Category: Daily Guide Network

A High Court has issued a warrant permitting the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to arrest the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, in connection with ongoing investigations into his law firm’s representation of SIC Life Savings and Loans.

The warrant was issued on the back of an ex parte motion filed by lawyers for EOCO claiming they had exhausted all reasonable means of securing the MP’s voluntary attendance.

EOCO’s lawyers told the court that they feared that documents relevant to the investigations could be concealed, altered or destroyed, hence the need to arrest the MP.

The warrant allows EOCO’s officers to arrest the MP as well as search and seize documents relevant to the investigation.

The development comes on the back of EOCO’s failed attempt to arrest the MP at the premises of the Law Court Complex on September 23, 2026.

The attempt resulted in a chaotic situation as the MP sought clarity from the EOCO officer who attempted to arrest him, enquiring among others, her identity as an officer of the anti-graft agency.

Mr. Awuah had always maintained that he does not have any personal involvement in the ongoing investigation, clarifying that the investigation relates to his law firm’s representation of SIC Life Savings and Loans.

He has also clarified that pursuant to EOCO’s invitation, a representative of his law firm subsequently appeared before investigators on March 4, March 18, and April 30, and provided the information requested, as well as a written statement.

Mr. Awuah is reportedly being sought by EOCO for allegedly charging unapproved legal fees during his representation of SIC Life Savings and Loans.

EOCO, in a statement following the failed arrest, said Mr. Awuah had failed to honour two invitations in respect of ongoing investigation.

‘The Office had previously invited Hon. Baffour Awuah to assist with the investigation on two occasion in February 2026. The invitations were not honoured. The Office has since taken steps to secure his attendance in accordance with the law and the attempted arrest today represents one of the lawful steps,’ EOCO said in a statement.

Lawyer Debunks Claims

But Mr. Awuah, in a sharp rebuttal, debunked claims that the investigations relate to the legal fees his law firm charged.

He pointed out that the legal fees of Sarkodie Baffour Awuah and Partners, being lawyers for SIC Life Savings and Loans, was not paid out of the Settlement amount of GHS 5,000,000.

He said the legal fees paid Sarkodie Baffour and Awuah Partners was separate and independent of the settlement amount.

‘No money was transferred by SBA and Partners to the MD of SIC Life Savings and Loans at the time as alleged,’ he clarified.

He also noted that no land belonging to SIC Life Savings and Loans or any other entity for that matter was sold in the case, much less at the alleged undervalued amount of GHS 24,000,000.

Socialite, Efia Odo, has questioned the rollout of the Ghana Police Service’s TRAFFITECH-GH initiative, saying authorities should fix faulty traffic lights before spending money on traffic cameras.

TRAFFITECH-GH aims to use technology to monitor road users and enforce traffic regulations as part of efforts to curb indiscipline on the roads.

But Efia Odo believes fixing basic road infrastructure should be given priority.

In a post on X yesterday, September 30, she questioned why resources were going to cameras when some traffic lights across the country weren’t working.

‘Traffic lights don’t even work, but somehow y’all have a budget to install cameras? Great idea, but how ’bout we get the lights to work first!!’ she wrote.

Her comments have drawn attention to the need to address existing road infrastructure challenges alongside the introduction of technology-driven traffic enforcement.

This weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia has been declared a heat-hazard race, the third time the designation has been used this year.

A heat hazard is an official status for an event where it is forecast that temperatures will be more than 31C at some point during the race.

The Sepang track, near Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur, is close to the equator and has long been known as one of the most demanding for drivers.

Temperatures are forecast to be in the 31-33C region across the race weekend, with a high humidity level and chance of rain every day.

This weekend’s event is being held in Malaysia as a way of running the Bahrain race, which was postponed from its original April date because of the war in the Middle East.

A number of Bahrain-related activities are being planned across the weekend to emphasise the Gulf kingdom’s role in the event.

The heat-hazard ruling means drivers can use an in-car system that flows cooled liquid, such as glycol, through a system of pipes in a fireproof top worn under their overalls.

The cooling kit is not mandatory, but any driver who chooses not to use it has to carry 5kg of ballast in their car to ensure there is no competitive advantage.

Bahrain/Malaysia follows the Austrian and Italian Grands Prix in being declared a heat hazard this year.

The designation was first introduced last year, once the technology for the cooling vest had been developed.

Some drivers prefer not to use the cooling kit because of discomfort, and because there have been issues with the coolant running out before a grand prix is finished.

In that case, the liquid ends up at car temperature, which is considerably higher than ambient.

Temperatures in the cockpit of an F1 car can be more than 40C, and drivers are wearing several layers of fireproof clothing – in addition to a balaclava and helmet – so overheating is a serious concern.

The media has been urged to intensify public education on Ghana’s ongoing constitutional reform process to enable citizens to understand, interrogate and participate meaningfully in the proposed changes.

Victoria Asumin of the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Team of Amnesty International made the call on Tuesday, September 29, at a two-day media engagement on constitutional reforms in Kumasi.

The programme, organised by the Citizens’ Platform on Constitutional Reforms (CPCR), brought together media practitioners and civil society organisations to examine the recommendations of the Constitution Review Committee, the Government’s position and proposals from civil society groups.

Ms. Asumin said the constitutional reform process had moved beyond the stage of making recommendations and was now at the critical implementation stage, requiring a clear roadmap to guide the process.

She said civil society organisations were therefore advocating the passage of a Constitutional Reform Implementation and Roadmap Act to define what should be done, which institutions should be responsible and when each stage should be completed.

According to her, such a framework would also provide timelines for public consultations, preparation of legislation, parliamentary consideration, civic education and referendums where required.

206 Proposals

Ms. Asumin said the eight-member Constitution Review Committee, chaired by Professor H. Kwesi Prempeh, submitted its final report to the President on February 10, 2026, containing 206 proposals.

She explained that 149 of the proposals sought amendments to existing constitutional provisions, while 59 were entirely new provisions.

The committee, she said, conducted 10 thematic stakeholder engagements, received more than 500 expert and practitioner inputs, reached over 21,500 people and received 785 written submissions.

She said the review was intended to make constitutional governance more effective for national development while protecting Ghana’s democratic gains.

Five-Year Term

Touching on some of the major recommendations, Ms. Asumin said the committee had proposed a five-year presidential term instead of the current four-year tenure.

She clarified that the proposal did not introduce a third presidential term and noted that the Government had accepted the five-year presidential tenure.

The reforms also cover presidential appointments, Parliament, local government, natural resources and public finances, independent constitutional institutions, political parties and elections, the Judiciary and accountability, as well as national development planning.

Not Yet Law

Ms. Asumin cautioned that the recommendations were not yet law and would have to go through the appropriate constitutional and legislative processes.

She explained that while some provisions could be amended through Parliament, entrenched provisions would require the additional referendum process prescribed by the Constitution.

She disclosed that Government had inaugurated an 11-member Constitution Review Implementation Committee chaired by Presidential Legal Counsel and former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Marietta Brew.

The committee is expected to examine the recommendations alongside the Government’s position paper and develop a framework for implementing the proposals accepted by Government.

Reforms May Cross 2028

Ms. Asumin said the scale of the reforms raised concerns about whether the process could be completed before the 2028 general election.

She said the proposals reportedly involved more than 50 amendments and over 14 bills, including new legislation and amendments to existing laws.

She said civil society groups were therefore pushing for a legally binding framework to ensure that the reform process continued even if there was a change of government or Parliament.

Without such a framework, she warned, the process could lose momentum or be interrupted by political transitions.

Media Role

The Amnesty International representative said the media had a critical responsibility to ensure that the constitutional reform conversation reached ordinary citizens across the country.

She said civic education should not be concentrated in Accra, Kumasi and other major urban centres, but should extend to communities with limited access to traditional media, digital platforms and formal civic education programmes.

She urged journalists to provide accurate, balanced and issue-based reports on the reforms to help citizens understand the proposals and participate in the process.

Women, PWDs

The engagement also highlighted the need for broader representation in Ghana’s political and decision-making structures.

Ms. Asumin said the Affirmative Action Law Coalition and other women’s rights organisations were advocating proportional representation and the constitutional entrenchment of gender quotas.

She also stressed the importance of ensuring that young people, persons with disabilities and other groups had opportunities to participate in the reform process.

She said the constitutional reform debate should not be left to politicians, lawyers, academics and government officials alone.

The two-day engagement, which began on Tuesday, is being facilitated by Gifty Nti Konadu, a CDD-Ghana/CPCR representative, Christopher Dapaah of the Local Government Network and members of the CPCR Regional Coordinating Team.

The organisers said the programme was designed to equip journalists with the knowledge needed to provide credible and balanced coverage of the reform process and facilitate informed public participation.

The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has generated US$1.871 billion in foreign exchange (FX) from its Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) gold trade operations in September 2026, exceeding its monthly target of US$1.4 billion by US$471 million.

The strong performance represents 134 per cent of GoldBod’s announced target for the month, reinforcing the Board’s role in generating foreign exchange for Ghana through its gold trading operations.

According to GoldBod’s latest FX generation and Sales Update, US$701.3 million of the amount generated was sold to authorised commercial banks, slightly exceeding the set target of US$700 million. This was intended to support stability in the foreign exchange market.

A further US$1.170 billion was provided to the Bank of Ghana (BoG), significantly exceeding the set target of US$700 million, to support the accumulation of the foreign exchange reserves.

These FX sales are conducted in accordance with GoldBod’s mandate under Section 2(b) of the Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 (Act 1140), which provides the statutory basis for the Board’s foreign exchange generation activities from its gold trade operations.

In August 2026, GoldBod generated US$1.315 billion in foreign exchange. Of this amount, US$668.21 million was sold directly to commercial banks through spot sales and funded forward arrangements, while a further US$646.59 million was made available to the Bank of Ghana (BoG) for reserve accumulation under the Ghana Accelerated National Reserve Accumulation Policy (GANRAP).

For October 2026, GoldBod has set a foreign exchange generation target of US$1.5 billion.

Of the projected amount, US$1 billion will be made available to commercial banks to support FX market stability, while up to US$500 million will be provided to the Bank of Ghana to support the building of Ghana’s reserves in line with the Ghana Accelerated National Reserves Accumulation Policy.

GoldBod said the October programme will be implemented under its newly developed Spot FX Sales/Intermediation Framework, which is intended to strengthen transparency, fairness and regulatory compliance in the management of FX sales and intermediation by the Board.

The October announcement marks the exit of the Bank of Ghana from FX intermediation and the assumption of full responsibility for FX intermediation by GoldBod.

The Board reaffirmed its commitment to its statutory mandate to generate foreign exchange for Ghana and said it would continue to work closely with all stakeholders in executing its FX generation and sales programme.

The Gold Fields Ghana Foundation (GFGF) has donated nine electricity transformers to four communities in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem and Prestea Huni-Valley municipalities in the Western Region to improve power supply and strengthen critical electrical infrastructure.

The beneficiaries are Awudua, Abekoase, Samahu and Benso, as well as the Tarkwa and Aboso Stadium (TnA Stadium).

The nine transformers comprise one 315 kVA transformer, rated at 33/0.433 kV, 50Hz, Dyn11, with copper windings, which was presented to the Awudua community.

Two 100 kVA transformers, also rated at 33/0.433 kV, 50Hz, Dyn11, with copper windings, were donated to Abekoase.

Samahu received one 315 kVA and one 250 kVA transformer, both rated at 33/0.433 kV, 50Hz, Dyn11, with copper windings.

The TnA Stadium received one 500 kVA transformer, rated at 11 kV/415 V, three-phase ONAN oil-cooled, with an off-load tap changer of 0, +2.5 per cent and +5 per cent.

Benso also received three 100 kVA transformers, rated at 33/0.433 kV, 50Hz, Dyn11, with copper windings and PMT.

The Managing Director of Gold Fields Ghana, Elliot Twum, said the donation was part of the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to supporting essential community infrastructure and improving the quality of life of residents in the company’s host communities.

‘This intervention is intended to address electricity supply challenges, including inadequate distribution capacity and power interruptions, while meeting the growing electricity demands of households, businesses, community facilities and public infrastructure,’ he said.

He noted that the initiative was also expected to contribute to a more reliable electricity supply for the TnA Stadium in Tarkwa, supporting its operational needs and sporting activities.

Mr. Twum said the donation formed part of GFGF’s broader community development portfolio, through which the Foundation had invested more than $113.20 million in community development initiatives.

‘Through this intervention, Gold Fields Ghana Foundation reaffirms its commitment to balanced and sustainable community development, working with relevant stakeholders to address infrastructure needs,’ he said.

The Tarkwa District Manager of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Engineer Odame, assured residents that the new transformers would help improve electricity supply and reduce pressure on the local power network.

He said population growth and high-power activities such as welding and local gold processing had increased electricity demand in the two municipalities.

This, he noted, had contributed to the prevalence of illegal connections in some communities.

Engineer Odame warned residents against illegal power connections, saying such connections could overload transformers and damage the equipment.

The Members of Parliament for Tarkwa-Nsuaem and Prestea Huni-Valley, Issah Salifu Taylor and Robert Wisdom Cudjoe, respectively, expressed gratitude to Gold Fields for its support towards improving electricity supply in their constituencies.

The two MPs expressed optimism that the transformers would help address persistent power challenges in communities within their respective constituencies.

Outside Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium stands a silver statue of Sergio Aguero, celebrating his iconic goal that secured the club’s first Premier League title in 2012.

The strike remains one of the most famous moments in English football, but City’s recent financial case has raised questions about what their history might have looked like without the financial breaches they have been found guilty of.

The Premier League found City guilty of multiple financial-rule violations covering the period between 2009 and 2018, raising questions about the legitimacy of some of the club’s achievements during their rise to the top of English football.

The findings have also prompted debate over whether honours won during the period could be affected retrospectively, while some clubs are reportedly considering legal advice over potential financial claims.

A key question is how the financial breaches influenced City’s spending power in the transfer market and whether the players recruited during the period played a decisive role in the club’s transformation.

Players such as Aguero, David Silva, Yaya Toure and Vincent Kompany became central figures in City’s success after joining during the period under investigation.

The case therefore goes beyond individual transfers, raising broader questions about the financial foundations of City’s rise and what the Premier League’s findings could mean for the club’s past achievements and future.

Former Sports Minister Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye has questioned the process that led to the appointment of Carlos Queiroz as head coach of the Black Stars.

His comments follow Ghana’s poor start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, with the Black Stars losing their opening two Group C matches.

Ghana suffered a 2-0 defeat to Côte d’Ivoire before surrendering a 2-0 lead to lose 4-2 against The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Vanderpuye, who served as Sports Minister from 2015 to 2017, questioned the transparency of the Ghana Football Association’s (GFA) recruitment process.

‘I don’t trust the procedures, the process by which this coach (Carlos Queiroz) was appointed. When did the Black Stars inform you and me that they were going to look for a coach? They told us they had over 99 applications; all of a sudden, a coach was appointed,’ he told Joy FM.

He also questioned whether Queiroz’s profile was suitable for the type of team Ghana wanted to build.

‘I have studied his profile; he is not the sort of coach (the Black Stars needed), unless those who sat in the meeting to consider that application did not know the kind of Black Stars they are looking for,’ he added.

Queiroz replaced Otto Addo earlier this year and guided Ghana to qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

However, the Portuguese coach is under pressure after the successive defeats left Ghana without a point from their first two AFCON qualifiers.

The Black Stars will face Somalia in a double-header in October as they seek to revive their qualification campaign and return to the AFCON after missing the 2025 tournament in Morocco.

The IMF Resident Representative for Ghana, Dr. Adrian Alter, has stated that although the country’s debt sustainability has improved significantly from a high risk of debt distress to a moderate risk level, Ghana must strengthen domestic revenue mobilisation to withstand future economic shocks.

Speaking at a dialogue organised by the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Ghana (CCIFG) on the country’s economic outlook and the IMF briefing on Ghana’s Recovery in Practice Q3-Q4 Outlook, which focused on private sector growth, energy, agribusiness and infrastructure, Dr. Alter described the upgrade in the country’s debt sustainability rating as one of the most significant but overlooked milestones achieved in recent years.

He said the improvement followed gains in key debt indicators but warned that debt service relative to exports and domestic revenue remained a concern.

‘Probably the biggest milestone of the last few years is the upgrade of the debt sustainability to moderate risk of debt distress from high risk of debt distress and in distress in 2023. However, when you look at debt service to exports and debt service to revenue, we are very close, even in the baseline, which means that we need higher domestic revenues to be able to weather some of the potential shocks,’ he stated.

Dr. Alter explained that although most debt indicators had improved and remained comfortably below critical thresholds, debt service obligations relative to exports and revenue remained areas of concern.

He identified the performance of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), public procurement, the energy sector and gold sector as some of the critical areas requiring policy attention to sustain the country’s economic recovery.

He said the recent amendments to the public procurement law provided an opportunity to improve procurement practices not only at the central government level but also among SOEs, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

Dr. Alter cited challenges in the energy sector, including issues involving the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), as areas requiring continued reforms.

He also noted that single-source procurement remained high, describing public procurement practices as an area requiring sustained attention.

On the IMF-supported Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI), Dr. Alter said the programme was aimed at consolidating the economic gains, strengthening institutions and building resilience.

He explained that, unlike traditional IMF financing programmes, the PCI served as a framework for monitoring and supporting government reforms.

The French Ambassador to Ghana, Diarra Dime-Labille, for her part, said Ghana’s recent economic gains should translate into increased investment and productivity.

She noted that the country had made progress in restoring fiscal credibility, controlling inflation and addressing debt vulnerabilities.

‘How can we bring stability to translate into investment, productivity, productive activity in the future when we know that we are navigating a very uncertain economic situation and environment globally speaking?’ she asked.

The President of the Board of Directors of the CCIFG, Guillaume Valence, also acknowledged improvements in Ghana’s economic indicators but said businesses were yet to fully experience the recovery.

He said many businesses continued to focus on managing costs and liquidity challenges rather than expanding their operations and creating jobs.

The dialogue, held in Accra, brought together players in the business community, economists, chief executives and representatives of state institutions, among others.

The Assemblies of God World Congress, scheduled to take place in Accra from October 14 to 16, is expected to attract between 40,000 and 45,000 participants for its evening sessions, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Rev. Andrews Nelson Awintia, has disclosed.

He said the historic congress would be the first time the global gathering of the Assemblies of God Church would be held on African soil since the establishment of the church 115 years ago.

Rev. Awintia made the disclosure when he led a delegation of the LOC on a visit to the offices of the DAILY GUIDE newspaper yesterday to officially announce the event and seek media support for the congress.

He was accompanied by Rev. Isaac Amidini, a member of the committee, and Roland Affail Monney, Chairman in charge of publicity. They were received by Jamila Akweley Okertchiri, the Editor of the newspaper, and Abdul-Rahman Gomda, News Editor.

According to Rev. Awintia, the Assemblies of God was established in the United States in 1914 following the Azusa Street Revival and had since organised a global congress every three years.

He said despite the church’s global reach, none of the previous congresses had been hosted in Africa until Ghana was selected to host the upcoming event.

‘Ghana was chosen as the first African country to host the Congress,’ he said, adding that the decision came with a major logistical responsibility because of the expected numbers.

Rev. Awintia explained that because Ghana did not have a suitable facility capable of accommodating the thousands of delegates expected at the morning sessions, the organisers had ordered a large dome from Dubai.

The dome, he said, would accommodate at least 10,000 people at a time and was expected to arrive in Ghana yesterday or today.

He said the congress would be held in two sessions each day, with the morning programme taking place at Black Star Square and expected to attract at least 10,000 people.

The evening sessions, he added, would be held at the Accra Sports Stadium, where attendance was projected at between 40,000 and 45,000.

Rev. Awintia said the congress was not restricted to members of the Assemblies of God or Ghanaians, but was open to members of the public and participants from across Africa and the world.

He described the event as an important occasion for Africa, noting that several people from other African countries had contacted the organisers and expressed the view that the congress was an African event because it was being held on the continent for the first time.

The official opening ceremony on October 14 is expected to bring together several dignitaries, including President John Dramani Mahama, who is a member of the Assemblies of God church.

He further disclosed that 28 ministers of state had so far confirmed their participation in the congress.

The immediate past President of Malawi, who previously served as a General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God before becoming president, is also expected to attend.