Category: Daily Guide Network

The aforementioned headline represents the latest quotation from American strongman Donald Trump, as he ramps up pressure in his bid to acquire Greenland by all means.

He will either buy Greenland or use military means to do so, and, in that case, damn the dire consequences.

With his North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) allies responding with such rhetoric as ‘Greenland is not for sale’ and ‘Europe will not be blackmailed,’ the situation is heading for the precipice.

The unambiguous tension among the global elephants, the fallout from which brouhaha will be anything but positive for global trade, must attract the attention of those of us here in this part of the world.

We cannot avoid the negative fallouts from the ‘bazooka trade war’, which ammo is the trading of tariff hikes.

The diplomatic engagements are not yielding the desired dividends as the American strongman insists on taking control of Greenland for strategic reasons as he claims.

In a globally connected setting, especially as it pertains to international trade, those of us on the other hemisphere should follow the unfolding diplomatic drama with keen interest. We should however do so with care lest our comments push Trump to descend upon us with an iron fist. With Ghana already on the visa suspension list, we cannot afford to attract further sanctions.

In his reaction to the insistence by the rest of the membership of NATO not to toe his line, Donald Trump has threatened to impose a tariff hike on countries not aligning with his desire to buy Greenland. Therein lies the source of our apprehension. If he can threaten the greatest ally of the US, the UK, with tariff hike, it can only be imagined what will happen to us when our expressed position does not align with the ‘we shall acquire Greenland by force’ rhetoric.

We are constrained to consider the repercussions of the insistence of the disagreeing parties not to allow the US have its way.

Being Europe’s biggest trading partner, any brush with the US by the Brits, France and others will spell trouble for us.

Would the US eventually apply military force to acquire Greenland by calling the bluff of his allies? With home support not in favour for the military option, we wonder whether he would go that far. Fresh from Venezuela and still seizing sanctioned oil on the Caribbean Sea, the threats of Trump should not be toyed with.

An aspect of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s speech to his compatriots yesterday, in the light of the subject under review, could not have summed better the crossroads at which the world is today. ‘The world has become markedly turbulent in recent weeks,’ he said.

In today’s world, geopolitics is not something that happens somewhere else. It shapes the cost of energy, the price of food, the security of jobs and the stability that families rely on to plan their lives, he said, and that is why the Greenland issue should concern us. Anxiety has gripped the world and rightly so.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has strongly criticised what it termed ‘unacceptable behaviour’ by certain players and officials during the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 final between hosts Morocco and Senegal in Rabat.

In a statement issued on January 19, 2026, the continental governing body said it, ‘strongly condemns any inappropriate behaviour which occurs during matches, especially those targeting the refereeing team or match organisers.’

CAF confirmed that it has begun a comprehensive review of all available video footage from the high-profile encounter and will forward its findings to the relevant disciplinary committees for further action.

‘CAF is reviewing all footage and will refer the matter to competent bodies for appropriate action to be taken against those found guilty,’ the statement said.

The tournament decider, which brought the curtains down on Africa’s flagship competition in Morocco, was overshadowed by chaotic scenes late in the contest. Tensions boiled over following a series of disputed officiating decisions, most notably a penalty awarded to Morocco in stoppage time.

In protest, Senegal’s players briefly walked off the pitch, forcing a delay before play could resume. The match had ended goalless after regulation time, but Senegal eventually secured a 1-0 victory in extra time.

Although CAF did not name specific individuals in its statement, the organisation made clear that conduct directed at match officials remains a serious concern, underscoring its broader campaign to promote discipline and respect across African football.

The governing body reiterated that misconduct, whether on or off the field, will not be tolerated and will attract firm sanctions once investigations are concluded.

The ongoing review and referral to disciplinary bodies mark the first formal step in the process, with possible penalties ranging from fines and suspensions to other measures, depending on the outcome of CAF’s disciplinary proceedings.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the match officials for the upcoming Futsal Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Cape Verde and Senegal, scheduled to take place on January 23, 2026.

Among the notable appointments is Ghanaian official Derrick Kwatei, who will serve as the Timekeeper for the crucial encounter.

In futsal, the role of the Timekeeper is central to the smooth running of the game, with responsibility for accurately controlling match time, supervising time-outs and tracking accumulated fouls.

The position demands a high level of precision, concentration and technical understanding.

Kwatei’s selection highlights Ghana’s rising profile in African futsal officiating and reflects CAF’s confidence in his competence to perform at the continental level.

The fixture will be handled by an all-Nigerian refereeing team, led by centre referee, Dung Davou Musa, with Ndubuisi Odigomma Ukah and Alhassan Bello Zurui serving as supporting officials. Moroccan official El Mansouri Taha has been appointed Match Commissioner.

The designation marks a significant milestone in Kwatei’s officiating career and underscores CAF’s continued emphasis on cross-border collaboration to ensure professionalism and high standards in its competitions.

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has informed the public that the current weather is not Harmattan, but an extreme form of air pollution that is harmful to health.

In a press statement issued by the authority, it stated that this can cause reduced lung function, respiratory infections, inflammation, and oxidative stress (which affects the body’s balance).

The EPA has issued a caution to citizens, urging the adaptation of wearing a nose mask and drinking plenty of water. It further urged food vendors to cover food and water to keep dust off, wash fruits thoroughly before eating, and stay indoors if necessary.

They also called for the usage of shea butter (ORI) on the body and hair, especially before bed.

‘Drink warm water regularly, especially for the elderly, avoid the sun during hot afternoons. Do not eat cold food in the morning, especially for the elderly.

‘Don’t use A/C or fans at night; wait until morning to avoid catching a cold. Keep your chest warm until noon. Always wear a nose mask in public places, on motorcycles (okada), or in public transport. This situation may last for a while, so please stay safe and share this information with others,’ the statement read.

King Mohammed VI has congratulated Morocco’s national football team after their impressive runners-up finish at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) hosted by the Kingdom.

In a message addressed to the players, coaching staff and officials of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, the Monarch praised what he described as an honorable continental performance, achieved through discipline, unity and determination.

According to the King, the team’s campaign illustrated how perseverance and team spirit remain central to sporting excellence. He stressed that the Atlas Lions’ journey sent a powerful message beyond football, highlighting what Moroccan and African youth can achieve when they trust their skills and collective strength.

The Sovereign also linked the team’s performance to Morocco’s broader national strategy, emphasising that sustained investment in human capital and the modernisation of infrastructure have enhanced the Kingdom’s resilience and readiness-particularly as Morocco prepares to co-host the 2030 World Cup.

Ghanaian gospel music legend and founder of the Asomafo gospel group, Yaw Sarpong, has passed.

The news of his passing on January 20, 2026 in Kumasi was confirmed by Nana Poku Ashis, his manager.

Further details surrounding his death are yet to be officially disclosed.

His death comes barely a month after the passing of Maame Tiwa, a key pillar of Yaw Sarpong’s Asomafo music group, a loss that deeply affected the gospel music fraternity.

Yaw Sarpong had for some years been battling ill health, occasionally stepping back from public performances as he focused on treatment and recovery.

He is one of the most influential figures in Ghana’s gospel music history. Yaw Sarpong rose to national prominence as the leader of Yaw Sarpong and Asomafo, a group that shaped the sound and structure of modern Akan gospel music.

The group became known for its strong lyrical content and disciplined musical style rooted in Christian doctrine.

Over the decades, Yaw Sarpong and Asomafo produced several iconic gospel songs, including Wo Haw Ne Hwan, Tie Obiaa, Aduro Yesu, and Awurade Kasa, many of which remain staples in churches across Ghana.

In 2025, Yaw Sarpong was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement award at the Telecel Ghana Music Awards.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Petroleum Hub Development Corporation (PHDC), Dr. Toni Aubynn, has assured residents of Nzema and other stakeholders that decisive action will be taken on the Petroleum Hub project in their area this year.

The assurance follows concerns raised by a group calling itself Concerned Youth of Nzema over what it described as delays in the implementation of the project.

The Petroleum Hub project, initiated under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, is expected to boost the country’s energy sector, create employment opportunities and promote industrial and economic development.

However, the youth group has argued that despite repeated public assurances and stakeholder engagements, work on the project has yet to commence, even though a sod-cutting ceremony was held prior to the last general election.

Responding to the concerns, Dr. Aubynn declared that ‘this year is a year of action for the Petroleum Hub project,’ stressing that the long preparatory phase is expected to translate into visible work on the ground.

According to him, 2026 will be the year when the extensive groundwork carried out over the past years culminates in concrete, site-based implementation.

‘2026 is a critical year for the Petroleum Hub. It is a year we will see action. We want to move from talk to action, and we are very hopeful that this will happen,’ he said.

Dr. Aubynn attributed his optimism to what he described as strong backing from the President in pushing the project forward.

‘I am confident things will happen this year because of the vision of the President. He has been very supportive. People may not see the open support he gives us, but he has been extremely supportive,’ he told journalists.

He also highlighted the consistent support from the Minister of Energy and Green Transition, John Jinapor, his deputy, and the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah.

‘I am confident the project is ready for take-off, with major activities expected at the Jomoro site this year,’ he added.

Meanwhile, some residents of Jomoro have maintained that in 2025, the most visible activity by the PHDC leadership was a stakeholder engagement campaign aimed at deepening understanding of the project.

They noted that these engagements later extended to key summits and conferences with foreign investors.

Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for Klottey Korle, Valentino Nii Noi Nortey, has been remanded into custody in Pennsylvania, USA, after allegedly stabbing his wife in a violent domestic dispute.

The Lower Paxton Township Police Department confirmed that the 41-year-old politician was apprehended following an incident on the morning of Saturday, January 17, 2026.

According to reports, authorities were called to a residence along Mayfair Drive in Harrisburg at approximately 10 a.m., where they discovered a woman suffering from multiple stab wounds.

The report indicated that emergency first responders arrived at the scene and immediately transported the victim to a local hospital.

Local police in a statement released on Monday, said, ‘The woman was taken to the hospital by first responders and is currently in stable condition.’

The police further clarified that the event was an isolated domestic incident and that ‘there was never any threat to the public.’

Investigators are said to have spent several hours at the Mayfair Drive property on Saturday, processing the scene for forensic evidence.

Mr. Nortey, a well-known name in Ghanaian politics who contested the highly competitive Klottey Korle seat, now faces criminal charges in the United States.

Reports suggests that Mr. Nortey was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge, David Judy, who denied him bail due to the gravity of the attempted homicide charge and the circumstances of the arrest.

Mr. Nortey is currently being held at the Dauphin County Prison while his legal team prepares for a preliminary hearing scheduled for January 26, 2026, where a judge will determine if there is sufficient evidence for the case to proceed to the Court of Common Pleas.

All five flagbearer aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), will on Thursday, January 22, sign a peace pact aimed at fostering unity among them as well as ensuring peaceful primaries.

Member of Parliament (MP) for Effia Constituency and a member of the NPP’s Presidential Election Committee, Isaac Yaw Boamah-Nyarko, who disclosed this to Asaase Radio, said former presidents and representatives of the National Peace Council will also be part of the signing ceremony.

He said, ‘On Thursday, we are going to sign the peace pact. All the aspirants, together with our former presidents and the Peace Council, will sign a peace pact that commits them to the outcome of the election. The peace pact is to make it clear that whether you win or lose, you owe it to the party to pull everybody along.’

According to him, the initiative will help prevent tensions that may arise from factions as well as issues of security that could affect the election process, adding that the Ghana Police Service will oversee the election and, therefore, warned that whoever makes an attempt to disrupt the election will be dealt with.

Mr. Boamah-Nyarko further urged aspirants to focus on their ideas and track records, rather than personal attacks, noting that unity after the election is vital to strengthen the party’s chances against the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2028 election.

‘This party has survived worse moments, we need to maintain unity, restore public confidence and position the NPP for a return to power,’ he added.

Chairman of the Presidential Elections Committee, Joseph Osei-Owusu, has since beginning of the flagbearer campaign also warned aspirants to refrain from using abusive language against each other, to help foster unity in the lead-up to the election on Saturday, January 31, 2026.

The NPP, in a statement issued on October 9, 2025, by the National Council of Elders, announced that the party also set up a committee to oversee the conduct of the presidential campaign, monitoring comments among others and report any offensive, divisive, or inflammatory remarks made by candidates or their representatives.

In less than two weeks, the NPP will go to the polls to elect its flagbearer for the 2028 election, as all aspirants have completed their tour of all 276 constituencies across the country.

The five aspirants who will contest for the party’s presidential primaries are former Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia; former Minister for Education and Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum; former General Secretary of the NPP, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong; former Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong; and former Minister for Agriculture, Dr. Bryan Acheampong.

The NPP has announced that a total of 214,812 delegates are expected to vote without any provision for proxy voting, despite calls from some section of the party to review the decision.

A High Court in Accra yesterday remanded Alhaji Seidu Abagre, a claimant to the Bawku chieftaincy position, following the decision of the Attorney General to prefer criminal charges against him.

The embattled 78-year-old was escorted to the courtroom by heavily armed police and military officers numbering about 20, after spending more than three weeks in the custody of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB).

The criminal charges were filed amid an ongoing civil case filed by his lawyers in the form of habeas corpus, after he had been kept in custody without any charges and without access to a lawyer of his choosing.

The state has argued that the detention was lawful as it was done on the back of an order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Alhaji Seidu Abagre has been charged with one count of acting as a chief without qualification contrary to the Chieftaincy Act.

The state is accusing him of acting as the Bawku Naba when he is ‘not qualified to do so.’

It says he had himself declared as the Bawku Naba at a ceremony in Nalerigu on February 14, 2023, ‘knowing very well that he is not qualified to do so; whereupon he moved to reside in Bawku.’

He is also facing three other charges; provocation of riot, offensive conduct conducive to the breach of the peace, and fighting with weapons.

The retired teacher pleaded not guilty to all the four charges and his lawyer, Martin Kpebu, pleaded with the court to grant him bail pending the trial.

Mr. Kpebu, in his oral application, told the court that the accused had been in custody for the past 26 days without being told of any offense he has committed under the laws of Ghana ‘until we were given the charge sheet 20 minutes ago.’

He told the court that all misdemeanours carry punishment ranging from fine to up to three (3) years maximum imprisonment, ‘as such there is little incentive for the accused to contemplate absconding, which he does not intend to do anyway.’

Mr. Kpebu also argued that Alhaji Seidu Abagre does not have the means to interfere with investigations at all.

He disclosed that the accused is unwell, adding that ‘My lady will see how the accused had difficulty in walking when he was asked to move to the box. This was as a result of his ill health.’

The application for bail was opposed by Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, who argued that it is the desire of the republic that every person, including the accused person, is accorded all the incidents of the right to personal liberty as guaranteed by the constitution, ‘except that the right to personal liberty includes the duty of the republic to maintain public safety, peace and order.’

He admitted that the Bawku conflict is not new, and it will be unfair to attribute the cause of the long-standing conflict to the accused person.

He, however, indicated that it is also true that the latest version of this conflict is inextricably tied to the conduct and the position that the accused person finds himself in.

He, therefore, urged the court to remand the accused in custody of the NIB where he has access to his family, who have been with him since the day he was detained, and also has access to full medical service.

The court, presided over by Justice Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Baasit, after listening to both lawyers, remanded Alhaji Seidu Abagre to reappear on February 2, 2026.

She ordered the Attorney General to ensure that the dignity of the accused is not violated and that he has access to medical treatment.