The Convener of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, Ing. Kenneth Ashigbey, has warned about the state of illegal mining in Ghana, describing a troubling shift in who is driving the problem.

Speaking on TV3 in an interview with Roland Walker monitored by MyNewsGh, Ashigbey said, “Yes, so Roland, you see, and Solomon mentioned it, the firefighters have become the arsonists.”

He explained that those entrusted with preventing illegal mining have themselves become active participants.

“The people we have put in authority to prevent these things from happening, some of them around His Excellency the President, some of them around, you know, in the corridors of power… They have become organized criminals,” Ashigbey stated.

When asked for clarification on what he meant by “organized criminals,” he was unequivocal. “Yes, yes, it is organized crime. It is properly organized crime.

These are the people who can import 200 excavators into this country. These are people who are importing a lot of weaponry into this country,” he said, painting a picture of a deeply entrenched network.

Ashigbey further revealed that foreign nationals are being brought into the country, not to mine, but to provide security for these operations.

“Your situations now, they bring people from our neighboring countries, not to come and mine, but they bring the people to provide the security, the shield, in such a way that… yes, you know, currently go to a lot of our…”

Asked if he was referring to nationals from Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and Nigeria, he confirmed, “Completely.”

He emphasized that these individuals are providing protection even at legal mining sites, underlining the complexity and scale of the challenge.

Former Black Stars captain Andre Ayew has joined Dutch side NAC Breda.

The Ghanaian football star signed a contract until the end of the current season with an option to extend.

This move comes after several months of him being without a club.

Speaking on the move, technical director for Nac Breda Peter Maas said “André is eager to help NAC in their fight for survival. That became very clear from our conversations,” Maas said.

“We are in a tough situation, but Ayew has also experienced challenging moments in his career.”

“He is a true sportsman who takes good care of himself, and we believe that with his experience and specific qualities, he can be of value to NAC right now,” Maas concluded.

Senyo K. Hosi has identified large-scale gold smuggling as a key factor behind the creation of Ghana’s GoldBod.

Referencing United Nations COMTRADE data, Hosi said Ghana failed to benefit from its gold output fully.

“The UAE imported about US$7.1 billion worth of gold from Ghana, while Ghana reported only US$4.8 billion,” he stated in a fresh article sighted by MyNewsGh, describing the gap as evidence that nearly one-third of production went unaccounted for.

According to him, this leakage weakened Ghana’s ability to build foreign reserves despite being Africa’s leading gold producer.

He noted that the country had to rely on borrowing through Eurobonds and syndicated loans to support reserves.

Hosi explained that the underperformance of cocoa and the offshore retention of mining export receipts compounded the problem.

“Even improved gold exports could not support reserve buffers,” he said.

He argued that GoldBod was designed to correct these structural failures by tightening control over the gold value chain.

Entrepreneur and economic policy analyst Senyo Hosi has outlined the core objectives behind Ghana’s GoldBod, describing it as a strategic monetary policy tool rather than a profit-seeking venture.

According to him, GoldBod was established to generate foreign exchange, support gold reserve accumulation at the Bank of Ghana, and centralise oversight of gold trading activities. “

The rationale is to optimise forex inflows and extract national value from the gold value chain,” he said in an open letter sighted by MyNewsGh.

Hosi explained that GoldBod sources gold mainly from licensed small-scale miners through authorised buyers, paying in cedis based on Bank of Ghana reference rates.

The gold is either exported or transferred to the central bank as reserves.

He argued that this model addresses longstanding weaknesses in Ghana’s resource management, including capital flight and weak traceability. “The objective is economic revitalisation and sustainable growth,” Hosi noted.

For him, the real test of GoldBod lies not in isolated figures but in whether it strengthens reserves, stabilises the economy, and restores control over Ghana’s gold resources.

Ghanaian businessman and media mogul Dr. Kwame Despite Osei has said most Ghanaians love to spread lies about him despite his commitment to helping humanity and using his media platforms to save lives.

In an audio shared by Fadda Dickson, Dr. Despite Osei explained that his radio station has become a tool for community support, particularly in addressing blood shortages in hospitals.

“I was told that the hospitals have shortages of blood, so, I should use my medium to help advertise so they will get people to donate blood and I accepted to help. I love helping humanity, so, it wasn’t a problem for me,” he said.

He recounted an incident at the 37 Military Hospital, where he assisted a patient who had been in an accident.

“The doctors said they needed blood for the patient and extra two as standby. The patient’s family members were all abroad.

“We searched for blood everywhere but we didn’t find. I pleaded for them to try and get the blood elsewhere… That’s when we got someone to donate the blood for the patient,” Dr. Despite Osei stated.

He explained that his motivation comes from the ability to make a tangible difference using the reach of his media outlets. “I was so sad. I have a medium where people could hear me when I speak so I decided to help to save someone’s life,” he added.

The mogul stressed that his philanthropic work is part of his broader vision to contribute positively to society and improve lives through his resources and influence.

Dr. Kwame Despite Osei has defended his personal integrity after facing allegations linking him to occult practices, insisting that his actions are motivated solely by goodwill.

The media mogul expressed surprise at the accusations, noting that they were unfounded in an audio shared by Fadda Dickson.

“After all this, I got one person to spoil my reputation. The person wanted to spoil everything I’ve laboured for just because I helped someone. The person said I’m an occult and I don’t even know what occult is,” he said.

Dr. Despite Osei emphasised that he has always lived a righteous life and observes his religious obligations.

“Ever since I was deported to Ghana, I’ve tried to live a righteous life and I have always made sure I paid my tithe fully. I’m not a bad person, so I was surprised someone wanted to tarnish my image,” he stated.

He further appealed to Ghanaians to judge him based on his actions rather than rumours.

“If anyone should have me in their homes, they would know I’m not a bad person at all so I’m urging Ghanaians not to see me that way. I can’t do any evil against anyone,” he added.

Entrepreneur and economic policy analyst Senyo K. Hosi has questioned how loss is being defined in the ongoing debate over the Bank of Ghana’s Gold-for-Reserves programme, arguing that economic policy cannot be judged using simple accounting logic.

In an article written on the subject, Hosi said the controversy surrounding the reported US$214 million loss reflects a failure to agree on what loss truly means.

“Can’t we simply agree on what a loss is?” he asked, stressing that economics is not a rigid science but one shaped by context and human behaviour.

Drawing a distinction between accounting, finance, and economic policy, Hosi explained that while accounting measures loss as total cost exceeding total revenue, economics considers opportunity cost and broader outcomes.

“An accounting loss or financial loss is not an economic loss,” he stated.

He illustrated this by noting that a venture can show profit on paper yet still represent an economic loss if it performs available alternatives he outlined.

According to him, economic policy must instead be assessed by whether it delivers intended outcomes such as stability, growth, and resilience.

“So not all loss be loss and not all profit na benefit,” Hosi concluded, urging a more honest and nuanced discussion.

Senyo K. Hosi has argued that applying profit-and-loss logic to national economic policy misunderstands how public interventions work.

Using personal and entrepreneurial examples, Hosi said spending decisions are guided by purpose, not immediate profit.

“As a father, my spending is not aimed at generating profit for myself,” he said, adding that business investments often prioritise long-term value over short-term gains.

He extended this logic to public policy, explaining that interventions such as education or export support are designed to generate future economic benefits, not instant financial returns.

“That’s why we discuss economic costs and benefits, not accounting profits,” he noted in an article titled, GOLDBOD: LOSS OR NO LOSS? The Price of Everything and The Value of Nothing.

Hosi stressed that policies should be judged against their objectives, including inflation control, exchange rate stability, employment, and social outcomes. “Each economic policy intervention must align with the outcomes it seeks to achieve,” he said.

In his view, calling a policy a failure solely because of a headline loss figure oversimplifies complex economic realities.

British-Nigerian boxer Anthony Joshua is receiving medical care at Duchess International Hospital in Lagos following a fatal car crash on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway that claimed the lives of two of his close friends.

Joshua was a passenger in a black Lexus SUV that collided with a stationary truck at Makun. The deaths of Sina Ghami and Kevin Latif Ayodele were confirmed on Monday night. Two other occupants of the vehicle survived.

Police authorities said Joshua sustained minor injuries and remains under medical observation. Lagos State Police Commissioner Lanre Ogunlowo confirmed that an investigation has been launched.

“I can confirm that an accident occurred and the victim has been taken to the hospital,” he told the BBC.

According to police and traffic officials, the crash followed a tyre burst linked to excessive speed during an overtaking attempt.

Babatunde Akinbiyi of the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps said the vehicle lost control after the blowout.

Eyewitnesses told local media that the Lexus was part of a two-car convoy and that bystanders assisted with rescue efforts before Federal Road Safety Corps officers arrived at the scene.

Fresh claims have surfaced in the ongoing dispute between Nollywood actress Doris Ogala and Pastor Chris Okafor, shifting attention back to the church altar just days after the cleric’s public apology.

In a newly released video, Ogala alleged that the pulpit of Pastor Okafor’s church conceals what she described as “over five million maggots,” a statement that has intensified online backlash and debate.

She insisted the claims were not driven by anger, even though she said she had accepted the pastor’s apology.

“Do you know the maggot that is buried inside the ground that has over five million maggots? The bigger the maggot gets, the bigger the congregation gets. Why do you think they are not leaving?” she said.

Her comments follow a recent church service where Pastor Okafor apologised publicly to the actress, reportedly kneeling on the altar.

That apology came after Ogala earlier alleged he gave her $10,000, which she displayed on social media.

Before the apology, Ogala had also urged the Department of State Services (DSS) to probe the church, alleging that a construction worker died on site and was secretly buried beneath the altar, a claim yet to be verified.

Pastor Okafor has denied wrongdoing and reportedly invited both the DSS and police to investigate. He also offered to fund a public, televised excavation of the pulpit to clear his name.