… Beginning in December 2014, Berko, a former Executive Director in the Investment Banking Division at Goldman Sachs group, was responsible for securing and managing a deal between the Republic of Ghana and Aksa Enerji Uretim A.S. …
… Beginning in December 2014, Berko, a former Executive Director in the Investment Banking Division at Goldman Sachs group, was responsible for securing and managing a deal between the Republic of Ghana and Aksa Enerji Uretim A.S. …
A former Goldman Sachs Group Inc banker went on trial Tuesday for allegedly bribing government officials in Ghana to secure a lucrative power plant deal for a client. …
… ed Middle East spot crude prices to strengthen this week, with prompt-month prices now higher than those in future months, indicating tight supplies. “The next phase of Gulf flow recovery could be slower than the initial phase even after geopolitical de-escalation,” Goldman Sachs …
… Morgan has projected prices could average as high as US$6,000 per ounce by the end of 2026, while Goldman Sachs continues to forecast elevated prices amid ongoing reserve diversification, geopolitical risks and a gradual shift away from dollar-dominated reserve holdings. …
… Goldman Sachs has revised its fourth-quarter 2026 Brent forecast to US$80 per barrel and expects Persian Gulf crude exports to return to pre-war levels by end-July. …
… News of the preliminary agreement prompted investment banks, including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Citi, to lower their oil price forecasts. …
… The underwriters, which included Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and JPMorgan, exercised the option in full, purchasing an additional 83.3 million shares directly from the company to meet the huge demand. …
Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon resigned Tuesday, saying AI developers are "gambling with our lives" by building potentially superhuman systems. While other AI insiders have echoed safety concerns, some Silicon Valley executives and investors have reacted with skepticism, with Anthropic and OpenAI reportedly preparing major IPOs.
Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon resigned Tuesday, saying AI developers are "gambling with our lives" by building potentially superhuman systems. While other AI insiders have echoed safety concerns, some Silicon Valley executives and investors have reacted with skepticism, with Anthropic and OpenAI reportedly preparing major IPOs.
Brent crude oil futures surpassed $100 a barrel on Wednesday, a more than six-week high, amid intensifying Middle East conflict that threatens oil flows from the region. Prices have risen a quarter since early last month as the six-month-old U.S.-Iran conflict continues, with recent Houthi attacks on Saudi energy facilities and crude shipments via the Red Sea raising supply concerns.
Oil prices climbed on Tuesday as Iran threatened retaliation against U.S. attacks, escalating concerns over supply disruption in the Middle East. Brent crude futures rose 0.5% to $97.49 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gained 1.6% to $92.92 a barrel.
The Netherlands relocated 86 tonnes of its gold from the US and Canada to London, citing preparation for severe crises amid increasing geopolitical unrest. France and Germany have similarly moved gold reserves back to Europe in response to global instability and trade tensions.
Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu says evidence tested in a US court could significantly strengthen the Office of the Special Prosecutor's investigation into the Ghanaian dimension of the Asante Kweku Berko bribery case, which involves five named persons of interest including former Power Minister Kwabena Donkor.
Transparency International Ghana's Executive Director Mary Addah has called on the Office of the Special Prosecutor to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the Ghanaian dimension of the Asante Kweku Berko bribery case, extending beyond the five identified persons of interest to encompass all institutions and individuals in the deal's value chain, including GRIDCo.
Transparency International Ghana's executive director says the Office of the Special Prosecutor's decision to name persons of interest in the Ghanaian dimension of the AKSA bribery case is a positive step towards accountability, clarifying who was responsible for supervising the issues surrounding the deal. She stressed that being named a person of interest does not imply guilt or wrongdoing.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor has rejected suggestions that it lacks capacity to investigate the Ghanaian aspect of corruption allegations against former Goldman Sachs banker Asante Kwaku Berko, noting its role in providing investigative materials to the FBI that contributed to his successful US prosecution.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor has named former Power Minister Kwabena Donkor and four others as main persons of interest in its investigation into Ghana's connection to the bribery case of Asante Kweku Berko, who was convicted in New York in August 2026 over a scheme involving alleged bribes to Ghanaian officials between 2014 and 2015 linked to a fuel oil plant project in Tema.
Fast-fashion retailer Shein plans to raise up to HK13.86bn when its shares begin trading on the Hong Kong stock market on 1 September, at a valuation of almost $27bn—significantly lower than its $100bn private valuation in 2022 due to slowed sales growth and higher costs amid US tariff pressures.
Deputy Attorney General Dr Justice Srem-Sai explained that EOCO, rather than the Office of the Special Prosecutor, is leading Ghana's local investigation into the AKSA bribery scandal because the case involves money laundering and other offences that fall within EOCO's mandate rather than OSP's. He dismissed suggestions the decision was meant to avoid OSP scrutiny, stating that investigative bodies have different legal mandates and may collaborate as needed.
Deputy Attorney General Dr Justice Srem-Sai has cautioned against immediate cancellation of the AKSA power contract following a former Goldman Sachs banker's bribery conviction in the US, saying the government must first undertake a comprehensive review of the agreement to establish legal grounds for termination to avoid exposing the state to judgment debt. He added that bribery and fraud are distinct legal concepts, and that invalidating the contract would require evidence-based investigations establishing fraud.
Deputy Attorney General Dr Justice Srem-Sai has assured the public that President Mahama will not shield anyone implicated in the AKSA bribery scandal or conceal evidence. The assurance follows the US conviction of former Goldman Sachs banker and TOR Managing Director Kwaku Asante Berko in connection with a bribery scheme involving payments of more than US$1 million to Ghanaian government officials for a power plant project approval.
Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor has called for renewed investigations into the AKSA power deal and sanctions where breaches are found, arguing Ghana should not rely solely on US proceedings to determine what happened in the transaction involving Ghanaian institutions and officials. His call follows a US criminal case involving former Goldman Sachs banker Asante Kwaku Berko that has raised questions about alleged payments to public officials connected to the Turkish energy company Aksa Enerji project.
The Majority Chief Whip has urged Parliament to distance itself from investigating the alleged Aksa power deal bribery scandal, proposing instead a committee of experts from the Office of the Special Prosecutor, Attorney-General's Office, judiciary, and civil society organisations to avoid conflicts of interest.
Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah defended the New Patriotic Party's record on corruption prosecutions, stating that no NPP government has used nolle prosequi to discontinue corruption cases against its appointees. He cited the prosecution and conviction of former Sports Minister Alhaji Mallam Issah under President Kufuor as evidence.
Dr James Kwabena Bomfeh Jnr says the Attorney General has a duty to inform Ghanaians about information his office holds concerning alleged bribery linked to the AKSA power deal and what action is being taken, regardless of public mistrust in state institutions.
The Majority Chief Whip has called for Ghana to pursue a thorough and speedy investigation into bribery allegations linked to the Aksa power plant transaction, following a US prosecution of former Goldman Sachs banker Asante Kwaku Berko that brought the decade-old matter back into focus.
Joy Online's Newsfile programme discusses three high-profile governance issues: the IMF's report of US$1.7 billion in losses related to Ghana's Domestic Gold Purchase Programme, which GoldBod disputes; allegations of bribery in a power transaction involving former Goldman Sachs banker Asante Kwaku Berko; and the status of Operation Recover All Loot cases during legal vacation.
A Newsfile episode discussed three accountability issues: the IMF's reported US$1.7 billion in losses associated with Ghana's Domestic Gold Purchase Programme, with GoldBod disputing the characterization as a loss; allegations of bribery in a US prosecution involving a former Goldman Sachs banker and a Ghanaian power transaction; and questions about the progress of the government's Operation Recover All Loot cases during legal vacation.
Joy Online reports that Prime Insight, a current affairs programme, will on Saturday, August 15, examine two legal and governance issues: the controversy over whether trials can proceed during the legal vacation, and the conviction of former Goldman Sachs banker Asante Kwaku Berko in the United States. The two-hour programme will bring together political and legal voices to discuss their implications for Ghana's justice system and anti-corruption efforts.
Joy Online's Newsfile programme will discuss three issues: the IMF's reported US$1.7 billion in losses from Ghana's Domestic Gold Purchase Programme (with GoldBod disputing the characterisation), allegations of bribery in a Ghanaian power transaction involving a former Goldman Sachs banker, and the status of the government's Operation Recover All Loot cases during legal vacation.
Businessman Dr Kofi Amoah has challenged President Mahama to use the US conviction of former TOR Managing Director Asante Kwaku Berko for bribery and money-laundering linked to a Ghanaian power project as an opportunity to pursue those allegedly involved on Ghana's side, urging the Attorney-General to follow the case and hold officials accountable.
Manhyia South Member of Parliament Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah supports a public inquiry into the alleged Aksa Energy bribery scandal, arguing it would expose culprits, allow innocent persons to clear their names, and help prevent similar incidents from recurring.
The Manhyia South MP has called for a thorough investigation into the alleged involvement of a President Mahama relative in the AKSA Energy power project, seeking to establish the person's identity, relationship to Mahama, and role in the transaction approval.
Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah has accused Attorney General Dr Dominic Ayine of creating a "separate justice system" for NDC members and associates, citing decisions to discontinue prosecutions involving individuals linked to the former NDC government. Awuah questioned the Attorney General's justification for dropping cases based on their length in court, arguing this does not constitute sufficient grounds for discontinuing a prosecution.
The Manhyia South MP has questioned why Ghana's security and anti-corruption institutions often fail to uncover corruption schemes later exposed by foreign law enforcement, citing the U.S. conviction of former Goldman Sachs banker Asante Kwaku Berko on charges related to paying over US$1 million in bribes to Ghanaian officials for a power plant deal.
The opposition NPP said it lacks confidence in Attorney General Dr Dominic Ayine's ability to independently investigate alleged bribery in the AKSA Energy power project, citing cases where he has discontinued prosecutions involving persons linked to previous and current administrations.
An NPP Gender Committee spokesperson has called on the Economic and Organised Crime Office to conduct a thorough investigation into the Ghanaian aspect of former Tema Oil Refinery Managing Director Asante Kwaku Berko's US bribery conviction and make public the identities of all persons involved in the alleged scheme.
Dr Kwabena Donkor has denied involvement in bribery allegations linked to US case figure Asante Berko, stating he has never met him. Donkor acknowledges his ministry negotiated with ASKA Energy for power generation during Ghana's "Dumsor" period and sent a technical team to Istanbul for equipment inspection, but denies any request or demand for money.