Rainforest Builder Ghana has unveiled a massive native tree nursery in Bassengele, Bibiani. The facility can produce up to 5 million seedlings annually. It is now the largest of its kind in Africa. The nursery is part of efforts to restore 100,000 hectares of degraded forest land in Ghana. The project supports the country’s reforestation and climate goals.

More than 600 workers—most from nearby communities—are employed at the nursery. It uses advanced irrigation systems and is central to the company’s restoration strategy.

“This nursery is not just about trees,” said Enver Mapanda, General Manager of Rainforest Builder Ghana. “It reflects our long-term commitment to restoring Ghana’s forest landscapes.”

She said the work aligns with national goals on climate resilience, biodiversity, green jobs, and carbon removal.

Project Akwaaba and Reforestation Impact

Rainforest Builder Ghana was set up in 2023. Its main programme, Project Akwaaba, has already restored over 1,500 hectares in the Upper Wassa, Anhwiaso South, and Anhwiaso East reserves.

In 2025, the company aims to restore an additional 2,000 hectares, doubling the amount achieved the previous year.

“At the heart of our operations is a fully integrated value chain,” Ms Mapanda said. This includes seed collection, nursery work, planting, forest protection, financial planning, and access to the carbon market.

She noted that restoring forests also removes carbon dioxide from the air, generating carbon credits that can be invested in nature-based solutions.

Local Jobs and National Partnership

Ms Mapanda said the company plans to employ more than 900 workers this year. Local communities, she said, will be direct beneficiaries of the forest economy.

The company will also donate 10,000 seedlings to the Forestry Commission. This will support the government’s national tree-planting drive.

“We’re building inclusive and sustainable rainforest economies,” she added. “The people who live with and care for these forests must also be the ones who benefit.”

Government Support and 50-Year Lease

Dr. Hugh Clement Adokwei Brown, CEO of the Forestry Commission, attended the launch. He welcomed the project and said it came at the right time.

The government, he said, is targeting 30 million trees nationwide, with 40% expected to come from private firms.

“This ‘Akwaaba Project’ is evidence to show the world that Ghana is serious about deforestation,” Dr Brown said. He added that the project demonstrates Ghana’s commitment to restoring degraded land and combating climate change.

The company has a 50-year lease to operate and is currently focused on the Western North Region. Dr Brown praised Rainforest Builder Ghana for creating jobs and promoting sustainable growth.

President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the much-anticipated 24-hour Economy policy will officially begin on July 1, 2025. The policy, a key promise in the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s 2024 manifesto, is expected to transform productivity across multiple sectors of Ghana’s economy.

Speaking at the 2025 Ghana Horticulture Expo in Accra on Wednesday, June 11, President Mahama called the initiative a “game-changing strategy” designed to fully unlock the country’s production capabilities. He said the move will enhance round-the-clock operations in various industries, especially in agriculture and agribusiness.

Mahama stressed the policy’s impact on the horticulture industry, noting that 24-hour operations will help reduce post-harvest losses by enabling faster transportation of perishable goods — such as pineapples, vegetables, and herbs — to international markets.

“This policy will provide the framework for continued production, processing, and logistics in horticulture,” he said. “It allows perishable goods to move swiftly from the field to international shelves, minimising losses and maximising value.”

He also revealed plans to extend the 24-hour framework to key logistical points, including Ghana’s two main ports. According to Mahama, the Ministries of Trade, Industry, Agri-business, and Transport are collaborating with agencies like the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), and the Ghana Shippers’ Council to soon designate the Tema and Takoradi ports as full 24-hour operational hubs.

Ghanaians will soon enjoy visa-free travel to Morocco under a new bilateral agreement aimed at strengthening ties between the two countries. Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, made this known after a two-day official visit to Morocco.

Under the new policy, travellers from Ghana will no longer need to apply for a traditional visa through the Moroccan embassy. Instead, they will use a simplified online travel authorization process that takes less than 24 hours and does not require an in-person interview or embassy appointment. Ablakwa believes the arrangement significantly eases the burden of travel and will lead to stronger people-to-people connections.

He emphasized that the agreement is expected to boost tourism and trade, opening up opportunities for closer collaboration in various sectors. The policy change was finalized during a meeting between Ablakwa and Morocco’s Foreign Minister, H.E. Nasser Bourita, as part of a broader push to improve African cooperation.

To support the new policy, the number of direct flights between Ghana and Morocco will also be increased, making travel more accessible and convenient. Ablakwa framed the development as a step toward redefining African borders—not as barriers but as bridges connecting communities and cultures.

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The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has raised the alarm over rising exam malpractice, spotlighting the Bono, Bono East, and Ahafo regions as the worst-affected areas in the country.

In 2023 alone, 18,504 candidates were found to have engaged in various forms of cheating. Early indicators for 2024 suggest the problem is not abating.

At a recent stakeholders’ forum, Daniel Nii Dodoo, Head of Humanities at WAEC’s Test Division, warned that the surge in malpractice threatens not just academic integrity but national security. “It undermines institutions and erodes public trust,” he said, calling for immediate intervention in hotspot regions.

Dodoo emphasized that while the Ashanti Region continues to record significant irregularities, the Bono areas now lead in confirmed cases. He clarified that the data is not meant to stigmatize any area but to prompt targeted interventions by regional education directors.

He urged stricter enforcement of regulations and tighter monitoring across schools: “Unchecked malpractice devalues certificates and risks exposing underqualified individuals in the job market.”

The Council also listed modern cheating tactics, including the use of phones, AI platforms, and photocopied answer sheets. Some candidates even smuggle foreign materials into exam halls.

WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi, underscored the role of evolving technologies in fueling the trend and warned that without strong cooperation from stakeholders—including the Ghana Education Service, school heads, and local authorities—the education system’s credibility is at risk.

WAEC states that a coordinated national response is crucial to restoring integrity and safeguarding the future of Ghana’s students.

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President John Dramani Mahama has revealed that the government will soon impose a nationwide ban on the importation and use of Styrofoam for food packaging, citing its harmful impact on the environment.

Marking World Environment Day, the President highlighted Styrofoam—commonly used for takeout food—as a significant source of pollution in Ghana. “When you go to buy your food, and they put it in that white plastic container, you eat it and then just dump it,” he said. “That is one of the biggest polluters.”

Mahama emphasised that the government, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, will soon outlaw both the production and importation of Styrofoam. He called on manufacturers and importers to prepare for the shift, urging a transition to alternatives such as paper or aluminium foil packaging.

“We’re going to ban the importation of Styrofoam plastics,” he stated. “We have to use paper packaging or aluminium foil for packaging our food.”

He also emphasised the importance of transitioning away from landfill-based waste management and adopting sustainable practices. The pending ban, he said, forms part of a wider national policy to reduce plastic waste, protect public health, and preserve ecosystems.

Environmental groups have welcomed the move, calling it a significant step toward a more sustainable and eco-conscious Ghana.

Three major tertiary education unions in Ghana—UTAG, TUTAG, and CETAG—have jointly issued an ultimatum to the government over delays in the payment of their Book and Research Allowance (BRA). The associations state that if payment processes do not commence by Thursday, the 13th of June, 2025, they will embark on a nationwide strike.

In a joint statement issued today, the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), the Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG), and the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) expressed what they called “deep concern and discontent” over what they described as an undue delay in releasing the approved exchange rate and subsequent payment of the allowance.

“This delay has caused significant uncertainty and frustration among our members, who depend on this critical support for their research and academic work,” the unions said.

Following a joint meeting held on the 8th of June 2025, the associations resolved that the government must urgently release the applicable exchange rate and commence the payment process.

“Despite the late release of the rates, we have resolved that we will not accept an extension of payments beyond September 2025,” they stressed. “This allowance is a statutory entitlement under our Conditions of Service and an essential resource for advancing research, teaching, and knowledge sharing.”

The unions warned that failure to act by the deadline would be treated as a formal strike notice.

“If the government fails to commence the payment process by the 13th of June 2025, this will trigger an immediate industrial action across all campuses,” the statement warned.

The associations concluded by urging swift government intervention to avoid disruptions to the academic calendar. “We urge the government to act swiftly to avert any disruption and ensure that the welfare of teachers and the broader academic community is prioritised.”

In a bold move to avert what it calls an impending crisis in Ghana’s power sector, the government has introduced a new GH¢1 levy on every litre of petrol, diesel, and related petroleum products.

The proposed levy, outlined in the Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill presented to Parliament, is aimed at raising critical funds to address a staggering US$3.1 billion energy sector debt that Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson says threatens the country’s economic stability.

“The power sector is the biggest economic and fiscal risk we face presently,” Dr. Forson warned lawmakers. “It could lead to a major crisis if we fail to confront it head-on.”

The Finance Minister explained that without immediate intervention, Ghana risks further fuel shortages, unpaid bills to independent power producers, and the collapse of financial guarantees, including a US$512 million World Bank IDA guarantee and a US$120 million GMPC guarantee—both of which are fully drawn down in 2024.

“To restore these guarantees alone, the government requires an additional US$632 million,” Dr Forson said, noting that an estimated US$3.7 billion will be needed to clean up the sector’s debt in total.

With the country’s growing reliance on thermal power generation, fuel costs have surged. Yet, current electricity tariffs do not fully account for these expenses. Including fuel costs in tariffs, the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission estimates could spike electricity prices by 50%—a burden the minister said households and businesses could not afford.

“In 2025 alone, we will need US$1.2 billion just to procure fuels for thermal power. The fiscal space cannot absorb this,” Dr Forson stressed.

To bridge the funding gap, Dr Forson proposed the GH¢1-per-litre levy, assuring Parliament that this would not cause a rise in fuel prices. “Simulations show there will be no increase in the ex-pump price of petrol and diesel in the current pricing window if this levy is imposed,” he said, crediting the stability of the Ghana cedi for absorbing any potential impact.

Opposition Cries Foul

The Minority, however, rejected the proposal outright, accusing the government of introducing what they described as a rebranded version of the controversial Electronic Transactions Levy (E-Levy), which was recently repealed.

“You said in your budget that you wouldn’t introduce new taxes,” Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin told the House. “You repealed the E-Levy, and now you’re reintroducing it under the guise of an Energy Sector Levy.”

Mocking the bill’s acronym, Afenyo-Markin quipped, “What is Energy Sector Levy, short form? E-Levy. Energy starts with ‘E’. The Hansard is watching, and one day, this precedent will come back to haunt you.”

He also criticised the Finance Minister’s assurance that the levy would have no financial impact, describing it as “misleading.”

Speaker Steps In, Majority Defends

First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor stepped in to calm tensions, clarifying that the proposed fuel tax bears no resemblance to the repealed E-Levy in either purpose or mechanism.

Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga also came to the bill’s defence, framing it as a collective sacrifice to prevent the return of power outages. “It is not E-Levy,” he said. “This bill simply asks Ghanaians to contribute GH¢1 per litre of fuel to help end dumsor. We all have a part to play in fixing the power sector.”

The bill has since been referred to the relevant parliamentary committee for further scrutiny and is expected to be passed shortly.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) is set to press criminal charges against high-ranking officials of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) over an alleged corrupt scheme involving more than GH¢280 million. The OSP will file the charges before the end of June.

The alleged offences occurred between 2022 and 2024, following months of investigation into the operations of the NPA. In February 2025, the OSP announced a probe into former NPA Chief Executive Mustapha Abdul-Hamid over the suspected embezzlement of GH¢1.3 billion from the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund (UPPF). The investigation also targeted three other officials: Jacob Amuah, UPPF Coordinator; Freda Tandoh; and Wendy Ashong Newman.

At a press conference on Monday, June 2, Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng confirmed that criminal charges would be filed against four senior officials of the NPA. Although he withheld names, he noted that investigations launched in November 2024 had uncovered widespread abuse of public office.

According to the OSP, officials at the NPA orchestrated a scheme using intimidation, bribery, regulatory pressure, and coercion to extract payments from oil marketing companies and other regulated entities. The illicit activities were reportedly carried out under the guise of licensing, monitoring, and regulatory duties in the petroleum downstream sector.

By tracing financial transactions, the OSP uncovered GH¢280,516,127.19, which is believed to be the proceeds from the scheme. Investigators found that part of this money was used to acquire properties in Ghana and abroad, including apartments, suites, and houses. Some funds were used to purchase 22 fuel haulage trucks, while others helped set up or acquire oil marketing companies. These new businesses then directly competed with the very firms the NPA officials were tasked with regulating.

The OSP said that the first round of charges would target both individual perpetrators and complicit companies. Once charges are filed, a full public briefing will follow, detailing the roles of each accused person, the assets acquired, and any recoveries made.