Hello, is this the IMF?

Oh, it's me, Ghana!

Author

Chale News
January 10, 2025

So, what’s in the bag today?

  • Economic: IMF funding: Ghana’s economic glow-up or just another ‘data finished’ moment?

  • Crime: Electrochem claps back at warehouse raid drama.

  • Regional: Accra SHS menu: Rice, Rice, and…More Rice—CHASS sounds alarm.

  • International: LA Mayor pulls a ‘when you shouldn’t be out of office’ moment—Twitter goes wild.

  • National: ORAL’s on fire! Ablakwa and team ready to spill the tea on looted state assets.

  • Fact of the Day: Spongebob lives in a pineapple under the sea and who lives in your eyelashes?

  • National: When Jinapor says ‘no payments,’ ECG better listen—‘cause this ain’t Monopoly money!

  • Crime: When gold fever turns deadly: Three dead at Newmont site.

QUICK BYTE

  • So, apparently, Uncle John’s squad is thinking about calling IMF like they’re ordering extra jollof—except this time, it’s for more funds to cushion Ghana’s economy. New finance minister-in-waiting, Dr. Ato Forson, says the plan is to secure extra dough to patch up the economy while cutting waste like it’s a bad budget haircut. Read more

  • Imagine waking up to a 3 a.m. action movie where thugs with cutlasses and guns storm a warehouse, claiming they’re repping the NDC. Yep, that’s exactly what went down at Electrochem Ghana’s Ada facility. The thugs didn’t just take office supplies—they made off with enough salt to season a year’s worth of jollof. Want the deets in full? Check out the Deep Dive section.

  • LA Mayor Karen Bass is getting dragged for living her soft life at President Mahama’s inauguration while her city was in flames. Wildfires burned through 25,000 acres, and folks are side-eyeing her harder than your mom when you say you’re not hungry but end up eating all the meat. Bass says she was coordinating from the skies (big Air Traffic Controller energy), but LA Twitter isn’t buying it. They’re all like, "Why coordinate when you can just... be here?” Read more

  • So apparently, it’s plain rice or die in Greater Accra SHSs. CHASS Chairman Paul Amoasi Baidoo dropped the bombshell that rice is all schools have left to feed students. Forget beans, maize, or even simple stew—these schools are running on fumes. Heads of schools are begging for backup faster than your network buffering during a live game. Meanwhile, parents are being low-key asked to step in and pack gari before their kids start starring in real-life episodes of Survivor: School Edition. Read more

FACT OF THE DAY

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Meet Demodex aka eyelash mite. They (because they have family members) live in your eyelashes. At night, they come out to play and mate on your face.

  • Weeks ago, President Mahama assembled this Avengers squad—featuring heavy hitters like Nathan Kofi Boakye and Daniel Domelevo—to crack the case of state capture. And boy, have they been busy. Ablakwa says their detective game has been so on point that they’re just waiting to drop the mic with a full-blown evidence bomb. “When the report drops, y’all will see the extent of the loot,” he said, with the kind of confidence that makes you wonder if they’ve uncovered state-owned mansions turned secret beach resorts. Read more

  • Looks like ECG’s allowance for inefficiencies has officially been maxed out! Minister-Designate for Energy, John Jinapor, just told them to hit pause on all supply payments—no ifs, no buts, no excuses. Jinapor isn’t here for ECG’s juggling act with over 70 accounts or its 40% power loss stats. He’s rolling up his sleeves for reforms that’ll turn this energy crisis around. As he said, "Serious consequences await if you flout this directive." Translation? ECG, get your act together, ASAP. Read more

  • Wednesday night in Ntotroso saw a high-stakes drama straight out of an action movie—except the ending was anything but cinematic. A group allegedly tried their luck at stealing gold from Newmont’s mining site. Spoiler alert: It didn’t end well. The Ghana Police Service responded in full force, clashing with the group in a tense standoff. By the time the dust settled, three lives had been lost, and four others were nursing injuries. Read more

DEEP DIVE

Ada Salt

It’s 3 a.m., and while most people are catching zzz’s, a group of thugs decides it’s the perfect time to play pirate at Electrochem Ghana’s warehouse. Armed with cutlasses and firearms, they didn’t just take office pens and staplers—they helped themselves to a massive stash of salt. If you thought food seasoning was serious business, apparently, these guys agree.

The raiders allegedly claimed to be NDC affiliates, led by a known party activist. Electrochem’s CEO, Abdul Razak Adam, isn’t buying the vibes. He came out swinging, calling the raid an “assault on livelihoods” and a direct hit to the investment climate. The company, which employs 1,800 people full-time and another 3,000 casually, is now scrambling to recover both their stolen goods and their employees’ peace of mind.

This isn’t just about salt and staplers—it’s about trust. Electrochem has been all about community vibes, investing in local livelihoods through outgrower schemes and community pans. Now, thanks to this raid, they’re worried investors might start side-eyeing their operations harder than Ghanaians side-eye jollof made with ketchup.

The company’s final clapback? A strong call to action for authorities to step in, bring the thugs to justice, and ensure businesses in the region can operate without fear. But for now, Electrochem is left wondering: who knew salt mining could turn into an episode of Money Heist? Read more

NEWS SOURCES

Today’s stories are curated from: