Compassion over wealth: Alhaji Agongo fulfills GH¢500,000 pledge to Ghana Medical Trust Fund

Last week, businessman Seidu Agongo stood before officials in Accra. He presented a check for GH¢500,000 to the Ghana Medical Trust Fund.

This donation was on behalf of Alive Industries. It fulfilled a pledge made by Alhaji Agongo during the fund's launch by President John Dramani Mahama.

In Ghana, the monthly minimum wage is about GH¢450. Many face medical bills of GH¢8,400 each month just to survive. This is the harsh reality for thousands suffering from kidney failure.

"I see their faces every day," Alhaji Agongo said emotionally. "Mothers sell everything for one more treatment. Fathers choose between feeding their children and staying alive."

“These are impossible choices no Ghanaian should face," he added. His connection to these struggles motivated his donation.

As a dialysis center owner, Alhaji Agongo has seen the impact of kidney disease firsthand. Each dialysis session costs around GH¢800. Most patients need three sessions weekly, totaling about GH¢8,400 monthly.

This amount is roughly $800 in a country where average income is $750, according to the Global Payroll Association. More than half of workers earn less than that.

"In a developing country where food is scarce, this burden is heavy," he explained during the donation ceremony. "That's nearly 20 times the minimum wage."

Alhaji Agongo’s donation aims to support the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, also known as "Mahama Cares." This program helps vulnerable groups: the poor, unemployed, elderly, and those without support systems.

Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh expressed deep emotion during the event. He emphasized that this donation goes beyond corporate social responsibility.

"This is about Ghanaians standing for Ghanaians," he stated. "Alhaji Agongo shows us how to respond to our neighbors' suffering."

Alhaji Agongo also owns Agricult, an agricultural company. He believes public health connects directly to national prosperity.

"As a businessman, my success means nothing if people die from treatable conditions," he said. "We all need access to healthcare as a fundamental right."

He challenged fellow Ghanaians to support each other and improve lives together.

"This isn't about wealth—it's about compassion," he said. "Together, let's lift others and give them another chance at life."

Alhaji Agongo has donated widely across Ghana and built a block for the Child Emergency Unit at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.