An Upper East Regional Communications Team member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Isaac Ayemvoa, has described the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) decision to opt out of the Tamale Central by-election as a gesture that promotes unity in the wake of tragedy.
“It’s a good one for unity and togetherness as a people. It’s a good move,” he said.
Speaking on A1 Radio, he, however, expressed concern about the timing of the decision and the factors influencing it. The by-election became necessary following the death of the constituency’s Member of Parliament, Murtala Mohammed, one of eight victims of the helicopter crash on Wednesday, August 6, 2025.
Mr Ayemvoa argued that the decision was made too soon, noting that the nation is still in mourning and several victims are yet to be buried.
“We are yet to bury the other six, and already people are putting pressure on leadership to take decisions — ‘contest, don’t contest,’” he said.
He cautioned against allowing public pressure, particularly from party supporters, to dictate major political decisions. “We shouldn’t allow our followers to dictate things for us.”
According to him, while the withdrawal may seem acceptable in the current climate of grief, its long-term implications might be regrettable. He suggested that contesting the election, even without securing a win, could have provided an opportunity for candidates to connect with the electorate and build their political presence for the future.
“The more you appear before the people and appeal to their conscience, you may not be coming out to win, but you may want to leave a mark,” he explained.
Mr Ayemvoa warned that repeated decisions of this nature could weaken strategic planning and reduce electoral competitiveness over time.
An Upper East Regional Communications Team member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Johnson Ayine, has endorsed the party’s decision not to contest the Tamale Central by-election following the death of the constituency’s Member of Parliament, Murtala Mohammed, in the August 6 helicopter crash that claimed eight lives.
“I’m not surprised that the party has taken that decision,” he said.
Speaking on A1 Radio, Mr Ayine described the move as a responsible step, particularly in the context of national mourning.
However, he noted that the political environment often places undue pressure on party executives, with public commentary sometimes pushing for hasty decisions. In his view, the choice to withdraw reflects a commitment to unity and offers an opportunity to set aside political rivalry in favour of national cohesion.
“Everybody has the right and freedom to express his or her feelings, but at times, we should not put unnecessary pressure on executives to make decisions. I am in support of the decision not to participate, especially looking at the way the incident happened.”
He added that the tragedy should serve as a reminder for Ghanaians to put aside divisive politics and focus on building solidarity rather than prioritising electoral competition. Mr Ayine further stressed that moments like these should be used to heal divisions and promote togetherness.
The SRHR Advocates Network in the Upper East Region has marked International Youth Day 2025 with a strong call to address teenage pregnancy, describing it as a major threat to girls’ education, health, and future.
Under the theme “Youth Empowerment for a Sustainable Future”, the network highlighted alarming figures from the Ghana Health Service, which recorded 2,436 teenage pregnancies between January and May 2025 — including 25 cases among girls aged 10–14 and 2,411 among those aged 15–19.
The group warned that teenage pregnancy leads to school dropouts, health complications, stigma, and economic strain on both families and public services. Root causes identified include the lack of comprehensive sexuality education, cultural taboos, gender-based violence, poverty, and poor access to youth-friendly health services.
The network urged the National Youth Authority, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to act by integrating reproductive health education into schools, expanding adolescent-friendly services, providing legal and psychosocial support for survivors, engaging community leaders in open dialogue, and mobilizing resources to scale up interventions.
“Teenage pregnancy should never be a barrier to a girl’s dreams. Every girl deserves safety, dignity, education, and opportunity,” the statement read.
The press release was signed by 11 partner organizations, including Youth Harvest Foundation Ghana, AfriKids, Rise Ghana, Camfed Ghana, Restorative Seed Society, PPA, INTYON, Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Health (Upper East Region), UERCC-UNFPA/Focal Person, Asige Foundation, and RTP.
Founder and General Overseer of the Stars of Heaven Ministries, Prophet David Rauf, has strongly criticised pastors who rush to publish prophecies about tragedies on social media without making any effort to avert them. He described such actions as attention-seeking stunts aimed at gaining online popularity at the expense of human suffering.
His comments, captured in a 4-minute 59-second video circulating on social media, follow last week’s helicopter crash in the Ashanti Region that claimed eight lives, including Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah. After the tragedy, a pastor claimed he had foreseen an aircraft accident involving the late minister but could not reach him to warn him.
Prophet Rauf questioned that claim, insisting “there is no one on earth who is unreachable… even the devil is reachable.” He argued that if God reveals danger about a person, a true prophet should find ways to communicate it—either directly or through intermediaries—rather than “broadcasting it for likes and shares.”
Quoting the scripture, he said, “The Bible says God reveals to redeem. If your responsibility is only to see and announce, and it still happens, why would the Lord reveal it to you?” He maintained that genuine prophetic ministry works discreetly behind the scenes, mobilising intercessors to pray until danger is averted.
Prophet Rauf contrasted “leaders who react with maturity” to others who use calamities to showcase their prophetic abilities. He recounted how, during the 2024 election, some prophets quietly raised prayer teams without announcing their visions publicly, and their intercession yielded results.
He also cautioned against equating social media visibility with spiritual authority, saying some of Ghana’s most effective prophets are unknown to the public and operate without online platforms. “Speaking revelations on social media does not make you a prophet,” he said. “It is wisdom to act without unnecessary publicity.”
Calling for humility and discretion, Prophet Rauf urged ministers to focus on redeeming lives rather than building personal brands from misfortune. “In seasons like this, even if you have seen it, you should bow your head in shame if you cannot pray to change it,” he stressed.
The Rotary Club of Navrongo Charter has presented state-of-the-art Intensive Care Unit (ICU) medical equipment worth Gh¢ 500,000 to the War Memorial Hospital in Navrongo to improve critical health care.
The equipment includes an ICU Ventilator, fully electric automated hospital beds with a five-function remote control, a hospital syringe pump, a hospital biphasic defibrillator, and a BG-800A Blood Gas Analyzer. The rest of the equipment includes BKE Auto-loader Serum Electrolyte Analyzer, KT-SP750 infusion pump, and 12.1-inch multi-parameter ICU patient monitor.
The donation, presented at a brief ceremony at the hospital’s premises on Monday, is part of the Rotary Club of Navrongo’s ‘Intensive Care Unit Support project’, launched on August 10 last year. In his address, Dr. Dennis Chirawurah, Charter President of the Rotary Club of Navrongo, expressed deep appreciation to the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) for fully funding the purchase of all the equipment and for providing additional support towards the construction of the ICU building. He also thanked the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) for contributing to the building project, as well as individuals and Rotarians who gave generously to the cause.
Dr. Chirawurah gave special mention to Mr. Michael Luguje, the immediate past Director-General of GPHA, whose personal intervention facilitated the payment of clearing costs and transportation of the equipment to Navrongo. He also acknowledged Rotarian Gordon Tanga and his team of architects and engineers, who designed and supervised the ICU building free of charge.
He appealed to other agencies, including the Municipal Assembly and banks, to help complete the building so the equipment can be fully put to use.
“The optimal utilization of the ICU equipment is tied to the successful completion of the building currently under construction,” he stressed. “We will be following up on earlier appeals for support towards the completion of this worthy project.”
The Medical Superintendent of the War Memorial Hospital, Dr. Abraham Babatuiamu Titigah, noted that the facility serves patients from Builsa South District, Builsa North Municipal, Kassena-Nankana West District, and even parts of neighbouring Burkina Faso.
In the absence of such critical equipment, he said the hospital had been forced to refer many emergency cases to the Upper East Regional Hospital in Bolgatanga.
“With this donation, our ability to handle emergencies here in Navrongo will be greatly improved,” Dr. Titigah said. “It will reduce delays in care, improve patient survival rates, and keep families closer to their loved ones during treatment.”
For Dr. (Med) Braimah Baba Abubakari, Upper East Regional Director of Health Services, the significance of the donation goes beyond emergency response. He revealed that many maternal deaths in the region occur after successful cesarean sections, during the recovery phase, due to inadequate post-surgery critical care.
“Most of the surgeries themselves are successful,” Dr. Abubakari explained. “But the aftercare is where we lose many mothers—not because our staff are incompetent, but because we lack the equipment to sustain them during recovery.”
He said the establishment of an ICU will directly address these gaps. “I have seen in other places how the introduction of an ICU has drastically reduced maternal deaths. I am very optimistic that this will be a game changer for the Upper East Region,” he emphasized.
The Paramount Chief of the Navrongo Traditional Area, Pe Asagpaare Aneakwoa Balinia Adda II, lauded the Rotary Club of Navrongo for the foresight and commitment to improving healthcare in the municipality. He entreated the management of the hospital to take good care of the equipment.
The Municipal Chief Executive for Kassena-Nankana, Faustina Akeyom Abulu, said the donation would complement government health programs such as the Ghana Medical Trust Fund and the free primary health care initiative.
Preparations for the opening of a temporary passport office in the Upper East Region are at an advanced stage, with only a few finishing touches left before it becomes operational.
This is according to the founder and leader of Alagumbe, Gabriel Agambila. “We’ve almost completed the place. Painting has been done, partitioning has been done, the outer painting of the building, anyone who takes a ride through the commercial street would see the vast difference from the way the building used to be.”
The facility, located along the commercial street in Bolgatanga, has undergone significant transformation, including painting, partitioning, and other structural upgrades. Speaking during an interview on A1 Radio, Mr Agambila revealed that currently, the outstanding work involves tiling, installing fittings, and adding a front railing. According to him, plans are also underway to level the compound with chippings to address the potholes on the grounds.
He expressed optimism that the office will be ready by the end of the week, although some funding challenges remain. Mr Agambila pointed out that one of the major expenses has been the installation of glass doors, costing around GHS24,000. “Hopefully, by the end of this weekend, the place should be ready but we still have some challenges. The glass doors that we’re putting on, the glass doors alone cost us 24,000 Ghana cedis.”
He also stressed that despite these costs, community support has played a major role in pushing the project forward, with residents contributing resources and labour, and some workers even volunteering their services without taking payment. “I think residents have done tremendously very, very well because they are a backbone, they are helping us. The guys who are doing the painting haven’t taken a dime from us. That whole building that has been painted, they haven’t taken a dime from us. All we do is just provide breakfast, lunch, and that’s it. And they are doing a tremendous job at the site.
The Alagumbe founder and leader further highlighted that there is still a requirement for assistance to complete key installations such as air conditioning, washrooms, and outdoor landscaping. Additional support will also be needed for the commissioning ceremony, which is expected to bring together local chiefs, journalists, and community members.
“We still need help because, you know, things that I mentioned, the air conditioning, the tiling, the washrooms, and the chippings that we need to spread, we still need help, and it’s not easy. It’s not easy on us, but we are trying, and people are doing their best to help us get this thing going,” he said and continued, “we still need help, because on the day that the office will be commissioned, we will have a meeting there with some of the chiefs. You know, we need to transport them, we need canopies, we need chairs, and we will need item 13, of course, for journalists and people who will be coming. So we still need help to make this come into reality.”
The temporary office is being established to serve the region while the permanent passport office remains under construction.
The Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC) has bowed to intense public criticism and calls from key stakeholders, leading to the withdrawal of its planned 20% increment in transport fares.
Speaking exclusively to Moses Apiah, the General Secretary of the GRTCC, Emmanuel Ohene-Yeboah, explained that the decision to increase fares was necessitated by several operational challenges.
He cited the recent introduction of a new GH¢1.00 per litre fuel levy, which has pushed fuel prices up by about 8%, directly impacting the daily running costs of transport operators.
Mr. Ohene-Yeboah further highlighted that fluctuating fuel prices, coupled with the non-reduction in the cost of spare parts, had made the transport business increasingly expensive to sustain.
He noted that while the fare increment was a logical step to cushion drivers and operators, the Council had to prioritize the concerns of the general public.
“We had no choice but to listen to the voices of the people,” Mr. Ohene-Yeboah stated. “The economic situation is already difficult, and we do not want to worsen the burden on passengers.”
Selected journalists in the Upper East Region have been urged to use their platforms to highlight the plight of vulnerable populations affected by neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), particularly skin-related conditions such as leprosy and lymphatic filariasis.
Speaking at a media engagement on Thursday, August 2025, Mr. Jonathan Adabre Atiah, Executive Director of the Development, Research and Advocacy Centre (DRAC), stressed the urgency of addressing these often-overlooked health challenges.
Supported by the Anesvad Foundation, DRAC is spearheading interventions in 40 communities across the Bongo, Talensi, Nabdam, and Binduri districts. These initiatives include awareness creation, anti-stigma campaigns, and the installation of 10 boreholes to improve access to clean water.
Mr. Atiah emphasized that the media serves as a vital bridge between affected communities, policymakers, and the public. “Through the media, we can change the narrative and ensure the challenges of those living with NTDs are not ignored,” he noted.
Highlighting the consequences of inaction, he lamented that many patients suffer deformities, loss of livelihood, and deep social stigma. He called for intensified education and stronger partnerships between public health workers, community health volunteers, and the media.
Adding depth to the training, award-winning journalist and media consultant Mohammed Fugu took participants through effective strategies for NTD reporting, including thematic coverage, compelling visual storytelling, and the “five pillars” of impactful health journalism.
Participants expressed appreciation to DRAC and its partners for equipping them with the tools and knowledge to influence change.
In a display of gratitude and community spirit, beneficiaries of AfriKids, a child rights organization working in northern Ghana, organized a cleanup exercise at the AfriKids Hospital and made a generous donation of a 43-inch television set to the children’s ward.
The initiative, which took place on Saturday, brought together young people who have benefited from AfriKids’ educational and welfare programs over the years. Armed with gloves, rakes, brooms, and a strong sense of purpose, the group spent several hours cleaning the hospital compound, collecting waste, and sensitizing visitors on the importance of hygiene and sanitation in healthcare settings.
Speaking during the event, the president of the AfriKids Alumni, Madam Linda Dotse, said the exercise was a way to give back to the community that supported them through their formative years.
“Most of us have received immense support from AfriKids — school fees, shelter, healthcare, and mentorship. Today, we are standing here not as beneficiaries, but as responsible adults who want to positively impact our community,” she said.
As part of the outreach, the group also donated a brand-new 43-inch television set to the children’s ward to provide entertainment and comfort for young patients during their hospital stay.
Receiving the donation on behalf of the hospital, the General Ward In-Charge of the Children’s Ward, Madam Helen Tsibu, expressed heartfelt appreciation to the AfriKids Alumni, describing the act as inspiring and commendable.
The Director of AfriKids Hospital, Mr. Godfred Njindan, who was present at the event, praised the beneficiaries for embodying the organization’s core values of empowerment and social responsibility.
“This is the true impact of sustainable development — when those who were once supported rise to support others. We are incredibly proud of what these young people are doing. The television came at the right time; we were actually planning to replace that particular one. We are so grateful to the group for their generosity,” Mr. Njindan said.
The clean-up and donation form part of a broader movement among AfriKids alumni to initiate community-led projects across the Upper East Region. Organizers hinted at plans to replicate similar exercises in schools, markets, and public institutions in the coming months.
AfriKids has worked in Ghana since 2002, focusing on child protection, education, and healthcare. The organization is widely recognized for its grassroots approach to development and its success in empowering vulnerable children and families.
The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), on Friday, donated GHC10,000 to the Upper East Regional Hospital in Bolgatanga, as part of its annual corporate social responsibility initiative to support institutions across the country.
This year, the Customs Division has directed its donations specifically to health centres nationwide, recognizing the crucial role these facilities play in saving lives. Presenting the cheque, Sector Commander for the Customs Division in Bolgatanga, Samuel Owusu, said the decision to support the Upper East Regional Hospital was influenced by the hospital’s central role as a referral hub for healthcare delivery in the entire region.
“The Upper East Regional Hospital serves people from every corner of the region and even beyond. It was only right that we support the facility in continuing its work,” Mr. Owusu stated. He explained that, unlike how donors always procure items directly to institutions, his outfit decided to present the cash support to allow the hospital management to decide on items to purchase to address their most pressing needs.
Receiving the cheque on behalf of the hospital, Dr. Joseph Kojo Tambil, Medical Director of the facility, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Customs Division, describing the support as a “hefty gift” that will significantly enhance the hospital’s ability to serve its clients.
He assured the Customs Division that the funds would be used strictly for the intended purpose and emphasized that the support would help improve essential healthcare services. Dr. Tambil also called for a strengthened partnership between the hospital and the Customs Division to ensure continuous and improved healthcare delivery to the people of the Upper East Region.
The presentation underscores the commitment of the Customs Division of GRA to not only collecting revenue but also contributing meaningfully to the welfare of citizens across the country.
