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First Deputy Czech Prime Minister visits Ghana …Launches MEDEVAC Health and Humanitarian Programme
The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior of the Czech Republic, His Excellency Vit Rakušan, visited the Republic of Ghana, from 30th April to 2nd May 2023. His three-day working visit was part of activities to deepen the bilateral relations between the two countries.
The areas of focus during his trip were security; the effect of the stability of the African continent on the European Union and the Czech Republic’s support and contribution towards the development of the Ghanaian health sector. 
During the visit, H.E Rakušan launched the next phase of the mission of the MEDEVAC Health and Humanitarian Programme of the Czech Ministry of the Interior at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital. The programme focuses on plastic surgeries being performed by doctors of the Plastic Surgery Department of the Royal Vinohrady Hospital.
H.E Rakušan also held bilateral meetings with the Vice President of Ghana, His Excellency Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Minister of Interior, Hon. Ambrose Dery, Minister of National Security, Hon. Albert Kan-Dapaah and Minister of Health, Hon. Kwaku Agyemang-Manu.
H.E Rakušan’s meetings with the Vice President of Ghana, Ministers of Interior, National Security, and Health focussed on bilateral cooperation, security in Ghana and across the African continent and developing the Ghanaian health sector. He expressed his country’s appreciation of Ghana’s support for the UN resolution condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
In addition was the Security Development Cooperation Programme of the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic for collaboration between Ghanaian Police Services and their Czech counterparts for exchanges in the areas of internal security and cyberspace crimes.
At a cocktail reception held in his honour, which provided an opportunity to meet and engage with Ghanaian industry captains and relevant stakeholders with respect to Ghana – Czech bilateral trade at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel, I was privileged to have a brief interaction with H.E Rakušan.
He expressed his excitement to be visiting Ghana, which is a strategic partner of the Czech Republic on the African continent and further commented on the MEDEVAC Health and Humanitarian Programme of the Czech Ministry of the Interior.
“It was great to see the results of our MEDEVAC programme which started in Ghana in 2019 on the ground. I thank our doctors and the other people from the programme for being able to improve the quality of life of Ghanaians. So far, our experts have managed to perform 261 operations on 238 patients. The missions focus on patients from the deprived parts of Ghana, often with complicated diagnoses.
Following the previous successful missions focusing on orthopaedics and gynaecology at Tamale Teaching Hospital, a mission started last year on plastic and reconstructive surgery on trauma follow-up, particularly for women and children with congenital limb defects or following severe burn injury”, he highlighted.
H.E Rakušan also participated in the Czech – Ghana Health Care and Pharmaceutical Business Cooperation Seminar held in Accra and urged business collaborations and capacity building between Czech and Ghanaian companies in the Healthcare and Pharmaceutical sector.
By Chris Koney
The Global Network of Export-Import Banks and Development Finance Institutions (G-NEXID) successfully held its sixth (6th) Exchange Programme, hosted by the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) Bank in Accra from March 22 to 23 March.
The event brought together member institutions, partner organisations and Ghanaian public entities to advance dialogue on South-South trade, investment and development finance, while also creating opportunities for knowledge-sharing and institutional cooperation.
Organised as a capacity-building and networking platform, the 2026 edition of the G-NEXID Exchange focused on GEXIM’s experience in developing innovative solutions to promote intra-African and extra-African trade.
It also highlighted trade and investment opportunities in Ghana, particularly in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and broader national development initiatives.
The Exchange Programme forms part of G-NEXID’s mandate to foster cooperation among export-import banks and development finance institutions in support of South-South trade and investment.
This 6th edition follows earlier successful programmes hosted by India Exim Bank (2016), BNDES (2017), Indonesia Eximbank (2018), Afreximbank (2019) and Saudi EXIM Bank (2025).
On the first day, participants were presented with G-NEXID institutional information and received an update on the Network’s 2026 work programme.
There were a series of substantive presentations, including an overview of the Ghanaian economy by the Ministry of Finance, with particular attention to debt-related challenges; a presentation by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), on investment opportunities in the country; and institutional presentations by GEXIM and Development Bank Ghana (DBG) on their respective mandates, initiatives, products and services.
Discussions during the sessions underscored strong interest in sector-focused webinars and business dialogues, particularly in agribusiness value chains such as poultry and rice.
Participants also emphasized the importance of continued information exchange and the sharing of best practices, especially in the area of guarantees.
The second day opened with a presentation on the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme, a national economic transformation strategy launched by President John Dramani Mahama in July 2025.
The initiative aims to enhance economic productivity through continuous industrial activity, accelerated export development and strategic import substitution.
As the programme is expected to mobilise both private and development capital, it presents concrete opportunities for G-NEXID members in areas such as co-financing, guarantees, trade finance and technical cooperation.
The programme also featured institutional presentations by guest organisations, namely the African Guarantee and Economic Cooperation Fund (FAGACE) and the West African Development Bank (BOAD), which shared their mandates, initiatives, products and services.
Following these exchanges, the G-NEXID Secretariat held bilateral discussions with both institutions as part of the Network’s ongoing membership drive.
Participants further benefited from a presentation by the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB), as well as a showcase of GEXIM’s key pipeline projects.
On the margins of the Exchange Programme, G-NEXID members also held their 20th Annual General Assembly Meeting to review progress and discuss strategic priorities.
Following the event, participants joined the GEXIM@10 International Conference, held from March 24-25, 2026 under the theme, “A Decade of Enabling Export Trade and Industrial Transformation: Resetting GEXIM for the Next Frontier.”
The conference provided an important platform for exploring how Ghana can strengthen its transition from a primary commodity exporter to a more competitive player in value-added trade and industrial development.
Source – G-NEXID
President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, signed five bills including three amendment bills passed by Parliament into law.
They are: Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill, 2025; University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences Bill, 2025; Ghana Deposit Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Growth and Sustainability Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2026; and Education Regulatory Bodies (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
In a brief remark after assenting to the bills, President Mahama explained that the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, 2026, scraps the Office of Minister of National Security and frees the President’s to appoint any Minister to supervise the security agencies.
He said it also reverses the name of the office of National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), to the original name, Bureau of National Intelligence, (BNI).
This the President said, addresses the confusion between that security agency and a well-known Ghanaian financial institution, the National Investment Bank.
President Mahama also noted that the University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences Act, 2026, establishes another University in the Eastern Region, at Bonsu, with three campuses – the main campus at Bonsu in the Eastern Region, with the second campus to be cited at Ohawu in the Oti Region.
The third, the Presdient assed will be located at Acherensua in the Ahafo Region.
Touching on the Amendment to the Growth and Sustainability Levy Act, the President said, “As you’re aware, the act was amended to increase it from 1% to 3%, and so this act reduces it again. That is the levy on mining companies. It reduces it again to 1%, because of the introduction of the sliding scale of royalties.”
He also spoke to the passage of the Government Education Regulatory Bodies Amendment Act, emphasising that amends Act 1023 to grant greater flexibility to private tertiary institutions and the option to Charter.
The Ghana Deposit Protection Amendment Act, the President concluded, is an amendment to an original act that was supposed to guarantee deposits held in commercial banks or financial institutions.
It basically expands protection to include mobile money wallets and other digital platforms, ensuring a wider scope of digital financial assets are secured.
The signing ceremony, was witnessed by the Clerk of Parliament, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, Secretary to the President, Dr Callistus Mahama, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Dr Dominic Akrutinga Ayine, Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, Joyce Bawa Mogtari, a Senior Presidential Advisor and a Special Aide to the President, Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, and the Vice President, Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang.
