Author: Political Desk

The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has held a strategic meeting with the 24-Hour Economy Authority to discuss the pilot implementation of the government’s 24-hour economy programme within Ghana’s downstream petroleum industry. The meeting, held on Thursday, forms part of broader efforts to operationalise round-the-clock economic activity in key sectors. The session was chaired by the NPA Chief Executive, Godwin Kudzo Tameklo, who underscored the Authority’s readiness to collaborate with industry stakeholders to ensure a smooth rollout. According to him, the downstream petroleum sector plays a critical role in national productivity and must be strategically positioned to support extended operational hours.…

The Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Dr. Rashid Pelpuo, has credited President John Dramani Mahama’s leadership for propelling Ghana to the position of the 8th richest country in Africa within just one year. According to the Minister, the country has climbed from 10th to 8th place on the continent’s economic rankings, with its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) now surpassing GH¢100 billion. Dr. Pelpuo described the achievement as a clear demonstration of renewed economic direction, stability, and the positive impact of good governance and committed leadership. He made these remarks during an interview with Citi FM on Sunday, February 22,…

The Centre for Environmental Management and Sustainable Energy (CEMSE) has revealed that Ghanaian electricity consumers overpaid an estimated GH¢1.5 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025, attributing the excess to inflated exchange rate and inflation assumptions used by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) in tariff calculations. In a policy review released recently, CEMSE called for a double-digit reduction in electricity tariffs—approximately 11 percent—in the first quarter of 2026, arguing that current economic realities justify such a cut to provide relief to households and businesses. The report centres on PURC’s tariff methodology for Q4 2025, which projected an exchange rate…

Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has described the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme as the most significant and far-reaching social intervention policy implemented in Ghana since the advent of the Fourth Republic in 1992. The Effutu Member of Parliament made the assertion while addressing students and participants at the Young Commons Forum held at the University of Cape Coast on Saturday, February 21, 2026. According to Afenyo-Markin, despite ongoing public debates and criticisms surrounding the policy, its profound impact on expanding access to secondary education remains undeniable and transformative. He emphasised that the initiative, introduced under former…

The Minority Caucus in Parliament has accused the administration of President John Dramani Mahama of presiding over what it describes as a significant decline in revenue performance, warning that fiscal consolidation claims do not reflect the underlying realities. In a statement signed by Frank Annoh-Dompreh, Minority Chief Whip, the Caucus asserted that the government inherited a revenue-to-GDP ratio of 16 per cent but had seen it fall to 11 per cent by the third quarter of last year. The statement described this as “a loss of approximately five per cent of GDP in revenue performance”, which it said explains expenditure…

Dozens of cocoa farmers on Friday, February 20, 2026, picketed the headquarters of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) in Accra, intensifying nationwide protests against a recent reduction in producer prices and persistent delays in payments. Carrying placards and chanting slogans, the demonstrators accused the government of betraying cocoa farmers who sustain one of Ghana’s most important foreign exchange earners. Prominent inscriptions on placards included: “We worked, you lied,” “Government celebrates but our families mourn,” and “We can’t pay our kids’ school fees,” capturing the widespread anger and economic hardship being felt in farming communities. The protest at COCOBOD’s head office…

The government of Ghana has formally notified the Government of Togo of its decision to refer the long-standing maritime boundary dispute between the two nations to international arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). In a press statement issued on Friday, February 20, 2026, the presidency announced that Ghana has served notice seeking a binding delimitation of the maritime boundary through arbitration. The statement, signed by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Spokesperson to the President and Minister for Government Communications, explained that the move follows eight years of bilateral negotiations that have failed to produce a…

The Board of Directors of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has announced that its members will forgo their sitting allowances for the remainder of the 2025/26 cocoa season. The decision, according to a public notice issued by the Board, is in support of ongoing reforms in Ghana’s cocoa industry and forms part of broader efforts to ensure the long-term sustainability of the sector. The Board stated that its members have unanimously resolved to waive all sitting allowances until the end of the current crop season. “This gesture reflects our commitment to prudent financial management, shared sacrifice, and responsible leadership as…

Management of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, commonly known as Ridge Hospital, has confirmed the assault of a security officer on duty, describing the incident as “deeply regrettable.” The attack took place on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at approximately 7:28 p.m. at the Labour Ward of the facility. According to a statement from hospital authorities, the security officer on duty instructed an 18-year-old visitor, identified as Gabriel Dimson, who was accompanying his mother and a friend, to proceed to the reception area. The directive was given because the group was standing at the ward entrance outside the approved visiting hours,…

The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) requires over GH¢30 billion in working capital to remain operational, according to the Minority Caucus in Parliament. The revelation comes amid growing concerns about the financial health of the state agency responsible for managing Ghana’s cocoa industry. The Minority raised the alarm during a press briefing on February 19, 2026. Isaac Adongo, Chairman of Parliament’s Finance Committee and Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, highlighted a major liquidity shortfall at COCOBOD. “COCOBOD requires over GH¢30 billion in working capital for it to survive, not the GH¢60 billion left behind. If you look at the accounts,…