Ghana Gears Up for World Shea Expo with Strategic Meeting Between Presidency, ILO and Industry Players
With the World Shea Expo on the horizon, Ghana is leaving nothing to chance. Peter Boamah Otokunor, Director of Agribusiness Development at the Office of the President, has convened a high-level strategic meeting with representatives from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Savanna Golden Tree Limited, signalling the government’s intent to make a strong impression on the global shea stage this year. The meeting served as both a planning session and a broader strategic conversation, bringing key stakeholders together to align on preparatory activities for the expo while mapping out Ghana’s wider ambitions for positioning its shea sector as a powerhouse in the international market. At the heart of the discussions was a shared recognition of the shea industry’s untapped economic potential. Participants examined how the sector could be harnessed more effectively to generate sustainable employment and contribute meaningfully to national development, goals that have taken on added urgency as Ghana looks to diversify its economic base and create opportunities in rural communities where shea production is most concentrated. Dr. Otokunor was emphatic on one point: Ghana cannot unlock the full value of its shea industry by working in isolation. He stressed the critical importance of deepening partnerships with international organisations and private sector actors, arguing that such collaborations are essential to expanding market access and driving greater value addition within the sector, moving beyond raw shea exports toward more processed, higher-value products that keep more wealth within the country. All eyes are now on the World Shea Expo, which is expected to be a defining moment for Ghana’s shea industry. The event will offer a prominent platform to showcase the country’s shea potential to a global audience, attract fresh investment, and open new trade doors for local producers who form the backbone of the sector. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Minority Demands Immediate Scrapping of GHS1 Fuel Levy, Cites Worsening Cost of Living
Pressure is mounting on the government to scrap the GHS1 fuel levy, as the Minority in Parliament calls for its immediate abolition, arguing that the charge is deepening the financial strain on Ghanaians already struggling under the weight of soaring living costs. The demand was made by Collins Adomako-Mensah, Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Energy Committee, who voiced the Minority’s concerns to journalists on the sidelines of parliamentary proceedings. His remarks came at a particularly sensitive moment, fuel prices had just risen again, driven by escalating geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, compounded by disruptions stemming from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. For many Ghanaians, the timing could not have been worse. Adomako-Mensah acknowledged that the levy was not introduced without purpose. Enshrined in the Energy Sector Levy Amendment Act 2025, it was designed to support fuel procurement and help the country chip away at longstanding debts in the energy sector. But he was unequivocal: the economic realities of today make its continued existence unjustifiable. Beyond the immediate call to scrap the levy, the Minority is setting its sights on a broader fight. Adomako-Mensah revealed plans to push for a sweeping review of all taxes embedded in petroleum pricing, a move aimed at identifying and eliminating charges that unnecessarily inflate costs at the pump for ordinary consumers. The Minority’s stance is poised to sharpen an already heated debate in Parliament over fuel taxation, as the government finds itself caught between the need to protect revenue streams and mounting public frustration over the relentless rise in the cost of living. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Mahama Urges Tenants to Report Landlords Flouting Rent Advance Laws
President John Dramani Mahama has urged tenants across Ghana to hold landlords accountable by reporting those who demand rent advances beyond the legally permitted limit, as the government intensifies efforts to protect renters from exploitation in the housing sector. The President made the call during a meeting with Organised Labour at the Presidency, where he underscored the urgent need to enforce existing housing regulations and shield tenants from unlawful financial demands. Mahama acknowledged the mounting pressure that housing costs are placing on Ghanaian households, warning that affordable accommodation is rapidly slipping out of reach for a growing number of citizens. He linked the surge in excessive rent demands to the country’s persistent housing deficit, arguing that the shortfall in available housing has emboldened some landlords to impose illegal charges on desperate renters. The President reminded the public that the law expressly bars rent advances of more than six months, yet enforcement of this provision remains largely ineffective, a situation he partly attributed to the reluctance of both tenants and landlords to pursue grievances through the rent courts. As a way forward, President Mahama proposed convening a national housing dialogue bringing together government, the private sector, and labour groups to craft a robust social housing policy. He stressed that only a well-coordinated, multi-stakeholder approach can meaningfully resolve the housing crisis and guarantee fair, accessible accommodation for every Ghanaian. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Mahama to Engage Civil Society Organisations After Labour Union Consultations — Kwakye Ofosu
President John Dramani Mahama’s stakeholder consultation drive is set to widen its reach, with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) next in line for engagement once talks with labour unions are concluded. This was disclosed by the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, during an interview on Channel One TV’s Face to Face on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. According to the minister, the planned outreach to CSOs is a deliberate effort to ensure that a broad spectrum of voices informs government decision-making, moving beyond organised labour to tap into the perspectives of civil society. “Once he’s done with Organised Labour, he will turn his attention to CSOs. He will engage CSOs so that they will also bring their perspective to bear on governance, and through that we can get the best ideas for policy fine-tuning and better implementation,” Kwakye Ofosu said. The minister’s remarks signal a structured and inclusive approach to governance under President Mahama, with the consultations designed not merely as a formality, but as a genuine mechanism for gathering ideas that can sharpen policy formulation and strengthen implementation. By extending the conversation to CSOs, organisations that often serve as the voice of marginalised communities and watchdogs of public interest, the government appears intent on casting a wide net as it shapes its policy agenda. The outcome of these engagements, if effectively harnessed, could prove instrumental in bridging the gap between government policy and the realities on the ground. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Former Deputy Upper East Regional Minister Daniel Awenyue Syme Dies After Defying the Odds for Years
The doctors had written their verdict years ago. They said he would not make it this long. But Daniel Awenyue Syme, a man who had spent a lifetime in quiet, steadfast service to others, was not one to bow easily, not to illness, and not to fate. On Sunday, March 16, 2026, he finally let go. The family of former Deputy Upper East Regional Minister Daniel Awenyue Syme announced his passing on Sunday, confirming that he died after years of battling health challenges. His son, Jonathan A. Syme, shared the news in a statement that was equal parts grief and gratitude. “Doctors told him years ago that he would not make it this long, but he defied all odds,” Jonathan said. He added that the family found solace in the fact that his father did not suffer in his final moments — a small mercy at the end of a long and meaningful journey. Syme’s story is one of steady, purposeful ascent through the corridors of public service. He began his administrative career as District Secretary of the Builsa District, a role that would eventually grow into that of District Chief Executive — a position he held from 1990 to 2001. During those years, he became known as a man who showed up, rolled up his sleeves, and got things done, earning credit for his contributions to local governance and development in the area. But his ambitions and abilities were not confined to the district level. He climbed the ranks of the audit service with the same quiet determination, eventually reaching the position of Assistant Auditor General, a testament to a career built on integrity and discipline. His public service journey culminated in his appointment as Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, a role he served in from 2012 to 2016. To those who knew him best, he was more than the titles he carried. Family members remembered him as a “model politician and auditor”, a rare combination of words that speaks to a man who managed to hold onto his principles in two fields where principles are often tested. “He gave everything he had to the betterment of others and always put himself last,” Jonathan Syme said of his father, words that, in a few short sentences, paint the portrait of a man whose greatest investment was always in the people around him. Since the announcement, tributes have begun to flow in from community members and colleagues who knew Syme as a leader of dedication, integrity, and quiet strength. The outpouring of remembrance reflects a life that touched far more people than perhaps even he knew. Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced in the coming days. For now, a family mourns — and a region pauses to remember a man who, by all accounts, gave his best to the end. Rest well, Daniel Awenyue Syme. You made it further than they said you would. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Cardiothoracic Surgeons Take Prof. Frimpong-Boateng and Son to Court Over Land They Say Is Rightfully Theirs
They built these homes with their own money, moved in, paid the bills, and lived there for nearly two decades. Now, four cardiothoracic surgeons and a former secretary say someone is trying to take it all away, and they are fighting back in court. Former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, and his son, Dr Yaw Frimpong-Boateng, have reportedly been sued over alleged land fraud, according to a report by Asaase Radio on Monday, March 16, 2026. The lawsuit, filed on Thursday, March 12, 2026, by five individuals through their lawyers, Amenuvor and Associates, has cast a long shadow over a land allocation story that dates back more than two decades. The five plaintiffs are not strangers to the world of medicine. They are Dr Kow Entsua-Mensah, Professor Ernest Adibuer Aniteye, Dr David Abraham Kotei, Dr Lawrence Agyeman Sereboe, all cardiothoracic surgeons at the National Cardiothoracic Centre (NCC) at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, and Lucy Agyemang, a former stenographer secretary at the same institution. Together, they have taken their grievances before the courts, seeking justice over properties they claim are rightfully theirs at Okpoi Gonno in Accra, along the Spintex Road. The roots of the dispute stretch back to around the year 2000, when the National Cardiothoracic Centre, then under the leadership of Prof. Frimpong-Boateng himself, acquired land at Okpoi Gonno with the intention of providing housing for medical practitioners working at the centre. Portions of that land were subsequently allocated to the four doctors, the former secretary, and some nurses, who were asked to complete the buildings themselves and take occupation. Between 2006 and 2009, the plaintiffs say they did exactly that, pouring their personal resources into completing the structures. They moved in, settled down, and have since lived in those properties continuously and without interference from anyone. For nearly two decades, they paid utility bills, maintained the homes, and exercised what they describe as full ownership rights over the properties. Then came February 2026, and with it, a jarring development. According to the statement of claim, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng reportedly filed a complaint at the Rent Control Department in Accra, claiming ownership of the properties and asserting that the occupants had only been allowed to stay there temporarily out of goodwill. In other words, after 17 years, the plaintiffs were suddenly being described as tenants. The five plaintiffs are having none of it. They insist that no landlord-tenant relationship has ever existed between them and Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, and that the attempt to paint them as mere tenants is not only false and misleading, it is, in their words, “unconscionable, wrongful, and contrary to equity and good conscience.” They argue that the defendants allowed them to invest substantial personal funds into completing the buildings and occupying them as homes, and cannot now turn around and deny them ownership of those same properties. Through their lawyers, the plaintiffs are seeking five reliefs from the court. These include a declaration that they are the lawful owners of the properties at Okpoi Gonno, a perpetual injunction to prevent the defendants and their associates from interfering with their ownership and enjoyment of the properties, general damages for trespass and unlawful interference with their property rights, and legal costs. What began as a goodwill gesture, land allocated to dedicated medical professionals to build homes for themselves, has now become a courtroom battle over ownership, equity, and the meaning of home. For the four surgeons and the former secretary at the heart of this case, the message is clear: they built these houses, they have lived in them for nearly 20 years, and they are not leaving without a fight. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Former NPP National Chairman Freddie Blay reportedly arrested
He dodged police invitations, missed court dates, and slipped through attempted arrests at his East Legon home. But on Monday, March 16, 2026, the law finally ran out of patience, and so did the bench warrant with Freddie Blay’s name on it. The former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, has reportedly been arrested by the Ghana Police Service, according to a report by The1957News. The arrest, long in the making, was executed on the strength of a bench warrant issued by the Akropong Circuit Court over alleged property destruction, a case that has been quietly building for well over a year. The story begins on January 31, 2025, when a landowner at Kitase in the Akuapem area paid a visit to his property and was met with a disturbing sight. Structures that had been under construction on the land had been destroyed. A complaint was formally filed with the police the very next day, on February 1, 2025. Investigators who responded to the scene did not leave empty-handed. Five individuals were arrested on the spot, allegedly caught in the act of clearing the land using a backhoe. During interrogation, the plot thickened considerably, one of the suspects pointed the finger directly at Freddie Blay and a man identified as Nana Osae Ntifo I, also known as Dada, naming them as the individuals who had allegedly given the order to carry out the destruction. Nana Osae Ntifo I was arrested shortly afterwards, reportedly found near the police station. Blay, however, proved harder to pin down. Initially invited by the police to assist with investigations, he indicated he would report, and then simply did not. As the months wore on, investigators made multiple attempts to reach him through various channels in May 2025, but he allegedly remained unresponsive. On April 24, 2025, Blay was expected to appear before the Akropong Circuit Court alongside Nana Osae Ntifo I and other suspects. He did not show up. The court responded by issuing a bench warrant for his arrest. A subsequent attempt to execute that warrant at his East Legon residence also came up short. Meanwhile, the wheels of justice continued to turn. One of the co-accused petitioned the Office of the Attorney General, which reviewed the docket and advised the police to proceed with the charges as originally filed. The accused persons were formally charged and arraigned on February 5, 2026 — and once again, Blay was conspicuously absent. For weeks, the bench warrant hung over him like a dark cloud. Then came Monday, March 16, 2026. After more than a year of alleged evasion, missed appearances, and unanswered messages, Freddie Blay was arrested. What began as a land dispute complaint in a quiet corner of the Akuapem area has now evolved into one of the more dramatic legal sagas surrounding a senior figure of the NPP, a reminder that in Ghana’s judicial system, a bench warrant, once issued, does not simply disappear. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Countdown Begins: Government Sets April 1 Deadline for Courier Sector Crackdown
The days of operating in the shadows are numbered for unlicensed courier and logistics operators across Ghana. The government has issued a firm directive to the Postal and Courier Services Regulatory Commission to launch a nationwide enforcement crackdown on unregulated players in the sector, and the clock starts now. The directive was announced by the Minister for Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, at the launch of the Integrated Courier and Logistics Management System–Ghana (ICOLMS-Ghana) on Thursday, March 12. The new digital platform is designed to bring order to Ghana’s courier and logistics sector and provide a solid regulatory foundation for the country’s fast-growing e-commerce ecosystem. With the platform now live, the minister made one thing crystal clear: the window for compliance is open, but it will not stay open for long. Operators, whether established courier companies or individual delivery riders, have exactly 19 days, from March 12 to March 31, 2026, to register and onboard on the ICOLMS-Ghana platform. After that, there will be no second chances. “Once we have launched the ICOLMS today, the grace period runs from today until March 31, 2026. This gives you exactly 19 days, whether you are a company or a single biker, to register on the ICOLMS-Ghana platform,” he said. “All existing courier companies have that same period to onboard and integrate their systems with the ICOLMS digital platform. If you fail to do that, it will attract regulatory sanctions.” The minister was equally unequivocal about what comes next. From April 1, 2026, enforcement operations, backed by the Ghana Police Service, will begin in earnest. He noted that the sector had already been given a lifeline in August 2025, when enforcement was temporarily halted to allow operators time to prepare. That goodwill, he made clear, has now been exhausted. “Enforcement with the Ghana Police Service will start on April 1, 2026, and there will be no moratorium. There will be no excuses. I will not intervene, I make a solemn pledge,” he declared. For courier operators across the country, the message could not be more straightforward: register by March 31, or face the consequences. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Minority Demands Refund of GH¢113 Million Collected from Failed Security Recruitment Applicants
Ghana’s Minority in Parliament has thrown down the gauntlet, demanding that the Ministry of the Interior return approximately GH¢113 million collected from hundreds of thousands of applicants who did not make the cut in the recent security service recruitment exercise. The call comes in the wake of startling figures disclosed by the Minister for the Interior, Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka, who revealed that while nearly 500,000 people applied for positions across the country’s security agencies, only 5,000 slots are available for final enlistment. Of those who applied, more than 105,000 have qualified for the medical screening stage, a number that still dwarfs the available positions by a staggering margin. For the Minority, those figures tell a damning story. Addressing journalists on Thursday, March 12, 2026, the Ranking Member on the Defence and Interior Committee, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, accused the government of deliberately misleading applicants and exploiting their desperation for employment. “Already, we have a national security threat and unemployment on our hands. You promised them jobs. You didn’t add any conditions,” he charged. He argued that the government’s decision to expand the eligible age limit from twenty-five to thirty-five sent a deliberate signal that more opportunities were available, a promise he says was never real. “You knew from the very beginning you were recruiting only 5,000, and yet you did all this to lure half a million people, took their money, milked them GH¢113 million cedis and over, only to turn around yesterday, after you have knocked them out by technology and internet disruptions from the aptitude test,” he said. Rev. Fordjour’s remarks paint a picture of a recruitment process that, in the Minority’s view, was less about finding qualified personnel and more about generating revenue at the expense of vulnerable, unemployed young Ghanaians. He called not only for a full refund of the money collected but also for an independent investigation into how the exercise was conducted. Looking ahead, he urged the government to overhaul how future recruitment exercises are managed, demanding greater transparency and stronger safeguards to ensure that applicants are never again subjected to what he described as outright financial exploitation. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
NPP’s Online Registration Open to All, But Only Verified Members Can Vote — Koduah
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has moved to calm fears within its ranks over the integrity of its newly introduced online registration platform, with General Secretary Justin Frimpong Koduah assuring members that political opponents will not be able to hijack the party’s internal elections through the system. Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, March 12, Mr. Frimpong Koduah explained that the platform was born out of necessity, a practical solution for Ghanaians who genuinely wish to join the NPP but cannot make it to their polling stations to register due to time constraints. However, he was quick to draw a clear line between who can register and who can actually participate in the party’s internal democratic processes. “I have received questions that when we are doing online registration, it means our opponents or people who are not NPP members may use this opportunity to register,” he acknowledged. His response was both direct and disarming. “Every Ghanaian has the right to register to become a member of the New Patriotic Party,” he said, before cheekily raising the stakes with a pointed example. “Even if NDC National Chairman Asiedu Nketiah wants to register to become a member of the NPP because he has realised the government is not performing and has disappointed many Ghanaians, he will be allowed, just like any other NDC member, to register because they might have seen the light.” But, he stressed, registration alone is not enough. “However, to qualify to vote and to contest, certainly there will be verification,” he added, making clear that robust checks will be in place to ensure that only genuine, verified party members have a say in the NPP’s internal elections. Beyond the online platform, Mr. Frimpong Koduah also addressed growing concerns about attempts by some party executives to exert undue control over the registration process. In response, he announced that physical registration at polling stations will take place on weekends throughout the month of March, giving ordinary members a fair and accessible opportunity to sign up without interference. Source: Apexnewsgh.com