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Tsatsu Tsikata recounts his prosecution and jailing under former President Kufuor's government
via GhanaWeb4 min read
Legal luminary Tsatsu Tsikata recently discussed his prosecution and imprisonment under the government of former President John Agyekum Kufuor, where he was accused of causing financial loss to the state. Speaking at an Honorific Lecture and Award ceremony on April 15, 2026, Tsikata stated that the Kufuor government, including then Attorney General Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, actively sought his conviction. He noted that a Supreme Court decision, by a 5-4 majority, initially declared the Fast Track High Court, established for his prosecution, unconstitutional. Tsikata accused former President Kufuor of appointing two new justices to the Supreme Court to overturn this decision, which subsequently occurred with a 6-5 majority. Following this, Tsikata recounted being arrested at church. New charges were later brought against him in a normal High Court, which were dismissed. However, he was again arraigned before a Fast Track High Court and sentenced to five years in prison in the absence of his lawyer. Tsikata's legal issues originated from his time as Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation GNPC, where he was convicted in 2008 for approving a loan guarantee that led to financial loss. He served part of his sentence before receiving a presidential pardon in 2009 from former President John Evans Atta Mills. In 2010, the Supreme Court of Ghana overturned his conviction, citing flaws in the trial process and a miscarriage of justice.
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A mother is accusing her 15-year-old daughter's father, a Police Inspector stationed at Garu in the Upper East Region, of sexually abusing the girl for several years. The mother stated that the abuse began when her daughter was around 10 years old, resulting in a pregnancy for which the father allegedly arranged a home abortion. The father reportedly coached the girl to lie, even leading to the arrest of a teacher who tried to help her. The truth emerged when a doctor at a hospital encouraged the girl to speak, and she disclosed her father's involvement. The doctor reported the matter to the police, and the inspector was questioned. The girl was initially separated from her father but later returned to his care during the investigation. The mother regained custody after the father fell ill. Medical tests later confirmed the girl is HIV positive, and the mother believes the daughter contracted the virus from her father, who reportedly took medication for leg pain. The mother submitted a medical report to the Agona Jamasi Police Station, but states the case has seen little progress. The case was also reported to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit DOVVSU in Koforidua and referred to national headquarters, but the mother is still awaiting meaningful action.
A political controversy has erupted in Ghana regarding the ongoing power crisis, locally known as dumsor. A former New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has vehemently denied claims that he and other NPP MPs in the Ashanti Region paid Electricity Company of Ghana officials to intentionally cause power outages. These allegations, which circulated in a viral social media video and were reportedly amplified by a radio and television station, accused the MPs of secretly meeting ECG District Directors and offering them money to maintain the worsening power supply issues. Dr Opoku Prempeh, former Manhyia South lawmaker, dismissed the claims as “entirely false, malicious, and without any basis in fact.” He announced that legal action is being pursued against the media house and the presenter responsible for the allegations, stating, “I have instructed my lawyers to commence the necessary legal processes to compel them to substantiate these allegations with credible evidence or face the full consequences of the law.” The controversy arises amid widespread public frustration over erratic power supply across Ghana. Dr Opoku Prempeh emphasized that the country’s energy challenges should not be exploited for political propaganda, urging a focus on lasting solutions rather than manufacturing falsehoods. This statement is expected to escalate discussions on the politicization of Ghana’s energy crisis as the government faces increasing pressure to resolve the r
Must ReadThe community of Asaloko in Ghana has developed an innovative system to manage plastic waste, particularly empty water sachets, which are prevalent across the country. Residents collect these sachets and exchange them for fresh drinking water at a local company called Dem Dhat, effectively turning waste into a valuable commodity. This initiative not only saves money for families but also removes approximately 5 tonnes of sachets from the community annually. The program, which began as a hygiene-focused Water, Sanitation and Hygiene WASH intervention by WaterAid Ghana, evolved into a comprehensive waste management approach. Community members now sort waste, composting organic matter and actively cleaning their environment. While Asaloko's efforts are small-scale, experts highlight their significant implications for Ghana, where 840,000 tonnes of plastic waste are generated yearly with less than 10 percent recycled. The traditional method of burning waste in rural areas, which releases toxic pollutants linked to 35,000 deaths annually in Ghana, is avoided in Asaloko. Despite their success, the community still faces challenges with non-recyclable items and appeals for a processing plant, estimated at GH¢224 million $US20 million, to achieve near-complete air pollution freedom. This contrasts sharply with the situation in Sherigu, where an uncompleted composting and recycling plant and a continuously burning landfill illustrate the broader waste management crisis in Ghana, exacer
Frederick Opoku, the Acting Rent Commissioner, has publicly criticized the Social Security and National Insurance Trust SSNIT for what he describes as exploitative accommodation charges at Ghana Hostels, also known as Pentagon. Speaking on Hitz FM on May 8, 2026, Opoku stated that SSNIT, which manages parents' pensions, should not be charging such high fees for student accommodation. He expressed that SSNIT should "bow their heads in shame" for exploiting the same parents whose pensions they manage. Opoku mentioned he personally visited the facility and observed the pricing, noting that older four-in-one rooms cost about GH¢6,400 per semester, while newer rooms are around GH¢8,000. He also highlighted concerns about air-conditioned rooms, which he said cost over GH¢20,000 or GH¢30,000, questioning the financial burden placed on students.