News
Govt commended for reducing maternal mortality
![• Dr. Wilfred Ochan (fitth from right) with Mr. Martin Adu-Owusu [fourth from right] and Staff UNFPA and NTC after the meeting Photo: Okai Elizabeth](https://spectator.com.gh/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Dr.-Wilfred-Ochan-fitth-from-right-with-Mr.-Martin-Adu-Owusu-fourth-from-right-and-Staff-UNFPA-and-NTC-after-the-meeting-Photo-Okai-Elizabeth-scaled.jpg)
The decision to keep or terminate a pregnancy should solely be the choice of women, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Ghana representative has said.
“The sense is that people should plan when they wish to start having babies, the spacing between the children, number of children and when you wish to stop having children,” the UNFPA said.
The Country Representative of UNFPA, Dr Wilfred Ochan said this on Thursday when he paid a courtesy call on the Management of New Times Corporation (NTC) in Accra.
The visit formed part of UNFPA’s effort to strengthen partnership between the two entities and also to amplify reproductive health advocacy.
He further reiterated his outfit’s commitment to achieving a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.
He explained that enabling individuals to make informed decisions about when and how to have children is central to their mandate.
“In Ghana, about 23 per cent of people who need contraceptives are unable to access them. We at UNFPA support the procurement of 40 per cent of the country’s contraceptive commodities to help meet this need. Our aim is to achieve zero unmet need for family planning,” he noted.
Dr Ochan said to have a satisfactory outcome of every pregnancy, it was important to have both mother and child alive but that is not so with every pregnancy, stating that “ we still get 310 women per 100,000 live births die in the process of child birth.
According to the Country’s Director of UNPFA, Ghana was far from achieving the global target of 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030 but commended Ghana for taking some bold steps in reducing maternal mortality.
In an attempt to reduce maternal mortality, Dr Ochan called for training of midwives, equipping them with right skills and competence and also mentoring them on the job while developing policies and guidelines.
Highlighting the devastating impact of obstetric fistula; a condition often caused by obstructed labour, Dr Ochan called attention to the upcoming International Day to end Obstetric Fistula, observed annually on May 23.
As part of the 2025 commemoration, UNFPA will visit fistula survivors and support repair surgeries at hospitals in Ho, Cape Coast, and other facilities.
Responding, the Managing Director of NTC, Mr Martin Adu Owusu pledged the corporation’s readiness to collaborate with UNFPA to ensure maternal deaths was reduced.
The Editor of The Spectator, Mrs Georgina N. M Quaittoo called on the UNFPA to open its doors and be ready to share information to the paper as it focused on maternal issues.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
For generations of graduates, the University of Ghana has shaped some of life’s most meaningful moments.
It is where lifelong friendships were formed, marriages began, business ideas took shape, partnerships were built, entrepreneurs nurtured, and identities discovered.
UG became a shared home, one that inspired pride and a deep sense of belonging. Yet, as the years pass and life takes alumni into different careers, countries, and seasons, many gradually lose touch with the University and with one another.
On 28 May 2026, the University of Ghana will officially launch the University of Ghana Global Alumni Network (UGA Network) App, a digital platform designed to foster and strengthen lifelong connections between the University and its alumni worldwide.
The launch, scheduled to take place at the University of Ghana, marks a significant shift in alumni engagement and development, from fragmented, informal networks to a single, trusted, and official digital home for all Legonites.
For years, alumni engagement has largely depended on WhatsApp groups, social media pages, and independent alumni groups.
While these channels have kept conversations alive, they have also created fragmentation, making it difficult to maintain accurate records, share official updates, and mobilise alumni for mentorship, networking, and institutional development.
The UGA Network App was developed to address this gap.
It provides a secure platform where alumni can register, verify their alumni status, update their profiles, reconnect with classmates and year groups, and stay informed about university and alumni initiatives, all in one place.
At the heart of the UGA Network App is a simple idea: alumni should never feel like outsiders to the University they helped build.
Designed with alumni experiences in mind, the platform makes it easy to rediscover old bonds, build new professional relationships, participate in alumni events, and contribute meaningfully to the University’s advancement.
Whether a recent graduate navigating early career decisions or a seasoned professional seeking to give back, the app creates space for every alum to belong and participate.
The UGA Network App is the official alumni engagement platform of the University of Ghana, managed by the Institutional Advancement Directorate, in collaboration with the Information Technology Directorate.
Built on a verified and secure alumni database, the platform protects personal information while ensuring credibility and trust for users.
As the University prepares to unveil the UGA Network App, alumni are invited to register, reconnect, and belong.
The Bank of Ghana has directed Mobile Money Fintech Limited (MMFL) to suspend the implementation of its proposed 0.75 percent fee on direct wallet-to-bank transfers pending further consultations.
The proposed charge was scheduled to take effect on June 1, 2026.
In a press release issued by its Communications Department, the central bank said the decision to halt the implementation was to allow for further engagement on the matter.
According to the Bank of Ghana, the move forms part of efforts to ensure that any changes in charges within the mobile financial services sector are introduced fairly and in a way that protects consumers.
The Bank said it remains committed to safeguarding the financial wellbeing of users of mobile money and other digital financial services.
The proposed fee had generated public discussions ahead of its planned implementation date.
However, the Bank of Ghana did not indicate when a final decision on the proposed charge would be announced.
By: Jacob Aggrey
