Evelyn Adrah’s golden birthday was observed with the full dignity, reverence, and ceremonial splendor befitting a woman whose presence has long enriched Chicago’s Ghanaian community. The celebration, held at 450 East 78th Street, unfolded within a venue transformed into a stately tableau of white and gold. Soaring banners bearing her portraits framed the space with an air of regal solemnity.
Guests traveled from New York, across the United States, and from Ghana itself, a testament to the breadth of her influence and the respect she commands across the diaspora.
The event was anchored by three distinguished organizations, the Church of Pentecost, the Ewe Association of Chicago, and the Classic Ladies of Chicago; an all‑female association under the disciplined leadership of Founder and President, Jacqueline Adjeley.
Their coordinated presence lent the evening a ceremonial gravitas, reflecting unity, decorum, and the enduring strength of Ghanaian womanhood in the diaspora.
A notable shift in atmosphere occurred when the legendary emcee, Nana Yaw Marfo, assumed the microphone. His prolonged absence from community engagements had been deeply felt, and his return was greeted with unmistakable admiration. With practiced authority and refined charisma, he guided nearly four hundred attendees through the evening’s proceedings, restoring a familiar sense of order and celebratory discipline.
The ceremonial apex arrived with the grand entrance of the celebrant , who moved through the hall to the uplifting strains of “I Have a Very Big God,” accompanied by her family and flanked by the impeccably presented Classic Ladies. Her procession carried the solemnity of a cultural rite, prompting a collective moment of admiration and reflection.
Tributes from her children and friends introduced a deeply emotional interlude, drawing visible sentiment from the audience.
The president of the Classic Ladies , Jacqueline Adjeley , later invited all present to rise and dance, restoring the celebratory rhythm while maintaining the evening’s dignified tone. Her group collectively honored the celebrant with gifts and generous financial offerings, upholding the longstanding tradition of communal support and ceremonial giving.
Reverend Dzifanu Agbenya delivered a formal prayer over the birthday cake, invoking divine favor, health, and longevity as Evelyn enters her next chapter.
The celebration continued into the night as DJ Teddy sustained the atmosphere with carefully curated selections, concluding an event marked by cultural dignity, ceremonial excellence, and unwavering community solidarity.
BETHESDA, MD — The stage is set, the atmosphere is charged, and the Ewe diaspora across North America is standing at full attention.
The Council of Ewe Associations of North America (CEANA) is hours away from opening what is already being hailed as the most consequential, most politically charged, and most culturally electrifying convention in its history. From September 3 to September 7, 2026, the prestigious Marriott Bethesda North Hotel becomes the epicenter of Ewe identity, diplomacy, and developmental ambition.
And today, the stakes soared even higher.
Ghana’s third most powerful public official, the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has arrived in Maryland. His presence is not symbolic , it is seismic. Stepping off his flight from Accra, Bagbin’s arrival signals that CEANA 2026 is no ordinary convention. It is a diplomatic moment. A cultural summit. A national statement.
He leads a formidable assembly of lawmakers, state officials, business titans, and traditional authorities , all converging on the Washington metropolitan area to strengthen the bridge between Ghana and its global community. And with 1,200 attendees already registered, CEANA 2026 is poised to become the largest and most ceremonially significant gathering in its storied history.
A Towering Delegation Of Statesmen And Leaders
Bagbin’s arrival ,his second appearance at CEANA , sets a historic tone. But he is far from alone.
A high‑powered contingent has already landed, underscoring the unbreakable bond between Ghana’s governance structures and the diaspora.
VIPs Already In Bethesda:
Speaker of Parliament — Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin
Volta Caucus Chair — Hon. Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah
MP, Keta — Hon. Dzudzorli Kwame Gakpey
MP, Kwahu Afram Plains North — Hon. Worlase Kpel
MP, Akuapem South — Hon. Lawrencia Dziwornu
Council of State Member — Hon. Gabriel Tanko Kwamiga Atokple
Volta Regional Minister — Hon. James Gunu
CEO, Glory Oil — Mr. Mawuko Dzikunu
Business Leader — Mr. Prosper Letsu
More Heavyweights En Route
As the clock ticks toward the grand opening, additional national figures, policymakers, and industry captains are airborne — heading straight for Maryland.
They are:
Governor, Bank of Ghana — Dr. Johnson Pundit Asiama
This is not a delegation , it is a political and cultural convoy.
More Than A Festival: A Mission For Eweland
CEANA conventions are legendary for their cultural grandeur , the durbar, the majestic Kete Ball, the Sunday service, the picnic, the pageantry. But CEANA 2026 is not merely a celebration. It is a mandate.
Under its unifying theme, this year’s convention is laser‑focused on:
Education development
Healthcare expansion
Rural transformation
Diaspora investment synergy
With the Bank of Ghana Governor, regional ministers, MPs, and corporate leaders present, the conversations this weekend will shape real policy, real investment, and real transformation back home.
CEANA is proving once again that it is not just a cultural umbrella — it is a socio‑economic engine.
The Countdown Begins
With Speaker Bagbin’s arrival and a parade of lawmakers, statesmen, and business moguls already in town, Bethesda, Maryland has become the capital of the Ewe world for the next five days.
Delegates are streaming into the Marriott Bethesda North Hotel. The drums are warming. The Kete is ready. The leaders have landed. The diaspora is mobilized. And with 1,200 attendees already registered, CEANA 2026 stands ready to make history.
Stay locked on Sankofaonline for exclusive coverage , live updates, photo galleries, red‑carpet interviews, and behind‑the‑scenes access throughout the week.
The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) recorded a net profit of GH¢2.82 billion in 2025, representing a 17.18 per cent increase over the approximately GH¢2.41 billion recorded in 2024.
The Authority’s total revenue also increased from GH¢6.998 billion in 2024 to GH¢7.620 billion in 2025, according to the 2025 State Ownership Report by the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA).
The results reinforce GPHA’s position as one of Ghana’s consistently profitable State-Owned Enterprises and a major contributor to the performance of the country’s transport and logistics subsector.
This was contained in the 2025 State Ownership Report released the State Interest and Governance Authority (SIGA). The report noted that operating revenue increased by 5.95 per cent, from GH¢5.252 billion in 2024 to GH¢5.564 billion in 2025. The growth was principally supported by increased income from cargo services and facilities, reflecting the continuing importance of Ghana’s ports to international trade and the national logistics system.
GPHA’s interest in Meridian Port Services Limited also contributed significantly to the Authority’s performance. Its share of profit from the company increased from GH¢1.276 billion in 2024 to GH¢1.531 billion in 2025. This represented approximately 20.09 per cent of GPHA’s total revenue for the year.
Profitability and returns improve
The report placed GPHA’s net profit margin at 50.69 per cent in 2025, compared with 45.83 per cent in the preceding year. It also identified the Authority as the dominant contributor to the profitability of the transport and logistics subsector.
The subsector remained profitable throughout the five-year period from 2021 to 2025, with its aggregate net profit increasing by 9.16 per cent to GH¢3.211 billion in 2025.
GPHA itself recorded an average annual net profit of approximately GH¢1.410 billion over the five-year period, the second-highest average among State-Owned Enterprises that remained profitable throughout the period.
The Authority’s net profit increased from GH¢485.70 million in 2021 to GH¢655 million in 2022 and GH¢690.10 million in 2023. It rose substantially to GH¢2.401 billion in 2024 before reaching GH¢2.821 billion in 2025.
Returns generated from the Authority’s capital base also strengthened during the year. Return on assets increased from 16.47 per cent in 2024 to 19.07 per cent in 2025, while return on equity rose from 45.98 per cent to approximately 49.55 per cent.
Financial base and cash position strengthen
GPHA’s total assets stood at GH¢19.544 billion at the end of 2025, while total equity increased by 16.01 per cent, from GH¢13.069 billion in 2024 to GH¢15.162 billion.
The report further indicated that the Authority’s debt-to-asset ratio declined during the year. Its equity multiplier also reduced from 1.48 times in 2024 to 1.29 times in 2025, reflecting greater reliance on equity and reduced financial leverage.
GPHA maintained a strong debt-servicing position, with short-term debt coverage increasing from 1.63 times in 2024 to 2.15 times in 2025.
Net cash flow from operating activities was approximately GH¢3.189 billion, while cash and cash equivalents increased to approximately GH¢1.648 billion. The Authority also recorded an operating cash-flow-to-revenue ratio of 0.57.
These indicators demonstrate the Authority’s capacity to support its operations and investments through internally generated resources while maintaining a solid long-term financial position.
Investments support port modernisation
Beyond the financial results, GPHA continued to undertake investments intended to enhance port capacity, operational efficiency and resilience.
The Authority commenced dredging at the Port of Tema to deepen the main harbour basin to a chart datum of minus 14 metres. It also deployed cargo and container haulage trucks to improve movement across terminals and completed a phase of breakwater restoration intended to reduce direct wave action within the harbour basin.
GPHA also commenced 24-hour operations across all operational areas, supporting continuous port activity and creating the potential for improved cargo processing and reduced delays.
Its environmental interventions included the installation of real-time air-quality monitoring systems financed from internally generated funds and the climate-resilient reinforcement of port breakwater infrastructure.
The Authority, which was established in 1986, is responsible for planning, developing, managing, maintaining and controlling Ghana’s seaports. Its mandate covers vessel handling, stevedoring, cargo transfer and storage, container and general-cargo services, security, safety and port conservancy.
With a workforce of approximately 8,020 employees, GPHA was reported as the second-largest employer among the individual State-Owned Enterprises covered by the report.
The 2025 results highlight GPHA’s contribution to public-sector profitability while pointing to continued investments in port infrastructure, operational modernisation, environmental monitoring and round-the-clock service delivery.
They also affirm the Authority’s central role in Ghana’s drive to strengthen its ports and position the country as a leading trade and logistics hub in West Africa.
The government has begun preparations for the large-scale evacuation of accumulated waste at Jamestown in Accra to the Adipa Waste Management Centre, an engineered landfill facility at Nsawam in the Eastern Region.
The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon. Mahama Ayariga, announced the plan after a working visit to the facility on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, to assess its capacity to receive the accumulated waste from Jamestown.
The visit followed the Minister’s inspection on Tuesday of key waste management facilities in the Greater Accra Region, including the Jamestown and Achimota Waste Transfer Stations, the Accra Compost and Recycling Plant (ACARP), and the Kpone landfill site.
The inspections formed part of efforts by the Ministry to assess the country’s waste management infrastructure and identify immediate interventions to address the growing sanitation challenges in the capital.
Following his assessment of the waste situation at Jamestown, Hon. Ayariga disclosed that he had engaged the Ministers for Roads and Highways, Finance and Defence to develop an emergency evacuation plan.
“The four of us have put in place a plan to evacuate all that waste out of Jamestown. The issue is, where do you send it when you take it?”
According to the Minister, the government subsequently engaged Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies, who indicated that the Adipa landfill, operated by a subsidiary of the Group, was available to receive the waste.
“We called Dr. Siaw Agyepong and discussed it with him, and he indicated that the Adipa landfill site is available. So, if we are able to mobilise the trucks and the equipment, we can cart all the waste out from Jamestown and bring it to this location.”
Technical Assessment to Determine Logistics
Hon. Ayariga said the government would first undertake a technical assessment to determine the volume of waste accumulated at Jamestown, the distance to the Adipa landfill site and the number of trucks required for the evacuation.
He said the Director of Highways and his technical team would be involved in the assessment to determine the number of trips, fuel requirements and other logistical needs.
“If you calculate the volume of waste, then you know how many trucks you need. And if you calculate the distance and how long it will take, then you also know how many trips it will take to be able to evacuate the waste.”
The Roads and Highways Ministry is expected to support the exercise with some logistics, while the government is also engaging major construction companies in the Greater Accra and Eastern Regions to provide trucks and other heavy-duty machinery.
Hon. Ayariga said several contractors had already expressed their willingness to support the exercise voluntarily.
“We are engaging them and they have all expressed a willingness to support. In fact, in some cases, they have voluntarily offered to make their trucks and equipment available to assist government to evacuate the waste from there.”
He said the technical assessment would enable government to determine the number of trucks to mobilise and how long the evacuation would take.
Military to Secure Cleared Area
The government also plans to deploy the military to secure the cleared areas at Jamestown after the waste has been evacuated.
Hon. Ayariga said the military would prevent renewed dumping, littering and encroachment by squatters after the exercise.
“After we’ve moved out of the Jamestown area, the military will take responsibility for protecting that area and making sure that we don’t bring back waste. And also squatters don’t stay on the land that we have cleared and create a mess again for us.”
He said the security arrangement was important to prevent the area from returning to its current state after the government had invested resources in clearing it.
The Minister also disclosed that the Finance Ministry had plans for the redevelopment of the area once the waste had been removed.
Selected Roads May be Closed
Hon. Ayariga said government was considering temporary closures of selected roads during the evacuation to prevent traffic congestion from delaying the waste trucks.
He said the exercise could be carried out over selected weekends, with specific routes closed to normal vehicular traffic to allow the trucks to move quickly.
“We may choose a certain Saturday and Sunday and say that on this Saturday and Sunday, we are going to be doing evacuation. Therefore, this route is closed to every vehicular movement.”
He said the waste trucks would operate under police protection to ensure that the exercise was completed within the shortest possible time.
“Only the trucks that are dislodging will be on the road, protected by the police, so that there can be speedy evacuation of the waste and we can finish within a short period of time.”
AdIpa Landfill Ready to Receive Waste
The Operations Manager of the Waste Landfill Company Ltd, Richard Omane Mensah, said the Adepa facility had sufficient capacity to receive additional waste from Accra.
He said the landfill could receive more than 3,000 tonnes of waste daily and operates 24 hours a day to maximise its capacity.
“This site has the capacity to receive over 3,000 tons a day. And I’m happy to also let you know that we operate 24 hours a day.”
Mr Mensah said the facility currently receives between 1,500 and 1,600 tonnes of waste daily, with about 800 to 900 tonnes at night and 700 to 800 tonnes during the day.
“We are receiving over 800 to 900 tons of waste in the night alone. And then in the daytime we are receiving about 700 to 800 tons in the daytime.”
He said the facility was ready to receive waste evacuated from Jamestown.
“We are ready to receive all the waste that is coming, that will be evacuated to this over 200-acre land.”
Mr. Mensah explained that the landfill was being developed in cells, with new cells added progressively as demand increases.
He said the location outside the densely developed Accra metropolis provided sufficient space for long-term waste management.
“Because Accra is developed, there is no way you can get a big land as we have here. So we have to move away from the community. We can’t have a landfill within a very developed area.”
According to him, the facility could potentially serve the waste management needs of the area for between 35 and 50 years, depending on the volume of waste received.
Mr. Mensah, however, identified the condition of some access roads as a potential challenge to the evacuation exercise, warning that poor road conditions could slow down the movement of waste trucks.
“At a certain point, we have to slow down because the road was not secure. Now, that will slow the trucks. And given the volume of work involved…”
The government is expected to finalise the evacuation plan after the technical assessment, including determining the volume of waste, number of trucks required, routes, fuel requirements and duration of the exercise.
The Cyber Security Authority (CSA), together with key public and private-sector partners, has launched the 2026 National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM), calling for stronger collaboration to secure Ghana’s rapidly expanding digital finance ecosystem.The month-long campaign, running from October 1 to 31, 2026, is being held under the theme ‘Securing Ghana’s Digital Finance Ecosystem: Building Trust Through Collaboration and Cyber Resilience’.
Mr Divine Selase Agbeti, Director General, Cyber Security Authority addresses the audience present at the media launch of the Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) 2026
The launch at CalBank’s head office auditorium in Accra marked a renewed commitment by regulators, law enforcement, financial institutions and other stakeholders to strengthen cybersecurity, combat cyber-enabled fraud and build public confidence in digital financial services. The partners also emphasised the need to move cybersecurity beyond a compliance requirement and make it a shared governance, business and national resilience priority.
Speaking at the event, CSA Director-General, Mr. Divine Selase Agbeti, said the theme reflects the growing cyber risks accompanying the rapid expansion of digital financial services.Citing the BoG’s 2025 Fraud Report, Mr. Agbeti said fraud cases recorded across banks, specialised deposit-taking institutions and payment service providers increased by 48 percent, from 16,733 in 2024 to 24,778 in 2025. Electronic fraud incidents in the payment service provider segment also rose by 54 percent.
The CSA recorded 3,876 cybersecurity incidents between January and July 2026, with online fraud accounting for approximately 47 percent.“Cybersecurity cannot remain a compliance exercise done solely for the regulator, a technology project dedicated solely to the IT department, or an expense deferred until after an incident. It is a duty owed to every customer whose money and data you hold,” Mr. Agbeti said.
He urged banks, fintechs, payment service providers, insurers and merchants to procure cybersecurity services only from providers licensed or accredited by the CSA, in line with Ghana’s cybersecurity regulatory framework.“The Authority will exercise the powers available to it when institutions or service providers disregard applicable cybersecurity obligations and put the public at risk,” he cautioned.
Leadership of the Cyber Security Authority and partners in a group photo at the media launch of the National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) 2026
Director-General of the CID, COP Lydia Yaako Donkor, highlighted recent law-enforcement successes in tackling cybercrime, including a joint CID and CSA operation in the Tema area that resulted in 39 arrests.She also cited a joint Interpol-coordinated operation that led to 68 arrests, the seizure of 835 devices, the identification of 108 victims and the tracing of more than US$450,000 in losses.“Cybercrime may be borderless, but criminals are not beyond reach,” she said, while urging the public and institutions to report incidents promptly, preserve evidence and strengthen cross-border cooperation.
GAB Chief Executive Officer, Mr. John Awuah said banks see themselves as frontline partners in combating financial fraud, stressing the importance of trust and coordinated intelligence-sharing. “Trust is the name of the game. And as banks, our foundation is trust,” he said, noting that banks share information on incidents and emerging fraud tactics with the BoG, police and CSA, as well as among themselves.
Mr. Awuah also emphasised the shared responsibility between financial institutions and customers. “An informed customer is a secure customer, and it takes two to tango in a fight against fraud,” he said, adding that strong institutional safeguards could still be undermined when customers disclose personal security information.” He said the growth of digital financial services should not require consumers to choose between convenience and safety. “The two must move together,” he said.
Mohammed Adams Sukparu, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation officially launches the National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) 2026
Chief Risk Officer of CalBank PLC, Mr. Sadiq Atta, who delivered welcome remarks on behalf of the Managing Director, Mr. Carl Selasi Asem, said the campaign theme was particularly relevant to the financial sector as digital adoption expands both opportunities and exposure to cyber risk. “Our task, therefore, is not to hold back innovation; it is to pursue innovation in a way that strengthens security, resilience and trust,” he said.
Mr. Atta called for closer collaboration among regulators, financial institutions, law-enforcement agencies, technology providers, academia, the media and the public, noting that no single institution can secure the digital ecosystem alone.
Five strategic pillars
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Hon. Samuel Nartey George, Deputy Minister Hon. Mohammed Adams Sukparu outlined five strategic pillars for NCSAM 2026:
● Securing Ghana’s digital finance ecosystem
● Cybercrime prevention and response
● Cyber resilience and critical infrastructure protection
● Cyber hygiene; the basic, routine practices people and organisations follow to keep their devices, accounts, systems and data secure from cyber threats and digital safety
● Capacity building, research and multi-stakeholder collaboration.
Mr. Sukparu said the initiative seeks to build confidence in Ghana’s digital economy. “Let us build a Ghana where a citizen can make a digital payment with confidence, where a business can innovate without unnecessary fear, and where investors can have confidence in the resilience of our digital economy,” he said.
Cyber Security Authority (CSA)
The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) is Ghana’s national regulator for cybersecurity, established under the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038), and operational since October 1, 2021. The Authority is responsible for regulating cybersecurity activities, preventing and responding to cybersecurity threats and incidents, protecting Critical Information Infrastructure, and promoting a secure and resilient digital ecosystem.
As a government agency under the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, the CSA works with public and private-sector institutions, law-enforcement agencies, industry, academia and international partners to strengthen cybersecurity, deter cybercrime, build national capacity and promote cybersecurity awareness.
Its regulatory responsibilities include licensing Cybersecurity Service Providers, accrediting Cybersecurity Establishments and Professionals, overseeing cybersecurity requirements for Critical Information Infrastructure, coordinating national incident response through CERT-GH, and promoting public education and cyber safety. The CSA also leads national cybersecurity awareness initiatives, including the annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM), as part of its broader mandate to build a secure and resilient digital Ghana. For cybersecurity incident reporting and advice, the public can contact the CSA on 292.
