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The Convention People’s Party (CPP) has appealed to the government, urging it to maintain the graves of three ex-servicemen—Sergeant Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe, and Private Odartey Lamptey—who were pivotal in the fight against colonialism and played a significant role in Ghana’s journey towards independence.

In a press release, the CPP highlighted the bravery and sacrifice of these three gallant men, who were brutally slain while demanding their just wages after fighting for the British in the Second World War.

The party emphasized the importance of honouring their legacy and ensuring that their contributions are not forgotten.

The CPP commended successive governments for their efforts in honouring these heroes but called for additional measures to be taken.

The party urged the state to maintain the graves of Sergeant Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe, and Private Odartey Lamptey, cater for their direct descendants, and renovate their family houses to serve as tourist sites.

Furthermore, the CPP suggested that a posthumous promotion for these heroes would be fitting, as has been done for other personnel who demonstrated exceptional heroism of national repute. The party appealed to the current government to consider this request and take appropriate action.

The CPP concluded by expressing its best wishes to all Ghanaians and reaffirming its commitment to making Ghana a haven of freedom, justice, and prosperity for all.”

The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced plans to deliver what they term as the “True State of the Nation Address” on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.

This move comes in response to President John Dramani Mahama’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered on February 27, 2025, which the NPP claims omitted critical national issues and misrepresented the current state of Ghana.

In a statement dated February 28, the NPP criticized President Mahama’s address for lacking a comprehensive and accurate assessment of the nation’s trajectory since he took office on January 7, 2025.

The party highlighted several pressing issues that were allegedly overlooked in the President’s speech, including deteriorating power supply, rising security challenges, increasing illegal mining activities, and a growing employment crisis.

“In light of this, the NPP, through its leadership in Parliament, led by Alexander Afenyo-Markin, will present the True State of the Nation’s Address to offer Ghanaians a factual and objective account of the nation’s condition,” part of the statement read.

Dr Mahama Tiah Abdul-Kabiru, Member of Parliament (MP) for Walewale has criticised the State of the Nation Address presented by the president, claiming it did not present anything new to the Ghanaian people.

Presenting his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) of his second term to Parliament in Accra on Thursday, February 27, President John Dramani Mahama painted a grim picture of the country’s finances, pointing to unsustainable debt levels and mismanagement of key state institutions.

Mahama disclosed that Ghana’s public debt has soared to GHS721 billion, placing immense pressure on the country’s economy. He further highlighted the dire financial condition of major state-owned enterprises, including the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), both of which are struggling under heavy debt burdens.

But speaking on The Big Issue on Channel One TV on Saturday, Dr Abdul-Kabiru emphasised that the country’s debt situation has been a long-standing issue, and the president’s address merely repackaged old information.

Dr Abdul-Kabiru recalled that the country sought assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) due to debt stress, with a debt-to-GDP ratio of about 80% at the time.

He noted that this ratio has since decreased to around 70-72%, thanks to the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) and foreign restructuring efforts.

According to him, the debt situation is not new, and the president’s portrayal of it as more dire than before is misleading.

He further argued that the debt levels have improved following the painful process of debt restructuring, and the president’s address should have acknowledged this progress instead of creating a sense of heightened crisis.

Dr Abdul-Kabiru therefore accused the president of playing with the truth and urged the government to be more transparent about the country’s financial situation.

“The State of the Nation Address presented by the president did not present anything new that the Ghanaian people haven’t been presented with. You recall that it is on the back of the debt stress that the country went for the IMF programme. As at then we were doing debt to GDP of 80%. That has even come down now to 72% or 70% thereabout. So the numbers as to the debt situation is not something new.

“If the president is telling the good people of Ghana that as at the time we were doing the IMF negotiation and the debt issue was at the centre of this whole discussion his team were not following that discussion that will be pardoned but debt and debt stress has never been an issue that is new to the country.

“As a matter of fact, our debt levels have come down following the DDEP and foreign restructuring programme where the country had to go through a painful processes of debt restructuring. So, it is not anything new and if it is now being brought and repacked as if that the situation is even more dire than before. That is playing with the truth,” the Walewale MP said.

President John Dramani Mahama has cautioned that the Hajj pilgrimage should not be treated as a profit-making venture but rather as a religious and spiritual journey for Muslims.

Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony for the new Hajj Village on Friday, February 28, the President emphasized that any excess funds from the Hajj process should be channelled into projects benefiting Zongo communities.

“This year, we set up a task force to manage the Hajj because, after assuming office, we realized that the time before the pilgrimage was too short. So, we brought competent people together, led by Alhaji Collins Dauda, to organize this year’s Hajj. After this, we will constitute the Hajj Board and appoint its chairman,” President Mahama stated.

He further stressed that the Hajj must not be commercialized.

“I have instructed the task force that the Hajj is not a business and should not be structured for profit. The Hajj Board and Task Force must not aim to make a profit. If even one cedi remains after the Hajj, it should be donated to the poor or used for a project within the Hajj community,” he added.

The President’s statement comes amid ongoing Hajj preparations, as the Task Force urges all prospective pilgrims and accredited Hajj agents to complete payments and other required procedures within the stipulated timeline, which is March 13, 2025.

To facilitate a smooth pilgrimage, the Task Force has introduced measures to assist fully paid pilgrims in acquiring their passports with ease.

Accredited Hajj agents are encouraged to take advantage of this initiative to streamline the process for their clients.

Additionally, in a move to make the pilgrimage more accessible, the Task Force recently reduced the 2025 Hajj package fee from GHS 75,000 to GHS 62,000. This reduction aims to provide financial relief and enable more Ghanaian Muslims to fulfil their religious obligation.

The Special Prosecutor has made a chilling revelation about the grave dangers that come with his role, stating emphatically that his security risk is “ultra high.”

Speaking at the Constitution Day Public Lecture, the Special Prosecutor painted a stark picture of the perils faced by himself and his team in their relentless fight against corruption.

“The position of Special Prosecutor is a thankless job. It fetches you droves of enemies daily and brings you into direct confrontation with the lowest forms of debasement in humans. You do not go asking for it; it finds you,” he stated, underscoring the precarious nature of his work.

“The paradox surrounding the role of the Special Prosecutor is evident: while the public clamors for accountability and the eradication of corruption, resistance surfaces the moment the scrutiny is directed at particular individuals or groups.

“Everyone wants the Special Prosecutor to do his job, yet no one wants the Special Prosecutor to do his job. It all depends on the subject of the investigation,” he remarked, highlighting the entrenched reluctance to submit to the mechanisms of justice.

According to the Special Prosecutor, the backlash from corruption investigations is fierce and unrelenting.

“Though we accept that we need to rein in corruption, no one wants to yield freely to scrutiny. No one happily accedes to indictment. No one welcomes investigations. No one wants to be called out as a suspect in corruption-related activities. And so, there is always a strong pushback, intended to deflect focus from scrutiny and accountability,” he said.

That pushback, he noted, manifests in various ways, including orchestrated attacks, smear campaigns, and vile publications aimed at discrediting the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).

More worrying, according to him, is the threats sometimes extended beyond mere reputational damage to life-threatening situations.

“Some of the enemies this job attracts will not hesitate to take a life should the opportunity present itself,” he warned, stressing that both he and his operational officers live under constant threat.

“Thus, my security risk is ultra high, and I have to perpetually be on the lookout for attacks on my person.”

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has been actively investigating high-profile cases, including an inquiry into four corruption investigations such as the National Cathedral project and Strategic Mobilization Limited (SML).