Category: Daily Guide Network

As part of efforts to regenerate degraded landscapes and increase the survival rate of indigenous trees, Eco Restore Limited, a leading reforestation and restorative Ghanaian social enterprise which blends ancient sustainable practices with cutting-edge regenerative techniques to enhance soil health, restore biodiversity and ensure food security for future generations, has embarked on parkland restoration training in 23 communities across the East and West Mamprusi municipalities in the North East Region.

The trainings, which took place from November 8 to 17, aimed to educate tree farmers on how to protect and manage their trees against wildfires and animal destruction, as well as to guide them on best practices to ensure that the trees they grow survive and thrive within their parklands.

The beneficiary communities included Sagadagu, Bunboazio, Tangbini, Boamasa, Kparigu, Takorayiri, Namiyala, Bongbini and Gbangu.

The rest were Binduri, Nabulugu, Shelinvoya, Zanguga, Tinpela, Sawaba, Singbini, Boayini, Dobaya, Sooba, Tiya, Fung, Fio East and Fio West.

The trainings forms part of the Ghana Shea Landscape Emission Reductions Project (GSLERP), a five-year programme that began in 2022.

The project is funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) with matching private sector investments and jointly implemented by the Forestry Commission of Ghana (FC) and The Global Shea Alliance (GSA) with technical assistance from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

As part of the project, Bunge, a leading international shea processor, partners with Eco Restore, has set up community nurseries, and training hundreds of tree farmers to restore thousands of hectares of land whilst growing back hundreds of thousands of indigenous trees, while Agriterra, a partner of Bunge, has set up women’s shea cooperatives, trained thousands of their members, and constructed warehouses whilst supplying improved cookstoves. Seventeen of this year’s protection trainings were in GSLERRP communities

Eco Restore client, Fuji Oil Ghana, a major shea processing firm, finances further enhanced parkland and restoration efforts through the growing back of tens of thousands of indigenous trees across Northern Ghana.

Six of this year’s protection training were in Fuji-supported communities which are part of the wide network of over 100 women-led cooperatives operating under Fuji Oil Ghana’s Tebma Kandu shea sustainability programme, supporting them with warehouses, tricycles and shea processing equipment.

The training focused on how to guard young indigenous trees from fire and livestock, parkland soil management techniques including compost making, mulching, the effects of chemical fertilisers, effects of cutting trees, bush burning and broader regenerative agroforestry practices.

In an interview, Dr. Issahaku Zakariah, a Co-Founder and Director at Eco Restore Limited, said the trainings are designed to encourage farmers to adopt best practices to ensure tree survival, particularly through the harsh harmattan season.

‘In this part of the country, unsustainable practices such as clearance of tree cover, for charcoal production and agriculture, have caused severe parkland degradation. That is why Eco Restore, in collaboration with its partners, is carrying out these trainings to help reverse the trend,’ he said.

Mr. Abubakari Amadu Baaba, Assistant Operations Manager for Tree Growing at Eco Restore, noted simple yet effective measures such as guarding young trees with sticks, clearing vegetation around trees to prevent fire spread, and managing grazing to control damage by livestock.

‘We scheduled these trainings for November because this is when the harmattan period starts, bringing dry conditions and a heightened risk of bushfires, and we believe that this is the time farmers must be most vigilant,’ he explained.

Madam Safia, a shea picker from Bunboazio, shared her experience, saying, ‘Eco Restore and their partners have encouraged us to stop bush burning and the indiscriminate cutting of trees. In our community, we have agreed to take bush burning seriously. Whenever we notice someone starting a fire, we inform the authorities and fight the fires to ensure our trees and farmlands are protected,’ she noted.

Another tree farmer, Abdul Rahman Haruna from Boamasa said, ‘All my trees are surviving so well because of the advice and guidance I received from Eco Restore. The best way a tree can grow well is through regular care, clearing weeds, mulching, and guarding it with sticks,’ he stated.

Five years ago, a simple but profound question reshaped the civic landscape of Africa: Why does politics in Africa continue to fail its people despite the continent’s wealth of talent, resources, and human potential?

Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili posed this question and pursued answers through a research fellowship at the Robert Bosch Academy in Berlin. Her work revealed a troubling reality, a continent where public leadership had drifted far from public service, and where citizens had become spectators in their own democracy.

Dr. Ezekwesili convened thinkers and development practitioners to study the challenge. Their findings showed that Africa’s political culture, as structured, could not deliver the future its young population desired. This research produced what Dr. Ezekwesili calls the ‘Triangular Pillars of Democracy’: Empowered and engaged citizens, Values-based leadership, and Institutional reform: constitutional, electoral, and political reforms.

From this framework came #FixPolitics and its public leadership training arm, the School of Politics, Policy and Governance (SPPG). Both were founded on a simple belief: if politics is the root of Africa’s challenges, then politics must be transformed. Citizens must be empowered, leadership must meet a higher standard, and political institutions must be reformed.

SPPG was created as Africa’s first and only Public Leadership Laboratory Initiative to dismantle the production pipeline of poor-quality leadership. It opened in 2021 to groom a new class of leaders defined by Character, Competence, and Capacity. Its ten-month programme blends rigorous learning with real-life problem-solving across ethics, policy, public institutions, economics, governance innovation, and community leadership.

In five years, #FixPolitics and SPPG have expanded into four African countries-Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya, and Ghana. Across Nigeria and Senegal alone, SPPG has trained over a thousand emerging leaders. It has also created the SPPG Network of Public Leaders (PLN), a lifelong community that supports SPPG graduates with life-long mentorship, collaboration, policy development, and service.

The impact is real: in Nigeria’s 2023 elections, ten SPPG graduates won their party primaries and became candidates, while 22 graduates from Nigeria and Senegal have been appointed into public service positions. #FixPolitics has also earned support from respected partners, including Schmidt Futures, 100x Impact Accelerator at the London School of Economics, Luminate, GIZ, MacArthur Foundation, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation, and Arise Television. #FixPolitics also works with numerous civil society and private sector partners across Africa to drive its programs.

These partnerships have powered bold initiatives such as The Africa Conference, an annual gathering that brings together reformers and citizens to tackle governance challenges; the Big Ideas Platform, which nurtures innovative African solutions to African problems; the Office of the Citizen (OOTC) Initiative, which builds a motivated and informed electorate; and the #FixPolitics Dialogue Series, a respected platform for discussing governance issues including electoral processes, diaspora engagement, and the role of citizens in democracy.

Today, #FixPolitics stands as a prominent voice for governance reform. Its advocacy covers empowering values-driven women for Nigeria’s 2027 elections, contributing to constitutional amendment processes, pushing for the restoration of electronic voting in the Electoral Act 2022, and supporting citizens’ education and voter mobilisation efforts in Nigeria and Ghana. The ambition remains bold: expand SPPG into 20 African countries, train thousands more leaders, and help shift political culture across the continent.

Perhaps the most remarkable achievement is the emergence of a committed community of practice, the Work Study Group (WSG). These passionate volunteers across Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya, and Ghana dedicate their time, talent, and treasure to advancing the triangular pillars mandate. Margaret Mead’s timeless words, ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has,’ truly come alive through the selfless work of the WSG members.

In November 2024, leadership transitioned smoothly from Dr. Ezekwesili to Mr. Frank Nweke II, reflecting the organisation’s values of continuity and institutional strength. Dr. Ezekwesili’s founding conviction remains the compass: If we fix politics, we will fix Africa.

Five years on, that vision is moving from aspiration to reality. Bit by bit, leader by leader, country by country. The journey is long, the work demanding, and the stakes high. But hope is alive. And with #FixPolitics illuminating the path, the future of democratic leadership and governance in Africa looks increasingly promising.

The 2024 National Best Fish Farmer, Ebenezer Nyagble Dzikunu and others have appealed to government to fulfil its promise and deliver awards meant for them during the 2024 National Farmers’ Day celebration.

Mr. Dzikunu told the DAILY GUIDE in an interview that his major award announced at the 2024 National Farmers’ Day was a JAC 3 tonnes KIA pickup, which has still not been delivered to him and six others, despite several visits to the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development.

Some of the affected fish farmers include Victoria Atsa, who was adjudged the National Best Fish Processor of the Year and Christopher Ackon, National Best Marine Fisherman.

Mr. Dzikunu said the ministry, on February 12, 2025, invited him and the six individuals who were supposed to be given the awards in various categories to the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

But upon arrival, they were only presented with an anchor rope, a waybill with chassis number of the vehicles without receiving the cars.

Mr. Dzikunu stated that the ministry promised to deliver the awards after a week at a designated point outside the ministry, but this did not take place.

He said after several weeks and months, the group contacted Dr. Lawrence Ahia, Director of Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture at the Fisheries Commission, but he failed to provide them any answer on why they have still not been given their awards.

According to him, the Chief Director, Madam Marian Kpakpah, when contacted, also failed to give them any reason why they have so far not received their awards.

Mr. Dzikunu further mentioned that the Chief Director, who promised to contact the Minister for Fisheries, has since not answered their calls.

He said several efforts to engage the minister continue to yield no results though the next edition of the Farmers’ Day awards will be held on Friday, December 5, 2025, and the only thing they can show for their efforts for emerging as award winners are their certificates.

Head of Public Relations at the Ministry, Karimatu Anas, when contacted by the DAILY GUIDE on Monday, November 24 and Tuesday, November 25, declined to comment as well as the Chief Director, Madam Marian Kpakpah.

Meanwhile, DAILY GUIDE sources show that the sector minister paid a working visit to the National Best Fisherman’s fish farm in the Volta Region.

DAILY GUIDE has learnt that the ministry has no plans of delivering the awards to the fish farmers on grounds that they would not be responsible to deliver the awards to individuals who won in 2024 under the past government.

Parliament has approved the COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy (Repeal) Bill, 2025, effectively scrapping the 1 percent levy imposed during the height of the pandemic to support the country’s health response and economic recovery efforts.

The bill repeals the COVID-19 Health Recovery Act, 2021 (Act 1068), but preserves all rights, obligations, or liabilities that existed before the repeal until they are fully exercised or discharged.

This provision ensures that any pending tax obligations or entitlements under the old law will continue to be valid until resolved.

The decision follows the adoption of the Finance Committee’s report, which recommended the repeal as part of broader tax reforms aimed at easing the cost of doing business and supporting growth.

Levy Considered Outdated

According to the Committee’s report, the COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy was introduced in 2021 under Act 1068 as a temporary fiscal measure to raise additional revenue amid the pandemic.

The levy applied to the supply of goods and services within Ghana, excluding exempt categories, as well as the importation of non-exempt goods and services.

It was not eligible for input tax deduction, a feature that, over time, increased the tax burden on both businesses and households.

The Committee noted that the levy had served its initial purpose but no longer aligned with the current economic direction.

In presenting the 2025 Budget, the government announced plans to streamline the indirect tax regime, improve VAT compliance, and lower the overall cost of doing business. Repealing Act 1068, the Committee said, was central to these efforts.

Finance Minister Justifies Repeal

The Deputy Minister for Finance, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, described the levy as a temporary instrument that had ‘outlived its original purpose.’

He explained that its abolition formed part of a broader Value Added Tax (VAT) reform agenda aimed at creating a more transparent and growth-friendly consumption tax system.

He urged the House to support the repeal, arguing that removing the levy would enhance business competitiveness and contribute to the private sector-led recovery.

Revenue Loss Expected

The Finance Committee acknowledged that eliminating the levy would result in an estimated revenue loss of GHS3.0 billion.

However, the Minister assured the Committee that the ongoing tax reforms, combined with increased economic activity expected from a lower cost of doing business, would compensate for the shortfall through improved revenue mobilisation.

Committee members expressed optimism that a more efficient and equitable tax structure would ultimately expand the tax base and generate higher long-term revenue.

GHANA FOOTBALL legend Abedi Ayew Pele has been appointed to a newly established Ministerial Advisory Board formed to guide sports policy and development in the country.

The nine-member board was inaugurated yesterday by the Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams.

The new board is made up of Kofi Iddie Adams (MP), Minister for Sports and Recreation, Chair; Mrs Wilhelmina Asamoah, Chief Director, Ministry of Sports and Recreation; Amb. Alexander Grant Ntrakwa, Head of Delivery, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Stephen Kwaku Owusu, Technical Advisor, Ministry of Education; and Amerley Nuno-Amarteifio, Director of Legal, Ministry of Finance.

The rest are Cleanse Tsonam Akpeloo, CEO of Suku Technologies and AGI representative; COP Lydia Yaako Donkor, Director-General, CID; Abedi Ayew Pele, former Black Stars captain; Michael Esuon, Director of Finance and Administration, Ministry of Sports and Recreation, Secretary.

Mr. Adams indicated that the advisory board will operate as a working group dedicated to offering strategic direction in youth development, governance, accountability and inclusive sports advancement across the country.

He also revealed that the Sports Development Fund is nearing completion and will soon be presented to Parliament. The fund aims to provide long-term financing for infrastructure projects and grassroots initiatives.

He expressed confidence in the board’s blend of expertise and urged members to deliver practical proposals that will support Ghana’s goal of becoming a continental force in sports and recreation.

Chief of Staff Julius Debrah, oh his part praised the inclusion of Abedi Ayew Pele on Ghana’s World Cup Planning Committee, describing it as a major boost to the country’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

‘If for nothing at all, he has played on the international platform. He has the experience to share with us on how best we can present our country on the global stage,’ Mr. Debrah said.

Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIB) Ghana has successfully wrapped up the 29th National Banking and Ethics Conference at its auditorium in Accra, bringing together top regulators, policymakers, and industry leaders under the theme, ‘Building Future-Ready Banks: Ethical Leadership, Sustainable Finance, and Currency Stability amid Disruption’.

The conference also saw the launch of two major professional programmes – the Ethics 2.0 Programme and the Non-Interest Banking and Finance Certification Programme – aimed at strengthening ethics, competence, and sustainability within Ghana’s financial system.

CIB Ghana President, Benjamin Amenumey, FCIB, reaffirmed the Institute’s statutory mandate noting that ethics and professionalism remain the foundation of a resilient financial system.

‘Banking is first and foremost a trust profession. Where trust is strong, stability is possible. Where trust is weak, the system is at risk,’ Mr. Amenumey noted.

CEO of CIB Ghana, Robert Dzato, described the launch of Ethics 2.0 and the Non-Interest Banking and Finance Certification as a defining milestone in the Institute’s mission to build a trustworthy and future-ready banking profession.

‘The currency in banking is trust. Trust is built through character, competence, and consequence, and that is what we are building in Ghana’s banking workforce,’ Mr. Dzato said.

He revealed that over 9,000 banking professionals had already completed the earlier Ethics 1.0 Programme, developed jointly with the Bank of Ghana (BoG), and that Ethics 2.0 would expand this framework to all levels of the banking profession, including executives and board members.

He added that, in accordance with a new directive from the central bank, all banking staff would now be required to obtain CIB’s ethics certification, while branch managers must attain the Chartered Banker (ACIB) qualification within the next five years.

The Non-Interest Banking and Finance Certification, he explained, reflects the Institute’s commitment to supporting Ghana’s evolving financial landscape by promoting ethical, inclusive, and Sharia-compliant financial services.

Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiama, in a speech read on his behalf by the Director of Banking Supervision Department at the Bank, Ismail Adam commended the CIB for its leadership in fostering professionalism and ethical discipline across the industry.

He cautioned that while Ghana’s financial system has become more stable, ethical lapses and fraud remain serious threats to public confidence.

Haruna Iddrisu, Minister for Education, delivering an address as the special guest, commended the Institute’s ongoing partnership with the central bank and called for a fully independent BoG to safeguard monetary policy integrity.

He further urged banks not to allow themselves to be used as conduits for unethical financial practices, stressing that ‘many of the unethical and corrupt monies in this country pass through the banking system.’

He noted that the Ministry of Education was collaborating with CIB Ghana and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) to integrate financial ethics and literacy into Ghana’s educational framework to nurture integrity and responsibility among future professionals.

Fresh accounts gathered by the DAILY GUIDE indicate that final-year Business student, Samiru Abass, left a chilling declaration of innocence moments before tragically ending his life at the Islamic Senior High School in Kumasi on Tuesday, November 18, 2025.

Eyewitnesses say Abass insisted he had been falsely accused and proclaimed that his ‘accusers will face God,’ shortly before jumping from an upper floor of a school block.

The 19-year-old’s death has sent shockwaves through the school community, with emerging details pointing to a disciplinary case that had deeply troubled him. According to sources, Abass had been accused of fondling and kissing a female student in a classroom-a claim made by a teacher who reportedly confronted the two and seized Abass’ school shirt as evidence. The matter was subsequently referred to the school’s disciplinary committee for further action.

After facing the committee, Abass was directed to retrieve his confiscated shirt from the said teacher. It was during this moment, witnesses recount, that the visibly distressed student climbed to the top floor of a school block and jumped, dying instantly upon impact.

His final words, asserting his innocence and calling upon divine judgment, have ignited intense debate on campus. Many students and some teachers are questioning the handling of the case, with calls for better psychological support systems in schools to help students navigate distressing situations.

These new revelations sharply contrast earlier reports which suggested Abass may have been contemplating suicide for unknown personal reasons.

Meanwhile, authorities have yet to issue an official statement as investigations into the tragic incident continue.

South African rap star Nasty C has stirred fresh controversy in Ghana’s hip-hop space after revealing that Sarkodie – widely hailed as Ghana’s most decorated rapper – did not make his top three list of Ghanaian rappers.

Speaking on Joy Prime on November 24, 2025, Nasty C said plainly:

‘At the moment, I’ll have to put Black Sherif up there as number 1. There’s something about his music that just speaks to me. I’m going to put Kwesi Arthur at number two. At number three, I’ll have to say Vic Mensa. Between him and Wale.’

In response to why Sarkodie was excluded, Nasty C stated that although Sarkodie ranks in his top five, he doesn’t place him in his top three.

‘He’s not in my top three at the moment. He is definitely in the top five.’

The remark has reignited conversations about the pair’s long-standing tension, dating back to their 2022 lyrical exchanges.

When asked if he would collaborate with Sarkodie despite their old ‘beef’, Nasty C didn’t dismiss the idea but offered no guarantees:

‘I don’t know, we would have to have a conversation.’

Pressed on why such a conversation hasn’t happened, the South African rapper blamed busy schedules and the lack of anyone arranging a proper sit-down.

‘A lot of things got lost in translation. No one’s organised that. We’re both just busy with our lives,’ he explained.

Still, Nasty C insists he’s ready to patch things up, pointing to lyrics from his 2022 track No Big Deal, where he expressed admiration for Sarkodie and addressed their rift.

But according to him, Sarkodie’s response track Landlord came off ‘a little spicy,’ possibly because ‘someone was in his ear’ with the wrong message.

The two trading lyrical blows in 2022 made headlines:

In No Big Deal, Nasty C claimed Sarkodie once refused to shake his hand and admitted he twice rejected collaboration offers, calling himself ‘in coward mode.’

Sarkodie fired back in Landlord, saying he never reached out for a collaboration and suggesting Nasty C was grappling with ‘ego’ issues.

With Nasty C’s latest comments, fans on both sides are wondering: is a truce finally on the horizon – or is this another spark in a rivalry that refuses to die?

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall delivered a sensational strike to seal a hard-fought 1-0 win for Everton at Old Trafford, despite the visitors being reduced to 10 men after a bizarre early dismissal involving their own players.

Everton began the match with energy and intent, but their momentum appeared to unravel when Idrissa Gueye was sent off just 13 minutes in for striking teammate Michael Keane during an on-field confrontation. The moment stunned both sets of players and threatened to derail the Toffees’ evening.

Instead, Sean Dyche’s side rallied impressively. Just before the half-hour mark, Dewsbury-Hall produced a brilliant solo effort, weaving through United’s midfield before curling the ball beyond André Onana to give Everton a surprise lead.

Manchester United dominated possession after the break but found little joy against Everton’s disciplined, deep-lying defence.

Bruno Fernandes blasted over from close range, and Jordan Pickford delivered a standout stop to deny Joshua Zirkzee as the hosts pushed desperately for an equaliser.

The victory lifts Everton to 11th in the Premier League table-nudging ahead of rivals Liverpool on goal difference-and marks only their second league win at Old Trafford in 33 attempts.

United, whose five-game unbeaten run came to an end on the anniversary of manager Ruben Amorim’s first match in charge, slip to 10th, remaining above Everton only on goals scored.

Everton return to action on Saturday evening against Newcastle United, while Manchester United travel to face Crystal Palace on Sunday.

The Chinese Professional Football League has imposed a US$70,000 fine on Chengdu Rongcheng FC after supporters racially abused Ghanaian forward Frank Acheampong during a league match against Henan FC.

Acheampong, 32, was subjected to offensive chants and racist gestures from a section of the home crowd.

According to Chinese state-run outlet The Global Times, video footage shared widely online showed Chengdu Rongcheng fans making ‘monkey noises’ and mocking the player’s skin colour, along with repeated middle-finger gestures.

Authorities moved quickly after the incident, detaining two individuals who now face up to 20 days in administrative custody.

Alongside the financial penalty, the league’s Disciplinary Committee has ordered that part of the stadium stands be closed for one fixture as an additional punishment.

Acheampong has been a standout performer for Henan FC this season, scoring 14 goals and contributing three assists in 30 league appearances-form that has helped lift the club to 10th place in the Chinese Super League.