Author: THE NEW REPUBLIC

Mali’s military ruler, Colonel Assimi Goïta, has broken his silence following a wave of coordinated insurgent attacks that struck key military and strategic locations across the country, pledging to “neutralise” those responsible as jihadist and separatist groups intensify pressure on the state. Appearing publicly for the first time since the weekend violence, Goïta sought to reassure the nation in a televised address, declaring that “the situation is under control” while vowing that military operations would continue until the perpetrators were fully eliminated. The attacks, carried out over the weekend, targeted Mali’s main army base as well as areas near Bamako’s…

By Lawrence Odoom/Phalonzy Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang formally inaugurated the SHEA 2026 Conference in Accra on Tuesday 28th April, 2026, issuing a clarion call for Africa to transcend raw commodity exports and seize the commanding heights of value-added production in the global shea economy. Hosted by the Global Shea Alliance with strategic support from the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Secretariat, the landmark gathering convened stakeholders from 21 African nations and international partners, celebrating more than 15 years of transformative collaboration across the continent. Since its establishment by then-Vice President John Dramani Mahama in 2011, the Global Shea…

By Leo Nelson The agricultural backbone of the Afadzato South District in the Volta Region is currently under severe strain as rice farmers face a systemic collapse of their market access, forcing members of the local farming community to voice a desperate plea for government intervention. The spokesperson for the Afadzato South Farmers Association, Dickson Kodzo Addo, explained to the media that despite successful harvests, hundreds of farmers find themselves trapped in a cycle of debt and waste, unable to convert their physical labor into financial liquidity. This is because of localized infrastructure deficits that prevent rural producers from reaching…

… It’s a moral duty to speak against galamsey By Leo Nelson The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has strongly defended the right of religious leaders to speak on national issues such as illegal mining (galamsey), insisting that the Church has both a moral responsibility and divine mandate to address matters affecting society and the common good. In a statement signed by the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and Bishop of Sunyani, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, the Conference responded to recent public comments directed at Apostle Eric Nyamekye, Chairman of the Church of Pentecost. “Fellow Ghanaians and all…

By Leo Nelson The Government has approved an increase in quarterly funding for the adjudication of chieftaincy disputes, raising allocations to Regional Houses of Chiefs from GH¢30,000 to GH¢50,000 in a bid to improve efficiency and strengthen traditional governance structures. The increase, which will take effect in the coming weeks, was announced by the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, during a familiarisation visit to the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs in Dodowa. Mr Ibrahim said the decision was in response to persistent concerns about inadequate funding, which had slowed the resolution of chieftaincy…

By Leo Nelson The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD), in a joint effort with the Fisheries Commission, has officially declared the implementation of the 2026 Closed Fishing Season for Ghana’s marine fleet, citing the new Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 (Act 1146) as the legal authority for the move. The directive, which follows a period of intense scientific consultation, marks a significant step in the nation’s marine conservation efforts, especially as it positions the 2026 cycle as a data-driven intervention aimed at reversing the depletion of Ghana’s marine stocks and ensuring the long-term viability of the blue economy.…

By Leo Nelson The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD), in collaboration with the Fisheries Commission, has announced the implementation of the 2026 closed fishing season as part of efforts to restore declining fish stocks and ensure sustainable marine resource management. The directive, backed by Section 47 of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 (Act 1146), is grounded in scientific recommendations and aligned with global best practices aimed at rebuilding Ghana’s marine fisheries.Ghana Investment Report According to the schedule, industrial trawlers will observe a two-month closure from July 1 to August 31, 2026, while semi-industrial vessels will be required…

By Lawrence Odoom/Phalonzy The Electricity Company of Ghana has attributed the spate of unplanned outages plaguing parts of the country to a fragile distribution network characterized by ageing infrastructure, deteriorated cables, and chronically overloaded transformers. In a statement released on Tuesday, April 28, the utility provider conceded that its infrastructure is buckling under sustained strain, disrupting power supply to consumers nationwide. To arrest the decline, ECG disclosed that it has partnered with government to launch an aggressive, phased intervention dubbed the Transformer Upgrade and Replacement Programme. The ambitious initiative will see more than 2,500 transformers installed across ECG’s operational zones…

The New Republic/Additional Files from Africa News Somalia’s malnourished children are facing a worsening humanitarian crisis as a combination of aid cuts, supply chain disruptions, and rising global tensions pushes lifesaving services to the brink. For families already grappling with drought and hunger, the situation has become increasingly dire, with health workers warning that shortages of critical therapeutic foods are now a matter of life and death for hundreds of thousands of children. Across parts of Somalia, clinics treating severe malnutrition are struggling to maintain operations as supplies dwindle and delivery timelines stretch. Nearly half a million children under the…

By Lawrence Odoom/Phalonzy Renowned marriage counselor Mr. Effah Werehene has condemned the growing trend of couples taking private marital disputes to radio and television stations, describing the practice as “an act of immaturity” that undermines the sanctity of matrimony. Mr. Werehene argued that individuals who resort to the airwaves to litigate domestic discord lack the emotional maturity required for marriage. “Individuals who resort to the media for solutions to their marital issues demonstrate immaturity and are not suited for marriage,” he asserted. The counselor cautioned that broadcasting intimate marital strife inflicts far-reaching societal harm, particularly by sowing disillusionment among prospective…