The Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has stated that the cost of living in Ghana remains high despite claims that the Bank of Ghana spent GH¢15.6 billion in efforts to reduce inflation and stabilise the economy.
The collaborative leadership approach of the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma North, Ewurabena Aubynn, and the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Adamu Musah Kalamu, continues to receive widespread praise from residents who say the strong partnership between the two leaders is positively impacting development within the constituency.
Former Finance Minister and current government adviser on finance, Seth Terkper, has stated that Ghana’s current administration inherited an economy facing severe financial distress, marked by unpaid debt obligations, soaring inflation, weakened investor confidence, and mounting fiscal challenges.
The Ghana Police Service has arrested six men for allegedly impersonating security operatives and harassing Chinese nationals at a manufacturing company in Agona Swedru in the Central Region.
According to a police statement issued on May 7, 2026, the Agona Swedru District Police Command received a distress call on May 6, 2026, around midday reporting that six men travelling in a Toyota Land Cruiser with registration number GW 8887-V had stormed the premises of S.I Jun Manufacturing Company Limited at Agona Akwakwa near Mankrong Nkwanta.
Police said the suspects were dressed in various security-style outfits, with three wearing camouflage uniforms resembling those of the Ghana Immigration Service, one dressed in military attire, and two others in civilian clothing.
The group allegedly claimed to be operatives of National Security and reportedly intimidated, assaulted, and harassed some Chinese nationals working at the manufacturing facility.
A police team dispatched to the scene reportedly found the Toyota Land Cruiser parked at the company premises. Officers also discovered that three Chinese nationals identified as Man Guan, Chin Min, and MA Kaixiang had allegedly been handcuffed by the suspects.
The six men were immediately arrested and later identified as Agyemang Benjamin, 32; Mahama Iddrisu Dawuda Seidu, 48; Ofori Isaac, 35; Adom Bills, 32; Hayford Boafo, 47; and Ato Mchenry, 48.
Police confirmed that all six suspects are currently being held at the Agona Swedru District Police Headquarters while investigations continue.
The Ghana Police Service also disclosed that the Military Police, Ghana Immigration authorities, and National Security agencies have been contacted to verify the identities, affiliations, and possible official links of the suspects.
Authorities have not yet indicated whether any of the suspects are legitimate security personnel or whether criminal charges will be filed following the investigations.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about impersonation of security officials and unlawful intimidation involving foreign nationals operating businesses in Ghana.
The Controller and Accountant-General has transferred GH¢6.1 million to the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as “Mahama Cares,” following salary deductions from President John Dramani Mahama and his political appointees.
Deputy Attorney-General Justice Srem Sai has dismissed allegations by former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame that former National Food Buffer Stock Company CEO Abdul-Wahab Hanan was denied access to legal counsel following his re-arrest by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
The Government of Ghana has expressed appreciation to the authorities of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for supporting Ghanaian nationals affected by the recent Middle East conflict.
Government spokesperson and Member of Parliament for Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has cautioned journalists and media organisations against sacrificing credibility for sensational headlines, warning that misinformation and disinformation now pose serious threats to Ghana’s democracy and national stability.
The Vice President of Ghana, Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has called for urgent and coordinated reforms to address Africa’s growing challenge of retaining trained health professionals, warning that the continent risks losing critical human capital despite heavy investments in training.
Speaking at the Second Africa Health Workforce Investment Forum held in Accra on May 6, 2026, the Vice President highlighted a key paradox confronting African health systems: the ability to train large numbers of health workers, but the inability to keep them within domestic healthcare structures.
Framing the issue as both simple and urgent, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang challenged policymakers and stakeholders to confront the root causes of the problem.
“What makes it so easy for us to use scarce resources to train, and what makes it so difficult for us to retain the people we have trained?” she asked.
She emphasised that retention must now be treated as a central development priority rather than a secondary policy concern.
According to the Vice President, Africa’s health workforce plays a crucial role beyond healthcare delivery, serving as a foundation for economic growth, human capital development, and national resilience.
She stressed that effective deployment, sustainable employment, and dignified working conditions must form the core of policy interventions aimed at strengthening the sector.
Health outcomes, she noted, are directly tied to productivity, economic stability, and even national security, making investment in human resources for health essential to long-term development goals, including those outlined in the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
While acknowledging significant progress across Africa over the past two decades—such as improved life expectancy and expanded access to healthcare services—the Vice President warned that these gains remain fragile.
Without a stable, motivated, and adequately supported workforce, she cautioned, many of these achievements could be reversed.
Her remarks come amid increasing concern over the migration of African health professionals to developed countries, a trend often referred to as “brain drain.” Better salaries, improved working conditions, and access to advanced facilities abroad continue to attract skilled personnel away from local health systems.
This trend, she noted, creates critical gaps in service delivery and places additional strain on already overstretched healthcare systems across the continent.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang urged stakeholders—including governments, development partners, and labour organisations—to focus on practical, sustainable solutions that go beyond training.
She called for policies that ensure:
The forum brought together policymakers, health experts, development partners, and labour stakeholders from across Africa to explore strategies for strengthening the health workforce and improving service delivery.
Discussions are expected to shape future policy directions aimed at building resilient health systems capable of meeting the continent’s growing healthcare demands.
Fourteen leading civil society organisations in Ghana have applied to the Supreme Court of Ghana seeking permission to join a high-profile constitutional case challenging aspects of the country’s anti-corruption legal framework, specifically the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959).
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Legal tensions have intensified following the re-arrest of former National Food and Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) Chief Executive, Hanan Abdul-Wahab, and his wife, Faiza Seidu Wuni, shortly after they were discharged by the High Court on May 5.
The Executive Secretary to President John Dramani Mahama, Callistus Mahama, has issued a strong caution against early political maneuvering ahead of the 2028 general elections, urging both government officials and party members to remain focused on governance.
The Minority Leader of Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has called for urgent and coordinated regional action in response to escalating security threats, xenophobic violence, and persistent barriers to free movement across West Africa.
Speaking under Rule 71 of Parliament’s procedures—reserved for matters of urgent public interest—Afenyo-Markin, who also serves as a member of the ECOWAS Parliament, described the current situation as “a moment of profound moral reckoning” for the region.
The lawmaker highlighted a deadly attack that occurred on February 14, 2026, in Titao, northern Burkina Faso. According to his account, Ghanaian tomato traders traveling through the region were ambushed by militants linked to Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin.
He recounted that the attackers reportedly separated men from women, executed the men, and set their vehicle ablaze. Several West African nationals were killed in the incident, while survivors were forced to bury the victims locally due to ongoing insecurity that prevented authorities from accessing the area.
The victims, many of whom were key players in regional agricultural supply chains, were later mourned at Techiman Central Market in Ghana. Afenyo-Markin warned that the tragedy underscores broader structural risks, particularly as major food trade routes pass through volatile conflict zones such as the Liptako-Gourma region, where extremist activity remains high.
He also raised alarm over a major military offensive in Mali on April 25, 2026, described as the largest since 2012. The attacks reportedly targeted multiple cities and resulted in significant casualties, including the killing of the country’s defence minister.
In response to the deteriorating security situation, Ghana has suspended the movement of traders along the Mali corridor, a key route for regional commerce.
Afenyo-Markin stressed the need for Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to establish a civilian protection framework specifically designed to safeguard traders and workers operating in high-risk areas.
Beyond the Sahel, the Minority Leader condemned increasing xenophobic attacks in South Africa. He noted that African migrants—including Ghanaians, Nigerians, Zimbabweans, and Ethiopians—have faced violence, looting, and displacement in several provinces.
Fatalities have been confirmed, including Nigerian nationals, while widely circulated videos show assaults on foreign nationals and destruction of property.
Although he acknowledged statements by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa condemning xenophobia and calling for calm, Afenyo-Markin insisted that stronger, concrete actions are required.
“Words do not arrest perpetrators,” he said, urging authorities to prioritise investigations, arrests, and prosecutions to restore confidence and protect lives.
Turning attention to regional integration, Afenyo-Markin criticised ECOWAS for failing to fully implement its 1979 Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons. While the policy guarantees visa-free travel within member states, he argued that citizens continue to face harassment, extortion, and illegal checkpoints across borders.
“These barriers amount to a de facto tax on poverty,” he stated, highlighting how such practices undermine economic opportunity and regional unity.
He also expressed concern over the slow pace of ratification of the African Union Free Movement Protocol, adopted in 2018. According to him, the lack of progress contradicts the ambitions of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which seeks to boost intra-African trade.
He argued that trade liberalisation cannot succeed without the free movement of people and urged Ghana—host of the AfCFTA Secretariat—to accelerate ratification ahead of its 2027 target.
To address these interconnected challenges, Afenyo-Markin proposed a five-point plan, including:
“The safety of our people must never be a matter open to negotiation,” he concluded.
