Major news outlets in Ghana are reporting a mix of crime and security developments, government infrastructure goals, policy debates, and national tragedies today, December 27, 2025.

These stories paint a picture of continuing efforts to ensure safety during the festive season, strengthen democratic processes, expand essential services like electricity, and mourn prominent figures in the media sector. Below are concise summaries of each major report.

1. ECOWAS to Eliminate Air Ticket Taxes from 2026

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has approved a measure to abolish air ticket taxes and reduce passenger and security charges by 25% starting 1 January 2026. The reform aims to make flights cheaper across West Africa, stimulate travel demand, boost tourism and enhance regional integration.

2. Constitution Review Chair Defends Youth Inclusion

Prof Henry Kwasi Prempeh, Chair of Ghana’s Constitution Review Committee, pushed back against fears about “young presidents,” stating that lowering age barriers in leadership debates should not be feared. He emphasised that democratic choices should rest with voters and that historical constitutional arrangements have allowed younger leadership roles in the past.

3. Greater Accra Leads in Gun Amnesty Surrenders

Under the ongoing Gun Amnesty Programme, the Greater Accra Region has seen the highest number of surrendered illegal firearms. The initiative, running until January 15, 2026, allows citizens to voluntarily turn in unregistered weapons without fear of arrest, reinforcing peace and public safety.

4. Police Christmas Operation Nets 101 Arrests

Greater Accra police reported the arrest of 101 suspects during intensified Christmas peace enforcement operations at key locations such as Kwame Nkrumah Circle and East Legon. These operations aim to reduce crime and maintain safety during the festive period.

5. Arrests in Ho Central Mosque Shooting Case

Police in the Volta Region have arrested 10 suspects in connection with a shooting incident at the Ho Central Mosque that injured worshippers. Investigations are ongoing to unravel the circumstances and apprehend other potential suspects.

6. 27 Arrested in Savannah Region Drug Operations

The Savannah Regional Police Command arrested 27 people in Salaga, Damongo, Buipe and Bole for drug-related offences during a special Christmas anti-crime operation, reflecting heightened security enforcement across regions.

7. Government Targets 99.9% Electricity Access by 2030

The Ghanaian government reaffirmed its plan to achieve nearly universal electricity access — 99.9% by 2030. The initiative includes recent grid extensions to underserved areas like Awurahae and Sapor, seen as transformative for local livelihoods, education and business growth.

8. Pentecost Elder Fleeing After Alleged Murder

A Pentecost Church elder, Kwame Sarpong, is on the run after allegedly killing his wife, Abena Oforiwaah, in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region. Police have launched a manhunt as investigations continue.

9. Why Diaspora Investors Lose Money in Ghana

Many Ghanaians returning from the diaspora with business ideas suffer financial losses or end up leaving Ghana because they fail to understand local market dynamics and consumer behaviour before investing. Analysts point out that a lack of proper market research and adaptation to Ghana’s unique commercial environment often leads to unrealistic expectations and costly mistakes.

10. Real Cost of Living in Accra for Families

A detailed breakdown of living expenses in Accra shows the real costs of raising children, including housing, utilities, schools, transport and food shopping. High upfront rent payments, significant school fees for international curricula, and weekly shopping costs are major factors that families relocating to Ghana need to plan for.

11. Russian Billionaire Pavel Durov’s IVF Offer

Russian billionaire Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram, said he has over 100 biological children through sperm donation and is offering to fund IVF for women under 37 who want to use his sperm, framing it as a civic response to global infertility challenges. He also stated that children who can prove shared DNA may inherit part of his fortune, raising ethical debate worldwide.

12. GIBA Executive Secretary Gloria Kafui Hiadzi Dies

The Executive Secretary of the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), Gloria Kafui Hiadzi, has passed away after a short illness on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2025. She was widely respected for her contributions to Ghana’s media and broadcasting industry.

From renewed U.S.–Ghana talks on mining and student welfare to IMF assessments of Ghana’s economic outlook, and from currency movements to infrastructure investment and accountability concerns, today’s headlines capture key developments shaping policy, livelihoods and public discourse both at home and abroad.

U.S.–Ghana Engagement on Mining, Students and Diaspora Welfare

Senior officials from the U.S. Department of Commerce met Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Victor Emmanuel Smith, to discuss pressing issues affecting American investment and Ghanaian nationals in the U.S. talks focused on operational challenges in Ghana’s mining sector — particularly bottlenecks involving heavy equipment at ports — and concerns over the welfare of Ghanaian students in the United States. The meeting reaffirmed bilateral cooperation on trade, investment, infrastructure and diaspora protection.

Bank of Ghana to Exit Gold Trading; IMF Views

The Bank of Ghana (BoG) will exit the gold trading business effective January 2026 to refocus on its core mandate of inflation targeting and price stability. Senior officials clarified that this strategic shift is independent of International Monetary Fund (IMF) commentary suggesting potential BoG losses linked to gold trading.

IMF on Ghana’s Economy: Cautious Optimism Amid Risks

The IMF has described Ghana’s economic performance as “broadly satisfactory” but warns of downside risks, including external vulnerabilities and fiscal pressures. The Fund advises that any further easing of interest rates by the Bank of Ghana should be data-dependent and gradual, underscoring the importance of stable macroeconomic policy.

Japan Boosts Support for Ghana’s Rice Value Chain

Japan has stepped up its support for Ghana’s rice value chain through technical and development assistance as stakeholders work to enhance productivity and address ongoing sector challenges.

Cedi Expected to Rebound Against Dollar

Market analysts predict the Ghanaian cedi (GH¢) could strengthen in the next two weeks, with exchange bureaus quoting around GH¢12.40 to the U.S. dollar, indicating temporary stability in foreign exchange markets.

China Finances New University in Damongo

The Ghanaian government has secured a US$30 million Chinese grant to support the establishment of a new University of Science and Technology in Damongo, a key move to expand higher education infrastructure in northern Ghana.

Concerns Over Selective Justice in Anti-Corruption Efforts

Prof. Henry Kwasi Prempeh, Chairman of Ghana’s Constitutional Review Committee, has sounded the alarm that selective justice and political considerations in anti-corruption enforcement are eroding public trust in key institutions. He advocated for systemic reforms to strengthen credibility and fairness in prosecutions.

Breaking: Historical and Human Interest Headlines

• Sekou Nkrumah says his father’s actions contributed to the Bawku conflict for political gain, offering a rare and emotional reflection on a long-running chieftaincy dispute.
• President John Dramani Mahama has gifted a brand-new SUV to National Chief Imam Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, symbolising respect and interfaith unity during the festive season.
• Former NDC deputy Samuel Koku Anyidoho criticises Prof. Prempeh’s media engagements on constitutional reform.

Renowned U.S. civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump has praised President John Dramani Mahama for what he described as rare and necessary moral leadership on reparations, using Ghana’s position on the global stage to press for justice for Africa and its diaspora.

Speaking at the Diaspora Summit 2025 in Accra, Crump applauded Mahama’s recent address at the United Nations in New York, where the Ghanaian leader called for substantive reparations, including debt cancellation and the return of stolen resources, rather than symbolic gestures.

“President Mahama, your leadership has shown the world what moral leadership looks like,” Crump told the audience, drawing sustained applause. “By opening the doors of return and affirming that Africa’s future is inseparable from the fate of her dispersed children, Ghana is sending a message that echoes beyond the continent.”

Crump said Ghana’s posture on reparations demonstrates that reconciliation without repair is incomplete, and that justice requires courage as much as historical truth. He described Mahama’s public engagement on the issue as a signal that Africa is no longer waiting for acknowledgment, but demanding accountability.

From that foundation, Crump broadened his message to the global African diaspora, rejecting narratives that portray descendants of enslaved Africans as disconnected from the continent.

“The African diaspora did not lose Africa. We were taken from Africa — but Africa never left us,” he said, echoing the Pan-African vision of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

Drawing on his experience representing the families of Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, Crump linked contemporary racial injustice to the enduring legacy of slavery and colonialism. He said reparative justice is not an abstract idea but a lived reality for millions across the diaspora who continue to bear the economic and social consequences of historic exploitation.

“For us, reparations are not charity,” Crump said. “They are a moral and legal obligation for stolen labour, stolen land, stolen resources, stolen lives, and stolen futures.”

He urged Africans and the diaspora to organize collectively rather than wait for justice to be granted, warning that symbolic recognition without material repair would only perpetuate inequality. According to Crump, the same legal resolve used to win accountability in landmark civil rights cases must now be applied globally.

“Just as we made winning legal arguments for Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, we are prepared to make winning legal arguments for Africa and all of the diaspora,” he declared.

Crump closed by calling the Accra summit a potential turning point in relations between Africa and its dispersed descendants — one not defined by history’s wounds, but by shared purpose and collective action.

“Not asking for recognition,” he said, “but demanding repair.”