News
Yearning to connect amid the pandemic
Families across the world are disconnected because of the travel restrictions imposed by various countries to curb the spread of the corona virus disease (COVID-19) .
Some people cannot legally cross from one country to the other to reunite with their families after weeks of separation, while others dread the mandatory quarantine if they are able to travel.
Then, there is another category of people who cannot even afford the 150 dollars being charged for instant civid-19 test at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), Accra, Ghana.
Yet, the holiday spirit and family re-union is bracing the odds, as passengers from various countries troop to the airport.
For the last few weeks that the embargo on air travels was lifted by the government, travellers have been photographed waiting in queue to get their covid-19 test taken before leaving the departure terminal.
Outside the Terminal Three of the airport many families have been seen waiting anxiously to welcome their families from various countries back to Ghana.
Our photojournalist captured some families connecting in smaller and more intimate ways.
Mr Sam Mensah, a passenger from South Africa said, “he visits his family every year and “Despite the spread, I cannot afford to miss this opportunity to see his family this year”.
A staff checking health documents at the arrival hall of terminal three of the KIA, said despite the pandemic there had been overwhelming number of passengers, especially Ghanaians coming back to their families .
He emphasised on the covid-19 measures the company had taken to ensure travellers coming into the country were safe.
By Geoffrey Buta.
National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Executive Committee member and Volta River Authority (VRA) Board Member, Wonder Victor Kutor, has described calls for the resignation of Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa as premature and unjustified.
He argued that there was no evidence to establish that the minister had committed any wrongdoing to warrant such demands.
Speaking on Joy News in Accra on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, Mr Kutor questioned what had changed to justify the growing calls for the minister to step down.
He recalled that the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor, had earlier indicated that the opposition was not accusing Mr Ablakwa of any wrongdoing.
Mr Kutor, therefore, challenged those demanding the minister’s resignation to provide fresh evidence to support their position.
“The call for the Minister to resign is premature, it is untenable. There is no evidence. I mean, what has he done wrong?” he questioned.
He added that documents, including boarding passes, airline receipts and flight manifests relating to the minister’s return journey, had been provided.
Mr Kutor expressed concern that the calls for Mr Ablakwa’s resignation could discourage young politicians from speaking out against corruption and advocating transparency.
According to him, politicians should not be targeted or maligned for demanding accountability, warning that such treatment could create the impression that speaking against corruption could later become a liability when one is appointed to public office.
He maintained that calling for accountability and transparency should not be used as grounds to target public officials without evidence of wrongdoing.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana will host the Africa Festival of Arts, Culture and Creatives (AFESTAC) 2026 alongside Industrial Skills Week Africa (ISWA) 2026 in Accra from December 9 to 12, 2026.
On the back of these programmes, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has called on corporate Ghana, the media and the general public to support the initiative through partnerships, sponsorships and active participation.
The events, supported by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), will bring together stakeholders to celebrate Africa’s rich cultural heritage, strengthen the creative economy, promote industrial skills development and create employment opportunities for young people.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
