Category: Daily Guide Network

Outstanding comic actors including Ebo Noah, Asafo Powers, Jerry Hay, and Ablekuma Nana Lace Oteele have been nominated for the 2026 Ghana Comedy Awards.

The event is scheduled for August 1, 2026 at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Accra, where industry players will be celebrated on the night.

Organised by Creative Republic Limited, the sixth edition of the prestigious awards scheme will honour nominees for their years of consistent creative comic relief to audiences.

Some of the nominees include Comeddy Bwoy, Ben South, Jeffrey Nortey, Al Maleek, Aka Ebenezer, Opoku Bilson, Donske, Asafo Powers (Killa Ntua), Real NKB, Freedom Official, Last Hero, Seniorman Layla, Big Daama, and Piloolo GH.

Most Popular Comedian nomination: Dan Kweku Yeboah, Lekzy Decomic, Jeffrey Nortey, Aka Ebenezer, Clemento Suarez, Asafo Powers (Killa Ntua), Ben South, and DKB.

Standup Comedian nomination has the likes of Okokobioko, Lekzy Decomic, OB Amponsah, DKB, Parrot Mouth, Foster Romanus, Jacinta Ocansey, and Oh Joo.

Clemento Suarez, Jeneral Ntatia, Monica Awimbono Aitariga, Efua Dell, William Odartei Lamptey, Sylvia Naa Adjeley, NGO, and Lawyer Amekuji were nominated for Comedy Theatre Act.

Comedian of the Year: DKB, Clemento Suarez, Ben South, OB Amponsah, Foster Romanus, Lekzy Decomic, Jeffrey Nortey, Dan Kweku Yeboah, Aka Ebenezer, and Asafo Powers (Killa Ntua).

Comedy Actor: Donske, Aka Ebenezer, Jeffrey Nortey, William Odartei Lamptey, Kyekyeku, Asafo Powers (Killa Ntua), Real NKB, Oteele, Papa Kumasi, and Kenya.

Comedy Actress: Efua Dell, Jacinta Ocansey, Monica Awimbono Aitariga, Vivian Gill Lawrence, Ama Pokuaa, Ama Yeboah, and Asor Yaa.

Comedy Discovery: Comeddy Bwoy, Grumma, Al Maleek, Sam Qweeku, Elder Trihoo, Donske, Pastor Kwame Ansah, Boss Majoy, Last Hero, Kenya, Odenkyem, Visa Bwoy, and Comedian Smile.

Comic MC of the Year: Papayaw Ataamle, Lekzy Decomic, Dan Kweku Yeboah, Okokobioko, Kwame Oboadie, Geovani Caleb, Mr Katah, and Papa Shamo.

Other categories include Women in Comedy Award, Comic Media Personality, African Comedian of the Year, Alternative Comic Act, Comic Influencer, Comic Animator, Comic Group of the Year, Comic Music Act, Comic Writer, Comic Director, Comic Kid, Comedy Series, Comic TV Programme, Comic Radio Programme, Comedy Special, Comedy Club of the Year, Comedy Event of the Year, Comedy Movie, Comedy Play, Next Rated Comic Act, and Comedy for Social Good Award.

According to the organisers, the list of shortlisted nominees is open for review and petitions regarding omissions, corrections, or errors.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has condemned a violent attack on Zohe E.P. Schools in the Yendi Municipality of the Northern Region after armed men reportedly stormed the school premises during a dispute over the construction of a commercial shed.

A preliminary investigation by the GES revealed that the incident stemmed from a disagreement between some community members and the school authorities over attempts to erect a commercial shed on the school’s compound.

In a statement signed by the Head of Public Relations, Daniel Fenyi, the GES said the situation escalated when the aggrieved community members fired several warning shots into the air, causing panic among students and staff.

During the incident, the Headmaster of Zohe E.P. Junior High School, Mohammed Shani Gazali, was assaulted.

According to the GES, he was rushed to hospital, where he received medical treatment and was later discharged.

The statement said although no fatalities or serious injuries were recorded, the incident disrupted academic activities and led to the vandalisation of some school property.

The matter has since been reported to the police for investigation.

To ensure the safety of students and staff, the GES announced the temporary closure of the Zohe E.P. Schools while consultations continue with the relevant stakeholders and security agencies.

According to the statement, the school is expected to reopen on today, subject to security clearance.

The GES condemned the attack in the strongest terms, warning that acts of violence, vandalism and intimidation directed at members of the school community would not be tolerated.

‘Management condemns such acts of vandalism in the strongest terms and warns that any attack on members of the school community, including staff and students, as well as acts that render the school environment unsafe for teaching and learning, shall not be tolerated,’ the statement said.

The Service assured parents, guardians, teachers and the general public that the safety and security of learners and staff remain its highest priority, adding that it will continue to work closely with the security agencies to restore calm and ensure a safe environment for teaching and learning.

The Afigya Kwabre South District Assembly has summoned 17 individuals and institutions for various sanitation offences, with the offenders expected to face prosecution as authorities intensify efforts to enforce environmental sanitation laws.

The offenders were cited during a nationwide clean-up exercise organised across the district to improve environmental hygiene and promote public health.

Among those summoned is the management of the Shell filling station at Afrancho, for allowing large volumes of refuse to accumulate on its premises in breach of the Assembly’s sanitation bylaws.

Several business operators were also cited for operating in filthy surroundings, with the frontages of their shops left unkempt despite repeated public education campaigns and directives from the Assembly on the need to maintain clean environment.

The clean-up exercise brought together personnel from the Ghana Police Service, staff of the District Assembly, churches, non-governmental organisations and residents, who cleared heaps of refuse and desilted choked drains and gutters across the district.

Speaking to DAILY GUIDE, District Environmental Health Analyst, Kwame Kusi Agyemang-Badu, disclosed that most of the offenders were from the Buoho and Afrancho communities.

He warned that the Assembly would prosecute the offenders to serve as a deterrent to others who continue to flout the district’s environmental sanitation regulations.

The District Coordinating Director, Yakubu Baba Seidu Kamara, also told DAILY GUIDE that the Assembly would not relent in enforcing its sanitation bylaws.

He condemned the persistent disregard for sanitation regulations by some residents and business operators and urged the public to adopt proper waste management practices and support the Assembly’s efforts to maintain a clean, healthy and environmentally safe district.

The country is facing an urgent family planning commodity crisis following the exit of USAID, which previously supplied 45% of the country’s contraceptives, as stakeholders meet to chart a sustainable way forward.

Speaking at a High-Level Stakeholders’ Summit convened by MSI Reproductive Choices Ghana with support from UNFPA, Dr Doris Amarteifio, Programmes Manager, Family Planning, Ghana Health Service (GHS) said the withdrawal created a major funding gap.

Before the exit, support stood at USAID 45%, UNFPA 40%, Government of Ghana 10% and WAHO 5%. Government has since increased its share from 5% to 20% for 2025, with UNFPA also stepping in, but stock levels remain critically low.

‘We have 11 commodities that partners procure for us. Our minimum stock level is six months, but some commodities are less than one month,’ Dr. Amarteifio stated. ‘Depot-Provera currently stands at 0.11 months, female condoms at 2 months, and male condoms, which are highly patronized, at 1.4 months. As we speak, that figure keeps going down.’

The summit brought together about 50 senior participants from government, development partners, civil society, the private sector, academia, and traditional and religious leadership to agree on practical, time-bound actions to strengthen financing, coordination, and commodity security.

The meeting also created the platform to share findings of a new research on income flows from family planning services and private sector engagement with participants.

Presenting the findings, Project Consultant, Dr. Godfred Bonnah Nkansah, said the results showed that facilities collect small fees for service delivery, but policies on revenue sharing are not being followed. Per policy, 50% should stay at facility level, with 10% each to district and regional levels and 30% to national level.

‘In practice, facilities are not adhering to that arrangement, so we don’t really know how the money is utilised,’ Dr. Nkansah said, warning that the country could be losing substantial funds.

He added that some facilities are charging over 300% above the Ghana Health Service (GHS) cap.

To address the gaps, the research recommended the establishment of a domestic fund, a digital tracking system from facility to national level, and local production of family planning commodities.

The research also urged Ghanaians to enroll on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), noting that while commodities are free, service delivery costs can be reimbursed through NHIS to sustain facilities.

‘Without a sustainable funding mechanism, commodities, transport and consumables will not get to the last mile,’ Dr. Nkansah said.

The Ghana Health Service and Ministry of Health said they will investigate reports of overcharging, stressing that family planning commodities are supposed to be issued free of charge.

The General Superintendent of Assemblies of God, Ghana, Rev. Stephen Yenusom Wengam, has addressed the 22nd Biennial General Council Meeting of the Guyana Assemblies of God in Georgetown.

Rev. Wengam, who also serves as a Cabinet/Executive member of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, spoke on the theme ‘The Awesome Deeds of Prayer.’

He told the gathering that, ‘intense, consistent, deliberate and prolonged praying births unequaled revival. More prayer provokes the release of fresh revival.’

Citing biblical and historical examples, Rev. Wengam noted that prayer birthed the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles, USA, which led to the formation of the Assemblies of God in 1914.

He also referenced Acts 1:14, where 120 disciples prayed for 10 days in the Upper Room before the Holy Spirit was poured out.

‘The Holy Spirit did not fall on the first or second day because it takes much prayer for great revival to take place, like what happened on the day of Pentecost,’ he emphasised, referring to Acts 2.

Following the sermon, Rev. Wengam led the congregation in intense prayer, resulting in what attendees described as a tangible manifestation of the Holy Spirit and a wave of revival.

Testifying after the session, the General Superintendent of the Guyana Assemblies of God, Bishop John Smith, said the church had experienced, ‘the visitation of the Holy Spirit in an unusual manner.’

Wellness entrepreneur Amal Fashanu, founder of Matchame, hosted a soft launch of her boutique matcha brand in Accra on Saturday, July 11, introducing Ghanaians to what she calls a lifestyle rooted in health, creativity, and calm.

Speaking after the launch event, Amal Fashanu said her entry into wellness was personal. The journey began with her ’30 Juice Book,’ a curated 30-day guide for 30 organs of the body.

‘When I started doing my juice book, I then started to get into the wellness side of my health because I was severely overweight. Part of the journey was to try things that would help me stabilise my weight, become part of my lifestyle, and also be fun and dynamic. That is what matcha is for me,’ she said.

She noted the health benefits that kept her committed: ‘It’s an antioxidant, anti-cancerous, and it helps your nails, your skin, your general well-being. It helps your organs. Green tea and matcha are from the same camellia plant. It’s just that matcha is shaded and processed differently. That’s why strong matcha has a taste similar to green tea.’

Amal Fashanu revealed that Matchame has been open quietly for three months. She described the space as intentional and serene.

‘It’s very boutique, elegant, and high up. It’s not for the masses. It’s for somebody to come, enjoy, relax. It’s Japan meets Africa in a relaxed manner. The music is a curated playlist. Customers who come here are seeking peace, quiet, and moments to chill,’ she added.

Saturday’s event was a teaser of what’s to come. It featured a beginners’ introductory masterclass where guests learned how to whisk matcha at home. Matchame also retails whisks, bowls, and ladles.

‘This masterclass was tailored for beginners. If you don’t know anything about matcha, if you want to get healthier, this is for you,’ she said.

Amal Fashanu announced monthly programmes including; 1-2 times every month, among other collaborative events such as ‘Paddle and Matcha,’ ‘Nails and Matcha,’ ‘Sip and Paint with Matcha,’ and ‘Skincare with Shea Butter.’

Hundreds of residents across parts of the Western Region joined the nationwide clean-up exercise over the weekend, as communities rallied to improve sanitation and support the government’s post-flood mitigation efforts.

The two-day exercise, organised in the wake of recent flooding in parts of the country, aimed to clear waste, desilt drains and promote cleaner, healthier communities to reduce the risk of future floods and disease outbreaks.

Zoomlion Ghana Limited, the country’s leading waste management and environmental sanitation company, played a key role by deploying personnel and providing equipment to support the exercise.

The clean-up also attracted personnel from the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana National Fire Service and the Ghana Armed Forces, alongside officials from public and private institutions, senior high school students and residents.

A visit to Sekondi, Shama and the Effia Kwesimintsim Municipality (EKMA) showed teams desilting choked drains, sweeping streets and public spaces, clearing refuse dumps and cutting overgrown weeds.

Many residents described the exercise as timely and necessary, saying it would help improve sanitation and minimise the impact of flooding during the rainy season.

They commended Zoomlion for its commitment to the exercise and urged other corporate organisations to support similar environmental initiatives.

The Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson, stressed that maintaining a clean environment required sustained collaboration between citizens and local authorities.

He said environmental sanitation was a shared responsibility and encouraged residents to take ownership of sanitation activities by actively participating in future clean-up exercises.

Mr. Nelson noted that indiscriminate disposal of refuse and the failure to maintain drains remained major causes of flooding and the spread of preventable diseases, particularly during the rainy season.

The Chief of Apremdo in the Effia Kwesimintsim Municipality, Nana Egya Kwamena, called on residents to make sanitation a daily responsibility rather than limiting clean-up efforts to periodic national exercises.

He also advocated a greater role for traditional authorities in sanitation campaigns, arguing that their involvement would help improve public participation and strengthen community ownership of environmental management.

According to him, communities respond more enthusiastically when traditional leaders champion clean-up exercises than when such activities are driven solely by central or local government authorities.

The National Association of Ghanaian Communities in Nigeria (NAGHACON) has expressed concern over the alleged destruction of properties belonging to Ghanaian-owned JonahCapital at the River Park Estate in Abuja despite a pending court case over the matter.

The association, in a press statement signed by its National President, Lukman Tetteh, and General Secretary, Edwards Domfe, warned that the situation could have implications for relations between Ghana and Nigeria if it is not addressed at the highest level.

It therefore called on President John Dramani Mahama and his Nigerian counterpart, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, ‘to call those responsible for these actions to order and allow the court to determine this matter.’

According to the association, it had observed the destruction of JonahCapital’s properties, including the Gallery Clubhouse, gatehouse and other structures, while other companies operating within the River Park Estate remained unaffected.

‘We have observed that several other companies continue to operate undisturbed within River Park Estate, with the exception of JonahCapital. We have also observed the various walls that have been erected around properties belonging to JonahCapital,’ the association stated.

The group said it stood in solidarity with the company over what it had endured and continued to endure.

NAGHACON also stated that it was aware of the challenges JonahCapital had faced since last year, when a police investigation allegedly accused the company of forgery, a matter which it said required the intervention of Nigeria’s Attorney-General of the Federation, who investigated the case and declared the company’s directors innocent.

‘We are concerned that a matter currently before the courts is not being allowed to run its course, while these actions continue to be taken against JonahCapital’s staff and assets,’ the statement said.

The association linked its concerns to the broader issue of xenophobic attacks against African migrants, citing incidents in South Africa where several African migrants have been killed.

‘As Ghanaians in Nigeria, we are equally concerned that these actions against the only prominent Ghanaian company in Abuja could have unintended consequences, both in Nigeria and in Ghana,’ it added.

NAGHACON further warned that the dispute could escalate into a situation similar to that experienced in South Africa. It also expressed concern about the safety and security of Ghanaians connected with the company and the estate.

‘We use this medium to appeal to the Presidents of both Ghana and Nigeria to call those responsible for these actions to order and to allow the court to determine this matter. We also ask that the safety and security of the Ghanaians involved be guaranteed,’ the statement added.

Every day, millions of people around the world are forced to flee their homes because of war, persecution, political instability, violence, or gross violations of human rights. Others find themselves trapped in an equally devastating situation: they belong to no country at all. In an era of rising conflicts, climate related displacement, and humanitarian crises, understanding the concepts of human rights, refugee protection, statelessness, and asylum is no longer the preserve of lawyers and diplomats. It is a matter of global citizenship.

The United Nations (UN), established in 1945 after the devastation of the Second World War, placed human dignity at the heart of the international order. The UN Charter commits member states to promoting and protecting fundamental human rights without discrimination based on race, religion, nationality, language, or gender. This commitment later gave rise to landmark instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), which proclaims that every person is born free and equal in dignity and rights.

Yet, despite these legal commitments, millions continue to experience persecution that forces them to cross international borders in search of safety. Under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, a refugee is a person who has a well founded fear of persecution because of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership of a particular social group, and who is unable or unwilling to return to their country. Refugee status is therefore not simply a label. It is a legal recognition that a person requires international protection because their own state cannot or will not protect them.

Equally misunderstood is the concept of asylum. Seeking asylum is a legal right recognized under international law. An asylum seeker is an individual who requests protection in another country but whose application has not yet been decided. Every refugee begins as an asylum seeker, but not every asylum seeker will ultimately be recognized as a refugee. This distinction is important because asylum systems must balance humanitarian obligations with fair and thorough assessments of individual claims.

Perhaps one of the least discussed humanitarian challenges is statelessness. A stateless person is someone who is not recognized as a national by any country under the operation of its laws. Without nationality, individuals often face significant barriers to education, healthcare, employment, property ownership, voting, and freedom of movement.

Statelessness can arise from discrimination, gaps in nationality laws, state succession, conflict, or the failure to register births. It is a condition that strips people of legal identity and often leaves them invisible within the international system.

These issues are not abstract legal theories; they are lived realities. From Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Myanmar, Syria, Ukraine, and beyond, millions have been displaced by conflict and persecution. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide has reached unprecedented levels, underscoring the urgent need for stronger international cooperation and durable solutions.

Africa, in particular, has demonstrated significant leadership through the 1969 Organization of African Unity (OAU) Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa. Unlike the 1951 Refugee Convention, the OAU Convention expands the definition of a refugee to include people fleeing external aggression, occupation, foreign domination, or events seriously disturbing public order. This broader framework reflects the continent’s recognition that displacement is often driven by complex political and security realities.

A cornerstone of refugee protection is the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits states from returning individuals to territories where they face threats to their lives, freedom, or risk of torture and persecution. This principle is widely regarded as a norm of customary international law and represents one of humanity’s strongest legal safeguards against injustice.

The international community must also confront emerging challenges that existing legal frameworks were not originally designed to address. Climate change, environmental degradation, and prolonged humanitarian crises are forcing increasing numbers of people to move across borders, yet international law does not currently recognize climate refugees as a distinct legal category. This growing gap raises important questions about whether international protection mechanisms should evolve to address new forms of displacement.

Ultimately, the strength of any society is measured not only by the rights enjoyed by its citizens but also by the protection it extends to the most vulnerable. Human rights, refugee protection, asylum, and the prevention of statelessness are not merely legal obligations, they are reflections of our shared humanity. Governments must uphold their international commitments, while citizens should reject misinformation and approach these issues with empathy, informed debate, and respect for the rule of law.

As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the protection of human dignity cannot stop at national borders. It is a collective responsibility that defines the values of the international community and will continue to shape global peace, security, and justice for generations to come.

A police sergeant attached to the Tafo Pankrono Divisional Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) has been killed in a fatal road accident at Ahwiaa Market near Mamponteng in the Ashanti Region.

The deceased, identified as No. 49152 G/Sgt. Michael Ottoo, was reportedly riding an unregistered Royal motorbike from Bomfa to Tafo Pankrono to report for duty when the tragic incident occurred at about 3:20 a.m.

According to a police situation report, the officer was approaching the Ahwiaa Market stretch when an unregistered Honda Acura saloon car, travelling from the opposite direction, allegedly veered off its lane and rammed into his motorbike.

G/Sgt. Ottoo sustained severe injuries in the crash and was rushed to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi for emergency treatment but was pronounced dead on arrival.

His body has since been deposited at the hospital’s mortuary awaiting preservation and autopsy.

The driver of the Honda Acura, identified as 24-year-old Marfo Emmanuel, has been arrested and is assisting the police with investigations.

Police have impounded both the accident vehicle and the motorbike for technical examination as investigations continue.

The Tafo Pankrono Divisional Police Command has expressed its deepest condolences to the bereaved family and the Ghana Police Service over the untimely death of the officer.

Investigations into the cause of the accident are ongoing.