Sarkodie’s wife, Mrs Tracy Owusu Addo, affectionately called Tracy SarKCess has expressed her dismay over the distressing news regarding a container filled with drugs that has been stuck in the ports of Ghana for more than two years.
In addition to sharing the news from TV3, Tracy also highlighted the fact that the Ghanaian government currently holds a mere 15% stake in the Tema Port.
With a heavy heart, Tracy lamented the unfortunate situation, emphasizing that Ghanaians have been deprived of any influence over the operations at our Port since 2014, as it is now under the ownership of French billionaire Bolloré, who possesses 17 other ports in West Africa.
Tracy posted thus; “Gov.’s stake in the Tema Port is currently only 15%. We do not have a say in what has happened at our Port since 2014. It is owned by French billionaire Bolloré who owns 17 other ports in West Africa.”
In the latest update, 3News has reported that the Global Fund has expressed its dissatisfaction with the ongoing situation surrounding the delay in clearing its donor-funded essential health commodities at the country’s port.
This issue has persisted for over a year, and the Global Fund has made it clear that it may sever ties with Ghana if the commodities are not cleared urgently.
During the World Health Summit in Geneva, the fund sent a strong message to the Ghanaian delegation, which included members of the parliamentary select committee, the Minister of Health, the Director General of the Ghana Health Service, the CEO of the NHIA, and members of the Country Coordinating Mechanism of the Global Fund Ghana. The fund emphasized the importance of resolving this matter promptly.
The delay in clearing these medications has been attributed to the government’s inability to provide funding to cover the costs of ECOWAS and African Union levies on the drugs.
These essential commodities, valued at 40 million dollars, were intended to support HIV and Aids, TB, and Malaria programs in the country. However, they have been sitting at the port since May of last year, causing growing concern among civil society organizations, some of which have threatened to stage demonstrations.
Stakeholders have been warning for months that Ghana may soon face shortages of antiretroviral and other critical medications. Already, there are signs of imminent shortages of TB and HIV drugs at health facilities.
The clearance challenges at the ports also pose a risk of Ghana not receiving further supplies of essential medical commodities. It is crucial that these issues are addressed promptly to ensure the uninterrupted provision of healthcare services in the country.
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