Kofi Ahovi

  Ghana lost an estimated GHC1.47 billion to labour strikes in 2024, with an additional GHC635 million recorded in 2025, the Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, Dr George Smith Graham, has disclosed. Speaking at a meeting between President John Dramani Mahama and Organised Labour on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, Dr Graham warned that strike actions continue to impose a heavy financial burden on the state. This year [2026] we’ve had some strikes, and they all come at a huge cost to us as a state,” he said. He noted that 22 strike actions in 2024 alone accounted for the GHC1.47 billion loss, while eight strikes in 2025 cost the country GHC635 million. Dr. Graham pledged the Commission’s support for the government’s plan to establish an Independent Emoluments Commission to manage public sector pay more effectively. He said the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission would work closely with labour unions to ensure the successful implementation of the new system, ai...

  Ghana’s Black Stars fundraising campaign has recorded a major boost, raising about $10 million on the first day of its launch, according to Deputy Finance Minister and Chairman of the Fundraising Committee, Thomas Nyarko Ampem. The high-profile launch event, attended by President John Dramani Mahama, Sports Minister Kofi Adams, and Ghana Football Association President Kurt Okraku, drew strong support from across the sports, entertainment, and business sectors. Speaking after the event, Nyarko Nyarko said the early momentum puts the committee on track to meet its $30 million target to support the Black Stars’ participation in upcoming international competitions. The fundraising target is $30 million, and if you listen to the pledges and donations, on day one of the launch, we got about $10 million. We are going to put together other events, and we believe that the contributions that are coming in from the short code as well,” he said. The initiative is expected to fund preparation...

  Dr. Alberta Bondzi-Simpson, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Hospitality and Tourism at the University of Cape Coast , has urged Ghanaians battling gastric disorders to consider consuming the locally prepared meal,  kokonte,  to support the healing process. She recommended that patients eat kokonte with soup or stew at least twice a week. The dark-brown dish, similar in appearance to the pounded cassava meal  fufu , is commonly paired with groundnut soup, palm nut soup, light soup, or sometimes stew. Speaking on  Channel One TV  and  Citi FM ’s Heritage Month on-air series on Indigenous Food Staples, hosted by  Apiorkor Seyiram Ashong-Abbey  on Monday, March 23, Dr. Bondzi-Simpson said, “Kokonte is very high in iodine. If you have any gastric problems that have to do with a sore in your digestive system, then kokonte is your thing. This is basically eating iodine into your system. Eat it constantly, at least two times a week, and you wo...

  President John Dramani Mahama is expected to depart Accra on Monday, March 23, 2026, for New York City to participate in the United Nations General Assembly, where he will deliver a key address on slavery remembrance and reparatory justice. The visit forms part of Ghana’s participation in activities marking the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. According to Presidential Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the President’s trip is centred on advancing global conversations on reparatory justice. In a statement, he noted that President Mahama “will convene and deliver the keynote address at a High-Level Special Event on Reparatory Justice at the United Nations Headquarters,” themed  “Reparatory Justice for the Trafficking of Enslaved Africans and the Racialised Chattel Enslavement of Africans.” He added that the event “will bring together world leaders and high-level dignitaries to address this critical matter of historica...

  The Chief Product and Services Officer of MobileMoney LTD (MML), Sylvia Otuo Acheampong, has called for broader insurance solutions tailored to the needs of small businesses, noting that most digital insurance products currently focus largely on life coverage. She made the call during a webinar hosted by the Microinsurance Network (MiN) in collaboration with the GSMA as part of a discussion on mobile-enabled microinsurance. The event also featured the launch of a joint report titled “From Connectivity to Coverage: Scaling Resilience through Mobile-Enabled Microinsurance.” The report presents fresh evidence, market insights and strategic recommendations on how mobile network operators (MNOs), mobile money providers (MMPs), technical service providers and insurers can work together to close the protection gap through mobile-enabled insurance solutions. Speaking during the panel discussion, Sylvia said expanding insurance offerings beyond traditional life policies will be critical t...

 Stanbic Bank Ghana has launched a new women-focused banking proposition, Obaa Sima , aimed at expanding access to finance and business support for women, particularly those operating within the informal sector. The product was unveiled on Thursday, March 19, 2026 at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel under the theme “ Unlocking the Strength of a Woman ”, drawing a cross-section of regulators, development partners, clients, and senior executives of the bank. The initiative comes at a time when women remain central to Ghana’s economic activity but continue to face structural barriers in accessing capital. Available data shows that while women-owned businesses contribute about 44% of Ghana’s GDP, many struggle to secure formal financing due to limited collateral, smaller business scale, and restricted access to tailored financial products. Delivering the keynote address, Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Matilda Asante Asiedu, underscored the broader economic significance of empowe...