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In today’s stories:
National: Child marriage in 2025? Let’s un-alive this outdated nonsense already!
National: Obuasi’s clocking back in—work, school, and normalcy are making a comeback!
National: Sammy Gyamfi’s first day at PMMC HQ was anything but ordinary—new boss, new goals,
National: Joe Gidisu says digitizing road tolls is great—but only if Ghana’s ready to handle the traffic.
Crime: The Case of the Election Casualties: IGP plays Sherlock Holmes.
Fact of the Day: Ever wondered what those tiny pockets on your jeans are meant for?
Education: Free uni fees for first-years? Love the idea, but Musah’s wondering if the government’s got the cash to back it up?
Sports: Asare’s back! Kotoko’s captain makes his grand return to training after a knee injury
QUICK BYTE
Child marriage is still a thing. Yup, in 2025. Hajia Safia Tamimu, the head honcho at the Child Marriage Unit, is begging the media to make noise about this mess because the 2030 deadline to end it is creeping up faster than your deadlines.
She dropped receipts too—19% of Ghanaian kids are married or boo’d up before they even hit adulthood. Want the deets in full? Check out the Deep Dive section.
Digitizing road tolls sounds like a slick move, but Joe Gidisu isn’t buying the rush. During an interview with Channel One News, the former Roads and Highways Minister gave a thumbs-up to reinstating tolls but raised concerns about fast-tracking the digital leap. His key worry? Unreliable electricity—because what’s a digital system worth if the lights keep going out? Plus, road toll booths have long been an employment lifeline, particularly for persons with disabilities. Read more
First-day jitters? Not for Sammy Gyamfi, who just clocked in as Acting MD of Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC). Rolling up to HQ on Monday, January 20, he gave major “new era, who dis?” energy. Gyamfi’s first order of business? Winning hearts—and he didn’t waste time. Management and staff gave him the “you’re one of us now” treatment, and in return, he dropped a thank-you bomb aimed squarely at the President for trusting him with the gig. Read more
FACT OF THE DAY
The tiny pocket in jeans was designed to store pocket watches.
The Ashanti Regional Minister-designate, Frank Amoakohene, just gave the green light for schools and work to resume. Turns out, the AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) mine incident happened in a non-active area, so no mining ops were disrupted. Amoakohene made it clear that this wasn’t a snap decision. The dude didn’t just wake up and say, “Okay, let’s roll.” He had serious chats with the Obuasi community and other bigwigs to make sure everyone was cool with it. “The stakeholders—especially the communities—are at peace,” he said. Read more
The President just sent a memo to IGP George Dampare, and now he's all in detective mode, pulling a whole squad of top-tier police officers to investigate the mystery behind those deaths that are tied to both the 2020 and 2024 elections. The team, which sounds like the squad you would want on your side if you were ever caught in a conspiracy (please don’t get caught in one, though), is led by Chief Superintendent Joseph Nanegbe. Read more
You’re a student, fresh out of SHS, and your first thought is, “Yo, I’m about to go to uni and not have to stress about fees. That’s the dream, right? Well, the government pitched a plan to make this happen for all first-year students. Free fees, no questions asked. But Thomas Musah, General Secretary of GNAT is like, “Hold up, hold up… This sounds great, but how do we keep this going without draining the nation’s bank account?” The education budget is already stretched thin. Let’s not forget about the unpaid bills to WAEC, school feeding suppliers, and food vendors. Read more
Let’s be real—losing your captain is like having your favorite jollof rice with no meat. It just doesn’t hit the same. Kotoko's star keeper, Frederick Asare, has been on the sidelines for over a month after dealing with a nagging knee injury. Fans were stuck with Camara and Seidu in goal, which, let’s admit, isn’t the same as having the big guy at the post. But now, guess who’s back in training? Yep, it’s Asare, ready to make a comeback just in time for the second round of the season! Read more
DEEP DIVE
From homework to housewife
Let’s say you’re vibing in JHS, stressing over your science test, and boom—your fam decides it’s time for you to get married. Like, ma’am, what?! That’s the reality for 19% of kids in Ghana, and Hajia Safia Tamimu is not having it. Sis is calling on the media to go full-on megaphone mode about child marriage because apparently, the 2030 SDG deadline to end it is just around the corner. Spoiler: we’re not ready.
Turns out, the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection has a portal (www.cm.mogcsp.gov.gh) that’s like the Spotify Wrapped of child marriage stats. You can report cases, learn about the issues, and even track progress. It’s basically the Google Maps of activism—useful, easy, and kinda judgmental if you’re not doing your part. Oh, and shoutout to the UNFPA for helping build this thing.
But let’s keep it 💯—legal frameworks alone won’t cut it. Last year, 13 girls were rescued from this mess, with some going back to school while others bossed up with empowerment programs. It’s giving "survivor arc," but Hajia says more awareness is needed to level up these campaigns. Traditional and religious leaders are even jumping on board, proving that change happens faster when the big wigs co-sign.
The thing is, child marriage isn’t just bad vibes; it’s bad economics. Consultant Senanu Agbozo says empowering girls instead of marrying them off could actually eliminate poverty. Like, imagine tanking the economy because someone thought a 13-year-old needed a husband. Let’s do better, fam—report those cases, spread the word, and maybe, just maybe, we can kick child marriage to the curb. Read more
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NEWS SOURCES
Today’s stories are curated from: