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NPP says NO to five-year presidential term

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NPP says NO to five-year presidential term

Ghana’s biggest opposition party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has rejected the Constitutional Review Committee’s (CRC) recommendation to extend Ghana’s presidential term from four years to five years.

The NPP argued that the four-year presidential term provides an important mechanism for democratic accountability.

According to the NPP, the four-year presidential term also allows citizens to regularly assess the performance of elected governments and decide whether to renew or withdraw their mandate.

The NPP stressed that they had taken a different position from the government and the CRC on the proposed extension.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, September 17, 2026, the Member of Parliament for Gushegu, Sulemana Tampuli Alhassan stated, “The CRC recommended that the presidential term be extended from 4 to 5 years. Now, we have taken a different position from the position of government and the CRC. We do not support the extension, and we support the retention of the existing 4 years.

“And our justifications are that a four-year mandate promotes democratic accountability by allowing citizens to regularly assess the performance of a government and renew or withdraw their mandates.

Challenges relating to policy implementation, transition and the formation of government should be addressed through greater efficiency and timely decision-making, rather than by extension. Again, extending the term weakens the principle of regular accountability.”

It will be recalled that the CRC, chaired by Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, recommended extending the presidential term from four years to five years as part of its broader constitutional reform proposals.

The Mahama government, through the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has announced that the government has accepted a key recommendation of the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) to extend the tenure of the President and Parliament from four years to five years.

Presenting the government’s White Paper on the Constitutional Review Committee’s recommendations, Dr Ayine stated, “The government has accepted a recommendation to extend the term of office of the president from four years to five years, with the term of Parliament extended to correspond with this”.

“Our thinking is practical. Under the current four-year cycle, the early months of every administration are consumed by transition matters, and the final year is largely consumed by elections.”

“A five-year term provides a more realistic time frame for the formulation, implementation and assessment of government policy.”

Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to hold a national referendum on proposed constitutional amendments.

According to President Mahama, the planned national referendum on proposed constitutional amendments will be held alongside the 2027 District Assembly Elections.

Speaking on his Resetting Ghana Tour Citizens’ Engagement in Bolgatanga as part of his two-day tour of the Upper East Region, Mahama stated, “We therefore want to add the referendum to the District Assembly elections next year. Next year, apart from voting for your Assembly Members, you will also be required to vote on the constitutional amendments”.

“If the referendum is successful, we will implement the amendments to the entrenched clauses. That is what we are doing with regard to governance.”

He further revealed that he will soon inaugurate the Constitutional Review Implementation Committee to take the Government’s position paper and the Constitutional Review Commission’s reports and synthesise the two.

“For non-entrenched clauses, we only need Parliamentary approval. We will put them before Parliament, and Members will vote and pass them,” he said.

“Entrenched clauses require that we conduct a referendum. At least 40 percent of registered voters must vote, and 75 per cent of those who vote must say yes.”

@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Commey Donates Over 500 Mattresses and Chop Boxes to Students #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – NDCMUSICHQ
@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Commey says 550 students were supported during today’s donation exercise in the Domeabra Obom Constituency. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

NDC gov’t essentially rewriting the 1992 constitution – NPP blows alarm

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NDC gov’t essentially rewriting the 1992 constitution – NPP blows alarm

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has rejected the Mahama government’s current approach to reviewing Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.

According to the NPP, the NDC government is essentially rewriting the 1992 Constitution, arguing that the scale of the exercise amounts to a fundamental overhaul of Ghana’s constitutional order.

The NPP are calling for the establishment of a Consultative Assembly to deliberate on the proposed changes.

Oppong Nkrumah stressed that the NPP would oppose the proposed amendments in Parliament and campaign against them at the referendum.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, September 17, 2026, Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, speaking on behalf of the NPP, argued that the scale of the proposed reforms goes beyond what should be treated as routine amendments under Chapter 25 of the Constitution.

The Policy Committee Chairman, Oppong Nkrumah, said the government must not proceed with the proposed amendments without involving key stakeholders.

Oppong Nkrumah noted that the Constitution Review Committee has recommended amendments to 147 of the 299 articles of the Constitution, representing about 49 per cent of the existing document, as well as 59 new provisions.

The NPP argued that the scale of the recommendations makes the exercise fundamentally different from an ordinary constitutional amendment.

Addressing the press, Oppong Nkrumah stated, “The New Patriotic Party therefore rejects this approach being pursued by the NDC government in essentially rewriting the 1992 Constitution”.

“Amendment 147 of 299 articles, together with 59 new provisions, that is 206 reaching into the executive, the legislature, independent constitutional bodies, and local government, is not just an adjustment to some provisions of the constitution; they amount to the overhaul of the constitution and, in substance, the enactment of a new one,” he said.

“A change of that magnitude cannot be treated as routine business under Chapter 25, to be carried through a parliamentary session and then a referendum.”

He further raised concerns about what he described as significant disagreements between the government and the Constitution Review Committee over the recommendations, adding that the government has substituted its own position for about 100 of the 147 recommendations made by the independent committee established by the President.

“Out of the 147 recommendations, about 100 of them—that is 68%—the NDC government has substituted their own preference for the views of the independent committee that the President himself put together,” he alleged.

The NPP further accused the government of limiting further consultation on the proposals and said there had been no platform for political parties, organised labour, professional groups and other identifiable groups to resolve areas of disagreement.

Oppong Nkrumah argued that Ghana’s previous constitutional processes in 1969, 1979 and 1992 involved expert work followed by deliberation through broad and representative assemblies before the proposals were given the force of law.

He added, “A change of this magnitude to the constitutional order of our nation should follow the time-tested path by which Ghana has made every such change. First, the work of an expert body deliberated and settled upon by a broad and representative assembly and only then given the force of law”.

“This is how it was done in 1969, in 1979, and in 1992. And that is what we are calling on the government to respect now,” he said.

Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to hold a national referendum on proposed constitutional amendments.

According to President Mahama, the planned national referendum on proposed constitutional amendments will be held alongside the 2027 District Assembly Elections.

Speaking on his Resetting Ghana Tour Citizens’ Engagement in Bolgatanga as part of his two-day tour of the Upper East Region, Mahama stated, “We therefore want to add the referendum to the District Assembly elections next year. Next year, apart from voting for your Assembly Members, you will also be required to vote on the constitutional amendments”.

“If the referendum is successful, we will implement the amendments to the entrenched clauses. That is what we are doing with regard to governance.”

He further revealed that he will soon inaugurate the Constitutional Review Implementation Committee to take the Government’s position paper and the Constitutional Review Commission’s reports and synthesise the two.

“For non-entrenched clauses, we only need Parliamentary approval. We will put them before Parliament, and Members will vote and pass them,” he said.

“Entrenched clauses require that we conduct a referendum. At least 40 percent of registered voters must vote, and 75 per cent of those who vote must say yes.”

@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Commey has supported all 32 students who achieved Grade 6 in the BECE with a cash donation each, in recognition of their outstanding performance. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – NDCMUSICHQ
@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Commey Donates Over 500 Mattresses and Chop Boxes to Students #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – NDCMUSICHQ

Accounts Clerk at Klo-Agogo SHS arrested for allegedly defiling a 15-year-old girl

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Accounts Clerk at Klo-Agogo SHS arrested for allegedly defiling a 15-year-old girl

A 41-year-old accounts Clerk at Klo-Agogo Senior High School (SHS) in the Yilo Krobo Municipality, identified as Saviour Attor, has been detained by the police for allegedly defiling a 15-year-old female Junior High School (JHS) student.

Reports suggest the case was reported to the Obawale Police on September 15, 2026, by the victim’s grandfather, with assistance from the Assembly Member for the area.

After the report, the grandfather, the Assembly Member and police officers proceeded to the suspect’s residence, where he was arrested.

Saviour Attor was subsequently handed over to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) for further investigation.

The victim in her statement alleged that the suspect sent her to buy a sachet of water before forcibly having unprotected sexual intercourse with her at his residence.

The 15-year-old girl victim was subsequently referred for medical examination, with the findings forming part of the ongoing investigation.

According to the Police, Saviour Attor, in his cautioned statement, admitted to having sexual intercourse with the victim at his residence.

Saviour Attor remains in police custody as investigations continue.

In related news, the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of the Bolgatanga Girls Senior High School (BOGISS) are demanding a thorough and swift investigation into the 14-year-old student sexual abuse.

The BOGISS PTA condemned the alleged sexual abuse of a 14-year-old student with special needs.

According to the BOGISS PTA,  the developments surrounding the case are of “deep concern”, and the PTA considered the allegations extremely disturbing.

The alleged incident involves two security personnel attached to the Bolgatanga Girls Senior High School.

In a statement dated Monday, August 24, the BOGISS PTA stated, “The PTA condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the alleged defilement of a student of this school. No child entrusted to the care of BOGISS should ever suffer any form of sexual abuse, exploitation, or harm, and we consider the allegations extremely disturbing.

We commend the swift arrest of the two suspects by the Ghana Police Service and their interdiction by the Ghana Education Service (GES), and we call for full, transparent, and expeditious investigations, with the harshest sanctions applied to anyone found culpable under the law.”

“The PTA further calls on GES, the Department of Social Welfare, and relevant child-protection agencies to ensure that the affected student receives the counselling, medical care, and protection she needs, and that her welfare, dignity, and educational future are safeguarded throughout the process”.

“Any decision affecting her status as a student should be guided first and foremost by her best interests, in line with standard child-protection practice.”

Meanwhile, the Ghana Education Service (GES) has interdicted two watchmen of the Bolgatanga Girls Senior High School (BOGISS) after a disturbing incident of alleged sexual assault involving a special needs student.

In a statement issued, the Ghana Education Service revealed the interdiction of the two watchmen accused in connection with the alleged assault.

According to the GES, the two suspects have been handed over to the Police to assist with investigations.

The GES said the student was on medication and suffered a relapse on the day of the alleged incident, requiring medical attention, with the alleged sexual assault occurring during that period.

The GES further assured the public that the matter is being treated with the seriousness it deserves.

Also, the Ministry of Education has ordered the immediate reinstatement of the boarding status of a 14-year-old student.

They further directed the Ghana Education Service (GES) to investigate the incident and ensure that the student receives the necessary medical attention and counselling.

@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Commey says the high rate of students dropping out of school due to financial difficulties motivated him to support students in the Domeabra Obom Constituency. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Commey says 550 students were supported during today’s donation exercise in the Domeabra Obom Constituency. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

BREAKING – NPP rejects constitutional review process

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BREAKING – NPP rejects constitutional review process

Ghana’s biggest opposition party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has rejected the current approach to reviewing Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.

According to the NPP, they are calling for the establishment of a Consultative Assembly to deliberate on the proposed changes.

Oppong Nkrumah stressed that the NPP would oppose the proposed amendments in Parliament and campaign against them at the referendum.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, September 17, 2026, Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, speaking on behalf of the NPP, argued that the scale of the proposed reforms goes beyond what should be treated as routine amendments under Chapter 25 of the Constitution.

The Policy Committee Chairman, Oppong Nkrumah, said the government must not proceed with the proposed amendments without involving key stakeholders.

Oppong Nkrumah noted that the Constitution Review Committee has recommended amendments to 147 of the 299 articles of the Constitution, representing about 49 per cent of the existing document, as well as 59 new provisions.

The MP argued that the scale of the recommendations makes the exercise fundamentally different from an ordinary constitutional amendment.

Addressing the press, Oppong Nkrumah stated, “The New Patriotic Party therefore rejects this approach being pursued by the NDC government in essentially rewriting the 1992 Constitution”.

“Amendment 147 of 299 articles, together with 59 new provisions, that is 206 reaching into the executive, the legislature, independent constitutional bodies, and local government, is not just an adjustment to some provisions of the constitution; they amount to the overhaul of the constitution and, in substance, the enactment of a new one,” he said.

“A change of that magnitude cannot be treated as routine business under Chapter 25, to be carried through a parliamentary session and then a referendum.”

He further raised concerns about what he described as significant disagreements between the government and the Constitution Review Committee over the recommendations, adding that the government has substituted its own position for about 100 of the 147 recommendations made by the independent committee established by the President.

“Out of the 147 recommendations, about 100 of them—that is 68%—the NDC government has substituted their own preference for the views of the independent committee that the President himself put together,” he alleged.

The NPP further accused the government of limiting further consultation on the proposals and said there had been no platform for political parties, organised labour, professional groups and other identifiable groups to resolve areas of disagreement.

Oppong Nkrumah argued that Ghana’s previous constitutional processes in 1969, 1979 and 1992 involved expert work followed by deliberation through broad and representative assemblies before the proposals were given the force of law.

He added, “A change of this magnitude to the constitutional order of our nation should follow the time-tested path by which Ghana has made every such change. First, the work of an expert body deliberated and settled upon by a broad and representative assembly and only then given the force of law”.

“This is how it was done in 1969, in 1979, and in 1992. And that is what we are calling on the government to respect now,” he said.

Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to hold a national referendum on proposed constitutional amendments.

According to President Mahama, the planned national referendum on proposed constitutional amendments will be held alongside the 2027 District Assembly Elections.

Speaking on his Resetting Ghana Tour Citizens’ Engagement in Bolgatanga as part of his two-day tour of the Upper East Region, Mahama stated, “We therefore want to add the referendum to the District Assembly elections next year. Next year, apart from voting for your Assembly Members, you will also be required to vote on the constitutional amendments”.

“If the referendum is successful, we will implement the amendments to the entrenched clauses. That is what we are doing with regard to governance.”

He further revealed that he will soon inaugurate the Constitutional Review Implementation Committee to take the Government’s position paper and the Constitutional Review Commission’s reports and synthesise the two.

“For non-entrenched clauses, we only need Parliamentary approval. We will put them before Parliament, and Members will vote and pass them,” he said.

“Entrenched clauses require that we conduct a referendum. At least 40 percent of registered voters must vote, and 75 per cent of those who vote must say yes.”

@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Commey says the high rate of students dropping out of school due to financial difficulties motivated him to support students in the Domeabra Obom Constituency. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ Hon. Edem Agbana, MP for Ketu South, has secured a new bus for his football club. 🚌⚽ #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

Full list of New Road Traffic Regulations L.I. 2519 offences that could send many drivers to jail

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Full list of New Road Traffic Regulations L.I. 2519 offences that could send many drivers to jail

Ghana’s new Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519), prescribe fines and, in some cases, imprisonment for a range of road traffic offences, including illegal racing, jumping red lights, improper parking, disobeying traffic officers and using television monitors while driving.

The regulations also introduce provisions on automated enforcement, allowing offences detected by traffic enforcement devices to attract graduated fines and, after repeated violations, possible suspension or revocation of a driver’s licence.

A 14-page offences schedule prepared by D/Sgt Nana Kwadwo Otibu-Gyan of the Legal and Prosecution Unit, RHQ/Ho, outlines several of the offences and penalties under the regulations.

Below are some of the key provisions.

Stop signs, red lights and racing

1. Street racing, drag racing and speed competitions – Section 221

Driving, or permitting another person to drive, in a race, speed competition, or endurance test on a road attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units, imprisonment for up to 30 days, or both.

Participating in an unauthorised race under Section 221(2) attracts the same penalty.

2. Failure to stop at STOP or YIELD signs – Section 222

Under Sections 222(1) to 222(6), failing to stop or yield the right of way at an intersection marked by a STOP or YIELD sign, or failing to stop before a pedestrian crossing, attracts a fine of 10 to 30 penalty units, imprisonment for up to 30 days, or both.

Approaching a YIELD sign without slowing down under Section 222(2) attracts the same penalty.

3. Jumping a red light – Section 222(7)-(8)

Jumping a red light at a signalised intersection attracts a fine of 10 to 30 penalty units, imprisonment for up to 30 days, or both.

4. Railway crossings – Section 223

Failing to stop within the prescribed distance of a railway line at a level crossing, or proceeding before it is safe to do so, attracts a fine of 5 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.

Walking, driving or riding through, around or under a closed railway gate under Section 223(3) attracts the same penalty.

Overtaking, traffic officers and restricted parking

1. Overtaking at pedestrian crossings – Section 224

Overtaking a vehicle that has stopped at a pedestrian crossing to allow a pedestrian to cross attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.

Failing to slow down when approaching a marked pedestrian crossing under Section 224(2) attracts the same penalty.

2. Disobeying traffic control officers or devices – Section 226(3)

Disobeying a traffic control officer or traffic control device attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.

3. Unauthorised use of bus stops or taxi stands – Section 227(3)

Using a bus stop or taxi stand without authorisation attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.

4. Parking in spaces reserved for persons with disabilities – Section 228(3)

Parking in a space reserved for persons with disabilities without entitlement attracts a fine of up to 25 penalty units, imprisonment for up to eight months, or both.

Processions, funerals and public transport

1. Driving in a procession without obeying the rules – Section 229(2)

Driving in a procession without complying with the applicable rules attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.

2. Driving through a funeral or authorised procession – Section 230(3)

Driving through a funeral or other authorised procession attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.

3. Stopping or parking buses and taxis outside designated areas – Section 231(4)

Stopping or parking a bus or taxi outside a designated stop or stand attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.

4. Failure to provide facilities for persons with disabilities on public transport – Section 232(2)

Failure to provide the required facilities for persons with disabilities on public transport attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.

Parking offences – Section 235

Section 235 sets out several offences relating to improper parking.

1. Parking contrary to traffic signs or near junctions – Section 235(1)

Parking contrary to a traffic sign or within a prohibited distance of a junction attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.

2. Parking in front of building entrances or exits – Section 235(1)(d)-(e)

Parking in front of a building entrance or exit attracts the same penalty.

3. Parking contrary to instructions in designated parking areas – Section 235(2)

Parking in a designated parking area contrary to the applicable instructions attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.

4. Parking in prohibited areas – Section 235(3)

Parking in a loading area, a reserved permit-holder bay, on slip roads, a hard shoulder or central reserve, or near a junction, bend or crossing in a manner that obscures a traffic sign attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.

5. Double parking – Section 235(4)

Parking abreast of another vehicle, commonly referred to as double parking, attracts the same penalty.

6. Parking in an area designated for another category of vehicle – Section 235(5)

Parking in an area designated for a different category of vehicle attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.

Billboards, television monitors and automated fines

The regulations also contain provisions dealing with road safety and automated enforcement.

1. Outdoor advertising signs obstructing traffic controls – Section 236(3)

An outdoor advertising sign that interferes with traffic or obscures a traffic sign or device attracts a fine of 25 to 50 penalty units or imprisonment for up to three months.

2. Operating a television monitor while driving – Section 237(2)

Using or operating a television monitor on the dashboard of a vehicle while it is in motion attracts a fine of up to 25 penalty units, imprisonment for up to 30 days, or both.

3. Automated road traffic offences – Section 242(12)

The regulations provide for offences detected by Traffic Enforcement Devices, including cameras, to attract graduated automated fines.

The schedule provides for:

  • First to third offence: 10 penalty units (GH¢120)
  • Fourth offence: 15 penalty units (GH¢180)
  • Fifth offence: 20 penalty units (GH¢240)
  • Sixth offence within 24 months: Possible court-ordered licence revocation or suspension for a minimum of 12 months, together with retraining and retesting.

General penalty – Regulation 243

Regulation 243 provides a general penalty where the regulations do not prescribe a specific punishment for a particular contravention.

According to the schedule, such an offence attracts a fine of 10 to 50 penalty units, imprisonment for up to eight months, or both.

Regulation 244 also allows a court to order retraining for offences involving carelessness, recklessness or wilful disregard of the regulations, in addition to any fine or imprisonment imposed.

Other offences

The regulations also cover conduct beyond the operation and parking of vehicles.

1. Washing or repairing vehicles on the road – Section 139(3)(b)

Washing or repairing a vehicle on a road attracts a fine of 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.

2. Preaching or hawking on a moving public or commercial vehicle – Section 141

Preaching or hawking on a moving public or commercial vehicle attracts a fine of 10 to 50 penalty units or imprisonment for up to eight months.

3. Selling goods on or alongside roads – Section 142(1)

Selling goods on or alongside a road, on a pedestrian walkway or near a railway crossing attracts a fine of up to 50 penalty units or imprisonment for up to three months.

The schedule also lists other offences covering areas including tyres, brakes, learner drivers and vehicle and driver requirements.

The Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519), are now in force, and the offences schedule is being used as a reference for enforcement and prosecution.

The provisions mean that motorists and other road users could face not only fines but, depending on the offence, imprisonment or additional measures such as retraining, retesting and licence suspension.

–

Authored by D/Sgt. Nana Kwadwo Otibu-Gyan, Legal & Prosecution Unit, RHQ/Ho 

@ghnow_ Hon. Edem Agbana, MP for Ketu South, has secured a new bus for his football club. 🚌⚽ #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Commey says the high rate of students dropping out of school due to financial difficulties motivated him to support students in the Domeabra Obom Constituency. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

‘Eeeiii!!!, how did we get here?’ – MzGee reacts to BECE candidates aggregates 33, 39, 45 results

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‘Eeeiii!!!, how did we get here?’ – MzGee reacts to BECE candidates aggregates 33, 39, 45 results

MzGee, a Ghanaian media personality, has expressed concerns after hearing the BECE aggregates being mentioned by some students and parents during the Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu’s visit to the National Resolution Centre.

According to MzGee, she was shocked by the minister’s interaction with students and parents, where they mentioned their aggregates of 28,33,39,45.

MzGee questioned whether the figures being mentioned were becoming a reflection of the current state of academic performance in Ghana.

In a Facebook post, MzGee wrote, “Eeeiii!!! Just watching the Education Minister tour the School Placement Centre and the aggregate these students and parents are mentioning paa! Ah, how did we get here or ebi normal? 28,33,39,45?”

MzGee’s reaction comes amid ongoing concerns surrounding the 2026/2027 Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).

During the minister’s interaction at the centre, some students were heard mentioning huge aggregates including 28, 33, 39 and 45 when he asked about their BECE results.

Meanwhile, Daniel Fenyi, the Public Relations Officer for Ghana Education Service (GES), has said BECE candidates who fail Mathematics or English Language or both must remain at the Junior High School (JHS).

According to the GES spokesperson, students who fail to qualify for Senior High School placement should remain at the basic level to receive the necessary support to retake the examination the following year.

He argued that students who do not meet the required standard should be allowed to improve their performance rather than being pushed to the next level.

The GES PRO stressed that progressing students to Senior High School despite failing to attain the expected basic literacy and numeracy skills will leave them struggling academically.

Daniel Fenyi explained that, just as a student who repeats class five remains in that class to strengthen their understanding, students who obtain grade 9 should similarly be given time to improve their basic literacy and numeracy skills.

Speaking to Isaac Addae on Morning Starr on Starr FM, the GES Public Relations Officer, Daniel Fenyi, stated, “Students who fail to meet the required standard should be allowed to continue schooling at the basic level rather than progress to the next stage without the necessary foundational skills”.

“The message is that you repeat the class, you repeat the JHS. You will learn, we will strategise, we will advise you, and then we take the exams next year,” he said.

“If we push you to senior high school, you are simply going to struggle a lot at senior high school, he said.

Also, the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) Secretariat Coordinator, Sherif Sulemana, has disclosed that 55,000 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE)candidates fail to meet requirements for placement.

See the post below:

@ghnow_ Hon. Edem Agbana, MP for Ketu South, has secured a new bus for his football club. 🚌⚽ #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Commey says the high rate of students dropping out of school due to financial difficulties motivated him to support students in the Domeabra Obom Constituency. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

Person behind ‘Ghana Jollof’ TikTok account still posting, release detained nurse – NPP demands

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Person behind ‘Ghana Jollof’ TikTok account still posting, release detained nurse – NPP demands

Haruna Mohammed, the Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has called for the immediate release of a woman allegedly detained over claims that she operates the TikTok account, Ghana Jollof.

According to Haruna Mohammed, the woman had been wrongly arrested, adding that the Ghana Jollof account remained active and continued to post content after her reported detention.

He argued that the woman was a health professional with infants under her care and called for her immediate release.

Speaking to Citi News, Haruna Mohammed stated, “An arrest has been made on an innocent woman who has infants that she takes care of and also a health professional, purported to be ‘Ghana Jollof’. Subsequently, after the arrest, the person they are looking for is on TikTok again telling them that that is not the person; with the same voice and saying what she usually say”.

“Yesterday, we had several calls to get lawyers for her. I don’t think up till now they have released her. Does it mean that the person is in the cells insulting them? This is pure politics. Yes, our lawyers have been brought in to assist the woman,” he said.

Haruna Mohammed further called for the end of unnecessary actions against citizens, saying, “I think these people want to break down this country. The NDC want to break down the country. These necessary things that they are doing must stop”.

The development follows the arrest of Salomey, a nurse based in Techiman in the Bono East Region, who was reportedly arrested during a midnight operation at her residence in Hansua.

The incident reportedly occurred between 11 p.m. and midnight on Sunday, September 13, 2026.

According to Salomey’s brother, who was present, three individuals, comprising two men and a woman, arrived at the residence at about 11:30 p.m. dressed in black uniforms, believed to be from National Security.

“They came in black. Two men and a lady,” Salomey’s brother recounted.

“They told me they were National Security and that they were taking my sister to the regional command. I asked what she had done. They asked me to sit down and keep quiet. I just watched her leave and couldn’t do anything,” Antwi Francis said.

Salomey’s family have firmly denied that she has any connection to the “Ghana Jollof” TikTok account, with the circumstances surrounding the arrest generating questions.

The family described the allegation as a case of mistaken identity and insists that Salomey has no association with the anonymous account.

Meanwhile, the anonymous Ghana Jollof TikTok account operates without publicly revealing the identity or face of the person behind it and has built a sizeable following with commentary targeting the President and the First Lady.

Its content includes offensive language directed at political figures, drawing increased public attention to the identity of the person operating the account.

In the meantime, the nurse Salomey Baffoe remains in custody as security authorities continue their investigations into the allegations presented before the court.

However, the legal representative for 40-year-old nurse and a mother of three, Salomey Baffoe, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah has explained that his client was arrested over claims she operates the TikTok account, ‘Ghana Jollof ’, allegedly plotting a coup against Mahama.

 According to the Lawyer, the brief facts the authorities presented before the court were that Salomey had conspired with an anonymous social media account known as “Ghana Jollof” to plan a coup to oust President John Mahama from office.

According to Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, the security authorities told the judge that Salomey had links to the anonymous TikTok account.

The “Ghana Jollof” account in recent months attracted attention for its strong criticism of President Mahama and First Lady Lordina Mahama.

The lawyer noted that the allegation formed the basis for the authorities’ decision to continue holding Salomey in custody while investigations proceed.

He, however, insisted that the nurse, who serves her community and country, is being falsely accused.

Speaking in an interview on Asempa FM on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah stated, “The claim that was presented was that she had been arrested because she had conspired with someone known as ‘Ghana Jollof’ to plot a coup.

That was the brief fact they presented to the judge. They said the woman, who is a nurse and lives in Techiman, had planned with ‘Ghana Jollof’, a person nobody knows, to stage a coup and unseat the President. That is why they said they were still keeping her in custody while investigations continued,” he said.

@ghnow_ Beneficiaries go home with a mattress and chop box received from Hon. Nii Commey’s donation exercise in the Domeabra Obom Constituency. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – King Paluta
@ghnow_ Meet a visually impaired elderly man in Akuapem Akropong who has sold coconuts for over two decades and says he can even climb coconut trees despite his condition. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – Just For Laughs ✅

Without gov’t intervention, diesel could hit GH¢28 per litre – NPA CEO

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Without gov’t intervention, diesel could hit GH¢28 per litre – NPA CEO

Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), has said diesel could be selling at around GH¢28 per litre if the government had not intervened to cushion consumers.

According to the NPA CEO, the Mahama government had absorbed a significant portion of the increase to prevent the full cost from being passed on to consumers.

He disclosed that the government estimated that the interventions had so far amounted to close to GH¢1 billion.

Speaking on Eyewitness News on Wednesday, September 16, Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe stated, “I need to point out that for the intervention from government, a litre of diesel should be selling within the region of GHC28 per litre”.

“A litre tonne of diesel, which used to cost $794 as of February 2026, today is costing $1,519 per litre tonne. That’s almost twice the amount,” he said.

“We have done close to Ghc1 billion by way of intervention to push the impact, which otherwise would have come directly to the consumers of petroleum products,” he said.

He added, “Do you know that today, if you go out to the pump and you buy 10 litres of diesel, what it means is that the Government of Ghana is directly putting 20 Ghana cedis in your pockets?”

The NPA CEO comments come amid renewed pressure for higher transport fares; however, the government maintained a GH¢2-per-litre intervention on diesel as part of measures to cushion consumers.

Meanwhile, COPEC has announced that fuel prices are expected to rise, with petrol rising to an average of GH¢16.26 per litre, while diesel could sell at GH¢19.07 per litre from Wednesday, September 16.

COPEC, in a statement, projected a 4.24% increase in petrol prices from the current average of GH¢15.60 per litre.

They further disclosed that Diesel is expected to record a steeper 10.23% increase, rising from an average of GH¢17.30 to GH¢19.07 per litre.

Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned the Mahama government that its recent fuel subsidy could damage Ghana’s fiscal gains.

According to the IMF, the recent fuel subsidy measures must remain temporary and carefully targeted not to undermine Ghana’s fiscal gains.

The IMF warning was contained in its Staff Report submitted to the Fund’s Executive Board on July 27 ahead of Ghana’s Sixth Review under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) programme.

The IMF Staff Report acknowledged Ghana’s improving macroeconomic outlook but warned that fuel subsidies should not become a permanent policy tool.

Parts of the report stated, “The recent fuel subsidy measures must be temporary and well targeted.”

“Ghana’s near-term growth and inflation outlook is favourable but subject to elevated downside risks.”

It also identified external threats including “commodity price volatility, geopolitical tensions (including from the war in the Middle East), and trade disruptions.”

@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Commey has supported all 32 students who achieved Grade 6 in the BECE with a cash donation each, in recognition of their outstanding performance. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – NDCMUSICHQ
@ghnow_ Beneficiaries go home with a mattress and chop box received from Hon. Nii Commey’s donation exercise in the Domeabra Obom Constituency. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – King Paluta

Nurse arrested over alleged ‘Ghana Jollof’ TikTok account coup plot against Mahama – Lawyer

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Nurse arrested over alleged ‘Ghana Jollof’ TikTok account coup plot against Mahama – Lawyer

The legal representative for 40-year-old nurse and a mother of three, Salomey Baffoe, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, has explained that his client was arrested over claims she operates the TikTok account, ‘Ghana Jollof’, allegedly plotting a coup against John Mahama.

 According to the Lawyer, the brief facts the authorities presented before the court were that Salomey had conspired with an anonymous social media account known as “Ghana Jollof” to plan a coup to oust President John Mahama from office.

According to Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, the security authorities told the judge that Salomey had links to the anonymous TikTok account.

The “Ghana Jollof” account in recent months attracted attention for its strong criticism of President Mahama and First Lady Lordina Mahama.

The lawyer noted that the allegation formed the basis for the authorities’ decision to continue holding Salomey in custody while investigations proceed.

He, however, insisted that the nurse, who serves her community and country, is being falsely accused.

Speaking in an interview on Asempa FM on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah stated, “The claim that was presented was that she had been arrested because she had conspired with someone known as ‘Ghana Jollof’ to plot a coup.

That was the brief fact they presented to the judge. They said the woman, who is a nurse and lives in Techiman, had planned with ‘Ghana Jollof’, a person nobody knows, to stage a coup and unseat the President. That is why they said they were still keeping her in custody while investigations continued,” he said.

The development follows the arrest of Salomey, a nurse based in Techiman in the Bono East Region, who was reportedly arrested during a midnight operation at her residence in Hansua.

The incident reportedly occurred between 11 p.m. and midnight on Sunday, September 13, 2026.

According to Salomey’s brother, who was present, three individuals, comprising two men and a woman, arrived at the residence at about 11:30 p.m. dressed in black uniforms, believed to be from National Security.

“They came in black. Two men and a lady,” Salomey’s brother recounted.

“They told me they were National Security and that they were taking my sister to the regional command. I asked what she had done. They asked me to sit down and keep quiet. I just watched her leave and couldn’t do anything,” Antwi Francis said.

Salomey’s family have firmly denied that she has any connection to the “Ghana Jollof” TikTok account, with the circumstances surrounding the arrest generating questions.

The family described the allegation as a case of mistaken identity and insists that Salomey has no association with the anonymous account.

Meanwhile, the anonymous Ghana Jollof TikTok account operates without publicly revealing the identity or face of the person behind it and has built a sizeable following with commentary targeting the President and the First Lady.

Its content includes offensive language directed at political figures, drawing increased public attention to the identity of the person operating the account.

Meanwhile, the nurse Salomey Baffoe remains in custody as security authorities continue their investigations into the allegations presented before the court.

In related news, the Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Haruna Mohammed, has called for the immediate release of a woman allegedly detained over claims that she operates the TikTok account, Ghana Jollof.

According to Haruna Mohammed, the Ghana Jollof account remained active and continued to post content after her reported detention.

Speaking to Citi News, Haruna Mohammed stated, ‘An arrest has been made on an innocent woman who has infants that she takes care of and also a health professional, purported to be ‘Ghana Jollof’. Subsequently, after the arrest, the person they are looking for is on TikTok again telling them that that is not the person; with the same voice and saying what she usually say”.

“Yesterday, we had several calls to get lawyers to for her. I don’t think up till now they have released her. Does it mean that the person is in the cells insulting them. This is pure politics. Yes, our lawyers have been brought in to assist the woman,” he said.

“I think these people want to break down this country. The NDC want to break down the country. These necessary things that they are doing must stop,” he said.

Watch the video below:

@bossrodkk

“John Mahama arrested the nurse because she and Ghana Jollof are planning to overthrow the government”- according to the lawyer for the nurse.

♬ original sound – Boss Rod
@ghnow_ Students have arrived at the Ashalaja School Park ahead of the distribution of 500 chop boxes and mattresses donated by Hon. Nii Comey. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – NDCMUSICHQ
@ghnow_ Road Minister angrily blast contractor over delays #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

€225m cocaine case: 4 arrested, 3 guns and 4 luxury cars seized – More details emerge

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€225m cocaine case: 4 arrested, 3 guns and 4 luxury cars seized – More details emerge

More details have emerged following the arrest and interrogation of four Ghanaian suspects linked to the €225m cocaine shipment from Ghana to France.

Awisi Dede, a Ghanaian journalist, has provided further details concerning the arrest and interrogation by NACOC.

 According to the Ghanaian journalist, the first suspect, Desmond Koranteng Curiel and the fourth suspect, Jessica Hartog, were arrested at Ashale Botwe.

She described Desmond Koranteng Curiel as a businessman, and Jessica Hartog as his fiancée.

The journalist also disclosed that the third suspect, Kweku Otchere, was arrested at his residence in East Legon.

Awisi Dede further disclosed that a search conducted following the arrests led to the retrieval of three guns, four luxury vehicles, passports, ammunition and various sums of money

In a social media post on September 16, 2026, Awisi Dede detailed, “€225M COCAINE CASE: WHERE THE FOUR SUSPECTS WERE PICKED UP AND WHAT THEY TOLD NACOC‼️‼️

 On Saturday, September 12, NACOC officers arrested the 1st suspect, Desmond Koranteng Curiel, and the 4th suspect, Jessica Hartog, at Ashale Botwe.

Desmond is a businessman, and Jessica is his fiancée .

The 3rd suspect, Kweku Otchere, was arrested at his residence in East Legon.

A search conducted following the arrests led to the retrieval of three guns, four luxury cars, passports, ammunition and various sums of money.

On Monday, September 14, the 2nd suspect, Musah Attah,  was arrested at the NACOC headquarters.

A fifth suspect, Dutch national Jos Leijdekkers, alias “Bolle Jos,” is said to be at large”.

Meanwhile, the four Ghanaians have been remanded by the High Court in Accra over their alleged involvement in a plot to export about four tonnes of cocaine from Ghana to France.

The four were remanded after they were charged and arraigned before the High Court in Accra.

The accused have been identified as Desmond Koranteng Curiel, alias “Paul Kweku Yeboah” or “Biggs”; Musah Attah, alias “Kromo”; Kweku Otchere; and Jessica Hartog.

According to reports, they were arraigned on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, and are facing two charges: Conspiracy to commit a crime, namely the exportation of narcotic drugs without a licence issued by the Minister of Health and Exportation of narcotic drugs.

The charges were filed against the four on Wednesday, and the hearing was held shortly afterwards.

The four have been remanded for four weeks and are expected to reappear before the court on October 13, 2026.

A fifth suspect, Jos Leijdekkers, alias “Bolle Jos”, a Dutch national, is said to be on the run.

The development follows French customs officials having intercepted nearly 3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine, worth about $261 million, in a shipment from Ghana.

According to Reuters news, the shipment was confiscated at the northern French port of Dunkirk on Thursday, September 10, 2026.

The cocaine was concealed in 167 packages inside a container carrying plastic waste from Ghana and destined for Antwerp, Belgium.

The  3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine is allegedly linked to the criminal organisation of fugitive Dutch drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers.

Reports suggest the drugs have since been destroyed, with French prosecutors opening an investigation into the seizure.

According to French authorities, the seizure followed a targeted operation by the judicial police against a criminal network suspected of being behind the shipment, with the investigation focused on offences including the organised importation of narcotics and participation in a criminal association.

The seizure is expected to form part of the broader investigation into the movement of the cocaine from Ghana to France and the criminal network alleged to have organised the shipment.

See the post below:

@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Commey has donated over 500 mattresses and chop boxes to students in the Domeabra Obom Constituency as part of efforts to support their educational needs. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – NDCMUSICHQ
@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Comey has pledged to cover the full seven years of fees for students who gain admission to study Law or Medicine. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

7 Police officers interdicted over alleged extortion

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7 Police officers interdicted over alleged extortion

The Ghana Police Service has announced that they have interdicted seven of its officers over an alleged extortion incident in Accra.

According to the Police, the officers were members of a patrol team and have been accused of demanding money from a victim and forcing him to withdraw the funds from an ATM for them.

The interdiction has been ordered to facilitate investigations by the Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSB).

The Police Service assured that the matter will be thoroughly investigated and appropriate actions will be taken based on the outcome.

In a press release dated Wednesday, September 16, 2026, the Police Service stated, “The Ghana Police Service has interdicted seven Police personnel in connection with an alleged extortion incident in Accra”.  

“The personnel, who were members of a patrol team, are alleged to have demanded money from their victim and compelled him to withdraw the same from an ATM for them,” the statement said.

“The interdiction is to make way for ongoing investigation by the Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSB),” the statement said.

In similar news, the Ghana Police Service has announced they have identified and interdicted General Corporal Robert Koranteng over the death of 23-year-old Central University Law student Ivan Baidoo on the Tema Motorway.

General Corporal Robert Koranteng’s interdiction follows preliminary investigations launched after a video relating to the incident went viral on social media on August 27, 2026.

The CID Homicide Unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death, while the Police Professional Standards Bureau has been tasked with examining the officer’s conduct.

In a statement on Saturday, September 12, the Ghana Police Service stated, “POLICE INTERDICT OFFICER OVER DEATH OF 23-YEAR-OLD IVAN BAIDOO.

The Ghana Police Service has identified, arrested and interdicted General Corporal Robert Koranteng in connection with the death of 23-year-old Ivan Baidoo, following initial investigations into a viral video concerning the incident, which occurred on the Tema Motorway on 27th August 2026.

The Homicide Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is intensifying efforts to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident, while the Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSB) has been tasked with investigating the conduct of the officer, who is currently in custody.

The Ghana Police Service assures the public that the matter is being thoroughly investigated and that appropriate action will be taken based on the outcome of the investigations”.

See the statement below:

@ghnow_ Meet a visually impaired elderly man in Akuapem Akropong who has sold coconuts for over two decades and says he can even climb coconut trees despite his condition. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – Just For Laughs ✅
@ghnow_ A student has expressed gratitude to Hon. Nii Commey, saying his support is helping some students stay in school despite financial challenges. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – NDCMUSICHQ

Ghana’s drug trafficking crisis out of control – Former Deputy Defence Minister

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Ghana’s drug trafficking crisis out of control – Former Deputy Defence Minister

Kofi Amankwa-Manu, a former Deputy Defence Minister, has said Ghana’s drug trafficking concerns are getting out of hand, calling for the immediate call of Parliament.

According to Kofi Amankwa-Manu, Ghana’s growing drug trafficking concerns require a coordinated national response.

He argued that Parliament must play a role in helping the government confront the threat.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Wednesday, Kofi Amankwa-Manu stated, “This is a worrying, you know, thing which has to be tackled holistically”.

“At tomorrow’s meeting, let me dare say that one thing I really want to see happen is the strengthening of the efficient and effective, you know, sharing of intelligence amongst, you know, all the security agencies, especially with regards to this fight against drug trafficking.”

“I will want to approach the leadership of Parliament to really bring Parliament back for us to have an in-depth discussion in helping the government to fight this canker,” he said.

When asked whether he wanted Parliament recalled over the matter, he stated: “Yes, I want to recall.”

“If we can have a recall just to appoint a few people, this is an issue affecting the image and the country as a whole, and it is important that we all put our shoulders to the wheel to find a solution to this problem,” he said.

Mr Amankwa-Manu added that Parliament must consider what more it can do.

“We have committees. We have committees, and the Committee for Defence and Interior, and then the Committee on Security and Intelligence,” he said.

“But after the committee is done its work, it has to come to plenary for others to also add their voices so that we can then, you know, send whatever we need to assist government in the fight against this canker,” he said.

“Because it is getting out of hand, and the earlier something drastic and something major is done, the better it will be for the country.”

Kofi Amankwa-Manu comes on the heels of a series of major drug-related cases involving Ghana in recent months.

Meanwhile, Four Ghanaians have been remanded by the High Court in Accra over their alleged involvement in a plot to export about four tonnes of cocaine from Ghana to France.

The four were remanded after they were charged and arraigned before the High Court in Accra.

The accused have been identified as Desmond Koranteng Curiel, alias “Paul Kweku Yeboah” or “Biggs”; Musah Attah, alias “Kromo”; Kweku Otchere; and Jessica Hartog.

According to reports, they were arraigned on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, and are facing two charges: Conspiracy to commit a crime, namely the exportation of narcotic drugs without a licence issued by the Minister of Health and Exportation of narcotic drugs.

The charges were filed against the four on Wednesday, and the hearing was held shortly afterwards.

The four have been remanded for four weeks and are expected to reappear before the court on October 13, 2026.

A fifth suspect, Jos Leijdekkers, alias “Bolle Jos”, a Dutch national, is said to be on the run.

The development follows French customs officials having intercepted nearly 3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine, worth about $261 million, in a shipment from Ghana.

According to Reuters news, the shipment was confiscated at the northern French port of Dunkirk on Thursday, September 10, 2026.

The cocaine was concealed in 167 packages inside a container carrying plastic waste from Ghana and destined for Antwerp, Belgium.

The  3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine is allegedly linked to the criminal organisation of fugitive Dutch drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers.

Reports suggest the drugs have since been destroyed, with French prosecutors opening an investigation into the seizure.

According to French authorities, the seizure followed a targeted operation by the judicial police against a criminal network suspected of being behind the shipment, with the investigation focused on offences including the organised importation of narcotics and participation in a criminal association.

The seizure is expected to form part of the broader investigation into the movement of the cocaine from Ghana to France and the criminal network alleged to have organised the shipment.

@ghnow_ Students have arrived at the Ashalaja School Park ahead of the distribution of 500 chop boxes and mattresses donated by Hon. Nii Comey. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – NDCMUSICHQ
@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Comey has donated 500 chop boxes and mattresses to residents of the Domeabra Obom Constituency. The items are being distributed today at Ashalaja School Park. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – NDCMUSICHQ

GH¢780m down the drain? How Ghana spent millions on COVID-19 fumigation deemed unnecessary by science

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GH¢780m down the drain? How Ghana spent millions on COVID-19 fumigation deemed unnecessary by science

Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has revealed that Ghana under the Akufo-Addo government spent approximately GH¢780 million on fumigation exercises during the COVID-19 pandemic in an effort to curb the spread of the virus.

However, questions have since emerged over the scientific basis, effectiveness and necessity of the exercise, particularly amid evidence that COVID-19 was primarily transmitted through respiratory droplets and airborne particles rather than contaminated outdoor surfaces.

In his latest investigative article, Manasseh highlighted that evidence gathered points to approximately GH¢780 million spent on COVID-19 fumigation expenditure and not GH¢96m.

The expenditure has therefore sparked renewed debate over the justification of the intervention, the use of public funds and the accountability of authorities who approved the initiative.

According to experts, the fumigation exercise had no scientific basis.

Excerpts from his investigative article published on pacgh.org  detailed how the GH¢780m on COVID-19 fumigation was needless and not backed by science, read,  “Ghana’s fumigation exercises, for which hundreds of millions of cedis were spent, were not backed by science, according to information from Ghana’s scientific community and international COVID-19 guidelines published in the early days of the pandemic.

The government of Ghana shut down all schools and educational facilities four days after the first COVID-19 case was recorded in the country. At the time, no school in Ghana had recorded a COVID-19 case. When schools were due to be opened, more than three months later, the president announced that all schools in the country would be fumigated before students returned.

“If it [a school] was shut for three months, who went in there and introduced the virus? And is the virus going to stay for three months? From all that we have read, it’s [the lifespan of the virus on surfaces] from two hours to nine days,” said Dr J.H. Kofi Bonney, a senior research fellow at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, the institution that led Ghana’s testing and research during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“They [the coronaviruses] don’t have life. They only get life when they get into a living cell… So if this room has been locked for three months, and you decide to disinfect it, you may not be targeting the virus,” said Dr Agustina Angelina Siverkern, Clinical Microbiologist and Research Fellow, at the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine.

Professor Gordon Awandare, the Director, West Africa Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, said, “If you’re sure that the place has not been encroached by anybody, you can pretty much assume that if there was any virus there and the place has been closed for three months, then the virus is likely dead.”

According to Dr J.H. Kofi Bonney, even if fumigation had been necessary, it should have targeted places with infections.

Asked about Ghana’s COVID-19 trends, the Director General of the Ghana Health Service at the time of the pandemic, Dr Patrick Kumah Aboagye, confirmed that COVID-19 cases in Ghana were confined to a few areas.

“Broadly, we had more of a cluster-based spread. There were many areas where there was not generalised spread. You could have a region where just about three or four districts are reporting cases. And even in those towns, there are certain locations where you had cases; in others, you don’t have,” Dr Aboagye said.

The Local Government Ministry awarded contracts for the fumigation of all markets across Ghana, including towns and districts that never recorded COVID-19 cases. When this reporter asked the ministry to name the persons or institutions that advised it to carry out the fumigation, the ministry said:

“The information you seek is denied because the information you require is internal working information of a public institution, hence exempt from disclosure.”

What the WHO said about Ghana’s kind of fumigation

The Government of Ghana claimed that its COVID-19 fight was backed by science and recommendations by international bodies, especially the World Health Organisation (WHO). In May 2020, when only the first fumigation contract had been awarded, the WHO published guidance discouraging both indoor and outdoor mass spraying or fumigation, the kind carried out in Ghana in 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Zoomlion executed its fumigation contracts by spraying chlorine solution on streets, open markets and school compounds, including tarred streets.

On indoor fumigation, the WHO guidelines said:

 “In indoor spaces, routine application of disinfectants to environmental surfaces by spraying or fogging (also known as fumigation or misting) is not recommended for COVID-19. One study has shown that spraying as a primary disinfection strategy is ineffective in removing contaminants outside of direct spray zones. Moreover, spraying disinfectants can result in risks to the eyes, respiratory or skin irritation and the resulting health effects. Spraying or fogging of certain chemicals, such as formaldehyde, chlorine based agents or quaternary ammonium compounds, is not recommended due to adverse health effects on workers in facilities where these methods have been utilised.”

Regarding outdoor fumigation, the WHO guidelines said:

“Spraying or fumigation of outdoor spaces, such as streets or marketplaces, is also not recommended to kill the COVID-19 virus or other pathogens because disinfectant is inactivated by dirt and debris and it is not feasible to manually clean and remove all organic matter from such spaces. Moreover, spraying porous surfaces, such as sidewalks and unpaved walkways, would be even less effective. Even in the absence of organic matter, chemical spraying is unlikely to adequately cover all surfaces for the duration of the required contact time needed to inactivate pathogens. Furthermore, streets and sidewalks are not considered to be reservoirs of infection for COVID-19. In addition, spraying disinfectants, even outdoors, can be harmful for human health.”

@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Comey has donated 500 chop boxes and mattresses to residents of the Domeabra Obom Constituency. The items are being distributed today at Ashalaja School Park. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ Hon. Ashai Odamtten present School items to over 1000 students in Tema East #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – NDCMUSICHQ

“You lied” – Accra Mayor clashes with Nitiwul over 24-hour market rollout at Konkomba Yam Market

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“You lied” – Accra Mayor clashes with Nitiwul over 24-hour market rollout at Konkomba Yam Market

Dominic Nitiwul, the Member of Parliament for Bimbilla and the Accra Mayor, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, have clashed over plans to demolish parts of the Konkomba Yam Market at Agbogbloshie for the rollout of the 24-hour economy market.

The Accra Mayor on Joy FM’s Top Story rejected the suggestion that the Konkomba community was being singled out in the Agbogbloshie demolition.

According to him, he has visited the market more than 15 times before the 24-hour market project was introduced and was involved in marking the area earmarked for redevelopment.

Michael Kpakpo Allotey challenged the MP’s account of the consultation process, accusing him of misleading the public about the project.

He stated, “I don’t sit in the office, I am not an office mayor, I don’t wear political suit. I am always on the ground, I know what I am about, I know what I am saying, I don’t give fake news, I don’t deceive people”.

He argued that the Mahama administration is seeking improve conditions for Konkomba traders and insisted that the community was not being targeted.

However, Nitiwul maintained that his concerns were about protecting the interests of traders and yam producers.

“In the case of the Konkomba market, my people are the people of Ghana, the million people who buy yam at the Konkomba yam market. 3-4 million yams are sold daily at the Konkomba yam market, so I represent those people. I also represent the yam producers from my own constituency; 90% of the yam producers are from my constituency, so I represent them, and I speak for them”, Nitiwul stated.

The disagreement stems from engagement between the Accra Metropolitan Assembly and the market’s leadership.

According to Nitiwul, the mayor met leaders of the Konkomba Yam Market on July 28 and presented them with markings and drawings.

The MP further stated that the traders told the mayor that it was their first meeting with them and that previous engagements had involved people they did not regard as their representatives.

However, Mr Allotey disputed the account and accused the MP of contradicting earlier statements about whether consultations.

Mr Allotey stated, “You lied to the people. I have not met them as at that time, you told them we just woke up, and we decided to do this work. You lied to the people, and you have to apologise”.

The development follows Dominic Nitiwul, who made a shocking allegation concerning Konkombas and plans to demolish parts of the Agbogbloshie market to make way for a 24-hour economy market.

According to Dominic Nitiwul, the exercise appears to be targeted at removing the Konkomba community from Accra.

He alleged that other sections of the market had been left untouched while the area where Konkombas sell their yams had been marked for demolition.

Nitiwul expressed concern that structures marked for demolition by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) appeared to be concentrated in the section of Agbogbloshie occupied by Konkomba traders.

Speaking in a viral video shared on X, the former Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul, stated, “We don’t see what the Konkomba tribe has done against the government, that they have only come to the centre of Agbogbloshie where the Konkombas reside and decided to site the 24-hour market there.

“They left the side this way; they left the side behind. They left the side at the other side, but only marked where the Konkomba people are, and we feel that it is targeted at just removing the Konkombas from Accra. That’s all,” he said.

He added, “We do not believe that the agenda of the AMA Chief Executive is to build a 24-hour market because the land, the size of the land they have demarcated, is far beyond what they need for a 24-hour market.

“I have one in my constituency, he has one in his constituency, and we know the size of land they need. Why is it that only where the Konkombas are, the places that he marked? Did you observe that or not?” he asked.

The MP further added, “What did they do that you have decided to come to the centre where the Konkombas are? If you check the stretch, this bridge to that bridge, the centre is where the Konkombas are. You left all other areas and came to where only the Konkombas are, where they have their market.

“You’ve marked every store in the market to be demolished. You have also marked where they sleep to be demolished and left every other person. What crime have they committed? Are they not Ghanaians? So why? Why are they being targeted?” he said

“So, Mr President, stop your mayor. Mr President, let him stop targeting the Konkomba tribe. If you cannot help develop the market for the Konkombas to sell their yams, stop. Another president will come and do it. They are not moving tomorrow,” he said.

“It will be politically suicidal for the president to allow the mayor to touch and to do what he is thinking of doing. I will not expand on that, but we are saying that what we saw is not a good thing,” he said.

“Nobody is asking that we don’t want a 24-hour market. No, far from that. But the Konkomba yam market where they sell yam purely is totally different from the activities of the 24-hour market,” he noted.

Watch the video below:

@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Comey has donated 500 chop boxes and mattresses to residents of the Domeabra Obom Constituency. The items are being distributed today at Ashalaja School Park. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – NDCMUSICHQ
@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Comey has donated 500 chop boxes and mattresses to residents of the Domeabra Obom Constituency. The items are being distributed today at Ashalaja School Park. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

“National Cathedral is not dead” – GPCC president says

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“National Cathedral is not dead” – GPCC president says

Rev Prof. Paul Frimpong-Manso, the President of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), has said the idea of Ghana’s National Cathedral is not dead.

According to the GPCC president, the renewed debate should not be viewed as the end of the project.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Wednesday, Rev Prof. Frimpong-Manso stated, “Someone has said that truth buried to the ground will resurrect; that is our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“So to me, the National Cathedral is like gold. When it is dug from the ground, basically it’s nothing, or like a diamond. But when it goes through refining processes, which are purification processes, it comes back and shines brighter.”

He added, “So, for me, what has happened is good. I’m glad that the conversation has not ended, and at the end of the day, all Ghanaians will see that all things work together for good to them that love God and those who have been called according to his purpose.”

Rev Prof. Paul Frimpong-Manso added that he is pleased the current administration’s position had also given the Christian community reason to remain engaged in the conversation.

“I think I’m glad that it is back. I’m glad that the current government, with its, you know, its leaders, are all supporting it, and I know through this milling and refining process, through this dialogue, pros and cons, we will get the best out of the situation.”

“I’m glad that the idea of the cathedral is not dead”, he added.

His comments follow fresh debate over the cathedral following Mahama Ayariga’s vetting.

His comment follows President John Mahama, who argued that taxpayers’ money should not be used to fund the construction of a National Cathedral, disclosing that if Christians across the country contributed GH¢1,000 each towards the project, they could raise sufficient resources to construct the facility.

Speaking at a citizens’ engagement during his tour of the Upper West Region, President Mahama stated, “I made a promise that every policy and every project that I inherit, I will continue it as long as it’s in the interest of the people, and I have largely done that. Almost all the projects and policies we inherited, we have continued.

“The only one is the National Cathedral, but that was not a national policy. It was a personal pledge by the former President. It was a personal pledge by the former President to God. So that one, it wasn’t national policy,” he added.

Mahama further added, “I am a Christian myself. I have nothing against having a national cathedral”.

“My second problem was that we shouldn’t use taxpayers’ money. I mean, how many Christians are in this country? If we all pay 1,000 cedis each, we should be able to construct a national cathedral,” he added.

“My principle has always been that the location has been a problem,” he said.

“So normally during ceremonies, you have the stadium not far, and that’s the way we used to go to Black Star Square. So if you go and put this major thing there again, it will constrict that whole area,” he said.

“My problem was also that the amount of destruction we had to cause to clear the area broke 10 judges’ residences.

“We broke the Malian Ambassador’s residence. Up to now, we’ve not replaced it. And several other properties, the old passport office, all of them were demolished to make way for a national cathedral,” he said.

Watch the video below:

@ghnow_ Meet a visually impaired elderly man in Akuapem Akropong who has sold coconuts for over two decades and says he can even climb coconut trees despite his condition. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – Just For Laughs ✅
@ghnow_ A student has expressed gratitude to Hon. Nii Commey, saying his support is helping some students stay in school despite financial challenges. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – NDCMUSICHQ

High Court remands 4 Ghanaians fingered in alleged €225m cocaine export to France

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High Court remands 4 Ghanaians fingered in alleged €225m cocaine export to France

Four Ghanaians have been remanded by the High Court in Accra over their alleged involvement in a plot to export about four tonnes of cocaine from Ghana to France.

The four were remanded after they were charged and arraigned before the High Court in Accra.

The accused have been identified as Desmond Koranteng Curiel, alias “Paul Kweku Yeboah” or “Biggs”; Musah Attah, alias “Kromo”; Kweku Otchere; and Jessica Hartog.

According to reports, they were arraigned on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, and are facing two charges: Conspiracy to commit a crime, namely the exportation of narcotic drugs without a licence issued by the Minister of Health and Exportation of narcotic drugs.

The charges were filed against the four on Wednesday, and the hearing was held shortly afterwards.

The four have been remanded for four weeks and are expected to reappear before the court on October 13, 2026.

A fifth suspect, Jos Leijdekkers, alias “Bolle Jos”, a Dutch national, is said to be on the run.

The development follows French customs officials having intercepted nearly 3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine, worth about $261 million, in a shipment from Ghana.

According to Reuters news, the shipment was confiscated at the northern French port of Dunkirk on Thursday, September 10, 2026.

The cocaine was concealed in 167 packages inside a container carrying plastic waste from Ghana and destined for Antwerp, Belgium.

The  3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine is allegedly linked to the criminal organisation of fugitive Dutch drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers.

Reports suggest the drugs have since been destroyed, with French prosecutors opening an investigation into the seizure.

According to French authorities, the seizure followed a targeted operation by the judicial police against a criminal network suspected of being behind the shipment, with the investigation focused on offences including the organised importation of narcotics and participation in a criminal association.

The seizure is expected to form part of the broader investigation into the movement of the cocaine from Ghana to France and the criminal network alleged to have organised the shipment.

Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has summoned a high-level meeting of state institutions involved in Ghana’s border security, ports, customs and law enforcement to address growing concerns over narcotics trafficking and other illicit substances following another major drug seizure linked to Ghana.

According to an invitation issued by the Office of the President and signed by Secretary to the President Callistus Mahama on Monday, September 14 2026, the meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 12:30 p.m. at the Jubilee House.

The invitation stated, “You are respectfully invited to attend a high-level meeting to discuss measures to strengthen Ghana’s border security and prevent the trafficking of narcotic drugs and other illicit substances through the country’s ports, airports and land borders.

The meeting will review existing vulnerabilities, intelligence-sharing arrangements, cargo and passenger- screening systems, inter-agency coordination, and the deployment of technology to detect and disrupt narcotics trafficking. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, 17th September 2026 at 12:30 p.m. at the Jubilee House.

Each institution should be represented by its head, accompanied by no more than one relevant technical officer. Participants should come prepared to provide a brief assessment of existing security gaps and propose practical measures to improve intelligence sharing, surveillance, screening, and joint enforcement operations.

Given the urgency and national security implications, your personal attendance is required.

Please accept the highest regards of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic”.

Meanwhile, among the institutions invited are the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Ghana Shippers’ Authority, Ghana Maritime Authority and Ghana Police Service.

The National Intelligence Bureau, Narcotics Control Commission, Ghana Airports Company Limited and other operators within the ports and shipping sector are also expected to participate.

@ghnow_ Meet a visually impaired elderly man in Akuapem Akropong who has sold coconuts for over two decades and says he can even climb coconut trees despite his condition. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – Just For Laughs ✅
@ghnow_ Beneficiaries go home with a mattress and chop box received from Hon. Nii Commey’s donation exercise in the Domeabra Obom Constituency. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – King Paluta

“NDC lies catching up with them” – Miracles Aboagye

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“NDC lies catching up with them” – Miracles Aboagye

Dennis Miracles Aboagye, a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) communications team, has said the lies of President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are catching up with them concerning the National Cathedral project.

The NPP man responded to comments by the President and members of the NDC that the government will not use taxpayers’ money to fund the National Cathedral project.

According to Dennis Miracles Aboagye, the land allocated for the project is already a contribution from the state, and he described the comments as an attempt to cover up what he considers their shame after allegedly misleading the public about the project.

Speaking at the launch of Jefferson Sackey’s memoir in Accra on September 15, 2026, Miracles Aboagye stated, “The cathedral was never going to be fully funded by government. It had always been a partnership between the state and the Christian community and individuals. And so even until now, a lot of people were donating. Churches, organisations, individuals were donating by short codes and what have you. And so I don’t see what is new about it”.

“If the state even says we are not putting in a pesewa, remember, the land belongs to the state. And that is the state’s own contribution to the national cathedral. So I really don’t know what the president means by the state is not going to contribute. The state has already contributed. The land itself is a contribution by the state,” he said.

He added, “This whole commentary now is just something that they are putting out to cover up their shame. The misinformation, the denigration of this national edifice that the country wanted”.

“And for me, what I find very bizarre is this consistent attempt by the president and the people in the NDC to say that the national cathedral was a personal promise by the president. It’s bizarre.

“Which of the promises he made when he was campaigning to us was made after a town hall meeting with us? When he was speaking about a 24-hour economy, did he come to you to ask whether you agreed to it or not? Was that not his promise?” he quizzed.

He continued: “So I think it’s a very sad situation that we have a president and a government deliberately peddling such conversation. Because if that analogy, if that logic is to be pursued, then which of the things the government will be doing today are things that they called a market square meeting for all of us to agree before they put out? All the things that you are pursuing today are things that you promised. Those promises are promises that you got out of your bedroom and came to tell us, you and your party people.”

“So why, in the name of God, would you deliberately demonise a national cathedral to the extent of saying that it was a personal promise to God? Every president’s promise to the people is his personal promise. It is your vision, your ambition that you present to the people, based on which the people will vote for you. And then when you get the mandate, you execute,” he noted.

“A national cathedral can never be termed as a personal promise by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. It is a national edifice. It is a monument that is going to be standing in the name of the nation Ghana,” Aboagye insisted.

Aboagye expressed optimism about the project’s eventual completion, stating, “And for me, I think that ultimately, their lies are catching up with them. And that is why we are seeing all this in that way. I am very hopeful that eventually the national cathedral will be built.”

His comment follows President John Mahama, who argued that taxpayers’ money should not be used to fund the construction of a National Cathedral, disclosing that if Christians across the country contributed GH¢1,000 each towards the project, they could raise sufficient resources to construct the facility.

Speaking at a citizens’ engagement during his tour of the Upper West Region, President Mahama stated, “I made a promise that every policy and every project that I inherit, I will continue it as long as it’s in the interest of the people, and I have largely done that. Almost all the projects and policies we inherited, we have continued.

“The only one is the National Cathedral, but that was not a national policy. It was a personal pledge by the former President. It was a personal pledge by the former President to God. So that one, it wasn’t national policy,” he added.

Mahama further added, “I am a Christian myself. I have nothing against having a national cathedral”.

“My second problem was that we shouldn’t use taxpayers’ money. I mean, how many Christians are in this country? If we all pay 1,000 cedis each, we should be able to construct a national cathedral,” he added.

“My principle has always been that the location has been a problem,” he said.

“So normally during ceremonies, you have the stadium not far, and that’s the way we used to go to Black Star Square. So if you go and put this major thing there again, it will constrict that whole area,” he said.

“My problem was also that the amount of destruction we had to cause to clear the area; broke 10 judges’ residences.

“We broke the Malian Ambassador’s residence. Up to now, we’ve not replaced it. And several other properties, the old passport office, all of them were demolished to make way for a national cathedral,” he said.

Watch the video below:

@ghnow_ Students have arrived at the Ashalaja School Park ahead of the distribution of 500 chop boxes and mattresses donated by Hon. Nii Comey. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – NDCMUSICHQ
@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Comey has donated 500 chop boxes and mattresses to residents of the Domeabra Obom Constituency. The items are being distributed today at Ashalaja School Park. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – NDCMUSICHQ

“Bolle Jos” massive cocaine consignment allegedly stuck in Ghana

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“Bolle Jos” massive cocaine consignment allegedly stuck in Ghana

According to The Herald, a massive consignment of illicit drugs allegedly linked to Dutch drug kingpin Jos Leijdekkers, alias “Bolle Jos,” remains in Ghana, amid reported attempts to smuggle it to Europe and other destinations.

The publication reported that the consignment arrived in Ghana shortly before the Akufo-Addo administration left office in January 2025.

Sources cited by The Herald further alleged that efforts to move the drugs out of the country have since encountered difficulties.

“The Herald could not independently verify the alleged presence of the consignment or establish its precise location in the country. However, French and Dutch investigators have established links between a nearly 3.9-tonne cocaine shipment seized last week at the port of Dunkirk in France and the criminal organisation of fugitive Dutch drug kingpin Jos Leijdekkers, alias “Bolle Jos”, who is hiding in Sierra Leone, West Africa.

The cocaine, concealed in a container of plastic waste shipped from Ghana, had an estimated street value of €225 million, equivalent to approximately US$261.45 million.

Part of the consignment was reportedly destined for Antwerp, Belgium. Belgian customs was reported to have tipped off the French, resulting in the arrest.

The development has heightened scrutiny of Ghana’s ports and of the country’s possible role in the movement of large consignments of narcotics to international markets.

The Herald’s sources have raised suspicions that “Bolle Jos” may be keeping his cocaine in Ghana and exploiting weaknesses in the port and shipping systems to facilitate its movement to Europe and other destinations.

However, the claim that the fugitive is storing cocaine in Ghana has not been independently established beyond the large narcotic shipments from the country into Europe and Australia, some of which involve UK citizens,” the Herald article stated.

The development follows French customs officials having intercepted nearly 3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine, worth about $261 million, in a shipment from Ghana.

According to Reuters news, the shipment was confiscated at the northern French port of Dunkirk on Thursday, September 10, 2026.

The cocaine was concealed in 167 packages inside a container carrying plastic waste from Ghana and destined for Antwerp, Belgium.

The  3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine is allegedly linked to the criminal organisation of fugitive Dutch drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers.

Reports suggest the drugs have since been destroyed, with French prosecutors opening an investigation into the seizure.

According to French authorities, the seizure followed a targeted operation by the judicial police against a criminal network suspected of being behind the shipment, with the investigation focused on offences including the organised importation of narcotics and participation in a criminal association.

The seizure is expected to form part of the broader investigation into the movement of the cocaine from Ghana to France and the criminal network alleged to have organised the shipment.

Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has summoned a high-level meeting of state institutions involved in Ghana’s border security, ports, customs and law enforcement to address growing concerns over narcotics trafficking and other illicit substances following another major drug seizure linked to Ghana.

According to an invitation issued by the Office of the President and signed by Secretary to the President Callistus Mahama on Monday, September 14 2026, the meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 12:30 p.m. at the Jubilee House.

The invitation stated, “You are respectfully invited to attend a high-level meeting to discuss measures to strengthen Ghana’s border security and prevent the trafficking of narcotic drugs and other illicit substances through the country’s ports, airports and land borders.

The meeting will review existing vulnerabilities, intelligence-sharing arrangements, cargo and passenger- screening systems, inter-agency coordination, and the deployment of technology to detect and disrupt narcotics trafficking. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, 17th September 2026 at 12:30 p.m. at the Jubilee House.

Each institution should be represented by its head, accompanied by no more than one relevant technical officer. Participants should come prepared to provide a brief assessment of existing security gaps and propose practical measures to improve intelligence sharing, surveillance, screening, and joint enforcement operations.

Given the urgency and national security implications, your personal attendance is required.

Please accept the highest regards of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic”.

Meanwhile, among the institutions invited are the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Ghana Shippers’ Authority, Ghana Maritime Authority and Ghana Police Service.

The National Intelligence Bureau, Narcotics Control Commission, Ghana Airports Company Limited and other operators within the ports and shipping sector are also expected to participate.

@ghnow_ Beneficiaries go home with a mattress and chop box received from Hon. Nii Commey’s donation exercise in the Domeabra Obom Constituency. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – King Paluta
@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Commey has supported all 32 students who achieved Grade 6 in the BECE with a cash donation each, in recognition of their outstanding performance. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – NDCMUSICHQ

‘Let’s be frank, Chief Justice praising gov’t problematic’ – Kwesi Pratt

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‘Let’s be frank, Chief Justice praising gov’t problematic’ – Kwesi Pratt

Kwesi Pratt, the Managing News Editor of the Insight Newspaper, has said a Chief Justice, whether past or present, praising government policies is problematic.

The veteran journalist argued that a Chief Justice publicly praising a sitting government for its policies or how they are being implemented raises questions about the judge’s impartiality.

Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana on September 16, 2026, Kwesi Pratt stated, “Let’s be frank, if a Chief Justice mounts a platform and praises a government for its policies, it’s problematic”.

“Any Chief Justice, whether in the past or present, mounts a platform and starts praising a sitting government for its policies, the manner in which the policies have been implemented, and so on, it’s problematic,” he stated.

He added, “If a Chief Justice urges the population to act in favour of a particular political party or a particular government, it is problematic”.

“Now, if a Chief Justice is minded to protect a certain administration or certain persons within a certain administration so that they can continue in office, his fairness is called into question or her fairness is called into question, no doubt at all,” he said.

Kwesi Pratt further added, “It does not mean that those who sit on the bench do not have views. They vote in elections. Election Day, they vote, their preferences, but those preferences need to be kept to themselves”.

“Some would argue that that is perhaps a manifestation of inherent hypocrisy. But that’s the situation we are supposed to deal with. At least our laws need to make sense,” he added.

Kwesi Pratt’s comment follows the President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Efua Ghartey, quoting a biblical admonition in expressing the Bar’s disappointment with remarks made by the Chief Justice, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, concerning state-owned enterprises.

According to the GBA president, although the Bar was reluctant to interpret the Chief Justice’s comments, his remarks have raised concerns among members of the legal profession.

Speaking at the Ghana Bar Association Conference 2026/27 in Ada on Monday, September 14, the GBA President, Efua Ghartey, expressed the association’s concerns, saying, “The recent commendation of a public institution and the comparison to a past government’s output, by no mean a person than the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana, left much to be desired”.

We do not want to believe that what happened is a fulfilment of Matthew 12:34, which says, ‘Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh,’” she stated.

Ms Ghartey further fired a shot at the Judicial Secretary, saying the apparent attempt to explain or defend the Chief Justice’s comments was, at best, lacklustre.

“Respectfully, the Judicial Secretary’s attempted defence of the Chief Justice was, at best, lacklustre,” she said.

She further referred specifically to Article 128(4) of the 1992 Constitution to caution that the protection of judicial independence must be accompanied by respect for the constitutional limits placed on public office holders.

“The Bar wishes to serve a reminder that much as it is poised to protect the independence of the Judiciary, as per Article 128(4) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, the guarded must stay within their bounds as dictated by their calling in the Constitution,” she said.

“And may I repeat that the guarded must stay within their bounds as dictated by their calling in the Constitution,” she added.

Meanwhile, the brouhaha stems from Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, who on Wednesday, September 2, toured some state institutions where he questioned how Ghana sank so low in the past eight years under the former administration.

The Chief Justice expressed astonishment at the performance of some state institutions over the past eight years.

According to Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, comparing the current progress of some state institutions with their performance over the past eight years, he wonders what went wrong in the last eight years.

The Chief Justice lauded the performance of the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) and other public institutions under the current Mahama administration.

Speaking during a visit to MIIF on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, he said he was impressed by what he had seen at the institution and other state entities.

Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie stated, “I must congratulate you. I mean, you have done marvellously well. Sometimes, when we hear about the things that you have done and the things that some organisations are doing now, we wonder. Some of us keep wondering what we really have been doing in the past eight years”.

“We’ve just come back from SSNIT. We went to SSNIT this morning, and the kind of things that we heard and what we had heard even before we went there, if you compare that with the fact that, not too long ago, SSNIT was preparing to sell its prized assets like the Labadi Beach Hotel, you wonder how Ghana could have sunk so low,” he added.

Watch the video below:

@ghnow_ A beneficiary has expressed gratitude to Hon. Nii Commey for the support, saying the gesture is unprecedented in the community. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – NDCMUSICHQ
@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Commey says 550 students were supported during today’s donation exercise in the Domeabra Obom Constituency. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

Atewa Forest could be gone by the end of the year – A Rocha Ghana warns

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Atewa Forest could be gone by the end of the year – A Rocha Ghana warns

Daryl Bosu of A Rocha Ghana has sounded a warning that the Atewa Forest Reserve could be lost before the end of 2026 if the government fails to take decisive action to halt illegal miners in the forest.

According to A Rocha Ghana, the Atewa Forest Reserve is facing an unprecedented level of encroachment.

A Rocha Ghana argued that despite the repeal of L.I. 2462, which previously allowed mining in forest reserves, the Atewa Forest Reserve is facing existential threats.

They argued that the Mahama government’s position that forest reserves are no-go areas for mining must be matched with concrete action.

The group argued that illegal miners have entered the Atewa Forest in large numbers, using pickaxes, changfans and other tools to destroy the forest and its water bodies.

Speaking on TV3’s NewDay on September 15, 2026, A Rocha Ghana stated, “In the case of Atewa, the presence of illegal miners is nothing we have seen before. And we think that if the government doesn’t act decisively, we are likely to lose a forest by the end of the year”

“What we have seen, however, is that we are not seeing that reflected in the way actions are taken to protect our forest reserve,” he said.

He further noted that an operation involving 55 police officers resulted in only five arrests due to the alleged leakage of information.

According to Bonsu, the influx of foreigners into communities around the Atewa Forest had worsened the situation.

“The numbers are just too much for the government agencies to contain. And that’s why we think that the risk is real and the government must act decisively,” he stressed.

In related news, Prof Frimpong-Boateng, a former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, has said Ghana needs about $21 billion to reclaim and restore lands degraded largely by illegal mining (galamsey).

The former Minister detailed that about 10 per cent of Ghana’s surface area, equivalent to approximately 23,853 square kilometres, had been degraded, which has left Ghana with an enormous environmental restoration bill.

According to Prof Frimpong-Boateng, restoring the Ankobra River alone had been estimated to cost about $400 million.

He described galamsey as “the largest environmental crime in our history”, warning that the destruction of forests and water bodies was exposing mining communities to toxic substances.

Speaking on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, while delivering the keynote address at the Fourth Annual Colloquium organised by the Department of Political Science Education at the University of Education, Winneba, the event was held under the theme, “Politics, the Environment, and Our Future: Ghana at Crossroads?”.

Prof Frimpong-Boateng stated, “About a tenth of the surface area of Ghana is degraded, some 23,853 square kilometres. Reclaiming and restoring what has already been destroyed would cost in the order of $21 billion”.

Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has tasked the newly sworn-in Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, to provide leadership in the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

According to John Mahama, the destruction of Ghana’s forests and water bodies through illegal mining remains one of the gravest threats to the country’s national survival.

President Mahama urged Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings to protect the country’s natural resources while working to secure a healthier environment for future generations.

Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony on Saturday, August 29, President Mahama stated, “Your medical training provides a particularly important perspective. The environment is not separate from human health. Polluted rivers, contaminated soils, poor sanitation, unsafe air, and indiscriminate waste disposal eventually find expression in our hospitals and in the health of our people.

Your task, therefore, Honourable Minister, is both environmental and human. You must provide determined leadership to protect Ghana’s natural resources and secure a healthier future for generations yet unborn”.

“The destruction of our forests and water bodies through illegal mining remains one of the gravest threats to our national survival,” he added.

@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Comey has donated 500 chop boxes and mattresses to residents of the Domeabra Obom Constituency. The items are being distributed today at Ashalaja School Park. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – NDCMUSICHQ
@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Comey has donated 500 chop boxes and mattresses to residents of the Domeabra Obom Constituency. The items are being distributed today at Ashalaja School Park. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

‘I am still determined to break the NPP and NDC duopoly’ – Alan Kyerematen

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‘I am still determined to break the NPP and NDC duopoly’ – Alan Kyerematen

Alan Kyerematen, the Founder and leader of the United Party (UP), has renewed calls for an alternative political force to break the dominance of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Ghana’s politics.

According to Alan Kyerematen, he remained determined to challenge the two-party system.

He argued that more than three decades of Ghana alternating between the NPP and NDC governments had not produced the level of development Ghana could have achieved.

Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, Alan Kyerematen stated, “I am still determined to break the NPP and NDC duopoly, and I am even sure if I didn’t have the strength and willpower, God would have given it to me because these two parties are the cause of our problems in this country”.

“But after 34 years, our roads are bad, and we don’t have stable electricity. We’re still struggling with developmental projects. We could have done better by now,” he indicated.

Alan Kyerematen further pointed to China’s rapid transformation over roughly three decades as an example.

“It took China 30 years to become the second most powerful country in the world, but when you look at it critically, their transformation in a way makes them number one,” he said.

Meanwhile, Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen, the Leader of the United Party (UP), has claimed that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lost the 2024 elections by 2.1 million votes because of the propaganda targeted at him.

The former NPP man disclosed that once he declared his intention to go independent, some NPP members started circulating statements aimed at discrediting him.

According to Alan Kyerematen, the NPP propaganda backfired, as many voters who recognised his departure from the party chose not to support the NPP.

Speaking in a one-to-one interview on United Television (UTV) Ghana, Alan Kyerematen stated, “Do you know that after leaving the party and contesting as an independent candidate, 2.1 million voters didn’t vote for the NPP? And after leaving too, they kept saying, if he wants to go, he should go. I said openly to people that the time was too short to organise people to vote for me”.

“Then there was propaganda that I didn’t have people to vote for me. Their own report after losing the election said, since they said Alan Kyerematen is an independent candidate, then we will also not vote for them,” he added.

He further hinted that more revelations would be made in due course.

“There are some things that, at the appropriate time, I will disclose,” he said.

Some netizens reacting to his claims stated, “Give this man 100 years, and he can’t even come third during a General Election here in Ghana ❗️

If someone was to be angry, it should be Kennedy, not you”.

A netizen added, “The host is so wise; keep it up, obaa

This man lies Tru his teeth like something

The question is why didn’t they vote for you???”

“Ahhh…so embarrassing, Alan paaaa.  What jaundice analysis is this…anokwa”, a netizen added.

Meanwhile, Solomon Owusu, a leading member of the United Party, has shockingly claimed that the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) 2024 election defeat reports show Alan Kyeremanten’s exit from the party caused the party’s defeat.

According to Solomon Owusu, pages 68 and 69 of the NPP’s 2024 election reports clearly link Alan Kyeremanten’s exit to the party’s defeat.

The leading member of the Movement for Change is quoted by GHOne TV to have said, “Pages 68 and 69 of the NPP’s 2024 election defeat report clearly state that Alan Kyerematen’s exit caused the party’s loss in the 2024 elections”.

@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Commey has supported all 32 students who achieved Grade 6 in the BECE with a cash donation each, in recognition of their outstanding performance. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – NDCMUSICHQ
@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Commey has arrived at the Ashalaja School Park for the distribution of 500 chop boxes and mattresses to residents of the Domeabra Obom Constituency. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – NDCMUSICHQ

“Sack Haruna Iddrisu” – NPP tells Mahama over Arabic, Chinese policy brouhaha

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“Sack Haruna Iddrisu” – NPP tells Mahama over Arabic, Chinese policy brouhaha

The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has told President John Dramani Mahama to sack Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu over plans to introduce Arabic and Chinese in Ghanaian schools without presidential or Cabinet approval.

According to the NPP, the Education Ministry and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) had already taken steps towards implementing the initiative.

In a statement issued by the NPP Education Sector Policy Committee on Wednesday, September 16, they questioned how the Education Ministry and its agencies could have progressed with curriculum development and teacher training if the policy had not received the required approval.

They argued that Haruna Iddrisu had earlier announced that Chinese and Arabic would be compulsory foreign languages at the secondary school level and even went on to link the initiative to President Mahama’s vision for education.

The NPP disclosed that NaCCA has subsequently engaged about 160 writers and reviewers to develop a revised curriculum, which they say was presented to the Education Minister on July 22.

According to the NPP, Haruna Iddrisu did not reject the curriculum but referred it to the Ghana Education Service (GES) for review and implementation.

The NPP also referenced the teacher training conducted by NaCCA on September 3, with support from the Confucius Institute at the University of Cape Coast, as evidence.

The NPP argued that the chronological sequence of events leaves the government with two questions: whether the Education Minister acted without presidential or Cabinet authority, or whether Mahama and Cabinet were aware of and authorised the work.

The NPP stated, “Either the Minister was advancing a major policy direction without the President’s authority, despite presenting it as part of the President’s vision, or the public has still not been given the full account of what Government had actually authorised and pursued”.

According to the NPP, if the Education Minister acted without presidential or Cabinet approval, President Mahama should remove him.

“If the Minister announced and pursued this policy without presidential and Cabinet approval, the President must sack him. If, however, the Minister acted with the authority or knowledge of the President or Cabinet, then the President must apologise to the Ghanaian people for denying a policy his Government had already set in motion,” the statement said.

“If there was ‘absolutely no new policy’, why were public resources committed to developing the curricula, preparing the system for implementation and training teachers?” the party asked.

The NPP comments come on the heels of President John Dramani Mahama rejecting claims that his government has approved a policy to introduce Arabic and Chinese as subjects in Ghana’s public schools.

According to John Mahama, no such policy had been approved by Cabinet and urged the public to disregard reports suggesting that the two languages were being introduced nationwide.

Mahama’s clarifications, however, contradict the Education Ministry position who had earlier clarified that the government’s language of instruction policy for basic schools does not intend to make Arabic and Chinese languages compulsory.

On August 2, 2026, in a statement issued by Hashmin Mohammed, Press Secretary to the Minister, disclosed that in the revised basic school curriculum, Ghanaian languages will be the primary medium from Kindergarten (KG) to Primary Three and used alongside English from P4 to P6.

The Education  Ministry clarified that foreign languages such as French, Arabic, and Chinese will not be compulsory subjects but will instead be offered as optional courses for pupils who wish to acquire additional language skills, subject to the availability of qualified teachers and resources in their schools.

However, President Mahama on Saturday, September 12, during a citizens’ engagement at the University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS) in the Upper West Region, as part of his Resetting Ghana Tour, boldly stated that,  “No such policy has been approved by the cabinet that I chair. So let’s put that matter to rest once and for all”.

Mahama further questioned the rationale for introducing Chinese at a time when Ghana was already struggling to provide enough teachers to effectively teach French.

According to Mahama, French remains particularly important because of Ghana’s proximity to several Francophone countries.

“We’re not even getting a handle on the teaching of French. Why would we go and introduce Chinese?” he asked.

Mahama further clarified that Arabic being taught in some schools is not the result of a new policy to introduce the language across all public schools.

He explained, “There is training of Arabic teachers because, in Rawlings’ time, we noticed that the Muslim communities were not sending their children to school.

They were not sending their children to school because they were afraid that their children would be converted to some other religion. So, Rawlings introduced English-Arabic schools. They allowed Arabic to be taught in those schools”.

“But there’s no new policy to introduce Arabic and Chinese in all public schools in Ghana,” he said.

@ghnow_ A look at the proposed Sentuo Airport Garden City, set to transform the Airport area with a modern mixed-use development #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ The sod-cutting ceremony for the Sentuo Airport Garden City is currently underway at 10 Giffain Road, Airport, Accra. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – JUDITH 💞

Gov’t to name agencies for 1-3-3 shift system by end of 2026

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Gov’t to name agencies for 1-3-3 shift system by end of 2026

Lamtiig Apanga, the acting Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Gaming Commission of Ghana, has revealed that government will name more agencies expected to adopt the 1-3-3 shift system by the end of 2026.

According to Lamtiig Apanga, the government is currently reviewing various sectors and public institutions to determine which ones can effectively operate under the shift arrangement.

Speaking on Breakfast Daily on Channel One TV on Wednesday, September 16,  Lamtiig Apanga stated, “There are reviews of certain sectors of the economy, and particular agencies, that can accommodate the 1-3-3 shift system. In no time, government will announce that”.

“It’s difficult for me to give specific timelines, but I can assure you that hopefully, by the close of the year, government will make a specific pronouncement,” he said.

He further claimed that the system is already being implemented at some public institutions, including the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), the National Identification Authority (NIA), and the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).

“We’ve already seen similar things going on. At DVLA, we’ve seen this at the National Identification Authority as well. We’ve seen this at National Health Insurance as well. We’re extending” he added.

However, a  Member of Parliament for Tamale Central and a member of Parliament’s Works and Housing and Finance Committees, Prof Seidu Mahama Alidu, has said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) widely publicised “1-3-3 jobs” slogan was a statement used to explain the party’s proposed 24-hour economy policy and was not a campaign promise to create jobs in that specific format.

According to the NDC MP, the party did not promise Ghanaians that it would create “1-3-3 jobs.”

He argued that the format was used during the 2024 election campaign as an illustrative explanation of how the proposed 24-hour economy policy would operate.

Speaking during a panel discussion on the GTV Breakfast Show on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, NPP member Ofosu Boakye challenged the government to account for what had become of what he described as the NDC’s “1-3-3 jobs” promise.

The NPP man, in his commentary, argued that the promise was incorporated into the NDC’s 2024 manifesto and policy messaging around the 24-hour economy.

Ofosu Boakye noted that the party presented the system as one in which a job could be organised across three shifts and performed by three different people.

“Let us not trivialise the argument. You promised giving Ghanaians a 1-3-3 job,” Ofosu Boakye stated.

However, the Tamale MP strongly rejected the description, claiming that the phrase did not comprise a formal policy promise to Ghanaians.

Prof Seidu Mahama Alidu stated, “In which policy report? No, no, I won’t let you go with this. It was a statement that was made in an explanation”.

The Tamale Central MP maintained that the “1-3-3” expression was intended to help explain the concept of the 24-hour economy rather than serve as a standalone employment pledge.

Meanwhile, Dr Stephen Issaka, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Communication Team, has explained that the Mahama government 1:3:3 shift system will come at the very end of the 24-Hour Economy policy.

@ghnow_ Hon. Nii Commey has supported all 32 students who achieved Grade 6 in the BECE with a cash donation each, in recognition of their outstanding performance. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – NDCMUSICHQ
@ghnow_ Students have arrived at the Ashalaja School Park ahead of the distribution of 500 chop boxes and mattresses donated by Hon. Nii Comey. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – NDCMUSICHQ

Name officials fingered in Australia narcotics probe – NPP lawyer chases Mahama gov’t

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Name officials fingered in Australia narcotics probe – NPP lawyer chases Mahama gov’t

Kwesi Botchway Jnr, a Convener of Save the Republic and member of the NPP Communications Team, has demanded that the John Mahama government immediately name the officials it says are under investigation for allegedly facilitating the movement of narcotics.

The NPP lawyer questioned why no suspensions, arrests or public disclosures have followed, arguing that Ghanaians deserve to know the names of the government officials who are under investigation for allegedly facilitating the movement of narcotics.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, Kwesi Botchway stated, “Have they been suspended? Have they been arrested? And most importantly, why has the government not named them? The minister categorically mentioned that government officials are under investigation for facilitating the shipment of narcotics to Australia.

And so why have these persons not been named? We are asking this question, and we demand answers. If the government has cleared them, they should just tell us,” he said.

He added, “It is unacceptable for government to tell parliament that some people within the system were involved in a narcotics shipment of this magnitude and then retreat behind the excuse that investigations are ongoing. Ongoing investigations cannot become a permanent hiding place for politically inconvenient information,” he added.

“We find the government’s posture in this matter particularly troubling because we live in a realm and dispensation where senior government officials such as the attorney general have developed the appetite of repeatedly announcing to the public cases that he is conducting in court and cases that he intends to conduct in court.”

“…And so what has now been the difficulty of government communicating the names of its very own officials who the government claims are under investigation for facilitating narcotic movements?”

Botchway stressed the need for equal treatment, saying that: “It is important that the Ghanaian people know you cannot have the appetite of announcing political opponents facing trial and develop the deficient appetite for not announcing government officials or your very own people involved in facilitating the transit of narcotic drugs.”

He continued: “We demand transparency. We demand fairness. We demand that the government names these people so that the Ghanaian people must know them.”

His comment comes on the heels of Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, the Interior Minister, revealing that preliminary investigations into the meth shipment from Ghana intercepted in Australia have implicated some government officials suspected.

The Interior Minister disclosed that a number of government officials are suspected of facilitating the concealment of the illicit drugs.

According to the Interior Minister, investigations are ongoing, with several officials being questioned.

He further disclosed that, with the investigation and interrogating people, a lot of things are not adding up.

Speaking before Parliament’s Committee on Assurance, the Interior Minister stated, “Even as at yesterday we were still interrogating a lot of government officials. It is not everything I can put out at this stage because we are still investigating and interrogating people. There are a lot of things that are not adding up. You could see that there is some involvement of some people within the system”.

“Even if you put all these gadgets, remember it is going to be operated by human beings. So if the wrong persons are sitting there, you can bring all the gadgets of this world; it will not be effective,” he added.

“We have changed our modus operandi and the way we place personnel. All of this is to make sure we protect our borders,” he stated.

Watch the video below:

@ghnow_ President John Mahama, joined by government officials, has officially cut sod to mark the commencement of the Sentuo Airport Garden City project #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

Haruna Iddrisu, NaCCA have developed Arabic and Chinese curriculum – NPP alleges

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Haruna Iddrisu, NaCCA have developed Arabic and Chinese curriculum – NPP alleges

The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) have alleged that Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) have already taken steps towards implementing the initiative.

They argued that Haruna Iddrisu had earlier announced that Chinese and Arabic would be compulsory foreign languages at the secondary school level and even went on to link the initiative to President Mahama’s vision for education.

The NPP disclosed that NaCCA has subsequently engaged about 160 writers and reviewers to develop a revised curriculum, which they say was presented to the Education Minister on July 22.

In a statement issued by the NPP Education Sector Policy Committee on Wednesday, September 16, they questioned how the Education Ministry and its agencies could have progressed with curriculum development and teacher training if the policy had not received the required approval.

According to the NPP, Haruna Iddrisu did not reject the curriculum but referred it to the Ghana Education Service (GES) for review and implementation.

The NPP also referenced the teacher training conducted by NaCCA on September 3, with support from the Confucius Institute at the University of Cape Coast, as evidence.

The NPP argued that the chronological sequence of events leaves the government with two questions: whether the Education Minister acted without presidential or Cabinet authority, or whether Mahama and Cabinet were aware of and authorised the work.

The NPP stated, “Either the Minister was advancing a major policy direction without the President’s authority, despite presenting it as part of the President’s vision, or the public has still not been given the full account of what Government had actually authorised and pursued”.

According to the NPP, if the Education Minister acted without presidential or Cabinet approval, President Mahama should remove him.

“If the Minister announced and pursued this policy without presidential and Cabinet approval, the President must sack him. If, however, the Minister acted with the authority or knowledge of the President or Cabinet, then the President must apologise to the Ghanaian people for denying a policy his Government had already set in motion,” the statement said.

“If there was ‘absolutely no new policy’, why were public resources committed to developing the curricula, preparing the system for implementation and training teachers?” the party asked.

The NPP comments come on the heels of President John Dramani Mahama rejecting claims that his government has approved a policy to introduce Arabic and Chinese as subjects in Ghana’s public schools.

According to John Mahama, no such policy had been approved by Cabinet and urged the public to disregard reports suggesting that the two languages were being introduced nationwide.

Mahama’s clarifications, however, contradict the Education Ministry position who had earlier clarified that the government’s language of instruction policy for basic schools does not intend to make Arabic and Chinese languages compulsory.

On August 2, 2026, in a statement issued by Hashmin Mohammed, Press Secretary to the Minister, disclosed that in the revised basic school curriculum, Ghanaian languages will be the primary medium from Kindergarten (KG) to Primary Three and used alongside English from P4 to P6.

The Education  Ministry clarified that foreign languages such as French, Arabic, and Chinese will not be compulsory subjects but will instead be offered as optional courses for pupils who wish to acquire additional language skills, subject to the availability of qualified teachers and resources in their schools.

However, President Mahama on Saturday, September 12, during a citizens’ engagement at the University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS) in the Upper West Region, as part of his Resetting Ghana Tour, boldly stated that,  “No such policy has been approved by the cabinet that I chair. So let’s put that matter to rest once and for all”.

Mahama further questioned the rationale for introducing Chinese at a time when Ghana was already struggling to provide enough teachers to effectively teach French.

According to Mahama, French remains particularly important because of Ghana’s proximity to several Francophone countries.

“We’re not even getting a handle on the teaching of French. Why would we go and introduce Chinese?” he asked.

Mahama further clarified that Arabic being taught in some schools is not the result of a new policy to introduce the language across all public schools.

He explained, “There is training of Arabic teachers because, in Rawlings’ time, we noticed that the Muslim communities were not sending their children to school.

They were not sending their children to school because they were afraid that their children would be converted to some other religion. So, Rawlings introduced English-Arabic schools. They allowed Arabic to be taught in those schools”.

“But there’s no new policy to introduce Arabic and Chinese in all public schools in Ghana,” he said.

@ghnow_ Former Black Stars captain André “Dede” Ayew was spotted at the Sentuo Airport Garden City sod-cutting ceremony. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ Road Minister angrily blast contractor over delays #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

‘National Cathedral can never be termed as Akufo-Addo’s personal promise’ – Miracles Aboagye tells Mahama

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‘National Cathedral can never be termed as Akufo-Addo’s personal promise’ – Miracles Aboagye tells Mahama

Dennis Miracles Aboagye, a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) communications team, has told President John Dramani Mahama the National Cathedral project cannot be termed as Akufo-Addo’s personal promise.

Speaking at the launch of Jefferson Sackey’s memoir in Accra on September 15, 2026, Miracles Aboagye stated, “And for me, what I find very bizarre is this consistent attempt by the president and the people in the NDC to say that the national cathedral was a personal promise by the president. It’s bizarre.

“Which of the promises he made when he was campaigning to us was made after a town hall meeting with us? When he was speaking about a 24-hour economy, did he come to you to ask whether you agreed to it or not? Was that not his promise?” he quizzed.

He continued: “So I think it’s a very sad situation that we have a president and a government deliberately peddling such conversation. Because if that analogy, if that logic is to be pursued, then which of the things the government will be doing today are things that they called a market square meeting for all of us to agree before they put out? All the things that you are pursuing today are things that you promised. Those promises are promises that you got out of your bedroom and came to tell us, you and your party people.”

“So why, in the name of God, would you deliberately demonise a national cathedral to the extent of saying that it was a personal promise to God? Every president’s promise to the people is his personal promise. It is your vision, your ambition that you present to the people, based on which the people will vote for you. And then when you get the mandate, you execute,” he noted.

“A national cathedral can never be termed as a personal promise by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. It is a national edifice. It is a monument that is going to be standing in the name of the nation Ghana,” Aboagye insisted.

Aboagye expressed optimism, saying, “And for me, I think that ultimately, their lies are catching up with them. And that is why we are seeing all this in that way. I am very hopeful that eventually the national cathedral will be built.”

The NPP man responded to comments by the President and members of the NDC that the government will not use taxpayers’ money to fund the National Cathedral project.

According to Dennis Miracles Aboagye, the land allocated for the project is already a contribution from the state, and he described the comments as an attempt to cover up what he considers their shame after allegedly misleading the public about the project.

He stated, “The cathedral was never going to be fully funded by government. It had always been a partnership between the state and the Christian community and individuals. And so even until now, a lot of people were donating. Churches, organisations, individuals were donating by short codes and what have you. And so I don’t see what is new about it”.

“If the state even says we are not putting in a pesewa, remember, the land belongs to the state. And that is the state’s own contribution to the national cathedral. So I really don’t know what the president means by the state is not going to contribute. The state has already contributed. The land itself is a contribution by the state,” he said.

He added, “This whole commentary now is just something that they are putting out to cover up their shame. The misinformation, the denigration of this national edifice that the country wanted”.

His comment follows President John Mahama, who finally stated his position on the continuation of the National Cathedral project he inherited from the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo administration.

According to President Mahama, even though he had made a commitment to continue projects left behind by the previous administration, the National Cathedral project was different.

Mahama explained that his commitment was to continue all national projects the previous government left behind, but the National Cathedral project was a personal pledge to God made by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and not a national project.

Speaking at a citizens’ engagement during his tour of the Upper West Region, President Mahama stated, “I made a promise that every policy and every project that I inherit, I will continue it as long as it’s in the interest of the people, and I have largely done that. Almost all the projects and policies we inherited, we have continued.

“The only one is the National Cathedral, but that was not a national policy. It was a personal pledge by the former President. It was a personal pledge by the former President to God. So that one, it wasn’t national policy,” he added.

Mahama further added, “I am a Christian myself. I have nothing against having a national cathedral”.

“My second problem was that we shouldn’t use taxpayers’ money. I mean, how many Christians are in this country? If we all pay 1,000 cedis each, we should be able to construct a national cathedral,” he added.

“My principle has always been that the location has been a problem,” he said.

“So normally during ceremonies, you have the stadium not far, and that’s the way we used to go to Black Star Square. So if you go and put this major thing there again, it will constrict that whole area,” he said.

“My problem was also that the amount of destruction we had to cause to clear the area; broke 10 judges’ residences.

“We broke the Malian Ambassador’s residence. Up to now, we’ve not replaced it. And several other properties, the old passport office, all of them were demolished to make way for a national cathedral,” he said.

Watch the video below:

@ghnow_ Road Minister angrily blast contractor over delays #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ A look at the proposed Sentuo Airport Garden City, set to transform the Airport area with a modern mixed-use development #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

‘Chief, I have carried concrete before’ – Roads Minister confronts contractor over delays

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‘Chief, I have carried concrete before’ – Roads Minister confronts contractor over delays

Kwame Agbodza, the Roads Minister, has once again confronted a contractor, expressing his dissatisfaction with the slow pace of work.

Speaking during an inspection tour of the Bediako-Kasapin Road project in the Ahafo Region, the Roads Minister made his concern known.

The Roads Minister expressed disappointment with the level of work being carried out, insisting that little progress had been made on the project.

In the viral video, the Roads Minister was captured confronting the contractor, where he was told that workers were scheduled to cast concrete as part of the day’s activities.

However, the Roads Minister disputed the claim, revealing that, as a mason himself, he can tell when actual work was being carried out.

The Roads Minister subsequently questioned the contractor about the availability of cement and water needed for the concrete work.

Roads Minister stated, “Chief, look at me. I have carried concrete before, and I know how to lay blocks. You are not working here; you are only setting things up for eye service just to let us feel like you are working.

“It is almost 11:00 a.m., and you are saying they are coming to cast concrete. I am asking, where is the cement? And you said it would be coming from somewhere. When did you make the decision to cast the concrete?” he questioned.

The contractor responded, “We took the decision yesterday.”

The minister further asked, “Where is the water you are going to use to mix the concrete?”

The contractor replied that the water would be supplied.

Agbodza’s concerns centred on what he described as the lack of visible progress on the project, despite assurances from the contractor that work was ongoing.

Meanwhile,  Kwame Governs Agbodza, has disclosed that government has re-enacted the Road Fund to provide sustainable financing for the maintenance of road infrastructure across the country.

According to the Roads Minister, the planned Accra-Kumasi Expressway will also attract toll charges.

He added that motorists will not be compelled to use the expressway if they do not want to pay the toll.

Speaking at the 2026 Transport Sector Review in Ho, Agbodza stated, “We are taking steps to modernise revenue mobilisation through technology following Parliament’s approval of a 20-year public-private partnership concession in July 2026.

“The government is introducing a multi-lane and free-flow electronic tolling system, and this system will be implemented on every public road that has been improved.

“Every interchange in our country will attract the attention of road tolling, especially the Accra-Kumasi Expressway comes with its own tolling system. Contractors have started returning to the existing Accra to Kumasi bypasses, and in a few weeks all of them will be back on site.”

Watch the video below:

@ghnow_ Road Minister angrily blast contractor over delays #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ President John Mahama, joined by government officials, has officially cut sod to mark the commencement of the Sentuo Airport Garden City project #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

Ghanaian Girls being recruited into sex trade through TikTok – Challenging Heights sounds alarm

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Ghanaian Girls being recruited into sex trade through TikTok – Challenging Heights sounds alarm

Founder of Child protection organisation Challenging Heights, James Kofi Annan, has sounded an alarm over an active network allegedly recruiting Ghanaian girls into the commercial sex trade through social media platforms, particularly TikTok.

According to Challenging Heights, the trend is increasingly affecting girls in mining communities, with some victims below the age of 16 being recruited.

Challenging Heights’ warning follows an operation by a child protection organisation and the Ghana Police Service that led to the rescue of 47 victims of sexual exploitation from six communities around Goaso in the Ahafo Region.

Following the operation, out of the 47 victims, 26 were handed over to Challenging Heights for rehabilitation and recovery, with sixteen of those rescued identified as being under 18 years old.

Challenging Heights noted that although many of the victims were foreign nationals, particularly from Nigeria, Ghanaian girls are increasingly being targeted for recruitment into the sex trade.

James Kofi Annan, speaking to CITINews, stated, “We are now seeing an active recruitment of Ghanaians, Ghanaian girls, into the sex trade in the mining communities.”

“We are also seeing a worrying trend of babies being affected by this sexual exploitation and forced prostitution in the mining [communities].”

He further called on the Ghana Police Service to intensify operations against human trafficking and sexual exploitation, particularly in hotspot communities and urged the Ghana Immigration Service to strengthen surveillance and border controls to prevent traffickers from moving victims across Ghana’s borders.

In other news, the Upper East Regional Police Command has announced the arrest of three Nigerian suspects, Peace Agbede, Favour Sunday Udo, and Faith Levy.

According to the Police statement, the three have been arrested for their involvement in human trafficking and forcing young women into prostitution.

In a statement issued by the Police on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, read, “POLICE ARREST THREE SUSPECTS IN BOLGATANGA FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING

The Upper East Regional Police Command has arrested suspects Peace Agbede, Favour Sunday Udo and Faith Levy for trafficking young girls and forcing them into prostitution at Gbane, a suburb of Talensi District.

Preliminary investigation revealed that suspect Peace Agbede met the victim in Nigeria and promised to help her join the Ghana movie industry because of her beauty. The victim accepted and reluctantly followed her to Ghana. On their arrival, Peace Agbede failed to fulfil her promise but rather took her to the mining site at Gbane-Tongo and coerced the victim into prostitution.

The victim is made to pay Four Hundred Ghana Cedis (GHC 400.00) a day to her madam, suspect Peace Agbede.

The victim, who had gotten pregnant, gave birth on 26/06/2026, following which suspect Peace Agbede and her accomplice, Favour Sunday Udo, visited her and tried convincing her to sell the baby for Twenty Thousand Ghana Cedis (GHC 20,000.00) to an interested party who was ready to pay the said amount for the child.

A search conducted in the room of suspect Peace Agbede led to the recovery of six sales recording books bearing the names Esther, Mary, Bright and Silver, and 265 unused condoms.

Police also rescued four (4) female victims aged 18 to 20 years.

Suspects are in Police custody and will be put before court”.

@ghnow_ Former Black Stars captain André “Dede” Ayew was spotted at the Sentuo Airport Garden City sod-cutting ceremony. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ A look at the proposed Sentuo Airport Garden City, set to transform the Airport area with a modern mixed-use development #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

2.1 million voters didn’t vote for NPP because I left the party – Alan Kyerematen claims

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2.1 million voters didn’t vote for NPP because I left the party – Alan Kyerematen claims

Alan Kyerematen, the Leader of the United Party (UP), has claimed that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lost the 2024 elections by 2.1 million votes because of the propaganda targeted at him.

The former NPP man disclosed that once he declared his intention to go independent, some NPP members started circulating statements aimed at discrediting him.

According to Alan Kyerematen, the NPP propaganda backfired, as many voters who recognised his departure from the party chose not to support the NPP.

Speaking in a one-to-one interview on United Television (UTV) Ghana, Alan Kyerematen stated, “Do you know that after leaving the party and contesting as an independent candidate, 2.1 million voters didn’t vote for the NPP? And after leaving too, they kept saying, if he wants to go, he should go. I said openly to people that the time was too short to organise people to vote for me”.

“Then there was propaganda that I didn’t have people to vote for me. Their own report after losing the election said, since they said Alan Kyerematen is an independent candidate, then we will also not vote for them,” he added.

He further hinted that more revelations would be made in due course.

“There are some things that, at the appropriate time, I will disclose,” he said.

Some netizens reacting to his claims stated, “Give this man 100 years, and he can’t even come third during a General Election here in Ghana ❗️

If someone was to be angry, it should be Kennedy, not you”.

A netizen added, “The host is so wise; keep it up, obaa

This man lies Tru his teeth like something

The question is why didn’t they vote for you???”

“Ahhh…so embarrassing, Alan paaaa.  What jaundice analysis is this…anokwa”, a netizen added.

Meanwhile, Solomon Owusu, a leading member of the United Party, has shockingly claimed that the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) 2024 election defeat reports show Alan Kyeremanten’s exit from the party caused the party’s defeat.

According to Solomon Owusu, pages 68 and 69 of the NPP’s 2024 election reports clearly link Alan Kyeremanten’s exit to the party’s defeat.

The leading member of the Movement for Change is quoted by GHOne TV to have said, “Pages 68 and 69 of the NPP’s 2024 election defeat report clearly state that Alan Kyerematen’s exit caused the party’s loss in the 2024 elections”.

It will be recalled that Alan Kyerematen, an NPP bigwig, left the party after the NPP’s primaries defeat.

He left to form the Movement for Change to contest the 2024 general election as an independent candidate.

Also, Inusah Fuseini has said the NPP made a tragic mistake in letting Alan Kyerematen leave.

According to Inusah Fuseini, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) made a tragic mistake in letting Alan Kyerematen leave the party.

He emphasised that if Alan’s United Party grows strong and formidable, that could signal the demise of the NPP.

Inusah Fuseini is quoted by TV3 to have said, The NPP made a tragic mistake by letting Alan Kyerematen leave their party. In my view, if the United Party grows strong and formidable, that will signal the demise of the NPP”.

Watch the video below:

@ghnow_ President John Mahama departs the Sentuo Airport Garden City sod-cutting ceremony. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – music.loverzz.gh
@ghnow_ President John Mahama, joined by government officials, has officially cut sod to mark the commencement of the Sentuo Airport Garden City project #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

COVID-19 audit could be the greatest public finance scandal – Dafeamekpor

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COVID-19 audit could be the greatest public finance scandal – Dafeamekpor

Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, the Majority Chief Whip and South Dayi MP, has said the concealed findings in the Auditor-General’s COVID-19 expenditure audit, if established to be true, could be the greatest public finance scandal of the 4th Republic.

 According to Dafeamekpor, the allegations, if proven, could amount to an unprecedented public finance scandal.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Tuesday, Dafeamekpor stated, “If what Manasseh Azure Awuni is further revealing is what is actually the case, then arguably we have the greatest public finance scandal of maybe the Fourth Republic.”

“You cannot conceal any facts from Parliament. So where the evidence, the pieces of material evidence that he’s pieced together, points irresistibly to the fact that they actually conducted the audit of the Ministry of Local Government and Transport, but in reporting to Parliament, concealed material findings and perhaps recommendations for consideration by Parliament and perhaps leading to legislative reforms from Parliament, they’re in breach of Section 16.”

Dafeamekpor said he was considering issuing a formal statement on the matter but insisted that the allegations required immediate action.

“So me, I’m really hesitating to issue the statement I’m minded to do. If this is really the issue tonight, then people should be, the arrests should be happening before daybreak tomorrow, because this cannot be countenanced under any circumstances in this country.”

His comment follows investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni’s raising of questions over the accuracy of the Auditor-General’s special audit report on Ghana’s COVID-19 expenditure,

Manasseh alleged that the Auditor-General’s special audit report significantly understated the cost of fumigation services procured by various ministries.

In his latest investigative article, Manasseh highlighted that evidence gathered points to approximately GH¢780 million spent on COVID-19 fumigation expenditure and not GH¢96m.

According to Manasseh, the special audit was conducted in late 2022 at the request of the then Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

Manasseh’s investigation raises questions about the completeness of the Auditor-General’s accounting of COVID-19-related fumigation expenditure and the circumstances surrounding the reported discrepancy.

Excerpts from his investigative article publiched on pacgh.org  read, “In the special audit, the Auditor-General revealed that Ghana sourced GH¢21.8 billion “from the Contingency Fund, the World Bank Group, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the European Union (EU) and the sale of BOG-COVID-19 Bonds for the 2020, 2021 and 2022 Fiscal Years to finance the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme and implementation of the Ghana COVID-19 Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan, as well as Budgetary Support.”

One of the audit objectives, as stated by the Auditor-General in its report, was to “ascertain whether the financial records fairly present the COVID-19 fund receipts and payments.”

This investigation, however, has revealed that the special audit failed to accurately present how much the government spent on the COVID-19 pandemic. The investigation focused on fumigation, a major government intervention in Ghana’s fight against COVID-19.

The audit significantly understated the cost of multiple fumigation exercises despite having information on the expenses incurred by the ministries that carried out the exercise.

The Auditor-General’s special audit stated the “cost of fumigation” as GHS 96 million ($8.7 million).

This investigation, which covered three ministries — Education, Transport and Local Government — revealed that Ghana spent at least GHS 780 million (about $70 million) on COVID-19 fumigation.

The Auditor-General’s figure represents only about 12% of the total expenditure on COVID-19 fumigation.

The expenditure could be higher, as other state agencies also carried out COVID-19 fumigation exercises. The police, prisons, and the military, as well as other ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), also carried out COVID-19 fumigation and disinfection exercises.

Of the GHS 780 million COVID-19 fumigation expenditure this investigation uncovered, about GHS 775 million (99.4%) went to one company, Zoomlion Ghana Limited.

Prior to the COVID-19 fumigations, both the activity and the company that undertook it, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, had been indicted in major corruption and corruption-related probes.

Zoomlion had been flagged by multiple state agencies, including the Auditor-General. The World Bank, for instance, blacklisted Zoomlion Ghana Limited in the past for admitting to paying bribes.

The Auditor-General had described Zoomlion in 2019 as a “fraudulent drain on the country” after uncovering malfeasance in another shady, multi-year fumigation contract awarded to the company by the Ministry of Health.

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Zoomlion already had multiple fumigation contracts covering all of Ghana, which the state paid for separately.

A December 2025 report submitted to cabinet by three ministers describes Zoomlion’s capture of the sanitation sector as a national “security risk.”

The cabinet report, signed by the Minister for Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson; the Minister for Local Government, Ahmed Ibrahim; and the Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare-Addo, said:

“This discomfort seeps through as you read [Zoomlion’s] contract after contract in various spheres of the sanitation landscape, giving the impression of an autocratic monopoly that should not be accepted in a democratic state. As indicated, this poses a security risk to the country.”

Dated December 17, 2025, the “secret” report was submitted to the cabinet, which is chaired by President John Mahama. The president set up the inter-ministerial committee following previous investigations and a 2025 petition by this reporter”.

Watch the video below:

@ghnow_ Road Minister angrily blast contractor over delays #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ Hon. Ashai Odamtten present School items to over 1000 students in Tema East #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – NDCMUSICHQ

BREAKING – Nigerian Veteran Actor, Olu Jacobs is dead

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BREAKING – Nigerian Veteran Actor, Olu Jacobs is dead

Veteran Nollywood actor Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, known professionally as Olu Jacobs, has died at 84.

Reports of Olu Jacobs’ death emerged on Wednesday, September 16.

Olu Jacobs was one of Nigeria’s most celebrated actors, with his illustrious career spanning theatre, British television, international film and Nollywood.

He was born on July 11, 1942, and later developed an interest in acting at an early age.

Olu Jacobs later travelled to the United Kingdom, where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).

His professional acting career began in theatre and British television before he established himself as a major figure in Nigerian cinema.

One of Olu Jacobs’ earliest recorded stage roles came in 1972, when he played The Boy in A Taste of Honey at the newly opened Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

He went on to feature in several British television productions throughout the 1970s, including The Goodies, Till Death Do Us Part, Barlow at Large, The Venturers, Angels, The Tomorrow People and The Professionals.

The late Jacobs also appeared in several international films, including The Dogs of War, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend and Pirates. These roles further demonstrated his versatility across stage, television and film.

Olu Jacobs eventually returned to Nigeria, where he became one of the leading figures in the country’s emerging film industry.

Over the years, Olu Jacobs appeared in numerous Nollywood productions and became widely recognised for portraying authoritative, superior and often complex characters.

The late Olu Jacobs’ remarkable contribution to the Nigerian film industry earned him several honours.

In 2011, he was awarded the Nigerian national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) for his contribution to the arts.

He also received major industry recognition, including a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Africa International Film Festival in 2021.

Jacobs was also closely associated with veteran actress Joke Silva, whom he married in 1989. The couple have two children and have remained one of Nigeria’s most prominent celebrity couples.

See the post below:

@ghnow_ Hon. Ashai Odamtten present School items to over 1000 students in Tema East #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – NDCMUSICHQ
@ghnow_ Hon. Ashai Odamtten present School items to over 1000 students in Tema East #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – Ashraf Aboo Mu'ttassim

COVID-19 fumigation scandal? GH¢780m spent, yet Auditor-General reports only GH¢96m

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COVID-19 fumigation scandal? GH¢780m spent, yet Auditor-General reports only GH¢96m

Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has raised questions over the accuracy of the Auditor-General’s special audit report on Ghana’s COVID-19 expenditure,

Manasseh alleged that the Auditor-General’s special audit report significantly understated the cost of fumigation services procured by various ministries.

In his latest investigative article, Manasseh highlighted that evidence gathered points to approximately GH¢780 million spent on COVID-19 fumigation expenditure and not GH¢96m.

According to Manasseh, the special audit was conducted in late 2022 at the request of the then Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

Manasseh’s investigation raises questions about the completeness of the Auditor-General’s accounting of COVID-19-related fumigation expenditure and the circumstances surrounding the reported discrepancy.

Excerpts from his investigative article publiched on pacgh.org  read, “In the special audit, the Auditor-General revealed that Ghana sourced GH¢21.8 billion “from the Contingency Fund, the World Bank Group, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the European Union (EU) and the sale of BOG-COVID-19 Bonds for the 2020, 2021 and 2022 Fiscal Years to finance the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme and implementation of the Ghana COVID-19 Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan, as well as Budgetary Support.”

One of the audit objectives, as stated by the Auditor-General in its report, was to “ascertain whether the financial records fairly present the COVID-19 fund receipts and payments.”

This investigation, however, has revealed that the special audit failed to accurately present how much the government spent on the COVID-19 pandemic. The investigation focused on fumigation, a major government intervention in Ghana’s fight against COVID-19.

The audit significantly understated the cost of multiple fumigation exercises despite having information on the expenses incurred by the ministries that carried out the exercise.

The Auditor-General’s special audit stated the “cost of fumigation” as GHS 96 million ($8.7 million).

This investigation, which covered three ministries — Education, Transport and Local Government — revealed that Ghana spent at least GHS 780 million (about $70 million) on COVID-19 fumigation.

The Auditor-General’s figure represents only about 12% of the total expenditure on COVID-19 fumigation.

The expenditure could be higher, as other state agencies also carried out COVID-19 fumigation exercises. The police, prisons, and the military, as well as other ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), also carried out COVID-19 fumigation and disinfection exercises.

Of the GHS 780 million COVID-19 fumigation expenditure this investigation uncovered, about GHS 775 million (99.4%) went to one company, Zoomlion Ghana Limited.

Prior to the COVID-19 fumigations, both the activity and the company that undertook it, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, had been indicted in major corruption and corruption-related probes.

Zoomlion had been flagged by multiple state agencies, including the Auditor-General. The World Bank, for instance, blacklisted Zoomlion Ghana Limited in the past for admitting to paying bribes.

The Auditor-General had described Zoomlion in 2019 as a “fraudulent drain on the country” after uncovering malfeasance in another shady, multi-year fumigation contract awarded to the company by the Ministry of Health.

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Zoomlion already had multiple fumigation contracts covering all of Ghana, which the state paid for separately.

A December 2025 report submitted to cabinet by three ministers describes Zoomlion’s capture of the sanitation sector as a national “security risk.”

The cabinet report, signed by the Minister for Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson; the Minister for Local Government, Ahmed Ibrahim; and the Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare-Addo, said:

“This discomfort seeps through as you read [Zoomlion’s] contract after contract in various spheres of the sanitation landscape, giving the impression of an autocratic monopoly that should not be accepted in a democratic state. As indicated, this poses a security risk to the country.”

Dated December 17, 2025, the “secret” report was submitted to the cabinet, which is chaired by President John Mahama. The president set up the inter-ministerial committee following previous investigations and a 2025 petition by this reporter”.

Manasseh Azure Awuni’s investigation raises questions about the Auditor-General’s reporting of Ghana’s COVID-19 fumigation expenditure, citing contracts from several ministries and agencies that were allegedly not captured in the special audit.

The Ministry of Education spent about GH¢316.1 million across three phases of school fumigation between June 2020 and March 2021. However, the Auditor-General reportedly captured only GH¢96.3 million, representing the second phase.

The Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development reportedly spent approximately GH¢299 million on three market and public-space fumigation contracts awarded to Zoomlion. According to the investigation, none of this expenditure appeared in the Auditor-General’s special audit, despite the ministry having submitted the spending details.

The Ministry of Transport also reportedly paid Zoomlion GH¢159.9 million for fumigation between 2020 and 2022. This included GH¢31.98 million in both 2020 and 2021, followed by GH¢95.9 million in 2022. The ministry confirmed the figures but declined to release the contracts, citing commercial confidentiality.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Airports Company Limited reported spending GH¢4.6 million on COVID-19 fumigation and disinfection services between 2020 and 2022, awarded to four companies.

He further argued that Ghana’s fumigation exercises, for which hundreds of millions of cedis were spent, were not backed by science.

Manasseh noted that “the government of Ghana shut down all schools and educational facilities four days after the first COVID-19 case was recorded in the country. At the time, no school in Ghana had recorded a COVID-19 case. When schools were due to be opened, more than three months later, the president announced that all schools in the country would be fumigated before students returned”.

See the post below:

@ghnow_ Road Minister angrily blast contractor over delays #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ Roads and Highways Minister Hon. Governs Kwame Agbodza angrily confronts contractors, questioning their explanations over project delays. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

“He is ignorant” – Mahama BLAST Paul Yandoh

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“He is ignorant” – Mahama BLAST Paul Yandoh

A video has surfaced of President John Dramani Mahama taking a swipe at former Ashanti Regional Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Paul Yandoh, over his comments on the Accra-Kumasi Expressway.

Paul Yandoh, during a recent radio discussion, criticised the use of the military for clearing the path for the expressway.

According to Paul Yandoh, Ghana’s soldiers have stopped fighting wars and are now constructing roads.

He stated, “Today, Ghana’s soldiers have stopped fighting wars. They (the soldiers) no longer go on missions in Lebanon and other places. Now, Ghana’s soldiers are constructing roads”.

However, President Mahama, speaking at a ceremony to mark the handing over of the right-of-way for the expressway some days ago, jabbed the NPP communicator.

According to John Mahama, only an ignorant person would say that soldiers cannot be used for the construction of roads.

He argued that during the PNDC era, the late Rawlings used the military to construct Donkorkrom Road.

“I heard one of the radio commentators say, ‘… soldiers are now constructing roads’. I mean he is ignorant. For those of us who were old enough in the PNDC era when Rawlings decided to open up Afram Plains, no civilian contractor could construct Donkorkrom Road.

“It was the Ghana Armed Forces that were asked to go and open up the road to Donkorkrom, and they accomplished the task,” he said.

In related news, President John Dramani Mahama has disclosed that the proposed Accra-Kumasi Expressway will significantly reduce travel time between the two cities.

According to John Mahama, the Accra-Kumasi Expressway will cut travel time to 2 hours when the project is completed.

President Mahama disclosed that the recommended speed on the Accra-Kumasi Expressway will be 120km per hour.

Mahama stated, “When completed, as you were told, the recommended speed on the Expressway will be 120km per hour. You can drive at 120km per hour”.

“Even if he is travelling at 100km an hour, it means that the journey will take him two hours, instead of the five to six hours that we currently use on the old Accra-Kumasi highway,” President Mahama said.

Mahama emphasised that the reduced travel time would make it possible for people to commute between the two cities for business and return home the same day.

“And so Nana, when this Expressway is finished, you can leave Kumasi at 6am and you’ll be in Accra by 8am,” he stated.

Watch the video below:

@ghnow_ Roads and Highways Minister Hon. Governs Kwame Agbodza angrily confronts contractors, questioning their explanations over project delays. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ Road Minister angrily blast contractor over delays #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

Police arrest two with 192 parcels of suspected cocaine in Wa

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Police arrest two with 192 parcels of suspected cocaine in Wa

The Ghana Police Service Upper West Regional Police Command has intercepted 192 compressed parcels of suspected cocaine.

The Police busted two persons in connection with an alleged narcotics trafficking network.

The suspects have been identified as 26-year-old Abdulai Isaac, a driver’s mate, and Iddrisu Kamaldeen.

They were arrested following intelligence on the transportation of suspected cocaine from Kumasi to Wa through the Bole enclave.

According to the Police, surveillance was mounted along the suspected route, leading to the interception of Abdulai Isaac at the ESP Bus Station in Wa on September 6, 2026.

They further disclosed that a search of his backpack uncovered 192 compressed parcels of a substance suspected to be cocaine, with further investigation leading to the arrest of Iddrisu Kamaldeen, whom Police identified as one of the suspected customers.

Iddrisu Kamaldeen allegedly admitted to being a customer of Abdulai Isaac.

The Police, together with officers from the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) in Wa, conducted a test in the presence of the two suspects, their family members and Police officers, which returned positive for cocaine, according to the Police.

Abdulai Isaac and Iddrisu Kamaldeen have since been remanded and are expected to reappear before the court on October 9, 2026.

The police further disclosed that investigations are continuing to identify and arrest other persons allegedly linked to the suspected narcotics trafficking network.

In related news, President John Dramani Mahama has summoned a high-level meeting of state institutions involved in Ghana’s border security, ports, customs and law enforcement to address growing concerns over narcotics trafficking and other illicit substances following another major drug seizure linked to Ghana.

According to an invitation issued by the Office of the President and signed by Secretary to the President Callistus Mahama on Monday, September 14 2026, the meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 12:30 p.m. at the Jubilee House.

The invitation stated, “You are respectfully invited to attend a high-level meeting to discuss measures to strengthen Ghana’s border security and prevent the trafficking of narcotic drugs and other illicit substances through the country’s ports, airports and land borders.

The meeting will review existing vulnerabilities, intelligence-sharing arrangements, cargo and passenger- screening systems, inter-agency coordination, and the deployment of technology to detect and disrupt narcotics trafficking. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, 17th September 2026 at 12:30 p.m. at the Jubilee House.

Each institution should be represented by its head, accompanied by no more than one relevant technical officer. Participants should come prepared to provide a brief assessment of existing security gaps and propose practical measures to improve intelligence sharing, surveillance, screening, and joint enforcement operations.

Given the urgency and national security implications, your personal attendance is required.

Please accept the highest regards of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic”.

Meanwhile, among the institutions invited are the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Ghana Shippers’ Authority, Ghana Maritime Authority and Ghana Police Service.

The National Intelligence Bureau, Narcotics Control Commission, Ghana Airports Company Limited and other operators within the ports and shipping sector are also expected to participate.

The development follows French customs officials having intercepted nearly 3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine, worth about $261 million, in a shipment from Ghana.

@ghnow_ Road Minister angrily blast contractor over delays #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ Roads and Highways Minister Hon. Governs Kwame Agbodza angrily confronts contractors, questioning their explanations over project delays. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

“Absolute nonsense” – Netizens take Nitiwul to the cleaners over alleged plot to remove Konkombas from Accra

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“Absolute nonsense” – Netizens take Nitiwul to the cleaners over alleged plot to remove Konkombas from Accra

The Member of Parliament for Bimbilla, Dominic Nitiwul, has come under heavy criticism over his comments on the government’s proposed 24-Hour Economy Market at Agbogbloshie.

According to Dominic Nitiwul, the decision to situate the market at the Kokomba Market is a deliberate attempt to push members of the Kokomba ethnic group out of Accra.

He alleged that other sections of the market had been left untouched while the area where Konkombas sell their yams had been marked for demolition.

Nitiwul expressed concern that structures marked for demolition by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) appeared to be concentrated in the section of Agbogbloshie occupied by Konkomba traders.

Speaking in a viral video shared on X, the former Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul, stated, “We don’t see what the Konkomba tribe has done against the government, that they have only come to the centre of Agbogbloshie where the Konkombas reside and decided to site the 24-hour market there.

“They left the side this way; they left the side behind. They left the side at the other side, but only marked where the Konkomba people are, and we feel that it is targeted at just removing the Konkombas from Accra. That’s all,” he said.

He added, “We do not believe that the agenda of the AMA Chief Executive is to build a 24-hour market because the land, the size of the land they have demarcated, is far beyond what they need for a 24-hour market.

“I have one in my constituency, he has one in his constituency, and we know the size of land they need. Why is it that only where the Konkombas are, the places that he marked? Did you observe that or not?” he asked.

The MP further added, “What did they do that you have decided to come to the centre where the Konkombas are? If you check the stretch, this bridge to that bridge, the centre is where the Konkombas are. You left all other areas and came to where only the Konkombas are, where they have their market.

“You’ve marked every store in the market to be demolished. You have also marked where they sleep to be demolished and left every other person. What crime have they committed? Are they not Ghanaians? So why? Why are they being targeted?” he said

“So, Mr President, stop your mayor. Mr President, let him stop targeting the Konkomba tribe. If you cannot help develop the market for the Konkombas to sell their yams, stop. Another president will come and do it. They are not moving tomorrow,” he said.

“It will be politically suicidal for the president to allow the mayor to touch and to do what he is thinking of doing. I will not expand on that, but we are saying that what we saw is not a good thing,” he said.

“Nobody is asking that we don’t want a 24-hour market. No, far from that. But the Konkomba yam market where they sell yam purely is totally different from the activities of the 24-hour market,” he noted.

The MP’s comments have since attracted criticism from some social media users, with some netizens saying, “Absolute nonsense. Total foolishness

Always playing on the emotions of people for political gain. Such nonsense. Some of you hate development. The hot sun and rains that they have been selling all these years is good for you. You want to keep living in filth. Nonsense”.

One X user added, “Gibberish talk from both MP’s, who only care about votes. Funny enough, if you ask them for evidence, they will be found wanting”.

A netizen added, “You are an idiot Mr. MP. The land is for the Gà people who haven’t even said anything yet.

Stop spewing the nonsense because you’re now making the Gàs angry and calling the Gà mayor of Gà people’s land to stop building and developing their land. You need not be an MP because you’re divisive!”.

One last X user added, “To think that this guy was once a Teacher & Minister of Defence shows how low Ghana is going. An Accra Mayor wants to develop a market in Accra into modern infrastructure. An MP from Bimbilla says NO! Is this the civilised way to handle the grievance of his tribesmen? Smh”.

See the post below:

@ghnow_ Roads and Highways Minister Hon. Governs Kwame Agbodza angrily confronts contractors, questioning their explanations over project delays. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ Road Minister angrily blast contractor over delays #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

NDC will use ‘fake news’ to retain power in 2028 – Afenyo-Markin warns

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NDC will use ‘fake news’ to retain power in 2028 – Afenyo-Markin warns

Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the Minority Leader, has warned fellow NPP members and Ghanaians that the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) is planning to rely heavily on misinformation and disinformation ahead of the 2028 general elections.

According to Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the NDC’s strategy will be used to divert public attention from what he described as the government’s failure to deliver on its promises.

The minority leader urged Ghanaians, particularly NPP members and communicators, to remain vigilant as the country approaches the next elections, alleging that the government would use fabricated stories and distractions to shift the national conversation away from issues affecting citizens.

He further argued that the use of misinformation was not a new political tactic for the NDC, claiming that similar accusations and claims made by the party while in opposition had subsequently been contradicted by facts.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, Afenyo-Markin wrote, “Going into the 2028 elections, one strategy the NDC Government is likely to use aggressively, in its desperation to hold on to power, is misinformation and disinformation.

Expect FAKE NEWS and manufactured distractions aimed at taking attention away from the important national issues on which the Government has failed to deliver.

This is not new; it is a political tool they have mastered.

Go back and examine the accusations, claims and stories they promoted while in opposition. Several have since been contradicted by the FACTS, exposed as misleading or proven entirely false.

Every Ghanaian must understand this strategy. We must stay vigilant, question what we are told and refuse to be distracted from the issues that affect us.

NPP members, officers and communicators especially carry an even greater responsibility. We must remain alert, disciplined and focused.

Check the facts, expose the lies quickly and never allow false propaganda to dictate our agenda.

Keep the focus on the Government’s broken promises and the everyday problems Ghanaians face.

Above all, stay on message by promoting Dr Bawumia’s vision for Ghana with clarity and conviction while working relentlessly towards victory in 2028.

Expose the lies. Focus on the issues. Promote the vision. Win 2028”.

In other news, Sam Pyne, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) First Vice Chairman aspirant, has said the problems Ghanaians criticised the NPP administration for, the NDC government is doing worse.

According to Sam Pyne, concerns over cronyism, alleged corruption, rising prices and other governance challenges raised against the NPP have worsened under the current Mahama administration.

Sam Pyne also compared criticisms of corruption under the previous NPP administration with the current situation.

He argued that the NDC had no basis to claim that the NPP’s record should prevent Ghanaians from considering the party again, noting that economic pressures, including rising prices of goods and services, are also affecting Ghanaians under the current government.

Speaking on Eyewitness News on Friday, September 11, 2026, Sam Pyne stated, “What Ghanaians said that the NPP did, which was wrong, we’re having it worse now”.

“They accused the NPP of cronyism and family and friends, and it was a topical issue. I remember you had a panel here, and for weeks the running story was about President Akufo-Addo having a cabinet of his own people. What do we see now?” he asked.

“Now goods and services are skyrocketing, but they use propaganda to suppress it, and the Ghanaians are feeling the heat,” he said.

Sam Pyne further acknowledged its shortcomings and asked Ghanaians for forgiveness for areas where it fell short.

“After all, forgiveness is divine. We’ve told the world that yes, there are certain things we did not do right, and therefore we plead for forgiveness,” he added.

See the post below:

@ghnow_ Former Black Stars captain André “Dede” Ayew was spotted at the Sentuo Airport Garden City sod-cutting ceremony. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ Roads and Highways Minister Hon. Governs Kwame Agbodza angrily confronts contractors, questioning their explanations over project delays. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

They want to remove Konkombas from Accra – Dominic Nitiwul alleges  

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They want to remove Konkombas from Accra – Dominic Nitiwul alleges  

Dominic Nitiwul, the Member of Parliament for Bimbilla, has made a shocking allegation concerning Konkombas and plans to demolish parts of the Agbogbloshie market to make way for a 24-hour economy market.

According to Dominic Nitiwul, the exercise appears to be targeted at removing the Konkomba community from Accra.

He alleged that other sections of the market had been left untouched while the area where Konkombas sell their yams had been marked for demolition.

Nitiwul expressed concern that structures marked for demolition by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) appeared to be concentrated in the section of Agbogbloshie occupied by Konkomba traders.

Speaking in a viral video shared on X, the former Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul, stated, “We don’t see what the Konkomba tribe has done against the government, that they have only come to the centre of Agbogbloshie where the Konkombas reside and decided to site the 24-hour market there.

“They left the side this way; they left the side behind. They left the side at the other side, but only marked where the Konkomba people are, and we feel that it is targeted at just removing the Konkombas from Accra. That’s all,” he said.

He added, “We do not believe that the agenda of the AMA Chief Executive is to build a 24-hour market because the land, the size of the land they have demarcated, is far beyond what they need for a 24-hour market.

“I have one in my constituency, he has one in his constituency, and we know the size of land they need. Why is it that only where the Konkombas are, the places that he marked? Did you observe that or not?” he asked.

The MP further added, “What did they do that you have decided to come to the centre where the Konkombas are? If you check the stretch, this bridge to that bridge, the centre is where the Konkombas are. You left all other areas and came to where only the Konkombas are, where they have their market.

“You’ve marked every store in the market to be demolished. You have also marked where they sleep to be demolished and left every other person. What crime have they committed? Are they not Ghanaians? So why? Why are they being targeted?” he said

“So, Mr President, stop your mayor. Mr President, let him stop targeting the Konkomba tribe. If you cannot help develop the market for the Konkombas to sell their yams, stop. Another president will come and do it. They are not moving tomorrow,” he said.

“It will be politically suicidal for the president to allow the mayor to touch and to do what he is thinking of doing. I will not expand on that, but we are saying that what we saw is not a good thing,” he said.

“Nobody is asking that we don’t want a 24-hour market. No, far from that. But the Konkomba yam market where they sell yam purely is totally different from the activities of the 24-hour market,” he noted.

In other news, Political analyst Charles Owusu has told President John Dramani Mahama to prioritise healthcare and indispensable social infrastructure over his government’s 24-hour market initiative.

According to Charles Owusu, hospitals, schools, and water facilities are more critical to survival than markets.

Charles Owusu admitted that although the initiative may be part of the government’s broader policy agenda he insisted that district hospitals should take precedence over markets.

Speaking on a panel discussion on Peace FM’s morning show ‘Kokrokoo’, Charles Owusu stated, “Because of interest, we keep quiet when we know what the government is doing is wrong and won’t help us. You can’t survive without facilities like water, hospitals, schools, but you can survive without a market.

How can we have construction of markets as a priority? We’ve left construction of hospitals and we’re constructing 24-hour economy markets”.

“It’s okay even if it is a policy of government, but government should prioritise district hospitals over markets. We plead with the President to seek life first,” he added.

Watch the video below:

@ghnow_ A look at the proposed Sentuo Airport Garden City, set to transform the Airport area with a modern mixed-use development #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ Moments of Deputy Minister for Health, Dr Grace Ayensu at the launch of PRIMER #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – ADIZAFUSEINI

NPP MP sues Rev Owusu Bempah, demands GH¢10m

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NPP MP sues Rev Owusu Bempah, demands GH¢10m

Dr Nana Ayew Afriyie, an NPP member of Parliament for Effiduase-Asokore, has sued the head pastor of Glorious Word Power Ministry International, Rev Owusu Bempah, and the church.

The lawmaker is demanding GH¢10 million in damages over alleged defamatory statements made against him.

Dr Nana Ayew Afriyie filed his suit at the  High Court alleging that Rev. Owusu Bempah used the church’s platform to make statements that denigrated the MP’s image, integrity and reputation.

The man of God had alleged that some leading figures of the NPP, including Dr Nana Ayew Afriye, are behind a supposed plot by the Nasara group of the party to attack him and his church members.

“You can write for me. Those organising that thing (the attack); Anthony Abayifa Karbo and Sammy Awuku are also among them. One of them is called Opare Ansah, and the other one, Ayew Afriyie. These are the people planning evil,” Rev Owusu Bempah said.

Dr Nana Ayew Afriyie, in his writ of summons filed by his lawyers, stressed that the allegations made by the prophet are “defamatory” and intended to lower his “integrity, reputation, image and standing”.

“The Plaintiff says that accusing him of working with others to attack him and his church has lowered his standing and image in the estimation of right-thinking members of the Ghanaian society and in particular citizens of Effiduase — Asokore constituency,” the statement of claim said.

The MP therefore asked the court to rule that the remarks made by Rev Owusu Bempah were defamatory and had dented his reputation.

Dr Nana Ayew Afriyie also asked the court for damages of GH¢10 million and an order for the pastor to retract his comments.

See all the reliefs the NPP MP is seeking below:

“i. A declaration that the statement published by the Defendants on the 6th day of September, 2026, and brought to the attention of the Plaintiff… are defamatory in character, and have tendered to lower the integrity, reputation, image and standing of the Plaintiff in the estimation of high-thinking members of the society.

ii. Damages against the Defendants to a tune of Ten Million Ghana Cedis (GHC 10,000,000.00) for making such highly offensive and defamatory statements of, and concerning the Plaintiff on the platform of the 2nd Defendant on the 6th day

of September, 2026, and other social media platforms, which was brought to the attention of the Plaintiff.

iii. An order compelling the Defendants to retract, with apology, the defamatory statements made on the platform of the 2nd Defendant and other social media platforms.

iv. An order directed at the Defendants to render an unqualified apology to the Plaintiff on the same medium as the defamatory statements for a period of fourteen days (14 days).

V. An order of perpetual injunction restraining the Defendants from further making or causing to be made such or similar words defamatory to the Plaintiff.

vi. Cost, including legal fees”.

WRIT OF SUMMONSDownload
@ghnow_ President John Mahama, joined by government officials, has officially cut sod to mark the commencement of the Sentuo Airport Garden City project #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ A look at the proposed Sentuo Airport Garden City, set to transform the Airport area with a modern mixed-use development #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

Mastermind behind $261m cocaine shipment from Ghana to France busted

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Mastermind behind $261m cocaine shipment from Ghana to France busted

Reports suggest the suspected mastermind behind the attempted smuggling of over 3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine, with an estimated value of $261.45 million, from Ghana to France has been arrested.

According to a report by nltimes.nl, the suspect was identified as a man in Dordrecht whose shipment contained cocaine, which was seized by French customs officers at the port of Dunkirk on Monday, August 31, 2026.

The report disclosed that the Dordrecht man was arrested on Friday, September 4, 2026, and was arraigned before the court on Monday, September 7, 2026.

The information gathered disclosed that the suspect is also accused of being in charge of preparatory work for importing cocaine shipments into the Netherlands earlier in 2026.

“The man was arraigned on Thursday and remanded into custody for another two weeks. He is in restricted custody. That means he is only allowed contact with his lawyers, and the authorities are restricted to sharing only limited information about the investigation,” parts of the report read.

The development follows French customs officials having intercepted nearly 3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine, worth about $261 million, in a shipment from Ghana.

According to Reuters news, the shipment was confiscated at the northern French port of Dunkirk on Thursday, September 10, 2026.

The cocaine was concealed in 167 packages inside a container carrying plastic waste from Ghana and destined for Antwerp, Belgium.

The  3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine is allegedly linked to the criminal organisation of fugitive Dutch drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers.

Reports suggest the drugs have since been destroyed, with French prosecutors opening an investigation into the seizure.

According to French authorities, the seizure followed a targeted operation by the judicial police against a criminal network suspected of being behind the shipment, with the investigation focused on offences including the organised importation of narcotics and participation in a criminal association.

The seizure is expected to form part of the broader investigation into the movement of the cocaine from Ghana to France and the criminal network alleged to have organised the shipment.

Meanwhile, Francis Amoah, the Director of Public Affairs and International Relations at the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), has justified its decision not to immediately disclose the identities of suspected drug traffickers.

He argued that premature disclosure could alert other members of an organised network and jeopardise ongoing investigations.

According to Francis Amoah, drug trafficking is a transnational organised crime involving multiple individuals and networks, arguing that investigators need to carefully determine when information about suspects should be made public.

Francis Amoah was responding to calls for NACOC to adopt a “name and shame” approach amid a series of high-profile cocaine seizures linked to Ghana.

Speaking on Eyewitness News on Monday, September 14, 2026, Francis Amoah explained, “If you get a suspect just yesterday and you bring the suspect’s picture, you mention his or her name, what you are literally doing is that you’re shooting your own leg at the foot because what you’re telling other people who may be involved is that the suspect has been arrested”.

“And therefore, if you are linked or connected with the suspect in any way, you can run away. You can run,” he said.

He highlighted that investigators assess what information can safely be released without compromising intelligence gathered or allowing other suspects to evade arrest.

“You evaluate, and you see what information is appropriate for us as a commission to let the Ghanaian people know. And if you let the Ghanaian people know this, is it going to affect the investigations in any way?” he said.

@ghnow_ A look at the proposed Sentuo Airport Garden City, set to transform the Airport area with a modern mixed-use development #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ President John Mahama, joined by government officials, has officially cut sod to mark the commencement of the Sentuo Airport Garden City project #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

“What has Obiri Boahen seen or heard?” – Kwesi Pratt quizzes NPP man ‘evil’ plot warning to Mahama

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“What has Obiri Boahen seen or heard?” – Kwesi Pratt quizzes NPP man ‘evil’ plot warning to Mahama

Kwesi Pratt Jnr, a Veteran Ghanaian broadcaster and Pan-Africanist, has questioned what former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Deputy General Secretary Nana Obiri Boahen may have seen or heard to prompt his warning to President John Dramani Mahama.

The Veteran Journalist drew attention to comments made by Nana Obiri Boahen on Wontumi TV, where he warned President Mahama to remain “extra vigilant” when dealing with members of the NPP.

According to Obiri Boahen, some individuals were quietly plotting “evil” against the country and urged President Mahama to be particularly cautious.

Nana Obiri Boahen cited the 1966 coup that removed Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, from power, contending that the overthrow demonstrated how political opponents could bring down a government despite its achievements.

In a post on X, Kwesi Pratt described the warning as stern, writing, “WHAT A WARNING

What are we to make of the stern warning to President John Dramani Mahama by Nana Obiri Boahen, former Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic

(NPP)?

Speaking on Wontumi TV last Saturday, Obiri Boahen, who is a practising lawyer, claimed that some people are quietly plotting “evil” against the country and added that President Mahama must be “extra vigilant” especially in his dealings with members of the NPP.

He pointed to the February 24, 1966 coup which toppled the Nkrumah government under the direction of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States of America.

Obiri Boahen insists that although the achievements of the Nkrumah government were admirable, his opponents still managed to overthrow him.

The important question is what has Obiri Boahen seen or heard?”

In related news, Nana Obiri Boahen, the former Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), urged President John Dramani Mahama to open his eyes and ears about happenings within his administration.

According to Obiri Boahen, several things within the Mahama administration are going wrong, warning that the development could negatively affect Mahama’s legacy if he fails to tackle them.

Nana Obiri Boahen asked President Mahama to take a cue from the late President Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s tenure and be guided by the lessons of history.

He recounted that despite the late Nkrumah’s significant contributions to Ghana, he was subjected to mockery following his overthrow.

He urged President Mahama to be extra careful in managing his administration.

Speaking in an interview on a YouTube channel, Nana Obiri Boahen stated, “So Mahama should be careful. Mahama is my elder brother, and he should be guided by the lessons of history.

A lot of things happening in your government are not coming from you, but they are happening. Open your eyes and ears and see what’s happening. Be extra careful because there has been a time in this country when people insulted Kwame Nkrumah”.

“Kwame Nkrumah did all he could do for the country, and when he was overthrown on 24 February 1966, the money that was printed with his picture was used as a song to insult him. I am a historian, and I am talking about this. To the extent that after the fall of Kwame Nkrumah, all his books were burnt. So Mahama should be very careful and extra careful.

“So, he should be extra careful. He shouldn’t listen only to those close to him because those people are only interested in what they will eat. He should try and listen outside. But if Prof. Mills were to be in government, a lot of the things happening wouldn’t happen today,” he added.

See the post below:

@johnmahamaba Npp stalwart Nana Obin Boahen says the NPP is strategising and preparing something and warns the NDC not to become complacent. #ndc #jm #johnmahama #abanpapaaba #victory ♬ original sound – 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐚 𝐁𝐚
@ghnow_ Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, shares warm moments with guests at the launch of PRIMER. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – :RED🌹BERYL:

Meet Jos Leijdekkers alias “Bolle Jos”, the European fugitive drug lord linked to Ghana

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Meet Jos Leijdekkers alias “Bolle Jos”, the European fugitive drug lord linked to Ghana

Following President John Mahama’s decision to summon a high-level meeting of state institutions responsible for Ghana’s border security, ports, customs and law enforcement, concerns over the country’s role in the growing international narcotics trade have come under renewed scrutiny.

The meeting was triggered by another major drug seizure linked to Ghana, highlighting growing concerns over the trafficking of narcotics and other illicit substances through the country.

Against this backdrop, this article takes a closer look at Joseph Johannes Leijdekkers, better known as “Bolle Jos”, a fugitive Dutch national described in multiple reports as one of Europe’s most notorious drug-trafficking figures.

Born on July 1, 1991, in Breda, Netherlands, and raised in Prinsenbeek, Leijdekkers is believed to have entered the criminal world at a young age.

The information gathered links his family background to drug-trafficking circles and criminal contacts around Rotterdam and Antwerp, two ports that would later become central to the cocaine networks associated with him.

The 35-year-old Dutch national is one of Europe’s most wanted fugitives, with a criminal empire allegedly stretching from South America and Europe into West Africa.

For years, Bolle Jos has been pursued by Dutch and Belgian authorities over a string of cocaine-trafficking cases, violent crimes and alleged contract killings. He has also been convicted in absentia in several cases and handed prison sentences running into decades.

Reports gathered read, “In 2018, Dutch authorities had identified Leijdekkers as a major player in international cocaine trafficking, with investigators accusing him of organising shipments of cocaine from Central and South America into Europe, allegedly using criminal networks and corrupt port insiders to move huge quantities of drugs through major European ports. His alleged activities have not been limited to narcotics.

In 2011, Leijdekkers was sentenced to six years in prison following a shooting in Scheveningen in which a rival was shot and another person wounded.

He later became associated with several major criminal investigations, including the Cherokee case in Amsterdam-Zuidoost and investigations into the disappearance of Naima Tante Jillal in 2019.

His profile rose dramatically after he was placed on the Dutch National Most Wanted List and the EU Most Wanted List in May 2022.

Since then, European courts have continued to pile up convictions and lengthy sentences against him.

In February 2024, a Belgian court in Genk sentenced him to 12 years in prison and ordered significant asset forfeiture in a case involving a front company allegedly used for drug trafficking.

Four months later, on June 25, 2024, a Dutch court handed him a 24-year sentence for international cocaine trafficking and ordering a murder.

On September 26, 2024, another 10-year sentence followed in Antwerp in the Dossier-Zwemmer case.

His legal troubles continued throughout 2025 and 2026.

He received 13 years in February 2025 over a cocaine robbery at Antwerp customs and another seven years in June for importing at least 100 kilogrammes of cocaine.

A Rotterdam court subsequently determined in July 2025 that he had obtained more than €126 million in criminal proceeds and ordered him to repay approximately €96.7 million.

More cocaine-related convictions followed, including an eight-year sentence in September 2025 for importing about 3,500 kilogrammes of cocaine, another seven years in January 2026, and a further eight years in May 2026 over the importation of approximately 11,000 kilogrammes of cocaine. He was also fined and banned from ports for 10 years.

But perhaps the most intriguing part of the Bolle Jos story is what happened after he became one of Europe’s most wanted fugitives.

In early 2025, Dutch media published footage allegedly showing Leijdekkers attending a New Year’s church service in Sierra Leone, apparently near President Julius Maada Bio and First Lady Fatima Bio.

The footage triggered controversy in Sierra Leone, with reports that the country’s immigration chief was subsequently dismissed.

Other media reports alleged that Leijdekkers had connections to Agnes Bio, the president’s daughter, and even claimed that the fugitive fathered a child with her. Those claims remain allegations and have not been independently established by a competent court.

Sierra Leonean authorities have reportedly denied knowledge of his presence in the country despite requests from Dutch authorities”, reports gathered stated.

Bolle Jos has surfaced in Ghana in a development that could expose a new chapter of his alleged international operations.

Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has arrested three suspects accused of representing and facilitating the activities of the fugitive in the country.

The arrests followed the seizure of a major cocaine shipment by French customs, which investigators believe may be connected to a wider international trafficking network.

NACOC says the three suspects are in its custody and are assisting with investigations into their alleged roles and links to Leijdekkers.

Investigators are expected to examine whether the suspects acted as intermediaries, facilitators or representatives for the fugitive, as well as whether Ghana was being used as a transit route, operational base or logistical link for cocaine trafficking.

As NACOC continue to dig deeper into the three arrests, the key question will be whether the investigation can establish just how far “Bolle Jos” and his alleged network reached into Ghana and who, if anyone, helped him operate from the country while he remained one of Europe’s most wanted fugitives.

@ghnow_ Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, shares warm moments with guests at the launch of PRIMER. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – :RED🌹BERYL:

‘Even in Mahama’s hometown, people don’t have Jobs’ – Sam George loses cool over youth unemployment

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‘Even in Mahama’s hometown, people don’t have Jobs’ – Sam George loses cool over youth unemployment

A video has surfaced on social media of a heated exchange during a youth engagement in the Ningo-Prampram community, with Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George, clashing with some participants over the issue of unemployment.

Speaking during the engagement in a 30 sec video shared on X, Sam George cited President John Mahama’s hometown as an example, insisting that unemployment persists there despite the President hailing from Bole-Bamboi.

Sam George stressed that job creation was not the responsibility of local assembly members.

He argued that the issue should instead be directed to those responsible for creating employment opportunities.

Sam George stated, “If you go to Bole-Bamboi, President John Mahama’s hometown, there are people who don’t have jobs, because their mama is from Bole. The assemblyman is not the one creating the jobs. The question I’m answering is on jobs.”

“Gentleman, no, no, don’t say that. Maybe you were pressing your phone; you should pay attention. If you were paying attention, I’m answering her question. Her question is on jobs.”

“The lady sitting right next to you asked a question. I don’t speak out of turn. So it’s not to tell me to allow somebody to speak.”

Sam George’s comments come on the heels of ongoing public debate over youth unemployment and the role of political leaders in addressing the challenge.

Meanwhile, the World Bank Division Director for Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Robert R. Taliercio, has said Ghana’s economy recorded its fastest annual growth rate since 2019 in 2025, expanding by 6%.

According to the World Bank, Ghana recorded its fastest economic growth since 2019, but requires reforms to translate into jobs.

Speaking at the launch of the World Bank’s Tenth Ghana Economic Update in Accra on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, Robert R. Taliercio noted that strong performance marked a significant improvement in Ghana’s economic recovery.

He detailed that Ghana’s recovery remains “structurally incomplete”, with persistent poverty, weak job creation and infrastructure constraints.

A news article by Myjoyonline detailed, “He said the momentum had continued into 2026, with the economy expanding by 6.4% in the first quarter of 2026.

“The economy grew by 6% in 2025, the fastest pace since 2019, before accelerating further to 6.4% in the first quarter of 2026″.

Mr Taliercio said the growth performance reflected the progress Ghana had made in restoring macroeconomic stability following the economic challenges of recent years.

He, however, cautioned that strong headline growth alone would not be enough to guarantee sustained improvements in living standards.

According to him, Ghana’s recovery remains “structurally incomplete”, with persistent poverty, weak job creation and infrastructure constraints continuing to pose challenges.

He therefore called for reforms that would translate economic growth into more jobs, stronger productivity and improved living conditions for households.

The World Bank said maintaining fiscal discipline, strengthening domestic revenue mobilisation and addressing structural bottlenecks would be critical to sustaining Ghana’s growth momentum over the medium term”.

Watch the video below:

@ghnow_ Representatives of the Ga Mantse address guests at the national launch of the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health Emergency Response. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ The Vice President departs the launch of the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health Emergency Response (PRIMER) at Alisa Hotel. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

‘If you’re an NDC member or Executive, we’ll get your child a School’ – Free SHS Coordinator

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‘If you’re an NDC member or Executive, we’ll get your child a School’ – Free SHS Coordinator

Charles Nyame, the Eastern Regional Coordinator of the Free Senior High School (FSHS) Secretariat, has made a shocking statement which has gone viral concerning the SHS placement.

According to the Free SHS Coordinator, he is willing to support parents whose children were facing difficulties securing Senior High School placement, but such assistance would be available to members and executives of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).

He disclosed that as the Eastern Regional Free SHS Coordinator, he was willing to assist anyone who approached him with concerns about SHS placement, provided they were an NDC member or executive.

Speaking at the Comrades Care Fund event at Asamankese in the Lower West Akim Municipality of the Eastern Region, Charles Nyame stated, “Our mothers and fathers who have been with the NDC for a longer period of time, we will make sure you benefit from the party. Even if you do not benefit, your children and grandchildren will benefit.

“As I talk to you, I am the Free SHS Coordinator for the Eastern Region, so if your child needs admission into a school and you’re an NDC member or executive, we will do it for you to get a school,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Education Ministry has extended the 2026 Senior High School (SHS) placement exercise by at least one week.

The one-week extension is to give students with outstanding placement issues more time to secure schools before the reopening date.

According to the Education Ministry, the extension will allow students undertaking self-placement or seeking changes to their residential status to complete the process ahead of the September 18 reopening.

They disclosed that the resolution centres across the country will remain open from Monday to Friday.

The Education Ministry noted that significant progress had already been made in resolving the challenges.

The Education Minister, press secretary Hashmin Mohammed, speaking to JoyNews, stated, “Out of the 53,887 category of self-placement students, we have had 33,726 who have been able to self-place themselves into various schools and out of 9,948 reported cases at the resolution centres throughout the country, the CSSPS Secretariat has been able to resolve 4,531 so far”.

“The resolution centres will remain active from Monday till Friday, and we are hoping that by Friday, the numbers should be able to go down because on September 18, they will report to school,” he added.

Also, Haruna Iddrisu, the Education Minister, has admitted that he is struggling with the 2026 Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).

The Education Minister admitted that the Education Ministry and the CSSPS secretariat have come under overwhelming pressure to respond and be responsive to the needs of Ghanaian students and parents.

He made this known while hitting back at the Minority Leader of Parliament, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, over his recent claims of a crisis in the education sector.

According to Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority Leader is exaggerating the situation for political benefits, quizzing him whether Ghana’s Educational crisis started just one and a half years ago.

He argued that the current challenges, especially the placement into SHS (Senior High Schools), are nothing new and have been happening over the last eight years when the NPP was in government.

Watch the video below:

@ghnow_ Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, shares warm moments with guests at the launch of PRIMER. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – :RED🌹BERYL:
@ghnow_ Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has officially launched the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health Emergency Response (PRIMER) at Alisa Hotel in Accra. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

‘Stop smiling with Ibrahim Mahama; it piss-off our footsoldiers’ – Maurice Ampaw tells Napo

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‘Stop smiling with Ibrahim Mahama; it piss-off our footsoldiers’ – Maurice Ampaw tells Napo

Maurice Ampaw, a Legal practitioner and media personality, has criticised some top members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), including Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh (Napo), for smiling and chit-chatting with business mogul Ibrahim Mahama at the funeral of Peter Mac Manu’s wife over the weekend.

According to Maurice Ampaw, NPP stalwarts should stop being hypocritical; he stressed that their warm interaction with Ibrahim Mahama was a “piss-off” to some party foot soldiers.

Maurice Ampaw argued that Ibrahim Mahama had what it took to prevent Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Wontumi, from going to jail, but he looked on while he was sentenced to imprisonment.

Speaking on Movement TV, Maurice Ampaw stated, “To those NPP executives who, when Ibrahim Mahama came to the funeral and were smiling and chit-chatting with him, that is a piss-off to some of our party foot soldiers. Stop the hypocrisy. For me, there’s no way I will see Ibrahim Mahama and get close to him. That’s my life. I don’t hate him, but I don’t like someone who is a hypocrite”.

“How can Ibrahim Mahama and co allow Wontumi to be jailed when he has what it takes to save Wontumi? I am the lawyer for Wontumi against Ibrahim Mahama, so I know what I am talking about when I say he has what it takes to save Wontumi,” he said.

“They swore to deal with Wontumi, and now they have fulfilled it. Today, they are at a funeral, and you NPP executives allow Ibrahim Mahama to be in your midst, shake hands with you and chit-chat with you. How would Wontumi feel?” he asked.

He further alleged that Ibrahim Mahama is trying to “play smart” with both major political parties by maintaining relationships with individuals on both sides so that nobody can hold him accountable when government changes because of those relationships.

According to him, anyone who played a role in the imprisonment of Chairman Wontumi would be considered an enemy and would never be his friend.

Maurice Ampaw stated, “Ibrahim Mahama is trying to play smart with both parties, NDC and NPP, so that when the government changes, nobody can touch him”.

“For me, anybody who played a role in jailing Chairman Wontumi, including the judge who presided over the case, even though she was my classmate, is not my friend. If I see her, I will pass her by. But for jailing Wontumi at that speed, she has become my enemy for life,” he added.

In related news, Prophet Kofi Oduro, the Founder and Leader of Alabaster International Ministries, has quizzed the sense behind the 20-year prison sentence handed to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) former Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.

The man of God expressed disappointment over the imprisonment of Wontumi, arguing that the 20-year prison sentence was not in the best interest of the country.

He noted that the government will now have to spend taxpayers’ money on his feeding and welfare while he serves his sentence.

According to Prophet Kofi Oduro, Wontumi should have been given an option: 20 years or 10 billion dollars payback to reclaim the lands he helped destroy with his galamsey activities.

Speaking in a sermon shared on social media with his congregation, Prophet Kofi Oduro stated, “What is the use of Wontumi being in prison for 20 years? We should have given that guy options: 20 years or 10 billion dollars payback. He will definitely choose the latter. What is the sense of Wontumi being in Nsawam Prison? It’s true he has committed a crime, but give him an option, give him an option to pay back.

“Now that he is in Nsawam for 20 years, what is the sense of it? He has offended the law, yes, but he should be given an option to pay back. The Nation needs that money back to go and reclaim that land.

 The judiciary should give the guy an option. 20 years or pay back; nobody will take 20 years. Let him sell everything he has made to pay back, but for him to sit there while we waste money on him is nonsense,” he said.

Watch the video below:

@movementtv_gh

Stop the hypocrisy, smiling with Ibrahim Mahama is a piss off- Lawyer Maurice Ampaw tells Napo

♬ original sound – Movement TV/Wontumi Radio 95.9
@ghnow_ Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, shares warm moments with guests at the launch of PRIMER. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – :RED🌹BERYL:
@ghnow_ Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang poses for a group photo with ministers and other dignitaries at the launch of PRIMER. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

Naming suspects connected to French cocaine seizure could jeopardise investigations – NACOC

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Naming suspects connected to French cocaine seizure could jeopardise investigations – NACOC

Francis Amoah, the Director of Public Affairs and International Relations at the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), has justified its decision not to immediately disclose the identities of suspected drug traffickers.

He argued that premature disclosure could alert other members of an organised network and jeopardise ongoing investigations.

According to Francis Amoah, drug trafficking is a transnational organised crime involving multiple individuals and networks, arguing that investigators need to carefully determine when information about suspects should be made public.

Francis Amoah was responding to calls for NACOC to adopt a “name and shame” approach amid a series of high-profile cocaine seizures linked to Ghana.

Speaking on Eyewitness News on Monday, September 14, 2026, Francis Amoah explained, “If you get a suspect just yesterday and you bring the suspect’s picture, you mention his or her name, what you are literally doing is that you’re shooting your own leg at the foot because what you’re telling other people who may be involved is that the suspect has been arrested”.

“And therefore, if you are linked or connected with the suspect in any way, you can run away. You can run,” he said.

He highlighted that investigators assess what information can safely be released without compromising intelligence gathered or allowing other suspects to evade arrest.

“You evaluate, and you see what information is appropriate for us as a commission to let the Ghanaian people know. And if you let the Ghanaian people know this, is it going to affect the investigations in any way?” he said.

Meanwhile, the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has revealed that three suspects arrested in connection with the French cocaine seizure are allegedly linked to activities of Dutch fugitive drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers, popularly known as “Bolle Jos”, in Ghana.

NACOC said in a statement signed by PNCO Francis Opoku Amoah, acting Director of Public Affairs and International Relations, that the three suspects’ arrests follow the seizure of a major cocaine shipment by French customs.

According to NACOC, the three suspects are currently in its custody and are assisting investigators to establish their alleged roles in the trafficking operation.

NACOC disclosed that the arrests form part of efforts to disrupt international drug-trafficking networks operating in or through Ghana.

The Commission said in a statement read, “NACOC remains resolute that Ghana will not be a safe haven, transit point or operational base for international drug-trafficking organisations”.

They added that the Commission would continue to work with domestic and international law-enforcement partners to disrupt the people, finances and infrastructure sustaining the illicit drug trade.

NACOC further disclosed that the rights and legal protections of all persons under investigation would be respected.

The development follows French customs officials having intercepted nearly 3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine, worth about $261 million, in a shipment from Ghana.

According to Reuters news, the shipment was confiscated at the northern French port of Dunkirk on Thursday, September 10, 2026.

The cocaine was concealed in 167 packages inside a container carrying plastic waste from Ghana and destined for Antwerp, Belgium.

The  3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine is allegedly linked to the criminal organisation of fugitive Dutch drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers.

Reports suggest the drugs have since been destroyed, with French prosecutors opening an investigation into the seizure.

According to French authorities, the seizure followed a targeted operation by the judicial police against a criminal network suspected of being behind the shipment, with the investigation focused on offences including the organised importation of narcotics and participation in a criminal association.

The seizure is expected to form part of the broader investigation into the movement of the cocaine from Ghana to France and the criminal network alleged to have organised the shipment.

@ghnow_ The national launch of the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health Emergency Response, aimed at improving emergency care and reducing maternal deaths across Ghana. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – Fanfairwrld
@ghnow_ Representatives of the Ga Mantse address guests at the national launch of the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health Emergency Response. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

Sammi Awuku raises eyebrows over exclusion of key Ministers from Mahama’s drug trafficking meeting

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Sammi Awuku raises eyebrows over exclusion of key Ministers from Mahama’s drug trafficking meeting

Sammi Awuku, the Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, has questioned why some key sector ministers were excluded from President John Dramani Mahama’s high-level meeting convened to review Ghana’s border-control systems and measures to combat narcotics trafficking.

In a Facebook post on Monday, September 14, Sammi Awuku questioned why the heads of institutions directly responsible for border, port, aviation and narcotics control would be invited without the ministers responsible for those sectors.

Sammi Awuku questioned why Minister for Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, under whose ministry the Ghana Maritime Authority, Ghana Shippers Authority and Ghana Airports Company Limited operate.

He further questioned the absence of the Minister for the Interior, given that the Ghana Police Service and Narcotics Control Commission fall under that ministry.

Sammi Awuku wrote, “If not, why would the heads of the Ghana Maritime Authority, Ghana Shippers Authority and Ghana Airports Company Limited, all under the Ministry of Transport, be summoned to such a high-level meeting without the Minister for Transport?”

“Similarly, why would the Ghana Police Service and Narcotics Control Commission, both under the Ministry of the Interior, be at the meeting without the Minister responsible for the sector?” he said.

He further added, “The growing concern about Ghana being used as a transit point for illicit drugs is too serious for us to treat it as an optics exercise”.

“After this meeting, who exactly is expected to supervise and drive the implementation of the decisions reached?” Awuku asked.

“Are we creating another layer of coordination when the Ministers who have direct responsibility for these institutions are not at the table?” he asked.

His comment follows President John Dramani Mahama summoning a high-level meeting of state institutions involved in Ghana’s border security, ports, customs and law enforcement to address growing concerns over narcotics trafficking and other illicit substances following another major drug seizure linked to Ghana.

According to an invitation issued by the Office of the President and signed by Secretary to the President Callistus Mahama on Monday, September 14 2026, the meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 12:30 p.m. at the Jubilee House.

The invitation stated, “You are respectfully invited to attend a high-level meeting to discuss measures to strengthen Ghana’s border security and prevent the trafficking of narcotic drugs and other illicit substances through the country’s ports, airports and land borders.

The meeting will review existing vulnerabilities, intelligence-sharing arrangements, cargo and passenger- screening systems, inter-agency coordination, and the deployment of technology to detect and disrupt narcotics trafficking. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, 17th September 2026 at 12:30 p.m. at the Jubilee House.

Each institution should be represented by its head, accompanied by no more than one relevant technical officer. Participants should come prepared to provide a brief assessment of existing security gaps and propose practical measures to improve intelligence sharing, surveillance, screening, and joint enforcement operations.

Given the urgency and national security implications, your personal attendance is required.

Please accept the highest regards of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic”.

Meanwhile, among the institutions invited are the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Ghana Shippers’ Authority, Ghana Maritime Authority and Ghana Police Service.

The National Intelligence Bureau, Narcotics Control Commission, Ghana Airports Company Limited and other operators within the ports and shipping sector are also expected to participate.

@ghnow_ The Vice President addresses guests at the national launch of the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health Emergency Response (PRIMER). #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ The Vice President departs the launch of the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health Emergency Response (PRIMER) at Alisa Hotel. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

‘Gov’t change, Judges retire, Lawyers grow old, but the Bar must remain vigilant’ – CJ fires back at GBA

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‘Gov’t change, Judges retire, Lawyers grow old, but the Bar must remain vigilant’ – CJ fires back at GBA

Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has fired back at the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) against allowing itself to be perceived as an attachment of any government or political party.

He stressed the need for the association to preserve its independence and credibility and must remain committed to protecting constitutional democracy regardless of changes in political leadership.

Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie made this remark in a speech delivered on his behalf by the former president of the Ghana Bar Association, Anthony Forson Jnr, at the Annual General Conference on September 14, 2026.

‎He stated, “The GBA must jealously guard its long-standing nature as the conscience of the legal profession and not allow itself to be perceived as an appendage of any government in power or any political party. Your strength lies in fidelity to the law, constitutionalism, and justice for all.”

‎“When the vast public statements, timing of interventions, or selective silence create the impression of partisanship, it erodes public trust, weakens its moral authority to hold power to account, and divides its own membership along partisan lines. The GBA must thus speak with principled consistency and ensure its leadership and communities reflect the collective ethos of the bar, not the political preferences of the day.”

‎“Governments change, parties change, judges retire, lawyers grow old, but the constitution must endure, and the bar must remain one of its vigilant guardians.”

The Chief Justice also reminded lawyers of their responsibility, saying, “We are taught that the law is a shield against arbitrary power. We are taught that every person, however poor, however unpopular, however powerless, is entitled to the protection of the law. We must therefore never become so comfortable that we forget those who are not.”

‎‎“When the vulnerable stand before the powerful, the lawyer must stand with the vulnerable. When the poor cannot afford the language of power, the lawyer must lend them the language of the law. When institutions become too powerful to hear the individual, the lawyer must remain, remind them that power in a constitutional democracy is never without limits. This is not activism. That is the calling.”

Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie’s remarks come on the heels of the President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Efua Ghartey, who quoted a biblical admonition in expressing the Bar’s disappointment with remarks made by the Chief Justice, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, concerning state-owned enterprises.

According to the GBA president, although the Bar was reluctant to interpret the Chief Justice’s comments, his remarks have raised concerns among members of the legal profession.

Speaking at the Ghana Bar Association Conference 2026/27 in Ada on Monday, September 14, the GBA President, Efua Ghartey, expressed the association’s concerns, saying, “The recent commendation of a public institution and the comparison to a past government’s output, by no mean a person than the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana, left much to be desired”.

We do not want to believe that what happened is a fulfilment of Matthew 12:34, which says, ‘Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh,’” she stated.

Ms Ghartey further fired a shot at the Judicial Secretary, saying the apparent attempt to explain or defend the Chief Justice’s comments was, at best, lacklustre.

“Respectfully, the Judicial Secretary’s attempted defence of the Chief Justice was, at best, lacklustre,” she said.

She further referred specifically to Article 128(4) of the 1992 Constitution to caution that the protection of judicial independence must be accompanied by respect for the constitutional limits placed on public office holders.

“The Bar wishes to serve a reminder that much as it is poised to protect the independence of the Judiciary, as per Article 128(4) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, the guarded must stay within their bounds as dictated by their calling in the Constitution,” she said.

“And may I repeat that the guarded must stay within their bounds as dictated by their calling in the Constitution,” she added.

@ghnow_ Deputy Minister for Health, Dr Grace Ayensu, says President Mahama has guaranteed strong political leadership for the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health Emergency Response (PRIMER). #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ The Vice President departs the launch of the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health Emergency Response (PRIMER) at Alisa Hotel. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

“If you decide to talk, then talk throughout” – Deputy AG fires GBA over CJ’s criticism

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“If you decide to talk, then talk throughout” – Deputy AG fires GBA over CJ’s criticism

Dr Justice Srem-Sai, the Deputy Attorney-General, has accused the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) of applying inconsistent standards in its criticism of Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie over comments he made some weeks ago about state institutions.

The Deputy AG questioned why the GBA had criticised the current Chief Justice for remarks considered political while they failed to respond in the same manner to similar comments made by previous Chief Justices.

Speaking on Joy FM on September 14, 2026, Dr Srem-Sai stated, “The point that we made at the conference is that when it comes to independence or when it comes to consistency, the leadership of the Ghana Bar Association leaves much to be desired”.

“If the Ghana Bar Association is of the view that Chief Justices should not make comments that are seen as political, then anytime a Chief Justice or any judge makes such a comment, then the Ghana Bar Association should condemn it. But to condemn some and not condemn others, that is where the issue is,” he stated.

Dr Justice Srem-Sai stated, “So, our point is that if you decide to be quiet, then be prepared throughout. If you decide to talk, then talk throughout”.

“And then when you choose to talk when a particular comment favours your favourite, or you speak out when the particular comment is against your favourite, or it favours your opponent, then you are not being consistent. That is all the point we are trying to make,” he said.

When asked if he believed the GBA was politically aligned with the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Srem-Sai stated, “We hope they are not. It is our prayer that they are truly not”.

He added, “The point we are making is that the perception or the reality seems to persist. They pick and choose as and when they want to criticise. All their picking and choosing seem to align to a particular political party’s interests. That’s the issue”.

“The very fact that they are even comparing the Chief Justice with the Ghana Bar Association and accusing the Chief Justice of being an NDC Chief Justice is an admission that they are aligned somehow with the Ghana Bar Association. And that settles the matter,” he stated.

He said it was “no surprise that the general public consistently views the Ghana Bar Association as not aligned to the general good of the country or aligned to the public good as a whole, but rather aligned to a particular section of the political divide.”

His comment follows the President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Efua Ghartey, who quoted a biblical admonition in expressing the Bar’s disappointment with remarks made by the Chief Justice, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, concerning state-owned enterprises.

According to the GBA president, although the Bar was reluctant to interpret the Chief Justice’s comments, his remarks have raised concerns among members of the legal profession.

Speaking at the Ghana Bar Association Conference 2026/27 in Ada on Monday, September 14, the GBA President, Efua Ghartey, expressed the association’s concerns, saying, “The recent commendation of a public institution and the comparison to a past government’s output, by no mean a person than the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana, left much to be desired”.

We do not want to believe that what happened is a fulfilment of Matthew 12:34, which says, ‘Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh,’” she stated.

Ms Ghartey further fired a shot at the Judicial Secretary, saying the apparent attempt to explain or defend the Chief Justice’s comments was, at best, lacklustre.

“Respectfully, the Judicial Secretary’s attempted defence of the Chief Justice was, at best, lacklustre,” she said.

She further referred specifically to Article 128(4) of the 1992 Constitution to caution that the protection of judicial independence must be accompanied by respect for the constitutional limits placed on public office holders.

“The Bar wishes to serve a reminder that much as it is poised to protect the independence of the Judiciary, as per Article 128(4) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, the guarded must stay within their bounds as dictated by their calling in the Constitution,” she said.

“And may I repeat that the guarded must stay within their bounds as dictated by their calling in the Constitution,” she added.

@ghnow_ The Vice President addresses guests at the national launch of the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health Emergency Response (PRIMER). #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ Deputy Minister for Health, Dr Grace Ayensu, says President Mahama has guaranteed strong political leadership for the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health Emergency Response (PRIMER). #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

Mahama summons high-level meeting after major drug seizures linked to Ghana

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Mahama summons high-level meeting after major drug seizures linked to Ghana

President John Dramani Mahama has summoned a high-level meeting of state institutions involved in Ghana’s border security, ports, customs and law enforcement to address growing concerns over narcotics trafficking and other illicit substances following another major drug seizure linked to Ghana.

According to an invitation issued by the Office of the President and signed by Secretary to the President Callistus Mahama on Monday, September 14 2026, the meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 12:30 p.m. at the Jubilee House.

The invitation stated, “You are respectfully invited to attend a high-level meeting to discuss measures to strengthen Ghana’s border security and prevent the trafficking of narcotic drugs and other illicit substances through the country’s ports, airports and land borders.

The meeting will review existing vulnerabilities, intelligence-sharing arrangements, cargo and passenger- screening systems, inter-agency coordination, and the deployment of technology to detect and disrupt narcotics trafficking. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, 17th September 2026 at 12:30 p.m. at the Jubilee House.

Each institution should be represented by its head, accompanied by no more than one relevant technical officer. Participants should come prepared to provide a brief assessment of existing security gaps and propose practical measures to improve intelligence sharing, surveillance, screening, and joint enforcement operations.

Given the urgency and national security implications, your personal attendance is required.

Please accept the highest regards of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic”.

Meanwhile, among the institutions invited are the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Ghana Shippers’ Authority, Ghana Maritime Authority and Ghana Police Service.

The National Intelligence Bureau, Narcotics Control Commission, Ghana Airports Company Limited and other operators within the ports and shipping sector are also expected to participate.

The development follows French customs officials having intercepted nearly 3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine, worth about $261 million, in a shipment from Ghana.

According to Reuters news, the shipment was confiscated at the northern French port of Dunkirk on Thursday, September 10, 2026.

The cocaine was concealed in 167 packages inside a container carrying plastic waste from Ghana and destined for Antwerp, Belgium.

The  3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine is allegedly linked to the criminal organisation of fugitive Dutch drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers.

Reports suggest the drugs have since been destroyed, with French prosecutors opening an investigation into the seizure.

According to French authorities, the seizure followed a targeted operation by the judicial police against a criminal network suspected of being behind the shipment, with the investigation focused on offences including the organised importation of narcotics and participation in a criminal association.

The seizure is expected to form part of the broader investigation into the movement of the cocaine from Ghana to France and the criminal network alleged to have organised the shipment.

In the meantime, three persons have been busted by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) for allegedly representing and facilitating the activities of Dutch fugitive drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers, popularly known as “Bolle Jos”, in Ghana.

The three suspects’ arrests follow the seizure of a major cocaine shipment by French customs.

According to NACOC, the three suspects are currently in its custody and are assisting investigators to establish their alleged roles in the trafficking operation.

NACOC disclosed that the arrests form part of efforts to disrupt international drug-trafficking networks operating in or through Ghana.

The Commission said in a statement read, “NACOC remains resolute that Ghana will not be a safe haven, transit point or operational base for international drug-trafficking organisations”.

They added that the Commission would continue to work with domestic and international law-enforcement partners to disrupt the people, finances and infrastructure sustaining the illicit drug trade.

NACOC further disclosed that the rights and legal protections of all persons under investigation would be respected.

See the statement below:

@ghnow_ Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, shares warm moments with guests at the launch of PRIMER. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – :RED🌹BERYL:
@ghnow_ Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang poses for a group photo with ministers and other dignitaries at the launch of PRIMER. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow

GBA President rebukes CJ, quotes Matthew 12:34

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GBA President rebukes CJ, quotes Matthew 12:34

President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Efua Ghartey, has quoted a biblical admonition in expressing the Bar’s disappointment with remarks made by the Chief Justice, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, concerning state-owned enterprises.

According to the GBA president, although the Bar was reluctant to interpret the Chief Justice’s comments, his remarks has raised concerns among members of the legal profession.

Speaking at the Ghana Bar Association Conference 2026/27 in Ada on Monday, September 14, the GBA President, Efua Ghartey, expressed the association’s concerns saying, “The recent commendation of a public institution and the comparison to a past government’s output, by no mean a person than the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana, left much to be desired”.

We do not want to believe that what happened is a fulfilment of Matthew 12:34, which says, ‘Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh,’” she stated.

Ms Ghartey further fired a shot at the Judicial Secretary, saying the apparent attempt to explain or defend the Chief Justice’s comments was, at best, lacklustre.

“Respectfully, the Judicial Secretary’s attempted defence of the Chief Justice was, at best, lacklustre,” she said.

She further referred specifically to Article 128(4) of the 1992 Constitution to caution that the protection of judicial independence must be accompanied by respect for the constitutional limits placed on public office holders.

“The Bar wishes to serve a reminder that much as it is poised to protect the independence of the Judiciary, as per Article 128(4) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, the guarded must stay within their bounds as dictated by their calling in the Constitution,” she said.

“And may I repeat that the guarded must stay within their bounds as dictated by their calling in the Constitution,” she added.

The GBA president statement come on the heels of the Chief Justice, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, who on Wednesday, September 2 toured some state institutions where he questioned how Ghana sank so low in the past eight years under the former administration.

The Chief Justice expressed astonishment at the performance of some state institutions over the past eight years.

According to Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, comparing the current progress of some state institutions with their performance over the past eight years, he wonders what went wrong in the last eight years.

The Chief Justice lauded the performance of the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) and other public institutions under the current Mahama administration.

Speaking during a visit to MIIF on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, he said he was impressed by what he had seen at the institution and other state entities.

Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie stated, “I must congratulate you. I mean, you have done marvellously well. Sometimes, when we hear about the things that you have done and the things that some organisations are doing now, we wonder. Some of us keep wondering what we really have been doing in the past eight years”.

“We’ve just come back from SSNIT. We went to SSNIT this morning, and the kind of things that we heard and what we had heard even before we went there, if you compare that with the fact that, not too long ago, SSNIT was preparing to sell its prized assets like the Labadi Beach Hotel, you wonder how Ghana could have sunk so low,” he added.

Watch the video below:

@ghnow_ An individual has raised concerns over a minivan, GR-2222-10, reportedly driving on a pedestrian walkway to avoid traffic congestion.#GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ Ghana Customs has intercepted over 1,545 Apple products allegedly imported from Dubai through Togo into Ghana to evade applicable import duties and taxes. #GHNow #fyp ♬ Big News – DM Production
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