A compilation of leading stories from newsrooms in Ghana on December 9, 2025, show police-related controversies, religious litigation, family feuds, law enforcement operations, political rebuttals, and anti-corruption critiques.

Christian Council Urges Out-of-Court Settlement in Wesley Girls’ vs. Shafic Osman Hijab Dispute: The Christian Council of Ghana, led by General Secretary Rev. Dr. Cyril Fayose, is pushing for an amicable resolution to the lawsuit filed by lawyer Shafic Osman against Wesley Girls’ High School in December 2024, alleging religious discrimination through bans on hijabs and Ramadan fasting for Muslim students, in violation of constitutional rights under Article 21. Fayose, appealing to Osman’s dual roles as an Islamic scholar and legal expert, emphasized that court rulings create divisions in sensitive faith matters and urged dialogue for national harmony. The case awaits Supreme Court hearing, with the school’s board granted 14 days from November 25 to respond; the Attorney-General’s office is defending the institution. Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu backed inclusive practices, while the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, via Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, voiced regret over the suit, citing a 2025 interfaith MOU on tolerance in religious schools and the need to preserve Wesley Girls’ Christian ethos amid ongoing debates.

Asantehene Postpones Meeting on Daddy Lumba’s Funeral Amid Escalating Family Divisions: Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, delayed a scheduled December 8, 2025, mediation session with the family of the late highlife legend Daddy Lumba (Charles Kwadwo Fosu), rescheduling it to December 11 to address rifts over the planned December 13 funeral at Baba Yara Stadium. The gathering highlighted fractures: Abusuapanin Kofi Owusu, representing the royal Ekuona family of Parkoso, led one group to brief the king, while elder sister Ernestina Fosuh, alongside uncle Wofa Yaw Opoku and maternal grandaunt, headed the opposing faction. Disputes center on widowhood rites, event organization, and unauthorized withdrawals from a memorial fund, prompting Ernestina’s group to sue for an injunction, with the first hearing aligning with the rescheduled meeting. Post-session reactions were polarized—Ernestina’s side expressed satisfaction, while Abusuapanin and widow Faustina Marfo appeared frustrated—stirring public discourse on traditional protocols versus modern family dynamics in celebrity farewells.

American Woman in Ghana for Detty December Claims She Was Kidnapped and Robbed by Police — But Many Ghanaians Say Her Story Doesn’t Add Up: U.S. content creator Ari Mackey, a TikTok influencer with over 34,000 followers who arrived in Accra via a brand-sponsored trip, alleged on December 6 that three masked police officers stopped her Uber at a checkpoint, inspected her belongings, seized cash and devices, and forced her into their vehicle—complete with covered license plates—to an ATM for extortion. In a viral video warning tourists not to “look rich” or challenge officers, she described the ordeal as terrifying amid Detty December festivities. However, Ghanaians online have dismissed the account as implausible, citing inconsistencies like masked officers without badges, which contradict standard Ghana Police protocols; comments include “Ghana police will not kidnap you—they’ll just ask for a tip” and “This isn’t the Ghana police; plates aren’t covered like that.” Speculation points to imposters, with no official response from authorities yet, fueling social media debates and calls for verification.
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Police Arrest Three Suspected Kidnappers After Fierce Gun Battle in Northern Region: The Northern Regional Police Command apprehended three members of a kidnapping syndicate—Haruna Seidu, Amidu Bandi, and Osman Bandi—on December 6 in Bokpaba along the Bimbilla-Yendi road following an intelligence-led operation. The group had abducted a 42-year-old man from Wapuli in Yendi District, demanding GH¢100,000 in ransom. A five-member team from the Regional Police Intelligence Directorate tracked the suspects, engaging them in an intense exchange of gunfire on December 5. The victim was rescued unharmed, while the fourth suspect escaped with gunshot injuries. Authorities recovered weapons and are urging residents in affected areas to report suspicious activities to facilitate the fugitive’s capture. The arrested trio remains in custody pending court arraignment.

Bawumia’s Aide Counters Kufuor: Not All Went Well Under His Regime: Ellen Ama Daaku, aide to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, rebuked former President John Agyekum Kufuor for critiquing the Akufo-Addo administration’s policies during an appearance on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana on December 9. Daaku argued that no leader is infallible, noting Kufuor’s own tenure had shortcomings despite its developmental strides, and insisted Akufo-Addo’s record should stand on its merits. Kufuor, on The Delay Show, had lambasted decisions like the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme, National Cathedral project, and Power Distribution Services deal, claiming they contributed to the NPP’s 2024 election loss and that he was sidelined in consultations. Daaku urged evaluating each presidency independently, amid ongoing NPP introspection.

Sam Okudzeto Declares OSP a Failure, Slams Ghana’s Anti-Corruption Model: Veteran lawyer and former Ghana Bar Association President Sam Okudzeto lambasted the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) as ineffective on JoyNews’ PM Express on December 8, asserting it has done little to deter rampant corruption, evidenced by persistent bribe demands across sectors. He decried the OSP’s establishment as redundant, given the Attorney-General’s Department—via the Director of Public Prosecutions—already holds prosecutorial powers over all crimes, including graft. Okudzeto advocated dissolving the OSP in favor of bolstering the AG’s office, warning against personality-driven institutions that risk collapse upon leadership changes. He highlighted the OSP’s lack of institutional depth, positioning it as a flawed experiment in Ghana’s fight against endemic corruption.

Ace Ankomah Proposes Merging OSP, DPP, and EOCO for Independent Prosecutions: Legal expert Ace Anan Ankomah urged the fusion of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) into a unified, autonomous body on Channel One TV on December 8. He argued the current framework, tethered to the Attorney-General under constitutional Articles 88(3) and (4), lacks the expertise to tackle sophisticated corruption cases, often undermined by robust defenses. The OSP Act underscores these deficiencies, per Ankomah, who envisions the merger leveraging OSP’s focus, DPP’s stability, and EOCO’s investigations to form an impartial entity free from political sway. This reform, he contended, is essential to rebuild trust in prosecutions and combat economic crimes effectively.

Prof. Prempeh Warns OSP Faces Extinction Without Constitutional Overhaul: Executive Director of CDD-Ghana, Prof. Henry Kwasi Prempeh, cautioned that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) could vanish amid escalating disputes unless anchored in comprehensive constitutional reforms, as stated on Channel One TV’s The Point of View on December 8. He dismissed superficial fixes or court battles as inadequate, advocating a root-and-branch redesign inspired by global models to fortify the institution. Prempeh’s alert follows Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga’s push to abolish the OSP and revert duties to the underfunded Attorney-General’s Department, citing the OSP’s failure to deliver amid heavy investments. The discourse underscores broader calls to refine Ghana’s anti-corruption architecture for sustainability.

FDA Intensifies Market Raids to Combat Counterfeit and Expired Goods: The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has escalated surveillance operations across markets to eliminate fake and expired products posing health risks, as part of a renewed crackdown announced on December 9. While specific details on recent seizures remain limited, the initiative targets unregulated vendors in major urban centers, emphasizing consumer safety through spot checks and public awareness drives. Officials reiterated the agency’s commitment to stringent enforcement, warning traders of severe penalties for non-compliance and urging citizens to verify product authenticity. This uptick in activity aligns with rising concerns over substandard imports affecting public health nationwide.

Headlines from the print media