Five dead, 41 missing, after Indonesia ferry catches fire

August 1, 2026

• The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), with UNFPA, convened key stakeholders to strengthen coordination for Ghana's Revised Adolescent Pregnancy Strategy (2026–2030).
• The meeting aimed to build a shared understanding of the strategy, clarify institutional responsibilities, and develop practical measures for its successful rollout.
• Adolescent pregnancy is identified as a major national development concern in Ghana, impacting education, healthcare, gender equality, child protection, and economic growth.
• Ghana records over 100,000 teenage pregnancies annually, with approximately 15% of girls aged 15-19 experiencing pregnancy, highlighting the urgent need for coordinated interventions.
• The revised strategy, building on lessons from previous plans, focuses on empowering adolescents, delaying early sexual activity, improving adolescent health, and ensuring access to quality education and opportunities for productive adulthood.

August 2, 2026

• Former President John Dramani Mahama expressed concern over a Buzstop Boys' video showing unhygienic fish drying conditions in Tema Newtown.
• He noted the video revealed poor environmental standards in fish processing for market consumption, posing a public health risk.
• Mahama stressed the urgent need for improved sanitation and better management of food processing areas to protect public health.
• He commended the Buzstop Boys for their environmental advocacy work in drawing attention to sanitation challenges.
• The President also urged Ghanaians to adopt responsible waste disposal habits, warning against their contribution to flooding, and linked environmental cleanliness to citizen action.

August 2, 2026

• Former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame criticized the acquittal of former MASLOC CEO Sedina Attionu, stating it reinforces the perception of Ghana's justice system having "two sets of laws for two sets of people."
• Dame alleged a pattern where the current Attorney-General discontinues cases involving leading members of the governing NDC while continuing prosecutions against opposition figures.
• He argued that public criticism of Attionu's acquittal is understandable given the "cogent evidence" presented during the trial.
• Dame rejected attempts to attribute the acquittal to the previous Akufo-Addo administration, clarifying that the appeal became active only after the change of government.
• He warned that a justice system where political allies avoid accountability while opponents struggle for rights reflects poorly on the State and erodes public confidence.