Kofi Ahovi

 The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has warned that all small-scale mining licence holders who fail to prove their legitimacy by 5 pm on 1st September 2025 will have their licences permanently revoked. The directive from the Minister follows a review of licences conducted by a special committee tasked with auditing existing small-scale mining licenses. In the rigorous exercise, a total of 1,278 licenses were reviewed, out of which 316 were found to be clear of any irregularities. The remaining 962, however, were fraught with various irregularities, out of which 55 were revoked earlier this year. Following a plea for extension of the initial deadline by the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners (GNASSM), the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources obliged and extended the deadline to the end of August 2025. With the expiration of the ultimatum drawing close, the Minister has indicated that all licences that remain defective by 5 pm on...

  The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Commission, Victoria Emeafa Hardcastle, has announced that the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) will commence drilling in the Voltain Basin petroleum block by the first quarter of 2026. The move is expected to boost Ghana’s petroleum resource base and enhance the country’s attractiveness to global investors. Madam Hardcastle disclosed during a working visit to Zeal Environmental Technologies, a local petroleum service provider, at its Nyankrom plant in the Shama District of the Western Region on Friday, 29. She explained that the Petroleum Commission is repositioning Ghana as a competitive investment hub for supermajors in the oil and gas industry while supporting GNPC to begin work on the Voltain Basin. She challenged indigenous service companies like Zeal to prepare adequately to play a greater role in the petroleum value chain, stressing the need for Ghana to maximise the benefits from the upcoming drilling. The Pe...

 The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has officially classified digital credit services as a non-bank financial service. The move which creates a new licensing category under the first schedule of the Non-Bank Financial Institutions Act, 2008 (Act 774) seeks to broaden financial access, deepen financial inclusion and expand regulated credit options for individuals and businesses. However, the Central Bank stressed that this announcement does not grant automatic authorisation or licensing to existing operators in the digital credit space. Instead, it will soon issue a directive outlining licensing requirements and compliance obligations for digital lenders. The Bank of Ghana will in due course, issue a directive to lay out the licensing requirements for the provision of digital credit services. All stakeholders are advised to take note”, the Bank said in a statement on Friday, August 29, 2025. The move is a major step as more Ghanaians turn to digital platforms for lending.

 The W.E.B. Du Bois Museum Foundation hosted a solemn yet inspiring commemoration to mark the 62nd anniversary of the passing of Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois. Under the theme “Du Bois Lives On: The Journey Ahead,” the event brought together dignitaries, scholars, diplomats, and members of the Du Bois family to honor the life and enduring legacy of one of the world’s greatest intellectuals and Pan-Africanists. The keynote address, delivered by the Deputy Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts, Yussif Issaka Jajah, on behalf of his Minister, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, hailed Du Bois as “a towering intellectual, a freedom fighter, and a cultural icon.” He further underscored the government’s resolve to advance the redevelopment of the Centre as a lasting tribute to Du Bois’s legacy. He noted:“The theme of this anniversary, ‘Du Bois Lives On: The Journey Ahead,’ reminds us that Du Bois’ enduring vision of unity, equality, and human dignity remains as urgent and relevant today as it was in hi...

 MTN Ghana yesterday hosted another edition of Bright Conversations , a thought leadership session aimed at engaging stakeholders on MTN Ghana operations. This session featured the Board Chairman of the MTN Ghana Foundation, Prof Franklyn Manu. Speaking at the event, Prof. Franklyn Manu, applauded MTN Ghana’s leadership for their consistent commitment to investing in the Foundation’s initiatives. He noted that this continued support has been a great source of inspiration for him throughout his years of service to the Foundation. Prof. Manu emphasised that the Foundation remains deeply concerned about the future of young people in Ghana and continues to prioritise opportunities that will help them succeed. He advised the youth to focus on remaining honest and working hard as they strive towards their aspirations. The interactive session was attended by members of the media and some beneficiaries and partners of the MTN Ghana Foundation, who shared testimonies about their experiences...

  On June 25th, 2025, ENLACE Education Service was honored to partner with INSPIRE ALSWEL FOUNDATION at the prestigious Young Advocates Training Program held at the AfCFTA Secretariat (Africa Trade House) in Accra, Ghana. Under the powerful theme “Navigating Change: Youth as Catalysts for Social Transformation,” the event brought together young leaders, social entrepreneurs, and advocates committed to driving real impact across the continent. Strictly by invitation, this high-level convening provided a unique space for critical conversations, leadership development, and networking. As proud collaborators, the ENLACE team engaged with participants to share our international educational and cultural tour opportunities, highlighting how travel, learning, and cross-cultural immersion can equip youth with global perspectives and transformative skills. From our 10-day innovation-focused tours in China and Canada to reflective and sustainability-centered experiences in Australia and South...

 African fashion brand Woodin has launched its latest ready-to-wear collection, featuring 25 trendy styles that blend classic elegance with modern innovation. The collection, inspired by African heritage and Cubism, showcases a stunning fusion of geometric expression and cultural storytelling. The collection includes 15 versatile styles for men and 10 distinct designs for women, crafted to transition effortlessly from work to play. Each piece reflects strength, elegance, and individuality, empowering wearers to express themselves across diverse settings. With Woodin's new ready-to-wear collection, fashion becomes art as every outfit blends classic elegance with modern innovation. The brand's designs are thoughtfully created to reflect the multifaceted individual, capturing the essence of African heritage and modern artistry. As a Pan-African print brand made in Africa and for Africa, Woodin has worked since 1985 to connect global trends to modern African life, transforming ethn...

 Africa is set to add 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) of new refining capacity by 2030, marking one of the fastest downstream expansions globally, according to the newly released 2025 OPEC World Oil Outlook. This medium-term growth – led by landmark projects in Nigeria, Angola and Uganda – signals a turning point for the continent’s energy sovereignty and investment attractiveness. At the forefront of Africa’s refining expansion is Nigeria’s 650,000-bpd Dangote Refinery, which began operations in 2024 and is already reshaping regional fuel trade dynamics. Further developments include the 200,000-bpd Akwa Ibom Refinery, also in Nigeria, and Angola’s state-driven push to bring online the 200,000-bpd Lobito Refinery and 100,000-bpd Soyo Refinery by 2030. Uganda’s refining ambitions are taking shape with a 60,000-bpd facility in Hoima, part of the country’s broader Lake Albert basin development plan. Meanwhile, modular refinery projects in Ghana, Guinea-Conakry, the Republic of Congo...

 Fousseni Togola, President of the Chamber of Mines of Mali, will participate as a speaker at the upcoming African Mining Week (AMW) - Africa’s premier gathering for mining stakeholders. Togola will feature in the  Unlocking Value: Scaling Up Gold Refining and Processing in Africa  panel, where he is expected to highlight efforts by Mali to expand gold production and drive economic growth through local value addition. African Mining Week serves as a premier platform for exploring the full spectrum of mining opportunities across Africa.   The event is held alongside   the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2025 conference   from October 1-3 in Cape Town. As Africa’s second-largest gold producer, Mali is taking bold steps to sustain and grow its mining sector, collaborating with global investors on exploration, production maximization and infrastructure development. In July 2025, the country granted a permit for Canada’s B2Gold to begin undergrou...

  The African Development Bank  and Aerosense Inc have signed an agreement to advance cooperation and projects in drone technology in Africa. Aerosense Inc. is a leading Japanese company engaged in drone manufacturing. Representatives of both institutions signed a Letter of Intent on Thursday 21 August, on the sidelines of the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Yokohama, Japan. The agreement was signed by Solomon Quaynor, Vice President  for Private Sector, Infrastructure & Industrialization, AfDB and Kohtaro Sabe, President & CEO, Aerosense Inc. The agreement formalizes a relationship of mutual co-operation, assistance, information and knowledge sharing between the two institutions, exploring co-financing and deal opportunities and appropriate coordination of actions between them and their respective teams, specifically concerning the promotion of sustainable infrastructure solutions in Africa. Aerosense Inc.’s drone solution was selec...

  The Bank of Ghana has scaled back its size and frequency of foreign exchange intervention in the forex market. The Central Bank, during the second quarter of 2025, intervened heavily in the forex market (over US$2.0 billion), a situation that the International Monetary Fund expressed concern about and urged the regulator to proceed with caution. As of 29th July, 2025, the total foreign exchange forward sales in July 2025 stood at US$822.8 million, 53.6% lower than June 2025. The Bank of Ghana was absent from the market on 25th and 29th July 2025, the first absence since April. This resulted in a tighter forex supply with a cumulative US dollar Ghana cedi depreciation of 1.7% post-IMF Board approval. IC Research, a leading financial economic research said, “In view of the need to avert a protracted over-valued FX [foreign exchange] rate and close the arbitrage gap in the market, we expect the BOG [Bank of Ghana] to continue the gradual softening of its FX market presence”. It beli...

  The government missed its treasury bills target for the third consecutive week as investors continued to shift towards high-yielding instruments, such as fixed deposits. According to auction results by the Bank of Ghana, the government T-bills were undersubscribed by nearly 10%. The Treasury received GH¢5.817 billion of the bids tendered, but accepted GH¢5.754 billion. Once again, the majority of the bids came from the 91-day bill. About GH¢4.049 billion was tendered, representing 69.61% of the total bids. The uptake was GH¢4.029 billion. For the 182-day bill, GH¢1.337 billion of the bids were tendered. The bids accepted were estimated to the tune of GH¢1.327 billion. On the other hand, GH¢430.38 million was tendered for the 364-day bill. About GH¢397.82 million was accepted. Meanwhile, the yield on the 91-day bill and 182-day bill went up, whilst that of the 364-day bill declined marginally. The yield on the 3-month bill increased by 28 basis points to 10.41%. That of the 182-da...

Gold Fields Ghana will hand over the Damang mine to the government in April 2026, following the expiration of the one-year lease extension. The Group Chief Executive, Mike Fraser, disclosed this today, August 22, 2025, on a conference call with investors and Journalists on their half-year financial performance. Fraser said that “This is part of an agreement that we've reached with the Government of Ghana after a deal was reached to extend the lease by 12 months and smooth transition to Ghanaian ownership”. He also revealed that Gold Fields, under the deal, “will continue to manage the mine, but will, however work with a committee looking at how the mining life of Daming can be extended”. This arrangement was to ensure proper and safe transition of the mine to a new owner,” the Chief Executive of Gold Fields added. Asked whether Gold Fields was interested in acquiring the Damang mine, he noted that this is not on the table, because “we had a plan to move the mine to a new owner, bec...

 The Apex Body of Women In Poultry Value Chain (WIPVaC-Apex Ghana) has taken a significant step towards empowering women in the poultry industry with the disbursement of a GHS 100,000 revolving loan fund to Entrepreneurship Savings and Loans Groups (ESLGs) to increase their loan portfolio across seven regions in Ghana. The fund is provided by Peter Gilgan Foundation, a charitable organization in Canada, for the implementation of Women in Livestock Microenterprise Development (WILMED) project. The project is implemented by Veterinarians without Borders (VWB) Canada through WIPVaC -Apex Ghana to expand their businesses. The WILMED project is a one-year initiative designed to improve the health and economic security of women and girls in underserved communities. The approach is through an integrated One Health project that addresses animal health, human health and environmental health for food security. The project prioritizes support to vulnerable women, particularly those with limit...

The Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) has partnered with the Institute of Financial and Economic Journalists (IFEJ) to organize a training programme aimed at interpreting corporate disclosures and empowering financial journalists to tell powerful stories from corporate announcements. The programme, themed "Demystifying Corporate Disclosures: Telling Powerful Stories from Corporate Announcements," highlights the importance of transparent and timely communication in the capital market. The Director-General of the GSE, Frank Berle, in his opening remarks read on his behalf by the Head of Trading and Surveillance, Madam Harriet Bus-Moses, he emphasized the critical role of the media in nation-building through the capital markets. He commended media houses that published stories on dividend payments and the redemption of commercial papers, noting that these stories drive interest, market participation, and boost investor confidence. Corporate disclosures are not just numbers or statutory...

 The Association of Ghanaian Industries (AGI) has advised industries to diversify and deepen their supply chain to mitigate the impact of future currency shocks. According to Seth Twum-Akwaboah, President of AGI, industries should not rely on a single source of supply and should instead explore local sourcing options to reduce their exposure to foreign exchange risks. We need to also diversify our sources. Let's look at the supply chains. If you are a manufacturer and today, you are making some gains, don't forget that tomorrow, the cedi situation may be different," Twum-Akwaboah advised. Speaking at the Prudential Banks Special Customer seminar on Cedi appreciation in Accra, the AGI president noted that the current stability of the cedi presents an opportunity for industries to reinvest in technology and improve their competitiveness. This is the time to reinvest in technology. The situation like this will make you very competitive in the market," he added. Twum-Akwa...

  Prof. Godfred Bokpin has expressed concerns about the Bank of Ghana's interventions in the foreign exchange market, warning that significant central bank involvement can lead to price distortion. According to Prof. Bokpin, the central bank's footprint in the market should not be so significant that it dictates prices, as this can undermine the price discovery mechanism that is essential for a well-functioning financial market. Speaking on the sidelines at the Prudential Banks Special Customer seminar on Cedi appreciation in Accra, the professor emphasized that the Bank of Ghana's interventions should be limited to addressing volatility and maintaining stability in the market, rather than trying to control prices. He noted that the central bank's reserves are finite and that the economy's underlying fundamentals, such as government spending and import levels, will ultimately determine the pressure on the reserves. You only have a fixed level of reserves, and your e...

  QNET, a global wellness and lifestyle-focused direct selling company, has reaffirmed its commitment to fighting scams, misuse, and misrepresentation of its brand in Ghana and across West Africa. The company's Head of Compliance, Naana Quartey, emphasized QNET's dedication to protecting its reputation and individuals from fraudulent activities. Speaking during the 2025 QNET VCON Malaysia Webinar on Friday, August 15, QNET’s Head of Compliance, Naana Quartey said the company is investing heavily in compliance systems, community sensitization, and partnerships with law enforcement to tackle scams and misrepresentation. The company has launched initiatives such as "QNET Against Scam" and the "Say No Campaign" to educate the public and correct misinformation. Also, QNET engages with churches, communities, and civil society groups to promote awareness and understanding of its business model.  In addition, QNET works closely with security agencies, including the ...

The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has clarified that Ghanaian cocoa farmers are receiving the highest farmgate price in West Africa, contrary to recent reports suggesting otherwise. According to an August 2025 report by the Commodity Analysis Team, Ghana's official producer price stands at ₵3,228.75 per 64kg bag, equivalent to ₵51,660 per tonne or US$5,040.00/MT. This is significantly higher than Côte d'Ivoire's producer price of ₵2,553.38 per 64kg bag, equivalent to ₵40,854 per tonne or US$3,886/MT. The price difference translates to a price advantage of ₵675.38 per bag. Ghanaian farmers earn ₵51.65 (US$5.04) per kilo, while Ivorian farmers earn ₵40.85 (US$3.89) per kilo. For every 64kg bag, Ghanaian farmers take home US$315, compared to US$227 in Côte d'Ivoire. On a tonne basis, Ghanaian cocoa commands US$5,040, compared to US$3,630 in Côte d'Ivoire. COCOBOD's pricing policy reflects its commitment to ensuring fair and rewarding returns for farmers' hard wor...

  Board of Directors and other Dignitaries   Queen of Peace Credit Union, located at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Madina, in the Greater Accra Region, with innovation, creativity and determination, is breaking into new grounds with the sole purpose of bringing smiles and empowerment to its members. The new grounds take the form of new products , geographical presence and  offering a brand of leadership that uniquely serves the members. The above development was made known at the 42 nd Annual General  Meeting (AGM) of the Credit Union held at the Hall Complex of our lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Madina, on 10 th August 2025  under the Theme: Propelling the Credit Union, Empowering Members in the Period of Economic Stability. The theme-Propelling the Credit Union, Empowering Members in a period of Economic stability- uniquely emphasizes the Union’s role in both its own growth and the financial well-being of its members, especially during...

  Wellness Bridge Initiative (WBI) has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that every person knows their health status and is empowered to make informed decision to live a fuller and longer life. This statement was made with the launch of a preventive health project called the “Health Kiosk” initiative in Adidome in the Volta region. The innovative community-based health initiative spearheaded by Wellness Health Initiative (WBI) aims to address the rising cases of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension and diabetes in the Volta Region. Speaking at the launch, Togbe Kwasinyi Kakaklolo Agyeman V, Executive Director of Wellness Bridge Initiative who is also the Chief of Adidome, described the project as “a candle of hope” for his community. He said “The Health Kiosk Project is designed to offer preventive health solutions to the people, starting with Adidome and scaling up to all five sub-districts of the Central Tongu Health Directorate, and further extended to other ...

 Commissioner and Volta Region Representative to the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr. Elikplim Kwabla Apetorgbor, has applauded traditional leaders who take proactive steps in community development, stressing that their initiatives can spark sustainable transformation. He made the call on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at Adidome in the Volta Region, where he served as the chairman and Special Guest at the commissioning of the “Health Kiosk” Project. The facility is designed to provide regular vital checks to the community, aiding in the early detection of conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. Dr. Apetorgbor commended Togbe Kwasinyi Kakaklolo Agyeman V, who is the Chief of Adidome and the Executive Director of Wellness Bridge Initiative for his bold and life-saving initiative. He described the project as “a true example of visionary leadership.” He noted that the Health Kiosk initiative aligns with President John Dramani Mahama’s people-centred health policy,...

  President John Mahama has highlighted Ghana’s economic recovery and renewed investment appeal, touting the cedi’s stability, a sovereign ratings upgrade, and new reforms to ease entry for foreign investors. He said Ghana had restored macroeconomic stability and was now among the most attractive destinations for investors in Africa. The President was speaking at the Ghana Presidential Investment Forum on the sidelines of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IX) in Japan on Wednesday. Inflation rose to a high of almost 23% in 2024, and it’s currently down to 13.7%, and we expect that by the end of the year to hit single digits. And it’s also our cedi has stabilised. "For those of you who know the history of the Ghanaian cedi, it’s been one of the most volatile currencies in Africa, and a few years back, we were said to be the worst-performing currency. I’m happy to announce that this year, the Ghana cedi has been the best-performing currency in the ...

 Ghana’s Producer Price Inflation (PPI) went down by 2.0 percentage points to 3.8% in July 2025. This was the 6th consecutive month of decline and the lowest producer inflation rate recorded since November 2023. According to the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), the data showed a producer price inflation of 1.6% between June and July 2025. On average, the prices received by producers for their goods and services rose by 1.6% in July compared to June 2025. The Mining and quarrying sector, Ghana’s largest, with a weight of 43.7%, saw inflation fall by 1.9 percentage points from 6.5% in June to 4.6% in July 2025. Similarly, Manufacturing, which makes up 35% of the PPI, eased from 7.2% to 3.6%, shedding off 3.6 percentage points. The Manufacturing, Mining and Quarrying sub-sectors alone with the biggest share, accounted for the fall in producer inflation. Prices are also falling in some sectors. Transport costs dropped further from -7.0% in June to -8.1% July, while hotel and restaurant...

  The Forestry Commission has issued the first six certificates to five Ghanaian companies to export timber and timber products to the European market under the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance, and Trade (FLEGT) licensing regime. The certificates, which are part of the 131 timber utilisation contracts (TUCs) ratified by Parliament on June 24 this year, were presented to Samartex Timber and Plywood Co. Ltd, Logs and Lumber Ltd, JCM Company Ltd, Mere Plantations Ltd, and West Coast Wooden Products Ghana Ltd. Context Also known as the timber legality licence, the FLEGT licence is a document issued by timber-producing countries that have ratified a voluntary partnership agreement (VPA) with the EU. The FLEGT confirms that shipments of timber or timber products have been legally produced under the relevant laws of the country of harvest. It also ensures that timber exported to the EU by partner countries is harvested legally, thereby promoting sustainable forest management. The Actin...

 Absa Bank Ghana has launched its Agency Banking proposition, aimed at expanding access to financial services, particularly in peri-urban and rural communities where traditional banking infrastructure is limited. The initiative allows accredited businesses and individuals to serve as authorised agents of the bank, providing services such as deposits, withdrawals, domestic transfers and bill payments, for both Absa customers and non-customers. According to the World Bank’s Global Findex Database, nearly 35% of Ghanaian adults were unbanked as of 2021, with many citing the distance to bank branches as a major barrier. Absa’s model seeks to bridge this gap by partnering with trusted local enterprises. Kobla Nyaletey, Executive Director for Retail and Business Banking, framed the move as a strategic one. For Absa Bank, Agency Banking is a strategic extension of our retail presence and a key enabler of inclusive banking. We are embedding financial services within communities to remove b...

  Fitch Ratings estimates that six banks operating in Ghana are unlikely to achieve capital compliance through internal capital generation alone. Therefore, they will need to seek capital injections, merge with or be acquired by better-capitalised banks, or be granted extended forbearance to allow time to retain sufficient earnings to comply. It pointed out that two of the banks that remain undercapitalised are government-owned and have already received capital injections. We expect them to receive further capital support to achieve capital compliance, although this may not materialise before end-2025”, it added. Meanwhile, the banking sector’s capital adequacy ratio excluding the benefit of forbearance was first disclosed by the Bank of Ghana at the end of February 2024, as 8.7%. It increased to 18.2% at the end of the first-half of 2025. This indicated that the vast majority of banks will be comfortably compliant when the remaining 25% of the losses incurred on cedi government bo...

  A Clinical and Compliance Audit report has directed the Akim Oda Government Hospital in the Eastern Region to refund an amount of Three Hundred and Twelve Thousand, Four Hundred and Thirteen Cedis, Fifty-One pesewas (GH¢312, 413.51) received as claims reimbursed to the National Health Insurance Authority following findings of malpractices in its operations and claims submissions. The audit, sanctioned by NHIA Chief Executive Dr. Victor Asare Bampoe, was conducted in response to a whistleblower report alleging fraudulent practices at the facility between February and May 2025. Dr. Bampoe called for the audit in accordance with Sections 31(1) and 35(2) of the National Health Insurance Act (Act 852) 2012. The multidisciplinary audit team, comprising personnel from NHIA’s Quality Assurance and Internal Audit directorates, Claims Processing Center (CPC) Accra, and an external clinician, conducted the investigation from July 14 to 18, 2025. Your access to healthcare Their mandate was t...