Mahama, appointees donate ₵6.1m to Mahama Cares Fund
Government transfers funds to Mahama Cares
The Government of Ghana has transferred GH¢6.1 million to the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as the Mahama Cares Fund, following directives issued by President John Dramani Mahama. The announcement was made by Government Communications Minister Felix Kwakye Ofosu in a Facebook post on Thursday, May 7. According to him, the Controller and Accountant-General officially confirmed that the amount had been deducted and transferred to the Fund in accordance with the President’s instructions to political appointees.
President Mahama leads by example
At the launch of the Mahama Cares initiative last year, President Mahama pledged to donate six months of his salary to support the Fund. The President also called on all political appointees serving under his administration to contribute one month of their salaries toward the initiative. The move was widely viewed as an effort to demonstrate leadership by example while encouraging collective support for healthcare financing in the country.
Penalties for Defaulting Appointees
In addition to the voluntary salary contributions, President Mahama imposed sanctions on appointees who failed to comply with the government’s asset declaration directive within the stipulated deadline.
Under the directive, defaulting appointees were required to forfeit three months of their salaries to the Mahama Cares Fund as a penalty for non-compliance. According to Mr Kwakye Ofosu, arrangements are currently being finalised to transfer the remaining tranche of deductions from affected appointees into the Fund.
Purpose of the Mahama Cares Fund
The Ghana Medical Trust Fund was established to support healthcare delivery and provide financial assistance for medical treatment, particularly for vulnerable citizens who struggle to afford critical healthcare services.
The initiative forms part of broader government efforts to strengthen healthcare support systems and improve access to medical care across the country.
Growing public interest
The transfer of GH¢6.1 million has generated public interest, with many Ghanaians closely monitoring how the Fund will be managed and utilised. Observers say the success of the initiative will depend largely on transparency, accountability, and the effective disbursement of resources to patients in need. Government officials have indicated that additional contributions and deductions are expected to further increase the Fund’s resources in the coming weeks.
