Category: Daily Guide Network

Kwadwo Safo Akofena, the younger brother of former Dome-Kwabenya Member of Parliament (MP), Sarah Adwoa Safo, and eight other individuals have been granted a bail of GHS500,000 each over a shooting incident that left the former MP sustaining multiple gunshot injuries.

The nine were hauled before court yesterday charged with multiple criminal charges, including use of offensive weapon, possession of offensive weapon, prohibition of vigilante groups and activities, discharging of firearms in public, and causing unlawful damage.

They all pleaded not guilty to the charges and the court granted them bail of GHS500,000 with two sureties each, while the police conduct further investigations into the case. They are expected back in court on September 30, 2026.

The accused persons are Nana Kwadwo Safo Akofena, Tamaklo Safo Jehosaphat, Kwabena Safo, and Benjamin Amoakwa Sam, Enock Badu, Richard Ayitey, Gideon Safo, Nana Kwaku Afriyie, and Kwadwo Safo Koomson.

Police say seven of the accused persons are said to be personal bodyguards of Nana Kwadwo Safo Akofena.

Court document indicates that on June 21, 2026, police officers were deployed to Kristo Asafo SHS at Awoshie to maintain law and order following issues surrounding the final funeral rites of the late Apostle Kwadwo Safo Kantanka.

It said the team while on duty received a distress call of a shooting incident at Akofena’s house at Kwabenya Musuku.

The police officers ‘quickly mobilised and rushed to the scene,’ it said. ‘On spot investigation by the team revealed that a ceremony was being held to install Akofena as successor of the late Apostle Kwadwo Safo Kantanka.’

The prosecution’s brief fact indicates that in the course of the ceremony, Adwoa Safo arrived at the entrance of the house but was denied access to the house by seven of the accused who were in khaki uniforms and armed with pump action guns and pistols, excluding Akofena and Afriyie.

‘The denial of Adwoa Safo access to the premises led to a shooting incident in which she sustained various degrees of gunshot injuries at the left side of her face, back of her head, left ear and the lower jaw,’ court document notes.

It further indicates that visible gunshot marks were also identified on her Toyota Prado Land Cruiser vehicle with the windscreen and door glasses all shuttered.

The former MP was later rushed to the hospital for treatment while the police officers disarmed the accused persons.

Stash of Weapons

The documents further disclosed that the police discovered a large number of weapons and ammunitions in the house, including six pump action guns loaded with 42 cartridges and one expended cartridge.

Further search conducted in a Toyota Land Cruiser parked in Akofena’s house led to the discovery of two pistols loaded with 20 live ammunitions concealed in a black bag.

Another pistol loaded with 13 rounds was also retrieved from Tamaklo Safo Jehosaphat upon further search, the police said.

Kwadwo Safo Akofena was subsequently arrested on June 22 and he reportedly denied the offence and added that he left the scene to his second house before the shooting incident.

However, a search conducted in his room led to the retrieval of 120 9mm live ammunition, 50 pieces of 40mm ammunition and 25 pieces of 45mm ammunition which he claimed ownership.

As I reflect on the Annual General Meeting of Achimota Golf Club scheduled for Thursday, 25 June 2026, I am reminded that this is not merely an election within a private club.

Achimota Golf Club is a Ghanaian institution

Founded in 1934, it represents more than ninety years of history, sporting excellence, fellowship and national prestige. Its membership cuts across business, politics, diplomacy, the clergy, traditional leadership and the professions. In many respects, Achimota is a microcosm of Ghanaian society and an important centre of influence.

What happens there should therefore concern anyone interested in how Ghana builds, protects and transfers its institutions to future generations.

My concern is not simply about whether one candidate is Ghanaian and another is foreign. It is about a deeper question: do we still believe that foreigners are naturally better equipped to manage our institutions than qualified Ghanaians?

For too long, many Africans have carried the colonial assumption that competence must come from outside. A foreign accent, passport, complexion or résumé is sometimes treated as evidence of superiority before any distinctive skill, contribution or understanding of the institution has been demonstrated.

This belief that ‘foreign is good’ is quietly killing confidence in African talent.

Building from Within

Strong institutions are not created by repeatedly importing leadership. They are created by identifying talent, developing people, transferring knowledge and building credible succession systems from within.

Singapore did this deliberately. Malaysia invested in the development of its own public and professional leadership. Rwanda continues to demonstrate a strong belief that Africans can organise, reform and manage their own institutions.

Ghana has also proved its capacity. Fidelity Bank grew through Ghanaian leadership, local knowledge and professional standards. Kasapreko developed from a Ghanaian enterprise into a major manufacturing company with recognised brands and international reach. Across banking, manufacturing, telecommunications, education, healthcare and professional services, Ghanaians have shown that they can build sophisticated and competitive institutions.

The problem is not a shortage of talent. The problem is that we do not always trust, prepare and promote that talent.

Kwame Nkrumah warned that ‘colonialism and its attitudes die hard.’ Those attitudes remain alive whenever a Ghanaian must repeatedly prove competence while a foreigner is presumed competent from the beginning.

Nnamdi Azikiwe called for Africans to become ‘mentally emancipated.’ That emancipation must include freedom from the belief that leadership from outside is automatically better.

Julius Nyerere reminded us that ‘people cannot be developed; they can only develop themselves.’ Foreign expertise may support us, but it cannot permanently substitute for the leadership capacity we must develop ourselves.

Why Achimota Matters

Achimota Golf Club currently has a white South African serving as General Manager. Ghana has provided the peace, respect and professional environment within which that office may be exercised. There is nothing inherently wrong with appointing a qualified foreign professional. Institutions should seek competence wherever it genuinely exists.

But reflection is necessary. Would a Ghanaian professional readily be appointed to manage a similarly historic and quintessential golf institution in Johannesburg? Would a Ghanaian who had lived in South Africa for only a limited period be supported to lead such an institution without clearly demonstrating an understanding of its history, traditions and membership?

Ikoyi Club 1938 in Lagos offers a useful comparison. Like Achimota, it emerged during the British colonial period and later became a distinguished African social and sporting institution. Would Nigerians readily accept a foreign manager allegedly canvassing foreign members to support another foreigner for leadership at Ikoyi Club? Would they elevate a foreign candidate whose distinctive skill set, contribution and institutional understanding had not been clearly established?

If those questions would cause concern in Lagos or Johannesburg, why should they not cause concern in Accra?

The Immediate Concern

Reports circulating among some Achimota members, together with campaign materials and information reaching the author, suggest that certain senior management interests may allegedly be canvassing or encouraging support for a foreign candidate.

These reports have not been independently verified. However, the perception itself is troubling, particularly where the candidate’s distinctive skill set, contribution to the Club or comparative advantage has not been clearly established.

A foreign candidate should not be rejected merely for being foreign. Equally, no candidate should be preferred merely because foreignness is assumed to represent superior competence.

Leadership should be earned through ability, experience, institutional knowledge, measurable contribution, integrity and a credible vision.

The concern is therefore not xenophobia. It is governance. It is about whether Achimota is deliberately building leadership from within or gradually accepting the assumption that outsiders are better equipped to preserve and lead a Ghanaian institution.

Foreign Expertise Must Build Local Capacity

Every foreign professional appointed to a senior role in Ghana should be expected to strengthen local capacity. That should include mentoring Ghanaian professionals, transferring knowledge, documenting institutional systems and preparing credible local successors.

If a foreign professional remains indispensable after many years, should the institution not ask whether enough internal capacity has been developed? Sustainable leadership is measured not only by what a person achieves in office, but also by the strength of the people and systems left behind.

This principle should apply to banks, universities, companies, sporting clubs, public agencies and civil-society organisations throughout Ghana.

The Legacy Question

Achimota’s AGM is therefore more than a contest between candidates. It is a test of institutional confidence.

Will Achimota remain internationally open while confidently Ghanaian? Will it develop leadership from within? Will foreign expertise complement local capacity rather than displace it? Will members judge candidates by demonstrated merit, or will the old colonial instinct that ‘foreign is better’ continue to influence their thinking?

This is not a call for xenophobia. It is a call for self-respect, sound governance, institutional confidence and deliberate capacity building.

Ghanaians living abroad must respect the laws, traditions and institutions of the countries that receive them. Those welcomed into Ghana must equally respect Ghanaian institutions and the right of Ghanaians to shape their own future.

Africa cannot continue outsourcing belief in itself.

We must build institutions that identify our talent, prepare our people and leave the next generation more capable than the one before it.

Achimota Golf Club may welcome the world. But its most enduring legacy should be proving that a historic Ghanaian institution can remain internationally respected, professionally governed and confidently led by people who believe in Ghana’s capacity to manage its own affairs.

Music legend, Akosua Agyapong, has stated that she is no longer married and has been single for some time.

Speaking in an interview with Nayas, ‘Xperiences In Life’ show on Angel TV, Akosua Agyapong said she did not wish to disclose how long she had been single or explain the circumstances that led to the end of her marriage.

‘Honestly speaking, I’m single now, I’ve been single for a while,’ she stated.

According to the 56-year-old entertainer and mother of six, this is not the first time she has publicly clarified her relationship status. She noted that she has made similar statements on several media platforms in the past.

‘It’s on my status that I’m married, and I want to clarify it. I’ve done that on several shows, not just this one. Last time I was on Gifty Anti’s show, and I told her I am single now, I’m no longer married,’ she said.

Akosua Agyapong also addressed long-standing rumours linking her to highlife musician Amandzeba Nat Brew. She clarified that he was not the man she married and stressed that their relationship ended many years ago.

‘Amandzeba was in the year 2000. It has nothing to do with my marriage, and I don’t want to talk about it,’ she explained.

‘As a musician, your private life has nothing to do with your career. You don’t need to grant interviews detailing everything that caused your marriage to end; the person might be going through worse than yours,’ she said.

Akosua further maintained that divorce is a personal matter and questioned why celebrities are often expected to explain their marital challenges to the public.

She added that many marriages end because couples discover they are no longer compatible, rather than because one person is solely to blame.

‘If it is a problem, pack your goods and go your way. If marriage doesn’t work, it’s no one’s fault,’ she stated.

EMY Africa has announced corporate and social event master of ceremonies (MC), Kayso, as the official host for the upcoming EMY Africa Washington, D.C. Soirée on Thursday, June 25, 2026 at the National Museum of African Art, Washington, D.C.

Kayso, widely celebrated for his magnetic stage presence, razor-sharp wit, and seamless command of high-profile events, is one of the go-to Ghanaian MCs in the diaspora. Hosting several high profile corporate and social events in Canada where he lives and around the world, he brings a rare blend of class, energy, and cultural pride to this year’s D.C. Soirée.

The EMY Africa Washington, D.C. Soirée, a high-level gathering, will bring together some of the most influential African leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, investors, creatives, diplomats, and change makers from across the continent and the global diaspora.

Positioned against the backdrop of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, one of the world’s largest global events, the soirée is expected to become one of the most significant African diaspora convenings taking place in the United States during the tournament period.

The event will serve as a powerful platform for forging strategic partnerships, strengthening economic and cultural ties, and advancing conversations about Africa’s growing influence on the world stage. The Washington, D.C. gathering marks a major milestone in EMY Africa’s international expansion and underscores the organisation’s vision of building a globally connected African community united by excellence, innovation, leadership, and impact.

For more than a decade, EMY Africa has established itself as one of the continent’s leading platforms for recognising and celebrating excellence.

Through its prestigious awards, leadership forums, cultural initiatives, and strategic engagements, the organisation has honoured individuals whose achievements are transforming industries, shaping policy, driving innovation, and elevating Africa’s global profile. Now, with its focus turning to Washington, D.C., EMY Africa is extending that mission beyond the continent’s borders, creating a unique space where Africa’s most influential voices and its worldwide diaspora can connect, collaborate, and help shape the future of African development and global engagement.

Kumawood actor, Don Little, has publicly expressed his disappointment with fellow actor, Atemuda, after the latter allegedly demanded GHS5,000 per day to appear in his upcoming movie.

In a self-recorded video circulating on social media, Don Little claimed he contacted Atemuda and invited him to be part of his film project. However, he was surprised when the actor allegedly quoted a daily fee of GHS5,000.

According to Don Little, his attempt to negotiate a lower fee was unsuccessful.

‘I called you to be on my set, and you are charging me GHS5,000 per day. When I asked for a reduction, you told me to either pay or find someone else,’ he said.

The actor said he was hurt by Atemuda’s response, especially because of the support he claims to have offered him in the past without expecting payment.

‘We have known each other for a long time, so I don’t understand why you would charge me that amount. When you were going through difficult times, I supported you and never asked for anything in return,’ Don Little stated.

‘When you were being sacked from Junka Town, I accommodated you and drove you around when necessary. Do you know how much spare parts cost,’ he added.

Don Little described Atemuda’s actions as ungrateful and said he was disappointed by the way he had been treated despite their history together.

Algeria staged a spirited second-half comeback to beat World Cup debutants Jordan 2-1 in San Francisco, boosting their hopes of reaching the knockout stage while ending Jordan’s chances of progression.

Despite Algeria dominating possession for much of the contest, it was Jordan who struck first. Midfielder, Nizar Al Rashdan, capitalised on a costly error by Ramiz Zerrouki and produced a composed finish in the 36th minute to give the underdogs a surprise lead.

Jordan’s disciplined defence frustrated Algeria throughout the opening half, while goalkeeper, Yazeed Abulaila produced several important saves, including denying Riyad Mahrez after the veteran winger was released by a long pass over the top.

Algeria increased the pressure after the restart, with Ibrahim Maza and Nadhir Benbouali both forcing Abulaila into action. Their persistence eventually paid off in the 69th minute when Benbouali powered a header into the corner from Mahrez’s well-delivered corner kick to level the score.

Jordan threatened to regain the lead, with Noor Al Rawabdeh narrowly missing the target from the edge of the area, but Algeria continued to push forward in search of a winner.

The decisive moment arrived eight minutes from time when another dangerous in swinging corner caused confusion in the Jordan box. The ball fell kindly to Amine Gouiri, who reacted quickest to hook home from close range and complete the turnaround.

The victory keeps Algeria firmly in contention for a place in the knockout rounds, while Jordan’s World Cup campaign comes to an end without a point despite another determined display on football’s biggest stage.

THE POLICE have apprehended a total of 186 suspects for allegedly indulging in human trafficking, sexual exploitation, narcotics trafficking and other organised criminal activities in the Ashanti Region.

They include 86 Ghanaians, 96 Nigerians and 4 Togolese nationals.

The security operation that led to their arrests were conducted at Asafo, Kenyase Aframa, Asokwa, Buokrom, Krofrom, Atonsu-Bokuro, Asawase and Old Tafo Ahenbronum from June 8 to 17, 2026, the police said in a statement signed by DSP Godwin Ahianyo, of the Ashanti Regional Police Public Affairs Unit.

According to the police report, some minors, including foreign nationals, who are suspected to be victims of the criminal activities of the suspects were rescued during the operation.

‘Some of the rescued persons were identified as minors and were immediately separated from suspects and placed under protective care in accordance with established child protection protocols.

‘Foreign nationals identified as victims of exploitation are being processed in collaboration with the Ghana Immigration Service for the necessary immigration and repatriation procedures,’ DSP Ahianyo said.

He commended the professionalism and dedication of the IGP’s Special Operations Team and the Ashanti Regional Police Command whose collaborative efforts led to the successful execution of the operations.

According to him, ‘Investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend other members of the criminal network,’ adding that all the 186 suspects ‘remain in police custody or are assisting with investigations.’

‘The Ghana Police Service remains resolute in its commitment to intelligence-led policing and will continue to undertake sustained operations to combat organised crime and ensure the safety and security of all persons in the country,’ he said.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Weija Gbawe, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, has expanded his constituency-wide eye surgery initiative, with a second batch of beneficiaries successfully undergoing surgery and currently recovering.

The programme, being implemented in partnership with the Columbia Union Conference in USA, the Ghana Adventist Health Services (GAHS), and the medical team at the SDA Valley View Hospital, is aimed at improving access to quality eye care and restoring sight to residents suffering from various vision-related conditions.

The MP said the latest round of successful surgeries marks another milestone in the healthcare intervention, which seeks to provide life-changing treatment to individuals who may otherwise be unable to afford specialised eye care services.

He said the project is making a significant impact in the lives of beneficiaries by helping to address preventable vision impairment and blindness within the constituency.

Mr. Ahmed Shaib noted that restoring sight enables recipients to regain their independence, improve their productivity and participate more actively in family and community life.

According to him, the programme goes beyond medical treatment and serves as a social intervention that creates renewed opportunities for many residents whose livelihoods and daily activities have been affected by vision challenges.

He stated that the success of the programme underscores the importance of partnerships in expanding access to specialised healthcare services.

He noted that the collaboration between local and international partners had made it possible to reach vulnerable residents and provide them with critical medical support that can significantly improve their quality of life.

The MP expressed appreciation to the Columbia Union Conference, Ghana Adventist Health Services and the medical professionals at SDA Valley View Hospital for their commitment to the initiative and their contribution to improving healthcare delivery in the Constituency.

He also expressed optimism that the programme would continue to bring hope to more residents as additional beneficiaries receive treatment in future phases.

Mr. Shaib reaffirmed his commitment to supporting interventions that enhance the welfare of constituents, stressing that access to healthcare remains a key pillar of development.

He said he would continue to ensure that residents, particularly those facing financial difficulties, have access to essential medical services.

Organisers of the Kids Fashion Festival 2026 have announced that this year’s edition will focus on autism awareness and support for Ghana’s Black Stars.

The event is scheduled for Saturday, June 27, 2026, at the Mikaddo Conference Centre, starting at 5 p.m.

According to the organisers, one of the festival’s highlights will be the participation of children with autism on the runway. The initiative is aimed at creating awareness about autism and helping to fight the stigma often associated with the condition.

‘This year’s edition is special because we have some children with autism walking on the runway. We want to create awareness and encourage society to embrace and support children living with autism,’ the organisers said.

The festival will also feature a sports-themed segment where all participating children will walk the runway wearing Ghana Black Stars jerseys. The segment is intended to show support for the national team as they take on Croatia in their third match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the same day.

Several established and emerging fashion designers are expected to showcase their latest collections during the event. Designers billed for the festival include Allan David Collections, Nallem Clothing, ASAK Collections, Stitched By Visam, TIMI, Reenadel Couture, Abrantie College, SheMar Couture, Little Miss By Vester and others.

The Kids Fashion Festival 2026 is proudly powered by Exopa Model and Agency in collaboration with Merqury Republic, with support from GC Brand and Abrantie College.

Organisers say the event will celebrate fashion, creativity, inclusion and national pride while providing a platform for young talents to shine.

KUMASI MAYOR, Richard Ofori Agyeman Boadi, has called for a fresh look at the implementation of the Free Senior High School (SHS) social intervention policy.

He strongly argued that making the programme free to every Ghanaian school going child is not the best, stressing the need for the policy to be made to benefit only the poor.

The Mayor, who is nicknamed as ‘Zuba’, said some students are from rich homes and, therefore, should be omitted from the policy so the poor could be properly taken care of.

According to him, the recent open show of wealth by parents of some graduating SHS students clearly buttresses his argument that the rich should be omitted from the policy.

‘How should a student who was schooled for free be gifted a Honda CRV, which is a vehicle worth over GHS500,000 right after completing school by his/her parents or guardians?

‘This clearly supports my strong conviction that not every Ghanaian school going student should be a beneficiary of the Free SHS programme,’ Zuba said on Lawson TV in Kumasi.

He, therefore, proposed that there should be a national stakeholder meeting whereby the policy’s implementation can be reviewed.

‘In my view, the schools should be graded so that if you enrol in the elite schools like Prempeh College, Achimota and other grade A schools, then you should pay school fees,’ he added.