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Report landlords who demand more than 6 months’ rent advance – Mahama

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President John Dramani Mahama has urged tenants to report landlords who are demanding two years’ rent in advance.

According to President Mahama, the rising housing costs continue to place a heavy burden on households, adding that access to affordable accommodation is increasingly difficult.

Mahama encouraged tenants to take decisive action by reporting such cases to the rent court, ensuring that offenders would be held accountable.

Speaking during a dialogue with Organised Labour at the Jubilee House in Accra on Tuesday, March 17, stated, “Housing is a major problem, and for households, it is consuming their income. We need to have a national housing dialogue and decide how, between the private sector, government, and labour, we can come together and come up with a social housing policy to make sure that we provide affordable housing for workers to purchase on a mortgage or to be able to rent at a favourable cost,” he stated.

“The reason why the private house owners are taking advantage is because of the deficit in housing. We have the rent court, and we say do not take more than six months of rent advance, but the one who is renting and the house owner are both not prepared to go to the rent court,” he added.

“You can go and report him to the rent court, and we will hold that landlord accountable,” he emphasised.

Some Ghanaians reacting to President Mahama’s remarks stated, “While you’re in the process of reporting then you’re packing your stuff out simultaneously. Mahama should come and face us, the landlords directly. Siasem”.

“The rent control seems not to find its way to what they do.

Just enrol a system that requires both landlords and tenants to sign a contract renewed at the end of every six months. Without that contract, RC can evict the tenant and prosecute the Landlord”, a netizen added.

“Good call, but unless affordable state housing with monthly payments exists, private landlords won’t comply”, another X user added.

“In thy goodness, like this be good, but my question here is, what have you guys built for the citizens to occupy, rent or buy.

The madness of property owners makes somebody sleep outside. This is what an employee of Rent Control had to say”, an X user added.

One netizen added, “Report them to whom? See, water always finds its level. Most of them have stopped demanding 2 years rent, you know why..? Fewer can afford that these days”.

In related news, Reports detailed that some Ashaiman Landlords and Caretakers have been allegedly fingered for demanding sexual favours from female tenants as rent payments.

The information gathered from the Ashaiman Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Centre discloses this disturbing trend.

According to the report, the findings paint a glaring exploitation within the rental market against vulnerable women searching for accommodations.

The report alleged that landlords enter into informal arrangements with female tenants, accepting sex instead of money for rent for specified periods.

Additionally, caretakers have also been fingered in the development.

In a new story shared by the Herald, it read, “One case detailed in the report involved a caretaker who rented out a room to a woman while the property owner was away. After her initial two-year tenancy expired, the caretaker allegedly began a sexual relationship with her and verbally extended her stay by an additional year. The arrangement was reportedly extended again while the relationship continued.

Complications arose when the woman became pregnant by another man. Following the breakdown of the relationship, the caretaker ordered her to vacate the premises. She resisted, insisting there had been a prior agreement allowing her to remain for two more years.

The matter was referred to mediators. During proceedings, the caretaker admitted he was not the property owner and explained that the landlord had instructed him to reclaim the room. The ADR Centre facilitated a settlement, leading to the woman’s relocation after she received compensation from the caretaker”.

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PURC utility cuts too small, reduced it by at least 10% – Minority demands

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The Minority in Parliament has criticised the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission’s (PURC) recent cut in utility as too small to ease the financial burden on households and businesses.

According to the minority in parliament, utilities must be reduced by at least 10%.

Speaking to journalists in Parliament, Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Energy Committee, Collins Adomako Mensah, stated, “The Regulatory Commission announced reductions in electricity and water tariffs, but we say plainly this reduction is insufficient and Ghanaian consumers deserve far better”.

“In quarter one and quarter two, the commission projected an inflation rate of 22.49 per cent against an actual average of 20.3 per cent, an over-projection of 2.19 points. In quarter three, the projection was 20.67 per cent when the actual figure was 11 per cent — an over-projection of 9.67 points,” he noted.

“The ongoing increases in fuel and energy costs are squeezing households and businesses from multiple fronts. A mere 5 per cent reduction does not go far enough,” he said.

Collins Adomako Mensah added, “It has been three weeks since the minister’s directive, yet the report has not been published, and the minister has not addressed the public. Consumers are still watching their prepaid credits being drained.

“The Minister for Energy must submit the full investigation report provided by ECG. Ghanaians deserve to know the scale of the problem and the collective actions taken,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) announced a reduction in electricity and water tariffs effective from April 1, 2026.

According to the PURC, its quarterly tariff review will reduce electricity tariffs by an average of 4.81 per cent, while water tariffs will be reduced by 3.06 per cent.

The PURC highlighted that the review was conducted in line with its mandate to adjust tariffs every quarter.

In a statement issued on Friday, March 13, the PURC stated, “The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) wishes to inform consumers of electricity and water that the existing electricity and water tariffs have been reviewed downwards to take effect from April 01, 2026”.

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

Scrap the GH₵1 fuel levy over rising fuel prices – Minority demands 

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The Minority in Parliament has demanded that the John Mahama government scrap the 1 Ghana cedi fuel levy over rising prices.

According to the Minority in parliament, the GH₵1 fuel levy is placing an unbearable burden on Ghanaians already grappling with high living costs.

The Minority demanded that the government move swiftly to repeal the Energy Sector Levy Amendment Act of 2025 under a certificate of urgency.

Speaking to journalists in Parliament, Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Energy Committee, Collins Adomako Mensah, stated, “The justification for this levy no longer exists. Keeping it is not policy—it is punishment”.

“Between January and December 2025, the government paid approximately $1.47 billion to reset the energy sector, including full repayment of the GH₵597 million World Bank partial risk guarantee and settlement of outstanding gas invoices,” he noted.

He added, “With the debt addressed and guarantees restored, the so-called One Ghana Cedi Levy serves no purpose and should be repealed immediately.”

Collins Adomako Mensah further disclosed that the Minority will also call for a comprehensive review of all taxes and levies embedded in fuel prices.

In related news, the CEO of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe, has disclosed that Fuel relief talks are likely if crude hits $120.

Speaking on PM Express on Joy News, the NPA CEO stated, “Anything beyond maybe $120 per barrel for the world price of crude, then the conversations can be firmed up”.

“Some of these decisions require broader conversation, possibly ministerial or Presidential level. What we have is a window to study how the market will generally react, which will inform some of the decisions.

“If this becomes more extended, that one, I know that there will be a bigger conversation, just that I do not have the authority to make some disclosures now.”

“In the past few days, the President had been generally concerned about prices. He has been greatly concerned that I can tell you.”

“And so if there is anything within the rules books on how to mitigate the impact for the average Ghanaian, the President will not hesitate at all. I mean, his record is there”, he added.

Meanwhile, Duncan Amoah, the Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), has said the second fuel pricing window may trigger discussions about the possible removal of some taxes on fuel at the pumps.

According to Duncan Amoah, the government has hinted that it will review fuel taxes if pump prices exceed GH¢15.

COPEC Executive Secretary highlighted that the conversation about the taxes will kick in, particularly the GHȼ1 fuel levy.

He explained that the government is monitoring developments closely and may consider adjusting or removing certain fuel taxes to help reduce pressure on oil marketing companies (OMCs).

Speaking on Channel One Newsroom on Sunday, March 15, 2026, Duncan Amoah stated, “I am aware that the government was in some conversation with some petroleum service providers.

The threshold has been GHȼ15. So, if we wake up tomorrow and the OMCs are doing 15 and beyond, be assured that the conversation about the taxes will kick in, particularly the GHȼ1 fuel levy”.

Sick Freddie Blay granted GH₵800,000 bail with two sureties

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Freddie Blay, a former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has been granted a GH₵800,000 bail with two sureties.

The Koforidua High Court granted bail to Freddie Blay, who was earlier remanded by the Akropong Circuit Court in connection with an alleged demolition dispute at Kitase.

Freddie Blay’s GH₵800,000 bail is with two sureties who must be residents in Accra and possess valid Ghana Cards.

The development follows Freddie Blay, who was arrested by the Ghana Police Service after a warrant issued for his arrest was executed on Monday, March 16, 2026.

The information gathered suggests the arrest stems from the former NPP chairman, who allegedly ordered a demolition order for a house under construction on a parcel of land at Kitase.

According to reports, investigators who later visited the site arrested five individuals who were allegedly clearing the land with the use of a backhoe.

During interrogation, a suspect is said to have reportedly mentioned Freddie Blay’s name and another individual, Nana Osae Ntifo I, also known as Dada, as the persons who allegedly directed them.

Nana Osae Ntifo, I was subsequently arrested near the police station. Later, Freddie Blay was invited by the police to assist with investigations, but reportedly failed to honour the invitation.

Reports by Citinews stated, “Charges were subsequently filed against him, but he was absent from court without explanation on the scheduled arraignment date in April 2025. The court therefore issued a warrant for his arrest, which was executed on Monday.

However, sources close to Mr Blay say he was unaware of the arrest warrant prior to his arrest.

According to the sources, the dispute concerns a parcel of land the former NPP chairman purchased in 1994, but which later became the subject of litigation”.

However, sources close to Freddie Blay insist he did not order the demolition of any building, stressing that the NPP chairman rather instructed that a bare piece of land be cleared in January 2026 to prevent the breeding of dangerous animals.

“The sources added that the complainant had earlier secured a favourable judgment at the High Court in Koforidua, but that ruling has since been appealed.

They further claimed that attempts to serve the complainant with processes relating to the appeal were unsuccessful.

According to the sources, aside from the ongoing appeal proceedings, Mr Blay was unaware of any other court case against him and had no knowledge of the arrest warrant until it was executed on Monday”, the report added.

Freddie Blay is expected to return before the circuit court on April 9 as investigations into the matter continue.

Earlier reports suggested that Freddie Blay was transferred to a medical facility for urgent attention shortly after being remanded.

Reports by TV3 shared on X stated, “Freddie Blay has been transferred from custody to a medical facility for urgent attention, shortly after being remanded by a Circuit Court”.

Five lost during El-Wak stampede replaced with family members – GAF

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The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has completed the selection of 2,000 recruits, the first of four planned batches for 2026.

GAF has asked selected candidates to report to their regional selection centres on Wednesday, 18 March, at 9:00 a.m. to collect their appointment letters and prospectuses.

According to GAF, the first batch includes 18 individuals who sustained injuries during the El-Wak Stadium stampede last year.

GAF further disclosed that out of the six potential recruits lost, the families of five deceased presented replacement candidates, with one family yet to present a replacement.

In a statement issued by Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin, it read, “The Ghana Armed Forces wishes to inform the public that it has completed the selection of Two Thousand (2000) recruits, being the first in the series of 4 batches. The selected personnel who have been invited are to report at their various selection centres across the 16 regions of the country for their appointment letters and prospectuses on Wednesday, 18 March 2026, at 0900 hours.

All potential applicants who had curable medical issues at the medical stage are encouraged to seek medical attention, as they would be invited again for a review at a later date at no cost.

Meanwhile, selected potential recruits for the first batch include 18 personnel who were injured during the El-Wak Stadium stampede last year. Five others were sponsored by the families of the deceased during the El-Wak stampede.

Ghana Armed Forces expresses its gratitude to all the 16 Regional Administrations for their immense support that enabled this year’s exercise to be organised at the regional level in line with the government’s directive of sending recruitment to the doorstep of potential applicants.

The Ghana Armed Forces assures all remaining applicants to remain calm as it continues the selection for the remaining batches. The Military is pleased to indicate that it has a pool of young applicants who score high marks during the aptitude test and will therefore make selections from the pool for subsequent recruitment exercises beyond this year.

Finally, the directive on facilitating recruitment for persons from Sikaman in the Ashanti Region who assisted the military during last year’s helicopter crash rescue operation is under consideration for the second batch of training”.

In related news, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), some months ago, strongly dismissed false reports that were circulated in the media, which alleged that about 60 per cent of applicants who went through medical screening tested positive for HIV.

According to  Naval Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin, the Acting Director General of Public Relations, the reports are fake news and urged the public to ignore the reports.

In a press release issued by Naval Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin, she revealed that the medical screening process for applicants is still ongoing, and no results have been released.

Parts of the Ghana Armed Forces statement read, “As such, any figures or conclusions being attributed to the process are false and misleading.”

“The medical process is ongoing, and no results have been declared as yet,” the statement added.

GAF statement further warned media practitioners, specifically content creators, bloggers and vloggers, to exercise restraint and professionalism in their work.

They further indicated that steps are being taken to identify and trace the originators of the report.

The statement added, “The GAF urged media actors to verify information from credible and official sources before publishing, stressing the importance of accuracy and responsible journalism, especially on sensitive national matters.

“The Armed Forces reiterated their commitment to transparency and assured the public that official information would be communicated through the appropriate channels when the medical screening process is duly completed”.

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Gov’t borrowed GHC17bn to pay public sector wages in 2025 – Ato Forson

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Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the Finance Minister, has revealed that the government borrowed approximately GH¢17 billion just to meet public sector wage obligations in 2025.

The Finance Minister detailed that Ghana spent 44 per cent of its total tax revenue on public sector wages in 2025.

According to Ato Forson, Ghana’s wage bill consumes 44% of tax revenue, forcing the government to borrow to pay salaries.

Report by TV3 stated, “out of total tax revenue of GH¢183 billion in 2025, statutory obligations, including transfers to DACF, GETFund, NHIL, and debt servicing, consumed GH¢122.1 billion, leaving only GH¢61.9 billion available.

However, the government’s wage bill alone amounted to GH¢78.9 billion, creating a financing gap that forced the state to borrow approximately GH¢17 billion just to meet salary obligations.

Dr Forson emphasised that the combined burden of wages, debt servicing, and statutory transfers exceeded total tax revenue, effectively crowding out other critical expenditures.

He warned that under the current fiscal conditions, the government lacks the financial space to adequately invest in essential infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, and roads.

The Finance Minister noted that while fair remuneration remains a constitutional obligation, the current trajectory of public sector compensation poses a significant structural risk to fiscal sustainability and service delivery.

He stressed the need for careful management of wage growth alongside broader fiscal reforms to restore balance and create room for development spending”.

Also, Ato Forson has disclosed that public sector wages remain the largest component of government expenditure.

Speaking during a dialogue with Organised Labour at the Jubilee House in Accra on Tuesday, March 17, Ato Forson stated, “Compensation of Ghana’s employees is currently the largest share of government expenditure. Of the total government expenditure, employee compensation accounts for 39%, debt service accounts for 32%, and grants to other government units account for 29%”.

“The crowding effect of compensation means that while we spend 33% of our compensation budget, our expenditure on compensation, only three per cent is used for goods and services, and capital expenditure represents only six per cent of Ghana’s expenditure.

“Social benefits only represent one per cent of government expenditure, and grants to other government units representing the statutory funds are about 24% while debt service represents 26% of our total expenditure”.

“Some key facts on the compensation issues are that at the end of the 2025 fiscal year, compensation budget accounted for 44% of non-oil tax revenue, 5.6% of GDP, and 33.78% of total expenditure,” he added.

Meanwhile, Prof Henry Kwasi Prempeh, the Chairman of the Constitutional Review Committee, has fumed over Ghana’s practice of paying retired public officials salaries.

According to Prof Prempeh, Ghana must scrap the payment of salaries to retired public officials.

Prof Prempeh described the practise as ridiculous, questioning which country in the world pays salaries to retirees.

In a Facebook post on March 17, 2026, Prof Prempeh wrote, “We must scrap the ‘retirement on salary’ compensation practices in our public sector. Do we know any other place in the world where this sort of thing happens as commonly as it does here? We are just ridiculous!”

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Ghana must scrap salary payments to retirees – Prof Prempeh on Ghana’s wage bill consuming 44% of tax revenue

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Prof Henry Kwasi Prempeh, the Chairman of the Constitutional Review Committee, has fumed over Ghana’s practice of paying retired public officials salaries.

According to Prof Prempeh, Ghana must scrap the payment of salaries to retired public officials.

Prof Prempeh described the practise as ridiculous, questioning which country in the world pays salaries to retirees.

In a Facebook post on March 17, 2026, Prof Prempeh wrote, “We must scrap the ‘retirement on salary’ compensation practices in our public sector. Do we know any other place in the world where this sort of thing happens as commonly as it does here? We are just ridiculous!”

Prof Prempeh’s comments come following Ghana’s Finance Minister announcing the country’s ballooning wage bill, which continues to strain the country’s finances.

According to Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, Ghana spent 44 per cent of its total tax revenue on public sector wages in 2025.

Report by TV3 stated, “out of total tax revenue of GH¢183 billion in 2025, statutory obligations, including transfers to DACF, GETFund, NHIL, and debt servicing, consumed GH¢122.1 billion, leaving only GH¢61.9 billion available.

However, the government’s wage bill alone amounted to GH¢78.9 billion, creating a financing gap that forced the state to borrow approximately GH¢17 billion just to meet salary obligations.

Dr Forson emphasised that the combined burden of wages, debt servicing, and statutory transfers exceeded total tax revenue, effectively crowding out other critical expenditures.

He warned that under the current fiscal conditions, the government lacks the financial space to adequately invest in essential infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, and roads.

The Finance Minister noted that while fair remuneration remains a constitutional obligation, the current trajectory of public sector compensation poses a significant structural risk to fiscal sustainability and service delivery.

He stressed the need for careful management of wage growth alongside broader fiscal reforms to restore balance and create room for development spending”.

Also, Ato Forson has disclosed that public sector wages remain the largest component of government expenditure.

Speaking during a dialogue with Organised Labour at the Jubilee House in Accra on Tuesday, March 17, Ato Forson stated, “Compensation of Ghana’s employees is currently the largest share of government expenditure. Of the total government expenditure, employee compensation accounts for 39%, debt service accounts for 32%, and grants to other government units account for 29%”.

“The crowding effect of compensation means that while we spend 33% of our compensation budget, our expenditure on compensation, only three per cent is used for goods and services, and capital expenditure represents only six per cent of Ghana’s expenditure.

“Social benefits only represent one per cent of government expenditure, and grants to other government units representing the statutory funds are about 24% while debt service represents 26% of our total expenditure”.

“Some key facts on the compensation issues are that at the end of the 2025 fiscal year, compensation budget accounted for 44% of non-oil tax revenue, 5.6% of GDP, and 33.78% of total expenditure,” he added.

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12 firefighters injured battling Potsin fuel tanker explosion  – GNFS

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The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has announced that twelve firefighters have been injured after a fuel tanker exploded while they were battling a blaze at Potsin in the Central Region.

According to the GNFS, four personnel sustained severe injuries, while the other eight sustained minor injuries.

In a statement, the GNFS wrote, “1. The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) reports that a total of twelve (12) firefighters sustained injuries following an explosion during efforts to contain a fuel tanker fire at Gomoa Potsin in the Central Region

2. At approximately 0558 hours on Tuesday, 17th March 2026, the Central Regional Fire Control Room received a distress call reporting a fire outbreak involving a fuel tanker (GT 5671-22) along the Winneba-Accra Highway. Fire appliances from the Apam and Kasoa Fire Stations were immediately dispatched to the scene, with support from a private water tanker.

3. Upon arrival at 0626 hours, firefighters encountered a fully developed fire involving a fuel tanker carrying approximately 54,000 litres of petrol. The fire was rapidly spreading to nearby properties, posing a significant risk to lives and infrastructure. The driver and his mate, however, escaped unhurt

4. Through coordinated and tactical firefighting efforts, the team successfully contained the blaze, which affected nearby structures, and brought it under control at 0758 hours. The fire was completely extinguished at 0842 hours.

5. However, during cooling operations aimed at preventing re-ignition and possible secondary explosions, the tanker reignited and subsequently exploded, resulting in injuries to twelve (12) firefighters.

6. Out of the injured personnel, four (4) sustained severe injuries. Three 3) were rushed to the Winneba Trauma and Specialist Hospital, while one (1) was treated at the Potsin Polyclinic. The remaining eight (8) sustained minor injuries and were treated on-site by the Ambulance Service Team. All the severely injured firefighters have since been treated and discharged

The Central Regional Commander. ACFO I Merinder Marv Attigah Mensah, in the company of the Director of Operations, DCFO Roberta Aggrey Ghanson, visited both the injured personnel and the incident scene earlier today and assured them of Management’s commitment to their welfare and full recovery.

8. Firefighters remain at the scene to ensure safety as arrangements are underway for the safe transfer of the remaining petrol from the affected tanker into another tanker

9. The cause of the crash and the resulting fire remains under investigation

10. The Ghana National Fire Service expresses its special appreciation to all supporting agencies whose timely intervention contributed to the successful management of the incident.

11. The Service reaffirms its unwavering commitment to protecting lives and property and remains deeply concerned about the safety and welfare of its personnel

12. The Service extends its best wishes for continued recovery to the affected firefighters and expresses sincere empathy to all victims of this unfortunate incident. Treatment”.

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‘I don’t kid myself, NDC people are also involved in galamsey’ – Mahama

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President John Dramani Mahama has confessed that illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, involves individuals across political and traditional structures.

According to John Mahama, he will not kid himself that his own party people are not involved in the galamsey menace.

President Mahama highlighted that the fight against the galamsey menace will be difficult but must continue.

Mahama stressed that operators often shift allegiance when governments change, allowing the practice to continue.

Speaking during a meeting with Organised Labour at the Jubilee House in Accra on Tuesday, March 17, President Mahama stated, “Illegal mining has eaten into the fabric of our society. And I must say that it is not only a menace to our society, but it has involved a circle of traditional rulers, political party appointees and everything”.

“Even when one party changes, those who were running some operation, who went to one party, will go to the next party and say, now that you have come, come and take over this operation and let’s share. We, too, will be getting small; this is what we are doing. And so I don’t kid myself that we don’t have our own people involved,” he stated.

President Mahama further touched on the work of the anti-illegal mining task force NAIMOS, describing it as challenging, especially in communities where resistance is strong.

He added, “And the work of the NAIMOS is not easy. They go to a community, and the chiefs, the youth and everybody come out and resist them. And so, I didn’t kid myself that we would be able to win that fight overnight. But we cannot relent, we must continue”.

“And it doesn’t help when we have a crisis in the cocoa industry. The low price that was paid to cocoa farmers made some of them give up their farms for gold mining,” he noted.

“We are hoping that it will stabilise with the new automatic mechanism we are coming up with so that farmers know that they are getting 70% of the price,” he said.

“One of the problems we have is we don’t have patrol boats, especially on our waterways, for nine months to continue to patrol the waterways,” he explained.

Mahama further added that the Finance, Defence and Interior ministries are working to provide the necessary resources.

“So, we are working with the minister of finance to be able to maintain that,” he said.

Meanwhile, Professor H Kwasi Prempeh, the Executive Director of the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), has boldly stated that the polluter pays principle must be applied for illegal mining (galamsey) king/queen-pins and operators to pay for the destruction caused to the environment.

According to Professor H Kwasi Prempeh, he would hate for his taxes to fund the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Nano-liquid technology to clean the galamsey polluted rivers.

He argued that Ghana must enact new laws targeting galamseyers’ assets for forfeiture and recovery, with the proceeds being used to fund ecological restoration.

He stressed that Ghana cannot lose so much of its ecology to galamsey, then turn round to use its scarce tax resources to fix the damage.

Professor H Kwasi Prempeh boldly declared that the government shouldn’t tax innocent citizens to repair the damage from galamsey, when the criminal-beneficiaries and their networks have profited. 

In a Facebook post dated February 24, 2026, Prof Prempeh wrote, “I would hate for my taxes to fund any of this, when we are making no credible effort to arrest and prosecute galamsey king/queen-pins and operators, enact and enforce new laws targeting their assets for forfeiture and recovery, and use the proceeds to fund ecological restoration.

We cannot lose so much of our ecology to galamsey, then turn round to use our scarce tax resources to fix the damage. The damage from galamsey must be repaired from assets and funds recovered from those who profit from it.

The “polluter pays principle” must be applied here. The government shouldn’t tax innocent citizens to repair the damage from galamsey, when the criminal-beneficiaries and their networks that have caused and profited from such untold damage are left to walk away with their loot in plain sight”.

His remarks follow, the Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Nana Ama Brown Klutse, has said  $35 million will be required to completely restore the Birim River.

The EPA boss made this known during the pilot application of ionic nano copper technology on the Birim River.

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“You have no moral right to criticise Mahama for using his brother’s private jet” – NPP told

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Solomon Owusu, the Communications Director of the United Party, has told the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that they have no moral right to criticise John Mahama for using his brother’s private jet.

The UP man defended President John Dramani Mahama over criticisms regarding his use of a private jet belonging to his brother for official travels.

He argued that the NPP under Akufo-Addo rented a jet even when the presidential jet was available, but in this case, the presidential jet is unavailable.

Speaking on Onua TV on March 14, 2026, Solomon Owusu stated, “The NPP has no moral right to speak because anytime they do, people get angry. I would have been the first person to criticise President Mahama if the presidential jet was available and he wasn’t using it”.

“The reason some of us criticised Akufo-Addo when he was renting a private jet was that at the time, the Falcon was available. Even the Liberian president rented it for his travels, and so if the Falcon is available and you proceed to rent, then we have every right to criticise you,” he stated.

Solomon Owusu explained, “What we are discussing today is not as if the Falcon is available and the president has decided not to use it. The Falcon is unavailable, and so we have to separate the issues for people to know the available options”.

“When Mahama picks a commercial flight, what are the security implications?” he questioned.

“One of the things that caused the NPP’s loss was not propaganda but their actions, like the National Cathedral construction, among other things,” he added.

His comments follow the NPP minority, who have demanded answers over President Mahama’s use of his brother’s private jet.

Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee and MP for Bosome Freho, Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, has announced the Minority is seeking clarity on President John Dramani Mahama’s recent diplomatic trips using a chartered jet.

According to him, he and his colleague, Old Tafo MP, have formally filed a parliamentary question to the Ministers of Defence and Foreign Affairs.

Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh detailed that they are demanding answers on the circumstances under which the President travels, how contingents are chosen, and how these trips are funded.

The MP detailed that the Minority is concerned about transparency, funding, and the criteria for such travel.

Speaking on the Channel One Newsroom, Asafo-Adjei Ayeh stated, “My colleague, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, and I have filed a question in this regard. We have catalogued all the travels of the president that have officially been communicated to Parliament.

“Now we are asking the Minister of Defence and the Minister of Foreign Affairs to come and brief us under what circumstances, what criteria, how he is traveling, who the contingents are, and how we are funding all these.

“When they come to respond to these questions, then we can come out with our position. For now, we are only observing and taking note,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary to the President, John Dramani Mahama, Dr Callistus Mahama, has announced that Ghana will receive additional aircraft for the presidential fleet by November 2026.

According to Dr Callistus Mahama, one of the aircraft will be dedicated to the President’s travel.

He revealed that once Ghana’s aircraft are delivered, President Mahama will no longer use the private jet belonging to his brother, Ibrahim Mahama, for official travel.

In an opinion piece, Dr Callistus Mahama stated, “Many of the state institutions the President inherited—including key operational capacities within the security services—require rebuilding, re-equipping, and careful reform. The Ghana Armed Forces, which play an important role in state aviation, are part of that ongoing process of renewal.

Plans are already underway to strengthen Ghana’s presidential air transport capability as part of the broader retooling of the Armed Forces. By November this year, the country is expected to have additional aircraft within the presidential fleet, including one dedicated to the President’s travel.

When that happens, Ghana will once again have the capacity to rely fully on its own state assets for the safe and efficient transportation of the Head of State. It will also remove the need for the kind of temporary arrangements that have generated the current discussion”.

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Revealed – Public sector wages take 39% of Ghana’s budget

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Ato Forson, the Finance Minister, has disclosed that public sector wages remain the largest component of government expenditure.

According to Ato Forson, the Public sector wages take 39% of Ghana’s budget.

Speaking during a dialogue with Organised Labour at the Jubilee House in Accra on Tuesday, March 17, Ato Forson stated, “Compensation of Ghana’s employees is currently the largest share of government expenditure. Of the total government expenditure, employee compensation accounts for 39%, debt service accounts for 32%, and grants to other government units account for 29%”.

“The crowding effect of compensation means that while we spend 33% of our compensation budget, our expenditure on compensation, only three per cent is used for goods and services, and capital expenditure represents only six per cent of Ghana’s expenditure.

“Social benefits only represent one per cent of government expenditure, and grants to other government units representing the statutory funds are about 24% while debt service represents 26% of our total expenditure”.

“Some key facts on the compensation issues are that at the end of the 2025 fiscal year, compensation budget accounted for 44% of non-oil tax revenue, 5.6% of GDP, and 33.78% of total expenditure,” he added.

Also, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has announced that the government has begun steps to recruit new personnel into the public sector.

According to Ato Forson, the decision follows the government securing a GH₵ 17 billion loan to cover wages in 2025.

He explained that the planned recruitment forms part of government agreements with Organised Labour to increase workforce capacity.

Ato Forson added, “On the 2026 base pay, government committed to engage with unions on outstanding conditions of service and undertake critical recruitment into the public service, all within budget constraints. In this regard, the government has commenced processes for the recruitment of staff to the public service.

“Fair Wages and Salaries Commission has also commenced negotiations with Organised Labour on review of conditions of service and very soon will be approving them,” he said.

Meanwhile, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, the Convener of the Democracy Hub activist and lawyer, has announced plans to drag the John Mahama-led government to court over alleged crooked public sector recruitments.

The lawyer and activist highlighted that over the past few months, many people have been hired into the public sector to quietly fill roles without any advertisement of the positions.

According to Oliver Barker-Vormawor, Public sector employment cannot operate like a private favour system, adding that government jobs are paid for by the public purse and must be open to the public.

In an X post shared on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, Oliver Barker-Vormawor wrote, “Democracy Hub is considering a lawsuit against the Government over what appears to be a long entrenched practice of non-competitive recruitment across several Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

Over the past few months, consistent with historical practices, it has become increasingly clear that many people are being hired into public sector roles that were never advertised. Positions are filled quietly, sometimes after the fact, with no public notice, no opportunity for qualified people to apply, and no explanation of the criteria used in selecting those appointed”.

Oliver Barker-Vormawor further added, “Public sector employment cannot operate like a private favour system. Jobs in government are paid for by the public purse and must be open to the public. The absence of advertisement and competitive recruitment raises serious questions about fairness, transparency, and whether equal opportunity in access to public service is being respected.

Beyond the fairness issue, this also affects the quality of governance. When recruitment becomes opaque, institutions slowly lose credibility and competence. Young professionals who want to contribute to public service are shut out before they even know opportunities exist, while networks of patronage quietly take root.

The purpose of the proposed litigation would be simple: to force a clarification of the rules governing public sector recruitment and to insist that government employment follows transparent, competitive procedures consistent with constitutional principles of fairness and administrative justice”.

Gov’t commences processes to recruit new personnel into public sector – Ato Forson

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Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the Minister for Finance, has announced that the government has begun steps to recruit new personnel into the public sector.

According to Ato Forson, the decision follows the government securing a GH₵ 17 billion loan to cover wages in 2025.

He explained that the planned recruitment forms part of government agreements with Organised Labour to increase workforce capacity.

Speaking during a dialogue with Organised Labour at the Jubilee House in Accra on Tuesday, March 17, Ato Forson stated, “On the 2026 base pay, government committed to engage with unions on outstanding conditions of service and undertake critical recruitment into the public service, all within budget constraints. In this regard, the government has commenced processes for the recruitment of staff to the public service.

“Fair Wages and Salaries Commission has also commenced negotiations with Organised Labour on review of conditions of service and very soon will be approving them,” he said.

Ato Forson further disclosed that public sector workers remain the largest component of government expenditure.

He detailed that Public sector wages take 39% of Ghana’s budget.

The Finance Minister stated, “Compensation of Ghana’s employees is currently the largest share of government expenditure. Of the total government expenditure, employee compensation accounts for 39%, debt service accounts for 32%, and grants to other government units account for 29%”.

“The crowding effect of compensation means that while we spend 33% of our compensation budget, our expenditure on compensation, only three per cent is used for goods and services, and capital expenditure represents only six per cent of Ghana’s expenditure.

“Social benefits only represent one per cent of government expenditure, and grants to other government units representing the statutory funds are about 24% while debt service represents 26% of our total expenditure”.

“Some key facts on the compensation issues are that at the end of the 2025 fiscal year, compensation budget accounted for 44% of non-oil tax revenue, 5.6% of GDP, and 33.78% of total expenditure,” he added.

Meanwhile, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, the Convener of the Democracy Hub activist and lawyer, has announced plans to drag the John Mahama-led government to court over alleged crooked public sector recruitments.

The lawyer and activist highlighted that over the past few months, many people have been hired into the public sector to quietly fill roles without any advertisement of the positions.

According to Oliver Barker-Vormawor, Public sector employment cannot operate like a private favour system, adding that government jobs are paid for by the public purse and must be open to the public.

In an X post shared on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, Oliver Barker-Vormawor wrote, “Democracy Hub is considering a lawsuit against the Government over what appears to be a long entrenched practice of non-competitive recruitment across several Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

Over the past few months, consistent with historical practices, it has become increasingly clear that many people are being hired into public sector roles that were never advertised. Positions are filled quietly, sometimes after the fact, with no public notice, no opportunity for qualified people to apply, and no explanation of the criteria used in selecting those appointed”.

Oliver Barker-Vormawor further added, “Public sector employment cannot operate like a private favour system. Jobs in government are paid for by the public purse and must be open to the public. The absence of advertisement and competitive recruitment raises serious questions about fairness, transparency, and whether equal opportunity in access to public service is being respected.

Beyond the fairness issue, this also affects the quality of governance. When recruitment becomes opaque, institutions slowly lose credibility and competence. Young professionals who want to contribute to public service are shut out before they even know opportunities exist, while networks of patronage quietly take root.

The purpose of the proposed litigation would be simple: to force a clarification of the rules governing public sector recruitment and to insist that government employment follows transparent, competitive procedures consistent with constitutional principles of fairness and administrative justice”.

Watch the video below:

“You’ve never been the brightest bulb in the room” – Nana Aba claps back at Kwasi Kwarteng

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Nana Aba Anamoah, a renowned Ghanaian media personality, has clapped back at Kwasi Kwarteng, a spokesperson for Ken Agyapong’s campaign, after he labelled her a political opportunist.

According to Nana Aba Anamoah, Kwasi Kwarteng has never exactly been the brightest bulb in the room.

Nana Aba further labelled Kwasi Kwarteng as a square peg, regardless of how many round holes you’re placed in, adding that the NPP man, after occupying key positions in this country, should show better judgment.

In a social media post on X, Nana Aba Anamoah wrote, “Kwasi Kwarteng, you’ve never exactly been the brightest bulb in the room.

I’m a proud Woman of Valour. I don’t kowtow to any political party. I’m not intimidated by anyone in the NDC or NPP because, unlike some journalists and civil society voices, I have a mind of my own. I speak freely. How you choose to interpret my posts is entirely your business.

One would expect a man who has occupied key positions in this country to show better judgment. Yet here we are. Still a square peg, regardless of how many round holes you’re placed in.

The aircraft has already been procured for the presidency. Delivery has been delayed. So let’s keep it simple. If my own sibling has a perfectly safe Rolls-Royce available, does it make sense for me to go and rent another?

By all means, respond with another long epistle filled with twisted logic, nonfa, and the usual effort to impress the camp of your party’s flag bearer.

They already know you’re full of noise”.

Her comments follow Kwasi Kwarteng in a post, who was responding to a GHOne News flyer which quoted Nana Aba Anamoah to have said, “If my blood sibling owns a Rolls Royce, would it make sense to rent another when his is readily available?”

Reacting to the post, Kwasi Kwarteng described Nana Aba Anamoah as a political opportunist whose principles only align with the mood of the moment and the benefits that accrue to them.

According to Kwasi Kwarteng from Nana Aba’s logic, President Mahama should vacate the Jubilee House and operate from his brother’s Engineers and Planners office.

In a post on X, Kwesi Kwarteng wrote, “Perhaps the President should vacate the Jubilee House and operate from his brother’s Engineers and Planners office. After all, why maintain state infrastructure when family property exists?

Better still, consider disbanding the presidential security detail and replacing it with whatever private guards Ibrahim Mahama has.  That will save the state some money. Isn’t it?

And while we’re at it, maybe the President should forgo his salary and simply draw allowances from his rich brother, efficiency, right?

An extension of this logic would mean, any future president whose sibling owns a taxi instead of a Rolls-Royce or private jet should prepare for diplomatic missions via commercial taxi. After all, consistency is key.

But we understand, the Nana Aba’s logic; when power shifts, principles tend to follow. A familiar hallmark of a political opportunist, whose principles only align with the mood of the moment and the benefits that accrue to them.

Woman of Valour indeed!”

Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary to the President, John Dramani Mahama, Dr Callistus Mahama, has announced that Ghana will receive additional aircraft for the presidential fleet by November 2026.

According to Dr Callistus Mahama, one of the aircraft will be dedicated to the President’s travel.

He revealed that once Ghana’s aircraft are delivered, President Mahama will no longer use the private jet belonging to his brother, Ibrahim Mahama, for official travel.

In an opinion piece, Dr Callistus Mahama stated, “Many of the state institutions the President inherited—including key operational capacities within the security services—require rebuilding, re-equipping, and careful reform. The Ghana Armed Forces, which play an important role in state aviation, are part of that ongoing process of renewal.

Plans are already underway to strengthen Ghana’s presidential air transport capability as part of the broader retooling of the Armed Forces. By November this year, the country is expected to have additional aircraft within the presidential fleet, including one dedicated to the President’s travel.

When that happens, Ghana will once again have the capacity to rely fully on its own state assets for the safe and efficient transportation of the Head of State. It will also remove the need for the kind of temporary arrangements that have generated the current discussion”.

See the post below:

“There is too much corruption in our game” – Sadio Mane breaks silence on CAF decision

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Sadio Mane, the Senegalese national team captain, has broken his silence following the Confederation of African Football (CAF) decision to nullify their 2025 AFCON win.

According to Sadio Mane, there is too much corruption in the African game, which is killing the passion of millions of fans across the continent.

In a statement posted by Sadio Mane on his official Instagram account, originally in French, which has been translated into English, read, “What happened has gone too far. This is not the football we fight for, not the Africa we believe in.

There is too much corruption in our game, and it’s killing the passion of millions of fans across the continent. Players give everything on the pitch, but decisions off it are deciding matches and trophies.

I’m deeply disappointed not just for Senegal, but for African football as a whole. We deserve better. The fans deserve fairness, transparency, and respect”.

In related news, the Senegalese football Federation has declared it will initiate an appeal as soon as possible before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.

Senegal responded to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) decision to nullify their 2025 AFCON win.

The  Senegalese described the CAF decision as an unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable decision, which discredits African football.

According to the Senegalese, the CAF decision is an “insult” to African football.

In a statement on X on March 17, 2026, the Senegalese FSF Communiqué stated, “The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has taken note of the notification of the decision rendered on March 17, 2026 by the Appeal Board of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in the case concerning Match No. 52 of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 between Senegal and Morocco.

By this decision, the CAF Appeal Board admitted the appeal lodged by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) and, following a requalification of the facts based on an interpretation — contested by many — of Articles 82 and 84 of the competition regulations, declared Senegal to have forfeited the final match, with the score recorded as 3-0 in favor of Morocco.

The Senegalese Football Federation condemns this unjust, unprecedented, and unacceptable decision, which tarnishes the reputation of African football and constitutes a serious breach of sporting ethics and principles of justice. The FSF firmly contests this decision, which it considers devoid of a solid legal basis and contrary to the spirit of the game and the values defended by African football.

In accordance with the applicable regulations, the Federation will, at the earliest opportunity, initiate appeal proceedings before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne in order to defend its rights and the interests of Senegalese football. The

FSF reaffirms its unwavering commitment to sporting justice, fairness and respect for the rules, while expressing its deep gratitude to the Senegalese people, the players, the technical staff, and all those who have supported the national team throughout this competition”.

The Senegalese decision follows Morocco being announced as the 2025 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winners, with the final result overturned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

CAF have declared that Senegal forfeited the match after leaving the pitch, with Morocco declared 3-0 winners by official statement.

In statement issued by CAF on March 17, 2026 stated, “The Confédération Africaine de Football (“CAF”) Appeal Board decided today that, in application of Article 84 of the Regulations of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the Final Match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 (“the Match”), with the result of the match being recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF)”.

See the post below:

“They cannot tarnish my reputation” – K.T. Hammond ‘fights’ Finance Minister, A-G over alleged GH¢89m scandal

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K. T. Hammond, a former Minister for the Ministry of Trade and Industry, has boldly stated that the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, and Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, the Auditor-General of Ghana, cannot tarnish his reputation by dragging him into the alleged GH¢89m scandal.

According to him, both the Minister of Finance and the Auditor-General should be prepared to face him in court over the matter, and demanded an apology from the two for false publications about him.

K. T. Hammond stressed that he would not hesitate to sue them for unlawful publication and for damaging his reputation.

The former lawmaker detailed that as a minister, he was only responsible for signing cheques, stating that he had no idea about the alleged GH¢89m scandal.

Speaking in an interview on Asempa FM on March 16, 2026, K. T. Hammond stated, “I am suing them for using my name in this manner. They owe me an apology, and this matter must be retracted from Parliament, with the necessary corrections made so that my name can be cleared.

“I have no idea about this because, as a minister, I was only responsible for signing cheques. If there is someone else behind this, we all have our names, so they should check properly. But if they claim the statement that was made is fictitious, then I will sue them,” he added.

K. T. Hammond added, “Tell the Finance Minister, the Auditor-General, and even the accounting company and some specific banks whose names were mentioned to meet me in court, because they cannot tarnish my reputation like that. I have served in Parliament for 24 years.

“I was told on Friday when someone called me and said I had been arrested over an alleged embezzlement of GH¢89 million. Meanwhile, I was never arrested,” he said.

“I am suing them for using my name in this manner. They owe me an apology, and this matter must be retracted from Parliament, with the necessary corrections made so that my name can be cleared.

“I have no idea about this because, as a minister, I was only responsible for signing cheques. If there is someone else behind this, we all have our names, so they should check properly. But if they claim the statement that was made is fictitious, then I will sue them,” he added.

His remarks come on the heels of an Audit report carried out on the former Akufo-Addo government’s flagship One District One Factory (1DIF) programme has revealed shocking financial misappropriation.

The audit report produced by the Ghana Audit Service in partnership with EY and PwC showed that millions of state funds were almost stolen under the One-District One-Factory (1DIF).

On Monday, March 10, 2026, the findings presented to the Parliament of Ghana were delivered by Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem on behalf of Cassiel Ato Forson.

According to the audit report, the Ministry of Trade and Industry in 2024 requested the release of GH¢89.4 million to five commercial banks as the government’s contribution toward interest; however, all five institutions reportedly denied being owed any money by the government.

The Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem detailed, “The then Ministry of Trade and Industry in 2024 submitted a request of GH¢89.4 million to the Ministry of Finance to be transferred to five commercial banks as a government contribution to interest payments under the One District, One Factory (1D1F) initiative. The Ministry of Finance subsequently processed the same to the Controller and Accountant General’s Department for payment.

“This particular request was part of BTAs sitting at the Controller and Accountant General’s Department, awaiting cash for payment. When auditors contacted these five banks to confirm the liability, every single one of them denied being owed any amount by the government under the said arrangement. According to the auditors, the said GH¢89.4 million debt was fictitious. Without the audit intervention, a whopping GH¢89.4 million of hard-earned public money could have been disbursed to settle this non-existent liability,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Mahama government has since announced plans to subject the Akufo-Addo government’s entire One District One Factory programme to a full forensic audit.

Watch the video below:

“Political opportunist” – Kwasi Kwarteng blasts Nana Aba Anamoah

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Kwasi Kwarteng, spokesperson for Ken Agyapong’s campaign, has fired shots at Nana Aba Anamoah, a renowned Ghanaian media personality, following her comment on President John Mahama’s use of his brother’s private jet.

The NPP man in a post was responding to a GHOne News flyer which quoted Nana Aba Anamoah to have said, “If my blood sibling owns a Rolls Royce, would it make sense to rent another when his is readily available?”

Reacting to the post, Kwasi Kwarteng described Nana Aba Anamoah as a political opportunist whose principles only align with the mood of the moment and the benefits that accrue to them.

According to Kwasi Kwarteng from Nana Aba’s logic, President Mahama should vacate the Jubilee House and operate from his brother’s Engineers and Planners office.

In a post on X, Kwesi Kwarteng wrote, “Perhaps the President should vacate the Jubilee House and operate from his brother’s Engineers and Planners office. After all, why maintain state infrastructure when family property exists?

Better still, consider disbanding the presidential security detail and replacing it with whatever private guards Ibrahim Mahama has.  That will save the state some money. Isn’t it?

And while we’re at it, maybe the President should forgo his salary and simply draw allowances from his rich brother, efficiency, right?

An extension of this logic would mean, any future president whose sibling owns a taxi instead of a Rolls-Royce or private jet should prepare for diplomatic missions via commercial taxi. After all, consistency is key.

But we understand, the Nana Aba’s logic; when power shifts, principles tend to follow. A familiar hallmark of a political opportunist, whose principles only align with the mood of the moment and the benefits that accrue to them.

Woman of Valour indeed!”

Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary to the President, John Dramani Mahama, Dr Callistus Mahama, has announced that Ghana will receive additional aircraft for the presidential fleet by November 2026.

According to Dr Callistus Mahama, one of the aircraft will be dedicated to the President’s travel.

He revealed that once Ghana’s aircraft are delivered, President Mahama will no longer use the private jet belonging to his brother, Ibrahim Mahama, for official travel.

In an opinion piece, Dr Callistus Mahama stated, “Many of the state institutions the President inherited—including key operational capacities within the security services—require rebuilding, re-equipping, and careful reform. The Ghana Armed Forces, which play an important role in state aviation, are part of that ongoing process of renewal.

Plans are already underway to strengthen Ghana’s presidential air transport capability as part of the broader retooling of the Armed Forces. By November this year, the country is expected to have additional aircraft within the presidential fleet, including one dedicated to the President’s travel.

When that happens, Ghana will once again have the capacity to rely fully on its own state assets for the safe and efficient transportation of the Head of State. It will also remove the need for the kind of temporary arrangements that have generated the current discussion”.

He further explained that commercial travel, which some understandably suggest as a simple alternative, is also not always feasible for a sitting President.

Dr Callistus Mahama detailed that Commercial travel is not feasible when the travel involves long-haul intercontinental engagements or tightly scheduled diplomatic commitments.

He further, however, alluded to the importance of public perception, adding that even when a practical solution exists, leadership must remain attentive to how the public understands it.

He revealed that once Ghana’s aircraft are delivered, President Mahama will no longer use the private jet belonging to his brother, Ibrahim Mahama, for official travel.

See the post below:

Senegal runs to Court of Arbitration for Sport over CAF decision to nullify their 2025 AFCON win

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The Senegalese football Federation has declared they will initiate an appeal as soon as possible before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.

Senegal responded to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) decision to nullify their 2025 AFCON win.

The  Senegalese described the CAF decision as an unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable decision, which discredits African football.

According to the Senegalese, the CAF decision is an “insult” to African football.

In a statement on X on March 17, 2026, the Senegalese FSF Communiqué stated, “The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has taken note of the notification of the decision rendered on March 17, 2026 by the Appeal Board of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in the case concerning Match No. 52 of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 between Senegal and Morocco.

By this decision, the CAF Appeal Board admitted the appeal lodged by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) and, following a requalification of the facts based on an interpretation — contested by many — of Articles 82 and 84 of the competition regulations, declared Senegal to have forfeited the final match, with the score recorded as 3-0 in favor of Morocco.

The Senegalese Football Federation condemns this unjust, unprecedented, and unacceptable decision, which tarnishes the reputation of African football and constitutes a serious breach of sporting ethics and principles of justice. The FSF firmly contests this decision, which it considers devoid of a solid legal basis and contrary to the spirit of the game and the values defended by African football.

In accordance with the applicable regulations, the Federation will, at the earliest opportunity, initiate appeal proceedings before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne in order to defend its rights and the interests of Senegalese football. The

FSF reaffirms its unwavering commitment to sporting justice, fairness and respect for the rules, while expressing its deep gratitude to the Senegalese people, the players, the technical staff, and all those who have supported the national team throughout this competition”.

The Senegalese decision follows Morocco being announced as the 2025 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winners, with the final result overturned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

CAF have declared that Senegal forfeited the match after leaving the pitch, with Morocco declared 3-0 winners by official statement.

In statement issued by CAF on March 17, 2026 stated, “The Confédération Africaine de Football (“CAF”) Appeal Board decided today that, in application of Article 84 of the Regulations of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the Final Match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 (“the Match”), with the result of the match being recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF)”.

In related news, a sports journalist, Felix Romark has shared his opinion, saying, “CAF regulations clearly stipulate that a team walking off the field or refusing to resume play for an extended period constitutes grounds for disqualification, the decision to strip Senegal of the AFCON title two months after the ceremonial presentation of the trophy reflects poorly on the Confederation of African Football.

The Match officials had the power and time to impose such a sanction when a breach occurs, rather than allowing the matter to drag into post-tournament appeals. For Morocco to ultimately prevail through this retrospective legal process, securing the title months after Senegal’s celebratory lift, delivers a decidedly hollow and unsatisfying victory.

Morocco’s players and staff agreed to play after the Senegalese team returned to the pitch following the approximately 10–15-minute walk-off, willingly resumed the match, and proceeded to take the awarded penalty kick.

When that penalty was missed, leading to defeat in extra time, pursuing and succeeding in an appeal to be awarded the trophy on technical grounds feels ethically questionable, even if it aligns strictly with the letter of the regulations. Such an outcome risks undermining the spirit of fair competition and the integrity of the tournament’s on-field resolution”.

See the post below:

“Unfair and unacceptable decision” – Senegal on CAF decision to nullify their 2025 AFCON win

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Senegal has responded to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over its decision to nullify their 2025 AFCON win.

The  Senegalese described the CAF decision as an unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable decision, which discredits African football.

According to the Senegalese, the CAF decision is an “insult” to African football.

The Senegalese football Federation further declared they will initiate an appeal as soon as possible before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.

In a statement on X on March 17, 2026, the Senegalese FSF Communiqué stated, “The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has taken note of the notification of the decision rendered on March 17, 2026 by the Appeal Board of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in the case concerning Match No. 52 of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 between Senegal and Morocco.

By this decision, the CAF Appeal Board admitted the appeal lodged by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) and, following a requalification of the facts based on an interpretation — contested by many — of Articles 82 and 84 of the competition regulations, declared Senegal to have forfeited the final match, with the score recorded as 3-0 in favor of Morocco.

The Senegalese Football Federation condemns this unjust, unprecedented, and unacceptable decision, which tarnishes the reputation of African football and constitutes a serious breach of sporting ethics and principles of justice. The FSF firmly contests this decision, which it considers devoid of a solid legal basis and contrary to the spirit of the game and the values defended by African football.

In accordance with the applicable regulations, the Federation will, at the earliest opportunity, initiate appeal proceedings before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne in order to defend its rights and the interests of Senegalese football. The

FSF reaffirms its unwavering commitment to sporting justice, fairness and respect for the rules, while expressing its deep gratitude to the Senegalese people, the players, the technical staff, and all those who have supported the national team throughout this competition”.

The Senegalese decision follows Morocco being announced as the 2025 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winners, with the final result overturned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

CAF have declared that Senegal forfeited the match after leaving the pitch, with Morocco declared 3-0 winners by official statement.

In statement issued by CAF on March 17, 2026 stated, “The Confédération Africaine de Football (“CAF”) Appeal Board decided today that, in application of Article 84 of the Regulations of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the Final Match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 (“the Match”), with the result of the match being recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF)”.

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Victims of microlight aircraft crash identified as sons of popular pastor

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The two victims of Monday, March 16, 2026, Sky Arrow microlight aircraft crash in Tema have been identified as sons of a popular pastor.

The two victims of the microlight aircraft crash have been identified as two sons of the founder of Hebron Prayer Camp near Nsawam, Elder Frank Kwabena Donkor.

One of the sons, a distinguished pilot and instructor, Captain Frank Donkor, and his younger brother,

Captain Frank Donkor is reported to have taken his brother on the ill-fated flight.

Captain Frank Donkor, who was piloting the aircraft at the time of the incident, is described as a seasoned airman who held both Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) and Certified Flight Instructor Instrument (CFII) ratings.

In related news, more information is surfacing following the Monday, March 16, 2026, microlight aircraft crash that claimed two people on board in Tema Community One.

A screenshots of social media posts of the helicopter, shared by TV3, suggest that it is about 25 years old.

The social media post shared by TV3 was made by an X account identified as Roberto Billia.

In his post, he shared a photo of the alleged microlight aircraft in 2023. He wrote, “Almost ready, after 21 years, is almost ready to get in the sky once again, yesterday had an inspection of GCAA to release the permit for the test flight”.

In another post, Roberto Billia shared a microlight aircraft out on a runway. He wrote, “After 22 years, 9G-ADV is again airborne,  what an emotion!!! Shortly more video from Go-Pro”.

Also, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, in a statement, said the aircraft with registration number 9GADV was flying to Accra from Ho.

The GCAA says investigations are underway and that further information will be provided in due course.

Microlights are typically much smaller aircraft, seating two people and mainly used for recreational purposes.

Also, Deputy Minister for Defence, Brogya Genfi, has clarified that the microlight aircraft, which crashed in Tema on Monday, does not belong to the Ghana Armed Forces.

In a Facebook post shared late Monday afternoon, Brogya Genfi stated, “We have received reports of a fatal crash involving a privately owned microlight aircraft at Tema Community 1 this afternoon,” the Deputy Minister wrote.

“We wish to clarify that the aircraft is not owned by the Ghana Armed Forces.”

“We pray for the souls of the departed and extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved families,” his post added.

Background

Reports earlier revealed a helicopter reportedly plummeted from the sky, crashing into the Oninku Drive School Park in Tema Community One.

Reports suggest the tragic incident occurred on Monday, March 16, with two people on board the helicopter dying from the impact of the crash.

Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service rushed to the scene to douse the flames at the site with the help of law enforcement officers from the Ghana Police Service. They recovered the burnt bodies of the victims.

Meanwhile, Mr Ahmed Abdullia, the Assemblyman for the Kwesi Plange Electoral Area, has revealed that none of the students was hurt.

The news shared by Ghana News Agency stated, “Three persons are feared dead following a helicopter crash at the Oninku Drive School Park in Tema Community One.

Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service are currently at the scene working to retrieve the charred bodies from the wreckage”.

The helicopter has now been described as a Sky Arrow microlight helicopter.

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CAF declares Morocco AFCON 2025 winners, cancelling Senegal’s win after 2 months

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Morocco has been announced as the 2025 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winners, with the final result overturned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

CAF have declared that Senegal forfeited the match after leaving the pitch, with Morocco declared 3-0 winners by official statement.

In statement issued by CAF on March 17, 2026 stated, “The Confédération Africaine de Football (“CAF”) Appeal Board decided today that, in application of Article 84 of the Regulations of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the Final Match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 (“the Match”), with the result of the match being recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF)”.

Read the full statement by CAF below:

“The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) Appeal Board has ruled that the Senegal national football team forfeited the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 final.

The decision was made under Article 84 of the competition’s regulations. As a result, the match has been awarded 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF).

The ruling follows an appeal by the Moroccan football federation, which cited Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations.

The CAF Appeal Board is expected to outline further details of its decision.

–       “The appeal lodged by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) is declared admissible in form, and the appeal is upheld.

–       The CAF Disciplinary Board decision is set aside.

–       The CAF Appeal Board further finds that the conduct of the Senegal team falls within the scope of Articles 82 and 84 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations.

–       The protest lodged by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) is upheld.

–       It is declared that the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF), through the conduct of its team, infringed Article 82 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations.

–       In application of Article 84 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations, the Senegal team is declared to have forfeited the match, with the result recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF).

–       All other motions or prayers for relief are dismissed.”

The CAF Appeal Board also ruled that:

–       “The appeal lodged in respect of Mr Ismaël Saibari (Player No. 11 of the Morocco National Team) is partially upheld.

–       The CAF Appeal Board confirms the finding that Mr Ismaël Saibari (Player No. 11 of the Morocco National Team) committed misconduct in violation of Articles 82 and 83(1) of the CAF Disciplinary Code.

–       The sanction imposed on Mr Ismaël Saibari (Player No. 11 of the Morocco National Team) is amended to a suspension of two (2) official CAF matches, of which one (1) match is suspended.

–       The fine of USD 100,000 imposed on Mr Ismaël Saibari (Player No. 11 of the Morocco National Team) is set aside.

–       The appeal lodged in respect of the ball boys incident is partially upheld.

–       The CAF Appeal Board confirms the finding that the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) is responsible for the conduct of the ball boys during the aforementioned match.

–       The fine imposed on the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) in respect of the ball boys incident is reduced to USD 50,000.

–       The appeal lodged in respect of the interference around the OFR/VAR review area is dismissed.

–       The fine of USD 100,000 imposed on the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) in respect of the interference around the OFR/VAR review area is confirmed.

–       The appeal lodged in respect of the laser incident is partially upheld.

–       The fine imposed on the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) in respect of the laser incident is reduced to USD 10,000.

–       All other motions or prayers for relief are dismissed.” of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF).

On the appeal by the FRMF regarding the application of Articles 82 and 84 of the Regulations of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the CAF Appeal Board made the following rulings:

–       “The appeal lodged by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) is declared admissible in form and the appeal is upheld.

–       The CAF Disciplinary Board decision is set aside.

–       The CAF Appeal Board further finds that the conduct of the Senegal team falls within the scope of Articles 82 and 84 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations.

–       The protest lodged by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) is upheld.

–       It is declared that the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF), through the conduct of its team, infringed Article 82 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations.

–       In application of Article 84 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations, the Senegal team is declared to have forfeited the match, with the result recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF).

–       All other motions or prayers for relief are dismissed.”

The CAF Appeal Board also ruled that:

–       “The appeal lodged in respect of Mr Ismaël Saibari (Player No. 11 of the Morocco National Team) is partially upheld.

–       The CAF Appeal Board confirms the finding that Mr Ismaël Saibari (Player No. 11 of the Morocco National Team) committed misconduct in violation of Articles 82 and 83(1) of the CAF Disciplinary Code.

–       The sanction imposed on Mr Ismaël Saibari (Player No. 11 of the Morocco National Team) is amended to a suspension of two (2) official CAF matches, of which one (1) match is suspended.

–       The fine of USD 100,000 imposed on Mr Ismaël Saibari (Player No. 11 of the Morocco National Team) is set aside.

–       The appeal lodged in respect of the ball boys incident is partially upheld.

–       The CAF Appeal Board confirms the finding that the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) is responsible for the conduct of the ball boys during the aforementioned match.

–       The fine imposed on the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) in respect of the ball boys incident is reduced to USD 50,000.

–       The appeal lodged in respect of the interference around the OFR/VAR review area is dismissed.

–       The fine of USD 100,000 imposed on the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) in respect of the interference around the OFR/VAR review area is confirmed.

–       The appeal lodged in respect of the laser incident is partially upheld.

–       The fine imposed on the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) in respect of the laser incident is reduced to USD 10,000.

–       All other motions or prayers for relief are dismissed.”

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“If this is how you intend to handle matters, forget about your presidential ambitions” – Asiedu Nketia told

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Henry Osei Akoto, a leading member of the National Democratic Congress, has told the party’s National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, that he should forget about his presidential ambitions if that is how he is going to address party members.

His comments follow Johnson Asiedu Nketiah that if all 500,000 applicants are recruited into the police, where will they find thieves to arrest?

Speaking to party supporters in Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region, Asiedu Nketia stated, “500,000, it is not 5000, 500,000 people want to join the Police. If you look at the 500,000 applicants and all are recruited into the police, where will they find thieves to even arrest? We all have become police; who are we going to arrest?”.

“If you are the president, and 500,000 people want to join the police, what are you going to do? Police recruitment is not about writing letters; then you are done. When they are recruited, we must look for money to pay them and also where they will work”. 

Henry Osei Akoto, reacting to the NDC National Chairman, described it as calling these people thieves and labelled his comments as unbelievable.

Speaking to the media, Henry Osei Akoto stated, “First of all, is the chairman calling these people thieves? How unbelievable! After watching that video of Chairman Asiedu Nketiah speaking to the people gathered there, I must say I was very disappointed in him. The reason I say this is because these are the same people we all went to campaign to vigorously before the 2024 general elections. We asked them to vote for the party, and we all know the effort they put in.

“They struggled, they worked hard, and they toiled for the party. Many of them even spent their own money. They are tired now, and today they are simply asking that they be given some kind of job from the government,” he stated.

He further added, “What I’m saying is that if today they are asking to be given something small, it’s understandable. Some of them have applied for security jobs, such as positions in Immigration or the Police Service, but they are not getting anything.

“There is a proper way to communicate with them about these things. However, the way Chairman Asiedu Nketiah is going about it is not good at all. Personally, I am not happy about it. The approach he took was very bad. If this is how he intends to handle matters, then he should forget about his presidential ambitions because hese are the same people who will eventually vote for him, so if this is the attitude he is going to show them, then he should reconsider those ambitions,” he added.

Henry Osei Akoto added, “Every day, some of us receive no fewer than 50 or 60 phone calls from people asking about jobs. I know he and other party communicators are also receiving similar calls. Many party supporters are still at home and don’t know what to do.

“We are doing our best to ensure their names are submitted and considered, because ultimately it is the government that will make the final decisions. But speaking to the grassroots the way he did is very distressing and discouraging,” he stated.

“I believe he needs to come out again and apologize to the people. After that, we can move forward. But as things stand, if this is how he plans to deal with the grassroots, then it is not good at all.

“When we first came to power, there were some statements he made that I tried to understand and overlook. But after watching that video several times, I can confidently say that what he said was not good. It was very bad, especially if this is how he intends to treat the grassroots of the party, then he should forget about his presidential ambitions,” he added.

Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has directed an increase in security services recruitment from 5000 to 10,000 yearly.

A statement from the presidency dated Monday, March 16, revealed the directive comes following a high-level meeting with heads of the various agencies.

President Mahama’s directives will see the number of men and women recruited to the various security agencies increased from twenty thousand (20,000) to forty thousand (40,000) over four years.

In a Presidency communication shared by signed by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, read, “President John Dramani Mahama has held a high-level meeting with the Heads of Security Agencies, Minister for the Interior and Acting Minister for Defence on the ongoing security services recruitment process.

Following a briefing on the process, the President has directed that the number of men and women to be recruited to the various security agencies should be increased from twenty thousand (20,000) to forty thousand (40,000) over a four-year period.

The President has also directed the Heads of the Security Agencies to ensure transparency and fairness in the recruitment process.

Present at the meeting were the Chief of Staff, Secretary to the President, Senior Presidential Advisor on Governmental Affairs, National Security Coordinator, Inspector General of Police, Director General Prisons, Director General Fire Service, Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service and the Director General of the Narcotics Control Commission”.

“My daughter was born like that” – Rev Araba Forson charges parents of LGBTQ children to oppose anti-LGBTQ bill

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Rev Faustina Araba Forson, mother of Ghanaian transgender musician Angel Maxine, has called on parents of LGBTQ children to oppose the proposed Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill 2025 commonly known as the anti-LGBTQ bill.

According to Rev Faustina Araba Forson, her daughter was born like that and grew up like that.

Speaking on the issue, Rev Faustina Araba Forson argued that LGBTQ individuals are “born, not made”.

She further raised concerns over provisions in the bill that could compel parents to report their own children.

Rev Faustina Araba Forson also rallied mothers of LGBTQ children to unite and defend their children against stigma and discrimination.

Speaking in a viral video shared on X by EDHUB, Rev Faustina Araba Forson stated, “And this bill that is coming, in fact, has given me so much pain, and I know there are mothers like me who are also going through the same. My child was born LGBTQ.

“LGBTQ people are not made; they are born with it. They are like that. You can’t change them. My daughter was born like that, grew up like that.

“How can you say I should come and report, or it’s my duty to report. Hey, report my own child that she is LGBTQ, so come and arrest my child? What about …the pain I went through in pregnancy and pushing to deliver him or her. I know mothers who have pushed. No, being straight or whatever is the same,” she fumed.

She stressed that LGBTQ people deserve equal rights and dignity, “They are all human beings like everybody, and they deserve to live like everybody. And what you are doing is affecting mothers, even our mental health. And so, look at me, a mother, and then what about the child? If you say your straight child is better than my LGBTQ child, I love my LGBTQ child.”

She further added, “I’m asking mothers who have LGBTQ children like mine to come and join together and fight for our children. Don’t shy away from your children. Don’t let society push you and say that your child is a demon. No, your child is created by God. And so, your child is special. It’s a special child.”

Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has made a definitive statement on the pending anti-LGBTQ bill legislation, declaring that he will assent to the bill if it is passed by Parliament.

According to John Mahama, a person’s gender is determined at birth, adding that the family is the foundation of our nation.

He added that there is no question what Ghanaians believe in.

Speaking to leaders of the Christian Council of Ghana in Accra on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, President Mahama stated, “We agree with the Speaker to relay the bill and let Parliament debate it, and then if there are any amendments or whatever that have to be done. If the Parliament of the people of Ghana endorses the bill, votes on it, and passes it, and it comes to me as President, I will sign it”.

“A person’s gender is determined at birth, and the family is the foundation of our nation. That is our position. So, there are no questions or equivocations about what we believe,” President Mahama noted.

He added, “We agree with the Speaker to relay the bill and let Parliament debate it, and then if there are any amendments or whatever that have to be done”.

Also, the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, commonly known as the anti-LGBTQ bill, has been laid before Parliament for consideration for a second time.

On Tuesday, February 17, 2026, following its First Reading, Speaker Bagbin referred the bill to the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee for further scrutiny and reporting.

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18 injured in El-Wak Stadium stampede, part of GAF’s first batch of 2000 recruits to begin training

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The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has completed the selection of 2,000 recruits, the first of four planned batches for 2026.

GAF has asked selected candidates to report to their regional selection centres on Wednesday, 18 March, at 9:00 a.m. to collect their appointment letters and prospectuses.

According to GAF, the first batch includes 18 individuals who sustained injuries during the El-Wak Stadium stampede last year.

The statement further disclosed that five others sponsored by families of victims of the incident, in recognition of the tragedy, have also been included.

In a statement issued by Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin, it read, “The Ghana Armed Forces wishes to inform the public that it has completed the selection of Two Thousand (2000) recruits, being the first in the series of 4 batches. The selected personnel who have been invited are to report at their various selection centres across the 16 regions of the country for their appointment letters and prospectuses on Wednesday, 18 March 2026, at 0900 hours.

All potential applicants who had curable medical issues at the medical stage are encouraged to seek medical attention, as they would be invited again for a review at a later date at no cost.

Meanwhile, selected potential recruits for the first batch include 18 personnel who were injured during the El-Wak Stadium stampede last year. Five others were sponsored by the families of the deceased during the El-Wak stampede.

Ghana Armed Forces expresses its gratitude to all the 16 Regional Administrations for their immense support that enabled this year’s exercise to be organised at the regional level in line with the government’s directive of sending recruitment to the doorstep of potential applicants.

The Ghana Armed Forces assures all remaining applicants to remain calm as it continues the selection for the remaining batches. The Military is pleased to indicate that it has a pool of young applicants who score high marks during the aptitude test and will therefore make selections from the pool for subsequent recruitment exercises beyond this year.

Finally, the directive on facilitating recruitment for persons from Sikaman in the Ashanti Region who assisted the military during last year’s helicopter crash rescue operation is under consideration for the second batch of training”.

In related news, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), some months ago, strongly dismissed false reports that were circulated in the media, which alleged that about 60 per cent of applicants who went through medical screening tested positive for HIV.

According to  Naval Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin, the Acting Director General of Public Relations, the reports are fake news and urged the public to ignore the reports.

In a press release issued by Naval Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin, she revealed that the medical screening process for applicants is still ongoing, and no results have been released.

Parts of the Ghana Armed Forces statement read, “As such, any figures or conclusions being attributed to the process are false and misleading.”

“The medical process is ongoing, and no results have been declared as yet,” the statement added.

GAF statement further warned media practitioners, specifically content creators, bloggers and vloggers, to exercise restraint and professionalism in their work.

They further indicated that steps are being taken to identify and trace the originators of the report.

The statement added, “The GAF urged media actors to verify information from credible and official sources before publishing, stressing the importance of accuracy and responsible journalism, especially on sensitive national matters.

“The Armed Forces reiterated their commitment to transparency and assured the public that official information would be communicated through the appropriate channels when the medical screening process is duly completed”.

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“Just buy a new jet!” – Nana Aba Anamoah tells Mahama gov’t

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Nana Aba Anamoah, a renowned Ghanaian media personality, has told the John Mahama government to buy a new presidential jet for Ghana.

According to Nana Aba Anamoah, the back and forth is a needless waste of time.

The renowned Ghanaian media personality asserted that Ghana as a country needs a new presidential jet that’s really up to standard.

In a post shared on X, Nana Aba Anamoah wrote, “What the country needs is a new presidential jet that’s really up to standard.

The back and forth is a needless waste of time.

Just buy a new jet!”.

Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary to the President, John Dramani Mahama, Dr Callistus Mahama, has announced that Ghana will receive additional aircraft for the presidential fleet by November 2026.

According to Dr Callistus Mahama, one of the aircraft will be dedicated to the President’s travel.

He revealed that once Ghana’s aircraft are delivered, President Mahama will no longer use the private jet belonging to his brother, Ibrahim Mahama, for official travel.

In an opinion piece, Dr Callistus Mahama stated, “Many of the state institutions the President inherited—including key operational capacities within the security services—require rebuilding, re-equipping, and careful reform. The Ghana Armed Forces, which play an important role in state aviation, are part of that ongoing process of renewal.

Plans are already underway to strengthen Ghana’s presidential air transport capability as part of the broader retooling of the Armed Forces. By November this year, the country is expected to have additional aircraft within the presidential fleet, including one dedicated to the President’s travel.

When that happens, Ghana will once again have the capacity to rely fully on its own state assets for the safe and efficient transportation of the Head of State. It will also remove the need for the kind of temporary arrangements that have generated the current discussion”.

He further explained that commercial travel, which some understandably suggest as a simple alternative, is also not always feasible for a sitting President.

Dr Callistus Mahama detailed that Commercial travel is not feasible when the travel involves long-haul intercontinental engagements or tightly scheduled diplomatic commitments.

He further, however, alluded to the importance of public perception, adding that even when a practical solution exists, leadership must remain attentive to how the public understands it.

He revealed that once Ghana’s aircraft are delivered, President Mahama will no longer use the private jet belonging to his brother, Ibrahim Mahama, for official travel.

In an opinion piece, Dr Callistus Mahama stated, “Presidential travel is unlike any other form of travel. It is not merely a journey from one city to another. It carries with it layers of responsibility—security protocols, diplomatic engagements, communication systems, and the simple but critical requirement that the Head of State remain able to function as the executive authority of the republic even while thousands of kilometres away from Accra.

In Ghana’s case, the challenge has been compounded by the current condition and limitations of the state’s available aircraft. Some of the platforms historically used for presidential or governmental travel were never originally acquired for long-range diplomatic missions. Others face technical and operational constraints that make certain journeys impractical or inadvisable.

Commercial travel, which some understandably suggest as a simple alternative, is also not always feasible for a sitting President—particularly when the travel involves long-haul intercontinental engagements or tightly scheduled diplomatic commitments. Beyond the obvious security considerations, such travel introduces logistical complexities that can make it difficult for a Head of State to carry out official duties during transit.

None of these realities erases the importance of public perception. And here lies the delicate point: even when a practical solution exists, leadership must remain attentive to how the public understands it.

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‘President Mahama an angel without wings’ – Blakk Rasta praises

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Blakk Rasta, a Ghanaian reggae artiste and media personality, has showered praise on President John Dramani Mahama.

According to Blakk Rasta, President John Dramani Mahama is an angel without wings.

Black Rasta detailed that growing up, he was told that angels had wings, but for the first time, he is seeing an angel without wings, and that’s President Mahama.

The Ghanaian reggae artiste and media personality hailed President John Dramani Mahama for his style of leadership during his second tenure in office.

Black Rasta asserted that although he criticised Mahama during his first tenure in office, he now appreciates his efforts and humble nature.

Speaking in an interview with Kafui Dey, shared on X on March 16, 2026, Blakk Rasta stated, “President Mahama, honestly, when I was growing up, I was told that angels had wings. This is the first time I’m seeing an angel without wings, and that’s President Mahama.

“To be honest with you, I criticised him during his first tenure. Whom haven’t I criticised? People criticise me too. And they have come to realise that I criticise them not to destroy them, but to build them,” he said.

“No malice at all. I criticise people and later meet them, and I don’t even remember that they once passed through my hot oven of critical baking. Well, I said a lot about Mahama, and Mahama is that gentleman. He will listen. Whether he chooses to react or let it go is up to him,” he added.

Some Ghanaians reacting to Blakk Rasta’s praises of Mahama stated, “Eei mo nono.

Nobody will use his/her left hand to point at their house.  I can defend my dad even if I know what I’m defending is not defending.

Big ups to Angel Mahama”.

“He feeds you.

Bro, step out of the studio and go to the market. Blake Rasta, you are not credible. Your poverty has made you a stomach journalist. We saw you at Prophet Kakandes’ church. You were advised to close your mouth so that you can also chop some of the national cake”, a netizen added.

Meanwhile, Nana Aba Anamoah, a renowned Ghanaian media personality, has praised the second coming of President John Dramani Mahama back into office.

According to Nana Aba Anamoah, he would rate the John Mahama-led NDC government 75% to 80%.

Nana Aba Anamoah detailed that the second coming of John Mahama has brought in a much-needed era of economic stability and ministerial humility compared to what Ghanaians witnessed under the past government.

The veteran Journalist asserted that President John Mahama has also learnt his lesson because in his first term, there were bouts of arrogance with his appointees.

Speaking in an interview on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z on Saturday, 21st February 2026, Nana Aba Anamoah stated, “ I will give the 75% to 80% because I think that His Excellency John Dramani Mahama has stabilised the economy… I think his Finance Minister is doing an excellent job. The economy is doing very well now compared to the last three to four years. Things were quite turbulent”.

“There was too much arrogance… from the previous administration. You could listen from their utterances on the radio, the way they were so dismissive of journalists and their commentary. It was just very, very arrogant,” she remarked.

“But I think that the second coming of JM is a great one. He’s learned his lessons because his first term also had bouts of arrogance—not with him, but with his appointees. But things are different now, it’s just a year, maybe too early in the day. But I think that the trajectory looks good, it looks positive, and I am happy with the work they are doing so far. The appointees are careful, they are handson, they show up”.

Nana Aba Anamoah further went on to list a few ministers she has noted who are doing an excellent job, saying, “I will give credit to the Gender minister; she is very responsive, she jumps on issues very quickly, she doesn’t wait for days to respond, she is doing an excellent job. The Foreign Minister is also very accessible; you tweet at him, he responds, and a few of the appointees are doing very well.

“My favourite really is Oboubia. I like what Oboubia is doing with Mahamacares. The way she goes to the hospitals and it’s become a weekly thing… I like that,” Nana Aba added.

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Agric Minister ‘runs’ from National Broiler Project under ‘Nkoko Nkitinkiti’ project

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Eric Opoku, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, has said he is unaware of any National Broiler Project Directorate implementing poultry-related programmes under his ministry.

The issue stems from a discussion on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, where host Bernard Avle wanted clarification over reports that some beneficiaries of the “Nkoko Nkitinkiti” programme received fewer than 50 birds.

Kelvin Ocran, the alleged National Coordinator of the National Broiler Project, revealed that his outfit supplies birds to large-scale farms to help meet the country’s poultry demand.

“It is important that, looking at the unemployment, you create a new programme, called the poultry entrepreneurs, to start from the base. Because the field is also a delicate area, we do not want to give someone who is a novice over a thousand birds to raise. So, what we are doing is providing enough support for the industry,” he explained.

Reacting to the claims, the Agric Minister rejected any suggestion that the directorate operates under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

According to him, such a body, to his knowledge, does not implement government projects.

The Agric Minister stated, “That office is supposed to be an advisory office. They don’t actually implement projects. I am surprised, and I am not aware of that”.

When asked whether he knows about the existence of that office within the ministry, the Minister responded categorically: “No, no, no.”

Mr Opoku stressed, “I am the Minister for Food and Agriculture. All such projects are executed under my instruction, and my team is working. I have never heard that such a project is being run by another agency”.

“This is the first time I am hearing this. In the budget, I also did not see any allocation for such an initiative. So, if that is a private initiative or something, I may not be aware,” he added.

The confusion raises fresh questions about coordination within the John Mahama government’s Nkoko Nkitinkiti project.

Also, some Ghanaian social media users on X have called out President John Dramani Mahama following his Nkoko Nkitinkiti figures during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered in Parliament on Friday, February 27, 2026.

During the address, President Mahama highlighted his government’s flagship Nkoko Nkitinkiti, which is aimed at boosting local poultry production.

According to John Mahama, the initiative is designed not only as a job-creation intervention but also as a deliberate policy to cut down the country’s estimated $300–$400 million annual poultry import.

The disagreement erupted after President Mahama stated that 720 birds had been distributed to 13,000 farmers during the pilot phase, with many netizens on X questioning the figures.

One X user wrote, “ 720 birds to 13,000 farmers

Let’s do the mathematics 👇:

Meaning each farmer got 0.05 birds

Oh, Mahama Charley, the man doesn’t know what he is saying. Next time, they should serve him water instead of Akpeteshie”.

Another wrote, “President Mahama says he distributed 720 birds to 13,000 famers.

How will 13,000 people share 720 birds? Herr, this man can lie”.

One user wrote, “Pathological liar. How can you distribute 720 birds for 13,000 farmers.”

“President Mahama says he distributed 720 birds to 13,000 farmers. How will 13,000 people share 720 birds? This man can lie”, one more Ghanaian added.

Another commented, “How can you share 720 birds to 13,000 farmers, Mr. President? The maths doesn’t add up.”

One last x user added, “720 birds to 13,000 farmers? Were the birds live or dead? I’m confused.”

However, in parts of the speech, President John Mahama stated, “Ghana has launched a comprehensive poultry farm-to-table project. This comprises 50 anchor commercial farmers producing four million birds, 500 SMEs producing three million birds, and a small-scale backyard poultry programme targeting three million birds nationwide, with emphasis on women and young people.

“Mr Speaker, the programme is underway, and the target is to reach 60,000 households. Even before I officially launched the programme, 720 birds had been distributed during the pilot phase to 13,000 farmers in 12 districts.”

In the meantime, previous data indicate that President Mahama may have intended to reference 720,000 birds and not 720.

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Mahama chosen; the moment Ghana celebrate 70th, an embargo will be lifted – Prophet Amoako Attah

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Prophet Francis Amoako Attah, the Founder of Parliament Chapel International, has revealed that President John Dramani Mahama has been chosen by God to lead Ghana into its 70th Independence anniversary.

According to Prophet Francis Amoako Attah, Ghana’s 70th Independence anniversary will lift an embargo on the country.

He explained that President John Mahama this year must select a committee for Ghana’s 70th anniversary and must not wait till next year.

The man of God explained that, if things are done properly, Ghana’s currency will rise.

Speaking in interview on Okay FM on March 16, 2026, Prophet Francis Amoako Attah stated, “The moment we will celebrate the 70th Independence Day in 2027, a certain code and embargo will be lifted. We have to come together and ensure that the country progresses.” .

“God has chosen President Mahama in times like these to lead this great nation into our 70th anniversary. He must start selecting a committee this year and shouldn’t wait till next year to do so,” he stated.

He continued, “The committee that will oversee the 70th Independence Day celebration must be selected immediately and with urgency to put things in place. Everything about this country solely lies in the 70th celebrations”.

“If we do things right as a nation, there will be a time that the Ghana currency will rise above the dollar currency. The dollar will be below the cedi.

“These things will happen based on how we come together, govern the nation with love, wisdom and understanding as one country and one people. Let us build it, and foreign developed countries will come to Ghana,” he added.

“The statement by Nkrumah that Ghana is the star of Africa will come to pass, and we must believe it. I had a dream in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic where I was in Cuba, and the country was developed just like Las Vegas.

“I became surprised, and the angels told me not to be because Cuba will be the star of Central America and Ghana is the chosen star of Africa,” he concluded.

In related news, Prophet Francis Amoako Attah, has dropped yet another daring prediction concerning war between the United States and Iran.

According to Prophet Francis Amoako Attah, the recent developments between the United States and Iran will result in the death of Donald Trump’s first son.

The man of God highlighted that Donald Trump’s first son will be shot while dressed in a black suit and a white shirt, adding that he would be shot to death in the chest.

Prophet Francis Amoako Attah further disclosed that Donald Trump will go crazy following the death of his son, leading to the collapse of everything he controls.

In a video shared on X, the man of God was captured speaking to his congregant, saying. “I saw his son lying on the floor, with his wife holding him. The day Trump’s son dies, he will be dressed in a black suit and a white shirt. He will be shot in the chest. This death will happen to his first son, mark my words”.

“If this happens, Trump will go crazy, and everything he controls will begin to fail him. He will start to lose everything. This will serve as punishment for him, mark my words,” he added.

Watch the video below:

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“Kasoa boys don’t smoke wee, they only take ‘ataya’”- Awutu Senya East MP

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Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor, a member of parliament for Awutu Senya East, has said there are no wee boys in Kasoa.

According to the Awutu Senya East, ghetto boys in Kasoa do not engage in smoking, but they drink ‘Ataya’, a local tea drink.

She highlighted that her constituency has much to offer and that she is working diligently to improve its public image.

Speaking in an interview on Metro TV Ghana on March 16, 2026, Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor stated, “There are no ‘wee boys’ in Kasoa. In every community, there may be ghettos, but that does not mean they smoke. My boys take Ataya. They don’t smoke – it’s not ‘wee’; it’s a drink.”

The Awutu Senya East MP further disclosed that she is familiar with many of the ghetto boys in her communities and regularly interacts with them.

Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor further disclosed that she gives the Kasoa boys Ataya as she love Ataya and drinks some.

“I know them. I spend time with them. I give them Ataya because Ataya is tea…Yes, I take Ataya, we give them Ataya and sugar …because Ataya goes with a lot of sugar because Ataya is very bitter. I love Ataya, I drink Ataya because Ataya is tea.”

“I have never seen or heard of Ataya being laced with ‘wee.’ As far as I know, they do not smoke at all it is pure Atay”, she added.

Some Ghanaians on X reacting to the MP for Awutu Senya East’s remarks stated, “An MP just defended a constituency’s drug reputation using her own tea habits.

This is Ghanaian politics in one sentence.

Is this relatability or is this the bar we’ve set for parliamentary representation?”.

Another X user added, “kwasia they talk as if those dbees in east legon sef dont smoke weed..I don’t smoke weed, but I would never judge someone smoking weed. If you don’t smoke weed and someone smokes, you’re gonna label him as bad?..u might take alcohol, they also won’t.”.

One more X user added, “We regret voting for her. She’s basically doing nothing, we don’t even hear her voice in parliament. She should up her game or else it’ll be her last time in parliament”.

A netizen added, “When you use the old market stretch, you will see the boys smoking late in the evening. What is she saying and not doing anything productive? It’s affecting us, a country called Ghana, only God can save us”.

“This woman does nothing.  So many illegal migrants in the Kasoa Wallantu area, and she’s doing nothing about it. Nobody knows who they are or where they’re from. They just showed in large quantities”, one X user added.

A netizen added, “If you contributed to making this thing a parliamentarian, then more people have issues in that community”.

Additionally, one more X user wrote, “Such rubbish from an MP

They should vote her out

This is a disgrace”.

Watch the video below:

“I took GH₵10,000” – Woman assaulted by Bills field officers breaks silence

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The woman in the viral video being assaulted by the field officers of Bills Micro-Credit has broken her silence following the ordeal she went through.

The assaulted woman has been identified as Hagar.

According to Hagar, she took GH₵10,000, and she was made to pay GH₵1,050 every week for three months.

She disclosed that she made payments but did not know that Bills had not received the remaining balance of the GH₵300 payment she made.

Speaking to Adom FM on March 16, 2026, Hagar recounted, “I took GH₵10,000, and I was made to pay GH₵1,050 every week for three months. I sell kitchen appliances and provisions. I’m expected to pay the money through mobile money, and I did the payment, but I didn’t know they hadn’t received the remaining balance of GH₵300”.

“They came to my place on Friday evening and informed me they haven’t received the payment yet. I told them I had already paid the money to them two weeks ago, and since I hadn’t received any calls from them up until they came to my shop, I thought they had received it, and I no longer owed them,” she continued.

“The field officers told me I’m still owing, and they were there to collect payment. I told them it was late, so they should go, and I would come to the office to pay the remaining GH₵300 balance,” Hagar added.

She further narrated, “They disagreed, and one of them took my phone. I asked him to return it, and he refused. He threw my phone to the ground, spoiling it completely”.

“I tried approaching him for my phone, and one of them used his body to push my baby and me to the ground. I fell on my waist, injuring myself”.

“Some residents had to intervene and save me from them. I immediately reported the matter to the police.”

Meanwhiile, Management of Bills Micro-Credit Limited, in a statement issued, has announced they have suspended its field officers involved in a viral video assaulting a woman.

According to Bills Micro-Credit Limited, the incident is of serious concern, and they are working to establish the full facts surrounding what transpired.

Bills revealed they have handed the four over to the Ghana Police Service for investigation.

In a statement, the Bills Micro-Credit stated, “Following the earlier statement issued by Management regarding the incident captured in a video circulating on social media, Bills Micro-Credit Limited wishes to provide the following update.

Upon the directive of the Board, the officers involved in the incident have been immediately suspended by the company pending the outcome of investigations. In addition, the officers have been handed over to the Ghana Police Service to assist with independent investigations into the matter.

The Board has also reached out to the customer involved and will continue to engage with her as the investigations proceed.

Bills Micro-Credit Limited reiterates its commitment to professional conduct, accountability, and full cooperation with law enforcement authorities. The company will provide further updates as appropriate”.

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SIM registration will be Ghana’s first with a proper biometric registration – Sam George

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Sam Nartey George, the Minister for Communication, Innovations, and Digital Technologies, has announced that the upcoming SIM registration will be Ghana’s first with a proper biometric registration.

According to Sam George, the new SIM registration is intended to correct flaws from the old registration.

The sector minister is quoted by a GHOne news flyer to have said, “This will be the first time in Ghana’s history that we will have a proper biometric SIM registration”.

In related news, Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko, the Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), has disclosed that the SIM registration exercise is intended to correct flaws identified during previous registrations.

The NCA Director-General asserted that the exercise would be the third official SIM registration process undertaken in Ghana.

He, however, disclosed that the first registration exercise conducted in 2011 was done without an effective system to verify identification documents, adding that the second registration sought subscribers to register their SIM cards using the national identification card.

The NCA noted that the second registration was not fully completed, as the planned biometric verification phase was never implemented.

Speaking in an interview with Channel One TV on Monday, March 9, Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko explained, “This will be the third official registration process. The first one was done in 2011. The challenge with it is that there was no verification at all of the IDs. What we did was a manual verification of some limited cases along the way”.

“There was supposed to be verification of the ID card; we did one part of it, but the second part didn’t happen. The policymaker, NIA, couldn’t get alignment to do the second phase, which was the validation of the biometric,” he explained.

He added, “There are cases, including fake photos, where the same name is used by a different person. We saw fake IDs used to register”.

“What we want to do is to have a single source of truth. We want to ensure the ID details are correct and that the person who brought the ID is indeed the person,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sylvia Owusu-Ankomah, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, has said the planned SIM registration is not going to be a silver bullet that stops fraud.

The Telecoms Chamber CEO highlighted that consumer awareness and protection of personal identification numbers are critical in stopping the growing threat of mobile-related frauds.

She stressed that most of the mobile related fruad are driven by social engineering schemes where fraudsters impersonate trusted individuals or institutions to scam persons from disclosing sensitive information.

Speaking in an interview on Citi Business News,  Sylvia Owusu-Ankomah explained, “SIM registration is not going to be a silver bullet that stops fraud. The nature of fraud that we are currently experiencing as a country is mostly on a social engineering scheme.

When I say social engineering, these are legitimate individuals who would call you and pretend to be somebody else and, you know, seek information from you and fraudulently, you know, lead you into releasing your personal identity, your personal identity number.

“Your PIN is sacred. So to the extent that you protect your PIN, there shouldn’t be room for someone to defraud you,” she said.

She added, “What the SIM registration will do, however, is to ensure that for every subscriber, your number is biometrically linked to the national ID database, which means that if you are not the user, if I acquire a SIM card, which was acquired by someone else, and I use it, I purchase that SIM and I do not register it directly, any crime that is committed with that particular number will be linked back to me as a user.

“So I do think that there is the need for a lot of consumer education around protecting our SIM, around ensuring that the numbers that we register are authentically ours and that you do not go and purchase a SIM card that has been pre-registered, because it means that if any fraudulent activities undertaken with that number, you will be tracked and you will have to bear the consequences of it,” she added.

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“Where are the jobs?” – Nana Aba calls out Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment

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Nana Aba Anamoah, a renowned Ghanaian media personality, has called out the Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Dr Rashid Pelpuo, over the scale of youth unemployment in this country.

The renowned Ghanaian media personality highlighted that Dr Rashid Pelpuo needs to make his DMs and office more accessible if he truly wants to understand the scale of youth unemployment in this country.

She detailed that the numbers being quoted about jobs created simply don’t match what people are living through every day.

Nana Aba Anamoah further questioned the Labour Minister, where exactly are these jobs he and heads of agencies under his ministry claim to have created?

In a post shared on X, Nana Aba Anamoah wrote, “The Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment (Dr Rashid Pelpuo) needs to make his DMs and office more accessible, if he truly wants to understand the scale of youth unemployment in this country.

The numbers being quoted about jobs created simply don’t match what people are living through every day. So where exactly are these jobs he and heads of agencies under his ministry claim to have created?

Why am I receiving countless messages from frustrated young people about their inability to land jobs despite doing everything right?

What is the plan for graduates who have been stuck in a cycle of applications?

And let’s be honest, when even your own foot soldiers are shutting down NHIA offices, it raises serious questions about this narrative of widespread job creation.

Where are the jobs?

PS: There’ll always be that one guy who’ll ask What did NPP do for them?’

They’re out of power for a reason, so grow up”.

Some Ghanaians reacting to Nana Aba’s post stated, “When they quote the figures, I sit back and ask myself, how come I did not hear about any vacancy to even try and apply. How do they advertise their jobs, and how do people apply for it? I’m always lost”.

A netizen added, “Concerns about youth unemployment are real, and many graduates feel disconnected from the job creation figures being announced. Enough of the statistics, let’s see visible impacts”.

One more X user added, “It’s so sad and pathetic that these people at the top are enjoying and doing nothing whilst we’re suffering down. They don’t even care about the ordinary Ghanaian. I think it’s time for the president to do a reshuffling”.

Meanwhile, Dr Rashid Pelpuo has said the John Mahama administration needs to make sure 3 million people are employed.

According to the Labour Minister, the government is not setting a fixed employment target for this year, but they are focusing on job creation for about 3 million.

Speaking in an interview on JoyNews’ AM Show on Monday, January 12, Dr Pelpuo stated, “We will not be able to give a targeted number. He explained that even if current unemployment is addressed within a year, new job seekers will continue to enter the labour market. “If we solve it this year, next year, new people are going to finish university. They are going to be asking for more.”

“We have taken note that we need to make sure 3 million people are employed,” he said, clarifying that this should not be seen as a formal target. “I’m not saying that’s our target. That’s the 3 million people that we need to employ.”

The Labour Minister added, “Some of them are not satisfied with their work; they still need to get more jobs, or they don’t have a job at all. That segment of the population is our target right now.”

“Remember, I’m saying that that’s not a target. That’s not something we are doing. But we have noticed that this number is where we are going to go into and create the jobs.”

“For the period of time I’m talking about, we are targeting these 3 million people who are either employed and not happy with their employment, or they are not employed at all. These are people we believe are going to be the beneficiaries,” Dr Pelpuo explained.

“How much will be done this year is what I cannot tell you,” the minister said.

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If Akufo-Addo gov’t had implemented 50% of 1D1F, unemployment would have been solved – GNCCI

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Mark Badu Aboagye, the CEO of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI), has said that if the former Akufo-Addo government had implemented 50% of its flagship One District One Factory (1DIF) programme, unemployment would have been solved.

The GNCCI CEO also warned the John Mahama government that the 24-Hour Economy is turning into another policy slogan. 

He explained policies like the 24-hour economy are well thought through, but suffer from poor implementation.

Speaking on PM Express on Joy News, Mark Badu Aboagye explained, “Obviously, there’s always an engagement for us to understand what it is, for us to understand the role that we will play, and all those things. Last Friday, we were actually supposed to meet Gossie Tannoh, but I think he travelled. So okay, so we have had that engagement with them.”

“When it comes to policies, as I said, it is implementation, the 1D1F. It’s been said that it was a very brilliant policy. If governments had even implemented just 50% of it, all these employment issues would have been solved.”

“That is what they always say, it is private sector-driven. And, of course, it should be private sector-driven. But what incentives are they providing?”

The GNCCI further added, “We had a similar incentive with 1D1F, where they say, if you go for a facility, we’ll pay a percentage of the interest. So the collateral point he talks about was also built into 1D1F. Let’s say the policies are brilliant; it is the implementation.

“And obviously, you get some political undertones. And people who can assess this funding, the real private sector people find out from them, whether they were able to get some of this funding.”

“So to solve this problem, it shouldn’t be just a political slogan and say, 24-hour economy. They are a brilliant idea. But how is the private sector taking it up? I think that to be able to solve this, one approach is to also look at our investors.”

Meanwhile, an Audit report carried out on the former Akufo-Addo government’s flagship One District One Factory (1DIF) programme has revealed shocking financial misappropriation.

The audit report produced by the Ghana Audit Service in partnership with EY and PwC showed that millions of state funds were almost stolen under the One-District One-Factory (1DIF).

On Monday, March 10, 2026, the findings presented to the Parliament of Ghana were delivered by Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem on behalf of Cassiel Ato Forson.

According to the audit report, the Ministry of Trade and Industry in 2024 requested the release of GH¢89.4 million to five commercial banks as the government’s contribution toward interest; however, all five institutions reportedly denied being owed any money by the government.

The Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem detailed, “The then Ministry of Trade and Industry in 2024 submitted a request of GH¢89.4 million to the Ministry of Finance to be transferred to five commercial banks as a government contribution to interest payments under the One District, One Factory (1D1F) initiative. The Ministry of Finance subsequently processed the same to the Controller and Accountant General’s Department for payment.

“This particular request was part of BTAs sitting at the Controller and Accountant General’s Department, awaiting cash for payment. When auditors contacted these five banks to confirm the liability, every single one of them denied being owed any amount by the government under the said arrangement. According to the auditors, the said GH¢89.4 million debt was fictitious. Without the audit intervention, a whopping GH¢89.4 million of hard-earned public money could have been disbursed to settle this non-existent liability,” he said.

Also, the Deputy Minister further disclosed that the audit also uncovered another questionable transaction involving a reported GH¢10.5 million payment into a so-called “Buffer Account” at a commercial bank.

“Rt. Hon. Speaker, payment of GH¢10.5 million was recorded as having been made into an account named the ‘Buffer Account’ at a commercial bank. Upon verification, the bank confirmed that it had never received such a payment. The account number cited did not exist within the bank’s records and did not even conform to its account numbering format,” he said.

Also, the Mahama government has since announced plans to subject the Akufo-Addo government’s entire One District One Factory programme to a full forensic audit.

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If gov’t can borrow to buy an aircraft, but cannot do same for cocoa farmers, let the aircraft go and vote – Annoh-Dompreh

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Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Nsawam/Adoagyiri, has told cocoa farmers that if the John Mahama government have the sense to borrow to buy an aircraft, but cannot do the same for them, they should let the aircraft go and vote for them.

According to Annoh-Dompreh, the Mahama government has the sense to borrow to buy an aircraft, but cannot have the sense to borrow to help cocoa farmers with the cocoa price cut.

Speaking to Cocoa farmers, Frank Annoh-Dompreh stated, “If you can have the sense to borrow to buy an aircraft but cannot have the sense to borrow to help cocoa farmers, then let the aircraft go and vote for you when there is an election”.

His comment comes on the heels of the Executive Secretary to the President, John Dramani Mahama, Dr Callistus Mahama, has announced that Ghana will receive additional aircraft for the presidential fleet by November 2026.

According to Dr Callistus Mahama, one of the aircraft will be dedicated to the President’s travel.

He revealed that once Ghana’s aircraft are delivered, President Mahama will no longer use the private jet belonging to his brother, Ibrahim Mahama, for official travel.

In an opinion piece, Dr Callistus Mahama stated, “Many of the state institutions the President inherited—including key operational capacities within the security services—require rebuilding, re-equipping, and careful reform. The Ghana Armed Forces, which play an important role in state aviation, are part of that ongoing process of renewal.

Plans are already underway to strengthen Ghana’s presidential air transport capability as part of the broader retooling of the Armed Forces. By November this year, the country is expected to have additional aircraft within the presidential fleet, including one dedicated to the President’s travel.

When that happens, Ghana will once again have the capacity to rely fully on its own state assets for the safe and efficient transportation of the Head of State. It will also remove the need for the kind of temporary arrangements that have generated the current discussion”.

He further explained that commercial travel, which some understandably suggest as a simple alternative, is also not always feasible for a sitting President.

Dr Callistus Mahama detailed that Commercial travel is not feasible when the travel involves long-haul intercontinental engagements or tightly scheduled diplomatic commitments.

He further, however, alluded to the importance of public perception, adding that even when a practical solution exists, leadership must remain attentive to how the public understands it.

He revealed that once Ghana’s aircraft are delivered, President Mahama will no longer use the private jet belonging to his brother, Ibrahim Mahama, for official travel.

In an opinion piece, Dr Callistus Mahama stated, “Presidential travel is unlike any other form of travel. It is not merely a journey from one city to another. It carries with it layers of responsibility—security protocols, diplomatic engagements, communication systems, and the simple but critical requirement that the Head of State remain able to function as the executive authority of the republic even while thousands of kilometres away from Accra.

In Ghana’s case, the challenge has been compounded by the current condition and limitations of the state’s available aircraft. Some of the platforms historically used for presidential or governmental travel were never originally acquired for long-range diplomatic missions. Others face technical and operational constraints that make certain journeys impractical or inadvisable.

Commercial travel, which some understandably suggest as a simple alternative, is also not always feasible for a sitting President—particularly when the travel involves long-haul intercontinental engagements or tightly scheduled diplomatic commitments. Beyond the obvious security considerations, such travel introduces logistical complexities that can make it difficult for a Head of State to carry out official duties during transit.

None of these realities erases the importance of public perception. And here lies the delicate point: even when a practical solution exists, leadership must remain attentive to how the public understands it.

Watch the video below:

Watch Irate NDC supporters lock up NHIA office in Ejisu over appointments snub

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A video has surfaced of some irate supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) locking up the district office of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) at Ejisu.

The NDC youths are protesting over the neglect of party loyalists in government appointments.

Reports detailed that the NDC supporters stormed the premises of the NHIA office and locked the facility, temporarily disrupting operations.

According to the individuals, they worked tirelessly for the NDC  ahead of the 2024 elections, but have been overlooked in the distribution of government positions.

The NDC supporters believe their contributions to the party’s electoral success have not been recognised.

In related news, Irate Tema Central NDC executives, some months ago, forcefully locked up the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in Tema.

Reports suggest the NDC executives locked up the Tema NHIS office over what they describe as unfair and exclusionary appointments.

In a viral video shared, the irate NDC executives drove out all staff at the NHIS office and proceeded to lock up the main gate.

Benjamin Ims Djakumah, the Constituency Chairman, led the NDC executives into locking up the office over what he described as dissatisfaction over recent appointments to the NHIS and other public institutions in Tema.

He revealed that appointments were made without consultation with several qualified party members, being overlooked.

According to Chairman Djakumah, the leadership of the NDC in the constituency is unhappy over the sidelining of grassroots executives after they work to regain power for the party.

Henry Davidson Ayeh, the Constituency Secretary, supported the protest, adding that the grassroots feel they have just been taken for granted.

The Constituency Organiser also highlighted that the sacrifices made by party faithful in Tema Central must be acknowledged.

Meanwhile, Anita Desoso, a National Democratic Congress (NDC) stalwart, has once again lashed out at the John Dramani Mahama government over the treatment of members of her party.

The former Vice Chairman and Women’s Organiser lashed out that NDC members are crying over the lack of appointment, adding that strangers and the NPP members are being appointed by the government.

According to Anita Desoso, government appointments are being given to non-NDC members, citing her appointment as a board member of the National Population Council.

Speaking in a recent interview on XYZ TV, Anita Desoso stated, “If we want to win the next election or if we want our party to continue to be strong, we must do things to make members of our party happy. But if we do nothing, assume that we (the party members) are angels, and we keep sending NPP members to where they are not supposed to be, and NDC members keep crying, I think it is not the best.

“Let me use myself as an example. I have been appointed to the board of the National Population Council… if not for God, I would have left already. I would have left already if not for God and the party”.

She added, “I don’t know any person there, and so when we go for meetings, I just sit down quietly and look at them. I don’t know where they were picked from. At least if I knew them, then we would know how to discuss issues to find solutions.”

“You can just imagine, I was late for one of the meetings, and I could not get there early. I was called later, and when I went, I was given GH¢500. What will Anita Desoso do with GH¢500? Look at the number of people I support, and I’m being given GH¢500. As soon as the money was given to me, I gave it to my driver”.

“People are lamenting, why have they taken A while B is there, who can help us? In the elections, we did not just get up to win the election; people suffered. If you like, go to the Flagstaff House (Jubilee House) and see something. When I go there, those I know are not even 10 per cent. People are already saying they are tired, they are not going to vote anymore”, Anita Desoso added.

Watch the video below:

US, Israel and Iran conflict affecting the whole world – Mahama

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President John Dramani Mahama has said the escalating conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran is not only affecting the Middle East, but the whole world.

According to President Mahama, tensions in the Middle East are troubling, calling for prayers and renewed efforts toward peace.

Speaking on Monday, March 16, during an Iftar with members of the Muslim community at the Jubilee House, President Mahama stated, “We are all concerned about what is happening in the Middle East. The conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran is not only affecting the Middle East, but the whole world. We pray that Allah will touch the hearts of everyone involved in this conflict and bring peace to the region”

“If you say you are a true Muslim or a true Christian and you are unforgiving, wicked, and kill your fellow man, you cannot call yourself a true Christian or a true Muslim. At a time when many parts of the world are faced with conflict and uncertainty, we must continue to protect the peace Ghana enjoys,” he said.

He added, “I humbly ask for your prayers during this Ramadan for our country, for our leaders, and for other parts of the world affected by conflict, especially in the Middle East”.

Earlier, President John Dramani Mahama has warned that the escalating conflict in the Middle East could have serious economic consequences for Africa.

According to John Mahama, hostilities involving the United States, Israel, and Iran would hurt African economies.

Mahama argued that the Middle East is the epicentre of global oil supplies, adding that African economies must brace for inevitable shocks.

President Mahama made this known while speaking during a bilateral meeting with Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the State House in Arusha on March 2, 2026.

He expressed alarm over the intensifying exchanges between the U.S., Israel, and Iran, as well as the counter-attacks, stressing that the tensions would trigger the rise of crude oil prices, which would impact African countries.

Meanwhile, Dr Johnson Asiama, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), has cautioned that the Middle East conflict poses fresh inflation risks for Ghana.

The BoG governor disclosed that the escalating tensions in the Middle East could threaten Ghana’s improving inflation.

Dr Asiama highlighted that the Middle East tension is disrupting major global energy and shipping routes.

He further explained that the tension is creating an increasing volatility in global oil markets.

Speaking at the opening of the 129th Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, the BoG governor stated, “A significant external development has entered the picture, and that has to do with the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East. This conflict is disrupting key energy and shipping corridors”.

“It is increasing volatility in global oil markets, and it is introducing new uncertainty into the trajectory of global inflation,” he said.

He added, “For Ghana, the transmission channels are clear. Sustained oil price increases could raise the risk of imported inflation and could also tighten global financial conditions.”

“Geopolitical uncertainty tends to support gold prices… This could benefit our trade balance,” he added.

The BoG Governor highlighted that Ghana’s macroeconomic indicators have improved, but there is a need to carefully weigh global risks before making any decision.

Video – Fuel tanker explodes on Potsin Junction

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Reports gathered suggest a Fuel tanker has exploded into a massive blaze, with thick smoke clouds into the sky.

According to reports, the fuel tanker exploded on Tuesday morning, March 17, 2026.

The information suggests the fuel tanker exploded close to a local eatery at Potsin Junction on the Kasoa-Winneba road in the Central region.

Seth Kofi Adjei, an  Adom FM correspondent, has reported that the intensity of the fire makes it impossible to venture close to the scene.

He also reported that fire tenders in nearby fire stations are out of service.

Meanwhile, it is yet to be known whether the eatery was occupied at the time of the incident.

Reports suggest the fire consumed the eatery and two other buildings.

In a related fuel tanker explosion some weeks ago, the  Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has disclosed that the tragic fire incident on the Accra-Nsawam highway caused by a Fuel Tanker claimed the lives of six, with seven injured.

In a press release signed by Ignatius K. Baidoo, Divisional Officer Three (DO III) and Eastern Regional Public Relations Officer of the GNFS, confirmed that the fire outbreak occurred around 4:45 am Saturday, February 14, 2026 and claimed six lives.

The GNFS detailed that three persons died at the scene, with three others succumbing to their injuries at the Koforidua Regional Hospital.

The GNFS press release stated, “The Eastern Regional Command of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has confirmed a tragic road traffic accident that resulted in a fire outbreak at Signboard near Okanta, off the Accra-Nsawam Highway, in the early hours of Saturday, February 14, 2026

2. The Service received the distress call at 0445 hours and deployed firefighters from the Suhum Fire Station. The crew arrived to find a fully developed vehicular fire involving a petrol tanker carrying about 54,000 litres of fuel, a VIP bus, three (3) saloon cars, and four (4) motorbikes, all engulfed in flames and extensively damaged

3. Due to the intensity and rapid spread of the fire, reinforcement was requested, and firefighters from the Bunso Fire Station were deployed to augment operations

4. Through coordinated and tactical firefighting efforts, including the application of foam compound, the fire was brought under control at 0824 hours and completely extinguished at 1 108 hours

5. A total of 15 casualties were recorded (11 males and 4 females). Three (3) victims (two males, one female) tragically died at the scene, and their badly charred bodies were handed over to the Police for preservation and further investigation. Twelve (12) injured were taken to Nsawam Hospital, where two (2) were discharged, including one (1) against medical advice. Ten (10) critical patients (8 males, 2 females) were referred to Koforidua Regional Hospital

6. Unfortunately, three (3) of these patients (2 males, 1 female) later died. The remaining seven (7), comprising 2 male children, 4 male adults, and 1 female, are still receiving treatment at the Koforidua Regional Hospital.

7, Investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the fire. Preliminary assessments suggest that sparks generated during attempts by some individuals to illegally breach the petrol tanker using) Cutting tools may have ignited petrol vapours, leading to the intense fire that engulfed vehicles travelling along that road at the time of the incident.

The swift intervention of firefighters prevented a potential explosion. The fatalities were reportedly trapped by the sudden fire following ignition of the petrol vapour cloud.

9. The Ghana National Fire Service strongly cautions the public against fuel siphoning. which is illegal and extremely dangerous, and urges the public to stay away from accident scenes involving flammable substances and 1o immediately alert emergency services

10. The Eastern Regional Command of the GNFS extends its heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in this tragic incident, and wishes a speedy recovery to the injured, both those discharged and those still receiving treatment.

11. The Eastern Regional Command of the Ghana National Fire Service remains committed to protecting lives and property and appeals for public cooperation 1o enhance fire safety across the region”.

Watch the video below:

Crashed Sky Arrow microlight aircraft at Tema, allegedly 25-year-old

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More information is surfacing following the Monday, March 16, 2026, Sky Arrow microlight aircraft crash that claimed two people on board in Tema Community One.

A screenshots of social media posts of the Sky Arrow microlight aircraft, shared by TV3, suggest aircraft is about 25 years old.

The social media post shared by TV3 was made by an X account identified as Roberto Billia.

In his post, he shared a photo of the alleged microlight aircraft in 2023. He wrote, “Almost ready, after 21 years, is almost ready to get in the sky once again, yesterday had an inspection of GCAA to release the permit for the test flight”.

In another post, Roberto Billia shared a microlight aircraft out on a runway. He wrote, “After 22 years, 9G-ADV is again airborne,  what an emotion!!! Shortly more video from Go-Pro”.

Also, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, in a statement, said the aircraft with registration number 9GADV was flying to Accra from Ho.

The GCAA says investigations are underway and that further information will be provided in due course.

Microlights are typically much smaller aircraft, seating two people and mainly used for recreational purposes.

Also, Deputy Minister for Defence, Brogya Genfi, has clarified that the microlight aircraft, which crashed in Tema on Monday, does not belong to the Ghana Armed Forces.

In a Facebook post shared late Monday afternoon, Brogya Genfi stated, “We have received reports of a fatal crash involving a privately owned microlight aircraft at Tema Community 1 this afternoon,” the Deputy Minister wrote.

“We wish to clarify that the aircraft is not owned by the Ghana Armed Forces.”

“We pray for the souls of the departed and extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved families,” his post added.

Background

Reports earlier revealed a helicopter reportedly plummeted from the sky, crashing into the Oninku Drive School Park in Tema Community One.

Reports suggest the tragic incident occurred on Monday, March 16, with two people on board the helicopter dying from the impact of the crash.

Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service rushed to the scene to douse the flames at the site with the help of law enforcement officers from the Ghana Police Service. They recovered the burnt bodies of the victims.

Meanwhile, Mr Ahmed Abdullia, the Assemblyman for the Kwesi Plange Electoral Area, has revealed that none of the students was hurt.

The news shared by Ghana News Agency stated, “Three persons are feared dead following a helicopter crash at the Oninku Drive School Park in Tema Community One.

Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service are currently at the scene working to retrieve the charred bodies from the wreckage”.

The helicopter has now been described as a Sky Arrow microlight helicopter.

See the screenshot below:

Transport fares will be maintained for now – GPRTU

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The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has announced that transport fares will remain unchanged for now.

According to the GPRTU, the rising fuel prices will not increase transport fares.

The GPRTU disclosed that, as a transport union, they are monitoring developments in fuel prices before deciding on any adjustments.

Samuel Amoah, the GPRTU Deputy Public Relations Officer, detailed that decisions on fares are not determined solely by fuel prices.

Speaking on Channel One Newsroom, the Deputy Public Relations Officer of the GPRTU, Samuel Amoah, explained, “We all agreed that where it is now, we will not rush into making any decision but will wait to see what will happen next. We are going to maintain the fares we are taking for now because who knows, the fuel price may stabilise or there may be an increase or reduction in the next pricing window”.

“We have a technical team that goes out to check all these things and reports. Per their report, there is a need for us to hold on to see what will happen in the next pricing window. We do not know where it will go. What if we increase, and then in the next pricing window, it goes up to where we can’t control the situation? We will not know what to tell our members, and we can’t come back to tell the public that we are coming in for another increment,” Amoah said.

However, earlier reports from the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) had hinted at an increase in transport fares as fuel prices are expected to rise.

Reports suggest fuel prices will increase by some significant margin from today, March 16; Petrol up by 16.93%, and Diesel 17.21%.

According to the GPRTU, an upward adjustment in fuel prices in the next pricing window could compel them to increase transport fares to reflect operational costs.

Abass Imoro, the Industrial Relations Officer of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union, explained that transport operators are already feeling the pressure from rising operational costs.

Speaking on the Channel One Newsroom on Channel One TV on Sunday, March 15, 2026, he stated, “You know we work for profit, and for some time now prices have remained the same. Some of our people even went out of their way to increase their prices, but we were able to stop them. This indicates that they are looking for a change in the prices of fares”.

“We spoke about the prices of spare parts, lubricants and other things we use on our cars, but their prices have remained high. So these are the indicators we look at,” he explained.

“We do not immediately impose a new fare, but if the price of fuel changes and it is upwards, everybody should expect a change in lorry fare,” he said.

Meanwhile, Star Oil, one of Ghana’s leading oil marketing companies, has already announced that they have increased its pricing across all its stations.

The announcement comes after COMAC projected that the March 16 pricing window will witness one of the highest increases in recent times.

Earlier, the Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies (COMAC) detailed that, based on the report, a litre of petrol is expected to increase by 16.93%, while diesel will go up by 17.21%.

“The report by the Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies revealed that the increase was influenced by the recent surge in global crude prices.

This was a result of escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and disruptions to a key maritime oil transit route, the Strait of Hormuz, which has affected global supply and increased international petroleum prices.

International petroleum product prices also rose significantly. Diesel increased by up to 43%, followed by LPG at 23.96% and petrol at 19.41%. Oil prices, on the other hand, increased exponentially in mid-March 2026, from $71.41 to $86.55 per barrel”, COMAC is quoted by Joynews to have stated.

In a post on X Star Oil, Ghana stated, “Dear Starsavers,

Today, we commence uniform pricing across all our stations in accordance with the new industry pricing guidelines.

World market prices have been volatile, and while we have had to increase prices today, be assured that Star Oil remains committed to being the standard for providing quality fuels at all the most affordable prices.

As soon as we find some reprieve from the current world market situation, we will pass on any savings to you as usual.

Keep saving with Star Oil”.

See the post below:

Lady arrested for posting fake news about an Uber driver

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The Ghana Police Service has confirmed the arrest of 20-year-old Promise Yayra Asamani by the Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team for allegedly publishing false information on social media, Snapchat abount an Uber Driver.  

20-year-old Promise Yayra Asamani based her post on her sister Stephanie’s account of a dispute during a ride.

The viral post falsely labelled a 43-year-old Uber driver, Selasie Kwaku Anthonio, as a murderer and thief, displaying his photo and vehicle number.

Reports suggest that following the post, the driver reportedly received distressing calls, and his Uber account was suspended, affecting his livelihood.

The Ghana Police Service investigations later traced the post to Miss Yayra Asamani, who admitted publishing it based solely on her sister’s account.

Promise Yayra Asamani has since been granted police enquiry bail as investigations continue.

Israel Laryea, in a post on X, is sharing the Press Release from the Cyber Vetting & Enforcement Team of the Ghana Police Service, advising Ghanaians to be careful of what they post on social media.

The Cyber Vetting & Enforcement Team of the Ghana Police Service Press release read, “CYBER VETTING ARRESTS PROMISE YAYRA ASAMANI FOR FALSE PUBLICATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team has arrested 20-year-old Promise Yayra Asamani for publishing false news on social media.

On Wednesday, 11th March, 2026, Selasie Kwaku Anthonio, a 43-year-old Uber driver, reported to the Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team regarding a viral Snapchat post.

The post, which featured his photograph and vehicle registration number, AD-1479-25, falsely labelled him a “murderer and a thief”.  It further alleged that he uses signal jammers to disconnect passengers’ network connectivity and also carries offensive weapons.

According to the complainant, he became aware of the post on 10th March, 2026, at about 14:57 hrs after being alerted by his nephew, Godsway Tetteh.

Following the viral spread, the complainant received numerous distressing calls from family and customers. Subsequently, Uber blocked his account, depriving him of his livelihood. He also expressed significant fear for his life due to the risk of public hostility.

Investigations by the Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team led to the arrest of Stephanie Asamani, a sister of Promise Yayra Asamani, on Friday, 13th March, 2026, at her residence in Cambodia, Spintex, Accra.

During interrogation, Stephanie indicated that on 9th March, 2026, at about 14:00 hrs, she booked a ride from Spintex to Oyibi with the complainant as the driver.

Shortly after starting, the driver requested her to change the drop-off location to a nearby destination so he could go “off-trip.”

During the trip, the driver made a call in Ewe, stating, “I am bringing the goods to the location, so wait.”

According to Stephanie, she observed a rag and a hammer in the boot area of the car, and further stated that the driver suddenly stopped at the Toyota Motors Roundabout, and that resulted in a verbal altercation, so she exited the vehicle.

When she got home, Stephanie narrated the incident to her sisters and sent a screenshot of the driver’s profile to her younger sister, Promise Yayra Asamani.

On 11th March, 2026, Stephanie discovered the story had been posted on Snapchat. When confronted, Promise claimed she published the details “to create awareness.”

Further investigations confirmed that Promise Yayra Asamani authored the post, which explicitly labelled the driver a “killer”.

Suspect Promise Yayra Asamani failed to honour an official police invitation on 12th March, 2026, leading to her arrest on Saturday, 14th March, 2026.

During interrogation, she admitted the post was based solely on her sister’s narrative and that she had no evidence to substantiate the allegations against the driver.

She has since been granted police enquiry bail today (March 16/03/2026) as the investigation continues.

The police take this opportunity to caution the general public against publishing false news, since that is against the laws of the country”.

See the post below:

UAE’s biggest port and oil storage facility, Airport strike by Iranian drone attacks

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Iranian drone attacks have struck the United Arab Emirates‘ (UAE) biggest port and oil storage facility, Fujairah, and Dubai’s international airport.

Reports suggest Iran continues to target Gulf transport and oil infrastructure.

The reports by the BBC read, “The United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) biggest port and oil storage facility, Fujairah, and Dubai’s international airport have come under further drone attacks as Iran continues to target Gulf transport and oil infrastructure.

Flights were temporarily suspended on Monday after a fire broke out near the airport after a “drone-related incident”.

A fire also raged after a drone attack on the strategically important port and industrial zone at Fujairah, one of the largest oil storage facilities in the region.

And a rocket attack on a car killed a Palestinian national on the outskirts of the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, the city’s Media Office reported.

The attack occurred in the Al Bahia area, it said.

UAE air defence systems intercepted six ballistic missiles and 21 drones on Monday, the Defence Ministry said. Iran has launched over 1,900 missiles and drones at the UAE since the war between the US and Israel, and Iran, began.

Monday’s drone strike was the third incident since the start of the war near Dubai’s airport, which is the world’s busiest for international passengers.

Some flights were delayed, while others were cancelled altogether, in another hit to the UAE’s image of safety and stability.

The country’s energy sector came under attack as a drone hit an oil storage tanker on Saturday, and another drone hit the oil facilities on Monday, causing a fire.

Oil loading activities at the port were halted for a time while damage assessments were carried out.

Fujairah sits on the UAE’s eastern coast, on the Gulf of Oman – rather than the Persian Gulf – and so vessels do not need to navigate the Strait of Hormuz to reach it.

The location means the port plays a “crucial” role in “helping keep global supplies moving” when the Strait of Hormuz is blocked by Iran, Dubai-based Justin Harper, editor of CEO Middle East – who regularly speaks to Dubai’s oil industry executives – told the BBC.

“If tensions with Iran disrupt the chokepoint, the UAE can still export oil through Fujairah via pipelines from the oilfields in Abu Dhabi,” he said.

The port city is “ideally placed to bypass the Strait of Hormuz”, said Dubai-based oil analyst Matt Stanley, who works for commodities data provider Kpler.

“The UAE’s state oil company Adnoc have their oil tankers there, it is crude grade oil which is what the Asian buyers want.”

Iran hitting a storage tanker and oil facilities at Fujairah “shows the vulnerability of Gulf infrastructure”, Stanley told the BBC.

“Iran wants to disrupt the flow of energy”.

The port city is close to India and the “first stop out of the Middle East on the way to Singapore and China”, Stanley said.

“Fujairah is on the old Silk Road, the maritime route, and it picked up a lot of business bunkering – that is, providing fuel, food, water – for container ships that have been at sea for 25 or 30 days.”

Fujairah is like a “huge vending machine” for ships, Stanley added.

Despite the attacks on Dubai, Harper says the business community there is “resilient”. Restaurants have been offering deals to get people back into restaurants, and “the malls still seem to be busy”. People “underestimate Dubai and its ability to survive a downturn”, he added.

Last week, the UAE’s Minister of State Lana Nusseibeh vowed in a BBC interview that her country would “bounce back” from the conflict, insisting that its economy was “resilient””.

See the post below:

“The children were frightened and started running” – TMA Daycare staff speaks on microlight aircraft crash

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A staff member of TMA Daycare, Site 18, in Tema Community One, on Monday, March 16, 2026, has shared how they managed to evacuate the children following the March 16 microlight aircraft crash.

According to the Daycare staff, most of the children were asleep, and those awake during the crash were frightened and started running.

Speaking to the media, the daycare staff stated, “When the helicopter crashed, most of the children were asleep. Those who were awake became frightened and started running. We had to hold the hands of those who were asleep and drag them on the floor outside the school building.

“Some people who were close really helped us. They did very well, and may God bless them because they came out to support us like ordinary citizens,” she said.

She further revealed that the sudden crash left the children traumatised.

“I don’t think I will be able to sleep because we didn’t even see it coming. All we saw was that it had crashed on the ground and the intense heat that came with it. The children who were not asleep didn’t know where to go. They were very scared.

“The school building itself was not affected, but because the school belongs to the assembly, I don’t think we will come to work tomorrow. We have about 65 children in the school,” she added.

Reports earlier revealed a helicopter reportedly plummeted from the sky, crashing into the Oninku Drive School Park in Tema Community One.

Reports suggest the tragic incident occurred on Monday, March 16, with two people on board the helicopter dying from the impact of the crash.

Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service rushed to the scene to douse the flames at the site with the help of law enforcement officers from the Ghana Police Service. They recovered the burnt bodies of the victims.

Meanwhile, Mr Ahmed Abdullia, the Assemblyman for the Kwesi Plange Electoral Area, has revealed that none of the students was hurt.

The news shared by Ghana News Agency stated, “Three persons are feared dead following a helicopter crash at the Oninku Drive School Park in Tema Community One.

Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service are currently at the scene working to retrieve the charred bodies from the wreckage”.

The helicopter has now been described as a Sky Arrow microlight helicopter.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, in a statement, said the aircraft with registration number 9GADV was flying to Accra from Ho.

The GCAA says investigations are underway and that further information will be provided in due course.

Microlights are typically much smaller aircraft, seating two people and mainly used for recreational purposes.

Also, Deputy Minister for Defence, Brogya Genfi, has clarified that the microlight aircraft, which crashed in Tema on Monday, does not belong to the Ghana Armed Forces.

In a Facebook post shared late Monday afternoon, Brogya Genfi stated, “We have received reports of a fatal crash involving a privately owned microlight aircraft at Tema Community 1 this afternoon,” the Deputy Minister wrote.

“We wish to clarify that the aircraft is not owned by the Ghana Armed Forces.”

“We pray for the souls of the departed and extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved families,” his post added.

Watch the video below:

Freddie Blay transferred to a medical facility for urgent attention shortly after being remanded

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The information gathered suggests that Freddie Blay, a former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has been transferred to a medical facility for urgent attention shortly after being remanded.

Reports by TV3 shared on X stated, “Freddie Blay has been transferred from custody to a medical facility for urgent attention, shortly after being remanded by a Circuit Court”.

Freddie Blay was arrested and denied bail by the Akropong Circuit Court.

Reports suggest that Freddie Blay was arrested by the Ghana Police Service after a warrant issued for his arrest was executed on Monday, March 16, 2026.

The information gathered suggests the arrest stems from the former NPP chairman, who allegedly ordered a demolition order for a house under construction on a parcel of land at Kitase.

According to reports, investigators who later visited the site arrested five individuals who were allegedly clearing the land with the use of a backhoe.

During interrogation, a suspect is said to have reportedly mentioned Freddie Blay’s name and another individual, Nana Osae Ntifo I, also known as Dada, as the persons who allegedly directed them.

Nana Osae Ntifo, I was subsequently arrested near the police station. Later, Freddie Blay was invited by the police to assist with investigations, but reportedly failed to honour the invitation.

Reports by Citinews stated, “Charges were subsequently filed against him, but he was absent from court without explanation on the scheduled arraignment date in April 2025. The court therefore issued a warrant for his arrest, which was executed on Monday.

However, sources close to Mr Blay say he was unaware of the arrest warrant prior to his arrest.

According to the sources, the dispute concerns a parcel of land the former NPP chairman purchased in 1994, but which later became the subject of litigation”.

However, sources close to Freddie Blay insist he did not order the demolition of any building, stressing that the NPP chairman rather instructed that a bare piece of land be cleared in January 2026 to prevent the breeding of dangerous animals.

“The sources added that the complainant had earlier secured a favourable judgment at the High Court in Koforidua, but that ruling has since been appealed.

They further claimed that attempts to serve the complainant with processes relating to the appeal were unsuccessful.

According to the sources, aside from the ongoing appeal proceedings, Mr Blay was unaware of any other court case against him and had no knowledge of the arrest warrant until it was executed on Monday”, the report added.

Meanwhile, the Akropong Circuit Court has ordered the remand of Freddie Blay.

Freddie Blay is expected to remain in custody until his next scheduled appearance on 9th April, 2026.

See the post below:

Crashed microlight aircraft does not belong to GAF – Deputy Defence Minister

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Deputy Minister for Defence, Brogya Genfi, has clarified that the microlight aircraft, which crashed in Tema on Monday, does not belong to the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).

In a Facebook post shared late Monday afternoon, Brogya Genfi stated, “We have received reports of a fatal crash involving a privately owned microlight aircraft at Tema Community 1 this afternoon,” the Deputy Minister wrote.

“We wish to clarify that the aircraft is not owned by the Ghana Armed Forces.”

“We pray for the souls of the departed and extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved families,” his post added.

Reports earlier revealed a helicopter reportedly plummeted from the sky, crashing into the Oninku Drive School Park in Tema Community One.

The information gathered suggests the tragic incident occurred on Monday, March 16, with two people on board the helicopter dying from the impact of the crash.

Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service rushed to the scene to douse the flames at the site with the help of law enforcement officers from the Ghana Police Service. They recovered the burnt bodies of the victims.

Meanwhile, Mr Ahmed Abdullia, the Assemblyman for the Kwesi Plange Electoral Area, has revealed that none of the students was hurt.

The news shared by Ghana News Agency stated, “Three persons are feared dead following a helicopter crash at the Oninku Drive School Park in Tema Community One.

Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service are currently at the scene working to retrieve the charred bodies from the wreckage”.

The helicopter has now been described as a Sky Arrow microlight helicopter.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, in a statement, said the aircraft with registration number 9GADV was flying to Accra from Ho.

The GCAA says investigations are underway and that further information will be provided in due course.

Microlights are typically much smaller aircraft, seating two people and mainly used for recreational purposes.

Also, Deputy Minister for Defence, Brogya Genfi, has clarified that the microlight aircraft, which crashed in Tema on Monday, does not belong to the Ghana Armed Forces.

In a Facebook post shared late Monday afternoon, Brogya Genfi stated, “We have received reports of a fatal crash involving a privately owned microlight aircraft at Tema Community 1 this afternoon,” the Deputy Minister wrote.

“We wish to clarify that the aircraft is not owned by the Ghana Armed Forces.”

“We pray for the souls of the departed and extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved families,” his post added.

In related news, A staff member of TMA Daycare, Site 18, in Tema Community One, on Monday, March 16, 2026, has shared how they managed to evacuate the children following the March 16 Helicopter Crash.

According to the Daycare staff, most of the children were asleep, and those awake during the crash were frightened.

Speaking to the media, the daycare staff stated, “When the helicopter crashed, most of the children were asleep. Those who were awake became frightened and started running. We had to hold the hands of those who were asleep and drag them on the floor outside the school building.

“Some people who were close really helped us. They did very well, and may God bless them because they came out to support us like ordinary citizens,” she said.

She further revealed that the sudden crash left the children traumatised.

“I don’t think I will be able to sleep because we didn’t even see it coming. All we saw was that it had crashed on the ground and the intense heat that came with it. The children who were not asleep didn’t know where to go. They were very scared.

“The school building itself was not affected, but because the school belongs to the assembly, I don’t think we will come to work tomorrow. We have about 65 children in the school,” she added.

See the post below:

NPP’s former Chairman Freddie Blay remanded in custody, case adjourned to April 9

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Freddie Blay, the former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has been remanded into police custody by the Akropong Circuit Court.

The NPP’s former National Chairman is expected to remain in custody until his next scheduled appearance on 9th April, 2026.

The information gathered suggests that Freddie Blay was transferred to a medical facility for urgent attention shortly after being remanded.

Reports by TV3 shared on X stated, “Freddie Blay has been transferred from custody to a medical facility for urgent attention, shortly after being remanded by a Circuit Court”.

Freddie Blay was arrested and denied bail by the Akropong Circuit Court.

Reports suggest that Freddie Blay was arrested by the Ghana Police Service after a warrant issued for his arrest was executed on Monday, March 16, 2026.

The information gathered suggests the arrest stems from the former NPP chairman, who allegedly ordered a demolition order for a house under construction on a parcel of land at Kitase.

According to reports, investigators who later visited the site arrested five individuals who were allegedly clearing the land with the use of a backhoe.

During interrogation, a suspect is said to have reportedly mentioned Freddie Blay’s name and another individual, Nana Osae Ntifo I, also known as Dada, as the persons who allegedly directed them.

Nana Osae Ntifo, I was subsequently arrested near the police station. Later, Freddie Blay was invited by the police to assist with investigations, but reportedly failed to honour the invitation.

Reports by Citinews stated, “Charges were subsequently filed against him, but he was absent from court without explanation on the scheduled arraignment date in April 2025. The court therefore issued a warrant for his arrest, which was executed on Monday.

However, sources close to Mr Blay say he was unaware of the arrest warrant prior to his arrest.

According to the sources, the dispute concerns a parcel of land the former NPP chairman purchased in 1994, but which later became the subject of litigation”.

However, sources close to Freddie Blay insist he did not order the demolition of any building, stressing that the NPP chairman rather instructed that a bare piece of land be cleared in January 2026 to prevent the breeding of dangerous animals.

“The sources added that the complainant had earlier secured a favourable judgment at the High Court in Koforidua, but that ruling has since been appealed.

They further claimed that attempts to serve the complainant with processes relating to the appeal were unsuccessful.

According to the sources, aside from the ongoing appeal proceedings, Mr Blay was unaware of any other court case against him and had no knowledge of the arrest warrant until it was executed on Monday”, the report added.

President Mahama directs an increase in security services recruitment from 5000 to 10,000 yearly

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President John Dramani Mahama has directed an increase in security services recruitment from 5000 to 10,000 yearly.

A statement from the presidency dated Monday, March 16, revealed the directive comes following a high-level meeting with heads of the various agencies.

President Mahama’s directives will see the number of men and women recruited to the various security agencies increased from twenty thousand (20,000) to forty thousand (40,000) over four years.

In a Presidency communication shared by signed by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, read, “President John Dramani Mahama has held a high-level meeting with the Heads of Security Agencies, Minister for the Interior and Acting Minister for Defence on the ongoing security services recruitment process.

Following a briefing on the process, the President has directed that the number of men and women to be recruited to the various security agencies should be increased from twenty thousand (20,000) to forty thousand (40,000) over a four-year period.

The President has also directed the Heads of the Security Agencies to ensure transparency and fairness in the recruitment process.

Present at the meeting were the Chief of Staff, Secretary to the President, Senior Presidential Advisor on Governmental Affairs, National Security Coordinator, Inspector General of Police, Director General Prisons, Director General Fire Service, Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service and the Director General of the Narcotics Control Commission”.

The development follows, Muntaka Mubarak, the Minister for the Interior, who had revealed that only 5000 applicants out of 105,000 qualified for medicals will be recruited.

The Interior Minister stressed that the introduction of the aptitude test was to prevent the unfair practice of having 400,000 people pay for medicals for a space of 5,000.

According to the Interior Minister, the pass mark of the aptitude exams was 65, which has 105,000 applicants qualifying for medicals.

Addressing a press briefing on Wednesday, March 11, made this known to the public, revealing that only 5000 applicants out of 105,000 qualified for medicals will be recruited.

Speaking to the media, Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka stated, “So, if you do that, are you fair to the average Ghanaian? Remember, all these stages, apart from buying the voucher to be able to apply, body selection does not require payment; documentation does not require payment; the aptitude test does not require payment, but medicals will require payment.

“And in order not to shortchange innocent young people, it is better you put in a mechanism that will reduce the number drastically, because once a person goes to pay, I mean, I know the military, when they were done, the medicals alone were about 1,600.

“We are also doing even mental health assessments, and we’re also doing drug tests in addition. Yes, I know the deputy, and I were just in a meeting, and we’re insisting that despite all these additions, the price will still not be very high, looking at the numbers that we are talking about.

“Are you going to allow over 400,000 people to go and do medicals when you know you have space for 5,000? How fair is it to the people? So, you need to devise a method where you slow down the number and have some reasonable figures. So, the pass mark was put at 65, because that was what they were told before they even started the exams,” he said.

See the post below:

Video – 2 dead following a tragic helicopter crash at Tema School Park

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A helicopter has reportedly plummeted from the sky, crashing into the Oninku Drive School Park in Tema Community One.

Reports suggest the tragic incident occurred on Monday, March 16, with two people on board the helicopter dying from the impact of the crash.

Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service rushed to the scene to douse the flames at the site with the help of law enforcement officers from the Ghana Police Service. They recovered the burnt bodies of the victims.

Meanwhile, Mr Ahmed Abdullia, the Assemblyman for the Kwesi Plange Electoral Area, has revealed that none of the students was hurt.

The news shared by Ghana News Agency stated, “Three persons are feared dead following a helicopter crash at the Oninku Drive School Park in Tema Community One.

Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service are currently at the scene working to retrieve the charred bodies from the wreckage”.

In related helicopter crash news in, Captain Paul Forjoe, a member of the investigative committee probing the tragic military helicopter crash on August 6, some months ago, revealed that the crash report recommends that the Ghana Armed Forces acquire modern helicopters and a training simulator.

According to the investigative committee report, the Air Force must invest in simulators for recurrent pilot training.

He further added that Ghana contracts certified aviation weather providers and develops en route navigational aids, especially in remote areas.

Speaking during the official presentation of the findings, Captain Forjoe detailed, “We have recommended that the Air Force acquire modern aircraft with terrain avoidance warning systems and modern navigation systems”.

“The aircraft should also have cockpit voice recorders and flight data recorders, which are the audio-visual capable types.”

Captain Forjoe added that the Air Force should consider establishing flight data monitoring that will allow better real-time oversight of aircraft operations.

“The Air Force should seriously consider establishing flight data monitoring and en route tracking systems,” he explained.

Also, Captain (Rtd) Paul Forjoe, a retired pilot and a senior aviation engineer with the Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation and Prevention Bureau (AIB), revealed that the August 6, 2025, military helicopter crash was caused by a sudden altitude change.

According to the investigative committee, the tragedy was caused by a sudden loss of altitude and lift resulting from a powerful downdraft.

Captain (Rtd) Paul Forjoe detailed, “The investigation determined that the accident was caused by the sudden loss of altitude and lift due to downdraft.

“This loss of altitude without a change in power or pitch altitude is consistent with a downdraft associated with changing environmental conditions over high terrain,” Captain Forjoe stated.

Watch the video below:

“Security recruitment a scam, I’ve told Winneba youths not to go for the medical screening” – Afenyo-Markin

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Minority Leader, Afenyo-Markin, has reiterated his concerns about the ongoing security service recruitment process, calling it a scam.

Afenyo Markin revealed that he has advised his constituents not to pay any fees for the medical exams, as those who pass could still be disqualified.

Speaking in a viral video, Alexander Afenyo-Markin stated, “The security services recruitment has turned into a scam. I have advised applicants in my constituency who qualified for the medicals not to attend, as it is a scam. When we speak to the government, they don’t listen and become angry when you offer advice”.

Earlier, Afenyo-Markin on the floor of parliament proposed that the Ministry of the Interior consider refunding the fees of applicants disqualified from the security service recruitment.

According to Afenyo-Markin, if the Ministry of the Interior can’t refund disqualified applicants, they should consider measures to allow them to be recruited in future years without the need to purchase vouchers again.

Speaking on the floor of parliament, Afenyo Markin stated, “Beyond this, we may have to look at the number of people who have bought forms and have gone through all this hell and whether there is a way for them to get their money refunded if they do not get the opportunity.

If they cannot be refunded, there must be a system to move them next year. Because over 200,000 have bought forms, 90,000 plus are going through the aptitude test, and we are being told only 5000 will be taken”, he added.

The minority leader’s remarks follow, Muntaka Mubarak, the Minister for the Interior, who has revealed that only 5000 applicants out of 105,000 qualified for medicals will be recruited.

The Interior Minister stressed that the introduction of the aptitude test was to prevent the unfair practice of having 400,000 people pay for medicals for a space of 5,000.

According to the Interior Minister, the pass mark of the aptitude exams was 65, which has 105,000 applicants qualifying for medicals.

Addressing a press briefing on Wednesday, March 11, made this known to the public, revealing that only 5000 applicants out of 105,000 qualified for medicals will be recruited.

Speaking to the media, Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka stated, “So, if you do that, are you fair to the average Ghanaian? Remember, all these stages, apart from buying the voucher to be able to apply, body selection does not require payment; documentation does not require payment; the aptitude test does not require payment, but medicals will require payment.

“And in order not to shortchange innocent young people, it is better you put in a mechanism that will reduce the number drastically, because once a person goes to pay, I mean, I know the military, when they were done, the medicals alone were about 1,600.

“We are also doing even mental health assessments, and we’re also doing drug tests in addition. Yes, I know the deputy, and I were just in a meeting, and we’re insisting that despite all these additions, the price will still not be very high, looking at the numbers that we are talking about.

“Are you going to allow over 400,000 people to go and do medicals when you know you have space for 5,000? How fair is it to the people? So, you need to devise a method where you slow down the number and have some reasonable figures. So, the pass mark was put at 65, because that was what they were told before they even started the exams,” he said.

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“Ken Ofori-Atta’s decision to seek permanent residence in the U.S. personal” – Frank Davies

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Frank Davies, a member of the Legal Team of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, has disclosed that his client’s decision to seek permanent residence in the U.S. is personal.

According to Frank Davies, Ken Ofori-Atta’s decision to seek permanent residence in the U.S has nothing to do with his legal matter but personal.

Frank Davis is quoted by TV3 as saying, “Ken Ofori-Atta’s decision to seek permanent residence in the U.S. is a personal and not a legal matter”.

His remarks follow, Enayat Qasimi, a US-based lawyer representing Ghana’s Ken Ofori-Atta, disclosing that his client has a pathway to US residency.

According to Ken Ofori-Atta’s US-based lawyer, his client will pursue permanent US residency rather than returning to his home country.

Reports by JOYNEWs revealed Enayat Qasimi told Semafor his client has a “pathway to residency” that he would pursue.

“He claimed there were “serious questions” about the independence of the Ghanaian judiciary and said that Mr Ofori-Atta had been subjected to a “political witch hunt” that meant he was unlikely to receive a fair trial over alleged financial impropriety while in office, from 2017 to 2024”, JoyNews is quoted to have said.

Meanwhile, Kojo Acquah Yankah, a former Member of Parliament and Minister of State in the Rawlings government, has said Bible-quoting Ofori-Atta should have the courage and convictions to face all odds.

According to Kojo Yankah, reports indicating former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is seeking permanent residence in the USA are unfortunate as well as disappointing.

Kojo Yankah cited Ghana’s former finance minister, like Dr Kwesi Botchwey, Richard Kwame Peprah, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, Seth Terkper, and Dr Mohammed Amin, who did not seek permanent refuge abroad.

He added that  Ken is seeking to abandon his traditional heritage, his old school mates and the values they inherited, his church fraternity and the teachings.

In a Facebook post, Kojo Yankah wrote, “GHANA HERITAGE MONTH: KENNETH NANA YAW OFORI-ATTA

The confirmation of news reports indicating former Finance Minister (2017-2024) Ken Ofori-Atta is seeking permanent residence in the USA is unfortunate as well as disappointing.

Some of us have known Ken since the 1980s – a pleasant and brilliant product of prestigious Achimota School, Columbia University and Yale University School of Management. He founded Databank in Ghana, and our paths crossed in Liberia, where Databank was opening.

Ken, now 66, is deeply familiar with the legal system in Ghana, and I believe that an honest bible-quoting Christian like him would have the courage of his convictions to face all odds.

From my personal experience in politics, l would agree that politics is an unpredictable path to pursue, yet a necessary avenue to serve public interest.

The position of a Finance Minister is a prestigious one, and any person in that role attracts more eyeballs than probably any other Cabinet minister or public servant. And all those put in that position have not been unaware of the kind of responsibility carried with it.

We have known Dr Kwesi Botchwey, Richard Kwame Peprah, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, Seth Terkper, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam (2024-2025), and NONE of them has sought permanent refuge abroad, and Ken knows this.

So why is Ken Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta seeking to abandon his traditional heritage, his old school mates and the values they inherited, his church fraternity and the teachings that held them together, the colleagues in the party which made him chairman of their Finance Committee, his cousin former President Akufo-Addo who appointed him as Finance Minister and who is still in the country, his many admirers who loved his regular white outfits?

The laws of Ghana, like the values in the villages and in the churches and mosques, have not changed; only the human beings and personalities keep changing positions.

I am not the only one who will be disappointed if Ken sticks to his word, as his US lawyers say: most of those I have mentioned here will also be.

For posterity, and for the history of the Republic of Ghana, this will be a bad precedent! Nothing to be proud of as part of Ghana Heritage! Come home, Ken! This is where you belong!”.

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Wontumi used GH¢50m COCOBOD payment to purchase T-Bills and insurance firm – Kwakye Ofosu

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Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Government Spokesperson, has detailed how the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Chairman Wontumi, moved a GH¢50 million COCOBOD payment.

According to Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Chairman Wontumi moved GH¢30 million of a GH¢50 million COCOBOD payment into Treasury Bills and used about GH¢20 million to set up an insurance company.

Speaking on the Key Points on TV3 on Saturday, March 14, 2026, Kwakye Ofosu disclosed, “On the 8th of January 2025, GH¢50 million was paid to Chairman Wontumi by COCOBOD for some work he was said to have done. He moved GH¢30 million to purchase Treasury Bills, and about GH¢23 million was used to set up an insurance company. All these have been frozen”.

It will be recalled that Dr Dominic Ayine, the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, also revealed that Chairman Wontumi’s assets have been frozen.

Addressing the media in Accra on Monday, December 22, the Attorney General revealed that Wontumi’s assets have been frozen, including a  ₵50 million account belonging to his insurance company.

The Attorney General made this known while also disclosing that Wontumi forged a receipt to secure a GH¢4m EXIM bank loan.

According to the Attorney-General, Chairman Wontumi and his company, Wontumi Farms Limited, made fraudulent misrepresentations to Exim Bank to obtain the loan facility.

He revealed that investigations conducted by the Economic and Organised Crime Office revealed evidence of defrauding by false pretences, forgery, and causing financial loss to the state.

Dr Dominic Ayine announced that Bernard Antwi Boasiako, chief promoter of Wontumi Farms, Exim Bank approved a medium term-loan facility of Ghs18,734,260.00, which included a grant component of Ghs6,768,260.00.

This offer was accepted via a letter dated January 23, 2018, and Chairman Wontumi, acting as the Chief Executive Officer of Wontumi Farms Limited and Thomas Antwi Boasiako, as director of Wontumi Farms Limited.

The invoice was submitted on December 15, 2017, as part of the loan application process.

Subsequently, Exim Bank demanded proof that the equipment had been purchased. On March 18, 2018, Chairman Wontumi submitted a receipt from Kas-Sama Enterprise for the purchase of the equipment in the sum of Ghs4 Million.

However, and this is where it gets interesting, the equipment purchased, as shown on the said receipt, included a bulldozer and an excavator.

Dr Dominic Ayine detailed, “Our investigations established that Chairman Wontumi had approached Kas-Sama Enterprise, an industrial equipment dealer and obtained an invoice with a promise to return to purchase the said equipment. He never went back to purchase the equipment. Instead, he forged the invoice he obtained from Kas-Sama Enterprise by removing the word “invoice” and replacing it with “receipt”.

This forged receipt was then submitted to Exim Bank as proof that he had purchased the said equipment after the disbursement.

The owner of Kas-Sama Enterprise confirmed to investigators that the only document he issued to Wontumi Farms through Chairman Wontumi was an invoice and not a receipt.

He stated that after he issued the invoice, he never heard from Chairman Wontumi again despite repeated follow-upcalls.

The forged receipt submitted to Exim Bank suggested that Kas-Sama Enterprise acknowledged receipt of Four Million Ghana Cedis for the purchase of earth-moving machines and farming equipment. The so-called receipt had on it “50 days to supply and 1 year guarantee and service, meaning that it was a pro-form invoice and not a receipt of payment”.

The Attorney General further revealed that prosecution will commence after the Christmas break, following the exact amount being confirmed by EXIM Bank.

He added, “In the face of the evidence we have gathered in this investigation, thoroughly conducted by EOCO, we have made the decision to prosecute Wontumi farms, and it’s directors with defrauding by false pretences, forgery and causing financial loss to the state in the sum of GHS24,255,735.

“This figure represents the principal sum plus the interest that has accrued so far. By the time we file charges, which will definitely be after the Christmas break, it might be that this figure would have increased because the interest on the principal keeps compounding. “So we will get the exact figure of the amount that is involved in this criminal enterprise from the EXIM bank before we file charges in court.”

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NPP former Chairman Freddie Blay arrested, denied bail

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Freddie Blay, a former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has been arrested and denied bail by the Akropong Circuit Court.

Reports suggest that Freddie Blay was arrested by the Ghana Police Service after a warrant issued for his arrest was executed on Monday, March 16, 2026.

The information gathered suggests the arrest stems from the former NPP chairman, who allegedly ordered a demolition order for a house under construction on a parcel of land at Kitase.

According to reports, investigators who later visited the site arrested five individuals who were allegedly clearing the land with the use of a backhoe.

During interrogation, a suspect is said to have reportedly mentioned Freddie Blay’s name and another individual, Nana Osae Ntifo I, also known as Dada, as the persons who allegedly directed them.

Nana Osae Ntifo, I was subsequently arrested near the police station. Later, Freddie Blay was invited by the police to assist with investigations, but reportedly failed to honour the invitation.

Reports by Citinews stated, “Charges were subsequently filed against him, but he was absent from court without explanation on the scheduled arraignment date in April 2025. The court therefore issued a warrant for his arrest, which was executed on Monday.

However, sources close to Mr Blay say he was unaware of the arrest warrant prior to his arrest.

According to the sources, the dispute concerns a parcel of land the former NPP chairman purchased in 1994, but which later became the subject of litigation”.

However, sources close to Freddie Blay insist he did not order the demolition of any building, stressing that the NPP chairman rather instructed that a bare piece of land be cleared in January 2026 to prevent the breeding of dangerous animals.

“The sources added that the complainant had earlier secured a favourable judgment at the High Court in Koforidua, but that ruling has since been appealed.

They further claimed that attempts to serve the complainant with processes relating to the appeal were unsuccessful.

According to the sources, aside from the ongoing appeal proceedings, Mr Blay was unaware of any other court case against him and had no knowledge of the arrest warrant until it was executed on Monday”, the report added.

In related news, An Accra High Court has ordered Chairman Wontumi to open his defence in the Samreboi concession open his defence in Samreboi illegal mining trial.

The High Court dismissed the NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman’s application filed by lawyers for the submission of no case.

On Monday, March 16, 2026, Justice Audrey Kokuvie Tay ruled that the state prosecution had successfully established a prima facie case against Chairman Wontumi, his company Akonta Mining, and Mr Kwame Antwi, who is currently at large.

The Judge stressed that the Chairman Wontumi, Akonta Mining, and Mr Kwame Antwi must explain the evidence adduced against them.

In court, the State team, led by Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice Dr Justice Srem-Sai, implored the court to dismiss the application.

He argued that credible, admissible and legally sufficient evidence had been led touching on every essential element of the offences charged.

Dr Justice Srem-Sai highlighted that Wontumi admitted in both his investigation, caution and charge statements that he allowed the second prosecution witness access to the concession.

The State prosecution added that evidence showed the accused person did not merely allow statutory breaches to occur.

“He financially aligned himself with the unlawful operations, granted operational access, and provided logistical support without the required approvals,” the State had submitted.

Justice Audrey Kokuvie Tay agreed with the prosecution’s position, ruling that there was sufficient evidence on record that required the accused persons to mount a defence.

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