The World Health Organization (WHO) has welcomed the commissioning of a new Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at the National Cardiothoracic Centre of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, describing the facility as a “significant investment” in the fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and a critical step toward saving lives.

President John Dramani Mahama officially inaugurated the state-of-the-art laboratory on July 9, 2026—sixteen months after a devastating fire destroyed the country’s previous catheterization laboratory, which had provided specialized cardiac diagnostic and interventional services since January 2017.

The new facility was reconstructed through the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, known as MahamaCares, a statutory fund established to finance specialized and high-cost treatment for chronic non-communicable diseases. The project aligns with the WHO’s strategy of strengthening countries’ capacity to prevent, detect, and manage NCDs, particularly cardiovascular diseases.

A Critical Gap Filled

The WHO noted that the recommissioning addresses a critical gap in Ghana’s healthcare system at a time when non-communicable diseases have become one of the country’s leading public health challenges.

“As Ghana faces a growing burden of NCDs, particularly cardiovascular diseases, this laboratory will improve timely diagnosis, expand cardiac care, and save lives,” the UN health agency stated.

Globally, NCDs account for 41 million deaths every year, representing nearly three-quarters of all deaths worldwide. More than 85% of premature NCD deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, according to the WHO.

The burden is similarly high in Ghana, where non-communicable diseases are estimated to account for about 45% of all deaths, driven largely by cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers, and chronic respiratory illnesses.

WHO’s Longstanding Support

The WHO has supported Ghana’s response through several initiatives, including the Ghana STEPS Survey 2023—a nationwide assessment of NCD risk factors co-funded by the governments of the United Kingdom and Norway—and the implementation of the WHO Package of Essential Noncommunicable Disease Interventions (PEN).

The PEN program seeks to strengthen primary healthcare by improving early diagnosis, standardizing treatment protocols, and enhancing referrals for patients with chronic diseases.

What the New Lab Means for Patients

The new catheterization laboratory is expected to significantly improve the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, addressing longstanding challenges including:

• Limited specialized equipment
• Delayed emergency cardiac care
• Inconsistent clinical management
• Inadequate monitoring of patients across different levels of the health system

For thousands of Ghanaians living with heart conditions, the facility represents more than just infrastructure—it offers a second chance at life, reducing the need for costly and often inaccessible overseas medical treatment.

A Broader Commitment

The commissioning marks a significant boost to Ghana’s capacity to deliver advanced cardiac care and reflects broader efforts to strengthen the country’s response to the growing burden of non-communicable diseases. As NCDs continue to rise across Africa, Ghana’s investment in specialized cardiac infrastructure offers a model for other nations grappling with the double burden of infectious and chronic diseases.

The new laboratory stands as a testament to what can be achieved when political will, international partnerships, and domestic health financing converge—a life-saving facility rebuilt from the ashes, ready to serve a nation determined to fight back against its deadliest silent killers.

President John Dramani Mahama on Friday joined thousands of Ghanaians in a nationwide clean-up exercise across the flood-ravaged Accra Metropolis, using the occasion to announce a new policy that would set aside one day every month for community cleaning—a move aimed at transforming crisis response into sustained civic routine.

The two-day National General Cleaning Exercise, which began at 6:00 am on Friday and resumes on Saturday, targets seven flood-affected regions, with Greater Accra alone hosting 104 identified flood-prone locations. At Tse Addo, President Mahama inspected a newly desilted drain, pointing to the volume of plastic waste removed as evidence of the cause behind Ghana’s recurring flooding disasters.

“Clearly, we can see the cause of some of the challenges we face. We have just desilted this drain, and the amount of plastic waste removed from it tells the story,” the President observed. He noted that the quantity of sand and silt accumulated over several years had drastically reduced the drain’s capacity to carry water effectively.

A Systemic Failure Exposed

The President acknowledged that previous clean-up efforts had been undermined by poor disposal practices—silt removed from drains was often left by the roadside, only to be washed back in when the rains returned.

“As part of this exercise, we must ensure that after removing the silt, we have the necessary capacity to transport it away and dispose of it at appropriate locations,” he said, adding that consistent effort over the next year or two would restore the drains’ capacity.

Monthly Clean-Up: From Crisis to Routine

In a significant policy announcement, President Mahama stressed that the cleanup should not be a one-time activity but a continuous national effort, with at least one day set aside every month for communities to clean their surroundings. The proposal signals a shift from reactive disaster response to proactive environmental governance—a model that development experts say could offer lessons for other rapidly urbanizing nations across the Global South.

Plastic Waste: The Hidden Culprit

At Alajo, where the desilted drain forms part of the Odaw stream, the President revealed two major challenges: the accumulation of silt and the presence of plastics and household waste, including discarded building materials, old furniture and dining tables.

“Drains are not dumping grounds,” Mahama stressed, urging residents to make use of skip containers placed across the city for proper collection by waste management companies. His remarks connect Ghana’s flooding crisis to a global environmental emergency—plastic waste clogging urban drainage systems—a problem that resonates from Jakarta to Lagos.

Military Deployment and Funding

The President disclosed that the Minister of Finance had released GH¢150 million to support dredging of streams and other flood interventions. He announced that the Armed Forces would continue the dredging exercise even after the two-day national cleanup program ended, with additional backhoes to be provided to help remove silt and transport it to approved disposal sites.

“Without proper disposal, the same silt and garbage will be washed back into the drains when the rains return,” he warned.

A Warning Against Complacency

In a striking metaphor, President Mahama cautioned against complacency, saying the country must not “behave like the vulture that plans to repair its roof only after the rains have stopped”.

“We must act now. That is why it is important that we clear our drains and waterways,” he stressed.

The President attributed some of the current sanitation challenges to the pressures of urbanization, noting that traditional values around keeping the environment clean had, in some cases, been abandoned as a result of the anonymity that comes with city life. He called for a restoration of that discipline and commended traditional leaders, including Nii Ga, for their support in mobilizing residents.

What Happens Next

The two-day exercise, which requires non-essential shops, markets, and commercial establishments within affected regions to remain closed from 6:00 am to 1:00 pm, is expected to mobilize millions of citizens. Saturday’s phase will shift focus toward community-level activities, with residents, volunteer groups, traditional authorities, and waste management companies taking the lead.

For many Ghanaians, however, the biggest question is whether the monthly clean-up proposal will be sustained—or whether it will fade after the current crisis subsides. The answer may ultimately determine whether Ghana’s latest flood response becomes remembered as a turning point in environmental governance, or yet another missed opportunity.

A scandal rocking Nigeria’s public finance system has exposed a startling institutional failure: a presidential council that never legally existed was allocated ₦1.3 billion (approximately USD$1 million) in the 2026 Appropriation Act, raising urgent questions about oversight, verification, and accountability in the country’s governance machinery.

The controversy centers on the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC)—an entity the Presidency now insists was never established by law, executive order, or any lawful instrument. Despite its non-existence, the council reportedly occupied office space within the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, operated as though legitimate, and secured a multi-billion-naira budget line in the nation’s spending law.

President Bola Tinubu has directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Commission (ICPC) to launch a comprehensive investigation, while the House of Representatives has initiated its own parliamentary inquiry. Criminal proceedings involving the alleged promoter of the PFIPC are already before the courts.

A Budget That Cannot Create an Agency

The revelation has shocked Nigerians—not solely because of the alleged fraud, but because of the systemic breakdown it represents.

Under Nigerian law, government agencies are established through legislation, executive orders, constitutional provisions, or other lawful instruments. A budget allocates funds; it does not—and cannot—confer legal existence on an institution. The PFIPC’s inclusion in the Appropriation Act therefore only deepens the mystery: how did a fictitious agency pass through multiple layers of official scrutiny undetected?

“The budget is only one part of the story,” experts note. The more pressing question is how the PFIPC came to be listed in official budget documents if it had no legal foundation.

Where Did the System Fail?

Nigeria’s annual budget travels a well-defined path before becoming law. Agencies submit proposals, the Budget Office compiles them into the Appropriation Bill, the Federal Executive Council reviews the figures, the National Assembly scrutinizes and approves, and the President signs off.

The PFIPC saga has exposed potential vulnerabilities at every stage.

How was the council captured in budget documents? Were verification mechanisms bypassed—or did they simply fail? Could better inter-agency coordination have flagged the anomaly before billions were allocated?

These are the questions lawmakers are now expected to answer as part of their investigation.

Why the Scandal Matters Beyond the Allegations

For governance experts, the PFIPC controversy is about more than one fraudulent agency. It raises fundamental concerns about the robustness of Nigeria’s public service safeguards.

Public confidence in institutions depends not only on accountability after problems emerge, but on the strength of systems designed to prevent them. The scandal has renewed debate over whether existing checks—on official appointments, government correspondence, and the legal status of agencies—are sufficient to prevent impersonation and fraud.

Many analysts have long called for stronger digital verification systems, improved record-sharing among government bodies, and more rigorous due diligence at every stage of budget formulation.

What Happens Next?

The ICPC investigation, parliamentary inquiry, and ongoing criminal proceedings are expected to shed light on how the PFIPC infiltrated official processes. But for most Nigerians, the central question is no longer whether the council existed. It is whether the nation’s governance systems can be strengthened to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The PFIPC scandal may ultimately be remembered either as an isolated case of alleged fraud—or as the catalyst for sweeping reforms in transparency, accountability, and institutional integrity.