Residents of Dzelukope, a suburb of Keta in the Volta Region, are in a state of shock and panic after a man believed to be in his early 60s was found dead in stagnant water in the area.
The tragic incident is suspected to have occurred during the midnight of Monday, April 21, during this year’s Easter picnic.
Mr Gideon Foli Ashiagbor, a unit committee member of the area, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the incident happened in the water between Togbi Dzelu’s road and the seashore in the community.
“I received a call on Tuesday, April 22, that a lifeless body of a man who is believed to be around 60 years was floating on water, which sparked fear among the residents,” he said.
He said that the body of the deceased was later retrieved from the water and was identified by family members as Mr Atileto Edo.
Mr Ashiagbor said further information gathered revealed that the deceased was energetic, healthy and of sound mind without complaints of sickness before his death, with the sudden demise raising speculations and suspicions.
“An examination on the body of the deceased showed signs of bruises on the forehead and blood oozing from the nose, raising suspicions of foul play.”
He said the incident has been reported to the Keta Police, who conveyed the body to the Keta Municipal Hospital morgue for further examination and autopsy.
Mr Ashiagbor urged the residents to remain calm and assist the police in their investigations to unravel the perpetrators of the heinous crime and to determine the circumstances surrounding the tragic death.
Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopeful Kennedy Agyapong
Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopeful Kennedy Agyapong has expressed his disdain over what he described as the selling of opportunities meant for the grassroots of the party.
It is unclear whether Ken Agyapong was referring to events under the previous NPP government, but he stated that all individuals who engaged in selling job and scholarship opportunities to party members should be ashamed of themselves.
He emphasised that the grassroots of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) deserve proper appreciation for their dedication to the party.
“Shame on those who sold opportunities, including jobs, scholarships, and more, for personal gain. Our hardworking grassroots deserved better after years of loyal service to the party,” he wrote on X on Sunday, April 27, 2025.
Ken Agyapong, the immediate past Member of Parliament (MP) for the Assin Central Constituency in the Central Region, further called for an end to such practices.
“We must do better, and we must do it with a united front,” he added.
Read his post below:
Shame on those who sold opportunities including jobs, scholarships and more for personal gain. Our hardworking grassroots deserved better after years of loyal service to the Party. We must do better and we must do it with a united front.#KenSpeaks#NPPThankYouTour
IMF Chief praises Ghana’s economic reform efforts under Finance Minister’s leadership
Featured
Kester Aburam Korankye
Business News
The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, has lauded the Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, for his government’s “strong commitment” to economic reforms under the IMF-supported program.
The endorsement came during a high-level meeting last Saturday, where Ms. Georgieva acknowledged Ghana’s “significant progress” in restoring macroeconomic stability despite challenging conditions.
“The IMF remains a strong partner of Ghana,” she stated, reaffirming the Fund’s support for the country’s recovery efforts.
The meeting followed Ghana’s recent achievement of a staff-level agreement on the fourth review of its $3 billion IMF program.
Pending Executive Board approval, the agreement will unlock approximately $370 million in critical financing for Ghana.
This milestone marks a notable turnaround from earlier setbacks under the previous administration, when several program targets were missed.
The current government’s aggressive reform agenda has accelerated structural adjustments, with some benchmarks originally due in late 2024 and early 2025 already completed ahead of schedule.
Key to the administration’s strategy has been addressing the 2024 payables accumulation that contributed to a primary deficit.
The government has implemented stringent spending controls and fiscal measures to restore budget credibility and debt sustainability.
The delegation included Bank of Ghana Governor Dr. Johnson Asiama, Senior Economic Advisor Seth Terkper, and National Development Planning Commission Chairman Dr. Nii Moi Thompson.
Executive Secretary of the NFA, Kafui Danku-Pitcher
The Executive Secretary of the National Film Authority (NFA), Kafui Danku-Pitcher, has stated that Nigerian actress and filmmaker Bimbo Ademoye has yet to provide details regarding her allegations of copyright infringement against some Ghanaian TV stations.
It will be recalled that in a social media post earlier in April 2025, Bimbo Ademoye accused several Ghanaian TV stations of airing her movies without permission.
The controversy prompted swift reactions from the NFA boss and the Minister of Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, who both promised to address the issue.
Speaking on United Showbiz on April 27, 2025, Danku-Pitcher, herself a filmmaker, expressed empathy, saying, “I know how it feels to have your intellectual property taken. If you invest your money or take a loan to produce a movie, it’s frustrating to see it pirated.”
She added that the NFA had requested Ademoye to submit a list of the implicated TV stations to facilitate investigations, but the filmmaker has yet to do so.
“I contacted her through her comment section and asked her to provide the list of TV stations she identified; she has yet to respond. Maybe she is busy with other things,” she said.
Danku-Pitcher noted that this follows similar complaints by Nigerian actress Omoni Oboli, whose case is already being addressed by the NFA.
“Even before this incident, we had been engaging with Omoni Oboli over her own claims of copyright infringement. She provided us with a list of the TV stations involved, and we have been working on it. It takes time, but we are on it,” she added.
Former Chief Executive Officer of InterCity State Transport Corporation, Nana Akomea has clarified recent comments by former Vice President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, in his ongoing “Thank You Tour”.
The former vice president, who is currently in the Western Region to thank the New Patriotic Party members and supporters as well as the entire nation for their support and votes for him during last year’s elections, has been calling for unity within the party as they march forward into the 2028 elections.
Speaking to the party faithful, Dr Bawumia discounted the argument that his religious affiliation as a Muslim played a role in the New Patriotic Party’s defeat in the 2024 general elections.
Addressing NPP faithful at the party’s headquarters on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, Dr Bawumia dispelled the religious claims as baseless, stating “some people said that they didn’t vote for us because our presidential candidate was Muslim. Have you not heard that? When I heard that, I said this doesn’t make sense. This is not the Ghana that I know”.
He continued; “Because if you look at it, we went for primaries; we were 10 contestants. I was 1 Muslim and 9 Christians but the NPP voted for the 1 Muslim for the presidential candidate.”
“So that could not be the case and I decided to do some data analysis to test this hypothesis and when you look at the data, it is very clear. In many constituencies across the country, the NPP presidential candidate performed better than the Christian parliamentary candidate. So, it couldn’t be the case. If they were voting on religion, I shouldn’t be performing better than many of the party’s Christian parliamentary candidates”, he further said but his comments have attracted a caustic response from particularly a government spokesperson under the erstwhile Akufo-Addo administration, Dr Palgrave Boakye-Danquah.
To Dr Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, the former vice president and NPP flagbearer is trying to shift blame from himself as, to him, Dr Bawumia contributed to the party’s defeat.
“Dr. Bawumia’s ‘justification tour’ is a calculated attempt to rewrite his legacy by scapegoating President Akufo-Addo and the NPP for failures he actively contributed to.
“His inconsistencies, championing policies in power but disowning them in defeat and his disloyalty to the President and the party that elevated him discredit his credibility as a leader,” he wrote.
Nana Akomea, in response, has clarified that Dr Bawumia’s remarks during his tour have nothing to do with what Dr Palgrave Boakye-Danquah is insinuating but rather they are borne out of the Mike Oquaye’s committee report which has been presented to the NPP National Executive Council (NEC).
In a statement to the critics of the former vice president, Nana Akomea noted that Dr Bawumia’s speeches are premised on the report, hence, wondered how any person could take a shot at the former NPP presidential candidate when he is not making his comments in a vacuum.
“Dr Bawumia, at his meeting in Takoradi Saturday 26 April, spoke to the Professor Mike Ocquaye’s committee’s report. He mentioned that the report, as presented to the NPP’s National Council, and elaborated on by the Npp’s General Secretary Justin Kodua, did not find the religious factor as a key reason for the Npp’s loss.
“There have been speculations that the loss was attributable to Dr Bawumia’s Moslem religion, not finding favour with Christian voters. The reasons given by party supporters for staying away from the 2024 polls, as reported by the Ocquaye committee, did not include the Moslem factor in any considerable degree,” he wrote.
He added; “Dr Bawumia, after acknowledging these difficulties as reported by the same party people to the Ocquaye committee, proceeds to apologise to party people for these given shortcomings. Indeed, the same theme of acknowledgement of the wrongs as reported to the Ocquaye commitee , and apology, was repeated by the Party’s General secretary Justin Kodua and Kennedy Adjepon in their address to the party supporters.”
Read full statement below:
NANA AKOMEA WRITES:
PALGRAVE BOAKYE DANQUAH, Dr BAWUMIA HAS NOT SHIFTED BLAME
I read with surprise Palgrave Boakye Danquah’s open letter, purporting to admonish Dr. Bawumia not to shift blame for the Npp’s loss in the 2024 elections. My surprise is borne by the fact that Dr. Bawumia did no such thing in his interactions with party folks in the ongoing Thank You tour.
Dr Bawumia, at his meeting in Takoradi Saturday 26 April, spoke to the Professor Mike Ocquaye’s committee’s report. He mentioned that the report, as presented to the NPP’s National Council, and elaborated on by the Npp’s General Secretary Justin Kodua, did not find the religious factor as a key reason for the Npp’s loss.
There have been speculations that the loss was attributable to Dr Bawumia’s Moslem religion, not finding favour with Christian voters. The reasons given by party supporters for staying away from the 2024 polls, as reported by the Ocquaye committee, did not include the Moslem factor in any considerable degree.
Indeed the reasons given by supporters for staying away included governance issues such as the the economic situation, perceived arrogance on the part of government appointees, the Electronic Levy, the high cost of living, the Domestic Devt Exchange Programme, Non reshuffle of appointees, the National cathedral, increment in fuel prices days to the elections, Inadequacies in thd Npp’s electoral processes etc, etc.
Dr Bawumia, after acknowledging these difficulties as reported by the same party people to the Ocquaye committee, proceeds to apologise to party people for these given shortcomings. Indeed, the same theme of acknowledgement of the wrongs as reported to the Ocquaye commitee, and apology, was repeated by the Party’s General secretary Justin Kodua and Kennedy Adjepon in their address to the party supporters.
Dr. Bawumia said these are what you party people have said about us. We acknowledge them and apologise for them.
How does that amount to shifting blame? And to whom did he shift the blame?
Indeed, the acknowledgement and apology have been met with loud applause from the party people. Same as when Justin Kodua general secretary and Kennedy Adjepon made the same acknowledgement and apology.
Let’s continue to mend our ties with our party people with truth and sincerity.
Dr Palgrave Boakye-Danquah a former government spokesperson has fired shots at former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia over his recent comments during the NPP’s thank you tour.
According to Dr Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, Dr Bawumia as Vice President had a platform to voice dissent or influence policy but chose not to, only to later claim opposition when it suited his political ambitions.
Ghana seeks stronger ties with IFC to boost key sectors
Featured
Kester Aburam Korankye
Business News
Ghana’s Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has held crucial discussions with the Managing Director of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Mr. Makhtar Diop, to enhance investment cooperation in critical sectors of the economy.
The meeting, held at the IFC headquarters in Washington, D.C., centered on strategic partnerships to drive productivity, economic growth, and private sector development.
Mr. Diop reaffirmed the IFC’s commitment to Ghana but noted the need for more targeted investments to maximize impact.
The IFC Managing Director pointed out that Ghana was underutilizing its diaspora potential, describing it as a “goldmine” for investment and expertise that could accelerate national development.
Dr. Forson welcomed the IFC’s continued support and extended an invitation from President John Dramani Mahama for Mr. Diop to visit Ghana for further engagements.
He emphasized the government’s focus on attracting private capital, particularly in infrastructure and agriculture, to bolster economic transformation.
The Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Johnson Asiama, who was part of the delegation, highlighted the importance of the IFC’s role in stabilizing Ghana’s financial sector, particularly in supporting specialized deposit-taking institutions undergoing reforms.
Also contributing to the discussions were the Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr. Nii Moi Thompson, and former Finance Minister Mr. Seth Terkper, now a Senior Economic Advisor at the Ministry of Finance.
The Chair of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Council of Elders in South Africa, Mr. Benjamin Kofi Quashie, has sharply criticized former President Nana Akufo-Addo in connection with the ongoing controversy surrounding the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo.
In an interview on Kessben TV, Mr. Quashie expressed his concerns about what he termed the “recklessness” of Akufo-Addo in appointing judges to the bench.
Liverpool have been crowned champions for the second time in the Premier League – and a record-equalling 20th time in the top flight – with Arne Slot leading the club to glory in his first season in charge.
Sunday’s 5-1 victory against Tottenham Hotspur means Liverpool moved out of reach of their nearest rivals in the table Arsenal with four matches still to play, the seventh team to seal the title so early.
Liverpool’s only other Premier League title win came in 2019/20 under Jurgen Klopp during the COVID-19 pandemic, when fans weren’t allowed to attend matches. So not only was confirming the title in front of their fans special but when they lift the Premier League Trophy later this season it will be the first time in front of and with their supporters in attendance.
A second Premier League title means Liverpool go fifth in the rankings for the number of titles outright, moving behind Arsenal’s total of three.
Significantly for Liverpool, because they won 18 top-flight titles before the Premier League started in 1992/93, they have now been crowned champions of England for the 20th time.
That equals the record held by fierce rivals Manchester United, who last won the title in 2012/13.
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Majority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor
The Majority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has berated the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) following reports of the association passing a resolution to call on President John Dramani Mahama to revoke the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
In a post shared on social media on Sunday, April 27, 2025, Dafeamekpor, who is a lawyer himself, indicated that the resolution, if indeed true, amounts to contempt of the power of the Supreme Court.
He pointed out that the action of the GBA also amounts to an interference with the functions of the judiciary and a violation of the code of conduct for lawyers in Ghana.
“Our very own Code of Conduct, the Legal Profession (Professional Conduct & Etiquette) Rules, 2020, LI 2423, forbids any lawyer or leaders of any lawyers’ grouping from running any such unguarded commentaries or making such unprofessional public demands on a live case. Indeed, Regulation 89(c) of LI 2423, 2020 states as follows: ‘a lawyer commits professional misconduct where the lawyer engages in a conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice’.
“The above provision forbids any member of the Bar or its leaders from upending the rights of one party in a case against the other part(ies). What the GBA leadership is engaged in is a front to the administration of justice and has the propensity to torpedo the independence of the judiciary they ostensibly seek to protect,” the Majority Chief Whip of Parliament wrote.
He asserted that the resolution was politically motivated, urging President Mahama to ignore it if it is indeed brought before him.
“This reported call by the GBA is very partisan & prejudicial as it affects a matter sub judice.
“The GBA leadership, like Caesar’s wife, must live above reproach. I urge His Excellency, the President, to ignore this illicit public call by the GBA leadership as if same was never made, for it is a wrong call. It is better for a law to be wrong than for a wrong to be law,” his post concluded.
Background:
The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has reportedly passed a resolution to call on President John Dramani Mahama to revoke the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
According to a report by thelawplatform.online, the resolution was passed at the GBA’s Mid-Year Conference held at Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra on April 26, 2025.
The report indicated that members of the Bar were displeased with the suspension of the Chief Justice after getting details of the three petitions for her removal.
They were also not happy with the determination of a prima facie case in the three petitions filed for Justice Torkornoo’s removal by President Mahama and the Council of State.
The members of the GBA also expressed their displeasure with the leadership of the association over a statement issued on the ongoing process for the removal of the Chief Justice.
They indicated that they were not happy with the import and tone of the statement, which was dated April 24, 2025.
The GBA also indicated that it was going to present a petition challenging the removal of the Chief Justice.
Read the MP’s full statement below:
1. If news that the Ghana Bar Association has passed a Resolution to demand that the Prez reverses the Warrant of Suspension of CJ Torkonoo is accurate, then the leadership of the Ghana Bar Association must be ashamed because this case is presently pending before the Supreme… pic.twitter.com/1kGlvNcrCe
— Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, Esq. MP. (@etsedafeamekpor) April 27, 2025
BAI//MA
You can also watch the latest Twi News on GhanaWeb TV below:
Meanwhile, watch as frustrated Ghanaians speak out on poor network challenges
This reported call by the GBA is very partisan & prejudicial as it affects a matter sub judice.
If news that the Ghana Bar Association has passed a Resolution to demand that the Prez reverses the Warrant of Suspension of CJ Torkonoo is accurate, then the leadership of the Ghana Bar Association must be ashamed because this case is presently pending before the Supreme Court.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye, the former Communications Manager for the Dr Mahamudu Bawumia campaign has claimed that suspended Chief Justice Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Torkornoo is fortunate that a gun was not pointed at her head and she is still alive.
He alleged that the National Democratic Congress forbearers supervised the kidnapping and murder of three High Court judges.
Kumasi Asante Kotoko Sporting Club have bagged their first win under head coach Karim Zito to end a four game winless run via a 1-0 win over Aduana Stars.
Zito was named as Kotoko’s head trainer after Dr. Prosper Narteh Ogum was fired after losing back to back games to Accra Lions and Nations FC.
The winning goal came in the 25th minute courtesy a fine strike from striker Kwame Poku who ended a goal drought in the process.
Goalkeeper Mohammed Camara played a huge role in the win by saving a penalty in the 37th minute to maintain the Porcupine Warriors en route to the win.
The game largely didn’t have a ton of exciting moments with Kotoko registering just a shot on target out of four shots in total while Aduana had no shot on target despite attempting seven shots.
Kotoko still stay in fourth place in the league standings but closed the point gap to three points (50) after league leaders Bibiani Gold Stars (53 points) lost 2-0 to Vision FC. Kotoko take on bitter rivals Accra Hearts of Oak next.
Former Deputy Chairman of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s campaign team, Nana Akomea has taken a swipe at a former government spokesperson, Dr Palgrave Boakye-Danquah over his criticism of the former Vice President of Ghana.
Dr Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, former Government Spokesperson on Governance and Security under the Akufo-Addo administration, in an open letter, condemned Dr Bawumia for what, to him, is his attempt to disassociate himself from policies by the previous government such as the E-levy and the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) among others that led to the New Patriotic Party’s defeat in the 2024 elections.
Dr Boakye-Danquah, who is now in the camp of former presidential aspirant, Kennedy Agyapong, reprimanded Dr Bawumia saying “Bawumia’s claim that he opposed the E-levy, a highly controversial tax policy, is inconsistent with his silence during its introduction and passage, despite public outcry and its significant impact on Ghanaians”.
He added, “As Vice President, he had a platform to voice dissent or influence policy but chose not to, only to later claim opposition when it suited his political ambitions.”
“Bawumia’s failure to publicly address or mitigate the DDEP’s impact, while now implying he was not fully responsible, reeks of opportunism and undermines the administration’s collective accountability.”
Responding to these blistering attacks on the former veep, Nana Akomea, in a statement sighted by GhanaWeb, was utterly amazed that the former government spokesperson could purport such things against Dr. Bawumia.
He, therefore, sought to clarify issues while deflating Palgrave Boakye-Danquah’s argument.
He explained that nowhere during Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s ongoing “Thank You” tour has he shifted blame for the NPP’s 2024 election defeat.
“My surprise is borne by the fact that Dr. Bawumia did no such thing in his interactions with party folks in the ongoing Thank You tour”, he replied, adding that Dr Bawumia’s comments during his tour were premised on the Mike Oquaye’s report which looked into the causes of the party’s defeat.
He noted that, prior to the Oquaye’s committee report, there was the notion that the party lost the elections due to Dr Bawumia’s religious affiliation but the report has dismissed such arguments.
“There have been speculations that the loss was attributable to Dr Bawumia’s Moslem religion, not finding favour with Christian voters. The reasons given by party supporters for staying away from the 2024 polls, as reported by the Ocquaye committee, did not include the Moslem factor in any considerable degree.
Indeed the reasons given by supporters for staying away included governance issues such as the the economic situation, perceived arrogance on the part of government appointees, the Electronic Levy, the high cost of living, the Domestic Devt Exchange Programme, Non reshuffle of appointees, the National cathedral, increment in fuel prices days to the elections, Inadequacies in thd Npp’s electoral processes etc, etc,” he wrote.
He wondered how any of these comments by Bawumia could be interpreted to mean he is shifting blame from himself.
“Dr Bawumia, after acknowledging these difficulties as reported by the same party people to the Ocquaye committee, proceeds to apologise to party people for these given shortcomings. Indeed, the same theme of acknowledgement of the wrongs as reported to the Ocquaye commitee , and apology, was repeated by the Party’s General secretary Justin Kodua and Kennedy Adjepon in their address to the party supporters. Dr. Bawumia said these are what you party people have said about us. We acknowledge them and apologise for them.”
“How does that amount to shifting blame? And to whom did he shift the blame?”, he queried.
Read Nana Akomea’s full statement below:
NANA AKOMEA WRITES:
PALGRAVE BOAKYE DANQUAH, Dr BAWUMIA HAS NOT SHIFTED BLAME
I read with surprise Palgrave Boakye Danquah’s open letter, purporting to admonish Dr. Bawumia not to shift blame for the Npp’s loss in the 2024 elections. My surprise is borne by the fact that Dr. Bawumia did no such thing in his interactions with party folks in the ongoing Thank You tour.
Dr Bawumia, at his meeting in Takoradi Saturday 26 April, spoke to the Professor Mike Ocquaye’s committee’s report.
He mentioned that the report, as presented to the NPP’s National Council, and elaborated on by the Npp’s General Secretary Justin Kodua, did not find the religious factor as a key reason for the Npp’s loss.
There have been speculations that the loss was attributable to Dr Bawumia’s Moslem religion, not finding favour with Christian voters. The reasons given by party supporters for staying away from the 2024 polls, as reported by the Ocquaye committee, did not include the Moslem factor in any considerable degree.
Indeed the reasons given by supporters for staying away included governance issues such as the the economic situation, perceived arrogance on the part of government appointees, the Electronic Levy, the high cost of living, the Domestic Devt Exchange Programme, Non reshuffle of appointees, the National cathedral, increment in fuel prices days to the elections, Inadequacies in thd Npp’s electoral processes etc, etc.
Dr Bawumia, after acknowledging these difficulties as reported by the same party people to the Ocquaye committee, proceeds to apologise to party people for these given shortcomings. Indeed, the same theme of acknowledgement of the wrongs as reported to the Ocquaye commitee , and apology, was repeated by the Party’s General secretary Justin Kodua and Kennedy Adjepon in their address to the party supporters.
Dr. Bawumia said these are what you party people have said about us. We acknowledge them and apologise for them. How does that amount to shifting blame? And to whom did he shift the blame?
Indeed, the acknowledgement and apology have been met with loud applause from the party people. Same as when Justin Kodua general secretary and Kennedy Adjepon made the same acknowledgement and apology.
Let’s continue to mend our ties with our party people with truth and sincerity.
Former Ghana Vice President and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer for the 2024 elections, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has listed four major reasons behind the party’s blowout loss in the 2024 general elections.
Speaking during the launch of his nationwide thank-you tour in Takoradi on Saturday, April 26, 2025, Dr Bawumia said the party’s survey of their party members to diagnose the reasons for their loss identified four major reasons: the unreasonably high cost of living, the ‘haircuts’ associated with the domestic debt exchange programme, the electronic (e) levy tax, and the ‘arrogance of power’ exhibited by the party in refusing to listen to its members.
As Ghana ushers in a new era of passport reforms, many citizens are asking: What happens to my current passport? Can I still travel? Will I be forced to switch immediately?
From Monday, April 28, 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially begins issuing chip-embedded passports — a security-enhanced document that meets international standards and promises a smoother application process.
Here’s everything you need to know:
Do I need to replace my current passport immediately?
No. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has clarified that your current biometric passport remains valid until 2030 in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines. You can continue to use it for travel without any issues until it expires.
What’s the difference between the old passport and the new chip-embedded passport?
New Security Features: The new passport contains an embedded microchip with your biometric and photo information, making it much harder to forge or tamper with.
Adinkra-Inspired Design: It features cultural symbols like “Fawohodie” (Freedom and Independence) and “Funtunfunefu Denkyemfunefu” (Democracy and Cooperation).
Global Compliance: The chip-embedded passports bring Ghana into full compliance with ICAO requirements.
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How to apply for the new chip-embedded passport?
You can apply anytime before 2030, even if your current passport hasn’t expired. Here’s what to expect:
Online Application: Visit www.passport.mfa.gov.gh to apply.
24-Hour Processing: The Passport Office is now running 24-hour operations to fast-track applications.
15-Day Delivery: Expect delivery within 15 working days for regular service or 5 days for expedited processing.
How will I receive my new passport?
Home Delivery: You won’t pay extra for courier services.
Ghana Post: For those without reliable addresses, you can opt to pick it up at your nearest Ghana Post office.
Tracking: Applicants can now track their passports from application to delivery via the online portal.
Cost
In a surprising move, Cabinet has slashed passport application fees:
New Fee: GH₵350 (down from GH₵500), pending parliamentary approval.
No Hidden Charges: No extra fees for delivery or tracking services.
Important care instructions for the new passport
Because of the embedded chip:
Avoid bending: The data page is made of compressed polymer layers — don’t keep it in your back pocket.
Keep it dry: Protect it from heat and liquids.
Avoid other cards: Don’t store other chip cards (like bank cards) inside your passport.
For Ghanaians abroad
Ghanaian embassies and high commissions are ready to assist with chip-embedded passport applications for citizens living overseas.
Why all these reforms?
According to Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the reforms are part of a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement that seeks to eliminate the “goro boys” (middlemen), enhance transparency, and digitize passport services — all while creating new jobs.
Bottom Line: You can hold on to your current passport for now, but Ghana is urging all citizens to gradually make the switch ahead of the 2030 deadline.
A fire outbreak at Lapaz, a commercial hub in Accra, has destroyed several shops in the area.
The fire reportedly started around 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 27, 2025, at a one-storey building housing dozens of shops selling various items, including electronics, fabrics, and cosmetics.
Videos circulating on social media showed the blazing fire engulfing two shops in the building, while concerned individuals attempted to put out the flames.
At the time of filing this report, no fire service officers were observed at the scene.
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
This marks the seventh major market fire since January, following devastating outbreaks at Kantamanto Market, Kwadaso Wood Market, Tamale Timber Market, Techiman Central Market, Kejetia Market, and Adum Market, causing millions in losses and displacing countless traders.
In response, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has intensified safety measures, including overnight patrols and enhanced inspections.
According to reports from GhanaWeb, a former government spokesperson has sharply criticized Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, accusing the former Vice President of turning his back on former President Nana Akufo-Addo and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) by distancing himself from key government shortcomings during his ongoing engagements with supporters.
In a letter published on April 26, 2025, via net2tvgh.com, Dr. Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, who served as the Government Spokesperson on Governance and Security under the Akufo-Addo administration, expressed disapproval of Dr. Bawumia’s efforts to separate himself from controversial initiatives such as the E-levy and the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).
Now aligned with Kennedy Agyapong, a former presidential contender, Dr. Boakye-Danquah emphasized that Bawumia stayed silent during the rollout of these measures despite being the head of the Economic Management Team.
He criticized Bawumia for only opposing these policies when it became politically convenient.
He noted that Bawumia’s attempt to distance himself from the E-levy, a widely unpopular tax measure, did not align with his earlier silence during its passage, even as Ghanaians raised major concerns.
As Vice President, Bawumia had significant influence to either oppose or shape such policies but chose not to intervene, Dr. Boakye-Danquah pointed out, adding that claiming opposition afterward highlighted a lack of consistency.
He also argued that Bawumia’s failure to address the negative impacts of the DDEP while trying to dissociate himself later showed a lack of collective responsibility and appeared to be an opportunistic move.
Further criticism was directed at Bawumia for blaming Akufo-Addo for economic challenges, including inflation and rising fuel prices, despite playing a central role in shaping the government’s economic policies.
Boakye-Danquah also accused him of double standards, mentioning that Bawumia had once championed initiatives like the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO), which later collapsed without meeting its commitments, leaving many young beneficiaries abandoned.
He similarly criticized Bawumia for not speaking out on the delayed payments affecting caterers under the School Feeding Programme and workers in the afforestation sector.
Highlighting these points, Dr. Boakye-Danquah stated that Bawumia’s recent condemnations of projects like the National Cathedral and the government’s handling of illegal mining activities were further examples of a lack of loyalty, considering his key role in the administration.
He challenged Bawumia’s claims of being unaware of pre-election fuel price increases, suggesting such a claim was either a display of carelessness or a deliberate attempt to mislead.
Boakye-Danquah warned that Bawumia’s actions were part of a broader effort to shift blame and rehabilitate his political image at the expense of the party and the former president.
“Dr. Bawumia’s ‘justification tour’ is a calculated attempt to rewrite his legacy by scapegoating President Akufo-Addo and the NPP for failures he actively contributed to,” he said.
He urged the public to seek leadership that embraces responsibility rather than individuals who deflect blame for personal gain.
The Director General of the National Road Safety Authority, Abraham Amaliba, has criticised the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over its reaction to the ongoing process to remove Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo from office, accusing the party of engaging in mere “legal sophistry.”
This is on the back of President Mahama’s suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo on Tuesday, April 22, following the establishment of a prima facie case based on three petitions seeking her removal.
The decision, made under Article 146(6) of the 1992 Constitution in consultation with the Council of State, has led to the formation of a five-member committee to investigate the matter.
The NPP, on the other hand has accused the president of political witch hunt in the attempt to have the Chief Justice removed from office
Speaking on The Big Issue on Channel One TV on Saturday, April 26, 2025, Mr. Amaliba insisted that President John Mahama has strictly followed the constitutional procedures outlined in Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution.
Mr. Amaliba explained that legal sophistry involves the use of misleading arguments or irrelevant points to distract from the real legal issues
“So far the president has gone in accordance with the provision in Article 146, and nobody can, at this point, fault the president on any processes. So, the procedure is right and everything is on point but the NPP is engaged in legal sophistry, which is trying to bring about things which are not connected to this.
“If you hear a lawyer focusing on the spirit of the law and not the letter of the law, he has lost his case,” he stated.
Addressing claims of political motivation, Mr. Amaliba added, “If it were political, and the Chief Justice had no baggage in her cupboard, the NDC couldn’t have done anything.”
Nigerian music icon, Innocent Idibia, also known as 2Face has reunited with his mother, Rose, two months after he was declared missing.
In February, the Idibia family raised concerns by petitioning the Department of State Services (DSS), reporting that 2Face had been missing since February 10.
According to the letter, he had left his home wearing lounge clothes and had not been seen since.
However, in a recently circulated video, 2face was seen sharing a joyful moment with his mother and other family members.
Also present was Natasha Osawaru, his new partner, suggesting that family tensions — particularly with his mother — have eased.
Earlier in February, Rose had publicly opposed 2Face’s relationship with Natasha.
She pleaded with Natasha to leave her son alone and demanded that she remove the beads placed on his hands and neck, suggesting that 2Face was not acting of his own free will.
Natasha, however, defended the beads, explaining they were symbols of her family’s royal heritage.
2Face’s relationship with Natasha gained public attention after he confirmed their union in January, shortly after announcing his separation from Annie Idibia.
At the time, the singer proposed to Natasha, insisting their relationship had no connection to his breakup with Annie.
Recently, Natasha updated her Instagram bio to include 2Face’s surname, signaling a deepening of their bond.
Coach Abdul Karim Zito oversaw a 1-0 win against Aduana Stars in his first Premier League game as interim manager for Asante Kotoko.
Kwame Poku scored the only goal of the game during the 26th minute, putting the Porcupine Warriors back on winning ways following four winless run in the Ghanaian top-flight.
Aduana Stars had a chance to make it two wins in a row after beating Hearts of Oak in their previous league fixture, but goalkeeper Mohammed Camara stepped in to deny Sam Adams the chance to restore parity.
However, Kotoko stood firm to keep their dream of winning the Ghana Premier League alive with an improved defensive display.
The win leaves them 4th on the table with 50 points – 3points off the summit.
Zito, who took up as Kotoko caretaker following the sacking of Prosper Nartey Ogum last, will hope to a historic win when they face their arch rivals, Hearts of Oak in Accra on Matchday 30.
Dr Palgrave Boakye-Danquah a former government spokesperson has stated the former vice president Dr Mahamudu Bawumia thank you tour a calculated attempt to rewrite his legacy.
According to Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, Dr Bawumia is scapegoating former president Akufo-Addo and the NPP for failures he actively contributed to.
His comments come after Dr Mahamudu Bawumia listed the erstwhile Akufo-Addo government’s sins that led to the 2024 election defeat.
Cape Coast, April 27, GNA – Pastor Dr Mensah Otabil, General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), has advised Christians against the creeping culture of idolizing pastors as so-called “church god,” anointing oil and altars in worship.
He stressed that the one true God of all creation was universal and could not be localised in any particular church, idolized or confined to any particular man God, church, or human figure, labelling such practices as “false doctrine.”
Speaking at the consecration of the ICGC Exalted Temple at Abura in Cape Coast, Dr Otabil clarified the biblical meaning of the “God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
He explained that those titles referred to the one true God who made a covenant with the patriarchs based on faith and obedience.
To him, ministers of God or Christians seeking personal fame by likening themselves to these biblical figures without fulfilling the spiritual prerequisites were misleading and unfortunate.
He described as “strange” the practice lately where some junior pastors of some churches gave senior pastors a kind of spiritual authority and grace that should belong only to God.
The practice, he said, appeared to have created the worship of human leaders instead of worshipping God alone, which distorted true Christian faith and practice.
While calling on Christians to do more self-introspection and realignment with biblical faith to avoid practices that could lead to doctrinal errors or spiritual excesses, he questioned the notion of Altars.
He said the trend where altars were treated as if they possessed special divine power themselves, rather than being symbolic places that direct worshippers seek God must not be entertained.
Likewise, he emphasised a shift from the traditional biblical practice of anointing with a finger to the newer practice of pouring oil directly on people’s heads.
He questioned the biblical basis for this change, implying that the latter practice may lack scriptural support and could be a misuse of the anointing oil.
Dr Otabil urged Christians to keep Christ at the centre of their faith, avoid outsourcing their spiritual lives and reject seeking spiritual power through money or intermediaries.
Instead, believers should cultivate personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the sole source of true power, grace and salvation, a mission central to ICGC’s vision of spiritual renewal across generations.
Pastor Jepson Ahene, Resident Pastor of the Exalted Temple, reflected on over 25 years of God’s faithfulness in the church’s journey, citing Psalm 127:1 to emphasize that the Lord was the true builder of the church.
He described the temple as a beacon of hope and a sanctuary for transformation, calling the congregation to rededicate their hearts to Christ’s mission.
The vision for the Exalted Temple was conceived in 1998 by Pastor Kingsley Akwasi Prempeh, a former Pastor with initial services held in homes from 1999 until the church acquired a land and began construction of a 1,300-capacity auditorium with a basement in 2003.
The basement was completed in 2006, and the congregation moved in while construction continued.
Additional facilities were added as the years went by to support the growing ministry and membership, which currently includes 450 adults, 115 youth, and 150 children.
Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare (L) and GBA president Efua Ghartey
Renowned US-based Ghanaian lawyer and scholar, Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare, has criticised the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) following reports of its members reacting to a resolution calling on President John Dramani Mahama to revoke the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
In a statement shared on X on Sunday, April 27, 2025, Professor Kwaku Asare, popularly known as Kwaku Azar, noted that the new development indicates that the association has regained its voice under the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.
However, he pointed out that until the GBA addresses the constitutional issues surrounding the actions of the Chief Justice, which have led to the petition for her removal, it should suspend its resolution calling for President Mahama to revoke the suspension of Justice Torkornoo.
“Less than a week after calling for the rule of law to prevail, the GBA has reversed course—now urging the President to revoke the suspension of the Chief Justice.
“It’s good that the GBA has finally found its voice,” Azar wrote on X.
He continued, “We would now like to hear that voice on these pressing constitutional matters. Until the GBA meaningfully addresses these serious constitutional questions, it ought to suspend its resolution calling for the revocation of the Chief Justice’s suspension.”
The academic outlined the constitutional matters the GBA must address as follows:
1. Supreme Court nominations:
Does the GBA support the Chief Justice personally selecting and submitting five names for Supreme Court appointment — contrary to Article 144(2) of the Constitution?
2. Nomination criteria:
Will the GBA explain what criteria the Chief Justice used in choosing her five nominees — and whether it meets constitutional standards of merit, transparency, and fairness?
3. Usurpation of the Judicial Council’s role:
Does the GBA condone the Chief Justice bypassing the Judicial Council, the body constitutionally entrusted with recommending nominees to the Supreme Court?
4. Backroom deals on judicial appointments:
Does the GBA support secret backroom exchanges and entanglements between the Chief Justice and the Executive over who sits on Ghana’s apex court?
5. Reconstitution of panels:
Will the GBA defend or condemn the practice of reconstituting Supreme Court panels to engineer preferred outcomes — a blatant violation of decisional independence?
6. Unconstitutional directives:
Does the GBA believe the Chief Justice can lawfully issue administrative directives that bypass constitutional procedures and established checks?
Background:
The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has reportedly passed a resolution to call on President John Dramani Mahama to revoke the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
According to a report by thelawplatform.online, the resolution was passed at the GBA’s Mid-Year Conference held at Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra on April 26, 2025.
The report indicated that members of the Bar were displeased with the suspension of the Chief Justice after getting details of the three petitions for her removal.
They were also not happy with the determination of a prima facie case in the three petitions filed for Justice Torkornoo’s removal by President Mahama and the Council of State.
The members of the GBA also expressed their displeasure with the leadership of the association over a statement issued on the ongoing process for the removal of the Chief Justice.
They indicated that they were not happy with the import and tone of the statement, which was dated April 24, 2025.
The GBA also indicated that it was going to present a petition challenging the removal of the Chief Justice.
President of the GBA, Efua Ghartey, explained the reasons for the language and tone of the statement issued on the petitions for the Chief Justice’s removal.
He indicated that the statement was issued without the benefit of the details of the petitions, adding that the association can pass a resolution on the actions to take with regard to the issue at hand.
BAI/MA
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A rising number of Ghanaians are expressing support for military intervention in politics if elected leaders abuse their mandate.
This is according to the 2024 Afrobarometer report conducted by the Centre for Democratic Development-Ghana (CDD-Ghana).
The survey indicates that 51% of citizens believe the Ghana Armed Forces ought to assume control in such circumstances – marking an 11-percentage point increase from 40% in 2022.
Conversely, opposition to military involvement appears to be waning. The proportion of Ghanaians who feel the military should never intervene has fallen from 55% in 2022 to 47% in 2024.
The findings were presented at a regional dissemination event held in Kumasi, organised by CDD-Ghana in collaboration with the Centre for Community Livelihood Development.
The programme was supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) under the Participation, Accountability, Integrity for Resilient Democracy (PAIReD) initiative.
The initiative is co-funded by the European Union (EU) and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs and commissioned by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
It is being implemented by GIZ in partnership with Ghana’s Ministry of Finance.
Particularly concerning is the demographic shift towards support for military intervention, with the Ghanaian youth representing a significant proportion.
Fifty-two percent of respondents aged between 18 and 25 endorse a military takeover should leadership fail, rising to 56% among those aged between 26 and 35.
Gender disparities were also observed, with 53% of men and 48% of women expressing support for military involvement under such circumstances.
Presenting the findings, Ms Mavis Zupork Dome, Senior Research Analyst at CDD-Ghana, highlighted that public opinion was divided regarding the pathway following a military takeover: 41% of citizens advocate a gradual transition back to civilian rule, even if it requires several years, while 38% prefer an immediate restoration of civilian governance.
A further 14% indicated they would not object to the military remaining in power indefinitely, provided it served the nation’s best interests.
Mr Jonathan Donkor, Technical Advisor at GIZ, underscored the importance of citizen participation in democratic governance.
“It is an undeniable fact that when citizen voices are included in governance, policies better serve people’s needs,” he remarked.
He further emphasised the vital role of data-driven initiatives such as Afrobarometer in bridging the gap between citizens and policymakers.
The 2024 findings reflect a growing disillusionment with democratic leadership in Ghana, particularly among the youth, and underscore the urgent need for strengthened governance, enhanced accountability, and expanded civic education to safeguard the nation’s democratic stability.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
File photo of former President of Ghana, John Agyekum Kufour (L) and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
Former Vice President and NPP presidential candidate for the 2024 elections, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has disclosed how former President of Ghana, John Agyekum Kufuor, became a great source of inspiration to him after the general elections last year.
Dr. Bawumia lost the presidential election by attaining 42% of the national votes.
Although the defeat was painful, Dr. Bawumia revealed that the Statesman, J.A. Kufuor inspired him by telling him how he equally lost the presidential election in 1996 when he also contested for the first time.
“After the 2024 elections, President Kufuor shared some inspiring words with me. He told me not to despair because when he contested the first time as NPP Presidential Candidate in 1996, he had 39%, but he and the party worked hard and came back strongly to win 4 years later in 2000.”
“He encouraged me and said I had nearly 42% as a first timer and he had 39%. He also said nobody in the 4th Republic, especially in the NPP, has won on the first attempt…He contested twice and won, and President Akufo-Addo won it on the 3rd attempt.”
“If you look at the history in the NDC, former President Mills didn’t win it on the first attempt. He won it on the 3rd attempt and President Mahama lost twice before coming back to win again,” he recounted while delivering a speech during his “Thank You Tour” on Sunday April 27, 2025.
Dr. Bawumia urged the NPP to remain resolute in their resolve to win the 2028 elections.
“President Kufuor’s words are encouraging and with unity, the NPP will come back strongly in 2028 just as we did in 2000 with President Kufuor after he had 39% in 1996.”
Dr. Bawumia was accompanied by the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) members including their National Chairman, Stephen Ntim and General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Kodua.
Defence Minister, Dr. Omane Boamah, has criticized former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential Candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, for attributing the party’s defeat in the 2024 elections to external factors rather than accepting personal responsibility.
Dr. Bawumia, in recent remarks, pointed to several reasons for the NPP’s loss, including the controversial Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), the unpopular E-Levy, internal disunity, and what he termed as “arrogance of power.”
He argued that these issues contributed to a significant erosion of public trust.
However, in a Facebook post on Sunday, April 27, Dr. Boamah countered these claims, accusing Dr. Bawumia of shifting blame.
“Elections 2024: Bawumia is blaming everything & everybody EXCEPT HIMSELF. Bawumia was critical of the NPP’s economic mess!” Dr. Boamah wrote.
Dr. Boamah’s criticism comes amid increasing scrutiny of Dr. Bawumia’s role in Ghana’s economic management during the NPP’s administration, especially as he served as head of the Economic Management Team.
Several analysts and political figures, including Dr. Boamah, argue that the economic difficulties experienced under the NPP government were key factors behind the party’s electoral defeat.
Arrogance of power, E-Levy, DDEP contributed to our loss in 2024 – Bawumia
…..
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Filmmaker and media personality Ola Michael has strongly criticised the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) for its failure to enforce laws protecting Ghana’s creative arts sector, particularly the film industry.
His comments follow recent accusations by Nigerian actress and filmmaker Bimbo Ademoye, who called out Ghanaian TV stations for allegedly airing her movies without proper licensing.
Speaking on United Showbiz on April 26, 2025, Michael blamed the NPP for neglecting the Film Act and the Broadcasting Bill, both passed in 2016 under former President John Mahama’s administration.
“We pursued the Broadcasting Bill for so long, yet the NPP wasted eight years without enforcing it. If they were serious about the creative arts, we wouldn’t be facing these issues today,” he said.
Michael explained that the Film Act required media houses to obtain licensing agreements before airing foreign films, with penalties for violations.
However, he claimed that the NPP failed to implement the law, allowing unchecked piracy and an influx of foreign content on Ghanaian screens.
“If that law were being enforced, any media house that aired a Hollywood or Nollywood movie without a licence could be closed down.
“But when the NPP came into power, they never enforced the law, and it was left useless. If that law were working, we would not be having this problem today,” he said.
He further stated that the law could have required media houses to allocate a percentage of their airtime to original Ghanaian content, which would have boosted local productions.
“The advantage of such a law was that it would have reduced the amount of foreign content in our airspace, creating room for local content.
“That law they refused to enforce would also have set a percentage for the amount of local and foreign content on our radio and TV stations. That is what the Nigerians are doing,” he added.
Watch the video below:
The NPP was not serious about the Creative Arts; they wasted 8 years without addressing the Broadcasting Bill. – Ola Micheal#UnitedShowbizpic.twitter.com/3iSHEOQlxD
(L to R) Alan Kyerematen, Dr Otiko Afisa Djaba and Paul Afoko
Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopeful, Kennedy Agyapong, has made a passionate appeal to the leadership of the party to resolve issues with some of its estranged members.
In a post shared on X on Sunday, April 27, 2025, Kennedy Agyapong, drawing inspiration from the Gospels of Mark and Matthew, made the point that without unity, the NPP will have difficulties in winning the next election.
He indicated that for the party to be able to win the next election, it must heal its wounds and make peace with its estranged members.
He went on to list some of the NPP members the party must make peace with, including its former National Chairman, Paul Afoko, former Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen, and former Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Otiko Afisa Djaba.
“At the NPP National Thank You Tour in Takoradi, I passionately called for Political Amnesty for all expelled and estranged party members, including Paul Afoko, Alan Kyerematen, Otiko Afisa Djaba, and many others.
“A house divided against itself cannot stand (Matthew 12:25 / Mark 3:25). If we truly love the NPP, we must forgive, unite, and move forward together. Unity is the only way to rebuild stronger and win again!” he wrote.
The post had a video of Ken’s remarks at the NPP ‘Thank You Tour’ in Takoradi.
He said that when the party went into opposition in 2008, it faced similar challenges, and what helped it was the decision to forgive and unite.
See the post plus the video of Ken Agyapong’s remarks below:
Forgive, Unite, Win!
At the NPP National Thank You Tour in Takoradi, I passionately called for Political Amnesty for all expelled and estranged party members, including Paul Afoko, Alan Kyerematen, Otiko Afisa Djaba, and many others.
In Accra, the price of a kilo of tomatoes is up nearly 40% compared to last year. Inflation may be easing, but at 22.4% in March 2025, everyday costs still bite hard. Friends in London tell a similar story: although the UK’s official inflation rate has fallen to 2.6%, most people don’t feel any richer; their wages haven’t really kept pace, and bills continue to climb. In the US, inflation is slightly lower at 2.4%, but that hasn’t stopped rents, healthcare costs, and the endless drip of monthly subscription fees from squeezing wallets thin.
No wonder we mutter the same phrase from Kumasi to Kensington: “Nowhere cool.”
That phrase has become a kind of shorthand, a way to sum up the shared, simmering frustration that something is out of balance almost everywhere. It reflects not just economic discomfort but something deeper. There is a global unease with how modern life is structured. The cost of living is only part of the story. Beneath it runs anxiety about precarity, systems under strain, and a growing sense that today’s cities, even in their gleaming modernity, aren’t built for human thriving.
Something unusual is happening in how we pay for everyday things. In the UK and US, you can now buy a simple burger and split the cost into about four payments. It’s not just for fashion or tech anymore. Basic meals and even concert tickets are increasingly being paid for in instalments. At this year’s Coachella festival, around 60% of general-admission tickets were bought on credit through Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) services. That whole BNPL sector is expected to cross $560 billion globally this year.
BNPL can help people manage tight budgets, yes, but if you need a loan to have dinner, it’s a warning sign. It means more people are living on borrowed comfort, not actual security.
In African cities, BNPL is growing fast too. It’s powered by mobile phones, informal jobs, and the pressure to keep up. But here’s the concern: if credit becomes the main way to feel included or “modern,” we’re building cities on shaky ground. True dignity shouldn’t rely on debt for basic needs. We need systems that let people thrive without stretching their wallets to breaking point.
Once used to describe refugees, the term Persons of Concern (POCs) is quietly expanding to include teachers, nurses, and even software engineers. It now includes anyone living a paycheque away from arrears. It now includes everyday hardworking people who find themselves increasingly poorer and poorer, year after year, through no fault of their own. When survival dominates the lives of 60% of a city’s residents, innovation, ambition, and investment all falter.
What makes this shift more concerning is how invisible it is. Many POCs wear the mask of normalcy. They show up to work, smile at clients, and meet KPIs, all the while quietly rationing electricity, skipping meals, or delaying essential health checkups. The social contract weakens when middle-income earners become the working poor.
In 2018, I argued that African cities must become:
Regionally Productive
Worldwide Connected
Self-Reliant
The framework still holds. However, the stakes are higher now, so it is important that we unpack these pillars again through a 2025 lens.
Regional Productivity
Productivity doesn’t just mean more output. It means useful output in sectors that matter, at scales that are inclusive, and with systems that reward long-term value.
Ease borders inside the border. Ghana ranks fairly well for starting a business, yet contract enforcement and customs friction drag GDP. World Bank simulations suggest that streamlining these could lift national output by up to 2%. Businesses in Kumasi shouldn’t face more red tape sending goods to Accra than they would exporting to Abidjan.
Skill up, spin up. Intra-African trade has reached $192 billion. There’s robust demand for goods made and branded on the continent. Yet our technical training systems often lag. There is a huge difference between a local skilled artisan and a local export-ready manufacturer. Yet, the gap is actually narrower than we think. We can bridge this gap, but only with the right support systems like maker spaces, certification hubs, and co-investment from diaspora networks.
Localise supply chains. Cities must cultivate internal resilience. If 80% of a hospital’s PPE must come from abroad, then every border shock becomes a health crisis. Regional production hubs, especially for essentials like food, medicine, and construction inputs, are both strategic and economic priorities.
Worldwide Connectivity
Africa has often been plugged into global systems only as an extraction point. Examples are mining, raw exports, and data harvesting. But AfCFTA changes the game. It creates a platform for cities to negotiate their integration terms.
Thirty-seven African states are shipping under AfCFTA’s Guided Trade Initiative. Digitised customs, harmonised standards, and single-origin certification let businesses comply once and then access 54 markets. Cities that plug in early will enjoy network effects down the line.
But connectivity also means digital. Broadband penetration in some African capitals remains under 50%. Without reliable, affordable internet, everything from fintech inclusion to remote learning collapses. Urban investment must include fibre optics and public access points as basic infrastructure.
Let’s not forget cultural exports: Nollywood films, Ghanaian music, and Francophone fashion. These connect the continent to global youth culture. Policies should help creative industries formalise, scale, and retain ownership.
Self-Reliance
Africa still produces only around 80% of the food it consumes. But we have tools like AI-driven fertiliser maps, solar-powered cold chains, drought-resilient seeds, and many others. Urban-centred “agro-rings” could shield populations from price shocks and retain value locally.
This is where decentralised infrastructure becomes key. Imagine a circular economy that doesn’t just recycle plastic but repurposes organic waste into biofertiliser for peri-urban farms. Or rooftop gardens on housing estates linked to local feeding programmes. This can happen in real life, not just in sci-fi movies.
Self-reliance also includes energy. With falling solar prices and battery innovation, cities can aim to power health clinics, schools, and small factories independently. Mini-grids paired with local cooperatives can create jobs while ensuring reliability.
Regulate micro-credit and BNPL.I own a micro-credit enterprise, but I am still an advocate for sustainable policies. Cap effective interest rates, enforce plain-language contracts, and link repayments to credit scores so users build a financial footprint.
Create Earn-Save-Spend-Later wallets. Match savings with credit access to nudge behaviour away from impulsive debt. Think of it as financial literacy embedded in design.
Bundle infrastructure with founder spaces. Every road built should add a solar mini-grid or a fabrication hub, letting SMEs capture value from the uplift. Industrial parks shouldn’t be isolated zones but integrated economic corridors.
Tie export rebates to SDGs. Reward firms whose shipments bear low-carbon tags and decent-labour stamps. Make ESG compliance not just moral but profitable.
Launch an African Food-Security Bond. Peg its returns to local crop yields, so farmers, citizens, and investors all gain when harvests do. This is not charity. This is climate-aligned finance.
If Persons of Concern don’t win, none of us will. But the scaffolding is already up. We have continental trade corridors, digital finance rails, climate-smart agriculture, and more. The work ahead is to weave these into self-sustaining cities/regions.
Where a burger or your groceries is paid for outright because wages cover the basics. Where BNPL funds tomorrow’s machinery, not yesterday’s lunch. Where regional exports, not remittances, drive household security.
Let’s get to work. Because somewhere ought to be cool. For now, it’s looking like #NowhereCool!
I hope you found this article both insightful and enjoyable. Your feedback is greatly valued and appreciated. I welcome any suggestions for topics you would like me to cover or provide insights on. You can schedule a meeting with me through my Calendly at www.calendly.com/maxwellampong. Alternatively, connect with me through various channels on my Linktree page at www.linktr.ee/themax. Subscribe to the ‘Entrepreneur In You’newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/d-hgCVPy.
If you want to explore this subject matter more thoroughly, I have compiled a list of reading materials and references that provide greater detail and focus on particular areas.
Reuters, ‘Ghana consumer inflation eases to 22.4% in March’ (Accra, 2 April 2025) https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/ghana-consumer-inflation-eases-224-march-2025-04-02/ accessed 23 April 2025.
Office for National Statistics, Consumer Price Inflation, UK: March 2025 (16 April 2025) https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/consumer-price-inflation-uk-march-2025 accessed 23 April 2025.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index – March 2025 (10 April 2025) https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf accessed 23 April 2025.
Patti Villegas, ‘Consumers Urged to Use Caution With Eat Now Pay Later Financing’ Dallas Express (29 March 2025) https://dallasexpress.com/business-markets/consumers-urged-to-use-caution-with-eat-now-pay-later-financing/ accessed 23 April 2025.
Jack Kelly, ‘The BNPL Boom at Coachella: Signs of Stretched Wallets’ Forbes (16 April 2025) https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2025/04/16/the-buy-now-pay-later-boom-at-coachella-signs-of-stretched-wallets/ accessed 23 April 2025.
FinTech Futures, Buy Now Pay Later Global Business Report 2025 (25 March 2025) https://www.fintechfutures.com/press-releases/buy-now-pay-later-global-business-report-2025 accessed 23 April 2025.
World Bank, Doing Business Simulation for Ghana 2024 (World Bank 2024) section 4.
I wish you a highly productive and successful week ahead!
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Maxwell Investments Group – MIG
The author, Dr. Maxwell Ampong, serves as the CEO of Maxwell Investments Group. He is also an Honorary Curator at the Ghana National Museum and the Official Business Advisor with Ghana’s largest agricultural trade union under Ghana’s Trade Union Congress (TUC). Founder of WellMax Inclusive Insurance and WellMax Micro-Credit, Dr. Ampong writes on relevant economic topics and provides general perspective pieces. ‘Entrepreneur In You’ operates under the auspices of the Africa School of Entrepreneurship, an initiative of Maxwell Investments Group.
Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author, Dr. Maxwell Ampong, and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or beliefs of Maxwell Investments Group or any of its affiliates. Any references to policy or regulation reflect the author’s interpretation and are not intended to represent the formal stance of Maxwell Investments Group. This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. Readers should seek independent advice before making any decisions based on this material. Maxwell Investments Group assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content or for any actions taken based on the information provided.
Legendary Ghanaian footballer Abedi Ayew Pele paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, on April 25, 2025, for discussions on the future of Ghanaian sports.
According to the ministry, the visit provided the minister an opportunity to engage the football icon on initiatives aimed at enhancing and improving the fortunes of Ghanaian sports and beyond.
It was also indicated that Kofi Adams and Abedi Pele discussed measures and strategies to promote football development nationwide, with a focus on unearthing and nurturing talents to feed the various national teams and clubs.
Both personalities were seen beaming with smiles after the discussions and took photographs with ministry officials before departing.
The visit forms part of the sports minister’s ongoing efforts to engage key stakeholders across the sports sector and seek their views as he works to “reset” Ghanaian sports, in line with the directive of President John Dramani Mahama.
Read the sports ministry’s post below:
On April 25, 2025, Abedi Pele, the renowned football icon and former captain of the Black Stars, paid a courtesy call on Hon Kofi Adams, the Minister for Sports and Recreation, to discuss initiatives aimed at promoting football development in Ghana. pic.twitter.com/UaftxmdnfM
— Ministry of Sports & Recreation. (@moysgovgh) April 27, 2025
Watch as Ghana U-15 girls defeat South Africa 3-2 to reach finals
We often hear about the sparks flying in a relationship, the sizzling chemistry that draws two people together. But what happens when that initial flame begins to flicker? Relationships, like any living thing, require constant nurturing from both sides. Sometimes, despite the best intentions, a husband might find his interest in his wife gradually diminishing. This shift isn’t always dramatic; often, it’s a slow erosion caused by a multitude of unspoken emotional, behavioral, or even situational undercurrents. While intimacy is undoubtedly a vital part of a marriage, it’s far from the only ingredient that keeps the connection strong. Here are seven often-overlooked reasons why a husband might start to emotionally drift away
1. The Slow Fade of Appreciation: When “Thank You” Becomes a Foreign Language 🗣️💔
Remember those early days filled with small gestures of love and heartfelt appreciation? When those little “thank yous” and acknowledgments of effort disappear, a subtle but potent resentment can begin to brew. Everyone, regardless of gender, craves feeling valued and seen for their contributions, big or small. When a husband feels his efforts go unnoticed or unappreciated, it can chip away at his emotional investment in the relationship, leading to a sense of being taken for granted.
2. The Drip, Drip, Drip of Discontent: Constant Criticism and the Nagging Void 🗣️➡️🚪
Imagine constantly being told you’re not quite measuring up. If a wife frequently points out flaws, nitpicks every little thing, or engages in relentless nagging without offering a balance of positive reinforcement, her partner can start to feel like he’s perpetually failing in her eyes. This constant barrage of negativity can be incredibly disheartening, leading to emotional withdrawal as he seeks refuge from feeling perpetually inadequate.
3. Stagnant Waters: Neglecting Self-Care and Personal Growth 🧍♀️➡️💔🧍♂️
Relationships thrive on shared growth and mutual respect. If either partner stops investing in themselves – whether it’s their physical well-being, their emotional health, or their personal aspirations – it can lead to a gradual decline in attraction and respect. When one partner stagnates while the other continues to evolve, a distance can grow, making it harder to connect on a meaningful level and potentially causing a husband to lose interest in the person his wife has become.
4. Walls Built Brick by Brick: The Poison of Unresolved Conflicts 🧱💔🧱
Every relationship will inevitably face disagreements. However, when arguments become repetitive and resolutions remain elusive, emotional walls begin to rise. These unresolved conflicts act like slow-acting poison, eroding the foundation of trust and understanding. Over time, a husband might start to emotionally check out as a self-protective mechanism, weary of the constant cycle of conflict without any hope of resolution.
5. The Withering Vine: Neglecting Emotional and Physical Intimacy 🫂➡️💔
While this article emphasizes that it’s not always about the bedroom, intimacy in its broader sense – encompassing both physical affection and deep emotional closeness – is undeniably vital for keeping the spark alive. A significant lack of either can make a husband feel unwanted, emotionally disconnected, and unimportant in his wife’s life. This void can lead to him seeking that connection elsewhere, either emotionally or physically, causing a significant loss of interest in the marriage.
Understanding these often-subtle yet powerful factors is the first step towards nurturing a thriving relationship. By recognizing these potential pitfalls early on, couples can proactively address underlying issues, engage in open and honest communication, and actively work to rekindle the emotional connection that brought them together. Ultimately, a marriage flourishes through mutual effort, empathy, a willingness to grow together, and a conscious decision to never take each other for granted. It’s about nurturing the whole relationship, not just one aspect of it.
Dr. Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, former Government Spokesperson on Governance and Security under the Akufo-Addo administration, has criticised Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the 2024 Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), for attempting to distance himself from the party’s failures that led to its defeat in the December 7, 2024 general election.
Speaking as part of his Thank You Tour, Dr. Bawumia attributed the NPP’s electoral loss to several factors, including arrogance of power, the high cost of living, the failure to reshuffle government officials, the controversial Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy), and the unpopular “haircut” policy under the IMF debt restructuring programme.
He noted that these issues left many Ghanaians struggling under severe economic pressure.
However, Dr. Boakye-Danquah, in a strongly-worded statement, challenged Dr. Bawumia’s narrative, describing it as an opportunistic attempt to absolve himself of blame.
“As Vice President, he had a platform to voice dissent or influence policy but chose not to, only to later claim opposition when it suited his political ambitions.
“This selective distancing extends to the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), which caused widespread financial distress, including protests by pensioners,” he stated.
He accused Dr. Bawumia of selectively distancing himself from the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), which caused widespread financial hardship and sparked protests by pensioners.
According to him, Bawumia’s failure to publicly address the DDEP’s impact, while now implying he was not fully responsible, “reeks of opportunism and undermines the administration’s collective accountability.”
“Bawumia’s failure to publicly address or mitigate the DDEP’s impact, while now implying he was not fully responsible, reeks of opportunism and undermines the administration’s collective accountability.
“His attempt to shift blame for economic hardships, such as the crippling cost-of-living crisis and soaring petrol prices—reportedly increased just three days before the 2024 elections—onto Akufo-Addo’s leadership is particularly disloyal,” he stated.
Arrogance of power, E-Levy, DDEP contributed to our loss in 2024 – Bawumia
The Ghana Union Movement (G.U.M) has publicly distanced itself from a planned demonstration against the suspension of the Chief Justice and termination of judicial appointments, describing media reports linking the party to the protest as “untrue.”
In an official disclaimer dated April 26, 2025, the party’s General Secretary, Anthony A. Gold Ahinful, clarified that G.U.M was neither consulted nor part of any coalition organizing the protest scheduled for May 5, 2025.
The statement emphasized three critical points:
1. No Prior Engagement: “G.U.M had never been informed, engaged or the party’s consent sought in any official meeting to that effect.”
2. Non-Participation Directive: The party ordered its members to “abstain from such demonstration,” reaffirming its commitment to democratic principles.
3. Rule of Law Stance: G.U.M insists the Chief Justice’s case should be resolved legally, stating: “Anyone who believes contrary should exclude G.U.M from that act.”
The disclaimer categorically refuted reports naming G.U.M among protesting parties, urging the public to treat such claims as “something of no legitimate value.”
The protest, reportedly organized by a coalition of political parties, challenges the controversial suspension of the Chief Justice and abrupt termination of judicial appointments. The parties were reported to include the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), National Democratic Party (NDP), People’s National Party (PNP) among others.
G.U.M’s dissociation underscores divisions in Ghana’s political landscape regarding judicial independence and due process.
It is important to note that all those against the Chief Justice’s removal process have yet to state a constitutional provision which has been breeched and for which reason they oppose the process.
It is also not automatic that once the process has started she must be removed. Justice Gertrude Torkornoo will resume her position in the event that her defense before the 5-member committee is satisfactory and absolves her of all charges brought against her in the petitions. However, failure to put up a meritorious defense will see her lose her position forever.
Share your opinions on the case with us in the comments section below.
Newly elected President of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC), Richard Akpokavie, has pledged to make athlete welfare, gender inclusion, and conflict resolution the hallmarks of his four-year tenure.
Speaking after his election victory yesterday, Akpokavie emphasised the urgent need to prioritise athletes’ voices within the GOC’s governance structure.
The athletes have no voice in our governance structure as it stands.
This cannot continue.
It must change.
Athletes must be heard ; at Congress, on the executive board, and on committees.
We are here because of the athletes, and their voices must be central to everything we do.
The Athletes who represented Ghana in the Paris Olympics 2024. Photo Courtesy: GBC Online
He also highlighted the critical role of women in sports leadership, stressing that empowering female athletes and decision-makers will be a mainstay of his administration.
Women must be empowered. We must build their capacity and create pathways for greater involvement in decision-making. There must be more women at the table where key decisions are made.
Addressing the longstanding issue of disunity within the GOC, Akpokavie underlined that internal divisions have hampered progress and credibility, and resolving them is a top priority.
There are too many disputes and divisions in our sports administration. We need to work together as one team. We have several players, but we must build one GOC team.
Without unity, we cannot attract support from institutions or corporate bodies.
Right now, when stakeholders read negative stories about us in the papers, it weakens our position.
We must unite and build strong structures.
Akpokavie also promised to introduce effective dispute resolution mechanisms, advocating for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods to minimise court battles that often stall development within the sporting fraternity.
Disputes should be resolved within the sporting community. We need structures that encourage mediation and arbitration, not endless litigation. We see so many cases in court, but few outcomes that actually benefit the sports disciplines.
With his election win, Richard Akpokavie will lead the GOC for the next four years, aiming to create a stronger, more inclusive, and united sporting environment for Ghana’s athletes.
Defence Minister, Dr. Omane Boamah, has criticized former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for attributing the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) defeat in the 2024 elections to factors beyond his control.
Dr. Bawumia amongst other reasons has recently cited the incomplete National Cathedral project and the associated expenditure of $58 million as significant contributors to the party’s electoral loss, arguing that it eroded public trust.
Klefe Demete (V/R), April 27, GNA – The Klefe Traditional Area Saturday came together in a solemn and emotional ceremony in the Ho Municipality to bid farewell to the late Togbe Adza Yao Saka X, Dufia of Klefe Demete.
Togbe Saka, a traditional ruler, was known in private life as Mawunya Yao Ledo.
He was 74 years old, and a retired police officer.
He was enstooled in 1963 and died in 2022 after he reigned for 59 years.
Togbe Koku Dzaga XI, Paramount Chief and President of Klefe Traditional Council in a tribute eulogized the humility, dedication and selfless services of the late Chief to his people.
“The late Togbe Saka was a shining example to the people of Klefe and beyond,” he noted.
He stated that the late Chief was very instrumental in the establishment of the Klefe Technical Institute and donated a parcel of land to support the dream of building an institution.
Togbe Dzaga said the dual legacy of the late Chief as a public servant and a traditional ruler spoke volumes of a life well-lived in the service of others.
He noted that he was a beacon of commitment who denied himself the pleasures of private life for the greater good of his people.
The Paramount Chief called on all citizens of Klefe to emulate the shining example of the selflessness, humility and dedication of the late Togbe Saka.
He said the memory of the late Chief would serve as a rallying call for unity, peace and the pursuit of collective progress within the Klefe Traditional Area and beyond.
Reverend Benjamin Asase, a Minister of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana, who represented Right Rev. Dr. Lt. Col. (rtd) Bliss Divine Agbeko, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church at the burial service in a sermon urged Ghanaians to use their talents to selflessly build their communities and the nation.
Rev. Asase who based his sermon on the theme “for what will people remember you for when you are no more” urged the people to also promote peace, compassion and forgiveness wherever they found themselves.
“Let us choose to be remembered for the good things, our acts that develop and unite the people not for the bad ones,” he advised.
Mrs. Sarah Ledo, the widow in a tribute described her husband as very understanding, accommodating, loving, humble and generous.
The children in their tribute noted that their late father was their pillar of strength whom they ran to when they faced challenges.
Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations, Stan Xoese Dogbe
The Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations at the Office of the President, Stan Xoese Dogbe, has taken a swipe at members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) over their handling of their defeat in the 2024 general election.
In a post shared on X on Sunday, April 27, 2025, Stan Dogbe suggested that the NPP is still in pain months after their shambolic performance in the 2024 general election.
He said that anytime he meets members, he mocks them for always crying over their humiliating defeat to President John Dramani Mahama.
“The NPP is still yet to come to terms with the humiliating defeat inflicted on them by Ghana’s most favourite leader, John Dramani Mahama, in December 2024.
“As a key player in the NDC and #MahamaThePresident team, I dey laugh when I meet them and they are crying about the pain of the defeat,” the Deputy Chief of Staff wrote.
He went on to advise NPP members to brace themselves for more years in opposition.
He asserted that the good works of the John Dramani Mahama government will keep the NPP in opposition for long.
“More years of opposition for you, thanks to the good works of the Mahama and NDC administration already,” he pointed out.
Stan Dogbe’s remarks come following statements made by leading figures of the NPP, including the presidential candidate of the party for the 2024 election, former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, on the reasons why the NPP lost the election.
Dr Bawumia, addressing a gathering as part of the NPP’s ‘Thank You Tour’, said that certain policies by the previous Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government, which he was Vice President of, led to their defeat in the 2024 general elections.
He explained that the arrogance of power that made the government insensitive to the plights of Ghanaians incurred people’s wrath, causing them to vote against the party massively.
The NPP flagbearer also indicated that the rising nature of inflation during Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s government tenure, the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) as well as the introduction of the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) and the $58 million uncompleted National Cathedral project, played a major role in making the party unpopular.
Following the former Vice President’s remarks, some members of the NPP have accused him of shifting blame for his personal ambitions.
Dr Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, former Government Spokesperson on Governance and Security under the Akufo-Addo administration, condemned Dr Bawumia’s attempts to disassociate himself from controversial policies such as the E-Levy and the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).
He pointed out that Dr Bawumia remained silent during the implementation of these policies, despite his role as Vice President and head of the Economic Management Team, only to later claim opposition when seeking political advantage.
View his post below:
BAI/MA
You can also watch the latest Twi News on GhanaWeb TV below:
Meanwhile, watch as frustrated Ghanaians speak out on poor network challenges
Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations, Stan Xoese Dogbe
The Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations at the Office of the President, Stan Xoese Dogbe, has taken a swipe at members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) over their handling of their defeat in the 2024 general election.
In a post shared on X on Sunday, April 27, 2025, Stan Dogbe suggested that the NPP is still in pain months after their shambolic performance in the 2024 general election.
He said that anytime he meets members, he mocks them for always crying over their humiliating defeat to President John Dramani Mahama.
“The NPP is still yet to come to terms with the humiliating defeat inflicted on them by Ghana’s most favourite leader, John Dramani Mahama, in December 2024.
“As a key player in the NDC and #MahamaThePresident team, I dey laugh when I meet them and they are crying about the pain of the defeat,” the Deputy Chief of Staff wrote.
He went on to advise NPP members to brace themselves for more years in opposition.
He asserted that the good works of the John Dramani Mahama government will keep the NPP in opposition for long.
“More years of opposition for you, thanks to the good works of the Mahama and NDC administration already,” he pointed out.
Stan Dogbe’s remarks come following statements made by leading figures of the NPP, including the presidential candidate of the party for the 2024 election, former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, on the reasons why the NPP lost the election.
Dr Bawumia, addressing a gathering as part of the NPP’s ‘Thank You Tour’, said that certain policies by the previous Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government, which he was Vice President of, led to their defeat in the 2024 general elections.
He explained that the arrogance of power that made the government insensitive to the plights of Ghanaians incurred people’s wrath, causing them to vote against the party massively.
The NPP flagbearer also indicated that the rising nature of inflation during Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s government tenure, the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) as well as the introduction of the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) and the $58 million uncompleted National Cathedral project, played a major role in making the party unpopular.
Following the former Vice President’s remarks, some members of the NPP have accused him of shifting blame for his personal ambitions.
Dr Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, former Government Spokesperson on Governance and Security under the Akufo-Addo administration, condemned Dr Bawumia’s attempts to disassociate himself from controversial policies such as the E-Levy and the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).
He pointed out that Dr Bawumia remained silent during the implementation of these policies, despite his role as Vice President and head of the Economic Management Team, only to later claim opposition when seeking political advantage.
View his post below:
BAI/MA
You can also watch the latest Twi News on GhanaWeb TV below:
Meanwhile, watch as frustrated Ghanaians speak out on poor network challenges
Black Stars forward Antoine Semenyo found the back of the net as Bournemouth drew 1-1 with Manchester United at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday, April 27, 2025.
The Reds were trying to play the ball from behind to build up play when goalkeeper Andre Onana passed to a defender who could not control it properly.
One of the Bournemouth players successfully intercepted the ball on the left flank and crossed into the box; Evanilson laid a pass to Semenyo, who struck the ball with power to find the back of the net.
Semenyo’s side created chances later in the game but were unable to convert them and were dealt a heavy blow when Evanilson was sent off in the 70th minute.
This gave Manchester United a numerical advantage as they pushed forward and pressed their opponents relentlessly before getting the equaliser in additional time, scored by Danish striker Rasmus Højlund.
After 34 games, Bournemouth occupy the 10th position in the league table with 50 points, while Manchester United lie 14th with 39 points.
The Ghanaian striker has scored nine goals and made four assists in 33 appearances in the Premier League.
Reports indicate that Semenyo is being monitored by Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United, and other clubs for a possible transfer in the 2024/2025 summer transfer window.
A Senior Advisor to the Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Cynthia E. Gnassingbé-Essonam, has highlighted the financial constraints faced by many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in engaging in cross-border trade across Africa.
Speaking during a webinar organised by LIMA Partners on the theme “Unlocking Opportunities Across Africa: Harnessing AfCFTA for Business Growth,” held on Friday, April 25, 2025, Gnassingbé-Essonam emphasised that although AfCFTA presents numerous opportunities for business expansion, many SMEs remain unable to take full advantage due to inadequate financial and logistical support.
“We have also started pushing for the AfCFTA trading companies, and this is because, from the guiding trading experience, we realise that transport and logistics are very important challenges on the continent. Most of our businesses, sometimes, do not have the financial muscles to ship their products,” she stated.
To address these challenges, AfCFTA is advocating for the establishment of trading companies to aggregate and provide critical support to SMEs.
These companies are expected to offer services such as warehousing, financial backing, and collateral management to facilitate the marketing of SME products across African borders.
“So, we have now started pushing for the trading companies to aggregate support for SMEs that want to trade across borders. This will ensure that those companies are properly established to support SMEs in terms of marketing their products in a different market. This will include warehouse, financial, collateral management services, and others,” she stated.
So far, nine AfCFTA trading companies have been established in Ghana, Rwanda, Egypt, Chad, South Africa, The Gambia, and Kenya.
According to Gnassingbé-Essonam, the presence of these trading companies is already yielding results.
“What we have started noticing is that because we have established the trading companies, people are now connecting various markets, and there is an increase in AfCFTA trade from informal traders etc.” she added.
Ease visa restrictions to boost intra-Africa trade – AfCFTA
Franklin Cudjoe, president of IMANI Africa, has challenged Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to demonstrate stronger leadership by speaking out against government failures in real time rather than offering retrospective critiques.
The policy analyst’s sharp rebuke follows Bawumia’s recent admissions during the NPP’s “Thank You Tour” about missteps that contributed to the party’s 2024 election defeat.
“Next time, please man up and speak up,” Cudjoe wrote in a pointed Facebook post. “That’s leadership, not coming to ‘confess’ after the glaring facts that caused so many a livelihood and death.” His commentary references Bawumia’s recent acknowledgments that the NPP government’s failure to reshuffle underperforming ministers, the controversial e-levy implementation, the Domestic Debt Exchange Program (DDEP), and perceived arrogance in power all contributed to their electoral loss.
The exchange highlights growing scrutiny of Bawumia’s eight-year tenure as Vice President, during which critics argue he remained conspicuously silent on contentious policies until after leaving office. Cudjoe’s intervention underscores a broader expectation for second-in-command officials to serve as internal checks rather than passive enablers of problematic governance.
Political observers note the unusual nature of a former Vice President so explicitly critiquing his own administration’s failures. While some view Bawumia’s candor as refreshing accountability, others like Cudjoe interpret it as belated responsibility that came at significant public cost. The debate raises fundamental questions about the role of vice presidents in Ghana’s governance structure and whether they should function as independent voices or loyal subordinates.
As Bawumia positions himself for another presidential run, these critiques may force him to articulate a clearer vision of proactive leadership.
The unfolding discourse also serves as a cautionary tale for future administrations about the political consequences of failing to course-correct governance challenges in real time. With Ghana’s opposition gaining momentum, the pressure on political leaders to demonstrate authentic accountability rather than retrospective remorse has never been higher.
Bolgatanga, April 27, GNA – The Parliamentary Select Committee on Health has called on the government to immediately address the shortage of staff at the Upper East Regional Hospital in Bolgatanga.
The committee, after touring critical departments of the hospital including the Out-Patient Department, Accident and Emergency Unit, the Paediatric Department among others, observed that few staff, especially nurses managed the wards with overwhelming number of patients.
The Regional Hospital had over the years battled with skeletal staff, which compelled them to issue a statement through the Ghana News Agency in December 2024, to draw stakeholders’ attention to the situation.
Dr Mark Kurt Nawaane, Chairman of the Committee, in an interview with journalists after a meeting with the management and staff of the hospital, noted that “the problem of staffing is number one, and government needs to do something about it.”
The committee visited the facility as part of its working visit to Teaching and Regional Hospitals across the country to interact with management, staff, and to monitor to ensure patients received quality healthcare services.
Dr Nawaane, who is a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Nabdam Constitutency in the Upper East Region, emphasised that even though Bolgatanga was a municipality, there was the need for government to add it to the list of deprived areas that urgently needed government assistance.
“We need staff in this area, and the financial clearance can be discriminated in such a way that people who want to come to areas like Bolgatanga, should have their financial clearance a bit early,” the Chairman said.
He expressed concern that the entire hospital, a major referral facility for the Region, had one radiographer serving the entire Region and one gynaecology specialist at the hospital, whereas it needed six to operate optimally.
“Our women are suffering. This is the state that the government of the NDC has inherited, but governance is a continuous process, and we should take steps to ensure that we solve some of these problems,” the MP said.
Dr Aiden Suntaa Saanwie, the Medical Director of the hospital, in an interview with journalists, reiterated the need for more staff for the hospital for continuous quality service delivery.
He said the hospital had received some equipment without a biomedical engineer to maintain them, so when they broke down, the management had to rely on repairers outside the Region to fix them.
“Some of them come and end up worsening the problem because they are not certified people. So, these were some of the challenges I raised among other things like accommodation for doctors and nurses,” Dr Saanwie said.
Associate Professor of Finance and Economics at the University of Ghana Business School, Professor Godfred Bokpin has cautioned the government against ending the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme in 2026.
According to him, any move by the government to end the programme will be disastrous, saying, “I found it difficult how Ghana will survive after the programme”.
Presenting a paper at a programme organised by the Canada Ghana Chamber of Commerce on the topic “2025 Budget in Perspective”, Professor Bokpin said the country should be prepared to face fiscal challenges if the government exit the IMF programme, which ends in 2026.
He attributed the recent sharp increase in utility tariffs to an IMF conditionality, since the IMF Board will not pass the $360 million balance of payment support if the government fails to do so.
President John Mahama’s government has given indication of not extending the IMF programme despite the economy still not of the wounds yet. The country is expected to start repaying its loans substantially from 2026, and this is expected to put severe pressure on the country’s finances.
Going into history, Prof Bokpin said he finds it difficult to believe that Ghana’s economy has failed to take off since independence, though it was faring better than Malaysia and Singapore which are today far ahead of Ghana.
“Since 1992, every budget has talked about macroeconomic stability, which is not an end in itself but a means to an end. Ghana’s economy is yet to take off since independence though it was doing better than Malaysia and Singapore, but today these two countries are doing better. There is no urgency to grow the economy”.
He pointed out that Malaysia has never been to IMF but Ghana has gone to the IMF 17th times for bailout support.
“Ghana has spent more money same as Singapore and Malaysia for development but lags significant behind these two countries. These countries [Singapore and Malaysia] have used fiscal policy to drive economic growth but Ghana has failed to do so”.
Excessive Borrowing was Ghana’s Major Problem– Joe Jackson
For his part, the Chief Executive Officer of Dalex, Joe Jackson, blamed the previous government for its excessive borrowing, saying it almost collapsed the Ghanaian economy.
“Our woes were triggered by over-borrowing. It was sad for the government to spend 47% of its tax revenue to service debt. The public debt was GH¢ 291 billion in 2020, approximately 76.1% of GDP, interest revenue ratio was 47%. That was how bad the situation was”, he said.
He continued that Ghana’s exchange rate problems are due to the large interest payments to external investors and to some extent the repatriation of dividend to foreign investors.
“Our problem in terms of exchange rate depreciation is not about our trade balance because we have been recording a trade surplus for some time now. Stop harassing GUTA [Ghana Union of Traders Association] for that. The problem is the money we send out there to service our debt. It is also the repatriation of dividends to external shareholders”.
Opening the programme, President of CANCHAM, Linda Vasinani, urged businesses to show more interest in the performance of the economy to enable them plan well and navigate the challenges.
The session provided an in-depth analysis of the 2025 Budget Statement and the future of the IMF-support programme and the implication of the budget on the private sector
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Nyinasin (C/R), April 27, GNA – The Daniel Ntow Obese Foundation, a charitable and humanitarian organisation has organised a thorough health screening for hundreds of residents in Nyinasin, a suburb of Cape Coast.
Community members received free comprehensive health assessments, including malaria testing, eye examination, blood pressure checks, ENT evaluations, blood sugar tests, Body Mass Index (BMI) measurements, hepatitis B and HIV screenings, among others.
Attendees were also offered free medical consultations, referrals, and medications, tailored to their conditions, and enjoyed meals and refreshments during the event.
The elderly population benefitted more of the initiative benefited which was made possible through the support of the Foundation’s partners and local collaborators.
The medical team, led by Dr Ruth Aidoo and Optometrist Dr Obed Asamoah Smith, noted the alarmingly high blood pressure levels in many participants, a serious condition which needed immediate attention.
Common health issues identified included eye and ear conditions, hypertension, diabetes, and osteoarthritis.
Among children, worm infestations and malaria were prevalent, while many elderly individuals had high blood pressure, diabetes, cataracts, and refractive eye errors, with advice and support provided on managing these conditions.
The team highlighted the challenge of limited access to affordable healthcare and urged government support for Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) to improve health outcomes.
They also encouraged the community to prioritise regular health screenings and environmental tidiness as essential for maintaining their well-being.
Mrs Elizabeth Obese, President of the Foundation, said the initiative was part of their corporate social responsibility to address some of the health needs of vulnerable groups.
She urged residents to seek regular check-ups and participate in screening programmes for early detection and prevention, rather than waiting for symptoms of diseases.
Established in memory of the late Daniel Ntow Obese, the Foundation continues to empower communities through health, education, and social welfare programmes.
Mr Obese was known for his expertise in hydraulics, fluid mechanics and soil mechanics, which impacted the hydrological infrastructure in the Western and Central regions of Ghana.
Robert Smith Law Group, the legal representatives of Sarkodie, have confirmed that the rapper has not withdrawn his lawsuit against Ecobank Ghana Ltd, dismissing reports suggesting he has abandoned the case.
Social media, particularly X, has been abuzz in recent days with claims that the award-winning rapper had instructed his legal team to withdraw from the ongoing court case, while Ecobank had declined to back down.
However, Sarkodie’s lawyers at Robert Smith Law Group have strongly denied these claims.
In a statement released on Saturday, April 26, 2025, and sighted by GhanaWeb, the law firm clarified that neither Sarkodie nor his legal representatives have taken any steps to withdraw the lawsuit.
The lawyers further explained that, under Ghana’s civil procedure laws, Sarkodie would not even require Ecobank’s consent if he ever decided to discontinue the case.
The law firm also warned that individuals or platforms spreading false information about the case could face serious legal consequences under Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act, which punishes the publication of prejudicial material during ongoing court proceedings.
“We have not received instructions from our client to withdraw the suit. We have taken no steps to withdraw the suit. We have not approached Ecobank with such a request. The matter remains pending before the courts, and we are yet to be served with the Statement of Defence of the defendant,” the statement read.
The lawyers described the publications as “baseless, malicious, and an affront” not only to their client’s integrity but also to the judicial process.
play videoHassan Ayariga (Right) speaks on BizTech
Founder and leader of the All People’s Congress (APC), Hassan Ayariga, has urged African countries to shift their focus from Western markets and instead prioritise trade within the continent.
In an exclusive interview on BizTech on GhanaWeb TV, Ayariga questioned Africa’s continued economic dependence on Europe and America, despite the continent’s vast internal market.
“Africans should begin to trade among African countries. They have huge markets as African citizens. What is wrong with them? Why do we need the European market or the American market?” he asked.
He argued that Africa has the capacity to meet its own needs if intra-continental trade receives the attention it deserves.
Ayariga called for a strategic approach where individual African countries focus on producing key commodities for regional distribution.
“Ghana should be a country that is designed to have two or five things that the rest of the African countries can import from. Nigeria should have five commodities that the rest of the African countries can import from,” he suggested.
Ayariga further emphasised that fostering trade within Africa could serve as the foundation for a more independent and resilient economic future.
He added that once a strong African market is established, global powers would naturally be drawn in.
“When we make our products strong and build our own industries, they themselves will want to come in. We don’t need to invite them,” Ayariga said, describing this as a new form of globalisation led by Africa itself.
Ayariga’s comments come amid growing concerns about the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the ongoing push for economic integration across the continent.
SP/MA
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You’ve seen her. That effortlessly stylish woman who walks into a room and commands attention, designer shades, flowing outfits, and an expensive aura. But guess what? You don’t need millions to look like the “rich aunty” everyone admires. With the right style tips, you can slay like luxury, even on a budget.
Go for Flowing, Elegant Outfits
The rich aunty aesthetic is all about comfort and class. Think wide-leg trousers, maxi dresses, and boubous in luxurious-looking fabrics.
Tip: Choose materials like satin, chiffon, or silk alternatives, they instantly elevate your look.
Neutral and Bold Colors Only
Rich aunties don’t do too much. It’s either calm neutrals (white, beige, gold) or one bold color like emerald green or wine red.
Tip: Avoid loud prints unless they’re traditional and regal like Adire or Ankara with rich tones.
Sunglasses Are Non-Negotiable
A big pair of classy sunglasses adds mystery and money vibes to your look, even if you’re just heading to the market.
Budget tip: Find stylish shades at local boutiques or thrift shops.
Smell Like Money
You don’t have to break the bank. Many affordable perfumes or oil-based scents have that same long-lasting, luxurious fragrance.
Pro tip: Layer your scents, use matching body wash, lotion, and perfume.
Minimal Jewelry, Maximum Impact
Rich aunties wear jewelry like they were born with it, nothing too flashy, just gold tones, pearls, and elegant earrings.
Tip: One signature piece is better than five random accessories.
Flawless Skin and Sleek Hair
The face card must never decline. Rich aunties keep their makeup simple but flawless, and their hair sleek, whether it’s a neat bun, curly wig, or traditional threading.
Budget trick: DIY facials and simple hairstyles can still deliver premium results.
Final Word
Being a rich aunty is more of a vibe than a bank balance. It’s about confidence, simplicity, and self-love. So go ahead, walk tall, slay soft, and let the world know, you’re that girl.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye, an aide to the 2024 Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has clarified that Dr. Bawumia never supported the controversial Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy).
His clarification follows recent comments by Dr. Bawumia, who cited the arrogance of power, the high cost of living, the failure to reshuffle government officials, the E-Levy, and the controversial haircut policy as major factors behind the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 general elections.
Speaking in an interview with Charles Owusu-Kumi on Channel One Newsroom, Miracles Aboagye said Dr. Bawumia had consistently opposed taxing digital transactions.
“If you have a leader who is able to admit such shortfalls, then that is a leader you can trust. Once you acknowledge your challenges, you’re like 50% solving them…Dr Bawumia acknowledged the high cost of living and made certain proposals to deal with that.
“He has always had issues with E-levy. He’s on public record, indicating that he doesn’t think that we should under any circumstances place any form of taxes or levies on digital transactions,” he stated.
Aboagye added that Dr. Bawumia’s openness about the party’s shortcomings is a step in the right direction for rebuilding the NPP.
“If he’s outlining these things, coming out for some of the reasons for our loss, I think it’s a way to go. It’s a better way to rebuild as an organisation than to gloss over them and pretend as if they didn’t exist,” he said.
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