President John Dramani Mahama arrived in Brussels, Belgium, as a prominent advocate and ambassador for the GAVI Alliance’s crucial vaccine replenishment efforts.

Ahead of the Gavi Vaccine Alliance pledging session in Brussels, President Mahama held several bilateral meetings. Among these were key discussions with a delegation that included the Gavi Board Chair, José Manuel Barroso, and another with American billionaire Mr. Bill Gates.

During their meeting, Mr. Barroso expressed gratitude for President Mahama’s consistent support for Gavi’s vaccine replenishment efforts and highlighted the alliance’s anticipation of his advocacy at the pledging session.

President Mahama and Mr. Gates discussed Ghana’s health sector interventions. Key topics covered included progress on the Free Primary Healthcare programme, the work of the National Vaccine Institute, and the impact of uncapping the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIS).

On his part, President Mahama thanked Mr. Gates and the Gates Foundation for their extensive philanthropic programmes in Ghana and their vital contribution to the Gavi Vaccine Alliance.

President Mahama will participate in the Global Summit on Health and Prosperity through Immunisation, co-hosted by the European Union, the Gates Foundation, and the Vaccine Alliance.

The Summit aims to secure vital support for Gavi’s ambitious 2026-2030 strategy. This strategy seeks to immunise an additional 500 million children, save over 8 million lives, and protect against up to 150 disease outbreaks, delivering over $100 billion in economic benefits.

Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio has been elected as the new Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, succeeding Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The decision was made at the 67th Ordinary Summit of the regional bloc, which was held on Sunday in Abuja, Nigeria. President Bio will serve a one-year term in the rotating chairmanship.

President Bio, a former Brigadier General, briefly served as military head of state in 1996. He transitioned to civilian leadership, winning the presidential election in 2018 and securing re-election in 2023 amidst significant political contestation.

His ascension to the ECOWAS chairmanship comes at a crucial juncture for the regional body. President Bio inherits a complex geopolitical landscape marked by lingering post-election tensions in his own country, including alleged coup attempts and the continued exile of his predecessor, former President Bai Koroma, in Nigeria.

Currently, four of ECOWAS’ 15 member states are under military rule. The formation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, and their subsequent withdrawal from ECOWAS, has further compounded the challenges facing ECOWAS.

President John Dramani Mahama, who participated in the summit in Abuja, has since returned home.

Ghanaian pastor Stephen Adom Kyei-Duah recently recognised boxer Joseph Sackey with a generous reward of fifty thousand Ghana cedis after Sackey’s disappointing performance at the Battle of the Beasts boxing event held at the Bukom Arena on Friday, June 13, 2025.

Despite wearing Kyei-Duah’s miracle sticker on his shorts, which is believed by many in Kyei-Duah’s congregation to offer divine protection and favour, Sackey suffered a fifth-round defeat against his British opponent, Abdul Khan.

During a heartfelt service at the Believers Worship Centre, where Prophet Kyei-Duah leads the Philadelphia Movement, he gifted the boxer a significant sum while expressing his pride in Sackey.

Kyei-Duah called him Adom Ba as he welcomed Sackey into his movement and encouraged him to embrace this new identity.

Joseph Sackey wears Kyei-Duah’s sticker on his shorts

Despite the setback in the ring, the young amateur boxer found himself the target of ridicule after footage of him wearing the pastor’s miracle sticker during the match surfaced online.

Traditionally used by Kyei-Duah’s followers as a symbol of protection and favour, the sticker was expected to bolster his performance, but unfortunately, it did not translate into a victory on this occasion.

Following the match, Joseph Sackey fiercely defended his performance, insisting that the defeat was unjust. He expressed frustration towards the referee, claiming that the official had tripped him during the bout, contributing to his loss.

Although he acknowledged feeling dazed from Khan’s punches, he argued that he could have continued fighting if not for the referee’s interference, which ultimately led to the fight being stopped prematurely.

Furthermore, Sackey shared that he had prepared spiritually for the match by utilising Prophet Kyei-Duah’s Grace Miracle Water, Miracle Oil, and Sobolo, a traditional Ghanaian beverage. He felt confident and ready to win before the referee’s alleged actions derailed his chances.

President John Mahama has directed the Chief of Staff Julius Debrah and the Presidential Advisor on Governmental Affairs, Dr. Valerie Sawyerr to commence receipt of the one-month salary pledge by political appointees to support the Ghana Medical Trust Fund.

This follows the payment of salaries of such appointees. At the launch of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund also known as MahamaCares in April this year, all appointees pledged to donate a month of their salaries to support the Fund.

The Ghana Medical Trust Fund seeks to cover the cost of care and medication for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) not currently included under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), thereby complementing it by supporting critical aspects of these conditions. Additionally, the Fund will invest in health infrastructure, medical equipment, specialist training, and research to enhance access to quality healthcare.

Addressing heads of the security who made a presentation of GHS1Million to the Fund at the Presidency on Friday, June 20, 2025, President Mahama indicated that he has directed the collection of such donations.

“I also pledged six months of my salary. Happily, my salary has started coming so I will soon present my own Cheque to cover the pledge I made” he promised

The President has since directed all political appointees to start contributing their one-month salaries to support the operations of the fund.
“I have asked the chief of staff and the presidential advisor of governmental affairs to start the collection of the one-month pledge from all political appointees, ministers, and the appointees at the Presidency”

Meanwhile Cabinet has approved the bill to facilitate the operations of the Fund. The Bill when passed by parliament will offer government the opportunity to appoint trustees to administer the Fund.

According to President Mahama persons who will manage the Fund will be independent of government interference
“Since the launch, we have been working on the bill. I am happy to say only yesterday Cabinet approved the bill for onward transmission to parliament. So once parliament passes it into law, then it opens it up for us to appoint trustees. We are going to appoint independent trustees to administer the funds” he assured

Eleven Security agencies under the Ministry of Interior have donated an amount of Ghs 1million to the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, dubbed “MahamaCares,”.

The agencies are the Ghana Police Service, Ghana National Fire service, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Prisons Service, National Commission and Small Arms and Light weapons, Ghana Refugees Board, National Peace Council, The Gaming Commission, National Identification Authority, National Disaster Management Organization and the Narcotic Control Commission

The presentation comes after service commanders of the Ghana Armed Forces donated a one month pay check to the Mahama Care Fund.

At short ceremony at the Presidency on Friday, June 20, 2025 to make the presentation, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Christian Tetteh Yohonu said the gesture was borne out of the love they for the nation and the level of deprivation of the vast majority of the Ghanaian people as far as health delivery is concerned.

“A large number of our people in the country really need healthcare. Those of us in the security services, we are fortunate that when we are not well the government is there to take care of us. But there are people over there who have nobody to take care of them when they are sick. It is with this Mr. President we want to support your good initiative and the support we are giving is the beginning of many others to come” he said.

The Ghana Medical Trust Fund seeks to cover the cost of care and medication for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) not currently included under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), thereby complementing it by supporting critical aspects of these conditions.

Additionally, the Fund will invest in health infrastructure, medical equipment, specialist training, and research to enhance access to quality healthcare.

The John Mahama led administration has earmarked GHS 1 billion to retool state security agencies. According to the President, the decision is aimed at equipping the security agencies to deliver their best to the nation.

At short ceremony at the Presidency on Friday, June 20, 2025 to receive a cheque donation from the security agencies to the Ghana Medical Trust Fund otherwise known as the MahamaCares Fund, President Mahama commended them for the gestures. He intimated that it was much appreciated especially looking at the hash conditions they work under adding that government has allocated GHS 1 billion to retool the securities agencies.

“I know you work under difficult circumstances and we’ve actually been discussing with the Minister of Interior how we can retool your services so that you have the equipment and logistics to be able to do your work. And so we had a National Security Council meeting this afternoon and I managed to squeeze the Minister of Finance’s hand behind his back and we’ll get a budget of a billion cedis for retooling of your various services” he said.

President Mahama further added that it is imperative to equip the police especially considering the how sophisticated modern day robbery has become.

“Fire service needs fire equipment urgently. I empathize with my sister here. When the fire service arrives late, people get angry. But they just don’t have the fire tenders. The last set of fire tenders were bought almost 9 years, 10 years ago from Cross Ambulance System.

There’s not been a retooling. Most of those tenders are broken down. So I urge the public to be patient with our fire officers. They are working under difficult circumstances. And so one of the priorities will be to get some new fire tenders for you. The police have to confront armed robbers every day.

And you don’t expect them to do it in light-skinned vehicles. The armed robbers are well armed with AK-47s. They fire back at them. And so getting them armour-plated vehicles for their patrol, highway patrols and things is also something that we’ll look at” he stressed

The Presidency has announced that President John Dramani Mahama will host His Majesty King Mswati III, Ingwenyama of the Kingdom of Eswatini, for a state visit to Ghana next week. The visit is scheduled for Tuesday, 24 June to Saturday, 28 June 2025, spanning four days of official engagements.

King Mswati III is expected to arrive in Accra on Tuesday, 24th June. Upon his arrival, he will be welcomed at the Presidency for bilateral discussions with President Mahama and a high-level Ghanaian delegation. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two countries is anticipated to be signed during this meeting.

On Tuesday afternoon, the King is scheduled to meet with officials at the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat in Accra before departing for Kumasi later in the day.

In Kumasi, His Majesty will be the distinguished guest of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. The itinerary in the Asante capital includes official visits to the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) and a tour of the historic Manhyia Palace Museum. King Mswati III is also scheduled to address the National House of Chiefs and attend a grand durbar of chiefs organised in his honour at Manhyia Palace.

A Royal Banquet will be held in Kumasi on Friday evening. On Saturday, the final day of the visit, King Mswati III will join the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, at a ceremony at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) before departing from Ghana.

King Mswati III’s visit is expected to significantly strengthen diplomatic and economic ties between Ghana and the Kingdom of Eswatini and deepen the historical and cultural links between the Asante Kingdom and the southern African nation.

First Lady and President of the Lordina Foundation, Mrs Lordina Dramani Mahama, has lauded the Merck Foundation for significantly strengthening Ghana’s healthcare system through medical training scholarships.

During her speech at the opening session of the 7th Edition of the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative (MFFLI) Summit 2025, the First Lady emphasised the impact of the foundation’s programmes on Ghanaian doctors and the country’s health sector.

“I am grateful to the Merck Foundation for its strong commitment to strengthening healthcare systems and empowering individuals,” Mrs. Mahama stated, acknowledging the foundation’s 13 years of transformative development across Africa and Asia.

She highlighted the Merck Foundation’s scholarship programme, which has granted over 2,000 scholarships to young doctors from 52 countries. “I am especially proud that two hundred and ten (210) Ghanaian doctors are among the beneficiaries,” she announced.

“I celebrate your dedication and the care you bring to countless families back home,” she remarked, emphasising the tangible impact of the training on communities across Ghana.

Mrs. Mahama also touched on the role of First Ladies as Ambassadors for the Merck Foundation’s ‘More Than a Mother’ campaign, which addresses critical issues like infertility stigma and reproductive health, indirectly supporting the work of these trained medical professionals.

She emphasised the importance of collaboration, noting that “progress is possible when public and private partners unite.” The First Lady conveyed the Lordina Foundation’s keen interest in strengthening its partnership with the Merck Foundation to “enhance our activities in health and education and combat stigma across Ghana.”

“We will continue to write stories of hope and transformation across our nations,” Mrs Mahama affirmed.

President John Mahama has indicated that the government will soon declare the Tema and Takoradi ports as 24-hour ports.

According to the President, the relevant ministries and agencies are working to roll out the initiative with the operationalization of the 24-Hour Economy Policy Initiative on July 1,2025.

Speaking at the opening of the Ghana Horticulture Expo ’25, President John Mahama reaffirmed the government resolved to roll out the 24-hour amongst others policy Initiatives.

The Ghana Horticulture Expo ’25 is under the Theme: innovate, Transform, sustain: Driving growth in Ghana’s Horticulture sector

President Mahama said the government is rolling out policy interventions to unlock the country’s production capacity
“We are also implementing a game changing strategy -the 24-Hour economy initiative to unlock Ghana’s productive potentials across all sectors. And I am pleased to announce that on July 1, the 24-Hour Economy Policy Initiative will be ready to go into operation” he assured

He further intimated that “The Ministry of Trade, Agri-Business and Industry, Ministry of Transport, Ghana Revenue Authority, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Ghana Shippers Council and other stakeholders are working to soon declare the Tema and Takoradi ports as 24-hour ports” he said.

The President also called on the investor community to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AFCFTA) and make Ghana their preferred destination adding that Ghana is open for business.

What are those cymbals clashing… those discordant trumpets blowing?

Why is hot air gushing out of putrid exhaust fumes?

Who are those strutting their stuff in the hot sun, attempting to annexe a seat that does not belong to them?

In the midst of the tantrums, where is the voice of the arbiter?

Where is the bell of the institution supposed to deal fairly with all sides and present an end to the seeming stalemate?

Where is the voice of decision-making? We all watch from the sidelines, not wanting to be accused of interfering with the constitutional mandate of the referee… wishing to be perceived as bastions of democracy who do not interfere with the authority of an EC Chairperson who dances kpanlogo to the sound of the fontomfrom drums.

… but the voice of the people must be heard on the soil of Ablekuma North. The cry of her constituents must be regarded by the matriarchs and patriarchs of the land.

The whip must be cracked by the spirit of the nation. The scales of Lady Justice must stand balanced even as her blindfold signifies the absence of bias.

So let us all speak… let us tell the EC that enough is enough. Let us tell Jean Mensah to declare a re-run in sixty-two (62) polling stations of Ablekuma North Constituency for peace to prevail.

REWIND
On Dec 7-8, 2024, violence at the Ablekuma North collation center led to a number of carbonated pink sheets being destroyed.

Subsequently, carbonated pink sheets were used to collate the results of two hundred and nineteen (219) out of the two hundred and eighty-one (281) polling stations of Ablekuma North Constituency.

At this point, there were no more carbonated pink sheets from the EC, the NDC or the NPP to continue the collation exercise.

The NPP then attempted to present scanned pink sheets to continue the collation exercise.

Dr. Benjamin Bannor Bio, EC Director of Elections, declared that no scanned pink sheets would be accepted in the collation process.

On January 5, 2025, however, Dr. Sereboe Quaicoe, EC Director for Training, changed the ground rules and instructed the Returning Officer to accept the NPP’s scanned pink sheets.

On what authority does a Director for Training overturn the decision of a Director of Elections at this stage of the electioneering process?

Thereafter, a total of forty-two (42) scanned pink sheets were wrongfully accepted by the EC for collation amidst serious opposition from the NDC.

Then, with a swift change of tactics, on January 6, 2025, thirteen (13) Ablekuma North Presiding Officers who presided at some of the remaining polling stations during the December 7th elections, were brought to the collation center by the EC, to validate the results on the NPP’s scanned pink sheets.

On January 8, 2025, four (4) more presiding officers were brought in. Some of these seventeen (17) Presiding Officers were unable to validate the results on the scanned pink sheets for their polling stations.

QUESTIONS UNANSWERED
1. Is it part of the laws or training of the EC to use scanned pink sheets from one political party to collate the results of an election, when both the EC and the other party have no carbonised pink sheets to validate the figures on the scanned pink sheets?

2. In this situation, is it fair for the EC to declare the election in favour of the political party with the scanned pink sheets?

3. What kind of audacity makes this acceptable?

4. What is most amazing is the unflinching stance of the EC in perpetuating this injustice … boldly marching to the tune of the scanned pink sheets anthem … and their losing symbol. Then, claiming, in a bold faced lie, that the decision to accept the scanned pink sheets was unanimously agreed upon by the EC and the two political parties.

This swashbuckling process championed by the EC Chairperson and her two deputies is NOT acceptable!

No ground stomping, no walks from Timbuktu to Accra, no swimming of shark filled oceans, no unpalatable grunting of a wounded elephant and its associates, will make what is wrong… right.

Adukwei, order a re-run at the sixty-two (62) polling stations of Ablekuma North Constituency where you used NPP scanned pink sheets for collation… and stop wasting our time with diabolic drama.

I am for peace …
Shalom

Dr Valerie Esther Sawyerr
Senior Presidential Advisor for Governmental Affairs

June 11, 2025.