The United States has carried out an air strike against suspected ISIL (ISIS) fighters in northwest Nigeria, drawing sharp reactions from both Washington and Abuja over the framing of the attack. US President Donald Trump announced the strike, claiming the targeted group had “viciously” killed “primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even centuries.” Nigeria’s government confirmed the strike but rejected the religious framing of the incident. Officials emphasized that armed groups in the country target both Muslim and Christian communities, and that US claims of Christian persecution oversimplify a complex security landscape. “The assertion does...
Ghana, Afreximbank Resolve $750 Million Facility Issues
The Government of Ghana and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) have jointly announced the successful resolution of all outstanding issues related to a US$750 million facility signed in 2022. In a statement issued on December 25, 2025, the Ministry of Finance confirmed that both parties had reached a satisfactory agreement, paving the way for continued collaboration in support of Ghana’s development agenda. “The Government of the Republic of Ghana, acting through the Ministry of Finance, and Afreximbank are pleased to announce the successful resolution of the issues surrounding the US$750 million facility… enabling both parties to continue to partner for...
Government Begins Implementation of Otumfuo’s Recommendations on Bawku Affair
The Government of Ghana has commenced the implementation of recommendations made by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II, in his mediation report on the Bawku conflict. On December 24, 2025, personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) removed Alhaji Seidu Abagre from Bawku in line with the directives contained in the report. The Interior Ministry confirmed that Alhaji Abagre is safe and currently in the care of the security agencies. The action marks a significant step in the government’s efforts to restore peace and stability in Bawku, a town that has long been affected by protracted tensions. The Asantehene’s...
Bank of Ghana Rolls Out Gold Programme Reforms as IMF Applauds Economic Gains
The Bank of Ghana has announced a series of reforms to improve pricing and operational efficiency in the downstream segment of its Domestic Gold Purchase Programme (DGPP), beginning January 2026. The reforms, approved by the Bank’s Board, aim to reduce intermediation fees, enhance cost-efficiency, and ensure competitive yet economically sound gold buying prices. According to a public notice issued on December 25, the reforms will be fully resourced under the 2026 national budget to sustain the GOLDBOD framework, which serves as the aggregator for gold inflows from the small-scale mining sector. The Bank emphasized that these changes are essential to...
Foreign Affairs Ministry Honors Long-Serving Embassy Staff
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched a new award scheme to recognize the dedication of locally recruited staff serving in Ghana’s diplomatic missions abroad, with the first set of honorees celebrated during a carols service. In a Facebook post, Minister for Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced that Mr. Oriel Chinthaka Ariyaratna Paiyagala Linyanage, a representational driver at Ghana’s embassy in Paris, was granted an all-expenses-paid trip to Ghana after 41 years of service. “It has always been the dream of Mr. Oriel… to one day visit Ghana for the first time after serving our embassy in Paris for...
Ghana’s Ambassador Visits Detained Nationals in Philadelphia
Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Victor Emmanuel Smith, has led a team from the Ghana Embassy to visit Ghanaians being held at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Philadelphia. The visit took place at a center operated in partnership with private prison company GEO Group, which manages several ICE facilities including the large Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Clearfield County, west of Philadelphia. ICE contracts GEO Group on a per-bed, per-day basis to provide housing, food, healthcare, and other services for detainees. Ambassador Smith was briefed on the facility’s operations and met with eleven Ghanaian detainees,...
Lawyer, Two Others Face Court Over GH¢800,000 Excavator Fraud
A 34-year-old lawyer, Divine Effah-Dartey, has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court for his alleged involvement in a fraudulent excavator transaction that cost a businessman GH¢800,000. Effah-Dartey is accused of assisting two other suspects to trick a prospective buyer into paying GH¢800,000 as part payment for an excavator that was never legitimately owned by the sellers. He has pleaded not guilty to a charge of abetment of defrauding by false pretence and was granted police enquiry bail after an application by his father, retired naval officer Captain Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey. Two other accused persons — Mawuli Awadzi Amenyo, a 49-year-old carpenter,...
Government Targets 99.9% Electricity Access by 2030
The government has reiterated its determination to achieve near-universal electricity coverage, pledging to raise the national access rate from the current 89.03 per cent to 99.9 per cent by 2030. Deputy Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Richard Gyan Mensah, said the target is crucial for driving socio-economic growth, especially in communities that have long been underserved. “Government remains resolute in achieving universal access to electricity, moving beyond the current 89.03 per cent access rate to about 99.9 per cent by 2030,” he stated. Mr Mensah made the remarks during the commissioning of electrification projects in Awurahae and Sapor, two...
Afenyo-Markin Urges NPP to Rebuild After 2024 Defeat
Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has urged members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to move past sympathy and concentrate on rebuilding the party following its loss in the 2024 general election. Delivering a Christmas message to supporters on December 25, 2025, Mr Afenyo-Markin reflected on the party’s defeat and called for unity as the guiding principle for its future. “My dear patriots, the time for sympathy has passed, and the time for action has now arrived,” he said. He stressed that unity must underpin the NPP’s decisions, conduct, and internal dialogue going forward. “As...
AMA to Collect Tolls, Fees Throughout Christmas and New Year
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has announced that the collection of approved tolls and fees will continue throughout the Christmas and New Year festivities, including weekends, as part of measures to sustain essential city services during the peak festive season. In a press release issued on Tuesday, the Assembly said the decision affects traders, transport operators and market users operating within the metropolis. It explained that uninterrupted revenue mobilisation is necessary to support increased commercial and social activities that characterise the festive period. The AMA also announced the activation of 24-hour sanitation and security operations across the city to ensure...