News
Enforce ban on public smoking — SEND Ghana
SEND Ghana, a Policy Research & Advocacy Civil Society Organisation, has asked the government to enforce the ban on public smoking and the use of plastics for food packaging to help prevent the occurrence of diseases.
Mr George Osei Bempeh, Country Director of the organisation, said the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic implied that government must be proactive in tackling potential health challenges and also prioritise primary health service delivery in the country.
Presenting an assessment of government’s 2021 Budget Statement and Economic Policy in Accra on Monday, he noted that the introduction of the COVID-19 levy was commendable, however, the levy should not be “limited to combating only COVID-19.”
He said there must be a “dedicated budget” to finance future epidemics while efforts were made to implement the National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS).
Touching on other aspects of the 2021 budget, he said SEND Ghana’s social audit of the COVID-19 Alleviation Programme confirmed that some vulnerable people, including street children and homeless people were “excluded at the height of the crisis when cooked and raw food were distributed by the government and other benevolent organisations.”
This, the organisation attributed to lack of “comprehensive and reliable data” on vulnerable population in the country, hence the need for government to take steps to gather relevant data on such vulnerable groups to help overcome future challenges in the area of social protection.
SEND Ghana further observed that the current amount of GH¢1 per child for a plate of food under the National School Feeding Programme was “unsatisfactory and cannot guarantee an adequate and healthy meal for child development.”
“We are, therefore, proposing to the government to make a conscious effort to increase the amount to at least GHc2.00 per child if it needs to fully attain the programme’s short-term objective to reduce hunger and malnutrition,” Mr Bempeh stated.
On taxation, he said government should consider reintroducing the ‘Luxury Vehicle Tax’ which was scrapped after it faced opposition from sections of the public.
Mr Bempeh said government could be “more innovative with taxation” by targeting the rich instead of “burdening the poor with the same taxes.”
“Government could relook at the implementation challenge with the luxury vehicle tax and consider reintroducing it.
“We are concerned that some of the tax proposals in the 2021 budget are more consumption based, and the fact is, the burden will fall more on the poor and vulnerable,” he noted.
The Country Director maintained that the COVID-19 Health Levy, Sanitation and Pollution Levy and increase in petroleum prices, among other new taxes would have adverse effect on all other sectors and translate into high cost of living especially for the poor.
He said the 2021 budget, just like previous budgets, sought to rely on donor funding and that efforts must be made to wean various sectors of the economy from donor support which possessed a threat to attaining ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
By Ernest Nutsugah
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has opened applications for members interested in contesting as its parliamentary candidates in the 2028 general elections.
In a statement issued on Thursday, October 29, 2026, the party said interested members must declare their intention to contest between Sunday, November 1, and Tuesday, November 10, 2026.
According to the statement signed by the party’s Communications Director, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, prospective candidates must complete an online form within the specified period.
The party said a non-refundable application fee of GH¢5,000 would be charged to each prospective candidate.
It added that all applicants would undergo vetting and screening to determine their eligibility to contest on the party’s ticket.
The NPP announced plans to organise capacity-building workshops for prospective candidates in December 2026. The workshops will be held across the Northern, Middle and Southern zones, with details of the venues to be announced later.
The party stressed that the guidelines would apply to all prospective candidates, including sitting NPP Members of Parliament who wish to contest again.
It further warned aspirants against starting campaign activities following the opening of the application process.
According to the statement, the existing directive prohibiting campaign activities remains in force until the party gives official clearance.
It cautioned that anyone who violates the directive would face appropriate sanctions under the party’s constitution and regulations.
The NPP said the process was designed to promote fairness, transparency and equal opportunities for all aspirants as it prepares to select candidates for all 276 constituencies ahead of the 2028 elections.
It urged prospective candidates to follow the guidelines and conduct themselves with discipline and respect for one another throughout the process.
The party said its broader objective was to strengthen unity within its ranks and rebuild public confidence ahead of the 2028 general elections.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
eputy Foreign Minister accompanies Veep to Shanghai to champion Global South reform, industrial drive
Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, James Gyakye Quayson, accompanied Vice-President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang on a successful working visit to Shanghai, China, from 15th to 19th October 2026, at the invitation of the East China Normal University (ECNU).
The highlight of the visit was the 2026 Global South Academic Forum held on 17th October, which brought together over 200 scholars, policymakers, political party leaders and media professionals from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, under the theme “Global South Political Parties: Governance and Modernisation.”
In her keynote address, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang asserted that political independence is only truly the beginning, stating that “winning political power and governing effectively are related but not the same responsibility.” She called for stronger South-South cooperation, multilateralism and reform of the global financial architecture to end debt traps, ensure fair risk assessments and promote climate policies that respect different national circumstances.
On 18th October, she addressed a business forum with Chinese investors, linking Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy policy to industrialization. Warning that training youth without factories creates unemployment, she appealed for factories to be established in Ghana to serve the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) market, with priority on value addition in cocoa processing, shea butter, cashew, coconut and timber.
On October 19, Ghana’s Ambassador to China, Kojo Bonsu, hosted a dinner at the Shangri-La for the Vice-President, attended by members of the Ghanaian community and business leaders, who praised the thorough preparation by the Ghana Embassy staff for the visit.
Throughout the trip, Mr. Quayson coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to align the engagements with Ghana’s jobs and transformation agenda.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
