Minister-Designate Vows to Reform Ghana’s Natural Resources Sector
Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister-designate for Lands and Natural Resources, has pledged to implement sweeping reforms and bold measures to address key challenges in Ghana’s natural resources sector. Apexnewsgh reports During his vetting before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Monday, January 27, Mr. Buah outlined a comprehensive vision aimed at improving transparency, promoting sustainable practices, and eliminating inefficiencies. Mr. Buah vowed to end the undervaluation and sale of public lands at discounted prices, ensuring that public lands are sold at market value to protect the public interest. He also highlighted inefficiencies in Ghana’s mining licensing system, pledging to re-categorize mining operations and streamline the process to eliminate loopholes. The nominee firmly committed to prohibiting new mining activities in forest reserves, reflecting the government’s dedication to environmental conservation. He emphasized the need for transparency in state land allocation, criticizing the practice of high-profile individuals acquiring state lands as fundamentally wrong. Mr. Buah also reaffirmed his commitment to combating illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, regardless of political affiliations. He acknowledged past failures but pledged to ensure that mining licenses are obtained through legal processes. If confirmed, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah’s leadership is expected to mark a new era for the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry, prioritizing sustainable natural resource management and transparency. The Parliamentary Appointments Committee is expected to deliberate on his nomination in the coming days. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
NCA Leadership Shake-Up: Quartey and Yeboah-Boateng Relieved of Duties
The government has revoked the appointments of two top officials at the National Communications Authority (NCA). Apexnewsgh reports Ms. Olivia Okailey Quartey, Deputy Director-General in charge of Managerial Operations, and Prof. Ezer Osei Yeboah-Boateng, Deputy Director-General for Technical Operations, are no longer with the NCA. This decision is part of an ongoing effort to restructure the leadership of the NCA, with the goal of strengthening its operational and regulatory framework. Both Quartey and Yeboah-Boateng played important roles in supporting the NCA’s mission to regulate Ghana’s telecommunications and broadcasting sectors. Although no official reasons have been given for their dismissal, it’s clear that the new National Democratic Congress (NDC) government is looking to bring in fresh leadership to address emerging challenges in the rapidly evolving telecommunications sector. In a related development, President John Dramani Mahama has appointed Rev. Ing. Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko as the Acting Director General of the NCA. The NCA confirmed the appointment on January 23, 2025, through its official website. This move is expected to bring stability and direction to the NCA as it navigates the changing telecommunications landscape. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Director-General of Ghana Education Service Relieved of Duties
In a significant development, Dr. Eric Nkansah has been relieved of his duties as the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), effective immediately. Apexnewsgh reports This decision comes after Dr. Nkansah held the position since his appointment in January 2023. Dr. Nkansah brought a diverse career background to the role, having worked as a subject teacher, banker, and lecturer. His teaching experience spanned from 2000 to 2006 at Christian Education Complex Junior High School and Kintampo Senior High School in Kintampo. He later joined Barclays Bank (now Absa) in 2007, rising to the position of Sales Manager during his six-year tenure. In addition, Dr. Nkansah lectured part-time at the Business School of Garden City University College, Kumasi, starting in 2010. The government has appointed Prof. Ernest Kofi Davis, the Provost of the College of Education at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), as the new Director-General of GES. Prof. Davis brings a wealth of academic and administrative experience and is expected to provide fresh perspectives and strong leadership to Ghana’s education system. This development is part of the government’s efforts to realign leadership within the GES, addressing key challenges and driving innovation in the country’s education sector. As the new Director-General, Prof. Davis is expected to enhance curriculum development, address education inequities, and foster collaboration with stakeholders. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
US freezes nearly all foreign aid, sparking global concern
The US State Department has frozen nearly all foreign assistance worldwide, effective immediately, days after President Donald Trump issued a sweeping executive order Monday to put a hold on such aid for 90 days. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent a cable, seen by CNN, to all US diplomatic posts on Friday outlining the move, which threatens billions of dollars of funding from the State Department and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) for programs worldwide. Foreign assistance has been the target of ire from Republicans in Congress and Trump administration officials, but the funding accounts for very little of the overall US budget. The scope of the executive order and subsequent cable has left humanitarian and State Department officials reeling. The cable calls for immediate “stop work” orders on existing foreign assistance and pauses new aid. It is sweeping in its scope. Essentially all foreign assistance appears to have been targeted unless specifically exempted. That means lifesaving global health aid, development assistance, military aid, and even clean water distribution could all be affected. The cable provides a waiver only for emergency food assistance and foreign military financing for Israel and Egypt. The cable does not specifically mention any other countries that receive foreign military financing, like Ukraine or Taiwan, as being exempt from the freeze. In the coming month, the cable said, the administration will develop standards for a review of whether the assistance is “aligned with President Trump’s foreign policy agenda.” “Decisions, whether to continue, modify, or terminate programs, will be made following this review,” the cable states, noting that such a review should be completed within 85 days. In a public statement on Wednesday, Rubio said that “every dollar we spend, every program we fund, and every policy we pursue must be justified with the answer to three simple questions: Does it make America safer? Does it make America stronger? Does it make America more prosperous?” The impact of the freeze on assistance will be immense because the US is consistently the world’s largest humanitarian donor. “It’s a global freak out at the moment,” a humanitarian official said Saturday. InterAction, an alliance of international nongovernmental organizations, said in a statement Saturday that the freeze “interrupts critical life-saving work including clean water to infants, basic education for kids, ending the trafficking of girls, and providing medications to children and others suffering from the disease. It stops assistance in countries critical to U.S. interests, including Taiwan, Syria, and Pakistan.” “The recent stop-work cable from the State Department suspends programs that support America’s global leadership and creates dangerous vacuums that China and our adversaries will quickly fill,” the statement said. One humanitarian official said the pause is incredibly disruptive and said the specifics of the cable are “as bad as can be.” Another official told CNN that while they expected there to be cuts or changes to assistance to specific areas, they were not expecting such a sweeping and immediate pause. They said that the humanitarian needs worldwide are acute and a freeze in assistance from the US could be detrimental. In his executive order, Trump claimed that the US “foreign aid industry and bureaucracy are not aligned with American interests and in many cases antithetical to American values.” However, one of the officials noted that assistance programs, such as those related to global health, which are targeted by the freeze, are in the US’ interest and had enjoyed bipartisan support. “Making sure there are not pandemics is in our interest. Global stability is in our interest,” they said. Democratic Reps. Gregory Meeks of New York and Lois Frankel of Florida said in a Friday letter to Rubio that programs that appear affected by the freeze such as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) “depend on an uninterrupted supply of medicines.” PEPFAR and PMI were launched by Republican President George W. Bush and have long enjoyed bipartisan support. Meeks serves as the top Democratic on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Frankel is a member of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Subcommittee, meaning they both have oversight over State Department and USAID funding. They added that people around the world — such as in conflict-ridden Gaza, Sudan, Haiti and Ukraine — rely on the continued flow of aid from the United States. “Congress has appropriated and cleared these funds for use, and it is our constitutional duty to make sure these funds are spent as directed,” the letter read. “These funds respond directly to your stated challenge of carrying out a foreign policy that makes the United States stronger, safer, and more prosperous.” The International AIDS Society warned on Saturday that halting PEPFAR would place millions of lives in jeopardy. IAS President Beatriz Grinsztejn said in a statement, “This is a matter of life or death. PEPFAR provides lifesaving antiretrovirals for more than 20 million people — and stopping its funding essentially stops their HIV treatment. If that happens, people are going to die and HIV will resurge.” Source: CNN
Violent Clashes Erupt in Ngama Gberuk Over Chieftaincy Dispute
The quiet community of Ngama Gberuk in the Bunkpurugu district of the North East Region has been thrown into chaos following violent clashes between two local clans, the Nandouk Teeb and Maan Teeb, over chieftaincy titles. The conflict has left several people injured, properties destroyed, and many families displaced. According to sources, the dispute began when members of the two clans travelled to Binde for enskinment ceremonies, a traditional rite to formally install individuals as chiefs . However, upon completing the ceremonies, the chiefs were ambushed by unidentified gunmen, sparking widespread panic and injuries. Eyewitnesses recount that the attackers opened fire on the returning clans, causing chaos and destruction. Several houses and properties were set ablaze, leaving many families without homes or belongings. The violence has also sparked fears of escalating reprisals between the factions, with reports of retaliatory gunfire already erupting in parts of the area. The situation remains volatile, with many residents afraid to leave their homes. The community is in dire need of intervention to prevent further violence and destruction. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Catholic Archdiocese of Accra Reiterates Ban on Freemasonry
The Catholic Archdiocese of Accra has reaffirmed its long-standing stance against Freemasonry, emphasizing that Catholics cannot be part of Masonic associations. Apexnewsgh reports In a statement titled “Catholics and Freemasonry,” signed by Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, the Church clarified that its teachings on the matter remain unchanged. The statement addressed speculation about whether the Church had reconsidered its stance on Freemasonry, stating unequivocally, “The answer is simply ‘No.’ The Church has not changed its position on Freemasons. You can’t be a true Catholic and a Freemason at the same time.” The Church’s position on Freemasonry dates back to November 26, 1983, when the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith released the Declaration on Masonic Associations. This declaration emphasized that Masonic principles are irreconcilable with Catholic doctrine, and Catholic membership in Freemasonry remains forbidden. The statement warned that Catholics who join Masonic associations commit a grave sin and are ineligible to receive Holy Communion. It highlighted specific areas where Freemasonry conflicts with Catholic teachings, including: Equating Jesus Christ with other religious figures: Freemasonry often places Jesus Christ on the same level as Buddha, Krishna, and Confucius. Addressing prayers to the “Great Architect of the Universe”: Freemasonry directs prayers to a vague deity rather than through Christ, which the Church views as a denial of Christ’s unique divinity and centrality in salvation. The Archdiocese also condemned Freemasonry for promoting ideas that allegedly undermine Christianity, stating, “Freemasonry wants the destruction of Christianity, and no one can claim to be a proud Catholic and a Freemason”. Below is the statement. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
CHRAJ Set to Engage Mahama Government Over Anti-Witchcraft Bill
The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) is poised to engage the Mahama government in a bid to revive the Anti-Witchcraft Bill, which was passed by Ghana’s Parliament but stalled due to former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s refusal to assent to it. Apexnewsgh reports The Anti-Witchcraft Bill, officially known as the Criminal Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2023, seeks to outlaw witch doctoring, witch finding, and the act of declaring, accusing, naming, or labeling another individual as a witch. This Private Member’s Bill was introduced by Francis-Xavier Kojo Sosu, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Madina, and other NDC MPs. Lambert Luguniah, National Representative of CHRAJ, expressed optimism about the new government’s favorable disposition towards the bill. “Our expectation is to engage the new government…My boss, the commissioner, did intimate a few weeks ago that he had had a preliminary engagement with some of the key officers in the government and their disposition is very favorable to the passage of the bill,” Luguniah stated. CHRAJ plans to formally engage the government once it is fully constituted to ensure the bill is repackaged and presented in the name of the president, rather than as a private member’s bill. This approach aims to avoid any obstacles that hindered the previous attempt to pass the bill. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Bagbin Vows to Revive Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, Calls for Legal Guidance
In a stirring address to the Ghanaian community in Côte d’Ivoire on January 26, 2025, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin announced his plans to seek legal counsel regarding the contentious Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill. Apexnewsgh reports This significant legislation, which had previously passed Parliament, was left unsigned by former President Akufo-Addo, an act Bagbin decries as unconstitutional. Bagbin passionately articulated his stance, asserting, “The LGBTQ bill was passed by Parliament, the former president refused to assent to it, which was unconstitutional. There is no law allowing the president to refuse or fail to assent to a bill passed by Parliament.” His comments emphasized the authority of Parliament in lawmaking, a principle he firmly believes was undermined by the former president’s refusal to approve the bill. Addressing the audience, Bagbin reflected on the repercussions of the prior administration’s decision, suggesting that the community had collectively registered their discontent with the former president’s stance. “That decision was wrong, and all of you punished him for that,” he noted, reinforcing his belief that parliamentary procedure must be respected. Looking to the future, Bagbin expressed determination to see the bill passed this year. “I am going to write to the new Attorney General and Minister for Justice for his comments so we can resend it to the new president for his assent. It will not take time; it will be passed this year.” He reiterated the bill’s significance, describing it as “anti-God” and emphasizing his unwavering commitment to the cause. “Nobody should joke with me when it comes to that area. I can lose my life because of that,” he asserted, underscoring the deeply personal nature of his convictions. With this announcement, Bagbin has signaled a renewed effort to push forward legislation that has been a topic of heated debate in Ghana, ensuring that the controversy surrounding the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill remains at the forefront of political discourse. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Akamugre will do well as a Regional Minister—NDC Regional Chairman
The Upper East Regional Chairman of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Alhaji Mumuni Bolnaba, has expressed confidence in Minister Designate for the Upper East Region, Donatus Akamugre. Apexnewsgh reports According to Alhaji Bolnaba, Akamugre’s neutrality in the conflict between the Mamprusis and Kusasis in the Bawku zone makes him an ideal candidate to tackle security issues and bring peace to the region. Alhaji Bolnaba also believes that Akamugre’s familiarity with the region, being a “son of the soil,” will enable him to drive development and address the plight of the people in the Upper East Region. The chairman is optimistic that Akamugre’s collaboration with President John Dramani Mahama will yield positive results, by way of allowing him to effectively remind the president of key issues affecting the region which fall in line with some of the promises made during the 2024 party campaigns. The regional chairman expressed his confidence in Donatus Akamugre, describing him as a hardworking individual with over 20 years of experience in party leadership. The chairman believes Akamugre will deliver as the regional minister for the Upper East region, bringing development to the area. However, Bolnaba’s endorsement of Akamukre suggests that the minister designate has the potential to make a positive impact in the Upper East Region, addressing both security concerns and development needs. As the excitement surrounding Akamugre’s vetting date approaches—scheduled for January 27, 2025—residents remain optimistic. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
If approved, Donatus Akamugre will tackle regional development—Jonathan Abdallah Salifu
The Upper East Region stands on the brink of a new chapter in its developmental journey, with the recent nomination of Mr. Donatus Akamugre as the Regional Minister by President Mahama. Apexnewsgh reports According to Jonathan Abdallah Salifu, the Upper East Regional Communication Officer, Akamugre is not only aware of the numerous challenges facing the region but is also poised to address them. Having served as a key figure during the campaign, where he stood before then-candidate Mahama to advocate for the region’s needs, Akamugre is expected to channel that same commitment into his new role. Salifu expressed hope that Akamugre will actively engage with various ministries, lobbying for infrastructural and social advancements that benefit the entire region. Moreover, Mr. Akamugre faces the critical task of fostering unity within the party itself. Salifu pointed out that when in power, divisions can easily arise among party members, especially if not everyone receives appointments. Building a cohesive and supportive party environment will be essential for achieving the region’s goals and mitigating any internal conflicts. As the excitement surrounding Akamugre’s vetting date approaches—scheduled for January 27, 2025—residents remain optimistic. This vetting not only represents a chance for Akamugre to share his vision for the future but also heralds a moment where the aspirations of the Upper East can echo in the halls of governance. With his extensive experience within the local party structures, many believe that Akamugre is distinctly positioned to spearhead initiatives that will resolve ongoing issues and usher in a new era of effective governance. Source: Apexnewsgh.com