Category: Daily Guide Network

The trial of former Chief Executive Officer of National Food and Buffer Stock Company Limited (NAFCO), Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba and his wife, Faiza Seidu Wuni, has been adjourned to June 9 due to the failure of the Office of the Attorney General to file signed witness statements of the witnesses they intend to rely on for the prosecution.

The court had set yesterday, May 28, 2026 for case management after which a date would be set for the commencement of the trial.

When the case was called, Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, told the court presided over by Justice Francis Achibonga that that the prosecution had filed all documents and that they were ready for case management conference.

However, former Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, who is lawyer for Mr. Abdul-Wahab, raised an objection to the request, indicating that the accused persons had been served with only one witness statement.

He further told the court that the other documents filed and served on the accused could not be considered as witness statements under the criminal laws of Ghana since they had neither been signed nor verified as required by the Practice Directions Disclosures and Case Management Rules.

Mr. Dame further submitted that the Practice Directions Disclosures and Case Management Rules stipulate that the prosecution must file and serve on the accused persons all witness statements and documents to be relied upon before a case management conference can be conducted.

Dr. Srem-Sai, in response to the objection said the concerns raised by Dame are not enough grounds to stall the case management conference scheduled by the court.

He said the non-signing of the witness statement would have impacted the process if the prosecution was tendering the witness statements in evidence and not at the case management stage.

He added that there is no provision in practice direction which says case management conference cannot be conducted without signing of witness statements.

The trial judge, Justice Francis Achibonga upheld the objection by Mr. Dame and stated that whilst it is true that case management conference is a process, it is not possible for it to be done without witness statements filed by the Prosecution having been signed.

According to the judge, a witness statement which has not been signed has no value and is only as good as a having no witness statement.

He further indicated that it is important that the witness statements filed by the prosecution be signed, because even if the prosecution failed to use them, under the rules, they could be tendered by the other side.

The judge noted that he had earlier ordered the prosecution to file all documents it intended to rely on.

Justice Achibonga, therefore, ruled that in the circumstances, he was unable to proceed with the case management conference and subsequently adjourned the case.

Trial

Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba and his wife, Faiza Seidu Wuni are on trial for allegedly stealing and causing financial loss to the state totaling GHS62.6 million.

The two facing a total of 20 charges, including defrauding by false pretences, stealing, willfully causing financial loss to the state, money laundering, using public office for profit, dishonestly receiving and intentionally causing financial loss to the state.

Court documents indicate that Mr. Abdul-Wahab operating under the name Sawtina Enterprise allegedly stoleGHS50,879,210 from NAFCO by transferring it to James Tieku-Apawu, a Regional Manager of NAFCO, between February 2017 and February 2025 under the guise of making payment from the NAFCO account.

He is further accused of defrauding by false pretences by receiving GHS734,400 from NAFCO for rent covering the period of May 2017 and May 2019 at Chain Homes at Tseado in Accra.

The Attorney General alleges that at the time Hanan took the rent allowance, the apartments were not built and he was living somewhere else.

Faiza Seidu Wuni, on the other hand, is accused of defrauding by false pretences in her capacity as the proprietor of Alqarni Enterprise by making a false representation that she had supplied foodstuff to NAFCO, causing the state agency to pay her GHS3,342,759.08 between September 2018 and August 2019.

She is also accused of laundering the said amount by taking possession of it, knowing at the time of taking possession that the money was acquired through stealing from NAFCO.

Musician, Praye Honeho, popularly known as Choirmaster, has paid an emotional tribute to his late wife, actress Beverly Afaglo, on what would have been her 43rd birthday.

The award-winning actress passed on Sunday, May 24, just four days before her birthday, after a two-year battle with cancer.

Her passing has left Ghana’s entertainment industry and countless fans in deep mourning.

Still struggling to come to terms with the loss, Praye Honeho took to social media to celebrate the memory of the woman he described as his superstar. Sharing a lovely old video of the couple, he poured out his grief while promising to remain strong for their children.

‘It’s your birthday today in Heaven, and I wish I could join you… But you know I gotta stay in this … world to take care of the girls!! Your passing has made me realise how much Ghanaians admired the love that we shared. Rest on Superstar!!! Happy Birthday,’ he wrote.

Beverly’s death has since remained a shock to many in Ghana and beyond who were not aware she was sick.

The late Beverly Afaglo was widely admired not only for her talent on screen but also for the beautiful bond she shared with her husband and children. Her death marks a painful loss to the Ghanaian movie industry, where she built a remarkable legacy through years of dedication and outstanding performances.

Ghanaian singer, Camidoh, is pulling back the curtain on the harsh reality of making music in the country, describing it as a financially draining battle with little systemic support.

Speaking in an interview with Kafui Dey, Camidoh recalled the early days of performing for meagre pay: ‘I remember we went for a performance and I was supposed to be paid several hundred cedis. There was even a foreign artist on the same stage. After I performed, I was told I’d receive GHS700, and even that didn’t come. My management had to chase it, and the response was like, ‘Bro, it’s just GHS700, stop calling me.

‘I’m like, man, that’s what the artist is going to live on! Do you know what it costs just to get him there?’

Camidoh further lamented the lack of infrastructure for artistes in the country, saying, ‘There’s no system that helps artists. Where’s the funding? Where’s the government fund that says, ‘Come for a loan’ or ‘Do this and that’? There’s nothing that works when it comes to music. Even MUSIGA and the radio stations play our music without paying us.’

We can’t track our songs. Nothing works. The system really needs help.’ Camidoh praised individuals stepping up to support the creative space, highlighting Sharaf Mahama’s work in boxing and Kennedy Osei Agyapong junior role in organising AfroFuture. ‘People would have those opportunities and do weird stuff. I’m proud of them,’ he said.

He also empathised with fellow stars like Stonebwoy and Sarkodie, noting the financial strain: ‘Imagine receiving GHS5,000 and that’s what you have for three months. How do you shoot music videos? How do you drop songs? DJs need to be paid, everybody needs to be paid. Some of us have kids. For women, it’s even tougher. Why wouldn’t they be pushed to the wall to have certain relationships just to fend for themselves?’

The ‘Sugarcane’ hitmaker stressed that creative’s deserve more respect, ‘Nobody has the moral right to criticize creatives in this country. We’re just trying, and what we do brings GDP. When our records go outside the country, it brings income. I can tell you the creatives have contributed more than half to drawing the diaspora back to Ghana, not the government.’

Camidoh added that, ‘I pray Ghana gets to the point where I don’t have to overwork myself, where my radio plays and music brings back money, and I can have a family and a life off the art I make. It’s difficult. It’s difficult.’

The International Justice Mission (IJM) has called on stakeholders, particularly the government, to make adequate budgetary allocations to the Human Trafficking Fund to strengthen the fight against human trafficking.

Speaking at the media launch ahead of the commemoration of the World Day against Trafficking in Persons, also known as Blue Day, the IJM West Africa Director, Anita Budu, said there is the urgent need for increased awareness, stronger collaboration, and sustainable funding to combat trafficking.

World Day against Trafficking in Persons, commemorated across the world as ‘Blue Day,’ is observed annually on July 30 to raise awareness and combat trafficking in persons.

Madam Budu mentioned that trafficking networks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, exploiting vulnerable people through false promises and digital platforms.

She said this therefore requires adequate funding and collaboration to tackle the issue which is on the rise in recent times.

‘IJM is calling for increased funding for anti-human trafficking efforts. That way, we can fund prevention efforts, enable police officers to act, support social workers to care for survivors, support prosecutors to pursue cases, and ensure that survivors are able to rebuild their lives,’ she said.

‘We will appeal to the government to make adequate allocations to the Human Trafficking Fund and urge institutions, organisations, and individuals to contribute to the fund,’ she added.

Madam Budu, however, commended the collaboration between the Ghana Police Service, Interpol, and Nigerian authorities, which led to the rescue of victims trafficked across multiple states in the sub-region.

She further stated that anti-trafficking institutions cannot function effectively without adequate resources.

‘As we build up to World Day against Trafficking in Persons, our message is simple: this is the time to act to end human trafficking,’ she emphasised.

The Minister for Gender Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo also appealed for stakeholder support to help establish border control systems that do not treat victims as criminals.

She also urged the media and Civil Society Organisations to address trafficking in persons in Ghana by partnering with state agencies to sensitise the public about trafficking in persons.

Also present at the launch, organised by the Human Trafficking Secretariat of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection were heads of government institutions, some Members of Parliament, civil society organizations, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO’s) and several other dignitaries.

The Deputy Director in charge of research and evaluation at Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Eric Amegor, has mentioned that a jail term of 10 years will be proposed for smugglers of cocoa beans into the country.

Speaking at the 4th European Union Deforestation Regulation multi stakeholder event, he stated that the previous laws for smugglers of cocoa were lenient emphasising that the new proposal for review has been sent to Cabinet for approval.

He indicated that once approved smuggled cocoa beans will be confiscated and smugglers will pay five times the value of the cocoa with 200,000 penalty units, or face a jail term of 10 years.

He mentioned that the introduction of barcode on cocoa beans has help in the traceability of the cocoa which starts from the farm.

‘If you look at the meeting procedures on the traceability. It starts from the farm where segregation is being done, and facts are given at the moment the cocoa is bagged before it is evacuated to the box for shipment,’ he said.

EU Ambassador to Ghana, Rune Skinnnebach, mentioned that deforestation is a global crisis that threatens the climate, livelihoods, and the future of Ghana’s cocoa sector.

He added that the EU, which is a major consumer of commodities linked to deforestation, is therefore taking bold action through the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), a landmark law to promote the consumption of ‘deforestation-free’ products and reduce the EU’s impact on global deforestation and forest degradation.

He stated that in Ghana, the cocoa sector stands at the forefront of EUDR implementation highlighting that Cocoa represents 95% of export value of the seven EUDR commodities, which also include wood, coffee, cattle, rubber, palm oil, and soya.

Deputy Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, Elikem Kotoko, stated that the EUDR represents a significant advancement of the collective efforts to combat deforestation and promote sustainable practices across various industries.

He stated that the regulation challenges authorities to ensure that commodities like cocoa are sourced responsibly, without contributing to deforestation.

President John Dramani Mahama has assured businesses and investors that recent economic stability is not temporary but expected to be sustained in the long term for the development of the country.

Speaking at the 10th Ghana CEO Summit in Accra yesterday, President Mahama said this among other things will be maintained through fiscal discipline through a new agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

‘Captains of industry and businesses can therefore be rest assured that the current stability we are enjoying is not a fluke, it will be sustained into the future,’ he added.

President Mahama also called for deeper collaboration between government and the private sector to drive the country’s economic transformation adding that economic transformation alone is not enough without jobs and improved living conditions for citizens.

‘We have spent considerable time discussing economic recovery, stability and national reset. These are necessary foundations but they are not enough on their own,’ he said.

According to him, economic transformation should be measured by economic impacts in the lives of the people and expressed the government’s preparedness to improve the livelihood of people giving the current economic gains while urging public servants to ensure bureaucratic bottlenecks do not hamper businesses and investors.

‘A business man should not waste productive time shuffling between public offices to obtain routine approvals. A serious investor should not receive conflicting signals from agencies of state. Clear procedures, reduced duplication, transparent rules and faster service delivery all influence a business decision to expand operations, hire more staff and compete more effectively in the export space.’

The 10th CEO summit was held under the theme, ‘Managing Financial Sector Reforms and Industrial Growth: Driving Ghana’s Economic Transformation from Vision To Action.’

General Secretary of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), Samuel Kofi Agyemang, has launched his new album, ‘Menpaebo’ (My Prayer), at the Penkwasi S.D.A Auditorium in Sunyani, followed by a second launch at the Akosombo S.D.A. Church.

The 11-track collection stands as a testament to patience, faith, and artistic commitment, and marks another important milestone in the musical journey of Samuel Kofi Agyemang and the Light Seekers.

The Sunyani event drew music lovers, church groups, and invited guests who gathered to witness the unveiling of an album that blends vintage S.D.A. rhythms with inspiring melodies and meaningful lyrics.

The launch was also marked by an energetic performance from former MUSIGA President, Bice Osei Kuffour, popularly known as Obour, whose stage presence and delivery added excitement to the occasion. Other performers were Johnson and the Mighty Singers and Edward Adu Sarpong and the Savior Singers.

Speaking at the launch, Kofi Agyemang said the project was the product of years of careful preparation. ‘I have been working on this album for some time now, and I give God the glory for finally finishing it and releasing it,’ he said.

He described ‘Menpaebo’ as a body of work built on faith, discipline, and musical tradition. The album, now available on all major streaming platforms, reflects a blend of spiritual devotion and creative craftsmanship. According to Kofi Agyemang, the project was intended to preserve the richness of S.D.A. musical heritage while presenting it in a form that resonates with contemporary listeners.

Obour, praised the album and its message, saying, ‘This is a remarkable project that reflects faith, dedication, and a deep respect for musical heritage.’ ‘It is encouraging to see such quality work being released with so much passion and purpose.’

At the second launch the programme featured performances from Advent Voices of S.D.A., Gifty Duah and the Amazing Singers of S.D.A., Mark Anim Yirenkyi, and King So, all of whom contributed to the success of the launch with powerful renditions and strong vocal support.

We recently rightly commented about the approaching raining season and what to expect in Accra.

We did not envisage an extension of the negative aftermaths of the deluges outside the nation’s capital. Today, however, it is not only Accra which is experiencing floods during the raining season. Reports coming from the national capital indicates otherwise.

Unfortunately the situation we find ourselves in today as the raining season has arrived is that of hopelessness and helplessness. These are states occasioned by heightened irresponsibility by both citizens and the government.

In Accra today, many suburbs which previously did not experience floods are doing so because of the abuse of the environment by irresponsible citizens.

With no effective enforcement of bylaws, people get away with their irresponsible conduct of dropping garbage in open drains doing so with impunity especially when it rains.

A video of a polluted beach in Accra or Tema with tonnes of garbage rejected as it were by the ocean speaks volumes about our irresponsible relationship with the environment. If only our religious leaders could join the crusade to protect our environment from human abuse perhaps something positive could emanate from that.

God put us in charge of the seas and land but it does not look like we are doing a good and responsible job in this regard. The repercussions as it occurred on June 3, 2015 said it all about the punishment we suffered as a people…over 150 dead.

We have not learnt any lesson from that incident and continue to be on the tangent of irresponsibility under the supervision of the government.

Waiting for something negative to happen before government delegations proceed with NADMO relief materials to sympathise with victims does not sound right when simple enforcement of bylaws can obviate such tragedies.

The Atlantic Ocean appears to be telling us that, ‘I can no longer take this irresponsible conduct from you’ as it rejects assortment of garbage made up of non-biodegradable stuff…our beaches abound with such rejected garbage.

A picture of the beach of a city says a lot about the kind of people who inhabit the adjoining land.

Our citizenry cannot be trusted to keep their environments neat the outcome is the nasty pictures of our beaches which cannot qualify for postcards.

On a typical raining day in Accra sacks of garbage are dumped into the open drains. Such sacks are pushed to move further by others when they get stuck in front of their houses.

Considering the realities on the ground today, it is our opinion that something drastic must be done to address the construction of structures on waterways, failure to do which would keep us stuck where we are today and therefore, having to return to the same subject each time the raining season is with us again.

Our wetlands and mangrove swamps which are nature’s ways of checking floods have been encroached upon by developers of which dangle fictitiously acquired permits.

A policy initiative that would address the production of the great quantities of plastic materials used for industrial and domestic uses should be considered. These contribute immensely towards the floods which are noticeable especially at this time of the year.

Some countries across the world have embarked upon this journey following the pollution of their environment as a result of an over-reliance on non-biodegradable materials.

Ghana’s macroeconomic story in 2025 was, by many measures, a success. Inflation collapsed from 23.8% to 3.8%, the cedi appreciated 40.7% against the dollar, and the economy grew 6.0%, its strongest performance in six years.

Yet beneath these headline achievements, the Bank of Ghana’s May 2026 Summary of Economic and Financial Data quietly tell a more uncomfortable story: the government is spending faster than it is collecting revenue, and the gap is wide enough to make new taxes in the mid-year budget not merely likely, but inevitable.

By the end of March 2026, cumulative total revenue and grants had reached only 3.6% of GDP. Tax revenue alone stood at just 3.0% of GDP.

Over the same period, total government expenditure had already climbed to 3.9% of GDP, meaning that in the very first quarter of the year, before the budget has gathered any real momentum, the government was spending more than it was collecting.

The overall fiscal balance for Q1 2026 came in barely positive, and that fragile number masked sharper monthly volatility. January 2026 produced a slim surplus of 0.3% of GDP, only for the overall balance to swing back to a deficit of -1.0% in February.

The structural picture is clear: Ghana’s revenue base is not generating enough income fast enough to cover the state’s obligations.

What makes this especially striking is that the economy is not stagnant. Real GDP growth reached 5.8% in Q4 2025, and non-oil GDP grew 7.1%.

The Composite Index of Economic Activity registered a real annual growth rate of 12.6% in March 2026. Business confidence and consumer confidence indices both remain well above 100. By conventional logic, a growing economy should produce growing tax receipts.

Yet Ghana’s tax revenue, at 3.0% of GDP after three months, is running at an annualised pace of roughly 12% of GDP, below the full-year 2025 outturn of 13.1% of GDP. Economic activity is expanding, but the tax system is not capturing it at the same rate.

This points to structural weaknesses that growth alone cannot fix. A large informal sector, estimated to account for more than half of economic activity, sits largely outside the tax net. Generous exemptions erode the VAT and corporate tax base.

Compliance gaps persist across income taxes and import duties. The benefits of a stronger cedi and falling interest rates are accruing to businesses and households, but not proportionally to the Treasury.

It might be tempting to argue that the government should simply spend less. But that option is largely exhausted. Capital expenditure, the spending that builds roads, schools, clinics, and the productive infrastructure Ghana needs, reached only 1.4% of GDP for the entire year 2025, and a mere 0.5% of GDP in Q1 2026.

These are already near-floor levels. Further compression would put the government in breach of its development obligations, jeopardise World Bank and AfDB project disbursements, and likely trigger public unrest.

Recurrent expenditure, wages, debt service, health subsidies, is equally rigid. Ghana’s NHIS arrears remain unresolved. Public sector wage bills cannot be arbitrarily frozen. And debt service consumes a formidable share of every cedi collected.

Ghana’s Extended Credit Facility programme with the IMF, which has disbursed approximately $2.8 billion and remains firmly on track, requires the government to maintain a primary surplus trajectory and meet agreed revenue benchmarks.

If mid-year data shows revenue mobilisation falling materially behind target, the sixth ECF review, due in late 2026, could flag a deviation. That would threaten disbursements, damage the hard-won credit rating upgrades from S and P (B-) and Moody’s (positive outlook), and rattle the fragile return of investor confidence.

The IMF’s fiscal framework, in short, forecloses the option of borrowing the gap away or letting the deficit drift. The only remaining lever is revenue.

Taken together, these data points form a straightforward fiscal logic. Ghana is growing. But it is growing in sectors, services, informal trade, digital commerce, that its existing tax architecture was not designed to capture efficiently.

The tax-to-GDP ratio has been structurally low for years, and the current pace suggests 2026 will not decisively break that pattern without deliberate intervention.

A mid-year budget that introduces new or expanded revenue measures is therefore not a surprise. It is arithmetic. Whether the government opts for a digital financial services levy, an expanded VAT base, higher excise duties on alcohol and tobacco, a financial sector tax, or some combination, the direction is set by the numbers.

The economy can bear new taxes, inflation is low, interest rates are falling, and growth is positive. What it cannot bear, without jeopardising the IMF programme and the hard-won macroeconomic stability of 2025, is a government that continues to spend ahead of what it collects.

The mid-year budget will not be a choice between taxing and not taxing. It will be a choice about who gets taxed, and how.

Jannik Sinner is out of the French Open in the biggest shock of the tournament so far after struggling with injury in a five-set loss to Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round in sweltering Paris conditions.

World number one Sinner was the heaviest favourite for the men’s title since the great Rafael Nadal in 2009, with no-one coming close to challenging him on the clay in recent weeks.

Sinner was bidding to complete the career Grand Slam at Roland Garros, and few expected him to fall short – but just as Nadal suffered an early exit 17 years ago, the Italian will now have to wait for another chance at Paris glory.

Sinner was two sets and 5-1 up before a remarkable change of momentum.

The 24-year-old appeared laboured on court with a dejected expression as he lost the next three games, including 11 straight points, before calling for the trainer.

Sinner could be heard saying he felt ‘dizzy’ and like he ‘wanted to vomit’ and took a mid-game medical timeout before returning to court.

After dropping the third set, Sinner failed to regain his fitness as Argentina’s world number 56 won 3-6 2-6 7-5 6-1 6-1.

It is a bitterly disappointing way to exit the tournament for Sinner, whose favourite tag was enhanced further with defending champion and great rival Carlos Alcaraz missing with injury.

With 24-time Grand Slam-winner Novak Djokovic also nearing the end of his illustrious career, fitness was expected to be one of the biggest obstacles to Sinner’s bid for glory.

Paris has seen unseasonably hot weather, with temperatures topping 34C, and Sinner has struggled previously in extreme heat.

Sinner was also on a 30-match winning streak, having won five Masters 1000 titles in a row over the past three months on hard and clay courts.