Category: Daily Guide Network

The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding customers as part of its regulatory mandate in the banking and financial sectors.

In a statement issued on Friday, October 10, to mark this year’s Customer Service Week celebration, the Central Bank said it continues to fulfil its mandate through active engagement and recognition of all stakeholders within the banking industry.

According to the statement, the celebration, held under the theme ‘Mission Possible – Making the Impossible Possible,’ reflects the BoG’s institutional values and its dedication to customer protection.

The statement highlighted the introduction of the Consumer Recourse Mechanism Guidelines, designed to ensure fair, transparent, and timely resolution of customer complaints across regulated financial institutions.

For the BoG, the guidelines require institutions to establish robust internal complaint-handling mechanisms that not only resolve customer issues but also serve as diagnostic tools for identifying systemic weaknesses and improving service delivery.

The statement added that the guidelines empower institutions to monitor recurring issues and mitigate associated risks.

‘To ensure an effective complaint resolution regime, the Bank of Ghana adopts a three-tier Complaint Resolution Framework,’ the statement said.

‘Financial institutions are mandated to receive and resolve customer complaints as the first point of contact. The Bank takes up all referred or unresolved complaints or disputed decisions and acts as an arbitrator,’ it added.

It further explained that where a consumer remains dissatisfied with the Bank of Ghana’s decision, they may seek redress in a court of law.

The Central Bank also emphasised that since its establishment on March 4, 1957, the BoG has embodied the spirit of possibility, with a vision to build an independent sovereign monetary authority that serves as a pillar of stability, innovation, and resilience.

‘As we celebrate this year’s Customer Service Week, the Bank of Ghana entreats all its regulated institutions to uphold the spirit of ‘Mission Possible’ by committing to excellence in customer service, embracing innovation, and ensuring that every customer interaction reflects values of fairness, transparency, and responsiveness,’ the statement concluded.

Ghanaian singer-songwriter, Rocky Dawuni, known for his signature ‘Afro Roots’ sound, was the centre of entertainment at the MTN Ghana partnered ASOHOM Diplomatic Charity Fashion Gala held last Saturday.

The event, held at the Kempinski Gold Coast City Hotel, witnessed the four-time Grammy nominee entertaining the diplomats to their amazement.

A key feature of the Diplomatic Fashion Gala was the fashion show, which showcased Ghanaian male and female models in different brands wear. Some of the brands which featured their outfits include Seemee, Victoria Grace, Yaayaa, and Complex Department, among others.

Head of the event, President of the Spouses of Heads of Missions in Ghana and International Organisations (ASOHOM), Malika Menne, in an interview, called for a collective approach to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in Ghana.

She said this year’s Diplomatic Fashion Gala aims to raise funds to support selected non-governmental organisations in Ghana.

‘The Fashion Gala is a fund raising event to support a range of local charities that benefit Ghanaians in urgent need,’ she stressed.

Explaining the reason for the event, the President of ASOHOM and spouse of the Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Wamkele Mene, said ‘ASOHOM has quietly existed in Ghana for more than forty years and is open to any spouse whose partner is serving as a Head of Mission in Ghana.’

‘Recognising our strength in number, we wanted to organise a significant fundraiser that will support projects related to two Sustainable Development Goals that we, as a group, are passionate about.

‘A gala as unique as the one we are organising is a good way to bring members of the Ghanaian community and diplomatic community together for the benefit of people in need. We are thankful to our members, our spouses’ organisations, our very generous sponsors and the diplomatic and business communities for supporting our efforts,’ she stated.

The proliferation of small arms in the country remains an arduous challenge for the security agencies, a challenge traceable to the days of the so-called revolution of 1979 when armouries were ransacked by rampaging Other Ranks in the military.

The immediate aftermath of that disorder was bloody and continuing to date with state acquired firearms in the hands of non-state actors, which are used in illegalities spanning land guard criminalities to armed robberies.

Given the unusual long lifespan of firearms, weapons whose dates of manufacture date back to the pre-WWII days, various calibre of the lethal gadgets can be found in the possession of militants of varying colours in different parts of the world; from militants in Mali to their counterparts in Niger and Burkina Faso.

In the complex underworld of criminalities, weapons from WWII vintage – Mark 4 and SMG to AK47 – can find their way from Libya’s warring factions to bad and warmongering youth in Bawku.

The Bawku conflict has seen many a young person in that part of the country saving to acquire sophisticated and antiquated firearms to achieve their goals of gunning down their foes. Just how they manage to acquire the ammunition to feed the firearms is anybody’s guess. It is for this reason that all security conscious Ghanaians must be worried about the missing ammunition disclosure.

Prof. Kwesi Aning’s bombshell disclosure last week, having been told by the late former Defence Minister, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, has unfortunately not received the level of attention it should.

It is clear that no conscious efforts have been taken to probe the allegation, otherwise the public would have picked such information long before now.

Occasional use of firearms by armed robbers of different shades have been reported in the media, and we must wonder how the bullets upon which these firearms depend are acquired, especially since these ammos are not commodities sold on the open market.

Some busted criminals have been found to be in possession of assault weapons such as AK47s, G3s among others. We are compelled to seek answers as to how the criminals acquired them.

Perhaps such information are restricted and the security agencies are keeping these details to their chests. Be it as it may, the National Security apparatus in whose custody the ammunitions got missing, according to Prof. Aning, should assure the public that it is on top of the seeming conundrum. We do not want to believe that the subject has been confined to the cold section of the National Security shelves.

Bawku is far from being out of the woods in terms of security; it remains a fertile ground for gunrunners operating in the militant infested parts of the Sahel to our northern parts.

During the recent Homowo festival of the Gas in Accra, fatalities were recorded in some parts of the nation’s capital, and it would be interesting to find out the nature of firearms used to end the lives of others and the ammunitions used.

The manner in which the National Security apparatus has been turned into a dumping ground for party foot soldiers over the years, the question about the missing 40,000 ammunition becomes even more relevant and important.

First and foremost, I was extremely surprised to read an article from the Fourth Estate shared by Sulemana Briamah, making some comparisons between:

Telecom Business Model and Lottery Business Model of NLA-KGL

Dealers and Agents of Scratch Cards for Telecom companies and Lotto Marketing Companies for National Lottery Authority (NLA).

Comparing lottery business to selling of scratch cards in exchange for commission from Telecom companies clearly shows that Mr. Sulemana Briamah and the Fourth Estate lack full knowledge, understanding, experience, expertise, and competence when it comes to the lottery industry.

For the purpose of clarity, the Telecom Business Model has absolutely no correlation with the Lottery Business Model.

In fact, both business models operate under different industries and are regulated by different authorities.

The Telecom Business Model is under the regulatory body of the National Communications Authority (NCA), whereas the Lottery Business Model is under the regulatory body of the National Lottery Authority (NLA).

The NCA’s laws and NLA laws are completely different from each other, so comparing them is quite dishonest.

Based on their assumptions, can the Fourth Estate and Sulemana Briamah give honest answers to the following questions:

Do the Telecom Companies pay winning tickets to the customers of the scratch cards dealers and agents on daily basis?

Do the Telecom Companies pay 25% commissions based on the money used by the dealers and agents to purchase the scratch cards?

Do the Telecom Companies conduct ‘Scratch Card Draws’ for the customers of the scratch card dealers and agents?

Are the Telecom Companies’ regulators just like the National Lottery Authority (NLA)?

Did Dealers and Agents of Scratch Cards invest millions of dollars into the marketing of the cards?

Did Dealers and Agents of Scratch Cards invest millions of dollars into the I. T infrastructure and system engineering for the sale of scratch cards to the general public with zero investments from the Telecom companies?

Now to the perfect case of the NLA-KGL Deal:

Fourth Estate and Sulemana Briamah should kindly take their time to thoroughly read all the 58 Sections of the National Lotto Act, 2006 (Act 722) and point it out to their followers on Facebook, which section of Act 722 specifically made mentioned of NLA paying commission to a Lotto Marketing Company participating in Online lottery?

Can they indicate which specific Section of Act 722 talks about Online Lottery?

Just like the LMC selling in the kiosks using Point of Sale Terminals are required to pre-pay for the NLA coupons, KGL Technology Limited as an online LMC also pre-pays each quarter for NLA Coupons.

All the money NLA receives from KGL is paid into the Lotto Account as required by law. It is, therefore, the responsibility of NLA to transfer the *net balance* into the Lotto Account on monthly basis to the Consolidated Fund.

The net balance is rightly so because what if there is no net balance in the Lotto Account after payments of Winning Tickets, Commissions, Administrative, and General Expenses by NLA?

If at any point the money in the Lotto Account is not enough to pay winners, the excess can be charged against the Consolidated Fund (Section 33 of Act 722).

However, in practice, NLA has NEVER taken money from the Consolidated Fund to pay winners of national lotto. Also, it does not even make sense to use public funds in the Consolidated Fund to pay winners of national lotto while the country needs funds to take care of very important national projects.

Despite the technology being used by KGL in partnership with the Telecom Companies to sell lottery products, all the monies NLA receives from KGL go into the Lotto Account.

What is the Lotto Account? Let me educate the Fourth Estate, and Sulemana Briamah.

The ‘Lotto Account is any official Bank Account operated by the National Lottery Authority (NLA)’.

What empirical research has Fourth Estate or Sulemana Briamah conducted in the lottery industry particularly Online lottery industry for them to conclude that about 90% of lotto stakers now buy their lotto on their phones directly using short codes (USSD)?

If 90% of Lotto Stakers buy lotto via USSD then how come banker-2-banker lotto operators and agents control 80% of the lottery industry in Ghana?

If 90% buy lotto via USSD, then how many buy lotto via Point of Sale Terminals (POSTs)?

And if only 10% are buying lotto via Point of Sale Terminals (POSTs), then how many are buying lotto via Paper issued by Banker-2-Banker lotto operators and agents?

If 90% are buying lotto via USSD, then how come Lotto Marketing Companies and Private Lotto Operators and Agents are still actively involved in the lottery business?

Was NLA successful in experimenting with different technology partners to reap full benefits from online sales of its lotto business?

If Fourth Estate and Sulemana Briamah care to know before KGL coming on board, the NLA in partnership with private technology companies FAILED to benefit from online sales of lotto such as ‘Mobi Game 2 Sure’, ‘Mobile 5/90’ , NLA 5/90(*890#) and ‘NLA Soccer Cash’

Has Fourth Estate, as a patriotic CSO, researched on the financial losses NLA incurred during the operations of Mobi Game 2 Sure, Mobile 5/90, NLA 5/90(*896#) and Soccer Cash?

Yes, Keed Ghana Limited paid GHC 10 million as penalty to NLA for piloting *959# without the appropriate 5/90 Online License Agreement, and that was a good decision by both NLA and Keed Ghana Limited.

The general public would also like to know the answers from Fourth Estate and Sulemana Briamah regarding the following questions:

(a) How much Alpha Lotto Limited paid to NLA for illegally operating NLA 5/90 USSD and Web online lottery via *896# for 11 months?

(b) How much Onassis Lotto has paid to NLA for illegally operating NLA 5/90 USSD and Web online lottery via *859#?

(c) How much did operators of www.theb2blotto.com pay to NLA for operating illegally the NLA 5/90 lottery via Web Online?

The answers to the above 3 questions would illuminate the understanding of Fourth Estate and Sulemana Briamah that they are just being unprofessional in their investigations against NLA-KGL deal.

The decision of NLA not to pay commission to KGL is equally supported by Section 2(4), and Section 37(d) of the National Lotto Act, 2006(Act 722).

Also, NLA has NEVER given multiple licenses to companies to operate the same NLA product. Every Online LMC or collaborator is licensed to operate a specific lottery product.

For example:

959 exclusively for KGL 5/90

766 exclusively for Atena

787 exclusively for Wotiriyie

446 exclusively for Daywa 5/39

946 exclusively for Game Park

987 exclusively for Lucky 3

Also, regarding the duration of the license, NLA has signed 10-15 years license agreements with several Lotto Marketing Companies and Private Lotto Operators in 2024.

Don’t forget that Lots Services Ghana Limited and Simnet Ghana respectively have a 15-year and 10-year contract with NLA subject to automatic renewal for another 10-15 years.

It is absolutely FALSE that 80% to 90% of lotto stakers in Ghana have moved to buying lotto online using just a USSD short code on their phone because there is no empirical research supporting this untrue claim.

The business of analogue lotto Kiosks equally owned by private companies and individuals started declining when majority of them decided to sell products on behalf of Banker-2-Banker Lotto Operators and Agents largely due to the attractive 35-40% commission they received from the Private Lotto Operators and Agents as compared to the 25% pay by the NLA.

Again, it is absolutely FALSE for Fourth Estate and Sulemana Briamah to state that, a prime business of NLA which will generate 80% to 90% of the NLA’s revenue has been handed over to one company, KGL.

This kind of argument is fueled by jealousy or envy because KGL started making sales from the bottom before, through huge investments and marketing strategies, they have been able to reach where they are now.

The management of KGL Technology Limited, in the interest of the country, is always very open for reviews and renegotiations when it comes to its License Agreement with the NLA.

It is very misleading for Fourth Estate and Sulemana Briamah to create an erroneous impression that NLA doesn’t know the amount of revenue generated by KGL. So if NLA doesn’t even know how much of its digital coupons(online lotto) KGL sells, then how come Fourth Estate and Sulemana Briamah were able to know that KGL generates GHC 3 billion annually?

If GRA is fully aware of KGL’s revenue, how difficult is it then for NLA as a regulator to know the revenue generated by KGL?

Can Fourth Estate please help their readers and followers on Social media know how much out of that quoted 3 billion was used to:

(a) Pay winning tickets (Prize moneys to Winners of national lotto)?

(b) Pay MTN, Telecel and Airteltigo?

(c) Pay for the service, running, management and maintenance of the I. T infrastructure and systems driving the online 5/90 lottery business?

(d) Pay for marketing costs?

(e) Corporate Taxes to Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA)?

(f) Pre-pay NLA?

(g) Pay NLA Stabilization Fund?

(h)Pay to KGL as Profit?

Has the Fourth Estate ever done an assessment of NLA regarding its:

(a) Increased number of employees which comes at extra cost to the Authority?

(b) Increased amount of money paid to Technical Service Providers?

(c) Increased commission payments from 20% to 25% on the gross revenue generated by NLA?

(d). Increased operations of illegal lottery operators and Agents across the country?

The 25% commission payments alone paid to Lotto Marketing Companies would make it extremely difficult for NLA to make any meaningful gains more than the quoted GHC 350 million by Fourth Estate and Sulemana Briamah.

The current NLA Board and the Minister of Finance are NOT concerned about the Fourth Estate and Sulemana Briamah saga because:

(a). Fourth Estate and Sulemana Briamah have failed to establish any form of Corruption or suspected corruption regarding the NLA-KGL deal.

(b). Fourth Estate and Sulemana Briamah have FAILED to genuinely establish that KGL is taking away a GHC 3 billion business from the NLA.

(c) Fourth Estate and Sulemana Briamah have FAILED to establish any breach of Act 722 and L. I. 1948 in the NLA-KGL deal.

(d). Fourth Estate and Sulemana Briamah have FAILED to prove that the presence of KGL is a threat to NLA.

(e). Fourth Estate and Sulemana Briamah have FAILED to exhibit professionalism and higher ethical leadership regarding their investigations about the NLA-KGL deal.

(f). Fourth Estate and Sulemana Briamah have FAILED to demonstrate their full understanding of the lottery industry.

(g). Fourth Estate and Sulemana Briamah are pushing NLA and the Minister of Finance to incur a judgment debt of over $5 billion against the State regarding the NLA-KGL deal.

Finally, if the Car Owner (NLA) is satisfied with the performance of the Driver (KGL), who are the Fourth Estate and Sulemana Briamah to question the Car Owner (NLA)?

Ticket sales for Africa’s greatest show, the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025, will be launched today, 13 October 2025 with an exclusive 48-hour window for Visa card holders from 09:00 Moroccan time (08:00 GMT).

Fans across Africa and beyond will have the opportunity to secure their seats for the continent’s biggest football celebration.

Visa cardholders will benefit from an exclusive pre-sale window from Monday, 13 October 08:00 GMT until Wednesday, 15 October 2025 08:00 GMT. The general sale will follow immediately after for all other methods of payment.

To offer a smoother and more connected experience, the Local Organizing Committee has officially launched the YALLA App, the platform for Fan ID which supporters will need to purchase tickets, and request E-visa/AEVM to Morocco.

The TotalEnergies CAF AFCON will kick-off on 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026.

A valid Fan ID created through the YALLA App is mandatory to purchase a ticket. Fans and the whole football family are encouraged to complete the Fan ID registration process. Each Fan ID allows the supporters to buy only ONE ticket per game.

Football lover can purchase tickets by downloading the Yalla App on either Google Play or the App Store, apply for their Fan ID and E-visa/AEVM (If needed) through the app.

???Once you receive your Fan ID, Visa card holders can visit the CAF ticketing platform at tickets.cafonline.com starting from Monday, 13 October at 09:00 Moroccan time / 8:00 GMT to purchase your TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 tickets

Lawyer Maurice Ampaw has said that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is the most marketable person for the flagbearer position of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who has the chance of winning a one-touch victory.

He was speaking during a Movement Television Bekyeremu programme hosted by Gordon Asare Bediako in Accra last Saturday morning.

The lawyer of over two decades experience said Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, one of the contestants for the NPP flagbearer race, is not primed for the position at this time, adding that the tradition of not making it for the first time as a flagbearer is in favour of Dr. Bawumia, who will be presented for the second time against a National Democratic Congress (NDC) first timer.

According to him, ‘I have not been influenced. Dr. Bawumia will win one-touch for the NPP. He will be competing against NDC’s first timers such as Asiedu Nketia or Haruna Iddrisu. Kennedy Agyapong can only win during a second coming, not now.’

On emotional intelligence of Mr. Agyapong, he said ‘when it comes to decency of expression, Ken has a problem.he is haughty. He can easily say he has resigned from the NPP.’

Continuing, Maurice Ampaw alleged that President John Mahama came for the NDC, not for the people of Ghana.

‘The signs of a good play are noticeable in the early stages or in the morning. In the first year of a presidency, there should be signs of urgency or seriousness, something we are not seeing with this government,’ he stressed.

On the current seeming turmoil in the NPP, Mr. Ampaw said it is normal and would subside when the flagbearer is picked, saying, ‘It would then be the turn of the NDC, as the party is saddled with the choice of a successor to President John Mahama and its attendant turmoils.’

Every party, he said, has traitors and the NPP will get such persons in the NDC coming to the former with negative information within their fold.

Turning to some men of God, he said ‘some of them are playing double games being in bed with the NPP and simultaneously with the NDC. These days, tithes have dwindled in churches and so some men of God are using prophecies to make money. Kennedy Agyapong who did not believe in men of God and the church has suddenly turned to such persons. They are there to take his money. These same persons would want to turn to Dr. Bawumia. He should avoid them. Such so-called prophets have specialised in conditional prophecies. They prophesise victory but add conditions such as ‘but.”

Business activities at the Apremdo market, popularly called ‘Abenbebom’ in the Effia- Kwesimintsim Municipality of the Western Region, is expected to bounce back.

This follows a decision by the Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipal Assembly (EKMA) to move traders and hawkers from their current location at the Takoradi Jubilee Park to the Apremdo market.

According to a statement issued by EKMA, the ejection exercise will begin today, Monday, October 13, 2025.

The Apremdo market, which was constructed in 1996, had since not enjoyed much patronage by traders and customers, making the investment somehow non profitable.

Some traders who had rented stores at the Apremdo market do not do business there, but rather keep their wares for sale at other markets, including the Takoradi Jubilee Park.

The park was converted into a market for social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

After the pandemic was over, several attempts to move the traders to the various markets have not been successful.

EKMA, therefore, issued a statement on October 1, 2025, ordering all traders at the Jubilee Park to move to the Apremdo market today, October 13, 2025, in order to return the park to its original use.

Commercial drivers operating around the Jubilee Park have also been asked to vacate the place.

A team of armed military officers is already in place to enforce the Assembly’s order.

The traders are however, pleading for more time to adequately prepare to move.

A fruit dealer, Madam Juliet Siabi said there is little time for her to prepare to vacate the Jubilee Park.

‘We cannot defy the order but we plead with the authorities to reconsider the deadline for evacuation.

‘Earlier, we were made to understand the eviction is scheduled for December this year. There are no assurances the new place is ready to take up the numbers from this market,’ she asserted.

Transport operators who initially decided to take a court action against the Assembly for the decision to evict them, have rescinded their decision.

Meanwhile, the Assembly has rehabilitated road networks leading to and running through the Apremdo market.

The area designated for various goods has also been graveled in preparation for its full operationalisation.

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the education sector in the Northern region, have urged government to decentralise teacher recruitment and deployment system.

According to them, the decentralised teacher recruitment and deployment system offers better prospects for improving learning outcomes, teacher accountability and retention than the existing centralised system with its many associated challenges.

A press conference convened by Northern Network for Education Development (NNED) and the Complementary Basic Education (CBE) Alliance and facilitated by School for Life (SfL) and partners in Tamale, disclosed that the existing teacher recruitment and deployment policy in Ghana operates on the basis of a highly centralised system, noting that it involves reporting teacher vacancies in schools to the Ghana Education Service (GES) headquarters through the District and Regional Education offices.

‘The GES HQ post the teachers directly to the schools. This top-down approach, according to a SfL (2023) study has not delivered the expected improved learning outcomes,’ they stated.

They noted that a study showed that whilst the existing teacher recruitment and deployment strategy and related policies are well intended, the outcomes have been undesirable.

‘The strategy and related policies have not been able to address the equity concerns as 68% of the vacancies in this study still remained in rural areas. The quality of basic education was found to be low as 4 out of 6 districts had over 70% of the students who took the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in 2020 obtaining aggregate 30 and above. The centralised recruitment and deployment of teachers was found in the study to be ineffective, as some teachers posted to schools and districts managed to secure reposting to other schools and districts of their choice drawing on their political connections,’ they said.

The NGOs lamented about the statistics units of the District and Regional Education offices which are poorly equipped without internet connectivity, computers, cameras and other ICT facilities.

‘This has hindered the roll-out of the GES, Education Management Information System (EMIS). Under the limited investments in technology, the teacher recruitment and deployment functions are better handled at the decentralised level of the GES. The current centralisation of teacher recruitment and deployment is associated with bureaucratic red tapeism and delays. This does not make room for local teacher demands due to force majeure or other local circumstances requiring immediate actions to be handled expeditiously. These flexibilities are only efficient and effective with a decentralised teacher recruitment and deployment system,’

Mr. Zulyaden Amadu, Project Manager, School for Life, addressing journalists in Tamale, said the centralised deployment of teachers has weakened the decentralised accountability structures in the GES, adding that District Directors are powerless.

‘Teachers enter and exit districts at will because they deal directly with officers at the GES HQ. The District Offices merely serve as conveyer belts for processing salaries for teachers, with limited capacity to monitor and discipline teachers. The centralised system of deploying teachers has affected the GES Language of Instruction (LI) policy. The LI policy was approved in 2004 through a government white paper, and stipulates that the medium of instruction at the lower primary school level (KG1-P3) should be the dominant local language or playground language of the child. The policy prescribes that at the upper primary level (P4-P6), English should be taught as the medium of instruction (L2) while Ghanaian language is taught as a subject. However, many of the teachers posted from the HQ hardly speak the local language and are therefore unable to implement the LI policy in the schools where they are posted,’ he noted.

He hinted that the centralised deployment of teachers will potentially impact learning where pupils-trained teacher ratio between rural and urban schools are likely to increase as well as the possibility of many more teachers facing mental health and psychosocial challenges which cannot be discounted.

According to him, the NGOs recommend to the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service a decentralised teacher recruitment and deployment system so that once the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning gives financial clearance for the recruitment of teachers, the recruitment and posting of teachers should be done at the District Education Offices (DEOs), because they have local knowledge of the teacher situation and are therefore better placed to deploy teachers than the current centralised system.

‘We also recommend the equitable deployment of teachers requires timely, accurate and reliable data. It is therefore recommended to the MoE and GES to invest a modicum of its resources in equipping their planning, monitoring, data collection, research and records units at the various DEOs and REOs. The staff of these units should also be given refresher training to enable them collect, analyse, store and transmit data on teachers and other education key performance indicators. This will help in improving teacher rationalisation and deployment in Ghana,’ he stated.

‘Given the huge teacher deficits in the rural areas, it is recommended that policies aimed at motivating teachers to teach in rural areas such as the 20% deprived teachers’ allowance, affordable and decent accommodation, accelerated promotion and free modules for continuous professional development should be implemented immediately. These will motivate teachers to accept postings to rural areas,’ he added.

Former Second Lady, Hajia Samira Bawumia, who is also the Chair of the Africa Women and Children Conference (AFRIWOCC) and the Norwegian Ambassador to Ghana, Dr. John Mikail Kvistan have jointly called for a shift in the climate change narrative among women and the youth in Africa.

The call was made at the end of a two-day AFRIWOCC 2025 in Accra.

At the end of the two-day intensive dialogue, a communiqué aimed at empowering Africa’s youth and women in the climate fight was signed by both dignitaries.

The cornerstone of the document ‘is a call for a decisive shift in Africa’s climate change narrative from one of victimhood to one of agency and resilience, particularly for its youth and women.’

The communiqué, issued under the conference theme ‘Young Voices, Innovative Ideas, Greater Impact for Africa,’ directly addresses the key challenges identified during the sessions. It acknowledges that African women, youth, and children suffer most adverse effects of climate change.

Key barriers highlighted include a lack of knowledge and skills for effective advocacy, restricted access to green financing for innovative ideas, and the environmental and health hazards of traditional cooking fuels.

To address these challenges, the communiqué outlines a series of recommendations targeting all levels of society:

For governments and leaders, the document urges national governments, regional bodies, and development partners to actualise previous commitments on financing green initiatives and ensuring the meaningful participation of youth and women in climate governance. Leaders are called upon to support young people with increased funding and training, and to begin teaching technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) early in their national Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) curricula. An inclusive, multi-sectoral approach to promoting clean cooking is also strongly recommended.

In a significant call for self-empowerment, the communiqué advises young people and women to be deliberate about building their own capacities through research and skill development. This is aimed at boosting the confidence of decision-makers and green financers in their ability to lead on policy and project implementation. It also encourages youth entrepreneurs to better understand their markets and effectively mobilise capital to build scalable green businesses.

The communiqué also emphasises that climate action is a collective responsibility. It calls on climate activists to simplify their messaging using creative means to reach wider audiences, including children. It also urges everyone to value and reclaim indigenous ancestral knowledge on environmental conservation and to get involved through small, intentional actions like planting a tree or recycling.

The conference was co-hosted by AFRIWOCC and the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office in Ghana and was sponsored by the SIGRA project, funded by Global Affairs Canada, and Zenith Bank. The communiqué now serves as a guiding document for stakeholders to advance environmental justice and sustainable development across the continent, with Africa’s youth and women at the forefront.

AFRIWOCC is a continental platform that convenes policymakers, youth leaders, women entrepreneurs, innovators, and development partners to accelerate youth and women’s inclusion in governance, leadership, and sustainable development.

Accra has hosted it’s first C40 Cities Regional Leadership Masterclass on climate finance and governance, bringing together political leaders, development partners, and private sector players to discuss how African cities can secure funding and scale up climate action.

The three-day programme, which was held at the Accra City Hotel began on September 30 and ended on October 2, 2025.

The masterclass was organised under the C40 Cities’ Urban Climate Action Programme (UCAP) with support from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

The sessions focused on strengthening governance, unlocking climate finance, and developing projects that deliver lasting impact in cities.

The Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, in his speech revealed that the city faced serious challenges including flooding, rising temperatures, and pressure from rapid urban growth.

He explained that the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) was implementing measures such as better waste management, flood control projects, and clean energy promotion.

However, he stressed that the scale of the risks required stronger coordination and more funding.

‘The complexity of these climate risks demands urgent access to finance and closer collaboration. This masterclass is a vital platform to address barriers to climate funding, strengthen governance, and mobilize resources that reflect the priorities of Accra,’ he noted.

C40’s Regional Director for Africa, Anthony Okoth, stated that African cities faced growing threats from rising temperatures, flooding, water scarcity, and other climate-related risks.

He stressed that with rapidly growing urban populations, political leaders had a central role in shaping policies and partnerships to protect vulnerable communities while promoting green economic growth.

‘Accra is already setting an example in West Africa by boosting energy efficiency, adopting solar power in public buildings, and reforming waste management policies. This kind of leadership shows what cities can achieve when they combine vision with action’ he explained.

The outcomes of the Accra session are expected to guide upcoming masterclasses in Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Nairobi, and Tshwane, aimed at building a network of African leaders committed to climate resilience.