These vital supplies, worth $1.6 million, were donated by the West Africa Health Organization (WAHO) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) but remain undelivered due to unpaid duties and rising demurrage fees.

The Coalition warns that, the prolonged delay is causing a national shortage of contraceptives, which could lead to an increase in unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and maternal deaths.

These FP commodities, once cleared, could potentially prevent 62,728 unsafe abortions, avert 2,514 child deaths, and save 255 maternal lives.

The Coalition estimates the government could save over GHC 200 million in healthcare costs by addressing the issue promptly.

Despite Ghana’s recent launch of the Family Planning Costed Implementation Plan (GFPCIP), the stockout threatens the country’s progress towards its 2030 goals for reproductive health.

The Coalition is calling on the government to not only clear the supplies immediately but also prevent similar delays in the future.

Read the release below:

For Immediate Release

          Urgent Call to Clear Family Planning Commodities Stuck at Tema Port for more than Seven Months

Accra, Ghana—23^rd October 2024: A coalition of 55 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) working in reproductive health in Ghana,  is urgently calling on the government to clear essential Family Planning (FP) commodities, and other medical products, stuck at the Tema Port for over seven (7) months. This action is critical to prevent a shortage of these commodities which could significantly increase the rate of unintended pregnancies, leading to unsafe abortions and maternal mortality.

The FP commodities valued at $1,610,563 donated to Ghana by the West Africa Health Organization (WAHO) and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), among other medical products, have not been cleared from the port since February 2024. According to the Coalition, the delay in clearance, caused by unpaid duties and subsequent demurrage fees, has led to critical shortages of key contraceptive supplies at the central and regional medical stores and health facilities across the country.

The stockout of these essential supplies has a significant impact on national efforts to improve the health outcomes of Ghanaians, increasing the risk of unintended pregnancies and undermining efforts to improve maternal, newborn, and child health outcomes in Ghana.  The Coalition, using MSI’s impact calculator, states that these FP commodities, when used by women, are estimated to avert 2,514 child deaths, 255 maternal deaths, 62,728 unsafe abortions, and 199,182 unintended pregnancies and save the government of Ghana more than two hundred million Ghana cedis in direct healthcare costs.

Ghana recently launched the Ghana Family Planning Costed Implementation Plan (GFPCIP), reaffirming the government’s commitment to ensuring that by 2030,  all persons of reproductive age have equitable and timely access to quality FP information, commodities, and services in line with global FP2030 goals. However, delays in clearing essential FP commodities, leading to stockouts, cast doubt on this pledge, the African Union Agenda 2063, and the larger Sustainable Development Goals. The government’s inconsistent management of donated supplies not only undermines Ghana’s commitment to these national and global goals, but also risks damaging its international reputation and future partnerships.

Call to Action

• The Coalition is asking the government to immediately clear the FP commodities by paying the duties and accrued demurrage.
• The Coalition is urging the government to take decisive and proactive measures to prevent any future occurrence of similar delays and potential loss of donated commodities.
• The Coalition demands that a quality control assessment of the commodities be conducted once they are cleared from the port. This assessment is crucial to ensure that the use of these commodities is not detrimental to users’ health.

In conclusion, the Coalition is asking the government to prioritize the improvement of health outcomes for Ghanaians, particularly in the area of reproductive health. The Coalition is committed to working with the government and other stakeholders to ensure that the country meets its FP commitments.

For media inquiries, please contact:

• Esi Asare Prah, Advocacy Manager, MSI Ghana on 0541230140 /esi.prah@mariestopes.org.gh
• Doris Ampong, Communications Manager, ARHR on 0242259638/ d.ampong@arhr.org.gh
• Patricia Ampomah, FP2030 Youth Focal Point on 057 272 3921

-ENDORSED BY-

Source: Adomonline

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It is estimated that, Ghana loses around $2 billion each year in tax revenue due to smuggling and illicit gold operations.

In 2022 alone, nearly 60 tonnes of gold were reportedly smuggled out of the nation, intensifying the financial impact.

The UK has warned that if unregulated mining practices and illegal small-scale mining, locally referred to as galamsey, are not addressed, they will continue to inflict severe damage on Ghana’s economy.

At a Civil Society Organization (CSO) meeting focused on mining reforms and governance, Chris Aston, the team lead for the UK Ghana Gold Programme (UKGGP), urged Ghanaian authorities to take urgent and decisive action against the issue.

He stressed the importance of reversing this trend to protect Ghana’s economic future.

The UK government’s concerns resonate with increasing national and international demands for reforms in Ghana’s mining sector, particularly aimed at reducing illegal activities and enhancing regulatory oversight.

“This represents lost revenue for the government of Ghana. Currently, the sector is at risk, exploited by organized crime groups. The threats are escalating, with gold smuggling more than doubling. Our goal is to disrupt illegal mining and the flow of illicit finances. Ghana is losing over $2 billion annually to gold smuggling,” Aston stated.

The UK-Ghana Gold Programme (UKGGP) works in partnership with the Government of Ghana to ensure proper regulation of artisanal small-scale gold mining and effective enforcement of existing laws.

The initiative aims to unlock the full potential of artisanal mining to benefit Ghanaians while preventing environmental harm and safeguarding the health and well-being of miners.

Source: Adomonline

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“I think he should honourably resign, or the President should sack him,” Executive Director of the Center, Dr Thomas Anaba, said in a Citi News interview.

Answering questions from the bi-partisan parliamentary committee probing the controversial Sputnik V vaccine procurement, Mr Agyeman-Manu, who is a board member of the GAVI Vaccine Alliance, admitted that he did not seek Cabinet and parliamentary approval before engaging a private individual for the procurement of Sputnik V vaccines

He said he was overwhelmed by the urgency of the situation.

In addition, the Food and Drugs Authority was not engaged to test the efficacy of the vaccine as was done for the AstraZeneca Vaccine which is in use in Ghana.

Dr Anaba stressed that despite Ghana not being in normal times, breaching procurement laws is inexcusable.

“In Malawi, ministers have been sent to prison. In South Africa, Ministers have been sacked because of COVID. How can we allow this blatant disregard for constitutional norms and procurement laws by somebody who knows better than all of us when it comes to procurement?

“He headed the Public Accounts Committee for four years, and he reprimanded people who committed blunders. How can he be forgiven?” he asked.

The Minister of Health also told the bi-partisan committee that the company that agreed to supply Ghana with the overpriced Sputnik V vaccines has terminated the contract it had with the country.

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Under the said contract, Ghana was to receive 3.4 million doses of Sputnik V Vaccines at a unit cost of $19 instead of the ex-factory price of $10 per dose.

The issue first came to light when a Norweigian news outlet, Verdens Gang, reported that Ghana had requested to purchase the doses of the Sputnik V vaccine through two businessmen who are selling it to Ghana at $19 per dose instead of the $10 per dose on the international market.

The initial price quoted for the vaccine was US$25, but it was negotiated downwards to US$19, according to the Ghana Health Service.

The group, in a joint statement issued on Wednesday, commended the police for their efforts in maintaining peace before, during and after the election.

They, however, noted that there were dissatisfied that “few arrests and prosecutions” have been made in relation to election-related violence, adding the “loss of lives had not been accounted for”.

The group, numbering about eleven CSOs, asked the police to investigate “without fear or favour and keep the public apprised on progress in this regard.

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At least eight lives were lost with several others injured when confusion broke out in some constituencies across the country during the December 7 polls.

Read the full statement below:

PRESS STATEMENT

From Civil Society Organisations in Election Programming

(For Immediate Release – 30th December 2020)

Preserving the Impartiality of the Police Service to Protect National Peace and Security

In a virtual meeting of Civil Society Organisations, held on December 28^th, 2020, to monitor and respond to developments within Ghana’s post-Elections environment, we noted with appreciation, the role that has been played by the Ghana Police Service in maintaining peace and security before, during and after the 2020 general Elections.

We commend the Police for largely securing law and order, while respecting the democratic rights of citizens to protest, during recent demonstrations by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) over the outcomes of the Elections.

We are cognizant of the critical stage in the post-Elections transition process which we have arrived at, as a nation.

This is the phase involving contestations over Election results, in court and through protests, and the swearing-in of a new Parliament and the President-elect.

Within this context, there is the possibility of simmering frustrations erupting into political violence, and equally, of public jubilation and celebration also erupting into violence, if the Police are not seen to maintain a non-political stance, and if the democratic rights of citizens are violated.

We have therefore noted with disquiet, recent developments that threaten to taint the posture of impartiality of the Police and sway public perceptions of the Police Service as a non-political, state institution.

We refer to the Police’s directive placing a temporary ban on the NDC’s demonstrations and protests, following an injunction granted by the Court at the instance of the Police.

We appreciate the security considerations that may have precipitated this directive; namely the NDC’s signalled intention of nationwide protests; and the possibility of an eruption of unruly protests as we move towards the national events that must take place on January 6^th and 7^th 2021.

Within this very context, however, it is of utmost importance that the Police Service maintains a stance of impartiality in all its dealings with political actors.

Singling out the NDC for the above directive has sent a signal of partisan political colouration to the Police’s action, which needs to be corrected quickly.

To this end, we strongly appeal to the Police to work with both the NDC and the NPP to ensure that the democratic rights of their members to peaceful protests are protected, inasmuch as the security of the state and public safety is assured.

We urge the Police to maintain a continual dialogue with political parties and interested stakeholders in this regard and to engage with citizens in a way that respects their democratic right to protest or celebrate.

We call on the NPP and the NDC to ensure that their members remain within the law whether in protest or celebration.

We appeal to the political party faithful to cooperate with the Police and work with them to ensure that the necessary conditions are met for them to carry out peaceful protests.

We note further, with regret, that the Police have not sufficiently evoked public confidence in their handling of the violent acts that occurred during the 2020 Voters’ Registration exercise and general Elections.  

We commend the Police for the arrest, prosecution, and jailing of the Sene West ballot box snatcher.

However, we consider it unsatisfactory that in spite of the President’s stated commitment to maintaining a party-blind eye regarding election-related violence, so few arrests and prosecutions have followed the violence during both exercises, and that the losses of life have not been accounted for.

It is of concern to us that the public has not been updated on progress in the Police’s investigations into these incidents.

We call on the Police to fast-track its investigations into each incident of election-related violence without fear or favour and to keep the public apprised on progress in this regard.

We call further on the National Elections Security Task Force to inform the public on progress with its investigation into the matter involving excessive force by security officers during the Elections.

In view of the role of the Judiciary in securing justice as a critical foundation for law and order, we call upon the Judiciary to assure the public of how the processes laid-out to deal with election-related cases are fair, open and can be trusted to deliver justice impartially, professionally and with integrity, so as to protect the long-term stability of our democracy.

We have further noted social media allegations of a physical assault of a court bailiff by supporters of Member of Parliament-elect for the Hohoe constituency, John Peter Amewu, and the apparent refusal of the Police to arrest the perpetrators. We call on the Police Service to respond swiftly to this allegation and to take decisive steps to correct the perception this has evoked of political undertones to the Police’s inaction.

We as CSOs believe firmly in the need for impartiality and non-partisanship of the Police Service. We hold that it is imperative that this impartiality and non-partisanship be preserved at all levels of the Service if law and order are to be assured and Ghana’s democratic laurels are to be protected. We count on the IGP and the entire Police Service to rise up to the high calling of their office and address the developments mentioned above, with an even hand, and with equal measure to all political actors and stakeholders.

We proffer a hand of support to the Police Service and the Judiciary and stand ready to engage further with the leadership of both august institutions on these and other related issues.

In service to God and country.

Signatories:

Civic Forum Initiative (CFI)

Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG)

Centre for Democratic Development (CDD)

Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)

Norsaac

The Ark Foundation

Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC)

Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII)

Citizens’ Movement Against Corruption (CMAC)

IMANI

STAR Ghana Foundation

Some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), including the Institute for Democratic Governance, have urged the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to seek legal redress following their unwillingness to accept the outcome of the 2020 general election.

Speaking at a news conference Wednesday, Dr Angela Dwamena-Aboagye, who read the statement on behalf of the CSOs, noted that it is only the court that has the mandate to address any issue the NDC has concerning the just-ended election.

“As we have stated before, carrying out demonstrations and going to court are not mutually exclusive nor contradictory. Legal recourse may be pursued even as peaceful demonstrations are carried out.

“Therefore we join the voices of the sections of the public to urge the NDC to present their concerns to the court for legal redress,” she stated.

Dr Dwamena-Aboagye assured the aggrieved parties that although going to court may appear inconsequential, considering the fact that while the case is being tried, swearing-in of the President and parliamentarians and other processes would take place, only the courts have the constitutional “mandate to effect the necessary changes following their verdict on election-related disputes”.

The CSOs’ comments come after former President John Dramani Mahama and his party said they were unwilling to accept the 2020 election results.

Addressing the press after the Electoral Commission announced the winner of the election, Mr Mahama said his team had noticed some irregularities in the collation of the ballots.

“I stand before you tonight unwilling to accept the fictionalised results of a flawed election,” Mr Mahama said.

After his address, party members across the country have embarked on demonstrations to protest the results of the presidential election.

The CSOs also urged NDC sympathisers, who have embarked on a nationwide protest, to seek police protection to ensure their protests are peaceful.

According to Dr Dwamena-Aboagye, it is the political and civil right of all citizens to demonstrate if they disapprove of some national developments.

“The members of the political party, therefore, have the right to express themselves through demonstrations so long as their demonstrations are peaceful,” she said.

This came to light on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem‘s ‘Beyi W’ano’ segment which shed light on the plight of some poultry farmers in the country.

Speaking on the show, Monday, Executive Director of Excellent Ghana, Daniel Nii Addo pledged their commitment to help retrieve the delayed compensation.

According to him, an Auditor-General’s report informed their decision to intervene in seeking justice for the aggrieved farmers.

He indicated the report revealed that poultry farmers across the country have threatened not to report cases of bird flu in their farms for fear that their birds would be killed and compensation will not be paid to them.

He expressed optimism that the issue would be resolved with compensations paid to deserving farmers before the December 7 polls.

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The government in 2016 is said to have allocated some $11 million to the Ministry of Agriculture as compensation for poultry farmers affected by the Avian Influenza Virus.

 Out of the amount, the farmers claim only GH¢1 million was paid as compensation to 25 farmers.

A poultry farmer, identified as Daniel Kwesi Anyetei, who spoke on the show, disclosed that the government owes him some GH¢50, 000.00.

Mr Anyetei, who is now bedridden, asserted that the Ministry of Agriculture in 2015 during the battle against bird flu (Avian Influenza Virus) burnt 1,730 of his birds in a bid to tame the spread of the virus which is transferable to humans.

According to him, the 1,730 birds burnt, as at 2015 had a market value of between GH¢ 40,000.00 and GH¢50,000.00.

Mr Anyetei asserted his poultry farm no longer became viable after the mass burning of his poultry birds and as a result, he is unable to cater for his family.

Their call follows observation of the duplication of ID numbers of voters, deletion of names from registers in some electoral areas as well as the swapping of the faces of some registered voters.

According to Care Ghana, it has uncovered over 2,000 duplication of voters ID numbers, the duplicated ID numbers include that of the General Secretary of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, Prof Frimpong-Manso and his wife.

In a press release titled ‘Electoral Commission to cause confusion on December 7,’ Care Ghana argued that duplication of ID numbers coupled with deletion of some names from the register might cause problems on the day of voting.

Executive Secretary of Care Ghana, David Kumi Addo, speaking on Adom TV’s Nnawotwe Yi Saturday morning show, therefore called on the EC to suspend its exhibition exercise to fix the issues of duplication of ID numbers and deletion of names.

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“After the EC has resolved these fundamental problems which have been identified with the register, it can then come back and continue with the exhibition exercise,” he stated.

Reacting to the position of Care Ghana, Western Regional Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, Charles Bissiw, disagreed with Mr Addo stating that, the exhibition exercise is meant to expose anomalies in the register and so the EC should be left to continue with the exhibition exercise.

But Mr Addo argued further that, the exhibition exercise cannot resolve the identified anomalies in the register and that the EC needs to do the right thing by calling off the exhibition exercise to first deal with the problems identified with the register.

The move, dubbed “The March for Equality”, was organised by the coalition of Ghana Civil Society, (CSO’s) on the Sustainable Development Goals to tackle the menace.

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The CSOs brought together street children, famished Ghanaians and physically challenged persons to call for better social interventions to alleviate extreme poverty and better the plight of the disadvantaged in society.

State Director for SEND Ghana, George Osei Bimpeh, who spoke to Joy News said that the petition, signed by hundreds of citizens, includes how disparities in terms of infrastructure and access to public service could be addressed.

He explained the move was an attempt to close the gap society has created between the haves and have-nots by paying attention to underprivileged people in the country.

Acting Director General of Administration at the Ministry, Thelma Ohene Asiamah, who received the petition on behalf of Minister Cynthia Morrison (away on assignment) assured the group that the document will be given the necessary consideration.

The group converged at the Obra Spot at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle and marched through Makola Market and Rawlings Park to High Streets , the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Parliament House  and finally to the Flagstaff House (Presidency) to present their petition.

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Speaking to Joy News, one of the facilitators of the group, Eunice Agbenyadzi, stressed that the time had come for groups to come together and mount pressure on the government to pass the bill.

“We will continue to hold series of walks to ensure the passage of the bill under the Akufo-Addo-led administration,” she assured.

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The bill, which has suffered a number of setbacks for about 13 years, is to ensure 40 per cent participation of women in governance, public positions of power and decision making.

Dr Comfort Asare, Director, Department of Gender, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, who received their petition, assured the group that the Ministry will ensure that the bill is laid before Parliament before the end of the year.

Source: Adomonline.com | Gertrude Otchere