Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie has expressed support for President John Dramani Mahama following the government’s decision to reject a proposed health compact from the United States, after the President disclosed concerns surrounding provisions relating to Ghana’s health information, financial obligations and regulatory authority.
Sarkodie’s remarks came after President Mahama explained that the proposed arrangement had been reviewed by the Ministry of Health before being submitted to Cabinet, where several provisions were identified as problematic. The President made the disclosure while speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on September 25, 2026.
According to President Mahama, one of the provisions in the proposed compact required Ghana to provide the United States with its pathogen profile, while another allegedly required the disclosure of medical records. He questioned the rationale for such requirements and said they became a significant source of concern when the agreement was considered by Cabinet.
President Mahama further disclosed that the proposed arrangement would have required Ghana to commit a specified amount of domestic funding towards the programme. He also raised concerns over provisions which, according to his account, would have restricted the authority of Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority to inspect medicines and other medical products brought into the country under the arrangement.
The President described the conditions as “humiliating” and said Cabinet consequently rejected the proposal shortly after it was presented for consideration. He added that the Health Minister was subsequently instructed to inform the United States Ambassador that Ghana would not proceed with the arrangement.
The proposed compact was intended to provide an alternative framework for health assistance following changes to United States foreign aid arrangements and the loss of some funding previously associated with the United States Agency for International Development. Reports have placed the proposed United States support at approximately US$100 million over five years, although the precise terms and obligations attached to the arrangement have been described differently across reports.
Reacting to the President’s explanation, Sarkodie took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express his appreciation for the government’s decision. The award winning rapper said Ghana deserved better and called for greater respect for the country in its dealings with the United States and other Western nations.
“Thank you, Mr President … Hopefully, one day, we gain back the full respect deserved,” Sarkodie wrote in his post.
Sarkodie’s intervention has consequently added a prominent public voice to the discussion surrounding Ghana’s rejection of the proposed health compact, while President Mahama’s explanation has placed particular emphasis on health data, domestic financial commitments and the regulatory powers of Ghanaian authorities.
The government’s decision therefore remains centred on the terms of the proposed agreement and Ghana’s stated concerns over the conditions attached to the health assistance, with President Mahama maintaining that the country opted not to proceed after Cabinet reviewed the provisions.
