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KNUST initiates the Africa Breast Cancer Screening Study
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Researchers at the College of Health Sciences of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), have commenced studies into efforts to advance cancer prevention, early detection and health equity in Africa.
The study, dubbed “Africa Breast Cancer Screening” (ABCS), which is being carried out in partnership with the College of Science, will look at the association between metabolic syndrome, the gut microbiome and breast cancer risk
The study will also look at the individual parameters of metabolic syndrome, which will be performed by screening many women and find out if they have breast cancer, the stage and the type and screen them for the risk factor of metabolic syndrome, analysis and their interrelationships.
Chosen cross-sectional study sites in Ghana will be the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Breast Center, Tamale Teaching Hospital Breast Center, Peace and Love Hospital in Kumasi, Western Regional Hospital, Effia Nkwanta, Cape Coast Teaching Hospital Oncology Department and the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
Professor Reginald Annan, the Principal Investigator and a Professor of Public Health Nutrition at the KNUST, at the Study’s Inception meeting, said later studies will be conducted in other African countries for informed decisions on breast cancer.
The study will also look at the individual parameters of metabolic syndrome, which will be performed by screening many women and find out if they have breast cancer, the stage and the type and screen them for the risk factor of metabolic syndrome, analysis and their interrelationships.
Prof. Annan said there was little or no study in Africa on cancer and nutrition and this was the first study to delve into the disease’s prevalence.
Breast cancer remained a major public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa with increasing incidence and a challenging burden on healthcare systems. He said the incidence of especially, triple negative breast cancer, an aggressive subtype of breast cancer tends to be higher among women of African descent.
However, through early detection, awareness creation and access to screening services, a significant impact could be made on lives. Prof. Rita Akosua Dickson, the Vice-Chancellor, KNUST, commended the World Cancer Research Fund for funding the study and the dedicated researchers from the KNUST for leading the transformative work.
The VC said the study was a significant milestone in researchers’ collective efforts to advance cancer prevention and improve health attention of the disease in Africa. Prof. Dickson indicated that the findings from the research would not only enhance breast cancer screening efforts in Ghana but also set precedent for other African nations to follow.
She said the KNUST was deeply committed to becoming a leading research-intensive institution, driving innovation and scientific discovery that addressed pressing global and regional challenges. GNA
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has strongly criticised the decision of the Court of Appeal to acquit and discharge former Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedinam Christine Tamakloe Attionu.
In a statement issued on July 30, 2026, the party described the ruling as a “travesty of justice” and claimed it was politically motivated.
The Court of Appeal on Thursday overturned her conviction and 10-year prison sentence, which had been imposed by the High Court in April 2024 on charges including stealing, causing financial loss to the state, money laundering and breaches of the Public Procurement Act.
According to the NPP, the former MASLOC boss was tried for five years and convicted after the High Court examined evidence relating to alleged financial irregularities during her tenure between 2013 and 2016.
The party noted that she left Ghana while the trial was ongoing and was later extradited from the United States, arriving in Ghana on June 9, 2026.
The NPP argued that the trial court had found that her actions caused a loss of nearly GH¢90 million to the state and that the evidence against her was substantial.
It questioned why the conviction was overturned barely seven weeks after her return to Ghana.
The party further accused the Attorney-General of using state institutions to protect people connected to the governing party.
It claimed that several cases involving persons affiliated with the government had been discontinued since January 2025 and that the acquittal of Madam Tamakloe Attionu was part of that pattern.
The NPP linked the decision to the ongoing case involving its Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
It called for his immediate acquittal and discharge, arguing that his conviction was also politically motivated.
The party demanded that the Attorney-General publish details of all cases involving persons linked to the governing party that have been withdrawn, discontinued or otherwise terminated since January 2025, including the reasons for those decisions.
It called on the Judicial Council and the leadership of the Judiciary to take steps to restore public confidence in the justice system.
The NPP said it would pursue all lawful avenues, including a possible review at the Supreme Court where applicable, to ensure accountability in cases involving public funds.
The party maintained that the fight against corruption must not be selective and that public resources belong to all Ghanaians.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame has disagreed with the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit former MASLOC Chief Executive Officer Sedina Tamakloe Attionu, insisting that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Mr Dame made the remarks after the Court of Appeal unanimously overturned her conviction and 10-year prison sentence.
He maintained that the evidence presented by the prosecution during the trial was credible and sufficient to support the conviction.
According to him, Ms Tamakloe absconded after she had been confronted with evidence led by the prosecution.
Mr Dame questioned the basis for the acquittal and suggested that the current Attorney-General should explain what led to the Court of Appeal’s decision.
He wondered whether the appeal had been strongly opposed by the state.
When asked whether he would advise the Attorney-General to challenge the ruling, Mr Dame answered in the affirmative.
“Oh, definitely,” he stated.
The former Attorney-General spoke about the ongoing criminal case involving former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
He indicated that an application for stay of proceedings filed at the High Court had been dismissed, and that a fresh application had been filed at the Court of Appeal.
Mr Dame argued that the charge sheet in the case was defective and that the appellate court should determine the issue before the trial proceeds.
He further criticised the decision to hear the case during the legal vacation, describing it as an “unjustified haste” and saying such trials had not been conducted during vacation periods in the past.
Mr Dame said his legal team would formally protest the directive allowing the case to proceed during the vacation.
The Court of Appeal’s ruling in favour of Ms Tamakloe has become a major legal and political issue, with the Attorney-General’s Department already announcing plans to appeal the decision at the Supreme Court.
By: Jacob Aggrey
