General News
Ghana Elected First Vice Chair of African Union at 39th AU Summit
Ghana has been elected First Vice Chair of the African Union (AU) for 2026 at the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, currently underway at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa.
The two-day summit, held under the theme “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,” opened with strong calls for African solidarity, financial independence, institutional reform, and a united continental voice in shaping global affairs.
New AU Leadership for 2026
During the session, Heads of State elected H.E. President Évariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi as Chairperson of the African Union for 2026, succeeding Angola’s President João Lourenço.
The newly constituted Bureau of the Assembly for 2026 is as follows:
Chairperson: Republic of Burundi (Central Africa)
First Vice Chair: Ghana (West Africa)
Second Vice Chair: Tanzania (East Africa)
Third Vice Chair: To be confirmed (North Africa)
Rapporteur: Angola (Southern Africa)
Ghana’s election as First Vice Chair underscores the country’s growing diplomatic influence and active role in continental affairs.
Call for Reform and Financial Self-Reliance
Addressing the Assembly, Chairperson of the AU Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, framed the summit around water security, describing access to water and sanitation as a collective public good essential for development and peace.
He noted that the summit is taking place amid mounting geopolitical tensions, persistent conflicts, institutional fragility, and a resurgence of unconstitutional changes of government in parts of Africa.
“Institutional reform and financial self-reliance are now imperative as external funding declines,” he stated, urging Member States to strengthen domestic resource mobilization and accelerate the implementation of flagship Agenda 2063 programmes, including industrialization, agricultural transformation, energy development, and infrastructure expansion.
He also emphasized the need to meet rising expectations from Africa’s youth, women, and civil society, stressing that this decisive decade of Agenda 2063 must deliver measurable and tangible results.
Peace, Security and “Silencing the Guns”
Outgoing AU Chairperson and President of Angola, H.E. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, officially opened the summit, describing access to water as a political, moral, and strategic priority for Africa’s development, public health, food security, and stability.
Reflecting on Angola’s tenure, he highlighted progress in advancing Agenda 2063, mobilizing infrastructure investment, strengthening the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and improving AU institutional efficiency.
On peace and security, President Lourenço stressed that Africa’s development depends on “silencing the guns,” citing ongoing conflicts in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as terrorism in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa. He reaffirmed the AU’s firm rejection of unconstitutional changes of government and cautioned against legitimizing coups through subsequent elections.
Africa’s Global Role and Technological Future
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called on Africa to transition from reacting to global developments to actively shaping the global agenda as the AU approaches its 25th anniversary.
He emphasized unity, confidence, and greater continental influence, noting that true sovereignty includes owning Africa’s narrative and technological future. He highlighted Ethiopia’s establishment of an Artificial Intelligence institute and plans to launch an AI university as part of that vision.
Strengthening UN–AU Partnership
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres underscored the importance of deepening the strategic partnership between the UN and the AU, describing multilateral cooperation as essential to achieving peace, security, and sustainable development.
He reiterated support for reforming the UN Security Council to ensure stronger African representation and emphasized the need for equitable access to financing, industrialization, and sustainable development support for African nations.
Focus on Water Security
The 39th AU Summit continues with high-level deliberations centered on water security and sanitation, alongside pressing peace and security concerns across the continent.
The election of Ghana as First Vice Chair further positions the country at the heart of continental decision-making as Africa pursues institutional reform, financial autonomy, and the transformative vision of Agenda 2063.
General News
TikToker Camilla Alhassan Jailed One Year for Spreading False Claims About President Mahama
TikToker Camilla Alhassan has been sentenced to one year in prison by the Accra Circuit Court after pleading guilty to charges of offensive conduct and publishing false news.
The sentence was handed down on Thursday, July 16, after Alhassan admitted to sharing videos on social media in which she falsely claimed, without any evidence, that President John Dramani Mahama buried 32 cows as part of rituals to secure victory in the 2024 general election.
Speaking after the ruling, her lawyer, Kwadwo Gyamfi Bonsu, disclosed that the court dismissed the charge of electronic abuse, explaining that it lacked the legal jurisdiction to determine that particular offence.
Despite dropping the electronic abuse charge, the court convicted Alhassan on the count of offensive conduct and imposed a one-year custodial sentence.
According to her lawyer, the defence pleaded for a more lenient sentence, but the judge maintained that the increasing spread of false information and similar offences required a punishment that would serve as a deterrent.
Camilla Alhassan was arrested and prosecuted by the Ghana Police Service after the videos gained widespread attention on social media. Prior to sentencing, the court had also ordered a pregnancy test during an earlier hearing as part of the proceedings.
President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to equitable national development, declaring that no region of Ghana would be neglected because of its electoral choices.
Speaking during the sod-cutting ceremony for the construction of a 24-Hour Economy Model Market at Juapong in the Volta Region as part of his Resetting Ghana Tour, President Mahama said his administration was determined to ensure that every part of the country benefited from development projects.
He rejected the notion that any region should be taken for granted or left behind because of the way its people voted in elections.
“Our mandate, given to us by the good people of Ghana, is to govern the country for every Ghanaian,” he said. “Our commitment to the Volta Region is founded on fairness, equity and our constitutional responsibility to ensure balanced national development across the whole country.”
The President noted that the Volta Region had made an immeasurable contribution to Ghana’s development and deserved its fair share of national progress.
He said government was deliberately investing in infrastructure and public services across the country, including healthcare, education, roads, transport, agriculture, agro-processing and modern markets to improve livelihoods and create economic opportunities.
President Mahama made the remarks after cutting the sod for the construction of the Juapong 24-Hour Economy Model Market, one of a series of markets to be built nationwide under the government’s flagship 24-Hour Economy initiative.
Prophet Dr. Power Man has predicted that Ghana may witness the loss of some prominent personalities in the coming days, including a well-known lawyer and politician who has served the nation.
Speaking on Kessben 92.9 FM’s Awurade Akasa programme hosted by Prophet Richard Afful, the man of God was asked about what lies ahead for Ghana and its citizens.
According to Prophet Dr. Power Man, the country would move from a period of “tears of joy” into a time of great sorrow, as he claimed he had seen difficult moments ahead for the nation.
“I saw a prominent person in Ghana, a politician who is a lawyer and has served the nation. He is a very prominent person,” he stated.
He added that from July 14, 2026, through December 2027, Ghanaians would hear reports of the passing of some notable personalities.
“From 14th July till 2027 December, we will hear about the death of prominent people, about four or three people in the country,” Prophet Dr. Power Man said.
When asked by the host whether the people involved would be young or old, the prophet responded that some would be elderly while others would be young.
He further explained that when it comes to such situations, sickness may not always be the cause, adding that “death is what is meant to be” and should not always be attributed to witchcraft
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