Stop beating around the bush!

Talk straight!

Author

Chale News
February 27, 2025

So, what’s in the bag today?

  • National: Visa stress is the new heartbreak—except embassies don’t play sad “Adele” songs when they reject you.

  • General News: Fireworks at Legon Bush Canteen!

  • National: Mahama’s SONA: Big plans or just vibes? We find out today!

  • Health: Pills, Paperwork & Plenty Wahala: The Samospharma Showdown

  • National: Togo & Côte d’Ivoire About to 'Snatch' Ghana’s Port Business?

  • Fact of the Day: What’s really in a beer?

  • Politics: Ablekuma North’s election results are taking longer than a ‘by force’ bank loan approval.

QUICK BYTE

  • You’re at UG’s Bush Canteen, about to chow down on some waakye with all the correct protocols—shitor, fried plantain, wele—when suddenly, BOOM! Not the kind of boom that means business is booming, but an actual explosion that sends people scattering like students running from a surprise quiz. Wednesday evening turned into an unplanned action movie when a suspected gas leak decided to give the Bush Canteen an unholy baptism of fire. The working theory? A gas leak. Read more

  • Embassies are catching strays after Ghana’s Foreign Ministry told them to do better with visa applicants. The Dutch Ambassador, however, says “Fair, but like… be specific?” because the complaints were too broad. Meanwhile, Ghana remains top five in Schengen visa rejection rates, with nearly half of applicants getting curved. With six in ten Ghanaians planning to japa, it’s time for a serious rethink of how visa applications are handled. At this point, embassy rejection letters should at least come with Ice Kenkey for emotional support. Read more

  • It’s that time of the year again—where the President takes center stage, adjusts his microphone, and gives us a rundown of “the state of the nation.” Basically, a national report card, but with more big English. Get the 411 in the Deep Dive section below

  • Ghana’s pharmaceutical scene just got messier than a waakye joint at rush hour. The FDA accused Samospharma of illegally importing opioids, but Samospharma hit back with port documents like, “Lies! We have receipts!” Now, it’s an all-out showdown between regulators, the media, and a company that swears it’s as clean as antiseptic. Will the FDA back down? Will Samospharma sue? Will someone randomly bring politics into this? Stay tuned for the next episode of As Ghana Regulates! Read more

FACT OF THE DAY

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Beer contains minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, fluoride, and silicon. 

  • Ghana’s ports are on the verge of being left on read, and it’s all because of some by force taxes. GPHA is warning that our Covid-19 levies and VAT on transit goods are making Burkina Faso and Mali rethink their shipping loyalty. These countries are now considering Togo and Côte d’Ivoire where port fees don’t hit the roof.

    Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe says the government might review these taxes, but we all know how that goes. Meanwhile, our competitors are giving discounts like Black Friday, and Ghana’s ports might soon be in their “it’s complicated” era. Read more

  • You know when you order food online, and after three hours, the restaurant is still telling you “it’s on the way”? That’s exactly how Ablekuma North is feeling right now. Three months after Ghana’s 2024 elections, every other constituency has moved on, but this one is still stuck in a To Be Announced limbo. NPP and NDC are side-eyeing each other, wondering what’s going on. The Electoral Commission (EC) is now planning a meeting about a meeting to address the unresolved issues. Read more

DEEP DIVE

SONA: Hype or Hope?

Today, John Dramani Mahama will hit us with the State of the Nation Address (SONA), and Ghanaians are ready with their popcorn, hoping for real solutions and not just “We dey manage” energy.

Top on the wishlist? Fixing sika no ashi (our money is missing vibes), tackling unemployment, and making life generally less hard guy, hard guy. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) and business folks have already dropped their wish lists, asking for actual moves to reduce the cost of living and not just more plenty talk. Meanwhile, social media is gearing up for the usual mix of hot takes, memes, and “Mahama, we beg” posts.

But here’s the real tea—this speech isn’t just about checking boxes. Mahama is expected to break down his Reset Agenda (aka, his master plan to revive the economy). Will he actually give us the cheat codes for fixing the mess, or will we just get another round of “We are putting in measures”? Either way, expect plenty of reactions from politicians, business leaders, and that one uncle who watches the whole thing just to say “Na me na me” when it’s over.

So, is this SONA going to be big vibes or big action? The jury is still out. But one thing’s for sure—by the time it’s done, Ghana Twitter (X) will have new trending topics, and we’ll all still be asking the same question: Should we japa? Read more

NEWS SOURCES

Today’s stories are curated from: