Category: Local News

The Ghana Mine Workers Union has expressed dissatisfaction with the management of the Precious Minerals Marketing Company over plans to terminate the employment of approximately 50 staff members.

The union has initiated discussions with management to address the issue, following a government directive ordering the termination of appointments made after December 7, 2024.

General Secretary of the Ghana Mine Workers Union, Abdul Moomin Gbana, stated that the union will strongly oppose any action that contravenes labor laws.

“In respect of PMMC, there has been some contemplation of a kind. They have indicated to the union, what we have told them as a preliminary response is that look, the laws are available, ensure that whatever your intentions are, you do so in accordance with the law.

“Anything contrary to law, the Ghana Mine Workers Union will resist it. Even though these recruitments were done, and the timing was clearly not the best, it is also not the reason why the current government should go down a similar route.”

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Member of Parliament for Ofoase Ayirebi, has urged Ghanaians to approach President John Dramani Mahama’s economic promises with scepticism, pointing to his past struggles in resolving the country’s persistent power crisis, known as “dumsor.”

His remarks come in response to President Mahama’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday, February 27, 2025, where the president pledged to restore economic stability and drive national growth.

“I, John Dramani Mahama, will fix the economic crisis confronting our country and reset it on a path of growth and prosperity,” Mahama assured in his address.

However, speaking on Eyewitness News, Oppong Nkrumah, a former Minister for Information, questioned Mahama’s ability to deliver on these commitments, citing his previous administration’s handling of economic and energy sector challenges.

“Every Ghanaian knows that in 2016, there was dumsor despite the fact that he said in January 2016 that he would fix dumsor, there was still dumsor. If President Mahama today tells us that just like he fixed Dumsor, he would fix the economy, when every Ghanaians knows that in 20216 there was dumsor, then every Ghanaian can extrapolate that all the promises that you have just outlined; the promises of July 2024 which he repeated today as something he will live by then it suggests to us that we are in for a very difficult time,” he stated.

The Member of Parliament for Assin South, Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, has confirmed that proponents of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill have reintroduced it to Parliament for consideration.

The bill, which seeks to prohibit LGBT activities and criminalize their promotion, advocacy, and funding, was passed by the 8th Parliament but did not receive Presidential assent under President Akufo-Addo’s administration.

In an interview with Citi News on Thursday, February 27, Ntim Fordjour urged President John Dramani Mahama to give his assent to the bill once it is passed by the current Parliament.

“Myself, Sam George, Hon Bedzrah, Hon Alhassan Tampuli, Hon Abdul Kabiru, Hon Ekow Vincent—we have reintroduced it and so it is to support the speedy passage of the bill so that he can assent to it. It has been admitted. It has been received and so the processes are going to be set in motion.

“But it is the same bill so it is not expected that it is going to delay at all. The chiefs, our imams, our clergymen, and the coalition who supported us are still supporting us strongly.

“The speaker is in support and therefore it is expected that it will be passed quickly,” he stated.

A 33-year-old mobile money vendor has been shot dead by unidentified persons at Manso-Asamang in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region.

The deceased, Augustine Mensah, was reportedly called by one of his customers to perform a transaction after closing for the day on Wednesday, February 26, 2025.

However, he was shot by unidentified persons while returning home after attending to the customer.

A passerby rushed him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His death comes exactly two weeks after a young woman, Patricia Nimako, who was in her early thirties, was shot and killed at her mobile money vending shop in Krofrom, in the Kumasi Metropolis.

Patricia Nimako was laid to rest on Thursday, February 27, 2025, but no arrests have been made despite the bereaved family’s continued demand for justice.

The latest incident at Manso-Asamang has left residents in a state of shock and mourning.

Police have begun investigations into the incident.

An opinion leader in the area, Stephen Agyei, who confirmed the incident to Citi News, said the body has been deposited at St. Martin’s Hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy

President John Dramani Mahama has emphasized the importance of strengthening international partnerships and fostering global cooperation to address shared challenges and improve the quality of life for citizens worldwide.

Speaking at the New Year Greetings with the Diplomatic Corps on Thursday, February 27, 2025, President Mahama highlighted the significance of diplomacy in building lasting relationships and promoting mutual growth.

“This meeting with the members of the diplomatic corps represents a new hope for partnership and the promise of new beginnings in the year 2025,” the President stated.

“On this occasion, we reaffirm our commitment to nurturing the bonds of friendship, cooperation, and goodwill that exist between Ghana and your respective countries.”

President Mahama underscored the interconnectedness of nations in today’s globalized world, noting that the fates of countries are deeply intertwined.

He stressed that the relationships forged today will have a lasting impact on the trajectory of nations and the well-being of their people.

“In today’s globalized and complex world, our fates are inextricably intertwined, and this fact cannot be overstated. The relationships that we forge will ripple through time, influencing the trajectory of our nations and the quality of life of our people,” he added.

The event, which brought together diplomats from various countries, served as an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of the past year and set the tone for collaborative efforts in 2025.

Former Deputy Finance Minister, Abena Osei Asare, has strongly criticized President John Dramani Mahama’s first State of the Nation Address (SONA) of his second term, accusing him of failing to set a clear governance agenda.

President Mahama, in his address on Thursday, February 27, 2025, painted a bleak picture of the Ghanaian economy and pledged to restore stability.

However, Osei Asare, who is also the Member of Parliament for Atiwa East, dismissed the speech as filled with “populist promises, economic doom-saying, and blame-shifting.”

She also took issue with the President’s lack of clarity on how he plans to fund his proposed social intervention programs.

“President John Dramani Mahama’s first State of the Nation Address (SONA) was expected to set the tone for his administration’s governance agenda. Instead, it was a predictable mix of economic doom-saying, political blame-shifting, and populist promises without a credible funding plan.

“In addition to creating a gloomy picture of the economy he has inherited, the President has outlined heavy expansionary fiscal policies that, at best, may be considered populist and unsustainable. It is ironic that, on the one hand, the President describes the economy as being in an intensive care unit (ICU), yet, on the other hand, he is pushing for massive new social intervention programs without indicating how they will be financed.’

President John Dramani Mahama has announced a crackdown on individuals involved in the National Service ‘ghost names’ scandal, a major case of financial fraud that has cost Ghana millions of cedis in stolen public funds. Delivering the State of the Nation Address on Thursday, February 27, President Mahama disclosed that he has instructed investigative bodies to trace and freeze the assets of all persons suspected to be involved in the fraudulent scheme.

Additionally, those who have fled the country will be declared wanted as part of efforts to ensure full accountability and recovery of stolen funds.

“As part of Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL), I have already tasked our investigative bodies to bring the culprits of the National Service ghost names to justice. Such brazen theft of public funds must not go unpunished. It is estimated that more than 80,000 ghost names could have yielded the suspects over GH¢50 million every month.

“Unfortunately some of these suspects have absconded the country already and I have directed that they be declared wanted and their assets traced and frozen until investigations are completed.”

The scandal, which was uncovered following a nationwide audit of the National Service Authority (NSA), involved the inclusion of thousands of fake names on the payroll, a fraudulent scheme that enabled corrupt officials to siphon funds meant for genuine National Service personnel. Investigations revealed that high-ranking officials within the NSS, district directors, and payroll administrators were colluding to create fictitious personnel, allowing them to withdraw salaries on behalf of non-existent workers.

President John Dramani Mahama has delivered a stark assessment of Ghana’s economic situation, describing the nation as “broken on many fronts” due to staggering debt and financial mismanagement. Presenting his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) of his second term to Parliament in Accra on Thursday, February 27, he 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.

“We are saddled with staggering debts and glaring signs of almost deliberate and, in some cases, reckless mismanagement of our resources,” Mahama stated. “In addition to the public debt, which amounts to a staggering GHS721 billion, several state-owned enterprises are also in debt, including the ECG, which owes GHS68 billion.

Ghana COCOBOD, the hope of cocoa farmers, is highly indebted. Its balance sheet indicates a total debt of GHS32.5 billion, of which GHS9.7 billion is due to be paid by the end of September 2025.”

The president’s revelations underscore the severity of Ghana’s economic crisis, reinforcing the urgent need for financial restructuring and responsible governance to restore stability.

President John Dramani Mahama has disclosed that Ghana’s Sinking Fund holds a balance of just $64,000 and GHS143,000, contradicting claims by the previous Akufo-Addo administration that it left substantial reserves for debt repayment. Delivering his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) of his second term on Thursday, February 27, 2025, President Mahama addressed the financial situation inherited from his predecessor.

“There have been claims that buffers were left for ongoing debt repayments in 2025. The Sinking Fund shows a balance of only $64,000 in the dollar account and GHS143,000 in the Cedi account,” Mahama revealed.

He further highlighted the country’s mounting debt burden and the challenges ahead in stabilizing the economy. “The repercussions of the accumulation and the economic mismanagement will require extensive work and sacrifices to repair,” he stated.

According to the president, Ghana’s debt servicing over the next four years will total GHS280 billion—comprising GHS150 billion for domestic debt and GHS130 billion for external debt servicing. “In the next four years, our debt servicing will amount to GHS280 billion and comprises GHS150 billion for domestic debt and GHS130 billion in external debt servicing,” Mahama emphasized.

President John Dramani Mahama has disclosed that approximately $400 million was spent on the Agenda 111 hospital project under the previous administration without a single facility being fully operational.

The revelation came during his maiden State of the Nation Address in his second term before Parliament on Tuesday.

Agenda 111, an ambitious healthcare initiative aimed at constructing 111 hospitals nationwide, was launched to bridge the country’s healthcare infrastructure gap.

However, President Mahama’s remarks indicate that despite significant financial commitments, none of the hospitals have been completed and made operational. “It is worth disclosing that USD400m has already been disbursed under agenda 111 project,” President Mahama said, indicating that yet not a single hospital under this gargantuan initiative is serving the people of Ghana. President Mahama further suggested that the amount already spent could have facilitated the completion and operationalization of at least 22 of the proposed hospitals if resources had been utilized efficiently.