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The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has called for an independent review of the ongoing Senior High School (SHS) placement exercise amid allegations of bribery, unfair admissions, inappropriate school placements and the growing influence of ‘protocol’ arrangements.

The Bishops said although the Computerised School Selection and Placement System was introduced to promote fairness and equal access, persistent challenges continued to undermine public confidence in the process.

In a statement signed by the President of the Conference, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, Bishop of Sunyani, the Bishops said the placement exercise must be transparent, accountable and responsive to genuine complaints.

The Conference said 604,567 candidates qualified for placement this year, but only 527,932 had been placed when the results were released.

It acknowledged that placement depended on several factors, including academic performance, programme choices, boarding or day preferences and available spaces. It, however, insisted that the outcomes must be understandable and demonstrably fair.

The Bishops expressed concern over reports of students being placed in schools considered unsuitable for their sex, disability, personal circumstances or location.

They were particularly concerned about cases where students were assigned to day schools located so far from their homes that daily commuting could become expensive, unreasonable or unsafe.

The Conference called for genuine placement errors to be corrected swiftly and for appropriate arrangements to be made for students with disabilities.

It also expressed concern over allegations that parents were being asked to pay money to secure places for their children.

The Bishops stressed that no official, agent or intermediary should demand or accept payment where placement was intended to be free. They called for investigations into such allegations and said anyone found culpable should face disciplinary action and, where necessary, criminal prosecution.

On the controversial issue of ‘protocol’ admissions, the Conference demanded greater transparency, saying the public deserved to know the legal basis, number of places involved, criteria used and persons responsible for such arrangements.

It warned that the placement system could not command public confidence if parents believed that money, political connections or influence could secure places for some children at the expense of others.

Mission schools

The Bishops also renewed their call for the implementation of their decision to reserve 20 percent of annual admissions in Catholic mission schools for Catholic candidates.

They said the decision was reached at the National Catholic Education Forum in Koforidua in 2025 and, therefore, was not a new demand.

According to the Conference, the arrangement would help mission schools maintain a meaningful population of Catholic students who could participate in their religious and moral formation.

The Bishops further called for the long-awaited agreement between the government and the Churches on the management of mission schools to be concluded and signed without further delay.

They said the agreement should clearly define responsibilities relating to admissions, governance, the appointment of head teachers, religious and moral formation, discipline, infrastructure and accountability, while protecting the distinct identity of mission schools.

The Conference also proposed an accessible appeals mechanism, periodic reviews of school categories and increased government investment in infrastructure, teachers, laboratories and learning materials to ease pressure on highly sought-after schools.

It maintained that technology should support justice rather than replace human responsibility and urged the government to build a placement system in which merit, choice, fairness and the best interests of the child determine admission outcomes.

The leadership of the Economic Freedom Fighters – The Gambia (EFF-Gambia), led by His Royal Highness (HRH) Prince Ebrahim Sanyang, has paid a courtesy call on former President John Agyekum Kufuor in Accra as part of his consultations on democratic governance and national development.

Prince Sanyang, who is seeking political power in The Gambia, said the visit was to tap from the wisdom and experience of the former Ghanaian leader, who is widely respected for entrenching democratic stability and economic reforms during his tenure from 2001 to 2009.

The meeting, held at the residence of the former President, focused on Ghana’s democratic journey, leadership, economic management and lessons The Gambia can adapt as it seeks renewal. Sources close to the meeting disclosed that former President Kufuor welcomed Prince Sanyang and his entourage and shared candid counsel on what it takes to build a stable and prosperous nation.

While details of the closed-door discussion were not fully disclosed, it is believed the former President emphasised the importance of strong institutions over strong individuals, respect for constitutional term limits, tolerance for opposing views and peaceful transfer of power – values that have defined Ghana’s democracy.

On the economy, Kufuor is said to have advised the Gambian presidential hopeful to prioritise fiscal discipline, agricultural transformation, private sector growth and transparent management of public resources.

He reportedly cautioned against excessive borrowing without clear returns to citizens in the form of jobs and affordable living costs. The former President is also known for his belief in inclusive governance, where appointments are based on competence and service delivery, not political loyalty – a principle that aligns with Prince Sanyang’s promise of a government organised around outcomes rather than announcements.

Prince Sanyang, for his part, said The Gambia must learn from both Ghana’s achievements and its setbacks. He believes Ghana offers lessons in value addition, financial inclusion, digital systems, tourism, creative economy and leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat in Accra.

He, however, maintains that The Gambia should not copy any country wholesale, but adapt what works to its own scale while building institutions strong enough to correct course.

Prince Sanyang reiterated his vision of a secure, just and productive Gambia where poverty is not a destiny and every citizen has a fair chance to work and live with dignity, with a culture of people before power and service before privilege.

The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has accused the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) of preparing to use misinformation and disinformation as a major strategy ahead of the 2028 general election.

He said the NDC was likely to aggressively deploy ‘fake news’ and manufactured distractions in an attempt to retain power.

In a Facebook post, Mr. Afenyo-Markin said the alleged strategy would be aimed at diverting public attention from the ‘government’s failure’ to deliver on key national issues.

He urged Ghanaians to remain vigilant and critically examine political claims, particularly as the country approaches the next general election.

‘Going into the 2028 elections, one strategy the NDC Government is likely to use aggressively, in its desperation to hold on to power, is misinformation and disinformation,’ he stated.

‘Expect FAKE NEWS and manufactured distractions aimed at taking attention away from the important national issues on which the Government has failed to deliver,’ he added.

Mr. Afenyo-Markin alleged that the NDC had previously relied on similar tactics while in opposition, claiming that several accusations and stories promoted by the party had subsequently been contradicted by facts or exposed as misleading.

He therefore called on the public to question information presented to them and refuse to be distracted from issues affecting the country.

The Minority Leader also tasked New Patriotic Party (NPP) members, officers and communicators to play a leading role in countering ‘false propaganda’ from the NDC and its government.

‘NPP members, officers and communicators especially carry an even greater responsibility. We must remain alert, disciplined and focused,’ he said.

He urged party communicators to verify claims, expose falsehoods quickly and ensure that political propaganda did not dictate the party’s agenda.

Mr. Afenyo-Markin further directed the NPP to keep its focus on the government’s alleged broken promises and the everyday challenges facing Ghanaians.

He also urged party members to promote the vision of the NPP’s 2028 presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, with clarity and conviction as the party prepares for the next election.

‘Expose the lies. Focus on the issues. Promote the vision. Win 2028,’ he stated.

A 19-year-old Senior High School (SHS) graduate has allegedly died by suicide at Abesim, a suburb of Juaben in the Ashanti Region.

The deceased reportedly returned to his room at about 8:30 p.m. on Monday, September 14 to sleep, only for family members to later discover him in a lifeless state.

His sudden death has thrown the family and residents of Abesim into a state of shock and mourning, with sympathisers trooping to the family house to console the bereaved relatives.

Family members who spoke to DAILY GUIDE described the deceased as a calm, respectful and exceptionally decent young man who kept to himself and had no known disputes with anyone in the community.

‘Kofi was a very good boy, very decent. He had no friends who were troublesome in this area. We are still in shock because we never expected this. We are mourning our beloved son,’ a relative said amid tears.

Residents also described the deceased as a promising young man with a bright future, saying his sudden death had left the community in disbelief.

The Assembly Member for the area, Theophilus Yeboah, said he received a distressing call about the incident and immediately rushed to the scene.

Mr. Yeboah said he was met with a heartbreaking scene as family members and residents struggled to come to terms with the tragedy.

The body has since been retrieved by the police and deposited at the morgue for preservation and autopsy.

Meanwhile, the police have commenced investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death.

The Government has secured a new pathway for qualified Ghanaian nurses to obtain employment opportunities in the United States following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the City of Columbus, Ohio.

The agreement, signed by the Ministries of Health and Labour, Jobs and Employment, provides a framework for further arrangements on the ethical recruitment and deployment of Ghanaian health professionals, particularly nurses, to the US.

The deal follows months of technical discussions between the Ministries and their counterparts in the United States.

The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, said the agreement went beyond creating employment opportunities, stressing that any deployment arrangement must protect the rights, welfare and professional interests of Ghanaian health workers.

He said the initiative formed part of the Ministry’s efforts to secure credible and decent international employment opportunities for Ghanaian health professionals in line with Ghana’s Migration Policy and international standards.

According to Mr. Akandoh, the partnership built on the existing Sister-City relationship between Accra and Columbus, as well as the Ghana Labour Exchange Programme.

He said the government would continue to pursue partnerships that created decent employment opportunities for Ghanaian health professionals abroad while ensuring that the recruitment process met international best practices and global standards.

The Minister assured prospective beneficiaries that the government would prioritise their welfare and professional rights under any recruitment and deployment arrangements.