Akuapem Nifahene Osuodumgya Otutu Ababio V has urged citizens to back an education fund as the Akuapem Nifaman and Okereman Odwira Festival was launched.

The Akuapem Nifaman Council (Okere) officially launched the festival on Thursday, November 5, 2026, at the Alex A. Dadey Alumni Centre, University of Ghana, Legon.

The occasion also commemorates the 10th anniversary of the enstoolment of Ahunuabobrim Osuodumgya Otutu Ababio V, who is Adrukromhene and Akuapem Nifahene.

Speaking at the launch, Osuodumgya placed education at the centre of his message. “Education is an important priority. The future of Adukrom depends largely on the knowledge, skills and capabilities of our young people,” he said.

He then appealed directly to citizens for support. “I therefore call on our citizens to support the Osudumgya Educational Fund which seeks to address the scholarship needs of students and provide them with opportunities to pursue their education.”

The fund is designed to meet the scholarship needs of students and open doors for them to continue their education.

Osuodumgya framed the appeal as a long term investment in the community. “Investing in the education of our children is one of the surest ways of securing the future of our community,” he said.

The launch brings together the festival celebrations and the chief’s decade on the stool, with the education drive now set as a key legacy message of the anniversary.

The Ghana Education Service has firmly rejected reports suggesting that the embattled Obuasi Senior High Technical School headmaster has been exonerated, insisting that investigations into allegations involving female students are still ongoing.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has dismissed reports that the headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), Zakaria Abdulai, has been cleared of sexual abuse allegations, warning that no final decision has been reached in the matter.

The Service’s Head of Public Relations, Daniel Fenyi, made the clarification during an interview on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Friday, November 6, 2026.

According to him, the disciplinary committee investigating the allegations has not completed its work, contrary to reports suggesting that Mr Abdulai had been exonerated.

“The headmaster has not been cleared. In fact, just as you mentioned, the committee is yet to finalise its work,” Mr Fenyi stated.

GES grants investigators extra seven days

Mr Fenyi explained that the committee had initially been expected to submit its findings on Wednesday but requested additional time to engage all the alleged victims and properly document their accounts.

GES management subsequently approved a seven-working-day extension to allow investigators to complete the outstanding engagements.

He disclosed that some students scheduled to meet the committee had failed to honour their appointments, while arrangements had to be made to accommodate others.

The committee has also visited the school to interact with students and gather further information. Its report is expected to be submitted to the GES Council after the extended period, with November 11 indicated as the target date.

Headmaster remains interdicted as police investigate

Mr Abdulai was interdicted in October after allegations of sexual misconduct involving students at the school emerged publicly. The Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, also directed his suspension and requested police investigations.

The GES subsequently confirmed that the interdiction would remain in force pending the outcome of investigations.

The controversy has attracted widespread public attention, with calls for accountability and stronger protection for students. On Friday, members of the NPP Women’s Wing staged a protest in Obuasi over the allegations.

Akosua Manu, an adviser on Gender and Social Protection to former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, also criticised what she described as a slow institutional response and demanded greater transparency from the authorities.

GES says the investigation remains active. Until the committee completes its work and the relevant authorities make their findings known, claims that the headmaster has been cleared remain inaccurate.

President John Dramani Mahama has hinted that Ghana’s 70th Independence Anniversary in 2027 will be marked with several days of activities, with world leaders expected to join the country in commemorating the historic milestone.

President John Dramani Mahama has disclosed that preparations are underway for Ghana’s 70th Independence Anniversary, indicating that the celebrations will extend beyond the traditional March 6 national ceremony.

Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, November 5, 2026, the President said several world leaders had expressed interest in attending the celebrations because of Ghana’s historical significance as the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence from colonial rule.

He said the government expected a number of heads of state to participate in the event, which will mark seven decades since Ghana gained independence from Britain in 1957.

Celebrations to extend beyond March 6

President Mahama explained that the committee responsible for organising the anniversary was yet to submit its report on the proposed format of the celebrations.

However, he suggested that the programme would feature activities before and after the official anniversary date.

“The 70th anniversary is a very important event, and we’ve started planning towards it. Many world leaders have expressed a wish to come because of Ghana’s prominence as the first to break away from colonialism,” he said.

He added that the occasion would not be limited to a single day.

“It’s not just going to be a day’s event. I’m sure it will be a celebration over a period, with many activities leading up to the event and even after it,” the President stated.

Culture and national history to feature prominently

The proposed programme is expected to include cultural activities and exhibitions showcasing Ghana’s journey since independence.

According to the President, the celebrations should reflect both the country’s achievements and the challenges it has encountered over the past 70 years.

He said the occasion would provide an opportunity to present Ghana’s progress and setbacks to both local and international audiences.

Accra and regional capitals to receive facelift

Beyond the commemorative activities, Mahama outlined plans to improve the appearance of Accra and other regional capitals ahead of the anniversary.

In Accra, ongoing works include road rehabilitation, repainting road markings, repairing damaged pavements and landscaping.

Similar improvement projects are expected in regional capitals, including the rehabilitation of selected road networks to enhance their appearance.

Ghana will celebrate its 70th Independence Anniversary on March 6, 2027, marking 70 years since the country became independent in 1957.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Women’s Wing has staged a demonstration in Obuasi in the Ashanti Region to demand justice for 19 female students of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS) who were allegedly sexually abused by the school’s headmaster, Zakaria Abdulai.

The demonstration, held under the theme Justice for Our Girls, seeks to demand accountability for the allegations and push for stronger measures to protect students against sexual abuse, harassment and other forms of misconduct in educational institutions.

The protest was led by the NPP’s National Women’s Organiser, Mavis Hawa Koomson, who, together with other demonstrators, called on key government and security officials to intervene and ensure that justice is served.

The group specifically appealed to President John Dramani Mahama, Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Christian Tetteh Yohuno, and Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, to take decisive action on the matter.

Addressing the concerns surrounding the alleged abuse, Mavis Hawa Koomson stressed the need for the country and its leaders to protect the affected students and ensure that their future is not jeopardised.

“These girls will never forgive us as a country if we fail them. It is their future, and we need to protect them. They must have confidence in Ghanaians and their leaders,” she said.

The demonstration also attracted the NPP’s Second Vice Chairman, Nana Boakye, and General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Koduah, alongside other members of the party’s Women’s Wing, who joined the call for justice for the affected students.

The allegations against the headmaster reportedly include rape, sexual harassment and sexual assault involving the 19 female students, raising widespread public concern and intensifying calls for accountability and improved safeguarding systems within Ghanaian schools.

The matter has attracted the attention of several state institutions, including the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, which have initiated steps to address the allegations.

However, the NPP Women’s Wing insists that more decisive action is needed to ensure that the affected students receive justice and that appropriate measures are taken to prevent similar incidents from happening in other educational institutions.

The demonstration forms part of growing public calls for the protection of schoolchildren and stronger institutional accountability in cases involving alleged sexual misconduct against students.

Source: Citi Newsroom

President John Dramani Mahama has announced the rollout of an Integrated Bed Management and Referral Coordination System (IBMRC) as part of efforts to tackle Ghana’s persistent ‘no-bed syndrome’ and improve emergency healthcare delivery.

The digital system, being piloted by the Ministry of Health, is expected to help hospitals and ambulance teams identify health facilities with available beds and the capacity to receive emergency patients, while facilitating faster referrals and transfers.

The pilot involves Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Tamale Teaching Hospital, Greater Accra Regional Hospital at Ridge, the 37 Military Hospital, the University of Ghana Medical Centre and the National Ambulance Service.

Addressing the 68th Annual General Conference of the Ghana Medical Association, President Mahama stressed that tackling the no-bed syndrome required more than simply increasing the number of hospital beds.

“Normally, people say there is no bed, but it is not just about the bed. A bed becomes a place of care when trained professionals, functioning equipment, oxygen and essential supplies are available to provide the treatment a patient needs,” he said.

He explained that the new system would help address challenges associated with emergency referrals by providing information on the actual clinical capacity of receiving facilities.

President Mahama, however, acknowledged that better referral coordination must be accompanied by an expansion of emergency care infrastructure to enable hospitals to accommodate more patients.

He cited Korle Bu Teaching Hospital as an example, noting that although the facility has a functional bed capacity of 1,500, its Accident and Emergency Department has only 65 beds.

To address the gap, government is targeting emergency bed capacity equivalent to at least 10 per cent of each facility’s functional bed capacity.

At Korle Bu, this would require increasing emergency beds from the current 65 to at least 150.

President Mahama said work would begin next year on the expansion of Accident and Emergency Centres at Korle Bu, Komfo Anokye, Tamale Teaching Hospital and the 37 Military Hospital.

He added that the expansion would be supported with the necessary healthcare professionals, medical equipment, oxygen and essential supplies to ensure the additional beds become fully operational.

The President further announced that the Ghana Armed Forces Critical Care and Emergency Hospital was opening to the public, with the facility expected to begin receiving patients immediately.

He emphasised that hospitals must not turn away critically ill patients simply because they lack available beds, insisting that every emergency patient must first be assessed and assisted.

“When a patient arrives in critical condition, we cannot simply say, ‘No bed, no bed, go somewhere else.’ At the very least, the patient must be assessed. If the facility can provide stabilisation, it must do so before arranging a transfer to another hospital that can provide the required treatment,” he stated.

He said the new digital referral system would also help ensure that families receive clear information and guidance rather than being left to navigate the referral process on their own.

President Mahama maintained that the government’s broader healthcare reforms were aimed at building an emergency response system capable of providing timely, coordinated and effective care to patients across the country.