Frustration and confusion occurred at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) on Thursday morning, April 24, 2025, as patients arriving early for medical care were greeted with empty consulting rooms.

Doctors at the hospital had suspended emergency and outpatient services the previous day, April 23, citing “unwarranted attacks” by Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh and Tamale North MP Alhassan Suhuyini.

This drastic decision was reached during an emergency general assembly meeting held by the Doctors’ Association of Tamale Teaching Hospital (DATTH). The strike came just hours after the group released a statement condemning an incident during the Minister’s visit to the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit on Tuesday, April 22.

In their statement, DATTH confirmed, “All members of DATTH have proceeded on an indefinite suspension of all emergency and outpatient services (General OPD, Antenatal clinic, Specialist clinic, Paediatrics OPD),” the Association announced.

When thesavannaonline reached out to contacts at the hospital on Thursday, April 24, it was told patients are in long queues at the emergency and outpatient departments. Still, no doctors or medical staff were present to provide care.

On Wednesday, April 23, 2025, tensions flared up in the Binduri District of the Upper East Region due to the President’s nominee for District Chief Executive (DCE) being dramatically rejected.

According to reports, Samuel Azure, the recently elected Presiding Member and Assemblyman for the Kaadi Electoral Area, was allegedly attacked shortly after the passing of a vote of no confidence against the nominee.

According to eyewitnesses, the supposed attack occurred immediately following the assembly’s apparent rejection of the President’s nominee. Although the reason for the attack has not been verified, it has sparked fears about escalating political strains in the area.

The identities of those responsible for the attack and the specific details of the incident are still unclear. Currently, local authorities have not released an official statement regarding the situation.

The Binduri District Assembly has not yet announced its action plan after the unsuccessful DCE nominee’s confirmation.

The PURC has sternly warned the general public in the Upper East Region against illegal electricity connections. They have emphasized that power theft is a punishable crime under the law.

According to Pious Abdullai Ikililu, the Regional Complaints Officer for the Upper East region, those who engage in such practices will be subject to legal consequences. He also warned that the PURC will not intervene for those arrested by NEDCo for illegal connections.

“During our public education activities, we educate people to desist from power theft—connecting illegally to the service, or having power that NEDCo is not aware of, doing meter bypasses—anything that enables you to use electricity without actually paying for it is a crime,” he said.

According to Mr. Abdullai’s remarks on Bolga FM, power theft has detrimental effects on Ghana’s energy supply and the electricity sector as a whole. This includes system losses and loss of revenue. As a solution, he urged individuals to use their electrical devices responsibly and pay for their usage accordingly.

“If you know that you cannot pay for the electricity and you’re using an air-conditioner, why go and buy one? Or if you have an electrical gadget and you know very well that when you use it, you won’t be able to pay the bill—why have it?” he questioned.

The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has recently disclosed that starting May 3, 2025, there will be an increase in water and electricity tariffs. This change involves a 14.75 percent hike in electricity rates and a 4.02 percent rise in water prices under the updated tariff system.

Similarly, while appearing on the show, Mohammed Adams Suleimana, the Public Relations Officer of PURC in the Upper East Region, defended the reasoning behind the recent price hike. He clarified that the adjustment is not a novel occurrence but a routine part of the commission’s quarterly assessment process.

Terabuuriyele, a non-profit and non-partisan organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Frafra culture, has provided vital medical equipment to the Upper East Regional Hospital to support healthcare services in the area.

The contribution, given on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, comprises 22 blood pressure monitors and 22 infrared thermometer guns intended to enhance the hospital’s ability to treat patients effectively.

During the presentation, Mr. Simon Ayariga, National Chairman of Terabuuriyele, stated that the association’s donation is part of their humanitarian initiatives to support national development, specifically in healthcare.

“This donation reflects our commitment to supporting our communities through tangible action. We believe quality healthcare is a basic right, and we are proud to contribute to its delivery.”

On behalf of the hospital, Madam Justina Ayoribila, Deputy Director of Nursing Services, expressed her sincere appreciation for receiving the items. She also mentioned how the equipment will significantly improve their service delivery.

“We are grateful for this timely support. These items will go a long way in helping us provide better and more efficient care to our patients.”

Accompanying Chief Bombiga Asana Agoo at the ceremony were the Chief of Zaare and Acting Bolgatanga Municipal Chairman of Terabuuriyele. During the event, he expressed worry about the slow deterioration of Gurune culture and shared that the association intends to create a cultural museum.

Our cultural identity means everything to us. Our focus is on establishing a museum that will preserve and exhibit the thriving heritage of the Gurune people for generations to come.

The contribution serves as a reminder of Terabuuriyele’s dedication to safeguarding cultural heritage and fostering community progress.

The FDA’s Upper East Regional Office hosted an annual training workshop for sachet water producers in the region. The objective was to inform them about GMPs, promoting the production of superior and secure sachet water for customers.

According to Abel Ndego, Acting Regional Head of the FDA in the Upper East Region, proper adherence to GMPs is vital for ensuring the quality and safety of sachet water. As water is essential for life, it remains a top priority for the FDA to uphold these standards and hold producers accountable in their facilities.

He said, “In this case, for sachet water, we are looking basically at quality and safety. So we have gathered here today to be able to share ideas on best practices, and what is recommended by the provisions of guidelines and international standards. This would help equip our sachet water producers to be able to ensure that the water they produce is of the highest standard and quality.”

According to him, this will ensure that the water sold to consumers adheres to quality and safety regulations. The training is centered on instructing and reinforcing proper methods to produce sachet water in the area.

During the training, we discussed several important topics, such as effective hygiene and sanitation protocols for production sites, appropriate methods for treating and purifying water, proper packaging and labeling standards, regulatory compliance, and the monitoring processes of the FDA.

Thomas Anthony Baba Piameng, Chairman of the Sachet Water Producers Association in the Upper East Region, lauded the FDA for their training and stressed the importance of adhering to safety protocols among members.

Members of the Pusu-Namongo community in the Talensi District, located in the Upper East Region, have requested that the government immediately remove silt from local dams. This is necessary to sustain farming throughout the year, as water sources in the region have been affected by increasingly severe impacts of climate change.

Addressing the Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, John Setor Dumelo, during his visit, local farmers stressed the pressing requirement of government assistance. Tii Godfred, Secretary of the Pusu-Namongo Water Users Association, highlighted that numerous farmers have been compelled to leave their dry-season farms due to inadequate water levels in the remaining dams. This has significantly impacted crops like tomatoes and onions, which were in the crucial fruition stage.

“In this jurisdiction, climate has changed drastically. The weather has shifted, and the rainfall pattern has shifted. The challenge that we face as farmers is that many of the dams are silted. Just recently, some farmers couldn’t finish harvesting all their produce and had to abandon their farms just because the level of water had reduced in such a way that in certain places if they open the water, it couldn’t reach there. So, in that case, they had to stop, and because of that, some people have run at a loss,” he recalled.

In representing the farmers, Mr. Tii appealed for assistance acquiring necessary farm supplies and access to tractor services to improve their agricultural endeavors. Similarly, Musah Sadat, a fellow farmer, reiterated the need for prompt action from the government to construct the much-awaited Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam and revive the abandoned Pwalugu Tomato Factory. Such efforts would significantly enhance the region’s farming productivity and processing capabilities.

Deputy Minister John Setor Dumelo reassured the farmers that the government is dedicated to revamping current dams and building new ones to support year-round farming.

“In the NDC manifesto, we said we were going to build Farmer Service Centers, and it is something that we are going to do. I have all the power to probably say that Talensi will get their own. The Farmer Service Centers will have tractors, seeds, combine harvesters, and everything needed to be a good farmer. With respect to irrigation, we’ve launched a program called ‘Irrigation for Wealth’ and we are irrigating over 10,000 hectares of land but also, we are making sure that we rehabilitate existing irrigation schemes and this community will be no exception,” he added.

In addition, he announced joint efforts between the government and private companies to set up processing facilities across the country to tackle the ongoing problem of post-harvest losses.

As part of his ongoing tour of the Upper East Region, the minister visited to evaluate the issues affecting farmers and determine where urgent action is required. Local Member of Parliament for Talensi, Daniel Dung Mahama, also highlighted a pressing concern: the need to desilt around 16 decades-old dams to secure enough water for dry season cultivation. He emphasized his commitment to seeing these dams rehabilitated.

The MP expressed hope that implementing the ‘Nkoko Nkitinkiti” policy, which aims to assist 55,000 households nationwide, would generate employment opportunities for the residents of Talensi.