Ghana Minute.
Monday, 15 June 2026
Ghana’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Monday, 15 June 2026
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Ghanaian press · Organization

Economic Community of West African States

Also known as: ECOWAS

ECOWAS — West African regional bloc pursuing minerals processing, rice self-sufficiency by 2035, and tackling non-tariff trade barriers, facing leadership transition and member departures in 2026.

2026-04-242026-06-15
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In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. May 2026

  2. The Ghanaian Times

    … Mr Afenyo-Markin (left) ineteracting with some members of the ECOWAS Parliament at the meeting Mr Afenyo-Markin said, “Words delivered from a ceremonial platform do not arrest a single perpetrator. …

    Attacks on African migrants in South Africa Move beyond condemnation to action – Minority Leader demands accountability from S.A govt

  3. Joy Online

    … Regional blocs such as ECOWAS and SADC promote the free movement of people and ideas. …

    Africans as foreigners in Africa: A contradiction of Pan-Africanism and African unity

  4. Joy Online

    … Regional blocs such as ECOWAS and SADC promote the free movement of people and ideas. …

    Africans as foreigners in Africa: A Contradiction of Pan-Africanism and African unity

  5. Business & Financial Times

    … post 2013 such as the Companies Act 2019 2019 (Act 992), Exemptions Act 2022 (Act 1023) and Public Financial Management Act 2016 (Act 921); and Third, there were legal conflicts emerged between Act 865 and Ghana’s commitments under regional integration frameworks like the ECOWAS …

    Implication of new investment law for AFCFTA Implementation

  6. Joy Online

    … Speaking under Rule 71 of Parliament’s procedures, which allows statements on matters of public interest, the lawmaker, who is also a member of the ECOWAS Parliament, described the situation as “a moment of profound moral reckoning” for West Africa. …

    Afenyo-Markin urges ECOWAS action over killings, xenophobia and border barriers

  7. Joy Online

    … With a youthful English-speaking population, a strong legal framework and a strategic position within the ECOWAS sub-region, the country serves as a gateway to a consumer market of more than 400 million people. …

    Ghana High Commission invites global investors to Ghana-UK Investment Summit 2026

  8. Joy Online

    … As Director-General of Operations, he supervised national security arrangements for major events such as the 2016 General Elections and high-level ECOWAS summits—assignments requiring precision, coordination and foresight. …

    Silent Strategist: IGP Yohuno’s performance comes as no surprise

  9. Joy Online

    The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has raised strong objections to new aviation-related taxes introduced by Ghana. …

    ECOWAS clashes with Ghana over new airport taxes, warns of damage to regional aviation

  10. The Chronicle

    … Both the African Union and ECOWAS have struggled to respond effectively. Their divisions over coups, sanctions and diplomacy have often produced more headlines than solutions. …

    Editorial: ECOWAS Must Still Play Frontline Role In The Sahel Crisis

  11. Joy Online

    … Mali’s withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States alongside Burkina Faso and Niger was framed by the junta as a reclaiming of sovereignty. …

    Mali at the Crossroads: Sovereignty without Stability?
Business

ECOWAS pursues minerals processing to boost AfCFTA trade

The News

Ghana is rallying ECOWAS countries behind a "mine together, process together" campaign to add value to West Africa's mineral wealth through industrialisation and increased continental trade. Ghana's Trade Minister called for factory construction, integrated standards, and transport infrastructure to enable jobs and value addition rather than exporting raw minerals.

Why it matters

ECOWAS's 'mine together, process together' campaign positions Ghana to lead regional industrialization and boost continental trade through value addition.

14 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Yesterday

  1. ECOWAS pursues minerals processing to boost AfCFTA trade

    Ghana is rallying ECOWAS countries behind a "mine together, process together" campaign to add value to West Africa's mineral wealth through industrialisation and increased continental trade. Ghana's Trade Minister called for factory construction, integrated standards, and transport infrastructure to enable jobs and value addition rather than exporting raw minerals.

    14 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 12 June

  1. Nigeria's Tinubu claims security forces killed 13,000 insurgents

    President Bola Tinubu declared that Nigeria's security forces killed more than 13,000 insurgents over the past year and that insurgency-related deaths have dropped 81 per cent since he took power in 2023. He also noted that 124,000 fighters and dependents have laid down their arms since 2023 through Operation Safe Corridor.

    12 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 11 June

  1. Ghana Immigration Service warns of security risks from ECOWAS free movement abuse

    Ghana's Immigration Service has raised concerns that abuse of the ECOWAS Free Movement Protocol by community citizens is fuelling irregular migration, child trafficking, cyber fraud, and organised begging networks that threaten Ghana's security. The service warned during talks with the West African Monetary Institute that proceeds from organised begging could finance terrorism, and noted slow progress in implementing the ECOWAS biometric identification system across the sub-region.

    11 June 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. Non-tariff barriers add 15–20% to West African cross-border trade

    Ghana's Trade Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare told the ECOWAS Ministers of Trade and Industry meeting that non-tariff barriers are the most stubborn obstacle to regional trade, imposing an estimated 15 to 20 percent cost increase on cross-border commerce and affecting traders, businesses, and consumers throughout West Africa.

    11 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Tuesday 9 June

  1. ECOWAS envoy calls for collective action on plastic pollution and waste

    The ECOWAS Resident Representative in Ghana has urged policymakers and citizens to tackle plastic pollution and poor waste disposal practices, which are contributing to flooding, environmental degradation and public health risks across the sub-region. He called for investment in sustainable waste management systems, environmental education, recycling initiatives and stricter enforcement of sanitation laws during a beach clean-up exercise in Accra on Saturday as part of ECOWAS's 50th anniversary celebrations.

    9 June 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →

Monday 8 June

  1. West Africa mobilizes investment to boost rice self-sufficiency

    West African leaders and partners at an investment roundtable in Ghana called for increased regional investment in rice production to improve food security, reduce imports, and create jobs, with a target of achieving rice self-sufficiency by 2035. The roundtable identified investment opportunities across the rice value chain including irrigation, seed systems, machinery, milling, and storage.

    8 June 2026 · Business & Financial Times →

  2. Ghana needs CEO-Government compact for economic transformation

    An opinion piece argues that Ghana's restored macroeconomic stability—including Cedi appreciation, 3.3% inflation, 6% GDP growth, and 45.3% debt-to-GDP ratio in 2025—creates the foundation for a structured partnership between government and business to drive economic transformation.

    8 June 2026 · Business & Financial Times →

Friday 5 June

  1. Xenophobia in South Africa undermines Pan-African unity

    An opinion piece argues that xenophobic attacks on African migrants in South Africa contradict the continent's historical solidarity and betray the values of Pan-Africanism, noting that South Africa's own liberation was achieved with support from other African nations including Ghana.

    5 June 2026 · Business & Financial Times →

Thursday 4 June

  1. Xenophobic attacks in South Africa prompt Ghana evacuation, questions African unity

    Recent xenophobic attacks and anti-immigrant protests in South Africa led the Government of Ghana to evacuate Ghanaian citizens, raising questions about African unity, regional integration, and whether continental institutions are adequately protecting migrants.

    4 June 2026 · Business & Financial Times →

  2. Ghana seeks long-term investment to transform rice sector

    Ghana's Deputy Finance Minister called on investors and development partners to commit long-term capital to transform the rice sector into a major driver of economic growth and food security, saying the government is creating the right policy and macroeconomic environment to attract investment and reduce import dependence.

    4 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Wednesday 3 June

  1. West Africa imports 40% of rice at $5bn annual cost, World Bank warns

    The World Bank Group's Vice President for Planet warned that West Africa's dependence on imported rice—currently 40 percent of regional consumption at $5 billion annually—poses food security and economic risks. He argued the region should leverage its arable land and farming population to grow more of its own staple food, and called for execution and financing of ECOWAS rice production initiatives.

    3 June 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme marks 44 years

    Ghana's National Bureau of the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme marked the 44th anniversary of its commencement with stakeholder celebrations in Accra. The scheme, established in 1982, facilitates compensation for motor accident victims caused by non-resident motorists across ECOWAS member states.

    3 June 2026 · Business & Financial Times →

  3. Vice President urges West Africa to develop rice as strategic economic asset

    Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang opened a two-day ECOWAS Rice Investment Roundtable in Accra, calling on West Africa to view rice farming as a strategic economic asset focused on youth, incomes and economic resilience. She noted that the region spends more than $50 billion annually on food imports, with rice accounting for a significant portion, despite possessing fertile land, water resources and entrepreneurial farmers.

    3 June 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →

  4. West African youth trafficked into Russia-Ukraine war, regional action growing

    Young people from Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal and other West African countries are being trafficked into the Russia–Ukraine war through deceptive recruitment networks exploiting economic desperation and weak regional coordination. Growing public pressure, media investigations, and diplomatic interventions are prompting governments to respond more openly and families to report suspicious recruitment attempts earlier.

    3 June 2026 · The Chronicle →

Tuesday 2 June

  1. ECOWAS targets rice self-sufficiency by 2035

    ECOWAS aims to achieve regional rice self-sufficiency by 2035 and is urging governments, investors and development partners to accelerate financing. The region currently produces only 61 percent of the rice it consumes, with supply gaps widening despite a 44 percent increase in rice output between 2008 and 2024.

    2 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 1 June

  1. ECOWAS faces leadership transition amid regional fragmentation

    As ECOWAS prepares for a leadership change in July 2026, the regional bloc confronts its greatest test since 1975, with Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger having withdrawn and democratic governance across West Africa coming under pressure from military coups and constitutional upheaval.

    1 June 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. ECOWAS faces leadership transition amid regional fragmentation crisis

    As ECOWAS prepares for a leadership transition in July 2026, the Economic Community of West African States confronts its greatest test since 1975, with Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger having departed and democratic governance under pressure across the region.

    1 June 2026 · Joy Online →

  3. Mahama pitches Ghana as ECOWAS and African market gateway

    President Mahama told the Ghana-UK Investment Summit that Ghana offers investors access to the ECOWAS market of over 425 million people and the African Continental Free Trade Area representing more than 1.4 billion consumers, citing the country's stable democracy, predictable governance, strong institutions, and ongoing reforms to improve investment protection.

    1 June 2026 · Joy Online →

  4. Agri-Impact CEO to lead delegation at Ghana-UK investment summit

    Dr. Daniel Fahene Acquaye, CEO of Agri-Impact Limited and Chairman of the CSIR–Crop Research Institute, will lead a delegation to the Ghana-UK Investment Summit in London on 1–2 June 2026, where he will participate in a high-level panel on positioning Ghana as an agribusiness investment hub and meet with potential investors and development partners.

    1 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 25 May

  1. Ghana launches automated e-visa platform for African travellers

    Ghana has officially launched a nationwide electronic visa platform as of 25 May 2026, replacing manual paper-based visa procedures and the traditional visa-on-arrival arrangement for African travellers. The system, managed by the Ghana Immigration Service and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, makes visa applications mandatory for African passport holders requiring a visa, while exempting African applicants from visa fees.

    25 May 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. Senegal president dismisses PM Sonko, signals IMF-focused pivot

    Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye dissolved his government late Friday, dismissing Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko in what marks a shift from populist ideological resistance toward fiscal pragmatism amid a sovereign debt crisis. The move ends a dual-executive arrangement between the two former Pastef allies who had campaigned on the slogan "Diomaye is Sonko, Sonko is Diomaye."

    25 May 2026 · Joy Online →

  3. GIPC promotes Ghana as West African gateway for Ethiopian investors

    The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre has urged Ethiopian businesses to use Ghana as an entry point to West African markets, citing strategic location and industrial opportunities, and has outlined steps for establishing operations including business registration and engagement with GIPC.

    25 May 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 22 May

  1. Ghana, Ethiopia have untapped trade and investment potential

    The Head of Marketing and Communications at Ghana's Investment Promotion Centre called for stronger commercial engagement between Ghana and Ethiopia, noting that despite their strategic positions in Africa's economic integration, bilateral trade between the two countries remains far below its full potential under the African Continental Free Trade Area.

    22 May 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. Swiss Armed Forces delegation meets Ghana military on peacekeeping

    A three-member Swiss Armed Forces delegation held discussions with Ghana's Directorate of Internal Peace Support Operations at Burma Camp to deepen international cooperation in peacekeeping and military training. The meeting, led by Ghana's Brigadier General Fuseini Salifu, covered Ghana's experience in UN peacekeeping and ECOWAS regional deployments, and highlighted the professionalism of Ghanaian troops.

    22 May 2026 · Joy Online →

  3. Ghana Card accepted at 44,000 airports worldwide, NIA says

    The National Identification Authority Executive Secretary says the Ghana Card is recognised as a valid travel document within ECOWAS and accepted at more than 44,000 airports globally. The NIA has registered over 19.4 million Ghanaians aged 15 and above and issued over 18.7 million Ghana Cards.

    22 May 2026 · Joy Online →

  4. Minority Leader accuses ministers of neglecting governance for 2028 race

    Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, Minority Leader in Parliament, has accused senior NDC government figures of abandoning governance to position themselves for the 2028 presidential succession race, claiming the competition is distracting ministers from addressing pressing national crises and worsening economic hardships. He cited concerns raised even by the President's Executive Secretary about the early succession campaign.

    22 May 2026 · The Chronicle →

  5. Africa's largest beauty expo set for June 2026

    The 2026 Legacy Expo, a decade-milestone edition of Africa's largest beauty and wellness trade exhibition, will convene over 300 exhibitors and 1,000+ industry professionals from June 3–5, 2026 at UPSA Auditorium in Ghana. The event, formerly the Africa Makeup & Beauty Fair, will feature networking, panel discussions, product demonstrations, and startup pitch sessions.

    22 May 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 21 May

  1. Ghana's Trade Minister leads investment mission to China

    Ghana's Trade Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare is leading a high-level delegation to China to attract strategic investments into Ghana's industrial and agribusiness sectors as part of the government's industrial transformation programme. The delegation, which includes officials from multiple ministries and agencies, is participating in a China–Ghana Investment Forum and touring major industrial facilities in Hubei and Wuhan Provinces.

    21 May 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. Legacy Expo 2026 to mark beauty industry's decade anniversary

    Legacy Expo 2026, the 10th edition of Africa's largest beauty and wellness trade exhibition, will take place June 3–5, 2026, at UPSA Auditorium and is expected to host over 300 exhibitors and attract 1,000+ industry professionals from across Africa and beyond.

    21 May 2026 · Joy Online →

Wednesday 20 May

  1. Sodzi-Tettey reflects on year serving President John Mahama

    A government official recounts his first year working under President John Mahama, highlighting the President's grasp of public sector processes and the swift implementation of solutions, and noting that Mahama's Accra Reset Agenda has gained attention in the global health community.

    20 May 2026 · Joy Online →

Economic Community of West African States — Ghanaian press coverage · Ghana Minute