By JENNIFER AMBOLLEY with New Narratives POKUASE, Accra- Every evening, as the sun began to fade over her neighborhood, Grace Antwi would prepare dinner on her narrow porch. The charcoal stove sat low to the ground, thin grey smoke curling into the air. For years, this was how cooking was done — her seven-year-old daughter…
For 15 years, Abass Salifu toiled deep underground at illegal mining sites around Kumasi. The work paid well. He built two houses and provided comfortably for his wife and two children. But in 2025, everything changed. He began coughing uncontrollably. Soon, he was coughing blood. By January this year, Salifu had died. “I wish I…
Every year, Ghanaians take millions of trips across the country in long distance buses. For most, it’s an affordable and convenient way to travel. But what many don’t know is that the air they’re breathing inside these buses could be making them sick. Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith reports in this social media Video. To read…
Ghana’s air pollution crisis is getting worse in ways many people don’t see. The growing theft of catalytic converters and other small engine parts isn’t just petty crime—it’s fueling a dangerous underground market with real public‑health consequences. When these components are removed, cars and motorbikes pump out toxic emissions far above legal limits, filling the…
Dirty air is quietly damaging the hearts of millions of Ghanaians. When we think about air pollution, we often picture coughing, asthma, or smoggy skies. But what is far more dangerous and far less visible — is how polluted air is silently attacking the heart and blood vessels. Jennifer Ambolley reports in this social media…
By Mahmud Mohammed-Nurudeen with New Narratives Every breath in Ghana’s cities now carries a silent threat. According to experts, thousands of vehicles are moving without catalytic converters — a small but essential device that filters dangerous gases before they reach the air we all breathe. Many drivers remove it for what they mistakenly believe will…
Every day, diesel fumes choke Ghana’s highways. Thousands are dying. Children breathe air 100%more polluted than kids abroad. Ghana had the solution decades ago-railways that could move freight cleanly and efficiently. But broken promises and stalled projects left the country with less than 1% of cargo on rail. The cost? Ghana’s health, roads and future….
Communities along the Ofankor–Nsawam road are facing serious health risks as dust from road construction contributes to rising respiratory illnesses and other diseases among residents. Prince Owusu Asiedu reports in this social media Video. Ofankor-Nsawam road: Dust, diseases and deaths This story was a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the Clean Air Reporting Project. Funds…
By Joyce Gyekye As Pollution Returns to Agbogbloshie, the Metropolitan Assembly and Nearby Communities Take Action in What Experts Say Could Be a Model For Cleaning Toxic Air Across the Country. OLD FADAMA, Accra – In 2021, government cleared the Agbogbloshie e-waste site, once condemned as one of the world’s most toxic places. But four…
By Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith Summary BALUNGU CHECKPOINT, Upper East Region – Abdul Malik eases his heavy truck – a 12-wheel trailer hauling a 40-foot container – into a lower gear as it strains under its load. As he approaches this checkpoint in the region’s Talensi District, the roar of the 18-year-old truck’s engine gives way…
New Narratives kicked off phase two of our Clean Air Reporting Project in August. The project will continue its successful partnership with Joy News, one of the country’s leading news organizations. Joy reporter Michael Asharley will be Joy’s New Narratives air pollution/climate change beat reporter. Michael will also host the Joy/New Narratives weekly radio program…
New Narratives is proud to share that our reporter Albert Oppong-Ansah, editor with Ghana News Agency, has won the prestigious Eric and Wendy Schmidt Prize for Excellence in Science Journalism. Albert won the award for three stories that he did with New Narratives as part of our groundbreaking clean air reporting project with support from…
Here in one of Africa’s biggest cities commuters have all the same needs as they do across the continent. But compared to other bustling cities, including Ghana’s capital, Accra, commuters here have a major advantage: modern public transport. …
The open burning of waste in residential areas affects many people in Ghana as it pollutes the air and limits air quality. This age-old habit remains rampant in many communities across the country….
Ebenezer Danso, a 19-year-old battling severe asthma, recently came perilously close to losing his life….
In the Ayawaso West Municipality, a concerning health trend has taken center stage. Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTI) continue to surge, claiming the top spot among the 15 leading causes of morbidity for the third consecutive year. In 2023 alone, the municipality recorded a staggering 25,700 cases of URTI, almost doubling the figures from 2021,…
The Ofankor-Pokuase-Nsawam highway has become a dust-choked battleground, leaving residents and workers grappling with air pollution….
The 6th Annual World Air Quality Report, meticulously compiled by IQAir, has shed light on the concerning state of global air quality in 2023….
In the heart of Ghana, where the vibrant streets of Accra pulse with life, an invisible enemy is lurking in the air – pollution….
If you live in Bolagatanga, Yendi, Nalerigu, or neighbouring areas, prepare yourselves for another bout of dusty air conditions as the Ghana Meteorological Agency issues a warning about an approaching plume of dust….
In a groundbreaking announcement, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Jennifer R. Littlejohn declared the United States’ commitment to transforming the University of Ghana into a regional training centre for air quality….
