Category: Daily Guide Network

In a heartwarming display of commitment to Ghanaian students in the People’s Republic of China, Ambassador Kojo Bonsu has been honored with the title ‘Gen Z President’ by the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) in China. The title is a testament to his tireless efforts in supporting and empowering students across various Chinese provinces.

During a virtual Akwaaba night ceremony, Mr. Bonsu assured students of President Mahama’s unwavering commitment to their safety and well-being. He emphasized the importance of utilizing their acquired knowledge to contribute to Ghana’s development, urging them to be proactive and innovative in solving the country’s challenges.

The Ambassador’s open-door policy was warmly welcomed by the students, who were encouraged to reach out to the Embassy for assistance and support. He also highlighted opportunities for graduates in both public and private sectors, emphasizing the need for young professionals to apply their skills and expertise to drive national development.

In a bid to foster closer ties with the students, Mr. Bonsu announced plans to introduce initiatives that would enable the Embassy to monitor their progress, organize annual get-togethers for networking, and address problems that may arise.

The student leaders were visibly excited and grateful for the Ambassador’s support, thanking him for his dedication and commitment to their well-being.

The ‘Gen Z President’ title is a testament to Kojo Bonsu’s dedication to empowering Ghanaian students in China, and his vision for their future success.’

In the spiritual journey of life, every human being walks between two eternal pillars – Mercy and Severity. One stands for divine forgiveness, the other for divine justice. Together, they shape our destiny and reveal the mystery of how God’s grace and the law of cause and effect (what many call Karma) work in harmony.

The Pillar of Mercy represents God’s compassion, His willingness to forgive our wrongdoings and offer us another chance. The Pillar of Severity, on the other hand, symbolises the law of moral consequence: ‘For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap’ (Galatians 6:7). Between these two pillars, man’s soul learns balance – mercy softening justice, and justice keeping mercy from indulgence.

To live rightly, one must understand both. Forgiveness without accountability weakens the soul, while judgment without compassion hardens the heart. The journey to the crown, eternal life and divine perfection, demands that we walk uprightly between these sacred truths.

The Pillar of Mercy: God’s Endless Forgiveness

The pillar of mercy stands as a reminder of God’s unfathomable love. The psalmist declared, ‘The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy’ (Psalm 103:8). Mercy means more than pardon; it is the healing grace that restores the fallen, uplifts the contrite, and gives hope to the lost.

When we err, the voice of severity declares, ‘You must reap what you sow.’ But mercy intercedes, whispering, ‘Repent, and you shall be forgiven.’ Through Christ, mercy triumphed over judgment, offering humanity redemption. ‘For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved’ (John 3:17).

Yet mercy is not a free license to sin. True mercy transforms. The one who has been forgiven must in turn forgive others. Jesus taught, ‘Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy’ (Matthew 5:7). Each act of forgiveness we extend builds within us the likeness of God.

To live under the pillar of mercy is to walk in love, to let go of resentment, and to forgive even those who seem undeserving. This does not erase accountability but ensures that love, not vengeance, governs our response. Mercy cleanses the heart and frees the soul from bitterness (the very chains that keep us from ascending to the divine crown).

The Pillar of Severity: The Law of Karma

Opposite the pillar of mercy stands the pillar of severity; the eternal law of consequence. Scripture declares plainly, ‘Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap’ (Galatians 6:7).

This is the divine law that ensures justice in the universe. Every thought, word, and deed produces fruit, good or bad, according to its nature. When we sow kindness, we harvest peace; when we sow hatred, we reap unrest.

Many call this Karma; the Bible calls it divine justice. The prophet Hosea warned, ‘For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind’ (Hosea 8:7). Life, therefore, is a field, and every human being is both farmer and reaper.

Severity is not cruelty. It is correction. Just as a loving parent disciplines a child for his good, God allows us to face the results of our actions so that we may learn righteousness. ‘For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth’ (Hebrews 12:6).

The pillar of severity teaches personal responsibility. It reminds us that grace does not cancel accountability. Even when forgiven, we may still face the natural results of our deeds, not as punishment, but as instruction. Through these lessons, the soul matures and learns the wisdom of right living.

The Balance: Mercy Tempers Justice

Life’s spiritual path demands balance between these two pillars. If we lean too much toward severity, we become judgmental and unyielding. If we lean only toward mercy, we become careless and permissive. The righteous man stands in the middle – humble before God’s mercy, yet mindful of divine law.

The Prophet Micah captured this perfect balance when he wrote: ‘He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?’ (Micah 6:8).

Doing justly reflects the pillar of severity: – that is the commitment to fairness and truth. Loving mercy reflects the pillar of compassion – the readiness to forgive. And walking humbly reflects the awareness that we depend entirely on divine grace.

The wise soul therefore acts with kindness but also integrity; forgives others but learns from experience; prays for mercy but sows good seeds. Such a person understands that spiritual growth comes not from escaping justice, but from allowing mercy to guide one’s response to it.

The Physical and Spiritual Journey

Physically, man must live with discipline – honest in work, pure in speech, fair in dealings. The body, being the instrument of action, must serve righteousness. ‘Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not’ (Galatians 6:9). Every act of goodness adds a stone to the bridge that leads to divine reward.

Spiritually, man must cultivate forgiveness, compassion, and humility. The inner attitude determines the outer outcome. Anger, envy, and pride sow seeds of discord, while faith, patience, and love sow peace. As Jesus taught, ‘Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God’ (Matthew 5:8).

Thus, the journey of life is both physical and spiritual: the visible and invisible paths converging toward the same goal – the crown of righteousness.

The Crown: Reward of the Balanced Soul

To ‘merit the crown’ is to achieve inner victory. Thus mastery over self, harmony with divine law, and oneness with God. The Apostle Paul declared, ‘Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day’ (2 Timothy 4:8).

This crown is not given to those who only seek mercy without accountability, nor to those who demand justice without love. It is reserved for those who, walking between mercy and severity, have allowed both to purify their souls.

The man who forgives when wronged yet takes responsibility for his actions, who shows compassion yet upholds truth, who prays for mercy yet labours in righteousness. Such a man walks the royal path.

In him, mercy and severity are not enemies but allies. Mercy cleanses the heart; severity strengthens the will. Together, they make him fit for the eternal reward – the crown of life promised to those who overcome.

Conclusion: Living Between the Two Pillars

In the end, the pillars of mercy and severity are not opposing forces but divine instruments shaping the soul’s ascent. Mercy invites us to forgive and be forgiven; severity reminds us that our deeds have consequence.

To walk rightly between them is to live as Christ lived: firm in righteousness, gentle in compassion, and faithful unto the end. For only then shall we hear the words that echo through eternity: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. enter thou into the joy of thy Lord’ (Matthew 25:21).

Let every man, therefore, sow good seed in the field of life, water it with mercy, and harvest it in righteousness. For as sure as we reap what we sow, so too will those who walk in love and truth wear the everlasting crown of divine justice and grace.

Parliament yesterday suspended its sitting abruptly following the death of former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, wife of late former President Jerry John Rawlings.

News of her passing reached the chamber while proceedings were underway, throwing the House into shock and grief. The atmosphere immediately turned somber, prompting the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, to move for an adjournment.

‘The current circumstances couldn’t allow the House to continue sitting,’ Mr. Ayariga announced, bringing proceedings to an unexpected close.

Before the adjournment, the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, had presented several audit and accountability documents from Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies across the country.

These included annual statements by various audit committees for the 2024 financial year, as well as a risk-based internal audit work plan for the Offinso Municipal Assembly covering the period from April to December 2024.

The reports covered districts and regional coordinating councils such as Awutu Senya, Offinso, Bodi, Weija-Gbawe, Wassa Amenfi East, Kassena Nankana West, Sekyere Kumawu, Nkwanta South, Savannah, Ga Central, Techiman North, Bia West, Asante Akim South, and North Dayi.

However, the business of the day was quickly overshadowed by the news of the passing of the former First Lady, compelling members on both sides of the House to abandon debate and expressions of partisan interest.

Her passing has been met with deep sorrow across the political spectrum.

Parliament is expected to issue an official statement of condolence to the Rawlings family and honour her memory when the House reconvenes.

The Ashanti Regional Police Command has launched a search for three men who deposited the body of Senegalese teenager Cheikh Toure at the Ebenezer morgue in Tafo, Kumasi.

Toure’s death, which occurred in Kumasi last week under unclear circumstances, has drawn the attention of both the Senegalese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and African Integration and Ghana’s Inspector General of Police (IGP).

In response, the Inspector-General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yohuno dispatched a special team of homicide investigators, forensic experts, and intelligence officers to assist the regional command in uncovering the truth behind the incident.

After three days of intensive investigation, police have identified their first key persons of interest – the three men who reportedly delivered the body to the morgue.

‘We are now looking for these three men, and from the enquiries we made at the hospital, they indicated that the men who brought the body were only speaking in French,’ said DSP Godwin Ahianyo, the Command’s Public Relations Officer.

According to DSP Ahianyo, the men’s conflicting statements have raised suspicions. ‘When the deceased was brought in, they found wounds in his lower abdomen and around his neck. They initially claimed he was involved in an accident but later changed their story to say he had attempted suicide in his room,’ he explained.

Police are urging anyone with information about the three men to assist in the ongoing investigation as efforts continue to determine the exact cause of Cheikh Toure’s death.

There was drama in court yesterday as Samuel Atta Akyea, counsel for embattled former Chief Executive Officer of National Signals Bureau, Kwabena Adu-Boahene walked out of court mid-proceeding.

The decision was informed by the court’s refusal to adjourn the case for him to pursue at the Supreme Court, an application seeking to prohibit Justice Eugene Nyate Nyadu from further presiding over the trial in which Adu-Boahene and his wife, Angela Adjei-Boateng have been accused of stealing GHS49.1 million from the state.

The application is accusing the judge of being bias towards the accused persons.

The proceeding prior to the judge’s ruling got a bit heated to the extent that Esi Dentaa Yankah had to remind Mr. Atta Akyea that she is not just some junior lawyer but a Principal State Attorney.

Mr. Adu-Boahene, his wife, Angela Adjei-Boateng and Advantage Solutions Limited are standing trial for allegedly stealing GHS49.1 million from the state in a purported deal to procure a cybersecurity system for the country.

They are facing 11 counts of conspiracy to commit crime, stealing, using public office for profit, money laundering and causing financial loss to the state.

According to the prosecution’s brief fact before the court, Mr. Adu-Boahene had transferred state funds into a private bank account which he used to purchase various landed properties.

Prohibition

The prosecution was expected to continue the examination-in-chief of its second witness when Mr. Atta Akyea drew the court’s attention to an application for prohibition for alleged bias he had filed at the Supreme Court.

‘In the circumstances, I pray that proceedings be adjourned to abide the outcome of the Supreme Court case,’ he urged the court, relying on a Supreme Court case which said a judge should have adjourned a case when a similar situation arose in 2022.

The prayer was opposed by Esi Dentaa Yankah, who argued that the mere filing of a case at the Supreme Court does not operate as a stay of proceedings, citing several cases which supported that position.

‘It seems as if a trend is developing that at every step in this case one motion or another would be filed and the request for stay subsequently made,’ she observed.

She added that the case cited by Mr. Atta Akyea is not a criminal case and the circumstances of stay of proceedings in criminal cases have been made intentionally distinct from that of other cases.

She, therefore, urged the court to dismiss the oral application so that the trial could proceed with the second prosecution witness further testifying.

Ruling

Justice Eugene Nyante Nyadu, prior to his ruling, said he was just doing his work diligently and that he does not have any interest in any of the cases that come to his court.

‘I’ll deliver my ruling and proceed. If it goes up there [Supreme Court] and they decide to take the case from me, that is fine. It takes pressure off my head.’

He then referred to two separate Supreme Court cases, one saying the case should proceed while the other suggests that the case should be adjourned.

He decided to stick with the one that indicated that the filing of the application for prohibition does not stop the judge from proceeding with the trial.

He said adjournments are at the discretion of the trial court and in the instant case, no miscarriage of justice would occasion to the accused persons if proceedings continued yesterday, since ‘no finding has yet been made by the Supreme Court on the pending motion.’

He added that ‘should the applicant be successful with their pending application and the Supreme Court makes an observation of any impropriety on the part of this court, consequential orders would accordingly be made by the Supreme Court to correct all wrongs and no miscarriage of justice would be occasioned.’

He, therefore, dismissed the oral application and asked the witness to step into the box for the continuation of the trial.

Walk Out

It was at this point that Mr. Atta Akyea decided to walk out of the proceeding, arguing that he could not take part in the same ‘forum of bias,’ as it ‘could be a technical knockout for me at the Supreme Court.’

The judge eventually adjourned the case to October 30 after the lawyer and his juniors walked out and Adu-Boahene indicated that he was incapable of raising objections which his counsel would have raised during the rest of the proceedings.

The Attorney General (AG) and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, is a clever politician whose mastery of dealing with persons he thinks have shortchanged the state is unique.

There is something common between him and the Special Prosecutor; both love the media limelight and have not avoided using same to attract public ire against their targets.

It is ironic that the two are on a collision course over the extradition request for former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, who is currently undergoing treatment in an American health facility. The procedural disagreement made interesting reading for both members of the learned fraternity and the public.

There was rumble in the jungle last Wednesday when the AG hosted one of his usual media shows to showcase the iniquities of a new prey. This time his catch is Abdul-Wahab Hanan, former CEO of the Buffer Stock Company, who from all indications he intends to make mincemeat of.

Even before the charges levelled against the former National Buffer Stock Company boss hit the desk of a judge in the judicial system, the AG has already nailed his prey as a villain and only waiting for the guillotine.

His posturing as he hosted the conference presented him as the head of a military junta, far away from a democratic setting.

We should be the last entity to want the former CEO shielded from the claws of the law if indeed he squandered so much public funds.

The impunity with which some holders of public office dip their hands into the state kitty is alarming and should be discouraged through existing law and procedure.

When this is being done, it is should however be devoid of a propaganda posturing. Such public shows as we are observing about the two, the Justice Minister and the Special Prosecutor, do not help the cause of justice.

For those who are easily swayed by such public shows by the Attorney General, they have been manipulated to conclude that the man who is yet to appear before a judge is a villain who should be sent to the gallows.

Dr. Ayine as a consummate lawyer knows better than most of us the negative impact of displaying suspects at the marketplace before the cases reach the courts. Besides, are all such persons not innocent until they are proven otherwise by courts of competent jurisdiction?

Unless he wants to tell us that politically-inclined cases are treated differently as the case of the former CEO is.

During the delivery of the AG, it was noticed also that rather than restrict the subject to issues related to Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL), he appears to deliberately veer to the Akonto Mining issue which falls under a different bracket.

Mixing flavours as he did compels observers to identify political vindictiveness as the objective of the whole exercise.

Let the state recover all loots, but this should be done using acceptable legal process, which the Attorney General, as we pointed out, appreciates better than us.

The Western Regional Police Command has arrested five suspects in connection with the murder of John Abban at Asemkor in the Ahanta West Municipality of the Western Region.

The suspects include Kennedy Abor alias Abongo, aged 30; Kojo Attah Panyi, 20; Joseph Basses, 30; Abraham Cudjoe alias Yalle, 39 and Ekow Painstil, 45.

The deceased, John Abban, who is a brother of the chief of Butre and Asemkor, was attacked and murdered on October 6, 2025 at Asemkor following a chieftaincy dispute.

The suspects fled the town and went into hiding after the murder.

On October 15, 2025, following sustained intelligence by the Regional Police Intelligence Directorate, suspects Kennedy Abor, Kojo Attah Panyi, and Joseph Basses were arrested at their hideout in Funko, in the municipality.

On October 21, 2025, the Regional Intelligence Directorate in collaboration with its counterpart in Accra apprehended the two main suspects, Abraham Cudjoe and Ekow Painstil.

They were arrested at their hideout in Afuaman Ayigbe Town located within the Ga West Municipal Assembly in the Greater Accra Region.

All the suspects are in police custody assisting in investigations and will be put before the court.

This was contained in a statement issued and signed by the Head of the Public Affairs Unit of the Regional Police Command, Supt Olivia Ewurabena Adiku.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat has disclosed that the continent loses about $5 billion annually through foreign exchange transactions.

According to the Secretariat, the situation is a major contributor to the continuous raise in the cost of doing business across the continent.

According to the Secretariat, the losses have become a major barrier to Africa’s economic growth and competitiveness.

Speaking at the 2nd International Conference on Environment, Social, Governance (ESG) and Sustainable Development of Africa (ICESDA 2025) in Accra, the Director for Coordination and Programmes at AfCFTA, Dr. Tsotetsi Makong, said the Secretariat has identified similar losses in digital transactions and is developing measures to address them.

Dr. Makong also underscored the need for African countries to consolidate their resources to attract large-scale investments, stressing that no single nation can achieve sustainable development alone.

‘Remember, we’ve been fragmented, and these artificial borders have been created. Nobody is going to invest in Ghana because Ghana is too small to attract huge investment. But if you put Nigeria together, Togo together, and you create one single market, which is what we’re doing in the AfCFTA, you increase the possibility and the possibility for investments to be made in the continent.

‘Otherwise, individually, no single African country can advance. It doesn’t matter what we have in our national Vision 2020, Vision 30. All of those things, the markets are very small to justify huge investments. For the investments that we require, we need to make sure that we pull together as countries,’ he added.

The PGA Tour has cancelled its 2026 season-opening tournament, The Sentry, after efforts to find an alternative venue in Hawaii or elsewhere proved unsuccessful.

Originally scheduled for January 8-11, 2026, the event was set to take place at the Plantation Course at Kapalua on the Island of Maui. However, ongoing drought conditions forced organizers to move the competition.

In a statement, the PGA Tour explained that ‘having assessed alternate venues in Hawaii and beyond,’ the tournament could not proceed due to ‘logistical challenges – including shipping deadlines, tournament infrastructure, and vendor support.’

With The Sentry’s cancellation, the Sony Open, set for January 15-18 at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, will now serve as the first event of the 2026 PGA Tour season.

The Sentry, which first relocated from California to Maui in 1999, has long been a traditional season opener, featuring the top 50 players from the FedExCup standings and winners from the previous season.

It held the opening slot from 1986 to 2013 before reclaiming that position in 2024 when the Tour returned to a calendar-year format.

THE GHANA Football Association (GFA), in collaboration with FIFA, has successfully concluded the second phase of the Referee Capacity Building Course under FIFA Women’s Development Programme: League Development.

The four-day training, held at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence (GSCE) in Prampram from Tuesday, October 14 to Friday, October 17, 2025, focused on enhancing the skills and professionalism of young female referees selected through the Catch Them Young (CTY) initiative.

The CTY Female Referee project is one of the GFA’s flagship programmes aimed at identifying, nurturing, and developing young refereeing talent across Ghana.

Participants were taken through intensive theoretical and practical sessions to strengthen their understanding of the laws of the game, improve decision-making, and prepare them for higher levels of officiating.

A key highlight of the course was the inspiring story of Referee Emmanuella Aglago, one of the outstanding products of the Catch Them Young programme.

She shared her personal journey and experiences, encouraging participants to remain focused, disciplined, and passionate about their dreams. Her success served as a powerful motivation for the young officials.

The training also underscored the growing impact of the Catch Them Young initiative, which has significantly boosted the involvement of girls and women in football – not only as players but also as referees, coaches, and administrators.

This capacity-building course forms part of ongoing efforts by FIFA and the GFA to promote the sustainable growth of women’s football in Ghana.

It aligns with FIFA’s broader vision of achieving 60 million female participants worldwide by 2027, through improved technical development, infrastructure support, and expanded opportunities for women and girls in the game.