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Director of Advocacy and Policy Engagement at CDD Ghana, Dr. Kojo Pumpuni Asante, has called on Ghanaians to stay actively involved in government affairs beyond the election period.

Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show after the Citizens’ Expectations Townhall Meeting, Dr. Asante emphasized the importance of continuous citizen engagement in governance.

“When you give a mandate to a party to rule, once elected, it is no longer about politics because decisions made affect everyone, regardless of party affiliation. Many citizens disengage after elections, waiting for four years, but governance requires continuous vigilance,” he explained.

Dr. Asante urged citizens to stay informed about government actions and ensure leaders deliver on their promises.

He also shared that CDD Ghana plans to present findings to the government to serve as a benchmark for assessing its performance.

The next Citizens’ Expectations Townhall Meeting, which will focus on seniors and pensioners, is scheduled for March 20 at the GNAT Hall in Accra.

“So far, we have conducted ten town hall meetings across the country, and we plan to hold a national meeting soon, where we will present our findings to the government. This will serve as a reference point for evaluating government performance,” he said, encouraging Ghanaians to actively engage in the governance process.

Residents of parts of Community 3, Sakumono, Village, and other areas within the Tema West Metropolis are grappling with an ongoing water shortage that has severely affected food vendors, students, and households.

Frustrated by the situation, many residents have resorted to waking up at dawn in search of water.

They have called on the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) to address the issue and improve communication. In response, aspiring Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), Madam Editah Wilson, has deployed water tankers to provide relief to affected residents.

One beneficiary, Sylvester, told Adom News, “This has been the norm for months now; everyone is suffering,” expressing gratitude for the intervention.

Editah Wilson, the only female candidate among those vying for the MCE position under President John Dramani Mahama, acknowledged the persistence of the water crisis since last year. She mentioned that she had engaged with the Ghana Water Company, which assured her that the issue would be resolved soon.

In addition to tackling the water shortage, Madam Wilson pledged to address other pressing issues, including improving road networks, fixing traffic lights, and boosting revenue generation for the metropolis if appointed.

She assured residents that she would continue providing water support until a permanent solution is found.

A heated debate erupted in Parliament today over the proposed Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2462, which seeks to revoke the President’s authority to grant permission for mining in forest reserves.

Environment Minister Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Murtala was set to lay the instrument before the House, but disagreements between the Majority and Minority caucuses over procedural requirements stalled the process.

If passed, L.I. 2462 would strip the President of the power to approve mining licenses in forest reserves, a move aimed at tackling illegal small-scale mining, commonly known as galamsey.

However, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin insisted that the L.I. must undergo a pre-laying process before being formally introduced in Parliament.

Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga disagreed, arguing that the regulation is a straightforward, one-clause instrument that already has broad consensus.

“This was a major promise of President John Dramani Mahama and his government, and today, we are seeing its implementation to address galamsey in our forest reserves,” he stated.

“We are removing the President’s discretion to grant mining concessions in forest reserves. The minister is ready, the instrument is in the House, and we want to lay it.”

Education Minister and MP Haruna Iddrisu backed Ayariga’s stance, describing the galamsey crisis as a national emergency that requires swift action. He warned that delaying the L.I. would only worsen environmental destruction caused by illegal mining.

Former Lands Minister Samuel Abu Jinapor, however, pushed for further consultations before laying the L.I., a position supported by some Minority members who stressed the need to follow parliamentary procedures.

As the debate intensified, First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor ruled that a three-day pre-laying process must be observed. He directed the Subsidiary Legislation Committee to review the L.I. and report back by Thursday, March 20.

Until then, the laying of L.I. 2462 has been put on hold. The Deputy Speaker cautioned that if the committee fails to meet the deadline, he will allow the instrument to be laid without further delay.

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has recalled Grand Chateaux Sangria Forte products, specifically the Tetra Pak (250ml) and Canned (330ml Pétillante) variants, after discovering them on the Ghanaian market and social media promotions.

According to the FDA, the recall is necessary because the importer of these products violated Sections 97, 98, and 103 of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851), as they are not registered with the authority. As a result, the sale and distribution of these products are illegal.

Additionally, the FDA noted that the packaging and size of these products are deceptive and misleading, posing risks such as accidental alcohol ingestion by children, which could endanger their health and safety.

The authority has, therefore, advised consumers not to purchase or consume these unregistered products.

Retailers and wholesalers have also been directed to immediately halt the distribution and sale of these items.

“All stocks of the recalled products should be returned to the nearest outlets of Cave and Garden Ghana Limited or the FDA’s offices across the country,” the FDA announced in a statement.

Emphasizing its commitment to safeguarding public health and safety, the FDA stated that the importer has been sanctioned, and regulatory measures are being enforced to ensure compliance.

The public has been urged to report any information regarding the sale of these products through the FDA’s official communication channels, including www.fdaghana.gov.gh, phone lines (0551112224/5), or email ([email protected]).

Ghana’s fuel sector is heavily reliant on the international market, as the country imports over 98% of its fuel due to non-functional refineries, according to Nana Amoasi VIII, Executive Director of the Institute for Energy Security (IES).

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Tuesday, March 18, he highlighted how global market conditions dictate domestic fuel prices.

“Happenings in the world market are holding well for our domestic market in terms of price,” he noted. “If the world market price falls, then, of course, there’s a likelihood that domestic fuel prices will also fall.”

However, he stressed that Ghana’s overwhelming dependence on imports makes it highly susceptible to fluctuations in the international market.

“There are probably three or four key variables we look at when we want to predict or forecast the price of fuels in our domestic market,” he explained. “One of the biggest factors is the international price of these fuels because we are largely exposed to external events.”

He attributed Ghana’s reliance on fuel imports to the failure of its refineries.

“Our refineries are not working, except for some like Akwaaba and Platon, which do less than probably 1,000 metric tons per day,” he revealed.

“Tema Oil Refinery is not working, Sentuo Refinery is not working. So we import almost more than 98% of our fuel.”

This heavy dependence on imports exposes Ghana to global shocks, he stressed.

“Whatever happens on the world market hits us here also,” he stated, adding that currency exchange challenges further compound the situation.

“We import in dollars because the fuel we buy is in dollars, the crude oil we buy is equally in dollars, but we sell in cedis,” he explained.

He warned that the depreciation of the local currency worsens the crisis.

“If the importing currency, the dollar, is behaving stronger than our own local currency, at which we sell our fuel and exchange for the next consignment, then, of course, we are also losing at that end.”

His remarks highlight Ghana’s vulnerability in the fuel sector and the urgent need to revamp local refining capacity to reduce dependence on imports and cushion the economy from global market shocks.

The leadership of the Volta River Authority (VRA) Senior Staff Association (SSA) and the VRA Divisional Union of the Public Services Workers Union (PSWU) of TUC has strongly opposed the alleged appointment of R.A. Abdul Jalil as Director of Public Affairs for VRA.

In a statement, the staff groups described the appointment as irregular and a violation of the authority’s recruitment policies and established procedures.

They argued that managerial and directorate positions at VRA are not political appointments and must follow a merit-based selection process.

The staff also cited breaches of the Senior Staff Conditions of Service and the PSWU Collective Agreement, stressing that the appointment disregards the experience and institutional knowledge of long-serving VRA employees.

They have called on the Acting Chief Executive of VRA to resist any external pressure to enforce the appointment and urged the Minister of Energy and Green Transition to withdraw it immediately to avoid disrupting industrial harmony.

VRA workers vowed to use all legitimate means to resist what they describe as a political imposition, reaffirming their commitment to protecting the authority’s professionalism and integrity.