The leadership of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Upper East Region has suspended 17 additional members, bringing the total number of suspended members in the region to 23.
This follows the earlier suspension of six executives from the Pusiga Constituency. The latest suspensions include 16 current and former executives from the Tempane Constituency and one individual from the Builsa South Constituency.
Speaking to Citi News on Wednesday, March 5, Jambeidu Ibrahim, one of the suspended members from Tempane, accused former Deputy Attorney General and NPP parliamentary candidate for the constituency, Joseph Kpemka, of orchestrating their suspension.
A 22-year-old welder has been sentenced to 18 years imprisonment with hard labour by the Asante Akropong Circuit Court in the Atwima Nwabiagya North District for robbery at Asaase Bokankye, near Akropong.
In the case presided over by Gloria Mensha Bonsu, Williams Amoateng pleaded guilty and was convicted on his plea by the court.
Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Evans Baaba Ayimbisah told the court that the complainant, Blessing Owusu, is a tricycle rider and resident of Atwima Agogo. The convict, Amoateng, and his accomplice, identified only as Jolley, who is currently at large, reside at Asaase Bokankye.
On February 25, 2025, at about 8:00 p.m., Owusu was operating his tricycle (commonly known as pragia), with registration number M-2023-AS 2221, as part of his routine transport business in Abuakwa and its surrounding areas.
Amoateng and his accomplice engaged Owusu’s services to transport them to Asaase Bokankye. However, Amoateng ordered the complainant to stop during the journey, and he complied.
According to the prosecution, the two men alighted from the tricycle, picked up a stick and a stone, and threatened to harm Owusu if he refused to hand over his tricycle, valued at GH¢46,000, along with his day’s earnings of GH¢750.
The criminals took the vehicle and cash and fled the scene.
On February 27, 2025, Owusu spotted Amoateng at Asaase Bokankye and raised an alarm. With the assistance of bystanders, Amoateng was apprehended and handed over to the Pokukrom Police.
During interrogation, Amoateng admitted to the crime in his caution statement, revealing that he had sold the stolen tricycle to an individual at Kumasi-Alabar. meanwhile, when police accompanied him to the location, he was unable to identify the buyer.
Following investigations, he was charged with robbery and arraigned before the court, where he was found guilty and sentenced accordingly.
Ghana is set to revive its oil palm industry as Oro Oil Ghana has secured a 10-year partnership with Nigerian investors to enhance production, expand markets, and modernize farming techniques. The collaboration aims to reduce reliance on traditional methods and improve smallholder farmers’ incomes.
Beyond trade, the strategic partnership will bring Nigerian oil palm investments, expertise, and machinery to complement Ghana’s favorable environment for large-scale cultivation.
With over 10,000 hectares of plantation land, an affordable and abundant workforce, and access to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Ghana is poised for significant industry growth.
Years of neglect and insufficient strategic investment have led to a decline in Ghana’s oil palm production. According to the Oil Palm Development Association of Ghana, the country’s oil palm export for 2024 dropped by more than 50%.
For the Nigerian counterparts, a growth and export-driven strategy for Ghana must include adherence to international best practices to attract investors and boost market confidence.
Nigeria currently consumes approximately three million metric tons of palm oil annually, with Oro Oil Ghana being the largest exporter of Ghanaian palm oil to Nigeria.
According to the CEO of Oro Oil Ghana Limited, Maxwell Commey, the sector’s decline is due to a lack of support, poor planting materials, and a technological gap.
Speaking at the National Economic Dialogue 2025 at the Accra International Conference Centre, which brought together economic experts, policymakers, and industry leaders, Mr. Commey highlighted Ghana’s current cultivation of about 100,000 hectares. He emphasized that this new partnership would mobilize investors and industry resources from Nigeria.
He further noted that the initiative would create employment opportunities, generating 40,000 direct jobs across the value chain while contributing to GDP growth, industrialization, and knowledge transfer in Ghana.
Mr. Commey also reiterated the need for a government-backed land bank initiative to improve production and bridge the supply gap of approximately 250,000 metric tons.
“This partnership aims to foster growth in Ghana’s palm oil industry and establish mutually beneficial cooperation. This is indeed a confidence booster for Oro Oil Ghana Limited and the economy at large,” Maxwell Commey stated.
He also urged the government to provide stronger support to the sector to harness its full potential within local and regional markets.
The two-day National Economic Dialogue 2025, chaired by President John Mahama, is centered on the theme: “Resetting Ghana: Building the Economy We Want Together.”
ospong Group of Companies (JGC) and The Gambia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to replicate its African tailored waste management solution in The Gambia.
This move is seen as an “African solution to an African challenge.”
The signing ceremony was led by the Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, Honourable Rohey John Manjang and Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong, Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group, at a brief but significant ceremony in Accra on Monday, March 3, 2025. According to Madam Manjang, there was the need for Africa to devise homegrown solutions to its challenges, stating her ambition to build a waste treatment plant in The Gambia within six months through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
“I know, for Africa to go forward with our limited resources, we need to be innovative in making sure that we fix our problems. We cannot just say that we do not have money,” she said. This follows a five-day duty tour of the Waste Management facilities of the Jospong Group in Ghana by a high-powered 12-Member Gambian government delegation made up of the Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, Members of their Nationl Assembly (Parliament), Council Members and technical team from their National Environment Agency.
She argued that governments cannot do things alone and must bring the private sector on board. “…that was why I set for myself a 6-month target, up to June, to build a waste management unit with PPP for The Gambia,” she noted. Hon. Manjang assured that the signing of the MoU marked the beginning of a concrete roadmap for implementing a comprehensive waste management solution for the Gambia.
“What we saw this past three days was amazing; it broke our heart for the simple reason that I could not have imagined the solution that the Western countries and institutions proposed with its inherent debt was right here with us in Africa, which does not require much feasibility because this is an African made solution. she lamented.
While envisioning possible challenges, she remained committed to the fact that the dream is achievable. “It is doable, it is workable, it is achievable, and we can do it in The Gambia… what we saw is an all-inclusive solution, it’s from start to finish,” she intimated.
Hon. Manjang was full of praise for the Jospong Group, expressing admiration for their innovative approaches and highlighting the Group’s comprehensive and entrepreneurial spirit.
She called for a collective effort and innovation to enable Africa move forward. “For Africa to go forward, it takes the private sector. It takes a leader to design the future, and it takes the followers to reach the destination,” she indicated.
For his part, the Executive Chairman of JGC, Dr. Jospeh Siaw Agyepong, attributed the progress of his group to divine orchestration. He shared his encounter with the Vice President of The Gambia, which led to the MoU signing. “When ideas marry strategy, the product is money, so money is the son of strategy and ideas. What we need in Africa is ideas and strategy, not money,” he said. Dr. Siaw Agyepong also noted that Africa’s reliance on foreign aid had hindered its progress, cautioning that “If over the years, we’ve been happy with grants and loans, today Donald Trump has told us that we should go and develop our minerals.” He, therefore, encouraged Africa to take charge of its development, citing examples of countries like Rwanda that had made significant progress through determination and innovation.
He further explained that the continent’s over-reliance on foreign aid had led to a lack of determination and innovation. “Collective determination and commitment is what has birthed what is happening in the waste management sector of Ghana,” he noted.
He expressed optimism about the project’s potential for success in The Gambia, urging Gambians to work together to achieve their goals.
Prior to the signing of the MoU, The Gambian delegation, led by Hon. Manjang, paid a courtesy visit to Ghana’s Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Honourable Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, as part of their four-day visit to Ghana.
During the visit, the delegation took the opportunity to tour Jospong’s facilities in Accra and Kumasi, showcasing the company’s expertise in waste management and other environmental service solutions.
At the meeting with The Gambian delegation, Hon. Murtala Mohammed urged The Gambian government to safeguard Ghanaian investors, highlighting the long-standing bond between the two nations.
“The relationship between Ghana and Gambia predates independence. Our former Presidents, Kwame Nkrumah and Sir Dawda Jawara, were friends and comrades in the struggle for independence,” he noted.
According to him, investments will only flow when investors feel safe and their investments are secured.
He advised Jospong to be a good corporate citizen in The Gambia, saying, “You must ensure that your operations promote Ghana and protect the safety of Ghanaians in Gambia.”
“You are not just representing Jospong Group, but Ghana. Your operations should promote Ghana, and we will ensure that you do not embarrass Ghana because the country’s image is on the line,” Hon. Murtala Muhammed firmly assured.
Hon. Murtala Muhammed highlighted Jospong Group’s success in addressing sanitation challenges in Ghana.
“Jospong Group has been instrumental in keeping Ghana clean. Assuming we didn’t have Jospong, what would have happened to Ghana?” He asked.
Honourable Rohey John Manjang, The Gambian Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, acknowledged the commonalities between Ghana and Gambia, stating that relying on Ghana to solve Gambia’s environmental challenges was apt.
“We have a lot in common with Ghana, and we believe that by working together, we can find solutions to our environmental challenges,” she said.
She noted that adopting environmentally friendly waste management practices was crucial, citing the growing population’s detrimental impact on the environment.
“As our population grows, it’s causing environmental issues. We must manage waste in a way that’s friendly to the environment,” she said.
The Gambian delegation also visited key installations of Jospong Group, including the Accra Composting and Recycling Plant (ACARP), Kumasi Compost and Recycling Plant, the Plastic Recycling Plant, Zoomlion Waste Transfer Station, and the Kpone Re-engineered Landfill site among others.
To scale up efforts to address the challenges of clean water scarcity and inadequate sanitation infrastructure that continue to affect many rural and peri-urban areas in the country, World Vision Ghana and Interplast Ghana have partnered to address such issues.
As part of this collaboration, Interplast has provided HDPE and UPVC pipes and fittings to support the construction of a modified NSUPA solar-powered, mechanized water system.
Developed by World Vision Ghana, the NSUPA Model is an innovative homegrown solution aimed at delivering safe and sustainable water services to communities, institutions, and households.
The system features a submersible pump with accessories, Solar modules mounted on a 4-meter concrete tower, a 10,000-liter storage tank, A HDPE pipe network and Civil works, including standpipes and a permanent handwashing station.
By leveraging solar energy, the NSUPA Model ensures efficient water delivery while promoting sustainability in vulnerable communities. Speaking at the MoU signing, Jean-Claude Mukadi, National Director of World Vision Ghana, highlighted the significance of the collaboration in addressing water access challenges.
“Despite our efforts, research indicates that between 30 to 40 per cent of WASH facilities in Africa are either non-functional or operate below capacity due to poor design, inadequate construction, and management challenges. This partnership with Interplast Ghana will help address some of these technical barriers, ensuring that more communities have access to clean, safe water,” Jean-Claude Mukadi explained.
With operations in 14 out of 16 regions in Ghana, World Vision Ghana continues to impact approximately 100,000 people annually by improving access to clean water, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 ensuring clean water and sanitation for all.
The collaboration between World Vision Ghana and Interplast Ghana signals a shared commitment to building resilient communities, where every child and family has access to clean water and improved sanitation.
Inflation rate eased marginally in February to 23.1%, down from 23.5% recorded in January 2025
This marks the second consecutive decline this year. It was driven by a decline in food prices, according to the Ghana Statistical Service.
The drop was as a result of a reduction in food inflation, which stood at 28.1%, while non-food inflation remained at 18.8%.
From a regional perspective, the Upper West Region recorded the highest inflation rate at 35.5%, while the Volta Region posted the lowest at 18.1%.
“In the last four months, you’ve seen consistent decline in food inflation on a month-on-month basis, declining by 2.0 percentage points between November 2024 and February 2025”, Government Statistician, Prof. Samuel Kobina Anim said.
With inflation on a downward trend, analysts suggest the development could influence a potential policy rate cut by the Bank of Ghana, as it seeks to balance economic growth with price stability.
The Majority in Parliament says the Minority caucus will remain in opposition for a long time, citing the perceived poor performance of the Akufo-Addo government.
The caucus argues that the economic challenges inherited from the previous government are still a concern for Ghanaians, and questions the Minority’s criticism of the current government, which has been in office for two months.
During a debate on President Mahama’s State of the Nation Address, Deputy Majority Leader Kweku Ricketts-Hagan criticised the Akufo-Addo government’s borrowing practices, which he believes contributed to economic hardship.
“From President Nana Akufo-Addo on his state of the nation, the last one was quite laughable that we should make sure we don’t default. A president who has presided over overborrowing, who has unilaterally decided not to pay its debts from 2022, who was not paying any interest, was telling us, was telling president Mahama that he should not default.
“You have found your voices early and you have to take your time. Ghanaians have not forgotten. You will be in opposition for a very long time,” he said.
An 11-year-old boy had the soles of his feet slashed with a knife by his father, Gershon Alaglo, a taxi driver and commercial motor rider, for abandoning school to visit the beach.
The incident, which occurred on Friday, February 28, 2025, at Viepe in the Ketu South District of the Volta Region, left the boy bedridden and receiving home treatment.
According to Deborah Ankrah, the victim’s mother, the boy was given money by his father to attend school but instead went to the beach.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), she explained that when the victim returned home from the beach, his father slashed the underside of his feet with a knife, rendering him unable to walk.
She added that at the time of the incident, she was in Accra. Upon hearing the news, she rushed to Viepe, only to find her son bedridden and in distress.
When GNA contacted the father, Alaglo, he admitted to the act, stating that he overreacted out of anger.
According to him, his son’s truancy had become a recurring issue. He explained that the boy left home on Thursday morning for school but instead skipped classes and went to the beach to swim, returning home at around 4:00 a.m. on Friday.
Alaglo further stated that after punishing his son for about an hour, he used a kitchen knife to cut the underside of his foot as a warning to prevent future misbehaviour.
He added that he later took the boy to a health centre for treatment before the mother transported him to Accra.
The incident has sparked outrage in the community, with many residents condemning the act as child abuse and calling for justice. Some have demanded the arrest of the taxi driver.
Meanwhile, the Aflao Police Command has confirmed the incident and is expected to take further action.
Former Majority Leader and Suame MP, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has shed light on the internal politics within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that led to his removal, paving the way for Alexander Afenyo-Markin to assume the role.
Speaking in an interview on Asempa FM on Tuesday, March 4, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu disclosed that he had been warned in advance about the president’s intentions to remove him as the majority leader.
“Some of my colleagues, about 80 MPs informed me ahead of time that the president wanted me out. Many MPs encouraged me to fight back, assuring me of their support,” he revealed.
However, he chose to step down to avoid deepening divisions within the party. “I didn’t want to be the eye of any storm in the party. I felt I had had enough so I decided to resign and I said it there and then.”
Narrating the incident, he recalled an emergency meeting convened by President Akufo-Addo before the elections, at a time when John Dramani Mahama had yet to announce his running mate.
According to Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the president was concerned about the NPP’s declining influence in the Central Region and the need for a leader who could strengthen their position.
“The president argued that the NDC was gaining ground in the Central Region, especially with Naana Opoku-Agyemang likely to be Mahama’s running mate and Ato Forson taking up the Minority Leader position,” he stated.
Akufo-Addo, he claimed, saw Afenyo-Markin, who hails from the Central Region, as a more strategic choice to counter the NDC’s growing influence.
“Most MPs disagreed with this reasoning, but I saw where things were headed. Rather than make things more complicated, I stepped aside,” he added.
Deputy Finance Minister-designate, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, has assured that the government will not introduce new taxes in the upcoming budget, despite concerns raised by the Minority.
The Minority had claimed that the government plans to impose new taxes to generate about 200 billion cedis this year.
However, Nyarko Ampem dismissed these concerns, stating that the government’s focus will be on improving tax compliance and expanding the tax base, rather than introducing additional levies.
“The Finance Minister has said this many times—we do not need to introduce new taxes to rake in more revenue. We are going to broaden the tax base. We are actually going to enhance compliance. And you will hear a lot of this in the budget when it is presented. And you’ll see.”
He also highlighted the need for Ghana to maximize its economic rent from industries, given the country’s limited access to international bond markets.
“In fact, he hinted that as a country, we are not taking advantage of the economic rent that we are supposed to generate revenue from through the exploiting of industry… To be honest with you, because we have been denied access to the international bond market, we have to do two things—enhance revenue and also manage expenditure,” he stated.
Nyarko Ampem reiterated that the budget, set to be presented to Parliament on March 11, will focus on strengthening domestic revenue mobilization without burdening citizens with new taxes.
