Five African Energy Ministers Confirmed for Cape Town October Summit

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Five African Energy Ministers Confirmed for Cape Town October Summit

Five of Africa’s top energy ministers will convene at African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa, from October 12 to 16, as the continent accelerates a multi-billion dollar push across oil, gas and power infrastructure.

The African Energy Chamber (AEC) confirmed the ministerial lineup, which includes Ghana’s Minister for Energy and Green Transition Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor, Algeria’s Minister of Energy and Renewable Energies Mourad Adjal, Senegal’s Minister of Energy, Petroleum and Mines Birame Soulèye Diop, Zambia’s Minister of Energy Makozo Chikote, and Niger’s Minister of Petroleum Hamadou Tinni.

The gathering is expected to move beyond broad policy pledges into concrete project timelines, investment terms and regulatory reforms. Each minister will be positioned to offer investors direct insight into their country’s most active energy markets, where new barrels, pipelines and megawatts are reshaping regional growth.

Ghana arrives at the forum backed by a $3.5 billion upstream reinvestment programme, extended production licences for the Jubilee and TEN oil fields through 2040, and plans for a 1,200-megawatt state thermal power plant. The government is also working to clear approximately $500 million in gas sector arrears as part of efforts to stabilise the energy value chain.

Algeria’s delegation will present a sweeping $60 billion sector transformation, anchored by a 500-well drilling campaign and a 1.48-gigawatt solar initiative described as the “Project of the Century.” The North African producer is also advancing refinery capacity and early-stage hydrogen export corridors targeting European buyers.

Senegal arrives with strong production momentum. Its offshore Sangomar Oil Field delivered 36.1 million barrels in 2025, surpassing forecasts, while the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project reached approximately 2.9 million tonnes per year after first gas production. The country is now preparing a second phase at Sangomar aimed at lifting output beyond 100,000 barrels per day.

Zambia is targeting 2,500 megawatts of new generation capacity after drought reduced output from its dominant hydropower assets. The country has launched an Energy Single Licensing System to accelerate project approvals and is aiming for 10 gigawatts of total generation by 2030, with solar and wind contributing roughly one-third of the mix.

Niger, meanwhile, is leveraging its newly completed 1,950-kilometre crude export pipeline to Benin, which now moves up to 90,000 barrels per day to international markets. The government is also rolling out digital monitoring systems to improve oversight and transparency across its petroleum sector.

AEC Executive Chairman NJ Ayuk said the calibre of ministerial participation reflects the scale of real opportunities now emerging across the continent. He described Africa as a continent moving decisively from strategy to execution, creating a platform where investors can engage directly with the policymakers shaping its next wave of oil, gas and energy growth.

African Energy Week 2026 is organised by the African Energy Chamber.

The Traditional Leader Betting on Youth to Transform Teshie

Prosper Kay
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The Traditional Leader Betting on Youth to Transform Teshie

Inside the Visionary Youth Centered Development Agenda of Nii Martey Dzata Obrempong I

Story By: Nii Okpoti Odamtten / Muhammad Faisal Mustapha…

In the historic coastal township of Teshie where Ga traditions echo through family courtyards and ancestral heritage remains a powerful pillar of identity a new era of community transformation is quietly taking shape within the Obediben division of the Gbugblah quarters.

At the center of this unfolding chapter stands Nii Martey Dzata Obrempong I, the Obediben Mantse, a traditional leader who is redefining the role of chieftaincy in the modern age. With a vision rooted in both heritage and forward thinking leadership, he is championing a bold five year development agenda centered on the empowerment of young people.

In an exclusive interview with Nii Okpoti Odamtten and Muhammad Faisal Mustapha, the Obediben Mantse articulated a comprehensive roadmap designed to transform the fortunes of the community by investing in education, skills development, and cultural discipline.

Seated beneath portraits of his predecessors silent witnesses to generations of stewardship Nii Martey Dzata Obrempong I, spoke with clarity and purpose about the responsibilities of leadership in contemporary Ghana.

“Leadership today is not only about preserving the stool,” he explained.
“It is about preparing the youth to inherit it with strength, discipline, and opportunity.”

For the Mantse, the future of Obediben and the wider Gbugblah quarters is inseparable from the prospects of its younger generation.

“Teshie is full of brilliance,” he noted.
“But brilliance without direction can easily turn into frustration. The next five years must convert youthful energy into structured productivity.”

At the core of the Mantse’s development blueprint lies a commitment to transforming the potential of young people into tangible economic and social progress.

One of the most ambitious initiatives under consideration is the establishment of a Youth Skills and Entrepreneurship Hub within the Obediben community.

The center would offer training in:

° Digital technology and innovation

° Creative arts and cultural industries

° Carpentry and craftsmanship

° Fashion and textile design

°Marine related trades

° Small scale agribusiness and food production

The objective, according to the Mantse, is to cultivate a generation of creators and entrepreneurs capable of building their own opportunities.

“We cannot sit and wait for white collar jobs that may never arrive,” he said.

“Our mission is to produce innovators, creators, and employers from within Teshie itself.”

The initiative is expected to draw partnerships from private sector investors, development organizations, and members of the Teshie diaspora eager to contribute to community progress.

Beyond vocational training, the Mantse is also advocating the creation of a structured mentorship and scholarship network designed to support talented but under resourced students from the Gbugblah quarters.

The mentorship program would connect young students with accomplished professionals from Teshie both locally and internationally.

“When a child sees someone from his own community become a lawyer, a doctor, or an engineer,” he reflected,
“that dream suddenly becomes attainable.”

Scholarships will target academically gifted students facing financial barriers, ensuring that talent within the community is not lost due to lack of opportunity.

While economic development remains central to his vision, Nii Martey Dzata Obrempong I insists that cultural identity must remain the foundation of community progress.

“Development without identity is dangerous,” he emphasized.
“We must modernize, but we must do so as proud Teshie people.”

To reinforce this principle, the Mantse plans to intensify:

° Community dialogue forums

° Youth leadership summits

° Cultural orientation initiatives

°Engagement with traditional authorities and elders

These initiatives aim to cultivate a renewed sense of discipline, responsibility, and pride among the youth.

The Mantse addressed pressing issues confronting many urban communities youth unemployment, drug abuse, and the erosion of respect for traditional institutions.

Rather than condemnation, he believes the solution lies in constructive engagement.

“You cannot condemn a young person into change,” he said.
“You must include them in building the solution.”

Proposed strategies include:

°Community based rehabilitation initiatives

° Sports and recreational development programs

° Structured youth participation in local decision making

Within the next five years, the Obediben Mantse hopes to spearhead improvements in sanitation, drainage infrastructure, and the transformation of neglected public spaces across the Gbugblah quarters.

His vision includes converting underutilized areas into youth centers, training grounds, and safe recreational facilities.

“A community that invests in its environment invests in its dignity,” he remarked.

Central to the development agenda is a strong commitment to the empowerment of women and girls.

Through skills development programs, microfinance access, and leadership training, the Mantse hopes to ensure that young women are fully integrated into the community’s economic future.

“When you empower the girl child, you strengthen the future family,” he observed.
“And when families are strong, communities become stable.”

Perhaps the most consistent message throughout the interview was the importance of collective action.

The Mantse believes meaningful transformation cannot be achieved by traditional authority alone. He is therefore calling on community stakeholders including elders, assembly members, business leaders, faith institutions, and diaspora networks to unite behind the vision.

“The next five years will redefine our destiny,” he declared.
“But that future will only be achieved if we move forward together.”

As Teshie continues to evolve within the rapidly expanding urban landscape of Greater Accra, the development vision of the Obediben Mantse represents a compelling blend of cultural preservation and forward looking leadership.

For Nii Martey Dzata Obrempong I, success will ultimately be measured not by monuments or titles, but by the strength of the next generation.

“My greatest achievement will not be statues or ceremonies,” he concluded.
“It will be seeing the young men and women of Teshie standing confidently in the world, knowing they were prepared at home.”

For the people of Obediben, the Gbugblah quarters, and the broader Teshie community, the coming years may well determine whether this vision evolves from aspiration into lasting transformation.

If conviction, leadership, and community resolve are any indication, the foundation for that future has already been laid.

Ghana’s Culture Week Wraps Up as Fresh Celebrations Begin Monday

Roger A. Agana
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Ghana’s Culture Week Wraps Up as Fresh Celebrations Begin Monday

Ghana’s two-day Culture Week celebration concluded on Saturday at the National Theatre in Accra, bringing to a climax a series of cultural displays, policy discussions, and heritage exhibitions that drew attention to the country’s creative industries, while a new wave of cultural activities is set to begin as early as Monday with a follow-on event organised by the capital’s city assembly.

The 2026 Ghana Culture Week, held on March 13 and 14, was themed “Resetting Ghana’s Tourism, Culture and Creative Ecosystem” and featured high-level discussions, art exhibitions, traditional dance performances, and displays of Ghana’s textile heritage, including the handwoven Kente cloth and the Fugu smock.

Ghana’s culinary tradition featured prominently, with 69 traditional dishes presented at a food fair to mark the 69th anniversary of the country’s independence. Tourism Minister Abla Dzifa Gomashie described Ghana’s cultural heritage as something to be lived daily, not confined to a single week or month.

Organisers framed Culture Week not only as a celebration but as a strategic dialogue on how to modernise the country’s creative sector and make it globally competitive. Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) Chief Executive Officer Maame Efua Houadjeto said the event served as a call to action to strengthen collaboration across the tourism, culture and creative ecosystem, and emphasised the need for strategic marketing and branding to attract international investment.

Celebrations Continue This Week and Beyond

The momentum from Culture Week feeds directly into an expanded calendar of activity. Starting Monday, March 16, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) will host a four-day “Eat Ghana, Wear Ghana Week” at the assembly’s forecourt, running through Thursday, March 19. The programme will feature a Corporate Ghana Day on Monday, a “Rep Your Region” cultural showcase on Tuesday, Fugu Day with traditional games on Wednesday, and a cooking competition on Thursday highlighting Ghanaian dishes. Accra Mayor Michael Kpakpo Allotey has called on traders and residents across the capital to participate.

The Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council has also announced Kente Week celebrations from March 23 to 31 as part of the broader AshantiFest 2026 programme, culminating in a grand finale on March 31 at the Kumasi Cultural Centre featuring a Traditional Food Fair and a Music and Jama Festival.

Ghana’s cultural season will extend well beyond its own borders this year. Ghana has accepted an invitation to serve as Guest Country at Burkina Faso’s 22nd National Culture Week, scheduled for April 22 to May 2 in Bobo-Dioulasso. The invitation was extended by Burkina Faso’s Minister of Communication, Culture, Arts and Tourism, with Ghana’s participation expected to spotlight local creatives, expand exhibition platforms, and promote trade within the creative arts sector.

This year’s cultural programming forms part of the broader Ghana Heritage Month initiative launched on March 2 at Nationalism Park, which is supported by UNESCO and anchored on the theme “Experience Ghana, My Heritage, My Pride,” encouraging Ghanaians and visitors alike to eat, wear, and feel Ghanaian throughout the month.

Binance Founder CZ Overtakes Bill Gates With US$110 Billion Fortune

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Binance Founder CZ Overtakes Bill Gates With US$110 Billion Fortune

Changpeng Zhao, the founder of cryptocurrency exchange Binance who served four months in a United States federal prison less than two years ago, has emerged as one of the wealthiest people alive, surpassing Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on the Forbes 2026 World’s Billionaires list with an estimated fortune of $110 billion.

Forbes’ 2026 World’s Billionaires list, based on a snapshot taken as of March 1, values Zhao’s net worth at $110 billion, representing a $47 billion increase from the previous year and placing him 17th on the global wealth ranking. The figure makes him the richest person in the cryptocurrency industry and places him ahead of Gates, whose fortune Forbes now estimates at $108 billion.

Gates’ gradual decline in wealth rankings reflects decades of large-scale philanthropic giving through the Gates Foundation, as well as the financial impact of his 2021 divorce from Melinda French Gates.

A Fortune Built on One Company

The bulk of Zhao’s wealth rests on a single asset: his estimated 90% stake in Binance, which remains the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume and market share, commanding roughly 38% of the global crypto exchange market. Forbes values the privately held company, headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, at approximately $100 billion, based on revenue multiples derived from comparisons with publicly traded peers such as Coinbase.

Binance is estimated to have generated between $16 billion and $17 billion in annual revenue across 2024 and 2025, significantly above Coinbase’s reported $6.6 billion, while processing more than $30 trillion in annual trading volume across spot and derivatives markets. Its native blockchain network, BNB Chain, carries a separate market capitalisation of approximately $88 billion.

The Legal Journey That Preceded the Comeback

Zhao’s rise from his lowest point has been swift. In November 2023, he pleaded guilty to failing to maintain an effective anti-money laundering programme at Binance and agreed to pay a $50 million personal fine, while the exchange paid a record $4.3 billion corporate settlement with US authorities. He resigned as chief executive and in April 2024 was sentenced to four months in prison, which he served at a federal correctional institution in California before being released in September 2024.

In October 2025, US President Donald Trump granted Zhao a full presidential pardon, clearing his criminal record. The pardon came after Binance had spent $800,000 on lobbying and after Zhao’s representative met directly with Trump, clearing the way for renewed US business engagement.

CZ Disputes the Figure

The Forbes number is not without controversy. Zhao fired back at the estimate on his X account on March 11, writing that it was “definitely not accurate” and describing the Forbes methodology as a “guess a number” exercise, pointing out that cryptocurrency prices had fallen more than 50% in 2026 and questioning how his fortune could have grown during the same period.

The Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which applies a 50% discount to Binance’s estimated valuation to account for regulatory uncertainty and the exchange’s limited US oversight, puts Zhao’s fortune at approximately $50 billion, less than half the Forbes figure. The discrepancy illustrates the deep difficulty of pricing the fortune of a private company founder whose wealth is concentrated in illiquid equity and cryptocurrency tokens rather than publicly traded shares.

Despite the valuation debate, no competing index disputes that Zhao remains the single wealthiest individual in the global cryptocurrency industry by a substantial margin.

China Nears Completion of World’s First Waste-Burning Nuclear Reactor

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China Nears Completion of World’s First Waste-Burning Nuclear Reactor

Chinese scientists have begun the final stage of installing the core components of a reactor that could fundamentally change how the world manages nuclear energy, with a system designed to eliminate the risk of meltdown while converting radioactive waste that remains hazardous for hundreds of thousands of years into material that decays within centuries.

Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Institute of Modern Physics have started the final installation of superconducting particle accelerators at the China Initiative Accelerator Driven System (CiADS) facility in Huizhou, Guangdong province. The key accelerator components are expected to be fully installed by the end of 2026, with the system on track to become the world’s first megawatt-level waste-burning reactor when it goes online in 2027.

The CiADS is a hybrid system that pairs a nuclear reactor with a high-energy particle accelerator. Unlike conventional reactors, which rely on a self-sustaining chain reaction, this subcritical design requires a continuous external supply of neutrons to remain active. Superconducting linear accelerators fire high-current proton beams at approximately 80 percent the speed of light into a liquid lead-bismuth alloy, releasing a massive flux of neutrons that drives the nuclear reaction.

According to technical specifications published by the CAS Institute of Modern Physics, the full system is designed to deliver a total thermal power of roughly 10 megawatts, combining approximately 2.5 megawatts of beam power from a 350-metre-long superconducting linear accelerator with around 7.5 megawatts of reactor thermal output.

Turning Nuclear Waste Into Fuel

The technology addresses one of the most intractable problems in energy production. Some radioactive by-products of conventional reactors, known as actinides, can remain hazardous for tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of years, creating enormous long-term storage and containment challenges for governments and operators worldwide.

The CiADS system is designed to convert uranium-238, typically considered waste from conventional reactors, into plutonium-239 through neutron bombardment, effectively turning spent fuel into new usable material while simultaneously transmuting long-lived radioactive waste into shorter-lived, less hazardous isotopes.

He Yuan, deputy director of the Institute of Modern Physics, told China’s Science and Technology Daily that the design represented what he described as an internationally recognised ideal approach to nuclear fuel breeding and waste treatment, adding that it could turn nuclear power into a stable energy source capable of supplying civilisation for a millennium. CAS claims the system burns uranium 100 times more efficiently than conventional reactors and could cut the hazardous lifespan of nuclear waste to less than one-thousandth of its current duration, though those performance figures have not been independently verified and no exact megawatt rating for the facility has been published.

A Built-In Kill Switch

The safety architecture of the reactor is as significant as its waste-burning capability. Because the chain reaction in an accelerator-driven subcritical system cannot sustain itself without the external particle beam, operators can instantly halt all nuclear activity by switching off the accelerator. This physically eliminates the conditions that led to disasters such as Chernobyl and Fukushima, where runaway chain reactions could not be stopped quickly enough to prevent catastrophic damage.

While the concept of accelerator-driven subcritical systems has existed since the 1980s, no commercial versions are operating anywhere in the world. China began its dedicated research programme in 2011 and by 2021 had developed a prototype accelerator that the institute described as the first to reach operational intensity suitable for potential industrial application.

Relevance for Africa’s Nuclear Ambitions

The breakthrough carries particular relevance for countries on the African continent that are actively building nuclear energy programmes. Ghana has selected China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) as the vendor for a 1,200-megawatt large reactor planned as part of its national nuclear power programme, with the government targeting one gigawatt of nuclear capacity integrated into the national grid by 2034. The technology demonstrating that China’s nuclear sector can pioneer globally significant innovations in both reactor safety and waste management may factor into how African governments assess Chinese nuclear partnerships as those programmes advance.

Ghana Warns Youth as QNET-Linked Schemes Leave Hundreds Stranded Abroad

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Ghana Warns Youth as QNET-Linked Schemes Leave Hundreds Stranded Abroad

Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration (MFARI) has issued an urgent warning to young Ghanaians to stop engaging with individuals and networks operating under the QNET brand and similar overseas recruitment schemes, after a significant rise in cases of citizens who travelled abroad on false promises and ended up stranded, detained, or exploited in foreign countries.

In a statement issued on Friday, March 13, 2026, the ministry said it had observed a worrying increase in fraudulent activities linked to individuals and networks associated with QNET and similar operations targeting unsuspecting Ghanaians. The ministry said victims were being deceived with promises of employment opportunities, business prospects, and assistance in securing European visas, only to end up stranded, detained by foreign immigration authorities, or subjected to exploitative and distressing conditions abroad.

The ministry specifically cited QNET, a multilevel marketing company that has previously drawn regulatory scrutiny and fraud allegations across several African countries, as one of the principal networks targeting vulnerable Ghanaian youth with deceptive recruitment tactics.

Arrests, Rescues and Court Cases Already Under Way

The advisory reflects enforcement activity already in progress. In a major crackdown in the Ashanti Region, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) arrested hundreds of individuals and rescued nearly 300 victims who had been trafficked or deceived through a fake recruitment network linked to QNET operations. Investigators said victims had been brought from across Ghana and housed in locations in the Ashanti Region after being promised employment and overseas opportunities that never materialised.

Ghanaian authorities had also previously disclosed that 20 Ghanaian nationals were under investigation and facing trial in Côte d’Ivoire over alleged involvement in a QNET-related fraud syndicate, while others in the same case were identified as victims of the scheme rather than perpetrators. The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) subsequently repatriated eight foreign nationals who had been convicted over illegal activities carried out under the guise of QNET operations.

How the Schemes Operate

The schemes typically involve recruiters persuading victims to make financial commitments, including paying large sums for supposed travel arrangements or business investments, before the victim leaves Ghana. Once abroad, victims discover that the promised jobs, income, or visa pathways do not exist.

The ministry urged the public to verify all travel, recruitment and business offers through official government channels before paying any money or committing to travel. It reminded the public that legitimate travel and employment opportunities will always involve transparent, verifiable, and official diplomatic processes.

Parents, guardians, and community leaders were specifically called upon to educate those around them about the warning signs of fraudulent overseas recruitment. The ministry said it was working with national security agencies and international partners to dismantle the criminal networks behind the schemes.

Members of the public who encounter suspicious offers or recruitment activity can report directly to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at mfa.gov.gh or by calling +233204552750, or by contacting the relevant security and immigration authorities.

Militia Strikes US Embassy in Baghdad, Americans Ordered to Flee Iraq

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Militia Strikes US Embassy in Baghdad, Americans Ordered to Flee Iraq

Iran-aligned militias struck the United States Embassy compound in Baghdad on Saturday with a missile that hit a helipad inside the heavily fortified facility, triggering an urgent evacuation order that told all Americans remaining in Iraq to leave the country immediately, as the three-week-old US-Israeli war on Iran opened a new and alarming front on Iraqi soil.

An Iraqi security source told Al Jazeera the attack destroyed part of the embassy’s air defence system, while two security officials told the Associated Press that the projectile landed within the embassy boundaries in the Green Zone, the heavily fortified district in central Baghdad that houses Iraqi government institutions and several foreign diplomatic missions. Eyewitness video showed dark smoke rising from a fire at the embassy building shortly after the strike.

Hours after the attack, the embassy issued an urgent security alert telling US citizens to leave Iraq now and by land, noting that commercial flights were not operating from the country. It warned Americans not to attempt to reach either the Baghdad embassy or the US Consulate General in Erbil due to ongoing risks from rockets, drones, and mortars in Iraqi airspace.

Tit-for-Tat Cycle Intensifies

The embassy strike occurred shortly after two separate attacks in Baghdad targeting the Iran-backed armed group Kataeb Hezbollah killed three of its members, including a commander. The first strike hit a house in the Arasat neighbourhood and the second targeted a vehicle in the Nahrawan district. Kataeb Hezbollah subsequently held a funeral procession in Baghdad for the three fighters.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the missile strike on the embassy. Iran-aligned armed groups in Iraq had previously pledged to attack US facilities and had escalated their threats in the days before Saturday’s strike, including a statement offering $100,000 to anyone who provided information leading to any US diplomatic personnel inside Iraq.

Saturday marked the second time the US Embassy had been struck since the start of the war. It is one of the largest US diplomatic facilities anywhere in the world and has a long history of being targeted by rockets and drones fired by Iran-aligned militias.

Wider War Rages Across the Region

Saturday’s attack came at the end of a week of major escalation across the conflict. Iran’s joint military command reiterated its threat to attack US-linked oil, economic and energy infrastructure in the region if Iran’s own oil infrastructure is targeted, while its semiofficial Fars news agency disputed US claims that Kharg Island strikes had hit anything significant, saying they targeted only peripheral military facilities.

Loading operations at the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates were suspended on Saturday after debris from an intercepted Iranian drone struck an oil facility and started a fire.

The State Department announced a $10 million reward for information on Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and key leaders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its component branches. Trump told NBC News he was unsure whether Khamenei was still alive, adding that Iran was seeking negotiations but that he was not yet ready to accept a deal.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that US forces had now struck more than 15,000 enemy targets since the war began, at a rate exceeding 1,000 strikes per day. Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani condemned the embassy strike as a terrorist act and ordered security forces to pursue those responsible, insisting the groups carrying out such attacks did not represent the will of the Iraqi people.

Ghana Clears Pay for 14,279 Nurses and Ends Lump-Sum Allowance System

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Ghana Clears Pay for 14,279 Nurses and Ends Lump-Sum Allowance System

The government has secured financial approval to pay allowances and salaries to nearly 15,000 health workers in its latest step to resolve a persistent salary crisis that has dogged the health sector for years, while simultaneously announcing a structural policy shift that will end the controversial practice of accumulating payments and releasing them only at the end of service.

The Ministry of Health announced on March 13 that it had obtained financial clearance from the Ministry of Finance for the payment of allowances and salaries covering 14,279 rotation nurses and midwives, as well as 637 medical and dental house officers. The statement was signed by Ministry spokesperson Tony Goodman.

The clearance covers nurses across five categories: Registered General Nurses, Registered Midwives, Registered Mental Health Nurses, Registered Community Health Nurses, and Registered Public Health Nurses, all of whom commenced their mandatory rotation service in 2025 and are scheduled to complete it this year.

The 637 medical and dental house officers covered by the clearance graduated from public and private institutions, passed their Medical and Dental Council examinations, and were inducted into service on November 12, 2025.

End of a System That Built Up Debt

The more structurally significant aspect of the announcement is its forward-looking policy commitment. The financial clearance will not only settle salary and allowance backlogs owed to affected health workers, but will also introduce a new system of monthly payment of allowances during mandatory service, replacing the previous arrangement where payments were accumulated and settled only at the end of each service period. The new monthly payment framework will cover nurses, pharmacists, and allied health professionals.

The shift addresses a structural flaw that for years left newly trained health workers going months without income despite being deployed to serve in facilities across the country. It follows an earlier settlement announced on February 26, 2026, when the government disclosed a four-instalment plan to clear arrears owed to a separate cohort of 2024/2025 nurses who in some cases had gone unpaid for up to 13 months.

The Ministry stated that timely payment of allowances and salaries is not just about fulfilling obligations but about valuing the dedication and hard work of the health workforce. It said it would continue working with the Ministry of Finance and other relevant bodies to ensure health workers are adequately supported in delivering care to Ghanaians.

Health sector unions and advocacy groups have long warned that delayed payments drive trained nurses to seek employment abroad, contributing to Ghana’s persistent shortage of clinical staff in rural and peri-urban districts. The government has not yet confirmed a specific disbursement date for the newly approved payments.

FDA Bans Kumasi’s ‘Heart Cleanser’ After Lab Finds Industrial Toxins Inside

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FDA Bans Kumasi’s ‘Heart Cleanser’ After Lab Finds Industrial Toxins Inside

Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has issued an urgent nationwide alert ordering the public to immediately stop consuming a substance sold in Kumasi under the name “Sukudai,” after laboratory tests confirmed the product contains chloroform, a toxic industrial chemical banned from medical use worldwide due to its links to organ failure, cancer, and death.

In a public alert issued on Friday, March 13, 2026, the regulator confirmed the product is not registered with the authority and that laboratory analysis of samples collected from the Kumasi Metropolis found the substance to contain chloroform. The warning was signed by the FDA’s Chief Executive Officer and directed at all members of the public, healthcare providers, and market regulators across the country.

The alert followed a report by JoyNews that highlighted the product’s growing circulation and raised concerns about its safety. Public alarm had already intensified after videos circulating on social media showed the liquid dissolving Styrofoam plates, a reaction vendors were using to claim the product could “melt away” heart blockages or fat deposits in the body.

Scientists Debunk the ‘Cleansing’ Claim

Researchers at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) confirmed that chloroform acts as a potent solvent for polystyrene, the material used to produce Styrofoam, meaning the viral plate-melting demonstration was nothing more than a plastic-dissolving chemical reaction. The KNUST team described the vendors’ claims about cardiac cleansing as scientifically impossible and a dangerous marketing fabrication.

Earlier KNUST testing had identified the full range of toxic agents present in Sukudai. The Department of Pharmacology at KNUST found the concoction contains acetone, a solvent used in nail polish removers and paint thinners, as well as zinc chloride, a highly corrosive industrial chemical used in wood treatment and battery production, alongside ethanol. In acute toxicity tests, laboratory rats given low, medium, and high doses of the preparation all died within 24 hours.

A consultant nephrologist at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Professor Elliot Koranteng Tannor, said the burning sensation users feel after consuming Sukudai is likely what they misinterpret as a cleansing effect on the chest, but warned the corrosive nature of zinc chloride poses a serious risk of gastrointestinal damage. He added that his department had been recording unexplained kidney cases for some time and suspected drinks like Sukudai were contributing to the problem.

Sold in Secrecy, Popular in Zongos

Sukudai, known in Hausa as “Madara Sukudai,” has circulated in Kumasi communities for years, particularly in Zongo neighbourhoods and around vehicle repair shops, where it is often sold discreetly by traders of Nigerien or Ghanaian origin. The drink is especially popular among young men and is marketed as a remedy to clear blocked arteries or cleanse the heart.

National Security operatives launched an enforcement operation in Kumasi following the KNUST findings, arresting a trader in the Aboabo area who was suspected of supplying the chemicals used to produce the drink, after several weeks of surveillance. Ashanti Regional Deputy Security Coordinator Alhaji Njeh Abdallah Umar described the continued circulation of the substance as a national security concern, noting that those who sell the product routinely refuse to drink it themselves.

Prosecution Warning and How to Report

The FDA said it is working with the Ghana Police Service, the National Security Secretariat, and the media to educate the public and shut down the distribution network. Anyone found selling or distributing Sukudai or any other unregistered product faces arrest and prosecution.

The FDA also confirmed that this crackdown is part of a broader enforcement drive that includes a nationwide recall of alcoholic energy drinks containing stimulants such as caffeine and ginseng, with a compliance deadline of March 31, 2026.

Members of the public who come across Sukudai being sold are urged to report it through the FDA’s official website complaint section or by calling the authority’s hotlines on 0551112224 or 0551112225.

Carrick Dismisses Scholes Dig Ahead of United’s Villa Showdown

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Carrick Dismisses Scholes Dig Ahead of United’s Villa Showdown

Michael Carrick has moved to dispel any suggestion of a falling-out with Paul Scholes, insisting he was not offended by a barbed social media post from his former midfield partner and urging context in an era of snap-reaction digital commentary, as Manchester United prepare to host Aston Villa in a pivotal Premier League clash this Sunday afternoon.

Carrick told reporters at his pre-match press conference on Friday that the episode did not unsettle him, saying there was nothing to say about it and that social media had a way of pulling comments to extremes. He acknowledged that reasonable people hold different views on football and said he was not worried by the noise.

The row originated in the immediate aftermath of United’s 2-1 defeat at St James’ Park on March 4, when substitute William Osula struck in stoppage time to hand 10-man Newcastle a stunning victory and inflict Carrick’s first loss since taking over from the sacked Ruben Amorim in mid-January. Scholes posted an Instagram story the same night reading that Carrick had “definitely got something about him” because United had been poor across their last four games, a comment that was quickly deleted but not before it had spread widely online.

Scholes Reaches Out, Evra Hits Back

Scholes addressed the post on the latest episode of The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast, insisting he had messaged Carrick directly after the reaction intensified and that his former teammate confirmed he had not taken offence. Scholes said the only point he intended to make was that United had not performed well in their last four matches yet Carrick had kept finding results, which he framed as evidence that fortune had played a role in the unbeaten run.

The post drew a notably sharp response from former United and France defender Patrice Evra, who said he hoped Scholes had been hacked, placing him alongside Roy Keane and Gary Neville as veterans who had been quick to voice doubts about Carrick’s credentials despite the team’s dramatic improvement.

Speaking on the same podcast episode, former defender Wes Brown said he could see it both ways, acknowledging that once Scholes explained his thinking, the intent made sense, but that the post as written read as a personal dig at the interim boss.

Form That Demands Respect

The criticism arrives at an uncomfortable moment for United’s doubters. Since Carrick took charge in January, United have become the Premier League’s most in-form side, accumulating 19 points from their last eight matches and climbing to third place in the table, within striking distance of a return to the UEFA Champions League. United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has publicly praised Carrick’s work, though the club has stopped short of confirming whether he will be retained beyond the current season.

Carrick also confirmed that midfielder Mason Mount, absent for two months with a back injury, had returned to training and could feature against Villa, describing it as a big step for an important player.

Villa arrive at Old Trafford themselves looking to bounce back, having lost to Chelsea last weekend. Both clubs sit in the top four and Sunday’s match carries significant weight in the race for Champions League qualification.

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