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Police have forwarded the criminal docket of Zakaria Abdulai, the interdicted headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School, to the Attorney General for legal advice. Abdulai is under investigation for a formal rape complaint filed in August, though documentary evidence has alleged abuse of up to 19 students. Amid the probe, the Ghana Education Service (GES) has also ordered the Ashanti Regional and Obuasi Municipal Directors of Education to step aside to ensure an unimpeded investigation. Concurrently, Abdulai resigned his position as NDC Juaben Constituency Secretary and withdrew from the chairmanship race to focus on his legal defense.
This case has become a national test for student safety and institutional accountability. The decision to order top education directors to step aside signals a tougher stance by the Mahama administration against administrative negligence in safeguarding students.
The investigation gained momentum after a documentary titled 'Inside the Dreaded Headmaster's Bungalow' went viral. Public pressure has forced the NDC to reverse its initial clearance for Abdulai to run in internal party elections.
The Ghana High Commission in Pretoria has taken responsibility for 'clerical errors' in the records of 1,964 citizens evacuated following xenophobic attacks. Data showed 15 individuals with 'future' birth dates (as late as 2036), which High Commissioner Benjamin Quashie explained resulted from passport expiry dates being incorrectly transcribed as birth dates during data entry. The Minority in Parliament has since called for an independent audit of the GHc49.72 million (~$4.25 million USD) evacuation expenditure.
While the errors appear administrative, the large financial outlay of nearly GHc50 million (~$4.27 million USD) has triggered intense scrutiny over fiscal transparency in emergency repatriation missions.
In a landmark agreement for Ghana's energy sector, the Petroleum Hub Development Corporation (PHDC) has signed a $28 billion deal with an international consortium for Lot 2 of the Jomoro Petroleum and Petrochemicals Hub. The project includes a 300,000-barrel-per-day refinery, storage facilities, and petrochemical plants. Construction is slated for Q1 2027. Energy Minister Dr. John Jinapor has pledged inter-ministerial cooperation to resolve land acquisition challenges in the Western Region to ensure the project stays on schedule.
This $28 billion investment is one of the largest in Ghana's history. By processing 300,000 barrels per day locally, Ghana seeks to eliminate fuel imports and become a net exporter of refined products to landlocked neighbors like Burkina Faso, which already transits 40% of its petroleum through Ghana.
This signals a major opportunity in the petrochemical supply chain and logistics. Watch for upcoming infrastructure tenders related to the Jomoro area in early 2027.
Sammy Gyamfi, CEO of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), announced that artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) gold exports hit $11.6 billion USD from January to October 2026. This record 85.4 tonnes of gold surpassed large-scale mining exports ($11.1 billion USD) for the first time. Reforms have driven this surge by curbing smuggling and formalizing trade, with 94.6% of ASM gold purchased in October 2026 being refined locally in partnerships with refineries like the Royal Ghana Gold Refinery.
The ASM sector is now the primary engine of Ghana's foreign exchange earnings. This revenue is vital for the stability of the cedi and highlights the success of formalization over mere suppression of small-scale mining.
The shift toward local refining means more value-added jobs in Ghana. If you are looking to invest in local jewelry or gold-related businesses, the 2027 Budget is expected to include new tax incentives for the sector.
Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has launched the Jimi Land Reclamation and River Watercourse Rehabilitation Project in the Adansi Asokwa district. The initiative aims to restore 153 hectares of land destroyed by illegal mining (galamsey) and rehabilitate the Jimi River, a critical water source that has suffered from extreme turbidity and heavy metal contamination. The project uses science-based methods, including the planting of kenaf to extract toxins from the soil.
Galamsey has devastated water bodies across Ghana, leading to increased treatment costs for Ghana Water Limited. The Asantehene's leadership in this restoration effort is seen as a powerful model for traditional authority intervention in environmental crises.
The success of the Jimi project will likely serve as a blueprint for national reclamation efforts. Watch for potential mandatory land-reclamation levies on small-scale mining licenses in 2027.
The Kwabenya Circuit Court has adjourned the trial of six individuals involved in the 3.9-tonne cocaine shipment to France, valued at approximately EUR225 million (~$244 million USD). The delay follows a motion by Helena Akua Denkyi, a GRA contract staff member, to be removed from the charges. The narcotics were discovered in Dunkirk, France, hidden in a container declared as plastic waste.
This is one of the largest narcotics seizures linked to Ghana. The case highlights security vulnerabilities at Ghanaian ports and the potential complicity of low-level port officials.
It was a mixed week for Ghanaian stars abroad. 18-year-old midfielder William Bediako has officially joined Atletico Madrid on loan from Trival Vald with a buy option. Meanwhile, Mohammed Kudus sustained a fresh injury during Tottenham's 3-1 win over Coventry City, and Antoine Semenyo of Manchester City is expected to be out for eight weeks with a knee injury sustained against Ipswich Town.
Black Stars context: These injuries are a significant blow to the national team ahead of the November AFCON qualifiers against Somalia. With Semenyo and potentially Kudus out, interim coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren will face a selection headache.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has named Black Queens head coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren as interim manager for the Black Stars' November doubleheader against Somalia. This move follows the departure of Carlos Queiroz. Former Manchester United star Dwight Yorke has also publicly confirmed his interest in the permanent role.
Rapper Sarkodie has challenged Ghana's business elite to emulate Nigerian billionaires by providing financial backing for local artists. He argued that the global explosion of Afrobeats is partly fueled by the capital injection from Nigerian moguls like Tony Elumelu, allowing their artists to execute larger projects than their Ghanaian counterparts.
As 'December in GH 2026' launches, the lack of local investment capital remains a major hurdle for Ghanaian artists trying to compete on the global stage.
Today we covered the historic $28 billion Lot 2 Jomoro Petroleum Hub agreement, the milestone $11.6 billion in artisanal gold exports, and the expansion of digital services for the diaspora via the new NIA portal. Thank you for reading the Anansi News Daily Brief!
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