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Mahama is right, NPP populating state institutions with cronies – Kwakye Ofosu
Former Deputy Communications Minister, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has backed comments by former president John Dramani Mahama that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has a history of staffing state institutions with its cronies.
Mr. Mahama made the accusation while addressing the closing ceremony of the 3rd Annual Lawyers Conference of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Saturday, September 2.
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu, who was speaking on Eyewitness News on Citi News, said the NPP has a long-standing history of deliberately staffing state institutions in order to have its way in most issues in the country.
“It has been a long-standing strategy of the NPP to dominate state institutions so that they can have their way on any matter they deem fit so they go about staffing state institutions with NPP people. It started in the Kuffuor era but he used more subtle means, but as for President Akufo-Addo, he has adopted the crudest fashion to do this and you recall what he did with the Electoral Commission when he came into office and removed Charlotte Osei on trumped-up charges and promptly appointed someone we know to be NPP and when we thought that he was going to end there, he appointed one Appiah Hene who is an NPP person as a commissioner,” Mr. Kwakye Ofosu told Umaru Sanda Amadu.
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu cited a number of appointments made by President Akufo-Addo as evidence of this cronyism, including the appointment of Justice Solomon Twumasi, a former Dormaa East constituency chairman of the NPP, as a High Court judge.
“If you look at the judiciary, President Akufo-Addo has decided that at all cost, the NPP must have overwhelming dominance in the judiciary set up, so he has appointed over eleven Supreme Court judges in the last seven years and he has appointed close to one hundred High Court judges and if you come to scrutinise these appointments, you will find people who are openly NPP so it is not as if president Mahama did not know what he was saying.
“If you go to the High Court today, the NPP’s former Dormaa East constituency chairman is called Justice Solomon Twumasi and he is now a High Court judge appointed by President Akufo-Addo. There is Justice Eric Ansah Ankomah who is currently at the Tamale High Court and a known NPP person so there is no other evidence you will need to show that the judiciary has been heavily politicised.”
Source: Citinewsroom.com
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Zipline, GHS reduce maternal mortality in Ashanti Region by 56.4% – Study
A recent impact assessment study on aerial logistics to improve maternal health and emergencies has revealed a remarkable reduction in maternal mortality by 56.4% in Ghana’s Ashanti Region, thanks to the collaborative efforts of Zipline and the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
This was revealed at the National Ghana Health Service Research Conference organized by the Ghana Health Service in partnership with Zipline. The study, which focused on the impact of aerial logistics in healthcare, also noted a 19.9% increase in antenatal visits and a 25% rise in in-facility births, signaling a significant boost in maternal health outcomes.
The success according to the study is attributed to the on-demand availability of blood and essential medical supplies provided by Zipline’s innovative drone delivery system. This consistent access to critical resources has increased patient confidence in the healthcare system, encouraging more mothers to seek necessary care throughout their pregnancies.
Speaking on the highlight of the study, the Research Officer at Ashanti Regional Health Directorate stated, “the significant decrease in maternal mortality we’ve seen is a clear indication of the vital role that reliable access to medical supplies plays in healthcare. The ability to deliver blood and essential medicines exactly when they’re needed has transformed how mothers in the Ashanti Region perceive and engage with the healthcare system.”
“It’s an achievement that speaks to the importance of introducing technology in healthcare delivery. Mothers now feel more confident in seeking care, knowing that they will receive the support they need throughout their pregnancies,”he stated.
The study examined data from 191 health facilities, including hospitals, health centers, and Community-based Health and Planning Services (CHPS) Compounds. Among these, 99 facilities were served by Zipline’s aerial logistics, while 91 were not. The research employed adjusted rates for various key indicators, such as antenatal consultations, emergency visits, referrals, live births, hysterectomies, maternal deaths, and neonatal deaths, as the main dependent variables.
The qualitative aspect of the study aimed to describe and analyze the changes in satisfaction levels among healthcare providers and patients, perceived quality of care in maternal health and emergencies, and experiences related to the use of aerial logistics. In-depth interviews were conducted with 22 patients and 23 healthcare providers at the participating facilities.
Globally, maternal mortality remains a critical public health challenge, with stark disparities between high-income and low-to-middle-income countries (LMICs).
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the majority of maternal deaths occur in LMICs, often due to preventable causes. In Ghana, particularly in the Ashanti Region, the problem is critical, reflecting the broader challenges faced across the African continent. Beyond this, socio-economic, geographic, and infrastructural factors intensify the risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth, highlighting the urgent need for innovative solutions to improve maternal health outcomes.
As maternal mortality continues to pose a challenge in low-to-middle-income countries, the success seen in Ghana’s Ashanti Region offers a promising model for other regions and nations striving to improve maternal health outcomes through innovative solutions.
Zipline is poised to continue leading the way in revolutionizing healthcare delivery, ensuring that every mother has access to the life-saving resources, no matter where she lives.
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Traders, ‘Okada’ riders take over Circle pavement
• Korle-Bu CEO with staff of Nivaansh MediQas
Activities of traders and drug addicts are contributing to make the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange (Circle) area very uncomfortable and unsafe for commuters.
Day in and out, pedestrians are ‘ejected’ from the pavement created for their safety as traders preferred to sell their wares on that space.
That hinders the free movement of the pedestrians.
The small space left for the pedestrians are also shared with ‘Okada’ riders.
As if these woes are not enough for a commuter on a single day, they also have to navigate carefully to avoid clashes with drug addicts and the mentally challenged.
These people have turned the pavements into their places of abode, covering every inch of space with their wares.
Our photographer, Lizzy Okai, captures some of the unfriendly scenes the authorities must try and deal with to restore sanity to the area.
By Lizzy Okai
