Category: Daily Guide Network

Black Sherif was crowned Artiste of the Year at the 2026 Telecel Ghana Music Awards after beating competition from Medikal, Stonebwoy, Wendy Shay, Sarkodie and Diana Hamilton.

The award recognised Black Sherif’s impressive run over the past year, driven largely by the success of his album Iron Boy, which made a strong impact on the Ghanaian music scene.

In addition to winning the topmost award on the night, Black Sherif also picked up other major honours, including Album of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Hip-Hop Song of the Year, and Best Afropop Song.

This marks the second time the musician has won the Artist of the Year title at the TGMAs. He previously secured the award at the 2023 edition, following the success of songs such as Kwaku the Traveller and his debut album ‘The Villain I Never Was’.

The 27th edition of the Telecel Ghana Music Awards featured more than 25 categories celebrating excellence across gospel, highlife, hiplife, afrobeat, reggae/dancehall and other genres.

Several artistes also enjoyed successful nights at the ceremony. Moliy won Best International Collaboration and Reggae/Dancehall Song of the Year with ‘Shake It to the Max’ Remix, while Diana Hamilton took home the Best Gospel Artiste of the Year award.

Medikal earned Best Hiplife Song of the Year and Most Popular Song of the Year with ‘Shoulder’. Kofi Kinaata also won Best Highlife Song of the Year with ‘It Is Finished’ and Best Highlife Artist of the Year.

Late highlife legend Daddy Lumba was posthumously honoured with the Highlife Achievement Award for his contribution to Ghanaian music. As part of the tribute, Ofori Amponsah performed some of Daddy Lumba’s classic songs, drawing emotional reactions and loud cheers from the audience.

Organisers said Daddy Lumba’s music continues to influence generations of Ghanaian artistes and remains an important part of the country’s highlife tradition.

Other winners on the night included Enam, who won Best Female Vocal Performance, and Strongman, who secured the Best Rap Performance award.

Music duo, Keche, received the Group of the Year award, marking nearly two decades in the music industry. Stonebwoy was named Reggae/Dancehall Artiste of the Year, while ‘With You’ by Davido and Omah Lay, won African Song of the Year.

The Record of the Year award went to Kwabena Kwabena, while Wendy Shay picked up the Best Afrobeats/Afropop Artiste of the Year Award. Piesie Esther won Best Traditional Gospel Song, and AratheJay won Best Music Video of the Year for a video directed by David Duncan.

The Best Afrobeats Song of the Year award went to ‘Excellent’ by Kojo Blak featuring Kelvyn Boy.

Aside from the awards, the ceremony featured performances from artistes including Medikal, Samini, Wendy Shay, Black Sherif, Chief One, Lasmid and music duo R2Bees, who kept patrons entertained throughout the night.

Christians have been charged to uphold moral values and live exemplary lives in order to influence society positively.

Vice President of the Global Seventh-day Adventist Church, Prof. Robert Osei-Bonsu, made the call during a working visit to the Seventh Day-Adventist church at Adenta in Accra.

He said Christians would largely be able to influence society if their lives reflect Christ whom they follow.

According to him, the major challenge Christians in the country face is not religion, but ability to uphold moral values such as integrity, honesty, respect wherever they are, especially in public service.

He noted that Christians are expected to be ‘light’ in society and not contribute positively to society rather than exhibiting attitudes that that do not contribute to the country’s development.

‘If we know Christ, then we should exemplify Him wherever we find ourselves. A Christian life should provoke inquiry.’

‘We should be agents of transformation and bring change wherever we find ourselves,’ he stated.

The renowned theologian and administrator also urged Christians to uphold their morals regardless of the challenges facing them.

He indicated that such challenges could be addressed when the Bible remain the guiding principle in their lives.

‘The Bible is the basis of what we believe, it directs our path. No matter what society is saying, we need to stand for the truth,’ he said.

Prof. Osei-Bonsu who has served the Seventh-day Adventist Church in several capacities both in Ghana and abroad further urged Ghanaians to support the leadership of the country regardless of theirv political affiliations after elections.

‘We thank God for the development and progress we are making as a nation. After elections, we all need to put aside political differences and rally behind the leader for the development of the country,’ he noted.

Prof. Osei- Bonsu, until his election as Vice President of the Global Seventh-day Adventist Church also worked in various capacities in SDA church.

This include Associate Professor of Historical and Theological Studies, Dean, and PhD Programme Coordinator at the Adventist University of Africa in Kenya.

He also served as Pro-Vice Chancellor, Vice President, academic Affairs at Valley View University, Rector Tachiman Campus of Valley View University among others.

Students and staff of Taviefe Senior High School can now heave a sigh of relief following the commissioning of a mechanised solar-powered borehole by Republic Bank Ghana to address the school’s long-standing water crisis.

The newly commissioned solar-powered borehole is expected to significantly improve sanitation, health conditions and academic performance in the school.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, the Volta Regional Minister, James Gunu, commended the bank for supporting the government’s efforts to provide access to clean and safe drinking water in the region.

According to him, the Volta Region continues to face serious water challenges, revealing that the region currently requires about 900 boreholes to meet the growing demand for potable water in schools, health facilities and communities.

‘We inherited water crisis in the country and in the Volta Region in particular. Government alone cannot solve the problem, so we need all hands on deck to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Six on access to clean drinking water and sanitation by 2030,’ he stated.

The Minister disclosed that the government had directed every Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assembly to construct at least 10 boreholes from the District Assemblies Common Fund to help reduce the water deficit.

He further appealed to other corporate institutions and philanthropists to emulate Republic Bank Ghana by supporting communities and institutions facing water challenges.

The Managing Director of Republic Bank Ghana, Dr. Benjamin Dzoboku, stated that the project formed part of the bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives under selected United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those focused on education, health, sanitation and access to potable water.

‘Today is a special day in the life of Republic Bank Ghana because we are making a meaningful difference in the lives of people. Water is life, and access to clean water must not be a struggle,’ he said.

Dr. Dzoboku encouraged students to remain focused and determined in life, drawing spiritual lessons from the importance of water.

The Headmaster of Taviefe Senior High School, Sadrack Kwame Abiwu, described the water situation in the school as a major challenge over the years due to the school’s location on a hilly terrain.

He expressed gratitude to the bank and the Regional Minister for fulfilling their promise to provide the facility with the borehole within three months.

‘In fact, the challenge of water has affected the school for a very long time. Students used to leave campus with buckets in search of water in nearby communities. We believe this intervention will improve academic performance and the health conditions of both staff and students,’ he said.

The Headmaster assured the donors that the school would maintain the facility to ensure its sustainability.

Despite the intervention, Mr. Abiwu appealed to old students, NGOs and philanthropists to support the school with furniture, beds and other essential infrastructure.

According to him, many classrooms lack desks and chairs, compelling students to use dining hall benches during lessons, while inadequate beds continue to affect boarding students.

Some students who spoke during the ceremony also expressed excitement over the intervention, describing the water shortage as one of the greatest challenges confronting the school.

A final-year student, Forgive Hoga, said the water crisis had negatively affected academic work and the health of students.

‘We had to walk long distances before getting water to bath and drink. Sometimes we reported late to class and even meals delayed because there was no water for cooking. But now things will change,’ the student said.

She indicated the provision of the borehole will reduce illnesses associated with poor access to water and give students more time to focus on their studies.

The mechanized solar-powered borehole is expected to provide reliable water supply for students, staff and the surrounding school community while improving sanitation and overall living conditions on campus.

Reigning Artiste of the Year, Black Sherif, has dedicated his Album of the Year prize at the Telecel Ghana Music Awards to supporting fast-rising rap artistes, Arathejay and Gonaboy.

Black Sherif, who is popularly known as Blacko, won the Album/EP of the Year category with his project, Iron Boy, at the 27th edition of the awards ceremony.

This year’s category came with an enhanced prize package sponsored by Guinness Ghana, including a GHS100,000 cash prize, music video production support, and a curated album listening experience.

The category was keenly contested by some of the country’s top music acts, including Stonebwoy with ‘Torcher’, Gyakie with ‘After Midnight’, Medikal with ‘Disturbation II’, Wendy Shay with ‘Ready’, Kweku Smoke with ‘Walk With Me’, and Kofi Kinaata with ‘It Is Finished’.

After receiving the award, Black Sherif announced that he would donate the GHS100,000 cash prize to Arathejay to support his music career, while the album listening session package would be handed over to Gonaboy.

The gesture has been widely praised by fans and industry players, with many describing it as a strong show of support for emerging talent within Ghana’s music industry.

Black Sherif, popularly known as Blacko, has in recent years built close musical ties with both Arathejay and Gonaboy, whom he has publicly identified as part of a new generation of Ghanaian music talents.

Beyond endorsements, he has collaborated with the two artistes as part of efforts to uplift young musicians from his community and help expand their reach within the industry.

Arathejay previously collaborated with Black Sherif on the song ‘Jesus Christ 2’, a partnership he said was made possible through the efforts of their respective teams, with Black Sherif contributing what fans described as a standout verse on the track.

Nigerian singer, Rema, has been named among the headline performers for the opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Los Angeles.

FIFA announced the lineup in an Instagram post, unveiling a list of international artists scheduled to perform at the global football event.

Rema is expected to perform at the opening ceremony on June 12, 2026, alongside artists including LISA, Katy Perry, Tyla, Future and Anitta.

According to FIFA, ‘This lineup of artists reflects the cultural diversity of the United States and the vibrancy of its many diasporas, highlighting the nation’s rich influence on music, entertainment, and pop culture, while showcasing the power of music to bring people together across the country,’ FIFA stated.

Meanwhile, the tournament’s official anthem, Dai Dai, performed by Burna Boy and Shakira, is expected to be released on May 14.

The World Cup final, scheduled for July 19, 2026, will also feature the competition’s first-ever Super Bowl-style halftime show. The performance is expected to be curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay.

Ghana’s Black Princesses secured qualification to the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after battling to a 1-1 draw against Uganda in the second leg of their qualifier in Kampala.

Holding a 2-1 advantage from the first leg in Accra, Ghana needed only to avoid defeat to book a place at the tournament set to be staged in Poland this September.

Uganda made a bright start and took the lead just six minutes into the game through Sylvia Kabene, putting the hosts back into contention. The East Africans maintained their advantage for much of the encounter as Ghana struggled to find a breakthrough.

The Black Princesses faced an even tougher challenge in the 68th minute when Margaret Yeboah was sent off, reducing Ghana to ten players. Despite the setback, the visitors showed resilience and determination to fight back into the contest.

Coach Yusif Basigi’s side looked more dangerous after the break following the introduction of Sarah Nyarko and Priscilla Mensah, who added energy and urgency to Ghana’s attack.

Their persistence finally paid off in the 78th minute when Linda Owusu Ansah produced a moment of brilliance, firing home directly from a corner kick to silence the home crowd and restore Ghana’s aggregate lead.

Ghana held firm in the closing stages to secure a vital away draw and progress 3-2 on aggregate.

The qualification marks Ghana’s eighth appearance at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, having previously featured in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2022, and 2024.

Two persons have been confirmed dead while another is battling for his life following a tragic accident that marred this year’s Mother’s Day celebration at Kokoben in the Atwima Nwabiagya North District of the Ashanti Region.

The incident occurred on Sunday morning when the three pedestrians, believed to be natives of Northern Ghana, were reportedly walking along the roadside at Kokoben when the accident occurred.

According to eyewitnesses, the victims were hit while attempting to cross a section of the road. Two of them died instantly at the scene due to the severity of the impact, while the third victim sustained serious injuries and was rushed to a nearby health facility for treatment.

Residents who witnessed the incident described the scene as horrifying, saying the driver failed to stop after the accident and sped off immediately.

Some community members who spoke to the media expressed shock and sadness over the incident, noting that the tragedy occurred on a day many families across the country were celebrating and honouring mothers.

The bodies of the deceased have since been deposited at the morgue for preservation and identification, while the injured victim continues to receive medical attention.

Meanwhile, the police have commenced investigations into the incident and are making efforts to identify the driver and the vehicle involved.

Residents have also called on authorities to intensify road safety enforcement in the area, alleging that reckless driving and over-speeding have become rampant on the stretch.

First Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Dr. Zakari Mumuni, has called for urgent collaboration among regulators, financial institutions, and fintech companies to accelerate the development of inclusive instant payment systems across the continent.

Speaking at the 3i Africa Summit in Accra on the theme, ‘Inclusive Instant Payments as Economic Infrastructure,’ Dr. Mumuni said Africa has made significant progress in expanding financial access through mobile money, agency banking, fintech innovation, and digital wallets. However, he cautioned that fragmented payment systems continue to limit economic integration.

‘Africa stands at a decisive moment. We have achieved remarkable progress in expanding access to financial services, yet the foundations of our payment systems remain fragmented, costly, and insufficiently interconnected,’ he said.

Dr. Mumuni stated that the continent cannot fully achieve its vision of an integrated digital economy unless payment systems become interoperable, affordable, and universally accessible.

He noted that although digital financial services have improved access, high transaction costs and limited interoperability, among other challenges, continue to hinder the seamless flow of value across systems, sectors, and borders.

The Deputy Governor explained that Inclusive Instant Payment Systems (IPS), when properly designed and implemented, could facilitate real-time transactions across networks linking financial institutions and fintech platforms, while providing users with a unified ecosystem.

According to him, such systems would go a long way in empowering underserved communities with reliable and affordable financial services, while also helping governments improve revenue mobilisation and transparency.

‘The economic case is compelling. Instant payments accelerate business cash cycles, strengthen liquidity management, and enhance productivity,’ he said.

‘This underscores a central reality. Building infrastructure is not enough. We must ensure that it works universally and equitably,’ he added.

Dr. Mumuni therefore called on participants at the summit to commit to accelerating the development of inclusive instant payment systems to support growth, deepen financial inclusion, and strengthen economic resilience across Africa.

‘If instant payments are to underpin Africa’s digital future, they must function seamlessly for all users, across all platforms, in real time,’ he stated.

‘However, our ambition goes further. The objective is not simply to build systems, but to ensure that they are accessible, affordable, and trusted by every segment of society,’ he added.

The three-day summit, organised by the Bank of Ghana and Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems, brought together central bank governors, regulators, heads of financial institutions from across the sub-region, and development partners to discuss the future of digital finance and payment systems in Africa.

The event, held from May 6 to May 8, 2026, was under the theme, ‘Next Frontier: Shaping Africa’s Integrated FinTech Future.’

The Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana, Ralph Mupita, has indicated that fraud and digital scams are global issues that require strong rules and regulations to build trust in digital financial systems across Africa.

Speaking during a virtual fireside chat at the 3i Africa Summit in Accra, Mr. Mupita emphasised that these challenges are not unique to Ghana or MTN, but require collaborative efforts to combat them and make digital transactions more secure and trustworthy.

Mr. Mupita reaffirmed the company’s strong commitment to advancing Africa’s digital finance transformation, stressing the critical role telecommunications operators play in expanding access to financial services, reducing transaction costs, and driving inclusive economic participation across emerging markets.

He noted that Africa’s digital finance ecosystem is entering a new and accelerated phase powered by rapid technological innovation, artificial intelligence (AI), and the steady evolution from basic mobile money services into fully integrated digital financial systems.

According to him, the continent is on the verge of a major leap in financial inclusion, with digital platforms increasingly reshaping payments, credit systems, remittances, and cross-border trade.

On cross-border payments, Mr. Mupita argued that Africa must move beyond fragmented national systems towards a fully integrated regional digital finance architecture that reduces friction in trade and currency exchange.

He said the future of African commerce lies in seamless financial interoperability across countries, which will enable truly borderless digital transactions.

Mr. Mupita pointed to institutions such as the African Export-Import Bank and other financial infrastructure actors as key drivers already laying the foundation for more efficient cross-border payment systems.

Addressing the role of AI, he said the technology presents major opportunities in fraud detection, credit scoring, and customer service optimisation. However, he stressed that its deployment must be guided by responsibility and strong oversight to preserve trust in the financial ecosystem.

Mr. Mupita further noted that Africa’s digital finance future will be anchored on three core pillars and named them as resilience, trust, and regional integration, adding that coordinated leadership across the continent will be critical to unlocking sustainable socio-economic transformation.

He stressed that the next phase of growth will be defined by how effectively stakeholders balance innovation with protection while building a truly interconnected digital economy across Africa.

As I sat thinking about Galamsey and recent imposition of taxes in the country, the question came to mind as to whether there will be an imposition of a Galamsey Tax on a commodity like pure water.

This is not a prescription but a prediction. We recall from history that people were talking on phone, so the government introduced the Talk Tax not to stop people from talking but to raise money to support the Budget.

COVID-19 came, and in its trail, the government introduced the COVID Tax not so that there will be no COVID but just so that the government will raise money to support the health sector.

We had electricity challenges and the government imposed the Electricity generation levy on fuel called the ‘Dumsor Tax’. This too was not so that there will be no Dumsor but just so that the government would raise money to support the power generation.

I, therefore, find it very difficult to resist the temptation of predicting that one of these days there will be the imposition of a Galamsey tax. Just as in previous instances, the purpose of this tax will not be to ensure that there will be no Galamsey or even to ensure that there will be improved water quality. It will be to raise money to support the budget in fighting galamsey. But, before we think of imposing any tax on Galamsey let us think about the cost of Galamsey to the nation and the need to deal with the Galamsey business.

The President’s Frustration

It is reported that the President, in addressing organized labour on the Galamsey matter in the Jubilee House on 17 March 2026, poured out his frustration on the challenges encountered in the Galamsey fight admitting that political players have made it difficult to fight the menace. Of course, he only stated the obvious.

That is a well-known fact and people have always doubted the sincerity of political leaders in the fight against Galamsey.

To remove this doubt from the minds of the people, political leaders would be required to put in place a more concrete action plan to assure the citizenry of their sincerity and commitment at fighting this menace.

The dangers of Galamsey cannot be over emphasised. It has taken away the beauty of our environment and in return it has given us poisoned environment.

The water bodies and all the resources they contain like fishes and clean portable water are polluted.

The fertile soils are gone with the pollution with a huge toll on food safety. The experts advise us to consume fresh vegetables, fruits, seeds and nuts. With this level of pollution from Galamsey no one is safe eating these things produced from our own environment.

Reports from health facilities like Korle Bu and others have given indications of failed kidneys and damaged livers at alarming rates. The costs associated with these risks would far outweigh any benefits we think Galamsey would bring to the nation.

Well, a few individuals would certainly benefit substantially but the cost to the nation is beyond measure. For instance, the cocoa industry is at risk of extinction, both as a relatively less attractive competitor to Galamsey business and also the risk of cocoa beans getting poisoned from the soil thanks to Galamsey. The world market may reject cocoa produced from our soils.

The Strategic Approach To Dealing With The Galamsey Menace

It would do the President a lot of good if he took a strategic approach to deal with the Galamsey fight.

The President would need to assemble experts drawn from the relevant sectors to design a strategic action programme that would ensure proper focus on the challenge.

The experts would do a SWOT Analysis of the matter. They would look at the Strengths (S), the Weaknesses (W), the Opportunities (O) and the Threats (T) of the whole system.

Once they identify all the issues, they would prepare strategic work steps to address each of them, indicating the specific objectives of each work step.

It would be a requirement that they assign responsibilities for each key area and indicate timelines for each action or work step.

The plan would include the indication of logistics, resources and budgets for each action or work step. This would indicate the cost of the fight.

A reporting framework would be put in the plan to ensure that all stakeholders are kept informed about the progress being made on the matter.

The President may do the ‘Fellow Ghanaians’ series periodically to inform the people and carry them along and to assure the people of the government’s and his personal commitment.

Of course, as they say, it is easier said than done, but once a holistic approach is taken and the President gives this strategic plan his full backing, failure cannot dismantle the flag of success.