Mahama: Global crises should drive, not delay structural reforms

President John Dramani Mahama has rejected calls for structural reforms to be delayed until global geopolitical tensions ease, arguing that periods of crisis can create opportunities for new ideas, partnerships and reforms. Speaking at the Accra Reset on Monday, September 21, President Mahama said the current global challenges should instead serve as a catalyst for reform. “Crisis is precisely why and when new paradigms are forged,” he said. He said health had been chosen as one of the key areas for the global reset because it remained fundamental to human wellbeing. He identified maternal and child health as among the first major tests of the proposed reset, highlighting the continued burden of maternal deaths in sub-Saharan Africa. He said Ghana also faced a serious maternal health challenge, with the country still three times above the recommended Sustainable Development Goal target for maternal mortality. “We are still three times above the recommended SDG targets in maternal mortality. This is unacceptable,” the President said. President Mahama said the scale of the challenge requires renewed action and international partnerships to strengthen health systems and improve maternal and child health outcomes. Source: Citi Newsroom (https://www.citinewsroom.com/2026/09/mahama-global-crises-should-drive-not-delay-structural-reforms/)