Ghana’s Financial Revolution: Making Women’s Ventures ‘Investment-Ready’ for the World
In the bustling markets and roadside stalls across Ghana, millions of women work tirelessly, yet most remain invisible to the formal banking system. But a shift is coming. “Our goal is to ensure these ventures are ‘investment-ready’ for the global stage,” a spokesperson for Chartered recently declared, capturing a growing consensus among financial leaders. Still, the reality of the “unbanked” female entrepreneur is stark. Despite national economic gains, countless women in the informal sector find themselves locked out of traditional loans. Experts argue that until Ghana dismantles its deeply rooted “collateral culture”, which demands physical assets most women don’t possess, many will remain trapped, relying on high-interest informal lenders who circle like vultures. Enter Dr. Elizabeth Zormelo, a fierce advocate for female financial literacy. She doesn’t mince words. “Credit is the fuel, but financial literacy and market access are the engine,” Dr. Zormelo explains, her voice carrying the urgency of someone who has watched too many small businesses flicker and die. “The Women’s Development Bank must be paired with aggressive training to ensure these businesses don’t just survive, but dominate.” Her message arrives at a pivotal moment. The Bank of Ghana is preparing to release new guidelines on gender-disaggregated data reporting,a tool that will finally reveal, in stark numbers, who gets loans and who doesn’t. The message to the financial sector is unmistakable: the future of Ghana’s economic growth is female, and the cost of exclusion is a price this nation can no longer afford to pay. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Ghana Medical Trust Fund Administrator Commends President Mahama and Officials for MahamaCares Salary Contributions
In a heartfelt address during the Government Accountability Series at the Presidency on Monday, May 11, the Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, Adwoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, lauded President John Dramani Mahama and government appointees for their remarkable show of solidarity with the MahamaCares Initiative. The gesture, involving voluntary salary contributions, was described as a testament to the government’s dedication to improving access to specialised healthcare in Ghana. Mrs. Darko-Opoku revealed that President Mahama had set the tone for national giving by donating six months of his salary to the Fund, inspiring others to follow suit. “At this juncture, I wish to express our profound gratitude to His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama, who led by example by donating six months of his salary to the Fund,” she remarked. She also thanked the government appointees who joined the cause by contributing portions of their salaries, which strengthened the initiative. The Administrator also acknowledged the vital support from Corporate Ghana, philanthropic organizations, and individuals whose financial contributions have bolstered the Trust Fund’s resources. She explained that a combination of sources sustains the Ghana Medical Trust Fund: 20 percent of the National Health Insurance Levy, government allocations, grants, voluntary contributions, investments, and donations. Established to provide financial relief and specialised care for Ghanaians living with chronic non-communicable diseases, the Fund stands as a beacon of hope, powered by the generosity and commitment of leaders and citizens alike. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Police Smash Armed Robbery Gang: Two Suspects Nabbed After Weeks of Manhunt
For weeks, residents of Bolgatanga and travelers along the Bolgatanga-Walewale highway had lived in fear. Armed men, wielding AK47 rifles and pistols, struck repeatedly, snatching cash, motorbikes, and mobile phones. Some victims never made it home alive. But on the evening of 9th May 2026, the nightmare began to unravel. An elite team from the CID Headquarters Operations Unit, acting on weeks of intelligence gathering and covert surveillance in Bolgatanga and Walewale, closed in on two men in Kumasi. The suspects, Moses Akungoe, known on the streets as “Mosbee,” and Jacob Akugri, alias “Weezy”, were arrested without incident. According to police sources, the two are believed to be key members of a robbery gang that has been terrorising the Upper East and North East Regions. Armed with two AK47 rifles and pistols, the gang allegedly targeted both highways and streets, robbing victims of their belongings and, in several cases, causing deaths. Under interrogation, Mosbee and Weezy reportedly confessed to their roles in multiple robberies. They also named the alleged gang leader, a man called Issaka, and another accomplice, Araafat, both still on the run. Police say they are now pursuing strong leads to capture the remaining suspects, including individuals suspected of supplying the gang with weapons. The two arrested men remain in police custody, assisting with investigations. Authorities are also working to recover stolen items and identify other accomplices linked to the deadly robbery spree. Read full statement: POLICE ARREST TWO SUSPECTED ROBBERS WANTED FOR HIGHWAY AND STREET ROBBERIES IN BOLGATANGA 1. The Ghana Police Service has arrested two suspected robbers believed to be involved in a series of armed robberies within the Bolgatanga metropolis and along the Bolgatanga-Walewale highway. 2. The suspects, identified as Moses Akungoe, also known as “Mosbee,”, and Jacob Akugri, also known as “Weezy,”, were arrested on 9th May 2026 in Kumasi by a team from the CID Headquarters Operations Unit following weeks of intelligence gathering and surveillance operations in Bolgatanga and Walewale. 3. Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects were part of a robbery gang armed with two AK47 rifles and pistols, operating within the Upper East and North East Regions. The gang is believed to have robbed several persons of cash, motorbikes, and mobile phones on streets and highways, with some of the incidents resulting in deaths. 4. During interrogation, the suspects admitted to their involvement in several robbery activities and identified the alleged gang leader as Issaka, with another accomplice named Araafat, both currently at large. 5. Police are currently pursuing leads to arrest the remaining suspects, including some persons believed to be supplying the gang with weapons for their criminal activities. 6. The two suspects are currently in Police custody assisting investigations, while efforts continue to retrieve stolen items and identify other accomplices linked to the robberies. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Journalist Calls for Routine Drug Testing in Schools to Curb Student Indiscipline
In a compelling opinion shared with the public, Mr. Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen, Editor-in-Chief of Apexnewsgh, is sounding the alarm on the growing crisis of drug and alcohol abuse among students in Ghana’s educational institutions. According to Mr. Ngamegbulam, this troubling trend is not only fueling riots and widespread property damage but is also undermining discipline in junior high, senior high, and tertiary schools across the country. Citing a 2025 study that revealed over 60% of senior high school students in certain regions have used drugs or alcohol, often starting between the ages of 16 and 18, Mr. Ngamegbulam is urging the government to take action. His proposal: mandatory drug and alcohol testing for all students seeking admission into junior high, senior high, and tertiary institutions in partnership with the Ghana Education Service (GES). He believes this testing should be a regular, periodic exercise, not just a one-time event, to ensure sustained accountability and to act as a deterrent against substance abuse. Mr. Ngamegbulam references the recent turmoil at Bolgatanga Technical Institute (BOTECH), which faced repeated closures due to student riots and planned attacks, as a stark warning of the consequences of unchecked substance abuse in schools. “If students know they will be tested regularly, it will serve as a deterrent,” he argues. Furthermore, he suggests that any student who tests positive for drugs or alcohol three consecutive times should face suspension, a policy he believes would restore discipline. He advocates for this approach to be implemented collaboratively by the GES and the Narcotic Control Commission, ensuring a robust and effective drug and alcohol testing regime nationwide. The ultimate aim, in Mr. Ngamegbulam’s view, is to prevent students from becoming liabilities to themselves and their communities, and instead foster environments where learning and personal growth can flourish. For Mr. Ngamegbulam, the message is clear: unless bold and coordinated action is taken against drug and alcohol abuse, Ghana’s schools face further disruption and the risk of losing a generation’s potential. Regular drug and alcohol testing, along with strict disciplinary measures, could be the solution to restoring order and safeguarding the future of Ghana’s youth. This, he insists, is a conversation the nation can no longer afford to postpone. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Police Retrieve 1,400 Rounds of Ammunition at Workshop in Bolgatanga
In the quiet confines of a mechanic workshop near the Assemblies of God Church in Bolgatanga, an ordinary sweeping task took an extraordinary turn. It was the 9th of May 2026 when an apprentice, while cleaning the workshop floor, stumbled upon something deeply unsettling. The young worker quickly alerted his boss, the auto mechanic, who without hesitation reported the discovery to the Upper East Regional Police Command. Officers were dispatched immediately, arriving at the scene with cautious urgency. What they found hidden inside a humble hen coop was anything but ordinary. Tucked away in fertilizer sacks were two sealed packets, each containing 700 rounds of 7.62×39mm ammunition. In total, 1,400 live rounds were retrieved from the makeshift hiding spot. The ammunition is now secured in police custody, preserved as key evidence. As investigations press on, authorities are determined to trace the source and uncover who owned the deadly cache. Below is the full Police statement POLICE RETRIEVE 1,400 ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION AT WORKSHOP IN BOLGATANGA The Upper East Regional Police Command has retrieved a large quantity of ammunition at a mechanic workshop near the Assemblies of God Church in Bolgatanga. The retrieval followed a report made to the Police on 9th May 2026 by an auto mechanic, who stated that his apprentice discovered suspicious items while sweeping the workshop premises. A team of Police officers moved swiftly to the scene and recovered two sealed packets hidden in fertilizer sacks inside a hen coop. The packets contained a total of 1,400 rounds of 7.62×39mm ammunition, with each packet containing 700 rounds. The exhibits are in Police custody for evidential purposes, while investigations continue to establish the source and ownership of the ammunition. Source: Ghana Police Service