Author: Leo Nelson

The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has arrested a thirty-two (32)-year-old woman described as a key figure in the illicit drug trade during a targeted operation in Budumburam and surrounding communities in the Gomoa East Municipality of the Central Region. The operation, carried out on Friday, 16 January 2026, forms part of NACOC’s nationwide anti-narcotics campaign aimed at curbing drug trafficking and substance abuse across the country. According to NACOC, the suspect, identified as Rebecca Afia Naa Dei Kotei and popularly known as “Mother”, was apprehended following sustained intelligence gathering and surveillance. Opinion leaders in the area have described her as…

By Nelson Ayivor Accra, Ghana — Members of the Iranian community living in Ghana are intensifying their calls on the Government of Ghana and the international community to take strong and decisive action against what they describe as systematic human rights atrocities and extrajudicial killings committed by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Their demands come as unprecedented repression back home has drawn global condemnation and concern over the loss of civilian lives and violations of fundamental human rights. Since late December 2025, protests have erupted across Iranian cities, initially sparked by economic distress and quickly spiralling into broad expressions of…

…..as critical sandblasting works restore plant integrity By Prince Ahenkorah The ongoing revival of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) has reached a significant technical milestone following the successful completion of extensive sandblasting works across critical sections of the plant. According to the refinery’s management, the exercise forms a central part of a broader rehabilitation programme aimed at restoring TOR to safe, efficient and sustainable operations. Corporate Affairs Officer of TOR, Godwin Mahama, described the sandblasting exercise as one of the most important maintenance interventions undertaken during the refinery’s revival journey, noting that it lays the foundation for long-term equipment performance…

By Philip Antoh The leadership of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) is raising red flags over what it describes as a deliberate attempt to undermine Ghana’s heritage. In a sharp reaction to the discovery of “gender identity,” definitions in a recently withdrawn Senior High School (SHS) teacher manual, NAGRAT President Jacob Anaba alleged in an interview that the inclusion of such content was an act of cultural sabotage rather than a mere administrative oversight. “They want to destroy our cultural identity. Those who put it in the manual must be a group of people who do not want…

Voting has began in Uganda’s Presidential elections. Ugandans headed to the polls despite a days-long internet shutdown that has been criticized as an anti-democratic tactic in a country where the President has held office since 1986. The country is on edge as polls opened, with President Yoweri Museveni expected to extend his four-decade rule amid a police crackdown on the opposition, fears of violence and an internet shutdown. President Yoweri Museveni, 81, faces seven other candidates, including Robert Kyagulanyi, a musician-turned-politician best known as Bobi Wine, who is calling for political change. The East African country of roughly 45 million…

By Nelson Ayivor The decision by the New Patriotic Party to initiate internal processes to expel Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng has once again drawn national attention to the long-standing practice of sacking party members in Ghana. While such actions have become familiar across the political divide, a fellow of the Centre for Democratic Development, Ghana, and legal scholar, Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare, argued that the ritual of expulsions has little constitutional basis and weakens democratic culture rather than strengthening party discipline. “It is not the first time a political party has taken steps to expel a prominent member, and it…

By Nelson Ayivor The Government of Ghana has reaffirmed its commitment to improving women’s access to affordable financing with the planned rollout of the Women Development Bank in 2026. The Minister of State in charge of Government Communication, Mr Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has disclosed that preparations toward establishing the bank are far advanced and nearing completion. According to him, the initiative is a major policy intervention aimed at addressing long standing financing constraints that continue to limit the economic potential of women across the country. Speaking at the Government Accountability Series held on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, Mr Kwakye Ofosu…

By Nelson Ayivor After years of uncertainty and dormancy, there is hope on the horizon for Ghana’s Volta Aluminium Company, VALCO as the government has finally secured a strategic investor to breathe new life into the company. With this milestone, VALCO is finally staring at a long-awaited turnaround, brightening its prospects for the economy and Ghanaians at large. The breakthrough was announced when an investor selection committee, inaugurated by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, submitted its options analysis report on strategic investors to the government. The core of the work of the committee was…

…..Ordered to Cough Up $7.9m for Non Performance By Nelson Ayivor The Auditor General has moved decisively against 35 contractors engaged under the government’s Agenda 111 hospital project, demanding the refund of 7.9 million dollars, equivalent to about 94.6 million cedis, after a special audit uncovered widespread non performance and grossly inadequate delivery despite the release of substantial mobilisation funds. The action follows a validation review conducted by the Ghana Audit Service, which revealed that millions of dollars paid to contractors between 2021 and 2024 could not be justified by the level of work executed on the ground. According to…

The United States (US) has frozen visa processing for 75 countries, including Nigeria, Somalia, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, Brazil, Thailand among nations affected by an indefinite pause starting January 21, 2026. According to a report by Fox News, the State Department is pausing immigrant visa processing for the 75 countries in an effort to crack down on applicants deemed likely to become a public charge. It said a State Department memo, seen first by Fox News Digital, directs consular officers to refuse visas under existing law while the department reassesses screening and vetting procedures. The countries include Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil,…