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Celebrated veteran Ghanaian disc jockey and staff member of the Multimedia Group, Samuel Tei Mensah Nartey, popularly known as DJ Awana, has passed away.

DJ Awana died on Sunday, April 6, 2025, at the 37 Military Hospital after a short illness.

He began his remarkable media career over two decades ago with Adom FM when the station was operating in Tema.

Quickly rising to prominence, DJ Awana became a well-known figure in Ghana’s media and live event industries.

He won the hearts of many with his gentle demeanor, soft-spoken nature, and his careful selection of songs that fit every occasion.

DJ Awana became a household name in the media and entertainment industry with his signature jingle, “Awana was Onie o! Awanna Nie o! Ɛyɛ wo nwanwa!!!”

Following the news of his death, many Ghanaians and media personalities, including Afia Pokua (Vim Lady), Nana Yaa Konadu Yiadom, Ohemaa Woyeje, and veteran disc jockey DJ Ashmen, have taken to social media to mourn the loss of the beloved figure.

The Volta Regional Minister, James Gunu, has sent a strong message to municipalities and districts across the region, emphasising the need for close collaboration with traditional authorities and religious leaders.

“I will not tolerate any municipality or district that will not work with traditional authorities and religious leaders,” Mr. Gunu warned during the confirmation ceremony of the President’s nominee for the Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive.

He noted that the president, in his wisdom, merged the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs to demonstrate a commitment to collaborating with traditional authorities and religious leaders in development.

The Regional Minister’s declaration came amid a week-long confirmation process of the President’s nominees for Municipal and District Chief Executive (MDCE) positions in the region—a critical step in the governance structure of local assemblies.

The confirmation exercise began on Wednesday, 2nd April, starting with Akatsi North, Agortime Ziope, and Adaklu districts, each of which delivered a unanimous 100% endorsement of the President’s nominees.

The process continued into the second day with South and North Dayi districts. However, the journey was not smooth for all nominees. Courage Kwame Kokoroko, the nominee for South Dayi, failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the initial round of voting.

According to the law, a second vote can be conducted within 10 days if the nominee secures at least 50% in the first round. After a 30-minute recess, a second vote was held— and this time, Kokoroko clinched 26 out of 31 votes, representing 83.87%, confirming him as the DCE for South Dayi.

Meanwhile, Ernest Adevor, nominee for North Dayi, sailed through smoothly, securing 30 out of 32 valid votes.

In their acceptance speeches, both DCEs pledged their commitment to development.

“As the District Chief Executive, I am committed to working with the agenda of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama to improve road infrastructure and ensure that potable water reaches the rest of our communities. We will also work to improve agriculture, education, and quality healthcare in our district,” said Courage Kwame Kokoroko.

Ernest Adevor also highlighted job creation and youth empowerment as his top priorities. “Developing the youth through skills acquisition will be at the heart of my administration,” he stated.

On the third day of the exercise, Hohoe Municipal Assembly unanimously endorsed Prosper Kumi with a 100% vote. However, Afadjato South nominee Manfred Tawiah fell short by just one vote in the initial round. A subsequent vote gave him 24 out of 32 votes, translating to 75%—confirming his appointment.

In his speech, Prosper Kumi pledged to foster collaboration with all stakeholders to ensure the development of the municipality. “We will build strong partnerships with private individuals and institutions to drive Hohoe forward,” he said.

Manfred Tawiah, on the other hand, called for unity. “Let us put aside our differences, divisions, and personal interests. Together, we will make Afadjato South great,” he urged.

So far, 7 out of 18 districts in the Volta Region have confirmed the President’s nominees.

The process resumes on Monday, 7th April, in the Kpando Municipal, Ho West District, and Ho Central. The full slate of confirmations is expected to be completed by Friday, 11th April 2025.

Retired Supreme Court Justice Nasiru Sulemana Gbadegbe has passed away at the age of 74, following a brief illness. His death occurred on Saturday, April 5, 2025, marking the end of a remarkable life devoted to the service of justice in Ghana.

Justice Gbadegbe’s judicial career spanned more than 30 years, during which he earned widespread respect for his integrity, legal acumen, and unwavering commitment to ethical conduct.

He served on the Supreme Court from 2009 until his retirement on December 8, 2020, upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.

Prior to his appointment to the apex court, he served on the Court of Appeal from 1999 to 2009. His judicial journey began in 1989 as a High Court judge, where he quickly distinguished himself as a principled and thorough adjudicator.

One of the most defining moments of his career came when he sat as one of the nine justices on the panel that presided over Ghana’s landmark 2012/2013 presidential election petition — a case that tested the strength and maturity of the nation’s democratic institutions.

Known among his peers as a “stickler for procedure,” Justice Gbadegbe was celebrated for his meticulous application of the law and deep reverence for due process. His judicial philosophy was rooted in fairness, and he consistently championed the rule of law throughout his tenure.

At his retirement, then Chief Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah lauded him as a pillar of judicial excellence, stating, “Justice Gbadegbe served this country with commitment and left an indelible mark on Ghana’s judiciary.”

His death is a significant loss to Ghana’s legal fraternity. Tributes from colleagues, legal practitioners, and former students are expected in the days ahead, honouring a man whose legacy will continue to influence Ghana’s legal landscape for years to come.

Elikem Kotoko, Deputy National Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has criticized Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, describing him as lacking credibility.

Kotoko took aim at Rev. Fordjour over his recent claims linking two foreign aircraft — AirMed Flight N823AM and the Cavok Air Antonov An-12B — to cocaine trafficking activities in Ghana. He dismissed the allegations as baseless and unsupported by any verifiable evidence.

According to Kotoko, such serious claims regarding national security and international crime must be backed by concrete proof.

Speaking on Channel One News’s Breakfast Daily on Monday, April 7, he stressed that any individual making public allegations on matters of national interest should not delay in providing credible evidence to support their assertions.

“Reverend Ntim Fordjour, if he cares about his integrity as a Member of Parliament, his credibility owing to the title ‘Reverend’ which he has aligned to the Victory Bible Church should not be taken lightly. If he cares about how he’s seen by his church members and constituents…” Kotoko stated.

He further questioned the sincerity behind Fordjour’s claims, arguing that a person acting in good faith would not wait for a government directive or legal compulsion before presenting evidence.

“Ntim Fordjour, in his presentation, said ‘according to their trusted intelligence,’ but upon further questioning, everybody could see that the gentleman lacks credibility and was just on a hot air chase,” he added.

“Don’t you think that if you have any evidence to support what you are alleging, you should fully submit it? Are you waiting as a citizen to be arrested or directed before presenting the evidence?”.

His comments follow a warning by the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, who cautioned that Rev. Ntim Fordjour could face arrest if he fails to honor an invitation from the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) over the allegations involving suspicious flights.

The Bank of Ghana (BoG) is set to auction $120 million to Bulk Oil Distribution Companies (BDCs) in the second quarter of 2025.

This forms part of its broader strategy to ease foreign exchange (FX) demand pressures and support the stability of the Ghana Cedi.

The auction calendar, scheduled across six dates from April to June, are exclusively for Bulk Oil Distribution Companies to secure dollars for petroleum imports, a key driver of forex demand in the country.

Each auction will offer $20 million, bringing the total allocation for the second quarter to $120 million.

The auctions form part of targeted interventions by the Central Bank to manage volatility in the foreign exchange market, especially in the downstream petroleum sector where dollar demand is typically high.

According to the published calendar, the first auction is set for April 10, with subsequent auctions on April 29, May 14 , May 28, June 12 and June 26.

“The Bank of Ghana announces for the information of all Authorised Foreign Exchange Dealing Banks, the Bulk Oil Distribution Companies (BDCs) FX forward Auction Calendar for the second quarter of 2025. In accordance with the BDCs Forex Forward Auction guidelines, bids are invited as per the prescribed format to purchase United States Dollars against Ghana cedis, separately on each auction date and should be submitted via the dedicated email [email protected],” part of a statement issued the Central Bank read.

Bids are to be submitted by authorised foreign exchange dealing banks on behalf of BDCs during designated hours on each auction day. The results of each auction will be announced later in the afternoon.

The Central Bank has urged all authorized dealers to adhere strictly to the auction guidelines available on its website.

The government has once again fallen short of its Treasury bill target, missing it by GH¢2.69 billion for the third week in a row after rejecting GH¢2.37 billion in bids, likely misaligned with its yield expectations.

According to the latest data from the Bank of Ghana (BoG), the government sought to raise GH¢4.39 billion from short-term debt instruments but received bids totalling GH¢1.69 billion, resulting in an undersubscription of 61.46%.

For the 91-day Treasury bill, GH¢3.38 billion was tendered, with GH¢1.45 billion accepted. The 182-day bill saw GH¢501.17 million tendered, but only GH¢81.09 million was accepted. Meanwhile, GH¢176.26 million was tendered for the 364-day bill, of which GH¢161.26 million was accepted.

Interest rates on Treasury bills continue to trend between 15% and 18%. The 91-day yield declined by six basis points to 15.65%, while the 182-day bill fell by 23 basis points to 16.50%. The 364-day bill dipped by two basis points to 18.83%.

This development follows the Bank of Ghana’s recent decision to raise the policy rate by 100 basis points—from 27% to 28%—to rein in inflationary pressures.

While the Treasury’s sustained bid rejections and efforts to moderate yields may seem at odds with the MPC’s hawkish stance, analysts see it as a move to anchor short-term rates, support liquidity sterilisation, and reset Treasury bills as a benchmark for upcoming longer-dated issuances.

However, continued rejections risk drawing down cash buffers, potentially tightening fiscal space in the near term.

In the next auction, the Treasury aims to raise GH¢6.68 billion.

The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has raised concerns over the increasing misuse of honorary titles such as “Doctor” and “Professor,” cautioning individuals and institutions to desist from appending these honours to their names and credentials.

In a press statement signed by Professor Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, the Director General, GTEC expressed concern about the growing trend of individuals using honorary doctoral and professorial titles as if they were earned academic qualifications.

The Commission described the practice as misleading and unethical, warning that it contravenes provisions of the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023).

“While the Commission acknowledges and encourages the responsible recognition of distinguished individuals… it asserts that such honours should only be conferred by accredited and duly recognised institutions within the realm of Ghanaian higher education,” the statement read.

GTEC clarified that although honorary degrees serve to recognize exceptional achievement and service, recipients are not to incorporate these titles into their formal credentials or identities. The body emphasized that it is illegal to do so, noting that it undermines the integrity of the country’s academic system.

The Commission’s mandate, under Section 8 (3)(d) of Act 1023, includes regulating the use of academic titles and nomenclature. This includes terms such as “university,” “college,” “Emeritus,” “Professor,” “Doctor,” and “Chartered.”

GTEC appealed to the public, as well as institutions within Ghana’s higher education space, to uphold ethical standards in the conferral and usage of such honors. It also urged individuals to take personal responsibility and exercise restraint.

“To safeguard the integrity of Ghana’s higher education system and to uphold its deserved credibility and respect, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission demands that all stakeholders refrain from the misuse of honorary academic titles,” said Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, Director-General of GTEC.

The Commission concluded with a stern warning: institutions and individuals who persist in violating these guidelines risk facing regulatory sanctions.