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Government needs to get into survival mode – Ken Thompson
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Chief Executive Officer of Dalex Finance, Ken Thompson, says it is about time government channels its expenditure into sectors that will improve the condition of living in Ghana.
He was referring to the ballooning public debt and expenditure amidst an economic downturn and its resultant economic hardship on Ghanaians.
The CEO listed the health sector, education sector, security and food sectors, and the private sector as key areas the government must focus on.
“From where I sit Ghana needs to move to survival mode now and we need to focus on how we make the ordinary Ghanaian survive. It is survival mode now. The point I’m trying to make is that we can’t afford not to do anything now and let’s focus on supporting in this survival mode the ordinary Ghanaian,” he said on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show.
Ken Thompson said it was imperative for government to ensure basic health care for all Ghanaians.
He called for investments into health infrastructure, the health insurance scheme and other health-centered programmes to ensure quality healthcare delivery.
Speaking on education, he reiterated calls for the scrapping of the boarding school system.
“We cannot afford this boarding school system, it’ll kill us, it is killing us. I mean, go to any school… it’s pathetic. We can’t afford it,” he added.
According to him, in its stead, the government can introduce a new system where parents who want their children in boarding schools can pay hostel fees to the school among others.
“And if you want your child to go to Adisadel or Achimota, we can have a system where you pay for the hostel fees… And if you go to countries with good educational systems the people that go to boarding school pay through their nose and the rest go to public schools which are community-based,” he said.
He called for more investment into security as well.
He said the rise in violent extremism outside of the country’s borders is a matter of grave concern and must be prevented from spilling into the country.
“Security is important because we’re aware of things that are happening outside our borders and we don’t want an overspill to disrupt the little peace that we have, and let’s not take that for granted,” he said.
On food, he said government must do more to ensure food security and arrest the rapid food inflation that continues to double food prices every few months.
“I mean food inflation in Ghana now is nearly 50%, I think it’s probably more. That means that nearly every 12, 13, 16 months or so prices double. There are Ghanaians that are going to bed hungry as we speak every day. This is survival. And if our politicians don’t understand it, we’ve got to make them understand,” he said.
“As for the list of expenditures to cut, the list is so long I don’t want to go there, but focus on getting us to survive, focus on getting ordinary Ghanaians to survive , focus on not lying to us, focus on showing us that you understand the issues and give the private sector room to work.
“I mean as private sector there are so many obstacles and we lack inspiration. If you want to do business in Ghana you give up. What is wrong with us?” he added.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, has filed his nomination to contest the position of General Secretary again as the party begins its rebuilding efforts ahead of the 2028 general elections.
He was accompanied by party stalwarts and supporters who were in high spirits, expressing confidence that he is the right person to hold the position.
Speaking after filing his nomination, Mr Kodua Frimpong assured the rank and file of the party that he would not disappoint them.
“I can assure you that the faith the rank and file of the party have had in me, I will never disappoint them,” he said.
He also pledged to run a clean campaign devoid of personal attacks.
“I can assure you that our internal campaign will be devoid of personal attacks,” he told his fellow contestants and the rank and file of the party as he seeks to retain his position.
His tenure has seen the party through the 2024 general elections, where the NPP lost power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after eight years in government.
The party is currently in a rebuilding phase, with internal elections scheduled to elect new national executives to lead its reorganization towards the 2028 polls.
The General Secretary position is considered one of the most influential in the party’s administrative structure, responsible for the day-to-day running of the party secretariat and implementation of party decisions.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has disputed claims made on social media by comedian Michael Blackson concerning the treatment given to his late mother, saying a review found that the allegations did not accurately reflect what happened during her stay at the hospital.
In a statement issued in Accra on August 5, 2026, the management of UGMC expressed condolences to Mr. Blackson and his family over the death of his 83-year-old mother, who died at the facility on July 16, 2026.
The hospital said it had taken the concerns raised by Mr. Blackson seriously and conducted a thorough review in line with its clinical and administrative procedures.
According to the statement, the facts presented by Mr. Blackson on social media contained “numerous inaccuracies” and did not accurately reflect the medical care provided to his mother.
UGMC explained that she was referred to the facility from another hospital and received treatment there from May 27 to July 16, 2026, a period of about eight weeks.
The hospital stated that it would not release details of her diagnosis, treatment, medical records or other aspects of her care because it had a duty to protect patient confidentiality, even after death.
It said the decision was intended to respect the dignity of the deceased and the privacy of her family.
UGMC further stated that all clinical decisions at the facility are made by qualified healthcare professionals based on medical judgment, established standards of care and the best interests of the patient.
The statement added that such decisions are made in consultation with authorised family representatives where necessary and that billing and financial procedures are governed by institutional policies and are separate from clinical decision-making.
The hospital noted that it values feedback from patients and their families and considers both positive and negative comments important for improving the quality of care.
Mr. Blackson had earlier used social media to criticise the care his mother received at UGMC, prompting the hospital’s response.
By: Jacob Aggrey
