The Ashanti Regional Police Command has arrested six persons suspected to be members or associates of an organised armed robbery syndicate believed to be operating in parts of the Ashanti Region.

The arrests were made in August 2026 by the Anti-Armed Robbery Unit in Kumasi as part of intelligence-led operations aimed at disrupting armed robbery and other violent crimes in the region.

According to the Police, preliminary investigations have linked the suspects to several reported street robbery incidents in different parts of the Ashanti Region.

The six suspects have been identified as:

Philip Nyarko, alias “Kawawa”

Hadi Samed, alias “Toronto”

Issahaku Musah, alias “Isak”

Suraj Mohammed, alias “Baba Nde”, also known as “Trouble”

Hadi Abdul Majeed, alias “Panie”

Foster Owusu Afriyie, alias “Joe Fraizer”

Police sources indicate that the suspects are aged 23, 20, 23, 27, 23 and 45, respectively.

The Ashanti Regional Police Command said the suspects are being investigated over their alleged involvement in street robbery incidents reported at Kaase, Ahinsan Estate, Santasi New Site, Bronikrom, Kwadaso Estate and other locations within the region.

The intelligence-led operation has also led to the recovery of several items believed to be connected to the alleged criminal activities.

The exhibits recovered include: Two motorcycles, two machetes, Knives, one iPhone 13, five keypad mobile phones, one laptop,33 assorted mobile phones, and other items suspected to be linked to the activities under investigation

As part of searches conducted at the residences of the suspects, Police reportedly recovered a Kawasaki motorcycle with a 600cc engine from the residence of Philip Nyarko.

Investigators suspect that the motorcycle may have been used in some of the activities under investigation.

Further searches at the residences of other suspects also resulted in the recovery of knives and machetes.

Further investigations resulted in the arrest of Augustine Agyemang Duah, who Police suspect assisted members of the alleged syndicate in unlocking mobile phones believed to have been stolen.

A laptop suspected to have been used in unlocking the phones was recovered from his residence and retained by the Police as an exhibit.

The Police also suspect that Foster Owusu Afriyie, alias “Joe Fraizer”, purchased stolen mobile phones from members of the alleged syndicate.

A search of his residence reportedly resulted in the recovery of 33 mobile phones believed to have been taken from robbery victims.

Investigators are currently working to identify the rightful owners of the phones and determine how they came into Foster Owusu Afriyie’s possession.

The Ashanti Regional Police Command further disclosed that Philip Nyarko, Hadi Samed and Abdul Shattar had previously been arrested on December 6, 2025, in connection with allegations involving conspiracy to commit crime, including robbery and attempted robbery.

The three were subsequently arraigned before Asokwa Circuit Court 1 and granted bail.

The case remains pending before the court.

According to the Police, investigations conducted after their release indicated that some of the suspects allegedly returned to criminal activities.

Abdul Shattar, who was previously arrested with some of the suspects, is currently at large, according to the Police.

The Command has intensified efforts to locate and apprehend him, as well as other persons suspected of having links to the alleged syndicate.

The persons being sought have been identified as: Andy, Umaru, Dauda, Malik, Abdul Farouk

The Police have appealed to anyone with credible information about the whereabouts of the wanted persons to contact the Police.

Members of the public have, however, been cautioned not to confront or attempt to apprehend the suspects themselves.

The Ashanti Regional Police Command said investigations are continuing to establish the full extent of the suspects’ alleged involvement in the reported robbery cases.

Investigators are also working to identify other persons who may be connected to the alleged syndicate and recover additional stolen property.

The arrested suspects are expected to be processed for arraignment before the appropriate court in accordance with Ghanaian law.

The Police stressed that being arrested or suspected of an offence does not in itself establish guilt, and that the guilt or otherwise of the accused persons will ultimately be determined through the judicial process.

The Command has also appealed to residents who may have lost mobile phones or other property during robbery incidents to contact the Police and assist investigators in identifying the recovered exhibits.

The Ashanti Regional Police Command has assured residents, particularly those within the Kumasi Metropolis, of its continued commitment to protecting lives and property through intelligence-led and targeted operations.

The Command also expressed appreciation to the Inspector-General of Police’s Special Operations Team (SOT) for its operational and investigative support in detecting crime, apprehending suspects and disrupting organised criminal activities in the region.

The Ghana Police Service’s Anti-Armed Robbery Unit is a specialised unit responsible for investigating armed robbery and related cases.

The Police have again encouraged anyone who believes their property may be among the recovered exhibits to come forward and assist investigators with identification.

Statement issued by the Ashanti Regional Police Command’s Public Affairs Unit on August 31, 2026, and signed by Superintendent of Police Godwin Ahianyo, Head of the Public Affairs Unit, Ashanti Region.

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The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has recorded approximately 30 mining-related deaths in various mining communities across Ghana’s Eastern Region since January 2026.

Deputy Regional NADMO Director in charge of Technical and Disaster Risk Reduction, Emmanuel Konja Tullah, disclosed the figure following the latest galamsey-related tragedy at Asaman Tiamfoe in the Atewa East District.

The incident occurred on the night of Saturday, August 29, 2026, when a mining pit reportedly collapsed, trapping 11 illegal miners underground.

Rescue teams subsequently recovered the bodies of seven of the victims, while four others remained missing as search and recovery operations continued in the following days.

Personnel from the Anyinam District Police Command, Ghana National Ambulance Service, NADMO and local volunteers took part in the rescue and recovery exercise.

Speaking about the recurring incidents, Tullah called for the strict enforcement of regulations requiring mining pits to be properly covered after use.

In a video shared on X on August 31, 2026, by Citi FM, he stressed that stronger enforcement and oversight were necessary to prevent further loss of life associated with abandoned or unregulated mining pits.

“They should strengthen their oversight activities, ensuring that the necessary coordination and security measures are put in place so that these incidents are not recorded,” he said.

The latest tragedy at Asaman Tiamfoe has renewed concerns over the dangers posed by abandoned and improperly secured mining pits, particularly in communities where illegal mining activities remain prevalent.

Ten recruits undergoing training in Ghana’s security services have been dismissed for violating a ban on mobile phones, Interior Minister Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak has disclosed.

The Minister said the dismissals were part of efforts to enforce discipline and ensure that recruits adhere strictly to the rules governing security service training.

Speaking to students of Sakafiya Islamic Senior High School in Kumasi on Saturday, August 29, Mr Muntaka said the incident reflected a broader concern about indiscipline among some young people entering the security services.

According to him, more than 500,000 people applied for positions in the latest security services recruitment exercise, but only about 10,000 were eventually selected.

He explained that recruits are required to surrender their mobile phones when they report to training school. However, some trainees allegedly concealed their devices and continued using them, particularly at night.

“Some of them were caught. At least, I have been written to, at least about 10 students have been dismissed from training school for holding phones,” the Minister said.

Mr Muntaka questioned why recruits would deliberately disregard clearly established rules, arguing that discipline should be developed from the secondary-school level.

He urged students to take school regulations seriously, noting that the ability to obey rules and respect authority is essential for anyone seeking a career in the security services.

In a related development, the Interior Minister disclosed that more than 6,000 applicants were disqualified during additional medical screening introduced as part of the security services recruitment process.

Speaking in an interview with Pan African TV on Saturday, Mr Muntaka revealed that more than 100,000 applicants underwent medical examinations.

Due to the large number of applicants and concerns about the physical and psychological well-being of personnel within the security services, authorities expanded the screening process to include drug testing and mental health assessments.

The Minister said more than 4,000 applicants tested positive for prohibited substances and consequently failed the drug screening.

Another 2,000 applicants were disqualified following mental health assessments.

“Interestingly, over 4,000 people failed the drug test, and we have over 2,000 who also failed due to mental health conditions,” he stated.

Mr Muntaka said the additional screening measures were necessary to ensure that individuals recruited into Ghana’s security agencies meet the required physical, psychological and professional standards.

Source:3News

Petroleum prices at fuel stations across Ghana are expected to increase marginally from Tuesday, September 1, 2026, according to an analysis by the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers Ghana (COPEC).

The expected adjustment is likely to affect the prices of petrol, diesel and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).

COPEC attributed the projected increases primarily to changes in international petroleum product prices, despite a recent appreciation of the Ghana cedi against the United States dollar.

According to the Chamber’s assessment, the price of crude oil on the international market declined slightly from US$90.41 to US$89.30 per barrel during the current pricing window.

Over the same period, the Ghana cedi strengthened against the US dollar, with the average interbank exchange rate improving from GH¢11.800 to GH¢11.5166 per US dollar.

This represents an appreciation of approximately 2.39 per cent.

Despite the stronger cedi and the marginal decline in crude oil prices, COPEC explained that increases in the Free-On-Board (FOB) prices of refined petroleum products are expected to push pump prices upward.

Petrol is projected to sell at an average of about GH¢16.21 per litre, representing an estimated 5 per cent increase from the current mean pump price of GH¢15.43 per litre.

Diesel is also expected to increase to approximately GH¢17.61 per litre, translating into an estimated 2.58 per cent rise from the current mean price of GH¢17.17 per litre.

LPG prices are similarly projected to record a marginal increase, with COPEC estimating a new price of about GH¢14.19 per kilogramme.

If the projections materialise, motorists and households that rely on LPG could face higher fuel and cooking costs from the beginning of September.

However, actual pump prices may vary among Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), depending on their individual pricing decisions and market conditions.

The Ministry of Education has announced the rescheduling of the release of the 2026/2027 Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) results from Monday, August 31, 2026, to Friday, September 4, 2026.

The Ministry announced in a press statement dated August 30, 2026, explaining that the decision follows requests from some parents, guardians, students and Heads of Schools for additional time to complete the submission and uploading of students’ data onto the platforms of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the CSSPS.

According to the Ministry, the extension is intended to give all qualified students sufficient time to complete the required processes and ensure that their information is properly captured in the system for placement into Senior High Schools (SHSs) and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.

The Ministry disclosed that approximately 20,000 qualified students had, as of the date of the statement, not yet had their school choices uploaded onto the CSSPS platform by their Heads of Schools, parents or guardians.

It explained that extending the release date would help prevent pending submissions from denying the affected students the opportunity to participate fully in the placement exercise.

The Ministry has therefore urged parents, guardians, students and Heads of Schools to take advantage of the additional period to submit and upload all outstanding information within the revised timeframe.

The Education Ministry further reiterated its commitment to ensuring a fair, transparent, efficient and orderly placement process, to give every qualified student a meaningful opportunity to secure placement in an SHS or TVET institution.

The revised schedule means that students and parents who were expecting the 2026/2027 placement results on August 31 will now have to wait until Friday, September 4, 2026, for the results to be released.

The statement was signed by Hasmini Mohammed, Press Secretary of the Ministry of Education.