Category: Daily Guide Network

Claims that the National Health Insurance Authority’s ongoing reforms are brand new initiatives conceived by the current administration do not align with the established public record.

While the Authority is rightfully preparing its managers for a nationwide rollout, it is important to recognise that the pillars of these reforms, the National Telehealth Program, the E-Pharmacy Policy, the Biometric Membership Authentication System (BMAS), and the Cashless Payment Solution, did not originate today. These are long-running national projects that were initiated, launched, or significantly advanced under the previous NPP government, driven in large part by the digital health agenda championed by the former Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

Let it be emphasised that although the NHIA Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Operations, Dr. Senanu Kwesi Djokoto, has assured managers of a smooth nationwide rollout of these flagship reforms, it is crucial to place the initiatives in their proper historical context. The reforms (the National Telehealth Program, E-Pharmacy Policy, Biometric Membership Authentication System (BMAS), and a Cashless Payment Solution) being highlighted are not fresh concepts conceived by the present administration they are continuing projects whose foundations were laid years ago by the digital Dr. Bawumia.

National Telehealth Project

Any attempt to rebrand the National Telehealth Program as a fresh initiative of the current NDC administration collapses under the weight of verifiable public records. The project is one of the most visible pillars of the NPP government’s health digitalization agenda, championed and launched by former Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on 13 November 2024. The facts are clear, documented, and uncontested.

The NHIA’s own official communication in 2024 explicitly described the telehealth service as a national digital health project, rolled out under the leadership of Dr. Bawumia and the then NHIA Chief Executive, Dr. Da-Costa Aboagye. It was introduced as a direct extension of the government’s ongoing push to modernize healthcare following the medical drone delivery system, the E-Pharmacy platform, and the broader suite of digital health reforms.

During the launch at Ejisu in the Ashanti Region, Dr. Bawumia stated unambiguously that Telehealth was conceived to ‘bring medical consultations into the homes and hands of our people,’ positioning it as part of the NPP government’s commitment to digital transformation. His own words laid out the vision: connecting every government health facility nationwide, ensuring equitable access regardless of location, and building a digitally driven, inclusive healthcare system.

He further revealed the next phase: the establishment of virtual care booths and community-level diagnostic points across the country, an NHIA-Ghana Health Service-Pharmacy Council collaboration that was already in motion before the change of administration.

At the same event, Dr. Da-Costa Aboagye, then NHIA CEO, celebrated the Telehealth rollout as a ‘significant milestone in the NHIS’ forward march’, detailing its capacity to bridge access gaps through text, USSD, calls, mobile apps, and web platforms. The full functionality, real-time audio/video consultations, OPD services, and remote medical support was introduced under his leadership, not after.

Every official fact points to one conclusion thus the National Telehealth Program is not a new idea. It is an NPP-era project, launched, branded, and operationalized under Dr. Bawumia’s digital health reforms. What is happening today is simply the continuation, and in many cases, repackaging, of work that was already completed or significantly advanced before January 2025.

No amount of political relabelling can erase the documented timeline. The public record is clear, the names are known, and the launch is on video. Telehealth is an NPP legacy project-full stop. (Source: https://www.nhis.gov.gh/News/dr.-bawumia-launches-nhia’s-telehealth-project-5627)

E-Pharmacy Policy

The Ghana National Electronic Pharmacy Platform (NEPP/E-Pharmacy) is a flagship digital health project conceived, driven, and launched under the NPP government through the direct leadership of former Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. Attempts to repackage the policy as a fresh creation of any subsequent administration collapse under the weight of verifiable facts.

The first unmistakable proof lies in the official launch of the E-Pharmacy on Monday, 18th July 2022, an event personally officiated by Dr. Bawumia in Accra. At that time, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) was Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye, confirming that the project predates the current NHIA leadership entirely. The launch was not symbolic; it marked the moment when Ghana became the first country in Africa to operationalise a national-scale, fully regulated e-pharmacy system, an achievement widely publicized and attributed to the NPP’s digitalisation agenda.

The second key fact is that the E-Pharmacy project was initiated in 2019, when Dr. Bawumia publicly challenged the Pharmacy Council to digitise pharmacy services and streamline access to medications nationwide. This challenge was not rhetorical. His office provided technical backing, institutional support, and policy direction that shaped the design and implementation of NEPP. This makes Dr. Bawumia not just a ceremonial launcher, but the originating political architect of the entire platform.

At the 2022 launch, Dr. Bawumia’s remarks further solidified this ownership. He praised the Pharmacy Council for meeting his 2019 challenge and emphasized that the E-Pharmacy system was a core component of the government’s broader digital transformation of healthcare, a transformation he personally led. The project’s design features, including nationwide price comparison, secure online prescriptions, verification of licensed pharmacies, and the ability for citizens to order medicines via app, website, or shortcode, were built under this NPP-led framework.

Furthermore, the architecture of the NEPP was constructed through inter-agency collaboration during the NPP administration, involving the Ministry of Health, Pharmacy Council, HeFRA, and the NHIA, long before any change in political leadership. By the time the platform went live in July 2022, all regulatory approvals, pilot testing, technical integrations, and national onboarding had already been completed.

These timelines alone demolish any attempt to detach E-Pharmacy from its origins. The project was conceived in 2019, developed between 2020 and 2021, piloted and completed by early 2022, and launched officially on 18th July 2022, all under an NPP government, all under Dr. Bawumia’s digitalization portfolio, and all overseen by NHIA CEO.

In short, the E-Pharmacy Policy is not inherited; it is authored. It is not a continuation; it is a completed NPP-era digital health reform whose documented history sits squarely within Dr. Bawumia’s tenure. Any narrative suggesting otherwise is simply revisionism unsupported by facts. (Source: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/health/ghana-launches-national-scale-epharmacy-platform.html)

Biometric Membership Authentication System (BMAS) / MyNHIS App

Despite recent attempts to rebrand the ongoing biometric authentication reforms at the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), the facts, timelines, and official records tell a story that cannot be rewritten: the Biometric Membership Authentication System (BMAS) and the MyNHIS Mobile App are entirely NPP-era digital innovations spearheaded by former Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

The clearest evidence is the public launch of the MyNHIS App on 5th December 2022 at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Tamale, personally unveiled by Dr. Bawumia during the NHIS Active Month celebration. This was not a pilot. It was the official introduction of a fully functional digital platform allowing Ghanaians to register for the NHIS, renew membership, verify details, and link their GhanaCard using only a mobile phone. The launch theme, ‘The Role of Digitalisation in Modern Healthcare Delivery,’ was itself a direct reflection of the NPP government’s digitalization blueprint.

At this same event, the NHIA CEO at the time paid glowing tribute to the NPP’s legacy, crediting former President John Agyekum Kufuor as the originator of the NHIS in 2003, and explicitly acknowledging that the Authority’s digital transformation in recent years had been ‘heavily superintended by the Digitization Messiah himself, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.’

This is not hearsay. It is on record.

Dr. Okoe-Boye went further, emphasizing that the MyNHIS App represented a ‘new level’ for the Scheme, an NPP-built platform described as a one-stop digital gateway to health insurance access, and a critical component of Ghana’s path to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC). These statements alone make it impossible for any administration to claim authorship of the app or its biometric foundations.

But the evidence does not end in 2022. By March 28, 2024, the NHIA had already begun limited rollout of the Biometric Membership Authentication System (BMAS), the fingerprint verification mechanism designed to eliminate fraud, ghost names, false claims, and impersonation at health facilities. The BMAS had already been piloted in 40 healthcare facilities nationwide.

Again, this was before any administrative change and under an NPP-appointed leadership structure.

The BMAS project itself was spearheaded by the NHIA MIS Directorate, in partnership with Margins Ghana Limited, under the technical leadership of Daniel Blankson, Ag. Director, MIS (Project Director) and Joe Annor-Darkwah, Ag. Deputy Director, Business Systems (Project Coordinator)

Their mandate was to digitise member authentication using biometric technology, a continuation of Dr. Bawumia’s long-running push to integrate the GhanaCard into all national identity-linked public services. The NHIA publicly stated that a full rollout was targeted for mid-May 2024, completing a process entirely designed and executed during the NPP administration.

A simple look at the timeline makes the truth unavoidable:

Conceptualised before 2022

App launched in December 2022 by Dr. Bawumia

BMAS piloted 2023-2024 under NPP-appointed NHIA leadership

National rollout scheduled for mid-2024

Not a single stage of this digital reform was created or initiated after the NPP left office. The BMAS and MyNHIS App reforms were not inherited; they were built, launched, and institutionalized by the NPP government through the direct digital reform agenda of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. Any attempt to detach these reforms from their true origin is nothing more than political reinvention, contradicted by every official document, every timeline, every public statement, and every technological milestone.

The facts are on record. The timelines are indisputable. The BMAS / MyNHIS App belongs squarely to the NPP era. (Source: https://www.nhis.gov.gh/News/nhis-biometric-membership-authentication-system-limited-rollout-satisfactory-5582)

Conclusion

All of these reforms were launched, initiated, or significantly advanced under the previous NPP government, driven by the digital health agenda championed by former Vice-President Dr. Bawumia. From the public unveiling of the National Telehealth Programme in November 2024, the launch of the National Electronic Pharmacy Platform in July 2022, to the commissioning of the MyNHIS/BMAS app in December 2022, the timelines, official records, and statements from NHIA executives unequivocally attribute these transformative projects to the NPP administration.

Thus, while the NHIA Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Operations, Dr. Senanu Kwesi Djokoto, rightly emphasizes staff preparedness for a smooth nationwide rollout of these reforms, it is undeniable that the foundation, vision, and execution of these digital health reforms are firmly rooted in the previous NPP government’s leadership spearheaded by Dr. Bawumia and his commitment to modernising Ghana’s health insurance system.

Corporate Communications Head at Vivo Energy Ghana, Shirley Tony Kum, has been named Public Relations Personality of the Year at the PR Excellence Awards, the highest individual honour bestowed by the Institute of Public Relations (IPR), Ghana.

Receiving the award, Shirley shared her measurable impact made across the energy sector.

‘From Stratcom Africa, Newmont to Vivo Energy.I have learnt the task of using customer insights to create measurable impacts. though I have asked myself many questions during difficult times. it has paid off today,’ she said, acknowledging her mentees, colleagues and mentors who had contributed to her professional journey.

With nearly 20 years’ experience spanning media, mining, and petroleum, she has built a reputation as one of Ghana’s most versatile and impactful communications leaders.

At Vivo Energy Ghana, Shirley has redefined what corporate communications can achieve in a highly regulated, highly competitive sector.

Under her leadership, communications has moved from a support function to a key strategic driver-one that leverages data, behaviour insights, stakeholder intelligence and creative storytelling to shape purchasing decisions, influence public opinion and strengthen the company’s brand equity.

She has positioned Vivo Energy as a trusted, responsible, and community-oriented market leader, blending reputation management with corporate responsibility in ways that demonstrate authenticity, foresight, and consistency.

She leads the award-winning ShePower Project, a mentorship and empowerment initiative that invests in the next generation of female leaders.

Her dedication to nurturing young professionals has earned her admiration across the industry and speaks to her belief that leadership is most meaningful when it creates pathways for others.

The award night also saw Professor Kojo Yankah receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award and Dr Ekow Spio-Garbrah celebrated as PR legend of the year for his meritorious services both at home and abroad.

The PR discovery of the year went to Kenneth Adam, with UPSA emerging as the best student chapter.

President of the Institute of Public Relations, Ghana, Madam Esther Cobbah, urged the members to have a renewed commitment to the future of the Institute to make it a formidable force in the affairs of the country.

The founder of HEPA Plus, Dr. Ebenezer Agyemang, has earned strong commendation from a visiting Malawian delegation for establishing one of Ghana’s most exemplary medicinal plant farms-an initiative they described as a major milestone in Africa’s herbal medicine industry.

The delegation, led by Dr. John Mponda, a pharmacist and lecturer from the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS) in Blantyre, Malawi, said Dr. Agyemang’s 20-acre organic medicinal plant farm represents the kind of bold investment African nations must pursue to guarantee quality herbal products from the source.

‘We are highly impressed. You cannot talk about quality herbal medicine without talking about where the raw materials come from,’ Dr. Mponda stated. ‘What Dr. Agyemang has done here is remarkable and something many African countries-including Malawi-must emulate.’

The farm, which supplies raw materials for the production of Hepa Plus, Plasmox, and Pavi, strictly adheres to good agricultural practices, avoids pesticides and synthetic fertilisers, and maintains organic cultivation standards. The delegation observed that such practices eliminate contamination-one of the leading challenges in herbal medicine across the continent.

Dr. Agyemang explained that the motivation for establishing the farm began in 2020, driven by the need to reduce contaminants and secure reliable raw materials. Heavy metal pollution from galamsey and the use of agrochemicals by external suppliers had made sourcing clean plants increasingly difficult.

‘Medicinal plant cultivation is not like ordinary farming. You cannot rely on chemical weedicides or inorganic fertilisers. True medicinal farming demands manual weeding, careful soil management, and strict organic practices,’ he said.

The Malawian team, currently in Ghana on a benchmarking and learning mission, praised the company’s adherence to both good agricultural practices (GAP) and good manufacturing practices (GMP), describing the setup as ‘ideal for training, research, and international collaboration.’

Led by Dr. Mponda-a pharmacist and specialist in traditional medicine-the delegation is studying Ghana’s herbal medicine training model, quality-control systems, and regulation. Their visit forms part of Malawi’s broader effort to strengthen its herbal medicine sector through new legislation and institutional reforms.

The team visited the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the Centre for Plant Medicine Research, and several herbal industry partners as part of their mission. Dr. Mponda said Ghana remains the benchmark for Africa, commending the country for its advanced policies and structures governing herbal medicine practice.

‘Ghana is far ahead of many African countries in the way it manages herbal medicine, the training of practitioners, and the regulation of products,’ he noted. ‘We believe partnerships with institutions like KNUST and companies like Ebenage Herbal Production and Consult (producers of Hepa Plus, Pavi and Plasmox mixtures) will help Malawi build a stronger industry.’

Head of KNUST’s Herbal Medicine Department, Dr. Kofi Turkson, also lauded Dr. Agyemang’s initiative, describing the farm as a crucial intervention at a time when environmental degradation threatens the herbal sector.

‘With galamsey destroying forests and polluting water bodies, it is dangerous to harvest medicinal plants from contaminated areas,’ he warned. ‘Farms like this provide clean, reliable sources of raw materials and create opportunities for employment, export, and national economic growth,’ he stressed.

The delegation said their key takeaway from Ghana is the need for African countries to invest in clean, controlled cultivation of medicinal plants and to deepen partnerships with institutions leading the way.

Their visit, they added, will shape Malawi’s upcoming reforms aimed at revitalising its traditional medicine industry.

Ghanaian artiste, AraTheJay, has revealed his willingness to pursue his music career amid obstacles, affirming that he is not slowing down anytime soon.

Speaking in an interview with Lord Sly, host of Flight Time on Guide Radio 19.5 FM, the ‘Onoa’ hitmaker stated that his struggles in the entertainment space made him write ‘Put Am On God’, a song off his ‘The Odyssey’ album where he spoke to God about his challenges.

‘On the song, I was not being vulnerable but saying my truth and being open. The song is more like complaining to God, I just for tell am, I’m talking to God like am tired but I’m still here. I want Him to know that whatever has been set by ‘other people’ to like bring us back, I want Him to know I can see them, and I’m telling Him I’m not gonna give up (sic),’ he said.

‘The Odyssey’ album is a 17-track journey continuing his celebrated ‘Finding Nimo’ series.

Available now on all digital platforms, the album captures his boldest artistic statement yet; an immersive exploration of purpose, struggle, and triumph.

Framed as a hero’s journey, ‘The Odyssey’ captures AraTheJay’s artistic evolution from his debut EP ‘The Capsule’ to a bold new era of storytelling.

Each record unfolds a new chapter of self-discovery and spiritual endurance, showcasing an artiste grounded in truth, resilience, and divine inspiration.

Where ‘The Capsule’ introduced AraTheJay as a curious observer, ‘The Odyssey’ presents him as a man transformed a dreamer who has wrestled with uncertainty and emerged renewed.

The album’s electric sonic palette fuses African rap, hip-hop, highlife melodies, and contemporary Afrobeats, all unified by Ara’s introspective lyricism and cinematic production.

The journey begins with the angelic hope of ‘Zion’, setting the tone for reflection and resolve on ‘Cover Me’. It moves through the grit of ‘Ground Zero’ and the unshakable faith of ‘Put Am On God’, while tracks like ‘Peace 2’, ‘Ara No Dey Sleep’, ‘Motion’, ‘Timeless’ and ‘Only Fans’ showcase his versatility and emotional range.

A few years ago, as minister of state, I conducted an exercise where final year SHS students (in a Category B school), were asked about their future job aspirations. What job would you like to do in future? Here is the trend of answers: ‘Police, business, police, soldier, immigration, customs, soldier, customs, soldier, prisons, fire service, customs, customs, immigration.’ Later came isolated cases of doctor, engineer, nurse, teacher.

Then came the boy at the back seat whose response nearly brought down the roof: ‘In future, I want to do ‘Galamsey!’ He shouted. That boy had proudly opted for illegal mining, as his job reference.

Looks to me there are limited job opportunities in our dear country beside the forces; partly driven by a proliferation of cadet corps in schools. Note also the impression that jobs with the forces are low hanging fruits, if you know somebody who knows somebody.

But there are specific popular perceptions, where a vocation is preferred only because it may be the shortest route to a fanciful pot-belly.

It could be Customs or Immigration Service officer, who is perceived as routinely carrying an extra bag in his armpit. If it’s the police, pray to be assigned to MTTU where you can chat with drivers on the blind side of passengers. As for the Fire Service, one Kotokoraba woman in Cape Coast summed it up, pouring her frustrations on her just recruited son. ‘If I knew you would end up as ‘odumgya,’ merely extinguishing fire, I would not have sent you to school: nkye mamfa wo annko sukuu. The poor mother reduces his son’s new job to the dousing of flames in a coal pot, where a pair of crooked jaws and a deep breath, are all you need to qualify. Education is irrelevant.

As for a soldier, I never dreamed to be one even if my uncle those days was the commander in chief! Physical features alone would have given me away. Was it 2019 when several trainee soldiers were rushed to 37 Hospital during their first endurance drills? Some collapsed, others gasped for breath, and one recruit died. Apparently, the Almighty looking down from above exercised His powers to betray all ‘Daddy Ba’ who had been recruited by protocol, while others were suffering at El Wak.

But blame also the culture of march past in Third World countries that were once colonies of the British Empire. 6th March is simply a moment for children and teachers to reinforce the colonial military culture: swinging arms off their shoulders, and learning how to obey before you complain.

‘E-e-e-eyes Right’ and they incline their bodily frames and salute an upstanding government official whose post retirement knees are trembling. The next day is an extra holiday for pupils for a good job done, imitating the colonial master. School children’s morning parades follow the same routine.

The El Wak disaster on hand is such a case of literally dying to get a job. Lessons could have been learned except that even before burials, a committee is often formed to pacify crying babies into slumber. The Committee report on a recent plane disaster came after several months, and blames no one except ‘bad weather,’ ‘poor visibility,’ ‘technical issues,’ ‘sudden loss in altitude.’ No human agency, no human dismissals, no human reprimand, no human resignations. If anyone should resign, it is perhaps the weather man.

Why would another officer then not mass up 21,000 ‘human sardines,’ in a 4000-capacity ‘gas chamber’ called El Wak stadium: a mob not to watch a match, but to literally run and chase a handful of jobs, to demonstrate a new era of transparency. Within four months, another national disaster: this time six precious girls trampled to death, several others critically injured.

A primitive application process in a world of technology, and a scary precedent likely to deter females aspiring to be soldiers. Parents waiting to see appointment letters of wards that day, rather received mangled human remains.

Oh how I miss Dr. Dampare who for all his sins, showed shortlisted applicants for police the human face of government, seating them and even serving water to quench their thirst while awaiting their turn.

Let’s wait with bated breath for the physical drills new recruits will soon endure. Stand by, fellow pressmen for busloads of Almighty’s own casualties. Watch out for protocol patients, who suffered no stampede now limping and gasping for breath, while on their way to the emergency ward.

Indeed, any public committee formed this week to investigate El Wak, need not waste public funds drinking tea and enjoying stampede allowance. Their findings are likely to see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil.

The report could even point accusing fingers elsewhere.

It is the fault of the previous government. Their Free SHS!

The Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) in collaboration with the European Union (EU) has completed its nuclear power programme – the European Instrument for International Nuclear Safety Cooperation (INSC) – to strengthen the country’s nuclear regulatory framework.

The INSC project is to promote nuclear safety, radiation protection and effective safeguards in countries outside the EU in order to safely manage radioactive waste as well as implement nuclear safeguards according to international and EU standards.

Speaking at the closure event, the Deputy Ambassador of the EU to Ghana, Jonas Claes, mentioned that the collaboration shows a shared commitment to safe, responsible and sustainable energy development, stressing that the project will help protect communities, safeguard the environment as well as set a benchmark for the region in nuclear safety.

He commended the country for its active participation in the INSC training and education projects.

He said, ‘Ghana is one of the most active countries in INSC training and education project, the top class student for the second session of the EU Master’s degree on Leadership for Safety implemented in France came from Ghana NRA.’

Director of Science and Technology at the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, Mr. Kwamena Essilfie Quaison, also stated that the project is one of the many benefits the NRA has received through its membership with the Regulatory Cooperation Forum (RCF), adding that the project has provided a vital support for the smooth take off of the authority by supporting in the development of regulatory strategy for nuclear power, integrated management system, human resource development, development of regulations and guidelines, oversight of nuclear power plant siting, transparency and public information.

He stressed that there is the need to set up radiation monitoring system and an emergency response centre to interface with the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO)’s emergency command centre.

Mr. Quaison reaffirmed government’s commitment to utilise science and technology for sustainable development.

‘Our pursuit of nuclear energy is not merely about power generation, it is about energy security, climate resilience and economic transformation,’ he added.

The NRA Project Manager, Prof. Emmanuel Amponsah-Amoako, mentioned that the NRA has benefitted from extensive knowledge transfer, which includes training courses, workshops and on-the-job training with their European counterparts.

NRA is responsible for the regulation of radiation and nuclear facilities to meet national and international standards and obligations in a professional, objective and transparent manner.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Tano North in the Ahafo Region, Dr. Gideon Boako, has strongly condemned the recent military swoop and mass arrests of Hwediem residents in connection with the attack on officials of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

In a statement, Dr. Boako described the arrests and subsequent repatriation of residents to Kumasi as ‘unacceptable and unjust.’

While reaffirming his condemnation of any violence or attacks on state officials performing their duties, the MP urged the security services to act within the bounds of the law and uphold the fundamental human rights of citizens.

‘The response by the security agencies must be measured, lawful, and respect the fundamental human rights of the citizens we represent,’ he said.

Dr. Boako argued that the sweeping arrests without proper investigations risked punishing innocent citizens alongside the guilty.

He insisted that every individual arrested must be subjected to a transparent and prompt investigation to determine their culpability, if any.

‘The focus should be on identifying and prosecuting the true perpetrators of the attack, not subjecting an entire community to collective punishment,’ he emphasised.

The lawmaker appealed to the people of Hwediem to remain calm and cooperate with lawful investigations, while urging the government and security agencies to ensure that the pursuit of justice does not turn into an act of injustice.

He called for a thorough, transparent investigation into the incident to identify and prosecute the real perpetrators rather than targeting the entire community.

The MP urged the security agencies to halt the blanket arrest approach and instead uphold the rule of law in their operations.

Dr. Boako reiterated his commitment to ensuring justice and peace in the Ahafo Region.

He reminded the public that violence is never the answer, and that all sides must work together to protect lives, uphold rights, and ensure the fair administration of justice.

The European Union (EU) has launched a pound 2.4 million forest restoration initiative aimed at rehabilitating degraded landscapes and boosting livelihoods across the country’s high forest and savanna ecological zones.

The project, unveiled at the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG) in Kumasi brought together four grantee organisations-Proforest, World Vision, Nature and Development Foundation, and Goshen Global Vision-to undertake large-scale landscape restoration over the next two years.

Addressing participants, Sustainable Head of Infrastructure Development at the EU Delegation to Ghana, Paulina Rózycka, emphasised the central role the country’s forests play in biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and the wellbeing of millions. She noted that the country’s forests continue to face increasing threats from agricultural expansion, mining, illegal logging, wildfires, and land tenure challenges.

‘Restoring forest landscapes is not just a national priority but a global necessity,’ Ms. Rózycka said. ‘Forest restoration is a proven nature-based solution that supports climate mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development.’

The four selected projects are expected to restore 5,000 hectares of forest and improve the livelihoods of 20,000 farmers and rural households through agroforestry practices, natural regeneration, beekeeping, eco-enterprises, and community savings schemes. Women and youth are expected to play a key role throughout the implementation.

Ms. Rózycka highlighted that the projects align strongly with the country’s forest sector policies, including the Forest and Wildlife Policy, the Ghana Forest Landscape Restoration Strategy, and the national ‘Tree for Life’ campaign.

She further noted that 2025 marks major progress for Ghana’s forest governance with the commencement of FLEGT licensing for timber exports-an important milestone demonstrating strengthened forest law enforcement and sustainable timber production.

The EU restoration grants fall under the EU Sustainable Forest and Cocoa Programme, implemented in partnership with the European Forest Institute (EFI). The programme promotes climate-smart agriculture, resilient landscapes, and sustainable value chains in forest-dependent communities.

Welcoming participants to FORIG, Deputy Director of the Institute, Dr. Mrs. Lucy Amissah, commended the EU and EFI for selecting the institution as the venue for the project launch.

She emphasised that the initiative complements FORIG’s mandate to advance sustainable forest management, climate resilience, and improved livelihoods.

‘Ghana’s forests are essential for biodiversity, water and food security, and the livelihoods of millions, yet they face enormous pressures,’ she said. ‘This launch marks another milestone in our national commitment to restoring degraded forest landscapes.’

Dr. Amissah expressed optimism that the projects would significantly improve environmental sustainability and called on participants to explore FORIG’s facilities.

Ms. Rózycka thanked all stakeholders-including EFI, the project teams, FORIG, and the Government of Ghana-for their commitment, describing the collaboration as ‘sowing the seeds of resilience, equity, and hope.’ She expressed confidence that by 2027, the projects would deliver meaningful impacts for Ghana’s forests and communities.

President John Mahama, former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia yesterday took turns to pay tributes to the late former Vice President, Aliu Mahama.

It was during the 13th commemorative prayers for the late former Vice President at his residence at the Switchback Road, Cantonments, Accra, when President Mahama paid tributes to the deceased.

Speaking on behalf of the President, Imam Ahmed Umar Sanda described the late former Vice President as a good man who dealt with people irrespective of their persuasions.

He expressed condolences to the Aliu Mahama family in Yendi, Tamale and Accra.

He promised to stand with the family and that at an appropriate time he would call on them.

President Mahama was represented at the prayer session by Alhaji Collins Dauda and Imam Ahmad Umar Sanda, Ghana’s Ambassador to Mali and Mauritania.

Former President Akufo-Addo recalled his relationship with Aliu Mahama before and when both of them were in government, and said he was a generous man who worked hard for their government. He also remembered him as a man of humility and integrity.

‘His death continues to fill me with sadness. God calls us when he is ready not when we are,’ he said, adding that ‘I am grateful to his children for remembering him.’

Former Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, recalled his childhood days when the late former Vice President ‘used to visit my father Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia when I was growing up in Tamale. The late Aliu Mahama was then a student at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

‘Anytime he came visiting my father, I waylaid him when he was leaving because I was assured of he giving me something.’

He said the late former Vice President spoke on his behalf at the National Council of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) when his name came up for consideration as a running mate to Nana Akufo-Addo.

When he was eventually made a running mate, he said the late Alhaji Aliu Mahama led him on the campaign rounds ‘and literally held my hands as we went on campaign tours. He knew a lot of people whom he introduced me to. He was my political mentor and guided me in my political journey.

‘Farouk, his son, is my brother and would remain so. What happened on November 16 thirteen years ago is like it happened a few weeks ago. May Allah grant him paradise.’

It was a wonderful gathering of persons from diverse backgrounds; Muslims, Christians, National Democratic Congress (NDC), NPP and varying ethnic groupings, which spoke a lot about how Ghanaians do not brook ethnic and religious bigotry.

Present was a former Speaker of Parliament, Sekyi Hughes, among other dignitaries.

Accra came to a standstill as Africa’s leading music stars stormed this year’s Tidal Rave thrilling fans with an array of music at the La Palm beach hotel last Saturday.

The likes of Moliy, Darko Vibes, Olive The Boy, GonaBoy, Kweku Smoke, and Gyakie wowed fans with back-to-back hits, while Ghanaian star Black Sherif took the main stage around 5 PM, delivering powerful renditions of ‘Kwaku the Traveller’ and ‘Second Sermon’ that sent the crowd into a frenzy, keeping patrons on their feet for hours.

Nigerian superstar, Ayra Starr, closed the festival as the headline act, delivering a dynamic performance that cemented Tidal Rave 2025 as one of the most unforgettable editions yet. Shatta Wale on the other hand made an unannounced appearance on stage where he gifted five new brand new smartphones to female supporters.

Drawing thousands of music lovers from across the continent, the event – billed as Ghana’s premier beach extravaganza now in its fifth edition, attracted a diverse crowd of locals, tourists, and diaspora revellers eager to soak in the sun-soaked spectacle.

Organised by Echo House, Tidal Rave has solidified its reputation as Africa’s biggest beach festival, merging live performances with art installations, food stalls, and interactive zones that celebrate West African culture.