Category: Local News

The chiefs and people of Akyem Tafo have announced a ban on noise making, effective June 3 to June 17, 2025.

The directive forms part of preparations for this year’s Ohumkan Festival, which coincides with the 40th anniversary of the reign of the Tafohene, Daasebre Adusei Peasah.

The Ohumkan Festival, celebrated by the people of Tafo, is the first traditional festival to be observed in the Akyem Abuakwa State and marks the green light for the consumption of yam across Okyeman.

Speaking to the media, the Kyidomhene of Akyem Tafo, Nana Adepa Amponsah Yeboah, said this year’s festival promises to be memorable as it honours both tradition and the leadership of Daasebre Adusei Peasah.

According to Nana Adepa Amponsah Yeboah, the Tafohene’s four-decade reign has been marked by impactful leadership across various sectors including education, sanitation, agriculture, and social interventions.

The week-long celebration will showcase the rich culture of the people of Akyem Tafo and Okyeman.

The main durbar, scheduled for June 21, will be preceded by a series of activities including an inter-school’s quiz competition, musical jams, a cooking contest, football matches, and a traditional and cultural day.

Accra is facing a looming health crisis as all landfill sites within the city have reached full capacity, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has warned.

The alarming update was revealed during a recent working visit by the Parliamentary Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources to assemblies in the Greater Accra Region.

Director of Waste Management at the AMA, Engineer Solomon Noi, attributed the worsening situation to the absence of engineered landfill sites and inadequate waste disposal infrastructure.

“We used to dump at a place called Nsumia in Ga West, near Blue Skies. Once that quarry site was filled, we moved to Nsawam. Nsawam Adoagyiri was also using it until it evolved into a joint site for the Greater Accra and Eastern regions, which is now privately managed by West Landforce,” he said.

Mr. Noi disclosed that the only engineered landfill site available is located at Kpone, while a new site is being considered at Ayidan in the Ga South Municipality.

“There are important environmental factors to consider before siting a landfill. Apart from the one at Kpone and the proposed site at Ayidan, there are no engineered sites available for safe waste disposal,” he stressed.

Mr. Noi warned that without swift government intervention, Accra could soon face a severe disease outbreak.

“We’re transporting waste from Accra to distant sites, but these sites are not engineered. When it rains, leachate seeps into rivers and depressions and eventually flows back into the city, posing a significant health risk,” he said.

He also raised concerns about the handling of medical and sanitary waste, highlighting the role of waste pickers — many of whom are migrants from neighbouring countries — in spreading infections.

“All the hospital and healthcare waste ends up at the same dumping sites, mixing with general waste. These waste pickers often collect and return to the city, which contributes to recurring outbreaks of diseases like cholera and typhoid,” he explained.

To curb the looming health threat, Mr. Noi recommended the construction of a modern intermediate waste treatment facility.

“The sustainable solution is for government to invest in an intermediate treatment facility — specifically, a state-of-the-art incineration plant — to handle non-recyclables such as baby diapers, sanitary pads, and healthcare waste,” he said.

“Pathogens would be destroyed in the furnace before the bottom ash is transferred to a landfill site. That’s how we break the cycle of disease infection,” Mr. Noi added.

The Ghana Police Service has launched a manhunt for suspected armed robbers who shot and killed two police officers in Binduri in the Upper East Region.

The tragic incident occurred at Poyamirea, near the outskirts of Binduri, where the officers, who were in plain clothes and riding a private motorbike, were reportedly ambushed while traveling from Bongo to Binduri.

According to preliminary investigations, the attackers opened fire on the officers and made away with their motorbike.

Authorities have withheld the names of the deceased officers to allow for proper notification of their families, in accordance with customary practices.

In a statement issued by the Public Affairs Directorate of the Ghana Police Service, the police administration extended its condolences to the bereaved families and assured the public of swift action.

The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has issued a 21-day ultimatum to all Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the Greater Accra Region to remove outdoor advertising billboards mounted on pedestrian bridges and vehicular footbridges.

This directive comes amid rising concerns over non-compliance with the Services-Advertising Specification for Outdoor Signs (GS: 847:2019), which states clearly that “the primary and sole function of road or bridge arches/gantries shall be for traffic management.”

In a statement, the NRSA said the move is intended to improve road safety by eliminating visual distractions and ensuring that critical road infrastructure is used appropriately.

“We are taking this action to reduce visual distractions on our roads and ensure that structures like footbridges and overpasses serve their intended purpose—safe and efficient traffic management,” the Authority noted.

Assemblies have been given a 21-day window to comply, after which the NRSA said it would initiate enforcement actions against any defaulters.

“This is not just a regulatory requirement, it’s about protecting lives. Advertising cannot come at the cost of road safety,” the statement added, stressing that the directive is in the best interest of public safety.

Mahama Fuseini has been confirmed as the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the Central Gonja District in the Savannah Region.

His confirmation took place on Monday, April 14, 2025, following a vote by assembly members.​

Out of the 43 votes cast, Fuseini received 42 ‘Yes’ votes and one ‘No’ vote, representing approximately 98% approval from the assembly members.​

In his acceptance speech, Fuseini pledged to advance the development agenda of President John Dramani Mahama within the Central Gonja District.

His nomination was part of a broader list of appointments made by President Mahama, which included several other nominees across various regions. These nominations were announced in late March 2025 and were pending approval by their respective assemblies.

The Weija Municipal Assembly says it is putting measures in place to protect lives and property ahead of the anticipated spillage of the Weija Dam.

In an interview with Citi News, Municipal Director Bernard Mats Yingura revealed that a stakeholder meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday to outline the necessary plans and preparations.

He noted that while the spillage is expected to be controlled, residents living in communities near the dam must remain vigilant to avoid any potential damage.

“I know that this is a planned spillage—not one that will take Ghana Water Limited by surprise. Certainly, this should be a controlled one so that they get the level they want, so that it won’t necessarily have any adverse impact on other settlements,” he said.

Yingura advised residents and those whose activities take place near the dam to exercise caution.

“They should be cautious within the moment, and people whose activity takes place in areas where the water could affect should be able to stay away—especially those who work at the banks of the river. They don’t have to be taken by surprise.”

He added that community engagement efforts would follow the stakeholder meeting to ensure everyone is informed.

“I know that after the stakeholders meeting, some engagements will go on. Because people are farming or canoeing on the river without knowing that the tides are coming. The timetable should come out fast, and the date for opening the dam should be announced by vans to make people aware,” he stated.

In a decisive move to tighten oversight of Ghana’s artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) gold trade, the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has announced that all existing gold trading licenses issued by the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) or the Minister for Mines—except those held by large-scale mining companies—are no longer valid.

This new directive is grounded in the Ghana Gold Board Act (Act 1140), passed by Parliament on March 29 and assented to by the President on April 2, 2025.

With immediate effect, GoldBod becomes the sole legal buyer, seller, assayer, and exporter of all gold produced by licensed ASM operators in Ghana—a sweeping reform aimed at curbing smuggling, streamlining trade, and ensuring full state oversight of the ASM sector.

“No person other than the Ghana Gold Board is permitted to export ASM gold from Ghana,” the statement emphasized.

To avoid operational disruptions, GoldBod has provided a transitional grace period. Individuals or companies holding licenses from the PMMC or the Minister may continue their operations until April 30, 2025. However, starting May 1, dealing in gold without a GoldBod-issued license will be considered a punishable offense.

In a move to assert monetary control and localize transactions, the statement further instructed all licensed local gold buyers to trade exclusively in Ghana cedis, using exchange rates referenced on the Bank of Ghana’s website.

Additionally, in a landmark shift, foreign nationals have been directed to exit the local ASM gold trading market by April 30, 2025. While foreigners may still apply to GoldBod to purchase gold directly, they will no longer be permitted to operate independently within the local ASM trade.

“It is worthy of note that it shall constitute a punishable offense for a person to purchase or deal in gold in the country without a license issued by the Ghana Gold Board, effective 1st May, 2025,” the statement added.

Ghanaians and fully Ghanaian-owned companies interested in entering the sector can apply for new licenses beginning April 22, 2025, either online or in person at the GoldBod Licensing and Regulations office in Accra.

This major regulatory overhaul is expected to enhance transparency, remove illicit actors, and boost government revenue from Ghana’s vibrant ASM gold sector, which accounts for over 30% of the nation’s gold output.

Eric Opoku, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, has attributed the failure of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) programme — introduced by the previous administration — to poor leadership and weak implementation structures.

The PFJ initiative was launched in 2017 under the erstwhile Akufo-Addo administration, with the goal of boosting the production of selected food crops and promoting agriculture as a profitable business venture.

However, according to the Minister, both Phase I and Phase II of the programme yielded limited results and failed to achieve the intended goal of ensuring national food security.

On Saturday, April 12, 2025, President John Dramani Mahama launched the Feed Ghana Programme, a new flagship initiative with similar goals to PFJ but with renewed strategies to drive food production, reduce imports, and ensure long-term food sufficiency.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, April 14, 2025, Mr. Opoku emphasized that the previous programme lacked the necessary leadership to drive meaningful outcomes.

“You know that when you have an agenda and you come to your strategies, one of your responsibility is to rally people behind the strategy to make it happen at all course.

“Once I have my agenda and I have made my strategies clear, it is my responsibility to mobilise the people around to ensure that it happens. If leadership decides not to be part of the implementation then certainly you wont get the result.

“But if you start giving out the right instruction and you monitor every stage of the implementation, the status quo will change. Otherwise, you end up sacking everybody and bringing in new people. But it is all about leadership.

“When you come to the ministry, you will see for yourself. Some of the people are willing to work but the leadership must be there to ensure that we get the best out of them,” he stated.

The Upper East Regional Minister, Donatus Akamugri Atanga, has dismissed growing calls for a state of emergency to be declared in Bawku, following a recent resurgence of violence in the area.

His remarks come after a violent confrontation on Thursday, April 10, between security personnel and some youth in Bawku, which reportedly resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries. The situation further escalated when the private residence of the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, was allegedly set ablaze.

In response to the renewed tensions, some stakeholders and residents have urged the government to declare a state of emergency as a means to restore calm.

However, Minister Akamugri disagrees, arguing that the current conditions do not justify such an intervention.

“It has been referred to an eminent chief to handle,” he stated.

Providing further context, he explained: “It is not like sporadic where every day they are fighting each other. It is an instance that sparks up issues and it is brought under control. It is not an all-war situation. So, why will [we] declare a state of emergency?” he questioned.