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President Mahama Declares Ghana ‘Rising Again’ in Inspiring New Year’s Address (VIDEO)

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President John Dramani Mahama has declared that Ghana is “rising again” after inheriting what he described as a nation in deep economic and institutional distress.

The president used his New Year address to outline a recovery narrative and position the country as a leading voice for Africa and the Global South on the global stage.

Speaking to the nation on Tuesday night, January 1, 2026, six days before the first anniversary of his swearing-in, Mahama said the government’s much-touted “reset agenda” had moved beyond campaign rhetoric and was already yielding tangible results.

“One year ago, we inherited a nation in distress — an economy on its knees, unemployment crashing our youth, infrastructure crumbling, and hope dimming,” Mahama said. “But Ghana is rising again.”

Economic Stabilisation Takes Centre Stage

At the heart of the address was the economy. Mahama said inflation, which stood above 23 percent at the end of 2024, had been significantly reduced, with government projections pointing to single-digit inflation of just over five percent by the end of 2025. He also cited improved currency stability and expressed confidence that the cedi could rank among the world’s best-performing currencies this year.

The president pointed to renewed investor confidence, increased foreign direct investment, and progress in renegotiating Ghana’s debt obligations as evidence of restored international credibility. He said the country was beginning the process of exiting its IMF programme “with dignity,” stressing partnership rather than dependency.

Jobs, Infrastructure and Energy

Mahama highlighted growth across construction, manufacturing, agriculture, and services, linking the rebound to employment opportunities for young people. He announced that more than 2,000 kilometres of roads are currently under rehabilitation and said consistent electricity supply has been restored, with rural electrification being extended to over 1,000 additional communities.

“Young people are Ghana’s greatest assets,” he said, stressing that economic recovery must translate into decent jobs and inclusive growth.

A Domestic Reset — and a Global One

Beyond economic indicators, Mahama framed his administration as delivering democratic renewal through a leaner government, stronger accountability, and an intensified fight against corruption. He pledged “no sacred cows” as the government moves to implement constitutional reforms and strengthen oversight institutions.

On the global front, Mahama said Ghana’s reset agenda also has international dimensions. He referenced his address at the 80th United Nations General Assembly, where he introduced the ACRA Research Initiative, a framework advocating reforms to global governance systems to address inequalities affecting Africa and the Global South.

“Ghana’s call for a global reset will address the interconnected challenges of our time,” he said, adding that he intends to lead this effort alongside other world leaders.

Africa, Diaspora and the Road Ahead

Positioning Ghana within a broader African renaissance, Mahama said the country’s experience in 2025 demonstrated that democracy and peaceful transitions of power remain viable and effective on the continent.

He extended an invitation to African neighbours, international partners, and the Ghanaian diaspora to invest in Ghana’s transformation, framing investment not as charity but as “enlightened self-interest” in global stability.

Looking ahead to 2026, Mahama outlined priorities including universal primary healthcare, expanded digital education, agricultural transformation through mechanisation, renewable energy expansion to 30 percent of the national energy mix, and social housing through public-private partnerships.

Call for Unity

In a message aimed at easing political tensions, Mahama rejected partisan divisions, insisting there is “only one Ghana.”

“Whether you voted for me or not, this reset is for all of us,” he said. “Let us reject the politics of division and embrace the patriotism of nation-building.”

As Ghana enters the new year, Mahama framed the task ahead as moving from recovery to acceleration, urging citizens to “work harder, dream bigger, and achieve even greater things.”

“This is not wishful thinking,” he said. “This is the Ghana we are building together.”

Ghana News

Ghana Ties Rice Imports to Local Production, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Halts Emergency Admissions, and Other Big Stories in Ghana Today

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These are the most relevant and impactful stories from across Ghana today, presented as concise updates on key developments across the country.

Government to Tie Rice Imports to Local Production in Major Policy Shift

The Ghanaian government is set to introduce a significant policy linking rice import permits directly to investments in local rice production and milling facilities. This move by the Ministry of Agriculture aims to boost domestic farming, reduce the country’s growing rice import bill, and accelerate progress toward food self-sufficiency. Read the full story here

Edem Senanu Questions Procedural Lapses in Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill Process

Chairman of Advocates for Christ, Edem Senanu, has raised concerns over how Parliament’s House of Records handled the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, questioning procedural and drafting issues that emerged after its passage. Read the full story here

Sheikh Shaibu Warns Against Politicising Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill

Spokesperson for the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, has cautioned the NDC and NPP against turning the anti-LGBTQ+ bill into a political contest, stressing that Ghana already has a broad national consensus on the matter rooted in cultural and religious values. Read the full story here

Honest Ghanaian Rewarded GH¢10,000 for Returning Lost ATM Cash

Fidelity Bank has rewarded Emmanuel Appiah Boateng with GH¢10,000 for his honesty after he returned GH¢4,000 he found left behind at one of its ATMs. Read the full story here

Nigel Gaisie Files GH¢10m Defamation Suit Against Kumchacha

Prophet Nigel Gaisie has sued Prophet Nicholas Osei (Kumchacha) for GH¢10 million over alleged defamatory statements questioning his prophetic ministry. Read the full story here

680 Ghanaians to Be Evacuated from South Africa Amid Xenophobia Concerns

The Ghana High Commission in South Africa has announced plans to evacuate 680 Ghanaians (340 on June 6 and 340 on June 7, 2026) due to xenophobia-related safety issues. Read the full story here

Free SHS Suppliers to Picket at Education Ministry Over GH¢50m Debt

The National Association of Institutional Suppliers (NAIS) will picket at the Ministry of Education on June 11, 2026, over unpaid debts of approximately GH¢50 million for supplies delivered under the Free Senior High School programme since 2023. Read the full story here

Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Halts Emergency Admissions

The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi has temporarily halted new emergency admissions after its Accident and Emergency ward exceeded capacity due to overwhelming patient numbers. Read the full story here

15 dead, 25 injured in head-on collision at Peki-Tsame

At least 15 people have been confirmed dead and 25 others injured following a devastating head-on collision between a container truck and a passenger bus at Peki-Tsame in the Volta Region. The fatal accident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, 2 June 2026, near the premises of Peki Senior High School, prompting an emergency response from personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS). Read the full story here

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Ghana News

Today’s Newspaper Headlines: Wednesday, June 3, 2026

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Wednesday, June 3, 2026. Stay informed with today’s front pages of Ghanaian newspapers, all in one place.

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Ghana News

Is the UN Losing Its Legitimacy? Ghana’s President Says Permanent Security Council Bias ‘Eats Away’ Trust

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The continued exclusion of Africa from permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council is not merely a procedural flaw but a structural imbalance that is systematically eroding the credibility of the multilateral system, Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama warned on Monday.

Speaking at Chatham House, the London-based international affairs think tank, Mahama argued that the UN’s primary decision-making body risks becoming untenable as a steward of global peace and security if it fails to reflect the demographic and political realities of the 21st century.

“This is not nearly a procedural anomaly,” Mahama said. “It is a historical injustice and a structural imbalance that undermines the credibility of the multilateral system itself.”

The president’s remarks come as the UN Security Council (UNSC) remains composed of five permanent members (P5) – the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China – all of which were Allied powers in World War II.

Africa, home to 54 UN member states, the largest regional bloc in the organization, holds no permanent seat and only three non-permanent seats that rotate every two years.

Mahama noted that the representational gap is poised to become more pronounced as global demographics shift. According to UN population projections, Africa will account for nearly a quarter of the world’s population by 2050.

“This eats away at the trust in the system,” a senior official from the Ghanaian presidency later summarized, reinforcing Mahama’s central thesis that legitimacy in global governance requires equitable participation.

The Ghanaian leader affirmed that his government would continue to advocate for “comprehensive reform” of the UN, including permanent, veto-wielding seats for African nations.

The African Union has long pushed for a common position known as the Ezulwini Consensus, which demands at least two permanent seats for the continent, with the same powers and responsibilities as current P5 members.

However, Mahama’s critique extended beyond the Security Council. He linked the UN’s representational crisis to what he described as parallel failures in the international financial architecture. He argued that debt vulnerabilities across the Global South are not isolated fiscal challenges but structural development constraints that limit investment in health, education, infrastructure, climate adaptation, and industrial transformation.

“The international debt system must therefore become fairer, more flexible and more development-focused,” Mahama said.

He also called for reforms to global taxation frameworks, asserting that developing economies should derive equitable value from economic activity generated within their jurisdictions. A stable international order, he warned, cannot be sustained while prosperity remains structurally unequal.

To illustrate the tangible cost of such inequality, Mahama pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic. African nations, he said, discovered that access to vaccines and essential medical supplies depended not on the urgency of public health need but on their position within the global supply hierarchy. That experience, he noted, directly prompted Ghana to launch the Accra Reset Initiative – a strategic framework designed to move Africa and the Global South from dependency toward resilience, and from passive participation toward active agenda-setting in global governance.

President Mahama concluded by rejecting any characterization of Ghana as a passive observer of the changes reshaping the international order.

“We see ourselves as active participants in shaping a more balanced, equitable, and cooperative international system,” he said.

No immediate response was issued by the permanent members of the UN Security Council. Reform of the council requires an amendment to the UN Charter, which must be approved by two-thirds of the General Assembly and ratified by all five permanent members, each of whom holds a veto over their own status.

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