In a sweeping reform of gold trading regulations, the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has issued a bold directive. All licenses granted by the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) or the Minister for Mines are now invalid.
This change follows the Ghana Gold Board Act (Act 1140), passed on March 29 and signed into law on April 2, 2025.
“Any Ghanaian or a fully-owned Ghanaian company whose license has ceased to be valid and/or any Ghanaian who is desirous of dealing in gold, is encouraged to apply for a license under the Ghana Gold Board Act (ACT 1140), 2025, effective Tuesday, 22nd April, 2025.”
The statement added that “An application for a GoldBod license may be done online, via the website of the GoldBod (to be activated and published on the effective date for license applications, 22nd April, 2025) or physically at the GoldBod Licensing and Regulations office located at our head office in Accra.
“All foreigners are hereby notified to exit the local gold trading market not later than 30th April, 2025. A foreigner may, however, apply to the GoldBod to buy or off-take gold directly from the GoldBod.
“It is worthy of note that it shall constitute a punishable offense for a person to purchase or deal in gold in the country without a license issued by the Ghana Gold Board, effective 1st May, 2025.”
The Act designates GoldBod as the exclusive buyer, seller, assayer, and exporter of ASM gold in Ghana. Only large-scale mining companies are exempt from this license revocation under the new gold trading regime.
GoldBod stressed that no one else may export artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) gold from Ghana henceforth. Additionally, only GoldBod, its licensed buyers, aggregators, or service providers can purchase or trade gold locally.
A transition period allows current PMMC or Minister-licensed operators to trade until April 30, 2025. After that date, unlicensed gold trading will be considered a punishable offense under the new regulations.
All local gold purchases must be made in Ghana cedis using rates from the Bank of Ghana website. Ghanaians and fully Ghanaian-owned firms may apply for new GoldBod licenses starting April 22, 2025.
Applications can be submitted online or in person at the GoldBod office in Accra. Foreign nationals must exit the local gold trading market no later than April 30, 2025.
However, foreigners may apply to buy gold directly from GoldBod under the new system. GoldBod emphasized that dealing in gold without its license after May 1, 2025, will be criminally punishable.
This move aims to increase transparency, fight smuggling, and boost state revenue from Ghana’s ASM sector. Gold trading reforms are also expected to strengthen the cedi and improve foreign exchange reserves.
Stay tuned as Ghana’s gold trading landscape enters a new era of state-led oversight and accountability.
The Mayor of Kumasi- KMA, Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, has issued a two-week ultimatum to traders to vacate pavements and roadsides.
Beginning Wednesday, April 16, 2024, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) will launch a decongestion operation in the Central Business District.
Mr. Boadi warned that traders who ignore the directive will face sanctions, including the controversial threat of being physically disciplined.
He condemned the persistence of illegal trading, blaming it for increasing congestion and a breakdown of order in the city. The mayor introduced a new “military-democratic style” of enforcement, blending law and force to ensure compliance with bylaws.
He stated bluntly: “If I’m there with my boys, and you’re still trading, we will beat you on the spot.” Citing Kumasi’s reputation as “Otumfuo’s city” and “the garden city of West Africa,” he stressed the need to preserve its image.
Previous attempts involving arrests and confiscations failed to deter traders, prompting this tougher approach, he said. At a press conference on April 14, 2024, he clarified that he will not tolerate resistance or complaints over the firm measures.
Reactions have been mixed—some praise the bold action, while others criticize the potential for abuse and rights violations. Despite concerns, KMA remains resolute in restoring Kumasi’s order and cleanliness through this uncompromising exercise.
The success of this campaign may depend on balancing strict enforcement with respect for human dignity and fair treatment.
The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre has made significant strides by providing potable water to several communities across Ghana.
The foundation successfully drilled 12 of the 14 boreholes to provide a lasting solution to water challenges in various regions across the country.
Nine of these hand-pump boreholes are completed, and five solar-powered ones are also about 90 percent complete.
Once fully operational, the 14 boreholes are expected to benefit approximately 46,574 residents across various communities, including Jamasi, Agona, Atebubu Mempeasem, Ejisu Kwaso, Kwojobi Kintampo, Esaso Adankwame and Aboaso Heman among others.
This initiative comes as a major relief for communities that have long struggled with inadequate access to clean drinking water.
For instance, residents of Bipoa Mangoase, a small community in the Ashanti Region, previously had no reliable source of clean water, forcing them to resort to unsafe alternatives.
A local resident, Adiza Yussifu says life had become unbearable for them, as they had to venture into a thick bush to access water.
She explains that due to the impurities in the water, they were forced to boil it before drinking to avoid illness.
The establishment of the new borehole has therefore brought significant relief to the entire community.
“We’re very happy, this water project has brought relief to us, my family and I will no longer drink an unsafe water,” she stated.
Residents in parts of Jamasi were compelled to rely on water from private homes, which proved challenging to access whenever the homeowners were away.
Students, workers, and mothers struggled to obtain water for their daily activities.
However, the commissioning of the new borehole has been met with great excitement.
Owusu Yeboah Kingsley, the assembly member for the Jamasi Estate Electoral Area, commends the KSrelief Centre for their timely support.
He states that the project will help alleviate the water challenges faced by the community.
“The water challenge was really serious here, so we thank the organization for coming to our aid,” he noted.
Ishmael Mohammed Kamil, Executive Director of Markaz Aleawn Alyaqin Humanitarian Service, the implementing partner, says the motive of the project was towards significantly reducing water challenges in communities.
“The purpose of these boreholes is for us yo help our villages that are struggling to have access to potable water,” he said.
He mentions that two years ago, fifty-two (52) boreholes were constructed in communities across the nation, and this year, the foundation has decided to add 14 more.
Mr. Kamil notes that since the project’s inception, it has had a significant impact, as many communities no longer rely on unsafe water for their daily activities.
He lauds the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre for its continuous commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable communities in Ghana.
Ishmael Mohammed Kamil urges the government and community leaders to assist in securing suitable lands for these philanthropic efforts, which aim to alleviate the hardships faced by citizens in accessing clean water.
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has announced a 14.75% upward adjustment in the average end-user electricity tariff, along with a 4.02% increase in water tariffs across all consumer categories.
In a statement issued on the review, the commission explained that the adjustment forms part of its quarterly tariff review mechanism, as outlined in its rate-setting guidelines for the periodic adjustment of electricity, water, and natural gas tariffs.
According to the PURC, four main factors influenced the new tariffs: the cedi to US dollar exchange rate, prevailing inflation levels, the electricity generation mix, and the cost of fuel, primarily natural gas, used in power production.
The commission indicated that this move is necessary to strike a balance and prevent both over-recovery and under-recovery of revenues by utility service providers.
In July last year, PURC approved a 4.22% increase in electricity tariffs and a 1.18% rise in water tariffs. With today’s announcement, the average Ghanaian consumer has seen a cumulative increase of 18.97% in electricity tariffs and 5.20% in water charges in less than a year, further tightening household budgets amidst ongoing economic challenges.
The commission defended the latest increment by citing the current revenue under-recovery by utility companies, which it described as causing significant “bleeding” within the sector. It warned that without the tariff increases, some utility providers could face the risk of collapse.
Additionally, PURC emphasized its cautious approach in implementing the new rates, noting that the adjustments could have been steeper had it opted to recover the full debt backlog from previous quarters
Director of Research and Corporate Affairs at the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), Dr. Eric Obutey, has defended recent increases in utility tariffs, insisting that consumers are receiving value for money despite persistent complaints over erratic power supply and inconsistent water flow in parts of the country.
Speaking in an interview earlier today, Dr. Obutey acknowledged the concerns of citizens facing blackouts and water shortages, but emphasized that utility service providers are operating within regulatory benchmarks set by the Commission.
Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), Duncan Amoah, has also called on the PURC to reverse the decision to impose an upward adjustment of utility tariffs.
Duncan Amoah indicated that industry players will oppose the hikes if the government fails to rescind the decision.
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) announced an upward adjustment in the average end-user tariff for electricity by 14.75%, and a 4.02% increase in water tariffs across the board for all categories of consumers.
The PURC attributed the adjustments to factors including the exchange rate between the Ghana cedi and the US dollar, inflation projections, and fuel costs.
The Commission further justified the increment by pointing to the under-recovery of revenue by utility companies, a situation it described as causing serious “bleeding” in those entities. It warned that failure to increase tariffs could potentially push the utility companies out of business.
The statement also highlighted the Commission’s restraint in the adjustments, arguing that the increments could have been more severe had it opted to recoup 100% of the outstanding debts from previous quarters.
Armed robbers shot and killed two police officers at Poyamirea, near Binduri, in the Upper East Region. The officers, dressed in plain clothes, were riding a private motorbike from Bongo to Binduri when ambushed.
The incident occurred on Sunday, April 13, according to a statement by ACP Grace Ansah-Akrofi of the Police Service. The attackers opened fire on the officers and fled the scene on their motorbike, police confirmed.
Police officers have launched a manhunt to capture the suspects involved in the deadly ambush. Authorities are withholding the officers’ names until families are formally notified in line with tradition.
“We will surely get them,” ACP Ansah-Akrofi assured, pledging justice for the slain officers.
Police continue investigations to identify and arrest the perpetrators behind the brutal killing.
Exactly one year after Junior Pope’s tragic passing, his wife, Jennifer Awele Odonwodo, has broken her silence. On April 10, 2024, Junior Pope died in a boat accident while heading to a movie shoot.
Today, April 10, 2025, Jennifer shared an emotional tribute on social media, marking her first post since his death. She described the year as extremely painful for her and their three sons—Jason, Jaden, and Jamon.
Jennifer wrote that grief has remained heavy and the void left by Junior Pope is impossible to fill. She expressed how hard it has been to stay strong for their children in the face of overwhelming sorrow.
“Your love still surrounds us,” she said. “Your laughter echoes in our hearts and presence lingers in silence.” She revealed that the children constantly speak about Junior Pope and the promises he made to them.
Jason and Jaden still wait to be taken to a football academy, as their father once promised. “They said Daddy told them he wouldn’t miss it for anything in the world,” Jennifer painfully recalled.
Jamon, their youngest, still asks when Daddy will bring the toy car he promised him. Jennifer admitted she struggles to find the words to answer her sons’ heartbreaking questions.
She also thanked everyone who supported her and her children throughout the difficult past year. “To our beloved,” she wrote, “you left not just us, but so many who loved you and your works.”
“Though you’re no longer by our side, you live on in every memory, every smile, and every tear.” Jennifer ended her tribute by surrendering to faith, saying, “We cannot question God, right?”
She prayed for Junior Pope’s soul to rest in perfect peace, calling him “my love.” Junior Pope’s legacy continues to live on in Nollywood and the hearts of his fans.
