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NMC should’ve been involved in closure of 4 Bawku radio stations – MFWA
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has expressed reservations about a decision by the National Communications Authority (NCA) to shut down some four radio stations in Bawku over security concerns.
The NCA, in a statement on Saturday, February 24, 2024, announced the shutdown of Bawku FM, Source FM, Zahra FM, and Gumah FM following the recommendation of the Upper East Regional Security Council and the Ministry of National Security.
Speaking to Citi News, the Programmes Officer at the MFWA, Kwaku Krobea Asante, said the NCA should have involved the National Media Commission (NMC), the agency responsible for regulating media content before closing down the stations.
“What we would have wished to have seen is that this whole exercise should have involved the National Media Commission because, essentially, it is the National Media Commission that the constitution gives the powers to oversee the professional and ethical standards of the media.”
“I understand that the NCA has its own provisions and laws to take actions like that, but the precedent that this sets for our press freedom and other similar engagements like this can be a little worrying.”
Meanwhile, the West Africa Center for Counter-Extremism (WACCE) says the NCA’s decision has come too late.
The Executive Director of WACCE, Mutaru Mumuni Muqthar said the closures came too late, considering the harm that the stations’ presenters and panelists have caused in the area.
“This is even too late in terms of the impact with the kind of panelists that have been featured on some of these radio stations in the Bawku area. I think that it is actually late, but it is better that it has come because it can prevent the bad situation from becoming worse, and so I think that this is something we should have had a couple of years ago when the conflict escalated. For this to happen now, we must embrace that and also feature other measures that can help calm the situation.”
Source: Citinewsroom.com
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Prof Alidu Seidu files nomination for Tamale Central seat
The newly elected parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Tamale Central, Prof Alidu Seidu, has submitted his nomination forms to the Electoral Commission.
As of 10:00 a.m. today, he was the only person who had filed to contest the seat.
Nomination of candidates will close at the end of the day.
Associate Professor and Head of the Political Science Department at the University of Ghana Legon, Prof. Alidu Seidu won the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries in the Tamale Central constituency with a landslide victory.
The elections, supervised by the party’s Elections and IT Directorate in the Northern Region, saw Prof. Seidu poll 840 votes out of the total valid ballots cast.
His closest contender, Lawyer Hanan Gundadow Abdul-Rahaman, secured 536 votes.
The other aspirants could not make significant gains, with Dr. Seidu Fiter obtaining 44 votes, Aliu Abdul-Hamid 23 votes, and the rest recording fewer than 10 votes each.
In all, 1,500 ballots were cast, with 6 ballots rejected and 7 spoilt ballots recorded.
The results were signed and declared by Dr. Arnold Mashud Abukari, NDC Northern Regional Director of Elections and IT.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) held parliamentary primaries in Tamale Central to choose a candidate for the upcoming by-election following the death of the sitting Member of Parliament, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed. Dr. Mohammed, who also served as Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, tragically died in a military helicopter crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District on August 6, 2025, alongside seven others.
His passing left the Tamale Central seat vacant, as required by Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
The Electoral Commission has scheduled the by-election for September 30, 2025. While the NDC moved quickly to open nominations and vet aspirants, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) announced it would not contest the seat, citing the need to respect the somber circumstances and promote national unity.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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Ghana to locally refine its gold starting October 2025 – Sammy Gyamfi
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board, Sammy Gyamfi, has announced that plans are far advanced for the establishment of a state-owned gold refinery in the country.
Speaking at the 2025 Minerals and Mining Convention, Mr Gyamfi said the refinery will process locally mined gold into bullion instead of exporting it in its raw state.
According to him, it is unacceptable that Ghana, despite being a leading gold producer in Africa, continues to export raw gold known as dore.
He explained that the Gold Board, working with the Bank of Ghana and local refineries, will from October 2025 begin refining gold locally.
He also disclosed that an ultramodern assay laboratory will be built to ensure international standards in testing gold quality.
Mr Gyamfi noted that the refinery will be wholly state-owned and will help Ghana move away from raw mineral exports to value addition.
This, he said, will boost foreign exchange earnings, create jobs, and position Ghana as a hub for gold refining and jewellery production in Africa.
The CEO stressed that the project forms part of government’s strategy to ensure the country benefits fully from its natural resources and to transform the mining sector into a driver of economic growth.
By: Jacob Aggrey
