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Parliament Passes Landmark Fisheries Bill to Protect Ghana’s Marine Resources and Secure Global Market Access

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Parliament has approved the Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill, 2025 — a major legislative milestone aimed at modernising Ghana’s fisheries sector and enhancing its sustainability and global competitiveness.

 

The bill introduces a robust legal framework to govern the development, conservation, and regulation of the fisheries and aquaculture industry, a sector critical to Ghana’s economy through job creation, food security, and foreign exchange earnings.

 

A key objective of the bill is to curb illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing through tougher penalties and the introduction of an Electronic Monitoring System. This move is in response to growing international pressure, particularly from the European Union and the United States, which require legal and traceable sourcing of seafood.

 

Preventing Trade Sanctions

Ghana’s current Fisheries Act, enacted in 2002, has been criticised as outdated and ineffective in addressing modern challenges. In 2021, the European Commission issued Ghana a “yellow card” for failing to adequately combat IUU fishing — a warning that could escalate to a “red card” and an export ban. Such a sanction could cost Ghana nearly $426 million in lost revenue.

 

To avoid this, the new bill consolidates and reforms existing laws and regulations, setting up a Fisheries Commission to oversee long-term resource management and aligning local legislation with international commitments such as the Port State Measures Agreement.

 

Driving Sustainable Development

The bill was presented to Parliament by Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Emelia Arthur on June 3, 2025, and reviewed by the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs. The committee’s report, signed by Chairman Dr. Godfred Seidu Jasaw, emphasised the urgency of legal reforms to address current gaps in areas like aquaculture practices, post-harvest handling, inland fisheries, gear technology, and climate resilience.

 

Earlier reviews by the World Bank and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) highlighted inconsistencies in Ghana’s fragmented legal structure. The new law addresses these shortcomings by providing a unified, modernised legal framework that supports long-term ecological sustainability and market viability.

 

Once signed into law by the President, the Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill, 2025, will be a game-changer — positioning Ghana’s fisheries sector for future growth, international compliance, and environmental stewardship.

 

 

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Politics

NPP Treasurer Denies Dues Diversion Claims, Warns Against Fake Payment Shortcode

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The Office of the National Treasurer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), led by Dr. Charles Dwamena, has firmly dismissed allegations circulating on social media that party dues are being diverted into a private account through an unauthorized shortcode.

In a statement addressing the claims, the Office described the reports, which originated from a Facebook page known as “Wo Boooowa,” as false, malicious, and intended to discredit the party’s ongoing dues collection efforts.

The Treasurer’s Office clarified that the NPP’s official shortcode for dues payment remains unchanged and is 920270#. It stressed that the alternative shortcode 7142028#, currently being circulated online, has never been used by the party for any financial transactions.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Party’s dues collection shortcode has always been 920270#,” the statement reiterated.

Party members, supporters, and the general public have been urged to ignore the unauthorized code, which the Office described as a deliberate attempt to mislead unsuspecting individuals.

The Office further assured stakeholders of the transparency, credibility, and integrity of the party’s financial systems.

This incident underscores increasing concerns about the spread of misinformation on social media, particularly within political circles, as the NPP approaches its internal elections.

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FROM VISION TO ACTION: DR. CHINA’S GRASSROOTS REVOLUTION THE NPP CAN’T AFFORD TO MISS

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Dr. Charles Dwamena, popularly known as Dr. China, has distinguished himself as a visionary and grassroots-centered leader whose ideas reflect a deep understanding of the realities of party members at the base. At a time when many speak about empowering the grassroots, he has demonstrated the courage and clarity to design practical systems that directly improve their welfare.

 

As NPP National Treasurer, his proposal of the Group Accident Insurance Scheme remains one of the most forward-thinking policies ever introduced within the party. It was simple, sustainable, and impactful. With just GHS 1.47 deducted from the minimum annual dues of GHS 24, every member in good standing would have been covered, guaranteeing GHS 100,000 for accidental death or permanent disability, weekly income support for temporary disability, and up to GHS 10,000 in medical care. This was not merely a welfare policy; it was a strategic intervention that combined member protection with financial strengthening of the party.

 

What makes this initiative even more compelling is that it enjoyed 98.14% support from the grassroots. A clear indication that Dr. China’s leadership resonates with the base and responds directly to their needs. It was a rare opportunity for the party to institutionalize care, build loyalty, and create a strong emotional bond with its members.

 

Yet, despite its overwhelming support and obvious benefits, this policy was frustrated and never implemented. That failure represents one of the biggest missed opportunities for the NPP, a chance to move from rhetoric to reality in addressing grassroots welfare. The party had before it a ready-made solution to protect its members, motivate its base, and strengthen its internal systems, but internal bottlenecks denied it that breakthrough.

 

It is within this context that Dr. China’s ambition to serve as NPP General Secretary becomes both relevant and urgent. His experience as Treasurer has exposed the gaps in execution and the structural constraints that stall progress. More importantly, it has strengthened his resolve to fix them.

 

Dr. China is not offering promises; he is offering proven ideas waiting to be implemented. His vision is clear—to build a party where the grassroots are not only mobilized during elections but are protected, valued, and supported at all times.

 

In essence, what was halted at the level of Treasurer can be fully realized at the level of General Secretary. And for a party seeking renewal and reconnection with its base, Dr. China represents a practical, results-oriented leadership, one that turns vision into action and places the grassroots at the center of party progress.

 

DR CHINA FOR NPP GENERAL SECRETARY IS NON- NEGOTIABLE

Obiri Yeboah

Former Polling Station Organizer

054 067 3993

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Politics

If Trump Can Destroy Iran, Why Not Just Open the Strait of Hormuz?

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Kaakyire Badu writes:

Donald Trump has threatened to wipe out Iran within hours. He said he will destroy Iran’s power plants and bridges, and even wipe out an entire civilization. But Tehran is not showing fear. Iranian officials are pushing back, and many people are asking if the U.S. is bluffing, and if Iran is ready to call that bluff. This situation raises two main questions.

 

First, if this is really about the Strait of Hormuz and Trump wants it open, and if he truly has the power to destroy bridges, power plants, or an entire country as he claims, why doesn’t he use that power on the Strait alone? Why threaten the whole nation instead of just taking control of that waterway so ships can pass? Does this mean Iran is so strong at the Strait of Hormuz that even American power cannot do anything there?

 

Second, Iran’s reaction is strange. When faced with threats to destroy power plants, bridges, and send the country back to the Stone Age, Tehran still looks calm. A country that is weaker militarily would usually try to back down. Iran is instead waiting to see what Trump will do. Is that confidence, a mistake, or are they hiding something?

 

Does Iran have some hidden power that can match or beat the U.S., and they are just staying quiet and playing weak while they wait? America has said Iran must not build nuclear weapons. Could it be that Iran has already built a nuclear weapon in secret—one that America does not know about—that can reach the U.S. and kill many people? Would that explain why they are not afraid?

 

Or could it be that other countries like Russia or China are secretly backing Iran? Are they promising to help Iran so it will not surrender? Something about this does not add up, and the whole world could be affected. Many people are now talking about World War III.

 

My own belief, based on the Bible, is that there will not be a real World War III. I believe God would step in before that happens. But things do look strange right now. It could also be that Bible prophecies are being fulfilled, and that God is hardening hearts like He did with Pharaoh. Pharaoh had a simple way to save Egypt and his family, but he could not obey, and disaster came on him and on Israel.

I think we should be concerned:

That may be the pattern we are seeing now.

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