By Adnan Adams Mohammed, Financial and Economic Journalist and Human Right Advocate
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The Kotoka International Airport was charged with a palpable sense of national pride last night as a high-powered delegation, led by the Chief of Staff Julius Debrah, gathered to welcome His Excellency John Dramani Mahama following his historic mission to the United Nations General Assembly.
The atmosphere was one of celebration and solemnity, marking the successful adoption of a landmark UN resolution on Transatlantic Slavery and reparations, a diplomatic victory largely attributed to the “brave and wise leadership” of the President.
The Epicenter
Chief of Staff Julius Debrah
At the center of the welcoming ceremony was Julius Debrah, the man long regarded as the administrative engine of the Mahama machinery. Dressed in a modest olive-green shirt, Debrah’s presence was a reminder of the strategic administrative support that has bolstered Mahama’s international standing.
Addressing the media and a throng of enthusiastic supporters, Mr. Debrah emphasized that the success at the UN was not merely a personal win for Mahama, but a monumental shift for the African continent. He noted that the administrative groundwork and the relentless pursuit of justice for the historical wrongs of the slave trade have finally found a global resonance.
“We are here to welcome a leader who does not just speak for Ghana, but for the conscience of the world,” Debrah stated, his voice steady with conviction. “The adoption of this resolution on reparations is a testament to what vision and meticulous planning can achieve on the global stage.”
A Historic Resolution
The resolution, which seeks to address the lingering legacies of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and paves the way for formal discussions on reparations, was a key highlight of this year’s UN session. Observers note that Mahama’s vocal advocacy and high-level lobbying were instrumental in building the consensus needed for the resolution’s adoption.
For Julius Debrah, whose tenure as Chief of Staff has been defined by a focus on efficient governance and results-oriented diplomacy, this triumph is the fruit of years of consistent policy positioning. His role in coordinating the administrative logistics and political strategy behind Mahama’s international engagements has been cited as a crucial factor in the former President’s continued relevance and influence.
National Pride
As H.E. John Mahama emerged to the cheers of the crowd, the synergy between the leader and his top administrative lieutenant was evident. The “Mahama-Debrah” partnership continues to demonstrate a formidable blend of charismatic leadership and backroom strategic depth.
The adoption of the UN resolution is being hailed by pan-Africanists and human rights advocates as a turning point in the quest for global racial justice. For Ghana, it reinforces its position as a moral leader on the continent.
As the convoy departed the airport, the message was clear: Ghana has returned to the forefront of global diplomacy, fueled by the bravery of a statesman and the unwavering administrative support of a dedicated team.
Excerpt of an investigative story by Adnan Adams Mohammed.
Full investigation video to be released soon…
For decades, the Ghanaian fisheries sector has been inundated with many allegations of fisheries crime related activities, which affects many fisher-folks who depend on the sea for their livelihood and the Ghanaian economy.
Despite generating over GHC 235 million in revenue in 2023 and 2024, according to the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture data shared with this team through a Right To Information (RTI) request, the sector is plagued by allegations of fisheries crime, including overfishing and Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing activities.
While the sector provides jobs for about 10% of Ghana’s population, it is faced with the double agony of thwarting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) efforts while risking the European Union (EU) market ban for Ghana’s seafood and products.
Canoe fishers at work
In the face of ‘unwatched’ fishing in Ghana’s sea which has contributed to the second yellow card (warning) by the European Union, yet, almost five years after, the country has done nothing much to reverse the trend, despite the previous Fisheries Minister, Mavis Hawa Koomson’s assurances.
It has been eight months, the current Fisheries Minister, Hon Emelia Arthur assumed office as the substantive minister, but she still catalogues the same challenges Ghanaian fisheries industry faces.
Emelia Arthur, Fisheries Minister
“The Yellow Card affects especially the industrial fishers who catch and export tuna, which brings in a lot of money, nearly $400 million to Ghana. So, we have to do the right things so that the trade will go on for the foreign exchange to come,” Emelia Arthur told the Parliamentary Appointment Committee in January this year, during her ministerial appointment.
The Human Cost of Unregulated Fishing
Local fishers, who depend on the sea for their livelihood, are bearing the brunt of these activities. Many have shared harrowing experiences of poor working conditions, low wages, and physical assault on industrial trawlers. Kwesi Odaadi, a former worker on a Chinese-owned trawler, revealed, “We Ghanaians working on the foreign vessels face poor conditions in our work onboard the vessels. We are paid not more than GH¢400 for periods between 30 to 45 days we spend at sea.”
Ebenezer Yorke, President of Western Region CaFGOAG
“They sometimes physically assault us, especially when they give instructions and we do not understand due to language barrier.
“But, no one cautions them or intervenes for us. We reported these to the Fisheries Commission several times. This pushed us to contact the Trade Union Congress (TUC) some years ago with our grievances and upon their advice tried to form an industrial trawlers worker’s union but it could not materialize due to intimidation and victimization against some of our colleagues by the vessel owners”, Kwesi Odaadi added.
Work in Fishing Convention (C188)
These treatments are against the ‘Work in Fishing Convention (C188)’, developed by the International Labour Organization (ILO), adopted in 2007 but entered into force in November 2017 and can be described as fisheries-related crimes.
The C188 outlines a minimum standard for the employment of workers on fishing vessels, including minimum age, conditions of service, safety of workers, payments, repatriation, accommodations and other matters.
The aim was to help “tackle crimes that are associated with the fisheries sector”. But, it seems law enforcers in Ghana careless about laws the nation has adopted.
However, a local fisher at Tema fishing harbor, Adjety told us, “no laws work on Ghana waters we are left with our own destinies in the hands of the Chinese sophisticated foreign fishing vessels, which violate, intimidate the local canoes and trawlers at sea.”
Environmental Consequences
The environmental impact of unregulated fishing is equally alarming. Industrial trawlers are catching unwanted fish species, including fingerlings, and dumping them back into the sea, causing contamination and depleting fish stocks.
According to the Ministry of Fisheries, in a response to a question asked by our team through the RTI; industrial trawlers (foreign vessels) are supposed to catch “demersal fish species, which are typically found near the seabed.”
However, according to the Canoe and Fishing Gears Owners Association of Ghana the industrial trawlers are doing surface fishing, thereby catching fingerlings which are ‘unwanted fishes’ to them.
This has pushed local canoes and trawlers away from their traditional fishing grounds, threatening the livelihoods of thousands of Ghanaians.
Weak Oversight and Corruption
“The government is aware of the illegal activities of the foreign vessels. But, the excuse they give us is that, they pay license”, Ebenezer Yorke, Western regional chairman of the local canoes owners association (CaFGOAG).
Although the Fisheries Commission months ago suspended the licenses of four industrial trawl vessels for repeated violations, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Fisheries Observers, who are crucial to monitoring and enforcing regulations, are highly vulnerable to corruption and intimidation. Three observers have lost their lives while on duty, and many more are reluctant to board vessels due to safety concerns.
“When you have these people on a vessel and they are not properly compensated you make them susceptible to all manner of influences”, the late former Board Secretary of the Ghana Industrial Trawlers Association (GITA), E.K. Ofori-Ani, told the team in an off-camera interview at his office in Tema earlier this year.
“If I go to sea a month and come back and you are going to give me about GH¢1000 and I can report an infraction on a vessel that will lead to a fine of about GH¢500,000 that the Fisheries Commission take, why wouldn’t I collude with the vessel operators or owner and take some money and fishes and kill the case? Mr Ofori-Ani quizzed rhetorically.
Politically-Motivated Corruption
Our investigations reveal that many Ghanaian-owned trawlers are linked to politicians, who have allegedly flouted regulations with impunity. The Beneficial Ownership (BO) data of these companies is mysteriously non-existent, raising questions about accountability and transparency in the sector.
The team specifically subjected two companies (suspected to be owned by some politicians) to BO verification from a source at ORC, but we were told they do not exist.
In a previous interview, the Deputy Company Inspector at the Office of the Registrar of Companies (ORC), Yayra Banini, indicated that the fisheries sector has not been on the radar at the moment with regards to BO disclosures because the sector is considered ‘not a high-risk’ area and so there will be the need for some amendments to the law.
“The fisheries sector is not really part of the high risk areas, so growing up we still do amendments to our regulations and add more to the list’’ Mrs Banini said.
Call to Action
The Ghanaian government must take immediate action to address these issues and protect the country’s fisheries sector. This includes strengthening regulations, improving working conditions for local fishers, and ensuring accountability for those responsible for these crimes.
The future of Ghana’s fisheries sector hangs in the balance.
For decades, the Ghanaian fisheries sector has been inundated with many allegations of fisheries crime related activities, which affects many fisherfolks who depend on the sea for their livelihood and the Ghanaian economy.
Despite generating over GHC 235 million in revenue in 2023 and 2024, according to the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture data shared with this team through an RTI request, the sector is plagued by allegations of fisheries crime, including overfishing and Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing activities.
While the sector provides jobs for about 10% of Ghana’s population, it is faced with the double agony of thwarting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) efforts while risking the European Union (EU) market ban for Ghana’s seafood and products.
In the face of unwatched fishing in Ghana’s sea which has contributed to the second yellow card (warning) by the European Union, yet, almost five years after, the country has done nothing much to reverse the trend, despite the previous Fisheries Minister, Mavis Hawa Koomson’s assurances.
Ghanaian public are in a state of deep agony over sad news coming from the Adansi enclave where a military helicopter crashed this morning.
Government’s Spokesperson, Hon Felix Kwakye is expected to address the nation any moment from now.
It is feared Defence Minister, Dr Omane Boamah, was in the helicopter which was carrying 3 crew members and 5 passengers believed to be senior government officials.
Below is the Press Release from the Ghana Armed Forces:
PRESS RELEASE
Date: 6 August 2025
MISSING GHANA AIRFORCE Z9 HELICOPTER
A GAF helicopter. Z9 that took off this morning at 0912hrs from Accra and heading for Obuasi is currently off the radar. All efforts are being made to establish contact. On board were 3 crew and 5 passengers. Further details to be communicate soon.
Hon Erasmus Ali Koney, affectionately known as Asanka, has taken a significant step towards the Akwatia NDC parliamentary primaries by picking up nomination forms.
This move reaffirms his commitment to the people of Akwatia and his vision for a constituency rooted in unity, progress, and development.
“I’m not just running to become your MP; I’m running to restore hope, dignity, and opportunity to the people of Akwatia” Hon Ali Koney, the longest serving Assembly Member of Denkyembour District told party faithfuls. “Together, we will rise.”
Key Highlights
Commitment to Akwatia: Hon. Koney remains the voice of the people and the embodiment of their hopes and aspirations.
Vision for Development: He aims to restore hope, dignity, and opportunity to the people of Akwatia.
Call to Action: Team Asanka is calling on all well-meaning members of the NDC family, stakeholders, and constituents to rally behind this noble cause.
As the process unfolds, Hon. Koney will officially file his completed nomination forms in accordance with the party’s electoral calendar.
The general masses will be duly informed at each stage of the process.
President John Dramani Mahama has ordered the Chief of Staff to meet with Ghana Education Service to see to immediate distribution of foods to Senior High Schools.
In past days, there have been complains of food shortages in some SHSs.
This was an inherited situation from previous Nana Akufo-Addo administration.
However, acting on the Executive power, President Mahama speaking at the Thanksgiving service at the UPSA in Accra relieved the SHSs of the pending crisis.
Awutu Senya East MP, Hawa Koomson’s thugs have shot and killed two NDC and critically injured others.
The shooting incident took place at the residence of the Parliamentary Candidate of the NDC, Phyllis Naa Koryor, which killed one person and others injured.
Earlier in the afternoon, one NDC member was shot dead by a known NPP thug in the Constituency.
The MP of Tolon Constituency, Hon Habib Iddrisu, has allegedly instructed some security personnel to shoot at innocent citizens unprovoked leading to a fatality, killing one person.
Others are severely injured whom have been transported to the Tamale Teaching hospital for emergency treatment.
The NDC has vowed to take action against such reckless and heartless attacks on innocent citizens.
Viewer discretion advised!
Nyankpala incident: Video of injured person being transported in tricycle to Tamale Teaching hospital
The NDC Communications Officer, Sammy Gyemfi, has addressed the media on the falsehoods churned by the NPP against some NDC executives as possessing ballots papers.
Mr Gyemfi explained that, the said constituency executives and party members allegedly accused of being arrested for possessing ballot papers are not true as they were only holding sample notice of poll for voter education purposes.
The alleged cases as reported at NPP press conference purported to have happened within the Ketu and Kintampo constituencies were not true.
