Supreme Court Halts GN Savings License Restoration as Lawyers for Ashanti NPP Chairman Wontumi Challenge Mining Act Constitutionality

Ghana’s legal and political landscape is currently dominated by high-profile cases at the Supreme Court and significant pushes for legislative reform. The Supreme Court has stayed the execution of a Court of Appeal judgment that ordered the restoration of GN Savings and Loans Limited’s operating license. This decision maintains the Bank of Ghana’s previous revocation of the license during the financial sector cleanup, pending a final verdict from the apex court. Simultaneously, lawyers for Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, the Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, are seeking a Supreme Court interpretation of the Minerals and Mining Act. Wontumi, who faces charges for facilitating unauthorized mining, argues that certain sections of the Act are unconstitutional and legally vague. A ruling on the referral is expected on July 20, 2026.

In the realm of local governance and fiscal policy, the Ghana Developing Communities Association (GDCA) is intensifying its advocacy for a significant increase in the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF). While the Cabinet recently approved a new National Decentralization Policy proposing an increase to 7.5%, the GDCA argues that the allocation should be at least 10% of national revenue to meet local development needs. The association also called for a prohibition on central government pre-commitments of these funds and expressed support for the non-partisan election of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs). This push for transparency is mirrored in Parliament, where Public Accounts Committee Vice Chairman Davis Ansah Opoku has urged the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to publish a comprehensive register of all mining leases to improve oversight and public confidence.

Government accountability and resource management remain at the forefront of the national agenda. Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, is scheduled to appear in the Government Accountability Series on July 15, 2026, to provide updates on land administration and environmental protection. In a related environmental initiative, Sammy Gyamfi, CEO of the Ghana Gold Board (GOLDBOD), announced an GHS 8.4 million investment for rehabilitating water systems in the Western and Central Regions affected by illegal mining. Meanwhile, the Ministry of the Interior has revised curfew hours in the Nkwanta South Municipality to 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. following advice from the National Security Council regarding local tensions.

Public service delivery is seeing modernization through the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), which recently commissioned a new office in Salaga to decentralize services in the East Gonja Municipality. The DVLA has also announced a two-year target to transition all vehicle number plates in Ghana to a digital system starting January 1, 2027. Additionally, the Ghana Armed Forces have launched major redevelopment projects at Burma Camp to modernize military housing. On the international front, the government has introduced a Diaspora National Service program to reconnect young Ghanaians abroad with their homeland, and has facilitated the voluntary return of over 8,000 irregular migrants, primarily from Libya, with support from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).