We are bringing you timely updates of the big stories dominating the news cycle in Ghana today to keep you informed. Happy Friday!

Mahama Begins Four-Day State Visit to Belarus, Eyes Stronger Economic and Agricultural Ties
President John Dramani Mahama has embarked on a four-day state visit to the Republic of Belarus, invited by President Aleksandr Grigorievich Lukashenko. The visit, which started on Friday, June 5, 2026, aims to deepen diplomatic relations and expand cooperation in agriculture, education, and commerce. High-level bilateral discussions in Minsk are expected to result in the signing of at least four landmark agreements. Mahama will also tour a major dairy processing facility in Brest to explore agro-processing partnerships and visit cultural sites like the Brest Hero Fortress Memorial and Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park. He is scheduled to return to Accra on Tuesday, June 9.

The initiative aligns with Ghana’s goals for industrialization and food security through knowledge transfer and technical collaboration with Belarus. This visit underscores efforts to forge new economic frontiers while honoring historical and environmental ties. Read the full story here

Government Eyes Mandatory Photo ID Checks for Pornographic Websites
Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George has revealed that the government is preparing a policy requiring users to verify identity with a driver’s license or national ID card before accessing pornographic websites. The measure, slated for Cabinet consideration, seeks to shield children from explicit content and its potential negative impacts on development, values, and morality. George cited the UK’s similar age-verification system as a model and linked the proposal to broader child protection efforts, including support for the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill.

He stressed preserving African family values against early oversexualization. The announcement came during the 4th African Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family, Sovereignty and Values. Read the full story here

Ghanaians Feel Shortchanged Over Gold Fields Mining Lease Renewal
Policy analyst Dr. Steve Manteaw has explained the growing public backlash against the renewal of Gold Fields’ Tarkwa mining lease, attributing it to widespread perceptions that Ghana is not deriving sufficient value from its mineral resources. Many citizens believe the country retains only a small share of benefits despite its rich endowments, fueling demands for greater local participation and indigenization of the sector.

Manteaw supports increased Ghanaian stakes but cautions against sentiment-driven decisions, advocating for strategic planning modeled on successful global examples like Botswana’s diamond partnerships. He warns that hasty transfers without adequate capacity could harm production. Read the full story here

FBI Provides Major Update on Abu Trica Romance Scam Case
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation has updated on the case of Ghanaian socialite Frederick Kumi, known as Abu Trica, listing it among consumer fraud investigations. The ring, involving at least five Ghanaians, allegedly defrauded over 130 American victims of more than $15 million through romance scams using AI-driven tactics. Three suspects were detained in the US this week, while Abu Trica and another await extradition from Ghana. Assets seized, including luxury vehicles, are valued at over $3 million.

The FBI praised collaboration with Ghanaian agencies like EOCO and the Ghana Police Service. The operation spanned dating sites and social media, with funds laundered internationally. Read the full story here

Ghanaian Sentenced to 17 Years in US Prison for $38 Million Fraud
Kelvin Owusu Nkwantabisa, a Ghanaian-American, has been sentenced to 17 years in a US federal prison for leading a Business Email Compromise scheme that stole over $38 million. The transnational network impersonated business partners to divert payments, laundering proceeds through shell companies and fraudulent accounts. Other members received sentences ranging from three to over 11 years.

US prosecutors highlighted the sophisticated use of compromised emails and international coordination. The case serves as a warning against cyber-enabled financial crimes. Read the full story here

Foh-Amoaning Warns Against Human Rights Arguments on Anti-LGBTQ Issues
Moses Foh-Amoaning, Executive Secretary of the National Coalition for the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, has urged African legislators not to be deceived by human rights claims supporting LGBTQ+ advocacy. Speaking at the 4th Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family, Sovereignty and Values, he described such arguments as deceptive and not rooted in international law, asserting that LGBTQ rights were implied and imposed rather than formally established.

He called for resistance to external pressures to protect family values and national sovereignty. Read the full story here

ECG Announces Power Outages and Maintenance Affecting Multiple Areas
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has outlined power supply disruptions due to faults and planned maintenance. Affected areas include parts of Tema, Accra East, and Accra West regions from network issues and a broken high-tension pole. On Friday, June 5, planned maintenance from 9:00am to 5:00pm will impact Agbogba Junction, Wisconsin University, and parts of North Legon, with additional emergency works affecting numerous communities in other districts.

ECG urged customers to prepare alternatives and report hazards, assuring efforts to restore supply promptly. Read the full story here

The owner of a building that collapsed in the Adenta area, killing one person and injuring four others, will be arrested after allegedly ignoring prior warnings that the structure’s pillars were too weak to support an additional floor, a local government official has said.

Ibrahim Faila Fuseini, Municipal Chief Executive for La Nkwantana-Madina, told ChannelOne TV that the developer had been explicitly warned not to continue with the project.

“The developer had been warned not to continue with the project because the building’s pillars were not strong enough to support an additional floor,” Fuseini said.

The collapse occurred on or shortly before June 4, 2026. One person was killed and four others sustained injuries. The injured were transported to two medical facilities: one victim was taken to the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC), while three others were admitted to the 37 Military Hospital.

Site Declared Security Zone

Following the collapse, personnel from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) conducted an evacuation of the site, according to Dennis Nartey, a NADMO director who spoke to ChannelOne TV.

“Yesterday we did the evacuation, and this morning we invited the Ghana Institute of Engineers to assist with the structural integrity of this building,” Nartey said.

He added that based on the engineers’ findings, authorities have concluded that the structure was weak.

“A building can never collapse if structurally it is strong. So we deduce that of course the structure may be weak,” Nartey stated.

The site has since been declared a security zone, preventing anyone from entering to retrieve belongings.

“For now we have declared this place a security zone so that nobody can get inside to take belongings that do not belong to him,” Nartey said.

Debris Removal Pending

Nartey also told reporters that all trapped individuals were rescued on the day of the collapse.

“Everyone was rescued yesterday and they are safe this morning,” he said, adding that authorities had visited the hospitals to check on the injured. “Everybody is safe except the one life that was lost.”

Debris removal is expected to begin within two to three hours of the engineers completing their assessment. The operation is awaiting the arrival of an excavator and other machinery.

“Once the engineers have certified that they are okay with the information they’ve picked on the ground concerning the collapse, we can go ahead to do the collection,” Nartey explained.

Arrest and Investigation

The Municipal Chief Executive confirmed that the building owner faces arrest. Police have not yet released the owner’s identity or specified the exact charges.

The Ghana Institute of Engineers has been invited to conduct a full structural integrity assessment, the results of which are expected to inform both the debris clearance operation and any potential legal proceedings against the developer.

No additional details about the deceased victim or the four injured persons have been released by authorities.

ADUBINSU, Ghana – Two people have been killed after a fuel tanker lost control, somersaulted, and exploded in the early hours of Thursday, June 4, 2026, in the Afigya Kwabre South District of the Ashanti Region, authorities said.

The explosion, which occurred at Adubinsu, sparked a massive fire that destroyed six container shops and a nearby house, according to an eyewitness account.

The tanker was travelling from Edwenase toward Adubinsu when the driver allegedly experienced brake failure, causing him to lose control of the vehicle, eyewitness Daniel Owusu told local reporters.

The vehicle reportedly somersaulted before bursting into flames, trapping the driver and his mate inside the burning wreckage.

Victims and Emergency Response

The mate of the vehicle was rushed to the Tafo Government Hospital but was later pronounced dead, Owusu said. The driver died at the scene. The identities of both victims have not yet been released by authorities.

Personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service and the Ghana Police Service were deployed to the scene to bring the situation under control. Firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze and prevent it from spreading to additional structures in the densely populated area.

The fire had already consumed six container shops — often used as small retail or storage units — and a residential house before emergency crews arrived.

Ongoing Investigation

Police have launched an investigation into the incident. Officials have not yet confirmed whether the tanker was carrying petrol, diesel, or another type of fuel, though the intensity of the explosion suggests a highly volatile product.

Brake failure remains the suspected primary cause, but investigators are expected to examine the vehicle’s wreckage for mechanical defects, as well as whether speed or road conditions contributed to the crash.

A Deadly Pattern

Fuel tanker explosions are a recurring tragedy on Ghana’s roads, often resulting in high death tolls due to the volatility of the cargo and the tendency for crowds to gather at accident scenes. In previous incidents, bystanders attempting to scoop fuel from ruptured tankers have been caught in subsequent blasts.

It remains unclear whether any bystanders were injured in Thursday’s explosion. Authorities have not released a full casualty count beyond the two confirmed deaths.

The Adubinsu incident adds to a grim toll of road accidents in the Ashanti Region, which consistently records some of Ghana’s highest rates of traffic-related fatalities due to a combination of poor road conditions, vehicle maintenance issues, and driver fatigue.

Call for Stricter Enforcement

Safety advocates have repeatedly called for stricter enforcement of vehicle roadworthiness standards, particularly for heavy-duty trucks and fuel transporters. Brake failure — a leading cause of such accidents — is often traced to inadequate maintenance or overloaded vehicles.

The Ghana National Fire Service has urged motorists and residents to maintain a safe distance from any accident involving a fuel tanker and to avoid attempting to collect spilled fuel.

Police have appealed to the public for any information that may assist in identifying the victims and determining the full circumstances of the crash.