The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has announced plans to embark on a targeted enforcement operation across the Greater Accra Region this week, in what authorities describe as an effort to rescue vulnerable persons from exploitative begging networks and clamp down on undocumented migrants.
The exercise was disclosed in a statement signed by Deputy Commissioner of Immigration, Maud Anima Quainoo, of the Public Affairs Department. It follows what the Service described as a successful earlier operation, although no details were provided.
The planned sweep is expected to focus on children and other distressed individuals believed to be caught in organised begging rings, while also targeting foreign nationals found to be operating outside Ghana’s immigration laws.
The move draws legal backing from the Beggars and Destitute Act, 1969 (NLCD 392), which permits the arrest, without warrant, of persons found begging or loitering for that purpose. Offenders, upon conviction, may face a fine or a custodial sentence, or both.
However, the law provides exemptions. Persons soliciting for alms as part of recognised religious or community customs, public charitable causes, or organised entertainment are not deemed to be engaging in begging. The provisions also exclude juveniles and authorised collectors under the Public Collections Act, 1961 (Act 59).
While this is not the first such operation by the GIS, the latest announcement underscores renewed efforts to address street begging and irregular migration in the capital.
“This operation is an effort to highlight the Service’s commitment to protecting vulnerable Ghanaians, combating human trafficking, and maintaining orderly public spaces,” the statement noted.
The GIS declined to disclose specific locations or timelines for the exercise, citing the need to preserve “operational integrity” and ensure the safety of those involved — a position that, while operationally justifiable, constrains pre-emptive public oversight.
The Ghana Police Service has arrested three suspects in connection with possession of narcotic drugs and prohibited drug-related activities in the Accra metropolis.
Acting on intelligence received on April 10, 2026, the Special Operations Assistant to the Inspector General of Police was informed that a group of individuals were planning to sell suspected narcotic drugs at Dzorwulu in Accra.
Following a surveillance operation, a Police team moved to the area on April 11 and arrested two suspects — Bright Ayivor and Ifeanyi Ijeoba — who were found in possession of 22 compressed substances suspected to be cocaine, believed to have been prepared for sale to a prospective buyer.
Subsequent interrogation led to the identification of a third suspect, Kwabena Botwe, described as a key figure in the drug trade. A follow-up surveillance operation at Caprice resulted in his arrest during a planned transaction involving alleged proceeds from the drug sale.
Botwe subsequently led investigators to his residence at Greda Estates, where a search yielded GH¢400,000 in cash and a currency counting machine. During the operation, he allegedly attempted to bribe arresting officers with an additional GH¢420,000, which has been retained as evidence.
All three suspects are in Police custody assisting investigations and are expected to be arraigned before court.
The High Court in Accra has directed the Attorney-General’s Department to immediately assume control of all criminal prosecutions currently being handled by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), pending formal authorisation from the Attorney-General.
The ruling throws into uncertainty several high-profile corruption cases before the courts, including the trial of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and the NPA extortion case involving former CEO Mustapha Abdul-Hamid.
The order follows a live constitutional challenge at the Supreme Court questioning the legality of the OSP’s independent prosecutorial powers under Article 88 of the 1992 Constitution.
Both the AG’s Department and the OSP are yet to comment. The Chronicle will update this story as it develops.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Christian Tetteh Yohuno, yesterday promoted seven policemen who engaged and subdued two suspected armed robbers in Tema, on Monday, this week, after the miscreants had shot a mobile money vendor.
They are Chief Inspector Enock Nartey Nuer, who was given special recommendation to the Police Academy.
Chief Inspector Nuer was among those who sat for the Police College entrance examination on Sunday April 13, 2026.
After the examination, all the officers were granted pass to report back to their respective stations/units today, Wednesday 15, 2026.
Nuer, however, sacrificed his off days to report for work on the same day and took part in that daring operation.
Mavis Mensah – the Momo vendor shot by the armed robbers
Two Inspectors, Gershon Dekpey and Prince Asante, were promoted to the rank of Chief Inspectors, while same number of Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs), Number 45881 Sgt Lukman Mohammed Alenbinde and Number 49900 Sgt Eugene Kuudouru got promoted to the Inspectorate rank.
Number 54157 Cpl Jerome Akator, moved to Sergeant while Number 59882 L/Cpl Jonathan Sewurah gained full Corporal status.
Meanwhile, the status of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mr Jean Kpelli, the Tema Regional Police Operations Commander, who led the team and is in combat, is discussed at the highest level.
The Chronicle reported yesterday that two suspected armed robbers had been shot dead by the police in Tema on Monday, after they allegedly shot a mobile money vendor.
Speaking to The Chronicle on condition of anonymity, a senior police source intimated that the incident occurred around 10:30am and approximately 100 meters away from the St Paul Methodist Church, Community One, where Vice President Prof Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang was attending a program.
According to the police source, gunfire erupted in the immediate vicinity while the program was ongoing.
The sound prompted security personnel on duty at the event to move towards the source of the shots.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mr Jean Kpelli, incharge of Tema Police Operations led a police team that spotted a Royal black motorbike, with registration number M-24-GE778 speeding away from the area.
The officers pursued the riders to Community Ten, where the suspects allegedly opened fire on the police.
The source continued that, in the ensuing exchanges, the two men were hit and pronounced dead.
At the scene, police recovered one black 9mm Luger Pistol and a search conducted on the suspects revealed a blue hand bag, containing the following items – three live rounds of ammunition, one spent shell, three Android mobile phones.
Also found were one Ghana Card bearing the name of Mavis Mensah, assorted SIM cards, one talisman, one Royal motorbike ignition key and cash amount of GHC11,390.00 (Eleven thousand, three hundred and ninety Ghana Cedis).
The Tema Regional Crime Scene Management Team went to reconstruct the scene, took custody of the pistol to be forwarded to the Central Firearm Registry to ascertain the ownership, likewise the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA) for that of the motorbike.
The Police source concluded by saying that the female mobile money vendor, who was shot in the foot was rushed to the Tema General Hospital for treatment.
Some members of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) U.S. branch are angry after the party issued revised election guidelines, which they say strip hundreds of dues-paying members of their voting rights, while easing the path for some candidates to contest office.
The dispute centers on two sets of directives for external branch elections. According to an open letter circulating across NPP-USA WhatsApp platforms and reportedly authored by a Massachusetts Chapter member, the first draft of the guidelines was “a copy-and-paste exercise” from domestic constituency rules that clashed with the branch’s bylaws.
After members raised alarms, party officials reportedly met with external branch leaders to ask how their elections are currently run.
“They wrote the guidelines first. Then they asked how we run our elections,” the letter states. The Second Directive: Higher Bar to Vote, Lower Bar to Run The revised guidelines, approved at the party’s National Executive Committee meeting on April 8, 2026 changed two key thresholds for NPP-USA.
First, the voting eligibility requirement was raised from one year of registered, good-standing membership to two years.
NPP-USA’s bylaws and 2022 Election Guidelines currently allow members who have been registered for at least one year and paid all financial obligations to vote.
The branch says 861 members paid dues under that rule, but the new threshold would disqualify over 600 of them, more than 70% of its card-bearing membership.
Second, the same revised document reduces the eligibility to contest for branch office from four years to two years.
Members, however, think the change has created a double standard. They point to recent radio interviews in which the General Secretary told Ghanaians at home that newly registered members would be eligible to vote in the party’s upcoming internal elections to encourage registration.
“Taxation without Representation”
The letter frames the issue as a breach of contract between the party and its members: “You cannot take people’s money and deny them their voice. That is taxation without representation.” It claims NPP-USA accepted dues from the 600-plus members now affected, counted them on membership rolls, and used their numbers to demonstrate strength.
The revised rules, members say, undermine the branch’s One-Member-One-Vote principle, a system NPP-USA pioneered among the party’s external branches.
“When you accept 861 people’s dues and then tell 600 of them that their votes do not count, you have not reformed a process. You have executed a democratic heist,” the letter states.
Critics of the guidelines allege the changes surgically benefit a small group.
The letter claims the new two-year contesting threshold creates a pathway for “exactly four individuals” who would not have qualified under the branch’s established four-year requirement. At the same time, it says, over 600 voters who might scrutinize those candidacies are removed from the register. Demands from the Branch NPP-USA members are now demanding that the revised guidelines be immediately withdrawn or substantively revised for external branches through genuine consultation. Among these demands are the restoration of the one-year voting threshold that has governed previous branch elections,
preservation of the four-year contesting requirement for branch office, formal explanation from the General Secretary on why the voting threshold was raised while the contesting threshold was lowered in the same document.
An Accra Circuit Court has remanded a 37-year-old Agricultural Officer, Abubakari Yakubu, into custody for allegedly publishing digitally altered images of President John Dramani Mahama and some prominent public officials on Facebook, with the intent to cause fear and panic.
The accused, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, is expected to reappear before the court on April 20, 2026.
Presiding over the case at Circuit Court 9, His Honour Joseph Yennuban Kunsong ordered the remand after the plea was taken.
The prosecution, led by ASP Raymond Ackom, is pursuing charges under provisions relating to cyber offences, specifically the publication of false news intended to cause fear and alarm.
According to the prosecutor, on April 8, 2026 in the Greater Accra Region, Yakubu allegedly published images of President John Dramani Mahama, Minister of Government Communications Felix Ofosu Kwakye and Member of Parliament Sam George, which had been digitally altered to depict them with feminine features.
The prosecution alleges that the images were shared on Facebook with the intent to create fear and panic among the public.
The accused faces two counts of publication of false news with intent to cause fear and alarm, contrary to Section 208(1) of the Criminal and Other Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
Presenting the facts of the case, Chief Inspector Obed Aboagye Frimpong, the case investigator from the Cyber Intelligence Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters in Accra, told the court that the complainants are police officers from the Cyber Intelligence Section.
He said that on April 8, 2026 at about 11pm, officers conducting routine social media monitoring intercepted a Facebook post from an account identified as “Baba Amando.”
The post allegedly contained the altered images of the three public officials, captioned “Them and the Society.”
Further investigations led to the identification and subsequent arrest of the accused in Sunyani in the Bono Region.
Police say Yakubu was found to be the user and operator of the Facebook account in question.
In his caution statement, the accused declined to comment. Following investigations, he was charged and arraigned before the court.
The case has been adjourned to April 20, 2026, for further proceedings.
An Accra Circuit Court presided over by His Honour Dennis Eyram Benson has remanded six men into police custody for their alleged involvement in a high-value robbery at Adabraka in Accra.
The accused persons — Saum Mohammed alias Fariwata (A1), Alhassan Iliyasu alias Arab Man (A2), Hamza Agerego alias Nene Bawku (A3), Abdul-Samed Bonsiabu Larry alias Tough (A4), Fatawu Ibrahim alias Motorway (A5), and Abubakar Sadik alias Fifty Cent (A6) — have each pleaded not guilty to three counts of robbery.
The charges include conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery of GH¢400,000 belonging to
businessman Nana Kwame Afrani, and robbery of 12.5 kilograms of gold valued at GH¢14,387,096.00. According to the prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Jonas Lawer and Chief Inspector Felix Koomson, the accused persons allegedly carried out the robbery on July 27, 2024, at the Cabest Jewellery shop at Adabraka.
Presenting the brief facts, the prosecution said the accused, armed with AK-47 rifles, arrived at the shop on three motorbikes and fired gunshots, forcing workers to flee.
The assailants reportedly made away with cash and gold before escaping.
The court heard that the police later arrested the suspects through intelligence-led operations between November 2025 and January 2026 in
Ashaiman and its environs. A search conducted during the arrests reportedly uncovered ammunition, pump-action guns, police bulletproof vests, and other items.
The prosecution further indicated that eyewitnesses identified the accused persons during an identification parade, and CCTV footage would be tendered as evidence during the trial. During proceedings, defence counsel for A1 to A4, led by Bernard Koranteng Obiri and Mary Maamah holding brief for Paul Assibi Abarigah, applied for bail, arguing that the accused had been in custody for several months and were law-abiding
businessmen with fixed places of abode.
Counsel also noted that one of the accused is a chief and a respected member of his community. Counsel for A5 and A6, Reuben Norkplim Kukubor holding brief for Christopher Lartey, also prayed the court to grant bail, stating that their clients had permanent residences, were family men, and would not interfere with investigations.
However, the prosecution opposed the bail application, citing the seriousness of the offences and the likelihood that the accused persons might fail to appear for trial if granted bail. Ruling on the application, the court acknowledged the principle that accused persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty but held that the nature and severity of the offences, as well as concerns about the residential details of one of the
accused, made them unsuitable for bail at this
stage.
The court consequently remanded all six accused persons into police custody.The case has been adjourned to April 27, 2026, for further proceedings.
The Minority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, has criticised government officials over claims that locally produced maize is unsuitable for poultry feed, describing the assertion as misleading and harmful to Ghanaian farmers.
Speaking during an engagement with farmers and traders at Atebubu-Amantin in the Bono East Region on Tuesday, he alleged that the narrative is being driven by individuals with vested interests in import businesses, particularly in the maize trade.
According to him, the claims are part of a broader effort to erode confidence in locally grown produce and justify increased imports, including from countries such as Brazil.
He maintained that Ghanaian maize remains nutritious and fit for poultry production, warning that such assertions risk damaging the agricultural sector.
His remarks come as farmers in the area report worsening conditions, with many struggling to sell produce including maize, rice, yam, and cashew. During the interaction, some farmers said prices have sharply declined, citing a drop in the cost of a bag of maize from about GH₵1,600 to as low as GH₵200.
They also expressed frustration over the lack of government intervention, despite reports of a GH₵200 million allocation to the National Food Buffer Stock Company.
According to them, the expected purchases have not materialised, leaving large quantities of produce unsold.
Farmers further pointed to rising input costs, such as fertilisers and labour, which they say contradict official narratives of easing inflation.
Many indicated that they are increasingly dependent on middlemen who dictate prices, worsening their financial situation.
At the Atebubu market, some women traders expressed distress over the situation, accusing the government of failing to deliver on promises made ahead of the 2024 general elections.
Responding to the concerns, Mr. Annoh-Dompreh called on government to urgently release funds to support the sector and empower the Buffer Stock Company to procure local produce, stabilise prices and restore confidence among farmers.
He also encouraged the consumption of locally produced rice, highlighting its nutritional benefits over imported varieties.
According to him, Ghanaian rice retains more natural fibre compared to highly polished, imported rice, making it a healthier option for consumers.
The Atebubu engagement forms part of a nationwide tour by the Minority Caucus aimed at interacting with farmers and assessing challenges within the agricultural sector.
The group says it will continue to advocate for policies that prioritise local producers and address what it describes as critical gaps in government support.
Nestled within the lush campus of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, in Kumasi, is one of the most important green spaces in the city and the country at large. It was established in 1960 to support teaching, research and conservation of plant species, particularly those found in tropical environments.
The garden covers a little over 60 acres and preserves over 180 species of trees and other varieties, including indigenous Ghanaian plants.
It is also home to a variety of birds, insects and other wildlife. This rich diversity makes the garden an important center for botanical research and biodiversity conservation in the region.
Beyond its academic purpose, the KNUST Botanical Garden also serves as a recreational and ecological sanctuary. With its dense vegetation, shaded pathways and quiet natural environment, it provides a peaceful retreat for students, staff and visitors seeking relaxation and a connection with nature.
A bullet casing
Visitors to the garden often go there on guided tours, organised picnics and group or personal prayer expeditions.
The latter, for some time now, questions the decision to allow visitors into the garden for religious journeys.
As normalised in this country, many people visit botanical sanctuaries to connect not only with nature, but with God as well.
The Botanical Garden is a serene environment that breeds a sound mind for payer and meditation.
However, on a frequent visit to the Garden, it was observed that an unknown religious denomination had set up equipment in the garden, actively holding a church service, where the word of God was being blasted across at full volume.
The serenity of the environment was no doubt broken in that moment. This overrides the whole point of a Botanical Garden. The absence of peace and quiet in the garden beats the purpose of visiting it.
Revenue from visits may take a huge dip as interest in the Garden seems to have taken a nosedive. More importantly, the chaos caused may drive away species such as birds and insects which may find the area unsafe for habitation, permanently displacing them over time.
Another concerning incident chanced upon was the illegal entry of a vehicle, suspected of being used to convey church equipment to and from the botanical garden.
Majority of ecological life being protected in the garden include insects and other little critters, it is easily understood why vehicles of all sorts are prohibited from entering the premises.
Many insects may be crushed and their homes built tediously over time, instantly destroyed. As insignificant as it may seem, displacing as little an insect colony may go a long way to disrupt the immediate ecosystem and beyond.
Lastly and most importantly, bullet casings of a shotgun were found on the Garden grounds, indicating that hunting takes place in the preserved area.
This is a major violation of environmental laws and deserves immediate attention from authorities as what is the point of a forest reserve if the life it is to protect is being strategically hunted for food and possibly leisure.
These occurrences, although of great concern, are just a margin of a longstanding nationwide problem of neglect for national property.
National monuments are left to deplete and phase out, rivers are being polluted by illegal miners, affluent men and women are clogging water ways to build huge mansions.
If we continue to put profit first in our decisions as a country, we should forget about future generations having no resources to build on as at this rate, we ourselves would have little to nothing to survive on as a people.
Protecting the earth is only a governing body’s job. It is, however, every individual’s responsibility, as where do we go when it all comes crumbling down. Every action counts, LET’S SAVE THE WORLD!!!
In the heart of the Adansi North District of the Ashanti Region, a transformative leader is redefining the traditional role of a Queenmother.
A proposed theatre under construction by AGA
Nana Serwaa Bruwaa II, the Queenmother of the Akrokerri Sub-Divisional Council Area has emerged as a rare and multifaceted force, simultaneously acting as a dedicated Philanthropist, a progressive Industrialist, an innovative Agriculturalist and a staunch Environmentalist.
Her reign, spanning over three decades, is marked by a deep commitment to the welfare of her subjects and the preservation of natural resources for future generations.
The Philanthropist
Nana Bruwaa’s philanthropic endeavours are aimed at long-term community upliftment. She consistently works to bridge the infrastructure gap in Akrokerri, often using her own resources to support social amenities.
Health
At the Akrokerri Health Centre, she has the credit of providing the main building with burglar proofs at a cost of GHC19,000 to ward off thieves who constantly invade the facility, record shelves, nine beds, three TV sets for the OPD and both male and female wards.
Nana Serwaa Bruwaa has refurbished the various Units of the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH), Counselling and Ear, Nose &Throat (ENT) Units, as well as providing diagnostic tools to the ENT.
A Borehole from Nana Bruwaa to the Health Centre
She also provided washrooms for staff and patients in addition to suck-away at the Maternity Block, besides the provision of a borehole fitted with Polytank.
Nana Bruwaa has also secured a health infrastructure (about 70 percent completed) by AngloGold Ashanti (AGA), which will accommodate a Theatre plus Recovery, Pharmacy, modernised Laboratory and offices when completed, as well as securing an Incinerator for the health centre.
Yet to be commissioned Incinerator provided by AGA
To enhance security and to ensure staff efficiency, Nana Bruwaa has funded the construction of a fence wall around the local Health Centre and renovated and converted an old block into a Daycare.
Mrs. Lydia Asantewaa Osei, Senior Nurse at Health Centre disclosed that Nana Bruwaa has been helpful and instrumental in the infrastructure upgrades at the health centre.
Education
The Queenmother has shown a strong commitment to education as well having donated 50 classroom desks to the Serwaa Bruwaah D/A Basic School at Dadwene to improve teaching and learning for pupils.
Energy and Infrastructure
It is on record that she injected GH¢300,000 into stabilising the electricity supply in Akrokerri, procuring four new transformers and quality cables to address erratic power supply that was damaging residential appliances of residents.
The Agriculturalist and Industrialist: Cultivating Economic Independence
Nana Serwaa Bruwaa II has successfully blended traditional leadership with industrial-scale agriculture, proving that sustainable farming is a powerful tool for community empowerment.
Recognizing the need for food security and employment, she manages a diverse agricultural portfolio that includes 15 acres of plantain, 1,200 rubber plantations and robust palm oil processing operations.
With the pilot production of palm oil to commence within this week she also has portfolio of poultry and has received over 300 birds (Layers and Boilers) under the Nkoko Nketenkete Initiative by the government.
Fruits of the Nkoko Nketenkete programme
Her exploits in agricultural ventures are not solely for profit; they are designed to create employment opportunities, particularly for young women.
qBy providing jobs in her farming and processing endeavors, she actively discourages youth participation in destructive illegal mining “galamsey”.
Her prowess in this sector led to her being crowned the Best Farmer of the Adansi North District during the 39th Farmers Day celebration in 2023.
The Environmentalist: Guardian of Ecosystems
As a guardian of Ecosystems deeply concerned about the destruction of ancestral lands and water bodies by illegal mining, Nana Bruwaa II has taken a proactive stance on environmental protection. She has embarked on a rigorous tree-planting initiative aimed at restoring degraded areas.
Palm Oil processing equipment being installed
Her dedication was formally recognized by the Crusaders of Change for Environmental Sustainability in Africa (CCfESA), who honoured her for her efforts in protecting water bodies, forests, and ecosystems.
In collaboration with partners like INEC, she has launched “deforestation without afforestation” campaigns, urging a balanced approach to economic development that protects the environment.
A Legacy of Courageous Leadership
Nana Serwaa Bruwaa II stands as a shining example of a Development-oriented Queenmother.” Her holistic approach—combining economic empowerment through agriculture, industrial initiatives to support the local economy, environmental advocacy, and philanthropic investment in social infrastructure—makes her an exceptional leader.
Her efforts to fight illegal mining (galamsey) and her fight to protect the environment show a woman who is not afraid to take on difficult challenges for the good of her people.
Her legacy, already spanning over three decades, is one of unwavering service, innovation and care for the environment.
According to him, Ghanaian rice retains more natural fibre compared to highly polished, imported rice, making it a healthier option for consumers.
