Deputy Health Minister-designate, Prof. Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, has clashed with the Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, over what she described as a conditional and insufficient apology.
The confrontation occurred during her vetting, when Afenyo-Markin attempted to address controversial remarks he had made during a parliamentary debate the previous Friday.
Minority Leader, Osahen Alexander Afenyo-Markin
At the time, he questioned the basis for Prof. Ayensu-Danquah’s nomination, implying favoritism over other qualified female MPs—specifically referencing her NDC colleague, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings.
Describing the comments as unfortunate, Prof. Ayensu-Danquah appeared unimpressed when Afenyo-Markin offered what many saw as a half-hearted apology: “If my remarks on the floor made you feel harassed, then I am sorry.”
The conditional nature of the apology—anchored by the word “if”—did not go unnoticed.
With calm authority reflecting her academic and professional stature, Prof. Ayensu-Danquah responded: “Technically, when you apologise, you don’t have to qualify it with an ‘if’.”
Her words resonated in the committee room with clarity and firmness.
Prompted by her correction, the Minority Leader revised his statement: “To the extent that you felt I had crossed the red line, I say to you I’m sorry. Is that fair?”
Prof. Ayensu-Danquah graciously accepted the rephrased apology, but offered a final, pointed reminder. When Afenyo-Markin tried to downplay the exchange by noting they had “patched up quickly,” she replied: “Once you apologise, you don’t have to keep going.”
Her composed and principled handling of the exchange has drawn praise from across the political spectrum, with many commending her for maintaining grace while setting firm boundaries.
Though a first-time legislator, Prof. Ayensu-Danquah has already demonstrated what principled leadership looks like: respectful, clear, and uncompromising on matters of dignity.
The vetting committee has yet to issue its final verdict on her nomination, but one thing is certain—Prof. Ayensu-Danquah has already made a strong impression as the kind of leader Ghana needs.
The Member of Parliament for Abetifi, Dr Bryan Acheampong, has filed an emergency motion in Parliament, calling for urgent action to address what he describes as a national security crisis, with particular focus on the prolonged conflict in Bawku.
The motion, filed under Parliament’s Standing Orders 110 to 113, is expected to trigger a half hour Debate on the floor of the House, if admitted by the Speaker.
It demands immediate and accountable intervention from state authorities, citing recent events in Bawku as evidence of a broader failure in the country’s internal security architecture.
“This is not business as usual. It is Parliament’s responsibility to direct national attention where the silence has become dangerous,” Dr Bryan Acheampong stated.
The move comes at a time of renewed violence in the Upper East town of Bawku, where ethnic tensions have escalated into deadly clashes, forcing the closure of schools and displacing hundreds of residents.
Despite curfews and repeated security deployments, gunfire continues to thunder through the area. In recent weeks, several people have been reported killed, while others, including security officers, have sustained injuries.
Local officials say many families have fled to neighbouring districts, with some students writing their exams under military protection.
Civil society groups have raised concerns about the psychological toll on students of prolonged disruption to education and economic activity in the area.
Dr. Bryan Acheampong, who serves as the Ranking Member on the Parliamentary Committee on Security and Intelligence, insists Parliament can no longer afford to remain a passive observer. His motion seeks to mobilise legislative authority behind coordinated action that goes beyond short-term deployments.
“We are not only dealing with a breakdown of law and order. We are watching entire communities lose faith in the Republic,” he said adding “Parliament cannot be a bystander to this.”
The motion is also expected to call for the formal declaration of a national security emergency in affected areas, as well as the development of specific protocols to protect educational institutions and vulnerable communities.
While Parliament has often deferred to the Executive on matters of national security, Dr Bryan Acheampong’s initiative is seen as a significant shift toward asserting proactive legislative oversight. It places the legislature at the centre of a conversation long dominated by security agencies and regional peace councils.
Although no date has been set for the debate, early indications suggest that the motion has bipartisan appeal. Some MPs, including members of the Defence and Interior Committee, have privately expressed support, describing the proposal as “timely” and “necessary.”
The Member of Parliament for Abetifi, a four-term legislator, previously served as Minister of State at both the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of National Security.
He was instrumental in the rollout of national surveillance systems under the Alpha Project, a nationwide initiative to enhance crime detection.
In recent years, he has focused attention on the growing gap between security policy and implementation, an issue that, according to him, has become more urgent in the face of continued instability in areas like Bawku.
The Speaker of Parliament is expected to make a ruling on the admissibility of the motion in the coming days. Should it be approved, it would mark one of the rare occasions where Parliament has directly engaged in shaping security strategy through emergency debate.
As tensions continue to simmer in Bawku and other parts of the country, Dr Bryan Acheampong’s motion could become a defining moment in how Ghana addresses its internal security challenges, placing human lives and community stability at the heart of Parliamentary discourse.
The former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong has officially declared his intention to contest for the 2026 presidential primary of the party, saying he is “the most viable candidate” to lead the party back to its roots and restore hope to a disillusioned Ghanaian populace.
Addressing the Media at his Campaign Headquarters in Accra yesterday, the former NPP General Secretary said his bid was not only a political ambition, but a Redemption Mission to breathe new life into the soul of the NPP and the nation at large.
“I, Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong presents myself to you, as the most viable candidate, offering a New Dawn! A New Dimension! A New Direction,” he proclaimed.
Some participants at the ceremony
In his keynote address titled: “A Call to Renewal and Hope”, Mr Kwabena Agyepong described the current state of the NPP as unrecognisable from the noble political movement it was in 1992.
He decried the erosion of core values such as meritocracy, integrity and volunteerism, lamenting the creeping monetisation of internal party politics that he said has disillusioned many faithful patriots.
“There is a heartfelt cry from the grassroots for us to return to our roots where politics was a noble calling, not a marketplace to trade parochial interests,” he said.
He attributed the NPP’s losses in recent elections to a failure to live up to its founding ideals, warning that unless the party reversed course, it risked sinking deeper into division and despair.
Turning his gaze to the broader national landscape, the former Press Secretary to President John Kufuor condemned the state of governance and the misuse of public office.
“Public office, which was once a noble calling, has now become a mine to loot the public treasury,” he said, citing the recent deaths of a physician and a lawmaker due to disparities in healthcare access as a sign of systemic failure.
Youth Unemployment and Economic Inequality
Mr. Kwabena Agyepong was particularly passionate about the plight of Ghana’s youth, who he noted make up 60% of the population, but face an unemployment rate of 19%, while those employed are largely trapped in poverty.
He proposed a bold economic agenda that includes investing in agriculture value chains, STEM education, sports, tourism, and entrepreneurship. He emphasized a fair salary regime that rewards productivity and restores confidence in public service.
The former General Secretary of NPP cautioned against the temptation to sell votes for financial gain, urging them to resist the monetization of the electoral process. “Delegates, vote for values! Vote for principles! Vote for a leader who has proven over decades that others matter most in service,” he said.
Highlighting his extensive political experience, Kwabena Agyepong reminded the audience of his longstanding dedication to the party, dating back to 1992 Adu-Boahen campaign, where he delivered the NPP’s political broadcast as a young activist.
From his role as Press Secretary to former President John Agyekum Kufuor to his election as NPP General Secretary in 2014, Kwabena Agyepong said he has remained loyal even during trying moments, including his controversial suspension.
“Even after my suspension under bizarre circumstances, I returned to help President Akufo-Addo win re-election in 2020 and later supported Dr. Bawumia in 2023. I have always remained loyal to the Elephant,” he declared.
He stressed that politics, for him, has never been about self-interest, but about the collective welfare of Ghanaians.
“Let us rise together! Let us return to our roots! Yes, the NPP must, of necessity, return to its roots. The time for renewal is now! The time for hope is now! The time for KAA is now,” he concluded.
The Minority Caucus in Parliament has noted that though the local currency, the Cedi is performing well against major world currencies, its purchasing power continues to decline indicating weaker economic fundamentals driven by the current administration’s strategies.
At a news conference in Accra yesterday, which was jointly addressed by the Mohammed Amin Andam, Ranking Member, Finance Committee and former Minister of Finance, Gideon Boako, MP for Tano North and Deputy Ranking Member, Finance Committee, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, MP for Ofoase Ayirebi and Ranking Member of Economy and Development Committee, the minority emphasised that the government needed to change its approach.
They highlighted that the purchasing power of a currency reflects its buying power at a given time and location, further revealing that the prices of goods and services on the local market have increased, requiring more Cedis to purchase the same items.
“It is instructive to note that the true value of any currency does not lie in its value of exchange but the purchasing power. What is the purchasing power of the Cedi to the ordinary Ghanaian today at Malata market, Techiman market, Abofour market, or the streets of Chorkor, Tudu, Adum and so on?, they quizzed.
They added, “Cement price in January 2025 was GH¢90, however, it was sold in April 2025 at GH¢130.
Sure, a deodorant was sold in January at GH¢35, but it is selling in July at GH¢45. A standard loaf of bread was sold in January at GH¢18, however, it is selling in July at GH¢23.
Bottled water was sold in January 2025 at GH¢28. However, it is selling in July at GH¢36. A ball of kenkey was sold in January at GH¢3 and GH¢5, but it is selling in July at GH¢5 and GH¢7. These are the stark realities of the bread-and-butter issues in the streets of Ghana”, they explained.
These price hikes underscore the need for the government to address the economic challenges facing ordinary Ghanaians.
The Minority’s concerns come on the heels of comments by Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, who claimed economic success due to fiscal consolidation efforts.
However, the Minority argues that the government’s approach focuses too much on increasing revenue through taxes, rather than effective spending cuts and debt management.
“We say this because, while government’s spending cuts approach is incoherent, not substantial and completely nebulous, not much is realised from its debt management approach.
“Rather, we have seen substantial efforts at either leisurely introducing new taxes or increasing existing ones”, the group which belongs to the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) noted.
In June 2025, the Business Insider Africa reported that Ghana’s Cedi, which briefly held the title of Africa’s best-performing currency in that month, hit a major-stumbling block amid surging demand for U.S. dollars and a sharp decline in physical dollar liquidity at local banks.
According to the Business Insider Africa report, the Bank of Ghana (BoG), which implemented a series of monetary and regulator measures earlier that month including dollar sales and forward auction interventions to stabilise the Cedi, now faces renewed pressure to act swiftly amid deepening currency volatility.
Dr Hugh Clement A. Brown, CEO of Forestry Commission
The management of the Forestry Commission (FC) has expressed dismay over the forcible closure of its District Offices at Bekwai, Nkawie and Offinso, all in the Ashanti Region, on Monday, July 28, 2025 by a group of 20 masked and heavily-armed men, claiming to be operatives from the National Security (NS).
A statement issued on July 29, 2025 by the Corporate Affairs and Media Relation Unit of the FC, has condemned what it described as “the blatant act of intimidation and interference” with Public Services in the strongest possible terms.
The statement stressed that the intruders, who fitted their own padlocks on the metal gates of the said offices and left with the keys, had no lawful authority to disrupt the work of the Commission, as well as endangering the lives of its staff and clients, noting that the conduct of the said masked men is an affront of the Rule of Law and flouts the constitutional mandate of the FC.
The FC acknowledged the Ashanti Regional National Security Coordinator, Captain Kwame Jabari’s (Rtd.) disclaimer in an interview with some media outlets in which he dissociated his outfit from the incident.
Captain Jabiri (Rtd.) had also described the perpetrators as imposters, because his outfit had not sanctioned any operation targeting the FC.
The FC expressed its appreciation for the Coordinator’s clarification and envisaged a “full cooperation from all legitimate security agencies” to bring the culprits to book.
The Commission urged appropriate authorities to launch a swift and impartial investigation into the said unlawful incident, as well as the identification, arrest and the prosecution of all individuals involved.
It called for determination of the link between the said unlawful incident and the recent arrest of illegal miners by FC Rapid Response Teams in the Oda Forest Reserve.
The Commission also pleaded with the Ghana Police Service to deploy uniformed officers to safeguard FC offices to contain the highly threatened environment, in which FC staff who work and live in the various districts.
The statement also called for immediate mounting of checkpoints in the Ashanti Region to monitor and keep details of incidents with the full cooperation of District Managers.
The Forestry Commission assured its staff that their offices and work environment are safe, and should carried out their duties without any fear.
It further reiterated its commitment to protecting Ghana’s forest and wildlife resources as well as combating illegal mining (Galamsey), in support of government’s agenda to restore degraded areas.
It urged its dedicated staff and all stakeholders to remain calm and vigilant, while management with the Police and other state security institutions work to restore normal operations.
Meanwhile, the Ashanti Regional Security Secretariat (ARSS) of the National Security has strongly condemned the unlawful locking of Forestry Commission offices in parts of the region.
In a press release, the Secretariat expressed deep concern over the forcible closure of Forestry Commission offices at Bekwai, Nkawie and Offinso by armed individuals who falsely posed as operatives of the National Security.
According to the statement, the perpetrators have no affiliation with the National Security Council and their actions are illegal and unauthorised.
“The Secretariat reaffirms its commitment to upholding the rule of law and will not tolerate any unlawful conduct, especially those driven by political motivations,” the statement said.
The ARSS also assured the public of its readiness to work closely with the law enforcement agencies to ensure peace, security, and public order throughout the region.
The Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) has strongly condemned a recent incident captured in a viral video circulating on social media that shows an overcrowded boat dangerously packed with passengers on the Volta Lake, none of whom were wearing life jackets.
In a statement signed by the Authority’s Corporate Communications Officer, Issah Issahaku on Thursday, 24 July, 2025 the GMA described the incident as a “blatant disregard for safety protocols,” despite years of public education and enforcement campaigns aimed at curbing such dangerous practices.
“This incident is not just disappointing it is dangerous and unacceptable. It undermines all the investments and efforts made to safeguard lives on our inland waterways,” the statement emphasised.
The video comes in the wake of a tragic boat disaster in Dikpe, Lawra Municipality, in the Upper West Region, which claimed the lives of seven students earlier this year.
The GMA noted that the recent incident serves as a grim reminder of the deadly consequences of ignoring safety regulations.
Following the Dikpe tragedy, the Authority responded by distributing life jackets to high-risk communities including Dikpe, Brifo, Brifo Chaa, Bagir and Gombile, and has been engaged in sustained efforts to prevent similar accidents.
Safety Measures
Despite the challenges, the GMA reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing safety on Ghana’s inland waterways – lifelines for thousands of Ghanaians, especially those living in rural and riverine communities.
Among its key interventions, the Authority has:
Cleared over 20,000 tree stumps from major navigational routes on Volta Lake, reducing the risk of collisions and boat capsizing. Affected areas include:
o Dambai-Njare
o Yeji-Makango
o Yeji-Awujakope
o Tunpunjah Island-Kudorkpoe
o Kudorkope-Dambai
o Bridge-Ano-Ntoaboma
Launched nationwide safety sensitization campaigns, including life jacket distribution, safety education, and loadline marking in communities such as Bui, Buipe, Kwamikrom, Deifuor, Mepe, and Battor.
Conducted similar campaigns last year in Elubo, Nzulezu, Ekye Amanfrom, Adawso, Kotosu, Yeji, Kete-Krachi, Dzemeni, and Akateng.
Additionally, the GMA is stepping up search and rescue operations with the deployment of its vessel, MV Nene Azumah Matey Korley, to Kpando-Torkor to complement enforcement efforts already ongoing with the support of the Ghana Navy in Dambai and Yeji.
Leadership & Advocacy
The Director-General of GMA, Dr. Kamal-Deen Ali, has personally led advocacy and inspection tours to high-risk zones such as Akosombo, Dambai, Yeji, Kete-Krachi, and Tamale to engage stakeholders on the importance of safety compliance.
“Safety on our waterways is non-negotiable. It is troubling to see such flagrant disregard for life after our extensive investments and campaigns. We urge everyone operators and passengers alike, to take personal responsibility for their lives and safety,” Dr. Ali stated
He further cautioned boat operators against breaching safety protocols, warning that the Authority will take swift enforcement actions against any violations.
The GMA is urging both operators and passengers to be vigilant and proactive. Boat owners must ensure their vessels are not overloaded and that all passengers wear certified life jackets before departure. Passengers, in turn, are encouraged to refuse boarding if these conditions are not met.
“This is a shared responsibility. No one should gamble with their life on the water. Collective vigilance is the only way to achieve the national goal of zero preventable accidents,” the statement stressed.
The Ghana Maritime Authority’s ongoing efforts reflect a multi-pronged strategy involving enforcement, education, infrastructure improvement, and community engagement.
However, the Authority maintains that the success of these interventions depends heavily on public cooperation.
Myjoyonline.com on July 28, 2025 reported that over 15 fully armed men, believed to be National Security operatives, surrounded and effectively shut down the offices of the Forestry Commission in the Bekwai District of the Ashanti Region.
The unexpected and forceful presence disrupted official duties for the day, leaving staff and onlookers in a state of shock and confusion. According to bewildered officials on the scene, the National Security operatives arrived unannounced and informed them they were acting “by orders from above” to close the offices and take possession of the keys.
The story continued that the extraordinary intervention comes against a backdrop of heightened risks and threats faced by Forestry Commission officials in recent months. Some staff members who spoke to the media revealed that they have been under pressure and even direct threats for their active role in arresting illegal miners within the vital Oda River Forest Reserve.
A few hours after the publication of the story, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, issued the following statement: Earlier today, I received reports on the brazen and unlawful closure of the Bekwai District Office of the Forestry Commission by persons masquerading as National Security operatives in the Ashanti Region.
As Sector Minister, I am deeply appalled by this incident and strongly condemn the invasion in no uncertain terms. Indeed, such acts of lawlessness undermine the rule of law, threaten public peace and tarnish the integrity of institutions like the National Security and must not be allowed to fester.
On that note, I call on all relevant law enforcement agencies to swiftly apprehend and prosecute all those involved in the said illegality. This will serve as a strong deterrent to other unscrupulous persons who may harbour similar intentions.
It is an undeniable fact that one of the reasons Ghanaians voted massively against the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2024 general elections was the failure of the then ruling party to deal with the issues surrounding illegal mining or galamsey. As if it was coordinated, there were massive attacks on our forests and water bodies in the name of digging for gold.
Despite several protests from environmentalists, the government could not deal with the situation. The development forced the Ghana Water Company to shut down some of its treatment plants at a point in time. Though several taskforces were set up to deal with the menace, it could still not solve the problem because of allegations, at the time that some top government officials were behind the illegal mining operations.
Ghanaians, therefore, had no option than to vote out NPP from power. They gave the mantle to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) because it was the only option available. But despite the accusations upon accusations that members of NDC themselves made against their opponents – NPP – members of the former appear to have taken over the illegal mining business.
As it happened during the past regime, the development is frustrating those who have the genuine intention to fight galamsey and protect our environment. One of such people is Armah Buah.
As the sector minister, he obviously has the desire to end the destruction being caused to the environment, but some of his people are frustrating him and the above quoted statement testifies to this fact.
How can supposed National Security operatives, armed to the teeth, storm district Forestry Commission office that is seriously fighting against illegal mining to shut it down, without the knowledge of the sector minister? As it happened during NPP’s time where military men were deployed to protect illegal miners in the forest reserves, it appears people connected to top echelons of power are using some of the security agencies to protect their illegal mining business.
It is upon the basis of this that The Chronicle is adding its voice to that of Minister Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, calling on all relevant law enforcement agencies to swiftly apprehend and prosecute all those involved in the story we had earlier narrated. As the minister himself noted, “this will serve as a strong deterrent to other unscrupulous persons who may harbour similar intentions.”
The Chronicle is similarly asking President Mahama to put his feet down in the fight against galamsey, otherwise some of his own people will destroy his government.
Ghana is the only country we have but if maximum measures are not put in place to fight against galamsey, there will no Ghana for us tomorrow.
This is the reason why Mr President must crack the whip on anyone found to be using the security agencies as a weapon to protect his or her illegal mining business.
A stretch of the road to the dangerous narrow metallic bridge from the Afienya railway line
Residents and Commuters who ply the terrible 7.2km Dawhenya-Afenya road daily have expressed excitement after the Mid-Year Budget Review captured their road.
At Abbey and Ajumador, where The Chronicle interacted with quite a number of the residents and commuters, though they admitted that the previous government captured the same stretch in their budget about three times, they never saw any contractor on site.
One of the bonfire spots
However, they expressed confidence in the John Mahama-led government to fix their road, as according to them, they witnessed some preparatory work on the road in 2016 when the NDC lost power.
Closely glued to their radio and television sets, whilst others plugged their earpieces to their mobile phones to listen and watch the Mid-Year Budget Review, read by Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, some of the residents told The Chronicle that they involuntary screamed when they unexpectedly heard the Minister say, “Mr Speaker, we will be rehabilitating the Dodowa-Afienya-Dawhenya road.”
The residents said the public announcement relieved them and they cannot wait to see the contractor mobilise to the site to start work.
About the Dawhyena-Afienya road On a faithful Friday, in 2019, over 800 angry residents of Dawhenya gave the police and fire service personnel a torrid time when they set bonfires in protest against their terrible road.
The demonstration by the youth over the deplorable state of their road
A series of robberies on the road, plus the closure of the area’s health facility, which had been overwhelmed with thick red dust, prompted them to stage demonstration to draw government’s attention to their plight.
The youth, waving placards and tying red bands on their heads and wrists, set tires ablaze at the Dawhenya-Afienya junction on the Tema-Aflao highway resulting in heavy vehicular traffic.
The demonstration, which lasted for about six hours, later resulted in the exchange of stone pelting between some personnel of the Ghana Fire Service and the youth, consequently resulting in the injury of some personnel and demonstrators.
The swelling crowd prompted the police to fire rubber bullets to disperse the crowd to allow the Ghana Fire Service personnel to fight the raging bonfire, which erupted into a fireball that lit most parts of Dawhenya.
The youth promised to return with a ‘Part Two’ of their demonstration, should the 7.2km Dawhenya-Afienya road fail to receive attention.
Personal experience
Indeed, the 7.2km link road between Dawhenya and Afienya is so deplorable that only heavy-duty vehicles can traverse it.
Other vehicles that dare to ply on the horrible road travel at a snail’s pace to avoid the driver deserting the car in the middle of the journey, as the vehicle can easily break down.
The road has a weak, narrow metallic bridge and due to this, commuters are easily attacked by robbers who lie in ambush at night.
The road was a major political campaign message for the NDC in 2008, when it made enormous political capital out of it against the then government of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Not too long after he became president, the late John Evans Atta Mills visited the road and promised to fix it by the end of his first term in office, but after his demise in 2012, his successor, John Dramani Mahama, in 2013 contracted M/S Cymain Ghana Limited to fix the road.
The stretch was a dualised design and so about 100 buildings were knocked down to allow for expansion. Though tensions were heightened, nerves were calmed for development because this would be a major route that would connect the Tema-Aflao highway and the Tema-Akosombo highway.
Persons whose buildings were demolished for the reconstruction of the road were not paid any compensation, but after a few months of commencing work, the contractor abandoned the site for non-payment.
During his ‘Accounting to the People’ tour of the Greater Accra Region, sometime in 2016, President Mahama made a stopover at Dawhenya, where he addressed the people that in about a fortnight, the contractor would be paid some money to enable him to move to the site to commence work. However, that promise was a fiasco.
In one of The Chronicle’s report in August 2016 headlined: ‘We can’t campaign -Afienya NDC’, Habib Mohammed, who was the NDC’s Youth Organiser in the Ningo-Prampram Constituency, but now the NADMO Coordinator for the municipality, said “It’s been about two months now since the President gave that assurance, but I can tell you on authority that my President has disappointed us because the contractor has not moved in.
“The NPP is using this road against us and they are right. It’s a failed promise, and so the NDC is shy to go to commuters, other electorates and persons whose buildings had been destroyed for the road reconstruction works to campaign for the NDC and President Mahama.
“With only three months to the elections, there is no way my government can fix the road and this will cost the NDC dearly.”
Chairman of the Afienya Taxi Station, Agbe Ebenezer, in that same publication, told The Chronicle that the road was so deplorable that there was no week that a commuter was not attacked by an armed robber.
He said vehicles continued to break down in the middle of the journey and that was causing financial loss to motorists.
“We are spending almost all our earnings on spare parts and since the government has failed to give us a better road, we, as taxi drivers, will teach it a great lesson.
“The NDC said this year’s elections shall be based on issues, and since our issue is that we do not have a single kilometre of good road in Afienya, taxi drivers in Afienya and Dawhenya are waiting for December 7 to bid farewell to the government,” Agbe said.
Operatives of the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested eleven suspected illegal miners for engaging in mining activities without requisite licences.
They were arrested at Emem-Asuk community, Eastern Obolo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
A statement made available to journalists in Uyo by Dele Oyewale, Head, Media & Publicity, reads: “The suspects are seven Chinese identified as: Yang Chaobao, 32, Zhong Dun Yi , 33, Cheng Jiang , 35, Zhong Dun Long , 37, Pan Peiming , 33, Lai Yip – ing, 37 and Zhu Lekun, 35.
“Their Nigerian accomplices are: David Israel, 18, Jonah Bartholomew Jim, 24, Samuel Samuel Timothy, 20, and a female translator named Comfort Gabriel Ajaga, 23.”
Property listings
He said the suspects were operating two illegal mining sites at Eastern Obolo Local Government Area where they were arrested whilst setting up mining equipment at a second location.
They were already engaged in illegal mining ac – tivities at their first location where they were mining ilmenite locally called ‘black sand’ He added:
“During questioning, the only female among the suspects said her only connection to the illegal miners was her proficiency in speaking ‘mandarin’, a widely spoken language in China.
Politician and former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has expressed deep concern over Nigeria’s rapidly escalating debt profile.
In a statement on his X handle, Obi warned that the country’s fiscal trajectory could compromise future generations and worsen living conditions for millions of citizens.
His warning comes one week after the Senate approved a fresh wave of borrowing for the country.
According to Obi, the latest approvals include $21 billion, €2.2 billion, and ¥15 billion in new external loans for the 2025–2026 fiscal cycle, in addition to a N750.98 billion domestic bond issuance and a €65 million grant.
These measures, he said, bring the nation’s total public debt to approximately N187 trillion, with projections suggesting it could exceed N200 trillion by year-end.
“With an already existing public debt of about N149.39 trillion as at the first quarter of 2025, adding the approved loans of about N37.2 trillion brings our current total debt to about N187 trillion, with concerns that our debt might likely be over N200 trillion by the end of 2025,” he said.
“We are accumulating exponential levels of unsustainable debt with little or nothing to show for it in critical areas such as education, healthcare, electricity generation, and security,” Obi stated.
According to the former Anambra State governor, Nigeria’s pre-rebased GDP stood at N269.2 trillion (around $180 billion), meaning total borrowing now represents nearly 70% of the previous GDP. Even after the recent GDP rebasing, which revised the figure upward to N372.8 trillion (approximately $243.7 billion), Nigeria’s debt-to-GDP ratio now hovers at 50.16%—the highest in its history.
He emphasised that while Nigeria reported a year-on-year debt increase of N27.72 trillion and a quarter-on-quarter rise of N4.72 trillion, key development metrics remain stagnant or deteriorating.
