Category: Daily Guide Network

Access Bank (Ghana) Plc has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to improve maternal healthcare and end obstetric fistula in the country.

The agreement seeks to expand access to corrective surgeries, intensify public awareness campaigns and mobilise sustainable funding to eliminate obstetric fistula, a debilitating childbirth injury that affects thousands of women across the country.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Executive Director for Retail and SME Banking at Access Bank Ghana, Eugene Ocansey, who represented the Managing Director, Pearl Nkrumah, said the partnership reflected the bank’s commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable women through purposeful corporate social responsibility.

He said Access Bank had championed the Fight Against Fistula campaign since 2018, working with surgeons, nurses, development partners and advocates to restore hope and dignity to women living with the condition.

According to him, the latest agreement marks a transition from a campaign-driven approach to a more sustainable intervention through the establishment of the Fistula Trust Fund.

Mr. Ocansey explained that the Trust Fund would provide a transparent platform for individuals, institutions and corporate organisations to support corrective surgeries and rehabilitation for women affected by obstetric fistula.

He acknowledged the technical leadership of UNFPA as well as the contributions of founding partners, including Mercy Women’s Catholic Hospital and the Kaysens Group, towards strengthening Ghana’s response to the condition.

Access Bank has partnered with the Chango App to enable donations to the Trust Fund through the shortcode 8875727# to encourage public participation.

Mr Ocansey disclosed that the campaign had so far supported more than 250 successful corrective surgeries, describing each operation as a life-changing intervention that restored hope and dignity to beneficiaries.

The Deputy Representative of UNFPA Ghana, Dr. Emmily Naphambo, commended Access Bank for renewing its commitment to the initiative, stressing that collaboration among government, development partners and the private sector was essential to eliminating obstetric fistula.

She noted that the condition goes beyond physical injury, often leaving affected women to endure stigma, social isolation, loss of livelihoods and diminished self-worth.

‘For every woman whose fistula is successfully repaired, we restore not only her health but also her dignity, productivity and place within her family and community,’ she said.

Dr. Naphambo disclosed that the partnership aims to facilitate about 2,499 fistula repairs annually and eliminate a national backlog of 7,130 cases by 2030.

She added that efforts were also underway to integrate fistula repair services into routine healthcare delivery across health facilities instead of relying solely on periodic surgical outreach programmes.

Nigerian Afrobeats star Ayra Starr’s sister’s car was reportedly vandalised by suspected area boys in Lagos.

Several local media reports said it was a mistaken identity because Ayra Starr was the target.

The singer’s elder sister, Saltiana Aderibigbe, popularly known as DJ Salt of Life, revealed that the attackers believed she was Ayra Starr and repeatedly shouted the musician’s name during the incident.

According to DJ Salt, the group damaged her vehicle after allegedly demanding money from her. She claimed such encounters have become common for motorists driving expensive cars in some parts of Lagos.

Sharing her ordeal on social media, she said she was left shaken by the experience and expressed concern over what she described as the growing harassment of road users by street gangs.

She called on the relevant authorities to address the situation, warning that motorists continue to face intimidation and property damage over forced demands for money.

Genser Energy, the privately owned energy infrastructure company, has announced that it has redeemed the full shareholding previously held by OP Energy Holdings Limited, ending Oppenheimer Partners’ investment in the business.

Oppenheimer Partners first invested in Genser Energy as a preferred shareholder in 2021 before converting to a common shareholder in 2023, when it acquired a 40.40% ownership interest. The latest transaction concludes that investment and returns the stake to Genser Energy.

Founded in 2006, Genser Energy has grown into one of West Africa’s leading integrated energy companies, supplying electricity to industrial customers and utilities while investing heavily in gas infrastructure.

Before Oppenheimer Partners joined the business, the company had developed five operating power plants and a 325-kilometre natural gas pipeline network, establishing itself as a key supplier of energy to Ghana’s industrial sector.

During the investment period, Genser expanded its infrastructure further, adding another 110 kilometres of natural gas pipeline, constructing a 200 million standard cubic feet per day gas conditioning plant in Prestea and entering Côte d’Ivoire through cross-border electricity exports.

‘This transaction marks an important milestone for Genser Energy and reflects the strength of the business we have built over the past two decades,’ said Baafour Asiamah Adjei, founder, president and chief executive of Genser Energy.

Company chairman, Nana Osae Nyampong, said the buyout would allow Genser to focus on its next stage of growth.

‘As we look ahead, we remain focused on expanding our regional presence and creating long-term value for our customers, communities, employees and shareholders,’ he said.

The transaction comes as infrastructure investors increasingly seek opportunities in Africa’s energy sector, where growing industrial demand and regional power integration are driving investment in gas pipelines, power generation and cross-border electricity trade.

Genser said it remains well positioned for further expansion as it continues investing in strategic energy infrastructure across West Africa.

The company now operates more than 310 megawatts of installed generation capacity and owns a 436-kilometre privately developed natural gas pipeline network across Ghana. It is also completing major midstream projects, including a gas conditioning plant and a natural gas liquids export terminal, while supplying power to industrial customers and utilities as well as participating in regional electricity exports.

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Northern Regional branch, has launched its 2026 awards in Tamale, Northern Region.

This year’s awards will be held under the theme ‘Empowering the Next Generation: The Role of the Media in Digital Skills, Innovation and Youth Opportunities.’

The competition is open to journalists working in print (including news agencies), electronic and online media across the Northern, North East and Savannah regions.

Award categories are: Environmental Reporting, Energy and Electricity Reporting, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Education, Health, Tourism and Culture, Disability, Sports Reporting, Agriculture, Road Safety, Peace and Conflict Sensitive Reporting, Regional Cameraperson (Videographer) of the Year, Promising Young Female Regional Journalist of the Year (non-competitive), and Regional Journalist of the Year (to be selected from the category winners).

The Northern Regional Minister, Ali Adolf John, who was the guest of honour, said the media remains a critical partner in governance.

‘Through responsible reporting, journalists inform citizens, promote accountability, amplify community concerns and contribute to peace and development,’ he disclosed.

He said the rise of social media, artificial intelligence and digital platforms has created new opportunities but also increased the risks of misinformation, disinformation and declining public trust.

The Northern Regional Minister urged journalists to uphold accuracy, fairness and balance while embracing digital skills, data journalism, fact-checking and emerging technologies.

Mr. Yakubu Abdul-Majeed, Northern Regional Chairman of the GJA, encouraged journalists to discharge their duties with the utmost care and diligence to help maintain peace in Dagbon.

The Black Queens have returned to training following their Group C encounter with Cameroon, with full attention now on their decisive final group match against Mali.

The training session centred on recovery, as players who logged significant minutes against Cameroon took part in light exercises and regeneration activities.

The remaining members of the squad underwent a more intensive workout as preparations intensified for the crucial fixture.

With a place in the knockout stage still up for grabs, the mood in camp remains upbeat and focused. Head coach Kim Lars Björkegren and his technical team are using the training sessions to fine-tune tactics ahead of the must-win encounter.

The Black Queens will be aiming to deliver a strong performance against Mali as they look to secure qualification to the quarter-finals and keep their campaign alive.

Ghana opened their 2026 WAFCON campaign with a 2-0 win over Cape Verde and face Cameroon next in a game that could shape their path to the knockout stage.

The Black Queens then slipped to a 1-0 defeat against Cameroon in their second Group C match at the 2026 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday, leaving their qualification hopes hanging in the balance.

The Black Queens made an encouraging start, controlling possession and showing confidence in attack during the opening stages. However, Cameroon broke the deadlock in the first half after converting a penalty to take the lead.

UFC’s parent company, TKO Group Holdings, has revealed that staging the historic Freedom 250 event at the White House resulted in a loss of approximately $30 million (£22 million), despite the event attracting a global audience of around 34 million viewers.

Held in June as part of celebrations marking 250 years of American independence, the invite-only event took place on the South Lawn of the White House and was attended by about 4,300 guests, including US President Donald Trump and Vice-President JD Vance.

UFC had anticipated the financial loss due to the event’s high production costs, which were initially estimated to exceed $60 million (£44 million).

According to TKO Chief Financial Officer Andrew Schleimer, the company offset part of the expense through sponsorships, media exposure and commercial partnerships, although the event still significantly affected UFC’s operating margins.

Despite the one-off loss, UFC enjoyed a strong second quarter financially. TKO reported a 29% year-on-year increase in UFC revenue, reaching $535.7 million (£398.7 million).

The growth was largely driven by a new seven-year, $7.7 billion (£5.7 billion) media rights agreement with Paramount, which became UFC’s exclusive US broadcast partner from 2026. The deal contributed an additional $64.7 million (£48.2 million) in media rights revenue.

The White House event ultimately became one of the most-watched mixed martial arts shows in history, highlighting UFC’s expanding global reach despite the significant financial investment.

Musician, Keche Joshua, has defended fellow artiste, Stonebwoy, following criticism over his reaction to the cancellation of Shatta Wale’s ShattaFest concert in the UK.

Speaking in a recent interview, Keche Joshua said Stonebwoy’s social media post was misunderstood by some fans, insisting the dancehall musician was only expressing sympathy over the unfortunate development.

‘Stonebwoy came to write that no artiste or show promoter expects this. Then all of a sudden, fans came from nowhere and started insulting him, but there was nothing wrong with what Stonebwoy did,’ he said.

Keche Joshua revealed that he initially doubted reports that the concert had been cancelled and contacted people in the UK to confirm the news.

‘When I heard the news, I said, ‘I hope it’s not true,’ because Shatta is my gee. So I made some calls to the UK to find out if it was true. Even my younger sister attended the event. Then people started sending me videos, and I knew it was true,’ he said.

He described the cancellation as unfortunate, noting that substantial investments had gone into organising the event.

‘A lot of money had been invested in it. There was a private jet and other things. Even parking a private jet at the airport is not easy,’ he stated.

Keche Joshua also encouraged people not to let criticism discourage them from doing what they believe is right.

‘That is why I’m telling you that sometimes if you look at what other people are saying, you won’t do the right thing,’ he added.

Director of Public Affairs at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Abdul Hayi Moomen, has launched a book titled ‘Newsroom Poverty: The Silent Crisis in Ghanaian Journalism’ in Tamale, Northern Region.

The launch attracted dignitaries including Member of Parliament for Tamale North and Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways, Alhassan Suhuyini, Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Professor Amin Alhassan, UDS management, representatives of civil society organisations (CSOs) and other personalities.

Addressing participants at the launch, Mr. Moomen said the book is not meant to embarrass journalists but to expose the conditions under which many of them work.

‘This book is not an attack on journalists. It is an act of love for journalism. It is not intended to embarrass journalists. It is intended to embarrass the conditions under which many journalists are compelled to work,’ he said.

He stressed that journalists perform essential public functions: informing society, exposing wrongdoing, holding power to account, defending the vulnerable and giving voice to the voiceless, but many face serious private financial struggles behind the confident voices on radio, polished faces on television and impressive bylines.

‘We used to joke that our take home pay could not take us home. We laughed, but the joke was painful because it was true. The salary would arrive, and transport, rent, food, school fees and family responsibilities would already be waiting. Before the month had properly begun, the salary had finished. Yet the journalist was still expected to dress well, travel, remain objective, resist pressure, reject inducements and perform with courage and professionalism. Society demands the highest ethical standards from journalists-and rightly so-but society must also ask whether journalists are being given the conditions that make those standards easier to uphold,’ he said.

Mr. Moomen noted that journalists sometimes depend on ‘soli’, a practice that can undermine their dignity and independence.

‘The real problem is not merely the envelope. The deeper problem is the system that makes the envelope necessary. Soli can undermine the dignity and independence of journalists. It creates the impression that journalists must be financially motivated before they can perform their professional duty. A properly resourced media organisation should transport its journalists, provide the tools they need and pay them fairly. Journalists should not have to depend on the people they cover in order to cover them, and here is one of the greatest ironies of our profession: journalists speak for everybody except themselves. When teachers are unhappy, journalists report it. When nurses are dissatisfied, journalists give them airtime. When workers are underpaid, journalists tell their stories. When communities need roads, water, schools or hospitals, journalists amplify their voices. But when journalists are poorly paid, denied contracts, denied social security, overworked or exposed to unsafe conditions, who tells their story?’ he asked.

Mr. Moomen urged media owners to improve on the working conditions of journalists, and called on policymakers to recognise journalism as a public good.

‘I do not pretend that one book will solve every problem. A book cannot pay salaries, provide insurance, fuel news vehicles or replace broken equipment. But a book can begin a conversation. It can document what has been ignored. It can give language to experiences people have struggled to explain. It can make silence uncomfortable. Sometimes change begins when silence is broken. My hope is that this book will encourage media owners to reflect on working conditions; policymakers to recognise journalism as a public good; professional bodies to speak more firmly about salaries, contracts, welfare and safety; and journalists themselves to understand that asking for fair treatment is not an act of disloyalty to the profession.’

He dedicated the book to journalists across the country and beyond who love the profession but are uncertain about their future.

‘To my fellow journalists: this book is for you. It is for the young reporter who loves the profession but is uncertain about the future. It is for the experienced journalist who has served society faithfully but has little financial security to show for it. It is for those who have remained silent because they feared that speaking would make them appear ungrateful. You are not ungrateful. You are asking for dignity. You are asking for fairness. You are asking for a profession that rewards the enormous responsibility it places on your shoulders,’ he said.

Leading Ghanaian artistes are recording massive numbers on global streaming platforms, with several of them crossing major milestones in 2026, according to data from Chart Ghana.

The latest streaming figures show a strong presence of Ghanaian music across all major Digital Service Providers (DSPs), with both established and emerging acts making significant gains.

Camidoh has crossed 20 million global streams on YouTube in 2026, ranking him 11th most-streamed Ghanaian artiste on the platform so far this year.

Award-winning singer Wendy Shay has also crossed 400 million global streams across all major DSPs. She currently ranks as the 19th most-streamed Ghanaian artiste globally of all time.

Music duo DopeNation have now surpassed 200 million global streams across all major DSPs. The feat places them as the 34th most-streamed Ghanaian artistes globally of all time.

Rapper Oseikrom Sikanii joins the 100 million club as well, with over 100 million global streams across all major DSPs. He is ranked 46th most-streamed Ghanaian artiste globally of all time.

Sista Afia has also hit a new high with over 100 million global streams across all major DSPs, making her the 47th most-streamed Ghanaian artiste globally of all time.

On the 2026 charts, KiDi has surpassed 80 million global streams across all major DSPs so far this year, placing him at No. 18 among the most-streamed Ghanaian artistes globally in 2026.

R2Bees have recorded over 70 million global streams across all credits on Spotify in 2026, making them the 6th most-streamed Ghanaian artistes on the platform this year.

Dancehall star Stonebwoy has also pulled strong numbers on Audiomack, surpassing 50 million global streams on the platform in 2026. He is currently the 5th most-streamed Ghanaian artiste on Audiomack this year.

Industry watchers say the numbers reflect the growing international appeal of Ghanaian music and the impact of digital distribution in pushing local sounds to global audiences.

There is no place to hide for holders of fake degrees.

The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) is on an uphill task of weeding out fake degree holders to give the academic space in Ghana the integrity it needs to be part of the international comity of the learned.

The overdrive mode the Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai-led GTEC is on has unearthed many cobwebs in the academic closet of the nation.

While the searchlight appears to be primarily on PhD holders, the first and second degree holders too should not be left out.

In a society where academic qualifications add to the stature of their holders, many would do all they can to earn these testimonials. While many will genuinely earn these certificates, others will use fictitious means to add these to their names.

We do not envy the GTEC, as it continues its search for the academic frauds, because of the many stumbling blocks that they will continue to surmount.

With a large space to survey in the face of limited resources, GTEC might have to innovate effective means of combing the academic space. That is where the challenge lurks.

Many personalities have been exposed in the past, most of them politicians. With nothing really done to sanction them for the academic deceit, many more would embark on this unenviable path.

Some of the exposed personalities continue to hold the political appointments bestowed upon them by government. That is sufficient proof that in our jurisdiction there is nothing wrong with faking academic qualifications.

The latest personality to be put on the spot by GTEC is Dr. Ekwow Spio Garbrah. Did we state ‘Dr.’? Until he fails to satisfy the demand of GTEC, we might have to let him be a Dr. Maybe we are wrong but be it as it may, he could be on the verge of proving his right to be addressed as a Dr. We await the response of the learned Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah.

Integrity is critical in our individual and national lives, hence the need to be honest with ourselves and avoid presenting ourselves as what we are not.

Imagine presenting oneself as a PhD holder for so long only to be confronted with this query by GTEC. The leverage given the query to Dr. Spio-Garbrah has opened fresh discussions about the subject, with many asking the Commission to turn their attention to the clergy.

It appears that many men of God are PhD holders, something the GTEC would do well to authenticate. Concentrating on politicians as collar-wearing personalities flaunt Dr. before their names when they are unqualified to do so is a cause of worry.

Until we hear from Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, he remains a PhD holder. Or?