General News of 2026-11-06

'We inherited BRICS partnership recommendation from Akufo-Addo' – Mahama reveals

President John Dramani Mahama has said Ghana's decision to pursue a partnership with the BRICS bloc followed a recommendation made by a ministerial committee established under the previous Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo administration. In a video shared by Channel One TV on November 5, 2026, he said his government inherited the recommendation and approved it after Cabinet considered it, although it was not responsible for setting up the committee. Ghana's BRICS move aimed at broadening development partnerships - President Mahama “The ministerial committee that sat and recommended that Ghana should accede to BRICS partnership was under Nana Akufo-Addo. We came and met the recommendation, and so we didn't set up the ministerial committee,” he said. Mahama explained that the committee's recommendation had been submitted to Cabinet under the former NPP government before his administration took office. “It was set up under the former NPP administration, and the recommendation was submitted to Cabinet. When we came, we met it, and the Cabinet sat on it and said it was a good idea to be a BRICS partner, so we approved it,” he stated. The President also clarified that Ghana is pursuing partnership status within the bloc and not full membership, stressing that the two arrangements are different. “Let me make it clear: there's BRICS membership, and there's BRICS partnership. We're not going as a BRICS member; we're going as a partner,” he clarified. Ghana joining BRICS: What it means for its diplomacy, development He maintained that the decision does not conflict with Ghana's non-aligned foreign policy, citing the country's Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with Europe as a similar arrangement. “For instance, with Europe, we have the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). They are the same as the BRICS partnership, and so it just fits with our non-aligned status. We're not drifting anywhere,” he added. MAG/BAI SayItLoud: Newly constructed road turns Nsakina into a nightmare whenever it rains