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Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, the former CEO of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), was arrested by US Marshals in Nevada on January 6, 2026. Tamakloe-Attionu, who was sentenced in absentia to 10 years in April 2024, is currently held at the Nevada Southern Detention Centre. The Ghanaian Attorney General and Ambassador to the US, Victor Smith, confirmed that extradition processes are underway to return her to serve her sentence for embezzling GHc3.19 million (~$297,297 USD), a case that resulted in a total estimated loss of GHc90 million (~$8.39 million USD) to the state.
This arrest demonstrates the effectiveness of international legal cooperation and reinforces the Mahama administration's commitment to holding former officials accountable for financial misconduct.
MASLOC was established to provide micro-credit to SMEs. The case against Tamakloe-Attionu has been a high-profile anti-corruption symbol since she failed to return to Ghana after traveling to the US for medical treatment in 2021.
Internal maneuvering within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is heating up ahead of the January 31 presidential primaries. Presidential hopeful Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum has intensified his campaign in the Ashanti Region, focusing on his educational reforms. Meanwhile, former MP Samuel Atta Akyea has publicly urged the party to retain Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, arguing that his 41% vote share in the 2024 election represents a solid base that should not be discarded due to "voter fatigue."
The outcome of the January 31 vote will define the NPP's strategy as an opposition party and determine whether they lean toward technocratic continuity (Bawumia) or a new educational-reformist image (Adutwum).
The United States has authorized $413 million for counter-insurgency operations in Nigeria and other African nations under the 2026 National Defence Authorisation Act. The funding is specifically aimed at neutralizing violent extremism in West Africa and establishing an Assistant Secretary for African Affairs to oversee sub-Saharan policy.
For Ghana, enhanced US security funding for neighbors like Nigeria potentially reduces the risk of spillover from Sahelian insurgencies and stabilizes regional trade routes.
IMF Resident Representative Dr. Adrian Alter has lauded Ghana's 2025 performance, confirming that all performance criteria under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) were met. This has triggered a total disbursement of $2.8 billion. Concurrently, GOIL PLC has reduced fuel prices at 150 outlets. Petrol is now priced at GHc9.99 (~$0.93 USD) per litre, and diesel at GHc11.21 (~$1.04 USD) per litre, marking the first time petrol has dropped below GHc10 in nearly a decade.
The fuel price drop provides immediate inflation relief to the transport and food sectors. The IMF's stamp of approval enhances sovereign creditworthiness for future borrowing.
At the current exchange rate (1 USD = GHc10.73), your support for family transport and logistics is significantly cheaper than it was a year ago. A $100 USD transfer now buys roughly 107 litres of petrol.
Acting Minerals Commission CEO Isaac Tandoh has announced a draft bill to eliminate long-term investment stability agreements. Royalties will be increased from a 9% floor to a potential 12% if gold prices exceed $4,500 per ounce. These reforms, expected in Parliament by March 2025, will impact global giants like Newmont and AngloGold Ashanti as their existing pacts expire.
This signals a tighter fiscal regime for extractives. Investors should monitor the March parliamentary sessions for final royalty tiers and transition clauses for existing operations.
The Central East Regional Police Command rescued 46 suspected human trafficking victims, including a three-year-old child, in Buduburam. The victims, primarily from Francophone West Africa, were lured with false promises of work. One suspect has been arrested. Separately, Ghana received praise in Geneva for child rights reforms, including mobile birth registration and efforts toward gender parity in education.
Police are expanding the investigation to track the cross-border trafficking network. Watch for potential new regulations regarding the vetting of informal labor recruiters.
Professor Reginald Quansah of the University of Ghana has warned that Household Air Pollution (HAP) from traditional open cookstoves causes approximately 32,000 deaths annually in Ghana. Burning firewood and charcoal in poorly ventilated areas contributes to 20% of global pollution and creates health risks for women and children comparable to smoking.
This identifies a major public health priority. For the diaspora, investing in "clean cookstove" technologies for family homes in Ghana is a high-impact way to improve health outcomes.
GFA President Kurt Okraku has urged the public to manage expectations for the Black Queens as they head into the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in March. Drawn in Group D with Cameroon, Mali, and Cape Verde, the team aims to build on their 2024 third-place finish and secure a path to the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time since 2007.
Black Stars context: While the focus is on the women's team, the GFA is also monitoring international developments, including Thomas Tuchel’s squad selection for England, who will face Ghana in the upcoming World Cup.
Referee Daniel Laryea has broken his silence following criticisms of his officiating during the Morocco-Nigeria AFCON semi-final. Laryea simply stated, "it's football," acknowledging that controversy is inherent to the sport's high-stakes moments.
Reggae artist Blakk Rasta has criticized the lack of support for local artists compared to Nigerian counterparts. He is advocating for the implementation of music quotas on Ghanaian media to prevent the local industry from being "suffocated" by foreign content.
This ongoing debate highlights the cultural and economic struggle of Ghanaian artists to compete in the global Afrobeats market.
Today we covered the significant shift in mining royalties, the economic boost from single-digit fuel prices, and the capture of a major fugitive in the US. Thank you for reading the Ghana News AI Daily Brief!
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