Managing Editor of The Hawk Newspaper, Charles McCarthy, has questioned the government over the whereabouts of former MASLOC Chief Executive Officer, Sedina Tamakloe Attionu, amid continuing public discussion about her case.

In a discussion on Kessben Maakye show in Accra, McCarthy stressed that he was not concluding that Sedina Tamakloe had committed any crime but argued that Ghanaians deserved clarity about her current location and the status of the matter.

According to him, Tamakloe was granted permission by the court to travel abroad for medical attention but did not return to continue with the court proceedings.
“Currently, no one knows the exact place Sedina is, before and after the court acquittal and discharge her. It is as if someone is just concocting stories for Ghanaians to believe,” McCarthy claimed.

He questioned how someone involved in such a high-profile case could remain outside the public eye without clear information about her whereabouts.
“Who will doubt if someone says Sedina is not even in the country? Who goes to court without being seen?” he asked.

McCarthy further argued that the government must communicate clearly on the matter to prevent speculation and avoid damaging public confidence.
He also questioned why Tamakloe had not engaged a lawyer to publicly communicate on her behalf, rather than leaving the government to respond to questions surrounding the case.
“Sedina’s issue is disturbing the reset agenda of the government. Where is she hiding, and why can’t anybody see or hear from her?” McCarthy questioned.

He predicted that a time would come when the government would have to provide Ghanaians with clear answers regarding the matter.

A forestry official in the Western Region, Nana Poku Bosompem, has called for a drastic change in Ghana’s approach to the fight against illegal mining, arguing that the sophistication and aggression of illegal miners require stronger measures to protect the country’s forests.

According to him, illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, has become particularly severe in the Western Region, threatening forest reserves and major water bodies.
He noted that the Western Region has 19 forest reserves covering about 209,333 hectares, with eight of the reserves reportedly affected by illegal mining.

Nana Poku Bosompem explained that illegal miners have adopted a strategy of moving from one section of a forest to another whenever enforcement activities intensify, making it difficult for forest guards to permanently contain the problem.

He further disclosed that about 4,000 hectares of forest have been affected, stressing that the lucrative nature of gold mining continues to attract miners into protected areas.
“I subscribe to the shoot-to-kill agenda because the miners are robust and sophisticated,” he said, while commending forest guards for their courage in confronting illegal miners.

He also called for a major shift in the country’s strategy, advocating the establishment of permanent camps and armed security personnel within forest reserves to protect the areas from illegal mining activities.

In a zoom meeting on Kessben Maakye show in Accra, he emphasized that, illegal miners are highly organised and closely monitor the movements of enforcement teams, making conventional approaches increasingly ineffective.
He said authorities must identify and eliminate illegal mining hotspots while deploying permanent security personnel to prevent miners from returning to cleared areas.

Nana Poku also disclosed that a permanent camp had been established at Cape Three Point, where enforcement personnel spent eight days conducting operations.

He said the exercise resulted in the destruction of 59 illegal mining structures, involving both men and women. According to him, they have arrested 41 people with 4 women who were nabbed around 2am. In addition he said they also confiscated 202 industrial water pumps, 125 chanfan machines.

He further observed that many of those operating on the mining sites are citizens from various ECOWAS countries and acknowledged that local communities derive economic benefits from activities associated with illegal mining.

However, he stressed that the environmental destruction caused by galamsey poses a far greater threat to the country’s forests and natural resources.
He therefore urged authorities to strengthen the protection of forest reserves and adopt more effective strategies to permanently halt illegal mining in Ghana.

President John Dramani Mahama has nominated Klottey Korle Member of Parliament, Dr Zanetor Agyemang-Rawlings, as Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, as part of a cabinet shake-up aimed at filling key government positions.

Subsequently, the Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, has also been nominated for the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs. As part of the changes, President Mahama reassigned Kenneth Gilbert Adjei from the Ministry of Works and Housing to the Ministry of Defence.

Former Local Government Minister, Ahmed Ibrahim, has been moved to the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources.

If Dr. Zanetor passes her vetting with Parliament’s vetting committee, she will then replace the late Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, and Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Murtala Mohammed.

Dr. Zanetor’s appointment comes after months of speculation over her possible elevation to cabinet, as the legislator having served on Parliament’s Environment, Science and Technology Committee and advocated for measures to address environmental challenges, including flooding.

The nominations were submitted to Parliament on Friday, August 7, 2026, in accordance with Article 78(1) of the 1992 Constitution, which requires parliamentary approval before ministers can assume office.

The Environment  and the Defence portfolios had remained without substantive ministers following the death of Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed and Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah in the August 2025 helicopter crash.

In lieu of this, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the Finance Minister, who had been acting as Defence Minister since the death of Dr Omane Boamah, is expected to hand over the portfolio once the new nominee is approved.

The appointments were announced in a statement signed by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, MP, Spokesperson to the President and Minister for Government Communications. The nominees are expected to appear before Parliament’s Appointments Committee for vetting before their names are submitted to the House for approval.

This crucial changes come as part of President Mahama’s continued efforts to reset and replenish his administration and fill positions that became vacant following the August 2025 tragedy that claimed the lives of eight officials, including two cabinet ministers.

The Managing Editor of the Hawk Newspaper has launched a blistering response to the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) claim that Ghana’s democracy is under attack, arguing that the party’s own record raises serious questions about the credibility of such accusations.

In a strongly worded commentary at Kessben Maakye show in Accra, the editor said Ghanaians must first understand the fundamental elements of democracy before concluding that the country’s democratic system is under threat.

He maintained that freedom of speech, tolerance of opposing views, respect for institutions and the peaceful transfer of political power are central to democracy and must be protected by all political actors.

The editor questioned the NPP’s position, particularly given its status as a minority in Parliament.
“Why would the minority want to have their say over the majority?” he asked, pointing out that the NDC holds a significantly larger number of parliamentary seats.
He argued that democracy does not mean that the minority should override the majority, stressing that parliamentary democracy operates largely on the principle of majority decision-making.

The editor also accused the NPP of selectively invoking democratic principles while ignoring controversies associated with its own period in government.
He cited several issues, including the passage of the Electronic Levy (E-Levy), alleged political interference with state institutions, the creation of a new voters’ register in less that 6 months ahead of the 2020 elections although it was unconstitutional and other political controversies.

He further questioned why the NPP criticised decisions taken by the current administration when, according to him, the party had previously used its parliamentary majority to push through controversial legislation despite opposition from the then-minority.

The commentary also raised concerns about the NPP’s handling of parliamentary and electoral matters, including disenfranchising of the SALL constituency from voting to elect a member of Parliament in the 2020 general election.

The editor argued that political parties must not attempt to manipulate democratic institutions and subsequently accuse their opponents of attacking democracy when political fortunes change.

He also referenced the controversy surrounding removal of the former Electoral Commission Chairperson and argued that due process and available legal remedies should be respected in all cases.

According to him, “when you manipulate the system, undermine the process, then you are attacking democracy.”
He claimed that President Akufo Addo was the only one who ever appointed his own daughter as head of a public institution.

The commentary further cited several controversies involving former government officials and political actors, including alleged arrests of Kwabena Bobi Ansah and presenting a radio show, and an incident involving Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin who slapped a police officer and was left off the hook.

Concluding his argument, the editor urged political actors to examine their own records before accusing others of undermining Ghana’s democratic credentials.
He suggested that the NPP’s past actions should remain part of the national conversation whenever the party raises concerns about threats to democracy.
“He who lives in a glass house must not throw stones,” he said, in a pointed warning to political leaders.

The commentary comes amid heightened political debate over the state of Ghana’s democracy, with both the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and opposition NPP trading accusations over the conduct of democratic institutions and political governance.

NDC Deputy National Communications Officer hopeful, Joshua Sika Nartey, has urged the Mahama administration to consider appointing Kofi Atta Mills, the only son of late President Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, to serve in government, describing it as a fitting tribute to the former President’s enduring legacy.

In an interview on Kessben Maakye show in Accra, he disclosed, Prof. Mills was “a God-sent leader to Ghana” who inherited the country during a period of severe economic hardship but transformed challenges into opportunities for national development.
He praised the late President for strengthening Ghana’s financial sector while also making significant gains in agriculture, noting that under his leadership the country became the first in its history to export more than one million tonnes of cocoa.

Joshua Sika Nartey also credited Prof. Mills with initiating the Nkokɔ Nketenkete project by donating over 35,000 birds to about 1500 pourtry farmers nationwide. He reincarnated that the late President’s achievements were so remarkable that they inspired political opponents to write the book “Chasing the Elephant into the Bush” a notable book that outlined how Prof. Mills’ campaign strategy defeated the ruling New Patriotic Party and relegated their iconic Elephant into its natural habitat – the bush.

He argued that the Mahama administration would benefit from engaging Kofi Atta Mills, insisting that he possesses the expertise and competence needed to contribute meaningfully to national development if given the opportunity.
“No monument or legacy would be more meaningful to the soul of Professor Mills than seeing his only son, Kofi Atta Mills, offered the chance to serve and contribute his quota to this government,” he stated.

This conversation was staged following Joshua’s open commentary done at Asomdwee Park after president Mills’ 14th memorial and wreath- laying ceremony in Accra.
The NDC party hierarchy and the government are yet to respond to this assertion.

By Maurice Otoo