Outdoor air pollution cost Ghana GH¢28 billion in 2024, UNDP report reveals
via GhanaWeb3 min read
A United Nations Development Programme UNDP report, "Investment Case for Improved Ambient Air Quality and Health," disclosed that outdoor air pollution led to an estimated GH¢28 billion US$1.9 billion in economic losses for Ghana in 2024, accounting for about 2.3 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product. The study, conducted in collaboration with Breathe Cities and funded by the Clean Air Fund, also linked ambient air pollution to 12,870 deaths and over 316,000 disease cases in the same year. Stroke was responsible for approximately 47 percent of air pollution-related deaths, followed by ischaemic heart disease at 21 percent, and acute lower respiratory infections at 17.4 percent. Ms. Belynda Amankwa, Programmes Specialist for HIV, Health and Development at UNDP, stated that the report aims to quantify the health and economic burden of ambient air pollution to guide policy decisions. The study, which focused exclusively on outdoor air pollution, utilized data from various Ghanaian institutions and an internationally recognized methodology adapted to Ghana’s context. Recommendations include developing a unified national air quality policy, expanding monitoring systems, improving data sharing, strengthening multi-sectoral collaboration, mobilizing innovative financing, and increasing research on vulnerable populations. At the city level, the report urges metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies to promote cleaner transport, improve waste management, enforce envir
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Kwabena Kissi, a 40-year-old Ghanaian man, was sentenced to three years and four months in prison in April 2026 after pleading guilty to stealing £117,000 from a Santander bank in Brixton, south London, on July 5, 2022. Kissi admitted to fraud by false representation, using a false ID and wearing his former employer's G4S Security Services uniform to deceive bank staff. CCTV footage showed Kissi, wearing a helmet and face mask, entering the bank with a security briefcase. He duped staff into allowing him into a secure office where they handed him bags containing £117,200 in cash. After changing clothes, Kissi left with the money in a bin bag and ordered an Uber. Bank staff realized the deception when the real G4S guard arrived for the regular collection. Kissi flew to Accra, Ghana, the next day and lived there for nearly four years. He was arrested in March 2026 upon returning to the UK, after booking an Uber using his real name and phone number. Police intercepted and arrested him at Gatwick Airport, finding the same phone handset he used during the heist. Judge Rosa Dean stated that Kissi exploited his 'inside knowledge'.
Sammi Awuku, Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, has strongly criticized the NDC government following recent increases in electricity and water tariffs, which he described as a betrayal of Ghanaians on Republic Day. In a Facebook post on July 3, 2026, Awuku questioned the continuous rise in utility bills despite government assurances of declining inflation and a strengthened cedi. He stated that Republic Day has become "Tariff Day" due to these adjustments, marking the fifth utility tariff increase under the NDC administration in 18 months. Awuku argued that while officials celebrate macroeconomic indicators, ordinary citizens face rising household expenses. He highlighted that inflation figures and exchange rate gains do not alleviate the burden on market women, barbers, teachers, hairdressers, welders, cold store operators, and young entrepreneurs who struggle to pay their bills. Awuku also noted that these tariff hikes occur while communities recover from floods, businesses battle power outages, and families contend with a high cost of living. He detailed a pattern of successive tariff adjustments, including electricity tariff increases of 14.75% in May 2025, 2.45% in July 2025, 1.14% in October 2025, 9.86% in January 2026, and 3.49% effective July 1, 2026. Water tariffs also increased by 4.02% in May 2025, 15.92% in January 2026, and 0.85% effective July 1, 2026. Awuku concluded that these repeated adjustments have become an unwelcome routine for struggling citizens,
Major General Charles Mohammed Barwah is remembered as a respected military figure in Ghana, known for his loyalty to the constitutional order. On February 24, 1966, during a military coup aimed at overthrowing President Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Major General Barwah, then Chief of Army Staff and the highest-ranking officer in Ghana, refused to join the mutiny. He was shot on the spot for his refusal to acknowledge the coup and for professing his loyalty to the Head of State. Barwah was a devoted husband and father of eight, a devout Muslim, and maintained an interest in reading and leadership. He had trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where he was noted for his strong character and academic achievement. His legacy is honored through the Barwah Barracks in Tamale, named after him, symbolizing his courage, integrity, and commitment to duty. His story is seen by many Ghanaians as an example of principle and loyalty to the state over personal survival.