Sarkodie hails Mahama over rejection of US health compact
Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie has commended President John Dramani Mahama for rejecting a proposed United States health compact over what the government considered unacceptable conditions.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Sarkodie thanked the President for what he described as a move towards restoring Ghana’s dignity and respect on the international stage.
“Thank you, Mr. President… Hopefully one day we gain back the full respect deserved,” he wrote.
His comments follow President Mahama’s disclosure that Cabinet rejected the proposed health compact after raising concerns about some of its provisions.
Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on Friday, September 25, 2026, President Mahama said the Ministry of Health had reviewed the agreement, which was presented as a replacement for funding Ghana lost following the termination of USAID support.
The Ministry subsequently prepared a Cabinet Information Paper on the proposed agreement.
President Mahama said Cabinet flagged several concerns when the compact was presented for consideration.
One of the major issues, he noted, was a provision requiring Ghana to provide its pathogen profile, including information on diseases endemic to the country.
He also questioned a separate requirement for Ghana to provide medical records, describing the provision as unusual.
President Mahama further disclosed that the agreement required Ghana to contribute a specified amount of funding to the programme while limiting the Food and Drugs Authority’s (FDA) ability to inspect medicines and medical products imported under the arrangement.
He described the conditions as “humiliating” and said Cabinet consequently rejected the compact within a short period.
“It was humiliating. And so it was the compact that was thrown out in record time in our cabinet,” he said.
Sarkodie’s comments have since drawn attention to the government’s decision and President Mahama’s account of the proposed agreement.
By Esther Padmore Amonoo
