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Abolish import tariffs onmedical supplies, PPE – Coalition of global think tanks
A coalition of 31 global think tanks has called for immediate abolishment of import tariffs that are applied by many countries on medical supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE).
According to them, these tariffs are driving up prices and reducing availability.
They also called on global leaders to avoid export bans, which are exacerbating global shortages of essential medical goods by disrupting global manufacturing supply chains.
These were in a statement issued by one of the think tanks, IMANI Africa, on behalf of the coalition in Accra ahead of World Health Assembly, to be attended virtually by member states of the World Health Organisation on May 17, 2020, in Geneva.
According to the think tanks, customs red tape should be reviewed to keep goods crossing borders as quickly as possible and commit to open trade to help tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.
The statement noted that innovation was crucial to finding a long-term solution to a newly identified disease like COVID-19, including the invention of new therapeutics and vaccines and their mass manufacture and rapid distribution.
“The think tanks call on governments to support needed innovation by facilitating the cross-border flow of epidemiological and clinical data related to COVID-19. They should also avoid pre-emptively removing intellectual property rights from any new vaccines or treatments that emerge.
The world needs more companies to join the quest for new treatments and vaccines, not policies that send a strong signal to stay away. Intellectual property rights are vital to support coordinated mass manufacturing scale-up and global distribution,” it said.
Franklin Cudjoe, founding president of IMANI Africa, was quoted to have said that, “we are concerned that many countries are looking to the failed ideas of the past to address the crisis.
Barriers are being erected that are deepening shortages of medical supplies, undermining innovation and hampering efforts to beat the disease.
His view as stated by the statement was that the situation was compounded in relatively poor and poor countries, where patients are being failed by the lack of investment in domestic health care infrastructure.
“Now is not the time for countries to look inwards. The crisis will only be resolved, and economies will only recover, if countries are allowed to trade and collaborate freely with each other,” Mr Cudjoe concluded.
BY TIMES REPORTER
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Minority leader urges NPP members to remain united amid restructuring
The Minority Leader in Parliament, Mr. Afenyo-Markin, has called on members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to remain steadfast and united as the party works to restructure its core values for the future.
In a Facebook post, Mr. Afenyo-Markin reminded the rank and file of the party that challenges should not divide them.
“We must rebuild, yes, but not as scattered stones. We must rebuild together. We are not a broken party, we are only a battle-tested party. We must not allow current challenges to blur our vision or break our ranks,” he said.
He further stressed that rebuilding the NPP must be done collectively and guided by the party’s values.
“We must rebuild together, brick by brick, anchored in our values and in the unshakable belief that no individual is bigger than the NPP. That belief must reflect in our tone, our language, our strategy, and most importantly, in our posture towards one another,” the Minority Leader stated.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
Police in pursuit of two suspected to be plotting a crime
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has launched investigations after officers recovered weapons and ammunition from an abandoned vehicle, believed to be linked to two men suspected of planning a crime.
The incident occurred on Sunday, August 17, 2025, when the Kuntanase District Patrol Team spotted a white Toyota Sienta with registration number NR 289-24 suspiciously parked near a bushy area along the Aputuoagya-Bekwai road.
In a statement, the police said two men were seen beside the vehicle allegedly smoking a substance suspected to be narcotics.
They fled into the nearby bush when they noticed the approaching police and escaped despite a pursuit.
A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of weapons, including an AK-47 rifle, a locally made firearm, two AK-47 magazines loaded with 30 rounds each, four packets of ammunition, and seven loose rounds.
Other items recovered included a smartphone, cowrie shells, footwear, and personal identification cards.
The vehicle has been impounded at the Kuntanase Police Station, and all recovered items are being retained as exhibits to support the ongoing investigation.
The Ashanti Regional Police Command urged members of the public with information about the suspects to report to the nearest police station or call emergency numbers 191, 18555, or 112.
By: Jacob Aggrey
