Category: Daily Guide Network

Santol Energy, a wholly Ghanaian-owned oil marketing company, has expressed strong alignment with recent industry views advocating fuel price reductions, welcoming what it described as a timely and pragmatic intervention by the leadership of Star Oil as pressure mounts to translate improving macroeconomic conditions into consumer relief.

Santol Energy said comments by Star Oil’s Chief Executive have helped advance an important industry-wide conversation on how efficiency gains and stabilising economic indicators can be reflected at the pump without compromising fuel quality or the long-term health of the downstream petroleum sector.

In support of this direction, Santol Energy disclosed plans to roll out a customer loyalty initiative, branded ‘Fuel Ntosuo,’ which will reward regular customers with bonus fuel.

The company said details of the scheme would be announced soon, positioning it as part of a broader effort by indigenous marketers to innovate while easing cost pressures on households and businesses.

‘The conversation being led by industry leaders such as Star Oil is critical,’ Santol Energy said in a media briefing.

‘It creates space for constructive engagement on how pricing frameworks can evolve in ways that are fair to consumers and sustainable for operators,’ the oil marketing company added.

Santol Energy stressed that any movement on pump prices should be anchored in a holistic review of downstream pricing policies, including cost structures, foreign exchange exposure and regulatory obligations.

It said collaboration among oil marketing companies would be essential to ensure that competitive pricing does not come at the expense of standards or supply reliability.

The company also commended the National Petroleum Authority for maintaining market stability through consistent regulatory oversight, noting that effective leadership at the authority has helped the industry navigate recent global volatility.

At the same time, Santol encouraged the regulator to intensify stakeholder consultations, particularly on the floor price mechanism.

It said a more flexible and transparent engagement process could help ensure that efficiencies achieved by marketers are passed on to consumers when conditions permit.

‘The shared objective across the industry is to allow Ghanaians to feel the benefits of improving economic conditions. That goal is best achieved through dialogue, cooperation and responsible pricing,’ the company said.

Santol Energy highlighted its track record in quality assurance, noting that it was the first indigenous oil marketing company in Ghana to attain ISO certification, a feat it said reflects its commitment to operational excellence and regulatory compliance.

Santol Energy said it remains committed to working with industry peers, regulators and consumers to promote affordability, innovation and sustainability across Ghana’s downstream petroleum market.

A team from the MasterCard Foundation has paid a courtesy visit to the management of Daily Guide Network (DGN) to strengthen collaboration and build a deeper partnership in 2026.

The initiative aims to position both institutions to jointly promote youth empowerment through entrepreneurship and agribusiness, with special focus on women across the country.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of DGN, Kwame Blay, in his welcome remarks, commended the Foundation for its activities aimed at empowering the youth.

‘We appreciate the time you’ve taken. I personally know a little bit about the MasterCard Foundation’s great work,’ he said.

Mr. Blay indicated that the DGN, known for decades of excellence in Ghana’s media landscape, is not only made up of the DAILY GUIDE newspaper, but also includes other additions like GUIDE RADIO 91.5, and DGN TV.

‘. we’ll be very interested in seeing if it’s possible for some of our media teams to partake in one of your programmes, because we usually have very young teams,’ he added.

MasterCard Foundation Country Communications Lead, Felix Baidoo, stated that the Foundation is a global philanthropic organisation that focuses on advancing education and financial inclusion, primarily in Africa.

Mr. Baidoo added that the MasterCard Foundation is focusing on education, financial inclusion, and youth empowerment.

He was optimistic about future collaborations geared towards youth empowerment for mutual benefits.

The appeal hearing of Evangelist Patricia Asiedua, known as Nana Agradaa, challenging her 15-year prison sentence has been pushed to February 5, 2026.

She appeared before the Amasaman Circuit Court on January 21, 2026, as her legal team pressed for a reduction of the sentence. The court ordered both the defence and the prosecution to submit their written addresses, but proceedings were stalled after the Attorney-General’s office requested additional time to prepare its response.

Agradaa arrived at the court under the escort of prison officers, with her husband, Angel Asiamah, in attendance.

She is currently serving her prison term at the Nsawam Female Prison after an Accra Circuit Court convicted her on July 3, 2025, for charlatanic advertising and defrauding by false pretences.

The court found that Agradaa collected money from church members by promoting the supposed power to double money. Prosecutors said she advertised the scheme on Today’s TV and various social media platforms, urging the public to attend an all-night church service where she claimed spiritual intervention would multiply their money.

More than 1,000 people are said to have handed over large sums of cash during the service, but the promised returns never materialised, leaving many attendees in financial distress. In her appeal, first filed at the Amasaman High Court on December 4, 2025, Agradaa argues that the trial was unfair, the evidence insufficient, and the 15-year sentence excessive.

The Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, has paid a working visit to various security agencies within the metropolis ahead of a decongestion exercise scheduled to begin on February 1, 2026.

The agencies visited included the Accra Central, Railways, Jamestown, Korle Bu, Mamprobi, and Kaneshie security commands, as well as the 31st Makola Metro Fire Station and the North Industrial Area (STC) Fire Station.

Addressing the media after the engagements, the Mayor said the operation would mark a shift from persuasion to strict enforcement, stressing that the Assembly would apply the law fully during the exercise.

The Mayor explained that the February exercise would require coordinated, intelligence-led, and professional support from the security services to ensure enforcement is firm but orderly, and carried out with restraint and respect for the public.

He said the decongestion would target the growing congestion in markets and along major roads, where trading and hawking have spilled onto streets and pedestrian walkways, creating safety risks.

The Mayor added that the Assembly would continue stakeholder engagements and operational planning with relevant departments and partner institutions to ensure the exercise achieved its objectives as well as sustained beyond the initial enforcement phase.

Mayor Allotey appealed to the security agencies to join the Assembly for what he described as the ‘biggest decongestion exercise’ in the metropolis, emphasising that enforcement would be firm and offenders who intentionally breach the law would be sanctioned.

Heads of the security agencies visited pledged their support for the exercise and assured the Mayor of their readiness to collaborate with the Assembly to ensure orderly enforcement and public safety during the operation.

In times of economic pressure, consumers are not just watching prices; they are watching behaviour. In Ghana’s current economic climate, where fluctuations in fuel prices, exchange rates, and household costs are felt immediately, brands are increasingly judged not only by what they say but by how sensitively they respond to changing realities.

Recent public reactions to Star Oil’s fuel price reductions offer a telling example. As fuel prices eased, the company swiftly adjusted its pump prices, signalling to consumers that relief at the macro level could translate into real benefits at the individual level. The response was immediate. Across social media platforms, many Ghanaians praised the move, not merely because fuel became cheaper, but because it felt fair. In that moment, Star Oil appeared attentive, responsive, and aligned with consumers’ everyday struggles. It gained free brand promotion online from many grateful Ghanaians.

This reaction highlights an important shift in how brand trust is built. Consumers today are highly informed and deeply price-aware. Through social media monitoring and real-time checks, they closely track cost movements and expect brands to reflect these changes honestly. When prices fall, but consumer costs remain unchanged, consumer anger grows. When brands adjust prices transparently, goodwill follows. In this environment, price sensitivity has become more than a pricing strategy; it is a signal of care.

Importantly, consumer well-being is no longer a distant concept reserved for corporate social responsibility. It is experienced daily through pricing decisions, service delivery, and communication. Brands that understand this recognise that profitability and empathy are not opposites. Reducing prices when decline, offering temporary relief, costs or redesigning packages to ease pressure are not acts of charity. They are strategic investments in long-term trust and loyalty, two important elements crucial for building and consolidating consumer-based brand equity.

What makes the Star Oil example particularly powerful is not only the reduction itself, but the speed and clarity of the response. Consumers felt acknowledged, and in a digital age where opinions form the currency of brand image, this is important. In an era where many brands wait for regulation or public backlash before acting, proactive price sensitivity stands out. It communicates that a brand sees itself as part of society, not insulated from it.

This moment presents broader challenges and opportunities for other sectors in Ghana. From telecommunications and banking to food services and transportation, many brands operate in cost-sensitive markets where even small adjustments can have a meaningful impact. While not every business can cut prices significantly, many can offer trade-offs: loyalty rewards, temporary discounts, flexible payment options, or clearer explanations of pricing decisions. Often, transparency matters as much as the price itself.

The broader lesson is simple. In volatile economic environments, brands that endure will be those that listen, adapt, and respond visibly. Price sensitivity has become a powerful emotional cue. It tells consumers whether a brand is paying attention, understands their reality, and values long-term relationships over short-term margins.

In Ghana’s current socio-economic landscape, winning consumer hearts requires more than attractive brand promotions and influencer marketing; it requires brand responsiveness. Brands that demonstrate sensitivity earn trust, consumer advocacy, and free publicity. Those that do not may find that consumers remember less of what they say in their advertisements and more of how disconnected they felt when it mattered most. Ghanaian brands, it’s time to be responsive.

Fans holding tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup can now apply for priority visa appointments to travel to the United States, following the launch of a new system aimed at easing entry for supporters from around the world.

The FIFA Prioritised Appointment Scheduling System, known as the FIFA Pass, officially went live on Tuesday after being announced by US President Donald Trump in November.

The initiative was introduced partly because citizens of some countries whose teams have qualified for the tournament may otherwise struggle to secure visa appointments in time for the competition.

However, US authorities have cautioned that access to the system does not automatically guarantee a visa.

The US State Department has stressed that all applicants must still ‘undergo thorough security screening and vetting,’ with approvals dependent on meeting all entry requirements.

Most fans from countries covered by the US visa waiver programme – including much of Europe, the United Kingdom, Japan and Australia – are unaffected by the change, as they can normally enter the US without a visa for up to 90 days.

Instead, travellers from these nations are required to apply for an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization), rather than using the FIFA Pass.

A senior State Department official revealed that the new system is already reducing delays, with applicants in more than 80 percent of countries now able to book a visa appointment in less than 60 days.

‘At the visa appointment, the applicant must show they qualify for the visa and plan to follow our laws and leave at the end of the tournament,’ the official said. ‘America’s safety and the security of our borders will always come first.’

Despite the introduction of the FIFA Pass, doubts remain over whether fans from every country that qualifies for the 2026 World Cup will ultimately be able to enter the United States, as final decisions still rest on individual visa approvals.

The five flagbearer aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have committed to a peaceful conduct before during and after the presidential primary on January 31, 2026.

The aspirants, Kennedy Agyapong – Former Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Dr. Bryan Acheampong – MP for Abetifi and former Minister for Agriculture, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia – Former Vice President, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum – Former Minister of Education and Kwabena Agyepong – Former Presidential Press Secretary and NPP General Secretary, have also committed to support the winner of the upcoming election.

According to the pact, the candidates acknowledged that the primaries have been conducted in a manner that is transparent, inclusive, and fair, with all aspirants afforded equal opportunities to participate.

They pledged to accept the outcome of the elections as a valid and binding expression of the will of the party’s delegates.

The agreement further commits the aspirants to refrain from actions or rhetoric that could disrupt party cohesion and reaffirmed their loyalty to the NPP, regardless of the election outcome.

On support for the eventual winner, the pact states that all candidates will work diligently to back the chosen flagbearer, not only during the 2028 elections but also in efforts to secure a strong parliamentary majority.

Any disputes arising from violations of the pact will be resolved through the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms in line with the NPP constitution.

It has emerged a domestic disagreement over a possible divorce reportedly escalated into a violent stabbing that has left the wife of former New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for Klottey Korle, Valentino Nii Noi Nortey, hospitalized in the United States.

The account was given by David Gyapanin, uncle of the victim, Gilda Nortey, who described how a routine marital argument turned deadly after his niece suggested she might seek a divorce if tensions in the marriage continued.

According to Mr. Gyapanin, the divorce comment infuriated Nii Noi, who allegedly threatened his wife, telling her that if she attempted to divorce him, he would either kill her or kill himself. Moments later, he reportedly ran to the kitchen, prompting the woman to retreat to a bedroom and lock herself inside.

However, the suspect allegedly forced his way into the room and stabbed his wife three times. Despite her injuries, the victim reportedly pleaded with him to take her to the hospital.

Mr. Gyapanin said Nii Noi agreed, but only on the condition that she would not disclose his role in the attack.

In a desperate bid to save her life, the woman reportedly agreed. While preparing to leave, she realised she still had her car keys in her pocket.

Seizing the opportunity, she rushed into the vehicle, locked herself inside and drove off, even as Nii Noi allegedly pursued her with a knife.

Bleeding and in severe pain, she managed to drive herself to the hospital where she works as a nurse, the victim’s uncle narrated and added that she was later admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where she remained as of Sunday.

Meanwhile, police in the United States have confirmed the arrest of Valentino Nii Noi Nortey, 41, in connection with the incident, which occurred over the weekend in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.

According to Lower Paxton Township police, the stabbing took place along Mayfair Drive around 10 a.m. on Saturday, January 17, 2026.

Reports said first responders transported the victim to hospital, where she was reported to be in stable condition.

Police said Mr. Nortey faces charges of attempted homicide, possession of an instrument of crime with intent to use, and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.

Investigators have indicated that there was no threat to the general public, while further details surrounding the incident remain under investigation.

President John Dramani Mahama will on Thursday, January 22, 2026 lead the first Davos convening of the Accra Reset on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting.

A statement, issued and signed on Wednesday January 21, 2026 by the Spokesperson to the President and Minister for Government Communications, Felix KwakyeOfosu, said the President would chair the Presidential Council of the Accra Reset, a Global South initiative aimed at strengthening sovereign capacity and reimagining international cooperation at a time of unprecedented global challenges.

According to the statement, other members of the Presidential Council attending the meeting include President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt, President William SamoeiRuto of Kenya, President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Vice President KashimShettima of Nigeria, and Prime Minister James Marape of Papua New Guinea.

It said other Heads of State and global leaders participating in the meeting include former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark, former President of Mauritius AmeenahGurib-Fakim, and former President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who together form the Guardian Circle of the Accra Reset.

The statement noted that the Davos meeting would also mark the launch of priority programmes following the initiative’s introduction at the 2025 United Nations General Assembly and its endorsement at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg.

The Accra Reset, it said, is particularly timely amid intensifying great-power rivalries, the collapse of the global aid narrative, unprecedented trade tensions, and the growing crises of climate shocks, rising cost of living, pandemics and conflicts.

President Mahama, the statement added, views the Accra Reset as complementary to his domestic Resetting Ghana Agenda, noting that as a founding member, Ghana recognises that effective governance requires both internal reforms and a more equitable international system.

‘President Mahama has consistently emphasised that sovereignty means the capacity to execute national visions while building strategic partnerships, particularly within Africa and across the Global South, that advance mutual interests,’ the statement said.

A delegate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Odotobri Constituency of the Ashanti Region, Kwasi Asante, has petitioned the party’s Presidential Election Committee to investigate an alleged audio recording suggesting that there is a plan by some individuals to disrupt the party’s presidential primary scheduled for January 31, 2026.

The recording, shared on social media features an individual alleged to be instructing regional and constituency executives to recruit individuals he referred to as ‘commandos’ ahead of the presidential primary.

Mr. Asante in a statement issued on January 16, 2026, said the recording appears to show some persons actively compiling and sharing lists containing names and contact numbers of persons believed to be part of these alleged militia groups.

He said the purported recruitment drive constitutes a clear violation of the operational guidelines issued by the NPP Elections Committee noting that the rules governing the party’s flagbearer election explicitly prohibit the use of ‘macho men,’ private security operatives, or any unauthorised persons at voting centers.

He stressed that the alleged recording must be thoroughly investigated to prevent a recurrence of the violence witnessed during the Ablekuma North election rerun, where some thugs were captured on video harassing voters while security personnel appeared reluctant to intervene.

The delegate also called on the party’s leadership, particularly the Elections Committee, to conduct a full inquiry into the authenticity of the recording and the alleged recruitment activities.

He believes such an investigation is necessary to ensure that the rules governing the presidential primary are enforced fairly, without fear or favour.

Mr. Asante also appealed to the Ghana Police Service to adopt a proactive security strategy.

He stated, ‘The police must assure the public that they will investigate this matter now, and not wait until violence erupts,’ he said. ‘I urge fellow delegates to demand accountability and transparency from the Elections Committee as we head to the polls’.

In less than two weeks, the NPP will hold its presidential primary to elect a flagbearer for the 2028 general election.

The aspirants contesting the race include former Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Bryan Acheampong; former Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia; former Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum and former General Secretary of the NPP, Mr. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong.