President Mahama engages CSOs: Free primary health care to be launched this month
A free primary healthcare programme in the country is to be launched on April 15, 2026, President John Dramani Mahama, has said.
Under the programme, community health volunteers would be deployed to conduct house-to-house checks of basic health indicators, including blood pressure and blood sugar levels, to detect conditions early and reduce avoidable deaths.
The President, who announced this in a meeting with CSOs at the Jubilee House in Accra last Monday, added that work was being fast-tracked to establish an Independent Value for Money Office.
The office was being established to ensure rigorous review of procurement decisions, including single sourcing.
The engagement allowed the participants to express their views on various matters of national interest.
"National transformation is a collective responsibility that cannot be achieved by the government alone," the President said, adding that the dialogue would not be a one-off event, but a continued process through structured follow-ups and sustained collaboration with stakeholders.
President Mahama, therefore, encouraged CSOs to monitor public projects and oversee budget execution to strengthen social accountability.
The event, which was also aimed at deepening collaboration between the government and civil society, was attended by ministers and senior government officials.
Constitutional reforms
On constitutional reforms, President Mahama said the government was examining recommendations of the Constitutional Review Committee, after which a Constitutional Review Implementation Committee (CRIC) would be set up to oversee the next phase, with reforms to follow parliamentary processes in line with constitutional provisions.
Galamsey fight
President Mahama invited religious and traditional leaders to join in the fight against illegal mining, saying, "Your role in guiding society is needed now more than ever."
He announced increased funding and logistics for anti-galamsey operations, including the procurement of specialised patrol boats to monitor water bodies.
The President added that the government intended to regularly publish data on water turbidity and contamination levels, including heavy metals.
Energy sector
On energy, the President said the government had signed an MoU on the Jubilee Field to invest approximately $2 billion to drill close to 30 new wells to boost gas supply.
He also announced plans for a second gas processing plant to accommodate increased volumes and eventually allow all thermal plants to run on gas.
President Mahama further disclosed that ENI would invest about $1.5 billion offshore Cape Three Points to drill additional wells.
Addressing concerns about rising fuel prices, he said the government was considering adjustments to pricing margins and levies to cushion consumers, noting that currency stability had partially helped to mitigate the impact of global oil price increases driven by geopolitical tensions.
Education
The government is building 400 schools this year, with each district being required to construct two school blocks annually.
Also, about one million desks and chairs were to be procured.
The President said the government was stepping up efforts to increase on-campus hostel capacity, starting with the University of Ghana, where hostels would be built for 10,000 students.
The President further announced the introduction of district-based recruitment, under which districts would declare vacancies and conduct hiring locally, requiring applicants to commit to working in specific districts rather than concentrating in urban areas.
Continuous recruitment was also being considered to replace irregular recruitment cycles.
Regarding security service recruitment, the President said a database of the approximately 280,000 applicants would be maintained as a rolling system to absorb about 10,000 recruits annually over four years.
He also indicated that recruitment application fees would be reviewed by Cabinet.
On the LGBTQ+ bill currently before Parliament, the President described it as a private member's bill undergoing national discussion, with outcomes expected to reflect the will of the people through parliamentary deliberations while balancing constitutional obligations and social values.
Accountability
The President cautioned against rushing prosecutions without thorough preparations, saying that such cases could be dismissed in court.
He said the Attorney-General was currently handling many cases and that the government was exploring ways to support the process, including engaging private legal expertise.
On extradition matters involving former officials, the President said that the government had made a request, in line with due process, to the countries where they were currently residing.
He also said there was currently a Public Officers' Code of Conduct Bill before Parliament, which would make the bill’s provisions enforceable.
President Mahama also reaffirmed Ghana's commitment to regional integration and democratic governance through ECOWAS and active participation in the African Union's Agenda 2063.
