Category: Daily Guide Network

Members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), including national, constituency executives as well as supporters yesterday converged at the party’s headquarters to witness the launch of its amended constitution.

Speaking at the launch, the Chairman of NPP’s Constitutional and Legal Committee, Mr. Frank Davies, said the amended constitution is expected to strengthen internal governance as well as promote democratic principles within the party.

According to him, though many proposals were presented, the committee considered the core values of the party, especially the limited expansion of the electoral college, which will enable most members of the NPP to participate in the decision making process of the party.

He said the amended constitution will also serve as a foundation for stronger organisational cohesion.

‘But it is so with all other constitutions, it is not everything that will reflect, it is the really core values of our party which definitely matter.

‘I can say for myself and in the generality here that a significant landmark in this amended constitution has to do with the progressive limited expansion of the Electoral College. This has been the bane of the party, where most of the party grassroots supporters have been sidelined,’ he stated.

Amid the turbulence of the post-election period, a Review Committee, chaired by the former Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye, was set up to travel across the country and gather feedback from party members on the reasons for the 2024 defeat.

After the committee submitted its report, an Amendment Committee, led by Lawyer Frank Davies, was tasked with examining the constitution and proposing reforms to ensure it addresses gaps and remains relevant to both current and future challenges.

General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Frimpong Kodua, for his part, stated that many of the issues which resulted in the party’s defeat in the December 7, 2024 election have been addressed as part of the issues that were considered during the amendment of the constitution.

‘In our current constitution, we have expanded our electoral college to make room for former party executives at the constituency, regional, and national levels, and even former Members of Parliament now have voting rights. All these measures are intended to address apathy and encourage broader participation within the party,’ he disclosed.

Mr. Kodua said that the government’s inability to communicate effectively its achievements during the elections, which was cited as one of the factors that led to the party’s defeat, has also been addressed through the new reform the party has made in the amended constitution.

He noted, ‘One of our shortfalls, even from the forefathers of the UGCC, has always been in handling propaganda and misinformation from our opponents. In this new constitutional amendment, we have painstakingly reviewed how our communication has been managed from the time of the UGCC to the present, to ensure better coordination and to prevent opponents from exploiting misinformation against our party.’

Acting Chairman of the NPP, Dankwa Smith Buttey, stated that the evolution of the political landscape requires the structures of the party to reflect the times and equally become useful in the mission of the party.

He said the revised constitutional reform, which is the product of extensive consultation that reflects the voices of members, will not only strengthen the party’s foundation, promote fairness and inclusion, but also position the party for continued success.

Running mate to Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in the 2024 election, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, purchased the first copy of the amended constitution for GHS50,000, while other party executives and members also purchased some copies.

Also present at the launch held at the party’s headquarters at Asylum Down were former Ghana’s Ambassador to the US, Hajia Alima Mahama; former Energy Minister, Mr. Boakye Agyarko; former Member of Parliament for Ablekuma North, Madam Akua Afriyie; former Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare and former Minister for Interior, Henry Quartey.

Others are Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye, former Road Minister, Mr. Amoako Atta, some Members of Parliament, including Minority Chief Whip, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, Deputy Minority Leader, Madam Patricia Appiagyei and several other bigwigs of the party.

The Pilgrims Affairs Office of Ghana (PAOG) has advised banned prospective pilgrims for next year’s Hajj not to venture making payments to that effect.

The warning, according to a release from the PAOG, comes in the light of a decision by the Saudi Government through their Hajj and Umrah Ministry not to allow banned persons or those who seek to use inappropriate permits to perform the pilgrimage. Last year, it would be recalled that a total of 269,000 persons were banned from performing the Hajj because they did not possess the appropriate permit to do so.

Among those affected, according to the release, were some Ghanaians who suffered additional punitive action of being banned from entering Saudi Arabia for five years.

‘Additionally, the Saudi Ministry of Tourism has prohibited all accommodation facilities in Mecca from hosting anyone who does not possess a valid Hajj permit or a work /residency permit during the Hajj season. These measures are designed to enhance safety, reduce congestion and maintain order throughout the pilgrimage,’ the statement said.

In the light of the foregone, the PAOG ‘strongly advises all accredited Hajj agents and prospective pilgrims to refrain from processing or accepting Hajj payments from individuals who have been officially banned by the Saudi authorities. Doing so may result in severe complications and non-refundable losses,’ the statement added.

No refunds will be made to any banned individual who attempts to pay for Hajj 2026, and the Saudi government will not issue visas to such persons under any circumstances.

Conflicts stall development and this is evident in places which have unfortunately experienced civil strife.

Today, Yendi, once a conflict-zone, is out of the woods and witnessing a rapid infrastructural development thanks to the restoration of peace following the intervention of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II at the behest of the then President Akufo-Addo.

With tarred streets, roundabouts and traffic lights, and a booming housing industry, residents are appreciating the dividends of peace, something denied them by a long period of avoidable civil disturbance.

It is this feature of Yendi today that we want replicated in Bawku, in the Upper East Region.

Until the outbreak of the inter-ethnic strife in the municipality and its environs, Bawku was an important trading centre with direct road links to Burkina Faso, Togo and Niger. Traders from the aforementioned countries took advantage of Bawku’s geographic location to do brisk business, thereby adding to the prosperity of the municipality. This was stopped by the bloody hostilities which became the new feature of Bawku.

The wisdom in engaging Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to do as he did in Dagbon, was replicated by President John Mahama when he turned to the King.

After a long journey, the end has been reached and the Asante King who obviously applied the age-old traditional approach to mediation in conflicts, has completed the assignment.

As he prepares to submit his report and recommendations to the President, our excitement is limitless, especially since the two factions expressed their desire for the return to normalcy when they assembled in Manhyia. That the two factions were adequately represented during the engagement with the King is heartwarming and reassuring.

It is our wish and prayer that when the verdict is delivered eventually, the no-love-lost relationship that has tormented Bawku for so long will be interred forever.

We implore the leadership of the two factions to sincerely work towards having their people accept the verdict that will emanate from the painstaking mediation efforts, and to work to enhance the newfound peace that will envelope Bawku hopefully.

There is always a closure to strife; for us, this is what is showing in the horizon, especially if all warring factions decide to give peace a better chance of blossoming.

Those who profit from such upheavals must let go their hold on Bawku; the people of the town have endured suffering for too long.

The youth of the two warring factions have a significant role to play in the restoration of normalcy. Here is to plead with them to listen to the good counsel of the elders by turning their back on violence.

The Chief Justice, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, has emphasised that the law is not only the preserve of lawyers and judges but a living guide for all citizens; young and old alike.

He said when young people are exposed early to the principles of justice, integrity, and accountability, they grow into adults who uphold and defend the values in every sphere of life.

The Chief Justice was speaking at the inauguration of Justice Clubs and swearing-in of officers of the clubs for 13 Senior High Schools drawn from the Central and Western regions.

The clubs are to help orient the students on the rule of law and to understand that orderly society is built on respect for rules, rights, and responsibilities.

The establishment of the Justice Clubs in the Senior High Schools is a visionary initiative of the Judicial Service of Ghana.

To this end, seasoned mentors from both the Bench and the Bar have been assigned to the clubs.

The inauguration ceremony took place at Fijai Senior High School in the Western Region yesterday.

The Chief Justice noted that the move would not only help the students learn about the justice system but to live out its ideals in their schools, families, and communities.

‘Let the Justice Clubs become spaces for discussion, problem-solving, advocacy and community service,’ he noted.

He charged the various officers of the clubs to lead with integrity and diligence, and not to lord it over their colleagues.

‘Be exemplary in your conduct and service. Inspire your peers to uphold honesty, fairness and discipline – for these are the foundations of justice,’ he stressed.

The Judicial Secretary, Musah Ahmed, also noted that the empowering initiative represents another significant stride towards embedding the principles of justice and the rule of law deeply within the lives of young people.

‘This will ensure that even more young minds can actively engage with and learn from our nation’s entrenched justice system,’ he pointed out.

Her Ladyship Justice Prof. Olivia Anku Tsede, Chairperson of the Chief Justice’s Mentoring Programme, also called on the students to be advocates of rule of law in all their endeavours.

The Chief Justice had earlier administered the Oath of Office to the elected officers of the clubs.

The Energy Commission has made it clear that only qualified and certified professionals should be allowed to undertake electrical wiring in the country.

According to the Commission, the Electrical Wiring Regulations, 2011 (L.I. 2008), has laid the foundation for enforcing wiring standards and safeguarding lives and property across the country.

‘This regulatory framework has placed the responsibility for national electrical safety in the capable hands of competent practitioners,’ the Commission noted.

The Deputy Executive Secretary of the Commission, Chris Yalley, revealed this at the graduation ceremony of a Community Youth Apprenticeship Training (CYAT) Programme, which is an initiative of Gold Fields Ghana Foundation.

The 15 beneficiary youth, consisting of five females and 10 males, and drawn from the Tarkwa host communities of Gold Fields Ghana were trained in both domestic and industrial electrification.

The initiative was in collaboration with the Mac Partners Training Institute in Obuasi, in the Ashanti Region.

The Foundation gave the graduates the requisite tools to help them start their own businesses.

Mr. Yalley noted that as Ghana moves toward a modern, efficient, and technology-driven energy sector, the demand for competent artisans, technicians, and professionals will only grow.

‘Initiatives like this programme help bridge the skills gap, and align community development with industrial needs,’ he added.

He urged the graduates to step forward with confidence and use the skills and knowledge gained not only to earn a living but to demonstrate excellence wherever they found themselves.

The Tarkwa Mine Manager of Gold Fields, Dr. Catherine Kuupol Kuutor, said Gold Fields is committed to its mission of creating enduring value beyond mining.

‘This, the company is doing, by equipping the youth in its host communities with employable skills and sustainable livelihood opportunities,’ he noted.

She revealed that the Foundation invested $106,730.25 in the implementation of the CYAT Programme.

Dr. Kuutor disclosed that beyond the classroom learning, the apprentices gained practical experience through a three-month industrial attachment with Alqu Rubber and Engineering Solutions.

‘This gave them the opportunity to apply their knowledge, understand industry expectations, and build confidence in their abilities.

‘The trainees also sat for both the National Vocational and Training Institute (NVTI) and Energy Commission examinations,’ she added.

The Executive Secretary of the Foundation, Abdel Razak Yakubu, said, ‘We do not just want them to go looking for jobs, but we also want them to be entrepreneurs. So they also spent three months going through an entrepreneurship programme.’

Highlife musician, Kwaisey Pee, has taken legal action against the organisers of the Ghana Music Awards Europe, accusing them of breaching a performance agreement ahead of this year’s event.

Speaking in an interview with Nana Romeo on OKAY FM on 2 November 2025, the award-winning singer revealed that the organisers failed to honour their commitments, leaving him sidelined just days before the show.

According to Kwaisey Pee, the organisers initially approached him to perform at the awards night, and both parties reached a mutual agreement. However, communication reportedly broke down as the event date approached.

‘They reached out to me to perform during the awards night, and we all came to an agreement. When the time was almost due, I wasn’t hearing from them regarding plane tickets, advance payment, and accommodation,’ he explained.

He added that his management eventually contacted the organisers three days before the event, only to be informed that they could no longer work with him.

Despite this, promotional materials released by the organisers still featured his image.

‘.so my management reached out to them three days before the event, and that was when they told us they couldn’t work with me anymore. Meanwhile, they were using my picture to promote the event,’ he said.

Kwaisey Pee described the situation as disrespectful to his brand, emphasising that the organisers’ actions were a deliberate attempt to exploit his image for publicity.

He confirmed that his management has issued the Ghana Music Awards Europe team a 14-day ultimatum to respond to the lawsuit.

‘They didn’t even give me prior notice. Aside from that, they didn’t remove my picture from the promotional flyers on their platforms. It is very disrespectful and a deliberate attempt to use my image for their own gain.

‘I have served them, and they have seen it. So we have given them the 14-day deadline. If they don’t respond, we will take the necessary action,’ he added.

Manchester City are reportedly considering activating the £65 million release clause of Ghanaian forward Antoine Semenyo when the transfer window opens in January.

The Bournemouth attacker has been at the centre of increasing speculation, with several Premier League sides monitoring his situation as he weighs a potential move as early as January 2026.

Semenyo, 25, has caught the attention of top clubs across Europe, but sources indicate he favours staying in the Premier League. Manchester City, Chelsea, and Liverpool are all tracking the in-form winger, regarded as one of the league’s most explosive attacking threats this season.

City’s interest is believed to be driven by a pressing need for attacking depth as they continue to chase Arsenal in the title race. The champions have leaned heavily on Erling Haaland for goals, exposing the lack of alternative firepower in Pep Guardiola’s squad.

The speculation intensified after contrasting midweek results: Manchester City edged Fulham in a dramatic 5-4 contest, while Bournemouth suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Everton.

Semenyo has been a standout performer for the Cherries this campaign, registering six goals and three assists. He is expected to be in action when Bournemouth welcome Chelsea to the Vitality Stadium this weekend.

With the January window approaching, all eyes remain on whether City will step forward and trigger the forward’s sizeable release clause.

First daughter of late Highlife icon, Daddy Lumba, Denise Lady Ama Saah Fosu, has appealed to fans and the public to join the family in honouring her father as they prepare for his final funeral rites on December 13, 2025.

Denise, who arrived in Ghana on 30 November 2025, recorded the message from the celebrated musician’s East Legon residence.

Dressed in mourning cloth, she sat beside an elderly family elder, with two of her younger siblings-children of Lumba’s second wife, Odo Broni-standing solemnly behind her.

Speaking on behalf of the entire family, she said, ‘Hello, my name is Denise Lady Ama Saah Fosu, the eldest daughter of the late Charles Fosu, also known as Daddy Lumba. I’m here, representing my entire family today. We would like to kindly invite you to my father’s funeral, which will take place on the 13th of December in Kumasi. We wish all well-wishers and mourners to join us to celebrate his life.’

The funeral date, originally announced for December 6, was recently pushed to December 13 following a crucial meeting at the Otumfuo Saamanhene Palace on November 10, 2025.

During the gathering, a new funeral committee-chaired by Dadiesoabahene-was appointed to oversee the arrangements and ensure a peaceful, well-coordinated ceremony befitting the stature of the late legend.

The meeting also saw Daddy Lumba’s sister, Ernestina Akosua Brempomaa, call for a postmortem, voicing concerns about possible foul play surrounding her brother’s death. She appealed for the burial to be delayed until the autopsy results are released to provide clarity and closure.

As preparations continue, Denise’s message echoes the family’s desire to unite fans, loved ones, and the nation in celebrating the extraordinary life, legacy, and music of Charles Kwadwo Fosu, fondly known as Daddy Lumba.

A KUMASI-based tele-evangelist has done a life-saving act by constructing a mechanised borehole to supply free potable water to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi.

Rev. Counselor Peter Kwaku Yeboah of Royal TV in Kumasi, the benefactor, constructed the borehole on the premises of KATH about 10 years ago and the hospital’s staff and patients have been relying on it for water.

Few years ago, there was the need for the top medical facility in the northern sector of the country to expand, so a new infrastructural project was constructed at the very site where the borehole was located.

Considering how the original borehole had supported KATH’s staff and patients over the years, the hospital’s management therefore decided to construct a new borehole to honour the famous tele-evangelist.

The KATH Director of Administration, Mr. Fred Effah-Yeboah, speaking at the recommissioning ceremony, said the construction of the borehole to honour the tele-evangelist shows that KATH values its helpers.

‘The mechanised borehole, since its original construction over a decade ago by Rev. Counselor Peter Kwaku Yeboah, has been a blessing to this facility, helping to curb water crisis at KATH in the past.

‘The need for the recommissioning arose when the original borehole had to be decommissioned to make way for the construction of a new block, as the two structures occupied the same site.

‘The management of KATH therefore decided to reconstruct the mechanised borehole in a new location to honour the donor, Rev. Counselor Peter Kwaku Yeboah,’ Mr. Effah-Yeboah explained.

He also called for more donations to the ongoing ‘Heal Komfo Anokye Project,’ a comprehensive initiative which is aimed at upgrading and modernising the hospital’s old Gee Blocks to enhance healthcare.

Rev. Yeboah expressed his profound gratitude to the KATH management for the thoughtful initiative of restoring his original project to ensure constant water supply in the hospital.

Recounting the motivation behind his decade-old donation, he said, ‘God dropped it on my heart to help the hospital by providing water assistance,’ which eventually helped KATH to avert water crisis.

Rev. Yeboah called for the highest maintenance culture so the borehole would last for future generations to also benefit from it, urging the public to also assist KATH.

Across Africa, agriculture contributes 32% to Africa’s GDP and employs 65% of the labour force on the con tinent, according to the World Bank. That notwithstanding, the people who drive the sector, smallholder farmers, rural entrepreneurs, and cooperatives, are part of the most financially excluded communities on the continent.

Data from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) shows that in 2024, internet usage in African urban areas reached 57 percent, but only 23 percent in rural areas, creating the largest urban-rural gap in the world. This limited connectivity, along with geographical isolation and low financial literacy, results in millions of farmers with little to no access to mainstream credit or financial services.

Without affordable and reliable credit, many farmers struggle to invest in irrigation, essential equipment, seeds and fertiliser. Persistent economic fluctuations, including inflation that raises the cost of inputs and volatile market prices for produce, further erode already thin margins. And where local processing and transformation capacity is limited, farmers are forced to sell raw commodities at lower prices, missing out on added value. Without adequate savings or insurance, a single flood, drought, or price shock can wipe out years of effort, fundamentally undermining both livelihoods and broader rural development across Africa.

To overcome this challenge, financial inclusion in rural areas must go beyond access to accounts or credit. It must focus on building resilience, and that’s where microfinance institutions are stepping in to reengineer the future of rural financial inclusion across the continent.

Designing the right approach: The case of Advans’ High-Tech, High-Touch

Traditional banks have long struggled to serve rural populations because of high operational costs, isolated communities, and the informal nature of farming incomes. The rise of digital finance has not significantly changed the narrative, as few farmers still have reliable Internet access. With a 26% increase in agricultural loans in just one year, Advans, a leading microfinance group active in several African countries, recognized this early on, and adopted a high-tech, high-touch approach in rural areas.

First, by partnering with cooperatives and village associations, Advans built a model rooted in proximity and in-person relationships to inform, educate, and share risk. Technology was then introduced gradually to facilitate transactions and loan repayments, and to provide school loans. This expansion is driven by digital innovations tailored to rural realities. For Instance, in Ghana, Mobibank, a USSD-based platform, has become the primary channel for rural loan repayment, allowing clients to transact without Internet access. In Côte d’Ivoire, Advans Mobilité offers mobile banking features that enable farmers to check balances and manage finances through basic feature phones.

In rural Africa, cooperatives have proven to be the key intermediaries between microfinance institutions such as Advans and communities. In Côte d’Ivoire, for example, cocoa farmers can expand their plantations thanks to loans secured through their cooperatives and support from Advans Côte d’Ivoire. The story of Herve, one such farmer, illustrates how financial institutions can build with existing community groups.

‘Through the 700 cooperatives and village associations (AVEC) we partner with, we reach and serve close to 40,000 farmers; not only in the cocoa value chain, but increasingly in other farming activities such as corn, pineapple, mango, and rice. We are also exploring additional value chains,’ says Albert Dah, Agriculture Director at Advans Côte d’Ivoire.

The impact of such a collaborative approach is also evident in neighbouring Ghana, where Advans worked with women’s cooperatives in the shea butter value chain, offering both financing and financial education. In two years, more than 2,000 cooperative leaders have been trained in financial management and savings, leading their members to reinvest profits, strengthen their businesses, and gain greater financial independence.

A New Urgency: Climate Change and Agricultural Resilience

The challenge of rural development is now inseparable from the challenge of climate change. Rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, and floods are disrupting production across the continent. In Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s largest cocoa producer, output for the 2024/25 farming season is estimated to have dropped to 1.7 metric tonnes due to heat stress, drought, and pests. In Tunisia, prolonged drought and water scarcity are threatening key crops such as olives and dates.

Climate change is not only an environmental threat, but it is a financial one. For farmers, it means unstable incomes and higher debt risks. For lenders, it demands new tools to secure both livelihoods and portfolios.

Microfinance institutions are emerging as vital drivers of climate resilience. Advans Tunisia, for instance, has developed an individual loan called ‘Crédit Saba’ enabling smallholder farmers to borrow up to 13,000pound , with a flexible repayment plan adapted to the seasonality of their activities and their cash flows, as well as a grace period in case of an extreme climate event. As a result, more than 1 in 2 Tunisian clients say they feel more prepared for a future climate shock thanks to their loan from Advans, and 30% talk about purchasing and installing irrigation systems.1 Agricultural finance now represents one-third of Advans Tunisia’s portfolio.

Advans Côte d’Ivoire takes a comprehensive approach to helping farmers adapt to climate risks. The institution has provided training to over 1,000 farmers on managing hazards, from diversifying crops to adopting agroforestry practices. One key initiative, the Agroforestry Credit program, offers loans through four partner cooperatives to fund agroforestry projects, The project is supported by AFD2 and benefits from technical assistance from the NGO AVSF.

In addition, farmers are gaining access to climate index insurance through a partnership with AssurTech OKO. Following a pilot phase that tested two distinct insurance models, the new solution now protects more than 800 producers through their respective cooperatives. Payouts are automatically triggered by low rainfall. The coverage period runs from October 2025 to March 2026, aligning with the seasonality of agricultural activity.

Building a Resilient Future for Rural Finance

The lesson is clear. Africa’s agricultural growth requires a rethink and redesign of rural financial solutions to ensure access to financial services even in areas with limited connectivity. With a strategy rooted in local realities, Advans combines technology with proximity-whether through individual support in Tunisia or by leveraging cooperative and village association networks in Côte d’Ivoire.

Rural financial inclusion is advancing. Advans’ High-Tech, High-Touch approach illustrates how to drive it forward, combining innovation, proximity, and partnerships to help farmers move toward a more resilient future.