Category: Daily Guide Network

Police have arrested a suspect following a violent attack at an illegal mining site near Sefwi Asawinso ‘A’ that left one person dead and five others injured.

Head of Public Affairs, Western North Regional Police Command, Inusah Adama, in a press statement, said the service received reports at about 3:00 p.m. on Monday, May 18, that a group had attacked a mining site within the Afao Hills Forest Reserve.

‘A police team led by the District Commander and Divisional Crime Officer responded and proceeded to the Anhwiaso Community Hospital, where victims were receiving treatment,’ statement read.

Preliminary investigations indicate that Nana Kwesi Ayim III, Odikro of Sefwi Asawinso ‘A’, and some community youth went to the area after receiving a tip-off that illegal mining was ongoing in the forest reserve.

Police say they encountered people actively engaged in illegal mining. A misunderstanding reportedly broke out, after which a group of armed men allegedly attacked Nana Kwesi Ayim III and his team with firearms and cutlasses.

Five people sustained gunshot and cutlass wounds. One victim, 38-year-old Kwame Ayisi, was pronounced dead on arrival at the Anhwiaso Community Hospital. His body has been deposited at the hospital’s morgue for preservation and autopsy. The injured are responding to treatment.

Police have arrested Isaac Badu, alias ‘Obede,’ whom they describe as the kingpin who planned and executed the attack. He is in custody assisting with investigations. Efforts are underway to identify and arrest other suspects.

The Western North Regional Police Command cautioned the public against resorting to violence to resolve disputes, and urged anyone with information to contact the Police Service.

It also assured that the situation is under control and that adequate security measures have been deployed to maintain law and order in the affected communities.

Arsenal F.C. have been crowned Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years after rivals Manchester City F.C. dropped points in a 1-1 draw against AFC Bournemouth on Tuesday night.

The result confirmed Arsenal as champions and marked a historic achievement for manager Mikel Arteta, who has transformed the North London club into one of Europe’s strongest sides since taking charge in 2019.

It is Arsenal’s first league title since the famous ‘Invincibles’ campaign under legendary former manager Arsène Wenger during the 2003-04 season.

After years of rebuilding, Arteta’s side finally delivered on their promise with a consistent and dominant campaign that saw them outperform defending champions Manchester City and the rest of the league.

Led by captain Martin Ødegaard and powered by key players across the squad, Arsenal combined attacking flair with defensive solidity throughout the season to end their long wait for domestic glory.

The title triumph sparked celebrations across North London, with thousands of supporters gathering outside the Emirates Stadium to celebrate the club’s return to the top of English football.

Arteta praised his players, staff and supporters for believing in the long-term project that has now produced silverware.

‘This is a very special moment for everyone connected to the club,’ Arteta said after the title was confirmed. ‘The players have shown incredible character, consistency and belief all season.’

Arsenal’s success has been widely viewed as the reward for a carefully planned rebuilding process led by Arteta and the club’s recruitment team over the past several years.

Attention will now shift to Europe as Arsenal prepare for the UEFA Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain F.C. later this month, with the Gunners aiming to complete a memorable double-winning season.

The IGP’s Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team (CVET) has arrested suspect Mahama Aminat, also known as Akosua Serwaa Minat, for offensive conduct and issuing threats against the President of the Republic, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, in videos circulated on social media.

The suspect was captured in several TikTok videos making insulting remarks about the President, threatening his life, and inciting others to harm both the President and his wife.

Following the circulation of the videos, a joint operation involving CVET and the Surveillance Unit of the National Operations Department arrested the suspect on 20th May 2026 at Sekyere Zongo in the Sekyere Kumawu District of the Ashanti Region.

The suspect is currently in police custody and will be put before the court.

The Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Johnson Pandit Asiamah, has defended the decision by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to maintain the policy rate at 14 percent, insisting that lingering geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to pose serious risks to Ghana’s inflation outlook and economic stability.

Responding to questions from journalists during the 130th MPC press briefing in Accra yesterday, Dr. Asiamah described the ongoing Middle East conflict as the ‘elephant in the room’ influencing the central bank’s cautious policy stance.

According to him, although current economic indicators suggest there is room for further monetary easing, the MPC decided to pause and monitor developments because of uncertainties surrounding the global crisis.

‘The committee evaluated other forms of risks. The elephant in the room here is the Middle East crisis,’ the Governor stated. ‘Up to this time, one is not sure whether it is temporary or whether it is going to be long-lasting. If we assume that it will be a longer-lasting one, then you can imagine the impact on inflation expectations and the so-called second-round effects,’ he added.

Members of the MPC

Dr. Asiamah explained that while real interest rate trends indicated possible space for further rate cuts, the MPC considered both domestic improvements and external shocks before arriving at its decision. ‘That is why, in the wisdom of the committee, it was decided to pause and evaluate all incoming data so that at the next MPC round, the committee would take an appropriate decision,’ he added.

The Governor also responded to concerns about the slow reduction in commercial bank lending rates despite falling benchmark interest rates.He explained that the current low-interest-rate regime remained relatively new to banks, forcing them to gradually adjust their portfolios and lending strategies.

‘When interest rates are falling, it may take a while. You don’t just rush into giving loans. There has to be adequate bankable projects and you don’t compromise your credit appraisal standards,’ he said.

According to him, banks were acting cautiously to avoid excessive credit risks, but indicated that lending rates would eventually adjust downward once the low-interest-rate environment is sustained.

Dr Asiamah further justified the MPC’s additional policy measure to revise the dynamic cash reserve ratio to a uniform 20 percent reserve requirement in domestic currency, effective June 4, 2026.

He explained that the decision followed a review of earlier liquidity management measures introduced about a year ago. ‘In the wisdom of the committee, we think this will go a long way to complement our open market operations,’ he noted.

The Governor disclosed that the central bank would hold meetings with Chief Executive Officers of commercial banks next week to explain the implications of the new policy measures. On the recent oversubscription of Treasury bill auctions, Dr. Asiamah declined to directly comment on government borrowing strategies, saying such matters were best addressed by the Ministry of Finance.

‘You know it’s a market; it’s an auction. The banks and treasuries make those decisions based on market conditions and what they forecast going forward.’

Addressing concerns about the depreciation of the cedi, the Governor stressed that Ghana operates a managed floating exchange rate regime and not a fixed exchange rate system.

‘The cedi is expected to move. It can depreciate or appreciate. Our concern is to avoid excessive volatility,’ he said.

MPC meeting in session

Dr. Asiamah attributed recent depreciation pressures mainly to increased foreign exchange demand arising from higher crude oil prices and dividend repatriation by multinational companies during the April-May reporting season.

‘The same volume of crude oil is costing about twice more by way of foreign exchange,’ he explained. Despite the pressures, the Governor assured the public that the central bank had adequate foreign exchange reserves to maintain stability in the market.

‘The good part of it all is that we have the buffers. We are building them on a daily basis,’ he stressed. He disclosed that Ghana’s Net International Reserves had increased from US$10.9 billion in April to US$12.43 billion currently.

‘We should be able to do what we have to do. What we will ensure is that we won’t see a return to the kind of volatility we saw in previous years,’ he assured.

Touching on credit distribution, Dr. Asiamah said commerce continued to receive the largest share of bank credit, but indicated that all sectors of the economy would benefit if the ongoing growth in private sector lending is sustained.

He revealed that the central bank was also advancing plans for a digital credit framework that would allow individuals and businesses to access small loans through mobile phones under a regulated system.

‘So very soon, no matter which sector you are involved in, you can just raise a loan on your mobile phone,’ he disclosed, adding that the system would be properly supervised to avoid abuse.

The Governor also announced that Ghana could witness the launch of its first non-interest banking institution before the end of the year. According to him, the regulatory framework for non-interest banking was being carefully developed to meet international best practices. ‘That is something dear to my heart,’ he stated.

On the banking sector’s non-performing loans (NPLs), Dr. Asiamah said the central bank had already issued directives to commercial banks to reduce bad loans by the end of 2026.

He revealed that although the gross NPL ratio stood at 18 percent, the net figure after provisions was around eight per cent. ‘We don’t just erase fully provisioned loans because of moral hazard,’ he explained, urging banks to continue pursuing loan defaulters to recover outstanding debts.

Regarding disruptions to Ghana’s gold exports due to the Middle East crisis, the Governor disclosed that temporary challenges affecting shipments to the United Arab Emirates had been resolved through alternative export arrangements. ‘The Gold Board has been able to find a way around it,’ he said. ‘Shipments are ongoing,’ he added.

Traditional priest, Nana Kwaku Bonsam, has issued a warning to Ghanaian pastors over reports that Prophet Emmanuel Badu Kobi is planning to sell his church building due to financial difficulties.

Reports indicate that the founder of Glorious Wave Church International is facing financial challenges and is selling some of his properties to settle debts. Prophet Badu Kobi was also quoted as saying that he intended to relocate his church from Sakumono, although earlier claims suggested the decision was linked to a financial crisis.

Reacting to the development, Kwaku Bonsam said if Christian leaders, especially pastors, fail to support Prophet Badu Kobi by purchasing the church premises for Christian use, he would personally buy the property and convert it into a national shrine.

‘I, Nana Kwaku Bonsam, have come here personally to inspect the building. If you are a pastor and you fail to buy this edifice to use as a church, then I will buy it and convert it into a fetish school. It is a huge structure with everything inside, including a jacuzzi in the bathroom where I can even relax,’ he said in a video while touring the church premises.

In Ghana today, one of the easiest ways to trend on radio, television, or social media is to blame mining companies for underdevelopment in mining communities. According to the growing public narrative, mining firms are not doing enough. They are accused of taking the gold, making profits, and leaving communities poor.

It is an argument that gets applause almost instantly. But while everyone is busy pointing fingers at mining companies, there is one awkward question nobody seems eager to ask:

What exactly has the State done with the billions of cedis in mining royalties and taxes it has already collected? That question rarely enters the conversation.

And perhaps it is because asking it would force us to confront a very uncomfortable truth: maybe the bigger issue is not simply whether mining companies are doing enough, but whether the State itself has failed in its own developmental responsibilities.

Because, let us be honest for a moment, when a community lacks roads, hospitals, schools, water systems, or jobs, why is the first instinct always to call the mining company instead of the Assembly, Parliament, or the government ministries that receive mining revenues every year?

Somehow, we have slowly normalised the idea that mining companies should function like district assemblies with excavators.

If the road is bad, call the mine. If the school has no roof, call the mine. If there is unemployment, call the mine.

At this rate, if the community football team starts losing matches, somebody may soon organise a press conference demanding that the mining company buy a new striker.

Yet these same mining companies already pay royalties, corporate taxes, PAYE taxes, levies, fees, and other statutory obligations to the State. Those revenues are specifically intended to help government undertake national and local development.

So the obvious question remains: Where has the money gone? This is the question the national conversation keeps avoiding.

Year after year, governments receive significant revenues from the mining sector. Portions of mineral royalties are allocated to local assemblies and development structures specifically to support mining communities. But in many places, the developmental transformation citizens expect is still absent.

And here lies the irony. Some assemblies reportedly use portions of these funds on recurrent expenditures, administrative costs, allowances, and sometimes even funeral donations. Yet when communities remain underdeveloped, the anger somehow bypasses the institutions directly responsible for public development and lands squarely on mining companies.

It is almost as if we have collectively decided that government’s role is to collect the royalties while mining companies perform the actual governance.

That arrangement may sound emotionally satisfying, but economically and institutionally, it makes very little sense.

Mining companies are businesses, not substitute governments. Their job is to invest capital, create jobs, pay taxes, comply with regulations, and generate returns for shareholders. Community support and corporate social responsibility are important, but they cannot replace the State’s constitutional responsibilities.

Some commentators now argue that government should stop renewing leases for foreign mining companies and instead hand concessions over to Ghanaians because ‘the money will stay in Ghana.’

It sounds patriotic. It also sounds wonderfully simple. Until one asks a few inconvenient questions.

Will Ghanaian-owned mining companies suddenly stop making profits? Will they ignore operational costs? Will they employ every unemployed person in the host community? Will they distribute all revenues freely to local residents instead of paying shareholders and investors? Of course not.

Whether foreign-owned or Ghanaian-owned, mining remains a business. No company, regardless of nationality, can sustainably operate as a replacement for the State.

And if we continue to push this dangerous expectation that private companies must compensate for public-sector failures, we may unknowingly damage the very sectors that keep the economy alive.

Today, mining companies are under pressure. Tomorrow it could be telecom companies. Next week, banks. Soon, every profitable private institution may be expected to fix roads, solve unemployment, build schools, sponsor youth programmes, provide water, and possibly repair broken hearts, too.

Meanwhile, the institutions constitutionally mandated to drive development quietly escape scrutiny.

This is not an argument against holding mining companies accountable. Far from it. Mining companies must operate responsibly, protect the environment, engage communities meaningfully, and contribute positively to local development. Many already spend millions annually on scholarships, roads, clinics, water systems, and social investment programmes.

But those efforts should complement government development, not replace it.

The real issue Ghana must confront is whether the country has a coherent, transparent development plan for mining communities and the nation as a whole.

Because if billions in mining revenues have been collected over decades and communities still feel abandoned, then citizens deserve more than emotional speeches blaming mining companies.

They deserve accountability. They deserve transparency. And they deserve clear answers on how mineral royalties have been utilised.

The debate, therefore, cannot continue as a one-way moral lecture directed only at mining firms while government accountability remains largely untouched.

If the State has genuinely failed in transforming mining revenues into visible development, then let us have the courage to say so openly.

But let us not pretend that the solution is to transfer government responsibilities to private companies, or to blame foreign companies simply because they are profitable and visible.

Mining companies can support development. They cannot become the government.

And until Ghana begins demanding the same level of accountability from the State that it demands from mining companies, we may continue shouting at the wrong people while the real questions remain buried deeper than the gold itself.

The Leader of Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), Kofi Akpaloo, has taken a swipe at President John Dramani Mahama’s famous ‘Nkoko Nkitinkiti’ policy, arguing that the programme is selective in nature so it doesn’t benefit the masses.

According to him, the beneficiaries of the ‘Nkoko Nkitinkiti’ programme are mainly National Democratic Congress (NDC) executives in the various constituencies across the country, who were given few chicks to rear, raising doubts about the impact of the policy.

Mr. Akpaloo stated emphatically that the country needs social intervention programmes that will benefit the entire citizenry regardless of their political affiliation, just like the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme.

The LPG founder was of the view that former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration had the progress and interest of the entire people at heart, so they introduced programmes that benefitted everyone.

He, therefore, wondered why the NDC government only focuses on policies that benefit only few of their party executives without thinking about the general interest of the country, stressing that he really admired former President Akufo-Addo’s policies.

‘The NDC administration, led by President John Mahama, has introduced the ‘Nkoko Nkitinkiti’ policy, which sadly benefits few. The chicks were shared to few NDC executives only. This weird practice and behaviour doesn’t move the country forward.

‘The country needs a policy like the Free SHS, which was introduced by former President Akufo-Addo, because it benefitted everyone. This fantastic social intervention programme benefitted everyone, so it increased enrolment in Senior High Schools (SHS),’ he pointed out.

Mr. Akpaloo stated that the Free SHS programme increased enrolment in schools to the extent that at a time, the government had to introduce the ‘Double Track System’ in order to admit the sizable number of students/beneficiaries of the programme.

‘The Free SHS is a social intervention programme that you can state that it benefitted everyone without discrimination unlike the ‘Nkoko Nkitinkiti’ policy, which is not making any meaningful impact,’ he said during an interview with Omanhene of Owia TV.

He also commended the NPP for undertaking several projects, especially in the road sector, and charged the NDC government to complete projects that were started by their predecessors, saying that it doesn’t benefit the country when government’s abandon projects.

‘Abandoning projects that were started by the NPP administration is not the best, so the NDC should complete all the developmental projects that were started by the NPP government to help benefit the nation,’ Mr. Akpaloo admonished.

He also sounded a strong caution that if sitting governments in the country continue to abandon projects that were started by their predecessors, the country would continue to wallow in adverse poverty ‘and we will never stop going to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for support.’

Organisers of the Ghana Comedy Awards have unveiled Albert Bondah as the new Media and Public Relations Manager for the highly anticipated sixth edition of the awards.

The announcement forms part of efforts to strengthen the brand and expand the visibility of the awards scheme ahead of this year’s event.

Albert Bondah, known for his experience in entertainment publicity and strategic communications, is expected to play a key role in promoting the event and enhancing engagement with audiences, stakeholders and industry players. His appointment is widely seen as a strategic move aimed at elevating the profile of the Ghana Comedy Awards both locally and internationally.

A graduate of the University of Cape Coast, Bondah has built an impressive portfolio across the entertainment industry. He currently serves as Road Manager for the Central Music Awards and has held positions including Media Relations Officer for African Arts Network, 2Cute Entertainment, Parrot Mouth Productions, PB Entertainment, Keche Global and Fiifi Coleman Productions, among several other roles.

Over the years, the Ghana Comedy Awards has become one of the country’s leading entertainment platforms dedicated to celebrating comedians, comic actors and creatives who continue to shape Ghana’s comedy landscape. The awards scheme has consistently recognised excellence, creativity and innovation within the growing comedy industry.

Speaking after the announcement, organisers expressed confidence in Albert Bondah’s ability to bring fresh energy, professionalism and strong media coordination to the awards brand.

With preparations underway, fans and entertainment enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating another memorable edition of the Ghana Comedy Awards, which continues to celebrate and promote Ghanaian comedy on a larger stage.

A High Court will today determine an application for bail filed on behalf of Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, who has been remanded into the custody of the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI) over allegations of publication of false news and offensive conduct.

The court was set to hear the application yesterday when Grace Delali Tali, an Assistant State Attorney told the judge that she had been instructed by the Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, to request for a short adjournment to enable the office of the Attorney General ‘to appropriately respond to the motion.’

Former Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, who led Abronye DC’s legal team, said the request for adjournment is completely out of order because the record will show that the Republic, which is in custody of the accused, was served with the application on May 14, 2026, six clear days before yesterday’s proceedings.

‘It is not in dispute that the rights and liberties of the accused person are in issue and are deposed to in the affidavit. Even his health is endangered,’ he prayed.

Ms. Tali, in response, conceded that the motion was ripe for hearing but indicated that ‘the nature of the case is such that the Republic has to consult the investigators to familiarise itself with the case and appropriately respond.’

Mr. Dame disagreed, pointing out that this is not a trial for which consultation with investigators would be necessary.

‘This is a simple application for bail, the factors are clearly set out in the constitution and Act 30,’ he said, adding that the human rights of the accused person ought to be at the centre of issues.

Justice Halima Abdul El-Lawal Abdul-Basit, in a ruling, said in balancing justice and the rights of the accused person, she is obliged to grant the state’s request. She, therefore, gave them up to close of yesterday to file the necessary responses.

Remand

On May 13, 2026, Abronye DC was remanded into the custody of the Bureau of National Intelligence over some alleged offensive conduct and publication of false news.

Court documents allege that Abronye DC, in April 2026, without lawful authority, ‘uttered certain abusive words’ indicating that a judge sitting at the Adenta Circuit Court is ‘not a judge but rather a politician’ who has ‘covered your hair with a sack and claim you are a judge.’

He was also charged with one count of publication of false news contrary to section 208(1) of the Criminal Code, 1960 (Act 29).

According to court document, the 44-year-old, in a video circulating on social media, made the ‘political judge’ claims, a statement ‘which is likely to cause fear and panic and disturb the public peace, knowing the statement to be false.’

He pleaded not guilty to the two charges, and the court, presided over by His Honour Joseph Yennuban Kunsong, remanded him for two weeks to reappear on May 27.

His lawyers had prayed the court to grant him bail pending the trial, but this was heavily opposed by the prosecution.

The prosecution’s brief fact presented by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Emmanuel Nyamekye, allege that in April 2026, Abronye DC falsely published a video online in which he made derogatory remarks to wit, the Circuit Court judge is very bias and always doing political case and that her rulings are wrong and full of grammatical errors, in an attempt to incite members of the public against the court and the said judge.

The brief fact also indicate that Abronye DC mounted furious attacks on the said judge on social media following a foul comment from a pastor on the Vice President, which is under trial at the Adenta Circuit Court presided over by the judge in question.

It further noted that the particular video and others are being pulled and will be sent to the Police Forensic lab for analysis, adding that the case is under investigation.

Rabat – France reiterated that the ‘present and future of the Sahara lie within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty’ and outlined the precise measures to apply this decision.

This position was expressed on Wednesday in Rabat by French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot in a press briefing following his talks with Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.

Underlining the strategic significance of the Sahara issue to France and the region, Mr. Barrot recalled that in line with the stance conveyed by French President Emmanuel Macron in his letter to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, on July 30, 2024, ‘the present and future of this territory lie within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty.’

In this respect, the French minister affirmed ‘France’s support for the autonomy plan put forward by Morocco as the only basis for a just, lasting and negociated political solution.’

He added that ‘the UN Security Council’s Resolution 2797 lies within this logic,’ and that France ‘hails this positive momentum, as well as the resumption of direct talks among all the stakeholders on the basis of the autonomy plan.’

Regarding the measures taken by France in implementation of this position, Barrot said that his country has ‘expanded its consular presence’ and ‘cultural activities,’ with the opening of a visa application submission center, the establishment of an ‘Alliance Française’ in Laayoune, and the inauguration of a new school.

On the economic front, he noted that the French companies invest in the Sahara, with the French development agency (Agence française de développement) and operators providing relevant support