Category: Daily Guide Network

Burkina Faso has been confirmed as host of the zonal phase of the 2026 WAFU B African Schools Football Championship, with the capital, Ouagadougou, set to welcome the region’s young football talents following Nigeria’s withdrawal.

Nigeria had been scheduled to stage the Under-15 competition from December 6 to 9, 2026. However, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) pulled out of the arrangement, forcing a change of venue, and Burkina Faso stepped in to host the tournament.

Organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the African Schools Football Championship gives young players a platform to showcase their abilities while promoting grassroots development and creating opportunities for future stars across the continent.

The zonal event is expected to draw teams from across the sub-region, including Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Benin, Niger and hosts Burkina Faso, with regional honours and progression to the continental finals at stake.

Ghana will be represented by both its Under-15 boys’ and girls’ teams. The girls’ side, the Black Damsels, enter as silver medallists in the WAFU B zone and defending champions of the CAF African Schools Football Championship. They will be aiming to retain their title and maintain Ghana’s dominance in the competition.

The boys’ team, meanwhile, will look to make a strong impression against their regional counterparts as they chase a place in the next stage of the championship.

As Russia courts African governments with promises of security, investment and solidarity, the continent must learn from history and ensure that new partnerships serve its people, not merely its political elites.

As African leaders gather in Moscow for the third Russia-Africa Summit on October 28 and 29, the language of friendship, sovereignty and mutually beneficial cooperation will once again take centre stage. Yet beneath the diplomatic courtesies lies a question the continent cannot afford to ignore: when does a strategic partnership strengthen a country’s independence, and when does it quietly compromise it?

The answer matters because Africa has encountered this dilemma before. Foreign powers have repeatedly presented themselves as partners in liberation, development or security, only for their strategic ambitions to complicate the very independence they professed to support. Russia’s growing presence on the continent demands scrutiny through this historical lens.

The Soviet Union’s contribution to Africa’s liberation struggles should not be dismissed. Moscow provided political backing, military assistance and educational opportunities to movements and governments confronting colonialism and apartheid. Its support helped some African countries train professionals, establish industries and resist minority rule. That legacy remains significant.

But historical gratitude must not become a blank cheque for contemporary policy

During the Cold War, Africa became an arena for competition between the Soviet Union and Western powers. Angola’s post-independence civil war drew in Soviet weapons, Cuban troops, South African intervention and American support for rival forces. Mozambique, Ethiopia and other countries also experienced the consequences of conflicts in which domestic political struggles became entangled with wider geopolitical ambitions.

These wars cannot be reduced to foreign interference alone. African political movements and governments had their own interests, agency and responsibilities. Nevertheless, the period demonstrated how external powers could intensify conflicts, arm competing parties and turn African territories into theatres of strategic competition.

The lesson is not that foreign partnerships are inherently harmful. It is that solidarity between governments does not necessarily mean their interests are identical. Today’s Russia is not the Soviet Union, and the geopolitical circumstances have changed. Yet some features of Moscow’s contemporary engagement with Africa warrant concern. In parts of the Sahel and Central Africa, Russian security assistance has become intertwined with political relationships, commercial interests and access to natural resources.

A group picture of African presidents and Russian President, Vladimir Putin

Research by the ‘Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’ (https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2026/02/russia-role-west-southern-africa-junta-wagner-africa-corps) describes a transactional model in which security support for selected governments has been accompanied by opaque mining arrangements and efforts to secure privileged access to minerals.

Following the demise of the Wagner Group’s founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Moscow has brought much of its African security activity under more direct state control through the Africa Corps and associated networks.

The implications are especially visible in Mali and the Central African Republic, where Russian personnel have helped governments fight armed opponents but have also been implicated in serious allegations of human rights abuses.

In July this year, Human Rights Watch reported that Russia’s Africa Corps had carried out airstrikes in central Mali that killed eight civilians, including three children. The organisation described the attack as apparently unlawful and called for an investigation. Such allegations underline the danger of security partnerships in which operational assistance is not matched by effective accountability.

There is a further concern. Where foreign security providers enjoy privileged access to political leaders and operate alongside opaque commercial networks, the interests of the state can become difficult to distinguish from those of the governing elite.

A government may receive assistance that helps it survive an immediate security crisis, while its citizens continue to face insecurity, weak institutions and limited opportunities to hold those responsible for abuses accountable.

The question, therefore, is not simply whether Russian forces can help a government recover territory. It is whether their presence leaves the country more secure, more institutionally capable and better equipped to govern itself when the foreign partner eventually departs.

Africa must also be wary of the economics of strategic dependence. Mineral wealth, particularly gold, has figured prominently in investigations of Wagner-linked commercial networks in the Central African Republic and Sudan. Such arrangements raise questions about transparency, royalties, beneficial ownership and the distribution of returns from natural resources.

Foreign investment can contribute to development, and security assistance can be necessary where states face armed insurgencies. But neither should provide cover for agreements that weaken public revenue, circumvent oversight or concentrate the benefits of national resources in the hands of politically connected individuals.

Nor is Russia’s influence confined to minerals and military deployments. Research by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies has documented Russian-linked disinformation operations and attempts to shape political narratives across the continent.

More recently, the recruitment of Africans through allegedly deceptive employment and educational offers for Russia’s war against Ukraine has exposed another troubling dimension of the relationship.

These developments should matter to African governments because sovereignty is not merely the freedom to choose a foreign ally. It is also the capacity to protect citizens, scrutinise contracts, enforce domestic law and change course when an arrangement ceases to serve the national interest.

None of this requires Africa to abandon Russia or substitute one external dependency for another. Western governments and companies have their own histories of intervention, unequal commercial arrangements and support for political elites. The answer is not to grant any foreign power privileged moral standing, but to apply consistent standards to all.

For Ghana, that means approaching the Moscow summit with clear economic and diplomatic objectives. Cooperation in agriculture, energy, manufacturing, technology and education could offer meaningful benefits. But agreements should be assessed against their financing terms, employment effects, technology-transfer provisions, contribution to domestic production and capacity to generate sustainable export earnings.

Security cooperation must be judged by similarly concrete measures, including civilian protection, respect for national institutions and the development of capable domestic forces. Major agreements should receive appropriate scrutiny, and their implementation should be transparent enough for citizens to evaluate the returns.

The African Union has repeatedly affirmed the principles of sovereign equality, non-interference and mutually beneficial cooperation in its relations with Russia.

The forthcoming summit offers an opportunity to give those principles practical meaning through stronger safeguards against deceptive recruitment, opaque resource deals and abuses by foreign security personnel.

Ultimately, Africa’s challenge is not to choose between Moscow and Western capitals. It is to ensure that no external relationship becomes so indispensable that national leaders can no longer insist on fair terms or accountability.

History shows that a powerful ally may help a country confront an immediate threat while simultaneously pursuing interests that do not fully coincide with its long-term development. African leadership must recognise that distinction before the costs become irreversible.

The Moscow summit should therefore be measured not by the warmth of its declarations or the number of agreements announced, but by what those agreements deliver to African citizens and what safeguards accompany them. Africa’s independence will mean little if the continent merely exchanges one patron for another. True sovereignty lies in the ability to choose partners freely, negotiate on fair terms and hold them accountable when they fail to honour their obligations.

Veteran Ghanaian actor, Majid Michel, has questioned comparisons between Ghana’s film industry and Nigeria’s Nollywood, arguing that the two countries’ population sizes make such comparisons unfair.

In an interview, the actor said Nigeria’s much larger population gives it a greater pool of potential actors, filmmakers and other professionals than Ghana.

He described the comparisons as ‘stupid’, insisting that population differences should be considered when assessing the growth and output of the two industries.

‘The comparison between us and Nigeria is such a stupid comparison to me. If you have 50 children and I have five children, the possibility that you will have more criminals, doctors, good children and filmmakers than me is very high,’ he said.

Majid argued that Nigeria’s population, which he put at more than 200 million, compared with Ghana’s fewer than 40 million, naturally gives its film industry a larger talent base.

He questioned why Ghana should expect to match Nigeria’s numbers in filmmaking without accounting for the difference in population.

The actor extended his argument to comparisons between Ghana and more established nations, saying differences in leadership experience and institutional development also needed to be considered.

‘There are countries that have been in leadership for over 300 years. They have built systems. We are way behind. So it is an unfair comparison,’ he said.

Ghana’s National U-15 Boys will take on Brazil in the Tier A Ranking Play-Offs (5th to 8th place) of the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival in Azerbaijan, after a painful quarter-final exit.

The young Ghanaians were denied a place in the semi-finals on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, losing 7-6 on penalties to Paraguay.

The quarter-final had ended 2-2 in regulation time, and the contest was only settled after a tense shootout in which the Ghanaians went down by the narrowest of margins.

Despite the disappointment, Ghana’s participation in the tournament is far from over. Under the competition’s format, the losing quarter-finalists continue in ranking matches, which means the team remain among the top eight sides at the event and will meet Brazil, one of the other beaten quarter-finalists.

The fixture will decide Ghana’s final ranking position in the FIFA Talent Development Scheme tournament, giving the young players a chance to bounce back and finish their campaign on a high note.

It has been an impressive tournament for the National U-15 Boys, who have won seven of their eight games and scored 36 goals along the way.

Their attacking quality and resilience have been on display throughout, and the squad will be eager to carry that form into the clash with the South Americans.

For the players, the match offers a valuable opportunity to gain further international experience against top opposition as they continue their development on the global stage.

Singer, Gyakie, will return to the stage on December 12, 2026, with a comeback concert at Ghud Park, Accra Mall, after months of recording her upcoming album, Midnight.

The singer said the show would let her reconnect with fans and thank them for their continued support during her break from live performances.

Gyakie reportedly shared insights into her songwriting process, explaining that she typically starts with an instrumental beat before developing a song’s narrative.

While some tracks take days to complete, she recalled finishing one song in just 30 minutes when inspiration struck.

On viral dance challenges, she said music should encourage people to dance, have fun and connect with others. She also linked the inspiration behind her single ‘Body’ to an appreciation of the human form and God’s creativity.

The December concert is expected to feature new material as Gyakie prepares to introduce fans to her evolving sound ahead of the release of ‘Midnight’.

Ewura Adams Karim has declared his intention to contest for the position of Deputy National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), pledging to strengthen the party’s communication strategy.

Speaking at the official declaration and campaign launch in Accra on Wednesday, he said he would prioritise a rapid-response communication system to address misinformation, and effectively communicate the government’s achievements as part of efforts to attract non-members of the party.

He said the party needed communicators who could inspire grassroots supporters, explain government policies and achievements to the public, and respond swiftly to opposition claims with facts and evidence.

‘The NDC needs three kinds of communicators: the party must be able to sustain the hopes of its supporters, win the confidence of undecided voters, and counter misinformation and disinformation,’ he said.

He also announced plans to advocate for a digital media desk to strengthen the NDC’s presence on social media and equip young people with the skills to communicate the party’s messages across digital platforms.

According to him, political communication could no longer depend solely on radio and television discussions, as social media had become an important channel for reaching voters, particularly the youth.

He said party communicators should be equipped to document government projects through photographs and videos and share them online to provide the public with information on ongoing developments.

Karim Adams further pledged to train communicators across the party’s branches, constituencies and regions, with particular attention to women, persons with disabilities and people who do not speak English language.

He also promised to make grassroots members key members of the party’s communication strategy, stating that their contributions were essential to the NDC’s electoral success.

‘I will be a Deputy National Communication Officer who will have foot soldiers at heart because I am one of you. I have been with you in the trenches, and I will continue to be with you in the trenches,’ he added.

Mr. Karim, who described himself as a product of an NDC family, said his experience in broadcasting, public speaking, community organising and party communication had prepared him for the position.

The Chairman of the Professional and Managerial Staff Union (PMSU) of the Agricultural Development Bank PLC (ADB), Mr. James Obeng-Gyan, has raised questions about the bank’s financial trajectory, insisting that its substantial growth in assets must translate into sustainable profitability and stronger support for Ghana’s agricultural sector.

According to financial figures presented at the National Executive Council meeting of PMSU/Local Union by Mr. Obeng-Gyan, ADB’s total assets increased from approximately GHS734.6 million in 2009 to GHS1.789 billion in 2025, representing more than 24 times growth. However, he said this expansion was accompanied by years of financial difficulties that demanded serious institutional introspection.

The figures cited by the union chairman showed that retained earnings of GHS54.3 million in 2014 deteriorated into accumulated losses from 2015, reaching approximately GHS2.056 billion in 2024.

The bank reportedly recorded a net loss of GHS828.8 million in 2023, before posting a profit before tax of GHS580.8 million and net profit of GHS367.3 million in 2025, with accumulated losses improving to approximately GHS1.747 billion.

Speaking on the theme, ‘Safeguarding ADB’s Institutional Sustainability and Jobs in the Fulfilment of Its National Development Mandate,’ Mr. Obeng-Gyan described the reported 2025 performance as encouraging but insisted that sustained recovery required prudent lending, stronger risk management, effective internal controls and accountability. He said financial improvement alone could not substitute for lasting governance reforms.

The PMSU chairman also raised concerns about historical asset disposals and credit arrangements, alleging that some transactions involving properties, rental arrangements and other strategic assets warranted closer examination.

He called for credible investigations where necessary, stressing that allegations should be assessed on the basis of documentary evidence rather than speculation.

Mr. Obeng-Gyan recalled the union’s opposition to proposed divestiture arrangements and other ownership changes over the years, saying PMSU and the Local Union had made significant sacrifices in their efforts to protect ADB. He maintained that organised labour should be recognised as a strategic partner in safeguarding the institution, rather than treated as an obstacle to management decisions.

He urged the government, the Bank of Ghana and ADB’s Board to support a comprehensive recovery programme covering loan recovery, asset quality, capital adequacy, digital transformation, revenue generation and operational efficiency.

He also called for transparency and independent valuation in any proposed share disposal, arguing that ADB’s strategic importance to agriculture and rural enterprise should inform decisions about its ownership and future.

On staff matters, Mr. Obeng-Gyan called for meaningful consultation over restructuring, improved conditions of service and fair treatment of employees. He urged management to address outstanding promotions, salary structure implementation, pensioners’ medical care and delayed performance appraisal outcomes, while ensuring that performance expectations reflected available operational resources.

Mr. Obeng-Gyan said ADB’s recovery should be treated as a national responsibility, requiring professional management, independent oversight and constructive engagement with organised labour. He called for the protection of the bank’s development mandate, warning that its future should be measured not merely by asset growth but by its financial resilience, responsible governance and capacity to support Ghana’s agricultural and economic development.

Hundreds of members of the Ga-Dangbe Progressive Group and their sympathisers yesterday staged a demonstration against the demolition of structures at La Pleasure Beach Resort, demanding urgent government intervention to restore the livelihoods of affected traders and workers.

The demonstrators, who marched under the banner ‘Aaagbe W? Demo,’ wore red and black T-shirts and matching head and hand bands to express their displeasure with what they described as the unfair treatment of people whose businesses were affected by the exercise.

They carried placards with inscriptions, including ‘Development Does Not Mean Destroying Other People’s Livelihoods’, ‘Labadi Beach Workers Are Hurting, Hear Our Cry’, ‘We Want to Work, We Want Our Livelihood Back’, and ‘We Deserve Dignity, Not Demolition.’

Others read: ‘You Break Our Structures, You Break Our Families’ and ‘Our Businesses May Be Gone, But Our Voices May Not Be Silenced.’

Traders and workers affected by the demolition were seen chanting protest songs and recounting their losses, while appealing to the government to introduce measures that would enable them to return to work as soon as possible.

They said the demolition had deprived them of their sources of income, leaving many struggling to provide for their families and meet their financial obligations.

Present at the demonstration were some bigwigs within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) which include former Ledzokuku Member of Parliament (MP) and Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, Daniel Titus Glover, National Organiser of the NPP, Kojo Bamba, First Vice Chairman of the NPP, and Odododiodioo Constituency NPP Parliamentary Candidate, Abdul Manaf Sowah, among others.

Former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Freddie Blay, who joined the protest, expressed displeasure over the La Pleasure Beach demolition.

He said the exercise has rendered about 4,000 people homeless and jobless overnight.

Mr. Blay described the demolition as extremely reckless and unfriendly, saying, ‘the youth and the people of Ga-Dangbe are protesting against unnecessary demolition. Unfriendly and extremely reckless actions of government agents in terms of demolitions and breakdown of legitimate businesses that the indigenes of this land are engaging in.’

He noted that the people of La, who have contributed significantly to Ghana’s hospitality industry, particularly through businesses at Laboma Beach and La Pleasure Beach Resort, have had their livelihoods destroyed.

‘People in La have their own appreciation of what Ghana needs in terms of hospitality and are contributing to it. Overnight, you have broken them down. Rendered about 3,000 to 4,000 people homeless and jobless, and this is the protest. Let Ghanaians know that people in Ga-Dangbe are not happy, and those of us who may not even be Ga-Dangbe are expressing our solidarity with the youth of this region and also Greater Accra,’ he added.

Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, who addressed journalists during the demonstration, called on the government to urgently engage the affected persons and address their concerns.

In a petition presented to Presidential Staffer Charles Mensah, Okoe Boye outlined the pleas of the affected individuals, which included the government’s failure to consult the traders and workers before the demolition.

‘Is that how you show love? I want to speak on record. Nobody in this government has spoken to the people. Nobody at all,’ he said.

In the petition, Dr. Okoe Boye also challenged the government to identify the people it had described as vulnerable in its response to the situation.

‘This is a government that demolishes and destroys. When they finish, they don’t even say sorry. They come to lie about what they face. So we are here to let the government know that Accra is not only angry, we are also hungry,’ he added.

He urged the government to demonstrate concern for the plight of the affected traders by providing compensation and ensuring that officials and security personnel involved in the exercise acted professionally.

‘People don’t have food to eat. Show you care for the poor. Show your democratic credentials by immediately providing compensation,’ he stated.

He further called for disciplinary action against officials he accused of misconduct, warning that the government could face electoral consequences if it failed to address the concerns.

Traders Count Losses

The demonstration followed the October 2 demolition at La Pleasure Beach Resort, which left several traders and workers stranded after structures housing their businesses were pulled down.

Some affected traders said they had received inadequate notice of the exercise, leaving them with little time to remove their goods and personal belongings before earthmoving equipment arrived.

They said shops, restaurants and other small businesses were destroyed, with goods worth thousands of cedis lost.

‘We were not given enough time. We only heard that they would come, and before we could pack, the machines were already here. Everything we have worked for over the years is gone,’ one trader said.

Others said the exercise had also affected casual workers, food vendors and artisans who depended on activities at the beach resort for their daily income.

Some business owners said they had taken loans to establish their businesses and were now struggling to determine how they would repay them following the destruction of their sources of income.

The affected persons called for compensation, alternative livelihood support and clear arrangements to enable them to resume their economic activities.

Management Goes to Court

Meanwhile, the management of La Pleasure Beach has sued Hotel Investments (Ghana) Limited, operators of Labadi Beach Hotel, La Palm Beach Hotel Limited and the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) over the demolition of its management office and other structures at the beachfront.

The suit, filed at the High Court in Accra, is seeking, among other reliefs, a declaration affirming the management committee’s authority to manage, control and regulate activities at the beach and generate revenue from them.

The writ of summons, sworn to by Stanley Anyetei Nunoo, Chairman of the La Pleasure Beach Management Committee, alleged that the defendants, together with security personnel engaged for the operation, unlawfully demolished the committee’s management office and other licensed structures.

According to the statement of claim, the demolition disrupted the committee’s operations.

The committee maintains that it was established following a Court of Appeal order dated July 21, 2022, which, according to the plaintiff, dissolved an interim management committee established by the High Court in April 2013.

Accra FM Entertainment Presenter, Kwabena Bobie, has sparked debate on social media after stating that he would choose Shatta Wale over Stonebwoy when it comes to personality.

According to the presenter, his preference for Shatta Wale is because he is a no-nonsense artiste who does not allow anyone to bully him.

Kwabena Bobie further suggested that he is hated by fellow artistes, including those who claim to have acquired PhDs in academics.

The comments, which went viral, drew a response from Stonebwoy, who said the presenter had thrown unprovoked jabs at him.

In a post on X reacting to the video, Stonebwoy wrote: ‘See how this man disrespectfully describes me for no reason. This reply is evidence that I can reply to anyone, anytime and anywhere, instantly – just as I am doing now. I hold nothing in my heart. I speak when I choose to, not when others expect me to.

‘I could have rained insults on you for attacking my character, like your favourite, but it is unnecessary. I chose to be wise; I have uncles your age whom I respect.

‘I only replied so that people like you stop glorifying acts that degrade the moral fabric of our nation.’

The post has since generated mixed reactions in the comment section.

Shuga Raya wrote: ‘Charlie, you just confirmed what the presenter said! You’re always bitter. We’ve all seen the video, where in the video did he attack you? He said he likes Shatta Wale’s personality because he doesn’t harbour anger; he will speak his mind and move on. But you do the opposite, which we all know is true. Is that an attack?? Go and sit somewhere with your emotions. Your own personal person, MC Portfolio said the same thing. That’s who you are and people in the industry know. You are too emotional Lilly bro!’

Another user, Bra Phile, commented: ‘You keep insisting you hold nothing in your heart and that you chose to be wise, yet this entire statement sounds like someone desperate to prove he is unbothered. You even had to remind the person that you could have insulted him. If you were truly above the situation, why make so much effort to prove it? Sometimes, the way you respond only reinforces the very perception you are trying to change. PS: Look at your comment section. Most people seem to agree with the host rather than you. Maybe that should tell you something.’

Popular American streamer, IShowSpeed, has premiered a new documentary, ‘The Eyes of Ghana’, which tells the story of Ghana’s historic cameraman, Chris Tsui Hesse.

The 90-minute film, which premiered on Wednesday, October 28 in New York, is directed by Oscar winner Ben Proudfoot and executive produced by Barack and Michelle Obama. It follows 93-year-old Chris Tsui Hesse, who filmed Ghana’s independence era and is now working with his protégé, Anita Afonu, to preserve over 1,300 reels of historic footage.

Streamer Darren Watkins Jr., known as IShowSpeed, who has Ghanaian roots, joined the project as a producer after a personal visit to the country. He said his aim is to share Ghana’s rich history with a wider global audience.

At the premiere, Speed shared emotional moments with family and supporters ahead of the film’s one-night theatrical release in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Ghana.