On Saturday, September 12, JoyNews’ flagship current affairs programme, Newsfile, turned the spotlight on some of the major issues confronting Ghana’s education, energy and public enterprises.

Hosted by Samson Lardy Anyenini, the four-hour programme examined growing concerns over Senior High School placement, renewed tensions surrounding the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), organised labour’s confrontation with the World Bank, and questions over the government’s management of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs).

SHS placement challenges: 55,000 out – was the system failing children?

The programme began with continuing concerns over the Senior High School placement process, with about 55,000 students reportedly left out.

As parents and students grappled with uncertainty, Newsfile examined what was behind the situation and whether Ghana’s secondary education system had the capacity to absorb the growing demand.

The programme considered whether the challenges were a temporary hitch or evidence of deeper weaknesses in the placement system, as well as what the situation meant for thousands of affected students and their families.

ECG PSP: TUC threatened action, PUWU took on World Bank

The energy sector also came under scrutiny as organised labour raised concerns over the proposed direction of ECG’s operations.

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) threatened action, while the Public Utilities Workers’ Union (PUWU) took its concerns to the World Bank.

The discussion examined what was at stake in the ECG debate and whether the proposed approach could deliver a more efficient electricity distribution system or put jobs and public ownership at risk.

It also considered the role the World Bank should play in Ghana’s energy sector reforms.

CRC & SOEs: Government rejected 54% as IMF flagged politicisation

Newsfile further examined the controversy surrounding the Corporate Restructuring Committee (CRC) and Ghana’s State-Owned Enterprises.

The government rejected a reported 54% figure, while the International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised concerns about the politicisation of SOEs.

The programme explored the reasons behind the disagreement over the figures and examined whether Ghana’s state-owned enterprises were becoming more efficient or whether political considerations continued to influence their management.

It also considered what could be done to ensure that SOEs delivered greater value to the Ghanaian taxpayer.

These and other questions formed the basis of Saturday’s discussion, with the panel bringing together key voices to interrogate the facts, competing positions and implications for the country.

Newsfile aired live on Saturday, September 12, from 8:00 a.m. to 12 noon, with the programme available across JoyNews, Joy 99.7 FM and Luv 99.5 FM, as well as the programme’s digital platforms.

Watch the video below: