Bongo Paramount Chief Urges President to Fast-Track Bongo Solar Farm Amid Persistent Power Crisis in Upper East Region
The Paramount Chief of the Bongo Traditional Area, Naba Baba Salifu Atamale Lemyaarum, has made a passionate appeal to President John Dramani Mahama to accelerate the development of a solar farm in Bongo, as residents of the Upper East Region continue to grapple with persistent and debilitating power fluctuations. The Chief made the call during an exclusive interview with Ngamegbulamm Chidozie Stephen of Apexnewsgh on Wednesday, using the platform to draw urgent attention to an electricity crisis that he says has gone on for far too long. For the people of the Upper East Region, the power situation has become a source of daily anguish. According to Naba Atamale Lemyaarum, residents have endured at least two weeks of erratic power supply, marked by constant fluctuations and outages that have disrupted livelihoods and daily life. The situation reached a troubling low just days before the interview, when the community spent an entire night without electricity. The following morning brought an alarming explanation: a substation had caught fire. “The load on our substation is too much,” the Paramount Chief said plainly, pointing to an overstretched power infrastructure that he believes is at the root of the region’s recurring electricity woes. Rather than simply lamenting the problem, Naba Atamale Lemyaarum offered a concrete solution, one that, in his view, has been sitting idle for over a decade. He called for a greater embrace of solar energy, arguing that the Upper East Region’s abundant sunshine is a resource that is being squandered. In his vision, solar power would serve domestic needs, while hydropower is preserved for more energy-intensive industrial uses such as factories and welding. “Solar energy will augment the hydropower,” he said. “With hydropower, we can use it for factories, welding and all that. But domestically, it will depend on solar power.” Central to the Chief’s appeal is a project that was announced with great fanfare more than a decade ago. In 2014, the Volta River Authority (VRA) acquired land in Bongo for the construction of a solar farm one that was described at the time as potentially the second largest solar farm in the whole of West Africa. Yet, years on, the project remains unfinished. While the Paramount Chief acknowledged that some work has been done, he expressed frustration at the pace of progress, describing implementation as “very slow.” It is against this backdrop that he directed his appeal to the President — a leader he spoke of with genuine admiration. “He is a man of wisdom and charisma, who is seeking to get the welfare of the people of this country,” Naba Atamale Lemyaarum said. But admiration, he made clear, does not diminish the urgency of the request. He pleaded with the President to direct the VRA to immediately prioritise the completion of the Bongo solar farm, arguing that doing so would provide the critical backup needed to end the cycle of power crises plaguing the region. The stakes of the power crisis extend beyond inconvenience. The Upper East Region is currently experiencing intense heat, and the combination of soaring temperatures and unreliable electricity, which limits access to fans and cooling, has compounded public health concerns, particularly around the risk of meningitis, a disease the region has historically been vulnerable to. For Naba Atamale Lemyaarum, the message to Accra is simple: the people of the Upper East Region cannot afford to wait much longer. The land is there, the sun is there, and the need has never been more pressing. What is required now is the political will to act. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
MTN Ghana CEO Fires Back at Data Theft Claims: “There’s Zero Incentive for Us to Do That”
The complaints have been growing louder. Ghanaian subscribers of MTN have taken to social media and public forums in increasing numbers, frustrated by data bundles that seem to vanish faster than they should, or disappear entirely without explanation. For many, the finger has pointed squarely at the telecom giant itself. Now, MTN Ghana’s Chief Executive Officer has had enough. And he wants the public to know exactly where the company stands. Addressing the controversy on Friday, April 17, MTN Ghana CEO Stephen Blewett flatly dismissed allegations that the company is stealing customers’ data. His argument was direct: MTN simply has nothing to gain from it. “There’s zero incentive for MTN to steal data from you. Because it will just chase people away. It’s not something we do; it’s not part of our values,” he said. In his view, any telecom company that manipulated customer data would be signing its own death warrant, eroding the trust that keeps subscribers on its network and ultimately driving them to competitors. It is, he argued, bad business sense as much as it is a breach of integrity. If MTN is not the culprit, then what is? According to Blewett, the answer lies in how dramatically smartphone usage has changed, and how little many users understand about what their devices are doing in the background. He pointed to three key drivers of data consumption that often go unnoticed: background activity from mobile applications running silently without the user’s knowledge, automatic updates downloading software in the background, and the growing appetite for high-definition video streaming, which consumes data at a far higher rate than most people realise. Together, these factors, he argued, explain why data appears to drain so quickly, not fraud, but the realities of modern digital life. Blewett did not stop at defending the company. He turned the spotlight on subscribers as well, urging them to take a more active role in managing their own data consumption. Practical steps, he suggested, include monitoring which applications are running in the background, reviewing app permissions, and adjusting video streaming quality settings to reduce unnecessary data use. “So there’s a lot that we have to do as customers. We have to be very responsible,” he said. It is a message that is unlikely to fully satisfy frustrated subscribers, many of whom remain unconvinced. But for MTN Ghana’s CEO, the position is clear: the company is not the enemy, and understanding how data is consumed in today’s smartphone era is the first step toward resolving the dispute. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
After Nine Years, New Buses Finally Hit the Road for Metro Mass Transit
For the first time in over nine years, Metro Mass Transit (MMT) has received a significant boost, and for the millions of Ghanaians who depend on public transport daily, it is a long-overdue development. The government has taken delivery of a new fleet of buses for MMT, marking the most substantial addition to the company’s fleet in nearly a decade. It is a moment that signals not just new vehicles on the road, but a renewed commitment to fixing one of the country’s most pressing everyday challenges: getting people from one place to another reliably and affordably. The Deputy Minister for Transport, Dorcas Affo Toffey, confirmed that the first batch of 100 buses, out of a planned total of 300, has been successfully inspected and received. She announced the Chief Executive Officer of MMT, Kale Ceasar, during a pre-inspection of the newly arrived buses. Standing before the fleet, the Deputy Minister was unambiguous about what comes next. More buses are on the way, she assured, and their arrival will further strengthen MMT’s capacity to deliver smooth and reliable transport services across the country. The acquisition, according to Deputy Minister Affo Toffey, is far more than a routine procurement exercise. It is a strategic intervention, one designed to respond to the growing demand for dependable and affordable transit options and to ease the commuting challenges that have long frustrated Ghanaians in both urban and rural areas. She credited the initiative to the Ministry of Transport, led by Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe, with the backing of President John Dramani Mahama, describing it as part of a broader effort to improve mobility and transform the public transport experience nationwide. The 100 buses currently on Ghanaian soil are only the beginning. Additional batches are expected to arrive in the coming months, gradually expanding MMT’s operational capacity and extending its reach across the country’s transport network. The initiative sits within the government’s wider agenda to modernise public transport infrastructure, improve service delivery, and restore public confidence in a sector that has struggled with ageing vehicles and inconsistent coverage for years. With new buses now on the ground and more on the horizon, the wheels of change, quite literally, are in motion. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Hundreds of MoMo Agents Storm MTN Office Over Blocked SIMs, Frozen Funds
Anger boiled over at an MTN Ghana office in Darkuman, near Komkompe in the Greater Accra Region, as hundreds of Mobile Money agents descended on the premises in a furious protest, their livelihoods frozen, their funds trapped, and their questions met with what they say are unsatisfactory answers. The demonstration was sparked by the sudden and unexplained deactivation of the agents’ merchant SIM cards, some of which reportedly hold millions of cedis in funds. For the affected agents, the blocking of their SIMs was not just an inconvenience; it was a direct assault on their businesses and financial security, and they were not prepared to suffer in silence. One of the agents at the centre of the storm, Kwabena Manu, recounted the moment the crisis began. At around 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, he received a message from MTN informing him that his SIM had been blocked due to an alleged breach of contract. The message, he said, did not explain what that breach actually was. With no clarity and no warning, his SIM, and the funds on it, were simply gone. Manu said he initially assumed the problem was his alone. It was only when he arrived at the MTN office and found hundreds of fellow agents in the same predicament that the true scale of the situation became apparent. What had seemed like an isolated incident was, in fact, a sweeping action affecting a large number of operators across the network. The agents’ attempts to seek answers quickly ran into a wall. Officials at the office reportedly told them that the blocked SIMs could only be reactivated upon clearance from the police or an order from a court of competent jurisdiction, a response that did little to calm the mood of the crowd. Determined to find a resolution, the agents took their grievances to the Odorkor Divisional Police Command. But there too, the path forward proved frustrating. Police asked them to provide details of the alleged contract breach, the very information that MTN had failed to supply. When the agents turned back to MTN for the relevant contract documents, they were reportedly told to seek redress in court. Caught in a loop with no clear exit, the agents are now calling on MTN to come to the table and engage with them directly. Their message is urgent and unambiguous: their funds remain locked, their businesses are at a standstill, and they want answers, not courtrooms. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Government to Sacrifice GH¢200 Million in Revenue to Keep Fuel Prices Down
The government is prepared to walk away from an estimated GH¢200 million in revenue, and it says it has no regrets about it. The sacrifice, officials insist, is the price of putting citizens first in the face of relentless global fuel price pressures. Spokesperson for the Ministry of Energy, Richmond Rockson, disclosed on Wednesday, April 15, while speaking to the media about the government’s decision to reduce fuel prices at the pump. The intervention, he explained, was taken deliberately and with full awareness of its cost to the national purse, at a time when international petroleum prices are already trending sharply upward. Rockson pointed to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East as the primary force driving global crude oil prices higher, noting that the ripple effects have been felt acutely in Ghana, where ex-pump prices have climbed steadily in recent weeks. Against that backdrop, he said, the President and Cabinet made a conscious choice to absorb the pain on behalf of Ghanaians rather than pass it on to consumers. “This will lead to a net loss of about GH¢200 million that could have accrued to the government, but it is a necessary sacrifice to bring relief to the people of Ghana,” Rockson stated plainly. The practical effect of that sacrifice becomes visible at the pump from April 16, 2026, when the government begins absorbing GH¢2.00 per litre on diesel and GH¢0.36 per litre on petrol in the upcoming pricing window. The relief is targeted squarely at households, transport operators, and businesses, groups that have borne the brunt of rising fuel costs in recent months. The measure, approved by Cabinet, is set to run for one month. During that period, authorities will keep a close eye on developments in the global oil market and determine whether the situation warrants further action. A statement issued by the Presidency on Wednesday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to price stability, the protection of livelihoods, and the broader goal of sustaining Ghana’s economic recovery amid persistent external headwinds. It is a significant financial concession, and the government is making clear it views it not as a loss, but as an investment in the welfare of its people. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Transport Operators Hold Off on Fare Hikes as Government Steps In to Cushion Fuel Costs
Ghanaian commuters can breathe a temporary sigh of relief. Road transport operators have officially announced a suspension of planned fare increases, following emergency government interventions designed to cushion the impact of soaring petroleum prices on drivers and the travelling public. In a joint press release issued on April 15, 2026, the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC) acknowledged the severe operational pressures brought on by rising global crude oil prices, pressures they attributed in large part to the ongoing US–Israel–Iran conflict, which has sent shockwaves through international energy markets. The announcement comes in the wake of an emergency Cabinet meeting held on April 9, 2026, during which the Government of Ghana moved swiftly to contain the fallout. Among the measures agreed upon were the reduction and suspension of specific margins on petroleum products during the upcoming pricing window, as well as collaborative discussions with the Ministry of Transport aimed at stabilising prices for both the general public and transport operators. For the transport unions, the government’s response was enough, for now, to pull back from the brink of a fare increase that would have added yet another burden to ordinary Ghanaians already navigating a difficult economic climate. The GPRTU and GRTCC expressed confidence that the interventions, if sustained, would deliver meaningful relief to drivers struggling with the day-to-day cost of keeping their vehicles on the road. In the meantime, the leadership of both unions has called on all transport operators across the country to hold the line, urging them to refrain from imposing any fare increases while the effectiveness of the government’s measures is carefully monitored. The press release was signed by Mr. Godfred Abulbire, General Secretary of the GPRTU, and Mr. Emmanuel Ohene Yeboah, General Secretary of the GRTCC, both of whom reaffirmed their organisations’ commitment to the welfare of drivers and commuters alike. Looking ahead, the operators made clear that the current calm is contingent on broader conditions improving. They expressed hope for a swift resolution to the international conflicts that continue to destabilise global oil markets, warning that lasting pricing stability in Ghana ultimately depends on the restoration of order in the world’s energy supply chains. For now, the fare freeze holds, but the operators have made it equally clear that they are watching closely, and that their patience is tied directly to the government’s ability to deliver on its promises. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Ghana’s Central Bank Chief Challenges IMF to Move Faster on African Debt Relief
Ghana’s central bank governor has issued a pointed challenge to the International Monetary Fund, demanding swifter debt relief and more powerful crisis response tools, warning that the continent’s economies are buckling under pressures that the Fund’s current mechanisms are simply too slow to address. Bank of Ghana Governor Johnson Pandit Asiama delivered the appeal on Tuesday during a meeting of the African Consultative Group in Washington, making clear that the time for incremental adjustments had passed. What Africa needs, he argued, is a fundamental “step-change” in how the IMF responds to debt distress, climate shocks, and the tightening of global financial conditions. “African economies continue to operate in an exceptionally challenging macroeconomic environment,” Asiama told the gathering, laying out a stark picture of high debt vulnerabilities, shrinking fiscal space and a relentless succession of external shocks. He pointed specifically to spillovers from the conflict in the Middle East, which he said had worsened inflation and placed severe strain on external balances across the continent. His words resonated in a room where frustration had been building. African policymakers at the meeting made clear they believe the pace of international financial support is falling dangerously short of the scale of the region’s challenges, a sentiment Asiama gave voice to with unusual directness. At the heart of his critique was the IMF’s existing debt resolution machinery, including the Group of 20’s Common Framework, which he described as too slow and too rigid for the urgency of the moment. Delays in restructuring, he warned, were not merely administrative inconveniences; they were prolonging uncertainty, chilling investment, and keeping countries locked out of international capital markets long after they should have regained access. “Time-bound restructurings anchored in credible comparability of treatment are essential,” Asiama said, calling for stronger participation by private creditors and clearer rules on burden-sharing, two areas where progress has historically stalled. He also took aim at how IMF programme design handles delays caused by creditor coordination problems, arguing firmly that such delays should not be recorded as policy failures on the part of borrowing countries. It was a pointed rebuke of a framework that African nations have long felt places an unfair burden on the most vulnerable parties in any restructuring process. Asiama’s demands extended well beyond debt restructuring. He pressed for broader reforms to the IMF’s policy framework, including improved debt sustainability assessments for low-income countries and wider deployment of the Fund’s Integrated Policy Framework. He urged faster implementation of the IMF’s “three-pillar approach” for countries facing or at risk of crisis. He called for increased use of the Fund’s balance sheet to support vulnerable economies, through scaled-up concessional financing, the institutionalisation of Special Drawing Rights reallocation, and a more responsive Resilience and Sustainability Trust. “Recent shocks have exposed the need for emergency financing that is adequately resourced and readily accessible,” he said, in what amounted to a direct call for the IMF to match its rhetoric on African development with tangible, timely action. Rounding out his address, Asiama stressed the importance of capacity-building support in areas including domestic revenue mobilisation, public financial management and financial regulation, with particular attention to emerging risks tied to digital finance and cyber threats, sectors where many African economies remain exposed. His remarks come at a moment of acute pressure for the continent. Rising borrowing costs, slowing global growth and escalating climate disruptions are converging to test the resilience of economies that, in many cases, have yet to recover from the shocks of recent years fully. The IMF has not yet formally responded to the calls. But with debt restructuring and crisis financing set to dominate global economic discussions in the months ahead, Asiama’s voice, and Africa’s, will be difficult to ignore. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Cut the “Dumsor Levy” by Half — COPEC Urges Government for Immediate Fuel Relief
Ghana’s Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) is calling on the government to slash the Energy Sector Shortfall and Recovery Levy, popularly known as the “dumsor levy”, by 50 percent for a limited period, as part of a package of measures aimed at bringing down fuel costs for ordinary Ghanaians. The proposal was contained in a statement released on Friday, April 10, in response to the government’s ongoing review of taxes and levies within the petroleum price build-up, a review that has raised public expectations of relief at the pumps. Under COPEC’s proposal, the levy would be temporarily reduced from GH¢1 to 50 pesewas per litre, a cut the Chamber says would translate directly into a 50 pesewa reduction in fuel prices for consumers. According to COPEC, the impact would be immediate and tangible, significantly reducing household expenditure on transport and energy at a time when public anxiety over rising fuel costs and the prospect of renewed power outages is running high. COPEC framed the proposal not just as consumer relief, but as a strategic balancing act for the government. By retaining half of the levy rather than scrapping it entirely, authorities would continue to collect revenue to support the energy sector and keep power plants running, reducing the risk of costly emergency power procurement and protecting industrial productivity. The Chamber argued that sustaining a revenue stream, even at half the current rate, would also help shield long-term tax revenues from the kind of disruption that a complete removal of the levy might trigger. COPEC was candid about the limits of its own proposal. A 50 percent cut in the levy would inevitably reduce funds set aside for servicing energy sector debts, and could slow planned maintenance activities if the intervention stretches beyond its intended window. That is precisely why, the Chamber stressed, the reduction must be strictly time-bound. COPEC proposed a one-month window, a timeframe it described as sufficient to deliver meaningful economic relief while remaining short enough to avoid long-term disruptions to the energy sector. The Chamber argued that such targeted, time-limited measures demonstrate genuine responsiveness to public concerns without sacrificing fiscal prudence. Urging policymakers to act with urgency, COPEC called on the government to give the proposal serious consideration as part of its broader short-term strategy to cushion consumers against rising global petroleum prices. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Port Transport Drivers Call Off Strike After Breakthrough Talks with Ghana Shippers’ Authority
A threatened sit-down strike by port transport drivers has been averted following a productive emergency meeting between the Joint Association of Port Transport Drivers (JAPTU) Ghana and the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA). The strike, which had been planned in protest against new regulatory measures affecting port transport operators, was called off after both parties reached a consensus on the key issues that had sparked the standoff. Speaking to Citi News on Monday, April 13, JAPTU’s Executive Secretary Ibrahim Musah explained that a critical clarification from the government played a decisive role in resolving the tension. Drivers had harboured concerns that the GSA’s planned registration exercise was aimed at individual operators, a prospect that had alarmed many within the sector. Those fears, Musah said, were put to rest. The government made clear that the registration exercise targets corporate transport entities, not individual drivers. That single clarification, he noted, addressed one of the most significant grievances that had been driving JAPTU toward industrial action. With the assurance on the table, JAPTU’s leadership announced its decision to withdraw the strike in the interest of continued dialogue and constructive engagement. The agreement reached goes beyond simply standing down the strike. As part of the understanding between the two parties, the Ghana Shippers’ Authority is expected to facilitate further discussions between JAPTU and the Minister of Roads and Highways on concerns surrounding the new axle load control regime, an issue that remains a live concern for transport operators. JAPTU’s leadership expressed optimism that the ongoing engagements will lead to a more inclusive approach to policy implementation within the transport sector, signalling a shift from confrontation to collaboration. Musah was generous in his praise for how the GSA handled the situation. “The leadership of JAPTU Ghana is happy to announce that we are calling off our intended sit-down strike after a very fruitful dialogue session with the leadership of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority,” he said. “We want to also take this opportunity to commend the Chief Executive of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority and his team members for the swift manner in which they reacted to the concern that we brought up,” he added. The resolution is expected to ease tensions across the port transport industry and ensure the smooth movement of goods through Ghana’s ports as consultations between all parties continue. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Warehouses Full, Promises Empty: Asutsuare Rice Farmers Cry Out for Help
Rice farmers in Asutsuare, Kadjanya, and Akuse in the Shai Osudoku District of the Eastern Region are sinking into a financial crisis, as large quantities of harvested rice sit unsold and post-harvest losses mount with each passing day. The situation is most acute at the Asutsuare rice irrigation scheme, one of Ghana’s major rice-producing hubs, spanning over 4,000 hectares and supporting thousands of smallholder and commercial farmers. Warehouses have been filled to capacity, leaving farmers with no choice but to leave excess produce exposed to the elements, where it risks spoilage. Despite significant investments in mechanisation and irrigation, farmers say the absence of a reliable market is steadily eroding their hard work and livelihoods. The hardship has gone beyond financial strain. Reports indicate that a farmer identified as Zola allegedly died by suicide after struggling to repay a bank loan tied to his farming activities, a tragic development that has cast a dark shadow over the farming communities. Authorities have yet to publicly confirm the details surrounding the incident. The story of Zola, however, has put a human face on what might otherwise be seen as an economic statistic, underscoring the very real and personal consequences of the crisis gripping the region. Philip Akpoka Anumah, President of the Osudoku Rice Farmers Association, has been vocal about the pricing crisis at the centre of the problem. He pointed out that buffer stock authorities are offering just GHS350 per bag, a figure that falls below production costs, meaning farmers are effectively selling at a loss. The situation is made worse by the continued influx of imported rice, which farmers say is suppressing demand for locally produced rice and driving prices even lower. Adding to the frustration is what farmers describe as unfulfilled assurances from the highest levels of government. The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, and the Minister for Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, reportedly visited the area and pledged interventions, including buffer stock purchases. Those promises, farmers say, have yet to translate into action, deepening their sense of abandonment. Compounding the crisis further, rehabilitation works on sections of the irrigation scheme have stalled, leaving more than a thousand farmers idle for over a year, unable to farm, unable to earn, and increasingly unable to cope. With their backs against the wall, the farmers are now issuing an urgent call for government intervention. Their demands are straightforward: improved market access, fair and realistic pricing for their produce, and the completion of long-delayed infrastructure projects. They warn that continued inaction will not only devastate local rice production but could permanently damage rural livelihoods across the district, a consequence, they say, that the government cannot afford to ignore. Source: Apexnewsgh.com