A formal public notice issued by the law firm MINKAH-PREMO, OSEI-BONSU, BRUCE-CATHLINE & PARTNERS has confirmed the detention of Ghana’s former Minister for Finance, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). According to the statement dated 7 January 2026 and signed by Justice Kusi-Minkah Premo Esq., Mr. Ofori-Atta was detained over issues concerning the status of his current stay in the U.S. The notice clarifies that the former minister has a pending petition for adjustment of status—a legal provision under U.S. immigration law that allows individuals to remain in the country beyond the validity of their...
Education Minister Proposes Petroleum Royalties to Fund Scholarship Authority
The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has proposed that 2.5 per cent of petroleum royalty revenue be allocated to the Ghana Scholarship Authority to address its growing financial challenges. Mr. Iddrisu made the proposal during the swearing-in ceremony of the Governing Council of the Authority. He revealed that the Scholarship Authority is currently saddled with a debt of about GH₵834 million, a situation which has severely constrained its ability to support students. According to him, the proposed funding arrangement would ease the debt burden and ensure the long-term sustainability of the scholarship scheme. He stressed that earmarking a portion of...
CAF Sets Date for 2026 WAFCON Draw
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced that the draw for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) will take place on Thursday, January 15, in Rabat, Morocco. This year’s edition will be historic, as the tournament expands to feature 16 teams for the first time since its inception. The draw is scheduled for 13:00 GMT. The Black Queens of Ghana are among the 16 qualified teams, competing for continental glory and a place at next year’s Women’s World Cup in Brazil. Ghana will be seeded in Pot 1, having finished 2025 ranked third on the continent. Morocco...
Lands and Mines Watch Ghana Dismisses Minority’s Monopoly Claims Against Bawa Rock
Lands and Mines Watch Ghana (LMWG) has rejected claims by the Minority Caucus in Parliament that the licensing of Bawa Rock Limited under the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) scheme creates a monopoly. The civil society group described the allegations as misleading, politically charged, and lacking industry context. In a statement issued on Wednesday, LMWG cautioned that while parliamentary oversight is vital to democratic governance, the Minority’s recent press briefing had “generated more heat than light” and risked undermining confidence in ongoing reforms in gold trading and mining. “The public deserves clarity, not conjecture,” the group stated, warning that unsubstantiated political...
Nigeria To Take Over Anti-Jihadist Operations After US Christmas Strikes
The Nigerian air force will take over from the United States after Washington’s Christmas Day strikes against jihadists, relying on American reconnaissance flights to support its own operations, a Nigerian official told AFP on Tuesday. On Christmas night, the United States struck sites in Sokoto State, in northwestern Nigeria , against what they described as targets linked to the Islamic State group . Although Nigeria remains open to further US strikes, the primary role of the United States will now be to provide intelligence, the source indicated, familiar with the new security agreement with Washington. Africa’s most populous country has been battling a jihadist insurgency since 2009, mainly...
Mahama, lands minister showing strong will to tackle galamsey – Ashigbey
Convener of the Coalition Against Illegal Mining, Ing. Kenneth Ashigbey, has commended President John Mahama and his government for showing renewed commitment in the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, saying recent interventions are beginning to yield results. Speaking on The Pulse on JoyNews, Ing. Ashigbey said the political will demonstrated by the President and the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources has been critical in tackling an environmental menace that continues to threaten Ghana’s water bodies and forests. “The current president has shown the will to fight this menace that is eating us up. The current Minister for Lands...
Mahama Recommits to Ethical Leadership and National Unity
President John Dramani Mahama has pledged to recommit to ethical leadership, national unity, and service above self, stressing that true progress must be measured by the positive impact on the lives of citizens rather than by statistics alone. He made the remarks during a non-denominational thanksgiving service held on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at the Forecourt of the Presidency, to mark one year of his leadership. President Mahama underscored that national development must be judged by how well it reaches every corner of the country, particularly the most vulnerable in society. He urged leaders at all levels to listen attentively...
Inflation For December 2025 Falls To 5.4%, Lowest Since 2021 Rebase
Ghana’s inflation continued its steady decline in December 2025, falling to 5.4 percent year on year, marking the 12th consecutive month of disinflation and the lowest rate since the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was rebased in 2021, according to the Ghana Statistical Service. Presenting the latest inflation figures in Accra, Government Statistician, Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu, said the CPI for December 2025 stood at 261.7, up from 240.8 in December 2024, translating into a significant moderation in price pressures over the year. “This means that, on average, goods and services cost 5.4 percent more than they did in December 2024,” Dr....
Sefwi Wiawso Passport Application Centre Commissioned
Residents of Sefwi Wiawso and surrounding communities in the Western North Region will no longer have to travel outside the region to access passport services, following the commissioning of a Passport Application Centre in the regional capital. The centre was inaugurated on Tuesday, 6th January, 2026, by the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Honourable James Gyakye Quayson (MP). In his address, the Deputy Minister explained that the facility forms part of reforms undertaken by the Ministry to improve efficiency, transparency and security in passport administration. He expressed gratitude to regional authorities for their cooperation and support in establishing the centre....
Foreign Minister Pushes for Ghana’s Exemption from IELTS Fees
Ghana and the United Kingdom have commenced processes aimed at elevating their bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership, following high-level discussions between the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and the British High Commissioner to Ghana, His Excellency Christian Rogg. The meeting, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, focused on aligning priority areas for 2026 in line with the vision of President John Dramani Mahama. In a post after the engagement, Hon. Ablakwa described Ghana–UK relations as “increasingly buoyant,” noting that both parties had identified key sectors for deeper cooperation. These include security, trade, job creation, health,...