🇬🇭GhanaWest Africa
VALD advocates for AI-driven enforcement against nicotine addiction in Ghana
via GhanaWeb2 min read
Vision for Alternative Development VALD, a non-profit organization, has called for enhanced enforcement of tobacco control laws and the integration of Artificial Intelligence AI and digital tools to combat rising nicotine addiction in Ghana. This statement was made to mark World No Tobacco Day 2026, where VALD joined the global public health community in highlighting the growing threat of nicotine addiction. The campaign, themed “Unmasking the appeal—countering nicotine and tobacco addiction,” focuses on how tobacco and nicotine products are designed and marketed to attract and sustain use, especially among young people. VALD warned that these products are being redesigned with flavors, attractive packaging, and targeted digital marketing strategies, with new products like vapes and nicotine pouches rapidly entering the market, creating new forms of addiction often presented as less harmful. The organization noted that marketing has shifted to packaging, retail environments, and digital spaces that are harder to monitor and regulate. VALD expressed concern over trends undermining tobacco control efforts, including the promotion of flavored nicotine products as harmless and youth-friendly, the growth of unregulated online and social media marketing, and the use of harm reduction narratives that may normalize nicotine use. VALD maintains that there is no safe level of tobacco use and that nicotine remains highly addictive. The organization called on the Government of Ghana, the
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by GhanaWeb.
President John Dramani Mahama has lauded Minister of Foreign Affairs and North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa as one of his administration's top performers. Speaking during his Resetting Ghana Tour in the Volta Region on July 16, 2026, President Mahama described Ablakwa as among his hardest-working ministers, crediting him with many of Ghana’s diplomatic successes. He highlighted Ablakwa's commitment to national service and his focus on the development of the North Tongu constituency. The President attributed much of his international recognition to the Foreign Affairs Minister's efforts, citing Ghana’s successful campaign for a United Nations resolution on reparations as a prime example, noting Ablakwa personally led diplomatic engagements to secure international backing for the initiative.
Must ReadGhanaian TikToker Camilla Alhassan has been sentenced to one year in prison by the Accra Circuit Court after pleading guilty to charges of offensive conduct and publishing false news. The ruling was delivered on July 16, 2026, following her admission that she shared videos falsely alleging that President John Dramani Mahama buried 32 cows as part of rituals for the 2024 general election. Her lawyer, Kwadwo Gyamfi Bonsu, stated that the court dismissed the charge of electronic abuse due to lack of jurisdiction. However, she was found guilty of offensive conduct and publishing false news. The court imposed the one-year sentence, emphasizing the need for a deterrent given the increasing number of similar cases, despite the defense's plea for leniency. Camilla's arrest and prosecution followed the circulation of the videos on social media, and she was directed to undergo a pregnancy test before sentencing.
The Controller and Accountant-General’s Department CAGD has refuted social media claims that the government has spent nearly GH¢11 billion on the Accra-Kumasi Expressway project. The CAGD explained that the transfer of funds from the Consolidated Fund to Accra-Kumasi Expressway Limited, a Special Purpose Vehicle SPV established through the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund GIIF, represents a standard accounting procedure. This transfer is recorded as Grant Expenditure by the Central Government and as Grant Revenue by the receiving entity, which is classified as a State-Owned Enterprise SOE. The Department emphasized that the money, earmarked from the Annual Budget Funding Amount ABFA and mineral royalties, remains in a dedicated Bank of Ghana account and has not been used for construction or paid to contractors. The CAGD clarified that the ongoing right-of-way clearing by the Ghana Armed Forces is a separate, preparatory exercise not funded by these project-specific funds. The Department urged the public not to misinterpret the accounting entry as actual expenditure on construction, affirming that the process aligns with Ghana’s Public Financial Management framework and established government accounting standards.