The Deputy Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Asokwa, Patricia Appiagyei, has denied authoring a memorandum in which she was purported to have admitted receiving and returning GH¢70,000 allegedly connected to Parliament’s vetting of ministerial and Supreme Court nominees.

Madam Appiagyei has described the document, which has been circulating in the media, as fake and insisted that she neither wrote, authorised nor circulated it.

The purported memorandum, reportedly addressed to the Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, claimed that the Asokwa MP had returned GH¢70,000 allegedly allocated to her as an advance from the Majority Chief Whip.

The document further suggested that the money was connected to the vetting of two ministerial nominees and three nominees to the Supreme Court, with Madam Appiagyei purportedly questioning the source and purpose of the funds.

However, responding to the controversy in a statement issued , the Deputy Minority Leader categorically denied ever receiving the GH¢70,000 or any other money in connection with her duties on Parliament’s Appointments Committee.

“I did not write, authorise, or circulate this document. It is fake and should be disregarded by all,” she stated.

Madam Appiagyei said she had “at all times” discharged her responsibilities on the Appointments Committee with integrity.

She stressed that since she had not received the alleged GH¢70,000, there was no occasion for her to return any such money, as suggested in the document.

“I state expressly and without qualification that I did not receive any payment of GH¢70,000, or any other sum, from any person in connection with the vetting of ministerial or Supreme Court nominees, or in connection with my duties as a member of the Appointments Committee,” she said.

According to her, she was attending the funeral of a friend when her attention was first drawn to the document.

She said that after discovering that the purported memorandum had emanated from her office, she initially believed that marking it as “FAKE” would be sufficient to deal with the matter, until it gained widespread attention in the media.

Madam Appiagyei described the fabrication and circulation of the document as a serious matter and disclosed that she was seeking legal advice on possible action against those responsible.

She said she reserved the right to pursue legal remedies against any person found to have fabricated or knowingly circulated the document.

The Deputy Minority Leader also alleged that faceless individuals were attempting to create division within the Minority Caucus of the New Patriotic Party.

“It is clear to me that some faceless individuals are up to some mischief to sow seeds of discord in our Caucus but this will fail,” she stated.

She assured supporters of the New Patriotic Party and the general public that the Minority Caucus remained united behind the party’s flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, ahead of the 2028 general election.

The development comes after the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) announced that it had commenced preliminary investigations into the authenticity of the purported memorandum, as well as the alleged source and purpose of the GH¢70,000 mentioned in the document.

The OSP subsequently invited Madam Appiagyei to assist in the preliminary investigation.

With the Asokwa MP now publicly disowning the memorandum and denying that she received any money in connection with the vetting process, the authenticity and origin of the document are likely to become central to the ongoing preliminary investigation.

This version makes the denial the central news peg, while properly linking it to the earlier OSP investigation without presenting the alleged payment or attempted bribery as an established fact.

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Thirty outstanding young contestants, representing the Volta, Central, Northern, Western, Upper East, Bono, Eastern, Upper West, Ashanti and Greater Accra Regions, will converge in Accra for the regional team competition scheduled for Saturday, September 5 and Sunday, September 6, 2026.

The contestants, aged between 11 and 15, earned their places after excelling in the Level II Aptitude Test held on Sunday, August 16, following the earlier essay stage of the competition.

The aptitude test assessed the contestants’ knowledge, comprehension, critical thinking and ability to apply concepts to everyday situations. With the competition now moving from individual performance to teamwork, the young contenders will have to combine knowledge, strategy and collaboration as they face challenging questions under pressure.

 Meet the 10 regional teams 

The Volta Region will be represented by Mensa Gabriella Mawufemor of Volta Barracks J.H.S, Samuel Danku of Ho Bankoe EP JHS, and Austin Deladem Agortse of Kpetoe EP Junior High School.

The Central Region team comprises Abigail Incoom and Julie-Anne Oforiwaa Danquah, both of Girls Model School, alongside Lawrencia Kwarteng Larbi of Alswel Academy.

Representing the Northern Region are Faheem Wumpini Alhassan of Savannah International Academy, and Abdul-Nasir Shamima Suhuyini and Issah Abah Salsabila of Abe Halperin School Limited.

The Western Region team features Ronalda Nyarko of New Pathways, Joyce Acquah of Onua Francis Ideal School, and Justina Esi Hagan of Bright Kids International School.

For the Upper East Region, Atara Nawal and Davoro Gerald, both of Great Victory Academy, will compete alongside Aloobo Akaare of Adabase Junior High School.

The Bono Region will be represented by Emmanuella Michelle Sieh of Dreamfield International School, Enyimnyam-Boafo Wilson-High Arthur of Sunyani Secondary Model Basic School, and Hilda Opoku Kwarteng of Adventist Preparatory School.

The Eastern Region team comprises Nuako Kwabena Adom Mireku of Suhum Roman Catholic JHS, Nyamedom Appiakubi Appiah-Aboagye of Hallmark Schools, and Stephanie Okyerewa Appawu-Gyamfi of P.C.E Demonstration JHS.

Representing the Upper West Region are Devine Yanbefaare Ambalakuu of Leadership Community School, Gbemmie Abass Sharika of Hilla Liman JHS, and Manuel V.P Eledi of Ancillia Catholic School.

The Ashanti Region team features Laurel Akomaa Obuobi of KNUST Basic School, Akwasi Opoku Gyarteng of KNUST JHS, and Zuberu Latif Babajato of International Community School.

Completing the top 10 is the Greater Accra Region, represented by Neriah Gyamfi of North Ridge Lyceum, Jenelle-Abrielle Ofori of Silicon Valley International School, and Otoo Sarah Augusta Akosua of Achimota Basic School.

From individual brilliance to teamwork

The regional team challenge will test the contestants beyond their individual academic abilities.

They will be required to demonstrate effective communication, collaboration, quick thinking, problem-solving and decision-making skills as they work together to tackle questions and overcome the pressure of competition.

The top-performing teams from the regional contest will advance to the final stage, where they will compete for the top three positions in the 2026 Literacy Challenge.

The winning team will receive a total cash prize of GH¢15,000, with each of its three members taking home GH¢5,000.

Each member of the winning team will also receive a trophy, certificate, gold medal and laptop.

Celebrating individual excellence

 While teamwork will be central to the final stages of the competition, the 2026 Literacy Challenge will also recognise outstanding individual performance.

An Overall Outstanding Contestant will be selected from the three members of the winning team.

The individual winner will be determined by the contestant’s cumulative performance in the essay, aptitude test and regional team challenge, rewarding consistency and excellence throughout the competition.

The best-performing contestant will receive an additional GH¢5,000, bringing their total cash prize to GH¢10,000, together with a special plaque.

The overall winner will also receive the trophy, certificate, gold medal and laptop awarded to members of the winning team.

Powered by strong partnerships

The 2026 Literacy Challenge is powered by Channel One TV and Citi FM, with the valued support of Prospectus Ghana Limited, SIC Insurance PLC, Advocate Publishing, Tema Oil Refinery, Deli Group and La Palm Royal Beach Hotel.

The support of these sponsors and partners continues to strengthen the competition’s mission of promoting literacy, critical thinking, creativity, teamwork and academic excellence among young Ghanaians.

The Literacy Challenge has, over the years, provided a platform for young students to develop their confidence, broaden their knowledge and demonstrate their ability to think critically and communicate effectively.

As the 30 contestants prepare to take the stage, the excitement is building and the stakes are higher than ever.

Which region will emerge as the 2026 Literacy Challenge champion?

The answer will unfold in Accra as Ghana’s brightest young literacy enthusiasts compete for glory, recognition and a place in the history of the competition.

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The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has commenced preliminary investigations into allegations surrounding an alleged GH¢70,000 payment to the Deputy Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Asokwa, Patricia Appiagyei, following the vetting of ministerial and Supreme Court nominees by Parliament’s Appointments Committee.

The investigation follows a document circulating in the media, purportedly authored by Madam Appiagyei and addressed to the Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh.

In the purported memorandum, Madam Appiagyei is said to have returned GH¢70,000, which she claimed had been allocated to her as an advance from the Majority Chief Whip.

According to the document, the Asokwa MP said she decided to return the money because she did not know its source and did not wish to derive any financial benefit from participating in the vetting of colleagues in political leadership.

She was also quoted as raising concerns over the vetting of two ministerial nominees—Mahama Ayariga and Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings—as well as three nominees to the Supreme Court.

The purported memorandum further stated that, following the Minority’s decision not to participate in the vetting of Justices Sophia Rosetta Oduokuwa Bernasko Essah, Edward Amoako Asante and Anthony Forson, she considered it inappropriate to benefit financially in connection with the process.

However, in a statement issued on the matter, the OSP said it had taken note of the document and was investigating its authenticity, as well as the alleged source and purpose of the GH¢70,000.

The anti-graft body said the content of the purported memorandum raised concerns about the integrity of Parliament’s vetting process.

The OSP noted that Madam Appiagyei had allegedly expressed doubts about the source of the money and that the circumstances described in the document could point to possible extortion involving nominees who appeared before the Appointments Committee.

“Given the constitutional importance of the Appointments Committee of Parliament and the need to safeguard the integrity of the vetting process,” the OSP said it had commenced preliminary investigations into “the veracity of the document, the source of the alleged funds, and the purpose of the alleged funds.”

The Office said it had subsequently dispatched a communication inviting the Deputy Minority Leader to appear before it and assist with the preliminary investigation.

“The OSP is actively investigating all extortion allegations involving Members of Parliament,” the statement added.

The investigation is therefore expected to establish whether the circulating memorandum is authentic, whether the alleged GH¢70,000 was indeed distributed, where the money came from and the purpose for which it was allegedly allocated.

The OSP has not, in its statement, announced any criminal charges against Madam Appiagyei or any other person in connection with the matter.

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The call follows remarks the Chief Justice made on September 2, 2026, during visits to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) with members of the Council for Legal Education and Training.

At MIIF, according to CDD-Ghana, the Chief Justice praised the current management while questioning the institution’s performance over the previous eight years. At SSNIT, he reportedly contrasted the organisation’s current operations with earlier attempts to sell some of its properties and lamented that the management of the country’s affairs had previously “sunk so low.”

In a statement issued yesterday, CDD-Ghana argued that the Chief Justice’s comparison of the performance of the current administration with that of its predecessor risked creating the perception that he had crossed into partisan commentary.

“Such commentary creates a perception of political bias, compromises the Judiciary’s non-partisan mandate, and risks breaching the Code of Conduct for Judges and Magistrates,” the democracy and governance advocacy organisation said.

CDD-Ghana stressed that although judges were not expected to isolate themselves from public life, the nature of their office required a high degree of restraint to preserve public confidence in the courts.

The Centre invoked the long-established principle that justice must not only be done, but must also be seen to be done, arguing that judicial neutrality must be evident not only in the decisions of judges but also in their public conduct and pronouncements.

According to CDD-Ghana, the controversy comes at a particularly sensitive time for the Judiciary, which it said was grappling with declining public confidence.

Citing findings from the Afrobarometer Round 10 survey conducted in 2024, the Centre said only 35 per cent of Ghanaians expressed trust in the courts, representing a 21-percentage-point decline from the level recorded in 2012.

It further said 62 per cent of respondents believed judicial decisions were influenced by powerful interests, while about half of those surveyed doubted whether an ordinary person could obtain a fair trial.

CDD-Ghana therefore urged the Chief Justice to lead by example by strictly adhering to the Code of Conduct for Judges and Magistrates and exercising caution in public commentary that could be interpreted as endorsing or condemning a particular political administration.

The Centre’s intervention adds to the public debate over the Chief Justice’s September 2 remarks, which have attracted criticism from sections of the public.

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The Minister made the declaration yesterday after joining personnel of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and Special Forces on a 16-kilometre inspection tour of the Ankobra River, under the second phase of Operation Water Shield, a renewed effort to protect Ghana’s water bodies from illegal mining activities.

According to Mr. Armah-Kofi Buah, the Ankobra, which he described as having previously been turned into a virtual workshop for the manufacture and deployment of mining equipment had now been substantially cleared of changfan machines and other makeshift equipment that had been used to destroy the river.

He said the operation had so far resulted in the removal of close to 3,000 mining machines from the Ankobra, Pra, Birim and other rivers, while more than 237 arrests had been made, including 144 foreign nationals.

The Minister said the figures, coupled with what he personally witnessed on the Ankobra, during the tour, demonstrated that the country was moving away from sporadic enforcement operations towards sustained and intelligence-led deployments.

“I am very confident that we are winning this war and the impunity is going away,” Mr. Armah-Kofi Buah said in an exclusive interview with The Chronicle after the tour.
He said although the government had not yet reached the stage where it wanted to see the country’s rivers restored to their natural blue colour, the progress recorded on the Ankobra represented a significant milestone.

“I have not gotten to the point where we want them to be as blue as we want, but what I have seen today warms my heart,” he said.

Ankobra no longer a galamsey workshop
The Minister recalled his previous visit to the Ankobra about a year ago, saying the situation he encountered at the time was markedly different from what he saw during yesterday’s inspection.
“I actually visited the Ankobra in the last one year when the whole river was basically a workshop where changfan machines were being manufactured left and right.

“They were all over the river. But today, I can tell you that through all the mileage we have covered, the Ankobra is completely cleared of changfan machines and cleared of other makeshift equipment.”
He said the disappearance of armed groups and illegal mining operators from the river were equally significant.

According to him, the authorities previously encountered heavily armed groups operating along sections of the river, but the sustained presence of security personnel had changed the situation.

“The thugs that were wielding guns are all gone. Today we don’t see thugs along the Ankobra pointing guns at security forces because they know they will pay a price, and they are going to pay a price,” he said.
Mr. Armah-Kofi Buah said the transformation was not the result of a single operation, but a deliberate decision by government to maintain personnel on the affected water bodies for as long as necessary.

From raids to permanent deployments
The Minister said the second phase of Operation Water Shield represented a fundamental shift in the strategy for combating illegal mining.

He explained that, rather than conducting occasional raids and leaving the affected areas afterwards, government was now adopting permanent deployments designed to prevent illegal miners from returning.

“Operation Water Shield is not something we are stopping. It is basically changing the face of this fight, especially in the protection of our water bodies, making sure that we stay on permanently to fight all the way to the end,” he said.

During the pre-tour briefing, Mr. Armah-Kofi Buah assured Ghanaians that the security personnel deployed along the Ankobra would not be withdrawn simply because the immediate illegal mining activities had been disrupted.

“We want to make sure that we are not leaving the Ankobra. We are going to be here as long as it takes to make sure that this water is clean,” he said.
He said the experience of the past had shown that withdrawing security personnel too early created opportunities for illegal miners to return.

“It is also very clear to us that you leave and they come back. But we are going to be here as long as it takes,” he stressed.

Young miners changing course
Mr. Armah-Kofi Buah also pointed to what he described as an encouraging behavioural change among some young people who were previously engaged in illegal mining.
He said a number of young people who had been operating illegally along the Ankobra had now moved into organised cooperative and responsible small-scale mining programmes.
“A lot of the young people that last year were here have all moved into cooperative mining and joined small-scale mining programmes,” he said.

He explained that government was combining enforcement with training and capacity building to demonstrate that Ghanaians could extract gold without destroying rivers and forests.
“You can look for gold without destroying our water bodies and our forests. You can look for gold without damaging our environment. You can look for gold responsibly and sustainably, and that is the future we are looking for,” he said.

The Minister believes the combination of enforcement, training, cooperative mining and other interventions is beginning to yield results.

‘We will not waver’
While acknowledging that the fight against illegal mining remained difficult, Mr. Armah-Kofi Buah who is also the Member of Parliament for the good people of Ellembelle said government would not relent in its efforts.
He said the removal of the machines from the rivers was only one part of the battle, stressing that government was now turning its attention to the powerful individuals and financiers behind illegal mining operations.

“The machines that destroy it, the excavators we’ve seized, those behind them are powerful forces that are hiding in the dark, and our next phase is continuing to fish them out,” he said.
“We are going to continue to fight all the way – those sponsors, those financiers – until we win this fight,” he added.

He said the government’s resolve was strengthened by the support of Ghanaians who, according to him, could now see the difference between the condition of some water bodies two years ago and their current state.
“If we are able to remove 3,000 changfan machines within a short period, if we are able to make over 237 arrests just on river bodies and destroy all these makeshift equipment and activities here within this period, you know what it gives us? Hope that we are on the right course,” he said.

Mr. Armah-Kofi Buah further commended the NAIMOS team, Colonel Appiah and the Special Forces for their collaboration in the operation.

He said President John Mahama remained keenly interested in the progress of Operation Water Shield and was “rooting” for the success of the campaign.

Integrity at the centre of the fight
The Minister also used the occasion to make a personal pledge to the Ghanaian people that the fight against illegal mining would be pursued with integrity.“I would choose to fight with integrity and die than being corrupted in this dangerous world that will destroy all of us,” he said.

He added that the government would continue to support the security agencies and enforcement teams until the country’s water bodies were adequately protected.
The 16-kilometre inspection of the Ankobra formed part of the second phase of Operation Water Shield, which is aimed at sustaining security operations along Ghana’s major rivers and preventing illegal miners from returning to areas from which they have been cleared.

For Mr. Armah-Kofi Buah, the Ankobra now offers a visible measure of what sustained enforcement can achieve. “We are not where we want to be,” he acknowledged.
“But if you ask me what we inherited and compare it with the Ankobra today, I am very clear that we are making great progress. We can say without any obstruction that we are winning this fight.”

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The directive is part of measures to prevent severe traffic disruption when the Pamprom Junction-to-First Light section of the highway is closed to traffic to pave the way for major drainage improvement works under the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project.

Mr. Ibrahim gave the directives when he inspected preparations for the closure and assessed the contractor’s readiness to implement the approved Traffic Management Plan (TMP).

He said the removal of on-street parking and other obstructions was necessary to ensure that the alternative routes could accommodate the expected increase in vehicular traffic during the construction period.

“The safety and convenience of the motoring public must remain a top priority throughout this exercise. We expect the contractor to put in place a robust Traffic Management Plan that will keep traffic moving while these critical drainage works are carried out,” he said.

The Minister also ordered the contractor to intensify public education on the road closure, saying commuters and residents needed adequate notice of the alternative routes and traffic arrangements.

“No one should wake up on Monday and be surprised by the road closure. We must intensify public education through television, radio, online platforms and community engagement so that every commuter knows the alternative routes and can plan their journey in advance,” Mr. Ibrahim said.

He further directed that clearly marked diversion routes, adequate directional signs, proper barricades and traffic management personnel be deployed at critical intersections to facilitate the smooth movement of vehicles.

According to him, sustained public education would help reduce confusion and congestion while encouraging motorists to comply with the approved diversions.

The Minister further urged the contractor to adhere strictly to the project schedule and complete the drainage works on time to minimise inconvenience to motorists, residents and businesses within the affected areas.

The drainage works form part of the government’s broader flood mitigation interventions under the GARID Project, which seeks to improve stormwater drainage infrastructure and strengthen flood resilience within the Odaw Basin in the Greater Accra Region.

The first phase of the works is expected to be completed by the end of November 2026, while the remaining section is scheduled for completion by October 2027.

The Ministry said it was working with the Ghana Police Service, Department of Urban Roads, Ghana Highway Authority and the affected metropolitan and municipal assemblies to ensure the effective implementation of the Traffic Management Plan.

Motorists have been advised to plan their journeys ahead of Monday’s closure, follow the approved diversion routes and comply with traffic signs and directions from traffic officers.

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Nana Ama Ayensua Saara is blaming the police for the circumstances that led to a situation of unrest at Dunkwa last Sunday during the observation of Akwasidae. The Queen mother is angry because the police allegedly blocked a way to prevent the Omanhene’s elders from going to Offin River (Offin Amaniampong Kwabena Teng) to perform rituals to mark the Akwasidae.

She believed the move by the police was at the instance of the Dunkwahene. Addressing the gathering, the Denkyirahemaa accused the police of taking sides in the seeming impasse and chieftaincy dispute between the Denkyirahene and the Dunkwahene and that they (police) are behind the unhealthy development.

She indicated that Denkyiraman had no qualms with the Dunkwahene, but stressed that those who could not cooperate with the Denkyirahene could relocate to their places of origin.

The Akyeamehene in his report to the Denkyirahene narrated how they avoided a clash with the police amid gunshots.

At a point, the Queenmother who had caused the arrest of a person she described as an imposter denounced her trust in the police.

The self-styled Mfuomhene was dragged to the forum and made to sit on the ground half naked to face the wrath of the chiefs and people gathered for the occasion.

A charged Nana Ayensua Saara said she would not hand him (the said self-styled Mfuomhene) to the police because he would be set free and, therefore, had decided to lock him up at the Amponsem Palace.

According to her, impersonating the Mfuomhene was sacrilege and a disrespectful act to the Overlord of Denhyira State which should not be tolerated. The Denkyirahemaa emphasised in the presence of the Denhyirahene that but for the presence of the media at the occasion, she would have dealt with the Mfuomhene in her own way.

Nana Ama Saara complained that the Regional Police Commander at Assin Fosu, who oversees the area is disrespectful for dictating to the Denhyirahene what to do and what not do relating to chieftaincy.

The Denkyirahemaa also criticised the directive by the Regional Security Council banning the installation of Chiefs in the area. Nana Ama Saara, however, thanked God that there was no casualty from the nasty scenes else she would have led Denhyira State to rise to the challenge if there was no Denkyirahene.

She drew the attention of the MP and MCE who were present at the forum to take note of the partiality of the police and the resultant chaotic development and called on the IGP and the President to call the peace officers to order.

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The workshop, facilitated by Joseph Oti Frimpong, Programmes Officer, Elections, CDD-Ghana and Zakari Tanko Musah, Legal Consultant, Corruption Watch-CDD-Ghana and funded by the British High Commission, sought to help media practitioners recognise their critical role in promoting transparency and accountability.

Frederick Adu Gyamfi, Director of Programmes and Operations, CDD-Ghana indicated that the question of money in politics is not only a concern for  political parties, neither is it a concern for only candidates or regulators, but also civil society or parties like CDD-Ghana, stressing that it is a fundamentally issue of democratic accountability, electoral integrity and good governance.

He disclosed that any research, CDD-Ghana put out must be something that can point to the evidence indicating that political parties require substantial resources to compete yet, the public often know very little about “where those resources come from and how much is raised, how much is spent.

Mr. Gyamfi explained that the consequences of unregulated political financing do not end where they are balanced, stressing that money plays an important role in politics, which cannot be ignored.

“The question is, how to ensure that money does not replace ideas, Money does not replace integrity, commitment and service”, he said.

Mr. Adu Gyamfi noted that a Journalist’s responsibility should not necessarily end with telling citizens who won an election, but also who financed the campaign; the source of the money; how much was spent or if public resources were used.

The journalist must also tell who the major financiers are and how those who finance a political party subsequently benefit from public power after the elections.  According to him, these are questions that regulators alone cannot answer and that investigative journalists, editors, broadcasters and community-based media have important roles to play in this regard.

Speaking to the media, Joseph Oti Frimpong, Programmes Officer, Elections, CDD-Ghana disclosed that his outfit found out that the cost of politics is rising and that a study has revealed  that in 2012, for  someone to contest as an MP, the person needed to spend approximately GHC124,000 plus, while in 2016, it was discovered that the figure had increased to GHc235,000.

According to him, the figure increased in 2020 to GHc4 million plus while the presidential election cost a candidate   approximately around GHc579 million. As a result of the trend, the state needs to regulate how political parties make and spend money during elections, hence the workshop.

Highlighting the gaps found after the Research, Mr. Frimpong indicated that Ghana has “no defined campaign period” as well as spending limit, explaining that once there is no defined campaign period and limit, it means political parties and candidates have to spend more during the campaign period.

He noted that even though the Political Parties Act in the 1992 Constitution helps to regulate political party financing, there are still gaps.

Mr. Frimpong further explained that the tendency  to spend more during the elections affects creating an equal playing field for the candidates, hence CDD-Ghana advocating the need to regulate political party financing by setting up a defined campaign period for campaigning within the country and also have limits  on the contribution that individuals or entities can give to political parties  by setting  limits of the amount of money that political parties or candidates can spend during elections.

From Oswald P. Freiku, Kumasi

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The recent disturbances at Okuapeman and Mount Sinai Senior High Schools in the Eastern Region, which resulted in violence and damage to school property should, therefore, serve as a wake-up call to the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES).

The Chronicle is particularly worried because these incidents are happening at a time when the State is committing enormous resources to secondary education. The 2026 Budget provided GH¢4.2 billion for Free Senior High School. This is taxpayers’ money and represents a major national investment in the future of the country’s young people.

Free SHS was introduced to expand access to secondary education and reduce the financial burden on families. It was never intended to create a generation of young people who believe that entitlement comes without responsibility.

Education must go beyond passing examinations. A student may obtain excellent grades, but if that student cannot respect authority, tolerate disagreement, control his or her emotions or resolve conflicts peacefully, then something important has been missed. We, therefore, find the current spate of indiscipline deeply troubling.

Indeed, the Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, has raised the question of whether corporal punishment should be reconsidered as part of the disciplinary system in second-cycle institutions. We believe this debate deserves serious national attention.

We must, however, be clear: the restoration of corporal punishment alone will not cure indiscipline in our schools. Discipline requires a comprehensive system in which students know the rules, teachers are supported to enforce them, parents cooperate with school authorities and serious misconduct attracts prompt and proportionate sanctions.

The era when teachers were expected to maintain discipline without adequate institutional support cannot continue. At the same time, we do not believe that every act of student misconduct should be explained away as the product of social media, peer pressure, poverty or parental influence. Those factors may contribute to behaviour, but ultimately, students must be held responsible for their actions.

Parents and Guardians must also stop shielding their children from the consequences of wrongdoing. It is counter-productive for parents to challenge school authorities whenever their wards are disciplined for legitimate breaches of school rules. Such conduct undermines the authority of teachers and makes the task of maintaining order unnecessarily difficult.

The schools, for their part, must also ensure that discipline is administered fairly. Students should not be subjected to arbitrary or abusive treatment. Firmness and fairness must go together. What happened at Okuapeman and other schools must not become the new normal.

Where students assault teachers, vandalise school property or engage in other serious criminal conduct, the appropriate authorities must act. Where offences warrant police investigation and prosecution, the law must take its course. School disciplinary processes and the criminal justice system should not be confused, but neither should serious wrongdoing be swept under the carpet in the name of protecting students.

We are equally opposed to the culture of impunity that allows some students to believe that nothing serious will happen after violent misconduct. The State must invest in counselling, mentorship and character development alongside academic instruction. But investment in education must also come with expectations of responsible behaviour.

Our SHSs are training grounds for the future leaders, professionals, workers and citizens of this country. If we allow indiscipline to flourish there, the consequences will eventually be felt far beyond the school gates.

The Chronicle, therefore, calls on the Ministry of Education and the GES to undertake a comprehensive review of discipline in our second-cycle institutions and enforce the rules without fear or favour.

Parents must play their part. Teachers must be protected. School authorities must be empowered. Students must understand their rights, but equally their responsibilities. Ghana does not merely need educated young people. We need disciplined, responsible and morally upright citizens.

Free SHS can open the doors of the classroom, but only discipline, character and responsibility can prepare our young people for the demands of nation-building. The time to restore discipline in our Senior High Schools is now!

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Ayariga made the disclosure when he inspected the Adipa Waste Management Center on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, to assess its capacity to receive the massive volumes of waste expected to be removed from Jamestown.

According to him, the government has already received positive indications from a number of major contractors who are willing to support the exercise by providing heavy-duty equipment and logistics, largely at no cost to the state. Contractors expected to participate include First Sky and other local and international construction firms.

“We have a number of contractors who are willing and ready to evacuate the waste for us,”  Ayariga said, adding that the government would convene a meeting with all the major contractors to secure their support for the operation. The contractors are expected to deploy bulldozers, excavators, trucks and other heavy machinery, together with operators and drivers, to facilitate the waste evacuation exercise.

The immediate-past Majority Leader disclosed that some contractors had even expressed willingness to fuel their own equipment for the operation as part of their corporate social responsibility commitments. He explained that government intended to publicly acknowledge participating companies to encourage private-sector involvement in addressing environmental challenges.

He said the operation would be executed in collaboration with several ministries, including the Ministries of Defence, Finance, Roads and Highways, and Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs. Security agencies, particularly the military and police, would be deployed to supervise traffic management and ensure the smooth movement of trucks between Jamestown and the Adipa facility.

“We will have the military to supervise the exercise to ensure that the roads are decongested for a smooth evacuation exercise,” he stated, noting that specific routes could be temporarily restricted to allow uninterrupted transportation of waste to the landfill site. Col. Assia is expected to lead the operation from the military side.

The Jamestown waste heap, situated near the heavily polluted Korle Lagoon, has accumulated over several decades and is regarded as one of Accra’s most visible sanitation challenges. The refuse mound has grown from years of indiscriminate dumping and waste washed through the Odaw drainage system into the lagoon area. Successive clean-up efforts have failed to completely eliminate the problem, making the planned evacuation one of the most ambitious waste clearance operations undertaken in the capital in recent years.

Ayariga commenting further revealed that President John Dramani Mahama would be present when the evacuation exercise officially begins and would provide updates on any commitment the government may make towards the operation.  As part of the inspection, Mr Ayariga suggested that the road leading to the landfill site should be graded and levelled to facilitate the movement of the trucks.

Providing details on the facility’s capability, Site Engineer of the Adipa Waste Management Center, Ing. Richard Omane Mensah, assured the delegation that the landfill has more than sufficient capacity to accommodate the waste.

“This site has the capacity to receive about 3,000 tons of waste a day. Currently, we receive between 1,500 and 1,600 tons daily, so we can receive more when the trucks come.”

Ing. Mensah explained that the facility operates 24 hours a day and already handles between 800 and 900 tons of waste at night, in addition to 700 to 800 tons during daytime operations. He indicated that the landfill has over 200 acres of developed cells, with additional cells being constructed to accommodate future waste disposal needs.

He also disclosed that the facility could continue operating for the next 50 years, citing the availability of land and ongoing expansion efforts. According to him, locating such a large landfill within the Greater Accra Region would be difficult due to urban development pressures, making the Nsawam site strategically important for waste management in the capital and surrounding areas.

The engineer further highlighted the facility’s operational capacity, including the use of bulldozers, excavators, compactors and tower lights for night operations. He noted that the site had previously received large volumes of waste from Accra during periods of flooding, demonstrating its ability to handle emergency waste disposal situations.

On environmental sustainability, Ing. Mensah said more than 200 waste pickers currently work at the landfill, manually sorting recyclable materials for resale. The process, he explained, helps reduce the volume of waste deposited and extends the lifespan of the landfill. The facility also operates waste crushers to process recyclable materials for the market.

The planned evacuation of the longstanding waste heaps at Jamestown is expected to significantly improve sanitation conditions in the area while showcasing a collaborative effort between government, the private sector and security agencies to tackle one of the capital’s persistent environmental challenges.

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