Upper East GJA Records Improved Participation for 5th Regional Awards
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Upper East Regional Branch, has recorded an increase in both the number of entries and participating journalists for the 5th Upper East Regional GJA Awards, reflecting growing interest in the annual recognition of journalistic excellence. This was disclosed in a press statement issued by the Regional Secretary of the Association, Anthony Adongo Apubeo, following the close of submissions on Sunday, August 30, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. According to the statement, the Branch received 47 entries from 24 journalists, surpassing the previous edition, which recorded 42 entries from 18 journalists. The improvement, the statement noted, demonstrates the increasing enthusiasm among journalists in the Upper East Region to have their professional work recognised and celebrated. The 5th Upper East Regional GJA Awards is being organised under the theme, “Beyond the Headlines: The Media’s Role in Promoting WASH for Safe Motherhood and Quality Healthcare.” The awards aim to honour journalists whose outstanding reportage has contributed to public discourse, accountability, development, and the promotion of issues affecting communities in the Upper East Region and Ghana as a whole. Following the close of submissions, all entries will undergo a rigorous assessment by an independent Awards Vetting Committee, which is expected to be unveiled on Friday, September 4, 2026. The committee will evaluate the submissions based on the approved criteria for the various award categories. The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on Friday, October 2, 2026. The Upper East Regional Branch of the GJA expressed appreciation to all journalists who submitted entries, as well as its partners and stakeholders, for their continued support in promoting journalism excellence in the region. The Branch also wished all participating journalists success as their entries proceed through the vetting process. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Christian Council Calls for Unity to Revive National Cathedral Project
In a renewed bid to breathe life into the long-stalled National Cathedral project, the Christian Council of Ghana is urging the government to put aside political differences and rally support for its completion. The call came from Rev. Dr. Cyril Fayose, General Secretary of the Council, during a courtesy visit to Mahama Ayariga, Ghana’s newly appointed Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs. Seated across from the minister, Rev. Dr. Fayose emphasized the willingness of both Ghanaian Christians and international partners to contribute to the project, if only the government would help clear the political fog surrounding it. “What we need is the blessing of the state,” Rev. Dr. Fayose declared. “We take away all the politics surrounding the building of the National Cathedral. I think it can be done by the grace of God.” He described the cathedral as a potential cornerstone of Ghana’s religious and cultural heritage, and urged the minister to create the conditions for work to resume. Despite the controversies, ranging from management and funding to the suitability of its location, Rev. Dr. Fayose sounded a note of optimism, invoking faith that the project could still be realized. Minister Ayariga responded with support for the cathedral’s vision but reiterated his long-standing concerns about its location. He recalled his time as an opposition MP, when he and other Minority members objected to plans to clear judicial residences to make way for the cathedral. “At the time that the initiative started, I was part of the minority in parliament that really felt that it wasn’t the right location and it wasn’t the right thing to demolish all the Houses of the judges,” Mr. Ayariga explained. He noted that the affected properties were home to senior members of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal. Despite these reservations, the meeting ended on a conciliatory note, with both the Council and the minister recognizing the cathedral’s potential national importance. As the debate over the project’s future continues, the Christian Council’s plea for unity and government support may mark a turning point for the ambitious but troubled endeavour. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Pump Price Movements Mark September’s First Pricing Window
As the first pricing window of September unfolds, Ghana’s fuel landscape is witnessing a flurry of price adjustments by major Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), each charting its course in response to international and local market pressures. It all began quietly, with most OMCs, except Star Oil, holding their pump prices steady, despite projections that petrol and diesel prices would climb in the new pricing period. But Star Oil soon broke the silence, announcing its second price hike for September’s first window. The company raised the price of diesel from GH¢16.97 to GH¢17.26 per litre, and petrol from GH¢14.97 to GH¢15.43 per litre, while keeping RON 95 unchanged at GH¢17.97 per litre. Star Oil attributed these changes to rising international prices for refined petroleum products, even as the Ghana cedi showed signs of strength. In contrast, state-owned GOIL chose not to adjust its prices, maintaining those set in the previous window. Petrol at GOIL outlets remains at GH¢15.43 per litre, diesel at GH¢17.26, and Super XP 95 at GH¢17.97. The company explained its decision as an effort to offer consumers some relief at the pumps amid the ongoing price volatility. Shell, another major player, also held its ground, keeping petrol at GH¢15.99 and diesel at GH¢17.59 per litre. Its premium V-Power fuel is retailing at GH¢17.99 per litre. Meanwhile, TotalEnergies nudged its petrol price upward from GH¢15.99 to GH¢16.18 per litre, though its diesel price remained at GH¢17.59. Excellium 95, the company’s premium offering, continues to sell at GH¢17.99 per litre. These price movements reveal the complex, competitive dance among Ghana’s OMCs as they react to international refined product prices, shifts in the cedi’s strength, and each other’s strategies. With Brent crude hovering above $95 a barrel due to renewed tensions in the Middle East, the specter of further pump price hikes looms if global market pressures persist. Regulatory agencies are also active. For September’s first window, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has raised the price floors, the minimum legal prices at which OMCs and LPG Marketing Companies can sell fuel. Petrol’s floor is now GH¢14.53 per litre (up from GH¢13.92 in August’s second window), and diesel’s floor is GH¢15.60 per litre (up from GH¢15.19). Only LPG saw a slight decrease, slipping to GH¢10.85 per kilogram. These regulated floors set a baseline but exclude various industry premiums and margins, which each company determines independently within the guidelines. To cushion consumers, the government has extended a GH¢2 per litre reduction in the regulatory margin on diesel into September’s window. This ongoing intervention aims to soften the blow from rising international prices as OMCs revise their pump prices. As the month unfolds, all eyes will be on the pumps, and the international markets, to see if further adjustments lie ahead. Source: Apexnewsgh.com