Kofi Ahovi

  Prudential Bank has reaffirmed its commitment to environmental sustainability by planting 200 trees at the Achimota Forest Reserve as part of the government's National Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative, describing the exercise as a long-term investment in Ghana's environmental future rather than a symbolic corporate social responsibility activity. The exercise, which brought together management and staff of the bank alongside officials of the Forestry Commission, forms part of the bank's ongoing sustainability agenda aimed at supporting climate resilience, restoring degraded forest landscapes and promoting responsible environmental stewardship. Speaking to journalists after participating in the exercise, the Executive Head of Operations at Prudential Bank, Felix Awuku, said the institution views environmental sustainability as an integral part of its corporate strategy and business operations. According to him, the bank's participation in the national tree planti...

  M TN Ghana has refurbished and returned close to 4,000 pieces of hospital equipment to healthcare facilities across the country under its annual employee volunteerism programme, Yellow Care, in a move aimed at improving patient care, addressing the country's no-bed syndrome and promoting sustainability. The initiative, which culminated in a symbolic handover ceremony at Achimota Hospital in Accra, formed part of MTN's 2026 Yellow Care campaign, an annual staff volunteer programme that sees employees dedicate their time and expertise to community development projects every June. This year's campaign executed in partnership with Sika pƐ Adjuma, was held under the theme " Expanding Equitable Healthcare for Every Community ," with MTN employees focusing on repairing broken hospital equipment instead of replacing it, thereby extending the lifespan of critical healthcare assets while reducing waste. Over a 21-day period, MTN staff worked alongside biomedical engineer...

  The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has reminded the public that individuals who repeatedly issue dud cheques face a three-year ban from issuing fresh cheques. Such persons will be denied access to new credit facilities within the banking and financial system. The reminder was contained in revised regulatory directives issued by the central bank on June 24, 2026. BoG, however, clarified that affected customers would still be allowed to receive funds into their accounts and carry out other electronic transactions. All Banks and Specialised Deposit Taking Institutions will be notified about this ban,” the notice stated. The central bank added that banks and SDIs must notify affected customers within five working days after receiving notice of the ban and recall all unused cheque books. BoG also disclosed that it will publish the names of customers who become third-time offenders. Customers who fail to return unused cheque books within ten working days will be reported to the Bank of Ghana. Suc...

 Prudential Bank has rolled out a comprehensive, fully funded health screening exercise for its employees, reinforcing its belief that a healthy workforce is the bedrock of dependable banking. The initiative, running this month in partnership with Bob Freeman Hospital, an SIC-owned health facility, is part of the Bank’s Wellness Month and reflects a strategic shift from treating issues to catching it early, before it becomes a crisis. The timing of the screening, deliberately scheduled during June, which is globally recognised as Wellness Month, underlines the Bank’s dedication to preventive care rather than reactive treatment. Speaking on the importance of this exercise, Head of Human Resources, Lilian Antwiwaa Asante emphasised that the Bank believes that its people are its greatest asset and that the health of staff is not just a personal matter, but a strategic priority. “We want every staff member to know their numbers, catch potential issues early and then see how we can all ...

  As outbound travel demand from Ghana continues to grow, VFS Global has reiterated its commitment to transparency, applicant protection, and secure visa application services, while advising residents to remain vigilant against fraudulent agents and intermediaries who falsely promise early appointments or guaranteed visa outcomes in exchange for payment. The company’s advisory comes at a time when visa application volumes across several markets continue to rise, particularly around peak travel periods for students, families, organised groups, corporate travellers, sports teams, and delegations. With this increased demand, applicants are encouraged to plan early, rely only on official information, and avoid third parties who claim to influence appointments or visa decisions. “Trust is central to the visa application experience. At VFS Global, our role is to provide applicants with a secure, transparent, and well-managed administrative process on behalf of our client governments. We ...

 The Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana, Stephen Blewett, has reaffirmed the company’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery and enhancing the well-being of communities through a major hospital bed and furniture refurbishment initiative under this year’s 21 Days of Y’ello Care programme. Speaking at Maamobi General Hospital, where Stephen joined MTN Ghana employee volunteers and partners to refurbish hospital beds and furniture, he said the initiative reflects MTN’s belief that meaningful change happens when people go beyond financial support and become personally involved in transforming lives. For patients receiving care, a hospital bed is more than furniture. It is a place of healing, recovery and renewed hope. Through this intervention, MTN Ghana is helping to create safer, more comfortable and dignified spaces for patients during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. Describing 21 Days of Y’ello Care as one of MTN Ghana’s most impactful employee volunteer...

 In the wake of this year's rainy season, Accra, Ghana's capital city, is experiencing severe flooding. This is not an exaggeration. The slightest rainfall now turns the national capital into a disaster zone. For houses built on and along waterways, the least said about them the better. Their residents wake up every morning fearing the next downpour. So far, areas hit hard include Kaneshie Market and its environs, Agbogbloshie, Mallam, Madina, Santa Maria, and many others. What has compounded matters is that the rains have shown no signs of easing. If for anything at all, we should be bracing ourselves for more rains. It is as if the floodgates of heaven have been opened upon Accra and, by extension, Ghana. But here is the question that no one in authority seemed willing to answer honestly until now: Why is this happening after successive years of relative calm? For so many years, it has rained in Accra. Sometimes heavily. Yet the floods have not been this destructive for the p...

 MTN Ghana has organised the 2026 MTN SME Accelerate Youth Entrepreneur Webinar, reinforcing its commitment to equipping young people with the skills, knowledge and practical tools needed to build and scale successful businesses while pursuing higher education or working full-time. Held under the theme, “The Side-Hustle Growth Playbook: Running a Business While in School or on a 9-to-5,” the webinar brought together successful entrepreneurs who shared their experiences and strategies for balancing entrepreneurship with academic and professional responsibilities. Moderated by media personality Afi Tsegah, the virtual event explored the growing role of side businesses in today’s economy. It featured presentations from Chichi Yakubu, Founder and CEO of NyoNyo Essentials; Lawrencia Bazal Darko, Founder of Bazal Art Studios and legal practitioner; and Princess Burland, influencer and Founder of Diya Organics. Speaking during the session, Chichi Yakubu encouraged participants to diversi...

  The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice has dismissed all seven claims filed by former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo against the Republic of Ghana, according to Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Justice Srem-Sai. The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice had previously dealt with preliminary objections and procedural applications in the case, which stemmed from the former Chief Justice’s challenge to her suspension and removal from office, which she alleges violated her rights under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Dr Srem-Sai, in a Facebook post on Wednesday, June 24, disclosed that the regional court also declined to award the US$10 million in damages sought by the former Chief Justice. According to him, the court found no basis for compensation after concluding that Ghana had not infringed any of the rights cited in the application. Quoting the court's decision, the Deputy Attorney-General stated that, “in light of the Court’s conclusions that Gha...

  Oil prices fell more than 1% on Wednesday, extending this week's losses and trading near four-month lows, amid signs that more oil tankers stranded in the Gulf are set to move out of the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude futures fell 78 cents, or 1.0%, at $76.30 a barrel as of 0350 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate slipped 78 cents, or 1.1%, to $72.43 a barrel. Both benchmarks ​settled down around 1% on Tuesday, touching their lowest levels since early March. Positive signals from the ​Persian Gulf are fuelling optimism about oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz. Vessel ⁠crossings increased in recent days, although they remain well below pre-war levels," ING commodity strategists said in ​a note on Wednesday. Prices have also come under pressure this week after Washington granted Tehran a 60-day sanctions ​waiver following initial peace talks, allowing it to sell oil, and as hostilities in Lebanon eased. Crude oil prices were weighed down by hopes of easing U.S.-Iran tensions ...

  The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has directed all firms operating online investment and trading platforms in Ghana to register their platforms with the regulator by August 31, 2026, warning that failure to comply could result in regulatory sanctions, including the suspension or revocation of licences. The directive, contained in a statement issued on June 23, 2026, applies to all licensed market operators, financial technology (FinTech) companies, and any individual or entity offering investor-facing online investment or trading services. According to the SEC, existing securities market regulations require every licensed market operator that owns or operates an investment technology platform used to carry out regulated activities to obtain separate registration and approval for each platform. The Commission said non-compliance may lead to regulatory action, including the revision, amendment, suspension or revocation of operating licences where necessary. The SEC clari...

  The Ministry of the Interior has announced the revocation of all existing firearm licences nationwide, effective Tuesday, June 23, 2026, as part of a sweeping overhaul of Ghana’s firearms regulatory framework. Under the new regime, all firearm holders will be required to reapply for their licences and undergo a more rigorous vetting process aimed at strengthening gun control and enhancing public safety. Addressing a press briefing in Accra, the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, said the reforms were necessary to address weaknesses in the current licensing system and curb the misuse of legally acquired firearms. According to him, the new licensing requirements will include mandatory mental health assessments, drug screening, and structured firearms training for all applicants before licences are granted. The Minister expressed concern that some individuals have used licensed firearms for purposes other than those for which they were originally authorised, posing...

  The Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations (GFDO) has called for urgent action to fully implement and enforce disability rights as the nation commemorates National Disability Day 2026 and the 20th anniversary of the Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715). This year's celebration is being held on the theme, " From Act to Action: Finalizing Reforms and Enforcing Disability Rights Now and Beyond," underscoring the need to translate legal protections into tangible improvements in the lives of persons with disabilities. In a statement marking the occasion, the Regional President of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations, Elikplim Klu, said while the passage of Act 715 two decades ago marked a significant milestone, much remains to be done to ensure its full implementation. He stressed that disability rights must move beyond policy commitments and become enforceable realities through stronger institutional reforms, effective implementation, and sustained ...

 Zoomlion Ghana Limited has launched a nationwide emergency fumigation and disinfection exercise, a coordinated national response that begins in flood-ravaged Greater Accra before rolling out to other regions, according to the Head of Emergency Management at the Jospong Group, Dr. Gideon Sogbey. The operation, which commenced on Monday, June 22, 2026, initially targets parts of the Weija-Gbawe Municipality, Ablekuma North Municipality, and the McCarthy Hill enclave, areas where recent floods have left behind significant sanitation hazards, including accumulated filth, faecal matter, sewage and other contaminants. This is a nationwide exercise, and although we have started in Greater Accra, we have already identified several flood-prone communities across other regions for similar interventions," " Dr. Sogbey disclosed while speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the exercise. He explained that the initiative forms part of a broader national effort to strengthen Water, Sa...

  As part of MTN commitment to enabling digital inclusion and improving everyday life, MTN Ghana has introduced new speed-based Unlimited Fibre packages aimed at giving households faster internet connectivity, greater flexibility and better value as demand for reliable home broadband continues to grow across the country. The refreshed packages offer customers speeds of up to 100Mbps, 300Mbps and 500Mbps, enabling homes to support multiple online activities simultaneously, including remote work, virtual learning, video streaming, gaming and smart home applications. The new plans, available to both new and existing fibre customers, come with unlimited data and flexible subscription options designed to meet the needs of different households and internet users. Speaking on the new offering, Richard Acheampong, Chief Home Officer of MTN Ghana, said the packages were developed in response to changing customer needs and the increasing reliance on high-speed internet in homes.  He sai...

  MTN Ghana, official headline sponsor of the senior national football team, the Black Stars, extends its warmest congratulations to the team on their impressive victory over Panama. The win is a testament to the team’s determination, discipline, and growing cohesion on the field. MTN Ghana commends the players, technical team, and management for their commitment to representing Ghana with pride and resilience. As the Black Stars prepare for their next match against England on 23rd June, MTN Ghana encourages all Ghanaians to continue rallying behind the team. The journey ahead remains important, and sustained national support will be key in driving the team to further success. Commenting on the victory, Stephen Blewett, Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana said: “We are proud of the Black Stars for this important win. It reflects the hard work and unity within the team. As a brand committed to enabling progress and bringing people together, we are inspired by how football continues...

  T he Head of Digital Transformation at Prudential Bank Ltd, Terrance Addy, has said, that the future of banking will be defined by AI-driven services and hybrid models that balance seamless digital experiences with human trust. In the near future, “Where do you bank?” will be the wrong question. The right one will be: “How do you bank?”. That’s the shift Mr. Addy says will define the next era of financial services. Speaking in an interview on the future of banking in Accra,  Addy laid out a vision where customer experience, not loyalty to institutions, becomes the core of the competition. Customers will engage each other based on experiences, how seamless it is to transact and how fast it works, and not necessarily the institution behind it,” he said.   Embedded, Invisible, Predictive At the centre of Addy’s forecast is embedded finance: banking that is woven into shopping, travel, and bill payments until it feels invisible. “The banking part should be so seamless it be...

  By Daniel Nii Okine ADIDOME, VOLTA REGION — To those sitting in offices in Accra, or living far outside the Central Tongu District, the Atsiteto and Klamandor Boundary road may sound like just another stretch of transit on a map. On the ground, however, it has become the site of an active, unfolding infrastructure disaster. An on-site inspection of the corridor reveals a worsening structural failure that has advanced far beyond routine potholes. Driven by relentless rain and an unceasing barrage of heavily loaded cargo trucks, this bitumen surfaced gravel road, is literally washing away, forcing thousands of commuters into a deadly bottleneck. Anyone with human sympathy, and even a basic understanding of public safety, can see how serious and dangerous this situation has become. It is no longer a matter of if a catastrophic collapse will occur, but when. A Year of Official Neglect While the entire corridor is compromised, amateur reporter Alhajie Samuel Goku has highlighted the e...

  Despite a significant drop in the policy rate in the past year, Ghana is ranked 8th in Africa with the highest base lending rate, according to the African Development Bank (AfDB) 2026 African Economic Outlook. The country’s policy rate of 14.0% is among the highest in a group of 44 countries covered by the AfDB. It is ranked jointly 8th with The Gambia. Zimbabwe (30.00%), Nigeria (26.50%), Malawi (24.00%), Egypt (19.00%), Angola (17.00), Sierra Leone (16.75%) and Liberia (16.25%) are the first seven countries on the continent with the highest policy rates. The Francophone countries in West Africa, which use a common currency (CFA), have the lowest policy rate in Africa. Ghana Recorded Sharpest Drop in Policy Rate   in 2025 Meanwhile, Ghana recorded the sharpest decline in the policy rate in 2025. The Bank of Ghana cut the policy rate by 9.0% between December 2024 and December 2025. But between January 2025 and May 2026, the base lending rate in Ghana went down by 14.00%. “Mo...

  The government failed to meet its treasury bills target just a week after achieving an oversubscription, as demand moderated.   According to auction results by the Bank of Ghana, the short-term instruments were undersubscribed by about 20%. The government received GH¢4.20 billion bids from the investors. This was against a target of GH¢5.27 billion. It, however, accepted all the bids tendered. The 91-day bill was once again the most subscribed, as GH¢2.25 billion of the bids were tendered, representing 53.6% of the total bids. The 182-day bill recorded bids worth GH¢802.87. For the 364-day bill, GH¢1.146 billion was tendered. Meanwhile, interest rates continue to rise on the yield curve. The yield on the 91-day bill increased by 26.0 basis points to 5.30%. That of the 182-day bill also went up to 7.13% from 7.08%. Similarly, the yield on the 364-day increased by 39.0 basis points to 11.36%. SECURITIES BIDS TENDERED ( GH¢) BIDS ACCEPTED  ( GH¢) 91 Day Bill ...

  England-born Antoine Semenyo insists he has never once regretted choosing Ghana over the Three Lions as he prepares to face his country of birth in one of the standout fixtures of the World Cup group stage. Antoine Semenyo, the new Global Brand Ambassador for Ahmad Tea commented: "I got a call from Ghana when I was 20 or 21, I could never say no to that. I’ve already got to represent my country at a World Cup and now I’m heading into my second one. I was never in the England underage teams so never thought of it as a possibility. My family also love Ghana, they all support them. My dad was so proud when I played for Ghana. I’m creating memories playing for a country that means a lot to me. It was an easy decision back then and one I’m proud of today." Having grown up in England, the Manchester City forward knows exactly what the Three Lions are up against whenever a major tournament comes around. Massively. Every major tournament, you hear the noise. ‘Will this be the one t...

    A three-year-old boy who was seriously injured after ending up in a crocodile enclosure is no longer in a critical condition, police confirmed. The boy was attacked by at least one crocodile, the BBC understands, following an incident at Johnsons of Old Hurst near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, on Thursday. Cambridgeshire Police has arrested and bailed a 30-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder. A spokesperson for the force said: "The boy is no longer critical and is in a stable condition in hospital." Officers said they were called to the zoo at 13:34 BST on Thursday. Police said the boy, who was from Cambridgeshire and visiting the zoo with his family, sustained serious injuries "while in the enclosure" and was pulled out by zoo staff. He received medical treatment at the scene before being taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge. The zoo at Johnsons of Old Hurst is in the Cambridgeshire village of Old Hurst. It houses more than 100 animals inclu...

  Emirates is expanding its operations in Ghana by introducing four additional weekly services between Dubai and Accra, effective July 12, this year. This reaffirms the airline’s long-term commitment to Ghana and supports the country's growing demand for travel and global connectivity. The new service will complement Emirates' existing daily operation and the sustained growth in air travel demand to and from Accra, which continues to experience high year-round seat occupancy. From 12 July, Emirates’ direct service, operating as EK789, will depart Dubai at 03:30hrs, arriving in Accra at 07:40 (GMT); the return flight, EK790, will depart Accra at 10:25 (GMT), arriving in Dubai at 22:40hrs. These flights will be operated by a Boeing 777-300ER and will run on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.   The new service is optimally timed to connect travellers from Accra to key commercial and tourist hubs, including Beijing, Seoul, Sydney, Perth, Mumbai, Singapore, New York J...

  When communities face the impacts of mining, access to justice often remains out of reach. Legal processes can be expensive, complex and inaccessible to many of the people most affected by environmental degradation, land disputes and human rights violations. To bridge this gap, the Building Resilient and Active Communities in Extractive Landscapes (BRACE) Project convened a strategic coordination meeting with legal experts, providing pro bono services and implementing partners, marking another important step towards expanding access to justice for mining-affected communities across Ghana. The engagement brought together legal practitioners and project partners to strengthen collaboration, streamline referral systems and enhance the delivery of legal support services to vulnerable individuals and communities. Discussions focused on how pro bono lawyers can work more closely with trained community paralegals to ensure that community grievances are effectively documented, referred a...