… During debate on the floor of Parliament, Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, NPP Member of Parliament for Damongo, questioned the rationale for reintroducing Regional Tribunals given their historical excesses. …
The reintroduction of regional tribunals has triggered a heated debate in Parliament, with the Member of Parliament for Damongo, Samuel Abu Jinapor, warning that the institutions evoke memories of what he described as the “dark days” of Ghana’s history under the PNDC Military era …
Member of Parliament for Damongo constituency , Samuel Abu Jinapor, has described Ghana’s bilateral relations with South Africa as being at their lowest level, blaming the situation on repeated xenophobic attacks against Ghanaians and other foreign nationals. …
… The Damongo MP’s comments come after Ghana postponed bilateral meetings with South Africa scheduled for next month following a surge in anti-migrant violence in the country. …
Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee and Damongo MP, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, has called for credibility and facts to remain at the centre of Ghana’s foreign policy decisions. …
… The Damongo MP’s comments come after Ghana postponed bilateral meetings with South Africa that had been scheduled for next month following a surge in anti-migrant violence in the country. …
… Speaking on Tuesday, July 7, against the backdrop of developments in Ghana’s bilateral relations with South Africa, the Damongo MP said recent events have reinforced the need for the country to remain focused on safeguarding Ghanaians abroad. …
… lot has happened within the past 24 hours, in relation to foreign affairs, particularly Ghana’s bilateral relations with South Africa, and for me to also be quick in pointing out that all foreign relations… must be in accord or must promote Ghana’s national interest.” The Damongo …
… Northern communities, including Tamale, Yendi, Bolgatanga, Nalerigu, Wa and Damongo, are expected to bear the greatest impact of the advancing rainstorm, with thunderstorms forecast from the morning through the afternoon. …
… Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Thursday, July 2, the Damongo MP said the country’s response to the plight of Ghanaians in South Africa should trigger a broader national conversation about how Ghana supports citizens facing danger outside its borders. …
Attorney-General Dr Dominic Ayine has assured Ghanaians that the Regional Tribunal Bill, 2026, includes constitutional safeguards and oversight mechanisms to prevent the human rights abuses associated with past tribunals. The Bill is designed to complement existing traditional courts and ensure expeditious justice administration, with tribunal chairs required to be lawyers with at least 10 years' experience qualified as High Court Judges.
Why it matters
Attorney-General assures safeguards in Regional Tribunal Bill including oversight mechanisms to prevent past human rights abuses.
Attorney-General Dr Dominic Ayine has assured Ghanaians that the Regional Tribunal Bill, 2026, includes constitutional safeguards and oversight mechanisms to prevent the human rights abuses associated with past tribunals. The Bill is designed to complement existing traditional courts and ensure expeditious justice administration, with tribunal chairs required to be lawyers with at least 10 years' experience qualified as High Court Judges.
Member of Parliament Samuel Abu Jinapor has raised concerns in Parliament about the reintroduction of regional tribunals, warning that their historical use during Ghana's PNDC Military era involved unfair proceedings and injustices to citizens. The Attorney-General laid the Tribunal Bill, 2026 before Parliament to establish a reformed tribunal system aimed at improving justice delivery and reducing case backlogs.
Member of Parliament Samuel Abu Jinapor says Ghana's bilateral relations with South Africa have deteriorated to their lowest level due to repeated xenophobic attacks against Ghanaians and other foreign nationals, which have caused deaths and displacement. He called for the South African government to take stronger action to address the violence and protect foreign nationals.
Samuel Jinapor, Ranking Member on Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, has urged government to ensure decisions on Ghana's foreign relations are backed by facts and guided by national interest, following Ghana's postponement of bilateral meetings with South Africa due to anti-migrant violence.
Ranking Member of Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee Samuel Jinapor called for Ghana's foreign relations to be guided by credibility and national interest, following the government's postponement of bilateral meetings with South Africa over anti-migrant violence. He stressed that all foreign engagements must reflect Ghana's interests and protect Ghanaians living abroad.
Ranking Member on Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee Samuel Jinapor has urged the government to ensure Ghana's foreign policy is grounded in "unimpeachable facts" while taking strong action to protect Ghanaians in South Africa, following Ghana's postponement of bilateral meetings with South Africa over anti-migrant violence.
Samuel Jinapor, Ranking Member of Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, said Ghana's foreign policy must be guided by national interest and protection of citizens rather than political considerations, citing Article 73 of the Constitution. He supported government measures to protect Ghanaians in South Africa amid anti-migrant violence that prompted Ghana to postpone bilateral meetings.
Ghana's parliamentary Minority has endorsed the government's pursuit of tougher diplomatic action against South Africa over treatment of Ghanaians, including calls for African Union sanctions. The Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee emphasized that all foreign policy measures must prioritize Ghana's national interest and protection of its citizens abroad.
The Ghana Meteorological Agency predicts thunderstorms and rain across northern and transition Ghana, with an active rainstorm from the Nigeria-Benin border expected to move westwards and affect the regions from mid-morning into the afternoon.
Samuel Jinapor, Ranking Member on Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, has called for Ghana to develop a formal evacuation policy for citizens in distress abroad, citing recent events involving Ghanaians in South Africa. He argues the country must establish a structured evacuation framework with dedicated legislation and a state institution, rather than relying on ad hoc responses to emergencies.
Governments, universities, businesses and communities across Africa are being urged to harness nature-based solutions to address climate change, create jobs and advance sustainable development. At a University of Ghana public lecture, experts said protecting and restoring forests, wetlands, mangroves and healthy soils could reduce climate risks and enhance food security across the continent.
MP Samuel A. Jinapor, Global Lead for the Africa Centre for Nature-Based Climate Action, called on African governments and development partners to adopt innovative financial mechanisms beyond traditional climate financing to scale up nature-based solutions across the continent, arguing that conventional public financing alone would be insufficient to meet Africa's restoration and climate adaptation needs.
Samuel Abu Jinapor, MP for Damongo and former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, has called for stronger environmental legislation to enable African countries to benefit from nature-based solutions while building climate resilience, creating jobs and promoting sustainable economic growth. He argued that although several African countries, including Ghana, have made progress in developing environmental policies and promoting carbon markets, stronger legal backing is needed to ensure long-term implementation and attract greater investment.
Samuel Jinapor, MP for Damongo, challenges the government's claim of running a lean administration, arguing that true government size is measured by cost to taxpayers, not just minister numbers. He points to expanded diplomatic posts—eighteen deputy ambassadors versus six under the previous government—as evidence that cuts to presidential staff do not necessarily mean cheaper government overall.
MP Samuel Abu Jinapor argues that declining presidential staff numbers do not reflect government's actual burden on public finances, noting that the true size of government should include the broader network of political appointees—advisers, special assistants, and officials across ministries and diplomatic missions—whose salaries and benefits are funded by taxpayers.
The outgoing Swiss Ambassador to Ghana reflects on her four years of travel across the country, noting Ghana's extraordinary diversity, resilience, and democratic track record, while highlighting the national character evident in Ghanaians' warmth, humor, and optimism in the face of difficulty.
Member of Parliament Samuel Abdulai Jinapor has questioned characterizations of the Mahama administration as a "lean government," arguing that true government size must be assessed by examining appointments across the entire public sector, including ministries, departments, agencies, and diplomatic missions, rather than focusing only on ministers and deputy ministers. He cited an increase in deputy ambassadors as evidence that overall staffing and costs have not been reduced despite reductions in ministerial positions.
Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, MP for Damongo, has urged civil society organisations and independent policy institutions to assess the actual size and cost of the Mahama administration, arguing that discussions should extend beyond the number of ministers to include broader compensation for political appointees across the public sector.
Damongo MP Samuel Jinapor argues that assessing government size requires examining broader compensation structures, presidential staffers, advisers, and appointees across state institutions—not just the count of ministers and deputy ministers. He contends that while the Mahama administration appointed fewer ministers than its predecessor, a true picture of government size emerges only after examining compensation expenditures under the Office of Government Machinery.
Police in Tamale have arrested Fuseini "Fuzzy" Sorku in connection with an alleged assault on Yussif Abdul-Hakim at his residence. The arrest followed a prolonged social media dispute between the two and a press conference by the Savannah Regional NPP branch calling for the suspect's apprehension.
The opposition NPP's Savannah Regional leadership has demanded the Ghana Police Service arrest and prosecute Fuseini Sorku over the alleged assault of social media activist Yussif Abdul-Hakim in Tamale on June 6, 2026. The party alleged the attack was carried out by an NDC supporter and warned of a growing culture of political violence in the region.
Damongo MP Samuel Abu Jinapor has urged President John Dramani Mahama to assent to the original anti-LGBTQ bill passed by Parliament in 2024, arguing that 31 amendments introduced by the current Parliament have significantly weakened the legislation and altered its character.
Damongo MP Samuel Abu Jinapor has called on President Mahama to assent to the original anti-LGBTQ bill passed by Parliament in 2024, alleging that the NDC government has departed from its commitment by approving 31 amendments to the legislation that have weakened it before its passage on May 29, 2026.
Ghana's Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee cautioned against inflammatory rhetoric and retaliatory actions against South Africans in Ghana, warning that such responses could deepen continental tensions amid ongoing xenophobic attacks in South Africa. About 300 Ghanaians have been repatriated so far, with more evacuations expected.
Ghana's Ranking Member on Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee Samuel Abu Jinapor has urged African leaders to escalate xenophobic violence in South Africa to the African Union, while cautioning against retaliatory actions. Ghana has evacuated approximately 300 citizens from South Africa amid the unrest.
MP Samuel Abu Jinapor has called for strict adherence to the rule of law and protection of individual rights as essential safeguards for Ghana's democracy, arguing that democratic governance thrives when governments respect citizens' rights and refrain from using state institutions to target political opponents. He expressed concern over the use of the criminal justice system in matters that should be addressed through civil legal processes.
The Interior Minister disclosed that the government has deployed armoured buses rebranded as commercial vehicles (STC, VIP, OA coaches) to track and arrest highway robbers on major roads, with operations already resulting in several arrests. The Roads and Highways Minister linked poor road conditions to highway robbery and flagged delays in road projects under the government's Big Push programme.
President John Mahama cut the sod for construction of a modern 24-hour economy market in Bole, describing it as a transformational initiative to boost trade, agriculture and economic activity in the Savannah Region. The facility will include over 260 shops, warehouses, a clinic, restaurants, guest rooms and other amenities to serve as a modern commercial hub operating day and night.
President John Mahama has commissioned the Yamoransa Model Lab 13 in Damongo, Savannah Region, which he said aligns with the government's B-STEM agenda and is powered by solar energy. He called for stronger collaboration between government, district assemblies and development partners to replicate similar ICT centres across the country.
Stakeholders in Tamale have urged urgent investment and stronger policy alignment to scale up agroforestry as a strategy to combat climate change, land degradation, and rural poverty. The Agroforestry Technical Working Group dialogue brought together policymakers, development partners, traditional authorities, technical experts, and farmers to discuss integrating trees into farming systems for climate resilience and food security.