
Ghana’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Alhaji Said Sinare, has issued a stern warning to Ghanaian pilgrims preparing for the Hajj pilgrimage, scheduled from May 1 to May 20, 2026. In an official statement dated April 21, 2026, the embassy emphasized that pilgrims must strictly adhere to Saudi laws and regulations. The warning specifically highlighted Saudi Arabia’s uncompromising stance on drug-related offenses, money laundering, and illegal entry. The embassy stated that individuals found in possession, trafficking, or concealment of prohibited drugs, or involved in illicit financial activities, will face immediate arrest, prosecution, and severe penalties. Pilgrims were also cautioned against carrying luggage, money, or items on behalf of others without proper verification, as this could lead to serious legal consequences. The statement urged all pilgrims to travel through approved Hajj arrangements, ensure valid travel documents, and conduct themselves with discipline and dignity to reflect Ghana's values.
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The Court of Appeal has rejected an application by lawyers for Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, to stop his ongoing criminal trial at an Accra High Court. The court ruled on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, that the application did not present sufficient exceptional circumstances to justify a stay of proceedings, allowing the substantive case to continue at the High Court. Chairman Wontumi's legal team had sought to suspend the trial pending the outcome of an appeal against an earlier decision. Both the High Court and the Court of Appeal have now denied this request. Chairman Wontumi's lead counsel, Andy Appiah-Kubi, stated that the defense team is reviewing the ruling and considering options, including an appeal to the Supreme Court or proceeding with the defense at the High Court. Chairman Wontumi and Akonta Mining Limited face six charges related to allegedly permitting unlicensed mining activities on the company's concession without ministerial approval.

Hassan Tampuli, the Member of Parliament for Gushegu and Ranking Member on Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee, has expressed concerns about what he describes as a deliberate effort to undermine the Office of the Special Prosecutor OSP. Speaking on behalf of the New Patriotic Party NPP Minority, Tampuli stated that recent legal challenges and political actions against the anti-corruption body are part of a broader, coordinated attempt to weaken an institution handling high-profile corruption cases. He highlighted a sequence of events, including petitions seeking the removal of the Special Prosecutor, parliamentary actions, and court cases, as evidence of a common agenda. Tampuli described the petitions as "political weapons designed to harass, delegitimize, and remove from office a public servant whose crime was that he was doing his job." His remarks follow an April 15, 2026, Accra High Court ruling that declared all OSP prosecutions null and void on constitutional grounds. Tampuli told journalists that petitions submitted to President John Dramani Mahama for the Special Prosecutor's removal were "coordinated and strategically timed," suggesting they aimed to create a perception of public dissatisfaction rather than address genuine legal concerns. He noted that none of the petitions referred to the Chief Justice established a prima facie case. He also mentioned attempts in Parliament to limit the OSP's powers and a Supreme Court case challenging the constitutionality of the

Ghana's Audit Service has issued an apology to Frank Oliver Kpodo, former Procurement Director at the Ministry of Defence, after mistakenly linking him to a GH¢427 million payroll fraud case. The error originated from findings in the Auditor-General’s Nationwide Payroll Audit, covering January 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025, which incorrectly cited Kpodo. The Audit Service clarified on April 21, 2026, that the GH¢427,995,661.40 figure was a "transpositional error" and actually pertained to the Ministry of Education, involving 3,476 unaccounted staff. Kpodo, now Director of Finance and Administration at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, had previously appeared before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee on March 31, 2026, for separate allegations concerning falsified documents in a GH¢4.8 million deal. He had denied the payroll fraud allegations, stating his salaries were processed correctly and he was unaware of any irregularities.
Must ReadFrank Oliver Kpodo, a former Procurement Director at Ghana’s Ministry of Defence and current Director of Finance and Administration at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, has been implicated in a payroll audit for allegedly receiving GH¢427 million in unearned salaries over 29 months. This revelation comes from a new investigation by The Fourth Estate, based on an Auditor-General’s report covering government payroll systems from January 2023 to June 2025. The audit identified over 6,000 government employees who collectively received more than GH¢800 million in unearned salaries, with Kpodo's alleged amount representing over half of this total. The Auditor-General's 2025 Payroll Audit Report recommended the immediate removal of Kpodo and others from the government payroll and the recovery of all unearned salaries. Kpodo, who previously appeared before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee on March 31, 2026, for separate allegations, described the current claims as "worrying and surprising." He stated that his salaries were processed with verifiable pay slips and that he was unaware of any irregularities, adding that the Audit Service had not contacted him regarding the matter. He also noted that salary validation at the Ministry of Defence is managed by the Human Resource unit and the Chief Director’s office.