Author: Political Desk

The Government of Ghana has allocated GH¢150 million to support the senior national team, the Black Stars, in their participation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The announcement was made by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson during the presentation of the 2026 Budget Statement in Parliament on Thursday, November 13, 2025. “An amount of GH¢150 million has been allocated for the Black Stars to participate in the World Cup,” Dr Ato Forson told lawmakers. He said, the allocation forms part of the government’s broader commitment to sports development and international representation, with the expanded 48-team World Cup set to…

Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has announced that construction of the Accra-Kumasi Expressway, a flagship project under the government’s Big Push Infrastructure Programme, will commence in 2026. Presenting the 2026 Budget Statement in Parliament on Thursday, Dr Ato Forson described the expressway as Ghana’s first modern six-lane bi-directional Class A Expressway, designed to serve as the country’s economic spine. The 198.7-kilometre highway will connect the national capital, Accra, to Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, passing through the Greater Accra and Eastern Regions. Built on a new alignment, the project will reduce the current travel distance by over 50 kilometres,…

President John Dramani Mahama has ordered all public basic and secondary schools to procure only locally produced rice, maize, chicken, and eggs, Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson announced during the 2026 Budget Statement presentation in Parliament on Thursday, November 13, 2025. “Mr. Speaker, President Mahama has also directed all schools, from basic to secondary, to purchase rice, maize, chicken and eggs produced in Ghana only,” Dr. Forson told the House. He added that the Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), Ghana School Feeding Programme, Free Senior High School Secretariat, and National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) have…

Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has announced the abolition of the COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy as part of a sweeping VAT reform package unveiled during the presentation of the 2026 Budget Statement in Parliament on Thursday, November 13, 2025. “Today, I am proud to report that we have delivered on that promise. After months of detailed analysis and broad consultations with stakeholders, we have completed the design of a modernized VAT system fit for Ghana’s economic transformation agenda,” Dr. Forson declared. He informed the House that the government is submitting a comprehensive VAT reform bill for approval, aimed at…

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has achieved a remarkable near-90% surge in average monthly revenue, climbing from GH¢900 million in 2024 to GH¢1.7 billion in 2025, Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson revealed during the presentation of the 2026 Budget Statement in Parliament on Thursday. Delivering the fiscal policy document to lawmakers, Dr. Forson highlighted the pivotal role of full compliance with the Cash Waterfall Mechanism (CWM) in driving this financial turnaround. “Mr. Speaker, the results are already visible. The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has seen its average monthly revenue rise from GH¢900 million in 2024 to GH¢1.7…

Senior military officers who oversaw the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) recruitment exercise at El-Wak Sports Stadium have been directed to step aside as the military launches a full investigation into the tragic stampede that claimed six lives. According to a JoyNews report, sources within GAF confirmed that new commanders have been appointed to assume control of the recruitment process once it resumes, ensuring transparency and safeguarding the integrity of the ongoing probe. The fatal incident occurred on Wednesday, November 12, during screening at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra. Thousands of applicants, many having travelled from various parts of the…

Parliament has approved the nomination of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana following a tense head count vote amid objections from the Minority. The approval came after the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, rejected demands for a division and upheld the outcome of a head count directed during Thursday’s proceedings. Drama unfolded in the House shortly after the Appointments Committee, chaired by Bernard Ahiafor, presented its report recommending the nominee’s approval by majority decision. The Committee had praised Justice Baffoe-Bonnie for demonstrating outstanding competence, deep legal knowledge, and a firm grasp of judicial ethics during vetting. He…

The approval of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as Chief Justice nominee by Parliament has sparked another disagreement between the Majority and Minority sides of the House. Following the presentation of the Appointments Committee’s report on the vetting of the nominee during proceedings on Thursday, November 13, 2025, the Minority demanded a secret vote to determine the approval of the nominee, as recommended by the committee by a majority vote. The Speaker, Alban Bagbin, after subjecting the recommendation to a voice vote, determined that the “ayes have it.” His determination was, however, challenged by the First Deputy Minority Chief Whip, Habib Iddrisu,…

The Minority in Parliament has served notice of its resolve to push for a secret vote to determine the House’s approval of the nomination of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as Chief Justice. Contributing to a debate on a report presented to the House by the Appointments Committee following the vetting of the nominee on Monday, November 10, 2025, Minority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin said his side would demand a secret ballot. “We will not belabour the point. We maintain our opposition to this nomination and reject it, and we are going to demand a secret ballot to reject this. We are…

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has vehemently rejected allegations that the executive arm of government exerts control over his decisions or influences the workings of the legislature. The rebuttal came during Thursday’s parliamentary sitting on November 13, as the House debated the Appointments Committee’s report on the nomination of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as Chief Justice. “The statement you just made is a very serious statement. As I sit here, there’s no executive that can control me,” he stated in direct response to remarks by Asante-Akim Central MP Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, Mr. Anyimadu-Antwi, a member of the Minority, had…