Mahama demands climate finance as he recounts Ghana’s deadly June floods

President John Dramani Mahama has invoked the legacy of Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, in calling for a renewed commitment to the liberation and development of Africa. Addressing the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, President Mahama said Ghana’s anti-colonial heritage continued to shape its approach to global affairs and its advocacy for greater African representation and equality. He recalled Nkrumah’s declaration on the eve of Ghana’s independence in 1957 that the country’s independence would be meaningless unless it was linked to the total liberation of the African continent.

“Today, from this respected global podium, we must expand that historic truth: The freedom of any nation is insecure unless it is linked to the freedom of all humanity,” President Mahama said. He said the principle remained relevant as African countries sought greater control over their natural resources, stronger representation in global institutions and fairer access to international financing. President Mahama also linked Ghana’s historical struggle for independence to the country’s forthcoming role as Chair of the African Union in 2027, saying Ghana would use the position to advance continental integration, peace and security.

He said Africa’s future should be built around shared prosperity, dignity and stronger cooperation among its people. “Our national prosperity is fragile unless it is shared. Our global peace is unviable unless it is anchored in justice,” he said.

President John Dramani Mahama has called on developed countries to honour their climate-financing commitments, arguing that countries such as Ghana are bearing severe consequences from climate change despite contributing relatively little to global emissions. Speaking at the 81st United Nations General Assembly, President Mahama described climate change as “the ultimate test of global equity” and said Africa was facing some of the heaviest impacts of a crisis it did little to create. “Africa contributes less than 4 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet bears some of the heaviest burden of climate devastation,” he said on Thursday, September 24.

President Mahama cited the devastating rainfall that hit Ghana and coastal West Africa on June 29, saying more than 160 millimetres of rain fell across seven coastal regions within 24 hours. He said the disaster resulted in 39 deaths, with one person still missing, highlighting the increasing risks posed by extreme weather events. “Climate justice demands that developed nations fulfil their long-overdue financial commitments,” he said.

The President called for mitigation support to be provided through predictable, non-debt-creating grants rather than loans that could further increase the debt burdens of vulnerable economies. He also linked climate resilience to global health, calling for stronger public health systems and regional manufacturing capacity for vaccines and therapeutics as part of what he described as the demands of the Accra Reset. “Pathogens do not respect national borders or GDP,” President Mahama said, urging greater international solidarity in strengthening global health security.