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Court dismisses suit against celebration of Kundum festival
• Nana Egya Kwamina XI
A Sekondi High Court last Thursday, dismissed a suit filed by a party to prevent the Apremdo Divisional Stool from celebrating its annual Kundum festival, stressing that the case was purely a chieftaincy matter.
The judgement of the court, presided over by Justice (Mrs) Hannah Taylor, has now paved the way for the Divisional Chief of Apremdo, Nana Egya Kwamina XI, also known as William Eghan, to celebrate same.
It, however, did not award any cost against the plaintiffs.
The plaintiffs, Obaahema Kwandoh Kuma and Nana Nware Ezia II, had filed an injunction notice against the defendants (Kobina Burafo, William Eghan and Ernestina Brenya), seeking among others to restrain the three from celebrating the Kundum Festival, until the performance of the funeral rites of the late Chief, Nana Nyankeh Brem.
They again sought a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from celebrating the Kundum Festival until the determination of an appeal pending before the Western Regional House of Chiefs at Sekondi.
Plaintiffs claimed that, in accordance with the custom and tradition of the people of Apremdo, the defendants could not celebrate the Kundum festival without having in their possession, the Royal Black Stool, and without performing the funeral rites of the late Chief.
They further pleaded that the 1st and 3rd defendants, contrary to the Apremdo customary practices, installed the 2nd and 3rd defendants as the new Chief and Queenmother of Apremdo respectively.
However, the 1st and 2nd defendants denied the claims of the plaintiffs as being a Queenmother and Regent of Apremdo, contending that, by a decision of the Judicial Committee, the plaintiffs were not the Queenmother and Regent of Apremdo and, therefore, had no capacity to initiate the action.
Additionally, they argued that they were lawfully nominated, elected, confined and installed as the Chief and Queenmother of Apremdo, in accordance with the customs and traditions and duly gazetted with stool names, Nana Egya Kwamina XI and Nana Mozu respectively.
In her ruling, Justice Taylor said “Having considered the claims of the plaintiffs and the evidence largely, the case is a disguised cause or matter affecting chieftaincy and the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs are hereby dismissed. The third defendant’s counter claim is also dismissed.”
She again ruled that, “the plaintiff’s failure to call the custodian of customs and traditions of Ahanta land as to who sets the timetable and restrictions thereto of the celebration of the Kundum festival leads to the conclusion that they failed to discharge the burden so placed on them.”
The judge added that, “the reliefs sought by plaintiffs are so linked to the possession of the black stool which is key to the installation of a chief and that they contended in this case that, same is in their possession.”
The judge also referred to Obaahemaa Kwandoh Kuma’s answer to a question on whether William Eghan’s name had been entered in the register of Western Regional House of Chief as Divisional Chief of Apremdo with stool name Nana Egya Kwamina XI and admitted that the case had not been determined yet as no court had set the gazette publication aside.
From Clement Adzei Boye, Sekondi
The Global Network of Export-Import Banks and Development Finance Institutions (G-NEXID) successfully held its sixth (6th) Exchange Programme, hosted by the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) Bank in Accra from March 22 to 23 March.
The event brought together member institutions, partner organisations and Ghanaian public entities to advance dialogue on South-South trade, investment and development finance, while also creating opportunities for knowledge-sharing and institutional cooperation.
Organised as a capacity-building and networking platform, the 2026 edition of the G-NEXID Exchange focused on GEXIM’s experience in developing innovative solutions to promote intra-African and extra-African trade.
It also highlighted trade and investment opportunities in Ghana, particularly in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and broader national development initiatives.
The Exchange Programme forms part of G-NEXID’s mandate to foster cooperation among export-import banks and development finance institutions in support of South-South trade and investment.
This 6th edition follows earlier successful programmes hosted by India Exim Bank (2016), BNDES (2017), Indonesia Eximbank (2018), Afreximbank (2019) and Saudi EXIM Bank (2025).
On the first day, participants were presented with G-NEXID institutional information and received an update on the Network’s 2026 work programme.
There were a series of substantive presentations, including an overview of the Ghanaian economy by the Ministry of Finance, with particular attention to debt-related challenges; a presentation by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), on investment opportunities in the country; and institutional presentations by GEXIM and Development Bank Ghana (DBG) on their respective mandates, initiatives, products and services.
Discussions during the sessions underscored strong interest in sector-focused webinars and business dialogues, particularly in agribusiness value chains such as poultry and rice.
Participants also emphasized the importance of continued information exchange and the sharing of best practices, especially in the area of guarantees.
The second day opened with a presentation on the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme, a national economic transformation strategy launched by President John Dramani Mahama in July 2025.
The initiative aims to enhance economic productivity through continuous industrial activity, accelerated export development and strategic import substitution.
As the programme is expected to mobilise both private and development capital, it presents concrete opportunities for G-NEXID members in areas such as co-financing, guarantees, trade finance and technical cooperation.
The programme also featured institutional presentations by guest organisations, namely the African Guarantee and Economic Cooperation Fund (FAGACE) and the West African Development Bank (BOAD), which shared their mandates, initiatives, products and services.
Following these exchanges, the G-NEXID Secretariat held bilateral discussions with both institutions as part of the Network’s ongoing membership drive.
Participants further benefited from a presentation by the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB), as well as a showcase of GEXIM’s key pipeline projects.
On the margins of the Exchange Programme, G-NEXID members also held their 20th Annual General Assembly Meeting to review progress and discuss strategic priorities.
Following the event, participants joined the GEXIM@10 International Conference, held from March 24-25, 2026 under the theme, “A Decade of Enabling Export Trade and Industrial Transformation: Resetting GEXIM for the Next Frontier.”
The conference provided an important platform for exploring how Ghana can strengthen its transition from a primary commodity exporter to a more competitive player in value-added trade and industrial development.
Source – G-NEXID
President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, signed five bills including three amendment bills passed by Parliament into law.
They are: Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill, 2025; University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences Bill, 2025; Ghana Deposit Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Growth and Sustainability Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2026; and Education Regulatory Bodies (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
In a brief remark after assenting to the bills, President Mahama explained that the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, 2026, scraps the Office of Minister of National Security and frees the President’s to appoint any Minister to supervise the security agencies.
He said it also reverses the name of the office of National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), to the original name, Bureau of National Intelligence, (BNI).
This the President said, addresses the confusion between that security agency and a well-known Ghanaian financial institution, the National Investment Bank.
President Mahama also noted that the University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences Act, 2026, establishes another University in the Eastern Region, at Bonsu, with three campuses – the main campus at Bonsu in the Eastern Region, with the second campus to be cited at Ohawu in the Oti Region.
The third, the Presdient assed will be located at Acherensua in the Ahafo Region.
Touching on the Amendment to the Growth and Sustainability Levy Act, the President said, “As you’re aware, the act was amended to increase it from 1% to 3%, and so this act reduces it again. That is the levy on mining companies. It reduces it again to 1%, because of the introduction of the sliding scale of royalties.”
He also spoke to the passage of the Government Education Regulatory Bodies Amendment Act, emphasising that amends Act 1023 to grant greater flexibility to private tertiary institutions and the option to Charter.
The Ghana Deposit Protection Amendment Act, the President concluded, is an amendment to an original act that was supposed to guarantee deposits held in commercial banks or financial institutions.
It basically expands protection to include mobile money wallets and other digital platforms, ensuring a wider scope of digital financial assets are secured.
The signing ceremony, was witnessed by the Clerk of Parliament, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, Secretary to the President, Dr Callistus Mahama, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Dr Dominic Akrutinga Ayine, Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, Joyce Bawa Mogtari, a Senior Presidential Advisor and a Special Aide to the President, Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, and the Vice President, Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang.
