News
We are dying of hunger – Former Amansie South DCE appeals for release of Ex-Gratia
A former District Chief Executive (DCE) for Amansie South, Clement Opoku Gyamfi, has appealed to the Finance Minister to urgently release the end-of-service benefits owed to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) who served under former President Nana Akufo-Addo.
Mr. Opoku Gyamfi in an interview at Asempa fm said many former appointees are struggling to survive due to the delay in the payment of their ex-gratia and other benefits.
He claimed that some of them are seriously ill, while others are facing severe financial hardship.
“We are dying of hunger. Most of our people are even bedridden because of the non-payment of our end-of-service benefits,” he said.
He added that he was emotional because the situation has become unbearable for many of his colleagues.
According to him, the benefits are legitimate entitlements and should not require begging.
He stressed that they have completed their service and handed over power, and therefore expect the government to fulfil its obligation.
He alleged that at least five former appointees have died while waiting for their payments.
He also stated that some of their colleagues are too sick to work and depend on others for support.
“Some even need money to buy drugs, but they cannot afford it,” he said.
Mr. Opoku Gyamfi explained that a committee was formed to follow up on the matter in Accra.
He said members of the group contributed money to support the committee’s work, but they are yet to receive any official response from the authorities.
He argued that the matter should not be treated as a question of priority spending.
In his view, once a new government takes over, it has the responsibility to settle outstanding obligations to former officials.
The former DCE therefore appealed to the Finance Minister and relevant authorities to act quickly to ease the hardship facing former MMDCEs.
He maintained that they served the country and deserve to be treated fairly.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has announced a set of policy measures aimed at strengthening Ghana’s foreign exchange reserves, improving gold sector governance, and reducing illegal mining and smuggling.
Presenting the policy directions in Parliament, he explained that government will revise the current arrangement under which the Bank of Ghana acquires 20 percent of large scale gold output.
He indicated that an Inter Agency Committee will be formed to ensure compliance by mining firms.
The committee, he noted, will be co chaired by the Ministers for Finance and Lands and Natural Resources, with membership drawn from the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, as well as the heads of the Minerals Commission and the Ghana Gold Board.
According to him, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources will invoke the state’s preemption rights under the Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 and the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 to purchase a minimum of 20 percent of gold produced by large scale mining companies.
He stated that this is expected to translate into at least 0.57 tonnes of gold per week.
He stressed that the gold purchased will be in doré form and processed locally to promote value addition.
Payments, he added, will be made in cedis at the prevailing interbank exchange rate, with discount rates determined by volume.
Dr.Forson further explained that the refined gold will eventually be added to Ghana’s physical reserves, and that any future sale by the central bank will require prior approval from Cabinet and Parliament.
He maintained that these measures will improve transparency, promote local refining, and reduce acquisition costs while ensuring that mining companies meet their obligations.
Turning to the artisanal and small scale mining sector, he stated that the Ghana Gold Board will adopt strategies to purchase at least 2.45 tonnes of gold weekly through official channels.
Over the next three years, he projected that the country could mobilise about 127 tonnes of gold annually from the sector, which at current prices could generate more than 20 billion dollars in foreign exchange each year.
To achieve this, he noted that the Gold Board will secure sufficient funds to sustain market participation and assume full responsibility for signing off take agreements and selling gold procured from the sector starting March 2026.
He added that the Board will introduce risk management tools, including gold backed derivative trading and hedging programmes, to reduce market losses.
Dr.Forson also pointed to price incentives and bonuses for licensed miners as part of efforts to discourage smuggling and encourage legal sales.
Beyond the gold sector, he outlined broader measures to improve foreign exchange inflows, including the expansion of non traditional exports such as cashew, shea, and rubber, as well as efforts to revive the cocoa sector.
He mentioned the development of new oil palm plantations and the acceleration of new oil field projects, including Pecan, to support export earnings.
The minister also addressed energy sector financing, noting that Ghana has historically spent about three billion dollars annually to cover shortfalls and payments to independent power producers.
He explained that the proposed Gas to Power Transformation Policy, which includes the construction of a state owned 1,200 megawatt power plant and a second gas processing facility, will help conserve foreign exchange.
Dr.Forson emphasised that maintaining fiscal discipline, particularly achieving a primary surplus, remains critical to slowing the depletion of the country’s reserves.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Police in the Oti Region have uncovered a large quantity of suspected cannabis hidden in an impounded truck, with authorities estimating the street value at more than GHS 1.4 million.
According to the Ghana Police Service, the discovery followed the opening of a Volvo truck with registration number GC 3522 09, which officers intercepted at the Bonakye checkpoint on 29 December 2025.
Police explained that the vehicle was heading toward Kpassa when intelligence suggested it was transporting illegal goods. When officers stopped the truck, the driver and another occupant fled, abandoning the vehicle with the ignition key.
The truck remained in police custody until 24 February 2026, when officers opened it at Nkwanta after obtaining a court order from the Jasikan Circuit Court, presided over by His Honour Lambert Y Kerieba.
The exercise was conducted in the presence of representatives from the Police, Military, National Intelligence Bureau, Defence Intelligence, Ghana National Fire Service, the Narcotics Control Commission at Jasikan, and members of the media.
Police reported that officers initially found 320 cartons of bottled mineral water in the truck. A thorough search, however, revealed 91 bales of suspected cannabis concealed within the cartons.
Authorities indicated that the substances amounted to 7,173 slabs, with an estimated street value exceeding GHS 1.4 million. The exhibits have been retained as investigations continue.
Police assured the public of their commitment to combating drug trafficking and encouraged citizens to provide credible information to assist in crime prevention and detection.
By: Jacob Aggrey
