The Government of Ghana says it is advancing plans to transform the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI) into a fully-fledged Ghana Space Agency as part of efforts to position the country to take advantage of the emerging global space economy. The Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Dr Zanator Agyeman-Rawlings, said the initiative forms part of Government’s broader strategy to make science, technology and innovation central to national development. Addressing stakeholders in Accra on Friday, October 2, 2026, on the theme “Ghana’s Space Science and Technology Agenda: Positioning Ghana for the Space Economy of the Future,” Dr Agyeman-Rawlings said space technology was no longer the preserve of technologically advanced countries but had become critical infrastructure for modern development. She said Ghana must move beyond viewing space science as a symbol of technological prestige and instead use satellite technology, Earth observation, artificial intelligence and geospatial systems to address practical development challenges. According to the Minister, space-based technologies could provide valuable information for monitoring forests, water resources, illegal mining, coastal erosion, flooding, drought, agricultural conditions, urban expansion and marine ecosystems. She said integrating satellite imagery with drones, ground observations, geospatial systems and artificial intelligence could strengthen Ghana’s ability to detect environmental degradation, support enforcement and measure the impact of interventions. Dr Agyeman-Rawlings disclosed that processes were underway to draft legislation for the establishment of a Ghana Space Agency following Cabinet approval. She explained that the proposed agency would coordinate Ghana’s space activities, develop national space programmes, facilitate research and innovation, promote public-private partnerships and international cooperation, support space infrastructure development and strengthen Ghana’s participation in the global space economy. “The objective is not simply to create another institution,” she said, stressing that the country needed a capable national institution that could coordinate and translate space-related investments into tangible development outcomes. The Minister identified institutional transformation, space infrastructure and data, environmental sustainability and climate action, human capital development, and space entrepreneurship and private-sector participation as key pillars of Ghana’s space agenda. Dr Agyeman-Rawlings said the Ministry was particularly interested in using space technology to improve environmental governance. She noted that satellite technologies could support the monitoring of deforestation, illegal mining, land degradation, water bodies, wetlands, biodiversity, coastal ecosystems, waste management and climate-related risks. She said access to timely and spatially detailed information would allow Ghana to move from largely reactive environmental management towards evidence-based and predictive governance. The Minister also called for stronger collaboration between government institutions, universities, research organisations, development partners and the private sector to ensure that satellite data was converted into actionable information for policymaking. Dr Agyeman-Rawlings further stressed the need to develop Ghanaian expertise in emerging areas of the space economy, including aerospace and satellite engineering, astrophysics, remote sensing, artificial intelligence, robotics, data science, telecommunications, space law and policy, and space entrepreneurship. “Our greatest national space asset will not be the satellite. It will be the Ghanaian who designs it, builds it, operates it, analyses its data and develops businesses from it,” she said. She urged stakeholders to create opportunities for young Ghanaians to become creators, innovators and entrepreneurs rather than remaining only consumers of technologies developed elsewhere. The Minister said Ghana’s space ambitions could not depend solely on government investment, urging the private sector to develop commercial applications and services using satellite and geospatial technologies. She identified agriculture, insurance, banking and finance, telecommunications, logistics, mining, maritime services, disaster management, urban planning, environmental monitoring and climate services as areas with significant potential. She also announced plans to strengthen cooperation with international space agencies, development partners, universities and research institutions, while aligning Ghana’s space initiative with the African Union Agenda 2063 and the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy (STISA-2034). First 100 days As part of her First 100 Days Public Engagement Agenda, Dr Agyeman-Rawlings said the Ministry would prioritise stakeholder engagement on the implementation of Ghana’s Space Policy, advance work towards the institutional and legislative framework for the proposed Space Agency, identify priority infrastructure and capacity-development needs, and deepen international and private-sector partnerships. The Ministry will also promote the use of satellite and geospatial data for environmental management, climate resilience and national development, while creating opportunities for researchers, engineers, students and entrepreneurs to participate in space-related programmes. Dr Agyeman-Rawlings said the 100-day programme was intended to provide the direction and institutional momentum required to build a sustainable national space ecosystem. She called on the media and other stakeholders to support efforts to harness space science and technology as part of the Government’s “Resetting Ghana Agenda.” On his part, Director of the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI), Dr Joseph Bremang Tandoh, says satellite technology is playing an important role in monitoring Ghana’s groundwater resources and the environmental impact of illegal mining. Dr Tandoh explained that satellite missions such as the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) can detect changes in the Earth’s gravity field caused by the movement of water, providing information that can help identify areas experiencing groundwater depletion or inadequate recharge. He said the technology could also be used to monitor the environmental footprint of illegal mining activities. According to him, satellite data indicates that Ghana lost almost 67,000 hectares of vegetation to mining activities between 2008 and 2025, an area equivalent to about 94,000 standard football fields. Dr Tandoh, however, noted that cloud cover, particularly in southern Ghana, sometimes limits the use of conventional satellite imagery, while radar-based satellite data that can penetrate clouds are relatively expensive. He further clarified that satellite imagery can identify visible changes in water, such as increased brownness or turbidity, but cannot directly determine the concentration of heavy metals such as mercury and arsenic. He said satellite-based information could nevertheless provide important evidence for policymakers and stakeholders in managing groundwater resources, monitoring mining activities and protecting the environment. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith and Priscilla Dodoo

Ignite Social Enterprise is an independently owned corporate enterprise with no parent-subsidiary relationship, franchise arrangement, joint venture or shared ownership with any Ghanaian company, Member of the Ignite Global Advisory Board, Mr Nathan Kwabena Adisi (Bola Ray), has clarified. According to him, Ignite operates as a separate business entity, with no Ghanaian company having no control over its operations. Mr Adisi made the clarification during a Zoom briefing with the media on Wednesday, alongside Venu Johl of Ignite Social Enterprise, Dubai, who spoke about the company's business model, product offerings and international expansion. The clarification follows discussions and commentary on social media seeking to establish a relationship between Ignite and other Ghanaian business partners. Mr Adisi explained that direct selling is a global industry where professionals may move between different organisations during their careers. He said the previous professional association of individuals with other direct-selling organisations does not, by itself, establish a corporate, legal or financial relationship between those organisations and Ignite. “Let's look at the structures, not the assumptions,” he said, urging the media and the public to distinguish between individual career histories and the formal corporate structures of the companies involved. He stressed that Ignite is independently owned and that there is no parent-subsidiary relationship between Ignite and others. “There is no franchise, no joint venture, no shared ownership. No one has no control over Ignite's operations,” he stated. Earlier during the briefing, Venu Johl of Ignite Social Enterprise, Dubai, described Ignite as a direct-selling company offering wellness products, travel and lifestyle solutions, as well as AI-based online courses. He said the company's approach is focused on building a community in which success is shared and its network remains central to the business. Johl said Ignite's products and services are designed around wellness, lifestyle, travel and digital learning, with the company pursuing an international growth strategy. Mr Adisi further described Ignite as a product distribution company, stressing that it does not operate as an investment or deposit-taking institution. He said the company does not offer investment schemes, guaranteed returns or deposit arrangements. He therefore urged the public to assess Ignite based on its stated business structure and operations rather than assumptions arising from the professional backgrounds of individuals associated with the company. Mr Adisi also outlined measures being undertaken by Ignite to strengthen compliance among its business affiliates in Ghana. He said that since the company's launch in Ghana on August 7, 2026, Ignite has been engaging various stakeholders, including government institutions and law-enforcement agencies. He mentioned engagements with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Trade and Industry. He also disclosed that the company had engaged an anti-human trafficking agency as part of its stakeholder consultations. According to him, compliance must go beyond policies on paper and should be reflected in the conduct of individuals operating under the Ignite brand. He said the company periodically organises sensitisation programmes, training and workshops for its business affiliates to ensure that they understand and comply with its policies. Mr Adisi stressed that every affiliate carries a personal responsibility to understand and follow the company's procedures. Mr Adisi said Ignite does not authorise individuals associated with the company to operate outside its established procedures or Ghanaian law. He stressed that the company does not condone fraud, deception or any unlawful activity conducted using the Ignite brand. He said where individuals are found to be acting contrary to company policies, Ignite would take appropriate steps to dissociate such persons from the organisation. He further assured that the company would respect lawful investigations by state institutions and cooperate with relevant authorities whenever concerns arise over activities involving individuals using its name. “We cooperate with lawful processes, and we allow the facts to be established by the proper authorities,” he said. Mr Adisi also disclosed that Ignite is in the process of establishing a physical office in Accra as part of efforts to strengthen its presence and stakeholder engagement in Ghana. The office is expected to be located at Ridge in Accra, on the seventh floor of a building shared with other established businesses. He said the facility would include product display areas and provide an avenue for stakeholders, including the media, to engage the company and obtain information directly. According to him, key stakeholders will be invited to the official opening of the facility. Mr Adisi said the establishment of the Ghana office forms part of Ignite's broader strategy to consolidate its operations in Ghana and expand its reach across sub-Saharan Africa. He encouraged members of the public and the media with questions about Ignite's operations to approach the company directly for clarification rather than relying solely on information circulating on social media. Brainify is seeking to bridge the gap in artificial intelligence (AI) education by providing a structured learning platform designed to help people understand and apply AI in their daily lives and work. According to John Healy, Head of Development and Strategy at Brainify, the platform was developed as an AI-powered learning ecosystem in response to the growing influence of AI across different aspects of society. Healy said Brainify is particularly focused on underserved markets, including countries across the Global South, where he said there is significant demand for accessible and structured AI education. He said the platform provides learning opportunities through online sessions, boot camps and community engagements aimed at helping users develop practical knowledge and skills in AI. According to Healy, Brainify's broader objective is to enable individuals to use AI to improve their productivity, develop new skills and create opportunities for greater social and economic mobility. He said the company believes that as AI continues to transform workplaces and communication, expanding access to AI education will be critical to ensuring that more people can participate in the emerging digital economy. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

A feature on Africa’s changing cybercrime landscape, digital evidence, public safety and the future of policing Africa is going digital at extraordinary speed. Criminals are moving just as fast. More than 1.1 billion mobile subscriptions were recorded across Africa in 2025, according to INTERPOL. Phones now carry our money, conversations, businesses, identities and access to public services. This transformation is opening enormous opportunities. It is also creating a crime scene that can exist everywhere at once: on a phone in Accra, a server abroad, a social-media account, a cryptocurrency wallet or data stored in the cloud. That is why cybercrime can no longer be treated as a problem for “IT people” alone. INTERPOL’s 2026 African Cyberthreat Assessment says artificial intelligence is enabling 55 per cent of reported cybercrimes across Africa, making attacks faster, easier to scale and harder to detect. The assessment describes a threat environment that is increasingly organised, borderless and technology-enabled. MEET DUNSTAN GUBA: WHERE TECHNOLOGY MEETS PUBLIC SERVICE One Ghanaian practitioner working at that intersection is Dunstan Guba. He is the Cyber Intelligence Lead of the Criminal Investigation Department, Ghana Police Service, with work spanning cybercrime investigations, digital forensics, cyber intelligence, training and international cooperation. He lectures at the Wisconsin International University where teaches Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing and he also host of Cybercrime Alert on Ghana Police TV owned by the Ghana Police Service, a programme focused on digital safety and cyber resilience. That mix of investigation and education matters. Cybersecurity is often discussed as if it were only about systems and networks. In practice, its consequences are human: a family losing money to fraud, a business locked out by ransomware, a child placed at risk online, or an investigator trying to preserve digital evidence before it disappears. The same connection between technology and public safety is visible in Ghana’s AMBER Alert initiative where Dunstan Guba lead the initiative with Meta and serves as the lead admin of the system in Ghana. The system uses Facebook, Instagram and Messenger to distribute targeted alerts when police determine that a missing or abducted child meets the alert criteria. It is an example of digital platforms being used not only to investigate harm, but to mobilise communities quickly to protect people THE CRIME SCENE HAS CHANGED For generations, investigators have been trained to protect the physical crime scene: secure the area, photograph it, preserve fingerprints, collect exhibits and maintain the chain of custody. Those principles remain essential. But the modern investigator must also recognise another crime scene - the digital one. A fraud investigation may depend on mobile-money records. A threat may begin on social media. A kidnapping case may involve location and messaging data. A ransomware attack may leave traces in system memory, network logs and cryptocurrency transactions. Evidence may be deleted, remotely wiped or moved across jurisdictions within minutes. INTERPOL reported in 2025 that cybercrime represented more than 30 per cent of reported crime in Western and Eastern Africa. Two-thirds of surveyed African member countries described cyber-related offences as a medium-to-high share of crime. Online scams, ransomware, business email compromise and digital sextortion were among the most reported threats. The capacity gap is equally important: 90 per cent of surveyed African countries said law-enforcement or prosecution capacity required significant improvement. Ninety-five per cent reported inadequate training, resource constraints or limited access to specialized tools. GHANA: DIGITAL GROWTH, DIGITAL RISK Ghana offers a useful case study. The Cyber Security Authority recorded 2,751 actual cybersecurity incidents in 2024 and reported losses of GH¢23.33 million; online fraud represented 44 per cent of reported incidents. By the first seven months of 2026, the Authority had recorded 3,876 cybersecurity incidents, with online fraud accounting for about 47 per cent. Ghana’s Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038) created the Cyber Security Authority and established a national regulatory framework. But legislation alone cannot reconstruct an intrusion, examine a compromised phone or preserve volatile evidence. That requires trained investigators, forensic laboratories, clear procedures, prosecutors who understand electronic evidence and strong cooperation between institutions. FROM ENCRYPTED FILES TO ATTACKER BEHAVIOUR Guba’s public interventions have focused heavily on this investigative capability. At the Council of Europe Africa Forum on ransomware, he joined African lead specialists discussing digital forensics, darknet investigation, open-source intelligence, command-and-control infrastructure, data preservation, cryptocurrency analysis and suspect identification. The lesson is that the encrypted files may be only the visible end of an attack. Investigators need to understand how the attacker entered, what credentials were stolen, where the attacker moved, what data left the network, what infrastructure was used and where the money went. That technical focus has been tested internationally. Guba also secured a silver medal after placing third at the 2025 INTERPOL Digital Security Challenge in Kuala Lumpur, where participants from law-enforcement agencies across more than 60 countries were tested in areas including digital-evidence analysis, malware, network security, vulnerability identification and incident response. In the history of Ghana, he is the first Police officer to attainment such on the map of Ghana signifying that Ghana is doing well in cybersecurity excellence. His public education work takes the same ideas beyond specialist rooms. Through Cybercrime Alert, academic teaching and professional forums, the emphasis is on making digital risk understandable: people need to recognise threats, institutions need to preserve evidence, and investigators need the skills to follow the digital trail. AFRICA CANNOT INVESTIGATE ALONE A victim may be in Ghana, the offender in another country, the platform holding evidence somewhere else, and the criminal proceeds moving through several financial or cryptocurrency systems. That makes international cooperation part of the investigation itself. INTERPOL reported that 86 per cent of African countries surveyed in 2025 believed their international-cooperation capacity needed improvement. Yet coordinated operations show what is possible. Operation Serengeti 2.0, involving authorities from 18 African countries and the United Kingdom, resulted in 1,209 arrests, USD 97.4 million recovered and 11,432 malicious infrastructures dismantled in 2025. The lesson is simple: cybercriminals can collaborate, outsource services and cross borders quickly. Law enforcement must be able to preserve evidence, share intelligence and coordinate lawful investigations with comparable speed. AFRICA MUST BUILD ITS OWN CYBER INVESTIGATORS According to Dunstan Guba, technology alone will not solve the problem. A forensic tool is only as useful as the person who understands what it can prove, what it cannot prove and how its findings can be explained in court. This is where Guba’s work as both practitioner and educator becomes relevant to the wider African conversation. He also states that training police investigators and postgraduate cybersecurity students helps close the distance between theory and the real crime scene. Africa needs more investigators who understand both crime and technology; more digital forensic examiners; prosecutors and judges comfortable with electronic evidence; and specialists in malware, mobile forensics, cyber intelligence, cryptocurrency tracing and incident response. Artificial intelligence raises the stakes again. It can help criminals automate reconnaissance, improve phishing, imitate people and scale fraud. It can also help defenders analyse information and identify patterns faster. INTERPOL’s 2026 recommendations therefore include standardised digital-forensic capability, stronger cross-border cooperation and investment in AI literacy for law-enforcement officers. The future of cybercrime investigation in Africa is therefore not simply about buying more technology. It is about building people, institutions and partnerships capable of turning digital traces into reliable evidence and reliable evidence into lawful action. Africa’s digital transformation will continue. The question is whether the continent’s investigative capacity will grow with it. Ghana’s experience shows both the urgency of the threat and the value of investing in skills, public awareness, digital forensics, child protection and international cooperation. The crime scene has changed. The criminal has changed. The evidence has changed. Africa’s investigations must change too. Credit: Dunstan Guba, INTERPOL-OPs SENTINEL

Samuel Nartey George, MP has called for a complete overhaul of Ghana football, including the dissolution of the Black Stars and the removal of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) leadership. The Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations Minister made the call after Ghana suffered a second successive defeat in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, losing 4-2 to The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium. The Black Stars appeared to be in control after Ernest Nuamah and Felix Afena-Gyan gave Ghana a two-goal advantage. However, The Gambia turned the game around to leave Ghana empty-handed. The result came on the back of a 2-0 defeat to Côte d’Ivoire in Ghana’s opening Group C fixture, further complicating the team’s efforts to secure a place at the 2027 AFCON. Reacting on X, Sam George maintained that Ghana should abandon what he described as temporary fixes and undertake a fundamental rebuilding of the national team and football administration. “As for the Black Stars, my position before is my position today. Disband the team. Sack the FA. Let FIFA ban us for two years. Take the time to properly rebuild the team. Truth hurts, but the patchwork is worse. Cheers,” he posted. Ghana missed out on the 2025 AFCON in Morocco and will now look to revive its qualification hopes when it faces Somalia in a double-header scheduled for October. The 2027 AFCON will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Ghana Police Service has arrested three people over the suspected kidnapping and murder of 33-year-old phone dealer, Nana Yaw Kyere, whose disappearance was reported on September 22, 2026. The suspects are Philip Dzifa Kofi Tefe, Sarah Osei Adams and Josiah Obodai. The arrests followed investigations by the Police Missing Persons Unit into the disappearance of the victim, who reportedly left his residence at Kokomlemle in Accra on September 19 in his Honda Civic but never returned. Police investigations indicate that Nana Yaw Kyere was allegedly taken to the residence of Philip Tefe at Teshie Agbleza after being lured there by Sarah Osei Adams. According to the police, the two suspects have since admitted to their involvement in the incident. Investigators say Philip Tefe allegedly attacked Nana Yaw Kyere during a confrontation, striking him with a metal object and causing serious injuries. The victim was subsequently moved into another room, where he was reportedly left without medical attention until he died. Police further established that the body was removed from the house on September 20 and transported in a Kia Morning vehicle to an area near the motorway. The body was allegedly abandoned in a bush and set on fire. The partially burnt remains were found at Community 18 on September 21. Identification was later carried out at the Police Hospital morgue, where the victim's biological mother and uncle identified the remains on September 24. As investigators pursued the case, police recovered the victim's iPhone 12, which was allegedly sold by Philip Tefe for GH¢100. The individual who allegedly bought the phone, identified as Sunday Omeje, has been cautioned and detained for allegedly receiving stolen property. Police subsequently arrested Josiah Obodai following leads pointing to his alleged involvement in the transportation and disposal of the victim's body. A Kia Morning belonging to Obodai's father has also been impounded by investigators over its suspected use in moving the deceased. DSP Richmond Mensah, Staff Officer at the Public Affairs Directorate of the Ghana Police Service, said the three suspects are currently in police custody. He said they will be arraigned before the court as investigations continue, adding that the police are working to establish the involvement of any other persons connected to the case. The investigation remains ongoing. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Ghana’s building cost inflation rose to 4.6% in August 2026, from 4.0% in July, driven largely by higher prices of construction materials and continued pressure from plant and equipment costs. The Government Statistician, Dr. Iddrisu Alhassan, disclosed this at the release of the August 2026 Prime Building Cost Index (PBCI) by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS). According to Dr. Alhassan, building costs increased by 4.6% year-on-year in August 2026, while prices recorded a marginal 0.1% increase between July and August 2026. He noted that although building cost inflation has increased in recent months, the current rate remains significantly below the 12.0% recorded in August 2025, reflecting a substantial moderation in the pace of construction cost increases over the past year. The PBCI stood at 138.4 in August 2026, compared with 132.3 in August 2025, while the annual average inflation rate for the 12 months to August 2026 was 4.3%. Dr. Alhassan explained that materials remained the dominant source of pressure on building costs, recording 5.8% year-on-year inflation in August, compared with 5.1% in July. Materials account for 76.5% of the PBCI basket and contributed 96.5% of the upward movement in the headline building inflation rate. He said the figures demonstrate that construction costs are being influenced by different movements across individual inputs rather than by a uniform increase in prices. Among the construction inputs recording the fastest price increases were plumbing, 26.1%; reinforcement, 24.2%; small tools, 23.4%; roofing sheets, 21.7%; and glazing, 20.4%. In contrast, prices of some major inputs declined. Steel fell by 8.9%, cement by 7.1%, fine aggregate by 5.1%, unskilled labour by 4.6%, and skilled labour by 1.8%. Dr. Alhassan identified plant and equipment costs as an area requiring closer attention from businesses and policymakers. Plant inflation stood at 17.9% year-on-year in August, marginally lower than the 18.0% recorded in July. Although plant has a relatively small 4.0% weight in the PBCI basket, it contributed 15.6% to the headline inflation rate, underscoring its impact on overall construction costs. Small tools recorded inflation of 23.4%, while equipment prices increased by 10.7% over the same period. The Government Statistician also pointed to labour costs as a factor helping to moderate overall building cost pressures. Labour inflation was recorded at -2.9% in August, compared with -3.2% in July. Skilled labour costs declined by 1.8%, while unskilled labour costs fell by 4.6% year-on-year. Labour consequently recorded a negative 12.1% contribution to headline building inflation, partly offsetting increases recorded in materials and plant. Dr. Alhassan said the latest figures provide important information for contractors, developers, investors and government agencies involved in construction. The GSS has encouraged businesses to use current market evidence when pricing contracts and to carefully manage their exposure to plant, tools and construction materials experiencing higher inflation. The statistical service also recommends flexible procurement arrangements and transparent price-adjustment clauses to help businesses manage changes in construction costs. For government, the GSS says the relatively lower inflation environment presents an opportunity to improve project delivery while closely monitoring plant and installation costs and strengthening artisan skills, procurement data and local supply chains. The August figures point to a construction sector where overall inflation has moderated considerably compared with a year ago, but significant price pressures remain in selected areas. Dr. Alhassan said the key message from the latest PBCI is that building inflation remains low overall, while plant, tools and selected installation materials have emerged as the main pressure points. The GSS says the PBCI is intended to provide businesses, households, investors and government with reliable cost information for budgeting, contract decisions, project planning and investment decisions. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Government of Ghana through Ministry of Health has launched the 2026 Breast Cancer Awareness Month with a renewed call for Ghanaians to seek prompt medical attention for breast abnormalities, warning that delays in diagnosis and treatment can cost lives. Launching the month-long campaign in Accra on Tuesday, Deputy Minister for Health, Hon. Prof. Grace Ayensu Danquah, said the theme, “Early Action, Better Outcomes,” must translate public awareness into timely access to diagnosis and treatment. She said breast cancer remains the leading cancer affecting women in Ghana, with an estimated 4,650 new cases and about 2,060 deaths annually, describing the disease as a major health, social and economic burden on families and the health system. Prof. Danquah said Ghana’s response is centred on four key areas: prevention, early detection, equitable access to treatment and compassionate care. She noted that the country is promoting breast awareness, clinical breast examinations by trained health workers and stronger referral systems to ensure that suspected cases move quickly from presentation to diagnosis and treatment. The Deputy Minister also called for continued investment in pathology, imaging and radiotherapy services, stressing that early presentation must be matched by the capacity to provide timely and effective treatment. She identified fear, stigma, misinformation, cost and geographical barriers as some of the factors contributing to delays in seeking care. Addressing common misconceptions, she said a biopsy does not spread cancer and urged people not to dismiss painless breast lumps or rely on unproven remedies before seeking professional medical care. Under the World Health Organization’s Global Breast Cancer Initiative, Ghana is pursuing targets that include increasing early-stage diagnosis, ensuring diagnosis within 60 days of first presentation and improving treatment completion rates. Prof. Danquah said the breast cancer campaign also forms part of Ghana’s broader cancer-control agenda, including efforts to strengthen the National Cancer Registry and revise the National Cancer Strategy. She further highlighted government initiatives intended to reduce the financial barriers associated with cancer and other non-communicable diseases, including the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as Mahama Cares, and the Free Primary Health Care Initiative. The Deputy Minister called on health agencies, development partners, civil society organisations, researchers, the private sector, traditional and faith leaders, survivors and caregivers to intensify public education and support for people affected by breast cancer. Her message to the public was direct: know what is normal for your breasts and seek medical attention promptly if you notice a lump, changes in the skin or nipple, nipple discharge or swelling in the armpit. “Go to a health facility first, not last,” she urged. Prof. Danquah subsequently declared the 2026 Breast Cancer Awareness Month officially launched, calling for a national commitment to early action and improved outcomes for everyone affected by breast cancer. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairperson, Madam Abena Osei-Asare (MP) has called for a stronger culture of accountability across Ghana’s public institutions, stressing that accountability must be embedded in the daily operations of institutions rather than begin only when auditors arrive. She made the call at the 2026 Financial Year Audit Launch, held on the theme “Strengthening Accountability Oversight in Public Institutions: Building Trust through Collaboration and Action.” According to Abena Osei-Asare, public institutions must take responsibility for safeguarding state resources by establishing effective internal controls and financial management systems before the Auditor-General begins an audit. “Accountability must not begin when the Auditor-General knocks at your doors.” She said effective accountability required collaboration among Parliament, public institutions, external auditors, the Ministry of Finance and other relevant enforcement institutions. However, she cautioned that collaboration must not undermine the independence of the auditor. “Our collaboration must never become collusion. Collaboration does not mean compromising the independence of the auditor. It means ensuring that accountability systems work from end to end,” she said. She noted that the citizenry, management of public institutions and enforcement agencies all had responsibilities in ensuring that public resources were properly managed. According to her, although institutions operate under different mandates, they must remain united around one objective: protecting the public purse. Abena Osei-Asare also called for a transition from periodic auditing towards a system of continuous accountability, supported by technology and integrated government information systems. She said information from financial transactions, procurement systems, payroll data, tax records and asset registers should increasingly be connected to enable authorities to identify anomalies at an early stage. Such integration, she explained, could help identify problems before they become audit findings and financial losses. “In our age, we should not be taking weeks until the end of the year to discover the financial failure that occurred in January,” she said. She said the increased use of technology could therefore strengthen oversight and allow institutions to respond to weaknesses before they escalate. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairperson, also said the issue of accountability went beyond accounting and financial reporting, stressing that it was fundamentally about public trust. She noted that citizens paid taxes with the expectation that their money would be managed responsibly, while businesses fulfilled their obligations expecting public institutions to demonstrate the same level of responsibility. “When accountability fails repeatedly, we lose more than money. We lose trust. And trust, once lost, is far more difficult to recover than money,” she said. Abena Osei-Asare stressed that no single institution could build an effective accountability system on its own. She said the Auditor-General, Parliament, the Ministry of Finance, external auditors, management of public institutions, civil society and the media all had distinct roles to play. She called for stronger coordination based on clear mandates, credible information, institutional independence and decisive follow-through. As the 2026 audit cycle begins, Abena Osei-Asare outlined three key imperatives for public institutions. She urged institutions to get their internal controls right before the audit, provide the necessary evidence during the audit and act on audit findings after the audit. “Before the audits, get the controls right. During the audit, put the evidence on the table. After the audit, act on the findings.” She stressed that accountability should not end with the publication of an audit report. Rather, she said, the process should continue until identified weaknesses are corrected, monies due to the state are recovered, responsibility is established and measures are implemented to prevent recurrence. Abena Osei-Asare said adherence to these principles would strengthen public oversight, protect state resources and contribute to rebuilding and sustaining the confidence of Ghanaians in public institutions. “That is how we strengthen oversight. That is how we protect the public purse. And that is how we earn and keep the trust of the Ghanaian people,” she said. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Dr. David Ofosu-Dorte, Senior Partner of AB & David Africa, has called for renewed attention to the safety and protection of auditors as they carry out their statutory responsibilities in scrutinising public accounts and financial transactions. He said the effectiveness of the audit function could be undermined if auditors were exposed to threats, intimidation or other forms of interference while performing their duties. Dr. Ofosu-Dorte made the remarks at the 2026 Financial Year Audit Launch, held on the theme “Strengthening Accountability Oversight in Public Institutions: Building Trust through Collaboration and Action.” He said the issue of protecting auditors deserved serious consideration, particularly because their work could sometimes involve uncovering financial irregularities and scrutinising decisions taken by powerful individuals and institutions. Dr. Ofosu-Dorte, however, cautioned against treating the issue solely as a matter of providing police escorts for auditors. “I definitely do not recommend that auditors be made to have police people following them. But I think it is something to be thought about as to how [their safety can be protected].” He said stakeholders should explore appropriate institutional mechanisms that would allow auditors to perform their duties safely, independently and without fear. According to him, protecting auditors should form part of the broader effort to strengthen the operational effectiveness of the Audit Service. He noted that auditors' scrutiny of public accounts was ultimately undertaken in the interest of the country and contributed to safeguarding public resources. Dr. Ofosu-Dorte therefore urged stakeholders to consider measures that would enhance the working environment and operational capacity of auditors. He expressed the hope that the concerns raised during the engagement would be carefully considered and that recommendations capable of improving the audit function would be adopted. He said a stronger and more secure audit environment would contribute to more effective oversight, accountability and protection of Ghana's public purse. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

Presidential Advisor on the National Anti-Corruption Programme, Professor Francis Dodoo, has challenged the Ghana Audit Service to move beyond identifying financial irregularities and ensure that public funds found to have been misappropriated are effectively recovered. He said auditors must remain committed to protecting the interests of the wider community rather than shielding individuals whose actions had caused financial losses to the state. Professor Dodoo made the call at the 2026 Financial Year Audit Launch on the theme, “Strengthening Accountability Oversight in Public Institutions: Building Trust through Collaboration and Action.” He argued that efforts to protect individuals implicated in financial misconduct often failed to recognise the wider damage caused to communities and ordinary citizens. According to him, auditors should not allow personal relationships, pressure or appeals for leniency to interfere with their professional responsibility to expose wrongdoing. “Whenever the question is one of whether I should be the friend of an individual to the detriment of the community by helping alleviate or not expose his behaviour or misappropriation, I would suggest that our culture in this country should rather incline us to be a friend to the community.” Professor Dodoo said the people who ultimately suffer when public resources are lost are ordinary citizens who depend on those resources for essential services and development. He therefore urged auditors to see their work as a responsibility to the wider public, stressing that the manner in which they discharge their duties would determine the level of trust communities place in public institutions. According to Professor Dodoo, approximately a quarter of the 2024 losses involved cash irregularities, including payments made without proper documentation. He also cited GH¢8.1 million in expenditure claims that were rejected by the Auditor-General after being identified as recoverable. He said the figures demonstrated the scale of resources that could be lost to weaknesses in public financial management. Professor Dodoo stressed that whether such losses resulted from inefficiency or deliberate misappropriation, their impact on the country and ordinary Ghanaians could not be ignored. As the Audit Service begins the 2026 audit cycle, Professor Dodoo urged auditors to fully utilise the powers available to them under Article 187 of the 1992 Constitution, particularly in relation to disallowance and surcharge. He said identifying irregular expenditure and disallowing it should not necessarily be the end of the process where the circumstances warranted further action. Professor Dodoo argued that the Audit Service must ensure that persons responsible for financial losses are appropriately surcharged and that recoveries are actually enforced. He illustrated his point with a hypothetical example involving the misappropriation of GH¢10 million. He said if an individual unlawfully benefited from GH¢10 million and the money was only identified and recovered several years later, simply returning the original amount could mean that the individual had enjoyed the financial benefit of using or investing the money during the intervening period. Using Treasury bill rates of around 18 percent as an illustration, he argued that the financial benefit derived from holding public funds for an extended period could be significant. Professor Dodoo therefore called for surcharge mechanisms that would appropriately address such benefits, subject to the applicable legal framework. Professor Dodoo said effective accountability required the Audit Service to follow the entire chain—from identifying irregularities, to disallowance, surcharge and ultimately recovery. He warned that without effective enforcement, audit findings could fail to deliver the intended deterrent effect. He urged auditors to ensure that those responsible for financial irregularities did not simply return the principal amount years later after having benefited from the funds. According to him, such a situation could create the wrong incentives and undermine efforts to protect public resources. Professor Dodoo said the Audit Service had a critical role to play in Ghana's fight against corruption and in strengthening public confidence in the management of state resources. He urged auditors to remain firmly on the side of the public whenever the interests of individuals conflicted with those of the wider community. “Please, by all means, disallow; please, by all means, surcharge appropriately, and then follow through to enforce recoveries.” He said consistent enforcement of these measures would contribute significantly to reforming the audit function and strengthening accountability in Ghana's public institutions. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

The Auditor-General of the Ghana Audit Service, Dr. Pamela Graham, has called for stronger accountability, timely action and closer collaboration among public institutions to improve governance and restore public confidence in the management of state resources. Dr. Graham said the Audit Service was repositioning its approach to public sector auditing to ensure that audit findings translated into concrete action and measurable improvements. She made the call at the 2026 Financial Year Audit Launch, held under the theme: “Strengthening Accountability Oversight in Public Institutions: Building Trust through Collaboration and Action.” According to Dr. Graham, the resources subject to public audit belong to the people of Ghana, making it essential for public institutions to demonstrate transparency, efficiency and accountability in their use. She said the Audit Service would place greater emphasis on collaboration and continuous engagement with covered entities to improve the timeliness and quality of audits. Dr. Graham commended covered entities, including a number of state-owned enterprises, that had submitted their financial statements to the Audit Service on time, and urged institutions that were behind schedule to follow their example. She stressed that existing delays and inadequate preparation for audits should no longer be allowed to persist. Dr. Graham identified technology as a major component of the Audit Service's strategy, saying the institution would expand its use of data analytics, information systems audits, continuous technology-enabled audit techniques, forensic auditing tools and investigative techniques. She also indicated that the Audit Service would explore the appropriate and timely use of artificial intelligence in its operations. Where the availability and quality of data permit, she said, auditors would progressively move beyond limited sampling to full-population analysis. According to her, the approach would enable the Audit Service to detect anomalies, unusual patterns and weaknesses in internal controls much earlier. Dr. Graham also disclosed that the Audit Service was expanding a correspondence management system developed in-house to receive and manage official communications from institutions it engages with. She encouraged covered entities to use the platform to submit correspondence, financial statements and other relevant documents. The system, she said, would improve efficiency and accountability while reducing the Audit Service's reliance on paper, in line with environmental, social and governance considerations. Dr. Graham also placed emphasis on the people responsible for delivering the Audit Service's mandate. She said an audit institution could only be as strong as the people who carried out its work, stressing that technical knowledge alone was insufficient. She therefore urged audit officers to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, objectivity and due process. “Our findings must rest on sufficient and appropriate audit evidence, and must withstand professional scrutiny, administrative review and, where applicable, judicial examination,” she said. She encouraged officers to remain independent in their thinking, disciplined in their conduct and committed to ethical standards. Dr. Graham further stressed the need for public institutions to act on audit findings instead of allowing unresolved recommendations to remain in files indefinitely. She said an audit report should be regarded as the beginning of action and not the end of the process. To strengthen follow-up, she announced that the Audit Service had resumed work on a homegrown digital solution known as the Audit Recommendation Tracker. The electronic tracker is designed to monitor the implementation of audit recommendations and provide greater visibility on the progress made by institutions. Dr. Graham said the system would ultimately support the work of the Public Accounts Committee and provide the public with access to information on how institutions were responding to audit recommendations. She announced that the tracker was expected to be rolled out in the following month. The platform will indicate which recommendations have been implemented, which remain outstanding and the reasons for delays. It will also track recoverable amounts identified, pursued and recovered, as well as corrective, administrative or disciplinary measures taken in response to audit findings. The system will further identify areas where persistent weaknesses continue to expose public resources to risk. Dr. Graham commended staff of the Audit Service who contributed to the development of both the Audit Recommendation Tracker and the correspondence management system, saying their work demonstrated that innovation and accountability could go hand in hand. Dr. Graham said the various pillars of the Audit Service's strategy were interconnected. She explained that continuous engagement should improve timeliness, while timely auditing supported by technology would strengthen the Service's ability to identify problems. Technology, she added, must be complemented by capable and ethical professionals to improve the quality and impact of audit work. She said the ultimate objective was to strengthen accountability, good governance and transparency in the management of public resources. Concluding her remarks, Dr. Graham reminded stakeholders that every resource subjected to public audit belonged to the people of Ghana. She said losses arising from weak controls, theft, inefficient expenditure, non-performance or failure to act represented resources that could otherwise support healthcare, infrastructure, medication and social protection. “Our responsibility as auditors therefore is not only to identify what went wrong. It is to establish the facts, apply the law, ensure weaknesses are addressed and help prevent the same mistakes from recurring,” she said. Dr. Graham said that was the essence of accountability and a critical means of building and sustaining public trust. Story by: Joshua Kwabena

Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, has called for stronger collaboration between government ministries and traditional authorities to accelerate development in the Ga State, particularly in the areas of agriculture, youth employment and community development. The Ga Mantse made the call when the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, paid a courtesy visit to the Ga Mantse Palace. Welcoming the Minister and his delegation, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II stressed the need for government to deepen its engagement with traditional authorities, describing chiefs as important partners in the development of their communities. He said although Accra is largely recognised as an urban and cosmopolitan capital, there are communities within the Ga State that retain rural characteristics and continue to face challenges relating to infrastructure, basic amenities and economic opportunities. According to the Ga Mantse, addressing these development gaps requires sustained collaboration among government ministries, traditional authorities, development partners and other relevant stakeholders. He also expressed concern about what he described as limited collaboration between the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and traditional authorities, particularly regarding agricultural programmes being implemented within communities. King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II said chiefs and traditional leaders should be adequately informed and involved in government initiatives because of their direct connection with communities and their ability to mobilise residents for development programmes. He noted that agriculture has significant potential to create employment for young people and urged the Ministry to strengthen programmes that support youth participation in agriculture, agribusiness and related enterprises. The Ga Mantse further highlighted the need for stronger institutional collaboration in the development of aquaculture and other areas of agriculture, stressing that government institutions must work together to maximise the benefits of such sectors. He also called for greater recognition of the role of traditional authorities in the organisation and promotion of cultural activities, including the annual Homowo Festival. Responding to the concerns, Hon. Eric Opoku thanked the Ga Mantse for the warm reception and assured him that the issues raised during the engagement would receive the attention of the Ministry. The Minister acknowledged the importance of the collaborations proposed by the Ga Mantse and assured him that the Ministry would work to ensure that the necessary engagements and partnerships were strengthened. Hon. Eric Opoku also assured the Ga Mantse that the Ministry would make it a point to participate in the next Homowo Festival, as part of efforts to deepen its relationship with the Ga Traditional Council and support the cultural heritage of the Ga people. He further gave an assurance that the issue of youth unemployment in the Ga State would be given attention. According to the Minister, efforts would be made to ensure that young people in the Ga State are not left out of initiatives aimed at creating employment and promoting self-employment through agriculture and related economic activities. The assurance is significant as the Ga Mantse had earlier identified youth unemployment as one of the major concerns requiring urgent attention, particularly at a time when many young people are seeking sustainable sources of livelihood. Agriculture as an avenue for employment The engagement also highlighted the potential of agriculture to contribute to employment creation and economic development within the Ga State. King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II urged the Ministry to strengthen its networks at the community level and work closely with traditional leaders to identify young people who could benefit from agricultural programmes and entrepreneurial opportunities. He maintained that closer cooperation between the Ministry and traditional authorities could help ensure that government initiatives reach the intended beneficiaries at the grassroots. Both the Ga Mantse and the Minister therefore underscored the importance of sustained engagement between the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Ga Traditional Council. The visit ended with assurances from the Minister that the concerns raised by the Ga Mantse would be taken into consideration, while both sides expressed their commitment to strengthening cooperation for the development of the Ga State. Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith