Category: Daily Guide Network

The Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC) has urged traders, transport operators, and haulage drivers in the Northern Region to adhere to applicable laws governing cross-border trade in agricultural commodities from Burkina Faso, in order to avoid sanctions.

The directive follows the introduction of strict sanctions against the illegal export of shea nuts and selected grains from Burkina Faso.

In a statement issued on Monday, June 8, 2026, the NRCC in Tamale said an official communication received from the National Security Council Secretariat indicated that Burkina Faso has instituted severe sanctions against individuals involved in illicit trade in shea nuts and selected grains.

It said the sanctions include the confiscation of vehicles used in the illegal trade as well as the prosecution of individuals found culpable.

‘The Burkinabe government has imposed sanctions, including confiscation of vehicles and prosecution of individuals involved in illicit export of shea nuts and selected grains such as millet, maize, and soybeans from Burkina Faso.

‘In view of this development, the Northern Regional Coordinating Council wishes to inform businessmen and women, haulage drivers, transport owners and export companies in the region to exercise extreme caution and strictly adhere to all applicable laws and regulations governing cross-border trade in agricultural commodities in Burkina Faso to avoid any applicable sanction,’ it stated.

The NRCC also appealed to traditional authorities, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), market associations, trade unions and transport unions across the Northern Region to help disseminate the information to ensure compliance among their members.

The NRCC further reaffirmed government’s commitment to promoting lawful cross-border trade, strengthening cooperation between Ghanaian and Burkinabe traders while ensuring citizens are adequately informed of the development.

ACCRA GIRLS’ Senior High School (SHS) has emerged as winner of the maiden Greater Accra edition of the ACE Spoken Word Competition with a total of 86 points, beating its close contender Ghana Christian International High School (GCIHS), who secured 85 points.

Forces’ Senior High Technical School placed third with 77 points, while O’Reilly Senior High School came fourth with 75 points.

Accra Girls took an early lead during the first round, which featured spoken word performances and dramatisations. The school maintained its advantage in the second round, a general knowledge quiz, before holding off a strong challenge from Ghana Christian International High School in the final improvisation round.

The winners received a trophy, certificates, a citation, stationery items, and a cash prize of GHS7,000.

Ghana Christian International High School received GHS5,000 and certificates for placing second, while Forces’ Senior High Technical School and O’Reilly Senior High School received GHS3,000 and GHS2,000 respectively, alongside certificates.

The competition, sponsored by the United States Embassy and facilitated by ACE Consult Ltd, brought together students from 27 senior high schools across the Greater Accra Region under the theme, ‘World Cup 2026: When the Whistle Blows, Borders Fade’.

Speaking to the media, Executive Director of ACE Consult, Marilyn Owusu, explained that students are challenged to develop and perform spoken word pieces, often under pressure, to build confidence and sharpen their communication abilities.

‘The idea is to empower our students to become critical thinkers and confident speakers who can express themselves effectively before any audience,’ she said.

Mrs. Owusu noted that the competition was first introduced in Kumasi in 2024 and has grown significantly, attracting dozens of schools. The 2026 edition marked its expansion into the Greater Accra Region.

Press Attaché at the United States Embassy, Matthew Asada, said the Embassy was pleased to support the initiative.

‘We’re very proud to partner with Ace Consult on the inaugural edition of the Spoken Word Competition here and across. We’ve been doing this for three years in Kumasi, but this is the first time in Accra. I am very excited, especially given the theme of this year’s competition. It was all about sports, sports diplomacy,’ he said.

He noted that the competition forms part of a series of educational and cultural activities linked to the tournament and aimed at promoting leadership, creativity and cross-cultural engagement among young people.

The ACE Spoken Word Competition is an annual platform that encourages students to develop their writing, performance, and critical-thinking skills through poetry and spoken word presentations.

Founder of TheYDMediaNetwork, Henry Nartey, with support from Oracle Foundation and other benevolent individuals, has donated generously to support the mother of twins whose belongings were destroyed during a demolition exercise at Adenta Barrier.

The intervention followed an emotional interview conducted by TheYDMediaNetwork, which highlighted the struggles of Mary and her twin children after the demolition left them facing significant hardship and uncertainty.

Moved by her story, the Oracle Foundation donated GHS1,000 in cash, two packs of Verna Mineral Water and assorted meals from Hilltop Fast Food to provide immediate relief to the family.

The donation was presented as part of a joint effort between the Foundation and TheYDMediaNetwork to support vulnerable members of society and inspire public participation in charitable causes.

Speaking after receiving the support, Mary expressed profound gratitude to the Oracle Foundation, TheYDMediaNetwork and members of the public who responded to her appeal.

She disclosed that following the publication of her story, TheYDMediaNetwork launched a fundraising drive on her behalf, attracting overwhelming support from compassionate individuals across the country. According to her, a total of GHS6,441 was raised and presented to her through the initiative.

For Mary and her twins, what began as a story of loss and despair is gradually becoming one of hope, resilience and the kindness of strangers willing to lend a helping hand when it matters most.

Optics influence impressions about institutions and even personalities when they are applied sincerely.

Even Fhrer Adolf Hitler, dictator of the Third Reich in Germany, wanted positive optics for his war efforts hence his bestowal of Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda position upon Dr. Joseph Goebbels to couple the operations on the fronts during WWII. Misinformation and disinformation were fair strategies under Hitler and Dr. Goebbels.

Government ministers and appointees working under a propaganda-driven ambience need positive optics badly to project themselves, especially when the impressions about them are not enthralling, the initial goodwill having dissipated so fast.

News about some government appointees being bestowed with labels such as ‘Best Performing’ and ‘Overall Best Performing’ ministers did not make attractive headlines as the revelation that they were paid for by the recipients. This is not what the recipients and the shadowy organisers opted for.

The revelation about the ‘awards for sale’ was made by a man who heads the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), an entity which ensures the prevalence of good and ethical practices in state enterprises.

Prof. Kpessa-Whyte, from whom the revelation originated, could not have neither spilled the beans mischievously nor ignorantly. That is why the immorality of the action by the appointees demands auditing.

It is embarrassing that ministers of state and CEOs would descend to this level of integrity blemish by succumbing to such cheap image-cleansing ventures, funds from which kitty must be determined.

The now dormant Special Prosecutor will hardly consider it worthy of his action, as he would have in previous times. Perhaps he has decided not to see corruption in the enterprise.

Some of the beneficiaries of the image-brightening venture might argue that they paid from their pockets. Therein lies the need for a probe.

Why would a government appointee pay for recognition on the public space under the aegis of a private and shadowy organisation? Desperation is the answer.

Those who perform admirably do not need to pay to be highlighted. High quality beads are noiseless, an Akan adage states.

We have observed with disdain those whose performance are visibly below average being recognised because, after all, they paid for such exaltation. Even those who have failed to save lives and property from floods are being recognised for excellent performance and others under whose tenure illegal mining has assumed unenviable notoriety. This country, hmm!!

Here is to salute Prof. Kpessa-Whyte for letting out the truth behind the charade, but for which we would have lived with the dust thrown into our eyes.

The Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, once upon a time under this second term of President John Mahama launched a beautifully-couched Code of Ethics, the objective of which is to ensure adherence to best practices by government appointees.

Many doubted the ability of the flowery compositions contained in the code to achieve this goal; time has proven them right. Ethical codes mean nothing if they are unable to sanction those who breach the contents.

Here we are witnessing a flagrant violation of the code by appointees, and all we see as a reaction is a lame ‘don’t patronise private awards in future’, that is all.

Such a rare opportunity for the President to deal with wayward appointees is lost. The correspondence from the President’s Secretary, Callistus Mahama and not Julius Debrah, the Chief of Staff, containing the STOP directive closes the chapter. Maybe appointees can sponsor government-organised awards activities.

This is an interesting regime under which absurdities occur so rampantly we are unable to keep track of them.

As for Prof. Kpessa-Whyte, he has robbed the recipients of the awards the glory they sought to derive. Instead, they have been smeared with integrity scum regrettably.

The large-scale mining sector contributed more than GHS22.22 billion in revenue to the economy and provided over 13,819 direct jobs despite facing significant global and domestic challenges, the Chamber of Mines has disclosed.

Speaking at its 98th Annual General Meeting (AGM) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Chamber, Kenneth Ashigbey, said that the industry recorded local procurement spending of US$4.20 billion, invested significantly in infrastructure, and spent US$88.60 million on community development initiatives.

He said the mining industry navigated geopolitical tensions, inflationary pressures and remained a key driver of merchandise exports, and foreign exchange generation.

He said, ‘Despite these headwinds, Ghana’s large-scale mining sector remained resilient. It contributed over GHS22.22 billion in revenue and supported more than 13,819 direct jobs. It also sustained merchandise exports, foreign exchange generation through the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme, local procurement spend of $4.20 billion, infrastructure investment, and community development spending of $88.60 million.’

The Chief Executive Officer also mentioned ongoing reforms to the Minerals and Mining Act noting that the Chamber provided data-driven recommendations aimed at creating a balanced framework that supports national development objectives while maintaining Ghana’s attractiveness to investors

He said the Chamber has intensified engagements with government agencies, regulators, security institutions, traditional authorities, the World Gold Council, the World Bank, and the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) to promote responsible mining practices and stronger enforcement within the small-scale mining sector.

Outgoing President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Michael Edem Akafia, emphasised that sustainable progress in the mining sector depends on strong collaboration among government, industry players, communities, and regulators.

Mr. Akafia said the Chamber’s decision to engage the government as a constructive partner rather than a critic had produced positive outcomes.

He noted that despite global economic challenges, including tariff-related trade tensions, geopolitical risks, and policy uncertainty, the world economy maintained a growth rate of 3.4 percent in 2025.

According to him, the gold mining sub-sector emerged as the strongest performers, growing by 19.6 percent, while the solid minerals sector expanded by 13.56 percent. Gold’s contribution to GDP rose from 7.97 percent in 2024 to 9.98 percent in 2025, making it the country’s largest sub-sector.

Mr. Akafia projected that the country’s economic growth would moderate to 4.8 percent in 2026 as the economy transitions from recovery-driven expansion to a more sustainable growth path.

He further urged stakeholders to work collectively to address rising operational costs, policy and regulatory uncertainties, illegal mining, security of tenure concerns, and the need to ensure that the benefits of mineral wealth are more visibly translated into development outcomes for host communities.

Celebrated Ghanaian chef and food influencer, Chef Abbys, has caused a stir with her recent post on social media suggesting that the country’s national team, Black Stars, will emerge as winners of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The post on X read, ‘I dreamt, Ghana won the World Cup.’ The food influencer’s late Sunday post has received mixed playful replies about her ‘fufu-fueled’ dreams.

Coolest Guy wrote, ‘Be like the food pass your head top.’

Professor X stated, ‘Masa masa focus on your cooking o! Don’t switch to Ghanaian prophets and agenda boy.’

Britney Tachie also wrote, ‘When was the last time Dadesen (cooking pot) hit your head?’

Bra Sammy added, ‘It was just a bad dream. I hope you prayed when you woke up?? Next time no chop two balls of kenkey and pork sauce.’

The long arms of the law finally caught up with convicted former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedina Christine Tamakloe-Attionu, who was extradited to Ghana yesterday from the United States to serve her 10-year jail term for stealing public funds and other offences.

For five years, the embattled former MASLOC boss, who was found guilty of bloating contracts and spending part of relief funds meant for victims of the Kantamanto fire outbreak, had been hiding in the US where she sought permission to seek medical help during the pendency of the trial in 2021.

Tamakloe-Attionu was also jailed for pocketing an amount of GHS500,000 invested by MASLOC at Obaatanpa Microfinance Company Limited which was returned to MASLOC because of the high interest demanded, but the money never reflected in the accounts of the Centre.

She landed at the Accra International Airport in the early hours of yesterday and was taken into custody by officials of the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Prison Service.

Necessary steps were then taken for her to be taken to a prison facility to begin serving her 10-year jail term which was handed down by a High Court in Accra in 2024.

The US Embassy in Ghana confirmed the successful extradition with a post on its Facebook page, indicating that ‘Justice has no borders.’

The statement added that the extradition signifies ‘our strong U.S.-Ghana law enforcement partnership in action, demonstrating a shared commitment to accountability, and the first extradition from the United States to Ghana since 2009.’

Conviction

A High Court in Accra, presided over by Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, a Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting as an additional High Court judge, in April 2024, convicted and sentenced Tamakloe-Attionu to 10 years’ imprisonment after finding her guilty of causing financial loss to the state.

She was sentenced to a total of 21 years’ imprisonment in hard labour for stealing (10 years), causing financial loss to the state (3 years), causing loss to public property (2 years), improper payment (6 months), unauthorised commitment resulting in a financial obligation for the government (6 months), money laundering (3 years) and contravention of the Public Procurement Act (2 years).

She was also fined a total of GHS78,000 for the offences and, in default, she will serve another six years in jail.

An interdicted Operations Manager of MASLOC, Daniel Axim, was also sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for the same offence, for his role in the looting of state funds.

The two were found guilty and convicted of all the 78 charges levelled against them by the Office of the Attorney General in 2019 for various criminal acts that led to the state losing a whopping GHS93,044,134.66.

A five-member Supreme Court panel presided over by Justice Amadu Tanko, assisted by Justices Samuel Asiedu, Senyo Dzamefe, Bright Mensah, Ackaah Boafo, on January 14, 2026, granted Daniel Axim bail in the sum of GHS500,000 pending appeal.

Fugitive

Justice Asare-Botwe, on February 24, 2023, declared Tamakloe-Attionu a fugitive and granted an application to conduct the case in her absence following her refusal to return to Ghana to face trial after she was granted leave by the court to travel to the United States for medical checkup in 2021.

In June 2024, the Office of the Attorney General secured a warrant for the arrest of the convict, making it the second time a court had issued a warrant for her arrest, with the first one issued on November 16, 2021.

Arrest/Extradition

Tamakloe-Attionu was arrested and detained by US Marshals on January 6, 2026, and was being held at the Nevada Southern Detention Center pending legal proceedings to have her extradited to Ghana.

In April this year, a United States Magistrate judge, Daniel J. Albregts of the District of Nevada, ordered the extradition of Tamakloe-Attionu to Ghana to serve her 10-year jail term after finding that the information presented to it by the Ghana government and its US counterpart ‘is competent evidence to establish probable cause that Attionu committed the crimes with which she is charged and has been convicted.’

The court had rejected all the arguments made on behalf of the fugitive, who has been hiding in the United States since 2021, including the arguments that the offence for which she is being sought after in Ghana are not part of the Extradition Treaty between Ghana and the US.

The court, after considering the evidence before it as well as substantial case law, found that the relevant and applicable treaty provisions found in the Extradition Treaty and United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) between the US and Ghana ‘are in full force and effect and certification of Attionu’s extradition would not be in violation of the provisions found in 18 U.S.C. § 3184.’

Every rainy season, the story is painfully familiar. Dark clouds gather over Accra, heavy rains fall for a few hours, and soon, roads become rivers, homes are submerged, businesses are disrupted, and lives are sometimes lost. The immediate reaction is often to blame the intensity of the rainfall. Yet the truth is that Accra’s flood crisis is far bigger than the rain itself.

Rain does not kill. Rain merely exposes the weaknesses that have accumulated over decades: poor urban planning, weak enforcement of building regulations, uncontrolled development, disappearing wetlands, inadequate drainage infrastructure, and widespread civic indiscipline. Until these underlying issues are addressed, every major downpour will continue to produce the same tragic headlines.

The rapid expansion of Accra has outpaced the city’s planning systems. Residential and commercial developments have sprung up in waterways, flood-prone zones, and wetlands that once served as natural buffers against flooding. Many structures that should never have received permits have been allowed to remain, while enforcement agencies often appear powerless, or unwilling, to act. The result is a city increasingly unable to absorb or channel storm water effectively.

Equally troubling is the condition of the capital’s drainage system. Drains that were designed to carry water away are frequently clogged with plastic waste, sand, debris, and silt. In many communities, residents continue to use drains as dumping grounds despite repeated warnings from authorities. When heavy rains arrive, these blocked channels inevitably overflow, turning streets and neighbourhoods into flood zones.

The destruction of wetlands presents another serious concern. Wetlands are nature’s drainage system, absorbing excess water and reducing the impact of floods.

Yet many of these critical ecological assets have been encroached upon or completely reclaimed for construction projects. The loss of these natural flood-control mechanisms leaves the city even more vulnerable whenever rainfall intensifies.

However, it would be unfair to place all the blame on government institutions. Citizens also have a responsibility to protect their communities. The indiscriminate disposal of refuse into gutters, drains, streams, and open spaces contributes significantly to the flooding problem.

Public education campaigns have been conducted for years, but behavioural change has been slow. A city cannot function effectively when a significant number of its residents disregard basic environmental sanitation practices.

That said, government officials bear the greater responsibility because they possess the legal mandate and resources to enforce compliance. Metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies must move beyond annual desilting exercises and emergency responses.

What is required is a comprehensive and sustained flood management strategy that prioritises proper drainage infrastructure, strict enforcement of planning regulations, protection of wetlands, and the removal of structures obstructing waterways.

The political will to undertake these measures is often tested because enforcement actions can be unpopular. Yet leadership demands difficult decisions. Delaying action only increases the human and economic costs of future floods.

Climate change is expected to make rainfall patterns more unpredictable and, in some cases, more intense. This means Accra cannot afford to continue treating floods as seasonal emergencies. They are now a recurring urban management challenge requiring long-term planning and investment.

The next heavy rainfall is not a matter of if, but when. The question is whether authorities and citizens will finally learn from the repeated disasters of previous years. If they fail to act, the next flood will once again expose the same weaknesses, destroy the same properties, threaten the same lives, and generate the same promises of reform.

Accra deserves better. Preventing floods is not solely the responsibility of government, nor is it solely the duty of citizens. It requires a collective commitment to responsible governance, effective enforcement, environmental protection, and civic discipline. Until that happens, the rains will continue to reveal not just a flooding problem, but a failure of shared responsibility.

Non-governmental organisation, ASK Mission, has donated assorted food items, sanitary products and household supplies to inmates of the James Camp Prison in Accra as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

The items donated included 10 packs of soft drinks, liquid soap, disinfectant, two bags of maize, a box of cocoa drink, five packs of toilet rolls, five bags of gari, six tubes of toothpaste, 30 bags of sachet water and other essential supplies.

Presenting the items to the prison authorities, Chief Executive Officer of ASK Mission, Adwoa Sarfo, said the organisation remains committed to supporting vulnerable groups in society through humanitarian interventions and empowerment initiatives.

According to her, inmates should not be neglected because of their circumstances, stressing that they remain part of society and deserve care, support and opportunities for rehabilitation.

She explained that the donation was aimed at improving the welfare of inmates and helping to address some of the challenges confronting the prison facility.

‘We believe that being in prison does not make one an outcast. They still deserve care, support and opportunities for rehabilitation,’ she stated.

Madam Sarfo noted that supporting vulnerable groups, including prisoners, is both a social responsibility and a moral obligation.

She added that the Holy Bible and the Holy Qur’an encourage generosity and compassion towards the needy, indicating that charitable acts are practical demonstrations of faith and service to humanity.

‘Giving back to society is not only a kind gesture but also a fulfilment of God’s teachings as outlined in the Holy Scriptures,’ she said.

She further called on individuals, corporate institutions and non-governmental organisations to incorporate charitable activities into their programmes, stressing that collective efforts could significantly improve the lives of the less privileged in society.

Madam Sarfo expressed the hope that more organisations would emulate the gesture by extending support to correctional facilities and other vulnerable groups across the country.

Receiving the items on behalf of the prison, Superintendent Doris Amoah Okyere, thanked ASK Mission for the kind gesture and for remembering the inmates.

She assured the organisation that the items would be distributed fairly and put to good use.

Superintendent Okyere also appealed to corporate bodies, NGOs and philanthropists to support the prison service, stressing that addressing the needs of inmates requires the collective support of stakeholders and the public.

The late veteran Ghanaian actor, William Addo, and his wife, Agnes Dewornu Akortor-Addo, will be laid to rest on July 4, 2026, in Tefle, Volta Region.

William Addo passed away on November 22, 2025, while his wife, Agnes Akortor-Addo, died on May 21, 2026.

According to the family, funeral activities will begin on Friday, July 3, 2026, with the conveyance of their mortal remains from the Sogakope District Hospital Morgue to the Dzavier Family House in Tefle. The family has indicated that there will be no wake-keeping.

On Saturday, July 4, 2026, a laying-in-state, viewing, and filing past will be held at the Dzavier Family House from 5:00 a.m. This will be followed by a burial service at Dzavieto in Tefle.

The couple will subsequently be interred at the Dzavier Family Cemetery in Tefle.

The final funeral rites will take place on Sunday, July 5, 2026, with a thanksgiving service at House of Prayer Ministry in Tefle.

William Addo was widely known for his contributions to Ghana’s film industry and remained one of the country’s most respected veteran actors throughout his career.