Kofi Ahovi

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Ghana lost billions by delaying windfall tax on mining – Steve Manteaw

Policy analyst and natural resource governance advocate Dr. Steve Manteaw says Ghana may have lost billions in potential mining revenue by delaying the introduction of a windfall tax regime for the sector. Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Monday, he explained that proposals for an extra profit tax in the mining industry had been made more than a decade ago but were never implemented. The Act 703 was amended, and we provided that the minister shall prescribe the royalty rate for mining companies in Ghana.” “But in the absence of that prescription, the status quo will remain. So 5%, which was what the companies were paying at the time, remains until now.” Dr. Manteaw said the renewed debate over mining royalties gained momentum during discussions around Ghana’s lithium agreements. “And I think this whole discussion came about as a result of this lithium deal.” According to him, the Ghana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GHEITI), of which he was a member, proposed in...

Lack of consultation clouds Ghana’s new mining royalty thresholds – Steve Manteaw

Policy analyst and natural resource governance advocate Dr. Steve Manteaw has raised concerns over what he describes as inadequate consultation in setting royalty thresholds under Ghana’s proposed mining royalty framework. Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Monday, he said the debate over mining royalties stems from earlier amendments to Ghana’s mining law, which left the responsibility of determining royalty rates to the sector minister. The Act 703 was amended, and we provided that the minister shall prescribe the royalty rate for mining companies in Ghana.” “But in the absence of that prescription, the status quo will remain. So 5%, which was what the companies were paying at the time, remains until now.” According to him, the issue gained renewed attention during discussions around Ghana’s lithium deal. And I think this whole discussion came about as a result of this lithium deal.” Dr. Manteaw noted that calls for reforms in the mining royalty regime date back more than a de...

Star Assurance Group Pays Medical Bills of 21 Children with Cancer at Korle Bu

Star Assurance Group, the parent company of Star Assurance, StarLife Assurance, StarMicro, StarHealth and Star Pensions Trust, has extended a compassionate hand to children battling cancer at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, paying the medical bills of 21 needy patients at the hospital’s Child Health Department. The gesture forms part of the Group’s annual “Love Month” initiative observed in February, a period dedicated to demonstrating care and support to vulnerable members of society. The donation was directed to the Children’s Cancer Unit of the Child Health Department, where many families struggle with the high cost of cancer treatment. By covering the medical bills of the 21 children, Star Assurance Group has brought significant relief to their families and renewed hope in their fight against various forms of cancer. During the visit to the wards, Rosemary Aryee, Head of Human Resource & Administration, StarLife Assurance, who led the team, stated that the initiative refle...

Sam George guns for AU ICT top job

Minister of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George has presented his letters of intent to the Africa Union (AU) expressing his interest in running for the chairmanship of the AU's Specialized Technical Committee on Communication and ICT (STC-CICT). The Minister first got clearance from President John Dramani Mahama, who is himself set to become chair of the AU in 2027. This therefore, is a strategic move, as Sam George will get to drive ICT and digital trade policies of the AU during the term of the president as AU chair, putting him in a position to execute the president's vision in the sector more efficiently. The minister disclosed this in an exclusive interview with Techfocus24 at the ongoing Mobile World Congress 2026, in Barcelona, Spain. According to him, his bid is already gaining strong support across the continent, as South Africa is, for instance, rallying all the countries in the SADC (Southern African Development Communit...

Cabinet Approves Fresh Nationwide SIM Registration as Government Resets Process

Government has approved a completely new nationwide SIM card registration exercise after an extensive review revealed major weaknesses in the previous process. The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George , disclosed that Cabinet had given the green light for the new exercise following concerns over data integrity, weak biometric enforcement and instances of registration fraud during the earlier registration campaign. He made the announcement during high-level discussions with the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications and the National Communications Authority (NCA), where stakeholders also examined Ghana’s roadmap for the rollout of 5G services. According to the Minister, the upcoming exercise will not be a continuation of the previous registration drive but rather a complete reset designed to restore credibility and strengthen security within the telecoms ecosystem. Key features of the new registration framework George explained that un...

President Mahama bans foreign travel for boards of SOEs and public institutions over rising costs

President John Dramani Mahama has directed boards of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and public institutions to immediately halt international travel for training, conferences, retreats, and study tours funded by the state, citing growing concerns over public expenditure. The directive, issued from the Jubilee House and signed by Secretary to the President Callistus Mahama, forms part of broader government measures to strengthen fiscal discipline and ensure the prudent management of national resources. According to the directive dated March 5, 2026, the President’s attention had been drawn to a growing trend of international travel by boards of public institutions. It has come to the attention of the President that some Boards of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and other public institutions have increasingly undertaken international travel for training programmes, retreats, conferences, and study tours.” While acknowledging the value of professional exposure and continuous learning,...