Author: Political Desk

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,…

The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has raised alarm over the escalating crisis in Ghana’s cocoa sector, warning that delays in payments and reduced producer prices are pushing farmers into debt and hardship. The bishops called for urgent intervention to prevent further economic and social fallout in rural communities. According to the statement, farmers have been suffering for months due to unpaid deliveries of cocoa, with the situation compounded by recent reductions in the producer price. “For months, many farmers have endured delays in payment, resulting in unpaid labour, disrupted schooling, mounting debt, and growing vulnerability to illegal mining,” the Conference…

The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection has provided an update on a newborn baby found abandoned near Bronyibima Estate in Elmina, Central Region. The information was contained in a press statement issued on Thursday, February 19, 2026. The infant, believed to be only a day old, is currently receiving medical attention and is reported to be in a stable condition. Officials from the Department of Social Welfare have taken temporary custody of the child to ensure her safety. The statement said the Ghana Police Service, working alongside the Department, is actively investigating to identify and locate the baby’s…

 The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has shut down Royal Nursing College at Tafo Nyhiaeso in the Ashanti Region over failure to secure proper accreditation and non-compliance with regulatory directives. GTEC officials, accompanied by personnel from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), conducted an on-site inspection of the institution on Thursday, February 19, and announced the immediate closure after about an hour of assessment. According to the Commission, the college lacks accreditation from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and failed to adhere to a June 2024 directive to cease admitting new students until full regulatory compliance was achieved. The institution…