*PARLIAMENT APPROVES 7 NEW SUPREME COURT JUSTICES* The Rt Hon Alban Sumana Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament on a majority voice votes announced on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, that the House has adopted a motion approving the nominations of seven individuals as Justices of the Supreme Court. The approved nominees are: 1. Justice Sir Dennis Dominic Adjei 2. Justice Gbiel Simon Suurbaareh 3. Justice Senyo Dzamefe 4. Justice Kweku Tawiah Ackah-Boafo 5. Justice Philip Bright Mensah 6. Justice Janpere Bartels-Kodwo 7. Justice Hafisata Ameleboba On behalf of the House and the Parliament of Ghana, Speaker Bagbin congratulated the seven judges, acknowledging their recognition and approval through the public hearing and parliamentary process.

*Minority Condemns Bank of Ghana Over Mass Dismissals* The Minority in Parliament has strongly criticized the Bank of Ghana for the dismissal of over 100 workers, describing the action as illegal and a violation of the 1992 Constitution and Ghana’s labour laws. Speaking at a press conference, the MP for Savelugu Hon Abdul Aziz Fatahiya accused the central bank of ignoring due process and bypassing parliamentary oversight. The Minority is demanding the immediate reinstatement of the affected employees, accountability from the Bank’s Governor, intervention by the Ministry of Employment, legal support for the dismissed staff, and a full parliamentary inquiry. According to the MP, the issue goes beyond job losses and strikes at the heart of democratic governance and institutional accountability. The development has sparked widespread public debate, with many calling for transparency and adherence to labour rights. The Bank of Ghana and relevant state authorities are now under pres

*PARLIAMENT RECEIVES $1.6M GRANT TO ENHANCE GOVERNANCE* The Parliament of Ghana has received a $1.6 million grant from the World Bank and the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office to boost its capacity in economic governance and financial management. The grant aims to support the effective utilization of resources and promote good governance in the country. According to Rt Hon Alban Sumana Bagbin, the grant will help strengthen the capacity of key parliamentary committees, improve oversight, and promote transparency and accountability. The committees that will benefit from the grant include the Economy and Development, Finance, Budget, Public Accounts, and Public Administration and State Interest committees. These committees will receive training and technical support to enhance their analytical capacity to scrutinize government policies and budgets. According to the Speaker, the grant is expected to yield several outcomes, including effective utilization of the fund

NPA REVIEWS PENALTIES ON UNAUTHORIZED FUEL STATIONS,AS IT PUSHES BACK AGAINST CALLS TO REPEAL THE ENERGY SECTOR LEVY AMENDMENT ACT The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has announced plans to seek a review of penalties imposed on individuals who establish unauthorized fuel stations in the country. The Authority says the current fine which is pegged at less than 20,000 Ghana Cedis is not punitive enough to deter offenders. The NPA noted that the increasing number of unlicensed fuel stations has led to several explosions, some of which have resulted in loss of lives. Speaking at a meeting with Parliament’s Energy Committee, the Chief Executive Officer of the NPA, Godwin Tamakloe assured of the Authority’s commitment to curbing such tragic incidents and ensuring stricter enforcement of safety regulations. Also,the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has pushed back against calls for a total repeal of the Energy Sector Levy Amendment Act which sought to increase fuel prices by One

*Petroleum Hub Development Corporation Seeks GHC300 Million in Compensation for Jomoro Land Acquisition* The Petroleum Hub Development Corporation (PHDC) is appealing to the government for GHC300 million to compensate farmers and property owners for the acquisition of 20,000 acres of land in Jomoro, Western Region. Despite former President Akufo-Addo's directive to release GHC200 million for compensation, the amount wasn't included in the 2024 budget, causing project delays. The Petroleum Hub project, valued at $12 billion, aims to establish Ghana as a key player in Africa's energy sector. The project will include Refineries for processing crude oil into petroleum products Petrochemical Plants Producing petrochemicals for various industries Storage Tanks, Storing petroleum products Jetties and Port Infrastructure Facilitating transportation and trade The project is expected to create approximately 780,000 direct and indirect jobs and increase Ghana's GDP by about 70% It will

ABOUT 15,000 BABIES BORN WITH SICKLE CELL ANNUALLY- WORLD CHILD CANCER. According to World Child Cancer, In Ghana, over 1,200 children under 15 years develop cancer annually, with blood cancers like acute leukemia being the most common type of childhood cancer. According to Prof Cathy Segbefia, paediatric and heam oncologist at the Korle bu Teaching Hospital also the lead project of the strengthening haematology kills in Ghana project by world child cancer, Additionally, approximately 15,000 babies are born with sickle cell disease every year, making it the most common inherited blood disease of clinical significance. She said, unfortunately, both conditions share dismal survival statistics in low-income countries. Outlining the Challenges and Solutions, She mentioned that, availability of Supportive care, including blood transfusions, contributes to poor outcomes. Limited access to treatment and healthcare services exacerbates the situation. Ghana has made progress by inc

DISREGARD MISINFORMATION ABOUT DONATING BLOOD - DR SHIRLEY. The head of Transfusion Medicine Unit at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, also the Head of Transfusion Medicine specialist, has highlighted misinformation as a significant barrier to increasing voluntary blood donation rates in Ghana. Speaking at the world child cancer project closure meeting in Accra, Dr Shirley said misinformation about blood donation can be a significant barrier to increasing voluntary blood donation rates. She mentioned that some misconceptions like blood donated by men can cause impotence is unfounded and lacks scientific justification. The notion that a person's personality traits can be transferred through blood transfusion is also a misconception. Also, claims that blood collected by blood services ends up in occult practices or is used for non-clinical purposes are unfounded. She said every unit of blood can be traced from donation to recipient which ensures accountability and transparency.

LANDS MINISTER ADDRESS PARLIAMENT ON ILLEGAL MINING ACTIVITIES The Minister for Lands, Hon. Emmanuel Kofi Buah, has addressed Parliament on the pressing issue of illegal mining activities. Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Minister Buah expressed deep concern that out of 288 forest reserves, 44 have been destroyed by illegal miners. He revealed that approximately 5,000 hectares of forestland have been degraded, and nine forest reserves have been classified as "red zones" due to the severity of the destruction. According to Minister Buah, illegal miners have deployed armed thugs to intimidate and prevent forest guards from carrying out their official duties. He noted that eight of the red zone forest reserves are currently under the control of armed thugs, while efforts are underway to reclaim the remaining reserve. The Minister commended the collaborative efforts between the Ministry, the Forestry Commission, the Ghana Army, and the Ghana Police Service, which have led to th

MAJORITY LEADER CALLS FOR EFFICIENCY COMMITTEE COMPOSITION The Majority Leader, Hon. Mahama Ayariga, has urged ministers to complete the work on the composition of committees, addressing any errors and ensuring that all committees are fully constituted. He emphasized that the two whips are responsible for facilitating this exercise. Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Friday, Hon. Ayariga stated that he would follow up with the whips to ensure that the ministers complete their work. He explained that the Trade Minister is currently out of jurisdiction, which is why her questions have been rescheduled. The Minister has written to Parliament, indicating that she will respond to all questions upon her return. Hon. Ayariga further noted that Ghana's proliferation of ministers has been a problem, with the number reaching 118 at one point, drawing public disapproval. Both the NPP and NDC have been criticized in the past for appointing too many ministers. However, the NDC has made eff

EC rules out re-run of Ablekuma North Parliamentary polls The Electoral Commission (EC) has ruled out an immediate re-run of the 2024 parliamentary election in the Ablekuma North constituency, stating that results from three outstanding polling stations can still be collated. However, the process has been delayed due to the Ghana Police Service awaiting advice from the Attorney General’s Department on how best to provide security for the collation exercise.Ghanaian tourism Responding to questions on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, June 19, the Deputy Chairperson of the EC in charge of Corporate Affairs, Dr. Bossman Asare, clarified that a re-run remains a last resort. “So, for Ablekuma North, we have not reached the point where we will say we don’t have the results. When we try and we cannot get the results, that is when we will resort to the rerun. The rerun will be a last option,” he said. Dr. Asare further disclosed that the Electoral Commission spent GHS 3.6 million on t

DON'T BE CARRIED AWAY BY GOVERNMENT'S PROMISE TO REDUCE PASSPORT PRICES - PATRICK BOAMAH TO GHANAIANS. Member of parliament for OkaiKwei Central, Mr Patrick Yaw Boamah, also a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, has urged Ghanaians not to be carried away by the government's promise to reduce passport prices. Despite the Foreign Minister, Mr Ablakwa’s announcement, a few months ago, the reduction has not taken effect due to the need for parliamentary approval. The government has pledged to reduce passport fees from GH¢500 to GH¢350, but Boamah noted that this remained a pledge until the new fees and charges legislation was presented to Parliament and approved. The legislation is expected to be presented in August, and Finance Minister Cassiel A. Forson’s discretion will play a crucial role in determining the outcome. “We should all wait and pray to the good Lord for good life health for August to come so that we see whether the minister will be able to reduce the passpor