News
Protests after Black man killed by police in Atlanta
Demonstrators have taken to the streets in Atlanta in protest against the fatal shooting by police of a Black man who had fallen asleep in his car while waiting in line at a fast food drive-through south of downtown.
The Friday night incident comes at a time of heightened tension over police brutality and calls for reforms across the United States following the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis after a police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
Police had been called on 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks for sleeping in a car blocking the drive-through lane of a Wendy’s restaurant on Friday night. After Brooks failed a field sobriety test, the officers attempted to place him into custody, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI), an independent agency that has been asked by the Atlanta Police Department to investigate the killing.
According to the GBI, Brooks resisted arrest and a struggle ensued, leading an officer to deploy a Taser.
When the Taser did not work, Brooks reportedly tried to take it from the officer. A second officer then tried to use a Taser on Brooks, but it had no effect, Atlanta Deputy Police Chief Timothy Peek told reporters after the incident. During the tussle, Brooks was shot and later died at a local hospital.
The GBI said in a statement it was investigating reports “that the male subject was shot by an officer in the struggle over the Taser”.
A crowd of demonstrators gathered at the scene of the shooting on Saturday.
The president of the Georgia NAACP, the Reverend James Woodall, has called for the firing of Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution newspaper.
The GBI said it was reviewing video footage of the incident taken by witnesses. That video, which was posted on social media, shows Brooks on the ground outside his car, struggling with two police officers. The shooting later occurs out of frame.
Atlanta was among many large US cities where large crowds of protesters have taken to the streets in recent days.
Gerald Griggs, a lawyer and vice president of Atlanta’s NAACP chapter, estimated there were 150 people protesting at the scene as he walked with them on Saturday afternoon.
“The people are upset,” Griggs said. “They want to know why their dear brother Rayshard Brooks was shot and killed when he was merely asleep on the passenger side and not doing anything.”
Even though Brooks struggled with officers, Griggs said, “they could have used nonlethal force to take him down”.
Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard said his office has also “launched an intense, independent investigation of the incident”.
Stacey Abrams, the Georgia Democrat who gained national prominence running for governor in 2018, tweeted on Saturday of the shooting that “sleeping in a drive-thru must not end in death”.
“The killing of #RayshardBrooks in Atlanta last night demands we severely restrict the use of deadly force,” Abrams’s tweet said. “Yes, investigations must be called for – but so too should accountability.”
The officers involved in the shooting were not immediately identified.
SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES
Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has revealed that in the whole of 2024, only GHS 362 million was released to MMDAs in Common Fund.
Contrary to this, In 2025 alone GHS 5 billion was released to the MMDAs with the following breakdown as follows.
The Minister made this revelation when he took his turn at the Government Accountability Series held today.
In breakdown, the minister nonted that 1st Quarter – 790,372,058.40 was released for 2025.
He added that for the 2nd Quarter, 1,464,983,309.60 was released.
3rd Quarter saw the release of 1,188,921,640.80 and
1,592,706,391.20 for 4th Quarter.
The Minister added tha each of the MMDAs were required to undertake the following; at least 2-CHPS compounds, 3 Classroom blocks, 10 Boreholes, and Completion of legacy projects.
Additionally, 25% of the Common Fund was allocated for the Construction of 24-Hour Economy Model Markets.
Ahmed Ibrahim noted that as a result of the timely and unprecedented release of Funds, a total of 494 CHPS compounds, 761 Classroom Blocks, 4,029 Boreholes, and 2,755 Legacy projects are currently at various stages of completion.
Also, he added that 261 24-Hour Economy Model Markets have all been awarded on contracts and construction has begun on many of them.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohuno, together with members of the Police Management Board (POMAB), on April 17, 2026, decorated nineteen (19) senior officers who have been promoted to their next ranks based on the recommendations of the Police Council and approval of the President, John Dramani Mahama.
The ceremony, held at the National Police Headquarters in Accra, forms part of efforts to recognise merit, dedication, and long-standing service within the Ghana Police Service, while strengthening leadership across key operational and administrative levels.
The officers promoted from Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) to Commissioner of Police (COP) are Dr. Luke Asue-In-Yeng Zakpaa, Mr. Frederick Agyei, Mr. Duuti Tuaruka, Mr. Arthur Osei-Akoto, Mr. Darko Offei Lomotey, Mr. Eric Ken Winful, Mr. Barnabas Nambont Nasumong, and Mr. Desmond Owusu Boampong.
The IGP and members of POMAB congratulated the officers and urged them to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity in the discharge of their duties.
