The King of Dagbon once said:

Is the crown your mate?

Author

Chale News
January 14, 2025

In today’s stories:

  • National: Chale, School Feeding is back.

  • National: Gov’t cancels e-levy and betting tax, but the IMF’s out here saying, ‘Not so fast, chale!

  • National: Pack your bags, leave the premises, and don’t come back until you’ve figured out how to respect the crown.

  • National: ECG is coming for their coins—operation ‘Keep the Lights On’ starts Jan 15!

  • National: Mahama goes full Oprah mode: 'You get healthcare! You get healthcare!’

  • Fact of the Day: Have you ever counted how many times you blink in a minute?

  • Health: Move over, smoking—there’s a new risk factor in town: Oral Sex

  • National: When your wallet says no, but your to-do list says fix the villa. Ex-minister explains why the Presidential Villa went full vintage.

QUICK BYTE

  • You know that moment when your mum tells you to do something, and you think, meh, I know better—only for her to hit you with “not in my house”? Well, that’s exactly what went down at St. Vicente Nursing College. The King of Dagbon, Yaa Naa Mahama Abukari, recommended a candidate for principal, but the school board said, “Thanks, but no thanks,” and picked someone else. Big mistake. Now, the Overlord’s squad has locked up the place tighter than a bride price negotiation. Turns out, this isn’t even just about one person; it’s about a pattern. Since the college started, not a single Dagomba has ever landed the top spot. Read more

  • Brace yourselves, guys, because ECG isn’t playing games this January! They’re launching "Operation Keep the Lights On," and it’s basically their way of saying, “We’re coming for our money.” From January 15 to 31, ECG staff will be out there checking meters, collecting debts, and catching those who think self-reconnection is their birthright. Word to the wise: don’t test LI 2413—it’s not the vibe. Want the deets in full? Check out the Deep Dive section.

  • Okay, so we’re all tired of the e-levy and betting tax eating our coins. Mahama’s squad heard the noise and promised to cancel them. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, Dr. Gideon Boako isn’t exactly throwing a party. He’s worried this plan could make the IMF hit the pause button on Ghana’s financial reset. Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson says they’ll just cut spending instead of introducing new taxes, but Boako’s giving side-eye. He’s like, “Nah fam, you’ll end up sneaking in backdoor taxes.” Think of it like deleting your betting app only to start buying lotto tickets—same vibe, different platform. Read more

  • Imagine being on a group project where everyone’s broke, and then the rich kid finally decides to open their wallet. That’s basically what John Dramani Mahama just did for the NHIS.

    The NHIA is popping champagne (okay, maybe some sobolo) because Mahama has officially uncapped their budget. Translation: more money for healthcare and fewer awkward moments at the hospital like, “Sorry, the NHIS doesn’t cover that.” Read more

  • Okay, so the School Feeding Programme is back, and caterers are about to flex their chef's kiss skills again. Starting January 8, Ghana’s basic school kids will be munching on daily hot meals. No more rumbling stomachs and sad faces, please!

    The GSFP even hinted at some new caterer procurement drama that might be juicier than a telenovela. And oh, they cleared most of the arrears—so no kitchen strike part 2, hopefully. Read more

FACT OF THE DAY

❝

The average person blinks 14-17 times a minute.

  • You know when you inherit an old phone from your big sibling, and it’s already cracked, lagging, and kinda over it? That’s the vibe Simon Osei-Mensah says he got when he took over as Ashanti Regional Minister in 2017 —broken-down cars, dilapidated buildings, and a fat GH₵1.5 million debt tag. Fast forward to today, and people are throwing shade about abandoned villas. But Osei-Mensah’s clapping back like, “Bro, I literally spent my own cash just to keep the lights on!” Turns out, running the ARCC was less “state-of-the-art” and more “state-of-survival.” Read more

  • Who knew? While smoking and drinking have long been the poster villains for throat cancer, oral sex just took the crown. The culprit? HPV (human papillomavirus), a common virus linked to oropharyngeal cancer. Dr. Hisham Mehanna from the University of Birmingham calls it an “epidemic.” And the thing is, having six or more oral-sex partners ups your cancer risk by 8.5 times. The doctors have said their own oo, let him who has ears… Read more

DEEP DIVE

ECG’s ‘Keep the Lights On’ operation is giving pay up or power off vibes!

You’re chilling, lights on, sipping your evening tea, then ECG knocks on your door like an uninvited relative at Christmas. That’s what "Operation Keep the Lights On" is all about! ECG is coming for their unpaid bills, dodgy prepaid meter setups, and people who think disconnections are merely suggestions.

For two weeks, from January 15 to 31, ECG staff will be cruising through neighborhoods like meter detectives, making sure everyone’s playing fair. Self-reconnecting? Yeah, that’s illegal—thanks to Legislative Instrument (LI) 2413. Basically, if you’re out here doing DIY electricity hookups, your name’s probably on their list.

During this operation, ECG says they’ll scale down some office services to focus on this nationwide exercise. So if you’ve got any beef with your bill or meter, it’s probably best to sort it before they show up at your gate looking like they mean business.

At the heart of it, ECG just wants everyone to vibe responsibly—pay your bills, stick to the rules, and let the lights stay on. If not? Well, they might just flip that switch faster than you can say dumsor. Read more

NEWS SOURCES

Today’s stories are curated from: