News
Ban all Small-Scale Mining for one year – Movement for Change tells Govt
The Movement for Change has urged government to impose an immediate one-year ban on all small-scale and artisanal mining activities in the country.
The Director of Communications for the political party, Mr. Solomon Owusu, said the group, “By an Executive Instrument, all small-scale and artisanal mining activities, whether legal or illegal, should be banned immediately for one year.”
The call follows the death of eight gallant men who lost their lives on August 6, 2025, in a Galamsey-related duty.
The Movement explained that the temporary ban would create room for reforms, including a full audit of mining licences issued in the last 15 years. It added that new licences should only be issued with the consent of traditional authorities after the audit.
The group further proposed that all mining machinery be seized and preserved by the Ghana Armed Forces, while degraded lands and polluted rivers are restored under state-supervised programmes.
It recommended that Parliament pass new laws to permanently ban mining in river bodies and forest reserves, with offenders facing life imprisonment.
In addition, the Movement called for the establishment of a Youth in Responsible Mining Initiative to help young people who previously engaged in Galamsey to set up legal mining companies.
These companies, it said, should be supported with licences, equipment and off-taker agreements to operate responsibly.
The party suggested the creation of Citizens Mining Protection Rights Groups in mining communities to act as watchdogs for responsible mining.
According to the Movement, these measures form part of its Ten-Point Action Plan to end illegal mining, which is outlined in its Great Transformational Plan.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ahyiresu and Abofrem, two quiet communities in the Atwima Mponua District, have been shaken to the core by a chilling midnight drama that reads like a nightmare.
A pastor and a young mother stand accused of attempting to bury a five‑month‑old baby girl alive, a crime that has ignited outrage and disbelief across the township.
According to police, Apostle Richmond Akwasi Frimpong, 36, Head Pastor of the Anointed Grace Prayer Ministry at Kuffour Camp, conspired with his uncle Emmanuel Appiah, 53, and the child’s mother, 23‑year‑old Beatrice Agyapomaa, to dispose of the infant, Anaya Achiaa, under the cover of darkness.
A fourth suspect, Emmanuel Donkor, remains on the run.
The suspects were caught near a refuse dump around 10 pm on April 9, 2026, after a vigilant resident, Akwasi Twezor, noticed their suspicious movements.
When confronted, they claimed the child was already dead and had palace approval for burial. But Twezor’s instincts proved right—the baby was still alive, gasping faintly for breath.
Chief Linguist, Nana Yaw Badu, later confirmed that Frimpong had misled him earlier in the evening, securing permission for burial by falsely declaring the child dead.
The infant was rushed to the Abofrem Clinic, where she is now responding well to treatment. Police described her as “very beautiful.”
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Evelyn Yitamkey, Commander of DOVVSU in Bibiani, confirmed that the suspects have been provisionally charged.
Frimpong faces attempted murder and conspiracy charges, while Agyapomaa and Appiah are charged with conspiracy and abetment.
They were remanded by the Bibiani Circuit Court, presided over by Judge Frank Asiedu Nimako, to assist investigations.
The docket has been forwarded to the Attorney General’s Department for advice, ASP Yitamkey indicated.
The attempted crime has provoked fury among residents, many suspecting ritual motives aimed at bolstering the pastor’s influence.
Crowds attempted to attack the suspects outside court, but police intervention prevented mob justice.
The Assembly Member for Ahyiresu, Yusuf Suleiman, has assured residents that justice will be pursued swiftly.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
The forecourt of the African University of Communications and Business (AUCB) in Accra came alive on Friday with colour, creativity and innovation, as Level 300 students transformed the space into a lively exhibition of ideas.
Under the theme “Building meaningful brands beyond the logo,” the students invited patrons into a world where ordinary products were reimagined through storytelling, design and purpose.
From scented candles to innovative food concepts, each stand told a unique story, one that went beyond aesthetics to capture identity, value and human connection.
For many of the students, the event was more than just an academic exercise; it was a moment to dream out loud.
Guided by their lecturer, Peter Wonders, they explored what it truly means to build a brand in today’s competitive world where trust, consistency and experience matter just as much as logos and slogans.
Chairman of the occasion, Nana Kum Gyata VI, in his remarks said a brand is what people say about you when you are not present.
At the end of the presentations, awards were presented to deserving groups with Vida Nyaneba emerging as the overall best branding student.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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