News
President Mahama leads initiative to transform Ghana into an export-driven economy
President John Dramani Mahama has inaugurated an Accelerated Export Development Advisory Committee, a strategic initiative to propel Ghana towards becoming a leading export-driven economy.
The 19-member committee, chaired by the President himself, will lead the implementation of the 24-Hour Economy policy, prioritising value addition and economic diversification through strong partnerships with the private sector, particularly in agro-processing and light manufacturing.
President Mahama, an advocate for job creation and national development under his #ResettingGhana agenda, emphasised the critical role of the Committee in achieving ambitious economic goals.
“Through targeted incentives and strategic partnerships, we will scale up local production and participation in the value chain,” Mahama stated during the inauguration.
He noted that “Our 24-hour economy strategy will complement this ambition by developing focused value chains including cassava, tomato, palm oil, pharmaceuticals, textiles and garments, and industrial machinery.”
The President expressed confidence that implementing the export development strategies would lower the national unemployment rate from 14.7% to below 5% by 2034.
To facilitate efficient export operations, the government will invest heavily in modernising critical infrastructure, including upgrading and expanding ports, revitalising the Volta Lake Transport Company, developing the Mpakadan Port, operationalising the Boankra Inland Port, and expanding cold chain infrastructure to support the fisheries and horticultural sectors.
The Accelerated Export Development Programme and the National Export Development Strategy are central to achieving these goals.
“We aim to grow Ghana’s non-traditional export earnings from $3.5 billion annually to at least $10 billion by 2030,” President Mahama affirmed.
The Accelerated Export Development Advisory Committee will foster close collaboration with the private sector, development partners, academia, and regional institutions to address export barriers, identify emerging opportunities, and drive coordinated reforms.
The Committee will be supported by the 24-hour economy secretariat, the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and other relevant agencies to ensure a seamless transition from strategic planning to tangible results.
MEMBERSHIP OF THE ACCELERATED EXPORT DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
1. HE John Dramani Mahama
2. Mr Goosie Tanoh
3. Hon. Dr Cassiel Ato Forson (MP)
4. Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu Agyare (MP)
5. Hon. Emelia Arthur (MP)
6. Hon. Eric Opoku (MP)
7. Hon. Dominic Ayine (MP)
8. Mr Anthony K. Sarpong
9. Professor John Gatsi
10. Brigadier General Paul Seidu Tanye-Kulono
11. Gerald Nrako Mensah
12. Dr Akushika Andoh
13. Dr Eben Anuwa-Amarh
14. Kwesi Korboe
15. Sampson Asaki Awingobit
16. Jacob Ainoo Ansah
17. Gabriel Opoku Asare
18. Gerald Nyarko Mensah
19. Davies Narh Korboe
A 29-year-old tricycle rider, Naah Mashood, has been sentenced to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour for defiling a three-year-old girl at Tiegber in the Wa Municipality.
The Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Upper West Regional Police Command arrested the suspect on February 24, 2026, following a complaint lodged by the victim’s mother.
According to police, the convict, who had been contracted by the parents to pick the victim to and from school, lured her to an isolated location on February 23, 2026, and sexually assaulted her inside his tricycle, popularly known as ‘Camboo’.
After thorough investigations, he was arraigned before the Wa District Magistrate Court and subsequently stood trial at the Wa High Court.
On October 30, 2026, His Lordship Justice Osei-Wusu found him guilty of defilement and sentenced him to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour.
The Upper West Regional Police Command has commended the officers involved in the investigation and prosecution, as well as all persons who contributed to ensuring justice was served.
The Command urged parents and guardians to keep a close eye on their children and ensure their safety at all times, and encouraged the public to report suspected cases of child abuse and defilement to the nearest police station or DOVVSU office for prompt action.
It further assured the public of its commitment to protecting children and ensuring perpetrators of sexual offences are brought to justice.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has announced the arrest of three suspected members of a criminal syndicate believed to be behind a series of robberies targeting bank customers in Kumasi and its environs.
On October 31, 2026, at about 11:30 pm, an IGP’s Special Team, comprising personnel from the Anti-Armed Robbery Unit of the CID Headquarters and the Accra Regional Police Intelligence Directorate (PID), acting on intelligence, embarked on an operation to apprehend the suspects.
The operation led to the arrest of two Nigerian nationals, Aboy Promise, 30, and Favour Uwalaka, 45, at a hotel at Moshie Zongo. A search of their rooms resulted in the recovery of GH¢1,600.00, assorted mobile phones, a Royal motorbike and a master key used to gain unauthorized access to victims’ vehicles to steal cash.
During interrogation, the suspects admitted their involvement in the robberies and mentioned two accomplices, Chinedu, alias Alhaji, and Kingsley, alias KC.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the syndicate monitored banking premises, identified customers who withdrew substantial sums of money and trailed them before attacking and robbing them. They also broke into unattended vehicles belonging to bank customers using a master key to steal cash kept inside.
The suspects subsequently led the police team to another hotel at Dechemso, a suburb of Kumasi, where Kingsley, alias KC, 35, also a Nigerian national, was arrested.
The remaining accomplice, Chinedu, alias Alhaji, is currently on the run. The Command is appealing to the public to volunteer credible information that could lead to his arrest. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to report to the nearest police station or contact the police through emergency numbers 191, 112 or the toll-free MTN and Telecel line 18555.
The suspects admitted to robbing a victim of GH¢15,000.00 at Asokore Mampong on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, after the victim had withdrawn money from Kwamang Rural Bank. They also admitted to similar robberies at the Atonsu branch of Fidelity Bank, the Ahodwo branch of Access Bank and other locations within Kumasi and its environs.
The three arrested suspects have since been handed over to the Ashanti Regional Police Command and are assisting with investigations.
The Command has cautioned bank customers to remain vigilant, be alert to suspicious persons around banking premises and avoid leaving cash or other valuables unattended in vehicles, while commending the public for their continued cooperation and assuring residents of its commitment to combating robbery and other criminal activities in the region.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
