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The Minority on the Health Committee have appeal to the association of doctors striking in the Tamale Teaching Hospital to consider restoring immediate emergency and outpatient services to curb loss of lives.

As they take notice of doctors’ difficult decision to suspend emergency and outpatient services at the facility and they are not underestimating the gravity of such a resolution, and “we fully recognize that it stems from a deep sense of frustration, indignity, and structural neglect which must not be ignored”.

In a statement by the Ranking Member of the Committee, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriye expressed their utmost respect and appreciation for the selfless service and extraordinary professional commitment of the doctors and staff of the Tamale Teaching Hospital.

And in the face of constrained resources and immense professional pressures, you continue to uphold the sacred duty of care to the people of Northern Ghana and beyond. Your service is not only noble, but indispensable to the nation’s healthcare system.

“We are, however, deeply concerned about the immediate and long-term implications of the suspension of critical services, particularly for the most vulnerable members of society who depend on TTH for urgent care. While your concerns are valid and your demands legitimate, we respectfully appeal to the leadership and general membership of DATTH to consider, as a matter of urgency, the possibility of rescinding this decision in the supreme interest of public health”.

Again, if the restoration of services is made contingent on an apology from the current Minister for Health, then regrettably, we fear that more lives may be lost before such a gesture is made. It is our considered view that the focus must remain on the immediate resumption of lifesaving services.

Whiles we in Parliament pursue appropriate institutional remedies and accountability measures through legitimate oversight channels.

To this end, we assure the entire medical fraternity at TTH that the Minority Caucus on Health stands firmly with you. We shall continue to amplify your concerns and ensure that the critical logistical, infrastructural, and administrative challenges you face receive the attention they deserve at the highest levels of public governance. “Your welfare, dignity, and working conditions will form a central part of our oversight priorities in the coming months. In these trying times, we call on all parties to prioritize constructive dialogue, mutual respect, and the paramount interest of the patients whose lives depend on a functioning health system. We remain open to facilitating any process that will bring about healing, restoration, and progress.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Member of Parliament for Akim Oda Alexander Akwasi Acquah has descended on the Minister of Health, Kwamena Mintah Akandoh for his action against the Chief Executive Officer of the Tamale Teaching Hospital.

Alexander Akwasi Acquah, a Minority member on Health Committee of Parliament described the Ministers sacking of the TTH CEO as arbitrary and capricious and must be condemned.

He said the CEO was lawfully approved by the board of the hospital. Therefore, the minister of health cannot just sack him with mere words.

The Akim Oda MP who was speaking at the Kumasi Regional Hospital, as part of the Health Committee Team 3 Regional Monitoring tour of health facilities in Ashanti, Eastern, Volta and the Greater Accra Regions said the CEO must be reinstated for due process to be followed.

Meanwhile, Dr. Thomas Anaba insisted that they were not at the place where the incident occurred, hence called for calm until they receive proper details before accusing the Minister’s action.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is expected to convene in June to consider the report on the contingency plans on the exit of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

This follows a two-day Extraordinary Session of the Council of Ministers of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on the contingency plan and modalities for the withdrawal of the Sahel states – Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso which ended in Accra at the early hours of Thursday, April 24, 2025.

The Authority of Heads of States and Government mandated the Council of Ministers made up of the Foreign and Finance Ministers to prepare a contingency plan with the exit of the AES countries.

Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration in an interview after the deliberation revealed that, they have reviewed the contingency plan and prepared a thorough and comprehensive report for the Authority of Heads of States and Government to work with.

“Our report aligns with the ECOWAS treaty and ensures that the exit of the three Countries, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, does not destabilize ECOWAS, and does not weaken it. Again, I commend Foreign and Finance Ministers from the sub-regional bloc on their level of dedication and commitment they have demonstrated. The two long days discussions were fruitful”, he said in an interview.

He further asserts that ECOWAS has still not ruled out the need to continuously engage; “we are so interlinked and connected and we are one people. We must not shut the door at diplomacy and negotiations, but serve as a bridge and Ghana would continue to play that role”.

Additionally, he disclosed that at the anticipated June meeting of the Authority of Heads of States and Government of the sub-region, President John Dramani Mahama, would be presenting a report to his peers on the outcome of the shuttle diplomacy.

He said President Mahama has been offering himself as a bridge to really help to mend the fence and they are hoping that the report which would be considered together with the contingency plan would offer a clear path forward.
“But ultimately ECOWAS remains strong; the skeptics out there who were thinking that the sub-regional bloc would disintegrate and collapse, we are sending a strong message – ECOWAS is here to stay. We are resolved to keep this regional bloc alive, and we are going to do everything in our power to ensure that ECOWAS survives”.

“And we are confident that despite these momentary difficulties in these trying times we find ourselves, our brothers in AES would recall all the gains we have made; gains that has led to the most integrated regional bloc in the whole of Africa. We were first since 1979, if you trace history we fully integrate and achieved free movement of people, goods and capital”.

“We are going to make sure that the ideals, visions of the founding fathers of ECOWAS that they put forward in 1975, that vision and objective is met in our lifetime; we remain committed to that”, he emphasised.

On the issue of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) joining ECOWAS as a bloc, which are indications given in Ghana’s recent diplomatic moves with the AES countries, he noted that they are not shutting the doors completely despite the express directives from the Heads of States and Government; stating that at negotiations, diplomacy is further engaging and to get their brothers and sisters from the Sahel Countries to return; “that is a hope we have and it is really important that we maintain that posture”.

“We would not say reunification is impossible; yes, we know it’s going to be difficult; it may even happen under different guises. When we engaged them earlier during President Mahama’s visit, they said they could reconsider if they are invited as a bloc; so that is some good starting point and both sides would have to avoid the hardline positions so that we meet each other in the middle in the interest of our people”.

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He said decisions taken should be informed by the interests of the over four hundred million lives that are impacted, on free movement, trade, security and stability.

“Do not forget the terrorist are still out there having a field day. Look at what happen to Benin a few days ago and this is a treat that moves beyond national borders. We can only combat and confront this treat when we come together and have multinational approach. That is why we say, there is more for us to achieve when we come together”, Ablakwa concluded.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Madam Rachel Owusua, the Member of Parliament for Dormaa East Constituency in the Bono Region, has pledged to institute teachers and nurses award schemes in the area.

The scheme will recognise and reward hardworking and deserving teachers and nurses in the area to enhance quality education and healthcare delivery in the area.

Interacting with the media at Dormaa-Ahenkro, Madam Owusua explained that she was engaging the Dormaa East District Directorate of Health and the District Directorate of Education to work out modalities for the implementation of the scheme.

She said the implementation of the scheme was one of her Election 2024 campaign promises, saying it would be instituted in 2026. The awards, she said, would be centered on the conduct, hard work and commitment of the personnel.

“We must endeavour to put the past behind us and forge ahead in unity and facilitate the development of the district,” she stated, stressing her commitment to collaborate with the District Assembly to advance the progress of the area.

Madam Owusua called on the people to always endeavour to use laid down procedures to seek redress for their grievances, disagreements and misunderstanding and urged the District Assembly to implement government policies and programmes to benefit the people.

The MP said she had prioritised quality health outcomes, pledging to expand health facilities to bring healthcare service delivery to the doorstep of the people.

Madam Owusua commended Nana Kokoti Diamono Asamoah, the Chief of Mansen (Wamfie) for allocating land to be used to construct essential facilities and to expand the district hospital.

She said she was also committed to support farmers in the area to improve food production and work hard to create job opportunities for the youth in the area too and urged job seekers to be patient.

Robert Tachie Menson

The persistent power outages in the Weija-Gbawe constituency has forced the Member of Parliament, Jerry Ahmed to call on authorities in charge of managing the country’s electricity to up their game as it has become serious problem in the constituency.

According to him these unplanned outages occur without prior notice or communication from the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) or the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo), causing widespread disruption to households, healthcare facilities, educational institutions and businesses.

In a media statement he noted that the consequences are dire, hampering economic activity, endangering lives and compromising the delivery of essential services.

While it is clear that the current power crisis is a national issue, Weija-Gbawe appears to have been disproportionately affected, with some communities experiencing continuous outages for more than four days and in certain instances, even longer.

Despite several engagements with ECG officials aimed to resolving this crisis, there has been no meaningful progress.
While we have received assurances of GRIDCo’s intervention, residents of Weija-Gbawe continue to endure the burden of unreliable electricity supply.

We therefore make a respectful but firm appeal to the ECG, GRIDCo, and the Ministry of Energy to take immediate and decisive action to permanently address this issue, the people of Weija-Gbawe deserve better.

Ghanamps.com

Member of Parliament for Keta, Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey seized the opportunity at a durbar to welcome the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin to his ancesytral hometown, Tsiame to to urge residents of the community to come together and work towards the development of the area.

Commending Mr Afenyo-MArkin for his kind gesture in which he donates 100 hair drying machines and 100 sowing machines as part of women empowerment efforts in the Tsiame Community, Mr Gakpe called on other citizens to emulate the gesture to turn the fortunes of the people in the area.

He admonished the women apprentices not to sell the equipment donated to them but rather use it to make money to take care of themselves and their families.

Hon Gakpey further pointed out that the gathering is not political and no one should read politics into it and citizens should come together to develop their Communities.

He said getting close to the Minority Leader, he is a good and kind person; but politically, he is a different person.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Effutu Member of Parliament Alexander Kwamena Afenyo Markin has clarified that the donation he has made in Tsiame in the Keta constituency should not be misconstrued to mean he wants to contest as an MP in Keta, neither on the ticket of NPP nor as independent candidate.

Rather it’s to help his colleague MP for Keta Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey to positively impact the lives of the people; more so, his father comes from Tsiame, hence he is a native from the place.

He explained that as someone whose mother is a Fanti he has decided to contest from her mother’s side Effutu in Winneba.
Afenyo-Markin on Thursday donates 100 hair dryers and 100 sowing machines as part of women empowerment efforts in the Tsiame Community.

The Minority Leader further added that back in his constituency, he has citizens of Effutu coming to show good gesture like he is doing in the Volta Region. And he is doing what he is doing for the purposes of development, stating that in the immediate past Parliament, he had a lot of discussions with the Keta MP concerning the development of the area.

The Minority Leader did not mince words in affirming the call for beneficiaries not to sell the items, rather it is to help empower them to engage in gainful income generating ventures to provide for themselves and their families.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Thousands of people in Tsiame, Volta Region, have welcomed their proud son, Alexander Afenyo-Markin to his ancestral hometown on Thursday April 17, 2025.

The excitement exhibited by the people attest to how proud they are with their son, who has carved a niche for himself in in various fields in Ghana including politics, business and law.

He has since become the face of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in parliament, as the Majority Leader and even outside parliament since the party lost the 2024 general elections.

Addressing a durbar to welcome him, Chairman of the occasion Mr Kenneth Ashigbey urged the people of Tsiame in the Volta Region to move away from politics and seek for the development of the good people of the area.

The durbar was attended by the Chief and elders of Tsiame, MP for Keta, Hon. Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey, opinion leaders, the clergy, and women groups among many other groups.

Ghanamps.com

The Minority in Ghana’s Parliament has said the deliberate plans to remove the current Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana, Getrude Torkornoo would be a setback to Ghana’s democratic journey as the purpose of the petition is to malign the head of the Judiciary.

And further to silence the judiciary and finally exert control of the Judiciary more especially as the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is an offshoot of the PNDC.

Addressing the press on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, in Parliament, the legal Counsel of the Minority Caucus noted that the framers of Ghana’s constitution made each arm of government a separate arm and made provisions for check and balances therefore to ensure that there is respect for each branch of arm of government, the framers did not provide for an Executive overreach.

John Darko again noted that the Minority is watching with concern attempts made to remove the Chief Justice (CJ) stating that they are worried as the Judiciary has stood the test of time since Ghana’s independence, especially the period of military take overs and constitutional rule.

The judiciary has been nonpartisan despite the days of Ghana’s first president Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s attempts made on the judiciary, same with the military era of the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC).

And some of the allegations made against the current CJ are that she advised then President Nana Akufo-Addo to promote several judges to the Supreme Court and being the one presiding over a matter that involves the Speaker of Parliament in an ex-party motion.

Again, a gentleman who committed contempt and was punished by the court want the CJ removed because he has been punished by the court not the CJ; and one of the ridiculous things is that the CJ has misappropriated seventy-five thousand Ghana cedis which according to the Judicial Service has been deleted by the Auditor General.

Quoting the ground for the removal of the CJ as stated in the 1992 Constitution of Ghana; “A justice of the superior court shall not be removed from office except for stated misbehavior or incompetent or on grounds of her inability to perform her function of the office arising from infirmity of the body or mind” they contend that the basis for the petitions do not warrant the removal of the Chief Justice.

“How can a serious country, mindful of this facts with its desire to improving its democratic credentials entertain such a lose petition to orchestrate this? We are aware of plans being put in place to invoke article 146 (10) (A) to suspend the CJ and appoint someone who is tilting towards the NDC government to Act as the CJ of the Republic”.
The Minority therefore urged civil society organisations and the traditional authorities as well as the diplomatic community not to entertain this as it will undermine the country’s democracy.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Minority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin has admonished the Kantamanto traders not to engage in any act of violence, rather they should go about their trading activities peacefully and pay their tax as law abiding citizens of Ghana.

Leading the Minority Caucus to donate GHC200, 000.00 to the traders on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, he stated that after the December 7, 2024, election, there is a new government in place led by John Dramani Mahama, and “we need to do whatever we have to do to make Ghana a peaceful place”.

“We should all stay as people from one mother whether you are from, CPP, NDC or NPP. For those of you who support NPP, when we vote one party would be the winner. If you remember in 1996, we had only 61 seats, NDC had 133, within four years under the leadership of late J. H. Mensah, the then Minority turn the seat to 104 and later we won majority of the seats and John Agyekum Kufour became the president of Ghana”.

Again, in 2016 everybody was sad, people were in despair, but with our leader and presidential candidate then Nana Akufo-Addo, we had 169 seats and formed the Majority. And added that If nothing at all Ghanaians would remember President Akufo-Addo for the introduction of the free senior high school policy which is benefiting a lot of Ghanaians.

“We are not many, we are just 88 and this number if we can have time for ourselves and work hard, we would do better next time. Do not be sad if you are an NPP person here; know we have good and bad times”.

He reminded the NPP supporters of the pending elections of executives at the various levels to be followed by the election of a flagbearer towards the 2028 elections; thus the need to work together devoid of acrimonious tendencies
“We should not talk against each other; whatever happens we are from one mother, we should not speak against each other on radio, TV.”

He assured that the Minority leadership in Parliament would work hard, show respect to Ghanaians, and offer good suggestions for Ghanaians to know that NPP has Ghanaians at heart.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com