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Prominent Ghanaian business executive, Hakeem Jason Adamu, has secured a nomination in the Architecture category for the 2026 Forty Under 40 Awards Ghana.

The recognition highlights his achievements in commercial enterprise, design solutions, and social impact initiatives. As the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of both Furniture Fie Ltd and CMP Network Ghana Limited, Mr. Adamu oversees a multi-sector portfolio covering furniture retail, real estate, media production, and hospitality.

His ventures continue to foster youth employment and stimulate local economic development. Under his leadership, Furniture Fie Ltd has emerged as a premier distributor of high-grade American furniture, catering to corporate, residential, and commercial clients throughout Ghana. The brand’s emphasis on product quality, operational integrity, and service delivery has established its strong market presence in the interior design sector.

In parallel, Mr. Adamu directs CMP Network Ghana Limited, the parent entity of CMP Apartments and CMP Films. These subsidiaries allow him to drive development in housing and content creation while providing mentorship to up-and-coming business professionals. Alongside his commercial pursuits, Mr. Adamu utilises his media platforms for public service.

Through CMP Films, he has partnered with key regulatory and public bodies- including the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), and the National Road Safety Authority-to roll out educational campaigns.

A key effort involved collaborating with Road Safety Ambassador Bice Osei Kuffour (Obour) on media initiatives crafted to encourage safe driving habits and heighten road safety awareness across the country.

His nomination for the Forty Under 40 Awards acknowledges a dynamic career defined by entrepreneurial innovation, corporate leadership, and community advocacy.

Veteran actor, Oboy Siki, has said that although he does not like what actress and media personality, Nana Ama McBrown does, he supports her because of comedian, Dr. Likee.

Speaking in an interview on Aluta FM, Oboy Siki said he would not support McBrown if not for his close relationship with comedian Dr Likee.

‘I’m supporting McBrown because of Dr Likee, but I can’t attend her movie premiere. I wouldn’t support McBrown if not for Dr Likee. Why should I support her? I don’t like anything she does,’ he said.

According to the actor, people have different preferences, and he does not believe everyone must admire the same person simply because they are popular.

‘Not everyone likes her. Some people like her and what she does while some don’t,’ he stated.

Oboy Siki also stressed that his dislike for Nana Ama McBrown does not mean he has a personal problem with her.

‘I’m not supposed to like someone because everyone does. It doesn’t mean I have an issue with you,’ he explained.

He further said he would only attend Nana Ama McBrown’s movie premiere if she personally invited him.

‘If she had invited me to the premiere and I feel like I’m okay, I would go. I’m a special person so why will I attend without an invitation?’ he questioned.

He also recalled how Dr Likee invited him to his planned London show but said he declined because he does not travel outside Ghana.

The Appointments Committee of Parliament has unanimously recommended the approval of three nominees for appointment to the Supreme Court (SC), following a dramatic walkout by members of the Minority Caucus during the vetting process.

The nominees are Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko Essah, Justice Edward Amoako Asante and private legal practitioner, Anthony Forson Jnr.

Despite the disruption that characterised portions of the vetting, members of the Majority on the Committee reached a unanimous decision to recommend all three nominees for approval by the House.

The Committee is expected to present its report to Parliament for consideration and approval by plenary.

If approved by Parliament, the appointments will increase the number of Justices of the Supreme Court from the current 18 to 21.

Minority Boycotts Vetting

Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament yesterday boycotted the vetting of three Supreme Court nominees after raising strong objections to what it described as breaches of parliamentary procedure and constitutional safeguards.

The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, urged the Appointments Committee to suspend the exercise and allow at least 14 days for the public to scrutinise the nominees and submit memoranda on their suitability for appointment.

However, the Chairman of the Committee, Bernard Ahiafor, dismissed the Minority’s objection as ‘flimsy and hollow’, insisting that the House had already taken a decision to waive the relevant Standing Orders to enable the committee to deal urgently with the matters for which Parliament was recalled.

The three nominees are Justice Sophia Bernasko-Essah, Justice Amoako Asante and former Ghana Bar Association (GBA) President, Anthony Forson Jnr.

The Minority Leader said the decision to proceed with the vetting violated Standing Order 217(10), which required the publication of nominees’ names in newspapers of national circulation to invite memoranda and representations from the public.

He argued that publication without sufficient time for citizens, the legal profession and civil society organisations to examine the backgrounds of the nominees defeated the purpose of the provision.

‘As you requested back then, when you were in opposition. Let’s allow 14 days,’ Mr. Afenyo-Markin said, urging the committee to suspend the process.

He said the 14-day period would not prejudice the appointment process, particularly as the Supreme Court was on vacation.

According to him, the committee could receive memoranda, complete its report and submit it to Parliament before the House resumed in October, thereby allowing the nominees to be considered ahead of the new legal year.

Mr. Afenyo-Markin also challenged the interpretation of Standing Order 217(11), which requires a committee to report to Parliament within three days after the conclusion of its proceedings.

He argued that the provision did not require the committee to complete the vetting itself within three days of the referral or within the period of the parliamentary recall.

He further raised concerns about the composition of the committee under Standing Order 217(2) and (3), arguing that the requirements for co-opting members from the relevant subject-matter committee could not be properly fulfilled for three separate judicial nominations within the compressed timetable.

The Minority Leader also maintained that no substantive motion had been moved on the floor of Parliament to suspend the relevant Standing Orders.

He said the adoption of the Business Committee’s report could not, by itself, override express provisions of the Standing Orders requiring a motion, debate and decision of the House before such rules could be suspended.

‘Never on the House floor have we had such a precedent where a Business Committee’s report was used to override express provisions of Standing Orders,’ he said.

Mr. Afenyo-Markin further called for confirmation that the constitutional requirements under Article 144(2) had been met before the nominees were vetted.

He said the committee ought to establish that the President had obtained the advice of the Judicial Council and consulted the Council of State before proceeding with the nominations.

He also invoked Article 296 of the Constitution, arguing that discretionary powers relating to the scheduling of parliamentary business had to be exercised fairly, candidly and without arbitrariness.

According to him, there was no demonstrated urgency requiring the vetting to be completed within the limited period, particularly because there was no immediate vacancy on the Supreme Court.

He described the decision to compress the process as politically convenient and warned that the Majority’s numerical strength should not be used to ‘stampede’ the proceedings.

The Minority Leader said the consequences of procedural errors in appointing Supreme Court justices were particularly serious because Parliament’s approval represented one of the final substantive checks on a nominee before appointment.

He stressed that the Minority was not opposed to the nominees themselves but was demanding that the process be conducted in accordance with the law and Parliament’s own rules.

Ahiafor’s Rebuttal

Responding to the Minority’s objections, Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Bernard Ahiafor, said the arguments had no basis in the circumstances surrounding the recall of Parliament.

He said President John Dramani Mahama’s letter dated August 11, 2026, requesting the recall of Parliament clearly identified three categories of business, including the referral, vetting and consideration of the three Supreme Court nominees.

The other matters were the Banks and Specialised Deposit-Taking Institutions Act Amendment Bill, 2026, and two nominations for appointment as ministers of state.

Mr. Ahiafor said Parliament had subsequently been recalled from Monday, August 24 to Friday, August 28, 2026, specifically to deal with those matters.

He said the Appointments Committee had also met the previous day and considered the issue of whether the three judicial nominees could be vetted without a separate publication period.

According to him, the committee had decided that it could not discriminate between the ministerial nominees and the judicial nominees because all five nominations formed part of the President’s request for the recall.

He further argued that the House had already dealt with the question of suspending the relevant Standing Orders when it adopted the Business Committee’s report.

Mr. Ahiafor cited proceedings in Parliament indicating that the Majority Chief Whip, Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwami Dafeamekpor, had sought a waiver of Standing Order 217 to facilitate the urgent consideration of the President’s requests.

He said Speaker Alban Bagbin had ruled that because the request for the waiver formed part of the Business Committee’s report and the House subsequently adopted the report, there was no need for a separate motion.

‘Once the House has adopted the Business Committee’s report, it means that the House has taken a decision to waive Standing Order 217 for the committee to consider these matters as a matter of urgency,’ he said.

Mr. Ahiafor maintained that the committee could not overturn a decision already taken by the full House.

‘If the House takes a decision, no committee can vary the decision of the House,’ he said.

He consequently rejected the Minority’s demand to suspend the vetting, saying he would not preside over a process that treated the ministerial nominees differently from the Supreme Court nominees.

‘I will not preside over this particular committee and discriminate against the judges, allow the vetting of our colleagues, and then reject the vetting of the judges’ nominees. I will not do that today. I won’t do that tomorrow,’ he said.

Mr. Ahiafor described the Minority Leader’s objections as ‘flimsy and hollow’, and said he had dismissed them at the outset because they were, in his assessment, unsupported by the facts, rules and law.

The dispute subsequently led to the Minority’s decision not to participate in the vetting of the three Supreme Court nominees.

Ghana’s representative at the Miss World 2026 pageant, Rumzia Sule, needs public support through voting to advance to the next stages of the competition in Vietnam.

Rumzia, who was crowned Miss Ghana 2026 in July, is among contestants competing for a place in the Top 40 and beyond at the global pageant.

Under the new Miss World format, the People’s Choice vote will play a major role in determining contestants who advance. The first round of voting will select four continental winners, including one from Africa, while subsequent public voting will help determine contestants who progress to the Top 12 and Top 6.

Ghanaians and supporters of Rumzia are therefore being encouraged to vote and help push her forward in the competition.

Voting for Rumzia is available through the 1Zone app, where she is listed as Ghana’s contestant under the Africa category. One can download the app and sign up and then vote for free or pay for voting via its website.

Rumzia is representing Ghana with her focus on youth empowerment and leadership through her Project Inspire Ghana initiative. The Miss World organisation describes her as a flight attendant, communications professional and MBA student with an interest in creating meaningful social impact.

The first round of the People’s Choice voting closes at 10 p.m. Vietnam time on September 4, making public support crucial as the competition moves towards the Miss World final.

With the Miss World crown within reach, every vote could help determine how far Ghana’s queen goes on the international stage.

The Vice President of the Coconut Federation of Ghana, Kwaku Boateng, has called for increased investment in Ghana’s agricultural sector, particularly the coconut industry.

According to him, ‘coconut is a zero-waste crop’, as virtually every part of the tree can be utilised in daily life and across various industries.

He explained that, beyond its use as a food product, coconut plays an important role in several industrial applications, including the automotive industry.

Mr. Boateng cited the use of coconut-derived materials in the production of components for vehicles, including Mercedes-Benz cars.

He also mentioned other applications, including ‘the production of helmets for soldiers, coconut oil and several other products.’

According to him, Ghana is the leading producer of coconut in Africa, making the sector an important area for investment and economic development.

Speaking in an interview on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo on August 24, 2026, Mr. Boateng stressed the need for greater investment in the coconut industry to promote value addition, create jobs and maximise its economic potential.

He was speaking ahead of the Ghana International Horticulture Expo 2026, scheduled for September 3-5, 2026, at the Palms Convention Centre at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra.

The Expo is being organised by the Federation of Associations of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE) in collaboration with the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) and Ghana EXIM Bank.

President John Dramani Mahama is expected to attend as the Special Guest of Honour.

The event is expected to bring together key stakeholders in Ghana’s horticulture and export sectors to explore opportunities for investment, value addition, market expansion, and increased export earnings.

The focus on horticulture comes at a time when Ghana’s non-traditional export sector is recording significant growth.

A Daily Guide Report

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has been given more time to attempt serving criminal summons and other processes on the former Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta and his Chef de Cabinet, Ernest Darko Akore, for their alleged roles in the revenue assurance contract awarded to Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

The case is still at the preliminary stage as the OSP is still filing disclosures and witness statements for the trial to commence.

The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, told the court yesterday that his office was still taking steps to serve Mr. Ofori-Atta and Akore, who are now domiciled in the United States, with criminal summons.

He, therefore, prayed the court for a month’s adjournment to enable his outfit serve the criminal summons on the two.

The court, presided over by Justice Francis Achibonga, adjourned the case to September 22, 2026.

Permanent Residence

Ken Ofori-Atta has secured a permanent United States residence following the decision of a US Immigration Court to grant him a ‘Green Card,’ his lawyers confirmed yesterday.

A statement issued in June by lawyers representing him in Ghana said the US court heard evidence relating to actions taken by Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), ‘including the OSP’s earlier decision to declare Mr. Ofori-Atta a fugitive from justice at a time when he was reportedly undergoing medical treatment in the United States and while his lawyers remained in communication with investigators in Ghana.’

Despite the grant of permanent residency to Mr. Ofori-Atta, the OSP has declared its intention to pursue the extradition of the former minister to Ghana to stand trial for the crimes he is accused of.

Charges

The Office of the Special Prosecutor has charged former Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta and two former Commissioners-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) as well as officials of Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML), over the revenue assurance contract awarded to the private company, costing the nation over GHS1.4 billion in ‘financial loss.’

The other accused persons are Ernest Darko Akore, Chef de Cabinet of Ofori-Atta; Emmanuel Kofi Nti; Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, all former Commissioners-General of GRA, Isaac Crentsil; Kwadwo Damoah, all former Commissioners of Customs Division of GRA; Evans Adusei, Chief Executive Officer of SML and the company itself.

Together, they are facing a total of 78 counts of offences, including causing financial loss to the state, corruption and related offences, using public office for profit and attempt to commit criminal offence of influencing the procurement process to obtain an unfair advantage in the award of procurement contract.

Other charges include conspiracy to commit the criminal offence of directly or indirectly influencing the procurement process to gain an unfair advantage, conspiracy to commit the criminal offence of wilful oppression, false certificate by public officer, and entering into an agreement with a financial commitment that binds the government for more than one financial year without prior authorisation by Parliament contrary to sections 33(1)(b) and 98(1)(d) of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016, (Act 921).

Court documents indicate that the accused persons conspired and set up a criminal enterprise of directly and indirectly influencing the procurement process to obtain unfair advantage for SML in the award of procurement contracts for transaction audit services, external price verification services, measurement audit of downstream petroleum products, upstream petroleum audit services, and minerals audit services purportedly by the Government of Ghana, acting through the Ministry of Finance and GRA.

The Minority in Parliament has rejected attempts by the Majority to fast track the vetting and approval of three nominees to the Supreme Court before the House rises today.

The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who made the position known at a press conference in Parliament yesterday, said the caucus was not opposed to the nominations but would not support ‘an unnecessary rush’ that could undermine the legitimacy of the judicial appointments.

As Mr. Afenyo-Markin read the statement, the Minority Members of Parliament (MPs) stood behind him, waving the national flag and singing the patriotic songs of the nation.

The three Supreme Court nominees are Justice Sophia Bernasko Essah, Justice Amoako Asante and former Ghana Bar Association President, Anthony Forson Jnr.

The Minority Leader said the three nominees deserved adequate scrutiny and public participation before their consideration by the Appointments Committee.

He said the Minority was, however, prepared to vet the two ministerial nominees, Mahama Ayariga and Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, within the current emergency recall of Parliament.

According to him, Article 78(1) of the Constitution entrusted Parliament with the responsibility of approving ministerial nominees and the Minority was ready to discharge that duty fairly and promptly.

He said the situation was different with the Supreme Court nominees because Parliament’s Standing Orders required their names to be published to enable members of the public to submit memoranda.

The Minority Leader cited Standing Order 217(10), which, he said, required the publication of the names of nominees to allow the public to participate in the process.

He also referred to Standing Order 217(2), which requires the chairperson, ranking member and two other members of the relevant subject matter committee to join the Appointments Committee for consideration of nominees.

He, therefore, rejected an interpretation of Standing Order 217(11) that the Appointments Committee was required to complete the entire vetting process within three days of the referral of the nominees.

Mr. Afenyo-Markin accused the Majority of seeking to use its numerical strength to ‘stampede’ the committee into vetting the three nominees within the remaining period of the emergency sitting.

He recalled that in 2024, when the then President Nana Akufo-Addo nominated two persons to the Supreme Court, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority, led by Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, opposed their immediate vetting on the grounds that the public had not been given adequate notice.

He said the then NDC Minority had insisted on a 14-day minimum notice and that the Majority at the time had accepted the position and suspended the vetting to allow for public participation.

‘Today, they are here claiming that just three days after the announcement of nominees on the House floor, there must be vetting and approval. We do not accept,’ he said.

The Minority Leader said rushing the nominees through the process could create questions about their legitimacy that could follow them throughout their tenure on the Supreme Court.

He argued that every judgment delivered by a justice appointed through a ‘hurried process’ could attract questions about whether the proper procedures had been followed.

Mr. Afenyo-Markin also challenged the argument that the appointments were urgent because the Supreme Court was on vacation.

He said the court was still capable of sitting during the vacation to deal with urgent matters and maintained that the administration of justice had not come to a halt.

‘There is no vacancy, and there is no emergency,’ he said, insisting that the three nominees were not being appointed to fill existing vacancies on the bench.

He said the court currently had a full complement of justices and could continue to hear and determine cases without the three nominees being immediately sworn in.

The Minority Leader contrasted the urgency surrounding the judicial nominations with the replacement of ministers who died in a helicopter crash in the Ashanti Region.

He said the President had waited for about a year before naming replacements for the ministers, despite those positions being genuine vacancies at the heart of government.

‘If filling those two genuine ministerial vacancies that truly had been an emergency, the President would not have waited for that long,’ he said.

The Minority also pointed to what it described as more pressing national emergencies, including alleged US$1.7 billion losses connected to Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) and the Bank of Ghana, and the nationwide power outages.

Mr. Afenyo-Markin said the alleged losses, equivalent to about GHS22 billion, required urgent parliamentary scrutiny because of their implications for the economy, public finances and confidence in the financial system.

He also described the persistent power outages as a genuine national emergency, citing their potential impact on hospitals, security installations, water systems and economic activity.

Tributes have been pouring in for veteran Ghanaian actress, Grace Nortey, following her death on August 26, 2026.

Politicians, actors, musicians and other personalities have taken to social media to remember the legendary actress and honour her contribution to Ghana’s creative arts industry.

NPP flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, described Nortey as a ‘true trailblazer and cultural icon’ whose career spanned more than five decades.

‘I have learnt with deep sadness of the passing of legendary Ghanaian actress, Grace Nortey,’ Dr. Bawumia said.

‘Madam Grace Nortey was a true trailblazer and cultural icon whose illustrious career, spanning over five decades, brought joy to homes and inspired many young women in the creative arts.’

Dr. Bawumia, together with his wife, Hajia Samira Bawumia, extended their condolences to Madam Nortey’s family, loved ones and the creative arts fraternity.

Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, also mourned the veteran actress, describing her as a remarkable thespian whose performances entertained and educated generations of Ghanaians.

‘Grace Nortey was a remarkable thespian, and as a lover and appreciator of the arts, I am deeply saddened by her passing,’ he said.

He recalled Madam Nortey’s frequent portrayal of motherly characters, saying she became a mother figure to many viewers.

Rapper, Kojo Cue, thanked the late actress for her service to the Ghanaian entertainment industry, while actress Ama K. Aberese described her as an inspiration to many.

The late Grace Nortey reportedly died in the early hours of August 26, 2026, at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC).

Born on February 1, 1937, Madam Nortey enjoyed a career spanning more than five decades and became one of the most recognisable figures in Ghanaian film, television and theatre.

She was widely known for portraying strong, outspoken and commanding female characters, earning her the nickname ‘Maame Gyata,’ meaning Lioness.

Her notable works included Obra, Osofo Dadzie, Key Soap Concert Party, Cantata, Taxi Driver and Thursday Theatre.

She made her major screen debut in the 1986 comedy film ‘Juju’, produced by King Ampaw and Peter Wohlgemuth-Reinery, in which she played the wife of veteran actor, Joe Eyison.

Former Hearts of Oak Chief Executive Officer, Harry Zakour has voiced concerns over what he believes is a significant decline in the standard of the Ghana Premier League.

The domestic top flight has faced challenges in recent years, with several of its leading players moving to other African leagues in search of better opportunities.

Speaking to Sporty FM, Zakour acknowledged that football has evolved but maintained that the drop in the league’s quality is evident.

‘The standard of the Ghana Premier League has dropped. I know times have changed, but the drop in the Premier League is obvious,’ he said.

Zakour also praised former Ghana Football Association (GFA) president, Kwesi Nyantakyi while expressing confidence that current GFA president Kurt Okraku can help improve the situation.

‘Kwesi Nyantakyi was good, but I’ll not write off Kurt Okraku; things have changed. No condition is permanent,’ he added.

Zakour is regarded as one of the most successful administrators in Hearts of Oak’s history.

During his tenure, the Phobians enjoyed a highly successful period, winning the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup alongside domestic honours.

The 2026/27 Ghana Premier League season is scheduled to kick off on September 5.

The World Bank has stated that 56.4 per cent of Ghanaians remain in poverty, with widening spatial disparities exposing a disconnect between headline economic growth and improvements in the living standards of most Ghanaians.

Speaking at the launch of the 10th Ghana Economic Update, published in August 2026 in Accra, the World Bank Country Director for Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, Dr. Robert Taliercio O’Brien, said although Ghana had made significant progress in restoring macroeconomic stability following the 2022/2023 economic crisis, the benefits of the recovery were yet to reach a large section of the population, particularly as growth remained concentrated in sectors with limited capacity to absorb the country’s growing labour force.

‘56.4% of Ghanaians remain in poverty, and spatial disparities are widening. A disconnect between the headline growth that is yet to reach most of the population’.

‘Growth is led by sectors with limited economic absorption relative to the young population entering the labour market in the next decade. This is a structural imbalance that demands urgent attention,’ he stated.

The report, which assesses Ghana’s progress in restoring macroeconomic stability, also examines how reforms in the transport sector could support long-term growth, job creation and economic transformation.

According to the World Bank, Ghana’s economy grew by 6% in 2025, the fastest pace since 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, and accelerated further to 6.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2026 while inflation also declined significantly, falling from 23.2 per cent in February 2025 to 3.2 per cent in March 2026, as the lowest level since 1999 and currently stands at 4.6 percent.

The World Bank said growth was projected at 4.8 per cent in 2026 and expected to converge to around five per cent over the medium term, while inflation was expected to remain within the target range and public debt to stay on a sustainable trajectory.

Dr. O’Brien, however, cautioned that the recovery remained incomplete as some of the fiscal gains had been achieved through expenditure compression rather than stronger revenue mobilisation.

‘The fiscal surplus was achieved largely through expenditure compression. Capital spending was 38 per cent below budget, which is not a sustainable path to growth and development. Sustained fiscal consolidation would require Ghana to strengthen domestic revenue mobilisation, describing revenue generation as a long-standing challenge for the country’he added

The Country Director further warned that delays in the energy sector recovery programme were imposing significant costs on the economy, while financial and operational inefficiencies within the cocoa sector were affecting farmers and putting pressure on public finances.

He called for far-reaching reforms to the legal and institutional framework governing the cocoa sector to promote market-based principles and minimise fiscal risks.

Dr. O’Brien said the concern underpinned the focus of the 10th Ghana Economic Update on the country’s transport sector, which the Bank believes has a critical role to play in improving connectivity, reducing business costs and supporting broader economic transformation.

Despite the challenges, he commended the government for the difficult policy decisions that had contributed to the improvement in Ghana’s macroeconomic indicators as it deserves full credit for the difficult decisions that made the results possible.

He, however, stressed that the gains should not create complacency, noting that Ghana still had significant structural challenges to address before the benefits of economic growth could be widely felt across the population.