Lands and Mines Watch Ghana (LMWG) has defended the licensing of Bawa Rock Limited as an aggregator under the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) scheme, describing recent claims by the Minority Caucus in Parliament as misleading, politically motivated, and lacking industry context.

In a press statement issued in Accra on January 7, 2026, the watchdog group said while parliamentary oversight remained vital to democratic accountability, the Minority’s approach to the issue had generated “more heat than light” and risked undermining confidence in ongoing reforms within Ghana’s gold trading and mining sector.

LMWG stressed that Bawa Rock Limited was not a newly created entity positioned to exploit policy changes, but a long-established indigenous company with operational experience in Ghana’s extractive industry.

According to the group, the company had made deliberate investments in infrastructure, systems, and professional management aligned with international best practices in precious metals trading.

Addressing claims that Bawa Rock’s licence creates a monopoly, LMWG, led by Kwame Owusu Danso, Executive Director of Lands and Mines Watch dismissed the allegation as a deliberate distortion of the GoldBod framework.

The group explained that the GoldBod system provides for multiple licensed categories, including aggregators, self-financing aggregators, and tiered buyers, all operating under uniform pricing structures set by the state.

“Under the GoldBod framework, it is only the state agency itself that functions as a monopoly,” the statement noted, adding that no licensed private operator controls pricing or market access.

LMWG highlighted Bawa Rock’s investment in modern assaying and foundry infrastructure, noting that such capital-intensive investments improve accuracy in gold valuation, protect small-scale miners from underpricing, and enhance Ghana’s credibility on international gold markets.

The group emphasized that Bawa Rock’s licence was issued in accordance with the GoldBod Act, 2025 (Act 1140) and aligns with national objectives such as improved traceability, reduced smuggling, and strengthening of the formal gold purchasing system.

Criticizing the Minority’s continued public questioning of ownership structures and licensing criteria, LMWG described the approach as political theatre masquerading as oversight, warning that such rhetoric could discourage serious indigenous investment in the sector.

“Politicians must be allowed to do politics, but industry must be allowed to work,” the statement said, urging restraint and responsible engagement to safeguard reforms aimed at long-term value creation.

LMWG concluded that attacking indigenous companies without evidence weakens national reform efforts rather than strengthening accountability, and called on the Minority in Parliament to elevate public discourse and support initiatives that enhance transparency and sustainability in Ghana’s gold trading industry.

Source: GNA

The Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), a think tank focused on development and governance solutions, has warned that Ghana risks democratic backsliding if urgent constitutional reforms are not undertaken, citing prolonged delays in implementing long-proposed changes to the 1992 Constitution.

In a press statement issued on Wednesday, January 7, to mark Constitution Day and Ghana’s 34th consecutive year of constitutional rule, the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) said more than a decade of stalled constitutional reform efforts had exposed deep structural weaknesses in Ghana’s democratic governance framework.

The statement signed by IDEG’s Executive Director, Dr Emmanuel O. Akwetey noted that successive governments over four electoral cycles, from 2012 to 2025, had been unable to implement recommendations arising from constitutional review processes, largely due to weak national consensus and the absence of a permanent, independent institutional framework to drive the reforms.

IDEG cautioned that the continued delay was occurring against a troubling regional backdrop marked by democratic regression in West Africa, declining confidence in multiparty democracy, rising public support for military rule, and growing youth disenchantment with what is perceived as an unresponsive political system.

“These trends collectively pose a serious threat to Ghana’s democratic consolidation and its long-standing role as a democratic anchor in the sub-region,” the statement said.

IDEG said the recent submission of the Constitution Review Committee’s report presented a critical opportunity to reset Ghana’s governance architecture and avert potential democratic decline.

The organisation commended President John Dramani Mahama for ensuring the immediate public release of the report, describing the move as a positive step towards transparency and inclusive reform.

The statement stressed that safeguarding Ghana’s democracy would require a broad national consensus, collective commitment to good governance, and a rejection of divisive politics.

It urged political leaders, civil society organisations, and citizens to draw lessons from previous failed reform attempts and recommit to implementing long-overdue constitutional changes.

IDEG added that without decisive action, public trust in democratic institutions could continue to erode, particularly among the youth, with far-reaching consequences for political stability and democratic governance in the country.

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Environmental Scientist, Prof. Chris Gordon, has raised alarm over Ghana’s water supply woes, attributing the persistent shortages in urban areas largely to ageing infrastructure, leakages, and deliberate sabotage of delivery systems.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Thursday, January 8, 2026, Prof. Gordon said that a significant portion of treated water never reaches consumers, making it difficult for Ghana Water Limited (GWL) to recover costs or expand services.

“My other concern is the whole issue of pricing. The cost of the infrastructure is very high; it is a major investment. But the major challenge in our infrastructure right now is the delivery pipes. Some are leaking,” he explained.

Citing sector data, he noted that large volumes of water are lost along transmission lines due to broken and deteriorated pipes.

“When you look at the data and statistics, you will realise that most of the water that leaves the water treatment plant gets lost along the way. They cannot be costed because no consumer picks it. It is just running out of broken pipes,” Prof. Gordon said.

Beyond technical faults, human interference is also worsening the problem, with some individuals deliberately damaging pipelines to access water for farming and other activities.

“People also deliberately break the pipes to gather water to irrigate their vegetable farms. So, replacing that infrastructure itself is a major investment,” he said, warning that such acts undermine efforts to address water shortages, especially in urban centres already grappling with intermittent supply.

“So, if we are deliberately sabotaging the efforts that are in place, it is not always the case that people are sitting in and not doing anything,” he added.

Prof. Gordon called for stronger public cooperation, enhanced enforcement, and increased investment in infrastructure to ensure a reliable and sustainable water supply across the country.

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A first-term Assembly Member for the Agogo Apentenyinase Electoral Area in the Asante Akyem North Municipality of the Ashanti Region has died in an apparent suicide.

The Assembly Member, Kwabena Osei, was found hanging from the ceiling of his home at about 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 7, 2026.

Confirming the incident to Citi News, the Presiding Member for the Asante Akyem North Municipality, Frank Gyamfi, described the late Assembly Member as a young and promising leader in his early 30s, noting that he had spoken with him about some personal issues on Sunday before the incident.

He added that the body has since been deposited at the Agogo Mortuary by the police, while investigations have commenced to determine the circumstances surrounding his death.

Police in the Awutu Ofaakor District have arrested a 30-year-old man, Moses, in connection with the alleged killing of his girlfriend at Yamoah Nkwanta in the Awutu Senya West District of the Central Region.

According to sources, Moses, who hails from Oboman in the Ga South Municipality of Greater Accra, had travelled to visit the woman, identified as Sister Yaa. A disagreement reportedly ensued after the deceased allegedly denied him sexual intercourse, escalating into a violent confrontation.

The woman was later found dead, prompting police to suspect Moses’s direct involvement.

Speaking to Citi News, the Chief of Awutu Yamoah Nkwanta and Ogyahene of the Awutu Traditional Council, Nai Achiene Acheampong Kuma, said he informed the police upon learning of the incident. This led to the suspect’s arrest within the community and his transfer to the Awutu Ofaakor District Police Command for further investigation.

The deceased’s body has been taken to the Police Hospital morgue, while authorities continue efforts to locate her relatives and determine the full circumstances of the killing.