Category: Daily Guide Network

The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Economy and Development Committee, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has proposed a five-point strategy to address the country’s worsening youth unemployment, warning that existing interventions are failing to deliver results.

Contributing to a statement on unemployment on the floor of Parliament yesterday, the Ofoase-Ayirebi MP described youth joblessness as one of the country’s most pressing socio-economic challenges and urged a more effective and accountable approach to job creation.

‘Mr. Speaker, we do not need more slogans or promises that results are in the pipeline. We need a more effective architecture to solve the worsening youth unemployment problem of our country. Data from the Statistical Service is clear. The youth unemployment problem is getting worse. The time to act is now,’ he said.

Citing Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) figures, Oppong Nkrumah noted that unemployment among persons aged 15 to 24 rose from 32% in December 2024 to 32.5% by the third quarter of 2025.

He added that nearly two million young Ghanaians are currently not in education, employment, or training, with almost half of youth in the Greater Accra Region unemployed.

While acknowledging that successive governments have struggled with the issue, he stressed the need to move beyond promises to practical solutions. ‘Ghanaian youth do not want slogans. They want feasible programmes that create dignified, productive and well-paid jobs,’ he stated.

As part of his proposals, the Minority lawmaker called for the publication of delivery scorecards for all job creation programmes.

He said initiatives should be measured against clear indicators, including number of beneficiaries, cost per job created, time-to-placement, and employment retention.

He also urged a clear distinction between skills training programmes and actual job creation efforts, arguing that training alone cannot solve unemployment if there are no opportunities for beneficiaries.

Oppong Nkrumah advocated a shift from government-led financing to greater private sector participation in job creation.

Government, he said, should focus on reducing investment risks, co-investing in strategic sectors, and creating a conducive regulatory environment, while private capital drives large-scale employment growth.

The MP further recommended making apprenticeship programmes the backbone of Ghana’s youth employment strategy through national certification, employer support, and structured pathways into employment or entrepreneurship.

He called for the establishment of a credible Labour Market Information System to provide timely data on vacancies, skills gaps, and labour demand across the country to support evidence-based policymaking.

Mr. Oppong Nkrumah emphasised that the worsening unemployment situation demands urgent action from policymakers and stakeholders.

‘We do not need more slogans or promises that results are in the pipeline. We need a more effective architecture to solve the worsening youth unemployment problem of our country,’ he said.

He concluded by urging government to adopt bold and measurable reforms to reverse the trend and unlock opportunities for the country’s growing youth population.

Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayawaso West Wuogon, John Dumelo, has announced a free viewing package for constituents to watch the FIFA World Cup, but the gesture has sparked calls for him to apply the same energy to pressing local issues.

In a tweet on X, the actor and MP, who describes himself as a lover of sports, disclosed that he has paid for DStv subscriptions at TV viewing centres across the constituency.

He listed several free giant screens venues: Abelemkpe Astro Turf Park and Okponglo for all World Cup matches, plus Mempasem, Airport Residential Area, West Legon, and Dzorwulu for all Ghana matches.

John Dumelo also engaged 13 kenkey sellers across Ayawaso West to provide free meals of kenkey and fish for fans attending Ghana matches. ‘Go Ghana Go!!!’ he posted.

Some residents have praised the initiative while others urged the MP to redirect that same enthusiasm towards infrastructure challenges.

One user, Bongo Ideas, replied: ‘Great. With the same enthusiasm, kindly fix the perennial Okponglo traffic light, the American House traffic light, also light up the Boundary Road and attend to the filth around Bawaleshie and its environs. With the same alacrity for sports, kindly attend to these issues.’

Buokrom Lukaku stated, ‘This doesn’t address real needs. Propose real solutions that change lives – not distraction; bread and circuses. The idea is simple: don’t solve the people’s problems. Just feed them and entertain them. A population that is fed and entertained is less likely to challenge the system. A satisfied, distracted public never revolts.’

Princeton McCasely added, ‘Hon, the money you used for these 8 massive projects de? someway ooo. Can’t that money be used to rather furnish abandoned projects or even start new projects for employment for us the youth cause chale after the Wold Cup Hot go dey inside oo (sic).’

Abdul Raufibrahim also wrote, ‘A whole Deputy Agric Minister acting like the Legon SRC president at a time when floods are destroying lives and livelihoods. Is this what the people of Ayawaso West voted you to do?’

People’s Pension Trust (PPT), has launched a new product called ‘FlexiPension’ to extend retirement savings opportunities to workers especially in the informal sector.

Speaking at the launch in Accra, the PPT Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director, Issaka Ibrahim, said, ‘FlexiPension’ was developed in partnership with MTN Mobile Money Fintech Limited to increase pension coverage among informal sector workers, who account for nearly 80 percent of the country’s workforce, but remain largely excluded from formal retirement schemes.

He said the product allows users to register and contribute directly through the MTN MoMo App, enabling them to save any amount at any time and make contributions on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.

He said the launch which also coincides with the company’s 10th anniversary celebration is opened to contributors aged 15 years and above, with no minimum or maximum contribution requirements.

‘We know people are already comfortable using mobile money. Why not leverage a platform they already trust to help them save for retirement? During the pilot phase, more than 12,000 people signed up, giving us confidence that the market is ready for this solution,’ he added.

Speaking on behalf of the CEO of the National Pensions Regulatory Authority, the Director for Planning, Research and Evaluation, Philemon Laar, noted that pension assets under management in Ghana had surpassed the GHS100 billion demonstrating the strength of the country’s pension system.

He commended PPT for developing a product that reflects the realities of informal sector workers adding that, the NPRA granted a formal ‘No Objection’ to the product in June 2025 after a rigorous review process.

Senior Manager for BankTech at MTN Mobile Money, Yaw Sefa, said the partnership reflects MTN’s commitment to making financial services simpler, accessible and more meaningful for customers.

He added that digital solutions such as FlexiPension have the potential to deepen financial inclusion and improve long-term financial security, particularly among underserved populations.

The committee investigating the fire incident at the Akosombo Substation says the fire was caused by insulation failure as a result of the ageing facility rather than any human factor.

Chairman of the committee, Ing. Dr. William Amuna, who presented the findings to the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, said the fire originated in the changeover section of the low-voltage (LV) panel, where decades-old cables had deteriorated significantly.

‘It actually started from insulation failure from some of the cables in the LV panel, and not anybody going to turn something or twist something or whatever. The fire actually started from that changeover area of the LV panel, the first structure came up around 1964.

‘Some of the cables have gone brittle, there was a fault where the current just flowed because of insulation failure. Once they were in metal encasements, there was what we call some kind of fault where the current just flowed because of the insulation of the materials over there,’ he explained.

Ing. Amuna stated that the initial power supply from the powerhouse automatically tripped at 311 amps after detecting the fault, but a second transformer immediately took over the supply, which continued to feed electricity into the damaged section.

He said that the second transformer was configured to trip only at 450 amps, which allowed the fault to continue and generated excessive heat.

Ing. Amuna indicated that within a short time, the insulation, which is like plastic, caught fire which quickly spread because the affected LV panel was connected to another panel and surrounded by numerous control cables serving the large substation.

‘Akosombo Substation is a very big one. It has 11 outgoing circuits. They had a lot of cables in there, and the LV cables were within those cables. They started burning, and within a short time the whole place was ablaze,’ Ing. Amuna added.

The chairman noted that its investigation found no evidence of human interference and, therefore, recommended immediate and long-term measures to improve the safety of the facility.

Ing. Amuna said an interim arrangement is already being implemented to transfer the protection and control functions from the damaged station to the Akosombo Power Plant, while recommending the construction of a new permanent control building to replace the old facility.

Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Jinapor, who received the report, assured the committee of implementing the recommendations, while commending the engineers for restoring electricity after the incident.

‘This should be a wake-up call for us so that we can strengthen the system, make it more responsive, improve our emergency response system, maintenance culture and, more importantly, invest in the grid in order to have a resilient energy sector,’ the minister stated.

Most Africans continue to face economic hardship even as perceptions of government performance show modest gains since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the latest Afrobarometer Pan-Africa Profile released this week.

The report, based on 50,961 face-to-face interviews across 38 countries in 2024 and 2025, finds that while public ratings on key economic issues have improved slightly, they remain overwhelmingly negative.

Large majorities say their governments are performing ‘fairly badly’ or ‘very badly’ on keeping prices stable at 82%, narrowing gaps between rich and poor at 79%, creating jobs at 76%, improving living standards of the poor at 73%, and managing the overall economy at 64%.

Despite the grim assessments, tracking data from 28 countries surveyed since 2014 shows a modest turnaround in the most recent round on all five indicators.

Still, six in 10 Africans describe their country’s economic condition as bad. About half, 49%, say their personal living conditions are ‘fairly bad’ or ‘very bad.’

The share of respondents rating the national economy poorly has fallen by 7 percentage points compared to the 2021/2023 surveys. However, it remains 6 points higher than a decade ago, suggesting recovery has not returned conditions to pre-pandemic levels.

Unemployment and the rising cost of living top the list of problems citizens want governments to address. Unemployment ranks second, cited by 33% of respondents as one of their top three priorities, behind only health at 38%.

The increasing cost of living is tied for third at 23%. Other economic concerns also feature prominently: poverty at 10%, management of the economy at 8%, and wages at 5%.

The report points to widespread material deprivation across the continent. Majorities say they or a family member went without basic necessities at least once in the past year.

This includes cash income at 79%, medical care at 65%, food at 58%, clean water at 57%, and cooking fuel at 52%.

Analysts say the findings highlight a gap between macro-level recovery signals and lived experience. While governments may be stabilising some indicators post-COVID, households still struggle with jobs, prices, and access to essentials.

Afrobarometer is a pan-African, non-partisan research network that conducts public attitude surveys on democracy, governance, and economic conditions. The latest round covers 38 countries and offers one of the most comprehensive snapshots of citizen views on the continent.

The data suggests that for many Africans, economic recovery remains more statistical than tangible. Until jobs are created, prices stabilize, and basic needs are met consistently, public confidence in government economic management is likely to stay low.

The Ghana Beauty and Wellness Index was officially commissioned at the opening ceremony of the 10th Beauty, Cosmetics and Wellness West Africa 2026 exhibition, known as The Legacy Expo under the theme, ’10 Years of Impact: The Legacy Era.’

The announcement was made by the Chief Executive Officer of Makeup Ghana, Rebecca Donkor, who described the initiative as a major step towards understanding the size and impact of Ghana’s beauty and wellness industry.

‘For years, we have gathered to trade, learn, connect and grow. Yet one fundamental question has remained unanswered: How big is Ghana’s beauty and wellness industry? Today, we are taking a decisive step towards finding that answer,’ she said.

The Index, which will be published every two years starting in 2026, is expected to provide data on the industry’s economic contribution, the number of businesses and practitioners, consumer spending patterns, industry standards, and policy recommendations.

According to Rebecca, the project will help provide reliable information to support investment, policy development and business growth within the sector.

‘This is not our Index alone. It is the industry’s Index. Together, we will finally measure, understand and showcase the true value of Ghana’s beauty and wellness sector,’ she stated.

A key focus of the Index will be to determine the sector’s contribution to Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and highlight its role in job creation and economic growth.

The inaugural Ghana Beauty and Wellness Index is expected to be launched at the Ghana Beauty Awards in November 2026.

Organisers have called on industry stakeholders, brands, institutions and development partners to support the initiative.

‘We are inviting brands, institutions, development partners, sponsors, practitioners and stakeholders to join us in building this historic national document. Because this is more than an Index, it is a voice for the industry. It is a tool for transformation. It is a foundation for the future,’ she said.

The Supreme Court (SC) has set July 29, 2026 to deliver its judgment in a suit filed by a private citizen, Noah Ephraem Tetteh Adamptey, challenging the constitutionality of the Act establishing the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), especially the provision that mandated the Attorney General to delegate its prosecutorial powers to the OSP.

A seven-member panel of the court made up of Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie (presiding) and Justices Gabriel Pwamang, Avril Lovelace Johnson, Yonny Kulendi, Ernest Gaewu, Senyo Dzamefe and Gbiel Simon Suurbaareh has given the plaintiff one week within which to file any other arguments he wished to file.

The Attorney General and a coalition of 14 civil society organisations (CSOs) which entered the matter as amicus curiae (Friend of the Court) were given seven days after service to respond. The court warned that service after the given days would not be countenanced.

Suit

Section 4(2) of the OSP Act mandates the Attorney General to authorise the OSP to initiate the prosecution of corruption and related offences.

Adamptey is seeking among others, a declaration that on a true and proper interpretation of the Articles 1(2), 88, 93(2), and 296 of the 1992 Constitution, prosecutorial authority in Ghana is vested exclusively in the Attorney General and cannot be exercised independently of, or in parallel with, the Attorney General.

He is also seeking declaration that the OSP Act, to the extent that it purports to confer original, autonomous, or insulated prosecutorial authority on the OSP is inconsistent with and in contravention of Articles 1(2), 88(3) – (4), 93(2), and 296 of the Constitution and is therefore null, void and of no effect.

Again, he wants a declaration that Parliament acted ultra vires its legislative authority under Article 93(2) in purporting, through Act 959, to compel a permanent delegation of the Attorney General’s prosecutorial powers to the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

The plaintiff is, therefore, asking the Supreme Court to strike down or server the provisions of Act 959 that ‘confer autonomous prosecutorial authority on the Office of the Special Prosecutor or insulate it from the Attorney General’s constitutional control.’

AG’s Position

The Attorney General (AG) appears to agree with the plaintiff as Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai is asking the apex court to declare that Parliament has, by an ordinary legislation, varied the constitutional prosecutorial powers of the Attorney General, thereby acting in excess of its powers.

He further argues that the prosecutorial powers of the Republic vests in the Attorney General alone, in respect of all crimes.

He also argues that the OSP Act does compel the Attorney General to authorise the OSP to prosecute offences, emphasising that ‘Parliament may not compel the Attorney General to authorise a person to prosecute an offence.’

‘By compelling the Attorney General to ‘authorise’ the Office to initiate and conduct prosecutions, Parliament has, in effect, invariably taken over the discretionary of power of the Attorney General under Article 88(4) and has exercised the same. This compulsion is inconsistent with the discretion which the Constitution grants, exclusively, to the Attorney General.’

Again, the Deputy Attorney General argues that besides compelling the Attorney General to delegate his prosecutorial powers, the OSP Act varies the Attorney General’s prosecutorial power in many ways, including ‘the donation of the power to the Office also divests the Attorney General of his control over the Office’s use of the power.’

Another argument is that prosecutorial power may not be delegated to a juridical person but an actual human being.

The Deputy AG argues that the OSP Act did not make the Special Prosecutor (a human being) the recipient of the prosecutorial power but rather ‘it purports to make the ‘Office’ – an artificial person – the recipient of the purportedly delegated prosecutorial power.’

‘Accordingly, we pray your Lordships to adjudge and declare that Parliament has, to the extent of purporting to vary the prosecutorial power of the Attorney General, acted in excess of its powers,’ Dr. Justice Srem-Sai adds.

Information reaching DAILY GUIDE, indicates that a newborn baby has gone missing from the Salaga Government Hospital in the East Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region.

Two suspects, a male and a female nurse have since been arrested by the police in Salaga to assist with investigations.

An officer from the Salaga Divisional Police Command, DSP Gabriel Alorsey, who confirmed the arrests said the two were on duty at the time the incident occurred.

‘We have been able to arrest two nurses who were on duty that day,’ he said.

According to DSP Alorsey, the suspects have given contradictory statements and are still being interrogated and will be arraigned in court.

He indicated that the male nurse said he went to make photocopies and left the baby with the female nurse, who claimed she went to feed her child and within 20 minutes the baby was missing.

DSP Alorsey said chiefs and opinion leaders in the area have attempted to intervene.

‘I can’t be compromised by any chief, politician or prominent person in the area. To avoid any pressure, I decided to have them processed for court as early as possible,’ he stated.

Residents of Salaga expressed shock at the incident adding that it has been a long time since anything like this occurred in the area.

There have also been reports of similar missing-baby incidents in other parts of the country over the past two years, raising serious concerns.

I nearly missed my opportunity.

The realisation struck me sometime this week as I scrolled through social media and encountered yet another photograph of a distinguished Ghanaian standing beside a plaque large enough to serve as a dining table. The recipient was smiling. The organisers were smiling. The photographer was smiling. Even the plaque itself seemed to be smiling.

That was when panic set in. Apparently, everybody in Ghana was receiving an award except me.

Ministers were receiving awards. CEOs were receiving awards. Public officials were receiving awards. Every week, another photograph emerged from a hotel ballroom showing someone being celebrated as Outstanding, Visionary, Transformational, Influential, Exceptional, Dynamic or Best Performing.

The titles had become so plentiful that I began to fear I had somehow missed an important national registration exercise. I was therefore preparing to submit my application for the prestigious title of ‘Most Consistent Taxpayer Under Emotional Stress’ when the Presidency unexpectedly intervened and spoiled the entire business.

The statement reportedly advised ministers, CEOs and public officials to stop accepting awards from organisations whose credibility, assessment methods and evaluation criteria could not be properly established. I read the statement once. Then I read it again. And suddenly it dawned on me that we had reached a remarkable moment in our national history.

Government had found it necessary to remind grown adults to investigate who was praising them before accepting the praise. Only in the Republic of Uncommon Sense could such a public reminder become necessary.

Now, let me confess that I have absolutely nothing against awards. Recognition has always been part of civilised society. The best farmer deserves recognition. The best student deserves recognition. The best footballer deserves recognition.

Even the village palm wine tapper deserves recognition, provided he has not sampled too much of his own inventory before the judges arrive.

Recognition is not the problem. The problem begins when recognition becomes more abundant than achievement.

Somewhere along the line, awards in our Republic started multiplying faster than mosquitoes after a Kumasi rainstorm. Suddenly everybody became outstanding. Everybody became visionary. Everybody became transformational. Everybody became influential. Everybody became exceptional.

If things continue at the current pace, I suspect newborn babies will soon begin receiving Future Leadership Excellence Awards before they learn how to crawl.

An old man in my hometown once observed that when every hunter returns from the forest claiming to have killed an elephant, either somebody is lying or the forest has become dangerously empty. His wisdom returned to me as I reflected on our growing national trophy collection.

Every recipient appeared to be the best. Every citation sounded like a nomination for sainthood. Every ceremony promised to honour excellence. Yet ordinary citizens continued asking stubborn questions.

I imagined a trader at Kejetia staring at one of those award photographs in the newspaper. After studying it carefully, she looks up and asks, ‘If all these people are best-performing, who exactly is responsible for the problems they are trying to solve?’ Before anyone can answer, a taxi driver who has been listening quietly joins the conversation. ‘And if everybody is the most influential person in Ghana,’ he asks, ‘who exactly is being influenced?’

Those are uncomfortable questions, but uncomfortable questions have a habit of revealing uncomfortable truths.

The truth is that genuine excellence exists in this country. There are public servants doing remarkable work under difficult conditions. There are teachers changing lives in classrooms. There are entrepreneurs creating jobs. There are healthcare workers saving lives every day.

Such people deserve recognition. In fact, they probably deserve more recognition than they receive. But meaningful recognition depends on credibility. A gold medal means something because people trust the competition. A university degree means something because people trust the institution. An award means something because people trust the process that produced it.

Without trust, recognition slowly becomes decoration. And decoration, however attractive, cannot build roads, improve hospitals, stabilise electricity or create jobs. A plaque cannot fill a pothole. A certificate cannot shorten traffic. A trophy cannot keep the lights on.

As I reflected on the Presidency’s intervention, another proverb came to mind. When every rooster in the village is declared Bird of the Year, eventually even the turkey begins to suspect fraud.

Perhaps that is where we now find ourselves-not in a country suffering from a shortage of awards, but in one where awards have become so plentiful that government must occasionally remind people to verify the source before accepting them.

Perhaps the most revolutionary idea hidden inside this entire debate is that public performance should be measured by results rather than plaques.

Roads do not improve because someone receives a trophy.

Hospitals do not function better because a chief executive poses beside a certificate.

Electricity does not become more reliable because somebody has been declared visionary.

Results must come first. Recognition should follow.

Or, as our ancestors wisely taught us, the sweetness of the soup is not determined by the beauty of the ladle. It is determined by what is inside the pot.

AAK, a global leader in plant-based oils and fats, has launched the AAK Academy in Ghana in collaboration with the Embassy of Denmark to drive innovation and technical expertise in chocolate, confectionery, and other food applications.

The initiative supports AAK’s commitment to advancing technical capability and sustainable value creation in Ghana’s agro-processing sector.

It also delivers on the innovation pillar of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in January 2026 to develop Ghana’s shea value chain.

Established in Denmark in 2007, the AAK Academy is AAK’s flagship platform for knowledge sharing and innovation.

It equips customers and industry partners with technical expertise, market insights, and practical solutions for product development and growth.

Its introduction in Ghana extends the global platform to local manufacturers, enabling knowledge exchange and stronger participation in regional and international markets.

The launch, held at the Danish Embassy in Accra under the theme, ‘Inspiration in Chocolate and Confectionery Production,’ drew stakeholders from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Tree Crops Development Authority, Ghana Export Promotion Authority, FAO, European Union Delegation, industry players, and diplomatic partners.

AAK West Africa Vice President Lasse Skaksen said the Academy reflects AAK’s commitment to strengthening Ghana’s industrial and agricultural value chains.

‘We see tremendous potential within Ghana’s chocolate and confectionery industry. Through AAK Academy, we are sharing our global expertise to support local manufacturers in developing more competitive products and creating new opportunities within regional and international markets,’ he said.

Local chocolate producers FairAfric, 57 Chocolates, and Bioko Treats joined the launch alongside industry professionals.

Danish Ambassador Jakob Linulf said the initiative deepens Ghana-Denmark ties in agriculture and food. ‘Beyond exporting raw materials, we must create jobs, strengthen industries and add value within Ghana,’ he stated.

Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor, Director of Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness, representing the Minister for Food and Agriculture, commended AAK’s investment in Ghana’s agricultural transformation.

The pilot session held on June 3 brought together 25 local manufacturers for technical engagement on oils and fats in chocolate production.

It covered global consumer trends and opportunities for innovation and sustainable value creation. Chocolate was chosen as the entry point due to its relevance to Ghana’s cocoa-based economy.

The AAK Academy will expand beyond chocolate into bakery, dairy, cosmetics, and personal care. As Ghana pursues industrialisation, the Academy aims to serve as a platform for collaboration, helping industry players develop higher-value products and boost competitiveness in global markets.