Mills’ Legacy Lives On: 14th Anniversary Commemoration Launched

Prosper Kay
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Mills’ Legacy Lives On: 14th Anniversary Commemoration Launched

By Kingsley Asiedu

The J.E.A. Mills Memorial Heritage has officially launched a series of activities to commemorate the 14th anniversary of the passing of former President John Evans Atta Mills, the third President of the Fourth Republic and Ghana’s only Head of State to die in office.

At a press conference held at the International Press Centre in Accra yesterday, Mr. Alex Segbefia, Chairman of the J.E.A. Mills Memorial Heritage, announced a robust programme of events designed to honour the life and legacy of the late President, who passed on peacefully on July 24, 2012, at 1:40 p.m. .

The commemoration begins today with this press conference and will culminate in a series of public events. The highlight will be the 14th Anniversary Commemorative Lecture on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at 2 p.m. at the Kofi Ohene Konadu Auditorium, University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA).

The lecture will be delivered by renowned cardiothoracic surgeon and former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, under the theme “President John Evans Atta Mills, Fourteen Years On” . The event will be chaired by Ms. Hannah Serwah Tetteh, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Representative for Libya, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs .

The main anniversary event, a Wreath-Laying Ceremony and Memorial Service, will occur on Friday, July 24, 2026, at 9 a.m. at the Asomdwee Park, near Osu Castle. President John Dramani Mahama will lay a wreath on behalf of the Republic of Ghana. Other wreaths will be laid by representatives of Parliament, the widow, Mrs. Ernestina Naadu Mills, the family, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the J.E.A. Mills Memorial Heritage, and the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs.

The commemoration will conclude on Saturday, July 25, 2026, with the President John Evans Atta Mills Memorial Hockey Tournament at the Theodosia Okoh National Hockey Pitch in Accra, at 9:30 a.m. .

Mr. Segbefia reminded the media of the late President’s vision, quoting him: “It will be my duty as President to heal wounds and Unite Our Dear Nation… as I am enjoined by the constitution to do.” The J.E.A. Mills Memorial Heritage, a not-for-profit, non-partisan organisation incorporated in 2021, was established to preserve this heritage and promote his unique view of society to strengthen democratic values and human development .

Protecting Two Decades of Sanitation Gains: Stakeholders Call for Reliable Funding Model

EDALL Chronicles
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Protecting Two Decades of Sanitation Gains: Stakeholders Call for Reliable Funding Model

By Adade Gyamfi

For years, Ghana has been celebrated as one of Africa’s emerging leaders in waste management and environmental sanitation. Modern composting plants, waste treatment facilities and innovative recycling initiatives have transformed the country’s sanitation landscape, earning recognition across the continent.

Yet, behind these successes lies a growing concern: how to sustainably finance the collection, treatment, and disposal of the ever-increasing volumes of waste generated daily.

That concern took centre stage at a high-level stakeholder dialogue on landfill and waste management held in Accra, where government officials, local authorities, sanitation experts and private sector operators warned that Ghana risks reversing decades of progress unless a reliable funding model is urgently established.

The meeting, organised by the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs under the theme: ‘Alleviating Waste Disposal Crisis in Greater Accra,’ brought together key actors in the sanitation sector at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City on June 8, 2026.

Their message was unanimous: waste management is a public good that cannot be financed solely by individual households and businesses.

Participants argued that while citizens must contribute to sanitation services, government must identify dedicated and sustainable funding sources to support the sector. They expressed concern that the Sanitation and Pollution Levy, introduced to provide financial backing for sanitation services through fuel purchases, is no longer playing its intended role in supporting waste management activities.

Without adequate financing, they warned, the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) could lose many of the gains achieved over the last two decades in environmental cleanliness, waste collection and public health.

Growing Cities, Growing Waste

Ghana’s urban population continues to expand rapidly, creating enormous pressure on existing waste management infrastructure.

Delivering the keynote address, the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim, painted a sobering picture of the challenge facing the country.

According to him, Ghana currently generates approximately 4,400 tonnes of solid waste every day, amounting to nearly 1.6 million tonnes annually. While the country has achieved an average collection rate of about 80 percent, the remaining uncollected waste continues to pose environmental and public health risks.

More worrying, he noted, is the projection that waste generation will increase substantially over the coming decade as urbanisation accelerates and populations grow.

The Minister stressed that investing in modern waste treatment facilities and efficient collection systems can no longer be postponed. However, he identified financing as the single biggest obstacle confronting the sector.

Waste management, he explained, cannot be left entirely to market forces. Drawing lessons from countries such as South Korea, he argued that governments around the world continue to provide significant support for sanitation services because of their direct impact on public health and environmental protection.

He disclosed that discussions are underway with the Ministry of Finance to secure dedicated funding to clear outstanding obligations owed to private waste

According to him, even the most advanced waste management infrastructure cannot function effectively without reliable operational funding. Delayed payments to service providers, he warned, could trigger serious environmental and health consequences.

The Landfill Debate

The President of the Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA) and Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, challenged the continued dependence on landfills as the primary solution to Ghana’s waste problems.

In his view, landfill disposal represents an outdated model that has consistently failed to keep pace with modern waste management demands.

Dr. Agyepong revealed that all 17 engineered landfills constructed across Ghana with support from Ghana’s development partners reached capacity within a decade, highlighting the limitations of relying on landfill infrastructure alone.

Instead, he advocated a more integrated approach that prioritises waste collection, transfer stations, recycling, composting and resource recovery before considering landfill disposal as a last resort.

There is a growing global shift towards circular economy principles, where waste is increasingly viewed as a resource that can be transformed into valuable products rather than simply buried underground, he added.

The Economics of Waste

Funding emerged repeatedly as the central challenge confronting the sanitation sector as industry operators highlighted difficulties in revenue mobilisation and cost recovery, noting that current tariff structures remain inadequate to support the level of investment required.

According to Dr. Agyepong, international benchmarks suggest that households in lower-middle-income countries typically pay between US$15 and US$20 monthly for waste collection services.

In Ghana, however, service providers continue to struggle with low collection rates and inadequate revenue streams, creating significant financial pressure across the industry.

The situation raises broader questions about how developing countries can finance essential environmental services while balancing affordability for citizens.

Stakeholders argued that sanitation should be treated similarly to other critical public services such as healthcare, education and infrastructure, which receive varying degrees of public support because of their societal importance.

A Continental Success Story Worth Protecting

Despite the challenges, participants highlighted Ghana’s remarkable achievements in sanitation innovation.

Over the past two decades, the country has built more than 50 waste treatment and composting facilities, positioning itself among Africa’s leaders in environmental sanitation technology.

Ghanaian waste management firms are now exporting expertise beyond the country’s borders, supporting sanitation projects and environmental initiatives in countries such as Kenya and Ethiopia.

According to Dr. Agyepong, this success has been driven by long-term investments in local capacity development and human resource training.

He revealed that sanitation service providers have collectively supported the training of hundreds of highly skilled professionals who now contribute to waste management systems both within Ghana and across Africa.

The sector’s growth has created thousands of jobs while helping improve public health outcomes, reduce environmental pollution and strengthen urban resilience.

The Cost of Inaction

Perhaps the most compelling argument for increased investment came from research findings presented during the dialogue.

The studies estimated that poor waste management costs Ghana more than GH¢6.2 billion annually through flood-related destruction, healthcare expenditures and environmental degradation.

The figures serve as a reminder that sanitation is not merely a cleanliness issue but an economic one.

Blocked drains contribute to devastating floods, indiscriminate waste disposal pollutes water bodies, and poor sanitation practices increase the burden on healthcare systems.

Experts argued that investing in effective waste management today is significantly cheaper than dealing with the consequences of environmental neglect tomorrow.

A Shared Responsibility

As discussions concluded, stakeholders agreed that addressing Greater Accra’s waste disposal crisis requires stronger collaboration among government institutions, local authorities, private service providers and citizens.

More importantly, they stressed that policy discussions must now translate into practical and sustainable financing mechanisms capable of supporting long-term sanitation improvements.

The consensus was clear: Ghana has made significant progress in transforming its sanitation sector, but maintaining those gains will require more than infrastructure and technology. It will require political commitment, innovative financing and a recognition that waste management is not simply a service to be paid for, but a critical investment in public health, environmental sustainability and national development.

The challenge now is whether Ghana can secure the resources needed to protect the progress it has worked so hard to achieve.

Daylight Mafia Weija-Gbawe NPP Polls Spark Fresh Dispute As Former Executives Demand Cancellation

Nana Beeko
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Daylight Mafia Weija-Gbawe NPP Polls Spark Fresh Dispute As Former Executives Demand Cancellation

Fresh tensions have emerged within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Weija-Gbawe Constituency following the conclusion of the party’s constituency elections, with a group of former polling station executives challenging the credibility of the process.

The aggrieved party members have appealed to the NPP’s national leadership to urgently step into the matter, warning that the growing internal disagreement could deepen cracks within the constituency if not addressed.

At a media engagement, members of the group led by Ing. Daniel Awotwe called on the party’s National Executive Committee to invalidate the election results and initiate an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the exercise.

Their demand is based on claims that the elections were held despite an alleged directive from the national leadership for the process to be suspended pending further instructions.

The former polling station executives accused the Member of Parliament for Weija-Gbawe, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, and some constituency officers of presiding over a process they believe excluded several experienced grassroots members.

According to the group, many individuals who had served the party at the polling station and community levels for years were allegedly removed from the delegates’ register ahead of the elections.

One of the aggrieved members claimed that more than 500 delegates were affected by the alleged changes to the electoral roll, describing the development as damaging to party cohesion.

“They have removed more than 500 delegates. We cannot work with him because we did not vote for him. He came to meet us in Weija-Gbawe, but we are the ones who have been doing the grassroots work,” the member alleged.

The group argued that the alleged exclusion of influential grassroots members could have wider political consequences, particularly as the NPP works towards rebuilding its structures and strengthening its electoral prospects.

Some members also levelled serious allegations of intimidation against the MP, claiming that persons they described as “landguards” had been introduced into the constituency to frighten those opposed to the conduct of the elections.

“Jerry has brought landguards into Gbawe. If you speak against something you believe is wrong, they threaten to beat you. I have even received death threats,” one member alleged.

Another former executive claimed that party members who openly questioned certain decisions within the constituency risked being excluded from the delegates’ list, further accusing the leadership of suppressing dissent.

“If you raise concerns with Jerry about what is happening, he removes you from the delegates’ list. If the MP has removed between 400 and 500 delegates, how can we work together?” the individual alleged.

The disgruntled members warned that unresolved grievances could negatively affect the NPP’s future performance in Weija-Gbawe, with some threatening to reconsider their support for the party should the national leadership fail to act.

They consequently appealed to the party hierarchy to send a team to the constituency to independently investigate the allegations, review the electoral process and engage all affected stakeholders.

The group maintained that restoring confidence among grassroots members must remain a priority if the NPP intends to maintain unity and strengthen its political base in the constituency.

They further urged the party’s leadership to treat the dispute with urgency, warning that prolonged silence could worsen divisions and make reconciliation increasingly difficult.

The group says it remains hopeful that the NPP’s national leadership will intervene, address its concerns and pursue a transparent resolution capable of restoring peace and unity within the Weija-Gbawe Constituency.

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Kenya’s Petroleum Regulator Returns To Study Ghana’s Model

News Ghana
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Kenya’s Petroleum Regulator Returns To Study Ghana’s Model

Kenya’s Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) is back in Ghana, studying the systems that turned the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) into a regional benchmark since 2022.

The current tour adds Ghana to a growing list of countries drawing on NPA’s approach to downstream regulation. Sierra Leone’s National Petroleum and Regulatory Authority sent officials to study the same framework in October 2025, and Kenyan regulators made a similar trip in 2022, when the relationship between the two agencies began.

NPA Chief Executive Officer Godwin Kudzo Tameklo received the EPRA delegation alongside Deputy Chief Executive Dr Sheila Addo and members of the Authority’s Executive Committee. Rasheed Dauda, Head of Policy at NPA’s Policy Coordination Directorate, led the briefings on licensing, pricing oversight and enforcement measures built up over more than two decades of downstream regulation in Ghana.

The exchange revives an older relationship. NPA officials visited EPRA’s Nairobi headquarters in early 2022 under then Chief Executive Mustapha Abdul Hamid. EPRA’s Director General at the time said his team wanted to understand Ghana’s Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund, the mechanism that keeps pump prices uniform across the country. EPRA sent its own delegation to Ghana weeks later, and the two regulators have kept up periodic exchanges since.

For Kenya, the stakes extend beyond courtesy diplomacy. EPRA carries a wider mandate than NPA, regulating electricity and renewable generation alongside petroleum, and its pipeline network feeds fuel to landlocked neighbors including Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Any shift in how it prices or licenses fuel distribution carries weight across East Africa’s supply chain.

NPA was established under the National Petroleum Authority Act 2005, Act 691, to regulate licensing, quality assurance and price administration in Ghana’s downstream sector. The Authority said the latest visit reflects a continued commitment to sharing regulatory expertise across the continent.

Neither NPA nor EPRA had published a formal statement on new agreements arising from the visit at the time of filing.

Asiedu Nketia’s NDC Lead Narrows as Forson Gains

News Ghana
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Asiedu Nketia’s NDC Lead Narrows as Forson Gains

National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia narrowly leads Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson in a one on one vote among party delegates, a new poll shows, with a third still undecided.

The finding comes from Global InfoAnalytics’ latest delegate survey for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), taken as the party weighs who will carry its banner into the 2028 election. NDC delegates, not the general public, choose that candidate, a vote expected in 2027 under the party’s constitution.

Across the full field, Asiedu Nketia held first choice support of 27%, with Ato Forson at 22%. Vice President Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang polled 7%, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu 6%, and Chief of Staff Julius Debrah 5%. Roughly 30% of delegates named no preference, the survey’s largest single group.

Measured against Global InfoAnalytics’ April survey, Ato Forson’s support rose a point while Asiedu Nketia’s slipped by one. Iddrisu’s support fell two points and Debrah’s dropped four. The pollster’s trend line shows undecided delegates climbing from 23% in April to 27%, though the survey’s overall count puts the undecided share closer to 30%, a discrepancy that signals how fluid the numbers remain this close to the contest.

The clearest movement sits in the south. In the Volta and Oti regions, Ato Forson’s support nearly doubled, from 12% in April to 23%, while Asiedu Nketia’s slipped from 30% to 24%. In the Akan regions, Ato Forson climbed from 21% to 25% as Asiedu Nketia fell from 31% to 27%. The chairman held his ground only in the north, where his support rose from 26% to 31% as Iddrisu’s home turf backing collapsed from 35% to 19%.

Against rivals other than Ato Forson, Asiedu Nketia’s lead stays wide. He leads Iddrisu 45% to 16%, Opoku Agyemang 46% to 15%, and Debrah 45% to 16% in one on one match ups, each with a sizeable undecided bloc. The pattern holds a clear message: Ato Forson is the only contender narrowing the chairman’s advantage.

No date has been set for the NDC’s flagbearer vote. With close to a third of delegates still uncommitted, that bloc, more than either front runner, looks set to decide who takes the party into 2028.

Buah Defends Cooperative Mining Initiative, Says rCOMSDEP Is Ghana’s Pathway to Responsible Mining

Prosper Kay
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Buah Defends Cooperative Mining Initiative, Says rCOMSDEP Is Ghana’s Pathway to Responsible Mining

Story By: Felix Ernest Odamtten / Muhammad Faisal Mustapha…

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has strongly defended the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP), describing it as a structured pathway towards responsible mining rather than a mechanism for promoting illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

Speaking during a government accountability engagement, the Lands Minister said the initiative was developed to provide a regulated and sustainable framework for thousands of Ghanaians who depend on mining activities for their livelihoods.

Hon. Buah explained that Ghana’s mining sector requires practical solutions that recognise the realities on the ground while introducing stronger systems to protect the environment and ensure that mineral resources contribute meaningfully to national development.

“Cooperative mining is not galamsey. It is a responsible mining pathway designed to bring order, training and sustainability into the small-scale mining sector,” the Minister stated.

He noted that mining remains a significant economic activity involving millions of citizens across several regions, making it necessary for government to introduce interventions that promote lawful participation and responsible resource extraction.

“We have a challenge that cannot be ignored. More than three million Ghanaians are engaged in mining activities across different regions, and the solution is not simply to condemn them; the solution is to create a responsible system that works,” he said.

The Minister said rCOMSDEP forms part of a broader government strategy to address illegal mining through a combination of education, stakeholder engagement, institutional reforms, collaboration and improved regulation of the sector.

According to him, the programme seeks to transform the small-scale mining landscape by equipping miners, especially young people, with the knowledge and skills required to operate within environmental and legal standards.

“Mining must not come at the cost of destroying our forests, polluting our rivers or damaging our lands. There is a responsible way to mine, and that is what we are promoting,” Hon. Buah emphasised.

The initiative will place strong emphasis on training and capacity building, with participants expected to gain knowledge in environmentally friendly mining techniques, land restoration and sustainable resource management practices.

The Minister revealed that government’s target includes training thousands of young people under the programme, while ensuring that local communities and traditional authorities play a central role in monitoring and supporting mining activities.

He stressed that community ownership would be essential to the success of the programme, as local involvement would help guarantee accountability, transparency and compliance with responsible mining principles.

Hon. Buah explained that traditional leaders, community representatives and relevant institutions would work together to ensure that mining operations under the cooperative model follow approved guidelines and protect Ghana’s natural resources.

The Lands Minister maintained that rCOMSDEP is not a replacement for the fight against illegal mining but rather a complementary intervention aimed at creating lawful opportunities for people involved in small-scale mining.

He assured Ghanaians that government remains committed to balancing economic empowerment with environmental protection, ensuring that the country’s mineral wealth becomes a foundation for sustainable development.

As Ghana continues its efforts to reform the mining sector, the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme is being positioned as a major policy intervention aimed at changing the narrative around small-scale mining and building a more responsible future for the industry.

Ghana Youth Emigration Interest Doubles Since 2017

Roger A. Agana
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Ghana Youth Emigration Interest Doubles Since 2017

New Afrobarometer data shows Ghana ranks among Africa’s highest for youth considering emigration, with the share thinking about it seriously more than doubling since 2017.

The continental picture, released to mark World Youth Skills Day and based on 50,961 interviews across 38 African countries in 2024 and 2025, found job creation is young Africans’ top priority for government investment, cited by 48 percent, well ahead of education at 17 percent, jobs training at 14 percent, business loans at 13 percent and social services at 8 percent. Asked what keeps young people out of work beyond general economic conditions and job scarcity, respondents pointed first to inadequate training, cited by roughly a quarter, and lack of work experience, cited by about a fifth. Given a free choice of sector, half of young Africans said they would rather start their own business than work in government, the private sector or for a nongovernmental organisation.

Emigration featured heavily in the findings. Across the continent, 55 percent of young people said they had given at least some thought to moving abroad, with 43 percent describing that interest as “somewhat” or “a lot,” driven mainly by the search for better jobs and an escape from economic hardship. Ghana placed among the five highest countries on this measure at 63 percent, behind only The Gambia, Cabo Verde, Liberia and Guinea-Bissau.

A separate, Ghana focused Afrobarometer dispatch suggests the picture at home is sharper still. It found 72 percent of young Ghanaians have considered emigrating, and that the share who have thought about it “a lot” has more than doubled since 2017, from 26 percent to 55 percent. The same data shows Ghanaian youth are considerably more educated than their elders, with 76 percent holding secondary or post-secondary qualifications compared with 49 to 66 percent among older cohorts, yet more likely to be job hunting, at 34 percent versus 20 to 21 percent for the middle aged. Eighty four percent of young Ghanaians say the country is headed in the wrong direction.

The trend has a concrete face in at least one sector: Ghana loses an estimated 400 to 500 nurses a month to emigration, according to the International Council of Nurses, a pace that has strained staffing in the health system even as the country continues to train more nurses than it retains. Ghana sits on both sides of West Africa’s migration patterns, hosting roughly 471,000 immigrants and more than 13,000 refugees, mostly from neighbouring countries, even as its own young people increasingly look abroad. Ghanaians aged 15 to 35 make up 38 percent of the national population and 60 percent of the labour force, according to the Ghana Statistical Service, meaning the barriers and emigration pressures the survey captures bear on the bulk of the country’s current and future workforce.

Afrobarometer’s continental findings carry a margin of error of two to three percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level, with all 38 countries weighted equally in multi-country averages regardless of population size.

Mid-Year Review: Lands Ministry Highlights Progress, Challenges and New Priorities

Prosper Kay
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Mid-Year Review: Lands Ministry Highlights Progress, Challenges and New Priorities

Story By: Felix Ernest Odamtten / Muhammad Faisal Mustapha….

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has presented a comprehensive mid-year review of his sector’s performance, highlighting government’s commitment to responsible resource management, environmental protection, sustainable mining and reforms within Ghana’s lands and natural resources landscape.

The presentation, delivered under the Government Accountability Series, provided an opportunity for the Ministry to account for its activities during the first half of the year while outlining achievements, ongoing programmes and strategic priorities aimed at strengthening the country’s natural resource governance.

The accountability session forms part of government’s broader commitment to transparency and public engagement, allowing sector ministers to present progress reports, address national concerns and explain policies being implemented to improve the lives of citizens.

In his address, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah emphasised that the Ministry’s vision remains focused on ensuring that Ghana’s natural resources become a catalyst for inclusive economic growth, environmental sustainability and long-term national development.

«“Our natural resources belong to the people of Ghana, and our responsibility is to manage them in a way that delivers lasting benefits while protecting the environment for future generations,” the Minister stated.»

The Lands Minister highlighted ongoing reforms within the mining sector, particularly efforts to promote responsible mining practices, strengthen regulatory systems and create opportunities for communities to participate meaningfully in the responsible exploitation of mineral resources.

He reiterated government’s determination to tackle illegal mining activities while supporting legitimate small-scale miners through structured interventions, skills development and cooperative models designed to promote environmentally responsible operations.

«“The future of mining in Ghana must be built on responsibility, innovation and sustainability. We cannot sacrifice our environment today at the expense of tomorrow’s generations,” Hon. Buah noted.»

The Minister also touched on measures aimed at improving land administration, enhancing institutional efficiency and ensuring that land resources are managed transparently for national development projects, investment and community growth.

According to him, effective management of Ghana’s lands and natural resources requires collaboration among government institutions, traditional authorities, private sector actors, civil society organisations and local communities.

The review further highlighted the Ministry’s commitment to environmental restoration programmes, including initiatives aimed at reclaiming degraded lands and protecting Ghana’s forests, rivers and ecosystems from increasing pressures.

Stakeholders have described the accountability engagement as an important platform for measuring government’s performance and ensuring that public institutions remain responsive to the expectations of citizens.

The Minister stressed that sustainable development cannot be achieved without balancing economic growth with environmental protection and responsible resource utilisation.

«“Development must not only be measured by what we extract from the earth, but also by what we preserve for the generations that will come after us,” he said.»

The mid-year review comes at a time when Ghana continues to pursue reforms within the natural resources sector, with increasing attention on sustainable mining, climate resilience and improved governance.

Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah assured the public that the Ministry would continue to pursue policies that protect Ghana’s natural heritage while creating opportunities for economic empowerment and national transformation.

As the government continues its accountability engagements, the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry’s performance review provides insight into the progress made so far and the strategic direction for the remaining months of the year.

Muscle Cells Found To Produce EPO Hormone

Roger A. Agana
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Muscle Cells Found To Produce EPO Hormone

Korean researchers have found that skeletal muscle can produce the hormone erythropoietin, a function long attributed only to the kidneys and liver, depending on which oxygen sensing protein is active.

A team led by Dong-il Kim and Min-Jung Park at Chonnam National University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, working with 13 co-authors including University of Michigan collaborator Jun Wu, built three complementary mouse models to isolate the roles of two related proteins, HIF1α and HIF2α, that cells rely on when oxygen runs low. One model had all three prolyl hydroxylase domains that normally restrain HIF activity removed entirely in muscle fibres, while two others had HIF1α or HIF2α individually stabilised. The team tested both male and female mice and found consistent results across sexes. The work was posted online in February 2026 and published in the April 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

The two proteins turned out to push muscle physiology in different, non-overlapping directions. Stabilising HIF1α increased the share of oxidative muscle fibres, a trait usually linked to endurance, yet the mice performed worse on treadmill tests and showed impaired mitochondrial function, meaning the muscle looked more endurance built on the surface while its underlying energy production suffered. “This study demonstrates the distinct, non-redundant roles of HIF1α and HIF2α in skeletal muscle,” Park said.

HIF2α produced the opposite pattern. Its activation improved glucose tolerance, reduced weight gain, preserved mitochondrial function without changing fibre type, and was linked to lower food intake and higher levels of the hormone GLP-1. The most unexpected result was that HIF2α activation drove muscle tissue to produce and release erythropoietin, the hormone that stimulates red blood cell production and is conventionally made by the kidneys and liver. When the researchers deleted EPO specifically from muscle in mice lacking all three PHDs, the abnormal blood cell counts seen in those animals returned to normal, confirming the muscle itself, not another organ, was the source.

The authors caution the findings come entirely from mouse models and that further study is needed before any clinical application is considered. They also flag a safety question worth watching: because pharmacological drugs that inhibit PHDs are already used or under investigation to treat anaemia by stabilising HIF pathways broadly, doing so without distinguishing between HIF1α and HIF2α could risk muscle dysfunction or excessive red blood cell production. Muscle derived EPO does not appear to activate under normal conditions, the authors say, but could become clinically relevant in situations where kidney EPO production is impaired.

The findings add to a broader shift in how physiologists view skeletal muscle, less as tissue purely for movement and more as an organ capable of influencing whole body glucose handling and blood cell production. Park completed postdoctoral training at the University of Michigan under Bishr Omary before returning to Chonnam National University to study muscle physiology and hypoxia signalling, while Kim did his postdoctoral work at Michigan under Jun Wu, who went on to co-author this study, focusing on metabolic disease and gene delivery research.

President of National Council of Zabarma Chiefs Extols Yaa-Naa’s Legacy

Prosper Kay
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President of National Council of Zabarma Chiefs Extols Yaa-Naa’s Legacy

By Felix Ernest Odamtten/Muhammed Faisal Mustapha

The President of the National Council of Zabarma Chiefs, Sarki Alhaji Musa Yahya Yendu, speaking on behalf of the Zabarma community in Ghana, has expressed profound sorrow over the passing of the Overlord of Dagbon, Yaa-Naa Abukari Mahama II, describing his death as a great loss to the people of Dagbon, the traditional institution, and Ghana as a whole.

In a message of condolence, Sarki Yendu said the late Yaa-Naa was a distinguished traditional ruler whose reign was marked by wisdom, humility, peacebuilding and a steadfast commitment to the unity and development of Dagbon.

He noted that the Yaa-Naa’s leadership transcended the boundaries of the Dagbon Kingdom, earning him admiration and respect from traditional rulers, religious leaders and people from all walks of life across Ghana.

According to Sarki Yendu, the late monarch played a significant role in promoting peaceful coexistence, dialogue and national cohesion while preserving the rich customs and traditions of the Dagbon Kingdom.

Speaking on behalf of the Zabarma community in Ghana, Sarki Yendu said the community joins the people of Dagbon in mourning the revered traditional ruler, adding that his legacy of service, justice and unity would continue to inspire future generations.

He extended his heartfelt condolences to the Dagbon Traditional Council, the Regent, the royal family, the chiefs and people of Dagbon, as well as the Government of Ghana, praying that Allah grants the late Yaa-Naa Al-Jannah Firdaus and comforts all who have been affected by the loss.

“The passing of Yaa-Naa Abukari Mahama II is not only a loss to Dagbon but to the entire nation. His commitment to peace, traditional governance and national development will forever be remembered,” Sarki Yendu stated.

Sarki Yendu, who has consistently advocated peace, unity and cultural preservation among Zabarma communities across Ghana, urged all Ghanaians to honour the memory of the late Yaa-Naa by promoting tolerance, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.

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