Category: Daily Guide Network

Charles de Ketelaere scored twice for Belgium as the United States became the third and final co-host to be knocked out of the World Cup.

It was a largely lethargic display by the US who had star striker Folarin Balogun in their starting line-up after President Donald Trump had asked FIFA to review his ban following his red card in the previous round.

FIFA responded by suspending the automatic one-match ban for 12 months but their leading scorer at the tournament, with three goals, was largely isolated as Belgium dominated the game.

They took the lead in the ninth minute when Nicolas Raskin’s pass across the face of goal was tapped in by De Ketlaere.

The home side levelled in the 31s t minute when Malik Tillman’s free-kick took a wicked deflection off Belgium’s Hans Vanaken.

But the European side restored their lead two minutes later when De Ketelaere headed in Leandro Trossard’s cross.

In the second half they were gifted a third when De Ketelaere tackled hesitant US keeper Matt Freese and Vanaken side-footed the ball into the bottom corner from outside the penalty area.

And in the 93rd minute substitute Romelu Lukaku slotted in Belgium’s fourth with a low shot into the far corner from a tight angle.

It means Belgium will face Spain in the last eight in Los Angeles on Friday (20:00 BST) after the European champions beat Portugal 1-0 on Monday.

Outspoken Ghanaian media personality, Afia Schwarzenegger, has questioned state security agencies over why Israel Kwadwo Safo, also known as Akofena, is walking free despite his alleged involvement in the shooting incident involving his sister and former Dome-Kwabenya Member of Parliament, Sarah Adwoa Safo.

According to her, the silence of many gender-related advocacy organisations and female political activists is worrying.

‘This shouldn’t be only Adwoa Safo’s fight but for all women in position. Today it is Adwoa Safo, tomorrow it will be you,’ she said.

Afia Schwarzenegger expressed displeasure with how the shooting case has been handled, citing the case of musician Medikal, who was remanded for brandishing a registered gun some years ago.

‘Adwoa Safo’s brother Akofena allegedly ordered his boys to shoot at her more than 40 times. An unarmed woman. When police visited Akofena’s house they confiscated a lot of weapons. He was sent to court and has been released on bail. Is Ghana a banana republic?’ she quizzed.

She added that considering Adwoa Safo’s contribution to the nation, ‘she is not being treated well at all. If she had died, we would be witnessing political leaders sharing their condolences, but because she didn’t die, we have all ignored what happened to her.’

She called on the Ghana Police Service to re-arrest Akofena, and appealed to the Chief Justice to treat him as a criminal, stating that his alleged order to shoot Adwoa Safo is a criminal act that must be addressed with an iron fist.

‘Some of us, under this year’s ‘Women Supporting Women’ agenda, will demand justice. And we are demanding justice for Hon. Adwoa Safo. Akofena needs to be arrested and charged again, along with his accomplices,’ she added.

A communication team member of the Western Regional branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Chris Larbi Boateng, has made it clear that Ghana cannot move forward with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the helm of affairs.

‘The country cannot move forward when a political party like the NDC is in power,’ he stressed.

He criticised the John Mahama-led NDC government over what he described as its failure in delivering major campaign promises.

He has, therefore, appealed to Ghanaians never to think of retaining the NDC in power in the next general election, stressing that the ruling party has nothing good to offer the country.

Mr. Boateng said the NDC is almost two years in office and has not implemented any of its flagship policies, particularly those targeted at tackling unemployment and improving living conditions.

‘Where is the formula 1-3-3 which was the commitment to deal with youth unemployment in our country?’ he quizzed.

Speaking to DAILY GUIDE, the well-known NPP activist noted that his party will remain focused on scrutinising the current government’s performance.

‘Where are the major flagship programmes the government put before Ghanaians during the 2024 electioneering?

‘The mother of all of them being the 24-Hour Economy. We are yet to see those programmes being implemented,’ he added.

‘John Mahama promised to ensure automatic postings of nurses and teachers. He promised to create boreholes in cocoa farms and pay the farmers better. He promised to give money to head teachers to go to markets to buy foodstuffs for students. What has happened to all those promises?’ he quizzed.

Mr. Boateng pointed out that the country always retrogressed when the NDC is in power.

He stressed that currently youth unemployment is high, and that there is rising cost of living, adding that, ‘These two remain the biggest challenges confronting Ghanaians.’

‘How can Ghana move forward when this political party is in power? Look at what President Mahama did when Accra got flooded recently.

‘Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia demonstrated leadership. He went to commiserate with the affected residents and later supported them with some requisite items,’ he added.

He assured that the NPP will intensify efforts in holding the government accountable and work to recapture power in 2028.

He wished all aspirants in the NPP’s constituency elections, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, good luck.

Melcom Ghana Limited has donated relief items worth approximately GHS500,000 to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to support individuals and communities affected by severe flooding in parts of Accra on Monday, June 29, 2026.

The items, which include food products, beverages, plastic household goods and blankets, were presented to NADMO on behalf of the Melcom Care Foundation.

Speaking at the presentation, Chairman of the Melcom Care Foundation, Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, said about 400 Melcom staff were seriously affected by the floods and had already received care packages.

‘We identified approximately 400 staff who had been seriously affected by the floods and supported them with care packages,’ Dr. Awal said. ‘In the same vein, we are here today to donate essential relief items. Our total support for this year’s relief items for flood victims is approximately GHS500,000.’

He expressed hope that the donation would bring comfort to affected families as they begin rebuilding, and commended NADMO, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana National Fire Service and other agencies for coordinating emergency response efforts.

‘We commend NADMO, Police, Fire Service and other organisations who have put their time and tireless efforts in coordinating emergency response and relief operations under challenging circumstances, and we are honoured to support you in this humanitarian effort,’ he said.

Receiving the items, Director General of NADMO, Major (Rtd) Dr. Joseph Bikanyi Kuyon, expressed appreciation to Melcom for its support.

‘On behalf of the Minister, and the members of the task force, especially the Chief of Staff who chairs the entire committee managing this disaster, we say a big thank you,’ Dr. Kuyon said.

He stressed that disaster management is a collective responsibility and urged the public to support efforts to prevent future occurrences. He assured that all donated items will be distributed to the rightful beneficiaries.

Dr. Kuyon reaffirmed NADMO’s commitment to disaster prevention and management across the country.

The Ashanti North Regional Police Command has commenced investigations into a viral video allegedly depicting misconduct by a policewoman at Afrancho in the Akomadan District.

The Command, in a press release dated July 5, 2026, said it had taken notice of the widely circulated footage and had identified the officer at the centre of the incident.

According to the statement, the alleged incident occurred on July 3, 2026, and investigators have begun work to establish the full facts and circumstances surrounding the matter.

The police assured the public that the outcome of the investigations would determine the appropriate disciplinary or legal action to be taken against the officer, if necessary.

Reaffirming its commitment to professionalism, discipline and accountability, the Ashanti North Regional Police Command pledged to keep the public informed as investigations continue.

The statement was signed by ASP Emmanuel Agbodzi, Staff Officer and Acting Public Relations Officer for the Ashanti North Regional Police Command.

A 6,000-capacity mosque built by former Finance Minister, Dr. Amin Adam, who is also the Karaga Constituency Member of Parliament (MP), attracted many from all walks of life during its commissioning in the Northern Regional capital.

Dignitaries at the commissioning were former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and the National Chief Imam Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu among others.

The Masjid Al-Noor, ‘The Mosque of Light,’ can accommodate an additional 4,000 outside the main hall.

With this capacity, it stands as one of the largest places of Islamic worship in Ghana.

The Karaga MP, well versed in the Islamic scriptures and who can pass for a cleric, donated GHS300,000 to support the mosque’s operations at the commissioning.

‘I have donated GHS300,000 as seed money to the Masjid Al-Noor management to start the operation of the mosque,’ he announced.

Contractors, architects, and workers were commended for a job well done.

‘May Allah bless this mission and all who contributed to it, and may he continue to reward us all,’ the former Minister noted.

Former Vice President Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who graced the commissioning, commended Dr. Adam for his gesture.

‘The impressive edifice is not only a place of worship; it is also envisioned as a centre for learning, research, family guidance, and community development,’ he stated.

He expressed optimism that the centre would be used to nurture and train young people from across the country.

Dr. Bawumia also made a cash donation of GHS200,000 to support the newly commissioned mosque.

The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu, was the Special Guest of Honour at the commissioning of the Masjid Al-Noor mosque in Tamale, which has some study rooms.

Burna Boy thrilled fans at the Afro Nation Festival in Portugal after stepping on stage with a giant Ghana flag during his performance.

A video from the event on social media, shows the Grammy-winning Nigerian singer entertaining thousands of fans while proudly holding the Ghanaian flag throughout much of his set.

The gesture drew loud cheers from the audience and quickly sparked reactions online, with many Ghanaians praising Burna Boy for showing appreciation to the country and its supporters.

Several social media users described the moment as a symbol of the close cultural and musical ties between Ghana and Nigeria, while others applauded the Afrobeats star for recognising his strong Ghanaian fan base on the international stage.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s quest to win the FIFA World Cup came to a heartbreaking end after Portugal suffered a 1-0 defeat to Spain in the Round of 16, bringing the legendary forward’s final World Cup appearance to a close.

The 41-year-old, who had confirmed before the tournament that it would be his last World Cup, was left in tears after Mikel Merino’s stoppage-time winner in Dallas sent Spain into the quarter-finals.

Despite an extraordinary career that includes five Ballon d’Or titles, five UEFA Champions League trophies, the UEFA Euro 2016 crown, and a world-record 976 career goals for club and country, the World Cup remained the one major honour Ronaldo could not capture.

He also became the first player to score at six different FIFA World Cup tournaments, with Portugal’s best finish during his career remaining the semi-finals in 2006.

Speaking after the match, Ronaldo stopped short of announcing his retirement from international football, saying he would ‘meet the family and take decisions with a calm head’ before deciding on his future.

Portugal’s elimination also marked the end of coach Roberto Martínez’s tenure, with the Spaniard confirming his departure after the final whistle.

Martínez paid tribute to Ronaldo, describing him as a ‘football icon’ and praising his commitment throughout the tournament.

‘We need to thank him for what he tried to do at this World Cup. His dream was to win this World Cup, and he set an amazing example. He is a prime example of football and the human being behind the athlete,’ Martínez said.

TrustGH (trustgh.com), Ghana’s first public database for scam phone numbers, has recorded over 3,000 reports of suspicious numbers since its launch, the company announced today.

The reported numbers have been linked to a wide range of fraudulent activities, including e-commerce fraud, investment and job scams, romance scams, impersonation, and recruitment fraud.

TrustGH allows members of the public to report suspicious phone numbers, which are then checked against international scam-detection parameters.

Each number is assigned a risk score ranging from 0% to 100%, indicating the likelihood that it is linked to fraudulent activity.

To date, more than half of all numbers reported to the platform have received a risk score of 100%, confirming a very high likelihood of scam involvement.

Reports submitted to TrustGH originate from a variety of sources, including TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp, Google Business profiles, phone calls, SMS messages, and fake websites.

TikTok accounts form the largest share of reported cases, at roughly 50%, followed by SMS and WhatsApp messages.

Notably, more than 90% of reported scam cases involved attempts to demand mobile money payment or gain access to victims’ mobile money accounts.

Investigators have also found that many scammers create fake pages that closely mimic legitimate businesses across social media platforms in order to defraud unsuspecting individuals of significant sums of money.

‘These numbers show just how widespread and organised scam activity has become in Ghana, particularly on social media,’ a TrustGH spokesperson said.

‘Our goal is to give the public a reliable, data-driven way to verify a number before they engage with it, so they can protect themselves and their money.’

TrustGH is a licensed platform and works closely with the Cybersecurity Authority and the Cyber Crime Unit of the Ghana Police Service to combat scam activity and support ongoing investigations into reported numbers.

TrustGH is urging the public to verify any unfamiliar phone number on trustgh.com before making payments, sharing personal information, or engaging in business transactions, and to report suspicious numbers to help strengthen the platform’s database.

George Stephenson’s locomotive came to mind when word was dropped about the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government’s purchase of 1970 railway engines for the Ghana Railway Company (GRC).

One of the relics of the previous government was its painstaking efforts at rejuvenating the morbid railway system in the country. To put it bluntly, the railway system which served Ghana for so many years before independence and into the subsequent self-government period was virtually dead by the middle of the 70s.

The passenger, not forgetting the sleeper or overnight train service between Accra and Kumasi became a thing of the past, leaving the whole railway system in the country fit for a junkyard of dead railway engines. Scrap dealers only waited for when they would be given the green light to come and bid for the engines and related gears at public auctions.

As for the railway lines and sleepers, they have become targets of thieves over the years. To reverse the picture and rejuvenate the railway system, the Akufo-Addo government decided to set up the Ghana Railway Development Authority which birthed the few services as we have them today; the importation of modern engines currently running on the Mpakadan line being an evidence.

We recall how the NDC hired assigns to thwart government efforts at rejuvenating the morbid railway system. Ghanaians can recall when during a test run of the modern engines from Poland, a bus was deliberately placed on the line. The envious enterprise made expected headlines at the time.

With the gradual modernisation and even rejuvenation of the system, Ghanaians began to witness the developments as evidenced in the tangible operation of the Mpakadan line with 21st century railway engines and plans for the Western lines in high gear by the time the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government exited power.

Waking up to hear about the purchase by the NDC government of outmoded railway engine for burgeoning standard gauge railway triggers questions about what thinking went into the transaction.

Was government not properly advised prior to the transaction? We fret at the NDC government’s obsession with sub-standard projects.

This reminds us of their decision to substitute sophisticated Mercedes Benz ambulances which were distributed throughout the districts across Ghana with funny ambulance rickshaws, which Ghanaians in their humorous mood have described as ‘abobolance’.

We cannot afford as a country to show preference for the past when we have all the resources to move our country into the 21st century.

Information reaching us indicate that the railway engines under review are on the verge of being phased out, which prompts the question about future acquisition of spare parts.

We have cause to name the 1970 Mahama purchased railway engine after the inventor of the locomotive engine, George Stephenson, because they are outmoded and could have been part of the British Railway museum in England.