Author: johnmahama

Staff of Zoomlion cleaning up a place Waste management firm Zoomlion Ghana Limited has stated that, contrary to what some media sources have claimed, the government did not cancel or terminate its contract with the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), which naturally ended in September 2024.In a statement released in response to a letter from the Office of the President dated June 11, 2025, Zoomlion stated that the Street Sweeping Program contract had ended after being extended by six months past its initial expiration date of March 2024.“The contract has therefore reached its natural conclusion and expired. Contrary to claims in…

– Source:Africa’s urban future will be shaped not only by large cities and capitals but also by its many small and medium-sized towns. Large capital cities are no longer the hotspots of rapid urban growth. According to the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN Habitat), small and medium-sized towns are growing faster than large cities. These smaller towns often start as rural settlements. Despite their rapid growth, many small towns lack infrastructure and planning capacity, leaving them vulnerable to environmental risks. Ghana offers a telling example. While the spotlight is often on the rapid growth of the two major cities,…

An independent Western Sahara run by the Polisario Front would likely turn into another source of regional insecurity. You would be forgiven for forgetting Western Sahara, a territory on the west coast of North Africa with a population of 600,000. However, it’s a place worth remembering and one undergoing a transition that will have an impact far beyond its borders. Western Sahara was once a Spanish colony, but it was less decolonised than abandoned and then annexed by Morocco in 1975. After that, plans for referenda on self-determination never quite came to fruition. Whatever your position on national independence in…

A former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Frederick Worsemao Armah Blay, has defended the legacy of former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.Mr. Ofori-Atta served as Ghana’s Finance Minister from 2017 until his reassignment as a Presidential Envoy in early 2024. He was replaced in that role by Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam.His tenure was marked by a deepening economic crisis, which led to widespread calls for his dismissal over allegations of economic mismanagement—a call that was resisted by then-President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, his cousin.However, Mr. Blay maintains that the former Minister gave his all to the country, despite…

The Director of Early Childhood and Care Education at the Ghana Education Service (GES), Madam Adiza Tassa, has urged BECE supervisors and invigilators to uphold honesty and integrity as the 2025 examination continues across the country. She made the call during a tour of examination centres in the Atebubu-Amantin Municipality of the Bono East Region. During her visit to various centres in Atebubu, Madam Tassa engaged candidates, supervisors, and invigilators, urging them to avoid any actions that could compromise the integrity of the examination. She also advised candidates to resist the temptation of engaging in examination malpractices, encouraging them to…

– Source:Independent art spaces are collectives of artists (and others) who club together to set up a communal space – often in former industrial sites and more affordable parts of the city – to further their practice. These spaces are DIY art institutions, if you like, that operate largely under the radar. In art world lingo, “offspaces”. Designed for purpose over profit, they encourage experimental work and creative risk-taking. They also favour art in public space, which provides an intriguing lens on the city. My Africa-wide research took me to five such spaces, each at least 10 years old, so…

The government failed to meet its treasury bills target for the third consecutive week. According to the auction results by the Bank of Ghana, the government missed the target narrowly by 4.38%. The Treasury got GH¢7.22 billion as against a target of GH¢7.588 billion. The chunk of the bids came from the 91-day bill, with investors offering GH¢6.025 billion. This represented 83.3% of the total bids. For the 182-day bill, investors tendered in only GH¢ 995.27 million. All the bids were accepted. A little over GH¢204 million of the bids came from the 364-day bill. The treasury, however, accepted GH¢173.40…

The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has expressed deep sorrow over the tragic canoe accident that claimed the lives of seven students from the Lawra Senior High School in the Upper West Region.The incident occurred on the morning of Saturday, June 14, when ten members of the school’s cadet corps reportedly attempted to cross the Black Volta River near Dikpe during a routine jogging exercise.Their canoe is said to have capsized midstream, resulting in the loss of seven lives.Three other students were rescued and are currently receiving medical care.In a statement dated June 15 and signed by the NUGS…

Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin is the Minority leader The Minority Caucus in Ghana’s Parliament has strongly condemned the government’s last-minute decision to indefinitely postpone the implementation of the Energy Sector Levies (Amendment) Act, 2025, dubbed the “Dumsor Levy.”In a scathing statement, the Caucus accused the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) government of “fundamental incompetence and hypocrisy.”“This postponement exposes a government unprepared and unwilling to consult stakeholders before rushing into legislation,” the Minority declared.“They criticised the levy as an unnecessary burden on Ghanaians already struggling with high living costs, warning that it would worsen transportation and food prices.The Caucus also rejected the…

President John Dramani Mahama has announced two major educational initiatives aimed at equipping young people in the Savannah Region with practical skills and modern training opportunities. Speaking during his “Thank You” tour in Damongo, Mr Mahma revealed plans to establish a STEM Senior High School in Tinga, Bole District, and a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Centre of Excellence in Salaga. According to Mr Mahama the STEM school in Tinga would focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, providing a strong foundation for students in an increasingly knowledge-based economy. He noted that he had already instructed the Minister…