Category: Daily Guide Network

Senior Manager in Charge of Communications, Tophic Abdul Kadir, has been appointed as Media Officer for the 2026 WAFU Zone B U20 Championship, which will take place in Ivory Coast from July 26 to August 10.

The appointment marks the fourth time the West African Football Union (WAFU) Zone B has entrusted Abdul Kadir with media responsibilities at one of its flagship tournaments, highlighting the confidence the regional football body has in his experience and professionalism.

He previously served as Media Officer during the 2024 WAFU Zone B U17 Girls Championship in Ghana, the 2025 WAFU Zone B U20 Boys Championship, also hosted by Ghana, and the WAFU Zone B U20 Girls Championship in Benin.

As Media Officer, Abdul Kadir will oversee all media operations before, during and after the tournament. His responsibilities include coordinating media accreditation, organising press conferences, facilitating media coverage, supervising content production and ensuring smooth communication between tournament organizers, participating teams and media outlets.

The championship is expected to draw widespread interest across West Africa as it will determine the teams that qualify for the 2027 Africa U20 Cup of Nations, which Ghana is scheduled to host.

Abdul Kadir’s latest appointment reflects Ghana’s growing reputation in football administration and communications across the region. Beyond producing talented players, coaches and referees, the country continues to gain recognition for the expertise of its football administrators.

With his extensive experience managing media operations at previous WAFU tournaments, Abdul Kadir is expected to play a key role in enhancing the championship’s visibility and ensuring effective communication throughout the competition.

Gospel musician, Noble Nketsiah, has revealed that his hit song ‘Yesu Wo Do’ played a major role in changing his life and music career.

Speaking in an interview on No.1 FM, the gospel singer said the song brought him recognition and helped him reach a larger audience.

Noble Nketsiah also praised music producer, Morris Babyface, for believing in him and allowing him to record his songs.

‘Morris Babyface is my destiny helper. He helped me from the depth of his heart,’ he said.

The gospel artiste attributed his success to God’s guidance, saying he has always trusted God’s direction throughout his journey.

‘My secret is God. Just follow His ways. When you walk in the counsel of God, everything you do is always relevant,’ he stated.

Noble Nketsiah said although he once had the potential to pursue a career in medicine, he believes gospel music was the path God chose for him.

He added that the success of ‘Yesu Wo Do’ remains one of the biggest milestones in his career and continues to shape his journey in gospel music.

Burkina Faso President, Captain Ibrahim Traore, has sent a high-powered delegation to the Gbewaa Palace in Yendi to mourn with the Dagbon Kingdom following the passing of the late Ndan Ya Naa Abukari II.

Ouagadougou’s delegation was led by David Kabre, its Ambassador to Ghana.

The Ambassador described Ndan Ya Naa as not only a revered traditional ruler but also a grandfather whose influence and wisdom transcended national borders. He revealed that he had planned to visit the King before his passing, but was informed that the Ya Naa had travelled abroad for medical treatment.

Speaking during the visit, the delegation emphasised the long-standing historical and ancestral ties between the people of Dagbon and the Mossi Kingdom of Burkina Faso, noting that both trace their roots to Naa Gbewaa.

They described the passing of the Overlord as a great loss not only to Dagbon but also to the people of Burkina Faso.

The Mossis of Burkina and Dagombas belong to the Mole-Dagbani genealogical tree, both tracing their roots to a common ancestor.

Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has acknowledged that several of Ghana’s national football teams are owed outstanding winning and qualification bonuses, assuring that government is working to settle the arrears.

The Buem MP revealed that the affected teams include the Black Queens, Black Stars, Black Princesses, Black Satellites and the Black Maidens.

According to him, while a number of teams are yet to receive bonuses, the Black Stars have the least outstanding payments after government cleared all their qualifying bonuses from 2023 to 2025 ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

‘The Black Stars were paid all their qualifying bonuses and appearance fees before the World Cup. The only outstanding payment is the qualification bonus for reaching the Round of 32,’ Adams said.

He explained that the delay in paying some bonuses is partly due to provisions in the new Sports Act, which requires a percentage of bonuses and other financial benefits paid to athletes and officials to be deducted at source for a national sports development fund.

Adams, however, assured that steps are being taken to secure the release of funds from the Ministry of Finance to pay the Black Queens, Black Princesses, Black Satellites and Black Maidens what they are owed.

The Black Queens are currently in Morocco preparing for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), while the Black Princesses have already qualified for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

The Minister’s comments come amid growing calls from stakeholders for a more transparent and timely system of paying bonuses to Ghana’s national teams.

Aston Villa have announced the loan signing of Chelsea winger Alejandro Garnacho until the end of the 2026-27 season.

The 22-year-old’s transfer will ‘become permanent next summer should certain criteria be met’, said the Blues, with the Argentine already agreeing a four-year contract at Villa Park.

The terms of the obligation to buy clause have not been disclosed by either club, but it is expected to be triggered if conditions, such as the number of appearances Garnacho makes next season, are met.

Chelsea believe the terms are easily reachable and they will achieve their original £43m valuation.

Garnacho’s departure from Stamford Bridge follows Chelsea’s signing of Morgan Rogers for a record £117m fee from Villa on Tuesday.

Villa head coach Unai Emery said he was ‘delighted’ with Garnacho’s arrival.

‘He is so talented, young and he showed us his wish to help our project. We are really happy,’ he added.

The winger becomes Villa’s fourth signing, after the arrivals of Johan Manzambi, Joao Gomes and Modou Keba Cisse.

Villa’s player sales this summer, meanwhile, total nearly £200m, with Rogers, Youri Tielemans, Donyell Malen, Enzo Barrenechea and Lewis Dobbin all leaving.

The Blues have been keen to offload Garnacho despite signing him only last September in a £40m deal from Manchester United, who would be due 10% of any eventual transfer fee.

His impact at Stamford Bridge has been limited to one Premier League goal, and the arrivals of Rogers and Sporting winger Geovany Quenda have increased the need to reduce the size of the squad.

Africa’s economic transformation will depend not only on the movement of goods and capital but also on the ability of people, skills and ideas to move freely across borders, Dr Ishmael Yamson, a member of Ghana’s Presidential Advisory Group on the Economy, has said.

Speaking at the Kgalema Motlanthe Winter Seminar 2026 in Johannesburg, held under the theme ‘Migration as a catalyst for African integration, innovation and shared prosperity,’ Dr. Yamson said well-managed migration has historically been a major driver of economic growth and regional integration across Africa.

He noted that for generations, traders across West Africa built thriving economic networks through cross-border movement, long before modern systems such as passports, corporate banking and digital payments existed.

‘People move where opportunity exists. Our task is therefore not to stop people from moving; our task is to ensure that Africa creates sufficient opportunities for its people, wherever they may choose to live and work,’ he said.

Dr. Yamson cited the long-standing trade links between Ghanaian traders and Yoruba merchants as an example of how mobility, trust and entrepreneurship contributed to the development of local economies across the region.

He said these movements did not only facilitate trade but also encouraged cultural exchange, settlement, skills transfer and the creation of vibrant markets.

‘They did not just swap goods; they settled, learned languages, intermarried, and built markets. They proved that when West Africans cross borders, they do not bring scarcity; they bring a market,’ he said.

Dr Yamson stressed that the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) will depend on more than removing trade barriers, noting that the continent must also prioritise skills mobility, infrastructure, digital connectivity, financial integration and social cohesion.

‘Goods do not trade themselves; people trade, entrepreneurs trade, innovators trade, and ideas trade. The future of African integration depends as much on people as it does on policy,’ he stated.

He observed that intra-African trade currently remains significantly lower than comparable regions, but AfCFTA presents a historic opportunity to build a more connected and competitive continental economy.

According to Dr. Yamson, no African country, regardless of size, can achieve its full potential in isolation.

‘Our markets are too fragmented, our infrastructure gaps are too large, and our development challenges are too interconnected. The future lies in building a more integrated continental economy where goods, services, capital, technology and skills move freely across borders,’ he said.

Addressing Africa’s youthful population, Dr. Yamson said the continent’s demographic advantage could only translate into prosperity if young people are equipped with the right skills and opportunities.

He noted that with 70 per cent of Africa’s population under the age of 30, the continent has one of the greatest development opportunities in modern history.

‘Demographics alone do not create prosperity. Prosperity is created when talent meets opportunity,’ he said.

He warned that without investments in education, technical and vocational training, entrepreneurship, digital capabilities and innovation ecosystems, Africa’s demographic dividend could become a challenge rather than an advantage.

He further cautioned against blaming migrants for economic challenges, arguing that migration pressures often arise when people lack access to jobs, education and economic opportunities.

‘When young people have access to quality education, productive employment, entrepreneurial opportunities, reliable infrastructure, digital connectivity and efficient markets, migration becomes a choice rather than a necessity,’ he said.

The Kgalema Motlanthe Winter Seminar, convened by the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation in partnership with MTN Group, brought together government officials, policymakers, diplomats, business executives, academics and civil society representatives to explore practical approaches to managing migration as a driver of African development.

The seminar seeks to reframe migration beyond crisis narratives and examine how human mobility can support trade, investment, innovation, social cohesion and continental integration.

The US Embassy in Ghana has called on government to put in place the right policies and infrastructures to help the country fully capture the value of its creative industry.

Speaking at the Creative Economy Summit at the Google AI Community Center in Accra, Rolf Olson, Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy, said government holds the key to unlocking jobs, investment and global competitiveness in the sector.

‘To the government officials, you hold the pen on the policies, tax structures, IP protections, production financing that determine whether Ghana captures the full value of its own cultural exports, and whether American companies feel comfortable investing in Ghana,’ Rolf Olson stated, and added that ‘contract sanctity matters, and we need to make sure that creators are paid for their efforts.’

Rolf Olson noted that the global appetite for authentic storytelling has created a huge opportunity for Ghana.

He cited the success of international content on platforms like Netflix, including Nollywood films. ‘Good storytelling is resonant anywhere in the world… How many different countries you can end up watching a show from because this show is really good and it’s set in Denmark or India, or wherever,’ he said, and added, ‘The opportunity to have exchanges on these things as this environment evolves, I think, is really valuable.’

Participants at the seminar

Mr. Olson also charged creatives to ‘insist that your story be told in your own voice,’ and urged investors to deploy capital early to build infrastructure that would allow the next generation to work at scale. ‘Like any other sector, this sector creates jobs, builds competitive advantage, attracts investment, and supports entrepreneurship and innovation,’ he added.

He described the summit as a ‘starting point’ toward deeper collaboration between Ghana and the US creative sectors, and ‘greater economic opportunity for the people building this industry.’

He added that the Embassy remains committed to working with the government, creatives, as well as investors to build a stronger bilateral relationship through the arts.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Nhyiaeso, Dr. Stephen Amoah, has strongly rejected a recent Global InfoAnalytics survey that ranked him among low-performing legislators, describing the assessment as misleading, demotivating and based on flawed criteria.

Addressing journalists in Parliament on Wednesday, Dr. Amoah said he was ‘extremely surprised’ by the findings of the poll, conducted by the Global InfoAnalytics and led by pollster Mussa Dankwah, which reportedly assessed the performance of selected Members of Parliament and categorised them as either high or low performers.

The survey, conducted in June 2026 across 83 parliamentary constituencies, placed the Nhyiaeso legislator among MPs deemed to be performing poorly.

Dr. Amoah questioned the methodology used in arriving at the ranking, arguing that the core responsibility of an MP is to represent constituents and perform effectively in Parliament.

‘Your core function is what you do in Parliament,’ he said, insisting that his contributions on the floor of the House alone should have earned him recognition among the top-performing legislators.

The MP cited several policy proposals and statements he had made in Parliament, including calls for the government to address what he described as the anomaly of borrowing domestically at rates higher than those available to the private sector.

Beyond Parliament, Dr. Amoah outlined a ‘long list of development interventions undertaken in the Nhyiaeso Constituency.’

He said he had awarded more than 1,000 scholarships to students through the District Assemblies Common Fund, other funding sources and personal contributions.

The MP also disclosed that he had supplied tables and chairs for about 2,400 schoolchildren and provided computers to several senior high schools, including Kumasi Technical Senior High School, Opoku Ware School, and Prince of Peace SHS.

He challenged the pollsters to consult head teachers and education stakeholders in the constituency if they wanted an accurate assessment of his contribution to education.

Dr. Amoah further pointed to the rehabilitation and reconstruction of school infrastructure in parts of the constituency, including classroom blocks and educational facilities funded through his efforts.

In addition, he said he had distributed about 800 vocational equipment items, including sewing, barbering and dressmaking machines, to support youth employment and skills development.

According to him, more than 1,000 young people and women had benefited from training programmes in areas such as pastry production, bead making, bag and shoe production, and digital television installation.

The MP also highlighted investments in sports infrastructure, including support for the refurbishment of school parks and efforts that led to the construction of an astroturf facility in the constituency.

He noted that another sports facility being developed through support from Ghana Gas was nearing completion.

On security, he disclosed that he had procured a new Toyota Hilux vehicle to support efforts to combat crime in the constituency.

He also cited the provision of water projects in several communities, market support schemes for traders, and healthcare assistance for party activists and vulnerable residents funded from his personal resources.

The Nhyiaeso MP questioned why factors such as currency stability, national road construction and broader economic performance appeared to have been used in assessing MPs.

He argued that such indicators fall outside the direct responsibilities of Members of Parliament and should not be used to measure their effectiveness.

Dr. Amoah maintained that he enjoys strong support from his constituents and insisted that his record over the past six years compares favourably with that of many legislators across the country.

The MP cautioned that inaccurate evaluations could discourage public officials who are making genuine efforts to improve the lives of their constituents.

The African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA), with support from UNICEF Ghana and Parliament of Ghana, has launched the Parliamentary Caucus on Children to provide a structured, non-partisan platform for Members of Parliament (MPs) who are committed to advancing children’s rights.

The caucus is envisaged as a strategic mechanism to promote sustained attention to children’s issues across parliamentary debates, committee deliberations, and legislative processes, ensuring that the best interests of the child are reflected in national laws and policies.

Executive Director of ACEPA, Dr. Rasheed Draman, on his part, indicated that the Parliamentary Caucus on Children will offer a response to challenges by bringing together committed Members of Parliament across party lines to champion child-focused legislation and accountability.

He indicated that by consolidating advocacy efforts, the caucus will strengthen Parliament’s ability to scrutinise draft bills and general policy propositions from a child rights perspective as well as influence legislative outcomes before unfavourable provisions are entrenched in law.

‘The caucus will also serve as a credible voice for children within Parliament, leveraging evidence, stakeholder engagement, and collective action to promote laws and policies that protect children’s rights, support their holistic development and ensure that the Ghanaian child is in a better position to reach his/her full potential,’ he said.

Camillo Pwamang, Deputy Clerk to Parliament, speaking on behalf of Clerk Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, said the initiative goes beyond creating ‘another parliamentary platform.’

‘Today’s launch represents a deliberate institutional commitment to ensuring that the interests and rights of children remain central to the work of Parliament,’ he said.

Mr. Djietror noted that Parliament has a constitutional duty not only to legislate but to ensure public resources improve children’s lives across the country.

The Clerk commended the unanimous election of the Chairpersons of the Committees on Children and Human Rights, Helen Adjoa Ntoso, to lead the caucus, saying it will encourage collaboration across committees and political parties. He assured that the Parliamentary Service will provide technical and research support to help the caucus function effectively.

Acting UNICEF Representative for Ghana, Anne Kariuki, says gaps in child welfare data highlight the urgent need for stronger parliamentary action to protect children.

Ms. Kariuki noted that only 49% of children under 18 are enrolled in the National Health Insurance Scheme, limiting their access to healthcare.

‘Behind each of these statistics are children whose health, learning, protection, and opportunities depend on the decisions that government makes. And that is why Parliament’s role is really, really important. Through legislation, Parliament can strengthen protection for children. Through budgets, as you discuss budgets in Parliament, we can ensure that resources reach the children and communities that need them most,’ she stated.

Musician, Stonebwoy, has appealed for greater unity among Africans after reacting to a video showing the alleged mistreatment of a Ghanaian in South Africa.

Speaking on the Sent Back Podcast, the award-winning musician said the incident deeply affected him and highlighted the need for Africans to embrace one another rather than promote division.

‘I saw a video when I was coming over here and a South African was bashing a Ghanaian and said, ‘we don’t need you guys here anymore.’ And my heart was just bleeding,’ Stonebwoy said.

The musician noted that it was painful to watch Africans turn against each other on their own continent, describing it as a sign that people have lost sight of the vision of African unity.

Stonebwoy stressed that Africans should be able to travel, work and connect freely across the continent without fear of discrimination. He warned that hostility towards foreigners could damage cultural exchange and limit opportunities for entertainers and other professionals.

He also pointed out that the government policies can influence how Africans interact with one another, urging leaders to support greater integration among African countries.

Despite his concerns, Stonebwoy clarified that he was not criticising South Africa as a nation, saying he appreciates the country’s contributions and holds no ill feelings towards its people.

‘I love South Africa. I love South Africa and the contributions they make. I love Africa as a whole. If I see some of these things on social media, we need to cut down that mentality as well,’ he said.

Stonebwoy concluded by encouraging young Africans to champion unity and reject divisive attitudes, saying a stronger and more connected continent can only be achieved when Africans stand together regardless of nationality.