News
North-East Regional Minister reaffirms commitment to combating insecurities
The North-East Regional Minister, Ibrahim Tia, has reaffirmed his commitment to combating insecurities, including armed robbery by implementing effective measures designed to safeguard lives and property.
He emphasised the importance of a coordinated approach involving law enforcement agencies, community engagement and preventive strategies to enhance security in the region.
The Minister’s remarks come in response to rising concerns about safety and the need for a robust framework to protect citizens.
He urged the community to collaborate with authorities to ensure a safer environment for all.
Speaking to residents and local security officials, Minister Tia recognised the concerns of commuters who often face attacks on major highways.
He assured them that his administration would collaborate closely with the Upper East Regional Minister and security agencies to formulate an effective response to increasing security threats.
“The safety of our citizens is our top priority. We will enhance security operations in high-crime areas, boost police patrols, and set up emergency response teams to address any threats promptly,” he stated
He appealed to the police and other security agencies to beef up security to clamp down on the high rate of indiscipline.
“Indiscipline is gradually rearing its ugly head in our once peaceful and morally respected the region. Its unfortunate our township is drifting away from the way for which it was established by our forefathers. Its time we stamp authority on this anti-social canker,” he stated.
He appealed to residents to be vigilant and assist the police by reporting appropriately any incident they observed by so doing contribute to the prevention of violence.
Mr. Tia used the platform to caution people especially the youth against these illicit acts saying any person or group of persons caught engaging in any criminal activities would be dealt with severely to deter others.
He warned that the days of criminal gangs tormenting residents of the region were over, taking into account the preparedness of the security agencies to deal with the situation swiftly.
The Regional Minister bemoaned the fact that in recent times, a number of lives had been lost through robberies there called on residents to volunteer information to the security agencies in order to apprehend persons who were perpetrating various crimes in the region.
Residents in an interview with the Ghanaian Times were optimistic that these measures would put an end to the frequent attacks and promote safer travel through the region.
By Benedicta Gyimaah Folley
The Northern Regional Police Command has arrested three men believed to be part of a kidnapping syndicate responsible for abducting a 42-year-old man in Wapuli, a community in the Yendi District.
The suspects, Haruna Seidu, Amidu Bandi and Osman Bandi allegedly kidnapped the victim and demanded GH¢100,000 from his family for his release.
According to a police statement, officers from the Regional Police Intelligence Directorate were deployed to Wapuli after the incident was reported.
The team conducted surveillance and launched a rescue operation.
On Friday, December 5, 2025, police successfully rescued the victim and arrested the suspects after what was described as an intense exchange of gunfire.
The suspects were later taken into custody and are expected to be arraigned before court.
The Police said the a fourth suspect, who is believed to have sustained gunshot wounds during the operation, is currently on the run.
They urged the public to provide any information that may lead to his arrest.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong advocates Bold educational reforms at the UK House of Lords during Global Education Summit.
On November 27 2025, global development leaders, policymakers, education experts and civil society organisations gathered at the UK Parliament’s House of Lords for the Global Education Summit hosted by The Baroness Verma of Leicester and organised by the African British Business Forum.
The high-level event focused on the global rise in out-of-school children and the urgent reforms required to deliver equitable, quality education for all.
Among the distinguished Speakers was Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong, Founder & President of Women in Sustainability Africa (WiSA) and General Manager of the EIB Network, who delivered a compelling address on the theme “Breaking Barriers: Empowering Out-of-School Children Through Education.”
In her remarks, Nana Yaa who is currently celebrating 26years of Service in the Media, emphasized that education must be viewed as essential national infrastructure, not charity.
Borrowing experiences from her 18 years of empowering women and young people, she presented a strong case on how Africa’s poor educational systems tie into the poor state of its Gender Equality gap.
According to her, unlocking access to education is one of the most effective ways to strengthen economies, empower women and young girls, build resilient communities and drive sustainable development.
She highlighted that each child excluded from learning represents deferred innovation, delayed opportunity and a weakened society.
Nana Yaa noted that the barriers keeping millions of children out of school are complex and interconnected—ranging from poverty and cultural norms to geographical isolation and digital exclusion.
Addressing these challenges, she argued, requires solutions that are equally comprehensive and multi-layered.
Nana Yaa stressed that girls remain disproportionately affected, and investing in girls’ education has a transformative impact across several Sustainable Development Goals, including gender equality, poverty reduction, health outcomes and climate resilience.
Nana Yaa advocated for the expansion of flexible, inclusive and community-responsive educational models, such as mobile classrooms for remote and nomadic communities, community learning hubs, after-hours programmes for working children, radio-based instruction for low-tech areas and digital platforms designed to reach learners regardless of connectivity challenges.
She warned that without deliberate action, the digital divide would continue to widen, pushing already vulnerable children further to the margins.
During her presentation, she introduced three major reforms WiSA is seeking Partners for, aimed at reshaping educational access across Africa and beyond.
These are the Digital Bridge for Out-of-School Children (DBOC), the Community Education Stewardship Hubs (CESH) involving local women educators and youth volunteers and the Teen-focused Global Skills Accelerator for Out-of-School Teens (GSA-OT).
She also underscored the need for education systems that support instruction, inclusivity and healing, particularly for children experiencing autism, trauma, displacement or conflict.
Nana Yaa emphasised that emotional and psychological support must be integrated into educational frameworks in order to restore confidence, stability and long-term learning capacity.
The summit concluded with strong commitments from stakeholders to adopt sustainable financing models, strengthen data-driven policies and expand cross-sector partnerships.
The African British Business Forum reaffirmed its commitment to championing innovative, scalable solutions to educational inclusion across the UK, Africa and the wider global community.
