Author: TNRgh

Extortion Claims Trigger Internal ProbeBy The New Republic Investigative DeskGhana Revenue Authority (GRA) has launched a sweeping internal investigation into allegations of extortion against its Ashanti Customs Task Force, following complaints from the Traders Advocacy Group Ghana (TAGG) that officers demanded illicit payments from an importer.The probe, announced by GRA’s Communication and Public Affairs Department, centres on an incident where task force members intercepted containers en route to Kumasi, citing undervaluation as grounds to extract unauthorised fees. The importer, unwillingly paying up, later decried the actions as “unconscionable,” prompting TAGG to escalate the matter.Under Commissioner-General Anthony Kwasi Sarpong’s leadership, GRA…

By Nelson Ayivor Erastus Asare Donkor, a renowned investigative and environmental journalist is urging President Mahama to start holding Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) accountable for the rampant illegal mining activities ravaging the country. Erastus’ remarks, delivered during the 20th ‘Kronti Ne Akwamu’ lecture organized by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), expose the deep-rooted political interference that is undermining the fight against galamsey in the country. “This is why I say respectfully that the president must begin holding MMDCEs accountable for Galamsey in their jurisdictions. If a district’s rivers are polluted and these lands destroyed, the…

TNR Front Desk Report Togo is currently offering cocoa beans at nearly double the price Ghana’s Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) offers, leading to rampant smuggling of cocoa beans from Ghana to Togo. In Togo, cocoa is sold for 3,500 CFA per kilogram, which is equivalent to about GH¢93,300 per tonne. This contrasts sharply with the GH¢48,000 per tonne recently offered by COCOBOD, a difference of 94%. In comparison, Ivory Coast offers around 1,800 CFA per kilogram, equivalent to GH¢48,110 per tonne, slightly higher than Ghana’s rate. The Coordination Committee for Coffee and Cocoa (CCFCC), Togo’s equivalent of COCOBOD, sets its official…

By Nelson Ayivor At a time when Ghana’s government has renewed efforts in fighting the menace of illegal mining, former Chamber of Mines CEO, Dr. Joyce Aryee believes that ethical leadership is very critical if the war against what has been described as environmental terrorism is to be won. The menace of illegal mining continues to destroy farmlands, poison rivers, and weaken the livelihoods of communities, yet many attempts by successive governments to nip the canker in the bud have proven unsuccessful. For Dr. Joyce Aryee, Ghana cannot win the fight against galamsey unless leaders, not only political leaders but…

By Nelson Ayivor The Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association has rejected claims made in Parliament alleging that its members are disappointed in President John Dramani Mahama for not abolishing import duties on spare parts in the 2026 Budget. The remarks were made by the Minority Leader, Hon. Afenyo Markins, during parliamentary deliberations on November 25, 2025, where he suggested that the spare parts community felt let down by the government. However, in a press release signed by Henry Okyere, Chairman of the Association, the group dismissed the comments as “inaccurate, misleading, and not representative of the Association’s views.” The…

Agyepong’s Campaign Manager Defects to BawumiaBy Prince AhenkorahA seismic shift in Ghana’s opposition politics has rocked the New Patriotic Party (NPP) primaries race, as Ofosu Asamoah former Kade MP and Kwabena Agyepong’s campaign manager has publicly defected to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s camp.The announcement came at a packed campaign rally, Asamoah’s debut alongside Bawumia since the switch, underscoring deepening fractures within the party ahead of the January 31, 2026, presidential primaries.Asamoah framed his move as a calculated pivot, born of close observation during his tenure with Agyepong. “I’ve watched the campaigns unfold, and things haven’t panned out as…

NDC Firebrand Blasts Zipline as Overpriced FraudBy Nelson AyivorWonder Madilo, prominent voice in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) communication team, has launched a fierce attack on the controversial Zipline contract, fuelling fresh political fire over Ghana’s medical drone delivery system.Backing the call by Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga to scrap the contract, Madilo branded it a “cosmetic approach” that masks deep-rooted corruption and mismanagement in the Ghana Health Service (GHS).The NDC insider slammed the former NPP administration for opting to procure drones in 2018 instead of fixing Ghana’s ailing drug logistics infrastructure. “You bought drones as a quick fix for an…

Workers Demand DG’s Suspension Ahead Of ProbeTNR Front DeskGhana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) staff have escalated pressure on the state broadcaster’s leadership, demanding that Director-General Prof. Amin Alhassan step aside immediately to safeguard a presidentially ordered forensic audit into the alleged vanishing of US$3.6 million earmarked for coverage of the 13th All-Africa Games.The call, channelled through the Public Service Workers Union (PSWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC)of which the GBC union is an affiliate was formally conveyed to President John Mahama in a November 25 letter signed by PSWU General Secretary Bernard Adjei. It warns that Alhassan’s continued tenure, as…

Engages in Social media war with Journalistfront deskA bitter battle of egos is raging between investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni and the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s (OSP) Director of Strategy and Research, Lawyer Sammy Darko. The flashpoint? The explosive Strategic Mobilization Limited (SML) contract scandal linked to the previous Akufo-Addo administration.Openly jousting across social media platforms, the dispute has morphed into a no-holds-barred war of words centring on who truly exposed the SML corrupt deal. Yet what has become equally gripping and concerning is the increasingly talkative nature of Sammy Darko himself.Sources within the OSP describe Darko’s constant venting…

Gambles on Raw Sex as HIV Alarm Bells Ring Loud By Prince AhenkorahA recent World Health Organization (WHO) report has sounded alarm bells across continents: condom use among adolescents is declining sharply, exposing a generation to heightened risks of HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and unintended pregnancies.The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study, surveying over 242,000 fifteen-year-olds from 42 countries between 2014 and 2022, reveals a disturbing trend. Condom use at last intercourse among boys fell from 70% to 61%, while among girls it dropped from 63% to 57%. Even more troubling: nearly a third of teens admitted to using…