Category: Daily Guide Network

In Accra, Kumasi, and increasingly across secondary cities, the promise of instant convenience has reshaped daily life. Tap an app to order jollof, a new phone case, or last-minute groceries, and a rider arrives within minutes. For a generation raised on the friction of trotro queues and market bargaining, the delivery economy feels like progress delivered to the doorstep. The ‘order confirmed’ notifications lie a quieter ledger of costs, where some pay in cedis, others in time, trust, and human dignity.

The most immediate irritation is pricing that refuses to stay still. Delivery charges can shift without warning between the moment you place an order and the moment the rider arrives. What looked like GHS12 at checkout becomes GHS18 or more when the bill is finalised.

Cash customers often fare worse. Riders sometimes claim ‘no change’ or invent small top-ups that somehow never appear on the digital receipt.

The result is a two-tier system: those who pay electronically enjoy relative predictability, while those who still rely on physical notes are treated as soft targets.

In a country where many still operate largely in cash, this is not a minor glitch; it is a quiet tax on the less digitally fluent.

Delays compound the frustration. An estimated 30-minute window stretches into an hour, then two. Food arrives cold, perishable groceries wilt, the app’s tracking map freezes, customer service bots recycle the same unhelpful script, and the rider’s phone goes unanswered.

For the customer, the inconvenience is real. For the rider, the delay is often the product of something more systemic: over-promised delivery radii, congested roads the algorithm refuses to acknowledge, and platforms that prioritise order volume over realistic scheduling. Every late order chips away at the very convenience the service sells.

Return policies remain another grey zone. Items arrive damaged, wrong, or simply not as advertised, yet the process of sending them back feels designed to exhaust rather than resolve.

Some platforms demand photographic evidence within narrow time windows, others require the customer to arrange and fund the return trip, and still others simply vanish into endless chat loops.

In traditional markets, a defective item could be exchanged with a conversation. In the app economy, the same transaction becomes a bureaucratic ordeal that many simply abandon. The convenience of ordering is not matched by the convenience of undoing a bad order.

Behind every delayed package and disputed charge stands a delivery worker operating under intense pressure. Riders, many of them young, many of them migrants from smaller towns, are paid per completed trip, not per hour. Platform algorithms push them to accept more jobs than traffic and safety allow. Rain, bad roads, and aggressive drivers become occupational hazards rather than exceptions.

When customers complain about lateness or demand refunds, the rider often absorbs the financial hit. Tips are inconsistent. Insurance, if it exists, is minimal. The smiling face that appears at your gate is frequently one meal or one accident away from crisis. Convenience for the customer is extracted, in part, from the precariousness of the worker.

None of this means Ghana should abandon the delivery economy. The sector has created work, expanded market access for small vendors, and genuinely improved quality of life for many.

The challenge is not technology; it is the absence of accountability that allows platforms to treat pricing, reliability, and labor standards as optional features rather than core obligations. Regulators need clearer rules on transparent, locked-in delivery fees and mandatory change for cash payments.

Platforms must publish realistic delivery time estimates and face consequences for chronic underperformance. Return processes should be simple, prepaid, and time-bound. Most urgently, the riders who make the system function deserve better protections, basic insurance, clearer payment structures, and limits on the algorithmic pressure that turns every shift into a race against time and risk.

Convenience built on inconsistent pricing, eroded trust, and overworked riders is not progress. It is a temporary transfer of cost from the platform to the public.

Ghana’s delivery economy can still mature into something fairer and more durable. The question is whether customers, regulators, and the companies themselves will insist on it or continue to treat the hidden costs as someone else’s problem.

Three people have reportedly died and at least 15 others, including a police officer, have sustained injuries following a violent clash at New Winneba in the Effutu North District of the Central Region.

The clash, reportedly linked to a land dispute, involved a group of about 300 people who, wielding guns, stones, cutlasses and sticks, allegedly stormed parts of the New Winneba township claiming ownership of land in New Winneba and attacked residents in the early hours of Tuesday and allegedly opened fire.

Several properties, including stores and residences were damaged.

The injured persons have been taken to the Trauma and Specialist Hospital in Winneba for treatment.

The Central Regional Police Public Affairs Unit, in a statement signed by Chief Inspector Isaac Evans Ettie, said the situation was brought under control following the deployment of reinforcement by the Inspector General of Police.

‘On 01/09/2026 at 1040 hours, about 300 irate mob wielding guns, stones, cutlasses and sticks from Gomoa Oguakrom, Gomoa Yenkuadze and Gomoa Pomadze stormed the New Winneba Township… attacked them and caused damage to properties,’ the statement said.

According to the police, about 15 victims, including an officer, were injured and three have been confirmed dead.

Meanwhile, personnel from the Winneba Divisional Headquarters and the Agona Swedru District Patrols have been deployed to the area to prevent further violence as well as protect lives and property.

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, following the clash deployed a reinforcement team, including two armoured vehicles from the National Headquarters, to beef up security.

Police say the situation is currently under control and full details will be communicated later.

Former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, has pledged to unite, reorganise and rebuild the party ahead of the 2028 general election.

Mr. Boadu, who described his decision as a response to what he considers a critical moment in the party’s history, said the NPP needs experienced leadership capable of restoring discipline, strengthening its structures and activating its electoral machinery.

Addressing party supporters and delegates after submitting his nomination last week, he recalled the difficult period between 2014 and 2015 when the NPP, according to him, was deeply divided and struggling with internal disagreements.

He said the party had lost key members of its national leadership at the time, including the National Chairman, General Secretary and Second Vice Chairman.

‘When the leadership entrusted me with additional responsibility as Acting General Secretary and Director of Operations for the 2016 elections, I knew exactly what was at stake. It was not about John Boadu. It was not about personal ambition. It was about saving our party,’ he said.

Mr. Boadu said he worked with party members to rebuild the organisation, mobilise its structures and prepare it for the 2016 elections.

He pointed to the NPP’s parliamentary performance in that election, saying the party increased its parliamentary seats from 122 in 2012 to 169 in 2016.

According to him, the achievement was the result of hard work, organisation, discipline, strategy and teamwork rather than luck.

He argued that the experience demonstrated that a united and disciplined NPP could overcome significant political challenges.

‘When the NPP is united, organised and disciplined, there is no political mountain we cannot climb,’ he said.

Mr. Boadu also highlighted the party’s performance in the 2020 elections, noting that despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the NPP retained the presidency with what he described as an unprecedented 6.7 million votes.

Calls for Experienced Leadership

Making a case for his candidature, Mr. Boadu said the NPP could not afford to experiment with its leadership at a critical period.

He said the party needed a chairman with a deep understanding of its structures, from the grassroots to the national level, as well as knowledge of electoral strategy.

‘I know elections. I understand elections. I know how to win elections. If this party truly wants power, I am your man,’ he declared.

He also stressed his working relationships with former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as well as his longstanding relationship with the NPP’s 2024 presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

Mr. Boadu said he had worked with Dr. Bawumia for many years, including serving as one of his early spokespersons when he became running mate to then NPP flagbearer Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2008.

He expressed confidence that, if elected National Chairman, he would build a harmonious and productive relationship with Dr. Bawumia and his team.

Five-Point Agenda

Mr. Boadu outlined a five-point agenda which he said would form the foundation of his administration if elected.

The agenda focuses on: unity and reconciliation; rebuilding and rebranding the party, with the restoration of discipline; mobilising sustainable resources for the party; strengthening party structures and internal security; and activating the winning machinery of the NPP.

He further expressed concern about the difficulties facing some young NPP activists, including social media activists and TikTokers whom he said had faced arrests and intimidation for defending the party’s values.

He pledged not to become a National Chairman who remained in Accra while neglecting polling station executives and grassroots members across the country.

‘I am promising you a chairman who will listen. A chairman who will unite. A chairman who will defend the party. A chairman who will work with everyone,’ he said.

Mr. Boadu concluded by saying his ultimate objective would be to help make Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia President of Ghana on January 7, 2029.

‘We have done it before. We know what it takes. And together, we will do it again,’ he said.

Proforest has presented 22 motorbikes to the Ahafo Regional Forestry Commission to strengthen forest patrols, improve access to remote forest areas, and support restoration work across the Asunafo-Asutifi landscape.

The presentation was made under the Support for Forest Protection and Rehabilitation in the Asunafo-Asutifi Landscape project, implemented as part of the Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme with support from Mondelez International, Barry Callebaut and Sainsbury’s Supermarket.

The project aims to rehabilitate approximately 450 hectares of severely degraded forest reserve areas, with a particular focus on the Asutifi North Sub-Hotspot Intervention Area.

The motorbikes will help field officers reach difficult terrain, respond faster to illegal activities and monitor restoration sites more consistently.

Forest reserves in Ghana’s cocoa-producing landscapes continue to face pressure from degradation, encroachment, and limited access for frontline officers.

The support demonstrates how private-sector investment in cocoa sustainability can translate into practical action for forest protection, climate resilience and deforestation-free cocoa production.

‘This support will enhance the Forestry Commission’s ability to protect forest reserves and monitor restoration activities across the landscape,’ said Abraham Baffoe, Global and Africa Director, Proforest.

‘By improving mobility for frontline officers, we are helping to strengthen day-to-day forest protection, safeguard restoration investments and advance practical action toward climate-resilient, deforestation-free cocoa landscapes,’ he said.

The Ahafo Regional Manager of the Forestry Commission Rev. Edward Opoku Antwi welcomed the donation and said the motorbikes would make a direct difference to field operations.

‘These motorbikes come at a critical time for forest protection in the region,’ Rev. Antwi said. ‘They will help our officers reach remote areas more quickly, improve surveillance of the reserves and support the restoration work taking place in the Asunafo-Asutifi landscape.’

Proforest works with companies, governments, and civil society partners to support responsible production and sourcing of agricultural commodities.

The Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme seeks to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation while promoting sustainable cocoa landscapes.

The Asunafo-Asutifi landscape is one of Ghana’s priority cocoa-forest landscapes for restoration and forest protection interventions.

The Centre for Policy Scrutiny (CPS) has called for reallocation of resources under the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme to prioritise Category C and D schools, in order to close the gap that currently favours already well-resourced schools.

Presenting the report titled ‘Improved Access, Quality Questioned: A Report on 9 Years of Ghana’s Free Senior High School (SHS) Policy’ in Accra, Dr. Jacob Oppong Nkansah said the central and most policy-relevant finding of the study was that Free SHS was not a uniform experience across schools.

Dr. Nkansah indicated that schools were selected based on the Ghana Education Service (GES) categorisation system of A, B, C, and D, which classifies institutions according to prestige, resources, and performance. This approach enabled comparisons between well-resourced schools and institutions facing significant resource constraints.

He explained that the country’s A to D school categorisation system had, in practice, entrenched rather than eliminated existing inequalities within the secondary education system.

He said, ‘Rebalance resource distribution to prioritise disadvantaged (Category C/D) schools, closing the gap that currently favours already well-resourced schools. Clarify and formally legislate the definition of ‘Free’ in Free SHS, explicitly specifying that it covers tuition, textbooks, uniforms, boarding, and other routinely hidden costs.’

According to CPS, the study, which involved 47 participants, was deliberately structured to provide depth and diversity by engaging multiple stakeholder groups across Ghana Education Service’s school categorisation system and regional zones.

It also recommended that Free SHS should be entrenched through bipartisan legislation requiring a parliamentary supermajority for any future amendment, with oversight provided by an independent cross-party statutory board.

Dr. Nkansah said the study was conducted across Ghana’s geographical zones, including the North, East, Central West, Central East, and South, to capture regional variations in the implementation of the policy.

The report noted that the inclusion of students, teachers, head teachers, kitchen staff, and fresh graduates provided a holistic assessment of Free SHS implementation, capturing issues relating to access, quality, discipline, and operational sustainability.

It noted that the multi-stakeholder approach distinguished the study from previous research, which often focused mainly on teachers and policymakers, by providing broader perspectives on both student outcomes and operational challenges.

The report observed that Free SHS, launched in 2017, represented a major transformation in the country’s education system by removing financial barriers to secondary education, but explained that unlike the Progressive Free SHS policy introduced in 2015, which absorbed only partial costs for day students, the current Free SHS framework provides comprehensive support covering tuition, boarding, meals, admission, and registration fees for students across the country.

According to the report, Category A schools, which were already well resourced before the introduction of Free SHS, have largely used the additional support to strengthen academic standards, leadership, and governance, adding that the policy has not produced equal experiences for all students, as resource disparities among schools continue to affect implementation outcomes.

The report stated that the unequal distribution of resources was widening rather than reducing the disparities that Free SHS was designed to address, noting that overcrowding in classrooms, dormitories, and dining halls, coupled with infrastructure deficits, was affecting teaching effectiveness, student welfare, and health conditions.

Dr. Nkansah, who is also a lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba, further proposed the expansion of the national education data dashboard into a fully real-time and publicly accessible system to track enrolment, attendance, learning outcomes, teacher-pupil ratios, resource allocation, and West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results by school, district, and region.

Aston Villa have completed the signings of Senegal winger Ibrahim Mbaye from Paris Saint-Germain and English defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis from Southampton as Unai Emery continues to strengthen his squad.

Mbaye, 18, joins Villa from PSG for pound 55 million (£47m), while Harwood-Bellis arrives from Southampton in a deal that could reach £29 million.

Villa will pay an initial £25m for the 24-year-old centre-back, with a further £4m available in potential add-ons after having two previous bids rejected.

Mbaye enjoyed a breakthrough campaign with PSG last season, scoring three goals and providing two assists in 31 appearances across all competitions as the French giants retained both the Ligue 1 and Champions League titles.

The teenager also featured in all four of Senegal’s matches at the 2026 World Cup, scoring in their 3-1 defeat to France. The goal made him the youngest African player to score at a men’s World Cup.

Born in France, Mbaye represented Les Bleus at youth level before switching his international allegiance to Senegal in 2025 through his father.

Harwood-Bellis, meanwhile, developed through Manchester City’s academy before joining Southampton permanently for £20m in 2024 following an impressive loan spell.

The defender helped Burnley win the Championship in 2022-23 and later played a key role in Southampton’s promotion through the play-offs in 2023-24.

His arrival at Villa Park comes after Ezri Konsa’s £55m transfer to Arsenal, with Harwood-Bellis expected to help fill the void in Villa’s defence.

Mbaye becomes the latest attacking addition to Emery’s squad following the arrivals of Alejandro Garnacho, Johan Manzambi and Nicolas Jackson.

Villa have now spent around £280m during the summer transfer window, although the club have also generated more than £313m from player sales. Their biggest departures include Morgan Rogers to Chelsea for £117m and Ollie Watkins to Al-Hilal for £51m.

The contrasting figures highlight Villa’s aggressive approach to rebuilding Emery’s squad while remaining active in the transfer market.

Manchester City have agreed to pay a joint-British transfer record fee of £125m for Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez.

Fernandez joined Chelsea from Benfica in 2023 for a then-British record fee of £107m, with his latest switch matching the £125m that Liverpool paid for Alexander Isak on this day last summer.

The clubs have been negotiating over the past 24 hours and have now reached an agreement.

Fernandez will now undergo a medical ahead of signing a long-term deal at City. Personal terms will not be an issue.

Argentina international Fernandez worked with City manager Enzo Maresca during the Italian’s reign at Chelsea.

Maresca is keen to work with him again after losing a host of midfielders this summer.

Fernandez was not involved in Chelsea’s 4-3 Premier League win over Brighton on Sunday or their 2-0 Carabao Cup victory against Luton three days earlier, as reports in Argentina suggested he asked to be left out of the squad.

It is the second time this summer that City have broken their own transfer record, following the £116m arrival of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest.

Fernandez becomes the fourth player to move to a Premier League club for a fee of at least £100m this summer – following Morgan Rogers (£117m) to Chelsea, Bradley Barcola to Liverpool (£123m) and City’s signing of Anderson.

Ghana has secured a place among the top six beauty with a purpose finalists in Africa at the 75th Miss World Festival, with Miss Ghana 2026, Rumzia Sule, continuing to fly the Ghanaian flag on the international stage.

Rumzia’s selection among the six African finalists highlights the impact of her ‘Beauty With a Purpose’ initiative and places Ghana in contention for further recognition at the global pageant.

The achievement has sparked renewed calls for Ghanaians and supporters of the reigning Miss Ghana to rally behind her as she continues her quest at Miss World 2026.

Rumzia is currently seeking votes to advance into the Top 40 of the competition, with organisers and supporters urging the public to vote, share her campaign and encourage others to support Ghana’s representative.

Supporters can vote for Rumzia by visiting the official voting platform, selecting Rumzia Sule, choosing the preferred number of votes and completing the voting process.

As the competition enters a crucial stage, every vote could matter in determining how far Ghana’s representative progresses.

A fresh leadership dispute has erupted within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Volta Region following a disagreement over the appointment of 10 officers to various positions within the party’s regional structure.

The controversy follows an announcement by the Regional Chairman, Makafui Kofi Woanyah, who named the 10 persons in a statement dated August 26. Mr. Woanyah said the appointments were made in consultation with the National Executive Committee (NEC) and in accordance with Article 9(2) of the NPP Constitution, as amended in 2025.

However, the elected Regional Executives have rejected the appointments, arguing that they were neither considered nor approved at a duly constituted meeting of the Regional Executive Committee.

In a statement signed by the Regional Secretary, Shabanton Moses Kwesi Dutsrogbé, the Secretariat said the appointments could not be regarded as decisions of the elected Regional Executives because the constitutionally prescribed process had not been followed.

The Secretariat cited Article 9(10) of the NPP Constitution, which provides that elected Regional Officers shall, within 14 days of their election and in consultation with the NEC, appoint Regional Officers required under the relevant provisions of the party’s constitution.

According to Mr. Dutsrogbé, no official meeting of the newly elected Regional Executives had been convened since their election to deliberate on, consider or approve the appointments announced by the Chairman. He therefore maintained that the appointments did not represent the collective decision of the elected Regional Executives.

The 10 persons named by Mr. Woanyah are Enyonam Morve, Regional Financial Secretary; Alhassan Samadu, Deputy Regional Organiser; Mercy Kpodo, Deputy Regional Women’s Organiser; Innocent Richard Dzamabi, Deputy Regional Youth Organiser; and Karim Raifu, Deputy Nasara Organiser.

The others are Richard Kwadekpo, Electoral Affairs Officer; Ruben Dorcoo, Research Officer; Eric Kwame Akatsi Dumenu, Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Coordinator; Bless Kofi Dunyo Esq., Legal Representative; and Wisdom Jid Gakpo, Regional Special Duties Officer.

The Regional Secretariat has described the appointments as ‘null and void’ and called on party members and the public to disregard them. It said the appointments did not emanate from a duly constituted meeting or collective decision of the elected Regional Executives, and could therefore not be presented as the official position of the regional leadership.

The development has placed the two opposing positions within the Volta NPP leadership in the public domain, with the Regional Chairman maintaining that the appointments were properly made in consultation with the national leadership, while the elected Regional Executives are challenging their validity on constitutional grounds. The dispute could further fuel debate over the interpretation of the party’s constitutional provisions governing the appointment of regional officers and the respective roles of the Chairman, Regional Executive Committee and NEC.

Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku has refused to rule out seeking a third term in office, insisting that his immediate priority is to continue leading Ghana football rather than make an early decision about the 2027 elections.

Okraku, who has served as GFA president since 2019, became eligible for another term after delegates approved a constitutional amendment in 2025 allowing the association’s president to serve a maximum of three terms.

The amendment was overwhelmingly approved, with 114 of the 124 delegates present voting in favour, potentially clearing the path for Okraku to seek another four-year mandate in 2027.

However, when asked by 3Sports if he intends to contest the next election, Okraku remained non-committal. ‘I don’t know,’ he said.

He explained that there is still considerable time before the next elective General Assembly and that his attention is currently on his responsibilities as GFA president.

‘We have close to 18 months before an elective General Assembly. There is a lot of work to be done. I want to concentrate on my tenure as the president and see how best we can reposition our football.’

Okraku added that he would make his position known when the appropriate time arrives.

‘When the time comes, I will speak. When the time comes, the football family will speak.’

The GFA president also stressed that he does not intend to remain in office indefinitely.

‘At the end, I can never stay here forever, and I do not intend to stay here forever. When the time is due, Kurt will fly away.’

Okraku was first elected in 2019 after the GFA’s previous administration was dissolved and replaced by a Normalisation Committee.

He secured a second term in 2023 after former GFA vice-president George Afriyie was disqualified from the presidential contest, leaving Okraku to run unopposed.