Government Unveils Programme to Commemorate First Anniversary of Tragic Helicopter Crash
The government has outlined a series of national events to mark the first anniversary of the August 6, 2025 helicopter crash that claimed the lives of eight senior government officials and security personnel. In a statement issued on Thursday, July 30, Minister for Government Communications and Presidential Spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, revealed that the commemorative activities will pay tribute to the memory, service, and sacrifice of the “Departed Eight.” The commemoration, organised in partnership with the Ministry of Defence, key stakeholders, alumni groups, and the bereaved families, will officially begin on Thursday, July 30, with the presentation of the state’s support package to the families of those lost. On Tuesday, August 4, Burma Hall at Burma Camp will host the Dr. Edward Omane Boamah Memorial Lecture, organised by the Ministry of Defence and the Pope John Senior High School Old Boys Association (POJOBA). The lecture, open to the public, will begin at 2:00 p.m. A National Inter-Faith Memorial Service is scheduled for Thursday, August 6, at the UPSA Auditorium in Madina, Accra, starting at 8:30 a.m. President John Dramani Mahama and Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang are expected to attend, alongside other dignitaries and the bereaved families. Later that day, at 4:00 p.m., the Ministry of Defence will unveil a memorial cenotaph in honour of the victims. Attendance at the unveiling will be by invitation only. The week of remembrance will conclude on Saturday, August 7, with the “Service to the Soul” Nationwide Blood Donation Drive. This humanitarian effort aims to replenish blood banks at hospitals across the country, including the 37 Military Hospital and other designated centres, in honour of those who perished in the crash. Calling the tragedy one of the nation’s most painful moments, the government urged all Ghanaians, civil society organisations, religious bodies, media, and the public to participate in the commemorative activities and support the blood donation campaign. “The loss of these eight noble individuals remains a deeply painful chapter in our nation’s history. However, their spirit of dedication to duty must continue to inspire us as a people,” the statement read. The victims, who were en route from Accra to the Ashanti Region on official assignment when their Ghana Air Force helicopter crashed in Adansi, included Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah, Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator Alhaji Limuna Muniru Mohammed, NDC National Vice Chairman Dr Samuel Sarpong, Former Parliamentary Candidate Samuel Aboagye, and crew members. The government emphasised that the anniversary events are meant to honour the legacy of the departed while offering ongoing support to their families. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Attorney-General Seeks Stay of Execution After Court of Appeal Acquits Ex-MASLOC CEO
The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has swiftly responded to the Court of Appeal’s acquittal of former MASLOC CEO Sedina Tamakloe Attionu by filing an urgent application for a stay of execution, seeking to keep the judgment in abeyance pending an appeal at the Supreme Court. The application, filed on Thursday, July 30, came just hours after the Court of Appeal unanimously overturned Attionu’s conviction and 10-year prison sentence, ordering her acquittal and discharge on all charges. The Attorney-General is urging the Court of Appeal’s Criminal Division in Accra to suspend its judgment until the Supreme Court rules on the state’s appeal. Principal State Attorney Hilda W. Craig filed the motion, supported by an affidavit from Assistant State Attorney Andrew Owusu-Agyemang. The affidavit recounts Attionu’s legal journey: arraigned before the High Court in February 2019 on charges including stealing and causing financial loss to the state, she left Ghana during her trial, leading to her conviction in absentia in April 2024 and a 10-year sentence with hard labour. Attionu appealed her conviction in February 2026 while still abroad, but was extradited from the United States in June 2026 after a Nevada federal court approved her return. She began serving her sentence upon arrival in Ghana. However, on July 30, 2026, a three-member Court of Appeal panel set aside her convictions, finding that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt and emphasising the constitutional presumption of innocence. Challenging the acquittal, the Attorney-General argues that the Court of Appeal’s decision resulted in a substantial miscarriage of justice, citing material errors of law and fact. The affidavit asserts that the Republic’s Supreme Court appeal raises substantial and arguable grounds with a real likelihood of success. The Attorney-General warns that failing to grant a stay could render the appeal ineffective if Attionu’s acquittal is allowed to stand before the Supreme Court rules. The application asks the Court of Appeal to suspend its July 30 judgment until the Supreme Court delivers a final decision. Court documents indicate that the application has been served on the Registrar of the Court of Appeal’s Criminal Division, Attionu at Nsawam Medium Security Prison, and the Director of the Ghana Prisons Service at Nsawam. Attionu originally faced 78 charges, including conspiracy to steal, causing financial loss to the state, and money laundering. She was convicted in absentia in April 2024, but the appellate court’s ruling has now been challenged by the Attorney-General, who remains confident that the Supreme Court will overturn the acquittal. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Speaker Bagbin Assures Chief Imam of Reconsideration and Swift Passage of Anti-LGBTQ Bill
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has assured the National Chief Imam that the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, popularly known as the anti-LGBTQ bill, will be reconsidered and passed again before Parliament goes on recess. The assurance was given during a visit to the Chief Imam on Thursday, July 30, 2026. Bagbin revealed there is even a strong possibility that the bill could be passed as soon as Friday, July 31. He explained that his dissatisfaction with the sentencing provisions in the current form of the bill has led him to call for its reintroduction for further scrutiny and refinement of three specific clauses. “I have gone through it and I am not happy with the sentencing regime, the sanctions because I think it did not reflect what you conveyed to me as my fathers. That is why I called for it to be reintroduced at the end so that we just tweak and refine those clauses, they are only three, to make it better,” Bagbin shared. He added that President Akufo-Addo is in total agreement with the need for the bill’s further review and swift passage. Bagbin also urged Ghanaians to ignore any attempt to politicize the bill’s passage, stating, “There is no politics in it at all. Anybody trying to do politics just disregard that. Both Muslims and Christians agree, even the non-believers agree, that this one if we don’t pass it then we are acting against the decree of God.” The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, was initially passed on May 29, 2026, after a series of amendments. The revised law exempts lawyers who provide legal advice or representation to LGBTQ persons, as well as journalists and media organizations reporting professionally on LGBTQ matters. Medical professionals offering services such as surgery, psychological care, or counseling to LGBTQ persons are also protected from sanctions under the bill. Despite opposition from the Minority Caucus, who argued the previous draft contained significant flaws, Parliament approved the bill, subject to final constitutional processes. The Speaker’s renewed commitment signals that Parliament is determined to finalize the bill’s passage before the upcoming recess. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Government Endorses Five-Year Term for President and Parliament in Major Constitutional Reform Proposal
The government has formally endorsed a recommendation to extend the tenure of both the president and parliament from four to five years, signaling a significant shift in Ghana’s political landscape. The announcement came as Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, presented the government’s White Paper on the Constitutional Review Committee’s recommendations. According to Dr. Ayine, the decision to lengthen the term of office is rooted in the practical challenges faced by successive administrations. “The government has accepted a recommendation to extend the term of office of the president from four years to five years, with the term of Parliament extended to correspond with this,” he stated. Dr. Ayine explained that the current four-year cycle leaves little room for governments to make a meaningful impact. “Under the current four-year cycle, the early months of every administration are consumed by transition matters, and the final year is largely consumed by elections. A five-year term provides a more realistic time frame for the formulation, implementation and assessment of government policy,” he noted. The Attorney General also revealed that the government had accepted in principle the proposal to lower the minimum age for presidential candidates, though with an adjustment. The Constitutional Review Committee had recommended reducing the minimum age from 40 to 30 years, but the government has settled on 35 years. “The minimum age will be 35 years, not 30 years. And of course, the details of this will be fashioned out by the Constitutional Review,” Dr. Ayine said. These proposed changes form part of a broader constitutional review process aimed at strengthening Ghana’s democratic governance and ensuring that future administrations have adequate time and opportunity to deliver on their mandates. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
NPP Slams Court of Appeal’s Acquittal of Ex-MASLOC CEO, Calls Ruling “Defiance of Law, Logic and Common Sense”
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has sharply criticized the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit former MASLOC CEO Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, describing the ruling as a blow to justice and accountability in Ghana. In a press statement issued on Thursday, July 30, 2026, the NPP said the ruling “defies law, logic and common sense.” Tamakloe-Attionu, who was extradited from the United States just weeks ago to begin a 10-year jail sentence, had been convicted in April 2024 by the High Court on multiple counts, including stealing, causing a GH¢90 million financial loss to the state, money laundering, and breaches of the Public Procurement Act. The conviction followed a five-year trial, during which Tamakloe-Attionu fled the country and was convicted in absentia. The NPP’s statement referenced the judgment delivered by Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, which it said “meticulously details, count after count, the fraudulent disbursements”, including funds meant for loan beneficiaries and victims of the Kantamanto Market disaster. “That a conviction anchored on such an abundance of evidence could be overturned in this manner defies logic, law and common sense,” the party asserted. The NPP further argued that the ruling makes a “mockery” of EOCO’s investigations, the diligence of the trial court, and the considerable resources invested in Tamakloe-Attionu’s extradition on June 9, 2026. The party also accused the government of orchestrating the acquittal, calling it part of a “shameful project” to shield political allies. “The speed and convenience with which this matter has been disposed of leaves no room for any other conclusion,” the statement read. According to the NPP, the acquittal is part of a pattern since January 2025 where the Attorney-General has used nolle prosequi and discontinuations to free “virtually every person affiliated to the governing party” facing trial for offenses against the public purse. “What could not be achieved through the front door of a nolle prosequi has now been achieved through the back door,” the party charged. The NPP is now demanding that the Attorney-General publish a full account of all discontinued cases involving government-affiliated individuals since January 2025. It also called on the Judicial Council to act quickly to restore public confidence in the judiciary, which the party says has been “gravely undermined” by the Court of Appeal’s decision. “When justice is dispensed on the basis of party affiliation, the very foundation of our constitutional democracy is imperiled,” the NPP warned. The party concluded by vowing to pursue all lawful means, including a Supreme Court review, to ensure “those who plundered the public purse are held to account.” Source: Apexnewsgh.com
“She Was Our Mother”: President Mahama’s Delegation Honors Late Hajia Habiba in Wa
High-powered officials join grieving family as First Family’s personal bond with deceased matriarch shines through The scorching Wednesday sun beat down on Jejeidayiri, Wa, but grief had already made the day heavy for the Kuri-teng family. As they gathered to bid farewell to their beloved matriarch, Hajia Habiba Yakubu Kuri-teng, affectionately known to all as Nnaa Biba, they received news that would underscore just how deeply their grandmother had touched lives far beyond her immediate circle. President John Dramani Mahama had not forgotten the woman he and his wife, Madam Lordina, called “mother.” A high-powered delegation, personally dispatched by the President himself, arrived at the funeral grounds to pay their final respects. Leading the entourage was Dr. Julius Debrah, the Chief of Staff, whose presence signaled the importance the First Family placed on this moment. But the delegation was far from small. NDC executives from across the Upper West Region had made the journey. Municipal and District Chief Executives stood alongside CEOs and their deputies. The Regional Chairman, Mr. Abdul-Nasir Sani, represented the party faithful, while Madam Shamima Muslim, Deputy Government Spokesperson, ensured the government’s voice was heard in the solemn gathering. The list of dignitaries read like a who’s who of the region’s leadership: Hon. Charles Lwanga Puozuing, the Regional Minister; H.E. Kwame Mumuni, Member of the Council of State; and Hon. Alhaji Dr. Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, the Minister for Labour and MP for Wa Central Constituency, all standing shoulder to shoulder, united in mourning. To the grieving family, however, it was the personal connection that moved them most. The story of Hajia Habiba’s bond with the Mahamas was well-known in the household. Whenever the President and First Lady visited Wa, they would inevitably find their way to her residence, not as dignitaries, but as family. And when illness struck Hajia Habiba in February 2025, that bond never wavered. The First Family stood steadfast, offering support through every difficult moment. As the funeral rites drew to a close, the family gathered themselves to express their gratitude. In a gesture both humble and profound, they presented copies of the Holy Quran to President Mahama and Dr. Julius Debrah, a gift of prayer and blessings for the leaders who had honored their mother in her final journey. For the Kuri-teng family, the delegation’s presence was more than political protocol. It was a validation of their grandmother’s life and legacy, a testament to a woman who had opened her home and heart to the nation’s First Family, and in doing so, had woven her story into the fabric of Ghana’s leadership. As the mourners raised their hands in prayer, the words echoed across the funeral grounds: “May Allah grant our beloved Nnaa Biba Jannatul Firdaus. Ameen.” And in that moment, surrounded by dignitaries and family alike, the legacy of a woman simply known as “mother” felt eternal. Source: Apexnewsgh.com