Ghana politics and election news

The Minority Caucus in Parliament has condemned the government’s decision to suspend the Chief Executive Officer of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), describing the move as reactionary, short-sighted, and a failure to confront the structural roots of the hospital’s chronic bed shortage crisis.

President John Dramani Mahama has visited the industrial city of Brest to explore opportunities for transforming Ghana’s agricultural sector.

The President, who was received by the Governor of Brest, Piotr Alexsandrovich Parkhomchik, and senior officials from the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, toured one of the country’s largest agro-processing facilities. The visit focused on the plant’s advanced technology in dairy production, including baby food, milk, cheese, and milk powder destined for global markets.

Accompanied by his Advisor and Special Aide, Joyce Bawah Mogtari and Ghana’s Ambassador to Moscow, Dr Jehu-Appiah, President Mahama observed the various stages of their high-tech production. In his post tour remarks, the president noted Ghana’s commitment to adopting modern processing techniques to transition from smallholder farming to large-scale commercial agriculture.

“We are here to tap into Belarus’ vast experience as we work to make Ghana self-dependent in food production,” he stated. He added that a primary goal of the visit is to identify technical solutions to reduce post-harvest losses, which is a major challenge for Ghanaian farmers.

Managing Director of the company, Aleksandr Savchits, revealed that they recorded over $1.4 billion in profit last year. The company has also recently began exporting dairy products to Ghana and is looking forward to expanding the volume of exports as bilateral trade ties strengthen.

President Mahama extended an invitation to Belarusian investors to partner with Ghanaian business associations, citing a mutual benefit for both nations.

Belarus currently stands as a global leader in the export of dairy products, including milk powder, butter, and cheese.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has debunked reports suggesting that the government is preparing to undertake a ministerial reshuffle, describing the claims as false and misleading.

President John Dramani Mahama will begin a state visit to Belarus on Friday at the invitation of President Aleksandr Lukashenko.

The Vice President, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, on Thursday, laid a wreath at Banda-Ahenkro in the Bono Region, on behalf of the nation, to commemorate the 47th anniversary of the June 4 Uprising.

Dr Matthew Opoku-Prempeh, the 2024 Vice-Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and former Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, has called on Parliament to re-engage and reconsider the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025.

President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday paid a courtesy call on King Charles III at Buckingham Palace, capping a five-day high-level diplomatic and investment-focused visit to the United Kingdom.

President John Mahama has renewed Ghana’s advocacy for the United Nations reform to grant Africa permanent representation on the UN Security Council.

President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday, June 2, held a high-level breakfast meeting with United Kingdom Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at No. 10 Downing Street as part of his official engagements in the UK.

Senegal's Pastef party will not participate in the next government and will not be represented by any ministers, said Ousmane Sonko, the country's recently ousted prime minister and leader of the party said on Monday.

The Council of Elders of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has directed all party members and groups engaged in early presidential campaign activities to stop immediately.

Cabinet has approved far-reaching reforms to Ghana’s decentralisation system, including plans to end the appointment of metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs), review the Local Governance Act, and introduce stronger accountability mechanisms at the local level.

Ghana and South Korea have signed their first visa waiver agreement, covering diplomatic and service passport holders.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Minority in Parliament on Friday opposed proposed amendments to Clause 9 of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, popularly referred to as the anti-LGBTQ bill.

Senegal's parliament elected Ousmane Sonko as its speaker on Tuesday, days after President Bassirou ‌Diomaye Faye fired him as prime minister amid a deepening rift over the government's reform agenda and how to resolve a worsening debt crisis.

Political analysts said the speaker position could give the former premier, who was ousted on Friday, a platform to challenge Faye, though ​Sonko moved to downplay that prospect.

"We are not here to fight against the president of the ​republic, but the assembly will fully play its role," Sonko told lawmakers as he accepted ⁠the new post.

International investors are likely to price in a higher risk of Senegal defaulting on its debt ​following Sonko's removal as prime minister, investment bank Morgan Stanley warned on Tuesday, as the country's bonds fell sharply.

Lawmakers rebelled ​against Faye's decision to dissolve the cabinet and fire Sonko by reinstating him as a member of parliament and overwhelmingly backing him as speaker with the support of 132 lawmakers in the 165-member assembly.

The opposition described the manoeuvre as a scandal and questioned ​its legality.

A POWER STRUGGLE BETWEEN FORMER ALLIES

As parliamentary speaker, Sonko will have significant scope to block Faye's legislative ​agenda, according to Signal Risk analyst Greg Musiker.

The two former allies - both senior figures in the ruling PASTEF party - have been ‌engaged in ⁠a fast-moving battle for control since they swept to power together in 2024, falling out over policy, authority and the direction of Senegal's reform agenda.

Faye appointed Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo, a seasoned economist and former regional central bank official, to replace Sonko late on Monday.

Sonko, a vocal critic of the International Monetary Fund, had opposed any ​restructuring of Senegal's debt, whereas ​Lo's views on the ⁠subject are not yet clear.

Sonko's return to a powerful political post ramps up uncertainty over the approach the government will take in talks with the IMF and Senegal's creditors.

"I ​must be truthful and say that we have some differences," Sonko said, referring ​to Lo. "Notably on ⁠monetary policy, debt management and other similar issues."

Before the cabinet was dissolved last week, Senegal had expected to resume talks with the IMF over a new lending programme next month.

Sonko said on Tuesday the latest political developments were a ⁠test of ​the West African nation's democracy.

"Senegal must show Africa that a political ​crisis can be faced without hatred, without violence and without institutional collapse. We must prove that an African people can debate firmly without ​destroying its own state," he said.

Reuters