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IMF staff conclude visit to Ghana; acknowledge signs of economic stability
A team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), led by Stéphane Roudet, recently concluded a visit to Ghana, which took place from June 8 to June 15.
The visit aimed to engage with Ghanaian authorities and stakeholders to assess recent economic developments and review the implementation of the Fund-supported program approved on May 17, 2023.
In a statement issued at the end of the visit, Mr. Roudet acknowledged positive signs of stabilization in the Ghanaian economy.
“We also took stock of the authorities’ progress in meeting key commitments under the Fund-supported program. These will be formally assessed in the context of the first review of the Extended Credit Facility arrangement, which is expected to be undertaken in the Autumn.”
”In discussing progress on the debt restructuring operations, we reiterated that timely restructuring agreements with creditors are essential to secure the expected benefits of the Fund-supported program”.
He further indicated that the IMF staff team conducted thorough discussions with various high-level officials, including H.E. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, H.E. Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, and Bank of Ghana Governor, Dr. Ernest Addison during their stay.
Meetings were also held with representatives from government agencies, the Parliament’s Finance Committee, the private sector, and civil society.
The IMF team expressed their gratitude to the Ghanaian authorities and other stakeholders for their constructive engagement and support throughout the visit.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
The Dzidula Pink Foundation, a new organisation dedicated to cancer awareness, early detection, and patient support, has been officially launched in Accra, with a passionate call for national commitment to fighting the disease. The launch event, held last week Friday, carried the theme: “Beyond the diagnosis: A future of restoration, care and courage.”
Speaking at the event, Madam Abena Brigidi, founder and CEO of Nimed Capital Limited, emphasised that cancer remains one of the most devastating health challenges facing families across the country. “Cancer does not discriminate—it affects mothers, fathers, daughters, and sons. It drains families emotionally and financially, and behind every statistic is a human story and a future suddenly thrown into uncertainty,” she said.
Sharing her personal encounters with cancer, having lost both her husband and father to the disease, Madam Brigidi highlighted the emotional, financial, and physical scars left behind. “I stand here not just as a speaker, but as a witness to what cancer can take away,” she stated. “I have watched loved ones fight bravely, and I have felt the deep pain that loss leaves behind.”
She stressed that awareness and early detection are critical to reducing deaths, noting that many Ghanaians still lack access to proper screening, reliable information, and adequate treatment. She appealed to healthcare professionals, corporate institutions, policymakers, the media, and the general public to join hands in the fight. “Early detection saves lives. Your support today can lead to someone’s healing tomorrow,” she said.
Madam Brigidi further called for collective responsibility to sustain the foundation’s mission. “To our medical professionals, we need your expertise. To corporate partners, your resources. To the media, your voice. To policymakers, your support. And to the public, your compassion,” she urged. She also insisted that breast cancer awareness should not be limited to annual campaigns, saying, “Breast cancer awareness must not be seasonal.”
Mrs Diana Fafa Gozo, founder of the Dzidula Pink Foundation, shared her own cancer journey, describing the shock of diagnosis, the fear that followed, and the difficult path through treatment. Her experience transformed her pain into purpose and inspired her to create a foundation to ensure no cancer patient walks alone.
Mrs Gozo explained that many patients struggle not only with treatment costs but also with emotional resilience. She outlined the foundation’s initiatives, which include awareness and early detection campaigns, patient support funds, community outreach, and survival support circles. “This foundation is my offering of gratitude, courage, and compassion and a reminder that no one should walk the cancer journey alone,” she concluded.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) says it will deploy teams of Public Health Officers, members of its Sanitation Taskforce, and labourers, including sweepers and janitors, across all sub-metros to support the third National Sanitation Day exercise.
It explained that these teams will be equipped with waste collection trucks, tippers, and other tools to help with desilting, refuse collection, and transporting waste to approved disposal sites.
The AMA reminded residents that failing to comply with the sanitation directive or refusing to participate in communal labour is an offence.
It said offenders risk a fine of up to 100 penalty units, imprisonment between 30 days and six months, or both, with repeat offenders liable to additional daily penalties.
It urged all residents, traders, transport operators, market women, shop owners, landlords, tenants, and businesses to actively participate in the exercise.
The AMA said it counts on everyone’s collective responsibility to keep Accra clean, liveable, and resilient, especially as the city approaches Christmas and the New Year.
By: Jacob Aggrey
