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The Executive Chairman of KGL Group, Mr. Alex Apau Dadey, is set to deliver an address on ‘Public Private Partnership: A Case Study of Responsible Corporate Citizenship’ at a programme organised by the University of Ghana Alumni Association in collaboration with the University of Ghana.

The address is scheduled to take place today, Thursday, November 6, 2025 at Great Hall, at exactly 5pm. The programme will be chaired by Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana.

Mr. Dadey is expected to share insights from his significant and extensive rich experience in the private sector, highlighting the international best practices and strategies to strengthen the working relationship between African governments, public institutions, agencies and the private sector, particularly within the Ghanaian context and business environment.

Mr. Dadey is anticipated to draw the comparisons between the progress and challenges of public private partnership in Ghana, and the dynamic nature of the public private partnership across Europe, United Kingdom, North America, Asia and the Middle East, offering perspectives and lessons that could potentially benefit Ghana.

As a respected and renowned global business leader, Mr. Dadey’s contributions to the subject matter of public private partnership are expected to resonate widely, particularly in light of the challenges facing indigenous businesspersons in the Ghanaian business environment, especially the unnecessary agenda to undermine the growth of Ghanaian businesses who have been championing responsible corporate citizenship, including payments of taxes to government as well as genuinely undertaking corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate social investment (CSI) activities across the country in support of government’s efforts to develop Ghana.

The KGL Group Executive Chairman strongly believe that, if government ensures the successful implementation of Article 36(2b and c) of the 1992 Constitution, it will lead to the strengthening of jobs and wealth creation in support of the Ghanaian economy as well as restore the greater participation of the private sector in the Ghanaian economy.

According to Article 36(2b and c), ‘the state shall, in particular, take all necessary steps to establish a sound and healthy economy whose underlying principles shall include affording ample opportunity for individuals initiative and creativity in economic activities and fostering an enabling environment for a pronounced role of the private sector in the economy; ensuring that individuals and the private sector bear their fair share of social and national responsibilities, including responsibilities to contribute to the overall development of the country.’

Mr. Dadey, over the years, has proven beyond reasonable doubt that, Ghana can develop through public private partnership arrangements whereby governments are not supposed to bear the risks of investments but rather benefits from the PPP agreements.

The address by Mr. Alex Dadey today, will serve as a call to action for African governments, business leaders, academia, policymakers, media, and the citizens to rally behind the concept of public private partnership as one of the best model to develop Ghana and Africa, especially PPP agreements just like NLA-KGL agreement whereby NLA bears no risks and no commitment of public funds to the project but only benefitting financially from the agreement with KGL.

KGL bears all the risks, liabilities, and losses yet obliged to pay NLA for just using the 5/90 lottery numbers drawn by NLA.

Mr. Alex Dadey was recently awarded by Forbes for being the best in Africa for Corporate Leadership and Innovation.

After years in exile, women once branded as witches are finding their way home. But as Ghana’s Parliament delays a law to end witchcraft accusations, the fragile hope of freedom and safety still hangs in the balance.

Once labelled a witch and forced into exile, Adamu Mahama has finally returned home. After years in the Kukuo camp, she has been reintegrated into her community- a move human rights advocate, Shani Abdul Kasiru, describes as a milestone in the fight against stigma and abuse.

When Adamu stood at the edge of her home in Bimbilla, sunlight spilling across her modest compound, it was more than just another morning. It was a moment of triumph, a defiance of the torment, isolation, and pain she endured after being accused of witchcraft by her own community.

Now 68, Adamu is no longer the broken woman banished years ago after a tragic accident claimed her son and another young man. ‘They said I caused it – that I used witchcraft to kill them,’ she recalls softly. ‘But I forgive them. I just want to live in peace.’

Her story mirrors that of hundreds of women across Northern Ghana, mostly elderly, widowed, and vulnerable, who face accusations rooted in superstition, fear, and misogyny. Some, like Madam Akua Denteh of Kafaba, never made it to a camp. She was lynched in 2020, her cries for mercy silenced by the fists and stones of her accusers.

Until Ghana develops a legal framework to protect these women, such baseless accusations will continue to rob innocent women of their dignity and safety.

The History and Decline of Ghana’s Witch Camps

For decades, Northern Ghana has hosted camps that served as refuge for women accused of witchcraft – some existing for over a century. Although Civil Society Organisations (CSO) and government efforts since 2012 have led to the closure of several camps, hundreds of women remain confined, still awaiting justice and reintegration.

As of 2012, Ghana had at least six alleged ‘witch camps’ accommodating an estimated 1,000 women. These camps are located in Bonyasi, Naabuli, Gnani, Kpatinga, Kukuo, and Gambaga, all in Northern Ghana, offering shelter to women banished from their communities

In the same year, the government of Ghana announced plans to close down all witch camps and intensify public education to dispel the belief in witchcraft. Two years later, then Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur, through ActionAid and Songtaba led the disbandment of the Bonyasi camp in the Central Gonja District, successfully reintegrating its residents back into their communities.

By 2015, another camp, the Naabuli Camp, had been shut down. Currently, four camps still remain-Gambaga, Kukuo, Gnani, and Kpatinga-collectively housing more than 500 people; most of them elderly women seeking safety after being accused of witchcraft.

Despite sustained reintegration efforts, led by Songtaba and ActionAid over the years, over 300 women are currently in camps due to witchcraft accusations.

A System Built on Silence and Fear

Through advocacy, negotiation, and persistence by civil society organisations, Adamu returned home to Bimbilla.

‘Witchcraft accusations are a human rights crisis,’ says Hajia Lamnatu Adam, Executive Director of Songtaba. ‘These are women who have lost everything – their families, their dignity, their freedom – simply because they were accused without proof.’

Some of the accusations that drive vulnerable women into witch camps include, but are not limited to, allegations of causing the death of others, bringing misfortune or illness upon community members, or even being seen in another person’s dreams.

In such cases, it often takes the intervention of traditional shrines and their custodians, known as Tindanas (soothsayers), to determine a woman’s innocence or otherwise.

Hajia Lamnatu Adam explained that while the camps may offer safety, they are not a long-term solution. ‘They are open-air prisons. The women live in poor conditions, isolated and forgotten. It’s a form of institutionalised violence.’

Adamu’s five-year stay in Kukuo was marked by loneliness and shame. ‘I didn’t think I would ever come back,’ she admits. Through sustained mediation, community sensitisation, and support from Songtaba and ActionAid, her village finally agreed to receive her. Today, she lives in a two-room home built by donors – a symbol of resilience and hope.

A two-bedroom House as part of the reintegration programme.

Hope in Law: The Push for Legislation

Following years of advocacy, a Private Member’s Bill (a legislative bill that is introduced by a private Member of Parliament, not part of a government’s planned legislation) to criminalise witchcraft accusations is now under review in Parliament.

A recent visit by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Human Rights to various camps has renewed optimism that legal reform may soon become a reality.

‘We are hopeful,’ says Eugenia Ayishetu Ayagiba, Women’s Rights and Campaigns Manager at ActionAid Ghana. ‘Parliament has seen the conditions these women live in. It’s time to show leadership and protect the vulnerable.’

The bill seeks to criminalise both accusations and banishment; provide legal and psychosocial support for survivors; establish proper reintegration programmes that ensure reuniting with their families; and provide reliable sources of livelihood for women who have been in the camps for years.

While some traditional leaders fear it may conflict with local customs, others have endorsed it as necessary and overdue. ‘This bill is not a cure-all,’ adds Eugenia Ayishetu Ayagiba, Women’s Rights and Campaigns Manager at ActionAid Ghana.

‘But it’s a starting point. It targets the root – the accusation itself – which often begins with a single person labelling another as a witch.’

Amnesty International: ‘End the Banishment of Women’

International organisations have also weighed in. Amnesty International condemned the practice of banishment, describing it as a violation of dignity, freedom, and equality before the law.

‘These women are victims, not villains,’ the organisation stated. ‘The Ghanaian state must act swiftly to end this practice and reintegrate all survivors with dignity and support.’

Genevieve Partington, Country Director of Amnesty International Ghana, told Channel One TV that while the camps serve as temporary havens, they lack basic facilities.

‘Many have no proper sanitation, healthcare, or water. The Government must prioritise their welfare and fast-track the passage of the Anti-Witchcraft Bill.’

Reintegration Efforts

In the past decade, Civil Society Organisations, in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), have successfully reintegrated more than 200 women, leading to the closure of two camps – Naabuli and Bonyasi. This was disclosed in an interview with Shani Abdul Kasiru, Head of Programmes at Songtaba.

According to Shani Abdul Kasiru, his team works closely with communities to prepare both residents and returnees for reintegration.

‘We profile the women, gather their biodata, and hold community engagements to ease tensions. For those who feel unsafe returning home, we relocate them to alternative communities.’

The process, he says, is resource-intensive and requires sustained donor support.

Camps as Safe Havens

Despite the harsh conditions, some women choose to remain in the camps out of fear of re-accusation or violence. Many of these women are elderly, and are often found in these camps with young children who care for them (ie: fetch water for use, cook, clean and do laundry, etc), and live with them in these terrible conditions.

‘It is safer here,’ says Madam Alimatu (who chose not to disclose her identity publicly for fear of being recognised). ‘In the camp, we can sleep without fear. But if I return home, they may come for me again.’

She admits, however, that life in the camp is hard. ‘Our biggest challenge is poverty. Many of us depend on charity. Some have relatives who help, but most have no one.’

Kasiru agrees that the women’s sense of safety must be respected. ‘We can’t just close the camps if the women feel safer there. The goal should be to support them with livelihoods while ensuring protection.’

A Pilgrimage and a Promise

Adamu’s story is also one of redemption. In 2024, she fulfilled a lifelong dream- performing the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. ‘It healed something inside me,’ she says. ‘There, I felt human again. I felt free.’

For many Muslim women, the pilgrimage to Mecca is more than a journey of faith; it is a passage of devotion, endurance, and spiritual rebirth. For Adamu, who had dreamt of this moment for 68 years, the journey would have been impossible had she still been in the camp, like so many other women.

Now back in Bimbilla, she farms a small plot of land and mentors younger women, advocating for others still trapped in camps.

‘My prayer,’ she says, ‘is that no woman will suffer what I suffered. Let them live in peace. Let them come home.’?She pauses, then adds softly: ‘Let Parliament pass the bill.’

Ghana, long seen as a beacon of democracy and human rights, stands at a crossroads. The belief in witchcraft remains deeply rooted, but tolerance for accusations has reached a crisis point.

Without legal protection, the cycle of accusation, banishment, and abuse will persist. But with political will, education, and sustained advocacy, change is possible.

For women like Adamu Mahama, the answer cannot come soon enough.

PRESIDENT OF the Federal Republic of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has paid a courtesy call on the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Otumfuo Osei Tutu II had a closed door discussion at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.

The visiting president, who is on a three-day state visit to the country, also visited the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to hold discussions with the leadership of the top academic institution.

According to Mr. Steinmeier, his country and the KNUST are closely working together in several disciplines to the mutual benefit of the university and Germany, stressing his country’s desire and readiness to continue working with the Kumasi-based university.

‘There is an existing cooperation and we will extend it in the future,’ President Steinmeier announced and applauded the relationship between Germany and Ghana, stating that, ‘We are completely aware of the opportunities involved in the Ghana-Germany cooperation.’

According to him, there is the strong need for Germany and Ghana to continue their journey, which has lasted for many years, pointing out that the two countries have great potentials of boosting their growth.

Prof. Rita Akosua Dickson, the KNUST Vice Chancellor, mentioned some identifiable areas that KNUST and Germany could cooperate in the coming years, to help accelerate the developmental aspirations of the university and Germany.

For instance, she said KNUST and Germany can work in areas such as research, innovation, and capacity building, adding that the academic institution would need technical, logistical and other support from Germany to deliver on its mandate.

On his part, Akyeamfour Asafo Boakye Agyeman-Bonsu, the Asafohene, on behalf of Otumfuo, thanked the German president for visiting KNUST, and called for support from the German government in improving logistics and human resource at KNUST.

He described KNUST as a top academic institution with a rich historical record, and urged Germany to deepen its working relations with the school going forward, saying, ‘You are at the right place. You cannot get any university better than KNUST.’

Present at the event were Frederik Landshöft, German Ambassador to Ghana; Odeneho Okyere Kusi Ntrama, Esumegyahene; Haruna Iddrisu, Minister for Education; Frank Amoakohene, Ashanti Regional Minister, and other dignitaries.

Significantly, the KNUST, led by Prof. Rita Akosua Dickson, donated some beautiful made in Ghana items to President Frank-Walter Steinmeier as a way of showing appreciation for his visit to the university.

A training workshop on fishing safety standards and incident reporting has been organised for some selected journalists and fishers, in Takoradi, the Western Region.

Organised by Friends of the Nation (FoN) and ProSea Marine Education, under the auspices of the Marine SafeNet Ghana project, the training was aimed at enhancing journalists’ understanding and reporting of safety standards, threats and incidents that artisanal fishers face in the country.

Executive Director of FoN, Donkris Mevuta noted that the media plays a powerful role in creating awareness and influencing policy.

‘Reporting with empathy, accuracy, and consistency ensures that fishers’ struggles and achievements are seen, respected, and never forgotten.’

‘Together, we can ensure that every fisher goes to sea with hope and returns home safely. We can change the story from tragedy to transformation,’ he added.

He mentioned that across the world, small-scale fishers are the unsung heroes of food security, coastal culture, and community resilience.

He, however, indicated that globally, fishing remains one of the most dangerous jobs.

He revealed that the International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that more than 24,000 fishers lose their lives each year, while the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) reports an average of 80 fatalities and 100 injuries every single day.

He said, ‘Here in Ghana, where small-scale fishers make up more than 90 per cent of our fishing workforce, every journey to sea carries uncertainty. Every time a canoe leaves the shore, a family waits and prays,’ he pointed out.

He attributed some of the accidents to poor vessel conditions, limited safety gear, and worsening weather caused by climate change.

‘When accidents or near misses happen, the loss goes far beyond numbers: It is the loss of fathers and brothers and the breaking of families and communities,’ he explained.

He reiterated his call for the media to align with the mutual effort towards safer, fairer, and more sustainable working conditions for fishers.

A five-week pregnant 15-year-old Nigerian girl, who was trafficked from Nigeria to Ghana for sexual exploitation, has been rescued by the Western Central Regional Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service in Tarkwa.

Following a complaint made by the victim’s father, Ogbonno Onuigbo, who said his daughter went missing in October 2025 in Nigeria, the police, based on intelligence gathered, arrested 25-year-old Joy Ogbonna at Aboso near Tarkwa on Monday, November 3, 2025.

A statement signed by the Head of Public Affairs Unit, Western Central Command, ASP Beatrice Turkson, indicated that the victim called her father on October 24, 2025, revealing that she had been trafficked and abused in Ghana.

‘Police investigations indicated that one Golden Blessing, who is currently on the run, lured the victim from Enugu to Lagos under the pretext of offering her a cleaning job, and later handed her over to Joy Ogbonna, who transported her to Tarkwa,’ part of the statement read.

The statement further indicated that upon arrival, the suspect confined the victim in a room, forced her into sex work, and collected the proceeds.

‘Through the intervention of a helpful passerby, the victim was able to contact her father, leading to her rescue. A medical report confirmed that the victim was five weeks pregnant,’ the statement indicated.

According to the police, the suspect, Joy Ogbonna, is currently in police custody and will be arraigned before court soon. They added that efforts are ongoing to arrest her accomplice, Golden Blessing, who is believed to be in Nigeria.

‘The Western Central Regional Police Command commends the public for their support and timely intervention, and reaffirms its commitment to fighting human trafficking and protecting vulnerable persons from all forms of exploitation,’ the statement read.

The Coalition of Salaga Deserves Better Youth Groups in the East Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region, has embarked on a peaceful demonstration to register their displeasure over the persistent erratic power outages and chronically low current in the municipality.

The youth groups demonstrated through the Salaga township displaying placards such as ‘We need our sub-station’, ‘We are tired of promises’, ‘We are also citizens’, and ‘Salaga deserves better’ among others.

According to the youth groups, the persistent erratic power outages affects social and economic activities as well as damages business and household appliances such as cold storage and refrigerators, television, fans, and broader setbacks to municipal development.

They also linked the intermittent power supply to poor student performance in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), adding that many students lack stable evening lighting for study.

The youth groups noted that the municipality has endured unreliable electricity for years despite repeated meetings with stakeholders, including youth leaders, traditional and religious authorities, and officials from the Volta River Authority (VRA) and the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo).

The leader of the Coalition of Salaga Deserves Better Youth Groups, Mr. Abu Fuseini, told journalists that a joint stakeholder engagement convened by the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) with VRA, NEDCo, youth, traditional and religious leaders on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, concluded that the situation is beyond the capacity of municipal authorities and the agencies present, and that only central government intervention can deliver a durable solution.

He revealed that the Minister for Energy has been petitioned; demanding the reconnection of Salaga to the lines that will provide stable electricity, connection of Salaga to the Bui power network, reconnection to the Northern Region transmission line and the immediate siting and construction of the permanent substation in Salaga.

‘The coalition has been persistent and patient, but demands swift action from the government to end what can be best described as a decades-long power crisis,’ he disclosed.

The East Gonja Municipal Assembly Coordinator, Alhassan Mahamadu Kamara, who received the petition on behalf of the MCE, assured the demonstrators that it will be presented to the MCE for the necessary action.

Chartered Institute of Bankers, Ghana (CIB Ghana) has reaffirmed its commitment to developing future-ready banking professionals equipped to drive innovation, uphold ethical standards, and strengthen resilience in the financial sector.

Speaking at the launch of the 2025 Bankers’ Week at the University of Ghana, Legon, Chief Executive Officer of CIB Ghana, Robert Dzato, emphasised the Institute’s strategic focus on building a highly skilled and ethically grounded banking workforce capable of navigating rapid technological shifts and evolving customer needs.

‘The future of banking will belong to institutions that combine technology with trust,’ Mr. Dzato stated. ‘We are preparing banking professionals not only to embrace digital transformation but to do so anchored in professionalism, integrity, and strong ethical values.’

Themed, ‘Building Future-Ready Banks: Ethical Leadership, Sustainable Finance and Currency Stability’, this year’s celebration underscores CIB Ghana’s renewed commitment to enhancing competence, integrity, and leadership within the banking ecosystem.

Mr. Dzato highlighted the importance of balancing innovation with ethical responsibility, noting that the Institute aims to ensure that ‘the banker of tomorrow is both digitally literate and ethically grounded.’

He added that CIB Ghana continues to strengthen its capacity-building mandate through expanded professional certification programmes, strategic global partnerships, and curriculum reform aligned with emerging trends including artificial intelligence, open banking, cybersecurity, and sustainable finance.

‘The next decade will test the preparedness of Ghana’s banking and finance industry. Institutions that invest in people, ethics, and strategic innovation will define the future,’ he said.

The 2025 Bankers’ Week commenced with a health and fitness event dubbed ‘Sports for Life’ at the Athletics Oval, University of Ghana, Legon.

The event featured cancer and mental-health awareness sessions in line with the global advocacy period, alongside sporting activities such as football, basketball, volleyball, and board games.

Mr. Dzato emphasised that the initiative aligns with the Institute’s well-being agenda, noting that physical and mental wellness are key pillars for sustaining high-performance professional culture.

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has disqualified former Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah from holding any public office for a period of five years for acts of fraud and corruption resulting in financial loss of GHS8,971,933.43 to the state.

This follows investigations into a contract awarded to three companies – Ronor Motors Limited, Sajel Motors Limited and Telino Ghana Limited for the supply of vehicles to the GRA.

The Commission has also referred him and Directors of the three companies to the Attorney General for possible prosecution and recovery of the lost funds.

The investigations were initiated by a petition filed by Movement for Truth and Accountability, a civil society organisation which had found that the contract was laced with fraud and irregularities.

The Commission, at the end of its investigation, made some startling findings, including the fact that the three companies did not have the capacities to meet the terms of the contract.

Interestingly, it found that Sajel Motors Limited and Telino Ghana Limited had no physical locations and could not be traced to the addresses provided by them in all their correspondences at the time of the contract.

It said the two companies ‘in fraudulent circumstances entered into separate contracts with Ronor Motors for the supply of the same vehicles to the GRA,’ although Ronor Motors was single-sourced for the supply of the vehicles and logistics.

According to CHRAJ, Dr. Owusu-Amoah misled the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) in approving the request of GRA to award the contracts to the three companies using single source procurement method in dubious circumstances.

The Commission found that ‘the blatant disregard for procurement rules and regulations, fraudulent misrepresentations as well as the lack of due diligence in selecting a supplier for the supply of goods deemed urgent goes against the duty to exercise sound judgment in making procurement decisions imposed on the Respondent under section 18(3)(e) of Act 663.’

It further held that both the act of disregarding the procurement rules and the omission to exercise due diligence in the selection of the three companies have been done to purposely result in the illicit enrichment of these companies to the detriment of the state, amounting to corruption.

The Commission also found that at the material time of contract – October 2021, the three (3) companies were unqualified to be engaged for any public procurement because they had no evidence to show that they had fulfilled their obligations to pay taxes and social security contributions.

‘The evidence adduced on their behalf to show they were Tax and SSNIT compliant were either issued after the contracts were awarded or had expired by the date of the contract,’ the report indicated.

Again, CHRAJ found that having regard to their specifications and bulk purchase, the prices at which vehicles were procured from Ronor Motors Limited were inflated as TGCL from whom Ronor Motors purchased a majority of the vehicles from for the onward delivery to GRA had better price quotations which were indeed more advantageous than Ronors Motors’.

The finding also pointed out that the impugned companies were unable to duly fulfil their contractual obligations simply because they did not possess the requisite capacity to carry out the contract of such magnitude and not because of disruptions in the supply chain owing to the COVID-19 pandemic as alleged by Dr. Owusu-Amoah.

CHRAJ also found that as at the date of the complaint, the three companies had not paid in full the required taxes on the vehicles and other logistics supplied to GRA.

Nollywood actress Regina Daniels has addressed long-standing claims that she married billionaire businessman and politician, Senator Ned Nwoko, for his wealth.

In a video circulating on Instagram on Wednesday, the actress clarified that her marriage was built on love, not material gain.

Regina, who has been the subject of public scrutiny since her marriage to Nwoko, revealed that her mother, Rita Daniels, had actually advised her against marrying him. Contrary to popular belief, she said her mother was not the ‘chief architect’ behind the union.

‘The main essence of this video is to please stop insulting my mom,’ she said emotionally. ‘She’s the best thing that ever happened to me. She’s been strong for seven years. My mom held it down. You all insulted her, but she tried. It’s me – I’m the one with the coconut head. I’m so ashamed to say I fell in love. But I actually really did.’

The actress, who married Nwoko in 2019, emphasised that financial motives played no part in her decision. ‘Stop saying I got married out of greed. Excuse me, no. We were not broke. Does that make sense? What money can a man give to a mother to get her child, who practically provides everything in the house?’ she asked.

Regina also revealed that the intense pressure and public backlash surrounding her marriage once pushed her to the brink of despair. ‘There was a time I thought of ending it all,’ she admitted, adding that she remains determined to stay strong for her children.

Despite her ongoing marital challenges, Regina Daniels reaffirmed her commitment to her family, urging the public to respect her choices and stop vilifying her mother.

‘I don’t know why everyone is so pained about my life,’ she said. ‘But please, stop dragging my mom. She only did what every good mother would do – protect her child.’