Former Nigerian President urges young people to take active roles in governance, promote peaceful advocacy and use social media to hold leaders accountable.

Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has called on young people across West Africa to take a more active role in leadership and decision-making, saying their meaningful involvement is essential to achieving sustainable development, peace and security in the sub-region.

He made the call while addressing an ECOWAS Ministerial Consultation on Transforming Youth Leadership and Policy Action to Advance Peace, Security and Community Resilience in Accra on Thursday, October 29, 2026.

Mr Jonathan said West Africa could not make meaningful progress if young people, who constitute a significant proportion of the population, were excluded from governance and efforts to protect their countries.

“We cannot move forward as a sub-region and even as a continent or society if the youth are neglected, if the youth are not involved in an effort to protect our own country,” he stated.

Youth must embrace leadership

The former Nigerian leader recalled the important contributions young people made to West Africa’s independence struggles and subsequent political developments, particularly through student movements and youth activism.

He urged the current generation to draw inspiration from that history and take responsibility for promoting accountable leadership, good governance and peaceful political change.

According to him, young people’s numerical strength gives them considerable influence over the direction of the continent, with the potential to contribute either to stability and progress or to crisis and instability.

Mr Jonathan also challenged young people to overcome the perception that leadership is reserved for older people, stressing that commitment, determination, energy and service to the public were more important than age.

He maintained that leadership should be driven by the desire to serve the collective interest rather than pursue personal benefits.

Advocacy instead of confrontation

On strategies for achieving change, Mr Jonathan encouraged young people to prioritise peaceful advocacy, mentorship, persuasion and constructive engagement instead of confrontation.

Drawing on his experience in government, he recounted how dialogue and engagement with young people had helped defuse a potentially volatile situation.

He cautioned that violent approaches could worsen instability and undermine the development young people sought to achieve.

The former president also urged young people to use social media strategically to mobilise support, influence public debate and hold governments accountable for decisions they consider contrary to the public interest.

ECOWAS consultation focuses on youth empowerment

The three-day consultation, held from October 27 to 29, brought together government representatives, regional institutions, development partners and youth leaders to assess progress in implementing the African Union’s Continental Framework on Youth, Peace and Security.

The discussions focused on strengthening youth participation, regional cooperation and community resilience across West Africa.

Mr Jonathan urged emerging leaders to remain patient and committed, noting that meaningful political and social transformation requires sustained effort over time.

Peter Nchor Asadigina, 21, and Mudasel Dramani, 19, were arrested in Hansua after allegedly killing the rider and stealing her green Bajaj tricycle.

The Ghana Police Service has arrested two young men in connection with the alleged murder of a female commercial tricycle rider and the theft of her vehicle at Afrancho, near Konkoli, in the Trede District.

The suspects, identified as Peter Nchor Asadigina, 21, and Mudasel Dramani, 19, were arrested on Friday, October 30, 2026, at Hansua in the Bono East Region following a tip-off, according to a police statement issued on Saturday, October 31.

Preliminary police investigations indicate that the suspects hired the services of the deceased at the Ampabame Lorry Station in Kumasi on Thursday, October 29, to transport them to Afrancho.

Upon reaching their destination, the two allegedly attacked and killed the rider before fleeing with her green Bajaj tricycle.

Police said the suspects were arrested while travelling towards Techiman, reportedly intending to relocate and use the stolen tricycle for commercial activities.

A search conducted following the arrests led to the recovery of several items suspected to be connected to the crime.

According to the police, the items included a number plate bearing registration number M-26-AE 2047 and eight mobile phones, among them an iPhone 12 Pro suspected to belong to the deceased.

Officers also retrieved three SIM cards, an MTN MiFi device, a bunch of keys, two lighters and a jackknife cover.

The recovered items are expected to form part of the evidence considered as investigators work to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged killing and theft.

Body deposited at mortuary

The body of the deceased has been deposited at the mortuary for preservation and autopsy, the police said.

The autopsy is expected to assist in establishing the cause of death as investigations continue.

The two suspects remain in police custody and are assisting investigators with inquiries into the incident. The police have not indicated whether they have been formally charged or when they are expected to appear in court.

The arrests come as authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of the rider and the disappearance of her tricycle.

Police are working to gather evidence and establish the full sequence of events leading to the incident.

The suspects are presumed innocent unless proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.

President returns from Moscow after high-level talks with Vladimir Putin, with commitments covering nuclear energy, defence, agriculture, education and security.

President John Dramani Mahama has returned to Ghana after participating in the Third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow, Russia, where he pursued stronger economic, diplomatic and security cooperation between the two countries.

The President arrived home on Saturday, October 31, 2026, following the summit held from October 28 to 29 and hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

During the visit, President Mahama outlined Ghana’s priorities for cooperation with Russia, including investment in key economic sectors, energy development, technology transfer and efforts to address international security challenges.

Nuclear energy and investment opportunities

One of the major issues discussed was Ghana’s ambition to develop its nuclear energy capacity. President Mahama disclosed that Ghana had initiated discussions with Russia’s state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, on establishing the country’s first nuclear power plant.

He recalled that the Soviet Union had provided Ghana with a research reactor as far back as 1964, highlighting the longstanding scientific and technical relationship between the two countries.

The President also invited Russian businesses to explore investment opportunities in Ghana’s cocoa, cashew, horticulture, mineral processing and fertiliser production sectors.

He proposed exploring the use of local currencies and digital payment systems to settle legitimate trade transactions, potentially reducing dependence on traditional international payment arrangements.

Digital innovation and education

President Mahama further suggested establishing a Russia-Africa Digital Innovation and Artificial Intelligence Programme to encourage joint research, technological advancement and knowledge transfer between universities and businesses.

During the visit, he received honorary doctorate degrees from the Russian University of Transport and the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia.

He also welcomed a proposal by the latter institution to establish a Russian-African studies programme, which could strengthen academic collaboration and understanding between Russia and African countries.

Peace and security discussions

On international affairs, President Mahama called for peaceful resolutions to global conflicts and welcomed Russia’s willingness to resume trilateral discussions on the Ukraine conflict.

He also urged greater international cooperation in combating terrorism in the Sahel region, emphasising the importance of collective action against security threats affecting West Africa.

The President’s engagements also included a meeting with members of the Ghanaian community in Moscow, where he briefed them on developments at home and responded to their concerns.

His return concludes a visit focused on strengthening Ghana-Russia relations through economic partnerships, education, technological cooperation and diplomatic engagement.

Twenty-one passengers rescued after an Ivorian bus rammed into a parked Burkinabè passenger bus near Samenye in the Western Region.

Eight people have died following a fatal road crash involving an Ivorian passenger bus and a parked Burkinabè passenger bus at Azuletti, near Samenye, along the Elubo–Takoradi N1 Highway in the Western Region.

The accident occurred on Thursday, October 29, 2026, at about 7:26 p.m., according to a report by Graphic Online citing information from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS).

The report said the Ivorian bus, with registration number AB-415-AN, was travelling towards Benin when it crashed into the rear of the stationary Burkinabè bus, registered KJA-5604J.

The parked bus was reportedly obstructing one lane of the highway when the collision occurred.

Personnel from the GNFS station at Elubo responded to the distress call and rescued 21 passengers following the crash.

Seven people were pronounced dead at the scene, while an eighth victim later died at the hospital, bringing the total number of fatalities to eight.

Twenty-one passengers rescued

Firefighters carried out rescue operations at the scene to assist passengers affected by the collision.

The 21 rescued passengers were taken for medical attention, although the report did not specify the number of people who sustained injuries or provide details about their conditions.

The bodies of the deceased were handed over to the police, according to the report.

The identities and nationalities of all the victims had not been disclosed in the available information.

Speeding suspected as possible cause

Preliminary investigations by the Ghana National Fire Service suggested that speeding may have contributed to the accident.

However, the precise circumstances leading to the collision had not been conclusively established in the report, and the suspected role of speed remains subject to further investigation.

The presence of the parked bus obstructing a lane of the highway was also a key detail in the account of the incident.

Authorities are expected to establish the full circumstances surrounding the crash as investigations continue.

Road safety concerns

The tragedy has resulted in the deaths of eight people and prompted a rescue operation involving emergency personnel along the busy highway.

The incident highlights the dangers posed by collisions involving commercial passenger vehicles, particularly on major roads used for long-distance travel across the sub-region.

As investigations proceed, determining why the Burkinabè bus was parked on the highway and the circumstances under which the Ivorian bus approached it will be important to establishing the sequence of events that led to the fatal collision.

Beatrice Mumuni is in custody in connection with the killing of George and Irene Atuguba at NTHC Estate, as police intensify efforts to locate another suspect.

The Ghana Police Service has arrested a 47-year-old woman, Beatrice Mumuni, in connection with the murder of a couple, George Atuguba and Irene Atuguba, at NTHC Estate, Sakumono, in the Greater Accra Region.

The arrest was announced by the Police Service in a social media statement on Saturday, October 31, 2026, a day after the killings reportedly occurred.

According to the police, Mumuni was arrested on Friday, October 30, as part of investigations into the deaths of the couple. The announcement also indicated that a key suspect in the case had been declared wanted.

The police did not disclose the specific role the arrested woman is suspected of playing in the incident or provide details about the circumstances surrounding her arrest.

The statement, however, confirmed that investigations were ongoing and that the police were pursuing another individual believed to be central to the case.

Key suspect declared wanted

In the same announcement, the Police Service declared a key suspect wanted in connection with the murders and released photographs believed to be intended to assist efforts to locate the individual.

The declaration suggests that investigators are pursuing additional leads as they work to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths of George and Irene Atuguba.

However, the police statement did not provide the name, age or other identifying details of the wanted suspect in the text accompanying the photographs.

It also did not indicate whether the arrested woman had been formally charged or appeared before a court.

Police investigations continue

The arrest marks an initial development in the investigation into the deaths of the couple, with police expected to continue gathering evidence and questioning persons who may have information relevant to the case.

The circumstances surrounding the alleged murders, including the motive and the events leading to the deaths, were not disclosed in the announcement.

The Police Service has not provided further details about the relationship, if any, between the arrested woman and the deceased couple.

As investigations continue, the focus remains on establishing the full facts of the case, determining the involvement of any other persons and bringing those responsible before the law.

The arrest of Mumuni does not amount to a determination of guilt. She remains a suspect unless and until the allegations are established through the legal process.