News
Ghanaian medical students in Cuba cry for help over 17-month stipend delay
The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) in Cuba has appealed to President John Mahama to intervene in what they describe as a crisis facing Ghanaian medical students studying in the country.
The executives said their colleagues had not received their stipends for the past 17 months and had also been denied book allowances for five consecutive years.
They explained that despite repeated appeals to the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat, no meaningful response had been received.
According to the students, worsening economic conditions in Cuba had made life unbearable.
They noted that inflation was high, basic necessities were scarce, and the cost of living had become very difficult to manage.
The executives reported that students were sometimes forced to skip meals, while others survived on bread and water.
They indicated that some of the food available was of poor quality, with flies and maggots in them.
They further stated that many students walked between 10 and 15 kilometres daily to attend lectures and clinical rotations because they could not afford public transport.
They said internet access, which was essential for academic work, had become unaffordable, leaving students academically isolated.
Without book allowances, they explained, students had to rely on outdated materials and photocopies, which compromised the quality of their education.
The union revealed that some students had fainted during clinical duties due to hunger and exhaustion.
They also noted that mental health challenges, including anxiety and depression, were becoming more common.
According to the executives, needy students were suffering humiliation and anxiety as a result of debts owed to foreign colleagues.
They described the situation as not just financial but a humanitarian emergency, stressing that these students were future doctors who were now struggling to survive.
The NUGS Cuba executives called on President Mahama to urgently ensure the immediate disbursement of stipends, restore book allowances, and establish a sustainable system to prevent such delays in future.
They expressed hope that the President would act swiftly, saying this was a moment to restore hope and show that Ghana stood by her children even when they were far from home.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ahyiresu and Abofrem, two quiet communities in the Atwima Mponua District, have been shaken to the core by a chilling midnight drama that reads like a nightmare.
A pastor and a young mother stand accused of attempting to bury a five‑month‑old baby girl alive, a crime that has ignited outrage and disbelief across the township.
According to police, Apostle Richmond Akwasi Frimpong, 36, Head Pastor of the Anointed Grace Prayer Ministry at Kuffour Camp, conspired with his uncle Emmanuel Appiah, 53, and the child’s mother, 23‑year‑old Beatrice Agyapomaa, to dispose of the infant, Anaya Achiaa, under the cover of darkness.
A fourth suspect, Emmanuel Donkor, remains on the run.
The suspects were caught near a refuse dump around 10 pm on April 9, 2026, after a vigilant resident, Akwasi Twezor, noticed their suspicious movements.
When confronted, they claimed the child was already dead and had palace approval for burial. But Twezor’s instincts proved right—the baby was still alive, gasping faintly for breath.
Chief Linguist, Nana Yaw Badu, later confirmed that Frimpong had misled him earlier in the evening, securing permission for burial by falsely declaring the child dead.
The infant was rushed to the Abofrem Clinic, where she is now responding well to treatment. Police described her as “very beautiful.”
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Evelyn Yitamkey, Commander of DOVVSU in Bibiani, confirmed that the suspects have been provisionally charged.
Frimpong faces attempted murder and conspiracy charges, while Agyapomaa and Appiah are charged with conspiracy and abetment.
They were remanded by the Bibiani Circuit Court, presided over by Judge Frank Asiedu Nimako, to assist investigations.
The docket has been forwarded to the Attorney General’s Department for advice, ASP Yitamkey indicated.
The attempted crime has provoked fury among residents, many suspecting ritual motives aimed at bolstering the pastor’s influence.
Crowds attempted to attack the suspects outside court, but police intervention prevented mob justice.
The Assembly Member for Ahyiresu, Yusuf Suleiman, has assured residents that justice will be pursued swiftly.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
The forecourt of the African University of Communications and Business (AUCB) in Accra came alive on Friday with colour, creativity and innovation, as Level 300 students transformed the space into a lively exhibition of ideas.
Under the theme “Building meaningful brands beyond the logo,” the students invited patrons into a world where ordinary products were reimagined through storytelling, design and purpose.
From scented candles to innovative food concepts, each stand told a unique story, one that went beyond aesthetics to capture identity, value and human connection.
For many of the students, the event was more than just an academic exercise; it was a moment to dream out loud.
Guided by their lecturer, Peter Wonders, they explored what it truly means to build a brand in today’s competitive world where trust, consistency and experience matter just as much as logos and slogans.
Chairman of the occasion, Nana Kum Gyata VI, in his remarks said a brand is what people say about you when you are not present.
At the end of the presentations, awards were presented to deserving groups with Vida Nyaneba emerging as the overall best branding student.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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