President John Dramani Mahama has nominated two Court of Appeal judges and a former President of the Ghana Bar Association for appointment to the Supreme Court, a move that will increase the apex court's membership if approved. The nominees — Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko Essah, Justice Edward Amoako Asante, and Tony Forson — will appear before Parliament's Appointments Committee for vetting before submission to the House for approval.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Prof. Godfred Bokpin argues that Ghana's absence of explicit employment targets in its macroeconomic framework is a major policy failure, preventing economic growth from translating into jobs. He calls for annual employment targets and deliberate resource allocation to labour-intensive sectors to ensure job-rich growth rather than jobless expansion.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
African policymakers, anti-corruption agencies, and civil society organisations have adopted the Accra Declaration on Regulating Financing of Politics to Advance Democratic Integrity in Africa, calling for coordinated continental action to strengthen transparency, accountability and integrity in political financing. The declaration, adopted at a three-day conference in Accra held from July 14 to 16, warns that growing influence of money in politics is threatening democratic governance and eroding public confidence in institutions.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
At a West Africa Female Parliamentarians conference in Accra, MP Zuwera Ibrahimah said that while Parliament has enacted protective laws, ending gender-based violence requires broader societal change, public education, and cultural transformation beyond legislation alone. She argued that laws are ineffective without proper implementation and change in values that normalise abuse.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Minority in Parliament staged a walkout on July 16 during consideration of the Tribunals Bill, 2026, with Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin arguing the proposed tribunal system could undermine due process and fair trial guarantees. Opposition to the bill extends beyond Parliament to organised labour and other legal stakeholders, and the Minority drew parallels with Ghana's tribunal system during the PNDC era.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The government is preparing reforms to the National Information Technology Agency (NITA), including legislation to separate its regulatory and commercial functions to strengthen digital governance. The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations announced the proposed NITA Act during the introduction of a new Director-General, saying the changes are intended to enhance transparency, improve operational efficiency, and position NITA as a more effective regulator of Ghana's digital economy.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
President Mahama will undertake a two-day working visit to the Volta Region on Thursday and Friday as part of his "Accounting to the People Tour," during which he will inspect the Ho Sports Stadium on Thursday, July 17, at 1000 hours and interact with residents. The government intends to upgrade the Ho Sports Stadium to FIFA Category B-standard, and construction works on an AstroTurf project at Ho Technical University are underway by Ghana Gas.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga has indicated that Parliament is unlikely to declare the seat of the Asante Akyem North MP vacant despite his prolonged absence following arrest in the Netherlands on money laundering and romance scam-related charges. Ayariga argued that parliamentary practice considers reasons for absence and allows judicial proceedings to take their course before considering action, warning that declaring a seat vacant solely due to detention could create dangerous political precedent.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
James Gunu, Volta Regional Minister, commended journalists at a breakfast meeting with the Ghana Journalists Association chapter, reaffirming the government's view of the media as a strategic development partner and pledging to strengthen collaboration with the press.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Four Volta region districts fell in the 2025 MMDA performance ranking: Kpando Municipal from first to fourth (64.50%), Central Tongu from second to seventh (59.90%), Ketu South from fourth to ninth (56.50%), and Adaklu from tenth to eighteenth (37.10%). North Tongu District Assembly topped the 2025 ranking with 90.40%, followed by North Dayi at 88.75% and Akatsi North at 77.50%.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Member of Parliament for Salaga South has expressed sorrow over the passing of Ya-Na Abukari II, Overlord of the Dagbon Kingdom, describing him as a symbol of peace, unity, and wise leadership whose commitment to reconciliation and tradition earned him widespread admiration.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
A CDD-Ghana fellow argues that state institutions will struggle to separate their actions from politics as long as their heads are political appointees, noting that leadership changes in these institutions often follow changes in government and that cases involving high-profile or politically exposed persons add further complexity.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Dr John Osae-Kwapong of the Centre for Democratic Development argues that heads of state institutions should be removed from office if they repeatedly oversee constitutional breaches, saying accountability must extend to leadership and those who appoint them, though he acknowledges the challenge that many such heads are political appointees.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
A CDD-Ghana fellow says political appointment of heads of key state institutions makes it difficult for the public to distinguish administrative actions from partisan politics, a challenge that deepens when institutions investigate politically exposed persons or high-profile party figures.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Parliament has approved renewal of the head lease of Regina House in London for another 150 years, a strategic national asset housing the Ghana International Bank and other tenants. The renewal will cost the government £17.25 million.
16 July 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Three men were arrested and granted bail for allegedly disrupting the NPP Constituency Executive Election at Bidieso in Obuasi on July 12, 2026, after storming the polling station with offensive weapons, scattering ballot boxes and threatening officials and voters. They were charged with conspiracy to commit crime and rioting with weapons, pleaded not guilty, and were each granted bail of GH¢50,000 with two justified sureties.
16 July 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission has cleared former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and 470 other candidates from the David Mark-led faction of the African Democratic Congress for the 2027 general elections, following a Supreme Court judgment affirming the faction's party leadership. The faction has submitted candidates for 471 positions: one presidential, 109 senatorial, and 360 House of Representatives.
16 July 2026 · The Chronicle →
President Mahama described Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa as one of his hardest-working ministers, crediting him with securing international backing for Ghana's UN reparations resolution and leading the repatriation of Ghanaians from conflict areas.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Prof. Douglas Boateng called for a change in Ghanaian values and attitudes to build stronger governance, urging professional bodies to shape ethical leaders through mentorship and training, and warning against political polarisation that prioritises party loyalty over national interest.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said President John Dramani Mahama's public praise has "completed" his 2028 campaign, attributing ministerial success to the President's leadership and direction rather than individual effort.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
President Mahama has reaffirmed the government's commitment to compensating victims of the 2023 Akosombo and Kpong dam spillage, stating that verification and assessment processes are nearing completion ahead of payments. He acknowledged the devastating impact on thousands of residents' homes, farms, businesses and livelihoods across several communities.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
President John Mahama assured Volta Region residents that procurement for a new contractor on the long-delayed Volivo Bridge project will be completed before the end of the year, after the original contractor withdrew following years of delays. A government delegation recently concluded discussions in Japan to advance the project.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
An Accra High Court has struck out an application by the Attorney-General's Department to revoke medical travel permission granted to former National Buffer Stock Company CEO Hanan Abdul-Wahab, ruling the application moot because the travel order had already expired. Abdul-Wahab's counsel, former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame, criticised the State for arresting him at the airport and detaining him for four days, preventing him from using the court-granted permission.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
A Justice of the Court of Appeal has called for constitutional and legislative reforms to allow certain categories of cases to end at the Court of Appeal rather than proceed to the Supreme Court, arguing this would ease the apex court's growing workload. She noted that the Supreme Court is currently overstretched by the volume and diversity of cases it is mandated to hear, including original jurisdiction in constitutional and regional matters, appellate jurisdiction over cases from the National House of Chiefs, final appellate jurisdiction over decisions of the Court of Appeal, jurisdiction over presidential election petitions, and supervisory jurisdiction over the High Court and Court of Appeal.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Accra Regional Branch of the Ghana Bar Association has endorsed the recently passed Community Service Bill as a reform towards a more rehabilitative criminal justice system. As part of Law Week celebrations, the Association will dispatch volunteer lawyers to Nsawam Medium Security Prison to provide free legal services to inmates, while welcoming the new law that offers non-custodial alternatives to imprisonment for selected minor offences.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Dr Ken Ashigbey, Convener of the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining, warns that successive governments have failed to enforce the law against politically connected illegal miners, and that galamsey will continue unless political interference ends and the state holds all perpetrators accountable regardless of party affiliation.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Wa West District Assembly has begun a one-month renovation of its main conference hall, the first major upgrade since 2004, to address structural and furnishing deficiencies including retiling, new windows, air conditioning, and modern furniture. The project is financed through the District Assemblies' Common Fund and aims to provide a safe and comfortable environment for local governance operations.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
President John Dramani Mahama began a two-day visit to the Volta Region, cutting the sod for the construction of 18 24-hour Economy Model Markets across all districts in the region. The visit also includes inspections of education institutions, roads, police headquarters, and engagement with chiefs and residents at a town hall meeting.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Minority Leader has criticized the government's response to recent devastating floods, calling for a national mourning period and a comprehensive sanitation policy rather than ad hoc measures. He noted that while lives have been lost, there has been no official national mourning or presidential address to console affected families.
16 July 2026 · Daily Guide →
NPP flagbearer Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia urged Ghanaians to protect the country's inter-religious tolerance at the dedication of an 800-capacity cathedral in Wenchi, saying faith must unite the nation for building rather than divide it.
16 July 2026 · Daily Guide →
The Center for Local Governance Advocacy has called on all 261 MMDAs to review their 2025 Public Financial Management Compliance League Table results and implement time-bound improvement plans. The 2025 assessment recorded a national compliance score of 56.20%, exceeding the 50% benchmark, with coverage improving to 100% across all 16 regions.
16 July 2026 · Daily Guide →
Paul Awentami Afoko, former National Chairman of the NPP, has announced his intention to contest for the party's National Chairmanship, with a vision centred on reuniting, rebuilding, and recapturing political power from the NDC in the 2028 election. He pledged to restore party values and reconcile members rather than encourage factionalism.
16 July 2026 · Daily Guide →
An aspiring Ashanti Regional Youth Organiser of the NPP, Yiadom Boakye Emmanuel, has promised to revive the party's grassroots mobilisation system by reintroducing electoral area youth wings if elected, citing their effectiveness under former organiser Justin Kodua Frimpong.
16 July 2026 · Daily Guide →
Baffour Awuah II and Abusuapanin Kwadwo Ofori have filed a High Court suit against Odeefuo Boa Amponsem IV, Nana Ama Ayensua Saara III, and others, claiming that Nyinawusu stool lands were acquired by their ancestral parents through conquest and discovery and belong exclusively to the Denkyira Nyinawusu Stool, not the paramount chief of Denkyira.
16 July 2026 · The Chronicle →
The POS Foundation has welcomed Parliament's passage of the Community Service Bill, 2026, which will allow courts to impose community service orders instead of custodial sentences for eligible offenders convicted of offences punishable by prison terms of less than three years. The Foundation says the law will reduce prison overcrowding, facilitate offender rehabilitation and reintegration, and strengthen restorative justice.
16 July 2026 · The Chronicle →
An editorial in The Chronicle argues that security agencies are being used as weapons against political opponents, citing the arrest of Dennis Miracles Aboagye, a spokesperson for Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, by EOCO in connection with alleged financial irregularities at the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation.
16 July 2026 · The Chronicle →
Legal practitioner Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare has criticised the one-year prison sentence imposed on TikToker Camilla Alhassan for offensive conduct and publication of false news, arguing that while her comments were offensive and false, criminal prosecution should not be used to police speech in a constitutional democracy.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
President Mahama inspected an ongoing 1,500-seat multipurpose assembly hall construction at Peki College of Education and announced financial clearance for the recruitment of at least 16,000 teachers, affirming the government's commitment to educational infrastructure and graduate employment.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Members of Parliament have called for establishing a museum in Ahanta West Municipality to preserve the head of Nana Badu Bonsu II, the Ahanta king executed by Dutch colonial authorities in 1838, which was recently returned to Ghana by the Netherlands and is currently held at the 37 Military Hospital. MPs argue the facility would honour the king's resistance against colonialism and serve as an educational and tourism centre for future generations.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
President Mahama inspected road projects under the Big Push infrastructure programme and expressed satisfaction with progress, suggesting several projects could be completed ahead of the December 2027 deadline. The programme has created an estimated 300,000 direct and indirect jobs in construction, food vending, quarrying, fuel supply, cement distribution, and related sectors.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The National Development Planning Commission and Integrated Social Development Centre have discussed a proposed annual research programme to track inequalities across Northern Ghana and support evidence-based policymaking. The initiative aims to generate data on the nature, causes and patterns of regional disparities to inform development planning.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Camilla Alhassan, 43, pleaded guilty to charges of offensive conduct and publication of false news after posting TikTok videos falsely alleging that President Mahama performed ritual sacrifices to secure election victory. An Accra Circuit Court convicted her on Thursday, July 16, finding her claims about ritual practices and government cover-ups unsubstantiated.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Member of Parliament for Bekwai has provided material and financial assistance to three communities—Kensere-Biribowomanmu-Pampaso, Amanhyia and Sarfokrom—for community-led projects addressing road access, education and local commerce. Support included gravel sand and GH¢15,000 for road improvement in Kensere, and completion of a three-unit teachers' quarters project in Amanhyia.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Former Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has urged the government to prioritise investments in Artificial Intelligence, STEM, and robotics education, arguing that such interventions are crucial to Ghana's transformation agenda and economic competitiveness. He noted that KNUST's integration of AI into education, particularly in biomedical sciences, has potential to position Ghana among Africa's most innovative countries.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Chairman of Parliament's Economy and Development Committee defended a closed-door meeting with Bank of Ghana Governor Dr Johnson Asiama, arguing that the central bank's independence requires a different approach from usual parliamentary oversight. He said Parliament is not hiding the BoG's operations, but the institution is independent despite government being a stakeholder.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Economist Professor Godfred Bokpin has warned that Parliament's decision to hold a closed-door meeting with the Bank of Ghana Governor could erode public confidence in the central bank and democratic institutions. He argued that media coverage would have better served the public interest and accused the Majority of creating a setback for democracy.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Asantehene has called for deeper collaboration between Ghana's judiciary and chieftaincy institutions to ensure timely resolution of chieftaincy disputes and strengthen public confidence in justice. He stressed that unresolved jurisdictional challenges and prolonged litigation undermine effective traditional leadership, and that the institution of chieftaincy is constitutionally protected, not a relic of the past.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has reflected on decades of political interference in Ghana's chieftaincy institution, saying successive governments after independence enacted laws that undermined customary authority. He described chieftaincy as having been treated at various times as a competing centre of authority by political actors.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie called on judiciary members to protect Ghana's justice system's integrity while embracing reforms to strengthen the Supreme Court for future generations. He spoke at the court's 150th Anniversary Celebrations in Kumasi, saying each generation must preserve what endures and reform what needs change.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie told the Supreme Court's 150th Anniversary Celebrations in Kumasi that justice belongs to the people, not judges, and that public confidence in the judiciary is the court's most valuable inheritance. He stressed that courts' credibility depends on the trust Ghanaians place in them, and that trust built over generations must be carefully guarded.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The New Patriotic Party United States branch will hold its 2026 Branch Delegates Conference from July 24–26 in Westborough, Massachusetts, where delegates will elect a new national executive team and discuss policy and strategy ahead of Ghana's 2028 general elections.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Former Local Government Minister Akwasi Opong-Fosu has called on the NDC to shift away from personality-driven politics and build resilient institutional systems from the grassroots up, warning that relying on individual power brokers leaves the party on "quicksand." He argued that political survival depends on systems outlasting the individuals who manage them.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Broadcast journalist and aspiring NDC parliamentary candidate Blessed Godsbrain Smart (Captain Smart) has pledged to undertake major infrastructure development projects in Gomoa West if elected, declaring he will "turn the constituency into a construction site." He urged party supporters to remain united ahead of the parliamentary primaries.
16 July 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
NDC aspirant Nii Lante Vanderpuye has urged the government to engage the Owoo Family following Cabinet's revocation of Executive Instrument 144 relating to the Achimota Forest Reserve, saying the family was not consulted before the decision and should be involved in discussions for an amicable resolution.
16 July 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Former Attorney-General Godfred Dame has expressed disappointment with the court's failure to compel the State to return the passport of his client Hanan Abdul-Wahab to the court registry, noting that EOCO seized it after Abdul-Wahab's arrest despite an earlier court order for its return by July 14.
16 July 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has urged the Church to maintain its moral authority by remaining independent of partisan politics and speaking out against corruption, injustice and abuse regardless of which political party is in power, stating that "the Church's counsel to government must outlast any single administration or party colour."
16 July 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
The Controller and Accountant-General's Department has refuted claims that the government has spent almost GH¢11 billion on the proposed Accra-Kumasi Expressway, stating the funds remain in a dedicated Bank of Ghana account and have not been disbursed to any contractor. The Department said the claim stems from a misinterpretation of government accounting procedures, as the approved funds were transferred from the Consolidated Fund but remain pending project execution.
16 July 2026 · The Chronicle →
Chief of Staff Alex Segbefia has urged Ghanaians to support the government's commitment to due process in its accountability and anti-corruption efforts, stating that the administration will not sacrifice legal procedures for political persecution and that those found culpable will ultimately be held accountable.
16 July 2026 · The Chronicle →
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin and Attorney General Dr. Dominic Ayine clashed in Parliament over the Public Tribunals Bill, with Afenyo-Markin opposing Clause 4's establishment of district and regional tribunals, arguing it would create confusion and chaos in Ghana's judicial system.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has cautioned that Ghana's justice system must remain accessible to every citizen and not serve only influential individuals and large organisations, stressing that the true strength of the legal system should be measured by the protection it offers ordinary Ghanaians in their daily lives.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Retired Supreme Court Judge William Atuguba has questioned the rationale for Ghana's parliamentary size, noting that the country has little to gain from maintaining 275 Members of Parliament while taxpayer costs continue to rise. He endorsed earlier criticism by former Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, asking what true benefit citizens receive from Parliament's expansion from about 100 to 275 seats.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Retired Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba has questioned the absence of a ministerial appointment for Klottey Korle MP Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, praising her integrity and commitment to public service as qualities suited for higher national responsibility.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The National Development Planning Commission launched the 2025 National Annual Progress Report, the fourth and final assessment under the Agenda for Jobs II policy framework (2022–2025). The report documents improvements in macroeconomic indicators such as economic growth, inflation, and fiscal performance, while also highlighting persistent challenges including youth unemployment and poor maternal health outcomes.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Executive Director of the African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs has called on the NDC and NPP to back reforms promoting transparency and fairness in political competition, warning that growing money in politics undermines democracy by allowing financial power rather than ideas to determine leadership.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Parliament held a wreath-laying ceremony at the Osu Cemetery in memory of the late Rt. Hon. Justice Daniel Francis Annan, the first Speaker of Parliament under Ghana's Fourth Republic, who served from 1993 to 2001. The ceremony, led by the First Deputy Speaker and the Clerk to Parliament, concluded a two-day observance that began with statements on the floor by Majority and Minority leadership reflecting on his contributions to Ghana's democratic governance.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Vice President, the Ga Mantse, and senior government and judiciary officials attended a memorial lecture at Parliament honouring the late Justice Daniel Francis Annan, former Speaker of Parliament (1993–2001), with retired Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba delivering remarks on Annan's contributions to Ghana's constitutional and parliamentary development.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
President John Dramani Mahama announced that the Ministry of Health will reopen its recruitment portal to absorb 16,000 nurses in two batches of 8,000 each, aiming to reduce the backlog of qualified nurses awaiting posting in Ghana and improve conditions of service as the economy improves.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Ghana Journalists Association has accepted an apology from NDC Central Regional Chairman Richard Asiedu following a dispute involving Kasoa-based Obaatanpa Radio. Asiedu withdrew a GH¢10 million lawsuit against the station and expressed willingness to engage management over possible compensation, which the GJA said resolved the matter.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Minority in Parliament has called on government to publish a detailed breakdown of GH¢10.92 billion spent on the Accra-Kumasi Expressway project, citing figures from the 2025 Audited Annual Whole of Government Accounts and noting that only 50.9% of the proposed right-of-way had been cleared as of June 2026.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his administration's commitment to equitable national development, insisting that no region will be neglected because of its voting pattern. He made the remarks during a sod-cutting ceremony for a 24-Hour Economy Market in the Volta Region, emphasizing that his government will govern in the interest of every Ghanaian regardless of political affiliation or geographical location.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →