Renowned Ghanaian businessman and philanthropist, Ibrahim Mahama, has come to the rescue of Baby Phoebe, a 1-year-7-month-old girl battling acute myeloid leukemia (AML), by covering the entire cost of her life-saving treatment abroad.

Phoebe’s mother, Victoria Amissah, had made an emotional public appeal for financial assistance to raise $78,620 for specialized treatment at the Apollo Proton Cancer Centre in Chennai, India. Ghana lacks the advanced medical infrastructure to fully treat her aggressive form of blood cancer, and doctors at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital had recommended urgent care overseas.

The estimated amount was to cover three cycles of chemotherapy, a bone marrow transplant, and associated travel and accommodation costs for Phoebe and her mother.

Mr. Mahama, known for his consistent support for health and social causes, stepped in to fully fund the treatment, offering new hope to Phoebe and her family. The gesture has been met with widespread praise and gratitude, with many calling it an inspiring act of compassion.

With the funding secured, arrangements are being finalized for Phoebe to travel to India in the coming days to begin treatment. The medical team at Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, where other Ghanaian children are also receiving care, has expressed readiness to receive and treat her immediately.

This is not the first time Ibrahim Mahama has come to the aid of individuals in critical medical need. His philanthropic interventions continue to make a significant difference in the lives of vulnerable Ghanaians.

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The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has confirmed that five people lost their lives following the heavy flooding that hit parts of the Greater Accra Region on Sunday, May 18.

The organisation attributed the deadly incident to poor drainage systems and unchecked urban development.

Speaking on Breakfast Daily on Channel One TV on Friday, Director of Inspectorate at NADMO, Richard Amo Yartey, clarified that three of the deaths occurred in the Ga East Municipality, while the remaining two were recorded in Adenta.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: 3 confirmed dead in Adentan flood, MCE blames construction on waterways

“Our records indicate that five lives were lost, three in the Ga East Municipality and two in the Adenta Municipality. It is so unfortunate, and it also tells us that we need to intensify our education. I will advise citizens to pay attention to weather warnings. It is in our interest to stay informed about potential risks,” he urged.

Mr. Yartey attributed the widespread flooding not to the volume of rainfall, but to the inability of Accra’s drainage infrastructure to handle even moderate rains.

According to the Ghana Meteorological Agency, the area recorded just 25 millimetres of rain, but the impact was severe due to prior showers and excessive runoff from higher grounds.

Several communities, including Adenta, Kaneshie, Weija, Adabraka, and parts of Tema were severely affected. Roads became impassable, vehicles were submerged, and thousands of residents were left stranded.

NADMO reiterated its call for stricter enforcement of building regulations and better urban planning.

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Ghana’s total public debt stock has inched up marginally to $49.5 billion as of March 2025, according to the latest data from the Bank of Ghana.

This is a slight uptick from $49.4 in February 2025. The marginal increase comes despite the local currency’s strong appreciation against the US dollar.

In cedi terms, the debt stood at GH₵769.4 billion, up from GH¢768.1 billion, and represents 55% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

READ ALSO: Ghanaians Celebrate as Cedi Appreciates to GH¢11 Against the US Dollar

The external component of the debt stock also rose from GH¢440.1 billion ($28.3bn) to GH¢442.5 billion ($28.5bn).

Notably, there was a decrease in the domestic component of the debt stock, falling from GH¢328 billion to GH¢326.9 billion, which could be because of the government’s mixed appetite for treasury bill issuances.

The contribution of both the external debt and domestic debt to GDP was 31.6% and 23.4% respectively.

The local currency surged to its strongest performance against its major trading currencies – an impressive turnaround from the sharp depreciation trends seen in recent years and marks an all-time high in percentage terms.

READ ALSO: ‘We’ll see data prices drop’ – Communications Minister promises Ghanaians

It has appreciated by 24.1% against the US dollar, 16.2% against the British Pound and 14.1% against the Euro according to the latest data by the Bank of Ghana.

Per the May 2025 Summary of Economic and Financial Data, the cedi is currently trading at around GH₵11.85 to the dollar – GH₵15.84 to the British Pound and GH₵ 13.34 to the Euro.

citinewsroom.com