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President Mahama urges African leaders to build resilient, self-sustaining health systems
President John Dramani Mahama has called on African leaders to take bold steps in building resilient and self-sustaining health systems across the continent.
He made the call at the opening of the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit held on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, in Accra.
Addressing the gathering, President Mahama said the time had come for Africa to stop relying heavily on foreign aid to solve its health challenges.
He stressed that African countries must become the authors of their own health future by investing in local solutions and strengthening national health systems.
“This summit is not just a meeting, it is a call to action. Africa must no longer be the patient. We must be the drivers, the architects, and the advocates of our own health destiny,” the President stated.
President Mahama thanked the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, for attending and for offering technical support to help Ghana develop its own primary health care system.
He noted that although Africa had made significant gains in health outcomes over the years, recent cuts in donor aid had put many of those achievements at risk, including Ghana’s Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) programme.
He added that the issue extended beyond funding, describing it as a failure of global solidarity and a challenge to Africa’s right to set its own health priorities.
According to him, the continent must stop being a passive recipient of aid and instead take full ownership of its health agenda.
He described the summit not just as a policy forum, but as a moral call to action and a strategic turning point for the continent.
President Mahama expressed gratitude to key partners, including the African Union, the Rockefeller Foundation, Georgetown University, and the Obasanjo Foundation for their continued support.
He also stated that Africa did not suffer from a lack of capability, but from a lack of perspective, urging leaders to view health not as a cost, but as a “currency of dignity.”
The Director General of the World Health Organization( WHO) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in his remarks, warned that sharp declines in aid were putting millions of lives at risk.
He praised Ghana’s recent steps to increase local funding for its National Health Insurance Scheme, calling it a strong example of political commitment to health sovereignty.
Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh called for intentional plan for Africa’s health future focused on wisdom, investment, and leadership from within the continent.
The summit, hosted in Accra, brought together African Heads of State, health ministers, and global health leaders to discuss urgent reforms in the way health systems are governed and financed on the continent.
It aims to push for reforms in global health governance and highlight national ownership, local investment, and stronger leadership in public health.
Key outcomes of the summit include the endorsement of The Accra Initiative, the launch of the SUSTAIN Initiative to promote domestic health financing, and the formation of a Presidential High-Level Panel. The Accra Compact, a document outlining Africa’s unified vision for health sovereignty, was also adopted.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ahyiresu and Abofrem, two quiet communities in the Atwima Mponua District, have been shaken to the core by a chilling midnight drama that reads like a nightmare.
A pastor and a young mother stand accused of attempting to bury a five‑month‑old baby girl alive, a crime that has ignited outrage and disbelief across the township.
According to police, Apostle Richmond Akwasi Frimpong, 36, Head Pastor of the Anointed Grace Prayer Ministry at Kuffour Camp, conspired with his uncle Emmanuel Appiah, 53, and the child’s mother, 23‑year‑old Beatrice Agyapomaa, to dispose of the infant, Anaya Achiaa, under the cover of darkness.
A fourth suspect, Emmanuel Donkor, remains on the run.
The suspects were caught near a refuse dump around 10 pm on April 9, 2026, after a vigilant resident, Akwasi Twezor, noticed their suspicious movements.
When confronted, they claimed the child was already dead and had palace approval for burial. But Twezor’s instincts proved right—the baby was still alive, gasping faintly for breath.
Chief Linguist, Nana Yaw Badu, later confirmed that Frimpong had misled him earlier in the evening, securing permission for burial by falsely declaring the child dead.
The infant was rushed to the Abofrem Clinic, where she is now responding well to treatment. Police described her as “very beautiful.”
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Evelyn Yitamkey, Commander of DOVVSU in Bibiani, confirmed that the suspects have been provisionally charged.
Frimpong faces attempted murder and conspiracy charges, while Agyapomaa and Appiah are charged with conspiracy and abetment.
They were remanded by the Bibiani Circuit Court, presided over by Judge Frank Asiedu Nimako, to assist investigations.
The docket has been forwarded to the Attorney General’s Department for advice, ASP Yitamkey indicated.
The attempted crime has provoked fury among residents, many suspecting ritual motives aimed at bolstering the pastor’s influence.
Crowds attempted to attack the suspects outside court, but police intervention prevented mob justice.
The Assembly Member for Ahyiresu, Yusuf Suleiman, has assured residents that justice will be pursued swiftly.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
The forecourt of the African University of Communications and Business (AUCB) in Accra came alive on Friday with colour, creativity and innovation, as Level 300 students transformed the space into a lively exhibition of ideas.
Under the theme “Building meaningful brands beyond the logo,” the students invited patrons into a world where ordinary products were reimagined through storytelling, design and purpose.
From scented candles to innovative food concepts, each stand told a unique story, one that went beyond aesthetics to capture identity, value and human connection.
For many of the students, the event was more than just an academic exercise; it was a moment to dream out loud.
Guided by their lecturer, Peter Wonders, they explored what it truly means to build a brand in today’s competitive world where trust, consistency and experience matter just as much as logos and slogans.
Chairman of the occasion, Nana Kum Gyata VI, in his remarks said a brand is what people say about you when you are not present.
At the end of the presentations, awards were presented to deserving groups with Vida Nyaneba emerging as the overall best branding student.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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