Ministry of Education Vows Swift Action After Student Violence Videos Go Viral
It was a day of shock and concern as disturbing videos began to circulate on social media, allegedly showing violent acts involving students from two schools in Ghana’s Central Region. The scenes quickly drew the attention of the Ministry of Education, prompting a strong response. Deputy Minister for Education, Clement Abas Apaak, signed a statement denouncing the acts as completely unacceptable. The Ministry assured the nation that immediate steps would be taken to address the situation. “The culprits and perpetrators can expect the most severe sanctions,” the statement warned, leaving no doubt about the seriousness with which the Ministry viewed the incident. In response to the viral videos, the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) was ordered to launch an urgent investigation. A crucial meeting was scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on February 23, 2026, at the GES headquarters in Accra, bringing together the Central Regional Director, district directors from the affected areas, and the heads of the implicated schools. As the investigation unfolds, the Ministry reaffirms its unwavering commitment to discipline, safety, and order in all of Ghana’s educational institutions. The public was assured that appropriate measures would be implemented once the facts were clear, demonstrating that student welfare remains a top priority. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Ministry Unveils Plans for Digital Church Registry Amid Thousands of Unregistered Churches
A sweeping effort to bring order and transparency to Ghana’s burgeoning religious sector is on the horizon, as the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs announces plans for a nationwide digital registry of churches. On Wednesday, February 18, 2026, Minister Ahmed Ibrahim addressed Parliament, revealing that while over 2,200 churches are formally registered in Greater Accra as of 2025, thousands more operate nationwide without official recognition. Minister Ibrahim outlined the government’s intention to introduce a digital platform to streamline the registration process and provide accurate, real-time data on churches across the country. “We will establish a formal collaboration with the Registrar General’s Department, the Office of the Attorney General, and the Ministry of Justice to assess records of churches registered as companies limited by guarantee,” he stated. He further explained that metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies would keep local registers of churches under their jurisdictions, while the new digital platform would empower churches to update their operational status regularly. This initiative, he said, aims to ensure accurate, comprehensive, and up-to-date data, critical for governance, planning, and regulatory oversight. Recent regional surveys show that in Greater Accra, 98.1% of churches are single-owner entities, with the remainder affiliated to larger denominations. Though the Registrar General’s Department does not publish a consolidated national figure, available data suggest that the total number of churches in Ghana is in the several thousands. The proposed digital registry will be linked to the Registrar General’s database, enabling verification of operational churches and enhancing transparency in the sector. Minister Ibrahim concluded, “This is a timely step toward modernising our administrative systems and strengthening accountability in the religious sector, which has experienced rapid growth in recent decades.” The Ghana Statistical Service, meanwhile, continues to track religious affiliations rather than registrations, with 71.2% of Ghanaians identifying as Christians, according to the 2021 Population and Housing Census. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Chief Justice Clears EC Chair, Deputies, and Special Prosecutor of Removal Petitions
The chapter on a series of high-profile removal petitions has come to a close, following a determination by Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie that no prima facie case exists to warrant further investigations against the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, her deputies, or the Special Prosecutor. According to a statement released by the Presidency on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, President John Dramani Mahama had referred seven petitions for the removal of Electoral Commission Chair Jean Mensa and her deputies, along with three separate petitions targeting Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng, to the Chief Justice. The referrals, made on November 25, 2025, were in line with Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution and Section 15 of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959), which requires the Chief Justice to determine if the petitions disclose a case worth investigating. By a letter dated January 26, 2026, the Chief Justice informed President Mahama that none of the petitions established sufficient grounds for removal proceedings against the officeholders. The announcement, signed by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Spokesperson to the President and Minister for Government Communications, effectively brings an end to current attempts to unseat the Electoral Commissioner, her deputies, and the Special Prosecutor. With this decision, the affected officials remain in office, as the legal threshold for further action has not been met. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Martin Kpebu Urges Publication of Petitions Against EC Chair, Special Prosecutor
Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu is calling for full transparency in the ongoing debate over high-profile removal petitions against top public officials. On Wednesday, February 18, Kpebu urged authorities to publish the petitions seeking the removal of Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng, Electoral Commission Chairperson Jean Mensa, and her deputies, arguing that public access is essential for fair and objective discussion. Kpebu’s call follows a recent statement from the Presidency, which revealed that Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie had ruled that the petitions failed to establish a prima facie case and would not proceed further. The petitions, seven in all, had been referred to the Chief Justice by President John Dramani Mahama in November 2025, in accordance with Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution and Section 15 of Act 959. Despite this ruling, Kpebu, whose own petition against the Special Prosecutor remains undecided, maintained that Ghanaians deserve to see the actual content of the petitions. “After that, let’s publish the petitions, so the public can comment too. Otherwise, it will just be based on people’s beliefs and biases. Without seeing the petitions, you cannot comment,” he told journalists. A statement issued on February 18, 2026, by the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, confirmed the Chief Justice’s response, dated January 26, 2026, which stated that none of the petitions warranted further action. Kpebu insists that making the documents public would move national debate beyond speculation, allowing citizens to engage with the facts and contribute meaningfully to the discourse. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
NPP Sets September 2026 for National Executive Elections, Extends Mandates of Party Officials
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has mapped out a detailed timetable for its upcoming national executive elections, with the key poll slated for September 18 to 20, 2026. The announcement, made by General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong at a press conference on Wednesday, February 18, lays the groundwork for a series of internal electoral activities designed to ensure a smooth leadership transition within the party. According to Mr. Kodua Frimpong, the process begins with the opening and closing of nominations from August 10 to 14, 2026. Would-be aspirants will then file their nominations from August 15 to 17, followed by a vetting process scheduled for August 20 to 23. The vetting report is set to be presented on August 25, with any appeals to be heard from August 28 to 29. This comprehensive timeline is aimed at ensuring transparency and orderliness throughout the party’s electoral process. “The national executive elections are as follows: The processes and procedures, opening and closing of nominations shall be from August 10 -14, filing of nominations shall be on August 15-17, vetting of aspirants August 20-23, reading of vetting report shall be on August 25, appeals shall be taken from August 28-29. The elections shall be held between September 18-20, 2026,” Frimpong announced. To prevent disruptions during the electoral period, the NPP has also extended the tenure of office for polling station executives, constituency executives, branch executives, electoral area coordinators, and regional executives whose mandates would otherwise expire. Frimpong explained that this measure is intended to maintain order and continuity within the party’s ranks. “This will help not to distort the elections,” he assured. With these measures in place, the NPP is set to embark on a carefully orchestrated internal election process, aiming for a seamless transition of leadership. Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Newly Posted Teachers Give GES One-Month Ultimatum Over Delayed Staff IDs, Unpaid Salaries
A wave of frustration swept through the Ghana Education Service (GES) headquarters on Wednesday, February 18, as the 2024 batch of newly posted teachers staged a picket to demand urgent action over months of unpaid salaries and the delayed issuance of staff IDs. The group, who have been teaching in schools across the country since 2024, is calling on the GES to resolve these issues within one month or face “drastic action.” For many of the teachers, the situation has become dire. Some have not been paid for 12 months, others for as long as 14 months, despite having received financial clearance and diligently working in their assigned schools. The teachers say their documents, which district and regional authorities claimed were submitted, have gone missing at the national office, leaving them in limbo. Speaking to the media, Daniel Aidoo, the convenor for the group, voiced the collective frustration: “All that we are demanding is that they give us our staff IDs and acknowledge us as teachers employed by the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service. We don’t want any back and forth. Whosoever is responsible for the issuance of our IDs should be held accountable.” The teachers are adamant that this cycle of delay and neglect should not be allowed to continue, warning that future batches should not have to endure the same ordeal. They have given the GES a one-month deadline to resolve the issue, stressing that if there is no progress, they will escalate their actions in pursuit of justice and recognition. Source: Apexnewsgh.com