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Ghana News Updates (Jan 16, 2026): Catch up on the Major Stories

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Welcome to our rolling news roundup from Ghana. From major economic achievements and international cooperation to domestic security matters, these stories capture the nation’s current momentum.

Check back regularly for fresh updates as events continue to unfold.

EC Sets March 3 for Ayawaso East By-Election

The Electoral Commission of Ghana has announced March 3, 2026, as the date for the Ayawaso East by-election, following the vacancy created by the death of the incumbent MP. The commission has begun preparations, including voter registration updates and stakeholder engagements, to ensure a smooth and credible poll.

Victor Smith Refutes Claims Sedina Tamakloe Is Not in Nevada Detention Centre in US

Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Victor Smith, has dismissed reports suggesting former MASLOC CEO Sedina Tamakloe Attionu is not detained in Nevada, confirming she remains in U.S. custody as extradition proceedings advance. The ambassador emphasized ongoing cooperation between Ghana and U.S. authorities.

Govt Seeks €1m Spanish Grant to Expand Ayalolo Bus Fleet – Local Govt Minister

The Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development is pursuing a €1 million grant from Spain to expand the Ayalolo bus rapid transit fleet, aiming to improve urban mobility in Accra and reduce congestion. The initiative supports Ghana’s sustainable transport goals.

Sedina Tamakloe Set for January 21 US Court Hearing – Victor Smith

Ambassador Victor Smith has confirmed that Sedina Tamakloe Attionu, the former MASLOC CEO, is scheduled for a U.S. immigration court hearing on January 21, 2026. The date advances Ghana’s extradition efforts following her arrest in the U.S. on financial misconduct charges.

Chief Advocates Reinstatement of Corporal Punishment in Schools

A traditional leader in the Eastern Region has called for the reinstatement of corporal punishment in Ghanaian schools, arguing it is necessary to restore discipline amid rising indiscipline among students. The proposal has reignited national debate on child rights and educational methods.

Lt-Col Dela Galley Makes History as First Female Head of Ghana Military Police

Lt-Col Dela Galley has been appointed as the first woman to head the Ghana Military Police, marking a historic milestone for gender inclusion in the Ghana Armed Forces. Her appointment is widely celebrated as a step toward greater diversity in military leadership.

NPP Needs the Guidance of Its Elders, Not Public Disputes – Sylvester Tetteh

NPP Executive Committee member Sylvester Tetteh has urged party leaders to seek counsel from elders rather than engage in public disputes, warning that internal conflicts could undermine efforts to rebuild after the 2024 election defeat.

Sedina Tamakloe Attionu Nabbed in US as Extradition Process Begins

Former MASLOC CEO Sedina Tamakloe Attionu has been arrested in the United States, with formal extradition proceedings now underway. Ghana’s government secured U.S. cooperation following her 2024 conviction on 78 counts of financial misconduct, marking a significant step in cross-border accountability.

IMF Hails Ghana’s 2025 Economic Performance as Better Than Expected

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has commended Ghana’s 2025 economic performance, describing it as stronger than anticipated. The positive assessment highlights improved fiscal discipline, cedi stability, and progress under the Mahama administration’s recovery strategy.

Fiscal Discipline, Cedi Stability Made 2025 a Very Good Year – IMF

IMF officials praised Ghana’s 2025 fiscal discipline and the cedi’s remarkable stability as the key drivers behind the country’s strong economic performance, signaling confidence in the nation’s ongoing reforms and path toward sustainable growth.

Banks Wrote Off GH¢1.39bn as Bad Debt in 10 Months of 2025

Ghanaian banks wrote off GH¢1.39 billion in non-performing loans over the first ten months of 2025, reflecting continued efforts to clean up balance sheets and strengthen the financial sector amid ongoing economic recovery measures.

US ICE Confirms Ofori-Atta Overstayed Visa, Describes Him as an Illegal Alien

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) hasofficially confirmed that former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta overstayed his visa and is classified as an illegal alien in the United States, amid ongoing extradition discussions with Ghanaian authorities.

Police Arrest TikToker Captured in Viral Video Assaulting a Woman

Ghana Police Service has arrested a TikToker identified in a viral video assaulting a woman, following public outcry and swift investigation. The suspect is in custody assisting with inquiries into the domestic violence incident.

Govt to Scrap Mining Stability Pacts, Double Royalties

The Government of Ghana has announced plans to scrap existing mining stability agreements and double royalties paid by mining companies, a move aimed at increasing national revenue from the sector and addressing long-standing concerns about equitable resource benefits.

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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