Bank of Ghana Governor Dr. Ernest Addison has strongly defended the Central Bank’s decision to finance government expenditure in 2022, asserting that the intervention was necessary to prevent a total economic collapse. Addressing the Chartered Institute of Bankers, Dr. Addison explained that the bank’s actions, which led to a reported GH₵60 billion loss that year, were taken during a period …

During the 2024 budget debate, Trade and Industry Minister K.T. Hammond announced that former officials associated with the Komenda Sugar Factory have been referred to the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) for investigation. The Minister alleged that the original project cost of over $30 million was significantly inflated, noting that recent inquiries in India suggested the entire facility should …

The Independent Power Producers (IPPs) have expressed strong opposition to the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission’s (PURC) decision to reduce electricity tariffs by 1.52 percent, labeling the move as unacceptable. Dr. Elikplim Apetorgbor, President of the IPPs, warned that this reduction severely undermines the Electricity Company of Ghana’s (ECG) capacity to manage its debt restructuring. He emphasized that the power producers …

Nearly two dozen United Nations peacekeepers were injured in northern Mali when their convoy struck two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) near the town of Anefis. This incident occurred during the force’s 350km (220-mile) withdrawal from Kidal to Gao, a journey that has seen a total of six explosive attacks resulting in at least 39 injuries since late October. The wounded …

An explosion at Canada’s High Commission in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, has killed two people and injured two others, Nigerian officials say. A fire broke out when generators, containing 2,000 litres of diesel, were being serviced, a spokeswoman for Nigeria’s emergency services said. The two people killed were Nigerian maintenance workers, Nkechi Isa told the Associated Press news agency. Canada said …

Niger’s military government has announced that it successfully blocked an attempt by deposed President Mohamed Bazoum to flee from custody during the early hours of Thursday morning. According to a military spokesperson, the former leader attempted to escape alongside his family, security personnel, and household staff. The elaborate plan reportedly involved traveling to a prearranged hideout on the outskirts of …

The United Nations is renewing its urgent plea for aid agencies to be granted access to Gaza while warning that current military actions may constitute war crimes. Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed concern that the Israeli military’s directive for Palestinians to relocate from the north to the south could be classified as …

The military junta in Niger has confirmed the arrival of 265 trucks carrying basic commodities from Burkina Faso, strengthening the ties between the two neighboring military-led governments. Minister of Commerce and Industry Seydou Asman received the convoy at the Niamey-Tillabery Regional Customs Directorate, noting that the shipment is part of a joint initiative to secure essential goods in response to …

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing a ban on tricycle operations within the Central Business District (CBD) following a violent confrontation between operators and security forces. The restriction, which was officially established in April 2023, aims to reduce chronic traffic congestion and frequent road accidents in the heart of Kumasi. Tensions escalated on August 1, …

Female farmers in the Nkwanta South Municipality of the Oti Region are calling for urgent government intervention to modernize their agricultural practices. Primarily engaged in rice cultivation, these women have highlighted that their reliance on manual tools like hoes and cutlasses is severely limiting their productivity and causing physical exhaustion. They are appealing for the provision of tractors, spraying machines, …

Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has announced that the government is entering a new phase of the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), which will now target pension funds and various energy sector liabilities, including debts owed to Independent Power Producers (IPPs). During the mid-year budget review, the Minister explained that while previous debt operations provided critical fiscal breathing room, further restructuring …

Northern Regional Minister, Shani Alhassan Saibu, has officially commissioned a €20 million wastewater treatment plant at Gbalahi, near Tamale. This facility, built by the Jospong Group of Companies in partnership with the Hungary Exim Bank, addresses a critical sanitation gap where an estimated 98% of fecal waste in the metropolis was previously dumped untreated onto farmlands, posing severe public health …

The legal saga of Nana Appiah Mensah, popularly known as NAM1, reached another stalemate as the CEO of Menzgold Ghana Limited made his 36th court appearance without a trial commencing. On July 26, 2023, the Circuit Court adjourned the case once again to September 20, 2023, following a request from the police prosecution for more time to receive instructions from …

Western Regional Minister Kwabena Okeyere Darko-Mensah has revealed a critical sanitation gap in the region, noting that a staggering 90% of collected fecal waste is currently discharged into the environment without treatment. Speaking at the commissioning of the new Sekondi-Takoradi Fecal Sludge Management Plant in Asaake, the Minister highlighted that the region’s existing infrastructure has been severely overstretched by the …

In an effort to control rising domestic food costs, India has officially banned the export of non-basmati white rice. The decision follows a year in which local rice prices surged by over 11%, largely due to heavy monsoon rains damaging crops in northern states. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs noted that non-basmati white rice represents approximately 25% of the country’s …