Category: Daily Guide Network

The Institute of Engineers and Technology (IET) Ghana, has honoured the Managing Director of Tema Oil Refinery Limited (TOR), Mr. Edmond Kombat Esq, for his outstanding leadership in restoring TOR to productive use.

The Managing Director of TOR was honoured at the IET’s 29th Annual General Meeting, acknowledging his role in reviving the refinery through local engineers, many of whom are IET members.

Speaking to DAILY GUIDE, Mr. Kombat expressed appreciation and dedicated the recognition to the workers of TOR.

He assured Ghanaians of TOR’s commitment to empowering the country’s professionals, noting that Ghana has the technical talent needed for transformation, but needs effective leadership.

He urged workers of TOR to continue to work hard to transform the refinery.

‘I encourage workers of TOR to continue to give off their best to sustain the refinery’s operations,’ he stated.

After about eight years of dormancy, the new management of Tema Oil Refinery have worked tirelessly to ensure that the refinery commences operations as soon as possible.

The Tema Oil Refinery had effectively stopped functioning as a refinery, with crude oil processing halted.

The University for Development Studies (UDS), has held its 26th congregation at the Dungu campus in Tamale, in the Northern Region.

The university graduated a total of 7,870 graduands. The class was made up of 4,396 males and 3,474 females, translating into approximately fifty-six percent males (56%) and forty-four percent (44%) females.

Addressing graduands, the Vice-Chancellor of UDS, Professor Seidu Al-Hassan, said that the university has over the years deliberately initiated strategies to narrow the gender gap.

‘Behind these figures lies a narrative of intentional transformation. Over the years, through targeted scholarship schemes, mentorship programmes for women, flexible learning pathways, and safe-campus initiatives, UDS has steadily narrowed the gender gap. Today’s graduating class reflects that effort and stands as vivid testimony that when opportunities are deliberately expanded, women rise, participate, and excel,’ he indicated.

He commended students whose achievements continue to elevate the reputation of UDS, saying, ‘We celebrate our outstanding students whose achievements continue to elevate the reputation of this university. Their brilliance is evident not only in the classroom but also on platforms where intellectual rigour and national visibility intersect. A shining example is the remarkable accomplishment of the UDS Students’ Parliament, which secured national recognition by winning the prestigious Commonwealth Day Essay Competition, an achievement that confirms the strength of civic engagement and leadership training at UDS.’

Prof. Al-Hassan encouraged the graduands to go out and help change their communities and the world at large with the knowledge they have acquired.

‘This is your moment and beyond the certificates you receive, the world will look at your character, integrity, work ethics and compassion. The future belongs to those who adopt, think ethically and create opportunities even in the face of challenges. Carry the UDS spirit of service with you, honour the sacrifices your families made and the investment your country has placed in you. Go out and serve, lead, change your communities and change the world,’ he advised the graduands.

Ms. Victoria Boamah was the Valedictorian of UDS 26th Congregation, graduating with an exceptional GPA of 4.95 in Biotechnology and Molecular Biology.

Fifty-year-old farmer, John Dogbey, from Gbledi Chebi has been crowned the 2025 Overall Best Farmer for the Hohoe Municipality.

Receiving his award at the 41st National Farmers’ Day celebration, Mr. Dogbey expressed gratitude for the honour and acknowledged the support of the Hohoe Member of Parliament, Thomas Worlanyo Tsekpo, who supplied fertilisers and machinery to farmers.

He encouraged the youth to take up agriculture, describing it as a rewarding venture open to all.

The celebration was held under the theme, ‘Feed Ghana, Eat Ghana, Secure the Future.’

The Municipal Chief Executive for Hohoe, Prosper Kumi, applauded farmers and fishers across the municipality for their unwavering dedication to sustaining the country’s economic stability and food security.

Speaking at the celebration held at Gbledi Chebi, Mr. Kumi described the annual event as a moment of national pride, honouring the resilience of men and women whose sacrifices continue to drive national development.

He congratulated all awardees and participants, noting that this year’s event reflects government’s renewed commitment to agricultural transformation and food sufficiency.

According to him, Ghana’s prosperity remains closely tied to a vibrant agricultural sector, which also serves as the backbone of the Hohoe Municipality.

Mr. Kumi highlighted the pivotal role of crop producers, livestock farmers, vegetable growers, fishers, processors and agro-traders in supporting households, livelihoods and strengthening the local economy.

He also outlined key agricultural interventions being rolled out to modernise the sector into a technology-driven, wealth-creating industry.

These include an expanded productivity programme, measures to reduce post-harvest losses, and efforts to enhance national food reserves to stabilise food prices and promote domestic consumption.

The MCE further disclosed that the government is establishing additional community mechanisation centres to provide farmers with access to tractors, irrigation facilities and essential equipment.

Cocoa farmers, he assured, will benefit from increased producer prices and enhanced support for mass pruning, disease control and rehabilitation of ageing farms.

The Municipal Director of Agriculture, Sandra Ofori, also commended extension officers for their role in the municipality’s impressive buffer harvest, attributing about 40 percent of the success to their field efforts.

She said the department is working with relevant institutions to reintroduce vegetable production in communities to diversify food sources.

Madam Ofori called for improved logistics and the establishment of an agricultural mechanisation centre to ease farmers’ access to vital equipment and sustain the department’s performance.

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) provisional results for the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates have revealed a troubling decline in performance compared to previous years.

In Core Mathematics, only 48.73% achieved grades A1 to C6. The distribution further shows that 11.62% scored D7, 12.15% obtained E8, and 26.77% had F9.

This marks a decline from the 66.86% pass rate recorded in 2024, 62.23% in 2023, and 61.39% in 2022, and represents the poorest performance in the four-year data provided by WAEC.

In English Language, 69% of candidates secured grades between A1 and C6, slightly lower than the previous year’s 69.52%.

The distribution also shows that 8.18% scored D7, 9.23% obtained E8, while 12.86% failed with F9.

Integrated Science also witnessed a marginal decline, with 57.74% scoring within the A1 to C6 range, compared to 58.77% in 2024. The distribution is as follows: 11.85% scored D7, 11.97% obtained E8, and 16.05% had F9.

Social Studies recorded a significant dip, with 55.82% attaining A1 to C6, down sharply from 71.53% the previous year. The subject registered one of the highest failure rates, with 7.38% scoring D7, 9.12% obtaining E8, and 27.50% of candidates failing with F9.

According to a statement signed by the Head of Public Affairs, WAEC, John K. Kapi, while the entry of candidates saw a marginal increase of 0.24% over the 2024 entry figure of 460,611, the total registered candidates, 5,821-representing 1.26%-were absent.

A total of 461,736 candidates-comprising 207,415 males and 254,321 females from 1,021 schools-registered for the 2025 examination.

Mr. Kapi further stated that WAEC reported several cases of examination malpractice that resulted in severe sanctions.

Following investigations, the Ghana Examinations Committee at its 40th meeting on November 17, 2025, approved the cancellation of subject results for 6,295 candidates found to have brought prohibited materials-including prepared notes and textbooks-into the examination halls.

The statement further indicated that the entire results of 653 candidates were cancelled for possessing mobile phones during the examination.

Also, WAEC is withholding the subject results of 908 candidates and the entire results of 158 others pending further investigation into suspected irregularities. The Council added that the subject results of candidates from 185 schools had been withheld over allegations of collusion.

The Council also revealed that 35 individuals, including 19 teachers, were involved in activities that compromised the exam’s integrity. 19 have been prosecuted and convicted, receiving fines or prison sentences, while the remaining 16 are yet to appear in court.

WAEC stated that, in addition to legal proceedings, the names of the implicated teachers will be sent to the Ghana Education Service Director-General for further disciplinary action.

The Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) Professional and Managerial Staff Union (PMSU) has entered a new chapter of leadership and institutional cooperation with the election of Mr. James Obeng-Gyan as Chairman.

His election is widely seen as a turning point for staff welfare, internal cohesion, and strong management-union relations within the bank.

At the 3rd Quadrennial Delegates Conference of the bank, Mr. Obeng-Gyan delivered a passionate acceptance speech, which set the bold tone for the next four years.

Guided by the theme, ‘A Decade of Solidarity, A Future of Impact: Repositioning ADB PMSU for Member Value and Institutional Excellence,’ he expressed gratitude for the confidence reposed in him.

The new PMSU leader assured the union that his leadership will be anchored on integrity, courage and transparency.

He was clear in his belief that the strength of ADB rests not only on capital and infrastructure but on the people who drive its operations daily.

Unionism, he stressed, must not be misinterpreted as antagonism but recognised as a strategic partner in the bank’s growth. ‘The PMSU is not an opponent of management; we are partners in building a stronger ADB. Staff morale is not a peripheral concern, it is the central engine of productivity and profitability,’ he said to loud applause.

Mr. Obeng-Gyan outlined a Four-Pillar Vision that will guide his administration’s engagements and strengthen the welfare of staff across the institution. The agenda includes fostering deeper solidarity, promoting professional excellence, advancing evidence-based advocacy, and reinforcing the understanding that staff welfare is a long-term investment essential to institutional profitability.

According to him, these pillars form the architecture of a modern, responsible and impactful union.

He further pledged an era of operational transparency, structured dialogue with management, and the creation of a Standing Joint Negotiation Committee to resolve outstanding concerns constructively.

Paying tribute to former leaders of the union, he said their sacrifices built the foundations that today’s officers must build upon with renewed commitment. ‘We have not been elected to occupy chairs; we have been entrusted to lead with clarity and conviction-to cross oceans and climb mountains in defense of fairness and dignity,’ he declared.

His speech also carried a strong moral appeal to ADB’s management to embrace fair processes, build institutional trust and humanise decision-making.

Other officers elected at the conference include Prince Osei Bremang (1st Vice), Ivey Sefakor Tettey (2nd Vice), Maclean Obeng Amoamah (Secretary), Sabina Asosika Osei (Assistant Secretary), Harry Ayensu Quaidoo (1st Trustee) and Kwabena Danso (2nd Trustee).

The Gold Fields Ghana Foundation (GFGF) has established a Smart Laboratory and Innovation Centre at New Atuabo Basic School in the Western Region as part of its efforts to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education.

The move will also help to introduce the school children to emerging technologies.

The 54-student capacity facility is equipped for robotics, coding, Arduino programming, and physical computing with Microbits.

According to the Foundation, the initiative underscores its commitment to equipping young students with hands-on experience in modern technology and fostering curiosity and creativity at an early stage.

Gifty Antwiwaa Gyamfi, Project Coordinator – Education and Training at the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation, disclosed this during a three-day STEM career workshop for Junior High School (JHS) students across the company’s host communities.

The three-day event was designed to inspire and motivate the JHS students to pursue careers in STEM.

The event coincided with the global commemoration of Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer.

Ms. Gyamfi noted that by fostering STEM education, the Foundation aims to empower students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s sustainable development.

‘They will also be able to participate effectively in the evolving global economy,’ she stressed.

She added that the initiative also aimed at demystifying STEM education, highlight career pathways, and demonstrate the relevance of STEM to national development, particularly within sectors such as mining, energy, and technology.

She noted that GFGF has consistently prioritised education as a cornerstone of sustainable community development.

‘Since its establishment, the Foundation has invested over $10.4 million dedicated specifically to education,’ she revealed.

President John Mahama has observed his 67th birthday with a morning devotion prayer service at his residence in Accra.

Leading a team of pastors to pray with the President was the General Superintendent of Assemblies of God, Ghana, Rev. Stephen Wengam.

He administered the Holy Communion to President Mahama and his family, and anointed him for the next phase of his life.

In a brief sermon, Rev. Wengam urged President Mahama to remain faithful to Jesus, seek intimacy with the Holy Spirit, and trust in the Lord alone for divine success, guidance and protection. The General Superintendent further admonished the President to avail himself as an instrument in God’s hands to transform Ghana into a prosperous, peaceful and Christ-centered nation.

The rest of the clergy present were Archbishop Nicholas Duncan Williams, Rev. Michael Ayesu, Rev. Ben Tettey and Rev. (Rtd) Ernest Agyei. Others were Rev. Andrew N. Awintia, Rev. Aaron Fant and Pastor Boateng Sarpong.

In a brief response, President Mahama recounted his humble beginnings, saying he never could imagine that he was going to become President of Ghana any day in the future. He credited his elevation and achievements to the grace of God.

President Mahama narrated how he became a born-again Christian at Ringway Gospel Centre Assemblies of God at Osu in Accra, under the pastoral leadership of the former Senior Pastor, Rev. (Rtd) Ernest Agyei. With divine guidance and favour, President Mahama promised to do his utmost to leave a lasting legacy after his tenure.

Nigerian comedian, Emmanuel Ejekwu, popularly known as Sabinus, has opened up about his early struggles for acceptance from his father after choosing comedy as a career.

Speaking in an interview with VJ Adams, Sabinus revealed that his father had always hoped he would become a lawyer. However, after failing to gain admission to study law, he opted for Linguistics and Communication Studies at the University of Port Harcourt-where he eventually discovered his flair for skit making.

He recalled that his father was deeply disappointed when he first learnt that his son had ventured into comedy.

‘After I graduated, my dad never knew I was a comedian because I was hiding it,’ Sabinus said. ‘One year after school, he started seeing me on comedy show posters. My sisters confirmed it to him. He was very furious. He said, ‘Which comedy? Stupid business. Look at the boy I sent to become a lawyer.”

According to him, the early days of skit making came with financial struggles, which further fuelled his father’s disapproval.

Sabinus added that things eventually changed when he began earning well from comedy and started gifting money to his father.

With his father’s full blessing now behind him, Sabinus has grown into one of Nigeria’s most recognisable and successful skit makers.

Ghana’s recent economic turnaround, which began in 2024, has been celebrated as a success story, with government officials touting a stronger cedi, lower inflation, backed by rising gold exports and favourable commodity prices.

But beneath these positive headlines lies a troubling reality: much of the foundation is built on the rapid expansion of illegal gold mining, known locally as ‘Galamsey,’ which is causing severe and lasting damage to the nation’s environment and public health.

A Shift in Gold Production

From 2020 to 2024, large-scale mining companies accounted for about 69% of Ghana’s gold production. In a dramatic shift, small-scale miners overtook these industrial giants in 2025, accounting for 52% of national gold output between January and September. This is puzzling, as the number of legally registered small-scale miners has dropped; only 35 new licenses were issued in 2025, while 278 were revoked in the same year. Also, the technology used by legal small-scale miners hasn’t changed, raising questions about where the extra gold is coming from.

The Role of the GHANA GOLDBOD

In April 2025, the government launched the GHANA GOLDBOD, a new institution designed to buy and export gold from small-scale miners to boost foreign exchange and strengthen national reserves. Although $279 million was allocated to GoldBod in the 2025 Budget, the Finance Ministry had not disbursed these funds as of late October. Yet, GoldBod reports record gold purchases from small-scale sources. Between January and October 2025, GoldBod and its predecessor, the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC), had purchased about 81.719 tonnes of gold.

For comparison, under the Bank of Ghana’s Gold Purchase Programme (2022-2024), average annual purchases were 19.6 tonnes. The BoG programme essentially performed the same function as GoldBod, but with strict traceability and sourcing only from licensed aggregators vetted through due diligence. GoldBod lacks such safeguards.

So, what explains this surge in gold purchases this year? The only logical explanation is that much of this gold is coming from illegal mining operations. This raises concerns about the adequacy of government funding to combat illegal mining. In 2025 and 2026 budgets, a paltry GHS50m and GHS150 million were allocated respectively for the fight against this menace.

A Surge in Illegal Mining

Evidence of illegal mining is mounting. In June 2025, the Minister for Transport revealed that over 200 excavators (heavy machinery not used by artisanal miners) were entering Ghana daily through Tema Port, with nearly 3,000 more expected by year’s end. As these imports rise, so does small-scale gold production, even as the number of licensed small-scale miners falls. This is a clear indication that small scale miners (including the illegal ones) are resorting to the use of industrial-scale type of machinery in their operations.

Environmental and Public Health Crisis

The consequences are dire. While the government celebrates increased gold exports and benefitting from favourable gold prices, Ghana’s environment is suffering. In June 2025, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources reported that turbidity levels in major water bodies had reached alarming levels of between 5,000 and 12,000 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU), far higher than acceptable threshold. Many cities and towns are now without clean drinking water because their main sources have been contaminated or shut down due to pollution from Galamsey activities.

No Traceability, No Accountability

Perhaps most concerning is that the GoldBod does not seem to have the traceability capacity yet for the gold it purchases. Without this technology, it risks legitimising illegal gold, and could be seen as effectively creating a state-sanctioned pathway for laundering Galamsey output. The economic gains being celebrated are, in reality, financed by the destruction of forests, rivers, rising public health crisis, and the country’s long-term development prospects.

A Call for Action

Behind every positive economic indicator lies a growing crisis: water insecurity, rising health risks, deforestation, and a shrinking future for sustainable development. Ghana risks sacrificing long-term sustainability for short-term economic gains. As the nation celebrates a stronger currency (which is not sustainable) and improved macroeconomic indicators, it must also reckon with the true cost: poisoned rivers, devastated forests, emboldened criminal networks, and the erosion of national well-being.

The choices are clear and urgent. Will Ghana continue down this destructive path, or will it choose to protect its environment and future generations? The time to act is now.

The emergence of a General Arts student of Opoku Ware Senior High School (SHS) in Kumasi as Valedictorian in Engineering at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) last week transmits a serious message to policymakers in the education sector to consider necessary reforms.

Otuo Serebour Opoku-Ware topped his Electrical Engineering class at the KNUST and therefore became the valedictorian of his graduating class.

His preference for studying an Engineering related course at the tertiary level pushed him to study Physics part time, and this paved the way for his eventual admission to study Electrical Engineering. Many at the time would have wondered how that came to being.

He did not want to follow any course in the humanities, feeling inside him that his future lied in Engineering.

At the SHS level, he would have been denied his preference for the General Science option, hence the General Arts option which he pursued unwillingly.

His story is not unique as there are a few examples. Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor was also a General Arts student in secondary school. When he went abroad for further studies, he successfully switched over to Medicine, qualifying in the end as one of Ghana’s top physicians and even heading the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) as President.

There are countless instances where students have been denied courses of their choice by school authorities because they do not fit.

The foregone stories therefore tell us that we should reset our educational system, especially at the SHS level.

An effective counseling system in schools should be able to have students change their courses.

The former Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, we recall came up with a system to enable students change their courses. This, we have learnt, has been aborted much to the detriment of students. A rethink is important given the examples contained in this commentary. There are many which we have not heard about.

A young lady was recently offered Home Economics in one of the top schools in the country when her preference was General Science. But for the intervention of a public official, she would have been compelled to continue to do what she is uninterested in and missing out on her talent.

Let the school authorities listen to the students, especially mid-way through their first year, so that should they wish to change courses this can be done without unnecessary hassle.

An overhaul consideration of the educational system would enable us to support students to make the best of their talents.

Time was it when students who offered to read Medicine or Law were asked during interview whether they had doctors or lawyers in their families. Such antiquated and discriminatory approaches should have no place in our educational system, not at all.

Let all with the potential to follow their course choices be allowed to do so without hindrance.

It is for this reason that we commend the Attorney General’s recent announcement to make Law more accessible to Ghanaians than the current system which is not only discriminatory but unnecessarily cumbersome.

Here is to therefore ask that the arrangement to have one national bar examination among other reforms expedited so those who want to become lawyers can do so without being asked whether there are learned gentlemen in their families.