Deputy Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Essikado-Ketan, Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, has been appointed as a Secretariat Member of the African High-Level Ministerial Committee (AHLMC), a key African Union body tasked with reforming global health governance.

Her appointment forms part of efforts by the African Union to strengthen Africa’s voice and influence in global health decision-making processes.

The decision was communicated in a letter dated April 13, 2026, and signed by Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Jean Kaseya, following approval by the AU Assembly during its 39th Ordinary Session in February 2026.

The AHLMC is a flagship AU initiative aimed at consolidating Africa’s position and advocating for a more equitable, coherent, and effective global health system.

Under the framework, the Secretariat—led by the Africa CDC and supported by member states including Ghana and South Africa—provides strategic, technical, and operational support to the committee. Its mandate includes high-level policy engagement, analytical support, stakeholder coordination, and implementation of agreed reforms.

As a Secretariat member, Dr Ayensu-Danquah is expected to contribute to key priority areas such as health governance reform, sustainable financing, equitable access to healthcare, resilient health systems, and data accountability.

A board-certified general surgeon and public health policy expert, she brings extensive experience in trauma, burns, and reconstructive surgery, alongside a track record in health systems strengthening and policy alignment at both national and continental levels.

Boost for Ghana’s health diplomacy

Her appointment is seen as positioning Ghana prominently within Africa’s broader push to reshape global health governance and amplify the continent’s collective voice.

It also aligns with the health agenda of President John Dramani Mahama, which prioritises health system strengthening, preventive care, and regional cooperation.

The government has in recent months rolled out key initiatives, including the Free Primary Healthcare policy aimed at achieving Universal Health Coverage by 2030, and the Ghana Medical Health Trust, designed to mobilise sustainable funding for critical healthcare delivery and infrastructure.

These interventions are expected to complement ongoing efforts to improve public health financing, rebuild confidence in the National Health Insurance Scheme, and expand access to quality care, particularly in underserved communities.

Authorities have also reiterated their commitment to strengthening Ghana’s role in continental and global health governance, with a focus on equitable access to medicines, local pharmaceutical manufacturing, disease surveillance, and data systems.

Extensive global experience

In a statement, Dr Kaseya noted that Dr Ayensu-Danquah’s leadership and experience would “greatly enrich the work of the AHLMC Secretariat” and contribute to meaningful reforms in global health systems.

Dr Ayensu-Danquah holds medical degrees from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the University of Southern California, as well as a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.

She is licensed to practise medicine in California, Michigan, and Maryland in the United States, and operates a private surgical facility in Accra.

She also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Surgery at the University of Utah Center for Global Surgery.

The lawmaker has previously served on the Technical Advisory Committee on the Safety of Vaccines and Biological Products of Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority and has been involved with Days for Girls International Ghana.

Through her non-governmental initiative, Healing Hands Organisation, she has led efforts to provide free surgical care and donate medical equipment to underserved communities across the country.

She is a fellow of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons.

President John Dramani Mahama as debunked assertions that the ongoing power outages shows the return of the power crisis also known as ‘Dumsor’.

According to him, it’s a calculated ploy to replace obsolete transformers in a bid to provide stable power for Ghanaians.

He said with the increasing population, it has become incumbent to undertake a mass replacement of the transformers to ensure power stability.

“ I appeal to our people. The outages we are facing are not DUMSOR . It is to enable you to get better quality and stable power” President Mahama said on Sunday.

President John Mahama who inspected transformers at the Northern Distribution Company (NEDCO) and Electricity Company Limited at the NEDCO Yard in Tamale on Sunday April 19,2026 as part of his two day tour of the region, President Mahama said the “We started to expand access to electricity from as far back as the 1980s when we started the national electrification program. At that time the population of Ghana was much smaller than it is today” he said

He said the aged old transformers are serving beyond their capacity.
“Today we are 33 million and it means that all our communities are expanding and so If we take the example of the transformer in Nungua, which was 22 years old, you can imagine that the transformer was installed 22 years ago” he stressed

He said for many years, ECG and NEDCO have not done anything a mass replacement of transformers to upgrade the power of the transformers to be able to meet the growing demand in the communities.

President Mahama who expressed joy over the manufacturing of these transformers locally however called on NEDCO and ECG to improve customer service response.

“We might just now improve customer response time. We need a system where when customers call, there is a quick response to either rectify faults or something. I was discussing that with the minister yesterday. So I am sure he will get back in touch with you to see how we can get some proper call centres, and employ young Ghanaians to sit there and respond to people when they call reporting faults and then we must have teams that are responding immediately if a fault is reported” he stressed.

President John Dramani Mahama as debunked assertions that the ongoing power outages shows the return of the power crisis also known as ‘Dumsor’.

According to him, it’s a calculated ploy to replace obsolete transformers in a bid to provide stable power for Ghanaians.

He said with the increasing population, it has become incumbent to undertake a mass replacement of the transformers to ensure power stability.

“ I appeal to our people. The outages we are facing are not DUMSOR . It is to enable you to get better quality and stable power” President Mahama said on Sunday.

President John Mahama who inspected transformers at the Northern Distribution Company (NEDCO) and Electricity Company Limited at the NEDCO Yard in Tamale on Sunday April 19,2026 as part of his two day tour of the region, President Mahama said the “We started to expand access to electricity from as far back as the 1980s when we started the national electrification program. At that time the population of Ghana was much smaller than it is today” he said

He said the aged old transformers are serving beyond their capacity.
“Today we are 33 million and it means that all our communities are expanding and so If we take the example of the transformer in Nungua, which was 22 years old, you can imagine that the transformer was installed 22 years ago” he stressed

He said for many years, ECG and NEDCO have not done anything a mass replacement of transformers to upgrade the power of the transformers to be able to meet the growing demand in the communities.

President Mahama who expressed joy over the manufacturing of these transformers locally however called on NEDCO and ECG to improve customer service response.

“We might just now improve customer response time. We need a system where when customers call, there is a quick response to either rectify faults or something. I was discussing that with the minister yesterday. So I am sure he will get back in touch with you to see how we can get some proper call centres, and employ young Ghanaians to sit there and respond to people when they call reporting faults and then we must have teams that are responding immediately if a fault is reported” he stressed.

Source : myxyzonline/Wisdon Hededzome

President John Dramani Mahama has pledged to end the aged long water crises in Tamale and its environs.
He maintains that the water crises that has lingered for years can only be ended by him as an indigene.

Recounting the water crises as fa back as his days in Ghana Secondary School in Tamale, President made referenced the long distance on foot to the Vitim Dam to get water as students. “I grew up in Tamale, so I know the Tamale water problem has been a very persistent one. I remember when we were in Ghana school, we used to go to Vitim Dam to go and fetch water to wash our clothes and to bath” President Mahama recounted.

Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of the 24-hour economy model market in Kukuo in the Tamale metropolis, on Saturday April 18,2026 as part of his two day #Resetting Ghana Tour of the region, President Mahama intimated that the erstwhile Akufo Addo regime defaulted in debts, and hence could not secure the €277 million facility needed for the water projects in Tamale and Damongo.

He has since directed the finance minister to raise the amount domestically to finance the project.
“I have directed the Minister of Finance that we will find our own €277 million in cities. And we will do the water system ourselves. I want to assure the people of Tamale” he said.
He added that as a citizen of the area, the onus lies on him to fix it.

“I am a citizen of Tamale. If I don’t solve this water issue, nobody will come and do it. I can assure you that we are going to fix the Tamale water problem” he pledged.
President Mahama further indicated that “this new system is going to bring 30 million gallons of water every day to Tamale”.

Source : myxyzonline/wisdon Hededzome

Ghana has once again drawn global attention to Africa’s historical truth.

Acting on behalf of the African Union, President John Dramani Mahama recently secured international recognition of slavery as the gravest crime against humanity. The decision marks a significant moral victory—one that reaffirms the scale and brutality of a system that displaced millions of Africans and reshaped the global economy to the continent’s disadvantage.

For generations, the story of slavery has lived in history books and collective memory. This recognition elevates it to a shared global responsibility. It restores dignity and acknowledges that the suffering of Africans was neither incidental nor acceptable.

Yet, important as it is, recognition alone does not alter present realities.

Africa today faces a more subtle, but equally consequential challenge: economic dependence.

The continent continues to export raw materials while importing finished goods at significantly higher value. From cocoa to gold, bauxite to lithium, Africa remains largely positioned at the lower end of global value chains.

In Ghana, cocoa farmers produce a critical input for a multibillion-dollar global chocolate industry, yet capture only a small share of its value. This pattern is repeated across sectors and across the continent.

While the context has changed, the structural imbalance persists.

Ghana’s diplomatic success must now prompt a deeper national and continental reflection.

What does independence mean in practical terms?
Who benefits from current economic arrangements?

As Kwame Nkrumah cautioned, political independence without economic control is incomplete. Decades later, the evidence supports that position.

Across Africa:
• Raw exports continue to dominate trade profiles
• Youth unemployment remains a pressing concern
• Local enterprises face structural constraints
• Multinational firms often operate with significant policy advantages

This raises legitimate questions about the design and intent of existing economic frameworks.

Foreign direct investment remains an important component of development. However, it cannot substitute for strong domestic enterprise.

A more balanced approach is required—one that prioritizes partnership over dependency.

This involves:
• Strengthening local participation in major industries
• Creating frameworks for technology and knowledge transfer
• Ensuring that local businesses are not systematically disadvantaged

Policy direction will be critical. Incentives must shift toward supporting domestic production and entrepreneurship, while maintaining an environment that encourages responsible investment.

The Imperative of Industrialisation

Recent signals from government to expand local processing are encouraging.

For an economy with significant natural resources, the continued export of raw materials alongside the importation of finished goods reflects a missed opportunity. Industrialisation offers a pathway to retain value, create jobs, and build resilience.

This requires deliberate policy choices:
• Investing in processing capacity
• Prioritizing local content in procurement
• Encouraging consumption of locally manufactured goods

Elsewhere on the continent, countries such as Zimbabwe, Guinea, and Gabon are adopting firmer positions by requiring in-country processing of key resources.

These measures underscore a broader shift toward resource nationalism and value retention.

The recognition of slavery is a milestone, but it must translate into sustained economic action.

Long-term development cannot be subject to short political cycles. Industrial and economic policies must be consistent, predictable, and insulated from partisan changes.

At a time when global demand for Africa’s resources is intensifying, the continent must take a more strategic approach to engagement.

The central question remains: how can Africa ensure that its resources generate inclusive and lasting benefits for its people?

Africa stands at a critical juncture.

The acknowledgment of historical injustice provides an opportunity—not just for reflection, but for recalibration.

Breaking from patterns of dependency will require coordinated policy, institutional discipline, and a renewed commitment to building local capacity.

The next phase of Africa’s development must be defined not only by what it produces, but by what it retains.

Source : myxyzonline.com

President John Dramani Mahama continues to enjoy strong public support, maintaining a 67% approval rating, according to a new poll by Global InfoAnalytics.

The survey released on March 25, 2026, showed that only 26% of voters disapprove of his performance, though it was a slight increase from 24% recorded in December 2025, while approval remains unchanged.

Support for President Mahama, according to the survey, spans all regions, including traditional opposition strongholds.

In the Ashanti Region, which is the stronghold of the opposition, New Patriotic Party (NPP), the poll showed that 56% of voters approve of his performance, while approval stands at 64% in the Eastern Region and 65% in the North East Region.

In the Ashanti Region, which is the stronghold of the opposition, New Patriotic Party (NPP), the poll showed that 56% of voters approve of his performance, while approval stands at 64% in the Eastern Region and 65% in the North East Region.

The poll also indicates that a majority of party affiliates back the president’s performance, except for supporters of the NPP.

In the direction of the country, 65% of respondents in the survey noted that Ghana is headed in the right direction, though there was a marginal drop from 66% in the previous quarter.

Meanwhile, 28% believe the country is on the wrong path, up from 24%, while those with no opinion declined from 10% to 7%.

Living standards appear to have improved for many Ghanaians, with 58% of voters saying their conditions are better than a year ago, compared to 16% who report a decline.

However, optimism about the future has dipped slightly. The poll found that 68% of voters expect their standard of living to improve over the next 12 months, down from 70% in the previous quarter, suggesting growing unease over potential inflationary pressures linked to the Middle East conflict.