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Baba Jamal and the Ayawaso East NDC Primaries: What We Know So Far

By
Ivy Hollys
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baba jamal and vote buying allegations

The name Baba Jamal has dominated political discourse following events surrounding the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries in the Ayawaso East Constituency, which were held to select the party’s candidate for a by-election scheduled for March 3, 2026. At the center of the controversy is Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed, popularly known as Baba Jamal, who until recently was Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria.

Who is Baba Jamal, and what election did he contest?

Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed served as the deputy minister-designate for local government and rural development and holds an MPhil in international politics and a degree in law from the University of Ghana. He won the parliamentary seat for Akwatia constituency for the first time on 7th December 2012 on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress. He lost the seat to Mercy Ama Sey in the 2016 general elections. 

From there, Baba Jamal contested the NDC parliamentary primaries in Ayawaso East two more times before the recent contest. In the most recent contest, he narrowly defeated Hajia Amina Adam, the widow of the late Member of Parliament for the constituency, to emerge as the NDC’s candidate for the upcoming by-election.

However, shortly after the primary ended, allegations of vote buying and inducement began circulating in the media.

What are the allegations against Baba Jamal?

Reports alleged that some delegates who voted in the Ayawaso East primary received items including 32-inch television sets, boiled eggs, and other goods. Critics claimed these items were distributed to influence voting behavior.

While Baba Jamal admitted to distributing television sets, he rejected claims that this amounted to vote buying. He insisted that he was known for supporting constituents and that his actions were being misinterpreted. He also disclosed that he had previously set aside substantial funds to provide loans to constituents.

Why was Baba Jamal recalled as high commissioner to Nigeria?

President John Dramani Mahama ordered the immediate recall of Baba Jamal from his position as Ghana’s high commissioner to Nigeria through a statement issued by the presidency. In the statement, the president directed the minister for foreign affairs to take the necessary administrative and diplomatic steps to effect the recall.

According to the Presidency, although allegations of voter inducement were made against multiple candidates who contested the primary, Baba Jamal was the only serving public officer among them. As such, his continued stay in office was considered inappropriate amid the controversy.

The statement explained that the recall was necessary to preserve the integrity of public office and avoid any perception of impropriety, in line with the government’s Code of Conduct for Political Appointees. 

What steps has the NDC taken?

In response to the allegations, the NDC also issued a statement condemning the alleged conduct, describing it as inconsistent with the party’s values.

The party subsequently established a three-member committee to investigate the matter. The committee is chaired by former Minister for Information, Kofi Totobi Quakyi. Its members include Inusah Fuseini and Emefa Fugah. The committee’s report is expected by tomorrow, February 11, 2026. 

Some have further called for the annulment of the results of the Ayawaso East primaries and the disqualification of any candidates found culpable of vote-buying.

How has Baba Jamal responded?

Reacting to both the recall and the allegations, Baba Jamal, in a statement, denied engaging in any vote buying or electoral malpractice and pledged to cooperate fully with investigations.

“I wish to state categorically that I, Baba Jamal Mohammed Ahmed, have not engaged in any vote buying or election malpractices, and I pledge to avail myself to assist the party in its investigation into the subject matter anytime,” the statement read.

He thanked President Mahama for the opportunity to serve as Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria and expressed appreciation to the NDC in Ayawaso East for the confidence reposed in him to lead the party into the by-election.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor’s statement?

Beyond internal party processes, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) also commenced investigations into allegations of vote buying and vote selling linked to the Ayawaso East NDC primary.

In a statement, the OSP stated that its investigations cover the sources of funding for the alleged corrupt acts. It further alleged that during the conduct of the primary, Baba Jamal abetted individuals who physically assaulted an OSP officer who was attempting to serve an investigative directive related to the allegations.

As a result, the OSP has opened an additional investigation into the alleged assault of an authorized officer in the performance of official duties.

The OSP also reminded the public that vote buying, vote selling, intimidation, and acts of violence during elections are criminal offences under Ghanaian law and warned that offenders will be prosecuted.

Within the space of 24 hours, Baba Jamal won the Ayawaso East NDC primary, faced allegations of vote buying, publicly denied the claims, became the subject of party and state investigations, and was recalled from his diplomatic post as Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria.

As investigations continue, the outcome could have significant implications for the Ayawaso East by-election and broader efforts to curb vote buying in Ghana’s internal party elections.

Maxwell refuses to answer questions about Epstein in congressional hearing

By
Adwoa Afranewaa
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Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted associate of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, refused to answer questions from the US House Oversight Committee on Monday.

Maxwell appeared virtually for a closed-door deposition from the Texas prison where she is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking.

Republican House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer said that “as expected”, Maxwell pleaded the Fifth Amendment, invoking her right to remain silent.

“This is obviously very disappointing,” he said. “We had many questions to ask about the crimes she and Epstein committed, as well as questions about potential co-conspirators.”

In a letter sent to the House Oversight Committee before Maxwell’s appearance, a group of Epstein survivors urged lawmakers to be sceptical of any information provided by Maxwell.

They criticised her for refusing to identify “the many powerful men” involved in Epstein’s trafficking operation and her refusals to “meaningfully cooperate” with law enforcement, saying any “special treatment” or “credibility afforded to her testimony”, would be catastrophic for survivors.

The White House has previously said “no leniency is being given or discussed” in relation to Maxwell.

Maxwell was convicted in 2021 for her role in luring underage girls for Epstein, her former boyfriend, to exploit. Epstein died in prison in 2019. She is seeking a pardon from Trump and has been accused of lying to federal officials.

In a letter addressed to Comer before the deposition, Democratic Representative Ro Khanna said he planned to ask Maxwell about a court document she filed last year saying there were “four named co-conspirators” and 25 others who were not indicted as part of the Epstein investigation.

He also planned to ask about her and the deceased financier’s “social relationship” with Donald Trump, and whether the US president ever discussed a potential pardon for Maxwell with her defence team.

Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, with whom he says he severed contact decades ago, and has not been accused of any crimes by Epstein’s victims.

Khanna said Maxwell’s decision to not answer questions from the Oversight Committee “appears inconsistent with Ms Maxwell’s prior conduct, as she did not invoke the Fifth Amendment when she previously met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to discuss substantially similar subject matter”.

According to a justice department transcript of that meeting in July, Maxwell told Blanche – who previously worked as Trump’s personal attorney – that she did not witness any inappropriate conduct by Donald Trump or former US President Bill Clinton and that a rumoured Epstein “client list” does not exist.

Monday’s deposition was originally scheduled for last August but was postponed by Comer after a request from Maxwell’s lawyers to wait for a Supreme Court ruling related to her case.

The testimony comes as the US Department of Justice has released millions of pages of new files from its investigation into the disgraced financier after a law compelling their unveiling was passed by Congress last year.

Members of Congress will be allowed to view the un-redacted versions of the nearly three million pages in person at the Department of Justice starting on Monday, the BBC’s US news partner CBS reported.

“I think it’s great that the Department of Justice is letting members of Congress come in and look at all the un-redacted versions of the documents,” Comer told reporters at the Capitol on Monday.

A group of Epstein survivors on Sunday released a video calling for further transparency around redactions and certain unreleased files.

Blanche has rejected any accusations of a cover-up, saying previously that the notion of a “hidden tranche of information of men that we know about” and that the justice department is choosing not to prosecute is not the case.

Source: BBC

“Keep faith with us”—Cocobod CEO to Cocoa Farmers

By
Ivy Hollys
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Cocobod on black stars sponsorship

Cocoa farmers across Ghana are intensifying pressure on the government and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) over unpaid arrears for cocoa beans supplied since November 2025. The cocoa farmers say the prolonged delay in payment has severely disrupted their livelihoods and farming activities, leaving many unable to cater to basic needs or properly maintain their farms. According to the cocoa farmers, they have supplied cocoa beans to COCOBOD for months without receiving payment, a situation they describe as unbearable.

Since November 2025, cocoa farmers say repeated appeals to the government and COCOBOD have yielded no concrete results, forcing them to publicly cry out for intervention. They insist that without prompt payment, cocoa farming will become increasingly difficult and unsustainable.

Responding to the concerns, Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD, Randy Abbey, acknowledged the challenges cocoa farmers are facing and assured that efforts are underway to resolve the matter. Mr. Abbey explained that the government, COCOBOD, and the Ministry of Finance are currently reviewing a new funding model aimed at addressing payment delays while supporting long-term value addition in the cocoa sector.

According to him, the existing syndicated financing structure compels COCOBOD to commit a large portion of cocoa beans as collateral for loans, which undermines plans to process cocoa locally. He noted that committing between 70 and 75 percent of cocoa beans for raw export makes it difficult to simultaneously pursue value addition, especially when the country is promoting increased local processing capacity.

“We appreciate what the cocoa farmers are going through. We know these are very difficult times, but we appeal to them to keep faith with us. We will find a solution very soon,” Mr Abbey added. 

Africa Prosperity Dialogues: Gabby Otchere-Darko Slams Africa’s Culture of Signing Treaties Without Implementation

By
Ivy Hollys
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gabby otchere darko at africa prosperity dialogues

Speaking at the just-ended Africa Prosperity Dialogues 2026, Gabby Otchere-Darko, executive chairman and founder of the Africa Prosperity Network, criticized African leaders for what he described as a long-standing pattern of meeting, signing treaties, and failing to implement them, warning that the consequences are threatening the continent’s future.

He said Africa’s biggest challenge is not the lack of ideas or agreements but the persistent failure to act on decisions already taken by its leaders. Referencing the 1991 Abuja Treaty, he recalled that African leaders agreed to establish an Economic Community of Africa, including a single currency and a continental central bank within 34 years. According to him, that timeline brings Africa to 2028, yet little progress has been made toward achieving those goals.

He noted that the lack of commitment to execution has become a recurring theme in Africa’s development journey. At the Africa Prosperity Dialogues, Gabby Otchere-Darko also cited the January 2018 meeting in Addis Ababa, where African leaders signed the Free Movement Protocol, followed two months later by the signing of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement in Kigali.

He explained that while 15 countries were required to ratify the Free Movement Protocol, only four signed, with two of those countries—Mali and Niger—later suspended from the African Union, effectively leaving just two valid signatories. According to him, this trend of repeatedly signing new treaties while neglecting previously agreed ones must come to an end if Africa is serious about progress.

“We need to say enough is enough,” he stressed. “A lot of thought has gone into these treaties and protocols. These are the things that can move our continent forward, yet we feel content protecting borders as if our sovereignty depends on them.”

Gabby Otchere-Darko argued that Africa’s rigid borders are not strengthening sovereignty but weakening it by limiting economic leverage and opportunities for citizens. He said true sovereignty is only meaningful when it delivers dignity and economic empowerment to the people.

The Africa Prosperity Network founder warned that Africa’s greatest threat today is youth unemployment. He revealed that the continent currently has about one billion young people, a number that is rapidly growing. By 2040, Africa’s population is expected to reach about 2.1 billion, with an estimated 1.3 billion people forming the workforce, potentially the largest in the world. However, he cautioned that African economies are not structured to absorb this growing labor force.

“It’s a dangerous space we are entering,” he said at the Africa Prosperity Dialogues, questioning how African governments intend to create jobs for millions of frustrated young people if current economic systems remain unchanged. He further criticized Africa’s inward-looking border policies, especially at a time when global powers are forming strategic economic alliances. He cited a recent free trade agreement between the European Union and India, driven largely by India’s population size and market potential.

Gabby Otchere-Darko urged African leaders to rethink the meaning of sovereignty, insisting that it should be measured by the dignity and opportunities afforded to citizens, not by closed borders and unimplemented agreements. 

A 24-hour economy authority is totally unnecessary for the purposes of delivering a 24-hour economy—Kojo Oppong Nkrumah

By
Ivy Hollys
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Kojo Oppong Nkrumah on the 24-hour economy bill

Former Information Minister and Member of Parliament, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has questioned the relevance of the 24-hour economy bill, arguing that the proposed authority will not deliver the 24-hour economy promised to Ghanaians.

Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, February 5, 2026, during the Third Sitting of the First Meeting of the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said Parliament considered the 24-hour economy bill without access to its accompanying policy document. According to him, the bill was laid on December 3, 2025, while the policy document was only presented on February 4, 2026.

He described the process as “building the first floor before laying the foundation,” stressing that proper parliamentary consideration requires bills and their policy frameworks to be examined together.

Despite his concerns, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah clarified that the Minority was not opposed to the 24-hour economy bill. However, he urged the government to ensure that all remaining policy documents are submitted to Parliament before future bills are introduced, to allow for informed and coordinated deliberation.

Addressing the substance of the bill, the Ofoase Ayirebi MP stated that establishing a 24-hour economy authority is unnecessary for achieving a functioning 24-hour economy. He cited major global cities such as New York, Tokyo, London, Bangkok, Dubai, and Berlin, noting that none of them began their 24-hour economies by setting up a dedicated authority.

According to him, the bill does not operationalize a 24-hour economy but rather creates a new bureaucracy, complete with a chief executive, board, internal auditor, staff, and budgetary demands. He argued that such a structure does not translate into extended economic activity.

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah warned that the 24-hour economy bill may mislead young people into believing it delivers immediate economic transformation when, in reality, it only establishes an administrative body.

He further criticized the bill’s justification on export development, stating that Ghana already has the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), which is fully funded and actively supporting trade expansion. In his view, the proposed authority duplicates existing institutions rather than strengthening them.

The MP said the 24-hour economy bill neither creates a 24-hour economy nor accelerates exports, adding that Parliament must be cautious about passing laws that expand bureaucracy without clear economic outcomes.

Fidelity Bank donates GHS 50,000 to GJA

By
Adwoa Afranewaa
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Fidelity Bank has donated an amount of 50,000 cedis to the Ashanti Regional Chapter of the Ghana Journalists Association.

The donation was made towards the construction of the Ashanti Region GJA press centre during an informative training session for journalists today, February 5, 2026, at the Lancaster hotel in the Ashanti Region.

At a media engagement centred on enhancing the understanding of Ghana’s Banking sector, the Managing Director of Fidelity Bank, Julian Opuni, emphasised the need for collaboration between the media and Ghana’s Banking Sector.

Mr Opuni also explained that it was necessary for banks to stay transparent and communicate with the media to ensure accurate information.

He added that the media needed to be educated on how to interpret the technicalities within the banking sector to help them tell more positive stories

The president of the GJA, Kofi Adu Domfeh accepted the donation and expressed gratitude on behalf of the association. He acknowledged the efforts of the past executives of the association and the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

The GJA president thanked Fidelity Bank for their timely support and commended the bank for being the first to support the project in the Ashanti Region, promising to put the funds to good use. The donation comes ahead of the twentieth anniversary of Fidelity Bank.

The bank assured continued engagement with the media and quality services for its customers.

By: Janice Opoku-Agyemang

I missed the NPP flagbearer/primaries election intentionally—Dr. Arthur Kennedy

By
Ivy Hollys
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Dr. Arthur Kennedy

Dr. Arthur Kennedy has explained that his absence from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) primaries was deliberate. The Canadian-based medical doctor and long-time NPP member said his decision stemmed from dissatisfaction with the party’s internal electoral process. Dr. Kennedy explained that his concerns about the NPP process were longstanding because he had previously expressed opposition to how the primaries were structured.

According to him, the sequence adopted by the party was flawed, likening it to constructing a building from the roof downward.

“You know, before they did it, I said that it sounds like we’re building a house, and we wanted to build the roof first,” he said. While expressing dissatisfaction with the processes, he clarified that his criticism was not directed at the candidates. He said, “I think all the candidates were fine gentlemen, but I just thought the process was wrong.”

Dr. Kennedy said the NPP should have renewed leadership mandates before selecting a flag bearer, arguing that executives should have returned to the grassroots for legitimacy.

He outlined a bottom-up electoral process, “You do your polling station, electoral constituency, national election so that you have new leaders or re-elected leaders with renewed mandates,” he emphasized. “Only after that process should the party hold a flagbearer race.”

Dr. Kennedy rejected claims that the current approach promotes unity within the NPP.  He said unity must be built on credible leadership, emphasizing that the recent process has only complicated the flagbearer’s task. According to him, calls for unity now reflect deeper internal challenges.

Pointing to past voting behavior involving the NPP, he emphasized that party members no longer feel compelled to rally behind candidates automatically. Voters, he said, now exercise greater individual choice.

He questioned the party’s current electoral message, questioning why the NPP is returning to voters with a previously rejected candidate.

On the issue of votes, he described alienation between paid voting delegates and six million nationwide voters, stressing that votes could be ‘bought’ on the party level but not on the national level. He also warned that this challenge extends beyond the NPP, stating that political parties fuel corruption in Ghana’s public space. “I think that the fountainhead of corruption in our public space is the political parties,” he said.  “And until we deal with them, Ghana will continue to struggle.”

Russian attacks on Ukraine energy sites ‘particularly depraved’ -UK PM Starmer

By
Adwoa Afranewaa
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Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector on Monday night – as temperatures dropped to -20C (-4F) – were “barbaric” and “particularly depraved”, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said.

He made the comments after speaking to US President Donald Trump hours after Russia hit power plants and critical infrastructure in the capital, Kyiv, and elsewhere.

The attacks came at the end of a week-long pause that Trump had asked Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to observe as a fierce cold swept Ukraine.

Trump said on Tuesday that Putin had “kept his word” and that he would like him to end the war. Top US envoys are meeting negotiators from Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday and Thursday.

Asked by reporters whether he was disappointed with Russia’s renewed attacks, Trump said, “it [the agreement] was on Sunday, and he [Putin] went from Sunday to Sunday.

“It’s a lot, you know, one week, we’ll take anything, because it’s really, really cold over there.”

The damage from the strikes was extensive, with more than 1,000 tower blocks in Kyiv without heating and a power plant in the eastern city of Kharkiv beyond repair.

Residents were forced to spend the night sheltering in metro stations, with some pitching tents on the platforms to protect them from the freezing cold.

The authorities have been setting up centres around Kyiv for the city’s inhabitants to go to warm up. They are also importing more generators in order to cope with longer blackout periods as engineers try to repair damage.

Ukraine has complained repeatedly of a shortage of missiles – urging allies to deliver more.

Nato’s Secretary-General Mark Rutte was in Kyiv hours after the attacks and said he was urging member countries to “dig deep in their stockpiles” and provide the missiles Ukraine needs.

Source: BBC

Trump says Putin will not attack Ukraine cities during cold week

By
Adwoa Afranewaa
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US President Donald Trump says Russia’s Vladimir Putin has agreed not to attack Ukraine’s capital Kyiv and other parts of the country for a week due to “extraordinary cold” weather.

Russia has not confirmed an agreement, but Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the move.

While Trump did not specify when the pause would begin, overnight into Friday air raid alerts went off in just four Ukrainian regions that are close to the frontline.

Temperatures in Kyiv were due to plummet from Thursday, reaching -24C (-11F) over the next few days. In recent weeks, Russia has intensified attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, as it has during cold periods since the full-scale invasion began in 2022.

Ukraine’s air force said on Friday that the four areas where sirens had gone off had been targeted by 80 Russian drones and a ballistic missile.

Speaking at a televised cabinet meeting in Washington DC on Thursday, Trump said: “I personally asked President Putin not to fire into Kyiv and the various towns for a week, and he agreed to do that.”

“It was very nice. A lot of people said, ‘Don’t waste the call, you’re not going to get that.’ And he [Putin] did it,” the US president added.

He said of the Ukrainians: “Almost they didn’t believe it, but they were very happy about it because they are struggling badly.”

Later on Thursday, in a social media post, Zelensky said Trump had made an “important statement” about “the possibility of providing security for Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities during this extreme winter period”.

“Our teams discussed this in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). We expect the agreements to be implemented,” he said.

The BBC understands that Ukraine has agreed to mirror Moscow’s actions – pausing its own attacks on Russian oil refineries in response.

Last week, Russian, Ukrainian and US negotiators met in the UAE for the first trilateral talks since the war began.

All sides described the talks as constructive, but there has been no announcement that Russia had agreed to pause its attacks for the duration of the extreme cold currently gripping the region.

Instead, attacks have continued, crippling the power supply to major Ukrainian cities, leaving millions without heating or electricity.

Electrical companies have been carrying out round-the-clock repairs, but their work can be quickly undone by Russian air attacks.

Even when power is restored, the supply only lasts a few hours – enough to charge appliances but not to substantially warm up homes.

Source: BBC

Kennedy Agyapong will unite the NPP- Lawyer William Kusi

By
Adwoa Afranewaa
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Kennedy Agyapong is the best person to forge unity within the NPP after the party’s presidential primaries, according to Lawyer William Kusi, spokesperson of the Kennedy Agyapong campaign team in the Ashanti Region.

Speaking to Alfa Ali on the Orange Sunrise this morning, Lawyer William Kusi said that, should Kennedy Agyapong be elected as flagbearer of the party, he would bring back Alan Kyerematen to the NPP.

“Kyerematen is coming back, everyone is coming back”, he said. When asked why the Finance Minister would want to rejoin the New Patriotic Party (NPP), he said it was because John Alan Kyerematen had the NPP in his DNA.

He also defended his candidate’s refusal to apologise to Dr Bawumia for labelling him as a liar, saying that personal descriptions should not be taken as a final pronouncement.

“The message that Dr Adu Boahen was not re-elected because he was sick is a palpable lie coming from the camp of Bawumia. Why are not bothered about people who want the presidency but want to rely on lies to win the elections?”, he quizzed.

Lawyer William Kusi added that Kennedy Agyapong’s win on Saturday will be a win for the NPP and Ghana and urged delegates to vote for Kennedy Agyapong.

The NPP will have their presidential primaries on Saturday, January 31, 2026. The five flagbearer hopefuls are former vice president Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Dr Osei Adutwum, Kennedy Agyapong, Dr Byran Acheampong and Ing. Kwabena Agyapong.

By: Janice Opoku-Agyemang

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