News
Ghana’s Embattled Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta Reportedly Detained by U.S.
Reports emerging late Wednesday, January 7, 2026 say former Ghanaian Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been detained by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
According to Joy News, his legal team has confirmed that the detention, which began on January 6, 2026, stems from concerns about his visa status and pending petition for adjustment of status — a common U.S. immigration process that allows individuals to remain in the country while seeking lawful long-term residency.
A public statement issued by his Ghana-based lawyers of Minkah-Premo, Osei-Bonsu, Bruce-Cathline and Partners, also said Ofori-Atta is cooperating fully with immigration officials and expects the matter to be resolved expeditiously through legal channels. The statement explained such adjustment of status petitions are normal under U.S. law, and that his legal team continues to engage with ICE to regularize his stay.

The reports indicate that Ofori-Atta is being held at the Caroline Detention Facility in Virginia, a former regional jail repurposed for immigration detainees under contracts with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The center, located near Fort A.P. Hill, has capacity for several hundred detainees and has seen rising population levels amid broader enforcement measures.
Ofori-Atta, who served as Ghana’s Minister of Finance from 2017 to 2023, has been in the United States since January 2025, primarily seeking medical care following a prostate cancer diagnosis and subsequent surgery.
His prolonged stay also coincides with legal challenges back home — including corruption-related charges filed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in November 2025, which are currently at the case management stage.
Lawyers for the former minister have reiterated that Ofori-Atta is a law-abiding individual, fully cooperating with U.S. immigration authorities as they clarify his status.
They urged the public to remain calm, noting that the procedural nature of the case means it is expected to be resolved through established immigration processes.
Ghana News
Woman Demands GH¢150,000 from UK ‘Borga’, MTN Reveals Massive Fiber Sabotage and Other Big Stories in Ghana Today
We are bringing you the most relevant stories from Ghana today to keep you updated. Stories include an interesting dispute between a woman and her UK-based partner, revelations about major telecom infrastructure sabotage, health alerts on Mpox, and other key national developments.
Woman Demands GH¢150,000 from UK ‘Borga’ After He Allegedly Failed to Marry Her
Esther Latebia, a mother of two from Kasoa, is demanding GH¢150,000 in compensation from Mr Osei, a UK-based Ghanaian known locally as a “borga,” after he allegedly failed to honour his promise of marriage following a six-year romantic relationship conducted mainly through video calls. According to her account shared on Nhyira FM’s Obra Show, Mr Osei promised to build her a house, buy her a taxi for work, waive her rent until the house was completed, and support her two children until they completed tertiary education or found jobs. He also promised to marry her as his second wife. After six years, he reportedly changed his mind and withdrew all commitments, leaving her feeling used and seeking redress.
Read the full story here
A Muslim Woman’s Vision of the Second Coming of Jesus: A 30-Year Burden Finally Told
A 69-year-old Muslim woman from Ghana has finally shared a powerful spiritual vision she received in the 1990s about the second coming of Jesus Christ, a 30-year secret she kept due to fear, community pressure, and misunderstanding from both Muslims and Christians. In the vision, she stood in a massive global market where people were trading gold, diamonds, and engaging in various activities when a divine presence behind her instructed her to tell the world that “Jesus Christ is coming — very soon.” Despite the urgent message echoing across the market, no one seemed to notice or listen. The experience left her in uncontrollable tears the next morning, leading to years of isolation as she struggled to understand why, as a Muslim, she would receive such a message.
Read the full story here
157 Sites Disrupted – MTN CEO Reveals Massive Scale of Fibre Cable Sabotage
MTN Ghana CEO Stephen Blewett has revealed that recent fibre-optic cable sabotage has knocked 157 network sites offline, causing widespread connectivity failures across multiple suburbs and affecting millions of customers. Speaking at the MTN Ghana Accra Media and Stakeholder Forum on April 17, 2026, he described fibre cuts — caused by uncoordinated road construction and deliberate theft or vandalism — as a “serious threat” to seamless service delivery. The interconnected nature of the infrastructure means a single cut can bring down numerous cell towers, disrupting businesses, hospitals, and emergency services. MTN is advocating for fibre-optic cables to be classified as “Critical National Infrastructure” to impose stricter penalties and is calling for better coordination of construction schedules.
Read the full story here
CHASS Warns Schools May Shut Down Over Free SHS Feeding Crisis
The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) has warned that many Senior High Schools could be forced to shut down if the current crisis in the Free SHS feeding programme is not urgently addressed. School heads report severe delays in the release of feeding grants, leaving them unable to provide meals for students and forcing some schools to rely on credit from suppliers. The situation has created significant operational challenges and raised concerns about the sustainability of the flagship education policy. CHASS is calling on the government to release outstanding funds immediately to prevent further disruption to academic activities.
Read the full story here
Ghana’s NTEs Hit $5.006 Billion in 2025
Ghana’s Non-Traditional Exports (NTEs) reached a record $5.006 billion in 2025, representing a more than 30% increase compared to the previous year, according to the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare. Launching the 2025 Ghana Export Promotion Authority report in Accra, the minister described the growth as strong evidence that the country’s export diversification agenda is gaining momentum. NTEs now account for about 16% of Ghana’s total export earnings, signalling a gradual shift away from heavy dependence on traditional commodities like gold, oil, and cocoa. The government continues to support exporters through improved production capacity, quality standards, and access to finance via the Ghana EXIM Bank.
Read the full story here
Vice President Opoku-Agyemang in Spain to Participate in Fourth High-Level Meeting
Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has arrived in Barcelona, Spain, to participate in the Fourth High-Level Meeting of the Initiative “In Defence of Democracy.” She was received by members of the Ghanaian community in Spain, led by Ghana’s Ambassador to Spain, Madam Kalsoume Sinare Baffoe. The Vice President is expected to join global leaders in high-level discussions focused on strengthening democratic governance and advancing collective efforts to safeguard democratic values worldwide.
Read the full story here
Ghana Health Service Confirms Over 1,000 Cases of Mpox
The Ghana Health Service has confirmed four new cases of Mpox, bringing the national total to 1,062 as of April 11, 2026. No new hospital admissions have been recorded, while the death toll remains at eight. Surveillance is ongoing across all 16 regions, with health teams actively monitoring to prevent further spread. Mpox is transmitted mainly through close physical contact, and the public has been advised to maintain strict hygiene, avoid contact with unusual rashes, and seek early medical care for flu-like symptoms.
Read the full story here
Global Update
Oil Prices Fall By Over 10% as Iran Declares Strait of Hormuz Open
New York, USA – Global oil prices suffered their sharpest single-day drop in months on Friday, April 17, 2026, after Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi declared the Strait of Hormuz “completely open,” significantly easing fears of prolonged supply disruptions triggered by the Iran conflict.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude for May delivery fell 10.6% to settle at $84.63 per barrel, while international benchmark Brent crude for June delivery tumbled 9.9% to $89.50 per barrel.
The dramatic sell-off followed Araghchi’s statement on X, which came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump indicated that the war in Iran, which erupted on February 28, “should be ending pretty soon.”
The comments coincided with a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that took effect on Thursday evening. Trump announced plans to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the White House for what he called the first meaningful talks between the two countries since 1983.
The U.S. State Department said both sides were working toward lasting peace, including mutual recognition of sovereignty, improved border security, and addressing threats from non-state armed groups.
Analysts at ING noted that while the physical oil market remains tight — with roughly 13 million barrels per day of supply still disrupted — diplomatic progress has provided substantial relief to traders. However, they cautioned that a breakdown in broader U.S.-Iran peace talks remains a major upside risk for prices, given the significant gap in demands between the two sides.
The developments mark a potential turning point in the energy crisis that has gripped global markets since late February, when Iranian restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz — a chokepoint responsible for about 20% of the world’s oil and gas exports — sent prices soaring.
Ghana News
Ghana to Open New Embassy in Singapore in Bid To Strengthen Trade Ties with Asia
Accra, Ghana – The Government of Ghana has formally initiated high-level diplomatic engagements with Singapore to establish a permanent embassy in the Asian financial and technology hub, marking a strategic expansion of its global diplomatic presence.
The announcement follows a working visit by a Ghanaian delegation led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs James Gyakye Quayson to Singapore from April 10 to 15, 2026.
During discussions with Singapore’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Social and Family Development, Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, Ghana officially conveyed its intention to open a resident mission.
The proposed embassy aims to enhance consular services for Ghanaian nationals, facilitate trade and investment flows, and deepen institutional cooperation in technology, capacity building, and economic development.
This move forms part of a broader foreign policy drive by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to establish new diplomatic missions and permanent chanceries in strategic locations, while reducing heavy reliance on rented premises that currently cost the state around $15 million annually.
Earlier commitments outlined at the 2025 Conference of Heads of Mission include opening missions in Massachusetts (USA), Dublin (Ireland), Lisbon (Portugal), and Singapore by 2026. Recent developments under this agenda include the opening of a new chancery in Ethiopia in February and planned missions in Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, Serbia, and Hungary.
Singaporean authorities welcomed the proposal and expressed strong commitment to expanding bilateral ties with Ghana. Officials from both sides see the new mission as a platform to boost South-South cooperation and tap into Asia’s dynamic economic opportunities.
The establishment of the embassy is expected to be completed within the government’s 2026 diplomatic expansion timeline.
-
Ghana News18 hours agoPope Leo XIV Strongly Criticises Foreign Exploitation of Africa During Visit to Conflict-Hit Cameroon
-
From the Diaspora18 hours agoGhana High Commissioner Assures UK Scholarship Students of Structured Payment Plan to Clear £32 Million Debt
-
Africa Watch1 day agoPresident Mahama Arrives in Brazzaville for N’Guesso’s Inauguration as Re-Elected Leader of Congo
-
Ghana News18 hours agoGhana to Open New Embassy in Singapore in Bid To Strengthen Trade Ties with Asia
-
Global Update2 days agoSouth Africa’s Political Landscape Shaken After Julius Malema Sentenced to Five Years in Prison
-
Ghana News1 day agoMorocco Gifts 2,000 Metric Tons of Fertilizer to Ghana Amid Global Shortage
-
Health & Wellness2 days agoThe Chair is the New Cigarette: How to Reclaim Years of Life Expectancy
-
Arts and GH Heritage2 days agoThe Sound of Stillness: How South African Dance Set Abidjan Ablaze
