General News
Mahama: Mining Must Leave Communities Better Than It Found Them
President John Dramani Mahama has declared that Ghana’s mining sector must prioritize community welfare and long-term sustainability, insisting that extractive activities should leave a positive and lasting impact on host communities.
Speaking at the maiden Mining Local Content Summit in Takoradi, President Mahama stressed that responsible mining must go hand in hand with economic growth.
“Mining must leave our communities better than it found them,” the President stated firmly, drawing applause from stakeholders gathered at the summit.
Ghana, Africa’s leading gold producer and one of the top six globally, generated nearly $6.6 billion in export revenues from the extractive sector in 2023. However, President Mahama noted that the benefits of mining have not always translated into meaningful development for mining communities.
“We have been prolific producers, but we have yet to become full participants in the extracted value chain,” he said. “This summit is about closing that gap.”
Responsible and Community-Centered Mining
The President emphasized that local content cannot be separated from responsible environmental and social practices.
“Local content cannot be separated from responsible and community-centered mining,” he said. “Traditional authorities and MMDAs will continue to play a decisive role in monitoring compliance and safeguarding community interests.”
President Mahama revealed that government is strengthening development agreements and community engagement frameworks under revised mining regulations to ensure transparency and accountability.
He also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to tackling illegal mining and environmental degradation.
“We will continue the fight against illegal mining and work to formalize the artisanal and small-scale mining sector,” he said. “We will intensify efforts to clean our water bodies and reclaim degraded lands.”
Beyond Raw Exports
Beyond environmental responsibility, President Mahama called for structural reforms to ensure Ghana benefits more from its mineral wealth.
“It is no longer acceptable for Ghana to continue exporting raw gold and importing finished products,” he declared. “Our mineral wealth must power Ghana’s industrialization—not merely sustain export dependence.”
He outlined a five-pillar strategy aimed at boosting local participation, promoting value addition, strengthening skills development, advancing technology and innovation, and expanding indigenous ownership in the sector.
“What will be the legacy of our mineral wealth 100 years from now?” the President asked. “Will it be recorded only in export statistics and royalty payments, or will it be remembered as the foundation upon which we built world-class industries and thriving Ghanaian enterprises?”
Call for Shared Responsibility
President Mahama stressed that government alone cannot transform the mining sector.
“Government cannot achieve this transformation alone,” he said. “To Ghanaian entrepreneurs, the bar for quality and innovation is high, but the opportunity is unprecedented. Prepare yourselves. Build partnerships. Compete boldly.”
He also assured international investors of Ghana’s stability while calling for genuine collaboration.
“Ghana offers you stability, policy clarity and long-term partnership, but we expect genuine collaboration that embeds capacity within our economy,” he stated.
Concluding his address, President Mahama expressed optimism that the Mining Local Content Summit would mark a turning point for the industry.
“If we get this right, our greatest export will not be raw gold or lithium,” he said. “Our greatest export will be Ghanaian talent, Ghanaian technology, Ghanaian enterprise, and a resilient and competitive mining economy.”
The summit is expected to produce policy recommendations aimed at deepening local participation and ensuring that Ghana’s mineral wealth translates into sustainable and inclusive national development.
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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