Category: Daily Guide Network

Thieves have broken into the transmission room of the Marhaba Media Limited, owners of Marhaba FM, a major Hausa radio station in Accra, making away with three air-conditioners.

The Monday theft occurred at the location of the transmitters at Kwabenya Comic near Brekusu.

The thieves also emptied the diesel fuel in the reserve tank at the station.

The fuel is used to power the standby generator when there is power outage at the location.

Given the importance of a cooling system for the transmitters, the CEO, Alhaji Baba Sheriff Abdullai, said replacements have been made already to maintain the integrity of the system and to ensure normal transmission of programmes.

Marhaba FM is the channel of choice for most residents of the many Zongo communities in Accra and beyond.

Metro TV, as the location of the transmitters is also called, host equipment of four other radio stations in Accra.

The theft was so craftily done that it was the handiwork of persons with knowledge of the place.

Serving as Australia’s High Commissioner to Ghana has been an immense honour. Over the last four years, I have come to know a country of exceptional richness, not only because of its natural resources, but above all because of the strength, creativity and resilience of its people.

I arrived as the world was still emerging from the pandemic. Since then, I have watched Ghana navigate economic pressure, hold elections, and remain a source of steadiness in a region where several neighbours have not had that luxury. What has stayed with me most, though, are the people: ministers and traditional leaders, entrepreneurs and artists, students and academics, market traders and small business owners. Each conversation taught me something I would not have understood from a briefing paper.

Arriving at a time of real economic strain gave me a front row seat to something I don’t think I fully appreciated before Ghana: the sheer fortitude it takes to keep a business open, keep a family fed, keep building toward something, when the cost of living keeps climbing and infrastructure can’t always keep pace. I don’t say that as an outside verdict on Ghana’s economy. I say it because living alongside it changed how I think about resilience altogether.

What struck me, again and again, was how little that resilience was matched by resignation. Ghana’s institutions have held. Its commitment to democratic governance has held. Its role in West Africa, particularly as a voice for stability, has been consistent even when the region around it has not been.

For Australia, Ghana is a trusted partner in a region of growing strategic and economic weight. For Ghana, I hope Australia has offered something of value in return, not just investment, but a genuine willingness to engage on equal terms. After four years here, I believe this is a relationship with strong foundations, built less on scale than on substance: practical, grounded in shared interest, and carried forward as much by people to people ties as by anything signed between governments.

Mining sits at the centre of that. Ghana’s position as a leading gold producer aligns naturally with Australia’s mining expertise, and I’ve watched Australian companies here take seriously their responsibility to host communities, investing in skills, safety and environmental standards alongside their operations. It’s a partnership I believe still has room to grow.

People to people links are the other cornerstone. Through the Australia Awards programme, Ghanaian professionals continue to access world class education and training, and return home to put it to work, building over time a network of alumni across government, industry and civil society that I think will outlast any of our individual postings. Alongside that, Australia’s Direct Aid Programme has backed local initiatives in education, gender equality and community development, work that succeeds because of the strength of Ghanaian partner organisations, not despite it.

A visit to Jamestown earlier this year offered a close look at community-led effort in practice: young people in workshops at the Adanse Stool House, mothers receiving care, including support for postpartum mental health, at the Jamestown Maternity Home, and a community working to preserve its own heritage even as it builds toward its future. It was the kind of visit that stays with you, and I was glad to put the organisers in touch with our Direct Aid Programme team.

I was also glad that during my time here, the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) opened an office in Accra, supporting work on agricultural productivity and climate resilience that matters enormously in a country where food security and climate variability are not abstract concerns.

Ghana’s foundation for the years ahead looks strong to me: a resilient democracy, extraordinary human capital, abundant natural resources, and a diaspora that punches well above its weight globally. What comes next, turning that stability into transformation, is Ghana’s story to write, and I say that with real confidence in the people I’ve come to know here.

On a personal level, four years in Accra asked more of me than I expected, the heat, the traffic, the occasional bureaucratic maze that tests everyone’s patience eventually. But what I’ll carry with me is the warmth of the Ghanaian people, and how much that warmth taught me. In a region where my work spanned nine countries, it was the quality of individual connection here that made this posting feel genuinely human. Ghanaian culture opened doors I didn’t know I was looking for, music that travels far beyond these borders, visual artists whose work I still think about, a generosity of spirit I’ve tried to carry with me into every room since.

Some of what I’ll carry home is more personal than any programme.

Years ago, my own child needed heart surgery, and I never expected that experience to find its way back to me in Ghana. It did, when I found myself helping raise funds through the Melbourne Cup charity ball for The Children’s Heart Foundation Ghana. That effort helped fund surgery for two children in Accra this year. It’s not the kind of thing you plan for when you take up a posting, and it ended up meaning more to me than almost anything on the official calendar.

Ghana does not let you stay at arm’s length, and I’m grateful for that. I leave a better diplomat for having been here. More than that, I leave having been genuinely changed by this country, and by the people who were generous enough to let me in.

Auto firm Tryton Motors Ltd. has reaffirmed its support for Ghanaian football after signing sponsorship agreements with Women’s side Jonina Football Academy Ladies and Ghana Premier League club, Debibi United FC.

The deals, unveiled at a ceremony attended by football administrators, club officials, players and the media, are aimed at supporting club development, youth empowerment and community engagement through football.

Group Business Development Director of Tryton Motors, Alhaji Fadi Fattal, said the partnership goes beyond branding to include fan engagement activities, community outreach programmes, media campaigns and club activations designed to raise the visibility of both teams.

He described football as, ‘a powerful platform for inspiring young people, uniting communities and promoting values such as discipline, teamwork, leadership and perseverance.’

‘Tryton Motors remains committed to investing in initiatives that create opportunities for young talent while contributing to the overall development of Ghanaian football,’ Mr. Fattal added.

Jonina Ladies CEO, Betty Rosby Mensah, described the sponsorship as a significant milestone for the club and for women’s football in the country.

She said the deal reflects growing corporate confidence in the women’s game and pledged that Jonina Ladies would represent the Tryton Motors brand with professionalism, discipline and creativity while continuing to develop female talent.

Debibi United CEO, Richard Ntow, also welcomed the partnership, noting it comes at a critical stage in the club’s growth.

‘The support will help strengthen player development, improve the club’s operations and create more opportunities for young footballers to realise their potential,’ he said.

The event also highlighted financial challenges facing women’s football in Ghana.

Speakers urged more corporate organisations to invest in the women’s game.

They expressed optimism that partnerships such as Tryton Motors’ would inspire greater private sector support, improve player welfare and contribute to the long-term growth and sustainability of football in the country.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has annulled Constituency Executive Elections held over the weekend in three constituencies in the Ashanti Region, citing violations of party directives and electoral rules.

The decision was taken by the National Steering Committee at its meeting on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, as part of a review of the 2026 Constituency Executive Elections conducted across the country.

According to the party, the elections in Bantama, Afigya Sekyere East, and Adansi Asokwa constituencies were conducted in ‘flagrant disregard’ of party directives, the rules and regulations governing the 2026 polls, and in some cases, subsisting court orders.

The NPP said the purported elections in the three constituencies are ‘null and void with immediate effect.’

Ashanti Regional Executives Summoned

The National Steering Committee has also summoned the Ashanti Regional Steering Committee to appear before it on Tuesday, July 21, 2026.

They are expected to account for the circumstances surrounding the conduct of the elections in the affected constituencies.

The party did not announce new dates for the elections but said further directives will be communicated after engagements with the regional leadership.

The 2026 Constituency Executive Elections are part of the NPP’s internal restructuring ahead of the 2028 general election.

New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has urged Ghanaians to protect the country’s inter-religious tolerance, saying faith must be a bridge for nation building and not a source of division.

He gave the admonition on Saturday in Wenchi during the dedication of a new 800-capacity cathedral of the Lighthouse Chapel International to the memory of Ghana’s former Prime Minister, Prof. Kofi Abrefa Busia.

The ceremony coincided with the anniversary of Prof. Busia’s death. The cathedral, with ancillary facilities, was financed by Prof. Busia’s children and former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The event was held under the theme: ‘Faith That Builds Nations: Character, Service and the Ghana We Want to Build Together.’

As part of the dedication, a biographical film titled ‘The Prof: A Heart of Faith’ was premiered. The 90-minute film traced Prof. Busia’s life from his childhood in Wenchi through his years as a university don to his tenure as Prime Minister between 1969 and 1972.

Dr. Bawumia described Prof. Busia’s life as one anchored in faith, character and service.

‘His life cannot be reduced to politics alone, it is a story that is shaped by faith,’ he said.

‘His faith formed him and because he was anchored on strong values, he was able to serve with a moral seriousness that still speaks to us today.’

He said the values that shaped Prof. Busia should compel Ghanaians to reflect on the kind of faith they profess, the character they carry, and the kind of service they offer.

‘Faith that does not help build a better society has not fully answered its calling,’ Dr. Bawumia stated. ‘It shaped his understanding of human dignity and commitment to democracy. It shaped his conviction that government must serve people and not dominate them.’

Speaking as a Muslim in a Christian cathedral, Dr. Bawumia said Ghana’s religious harmony is a blessing that must be guarded jealously.

‘As a Muslim, I stand here today in this Christian cathedral with deep respect and gratitude,’ he said.

‘In many parts of the world, religion has become a source of suspicion and conflict, but in Ghana, by the grace of God, faith can still be a bridge. This blessing we must protect jealously. We must never take it for granted,’ he stressed.

He called on citizens to come together across faith lines to build the country.

‘Faith should not divide us but deepen our humanity, not weaken us but enrich us, and not judge one another by labels but by the quality of our character and the sincerity of our service,’ he said.

Tributes

Archbishop Eddie Fabin, preaching on behalf of Lighthouse founder Bishop Dag Heward-Mills, commended the Busia family for building the cathedral.

Quoting 1 Kings 8:18, he noted that just as David’s son built the temple, it was fitting that Prof. Busia’s children built a house for the Lord.

The country is set to receive a guaranteed income of GHS550 million from KGL Technology Limited for the 2027 financial year, following the renegotiation of the National Lottery Authority (NLA) – KGL deal.

According to credible information picked up by the DAILY GUIDE, the amount is based on a new 50-50 revenue sharing model on Gross Gaming Income (GGI).

The figure is expected to increase in 2028. The renegotiation was carried out by a committee set up by President John Mahama to review lottery operations and improve state revenue from the sector.

A source familiar with the deal said the new arrangement is ‘a great deal’ for the state, with payments to be channelled through the NLA and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

‘This new income share model of 50-50 on the gross gaming income is expected to be introduced across the entire lottery sector,’ the source added.

Background

Lottery operations in Ghana have come under scrutiny in recent years over revenue leakages and disputes between the NLA and its private operators.

KGL Technology Limited is the licensed online lottery operator working in partnership with the NLA.

Under previous agreements, the revenue sharing formula and remittances to government had been a subject of public debate and parliamentary attention.

The Mahama administration set up the review committee as part of efforts to sanitise the gaming sector, block revenue leakages and ensure the state gets fair value from lottery operations.

Officials say the introduction of a uniform 50-50 GGI model across the sector is aimed at improving transparency, increasing government receipts, and creating a level playing field for all licensed operators.

The NLA is mandated to regulate lottery and games of chance in Ghana, with proceeds expected to support national development and social intervention programmes.

Former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Paul Awentami Afoko, has formally announced his intention to contest for the party’s National Chairmanship with a pledge to help the NPP recapture power from the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2028 election.

Mr. Afoko, who announced this at a press conference on Tuesday in Accra, disclosed that his vision is anchored on three key pillars: reuniting, rebuilding and recapturing political power. He said his decision followed months of extensive consultations with the party’s leadership and grassroots members across the country.

According to him, he has engaged key stakeholders within the party, including former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Akufo-Addo, the party’s 2024 presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Members of Parliament and parliamentary candidates, as well as several elders of the party.

Mr. Afoko said the feedback from the consultations shaped his desire around the theme ‘Reunite, Rebuild and Recapture,’ aimed at restoring unity and repositioning the party to unseat the NDC in the 2028 election, rather than personal ambition.

He pledged to restore what he described as the party’s enduring values of respect, discipline, tolerance, service and loyalty, adding that he would lead a process of reconciling members of the party rather than encouraging factionalism within the party.

‘I am not coming to lead one faction against another. I am coming to help reconcile the party. I am coming to build bridges across generations, across regions, across tendencies and across camps among all genuine party people who believe in our tradition.

‘We cannot win when old wounds remain open. We cannot win when loyal members feel excluded, humiliated, ignored or pushed aside. We cannot win when our internal competition becomes internal destruction,’ he stated.

Mr. Afoko stated that he would strengthen the party’s structures from the polling station level to the national level, as the success of the NPP in the next elections largely depends on the grassroots of the party.

‘No political party wins power by wishful thinking. Parties win through organisation, strong structures, constituency strength, credible data, disciplined messaging and respect for the grassroots,’ he said.

He promised that, if elected, he would serve as ‘a team player, a field commander, a reconciler, an organiser, a fundraiser, a disciplinarian, a listener and a servant of the party.’

Mr. Afoko further urged the party to reconnect with the business community, acknowledging that the NPP had lost the confidence of many Ghanaians following the 2024 general election, but indicated that the ‘NPP remained the natural home of business, enterprise, innovation and wealth creation.’

He mentioned that though most Ghanaians felt disappointed about the NPP, leadership of the party should be humble to listen and learn from mistakes made.

Mr. Afoko stressed that the youth should be given greater opportunities within the party, adding that the party must embrace innovation and prepare them for emerging jobs. He also urged the NPP not to neglect the central role of women in the party’s quest to recapture power in 2028.

Mr. Afoko further rejected attempts to place the party’s 2024 electoral defeat solely on the shoulders of its presidential candidate, stating that elections are won and lost through several factors, including organisation, communication, economic conditions, public trust and grassroots morale.

‘After internal elections, we must all stand under one banner, one flag, the NPP, Ghana needs a strong NPP. Our democracy needs a responsible opposition, and we must show that we have learned our lessons and are ready to govern again with humility, competence, compassion and seriousness.

‘The task ahead is not his alone. No presidential candidate can win without a united party, strong organisation, disciplined structures, motivated grassroots and a parliamentary strategy that works constituency by constituency. The duty before us now is not to blame, the duty before us is to rebuild this party,’ Mr. Afoko stated.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) will hold its national delegates conference to elect national officers and consider proposed amendments to the party’s constitution on Saturday, September 19, 2026 in Kumasi.

An aspiring Ashanti Regional Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Yiadom Boakye Emmanuel, popularly known as YB, has promised to revive the party’s grassroots mobilisation system by reintroducing electoral area youth wings if elected.

According to him, a strong and vibrant youth wing must begin from the electoral area level, where party members can be effectively organised and engaged.

Speaking on Owia TV during an interview hosted by Nana Yaw Boamah, alias Libya Burger, YB said the electoral area youth wing structure was one of the strategies that helped strengthen the party’s base under the leadership of former Ashanti Regional Youth Organiser, Justin Kodua Frimpong.

He said the structure provided a platform for young party activists across the region to participate actively in party activities and contributed to effective grassroots mobilisation.

‘We shall return to the period where every weekend was busy for leaders in the region, engaging the base and strengthening the party,’ he said.

YB pledged to unite the youth front of the party and restore their confidence and commitment to the NPP.

He said, ‘I will ensure that I bring everyone, especially the youth, together within my capacity and convince them to love the party again.’

The youth organiser hopeful stated that his campaign is anchored on rebuilding the party’s organisational structures and preparing the NPP for victory in the next general election.

Reflecting on the party’s successful campaign ahead of the 2016 general elections, YB said the NPP implemented effective strategies that contributed significantly to its victory.

He, however, expressed concern that subsequent party leadership had failed to maintain those strategies, a situation he believes has affected the party’s fortunes in the Ashanti Region.

‘I don’t know whether it is due to forgetfulness or a deliberate decision to discontinue those processes,’ he said.

YB recalled that he was a student during the period leading to the 2016 elections but closely followed the activities of the party’s leaders and learnt from their organisational approach.

He expressed confidence that with the right structures and commitment, the NPP youth wing in Ashanti Region could regain its vibrancy and play a major role in the party’s future success.

The Minority Caucus in Parliament yesterday boycotted a scheduled briefing by the Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Dr. Johnson Asiama, after the Majority voted to exclude the media from covering proceedings of the Committee of the Whole.

The boycott followed a disagreement between the two sides over whether journalists should be allowed to witness the Governor’s appearance before Parliament to answer questions on the Bank’s foreign exchange market interventions, reserve management and financial performance.

Addressing journalists after suspending their participation, the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Economy and Development Committee, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, accused the Majority of attempting to conceal critical information from the Ghanaian public.

According to him, the Minority had filed three questions for the Governor seeking to establish the source of the foreign exchange being used to support the cedi, the framework governing the Bank’s foreign exchange interventions and the total amount injected into the market.

He said the questions had become necessary following months of public debate over the Bank’s management of the exchange rate and concerns about its growing financial losses.

‘At the end of the day, the people of Ghana will pay. That is why we are raising these questions so that we can also share other risks that we are not paying attention to,’ Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said.

Forex Source

The former Works and Housing Minister claimed the Governor’s written responses, already captured on Parliament’s Order Paper, indicated that since August 2024 the Bank had not relied on its foreign reserves for direct market interventions.

Instead, he said, the Governor explained that the interventions had been financed with foreign exchange proceeds generated through the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme.

Mr. Oppong Nkrumah argued that the response confirmed that the Bank was mobilising forex from the gold purchase programme to support the cedi, contrary to what he suggested had been the government’s public narrative.

He questioned why the Majority would prevent the Governor from publicly explaining the policy if the responses had already been officially submitted to Parliament.

The Minority also expressed concern that the strategy could undermine the nation’s reserve accumulation efforts by diverting foreign exchange that could otherwise strengthen the country’s reserve position.

Mr. Oppong Nkrumah further alleged that the Bank had provided outdated figures on the volume of forex injected into the market, saying the Governor’s responses did not contain the latest data and that follow-up questions would have sought clarification.

He also raised concerns about what he described as additional losses at the central bank, insisting that Parliament was yet to receive the Bank’s audited accounts through the Finance Minister as required by law.

According to him, Parliament had a duty to scrutinise the Bank’s financial position because any losses ultimately become a burden on taxpayers.

The Minority maintained that preventing media coverage undermined Parliament’s commitment to transparency and accountability.

‘This is the people’s House. This is where the people must hear the answers to all these questions,’ Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said, adding that the Minority’s leadership would continue engaging the Majority in the hope that the proceedings would eventually be opened to the public.

Majority Responds

Responding to the boycott, the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, dismissed suggestions that the Majority was attempting to hide information from the public.

He explained that under Standing Order 266, meetings of parliamentary committees, including the Committee of the Whole, may be held in public only if the committee so determines.

Mr. Ayariga said Parliament’s longstanding practice has been to hear independent constitutional bodies, including the Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund and the National Health Insurance Authority, without media coverage unless members expressly decide otherwise.

He argued that the Governor of the BoG should not be treated differently merely because the Minority insisted on television coverage.

According to him, the Governor had already prepared a press statement containing the answers to all the questions and was ready to make it available to journalists, which demonstrates that there was no attempt to conceal information.

‘The Governor himself knew there would be journalists. His answers are already captured in a press release and he was willing to share them with the media,’ Mr. Ayariga said.

He accused the Minority of prioritising ‘media optics’ over parliamentary scrutiny, arguing that if their primary objective was accountability, they should have remained in the meeting to question the Governor directly.

Former Executive Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation (IMCCoD), Dennis Miracle Aboagye, has spoken following his release from the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) custody after fulfilling a GHS50m bail condition on Tuesday evening.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, Mr. Aboagye said EOCO did not discuss any matter relating to the alleged theft of GHS55 million public funds with him, contrary to claims circulating in sections of the media.

‘FOR THE RECORDS: THERE WAS NO Discussion OF ANY GHS55 million cedis with me by EOCO. None!!!’ Dennis Miracle Aboagye wrote in the post.

Mr. Aboagye described his arrest as an unsuccessful attempt by EOCO to intimidate him. He said his detention had instead strengthened his resolve to remain steadfast, adding that he was encouraged by the support he received from party members during his time in custody.

‘If the intention was to break me, it has failed. If the intention was to scare me, it has failed spectacularly. Fuel has only been added to fire. I will lead New Patriotic Party’s Communications Directorate to command the narrative, and no cell, no false story, no intimidation will change that,’ he stated.

‘You did not just defend Dennis Miracles Aboagye; you defended the principle that no voice can be intimidated into silence. Built to Lead. Ready to Win, #CommandTheNarrative,’ he added, urging supporters to move forward ‘stronger, louder, together.’

He also expressed appreciation to his legal team and the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for their support throughout the period of his detention.

Meanwhile, lead counsel for Miracles Aboagye, Samuel Atta Akyea, in an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem programme, corroborated claims by his client that he was never questioned over the alleged financial and procurement-related irregularities involving GHS55 million.

According to Samuel Atta Akyea, the alleged GHS55 million reported by EOCO’s public statement did not feature in the interrogation conducted by the team of investigators.

Mr. Atta Akyea said he was present throughout the interrogation, stating that the interrogations rather focused only on procurement procedures and contracts related to priority projects valued at about GHS5 million.

‘He was not interrogated concerning the charges contained in EOCO’s statement. I was there during the interrogation, and what transpired was about the procurement process and some contracts involving priority projects, which was about GHS5 million.

‘The person who has accepted that he has taken money and is already paying is not even close to Miracles’ matter. They did not even ask him about any finance director. It was not part of the interrogation,’ he stated.

Mr. Atta Akyea also accused EOCO of misleading the public by connecting his client’s link to a GHS55 million allegation, while describing the GHS50 million bail condition granted to his client as excessive.

‘If you don’t understand the law, then you bring something outrageous to accuse the person, and then give the person a huge bail. To me, that is bad,’ he added.

Mr. Aboagye was arrested by EOCO at the Accra International Airport on Sunday in connection with investigations into the alleged misappropriation of about GHS55 million at the Secretariat during the NPP’s administration.

According to EOCO, Mr. Aboagye’s arrest followed months of investigations into alleged financial and procurement-related irregularities at the Secretariat. The investigation also involves the former Accountant at the Secretariat, Gerald Appiah.

In a statement dated July 13, EOCO said the investigations stemmed from a petition submitted by the current Executive Secretary of Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation requesting further investigations into a forensic audit covering the period between August 1, 2022, and February 2, 2025.

The statement said the investigations, which commenced last year following an initial forensic audit, focused on the suspected misappropriation, misapplication, diversion and theft of public funds amounting to about GHS55 million.

EOCO said Mr. Aboagye, Mr. Appiah and other individuals were being investigated for conspiracy to steal, stealing, using public office for profit, causing financial loss to the state, dissipation of public funds, defrauding by false pretences, money laundering, and other suspected offences.