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National Blood Service commends MTN Ghana Foundation, CalBank
THE National Blood Service has commended MTN Ghana Foundation and CalBank for their landmark partnership during the 2026 Save a Life blood donation drive that resulted in the collection of 7,020 units of blood, surpassing their ambitious 7,000-unit target.
Shirley Phyllis Owusu-Ofori, CEO of the service, applauded MTN’s unwavering support, describing it as a ‘game changer’ for Ghana’s healthcare sector.
The nationwide blood donation exercise, aimed at strengthening the reserves of the service and regional hospitals across all 16 regions of Ghana, took place on Friday, February 13, 2026.
In all, a total of 47 designated donation centres were activated nationwide, with major hubs in Accra at MTN House, the CalBank Head Office, and the MobileMoney LTD Office (Stanchart Building).
Reflecting on his personal experience prior to the exercise, Stephen Blewett, CEO of MTN Ghana, highlighted the significance of blood donation, noting that, “We all understand that a reliable blood supply is essential for managing emergencies, disaster preparedness and maintaining high standards of healthcare.
Mr Blewett challenged MTN customers to further fortify Ghana’s national blood reserves, ensuring that even more lives can be saved through collective action and generosity.
The MTN Foundation will continue to strengthen its corporate collaborations to encourage voluntary blood donation, highlighting the significance of this inaugural partnership between institutions. Ghana customers and the wider public are encouraged to aim for 10,000 units, a challenge that MTN expects to achieve with its partners in subsequent campaigns.
The CEO of CalBank, Carl Asem, described the collaboration as a natural alignment of shared values, stressing that “We are actively strengthening Ghana’s public health infrastructure. CalBank is fully committed to growing this initiative into an even more impactful annual intervention.”
Reflecting on the remarkable success of the exercise, Adwoa Wiafe, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer at MTN Ghana, emphasised the significance of the campaign.
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National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Executive Committee member and Volta River Authority (VRA) Board Member, Wonder Victor Kutor, has described calls for the resignation of Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa as premature and unjustified.
He argued that there was no evidence to establish that the minister had committed any wrongdoing to warrant such demands.
Speaking on Joy News in Accra on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, Mr Kutor questioned what had changed to justify the growing calls for the minister to step down.
He recalled that the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor, had earlier indicated that the opposition was not accusing Mr Ablakwa of any wrongdoing.
Mr Kutor, therefore, challenged those demanding the minister’s resignation to provide fresh evidence to support their position.
“The call for the Minister to resign is premature, it is untenable. There is no evidence. I mean, what has he done wrong?” he questioned.
He added that documents, including boarding passes, airline receipts and flight manifests relating to the minister’s return journey, had been provided.
Mr Kutor expressed concern that the calls for Mr Ablakwa’s resignation could discourage young politicians from speaking out against corruption and advocating transparency.
According to him, politicians should not be targeted or maligned for demanding accountability, warning that such treatment could create the impression that speaking against corruption could later become a liability when one is appointed to public office.
He maintained that calling for accountability and transparency should not be used as grounds to target public officials without evidence of wrongdoing.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana will host the Africa Festival of Arts, Culture and Creatives (AFESTAC) 2026 alongside Industrial Skills Week Africa (ISWA) 2026 in Accra from December 9 to 12, 2026.
On the back of these programmes, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has called on corporate Ghana, the media and the general public to support the initiative through partnerships, sponsorships and active participation.
The events, supported by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), will bring together stakeholders to celebrate Africa’s rich cultural heritage, strengthen the creative economy, promote industrial skills development and create employment opportunities for young people.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
