Tempers are flaring in Ghana’s automotive import sector as the Concerned Importers of Vehicles, a vocal advocacy group, threatens to march on the Jubilee House if authorities do not act swiftly to address what they describe as ongoing manipulation of imported vehicle ages at the nation’s ports. The controversy centers on persistent allegations that, despite clear regulations, some importers can alter the manufacturing years of vehicles arriving from Japan and Dubai, skirting penalties imposed on over-aged cars. The group says this practice not only flouts the Customs (Amendment) Act, 2020, which bans the import of salvaged vehicles and those older than ten years, but also fosters confusion and corruption within the industry. Fredericka Ackah, a leading member of the Concerned Importers, spoke passionately to the media on January 25, 2026. She recalled assurances given to importers the previous year: “In 2025, we were told that the ages of vehicles from Japan and Dubai would not be reduced. Yet, some people are still doing it. Recently, a friend of mine imported vehicles from Japan; some had their years reduced, others didn’t.” Ackah warned that these inconsistencies have left many importers uncertain and have opened the door for unscrupulous individuals to profit. “If the Commissioner does not act, we will storm the Jubilee House to demand intervention at the highest level,” she said, signaling the group’s readiness to escalate the matter to the Presidency. The group alleges that some vehicles manufactured as early as 2007 or 2008 are fraudulently registered as 2011 or 2013, allowing importers to avoid penalties for over-aged vehicles. Ackah and her colleagues argue that this not only undermines fair competition but also chips away at the government’s efforts to encourage local vehicle assembly and protect consumers. The Concerned Importers are calling for urgent action from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), urging stricter inspections and vigilance at the ports. “If the age can be reduced, importers will just seek out those who can help them dodge the penalties,” Ackah explained. “DVLA must thoroughly check any vehicle whose age appears suspicious.” She further revealed that her group holds documentary evidence supporting claims of age manipulation and is prepared to present these to the authorities Source: Apexnewsgh.com

The wheels of justice in Ghana’s Upper East Region are set for a significant boost as the government moves to establish a dedicated remand centre in Bolgatanga. This initiative, announced by Regional Minister Donatus Akamugri Atanga at the first regional press soiree of the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration on January 21, 2026, promises to address longstanding challenges faced by both prisoners and the justice system. For years, the absence of a remand facility in Bolgatanga has forced the transportation of remand prisoners to Navrongo, a logistical burden that has only worsened with congestion at the Navrongo Prisons, particularly in the wake of ongoing security concerns in Bawku. The result has been frequent delays in court proceedings and mounting pressure on the Ghana Prisons Service. Minister Atanga explained that, recognising these hurdles, he has initiated consultations with both the Ghana Prisons Service and the Ministry of the Interior to chart a new course. “The establishment of a remand centre in Bolgatanga will ease logistical pressure, reduce delays in court cases, and ensure fairer, more timely access to justice for remand prisoners across the region,” he said. Progress is already visible. On December 22, 2025, the Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service visited Bolgatanga to meet with the Minister of Prisons. Together, they inspected a proposed site for the new centre. This location could serve as a temporary solution while stakeholders within the municipality work to identify an ideal, permanent parcel of land. Mr. Atanga emphasized that the proposed remand centre is not just a local solution but part of the broader governance and justice reform agenda championed by President John Dramani Mahama. The project underscores the administration’s commitment to human rights, institutional reforms, and expanding access to justice for all Ghanaians. As the search for a permanent site continues, the announcement has brought hope to legal practitioners, prison officials, and families alike. If successful, the Bolgatanga remand centre could become a model for other regions, ensuring that justice is not delayed and that the rights and dignity of all citizens remain at the heart of Ghana’s judicial system. Source: Apexnewsgh.com

The promise of prosperity glimmers anew in Ghana’s Upper East Region, where government officials have confirmed significant gold deposits in at least ten out of the region’s fifteen districts. The announcement, made by Upper East Regional Minister Donatus Akamugri Atanga at his first press soiree in Bolgatanga, has ignited both hope and responsibility among local communities and policymakers. “About ten out of the fifteen districts have gold deposits that must benefit our people,” Minister Atanga told journalists, underscoring the government’s commitment to ensuring that the region’s mineral wealth would translate into real economic opportunity, without sacrificing environmental integrity. With gold’s lure comes the shadow of illegal mining, or galamsey, which has devastated water bodies, farmlands, and forests across Ghana. Determined to change this narrative, Atanga described how the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), in partnership with the Minerals Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, traditional authorities, and security agencies, has ramped up monitoring and enforcement. Their efforts aim to protect the region’s natural resources while guaranteeing that mining activities remain both lawful and sustainable. A recent crackdown, led personally by the Minister and the Regional Security Council (REGSEC), saw operations sweep through the Tilli Forest along the Red Volta River and the Naaga Forest. The results were decisive: seventy illegal miners, including foreign nationals from Togo and Burkina Faso, were arrested and mining equipment seized. All suspects now face prosecution in a Circuit Court, a clear signal of the government’s resolve. But enforcement is only one part of the strategy. Atanga emphasized that the government is actively engaging with small-scale miners and local communities, encouraging compliance with mining regulations and promoting safer, more sustainable practices. In areas like Talensi District, where clashes over mining rights have simmered, REGSEC has stepped in to mediate disputes between small-scale miners and large-scale companies, restoring dialogue and defusing tensions. To further empower local communities, the RCC has submitted a list of mining communities, Teshie, Sapeliga, Santeng, Tarkwa, Bongo, Kadema, Naaga, Bechisi, and Nabdam, to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. The goal: to negotiate with concession holders to allocate portions of mining concessions under the government’s Corporate Mining Scheme, offering young people a legal path into the mining sector. “These interventions demonstrate the government’s commitment to curbing illegal mining while creating lawful and sustainable livelihood opportunities for our young people,” Minister Atanga affirmed. As gold fever spreads across the Upper East, the real challenge lies in ensuring that the region’s newfound wealth builds a brighter, more sustainable future for all—where prosperity and environmental stewardship go hand in hand. Source: Apexnewsgh.com

The legal saga of Patricia Asiedua Asiamah, widely known as Nana Agradaa, took another turn this week as the Amasaman High Court adjourned her much-anticipated appeal hearing to February 5, 2026. The former fetish priestess, who reinvented herself as an evangelist, is contesting her conviction and 15-year custodial sentence handed down on July 3, 2025, for charlatanic advertisement and defrauding by false pretence. Nana Agradaa’s appeal centers on claims that her trial was marred by unfair procedures and insufficient evidence to warrant a guilty verdict. She and her legal team maintain that the sentence imposed was excessively harsh, and they are hopeful the appellate court will overturn or reduce the punishment. After Wednesday’s session on January 21, her lawyer, Richard Asare Baffour, addressed reporters outside the courthouse, shedding light on the reasons for the latest delay. According to Baffour, the adjournment became necessary after the Attorney-General’s Office failed to comply with earlier court directives, citing technical challenges with the electronic evidence required for the appeal. The defence team strongly objected to a further extension of time requested by state prosecutors, insisting that the case was already overdue for resolution. The presiding judge ultimately set February 5, 2026, as the date for delivering judgment, granting the Attorney-General’s Office the opportunity to file written addresses if it chooses. “The court has adjourned the case to February 5, 2026, to deliver its judgment,” Baffour explained. “By then, the Office of the Attorney-General will have the opportunity to file its written addresses, if it is minded to do so.” With the new date on the calendar, all eyes now turn to the upcoming judgment, a decision that could significantly alter the fate of one of Ghana’s most controversial public figures. Source: Apexnewsgh.com

At his first-ever press soirée since his appointment, the Upper East Regional Minister, Donatus Atanga Akamugri, has revealed that in response to the troubling increase in student riots, he has advised the Regional Education Directorate to ban all tribal groups within the region’s second-cycle institutions. The Minister made this statement in response to a question from Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen, who sought to understand the role of the Regional Coordination Council (RCC) in addressing the rampant student riots, which often destroyed school properties. Ngamegbulam recently produced a documentary titled “The Broken Chalkboards,” which highlights the rampant student riots plaguing schools in the Upper East Region. However, when the question came, what was the RCC’s role in addressing this disturbing trend?, Regional Minister Donatus Atanga Akamugri leaned in, his response measured yet firm. “Unfortunately, our region is hit with this frequency of riots,” he began, setting the tone for a diagnosis that looked beyond the students themselves. The core of the problem, he revealed, was not normally the students, but a foundational “breakdown of discipline even among the teaching and non-teaching staff.” This discord, he argued, inevitably trickled down, finding fertile ground in the student body. His prescription was twofold. First, he had urged the Regional Education Directorate to reinforce discipline and foster better relationships among staff to prevent troubles that youths might later act upon. Then, he presented a more direct proposal. “We have also discouraged the organization of tribal groups in those institutions,” the Minister stated. He painted a familiar, volatile scenario: a simple dispute escalating as someone injects tribal sentiment. “Somebody will be fighting, and then somebody will just say, ‘Oh, but you are from a place…’ and then it takes a tribal dimension.” His solution was clear: ban the tribal groups. “When they ban them, they will have no platform to be able to go and organize themselves as tribal guys.” He anchored this advice in the very philosophy of boarding schools, invoking the vision of Kwame Nkrumah. “A boarding school is for integration,” Minister Akamugri reminded the room. It is a place for young people from anywhere to learn to coexist, appreciate each other’s cultures, and ultimately foster national unity. “If we want to encourage tribal groups in the schools too,” he cautioned, “it will defeat the purpose.” The Minister also turned the spotlight on the home, noting that some parents now fear their own children, failing to command respect. This, he said, was worsened by weakened Parent-Teacher Associations, leaving a critical support system in disrepair. Compounding this was a policy environment where teachers feel powerless to punish wayward students. “So the teacher will be left there. He cannot say anything. So when the child is going wayward, it’s a problem,” he observed. His concluding thoughts wove together the threads of his strategy: restoring staff discipline, banning divisive tribal platforms, reinvigorating parental involvement, and reviewing policy guidelines to empower teachers and PTAs. “That is how we’ll be able to address this,” Minister Akamugri stated, offering a multi-fronted plan to silence the alarms of riot and mend the region’s broken chalkboards. Source: Apexnewsgh.com