Newspaper Headlines, November 6, 2026

This is what the front pages of the papers reported

Daily Graphic

1. Ghana loses $6.5bn in potential mining revenue — IFS

Summary: The Institute for Fiscal Studies says Ghana could have earned an additional US$6.56bn from mining in 2025 if it had mobilised revenue at Botswana’s rate. The Institute says Ghana generated only US$1.60bn in mining revenue in 2025, representing 11.9 per cent of the sector’s value added of US$13.40bn. Applying Botswana’s average ratio of 60.9 per cent would have raised revenue to about US$8.16bn. The IFS also blamed low revenue from the extractive sector, revenue leakages including tax evasion and profit shifting, and excessive tax exemptions for the shortfall and asked the government to use the 2027 Budget to correct it.

2. TraffiTech here to save lives — President

Summary: President John Dramani Mahama has appealed to Ghanaians to bear with the new TraffiTech traffic enforcement system, saying it is here to save lives, not punish drivers. The system became operational on November 1, 2026, and currently only enforces speeding with cameras that detect violations and provide video evidence. He cited 2,151 people killed in road accidents in 2025, including 474 pedestrians knocked down, and said results will be checked through month-to-month comparison with last year. He reminded motorists that the speed limit in town is 50 km/h and that drivers who obey it have nothing to fear

3. IMF gives Ghana positive assessment after first PCI review

Summary: The IMF has reached a staff-level agreement with Ghana on the first review of the 36-month Policy Coordination Instrument, describing performance as broadly satisfactory. Most quantitative targets were met, and structural reforms are progressing well. Real GDP grew by 6.2 per cent in the first half of 2026 and is projected at 5.7 per cent for the year. Inflation stood at 5.5 per cent in October, and the primary surplus is on track. The IMF, however, warned about falling foreign exchange reserves and exposure to gold, cocoa and oil price swings and urged the government to rebuild reserves, raise revenue and maintain reform momentum. The agreement still needs approval by IMF Management and the Executive Board

4. Businesses must demand more value from banking relationships — Kwamina Asomaning

Summary: Stanbic Bank Chief Executive Kwamina Asomaning has asked businesses to demand more than routine banking services from their banks. Speaking at Stanbic Bank’s Transaction Banking Client Engagement Forum in Accra on the theme Creating Value Beyond Transaction, he said banks should help clients manage liquidity, improve efficiency, strengthen risk management and make better decisions. He said the true measure of a banking relationship is not the volume of transactions processed but the value generated through expertise, partnership and tangible outcomes

Ghanaian Times

1. Traffi-Tech GH to curb road crashes

Summary: President John Dramani Mahama has urged motorists to observe speed limits to avoid fines under the newly introduced TraffiTech-GH system saying drivers who obey the rules have nothing to fear The system was rolled out by the MTTD on November 1 2026 and uses cameras to detect speeding with video evidence sent to vehicle owners He stressed the maximum speed in town is 50km/h however good the road is and said if fines are too expensive then do not speed The first phase covers only speeding with red light jumping and illegal parking to come later He also asked police to put up warning signs ahead of camera locations

2. Ghana needs Financial Health Council — UN Special Advocate for Financial Health

Summary: Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, in her role as UN Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health, has called for a Financial Health Council to coordinate government and private sector efforts to improve the financial well-being of Ghanaians. She made the call at the inauguration of the Working Committee on the National Financial Inclusion and Development Strategy in Accra, which will develop the strategy for 2027 to 2031. She said financial inclusion should not be an end in itself but a means to financial health. She defined financial health as the ability to manage daily finances, withstand shocks, achieve long-term goals and maintain confidence in one’s financial circumstances. She noted that 81 per cent of adults have an account, but only 22 per cent are financially healthy

3. Corruption, tax exemptions undermine revenue mobilisation — IFS

Summary: The Institute for Fiscal Studies says corruption, tax exemptions and revenue leakages are undermining Ghana’s domestic revenue mobilisation. The Institute presented its policy brief titled A Reexamination of the Low Government Revenue Mobilization in Ghana ahead of the 2027 Budget. It said Ghana generated only US$1.60bn from mining in 2025 despite huge mineral wealth and cited over GH¢11bn lost at the ports through incorrect declarations. It called on the government to use the 2027 Budget to close leakages, curb tax avoidance and profit shifting, and review exemptions that attract investment but cost the state

4. Finance Ministry approves modern Odawna Market project

Summary: The Ministry of Finance has approved the construction of a modern market at Odawna in Accra under a Public-Private Partnership arrangement. Korle Klottey Municipal Chief Executive Mr Alfred Allotey-Gaisie announced this at a press conference in Accra. He said the project will improve trading conditions, sanitation, drainage and accessibility and will be built at the existing location. He dismissed reports that the market had been relocated and said trading continues normally at the current site. He spoke after concerns from traders following recent heavy rains that disrupted commercial activities

5. Police to clamp down on noisy motorbike exhausts, illegal lights

Summary: Police will intensify roadside checks on motorcycles fitted with modified exhausts and unauthorised lighting as part of a wider road safety push tied to the TraffiTech rollout. National Road Safety Authority Director-General Abraham Amaliba announced the checks. He said police will target motorcycles with excessively loud exhausts and illegal lights and remove the offending parts to bring bikes back to approved standards. The crackdown aims to reduce noise pollution and safety risks from altered motorbikes seen on city streets and highways

Daily Guide

1. GHS Info Systems Held Hostage Over $64,510 Bill

Summary: The main story reports that Ghana Health Service information systems have been held hostage in a dispute over an unpaid bill of $64,510. The front page links the story to Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea and directs readers to page 3 for the full details of who is holding the systems and why the payment is outstanding

2. World Cup Visa Scandal: Minority Petitions Special Prosecutor For Probe

Summary: The Minority in Parliament, led by Vincent Ekow Assafuah, has petitioned the Office of the Special Prosecutor for an independent probe into alleged visa and fundraising irregularities around the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The allegations centre on claims that more than US$600,000 was collected from people seeking visa and travel assistance, with some applicants reportedly charged between US$7,000 and US$14,000. Assafuah has also rejected an invitation to appear before a presidential committee, insisting only an independent commission of inquiry with powers to compel evidence can establish the truth

3. Bawumia Jabs BoG Over GH¢1.7bn Gold Trade Loss

Summary: NPP flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has blamed the Bank of Ghana for losses of GH¢1.7bn / US$1.7bn from trading gold instead of holding it as reserves. Speaking at a town hall in Tokyo, he argued the losses would have been avoided if the Gold for Reserves programme had stuck to accumulating reserves as originally intended. The figure matches an IMF assessment of losses on the Bank’s Domestic Gold Purchase Programme in 2025 attributed largely to trading doré fees discounts and exchange-rate differences

4. Passport Scandal: Director Of Passport Interdicted

Summary: The Director of Passports, Yahaya Amantana Mahama, has been interdicted pending investigation into alleged irregularities in the acquisition of a service passport. The action followed a petition by a prominent Ghanaian pastor and his wife. A five-member committee chaired by Ambassador Alexander Grant was set up on October 13, 2026, to investigate, while Ambassador Francis Danti Kotia has been asked to act as Director. The story follows claims in Parliament by Samuel Abu Jinapor that diplomatic passports were being sold for between US$10,000 and US$50,000, a claim that has not been established by any investigation or court

5. Death Of 2 Ghanaians In New York: Confront Gun Violence – Mahama To US Govt

Summary: President John Dramani Mahama has urged the United States to confront gun violence and easy access to firearms after the deaths of two Ghanaians in New York. The victims were 15-year-old Javits Frimpong, shot dead in the Bronx, and 24-year-old caregiver Joseph Owusu, whose body was found near a dump site after he had been missing for two weeks. Mahama said the NYPD is still investigating Frimpong’s death, with bullying suggested as one possible factor, and pointed to the US constitutional right to bear arms as making guns widely available

The Chronicle

1. Gold Fields Reshapes Health Care Delivery

Summary: Gold Fields Ghana Foundation in partnership with Project C U R E has reshaped health care delivery in Tarkwa-Nsuaem and Prestea-Huni Valley by importing incubators anaesthetic machines hospital beds and other medical equipment for hospitals in the two municipalities The package valued at over US$793,491 includes ICU beds neonatal incubators nebulisers surgical tools imaging devices gloves syringes and sterile dressings It was based on a needs assessment in 2024 so each consignment was tailor-made for the specific challenges of the facilities The support is part of Gold Fields Expanded Access to Quality Healthcare initiative under its Group Legacy Programme and also includes screening 8,845 people and renewing 2,889 residents under NHIS Facilities like Apinto Government Hospital are already reporting improved service delivery reduced workload and shorter waiting times

2. Bawumia Blames Gold Trading For $1.7bn Losses

Summary: NPP flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has blamed the Bank of Ghana’s decision to trade gold for losses of US$1.7bn Speaking to the Ghanaian community in Tokyo Japan he said the losses could have been avoided if the central bank had stuck to accumulating reserves under the Gold for Reserves programme as proposed by the previous NPP administration He said once you decide to start trading in gold you will make those losses and warned Ghanaians to watch what will happen next He did not provide a breakdown of the figure The figure matches an IMF assessment of over US$1.7bn in losses on the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme in 2025 attributed to service and assay fees discounts to off-takers and exchange-rate differences The Bank of Ghana had not responded by Thursday evening

Daily Statesman

1. STOP THE INTIMIDATION

Summary: Minority accuses Bagbin of parliamentary bullying. Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has accused Speaker Alban Bagbin of presiding over parliamentary bullying after Damongo MP Samuel Abu Jinapor was removed from the chamber on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Jinapor had alleged diplomatic passports were being sold for US$10,000 to US$50,000 and was asked to withdraw the claim. Afenyo-Markin said Jinapor withdrew twice but was still ordered out and called the action disproportionate, humiliating and an act of parliamentary bullying. He said the Majority must not use its numbers to suppress dissent and warned that the Minority shall not be silenced. He also demanded that Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa appear before Parliament and that the Minority’s material on passport irregularities be examined through proper parliamentary procedures.

2. Gold Reserves: Bawumia faults BoG over GH¢1.7bn loss

Summary: NPP flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has blamed the Bank of Ghana for losses of GH¢1.7bn / US$1.7bn from trading gold instead of holding it as reserves. Speaking at a town hall in Tokyo, Japan, he said the losses would have been avoided if the Gold for Reserves programme had stuck to accumulating reserves as originally intended. The figure matches an IMF assessment of losses on the Bank’s Domestic Gold Purchase Programme in 2025, attributed largely to trading doré, fees, discounts and exchange-rate differences. Bawumia did not provide a breakdown and the Bank of Ghana had not responded by Thursday evening. Responsibility for the programme moved from the Bank to GoldBod on July 1, 2026.

3. NPP: Heads must roll over US$1.7bn drug seizures

Summary: The NPP says heads must roll over US$1.7bn in drug seizures linked to Ghana. Second National Vice Chairman Henry Nana Boakye said at a press conference on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, that between March 2025 and October 2026, Ghana recorded at least 14 major drug busts, with cocaine seized abroad alone valued at between US$1.3bn and US$1.7bn. He cited seizures in Amsterdam, Antwerp, Dunkirk, Australia, Johannesburg and Beirut, including 46.7kg carried by a Syrian national arrested in Beirut on October 31, 2026, after flying from Accra. He said not a single head had rolled at NACOC, Ghana Airports Company, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority or National Security. He demanded their immediate sacking subject to independent investigation, plus a bipartisan parliamentary inquiry and publication within seven days of the roadmap promised after President Mahama’s emergency security meeting on September 17, 2026.

4. CPS invests in future economists with five-year award scheme

Summary: The Centre for Policy Scrutiny (CPS) will reward the best-performing Economics student at the University of Ghana with a brand-new laptop and a cash prize each year for the next five years. The initiative was launched at the University of Ghana Accra City Campus on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, by Principal Prof Clement Appah. CPS Executive Director Dr Adu Owusu Sarkodie said investing in students today is an investment in the quality of leadership and policy thinking needed for the future. The award aims to promote academic excellence and deepen links between academic institutions and policy research organisations while developing future researchers, economists and policy thinkers.

New Weekend Crusading Guide

1. DANGER! GHS NATIONAL I.T SYSTEMS SHUTDOWN

Summary: Ghana Health Service national I.T systems have been shut down over an unpaid US$64,510 cloud hosting bill. The shutdown took effect on October 29, 2026, after the provider switched off all 10 servers supporting DHIMS2, PBMIS, the National Malaria Data Repository and other platforms. GHS Director-General Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea says there has been no security breach and no data lost, with nightly encrypted backups current to October 29. Hospitals have been ordered to switch to manual record-keeping, completing paper registers and monthly summary forms for October and November 2026 for later entry into DHIMS2. GHS is seeking approval for US$64,510.95 to restore the account, while the alternative of new servers and rebuilding from backups could take up to six weeks.

2. GoldBod Targets $1.2Bn FX For November

Summary: GoldBod generated US$1.011 billion in foreign exchange from small-scale gold trading in October, below its US$1.5 billion target, and sold all of it to authorised commercial banks through its GoFX platform. For November, it projects US$1.2 billion, with US$800 million earmarked for commercial banks. GoldBod says the sales support forex market stability and the Bank of Ghana’s reserve build-up under the Ghana Accelerated National Reserve Accumulation Policy, but it has not said how the remaining US$400 million for November will be used.

3. ANUANOM! AKISS OLD STUDENTS HEADS BACK TO SCHOOL

Summary: Former students of Akim Swedru Senior High School (AKISSS), known as Anuanom, are heading back to school for a homecoming celebration. The 2026 Anuanom Homecoming Celebration runs from November 6 to 8, 2026, under the theme “Honouring Our Past, Empowering Our Future.” Activities include arrival and registration, candle night and music night, a visit to the Oda Big Tree, a float through Swedru town, project presentations, sports, a street carnival and entertainment, to reconnect alumni, celebrate shared memories and support their alma mater.

4. ACG Hauls Okudzeto Ablakwa To CHRAJ

Summary: Advocacy for Citizens Ghana (ACG) has petitioned CHRAJ to investigate alleged financial irregularities in the GH¢49.72 million spent on evacuating 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa. The petition, dated November 2, 2026, questions expenditure records, beneficiary payments and procurement for the exercise overseen by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. It cites claims that only 824 people could be confirmed as receiving both the GH¢5,000 reintegration grant and GH¢500 transport allowance, questions GH¢27.18 million on chartered flights and GH¢9.42 million on commercial tickets, and alleges duplicate payments. ACG says the issues are allegations requiring independent verification, not proof of wrongdoing. Ablakwa has rejected claims of missing funds.

The Informer

1. Kwesi Pratt Blasts Ablakwa – Over SA Evacuation

Summary: Veteran journalist Kwesi Pratt Jnr has criticised Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa over the handling of the South Africa evacuation and ministry affairs. Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, Pratt said Ablakwa should allow the ministry’s officials and departments to carry out their responsibilities instead of personally leading the public response to every issue. He warned that the minister’s approach exposes him to unnecessary criticism and scrutiny over routine administrative decisions. On the evacuation spending, Pratt said inconsistencies in the accounts do not on their own establish wrongdoing and should be reconciled by competent professionals before conclusions are drawn. He cautioned against demanding Ablakwa’s dismissal on the basis of suspicion alone, while agreeing the NPP is within its rights to question public expenditure.

2. Kpebu Disowns Ablakwa’s $21bn ORAL Figure

Summary: Former Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) committee member Martin Kpebu says the US$21.19 billion asset-recovery estimate was Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa’s personal view, not a finding agreed by the committee. Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on November 4, 2026, Kpebu said the five-member committee never conducted a formal valuation to arrive at the figure and neither he nor any other member endorsed it. He stressed Ablakwa’s own wording was conditional, saying “if we are successful.” Ablakwa announced the projection in February 2025 after reviewing 36 major cases. Kpebu also warned that chronic understaffing at the Attorney-General’s office, with too few investigators and state attorneys, is stalling prosecutions of ORAL cases.

3. Mahama Defends Traffitech – Says Roads Slaughtering Children Indiscriminately

Summary: President John Dramani Mahama has defended the TraffiTech-GH traffic enforcement system, saying it is about saving lives, not punishing drivers. Speaking on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, he said speeding continues to kill and maim children every year, with schoolchildren knocked down while coming from school, some killed and others permanently injured. He rejected calls to fix all roads first before enforcement, citing the UK where speed cameras operate despite imperfect roads. He said TraffiTech has started with speeding only, with red-light jumping and illegal parking to be added later. He reminded motorists the maximum speed in town is 50 km/h, said drivers who obey it have nothing to fear, and urged police to put up signposts warning motorists where cameras are located for transparency.

4. JUSAG Vows To Continue Strike

Summary: The Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) says its nationwide indefinite strike will continue until government approves the Judicial Council’s advice on its revised conditions of service in line with CI 141, Regulation 25. The strike began on Monday, November 2, 2026, after 10 months of unsuccessful efforts since December 2025 to secure approval for the 2026 salary review. JUSAG says approval of the substantive advice is the precondition for calling off the strike, not just payment of arrears. Government has approved payment of 10 months of arrears in two instalments, January to May in November and June to October in December, but JUSAG says that addresses only one part of its demands. Most courts have remained closed, although the Supreme Court sat on Tuesday on the orders of the Chief Justice.

The Metro Lens

1. Eastern NHIS Quiz – Pope John SHS & Jnr. Seminary Pips Suhum And Aburi SHTS

Summary: Pope John SHS and Junior Seminary have emerged champions of the Eastern Regional NHIS Inter-School Quiz. The Koforidua-based school beat Suhum SHTS and Aburi SHTS in the final contest to win the Eastern title. The quiz, featured on Page 10, is part of the NHIS Inter-School Quiz competition to promote awareness of the National Health Insurance Scheme, health insurance, and health education among senior high school students.

2. Annoh-Dompreh Blasts Delays, Demands Deputy A-G’s Appearance in Parliament

Summary: Minority Chief Whip and Nsawam-Adoagyiri MP Frank Annoh-Dompreh has criticised delays in scheduling parliamentary motions arising from completed committee reports. Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, he questioned why reports submitted by committees were yet to be scheduled for consideration by the House even though the committees had finished their work. He cited the Collins-Dalda matter, insisting the committee report was ready before Parliament adjourned, contrary to suggestions that the committee had failed to complete its work. He called for greater accountability and coordination among parliamentary leaders and demanded the appearance of the Deputy Attorney-General in Parliament over the matter.

3. Mahama To US: Stop The Gun Bloodbath!

Summary: President John Dramani Mahama has urged the United States to confront gun violence and the easy access to firearms after the deaths of Ghanaians in New York. Speaking at a meet-the-press session at Jubilee House on Thursday, November 5, 2026, he mourned 15-year-old Javits Frimpong, who was shot dead on October 29, 2026, while walking to school in the Bronx, and 24-year-old Joseph Owusu, whose body was found near a dumpsite after he had been missing for two weeks. Mahama said the exact cause of Javits’ death is still under NYPD investigation, with some accounts blaming bullying, and urged Ghanaians to let the investigation conclude. He linked the violence to America’s constitutional right to bear arms, saying anybody can go to a gun shop to buy a gun, and to a growing mental health crisis from the stresses of modern living. He said America must reckon with the violent nature of its society, especially gun violence, in schools and workplaces.

4. Experts Advocate For Consumer Protection Law in Ghana

Summary: Experts are advocating for the urgent passage of a comprehensive Consumer Protection Law in Ghana. They argue Ghana has waited too long and the delay has created a legal vacuum that leaves consumers unprotected and markets without discipline. Consumer protection in Ghana is currently fragmented across multiple statutes and sector regulators like the GSA, FDA, NPA, Bank of Ghana, PURC and NCA, which weakens enforcement and confuses citizens seeking redress. Experts say without a unified law, rights to safety, information, choice, being heard, redress, consumer education and fair value are routinely violated, with documented cases of price exploitation, misleading information, substandard goods and weak redress systems. They also want a Competition Law to tackle price fixing, collusion and abuse of dominance, as required under the AfCFTA Protocol on Competition.

The Ghanaian Publisher

1. Speaker Bullying Minority – …Osahen Cries Foul

Summary: Minority Leader Osahen Alexander Afenyo-Markin has accused Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin of parliamentary bullying after Damongo MP Samuel Abu Jinapor was removed from the chamber on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Jinapor, who is Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, had alleged that diplomatic passports were being sold for between US$10,000 and US$50,000 and called for Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa to answer questions. The Speaker directed him to withdraw the allegation. Afenyo-Markin said Jinapor sought clarification and then expressly withdrew twice, yet the order for him to leave was maintained. The Minority described the action as disproportionate, humiliating and an act of parliamentary bullying, and walked out in solidarity. Afenyo-Markin said the Minority has material raising concerns about false representation and impersonation in procuring diplomatic and service passports, and demanded that the matter be investigated through proper parliamentary procedures. He also accused the Majority of using its numbers to frustrate scrutiny and urged the Speaker to show greater impartiality and distinguish legitimate dissent from disrespect.

2. GJA Awards: Accra Set For Big Night Tomorrow

Summary: Accra is set for the big night of the 30th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Media Awards on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at the Palms Convention Centre, La Palm Royal Beach Hotel. The GJA has announced 53 nominees selected from 327 entries from 206 applicants, covering journalistic work published in 2025. The awards will be held under the theme “30th GJA Media Awards: Celebrating Excellence, Advancing Media Freedom and Combating Hate Speech in the Digital Age.” GJA President Albert Kwabena Dwumfour said the theme reflects the commitment to honour professional excellence while tackling hate speech, misinformation and disinformation. The prestigious P.A.V. Ansah Journalist of the Year award remains the ultimate prize. President John Dramani Mahama is expected as Special Guest of Honour and Keynote Speaker, with the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II as Patron and the Ga Mantse King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II chairing the ceremony, alongside over 1,000 guests from government, corporate Ghana and the media.

3. Veep Vows War On Sex-For-Jobs & Grades

Summary: Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has vowed war on sex-for-jobs and sex-for-grades in workplaces and educational institutions. Speaking at a conference on sexual exploitation in Accra on Thursday, November 5, 2026, organised by the Ark Foundation, she described the practices as abuses of power that undermine human dignity, institutional integrity and national development. She said no job or academic qualification should come at the cost of anyone’s dignity, and no person entrusted with authority has the right to demand that dignity. She called for stronger accountability mechanisms, swift investigations, and effective enforcement of laws to protect victims and survivors. She cited the 1992 Constitution, the Labour Act, 2003, and ILO Convention 190 on Violence and Harassment, and pointed to the Affirmative Action Regulations, 2026, and the revised National Gender Policy. She urged institutions to set up independent and confidential reporting channels, especially where the accused wields influence over employment, promotion or academic prospects.

The Daily Gist

1. Ablakwa Cooked ORAL’s $21.19bn Recovery Figure – Martin Kpebu Blows Cover

Summary: Former ORAL committee member Martin Kpebu has disowned the US$21.19 billion asset-recovery figure announced by ORAL Chairman Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Tuesday, November 4, 2026, Kpebu said the five-member committee never conducted a formal valuation to arrive at the figure and neither he nor any other member endorsed it. He said Ablakwa’s comment was a personal comment, not a collective decision, and stressed Ablakwa’s own wording was conditional, saying “if we are successful.” Ablakwa announced the projection in February 2025 after reviewing 36 major cases, putting potential recoveries at US$20.49 billion plus US$702.8 million from looted lands, totalling US$21.19 billion. Kpebu also warned that chronic understaffing at the Attorney-General’s office, with too few investigators and state attorneys, is stalling prosecutions of ORAL cases.

2. $1.7bn Cocaine Shipped Out – NPP Alleges

Summary: The NPP alleges that US$1.7 billion worth of cocaine has been shipped out of Ghana. Second National Vice Chairman Henry Nana Boakye said at a press conference on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, that between March 2025 and October 2026, Ghana recorded at least 14 major drug busts, with cocaine seized abroad alone valued at between US$1.3 billion and US$1.7 billion. He cited nearly 4,500kg in wood seized at Amsterdam in June 2025, 2,829kg in cassava flour seized at Antwerp in November 2025, 1,158kg at Antwerp in December 2025, about 3.9 tonnes in plastic waste seized at Dunkirk in September 2026 valued at about 225 million euros, 320kg in charcoal seized in Australia in April 2026 worth about US$210 million, and 46.7kg carried by a Syrian national arrested in Beirut on October 31, 2026, after flying from Accra. He said not a single head had rolled at NACOC, Ghana Airports Company, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority or National Security, and demanded their sacking, a bipartisan parliamentary inquiry, and publication of the missing anti-drug roadmap within seven days.

3. Asiedu Nketiah Is Contesting NDC Presidential Race – Fifi Kwetey Hints

Summary: NDC General Secretary Fifi Fiavi Kwetey has hinted that National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah has earned the right to contest the NDC presidential race. Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, Kwetey said Asiedu Nketiah qualifies to run for president, saying he has served the party diligently at the highest level as General Secretary and now National Chairman. He said it should not be a problem at all if he wants to go for the highest position. Kwetey stressed his remarks were not an endorsement and that the decision must be made by party members through a fair contest. He said his job is to ensure a level playing field for everybody and let the party determine its next flagbearer. Asiedu Nketiah, popularly known as General Mosquito, has not yet formally declared.

The Daily Searchlight

1. STOP DEMANDING SEX FOR JOBS, GRADES! – …Opoku-Agyemang Condemns Evil Practice, Calls For Accountability

Summary: Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has condemned the evil practice of demanding sex for jobs and sex for grades in workplaces and educational institutions. Speaking at the 2026 Sex for Jobs Conference in Accra on Thursday, November 5, 2026, organised by the Ark Foundation, she described the practice as an abuse of power, a violation of bodily autonomy and a breach of institutional trust. She said no job or academic qualification should come at the cost of anyone’s dignity, and no person entrusted with authority has the right to demand that dignity. She called for stronger accountability, swift and thorough investigations, and sanctions for persons found culpable. She said sexual exploitation is a drain on national development, causing lost productivity, wasted talent and declining public confidence in institutions. She called for independent and confidential reporting channels, especially where the accused holds power over employment, promotion or academic progress. She cited the 1992 Constitution, the Labour Act, 2003, ILO Convention 190 on Violence and Harassment, the Affirmative Action Regulations, 2026, and the revised National Gender Policy. She said laws alone will not solve the problem and institutions must take responsibility for confronting misconduct.

2. IFS Proposes Measures Government Can Deploy To Mobilise Revenue

Summary: The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has proposed measures government can deploy to mobilise revenue and fix weak revenue mobilisation that is constraining public investment and deepening fiscal pressures. IFS says government must overhaul its mining revenue framework, strengthen enforcement against revenue leakages and review tax incentives. It says the current concession system gives the bulk of resources to multinational companies and deprives Ghana of substantial benefits from its rich extractive sector. IFS proposes greater state participation in resource extraction through joint ventures or production-sharing agreements, as in the oil sector, instead of relying only on royalties and taxes. It says production-sharing yields more substantial revenue and improves foreign exchange inflows to strengthen the cedi on a sustainable basis. It also warns against rushing back to the international bond market and says GoldBod alone does not address the root cause, because it merely trades gold. IFS also calls for plugging leakages in state-owned enterprises, improving tax compliance and reviewing exemptions.

3. Bawumia Accuses Bank Of Ghana Of Losing GH¢1.7 Billion Through Gold Trading & Urges Building Gold Reserves

Summary: NPP flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has accused the Bank of Ghana of losing GH¢1.7 billion through gold trading and urged building gold reserves. Speaking at a town hall meeting in Tokyo, Japan, he said the losses could have been avoided if the Gold for Reserves programme had remained focused on accumulating gold for Ghana’s reserves, as originally intended. He said once you decide to start trading in gold, you will make those losses. The figure matches an IMF assessment of losses of more than US$1.7 billion, about 1.5 per cent of GDP, on the Bank’s Domestic Gold Purchase Programme in 2025, attributed largely to trading dore, service and assay fees, discounts to off-takers and differences between purchase and accounting exchange rates. Bawumia did not provide a breakdown and the Bank of Ghana had not responded by Thursday evening. Responsibility for the domestic purchase programme moved from the Bank to GoldBod on July 1, 2026. Bawumia also defended his focus on digitisation, saying the world economy is now digital.

4. Government Reduces Hamile Curfew Hours Following Deadly Border Explosion

Summary: Government has reduced the Hamile curfew hours following the deadly border explosion. The Ministry of the Interior announced that from Thursday, November 5, 2026, the curfew in Hamile Township and surrounding communities in the Lambussie District, Upper West Region, will run from 10:00 pm to 4:00 am, replacing the previous 6:00 pm to 5:00 am restriction. The change cuts the daily restriction from 11 hours to six, on the advice of the National Security Council and through an Executive Instrument signed by Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak. The total ban on possession of guns, ammunition and other offensive weapons remains in force. The original curfew was imposed on Tuesday, November 3, after an explosion during a Ghana Immigration Service border patrol in the Hamile sector. A four-member patrol team encountered a motor tricycle carrying two occupants towards Burkina Faso along an unapproved route. When officers tried to stop it, the rider veered off and explosives on the vehicle detonated, killing one immigration officer and the two civilians at the scene, while a second officer sustained severe injuries and was airlifted to the 37 Military Hospital in Accra. Lambussie MP Prof. Titus Beyuo has welcomed the review but called for the curfew to be lifted completely.

Business & Financial Times

1. Rethink mining concessions, tax incentives to boost revenue – IFS

Summary: Government must overhaul its mining revenue framework, strengthen enforcement against revenue leakages and review tax incentives to raise domestic revenue, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has said, warning that weak revenue mobilisation is constraining public investment and deepening fiscal pressures. IFS presented its latest policy brief, titled A Reexamination of the Low Government Revenue Mobilization in Ghana, at a pre-budget press conference in Accra. It said Ghana generated only US$1.60 billion in revenue from mining in 2025, representing 11.9 per cent of the sector’s value added of US$13.40 billion. Applying Botswana’s average mining revenue-to-value-added ratio of 60.9 per cent would have increased Ghana’s mining revenue to approximately US$8.16 billion, a shortfall of US$6.56 billion. IFS attributed Botswana’s stronger performance to government active participation through partnerships, earning dividends and royalties plus corporate tax. It recommended Ghana consider direct government investment through partnerships or adopt production-sharing agreements as an alternative to concessions. It said improving mining revenue alone could raise Ghana’s total revenue and grants-to-GDP ratio from 15.7 per cent to 21.4 per cent, above the Sub-Saharan African average. It also flagged persistent leakages and excessive tax exemptions.

2. IMF backs 2027 fiscal plan amid external risks

Summary: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has backed Ghana’s 2027 fiscal plan amid external risks, after reaching staff-level agreement on the first review of the country’s 36-month Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI). The IMF team, led by Ruben Atoyan, visited Accra from October 22 to November 4, 2026. It said macroeconomic stability is becoming entrenched, with real GDP growing 6.2 per cent year-on-year in the first half of 2026, projected at 5.7 per cent for the full year, and inflation at 5.5 per cent in October, below the Bank of Ghana’s target band of 8 plus or minus 2 per cent. It said the fiscal position is strong, with the primary surplus on track to meet the end-year target, and public debt remains low. It said the 2027 Budget is built on strong foundations, targeting a primary surplus of 0.5 per cent of GDP on a commitment basis, supported by tax measures approved in July 2026, customs and excise review and revenue administration reforms. The fiscal space created will support investment in jobs, infrastructure and the New Economy agenda. It warned rigorous project appraisal, competitive procurement and strict expenditure controls will be critical to preserve debt sustainability. It warned Ghana remains vulnerable to gold, cocoa and oil price swings, geopolitical tensions, tighter global financial conditions, debt rollover needs, and fiscal pressures from energy, cocoa and gold. It also flagged the delayed publication of the audit of ECG’s collection accounts and the need to rebuild reserves.

3. Industrial research can narrow US$8.9bn trade gap with China – CSIR-IIR

Summary: Industrial research can narrow the US$8.9 billion trade gap with China, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – Institute of Industrial Research (CSIR-IIR) has said. Newly appointed Director Dr William Owusu Oduro called for stronger industrial capacity to address trade imbalances, particularly with China. He cited trade data for January to August 2026, showing China exported goods worth US$10.2 billion to Ghana, up 23 per cent year-on-year, while Ghana’s exports to China fell to US$1.3 billion, a gap of about US$8.9 billion. He said China’s exports are mainly high-value finished products like machinery, electronics, steel, vehicles, plastics, footwear and clothing, while Ghana chiefly exports raw materials like petroleum and manganese. He said research institutions must focus on technologies that enable local businesses to enhance production efficiency, lower costs and compete against imports. He proposed an industry immersion programme placing technical staff in manufacturing firms to identify challenges and devise solutions. He said insufficient funding is a barrier and the money needed for research is with the private sector, urging private sector investment and partnerships to commercialise research.

4. BoG pushes tech-driven credit access for underserved businesses

Summary: The Bank of Ghana (BoG) is pushing technology-driven solutions that expand access to productive credit for underserved businesses, as it seeks to translate financial inclusion gains into stronger financial health for households and enterprises. Governor Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama said Ghana has become one of Africa’s leading digital finance markets, with interoperable payment systems, mobile money and fintech innovation driving access for millions. He said access must now translate into better financial health through savings, insurance, pensions, investment, financial literacy and productive, responsible credit. He highlighted MSMEs as the backbone of the economy, accounting for more than 90 per cent of registered businesses, about 70 per cent of GDP and about 80 per cent of employment, yet more than 90 per cent have no access to formal credit. The annual SME financing gap is estimated at US$4.8 billion. BoG is advancing Open Banking and Open Finance to turn mobile money records into credit histories, so lenders can use transaction histories, cash flows and payment patterns as evidence of creditworthiness, especially for businesses without traditional collateral like land and buildings. In June 2026 alone, mobile money platforms processed 954 million transactions worth about GH¢493 billion.

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