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Ghana committed to responsible debt management & unified African voice at G20 Summit
President John Mahama has reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to responsible debt management and inclusive economic growth, emphasising the country’s ongoing efforts to enhance fiscal stability and create a prosperous future for all Ghanaians.
Speaking at an African Union Conference on Debt in Lomé, Togo, President Mahama emphasised the importance of a united African front in addressing debt challenges and advocating for fair global financial solutions.
President Mahama stated, “Ghana, under my leadership, is committed to and already rolling out policies to rebuild its fiscal buffers, strengthen institutions, and promote inclusive growth.”
He acknowledged the potential impact of fiscal adjustments on social protection programs, underscoring his government’s commitment to a transformation agenda that prioritises long-term economic stability and intergenerational progress.
“In Ghana, we are prioritising value-added agriculture, renewable energy, and digital infrastructure—all sectors that yield multiplier effects in jobs, exports, and innovation,” President Mahama explained.
He outlined the key pillars of Ghana’s ‘Reset Agenda,’ designed to achieve sustainable and inclusive development: protecting investments in education, youth empowerment, and rural development; ensuring that all Ghanaians have the opportunity to participate in and benefit from the nation’s economic progress; enhancing debt transparency through the establishment of an independent fiscal council; promoting accountability and informed decision-making in public finance management; expanding the role of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund to attract private capital; and facilitating strategic investments in critical infrastructure to drive economic growth and create jobs.
President Mahama commended the African Union Commission for organising the High-Level Conference. He recognised the conference’s theme, “Africa’s Public Debt Management Agenda in Restoring and Safeguarding Debt Sustainability,” as a critical call to action.
“This is not just a technical theme; it is a call to confront one of the most defining challenges of our generation,” he stated.
Looking ahead to the 2025 G20 Summit, President Mahama urged African nations to forge a common position advocating for timely, fair, and transparent debt restructuring frameworks. He emphasised the necessity of standardised debt.
The family of Ambassador James Victor Gbeho, a distinguished statesman and diplomat, has paid a courtesy call on President John Dramani Mahama. They officially informed him of his passing.
The delegation, representing the Gbeho family, noted that it was culturally and diplomatically important to formally notify the President of the loss before making a public announcement of his death.
Ambassador Gbeho was a towering figure in Ghanaian and international politics. He served in many diplomatic missions, including New York. He was Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, a Member of Parliament for the Anlo constituency, and President (formerly Executive Secretary) of the ECOWAS Commission.
He was widely respected for his role in regional integration and his contributions to global diplomacy at the United Nations.
President Mahama expressed his condolences and shared reflections on Ambassador Gbeho’s contributions to the country, West Africa and the world.
Funeral details will be announced later.
The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has revoked all firearm permits in Ghana with immediate effect and announced a new registration process for all gun owners.
The minister made the announcement on Tuesday, June 23, at the information service department saying all individuals who currently hold licences to own firearms or sidearms must undergo a fresh registration process.
“From this afternoon, all permits that have been granted to any individual that you are holding a sidearm or firearm is hereby revoked,” Mr Muntaka said.
He explained that the government had identified gaps in the country’s firearm registration system and needed to introduce stricter measures to improve public safety.
“We are opening the window where everyone will have to come forward again to register or re-register the gun because we’ve changed the procedure,” he stated.
According to him, the government decided not to wait until the end of the year to make the changes because lives could still be saved within the next six months.
The Interior Minister said one of the new requirements would be mandatory mental health screening for applicants seeking firearm licences.
“We’ve seen that people with mental health have already gone through and have the sidearm. Now we are introducing mental health. Before we give you the sidearm, we have to be sure that you have the mental stability to hold the firearms,” he said.
Mr Muntaka also announced that applicants would be required to undergo drug tests before being granted licences.
“We’ve also realised that people who are on drugs are also holding their arms and they are legitimate because it’s been registered. Now you have to go through drug tests to be sure that you are not on drugs before you can hold sidearms,” he added.
The minister said the new measures form part of efforts by the government to tighten firearm control and prevent legally registered weapons from falling into the wrong hands.
He urged all firearm owners to cooperate with the new registration process once details of the exercise are announced.
By: Jacob Aggrey
