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Let's dive into some baby talk – and no, we’re not talking about goo-goo ga-ga. According to the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS), a whopping 47.4% of kiddos aged 0 to 5 months aren’t getting exclusive breastfeeding. That’s nearly half the baby population! Get the lowdown in the Deep Dive section
Get ready for August 9. The teachers in Ghana are about to ghost their classrooms if the Ministry of Finance doesn’t drop their allowances by August 8. SSA-UoG, FUSSAG, and TEWU-TUC are tired of waiting for their Vehicle Maintenance Allowance (VMA).
In a spicy statement on August 5, the unions called out the Ministry for their shady delay tactics. They’ve had enough and gave a final ultimatum: pay up or we’re out. Will the Ministry make it in time, or are we about to see the biggest teacher strike of 2024? Get the 411 in the Deep Dive section below
Ghana's wealth is in the hands of a few elites. That’s what Daniel Ohene Agyekum, former US Ambassador, is spilling the tea about. According to him, the infamous Agyapadie document is not just some random paper; it’s the ultimate blueprint for state capture!
Even though President Nana Akufo-Addo is out here saying, "Nah fam, it's fake news," former Prez John Mahama is giving us major conspiracy vibes, claiming the document’s game plan is already in motion. Want more deets? Check out the Deep Dive section.
In the latest episode of “Ghana’s Financial Soap Opera,” starring Fitch Ratings and the nation’s long-term local-currency issuer default rating (LTLC IDR), Fitch is all set to give Ghana a shiny new LTLC IDR, but there’s a catch – we need to play nice with our private creditors and sort out our foreign currency-denominated debt first.
Right now, Ghana’s chilling at a ‘Restrictive Default’ (RD) status. Not exactly the VIP section, but Fitch is promising an upgrade once we manage our money better.
Fitch’s rating model currently scores Ghana at ‘B-‘ on the Long-Term Foreign-Currency IDR scale. However, the rating committee added a notch for good behavior under the Balance of Payments Restrictions, putting us at ‘B-‘. This means we’re doing okay in letting the private sector convert and transfer currency without much trouble. Read more
The Electricity Company of Ghana is sending out a major PSA: beware of fake meters!
Apparently, some folks in the Ashanti Region are playing sneaky, selling and installing fake meters. ECG’s not having it. They’ve already busted a bunch of these substandard gadgets at the Dabala Checkpoint and Tech Junction. Plot twist: these fakes are from Togo!
Mr. Maxwell Dapaah, the ECG Ashanti-West General Manager, is on the case. He’s warning everyone that these dodgy meters aren’t just off the books – they’re dangerous! We’re talking fire hazards, overloaded transformers, and random blackouts. Basically, it’s a disaster waiting to happen.
Dapaah is urging everyone to go straight to ECG for their meter needs. They’ve got the legit stuff that meets all the safety standards. Plus, with the new Loss Reduction Programme (LRP) and Flat Rate policy, there are plenty of options to get hooked up legally. Read more
Mary Awelana Addah, the Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), has blown the whistle on the rise of single-sourcing procurement. Imagine doing 85% of your shopping from just one place – sounds convenient, right? Not when it's about public funds!
It’s actually legal but it’s become the go-to move, raising eyebrows about public sector corruption. Think about it: school textbooks, health supplies – all from the same sources without a competitive bid. Ghanaian mothers won’t like this at all.
Bottomline, Madam Addah says we need more competitive tendering to keep things legit. Even the IMF is nudging us to open up the bidding process. If we don't, we risk compromising integrity and squeezing out private sector opportunities. Read more
In a move to clean up Ghana’s ports, ISSER recommends shaking things up—literally! Their 2024 Mid-Year Budget Review suggests rotating port personnel every two years to stop corrupt practices from taking root. So musical chairs, but with customs officers! Recommendations also include reducing the number of government agencies at the ports to cut down on revenue leaks. GRA staff must declare their assets and stay away from setting up clearing firms until five years after retirement. No more secret side hustles! Read more
Horace Ekow Ewusi, the NPP’s guy for Cape Coast North, is stirring the pot big time. He's officially asked Prez Akufo-Addo to boot Professor Harold S. Amonoo-Kuofi from his gig as the top dog of the UCC governing council.
Why the Fuss?
Ewusi says Amonoo-Kuofi is running the university like it's his personal kingdom. The guy thinks he's a one-man band. Makes big calls without asking anyone and making moves that’s messing up the uni’s smooth vibe. He’s had beef with university unions, too.
He’s got receipts, saying Amonoo-Kuofi’s antics is hurting the NPP’s squad on campus. He’s done with the drama and wants Akufo-Addo to step in, pronto. Read more
If you had to climb a tree before you could call your lover, how many times will you climb? For the people in Wawasua, a community in the Sunyani East Municipality of the Bono Region, that’s the daily grind.
Residents are fed up with the poor mobile network and are making some serious noise about it. They’ve even threatened to boycott the 2024 general elections if their connectivity woes aren’t sorted out.
One resident had to travel all the way to Sunyani just to do business online. Another said, they even climb a storey building, but the owner has warned them to stay off his property. Read more
A Plus, the man who’s never shied away from calling it like it is, is making a bold move into the political arena! He has officially launched his campaign for the Gomoa Central MP seat.
Known for his sharp wit and unfiltered commentary, A Plus is no stranger to the spotlight. But can he turn his social media savvy into political clout? Read more
Are you so good at your job that your boss keeps giving you raises just to keep you from leaving? Well, if it hasn’t happened to you, it happened to Fatau Dauda during his time at AshantiGold SC.
Dauda, a star goalkeeper, spent eight years with AshGold from 2006 to 2013 and then returned from 2014 to 2016. Despite numerous clubs trying to sign him, AshGold wasn’t ready to let him go. Their strategy? Keep bumping up his salary to make staying irresistible. Read more
DEEP DIVE
Babies Are Not Getting Boobies – Say What?
Yep, nearly half of Ghana’s infants are missing out on fresh breast milk straight out the boobies.
And it’s not a new thing – this trend’s been hanging around like an uninvited guest at a party for the past two decades. Back in 2003, 46.6% of infants weren’t exclusively breastfed, and now it's barely budged with a 0.8 percentage point increase.
The survey also dropped another bombshell: 41.8% of babies didn’t get their first taste of mom’s milk within the first hour of life. Regions like Greater Accra, Ahafo, and Eastern are leading this less-than-ideal charge, with over half the babies missing out on that crucial first feed. Bono East and Volta are the best in this regard, but there's still room for improvement.
As we roll through World Breastfeeding Week, themed “Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All,” it’s clear we’ve got some serious work to do. Whether it’s more support, education, or just a nudge in the right direction, these numbers are a wake-up call. Read more
Teachers on The Brink
Ever been in that situation where you’ve been waiting for that DM response forever? Well, that's exactly how the teachers in Ghana feel about their allowances! Three teacher unions — the Senior Staff Association-Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG), the Federation of Senior Staff Associations of Ghana (FUSSAG), and the Teachers and Educational Workers Union of the Trade Union Congress (TEWU-TUC) are ready to go full-on ghost mode on August 9 if the Ministry of Finance doesn’t cough up their cash by August 8. Yeah, it’s that serious!
In their official clap-back on August 5, the unions threw major shade at the Ministry, accusing them of pulling some Machiavellian tricks to keep their money on lockdown. The teachers’ patience has worn thinner than a stretched-out rubber band and they're ready to make some noise. If the Ministry doesn’t get its act together by the close of work on August 8, these teachers are about to take a ‘nap’—catching up on their beauty sleep because their Vehicle Maintenance Allowance (VMA) isn’t just sitting pretty in their accounts.
So, last last, the Ministry of Finance has like 2 days to slide into the unions' DMs with some good news or the teachers will advise themselves. Read more
Agyapadie is Not For Everybody
According to Ohene Agyekum, the whole set-up is like a rigged Oware game where the “Akyem Mafia” get to fill all their pits, and we’re left with empty ones. Agyekum didn’t hold back at a Kumasi Presser insisting this isn’t just any paper work but a "diabolical scheme" cooked up by a select few from Kyebi to hog Ghana’s resources.
While President Nana Akufo-Addo is out here like, “Chill, Ohene is a liar boy,” ex-Prez John Mahama is giving us major side-eye like peeps, you better wake up and smell the coffee.
Think of it as a VIP access pass to the country’s riches, and only the elite are invited.
If this document is legit, we’re talking about setting a crazy precedent for Ghana’s future. So, are we witnessing a real-life ‘House of Cards’ scenario? Read more
FACT OF THE DAY
The early bird may catch the worm, but the night owl gets the last laugh—and possibly the higher IQ! According to a study from Imperial College London and the University of Madrid, people who stay up late tend to score higher on cognitive and memory tests than their early-rising counterparts.
This is not a free pass to skip on sleep! If you’re feeling sleepy, just sleep. We won’t judge you.
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