General News
Creative Industry Questions Slow Progress of Black Star Experience Ahead of 2026 World Cup
As global anticipation builds toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup, stakeholders in Ghana’s creative and tourism sectors are raising concerns over what they describe as the slow rollout of the country’s flagship cultural tourism initiative, the Black Star Experience.
The initiative, launched on May 1, 2025 at the Black Star Square by President John Dramani Mahama, was positioned as a transformative national programme to project Ghana’s culture, boost tourism and strengthen Brand Ghana. However, 14 months after its unveiling, industry voices say its impact remains largely invisible.
With many countries already leveraging the global football tournament to position their culture and tourism industries, some creative sector players argue that Ghana is yet to fully activate its own strategy to benefit from the global attention.
Communications expert and tourism consultant, Francis Doku, believes the Secretariat should have taken a leading role in coordinating tourism, arts, culture and national branding efforts ahead of the tournament. He notes that such coordination is not yet evident in the public space.
Arts and culture journalist Kwame Dadzie also expressed concern over the perceived lack of progress, questioning the visibility of the initiative’s key pillars.
“Fourteen months after the launch, Ghana is yet to experience the Black Star. The initiative was built around seven pillars, cinema, music, cuisine, aesthetics, fashion, literature and heritage. Where are they? Which of these pillars has been activated in a way the public can see and appreciate?” he asked.
He further argued that the World Cup presented a major opportunity for Ghana to promote its culture globally, adding that other countries are already advancing similar strategies.
“The silence around the initiative is becoming too loud. We have not capitalised on this moment to push the Experience Ghana agenda as expected,” he said.
Popular disc jockey and entertainment entrepreneur DJ Ashmen also warned that the initiative risks losing public confidence if tangible results continue to lag behind expectations.
He described the concept as one of the most promising cultural policy ideas in recent years, but stressed that visibility and public engagement are critical to its success.
“If it is meant to be a 365-day celebration of Ghanaian culture, then people must see and experience it. Without that, it becomes just another good idea that never fully materialised,” he said.
Responding to concerns, Black Star Experience Coordinator Rex Omar attributed the initial slow pace to funding challenges. In earlier comments on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z, he explained that the Secretariat was set up after the 2025 national budget had already been approved, leaving no initial budgetary allocation for its operations.
“Most of our planned projects could not be executed because there was no dedicated budget allocation for the Secretariat,” he said, adding that all activities required administrative clearance as an office under the Presidency, which also affected implementation speed.
He noted that the Secretariat focused the period on groundwork, including partnerships, memoranda of understanding and pilot initiatives such as Creative Connect Afrika and Taste the Culture.
According to him, a budget proposal for 2026 has been submitted and defended, with expectations that improved funding will allow full implementation of the programme’s vision.
“We have done the preparatory work. Once funding becomes available, Ghanaians will begin to see the full vision unfold,” he said.
Despite these assurances, stakeholders say the situation raises broader questions about planning, timing and execution of one of Ghana’s most ambitious cultural branding initiatives.
General News
Court to Rule on AG’s Bid to Suspend Sedina Tamakloe’s Acquittal Today
The Court of Appeal is set to rule today, Wednesday, August 12, 2026, on an application by the Attorney-General seeking to suspend the effect of its decision acquitting and discharging former MASLOC Chief Executive Officer, Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu.
The application follows the court’s decision to overturn the 2024 conviction of Mrs. Tamakloe-Attionu, who had been tried and sentenced in absentia by the Accra High Court to 10 years in prison for offences including causing financial loss to the state.
The State has since indicated its intention to challenge the Court of Appeal’s decision before the Supreme Court.
In its latest application, the Attorney-General is asking the Court of Appeal to maintain the existing position until the State’s appeal is determined.
The State argues that giving immediate effect to the acquittal could create the possibility of Mrs. Tamakloe-Attionu leaving the country, which it says could undermine efforts to pursue the further appeal.
The court’s ruling today will therefore clarify whether the acquittal remains effective immediately or whether its implementation will be put on hold while the State proceeds with its appeal.
Source:Citi Newsroom
General News
NSA Suspends National Service Deployment for Graduates of 13 Institutions Over Accreditation Concerns
The National Service Authority (NSA) has temporarily suspended the deployment of graduates from 13 tertiary institutions after the institutions were found not to have valid accreditation status.
In a press release issued on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, and signed by the NSA Director-General, Ruth Dela Seddoh, the Authority explained that it had consulted the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to verify the accreditation status of institutions that had submitted graduates for national service.
According to the NSA, GTEC confirmed that the affected institutions do not currently hold accredited status. As a result, the Authority said it is unable to process or deploy graduates submitted by those institutions for national service at this stage.
The institutions named are Multimedia Institute of Ghana, Abbeam Institute of Technology, Star College of Communication, Standard College of Technology, Institute of Commercial Management, UK, Christ Apostolic University College, Oxford Institute of Business and Journalism, Heaf Professional Colleges, NIIT Open Labs Ghana, Community University College, Takoradi, SS Peter and Paul Pastoral and Social Institute, Adonai University College of Research and Entrepreneurship, and College of Tropical Agriculture.
The NSA stressed that its decision was based on accreditation information officially provided by GTEC, the statutory institution responsible for the regulation and accreditation of tertiary education institutions in Ghana.
The Authority, however, clarified that the affected graduates have not been permanently excluded from national service. It said they may be considered for deployment once their respective institutions address their accreditation challenges and GTEC formally confirms their accredited status to the NSA.
The NSA stated that after receiving the necessary confirmation from GTEC, it would take the appropriate steps to process and deploy eligible graduates.
The Authority has therefore directed the affected institutions to engage with GTEC and take the necessary steps to regularise their accreditation status.
Meanwhile, prospective national service personnel from the affected schools have been advised to contact their respective institutions for updates on their accreditation situation and to wait for further official communication from the NSA.
The NSA said the verification process forms part of measures to safeguard the credibility, transparency and integrity of the National Service Programme.
It added that it would continue collaborating with GTEC and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that only graduates from properly accredited tertiary institutions are mobilised for national service.


General News
President Mahama reorganises National Security Council Secretariat
President John Dramani Mahama has approved a reorganisation of the National Security Council Secretariat, resulting in new appointments and reassignments of key security officials.
The changes, announced by the Spokesperson to the President and Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, take immediate effect.
Under the reorganisation, retired Major General William Ayamdo, former Chief of Army Staff, has been appointed Deputy National Security Coordinator in charge of Operations.
Former National Security Coordinator, Yaw Donkor, has also been reassigned as Director of Intelligence and Research at the Office of the National Security Advisor.
Mr. Adamu Saaka has been appointed Director of Logistics and Transport, while Ms. Faustina Effah-Boadi takes charge of the Human Security Department as Officer in Charge.
DCOP (Rtd.) Peter Ndekugri has been appointed Officer in Charge of the Special Investigations Unit.
Meanwhile, ACP Alhassan Osman has been reassigned to the Ghana Police Service for further deployment.
The Presidency said the appointments and reassignments form part of efforts to reorganise the National Security Council Secretariat and take effect immediately.
General News
Agric Minister Launches GAFET to Transform Agricultural Education in Ghana
The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku has launched the Ghana Agricultural Fund for Educational Transformation (GAFET), an initiative aimed at strengthening agricultural education, research and skills development to support Ghana’s agricultural transformation agenda.
Speaking during the launch, the Minister insisted, GAFET is not merely another funding programme but represents a collective national effort to build institutions capable of producing the skilled workforce needed to transform the agricultural sector.
“This programme is not merely another launch but building on institution with collective commitment that will outlive all of us and serve generations unborn,” the Minister stated.
He said the initiative would support the development of agricultural engineers, extension professionals, researchers, technicians, entrepreneurs and agribusiness leaders to make Ghana’s agricultural sector more productive and competitive.
The Minister noted that the transformation of agriculture goes beyond roads and mechanisation, stressing the need for investment in irrigation, finance, machinery, research and human capital.
He explained that GAFET seeks to enhance food production, modernise farming, strengthen mechanisation, expand irrigation, promote agro-processing, reduce dependence on food imports, increase exports and create sustainable jobs, particularly for young people in agribusiness.
The Minister also stressed the importance of strengthening Ghana’s agricultural colleges, saying these institutions have for decades produced professionals whose expertise and technological knowledge underpin modern agriculture.
However, he acknowledged that many of the institutions require renewed investment in laboratories, workshops, demonstration farms, modern machinery, digital learning tools, research, scholarships and industry-responsive curricula.
He therefore reaffirmed government’s commitment to supporting the institutions to attain their rightful place in Ghana’s agricultural transformation.
According to him, the GAFET fund will provide a dedicated national platform through which government, the private sector, development partners, financial institutions and citizens can collectively invest in agricultural education and sustainable agribusiness.
The Minister commended Mr. Steven Nhyira Odarteifio and Hon. Kwesi Etu Bonde, for their efforts in bringing the vision to life.
He called on all stakeholders to support the initiative, emphasising that national development is a shared responsibility.
“Government cannot do it alone; government must lead, society must build. National development is a shared responsibility,” he said.
In wrapping up Hon. Opoku commended the five Ghanaian based agribusiness namely , GrowForMe, FarmerLine Ltd, New age, Agrisolve Consult and Tradeline Consult for providing Ghc 3.5 million as seed fund for the GAFET initiative. The fund he said is expected to reach Ghc 10 million by December 2026 and Ghc 100 million by the year 2028.
By Maurice Otoo
General News
AG Opposes Wontumi’s Bail Application, Says Appeal Has Little Chance of Success
The Attorney-General has filed processes opposing an application by convicted illegal miner Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, for bail pending the determination of his appeal.
The State argues that Mr Boasiako’s intended appeal has no reasonable prospect of success and therefore does not provide sufficient grounds for his release from custody.
According to the Attorney-General, there are also no special circumstances that would warrant granting the former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) bail while his appeal is pending.
Mr Boasiako’s bail application follows his conviction and sentencing by the Accra High Court over offences linked to illegal mining activities at Samreboi in the Western Region.
On July 20, 2026, Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay sentenced Mr Boasiako to 20 years in prison with hard labour after finding him guilty of offences including assigning mineral rights without the required approval and facilitating unlicensed mining.
The court also imposed a fine on Akonta Mining Company Limited, in which Mr Boasiako is a shareholder and director. It further ordered the confiscation of mining equipment, firearms and cash seized during investigations.
Following his conviction and sentence, Mr Boasiako filed an appeal challenging the High Court’s decision and subsequently applied for bail pending the determination of the appeal.
His lawyers maintain that there are grounds for the appellate court to review the conviction and sentence and have asked the court to release him while the legal process continues.
The Attorney-General, however, has rejected the application, insisting that the proposed appeal does not have a reasonable chance of success.
The State’s latest filing will now be considered by the court as it determines whether Mr Boasiako should be granted bail or remain in custody until his appeal is heard.
The case arose from investigations into alleged illegal mining activities on the Samreboi concession. Mr Boasiako was charged alongside Akonta Mining Company Limited and another accused person in connection with the activities.
Source:myjoyonline
-
General News1 week agoMahama orders GH¢2 per litre diesel price reduction
-
Culinary1 week agoA Taste of Bono: Where Every Meal Tells the Story of Ghana’s Bono Heritage
-
Entertainment1 week agoKojo Preko Dankwa Criticises Tourism Minister Over Delayed Theatre and Amphitheatre Projects
-
General News2 weeks agoCLOSSAG Elections in Dambai: Tension Mounts Over Candidate Disqualifications
-
General News1 week agoNearly Two Million Ghanaian Youth Are Out of School, Work or Training – GSS Raises Alarm
-
Entertainment2 weeks agoShattafest 2026 Cancelled by UK Police Over Safety Concerns
-
Entertainment1 week ago‘Seeing Mahama with the Rastas Made Me Proud’ – Ras Caleb on Jamaica Cultural Visit
-
General News2 weeks agoEbo Taylor Funeral: Legendary Ghanaian Highlife Icon to Be Buried in Saltpond on August 2
