Telecommunications giant MTN Ghana says it will take a cautious approach in phasing out its 2G and 3G networks to give customers enough time to transition to 4G.
Speaking at a press briefing during the Digital Africa Summit in Accra, MTN Ghana CEO Stephen Blewett noted that many subscribers still rely on 2G and 3G. He explained that some prefer these networks to better manage data consumption, while others simply lack 4G-compatible devices.
“A lot of our customers are still operating on 3G. Even though 4G is widely available, some choose to stay on 3G because they feel data usage is faster on 4G. Others, however, use older devices that don’t support 4G,” Mr. Blewett said.
MTN Ghana CEO Stephen Blewett
He added that while MTN is committed to optimizing spectrum use by eventually sunsetting 2G and 3G, the process must align with device availability. “If we push to shut down 2G and 3G without ensuring customers have affordable 4G devices, we risk leaving people behind,” he emphasized.Source:Daniel Oduro-Mensah
President John Mahama has declared that the Ghanaian cedi is the best-performing currency in the world this year, as he urged Japanese businesses to seize new investment opportunities in Ghana.
Speaking at the Ghana Presidential Investment Forum on the sidelines of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IX) on Wednesday, he said Ghana has restored macroeconomic stability and improved investor confidence.
President John Mahama
“For those of you who know the history of the Ghanaian cedi, it’s been one of the most volatile currencies in Africa, and a few years back, we were said to be the worst-performing currency.”I’m happy to announce that this year, the Ghana cedi has been the best-performing currency in the world,” he stated.
He pointed to falling inflation, recent sovereign credit upgrades, and wide-ranging reforms aimed at lowering the cost of doing business as clear signs of Ghana’s turnaround.“Inflation rose to a high of almost 23% in 2024 and it’s currently down to 13.7% and we expect that by the end of the year to hit single digit.
“And as Simon said, we’ve been upgraded from junk status to B minus with a stable outlook, and I’m certain that in the next review, we’re going to be upgraded again,” he said.Mahama positioned Ghana as a stable, democratic, and business-friendly hub in West Africa, stressing its role as host of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“So far, almost 50 African countries have signed agreements that allow us to export duty-free, tariff-free into each other’s markets. And once you register your product and it meets all the standards, you can export duty-free and tariff-free into each other’s markets,” he explained.He added that Japanese investors could access a potential continental market of 1.4 billion people.
The former president highlighted recent reforms to attract more foreign investment, including changes to the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre Act.
“Some barriers were put to foreign investment. You had to prove that you had brought in a certain amount of money to be classified as a foreign investor. In the reviewed Ghana Investment Promotion Center Act, we are removing those minimal capital investments.
“This will enable any investor, however little money you have, $100,000 or $50,000, to be able to come in and set up a business in Ghana,” he announced.
Mahama also underscored opportunities in priority sectors such as automobile assembly, agribusiness, energy, and manufacturing.
“Japan has a comparative advantage when it comes to automobile manufacturing. Using the opportunity to be able to export into not only our sub-region, but also into Africa, Ghana becomes a good place for the local assembly of automotive products.
“Already, we have Japanese companies that are based in Ghana and assembling for the local market and also for exporting to the sub-region,” he noted.
On agriculture, he outlined plans for the Volta Economic Corridor, which would use the Volta Lake to irrigate vast lands and host industrial parks for agro-processing.
“We have millions of hectares of land that border that huge lake, and the water can be used to bring about 2 million hectares of land under irrigation.
“But also we intend to establish industrial parks, so that we can process agri products. We can invest in textile manufacture for export into the EU markets, into the American market and other places,” he said.
Mahama further pointed to Ghana’s energy potential, port infrastructure, and growing digital economy as additional incentives for Japanese businesses.
“We also have an important area, which is the digital economy and skills. Ghana has a very young population, English-speaking, and they’re very smart, and quick to upskill in any areas, robotics, AI, fintechs. The FinTech sector is one of the fastest growing in Ghana than in any other African country,” he told investors.
He concluded with a direct call for stronger Ghana-Japan partnerships.“Africa is the next frontier for investment. Most parts of the world are saturated when it comes to investment. Africa is opening up, growing, and is a place that Japan should be looking at.”And so let us marry Japanese position with Ghanaian potential and create a win-win situation for ourselves,” Mahama said.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), in collaboration with OXFAM, have organised a sensitisation workshop for some news editors and senior journalists in the Ashanti Region.
The workshop served as a platform for editors and senior journalists to deepen their understanding of illicit financial flows (IFFs), and also improve their investigative skills on IFF cases.
Participants in a group photograph
The workshop held on Friday, 15th August 2025, at Sunset Hotel in Kumasi, focused on taking the media practitioners through a guide that focuses on how to report on IFFs, Progressive Taxation, Reserve-Based Lending and Domestic Resource Mobilisation.
In her opening remarks, Mrs. Rosemond Ebi-Adwo Aryeetey, Senior Manager of the Media for Democracy and Good Governance Programme at MFWA, stated that the workshop was an opportunity to reshape the guide into a resource that is representative, practical, and impactful.
Mrs. Rosemond Ebi-Adwo Aryeetey
She expressed appreciation to the participants for their insightful interactions and called for their continued collaboration.
In his presentation, Dr. Bishop Akolgo
Dr. Bishop Akolgo making presentation
, Director of Technology Integration Point Ventures and the Lead Consultant for the IFFs reporting guide, emphasised the importance of capacity building and access to credible sources in enabling the media to play its role in promoting transparency and accountability in economic governance.
He also made a range of suggestions for strengthening the guide, including making it a basic resource for general financial reporting rather than investigative work.
On his part, the Managing Editor of “The New Trust” newspaper, who represented the Private Newspapers and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), Mr. Isaac Amoah, emphasised that to create awareness on the use of the guide and make it accessible to the media fraternity in Ghana, MFWA has decided to hold the engagement for editors and senior journalists in selected regions.
Mr.Isaac Amoah making a presentation at the workshop
He believes that the guide has come at an appropriate time to help equip journalists with the skills and knowledge to investigate IFFs and tax evasion in Ghana, adding that the guide provides ethical frameworks, legal context and investigative techniques to help the media expose financial crimes that are costing Ghana an estimated $1.4–$3 billion annually, with the goal of promoting accountability and driving change in national development.
“I have reliably been informed that the guide is a comprehensive resource for journalists on how to investigate and report on IFFs, tax evasion, and other related economic issues like progressive taxation and domestic resource mobilisation,” he said.
Besides, it provides journalists with the necessary tools and information to uncover financial crimes and advocate economic justice.
Mr. Amoah, who is also a social policy analyst, indicated that the workshop was part of activities under the project titled: “Tax for Development: Strengthening Civil Society and Media for Fiscal Justice”, funded by NORAD through OXFAM in Ghana.
He, therefore, urged his colleague news editors and senior journalists to make a firm decision to support MFWA and its partners’ efforts at combating IFFs in Africa, especially in Ghana, so as to help save money for the needed development.
He said, “I believe that the guide will serve as a common reference point for our reporters, news editors, among other members working on IFFs. I hope this guide will ensure that every journalist or media house is on the same page so as to avoid misinformation and disinformation regarding reporting on IFFs.”
“Let’s all continue to remember and stick to the ethics of the journalism profession. This is the easiest way of ensuring balance or fair reportage devoid of inaccuracies and malice,” he added.
He, however, commended MFWA for, first of all, organising training workshops for news editors and senior journalists, including those in the Ashanti Region.
Besides, the foundation deserves commendation for following it up with a guide to make the work of both reporters and news editors working on IFFs-related issues smoother and easier.
