GOLDBOD HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SML The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, has categorically denied any association between the Board and Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd. (SML), asserting that GoldBod has no contract, partnership, or working relationship with the company. In a statement issued on Thursday, May 15, GoldBod described such claims as “completely false” and urged the public to disregard them with the utmost contempt. The Board reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and the responsible governance of Ghana’s gold sector, warning against deliberate misinformation aimed at misleading the public. The denial comes amid growing confusion over SML’s involvement in Ghana’s extractive industries. In a related development, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has also issued a strong rebuttal to reports suggesting that SML has been authorized to resume or expand its revenue assurance role in the upstream petroleum and solid minerals sectors. According to a press release from the GRA’s Communication and Public Affairs Department, several media outlets, including the Business and Financial Times and Graphic Online, on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, inaccurately reported that SML had been granted an expanded oversight mandate. The GRA clarified that no such directive has been issued and emphasized that SML’s operations in both the petroleum and solid minerals sectors remain suspended. This suspension, enacted in April 2024, remains in force pending further review. “GRA has not instructed SML to activate or resume operations under the 2023 Consolidation of Revenue Assurance Services Contract covering these sectors,” the statement noted. Both GoldBod and the GRA urged the media and public to seek accurate information from official sources to avoid the spread of misinformation. 16th May,2025

MINORITY IN PARLIAMENT SLAMS GOVERNMENT The Minority Caucus in Parliament has strongly condemned what it describes as a blatant violation of the 1992 Constitution, following the simultaneous absence of Ghana’s President, Vice President, and Speaker of Parliament from the country, without the swearing-in of an Acting President. In a statement released on Monday, May 12, 2025, the Minority labeled the development as “alarming and unconstitutional,” warning that it effectively leaves Ghana without a constitutionally mandated Head of State. According to the statement, all three top officials President John Dramani Mahama, Vice President, and Speaker Alban Bagbin, were out of the country at the same time, a scenario that, the Minority argues, violates Article 60 of the 1992 Constitution. That constitutional provision stipulates that when both the President and Vice President are unavailable, the Speaker of Parliament must be sworn in as Acting President. In this case, however, the Speaker himself was also abroad. The statement further emphasized that, under such exceptional circumstances, the Chief Justice is constitutionally mandated to step in and perform presidential duties something the Minority claims did not happen. Calling the situation a “deliberate and calculated disregard for the Constitution,” the Minority accused the government of treating Ghana’s supreme law as “an inconvenience rather than a binding framework.” “We will hold the President and his Vice accountable to their oath of office, which demands fidelity to the Constitution. Where necessary, we shall invoke the relevant provisions of law to ensure that constitutional breaches do not go unpunished,” the statement concluded. 16th May,2025

GHANA’S ‘GOLD PURCHASE PROGRAMME’ Namibia has become the latest African country to emulate Ghana's gold purchase programme by the Bank of Ghana which was launched three years ago in the midst of the global economic crisis. Former Vice President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia proposed the innovative gold purchasing programme to the Bank of Ghana to increase the country's gold reserves and use the reserves to strengthen the country's foreign exchange reserves as well as hedge it against global economic shocks. The policy succeeded in stabilising the depreciation of the cedi and the fuel prices. Following the positive impact on Ghana's currency in the midst of falling global currencies against the US Dollar and high inflation due to the global economic crisis, a number of African countries with gold visited Ghana to study the policy and subsequently announced their own gold purchasing programmes. Namibia has now joined the league following announcement by its Central Bank that it is also starting its own gold purchasing programme. The Bank of Namibia (BoN) noted in a statement that it was buying gold to strengthen the country's foreign exchange reserves. The move, the Central Bank of Namibia noted, will see gold making up 3 percent of Namibia's net foreign exchange reserves, aligning the country with new trends in Africa which was started by Ghana. BoN Governor, Johannes Gawaxab said the decision is part of the country's broader strategic reforms discussed with the Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. Launch Of Ghana’s Gold Purchasing Programme In 2022, during the height of the global economic crisis, Ghana's economy was on the brink with depleted foreign exchange reserves, a depreciated cedis and rising inflation, resulting in increasing cost of fuel prices. Then Vice President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia proposed the “Gold Purchasing Programme” which would allow the Bank of Ghana to buy gold with cedis to increase Ghana's gold reserves and use it as foreign exchange instead of the US Dollar. Following the launch of the programme which successfully increased the Bank of Ghana's gold reserves, the Central Bank launched the “Gold for Oil” programme which allowed the Central Bank to use gold to pay for oil imports. This took pressure off Ghana’s currency and significantly stabilised fuel prices from the staggering 22 cedis per liter to around 15 cedis per liter. Further following Ghana's successful implementation of this programme, the Bank of Ghana became a reference point in Africa with the central banks of Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Rwanda, Eswatini, Namibia among others sending delegations to Ghana to understudy the concept. All the countries have implemented same with Namibia becoming the latest country. Ghana now boasts of a remarkable 31 tonnes of gold reserves, three years after Dr Bawumia launched the “Gold Purchasing Programme” through the Bank of Ghana. At the time of launching it, Ghana had a paltry 8 tonnes of gold reserves and as at January 2025 when the former government was handing over, the Bank of Ghana had secured 30 tonnes of the gold reserves. 16th May,2025

SAM GEORGE ENCOURAGES SAMMY GYAMFI Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has offered public support to embattled NDC National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, urging him to remain strong amid the backlash from a controversial dollar video that has sparked internal party outrage. In a Facebook post on Monday, George described Sammy Gyamfi as a dedicated comrade who has consistently supported others, particularly party grassroots. While acknowledging the criticism over the incident — in which Sammy was seen giving what appeared to be a cash gift — the minister called for a balanced perspective. “We fall, we learn, we rise! A comrade who has stood with many and continues to do so. You may have issues with who he gave to and what he gave but let’s be fair to the young man,” he wrote. George, who has recently taken up a ministerial role, revealed that Sammy Gyamfi has been one of the most persistent advocates for employment opportunities for party members. “Since I have been appointed, Sammy is the most troublesome person on my phone looking for jobs for party people. It is who he is,” he noted, defending Gyamfi’s commitment to the party’s grassroots. The minister acknowledged the ongoing criticism but encouraged Gyamfi to respond respectfully to any official concerns while maintaining his confidence. “I can relate with all the attacks but Sammy Gyamfi, keep your head up, respond to the query but always know you have the respect and affection of many,” he concluded. 16th May,2025

PARLIAMENT RESUMES SITTING ON MAY 27 Parliament will resume sitting on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, for the second meeting of the first session of the Ninth Parliament of the Fourth Republic. The announcement was made by the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, in a formal notice issued in accordance with Order 58 of the Standing Orders of the House. According to the notice, proceedings will begin at 10:00 a.m. at Parliament House in Accra. The statement, dated May 12, 2025, was issued by the Office of the Speaker. It indicated that the House is expected to continue with the business left unfinished from the previous meeting. This includes the consideration of bills, committee reports, and other matters laid before the House 16th May,2025

ECG FACES PARLIAMENT TODAY OVER POWER SUPPLY CHALLENGES The Minister of Energy and Green Transition, John Jinapor, had earlier highlighted a Ghc2 billion monthly funding deficit in the energy sector, largely due to ECG’s revenue collection shortfall. The ECG management is expected to respond to these concerns and other key issues related to the power distribution firm during the session. The Chairman of the Energy Committee of Parliament, Emmanuel Bedzrah speaking to Citi News on the engagement, noted that they are meeting with the groups in the power sector to ascertain the source of the challenge within the energy sector. “We will be looking at their work, plan, and vision for the sector. They are the distributors of power. Currently, we are meeting with the generators, and we met with the transmitters yesterday. Everybody knows it is ECG that brings power into their homes. So, they should come and tell us, why we are not getting power in our homes. “The generators say they have enough generating capacity and that the problem will have to do with financing, ECG is the final distributor who receives finance from customers and pays it to the others so they should come and tell us what their problem is,” he stated. 16th May,2025

GHANA PUSHES ANTI-LGBTQ+ BILL Lawmakers in Ghana earlier this month reintroduced an anti-LGBTQ+ bill that was passed by the country's Parliament in February 2024, but not enacted. The legislation, known as the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, called for prison terms of up to three years for engaging in same-sex sexual relations, and up to five years for those who engage in "willful promotion, sponsorship or support of LGBTQ+ activities." Ghana's Supreme Court in December rejected two legal bids to block the bill. It ruled that, as outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo had not yet signed the bill into law, it could not be declared unconstitutional. President John Mahama, who took office in January, said he was committed to passing the bill, which had widespread public support in Ghana but was condemned internationally for curtailing LGBTQ+ rights. Living in fear: Ghana's LGBTQ+ reality Abdul-Wadud Mohammed, deputy director of LGBT Rights Ghana, told DW that he grew up in Ghana, but left his homeland because he constantly felt "under threat" there. He told DW that he knew by the age of 10 that he was gay. "I grew up just trying to understand what I am. Everybody who knew me knew that I was gay and that has been my life," Mohammed said, adding that he, like the majority of queer people in Ghana, faces hate and hostility from some Ghanaians due to his sexuality. He is not alone. "I personally witnessed someone being killed for being gay," a bisexual man, speaking on condition of anonymity, told DW. "A traumatic event that underscored the extreme danger I face." He too fled Ghana for his safety. Musician Wanlov the Kubolor fights for equal rights 16th May,2025

GHANA IMMIGRATION SERVICE CONFIRMS ARREST OF UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANTS IN ACCRA SWEEP UBA April 2025 Dormant Account Advertisement Ghana Immigration Service confirms arrest of undocumented migrants in Accra sweep Ghana Immigration Service confirms arrest of undocumented migrants in Accra sweep Ghana Immigration Service confirms arrest of undocumented migrants in Accra sweep Graphic Online May - 16 - 2025 , 11:11 2 minutes read The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has confirmed the arrest of several undocumented migrants following a coordinated operation across key locations in Accra on Friday, May 16, 2025. The early-morning exercise targeted known hotspots for street begging and informal trading, including Kaneshie, Abossey Okai, and Kwame Nkrumah Circle. In a brief holding statement issued by the GIS, Assistant Commissioner of Immigration and Head of Public Affairs, M. Amoako-Atta, stated that the operation aimed to address the presence of undocumented migrants on the streets. “We are currently assessing the outcomes of the operation and will provide further details to the public in due course,” the statement read. The operation, which saw the deployment of several uniformed officers, focused on individuals believed to be residing in the country illegally. Eyewitnesses reported a swift and organised effort by immigration personnel who engaged directly with suspected undocumented migrants before escorting them into official vehicles. A significant number of those apprehended included women and children suspected to be foreign nationals. The move forms part of ongoing efforts by national security and immigration authorities to curb child streetism, tackle illegal residency, and address broader public safety concerns in urban centres. According to local observers, the streets of Accra have seen a visible rise in the number of street children and beggars, many of whom operate in heavily trafficked areas, often with young children in tow. While the full details of the operation are yet to be released, GIS has urged the public to remain patient as it reviews the outcomes of the arrests and determines the next steps. The service has also assured that a comprehensive update will follow after the preliminary assessment is complete. As immigration enforcement intensifies in the capital, the development is expected to stir public debate around the management of undocumented migration, social protection systems, and regional cooperation on cross-border movement. 16th May,2025