The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has strongly refuted allegations made by private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu, who claimed the OSP was guilty of “investigating itself.” According to the OSP, these assertions fundamentally misrepresent the oversight mechanisms in place within public institutions. The controversy arose after Mr. Kpebu’s release from custody, when he suggested that the OSP’s internal probe was being conducted by lower-ranking staff, implying a lack of impartiality. In response, the OSP clarified that its investigative panels are composed of senior officers whose ranks are equivalent to Deputy Commissioners of Police. Sammy Darko, the Director of Strategy, Research and Communications at the OSP, emphasized that Mr. Kpebu’s statements were inaccurate and misleading. Highlighting standard practices across the public sector, the OSP explained that internal review panels are a norm and do not equate to an institution policing itself. “Just as police misconduct isn’t probed by the fire service, and GRA issues aren’t investigated by immigration officers, the same logic applies here,” the office stated. The OSP also accused Mr. Kpebu of deliberately hindering the investigation process, alleging that he had consistently refused to cooperate and introduced new demands even after his initial concerns were addressed. Despite these obstacles, the OSP asserted that its actions remain within the boundaries of the law and reiterated that no one is above lawful accountability. Source: Apexnewsgh.com

Russia’s Vladimir Putin hosted US negotiators at the Kremlin on Tuesday for five hours of talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov said the discussions – held behind closed doors with US envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner – were “constructive” but “a lot of work lies ahead”. Hours earlier, Putin had said European demands over a US-Russia draft peace place were unacceptable, adding that “if Europe wants to fight with us, we are ready to do so”. The US envoys went to Moscow after similar talks with delegates from Kyiv in the last fortnight. Ukraine’s President Zelensky said he expected a briefing by the US team after the meeting. He said there was an opportunity to end the war “now more than ever” but that elements of the proposals still needed to be worked out. “Everything depends on today’s discussions,” Zelensky told a press conference in Dublin during an official visit to Ireland. Kyiv representatives have twice met US negotiators, including Witkoff, Kushner and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, since the 28-point peace plan was circulated in November. It sparked shock in Ukraine and around Europe for appearing to favour the demands of Moscow, which invaded Ukraine nearly four years ago. After talks with Ukraine over the weekend, the White House said the proposals had been “very much refined”, although details of the updated plans have not been confirmed. Some key disagreements between Moscow and Kyiv remain – namely regarding Ukrainian sovereignty over the territories Russia partly controls and security guarantees. Zelensky said on Tuesday there were “no simple solutions”, repeating his country’s insistence that Kyiv take part in peace discussions, and that clear security guarantees be agreed, such as Nato membership – a move long opposed by Russia and ruled out by Trump. “We have to stop the war in such a manner that in one year, Russia would not come back”, Zelensky added. Putin appeared immovable on its demands as recently as last week, while Zelensky has repeatedly said he would never relinquish control of eastern Ukrainian regions. While Tuesday’s talks were under way, Trump told his cabinet in Washington that the conflict had not been easy to resolve. “Our people are over in Russia right now to see if we can get it settled,” he said. “What a mess.” Kyiv’s European allies had countered the 28-point plan with their own document – removing many of the most contentious elements, such as Washington’s recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk as de facto Russian. Speaking ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, Putin told reporters Europe’s demands were “not acceptable” and that they were trying to hinder efforts towards peace. Zelensky had met French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, with several European leaders joining the meeting virtually. Macron said there was “no finalised plan to speak of” and that it could only be achieved with input from Ukraine and Europe. Meanwhile, fighting continued on the front lines on Tuesday. Ukraine’s military said it was still engaging Russian troops in the key eastern city of Pokrovsk – contradicting Moscow’s claim to have captured it. Russia’s Ministry of Defence shared a video on Telegram claiming to show its troops holding up flags in the strategically important city, which they have been trying to seize for over a year. Ukraine’s eastern military command claimed Russia had tried to “flag-plant” in the city so that “propagandists” could say it had been captured. “They fled in a hurry, and the mopping up of enemy groups continues,” it said in a statement on social media. Ukraine’s military said its forces still controlled the northern part of the city, with Russian units suffering heavy losses, while international observers also disputed Russia’s claim to the area. The military in Kyiv also dismissed Russia’s claims to have captured the north-eastern Ukrainian border town of Vovchansk and said it had “significantly improved” its position in the northeastern city of Kupyans, which Russia claimed to have conquered a fortnight ago. Since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, tens of thousands of soldiers have been killed or injured – alongside more than 14,000 civilians, according to the UN. Civilian targets including kindergartens, hospitals and residential buildings have been destroyed or heavily damaged by nightly drone or missile attacks. The conflict between the two ex-Soviet states stretches back to 2014 when Ukraine’s pro-Russian president was overthrown and Russia responded by annexing Crimea and supporting armed uprisings in eastern Ukraine. Source: bbc.com

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo delivered a landmark address at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, announcing the launch of the Accra Reset’s interim Secretariat in Ghana and spotlighting President John Dramani Mahama’s transformative leadership in global development cooperation. Speaking on behalf of President Mahama, the driving force behind the Accra Reset, Obasanjo informed world leaders that the Global South-anchored platform has grown its Circle of Leaders to encompass over two dozen former Heads of State and international organisation leaders spanning Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe, and the Caribbean. “President Mahama extends his deep appreciation to H.E. President Cyril Ramaphosa, whose leadership has guided this G20 cycle with clarity, courage, and a profound commitment to justice,” Obasanjo said, conveying greetings from the Ghanaian President and African Union Champion for Reparations. Obasanjo described the Accra Reset as a paradigm shift in development, moving away from “an economy of dependency” fostered by traditional aid and loans. “To move forward, we must re-architect our economies based on trade and investment,” he asserted. He stressed that the initiative seeks to transform development cooperation into a system that is “country-led, regionally empowered, and globally coherent,” breaking with decades of top-down North-South dynamics. The establishment of the Secretariat in Accra marks a new era for the initiative, which President Mahama envisions as a means to ensure that global governance reforms are “co-created, not imposed; negotiated with fairness, not inherited from history.” A High-Level Panel will soon prepare a landmark report on restructuring global governance, to be delivered to a commissioning authority of Heads of State representing both the Global North and Global South. Obasanjo also lauded South Africa’s G20 Presidency under President Ramaphosa for championing priorities that resonate with the Accra Reset’s mission—including a fairer global financial system, enhanced global health resilience, equitable technology partnerships, and broader Global South involvement in multilateral decision-making. “The Accra Reset stands ready to work closely with the G20,” Obasanjo affirmed, positioning the platform as “connective tissue interlinking the public, private, and civil factions of Global South societies.” The initiative aims to move international development from “endless aspirational targets to workable business models that drive real and durable change,” embodying President Mahama’s pragmatic vision for economic transformation across the Global South. Source: Apexnewsgh.com

The Ministry of Works and Housing has reaffirmed its commitment to delivering the first phase of the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project, aiming for 8,000 completed units by the end of 2026. This ambitious goal comes on the heels of parliamentary approval of a GHS1.4 billion budget for the initiative. Despite this progress, the Ministry voiced serious concerns about the slow pace of funds released for 2025. As of October 2025, only GHS360 million of the GHS918 million earmarked for capital expenditure had been disbursed by the Ministry of Finance. This significant shortfall, officials explained, has hampered the execution of critical infrastructure projects essential to the housing agenda. During the presentation of the Works and Housing Committee’s report on the 2026 budget estimates, Chairman Vincent Oppong Asamoah outlined major programmes for the coming year. These include accelerating affordable housing construction, expanding drainage systems, and upgrading coastal protection structures. Chairman Asamoah stressed that the timely release of funds will be crucial if the Ministry is to meet its targets, particularly for the flagship Saglemi project. He underscored that the project remains a central pillar of the government’s national housing agenda, making the efficient flow of resources all the more vital for success. Source: Apexnewsgh.com