An aide to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia,Ellen Ama Daaku has advised President John Dramani Mahama to shift his attention from social media hate speech to more urgent national issues such as illegal mining.

Speaking in an interview, she noted that the President’s recent comments about tracking the IP addresses of people who spread hate speech were unnecessary.

According to her, President Mahama must first define what he considers to be hate speech before seeking to punish people for it.

Ms. Daaku argued that the President himself had benefitted from hate speech and social media attacks in the past when he was in opposition.

She said even during his time in government, he described his opponents and their tribesmen in unpalatable terms, which later drew complaints from former President Nana Akufo-Addo to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference.

She stressed that harsh criticism of leaders on social media should not automatically be considered hate speech, adding that former leaders, including former President Nana Akufo-Addo had all been subjected to it.

“He is only feeling what Nana Akufo-Addo went through for eight years,” she remarked.

While acknowledging the need to regulate misconduct online, Ms. Daaku insisted that going after social media activists should not be a priority.

She noted that many political activists, including herself, had been insulted and attacked online but never called for arrests.

She concluded that President Mahama should focus his energy on solving pressing problems such as galamsey and the economy instead of concentrating on critics on social media.

By: Jacob Aggrey

Government will commit GH¢13.9 billion in 2025 to priority infrastructure projects under its “Big Push” initiative, with the amount projected to rise to GH¢21.2 billion by 2028, Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Ampem Nyarko has announced.

According to him, the funds will be drawn mainly from petroleum revenues under the Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA) and mineral royalties.

He indicated that the projects will focus on roads, transport, energy, power generation, digital infrastructure, and urban and rural development.

Mr. Ampem described the “Big Push” as an economic reset powered by a US$10 billion programme, stressing that the country’s infrastructure needs remain urgent.

He explained that Ghana requires US$37 billion every year for the next 30 years to meet development goals across sectors. Maintaining existing infrastructure alone, he added, will cost an extra US$8 billion annually.

The Deputy Minister drew attention to Ghana’s score of 47 out of 100 on the Global Infrastructure Hub index, which is below the average for lower-middle-income countries.

He argued that this was a sign of chronic underinvestment in critical sectors.

“Our cities need better transport. Our industries require dependable energy. Our farmers need modern irrigation. And our youth demand digital highways for the future,” he emphasized.

Mr. Ampem highlighted the limits of government spending, pointing out that the public purse cannot meet the demands alone. He stressed that Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are therefore indispensable.

He revealed that the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) will set up Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) to attract private capital, blended finance, and international development funding.

The Deputy Minister urged both local and international investors to explore opportunities in transport, energy, digital infrastructure, and urban development, describing them as “vast and transformative.”

He assured that the framework is in place, the vision is clear, and the government’s commitment under President Mahama’s leadership remains firm.

Mr. Ampem called for strong collaboration between government and the private sector, noting that sustainable infrastructure transformation will require a united effort.

The announcement was made at the KPMG Infrastructure Roadshow in Accra, held under the theme “Unlocking Ghana’s Public-Private Partnership Potential: Bridging Reform and Results”.

The event brought together policymakers, investors, engineers, and business leaders to explore strategies for accelerating infrastructure development.

By: Jacob Aggrey