News
Ghana Health Service warns of rising seasonal flu cases
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has raised concern over an increase in seasonal influenza cases being recorded in parts of the country.
According to the Service, the flu cases confirmed as Influenza A strains H3N2 and H1N1 have been detected mainly in the Greater Accra, Central, Bono, and Eastern Regions.
These infections coincide with Ghana’s annual flu season, which usually peaks during the cooler months.
The GHS explained that symptoms of the illness include sudden fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headache, and fatigue.
The virus spreads easily through droplets from coughing, sneezing, or talking, as well as by touching contaminated surfaces.
Crowded places such as schools, dormitories, markets, and transport stations are considered high-risk areas for transmission.
The most vulnerable groups include children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with chronic illnesses such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease.
The Service advised the public to seek medical care early when experiencing flu-like symptoms, stay home when unwell, and maintain good hygiene by washing hands regularly, covering coughs and sneezes, and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces.
It also encouraged the wearing of face masks in crowded places and avoiding close contact with sick persons.
To address the situation, the health system has enhanced surveillance, introduced rapid testing in health facilities, updated treatment protocols, and intensified public education campaigns.
With schools reopened across the country, the GHS is working closely with the Ghana Education Service to ensure that preventive measures are strictly followed to protect students and staff.
Acting Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, assured the public that measures are in place to control the spread of the flu and urged everyone to cooperate to protect themselves and their communities.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Northern Regional Police Command has arrested three men believed to be part of a kidnapping syndicate responsible for abducting a 42-year-old man in Wapuli, a community in the Yendi District.
The suspects, Haruna Seidu, Amidu Bandi and Osman Bandi allegedly kidnapped the victim and demanded GH¢100,000 from his family for his release.
According to a police statement, officers from the Regional Police Intelligence Directorate were deployed to Wapuli after the incident was reported.
The team conducted surveillance and launched a rescue operation.
On Friday, December 5, 2025, police successfully rescued the victim and arrested the suspects after what was described as an intense exchange of gunfire.
The suspects were later taken into custody and are expected to be arraigned before court.
The Police said the a fourth suspect, who is believed to have sustained gunshot wounds during the operation, is currently on the run.
They urged the public to provide any information that may lead to his arrest.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong advocates Bold educational reforms at the UK House of Lords during Global Education Summit.
On November 27 2025, global development leaders, policymakers, education experts and civil society organisations gathered at the UK Parliament’s House of Lords for the Global Education Summit hosted by The Baroness Verma of Leicester and organised by the African British Business Forum.
The high-level event focused on the global rise in out-of-school children and the urgent reforms required to deliver equitable, quality education for all.
Among the distinguished Speakers was Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong, Founder & President of Women in Sustainability Africa (WiSA) and General Manager of the EIB Network, who delivered a compelling address on the theme “Breaking Barriers: Empowering Out-of-School Children Through Education.”
In her remarks, Nana Yaa who is currently celebrating 26years of Service in the Media, emphasized that education must be viewed as essential national infrastructure, not charity.
Borrowing experiences from her 18 years of empowering women and young people, she presented a strong case on how Africa’s poor educational systems tie into the poor state of its Gender Equality gap.
According to her, unlocking access to education is one of the most effective ways to strengthen economies, empower women and young girls, build resilient communities and drive sustainable development.
She highlighted that each child excluded from learning represents deferred innovation, delayed opportunity and a weakened society.
Nana Yaa noted that the barriers keeping millions of children out of school are complex and interconnected—ranging from poverty and cultural norms to geographical isolation and digital exclusion.
Addressing these challenges, she argued, requires solutions that are equally comprehensive and multi-layered.
Nana Yaa stressed that girls remain disproportionately affected, and investing in girls’ education has a transformative impact across several Sustainable Development Goals, including gender equality, poverty reduction, health outcomes and climate resilience.
Nana Yaa advocated for the expansion of flexible, inclusive and community-responsive educational models, such as mobile classrooms for remote and nomadic communities, community learning hubs, after-hours programmes for working children, radio-based instruction for low-tech areas and digital platforms designed to reach learners regardless of connectivity challenges.
She warned that without deliberate action, the digital divide would continue to widen, pushing already vulnerable children further to the margins.
During her presentation, she introduced three major reforms WiSA is seeking Partners for, aimed at reshaping educational access across Africa and beyond.
These are the Digital Bridge for Out-of-School Children (DBOC), the Community Education Stewardship Hubs (CESH) involving local women educators and youth volunteers and the Teen-focused Global Skills Accelerator for Out-of-School Teens (GSA-OT).
She also underscored the need for education systems that support instruction, inclusivity and healing, particularly for children experiencing autism, trauma, displacement or conflict.
Nana Yaa emphasised that emotional and psychological support must be integrated into educational frameworks in order to restore confidence, stability and long-term learning capacity.
The summit concluded with strong commitments from stakeholders to adopt sustainable financing models, strengthen data-driven policies and expand cross-sector partnerships.
The African British Business Forum reaffirmed its commitment to championing innovative, scalable solutions to educational inclusion across the UK, Africa and the wider global community.
