Ghana News
Hannah Bisiw Claims She Was Poisoned Over Galamsey, Overall Best WASSCE Candidate Inspires, and Other Trending Stories (March 12, 2026)
Welcome to our live rolling news update from Accra, keeping you informed on the latest developments in Ghana and its international relations. New updates are added as events unfold — check back regularly!
Meet Ghana’s Overall Best WASSCE 2025 Candidate
Huda Suglo Suleman from Legacy Girls’ College has been named the overall best candidate in the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Ghana. The brilliant student, who scored 8As in the General Arts programme, received a certificate and cash prize from WAEC. She has gained admission to Ashesi University to study Mechatronics Engineering and dreams of becoming an aerospace engineer.
Read the full story here
Hannah Bisiw Claims She Was Poisoned Over Anti-Galamsey Campaign
Dr Hanna Louisa Bisiw-Kotei, Administrator of the Minerals Development Fund, has claimed she was poisoned because of her strong stance against illegal mining (galamsey). Speaking on GHOne TV, she revealed she survived the incident by God’s grace while describing the intense challenges faced in the field. She also highlighted new regional structures established to intensify the crackdown on galamsey operations.
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COCOBOD Disburses GH¢4.2 Billion to Settle Cocoa Farmers’ Arrears
The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has released GH¢4.2 billion to Licensed Buying Companies to clear long-overdue payments to cocoa farmers. The funds aim to restore confidence in the sector following recent reforms announced by the Finance Minister. COCOBOD expects to complete payments before the end of the 2025/2026 cocoa season.
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Government Sets April 1 Deadline for Courier Operators to Register
The government has set March 31, 2026, as the deadline for all courier operators and delivery riders to register on the Integrated Courier and Logistics Management System (ICOLMS-Ghana). Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George warned that unlicensed operators will face strict sanctions starting April 1, with no further extensions.
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Walewale MP Accuses President Mahama of Breaching Code of Conduct
Walewale Member of Parliament Abdul Kabiru Tiah Mahama has criticised President John Dramani Mahama for using his brother’s private jet for official travels, including a recent trip to South Korea. The MP claims the action violates the government’s own Code of Conduct for public officials and creates a conflict of interest.
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‘Sukudai’ Cocktail Poses Serious Kidney and Liver Risks – Lab Tests Kill Rats Within 24 Hours
A popular herbal cocktail known as ‘Sukudai’ or ‘Madara Sukudai’, widely consumed in parts of Ghana especially in Zongos, has been flagged as highly toxic. Laboratory tests conducted by the Department of Pharmacology at KNUST, in collaboration with the FDA and Ghana Standards Authority, revealed that the concoction contains dangerous chemicals including acetone, zinc chloride, and ethanol. All laboratory rats administered the mixture died within 24 hours. Health experts are warning the public to immediately stop consuming the product due to risks of severe gastrointestinal irritation and long-term damage to the kidneys and liver. National Security has launched operations to remove the cocktail from the streets.
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Scholarship Beneficiaries Are Ghanaians, Not Foreigners – Scholarship Authority Boss Clarifies
The Director-General of the Ghana Scholarship Authority, Alex Kwaku Asafo-Agyei, has dismissed claims that foreigners, including Canadian citizens, are benefiting from Ghana’s national scholarships. He stressed that all beneficiaries are Ghanaians by birth and parentage who meet strict eligibility criteria. The Authority has earmarked 5,000 scholarships for the 2026 cycle, with 2,000 reserved for needy but brilliant students. The clarification comes amid allegations of irregularities and political manipulation in the scholarship selection process.
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Health Ministry Suspends Principal of Nkanchina Nursing College Over Admissions Breach
The Ministry of Health has suspended the Principal of the College of Nursing at Nkanchina, Fredrick Anaba, for allegedly over-admitting students and introducing unapproved academic programmes for the 2025/2026 academic year. The Ministry has launched a full administrative investigation and directed the principal to hand over management responsibilities to the Acting Vice Principal. Authorities say they will enforce strict adherence to approved admission quotas and programmes across all health training institutions.
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President Mahama Commissions New LPG Vessel ‘Asharami Ghana’ in South Korea
President John Dramani Mahama has commissioned the new LPG vessel named ‘Asharami Ghana’ in South Korea. The commissioning is described as a significant milestone in strengthening Ghana’s energy infrastructure and supporting the country’s transition to cleaner energy sources. President Mahama emphasized the strategic importance of the project in improving energy security for Ghana and the broader West African region through partnerships and forward-looking investments.
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New Judge Takes Over Republic v Adu-Boahene Trial Midway
A new judge, Justice Francis Apangabuno Achibonga, has taken over the high-profile trial of former National Security Bureau Director-General Kwabena Adu-Boahene and two others midway through proceedings. The case, which was previously handled by Justice John Eugene Nyante Nyadu, involves allegations related to the management of National Security funds. The trial was adjourned to March 17 and 18, 2026, for continuation.
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Report Details Ghana’s Alleged Role in US Christmas Day Airstrike on ISIS Targets in Nigeria
A report has outlined Ghana’s purported involvement in the US airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS) targets in Sokoto, northern Nigeria, on Christmas Day 2025. Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa revealed at Chatham House on March 10, 2026, that both the US and Nigerian governments reached out to Ghana for collaboration. Journalist Alhaji Gbangbanku clarified that the US conducted only Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions from Ghana — permissible under the 2018 defence cooperation agreement — and did not use Ghana as a launchpad or base for the strikes. Opposition NPP figures, including Dominic Nitiwul and Samuel Jinapor, have claimed Ghana served as a base, prompting debate over sovereignty and the operation’s scope.
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US-Based Ghanaian ‘Dixon AI’ Jailed for Tuition Refund Scam at University of Connecticut
A 36-year-old Ghanaian resident of Greenwich, Connecticut, Dickson Alorwornu (known as “Dixon AI”), has been sentenced to 48 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for a tuition refund fraud scheme. He used stolen identities to create student accounts at the University of Connecticut (UConn), funded them with over $62,000 in stolen credit card information from three victims, then withdrew and requested refunds, receiving approximately $46,000. His email accounts were linked to defrauding other US universities of more than $500,000. Alorwornu, with a prior 2017 New York conviction for similar fraud, was arrested in February 2023 and convicted by jury in October 2024; he reports to prison on April 20, 2026.
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IGP Deploys Special Police Team to Geniyiri After Reprisal Attacks in Savannah Region
The Inspector-General of Police has deployed a special team of intelligence officers and investigators to Geniyiri in the Savannah Region following reported reprisal attacks in the community. The move aims to reinforce security, restore law and order, intensify operations, identify perpetrators, support investigations, and facilitate arrests and prosecutions. The Savannah Regional Police Command reports that calm has been restored, with ongoing operations to apprehend those responsible. Authorities urge residents to remain calm and cooperate by providing information.
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Dancehall Star Shatta Wale Eyes Ablekuma South Parliamentary Seat as Independent
Popular Ghanaian dancehall artist Shatta Wale has revealed his ambition to contest the Ablekuma South parliamentary seat — but only as an independent candidate if there is a clear call from local residents. He emphasized he has no intention of joining any political party, stating, “Most definitely, but I don’t want to belong to any political party. I want to be myself.” Inspired by biblical leadership examples and a desire for better governance beyond the 1992 constitution, he stressed that any run would respond to community demand rather than personal initiative, focusing on improved policies and development. For now, he prioritizes his career and personal life.
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President Mahama Pursues Visa Waiver Deal with South Korea for Diplomatic & Official Passports
President John Dramani Mahama is actively seeking a visa waiver agreement with South Korea specifically for holders of diplomatic and official passports to facilitate easier travel and deepen bilateral ties. Announced during bilateral talks with South Korean President Lee Ja-Myung on an official visit to Seoul, Mahama stated: “We look forward to signing a visa waiver agreement with Korea for diplomatic passports and official passports. This will make it easier for exchanges between our two countries.” If successful, it would align South Korea with about 45 other nations offering similar reciprocity to Ghana, enhancing mobility for officials, diplomats, and delegations while boosting trade, education, and cultural links. Diplomatic relations between the two countries date to 1977.
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Security Services Recruitment: Just 5,000 Spots for 500,000 Applicants in First Phase
Ghana’s security services recruitment drive faces intense competition, with only 5,000 positions available in the initial phase against 500,000 applicants. The services include the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Prisons Service, Ghana Immigration Service, and Ghana National Service. After disqualifying some for documentation issues (leaving around 400,000), aptitude tests (65% pass mark required) and medical exams follow. Interior Minister Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka cited fiscal constraints for the limited intake, assuring future phases and urging disappointed youth to exercise restraint while the government creates jobs across sectors.
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Fact-Check: Did Ablakwa Claim US Used Ghana as Base for Nigeria Airstrike, as Jinapor Alleges?
A GhanaWeb fact-check has debunked claims by NPP’s Samuel Jinapor that Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa stated the US used Ghana as a base for airstrikes on ISIS in northern Nigeria, with President Mahama’s approval. Jinapor made the assertion at a March 11, 2026, press briefing. Ablakwa’s actual words at Chatham House on March 10 touched on case-by-case collaboration with express approval, sovereignty respect, and that both US and Nigerian governments reached out to Ghana, without mentioning any base or territorial cession. Verdict: Jinapor’s claim is completely false.
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Ghana News
GH₵6.1 Million and Counting: Mahama and His Appointees Donate Six Months’ Salary to Ghana’s Healthcare Fund
President John Dramani Mahama has made good on a pledge to donate six months of his salary to Ghana’s flagship healthcare initiative, the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as MahamaCares.
Combined with contributions from political appointees and deductions from officials who missed an asset declaration deadline, the total sum of GH₵6,102,737.80 has been transferred to the Fund.
The formal presentation was made on Monday at Jubilee House, where Deputy Chief of Staff (Administration) Nana Oye Bampoe Addo handed over the proceeds on behalf of the Office of the President.
The Controller and Accountant-General has already transferred the full amount to the Trust.
A ‘Reset Agenda’ Made Concrete
President Mahama launched MahamaCares on 29 April 2025 to address critical gaps in Ghana’s healthcare financing system. The Fund covers treatment costs for non-communicable diseases not fully provided for under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney failure requiring dialysis, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, and sickle cell disease.
The need is not abstract. According to the World Health Organisation, non-communicable diseases now account for 45 percent of all deaths in Ghana. One health facility alone recorded five thousand new diabetes referrals in the first half of 2025.
‘Real Sacrifices’ and a Call for Public Support
Nana Oye Bampoe Addo stated that the salary donations had not come without cost to those who made them.
“These salary donations came with real sacrifices. Bills that had to wait. Plans that had to be deferred. Commitments that had to be renegotiated. We knew the cost, and we paid it anyway,” she said.
She said the entire exercise is the Reset Agenda made concrete, arguing that public office carries an obligation to give.
“Leadership is not a title, it is a disposition,” she said.
She ended with a call to Ghanaians to support the fund: “This is a passionate appeal from political appointees to each and every Ghanaian. We know you will hear, you will dig deep in your pockets and contribute so that more lives will also be saved”.
How the Money Was Raised
The funds comprised:
- President Mahama’s pledge: Six months of his basic salary
- Appointee contributions: One month’s salary from government appointees
- Asset declaration penalties: Three months’ salary forfeited by officials who missed the initial deadline for asset declaration
Collections are not yet finished. Appointees who missed the asset declaration deadline remain subject to further deductions, and those proceeds will also go to the Fund.
“We will still be collecting more money,” Nana Oye Bampoe Addo said.
The Fund’s Ambition and Challenges
The Ghana Medical Trust Fund requires approximately three billion Ghana cedis annually over its first three years to achieve its goals. It is currently operating as a pilot phase to help the government assess its long-term financial sustainability.
The Fund currently receives 20% of the National Health Insurance Levy, with additional support coming from donor groups, corporate institutions, organisations, and private individuals. The Administrator of the Fund, Adjoa Obuobia Darko-Opoku, has stated that the Fund has decided to begin by focusing on cancer treatment, with plans to gradually expand coverage based on lessons learned from the pilot phase.
A Life Saved Already
The Deputy Chief of Staff said the fund had already changed at least one life, referring to a beneficiary she identified as Ms. Kobba. “President has turned tears of sadness into tears of joy and gratitude and has saved a life,” she said.
She added: “Every Cedi transferred will reach someone in desperate need. It will fund a cancer patient’s next round of chemotherapy. It will pay for a dialysis session for someone whose family has run out of options”.
Ghana News
Police Arrest Suspect in UCC Student Murder, Mahama Accepts Sophia Akuffo’s Resignation, and Other Big Stories in Ghana Today
Happy Tuesday! Check out the big stories dominating Ghana’s news cycle today. Stay informed.
Police Arrest 39-Year-Old Suspect in Murder of UCC Student Innocentia Avinu
The Ghana Police Service has arrested a 39-year-old man, Michael Mensah, in connection with the murder of University of Cape Coast (UCC) Level 200 student Innocentia Atsufui Avinu. The suspect, who claims to be a teacher but also works as a driver, was apprehended on June 15, 2026, at the Pedu Lorry Station in Cape Coast through intelligence-led operations by the Inspector-General of Police’s Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team.
Preliminary investigations indicate that Mensah allegedly picked up the deceased from the Ayensu Plaza hostel area on June 11 around 6:48 p.m. and transported her to Hutchland Beach, where she was last seen alive before her body was discovered. Investigations are ongoing, and the police have assured the public of further updates. Read the full story here
COCOBOD Defends Unprecedented Cocoa Price Intervention to Save the Sector
COCOBOD has strongly defended the government’s decision to intervene in cocoa producer prices this season, describing it as a necessary measure to protect farmers and safeguard the industry’s contribution to Ghana’s GDP. Head of Public Affairs Jerome Sam explained that the mid-season price adjustment in February deviated from the usual practice due to challenging global market developments that began last year.
Sam emphasised that without intervention, prices would have fallen further in line with international trends, as seen in neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire. The decision prioritised farmers’ income and livelihoods while ensuring long-term sector sustainability. Read the full story here
President Mahama Accepts Sophia Akuffo’s Resignation from Council of State
President John Dramani Mahama has formally accepted the resignation of former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo from the Council of State. Akuffo submitted her resignation letter in September 2025, with the process delayed at the request of the Council to engage her on any underlying concerns.
Minister of State Felix Kwakye Ofosu confirmed that engagements did not change her decision, leading to acceptance of the resignation. The government has initiated the constitutional process to appoint a replacement. Read the full story here
IEA and Global Info Analytics Release Conflicting Reports on Mahama’s Performance
Two major polling organisations have released sharply contrasting assessments of President John Dramani Mahama’s performance 18 months into his term. The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) reported a decline in approval to 58.9% in its May 2026 survey (down from 68% previously), while Global Info Analytics recorded a rise to 71%.
The divergent findings have sparked intense debate on social media, with public opinion split amid concerns over the cost of living, power supply, and economic conditions. Read the full story here
Ghanaian Master’s Students in UK to Picket Over Unpaid Scholarship Fees
Six Ghanaian master’s students at Loughborough University plan to protest at the Ghana High Commission in London on June 16, 2026, over nearly two years of unpaid tuition fees and stipends by the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat. The students, who commenced studies in September 2024, say outstanding payments total GHC3.42 million, risking their ability to graduate on July 7.
Despite repeated assurances, no payments have been made for tuition or living stipends, leading to withheld graduation documents. The students say they have exhausted other avenues. Read the full story here
Ablakwa: Government Exploring All Channels to Secure Thomas Partey’s Canada Visa
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has stated that the government is using all diplomatic channels to resolve the visa denial for Black Stars midfielder Thomas Partey ahead of Ghana’s 2026 FIFA World Cup opener against Panama. Canada refused the visa due to ongoing rape charges in the UK, where Partey has pleaded not guilty.
Ablakwa described the decision as “high-handed” and unfair, arguing it violates the presumption of innocence. Discussions have been held with Canadian officials, and further administrative and legal options are being pursued. Read the full story here
Military Deployed to Bawku SHS After Student Riot Over Exam Malpractice Crackdown
Military personnel have been deployed to Bawku Senior High School in the Upper East Region following a violent student riot that caused extensive damage to school property and resulted in the assault of teachers. The disturbance erupted around 1:00 a.m. on June 15 after authorities prevented final-year students from engaging in examination malpractice.
One teacher was allegedly kidnapped and another injured and referred to Bolgatanga for treatment. The military was brought in to restore calm and prevent further escalation. Investigations are ongoing. Read the full story here
Bole SHS Teacher Under Investigation Over Alleged Sexual Misconduct with Final-Year Student
Authorities at Bole Senior High School (Bole SHS) in the Savannah Region have launched an internal investigation into a science tutor accused of engaging in inappropriate sexual conduct with a final-year student. The probe was triggered after a video allegedly showing the two individuals in one of the school’s science laboratories surfaced and began circulating widely on social media, causing shock and widespread discussion within the school and the Bole community.
School authorities have initiated formal processes to establish the facts of the case, with a committee scheduled to meet the teacher on Monday, June 15, 2026. Neither the school nor relevant education officials had issued a public comment on the matter at the time of reporting. The incident adds to ongoing national concerns about teacher-student misconduct in Ghanaian schools. Read the full story here
Tuesday, June 16, 2026. Stay informed with today’s front pages of Ghanaian newspapers, all in one place.
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GH₵6.1 Million and Counting: Mahama and His Appointees Donate Six Months’ Salary to Ghana’s Healthcare Fund
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Ghana News8 hours agoPolice Arrest Suspect in UCC Student Murder, Mahama Accepts Sophia Akuffo’s Resignation, and Other Big Stories in Ghana Today
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