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Streets of Accra: Home for the Homeless
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Every morning in Accra, particularly around Kwame Nkrumah Circle, a troubling scene repeats itself. Children who should be preparing for school instead weave through traffic, knocking on car windows, and begging for coins.
From Circle to Kaneshie, Tema Station, the Central Business District, and the 37 Military Hospital area, these young faces reflect a growing social crisis that Ghana can no longer pretend is solved.
Many of these children—and some mothers—sleep in front of shops, on pavements, or under footbridges. When night falls, cardboard replaces mattresses, and hunger replaces comfort. Some cook whatever they can find—discarded food, roadside leftovers, or partially spoiled items from refuse dumps. This exposes them to diseases, abuse, drug use, and human trafficking, turning survival into a daily danger.
Street life is stealing their future. While other children carry school bags, these ones carry fear and hardship. Without education, counselling, and care, they are pushed into labour, crime, and long-term poverty. The street becomes their classroom, but it teaches only struggle, not opportunity.
This is a matter for the government, Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), and other municipalities across the country. The menace persists in various regions and must be treated as an emergency.
There is an urgent need for more shelters, feeding programmes, rehabilitation centres, and compulsory reintegration into school. Social welfare officers must patrol hotspots like Circle regularly—not only during special exercises.
Communities, parents, NGOs, and traditional leaders also have a role to play. Poverty, migration, and family breakdown drive children onto Accra’s streets, but cooperation can pull them back.
These children are still at Circle and the other areas mentioned, still begging, and still sleeping on concrete instead of beds. Their presence is a loud reminder of unfinished work. Ghana’s progress will mean little if its capital continues to abandon its youngest citizens.
If you like, I can also create a shorter, punchy version suitable for newspapers or online platforms that grabs attention quickly while keeping the urgency of the issue.
By Eric Gyimah
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
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The Accra Regional Police Command has arrested former professional boxer Michael Ayitey Okai, popularly known as “Ayitey Powers,” over an alleged threat of death against the Director-General of the National Sports Authority, Yaw Ampofo.
According to the Police, the 46-year-old former boxer was arrested on Monday, August 24, 2026, in connection with the alleged threat.
The Police said the arrest followed a video circulating on social media in which Ayitey Powers is alleged to have issued the threat against Mr Ampofo.
He is currently in Police custody and is assisting with investigations.
The Accra Regional Police Command said investigations are ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged threat and determine the appropriate action to be taken in accordance with the law.
The Command has urged the public to refrain from sharing unverified information about the matter while the investigation continues.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Minority Leader in Parliament Alexander Afenyo Markin has sued the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, and Multimedia Group Limited over alleged defamatory comments made against him on the Newsfile programme.
In a writ filed at the High Court in Accra, Mr Afenyo Markin is seeking GH¢15 million in damages, an apology and retraction of the statements, among other reliefs.
The suit follows comments allegedly made by Mr Gyamfi during the Saturday, August 22, 2026 edition of Newsfile, hosted by Samson Lardy Anyenini.
According to the statement of claim, Mr Gyamfi described Mr Afenyo Markin as an “extortionist” while responding to a question about GoldBod’s reported profits and its position on losses arising from its operations.
The plaintiff claims that Mr Gyamfi repeated the allegation when the host sought clarification on whether he stood by the description.
Mr Afenyo Markin further claims that Mr Gyamfi challenged him to sue him and insisted that the allegation was true.
The plaintiff argues that the statements created the impression that he engages in extortion, uses his political influence to put improper pressure on public institutions and officials, and conducts himself in a manner inconsistent with the standards expected of a lawyer and public office holder.
He denies the allegations and maintains that he is not an extortionist and has never engaged in the conduct alleged by Mr Gyamfi.
The Minority Leader also argues that the comments were made maliciously and were presented as facts without evidence being disclosed.
He claims the statements have damaged his reputation, professional standing and public image, particularly because of his position as a senior political figure and legal practitioner.
The suit also names Multimedia Group Limited as a defendant because, according to the plaintiff, the alleged defamatory comments were broadcast through JoyNews and subsequently circulated on social media platforms, including X, Facebook and YouTube.
Mr Afenyo Markin claims Multimedia failed to stop the comments or deactivate Mr Gyamfi’s microphone after the allegations were made.
He is therefore asking the court to award him general, aggravated and exemplary damages, as well as GH¢15 million in compensation and legal costs.
He is also seeking an order compelling the defendants to issue a full, unconditional and unequivocal retraction and public apology.
The plaintiff wants the apology and retraction to be given similar prominence and reach as the original publication, including through JoyNews and the social media platforms where the comments were disseminated.
He is further seeking a permanent injunction preventing the defendants from repeating the alleged defamatory statements or words with a similar meaning.
The writ requires the defendants to enter an appearance within eight days after being served.
It warns that failure to do so could result in judgment being entered in their absence.
The case was filed by lawyer Paa Kwesi Abaidoo of Dehyena Chambers on behalf of Mr Afenyo Markin.
By: Jacob Aggrey
