The Government of Ghana, acting through the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) under the joint direction of the Minister of Finance and the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, has reached a landmark agreement with the Ghana Chamber of Mines to purchase 30 percent of the gold output of all large‑scale mining companies in the country. The new arrangement takes effect on July 1, 2026. Unlike the 2022 framework between the Bank of Ghana and the Chamber of Mines, the latest agreement requires each large‑scale mining company to sell 30 percent of its gold output locally to GoldBod in doré (raw)...
Neymar’s Return Sparks Frenzy as Brazil Sweep Aside Scotland
“Neymar needs no ulterior motivation. Everyone loves him here.” Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti’s words in a cramped Miami press room on Wednesday were borne out just hours earlier in Miami Gardens, where the mere sight of the nation’s long‑absent star triggered hysteria in blazing yellow. Nearly three years had passed since Neymar last wore the Brazil shirt. Now, at 34 and no longer the team’s leading light, he seized a chance to re‑emerge on the World Cup stage. Injury had robbed him of much. A torn anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in October 2023 sidelined him for months, with limited...
Mexico Beat Czech Republic To Maintain 100% Winning Record
Mexico scored three second-half goals to eliminate the Czech Republic from the World Cup and end the group phase with maximum points. Co-hosts Mexico had been confirmed as group winners prior to their final game in Mexico City, having already beaten South Africa and South Korea. That gave boss Javier Aguirre an opportunity to rotate his squad and left-back Mateo Chavez, one of five players brought into the starting line-up from their previous fixture, showed superb composure to net his first international goal just after half-time. Teenager Gilberto Mora, another player given his first start of the tournament, impressed in...
Minority: Proposed utility tariff hikes threaten 24-hour economy
The Minority in Parliament has stated that the proposed upward adjustment in utility tariffs, expected to take effect on July 1, 2026, will undermine the government’s flagship 24-hour economy agenda. According to the caucus, the 3.49 percent increase in electricity tariffs and 0.85 percent increase in water tariffs will further burden industries and erode the purchasing power of consumers. Addressing journalists on Thursday June 25, the Deputy Ranking Member on the Energy Committee, Collins Adomako-Mensah, said the adjustments will worsen the cost of living and weaken the competitiveness of businesses. He cautioned that the increases could have significant implications for...
Mahama Directs Drafting of State Assets Protection Bill
President John Dramani Mahama has disclosed that Cabinet has instructed the Attorney‑General, Dr Dominic Ayine, to prepare a new bill to safeguard state assets. The directive follows Cabinet’s approval of the State Assets Protection Bill. Addressing the Ghana Civil Society Forum 2026, the President explained that the legislation will set out clear rules for the disposal of public property, including lands, buildings, factories and industries. “It shows the guidelines under which any state asset can be disposed of, including lands, buildings, state assets, factories, industries, so that no government just capriciously disposes of state assets,” President Mahama stated. He further...
Blame Inefficiencies; Tariff Hike Not Solution – GUTA
The President of the Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations (GUTA), Clement Boateng, has attributed the financial difficulties facing utility providers to inefficiencies within their own operations, insisting that consumers should not be made to bear the cost through frequent tariff increases. Mr. Boateng made the remarks in an interview on Joy FM’s Midday News, in response to the latest utility tariff adjustments announced by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), which have raised concerns among businesses and households. Under the new rates, electricity tariffs will increase by 3.49%, while water tariffs will go up by 0.85%, with both adjustments taking effect...
Bank of Ghana Tightens Sanctions on Dud Cheques
The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has issued a new directive imposing stricter sanctions on customers who issue dud cheques, in a bid to safeguard confidence in the country’s payment system. The notice, numbered BG/GOV/SEC/2026/12, supersedes earlier directives from 2021 and 2025, and takes immediate effect. It outlines escalating penalties for offenders, ranging from fines to bans on cheque issuance and restrictions on access to credit facilities. Under the new rules, a first offence attracts a levy of 10 percent of the cheque’s face value, alongside a formal warning and surveillance for one year. A second offence within the same year...
SLTF Advances Payroll Deduction for Loan Repayments
The Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) has taken a major step toward securing its long-term sustainability by meeting with the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) to fine-tune modalities for recognizing student loan repayments as a statutory deduction for employees on the government payroll. The meeting provided an opportunity for SLTF to express gratitude to the Controller and Accountant-General and his team for their support in advancing the initiative. According to officials, the recognition of student loans as a priority deduction has been a long-standing pursuit, requiring months of background work, multiple engagements between the two institutions, and the consideration of...
Women’s Bank Project Advances with Incorporation
The Government’s proposed Women’s Bank Project has recorded significant progress, with preparatory work completed and the incorporation of WDB GH Ltd earlier this year. Deputy Minister for Finance, Hon. Thomas Nyarko Ampem, informed Parliament that the initiative, first announced in the 2025 Budget, has received increased financial backing. He disclosed that while GH¢51.3 million has already been allocated, an additional GH¢450 million has been earmarked in the 2026 Budget to support the project’s rollout. Answering questions posed by the Member of Parliament for Techiman South, Hon. Martin Kweku Adjei-Mensah Korsah, the Deputy Minister explained that the incorporation of WDB GH...
GoldBod Anchors Ghana’s ASM Gold Economy
The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has reaffirmed the immense value of the country’s Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) sector to the national economy, with new figures underscoring its pivotal role in foreign exchange earnings and reserve stability. According to Deputy Minister for Finance, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, GoldBod purchased a total of 135.843 tonnes of gold between January 2025 and May 2026. Remarkably, more than 135.221 tonnes — about 98 percent — came from the ASM sector, highlighting the sector’s dominance in Ghana’s gold trade. In 2025 alone, GoldBod aggregated and exported 104 tonnes of ASM gold, generating over US$10 billion...