The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has publicly addressed mounting concerns regarding the government’s financial commitments to Zipline Ghana. He stated that the actual deployment of drone services requires a thorough reassessment of the financial framework, noting that current usage patterns deviate significantly from the original contractual expectations.
The initial intent of the contract was strictly to cover essential supplies for “hard‑to‑reach areas” and critical emergency deliveries. However, the Minister revealed a notable gap between this intention and the actual reality of service delivery: only 12% of dispatched packages were destined for hard-to-reach locations, and emergency cases accounted for a mere 4% of all flights. Instead, many drone deliveries involved a wide variety of non-emergency items, including condoms, mosquito nets, food and nutrition supplies, syringes and needles, adhesive tapes, educational materials, textbooks, exercise books, and school uniforms.
This discrepancy in service focus has substantial financial implications. Under the existing agreement, Ghana is obligated to pay US $88,000 per month per centre. With six operational centers nationwide, this amounts to a monthly expenditure, well over half a million dollars for services that extend beyond the original emergency-focused mandate.
Addressing these financial realities, the Minister stated directly, “These facts raise legitimate concerns about value for money,”. He clarified that the Ministry is renegotiating the terms of the agreement and assured that the public would be kept informed of the outcome. The Ministry has confirmed meeting with Zipline on more than three occasions and remains committed to ongoing discussions, following a clear directive from the President that all public spending must deliver clear value.
This financial debate has already led to tangible consequences: some Zipline centers have commenced partial suspension due to delayed payments, with the reported outstanding debt totaling GH¢175 million. Earlier in 2025, health-sector stakeholders had warned that such a shutdown could seriously endanger the vital medical supply chain relied upon by remote communities dependent on drone logistics.
Despite the payment disputes, proponents strongly assert that the drone service has delivered “tremendous public‑health benefits,” including the rapid delivery of blood and essential drugs, which is particularly crucial in locations where poor roads often impede and delay ground transport.
