Author: johnmahama

The National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) is one of Ghana’s most celebrated academic competitions, drawing nationwide attention as top senior high schools compete for the coveted trophy. It has become a source of pride, excitement, and rivalry among schools, alumni, and students. However, while the NSMQ promotes academic excellence, many argue that it places too much emphasis on rote memorization rather than practical scientific application. Is the NSMQ a misplaced priority, or does it need reforms to make it more practical and beneficial to national development? The Significance of the NSMQThe NSMQ, launched in 1993, was designed to encourage…

Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Johnson Asiamah, has called for urgent need to reduce the high levels of non-performing loans (NPLs) in the banking sector, stressing that the issue is a major challenge to financial stability. Speaking on financial sector reforms during the National Economic Dialogue 2025, Dr. Asiamah noted that while the Financial Sector Strengthening Strategy under the fund program is ongoing, the alarming NPL figures remain a significant concern. “There is a local bank with an NPL ratio of about 81%, meaning for every 100 Ghana cedis lent, 81 cedis are not recovered. Another local bank…

The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts (MOTCCA), has officially launched the 2025 Heritage Month, a flagship initiative aimed at celebrating Ghana’s cultural heritage, promoting domestic tourism, and strengthening the creative arts industry.The launch event took place on Monday, March 3, 2025, at Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, bringing together key players in the tourism and hospitality sectors, including members of the Ghana Tourism Federation (GHATOF), the Ghana Hotels Association, industry leaders, and media representatives.Heritage Month, observed every March, highlights Ghana’s cultural wealth through festivals, traditional cuisine, arts, crafts, and music.…

Speaker Alban Bagbin during the sitting on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, took issue with the actions of some members of the House during proceedings on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.The Speaker expressed his displeasure over the conduct of some first-time Members of Parliament.“Honourable members, some of you are just a few days old in Parliament,” he said.However, before Speaker Bagbin could finish his statement, someone exclaimed, “It doesn’t matter.”This remark further infuriated the Speaker, who then challenged the individual to repeat it.“‘It doesn’t matter.’ I’m looking at you. Repeat what you said,” the Speaker fumed.He…

Armed men are raping and sexually assaulting children as young as one during Sudan’s civil war, says the UN children’s agency, Unicef. Mass sexual violence has been widely documented as a weapon of war in the country’s nearly two-year conflict. But Unicef’s report is the first detailed account about the impact of rape on young children in Sudan. A third of the victims were boys, who typically face “unique challenges” in reporting such crimes and seeking the help they need. Unicef says that, although 221 rape cases against children have been officially reported since the start of 2024, the true…

The recent assertion by the Minority NPP that “DUMSOR IS BACK” and that President Mahama did not fix it is not only misleading but also fails to acknowledge the significant efforts made by the Mahama administration to address Ghana’s power challenges. It is essential to provide a factual and balanced analysis of the power sector during President John Dramani Mahama’s first term and the subsequent Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration to understand their respective contributions to stabilizing power in Ghana.POWER CHALLENGES DURING MAHAMA’S ADMINISTRATIONDuring President Mahama’s first term, Ghana faced severe power outages, commonly known as “DUMSOR.” The situation was dire, with frequent…

The Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Dr. Johnson Asiamah, says that Treasury bill (T-bill) rates are on a downward trajectory, signaling a positive development for the economy. However, he cautioned that the country must be vigilant, as this could exert pressure on the cedi if not carefully managed. He said this at the 2025 National Economic Dialogue on Tuesday, March 4, on the need for coordination between the central bank and fiscal authorities. Dr. Asiamah stressed that while declining T-bill rates are beneficial, they could trigger a rise in exchange rate volatility if not properly balanced. “Currently, T-bill…

IntroductionThe Makaranta school system, which provides Islamic education to Muslim children in Ghana, plays a vital role in preserving Islamic values, teachings, and culture. However, the absence of a standardized national curriculum, regulatory framework, and oversight has led to significant challenges, including inconsistent academic standards, high dropout rates, and limited proficiency in Arabic among graduates. This proposal outlines the need for a unified national curriculum and a regulatory body to address these issues and elevate the quality of Islamic education in Ghana. Key Challenges in the Current Makaranta System Lack of a Standardized Curriculum: The absence of a unified curriculum…

Caretakers of the Duasidan Monkey Sanctuary in the Dormaa Municipality of the Bono Region have called for investments into the sanctuary to boost eco-tourism in the municipality. They said the economic prospects of the sanctuary remained huge, saying investment in the habitat could fetch and widen the nation’s foreign exchange earnings.In an interview with the Ghana News Agency during a visit to the monkey sanctuary at Duasidan, a farming community, as the country marks the ‘Heritage Month’ Mr Kwabena Kumah, one of the caretakers of the creatures, regretted that despite the economic potential, successive governments had failed to develop the…

Mark Zuckerberg has sacked about 20 Meta employees after they leaked information to the media following the tech giant’s pivot towards US President Donald Trump.The firings come just weeks after comments made during internal meetings by Zuckerberg and other senior employees appeared in news reports.‘We tell employees when they join the company, and we offer periodic reminders that it is against our policies to leak internal information, no matter the intent,” a Meta spokesperson said, confirming the job losses.“We recently conducted an investigation that resulted in roughly 20 employees being terminated for sharing confidential information outside the company, and we…