Category: Daily Guide Network

Twenty-one (21) foreign nationals, all believed to be from Burkina Faso, have been arrested by the Amansie West District Security Council (DISEC) for engaging in illegal mining on river bodies at Esaase Bontefufuo in the Ashanti Region.

The suspects were apprehended in the early hours of Wednesday, October 22, 2025, during a special intelligence-led operation conducted by the District Police Command and the Formed Police Unit (FPU) under the command of ASP Solomon Adusei Berko.

Confirming the incident, ASP Berko said the operation followed credible intelligence about the activities of foreign nationals involved in galamsey operations that were causing massive environmental degradation in the area.

‘We moved in swiftly and arrested twenty-one Burkinabes who were actively mining on river bodies. Several tools and mining equipment were retrieved from the scene,’ ASP Berko stated.

He described the extent of destruction as alarming, noting that the illegal activities had led to the contamination of major water sources, the destruction of farmlands, and the depletion of vegetation cover in the community.

ASP Berko warned that the police would not relent in their efforts to clamp down on illegal mining operations, and assured residents of sustained security patrols in the area.

The District Chief Executive for Amansie West and Chairman of DISEC, Prince Manu Morris, lauded the swift response of the security forces and reiterated the Assembly’s determination to stamp out illegal mining in the district.

‘Illegal mining continues to destroy our environment and threaten the survival of our communities. Whether Ghanaian or foreign, anyone found engaging in such activities will face the full rigours of the law,’ he cautioned.

Mr. Morris also revealed that DISEC will intensify surveillance in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service, National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), and the Ghana Immigration Service to prevent further incursions by illegal miners.

He further appealed to residents to assist security agencies by promptly reporting suspicious activities, to help protect the district’s natural resources.

Cherise Asher Ayisi, Ghana’s representative for the Miss Earth 2025 pageant, has received her first gold medal after earning the top position during the Darling of the Press session of the competition.

She was keenly followed by Miss Belize, who occupied the second position, earning a silver medal, while Miss Australia earned bronze at the end of the segment.

Following Cherise’s win, many Ghanaians have taken to social media to commend her for stealing the show with her elegance and eloquence.

Cherise is competing with over 70 contestants for the Miss Earth title. The pageant, which advocates for environmental awareness, conservation, and social responsibility, will take place on November 5, 2025, at the Okada Manila in Parañaque, Metro Manila, Philippines.

This year’s event, themed ‘Silver Linings,’ marks the 25th edition as well as silver anniversary of the Miss Earth pageant.

Discussion of the event will be centred on issues and policies concerning the environment. The delegates will be showcasing unique skills and abilities as well as their fashion sense.

There will be the anticipated National Costume display to celebrate cultural heritage, and interacting with the online community.

The pageant features contestants from various countries, including new debutants like Uzbekistan. Some contestants have already begun their journey, participating in activities like a symbolic tree planting ceremony and a presentation of delegates in Filipiniana-inspired ensembles.

Ghanaian singer and songwriter, Black Sherif, has disclosed that rapper Kwesi Arthur stands as an inspiration to his music craft.

Black Sherif made this revelation on X after a fan named Cyrus asked the ‘First and Second Sermon’ hitmaker which acts inspire him in the music industry.

The post read, ‘@um_cyrus, @blacksherif_ which musician inspires you the most.’ Black Sherif, in response, wrote, ‘Kwesi Arthur.’

Black Sherif, on several occasions, has publicly expressed admiration and love for Kwesi Arthur, stating, ‘I love Kwesi Arthur so much, I wish he knew’. This gesture has sparked mixed reactions from fans, with some appreciating Black Sherif’s sentiment and others wondering about his motives.

Rumours has it that following Black Sherif’s breakthrough in the music scene, he has overshadowed Kwesi Arthur. The two are said to have collaborated on music projects, including a song that was leaked but never officially released due to differences in their opinions about the track’s quality.

News about the death of former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, wife of late former President Flt. Jerry John Rawlings, made the rounds yesterday morning as a rumour.

Many were hesitant in spreading the rumour of the former First Lady’s passing as they were not trusting social media when it comes to such matters.

But when they eventually received confirmation, it spread like wildfire in a scorched forest.

Information gathered so far indicates that she passed on at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital at Ridge, aged 76.

She joins her husband who died on November 12, 2020, 20 days away from the anniversary of his transition.

She carved an image of a strong woman during the revolution led by her husband and when he metamorphosed into a civilian president.

In the course of her husband’s new role as leader of a military junta, she made herself relevant through assortment of feminine empowerment engagements such as the 31st December Women’s Movement et al.

Political History

Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings was born on November 17, 1948 and became the First Lady from June 4, 1979 to September 24, 1979 and from December 31, 1981 to January 7, 2001.

Her political ambition drove her to become the first female to vie for the position of President in 2016, when she formed a political party – the National Democratic Party (NDP). She won 0.16% of the votes cast in the 2020 general election.

She had fallen out with the political party her husband founded, the NDC, not enthused with the management of the party when her husband took leave of its activities.

Her book, ‘It Takes A Woman,’ published in 2018, added to her growing political stature in the affairs of politics in Ghana.

She was elected First Vice Chairperson of the NDC in 2009 and later in 2011.

Her attempt at becoming the flagbearer of the NDC in 2012 against Prof. JEA Mills failed.

Her no-love-lost relationship with the NDC until she took her last breath is household knowledge in the political space of the country.

‘My desire is to see the emancipation of women at every level of development to enable them to contribute and benefit from the socio-economic and political progress of the country.Women’s vital role of promoting peace in the family, the country and the world at large must be acknowledged. And to do this, they must be empowered politically to equip them adequately for the challenges of critically identifying and assessing solutions for the betterment of society,’ a release from her during her heydays sums up the goal of the 31st December Women’s Movement of which she was president.

Her movement is credited with setting up more than 870 pre-schools in Ghana, besides giving impetus to early child development.

Her work in women’s development and empowerment, she is reported to have said, would not end even with the exit of her husband from the presidency.

Her role in the adoption of an ‘Intestate Succession Law,’ which is applicable to the survivors of anyone dying without a will, is widely acknowledged in the country.

Biography

She was born in Cape Coast, Central Region of Ghana to J. O. T. Agyeman and his wife, having attended the prestigious Ghana International School from where she proceeded to Achimota School where as fate would have it, she met her future spouse.

At the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, she studied Art and Textiles.

She is credited with designing the NDC logo of an eagle sitting on an umbrella.

The political activism in her was manifest when she became a student leader of her hall of residence, Africa Hall, at the university.

She pursued various courses after her university education, one of them being a diploma course in Interior Design at the London College of Arts, the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration and the John Hopkins University in the US.

Nana Konadu married the Ghana Air Force officer Jerry John Rawlings in 1977, a union which was blessed with their first child, Zanetor in 1978. She also bore Yaa Asantewaa, Amina and Kimathi.

She would be remembered by her unique headgear style and the signature beret of the 31st December Women’s Movement.

Tributes Pour In

Several high-profile figures have expressed condolences to the family of the late Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings following her passing.

President John Mahama, following the departure of Nana Konadu, paid a solemn tribute before the swearing-in ceremony of 37 newly appointed High Court judges at the Jubilee House yesterday.

The President stated, ‘This afternoon, I received a delegation of the children of our late mother, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, to inform me about her untimely and unfortunate passing. As we rise and pay a moment of silence to her memory, may the Almighty God grant her a peaceful rest in His bosom. Thank you. Amen.’

Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, Simone Giger, paid tribute on social media, saying, ‘Deeply saddened by the passing of former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings. A woman I’ve admired for her determination and dedication to women’s rights. A trailblazer, an inspiration, and a person I’ve been honoured to call a friend. My thoughts are with her family.’

THE PUBLIC Relations Department of the Ghana Police Service led by Director Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Grace Ansah-Akrofi paid a courtesy visit to management of the Daily Guide Network, operators of the Daily Guide newspaper, Guide Radio 91.5 and DGN television.

ACP Ansah-Akrofi, in her remarks, acknowledged the role of the Daily Guide newspaper in publishing stories about the Ghana Police and craved for a sustained cooperation between the internal security organisation and the Daily Guide Network.

She observed that there are people who erroneously think the Police Service belongs to personnel of the Service only and not the citizens whose security the organisation is mandated to ensure.

It is important to protect public confidence in the Police Service, as not doing so can impact negatively on security in the country, she said, adding that all should support the internal security organisation to serve citizens.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Daily Guide Network, Kwame Blay, on his part, welcomed the police entourage as he appreciated the words of commendation for the support his outfit is rendering the police.

He called on the Police Service Public Relations Directorate to share contents to the Daily Guide Network’s television to educate the public on security issues.

‘I see what the police show on their Police TV, which is very interesting. We have a relationship through which you would share with us the Police Television contents so we can share with our wider audience,’ he said.

Chief News Editor, Alhaji A.R. Gomda, on his part, called on the Police Service to organise seminars so reporters can specialise on security reporting.

‘There are a lot of journalists who report on matters relating to the Police but lack adequate knowledge of the security service. I suggest that you organise periodic training programmes for such journalists to improve upon their knowledge of the operations of the Service,’ he said.

He also commended the police for decentralising information dissemination, which has facilitated sourcing of news by the media.

Editor of the Daily Guide newspaper, Jamila Akweley Okertchiri, also informed the police public relations team of the newly introduced ‘Crime Stoppers Page’ dedicated to reporting on crime related stories in the weekend newspaper.

She urged the team to contribute some safety tips to be featured on the page to better inform readers.

Guide Radio and DGN presenter, Abena Soreno Yankyera, lamented the increasing cases of misinformation on the part of journalists due to lack of prompt response by the Police Service.

She urged the Service to be prompt in their news briefings on crime-related occurrences in the country to reduce misinformation.

Deputy Minister of Finance, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, has called on stakeholders in the procurement sector to fully adopt the Public Electronic Procurement System (GHANEPS) in order to help uphold fiscal discipline.

Speaking at the 11th Public Procurement forum in Accra yesterday, the Deputy Minister said the continued reform of Ghana’s procurement system is important to ensuring effective public procurement processes.

He indicated that next year would mark three decades since the country first embarked on comprehensive public procurement reforms noting that the enactment of the Public Procurement Act 2003 (Act 663) and subsequent amendments, including those in 2016 and 2025, laid the legal foundation for a transparent, fair, and accountable procurement system.

‘These reforms are not merely legislative changes, they represent a fundamental re-engineering of processes, anchored in digital transformation, through the Ghana Electronic Procurement System (GHANEPS).’

He also stated that public procurement is not only meant for administrative purposes but a strategic tool that shapes government spending and drives the country’s economic growth.

According to the Minister, Public procurement accounts for between 13 to 20 percent of Ghana’s GDP, with over 40 percent of the country’s total domestic revenue for 2025 expected to pass through the procurement system.

That, he explained, highlights the importance of ensuring that procurement processes are conducted with the highest standards of transparency and accountability.

He further expressed the government commitment to integrating procurement systems and ensuring compliance with established frameworks to prevent leakages and ensure that every cedi spent serves its intended public purpose.

Chief Executive Officer of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), Frank Mantey, for his part said electronic procurement is useful in addressing corruption and improving efficiency in public procurement.

He cited the example of South Korea where e-procurement has over the years supported the growth of Small Medium enterprises (SMEs)

The PPA boss also added that ‘Incorporating e-procurement into Ghana’s procurement landscape will allow us to keep pace with global trends and reap the benefits of digital transformation.’

Broadcast journalist, Nana Aba Anamoah, has described the ongoing scandal involving former CEO of Buffer Stock Company, Abdul-Wahab Hanan, who allegedly stole GHS78 million, as ‘monstrous’.

The outspoken journalist, on X (formerly Twitter), posted flier of alleged properties acquired with the proceeds of crime by the former CEO with the caption, ‘Greed is a fat demon with a small mouth, and whatever you feed it is never enough. Greedy monster!’

Nana Aba’s reactions follow an earlier revelation made by the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, of freezing assets of the former Buffer Stock CEO and his wife, Faiza Seidu Wuni, following alleged financial misconducts and acquisition of high-value properties using public funds.

The Minister for Justice further disclosed that investigators have frozen a fixed deposit account belonging to Mr. Hanan at Republic Bank’s Labone Branch in Accra, containing GHS10 million.

He said steps are also underway to confiscate several vehicles and over 61 luxury handbags linked to the couple as part of ongoing investigations.

Dr. Ayine said between 2017 and 2024, the former Buffer Stock CEO in concert with Richard Sam Asante and Bismark Owusu Boakye allegedly orchestrated and transferred GHS78,269,084.04 from the bank account of Buffer Stock Company to a private company linked to him, his wife and staff of Buffer Stock Company at Republic Bank and Ecobank.

Dr. Ayine indicated that they also made suspicious transfers amounting to GHS40.5 million through Sawtina Enterprise, a company allegedly linked to the former Buffer Stock CEO.

They also traced some properties suspected to have been acquired illegally by him, including a five-bedroom house at Chain Homes, valued at $1.625 million; a three-bedroom house at Cantonments, purchased for $600,000; multiple plots of land at Airport Development Area, worth $750,000 among others.

Comments under her post witnessed varied views from followers, Onipa Nua wrote, ‘Nana, how do we conclude in believing this art work when the person in question hasn’t even been to court or given the chance to make his point. The Attorney General is doing too much of talking than working in my view.’

David Nkansa Anto added, ‘Pls be mindful of how you comment about ongoing court cases. Innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.’

Richwes added, ‘I usually don’t blame them, not at all. The whole system is faulty and needs a complete overhaul. Why would a real estate company and bank accept such huge sums of money in cash/cheque from a public servant without some kinda red flag? It can be stopped at the source.’

Meanwhile, Mr. Hanan has denied all the allegations of corruption levelled against him, describing the claims as ‘untrue and deeply unfortunate.’

In a statement released after the Attorney General’s address, Mr. Hanan said he had never been involved in the matters referred to by the Attorney General, and has instructed his lawyers to take steps to safeguard his reputation.

Rapper, Kwame Yogot, has launched a blistering attack on fellow artist, Kuami Eugene, warning that he will quit the music industry if Eugene makes a comeback.

Speaking to Fiifi Pratt, Yogot left no doubt about his feelings: ‘If Kuami Eugene ever succeeds in music again, I, Kwame Yogot, will stop music,’ he added.

The feud, Yogot says, stems from an alleged betrayal – claims that Eugene tried to sell Yogot’s music to a political party without proper payment.

Yogot has also accused Eugene of greed and short-changing artists who collaborate with him.

The pair previously teamed up on the hit ‘Biibi Besi,’ but that shared history hasn’t cooled Yogot’s anger.

A High Court in Accra has dismissed an application by former Chief Executive of Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF), Solomon Asamoah, seeking to halt his trial in the $2 million non-existent Skytrain scandal, pending appeal.

His lawyer, Victoria Barth, had moved a motion urging the court to pause the trial to enable her pursue an appeal against the court’s decision to dismiss an earlier application by the accused, asking the prosecution to provide him with more disclosure documents.

The application was opposed by Sefakor Batse, a Chief State Attorney, who argued that it had no merit.

The court, presided over by Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, in a ruling dismissed the application, holding that he did not demonstrate any exceptional circumstances to warrant the court to grant the application.

Mr. Asamoah and the erstwhile Board Chairman of GIIF, Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, are on trial for their alleged involvement in the dissipation of state funds in the non-existent $2 million Accra Skytrain project.

In July this year, he filed an application before the court asking it to order the prosecution to disclose certain documents which he said were deliberately omitted during disclosure but are crucial to his preparation for defence.

Among the documents he was asking for are all board packs that were sent to members of the GIIF Board from 2017 to 2021, along with both signed and unsigned minutes of the Board and Investment Committee meetings that took place during that period.

He was also seeking the complete attendance records for every GIIF Board and Investment Committee meeting within those years.

Again, Mr. Asamoah sought for all memoranda related to the AI Skytrain project, as well as email correspondence between himself and several members of the board, among others.

The application was opposed by Deputy Attorney General, Justice Srem-Sai, who argued that the materials requested for are not in the prosecution’s possession, and did not come into their possession or the possession of the investigators.

The court, presided over by Justice Comfort Tasiame, in a short ruling held that the prosecution had indicated that the said documents are not in their possession and since there are other means counsel for applicant can use to procure the documents they are requesting for, the request would not be granted.

Trial

The brief facts indicate that the Accra Skytrain project was to be constructed on a Design, Build Finance, and Operate basis.

‘In the memorandum of understanding, GIIF was to be the anchor equity investor and local project development partner to the Africa Investor Holdings (Proprietary) Limited. It was further agreed in the memorandum of understanding that GIIF would conduct due diligence and develop a bankable feasibility study on the project,’ the facts disclosed.

A shareholder agreement was subsequently signed on January 9, 2019 between GIIF and Africa Investor Holdings Limited where the latter was to transfer 10% of its alleged 100% shares in a company styled as ‘Ai Skytrain Consortium Holdings,’ a limited liability company registered in Mauritius.

Upon their arrest, Solomon Asamoah is said to have indicated in his cautioned statement that he obtained approval of GIIF board, in respect of the payment, while Prof. Akumfi told investigators he signed the funds transfer on the recommendation of Mr. Asamoah.

The facts added that neither of the accused persons have been able to account for the $2 million.

The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) parliamentary candidate for Ejura in the 2024 elections, Gifty Ndomah, has confronted Dr. Bryan Acheampong, former Minister for Agriculture and one of the flagbearer hopefuls of the NPP with a charge that fertiliser meant for distribution to constituencies were withheld by some parliamentary candidates who, she alleged, intended to smuggle same.

Dr. Bryan Acheampong, who is also Member of Parliament (MP) for Abetifi, has however refuted claims that he distributed government fertilisers to New Patriotic Party parliamentary candidates during the 2024 general election.

According to him, the fertilisers were distributed through the ministry’s district agricultural offices, not through political party structures.

Speaking later at a rally in Ejura as part of his campaign ahead of the NPP’s forthcoming presidential primaries, Dr. Acheampong described the allegations as false and misleading.

He insisted that fertilisers purchased with public funds could not have been allocated to political candidates, as that would constitute an abuse of government resources.

‘The government can’t distribute fertilisers from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to your parliamentary candidate on the ticket of a political party. That’s not how government funds are used,’ he said.

‘If that were the case, then during election period, government funds would have been taken and given to our parliamentary candidates across the country – but that’s not how a country is governed,’ he pointed out.

Dr. Acheampong further explained that all fertilisers under the government’s agricultural programmes were dispatched to the district level for accountability and proper supervision.

‘When the fertilisers are sent to the district, then during its distribution, as your party is in government, you can have an influence, but in terms of accountability and responsibility, it is not in your hands,’ he stated.