Addressing the media at a press briefing on Thursday, July 10, Deputy EC Chairperson, Dr. Bossman Asare, assured the public that the Commission has completed all necessary preparations to deliver a credible electoral process.
“On our part as the electoral management body, we are desirous of bringing the election in the Ablekuma North constituency to a conclusion and to ensure that the constituents have a representative in Parliament,” he stated.
The EC ordered a rerun in 19 polling stations after disruptions during the December 2024 parliamentary elections prevented the collation of results in some parts of the constituency.
The rerun will see a rematch between the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie and the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) Ewurabena Aubynn as constituents prepare to finally elect a Member of Parliament.
Dr. Asare emphasized that the Commission has outlined a clear legal path to complete the electoral process in compliance with electoral laws.
“We have thus provided a path to complete the collation process while ensuring that the residents of Ablekuma North have a representative in Parliament,” he said.
Reaffirming the EC’s dedication to its core values, he added, “We assure the public and the political parties that, as always, we will live by our motto and ensure that the rerun is fair, transparent, and credible.”
He also wished the two candidates success in the upcoming contest, stating, “We wish the two candidates the best of luck at the polls tomorrow, Friday, July 11.”
The sole agenda for the congress is to consider and adopt proposed amendments to the party’s constitution.
This was announced at a press briefing in Accra by Hon. Joe Osei Owusu, former First Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Chairman of the NPP National Delegates Conference Planning Committee.
He disclosed that the Constitutional Review Committee has submitted a detailed document of about 300 pages, which has been compressed into motions to be presented for discussion and voting.
“We are going to present the final draft to the Congress in the form of motions. Delegates will have the opportunity to accept, reject, or amend them,” Hon. Osei Owusu stated.
He emphasized that the event will be strictly for party business and not a platform for political campaigns.
“There will be no campaign activities. No posters, banners, or branded T-shirts of any flagbearer hopeful will be allowed. This congress is strictly to address the constitutional review,” he said firmly.
About 5,795 delegates are expected to attend the congress. These include party executives, Members of Parliament, regional and constituency officers, and other key stakeholders.
Hon. Osei Owusu also assured the public that measures are in place to prevent the outbreak of COVID-19 during the event.
The party sees this congress as a critical moment to strengthen its internal structures and prepare adequately for the future.
According to a press release issued on Wednesday, July 10, the Police said they are fully prepared to safeguard the integrity of the process before, during, and after the rerun, which is expected to take place across 19 polling stations within the constituency.
Personnel will be deployed across all designated voting centers to maintain law and order.
In addition to the physical presence at polling stations, the Police will also be controlling traffic and monitoring movement around key voting zones.
“As part of the measures, strategic barriers will be mounted to prevent unauthorized access to polling centers,” the statement read.
The Electoral Commission scheduled the rerun following disputes surrounding the results from several polling stations during the December 7, 2024, general election.
The Police urged the public to cooperate with security officers and adhere to all electoral regulations to ensure a smooth and peaceful process.
“We appeal to all residents and stakeholders to support our efforts by reporting any suspicious activity or individuals,” the statement added.
Residents are encouraged to report concerns through emergency numbers 18555 or 192.
In a letter to the two companies, the Minister warned against further media engagement on the matter, urging both parties to focus on dialogue and cooperation.
“I refer to your earlier correspondence in respect of the above subject matter, as well as the various press releases and public statements that have since been issued concerning the dispute. In light of the circumstances, I have decided to grant the parties a final period of seven (7) days within which to resolve the matter amicably,” the Minister stated.
He added: “Should this period elapse without a mutually agreed resolution, a decision shall be taken in the best interest of the country.”
Mr Buah further directed the Minerals Commission to intervene and assist in the resolution process to ensure the timely commencement of the gold mining project in the Upper West Region.
The directive comes amidst escalating tensions between the two companies, with both sides trading accusations over the status of a US$100 million acquisition agreement signed in October 2023.
E&P, in a press statement dated July 8, rejected what it described as “a deliberate effort to distort facts” surrounding its purchase of Azumah’s Black Volta Gold Project. The company insisted that the agreement was reached in good faith after Azumah’s shareholders approached them in May 2023 to offload the struggling mine.
E&P disclosed that the original agreement involved a US$100 million purchase price to be paid in two instalments. The company claims it assumed all liabilities, including debts exceeding US$5 million owed to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Minerals Commission, and has since invested an average of US$500,000 monthly in maintaining the project.
However, E&P alleges that the dispute escalated in August 2024 when Azumah’s director, James Wallbank, demanded a new price of US$300 million due to increasing global gold prices. E&P rejected the demand and initiated arbitration proceedings.
E&P also revealed that the High Court of Ghana ruled in June 2025 that Azumah’s attempt to terminate the agreement had no legal effect and ordered that the status quo be maintained.
The July 7, 2025, signing ceremony at the Marriott Hotel—which Azumah publicly distanced itself from—was clarified by E&P to be between the company and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) for a US$100 million facility to finance the acquisition.
According to E&P’s Business Development Director, Emmanuel Erskine, the project remains a fully commercial transaction and not politically motivated.
“This is a historic opportunity for a wholly owned Ghanaian company to develop a large-scale gold mine. Ghanaians should support this effort, not sabotage it,” he said.
In a separate statement, Azumah reaffirmed its commitment to developing the Black Volta Gold Mine in the Upper West Region and expressed confidence in Ghana’s legal and regulatory framework, amid an ongoing dispute with Engineers & Planners Company Limited (E&P).
In a press release issued last Tuesday, the company thanked the Government of Ghana for upholding the rule of law and investor confidence, and stated its determination to pursue the mine’s development in partnership with Ghanaian stakeholders and international investors.
“Azumah Resources is committed to ensuring this project benefits Ghanaians, led by Ghanaians, with partners who are willing and able to build with us,” said John Mason, Spokesperson for Azumah Resources.
“We have a duty to protect Ghana’s resources for the benefit of all. This is about doing right by Ghana and Ghanaians.”
Mr Mason criticised E&P’s recent claims in the media, describing them as “unsupported by law or fact”. He disclosed that while E&P had initially proposed funding of over $250 million, only $4 million had actually been provided. “We are fortunate to have secured the financial support of international investors who have already developed more than $10 billion worth of mines globally. They will support the construction of this mine,” he stated.
Azumah said it would continue to seek investment from reputable, law-abiding Ghanaian companies and investors, while maintaining its focus on “lawful development, transparency, and building Ghana’s future”.
As tensions continue to rise, all eyes will be on the two firms and the Minerals Commission in the coming days, as they work to meet the Minister’s deadline and prevent further legal and reputational fallout.
Despite the party’s boycott, the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) 2024 parliamentary candidate for Ablekuma North, Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, has confirmed that she will contest in the parliamentary rerun scheduled for Friday, July 11, 2025.
Her decision follows the Electoral Commission’s (EC) directive to hold a rerun in 19 polling stations after disputes emerged over the authenticity of results during the December 7, 2024, general elections.
Speaking to journalists at her office in Odorkor, Accra, on Thursday, July 10, Akua Afriyie expressed confidence and reiterated her readiness for the polls.
“I am contesting. We are fully prepared. We are going for this contest tomorrow. First, I want to thank the Almighty God for protecting us throughout these seven months. We went for elections on December 7, and I won that election,” she stated.
Her remarks came a day after the High Court dismissed her application to stop the rerun. In the ruling on Wednesday, July 9, Justice Ali Baba Abature described the motion as unmeritorious and emphasized that suspending the election would impede the EC’s constitutional mandate and deny constituents their right to parliamentary representation.
While the NPP had opposed the EC’s decision, citing a January 4, 2025, High Court ruling which directed the collation and declaration of results from 62 polling stations,
Akua Afriyie’s decision marks a departure from the party’s stance.
The NPP’s legal team had also argued that by January 27, only three polling station results remained uncollated, according to the EC’s public updates.
Nonetheless, the Electoral Commission has stood by its decision to hold the rerun in the 19 affected polling stations within the Ablekuma North constituency.
According to a statement signed by Chief Inspector Francis Kwaku Gomado, Head of the Public Affairs Unit of the Volta Regional Police Command, the deceased had relocated from his hometown, Wusuta in the South Dayi District, to live with his wife at Mafi Adidome in December 2024.
Following weeks of covert investigations and collaboration with local residents, the police apprehended the first three suspects on 26th June 2025.
They include 21-year-old Augustina Fiawoyife, an unemployed woman; 31-year-old herbalist Wisdom Hedidor; and Courage Bedzo, also known as Dzidefo, a 31-year-old Kente weaver.
Further investigations led to the arrest of three additional suspects: Gblor Noah, also known as Ekpedzi, a 42-year-old fetish priest; his brother Yohannes Gblor, aged 27 and employed as a security guard; and John Gblor, aged 40, a lotto writer.
The three were arrested at Mafi Awakpedome.
Preliminary findings indicate that on 4th December 2024, Augustina, acting on instructions from her boyfriend, Wisdom Hedidor, lured Nelson Anyena to a secluded location under the pretext of a romantic meeting.
There, Hedidor and Courage Bedzo allegedly ambushed and strangled him (the deceased).
Investigators believe the suspects carried out the killing on behalf of fetish priest Gblor Noah, who had earlier approached them requesting a human body for ritual purposes in exchange for a fee.
After the act, Noah and his brothers allegedly paid GH¢7,000 to the two attackers and transported the body to a shrine at Blorkope.
On 3rd July 2025, police secured an exhumation order from the Ho Magistrate Court and, on 7 July, retrieved the victim’s body from beneath Noah Gblor’s shrine.
The exercise, led by Volta Regional Crime Officer Superintendent Mr Omari Mic Boakye and supported by Environmental Health Officers from the Ho Municipality, also uncovered two additional unidentified bodies buried at the site.
The remains have been transferred to the Police Hospital Mortuary in Accra for preservation, autopsy, and DNA profiling.
All six suspects are currently in police and prison custody and are expected to appear in court on 8th August 2025.
The Volta Regional Police Command has expressed appreciation for the public’s cooperation and has called on the family and community members to remain calm as investigations proceed.
The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has officially inaugurated the governing boards of five key health regulatory institutions, calling on them to lead with vision, discipline, and innovation in advancing Ghana’s healthcare delivery.
The five institutions are:
National Vaccine Institute (NVI)
Health Facilities Regulatory Authority (HeFRA)
Nurses and Midwifery Council (NMC)
Centre for Plant Medicine Research (CPMR)
Mortuaries and Funeral Facilities Agency (MoFFA)
According to the Minister, these bodies are crucial to Ghana’s progress toward Universal Health Coverage, and their roles extend far beyond regulatory duties.
“Today, we inaugurate the leadership of institutions that are more than just regulators,” Mr. Akandoh said. “They are guardians of quality, enablers of trust, and the quiet force protecting Ghanaians across the full span of life and death.”
Tackling Emerging Health Challenges
The Minister pointed out the growing health challenges facing Ghanaians, including a rise in non-communicable diseases such as cancers, strokes, and kidney-related conditions. He stressed the need for strong leadership and proactive measures.
“These realities demand bold leadership. We cannot wait for illness to occur. We are investing in prevention through the soon-to-be-launched free primary healthcare, HPV vaccines to be introduced this September, and the MahamaCare initiative,” he said.
He emphasized that prevention, not reaction, must be the foundation of Ghana’s health strategy.
Responsibilities of the Appointed Boards
Each board was charged with specific mandates:
HeFRA will oversee over 35,000 health facilities nationwide and ensure they deliver safe, ethical, and competent care to every Ghanaian, regardless of location.
NMC, which supervises more than 130,000 nurses and midwives, is tasked with maintaining professional standards and supporting continuous development.
NVI has been directed to drive Ghana’s goal of vaccine independence, shifting from importing to producing vaccines locally through research and development.
CPMR will ensure that traditional medicines — relied on by nearly 70% of the population — are scientifically validated, safe, and globally competitive.
MoFFA, Ghana’s newest regulatory body, will oversee mortuary and funeral services, bringing dignity and structure to the increasingly commercialized end-of-life sector.
The Minister challenged each board with bold calls to action:
“Set the standard. Enforce it. And make sure every Ghanaian, everywhere, receives care they can trust,” he said to HeFRA.
To the NVI: “Be the engine that moves us from vaccine dependency to vaccine sovereignty. Collaborate boldly. Think globally. Deliver locally.”
To NMC: “Raise the bar. Protect the badge. Champion a workforce that is respected and empowered.”
To CPMR: “Let Ghana lead in blending tradition with innovation. Turn knowledge into safe, modern therapeutics.”
And to MoFFA: “Dignity must define the end of life. Bring order, honor, and humanity to this often-neglected space.”
A Call to Transform
The Minister concluded with a charge to all board members:
“You haven’t been called to manage. You’ve been called to transform. We don’t need caretakers, we need champions. Strategic minds. Steady hands. Bold hearts.”
At the close of the ceremony, the various board chairpersons expressed their commitment to fulfilling their mandates with dedication and transparency, assuring the Minister of their readiness to help improve health outcomes for all Ghanaians.
Amoah was reported missing on July 4, 2025, after leaving his residence in Ashongman Estate the previous evening.
In a press release dated July 10, the Police stated his burnt remains were found on the morning of July 9, prompting a swift response from the Taifa Police, who later confirmed the identity with assistance from Amoah’s relatives at the Police Hospital morgue.
“Despite the extent of the burns, the relatives positively identified the body as Stephen King Amoah, who had been missing since the night of July 3, 2025.”
Investigations revealed that on the evening of July 3, the deceased had stepped out after receiving WhatsApp images of cash from a man identified as Bright Aweh, who had requested a meeting to settle an outstanding amount.
Amoah, however, never returned home, and his phone was found switched off shortly after he left.
Suspect Bright Aweh was later arrested following a series of police operations.
During interrogation, he admitted to handing over GHS 500,000 to the deceased, allegedly for debt repayment and safekeeping.
However, authorities say his explanations were riddled with inconsistencies, and he has yet to account for the origin of the funds.
The Police Command strongly condemned the act and called for public cooperation.
“The Command urges anyone with information relevant to this case to contact the nearest Police Station or call the Police emergency numbers 18555 or 192,” the statement concluded.
Meanwhile, the suspect remains in custody as investigations continue to unravel the full circumstances surrounding the gruesome murder.
The two former officials are facing charges of causing financial loss to the state and willful dissipation of public funds.
Both have pleaded not guilty and have been granted bail.
During court proceedings on Wednesday, July 9, lawyers for Prof. Ameyaw Akumfi withdrew an earlier application seeking to have the charges against him dismissed.
Following the filing of that motion, the Attorney General also submitted a request for abridgment of time to fast-track the hearing of the application on July 3. However, proceedings on that date were adjourned after defence lawyers failed to appear in court.
When the case was called again on July 9, Justice Comfort Tasiame officially struck out the application as withdrawn, after counsel for Prof Ameyaw Akumfi opted to discontinue the motion.
Counsel for Mr. Asamoah, Victoria Barth, requested additional time to familiarize herself with the case, indicating that she was stepping in as new legal representation.
The presiding judge subsequently adjourned the case to July 23 for the trial to begin.
According to state prosecutors, the prosecution will call the first of their eight witnesses when the trial begins.
Seven individuals have been arrested for engaging in illegal mining activities at Abora in the Upper Denkyira West District of the Central Region, following a swift intelligence-led operation by the Central Regional Police Command.
According to the Central Regional Police Command, the arrest follows an intelligence-led operation conducted at the targeted location where the suspects were actively engaging in illegal mining activities. The suspects, identified as Latif Abdul Gyimah (55), Mohammed Bello (44), George Azu (52), Kingsley Owusu (23), Sampson Afadzi (45), Simon Atakpo (21), and Andrews Otto (26).
In a press release issued on July 10, 2025, Police retrieved several weapons and mining equipment from the scene, including one single-barrel shotgun, two pump-action shotguns (Mossberg 500A12GA), 26 live cartridges, two excavators, two Hyundai excavator monitors, three unregistered motorbikes, one unregistered Haojin tricycle, and a newly installed water pump machine.
“Efforts are underway to retrieve additional excavators from the site.”
The seven suspects are currently in police custody and assisting with investigations. All retrieved items are being held in secure custody as evidence.
