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World faces choice between saving lives & funding bombs—Mahama
Addressing a global health summit organised by Gavi and the Gates Foundation in Brussels on Wednesday, President John Dramani Mahama starkly contrasted military spending with the cost of saving lives through vaccination, telling attendees that the $9 billion sought by the Gavi vaccine alliance over five years is equivalent to the cost of just four B-2 Spirit bombers.
“This morning, I took time to reflect, researched and discovered that one B-2 Spirit bomber that dropped bombs on Iran recently cost $2.13 billion,” President Mahama said at the Gavi vaccine alliance pledging session.
He said, “If you work the math, Gavi seeks the value of four of those B-2 bombers. Surely, the world can invest the equivalent cost of four B-2 bombers to save 500 million children.”
He framed the funding decision as a fundamental moral choice for the international community. “It’s a choice we have to make,” he declared, “between taking lives and saving lives, and I am sure we will save lives instead of taking them.”
The call for increased funding came after the President shared a deeply personal account of the impact of vaccine-preventable diseases. He spoke of his younger brother who was crippled by polio in childhood, a disability that led to long-term stigma, depression, and ultimately, his death from alcohol poisoning.
He contrasted his own childhood experience, when vaccine access in his region was scarce, with the hope that Gavi now provides to millions worldwide.
“Today, Gavi has changed all that and given hope to millions of children,” he stated, adding that Gavi’s efforts allow children to grow into “responsible citizens,” he added.
Highlighting Ghana’s partnership with Gavi, President Mahama announced that the country has achieved 97 per cent immunisation coverage, a figure with which he expressed pride.
However, he acknowledged the challenge of reaching the remaining 3 per cent, approximately 65,000 children in remote areas, and voiced confidence that Gavi’s support would help find them.
As a lower-middle-income country, Ghana co-finances its vaccine programmes with Gavi.
President Mahama detailed steps Ghana is taking to increase its contribution, including uncapping the national health insurance fund, which has allowed for significant allocation to vaccine financing.
He noted that Ghana has spent almost $67 million on vaccines in partnership with Gavi in recent years and has front-loaded $20 million for co-financing this year.
Looking ahead, President Mahama expressed Ghana’s ambition to fast-track its transition from receiving Gavi funding by 2030 to becoming a donor country, citing Indonesia as an example.
He concluded by thanking Gavi and the countries that had made significant pledges at the summit, endorsing the slogan, “While others step back, we step up.”
Gavi aims to raise $9 billion over the next five years (2026-2030) to immunise 500 million children globally.
President Mahama argued that this effort was a crucial investment in the future, enabling children to become “tomorrow’s scientists, engineers, nurses, teachers, and doctors.”
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Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong Inspires and Awarded at the 2025 National Youth Mentorship Summit and Awards
The 2025 National Youth Mentorship Summit and Awards, held at the University of Ghana Business School, was more than a gathering—it was a transformative experience that brought together the nation’s leading minds in entrepreneurship, finance, leadership, and youth development.
But among the constellation of inspiring voices, it was Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong, celebrated Media Expert and General Manager of EIB Network, who delivered a keynote speech that left the most lasting impression.
Nana Yaa’s story is one of resilience, vision, and reinvention in Media and building brands. From her early days as a teenage TV presenter, she has risen to become one of Ghana’s most influential women in media.
With over 26 years of experience in Media alone, she now oversees some of Ghana’s top media outlets under the EIB Network umbrella. Her journey, marked by passion and purpose, framed the tone for a summit rooted in transformation and global relevance.
In her keynote address, Nana Yaa urged participants not only to develop big visions but to measure themselves by continental and global standards, “We are our only competition,” she declared, “but when setting your standards, set them to both continental and global benchmarks.”
Drawing from Psalm 90:12 and Proverbs 4:23, she emphasized to the youth gathered, the importance of intentional living, guarding one’s heart, and valuing time as the currency of purpose. “What you set your heart to determines what you achieve,” she said, urging the young participants to develop discipline, consistency, and courage in pursuit of their goals.
A standout quote from her speech “What separates a poor man from a wealthy one is courage,”sparked thunderous applause.
Nana Yaa reminded the youth that true sustainability in leadership is not about titles but about long-term thinking, resilience, and a commitment to personal development, irrespective of the reality around you.
She also shared her vision for Women in Sustainability Africa (WiSA), an initiative she founded to champion inclusive development and gender-balanced innovation.
“If it resonates with you,” she told the audience, “join and help shape a future of sustainable leadership, nation and continent.”
In a dedicated segment, Nana Yaa laid out a powerful roadmap for the youth of Ghana to leverage the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to create meaningful opportunities.
She explained how SDGs are not abstract policies but practical frameworks for young people to build sustainable livelihoods. From climate-smart agriculture, entrepreneurship and digital innovation to social impact ventures, she emphasized that the SDGs hold vast potential for youth-led transformation.
She said, “You have access to tools the generation before you never had.Use the SDGs to solve local problems with global thinking. Create value, and prosperity will follow.”
The summit, themed “YouthPreneur: A Catalyst for a New Economy”, was hosted by Albert Prempeh Kusi, CEO of LEC Group and a leading voice in youth empowerment. It welcomed an exceptional lineup of mentors and speakers who shared real-world insights and inspiration.
Among the notable guest speakers were:Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, Deputy Chief of Staff (Administration) at the Office of the President, who represented the Presidency and offered policy-level perspectives on youth development.
Georgina Asare Fiagbenu, Senior Manager of Corporate Communications at MTN Ghana, who spoke on behalf of Stephen Blewett, CEO of MTN Ghana, emphasizing the role of digital transformation in youth employment.
Richie Mensah, music producer and CEO of Lynx Entertainment, who inspired with his journey of building Ghana’s Afrobeats stars from the ground up.
Sina Kamagate, Executive Head of Retail Banking at GCB Bank PLC, who provided financial literacy tools tailored for the youth.
Janet Sunkwa-Mills, CEO of Afribiz Group and Jane’M Salon & Spa, who brought insights from over two decades of FMCG marketing across the continent.
Albert Prempeh Kusi, whose mission of reframing the youth from job seekers to job creators resonated throughout the summit.
As the summit drew to a close, Nana Yaa’s parting words became a mantra for the next generation:“Be disciplined. Be consistent. Be courageous. And never forget, sustainability starts with you.”
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Police arrest three suspects for robbery attack at Jukwa
The Western Central Regional Police Command has arrested three suspects for a robbery attack at Jukwa near Afransie in the Western Region.
The suspects were arrested on July 15, 2025 after a Toyota Hilux pickup with registration number GT 7426-23, transporting gold concentrate from a mining site to Wassa Akropong, was attacked near Jukwa town.
The occupants of the vehicle at the time of the robbery included the driver, Kofi Gyamfi, a security guard, Bashiru and one other person.
The robbers attacked the vehicle and made away with the gold concentrate.
Following a swift Police intervention, suspect Foster Peprah, a small-scale miner, was arrested at the scene.
Preliminary investigations revealed that he carried out the robbery with one Isaac, who is currently on the run. During interrogation, Foster mentioned Kofi Gyamfi, the driver, as the individual who invited them to carry out the robbery.
Kofi Gyamfi was later arrested, and he named Bashiru, the security guard, as the originator of the plan. Bashiru was subsequently arrested at his hideout in Wassa Gyedua.
All three suspects are currently in Police custody assisting investigations, while efforts are underway to arrest suspect Isaac who is currently on the run.
