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PHOTO: Ghana Breaks Ground on First Farmer Services Centre in Afram Plains, Signalling Shift in Agricultural Policy

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TAKORATWENE, AFRAM PLAINS — President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday broke ground on Ghana’s first Farmer Services Centre in Takoratwene, launching what the government describes as a cornerstone of its effort to modernise the country’s agricultural sector and move smallholder farmers away from subsistence farming.

The centre, sited in the Afram Plains — a region the government has identified as a key agricultural growth corridor — is designed to operate as a one-stop hub offering farmers access to mechanised equipment, farm inputs, soil testing, storage facilities, extension training, and direct market linkages. Officials say the facility addresses long-running structural weaknesses that have kept Ghana’s farming sector from reaching its productive potential.

“This is how we transform agriculture — through practical, targeted investments,” President Mahama said at the groundbreaking ceremony.

The initiative is part of a broader national rollout, with government planning to establish 50 such centres across the country. Eleven are expected to begin construction this year.

Speaking at the event, Mahama framed the project as a deliberate policy shift, arguing that agriculture — which underpins the livelihoods of millions of Ghanaians — has long been held back by limited mechanisation, poor storage infrastructure, weak extension services, and fragmented market access. The new centres, he said, are intended to tackle all four at once.

The government is partnering with B5 Plus Group Limited on the project, with Mahama citing public-private collaboration as essential to the programme’s scale and sustainability. Beyond infrastructure, he said the broader agricultural agenda includes expanded irrigation, rural road development, climate-resilient farming practices, and value addition to boost farmer incomes.

Mahama also used the occasion to address input costs and pricing, assuring farmers that policies are in place to ease the financial burden of farming and guarantee fair prices for their produce.

Officials say the Afram Plains was selected for the first centre due to its substantial arable land and untapped potential for both crop and livestock production. The government hopes the facility will curb post-harvest losses, attract youth into commercial farming, and generate employment in the surrounding communities.

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General News

Investigative Journalism Under Siege as Corruption Becomes the New Normal – Nana Kwadwo Jantuah

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Veteran journalist Nana Kwadwo Jantuah has raised concerns over the state of investigative journalism in Ghana, arguing that widespread corruption is making wrongdoing appear normal to the public.

Speaking on the challenges facing the media via a zoom meeting on Kessben TV’s Digest show, Jantuah said society has become so deeply affected by corruption that many questionable actions are now accepted by the masses without scrutiny.

According to him, powerful individuals often prioritize money above integrity, creating an environment where “every foul means” is used to accumulate wealth.
He also weighed in on recent comments by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) General Secretary, stating that while the official’s position is correct, some journalists are likely to oppose the move and criticize him for allegedly failing to meet what they describe as accepted professional standards.

Jantuah warned that investigative journalism is increasingly under pressure, stressing that journalists committed to exposing corruption must remain steadfast despite criticism and resistance.
He maintained that protecting ethical journalism is essential to safeguarding accountability and strengthening Ghana’s democracy

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Canceling Zoomlion Contract Was Reckless and Unsubstantiated – Andy Kankam Slams Government Over Accra Flood Crisis

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Managing Editor of the Informer, Andy Kankam, has strongly criticized the government’s handling of the recent flooding in Accra, describing the decision to terminate Zoomlion Ghana Limited’s sanitation contract as “reckless and unsubstantiated.”

Speaking on the aftermath of the devastating floods on Kessben Maakye show in Accra, Kankam argued that the government’s response has failed to address the root causes of the disaster, insisting that the GHS150 million allocated for flood-affected communities is inadequate.
According to him, the President should have consulted engineers and technical experts before announcing relief measures to determine the cost of expanding drainage systems and creating effective flood channels, rather than relying on political decisions.

He also questioned the process that led to the release of the relief funds, asking what consultations were undertaken before the government approved nearly GHS200 million for flood victims.

Kankam further lamented the worsening sanitation situation in the capital, claiming that heaps of refuse remain uncollected because Zoomlion no longer has a contract to clean parts of the city.

He challenged authorities to identify which company currently has the capacity to replace Zoomlion’s nationwide sanitation operations, arguing that the contract termination has contributed to choked drains and poor waste management.

The media executive maintained that flood prevention requires long-term engineering solutions and effective sanitation management, rather than emergency political interventions after disasters occur.

By Maurice Otoo

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Ghana Armed Forces to Deploy Troops and Engineers for Nationwide Flood Recovery Operation

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The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) will launch a nationwide operation to desilt major drains, rivers, and waterways in response to the severe floods that affected various regions of Ghana on June 28 and 29, 2026.

This initiative is part of the government’s flood recovery and mitigation efforts aimed at restoring damaged infrastructure and reducing the risk of future disasters. Military personnel, engineering units, and specialised machinery will be deployed to clear blocked drainage systems by removing silt, refuse, fallen trees, abandoned vehicles, collapsed structures, and other debris that obstructs the free flow of water.

At a press briefing in Accra on Friday, July 3, the Director General of Joint Operations at the Ghana Armed Forces, Brigadier General Forster Okae-Yeboah, stated that the initiative aims to reopen critical drainage channels and enhance public safety in flood-prone communities. He emphasised that roads, bridges, drains, and waterways clogged with debris would be cleared to restore normal movement and strengthen the country’s resilience against future flooding.

Brig. Gen. Okae-Yeboah also mentioned that authorities may remove buildings and other structures that have been illegally constructed within waterways or those deemed to pose an immediate danger to lives and property. He clarified that such actions will be taken in accordance with existing laws and in collaboration with the relevant civil authorities.

He urged individuals occupying drainage reserves and environmentally protected areas to cooperate with officials throughout the exercise to ensure its successful implementation.

The operation will be carried out through a coordinated effort involving several state institutions, including the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana National Fire Service, the Ghana Health Service, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The government anticipates that this exercise will improve drainage systems, restore critical public infrastructure, and minimise the impact of future flooding across the country.

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