News
Africa leaders launch SUSTAIN initiative to finance stronger health systems
A new framework to boost Africa’s ability to finance and manage its own health systems has been launched at the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit in Accra.
The framework, called the SUSTAIN Initiative, was introduced on August 5, 2025, under the patronage of President John Dramani Mahama.
The summit brought together former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim of Mauritius, and the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus.
According to the summit communiqué, the SUSTAIN Initiative is designed to reduce Africa’s reliance on external aid by mobilizing domestic resources and encouraging private sector participation.
Leaders said it would provide long-term funding for health while linking health sovereignty to wider areas such as trade, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and digital infrastructure.
The initiative will also work through existing African Union platforms, including the PROPER supply chain traceability system, the PanaBIOS digital certification platform, and the AfCFTA Hub, to integrate African businesses into global trade networks.
Participants at the summit stressed that health must be treated as a driver of productivity and economic transformation, not only as a social service. They called for equity, transparency, and inclusive participation in decision-making to ensure all countries, especially low- and middle-income ones, benefit from the new system.
The leaders further agreed to establish a Presidential High-Level Panel to guide the rollout of the new framework and coordinate with development partners.
“The SUSTAIN Initiative is a turning point in Africa’s journey towards self-reliant and resilient health systems,” the communiqué stated.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
Criminal and Seditious Libel Law was repealed in 2001 yet we still face harassment – NPP
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has criticised the government for what it calls a return to the “culture of silence” in Ghana, despite the repeal of the Criminal and Seditious Libel Law more than two decades ago.
In a press statement issued on Wednesday, the party said the arrest and detention of its Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, also known as Abronye, for allegedly insulting the Inspector General of Police (IGP) was the latest sign of political intimidation.
According to the NPP, eight months into President John Dramani Mahama’s administration, state security had been “weaponised” not to fight illegal mining or protect citizens, but to intimidate and punish dissenting voices.
The party said insecurity in areas such as Bawku, Nkwanta and Gbeniyiri in the Savannah Region had claimed more than 32 lives and displaced over 50,000 people, yet the police and national security were more focused on arresting opposition supporters and social media users for their posts.
The NPP noted that Ghana abolished the Criminal and Seditious Libel Law in 2001 under President John Agyekum Kufuor to protect free speech and media freedoms.
It described the recent arrests of opposition members as an erosion of those democratic gains.
The party said it did not condone insults or vulgar language in public discourse but stressed that anyone who felt defamed should seek redress through civil defamation suits, not criminal prosecution.
It also accused the government of undermining the judiciary by “weaponising” it against political opponents, citing the removal of the Chief Justice.
“The growing climate of intimidation and criminalisation of speech is a serious assault on Ghana’s democracy,” the statement signed by NPP General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong said.
The NPP called on all Ghanaians to resist what it described as a return to tyranny and pledged to roll out a series of actions to protect the country’s democratic gains.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
NIA opens Premium Centres to register children
The National Identification Authority (NIA) has started registering Ghanaian children aged between six and 14 years at all its Premium Centres across the country.
The Authority says the exercise is part of its duty to register every Ghanaian, both at home and abroad, so that all citizens can have a secure and verifiable national identity.
It explained in a statement issued today that the registration will help build a complete and inclusive National Identity Register (NIR) that captures every Ghanaian from childhood.
According to the NIA, the fee for first-time registration at Premium Centres is GHS 310, which is the approved charge for premium services.
The Authority said the requirements are the same as for applicants aged 15 years and above.
It affirmed that Parents or legal guardians were required to present either a valid Ghanaian passport of the child, the original copy of the child’s birth certificate, or be a Ghana Card holder who can vouch for the child.
The NIA also announced that from Monday, September 15, 2025, its online registration and booking system will be extended to the remaining 11 Premium Centres nationwide.
This it said will allow parents and guardians to schedule appointments more conveniently and avoid delays at the centres.
It further stated that information on the issuance of Ghana Cards for children aged six to 14 years who had already registered will be shared later.
In the coming weeks, the Authority plans to extend this registration service to all NIA District Offices to make it easier for more people to access the service.
By: Jacob Aggrey
