President John Dramani Mahama has explained that the government’s ambitious Big Push road programme will be implemented in phases because the country does not have the financial capacity to tackle all road projects at the same time.

The President acknowledged growing expectations from communities across the country for roads to be fixed but stressed that government must work within available resources.

His comments come as the administration pushes ahead with its flagship infrastructure programme, which is aimed at addressing Ghana’s long-standing road infrastructure deficit.

‘We cannot fix every road at once’

President Mahama reportedly explained that many communities expect their roads to be addressed immediately, but government has to prioritise projects because of budgetary constraints.

The approach, he said, is to implement the Big Push in stages rather than attempting to execute every project simultaneously.

This means some roads will receive attention earlier, while others will have to wait for subsequent phases as funding becomes available.

Major roads to receive priority

Under the phased strategy, government is expected to prioritise major arterial roads and projects considered critical to transportation, economic activity and connectivity.

The objective is to ensure that available resources are channelled into projects with significant national and regional impact rather than spreading funding too thinly across numerous projects.

The strategy is also intended to allow government to maintain focus on completing projects instead of creating a situation where numerous roads are started but left unfinished.

Big Push comes with huge expectations

The Big Push programme has generated considerable expectations since the Mahama administration made road infrastructure a major component of its development agenda.

The programme covers road construction and rehabilitation across different parts of the country, with government seeking to address roads that have remained in poor condition for years.

According to Ghana’s 2026 Budget, road contracts worth GH¢63 billion had been awarded under the Big Push, with the projects estimated to generate about 490,000 jobs.

Funding remains a major challenge

The President’s latest explanation highlights the financial reality facing the programme.

While the demand for better roads remains enormous, government has to balance infrastructure spending with other competing national priorities.

The phased approach therefore allows the administration to match the implementation of projects with available funding.

Rather than promising that every road will be fixed immediately, Mahama is asking Ghanaians to expect a gradual rollout based on priorities and resources.

Government promises quality and durable roads

The administration has also sought to distinguish the Big Push from the practice of starting numerous projects without completing them.

The emphasis, according to reports, is on delivering roads that are properly constructed and durable.

The government’s position is that available funds must be used efficiently to produce infrastructure that can serve communities and businesses for years.

The road ahead

President Mahama’s comments are likely to generate mixed reactions, particularly from communities that have been waiting for road projects promised under the Big Push.

For residents dealing with deteriorating roads, the expectation remains that government will translate its infrastructure plans into visible improvements.

But with funding constraints limiting how quickly the programme can move, the government is now making its implementation strategy clear: not every road can be fixed at once, and the Big Push will have to move in phases.

The success of the strategy will ultimately depend on whether government can secure and sustain the financing needed to move projects from one phase to the next — and, most importantly, complete them.

A major legal showdown is brewing over a prime beachfront property in Accra after Spartan Ives Limited, operators of the renowned Polo Beach Club, filed an application for an injunction to stop the Labadi Beach Hotel from allegedly moving ahead with plans to demolish the club.

The application, filed before the High Court in Accra, also seeks to restrain Richard Jakpa, Director of Special Operations at the National Security Secretariat, and anyone acting under his authority from interfering with the club pending the determination of the substantive land dispute.

According to court documents cited by the Daily Guide, the dispute centres on ownership and occupation of beachfront land at Labadi. The substantive case was initiated by Labadi Beach Hotel and remains pending before the court.

Polo Beach raises alarm over alleged demolition threat

In an affidavit supporting the injunction application, Polo Beach Club alleges that Jakpa informed its officials and lawyer that the Labadi Beach Hotel wanted the club demolished.

The club claims Jakpa described the proposed demolition as “non-negotiable and irreversible”, despite being informed that the underlying land dispute was already before the court.

According to the affidavit, Jakpa allegedly rejected suggestions that the parties should allow the court to determine the matter and indicated that the demolition would proceed based on his own assessment.

Polo Beach is now asking the court to intervene before any physical action is taken.

The land dispute at the centre of the fight

Labadi Beach Hotel reportedly argues that the entire Labadi beachfront falls within an Executive Instrument and is therefore owned by the Government of Ghana.

The hotel also reportedly contends that the beachfront constitutes a buffer zone between the sea and adjoining land and that Polo Beach Club was constructed without the necessary building permit.

Polo Beach Club has strongly denied these assertions.

The club says it holds a 20-year lease from the La Stool, has made substantial payments towards the lease and obtained building and operating permits from the La Dade-Kotopon Municipal Assembly.

‘How can the hotel claim government land?’

Polo Beach Club has questioned the consistency of Labadi Beach Hotel’s position.

According to the club’s court application, the hotel has itself allegedly leased or rented adjoining beachfront space from the La Stool over the years and made payments to the traditional authority, including payments as recently as 2023.

The club therefore argues that it is difficult to reconcile the hotel’s alleged position that the entire beachfront is government land with its own dealings concerning adjoining beachfront property.

These claims remain matters for the court to determine.

‘Small compensation’ enters the dispute

The situation took another turn after the hotel reportedly appointed a consultant to enter the Polo Beach Club premises and conduct a valuation.

According to the affidavit, the valuation was intended to determine a proposed “small compensation” that could be offered to the club in connection with the proposed demolition.

Polo Beach says it fears that refusing to cooperate with the valuation could lead to an immediate demolition.

The club is therefore urging the court to prevent any party from obtaining through administrative action what it is seeking through the ongoing litigation.

Club says it is worth GH¢41.3 million

Polo Beach Club has also placed a substantial value on the property and its operations.

The club reportedly estimates its market value at approximately GH¢41.3 million, with a forced-sale value of about GH¢30.975 million.

It further says it employs more than 100 people and has developed into a major tourism and events destination, attracting international visitors and celebrities.

The club also says it has undertaken works to protect portions of the beachfront, including measures aimed at addressing tidal flooding.

Court asked to stop demolition

Polo Beach Club’s application is seeking an urgent injunction restraining Labadi Beach Hotel, its agents and assigns, as well as Jakpa and persons acting under his authority, from taking steps to demolish or interfere with the club.

The club argues that allowing a demolition before the substantive case is determined could render the court proceedings meaningless.

It is therefore asking the court to preserve the existing situation until the legal battle over the land is resolved.

A potentially explosive beachfront battle

The dispute has now escalated beyond a conventional land disagreement, with the alleged demolition threat bringing the matter into sharper focus.

At stake are not only questions surrounding ownership and development rights but also the future of a prominent beachfront business, the livelihoods of its workers and the authority of the court to determine the underlying dispute.

For now, the substantive case remains before the High Court, while Polo Beach Club is seeking urgent judicial protection against what it describes as a looming demolition.

The court’s decision on the injunction could therefore determine whether the club remains standing while the much bigger battle over the disputed beachfront land continues.

Questions are being raised online over Ghana’s port security and anti-narcotics enforcement after French authorities intercepted nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine valued at about €225 million in a container that had arrived from Ghana.

The massive consignment was discovered at the port of Dunkirk in France, where customs officers found 167 parcels of cocaine concealed among plastic waste inside the container. The shipment was reportedly destined, at least in part, for Antwerp in Belgium.

The development has triggered an angry reaction from some Ghanaians online, with questions being directed at authorities over how such a huge quantity of narcotics could leave Ghana concealed in an ordinary commercial shipment.

‘What exactly do authorities do at the port?’

The seizure has sparked intense debate on social media, with some netizens questioning the effectiveness of checks on containers leaving Ghanaian ports.

For critics, the sheer size of the consignment has raised concerns about whether Ghana’s port surveillance systems are sufficiently equipped to detect sophisticated attempts to move narcotics through maritime cargo.

The questions have become even louder because the cocaine was only intercepted after the container reached France.

However, the fact that a shipment originated from Ghana does not by itself establish that Ghanaian authorities, port officials or Ghanaian citizens were involved in the trafficking. The identities and roles of those behind the shipment remain subject to investigation.

Nearly four tonnes hidden in plastic waste

French customs said the cocaine was concealed in eight sacks containing 167 parcels, hidden among bags of recycled plastic.

The container was inspected by France’s Dunkirk Port External Surveillance Brigade. According to French customs, a specialist drug-detection dog marked the container, after which officers used a mobile X-ray scanner before conducting a physical search that uncovered the cocaine.

The drugs were subsequently destroyed.

French prosecutors have opened an investigation into the shipment, with the case handed to France’s anti-narcotics office to identify the criminal network allegedly responsible.

Ghana’s drug trafficking reputation under scrutiny

The latest seizure comes amid growing concern about international drug consignments linked to Ghana.

Assin South MP and Ranking Member on Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, has warned that Ghana is increasingly being perceived internationally as a “cocaine coast” following a series of major seizures connected to consignments allegedly originating from the country.

He has questioned why several major international drug seizures have not resulted in high-profile arrests and prosecutions of the alleged masterminds.

His concerns have now gained renewed attention following the Dunkirk seizure.

What happens next?

The French investigation is expected to focus on tracing the shipment, identifying the individuals and organisations involved and determining how the cocaine entered the commercial supply chain.

French authorities say the investigation includes suspected organised importation of narcotics and participation in a criminal association, offences that can attract prison sentences of up to 10 years.

The case could also intensify scrutiny of Ghana’s port security architecture and the systems used to inspect containers involved in international trade.

A fresh challenge for Ghana

For many Ghanaians, the central concern is no longer simply the quantity of cocaine seized abroad but how such a shipment managed to move through an international supply chain before being detected.

The €225 million bust has therefore reopened a difficult conversation about port surveillance, intelligence-sharing, container screening and the fight against organised drug trafficking.

And as the French authorities work to identify the criminal network behind the consignment, the pressure is likely to mount on Ghanaian authorities to demonstrate that the country’s ports are not being exploited as gateways for international narcotics trafficking.

A Ghanaian student studying at a university in the United Kingdom has reportedly raised serious concerns over alleged stalking, harassment and an apparent breach of her online account.

The student’s allegations have raised questions about her safety and privacy, particularly over claims that someone may have gained unauthorised access to her account.

Student raises alarm over alleged harassment

According to the allegations, the student has been dealing with what she describes as persistent harassment and stalking.

The situation reportedly goes beyond unwanted contact, with the student also alleging that her digital account was compromised.

The claims have heightened concerns about the growing intersection between physical harassment and online security, especially among students living away from home.

Account breach adds another layer

The alleged breach of the student’s account has made the situation particularly troubling.

Unauthorised access to personal accounts can potentially expose private conversations, photographs, personal information and other sensitive material.

For students studying abroad, such an incident can be especially distressing because of the challenges associated with navigating unfamiliar institutional and legal systems.

Concerns over student safety

The allegations have also brought renewed attention to the responsibility of universities to provide safe environments for students and appropriate channels for reporting harassment and other forms of misconduct.

Universities generally have disciplinary procedures covering harassment and inappropriate electronic conduct. For example, university conduct frameworks can treat harassment and unauthorised use of information systems as disciplinary matters.

Investigation needed

At this stage, the allegations should be treated as claims rather than established facts.

Any investigation by the university, police or relevant authorities would be expected to establish what happened, identify those responsible if wrongdoing is confirmed, and determine whether any criminal or disciplinary offences were committed.

The student’s case highlights the importance of taking stalking, harassment and digital-account breaches seriously, particularly when they occur together.

For the Ghanaian student, the immediate concern remains ensuring her safety, protecting her digital accounts and securing appropriate support while the allegations are investigated.

Ghanaian passport holders have access to a growing list of destinations without having to obtain a conventional entry visa before travelling.

According to the latest information published by Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 41 countries and destinations have visa-free or visa-waiver arrangements applicable to Ghanaian ordinary passport holders.

The permitted duration varies by destination, with stays generally ranging from 30 to 90 days.

The development gives Ghanaian travellers greater flexibility for tourism, business, family visits and other short-term travel.

The 41 destinations

Here is the full list of destinations included in the current arrangements:

1. Antigua and Barbuda – 60 days
2. Bahamas – 90 days
3. Barbados – 90 days
4. Benin – 90 days
5. Burkina Faso – 90 days
6. Cabo Verde – 90 days
7. Côte d’Ivoire – 90 days
8. Dominica – 90 days
9. Eswatini – 90 days
10. Gambia – 90 days
11. Grenada – 30 days
12. Guinea – 90 days
13. Guinea-Bissau – 90 days
14. Guyana – 90 days
15. Jamaica – 90 days
16. Kenya – 90 days
17. Liberia – 90 days
18. Malawi – 90 days
19. Maldives – 30 days
20. Mali – 90 days
21. Mauritius – 90 days
22. Mozambique – 90 days
23. Morocco – 90 days
24. Niger – 90 days
25. Nigeria – 90 days
26. Rwanda – 90 days
27. São Tomé and Príncipe – 90 days
28. Senegal – 90 days
29. Seychelles – 90 days
30. Sierra Leone – 90 days
31. Singapore – 90 days
32. South Africa – 90 days
33. St Kitts and Nevis – 90 days
34. St Vincent and the Grenadines – 90 days
35. Tanzania – 90 days
36. Togo – 90 days
37. Trinidad and Tobago – 90 days
38. Uganda – 90 days
39. Zambia – 30 days
40. Zimbabwe – 90 days
41. Lesotho – 90 days

The list includes a significant number of African destinations, particularly countries within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), where regional protocols facilitate the movement of citizens.

New additions boost Ghana’s travel options

Ghana has continued to expand its network of visa-waiver arrangements in 2026.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has updated its arrangements to include destinations such as Antigua and Barbuda, the Maldives and Zambia, alongside other recent agreements aimed at improving mobility for Ghanaian travellers.

Ghana has also secured visa-waiver arrangements with countries including Colombia, Mozambique, Dominica and São Tomé and Príncipe, reflecting efforts to strengthen travel and diplomatic ties beyond Africa.

What travellers should know

Visa-free travel does not mean a traveller can enter a country without meeting immigration requirements.

Travellers may still be required to present a valid passport, return or onward ticket, proof of accommodation, evidence of sufficient funds, travel insurance or other documentation depending on the destination.

In the case of Morocco, for example, Ghanaian citizens are required to obtain a free electronic travel authorisation (ETA) online before travelling, despite the visa-waiver arrangement. The Ghanaian Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the ETA may be issued within 24 to 72 hours.

Travellers should therefore verify the latest entry requirements with the relevant embassy or immigration authority before booking flights.

Ghana’s passport power continues to evolve

The growing number of visa-waiver arrangements reflects Ghana’s efforts to improve mobility for its citizens while deepening diplomatic and economic relations with other countries.

For many Ghanaians, easier access to international destinations could mean fewer visa applications, reduced travel costs and greater opportunities for tourism, education, business and family visits.

However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cautions that its published list is provided for information purposes and should not be treated as an exhaustive legal statement of every immigration requirement. Travellers are advised to seek official confirmation before travelling.

Important: Entry rules can change at short notice. Always confirm the specific requirements for your destination before departure.