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“This is not the end” – Mahama says after UN approves of Ghana’s motion on slavery reparations

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“This is not the end” – Mahama says after UN approves of Ghana’s motion on slavery reparations

President John Dramani Mahama has said the United Nations’ approval of a motion on slavery reparations is not the end, as it is only the beginning of the fight for justice on slave reparations.

John Dramani Mahama at the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, tabled a resolution calling on the UN to recognise the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade as the gravest crime ever committed against humanity.

Following a massive debate, the motion was adopted with 123 countries voting in favour of the slavery reparations motion tabled.

The United States, Argentina, and Israel voted against it, while 52 European Nations 52 abstained.

Speaking after the General Assembly session on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, President Mahama labelled the slavery reparations as a significant milestone.

President Mahama stressed that the outcome, while historic, must transform into sustained global action.

Speaking after the General Assembly session, Mahama stated, “This is not the end. This is the beginning. What we’ve achieved today creates a platform for the struggle for reparative justice”.

“We must take this success and begin to work so that those who denied our ancestors their humanity, those who denied our ancestors their dignity, can accept the truth that this is what happened,” he said.

He added, “Today we’ve accepted that this was a grave crime against humanity — the gravest indeed”.

“This victory is not for Ghana. We did it for the whole of Africa and all people of African descent. If we keep this coalition, we will take the next steps together,” he said.

“Today’s victory is to ensure that we do not forget, and will never forget. As long as this resolution has been passed, our ancestors will never, ever be forgotten,” he concluded.

However, the US, they acknowledge the horrors of the past, but do not accept this resolution, as they do not support legal claims for reparations.

The US representative during the  80th United Nations General Assembly argued that the US government, led by President Donald Trump, opposed the resolution.

They argued that the calls for reparations cannot hold because slavery was legal during the era of the transatlantic slave trade.

“The United States has defined long-standing objectives to the framing of reparatory justice and the duty of reparation for historical wrongs. While we acknowledge the horrors of the past, we do not accept this resolution’s assertion that historical facts from the 15th through 19th centuries constitute violations of jus cogens, as the term is understood in contemporary international law.

“The United States also does not recognise a legal right to reparations for historical wrongs that were not illegal under international law at the time they occurred. In addition to its obvious legal problems, this resolution is also unclear as to who the recipients of reparatory justice would be. The drafters and supporters of this resolution seem to believe it is them,” he said.

The US representative also stated that the resolution goes against the main objective of the United Nations, which is the maintenance of world peace and security.

“We regret that the United States must once again remind this body that the United Nations exists to maintain international peace and security. It was not founded to advance narrow, specific interests and agendas, to establish niche international days, or to create new costly meeting and reporting mandates. This resolution does all three,” he added.

Meanwhile, award-winning investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has opposed President John Dramani Mahama’s calls for reparations to Africa for the transatlantic slave trade.

According to Manasseh, if reparations are to be paid, countries such as Ghana should also be required to pay them for their role in the slave trade.

He highlighted that it will not be right to pay reparations to those who took part and benefited from the slave trade, even though the benefits and exploitation of the enslaved people were disproportional.

Manasseh detailed that descendants of the slaves in America, the Caribbean and elsewhere rightfully deserve reparations, not African countries whose people captured and sold slaves.

He, however, labelled African countries that captured and sold slaves as ‘accomplices’, not victims.

“No-bed syndrome unacceptable in this day and age” – Ken Agyapong

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“No-bed syndrome unacceptable in this day and age” – Ken Agyapong

Ken Agyapong, the former Member of Parliament for Assin Central, weighed in on the ongoing no-bed syndrome Ghana’s health care system is facing.

According to Ken Agyapong, no-bed syndrome is unacceptable in this day and age.

Ken Agyapong warned that critically ill patients should not be turned away because beds are unavailable.

In a post shared on his Facebook page on March 25, 2026, Ken Agyapong detailed how he supported Ghana’s health sector, like the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Ho Teaching Hospital, Agogo Hospital in the Ashanti Region, Tamale Teaching Hospital, and the Assin Fosu Roman Catholic Hospital.  

“As a country, we must begin to speak more honestly about the painful reality confronting our healthcare system, the persistent ‘no-bed syndrome.’ It is unacceptable that in this day and age, a Ghanaian in critical condition can be turned away from a hospital simply because there is no bed available.

“Over the years, I have made it a personal responsibility to contribute in my own way to easing this burden. At the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, I supported the Oncology Department with $145,000 cash and about 200 hospital beds to improve emergency and inpatient care. At the Ho Teaching Hospital, Agogo Hospital in the Ashanti Region, Tamale Teaching Hospital, Assin Fosu Roman Catholic Hospital and many more, I donated beds, wheelchairs and essential medical consumables to enhance patient care and comfort,” he stated.

In related news, the Emergency Medicine Residents at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) have said the ‘No-bed syndrome’ crisis in Ghana’s healthcare delivery is real.

According to the Emergency Medicine Residents at the Korle Bu, the evidence is real. The crisis is real, and the response must be equally real.

In a press statement issued on March 23, the residents disclosed that the viral video of patients being treated on the floor is a National Crisis, not a Korle Bu problem.

According to the Emergency Medicine Residents, the videos showing patients being treated on the floor are authentic, not AI-generated.

In the Emergency Medicine Residents’ press statement issued on March 23, it reads, “We, the Emergency Medicine Residents of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), respond to management’s News Release of March 21, 2026. We write to ensure the public record accurately reflects the conditions under which care is being delivered and the systemic failures that made them inevitable

The Floor Incident: Setting the Record Straight

The video footage is authentic. When the surge in patients exhausted all available beds, chairs were provided. When those chairs were also exhausted, patients had no option but to receive care on the floor. This sequence was witnessed by every member of our clinical team. Characterising this documentation as ‘AI-generated or ‘media slander’ is factually inaccurate and an affront to both patients and staff.

200 Beds Are Not Enough

The procurement of 200 beds, while noted, does not address the crisis. Beds without functional oxygen points, airway equipment, monitoring tools, adequate floor space, and sufficient nursing and physician staffing ratios do not improve care. They congest an already overwhelmed space. A comprehensive, resourced solution is required, not headline figures.

A National Crisis, Not a KBTH Problem

This crisis is a symptom of a fractured national emergency response system driven by:

1. Dysfunctional referral pathways: Patients are dumped at tertiary centres because primary and secondary facilities cannot hold them.

2. Absent pre-hospital coordination: Patients arrive critically ill with no advance notice and no basic interventions initiated

3. No national bed-tracking system makes real-time patient redistribution impossible.

We do not call for more beds in hallways. We call for a strengthened national healthcare grid.

We urge management and the Ministry of Health to move past PR-focused responses and commit to a transparent and systemic reform. The evidence is real. The crisis is real. And the response must be equally real”.

The Emergency Medicine Residents at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) statement follows Dr Yakubu Seidu Adam, who had earlier claimed that the viral video of patients on the floor might be  AI-generated.

The Korle Bu CEO claimed that the viral video of patients lying on the floor does not reflect the reality of the hospital’s emergency wards amid ongoing concerns over the “no-bed syndrome.

He made this clarification during a working visit by the Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, on Saturday, March 21.

According to the Korle Bu CEO, an increase in patient numbers, but clarified that while some patients may be seated on chairs due to high demand, patients have not slept on the floor.

“We are still reviewing the images to ascertain whether it is AI-generated,” he added.

The Emergency Medicine Residents’ statement follows an alarming viral footage that has surfaced on social media of some patients at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) seen lying on the bare floors of Ghana’s biggest hospital.

See the post below:

“African countries are accomplices, not victims” – Manasseh opposes Mahama’s call for reparations to Africa

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“African countries are accomplices, not victims” – Manasseh opposes Mahama’s call for reparations to Africa

Award-winning investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has opposed President John Dramani Mahama’s calls for reparations to Africa for the transatlantic slave trade.

According to Manasseh, if reparations are to be paid, countries such as Ghana should also be required to pay them for their role in the slave trade.

He highlighted that it will not be right to pay reparations to those who took part and benefited from the slave trade, even though the benefits and exploitation of the enslaved people were disproportional.

Manasseh detailed that descendants of the slaves in America, the Caribbean and elsewhere rightfully deserve reparations, not African countries whose people captured and sold slaves.

He, however, labelled African countries that captured and sold slaves as ‘accomplices’, not victims.

Parts of Manasseh’s post on shared on Facebook wrote, “The slave trade boomed whenever there were wars among African ethnic groups. Some wars were waged for the purpose of capturing and selling slaves. The powerful kingdoms got money from selling slaves, with which they bought powerful weapons to fight and capture more slaves.

When the British abolished the slave trade, some powerful African kings, including some in Ghana, were unhappy that their source of wealth was being stifled.

I also read that some African countries, such as Benin, have formally apologised for their role in capturing and selling their own people into slavery.

Ghana subtly acknowledged its role when it launched the Joseph Project during the celebration of Ghana’s 50th independence anniversary. (In the Bible, Joseph was sold by his own brothers.)

That brings us to the second part of the push, which is the payment of reparations. If reparations are to be paid, countries such as Ghana should also be required to pay them for their role in the slave trade.

It will not be right to pay reparations to those who took part and benefited from the slave trade, even though the benefits and exploitation of the enslaved people were disproportional.

The descendants of the slaves in America, the Carribean and elsewhere legitimately deserve reparations, but the African countries whose people captured and sold slaves are accomplices, not victims.

In 100 years, it will be untenable for Ghana to demand reparations from China for destroying our forests in the illegal mining scourge. Without tacit support in fronting for the Chinese illegal miners (sometimes providing state security protection), they would not have succeeded in destroying our forests.

We need to tell ourselves the hard truth and learn from how we have hurt ourselves through selfishness and greed”.

Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama at the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, tabled a resolution calling on the UN to recognise the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade as the gravest crime ever committed against humanity.

Following a massive debate, the motion was adopted with 123 countries voting in favour of the slavery reparations motion tabled.

The United States, Argentina, and Israel voted against it, while 52 European Nations 52 abstained.

The three countries opposed the motion, which called for reparations and justice for the transatlantic slave trade.

According to the US, they acknowledge the horrors of the past, but do not accept this resolution, as they do not support legal claims for reparations.

The US representative during the  80th United Nations General Assembly argued that the US government, led by President Donald Trump, opposed the resolution.

They argued that the calls for reparations cannot hold because slavery was legal during the era of the transatlantic slave trade.

“The United States has defined long-standing objectives to the framing of reparatory justice and the duty of reparation for historical wrongs. While we acknowledge the horrors of the past, we do not accept this resolution’s assertion that historical facts from the 15th through 19th centuries constitute violations of jus cogens, as the term is understood in contemporary international law.

“The United States also does not recognise a legal right to reparations for historical wrongs that were not illegal under international law at the time they occurred. In addition to its obvious legal problems, this resolution is also unclear as to who the recipients of reparatory justice would be. The drafters and supporters of this resolution seem to believe it is them,” he said.

The US representative also stated that the resolution goes against the main objective of the United Nations, which is the maintenance of world peace and security.

“We regret that the United States must once again remind this body that the United Nations exists to maintain international peace and security. It was not founded to advance narrow, specific interests and agendas, to establish niche international days, or to create new costly meeting and reporting mandates. This resolution does all three,” he added.

See the post below:

“I don’t know about this” – Watch Zanetor reaction after being called ‘INCOMING’

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“I don’t know about this” – Watch Zanetor reaction after being called ‘INCOMING’

Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, the Member of Parliament for Klottey Korle, has reacted to being referred to as “incoming” amid speculation about a possible appointment as Defence Minister.

According to Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, she does not know anything about the speculation about her possible appointment as Defence Minister.

In a short video shared by The 1957News, Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings was captured as some persons referred to as the “incoming Minister of Defence”.

The MP was seen smiling as she was being referred incoming.

Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings then stated, “Guy, I don’t know about this,” as she continued smiling and was properly placing her scarf around her neck.

However, her denial did not stop the journalists from praising her, as they could be heard saying, “We are proud of you.”

The Member of Parliament for Klottey Korle continued to giggle as she descended from the staircase.

The video surfaced at the time Fifi Kwetey, the General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), shared a post on social media, which has rekindled rumours of President John Dramani Mahama’s decision to appoint Dr Zanetor Agyeman Rawlings as Minister of Defence.

The NDC General Secretary dropped a cryptic post, which suggests that what is meant for one will come together at the right time.

In a social media post shared on Monday, March 23, 2026, Fifi Kwetey and Dr Agyemang Rawlings, the Member of Parliament for Klottey Korle, were captured in a photo, both smiling.

The NDC General Secretary, in his post, wrote, “Don’t rush your journey. What is meant for you will come together at the right time. Stay patient. Stay consistent.

“Have a great and peaceful week,”

In related news, rumours last year alleged that Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings was emerging as a top contender for the Defence Minister position.

According to reports, Zenator Agyemang-Rawlings is emerging as a strong favourite for the next Defence Minister, with many within the ruling National Democratic Congress and civil society pushing her nomination.

It has been alleged that her supporters argue that she brings integrity, discipline and a fresh strategic outlook, while insiders say discussions are intensifying ahead of an expected ministerial reshuffle.

However,  President John Dramani Mahama in December 2025 told Ghanaians speculating about his appointing a Defence, Environment Minister to go and enjoy the Christmas holiday.

According to John Mahama, he will appoint a Defence and Environment Minister next year after the Christmas holiday.

President Mahama, speaking during a meeting at the Jubilee House, stated, “They say Allah gives and Allah takes. He took two of our comrades, and we haven’t filled those positions yet. I can see people speculating that he is going to appoint a new Defence minister, a new Environment minister.

We are not in a hurry. We will do those appointments next year. After the holiday, the Christmas holiday, we will fill those positions,” he said.

“So those speculating about somebody going to be appointed tomorrow and all that, just take your time, go and enjoy Christmas and after Christmas we will fill those ones,” he added.

Meanwhile, Dr Ishmael Norman, a Security analyst, has told President John Mahama to appoint Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings as Ghana’s Defence Minister.

According to him, Ghana needs a shift in defence leadership, urging the President to appoint a woman, arguing that it is time for the tradition of men occupying the defence ministry to change.

Dr Ishmael Norman exclusively mentioned Dr Zanetor Agyemang Rawlings as a strong candidate for the role, pointing to her work on Parliament’s Defence and Interior subcommittee.

He also recounted her involvement with the Intelligence subcommittee and her participation in programmes at the Ghana Armed Forces Staff College as evidence of her preparedness.

Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse, Dr Norman stated, “It will be for reputational benefit, and this thing will be so high up before all women, all girls, that it will be amazing the benefits of that appointment. We are tired of men; appoint a woman, President. Please, please, appoint a woman”.

“She has quite a lot of qualifications. She has proven her worth as a medical doctor, parliamentarian, and disciplined professional. There is not an iota of any bad thing said about her. She has been groomed for that role, and it is high time she is elevated to that position.”

Watch the video below:

“Ghana should also pay reparations for its role in the slave trade” – Manasseh argues

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“Ghana should also pay reparations for its role in the slave trade” – Manasseh argues

Award-winning investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni, has argued that Ghana must also be made to pay reparations for its role in the slave trade.

According to Manasseh, if reparations are to be paid, countries such as Ghana should also be required to pay them for their role in the slave trade.

He highlighted that it will not be right to pay reparations to those who took part and benefited from the slave trade, even though the benefits and exploitation of the enslaved people were disproportional.

Parts of Manasseh’s post on shared on Facebook wrote, “The slave trade boomed whenever there were wars among African ethnic groups. Some wars were waged for the purpose of capturing and selling slaves. The powerful kingdoms got money from selling slaves, with which they bought powerful weapons to fight and capture more slaves.

When the British abolished the slave trade, some powerful African kings, including some in Ghana, were unhappy that their source of wealth was being stifled.

I also read that some African countries, such as Benin, have formally apologised for their role in capturing and selling their own people into slavery.

Ghana subtly acknowledged its role when it launched the Joseph Project during the celebration of Ghana’s 50th independence anniversary. (In the Bible, Joseph was sold by his own brothers.)

That brings us to the second part of the push, which is the payment of reparations. If reparations are to be paid, countries such as Ghana should also be required to pay them for their role in the slave trade.

It will not be right to pay reparations to those who took part and benefited from the slave trade, even though the benefits and exploitation of the enslaved people were disproportional.

The descendants of the slaves in America, the Carribean and elsewhere legitimately deserve reparations, but the African countries whose people captured and sold slaves are accomplices, not victims.

In 100 years, it will be untenable for Ghana to demand reparations from China for destroying our forests in the illegal mining scourge. Without tacit support in fronting for the Chinese illegal miners (sometimes providing state security protection), they would not have succeeded in destroying our forests.

We need to tell ourselves the hard truth and learn from how we have hurt ourselves through selfishness and greed”.

Read his full write-up below:

“SLAVERY REPARATIONS? BY WHO AND TO WHOM?

Last year, I took an English course in my ongoing programme that got me very close to the subject of the transatlantic slave trade. The course was a study of writings in the Reconstruction Era. We read Frederick Douglas’ fiction, Lincoln’s speeches, and watched heart-wrenching films such as “Slavery by Another Name.”

The harrowing tales I’d heard narrated by tour guides at Ghana’s slave castles and captured casually in textbooks I’d read growing up did not come close to the cruelty the slaves endured in the United States and elsewhere.
For this reason, I wholeheartedly agree with the declaration of slavery as the gravest crime against humanity.

President John Dramani Mahama and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa deserve immense commendation for pushing and securing the United Nations’ passage of the resolution declaring slavery as the gravest crime against humanity.

At the end of the semester, we were to produce a seminar paper. I proposed to my professor that, instead of doing a paper on how the slaves were treated in the United States, I wanted to explore how the slaves got onto the slave ships in the first place.

The literature I read for my paper, including from Africans such as Ghana’s Professor Akosua Perbi, showed that Africans were at the forefront of capturing their fellow Africans and selling them to the European slave traders who were based mainly along the coast. The Europeans conducted some raids, but these were at a very minimal level. One source estimated that 90% of the slaves captured and shipped abroad were captured by Africans.

The slave trade boomed whenever there were wars among African ethnic groups. Some wars were waged for the purpose of capturing and selling slaves. The powerful kingdoms got money from selling slaves, with which they bought powerful weapons to fight and capture more slaves.

When the British abolished the slave trade, some powerful African kings, including some in Ghana, were unhappy that their source of wealth was being stifled.

I also read that some African countries, such as Benin, have formally apologised for their role in capturing and selling their own people into slavery.

Ghana subtly acknowledged its role when it launched the Joseph Project during the celebration of Ghana’s 50th independence anniversary. (In the Bible, Joseph was sold by his own brothers.)

That brings us to the second part of the push, which is the payment of reparations. If reparations are to be paid, countries such as Ghana should also be required to pay them for their role in the slave trade.

It will not be right to pay reparations to those who took part and benefited from the slave trade, even though the benefits and exploitation of the enslaved people were disproportional.

The descendants of the slaves in America, the Carribean and elsewhere legitimately deserve reparations, but the African countries whose people captured and sold slaves are accomplices, not victims.

In 100 years, it will be untenable for Ghana to demand reparations from China for destroying our forests in the illegal mining scourge. Without tacit support in fronting for the Chinese illegal miners (sometimes providing state security protection), they would not have succeeded in destroying our forests.

We need to tell ourselves the hard truth and learn from how we have hurt ourselves through selfishness and greed”.

See the post below:

“We acknowledge the horrors of the past, but …” – US votes against Ghana’s slave reparations motion

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“We acknowledge the horrors of the past, but …” – US votes against Ghana’s slave reparations motion

The United States, Israel and Argentina vote against Ghana’s UN resolution to recognise the slave trade as the ‘biggest crime against humanity’.

The three countries opposed the motion, which called for reparations and justice for the transatlantic slave trade.

According to the US, they acknowledge the horrors of the past, but do not accept the resolution, as they do not support legal claims for reparations.

The US representative during the  80th United Nations General Assembly argued that the US government, led by President Donald Trump, opposed the resolution.

They argued that the calls for reparations cannot hold because slavery was legal during the era of the transatlantic slave trade.

“The United States has defined long-standing objectives to the framing of reparatory justice and the duty of reparation for historical wrongs. While we acknowledge the horrors of the past, we do not accept this resolution’s assertion that historical facts from the 15th through 19th centuries constitute violations of jus cogens, as the term is understood in contemporary international law.

“The United States also does not recognise a legal right to reparations for historical wrongs that were not illegal under international law at the time they occurred. In addition to its obvious legal problems, this resolution is also unclear as to who the recipients of reparatory justice would be. The drafters and supporters of this resolution seem to believe it is them,” he said.

The US representative also stated that the resolution goes against the main objective of the United Nations, which is the maintenance of world peace and security.

“We regret that the United States must once again remind this body that the United Nations exists to maintain international peace and security. It was not founded to advance narrow, specific interests and agendas, to establish niche international days, or to create new costly meeting and reporting mandates. This resolution does all three,” he added.

Read the full argument of the US below:

“The United States remained steadfast in its opposition and condemnation of historic wrongs that resulted from the transatlantic slave trade, the trans-Saharan slave trade and all other forms of slavery. We remain committed to the acknowledgement of these historical wrongs.

Despite this, the United States observes that the text of this resolution remains highly problematic in countless respects. Consequently, the United States cannot support the adoption of this resolution.

We regret that the United States must once again remind this body that the United Nations exists to maintain international peace and security. It was not founded to advance narrow, specific interests and agendas, to establish niche international days, or to create new costly meeting and reporting mandates. This resolution does all three.

The United States has defined long-standing objectives to the framing of reparatory justice and the duty of reparation for historical wrongs. While we acknowledge the horrors of the past, we do not accept this resolution’s assertion that historical facts from the 15th through 19th century constitute violations of jus cogens, as the term is understood in contemporary international law.

The United States also does not recognise a legal right to reparations for historical wrongs that were not illegal under international law at the time they occurred. In addition to its obvious legal problems, this resolution is also unclear as to who the recipients of reparatory justice would be. The drafters and supporters of this resolution seem to believe it is them.

The United States strongly objects to the cynical usage of historical wrongs as a leverage point in an attempt to reallocate modern resources to people and nations who are distantly related to the historical victims”.

Meanwhile, Award-winning investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni, has argued that Ghana must also be made to pay reparations for its role in the slave trade.

According to Manasseh, if reparations are to be paid, countries such as Ghana should also be required to pay them for their role in the slave trade.

He highlighted that it will not be right to pay reparations to those who took part and benefited from the slave trade, even though the benefits and exploitation of the enslaved people were disproportional.

Parts of Manasseh’s post on shared on Facebook wrote, “The slave trade boomed whenever there were wars among African ethnic groups. Some wars were waged for the purpose of capturing and selling slaves. The powerful kingdoms got money from selling slaves, with which they bought powerful weapons to fight and capture more slaves.

When the British abolished the slave trade, some powerful African kings, including some in Ghana, were unhappy that their source of wealth was being stifled.

I also read that some African countries, such as Benin, have formally apologised for their role in capturing and selling their own people into slavery.

Ghana subtly acknowledged its role when it launched the Joseph Project during the celebration of Ghana’s 50th independence anniversary. (In the Bible, Joseph was sold by his own brothers.)

That brings us to the second part of the push, which is the payment of reparations. If reparations are to be paid, countries such as Ghana should also be required to pay them for their role in the slave trade.

It will not be right to pay reparations to those who took part and benefited from the slave trade, even though the benefits and exploitation of the enslaved people were disproportional.

The descendants of the slaves in America, the Carribean and elsewhere legitimately deserve reparations, but the African countries whose people captured and sold slaves are accomplices, not victims.

In 100 years, it will be untenable for Ghana to demand reparations from China for destroying our forests in the illegal mining scourge. Without tacit support in fronting for the Chinese illegal miners (sometimes providing state security protection), they would not have succeeded in destroying our forests.

We need to tell ourselves the hard truth and learn from how we have hurt ourselves through selfishness and greed”.

See the post below:

See the breakdown as the US, Argentina and Israel vote against Ghana’s slave reparations motion

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See the breakdown as the US, Argentina and Israel vote against Ghana’s slave reparations motion

President John Dramani Mahama at the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, tabled a resolution calling on the UN to recognise the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade as the gravest crime ever committed against humanity.

Following a massive debate, the motion was adopted with 123 countries voting in favour of the slavery reparations motion tabled.

The United States, Argentina, and Israel voted against it, while 52 European Nations 52 abstained.

Here are the breakdown of the the countries voted:

“Vote against the resolution:

The three countries that voted against Ghana’s resolution are;

Argentina

Israel and

The United States (US).

Abstentions:

The 53 countries that abstained from voting are;

Afghanistan,

Albania,

Andorra,

Armenia,

Australia,

Austria,

Belgium,

Bosnia and Herzegovina,

Bulgaria,

Cambodia,

Canada,

Croatia,

Cyprus,

Czechia,

Denmark,

Estonia,

Fiji,

Finland,

France,

Georgia,

Germany,

Greece,

Hungary,

Iceland,

Ireland,

Italy,

Japan,

Latvia, and

Liechtenstein.

The remaining are;

Lithuania,

Luxembourg,

Malta,

Monaco,

Montenegro,

North Macedonia,

Norway,

Oman,

Palau,

Paraguay,

Poland,

Portugal,

Republic of Moldova,

Romania,

San Marino,

Slovakia,

Slovenia,

Sweden,

Switzerland,

Ukraine,

The United Kingdom and Spain.

The countries that voted yes:

The 123 countries that voted in favour of the motion include;

Algeria,

Angola,

Antigua and Barbuda,

Azerbaijan,

Bahamas,

Bahrain,

Bangladesh,

Barbados,

Belarus,

Belize,

Botswana,

Brazil,

Brunei Darussalam,

Burkina Faso,

Burundi,

Cabo Verde,

Cameroon,

Central African Republic,

Chad,

Chile,

China,

Colombia,

Comoros,

Congo,

Costa Rica,

Cote d’Ivoire,

Cuba,

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,

Democratic Republic of the Congo,

Djibouti,

Dominica, and

Dominican Republic.

Others include;

Egypt,

El Salvador,

Equatorial Guinea,

Eritrea,

Eswatini,

Ethiopia,

Gabon,

Gambia,

Ghana,

Grenada,

Guatemala,

Guinea,

Guinea-Bissau,

Guyana,

Haiti,

Honduras,

India,

Indonesia,

Iran (Islamic Republic of),

Iraq,

Jamaica,

Jordan,

Kazakhstan,

Kenya,

Kiribati,

Kuwait,

Kyrgyzstan,

Lao People’s Democratic Republic,

Lebanon,

Lesotho,

Liberia,

Libya,

Malawi,

Malaysia,

Maldives,

Mali,

Marshall Islands,

Mauritania,

Mauritius,

Mexico,

Micronesia (Federated States of),

Mongolia,

Morocco,

Mozambique,

Myanmar,

Namibia,

Nepal,

Netherlands (Kingdom of the),

New Zealand,

Nicaragua,

Niger,

Nigeria,

Pakistan,

Panama,

Papua New Guinea,

Peru, and

The Philippines.

The rest are;

Qatar,

Republic of Korea,

Russian Federation,

Rwanda,

Saint Kitts and Nevis,

Saint Lucia,

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,

Saudi Arabia,

Senegal,

Serbia,

Seychelles,

Sierra Leone,

Singapore,

Somalia,

South Africa,

South Sudan,

Sri Lanka,

Sudan,

Suriname,

Tajikistan,

Thailand,

Timor-Leste,

Togo,

Trinidad and Tobago,

Tunisia,

Türkiye,

Turkmenistan,

Uganda,

United Arab Emirates,

United Republic of Tanzania,

Uruguay,

Uzbekistan,

Vanuatu,

Viet Nam,

Yemen,

Zambia, and

Zimbabwe”.

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“You will end up with some evil disease” – Duncan-Williams warn politicians and wives

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“You will end up with some evil disease” – Duncan-Williams warn politicians and wives

Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, the Presiding Bishop of the Action Chapel International, has fired shots at politicians and their wives who steal from the state.

The man of God, in a viral video speaking to his congregation, lambasted the wives of politicians who, according to him, enable their husbands to steal from the country.

According to Duncan Williams, wives of politicians must hold them accountable, but they do not care how their husbands make money, as they enjoy it and give them more sex, encouraging them to lie, steal, scheme, and destroy the poor.

The man of God highlighted that he is not cursing anyone, but the evil that men do lives after them, adding that the law of sowing and reaping does not need your address or telephone number when it is time for one to reap.

Duncan-Williams, in the viral video, stated, “Because they push for their party to come to power, even though they don’t have the capacity, they are given positions without merit, and they misbehave. And they have wives who will never tell their husbands.

“You have never worked before, you’ve never set up any business, you don’t pay taxes. How come suddenly you come home with a briefcase of money? Where is this money coming from? Where is this brand-new car coming from? Where did you get money to build this new house?”

“You don’t ask questions. You enjoy it and give him more sex, encouraging him to kill, lie, steal, scheme, destroy, and make money at the expense of poor people. You don’t understand the implications. I’m not cursing anybody, but I’m telling you by authority, make no mistake”.

Duncan-Williams added“The evil that men do lives after them. Make no mistake. The law of sowing and reaping does not need your address or telephone number. When it is time for you to reap, it will find you”.

Duncan Williams added, “As long as you belong to a party, when your party comes into office, you are given a position to share the national cake. You take what you please at the expense of the suffering citizens. And you think you are going free? No…you will end up with some evil disease.

“We live in a society that is passive and cowardly. You see what is wrong, and nobody talks; a day will come when truth shall emerge; it does not matter how long you hide it. You think you are powerful today, we are destroying one another, we are destroying the country,” he added.

In related news, Archbishop Charles Agyinasare, the founder of Perez Chapel International, has declared that public officers and ordinary people who steal will vomit them.

According to Archbishop Charles Agyinasare, a person who engages in a corrupt act will pay for their actions.

Speaking in a viral video shared on X on January 18, 2026, Archbishop Agyinasare stated, “Public officers and those who go into public office, including politics, and within four years acquire more than a house and a good car because they stole, inflated prices, or inflated contracts, will vomit it”.

He added, “Ordinary people who work for others in this nation and steal from them will also vomit it,” he added.

In an earlier news, Archbishop Charles Agyinasare has urged the John Mahama-led government to make sure that persons who looted state resources are not left unpunished.

According to Archbishop Charles Agyinasare, although the Mahama government has ushered in fresh hope for renewal and reform, no accused person has been tried and jailed after a year.

Speaking to his congregation on 31st December 2025, Watch-night Agyinasare quoted Ecclesiastes 8:11 to drive home the need to punish criminals. “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore, the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.”

He lamented, “In one year of the NDC government, not many have been tried and jailed yet, even though there was so much campaigning on dealing with corruption. We must turn around and insist that punishment meets wrongdoing and those who have swallowed our riches must be made to vomit.”

The man of God added, “AI analysis reflects a common Ghanaian perception: politics is seen as a route to personal enrichment—procurement scandals, weak accountability, and a ‘soli’ culture of cash handouts, especially during elections.”

“The way some politicians are enriching themselves before the ordinary citizens very soon we would have more politicians than citizens because everyone would want to be a politician.”

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NDC lies catching up; if NPP gets its act right, we will be back in power in 2028 – John Boadu

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NDC lies catching up; if NPP gets its act right, we will be back in power in 2028 – John Boadu

John Boadu, a National Chairman hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has said the ruling National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) government lies has caught up with them.

The NPP man disclosed that the NDC, since assuming office, has changed its position on several issues.

According to John Boadu, if the NPP gets its act right, it will be back in power in 2028.

Speaking to the media, John Boadu stated, “If we get our acts right, I can assure you that the New Patriotic Party will come back to power in the 2028 elections”.

“For the lies the NDC peddled, it is just a matter of time. Their lies are gradually catching up with them, and the people of Ghana will deal with them soon”.

In related news, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has said the 2028 election is all play, all play, as no NDC parliamentary seat is safe.

Alexander Afenyo-Markin declared the NPP’s intent to reclaim political dominance in the 2028 general elections.

He stressed that no parliamentary seat held by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will be secure.

The minority leader called on NPP members to intensify grassroots mobilisation, accusing the NDC of failing to deliver on key campaign promises.

Addressing executives of the Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON) in Parliament on Wednesday, March 18, Alexander Afenyo-Markin stated, “If elections are held today, NPP will be the majority, but that will also require hard work and loyalty. We do not doubt our minds that you will take up the mantle”.

“We will be joining our colleagues to storm the campuses. The 2028 election is all play, all play, no NDC seat is safe. We will approach every NDC seat like a normal seat,” he said.

In related news, Afenyo-Markin has boldly stated that if elections are organised today, there is no way the National Democratic Congress (NDC) can maintain its majority seat.

Afenyo-Markin stressed that, if elections were held today, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) would reclaim the majority of the seats they lost in the 2024 elections.

Speaking in a one-on-one interview on UTV, Afenyo-Markin stated, “From day one, we are 87, and they are 188 buy I am not afraid, if God is with us, didn’t David fight with Goliath and he defeated him.

I know that if elections were organised today, the NPP would reclaim the majority of the seats we lost; If we were voting today, there is no way the NDC can get a majority. I know what I am talking about”.

The minority leader further called on all NPP members to pray for the party, flagbearer and all MPs.

“I am standing on prayers; if we do not pray, we will always be defeated. The simple message I want to tell the NPP member today is oray for the party, is not about the noise and argument. If we do not pray, even if we get the most perfect person that you think to partner with the flagbearer, we will have difficulty. Let’s pray for the flagbearer and individual MPs. It is not the fall of your colleague that will lead to your success”, he added.

However, Alamzy Billa Nikyema, the National Democratic Congress(NDC) Member of Parliament for Chiana-Paga, has claimed the current New Patriotic Party (NPP) and its presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, cannot even win an SRC election.

According to Alamzy Billa Nikyema, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and the current NPP lack the political strength needed to win public support, doubting the party’s ability to regain political power in the future.

The NDC MP stressed that NPP members still confidently speak about winning the 2028 general elections when the party is struggling to maintain credibility among Ghanaians.

Alamzy Billa Nikyema stressed that the NPP failed Ghanaians in government, which left public dissatisfaction with the party, adding that the NPP will face challenges in convincing voters at the grassroots.

Speaking on the floor of parliament, Alamzy Billa Nikyema stated, “These people failed us with audacity, they failed us with audacity, and the most bizarre part is that any time they are making contributions, they will tell us that when we win power in 2028. Mr Speaker, my question is with which party and with which candidate?

“Mr Speaker, your current party, and your current candidate, you cannot even use the party and your current candidate to win SRC elections,” Mr Nikyema said.

SIM registration will be rolled out in the third quarter of 2026 – Sam George

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SIM registration will be rolled out in the third quarter of 2026 – Sam George

Sam Nartey George, the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, has disclosed that the planned SIM registration will be rolled out in the third quarter of 2026.

Speaking in an interview with Channel One TV’s Face to Face on Tuesday, Sam George revealed the exercise will be rolled out between July, August, and September in 2026.

The Communication Minister also urged Ghanaians to fully participate in the upcoming SIM card re-registration exercise.

Sam George, during the interview, stated, “It’s advisable for everybody to ensure that when we roll out the registration process, you take part in it. Bearing in mind that you took part in a system that traumatised people—people queued for days—but now you have a system that will allow you to do this in the comfort of your home. The process will be mandatory for the use of telecom services in the country”.

“I’m confident that in the third quarter of this year, anytime between July, August, and September, we will definitely be in a good position to roll out,” he said.

Sam George further announced that the planned SIM registration exercise will come at no cost to the Ghanaian taxpayer.

According to Sam George, the SIM registration exercise will not impose any financial burden on taxpayers.

Speaking in an interview on Channel One TV’s Face to Face on Tuesday, March 24, Sam George stated, “Part of the reason the Public Procurement Authority invited me to appear with my ministry is that we have written to the PPA and stated that this will be at no cost to the government.

“The commitment authorisation we received from the Finance Ministry for both the CERR and the SIM registration platform was to the effect that it will be at no cost to the Ghanaian taxpayer. When it is not borne by the taxpayer, you need to justify how it will be done,” he said.

“Engagement. We have engaged with the telecom companies and explained to them why they need to bear the cost,” he added.

Sam George further disclosed that the process would be competitive and not sole-sourced.

“We’re not sole-sourcing,” he added.

Meanwhile, Solomon Owusu, the Director of Communications for the United Party (UP), has quizzed the Minister of Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations, Sam George, on what the consequences will be if the SIM registration fails to achieve its purpose.

According to Solomon Owusu, the registration under Ursula Owusu was undermined by ego and power struggles between the Ministry of Communications and the National Identification Authority (NIA).

Speaking in an interview with Accra-based TV3, Solomon Owusu stated, “What assurance is the minister giving to us that this time around? When he fails, what must the country do to him? Is he going to put his job on the line?

Is he saying that if he’s unable to, after the registration, there are still forces in the system, he must be sacked from office, or he must be in prison? Or what should happen? Because Ursula Owusu gave us the same assurance. Today, she’s chilling somewhere. Nobody is taking her on.”

Solomon Owusu argued that if telcos fail, they should be sanctioned, and if the minister fails to enforce the law, he should face consequences too.

“We need money” – NAIMOS ‘cries’ for financial support in galamsey fight 

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“We need money” – NAIMOS ‘cries’ for financial support in galamsey fight 

Col Dominic Buah, the Director of Operations at the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), has begged for financial support in their operations against illegal mining (galamsey).

NAIMOS are calling for increased logistical and financial support to strengthen its anti-galamsey operations.

According to Col. Dominic Buah, NAIMOS’s work is constrained by limited resources, particularly operational vehicles.

They called on corporate organisations and non-governmental organisations to assist the Secretariat.

Speaking at an editors’ forum on Wednesday, March 25, Colonel Buah stated, “We need vehicles, we need money, we need all the resources”.

“Corporate bodies who want to support, why not? We will acknowledge you and then make it known to the whole nation,” he added.

Also, Colonel Dominic Buah announced that 237 illegal miners have been arrested in the ongoing galamsey fight.

According to NAIMOS, the majority of persons arrested are foreign nationals.

Colonel  Dominic Buah stated, “We have made 237 arrests, the majority of them are foreigners,” he stated.

94 excavators have been destroyed so far… almost 3,000 chanfangs have been destroyed,” he revealed.

“In the field, when we do not have load beds, we remove vital components so that they cannot use the excavator again,” he said.

“At the various galamsey sites, the use of excavators has gone down drastically… those you meet are often immobilised,” he added.

“Every excavator seized by NAIMOS is intact, and the Ministry of Lands will render an account, and the government will take a decision on what to do, but NAIMOS has them safely at various locations.

“Seized weapons too are intact, and I have received letters from the Small Arms Commission and through the Ministry, these weapons will be documented and disposed of.”

Dominic Buah further issued a stern warning to illegal miners against engaging in violent confrontations with members of his anti-galamsey task force.

According to Dominic Buah, NAIMOS won’t tolerate armed attacks.

Colonel Buah stated, “We will not stand and watch anyone use weapons against us. We are better trained in weapons and therefore warn that anybody who dares, NAIMOS will deal with them ruthlessly.

“It is a problem we are trying to address, and we have the right to self-defence and let no galamseyer miss that. If you go to the field with weapons and you try to fire it, a lot more will be at you.”

Watch video compilation of Mahama, Ablakwa, and Sammy Gyamfi PREACHING against sole sourcing

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Watch video compilation of Mahama, Ablakwa, and Sammy Gyamfi PREACHING against sole sourcing

A video compilation has surfaced of some members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government preaching against sole sourcing.

The viral video compilation features the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa; the CEO of the Ghana Gold Board, Sammy Gyamfi; and President John Dramani Mahama, calling out the Akufo-Addo New Patriotic Party government over sole sourcing.

In the viral video, Ablakwa, on Onua TV, stated that the NDC’s Resetting Ghana Agenda would ensure an amendment of the Public Procurement Act.

According to him,  sole sourcing would be a thing of the past under an NDC government.

“What we are saying in the Reset Ghana manifesto is that when we come to power, we will amend the Public Procurement Act. We will put a stop to the single sourcing because it has been abused,” Ablakwa stated in the video.

Sammy Gyamfi, on the other hand, accused the past Akufo-Addo Bawumia government of looting the state through sole sourcing.

“A new angle being used by the NPP to loot the state is what we call sole sourcing,” he said.

Also, President Mahama, addressing a gathering at the National Economic Dialogue in 2025, also highlighted that single-source procurement should not become standard practice.

“Single source procurement must be the rare exception rather than the norm. We must also subject government projects above a certain threshold to value-for-money audits,” Mahama stated.

The video has surfaced amid the Fourth Estate publication, which suggested President John Dramani Mahama and his government have been playing lip service in terms of promises to minimise sole-source procurement to encourage competitive bidding.

President John Mahama, on numerous occasions, has reiterated his government’s commitment to make single-source procurement a rare exception rather than the norm.

In the NDC People’s Manifesto, they also pledged to “make single-sourced procurement (sole-sourcing) an exception and not the rule.”

John Mahama, during his recent SONA, also repeated his vow and commitment, “Mr Speaker, we are bringing legislation to this House to tighten our procurement processes by banning sole-sourced contracts, except in exceptional circumstances,” the President told Parliament.

However, after one year in office, the report by The Fourth Estate has unearthed that the Road Ministry awarded 81 sole-sourced contracts worth over GHS73 billion in 7 months.

The Fourth Estate stated, “Data available to The Fourth Estate indicates that in the last seven months, the ministry has awarded 107 road contracts. Contrary to the President’s promise to ensure competitiveness and transparency in the awarding of public contracts, not a single one of 107 contracts was awarded based on competitive tendering.

A whopping 81 out of the 107 road contracts worth over GHS73 billion were awarded through sole-sourcing. The remaining 26 contracts worth about GHS8 billion were awarded through selective tendering. This means over 90% of the amount of money expected to be spent on roads under the Big Push programme so far was given out through sole-sourcing.

Despite this glaring contrast, the majority leader and leader of government business in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, audaciously proclaimed to Parliament on March 11, 2026, that “let it be known, the era of the sole-sourced contract is dead.”

Meanwhile, the Roads Minister speaking in Parliament on March 24, 2026, explained that a mix of procurement methods was used in line with the laws of Ghana.

The Road Minister detailed that only 44 per cent of Big Push contracts awarded by the Roads Ministry under President Mahama were through sole sourcing.  

Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, Mr Agbodza stated, “Given the scale and importance of these projects, a mix of procurement processes was employed in accordance with the law,” he told lawmakers. “It is important to note that only 44% of all the major contracts under the Big Push project were awarded by the ministry under sole sourcing, not what has been published by a certain online portal”.

According to Kwame Agbodza, more than 400 contracts had been awarded through open competitive bidding, which he described as unprecedented.

“We have also awarded over 400 contracts under open competitive bidding. Records show that from 2017 to 2024, almost all the projects carried out by the ministry were sole-sourced. It is therefore mischievous for any right-thinking member of society to conclude that the Ministry of Roads and Highways only procures works through sole sourcing,” he said.

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@harrisonarhin1

♬ original sound – HARRISON

Ghana cannot stop mining, but… – NAIMOS

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Ghana cannot stop mining, but… – NAIMOS

The Secretary of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), Colonel Dominic Buah, has said Ghana cannot stop mining.  

According to Colonel Dominic Buah, Ghana will continue to mine, but the threats posed by galamsey must be addressed.

He explained that NAIMOS’s efforts against illegal mining are anchored on three key pillars.

Speaking at an editors’ forum on Wednesday, March 25, the Secretary of NAIMOS, Colonel Dominic Buah, stated, “If anybody told you that you can stop mining in Ghana, well, I don’t believe it. Mining, as His Excellency the President keeps saying, will go on”.

“We have three main pillars for handling the illegal mining menace. We talked about prevention, that is, preventing the ills going on; then restoration, we talked about getting back the ecosystem which had been damaged; and then, of course,” he added.

Colonel Dominic Buah further announced that 237 illegal miners have been arrested in the ongoing galamsey fight.

According to NAIMOS, the majority of persons arrested are foreign nationals.

Colonel Buah, stated, “We have made 237 arrests, the majority of them are foreigners,” he stated.

94 excavators have been destroyed so far… almost 3,000 chanfangs have been destroyed,” he revealed.

“In the field, when we do not have load beds, we remove vital components so that they cannot use the excavator again,” he said.

“At the various galamsey sites, the use of excavators has gone down drastically… those you meet are often immobilised,” he added.

“Every excavator seized by NAIMOS is intact, and the Ministry of Lands will render an account, and the government will take a decision on what to do, but NAIMOS has them safely at various locations.

“Seized weapons too are intact, and I have received letters from the Small Arms Commission and through the Ministry, these weapons will be documented and disposed of.”

Dominic Buah further issued a stern warning to illegal miners against engaging in violent confrontations with members of his anti-galamsey task force.

According to Dominic Buah, NAIMOS won’t tolerate armed attacks.

Colonel Buah stated, “We will not stand and watch anyone use weapons against us. We are better trained in weapons and therefore warn that anybody who dares, NAIMOS will deal with them ruthlessly.

“It is a problem we are trying to address, and we have the right to self-defence and let no galamseyer miss that. If you go to the field with weapons and you try to fire it, a lot more will be at you.”

In related news, Ntebe Ayo William, the Member of Parliament for Tatale-Sanguli, has boldly stated that illegal mining, widely known as galamsey, cannot be entirely eradicated in Ghana.

According to the Tatale-Sanguli MP, Ghana can only minimise the impact of galamsey through targeted interventions.

He noted that earlier forms of illegal mining involved basic tools, which caused less environmental damage, adding that the increased use of chanfans and earth-moving equipment like excavators has significantly worsened the scale of destruction.

Speaking on Citi Eyewitness News on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, he explained, “What is galamsey at all? Galamsey is illegal mining. So, if I go to my farm and there is gold there and I decide to mine my gold, that is illegal, that is galamsey. We will control that one. The government is on the point to stop mining in water bodies and in the forest”.

“… you cannot stop galamsey in Ghana. To be honest with you, you can only minimise it. How do you end it? We are fighting it, and we are fighting it in two ways: water and forest. Don’t destroy the forest, don’t pollute the water,” he said.

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Gbese District Court ‘throws out’ Abu Trica’s objection in extradition case

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Gbese District Court ‘throws out’ Abu Trica’s objection in extradition case

The Gbese District Court has thrown out a preliminary objection filed by lawyers for Frederick Kumi, popularly known as Abu Trica, against his extradition proceedings.

Earlier in court, Abu Trica’s legal team, led by Oliver Barker Vormawor, challenged the legal foundation of the extradition process.

Oliver Barker Vormawor highlighted that offences cited are not covered under the 1931 extradition treaty signed by Ghana and the United States.

The Defence argued that the  1931 extradition treaty does not spell out wire fraud or money laundering as extraditable offences.

The court proceedings were heightened as Swedru youths besieged the court, demanding Abu Trica’s release.

Today in court, Wednesday, March 25, 2026, the Gbese District Court dismissed the objection, effectively allowing the extradition proceedings to proceed.

Abu Trica, a 31-year-old Ghanaian from Swedru, was arrested for his alleged involvement in an $8 million romance scam which targeted elderly victims in the United States.

In related news, Abu Trica has sued the government of Ghana and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at the High Court.

According to reports, Abu Trica alleges a harrowing ordeal of torture, unlawful detention, and a blatant disregard for his fundamental human rights.

Abu Trica is seeking GH₵10 million in compensation in a motion filed at the Human Rights Division of the High Court in Accra.

His suit names the Minister for Interior, the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), the FBI, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), and the Attorney-General over what he describes as a coordinated campaign of “cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment” after he was arrested on December 11 2025.

The embattled Abu Trica claim his arrest and detention were marked by physical violence, coercive interrogations by foreign agents, and the looting of his personal property, adding that he was handcuffed, starved, and interrogated by foreign agents.

The court documents show lawyers of Abu Trica claim that over 15 armed officers stormed his apartment in the Airport Residential Area while he was playing video games with friends.

“Abu Trica claims he was immediately handcuffed and remained restrained from morning until late evening without access to food, water, or rest.

The most striking allegation involves the 3rd Respondent, the FBI.

Kumi asserts that while in the custody of Ghanaian authorities, he was subjected to a coercive interrogation by three foreign nationals introduced as FBI agents.

He claims these agents, who possess no independent police powers in Ghana, forced him to sign documents he could not read due to limited literacy and threatened to link him to fraudulent transactions worth up to $8 million if he did not disclose his phone passwords”, reports suggested.

“The decision and conduct of officers of the 2nd Respondent in permitting agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation… to interrogate the Applicant without access to Counsel, was unlawful and in violation of Articles 14 and 19 of the 1992 Constitution,” the motion states.

He further alleged that while he remained in custody, officers from NACOC and EOCO allegedly conducted unauthorised searches of his residence, known as “Abu Trica’s Mansion,” in Swedru.

“Abu Trica is demanding justice and an end to foreign interference in addition to the GH₵10 million compensation.

Abu Trica is also praying the court for several critical orders:

Exclusion of Evidence: An order rendering any information or items obtained during the “coercive” interrogations and “unauthorised” searches inadmissible in any future proceedings.

Interlocutory Injunction: A restraining order to prevent the State from extraditing or deporting him to any foreign state pending the final determination of the suit.

Restraint of the FBI: A specific order restraining the FBI and its agents from exercising any investigative or interrogation powers over him within Ghanaian territory”.

“Lincoln University decision honours Mahama” – Assemblies of God

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“Lincoln University decision honours Mahama” – Assemblies of God

The Assemblies of God Church, Ghana, has said that the decision by Lincoln University in the United States to cancel an honorary doctorate that had been scheduled for President John Dramani Mahama.

In a statement signed by the General Secretary, Rev Ernest Birikorang, Assemblies of God Church, Ghana, stated that Lincoln University’s decision does not dishonour, but rather honours President John Mahama.

Part of the Assemblies of God Church, Ghana statement read, “From our perspective, Lincoln University’s decision does not dishonour, but rather honours President Mahama… it resonates with the biblical scenario… when the apostles rejoiced because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace.”

“Within the leadership and membership of Assemblies of God, Ghana, there is nothing but joy… because our member has been found worthy of global disdain for his ironclad stand against LGBTQ+ practices,” the statement added.

“We urge all our members… to never compromise their spiritual principles or moral values under any circumstances,” the statement said.

The Assemblies of God Church, Ghana statement follow Lincoln University’s cancellation of Mahama’s Honorary Degree over Ghana’s anti-LGBTQ bill.  

Also, the Ghana Embassy in the United States has expressed disappointment following Lincoln University’s decision to cancel the conferment of an honorary doctorate degree, honoris causa, for President John Dramani Mahama.

According to the Ghana Embassy in the United States, the university’s decision was communicated just hours before the scheduled visit on Thursday, March 26.

The Lincoln University decision is alleged to be based on  President Mahama’s perceived position on Ghana’s Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, popularly known as the anti-gay Bill currently before Parliament.

The Ghana Embassy in the United States explained that no concerns were raised during the university’s due diligence and vetting processes.

Part of Ghana’s Embassy statement read, “It is both surprising and regrettable that such concerns have surfaced at this late stage, particularly with the President already in the United States in anticipation of the visit”.

It will be recalled that Lincoln University had earlier announced on March 19, 2026, that it would be conferring the honour on the President for his global leadership.

Portions of Lincoln University’s earlier statement read, “Lincoln University is proud to announce that His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Fourth Republic of Ghana and the African Union’s Champion for Advancing the Cause of Justice and the Payment of Reparations, will receive an honorary doctorate from the university on March 26, 2026.

“This is coming in recognition of his outstanding contributions to public service, democratic governance, peaceful international and inter-African relationships, and global advocacy for justice, equality, and education.”

“Lincoln University is deeply honoured to welcome President John Dramani Mahama to our campus and to bestow upon him an honorary degree in recognition of his distinguished leadership,” Dr Allen said in the statement.

However, in another update, Lincoln University’s official website stated that it has cancelled the President’s visit, citing what it described as “unforeseen circumstances” for the decision.

The update read, “Due to unforeseen circumstances, the university is cancelling the visit from John Dramani Mahama, President of The Republic of Ghana, originally scheduled for Thursday, March 26th”.

“Anybody who dares NAIMOS will be dealt with ruthlessly” – Colonel Buah warns

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“Anybody who dares NAIMOS will be dealt with ruthlessly” – Colonel Buah warns

The Director of Operations of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), Colonel Dominic Buah, has issued a stern warning to illegal miners against engaging in violent confrontations with members of his anti-galamsey task force.

According to Colonel Dominic Buah, NAIMOS won’t tolerate armed attacks as they are better trained in weapons.  

Speaking at an editors’ forum on Wednesday, March 25, Colonel Buah stated, “We will not stand and watch anyone use weapons against us. We are better trained in weapons and therefore warn that anybody who dares, NAIMOS will deal with them ruthlessly.

“It is a problem we are trying to address, and we have the right to self-defence and let no galamseyer miss that. If you go to the field with weapons and you try to fire it, a lot more will be at you.”

Colonel Dominic Buah further disclosed that NAIMOS ongoing crackdown on illegal mining activities across the country has arrested 237 people.

He further detailed that the majority of the 237 arrested are foreign nationals.

Col Buah stated, “We have made 237 arrests, the majority of them are foreigners. 94 excavators have been destroyed so far… almost 3,000 chanfangs have been destroyed”.

“In the field, when we do not have load beds, we remove vital components so that they cannot use the excavator again,” he said.

He added, “At the various galamsey sites, the use of excavators has gone down drastically… those you meet are often immobilised”.

“Every excavator seized by NAIMOS is intact, and the Ministry of Lands will render an account, and the government will take a decision on what to do, but NAIMOS has them safely at various locations.

“Seized weapons too are intact, and I have received letters from the Small Arms Commission and through the Ministry, these weapons will be documented and disposed of.”

His remarks follow, one officer of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) who was shot during an anti-galamsey operation. 

According to the Lands Ministry, the NAIMOS officer was shot during a routine anti-galamsey operation in the Bono Region on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.

The gun battle is said to have occurred along the Subinkurom-Kyeremasu stretch in the Dormaa Central Municipality.

The NAIMOS officer was hit in the thigh and was immediately taken to St. Matthew Catholic Hospital at Ampenkuro, one assailant identified as Abuu Ibrahim, was shot and later pronounced dead on arrival at the same hospital.

The Lands Ministry on Tuesday, January 20, NAIMOS in a statement issued, stated, “The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) wishes to inform the public that earlier today, Tuesday, 20th January 2026, a member of its task force was shot in the thigh by armed assailants during a routine anti-galamsey operation.

The incident occurred in a bush along the Subinkurom-Kyeremasu stretch in the Dormaa Central Municipality of the Bono Region.

The armed thugs, who were hiding in the bushes, opened fire on sighting the NAIMOS task force. This led to an exchange of gunfire, during which one NAIMOS personnel sustained a gunshot injury.

The injured officer was swiftly rushed to the St. Matthew Catholic Hospital at Ampenkuro, where he is currently responding to treatment.

Meanwhile, one of the assailants who opened fire on the NAIMOS task force was shot dead during the exchanges. The deceased, identified as Abuu Ibrahim, was pronounced dead on arrival at the St. Matthew Catholic Hospital.

NAIMOS wishes to assure that despite the persistent attacks and disruptions, it remains committed to fighting the scourge of illegal mining and urges all stakeholders to continue with support for its operations”.

237 arrested in ongoing crackdown of galamsey – NAIMOS

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237 arrested in ongoing crackdown of galamsey – NAIMOS

The Secretary of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), Colonel Dominic Buah, has announced that 237 illegal miners have been arrested in the ongoing galamsey fight.

According to NAIMOS, the majority of persons arrested are foreign nationals.

Speaking at an editors’ forum on Wednesday, March 25, the Secretary of NAIMOS, Dominic Buah, stated, “We have made 237 arrests, the majority of them are foreigners,” he stated.

94 excavators have been destroyed so far… almost 3,000 chanfangs have been destroyed,” he revealed.

“In the field, when we do not have load beds, we remove vital components so that they cannot use the excavator again,” he said.

“At the various galamsey sites, the use of excavators has gone down drastically… those you meet are often immobilised,” he added.

“Every excavator seized by NAIMOS is intact, and the Ministry of Lands will render an account, and the government will take a decision on what to do, but NAIMOS has them safely at various locations.

“Seized weapons too are intact, and I have received letters from the Small Arms Commission and through the Ministry, these weapons will be documented and disposed of.”

Dominic Buah further issued a stern warning to illegal miners against engaging in violent confrontations with members of his anti-galamsey task force.

According to Dominic Buah, NAIMOS won’t tolerate armed attacks.

Colonel Buah stated, “We will not stand and watch anyone use weapons against us. We are better trained in weapons and therefore warn that anybody who dares, NAIMOS will deal with them ruthlessly.

“It is a problem we are trying to address, and we have the right to self-defence and let no galamseyer miss that. If you go to the field with weapons and you try to fire it, a lot more will be at you.”

Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has admitted 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.

“I cried” – Afenyo-Markin recounts how NPP elders ‘blocked’ his 2004 parliamentary bid

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“I cried” – Afenyo-Markin recounts how NPP elders ‘blocked’ his 2004 parliamentary bid

Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the Minority Leader of Parliament, has recounted how NPP elders in 2004 halted his first attempt at the Effutu parliamentary seat.

According to Afenyo-Markin, the incident was one of the most difficult decisions he has ever encountered in his political journey.

The minority leader explained that a few days before filing at the Electoral Commission, they were called to the Castle, where NPP elders told him he had to step down as he was too young to become a Member of Parliament.

Speaking during an engagement with TESCON members at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) on March 24, 2026, Afenyo-Markin recounted, “… As a parliamentary candidate in 2004, a few days before filing at the EC, we were called to the castle. President John Agyekum Kufuor presided over the meeting. Some party elders said I was too young to be a Member of Parliament”.

The Minority leader stressed that he cried but decided to step down, placing the party’s interest above his own.

Afenyo-Markin added, “I was prevailed upon to step down. That was one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever had to make. I cried, but I had to step down, placing the interests of the party above my own”.

The Effutu MP further disclosed another challenging moment during the party’s primaries in 2008, “Again in 2008, there was a tie at the primaries. Party elders decided that the sitting Member of Parliament, the late Owusu Adjei, should have a casting vote. Upon exercising that mandate, the final result stood at 23 against 22,” he continued.

“Once again, I accepted the outcome and stood firmly with the party, reaffirming the principle of service before personal ambition. These experiences are living examples of how TESCON’s values are tested in practice and not just in theory,” he added.

In related news, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has said the John Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) government has not made any tangible imapcat one year in government.

The minority leader questioned whether the Mahama administration had undertaken any major projects or settled outstanding payments to contractors who secured bank loans to execute public works.

According to Afenyo-Markin, macroeconomic indicators are meaningless if they do not improve the lives of ordinary Ghanaians.

Speaking in an interview on Channel One TV on February 16, 2026, Afenyo-Markin stated, “Last year, 2025, what did the government do? Did it pay contractors who had worked and borrowed from banks? If the economy is stagnating and we continue to talk about paper growth, I am interested in the cocoa farmer and the real impact on citizens”.

“I am not here to talk about numbers that have no effect. If the numbers have made a positive impact, I will acknowledge and applaud them. But so far, one year in office, the government has not made any real impact,” he added.

Also, the Minority Leader in Parliament has said his focus is to hold the John Mahama-led government’s feet to the fire.

The minority leader stressed that he will hold the government accountable but will ensure he does not obstruct parliamentary business.

According to Afenyo-Markin, he carefully balanced his role between rigorous scrutiny and respect for parliamentary procedures.

He further stressed that what people described as being controversial in the chamber is due to his active engagements are guided by principle rather than personal interest.

Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Point of View with Bernard Avle on Monday, February 16, 2026, “My focus has been to hold the government’s feet to the fire, at the same time not being obstructive. When you are in opposition, you must have it on the back of your mind that you have a day in government tomorrow.

“So I’m equally mindful not to push too much and personalise matters. If you come back in 2029, they will also make life difficult for you. You gauge the mood of the house, but you don’t deviate from your core duty of scrutinising,” he said.

Watch the video below:

@the1957news LIVE | Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin recounts the most difficult decision he has ever made in his political journey, revealing that he was asked by party elders to step down a few days before filing at the EC as the parliamentary candidate for Afutu in 2004 #the1957news ♬ original sound – The1957News

Pwalugu Dam contractor bolted with $12 million – Energy Minister

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Pwalugu Dam contractor bolted with $12 million – Energy Minister

Dr John Abdulai Jinapor, the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, has debunked earlier media reports suggesting that the contractor for the Pwalugu Dam project was not paid.

According to the Energy Minister, claims attributed to him that the Pwalugu Dam contractor was not paid are false and a misrepresentation of his remarks.

The Energy Minister, in a statement shared on Facebook, clarified that explicitly stated that the contractor had been paid but subsequently absconded with the funds.  

In a Facebook post shared, John Jinapor wrote, “My attention has been drawn to a publication circulating on some social media handles with the headline: ‘Pwalugu Dam contractor was not paid – Energy Minister reveals,’ which has been falsely attributed to remarks I allegedly made during my appearance before the Government Assurances Committee of Parliament.

I wish to state, in the clearest possible terms, that this publication is entirely false, misleading, and a gross misrepresentation of the facts.

During my appearance before the Committee—proceedings which were broadcast live across television and other media platforms—at no point did I make the claims attributed to me.

On the contrary, I explicitly stated that the contractor had been paid but subsequently absconded with the funds without executing any corresponding work.

I further informed the Committee that the matter is under active investigation and has been formally referred to the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice for advice and possible prosecution.

In response to a follow-up question from the Chairman seeking clarification, I reiterated that the contractor was not paid for any work done, thereby reaffirming my earlier position.

The attempt to distort these facts is not only unfortunate but also undermines public discourse and confidence in the management of critical national issues.

I therefore urge the general public to disregard this false and mischievous publication in its entirety. I also call on media practitioners and the general public to verify information from credible and official sources before dissemination.

Government remains committed to transparency, accountability, and ensuring that all matters of public interest are handled with the utmost integrity”.

Earlier, appearing before Parliament’s Assurances Committee on Tuesday, March 24, the Minister said efforts are underway to revive the project despite the setback.

“We are considering the Pwalugu Dam; unfortunately, the contractor took the money and bolted, let me put it that way, and left Ghana, so I have been working with the Ministry of Finance to secure funding because that funding has been exhausted”, he stated.

The current problem this country faces is that under the IMF programme, you can hardly raise external funding unless it is free money or what we call a grant. We are making good progress. Once we complete the IMF program, it will then give you the leverage to source funding”.  

Meanwhile, the Pwalugu Dam was a flagship project under the former Akufo-Addo government, expected to transform agriculture and energy supply in northern Ghana.

In 2019, the project was initiated under a $993 million Sinohydro agreement and was designed as a hydro-solar hybrid system expected to generate 60 megawatts of hydropower and 50 megawatts of solar energy.

The project was also intended to support year-round irrigation and control flooding caused by spillage from the Bagre Dam.

With a completion date set at 2024, the project has still not been realised by 2026, with the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority revealing that about $12 million was spent on mobilisation and site preparation, yet actual construction has yet to begin.

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“Rawlings told me he was not responsible for my arrest” – Kwesi Pratt recounts

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“Rawlings told me he was not responsible for my arrest” – Kwesi Pratt recounts

Kwesi Pratt Jnr, a renowned Ghanaian broadcaster and Pan-Africanist, has recounted his first encounter with President Jerry John Rawlings after his time in jail during the revolution era.

The veteran journalist disclosed that the late Rawlings persistently sought a meeting with him through Ralph Kessley-Hayford, but he kept declining the offer.

According to Kwesi Pratt, after agreeing to meet Jerry John Rawlings, they spoke for close to five hours, during which he told him he was not responsible for his arrest.  

Speaking in an interview with Kafui De on March 24, 2026, Kwesi Pratt recounted, “That was in 2001, after the handover. He insisted on seeing me. I refused the first time. He had approached a friend of mine, Ralph Kessley-Hayford, and asked him to convince me to meet him.

“Eventually, I agreed, and we met. The three of us spoke for about four and a half hours. It was during that meeting that he told me he was not responsible for my arrest and detention,” he said.

Kwesi Pratt added, “He told me that some of my own friends were the ones pushing for my arrest and detention, and that, as a leader, he could not ignore them. However, when I tried to verify this, I found that the truth was quite different.

“But we spoke for four and a half hours, and it generated a lot of public reaction. President Kufuor and others could not understand why, after all the struggle, I ended up meeting Jerry Rawlings,” he added.

Also, Kwesi Pratt Jr has revealed that he has been in prison about eighteen times.

According to Kwesi Pratt, he has spent nights in the Akuse Prison, Navrongo Prison, Tamale Prison, and Usher Fort Prison.

He further added that he has also been detained at the Police Headquarters and the cells of the Bureau of National Investigation a couple of times.

Kwesi Pratt disclosed that the longest period he has spent behind bars is six months.

He disclosed, “The last time we sat down and counted, I’ve been to prison 18 times. I have been in the guard room in what is known as Gonja Barracks twice. I have been detained at the police headquarters a couple of times, and at Bureau of National Investigation cells a couple of times.”

“I’ve been detained at the Usher Fort Prison, I’ve been detained at the Akuse Prisons, I’ve been detained at the Navrongo Prison, Tamale Prison and several police cells,” he disclosed.

Kwesi Pratt further added, “There was one time I was told why I’ve been arrested, and I was actually interrogated, and that was once. This was in 1992 or 1993. I was arrested with Professor Adu Boahen, and we were charged with obstruction of justice”.

Also, Kwesi Pratt revealed that the Akuse Prison was his most difficult experience across the prisons, adding that food was served in a chamber pot.

According to Kwesi Pratt, in prison, there was a standard meal called Manpower and Zontoli.

“One of my most horrible experiences was in Akuse Prison, where they served the food in a chamber pot. There is what they call Manpower and Zontoli, which was standard. The Manpower was the soup, and this soup, if you look at it, you could see the few ingredients that were used to prepare it at the bottom; it was transparent. The Zontoli is supposed to be banku, but it was as hard as wood,” he added.

Watch the video below:

Money from Slave Trade built the Catholic Church, Barclays Bank – Kwesi Pratt

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Money from Slave Trade built the Catholic Church, Barclays Bank – Kwesi Pratt

Kwesi Pratt Jnr, a renowned Ghanaian broadcaster and Pan-Africanist, has said the Catholic Church and Barclays Bank institutions were built on the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

According to the Veteran Journalist, Africans are entitled to part of the wealth of institutions like Barclays Bank and the Catholic Church, due to the historical context of how such wealth was generated.

Kwesi Pratt highlighted that the money that established Barclays Bank is slave trading money, and the wealth of the Catholic Church also came from Africans.

Speaking during an interview with Kafui Dey, Kwesi Pratt explained, “If you look at the World today, the richest institutions are the most resourceful institutions. Ask how they came to accumulate that wealth, and it came through exploitation, the transatlantic slave trade.

You take an institution like the Catholic Church. Where does its wealth come from? The wealth of the Catholic Church comes from the fact that it was a partner to Portugal in the adventurism that eventually led to the transatlantic slave trade.

“Indeed, the justification for slavery and colonialism was provided in the papal bull of 1452, signed by the Pope, authorising King Alfonso of Portugal to go around the world ‘civilising’ people. That is where the justification comes from. This led to the establishment of institutions that denigrated our science, destroyed our science, and devalued our spirituality. There are many things we need to research,” he said.

Kwesi Pratt further added, “Fast forward, this big bank, Barclays Bank. When you hear of Barclays Bank, it was established by the Barclays brothers, who were slave traders. The money that established Barclays Bank came from the slave trade. Are we not entitled to it? We are entitled to it. The Catholic Church is one of the biggest and richest spiritual institutions in the world. Where did that wealth come from?

“We are entitled to that wealth. Just imagine that 12.6 million Africans ended up on plantations as beasts of burden and worked for hundreds of years without pay. Compute that,” he added.

In related news, South London MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy has boldly declared that a vote against Ghana’s slavery motion would be a betrayal of every life consumed by enslavement and colonialism.

According to MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy, given Britain’s central role in this crime, a vote against would be a betrayal of every life consumed by slavery.

Speaking during the proceedings in the House of Commons on Tuesday, Bell Ribeiro-Addy stated, “The Ghanaian government’s resolution, declaring the transatlantic slave trade a crime against humanity, backed by the African Union, CARICOM, and a growing global coalition, will be debated. Given our nation’s central role in the trafficking and enslavement of African peoples, a vote against would be a betrayal of every life it consumed”.

“This House has never debated this. How can we be certain that our UN vote reflects the will of this Parliament and, more importantly, the will of this country? Madam Deputy Speaker, how can we ensure decisions of this magnitude, taken in our name, receive the democratic consideration they deserve before a vote is cast?” she said.

Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama, at the United Nations Headquarters on March 24, delivered a powerful speech on slavery.  

Ghana’s President Mahama boldly declared at the United Nations event on slavery that there was no such thing as a slave.

Mahama boldly highlighted that the transatlantic slave trade involved human beings who were trafficked, adding that it was designed to deny Africans their humanity.

According to President John Mahama, the global community needs to shift in how the history of slavery is understood, adding that slavery must be recognised as a crime against humanity while restoring the dignity of those affected.

Mahama stressed that the historical framing of slavery must be reconsidered, beginning with the language used to describe it.

Watch the video below:

SIM registration exercise comes at no cost to the Ghanaian taxpayer – Sam George

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SIM registration exercise comes at no cost to the Ghanaian taxpayer – Sam George

Sam George, the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, has announced that the planned SIM registration exercise will come at no cost to the Ghanaian taxpayer.

According to Sam George, the SIM registration exercise will not impose any financial burden on taxpayers.

Speaking in an interview on Channel One TV’s Face to Face on Tuesday, March 24, Sam George stated, “Part of the reason the Public Procurement Authority invited me to appear with my ministry is that we have written to the PPA and stated that this will be at no cost to the government.

“The commitment authorisation we received from the Finance Ministry for both the CERR and the SIM registration platform was to the effect that it will be at no cost to the Ghanaian taxpayer. When it is not borne by the taxpayer, you need to justify how it will be done,” he said.

“Engagement. We have engaged with the telecom companies and explained to them why they need to bear the cost,” he added.

Sam George further disclosed that the process would be competitive and not sole-sourced.

“We’re not sole-sourcing,” he added.

Also, Sam George has urged Ghanaians to fully participate in the upcoming SIM registration exercise.

He added, “It’s advisable for everybody to ensure that when we roll out the registration process, you take part in it. Bearing in mind that you took part in a system that traumatised people—people queued for days—but now you have a system that will allow you to do this in the comfort of your home. The process will be mandatory for the use of telecom services in the country”.

“I’m confident that in the third quarter of this year—anytime between July, August, and September—we will definitely be in a good position to roll out,” he said.

In related news, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the former Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, has issued a rebuttal to claims made by President John Dramani Mahama and the current Minister for Communications, Sam George.

President John Dramani Mahama, addressing a gathering on Thursday, March 19, 2026, claimed there was a conflict between former Minister of Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful and the former head of the National Identification Authority (NIA), which caused the challenges in the last SIM registration exercise.

President Mahama, addressing a gathering on Thursday, March 19, 2026, stated, “Some time back, we were told to register our SIM cards, which caused great distress to Ghanaians. Even MTN had to mount canopies just to attend to everyone.”

“When that was ongoing, we didn’t know that the former Minister of Communications [Ursula Owusu] was not on speaking terms with the former head of the NIA. They had issues between them,” he disclosed.

President Mahama added, “When you are undertaking a SIM registration, it is important to add it to the national registration so that a number can easily be identified and traced to the owner should that person be engaged in wrongdoing”.

“The sad part is that we didn’t do that, making the previous SIM registration exercise wasteful,” the president stated.

The former Minister for Communications and Digitalisation highlighted that 80% of the facial biometrics captured matched with the data in the NIA database, adding that the process was not useless or an empty exercise, as people are now desperately trying to suggest.

She disclosed that all that is left now is less than 20% to be biometrically verified in what can only be termed stage 3 of what we started.

In a statement titled “Rebuttal Statement on SIM Registration Falsehoods,” Ursula Owusu-Ekuful stated, “The only issue was that the National Identification Authority did not allow the SIM registration system to connect to their database for biometric verification at that second stage. That was the challenge. This, however, did not prevent us from compiling a comprehensive database of all activated SIMS in Ghana, and I thank all well-meaning Ghanaians once again for their cooperation, which ensured that the mass registration exercise was successfully completed with the registration of almost 30 million SIM cards. That SIM Registry database exists and is hosted securely by the national Electronic Transactions Regulator, NITA, in the National Data Centre!!

And yet, despite that limitation, what do we know today? We know that when an audit was conducted in 2025, more than 80% of the facial biometrics captured matched with the data in the NIA database. That is important. That means the process was not some useless or empty exercise as they are now desperately trying to suggest. In fact, it shows that the major part of the work has already been done.

All that is left now is for the less than 20% to be biometrically verified in what can only be termed stage 3 of what we started. That is all.

So the question is simple: if they say the previous exercise had no value or no data, then where did the 80% verification result come from? What data did they use for that audit? You cannot say on one hand that there was no data, and then on the other hand use audit outcomes based on that same exercise. That is contradictory. That is dishonest”.

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“Ghana’s values cannot be diluted and bought” – Sam George slams Lincoln University

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“Ghana’s values cannot be diluted and bought” – Sam George slams Lincoln University

Samuel Nartey George, the Minister of Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation, has slammed Lincoln University after it cancelled an honorary doctorate ceremony scheduled for President John Dramani Mahama.

According to Sam George, Ghana’s values cannot be diluted and bought by sinister forces on the prowl.

He further stated that Folks at Lincoln University should bow their heads in shame following the cancellation.

In a post shared on X  shared on March 24, 2026, Sam George wrote, “Massive respect to H.E. @JDMahama.

Our values cannot be diluted and bought by sinister forces on the prowl. The folks at Lincoln University should bow their heads in shame.

We are a proud Nation, and no one should think they can dictate what happens in our Nation”.

His remarks follow Lincoln University’s cancellation of Mahama’s Honorary Degree over Ghana’s anti-LGBTQ bill.  

Also, the Ghana Embassy in the United States has expressed disappointment following Lincoln University’s decision to cancel the conferment of an honorary doctorate degree, honoris causa, for President John Dramani Mahama.

According to the Ghana Embassy in the United States, the university’s decision was communicated just hours before the scheduled visit on Thursday, March 26.

The Lincoln University decision is alleged to be based on  President Mahama’s perceived position on Ghana’s Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, popularly known as the anti-gay Bill currently before Parliament.

The Ghana Embassy in the United States explained that no concerns were raised during the university’s due diligence and vetting processes.

Part of Ghana’s Embassy statement read, “It is both surprising and regrettable that such concerns have surfaced at this late stage, particularly with the President already in the United States in anticipation of the visit”.

It will be recalled that Lincoln University had earlier announced on March 19, 2026, that it would be conferring the honour on the President for his global leadership.

Portions of Lincoln University’s earlier statement read, “Lincoln University is proud to announce that His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Fourth Republic of Ghana and the African Union’s Champion for Advancing the Cause of Justice and the Payment of Reparations, will receive an honorary doctorate from the university on March 26, 2026.

“This is coming in recognition of his outstanding contributions to public service, democratic governance, peaceful international and inter-African relationships, and global advocacy for justice, equality, and education.”

“Lincoln University is deeply honoured to welcome President John Dramani Mahama to our campus and to bestow upon him an honorary degree in recognition of his distinguished leadership,” Dr Allen said in the statement.

However, in another update, Lincoln University’s official website stated that it has cancelled the President’s visit, citing what it described as “unforeseen circumstances” for the decision.

The update read, “Due to unforeseen circumstances, the university is cancelling the visit from John Dramani Mahama, President of The Republic of Ghana, originally scheduled for Thursday, March 26th”.

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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Watch Mahama’s powerful speech at the UN event on slavery

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Watch Mahama’s powerful speech at the UN event on slavery

President John Dramani Mahama, at the United Nations Headquarters on March 24, delivered a powerful speech on slavery.

Ghana’s President Mahama boldly declared at the United Nations event on slavery that there was no such thing as a slave.

Mahama boldly highlighted that the transatlantic slave trade involved human beings who were trafficked, adding that it was designed to deny Africans their humanity.

According to President John Mahama, the global community needs to shift in how the history of slavery is understood, adding that slavery must be recognised as a crime against humanity while restoring the dignity of those affected.

Mahama stressed that the historical framing of slavery must be reconsidered, beginning with the language used to describe it.

Delivering remarks at a United Nations event on slavery at the United Nations Headquarters on Tuesday, March 24, Mahama stated, “With the power that words hold to shape consciousness and perspectives, and to propel action or inaction, I offer this truth as a starting point: there is no such thing as a slave. There were human beings who were trafficked and enslaved by others who believed they could own them as property”.

“The entire transatlantic slave trade was designed to strip African people of their humanity, premised on a racial hierarchy that falsely elevated one race while dehumanising another without any basis in fact or science,” he stressed.

He added, “Some may think this is the same thing, but it is not, especially if we are to recognise the humanity and dignity of every individual”.

“These injustices occurred because human beings were reduced to objects. That is why, in discussing slavery and its legacy, we must begin by reclaiming racial equality and restoring the dignity of Africans and their descendants,” he said.

“Such a resolution allows the world to collectively bear witness to the suffering of more than 12.5 million men, women, and children whose homes, identities, families, dreams, and futures were taken from them over 400 years,” he noted.

“When discussing slavery and its consequences, we must always start by reclaiming the dignity of Africans, the humanity of our ancestors who were enslaved, and, as a matter of course, our own humanity,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ghana is set to propose a slavery resolution ‌at ⁠UN.

Reports by Reuters stated, “Mahama, who last year announced a deal to accept West Africans deported by the U.S., previously criticised Trump for his false claims of white genocide and land seizures in South Africa, calling them an insult to Africans.

Mahama is in New York to propose a resolution at the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday to recognise transatlantic slavery as the “gravest crime in the ​history of humankind” and to ​call for reparations.

The West African ⁠nation has been a leading advocate for reparations, a cause that has gained significant momentum in recent years, even as a growing backlash has emerged.

Several Western leaders have opposed even discussing ​the subject, with critics arguing that today’s states and institutions should not be held ​responsible for historical ⁠wrongs.

The draft resolution, seen by Reuters, urges member states to engage in dialogue on reparations, including issuing formal apologies, returning stolen artifacts, providing financial compensation, and ensuring guarantees of non-repetition.

The resolution has been backed by the nations of the African Union ⁠and the ​Caribbean Community, as well as countries like Brazil.

Ghana’s foreign minister, Samuel Ablakwa, ​said the European Union and the U.S. had already communicated they would not back the resolution”.

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A vote against Ghana’s slavery motion would be a betrayal – London MP declares 

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A vote against Ghana’s slavery motion would be a betrayal – London MP declares 

South London MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy has boldly declared that a vote against Ghana’s slavery motion would be a betrayal of every life consumed by enslavement and colonialism.

According to MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy, given Britain’s central role in this crime, a vote against would be a betrayal of every life consumed by slavery.

Speaking during the proceedings in the House of Commons on Tuesday, Bell Ribeiro-Addy stated, “The Ghanaian government’s resolution, declaring the transatlantic slave trade a crime against humanity, backed by the African Union, CARICOM, and a growing global coalition, will be debated. Given our nation’s central role in the trafficking and enslavement of African peoples, a vote against would be a betrayal of every life it consumed”.

“This House has never debated this. How can we be certain that our UN vote reflects the will of this Parliament and, more importantly, the will of this country? Madam Deputy Speaker, how can we ensure decisions of this magnitude, taken in our name, receive the democratic consideration they deserve before a vote is cast?” she said.

Caroline Nokes, the Second Deputy Speaker of the UK House of Commons, who was presiding over the sitting, commended the Labour MP for the issue she raised.

However, stressed that the decision on how the UK would vote on the resolution was the sole prerogative of the executive arm.

The Deputy Speaker stated, “Can I thank the Honourable Lady for her point of order? As she will know, the government conducts diplomatic relations in the United Nations under the Crown prerogative. Nevertheless, she has placed her concerns on the record, and the front bench will have heard them”.

“Of course, as this House has not debated the issue, she might do well to apply for a backbench business debate, or alternatively to raise it in Westminster Hall, or indeed with the Leader of the House at business questions,” she added.

MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy, sharing video of the proceeding on social media, wrote, “Tomorrow, the United Nations will vote on Ghana’s motion to recognise the Transatlantic slave trade as a crime against humanity.

Given Britain’s central role in this crime, a vote against would be a betrayal of every life consumed by enslavement and colonialism”.

Meanwhile, President John Mahama has boldly declared at the United Nations event on slavery at the United Nations Headquarters on March 24, that there was no such thing as a slave.

Mahama boldly highlighted that the transatlantic slave trade involved human beings who were trafficked.

According to President John Mahama, the global community needs to shift in how the history of slavery is understood, adding that slavery must be recognised as a crime against humanity while restoring the dignity of those affected.

Mahama stressed that the historical framing of slavery must be reconsidered, beginning with the language used to describe it.

Delivering remarks at a United Nations event on slavery at the United Nations Headquarters on Tuesday, March 24, Mahama stated, “With the power that words hold to shape consciousness and perspectives, and to propel action or inaction, I offer this truth as a starting point: there is no such thing as a slave. There were human beings who were trafficked and enslaved by others who believed they could own them as property”.

“The entire transatlantic slave trade was designed to strip African people of their humanity, premised on a racial hierarchy that falsely elevated one race while dehumanising another without any basis in fact or science,” he stressed.

He added, “Some may think this is the same thing, but it is not, especially if we are to recognise the humanity and dignity of every individual”.

“These injustices occurred because human beings were reduced to objects. That is why, in discussing slavery and its legacy, we must begin by reclaiming racial equality and restoring the dignity of Africans and their descendants,” he said.

“Such a resolution allows the world to collectively bear witness to the suffering of more than 12.5 million men, women, and children whose homes, identities, families, dreams, and futures were taken from them over 400 years,” he noted.

“When discussing slavery and its consequences, we must always start by reclaiming the dignity of Africans, the humanity of our ancestors who were enslaved, and, as a matter of course, our own humanity,” he said.

Watch the video below:

“There is no such thing as a slave; there were human beings who were trafficked” – Mahama

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“There is no such thing as a slave; there were human beings who were trafficked” – Mahama

President John Mahama has boldly declared at the United Nations event on slavery at the UN Headquarters on March 24, that there was no such thing as a slave.

Mahama boldly highlighted that the transatlantic slave trade involved human beings who were trafficked.

According to President John Mahama, the global community needs to shift in how the history of slavery is understood, adding that slavery must be recognised as a crime against humanity while restoring the dignity of those affected.

Mahama stressed that the historical framing of slavery must be reconsidered, beginning with the language used to describe it.

Delivering remarks at a United Nations event on slavery at the United Nations Headquarters on Tuesday, March 24, Mahama stated, “With the power that words hold to shape consciousness and perspectives, and to propel action or inaction, I offer this truth as a starting point: there is no such thing as a slave. There were human beings who were trafficked and enslaved by others who believed they could own them as property”.

“The entire transatlantic slave trade was designed to strip African people of their humanity, premised on a racial hierarchy that falsely elevated one race while dehumanising another without any basis in fact or science,” he stressed.

He added, “Some may think this is the same thing, but it is not, especially if we are to recognise the humanity and dignity of every individual”.

“These injustices occurred because human beings were reduced to objects. That is why, in discussing slavery and its legacy, we must begin by reclaiming racial equality and restoring the dignity of Africans and their descendants,” he said.

“Such a resolution allows the world to collectively bear witness to the suffering of more than 12.5 million men, women, and children whose homes, identities, families, dreams, and futures were taken from them over 400 years,” he noted.

“When discussing slavery and its consequences, we must always start by reclaiming the dignity of Africans, the humanity of our ancestors who were enslaved, and, as a matter of course, our own humanity,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ghana is set to propose a slavery resolution ‌at ⁠UN.

Reports by Reuters stated, “Mahama, who last year announced a deal to accept West Africans deported by the U.S., previously criticised Trump for his false claims of white genocide and land seizures in South Africa, calling them an insult to Africans.

Mahama is in New York to propose a resolution at the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday to recognise transatlantic slavery as the “gravest crime in the ​history of humankind” and to ​call for reparations.

The West African ⁠nation has been a leading advocate for reparations, a cause that has gained significant momentum in recent years, even as a growing backlash has emerged.

Several Western leaders have opposed even discussing ​the subject, with critics arguing that today’s states and institutions should not be held ​responsible for historical ⁠wrongs.

The draft resolution, seen by Reuters, urges member states to engage in dialogue on reparations, including issuing formal apologies, returning stolen artifacts, providing financial compensation, and ensuring guarantees of non-repetition.

The resolution has been backed by the nations of the African Union ⁠and the ​Caribbean Community, as well as countries like Brazil.

Ghana’s foreign minister, Samuel Ablakwa, ​said the European Union and the U.S. had already communicated they would not back the resolution”.

Watch the video below:

Watch the alleged video of Black Maria ‘attacking’ Ibrahim Mahama’s bus

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Watch the alleged video of Black Maria ‘attacking’ Ibrahim Mahama’s bus

A viral video has surfaced of an incident that led to the attack on Ghanaian artist and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Red Clay, Ibrahim Mahama, in Tamale.

In the viral video, some men alleged to be Black Maria team was spotted in plain clothing with bullet vests standing in front of a Red Clay bus.

The officers were captured looking for a way to enter the Red Clay-labelled bus, with a traffic build-up, no mob could be seen in the video, as claimed by the Police.

It will be recalled that Ibrahim Mahama, who was allegedly assaulted by the IGP’s special operations team, also known as Black Maria, in Tamale.

Reports suggest he was beaten for filming the Black Maria team as they unsuccessfully forced their way through a traffic jam while on a mission.

Speaking in an interview, Ibrahim Mahama stated, “They broke into our bus, forced me to open my phone and deleted the pictures. From the beginning to the end, everything was an assault”.

“The Police (Black Maria) team with their sirens tried to pass through the traffic by clearing the way, but were not successful. After several attempts, they began confronting the motorists, which resulted in physical assault on the civilians,” he explained.

“They beat us up and forced my boss Ibrahim Mahama to open his password and delete the videos. They took us to Sakasaka Police Station and beat us up again,” Ibrahim Mahommed further stated.

Following the assault, Ibrahim Mahama and the other injured persons were taken to Habannah Hospital in Tamale for treatment.

The artist lost two of his front teeth as a result of the attack.

Speaking at a press conference in Tamale on Monday, March 23, Ibrahim Mahama stated, “Certainly, we are considering legal action. It’s very important. It’s a no-brainer. We have to do it”.

“It’s not for me, but it’s actually for everyone else because if this could happen to me, as well-known as I am, then what about the people on the street? Who’s going to speak for that person? So, we have to do it for the benefit of the collective society that we’re in.”

Ibrahim Mahama further added, “That evening, I was meant to travel to the UK because I had to go and give some lectures in some schools from Cambridge to Oxford to the Royal College in London, and also continue to Helsinki for work and then to Amsterdam and then to South Africa before coming home”.

“But all those trips have to be cancelled, and I don’t think I can even travel for the next month because the last few days I have not even eaten solid food because my lips are all bruised, and three of my teeth are broken, I have sores in my mouth. Currently, it has put my entire life on hold.”

The Ghanaian artist further raised concerns about Black Maria’s alleged pattern of abuse.

He added, “Of course, we’ve heard many stories about the same unit and the brutalities. That’s why they could say that we could kill you and nothing will happen.”

“If at the end of the day, through these brutal actions, a lot of us young people will not feel like we need to stay in a place like this, then it’s rather on the bad side of justice,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Service has confirmed a probe into the assault on the internationally-acclaimed artist and Founder and owner of Red Clay Studio, Ibrahim Mahama, by “some officers”, but denies Black Maria’s involvement.

According to the Police, Black Maria Team was withdrawn from the Northern Region by the IGP on March 5.

In a statement issued by the Police, they wrote, “The Northern Regional Police Command has commenced investigations into a reported assault on visual artist, Mr Ibrahim Mahama, by some officers in Tamale.

The Command assures the public that updates of the ongoing investigation will be duly communicated.

Meanwhile, claims in sections of the media that the Special Operations Team (The Black Maria) was involved in this case are false, since the team has been out of the Northern Region following their withdrawal by the Inspector-General of Police on Thursday, the 5th of March. 2026”.

Watch the video below:

“Lincoln University should bow their heads in shame” – Sam George ‘ROARS’

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“Lincoln University should bow their heads in shame” – Sam George ‘ROARS’

Sam George, the Minister of Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation, has fired shots at Lincoln University after it cancelled an honorary doctorate ceremony scheduled for President John Dramani Mahama.

According to Sam George, Ghana’s values cannot be diluted and bought by sinister forces on the prowl.

He further stated that Folks at Lincoln University should bow their heads in shame following the cancellation.

In a post shared on X  shared on March 24, 2026, Sam George wrote, “Massive respect to H.E. @JDMahama.

Our values cannot be diluted and bought by sinister forces on the prowl. The folks at Lincoln University should bow their heads in shame.

We are a proud Nation, and no one should think they can dictate what happens in our Nation”.

His remarks follow Lincoln University’s cancellation of Mahama’s Honorary Degree over Ghana’s anti-LGBTQ bill.  

Also, the Ghana Embassy in the United States has expressed disappointment following Lincoln University’s decision to cancel the conferment of an honorary doctorate degree, honoris causa, for President John Dramani Mahama.

According to the Ghana Embassy in the United States, the university’s decision was communicated just hours before the scheduled visit on Thursday, March 26.

The Lincoln University decision is alleged to be based on  President Mahama’s perceived position on Ghana’s Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, popularly known as the anti-gay Bill currently before Parliament.

The Ghana Embassy in the United States explained that no concerns were raised during the university’s due diligence and vetting processes.

Part of Ghana’s Embassy statement read, “It is both surprising and regrettable that such concerns have surfaced at this late stage, particularly with the President already in the United States in anticipation of the visit”.

It will be recalled that Lincoln University had earlier announced on March 19, 2026, that it would be conferring the honour on the President for his global leadership.

Portions of Lincoln University’s earlier statement read, “Lincoln University is proud to announce that His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Fourth Republic of Ghana and the African Union’s Champion for Advancing the Cause of Justice and the Payment of Reparations, will receive an honorary doctorate from the university on March 26, 2026.

“This is coming in recognition of his outstanding contributions to public service, democratic governance, peaceful international and inter-African relationships, and global advocacy for justice, equality, and education.”

“Lincoln University is deeply honoured to welcome President John Dramani Mahama to our campus and to bestow upon him an honorary degree in recognition of his distinguished leadership,” Dr Allen said in the statement.

However, in another update, Lincoln University’s official website stated that it has cancelled the President’s visit, citing what it described as “unforeseen circumstances” for the decision.

The update read, “Due to unforeseen circumstances, the university is cancelling the visit from John Dramani Mahama, President of The Republic of Ghana, originally scheduled for Thursday, March 26th”.

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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Man campaigning against consumption of cat and dog meat nearly lynched in the North

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Man campaigning against consumption of cat and dog meat nearly lynched in the North

The Executive Director of the Institute of Community Sustainability, Eric Jerry Aidoo, was reportedly nearly lynched by some locals in the Northern Region during an anti-cat and dog meat campaign.

During a campaign aimed to educate communities on preserving dogs and cats as pets and to highlight the cruelty of killing and consuming them, some locals reportedly found the message offensive and attacked members of the organisation, forcing a temporary suspension of its nationwide sensitisation tour to review security measures.

According to the institution, the campaign is on hold, not cancelled, and reaffirmed its commitment to ending cruelty against pets.

In a statement issued, the Institute of Community Sustainability (ICS) stated, “While we are relieved that Chairman Jerry is safe, the severity of this targeted violence necessitates a pause to ensure the safety of our team and to reassess our security protocols.

​”We want to state clearly that the tour is not cancelled. We have only put our activities on hold,” the statement said.

The statement further added, “We will return to the road very soon to continue fighting for our innocent dogs and cats that serve as loyal family members and vital security for households across the country.

“​Cats and dogs are family, not food. We will not be silenced by intimidation when the lives of these innocent animals are at stake.

“​The ICS is calling on all compassionate citizens to stand with us. We are actively seeking volunteers and advocates to join our upcoming tours in the following regions:

​Volta Region

​Northern Region

​Eastern Region

​Greater Accra Region

“Our goal is to educate the public and engage with communities to shift the perspective on the consumption and treatment of this innocent pet. ​If you are interested in joining our movement or joining our tour, please visit our head office or contact our official line for more information and upcoming schedules.”

Earlier, ICS called for an immediate ban on cat and dog meat consumption in Ghana.

According to the Institute of Community Sustainability (ICS), there are serious public health risks and ethical concerns with the consumption of Dog and Cat meat.

Eric Jerry Aidoo argued that cats and dogs are family companions who deserve protection, not the slaughterhouse.

ICS detailed that consuming cat and dog meat poses a grave threat to human health, noting that unregulated slaughter and handling can transmit diseases such as rabies, trichinellosis, and cholera.

They further called on the Ministry of Health to implement strict measures to totally ban slaughter for human consumption, and also the criminalisation of the trade and sale of cat and dog meat.

Eric Jerry Aidoo is quoted to have said, “They are family companions, providing emotional support to children and the elderly, and serve as security guides, protecting homes and businesses”.

“It is time for Ghana to align with global health standards and ethical practices. Cats and dogs are our family; they deserve protection, not the slaughterhouse,” Aidoo stated.

However, Dr Clement Abas Apaak, the Deputy Minister of Education and the Global President of the Dog Meat Eaters Association (DOGMEA), has justified the consumption of dog and cat meat.

Dr Apaak stressed that the consumption of dog and cat meat is their birthright and urged members to be proud of their heritage and culture. 

According to Dr Apaak, they consume dog and cat meat because it is part of our culture, heritage and tradition.

Dr Apaak made these remarks while dismissing calls by the Institute of Community Sustainability to ban the consumption of these animals.

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Gov’t releases details of contracts under the Big Push after Minority demands

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Gov’t releases details of contracts under the Big Push after Minority demands

The John Mahama government has released details of contracts under the Big Push after the NPP Minority in parliament demanded a full disclosure.

The Minority in Parliament called on the government to release full details of contracts awarded under its major road infrastructure programme, the ‘Big Push.

Kennedy Osei Nyarko stated, “We strongly believe that the government must, as a matter of urgency, publish the full details of these contracts. This will give Ghanaians the opportunity to independently assess the policy and promote transparency in the execution of the programme”.

The minority comment comes on the heels of The Fourth Estate publication, which suggested President John Dramani Mahama and his government have been playing lip service in terms of promises to minimise sole-source procurement to encourage competitive bidding.

President John Mahama, on numerous occasions, has reiterated his government’s commitment to make single-source procurement a rare exception rather than the norm.

In the NDC People’s Manifesto, they also pledged to “make single-sourced procurement (sole-sourcing) an exception and not the rule.”

John Mahama, during his recent SONA, also repeated his vow and commitment, “Mr Speaker, we are bringing legislation to this House to tighten our procurement processes by banning sole-sourced contracts, except in exceptional circumstances,” the President told Parliament.

However, after one year in office, the report by The Fourth Estate has unearthed that the Road Ministry awarded 81 sole-sourced contracts worth over GHS73 billion in 7 months.

The Fourth Estate stated, “Data available to The Fourth Estate indicates that in the last seven months, the ministry has awarded 107 road contracts. Contrary to the President’s promise to ensure competitiveness and transparency in the awarding of public contracts, not a single one of 107 contracts was awarded based on competitive tendering.

A whopping 81 out of the 107 road contracts worth over GHS73 billion were awarded through sole-sourcing. The remaining 26 contracts worth about GHS8 billion were awarded through selective tendering. This means over 90% of the amount of money expected to be spent on roads under the Big Push programme so far was given out through sole-sourcing.

Despite this glaring contrast, the majority leader and leader of government business in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, audaciously proclaimed to Parliament on March 11, 2026, that “let it be known, the era of the sole-sourced contract is dead.”

However, Dzifa Gunu, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Digital Centres Limited, has shared details of the government releasing details of the Big Push contract.

Dzifa Gunu, in his post sharing details of the project, wrote, “This afternoon the NPP asked for full disclosure on the #BigPush contract.

Government has accepted their request

Details of the contracts under the BigPush”.

Meanwhile, the Roads Minister speaking in Parliament on March 24, 2026, explained that a mix of procurement methods was used in line with the laws of Ghana.

The Road Minister detailed that only 44 per cent of Big Push contracts awarded by the Roads Ministry under President Mahama were through sole sourcing.  

Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, Mr Agbodza stated, “Given the scale and importance of these projects, a mix of procurement processes was employed in accordance with the law,” he told lawmakers. “It is important to note that only 44% of all the major contracts under the Big Push project were awarded by the ministry under sole sourcing, not what has been published by a certain online portal”.

According to Kwame Agbodza, more than 400 contracts had been awarded through open competitive bidding, which he described as unprecedented.

“We have also awarded over 400 contracts under open competitive bidding. Records show that from 2017 to 2024, almost all the projects carried out by the ministry were sole-sourced. It is therefore mischievous for any right-thinking member of society to conclude that the Ministry of Roads and Highways only procures works through sole sourcing,” he said.

See the post below:

Only 44 per cent of Big Push contracts awarded through sole sourcing – Roads Minister

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Only 44 per cent of Big Push contracts awarded through sole sourcing – Roads Minister

The Roads Minister, Governs Kwame Agbodza, has rejected the reports claiming his ministry awarded 81 sole-sourced contracts worth over ₵73 billion in 7 months under Big Push.

According to the Roads Minister, only 44 per cent of Big Push contracts awarded by the Roads Ministry under President Mahama were through sole sourcing. 

Speaking in Parliament on March 24, 2026, Governs Kwame Agbodza explained that a mix of procurement methods was used in line with the laws of Ghana.

On the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, Governs Kwame Agbodza stated, “Given the scale and importance of these projects, a mix of procurement processes was employed in accordance with the law”.

“It is important to note that only 44% of all the major contracts under the Big Push project were awarded by the ministry under sole sourcing, not what has been published by a certain online portal”.

According to Kwame Agbodza, more than 400 contracts had been awarded through open competitive bidding, which he described as unprecedented.

“We have also awarded over 400 contracts under open competitive bidding. Records show that from 2017 to 2024, almost all the projects carried out by the ministry were sole-sourced. It is therefore mischievous for any right-thinking member of society to conclude that the Ministry of Roads and Highways only procures works through sole sourcing,” he said.

on the heels of The Fourth Estate publication, which suggested President John Dramani Mahama and his government have been playing lip service in terms of promises to minimise sole-source procurement to encourage competitive bidding.

President John Mahama, on numerous occasions, has reiterated his government’s commitment to make single-source procurement a rare exception rather than the norm.

In the NDC People’s Manifesto, they also pledged to “make single-sourced procurement (sole-sourcing) an exception and not the rule.”

John Mahama, during his recent SONA, also repeated his vow and commitment, “Mr Speaker, we are bringing legislation to this House to tighten our procurement processes by banning sole-sourced contracts, except in exceptional circumstances,” the President told Parliament.

However, after one year in office, the report by The Fourth Estate has unearthed that the Road Ministry awarded 81 sole-sourced contracts worth over GHS73 billion in 7 months.

The Fourth Estate stated, “Data available to The Fourth Estate indicates that in the last seven months, the ministry has awarded 107 road contracts. Contrary to the President’s promise to ensure competitiveness and transparency in the awarding of public contracts, not a single one of 107 contracts was awarded based on competitive tendering.

A whopping 81 out of the 107 road contracts worth over GHS73 billion were awarded through sole-sourcing. The remaining 26 contracts worth about GHS8 billion were awarded through selective tendering. This means over 90% of the amount of money expected to be spent on roads under the Big Push programme so far was given out through sole-sourcing.

Despite this glaring contrast, the majority leader and leader of government business in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, audaciously proclaimed to Parliament on March 11, 2026, that “let it be known, the era of the sole-sourced contract is dead.”

Also, The Minority in Parliament had earlier called on the government to release full details of contracts awarded under its major road infrastructure programme, the ‘Big Push.

Kennedy Osei Nyarko stated, “We strongly believe that the government must, as a matter of urgency, publish the full details of these contracts. This will give Ghanaians the opportunity to independently assess the policy and promote transparency in the execution of the programme”.

See the post below:

Video – Tamale Central Hospital struggles with rising filth as cleaners strike over 5 months of unpaid salaries

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Video – Tamale Central Hospital struggles with rising filth as cleaners strike over 5 months of unpaid salaries

A video has surfaced of the Tamale Central Hospital struggling with rising filth as cleaners strike, leaving patients and staff to cope with unsanitary conditions for the past three days.

Reports suggest some casual staff at the Tamale Central Hospital have embarked on a sit-down strike following their salaries being unpaid for over five months.

The strike action by the casual staff at the Tamale Central Hospital has begun to take a toll on sanitation at the facility, with many overflowing bins and a strong stench emanating from the washrooms and other sections of the hospital.

Speaking to Channel One News on Monday, March 23, Adam Sulemana Baba, the Secretary of the orderlies, stated, “We are here for almost about 15 years as casual workers. And we have a problem with our salary.

We have worked for almost five months without salary, and due to that, that’s why we went on this strike. We even went to our management during the Ramadan fasting to explain our situation”.

In related health news, the Emergency Medicine Residents at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) have refuted claims that the viral video of patients being treated on the floor is AI-generated.

According to the Emergency Medicine Residents, the videos showing patients being treated on the floor are authentic, not AI-generated.

In a press statement issued on March 23, the residents stated, “We, the Emergency Medicine Residents of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), respond to management’s News Release of March 21, 2026. We write to ensure the public record accurately reflects the conditions under which care is being delivered and the systemic failures that made them inevitable

The Floor Incident: Setting the Record Straight

The video footage is authentic. When the surge in patients exhausted all available beds, chairs were provided. When those chairs were also exhausted, patients had no option but to receive care on the floor. This sequence was witnessed by every member of our clinical team. Characterising this documentation as ‘AI-generated or ‘media slander’ is factually inaccurate and an affront to both patients and staff.

200 Beds Are Not Enough

The procurement of 200 beds, while noted, does not address the crisis. Beds without functional oxygen points, airway equipment, monitoring tools, adequate floor space, and sufficient nursing and physician staffing ratios do not improve care. They congest an already overwhelmed space. A comprehensive, resourced solution is required, not headline figures.

A National Crisis, Not a KBTH Problem

This crisis is a symptom of a fractured national emergency response system driven by:

1. Dysfunctional referral pathways: Patients are dumped at tertiary centres because primary and secondary facilities cannot hold them.

2. Absent pre-hospital coordination: Patients arrive critically ill with no advance notice and no basic interventions initiated

3. No national bed-tracking system makes real-time patient redistribution impossible.

We do not call for more beds in hallways. We call for a strengthened national healthcare grid.

We urge management and the Ministry of Health to move past PR-focused responses and commit to a transparent and systemic reform. The evidence is real. The crisis is real. And the response must be equally real”.

The Emergency Medicine Residents at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) statement follows Dr Yakubu Seidu Adam, who had earlier claimed that the viral video of patients on the floor might be  AI-generated.

The Korle Bu CEO claimed that the viral video of patients lying on the floor does not reflect the reality of the hospital’s emergency wards amid ongoing concerns over the “no-bed syndrome.”

He made this clarification during a working visit by the Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, on Saturday, March 21.

According to the Korle Bu CEO, an increase in patient numbers, but clarified that while some patients may be seated on chairs due to high demand, patients have not slept on the floor.

“We are still reviewing the images to ascertain whether it is AI-generated,” he added.

The Emergency Medicine Residents’ statement follows an alarming viral footage that has surfaced on social media of some patients at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) seen lying on the bare floors of Ghana’s biggest hospital.

In the viral footage, several patients, visibly frail and in need of urgent care, were captured sleeping on the hard hospital floors.

The alarming video exposed the extent of the lack of beds at wards at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital as the ongoing “no bed syndrome” crisis worsens.

Watch the video below:

I can’t speak ill of Mahama, I admire him – Aspiring NPP PC admits

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I can’t speak ill of Mahama, I admire him – Aspiring NPP PC admits

An aspiring NPP Parliamentary Candidate, Beatrice Nana Yaa Owarewa Siaw, has shared her candid thoughts on the country’s current leadership and governance.

According to Beatrice Siaw, she admires President John Mahama so much that she cannot speak ill of the president.

She explained that she loves her party and is impressed with the President, not necessarily impressed with how things are going.

Speaking in an interview on Metro TV’s Good Morning, Ghana, Beatrice Nana Yaa Owarewa Siaw stated, “I admire President Mahama, so it’s hard to speak against him. Even though I am an NPP member, I do love my party…I am impressed with the President [but] not necessarily impressed with how things are going”.

“I got into politics to make a difference. I thought I could shape lives and touch people within the Asante Mampong environs”.

She further added, “Being a citizen from there and also from the royal family, I believe it is my right to help my people. If not me, who? If not now, when?”

In related news, Nana Aba Anamoah, a renowned Ghanaian media personality, has showered praises on 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.

Watch the video below:

Kufuor offered to be my lawyer in a trial, but I rejected his offer – Kwesi Pratt

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Kufuor offered to be my lawyer in a trial, but I rejected his offer – Kwesi Pratt

Kwesi Pratt Jnr, the Veteran journalist and Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, has revealed former President John Agyekum Kufuor once offered to represent him in a trial, but he declined the offer.

The Veteran journalist recounted that he decided to defend himself because he believed the case was politically motivated.

Speaking in an interview with Kafui Dey, Kwesi Pratt recounted, “… I suspect [it happened] in 1992-3. I was arrested with Adu-Boahene, and we were charged with obstruction of justice. There was a dynamite attack on the Kotoka International Airport by a group called Farrigan. This group was led by an Alhaji Damba, and they had come from outside to carry out this operation, and they came to see us. Of course, I told him I was not interested”.

“Adu-Boahene apparently told him he was not interested and so on, but during the investigations into these explosions, Adu-Boahene and I were picked up, and we were charged with the obstruction of justice and tried at the National Public Tribunal”.

“So, I actually went through interrogation. It was a proper charge sheet and so on. I think that was about the only time that I had been told why I had been arrested,” he added.

Kwesi Pratt added that during his trial, former President John Agyekum Kufuor offered to represent him in court, but he refused.

 The Veteran Journalist added, “Interestingly, President Kufuor offered to defend me, to be my lawyer in the trial. Well, if you see the photographs of the trial, you will see President Kufuor sitting behind me, and he wanted to be my lawyer, but I refused because I insisted that the trial was political, had nothing to do with the law.

“It was a political trial, and I thought that nobody could articulate the politics of the moment better than I could do so I did not accept him as my lawyer, but he still helped me. He actually took my notes. So, you see him sitting behind me in the tribunal, taking notes and so on,” Pratt stated.

He further recounted, “And he took my notes, and it was very helpful. I defended myself, but I knew the trial was not going anywhere. I was absolutely right because you see, to be tried in a court, you have to read your caution statement, and I knew what I put in the caution statement. I knew that the caution statement could not be read anywhere.

“My caution statement was almost a book, and I put everything in it. I remember when I was writing the statement, one hour had passed, and I was still writing and so on. There was Adu-Boahene sitting by me, and then he looked at me and said, what are you writing? Why are you writing so many things? You’re going to implicate all of us.

“I said, just relax. I know what I’m doing. Nobody can read this statement in any court anywhere in the world, and I suspect that that was one of the reasons why the trial did not go far,” he recounted.

Also, Kwesi Pratt, in that same interview, revealed that Kwesi Pratt Jnr, revealed that he has been in prison about eighteen times.

According to Kwesi Pratt, he has spent nights in the Akuse Prison, Navrongo Prison, Tamale Prison, and Usher Fort Prison.

He further added that he has also been detained at the Police Headquarters and the cells of the Bureau of National Investigation a couple of times.

Kwesi Pratt disclosed that the longest period he has spent behind bars is six months.

The veteran Journalist disclosed, “The last time we sat down and counted, I’ve been to prison 18 times. I have been in the guard room in what is known as Gonja Barracks twice. I have been detained at the police headquarters a couple of times, and at Bureau of National Investigation cells a couple of times.”

“I’ve been detained at the Usher Fort Prison, I’ve been detained at the Akuse Prisons, I’ve been detained at the Navrongo Prison, Tamale Prison and several police cells,” he disclosed.

Kwesi Pratt further added, “There was one time I was told why I’ve been arrested, and I was actually interrogated, and that was once. This was in 1992 or 1993. I was arrested with Professor Adu Boahen, and we were charged with obstruction of justice”.

Also, Kwesi Pratt revealed that the Akuse Prison was his most difficult experience across the prisons, adding that food was served in a chamber pot.

According to Kwesi Pratt, in prison, there was a standard meal called Manpower and Zontoli.

“One of my most horrible experiences was in Akuse Prison, where they served the food in a chamber pot. There is what they call Manpower and Zontoli, which was standard. The Manpower was the soup, and this soup, if you look at it, you could see the few ingredients that were used to prepare it at the bottom; it was transparent. The Zontoli is supposed to be banku, but it was as hard as wood,” he added.

Watch the video below:

“The crisis is real, response must be equally real” – Korle Bu Emergency Residents on ‘No-bed syndrome’

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“The crisis is real, response must be equally real” – Korle Bu Emergency Residents on ‘No-bed syndrome’

The Emergency Medicine Residents at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) have said the ‘No-bed syndrome’ crisis in Ghana’s healthcare delivery is real.

According to the Emergency Medicine Residents at the Korle Bu, the evidence is real. The crisis is real, and the response must be equally real.

In a press statement issued on March 23, the residents disclosed that the viral video of patients being treated on the floor is a National Crisis, not a Korle Bu problem.

According to the Emergency Medicine Residents, the videos showing patients being treated on the floor are authentic, not AI-generated.

In the Emergency Medicine Residents’ press statement issued on March 23, it reads, “We, the Emergency Medicine Residents of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), respond to management’s News Release of March 21, 2026. We write to ensure the public record accurately reflects the conditions under which care is being delivered and the systemic failures that made them inevitable

The Floor Incident: Setting the Record Straight

The video footage is authentic. When the surge in patients exhausted all available beds, chairs were provided. When those chairs were also exhausted, patients had no option but to receive care on the floor. This sequence was witnessed by every member of our clinical team. Characterising this documentation as ‘AI-generated or ‘media slander’ is factually inaccurate and an affront to both patients and staff.

200 Beds Are Not Enough

The procurement of 200 beds, while noted, does not address the crisis. Beds without functional oxygen points, airway equipment, monitoring tools, adequate floor space, and sufficient nursing and physician staffing ratios do not improve care. They congest an already overwhelmed space. A comprehensive, resourced solution is required, not headline figures.

A National Crisis, Not a KBTH Problem

This crisis is a symptom of a fractured national emergency response system driven by:

1. Dysfunctional referral pathways: Patients are dumped at tertiary centres because primary and secondary facilities cannot hold them.

2. Absent pre-hospital coordination: Patients arrive critically ill with no advance notice and no basic interventions initiated

3. No national bed-tracking system makes real-time patient redistribution impossible.

We do not call for more beds in hallways. We call for a strengthened national healthcare grid.

We urge management and the Ministry of Health to move past PR-focused responses and commit to a transparent and systemic reform. The evidence is real. The crisis is real. And the response must be equally real”.

The Emergency Medicine Residents at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) statement follows Dr Yakubu Seidu Adam, who had earlier claimed that the viral video of patients on the floor might be  AI-generated.

The Korle Bu CEO claimed that the viral video of patients lying on the floor does not reflect the reality of the hospital’s emergency wards amid ongoing concerns over the “no-bed syndrome.”

He made this clarification during a working visit by the Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, on Saturday, March 21.

According to the Korle Bu CEO, an increase in patient numbers, but clarified that while some patients may be seated on chairs due to high demand, patients have not slept on the floor.

“We are still reviewing the images to ascertain whether it is AI-generated,” he added.

The Emergency Medicine Residents’ statement follows an alarming viral footage that has surfaced on social media of some patients at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) seen lying on the bare floors of Ghana’s biggest hospital.

In the viral footage, several patients, visibly frail and in need of urgent care, were captured sleeping on the hard hospital floors.

The alarming video exposed the extent of the lack of beds at wards at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital as the ongoing “no bed syndrome” crisis worsens.

The development follows President John Mahama, who, at the State of the Nation Address on February 27, 2026, warned all health facilities against turning away patients who report to their facility for emergency treatment.

According to John Mahama, every Ghanaian who seeks medical attention must be attended to.

He explained that health workers do not need to have a comfortable bed to save a patient.

Addressing the nation on Friday, February 27, President Mahama stated, “This year, the government will fully roll out a free primary healthcare programme, removing all cost barriers at the primary level where it is mostly needed, while strengthening prevention, screening, and health promotion, especially for non-communicable diseases”.

“Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Health is expected to issue guidelines to eliminate the unacceptable no-bed syndrome. Patients facing medical emergencies must be received and given help, even under makeshift conditions. You don’t need to have a comfortable bed to save a patient”.

Mahama boldly warned, “No patient must be turned away from any health facility they report to”.

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Lincoln University cancels Mahama’s Honorary Degree over Ghana’s anti-LGBTQ bill

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Lincoln University cancels Mahama’s Honorary Degree over Ghana’s anti-LGBTQ bill

The Ghana Embassy in the United States has expressed disappointment following Lincoln University’s decision to cancel the conferment of an honorary doctorate degree, honoris causa, for President John Dramani Mahama.

According to the Ghana Embassy in the United States, the university’s decision was communicated just hours before the scheduled visit on Thursday, March 26.

The Lincoln University decision is alleged to be based on  President Mahama’s perceived position on Ghana’s Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, popularly known as the anti-gay Bill currently before Parliament.

The Ghana Embassy in the United States explained that no concerns were raised during the university’s due diligence and vetting processes.

Part of Ghana’s Embassy statement read, “It is both surprising and regrettable that such concerns have surfaced at this late stage, particularly with the President already in the United States in anticipation of the visit”.

It will be recalled that Lincoln University had earlier announced on March 19, 2026, that it would be conferring the honour on the President for his global leadership.

Portions of Lincoln University’s earlier statement read, “Lincoln University is proud to announce that His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Fourth Republic of Ghana and the African Union’s Champion for Advancing the Cause of Justice and the Payment of Reparations, will receive an honorary doctorate from the university on March 26, 2026.

“This is coming in recognition of his outstanding contributions to public service, democratic governance, peaceful international and inter-African relationships, and global advocacy for justice, equality, and education.”

“Lincoln University is deeply honoured to welcome President John Dramani Mahama to our campus and to bestow upon him an honorary degree in recognition of his distinguished leadership,” Dr Allen said in the statement.

However, in another update, Lincoln University’s official website stated that it has cancelled the President’s visit, citing what it described as “unforeseen circumstances” for the decision.

The update read, “Due to unforeseen circumstances, the university is cancelling the visit from John Dramani Mahama, President of The Republic of Ghana, originally scheduled for Thursday, March 26th”.

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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“I was put in a cell with a South Korean convicted of murder” – Kwesi Pratt recounts his experience in Nsawam Prison

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“I was put in a cell with a South Korean convicted of murder” – Kwesi Pratt recounts his experience in Nsawam Prison

Kwesi Pratt Jnr, a Veteran Ghanaian media personality, has detailed his experience at the Nsawam Prison.

According to Kwesi Pratt Jnr, he was put in a cell with a South Korean convicted of murder.

Kwesi Pratt Jnr also narrated how inmates supplemented their diets under harsh conditions, recounting how inmates would hunt and kill pythons.

Speaking in an interview with Kafui Dey, Kwesi Pratt Jnr stated, “I was put in the same cell with a South Korean who had been convicted of murder. The officer informed me before he was brought in”.

“He taught me how to make beer using corn dough. We mixed it with yeast, tied it in cloth, and left it for a week or two, depending on how strong we wanted it. After that, you mix it with water, and it becomes beer,” he explained.

He added, “He would go out to work, kill a python, and bring it into the yard. That was how he supplemented his nutrition”.

“In prison, if you don’t get visitors, malnutrition can kill you. Many inmates depended on that meat to survive,” he added.

Also, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has revealed that he has been in prison about eighteen times.

According to Kwesi Pratt, he has spent nights in the Akuse Prison, Navrongo Prison, Tamale Prison, and Usher Fort Prison.

He further added that he has also been detained at the Police Headquarters and the cells of the Bureau of National Investigation a couple of times.

Kwesi Pratt disclosed that the longest period he has spent behind bars is six months.

Kwesi Pratt Jr. further disclosed, “The last time we sat down and counted, I’ve been to prison 18 times. I have been in the guard room in what is known as Gonja Barracks twice. I have been detained at the police headquarters a couple of times, and at Bureau of National Investigation cells a couple of times.”

“I’ve been detained at the Usher Fort Prison, I’ve been detained at the Akuse Prisons, I’ve been detained at the Navrongo Prison, Tamale Prison and several police cells,” he disclosed.

Kwesi Pratt further added, “There was one time I was told why I’ve been arrested, and I was actually interrogated, and that was once. This was in 1992 or 1993. I was arrested with Professor Adu Boahen, and we were charged with obstruction of justice”.

Also, Kwesi Pratt revealed that the Akuse Prison was his most difficult experience across the prisons, adding that food was served in a chamber pot.

According to Kwesi Pratt, in prison, there was a standard meal called Manpower and Zontoli.

“One of my most horrible experiences was in Akuse Prison, where they served the food in a chamber pot. There is what they call Manpower and Zontoli, which was standard. The Manpower was the soup, and this soup, if you look at it, you could see the few ingredients that were used to prepare it at the bottom; it was transparent. The Zontoli is supposed to be banku, but it was as hard as wood,” he added.

Don’t be lured into a war that is not yours – EU warns Ghanaians over Russia-Ukraine war

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Don’t be lured into a war that is not yours – EU warns Ghanaians over Russia-Ukraine war

The European Union has cautioned Ghanaians against being lured into the Russia-Ukraine War, which has nothing to do with them.

According to the European Union, the conflict does not concern Ghana and should not involve its citizens.

The High Representative and Vice President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, condemned the practice, describing Russia’s recruitment of Africans as unethical.

Speaking at the signing of a security and defence partnership between the EU and Ghana on Tuesday, March 24, Kaja Kallas stated, “Russia’s war is a threat to Europe and also has consequences beyond its borders, including in Ghana.

Beyond Russia’s unethical recruitment of African nationals, it places economic hardship on citizens. Your people should not be lured into a war that is not theirs,” Kallas said.

Kaja Kallas remarks follow, Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has revealed that at least 55 Ghanaians have been killed fighting in the war in Russia-Ukraine war, with two others currently being held as prisoners of war.

According to Ablakwa, the figures were disclosed to him during high-level talks in Kyiv between Ghanaian officials and Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha.

He detailed that Ukrainian authorities have documented 1,780 Africans from 36 countries who have been lured by criminal trafficking networks to join the war against Ukraine.

Ablakwa detailed that 272 Ghanaians are believed to have been lured into battle since 2022, with an estimated 55 having been killed and 2 captured as prisoners of war.

In a post shared on X, Ablakwa wrote, “During our engagements and media briefing, Ukrainian authorities revealed that from their credible intelligence gathering, they have documented 1,780 Africans from 36 countries who have been lured by criminal trafficking networks to join the war against Ukraine.

Even more depressing and frightening, we were informed that 272 Ghanaians are believed to have been lured into battle since 2022 for which an estimated 55 have been killed and 2 captured as prisoners of war”.

He further added, “As a responsible government, we cannot turn a blind eye to these heartbreaking statistics. These are not just numbers; they represent human lives, the hope of many Ghanaian families and our nation.

That is why the government is determined to raise awareness and embark on intensive public education so that our youth will be protected.

The Mahama Administration is committed to tracking and dismantling all dark web illegal recruitment schemes operating within our jurisdiction. This is not our war and we cannot allow our youth to become human shields for others.

It is noteworthy that our two captured compatriots spoke out passionately about the grave dangers during my visit and cautioned the youth not to be tempted, regardless of the monetary enticements — I expect all our young people to listen to them”.

In related news, a Ghanaian man serving in the Russian army has bragged about the huge financial earnings he receives.

According to the Ghanaian man in the Russian army, the Russian army is the best, adding that his salary can feed a person’s family for 3 years.

In a video shared by CNN journalist Larry Madowo via X on February 14, 2025, the Ghanaian man was seen in a Russian military uniform.

The Ghanaian man further urged other Africans to come and join the Russian army, as it offers lucrative financial incentives.

In the viral video, the Ghanaian man stated, “The Russian army is the best army, it is not for kids. Understand it. You hear popo? Give and take. My salary can feed your father, mother, and family for like two years or three years,” the Ghanaian man, whose identity has not been disclosed, said.

In the video, a Ukrainian official who also spoke about African serving in the Russian army attributed the situation to economic hardship.

He stated, “As we understand, it is deception, and secondly, it is economic causes, because they are promised serious money for easy jobs, so why not?”

“We need jobs; enough is enough” – Graduates with disabilities stage protest

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“We need jobs; enough is enough” – Graduates with disabilities stage protest

Some unemployed, qualified Graduates with disabilities have hit the streets of Accra demanding equal job opportunities.

According to the unemployed qualified Graduates with disabilities, they are demanding a strict enforcement of inclusive fairness in recruitment processes.

Reports suggest the group began their march from the Accra Rehabilitation Centre in Adabraka on March 24.

The unemployed qualified Graduates during their protest were spotted holding placards which read,  “We need jobs; enough is enough,” “Break the barriers, not our spirit,” and “We can work, we are capable”.

Speaking to JoyNews, the protesters stated, “Unemployment has really been a big problem amongst persons with disabilities, especially because personally it’s very difficult to depend on the people that have taken care of you from childhood at this big age of mine”.

Another protester stated, “It’s very difficult for me. I’ve not been myself; I’ve been looking for employment, and it has become a problem”.

“You have to depend on your guardian for every single thing you want, and I don’t like it that way. So I wish the government would come to our aid and grant us employment so that we can work,”  a third participant added.

In related news, Former Finance Minister Seth Terkper has said job creation under President John Dramani Mahama has been significantly slowed by debt distress and restrictions under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.

Seth Tekper stressed that the National Democratic Congress administration inherited debt distress and restrictions under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.

According to him, the NDC government has plans to create jobs, but Ghana’s prevailing economic conditions limited what could be achieved in the early months of the Mahama administration.

Speaking on Joy News, Seth Terkper stated, “If you look at the NDC manifesto, there’s a plan to create jobs already. But when you come into an economy where, under the IMF programme we inherited, compared to what we handed over, all you can do is borrow T-Bills.

“You’ve been shut out of your own domestic bond market, which we set up. You’ve been shut out of the external bond market because you’ve defaulted”.

He added, “Economists have something called counter-cyclical policies. It means that you know that the economy rises and falls — it’s good and bad”

“If you don’t have sufficient food, and you import with the reserves, it affects the currency. If it’s not something you can predict for later, it’s something you should know could happen,” he said.

Meanwhile, 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”.

Watch the video below:

Konkonte is effective for treating ulcers and gastric issues – UCC lecturer

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Konkonte is effective for treating ulcers and gastric issues – UCC lecturer

Alberta Bondzi-Simpson, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Hospitality and Tourism at the University of Cape Coast, has revealed that konkonte is effective for treating ulcers and gastric issues.

The UCC Senior Lecturer advises Ghanaians with gastric problems to eat konkonte with soup or stew at least twice weekly to help with healing.

Speaking in an exclusive interview on Citi FM’s Heritage Month on Indigenous Food Staples, on Monday, March 23, 2026, Alberta Bondzi-Simpson, “Kokonte is very high in iodine. If you have any gastric problems that have to do with a sore in your digestive system, then ‘kokonte’ is your thing. This is basically eating iodine into your system”.

“Eat it constantly, at least two times a week, and you wouldn’t have to go to the doctor for ulcers or minor ulcers. So far as it’s in there, it will heal. You can eat it without soup,” she said.

She further advised, “I was amused to find out that cassava contains a certain amount of protein. It has some mineral nutrients, you can pound it and eat it as ampesi. Go for the slim white cassava for ampesi. The small ones. It’s palatable, and you can pair it with garden egg stew, kako [dried fish], and flavourful supaku [dried fish]”.

Some Ghanaians reacting to the UCC lecturers’ revelation stated, “This is the best research a Ghanaian has ever done. God bless her”.

“Stop spreading false information!

She has done no research on this topic. In fact, she is not a medical doctor or a biological scientist. Her “Dr.” title comes from a doctorate in hospitality”, a netizen added.

One X user added, “This is what our university lecturers should be doing, propounding articles concerning our local intake and our livelihood settings, not always depending on unfamiliar cultures and behaviours from the western world”.

“My mother has been doing this for a long time mmom”, a netizen added.

A netizen added, “She was my lecturer at UPSA. A very solid 10/10 woman”.

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Delay in modernising road tolls holding up revenue mobilisation – Minority

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Delay in modernising road tolls holding up revenue mobilisation – Minority

The Minority Caucus in Parliament has expressed concerns about the government’s failure to follow through on the implementation of the new road toll policy after fifteen months in office.

They argue that the delay in rolling out the proposed modernised tolling system has hindered a crucial revenue stream that could have been used to fund road development in the country.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, March 24, Kennedy Osei Nyarko, the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Roads and Transportation Committee, stated, “The current government strongly criticised the previous administration for suspending the road toll collection and promised Ghanaians that road tolls would be reintroduced under a new framework.

“Fifteen months into the current administration, this promise remains unfulfilled. There has been no visible commencement of the process to reintroduce road tolls, despite earlier commitments made to Ghanaians”.

This continued delay raises questions regarding the government’s policy consistency and revenue mobilisation strategy for road maintenance,” he said.

Also, the Minority in Parliament has called on the government to release full details of contracts awarded under its major road infrastructure programme, the ‘Big Push.

Kennedy Osei Nyarko stated, “We strongly believe that the government must, as a matter of urgency, publish the full details of these contracts. This will give Ghanaians the opportunity to independently assess the policy and promote transparency in the execution of the programme”.

The minority comment comes on the heels of The Fourth Estate publication, which stated, “Data available to The Fourth Estate indicates that in the last seven months, the ministry has awarded 107 road contracts. Contrary to the President’s promise to ensure competitiveness and transparency in the awarding of public contracts, not a single one of 107 contracts was awarded based on competitive tendering.

A whopping 81 out of the 107 road contracts worth over GHS73 billion were awarded through sole-sourcing. The remaining 26 contracts worth about GHS8 billion were awarded through selective tendering. This means over 90% of the amount of money expected to be spent on roads under the Big Push programme so far was given out through sole-sourcing.

Despite this glaring contrast, the majority leader and leader of government business in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, audaciously proclaimed to Parliament on March 11, 2026, that “let it be known, the era of the sole-sourced contract is dead.”

However, Sammy Gyamfi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Gold Board (GoldBod), has called out the Fourth Estate following its publication of over 81 sole-sourced contracts under Big Push.

According to Sammy Gyamfi, there is no evidence in the Fourth Estate publication that shows that the use of sole sourcing for the said Big Push road projects was unjustified.

He noted that in opposition, the NDC never said sole-sourcing was a sin or unlawful, adding that under the Big Push, contracts were not awarded to a select few but rather carefully selected, multiple, competent and experienced contractors with demonstrable capacity to complete the works on time.

Sammy Gyamfi highlighted that the fact that the NDC in opposition spoke against sole-sourcing in the past does not mean sole-sourcing in government must be condemned.

Sammy Gyamif explained that under the Big Push road projects, all projects were awarded through sole sourcing prior to PPA approval, as the same was justified on grounds of URGENCY.

Watch the video below:

“What a hypocritical world” – Nigel Gaisie calls out Ghanaians double standards

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“What a hypocritical world” – Nigel Gaisie calls out Ghanaians double standards

Prophet Nigel Gaisie, the Founder and Leader of Prophetic Hill Chapel, has called out Ghanaians for their double standards towards some Ghanaian Prophets.

According to Nigel Gaisie, it is hypocritical how some Ghanaian mam of God are totally disliked.

Nigel Gaisie cited the death of the two sons of the Hebron Prayer Camp leader in a tragic helicopter crash at Tema Community One, with the death of Rev Eastwood’s two children and the death of Prophet Dr Badu Kobi’s son.

The man of God highlighted that, when Prophet Dr Badu Kobi lost his son, Ghanaians alleged he used them for rituals, when the Hebron Prayer Camp leader and Rev Eastwood lost their children, it was a disaster.

In a statement shared on his Facebook page on March 23, 2026, Nigel Gaisie wrote, “Watching the speech of Elder Donkor at Hebron prayer camp, who lost his two sons in a recent plane crash. When his two sons die, they are gone to God.

When Rev Eastwood lost his two children in an accident, it was a disaster. When Prophet Dr Badu Kobi lost his son,that one dierr’he has used his son for rituals. What a world of people we have.What a hypocritical world, indeed, the prophets are TRUELY HATED BY THEIR OWN”.

Nigel Gaisie further condemned an incident involving Fire Oja, with some unknown individuals reportedly disrupting activities at his church.

“Again, I condemn with the highest level of force, what the unguided and unscrupulous masked men went to do at Prophet *FireOja’s church. I call on the Ghana police to arrest them; the Ministry of Chieftancy and Religious Affairs should act because Ghana is not a jungle.

Moreso, if not a private hate and interest against the prophetic ministry, no sensible person must attack a man/woman of God behind the pulpit, you can wait or at best go to Court ***ENOUGH OF THE DISRESPECT AGAINST THE PROPHETIC MINISTRY IN GHANA….ENOUGH..’.We are one people, let’s live in peace, dignity and love….PNG”, Nigel Gaisie added.

His comments follow, Elder Frank Kwabena Donkor, the Founder and Leader of Hebron Prayer Camp, who lost his two sons in the Tema Community 1 aircraft crash, has broken his silence.

According to the Hebron Camp pastor, his wife told him that what they are going through happened to many people long before they were even born.

The man of God cited Biblical characters like Adam, Naomi, and Job as he quoted scriptures to encourage the congregation about facing trials.

Speaking during a church service on Sunday, March 22, 2026, Elder Donkor stated, “My wife said to me that what has happened to us and we are going through happened to many people long before we were even born. I asked her why she said that, and she explained to me that several people, even in the Bible, experienced this long before we were born”.

“Adam went through the same experience with his first two children when the firstborn killed the secondborn child. Naomi also experienced the same thing of losing a husband and her children, and even Job, who lost 10 children,” he noted.

He added, “I know that by the grace of God, everything he has destined for us shall surely come to pass. Let us console ourselves and be strong in the Lord because God is about to do bigger things in this church”.

“Following the incident, I’ve had several renowned world leaders reach out to me. I didn’t know that the church was well known and had a high reach among people,” he revealed.

It will be recalled that 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.

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Why Road Ministry awarded 81 sole-sourced contracts worth over ₵73bn in 7 months under Big Push

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Why Road Ministry awarded 81 sole-sourced contracts worth over ₵73bn in 7 months under Big Push

Sammy Gyamfi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Gold Board (GoldBod), has explained why the Road Ministry awarded 81 sole-sourced contracts worth over ₵73 billion in 7 months under Big Push.

According to Sammy Gyamfi, sole sourcing is lawful, but the unjustified use and abuse of sole sourcing is what President Mahama and the NDC have condemned.

Sammy Gyamfi explained that Ghana’s deplorable state of our roads is one of the biggest national security threats, which led to the Road Ministry not resorting to the National Competitive Tendering process for the award of road projects under the Big Push Project.

The NDC National Communication Officer detailed that a National Competitive Tendering process would have lasted months, which could have delayed the completion of most of the projects beyond 2028.

He cited the competitive tendering process for the Road Toll project, which has still not been completed after about a year due to its complexities.

In a post on X, Sammy Gyamfi wrote, “1. The deplorable state of our roads is one of the biggest national security threats we face as a country. Bad roads have claimed many lives through fatal road accidents, armed robbery etc.

2. I am reliably informed that the surveying, designing, and Costing of Big Push road projects alone took the Ministry of Roads about 7 months to complete.

3. Resorting to the National Competitive Tendering process for the award of these critical road projects would have taken another couple of months before the projects could even commence. This could have delayed the completion of most of the projects beyond 2028.

4. Competitive tendering processes have, in some cases, lasted for months. A typical example is the competitive tendering process for the Road Toll project that has not still be completed in about a year due to its complexities.

5. Section 40 of the Public Procurement Law provides for the single-source procurement method on grounds of urgency, among others, subject to the approval of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA). Thus, sole sourcing is lawful. The unjustified use and abuse of sole sourcing is what President Mahama and the NDC have condemned.

6. There is not a scintilla of evidence in the Fourth Estate publication that shows that the use of sole sourcing for the said Big Push road projects was unjustified or that there were any breaches of the law or abuse of the process. Neither was any evidence of the cost of the projects being inflated adduced by the Fourth Estate.

6. In opposition, the NDC never said sole-sourcing was a sin or unlawful. We only preached against the unjustified use and abuse of sole-sourcing in the award of government projects, some of which were established by the Auditor General to be inflated. In fact, some of us cited audit findings of the Auditor General to show that sole-sourced cocoa road projects, some of which were awarded to Bawumia’s brother were inflated.

7. In the case of the Big Push road projects, all projects that were awarded through sole sourcing received prior PPA approval as same was justified on grounds of URGENCY. Value for Money audits were conducted. The contracts were not awarded to a select few but rather carefully selected, multiple, competent and experienced contractors with demonstrable capacity to complete the works on time. None of the contracts have been established to be inflated. The urgency of the projects cannot be denied. And like all road projects, payments are based on actual work done certified by independent Consultants.

8. As a matter of fact, 23 out of 84 Big Push road projects, such as Suame Interchange, Ofankor- Nsawam, Adenta- Dodowa, etc. are inherited road projects that were all awarded by the previous NPP government through sole-sourcing with no dedicated funding. This government has simply novated the projects, maintained the contractors and provided for funding for them under the Big Push policy. The 23 road projects were not re-awarded. Yet, the Fourth Estate has mischievously added all these projects to their list of sole-sourced contracts awarded by this government. Clearly they could have done a better job.

9. So what’s the point really? The NDC spoke against sole-sourcing in the past so every resort by the NDC to sole-sourcing in government must be condemned? Is that the logic being canvassed by the Fourth Estate?

A classical case of comparing oranges with apples”, his post concluded.

His comments follow reports by The Fourth Estate detailing that President John Dramani Mahama and his government have been paying lip service in terms of promises to minimise sole-source procurement to encourage competitive bidding.

President John Mahama, on numerous occasions, has reiterated his government’s commitment to make single-source procurement a rare exception rather than the norm.

In the NDC People’s Manifesto, they also pledged to “make single-sourced procurement (sole-sourcing) an exception and not the rule.”

John Mahama, during his recent SONA, also repeated his vow and commitment, “Mr Speaker, we are bringing legislation to this House to tighten our procurement processes by banning sole-sourced contracts, except in exceptional circumstances,” the President told Parliament.

However, after one year in office, the report by The Fourth Estate has unearthed that the Road Ministry awarded 81 sole-sourced contracts worth over GHS73 billion in 7 months.

The Fourth Estate, in a report, stated, “Data available to The Fourth Estate indicates that in the last seven months, the ministry has awarded 107 road contracts. Contrary to the President’s promise to ensure competitiveness and transparency in the awarding of public contracts, not a single one of 107 contracts was awarded based on competitive tendering.

A whopping 81 out of the 107 road contracts worth over GHS73 billion were awarded through sole-sourcing. The remaining 26 contracts worth about GHS8 billion were awarded through selective tendering. This means over 90% of the amount of money expected to be spent on roads under the Big Push programme so far was given out through sole-sourcing.

Despite this glaring contrast, the majority leader and leader of government business in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, audaciously proclaimed to Parliament on March 11, 2026, that “let it be known, the era of the sole-sourced contract is dead.”

However, Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, when asked about how contracts under the Big Push programme were awarded, disclosed that they resorted largely to selective tendering.

Kwame Governs Agbodza explained, “Contracts were procured predominantly through restrictive tendering to ensure rapid project commencement,” he said. “Before procurement, the Ministry and agencies conducted extensive engineering studies, including feasibility studies and seal of quality and commitment authorisation for each project.”

“Contracting under the Big Push fully aligns with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) manifesto and government policy. Public contracts are awarded to competent, experienced, and well-resourced contractors, prioritising Ghanaian firms to build local capacity,” he said.

Mr Agbodza, however, in opposition was a critic of the sole-sourcing of road contracts.

The current Road Minister in opposition claimed, “Part of the reason why the government is unable to build more roads is because of the use of sole-sourcing in the award of road projects, [which] inflates the cost of such contracts.”

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Casual staff at Tamale hospital strike over 5 months of unpaid salaries

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Casual staff at Tamale hospital strike over 5 months of unpaid salaries

Some casual staff at the Tamale Central Hospital have embarked on a sit-down strike following their salaries being unpaid for over five months.

The strike action by the casual staff at the Tamale Central Hospital has begun to take a toll on sanitation at the facility, with many overflowing bins and a strong stench emanating from the washrooms and other sections of the hospital.

Speaking to Channel One News on Monday, March 23, Adam Sulemana Baba, the Secretary of the orderlies, stated, “We are here for almost about 15 years as casual workers. And we have a problem with our salary.

We have worked for almost five months without salary, and due to that, that’s why we went on this strike. We even went to our management during the Ramadan fasting to explain our situation”.

In related health news, the Emergency Medicine Residents at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) have refuted claims that the viral video of patients being treated on the floor is AI-generated.

According to the Emergency Medicine Residents, the videos showing patients being treated on the floor are authentic, not AI-generated.

In a press statement issued on March 23, the residents stated, “We, the Emergency Medicine Residents of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), respond to management’s News Release of March 21, 2026. We write to ensure the public record accurately reflects the conditions under which care is being delivered and the systemic failures that made them inevitable

The Floor Incident: Setting the Record Straight

The video footage is authentic. When the surge in patients exhausted all available beds, chairs were provided. When those chairs were also exhausted, patients had no option but to receive care on the floor. This sequence was witnessed by every member of our clinical team. Characterising this documentation as ‘AI-generated or ‘media slander’ is factually inaccurate and an affront to both patients and staff.

200 Beds Are Not Enough

The procurement of 200 beds, while noted, does not address the crisis. Beds without functional oxygen points, airway equipment, monitoring tools, adequate floor space, and sufficient nursing and physician staffing ratios do not improve care. They congest an already overwhelmed space. A comprehensive, resourced solution is required, not headline figures.

A National Crisis, Not a KBTH Problem

This crisis is a symptom of a fractured national emergency response system driven by:

1. Dysfunctional referral pathways: Patients are dumped at tertiary centres because primary and secondary facilities cannot hold them.

2. Absent pre-hospital coordination: Patients arrive critically ill with no advance notice and no basic interventions initiated

3. No national bed-tracking system makes real-time patient redistribution impossible.

We do not call for more beds in hallways. We call for a strengthened national healthcare grid.

We urge management and the Ministry of Health to move past PR-focused responses and commit to a transparent and systemic reform. The evidence is real. The crisis is real. And the response must be equally real”.

The Emergency Medicine Residents at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) statement follows Dr Yakubu Seidu Adam, who had earlier claimed that the viral video of patients on the floor might be  AI-generated.

The Korle Bu CEO claimed that the viral video of patients lying on the floor does not reflect the reality of the hospital’s emergency wards amid ongoing concerns over the “no-bed syndrome.”

He made this clarification during a working visit by the Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, on Saturday, March 21.

According to the Korle Bu CEO, an increase in patient numbers, but clarified that while some patients may be seated on chairs due to high demand, patients have not slept on the floor.

“We are still reviewing the images to ascertain whether it is AI-generated,” he added.

The Emergency Medicine Residents’ statement follows an alarming viral footage that has surfaced on social media of some patients at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) seen lying on the bare floors of Ghana’s biggest hospital.

In the viral footage, several patients, visibly frail and in need of urgent care, were captured sleeping on the hard hospital floors.

The alarming video exposed the extent of the lack of beds at wards at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital as the ongoing “no bed syndrome” crisis worsens.

“With man this is impossible” – Akufo-Addo says after receiving Anglican honour

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“With man this is impossible” – Akufo-Addo says after receiving Anglican honour

Former President Akufo-Addo has revealed he has been installed as an Honorary Lay Canon of the Anglican Diocese of Koforidua.

According to Akufo-Addo, his installation is a moment as a deeply spiritual milestone in his life of service, adding that with man, it would not be possible, but with God, everything is possible.

Akufo-Addo, in a post on Facebook, detailed that the role comes with responsibilities such as health, evangelism, investment, education, tourism, and hospitality, which he says align with his long-standing commitment to public service and social justice.

He further expressed gratitude to the diocesan bishop, Felix Odei Annancy, the officiating clergy, and the wider Anglican community in Ghana and beyond.

Akufo-Addo’s installation places him among distinguished lay individuals recognised by the Church for their contributions to society and their continued dedication to advancing the Anglican mission.

In a post on Facebook, on Sunday, following the ceremony held at St Peter’s Anglican Cathedral on Passion Akufo-Addo wrote, “On Passion Sunday, which is the fifth Sunday in Lent, I had the honour, upon prayerful consideration, to be installed as Honorary Lay Canon of the Anglican Diocese of Koforidua, in the Church of the Province of West Africa, at the St. Peter Anglican Cathedral, Koforidua.

As LAY CANON in the Anglican Communion, I am  honoured by the Diocese and Province for sterling work in public service and social justice to undertake special duties in health, evangelism, investments, education, tourism and hospitality.

My experiences and service, throughout my adult life, have been a testimony of God’s love, and a vindication of the words of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, as quoted in Matthew 19:26, which states “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

I commit, as I have always, to continued service to the Church, to live a holy life, to pray regularly for God’s blessing upon the work of the Church in the world and especially in this Diocese and the West African Province, and to enter gladly into the succession of those in each generation who have served God through the worship offered in this Cathedral, Diocese and Province.

For this, I remain eternally grateful to His Lordship Rt. Rev. Felix Odei Annancy and the Officiating Clergy of the Anglican Diocese of Koforidua in the Church of the Province of West Africa and to the entire Anglican Communion in  Ghana and across the world”.

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“Comparing oranges with apples” – Sammy Gyamfi ‘fights’ Fourth Estate over 81 sole-sourced contracts

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“Comparing oranges with apples” – Sammy Gyamfi ‘fights’ Fourth Estate over 81 sole-sourced contracts

Sammy Gyamfi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Gold Board (GoldBod), has called out the Fourth Estate following its publication of over 81 sole-sourced contracts under Big Push.

According to Sammy Gyamfi, there is no evidence in the Fourth Estate publication that shows that the use of sole sourcing for the said Big Push road projects was unjustified.

He noted that in opposition, the NDC never said sole-sourcing was a sin or unlawful, adding that under the Big Push, contracts were not awarded to a select few but rather carefully selected, multiple, competent and experienced contractors with demonstrable capacity to complete the works on time.

Sammy Gyamfi highlighted that the fact that the NDC in opposition spoke against sole-sourcing in the past does not mean sole-sourcing in government must be condemned.

Sammy Gyamif explained that under the Big Push road projects, all projects were awarded through sole sourcing prior to PPA approval, as the same was justified on grounds of URGENCY.

In a post shared on X, Sammt Gyamfi wrote, “There is not a scintilla of evidence in the Fourth Estate publication that shows that the use of sole sourcing for the said Big Push road projects was unjustified or that there were any breaches of the law or abuse of the process. Neither was any evidence of the cost of the projects being inflated adduced by the Fourth Estate.

In opposition, the NDC never said sole-sourcing was a sin or unlawful. We only preached against the unjustified use and abuse of sole-sourcing in the award of government projects, some of which were established by the Auditor General to be inflated. In fact, some of us cited audit findings of the Auditor General to show that sole-sourced cocoa road projects, some of which were awarded to Bawumia’s brother were inflated.

In the case of the Big Push road projects, all projects that were awarded through sole sourcing received prior PPA approval as same was justified on grounds of URGENCY. Value for Money audits were conducted. The contracts were not awarded to a select few but rather carefully selected, multiple, competent and experienced contractors with demonstrable capacity to complete the works on time. None of the contracts have been established to be inflated. The urgency of the projects cannot be denied. And like all road projects, payments are based on actual work done certified by independent Consultants.

As a matter of fact, 23 out of 84 Big Push road projects, such as Suame Interchange, Ofankor- Nsawam, Adenta- Dodowa, etc. are inherited road projects that were all awarded by the previous NPP government through sole-sourcing with no dedicated funding. This government has simply novated the projects, maintained the contractors and provided for funding for them under the Big Push policy. The 23 road projects were not re-awarded. Yet, the Fourth Estate has mischievously added all these projects to their list of sole-sourced contracts awarded by this government. Clearly they could have done a better job.

So what’s the point really? The NDC spoke against sole-sourcing in the past so every resort by the NDC to sole-sourcing in government must be condemned? Is that the logic being canvassed by the Fourth Estate?

A classical case of comparing oranges with apples”.

Sammy Gyamfi posted further details, “The deplorable state of our roads is one of the biggest national security threats we face as a country. Bad roads have claimed many lives through fatal road accidents, armed robbery etc.

I am reliably informed that the Surveying, Designing and Costing of Big Push road projects alone took the Ministry of Roads about 7 months to complete.

Resorting to the National Competitive Tendering process for the award of these critical road projects would have taken another couple of months before the projects could even commence. This could have delayed the completion of most of the projects beyond 2028.

Competitive tendering processes have, in some cases, lasted for months. A typical example is the competitive tendering process for the Road Toll project that has not still be completed in about a year due to its complexities.

Section 40 of the Public Procurement Law provides for the single-source procurement method on grounds of urgency, among others, subject to the approval of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA). Thus, sole sourcing is lawful. The unjustified use and abuse of sole sourcing is what President Mahama and the NDC have condemned”.

His comments come on the heels of The Fourth Estate publication, which stated, “Data available to The Fourth Estate indicates that in the last seven months, the ministry has awarded 107 road contracts. Contrary to the President’s promise to ensure competitiveness and transparency in the awarding of public contracts, not a single one of 107 contracts was awarded based on competitive tendering.

A whopping 81 out of the 107 road contracts worth over GHS73 billion were awarded through sole-sourcing. The remaining 26 contracts worth about GHS8 billion were awarded through selective tendering. This means over 90% of the amount of money expected to be spent on roads under the Big Push programme so far was given out through sole-sourcing.

Despite this glaring contrast, the majority leader and leader of government business in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, audaciously proclaimed to Parliament on March 11, 2026, that “let it be known, the era of the sole-sourced contract is dead.”

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“Sole sourcing is lawful” – Sammy Gyamfi defends 81 sole-sourced contracts under Big Push

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“Sole sourcing is lawful” – Sammy Gyamfi defends 81 sole-sourced contracts under Big Push

Sammy Gyamfi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Gold Board (GoldBod), has said sole sourcing is lawful, defending the alleged 81 sole-sourced contracts under Big Push.

According to Sammy Gyamfi, the unjustified use and abuse of sole sourcing is what President Mahama and the NDC have condemned.

Sammy Gyamfi explained that Ghana’s deplorable state of our roads is one of the biggest national security threats, which led to the Road Ministry not resorting to the National Competitive Tendering process for the award of road projects under the Big Push Project.

The NDC National Communication Officer detailed that a National Competitive Tendering process would have lasted months, which could have delayed the completion of most of the projects beyond 2028.

He cited the competitive tendering process for the Road Toll project, which has still not been completed after about a year due to its complexities.

In a post on X, Sammy Gyamfi wrote, “1. The deplorable state of our roads is one of the biggest national security threats we face as a country. Bad roads have claimed many lives through fatal road accidents, armed robbery etc.

2. I am reliably informed that the Surveying, Designing and Costing of Big Push road projects alone took the Ministry of Roads about 7 months to complete.

3. Resorting to the National Competitive Tendering process for the award of these critical road projects would have taken another couple months before the projects could even commence. This could have delayed the completion of most of the projects beyond 2028.

4. Competitive tendering processes have, in some cases, lasted for months. A typical example is the competitive tendering process for the Road Toll project that has not still be completed in about a year due to its complexities.

5. Section 40 of the Public Procurement Law provides for the single-source procurement method on grounds of urgency, among others, subject to the approval of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA). Thus, sole sourcing is lawful. The unjustified use and abuse of sole sourcing is what President Mahama and the NDC have condemned.

6. There is not a scintilla of evidence in the Fourth Estate publication that shows that the use of sole sourcing for the said Big Push road projects was unjustified or that there were any breaches of the law or abuse of the process. Neither was any evidence of the cost of the projects being inflated adduced by the Fourth Estate.

6. In opposition, the NDC never said sole-sourcing was a sin or unlawful. We only preached against the unjustified use and abuse of sole-sourcing in the award of government projects, some of which were established by the Auditor General to be inflated. In fact, some of us cited audit findings of the Auditor General to show that sole-sourced cocoa road projects, some of which were awarded to Bawumia’s brother were inflated.

7. In the case of the Big Push road projects, all projects that were awarded through sole sourcing received prior PPA approval as same was justified on grounds of URGENCY. Value for Money audits were conducted. The contracts were not awarded to a select few but rather carefully selected, multiple, competent and experienced contractors with demonstrable capacity to complete the works on time. None of the contracts have been established to be inflated. The urgency of the projects cannot be denied. And like all road projects, payments are based on actual work done certified by independent Consultants.

8. As a matter of fact, 23 out of 84 Big Push road projects, such as Suame Interchange, Ofankor- Nsawam, Adenta- Dodowa, etc. are inherited road projects that were all awarded by the previous NPP government through sole-sourcing with no dedicated funding. This government has simply novated the projects, maintained the contractors and provided for funding for them under the Big Push policy. The 23 road projects were not re-awarded. Yet, the Fourth Estate has mischievously added all these projects to their list of sole-sourced contracts awarded by this government. Clearly they could have done a better job.

9. So what’s the point really? The NDC spoke against sole-sourcing in the past so every resort by the NDC to sole-sourcing in government must be condemned? Is that the logic being canvassed by the Fourth Estate?

A classical case of comparing oranges with apples”, his post concluded.

His comments follow reports by The Fourth Estate detailing that President John Dramani Mahama and his government have been paying lip service in terms of promises to minimise sole-source procurement to encourage competitive bidding.

President John Mahama, on numerous occasions, has reiterated his government’s commitment to make single-source procurement a rare exception rather than the norm.

In the NDC People’s Manifesto, they also pledged to “make single-sourced procurement (sole-sourcing) an exception and not the rule.”

John Mahama, during his recent SONA, also repeated his vow and commitment, “Mr Speaker, we are bringing legislation to this House to tighten our procurement processes by banning sole-sourced contracts, except in exceptional circumstances,” the President told Parliament.

However, after one year in office, the report by The Fourth Estate has unearthed that the Road Ministry awarded 81 sole-sourced contracts worth over GHS73 billion in 7 months.

The Fourth Estate, in a report, stated, “Data available to The Fourth Estate indicates that in the last seven months, the ministry has awarded 107 road contracts. Contrary to the President’s promise to ensure competitiveness and transparency in the awarding of public contracts, not a single one of 107 contracts was awarded based on competitive tendering.

A whopping 81 out of the 107 road contracts worth over GHS73 billion were awarded through sole-sourcing. The remaining 26 contracts worth about GHS8 billion were awarded through selective tendering. This means over 90% of the amount of money expected to be spent on roads under the Big Push programme so far was given out through sole-sourcing.

Despite this glaring contrast, the majority leader and leader of government business in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, audaciously proclaimed to Parliament on March 11, 2026, that “let it be known, the era of the sole-sourced contract is dead.”

However, Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, when asked about how contracts under the Big Push programme were awarded, disclosed that they resorted largely to selective tendering.

Kwame Governs Agbodza explained, “Contracts were procured predominantly through restrictive tendering to ensure rapid project commencement,” he said. “Before procurement, the Ministry and agencies conducted extensive engineering studies, including feasibility studies and seal of quality and commitment authorisation for each project.”

“Contracting under the Big Push fully aligns with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) manifesto and government policy. Public contracts are awarded to competent, experienced, and well-resourced contractors, prioritising Ghanaian firms to build local capacity,” he said.

Mr Agbodza, however, in opposition was a critic of the sole-sourcing of road contracts.

The current Road Minister in opposition claimed, “Part of the reason why the government is unable to build more roads is because of the use of sole-sourcing in the award of road projects, [which] inflates the cost of such contracts.”

See the post below:

EXPOSED – Road Ministry fingered for awarding 81 sole-sourced contracts worth over ₵73bn in 7 months under Big Push

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EXPOSED – Road Ministry fingered for awarding 81 sole-sourced contracts worth over ₵73bn in 7 months under Big Push

Reports gathered from The Fourth Estate have detailed that President John Dramani Mahama and his government have been paying lip service in terms of promises to minimise sole-source procurement to encourage competitive bidding.

President John Mahama, on numerous occasions, has reiterated his government’s commitment to make single-source procurement a rare exception rather than the norm.

In the NDC People’s Manifesto, they also pledged to “make single-sourced procurement (sole-sourcing) an exception and not the rule.”

John Mahama, during his recent SONA, also repeated his vow and commitment, “Mr Speaker, we are bringing legislation to this House to tighten our procurement processes by banning sole-sourced contracts, except in exceptional circumstances,” the President told Parliament.

However, after one year in office, the report by The Fourth Estate has unearthed that the Road Ministry awarded 81 sole-sourced contracts worth over GHS73 billion in 7 months.

The Fourth Estate, in a report, stated, “Data available to The Fourth Estate indicates that in the last seven months, the ministry has awarded 107 road contracts. Contrary to the President’s promise to ensure competitiveness and transparency in the awarding of public contracts, not a single one of 107 contracts was awarded based on competitive tendering.

A whopping 81 out of the 107 road contracts worth over GHS73 billion were awarded through sole-sourcing. The remaining 26 contracts worth about GHS8 billion were awarded through selective tendering. This means over 90% of the amount of money expected to be spent on roads under the Big Push programme so far was given out through sole-sourcing.

Despite this glaring contrast, the majority leader and leader of government business in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, audaciously proclaimed to Parliament on March 11, 2026, that “let it be known, the era of the sole-sourced contract is dead.”

However, Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, when asked about how contracts under the Big Push programme were awarded, disclosed that they resorted largely to selective tendering.

Kwame Governs Agbodza explained, “Contracts were procured predominantly through restrictive tendering to ensure rapid project commencement,” he said. “Before procurement, the Ministry and agencies conducted extensive engineering studies, including feasibility studies and seal of quality and commitment authorisation for each project.”

“Contracting under the Big Push fully aligns with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) manifesto and government policy. Public contracts are awarded to competent, experienced, and well-resourced contractors, prioritising Ghanaian firms to build local capacity,” he said.

Mr Agbodza, however, in opposition was a critic of the sole-sourcing of road contracts.

The current Road Minister in opposition claimed, “Part of the reason why the government is unable to build more roads is because of the use of sole-sourcing in the award of road projects, [which] inflates the cost of such contracts.”

Also, leading members of the NDC, particularly MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communications Officer of the NDC, on numerous occasions criticise the sole-sourced contract under the former Akufo-Addo government.

In addition, some civil society leaders have raised concerns about Ghana’s over-reliance on sole sourcing.

Ben Boakye, the Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Energy Policy, asserted that this is not what the NDC government promised Ghanaians.

Also, Anti-corruption crusader Vitus Azeem stated, “It’s surprising that just one year into power, such situations exist. Because, you see, the procurement law talks of competitive bidding. And sole-sourcing or restricted bidding is not the norm.”

Mary Ada, Executive Director of Transparency International Ghana, also lamented, “It’s sad, and the double standards are just too many. And it’s becoming worrisome for those of us who do this on a daily basis.  It’s sad that people who stand on the pulpit to say one thing carry on and do other things.”

“I’ve been to prison 18 times” – Kwesi Pratt Jr. discloses

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“I’ve been to prison 18 times” – Kwesi Pratt Jr. discloses

Kwesi Pratt Jr, the Veteran broadcaster and Pan-Africanist, has revealed that he has been in prison about eighteen times.

According to Kwesi Pratt, he has spent nights in the Akuse Prison, Navrongo Prison, Tamale Prison, and Usher Fort Prison.

He further added that he has also been detained at the Police Headquarters and the cells of the Bureau of National Investigation a couple of times.

Kwesi Pratt disclosed that the longest period he has spent behind bars is six months.

Speaking in an interview with Kafui Dey on March 23, Kwesi Pratt Jr. disclosed, “The last time we sat down and counted, I’ve been to prison 18 times. I have been in the guard room in what is known as Gonja Barracks twice. I have been detained at the police headquarters a couple of times, and at Bureau of National Investigation cells a couple of times.”

“I’ve been detained at the Usher Fort Prison, I’ve been detained at the Akuse Prisons, I’ve been detained at the Navrongo Prison, Tamale Prison and several police cells,” he disclosed.

Kwesi Pratt further added, “There was one time I was told why I’ve been arrested, and I was actually interrogated, and that was once. This was in 1992 or 1993. I was arrested with Professor Adu Boahen, and we were charged with obstruction of justice”.

Also, Kwesi Pratt revealed that the Akuse Prison was his most difficult experience across the prisons, adding that food was served in a chamber pot.

According to Kwesi Pratt, in prison, there was a standard meal called Manpower and Zontoli.

“One of my most horrible experiences was in Akuse Prison, where they served the food in a chamber pot. There is what they call Manpower and Zontoli, which was standard. The Manpower was the soup, and this soup, if you look at it, you could see the few ingredients that were used to prepare it at the bottom; it was transparent. The Zontoli is supposed to be banku, but it was as hard as wood,” he added.

In related news, Retired Major General Edwin Kwamina Sam has recounted his experience in the condemned cells of Nsawam prison after the June 4th Uprising.

History tells us that the 1979 uprising was a dramatic turning point in Ghana’s political and military history, with late Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings staging a coup to overthrow the then-President Dr Hilla Limann’s government.

The June 4th Uprising caused significant mayhem within the military, resulting in the detention of several officers, both high-ranking and junior, by the Rawlings regime.

Retired Major General Edwin Kwamina Sam was one of the officers detained during this period.

He recounted the harsh conditions he and other military personnel endured in the aftermath of the uprising.

According to him, he spent two days at the Nsawam prison where they were served Gari, kako and raw pepper.

Speaking in an interview with Kafui Dey, Major General Kwamina Sam (Rtd) remembered the cruel treatment that prisoners were subjected to during their confinement.

He stated, “I stayed in Nsawam for two days. This was a condemned cell in Nsawam. There were two bunk beds, with one sleeping on top of the other. Four of us were placed in a room together with our thunderbox [latrine]. We arrived around 5 or 6 PM, and they said the food had already been served. What they gave us was Gari and Kako [salted fish and raw pepper].”

“Unfortunately, the next morning, the warden came in and asked who caused the mess. They then asked the personnel to clean up the mess themselves. It was a humiliating experience,” Major General Sam recounted.

He further added that the next day the meal served at the time was “koko” [porridge] without sugar, accompanied by five days’ bread.

“It was so hard that we had to put salt in it just to make it edible,” he said.

He further narrated, “The prison stores had been closed, so those who arrived earlier received mattresses for the beds. However, those who came later, including Major General Sam, were forced to sleep on hard springs without any mattress”.

“Can you imagine lying on a spring bed? It was uncomfortable, but I slept like a baby because it didn’t even feel like I was on it without a mattress,” he said.

He further detailed that for Nsawam, anything one wants if they had money, they could get anything they wanted.

“If you wanted Black Label whisky or corned beef, you could get it,” he added.

Watch the video below:

 “It’s a no-brainer, I’m considering legal action” – Ibrahim Mahama on alleged assault by Black Maria

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 “It’s a no-brainer, I’m considering legal action” – Ibrahim Mahama on alleged assault by Black Maria

Ibrahim Mahama, a Ghanaian artist, has it that it is a no-brainer; he is considering legal action against the members of the Black Maria, the Inspector-General of Police’s Special Operations Team.

It will be recalled that Ibrahim Mahama, who was allegedly assaulted by the IGP’s special operations team, also known as Black Maria, in Tamale.

Reports suggest he was beaten for filming the Black Maria team as they unsuccessfully forced their way through a traffic jam while on a mission.

Speaking in an interview, Ibrahim Mahama stated, “They broke into our bus, forced me to open my phone and deleted the pictures. From the beginning to the end, everything was an assault”.

“The Police (Black Maria) team with their sirens tried to pass through the traffic by clearing the way, but were not successful. After several attempts, they began confronting the motorists, which resulted in physical assault on the civilians,” he explained.

“They beat us up and forced my boss Ibrahim Mahama to open his password and delete the videos. They took us to Sakasaka Police Station and beat us up again,” Ibrahim Mahommed further stated.

Following the assault, Ibrahim Mahama and the other injured persons were taken to Habannah Hospital in Tamale for treatment.

The artist lost two of his front teeth as a result of the attack.

Speaking at a press conference in Tamale on Monday, March 23, Ibrahim Mahama stated, “Certainly, we are considering legal action. It’s very important. It’s a no-brainer. We have to do it”.

“It’s not for me, but it’s actually for everyone else because if this could happen to me, as well-known as I am, then what about the people on the street? Who’s going to speak for that person? So, we have to do it for the benefit of the collective society that we’re in.”

Ibrahim Mahama further added, “That evening, I was meant to travel to the UK because I had to go and give some lectures in some schools from Cambridge to Oxford to the Royal College in London, and also continue to Helsinki for work and then to Amsterdam and then to South Africa before coming home”.

“But all those trips have to be cancelled, and I don’t think I can even travel for the next month because the last few days I have not even eaten solid food because my lips are all bruised, and three of my teeth are broken, I have sores in my mouth. Currently, it has put my entire life on hold.”

The Ghanaian artist further raised concerns about Black Maria’s alleged pattern of abuse.

He added, “Of course, we’ve heard many stories about the same unit and the brutalities. That’s why they could say that we could kill you and nothing will happen.”

“If at the end of the day, through these brutal actions, a lot of us young people will not feel like we need to stay in a place like this, then it’s rather on the bad side of justice,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Service has confirmed a probe into the assault on the internationally-acclaimed artist and Founder and owner of Red Clay Studio, Ibrahim Mahama, by “some officers”, but denies Black Maria’s involvement.

According to the Police, Black Maria Team was withdrawn from the Northern Region by the IGP on March 5.

In a statement issued by the Police, they wrote, “The Northern Regional Police Command has commenced investigations into a reported assault on visual artist, Mr Ibrahim Mahama, by some officers in Tamale.

The Command assures the public that updates of the ongoing investigation will be duly communicated.

Meanwhile, claims in sections of the media that the Special Operations Team (The Black Maria) was involved in this case are false, since the team has been out of the Northern Region following their withdrawal by the Inspector-General of Police on Thursday, the 5th of March. 2026”.

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