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Without book allowances, they explained, students had to rely on outdated materials and photocopies, which compromised the quality of their education.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
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Criminal and Seditious Libel Law was repealed in 2001 yet we still face harassment – NPP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
