Deputy Minister Tours Northern Region Maternal Health Gaps

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Deputy Minister Tours Northern Region Maternal Health Gaps

Deputy Health Minister Grace Ayensu-Danquah toured maternal health facilities in Yendi Municipality this month, as traditional leaders pressed her for staff, power and drug supplies government has yet to deliver.

The visit falls under the Maternal Mortality Action and Response Programme, known as MMARP, part of a nationwide push the Ministry of Health says is needed after recording more than 950 maternal deaths last year, a toll officials have called the only worsening indicator in Ghana’s health system. The ministry has set a target of cutting maternal deaths 20 percent by December 2026.

In Yendi, Ayensu-Danquah met community leaders in Adibo and Gbungbaliga, paid a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of the Gbungbaliga Traditional Area, Naa Bapri Gbungbal-Naa Abdallah Abudu Sulemana, and toured the Adibo Health Centre, the local Community-based Health Planning and Services compound, known as CHPS, and the Yendi Municipal Hospital.

The paramount chief welcomed the direct engagement but used the occasion to press specific, unmet needs. He appealed for more health workers, expanded facilities, staff accommodation, transportation for outreach visits, reliable drug supplies and backup power for both the Adibo Health Centre and the Gbungbaliga CHPS compound.

Ayensu-Danquah told residents the government remained committed to closing those gaps and announced that community health workers carrying mobile health backpacks would begin regular home visits under the Free Primary Health Care initiative, targeting women in remote areas who struggle to reach clinics during pregnancy and childbirth. She also urged households to use locally available foods to improve maternal and child nutrition.

Her Northern Region visit extended beyond maternal care. At the Nurses’ and Midwives’ Training College in Tamale, known as NMTC, she welcomed the first cohort of 49 students admitted into the college’s new Bachelor of Science in Emergency Nursing Programme.

“Your clients are waiting for you at the door of every emergency room,” she told the students at their matriculation ceremony.

She described the new program as a milestone under the government’s Reset Agenda and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as Mahama Cares, and called on students to combine discipline with the quick decision making emergency nursing demands. NMTC Principal Dr Abdulai Abdul-Malik urged the pioneer cohort to pursue both academic excellence and the practical judgment the field requires.

The visit coincided with a separate Ministry of Health orientation in Tamale for advisory board members of health training institutions, aimed at clarifying governance roles between management and boards across the sector.

Yellowstone Bison Tosses Grandfather Despite Safe Distance

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Yellowstone Bison Tosses Grandfather Despite Safe Distance

A bull bison hurled a grandfather eight feet into the air at Yellowstone’s Bridge Bay Campground on Friday, seriously injuring him despite the man following park safety guidance.

The victim was walking a road near the campground, south of Fishing Bridge in Wyoming, with his young grandson when the animal turned on them. Mike MacLeod, a professional photographer from Bozeman, Montana, filmed the encounter from his own campsite and later described it to the Cowboy State Daily newspaper.

MacLeod said the roughly 2,000 pound bull had already charged a group of children photographing it and rushed a passing pickup truck before it fixed on the grandfather and grandson. The pair had kept a distance of at least 100 yards, further than the National Park Service’s own recommended minimum of 25 yards for bison, and retreated behind trees once the animal stood up. The grandson escaped, but the bison chased his grandfather around the trees and caught him.

“He made a perfect flip and landed on his side,” MacLeod said.

MacLeod said he ran toward the animal shouting to draw its attention away from the injured man, and other bystanders joined him until the bison fled. Yellowstone medical staff responded and took the man to a hospital. His grandson later told MacLeod that his grandfather suffered significant injuries and remained in serious condition.

The National Park Service has not released official details on the incident. It marks the second bison related injury at Yellowstone this year, after a 12 year old was hurt near Mud Volcano on June 26. Both attacks came during the summer rutting season, when bulls compete aggressively for mates and bison become responsible for more visitor injuries than any other animal in the park.

Nasan Energies Signals a New Era of Indigenous African Energy Leadership Following Landmark Retail Acquisition

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Nasan Energies Signals a New Era of Indigenous African Energy Leadership Following Landmark Retail Acquisition

Namibian-owned company emerges as one of Southern Africa’s fastest-growing fuel retailers, advancing local ownership, economic transformation and energy security

Nasan Energies, founded by the Group CEO of Millennium Investments, has completed the acquisition of 52 Engen and Shell-branded retail service stations across Namibia in a transaction with an estimated enterprise value of US$50 million marking one of the most significant transactions in the country’s downstream petroleum sector.

More than a commercial milestone, the acquisition represents a defining moment for indigenous African ownership within a strategic industry and reinforces Namibia’s vision of building a globally competitive economy led by local entrepreneurs.

The acquisition process began in 2023 following the announcement of the Vivo Energy and Engen merger, which created an opportunity for strategic investors to acquire selected retail assets. More than 50 local and international companies expressed interest in acquiring the portfolio. Following a rigorous and highly competitive process, Nasan Energies was selected as the successful purchaser based on its proven financial capacity, technical expertise and long-term strategic vision for Namibia’s energy sector.

The acquisition transforms Nasan Energies into Namibia’s third-largest oil marketing company (OMC) and establishes the company as one of Southern Africa’s fastest-growing fuel retailers. The company has set an ambitious objective of becoming Namibia’s leading oil marketing company over the coming years through continued investment, operational excellence and customer-focused innovation.

At the forefront of this exciting development is Miguel Hamutenya, a 33-year-old Namibian entrepreneur, Group CEO of Millennium Investments and Founder and Director of Nasan Energies. Hamutenya holds an honors degree in business administration from BI Norwegian Business School in Oslo, a diploma in corporate finance from the European School of Economics in London and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in energy and sustainability.

Hamutenya returned to Namibia in 2016 to work with his father and contribute to building businesses focused on creating long-term value. Since then, he has played a critical role in developing Millennium Investments’ downstream energy interests, with fuel retail becoming a cornerstone of the group’s growth strategy. Through its subsidiary Central Gas Namibia, Millennium Investments Group is the country’s leading bulk importer, distributor and retailer of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The company previously acquired BP’s LPG assets in Namibia, further strengthening its position in the downstream energy market.

Notably, all shareholders of Nasan Energies are under the age of 33, demonstrating the company’s commitment to promoting the economic participation of young Africans.

“This is far more than the acquisition of service stations,” said Miguel Hamutenya, Founder and Director of Nasan Energies.

“This is about proving that indigenous African companies have the expertise, capital and vision to own and grow strategic national assets. We believe Namibia’s economic future should increasingly be shaped by local entrepreneurs who create lasting value, invest in communities and build businesses that future generations can inherit with pride.”

Looking ahead, Nasan Energies will continue investing in its retail network, operational excellence, digital innovation, workforce development and strategic partnerships to strengthen Namibia’s downstream petroleum sector while exploring opportunities for regional expansion. The company is committed to positioning itself as one of Africa’s leading indigenous energy companies, demonstrating that African ownership, responsible investment and long-term thinking can drive sustainable growth across the continent,

As Namibia advances its vision for industrialization, and inclusive economic development, Nasan Energies aims to play a pivotal role in powering the nation’s future.

Donkor: Legalize Miners, Don’t Just Chase Them

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Donkor: Legalize Miners, Don’t Just Chase Them

Former Power Minister Kwabena Donkor says Ghana’s galamsey crackdown will keep failing unless the government helps illegal miners become legal, regulated operators rather than just arresting them.

Donkor, now a mining consultant, made the case in an interview with veteran journalist Kwesi Pratt Jnr. He said enforcement, including police and military deployments, remains necessary but cannot solve a problem rooted in economic desperation. Thousands of Ghanaians turn to illegal mining because it is their most realistic route to an income, he argued, and raids alone will not change that calculation.

He defines galamsey broadly, covering any unlicensed mining regardless of scale, and has previously accused a multinational mining company of what he called gargantuan galamsey after it allegedly operated without parliamentary ratification. His central proposal is to formalize small scale illegal miners rather than permanently push them out of the industry, giving them access to licensing, training and modern technology.

Donkor pointed to mercury free extraction methods already used in the Philippines and Chile, which he said achieve better recovery rates than the mercury based techniques common in Ghana. He paired that with a call for stricter rules keeping mining away from rivers and other water bodies.

He compared the challenge to Ghana’s commercial motorcycle taxi sector, arguing that lasting solutions come from retraining and licensing people working outside the law rather than simply criminalizing them. Without addressing youth unemployment directly, he said, enforcement will keep chasing the same problem in circles.

Donkor stopped short of calling the anti galamsey campaign a failure. “We are somewhere in between,” he said, adding that the country needs practical solutions rather than the appearance of action.

Government policy has already begun moving toward the approach Donkor describes. The Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme, launched in August 2025 to replace two earlier schemes, organizes small scale miners into cooperatives that receive training, legal concessions and access to mercury free processing equipment. The program handed over its first operating permits to a mining cooperative in the Ellembelle District in December 2025 and began nationwide registration of small scale miners in March 2026, giving Donkor’s central argument a live test case already underway rather than a purely theoretical one.

Cochilco Cuts Chile Copper Forecast As Prices Surge

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Cochilco Cuts Chile Copper Forecast As Prices Surge

The Chilean Copper Commission, known as Cochilco, has lowered its 2026 production forecast for the world’s leading copper supplier, pointing to falling ore grades and mounting operational strain across the country’s largest mines.

The revision matters well beyond Chile. The country supplies roughly a quarter of the copper mined worldwide, so any sustained slowdown there tightens global supply at a moment when electric vehicles, renewable energy systems and artificial intelligence data centers are all pulling harder on copper demand.

Cochilco now expects national output to reach about 5.3 million metric tons this year, a cut of 2 to 5 percent from its earlier estimate of 5.6 million tons. The agency responded by raising its average 2026 price forecast from $4.95 to $5.55 per pound. Copper was trading above $6 per pound in New York as the new outlook was published.

Economy and Mining Minister Daniel Mas said the higher price forecast reflected “solid global demand and a market with tight supply.”

Monthly figures show how steep the slide has become. National production fell 9 percent in March, 13.8 percent in April and 12.9 percent in May, when output slipped to 423,623 metric tons. On a rolling twelve month basis, Chilean output has now declined for seven straight months.

The pain is spread across the industry rather than concentrated in one operator. Codelco, the mining company owned by the Chilean state and the world’s largest copper producer, saw May output fall 18.3 percent to 106,300 metric tons. Escondida, operated by BHP and the single largest copper mine on the planet, produced 108,800 metric tons in May, down 17.6 percent from a year earlier. Collahuasi, jointly owned by Glencore and Anglo American, fell 19.3 percent to 31,000 metric tons, and BHP’s Spence mine posted a first quarter decline of 34.4 percent.

Cochilco traces much of the weakness to geology. Chile’s largest deposits have been mined for decades, and companies extract the richest ore first. What remains requires blasting, hauling and processing far greater volumes of rock to recover the same amount of metal, driving up costs and consuming more water and electricity per ton produced.

Operational shocks have added to the strain. A rockburst at Codelco’s El Teniente mine killed six workers in July 2025 and triggered safety reviews that cut the mine’s output 26.5 percent in the first quarter of this year. Water shortages in the Atacama Desert have hit Collahuasi, while tighter global supplies of sulfuric acid, used to process copper oxide ores, have raised costs across the industry.

None of these pressures are likely to ease quickly. Building a new mine typically takes between 10 and 15 years from discovery to commercial production, meaning depleted ore bodies cannot be replaced on short notice. Cochilco expects a partial rebound in 2027, forecasting production growth of about 4 percent to 5.5 million tons, but the agency’s own numbers suggest Chile is settling into a slower, costlier phase of output rather than working through a temporary dip.

CalBank Profit Surges, Loan Book Lags Behind

Roger A. Agana
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CalBank Profit Surges, Loan Book Lags Behind

CalBank’s Group profit before tax reached GH₵368 million in the first half of 2026, even as the bank’s fast growing capital base sits mostly in securities rather than loans.

The Group figure runs 4.1 percent ahead of the GH₵353.6 million pretax profit the bank reported at the standalone level, a 25 percent increase on H1 2025. The difference comes from folding in two subsidiaries, CalAsset Management and CalNominees, into the fuller consolidated picture. Either way, the underlying story is the same: a bank that stood on the edge of regulatory intervention a year ago has rebuilt itself into one of the best capitalized and most liquid lenders in the country, and now faces the separate challenge of putting that strength to work.

At the standalone Bank level, net interest income grew 83 percent to GH₵347.5 million, powered by higher interest income of GH₵451.5 million and a more than 50 percent cut in interest expenses to GH₵104 million. Fees, commissions and trading income nearly doubled to GH₵323.3 million. At the Group level, net trading income nearly tripled to GH₵198 million from GH₵68 million, and total Group revenue climbed to GH₵694.1 million from GH₵362.5 million.

Net impairment gains added just GH₵7 million to Bank profit and GH₵7.4 million at the Group level, both down sharply from roughly GH₵154 million a year earlier. That shift matters because it shows this year’s earnings come from ordinary lending and fee income rather than one time recoveries on old bad debt, the distinction CalBank has pointed to as proof its turnaround is durable rather than an accounting artifact.

Group profit for the period stood at GH₵240.8 million. Basic earnings per share fell to GH₵0.1138 from GH₵0.3232 a year earlier, a decline driven by dilution from CalBank’s 2025 recapitalization rather than any drop in overall profitability.

That recapitalization is now visible throughout the balance sheet. Stated capital more than doubled to GH₵1.42 billion from GH₵545.8 million, and total Group equity recovered from a weak GH₵447.5 million to GH₵1.82 billion. Total Group assets grew 30.8 percent to GH₵13.98 billion, while customer deposits rose roughly 30 percent to GH₵10.7 billion to GH₵10.9 billion depending on the reporting basis.

Regulatory ratios confirm the scale of the rebound. CalBank’s Capital Adequacy Ratio climbed to 18.17 percent from negative 7.6 percent in June 2025, comfortably above the regulatory minimum and enough to prompt the Bank of Ghana to lift restrictions on new lending earlier this year. The Non Performing Loan ratio fell to 10.1 percent from 51.6 percent, effectively hitting the Bank of Ghana’s year end target six months early. The liquidity ratio reached 86.61 percent, up from 72.42 percent, and the leverage ratio turned positive at 6.04 percent from negative 5.8 percent.

Yet the asset mix shows where the work remains. Investment securities account for GH₵7.72 billion, or 55 percent of total Group assets, while loans to customers make up just GH₵1.73 billion, or 12.4 percent. Even with bad loans largely cleared from the books, CalBank’s lending has not grown to match its rebuilt capital and liquidity, leaving the bank sitting on resources it has not yet deployed into its core business of lending.

Cash flow reflects that same buildup. The Group generated GH₵1.38 billion in net cash from operating activities, compared with just GH₵9.9 million a year earlier, driven largely by a GH₵1.83 billion inflow from customer deposits. CalBank used GH₵221.7 million of that cash to repay borrowings, a deliberate step to reduce leverage, while cash and cash equivalents closed the half at GH₵2.43 billion. Retained earnings remain in deficit at GH₵598.7 million, though that marks a sharp improvement from the GH₵842.2 million deficit a year ago.

Managing Director Carl Selasi Asem said the results reflect growth across the bank’s core businesses, improved efficiency and a stronger capital base, and that the bank expects the momentum to continue into the second half of the year.

The half year numbers extend a trend visible since the first quarter, when CalBank posted pretax profit of roughly GH₵164 million and an NPL ratio of 15.1 percent. Whether the bank now converts its capital and liquidity into a larger loan book, rather than leaving it parked in securities, is likely to be the central test of the second half.

Tagoe Unveils New Team, Eyes National Title

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Tagoe Unveils New Team, Eyes National Title

Ghanaian boxer Michael Tagoe has introduced a new management team as he pushes for a shot at the national Super Featherweight title this year.

Tagoe made the announcement during an appearance on Omashi TV’s Big Fight Night program last Friday, telling the host that years of hard fights have put him in position to finally challenge for a belt.

The Seconds Out Gym fighter has built his case on a run of bouts against established domestic names. Records confirm he faced Daniel Salasi Gorsh’s National Super Bantamweight title and shared a card with Charles Tetteh in a Featherweight contest for the De Luxy Pro Boxing League. Tagoe also points to a fight against Michael Abban and a draw against Benjamin Lamptey, known as Daddy Lumba, as further proof he has tested himself against the division’s best. He puts his professional record at seven wins, five losses and one draw across thirteen fights, a tally that differs slightly from figures on some public boxing databases.

“I know this is my year to win the title,” he said.

Training under coaches Darko Rickets and Joseph Martey at Seconds Out Gym, Tagoe said sparring against heavier opponents has sharpened his technique and given him the belief he can match anyone in his own weight class.

Eugene Lamptey now leads Tagoe’s new management team, and he described the boxer as disciplined and committed enough to justify the backing. A team member identified only as Baron pointed to Tagoe’s dedication in training as the reason for their support.

The group is also forming a promotions outfit, La Farmacia Promotions, backed by La Farmacia Lounge and Sports Bar. Beyond boxing, the venture plans to get involved in snooker, football, oware, chess and ludo, positioning it as a broader entrant into Ghana’s sports business rather than a single boxer’s support team.

Pardie, Zongo Win Ghana’s First Bahati Classic

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Pardie, Zongo Win Ghana’s First Bahati Classic

Nuru Pardie, 48, and Burkina Faso’s Samira Zongo, 20, won the men’s and women’s titles at Ghana’s first Bahati Cycling Classic in Accra on Sunday.

Pardie, a veteran rider, completed the men’s race at the Accra Sports Stadium in Osu in 1 hour, 21 minutes and 28 seconds, taking the inaugural men’s title in a field that mixed Ghanaian regulars with visiting international riders.

Zongo covered the women’s 16.5 kilometer course in 29 minutes and 34.03 seconds, giving Burkina Faso the win in the event’s first women’s race. Abigail Mensah of the Ghana Police Service Cycling Team finished second, narrowly behind Zongo, in one of several strong showings by the police squad on the day.

The debut event drew riders from Ghana, Burkina Faso, Jamaica and the United States. It was organized by the Ghana Cycling Federation, known as the GCF, and powered by the Bahati Foundation, an American nonprofit founded by professional cyclist Rahsaan Bahati to build cycling infrastructure and opportunity across Africa.

Sunday’s race carries weight beyond its results. The Union Cycliste Internationale, known as the UCI, has registered the Bahati Classic for official ranking points starting with its 2027 edition, alongside Ghana’s national championships and the Tour du Ghana. That puts this year’s race in Accra on record as the last edition run outside the UCI’s international calendar before Ghana’s cycling scene enters fully sanctioned competition.

Shaaban Mohammed, Secretary General of the GCF, presented medals and prizes to the winners alongside members of the Bahati Cycling Race Organising Committee.

Deen Ties Sponsorship Boost To Athlete Discipline Rule

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Deen Ties Sponsorship Boost To Athlete Discipline Rule

Ghana Paralympic Committee President Samson Deen credited a ban on athletes seeking public sponsorship for helping unlock a new corporate donation to Team Ghana’s Commonwealth Games campaign.

Deen, who also heads the African Paralympic Committee, known as the APC, has enforced the rule since taking office at the National Paralympic Committee, known as the NPC, barring athletes from writing sponsorship letters or appealing for support on radio and television. He told athletes and officials gathered in Accra that fundraising belongs to administrators and managers, not competitors, and that athletes should give their full attention to training and performance instead.

The EEZZY Group Foundation presented a GH¢800,000 sponsorship package to Team Ghana on July 8 at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, one of the largest single private contributions to the country’s buildup for Glasgow 2026. Deen framed the donation as proof that disciplined, centralised fundraising earns corporate trust more reliably than individual appeals.

“Discipline is the only answer to success in sports,” he said.

Deen singled out four para athletes he expects to challenge for medals in Glasgow: Haruna Tahiru in para powerlifting, Botsyo Nkegbe and Hayford Addai in para athletics, and Zinabu Issah, also competing in para athletics. All four have already been confirmed for the Games alongside para swimmer Promise Aheto, whose selection marked Ghana’s first Commonwealth Games qualification in that discipline.

Chef de Mission Ernest Danso told the gathering that preparations are on track and that Team Ghana will return from Glasgow with medals. He confirmed that THB, a Ghanaian sportswear manufacturer, will supply kit for the athletes and officials.

Ghana is taking roughly 40 athletes to Glasgow across nine disciplines, including athletics, boxing, judo, swimming, track cycling and weightlifting alongside the three para sport categories. The team travels under the campaign slogan “From Ghana to Glasgow for Gold.”

Broadcaster Captain Smart, of TV3 and Onua TV, urged the athletes to perform well, arguing that their results help unite the country, and he called on other corporate bodies to follow EEZZY’s lead in backing Ghanaian athletes bound for major international events.

Ghana has never won a Commonwealth Games medal in para sport. The closest the country has come remains Anita Fordjour’s bronze at the 2010 Delhi Games, a benchmark this year’s para contingent hopes to finally surpass.

Black Maidens Draw Canada, Brazil, Norway At U-17 World Cup

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Black Maidens Draw Canada, Brazil, Norway At U-17 World Cup

Ghana’s Black Maidens will face Canada, Brazil and Norway in Group C of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.

The pairing sends Ghana’s teenage side against three heavyweights of youth football just months after the team ended a wait of six years to reach the tournament again.

Ghana booked its spot on Saturday, July 11, beating Senegal 7-6 on penalties after a qualifier spanning two legs finished level. The first leg in Dakar ended 1-1, and Saturday’s return at the Accra Sports Stadium finished the same way, leaving the aggregate score tied at 2-2 before the shootout decided it.

Senegal took the lead in the 10th minute from a free kick. Ghana’s captain, Seidatu Wahab, restored parity in the 44th minute to force the shootout that Ghana eventually won.

The victory ended a run in which Ghana missed the previous two editions of the tournament, breaking a streak of quarterfinal appearances in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2022.

Head coach Joe Nana Adarkwa’s squad reached the final qualifying round after routing Togo and Liberia by an aggregate score of 8-0 in each tie.

FIFA staged the group draw in Zurich in May, placing 20 of the 24 confirmed teams into their groups before African qualifying concluded. African qualifying filled the four remaining slots, including Ghana’s, when the continent’s series wrapped up in July.

The tournament kicks off in Morocco on October 17 and runs through November 7.

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