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Ghana has been ranked as the fifth-largest country of origin for cocaine seized at the Port of Antwerp in 2025, joining the ranks of major producers like Ecuador and Colombia. In response, President John Mahama convened emergency meetings with national security chiefs to establish an inter-agency task force. This task force will focus on bolstering defenses at the Port of Tema, where recent seizures included 2,829 kg of cocaine and 4,000 kg hidden in cassava flour shipments. Ten suspects, including customs officials, are currently in custody.
This ranking threatens Ghana's international standing and intelligence-sharing partnerships. If state institutions are perceived as compromised by the narcotics trade, it could trigger stricter scrutiny of all Ghanaian exports and financial transactions.
West Africa has increasingly become a 'narco-logistics' hub for Andean cocaine destined for European markets. The Port of Tema is a critical node in this corridor, and previous administrations have also struggled with high-profile drug scandals involving port officials.
Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has dismissed a motion from the Minority Caucus calling for an inquiry into recent massive drug seizures. Bagbin cited the sub judice rule, noting that a parliamentary probe could prejudice ongoing court cases involving 21 accused persons. The Minority, led by Alexander Afenyo-Markin, criticized the ruling, arguing that the probe was intended to assess institutional failures at the underfunded Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), not criminal liability.
The lack of a public inquiry may fuel perceptions of 'political protection' for traffickers, a concern recently highlighted in the 2025 Global Organised Crime Index.
The Accra High Court has issued an arrest warrant for Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, MP for Manhyia South, over alleged financial crimes at SIC Life Savings & Loans. The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) alleges unauthorized transactions and money laundering. The MP has denied wrongdoing, calling the investigation 'politically motivated.'
The arrest must be executed through the Speaker of Parliament, testing the legal protocols surrounding parliamentary immunity during active investigations.
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson announced that an ICC tribunal in London upheld a $393.09 million (~GHc4.6 billion) tax assessment against Tullow Ghana Limited. The ruling confirms that the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) correctly taxed business interruption insurance proceeds and loan interest deductions from 2016 to 2019. Tullow expressed disappointment but noted it would work with the GRA to resolve obligations without disrupting Jubilee and TEN field operations.
This provides a significant fiscal windfall for the Mahama administration and sets a legal precedent for sovereign tax authority over international oil companies.
This signals that the Ghanaian government is tightening tax compliance in the extractive sector, reducing the likelihood of future 'sweetheart' tax deals.
The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) generated $1.871 billion (~GHc21.9 billion) in foreign exchange for September 2026, exceeding its $1.4 billion target. Of this, $1.17 billion (~GHc13.7 billion) was provided to the Bank of Ghana to bolster national reserves, while $701.3 million was sold to commercial banks to support cedi stability.
At the current interbank rate of GHc11.70 per USD, the cedi is showing signs of resilience backed by these gold inflows. This may be a stable window for those looking to fund property or business projects back home.
Domestic investors are facing a negative real return as 91-day Treasury bill yields fell to 4.68%, while national inflation sits at 5.0%. Simultaneously, Bank of Ghana personnel costs surged 103% to GHc3.29 billion (~$281 million USD) by 2025, despite only a 22% increase in staff numbers.
Negative real returns may drive capital away from government paper and into the forex market, potentially putting pressure on the cedi despite recent gold board gains.
Flooding from the River Dayi has impacted 4,282 households in the Hohoe Municipality, causing over 30 houses to collapse. MP Thomas Worlanyo Tsekpo and the Ministry of Works and Housing are conducting assessments to stabilize the riverbanks. The Gender Ministry has released an emergency LEAP package for victims.
Hohoe residents and traditional leaders have cited improper waste disposal and inadequate drainage as factors that turn seasonal rains into disasters. The River Dayi banks have historically been prone to overflow without regular dredging.
The Ghana Police Service has delayed the full rollout of the automated traffic enforcement system, TRAFFITECH-GH, to November 1, 2026. The delay is intended to allow for a month of public education on how digital notices and fines will be issued via SMS for speeding and red-light violations.
The implementation of RFID-enabled number plates by the DVLA will complement this system, making it much harder for vehicle owners to evade traffic fines.
Ghana’s national team is in freefall after squandering a 2-0 lead to lose 4-2 against The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium. The defeat leaves the Black Stars at the bottom of AFCON 2027 Group C with zero points. Minister Sam George has called for the team to be disbanded and for Ghana to accept a potential FIFA ban to facilitate a total two-year rebuild of the GFA.
Black Stars context: This is the first time in 51 years Ghana has conceded three or more goals in an AFCON qualifier. Head coach Carlos Queiroz has won only one of his last seven matches.
Fans heckled GFA President Kurt Okraku during the Gambia match, forcing officials to exit the stadium early. Former GFA Chairman Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe has suggested Okraku resign if he cannot meet expectations, while an open letter to President Mahama has called for the GFA's immediate dissolution.
Actor-producer Kwadwo Nkansah (Lil Win) welcomed Nollywood icons Patience Ozokwor and Kanayo O. Kanayo to Accra for his new project, 'A Journey to Africa.' The film, set in the stilt village of Nzulezu, aims to market Ghana’s cultural heritage to a global audience.
This project represents a significant effort to bridge the Kumawood-Nollywood divide, potentially creating a more competitive regional film market against international streaming content.
Veteran actor Pete Edochie arrived in Ghana for 'Legacy Week,' visiting the grave of his close friend, the late President Jerry John Rawlings. Edochie also visited ailing veteran actor Emmanuel Armah, pledging support for the local creative community.
Today we covered Ghana’s shocking rise in the global narcotics trade rankings, a major $393 million legal victory for the nation's oil interests, and the unprecedented calls to dissolve the GFA following the Black Stars' collapse. Thank you for reading the Anansi News Daily Brief!
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