News
Pres Akufo-Addo Highlights AfCFTA’s Role In Continental Transformation
During the 5th anniversary celebration of the Council on Foreign Relations Ghana, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo delivered a keynote speech emphasizing the transformative potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement in driving Africa’s economic integration and industrialization.
Speaking on the theme “The Limits of the Current Development Co-operation Framework for Africa’s Transformation,” the President highlighted the AfCFTA as a key component of a new paradigm for development cooperation in Africa.
The AfCFTA Agreement, according to President Akufo-Addo, represents a bold and transformative initiative aimed at accelerating intra-African trade, promoting industrialization, and fostering economic integration across the continent. He noted that the agreement seeks to create a single market for goods and services, encompassing 54 countries and over 1.3 billion people, and has the capacity to significantly boost intra-African trade.
“Enhanced economic integration can lead to economies of scale, increased competitiveness, and greater market access for African businesses,” President Akufo-Addo stated. He cited a United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) report which projects that intra-African trade could be 34% higher by 2045 with the AfCFTA than without it.
President Akufo-Addo also highlighted the potential of the AfCFTA to drive industrialization and create decent jobs for Africa’s growing population. He emphasized that one of the serious challenges facing Africa is the reliance on the export of raw materials with little value addition. The AfCFTA Agreement, he argued, provides an opportunity to shift towards industrialization and value addition by creating a larger market for manufactured goods and promoting regional value chains.
By encouraging investment in manufacturing and processing industries, the AfCFTA can help create jobs and drive economic growth across the continent.
“The establishment of a continental free trade area should magnify Africa’s attractiveness as an investment destination,” the President stated, adding that the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement can create a more predictable and stable business environment, attracting both domestic and foreign investment.
In his speech, President Akufo-Addo also addressed the role of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Africa’s economies, noting that they contribute significantly to employment and income generation.
He pointed out that SMEs often face challenges related to market access, financing, and regulatory constraints. The AfCFTA, he argued, can provide new opportunities for SMEs by expanding their market reach and reducing trade barriers.
The President highlighted the SME Growth and Opportunity Programme he recently launched, which aims to provide targeted financing solutions and technical assistance to SMEs in Ghana.
The programme, he explained, is an important step towards creating a viable SME ecosystem that will empower businesses with high-growth potential to scale up and create impact across their communities.
In conclusion, President Akufo-Addo reiterated the transformative potential of the AfCFTA Agreement, stating that it represents a central component of the new paradigm for development cooperation in Africa. He expressed confidence that by leveraging the opportunities presented by the AfCFTA, Africa can drive economic integration, industrialization, and inclusive growth, ultimately achieving the transformative change to which the continent aspires.
A 30-year-old man has been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment with hard labour by the Bekwai Circuit Court for his role in a 2022 robbery at a mining site at Manso Akwasiso in the Ashanti South Region.
The convict, Dominic Ofori, also known as Fanta, was arrested on 16th February 2026 after years on the run. He pleaded guilty before the Bekwai Circuit Court to robbery contrary to Section 149 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 Act 29, and was accordingly sentenced to 25 years imprisonment with hard labour.
On March 20, 2022, the Manso Adubia District Police received intelligence that a group of armed men from Manso Abodom were planning to attack a mining site at Manso Akwasiso to rob the owner of gold concentrate. Acting on the information, police mounted a coordinated operation and laid an ambush at the site.
At about 5:30 pm the same day, four-armed men arrived at the site, fired indiscriminately, and robbed the miners of their gold concentrate. The police team on surveillance intervened, resulting in an exchange of gunfire.
Three of the suspects, Abu Abubakar, Musah Latif, and Gideon Takyi, sustained gunshot wounds and were pronounced dead on arrival at St Martins Catholic Hospital at Agroyesum. Dominic Ofori escaped at the time but was later arrested and put before the court.
The Ashanti South Regional Police Command has assured the public of its continued commitment to combating violent crimes and bringing offenders to justice.
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has arrested 45-year-old Isaac Boafo, also known as “Duabo King,” for allegedly publishing false news intended to cause fear and panic.
Police said the arrest follows a viral TikTok video in which Boafo claimed that four officers at the Central Police Station in Kumasi engaged in inappropriate conduct with commercial sex workers during night patrols in Asafo.
Officers from the Police Intelligence Directorate (Ashanti Region) apprehended Boafo after receiving intelligence about the video.
During questioning, he admitted to creating the video to attract views and engagement online, and acknowledged that he could not prove the allegations.
Boafo also admitted making comments about the President of the Republic for content purposes and could not defend those statements.
He has been formally charged and is in detention as investigations continue.
The Ashanti Regional Police have warned the public against publishing or sharing false information on social media, noting that such acts can cause fear, panic, and damage reputations.
They said anyone found engaging in similar conduct will face legal action.
By: Jacob Aggrey
