Ranking Member of the Health Committee of Parliament, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriye

The Ranking Member of the Health Committee of Parliament, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriye has called on the John Mahama government to apologise for its unfulfilled promise to repeal the COVID Levy and consider redirecting the levy to finance the newly passed Ghana Medical Trust Fund Bill, 2025, popularly known as the MahamaCares Programme.

Speaking on behalf of the Minority at a press conference on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, Dr. Afriye raised concerns about the bill’s financing model and its potential to undermine the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), urging the government to provide clarity and adopt sustainable funding options.

The Ghana Medical Trust Fund Bill, passed by Parliament on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, under a certificate of urgency, aims to establish a fund to support specialized medical care for chronic and life-threatening conditions such as cancer, stroke, kidney failure, and diabetes.

However, the Minority strongly opposes Clause 3A of the bill, which allocates 20% of NHIA funds to the Trust, arguing that this could weaken the NHIA’s ability to provide primary healthcare to Ghanaians.

“We strongly oppose the 20% allocation from the NHIA to the Trust,” Dr. Afriye stated, describing the funding model as unsustainable and detrimental to the NHIA’s operations.

Instead, he proposed that the government retain the COVID Levy, which the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) had pledged to repeal before the 2024 elections.

“It is not unreasonable for the government to acknowledge changing circumstances and retain the levy to support the Trust’s work,” he said.

“There’s nothing wrong with the government admitting it made a promise at a different time and, given the current situation, making a case to keep the levy to improve the health of Ghanaians,” he added.

Dr. Afriye emphasized that redirecting the COVID Levy would provide a more sustainable financing option for the Trust, ensuring it does not compete with or weaken the NHIA.

“This is not about politics or ego—it’s about improving healthcare for Ghanaians,” he stated.

Beyond financing, the Minority raised concerns about the lack of clarity in the Trust’s operations, particularly its potential overlap with NHIA services. Dr. Afriye questioned at what point NHIA care for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) would end and Trust care would begin, warning that this ambiguity could confuse or delay patients seeking treatment.

He highlighted a provision requiring patients to apply for specialist care, a process that takes approximately two weeks, noting that the gap in care during this period “poses a risk to Ghanaians’ health.”

Dr. Afriye stressed that Ghanaians need clear guidance on where to seek care under the NHIA and where to seek care under the Trust to avoid confusion and ensure efficient healthcare delivery.

Additionally, Dr. Afriye sought clarity on the Trust’s alignment with Agenda 111, the erstwhile government’s initiative to build 111 hospitals nationwide.

He questioned whether some Agenda 111 projects would be converted into specialist hospitals and, if so, which diseases these facilities would address. “Without this clarity, there’s a risk of overlap with the NHIA,” he cautioned, urging the government to specify the roles of these facilities to enhance healthcare delivery.

The MahamaCares Programme, launched by President John Dramani Mahama on April 29, 2025, at the University of Ghana Medical Centre, has received support, including a GH¢2.2 million donation in pharmaceutical products from the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Ghana (PMAG) and a month’s salary contribution from the Military High Command.

The initiative aims to provide financial assistance for NCDs not fully covered by the NHIA. However, critics have warned that the Trust risks duplicating NHIA functions, with some describing the bill as “needless.”

GA

The Member of Parliament for Akuapim North, Samuel Awuku (Sammi Awuku), has launched a scathing critique of the recent parliamentary rerun in Ablekuma North, describing the process as marred by violence and government complicity.

Mr. Awuku did not mince words about the events leading to the swearing-in of Ewurabena Aubynn, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP-elect.

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By Patrick Ofoe Nudzi

Accra, July 22, GNA – The United States must rise above its political interest to end the genocide being committed by Israel in Gaza, Mr Mahmoud Sedqi Abdalrahman Alhabbash, Chief Justice, the State of Palestine, has stated.

He said the solution to Israel’s annihilation of the people of Gaza and Palestine lies in the hands of the US by calling Israel to a cease fire as Washington did in the 12-day Israel-Iran war.

Mr Abdalrahman Alhabbash, who is also the Advisor to the President of the State of Palestine on Religious Affairs and Peace Relations, said this during a media briefing at the Palestinian Embassy in Accra, following his visit with an entourage’s to Ghana.

He said the Palestinians had called for peace and a two-state solution but the Israeli government had refused and defied all international laws and protocols with its bombardments, destructions and takeover of the Palestinian areas in the Gaza Strip, West Bank and East Jerusalem.

“The decision to stop this genocide is in the White House. If the Americans have the courage to do so, this genocide could be stopped immediately. Only a call from the White House to Mr Netanyahu will end it. He will have no choice to continue and so once the Americans decide to stop this genocide, it will be stopped,” the Chief Justice said.

He said the Israeli aggression and genocide had caused closed to eight million Palestinians to be refugees outside Palestine and about four million of them had also become refugees inside Palestine.

Mr Abdalrahman Alhabbash said more than 60,000 people had been killed since October 2023, over 100,000 injured and more than 70 per cent of the houses and the buildings, including hospitals, schools, mosques and churches in the Gaza Strip had been destroyed.

“More than two million Gazans right now are suffering hunger because of the Israeli aggression, because Israel prevents humanitarian aid from entering Gaza. I am a Gazan. I lost my house, my brother and my sister. More than 80 people from my family have been killed by the Israelis,” he said.

The Chief Justice said all indications had shown that the Israel government did not want a real peace with the Palestinians but kept talking about peace, adding that which peace could be achieved when they refused to sit at the negotiation table.

“We are not against Jews or against Judaism but against occupation, we are against colonialism. They must recognise our rights, our State and our rights to have our own State. Once the Israeli government achieves a peace agreement with Palestinian people, we will live together in peace,” he added.

Mr Abdalrahman Alhabbash said some priorities they had been seeking included stopping the Israeli aggression against Gaza, protecting the existence of the Palestinians in Gaza Strip and preventing the Israelis from evacuating Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to outside Palestine and allowing humanitarian aid to get to hungry people inside Gaza Strip.

Mr Kwesi Pratt Jnr., Managing Editor, Insight Newspaper and General Secretary, Socialist Movement of Ghana, who was at the briefing, said, the genocide in Gaza showed the hypocrisy of the Western nations as they refused to act to preserve lives and dignity of the Palestinian people.

“In the midst of this genocide they continue to supply weapons and diplomatic support to the Israeli regime which has abandoned all sense of dignity and any sense of propriety. We pledge to support and continue the resistance against the occupation, colonialism and the blatant theft of Palestinian resources,” he said

Mr Pratt Jr., said: “One of the biggest problems in Palestine today is that even customs duties which are due the Palestinian Authority, is being stolen by the Israeli administration and no government, no people of any moral standing can continue to collaborate with this genocidal regime.”

GNA

Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong

Mordecai Quarshie says former President Akufo-Addo’s unpopularity cost NPP the 2024 election.

The immediate past Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Ledzokuku, Mordecai Abusuayedom Quarshie, has attributed the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) defeat in the 2024 general elections largely to the unpopularity of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

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George Opare Addo is the Minister of Youth Development and Empowerment

The Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare Addo, has disclosed that the government is working towards a centralised scholarship system to streamline the disbursement of state-funded scholarships and eliminate irregularities.

Speaking on PM Express on JoyNews and monitored by GhanaWeb on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, George Opare Addo said the fragmented nature of scholarship administration, where agencies such as the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), the GETFund, and the Scholarship Secretariat all operate separate schemes, has led to abuse and inefficiency.

The minister cited investigations by The Fourth Estate, which revealed how some applicants paid bribes to secure scholarships, likening the system to “selling tomatoes in the market.”

He explained that originally, scholarships were meant for brilliant but needy students or for strategic national interventions, such as training professionals in emerging sectors like the oil and gas industry.

According to him, the proposed reform seeks to pool all funds allocated to scholarships, whether from GNPC, GETFund, or any other public source, into one consolidated fund, to be managed by a legally mandated authority.

He emphasised that GNPC and similar state agencies will no longer administer their own scholarship programmes under the new regime.

George Opare Addo said the centralised model will ensure transparency, standardisation, and fairness in the scholarship award process.

AS/MA

Nana Agradaa’s 15-year jail sentence sparks public debate

Mordecai Abusuayedom Quarshie urges NPP to exercise patience and assess Mahama after a year.

Immediate past Ledzokuku Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) and Management Consultant, Mordecai Abusuayedom Quarshie, has urged members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to allow President John Dramani Mahama time to govern before drawing political comparisons.

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Said Sinare is a former Ambassador of Ghana to Egypt and Saudi Arabia

Ghana’s former Ambassador to Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Said Sinare, has launched a fiery political salvo, declaring that the “delusional and fractured” New Patriotic Party (NPP) is bound to languish in opposition due to the unmatched competence and visionary leadership of President John Dramani Mahama.

In a statement that is already generating waves across the political landscape, the longest serving National Vice Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress, Said Sinare commended President Mahama for his pragmatic and people-centred leadership that is restoring confidence in governance and stabilising the economy after years of reckless mismanagement under the NPP.

According to him, President Mahama’s handling of the economy, especially his bold and sustained effort to tame inflation, stabilise the dollar rate, and create peace and unity in the country, clearly shows that Ghana is in safe hands under the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

“Mahama is showing the country what leadership truly looks like. He is not just managing the economy; he is restoring hope. The delusional, Rudderless, and fractured NPP, with their tired propaganda and internal cracks, have nothing to offer but confusion and chaos. They will rot in opposition for their sins against the Ghanaian people,” Sinare asserted.

He praised the president’s seamless and efficient appointment of presidential staffers, noting that Mahama’s governance style is not bloated with family-and-friends favoritism, but rather anchored on meritocracy and national interest.

“Unlike the NPP who turned the Jubilee House into a nepotistic assembly line filled with cronies, President Mahama has been meticulous and thoughtful in his appointments. This is a clear signal that the era of wastage and incompetence is over,” he stated.

Sinare highlighted the ongoing “Accounting to the People” series initiated by President Mahama as one of the most transparent political engagements Ghana has witnessed in recent times.

He believes this unprecedented accountability drive is setting a new standard for leadership and will deepen trust between government and citizens.

Turning his guns on the NPP, the National Chairman of the Zongo Caucus Working Committee of the NDC, Said Sinare, described the party as a “fractured and rudderless ship,” engulfed by internal strife, bitterness, and a credibility crisis.

He cited the intense factionalism, the growing mistrust between party stalwarts, and their reluctance to release their 2024 Election Report as clear indicators of a party on life support.

“Even their own members have lost faith in the leadership of the party. They are engaged in an endless civil war of egos, leaking memos and sabotaging each other daily. That is not a political party. That is a malfunctioning political cult gasping for survival,” Sinare emphasised.

He further mocked the NPP’s recent attempt to claim progress under the NDC tenure, describing it as hallucinations born out of political trauma.

“They built nothing. They broke everything. And now they want to return with a new face to deceive the people? Ghana has moved on. The NDC under Mahama is the future, and the people know it,” he added.

Said Sinare concluded by calling on all Ghanaians to rally behind President John Dramani Mahama and the NDC to complete the rescue mission that has already begun.

Gertrude Torkornoo has been suspended from office as the Chief Justice

The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has called on President John Dramani Mahama to be guided by constitutional principles in the matter involving the suspension and investigations into the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.

In a statement dated Tuesday, July 22, 2025, the Bishop of Sunyani and President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Most Rev Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, emphasised that while the need for due process is acknowledged, it must be carried out in accordance with constitutional principles and without compromising judicial independence.

“It is in this critical regard that we view the current tensions arising from the suspension of the Chief Justice. While acknowledging the necessity of due process, we caution strenuously against any action, perceived or actual, that could compromise the independence or impartiality of the judiciary,” portions of the statement read.

The group underscored that for the nation to enjoy a healthy and functional democracy, it must uphold independence, particularly through a credible judiciary that fosters public confidence and remains free from political interference.

The group warned that the process to remove the Chief Justice could set a troubling precedent in which the executive exerts control over the judiciary — a development they assert could erode public trust.

“The removal of a sitting Chief Justice is a matter of profound national significance. This process must be scrupulously guided by constitutional principles, absolute procedural fairness, and a clear respect for the doctrine of the separation of powers. Any precedent that appears to place the judiciary at the mercy of the executive risks irreparably eroding public trust in the very institution citizens rely upon for justice,” it continued.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference has, therefore, called on all individuals involved in the removal process to act in accordance with and uphold the rule of law.

“In the light of these grave concerns, we urge all stakeholders to act with the utmost conscientiousness, safeguarding both the inviolable rule of law and the dignity of the judiciary,” it urged.

Read the full statement below:

MAG/AE

Meanwhile, watch what Jane Reindorf Osei says about Ghana’s readiness for tourism investment:

Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has revealed that the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, will not engage the media as part of the Government Accountability Series this Friday, July 25.

The Government Accountability Series is to be held three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 11 am.

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Contrary to common assumptions, the latest Afrobarometer report shows that Africa’s poorest citizens are more politically and civically engaged than the wealthy, and Ghana is no exception.

The 2025 flagship report – based on face-to-face interviews with over 53,000 people across the continent – found that people experiencing higher levels of poverty were more likely to attend community meetings, join others in raising issues, and contact local leaders than their better-off counterparts.

The findings suggest that economic hardship fuels political involvement, possibly as a form of advocacy for change.

In Ghana, respondents from poorer households reported greater engagement with traditional leaders, local councillors, and even political party officials.

“Those in communities with the greatest need are also the ones pushing for change,” said Josephine Appiah-Nyamekye Sanny, Director of Communications at Afrobarometer.

“This challenges the Global North’s theory that civic participation is higher among the affluent.”

Interestingly, despite widespread urbanisation, rural and less educated citizens in Ghana were also more civically active, attending meetings and aligning with political movements more frequently than their urban, educated peers.

However, gender disparities persist. Women in Ghana and across Africa continue to engage at lower rates than men in nearly all forms of political and civic activity.

The Afrobarometer report also points to a paradox in elected leadership access. While citizens view local councillors as more responsive and accessible, Members of Parliament remain out of reach, a pattern consistent across the continent.

In terms of democratic engagement, the report finds that citizens who are satisfied with democracy and believe elections are free and fair are more likely to vote and participate constructively.

On the other hand, protest participation increases in countries where citizens lack confidence in the democratic process.

With Ghana facing similar trends, the Afrobarometer recommends increasing transparency, responsiveness, and grassroots engagement to maintain citizen trust and participation, especially among vulnerable groups.

Read the full report below:

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.