of the album and for the selection of artists, songs and producers, as applicable. Award also goes to appropriately credited music supervisor(s).

    A Complete Unknown
    Timothée Chalamet

    F1® The Album
    (Various Artists)

    KPop Demon Hunters
    (Various Artists)

    Sinners
    (Various Artists)

    Wicked
    (Various Artists)

    Category 72

    Award to Composer(s) for an original score created specifically for, or as a companion to, a current legitimate motion picture, television show or series, or other visual media.

    How To Train Your Dragon
    John Powell, composer

    Severance: Season 2
    Theodore Shapiro, composer

    Sinners
    Ludwig Göransson, composer

    Wicked
    John Powell & Stephen Schwartz, composers

    The Wild Robot
    Kris Bowers, composer

    Category 73

    Award to Composer(s) for an original score created specifically for, or as a companion to, video games and other interactive media.

    Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora – Secrets of the Spires
    Pinar Toprak, composer

    Helldivers 2
    Wilbert Roget, II, composer

    Indiana Jones And The Great Circle
    Gordy Haab, composer

    Star Wars Outlaws: Wild Card & A Pirate’s Fortune
    Cody Matthew Johnson & Wilbert Roget, II, composers

    Sword of the Sea
    Austin Wintory, composer

    Category 74

    A Songwriter(s) award. For a song (melody & lyrics) written specifically for a motion picture, television, video games or other visual media, and released for the first time during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

    **As Alive As You Need Me To Be [From “TRON: Ares”]**
    Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, songwriters (Nine Inch Nails)

    **Golden [From “KPop Demon Hunters”]**
    EJAE & Mark Sonnenblick, songwriters (HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI)

    **I Lied to You [From “Sinners”]**
    Ludwig Göransson & Raphael Saadiq, songwriters (Miles Caton)

    **Never Too Late [From “Elton John: Never Too Late”]**
    Brandi Carlile, Elton John, Bernie Taupin & Andrew Watt, songwriters (Elton John, Brandi Carlile)

    **Pale, Pale Moon [From “Sinners”]**
    Ludwig Göransson & Brittany Howard, songwriters (Jayme Lawson)

    **Sinners [From “Sinners”]**
    Leonard Denisenko, Rodarius Green, Travis Harrington, Tarkan Kozluklu, Kyris Mingo & Darius Povilinus, songwriters (Rod Wave)

    Category 75

    Best Music Video

    Award to the artist, video director, and video producer.

    Manchild
    Sabrina Carpenter
    Vania Heymann & Gal Muggia, video directors; Aiden Magarian, Nathan Scherrer & Natan Schottenfels, video producers

    So Be It
    Clipse
    Hannan Hussain, video director; Daniel Order, video producer

    Anxiety
    Doechii
    James Mackel, video director; Pablo Feldman, Jolene Mendes & Sophia Sabella, video producers

    Love
    OK Go
    Aaron Duffy, Miguel Espada & Damian Kulash Jr., video directors; Petra Ahmann, video producer

    Young Lion
    Sade
    Sophie Muller, video director; Aaron Taylor Dean & Sade, video producers

    Category 76

    Best Music Film

    For concert/performance films or music documentaries. Award to the artist, video director, and video producer.

    Devo
    Devo
    Chris Smith, video director; Danny Gabai, Anita Greenspan, Chris Holmes & Chris Smith, video producers

    Live At The Royal Albert Hall
    Raye
    Paul Dugdale, video director; Stefan Demetriou & Amy James, video producers

    Relentless
    Diane Warren
    Bess Kargman, video director; Peggy Drexler, Michele Farinola & Kat Nguyen, video producers

    Music By John Williams
    John Williams
    Laurent Bouzereau, video director; Sara Bernstein, Laurent Bouzereau, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Meredith Kaulfers, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Steven Spielberg & Justin Wilkes, video producers

    Piece By Piece
    Pharrell Williams
    Morgan Neville, video director; Morgan Neville, Caitrin Rogers, Mimi Valdes & Pharrell Williams, video producers

    Category 77

    Best Recording Package

    And The Adjacent Possible
    Hà Trinh Quoc Bao, Damian Kulash, Jr., Claudio Ripol, Wombi Rose & Yuri Suzuki, art directors (OK Go)

    Balloonerism
    Bráulio Amado & Alim Smith, art directors (Mac Miller)

    Danse Macabre: De Luxe
    Rory McCartney, art director (Duran Duran)

    Loud Is As
    Farbod Kokabi & Emily Sneddon, art directors (Tsunami)

    Sequoia
    Tim Breen & Ken Shipley, art directors (Various Artists)

    **The Spins (Picture Disc Vinyl)**
    Miller McCormick, art director (Mac Miller)

    Tracks II: The Lost Albums
    Meghan Foley & Michelle Holme, art directors (Bruce Springsteen)

    Category 78

    Best Album Cover

    CHROMAKOPIA
    Shaun Llewellyn & Luis “Panch” Perez, art directors (Tyler, The Creator)

    The Crux
    William Wesley II, art director (Djo)

    Debí Tirar Más Fotos
    Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, art director (Bad Bunny)

    Glory
    Cody Critcheloe & Andrew J.S., art directors (Perfume Genius)

    moisturizer
    Hester Chambers, Ellis Durand, Henry Holmes, Matt de Jong, Jamie-James Medina, Joshua Mobaraki & Rhian Teasdale, art directors (Wet Leg)

    Category 79

    Best Album Notes

    Adios, Farewell, Goodbye, Good Luck, So Long: On Stage 1964-1974
    Scott B. Bomar, album notes writer (Buck Owens And His Buckaroos)

    After The Last Sky
    Adam Shatz, album notes writer (Anouar Brahem, Anja Lechner, Django Bates, Dave Holland)

    Árabe
    Amanda Ekery, album notes writer (Amanda Ekery)

    The First Family: Live At Winchester Cathedral 1967
    Alec Palao, album notes writer (Sly & The Family Stone)

    **A Ghost Is Born (20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)**
    Bob Mehr, album notes writer (Wilco)

    Miles ’55: The Prestige Recordings
    Ashley Kahn, album notes writer (Miles Davis)

    Category 80

    Best Historical Album

    **Joni Mitchell Archives – Volume 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980)**
    Patrick Milligan & Joni Mitchell, compilation producers; Bernie Grundman, mastering engineer (Joni Mitchell)

    The Making Of Five Leaves Left
    Cally Callomon & Johnny Chandler, compilation producers; Simon Heyworth & John Wood, mastering engineers (Nick Drake)

    **Roots Rocking Zimbabwe – The Modern Sound Of Harare’ Townships 1975-1980 (Analog Africa No.41)**
    Samy Ben Redjeb, compilation producer; Michael Graves, mastering engineer (Various Artists)

    **Super Disco Pirata – De Tepito Para El Mundo 1965-1980 (Analog Africa No. 39)**
    Samy Ben Redjeb, compilation producer; Michael Graves, mastering engineer (Various Artists)

    You Can’t Hip A Square: The Doc Pomus Songwriting Demos
    Will Bratton, Sharyn Felder & Cheryl Pawelski, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer (Doc Pomus)

    Category 81

    Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical

    An Engineer’s Award. (Artists names appear in parentheses.)

    All Things Light
    Jesse Brock, Jon Castelli, Tyler Johnson, Nick Lobel, Simon Maartensson, Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell, Anders Mouridsen, Ryan Nasci, Ernesto Olivera-Lapier, Ethan Schneiderman & Owen Stoutt, engineers; Dale Becker, mastering engineer (Cam)

    Arcadia
    Neal Cappellino & Gary Paczosa, engineers; Brad Blackwood, mastering engineer (Alison Krauss & Union Station)

    **For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women)**
    Joseph Lorge, Blake Mills & Sebastian Reunert, engineers; Patricia Sullivan, mastering engineer (Japanese Breakfast)

    That Wasn’t A Dream
    Joseph Lorge & Blake Mills, engineers; Patricia Sullivan, mastering engineer (Pino Palladino, Blake Mills)

    Category 82

    Best Engineered Album, Classical

    An Engineer’s Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.)

    Cerrone: Don’t Look Down
    Mike Tierney, engineer; Alan Silverman, mastering engineer (Sandbox Percussion)

    Eastman: Symphony No. 2; Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 2
    Gintas Norvila, engineer; Jennifer Nulsen, mastering engineer (Franz Welser-Möst & The Cleveland Orchestra)

    Shostakovich: Lady Macbeth Of The Mtsensk District
    Shawn Murphy & Nick Squire, engineers; Tim Martyn, mastering engineer (Andris Nelsons, Kristine Opolais, Günther Groissböck, Peter Hoare, Brenden Gunnell & Boston Symphony Orchestra)

    Standard Stoppages
    Sean Connors, Robert Dillon, Peter Martin, Bill Maylone, Judith Sherman & David Skidmore, engineers; Joe Lambert, mastering engineer (Third Coast Percussion)

    Yule
    Morten Lindberg, engineer; Morten Lindberg, mastering engineer (Trio Mediæval)

    Category 83

    Producer Of The Year, Classical

    A Producer’s Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.)

    Blanton Alspaugh
    All Is Miracle – The Choral Music Of Kyle Pederson (Timothy J. Campbell & Transept) (A)
    Heggie: Intelligence (Kwame Ryan, Janai Brugger, Jamie Barton, J’Nai Bridges & Houston Grand Opera) (A)
    Marsalis: Blues Symphony (Jader Bignamini & Detroit Symphony Orchestra) (A)
    Massenet: Werther (Robert Spano, Matthew Polenzani, sabel Leonard & Houston Grand Opera) (A)
    The Mirage Calls (Charles Bruffy & Kansas City Chorale) (A)
    Sheehan: Ukrainian War Requiem (Michael Zaugg, Axios Men’s Ensemble & Pro Coro Canada) (A)
    Sun, Moon, Stars, Rain (Christopher Gabbitas & Phoenix Chorale) (A)

    Sergei Kvitko
    Biedenbender: Enigma; River Of Time (Kevin L. Sedatole & Michigan State University Wind Symphony) (A)
    Chiaroscuro (Vedrana Subotic) (A)
    Dancing In A Still Life (Tasha Warren) (A)
    Excursions (Vuorovesi Trio) (A)
    Four Hands. Two Hearts. One Hope. Ukrainian And American Music For Piano Duo (Mykhailo Diordiiev & Anastasiia Larchikova) (A)
    Here And Now – Trumpet Music By Virginia Composers (Jason Crafton, Richard Masters, Annie Stevens & Paul Langosch) (A)
    Lansky: Touch And Go (Gwendolyn Dease) (A)
    Orbiting Garden (William Hobbs) (A)
    Would That Loving Were Enough (Haven Trio) (A)

    Morten Lindberg
    Fred Over Jorden (Peace To The World) (Elisabeth Holte, Kjetil Bjerkestrand & Uranienborg Vokalensemble) (A)
    Stjernebru (Anne Karin Sundal-Ask & Det Norske Jentekor) (A)
    Yule (Trio Mediæval) (A)

    Dmitriy Lipay
    Heggie: Before It All Goes Dark (Joseph Mechavich, Megan Marino, Ryan McKinny & Music Of Remembrance Ensemble) (A)
    Odyssey (Jorge Glem, Gustavo Dudamel & Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra Of Venezuela) (A)
    Ortiz: Yanga (Gustavo Dudamel, Alisa Weilerstein & Los Angeles Philharmonic) (A)

    Elaine Martone
    Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique (Franz Welser-Möst & The Cleveland Orchestra) (A)
    Chopin & Rachmaninoff: Cello Sonatas (Brian Thornton & Spencer Myer) (A)
    Dear Mrs. Kennedy (Ryan Townsend Strand) (A)
    Eastman: Symphony No. 2; Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 2 (Franz Welser-Möst & The Cleveland Orchestra) (A)
    LeFrak: Romántico (Sharon Isbin, Lopez-Yañez & Orchestra Of St. Luke’s) (A)
    Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 27 & Symphony No. 29 (Garrick Ohlsson, Franz Welser-Möst & The Cleveland Orchestrea) (A)
    The Poet & The Prodigy (Debra Nagy & Mark Edwards) (A)
    Shapes In Collective Space (Tallā Rouge) (A)
    Songs Of Orpheus (Kelley O’Connor) (A)

    Category 84

    Best Immersive Audio Album

    For vocal or instrumental albums in any genre. Must be commercially released for physical sale or on an eligible streaming or download service and must provide a new immersive mix of four or more channels. Award to the immersive mix engineer, immersive producer (if any) and immersive mastering engineer (if any).

    All American F***boy
    Andrew Law, immersive mix engineer (Duckwrth)

    Immersed
    Justin Gray, immersive mix engineer; Michael Romanowski, immersive mastering engineer; Justin Gray, Drew Jurecka & Morten Lindberg, immersive producers (Justin Gray)

    **An Immersive Tribute To Astor Piazzolla (Live)**
    Andrés Mayo & Martín Muscatello, immersive mix engineers; Andrés Mayo & Martín Muscatello, immersive producers (Various Artists)

    Tearjerkers
    Hans-Martin Buff, immersive mix engineer; Hans-Martin Buff, immersive producer (Tearjerkers)

    Yule
    Morten Lindberg, immersive mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, immersive mastering engineer; Arve Henriksen & Morten Lindberg, immersive producers (Trio Mediæval)

    Category 85

    Best Instrumental Composition

    A Composer’s Award for an original composition (not an adaptation) first released during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only

    First Snow
    Remy Le Boeuf, composer (Nordkraft Big Band, Remy Le Boeuf & Danielle Wertz)

    Live Life This Day: Movement I
    Miho Hazama, composer (Miho Hazama, Danish Radio Big Band & Danish National Symphony Orchestra)

    Lord, That’s A Long Way
    Sierra Hull, composer (Sierra Hull)

    Opening
    Zain Effendi, composer (Zain Effendi)

    Train To Emerald City
    John Powell & Stephen Schwartz, composers (John Powell & Stephen Schwartz)

    Why You Here / Before The Sun Went Down
    Ludwig Göransson, composer (Ludwig Göransson Featuring Miles Caton)

    Category 86

    Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella

    An Arranger’s Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

    Be Okay
    Cynthia Erivo, arranger (Cynthia Erivo)

    A Child Is Born
    Remy Le Boeuf, arranger (Nordkraft Big Band & Remy Le Boeuf)

    Fight On
    Andy Clausen, Addison Maye-Saxon, Riley Mulherkar & Chloe Rowlands, arrangers (The Westerlies)

    Super Mario Praise Break
    Bryan Carter, Charlie Rosen & Matthew Whitaker, arrangers (The 8-Bit Big Band)

    Category 87

    Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals

    An Arranger’s Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

    Big Fish
    Erin Bentlage, Sara Gazarek, Johnaye Kendrick, Nate Smith & Amanda Taylor, arrangers (Nate Smith Featuring säje)

    **How Did She Look?**
    Nelson Riddle, arranger (Seth MacFarlane)

    Keep An Eye On Summer
    Jacob Collier, arranger (Jacob Collier)

    **Something In The Water (Acoustic-Ish)**
    Clyde Lawrence, Gracie Lawrence & Linus Lawrence, arrangers (Lawrence)

    What A Wonderful World
    Cody Fry, arranger (Cody Fry)

    Category 88

    Best Orchestral Performance

    Award to the Conductor and to the Orchestra.

    **Coleridge-Taylor: Toussaint L’Ouverture; Ballade Op. 4; Suites From ’24 Negro Melodies’**
    Michael Repper, conductor (National Philharmonic)

    Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie
    Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra)

    Ravel: Boléro, M. 81
    Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra Of Venezuela)

    Still & Bonds
    Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor (The Philadelphia Orchestra)

    Stravinsky: Symphony In Three Movements
    Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor (San Francisco Symphony)

    Category 89

    Best Opera Recording

    Award to the Conductor, Album Producer(s) and Principal Soloists, and to the Composer and Librettist (if applicable) of a world premiere Opera recording only.

    Heggie: Intelligence
    Kwamé Ryan, conductor; Jamie Barton, J’Nai Bridges & Janai Brugger; Blanton Alspaugh, producer (Houston Grand Opera; Gene Scheer)

    Huang Ruo: An American Soldier
    Carolyn Kuan, conductor; Hannah Cho, Alex DeSocio, Nina Yoshida Nelsen & Brian Vu; Adam Abeshouse, Silas Brown & Doron Schachter, producers (American Composers Orchestra; David Henry Hwang)

    Kouyoumdjian: Adoration
    Alan Pierson, conductor; Miriam Khalil, Marc Kudisch, David Adam Moore, Omar Najmi, Naomi Louisa O’Connell & Karim Sulayman; Mary Kouyoumdjian, producer (Silvana Quartet; The Choir Of Trinity Wall Street)

    O’Halloran: Trade & Mary Motorhead
    Elaine Kelly, conductor; Oisín Ó Dálaigh & John Molloy; Alex Dowling & Emma O’Halloran, producers (Irish National Opera Orchestra; Mark O’Halloran)

    Tesori: Grounded
    Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor; Ben Bliss, Emily D’Angelo, Greer Grimsley & Kyle Miller; David Frost, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus; George Brant)

    Category 90

    Best Choral Performance

    Award to the Conductor, and to the Choral Director and/or Chorus Master where applicable and to the Choral Organization/Ensemble.

    Advena – Liturgies For A Broken World
    Craig Hella Johnson, conductor (Simon Barrad, Emily Yocum Black & Michael Hawes; Conspirare)

    Childs: In The Arms Of The Beloved
    Grant Gershon, conductor (Billy Childs, Dan Chmielinski, Christian Euman, Larry Koonse, Lyris Quartet, Anne Akiko Meyers, Carol Robbins & Luciana Souza; Los Angeles Master Chorale)

    Lang: Poor Hymnal
    Donald Nally, conductor (Steven Bradshaw, Michael Hawes, Lauren Kelly, Rebecca Siler & Elisa Sutherland; The Crossing)

    Ortiz: Yanga
    Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Grant Gershon, chorus master (Los Angeles Philharmonic; Los Angeles Master Chorale)

    Requiem Of Light
    Steven Fox, conductor; Emily Drennan & Patti Drennan, chorus masters (Brian Giebler & Sangeeta Kaur; The Clarion Choir)

    Category 91

    Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance

    For new recordings of works with chamber or small ensemble (twenty-four or fewer members, not including the conductor). One Award to the ensemble and one Award to the conductor, if applicable.

    Dennehy: Land Of Winter
    Alan Pierson & Alarm Will Sound

    La Mer – French Piano Trios
    Neave Trio

    Lullabies For The Brokenhearted
    Lili Haydn & Paul Cantelon

    Slavic Sessions
    Yuja Wang; Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra)

    Standard Stoppages
    Third Coast Percussion

    Category 92

    Best Classical Instrumental Solo

    Award to the Instrumental Soloist(s) and to the Conductor when applicable.

    **Coleridge-Taylor: 3 Selections From ’24 Negro Melodies’**
    Curtis Stewart; Michael Repper, conductor (National Philharmonic)

    Hope Orchestrated
    Mary Dawood Catlin; Jesús David Medina & Raniero Palm, conductors (Venezuela Strings Recording Ensemble)

    Inheritances
    Adam Tendler

    Price: Piano Concerto In One Movement In D Minor
    Han Chen; John Jeter, conductor (Malmö Opera Orchestra)

    Shostakovich: The Cello Concertos
    Yo-Yo Ma; Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra)

    Shostakovich: The Piano Concertos; Solo Works
    Yuja Wang; Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra)

    Category 93

    Best Classical Solo Vocal Album

    Award to: Vocalist(s), Collaborative Artist(s) (Ex: pianists, conductors, chamber groups) Producer(s), Recording Engineers/Mixers with greater than 50% playing time of new material.

    Alike – My Mother’s Dream
    Allison Charney, soloist; Benjamin Loeb, conductor (National Symphonia Orchestra)

    Black Pierrot
    Sidney Outlaw, soloist; Warren Jones, pianist

    In This Short Life
    Devony Smith, soloist; Danny Zelibor, pianist; Michael Nicolas, artist

    Kurtág: Kafka Fragments
    Susan Narucki, soloist; Curtis Macomber, artist

    Schubert Beatles
    Theo Hoffman, soloist; Steven Blier, pianist (Rupert Boyd, Julia Bullock, Alex Levine, Andrew Owens, Rubén Rengel & Sam Weber)

    Telemann: Ino – Opera Arias For Soprano
    Amanda Forsythe, soloist; Robert Mealy, Paul O’Dette & Stephen Stubbs, conductors (Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra)

    Category 94

    Best Classical Compendium

    Award to the Artist(s) and to the Album Producer(s) and Engineer(s) of over 50% playing time of the album, and to the Composer and Librettist (if applicable) with over 50% playing time of a world premiere recording only.

    Cerrone: Don’t Look Down
    Sandbox Percussion; Jonathan Allen, Victor Caccese, Christopher Cerrone, Ian Rosenbaum, Terry Sweeney & Mike Tierney, producers

    The Dunbar/Moore Sessions, Vol. II
    Will Liverman; Jonathan Estabrooks, producer

    Ortiz: Yanga
    Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Dmitriy Lipay, producer

    Seven Seasons
    Janai Brugger, Isolde Fair, MB Gordy & Starr Parodi; Nicholas Dodd, conductor; Jeff Fair, Starr Parodi & Kitt Wakeley, producers

    Tombeaux
    Christina Sandsengen; Shaun Drew & Christina Sandsengen, producers

    Category 95

    Best Contemporary Classical Composition

    A Composer’s Award. (For a contemporary classical composition composed within the last 25 years, and released for the first time during the Eligibility Year.) Award to the librettist, if applicable.

    Cerrone: Don’t Look Down
    Christopher Cerrone, composer (Conor Hanick & Sandbox Percussion)

    Dennehy: Land Of Winter
    Donnacha Dennehy, composer (Alan Pierson & Alarm Will Sound)

    **León: Raíces (Origins)**
    Tania León, composer (Edward Gardner & London Philharmonic Orchestra)

    Okpebholo: Songs In Flight
    Shawn E. Okpebholo, composer (Will Liverman, Paul Sánchez & Various Artists)

    Ortiz: Dzonot
    Gabriela Ortiz, composer (Alisa Weilerstein, Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic)

    Source: Grammy.com

  • “I’ll never retire from music” – Fred Kyei Mensah

    Legendary sound engineer and music producer Fred Kyei Mensah, popularly known as Fredyma, has declared that retirement is not an option for him, despite turning 60.

    He said music continues to sustain him emotionally and financially, even after enduring personal and professional challenges over the years.

    In an interview with Kafui Dei, monitored by MyNewsGh, Fredyma stated, “There’s no retirement for me. When I’m feeling down, I just sit at my keyboard and play. Life goes on. Music keeps me alive.”

    The veteran producer, who has played a key role in shaping Ghana’s music industry, acknowledged that the journey has not been without difficulties. He revealed that he has faced betrayals from people he once helped, as well as periods of financial hardship.

    “I wake up some mornings scrolling through my phone to see who I can call to beg for help,” he admitted. “It’s humbling, but music keeps me sane. It’s the only thing that has never left me.”

    Fredyma also expressed gratitude to individuals who have supported him through tough times, revealing that his current possessions are results of goodwill from others.

    “All the cars I have now were gifts. I didn’t buy one. My music opened those doors for me,” he said.

    He added that music is not just a career but a divine calling that continues to give him strength and purpose.

    On a different account, Fredyma and Highlife musician Ofori Amponsah have settled their age-old dispute over how the latter first met the late Daddy Lumba.

    Fredyma took to Facebook on November 5 to announce that he had finally smoked the peace pipe with Ofori Amponsah during an appearance on Joy Prime TV, where Andy Dosty was the host. 

    “This evening on Joy Prime TV hosted by the venerable Andy Dosty, Ofori Amponsah and I settled the seemingly conflict about who introduced him to the late Daddy Lumba.”

    “We both agreed that I did his demo songs, which ushered him to be accepted and to be part of Daddy Lumba’s music kingdom and his subsequent success in the music industry,” Fredyma stated.” 

    The veteran music producer further clarifed; “Apparently, Ofori Amponsah had visited Lumba’s house and made him listen to the demo I did and signed agreements without my knowledge before inviting me to accompany him later to officially present his demo. This was where the whole confusion erupted.”

    Fredyma added that, he knew the late Daddy Lumba for over four decades, but never indulged Ofori Amponsah and his dealings with the late legend.

    “I didn’t ever partake in any of his music dealings through the signing of agreements with the late Daddy Lumba,” he wrote.

    However, in June 1993, he took Ofori for an audition at the National Museums and Monuments Board, a move that eventually opened the door for him to perform at the National Theatre.

    “I took Ofori Amponsah for an audition at the National Museums and Monuments Board in June 1993 for onward performance at the National Theatre,” he recounted.

    According to Fredyma, Ofori Amponsah gained fame at the mainstream with Daddy Lumba after recording two albums in his studio.

    But one of the albums, a Highlife project recorded with Dada Ahuofe in 1995, was never released.

    A Gospel album recorded in 1996 came out before Ofori’s 1999 hit collaboration “Odo Mmra Fie” with Lumba.

    The veteran producer said he had not worked with Ofori Amponsah since 1997 but remains grateful that the long-standing misunderstanding has finally been resolved.

    “Officially, this has been Ofori Amponsah’s moment and journey in my life. I have never worked on any music project with him since 1997 to date. I am grateful that this uncalled-for impasse has been laid to rest. Thanks for your understanding. No malice intended. We move. Daddy Lumba koraa, wa wu so why the fuss?” he concluded.

    Meanwhile, the late highlife legend Daddy Lumba, notably refused to acknowledge or interact with his mentee and fellow musician, Ofori Amponsah, on stage during his birthday, despite Ofori performing and being present throughout the night.

    This was prior to an incident where Daddy Lumba had demanded the removal of Ofori Amponsah from the lineup of artists scheduled to perform at his concert on Valentine’s Day, dubbed “Valentine With Daddy Lumba.”

    Diving into the details behind the drop, Executive Director of Event Factory Ghana Limited, Nabil Alhassan, who is directly involved in organizing major entertainment events in Ghana, during an appearance on UTV’s United Showbiz on Saturday, October 5, named Lumba as one of the most difficult artistes he has ever worked with, highlighting how after artistes scheduled to perform at Lumba’s Valentine’s Day Concert had been finalized, he received a call from Serwaa Amihere, which was a conference call including Daddy Lumba.

    He said Lumba insisted that Ofori Amponsah be taken off the show or he wouldn’t perform.

    “We made our first payment, and publicity started. One day, I saw Serwaa Amihere calling me. She said Daddy was on the line and wanted to speak to me about something going on. He said, ‘Nabil, how are you? I want you to take Ofori off the show,’” he said.

    After probing why he wanted Ofori off the show, Nabil disclosed that Lumba informed him about how rumours suggested his former mentee had bad-mouthed him.

    Nabil further detailed that after constantly questioning the late musician for the reason behind his request, Daddy Lumba claimed Ofori Amponsah’s name was not included in the initial list of performers.

    “Guess what, Ofori has been on his show at the birthday party, so I thought everything was cool… I asked him, ‘Daddy, what is happening?’ He was like, the last time we spoke to him, we didn’t include that Ofori Amponsah was part of the artistes performing.

    Serwaa then informed him that we mentioned Ofori’s name. After that, he said someone had called him to inform him that Ofori was part of the people who once insulted him, so we should remove Ofori’s name from the list.”

    Nabil also shared how the late Daddy Lumba finally gave in after apologies were made.

    “Lumba can refund your money at any time. When he comes to your show, he has your money in his hands. Any small mistake, he would leave… So I was hanging… We spoke to him, and he said either Ofori will perform before he comes or after,” he added.

    The news of Daddy Lumba’s passing hit the world in the early hours of Saturday. Initially, when news of his passing emerged, a journalist of Hitz FM, Andy Dosty, came to deny it, noting that Daddy Lumba was alive. However, barely three hours later, Daddy Lumba (DL) FM released an official statement signed by the legend’s lawyer, confirming his demise.

    A statement by the counsel for the Fosu family later confirmed that the music veteran passed on July 26, after a short illness.

    He succumbed to the illness at the Bank Hospital in Accra, per reports.

    The statement reads: “With profound sorrow and deep grief, the Fosu family announces the passing of Ghana’s beloved musical icon, Charles Kwadwo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, who passed away earlier today, Saturday, July 26, 2025, after a short illness.”

    Daddy Lumba was born 60 years ago to Mr. Johnson Kwadwo Fosuh and Madam Comfort Gyamfi, also known as Ama Saah, in Nsuta, near Mampong in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Both of his parents were teachers, and he was the second of three siblings.

    His educational journey began in Nsuta Kyebi, and he completed junior high school at Suame Methodist, Kumasi in 1979. Subsequently, he attended Adu Gyamfi Senior High School in Jamasi, but later transferred to Juaben Senior High School, where he completed his secondary education in 1984.

    Daddy Lumba’s music career took off in the early 80s when he formed the Nkwanta Wesley Singers, gaining fame at the Anokye Krom Cultural Center.

    During his time at Juaben Senior High School, he led the school choir and composed the song “Lumba Lumba,” dedicated to the freedom fighters in South Africa. This song’s popularity earned him the nickname “Daddy Lumba,” which later became his stage name. He also formed the Lumba Brothers band during his school days, which included his girlfriend at the time, Theresa.

    After completing school, Daddy Lumba, with the help of his high school sweetheart Theresa Abebrese, traveled to Germany. There, he met Ernest Nana Acheampong, and they formed another Lumba Brothers group, recording their debut album, “Yee Ye Aka Akwantuom,” in 1986. Financial constraints delayed the album’s release until 1989, and eventually, the duo split.

    Daddy Lumba then launched his solo career and released his debut solo album, “Obi Ate Meso Buo,” in 1990. The album received immense popularity and critical acclaim, featuring classics like the title track and “Theresa,” dedicated to his ex-lover. He has since released 33 albums, including notable ones like “Sika Asem,” “Aben Wo Ha,” “Wo Ho Kyere,” “Awosoo,” “Give Peace A Chance,” and “Ahenfo Kyiniye.” His latest project, “Ofon Na Edi Asem Fo,” was released in December 2022, reuniting him with longtime collaborator Kweku Mensah.

    In addition to his own success, Daddy Lumba is renowned for nurturing the careers of budding artists who went on to become legends in their own right.

    Some of these artists include Felix Owusu, for whom he produced the debut album “Vida” in 1992, Afia Ampofowaa, Kwabena Sunkwa, Ofori Amponsah with the “Wo Ho Kyere” album in 1999, Selina Orleans, Akua Serwaa Bonsu, Borax, Ateaa Tina, and many others.

    His contributions to Ghanaian music and the support he provided to upcoming talents have solidified his status as an iconic figure in the country’s music industry.

    With his passion, talent, and dedication to the craft, Daddy Lumba continues to be a role model for aspiring musicians, leaving an indelible mark on the rich musical landscape of Ghana.

  • “I’m producing artists now, and it’s paying off financially” – Wanlov Kobulor

    “I’m producing artists now, and it’s paying off financially” – Wanlov Kobulor

    Afro-folk musician Wanlov the Kubolor has revealed that he is now reaping the rewards of staying authentic.

    During an interview on Joy Prime with Asieduwaa Akumi, Kubolor expressed his belief that everyone’s path to freedom is different, but for “me, it’s about living honestly and without fear.”

    “It took a while, but people are beginning to understand my art. I’m producing artists now, and it’s paying off financially. I’m happy with how things are going.”

    Wanlov the Kubolor, a musician and advocate for gay rights, attributes the surge in hostility towards LGBT+ individuals in Ghana to colonialism, religion, and poverty.

    During a recent interview with Graphic Online TV, Wanlov asserted that before the era of colonialism, LGBT+ individuals lived harmoniously within societies.

    He elaborated that the escalation of animosity towards the LGBT+ community in Ghana coincided with a lack of access to fundamental resources and societal necessities among citizens.

    According to Wanlov, this deprivation, combined with religious doctrines, fostered an environment conducive to homophobia.

    “When I look at the fact that there were no stringent laws, harsh punishments, or anything out there, that is the pre-colonial era, against homosexuality or queer life, I feel like people just coexisted.

    “What has happened now to us as Ghanaians is that we have been taken to this level of poverty right now. And each of us feels very neglected by the state.

    “Each of us feels very neglected by the places we work. We feel like everybody is trying to take advantage, underpay us, and so on. So the average Ghanaian is not getting all the rights guaranteed by the constitution. We don’t live with the kind of dignity we are supposed to.

    “Then this average Ghanaian is being taught by Christianity, by Islam, and by colonial traditional religion that homosexuality is a sin.

    “So when the queer community that is extra oppressed because of this homophobia steps up to say, ‘Okay, can you at least treat us like the average Ghanaian?’ The homophobic community of Ghana is like, ‘How dare you? You are a sinner. You are less of a person than me because I am a better person. How dare you ask for rights when this state I live in doesn’t guarantee me or doesn’t give me the rights that I deserve, even if I am being a good person.’ So I feel that that indignation is at play,” he said.

    Wanlov the Kubolor’s remarks contribute to the ongoing discourse concerning the Anti-LGBT+ Bill and its implications for human rights in Ghana.

    About the bill

    According to the Anti-LGBT+ Bill, individuals engaged in LGBT+ activities could face imprisonment ranging from six months to three years, while those promoting or sponsoring such activities could be sentenced to three to five years in jail.

    President Akufo-Addo has postponed his determination on signing the Bill into law, citing a constitutional challenge in the Supreme Court.

    However, even if he opts against it, Members of Parliament hold the authority to override the president’s decision with a two-thirds majority vote, thereby making the Bill’s provisions legally binding.

    He made a bold statement about the rumours that may circulate about him in the media.

    When asked if he had heard any strange or untrue rumours about himself, Wanlov confidently replied that he had not.

    In a recent interview with Doreen Abanema Abayaa on Talkertainment, Wanlov did not attribute this to any particular lack of interest or attention from the public.

    Rather, he suggested that the reality of his life is so unusual and unexpected that any rumours or stories people might invent about him would pale in comparison.

    “I don’t think people make up facts about me. I think my fact is stranger than the fiction. The fact of my life, the reality, is stranger than the stories that people can create about me,” ” Wanlov explained.

    During the interview, the artist delved into his role as a pro-gay activist, highlighting his active involvement in fighting for the rights of people he believes are being suppressed.

    Wanlov emphasized that queer people are no different from anyone else and deserve to live their lives free of discrimination and oppression.

    He  has jabbed the government over what he describes as poor management of the economy which has resulted in Ghana retrogressing instead of progressing after 65 years of independence.

    The artiste who used to rock long dreadlocks decided to crop his hair leaving just a single lock at the centre of his head. Many have wondered about the inspiration behind his look.

    Wanlov, known for his ‘weird’ fashion sense has disclosed that his hairstyle was inspired by the ‘failed’ state.

    Making a submission on CTV with Larry Bozzlz, Wanlov made a mockery of Ghana’s current situation that has witnessed citizens call for action and plans to rescue the economy.

    He said: “I feel like this is a representation of Ghana…backwards plenty (pointing to his longest dreadlock). That is the hairstyle, forward small, backward plenty.”

  • Close to 50,000 female condoms go waste due to low patronage -NACP Official reveals 

    Close to 50,000 female condoms go waste due to low patronage -NACP Official reveals 

    Close to 50,000 female condoms procured by the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) have gone to waste over low patronage

    This was announced by Deputy Programme Manager of the National AIDS/STI Control Programme, Dr. Anthony Ashinyo during an engagement with the Ghana News Agency.

    According to him, the expired condoms formed part of large consignments meant to promote safer sex among women, but poor patronage rendered most of them unused.

    “We bought a lot of female condoms in the past, but they were not being used. Over time they expired, and we had to throw them away. Now, procurement is done in very small quantities because the demand is not there,” he said.

    He added that mistrust, promiscuity, social and cultural attitudes are the major drivers discouraging the usage of the product by females.

    “Many women believe that wearing female condoms means they cannot be trusted by their partners, so they would rather rely on male condoms. The desire and interest to use the female condoms are just not there,” Dr. Ashinyo added.

    He also raised concern about the improper use of female condoms, noting that some women take off the rims to create bangles and clothing accessories, while others report discomfort or excessive stimulation during use.

    Dr. Ashinyo cautioned that the declining use of condoms, particularly among women, endangers Ghana’s efforts to curb sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as HIV.

    “Condoms serve as a biomedical protective tool that collects secretions containing viruses. When people don’t use them, those secretions come into direct contact during intercourse, increasing the risk of infection,” he noted.

    He explained that the low demand has disrupted the supply chain, leaving pharmacies and public health centers with only small quantities in stock. To address this, he urged intensified public education and advocacy to dispel myths and promote the use of female condoms as part of Ghana’s HIV prevention strategy.

    The 2024 National and Sub-National HIV and AIDS Estimates and Projections Report indicates that about 334,721 Ghanaians are currently living with HIV, with 15,290 new infections and 12,614 AIDS-related deaths recorded last year.

    Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr. Kharmacelle Prosper Akanbong, noted that new infections are increasing among young people due to declining condom use and a growing sense of complacency toward HIV risks.

    To tackle this challenge, he revealed plans to introduce condom dispensing machines in public places, including transport terminals, university campuses, and youth gatherings, to make condoms more accessible and encourage safer sexual practices.

    “A person living with HIV still fears disclosure, still fears ostracism, and still fears for their future. We must challenge this,” Dr. Akanbong urged, calling on Ghanaians to treat people living with HIV with dignity and respect.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that by July 2025, HIV had claimed roughly 44.1 million lives worldwide.

    Despite its continued spread, the organization says advancements in prevention and antiretroviral treatment (ART) are helping to control the virus and lower infection rates.

    In late October, the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) revealed that an average of 42 new HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infections are recorded daily among adults and children across the country.

    According to the Commission’s 2024 National and Sub-National HIV Estimates and Projections, a total of 334,721 people are currently living with HIV in Ghana. Out of this figure, 105,460 are males, representing 31.5 percent, while 229,261 are females, accounting for 68.5 percent.

    https://youtube.com/watch?v=Vc4wwB1pDhE%3Frel%3D0%26modestbranding%3D1

    The Bono, Bono East, and Ahafo Regional Technical Coordinator of the GAC, Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim Bimbilla, who disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani, said the data provides crucial insight into the scale of the epidemic and guides effective planning.

    He revealed that 15,290 new HIV infections were recorded in the country, comprising 4,987 males, representing 32.6 percent, and 10,303 females, representing 67.4 percent.

    Mr. Bimbilla also noted that AIDS-related deaths currently stand at 12,614, consisting of 5,445 males and 7,159 females. He said approximately 229 deaths are prevented each week through the provision of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) services.

    Providing a regional breakdown, he said the North East Region recorded the lowest HIV population with 1,717 cases, while Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Eastern recorded the highest figures of 77,821, 63,159, and 44,792 respectively.

    He added that seven regions known as Ahafo, Upper East, Northern, Upper West, Oti, Savannah, and North East each recorded HIV populations below 10,000.

    According to him, HIV prevalence is highest in the Bono Region with 2.22 percent, followed by the Eastern Region with 2.08 percent and Ahafo with 1.88 percent, while the North East Region recorded the lowest prevalence at 0.43 percent.

    He further indicated that five regions, namely Oti, Upper East, Savannah, Northern, and North East, recorded prevalence rates below 1.0 percent.

    Mr. Bimbilla stated that the Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Eastern regions also recorded the highest number of new HIV infections, with 3,436, 2,997, and 2,019 cases respectively, while the North East Region recorded the lowest with 97 cases.

    Eleven regions, including Bono, Volta, Bono East, Western North, Ahafo, Upper East, Northern, Upper West, Oti, Savannah, and North East, recorded fewer than 1,000 new infections.

    Commenting on the trend, Mr. Bimbilla described the decline in HIV prevalence, new infections, and AIDS-related deaths as a positive development, which he attributed to the growing uptake of ART services.

    He expressed optimism that the downward trend would help Ghana achieve epidemic control and urged continued efforts in public education, testing, and access to treatment to sustain progress toward eliminating HIV and AIDS.

  • SML lawyer refutes OSP claims on misappropriation of funds

    SML lawyer refutes OSP claims on misappropriation of funds

    The lawyer for Strategic Mobilization Ghana Limited (SML), Cephas Boyuo, has addressed what he describes as misconceptions by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) regarding the company’s contract with the Government of Ghana.

    He has dismissed the notion that the contract required parliamentary approval under Section 331 of the Public Financial Management Act.

    “Let me be clear on this: the GRA-SML contract did not create multi-year financial obligation; it didn’t. There was no debt exposure, no contingent liability—in fact, no contingent liability on government, absolutely none.”

    “Now, under the law, those are the only circumstances in which parliamentary approval is triggered. In fact, the opposite is true, and please capture it well for us, for the people of Ghana to understand,” Cephas Boyuo stated while addressing the press on November 6.

    Mr. Boyuo further noted that SML financed the entire project using its own funds.

    “SML funded 100 percent of the project from its own resources. Every tool, every meter, every server, every solar system, every ICT device, every installation was imported, installed, operated, and maintained at SML’s own cost,” he explained.

    Mr Boyuo stressed the company’s essential financial contributions to the state, saying, “And more importantly, SML paid all import duties, VAT, levies, and statutory charges exceeding 500 million Ghana cedis, and this excludes actual investment.

    “So you want to rush and terminate; we are there, we will pay for all that. If that is what you want to do, you can go ahead.”

    On the government’s involvement, Mr. Boyuo stressed, “Government did not pay a pesewa, government did not guarantee anything, government did not provide capital or assume any risk—in fact, government has zero exposure.”

    Meanwhile, the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Anthony Sarpong, together with other top officials, has been summoned by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) for questioning over the controversial GRA–Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) revenue assurance contract.

    The other GRA officials include the Assistant Commissioner in charge of Finance, Celestine Annan; and the Technical Assistant to theCommissioner-General, Kenneth Agyei-Duah. Their invitation follows the recent arrest of the Acting Head of Legal Affairs at the GRA, Freeman Sarbah for his alleged involvement in the controversial deal as well as trying to interfere with justice.

    The Strategic Mobilization Limited has been operating in Ghana for the past five years to check revenue in the oil (upstream) and mining (mineral) sectors. In 2024, the revenue arm of the government discontinued two contract transactions (the Audit and External Verification Service Contract (AEVS) with SML, as well as halting portions of the contract agreement.

    The GRA also suspended the SML’s Upstream Petroleum and Minerals Revenue Audit until further notice. The suspension came after the then-President, Akufo-Addo received a report from KPMG against SML’s deals. Last week, President John Dramani Mahama ordered the termination of the SML deal following a comprehensive investigation conducted by the Office of the Special Prosecutor, led by Mr Kissi Agyebeng. The President issued the termination through a letter to the Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.

    Following the investigations, the anti-corruption agency discovered procurement breaches and irregularities in contract awards, contractual overreach beyond SML’s original mandate, lack of value for money due to inflated costs and questionable service delivery, and legal concerns.

    The SML contracts included several components, thus a Transaction Audit and External Price Verification service agreement, a Measurement Audit for Downstream Petroleum Products contract, and later agreements for Upstream Petroleum and Minerals & Metals audit services.

    On 3 May 2024, GRA terminated two of those contracts (the Transaction Audit & External Price Verification) and suspended the Upstream Petroleum & Minerals Audit portion under the erstwhile government.

    In June this year, following the OSP’s findings, the Measurement Audit for Downstream Petroleum Products (the main SML contract) was completely terminated, saving Ghana over GHS 1.2 billion.

    In an addendum shared on its X (formerly Twitter) handle, the OSP noted that more has been saved in finances aside from the GHC 1.2billion. The OSP announced that Ghana has saved more than GHS 2.6 billion and US$173 million.

    The additional savings, it said, arose from avoiding payments tied to crude oil and gold export monitoring services that were never implemented.

    “Following the earlier announcement that Ghana saved over GHS 1.2 billion from the cancellation of the main SML revenue assurance contract, there an additional savings from the upstream and mineral sector components of the agreement. These contracts, which were based on a variable fee structure linked to exports of crude oil and gold, would have cost the State approximately US$173 million for crude oil and GHS 2.6 billion for gold exports over five years.

    SML did not commence work as the arrangement coincided with the KPMG audit. Owing to the criminal investigations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the subsequent cancellation by the President, Ghana has now avoided these further costs,” the OSP noted in its statement.

    In a highly detailed press briefing following a comprehensive investigation, the OSP mentioned critical findings that exposed systemic breaches of public financial regulations and a clear misuse of authority that caused the state to lose money.

    “There was no genuine need for contracting SML for the obligations it’s purported to perform,” the Special Prosecutor declared.

    Mr Agyebeng has solidified the case against the contentious Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) contract, alleging that former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta approved payments without any technical or operational justification.

    According to the OSP, Ofori-Atta failed to intervene even though SML openly lacked the necessary capacity, expertise, and tools to execute its contract. Instead, he allegedly remained complicit, approving payments from the Consolidated Fund, the Petroleum Revenue Account, and the Tax Refund Account.

    The OSP’s investigation concluded, “Had he not been personally benefiting from the SML’s unlawfully procured contracts, the openly displayed by SML of a lack of capacity’s expertise and tools would have immediately triggered his intervention to halt payments to SML and demand accountability. Instead, he looked on conspiratorially in silence, while endorsing and approving payments to SML from the Consolidated Fund, Petroleum Revenue Account, and Tax Refund Account with no technical or operational basis,” the OSP said during a press conference on Thursday, October 30.

    The OSP’s findings expose SML’s clear inability to perform the revenue assurance services it was contracted for, which included key responsibilities such as transaction audits and external price verification.

    According to the investigation, the continuous “troubleshooting displayed during this period was born of the unlawful imposition of SML in the space and the still lingering reality of SML’s lack of capacity to carry out transaction audits and external price verification.”

    Even after 15 months of engagement, SML reportedly “had no system in place to receive CCVRs” (customs control and valuation records), the essential data needed to execute its tasks. Additionally, the existing data provider, West Blue, was under “no legal obligation to release the vital data” to SML.

    As a result, the assigned work remained uncompleted, yet the company “continued to be paid,” reinforcing the OSP’s conclusion that the situation led to a financial loss to the state.

    It is important to note that former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been declared wanted by the OSP for causing financial loss to the state in several dealings, including the contractual arrangement between Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited and the Ghana Revenue Authority for the stated objective of enhancing revenue assurance in the downstream petroleum sector, upstream petroleum production, and minerals and metals resource value chain.

    The activities of SML came to light years ago after Manasseh Azure Awuni raised contractual breaches in a deal involving the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML).

    The original purpose of the GRA-SML contract was to boost revenue assurance in vital sectors of Ghana’s economy, including the downstream petroleum sector, upstream petroleum production, and the minerals and metals value chain. The goal was to streamline revenue collection, ensuring greater transparency and efficiency in these high-revenue sectors.

    Following concerns, an in-depth audit was carried out by international firm KPMG, commissioned by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The audit was launched to examine the contractual agreements between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and SML, with a particular focus on the procedures and approvals related to the contract.

    The KPMG audit uncovered significant procedural errors and regulatory violations in awarding the contract. Specifically, the GRA did not obtain the required approvals from the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) and failed to seek parliamentary oversight before finalising the agreement with SML.

    The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) entered into six service agreements with Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) using the single-source procurement method without obtaining approval from the Public Procurement Authority (PPA).

    The first agreement, covering Transaction Audit Services, was signed on June 1, 2018. This was followed by a Contract Extension on January 1, 2019. On April 1, 2019, the GRA entered into another agreement with SML for External Price Verification Services. Subsequently, on October 3, 2019, the two parties signed a Consolidation Services Agreement, which combined the Transaction Audit and External Verification Services.

    That same day, a separate agreement was also signed for the Measurement Audit of Downstream Petroleum Products. Later, on July 29, 2020, an Addendum to the Measurement Audit for Downstream Petroleum Products Agreement was executed.

    The audit report also revealed that SML owes the government over GHC31 million in taxes.

  • I will go back home to be injected and raped for my brother’s release – Regina Daniels

    I will go back home to be injected and raped for my brother’s release – Regina Daniels

    Nollywood actress Regina Daniels has finally resolved to go back to her husband, Ned Nwoko, as the only way to secure her brother’s release from prison.

    Regina’s brother was recently arrested, by Ned Nwoko, over his attempt to defend his sister from repeated domestic violence, a situation that forced Regina to vacate her marital home.

    But Regina is making a U-turn because it doesn’t look like his brother will be released if she fails to return to her marital home,

    “I give up! What was my brother’s offense? Fighting for his baby sister because her in-law would always beat her up? … Now I’m crippled! I will return if that’s the only way; do whatever he says, get injected to be like a zombie, get locked up and raped in the house. Only then will my brother return,” Regina in a post on Facebook.

    She expressed disappointment with Nigerian law enforcement, claiming that her husband’s influence has overshadowed justice.

    “It’s obvious the highest bidder always wins. By law, there is no tangible case against Sammy West. Ned Nwoko is bigger than the whole of Nigeria — that’s what this means. We lost, or rather, I lost,” she lamented.

    Nigerian actress Regina Daniels has asked netizens to put an end to hurling insults at her mother over her estranged marriage to Nigerian senator Ned Nwoko.

    “Stop insulting my mother. She’s the best woman on earth. She warned me. My brothers warned me. Everybody warned me. Nobody’s going to cry on this camera. Everybody warned me, and then I drove out at night. I was going to kill myself if I didn’t marry Ned,” she said in a video posted on her Instagram page on November 5, 2025.

    Contrary to claims that her parent endorsed her marriage to Ned for money, Regina says she was genuinely in love despite opposition from her entire family.

    She recounted an instance where she drove out of home at night to kill herself over her family’s resistance towards her choice of man.

    “I went to the police station and said, ‘Arrest me. My family does not want me to marry the love of my life.’ But I actually did fall in love. It’s crazy, but I did. And I still care and respect him. That’s love. What is love? Care and respect,” she stated.

    Earlier this year, Regina Daniels returned to Instagram after a brief disappearance, but one striking detail has caught fans’ attention—her husband, Senator Ned Nwoko, is missing from her page.

    The Nollywood actress, who had deactivated her account weeks ago, reappeared with a video post captioned, “Even for convoy I Dey with my Google Map 📌#young&accomplished!” However, what stood out was a noticeable change in her profile.

    Her name, previously displayed as Regina Daniels Nwoko, now reads Regina Daniels Nneamaka Favour. In addition, all posts featuring Senator Nwoko have vanished from her account.

    Her social media break coincided with swirling rumors that the senator had welcomed a child with actress Chika Ike—claims he later denied.

    Though Regina has not addressed the changes, her updated profile and missing posts have sparked widespread speculation, with fans flooding her comment section, eager to know the status of her marriage.

    Regina Daniels revealed that her mother and entire family were against her marriage to Ned Nwoko, the Senator from Delta North.

    Disclosing this during a live on Instagram, the actress said: “I went to visit my boyfriend, and I was so angry about why we had to go sightseeing, but when we got there, I met a cute man.

    “The moral of the story is that your boyfriend should not stop you from seeing your husband.

    “When I started with my husband, I forgot I was to have boyfriends; of course, I had like 20. When people think I don’t have a choice, I’m like, what?

    “People were saying Mummy forced me, not knowing that she was against the marriage; my full family said no.”

    Nwoko tied the knot with Regina Daniels in May 2019 in the Aniocha Local Government Area of Delta State, despite their significant age difference.

    The 63-year-old politician expressed that he chose to marry the 23-year-old actress because she hails from his community.

    “For her particularly, I married her because she is from my place. I wanted to marry a wife from my place and was looking for the right person. By the time I met her, I knew she must be the one,” Nwoko had said.

    Nigerian actress Regina Daniels has expressed her deep joy and pride in being a mother of two, describing it as her greatest honor.

    Sharing a touching photo with her children on Instagram on March 31, 2025, Daniels highlighted her commitment to protecting them and doing everything in her power to ensure their happiness and safety.

    “My greatest honour in life is being a mother to these two adorable angels, and everything I will ever do will be for them,” she shared in the post, radiating love and warmth as she celebrated her role as a mother.

    In her message, Daniels emphasized the significance of motherhood in her life, revealing how her children have transformed her world in ways words can hardly capture.

    Beyond the personal celebration, Daniels also surprised her fans with a generous giveaway, pledging ₦50,000 each to 10 lucky followers to do something special for their own families. She encouraged her followers to share what makes their mothers special, adding an extra layer of joy to the celebration.

    “My children are my everything, and I would do anything for them. It is an honor beyond measure,” she said, clearly overjoyed by the blessing of motherhood.

  • I will choose my peace of mind over a collab with Tiwa Savage – Yemi Alade

    I will choose my peace of mind over a collab with Tiwa Savage – Yemi Alade

    Nigerian singer, Yemi Alade, has clearly stated that she will choose her peace of mind over a collaboration with colleague, Tiwa Savage.

    In an interview session with Chude, Yemi Alade stated that she fully supports the idea of supporting women on every level but she not in the case of Tiwa Savage.

    She explained; “You know the thing is that fans and media just tend to stir the water where the water is supposed to be still.”

    “I know that the fan-favourite collaboration is the one you mentioned. I’d rather just stay clear; I don’t want problems in my life. I don’t want problems.

    Adding that she’d rather “just exist and not try to make something out of nothing.”

    In 2024, the Global Afropop superstar Yemi Alade unveiled her new single, “Tomorrow,” an upbeat track that highlights the promise of a better day and the importance of embracing the opportunities each new day brings.

    The song encourages listeners to trust in divine guidance from God, despite the uncertainties of the future.

    Produced by Yasso, this vibrant and positive single is the first release from Yemi’s upcoming tenth album, set for release in 2024.

    Ahead of the release, Yemi says, “Tomorrow is a timeless piece that honors the aspirations of the future and the ongoing pursuit of turning them into achievements. This is a dedication to all those envisioning brighter days, serving as an anthem for champions.”

    Ahead of the release, Yemi says, “Tomorrow is a timeless piece that honors the aspirations of the future and the ongoing pursuit of turning them into achievements. This is a dedication to all those envisioning brighter days, serving as an anthem for champions.”

    Yemi Alade is thrilled to present another tantalizing body of work. She revealed that the new album will be a fusion of diverse genres, crafted to appeal to music lovers from all corners of the world.

    She says, “I created this album with the sole purpose of creating music I grew up loving and the variety I have grown to love now. I was inspired by the core African music of Highlife and different genres that got us excited as Africans.”

    Yemi Alade kicked off 2024 on a high note by performing at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) opening ceremony. Her upcoming album will enhance her stellar discography and expand her global presence.

    She is also set to headline her show at Zenith, Paris – La Villette, France, on September 21, 2024, alongside her African Train Band.

    About Yemi Alade:

    Yemi Alade is a Nigerian singer/songwriter renowned for her multifaceted talents, including acting and being an all-around entertainer. In 2023, she won the Best Music Video award for “Baddie” at the inaugural Trace Awards.

    Yemi Alade also clinched the MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAs) for Best Female in both 2015 and 2016.

    Her discography includes ‘Mamapiano’ EP (2023), ‘African Baddie’ (2022), ‘Queendoncom’ (2021), ‘Empress’ (2020), ‘Woman of Steel’ (2019), ‘Black Magic & Deluxe Version’ (2017), ‘Mama Afrique EP’ (2017), ‘Mama Africa – The Diary of an African Woman’ (2016), and ‘King of Queens’ (2014). Yemi was also featured in Beyoncé’s compilation album ‘The Lion King: The Gift’ on the track “Don’t Jealous Me.”

    Yemi Alade is the first African female Afropop star to surpass 100 million views on YouTube and VEVO with her smash hit single “Johnny,” making it one of the most viewed music videos from Africa.

    In 2020, she was appointed as a UNDP Goodwill Ambassador, adding to her extensive list of responsibilities, which includes running her own charity, the James and Helen PathWay Foundation.

    The Nigerian afrobeat artiste, Tiwa Savage has shared that “Dorobucci” used to be a song that did not make any sense to her.

    Due to her perception, she was hesitant to record her verse, making her the last Mavin artist to contribute to the track while her colleagues were already excited about it.

    What changed her mind to begin appreciating the song was when she heard the final version in the studio upon her return to Nigeria after a trip to Dubai.

    “Don’t know if people know this, but Don Jazzy played ‘Dorobucci’ in the hotel when we were in Dubai for my wedding, and honestly, I thought it was such a crap song.”

    “When I got back to Nigeria, and I got to the studio, and I heard the song that I heard him play in Dubai, I was flabbergasted. I was so angry, like, I don’t know, because this had happened with ‘Eminado’ too, and I did not like it.”

    “I was the last person to record my verse, because I was looking at everybody and I was like, ‘Do you guys really like this?” she said.

    Tiwa Savage, looking back on the song’s success, praised Don Jazzy’s creativity and ability to craft hits that connect with fans.

    “We all know what happened to the record. I don’t know what Don Jazzy does, but yeah, that was… I heard it, and I didn’t want to tell him. I was like, man, who… I was like, is it Reekado he’s doing this song for? Is it Korede or D’ija? Not knowing I would be on the song too, and it turned out to be phenomenal. Shoutout to Don Jazzy too,” she said.

    Meanwhile, the Nigerian musician has stated that she is not comfortable with being referred to as the “Queen of Afrobeats.”

    “Yeah, they call me the Queen of Afrobeats, but there are a lot of us that are Queens,” she said on GhanaWeb’s X Space on September 12, 2025.

    The award-winning artist believes that many other female artists deserve such a title.

    Meanwhile, renowned event MC and entertainment pundit, MC Portfolio, has shared his view on whether Stonebwoy deserves recognition as one who introduced the Afro-Dancehall genre or not.

    During a conversation on GhanaWeb Entertainment’s X Space on Friday, July 4, MC Portfolio emphasized that an individual cannot claim ownership of the English word “Afro‑Dancehall,” as a genre.

    He asserts that it demands a clear brand and an ambassador to carry it forward.

    “You cannot leave out Stonebwoy. He has been someone who is very vocal and intentional about drumming the genre. We are not being fair to Stonebwoy if we don’t give him his flowers,” he asserted.

    In an unrelated event, veteran dancehall musician Samini has warned netizens to resist attempts likely to spark a feud between him and Stonebwoy, another dancehall artiste.

    This comes after the “My Own” hitmaker was questioned on X about his contribution to championing the Afro-dancehall genre.

    The user with an account name Repost King noted, “Smh… assuming you right, how well did you champion this. What has been your effort in bringing to light Afro-dancehall. The fact that you advised him on fusing ayigbe to his songs doesn’t make you the originator. You are a legend undisputed but Afro-dancehall has always been 1Gad’s.”

    In response, Samini stated, “Put some respect on my name G. SMH I blame @stonebwoy. Tell me the difference. After that tell me who named it and who renamed it. Don’t make me and @stonebwoy fight ooo. He knows the truth I beg. DONT. Man start vex these foolish newbies. Massa talk to your fans oooo. Yooooo.”

    Stonebwoy takes pride in being the pioneer of the Afro-dancehall genre, which has provided a nurturing environment for numerous emerging artists.

    The award-winning singer, who has earned the title of one of the country’s greatest exports, is fulfilled to have witnessed the growth and widespread use of Afro-Dancehall tunes.

    “It is literally broken down as Afrobeat and dancehall. It is very simple in that context. I am only very confident enough to have coined this name more than a decade ago and I have been living up to it till today.

    “I believe that it is a very beautiful space to be in. It will interest you to know that there are tons of African youths who are into the Afro-dancehall style and paying a lot of respect to the name, Stonebwoy for being a fierce force and pushing this to the world,” the dancehall musician elaborated in an interview on +44 Podcast with Sideman & Zeze Millz in May 2023.

  • I am too old to build a life with a poor man – Singer Waje

    I am too old to build a life with a poor man – Singer Waje

    Popular Nigerian singer Aituaje Iruobe, has confidently stated that she cannot entertain a financially unstable man because she is too old to start with.

    “I can’t marry someone who is not successful, and here’s why: first of all, I’m not in my 20s, so we are not growing together,” she said on The Honest Bunch podcast.

    The 45-year-old singer further stated, “A man leads; he leads by selling aspirations to me. I have to aspire to see him lead. And if he can’t inspire me to grow, we can’t be partners. So, success is part of it. Faith and emotional intelligence are also part of it.”

    Adding to her reasons for her stance on marrying, Waje explained that she is pessimistic about their peace and sanity in the future if she considers spending the rest of her life with a poor man.

    “We will have issues. I’m very pragmatic. Sometimes I have to hold myself with my siblings, my friends, and my family members. Imagine if it was a husband? He would get tired. I would be treating him like my child. He would hate me,” she added.

    Ghanaian actress, Habiba Sinare, gave straightforward advice to men facing financial difficulties: prioritize self-improvement over pursuing romantic relationships.

    In a recent live video on TikTok, she emphasized that men who are struggling financially should not engage with women who are in similar circumstances.

    Sinare’s message was clear: “As a broke guy who cannot afford the basic needs of life food, clothing, shelter why are you in a relationship? Make sure you become the man you want to be, and when you make it, don’t sit at the same table with broke girls.”

    Her advice encourages men to focus on achieving financial stability before seeking romantic connections.

    She suggests that instead of chasing women, they should channel their energy into improving their financial situation and becoming self-sufficient.

    Sinare also highlighted the importance of surrounding oneself with like-minded individuals, recommending that once men achieve financial freedom, they should seek out women who share their ambition and work ethic.

    This perspective underscores the value of personal development and responsible decision-making, resonating with those navigating similar challenges in their lives.

    Popular socialite Ashmusy highlighted women’s empowerment in an episode of BBNaija Phyna’s podcast, “Spill with Phyna,” by claiming that women are the prize in relationships.

    She spoke up for women’s rights to set criteria for the partners they want, irrespective of their financial situation.Ashmusy asserted that women have the freedom to choose men with luxurious possessions such as expensive cars and houses, even if they themselves may not possess such assets.

    According to her, being the prize gives women the privilege to select from a variety of men of different calibres.

    Expressing her perspective, Ashmusy asserted, “It’s your choice, even if you are small, broke, or rich, and you want to set a standard that you want to date a man that drives a car or has houses, you have the right to set the standard. You are the prize as a woman, so it’s your choice.”She concluded by emphasizing that being the prize allows women to decide who they want in a relationship.

    Ashmusy acknowledged that each woman has the liberty to choose a partner based on her own preferences and that, ultimately, the decision is a matter of personal choice.

    “As a woman, you're the prize, you can choose if you only want men who drive fine cars” pic.twitter.com/azYWpsInXd— Dami’ Adenuga (@DAMIADENUGA) January 31, 2024.

    A well-known Nigerian music video director, ThankGod Omori Jesam, also known as TG Omori, advised women not to date “broke” men.

    According to him, ladies should not allow themselves to be bullied into getting into relationships with broke men.

    Omori added that the choice of choosing a partner is a personal decision, and as such, ladies should make that choice based on their plans.

    He made this known via a tweet on Sunday.

    “Your choice of partner is a personal decision don’t let them bully you into dating a broke person in the name of gold-digging. Look your life well and plan your aesthetics,” his tweet read.

    Omori was reacting to the “gold-digging” slurs against materialistic women on social media by Internet

  • “We ate expired turkey and jollof during my days at Adisadel College” – Wanlov the Kubolor

    “We ate expired turkey and jollof during my days at Adisadel College” – Wanlov the Kubolor

    Ghanaian-Romanian musician Wanlov the Kubolor has recounted life challenges during his days as a student at Adisadel College.

    According to him, he joined several students in the school’s dining hall to be served expired turkey with jollof rice.

    He was certain about this because he indicated that most of the boys, including himself experience diarrhea the following day after eating.

    “I am not going to say that it is happening now, but sometimes, when you are in the dinning hall in your beans and gari, you may find a wall gecko or you will find the teeth of somebody who was preparing the food. We used to eat some turkey and jollof on Thursday, and everybody on Friday morning would have a running stomach because the turkey had expired,” he said in an interview on Joy Prime TV.

    Although the experience was harsh, Kubolor said he was grateful for the strict training at the school, which made prison life in America seem comfortable by comparison.

    “The one thing that school really did for me that I really appreciate is, when I went to prison in America, I felt like I was in prison in a hotel.”

    “But I am just saying that the kind of hustling I went through in boarding school, when I reached American prison, where they were serving corn flakes and milk, sandwiches, and the rest, I felt like I was in a hotel. And also the hard hard criminals there too, they could not bully me,” he expressed.

    https://web.facebook.com/share/v/17FsjrghvQ

    Wanlov the Kubolor, made a bold statement about the rumours that circulated about him in the media in 2023.

    When asked if he had heard any strange or untrue rumours about himself, Wanlov confidently replied that he had not.

    In a recent interview with Doreen Abanema Abayaa on Talkertainment, Wanlov did not attribute this to any particular lack of interest or attention from the public.

    Rather, he suggested that the reality of his life is so unusual and unexpected that any rumours or stories people might invent about him would pale in comparison.

    “I don’t think people make up facts about me. I think my fact is stranger than the fiction. The fact of my life, the reality, is stranger than the stories that people can create about me,” ” Wanlov explained.

    During the interview, the artist delved into his role as a pro-gay activist, highlighting his active involvement in fighting for the rights of people he believes are being suppressed.

    Wanlov emphasized that queer people are no different from anyone else and deserve to live their lives free of discrimination and oppression.

    On a different tale, popular Ghanaian musician and socialite, Sam Safo popularly known as Showboy, has vowed to revisit certain bad habits of the past if he doesn’t receive the necessary attention and support from Ghanaians to succeed in the music industry.

    In an interview with Adom FM, he indicated that before embarking on his music journey he resorted to money rituals, fraudulent activities and other negative vices in order to make ends meet.

    However, he mentioned that finding a talent in music gave him hope, thus, created an avenue for him to escape from these bad habits.

    According to him, he was stuck in them due to the  limited job opportunities in the country, as such, his music career is the best chance for a positive future.

    He added that Ghanaians’ encouragement and backing will go a long way in determining the execution of his plan B.

    “I urge all Ghanaians to support my music journey because without it, I may be tempted to resort to fraudulent activities, money rituals, and other negative habits from my past. I’ve struggled with these vices before, and I don’t want to return to that dark path. With limited job opportunities in the country, my music career is my best chance for a positive future. Your support will determine whether I stay on this path or risk falling back into a life of crime, including armed robbery. Your encouragement and backing mean everything to me,” he added.

    “I will go back to fraud, armed robbery, and thievery if Ghanaians don't support my music career.” – US Deportee Showboy pic.twitter.com/wyStgNjWyX— EDHUB🌍ℹ (@eddie_wrt) May 29, 2024

    Showboy was sentenced to six years in prison in March 2019 for stabbing a US-based Ghanaian musician during a tussle.

    Although the musician, Junior, survived the stabbing, he was later killed in a robbery attack in 2021. At the time of Junior’s death, many accused Showboy’s associates of being involved in the crime.

    However, Showboy has since been released from prison. In a recent video shared on social media, he was seen on the shores of Ghana. Announcing his return on Instagram, the former AMG group co-founder posted a video of himself at the beach, performing a ritual cleanse.

    “I am back to pay homage to all the gods and my ancestors. I am back,” he said.

    In the caption accompanying his post, Showboy, who disclosed that his mental health has been affected by the entire ordeal, thanked everyone who stood by him.

    “Thanks to Allah/God and our ancestors for everything!!! Shouts to all my dawgs /Families that held me down and never turned their back on me…shouts to all that tolerated my depression and sorry to all I offended !!! back for everything !! FINALLY FREE !!!” he retorted.

  • 320 arrested by EOCO in Kumasi over QNET fraud raid

    320 arrested by EOCO in Kumasi over QNET fraud raid

    Three hundred and twenty individuals in Kumasi have been  arrested by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO)  in its fight against organised crime.

    The raid, carried out today, Thursday, November 6, 2025, was announced by EOCO as a major breakthrough in its ongoing operation against human trafficking and economic crimes linked to the QNET fraud scheme.

    Of that number, 25 are being treated as suspected members of the fraud and trafficking network, while the remaining 295 are believed to be victims who were lured into QNET-related employment and human trafficking schemes.

    This operation is larger than the Kasoa raid two weeks ago, which resulted in more than 26 arrests.

    EOCO says this major raid was not random but the result of months of careful investigations, showing its commitment to tracking down and prosecuting people involved in economic and organised crime.

    The 25 people believed to be behind the scheme are being questioned and will face deeper investigations, with the aim of taking them to court and securing convictions under Ghana’s laws.

    The agency is also actively working with QNET to “clamp down on the misuse of their brand name to traffic and defraud innocent individuals.”

    EOCO has assured the public that it will keep fighting financial and organised crime, and is encouraging people to report anything suspicious.

    The QNET scheme is known for tricking people with promises of big profits or well-paid jobs abroad, but many end up being deceived, trapped in debt, or forced to recruit others.

    This is why the operation is considered both a fraud and a human trafficking scheme disguised as a business opportunity.

    EOCO’s action targets the local actors exploiting the model.

    The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), in a joint operation on Friday, October 17, busted a human trafficking syndicate operated mainly by Ghanaians and Ivorians.

    In a statement shared the same day, the crime intelligence agency announced that following the raid, it had successfully rescued 26 victims of human trafficking, comprising sixteen (16) Ghanaians and ten (10) Ivorians.

    These nationals had fallen victim to job opportunity scams run by individuals posing as recruitment agents for QNET, a multinational company known for its wellness and lifestyle products.

    The operation, dubbed “Operation Quest,” was conducted by EOCO’s Anti-Human Trafficking Unit in collaboration with QNET, around 10:30 a.m.

    “The operation, code-named Operation Quest, followed intelligence that some foreigners and Ghanaians had been trafficked under the guise of employment with the QNET Company — a reputable organisation that trades in wellness and lifestyle products.

    The suspects include two (2) Ivorians and seven (7) Ghanaians, while the victims were made up of ten (10) Ivorians and sixteen (16) Ghanaians,” the statement noted.

    The organisation clarified that these individuals had no legitimate ties to the company and were exploiting QNET’s reputation to carry out their illicit activities.

    “All nine (9) suspects are currently in the custody of EOCO to assist in investigations,” parts of the statement added.

    EOCO cautioned the public against falling for such scams and advised that all reports of employment offers purportedly from QNET be directed to the appropriate authorities. It also reminded the public that the company is working to restore its reputation, which has suffered due to impersonation by groups and agencies using its name for fraudulent recruitment schemes.

    “EOCO wishes to advise the general public to report all cases of individuals and groups who claim to be agents of QNET who can provide job opportunities at the company, either in Ghana or abroad.

    In July this year, EOCO and QNET signed a joint MoU to clamp down on criminal actors using the name of QNET to traffic persons,” the statement continued.

    EOCO further emphasised its commitment to protecting the public from organised crime and encouraged anyone with relevant information to contact the office directly via its official channels.

    Article image 1

    Meanwhile, barely two months ago, the Ghana Police, in a collaborative intelligence-aided operation with the operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command, rescued twenty (20) Ghanaians who were trafficked to the Uyo Local Government Area of Abia State.

    The twenty included 10 females and 10 males, all confirmed to be Ghanaian nationals.

    The rescue was announced by the command’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), DSP Timfon John, in a statement in Uyo on Wednesday.

    In the statement, she disclosed that the rescue operation was undertaken following an official request for assistance from the Ghana Police Service and INTERPOL.

    “On August 18, 2025, operatives of the command successfully rescued 20 Ghanians trafficked to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

    ‘’The human trafficking victims were rescued from a compound in Obio Etoi village, Uyo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, after an operation that was a collaborative effort following a formal request for assistance from the Ghana Police Service and INTERPOL, she revealed adding that “the raid led to the rescue of 10 males and 10 females (names withheld), all confirmed to be Ghanaian nationals,” the statement read.

    The victims who were rescued in a well-fenced building around 4 pm, John revealed, appeared disoriented and unable to speak. Investigators believe their orientation and countenance suggest potential hypnotism hence their inability to assist with investigations.

    “Acting on credible information, operatives surrounded a well-fenced building at approximately 1617 hours on Monday, August 18, 2025

    ‘’The victims presently appear disoriented and have been unable to provide useful information, leading investigators to suspect they might have been hypnotised”, John added.

    However, investigations are underway “…and further developments will be communicated to the public as they become available,’’ the statement added.

  • BoG registers 100 crypto firms, sets up new office to regulate virtual assets

    BoG registers 100 crypto firms, sets up new office to regulate virtual assets

    More than 100 companies dealing in cryptocurrency have now been registered by the Bank of Ghana under a new policy to regulate the growing digital money space in the country.

    In a document released on November 5, 2025, the Bank said this is Ghana’s first official framework for guiding the use of virtual assets like Bitcoin, tokens, and other digital financial services.

    “The Bank recognizes that virtual assets can no longer remain outside Ghana’s financial regulatory remit,” the document stated.

    According to the Bank, a registration exercise conducted in July 2025 identified over 100 companies providing services such as exchange, wallet management, brokerage, and investment advisory to a user base of more than three million Ghanaians.

    To strengthen supervision, the bank explained it will establish a Virtual Assets Regulatory Office (VARO) to oversee the sector.

    This VARO, it clarified, will act as a link between government oversight and the virtual assets industry, and work with agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), and the National Communications Authority (NCA).

    The Bank also wants to start a national programme to teach people about crypto, working together with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Ministry of Education.

    The programme will help people understand crypto better, especially young people, since they are the biggest users of it in Ghana.

    Ghana is designing its crypto rules to match global standards from big international bodies like the IMF and FATF.

    This makes Ghana one of the few African countries that is creating proper laws for crypto while still encouraging new ideas in the digital space.

    Months ago, the Bank of Ghana (BoG) drew the attention of the general public to Money Transfer Organisations (MTOS) operating within the Remittance and the Ghana Forex Market without approval.

    These MTOs include ACE MONEY TRANSFER, REMIT UNION, REMIT HOME, ROZE REMIT, MONTY GLOBAL.

    The other five are NAIRAGRAM, I-TRANSFER, HURUPAY, EVERSEND and IZI SEND.

    The public, banks, Dedicated Electronic Money Issuer (DEMI) and Enhanced Payment Service Providers (EPSP) have been cautioned to desist from dealing with any of these institutions.

    Approved MTOs have been entreated to terminate their foreign exchange flows through their partner institutions only and to adhere strictly to all the guidelines in respect of their operations.

    Section 3.1 of the Foreign Exchange Act, 2006 Act 723, states that “a person shall not engage in the business of dealing in foreign exchange without a licence issued under this Act.”

    Further, section 15.3 of the Foreign Exchange Act states, “each transfer of foreign exchange to or from Ghana shall be made through a person licensed to carry out the business of money transfers or any other authorised dealer.”

    All market players have been instructed to comply with the directives.

    “Non-compliance will result in severe sanctions including the withdrawal of the licence of the institution in breach,” the BoG added.

    Earlier this month, the Bank of Ghana (BoG) blew the alarm on the operations of Yellow Card Financial Inc., an unapproved digital payment platform.

    According to the central bank in a statement dated June 11, the unlicensed entity is actively promoting itself as a provider of digital payment services, cryptocurrency trading, and cross-border remittance solutions.

    The platform purports to enable users to make payments, send and receive electronic money and stable coins across borders, as well as convert stable coins into local currency.

    These activities, the central bank says, require appropriate licensing from the Bank of Ghana.

    The Bank of Ghana has also discovered that YellowPay is engaged in an ongoing collaboration with HanyPay, an entity that claims to be licensed by the Africa Diaspora Central Bank (ADCB).

    This partnership reportedly seeks to develop and integrate a new stable coin, AKL Lumi, into the global financial ecosystem.

    According to the central bank, this development raises significant regulatory concerns, as HanyPay is neither licensed nor authorized to operate within the jurisdiction of Ghana.

    In 2022, Bank of Ghana (BoG) reiterated its cautionary stance toward the use and trade of cryptocurrencies within its jurisdiction, both to the institutions it licenses and to the general public, citing obvious current risks that it believes, if unchecked, could endanger the country’s financial sector.

    This came after the watchdog reviewed “many regulatory and global standards-setting agencies across multiple jurisdictions” and monitored developments throughout the world to establish a strong “institutional grasp” of important ideas in the developing field of digital finance.

    the central bank’s president

    This was revealed by Dr. Ernest Addison during his remarks at the 2022 Annual Bankers’ Dinner, commonly known as the Governor’s Day, which was held in his honor by the Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIB).

    “The Bank still stands by its cautionary statement to the public on the dangers associated with crypto transactions as contained in several notices in the past. Interested parties need to be wary about potential losses that could occur when trading in crypto. The Bank stands by its earlier directives and the notices issued on March 9 2022, that all licenced institutions should refrain from facilitating crypto transactions via their platforms or agent outlets,” he emphasised.

    In the afore-cited directive, and a similar one issued in 2018, the financial sector regulator stated clearly that cryptocurrencies – the most popular being Bitcoin (BCT) – remain unregulated under any laws in the country, and as such do not have any safeguards since they are not backed by guarantees.

    The Governor however added that his outfit will not impose an outright ban on cryptocurrencies, as it considers such a line of action futile due to the decentralised and borderless nature of the asset class.

    He also stated that the BoG will continue to keenly monitor happenings in the space and allow for the development of crypto and blockchain-leaning products within the confines of its regulatory sandbox, even as it works with other regulators toward a possible regulatory framework.

    “In all of these, the clearest takeaway for the Bank is the fact that cryptocurrencies are digital assets and not currency; and inasmuch as crypto is associated with other key risks including volatility, cyber theft, loss of funds with a potential threat to financial stability, an outright ban has proven ineffective mainly due to its decentralised and borderless nature.

    “Consequently, the Bank intends to continue allowing blockchain in our regulatory sandbox as the first step while we continue to examine a comprehensive regulatory framework for the digital asset industry,” Dr. Addison continued.

  • You have 90 days to recover GHS800k paid to absent staff – PAC to KTU management

    You have 90 days to recover GHS800k paid to absent staff – PAC to KTU management

    Management of Koforidua Technical University (KTU) has been given a 90-day ultimatum to reimburse GHS800,000 in salary-related infractions addressed in the Auditor-General’s Report.

    Five staff members of the university were cited in the report for receiving salaries for close to two years despite being absent from duty; some were either out of the country or on study leave without legitimate authorization.

    Deputy Chairman of the PAC, Samuel Atta Mills, criticized the university for allowing such irregularities to persist and for failing to enforce accountability measures.

    He therefore instructed the university to recover the outstanding funds within 90 days or risk funding it from their individual pockets.

    “We will make it easier for you. We want you to collect these monies in 90 days. However you do it, with all your lapses and everything, you have guarantors out there. Within 90 days, we want our money,” he ordered.

    In addition to KTU’s mismanagement of funds, Mr Atta Mills discovered that no  bonds of agreement were signed by three out of the five requiring them to return after their study leave, a situation he described as “a conspiracy to defraud the state.”

    “This is government money — our money. GH¢817,000 on separated staff, and yet you cannot contact any of these people or produce a payment plan. It looks to me like planned chaos.”

    Meanwhile, KTU’s Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor Richard Ohene Asiedu, who appeared before the committee on Thursday, November 6, 2025, explained that efforts have been made by the University to trace the staff members involved.

    “We have been making efforts to contact some of the lecturers, who are either out of the country or pursuing studies. So far, out of the total amount owed, the university has been able to recover less than GH¢20,000,” he told the Committee.

    But the Committee has, however, expressed grave dissatisfaction with the university’s effort towards an issue they see as a case of negligence and weak internal controls.

    The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament resumed hearings weeks ago to interrogate heads of state institutions cited for financial irregularities in the 2024 Auditor-General’s (A-G) Report.

    On Monday, November 3, the Ministry of Education and the National Service Scheme appeared before the committee, with other ministries following suit.

    The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Ghana was established under Article 103 of the 1992 Constitution and formally constituted as part of Parliament’s Standing Committees. It has existed since the First Parliament of the Fourth Republic, which began in January 1993.

    Its mandate is to review reports presented by the Auditor-General on the public accounts of Ghana, summon ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), as well as state-owned enterprises (SOEs), to explain financial infractions and irregularities, and in some cases, recommend sanctions, recoveries, or referrals for prosecution.

    However, since its establishment, PAC has reportedly had no documented record of ensuring prosecution or imprisonment of culprits, though its recommendations can trigger EOCO investigations or action by the Attorney-General.

    Over the years, the Committee has engaged several public institutions and their heads over reported financial irregularities, but little to no documentation of penalties has been recorded to serve as a deterrent. It will be recalled that in 2017, PAC recommended the prosecution of officials at the National Sports Authority for misappropriating funds, but no confirmed convictions followed.

    Similarly, in 2021, the Committee traced non-existent staff under GETFund and MASLOC, yet no jail terms were recorded. In 2023, PAC recovered GHS12.9 million, but this was through repayments rather than criminal penalties.

    Meanwhile, more than GH¢12.9 billion in misappropriated public funds has been retrieved following collaboration between the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Auditor-General’s Department.Addressing the media on Wednesday, October 1, Chairperson of PAC, Abena Osei-Asare, attributed the remarkable recovery to the collective efforts of the Auditor-General’s Department.

    “One thing I am clear about is that what we are doing is yielding positive results. We have a report we will look at. Per the work of the Public Accounts Committee, and with the support of the Auditor-General, we have been able to retrieve GH¢12.9 billion. There is a whole report on that which we will be sharing with the public at the right time,” she said.

    According to her, the Committee will make the report’s details public at the appropriate time. The Committee is scheduled to resume its sittings on Monday, October 27. Various ministries, departments, and agencies have been interrogated by PAC in recent weeks to address infractions highlighted in the 2024 Auditor-General’s Report.

    On Monday, September 29, the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) Director of Administration, Dr. Emmanuel Sena Kwasi Donkor, appeared before the Public Accounts Committee following a recent claim by the Auditor-General’s (A-G) Report revealing financial irregularities at the hospital.

    The report suggests that the hospital paid salaries amounting to GHS 1,449,000 to a deceased staff member for a period of 26 months. Dr. Emmanuel Sena Kwasi Donkor affirmed the report, adding that the hospital has so far recovered GHS 303,558.68 of the total amount.

    He explained that the banks previously handling the transactions had, through a letter, indicated that they had ceased processing them.

    “We were able to recover some amounts. Before we got here, we had received letters from some banks stating that they had stopped transferring the funds to the government chest,” Dr. Donkor told the Committee.

    He further urged Parliament to intervene and help the hospital recover the remaining funds.

    “Maybe at the end of this session, we will make a prayer to this House for the House to make an order directing those banks to transfer,” he said.Dr. Donkor revealed that his outfit has submitted the names of the individuals implicated in the act to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) for recovery.

    “EOCO has written back requesting the files of the people involved, and we have submitted them,” he added.

  • We are in this ditch due to Akufo-Addo’s poor decision – Energy Ministry on Ghana’s loss of $190m MCC funding

    We are in this ditch due to Akufo-Addo’s poor decision – Energy Ministry on Ghana’s loss of $190m MCC funding

    Ghana’s loss of $190 million in Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) funding has been attributed to poor decisions made during the tenure of the former President Nana Ado Danquah Akufo-Addo.

    This is according to the Ministry of Energy in the aftermath of a ruling by an international arbitration tribunal in London, which dismissed all claims filed by PDS against the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) bringing an end to a three-year legal battle.

    In response, the Spokesperson for the Ministry of Energy, Richmond Rockson, took to X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, where he expressed that the controversy surrounding PDS could have been avoided if proper due diligence and transparent decision-making had guided the selection of the concessionaire.

    “The government has taken note of the tribunal’s decision in the PDS–ECG arbitration. This situation should never have arisen in the first place,” Mr. Rockson stated.

    “The poor decisions made during the selection of the concessionaire, which led to the formation of Power Distribution Services (PDS) under the Akufo-Addo administration, brought us here,” he added.

    He further assured that the government would take the necessary steps to recover any funds owed to the state following the tribunal’s ruling.

    “The government assures the public that all necessary steps will be taken to recover every amount due to ECG and the Government of Ghana,” he said.

    Ghana’s former power distributor, Power Distribution Services (PDS), has failed in its attempt to secure a judgement debt against the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) at an international arbitration panel in London.

    A report shared by citinewsroom.com indicates that the tribunal rejected every allegation PDS levelled against ECG in a legal battle that has dragged on for close to three years.

    The dispute began after PDS dragged ECG to the tribunal over the cancellation of the much-debated concession deal, which was introduced to inject private-sector performance into the management of Ghana’s electricity distribution system.

    That agreement, approved under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s administration, was first suspended and later cancelled when it was discovered that the financial guarantees submitted by PDS were not genuine.

    PDS later claimed that ECG had no lawful basis to end the deal and demanded a declaration from the arbitration body that the termination was unlawful.

    The company further requested nearly $390 million in compensation — including direct expenses of about $39.4 million and an estimated $351.5 million in supposed lost profits.

    Lawyers for ECG, however, insisted that ending the arrangement was necessary and justified, arguing that PDS failed to verify the legitimacy of the guarantees that formed the foundation of the concession.

    In its final ruling, the tribunal sided with ECG, confirming that the fraudulent documents were sufficient grounds to cancel the agreement and dismissing all of PDS’s financial claims.

    In 2019, the Electricity Company of Ghana Limited (ECG) terminated the Private Sector Participation Transaction Agreements with Power Distribution Services Ghana Limited (PDS).

    ECG therefore assumed full operational and financial control of the electricity distribution business in the Southern Zone of Ghana with immediate effect, a statement issued by the company on Wednesday, October 23, said.

    Consequently, all activities including metering, billing, distribution and reconciliation of bills, revenue collection and new service connections, which were hitherto undertaken by PDS have reverted to ECG, the statement added.

    The other activities are, disconnections and reconnections, faulty meter replacements, network faults and repairs, network operations, maintenance, expansion and rehabilitation, complaints and fault reporting to the call centres and any other related services.

    In this regard, all payments in respect of power purchases and other related activities should take place at ECG Regional and District Offices, ECG existing Customer Service Centres, ECG licensed vending stations, ECG operated cash points and ECG authorised Banks.

    The statement added that, all assets currently in the name of PDS revert to ECG with immediate effect and will be rebranded in accordance with the decision over the next few weeks.

    The Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, has indicated that greed and political interference led to the collapse of the Power Distribution Services (PDS) deal.

    Speaking at the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Wednesday, July 16, Mr. Jinapor noted that private companies becoming a third party in the country’s electricity distribution services was not the issue.

    However, the selfish decision by certain individuals corrupted the whole process.

    “We are not going to use the PDS approach in bringing in the private sector. PDS was not a bad approach in terms of private sector involvement. The only bad thing was that a few greedy individuals decided to cannibalise the process and to sell the shares among themselves,” he said.

    The PDS scandal traces back to October 2019 when the Government of Ghana abruptly terminated a concession agreement with Power Distribution Services (PDS) Limited. This agreement had involved the takeover of the Electricity Company of Ghana’s (ECG) assets for electricity distribution across southern Ghana.

    The termination followed a forensic audit by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), which revealed serious breaches of contract and concerns over the integrity of the process.

    In 2014, the Government of Ghana signed a Millennium Challenge Compact with the MCC, aiming to stimulate private-sector investment in the power distribution sector. Meralco, a company based in the Philippines, was selected as the concessionaire through an international tender process.

    To meet Ghana’s local content laws, Power Distribution Services (PDS) Limited was established, with Meralco holding a 30% stake and various Ghanaian and Angolan entities holding the remaining shares.

    As part of the agreement, PDS was required to meet 41 conditions precedent, five of which were critical for ensuring transparency and protecting Ghanaian taxpayers. Among these, Conditions Precedent 24 and 31 mandated that PDS provide payment securities in the form of a Demand Guarantee or a Letter of Credit issued by a qualified bank.

    However, the audit revealed that PDS secured an insurance guarantee instead—allegedly facilitated by a meeting chaired by ex-Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

    A group of concerned Ghanaian citizens formally petitioned the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to investigate Dr Bawumia

    The petitioners’ request to the Special Prosecutor highlights a key meeting, reportedly chaired by Dr. Bawumia, where the decision was made to accept a downgrade of the required bank guarantee to an insurance guarantee.

    This meeting was also reportedly attended by the Chief of Staff, the Minister of Finance, and the Minister of Energy.

    The petition alleges that this decision led to the eventual transfer of ECG’s assets to PDS under questionable circumstances.

    The insurance guarantee in question was purportedly issued by Al Koot Insurance and Reinsurance, a Qatari firm.

    However, subsequent investigations revealed that the guarantee was fraudulent, with the signatory, Yahaya Al Nouri, lacking the authority to bind the company to the deal. Despite this, the transfer of ECG’s assets proceeded, violating the agreement’s terms and international best practices.

    The petition further outlines the financial losses Ghana suffered due to the botched PDS deal. The audit report revealed that PDS’s local shareholders spent approximately $12.25 million to procure the fraudulent insurance guarantee, with $4.25 million allegedly taken from ECG’s operating accounts after the illegal takeover of its assets.

    The termination of the PDS agreement also resulted in Ghana losing $190 million in funding from the Millennium Challenge Corporation, which was intended for critical infrastructure and financial recovery in the energy sector.

    In their petition, the citizens call on the Special Prosecutor to investigate Dr. Bawumia’s involvement in the decision to downgrade the payment security requirements, which they argue directly led to the fraudulent acquisition of ECG’s assets by PDS.

    They also demand an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the entire PDS deal, including the misuse of $4.25 million from ECG’s accounts and the overall cost to Ghanaian taxpayers.

    The petitioners argue that under the 1992 Constitution of Ghana and the Office of Special Prosecutor Act, they have the right to request such an investigation. They emphasize the importance of holding those responsible accountable to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

  • Fredyma and Ofori Amponsah settle long standing dispute over Daddy Lumba

    Fredyma and Ofori Amponsah settle long standing dispute over Daddy Lumba

    Veteran music producer Fred Kyei Mensah, popularly known as Fredyma, and Highlife musician Ofori Amponsah have settled their age-old dispute over how the latter first met the late Daddy Lumba.

    Fredyma took to Facebook on November 5 to announce that he had finally smoked the peace pipe with Ofori Amponsah during an appearance on Joy Prime TV, where Andy Dosty was the host. 

    “This evening on Joy Prime TV hosted by the venerable Andy Dosty, Ofori Amponsah and I settled the seemingly conflict about who introduced him to the late Daddy Lumba.”

    “We both agreed that I did his demo songs, which ushered him to be accepted and to be part of Daddy Lumba’s music kingdom and his subsequent success in the music industry,” Fredyma stated.” 

    The veteran music producer further clarifed; “Apparently, Ofori Amponsah had visited Lumba’s house and made him listen to the demo I did and signed agreements without my knowledge before inviting me to accompany him later to officially present his demo. This was where the whole confusion erupted.”

    Fredyma added that, he knew the late Daddy Lumba for over four decades, but never indulged Ofori Amponsah and his dealings with the late legend.

    “I didn’t ever partake in any of his music dealings through the signing of agreements with the late Daddy Lumba,” he wrote.

    However, in June 1993, he took Ofori for an audition at the National Museums and Monuments Board, a move that eventually opened the door for him to perform at the National Theatre.

    “I took Ofori Amponsah for an audition at the National Museums and Monuments Board in June 1993 for onward performance at the National Theatre,” he recounted.

    According to Fredyma, Ofori Amponsah gained fame at the mainstream with Daddy Lumba after recording two albums in his studio.

    But one of the albums, a Highlife project recorded with Dada Ahuofe in 1995, was never released.

    A Gospel album recorded in 1996 came out before Ofori’s 1999 hit collaboration “Odo Mmra Fie” with Lumba.

    The veteran producer said he had not worked with Ofori Amponsah since 1997 but remains grateful that the long-standing misunderstanding has finally been resolved.

    “Officially, this has been Ofori Amponsah’s moment and journey in my life. I have never worked on any music project with him since 1997 to date. I am grateful that this uncalled-for impasse has been laid to rest. Thanks for your understanding. No malice intended. We move. Daddy Lumba koraa, wa wu so why the fuss?” he concluded.

    Meanwhile, the late highlife legend Daddy Lumba, notably refused to acknowledge or interact with his mentee and fellow musician, Ofori Amponsah, on stage during his birthday, despite Ofori performing and being present throughout the night.

    This was prior to an incident where Daddy Lumba had demanded the removal of Ofori Amponsah from the lineup of artists scheduled to perform at his concert on Valentine’s Day, dubbed “Valentine With Daddy Lumba.”

    Diving into the details behind the drop, Executive Director of Event Factory Ghana Limited, Nabil Alhassan, who is directly involved in organizing major entertainment events in Ghana, during an appearance on UTV’s United Showbiz on Saturday, October 5, named Lumba as one of the most difficult artistes he has ever worked with, highlighting how after artistes scheduled to perform at Lumba’s Valentine’s Day Concert had been finalized, he received a call from Serwaa Amihere, which was a conference call including Daddy Lumba.

    He said Lumba insisted that Ofori Amponsah be taken off the show or he wouldn’t perform.

    “We made our first payment, and publicity started. One day, I saw Serwaa Amihere calling me. She said Daddy was on the line and wanted to speak to me about something going on. He said, ‘Nabil, how are you? I want you to take Ofori off the show,’” he said.

    After probing why he wanted Ofori off the show, Nabil disclosed that Lumba informed him about how rumours suggested his former mentee had bad-mouthed him.

    Nabil further detailed that after constantly questioning the late musician for the reason behind his request, Daddy Lumba claimed Ofori Amponsah’s name was not included in the initial list of performers.

    “Guess what, Ofori has been on his show at the birthday party, so I thought everything was cool… I asked him, ‘Daddy, what is happening?’ He was like, the last time we spoke to him, we didn’t include that Ofori Amponsah was part of the artistes performing.

    Serwaa then informed him that we mentioned Ofori’s name. After that, he said someone had called him to inform him that Ofori was part of the people who once insulted him, so we should remove Ofori’s name from the list.”

    Nabil also shared how the late Daddy Lumba finally gave in after apologies were made.

    “Lumba can refund your money at any time. When he comes to your show, he has your money in his hands. Any small mistake, he would leave… So I was hanging… We spoke to him, and he said either Ofori will perform before he comes or after,” he added.

    The news of Daddy Lumba’s passing hit the world in the early hours of Saturday. Initially, when news of his passing emerged, a journalist of Hitz FM, Andy Dosty, came to deny it, noting that Daddy Lumba was alive. However, barely three hours later, Daddy Lumba (DL) FM released an official statement signed by the legend’s lawyer, confirming his demise.

    A statement by the counsel for the Fosu family later confirmed that the music veteran passed on July 26, after a short illness.

    He succumbed to the illness at the Bank Hospital in Accra, per reports.

    The statement reads: “With profound sorrow and deep grief, the Fosu family announces the passing of Ghana’s beloved musical icon, Charles Kwadwo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, who passed away earlier today, Saturday, July 26, 2025, after a short illness.”

    Daddy Lumba was born 60 years ago to Mr. Johnson Kwadwo Fosuh and Madam Comfort Gyamfi, also known as Ama Saah, in Nsuta, near Mampong in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Both of his parents were teachers, and he was the second of three siblings.

    His educational journey began in Nsuta Kyebi, and he completed junior high school at Suame Methodist, Kumasi in 1979. Subsequently, he attended Adu Gyamfi Senior High School in Jamasi, but later transferred to Juaben Senior High School, where he completed his secondary education in 1984.

    Daddy Lumba’s music career took off in the early 80s when he formed the Nkwanta Wesley Singers, gaining fame at the Anokye Krom Cultural Center.

    During his time at Juaben Senior High School, he led the school choir and composed the song “Lumba Lumba,” dedicated to the freedom fighters in South Africa. This song’s popularity earned him the nickname “Daddy Lumba,” which later became his stage name. He also formed the Lumba Brothers band during his school days, which included his girlfriend at the time, Theresa.

    After completing school, Daddy Lumba, with the help of his high school sweetheart Theresa Abebrese, traveled to Germany. There, he met Ernest Nana Acheampong, and they formed another Lumba Brothers group, recording their debut album, “Yee Ye Aka Akwantuom,” in 1986. Financial constraints delayed the album’s release until 1989, and eventually, the duo split.

    Daddy Lumba then launched his solo career and released his debut solo album, “Obi Ate Meso Buo,” in 1990. The album received immense popularity and critical acclaim, featuring classics like the title track and “Theresa,” dedicated to his ex-lover. He has since released 33 albums, including notable ones like “Sika Asem,” “Aben Wo Ha,” “Wo Ho Kyere,” “Awosoo,” “Give Peace A Chance,” and “Ahenfo Kyiniye.” His latest project, “Ofon Na Edi Asem Fo,” was released in December 2022, reuniting him with longtime collaborator Kweku Mensah.

    In addition to his own success, Daddy Lumba is renowned for nurturing the careers of budding artists who went on to become legends in their own right.

    Some of these artists include Felix Owusu, for whom he produced the debut album “Vida” in 1992, Afia Ampofowaa, Kwabena Sunkwa, Ofori Amponsah with the “Wo Ho Kyere” album in 1999, Selina Orleans, Akua Serwaa Bonsu, Borax, Ateaa Tina, and many others.

    His contributions to Ghanaian music and the support he provided to upcoming talents have solidified his status as an iconic figure in the country’s music industry.

    With his passion, talent, and dedication to the craft, Daddy Lumba continues to be a role model for aspiring musicians, leaving an indelible mark on the rich musical landscape of Ghana.

  • Regular fasting is the secret to my young looks – Ofori Amponsah

    Regular fasting is the secret to my young looks – Ofori Amponsah

    Highlife musician Ofori Amponsah says regular fasting is the secret to his youthful appearance at age fifty.

    According to him, he embarks on two or three-week fasting every year to relieve his body of toxic substances.

    “Sometimes I fast for two weeks. Every year I fast. Sometimes I do it for 21 days, and then just cut back on food and everything. That’s all. And a bit of training; walking, I will go to my farm, see the chicken, everything and laugh,” he told Doreen Avio and Kwame Dadzie on Daybreak Hitz.

    He believes fasting heals the body and promotes one’s life span

    “It’s very important to fast if you want to live long. Some of the food we take in are toxic, so sometimes when you break the system for a while it gets rejuvenated,” he added.

    Afro-fusion singer Jacqueline Acheampong, known professionally as Gyakie, says her expectations have been met in the release of her EP “My Diary”.

    She is excited her fans have not been disappointed in the sound that came out and still feels they are not done consuming the music yet per the response from social media.

    “I never saw myself to be this big if I was asked four or five years ago,” Gyakie told DJ Reuben in an interview on Luv FM’s Drivetime show in Kumasi.

    “To be very honest I never had that confidence in myself, I didn’t know my voice was this unique. I had to get people to tell me,” she said.

    The responses she got from her fans made her realize she needed to be confident in herself and that has enhanced her career growth.

    There are times she cries, complains, feels tired and even wants to stop the music.

    “First of all, I have a soft side and there have been times when everything just feels too much for you as a person. Immediately you come into the camera and show yourself to the world, people see you as a machine and don’t see you as a human with emotions so they just say things and don’t imagine how the person is going to feel about it,” Gyakie said.

    The ‘Forever’ hitmaker revealed every member of her team is very religious and she is very grateful to God for that.

    “One thing we don’t joke with is fasting and prayers to be very honest with you. Most of the songs that come out, we do fast and pray before we make it available on all streaming platforms for people to consume, and obviously, there’s a lot of groundwork that is done to push whatever song that is coming out,” she stated.

    Gyakie mentioned the Global Citizen Festival 2022 at the Black Star Square as the biggest platform she has mounted so far.

    “I was nervous at the beginning but when I saw the people were excited to see me then I said to myself we are in for the fun and it made me so happy till the end of my performance and the entire show,” she shared the experience.

    The event was headlined by American R&B artist Usher and SZA.

    The ‘Live Experience with Gyakie’ concert is slated for this December.

    She is also billed to perform at the Afronation and Afrochella concerts.

    Ghanaian rapper Strongman has revealed his stance on praying in various tongues, stating that he does not believe in it.

    In an interview on Joy Prime’s Prime Morning show, he emphasized having a strong connection with his Maker and acknowledged praying regularly, albeit not in tongues.

    The rapper further mentioned that he incorporates prayer into various aspects of his life, such as while driving, eating, or preparing to release new music.

    He shared an instance regarding the release of his song ‘Transformer’, stating that he fasted and prayed for three consecutive days beforehand.

    “I do pray a lot. I’m just not a frequent churchgoer, but I pray a lot. I have never prayed in tongues before. Honestly, I don’t believe in it that much.”

    He expressed that it would feel strange for him to pray in a language he doesn’t comprehend.

    Nonetheless, the rapper clarified that he isn’t attempting to dissuade others from practicing their beliefs, highlighting that it’s solely a matter of personal conviction because it doesn’t resonate with him.

    “I just say it how I’m supposed to say it: ‘God, I’m going to Accra. Help me to reach safely’ and that’s it, I’m done,” he said.

    Strongman, born Osei Kwaku Vincent, is widely regarded as one of the top-tier rappers in the nation.

  • Analysis: See what Ghana has done with its oil money since 2011

    Analysis: See what Ghana has done with its oil money since 2011

    Fourteen years after oil first trickled out of the Jubilee field, Ghana has little to show for the windfall.

    Since 2011, the state has earned about $11.58 billion from crude production, yet the transformation once promised has proved elusive.

    The state’s share comes from royalties of 5% to 12.5%, surface rentals of $30 to $100 per square kilometre, a 15% minimum carried interest, a 35% corporate income tax and a mix of negotiated bonuses and other entitlements with each operator.

    These inflows peaked in 2022, when the government collected $1.43 billion, but production has faltered since.

    Output has fallen steadily since 2019, weakening state revenues year after year.

    In the first half of 2025, receipts dropped to $370 million. That’s less than half of the $840 million earned a year earlier. A sharply appreciating cedi eroded the dollar value of these inflows even further.

    In all, Ghana has pumped around 675 million barrels of crude since 2010.

    The question today is not whether the country has benefited from petroleum, but how far the money has carried it.

    Through the Africa Extractives Media Fellowship (AEMF), led by Newswire Africa and the Australian High Commission, Isaac Dwamena, coordinator of the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC), the independent body that monitors the use of Ghana’s petroleum revenues, outlined how the state has handled the cash so far.

    Under the Petroleum Revenue Management Act, all petroleum income flows first into a central account, the Petroleum Holding Fund (PHF), before being shared among key recipients.

    The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation has received about $3.15 billion to finance operations and exploration.

    Another $2.6 billion has been paid into the Ghana Stabilisation Fund to cushion fiscal shocks, while the Ghana Heritage Fund, reserved for future generations, has received $1.1 billion and now holds roughly $1.3 billion.

    The largest visible impact has come through the Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA), which has absorbed about $4.5 billion since 2011 and supports the government’s yearly budget, making it the channel through which most citizens feel the benefits of oil revenue.

    These ABFA resources have financed headline projects including Kotoka Airport’s Terminal 3, the Kojokrom–Tarkwa railway, the Axim coastal protection works, the Tamne irrigation scheme, Free Senior High School and the Atuabo gas processing plant.

    The investments are visible enough, yet many Ghanaians still wonder whether the wider promise of oil wealth has translated into everyday improvements.

    Mr Dwamena argues that spending has lacked a clear guiding framework.

    Ghana still has no long-term national development plan approved by Parliament to steer the use of petroleum revenues.

    The absence of such a plan, he says, has produced a patchwork of projects launched at once, stretching resources thin and creating bottlenecks, delays and cost overruns.

    A new shift is also taking shape in how petroleum funds are allocated.

    Under the 2025 budget, the government has directed 95% of the ABFA into its Big Push programme to accelerate major road construction nationwide. The remaining 5% goes to the District Assemblies Common Fund.

    It is a sharp pivot from previous years, concentrating almost the entire ABFA on a single priority rather than spreading it across several sectors.

    Fourteen years after first oil, the gains remain uneven.

    Ghana’s experience contrasts with that of Norway, which channels oil income into a large sovereign wealth fund, invests almost entirely abroad and limits withdrawals to preserve capital for the long term.

    Ghana’s own rules for managing petroleum wealth were drafted more than a decade ago. They now require fresh scrutiny.

    Public consultations, expert input and legislative review could help adapt the framework to today’s economic pressures and the coming energy transition.

    Citizens have seen how the laws they helped craft have worked in practice; they must now consider whether the current system delivers what they intended.

    For now, Ghana’s oil money has built airports, schools and pipelines. What it has not yet delivered is the economic transformation its discovery once promised.

    Source:Myjoyonline.com

    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 

  • PDS loses $390m lawsuit against ECG after 3 years

    PDS loses $390m lawsuit against ECG after 3 years

    Ghana’s former power distributor, Power Distribution Services (PDS), has failed in its attempt to secure a judgement debt against the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) at an international arbitration panel in London.

    A report carried by citinewsroom.com indicates that the tribunal rejected every allegation PDS levelled against ECG in a legal battle that has dragged on for close to three years.

    The dispute began after PDS dragged ECG to the tribunal over the cancellation of the much-debated concession deal, which was introduced to inject private-sector performance into the management of Ghana’s electricity distribution system.

    That agreement, approved under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s administration, was first suspended and later cancelled when it was discovered that the financial guarantees submitted by PDS were not genuine.

    PDS later claimed that ECG had no lawful basis to end the deal and demanded a declaration from the arbitration body that the termination was unlawful.

    The company further requested nearly $390 million in compensation — including direct expenses of about $39.4 million and an estimated $351.5 million in supposed lost profits.

    Lawyers for ECG, however, insisted that ending the arrangement was necessary and justified, arguing that PDS failed to verify the legitimacy of the guarantees that formed the foundation of the concession.

    In its final ruling, the tribunal sided with ECG, confirming that the fraudulent documents were sufficient grounds to cancel the agreement and dismissing all of PDS’s financial claims.

    In 2019, the Electricity Company of Ghana Limited (ECG) terminated the Private Sector Participation Transaction Agreements with Power Distribution Services Ghana Limited (PDS).

    ECG therefore assumed full operational and financial control of the electricity distribution business in the Southern Zone of Ghana with immediate effect, a statement issued by the company on Wednesday, October 23, said.

    Consequently, all activities including metering, billing, distribution and reconciliation of bills, revenue collection and new service connections, which were hitherto undertaken by PDS have reverted to ECG, the statement added.

    He other activities are

    Disconnections and reconnections

    Faulty meter replacements

    Network faults and repairs

    Network Operations, Maintenance, Expansion and Rehabilitation

    Complaints and fault reporting to the call centres and any other related services

    In this regard, all payments in respect of power purchases and other related activities should take place at ECG Regional and District Offices, ECG existing Customer Service Centres, ECG licensed vending stations, ECG operated cash points and ECG authorised Banks.

    The statement added that, all assets currently in the name of PDS revert to ECG with immediate effect and will be rebranded in accordance with the decision over the next few weeks.

    The Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, has indicated that greed and political interference led to the collapse of the Power Distribution Services (PDS) deal.

    Speaking at the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Wednesday, July 16, Mr. Jinapor noted that private companies becoming a third party in the country’s electricity distribution services was not the issue.

    However, the selfish decision by certain individuals corrupted the whole process.

    “We are not going to use the PDS approach in bringing in the private sector. PDS was not a bad approach in terms of private sector involvement. The only bad thing was that a few greedy individuals decided to cannibalise the process and to sell the shares among themselves,” he said.

    The PDS scandal traces back to October 2019 when the Government of Ghana abruptly terminated a concession agreement with Power Distribution Services (PDS) Limited. This agreement had involved the takeover of the Electricity Company of Ghana’s (ECG) assets for electricity distribution across southern Ghana.

    The termination followed a forensic audit by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), which revealed serious breaches of contract and concerns over the integrity of the process.

    In 2014, the Government of Ghana signed a Millennium Challenge Compact with the MCC, aiming to stimulate private-sector investment in the power distribution sector. Meralco, a company based in the Philippines, was selected as the concessionaire through an international tender process.

    To meet Ghana’s local content laws, Power Distribution Services (PDS) Limited was established, with Meralco holding a 30% stake and various Ghanaian and Angolan entities holding the remaining shares.

    As part of the agreement, PDS was required to meet 41 conditions precedent, five of which were critical for ensuring transparency and protecting Ghanaian taxpayers. Among these, Conditions Precedent 24 and 31 mandated that PDS provide payment securities in the form of a Demand Guarantee or a Letter of Credit issued by a qualified bank.

    However, the audit revealed that PDS secured an insurance guarantee instead—allegedly facilitated by a meeting chaired by ex-Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

    A group of concerned Ghanaian citizens formally petitioned the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to investigate Dr Bawumia

    The petitioners’ request to the Special Prosecutor highlights a key meeting, reportedly chaired by Dr. Bawumia, where the decision was made to accept a downgrade of the required bank guarantee to an insurance guarantee.

    This meeting was also reportedly attended by the Chief of Staff, the Minister of Finance, and the Minister of Energy.

    The petition alleges that this decision led to the eventual transfer of ECG’s assets to PDS under questionable circumstances.

    The insurance guarantee in question was purportedly issued by Al Koot Insurance and Reinsurance, a Qatari firm.

    However, subsequent investigations revealed that the guarantee was fraudulent, with the signatory, Yahaya Al Nouri, lacking the authority to bind the company to the deal. Despite this, the transfer of ECG’s assets proceeded, violating the agreement’s terms and international best practices.

    The petition further outlines the financial losses Ghana suffered due to the botched PDS deal. The audit report revealed that PDS’s local shareholders spent approximately $12.25 million to procure the fraudulent insurance guarantee, with $4.25 million allegedly taken from ECG’s operating accounts after the illegal takeover of its assets.

    The termination of the PDS agreement also resulted in Ghana losing $190 million in funding from the Millennium Challenge Corporation, which was intended for critical infrastructure and financial recovery in the energy sector.

    In their petition, the citizens call on the Special Prosecutor to investigate Dr. Bawumia’s involvement in the decision to downgrade the payment security requirements, which they argue directly led to the fraudulent acquisition of ECG’s assets by PDS.

    They also demand an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the entire PDS deal, including the misuse of $4.25 million from ECG’s accounts and the overall cost to Ghanaian taxpayers.

    The petitioners argue that under the 1992 Constitution of Ghana and the Office of Special Prosecutor Act, they have the right to request such an investigation. They emphasize the importance of holding those responsible accountable to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

  • A/R: EPA shuts down Warehouse producing illegal Chanfan machines at Anwia Nkwantah

    A/R: EPA shuts down Warehouse producing illegal Chanfan machines at Anwia Nkwantah

    A Chinese-owned warehouse, FEI FUCAI, at Anwia Nkwantah in the Ashanti Region has been closed down by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) the alleged storage and fabrication of Chanfan machines and other equipment used in illegal mining activities.

    Chief Executive Officer of the EPA, Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse, who led the operation, told JoyNews in an interview on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, said the action is part of measures set by the government to discourage pollution in Ghana’s rivers and enforce the ban on river mining.

    “They hide under the pretense that their machines are also used for agricultural purposes. But we clearly know that, especially in this area, they are used for mining in our water bodies,” she stressed.

    The fabrication, importation, sale, and use of ‘Changfan’ machines in Ghana, has been ban with immediate effect the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

    The move is a response to severe environmental destruction caused by the usage of the machines for illegal mining activities.

    According to a statement issued by the authority on October 29, 2025, the EPA addressed users of the machine without necessary authorization.

    “The fabrication, importation, and use of Changfan machines without EPA permit are prohibited. Any workshops or shops found producing or selling these machines will be shut down, and all existing equipment will be seized and dismantled,” the EPA stated.

    It warned all those engaged in illegal mining activities, otherwise known as galamsey, to desist from the practice.

    “The Authority also issues a final warning to individuals, groups, and companies engaged in mining within water bodies to stop such illegal activities immediately as these actions are serious violations of national environmental and mining regulations,” it noted.

    The EPA stated that it would carry out enforcement operations in collaboration with security agencies to ensure full compliance through monitoring, seizure, and prosecution where necessary.

    Read the full statement below:

    Article image 1

    Ghana’s annual food import bill which amounts to $3.5 billion could rise further if the government fails to act against illegal mining.

    This is as a result of a new study by Pure Earth and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), exposing the extensive contamination of mercury, arsenic, lead and other heavy metals across artisanal and small-scale gold mining areas.

    Thus, the Executive Director of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana, Bismark Nortey, warned that the cost for food import may exacerbate if farmlands and water resources are not protected.

    “I urge all ministries and government agencies responsible to use this report as a benchmark to protect our farmers. If the situation continues and farmers are forced to abandon production, the impact on our nation will be catastrophic. The current amount we spend on food imports, which we have already complained about, could escalate even more if nothing is done, especially as Ghanaian consumers become increasingly cautious about the safety of locally produced food,” he told Citi Business News.

    The year-long study titled, Mercury and Other Heavy Metals Impact Assessment, conducted from August 2024 to September 2025 by Pure Earth in collaboration with the Ghana Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), examined soil, water, air, fish, and food crops in six regions: Ashanti, Eastern, Central, Western, Western North, and Savannah.

    Earlier this year, when Ghana’s annual food import stood at about $2 billion, the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) called on the government to make strategic investments in the agricultural sector to reduce the country’s growing dependence on import.

    The association insisted that Ghana has the capacity to produce a significant portion of its imported food items locally if the right policies and support systems are put in place.

    Acting Executive Director of PFAG, Bismark Nortey, emphasized the need for urgent policy interventions to boost productivity and lower the cost of food production.

    Speaking to Citi Business News, he noted that the high cost of agricultural inputs and services were major contributors to food price inflation in the country.

    “Currently, one of the major causes of high cost of food is the fact that we are spending so much on production. We are spending so much on cost of input and agricultural services. These are because these things are so high. If the government can find a mechanism to either subsidize or reduce the prices of these inputs, then we can produce at low cost and that will translate into high productivity,” he said.

    Mr Nortey further highlighted the pressing need for improved access to mechanized farming to replace the outdated reliance on manual labor.

    “If you go to a lot of farming districts, they have no access to mechanization, so we are still using the hoe and cutlass which is not helping,” he stated.

    He stressed that with targeted investments in smallholder farming, infrastructure, and all-year-round agricultural production, Ghana could significantly cut down on its food imports and strengthen its food security.

    “If we are able to invest in agriculture, we are able to invest in smallholder farming and infrastructure, I am sure the kind of monies that we spend on importing the food we have the capacity to produce…we are one step away from reducing our dependence on that food import,” he added.

    The PFAG believed that prioritizing agriculture through policy reforms and financial support would not only ease Ghana’s reliance on imported food but also create jobs, enhance food security, and strengthen the local economy.In 2024, the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) issued a grave warning about a potential generational food and nutrition crisis if immediate action was not taken against illegal mining.

    The Association called on the government to impose a ban on these activities to safeguard the environment, protect farmers’ livelihoods, and ensure food security.

    In a statement released on Tuesday, September 10, PFAG highlighted the severe impacts of illegal mining on Ghana’s agriculture. Over 1.2 million hectares of farmland has been lost to these activities, while vital water bodies and irrigation facilities have been polluted, complicating efforts to maintain sustainable agricultural production.

    The Association noted that the cocoa sector and food crop production have been particularly hard hit, with farmers struggling to access clean water and fertile soil. PFAG warned that if these issues are not addressed, they could lead to a catastrophic generational food crisis.

    “Failure to act now will have devastating consequences for future generations,” PFAG stressed, adding that they support an immediate ban on illegal mining. They also encouraged farmers to back efforts to end these harmful practices.

    Major rivers, including the Bonsa and Pra, have suffered severe pollution from toxic chemicals used in mining operations. Additionally, forest reserves such as Tano Nimiri have been irreversibly damaged. Health unions, concerned about the widespread environmental degradation, have echoed the call for a ban as a critical measure to prevent further harm.

    Under the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), the Inspections and Compliance Division of the Minerals Commission is responsible for conducting mine inspections and ensuring adherence to mining laws. The Act also mandates that licensed miners operate within legal parameters.

    However, PFAG pointed out that regulatory institutions have struggled to enforce these laws effectively, with some mining companies continuing operations in violation of regulations. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is tasked with integrating environmental policy and planning to ensure long-term maintenance of environmental quality, but its efforts have not been sufficient to curb illegal mining.

    In a related event, some unions, led by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) and supported by groups like the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) and the Health Services Workers Union of Ghana (TUC), are calling for a ban on small-scale mining, citing serious environmental and public health concerns tied to illegal mining.

  • My mother warned me, stop insulting her – Regina Daniels to critics

    My mother warned me, stop insulting her – Regina Daniels to critics

    Nigerian actress Regina Daniels has asked netizens to put an end to hurling insults at her mother over her estranged marriage to Nigerian senator Ned Nwoko.

    “Stop insulting my mother. She’s the best woman on earth. She warned me. My brothers warned me. Everybody warned me. Nobody’s going to cry on this camera. Everybody warned me, and then I drove out at night. I was going to kill myself if I didn’t marry Ned,” she said in a video posted on her Instagram page on November 5, 2025.

    Contrary to claims that her parent endorsed her marriage to Ned for money, Regina says she was genuinely in love despite opposition from her entire family.

    She recounted an instance where she drove out of home at night to kill herself over her family’s resistance towards her choice of man.

    “I went to the police station and said, ‘Arrest me. My family does not want me to marry the love of my life.’ But I actually did fall in love. It’s crazy, but I did. And I still care and respect him. That’s love. What is love? Care and respect,” she stated.

    Earlier this year, Regina Daniels returned to Instagram after a brief disappearance, but one striking detail has caught fans’ attention—her husband, Senator Ned Nwoko, is missing from her page.

    The Nollywood actress, who had deactivated her account weeks ago, reappeared with a video post captioned, “Even for convoy I Dey with my Google Map 📌#young&accomplished!” However, what stood out was a noticeable change in her profile.

    Her name, previously displayed as Regina Daniels Nwoko, now reads Regina Daniels Nneamaka Favour. In addition, all posts featuring Senator Nwoko have vanished from her account.

    Her social media break coincided with swirling rumors that the senator had welcomed a child with actress Chika Ike—claims he later denied.

    Though Regina has not addressed the changes, her updated profile and missing posts have sparked widespread speculation, with fans flooding her comment section, eager to know the status of her marriage.

    Regina Daniels revealed that her mother and entire family were against her marriage to Ned Nwoko, the Senator from Delta North.

    Disclosing this during a live on Instagram, the actress said: “I went to visit my boyfriend, and I was so angry about why we had to go sightseeing, but when we got there, I met a cute man.

    “The moral of the story is that your boyfriend should not stop you from seeing your husband.

    “When I started with my husband, I forgot I was to have boyfriends; of course, I had like 20. When people think I don’t have a choice, I’m like, what?

    “People were saying Mummy forced me, not knowing that she was against the marriage; my full family said no.”

    Nwoko tied the knot with Regina Daniels in May 2019 in the Aniocha Local Government Area of Delta State, despite their significant age difference.

    The 63-year-old politician expressed that he chose to marry the 23-year-old actress because she hails from his community.

    “For her particularly, I married her because she is from my place. I wanted to marry a wife from my place and was looking for the right person. By the time I met her, I knew she must be the one,” Nwoko had said.

    Nigerian actress Regina Daniels has expressed her deep joy and pride in being a mother of two, describing it as her greatest honor.

    Sharing a touching photo with her children on Instagram on March 31, 2025, Daniels highlighted her commitment to protecting them and doing everything in her power to ensure their happiness and safety.

    “My greatest honour in life is being a mother to these two adorable angels, and everything I will ever do will be for them,” she shared in the post, radiating love and warmth as she celebrated her role as a mother.

    In her message, Daniels emphasized the significance of motherhood in her life, revealing how her children have transformed her world in ways words can hardly capture.

    Beyond the personal celebration, Daniels also surprised her fans with a generous giveaway, pledging ₦50,000 each to 10 lucky followers to do something special for their own families. She encouraged her followers to share what makes their mothers special, adding an extra layer of joy to the celebration.

    “My children are my everything, and I would do anything for them. It is an honor beyond measure,” she said, clearly overjoyed by the blessing of motherhood.

  •  Drone kills 40 at a funeral gathering in Sudan – Report

     Drone kills 40 at a funeral gathering in Sudan – Report

    Reports by officials have confirmed that a drone has killed forty people at a funeral gathering near El-Obeid in Sudan’s North Kordofan state.

     The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been blamed for the incident due to an the attack in Al-Luweib village where the UN has reported mass killings, famine and possible war crimes.

    This is happening at a time when fighting across Kordofan and Darfur has escalated.

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres says the situation in Sudan is getting worse and is now out of control. He is calling on the warring groups to stop fighting and agree to a ceasefire.

    The UN reports that since the conflict started in April 2023, more than 150,000 people have died and 12 million have been forced to leave their homes.

    A wave of drone strikes by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) struck key infrastructure in Port Sudan on Tuesday, plunging the eastern city into darkness and raising fears of further escalation in the two-year-long civil war.

    The strikes mark the third consecutive day of attacks on the previously untouched city, now home to Sudan’s military-backed government.

    Sudan’s national electricity provider confirmed to the BBC that the drone assault caused “a complete power outage” in Port Sudan after hitting a major power station.

    Other drones targeted significant locations across the city, including the civilian section of the international airport, forcing flight cancellations, and a central army base.

    A third drone struck a fuel depot near the port, and witnesses reported damage to a hotel near the residence of army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. No casualties have been reported so far.

    Sudan’s Information Minister, Khalid Aleiser, visited the affected fuel depot and openly accused the United Arab Emirates of supporting the RSF with arms. The UAE denied the claim and condemned the strikes.

    Once a safe haven for displaced citizens and a functioning seat for the army-aligned administration, Port Sudan had remained largely untouched since the RSF first captured Khartoum in 2023.

    The latest assault suggests a strategic shift in RSF operations from ground battles to aerial attacks as the army regains control of central regions of the country.

    The UN has temporarily halted humanitarian flights in and out of Port Sudan in response to the violence.

    “None of our offices, premises or warehouses have been impacted, and we continue to carry out our regular operations,” said UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq.

    As the RSF intensifies its campaign, hitting military airports and fuel facilities over three consecutive days, the humanitarian situation in Sudan risks deteriorating further, with hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people now facing renewed uncertainty.

    United Nations and several human rights organizations are calling for an immediate end to the ongoing violence as Sudan approaches the second anniversary of its civil war.

    This appeal comes as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensify their attacks in the Darfur region, where dozens of people have been killed in recent days.

    Ahead of a high-level meeting in London on Tuesday—where delegates from multiple countries will gather to discuss ways to resolve the crisis—Human Rights Watch is urging world leaders to take swift action. The organization is calling for strong efforts to protect civilians and ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those in need without obstruction.

    “For the last two years, Sudan’s warring parties have subjected the population to horrific abuses and suffering, and blocked aid, plunging the country into the world’s worst humanitarian disasters,” Mohamed Osman, Sudan researcher at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement on Monday.

    “International leaders should ensure that discussions to improve the humanitarian situation go hand in hand with commitments at the highest level to protect civilians.”

    This week marks two years since fighting erupted between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudanese military on April 15, 2023. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of thousands and displaced nearly 13 million people, as reported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Additionally, the war has triggered severe hunger in some parts of Sudan.

    Recently, the Sudanese army succeeded in driving RSF troops out of Khartoum, the capital. However, the RSF claims to have made gains in Darfur, an area already struggling with a worsening humanitarian crisis.

    On Sunday, the RSF announced that they had seized the Zamzam camp near El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur province. According to the United Nations, the attack killed many, including 23 children and nine humanitarian workers.

    The situation remains dire for those affected by the ongoing conflict.

    ‘Thousands of displaced trapped and cut off from aid’

    The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned on Monday that the fighting near el-Fasher, which has been under an RSF blockade, is hampering access to humanitarian assistance.

    “Thousands of displaced people are trapped & cut off from aid,” OCHA Sudan said in a social media post.

    “Hostilities must stop now. All those engaged in the conflict must ensure safe passage for civilians and humanitarian access.”

    UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had condemned the attacks on civilians in and around el-Fasher, urging an end to the fighting.

    “The Secretary-General emphasizes that attacks directed against civilians and indiscriminate attacks are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law,” Guterres said in a statement issued via his spokesperson on Sunday.

    “Humanitarian relief personnel and medical personnel must be respected and protected. The perpetrators of these attacks must be brought to justice. Safe, unhindered and sustained access to the area, including the Zamzam camp, is urgently needed. Civilians who want to leave must be allowed to do so safely.”

    In a joint statement on Monday, Egypt and Qatar also expressed “grave concerns over the ongoing armed conflict in the Sudan and emphasized the importance of an immediate cessation of military operations”.

    Warring rival generals

    But the violence continued on Monday. Al Jazeera Arabic quoted local sources in reporting that RSF fighters were shelling the Abu Shouk camp for displaced people outside el-Fasher.

    Sudan has seen growing instability since longtime President Omar al-Bashir was removed from power in 2019 after months of antigovernment protests.

    In October 2021, the Sudanese military staged a coup against the civilian government of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, leading to his resignation in early 2022.

    Sudan’s army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and his rival general Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who leads the RSF, shared power after the coup but then started fighting for control of the state and its resources in April 2023.

    Davis Makori, humanitarian policy and advocacy specialist, highlighted the impact of the war on children – including psychological trauma, gender-based violence and inability to attend school – saying minors make up half of the civilians affected by the conflict.

    “While there are pockets of states in Sudan that are not actually active conflict zones, this humanitarian crisis has spread to almost every facet of life,” Makori told Al Jazeera.

  • Michael Jackson tops Forbes list as highest paid dead artist

    Michael Jackson tops Forbes list as highest paid dead artist

    American Singer and song-writer Michael Jackson has once again topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid dead celebrities for 2025, earning an estimated $105 million before taxes in the past year. 

    According to Forbes, the continued inflow of revenue comes from music sales, live show productions, licensing deals and catalog-related profits.

    A major factor in the latest surge was a landmark deal in 2024, when Jackson’s estate sold a 50 percent stake in his master recordings and publishing to Sony Music for about $600 million.

    Since his passing in 2009, the estate has now generated roughly $3.5 billion, making Jackson the most profitable late artist in the world.

    The money continues to flow from a mix of sources including a long-running Las Vegas residency, global touring shows built around his music, and Broadway and international stage productions.

    An estate attorney noted that Michael Jackson’s earnings place him far ahead of every other deceased celebrity, with a wide gap separating him from the rest.

    Forbes’ latest list is led largely by musicians, reflecting the growing importance of owning and commercializing music catalogs. The trend underscores a shift in the industry, where intellectual property and licensing strategies are now key sources of long-term revenue.

    Months ago, Cristiano Ronaldo (CR7) once again emerged as the highest-paid athlete for the third consecutive year, according to Forbes’ recent ranking.

    NBA star Stephen Curry has taken Lionel Messi’s position as the second highest paid, falling four places behind his rival.

    Curry, the Golden State Warriors guard who became the first NBA player to reach 4,000 career three-pointers in March, recorded $156 million (approximately £117 million) in income.

    Forbes says Ronaldo has been on the list five times in his career and has since increased his estimated total earnings by $15 million, reaching $275 million (about £206 million).Cristiano Ronaldo’s earnings have increased following his juicy contract with Al-Nassr and partnerships with Nike, Binance, and Clear, as well as his brand and huge social media following.

    The only sportsman that has surpassed the Al-Nassr star is former world champion boxer Floyd Mayweather, who earned $300 million in 2015 (then £194 million) and $275 million in 2018 (then £205 million).

    Tyson Fury moved to third place on Forbes’ highest-paid athletes list, replacing Dak Prescott, the American football quarterback. Prescott, who was previously ranked third, has now dropped to fourth place, earning $137 million in 2025.

    Fury was the beneficiary of a Netflix reality television show and a partnership with Maltese tourism.

    Cristiano Ronaldo, football: $275m (£206.6m)Stephen Curry, basketball: $156m (£117.2m)Tyson Fury, boxing: $146m (£109.7m)Dak Prescott, American football: $137m (£103m)Lionel Messi, football: $135m (£101.4m)LeBron James, basketball: $133.8m (£105.5m)Juan Soto, baseball: $114m (£85.7m)Karim Benzema, football: $104m (£78.2m)Shohei Ohtani, baseball: $102.5m (£77m)Kevin Durant, basketball: $101.4m (£76.2m)

    Ghanaian Afro-pop and Afro-fusion singer Gyakie was named in Forbes Africa’s 30 Under 30 Class of 2025.

    The announcement was made on X by Forbes Africa with the caption, “The FORBES AFRICA 30 Under 30 Class of 2025 has officially landed,and this year’s trailblazers are rewriting the rules of what it means to lead.”

    The recognition highlighted Gyakie’s soulful sound, cross-border collaborations and influence as a cultural ambassador for Ghana and Africa.

    The songbird took to Instagram to express her gratitude for the acknowledgment.

    “Grateful to be a part of the @forbesafrica 30 under 30 prestigious list with other amazing people. thanks for the recognition. this is for my fans, family, friends and country,”

    She also spoke at the 2025 Forbes Woman Africa Leading Women Summit, sharing insights on her artistic evolution and her genre-blending approach, incorporating Afro-fusion, R&B, hip-hop, and highlife.

    The world’s wealthiest individuals continue to indicate how global business and innovation shape fortunes on an extraordinary scale. Topping the list is Elon Musk, who maintains his position as the richest person in the world.

    His net worth is placed in the hundreds of billions of dollars due to vast holdings in Tesla, SpaceX and other ventures.

    Following Musk is Larry Ellison, co-founder and chief technology officer of Oracle Corporation. Ellison has risen sharply in the ranks thanks to Oracle’s strong performance in cloud and AI infrastructure.

    In the third position comes Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, who regained ground recently. Bezos’s shift back into the top tier reflects renewed investor interest in e-commerce and his other ventures.

    Next is Larry Page, one of the two co-founders of Google LLC (now part of Alphabet Inc.). Page’s standing underscores the enduring value of foundational tech platforms and the long-term growth of digital infrastructure.

    In fifth place sits Mark Zuckerberg, who built Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook). After leading the list in earlier years, Zuckerberg slipped slightly in the latest ranking as Meta pivots more heavily into the metaverse and artificial intelligence.

    Sixth is Sergey Brin, the other Google co-founder. Brin’s presence on the list highlights how early tech entrepreneurs continue to accumulate wealth over decades through equity and diversified holdings.

    The seventh slot is occupied by Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO of luxury-goods conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. Arnault is the lone major non-tech billionaire in the top ten, pointing to the enduring power of luxury markets globally.

    Eighth place is held by Jensen Huang, co-founder and CEO of Nvidia Corporation. Huang’s rise corresponds with the explosion in demand for AI-chips and graphics processing units, which has rapidly boosted Nvidia’s market valuation.

    The ninth spot belongs to Steve Ballmer, former CEO of Microsoft. Ballmer’s sustained wealth is rooted in Microsoft’s long-term growth and the strength of its enterprise software business.

    Finally, tenth is Michael Dell, founder of Dell Technologies. Dell’s appearance in the top ten underscores how hardware, computing infrastructure and legacy tech companies still matter in a world dominated by software and internet-based business models.

    Together, these ten individuals embody the massive economic forces reshaping the global economy: electric vehicles, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, social networks, luxury consumption and legacy enterprise systems. Their net worths are fluid, shifting with stock markets, innovation cycles and geopolitical events.

    These leaders’ fortunes also highlight key lessons: long-term ownership stakes in dominant companies, exposure to fast-growing sectors, and the compounding effect of capital gains. For journalists, analysts and business-minded readers alike, the rich list is more than a curiosity—it signals which industries and companies are truly shaping the future.

    In short, when you look at the top ten richest people in the world today, you are looking at a snapshot of where modern wealth is generated—and where it is likely to shift next.

  • The issue of galamsey calls for a collective action, not an NDC/NPP affair – Minority

    The issue of galamsey calls for a collective action, not an NDC/NPP affair – Minority

    Leader of the Minority in parliament, Mr. Afenyo-Markin urged MPs to look beyond electoral interests and focus on protecting the environment and the nation’s future.

    “The issue of galamsey calls for collective action—not an NDC-NPP affair, but a Ghana affair,” he warned. “It shouldn’t be that because of votes, you look away or condone lawlessness. If we don’t act decisively, those votes we chase could end up being meaningless—buried in a coffin of environmental destruction,” he told his fellow MPs in parliament.

    His remarks follow the Speaker of Parliament’s criticism of the reported role two MPs played in an assault on officers from the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS). The Speaker cautioned that Parliament will not shield any lawmaker who is proven to have acted improperly.

    The Speaker says he has ordered the Office of the Clerk and the Legal Services Office to assist the Ghana Police Service’s investigation into the alleged involvement of two Members of Parliament in an attack on officials of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS).

    Member of Parliament for Asutifi North, Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, and the MP for Asutifi South, Collins Dauda are alleged to have played roles in the incident.

    While condemning the act in parliament , the Speaker says; “I have therefore instructed the Office of the Clerk and the Legal Services Office to provide all necessary support to the Ghana Police Service in its investigations, within the framework of the 1992 Constitution, the laws of this country, and the Standing Orders of the House.”

    The NAIMOS task force allegedly encountered resistance from some young people while conducting an operation near Bronikrom–Hwediem.

    According to reports, the team had arrested two suspected illegal miners and confiscated vehicles and weapons, a development said to have triggered agitation among residents who intervened and brought the operation to a halt.

    Speaker Bagbin has declared that no Member of Parliament will be shielded from accountability, following reports linking some National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs to the act.

    Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, November 4, the speaker dismissed claims of lawmakers being protected from investigations, assuring Ghanaians that Parliament remains fully cooperative with security agencies probing its members.

    “There are so many Members of Parliament who are under investigation, and my office has never shielded any Member of Parliament. Many have volunteered themselves without coming through my office, and so let it not be said anywhere that Members of Parliament are being shielded from the rule of law,” he stated.

    Government in July set up the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) in efforts to curb illegal mining activities (galamsey) in the country.

    Speaking during an update on Wednesday, July 23, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, disclosed that the newly established Secretariat will act as the brain of Ghana’s anti-illegal mining operations.

    “To coordinate the efforts of the military, police, and other security agencies, the ministry has established the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) as the operational nerve-centre for Ghana’s fight against illegal small-scale mining,” he stated.

    The Secretariat is expected to collaborate with other key institutions, such as the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Finance (GRA-Customs Division), and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, as part of their mandate.

    Their collaboration will ensure that excavators and other earth-moving equipment that enter the country are not diverted to illegal mining activities.

    “In collaboration with the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Finance (GRA-Customs Division), and the Ports and Harbours Authority, we have initiated a proactive tracking of all imports of excavators and earth-moving equipment from the point of entry,” he added.

    In addition to the measures currently being put in place in the fight against galamsey, President Mahama, during the maiden Media Encounter, revealed that his outfit is “…organising a trip to Australia to see how small-scale mining is done without destroying the environment.”

    President Mahama also addressed the growing public and political pressure to ban the importation of excavators due to their widespread use in galamsey operations, stating that,

    “We cannot place an outright ban on the importation of excavators into the country because they are not only used by illegal miners but also by genuine contractors, among others.”

    Also, due to the devastating and deadly effects of galamsey, several stakeholders, including Convener, Media Coalition Against Galamsey, Ken Ashigbey, some civil society groups and environmental advocates have made calls for a state of emergency to be declared by the Mahama-led administration, but President Mahama has rejected them.

    According to him, “I’ve been reluctant to implement a state of emergency in the galamsey fight because we’ve not exhausted the powers we even have without a state of emergency. We have the opportunity to arrest anybody, to confiscate any such thing. The laws for forest protection and all that give us enough powers to be able to act.”

    Galamsey is one major challenge and a cancer eating into the country’s ecosystem. The fight against it is a long-standing one with little to no positive and generally significant and impressive effect; however, past and present administrations remain relentless in the fight against the environmental demon.

    Ghana in August lost right gallant men who were en route to an event on anti-galamsey in a gory and heart-wrenching plane crash on August 6, in Adansi.

    They were burned beyond recognition while on their way to an event to dissuade Ghanaians from engaging in illegal mining activities. Their remains had to be collected in cocoa sacks for forensic examination.

    Consequently, their death heightened calls from officials, concerned citizens and other stakeholders on President Mahama to be fierce and stern in his fight against the menace.

  • “I’ve instructed clerk, legal services to aid police investigation into MPs’ attack on NAIMOS officials” – Speaker

    “I’ve instructed clerk, legal services to aid police investigation into MPs’ attack on NAIMOS officials” – Speaker

    Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin says he has ordered the Office of the Clerk and the Legal Services Office to assist the Ghana Police Service’s investigation into the alleged involvement of two Members of Parliament in an attack on officials of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS).

    Member of Parliament for Asutifi North, Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, and the MP for Asutifi South, Collins Dauda are alleged to have played roles in the incident.

    While condemning the act in parliament , the Speaker says; “I have therefore instructed the Office of the Clerk and the Legal Services Office to provide all necessary support to the Ghana Police Service in its investigations, within the framework of the 1992 Constitution, the laws of this country, and the Standing Orders of the House.”

    The NAIMOS task force allegedly encountered resistance from some young people while conducting an operation near Bronikrom–Hwediem.

    According to reports, the team had arrested two suspected illegal miners and confiscated vehicles and weapons, a development said to have triggered agitation among residents who intervened and brought the operation to a halt.

    Speaker Bagbin has declared that no Member of Parliament will be shielded from accountability, following reports linking some National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs to the act.

    Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, November 4, the speaker dismissed claims of lawmakers being protected from investigations, assuring Ghanaians that Parliament remains fully cooperative with security agencies probing its members.

    “There are so many Members of Parliament who are under investigation, and my office has never shielded any Member of Parliament. Many have volunteered themselves without coming through my office, and so let it not be said anywhere that Members of Parliament are being shielded from the rule of law,” he stated.

    Government in July set up the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) in efforts to curb illegal mining activities (galamsey) in the country.

    Speaking during an update on Wednesday, July 23, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, disclosed that the newly established Secretariat will act as the brain of Ghana’s anti-illegal mining operations.

    “To coordinate the efforts of the military, police, and other security agencies, the ministry has established the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) as the operational nerve-centre for Ghana’s fight against illegal small-scale mining,” he stated.

    The Secretariat is expected to collaborate with other key institutions, such as the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Finance (GRA-Customs Division), and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, as part of their mandate.

    Their collaboration will ensure that excavators and other earth-moving equipment that enter the country are not diverted to illegal mining activities.

    “In collaboration with the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Finance (GRA-Customs Division), and the Ports and Harbours Authority, we have initiated a proactive tracking of all imports of excavators and earth-moving equipment from the point of entry,” he added.

    In addition to the measures currently being put in place in the fight against galamsey, President Mahama, during the maiden Media Encounter, revealed that his outfit is “…organising a trip to Australia to see how small-scale mining is done without destroying the environment.”

    President Mahama also addressed the growing public and political pressure to ban the importation of excavators due to their widespread use in galamsey operations, stating that,

    “We cannot place an outright ban on the importation of excavators into the country because they are not only used by illegal miners but also by genuine contractors, among others.”

    Also, due to the devastating and deadly effects of galamsey, several stakeholders, including Convener, Media Coalition Against Galamsey, Ken Ashigbey, some civil society groups and environmental advocates have made calls for a state of emergency to be declared by the Mahama-led administration, but President Mahama has rejected them.

    According to him, “I’ve been reluctant to implement a state of emergency in the galamsey fight because we’ve not exhausted the powers we even have without a state of emergency. We have the opportunity to arrest anybody, to confiscate any such thing. The laws for forest protection and all that give us enough powers to be able to act.”

    Galamsey is one major challenge and a cancer eating into the country’s ecosystem. The fight against it is a long-standing one with little to no positive and generally significant and impressive effect; however, past and present administrations remain relentless in the fight against the environmental demon.

    Ghana in August lost right gallant men who were en route to an event on anti-galamsey in a gory and heart-wrenching plane crash on August 6, in Adansi.

    They were burned beyond recognition while on their way to an event to dissuade Ghanaians from engaging in illegal mining activities. Their remains had to be collected in cocoa sacks for forensic examination.

    Consequently, their death heightened calls from officials, concerned citizens and other stakeholders on President Mahama to be fierce and stern in his fight against the menace.

  • 15 killed, 40 injured, 21 suspect identified in 2020 and 2024 election violence – Interior Ministry

    15 killed, 40 injured, 21 suspect identified in 2020 and 2024 election violence – Interior Ministry

    Ghana’s 2020 and 2024 general elections, marred by violence have resulted in the death of fifteen people with forty others injured, including the identification of 21 suspects.

    This information was made public by the  Minister for Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, while addressing journalists at a press briefing on Tuesday, November 4 on the findings of the Task Force regarding electoral violence.

    “The Special Investigation Task Force identified twelve cases that took place during the 2020 and 2024 General Elections. These cases had resulted in fifteen deaths across the country.”

    “Through careful review of police dockets, on-site inspections, and stakeholder interviews, the Special Investigation Task Force identified twelve specific cases. I must be quick to add that i have since instructed that the report of the commission on the election violence at Ayawaso West Wuogon be implemented fully for justice to prevail. Six each from the 2020 and the 2024 General Elections, which collectively led to fifteen deaths and injured 40 others,” the minister stated.

    On January 16, 2025, the Inspector-General of Police inaugurated a Special Investigation Task Force within the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service. The mandate of the Task Force was to collaborate with all stakeholders; to identify, review, and investigate all electoral violence cases that resulted in fatalities during the 2020 and 2024 General Elections.

    Earlier this year, the Office of the President, John Mahama, formally petitioned the Ghana Police Service to launch an immediate investigation into the deaths of Ghanaians during the 2020 and 2024 general elections.

    In a letter addressed to the IGP, the Office described the incidents as “a lasting scar on our democratic process,” emphasizing the need for justice for the victims and their families.

    The letter recommended key measures to ensure a comprehensive and transparent investigation, including the “establishment of a dedicated investigative taskforce” within the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to focus solely on the cases for “undivided attention and efficient handling of the matter.”

    It further proposed “collaboration with witnesses and families,” urging investigators to conduct “thorough interviews with eyewitnesses, victims’ families, and other relevant individuals who may provide crucial information.”

    Additionally, the statement called for a “review of electoral security arrangements” to examine the actions of security personnel deployed at the affected polling stations to determine “their involvement or oversight” in the tragic incidents.

    The letter also emphasized the importance of forensic analysis, urging the use of “advanced forensic techniques to analyze any physical evidence from the crime scenes, including bullet casings, weaponry, and other materials.”

    The President’s Office encouraged collaboration with electoral bodies, stating, “Work with the Electoral Commission and other relevant agencies to review reports from the 2020 and 2024 elections for additional context.”

    To ensure public trust, the Office of the President requested “periodic updates on the progress of the investigation,” stressing that it would help “keep stakeholders informed and assure the public of your commitment to uncovering the truth.”

    Speaking at the National Muslim Prayer and Thanksgiving event at the National Mosque in Accra on Friday, January 10, Mr. Mahama reiterated the need for justice.

    “If these continue and justice is not served, then what it does is, it breeds impunity. And that’s why, as a party, we have said that we must investigate and find out what led to these killings so that we can take action so that they don’t happen again.”

    The call came after the deaths of approximately eight Ghanaians during the 2020 elections and about six more in the recently concluded 2024 polls. Several electorates were injured during these two electoral processes.

    The Office of the President expressed confidence in the professionalism of the CID, stating, “We are confident in the competence and professionalism of the Criminal Investigations Department and trust that your efforts will yield the necessary results to bring justice to the victims and their families while preserving the integrity of Ghana’s democratic process.”

    The government has promised relief to victims of electoral violence, particularly those who suffered attacks during the 2020 and 2024 elections.

    Speaking during a courtesy call by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) at the Jubilee House in Accra on Friday, September 5, President John Dramani Mahama disclosed that he has received a report from the Ghana Police Service detailing all victims of electoral violence.

    He added that once the necessary review of the report is completed, the affected individuals will receive appropriate compensation.

    According to him, this comes after he tasked the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to investigate the incidents upon assuming office, adding that the IGP has delivered on his mandate by presenting him with a comprehensive report detailing all those affected, including individuals who lost their lives and those who sustained various degrees of injury.

    His outfit has submitted the report to the Attorney General for perusal, to determine the rightful compensation package for the victims.

    “I wish to inform you that last week, I received the investigative report on the two incidents, and they have detailed and catalogued everybody who was affected by the violence and the circumstances that led to the violence.”

    “We have given him [the Attorney General] the terms of reference to look at what adequate compensation would be for people who have been the victims of violence, including those who died, their families are still there, and then those who were some have been injured and are living with injury.“What is the adequate compensation that we can give to people like that?”, President Mahama noted.

    He continued, “ We have handed it over to the Attorney General, and he’s going to go through, and if there’s the need to hold some people culpable and bring them to book, the Attorney General will do that”.Additionally, President Mahama has assured that the compensation package will also include journalists who, over the years, have been victims of electoral violence on multiple occasions.

    “…And so once that is done, I’m sure that if there were journalists involved, they would also be considered for compensation,” he added.

  • Two mining cases of Chairman Wontumi adjourned to Nov. 12 and Dec. 4

    Two mining cases of Chairman Wontumi adjourned to Nov. 12 and Dec. 4

    Court proceedings on two cases involving the New Patriotic Party’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, have been postponed.

    The first case, which concerns allegations that he permitted mining activities on his concession at Samreboi without the required approval, proceedings were adjourned to November 12.

    While the second case, in which Wontumi he is accused of engaging in mining operations within the Tano Nimire Forest Reserve without authorization, was also postponed to December 4 because the presiding judge is currently on leave.

    The adjournment became necessary on the back of a request from the prosecution to enable them to serve the defense with necessary disclosures.

    Chairman Wontumi, has been accused of aiding individuals to mine without proper licence at Samreboi concession.

    This was made known during a court proceeding on Tuesday, October 7. Prosecutors have accused Chairman Wontumi, owner of Akonta Mining, and his co-director, Kwame Antwi, of illegally authorizing mining operations without the necessary licenses. The duo’s acts are criminal offenses under Ghana’s mining laws.

    According to prosecutors, one Henry Okum told investigators that he got permission from Chairman Wontumi to mine in the Samreboi area because he thought Wontumi owned the land.

    In Ghana, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, is solely responsible for authorizing mining licenses. Authorities are currently pursuing Kwame Antwi.Meanwhile, on Monday, October 6, he was granted bail in the sum of GH¢1 million with two sureties.

    Chairman Wontumi made an appearance at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service with his lawyer, Andy Appiah-Kubi, on Monday, October 6, after an order from the Attorney General (A-G) Dr. Dominic Ayine.

    On Friday, October 3, Dr. Dominic Ayine threatened to arrest him if he failed to surrender himself to the CID. According to the Attorney General, little progress has been made in investigating the allegations as key documents have been withheld by some officials of the previous administration.

    In April, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, revoked the company’s mining license for illegally mining within the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve in the Western North Region.

    The Minister explained that Akonta Mining has extended its illegal activities to the Aboi and Tano Nimiri Forest Reserves despite possessing a valid license to operate outside of forest reserves. Reacting to the Minister’s statement, the company refuted claims leveled against its operations.

    It emphasized in a press statement, “We are not responsible for the activities in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve. That responsibility lies solely with the Forestry Commission and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources”.

    The company added that such claims are a deliberate attempt by the Minister to tarnish the reputation of the company.

    “The decision by the Minister to publicly accuse us and call for the revocation of our license without any investigation or hearing is not just unfair, it is a clear breach of natural justice and a politically motivated act,” the company said.

    In May, the Special Police Anti-galamsey Taskforce from the National Police Headquarters apprehended 17 suspects in connection with illegal mining activities (galamsey) at Samreboi in the Western Region.

    The police nabbed the suspects, comprising seven Chinese nationals and 10 Ghanaians. The suspects were transported to Accra to assist with further investigations.

    The anti-galamsey task force is intensifying operations within the Aowin Tano and Tano Anwia areas near Enchi, focusing on identifying additional persons of interest and protecting the affected forest reserves. The Ghana Police Service announced that it remains resolute in its support for national efforts to combat illegal mining.

    There have been earlier anti-galamsey operations at Samreboi. About months ago, the Police arrested 58 suspects comprising 50 Ghanaians and 8 Chinese, and retrieved 85 excavators and 3 bulldozers to halt galamsey operations at Samreboi, along the Tano River, Wassa Dunkwa, Tigarikrom and surrounding communities in the Western Region.

    Similar anti-galamsey operations were carried out by various Regional Police Commands across the regions as follows:The Western Regional Police Command arrested 19 suspects and retrieved 3 excavators and 3 pump-action guns, among other exhibits.

    The Upper West Regional Police Command arrested 7 Ghanaian suspects and retrieved 11 changfangs and 3 motorbikes, among other exhibits.

    The Eastern South Regional Police Command Region arrested 24 suspects, including one Burkinabe, and retrieved 5 excavators, 3 single-barrel guns, and 1 pump-action gun, among other exhibits.

    The Western Central Regional Police Command arrested 85 suspects, comprising 76 Ghanaians and 9 Chinese, and also retrieved 11 excavators and other exhibits.

    The Eastern North Regional Police Command also arrested 15 suspects, including one Chinese, and retrieved 4 excavator control boards, 9 monitors, and one pistol, among other exhibits.Meanwhile, the prosecution of suspected illegal miners is being pursued by the police.

    On May 20, the Koforidua Circuit Court B granted 14 suspected illegal miners bail each in the sum of GHC350,000 with two sureties, with one to be justified with movable property.

    The suspects were arrested on May 15 for illegally mining at Akyem Muoso in the Eastern Region by the Eastern South Regional Police Command.

    At the time of the arrest, police retrieved a pump-action gun from one of the suspects, Zuberu Nuhoho, who failed to produce documentation for the weapon.

    Two excavator control boards were also retrieved from the mining site. The accused persons were arraigned before the Koforidua Circuit Court B on May 16.

  • National Service Postings Update in circulation fake – NSA

    National Service Postings Update in circulation fake – NSA

    The National Service Authority (NSA) has described a “National Students Service Postings Update” circulating on social media as fake.

    According to a statement shared by the Authority, the “publication, which bears the NSA logo and purports to announce the release of the “second batch of National Students Service postings on Wednesday, November 5, 2025,” is false and did not originate from the Authority.”

    It therefore urges the general public, especially prospective National Service personnel and tertiary institutions, to disregard the contents of the fake notice and treat it with the contempt it deserves.

    “All official announcements and updates from the National Service Authority are only published through our verified communication channels, including our official website: www.gnsa.gov.gh, our social media handles, and official press releases and public statements

    The Authority remains committed to transparent and timely communication and will continue to keep all stakeholders duly informed through our official platforms.

    National Service Authority (NSA) gave a 30-day ultimatum to tertiary institutions who were yet to renew their licenses.

    The Authority, in a press release dated Tuesday, June 17, cautioned that unaccredited tertiary institutions that miss the deadline to regularize their status would negatively impact their students’ chances of participating in the 2025/26 national service.

    According to the Authority, it received 135,990 submissions for this year from 122 tertiary institutions; however, 3,597 submissions are pending verification of accreditation.

    “This figure is part of a total of 135,990 final-year Ghanaian students submitted by 122 tertiary institutions across the country.

    “However, 3,597 of these submissions, representing graduates from 22 institutions, have not been processed, as those institutions are currently not accredited and remain unknown to the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC),” it added.

    “NSA also urges institutions with expired accreditation to engage with GTEC and regularized their status within the next 30 days,” it added.

    In June this year, The National Service Authority (NSA) released PIN codes for 132,393 prospective national service personnel ahead of the 2025/2026 service year.

    This information was made known in a press release issued by the Authority on Tuesday, June 17.

    The NSA indicated that this year’s intake dropped by an average of 26% compared to the past three years, with a 36% decline in 2022/2023.

    The Authority also revealed that it received 135,990 submissions for this year from 122 tertiary institutions. It noted that 3,597 submissions are pending verification of accreditation.

    “This figure is part of a total of 135,990 final-year Ghanaian students submitted by 122 tertiary institutions across the country.

    “However, 3,597 of these submissions, representing graduates from 22 institutions, have not been processed, as those institutions are currently not accredited and remain unknown to the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC),” it added.

    Tertiary institutions have been granted a 30-day window to address their accreditation irregularities with GTEC.

    Meanwhile, 908 PIN codes for private applicants are currently awaiting final verification from the related institutions to be released.

    PIN Code Activation and Registration

    Prospective service personnel are required to activate their PIN codes by paying a fee of GHS 40 at any ADB Bank Ltd branch. Alternatively, payments can be made via MTN Mobile Money at a fee of GHS 41.

    To begin the registration process, applicants should visit the NSA portal at https://smarthub.nss.gov.gh

    and follow the instructions to retrieve their PIN codes and complete the required steps.

    New Enrolment Features for Enhanced IntegrityTo strengthen the transparency and security of the registration process, the NSA has introduced several improvements to its online enrolment platform:

    Facial Biometric Verification: All prospective service personnel must completefacial verification against their Ghana Card data held with National IdentificationAuthority (NIA) prior to accessing the registration form.

    Verified Address Input: Applicants must provide a valid Ghana Post GPSaddress, which will be used for distance mapping and regional posting decisions,to guide proximity to the workplace.

    Accuracy of this information is essential for effective placement. Detailed guidance is available at https://smarthub.nss.gov.gh/faq/registration-guide,and registrants may also contact support@nss.gov.gh for additional assistance or chatto us live on the portal.

    Earlier this, the National Service Authority (NSA) deployed the first batch of trained teachers for the 2025/2026 national service year.

    A total of 13,700 graduates from accredited teacher training colleges began their service in various educational institutions across the country.

    In an announcement, the NSA directed all assigned personnel to verify their placements and complete necessary documentation.

    “All deployed Service Personnel MUST log onto the Authority’s website at www.nsw.gov.gh to check their placements and print their appointment letters for endorsement from their designated User Agencies,” the statement read.

    The newly deployed teachers were expected to begin service on April 2, 2025, while the regional validation process took place from March 26 to April 11, 2025, at all NSA regional centers nationwide.

    Reaffirming the mandatory nature of national service, the Authority cited the governing law: “Per the National Service Authority (Act 1119) 2024, every Ghanaian citizen who has attained the age of eighteen (18) years or more and has completed an Accredited Tertiary Institution is MANDATED to undertake national service to the State.”

  • People who keep their relationship private have something to hide – Waje

    People who keep their relationship private have something to hide – Waje

    Nigerian singer and songwriter Waje hs asserted that people who like to keep a relationship private always have something they are hiding.

    Waje’s comment follows her own dating experience with a man who appeared mature and charming but later showed signs of manipulation and emotional distance.

    During a conversation on The Honest Bunch Podcast monitored by MyNewsGh, Waje recounted a day her ex-partner refused to pick up her calls on her birthday and when they finally spoke, his justification shocked her.

    “He told me he was praying about us,” she said with a sigh. “Then later, he said he didn’t appreciate the fact that I spoke to my friend about our relationship. He claimed he’s the kind of person who likes to keep his relationships private.”

    Waje said this behavior was more than just privacy, it was isolation.

    “I think when people do that, they isolate you from your friends because they don’t want you to find out the truth about what they’re hiding,” she added. “Everything he told me about himself was a lie.”

    The “I Wish” hitmaker noted that the relationship eventually ended “a natural death,” admitting that distance, secrecy, and manipulation eroded the bond.

    Nigerian Afrobeats star Tiwa Savage opened up about her past relationship with a fellow celebrity who cheated on her and treated her with disdain.

    According to Tiwa Savage who spilled the beans on Joe Budden’s podcast Show,  she was also discouraged from making the relationship public because her ex boyfriend claimed it was necessary to avoid suspicion of their romantic affair. 

    “It’s disrespectful. I’m a public figure, and he is as well. He did this thing where he is like. I don’t want us to go public; I don’t want people to know. So, when we go out, I might be talking to other people, but I’m just doing it, so people don’t suspect, “she shared.

    Revealing more details about the bizarre experience, Tiwa stated that his ex, whose name she did not disclose on the show, cheated on her with other women, and she was made to be calm and quiet about it.

    “We might be in the same event and he would be with other people, talking and touching people, and he looks over at me and is like… ‘I’m just doing it so…I couldn’t say anything. And it was happening right in front of me,” she said.

    The Nigerian Afrobeats queen shared her expectations regarding the caliber of man she is looking forward to settling down with.

    According to her, the man expecting ther to accept his proposal should not be accompanied by the baby mama drama.

    “I am still looking for someone’s son and I’d prefer someone that has a private plane and doesn’t have baby mama dramas,” she confidently said in a video sighted by The Independent Ghana on X.

    Weeks ago, she opened up about her challenges before rising to fame in the music industry.

    Speaking on a recent episode of the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast, Tiwa revealed that her sense of fashion received massive criticism, preventing her from performing at shows.

    “I was really hurt. I would go to shows and wait backstage, and they wouldn’t call me because maybe the governor’s wife had said I couldn’t come up. Or they’d say.

    “Make sure you don’t wear any of those skimpy dresses.’ I’m not making this up.”My fashion sense attracted criticism. Then, I ran back to L.A.,” Tiwa said.

    The backlash, she said, forced her to relocate to United States of America, Los Angeles.

    According to her, it took the intervention of her longtime manager, Bizzle, to get her back to Nigeria.

    Despite her return, Tiwa said she faced rejection from all the top record labels back then.

    “I’ve told the story where I went to all the labels and they all said no—Storm Records, Mo’Hits, Banky W’s EME, everyone,” she noted.

    Tiwa added that Bizzle motivated, encouraged, or supported her at a crucial time.

    “I remember Bizzle called me and told me that ladies were loving me, so I came back to Nigeria,” she stated.

    Initially drawn to acting as her first love, Tiwa disclosed that it was a man in the music industry who caught her attention and influenced her career choice.

    She shared that her crush’s close association with musicians led her to abandon acting and pursue a career in music instead.

    “I’ve always wanted to do acting. Acting was one of my first loves before music. I got into music because I had a crush on a guy, and he was always around musicians, so I said, ‘yeah, forget acting and just go into music,’” Tiwa revealed.

    Last year, she revealed a surprising view on relationships, saying cheating wouldn’t end things for her.

    During an appearance on the Receipts Podcast on Spotify, the “African Bad Gyal” shared that every partner she has been with has cheated on her.

    Despite this, Tiwa said she has forgiven them all and moved past the pain they caused.

    “I’ve been cheated on before. I found out and forgave every time. Every man I’ve ever been with has cheated, and I’ve never left them because of it. I’ve left for other reasons, but not because they cheated. Cheating is not my hill,” Tiwa revealed.

    The singer also argued that cheating has long been part of societal dynamics, stating, “I know you say it’s bad that we’ve gotten to a point where cheating isn’t a deal-breaker. But I feel like we’ve always been here—even back in the day, even going back to the Bible and history.”

    Tiwa Savage explained that while she can overlook cheating, she won’t accept dishonesty, disrespect, abuse, or theft in a relationship.

    She also spoke about her personal experiences, admitting she has never had an orgasm and hasn’t tried using sex toys, even though she’s open to exploring new things.

    Her candid comments have sparked conversations online, with some applauding her honesty and others debating her views on love and loyalty.

     She also shared a playful story of how she tried to make advances at American actor and activist Kendrick Sampson from of ‘Insecure’ fame.

    During a candid interview on ‘The Receipts Podcast,’ the ‘All Over’ hitzmaker talked about trying to spark a romantic connection with actor Kendrick Sampson during the filming of her Forgiveness music video.

    Initially unaware of his fame from Insecure, Tiwa became intrigued by Sampson’s charm and good looks. She admitted to making some subtle advances, though they were unsuccessful in forming a romantic bond.

    “When he came on set, my makeup and hair stylist was like, ‘That’s the guy from Insecure,’ and I was like, ‘Okay?’ And he was just lovely. Like, really, really sweet,” Tiwa recounted.

    After watching Insecure following the video shoot, Tiwa found herself even more intrigued and decided to reach out to Kendrick while she was still in Los Angeles.

    Despite her subtle efforts to express interest, Tiwa humorously admitted that her attempts didn’t land.

    “I tried to paint and throw signs—but nothing. A little bit of me died,” she joked. “I want to unfollow him [laughs]. I’m angry [laughs].”

    Tiwa concluded by praising Kendrick as “lovely” and “so cute,” despite her playful frustration over the unreciprocated signals.

  • ‘I may become a lawyer soon, don’t be surprised’ – Guru tells fans

    ‘I may become a lawyer soon, don’t be surprised’ – Guru tells fans

    Ghanaian rapper and entrepreneur Maradona Yaboah Adjei, popularly known as Guru NKZ, has told Ghanaians that he is quietly preparing for a new chapter in his life.

    Speaking in an interview on Okay FM on November 3, 2025, Guru indicated, “My dream is about to change, but I want to really be sure of it before I can publicly discuss it..

    Thus, “Don’t be surprised when you hear I’m addressed as an esquire in the near future. I’m on that path, but I’m still thinking and planning, so for now, I don’t want to reveal much,” he added.

    Last month, Radio and Television broadcaster Serwaa Amihere was called to the BAR on October 10, 2025.

    Sharing a glimpse of her journey on social media, the now barrister indicated that she deliberately kept the news away from the public over the past 5 years.

    “Making this known in a post shared via social media, she said “40 subjects. 40 exams. Over 2,500 lecture-hours. More than 8,000 hours of private studies and group discussions. A thousand plus judicial decisions. Several volumes of textbooks and monographs.”

    “Dozens of enactments, and many more dozens of pens, pencils, markers, highlighters, and sticky notes. Sleepy days and sleepless nights. This is the aspect of my life which I’ve carefully kept away from the public in the last 5 years. Thanks to God, my beloved family and you, wonderful individuals, who supported me through it all. To a new chapter,” Serwaa wrote in a post.

    The Ghana School of Law admitted 824 lawyers-in-waiting to the Bar today, October 10, 2025.

    The ceremony signifies the end of years of perseverance, commitment, and determination by the prospective lawyers.

    Announcing the call to the Bar, the Ghana School of Law stated, “A new generation of lawyers is ready to serve with integrity and excellence.”

    In 2023, Kennedy Osei, son of Dr Osei Kwame Despite, was also called to the bar.

    He joins the tall list of graduates called to the bar, clad the black and white attire matching it with a peruke that brought a sense of formality and solemnity to their graduation ceremony, Friday, November 11, 2022.

    In a post he shared on his Instagram, he posed wearing his graduation gown while seated with one leg crossed on the other.

    His caption that accompanied the post read, “The Time Is Here: KENNEDY ASANTE OSEI ESQ. #GODFIRST. Thank you.”

    His post has attracted many social media users and some stars to congratulate the businessman on achieving a higher milestone.

    Reacting to his post, netizens shared many clapping emojis with others who expressed joy and shock after the post was shared barely one hour ago.

    So far, his post has amassed close to seven thousand likes with over a hundred comments.

    A social media reaction shared by Afia Schwarzenegger read, “Eishhhhhhh my learned colleague…[with five clapping emojis].”

    Clemento Suarez also added, “Congratulations my fellow atta papa” while Selassie Ibrahim kept it simple with a warm “Congratulations.”

    In the same year, the wife of actor turned politician John Dumelo, Gifty Mawunya Nkornu, was called to the bar.

    She was called to the bar on Friday, May 5, 2023.

    This was made public by her husband in Facebook post.

    A proud husband took to his social media handles to celebrate his wife for her achievement.

    John Dumelo shared a photo of his wife in her judicial gown and wig, plus another picture taken with their kids.

    “Congratulations my love for being called to the Ghana Bar today. You are now Mrs Gifty Mawunya Dumelo Esq. I have cases for you already lol. Love you,” he wrote.

    The couple got married in 2018 and share two children.

    The General Legal Council (GLC) reversed its decision to admit Ms. Elorm Ababio, who is widely recognized on social media as Ama Governor, to the bar.

    This change was communicated in a letter dated October 18, 2023, signed by Justice Cynthia Pamela Addo, the Secretary to the GLC.

    The GLC explained that although Ms. Ababio had submitted the appropriate application and was initially scheduled to be called to the bar on October 20, 2023, the council has now reconsidered its decision.

    According to the letter, upon receiving her application, Ms. Ababio had been informed that her conduct would be closely monitored by the Council, in adherence to the regulations governing the legal profession.

    “In line with the General Legal Council’s letter dated 13th March, 2023, Council was to observe and monitor your conduct during the time leading up to the submission of your application to be called to the bar” the GLC stated.

    The letter indicated that Ms Ababio couldn’t meet the criteria, hence her application to be called to the Ghanaian bar has been declined.

    “At the meeting of the General Legal Council held on Tuesday, 17th October, 2023, your application to be called to the bar was declined on account of elements noted in your public conduct prior to the application,” the Council explained.

    The General Legal Council (GLC) has allowed Ms. Elorm Ababio, popularly known as Ama Governor, to re-apply for admission to the bar any time after October 20, 2023.

    The GLC will continue to monitor Ms. Ababio’s conduct until it is satisfied that she meets the standards required for admission to the bar.

    Elorm Ama Ababio, also known as Ama Governor, is a Ghanaian YouTuber, social media influencer, and aspiring lawyer. In November 2022, a complaint was filed against her for behavior on social media that was deemed unsuitable for the legal profession. The complainant argued that Ama had been featured in viral videos that were not in line with the conduct expected of a prospective lawyer.

    As a result, she was denied admission to the bar, despite having completed her legal studies, passed her exams, and successfully completed her interview. Ama, along with the support of various Ghanaians on social media, engaged in legal battles and online petitions against the General Legal Council.

    In September, Ama publicly asserted that her sexual orientation should not be a barrier to her admission to the bar. She claimed victory in her legal battle against the Council and was set to be called to the bar in October 2023. However, with only a few days remaining before her enrollment ceremony, she has been informed that she must re-apply.

  • Arnold Asamoah-Baidoo criticises public disputes over Daddy Lumba’s funeral

    Arnold Asamoah-Baidoo criticises public disputes over Daddy Lumba’s funeral

    Entertainment pundit Arnold Asamoah-Baidoo has condemned public tussles surrounding the late Daddy Lumba and his family.

    His comment comes at a time when issues about the late musician’s funeral are currently before a court of competent jurisdiction.

    Speaking on United Showbiz, he stated that before the passing of Daddy Lumba, the public was not aware of certain things about his private life, but the public tussles from members of his family have, however, brought a lot of those things into the public eye.

    “I sympathise with the people behind the press releases. I am not in their shoes, so, I can’t really tell what’s going on with them. Both their mental faculties I can not predict,” he said.

    He also stated that “But the fact is the matter is in court, and the releases must be directed to the judge. So, why are you showing it to me? What will the general public use that information for? Because once the case is in court, if the evidence you have is relevant to the case in court, take it there.”

    He added that, inasmuch as people are going through stuff, if the paperwork is supposed to be for the judge, then it must be directed there.

    The late Daddy Lumba’s elder sister, Ernestina Fosu has declared that there will be no burial for Daddy Lumba until the actual cause of his death is known.

    After a court appearance, Ernestina told Adum TV that until the truth is known, no amount of court ruling or family decision would compel her to allow the funeral to proceed.

    “The funeral will not be held on December 6. We did not seek an injunction because we are mad. We still don’t know what killed my brother. We cannot allow people to rush with his funeral,” she said.

    However, she has expressed readiness to organize the funeral on the scheduled December 6 if she receives a clear explanation about what caused Daddy Lumba’s death before then.

    “There will be no problem if we find out about the cause of Daddy Lumba’s death before December 6. But if we don’t find out what killed my brother, I won’t allow my family to bury my brother, Charles,” she said.

    Ernestina Fosu has earlier indicated that she is not prepared to organize Daddy Lumba’s funeral on Dec 6.

    She made this known to the media in the aftermath of a court proceeding at the Kumasi High Court on October 28, 2025.

    “I am not ready for my brother’s funeral on December 6, 2025,” she stated firmly in a video shared on social media.

    Akosua Serwaa filed an injunction against the late musician’s funeral scheduled for December 6, demanding that she be recognized as the only surviving wife of the musician and not Odo Broni, who is currently claiming that title.

    While the court has yet to rule on the spousal status of Akosua Serwaa and Odo Broni, the Kumasi High Court has dismissed an injunction application that sought to halt the burial and funeral of the late legend.

    The judgment allows the family to go ahead with burial plans as originally arranged.

    Madam Serwaa’s lawyer, William Kusi, insisted that his client was the musician’s only legally recognized wife and that her rights were being ignored in the funeral preparations. He supported his argument with a civil marriage certificate reportedly issued in Germany as evidence of their union.

    In July this year, a statement by the counsel for the Fosu family confirmed that the music veteran passed on July 26, after a short illness.

    He succumbed to the illness at the Bank Hospital in Accra, per reports.

    The statement read: “With profound sorrow and deep grief, the Fosu family announces the passing of Ghana’s beloved musical icon, Charles Kojo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, who passed away earlier today, Saturday, July 26, 2025, after a short illness.”

    “Daddy Lumba was more than a musician; he was a cultural icon whose music touched countless lives. His soulful voice provided the soundtrack to our love stories, and his poignant lyrics captured the poetry of our struggles, dreams, and resilience.”

    Daddy Lumba was renowned for his incredible talent as a singer, composer, songwriter, recording artist, and producer.

    With an illustrious career that has spanned over three decades, Daddy Lumba was widely regarded as the greatest and most influential musician in Ghanaian history.

    Many artists in Ghana, including Ofori Amponsah, Sarkodie, Kuami Eugene, Paa Solo of Sibo Brothers, Oheneba Kissi, KiDi, and others, consider him their major inspiration in the music industry.

    Daddy Lumba was born 60 years ago to Mr. Johnson Kwadwo Fosuh and Madam Comfort Gyamfi, also known as Ama Saah, in Nsuta, near Mampong in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Both of his parents were teachers, and he was the second of three siblings.

    His educational journey began in Nsuta Kyebi, and he completed junior high school at Suame Methodist, Kumasi in 1979. Subsequently, he attended Adu Gyamfi Senior High School in Jamasi, but later transferred to Juaben Senior High School, where he completed his secondary education in 1984.

    Daddy Lumba’s music career took off in the early 80s when he formed the Nkwanta Wesley Singers, gaining fame at the Anokye Krom Cultural Center.

    During his time at Juaben Senior High School, he led the school choir and composed the song “Lumba Lumba,” dedicated to the freedom fighters in South Africa. This song’s popularity earned him the nickname “Daddy Lumba”, which later became his stage name. He also formed the Lumba Brothers band during his school days, which included his girlfriend at the time, Theresa.

    After completing school, Daddy Lumba, with the help of his high school sweetheart Theresa Abebrese, traveled to Germany. There, he met Ernest Nana Acheampong, and they formed another Lumba Brothers group, recording their debut album, “Yee Ye Aka Akwantuom,” in 1986. Financial constraints delayed the album’s release until 1989, and eventually, the duo split.

    Daddy Lumba then launched his solo career and released his debut solo album, “Obi Ate Meso Buo,” in 1990. The album received immense popularity and critical acclaim, featuring classics like the title track and “Theresa,” dedicated to his ex-lover. He has since released 33 albums, including notable ones like “Sika Asem,” “Aben Wo Ha,” “Wo Ho Kyere,” “Awosoo,” “Give Peace A Chance,” and “Ahenfo Kyiniye.” His latest project, “Ofon Na Edi Asem Fo,” was released in December 2022, reuniting him with longtime collaborator Kweku Mensah.

    In addition to his own success, Daddy Lumba is renowned for nurturing the careers of budding artists who went on to become legends in their own right.

    Some of these artists include Felix Owusu, for whom he produced the debut album “Vida” in 1992, Afia Ampofowaa, Kwabena Sunkwa, Ofori Amponsah with the “Woho Kyere” album in 1999, Selina Orleans, Akua Serwaa Bonsu, Borax, Ateaa Tina, and many others.

    His contributions to Ghanaian music and the support he provides to upcoming talents have solidified his status as an iconic figure in the country’s music industry.

    With his passion, talent, and dedication to the craft, Daddy Lumba continues to be a role model for aspiring musicians, leaving an indelible mark on the rich musical landscape of Ghana.

  • People in my close circles don’t get free performance from me – Obaapa Christi

    People in my close circles don’t get free performance from me – Obaapa Christi

    Ghanaian Gospel musician Obaapa Christy has emphatically stated that she will not perform for anyone at any event for free.

    She strongly believes that, whether you are in her close circles or not, she deserves that you honour her craft if it serves you in any way.

    “I will actually stand and take my money before I leave. Even if I know the person, I will still take it. That’s because I’ve learnt my lessons on certain things. The most important thing is me delivering exactly what I’m expected to do,” she said.

    She stressed that people are quick to forget that performing comes with expenses she must cover personally.

    “That’s my job and that’s what God has blessed me with, so if I don’t charge, how then will I feed? When someone has a problem and they seek help from me, it’s the same money that I would use to assist the person,” she stated.

    The gospel musician also emphasized that she is one of the artists who are intentional about charging people who request her services.

    Thus she leaves no room for any amount of money that is below her worth.

    “I won’t be on TV and say I don’t charge; I do. When someone charges less for an event, it doesn’t mean I should also take less amount of money. There are levels to everything, and in this job we do, I’ve been able to build my brand so I’m different from others who charge less,” she shared.

    Sharing the same ideology, Gospel musician Empress Gifty Adorye confidently stressed that she will not accept an amount less than GHS50,000 to perform at any event.

    The Independent Ghana spotted her in a video where she was speaking to a congregation saying,

    “As I am standing here, the least I would charge your people is GH¢50,000, and I would take it. If you don’t pay me such an amount, I won’t perform. I am the one trending,” she said

    Empress Gifty is hopeful that she will soon win a Grammy and BET award.

    This comes after she emerged as Traditional Gospel Song of the Year at this year’s Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA’s) held on May 10 at the Grand Arena.

    She posted a video expressing gratitude to her fans as well as her ambitions to win the Grammy and BET awards.

    The musician also mentioned that she would appeal to the spirit of her late mother, Agaga, for protection in this regard.

    “I will visit Agaga and I will present the plaques to her so that she can also protect me from any evil plot against me. I won this award by merit. Very soon I will go to BET and Grammys,” she said.

    Meanwhile, the wife of Hopeson Adorye has hinted at the possibility of a joint album with award-winning musician Kuami Eugene.

    In an interview during the TGMA Nominees Jam in Takoradi, Empress Gifty shared that there could be more to come after their successful collaboration on the song “Watch Me.”

    The two artists, who bring unique styles to the table, previously worked together on the track, which has received positive feedback since its release in September 2024.

    The song was co-written and produced by Kuami Eugene and has showcased their strong musical connection.

    Empress Gifty mentioned that their partnership may extend beyond just this one song.

    She hinted at the possibility of more projects together, with a joint yet to drop.

    In 2024, Nigerian musician Iyanya made a surprising revelation about Davido and Chioma’s union, stating he was initially invited to perform at the bridal shower.

    Iyanya asserted he had no hesitation when contacted by Davido for the performance, saying he was more than willing to support his brother.

    However, Iyanya expressed surprise upon receiving a $100,000 payment from Davido, for which he was grateful.

    Multiple award-winning singer and songwriter, Kofi Kinaata known in private life as Martin King Arthur, also stated emphatically that entertainment is expensive.

    He said “We are here to perform but tell those who are outside the venue that entertainment is very expensive.

    “If you say you want to watch our shows then you have to bear in mind that it is expensive, I hope you understand,” he opined.

    This statement was made at the Taadi Invasion concert which was sponsored by Lawson Herbal over the weekend following a low turn out at the Sekondi Gyandu park.

    Talking to the few people that were gathered at the venue after he mounted the stage to perform, the ‘Have Mercy’ hitmaker said even if six people show up at a paid event he will still go ahead to perform.

    He continued “Even if those who have paid to be here are only six people in number we will still perform for them and party since we are here purposely for this.

    “Next time if you want to be excited and entertain yourself, then you have to get yourself some money because this is not a free show like my made in Taadi annual concert,” he added sighted by MyNewsGh.com’s Amansan Krakye.

  •  Apologize to Jadrolita or face the law – Jarvis’ Management to Peller over laundering claims

     Apologize to Jadrolita or face the law – Jarvis’ Management to Peller over laundering claims

    Money laundering claims made by content creator Peller, against fellow content creator Jarvis, have been welcomed with lawsuit threats by the latter’s management team.

    Peller, during a TikTok livestream, alleged that some creators are leveraging the App’s gifting system to launder money.

    Adding to the claim that he once thought Jarvis was wealthy until she allegedly disclosed the money laundering was the secret behind her earnings.

    In response, Jarvis’ management, Aiso Entertainment, released a statement dated November 2, 2025, debunking Peller’s allegations.

    “The management of Jadrolita, alongside Jadrolita herself, unequivocally and categorically refutes this egregious claim in its entirety. Jadrolita has never engaged in, nor been implicated in, any form of illicit financial conduct; her affairs have always been conducted with the highest standards of transparency and legality, subject to rigorous scrutiny and free from blemish,” part of the statement read.

    Traditional priestess turned evangelist, Patricia Asiedua Asiamah, popularly known as Nana Agradaa, is going to spend 15 years in prison for charlatanic advertisement and defrauding by false pretence.

    The Circuit Court in Accra delivered its sentence after it confirmed that she is not pregnant.

    In 2022, she was accused of luring her victims through claims that she possessed spiritual powers to double their money.

    Initially admitting guilt to charges including fraudulent advertising and obtaining money under false pretenses, she spent two weeks in remand before being granted bail of GH₵150,000 with three sureties, one requiring justification.

    She tricked members of the Godsway International Heaven Church into handing over their cash during a night vigil service at her church in Weija, Accra.

    Meanwhile, Ghanaian gospel musician Gifty Oppong Adorye, known in showbiz as Empress Gifty, has dragged Evangelist Mama Pat, popularly known as Agradaa, to court for defaming her.

    In a video targeting Empress Gifty’s husband, Hopeson Adorye, Agradaa extended her attacks to the singer, accusing her of engaging in bestiality and unfaithful activities.

    According to Gifty, other bloggers have leveraged Agradaa’s statement to spread false narratives about her.

    This has affected the “Watch Me” singer and her family, as their children are being ridiculed by friends in school.

    In addition to the negative impact of Agradaa’s conduct, lawyers of Empress Gifty say her trip abroad slated for August has been jeopardized.

    The words used by Agradaa are interpreted to mean the following:

    a) The plaintiff is promiscuous and a prostitute.

    b) The plaintiff is a zoophile who flirts with dogs to earn her money to cater for her husband.

    c) The plaintiff is an adulterous or an unchaste wife who has extramarital affairs with other men, and most of her paramours are pastors.

    d) Pastors who invite the Plaintiff to their programs have sexual intercourse with her in their offices before the Plaintiff mounts the pulpit to sing.

    e) The plaintiff is an imbecile.

    Consequently, Empress Gifty claimed the sum of twenty million Ghana Cedis for damages for slander.

    She also sought a perpetual injunction to prevent the defendant, along with associates, agents, and anyone acting on her behalf, from making further publications of the same or similar defamatory statements.

    Dancehall musician Shatta Wale has firmly stated that his music is his only source of wealth and not fraud.

    His comment comes in response to a section of Ghanaians associating him with fraud following the arrest of one of his close associates known as Isaac Kofi Oduro Boateng, also known as Kofi Boat.

    “You people are watching my life, and anytime there is an issue in Ghana, you like to drag me into it.”

    “You guys are making a mistake with my name. I am a very clean boy. Just because your artiste, your industry favourite, cannot pull the kind of things I can pull, you assume I am into fraud. You are free to tell people I am into fraud.

    “One thing the white people coming here do is that they research. They are not stupid. They saw my Rolls-Royce and knew how I acquired the funds to purchase it. It’s music money. It’s not fraud; it’s hard work and dedication. So don’t make a mistake,” he said in a video spotted by The Independent Ghana on X.

    A secret FBI operation led to the arrest of Ghana’s nightlife mogul and alleged crypto kingpin, Nana Kojo Boateng, popularly known as Dada Joe Remix, with possible extradition to the United States of America (U.S.A).

    Sources say he was “scooped up Rambo-style,” over his alleged involvement in fraudulent financial activities.

    Even though people have known him as a big player in the oil and gas business, rumors have it that he might have been involved in shady activities behind the scenes.

    Panic has reportedly gripped Accra’s elite social circles since the news broke.

    Some prominent figures allegedly involved in cryptocurrency, forex trading, and high-end real estate have also allegedly gone into hiding.

    Dada Joe Remix could stand trial and face significant legal consequences if convicted.

    Official details regarding his arrest and the nature of the charges are yet to be released.

    It will be recalled that in 2022, the Nigerian social media influencer, Ramon Abbas, who called himself Ray Hushpuppi and flaunted a lavish lifestyle supported by laundering millions of dollars was sentenced in Los Angeles to more than 11 years in federal prison.

    Ramon Abbas, 40, was also ordered by a federal judge to pay $1.7m in restitution to two fraud victims, according to a statement from the United States Department of Justice.

    Abbas was “one of the most prolific money launderers in the world,” Don Alway, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles office, said in the statement.

    Prosecutors said Abbas and a Canadian man laundered money from various online crimes, including bank cyberheists and business email compromise, or BEC, a prolific crime in which crooks hack into email accounts, pretend to be someone they’re not, and fool victims into wiring money where it doesn’t belong.

    Abbas had more than two million Instagram followers before he was arrested in 2020 in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

    His social media posts showed him living a life of luxury, complete with private jets, ultra-expensive cars, and high-end clothes and watches.

    “I hope someday I will be inspiring more young people to join me on this path,” read one Instagram post by Abbas, who pleaded guilty in April 2021 to one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering.

  • Opposition rejects President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s election win

    Opposition rejects President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s election win

    President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s landslide victory in Tanzania’s 2025 election victory interrupted by deadly protests has been rejected by the opposition party, Chadema.

    The opposition described the results as “completely fabricated”, with allegations that the process was not genuine.

    According to reports, the opposition was denied participation in the poll.

    Hassan won the country’s disputed election with more than 97 percent of the vote, according to official results announced in the early hours of Saturday Nov 1, 2025.

    After receiving her victory certificate on Saturday, President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is 65, thanked the security forces for keeping order during the elections. She said the government strongly condemns the violence that took place, calling it “unpatriotic.”

    Earlier in the day, the head of the electoral commission, Jacobs Mwambegele, announced Samia as the winner of the presidential election.
    She received about 31.9 million votes, which is 97.66% of all votes cast. Voter turnout was high, with almost 87% of the country’s 37.6 million registered voters taking part.

    In Zanzibar, which has its own government and president, the ruling party’s candidate, Hussein Mwinyi, was also declared the winner, with nearly 80% of the vote.
    However, the opposition there said the election was full of cheating.

    Although there were no protests reported on Saturday morning, the situation was still tense in Dar es Salaam, where security officers set up roadblocks across the city.

    On Friday, protesters in Dar es Salaam and other areas took to the streets, tearing down posters of President Samia and attacking police and voting stations, even after the army warned people to stop.
    Many of the protesters are young people who say the election was not free and fair.

    They accuse the government of blocking the main opposition candidates, one of them is in jail, and the other was disqualified for technical reasons.

    A spokesperson from the opposition party Chadema said around 700 people had been killed during clashes with security forces. A diplomatic source told the BBC there was evidence that at least 500 people had died.
    But Tanzania’s foreign minister, Mahmoud Kombo Thabit, said the violence happened only in “a few isolated places” and that security forces acted quickly to control the situation.

    The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, said he was “deeply concerned” about what is happening in Tanzania and called on all sides to stop the violence.
    The UK, Canada, and Norway also raised concerns, saying there were credible reports of many deaths and serious injuries caused by the security forces.

    Only two major opposition candidates were expected to challenge Samia — Tundu Lissu, who is facing treason charges, and Luhaga Mpina, who was removed from the race over legal issues.
    Sixteen smaller parties were allowed to run, but they are not known to have strong public support.

    Samia’s party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), and the party that came before it, have ruled Tanzania since independence and have never lost an election.

    Human rights groups had already warned of government crackdowns before the vote. Amnesty International said there had been kidnappings, torture, and killings of opposition members, but the government denied these claims and insisted the election would be free and fair.

    Samia became president in 2021 after the death of former President John Magufuli, making her the first woman to lead Tanzania.

    Cameroon’s top court has declared incumbent Paul Biya winner of the presidential election, securing him another term in office and extending his more than four-decade rule after winning with 53.66 percent of the vote.

    At 92, Biya remains the world’s oldest serving head of state. His closest contender, Issa Tchrioma Bakary, garnered 35.19 percent.

    The veteran leader, who first assumed power in 1982, brushed aside widespread calls to step down. 

    He made only one public appearance during the campaign period, assuring supporters that “the best is still to come.”

    If he completes the new seven-year mandate, Biya would have ruled Cameroon for half a century, reaching the age of nearly 100 by 2032.

    Despite repeated allegations of electoral irregularities and vote-rigging, the government and the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement have consistently denied any wrongdoing.

    Biya’s leadership has been marked by a mix of stability and controversy. 

    While some credit him for maintaining peace in parts of the country, others accuse his administration of clamping down on dissent and mismanaging the economy.

  • “God lifted me after receiving several rejections from industry players” – Yemi Alade

    “God lifted me after receiving several rejections from industry players” – Yemi Alade

    Award-winning artist Yemi Alade has recounted how she had to navigate several rejections, condescension from people, and endured fake love from those in her inner circle during the early days of her music career.

    According to her, in a chat with Chude Jideonwo, she performed over 300 free shows before her breakout single , “Johnny ,” which changed her life for the better.

    “I was rejected a lot. There were a lot of ‘no’s. I could feel people smiling in my face, but deep down, they couldn’t stand my existence. Not because I was superior, but because they thought I was inferior,” Yemi stated.

    Today, she calls herself “a product of grace.”

    Temi strongly attributes it to God lifting her from her small cubicle and taking her over the heads of many CEOs “and short callers in the industry.”

    Temi, with gratitude to God, said she has been touring the world for years because he has helped her break through as a singer.

    Entertainment pundit Arnold Asamoah-Baidoo has openly admitted to Afropop singer Wendy Shay that he is deeply impressed by her remarkable growth in the music industry, despite facing early criticism and a lack of appreciation.

    He explained that the negative perception many Ghanaians, including himself, had toward Wendy Shay in her early days was partly due to the nation still mourning the untimely death of the late Ebony Reigns.

    Arnold acknowledged, however, that Wendy Shay’s resilience and determination have paid off, making her one of the few artists who have successfully risen above public doubt to solidify their place in Ghana’s music scene.

    “I was the few people who did not like you when you were introduced on the Ghana Music Awards stage because of the love we had for Ebony. But then you won me over over the period. I remember when I told you about how impressed I am with your growth. Even the way you answered questions and how you have grown. I am super impressed. Because you’ve been very consistent. Since the time you were unveiled on that stage,” he said in a conversation on United Showbiz.

    Months ago, Ghanaian circular artiste, Wendy shared some of the challenges she encountered with family members due to trolls on social media.

    According to her, netizens chided her over their belief that she was doing all she could to imitate the late Ebony Reigns.

    During an appearance on Afrobeats Podcast with Adesope Shopsydoo, the ‘It’s Too Late‘ hitmaker revealed that her mother suggested she return to Germany.

    According to her, some family members were shy to associate with her.

    “At a point, my mum asked me to quit music and return to Germany because the trolling was overwhelming and it affected everyone in my family,” she said. “Some of my relatives were even kind of shy to associate with me at the time.”

    “Imagine they take your face, edit it to make you look like an old woman, and start mocking and laughing at you. They even said I wasn’t talented enough. It was crazy. I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy, but it built me,” Wendy added.

    Despite these challenges, Wendy Shay established herself as one of Ghana’s most recognized female artistes.

    Her first single titled “Uber Driver” shot her to the limelight, followed by other chart-topping hits such as “Heat”, “Stevie Wonder” featuring Shatta Wale, “Emergency” and “Survivor.”

    Wendy’s latest hit, “It’s Too Late,” has been enjoying massive attention across media platforms and is topping charts globally after a schoolgirl in Ashaiman, Tracy, went viral dancing to the song.

    The video quickly gained traction, with many praising her energy and talent. However, some critics questioned her choice of attire and expressions, calling them inappropriate for a child.

    Despite the mixed reactions, the music star was moved by Tracy’s enthusiasm and decided to take action.

    Wendy Shay, who had performed at Ridoana Comprehensive School during the All Ashaiman Schools Festival, returned to honor the young girl. In a touching video shared on her social media, Wendy spoke to the school’s students and staff, recounting the moment she first saw Tracy perform.

    “About a week ago, I came here to this school to perform, and during my performance, there was this talented, beautiful, shining star—Tracy—dancing and singing passionately to my song ‘Too Late.’ The video went viral and is still trending. So I came back today to say thank you and to reward my little star, my shining star, Tracy,” Wendy said, her words filled with pride.

    In a moment of true generosity, Wendy Shay announced a full educational scholarship for Tracy, covering her education from Class 5 all the way through to university.

    The award-winning artiste, who has bagged honours at both the 3Music Awards and the Ghana Music Awards, credits her resilience and the unwavering support from her fans for her continued success.

    She spoke out against the backlash surrounding a viral video of a teenage girl dancing at one of her recent performances.

    The video, which circulated widely on social media on April 3, 2025, captured the young girl dancing enthusiastically to Wendy Shay’s latest song, Too Late, which contains explicit lyrics.

    While the girl’s passion impressed some viewers, others expressed concern about the setting of the performance, criticizing Wendy for performing such a song in front of minors. The young girl also became a target of online trolls, with some social media users mocking her moves and labeling her dance as overly sensual.

    In reaction to the growing criticism, Wendy Shay took to social media to share her thoughts, highlighting how many were failing to recognize the girl’s potential and confidence. She wrote:

    Wendy went on to condemn the negativity flooding the comment sections and stressed the importance of nurturing young talent rather than discouraging it.

    She continued, “My performance over the weekend has put light on a little girl dancing passionately and happily in the crowd and it’s surprising how some people cannot easily identify a talented and confident child when they see one.

    “I see a lot of negative comments under the post, and it is heartbreaking because what I see is a beautiful, talented, and confident young girl who could become a professional dancer or a musician if she is carefully guided,” she said.

    She concluded her post by urging critics to adopt a more constructive mindset and stop tearing down young people expressing themselves creatively, “Let us advance our mindset and see positivity in things like this.

    Her response has sparked a wave of support from fans and social media users who agree that young talents should be encouraged rather than attacked.

  • GodBod’s website has no proof it is abiding by the law in it’s operations – Minority

    GodBod’s website has no proof it is abiding by the law in it’s operations – Minority

    The Minority in Parliament has accused the Ghana Gold Board (Goldbod) of failing to to meet basic legal obligations under Section 42 of its establishing Act in it operation.

    According to Chairman of Parliament’s Subsidiary Legislation Committee, Patrick Boamah, the GoldBod came into being in April, and “we are now at the end of October that is well over a quarter.”

    Thus, all legal document and guidelines that binds GoldBod operations must be reflected on their website.

    “What the law requires them to do hasn’t been complied with, and that is very dangerous. “This is happening at a time when the World Bank, the European Union and other international bodies are watching how Ghana is heading to in the fight against galamsey,” he told the media.

    Patrick Boamah has also raised concerns about the legitimacy of GoldBod’s operations.

    According to him, a letter from the Ministry of Finance confirmed that no allocations have been made to the Board.

    Yet, the Board has been seen “appointing brand ambassadors, delivering pickups to institutions and making public donations.”

    “Where is the Gold Board getting all that gold from? Is it from responsible mining? Is it from small-scale miners? Or is it from galamsey sites? The Ministry has not received, transferred, or made any allocation to the Gold Board. So now the question is, how is the GoldBod being funded? Is it from the Central Bank? Is the Bank of Ghana printing money to fund the GoldBod? Why must the Bank of Ghana be doing that?” he told the media.

    Mr Boamah is therefore, demanding immediate answers to ensure the state is not indirectly fuelling illegal mining.

    Meanwhile, a US$1 billion Memorandum of Understanding  (MoU) has been signed by Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) and Goldstream Global DMCC for the purpose of developing more than 300 responsible mines across the country.

    The Memorandum of Understanding will be centered on working with concession owners to develop reserved mineral-rich zone, however, it  is expected to transform into a commercial agreement by November 2025

    CEO of GoldBod, Sammy Gyamfi, stated that the initiative will promote sustainable mining and bolster Ghana’s gold output with the support of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and its relevant agencies.

    “Under this program, GoldBod will collaborate with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and its allied agencies, such as the Minerals Commission of Ghana, to develop mineralised areas. We will also partner with concession owners and local communities to maximise Ghana’s gold output through sustainable mining,” he said, while announcing the signing at the maiden Mining and Minerals Convention on September 8, 2025.

    Mr Sammy Gyamfi further introduced a Mining Support Program designed to generate employment for young people and enhance mining operations across the country.

    “This crucial Mining Support Program (MSP) will increase national gold output and create thousands of jobs within the mining ecosystem for our teeming unemployed youth. The Minerals Commission has released ten blocked-out mineralised areas to GoldBod for this program and has pledged to release more in the coming weeks,” he added.

    The Minerals Commission has so far allocated ten areas to GoldBod for the first phase of this project.

    In April this year, the Gold Board (GoldBod) successfully secured an agreement with nine large-scale mining companies to purchase 20 percent of their gold output locally, as part of a national effort to strengthen Ghana’s gold reserves and reduce foreign dependency.

    The strategic pact follows extensive negotiations between GoldBod officials and mining companies outside the scope of the Bank of Ghana’s Domestic Gold Purchase Program.

    The companies participating in this initiative include Golden Team Mining Company Limited, Akroma Gold Limited, Adamus Resources Limited, Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited, Goldstone Akrokeri Limited, Earl International Group (GH) Limited, Xtra Gold Mining Limited, Prestea Sankofa Gold Limited, and Gan He Mining Resource Development Limited.

    According to the agreement, each of the nine companies was required to deliver 20% of any gold they intend to export to GoldBod in the form of doré bars. These deliveries were said to be made at a designated collection point, Assay Laboratory at the Kotoka International Airport.

    Payments for the gold were made in Ghana cedis, calculated using the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) AM spot price with a 1% discount, and settled within two working days of delivery. The prevailing Daily Interbank FX (Weighted Median) Rate, as published by the Bank of Ghana, were be used as the standard exchange rate.

    Acting Chief Executive Officer of the GoldBod, Mr. Sammy Gyamfi Esq., expressed appreciation to the mining firms and the Ghana Chamber of Mines for their support and alignment with the government’s strategic objectives.

    He remarked, “This agreement is part of the GoldBod’s bid to boost gold and foreign reserve accumulation by the Bank of Ghana in line with the vision of the President.”

    Mr. Gyamfi further lauded the companies for their willingness to contribute to President John Dramani Mahama’s broader goal of ensuring the nation derives optimal value from its mineral wealth.

    To formalize this new framework, all parties involved were expected to sign the official agreement on May 15 as the program officially began on June 1.

    In a contrasting development, the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) implemented a significant regulatory change aimed at tightening control over the country’s artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) gold trade.

    Effective immediately, all current gold trading licenses issued by the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) or the Minister for Mines, with the exception of those held by large-scale mining companies, were considered invalid.

    This decision was supported by the Ghana Gold Board Act (Act 1140), which was approved by Parliament on March 29 and received the President’s assent on April 2.

    Under the new framework, GoldBod assumed exclusive authority as the official buyer, seller, assayer, and exporter of all gold produced by licensed Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) operators in Ghana.

    This measure is intended to combat illegal activities, improve trade efficiency, and ensure comprehensive government oversight of the ASM industry.

    “No individual or entity, other than the Ghana Gold Board, is authorized to export ASM gold from the country,” the statement clarified.

    To ensure a smooth transition, GoldBod announced a grace period for holders of existing licenses. 

    These entities continued their operations until April 30, 2025. However, starting May 1, 2025, engaging in gold transactions without a GoldBod-issued license was treated as a criminal offense.

    In a bid to enforce monetary control and encourage domestic transactions, the new directive required  all licensed local gold buyers to conduct business exclusively in Ghanaian cedis, with exchange rates sourced from the Bank of Ghana’s official website.

    In a significant shift, foreign nationals were required to exit the local ASM gold trading market by April 30, 2025. While foreign entities were permitted to still apply to GoldBod for the right to purchase gold, they were no longer allowed to operate independently within the ASM trade.

    “It is important to note that beginning May 1, 2025, purchasing or trading in gold within Ghana without a valid GoldBod license will constitute a punishable offense,” the statement emphasized.

    Starting April 22, 2025, Ghanaian citizens and wholly Ghanaian-owned companies wishing to enter the gold trade were permitted to apply for new licenses through the GoldBod Licensing and Regulations office in Accra or via their online portal.

    This overhaul of the regulatory framework was intended to increase transparency, eliminate illegal players, and enhance government revenue from Ghana’s booming ASM gold industry, which contributes over 30% to the nation’s total gold production.

  • “Where is the GoldBod getting all that gold from?” – Patrick Boamah quizzes

    “Where is the GoldBod getting all that gold from?” – Patrick Boamah quizzes

    Chairman of Parliament’s Subsidiary Legislation Committee, Patrick Boamah, has raised concerns about the legitimacy of GoldBod’s operations which began earlier this year.

    According to him,  a letter from the Ministry of Finance confirmed that no allocations have been made to the Board.

    Yet, the Board has been seen “appointing brand ambassadors, delivering pickups to institutions and making public donations.”

    “Where is the Gold Board getting all that gold from? Is it from responsible mining? Is it from small-scale miners? Or is it from galamsey sites? The Ministry has not received, transferred, or made any allocation to the Gold Board. So now the question is, how is the GoldBod being funded? Is it from the Central Bank? Is the Bank of Ghana printing money to fund the GoldBod? Why must the Bank of Ghana be doing that?” he told the media.

    Mr Boamah believes GoldBod may be failing to meet basic legal obligations under Section 42 of its establishing Act.

    “If you go to the Gold Board’s website right now, you will not find anything as required by the Act. The GoldBod came into being in April, and we are now at the end of October that is well over a quarter. All this information ought to be there,” the member of the Minority in parliament indicated.

    Mr Boamah is demanding immediate answers to ensure the state is not indirectly fuelling illegal mining.

    A US$1 billion Memorandum of Understanding  (MoU) has been signed by Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) and Goldstream Global DMCC for the purpose of developing more than 300 responsible mines across the country.

    The Memorandum of Understanding will be centered on working with concession owners to develop reserved mineral-rich zone, however, it  is expected to transform into a commercial agreement by November 2025

    CEO of GoldBod, Sammy Gyamfi, stated that the initiative will promote sustainable mining and bolster Ghana’s gold output with the support of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and its relevant agencies.

    “Under this program, GoldBod will collaborate with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and its allied agencies, such as the Minerals Commission of Ghana, to develop mineralised areas. We will also partner with concession owners and local communities to maximise Ghana’s gold output through sustainable mining,” he said, while announcing the signing at the maiden Mining and Minerals Convention on September 8, 2025.

    Mr Sammy Gyamfi further introduced a Mining Support Program designed to generate employment for young people and enhance mining operations across the country.

    “This crucial Mining Support Program (MSP) will increase national gold output and create thousands of jobs within the mining ecosystem for our teeming unemployed youth. The Minerals Commission has released ten blocked-out mineralised areas to GoldBod for this program and has pledged to release more in the coming weeks,” he added.

    The Minerals Commission has so far allocated ten areas to GoldBod for the first phase of this project.

    In April this year, the Gold Board (GoldBod) successfully secured an agreement with nine large-scale mining companies to purchase 20 percent of their gold output locally, as part of a national effort to strengthen Ghana’s gold reserves and reduce foreign dependency.

    The strategic pact follows extensive negotiations between GoldBod officials and mining companies outside the scope of the Bank of Ghana’s Domestic Gold Purchase Program.

    The companies participating in this initiative include Golden Team Mining Company Limited, Akroma Gold Limited, Adamus Resources Limited, Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited, Goldstone Akrokeri Limited, Earl International Group (GH) Limited, Xtra Gold Mining Limited, Prestea Sankofa Gold Limited, and Gan He Mining Resource Development Limited.

    According to the agreement, each of the nine companies was required to deliver 20% of any gold they intend to export to GoldBod in the form of doré bars. These deliveries were said to be made at a designated collection point, Assay Laboratory at the Kotoka International Airport.

    Payments for the gold were made in Ghana cedis, calculated using the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) AM spot price with a 1% discount, and settled within two working days of delivery. The prevailing Daily Interbank FX (Weighted Median) Rate, as published by the Bank of Ghana, were be used as the standard exchange rate.

    Acting Chief Executive Officer of the GoldBod, Mr. Sammy Gyamfi Esq., expressed appreciation to the mining firms and the Ghana Chamber of Mines for their support and alignment with the government’s strategic objectives.

    He remarked, “This agreement is part of the GoldBod’s bid to boost gold and foreign reserve accumulation by the Bank of Ghana in line with the vision of the President.”

    Mr. Gyamfi further lauded the companies for their willingness to contribute to President John Dramani Mahama’s broader goal of ensuring the nation derives optimal value from its mineral wealth.

    To formalize this new framework, all parties involved were expected to sign the official agreement on May 15 as the program officially began on June 1.

    In a contrasting development, the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) implemented a significant regulatory change aimed at tightening control over the country’s artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) gold trade.

    Effective immediately, all current gold trading licenses issued by the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) or the Minister for Mines, with the exception of those held by large-scale mining companies, were considered invalid.

    This decision was supported by the Ghana Gold Board Act (Act 1140), which was approved by Parliament on March 29 and received the President’s assent on April 2.

    Under the new framework, GoldBod assumed exclusive authority as the official buyer, seller, assayer, and exporter of all gold produced by licensed Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) operators in Ghana.

    This measure is intended to combat illegal activities, improve trade efficiency, and ensure comprehensive government oversight of the ASM industry.

    “No individual or entity, other than the Ghana Gold Board, is authorized to export ASM gold from the country,” the statement clarified.

    To ensure a smooth transition, GoldBod announced a grace period for holders of existing licenses. 

    These entities continued their operations until April 30, 2025. However, starting May 1, 2025, engaging in gold transactions without a GoldBod-issued license was treated as a criminal offense.

    In a bid to enforce monetary control and encourage domestic transactions, the new directive required  all licensed local gold buyers to conduct business exclusively in Ghanaian cedis, with exchange rates sourced from the Bank of Ghana’s official website.

    In a significant shift, foreign nationals were required to exit the local ASM gold trading market by April 30, 2025. While foreign entities were permitted to still apply to GoldBod for the right to purchase gold, they were no longer allowed to operate independently within the ASM trade.

    “It is important to note that beginning May 1, 2025, purchasing or trading in gold within Ghana without a valid GoldBod license will constitute a punishable offense,” the statement emphasized.

    Starting April 22, 2025, Ghanaian citizens and wholly Ghanaian-owned companies wishing to enter the gold trade were permitted to apply for new licenses through the GoldBod Licensing and Regulations office in Accra or via their online portal.

    This overhaul of the regulatory framework was intended to increase transparency, eliminate illegal players, and enhance government revenue from Ghana’s booming ASM gold industry, which contributes over 30% to the nation’s total gold production.

  • Finance Minister is paying contracts with “real money” not “audio cash” – Kwakye Ofosu

    Finance Minister is paying contracts with “real money” not “audio cash” – Kwakye Ofosu

    The allegations made against former Minister of Works and Housing, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, that payments made by the government to contractors under its major infrastructure drive, The Big Push project, are merely “audio money”.

    According to Minister for Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the finance minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, is adequately funding the project with “real money” to ensure that projects under the initiative are completed on schedule.

    “The suggestion that what the finance minister is releasing is ‘audio money’ is simply false. Dr Ato Forson is ensuring that actual funds reach contractors across the country. These are real disbursements for real work, not empty announcements as alleged by the former minister,” Mr Kwakye Ofosu said on Metro TV on Friday, October 31.

    He explained that The Big Push project is central to the government’s agenda to transform Ghana’s infrastructure landscape through timely financing and accountability.

    He noted that the Big Push project is a key component of the government’s vision to upgrade Ghana’s infrastructure through efficient funding and transparent management.

    Adding that the initiative is driving visible progress in the development of roads, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and digital systems.

    Kwakye Ofosu also called on the public to ignore politically motivated efforts aimed at undermining the government’s accomplishments.

    “This administration is focused on visible, measurable results. Every cedi released under The Big Push is backed by verifiable work on the ground. The facts speak for themselves — contractors are being paid, projects are moving, and communities are benefiting. The finance minister is releasing real money, not ‘audio money,” he emphasized.

    The Minister for Roads and Highways, Governs Kwame Agbodza, has projected a two-year timeline for the completion of all current and upcoming road projects under the government’s “Big Push” initiative.

    In an interview with the media on Friday, July 31, Mr Agbodza stated that when road projects were abandoned midway are over, as the government is committed to completing all ongoing and future works within the stipulated timeframe.

    According to him, all “Big Push” projects will begin by the end of the month August, excluding the Dambai Bridge, which will commnce once its structural has been finalized.

    “The average Ghanaian has come to accept something that is completely unacceptable, because they see road projects start around their backyard, and no one can tell them when it will be completed. We want to reset. ‘Reset’ means we need to change that narrative.

    “All the projects have been deliberately structured to span two years, 24 months, and we will not go beyond that,” he said. “Sometimes, a contractor is awarded 100 kilometers of road. People forget that constructing 100 kilometers is not a small undertaking. There may be people who are more interested in how much it costs — they focus on the money involved. So contractors take the job, and for seven or eight years, they do nothing. We want to avoid that,” he added.

    Parliament on July 30 unanimously endorsed the government’s proposal to divert all royalties that will be received from oil revenues and mineral royalties to support the implementation of the Big Push Programme.

    This comes after the government requested Parliament approve committing funds to assist in the construction of certain road projects. Mr Isaac Adongo, the Chairman of the Parliament’s Finance Committee, while presenting the report by the Budget and Finance joint committee to the plenary, said, “the Committee has carefully considered the Referral, and it is of the opinion that the request is in the right direction.”

    The Committee also noted that Parliament had already approved the policy and the allocation to the “Big Push” Programme in the 2025 Budget Statement. Granting the request would enable the Government to enter into multi-year contracts to execute the road infrastructure projects under the Programme.

    “The Committee accordingly recommends to the House to approve the Request for the multi-year commitments for the selected road projects under the “Big Push” Programme contained in the Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review of the 2025 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana, in accordance with Section 33 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016, (Act 921),” Mr Adongo said.

    The initiative aimed at improving road infrastructure across the country is estimated at GHC13.8 billion, and it is expected to be completed by 2028 with support from the country’s own financial resources. According to the 2025 budget, GH¢5.75 billion is owed by the Road Fund, with an allocation of GH¢2.81 billion programmed for road maintenance.

    This represents a 155.5% increase from the 2024 allocation of GH¢1.1 billion, underscoring the government’s emphasis on sustaining Ghana’s road network. The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, on Wednesday, July 30, revealed that his ministry has undertaken studies and prepared comprehensive engineering interventions and cost estimates for road projects under the Big Push Programme.

    The Ministry of Finance has since issued commitment authorizations for some twenty-nine (29) road infrastructure projects under the Big Push Programme which include: Upgrading of Akosombo-Gyakiti-Kudikope Road, Road Dualization of Winneba-Mankessim Road, Rehabilitation of Mankessim-Ajumako-Breman Asikuma-Agona Swedru, Construction of nchi-Elubo Road, and Rehabilitation of Atimpoku-Asikuma Junction Road.

  • Finance Minister to terminate SML contract – Report

    Finance Minister to terminate SML contract – Report

    President John Dramani Mahama has reportedly instructed the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, to terminate all existing contracts between the Government of Ghana and Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML).

    This comes after the outcome of investigations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) concluded that there was no valid reason for the government’s partnership with SML.

    According to a report by 3News, a letter from Dr. Callistus Mahama, Executive Secretary to the President, to the Minister of Finance, clearly stated;

    “Following the conclusion of the investigation conducted by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) into the contracts awarded to Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML), I have been directed by His Excellency, the President of the Republic, to request that you take immediate steps to terminate all existing SML-related contracts forthwith.”

    The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyepong, has concluded that there was “no genuine need” for the controversial revenue assurance contract between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and SML (Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited).

    In a highly detailed press briefing following a comprehensive investigation, the OSP mentioned critical findings that exposed systemic breaches of public financial regulations and a clear misuse of authority that caused the state to lose money.

    “There was no genuine need for contracting SML for the obligations it’s purported to perform,” the Special Prosecutor declared.

     Mr Agyebeng has solidified the case against the contentious Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) contract, alleging that former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta approved payments without any technical or operational justification.

    According to the OSP, Ofori-Atta failed to intervene even though SML openly lacked the necessary capacity, expertise, and tools to execute its contract. Instead, he allegedly remained complicit, approving payments from the Consolidated Fund, the Petroleum Revenue Account, and the Tax Refund Account.

    The OSP’s investigation concluded, “Had he not been personally benefiting from the SML’s unlawfully procured contracts, the openly displayed by SML of a lack of capacity’s expertise and tools would have immediately triggered his intervention to halt payments to SML and demand accountability. Instead, he looked on conspiratorially in silence, while endorsing and approving payments to SML from the Consolidated Fund, Petroleum Revenue Account, and Tax Refund Account with no technical or operational basis,” the OSP said during a press conference on Thursday, October 30.

    The OSP’s findings expose SML’s clear inability to perform the revenue assurance services it was contracted for, which included key responsibilities such as transaction audits and external price verification.

    According to the investigation, the continuous “troubleshooting displayed during this period was born of the unlawful imposition of SML in the space and the still lingering reality of SML’s lack of capacity to carry out transaction audits and external price verification.”

    Even after 15 months of engagement, SML reportedly “had no system in place to receive CCVRs” (customs control and valuation records), the essential data needed to execute its tasks. Additionally, the existing data provider, West Blue, was under “no legal obligation to release the vital data” to SML.

    As a result, the assigned work remained uncompleted, yet the company “continued to be paid,” reinforcing the OSP’s conclusion that the situation led to a financial loss to the state.

    It is important to note that former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been declared wanted by the OSP for causing financial loss to the state in several dealings, including the contractual arrangement between Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited and the Ghana Revenue Authority for the stated objective of enhancing revenue assurance in the downstream petroleum sector, upstream petroleum production, and minerals and metals resource value chain.

    The activities of SML came to light years ago after Manasseh Azure Awuni raised contractual breaches in a deal involving the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML).

    The original purpose of the GRA-SML contract was to boost revenue assurance in vital sectors of Ghana’s economy, including the downstream petroleum sector, upstream petroleum production, and the minerals and metals value chain. The goal was to streamline revenue collection, ensuring greater transparency and efficiency in these high-revenue sectors.

    Following concerns, an in-depth audit was carried out by international firm KPMG, commissioned by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The audit was launched to examine the contractual agreements between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and SML, with a particular focus on the procedures and approvals related to the contract.

    The KPMG audit uncovered significant procedural errors and regulatory violations in awarding the contract. Specifically, the GRA did not obtain the required approvals from the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) and failed to seek parliamentary oversight before finalising the agreement with SML.

    The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) entered into six service agreements with Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) using the single-source procurement method without obtaining approval from the Public Procurement Authority (PPA).

    The first agreement, covering Transaction Audit Services, was signed on June 1, 2018. This was followed by a Contract Extension on January 1, 2019. On April 1, 2019, the GRA entered into another agreement with SML for External Price Verification Services. Subsequently, on October 3, 2019, the two parties signed a Consolidation Services Agreement, which combined the Transaction Audit and External Verification Services.

    That same day, a separate agreement was also signed for the Measurement Audit of Downstream Petroleum Products. Later, on July 29, 2020, an Addendum to the Measurement Audit for Downstream Petroleum Products Agreement was executed.

    The audit report also revealed that SML owes the government over GHC31 million in taxes.

    During the period from September 1, 2020, to April 30, 2021, a bulk payment to SML covering invoices for eight months did not have VAT and WHT deductions, amounting to GHC13.38 million. This contradicts GRA’s standard practice of deducting such taxes for payments to SML between June 1, 2020, and August 31, 2023.

    Additionally, SML failed to fulfil its statutory obligations by neither filing returns nor remitting these taxes to the GRA. Pursuant to Section 71(1) of the RA Act, the accrued interest on the tax liability is estimated at GHC18.50 million owed by SML to the GRA as of January 31, 2024.

    Consequently, the total liability incurred by SML amounts to GHC31.88 million.

  • “I hit a fan so hard with my mic after he pressed my breast, he ended up in the hospital” – Sista Afia

    “I hit a fan so hard with my mic after he pressed my breast, he ended up in the hospital” – Sista Afia

    Ghanaian singer Sista Afia has revealed that one of the toughest moments she encountered in her music career was an incident where she threw her microphone at a fan while making her way to the stage.

    According to the “Weather” hitmaker, her action was triggered by the fan who touched a part of her body inappropriately.

    She said, the impact of her action was so intense that the fan ended up in the hospital.

    “I hate it when people like to touch me when I’m going on stage, especially the fans. It’s something I don’t like at all, it’s very uncomfortable for me. One time, somebody pressed me so hard, and I hit him with a mic. The person had to go to the hospital. Yes it was that serious. He pressed by front bits,” she told Andy Dosty on Hitz FM.

    In 2020 the highlife singer told Zionfelix in an interview about why she wanted to pummel former Black Avenue Muzik signee, Fred Rhymz.

    The duo squared it off after being invited to TV3 by TV host MzGee for an interview session bordering on the same theme when hell broke loose at the premises of the TV station.

    The two ladies got embroiled in a heated confrontation and looked set to exchange blows before they got separated by the security men.

    Sister Afia said Freda the physical confrontation started when Freda mentioned her name directly when their paths crossed and started aiming shots at her, reason why she retaliated.

    She revealed this while talking to Ghanaian blogger Zionfelix on the Uncut Show.

    She also promised to beat the hell out of the rapper wherever she meets her.

    Ghanaian singer Jackline Acheampong, known in showbiz as Gyakie, has recounted the challenges she faced while juggling academics and music during her time at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), revealing that her first stage performance left her in tears and regret.

    The “Forever” hitmaker, who pursued a degree in Business Administration, described her early days on stage as a nightmare. She recounted a particularly tough experience during Republic Hall’s SRC Week celebration, where a technical glitch made things worse.

    “I was very scared during my first stage performance. I remember during the Republic Hall SRC Week, I went to perform and during that, the speakers went off. I didn’t know what to do, and some of the fans were hooting at me, while others tried their best to keep the atmosphere active,” she said.

    According to her, the moment was so overwhelming that she broke down in tears backstage.“Nobody asked me to leave the stage. When I got backstage, I cried because I regretted going there,” she added.

    Beyond the stage, Gyakie opened up about the pressure she endured in class, especially from lecturers who often singled her out.

    “Sometimes, going to class becomes a bit uncomfortable because some lecturers know I am a singer, and they randomly ask me questions I am not ready to answer. Sometimes they throw questions at me that I don’t even know the answers to,” she shared.

    She also touched on how the university’s dress code for business students made her feel uneasy.“In terms of how I dress as a student, I sometimes became paranoid because I don’t feel comfortable in the prescribed dress given to the business student,” she explained.

    Adding to the pressure were unexpected photo requests from fellow students during times she wasn’t feeling her best.“There are times I go to lectures and people would request for pictures—times I don’t feel good about myself,” she said.

    Despite the tough beginnings, Gyakie has gone on to build a thriving music career, earning both local and international recognition.

    Stonebwoy pulled a gun on stage while receiving the Reggae/Dancehall Artiste of the Year Award in 2019.

    The confusion started when Shatta Wale and his militants rushed onto the stage when Stonebwoy was about to receive his award. Afraid of what could happen, Stonebwoy quickly pulled out a gun.

    The show was temporarily put on hold amidst the pandemonium in the Dome and some of the patrons started leaving the auditorium when the chaos started.

    Contrary to what has long been speculated, that the on-stage Stonebwoy-Shatta Wale brawl was planned, the Afropop and Raggae-Dancehall singer revealed that the action was unintended.

    A section of the Ghanaian populace and music lovers believed that the rivalry between the two top Ghanaian artistes was just to sell their brands; and the clash at the 2019 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA19), is no exception.

    But speaking on United Showbiz, a popular weekend night entertainment show on UTV, Stonebwoy cleared the air that he had no such plans with Shatta Wale before their big night, as has been concluded by many.

    “People say my colleague and I had planned what happened that night but it’s not true, it wasn’t a planned thing. It shows you how serious the music industry is”, he told host, Nana Ama McBrown.

    Talking about the fight, the ‘Sobolo’ hitmaker stated he does not want to dwell on the awfulness of the night but rather the good thing it has brought between himself and Shatta Wale.

    “I’ve talked about this issue countless times on different platforms across the world but I don’t dwell on the negative side of it. The beautiful thing is that today we sleep peacefully, we wake and call each other on the phone and we are all focusing on our works now and moving forward”, he stated.

    Background

    Pandemonium broke out on the night of VGMA19 after Stonebwoy went to collect a prize.

    He had just been awarded Raggae-Dancehall Artiste of the Year when his musical rival, Shatta Wale, and his entourage mounted the stage.

    Video footage of the brawl appears to show Stonebwoy holding a gun.

    The action marred the event but after a short delay the VGMA19 in the capital, Accra, resumed.

    During the acceptance speech for an award, Stonebwoy apologized to Ghanaians, saying, “I only had to react out of instinct”.

  • Unrest grips Tanzania as post-election protests spread across the country

    Unrest grips Tanzania as post-election protests spread across the country

    Protests have erupted in several Tanzanian cities as opposition supporters denounce Wednesday’s presidential and parliamentary elections, alleging widespread fraud and manipulation.

    Demonstrators have taken to the streets in major urban centers, with some crossing into Kenyan territory where they blocked roads, lit bonfires, and tore down posters of President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

    Kenyan police confirmed two deaths following violent clashes involving Tanzanian protesters and security forces at the border.

    The demonstrations were triggered by claims that the government had suppressed democracy by imprisoning the main opposition leader and disqualifying another candidate, moves critics say were aimed at ensuring President Samia’s re-election.

    Tensions deepened on Thursday after the electoral commission began releasing results showing Samia with nearly 95 percent of the votes in Mbea Province, with similar leads reported across mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.

    European Union lawmakers have described the vote as “a fraud that had been unfolding for months,” while observers reported multiple incidents of violence and intimidation on election day.

    In a statement, Tanzania’s military chief, Gen Jacob Mkunda, blamed “ill-intentioned individuals” for causing destruction during the polls. Gunfire was heard in Mwanza, while clashes were reported in Dodoma and Dar es Salaam, where roads were sealed off under tight security.

    Kenyan authorities have cautioned their citizens against joining protests near the Namanga border, where commercial activity has been paralyzed.

    Security forces in Tanzania fired tear gas to disperse protesters, leading to hours of confrontation. The U.S. Embassy reported that several key roads, including the one leading to Dar es Salaam’s international airport, remained closed on Thursday.

    An eyewitness in Mwanza told the BBC that hundreds of protesters poured into the city before security forces opened fire and launched tear gas, injuring several people.

    The government has instructed public servants to work from home until Friday as tensions mount nationwide.

    Amnesty International expressed concern over reports that a civilian and a police officer were killed in clashes, calling the situation “deeply troubling.”

    Authorities have imposed a nighttime curfew in Dar es Salaam, where hospitals, including Muhimbili, are reportedly receiving dozens of injured protesters.

    Internet access remains heavily restricted across the country, with Amnesty urging the government to restore connectivity to avoid escalating the crisis. Protesters have reportedly turned to a walkie-talkie app, Zello, to coordinate their actions.

    President Samia is widely expected to secure a second term as key opposition figures remain sidelined. Her ruling party, which has governed Tanzania since independence, is also projected to maintain its dominance.

    Opposition leader Tundu Lissu remains in custody on treason charges he denies, while ACT-Wazalendo candidate Luhaga Mpina was disqualified on technical grounds. Sixteen smaller parties with little public backing were cleared to participate in the vote.

    President Samia, who assumed office in 2021 following the death of John Magufuli, initially earned praise for easing political restrictions but now faces accusations of suppressing dissent through arrests and abductions.

    Tanzania’s internet blackout entered its third day on Friday as reports of renewed protests surfaced and opposition groups in Zanzibar rejected the results of the recent elections.

    President Samia Suluhu Hassan, whose administration faces accusations of political repression, is alleged to have tightened her grip on power through a widely uncontested vote in which key opponents were either imprisoned or disqualified.

    Wednesday’s election sparked widespread chaos, with hundreds of protesters taking to the streets of Dar es Salaam and other major cities. Demonstrators tore down campaign posters, attacked polling stations, and clashed with police, prompting authorities to impose a curfew and shut down internet access nationwide.

    Foreign journalists were barred from covering the polls, and the ongoing communications blackout has made it difficult to verify reports from the ground.

    Residents in the towns of Sinza and the capital, Dodoma, told AFP that demonstrations continued late Thursday, with protesters burning tyres in defiance of security forces.

    Unconfirmed reports suggest several fatalities, but hospitals and clinics have declined to comment, citing fear of reprisals.

    Local media outlets have not been updated since Wednesday, and President Hassan has yet to address the escalating unrest.

    The only official comment so far came from Army Chief Gen. Jacob Mkunda, who described the protesters as “criminals” in a statement issued late Thursday.

    In Zanzibar, a popular tourist destination, President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s ruling party was declared winner of Thursday’s local elections, a result the opposition has fiercely rejected.

    The opposition party, ACT-Wazalendo, accused the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) of rigging the vote, claiming, “They have robbed the people of Zanzibar of their voice. The only solution to deliver justice is through a fresh election.”

    A senior ACT-Wazalendo official told AFP that ballot boxes were stuffed, voters were allowed to cast multiple ballots without identification, and party observers were expelled from counting centers.

    The CCM was expected to hold a press briefing later in the day to address the allegations.

    At an opposition meeting point in Zanzibar, frustration and fear were palpable. “There has never been a credible election since 1995,” said a 70-year-old man, referring to the country’s first multi-party poll. Others declined to share their names, expressing fear of reprisals. “We are afraid of speaking because they might come to our houses and pick us up,” one said.

    Analysts say President Hassan has faced internal opposition from sections of the military and allies of her late predecessor, John Magufuli, since assuming office in 2021. They believe she sought a decisive victory to consolidate her power.

    Ahead of the election, authorities banned the main opposition party, Chadema, and charged its leader with treason.

  • No burial for Daddy Lumba until we know the cause of death – Ernestina Fosu declares

    No burial for Daddy Lumba until we know the cause of death – Ernestina Fosu declares

    The late Daddy Lumba’s elder sister, Ernestina Fosu has declared that there will be no burial for Daddy Lumba until the actual cause of his death is known.

    After a court appearance, Ernestina told Adum TV that until the truth is known, no amount of court ruling or family decision would compel her to allow the funeral to proceed.

    “The funeral will not be held on December 6. We did not seek an injunction because we are mad. We still don’t know what killed my brother. We cannot allow people to rush with his funeral,” she said.

    However, she has expressed readiness to organize the funeral on the scheduled December 6 if she receives a clear explanation about what caused Daddy Lumba’s death before then.

    “There will be no problem if we find out about the cause of Daddy Lumba’s death before December 6. But if we don’t find out what killed my brother, I won’t allow my family to bury my brother, Charles,” she said.

    Ernestina Fosu has earlier indicated that she is not prepared to organize Daddy Lumba’s funeral on Dec 6.

    She made this known to the media in the aftermath of a court proceeding at the Kumasi High Court on October 28, 2025.

    “I am not ready for my brother’s funeral on December 6, 2025,” she stated firmly in a video shared on social media.

    Akosua Serwaa filed an injunction against the late musician’s funeral scheduled for December 6, demanding that she be recognized as the only surviving wife of the musician and not Odo Broni, who is currently claiming that title.

    While the court has yet to rule on the spousal status of Akosua Serwaa and Odo Broni, the Kumasi High Court has dismissed an injunction application that sought to halt the burial and funeral of the late legend.

    The judgment allows the family to go ahead with burial plans as originally arranged.

    Madam Serwaa’s lawyer, William Kusi, insisted that his client was the musician’s only legally recognized wife and that her rights were being ignored in the funeral preparations. He supported his argument with a civil marriage certificate reportedly issued in Germany as evidence of their union.

    In July this year, a statement by the counsel for the Fosu family confirmed that the music veteran passed on July 26, after a short illness.

    He succumbed to the illness at the Bank Hospital in Accra, per reports.

    The statement read: “With profound sorrow and deep grief, the Fosu family announces the passing of Ghana’s beloved musical icon, Charles Kojo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, who passed away earlier today, Saturday, July 26, 2025, after a short illness.”

    “Daddy Lumba was more than a musician; he was a cultural icon whose music touched countless lives. His soulful voice provided the soundtrack to our love stories, and his poignant lyrics captured the poetry of our struggles, dreams, and resilience.”

    Daddy Lumba was renowned for his incredible talent as a singer, composer, songwriter, recording artist, and producer.

    With an illustrious career that has spanned over three decades, Daddy Lumba was widely regarded as the greatest and most influential musician in Ghanaian history.

    Many artists in Ghana, including Ofori Amponsah, Sarkodie, Kuami Eugene, Paa Solo of Sibo Brothers, Oheneba Kissi, KiDi, and others, consider him their major inspiration in the music industry.

    Daddy Lumba was born 60 years ago to Mr. Johnson Kwadwo Fosuh and Madam Comfort Gyamfi, also known as Ama Saah, in Nsuta, near Mampong in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Both of his parents were teachers, and he was the second of three siblings.

    His educational journey began in Nsuta Kyebi, and he completed junior high school at Suame Methodist, Kumasi in 1979. Subsequently, he attended Adu Gyamfi Senior High School in Jamasi, but later transferred to Juaben Senior High School, where he completed his secondary education in 1984.

    Daddy Lumba’s music career took off in the early 80s when he formed the Nkwanta Wesley Singers, gaining fame at the Anokye Krom Cultural Center.

    During his time at Juaben Senior High School, he led the school choir and composed the song “Lumba Lumba,” dedicated to the freedom fighters in South Africa. This song’s popularity earned him the nickname “Daddy Lumba”, which later became his stage name. He also formed the Lumba Brothers band during his school days, which included his girlfriend at the time, Theresa.

    After completing school, Daddy Lumba, with the help of his high school sweetheart Theresa Abebrese, traveled to Germany. There, he met Ernest Nana Acheampong, and they formed another Lumba Brothers group, recording their debut album, “Yee Ye Aka Akwantuom,” in 1986. Financial constraints delayed the album’s release until 1989, and eventually, the duo split.

    Daddy Lumba then launched his solo career and released his debut solo album, “Obi Ate Meso Buo,” in 1990. The album received immense popularity and critical acclaim, featuring classics like the title track and “Theresa,” dedicated to his ex-lover. He has since released 33 albums, including notable ones like “Sika Asem,” “Aben Wo Ha,” “Wo Ho Kyere,” “Awosoo,” “Give Peace A Chance,” and “Ahenfo Kyiniye.” His latest project, “Ofon Na Edi Asem Fo,” was released in December 2022, reuniting him with longtime collaborator Kweku Mensah.

    In addition to his own success, Daddy Lumba is renowned for nurturing the careers of budding artists who went on to become legends in their own right.

    Some of these artists include Felix Owusu, for whom he produced the debut album “Vida” in 1992, Afia Ampofowaa, Kwabena Sunkwa, Ofori Amponsah with the “Woho Kyere” album in 1999, Selina Orleans, Akua Serwaa Bonsu, Borax, Ateaa Tina, and many others.

    His contributions to Ghanaian music and the support he provides to upcoming talents have solidified his status as an iconic figure in the country’s music industry.

    With his passion, talent, and dedication to the craft, Daddy Lumba continues to be a role model for aspiring musicians, leaving an indelible mark on the rich musical landscape of Ghana.

  • Ken Ofori-Atta, 4 others to be charged by OSP in November over corruption-related offences

    Ken Ofori-Atta, 4 others to be charged by OSP in November over corruption-related offences

    Former Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, and several other former government officials will be charged will charged by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in November.

    Addressing the press on Thursday, October 30, Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng revealed that a detailed investigation has uncovered evidence of alleged corruption-related offences involving top officials formerly affiliated with the Ministry of Finance, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), and Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML).

    In the aftermath of a detailed investigation into alleged corruption and related offences the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) announces plans to charge former Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, and several other former government officials by the end of November 2025.

    “The outcome of the investigation is that the OSP will charge the following persons with various corruption and corruption-related offences before the end of November 2025,” the OSP said.

    According to Mr Agyebeng, the OSP will charge Mr Ofori-Atta, along with Ernest Akore, former Chef de Cabinet to the former Minister of Finance, Emmanuel Kofi Nti, former Commissioner-General of the GRA, Rev Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, former Commissioner-General of the GRA, Isaac Crentsil, former Commissioner of the Customs Division of the GRA and General Manager for Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited as well as Kwadwo Damoah, former Commissioner of the Customs Division of the GRA and Member of Parliament for Jaman South.

    OSP has solidified its case against the contentious Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) contract, alleging that former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta approved payments without any technical or operational justification.

    According to the OSP, Ofori-Atta failed to intervene even though SML openly lacked the necessary capacity, expertise, and tools to execute its contract.

    Instead, he allegedly remained complicit, approving payments from the Consolidated Fund, the Petroleum Revenue Account, and the Tax Refund Account.

    The  OSP’s investigation concluded, “Had he not been personally benefiting from the SML’s unlawfully procured contracts, the openly displayed by SML of a lack of capacity’s expertise and tools would have immediately triggered his intervention to halt payments to SML and demand accountability. Instead, he looked on conspiratorially in silence, while endorsing and approving payments to SML from the consolidated fund, petroleum revenue account, and Tax Refund account with no technical or operational basis.” OSP said during a press conference on Thursday, October 30.

    OSP’s findings exposes SML’s clear inability to perform the revenue assurance services it was contracted for, which included key responsibilities such as transaction audits and external price verification.

    According to the investigation, the continuous “troubleshooting displayed during this period was born of the unlawful imposition of SML in the space and the still lingering reality of SML’s lack of capacity to carry out transaction audits and external price verification.”

    Even after 15 months of engagement, SML reportedly “had no system in place to receive ccvrs” (customs control and valuation records), the essential data needed to execute its tasks.

    Additionally, the existing data provider, West Blue, was under “no legal obligation to release the vital data” to SML.

    As a result, the assigned work remained uncompleted, yet the company “continued to be paid,” reinforcing the OSP’s conclusion that the situation led to a financial loss to the state.

    It is important to note that the former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been declared wanted by the OSP for causing financial loss to the state in several dealings, which include the contractual arrangement between Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited and the Ghana Revenue Authority for the stated objective of the enhancement of revenue assurance in the downstream petroleum sector, upstream petroleum production, and minerals and metals resource value chain.

    The activities of SML came to light years ago after Manasseh Azure Awuni raised contractual breaches in a deal involving Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML).

    The original purpose of the GRA-SML contract was to boost revenue assurance in vital sectors of Ghana’s economy, including the downstream petroleum sector, upstream petroleum production, and the minerals and metals value chain.

    The goal was to streamline revenue collection, ensuring greater transparency and efficiency in these high-revenue sectors.

    Following concerns, an in-depth audit was carried out by international firm KPMG, commissioned by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

    The audit was launched to examine the contractual agreements between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and SML, with a particular focus on the procedures and approvals related to the contract.

    The KPMG audit uncovered significant procedural errors and regulatory violations in awarding the contract. Specifically, the GRA did not obtain the required approvals from the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) and failed to seek parliamentary oversight before finalizing the agreement with SML

    The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) entered into six service agreements with Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) using the single-source procurement method without obtaining approval from the Public Procurement Authority (PPA).

    The first agreement, covering Transaction Audit Services, was signed on June 1, 2018. This was followed by a Contract Extension on January 1, 2019.

    On April 1, 2019, the GRA entered into another agreement with SML for External Price Verification Services. Subsequently, on October 3, 2019, the two parties signed a Consolidation Services Agreement, which combined the Transaction Audit and External Verification Services.

    That same day, a separate agreement was also signed for the Measurement Audit of Downstream Petroleum Products. Later, on July 29, 2020, an Addendum to the Measurement Audit for Downstream Petroleum Products Agreement was executed.

    The audit report also revealed that SML owes the government over GHC31 million in taxes.

    During the period from 1 September 2020 to 30 April 2021, a bulk payment to SML covering invoices for an 8-month period did not have VAT and WHT deductions, amounting to GHE13.38 million.

    This contradicts GRA’s standard practice of deducting such taxes for payments to SML between 1 June 2020 and 31 August 2023.

    Additionally, SML failed to fulfil its statutory obligations by neither filing returns nor remitting these taxes to GRA.

    Pursuant to Section 71(1) of the RA Act, the accrued interest on the tax liability is estimated at GHC18.50 million owed by SML to GRA as of 31 January 2024. Consequently, the total liability incurred by SML amounts to GHC31.88 million.

    In May 2024, Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, noted that the then Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta had a role to play in the controversial deal.

    “The SML or SMEL deal is a clear example of what Justice Dotse described as a create, loot and share. One thing Ghanaians must bear in mind is that all of these happened with the tacit approval of the then Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.”

    “As usual, he is trying to run under the radar and people are failing to realise, the key cardinal role he played in this entire arrangement,” he stated while speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile programme on Saturday, May 25.

    In February this year, SML dragged Azure Awuni to court, claiming that Manasseh referred to its agreement with the government as “the biggest scam” and labeled the deal as “shady” while branding the entire situation “the SML scandal.”

    SML was seeking several remedies from the court, including: GHS1,000,000 in general damages for defamation, GHS20,000,000 in exemplary damages for what it describes as malicious reporting, a perpetual injunction to prevent Manasseh from making further defamatory claims about the company, public retraction and apology specifically for statements made in Chapter 28 of his book and any other reliefs the court deems appropriate.

  • There was “no genuine need” for the SML contract – OSP

    There was “no genuine need” for the SML contract – OSP

    The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyepong, has concluded that there was “no genuine need” for the controversial revenue assurance contract between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and SML (Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited).

    In a highly detailed press briefing following a comprehensive investigation, the OSP mentioned critical findings that exposed systemic breaches of public financial regulations and a clear misuse of authority that caused the state to lose money.

    “There was no genuine need for contracting SML for the obligations it’s purported to perform,” the Special Prosecutor declared.

     Mr Agyebeng has solidified the case against the contentious Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) contract, alleging that former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta approved payments without any technical or operational justification.

    According to the OSP, Ofori-Atta failed to intervene even though SML openly lacked the necessary capacity, expertise, and tools to execute its contract. Instead, he allegedly remained complicit, approving payments from the Consolidated Fund, the Petroleum Revenue Account, and the Tax Refund Account.

    The OSP’s investigation concluded, “Had he not been personally benefiting from the SML’s unlawfully procured contracts, the openly displayed by SML of a lack of capacity’s expertise and tools would have immediately triggered his intervention to halt payments to SML and demand accountability. Instead, he looked on conspiratorially in silence, while endorsing and approving payments to SML from the Consolidated Fund, Petroleum Revenue Account, and Tax Refund Account with no technical or operational basis,” the OSP said during a press conference on Thursday, October 30.

    The OSP’s findings expose SML’s clear inability to perform the revenue assurance services it was contracted for, which included key responsibilities such as transaction audits and external price verification.

    According to the investigation, the continuous “troubleshooting displayed during this period was born of the unlawful imposition of SML in the space and the still lingering reality of SML’s lack of capacity to carry out transaction audits and external price verification.”

    Even after 15 months of engagement, SML reportedly “had no system in place to receive CCVRs” (customs control and valuation records), the essential data needed to execute its tasks. Additionally, the existing data provider, West Blue, was under “no legal obligation to release the vital data” to SML.

    As a result, the assigned work remained uncompleted, yet the company “continued to be paid,” reinforcing the OSP’s conclusion that the situation led to a financial loss to the state.

    It is important to note that former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been declared wanted by the OSP for causing financial loss to the state in several dealings, including the contractual arrangement between Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited and the Ghana Revenue Authority for the stated objective of enhancing revenue assurance in the downstream petroleum sector, upstream petroleum production, and minerals and metals resource value chain.

    The activities of SML came to light years ago after Manasseh Azure Awuni raised contractual breaches in a deal involving the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML).

    The original purpose of the GRA-SML contract was to boost revenue assurance in vital sectors of Ghana’s economy, including the downstream petroleum sector, upstream petroleum production, and the minerals and metals value chain. The goal was to streamline revenue collection, ensuring greater transparency and efficiency in these high-revenue sectors.

    Following concerns, an in-depth audit was carried out by international firm KPMG, commissioned by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The audit was launched to examine the contractual agreements between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and SML, with a particular focus on the procedures and approvals related to the contract.

    The KPMG audit uncovered significant procedural errors and regulatory violations in awarding the contract. Specifically, the GRA did not obtain the required approvals from the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) and failed to seek parliamentary oversight before finalising the agreement with SML.

    The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) entered into six service agreements with Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) using the single-source procurement method without obtaining approval from the Public Procurement Authority (PPA).

    The first agreement, covering Transaction Audit Services, was signed on June 1, 2018. This was followed by a Contract Extension on January 1, 2019. On April 1, 2019, the GRA entered into another agreement with SML for External Price Verification Services. Subsequently, on October 3, 2019, the two parties signed a Consolidation Services Agreement, which combined the Transaction Audit and External Verification Services.

    That same day, a separate agreement was also signed for the Measurement Audit of Downstream Petroleum Products. Later, on July 29, 2020, an Addendum to the Measurement Audit for Downstream Petroleum Products Agreement was executed.

    The audit report also revealed that SML owes the government over GHC31 million in taxes.

    During the period from September 1, 2020, to April 30, 2021, a bulk payment to SML covering invoices for eight months did not have VAT and WHT deductions, amounting to GHC13.38 million. This contradicts GRA’s standard practice of deducting such taxes for payments to SML between June 1, 2020, and August 31, 2023.

    Additionally, SML failed to fulfil its statutory obligations by neither filing returns nor remitting these taxes to the GRA. Pursuant to Section 71(1) of the RA Act, the accrued interest on the tax liability is estimated at GHC18.50 million owed by SML to the GRA as of January 31, 2024. Consequently, the total liability incurred by SML amounts to GHC31.88 million.

  • Ofori-Atta approved payments to SML without technical basis – OSP

    Ofori-Atta approved payments to SML without technical basis – OSP

    The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has solidified its case against the contentious Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) contract, alleging that former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta approved payments without any technical or operational justification.

    According to the OSP, Ofori-Atta failed to intervene even though SML openly lacked the necessary capacity, expertise, and tools to execute its contract.

    Instead, he allegedly remained complicit, approving payments from the Consolidated Fund, the Petroleum Revenue Account, and the Tax Refund Account.

    The  OSP’s investigation concluded, “Had he not been personally benefiting from the SML’s unlawfully procured contracts, the openly displayed by SML of a lack of capacity’s expertise and tools would have immediately triggered his intervention to halt payments to SML and demand accountability. Instead, he looked on conspiratorially in silence, while endorsing and approving payments to SML from the consolidated fund, petroleum revenue account, and Tax Refund account with no technical or operational basis.” OSP said during a press conference on Thursday, October 30.

    OSP’s findings exposes SML’s clear inability to perform the revenue assurance services it was contracted for, which included key responsibilities such as transaction audits and external price verification.

    According to the investigation, the continuous “troubleshooting displayed during this period was born of the unlawful imposition of SML in the space and the still lingering reality of SML’s lack of capacity to carry out transaction audits and external price verification.”

    Even after 15 months of engagement, SML reportedly “had no system in place to receive ccvrs” (customs control and valuation records), the essential data needed to execute its tasks.

    Additionally, the existing data provider, West Blue, was under “no legal obligation to release the vital data” to SML.

    As a result, the assigned work remained uncompleted, yet the company “continued to be paid,” reinforcing the OSP’s conclusion that the situation led to a financial loss to the state.

    It is important to note that the former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been declared wanted by the OSP for causing financial loss to the state in several dealings, which include the contractual arrangement between Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited and the Ghana Revenue Authority for the stated objective of the enhancement of revenue assurance in the downstream petroleum sector, upstream petroleum production, and minerals and metals resource value chain.

    The activities of SML came to light years ago after Manasseh Azure Awuni raised contractual breaches in a deal involving Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML).

    The original purpose of the GRA-SML contract was to boost revenue assurance in vital sectors of Ghana’s economy, including the downstream petroleum sector, upstream petroleum production, and the minerals and metals value chain.

    The goal was to streamline revenue collection, ensuring greater transparency and efficiency in these high-revenue sectors.

    Following concerns, an in-depth audit was carried out by international firm KPMG, commissioned by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

    The audit was launched to examine the contractual agreements between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and SML, with a particular focus on the procedures and approvals related to the contract.

    The KPMG audit uncovered significant procedural errors and regulatory violations in awarding the contract. Specifically, the GRA did not obtain the required approvals from the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) and failed to seek parliamentary oversight before finalizing the agreement with SML

    The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) entered into six service agreements with Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) using the single-source procurement method without obtaining approval from the Public Procurement Authority (PPA).

    The first agreement, covering Transaction Audit Services, was signed on June 1, 2018. This was followed by a Contract Extension on January 1, 2019.

    On April 1, 2019, the GRA entered into another agreement with SML for External Price Verification Services. Subsequently, on October 3, 2019, the two parties signed a Consolidation Services Agreement, which combined the Transaction Audit and External Verification Services.

    That same day, a separate agreement was also signed for the Measurement Audit of Downstream Petroleum Products. Later, on July 29, 2020, an Addendum to the Measurement Audit for Downstream Petroleum Products Agreement was executed.

    The audit report also revealed that SML owes the government over GHC31 million in taxes.

    During the period from 1 September 2020 to 30 April 2021, a bulk payment to SML covering invoices for an 8-month period did not have VAT and WHT deductions, amounting to GHE13.38 million.

    This contradicts GRA’s standard practice of deducting such taxes for payments to SML between 1 June 2020 and 31 August 2023.

    Additionally, SML failed to fulfil its statutory obligations by neither filing returns nor remitting these taxes to GRA.

    Pursuant to Section 71(1) of the RA Act, the accrued interest on the tax liability is estimated at GHC18.50 million owed by SML to GRA as of 31 January 2024. Consequently, the total liability incurred by SML amounts to GHC31.88 million.

    In May 2024, Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, noted that the then Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta had a role to play in the controversial deal.

    “The SML or SMEL deal is a clear example of what Justice Dotse described as a create, loot and share. One thing Ghanaians must bear in mind is that all of these happened with the tacit approval of the then Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.”

    “As usual, he is trying to run under the radar and people are failing to realise, the key cardinal role he played in this entire arrangement,” he stated while speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile programme on Saturday, May 25.

    In February this year, SML dragged Azure Awuni to court, claiming that Manasseh referred to its agreement with the government as “the biggest scam” and labeled the deal as “shady” while branding the entire situation “the SML scandal.”

    SML was seeking several remedies from the court, including: GHS1,000,000 in general damages for defamation, GHS20,000,000 in exemplary damages for what it describes as malicious reporting, a perpetual injunction to prevent Manasseh from making further defamatory claims about the company, public retraction and apology specifically for statements made in Chapter 28 of his book and any other reliefs the court deems appropriate.

  • Police interdict officers captured in video allegedly taking bribe

    Police interdict officers captured in video allegedly taking bribe

    The Bono Regional Police Command has interdicted some of its officers who were caught taking bribes in a viral video from motorists.

    In a statement shared by the Ghana Police Service and signed by the Public Relations Officer of the command, Chief Inspector Thomas Akeelah, the officers involved have been identified to assist with investigation.

    “The Bono Regional Police Command has initiated an investigation into a video circulating on social media that shows some police officers allegedly taking money from motorists. The officers involved have been identified and interdicted to allow for a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident,” the statement dated October 29 indicated.

    The Command has therefore assured the public of its commitment to upholding the highest standards of professionalism and accountability among its personnel.


    During the first quarter of the year, President John Dramani Mahama stressed the need for urgent reforms to eliminate corruption within the Ghana Police Service, emphasizing that transparency and accountability must be at the core of law enforcement.

    Speaking at the Jubilee House on Friday, March 14, during the swearing-in ceremony of Christian Tetteh Yohuno as the new Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mahama underscored how corruption erodes public trust and weakens the justice system.

    He highlighted that maintaining integrity within the police service is essential for enforcing the rule of law and safeguarding national security.

    “Mr IGP, your duty extends beyond maintaining law and order; it also involves eliminating corruption from the service,” he stated.

    He warned that corruption among law enforcement officers diminishes confidence in the police, making it difficult to uphold justice and combat crime effectively.

    To counter these challenges, Mahama called on IGP Yohuno to take decisive action against unethical conduct, including bribery and abuse of power, to restore credibility to the service.

    He insisted that corruption at all levels must be met with strict enforcement measures and accountability.

    “It is imperative that officers at all ranks are held to the highest ethical standards, and any form of malpractice, from bribery to abuse of power, must be swiftly and decisively addressed,” he asserted.

    Mahama expressed his belief that under Yohuno’s leadership, the police service would undergo much-needed reforms, ensuring that the institution regains the full confidence and respect of the Ghanaian public.

    In 2022, a survey conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service with other stakeholders in the fight against corruption ranked the Ghana Police Service as the most corrupt institution among 23 other institutions sampled.

    This was revealed in a research dubbed; corruption in Ghana, People’s Experiences and View.

    The aim of the survey was to unearth corrupt institutions and make available data that will guide the formulation of policies that will look at nipping corruption in the bud.

    The survey indicated that more than 17.4 million bribes were paid in 2021 with police officers topping the list of officials who take bribes at 53.2%.

    The Ghana Immigration Service Officers and GRA customs officers come next, at 37.4% and 33.6% respectively, while elected government representatives are at the bottom of the list at 2.9%.

    According to the survey, people with the highest level of (tertiary) education were 1.6 times more likely to have paid a bribe than people with no formal education.

    Also, ten out of the 16 administrative regions recorded a prevalence of bribery higher than the national average.

    There are, however, sizable variations across the 16 regions of the country.

    The prevalence of bribery in the Bono East, Savannah and Volta regions, for example, is substantially lower than the national rate, at 11.8, 14.5 and 19.1 per cent, respectively.

    Also in the Western North, Ahafo and North East regions, bribery is substantially higher, at 53.4, 47.0 and 41.9 per cent, respectively.

    Meanwhile, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the Ghana Police Service have reaffirmed their commitment to working closely in the fight against corruption following a high-level engagement between their respective leaderships on Thursday, 8 May.

    Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng paid a courtesy visit to the newly appointed Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohuno, in what marked their first formal interaction since the IGP’s assumption of office.

    The visit aimed to strengthen ties and enhance coordinated law enforcement efforts between the two key state institutions.

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    During the meeting, Mr. Agyebeng emphasized the necessity of institutional synergy, stressing that while the OSP holds independent investigative and prosecutorial authority under Act 959, collaboration with the Police Service remains central to advancing its nationwide anti-corruption efforts. He highlighted the importance of tapping into the Police Service’s broad presence across the country to boost the reach and efficiency of the OSP’s mandate.

    Inspector-General Yohuno expressed full support for the renewed partnership, pledging the Police Service’s dedication to aiding the OSP in rooting out corruption. He acknowledged that addressing corruption effectively requires a unified and strategic approach among state agencies and called for continuous cooperation, especially in intelligence gathering and sharing.

    Senior Police officers who participated in the meeting commended the OSP for its persistent pursuit of accountability and transparency in public life. They reaffirmed their interest in promoting closer institutional collaboration to combat corruption and related offenses.

    The Special Prosecutor was joined by Mr. Emmanuel Basintale, Director of Investigations at the OSP. Receiving them were several top police officials, including COP Iddi Lansah Seidu, COP Ernest Owusu, COP Okyere Darko Asumadu, and DCOP Kofi Blagodzie.

    The meeting concluded with a shared resolve to intensify joint efforts aimed at fostering integrity and strengthening rule of law across Ghana.