Author: THE NEW REPUBLIC

By Leo Nelson In a high-stakes field engagement at the Sakpare irrigation dam in Zebilla, Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor, Director of the Presidential Initiative on Agriculture and Agribusiness (PIAA), has moved beyond policy blueprints to frontline pathology, deploying a prescription-first strategy to save the region’s most critical irrigation hub. With over 4,000 acres of prime tomato-producing land under siege by an aggressive upsurge of bacterial wilt and nematode infestations, the agricultural sector of the Upper East Region is currently a battlefield where the tomato production in Sakpare faces a biological insurgency. The PIAA’s intervention is to prevent a total collapse…

By Lawrence Odoom/Phalonzy President John Dramani Mahama brought his two-day Resetting Ghana Tour of the Eastern Region to a close with a comprehensive inspection of ongoing works on the Akosombo–Gyakiti–Kudukope Feeder Road. The project, spanning approximately 32km, entails the extensive upgrade of the corridor to bituminous standard, complemented by modern drainage systems, culverts, and ancillary infrastructure designed to bolster connectivity among communities within the enclave. According to contractors on site, the project has attained about 36% physical progress and is projected to significantly enhance transportation efficiency, stimulate commerce, and expand access for residents throughout the entire catchment area. President Mahama…

By Lawrence Odoom/Phalonzy President John Dramani Mahama has advocated for the enactment of a law that would criminalize the coercive demand for romantic or sexual relationships as a prerequisite for employment, denouncing the practice as predatory and intolerable. He issued the call on Saturday, May 2, during a town hall engagement at Adweso in Koforidua, marking the conclusion of his two-day Resetting Ghana Tour of the Eastern Region. Addressing stakeholders, President Mahama condemned the abuse of authority by certain employers who allegedly exploit their position by demanding intimate relationships from women in exchange for job placements. “One of the worst…

Pope Leo has marked World Press Freedom Day ⁠by paying tribute to journalists killed while reporting in ⁠conflict zones and condemning ⁠violations of media freedom around the world. At the end of his weekly Sunday prayer in a sunny Saint Peter’s Square at the Vatican, the Pontiff ⁠said that the day highlighted both the importance of independent journalism and the growing threats faced by reporters. World Press Freedom Day, ⁠sponsored by the UN cultural agency UNESCO is intended to show support for media organisations that come under ⁠pressure or censorship. It is also an opportunity to commemorate journalists who have…

By Leo Nelson Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to strengthening international cooperation on reparative justice following a high-level briefing with members of the diplomatic corps in Accra. The engagement, he explained, was aimed at consolidating support after the United Nations adopted a landmark resolution declaring transatlantic enslavement as the gravest crime against humanity. According to the Minister, the meeting provided an opportunity to formally convey the appreciation of John Dramani Mahama and the people of Ghana to countries that supported the resolution. He described the development as historic, noting that it reflects growing global…

By Lawrence Odoom/Phalonzy The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has issued a scathing rebuke of the government’s management of Ghana’s power sector, demanding an unqualified apology to citizens over the resurgence of intermittent outages, popularly known as ‘dumsor’. Deputy General Secretary of the NPP, Haruna Mohammed, accused the Mahama administration of reneging on its pledges to stabilize electricity supply, asserting that the government’s stewardship has precipitated a deterioration of the energy sector. His remarks follow weeks of sporadic power cuts across multiple regions, despite repeated assurances from authorities that supply challenges had been resolved. Appearing on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily…

Kenya is facing a renewed wave of politically linked violence that is raising alarm ahead of the next general election, after a high-profile attack on a senator highlighted the growing influence of organised gangs in the country’s political arena. The recent assault on some politicians, including Senator Godfrey Osotsi in Kisumu, has intensified fears that the country could be sliding back toward the kind of election-related unrest that has previously destabilised the nation. According to a report from a media outlet, Osotsi was attacked in broad daylight by a group of hooded individuals shortly after leaving a barber shop, in…

By Lawrence Odoom/Phalonzy President John Dramani Mahama is in Libreville, Gabon, where he is participating in the maiden edition of the Libreville International Forum for Innovation and Development — a landmark convocation dedicated to accelerating technological advancement and economic expansion across Africa. Convened by Gabon’s President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, the high-level forum has assembled a distinguished cohort of African heads of state, global investors, and technology pioneers. Deliberations are centered on leveraging stable governance, robust business ecosystems, and artificial intelligence as catalysts for sustainable continental development. According to Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Spokesperson to President Mahama and Minister for Government…

By Lawrence Odoo /Phalonzy The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has unequivocally defended its revocation of the mining lease held by Adamus Resources Limited, asserting that the decision is anchored solely in statutory compliance and devoid of any political undercurrents. Speaking on GTV’s Current Agenda on Saturday, May 2, 2026, the Ministry’s PRO, Paa Kwasi Schandorf, clarified that Adamus Resources was found to have contravened critical provisions of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), following rigorous investigations conducted by the Minerals Commission, the sector’s principal regulatory authority. Mr. Schandorf disclosed that preliminary apprehensions regarding the company’s operations…

By Lawrence Odoom/Phalonzy The Korle Bu Doctors Association (KODA) has resolved to embark on an industrial action beginning May 4, 2026, following what it describes as a protracted failure of engagement with the management of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital regarding entrenched operational and policy grievances. Addressing the impasse on Eyewitness News on Thursday, April 30, KODA Secretary Dr. Joojo Nyamekye-Baidoo characterized the strike as an unavoidable recourse after exhaustive dialogue and official correspondence yielded no substantive redress. He underscored that the crux of the dispute lies in the systematic exclusion of Laboratory Physicians from the hospital’s Central Laboratory — a…