The Exclusive

The University of Ghana played host to the 3rd JICA Chair on Monday, June 30, 2025, marking yet another milestone in the growing academic partnership between Ghana and Japan. The event, organized in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), featured a special public lecture on the theme “From Ink to Intelligence: The Future of Japanese Journalism in the AI Era.” Held at the University of Ghana, the event brought together distinguished scholars, government officials, diplomats, and students to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping journalism in Japan—while preserving the country’s deep-rooted media traditions. Delivering the keynote address, Professor Kaori Hayashi, Executive Vice President of the University of Tokyo, provided a historical and cultural analysis of Japan’s journalism industry from its 19th-century print roots to the present-day AI-driven landscape. She highlighted how Japan’s conservative and institution-based media culture influenc...

A powerful momentum for transforming Ghana’s agricultural future was set in motion on 27th July 2025, as the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) hosted a dynamic Researcher-Practitioner Workshop led by the Agroecology and Circular Economy for Ecosystem Services (ACE4ES) Consortium. With the support from the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), the event brought together leading academics, farmer-based organizations, policy institutions, and private sector innovators to explore cutting-edge solutions for reducing superpollutants and building resilient food systems. Under the leadership of Dr. Kwaku Onwona-Hwesofour Asante, and with facilitation from Eng. Kwame Simpe, Prof. Daniel Akoto Sarfo, and Dr. Anthony Baidoo, participants engaged in lively sessions on agroecology, circular economy, and validated low-emission technologies. The workshop emphasized not just environmental benefits but also the clear economic advantages of adopting climate-smart practices. Real-life c...

 T he Ghana Gold Board (GOLDBOD) has officially announced the full enforcement of a new gold trading licensing regime, warning that from this point forward, only individuals and entities licensed by the Board are legally permitted to engage in gold trading activities in the country. Speaking at a press conference in Accra, Chief Executive Officer of GOLDBOD, Sammy Gyamfi, emphasized that the era of operating under old permits issued by the defunct Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) or the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources is over. “All previous licenses have been revoked under the Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 (Act 1140). From now on, only those who have followed the approved process and obtained licenses from GOLDBOD are authorized to trade in gold in Ghana,” he stated. The Ghana Gold Board Act, passed by Parliament on March 29, 2025, and assented to by the President on April 2, was enacted to restructure and regulate the gold trading sector and to ensure Ghana derives ...

   The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has announced a significant upward adjustment in the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) cash grants as the government commences the 96th cycle of disbursements across the country. At a press event held on Monday, 30th June 2025, Dr. Lartey disclosed that the cash grants have been indexed against inflation to safeguard their real value and ensure that beneficiary households continue to experience meaningful improvements in nutrition, health, education, and economic participation. The new payment structure sees the grant for a one-member household increase from GH₵256.00 to GH₵320.00. Two-member households will now receive GH₵380.00, up from GH₵304.00; three-member households will receive GH₵440.00, up from GH₵352.00; and households with four or more eligible members will now get GH₵530.00, an increase from GH₵424.00. Dr. Lartey noted that the government has allocated GH₵953.5 ...

In a bold move to intensify the fight against illegal mining, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has inaugurated the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), a central body mandated to coordinate and supervise all anti-galamsey efforts across the country. The establishment of NAIMOS represents a strategic shift towards a more intelligence-led, unified, and effective approach to confronting illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey. The Secretariat was created through the collaboration of key national institutions, including the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of the Interior, the National Security Council, and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. According to the Ministry, NAIMOS will serve as the central authority for initiating, monitoring, and directing all official anti-illegal mining operations, with the aim of curbing environmental degradation, reclaiming depleted lands, and restoring polluted water bodies. In a strongly-worded statement, the...