Category: Daily Guide Network

A 45-year-old woman at Assorko Essaman in the Shama District of the Western Region identified as Regina Nyame, has died under some bizarre circumstances.

The woman and her daughter, Sheila Baidoo, 21, were in their room when someone allegedly set the building ablaze, which led to the death of the woman.

Even though the perpetrator of the alleged crime has not been identified, the residents suspect a jealous boyfriend of the deceased might be behind the attack.

Sources had it that the alleged perpetrator poured petrol into the room through the window and set it ablaze.

According to the residents, the suspected boyfriend became very angry after the woman recently informed him that she could no longer marry him.

Narrating her ordeal in an interview with Takoradi-based Connect FM, Sheila Baidoo said she was in the bedroom with her mother around 10 p.m. on Tuesday when the incident happened.

She indicated that her mother was asleep while she was still on her phone browsing social media.

She said, ‘All of a sudden, someone poured petrol and set the room on fire. It happened so fast that I could not understand what was going on, the whole room caught fire instantly.’

She said in an attempt to save her mother, she managed to pass through the fire to call for help.

‘I managed to run through the flames to call for help. People in the area rushed in and managed to quench the fire and pulled my mother out.

‘She was rushed to the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital but passed away later due to the severity of her burns.

‘The doctors were preparing to transfer her to another facility yesterday morning, but she unfortunately passed away,’ she disclosed.

Sheila stated that she also suffered some burns on her back, and was receiving treatment at the same hospital.

She asserted that her stepfather had been having issues with her mother for some time.

‘I did not see him setting the fire, but witnesses say the person they saw allegedly pouring the fuel matched his description,’ she added.

‘My mother recently told him she could not marry him, a rejection that might have triggered the act,’ she alleged.

Meanwhile, the Assembly Member for the electoral area, Nana Kwesi Arko, has indicated that the police have begun investigations into the incident.

Crude oil production declined by 25.92 percent, from 24,857,477.52 barrels in the first half of 2024 to 18,415,410.74 barrels in the first half of 2025.

The decline, revealed in the 2025 Semi-Annual Report by the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC), highlights the country’s struggle to attract new investments in the upstream petroleum sector, with no new petroleum agreement signed since 2018.

Speaking at a press briefing on the report’s findings, PIAC Vice-Chair, Odeefuo Amoakwa Buadu VIII, urged government and relevant agencies to take urgent steps to reverse the downward trend and attract more investment into the country’s oil industry.

‘The Committee observed that, for period-by-period comparison, crude oil production declined by 25.92 percent, from 24,857,477.52 barrels in H1 2024 to 18,415,410.74 barrels in H1 2025,’ the report stated.

Covering the period January to June 2025, the report examines key aspects of petroleum revenue management, including production data, liftings, total revenue accrued to the State, allocations, utilisation of the Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA), and the management of the Ghana Petroleum Funds.

The Committee recommended that government focus ABFA allocations on fewer, well-defined infrastructure projects, funding them from start to finish, and ensure completed projects are properly branded.

It also urged that more ABFA resources be directed toward completing the Agenda 111 project for the benefit of citizens.

‘The Committee reiterates its earlier recommendation that the country should develop a broad-based, long-term national development plan approved by Parliament to ensure continuity in the use of national resources, including the ABFA,’ the report noted.

PIAC also revealed that the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) had reported centrally earmarked projects to be financed from the ABFA, a practice deemed non-compliant with Article 252(3) of the 1992 Constitution, which mandates that monies accruing to the Fund be distributed among all District Assemblies.

Additionally, the report disclosed that no expenditure was incurred under the government’s ‘Big Push’ programme for infrastructure development, despite an allocation of US$146.36 million from petroleum revenues during the review period.

The Committee assured the public that, although its mandate is primarily advisory, it remains committed to collaborating with all stakeholders to ensure that revenues generated from the country’s petroleum resources are used effectively and transparently.

THE GHANA Football Association (GFA) has released the official programme for the first-ever MTN Elite U19 Championship, an 11-day youth tournament aimed at developing and showcasing emerging football talent across the country.

Set to take place from October 23 to November 2, 2025, the competition will bring together ten Regional Football Association (RFA) U19 teams at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram.

Preparations for the event will begin with a media soiree on Monday, October 13, followed by the official launch and draw on Tuesday, October 14.

A stakeholder engagement meeting between the Organising Committee and the ten RFA chairmen will then be held on Wednesday, October 15 to finalise technical and logistical arrangements for the championship.

Participating teams are expected to report to Prampram on Thursday, October 23, with the tournament officially kicking off on Friday, October 24, 2025.

Sponsored by telecommunications giant MTN, the Elite U19 Championship serves as a key youth development initiative aimed at discovering, nurturing, and advancing young footballers from the grassroots.

It will provide a valuable platform for players from the second division and regional leagues to demonstrate their skills, gain competitive experience, and draw the attention of national selectors, top academies, and professional clubs.

The initiative forms part of the GFA’s broader ‘Power to the Youth’ policy, and aligns with major football development programmes such as the FIFA Talent Development Scheme (TDS), the Elite Academies Project, and the Catch Them Young Refereeing Programme.

According to the GFA, the maiden MTN Elite U19 Championship represents a significant step in Ghana’s football development structure, serving as a bridge between grassroots participation and elite performance – and setting the stage for the discovery of the country’s next generation of football stars.

Tragedy struck the farming community of Koben in the Adanse Asokwa District of the Ashanti Region when a 35-year-old man, identified as Joshua, allegedly murdered his 65-year-old father, Mr. Kwasi Akoma, following a misunderstanding over proceeds from their cocoa farm.

According to reports, the unfortunate incident occurred on Monday, October 6, 2025. Residents disclosed that the suspect and his father had been engaged in a long-standing dispute over how income from their jointly operated cocoa farm was being shared.

In an interview with DAILY GUIDE, some residents alleged that Joshua had been accusing his father of denying him a fair portion of the farm’s earnings. The disagreement reportedly escalated into a heated confrontation during which the suspect allegedly struck his father on the head with a pestle.

‘The two have been fighting recently over the cocoa farm proceeds. The son claimed the father wasn’t giving him his fair share. During a quarrel, he hit his father with a pestle,’ a resident recounted.

The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Police have since arrested the suspect to assist in investigations, while the body of the deceased has been deposited at the hospital morgue for autopsy.

Authorities say investigations are ongoing to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

The incident, which occurred last week, has left many farmers counting their losses and struggling to make ends meet. They claim the guards stormed the area without prior warning and cleared the farmlands, leaving behind destruction and despair.

Several affected farmers told reporters that they had invested heavily in their farms and depended solely on their produce to sustain their families.

‘This is all we have worked for. Now everything is gone,’ one farmer said in tears. ‘We were not even given a chance to harvest our crops. How are we supposed to survive?’

Another farmer expressed similar sentiments, noting that the loss has thrown their families into uncertainty.

The Nkosuohene of Manso Af?de?, Nana Kwaku Agyapong, has condemned the actions of the forest guards, describing them as excessive and inconsiderate.

‘We support the preservation of our forests, but such actions should not come at the expense of people’s livelihoods,’ he stated. ‘There must be dialogue and understanding between the Forestry Commission and our communities before such operations are carried out.’

The destruction has caused widespread fear among farmers, many of whom are now reluctant to return to their farms for fear of further attacks. Some residents also warned that the situation, if not addressed swiftly, could lead to tension and unrest in the area.

Community leaders and affected farmers are therefore appealing to the government and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to investigate the matter and ensure justice is served. They also called for compensation and the allocation of alternative farmlands to help them rebuild their lives.

The farmers emphasised that they are not against the enforcement of forestry laws, but urged authorities to adopt a more humane and consultative approach in dealing with such matters to prevent future conflicts.

Personnel of the National Security, in collaboration with the Fanteakwa South District Assembly in the Eastern Region, have arrested a landlord and four others for engaging in illegal mining activities.

The landlord (name withheld) is alleged to have sold his four-bedroom house at Osino for GHS800,000 to some individuals to undertake illegal mining.

According to preliminary findings, the suspects deceived residents by claiming they were digging a well, but it was later discovered that the pit had been expanded into a deep underground mine in search of gold.

Neighbouring residents immediately reported the development to the district authorities.

Acting on the tip-off, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Fanteakwa South, Mercy Korang, led security operatives to the site, resulting in the arrest of the suspects.

The team found the illegal miners actively working underground using washing equipment and other tools.

Upon arrival, it was also observed that several houses in the area had already been damaged or demolished, signaling preparations for full-scale mining operations.

Residents who spoke to the media said the illegal miners mostly operated under the cover of darkness to evade detection.

‘You can clearly see the extent of the damage caused by these illegal miners. It’s really traumatising. We are very worried our buildings could soon collapse due to underground mining operations,’ one affected resident said.

The DCE expressed shock and dismay at the incident, describing it as a ‘disturbing trend that must be stopped immediately.’

She vowed to intensify the district’s fight against illegal mining, warning that property owners and residents complicit in galamsey operations would face severe legal consequences.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, has given all Municipal and District Chief Executives (MDCEs) in the region a two-week ultimatum to profile miners and their financiers operating within their jurisdictions.

The directive aims to pave the way for a major crackdown on those polluting water bodies and destroying forest reserves.

The suspects are currently in the custody of the Osino Police for further investigation.

First-year Senior High School (SHS) students from the Effia Constituency in the Western Region have been urged to study hard and strive for moral and academic excellence.

The Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipal Director of Education, Madam Gloria Biney-Donkor made the call at a ceremony to distribute 200 metallic trunks and 200 mattresses to the first-year students.

The items, donated by the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Effia Constituency, Isaac Yaw Boamah-Nyarko, also included school bags, exercise books and provisions.

The Education Director admonished the students to justify the huge investments being made by the MP for their own good as well as their parents and the constituency.

Madam Biney-Donkor indicated that the initiative by the Effia MP has reinforced his commitment to education and youth development in the constituency.

She was hopeful that the intervention would reduce the financial pressure on parents as they prepare their children for the next stage of their academic journey.

‘I am encouraging the students to remain disciplined, focused, and determined in their studies,’ she stated.

Speaking to journalists later, the MP for Effia, Boamah-Nyarko noted that education remains his number one priority.

‘So it is important that we send a signal to our children that when they work hard and pass their examination well, they will be rewarded,’ he stressed.

He disclosed that students going to boarding houses were given the trunks and mattresses in addition to the bags and provisions, while the day students received school bags and provisions.

Mr. Boamah-Nyarko also indicated that he was identifying some needy parents whose children have qualified into SHS so he can extend some support to them.

‘These and other initiatives are broader ways of ensuring quality of education in the constituency,’ he mentioned.

The MP revealed that he also gave a significant support to an initiative by the municipal education directorate christened ‘Teachers Prize’.

He said it was aimed among others to motivate the teachers to also give their best.

The MP gave special awards, including cash prizes to students who excelled in the last Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the constituency.

Dentaa Amoateng, CEO of GUBA Awards and a consultant to the Recording Academy’s CEO, Harvey Mason Jr., has urged more Ghanaians to become members of the Grammy Recording Academy to boost the country’s chances of recognition at the prestigious awards.

Speaking on Hitz FM with Kwame Dadzie and Doreen Avio, Dentaa explained that the Grammy Awards are decided by members of the Academy, not by its executives.

‘The process of the Grammy Awards is that you have to be a member of the Recording Academy to vote. It is voted on by producers, musicians, and people in the industry,’ she said. ‘So more of us (Ghanaians) have to join to be able to vote.’

She also outlined the simple application process, noting that prospective members need two references – one from an existing member and another from a non-member who can verify their credentials.

Addressing concerns about non-Africans being eligible for the African Music Performance category, Dentaa said increased African participation in the Academy would help maintain the authenticity of the category.

Dentaa revealed plans to launch a campaign encouraging more Ghanaians to join the Academy, which currently has over 16,000 members, including more than 13,000 voting members.

Meanwhile, Ghanaian music executive Richie Mensah, CEO of Lynx Group of Companies, has been appointed as a voting member of the Recording Academy. His appointment has been widely celebrated as a major step forward for Ghana’s music industry.

German-born Ghanaian model, actress and film producer, Nana Akua Addo has explained reasons behind her less appearance at public gatherings in the country.

Speaking on TV3’s Afternoon Show, Nana Akua Addo clarified that making appearances at public gatherings are very expensive and she can’t afford to be everywhere.

‘With us, it takes a lot of preparation, and I’m very meticulous about what l wear, what l do, especially where l am going. Basically it takes a lot of time; that is why you don’t see me out a lot of time, because l can’t just afford that plus I’m a mother as well. Juggling everything together is quiet tasking,’ she said.

Speaking about her acting journey, Nana Akua Addo stated that her first role was a lead character, acting as the wife of Van Vicker in the movie titled ‘Nkuli’.

‘Acting found me, l didn’t go looking to act. When l relocated to Ghana, a producer called me saying, ‘Nana, Van Vicker needs a replacement that is Yvonne Okoro and they say we look alike so l need you to pick up the role’.

‘And it was a lead role, and l said l have never acted before. I took the chance and met Van, he was happy with me, he mentored me and went through some few coaching, and that was it,’ she disclosed.

The style icon, known for her bold and daring fashion choices, recently made waves in the fashion scene after she was spotted in a wooden handbag that became the centre of conversations on social media.

She wore a 3D-printed gown to the 2024 African Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), which was valued at ?16.5 million. The dress was a masterpiece that highlighted her sense of style and willingness to experiment with new designs.

At the 2025 AMVCA, Nana Akua Addo wore a tech-infused costume designed by Nichole Stylish and Metal Bender Studio. The outfit featured wearable ABS material and a kinetic structure that added a mesmerising effect to her overall look.

Her ability to pull off different styles and designs has earned her a reputation as a fashion icon in Ghana and beyond.

Her fashion choices have been widely covered in the media, with many praising her creativity and sense of style.

For years, Niger and China are friendly nations bound by a strong win-win cooperation covering various fields. China is Niger’s primary partner in terms of investments. On the international stage, Niger and China maintain excellent cooperation and mutually support each other. The two countries share a common vision of tirelessly working towards building a better, just, and equitable world. Notable examples include the exploitation of Niger’s oil by the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) since 2011, marked by the launch of the Zinder Refinery Company (SORAZ) on November 1, 2023. This achievement was made possible by the construction of a roughly 2000 km-long pipeline from the Agadem oil fields in Niger to the port of Sèmè in Benin, constituting the longest pipeline in Africa.

It is crucial to note that Niger benefits from the investments of CNPC’ projects. Contrasting with European and American oil companies which only focus on investing in exploration and development of oil and natural gas, CNPC aims to help the host country build a complete industrial system through investment in not only upstream resource exploration and exploitation but also pipelines and refineries in the downstream. In addition, as a corporate citizen of African communities, CNPC has been committed to fulfilling its social responsibilities and promoting cultural exchange between China and Niger to cement public support for building a China-Niger community with a shared future. Dedicated to seeking win-win cooperation rather than simply obtaining resources from Niger, CNPC has continued unremitting efforts to blaze a trail for the local oil industry and contribute to local economic and social development based on technological and management experience accumulated over years. Oil cooperation projects are serving as bridges of friendship between CNPC and Niger.

However, from this year, Niger has announced a series of measures to tighten its oil cooperation with CNPC, citing CNPC’s failure to implement local content reforms and demanding a greater national presence in the sector. The deterioration of relations between China and Niger can lead to a breach of contract given that Chinese firms are entitled to recoup their investment. In June 2025, Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi hosted a high-level delegation from Niger in Beijing, urging them to handle the disputes with CNPC ‘properly and through dialogue’ and reminding them of Beijing’s expectation that they ‘ensure the safety and rights of Chinese companies and citizens in Niger.’While till now, the tensions still exist.

Investments rely on upholding the rule of law, stability, independent courts and means of arbitration, transparency, and predictability. Such environments are more committed to respecting contracts and protecting investors from arbitrary rules and decrees. When the rule of law is arbitrary, investors are at constant risk. The nature and quality of governance should be key considerations in investment decisions. In this matter, both of China and Niger need a reliable means of dispute resolution.