Author: TNRgh

The Case Against His Boss Is Unraveling.By Prince AhenkorahThe operations manager of a mining company owned by one of Ghana’s most powerful regional politicians has been released on a record-setting GH¢10 million bail (approximately $800,000), even as the criminal case against his employer appears to be fracturing.Kwadwo Owusu Bempah, the operations manager for Akonta Mining, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to charges of illegal mining, abetting unauthorized tree felling, and facilitating unlawful construction in the protected Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve. His company is owned by Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, the influential Ashanti Regional Chairman of the…

…..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…

Critics Warn of Debt and Environmental Risk. Front Desk Report The government of Ghana has secured a $60 million financing deal with a private Emirati investment firm to accelerate the mining of bauxite, the raw material for aluminum, in a forested region long at the center of the nation’s industrialization ambitions. Announced on January 14, the agreement between the state-owned Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC), its special purpose vehicle GIBDLC, and Abu Dhabi-based Metalloid Resources Investment, targets the Nyinahin bauxite concession in the Ashanti Region. The deal is framed by officials as a pivotal step toward building a fully…

…as scandal over contract inherited from NPP explodes By Prince AhenkorahThe head of Ghana’s Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority is defending a no-bid contract for the country’s vehicle license plates, saying the deal was already signed when his administration took office and that his agency has acted transparently.But the company that has supplied embossment services for more than 30 years is suing, alleging the authority broke procurement laws, jeopardized thousands of jobs and engaged in an “abuse of administrative authority” to steer the work to a single, connected contractor.The dispute, now before an Accra High Court, pits the DVLA against…

By Philip AntohThe two largest labor unions in Ghana’s power sector are making a simple, data-driven argument to halt a planned privatization: the state-owned electricity company is already fixing itself.Citing internal financial data, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the Public Utility Workers’ Union (PUWU) revealed that a six-month, worker-driven recovery program at the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) nearly doubled its monthly revenue, from about GH¢900 million to roughly GH¢1.7 billion between July and December 2025. The 90% surge, they say, proves that deep-seated inefficiencies and massive revenue losses long used to justify bringing in private operators can be…

After 10years of Missing TargetsFront Desk ReportThe Ghana Export-Import Bank (GEXIM) launched a year-long celebration this week to mark its 10th anniversary, framing the milestone as a chance to “reset” its role in boosting the nation’s exports. But the fanfare for “GEXIM@10” arrives as Ghana’s broader trade imbalance remains stubbornly entrenched, raising questions about the state-backed lender’s impact and its future direction.Established in 2016 with a mandate to transform Ghana from a raw material exporter to a producer of value-added goods, GEXIM has positioned itself as a provider of “patient capital” for local businesses. At a press launch, CEO Sylvester…

While Pablo’s Report Details a Fleeing GenerationBy Philip Antoh Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang stood before officials at the Ministry of Youth and Empowerment last week and delivered a message of faith and promise. Ghana’s youth, she said, are the nation’s “most valuable resource.” A “little push,” she insisted, would unlock their innovation and drive national growth.But the confidential report presented to her in the same meeting, obtained by The New Republic, contained a stark statistical counterpoint to her optimism: 72% of Ghanaian youth are actively contemplating leaving the country.The Vice President’s visit, meant to foster collaboration, instead laid…

….as Central Bank Opens DoorBy Gifty BoatengIn a move that could reshape the country’s financial landscape, the Bank of Ghana has published its first comprehensive rulebook for Non-Interest Banking (NIB), an Islamic finance-inspired system that prohibits charging or paying interest.The long-awaited framework, developed under Governor Dr. Johnson Asiama, has triggered immediate interest from the banking sector. At least five existing banks are reportedly preparing to apply for licenses to open dedicated NIB “windows” by the end of January, while new investors are lining up to establish full-fledged non-interest banks, according to industry sources.The model represents a fundamental shift. Instead of…

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,…

The family of Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has accused a hospital of negligence over the death of her 21-month-old son. Nkanu Nnamdi died at a hospital in Nigeria on Wednesday following a short illness, leaving the family of the acclaimed postcolonial feminist writer “devastated.” Now, the family allege there was a litany of failures at Euracare Hospital in Lagos that led to the toddler’s death, including being denied oxygen and being given too much sedation, causing a heart attack. The hospital expressed its “deepest sympathies” over the loss of the child but denied improper care, which it said had…