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President John Dramani Mahama delivered a forceful address at the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, asserting that Africa seeks equal partnership over charity. He highlighted Ghana's rejection of a US health compact that required sharing medical records, labeling the terms humiliating. Mahama further demanded a permanent seat for Africa on the UN Security Council and advocated for a global system for the restitution of cultural heritage. He linked the Sahelian terror surge to the 2011 intervention in Libya and called for climate aid to be non-debt-creating.
This signals a shift toward "economic sovereignty," prioritizing local value addition for critical minerals and rejecting traditional aid structures that compromise national data or dignity.
Ghana is currently navigating a post-IMF recovery period, and Mahama's rhetoric aligns with his administration's "Accra Reset" initiative for self-sufficiency.
Speaker Alban Bagbin has summoned MPs for an extraordinary sitting on September 29, 2026, following the seizure of 3.9 tonnes of cocaine in France, valued at approximately €225 million (~$250 million USD). The Minority (NPP) is demanding a bipartisan committee to investigate what they claim is a surge in drug trafficking incidents since 2025. Conversely, the Majority highlights a 197% increase in narcotics-related arrests as proof of strengthened enforcement under the specialized narcotics court.
The bust threatens Ghana's international reputation and export security. The parliamentary debate will likely focus on whether the 2018 removal of NACOC from primary port inspections created a fatal vulnerability.
Whether the House reaches a consensus on a formal probe or if the session descends into partisan blame-shifting over past versus current port reforms.
The NDC National Chairmanship race has heated up with Akwasi Opong-Fosu and Nii Armah Ashitey declaring their bids, while the NPP's Eugene Boakye Antwi has promised to resign as General Secretary if the party fails to win in 2028. Both parties are currently restructuring grassroots leadership ahead of the next election cycle, with the NDC's constituency elections set for late October 2026.
COCOBOD CEO Ransford Abbey announced that the cocoa producer price has been raised to GHc42,400 (~$3,665.51 USD) per tonne, or GHc2,650 (~$229.09 USD) per 64kg bag. This represents a 2.4% increase and complies with a new law mandating that farmers receive at least 70% of the gross FOB price. To fund the season, COCOBOD is moving away from international loans toward a domestic "Cocoa Notes Programme."
This price hike significantly boosts the disposable income of family members in cocoa-growing regions (Western, Ashanti, and Bono East). Support for family farms is now a more viable long-term investment.
Monitor the success of the Cocoa Notes Programme as a signal of Ghana's domestic capital market depth and its ability to absorb large-scale commodity financing.
Governor Dr. Johnson Asiama announced that new GHc1 to GHc200 banknotes will be launched on November 3, 2026. The series features enhanced security and remains cotton-based to suit Ghana’s tropical climate. There will be no GHc500 note introduced. Additionally, the BoG reported that gross international reserves have reached 4.5 months of import cover, aided by a surge in gold exports.
The retention of cotton over polymer reflects practical durability concerns. The gold export surge provides critical stability for the Cedi against the USD.
In a landmark move, 950,000 barrels of Sankofa crude oil were delivered to the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) via a commercial arrangement with the GNPC. This is part of the administration's plan to integrate upstream production with downstream refining, reducing the reliance on imported processed fuel.
This marks a renewed operational phase for TOR. Future supply of natural gas to support TOR's operations is also being explored, signaling opportunities in refinery services and midstream logistics.
The MTTD will transition to automated digital traffic management on October 1, 2026. Advanced camera systems will identify speeding and traffic violations, issuing electronic notices. Training for police personnel has concluded nationwide to minimize human discretion and reduce accidents.
Be aware that traffic enforcement is becoming automated. Ensure any vehicles you own or rent in Ghana have updated registration linked to correct contact information to receive digital fine notices.
GNAT, NAGRAT, and PRETAG have declared an immediate strike as of September 25, affecting approximately 80,000 teachers. The unions cite the government's failure to pay promotion arrears and a stalled Collective Agreement. An emergency meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 28.
Whether the Ministry of Education offers a concrete payment timeline during Monday's meeting to prevent a prolonged disruption of the academic calendar.
Ghana suffered a disappointing 2-0 loss to Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké. Coach Carlos Queiroz criticized a "joke" second-half penalty awarded against Abdul Fatawu Issahaku. The Black Stars have now won only one of their last 11 matches, putting immense pressure on Queiroz ahead of the September 29 match against The Gambia in Accra.
Black Stars context: Ghana currently sits at the bottom of Group C. A win against The Gambia is non-negotiable to keep qualification hopes alive for 2027.
Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah has accused GFA President Kurt Okraku of presiding over the collapse of Ghanaian football. The MP cited conflicts of interest regarding Okraku's ownership of four clubs and called for government-led reforms. Okraku countered by questioning the MP's own local sports infrastructure contributions.
Accra is preparing for a landmark Highlife concert on September 26 at +233 Jazz Bar to celebrate Pat Thomas’s 80th birthday. The event features Gyedu Blay Ambolley and Kwabena Kwabena, celebrating Thomas's six-decade career.
Thomas remains a global ambassador for Highlife, and this celebration marks a rare gathering of the genre's titans.
Today we covered President Mahama's bold stand at the UN, the significant GHc1,000+ increase in cocoa prices for farmers, and the escalating political tensions following a major cocaine seizure. Thank you for reading the Anansi News Daily Brief!
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