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
New Judge Takes the Bench as Key Witness Challenges Prosecution’s Case Against Ex-Signal Bureau Boss
A change of guard at the Accra High Court has marked a fresh chapter in the trial of former National Signal Bureau Director-General Kwabena Adu-Boahene and two co-accused, as Justice Francis Apangabuno Achibonga steps in to replace Justice John Eugene Nyante Nyadu as the presiding judge in the high-profile case. The transition was not merely administrative; it coincided with a dramatic turn in proceedings. At the first hearing under the new judge on Wednesday, March 11, a prosecution witness took the stand and delivered testimony that appeared to cut against the very case the prosecution is trying to build. Edith Ruby Opokua Adumuah, Head of Finance at the National Security Bureau, faced rigorous cross-examination from Adu-Boahene’s lawyer, Samuel Atta Akyea. The questioning zeroed in on how national security funds are managed under Ghana’s Integrated Financial Management Information System — a line of inquiry that would soon prove significant. The witness explained that while most expenditure categories within the system are subject to annual audits, special operations funds are a notable exception, shielded from scrutiny due to their sensitive nature. It was a detail that set the stage for what followed. Most strikingly, Adumuah confirmed that cheques totalling GH¢49.1 million, the very funds at the heart of the case, were not authorised by Adu-Boahene, but by the late National Security Coordinator, Joshua Kyeremeh. The transfers, which included amounts of GH¢1,000,000, GH¢27,100,000, and GH¢21,000,000, were all signed off by Kyeremeh for special operations purposes. The confirmation directly challenges the prosecution’s assertion that Adu-Boahene was responsible for moving the funds. The court has adjourned proceedings to March 17 and March 18, 2026, when the cross-examination is expected to continue, and potentially deepen the questions already hanging over the prosecution’s case. 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
Shatta Wale Demands Public Apology from EOCO Over Lamborghini Controversy
Ghana’s dancehall heavyweight Shatta Wale is fighting back, and this time, he wants more than just answers. The musician is demanding a public apology from the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) over the seizure of his luxury Lamborghini Urus, saying the ordeal has left his hard-earned reputation in tatters. Speaking during an interview with the media, a visibly frustrated Shatta Wale opened up about the toll the controversy has taken on him, both at home and on the international stage. At the core of his grievance is the impression the incident created, that he had knowingly purchased a stolen vehicle. It is a claim he flatly rejects, and one he says has done lasting damage to the brand he has spent years building. “How can people say I bought a stolen car? This situation has destroyed my brand internationally,” he said, adding that the fallout has made him uncomfortable even appearing in public. “I feel the system has not protected me as a citizen of Ghana.” The dancehall star directed his frustration squarely at EOCO’s Executive Director, Raymond Archer, and the institution as a whole, calling on them to publicly clear his name and make amends for the reputational harm caused. What stings most for Shatta Wale, it seems, is not just what happened, but how it happened. He revealed that he had initially hoped the matter could be resolved quietly, away from the glare of public attention. Had authorities come to him directly and explained the situation, he insists he would have cooperated without a moment’s hesitation. “If they had come to me and said there was a problem with the car and asked me to sign documents so they could send it back, I would have agreed,” he noted. The matter may yet find its way to court. Shatta Wale acknowledged that he could be required to appear before a judge, but said he and his legal team are still weighing that decision carefully. Part of his hesitation, he explained, is the fear that his loyal fanbase could descend on the venue and turn what should be a legal proceeding into a public spectacle. Through it all, the artist maintained that he is a man of integrity who has no time for dishonesty — and that the entire episode has left him deeply saddened. “I am boldly saying EOCO owes me an apology,” he concluded. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Nursing College Principal Suspended Over Unapproved Admissions and Unauthorised Programmes
The principal of the College of Nursing in Nkanchina is out of the office, at least for now. The Ministry of Health has suspended Fredrick Anaba with immediate effect, following serious allegations that he admitted students without authorisation and introduced academic programmes that never received official approval. The suspension, announced in a ministry statement dated March 12, 2026, does not come out of the blue. The trouble began on February 19, 2026, when the ministry formally queried Mr. Anaba over the college’s admissions for the 2025/2026 academic year. After receiving and reviewing his response, the ministry concluded that his explanation raised more questions than it answered, and that a full administrative investigation was the only way to get to the bottom of the matter. With the principal now sidelined, the ministry has directed him to hand over the administration and management of the college to the Acting Vice Principal, ensuring that the institution continues to function without disruption while investigators do their work. The suspension will remain in place until the probe is completed. The ministry made clear that this is not simply a matter of administrative housekeeping. At stake are the integrity of approved admission quotas and the legitimacy of programmes being offered to students training to work in Ghana’s health sector, concerns the ministry says it takes seriously across all health training institutions in the country. Head of Public Relations at the ministry, Isaac Ofei Baah, who signed the statement, assured the public that further updates would be provided once investigations are concluded. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Daylight Robbery”, Ex-EPA Boss Blasts Ghana’s Security Recruitment Process
A former top government official has fired a sharp broadside at the state over what he describes as a deeply flawed and exploitative security recruitment system, one he says is designed not to find the best candidates, but to squeeze money out of desperate young Ghanaians. Dr. Henry Kwabena Kokofu, former Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Agency, did not hold back as he addressed the media, labelling the ongoing internal security recruitment process “daylight robbery” institutionalised by the very state that should be protecting its citizens. At the heart of his criticism is a glaring mismatch: nearly 500,000 young Ghanaians applied for positions in the internal security services, yet only around 5,000 will ultimately be enlisted. Dr. Kokofu argued that the government knew these numbers all along, and opened the floodgates anyway, compelling applicants to bear application-related costs with virtually no realistic chance of success. “This is how we have succeeded in institutionalising criminality and extortion from the ordinary poor people,” he said. “These are poor young people who, through no fault of theirs, are eager to serve their country in those various capacities, yet the institutions know exactly how many people they can absorb.” But the numbers game, he alleged, is only part of the problem. Dr. Kokofu further claimed that the system is riddled with favouritism and protocol placements that quietly eat into the available slots long before ordinary applicants even get a look in. “With the 5,000 slots, I can assure you that about 4,000 will go into protocol, leaving the poor applicant to compete for the remaining 1,000 slots with as many as 500,000 people,” he charged. His remarks come on the heels of a disclosure by the Minister for the Interior, Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka, who revealed that more than 105,000 applicants have already advanced to the medical screening stage of the recruitment exercise, a figure that underscores just how massive, and many would argue, how cruel, the odds truly are. For Dr. Kokofu, the conclusion is clear: “Encouraging about 500,000 people to apply when you know very well that only about 5,000 will be taken is robbery and daylight extortion that has been institutionalised by the state.” Source: Apexnewsgh.com
CLOGSAG Snubs NLC Meeting as Strike Standoff Deepens
The leadership of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) turned its back on a critical meeting Wednesday, March 11, leaving the National Labour Commission (NLC) waiting and the nation’s civil service locked in an escalating standoff. The NLC had summoned the striking association to appear before it, urging the group to suspend their ongoing industrial action while their concerns were formally addressed. But when the appointed hour arrived, no one from CLOGSAG showed up, a no-show that has only deepened the crisis. Speaking to the media, the Executive Secretary of the NLC, Dr. Bernice Welbeck, did not mince words. She confirmed that the association’s absence had effectively stalled any progress on the workers’ grievances. “Because they didn’t appear and they are still on strike, you know, when a party is on strike or has instituted an industrial action, the substantive matter cannot be heard,” she said. Dr. Welbeck revealed that the commission had already moved to declare the strike illegal, issuing a formal ruling against the action before the missed meeting even took place. “The first one said it constituted an illegality if they embarked on it. Now, the declaration has been made, which is a kind of ruling, that the action that they’ve taken is illegal. And so we are moving step by step,” she explained. With the situation at an impasse, the NLC has set a fresh deadline. CLOGSAG’s leadership has been ordered to call off the strike immediately and present themselves before the commission on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, a last opportunity to resolve the dispute through dialogue before further consequences follow. The clock is now ticking. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Only 1,000 to Be Recruited Out of 180,000 Ghana Immigration Service Applicants, Says Interior Minister
The Minister for the Interior, Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka, has revealed that just 1,000 young people will be recruited into the Ghana Immigration Service, despite more than 180,000 applicants vying for positions during the recent recruitment exercise. Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, March 11, Mr. Muntaka addressed the overwhelming demand for jobs among Ghana’s youth and clarified the constraints facing the country’s security agencies. He explained that while thousands expressed interest in joining the Immigration Service, the organization’s current infrastructure and logistical capacity can only accommodate a fraction of the applicants. “The total of over 180,000 young men wanted to join the Ghana Immigration Service. But the interesting thing is that today, the Ghana Immigration Service, the strength, from the Comptroller General to the last officer, stands at 18,300. Less than 20,000, yet you have 180,000 opting to join,” the Minister noted. Mr. Muntaka added that, due to limitations in training and accommodation facilities, only 1,000 new recruits can be taken in during this recruitment cycle. “Unfortunately, because of the physical space, we could only have space for 1,000,” he said. He described the situation as a clear indication of the intense competition for positions within the security services and a reminder of the pressing need for job creation to address the aspirations of Ghana’s growing youth population. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Survey Reveals Ghanaians See Progress in Fight Against Corruption Under Mahama
A new nationwide survey conducted by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Ghana and the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) has brought encouraging news for the Mahama administration. The study, titled “Stocktaking of Ghana’s Democracy,” indicates that many Ghanaians perceive improvements in the country’s fight against corruption. The survey’s findings were released on Wednesday, March 11, coinciding with the first year of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government under President John Dramani Mahama. Researchers assessed public perceptions of governance, democratic values, and political leadership, seeking to take the pulse of the nation during a pivotal period. Across demographic lines, including age, gender, and education level, the most common response was that corruption has improved under the current administration. While not every respondent agreed, the pattern suggests that government anti-corruption efforts are being acknowledged by a significant segment of the population. “Perceptions of corruption trends provide another noteworthy insight,” the survey noted. “Across demographic groups, including different age categories, genders, and education levels, the most frequently selected response is that corruption has improved. Although this view is not universal, the pattern suggests that government anti-corruption efforts are being recognised by a significant portion of the population.” The survey also asked Ghanaians to rate the overall performance of the Mahama government. Most respondents offered cautiously positive feedback, with the largest share describing the administration’s performance as either good or satisfactory. Economic management received mixed but generally favourable marks, with 44.5 percent rating it as good and 14.9 percent as excellent. Despite these positive trends, the study highlighted that integrity remains a top priority for Ghanaians. Respondents consistently valued a strong commitment to fighting corruption, visionary leadership, and sound economic management as the most important qualities they expect from a presidential candidate. The findings offer a snapshot of evolving public sentiment, as Ghanaians continue to place high expectations on those who lead them. Source: Apexnewsgh.com