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Ahafo yet to record COVID-19 positive case … as national hits 7,303
The Ahafo Region is now the only one out of the 16 administrative regions in the country that has not recorded any COVID-19 case although the national tally has reached 7,303.
This was after its counterpart, the Bono East Region, recorded its first case this week, according to the Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service, Dr Badu Sarkodie.
At yesterday’s COVID-19 briefing in Accra, he said details would be made public in the ensuing days because information about the new case was received moments before the briefing.
As of May 26, Dr Sarkodie said 2,412 patients had recovered with the death toll at 34, bringing the active cases (persons known to be living with the virus currently) to 4,857.
He said the national tally went up after 186 new cases were recorded in 31 districts in four regions; Greater Accra had 140, Central-23, Ashanti -14 and Eastern, nine.
He said 14 of the active cases were severely ill but not on ventilators while three were critically ill.
Greater Accra, he said, continues to have the highest number of cases of 5,148 Ashanti – 1,099; Central- 360, Western Region – 344, Eastern- 117, Western North Region – 62 and Volta-59.
According to the director of public health, the Northern Region had recorded 36 cases, Oti – 26, Upper East Region-26, Upper West– 22North East– 2; Savannah– and Bono one each.
He described that fact that Tema and Obuasi, which had earlier been declared as hotspots for the virus, had not record any new cases, an indication that response actions by the management team were yielding results.
Asked why the country’s daily cases were not declining sharply, Dr Sarkodie explained that it was because people were not strictly adhering to the hygienic protocol.
He, therefore advised the public to play their part to reduce cases.
On the Wednesday’s mishap on the GHS website, in which the case count was changed after less than an hour, he said it was a technical error and he apologised for it.
BY JONATHAN DONKOR
News
Speaker reaffirms Parliament’s commitment to the promotion of human rights
A delegation from the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) led by the Senior Program Officer for Governance, Mr Akiyo Miguel Afouda, has paid a courtesy call on the Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin.
The purpose of the visit was to promote Human and Children’s Rights in the country and within the sub-region.
In his opening remarks, the Speaker reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to human rights promotion through active participation in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process.
The Speaker emphasised that Parliament’s unique legislative, oversight, and budgetary functions make it a key factor in protecting rights, monitoring executive compliance, and ensuring the implementation of UPR recommendations.
“Ghana’s Parliament has already acted on several key UPR recommendations supported by the state, including the abolition of the death penalty and the passage of the long-awaited Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Bill,” he said.
The Speaker further stated that the areas of progress in the human rights includes addressing prison conditions, promoting gender and environmental rights, and aligning domestic laws with international human rights protocols.
He added that Parliament has partnered with CHRAJ to implement the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights through active involvement in the National Mechanism for Reporting and Follow-Up and with closer collaboration with the IPU and human rights CSOs.
The Speaker assured that Parliament will continue to strengthen its oversight and accountability functions to safeguard the rights of all Ghanaians.
He concluded that, in pursuance of its commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights at the domestic and international levels, Parliament has actively been involved in the activities of sessions of Human Rights Council (HRC) and the National Mechanism for reporting and follow-up.
In response, the IPU Officer, Mr. Akiyo Miguel Afouda, commended Speaker for his availability, commitment, and engagement. He added that during the first meeting, which was held in March 2025 it was to celebrate the achievements of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
He informed the Speaker that a workshop has been programmed to educate members of the Human Rights Committee of Parliament.
News
Ghana, Eswatini strengthen parliamentary ties
The Parliament of Ghana today welcomed a high-level delegation from the Kingdom of Eswatini, led by the Speaker of its House of Assembly, Jabulani Mabuza as part of efforts to deepen inter-parliamentary collaboration and knowledge-sharing between the two nations.
The delegation, which is in Ghana on a benchmarking visit, was received by the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, who highlighted the shared commitment of both countries to advancing democracy, good governance, and accountability.
“Though our nations differ in size and constitutional evolution, our parliaments bear the same responsibility—to serve the people, ensure transparency, and safeguard national interests,” Speaker Bagbin stated.
The Eswatini delegation is expected to study the operations and best practices of Ghana’s Parliamentary Service Board, with a focus on institutional strengthening and legislative efficiency.
The visit is also expected to pave the way for enhanced cooperation in capacity-building, legislative reforms, and joint advocacy on continental and global platforms.
Both sides reaffirmed their dedication to sustaining democratic governance and amplifying Africa’s voice in international affairs.
