News
Exposed! NHIS card holders collect drugs for unregistered relatives in UWR
Some National Health Insurance Card holders in the Upper West Region are said to be using their cards to collect medicines from health facilities for their sick relations who are not beneficiaries of the insurance scheme.
“We have had instances where a family member who is healthy rather goes to a health facility with the symptoms of a sick relative who is not rolled onto the scheme, collects some drugs for free and take them to the sick person at home’.
Mr. Samuel Lobber, Upper West Regional Director of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) who disclosed this in an interview with The Spectator again said that other clients also visited hospitals on regular basis just to collect drugs and keep at home for future use.
He described these practices as unhealthy and affront to quality healthcare delivery in the region and the nation in its entirety.
“I condemn such acts without hesitation as they are inimical to the operations of the NHIA and risky to the health of the clients,” he emphasised.
Over 32,000 persons in the Upper West Region have been registered for free under the National Health Insurance Scheme between January and June, 2021.
These included pregnant women who could not pay for healthcare services, children captured under the School Feeding Programmes, beneficiaries of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme and other indigents who qualified for social services.
The Jirapa Municipality presented the highest number of more than 6,000 registrants whereas the Wa Municipality had the least number of registrants with a little over one thousand.
Explaining the rationale for the inclusion of indigents in the scheme, the Regional Director of the National Health Insurance Authority, Mr Samuel Lobber, said that the Authority was to attain nationwide coverage and to promote the agenda of universal health coverage.
“Although we pat ourselves on the back for the achievement, we are mindful of the need to increase the numbers in areas with less development and evident poverty so that such people are not left out of access to quality healthcare”, he said.
He stated that it was incumbent on the staff to adopt the innovative ways of identifying and reaching out to the target clients for this package and as well get them registered as some of them might be oblivious of the package that was due them.
He explained that even though the NHIA had captured over 77 per cent of the population in the region on the insurance scheme, revenue generation for the authority at Wa was lagging behind owing to the face that over 32,000 of its members were registered for free.
“The region is not doing so well when it comes to revenue mobilisation because of the high numbers of indigents but we should not throw our hands in despair because we can do better and must do better”, he said.
He advised clients to desist from abusing the scheme and ensured that they used the cards only when they genuinely required healthcare.
From Lydia Darlington Fordjour, Wa
Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central, Kwame Asare Obeng, has toured a leading solar energy facility in Canada following the submission of a Letter of Intent and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for a proposed 270MW solar power project in his constituency.
The MP was invited to Canada to inspect the operations and technology behind AKA Energy Systems, the company partnering with the Gomoa Special Economic Zone to develop the landmark renewable energy facility.
During the tour, Mr. Obeng was taken through the company’s advanced solar infrastructure, engineering processes, and long-term energy management systems.
Senior officials of AKA Energy Systems provided insights into how the technology can be adapted to meet Ghana’s power needs while reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
“This project is not just about megawatts. It’s about energy security, industrialization, and jobs for the people of Gomoa Central,” Mr. Obeng said after the facility visit.
He added that “Seeing the technology firsthand confirms that solar can be a real solution for powering factories and homes reliably.”
The 270MW solar plant forms the energy backbone of the Gomoa Special Economic Zone, a project the MP says will position the area as a competitive hub for manufacturing and exports under the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA.
According to Mr. Obeng, Africa’s industrial future hinges on solving the power problem first.
“Too many countries try to attract factories before fixing energy. We are determined not to put the cart before the horse. Before industries arrive, the power must already be here,” he explained.
He noted that the partnership with AKA Energy Systems reflects a deliberate shift toward clean, affordable, and sustainable energy to drive Ghana’s next phase of growth.
The MP added that the project will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs during construction and operation, while also lowering electricity costs for businesses within the zone.
“The future belongs to those who prepare for it. With abundant, reliable, and affordable energy, Gomoa Central can become one of the most attractive industrial destinations in West Africa,” he concluded.
Negotiations on the final investment and implementation timeline for the 270MW facility are expected to continue in the coming months.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Elikplim Akurugu, in partnership with the Ga East Municipal Assembly, has begun rehabilitation works on the road leading to the Ga East Municipal Hospital to improve access and ease movement for residents and patients.
Speaking on the project, the DRIP Coordinator for the Ga East Municipal Assembly, Seth Agboyie, said the team had already worked on the Kwabenya stretch and part of Ablaje under its road reshaping programme.
He explained that although work had to be paused at Ablaje due to pressure, the team returned to complete the current stretch.
He noted that last year, the assembly implemented a programme where teams moved into each electoral area for about ten days to reshape major roads before moving to other communities.
According to him, the current works are a special intervention targeting roads that have become severely damaged due to the rains.
Mr. Agboyie added that the project had faced some delays due to heavy rainfall but resumed when the weather improved.
He said the team is working on a 1.2-kilometre stretch, with about 720 to 730 metres already completed.
He revealed that the intervention was partly supported by a GHS 14,000 contribution from the health workers at the Ga East hospital, which helped facilitate the works.
Residents of Dome-Kwabenya welcomed the project and praised the MP for initiating the road rehabilitation.
They said the intervention was timely and would ease movement, especially for patients and residents who rely on the road to access the hospital.
They noted that the road leading to the hospital had been in a poor state for several years, making it difficult and uncomfortable for patients, drivers, and residents who use the facility.
They explained that the situation often caused delays in accessing healthcare and increased transport difficulties, especially during the rainy season.
Some residents, however, urged contractors to ensure quality work, warning that poorly executed roads often deteriorate quickly.
They called for durability in the construction to prevent a return to bad conditions.
Others also appealed for more development projects across the constituency, saying additional road improvements would further enhance living conditions and demonstrate continued commitment to the area.
By: Jacob Aggrey
