Category: Daily Guide Network

PRESIDENT John Mahama has sympathised with the victims of the Kumasi Central Market fire outbreak, assuring them of government’s support to return to business.

The president gave the assurance through the Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, who visited the market on Saturday.

The fire, reportedly, consumed about 15 lockable shops and the items that were being stored in them at the Aboabo Station section in the market at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, October 9, 2026.

The exact cause of the blaze was not immediately known, but it is believed to have started in one of the shops when the market was empty and spread to other shops.

Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), despite initially struggling to get access to the fire scene due to poor planning in the market, managed to douse the blaze.

The Local Government Minister, speaking during a visit to the market, said President Mahama was heartbroken about the devastating effects of the fire outbreak in the market.

He encouraged the traders to take heart in these difficult moments, noting that proper assessment would be done to ensure the victims received support.

Mahama Ayariga also advised the traders not to use gas cookers and other flammable materials in the market, to avert disaster.

The minister was accompanied by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, the Mayor of Kumasi, Richard Ofori Agyeman Boadi, and personnel of the GNFS.

Madam Abena Asuo, one of the fire victims, lamented that she had lost the source of her livelihood, appealing to government to support the victims to return to work.

According to her, reports she had received indicated that the firefighters did a yeoman’s job to stop the inferno from spreading further to cause more damage in the market.

Meanwhile, what triggered the fire was not readily known when the report was being filed. Personnel of the GNFS have started investigations to verify the cause of the inferno.

The Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, is facing a challenge to substantiate allegations that the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tribe Culture Fest, Nana Boateng Gyimah, illegally received US$611,000 and is evading a refund.

Mr. Gyimah has denied the allegations and demanded that the minister produce documentary evidence of the alleged financial transaction or withdraw his claims and correct the public record.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Tribe Culture Fest CEO insisted that neither he nor his organisation received the amount from any private individual in connection with the arrangements in question.

He said the agreement involving Tribe Culture Fest was exclusively with the National Sports Authority (NSA) and the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA).

‘For the record, Tribe Culture’s agreement was solely with the National Sports Authority and Ghana Tourism Authority. Neither I nor Tribe Culture Fest received the alleged US$611,000 from any private individual in connection with the arrangements in question,’ he stated.

Mr. Gyimah challenged the minister to produce any agreement, authorisation or consent establishing the alleged financial arrangement involving him or his organisation.

He also demanded verifiable payment records identifying who paid the money, who received it, when it was paid and how the minister arrived at the US$611,000 figure.

‘My reputation and the integrity of Tribe Culture must not be undermined by unsubstantiated public accusations,’ he said.

He warned that failure by the minister to substantiate the allegations or withdraw them and correct the public record would compel him to refer the matter to his lawyers.

Minister’s Account

Mr. Adams, speaking on Accra-based TV3, provided further details about the circumstances that brought the proposed activities and visa arrangements to the attention of his ministry.

He said the ministry was initially unaware that some of the activities linked to Tribe Culture Fest would take place in the United States.

According to him, it was not until May 19 that a letter from the deposed Director-General of the NSA, Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, introduced activities planned for both Ghana and the United States and requested support to facilitate visas for people described as volunteers and event coordinators.

‘Well, that is what we have come to know that some of the activations were supposed to take place in the United States and up till May 19 we didn’t know that they will have some activations in the United States,’ he said.

He said the letter contained a list of 90 volunteers for whom visa processing support was being sought.

The minister also disclosed that, according to information gathered during his investigations, the American Embassy had introduced Tribe Culture Fest to the NSA and GTA at a meeting at the embassy ahead of activities associated with the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

‘Tribe Fest Culture, I’m told was introduced to the National Sports Authority and the Ghana Tourism Authority by the American Embassy, that is what my investigations told me,’ he stated.

Mr. Adams said the circumstances surrounding the introduction raised questions about whether officials of the two state institutions had taken advantage of the relationship for an improper purpose.

He said the American Embassy had every right to question whether the introduction had been exploited by officials of the NSA or GTA.

The minister further alleged that the individual associated with Tribe Culture Fest had worked with the NSA on lists containing relevant details and was now attempting to avoid refunding money allegedly obtained illegally.

According to him, information forwarded to the ministry included an attachment containing details that the ministry itself did not initially possess.

He accused the individual of putting out information to obscure the circumstances surrounding the money and insisted that he must be held accountable.

‘He cannot run away with $611,000 of people’s money,’ Mr. Adams said.

He indicated that appropriate criminal action would be necessary if investigations established that the individual had deliberately deceived those involved from the outset.

The Global Chairman of the Assemblies of God Fellowship, Rev. Dominic Yeo, has arrived in Ghana for the World Assemblies of God (AG) Congress which opens in Accra tomorrow, October 14, 2026.

He was accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Chin Yeo, and received at the Kotoka International Airport by the General Superintendent of Assemblies of God, Ghana, Rev. Stephen Yenusom Wengam.

Also in the country for the 10th Triennial World Congress are the Global Vice Chairman, Rev. Doug Clay, the General Secretary, Rev. Juan Carlos Escobar, and General Superintendents of Assemblies of God churches from across the world.

Speaking on arrival, Rev Yeo said he was excited that the Congress is taking place in Africa.

‘I’m excited that the Congress is taking place in Africa, and for that matter, Ghana. This indeed is God’s prophetic timing to bring an unequaled revival to Africa through Ghana,’ he said.

He expressed confidence that the gathering would spark revival on the continent.

‘I’m overly confident that this Congress will trigger the desired spiritual revival on the continent,’ he added.

The Global Chairman appealed to members of the Assemblies of God and the Christian community in general to patronise the event, which is being held for the first time on African soil in the 115-year history of the Assemblies of God.

The Congress will feature morning sessions from Wednesday, October 14 to Friday, October 16, 2026, to discuss strategies to achieve the target of establishing one million more churches by 2033 to mark 2,000 years of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

These will be followed by evening gospel revival rallies at the Accra Sports Stadium. Attendance is free and open to all denominations.

Renowned gospel artistes including Joe Mettle, Dunsin and Sinach from Nigeria, and Donadio from the USA will perform at the evening rallies.

Special Guests of Honour at the opening ceremony will be President John Dramani Mahama and First Lady, Mrs. Lordina Mahama, who are both active members of Assemblies of God, Ghana. Eighteen Ministers of State have also confirmed their participation.

Rev. Wengam, on his part, assured participants that Ghana is ready and poised to deliver a world-class event, and admonished all and sundry to attend.

The Consumer Protection Agency (CPA) has assured women and mothers that all registered sanitary towels on the market have been approved by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and standardised by the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and are safe for use.

The assurance follows complaints received by the Agency from some users reporting discomfort, itching and boils after using sanitary towels.

According to a statement released by the CPA, and signed by Benjamin Akoto, Head of Complaints, it re-tested all registered products on the market upon receipt of the complaints to reaffirm product quality, and the tests confirmed that the products are in good condition.

Mr. Akoto said further investigations by the Agency, revealed that the reported discomfort was as a result of handling and usage, noting that sanitary towels are very sensitive products that can easily pick up infections.

He said the agency identified three main causes. First was poor hand hygiene, where many users do not properly wash their hands or use sanitizer before applying or changing their sanitary towels, leading to the transfer of bacteria and viruses to the private area.

Second, failure to change regularly as directed in the usage manual. Sanitary towels should be changed every 2 to 4 hours during the day.

Third, improper clothing and heat build-up. The Agency established that some users wear two underwears or panties before their normal clothing after applying the towel.

‘As the towel generates heat, combined with humidity, heat rashes quickly develop in the private area, leading to itching and infections if not treated promptly,’ the statement said.

The CPA said it has identified a gap in the safe usage of sanitary towels and will soon embark on a nationwide awareness campaign to protect women from such discomfort.

It further assured consumers of its commitment to ensuring product satisfaction, but was quick to remind consumers of their responsibility to adhere to usage guidelines.

Musician, Okyeame Kwame, has called for free university education for farmers’ children, arguing that the policy would encourage more young people to pursue careers in agriculture.

He said farmers deserved greater recognition and support for their contribution to the country’s economy and food security.

Speaking on Hitz FM on Monday, the musician questioned why Ghana continued to import food items such as onions despite the country’s agricultural potential.

‘Farmers’ children should go to school for free. When we were growing up, they had a farmers’ scholarship; I don’t know where it has passed,’ he said.

He acknowledged the introduction of free primary and secondary education but argued that extending the benefit to university level for farmers’ children would serve as an additional incentive for farming families.

According to him, the lack of sufficient encouragement for farmers could discourage them from urging their children to take up agriculture.

‘At this point of our economy, we still import onions from a desert country. We still import different types of foods, and why is it like that? Because farmers do not feel encouraged to tell their children to also be farmers,’ he stated.

Okyeame Kwame urged the country to prioritise farmers’ welfare, insisting that their contribution to national development was often overlooked.

‘The earlier we recognise and pamper farmers, the better. Because without them, there will be no economy, there will be no education, there will be no health,’ he said.

He added that farmers were responsible for sustaining several essential sectors of the country but did not receive the recognition they deserved.

His proposal touches on conversations about strengthening local food production, reducing dependence on imports and making agriculture more attractive to the younger generation.

JOSEPH YAMMIN has openly declared his intention to seek a second term as the National Organiser of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).

According to him, there have been calls from some party members to contest for the NDC General Secretary position, but he has settled for National Organiser.

Yammin, as National Organiser, campaigned vigorously across the country, thereby contributing to the party’s victory in the 2024 general election.

Addressing party members in the Ashanti Region, Yammin stated emphatically that he has taken a firm decision to extend his mandate as NDC National Organiser for one more term.

‘There have been calls from several party members for me to contest for the General Secretary position in our dear political party, the great NDC, in the party’s election.

‘I thank all the party members that have suggested to me to contest for the General Secretary position. Their calls are signs that they trust in my competence and abilities.

‘But after careful consideration, I have decided to seek for a second term as NDC National Organiser to help the party to retain political power in 2028,’ Yammin emphasised.

According to him, even though he is a versatile politician, he has realised that working as National Organiser would be more beneficial to the NDC in the 2028 general election.

‘I know that by continuing to serve as National Organiser will make it easier for the NDC to retain political power in 2028,’ he said, urging the party delegates to vote for him.

The second edition of the Zongo Health Campaign, founded and organised by broadcast ­journalist and community development advocate Hawawu Abdul Karim Young Pioneer, has screened more than 110 people in Mamobi, Accra, identifying three participants with breast lumps, three HIV-positive test results and several cases of elevated blood sugar.

The free breast cancer awareness and general health screening exercise was held on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at Tuwon Zara 2, Baba Alhamdu Street, in collaboration with Accra Newtown Islamic Hospital.

The initiative was conceived, planned and organised by Hawawu to promote early detection, improve access to health information and encourage women, particularly those in Zongo communities, to take their health seriously.

Medical personnel advised participants with breast lumps to seek further medical assessment, with referrals made for additional care. The doctor also encouraged women and the wider public to take breast cancer and their general health seriously. The breast lumps identified during the exercise were preliminary findings and not confirmed breast cancer diagnoses.

The campaign’s founder said the initiative was inspired by a TikTok video shared by midwife Samira Atcha Affo towards the end of October 2024, in which she expressed concern about the limited involvement of Hausa-speaking imams, Zongo leaders and influencers in breast cancer awareness.

Hawawu subsequently began engaging religious leaders, community figures, journalists, radio and television stations, and social media influencers to use their platforms to encourage screening and early medical attention. The first edition was held in 2025, and the October 2026 exercise marked the second edition.

Although Hawawu led the planning, coordination and organisation of the event, the campaign also received sponsorship and logistical support, including support from Alhaji Ahmed Iddris Abubakar Sarki Jordan, Sarkin Cissawan West Africa. Accra Newtown Islamic Hospital provided the medical collaboration, while media partners helped publicise the exercise and encourage participation.

Hawawu said her goal is to make breast cancer awareness a continuous conversation in Zongo communities, using trusted religious leaders, the media and community influencers to encourage women to seek screening and families to support them.

She stressed that the campaign is driven by the need to save lives through awareness and early detection, rather than fundraising.

A 22-year-old unemployed man, George Oduro, alias ‘Yesu Mogya,’ has been jailed for six years for brutally attacking a 16-year-old Senior High School student with a cutlass at Dedesua near Aputuogya in the Ashanti Region.

Oduro, who was charged with causing harm, pleaded guilty to the offence and was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment by the Bekwai Circuit Court.

The presiding judge, Isaac Apietu, handed down the sentence after the convict admitted the offence on his own plea of guilty.

Detective Inspector Eric Okyere, who prosecuted the case, told the court that the victim, Emmanuel Opoku, was a third-year student of Foase Senior High School.

According to the prosecution, the incident occurred at about 11:30 p.m. on September 28, 2026, following an alleged attack on a friend of the convict, identified as Paa Willi.

The court heard that Paa Willi had allegedly been beaten and chased from Dedesua by one Kofi after he was found with Kofi’s underage sister.

Paa Willi reportedly informed Oduro about the incident, prompting the convict and others to mobilise to Dedesua allegedly to retaliate.

Oduro, the prosecution said, armed himself with a cutlass and laid an ambush on the outskirts of the community.

The victim and his friends were reportedly returning home after escorting a tricycle rider to park his vehicle when they encountered the group.

They reportedly took to their heels, but Emmanuel fell during the chase.

When he got up and attempted to escape, Oduro allegedly confronted him and asked whether he knew him.

After the victim answered in the negative, Oduro reportedly swung the cutlass at his head.

Emmanuel managed to dodge the blow, but the cutlass landed heavily on his left shoulder, cutting through the bone and severing the upper part of the shoulder.

The convict allegedly made a second attempt to slash the victim’s head, but Emmanuel used his left forearm to protect himself, sustaining another deep cut.

He fell to the ground and bled profusely.

Oduro reportedly fled after seeing the victim lying in a pool of blood, believing that he had died.

The injured student, however, managed to call for help and was rushed to the Dedesua Clinic before being referred to Agogo General Hospital.

He was later transferred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi for specialist treatment because of the severity of his injuries.

The court further heard that two days after the attack, police received a distress call that a mob had besieged a house at Dedesua and was demanding that a young man be handed over to them for lynching.

Police rushed to the scene and rescued Oduro, who had reportedly gone to plead for forgiveness from the victim’s family.

During investigations, he admitted the offence in his cautioned statement, claiming that he had mistaken Emmanuel for the person who had attacked his friend.

He was subsequently charged and put before the Bekwai Circuit Court, where he pleaded guilty.

The court convicted him on his own plea and sentenced him to six years imprisonment.

Management and workers of the La Pleasure Beach Resort are expected to join a demonstration today to protest the demolition of structures along the Laboma beachfront, which they say has disrupted businesses and destroyed livelihoods.

The protest, organised by the Ga-Dangme Progressive Front with the support of the resort’s management, is expected to draw about 5,000 participants, who will march to the Jubilee House to present a petition over the demolition.

In a letter signed by the convener, Eric Nana Acquah, and addressed to the Ghana Police Service, the group notified the police of its intention to hold a peaceful demonstration today from 7 a.m. to noon, in accordance with the Public Order Act, 1994 (Act 491).

The demonstration will begin at La Pleasure Beach near the Total fuel station and proceed through Beach Road, La General Hospital, Danquah Circle and the Ghana Police Headquarters before ending at the Jubilee House.

According to the organisers, the petition will highlight the implications of the demolitions for Ga-Dangme heritage, ancestral lands and livelihoods.

Mr. Acquah assured the police that the protest would be peaceful and orderly, adding that the organisers would ensure discipline among participants and compliance with the laws of the country and lawful police directives.

Interested participants have been asked to contact Manaf Adjei-Sowah on 054 098 5456 for further information and direction.

The planned demonstration follows the demolition of structures at La Pleasure Beach in Accra by a joint team of military personnel from the 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service in the early hours of Friday, October 2, 2026.

The operation, which began at about 4 a.m., involved the use of excavators to pull down walls, kiosks, bars and concrete extensions along the coast, affecting businesses operating around the La Pleasure Beach Resort and the Polo Beach Club.

The exercise left workers and vendors scrambling to salvage their personal belongings, while the affected businesses faced uncertainty over their operations and the livelihoods of those dependent on them.

The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), which owns the Labadi Beach Hotel and La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, subsequently confirmed that it had requested the demolition.

In a statement, SSNIT said it had sought the urgent intervention of the National Security Council Secretariat to protect its investments following what it described as persistent unlawful occupation, encroachment and unauthorised activities on the beachfront adjoining and directly in front of the two hotels.

The Trust cited concerns about guest safety, unauthorised access to sensitive operational areas, and fire, sanitation and environmental hazards.

Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations, Stan Dogbe, also explained that the demolition was not part of the government’s flood mitigation programme but was carried out under National Security supervision at the request of the Labadi Beach Hotel.

Management of La Pleasure Beach has indicated that the facility could reopen within three weeks, subject to the clearing of debris from the demolition.

On 6 October, during a visit by India’s External Affairs Minister, Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced that Cabinet had approved a formal application to join BRICS. Dr Jaishankar pledged India’s support but noted that the wider grouping must consider the application.

Days later, the Minister clarified that Ghana is applying as a partner country, not a full member. The debate that followed quickly became partisan and ideological: East versus West, Beijing and Moscow versus Washington and Brussels.

But that framing misses the point. Ghana has belonged to ‘clubs’ for nearly seventy years: the UN, the AU, ECOWAS, the IMF, the World Bank and many more. The real question is not which clubs we join. It is whether we have the strategic clarity and state capacity to extract value from any of them.

What Ghana is actually applying for?

BRICS offers several levels of association. Full members, now eleven including Africa’s trio of South Africa, Egypt and Ethiopia, take decisions by consensus. Partner countries, a tier created in 2024, attend summits and some meetings but do not shape decisions; ten joined in 2025, among them Nigeria and Uganda.

The New Development Bank is legally separate and open to non-members. Ghana, if successful, will join the partner tier. It also matters what BRICS is not. It has no founding treaty, no permanent secretariat, no free-trade area and no automatic funding window. The Minister described it as arguably the largest trading bloc today. Its members are indeed vast economies, but BRICS has no common tariff or trade rules; trade with its members still happens bilaterally. Partner status is a seat in the room, not access to a market or a fund.

The Nkrumah lesson, read properly

The Minister has rightly invoked Ghana’s tradition of non-alignment, recalling how Kwame Nkrumah secured American support for the Akosombo Dam while the Soviet Union helped launch Ghana’s nuclear programme. The precedent is instructive, but its lesson is often misread. Nkrumah did not get Akosombo by joining a club. He got it through prepared projects, a clear national vision and skillful bilateral bargaining with each superpower. Non-alignment gave him room to manoeuvre; preparation is what turned that room into a dam. The Non-Aligned Movement itself built nothing in Ghana.

What our memberships have taught us

Ghana’s record shows the wide gap between belonging and benefiting. We host the African Continental Free Trade Area secretariat in Accra, yet Ghanaian firms’ use of the agreement remains modest. Hosting brought prestige, not automatic trade. We have been members of the IMF since 1957 and have returned to it repeatedly to borrow; it has served as a lender of last resort, not a ladder to transformation. ECOWAS and the AU deliver real public goods, from free movement to mediation, but Ghana rarely arrives at their negotiations with a fully prepared national economic position.

The exception proves the rule. During the 2023-2024 crises, Afreximbank provided about $700 million. It worked because there was a specific need, a ready institution and a clear ask. Value flows to states that arrive knowing exactly what they want.

The case for joining

The decision has genuine merit, and it deserves a fair hearing. First, partner status is a low-cost hedge in a fragmenting world. Western institutions are retrenching: aid budgets are shrinking, US health funding to Ghana is being phased out, and Washington has withdrawn from dozens of international bodies. A state that depends on a single set of partners has no fallback when those partners change course. Diversification is prudence, not defiance.

Second, the signal may improve Ghana’s leverage. Partners who fear losing influence sometimes offer better terms. Countries that are courted by several suitors negotiate from strength.

Third, relationships with BRICS members are already deepening. The Minister reports that trade with India has grown from around $3 billion in 2024 to about $7 billion, with cooperation planned in pharmaceuticals, railways, defence and digital technology. China remains a major economic partner. A seat at BRICS meetings offers regular access to these governments at the highest level.

Fourth, the BRICS agenda overlaps with Ghana’s: reform of global financial institutions, fairer terms for commodity producers, settlement in local currencies, and a stronger voice for the Global South.

And the government has been cautious. It has said Ghana is not walking away from the IMF, the World Bank or Europe, and it briefed EU member states before the announcement. That is how a hedge should be managed.

The risks

The costs are real, but manageable if anticipated.

Sanctions exposure: Russia and Iran face extensive Western sanctions. Closer economic ties with them can complicate correspondent banking, insurance and procurement, areas where Ghana still depends heavily on Western systems.

Retaliation: In July 2025, as BRICS leaders met in Rio, President Trump threatened an additional 10 per cent tariff on any country aligning with what he called the bloc’s anti-American policies. A partner country is unlikely to be a priority target, but the risk must be weighed rather than dismissed.

Unequal partners: BRICS is not a club of equals. China’s economy outweighs the rest of the group combined, and finance from any source arrives with terms. Resource-backed loans can trade short-term cash for long-term control of strategic assets.

Internal divisions. India and China are strategic rivals, and members disagree on how anti-Western the bloc should be. A grouping that struggles to agree among its members may have little to offer those at its edge.

None of this argues against joining. It argues for joining with eyes open, and with a plan to manage each risk.

What our peers show

The early evidence from Africa is instructive. Egypt and Ethiopia became full members in 2024. Ethiopia’s relief came through an IMF programme approved in July 2024 and a debt deal with official creditors under the G20 Common Framework, negotiated by China and France on behalf of the creditor committee. Egypt was rescued in 2024 by an expanded IMF loan of $8 billion and a $35 billion investment deal with the UAE. The UAE is itself a BRICS member, but the deal was bilateral, not a product of the bloc. In both cases, the decisive help came through traditional institutions and direct bargaining. BRICS membership did not transform either economy.

Nigeria and Uganda became partner countries in 2025. It is too early to judge, but there is little public evidence yet of concrete financing or trade gains flowing from that status. Ghana should study both closely, and learn from what they did, or failed to do, to make the partnership pay.

The capabilities we must build

Whether BRICS delivers for Ghana will depend less on the bloc than on us. Eight capabilities matter;

A written foreign economic strategy naming the handful of national goals every partnership must serve: industrialisation, energy, mineral value addition, technology and cheaper finance.

Economic intelligence and analysis: a dedicated capacity tracking what each partner wants, what it offers and where the risks lie.

Negotiation and trade-law expertise: lawyers, economists and sector specialists who can read a term sheet, not merely attend a summit.

A clear owner for each membership. Foreign Affairs, Finance, Trade and the Bank of Ghana must coordinate, with one lead accountable for results.

A bankable project pipeline. Development banks fund prepared projects, not good intentions.

Private-sector readiness: standards, certification, export finance and logistics, so Ghanaian firms can use new openings.

Risk management covering sanctions exposure and the reaction of traditional partners.

A membership scorecard: a periodic public review of every organisation Ghana belongs to, what it costs and what it delivers.

Questions before any club

Every future decision to join, upgrade or remain should answer a short set of questions.

What specific outcome do we want that we cannot get bilaterally?

What will it cost in dues, alignment pressure and risk to other relationships?

Is a lower tier enough, or does fuller membership add something concrete?

Who owns it, and how will we measure success in three years?

Do we have the people to participate actively, or will we merely attend?

How does it fit our ECOWAS and AU positions?

What would exit require if it fails to deliver?

How we will know

This argument is testable. It would be proved wrong if BRICS begins delivering automatic benefits to partners, such as trade preferences or reserved development finance; if the signal alone wins Ghana better terms from traditional partners; or if Nigeria and Uganda show measurable gains without deliberate preparation. Those are the indicators to watch, alongside whether the Ministry publishes objectives and success measures for this membership. On the evidence of Ghana’s other memberships, I expect benefits to track preparation.

Capable, not aligned

Nkrumah’s genius was not choosing sides. It was knowing exactly what Ghana needed and being ready to take it from whoever could provide it. That remains the test. The debate Ghana needs is not East or West, but capable or not. Membership is a door. Strategy, preparation and institutions decide whether we walk through it with something to show.