General News of Thursday, 29 January 2026Source: www.ghanaweb.comThere have been a series of arrests of commercial transport drivers across the country for charging unapproved fares amid a shortage of buses. 15 'trotro' drivers overpricing passengers arrestedIn January 2026 alone, over 20 arrests have been made, with some offending drivers subjected to punitive measures, including fines. This GhanaWeb article highlights some of the arrests recorded so far:15 drivers arrested at Awoshie MarketThe Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) taskforce arrested 15 trotro drivers over allegations of overcharging passengers. 27 drivers at various terminals27 commercial bus drivers and conductors at various locations in Accra over the last two days, were also arrested for charging unauthorised transport fares. The operation was carried out jointly by the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and National Security as part of efforts to enforce approved transport fares and protect commuters.

Entertainment of Thursday, 29 January 2026Source: www.ghanaweb.comIn January 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that American livestreamer Darren Jason Watkins Jr, aka IShowSpeed, would be granted a Ghanaian passport. While the government’s decision has been met with mixed reactions, this is not the first time an American celebrity has been granted Ghanaian citizenship and ultimately a passport. Why IShowSpeed's Ghana passport needs legal clearance – Patrick Boamah explainsHere are some other celebrities with Ghanaian citizenship. The then President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo then handed the global icon a certificate of citizenship and a Ghanaian passport to symbolise the conferment of citizenship. Yandy Smith and Mendeecees HarrisAlso at the same event, reality TV show stars and then-couple Yandy Smith and Mendeecees Harris were also granted Ghanaian citizenship after swearing the oath.

Sports News of Thursday, 29 January 2026Source: www.ghanaweb.comThe Confederation of African Football (CAF) has imposed serious sanctions on the champions of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Senegal following chaotic incidents in the final. Sanctions Imposed on SenegalPape Bouna Thiaw – Suspended for five official CAF matches for unsporting conduct and fined $100,000. Iliman Cheikh Baroy Ndiaye – Suspended for two official CAF matches for unsporting behaviour towards the referee. Ismaila Sarr – Suspended for two official CAF matches for unsporting behaviour towards the referee. Federation of Senegal Football (FSF) –Fined $300,000 for improper conduct of supporters.

Business News of Thursday, 29 January 2026Source: www.ghanaweb.comGhana’s banking sector recorded strong growth performance in 2025, largely driven by growth in assets, improved profitability, and stronger financial indicators. “The Non-Performing Loans ratio improved to 18.9 percent in December 2025 compared to 21.8 percent in 2024, although it remains elevated. He added that the easing of the monetary policy rate is expected to support economic growth. “The easing of the policy rate is expected to support credit conditions and strengthen financial intermediation going forward,” he noted. SP/AEBoG lowers policy rate from 18% to 15.5%Banking sector shows resilience as assets, profits grow in 2025 - BoGBanking sector shows resilience as assets, profits grow in 2025 - BoG

Ghana’s international reserves are a key indicator of the country’s macroeconomic health. BoG cuts gold exposure by 50% on concentration concerns“Gold is a valuable asset, but it cannot sit idle,” he said. Government arrears were estimated at GH¢67.5 billion, excluding GH¢68 billion owed by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), GH¢32 billion owed by COCOBOD and US$1.73 billion owed to Independent Power Producers (IPPs). In addition, the government prioritised external debt servicing, making approximately US$1.17 billion in Eurobond payments in 2025. “It would have been illogical to keep 30.5 tonnes of gold in reserves while the economy struggled with hyperinflation, unpaid arrears and rising systemic debt.

One of the most viral moments from his Ghana visit occurred at the Shea Butter Museum, a private cultural space owned by beauty queen and entrepreneur Hamamat Montia. As they massaged him, the women repeatedly chanted the phrase “Kuriya Kuriya,” which quickly caught the attention of online viewers, many of whom began asking: what does “Kuriya Kuriya” actually mean? “Kuriya Kuriya” is a Ghanaian slang expression rooted in Dagbani culture, commonly found in Northern Ghana. The call, “kuriya kuriya,” is usually answered with “kuri gen gen,” often followed by names or playful phrases. Speed was unable to visit several other locations during his Ghana tour due to time constraints.

Entertainment of Thursday, 29 January 2026Source: www.ghanaweb.comThe Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) has unveiled Junior Pope Nollywood City in Enugu State, comprising 150 plots of land aimed at immortalising the late Nollywood actor, JohnPaul Odonwodo, popularly known as Junior Pope. Junior Pope lost his life in April 2025, along with four colleagues, when their boat capsized in the Anam River while shooting a movie. He said the project was dedicated to the memory of the late Junior Pope, a man whose life embodied discipline, excellence, and a deep love for the Nigerian film industry. Through this project, Nollywood practitioners will have access to affordable land ownership“The Guild will establish the Junior Pope Creative Hub and permanent AGN Zonal and Enugu State Secretariat. 'Keep watching over us'; late Junior Pope's wife marks 11th wedding anniversaryAbia chapter seeks the sack of Actors Guild's national presidentNollywood mourns as Junior Pope’s father dies one year after him“This means training, administration, and creativity will now have a physical home in Enugu State,” he explained.

General News of Thursday, 29 January 2026Source: www.ghanaweb.comThe Member of Parliament for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah, has explained why popular American YouTuber and streamer IShowSpeed would require proper legal clearance before being issued a Ghanaian passport. He stressed that if IShowSpeed, who is not a Ghanaian citizen, is to be issued a Ghanaian passport, he must first be naturalised or granted dual citizenship in accordance with the law. He acknowledged that while certain procedural steps may be waived in exceptional circumstances, the legal framework governing citizenship and passport issuance must still be respected. “They may wave certain steps for him towards the acquisition of the passport but he has to go through the law,” he concluded. IShowSpeed's flight to Accra becomes most tracked worldwide on Flightradar24Patrick Boamah’s comments follow an announcement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, regarding the issuance of a Ghanaian passport to the YouTuber, on January 27, 2026.

The Bank of Ghana's own footnote attests to the fact that some of the gold stock was monetized into cash FX and reflected in Gross International Reserves. This explains why gold value fell from USD 3.43 billion to USD 2.68 billion, while GIR rose from USD 11.60 billion to USD 13.83 billion and Net International Reserves increased from USD 9.40 billion to USD 11.71 billion over the same period. Prof Isaac Boadi claims that exchange-rate data and significant external flows reveal a basic inconsistency in the Governor's actions. Such circumstances should naturally replenish reserves and lessen the need to liquidate strategic assets, according to standard central bank reasoning. This implies that even with the headline current-account surplus, the Bank's immediate liquidity needs could not be met by the surplus alone.

General News of Thursday, 29 January 2026Source: www.ghanaweb.comThe Minister of Works and Housing, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, has said that Ghana continues to face a significant housing challenge, estimated at over 1.8 million housing units. The situation has been worsened by affordability constraints, which limit access to decent housing for many low- and middle-income earners. According to the minister, rapid urbanisation is intensifying the problem, with more than half of the country’s population now living in urban areas. Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, the Minister of Works and Housing, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, painted a worrying picture of the country’s housing situation. Why government is taking cautious approach to Accra-Kumasi Expressway – AgbodzaHe noted that housing supply has failed to keep pace with growing demand, resulting in escalating property prices and the rapid proliferation of informal settlements.

Sports News of Thursday, 29 January 2026Source: www.ghanaweb.comRaheem Sterling has left Chelsea by mutual consent, ending his contract early with 18 months remaining on his £325,000-per-week deal. The 31-year-old departs after three-and-a-half seasons at Stamford Bridge, having joined from Manchester City in 2022 for £47.5m. Chelsea thanked Sterling for his contribution and wished him well for the next stage of his career. Seven PAOK fans die in accident en route to Europa League gameSterling’s Chelsea spell began with promise. Despite recent setbacks, Sterling remains a proven winner with five Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and five League Cups.

Sports News of Thursday, 29 January 2026Source: www.ghanaweb.comMoroccan duo, Achraf Hakimi, Ismaël Saibari have received punitive sanctions from the Disciplinary Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for misconduct during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat. Ismaël Saibari, pictured alongside ball boys and stewards on Sunday, January 18, 2026, was caught on tape for trying to steal Mendy's towel while the game was going on at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. Captain Achraf Hakimi was also caught on tape throwing Mendy's towel away after he was signaled by the stewards and Moroccan fans to take it while the Atlas Lions were preparing to take a corner kick. Midfielder Ismaël Saibari received a three-match suspension and a USD 100,000 fine for unsporting behaviour. About the GameIsmaila Sarr’s goal was disallowed after the referee ruled that there had been a foul on Achraf Hakimi prior to the cross that led to the goal.

One of the most viral moments from his Ghana visit occurred at the Shea Butter Museum, a private cultural space owned by beauty queen and entrepreneur Hamamat Montia. During the visit, Speed received a traditional shea butter massage from a group of women. As they massaged him, the women repeatedly chanted the phrase “Kuriya Kuriya,” which quickly caught the attention of online viewers, many of whom began asking: what does “Kuriya Kuriya” actually mean? “Kuriya Kuriya” is a Ghanaian slang expression rooted in Dagbani culture, commonly found in Northern Ghana. The call, “kuriya kuriya,” is usually answered with “kuri gen gen,” often followed by names or playful phrases.

Sports News of Thursday, 29 January 2026Source: www.ghanaweb.comHosts of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morocco, have been penalised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over misconduct in the final. CAF bans Senegal coach Pape Thiaw for 5 matches, fines him $100KBoth players have been suspended by CAF, with Saibari getting an additional fine of $100,000. Breakdown of CAF Disciplinary Board DecisionsAchraf Hakimi – Suspended for two official CAF matches (one suspended for one year) for unsporting behaviour. Ismaël Saibari – Suspended for three official CAF matches and fined $100,000. Federation of Royal Moroccan Football (FRMF) –Fined $200,000 for inappropriate behaviour of ball boys.

Politics of Thursday, 29 January 2026Source: www.ghanaweb.comFormer Vice President and NPP presidential hopeful, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has promised to give every constituency a stronger voice in national governance should he become president. According to him, a future NPP government under his leadership will introduce what he calls “One Constituency, Ten Appointments,” ensuring that each constituency gets at least 10 national-level appointments. These appointments, he noted, will include positions such as ministers of state, deputy ministers, CEOs and deputy CEOs, ambassadors and deputy ambassadors, as well as board memberships. Dr Bawumia also cautioned that under his leadership, appointees who fail to deliver will be removed. Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is contesting the NPP flagbearer race along with Kennedy Agyapong, Ing Kwabena Agyepong, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, and Dr Bryan Acheampong.