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Eschew corruption – Nana Addo tells judges

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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said sixty (60) district courts, sixty (60) bungalows for judges, and three (3) new high courts for three (3) of the six (6) newly created regions will be commissioned before the start of the legal year in October.

According to President Akufo-Addo, the government has taken note of the inadequate numbers of courts in various parts of the country, resulting in citizens travelling long distances to gain access to courts, and has decided to remedy this situation.

Speaking at the swearing-in of ten (10) new High Court Judges, on Monday, July 18, 2022, at Jubilee House, the President stated that Government, through the Administrator of the District Assembly Common Fund, is constructing one hundred (100) new courts and bungalows for Judges in all sixteen (16) Regions of the country.

They are broken down in the various Regions as follows – twenty (20) courts and twenty (20) bungalows in Ashanti; twelve (12) courts and twelve (12) bungalows in Eastern; eight (8) courts and eight (8) bungalows in Greater Accra; eight (8) courts and eight (8) bungalows in Volta; eight (8) courts and eight (8) bungalows in Ahafo; seven (7) courts and seven (7) bungalows in Western; and five (5) courts and five (5) bungalows in Bono East.

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The rest are five (5) courts and five (5) bungalows in North East; four (4) courts and four (4) bungalows in Oti; four (4) courts and four (4) bungalows in Western North; four (4) courts and four (4) bungalows in Central; four (4) courts and four (4) bungalows in Bono; three (3) courts and three (3) bungalows in Northern; three (3) courts and three (3) bungalows in Savannah; three (3) courts and three (3) bungalows in Upper East; and two (2) courts and two (2) bungalows in Upper West.

“Sixty percent (60%) of these courts and bungalows have been completed, and will be commissioned before the start of the legal year in October. The remaining forty percent (40%) will be duly completed and commissioned by the end of the first quarter of 2023,” President Akufo-Addo said.

He continued: “Six new Regional High Courts are also being constructed in the newly created regions, i.e., Ahafo, Bono East, North East, Oti, Savannah and Western North. Three of the Courts, that is those in Ahafo, Bono East and Oti Regions, will be completed and ready for commissioning, again, before October. The other three, that is those in North East, Savannah and Western North, which are at eighty percent (80%) completion, will be ready for commissioning by the end of the first quarter of 2023.”

It will also be recalled in April last year, the President cut the sod for commencement of work on a new, modern Court of Appeal complex in Kumasi, together with twenty (20) townhouses and a guesthouse to serve as permanent residences for Court of Appeal Judges based in Kumasi, who will be mandated to handle appeals from the northern part of the country.

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President Akufo-Addo noted that “they will be completed and commissioned in September”, adding that “two hundred and ten (210) vehicles were, earlier this year, distributed to all judges in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Courts and Lower Courts.”

These, the President reiterated, are all initiatives being undertaken by Government to strengthen the capacity of the Judiciary.

High Court Judges

Swearing the new High Court Judges in, upon the advice of the Judicial Council, given in accordance with the provisions of article 144 clause 3 of the Constitution, he indicated that they are eminently fit and qualified for the position of Justices of the High Court, and have the impartiality of mind and independence of spirit necessary to hold this high office.

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They are Her Honour Mercy Adei Kotei, Mrs. Cynthia Martinson, Dr. Bridget Kafui Antonio-Apedzi, Ms. Nabeela Naeema Wahab, His Honour Ebenezer Osei-Darko, His Honour Bernard Bentil, His Honour Alexander Graham, George Kwame Gyan-Kontoh, Richard Apietu and Eric Ansah Ankomah.

With the High Court described as a superior court of record, with original, general jurisdiction as a tribunal of first instance, President Akufo-Addo told the new Judges to exhibit honesty, integrity and a sound knowledge of the law.

“A corrupt or incompetent judge is a danger to the public interest and judicial administration. The situation, where judges proffer judgements on the basis of decisions from lower courts and cite them as law, is not acceptable, and even less so, when judges cite no authority at all for their rulings, and give orders without reasons,” he added.

The President continued: “You must be learned, know your case law and ensure your decisions and judgements are properly motivated. The principle of stare decisis, the ancient common law doctrine of precedent, has been, and continues to be the time-honoured foundation for the coherent development of the law, and should not be lightly discarded.”

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Source: www.pulse.com.gh

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G-NEXID hosts 6th Exchange Programme

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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President Mahama signs five bills into law

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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).

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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.”

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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.

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