Author: Chris Kodo

The head pastor of the Revival Life Outreach Church Spirit Life Centre Rev Paul Owusu Yeboah has laid a daunting charge on Christians to bear the torch for a corruption free society.

According to the clergyman, there is no excuse for any Christian worth his or her sort, to pay a cedi to any public officer to seek a favour or evade a punitive action.

Read: Young Africans more likely to pay bribes than their elders Survey

Speaking to host Julius Caesar Anadem on the Ultimate Breakfast Show, Rev. Yeboah noted that scriptures that preach against the critical national canker of bribery abound in the Bible.

He was forthright with his insistence that patriarchs and martyrs went through harrowing situations to defend their faith; modern Christians being no exception.

“Christians have gone through harder situations in history than things like this. People have been beheaded for their faith; people have been crucified for their faith. If the church has been persecuted for their faith, then the church must stand up for truth and righteousness in our country. Our morality and standards for life must be higher than the average Ghanaian,” he chided.

Read: Police still viewed as most corrupt in Ghana Report

Giving a personal experience about how he has conscientized his own flock, the reverend minister recounted, ”I always say to my church members it is wrong for a believer to pay bribe to a police man no matter the situation you get yourself into. I have made it a consciousness that I will rather make the policeman arrest me than to give him 1 cedi.”

Rev Owusu did not spare the church leadership of involvement of its fold in some glaring acts of corruption.

He, however, called for the leaders of the faith to build their capacities on issues of governance and corruption to be able to champion the course to clean up society as done by Civil Society Organisations in the country.

 

Source: starrfm.com.gh

Two entities alleged to have attempted smuggling some bags of subsidized Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) fertilizers to neighbouring Burkina Faso have seen their importation contracts terminated.

The fertilizers were for some Ghanaian farmers in Kassena-Nankana.

Read: Police probe alleged stealing of PFJ fertilizer in Nkoransa

The affected companies are said to be behind the two trucks loaded with 4000 bags of subsidized fertilizers that were recently impounded at the Paga border in the Upper East Region, after a tipoff by an official at the border.

The affected companies reported by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), are Demeter and Intercontinental Ghana.

The Upper East Regional Minister, Paulina Abayage, who revealed this in an interview with DGN Online, said the 4000 bags of fertilizers were being kept under tight security and would soon be distributed free of charge to vulnerable groups and individuals across the region, so as to serve as deterrent to other importers and distributors who may want to smuggle subsidized fertilizers out of Ghana.

Read: Agric officer arrested over missing GHC946,000 worth of Planting and Food and Jobs fertilizer

“There is someone claiming ownership, unfortunately, the Agric Ministry does not have a contract with this person, but the two importers. So as I speak, the Ministry has abrogated the contracts it had with these two importers, because of what this supplier has done which is a breach of the contract with the ministry,” Madam Abayage said.

In June 2019, two articulated trucks loaded with 4000 bags of 25kg fertilizers meant for the Planting for Food and Jobs programme were impounded when they bypassed their supposed destination in Navrongo and headed for the Paga border probably to cross over to Burkina-Faso.

 

Source: dailyguidenetwork.com

The Ashanti Regional Police Command has arrested over 100 suspects following the clashes that have left many injured and several properties destroyed at Dagomba line at Aboabo on Tuesday.

Read: Dagomba Line conflict: One dead, 120 arrested

In a radio interview on Accra-based Citi FM, the Public Relations Officer for the Ashanti Regional Command, ASP Godwin Ahianyo, said the suspects would be screened to enable the police to prosecute those who were directly involved in the clashes.

He said the police had spoken to the two parties involved in the clashes to enable the police to establish the cause of the clashes.

Read: Dagomba Line: Warring slum youth burn shacks; shoot, hack each other

There were violent clashes between some residents of Dagomba Line at Aboabo in Kumasi over an alleged disputed parcel of land last Tuesday, July 9, 2019.

Many residents, particularly women and children were said to have fled the area following the clashes.

 

Source: Graphic.com.gh

Two persons have been confirmed dead following clashes between scrap dealers and some people claiming to be indigenes of Aboabo in Kumasi, over the ownership of a parcel of land at Dagomba Line.

According to the Police, the two unidentified men, believed to have sustained gunshot and machete wounds, were victims of latest clashes which erupted on Thursday night.

Read: Dagomba Line conflict: One dead, 120 arrested

Over 100 persons suspected to be connected with the violence, have been picked for questioning by the Regional Police Command.

What began as a turf war between scrap dealers and persons claiming to be indigenes of Aboabo Goroo left three people in critical condition on Tuesday.

At least, three houses were torched with seven other wooden structures demolished by feuding sides.

The two factions are said to have renewed their rivalry over the land, few hours after members of the Asokore Mampong Municipal Security Council inspected the disputed land in a bid to resolve the impasse.

Read: Dagomba Line: Warring slum youth burn shacks; shoot, hack each other

An unspecified number of people from both factions in the dispute also sustained machete and gunshot wounds.

Public Relations Officer of the Ashanti Regional Police Command, ASP Godwin Ahianyoh, who confirmed the deaths said a team of police and military personnel dispatched to the place, had a hectic time in restoring calm.

“Two persons are confirmed dead. Their identity is not yet communicated to me. Who and who are involved I cannot say. I am sure after the MUSEC [Municipal Security Committee] meeting, whatever the update is and their identities would be known,” he told Nhyira FM.

This is a developing story…

The government of Ghana is determined to retool and reposition the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet), to become the best meteorological institution in the sub-region.

“The government has demonstrated this commitment by procuring a number of equipment such as automatic weather stations, calibration equipment, vehicles and a number of others”.

Read: Police take delivery of 250 body cameras

Mr Vincent Sowah Odotei, Deputy Minister of Communications, said this in Accra on Wednesday, at the opening of a National Consultative Workshop for the establishment of a National Framework for Climate Services in Ghana.

He said Ghana, is a Co-Chair of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Advocacy Group, was particularly keen on empowering the GMet, to take the needed climate action, in pursuance of the attainment of SDG 13.

“It is important for Ghana to tailor our climate services to the needs of end-users, and climate information should respond to the specific needs of users through the relevant forecast, based on advisory services and decision-making tools,” said the Deputy Minister.

Mr. Odotei noted that the implementation of Ghana’s National Framework for Climate Services required strong partnerships and collaboration with international organisations and user groups such as sectorial experts, government agencies, the private sector and the academia.

He said the government would support GMet, which was the lead agency in the implementation, to ensure that climate services were efficiently provided for the improvement of climate information products, predictions and outlook.

The Deputy Minister said the government through the Ministry of Communication would ensure that the framework was implemented to the letter.

He said flagship programmes being implemented by the government, such as the Planting for Food and Jobs, One village one Dam and One District One Factory were all climate reliant, which made the establishment of the national framework timely.

Read: Providing health insurance the Premier way

“The Ministry through GMet, would promote and strengthen public education campaigns to all end-users, on how climate plays a key role in their activities and informs their activities,” Mr. Sowah said.

Dr. Michael Tanu, the Director-General of the Ghana Meteorological Agency, who chaired the programme, said climate change and the increase in the frequency of extreme weather events such as drought, flash floods, landslides and rising temperatures in the midst of massive urbanization, “threatens our very survival.”

He said National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, therefore, needed to develop early warning systems, to help mitigate the impact of these disasters as a matter of urgency.

Dr. Tanu added, “though some work on this has been done in various agencies and institutions in the country, there is the need for collaboration and coordination for resilience.”

The three-day workshop is being hosted by GMet, under the auspices of the Ministry of Communication.

 

Source: ghananewsagency.org

A District court in Kyebi has refused a bail application filed by the defense counsel for the six accused persons in the murder case of Mr. George Somuah Bosompem, a Teacher at Asiakwa in the Eastern Region.

The judge, His worship Bosompem Apenkwa who presided over the court Friday refused the bail application due to the nature of the case, the fact that punishment that goes for such a case is death sentence and it is also of public interest.

Read: Court denies RME teacher murder suspects bail

The court on June 25, 2019, remanded into Prison Custody the six accused persons after prosecution prayed the court to remand them as it awaits advise from the Attorney General Department.

The accused persons -Richard Amaning, 18, Mireku Emmanuel, 19, Philip Kodie, 19, Offei Frimpong, 19, Ezekiel Boadu,20, and Evans Aboagye alias Otega, 19 facing charges of conspiracy to commit crime to with Murder and Murder, will reappear in Court on July 30, 2019.

Some of the accused persons coincidentally had their birthdays today.

The deceased Teacher, George Somuah Bosompem was the Steward of Methodist Church and a Religious and Moral Education as well as Twi Teacher at Salvation Army Basic School.

Prosecutor Margaret Kontoh on May 14, 2019 pleaded the Court to remand the accused to enable prosecution conduct further investigations into their birth records in their school to reconcile their real ages as the defence counsel, challenged the ages provided by prosecution stating that all the accused persons are below 18 years, therefore, the case must be tried at Juvenile Court.

Read: State witness in murder of Major Mahama case involved in accident

Again the defense counsel previously pleaded alibi for two of the accused persons – Mireku Emmanuel, and Philip Kodie stating that they were not present in the community during the incident which will he says will argue during the committal proceedings.

The late 57-year-old George Somuah Bosompem described by many as affable and hardworking was married to Adwoa Asieduwaa. He had three Children -Charlotte Aduako Somuah,18,-currently writing the WASSCE exams, Kwadwo Somuah Bosompem, 4, and Four(4) month old Kwadwo Abrokwa Somuah.

The Police in the Northern region have arrested three out of five suspects in possession of substances suspected to be Indian hemp.

The suspects were arrested by a police patrol team at the Savelugu AOR Thursday morning at about 11am upon a tip off.

Read: 34-year-old man arrested for recruitment scam

The suspects are Fatawu Tiniya, 29, Masahudu Iddrisu, 20, and Zaka Mahama, 23 years.

Two of the suspects, police say have absconded. However, all the five motor bikes belonging to the suspects have been intercepted and are in the police custody.

Briefing the press in Tamale on the arrest, Northern regional Police crime officer, Superintendent of Police, Kwabena Otuo Acheampong sai, at a spot test of the substance proved positive.

“Yesterday on the 11th of this month, our officers were on patrol at savelugu OAR and they had a tip off that some five young men were on motorbikes carrying substances suspected to be Indian hemp, so they laid ambush and then after some minutes, the suspects approached the police where they have laid ambush and they intercepted and arrested three of them, two of the suspects managed to escape arrest,” Superintendent Otuo Acheampong said.

Read: I have not been arrested nor processed for court MP reacts to publication

The suspects are believed to have carried the substance from the North East region and heading to Tamale.

“They alleged that, they were coming from a community within North East region to the Northern region, Tamale when they were intercepted on the way which we also verified.”

The three suspects are therefore to appear before the Tamale High Court on Friday on charges of possessing narcotic substances without authority.

 

Source: starrfm.com.gh

State prosecutors are aiming to put CEO of Menzgold, Nana Appiah Mensah aka NAM1, his wife and his sister behind bars for allegedly defrauding 16,000 people of about GH¢1.68bn.

The wife and the sister are facing four counts, including defrauding by false pretence alongside NAM1.

Read: How NAM1 wore hood to hide his moustache and bushy hair

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Menzgold Ghana Limited, Nana Appiah Mensah, aka NAM1, has been accused of allegedly defrauding 16,000 customers of more than GH¢1.68 billion between January 2017 and September 2018.

He has been charged with two counts of abetment to defraud by false pretence and two counts of abetment to carry out banking business without a licence, contrary to Section 6 (1) of the Banks and Specialised Deposit-taking Institutions Act, 2016 (Act 930)

Two of his companies — Brew Marketing Consult and Menzgold Ghana Limited — represented by him, have each been charged with defrauding by false pretence, contrary to sections 20 (1) and 13 (1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).

The two companies have also been charged with carrying out a deposit-taking business without a licence, contrary to Section 6 (1) of Act 930.

Also facing the law are his sister and his wife, Benedicta Appiah and Rose Tetteh, respectively, who have been slapped with two counts of abetment to defraud by false pretence and two counts of abetment to carry out banking business without a licence, contrary to Section 6 (1) of Act 930. The two women are, however, at large.

Particulars of the offences

A charge sheet sighted by Graphic Online’s Mary Mensah on the crime beat stated that between January 2017 and September 2018, Brew Marketing Consult and Menzgold defrauded one Francis Agodzie and 16,000 others of more than GH¢1.68 billon.

Read: Breaking: NAM1 back in Ghana; under CID interrogation

It further accused the two entities of carrying out an illegal deposit-taking business during the same period.

The charge sheet explained that Mensah, Appiah and Tetteh aided Brew Marketing Consult and Menzgold to defraud the customers of the GH¢1.68 billon.

With regard to the charge of abetment to carrying out deposit-taking business without a licence, the three suspects are accused of aiding the two companies to illegally carry out a deposit-taking business.

 

Source: Graphic.com.gh

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Menzgold Ghana Limited, Nana Appiah Mensah, aka NAM1, returned to Ghana on Thursday with a bushy hair and an unkempt moustache.

The man said to have defrauded one Francis Agodzie and 16,000 others of more than GH¢1.68 billion was spotted by Graphic Online’s Mary Mensah on the crime beat wearing an ash sweatsuit with a hood, with which he covered his face to avoid being recognised.

Read: Drop charges against NAM 1, we want our money Lawyer to police

His hands were handcuffed behind him when he arrived at the Kotoka International Airport via Emirates Airline flight EK787 at 10.58 a.m. on Thursday.

He was quickly whisked away by security personnel from Interpol Ghana and the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI).

He was accompanied on the flight by Interpol officials from Dubai, who handed him over to Interpol Ghana officials as soon as he disembarked from the plane.

Flanked by two policemen, with other security men following closely behind, he limped slowly and managed to make it to the offices of the Financial Forensic Unit (FFU) on the first floor of the CID?Headquarters.

Read: Breaking: NAM1 back in Ghana; under CID interrogation

As soon as he made it to the offices of the FFU, the frail NAM 1 pulled off the hood to reveal his bushy hair and unkept moustache, as he awaited the arrival of his two lawyers, Messrs Kwame Akufo and Kofi Supremo.

He was arraigned at the Accra Circuit Court on Friday morning and was into police custody to reappear before the court on July 26, 2019.

The court, presided over by Jane Helen Akweley Quaye, remanded NAM 1 after the police prosecutors prayed for his remand to aid investigations.

 

Source: Graphic.com.gh

A 24-year-old businesswoman has allegedly been murdered by unknown assailants in a bush behind the SDA Education Unit Office along the Kasadjan road in the New Juaben North Municipality of the Eastern Region.

The body of the deceased -Rita Afia Pokua has been retrieved by Police and deposited at the St. Joseph Hospital Morgue.

Read: State witness in murder of Major Mahama case involved in accident

Information gathered by Starr News indicates the deceased left the house to the shop to sell on July 9, 2019, at 7:00 am but did not return. Several efforts to trace her whereabouts were not successful.

However, her body was found lying dead in a nearby bush behind SDA Educational Unit Office near Abrewa- Nkwanta the following morning.

Sister to the deceased Lydia Bosompem reported the incident to the Police and crime scene investigators from the Effiduase District Police Command were dispatched to the scene.

According to Police report, the deceased was “found lying dead in supine position wearing black underwear halfway below waist and her long dress pulled on her stomach. Spot investigations show signs of struggle suggesting deceased struggled with her assailants before she was overpowered and dragged into the bush”.

Read: 47-year-old man murdered in his room

The Police Investigators explained further that Inspections on the body revealed bruises on the cheek and blood oozing from the left ear. Other visible marks of assault were seen around the back, right ankle, buttocks and both thighs. The body was photographed and later conveyed to St. Joseph Hospital mortuary for autopsy.

The Deputy Public Relations Officer of the Eastern Regional Police Command, Sergent Francis Gomado, told Starr News when contacted that, the investigation is ongoing to unravel and arrest the assailants.

He, however, advised persons who work and closes at night to be security conscious and avoid using obscure routes.

 

Source: starrfm.com.gh

There were renewed clashes at Dagomba Line in the Asokore Mampong municipality of the Ashanti Region between two gun-toting and machete-wielding rival groups.

Several houses were torched while scores of people from both sides sustained serious injuries.

The victims of the burning of the houses fled the area to seek refuge elsewhere.

Read: UN congratulates Dagombas, Ghanaians on new Ya Na

Nursing mothers carried their babies on their backs and wailed in the midst of the conflict.

Several properties were destroyed in the clashes.

A joint police and military team was deployed to the slum to restore peace.

The police command in the area arrested about 18 people.

The fresh conflict followed the burning of three rooms and three stalls in the slum by some squatters after they clashed with police officers who were supervising a demolishing exercise per a court order secured by the owner of the land on which the shacks have been built.

Read: Why a Dagbon palace must be built by Dagombas and not the government

Some other properties were also destroyed in the melee.

A group of aggrieved squatters attacked the police officers with sticks, stones and other missiles.

In the heat of the attack, the police retreated and called for reinforcement as fire officers rushed to the area to douse the flames.

Several of the angry squatters were arrested and put in police custody in connection with the Tuesday clash.

 

Source: classfmonline.com

The CEO of Menzgold, Nana Appiah Mensah has been remanded to two weeks in Police custody by an Accra Circuit court.

The embattled CEO is on trial for two counts of abetment to defraud by false pretence and two counts of abetment to carry out banking business without licence, contrary to Section 6 (1) of the Banks and Specialised Deposit-taking Institutions Act, 2016 (Act 930).

Read: NAM1 defrauded 16,000 people of GH¢1.68bn State prosecutors

Nana Appiah Mensah was put before court on Friday. The case has been adjourned to July 26, 2019.

Nana Appiah Mensah arrived in Ghana on Thursday where he was picked up by security operatives at the Kotoka International Airport and sent to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service for interrogation.

He spent the night in police custody after he was denied bail.

He had spent the last six months in police custody in Dubai due to a criminal case brought against him by a private company in that country.

Read: Government in crunch meeting over NAM1

An INTERPOL red alert notice was placed on him by the government of Ghana making it impossible for the United Arab Emirates authorities to release him from their custody after he won the case in a court in Dubai.

He had been declared wanted in Ghana over allegations of fraud brought against him by some persons who invested in his gold dealership company, Menzgold.

Hundreds of customers have not been paid their dividends or principals amid fears Menzgold was a Ponzi Scheme.

 

Source: citinewsroom.com

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Menzgold Ghana Limited, Nana Appiah Mensah, aka NAM1, has been charged with two counts of abetment to defraud by false pretence and two counts of abetment to carry out banking business without licence, contrary to Section 6 (1) of the Banks and Specialised Deposit-taking Institutions Act, 2016 (Act 930).

NAM1 who returned to Accra on Thursday July 11, 2019 after months of detention in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates is expected to appear before the Accra High Court today for allegedly defrauding 16,000 customers of more than GH¢1.68 billon between January 2017 and September 2018.

Read: Akufo-Addo must pay Menzgold customers Inusah Fuseni

Two of his companies — Brew Marketing Consult and Menzgold Ghana Limited — represented by him, have each been charged with defrauding by false pretence, contrary to sections 20 (1) and 13 (1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), reports Graphic Online’s Mary Mensah in charge of the crime beat.

The two companies have also been charged with carrying out a deposit-taking business without licence, contrary to Section 6 (1) of Act 930.

Also facing the law are his sister and his wife, Benedicta Appiah and Rose Tetteh, respectively, who have been slapped with two counts of abetment to defraud by false pretence and two counts of abetment to carry out banking business without licence, contrary to Section 6 (1) of Act 930. The two women are, however, at large.

Particulars of the offences

A charge sheet sighted by Graphic Online’s Mary Mensah stated that between January 2017 and September 2018, Brew Marketing Consult and Menzgold defrauded one Francis Agodzie and 16,000 others of more than GH¢1.68 billon.

Read: Government in crunch meeting over NAM1

It further accused the two entities of carrying out an illegal deposit-taking business during the same period.

The charge sheet explained that Mensah, Appiah and Tetteh aided Brew Marketing Consult and Menzgold to defraud the customers of the GH¢1.68 billon.

With regard to the charge of abetment to carrying out deposit-taking business without licence, the three suspects are accused of aiding the two companies to illegally carry out a deposit-taking business.

 

Source: Graphic.com.gh

A prosecution witness in the trial of the alleged murderers of the late Major Maxwell Mahama has been involved in an accident.

The Accra High Court was told ACP Baffour Apenteng Nyamekye, who has given his evidence in chief and being cross-examined as the 12th prosecution witness, was involved in an accident at the weekend.

Read: Witness in Major Mahama trial involved in accident

State prosecutors said ACP Nyamekye was hospitalized but was discharged on Monday, July 10.

Mrs Evelyn Keelson, the Chief State Attorney, told the Court that, she had a brief chat with the witness and prayed the Court for an adjournment.

Read: Real killers of Major Mahama on the run Lawyer

The Court presided over by Justice Mariama Owusu, a Court of Appeal judge sitting with additional responsibility as a High Court Judge, upon the prayer, adjourned the trial to Tuesday, July 23 for continuation.

At the last adjourned date, the witness told the court that he never constructed a google map but rather re-constructed the crime scene sketch.

Mr Appenteng, who has served with the Ghana Police Service for 30 years, was answering questions in further cross-examination by Mr Bernard Shaw, the counsel for William Baah, and said he added a couple of inputs to the google map to arrive at the crime scene sketch.

Asked, whether he knew that the Military was in that District to give protection to a mining company called C and G, he answered in the affirmative.

The Defence again asked the witness, whether he knew the Company was doing illegal mining in the area and the witness said he was in the town to investigate a murder case and not illegal mining.

Fourteen persons are standing trial at an Accra High Court over the killing of Major Mahama, who was an officer of the 5th Infantry Battalion, at Burma Camp.

The late Major was on duty at Denkyira-Oboasi in the Central Region when on May 29, 2017 some residents allegedly mistook him for an armed robber and lynched him.

The mob had ignored his persistent plea that he was an officer of the Ghana Armed Forces.

The accused are William Baah, the Assemblyman of Denkyira Obuasi, Bernard Asamoah alias Daddy, Kofi Nyame a.k.a Abortion, Akwasi Boah, Kwame Tuffour, Joseph Appiah Kubi, Michael Anim and Bismarck Donkor.

Others are John Bosie, Akwasi Baah, Charles Kwaning, Emmanuel Badu, Bismarck Abanga and Kwadwo Anima.

Source: 3news.com

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Menzgold Ghana Limited, Nana Appiah Mensah, aka NAM1, is expected to appear before the Accra High Court today for allegedly defrauding 16,000 customers of more than GH¢1.68 billon between January 2017 and September 2018.

He has been charged with two counts of abetment to defraud by false pretence and two counts of abetment to carry out banking business without licence, contrary to Section 6 (1) of the Banks and Specialised Deposit-taking Institutions Act, 2016 (Act 930).

Read: Government in crunch meeting over NAM1

Two of his companies — Brew Marketing Consult and Menzgold Ghana Limited — represented by him, have each been charged with defrauding by false pretence, contrary to sections 20 (1) and 13 (1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).

The two companies have also been charged with carrying out a deposit-taking business without licence, contrary to Section 6 (1) of Act 930.

Read: NAM1 arrives in Ghana; being interrogated by police

Also facing the law are his sister and his wife, Benedicta Appiah and Rose Tetteh, respectively, who have been slapped with two counts of abetment to defraud by false pretence and two counts of abetment to carry out banking business without licence, contrary to Section 6 (1) of Act 930. The two women are, however, at large.

Particulars of the offences

A charge sheet sighted by the Daily Graphic stated that between January 2017 and September 2018, Brew Marketing Consult and Menzgold defrauded one Francis Agodzie and 16,000 others of more than GH¢1.68 billon.

It further accused the two entities of carrying out an illegal deposit-taking business during the same period.

The charge sheet explained that Mensah, Appiah and Tetteh aided Brew Marketing Consult and Menzgold to defraud the customers of the GH¢1.68 billon.

With regard to the charge of abetment to carrying out deposit-taking business without licence, the three suspects are accused of aiding the two companies to illegally carry out a deposit-taking business.

Arrival

NAM1 arrived at the Kotoka International Airport via Emirates Airline flight EK787 at 10.58 a.m. yesterday and was quickly whisked away by security personnel from Interpol Ghana and the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI).

He was accompanied on the flight by Interpol officials from Dubai, who handed him over to Interpol Ghana officials as soon as he disembarked from the plane.

An emaciated NAM 1 was spotted wearing an ash sweat suit with a hood, with which he covered his face to avoid being recognised. His hands were handcuffed behind him.

Flanked by two policemen, with other security men following closely behind, he limped slowly and managed to make it to the offices of the Financial Forensic Unit (FFU) on the first floor of the CID?Headquarters.

As soon as he made it to the offices of the FFU, the frail NAM 1 pulled off the hood to reveal his bushy hair and unkept moustache, as he awaited the arrival of his two lawyers, Messrs Kwame Akufo and Kofi Supremo.

Background

The Ghana Police Service triggered an Interpol alert on Wednesday, January 9, 2019 to facilitate a search for NAM1 globally.

The police also obtained a warrant for the arrest of NAM 1 and two other directors of Menzgold on charges of defrauding by false pretences. The two directors are Rose Tetteh and Benedicta Appiah.

The arrest warrant followed reports by customers of the company to the effect that they had been defrauded.

Emeriti officials arrested Mensah on December 7, 2018, in line with investigations into a gold trading deal within the Emirate jurisdiction. Following his arrest, Ghanaian officials in Dubai visited him while he was in the custody of the Dubai Police.

A special delegation of security operatives also left Accra for Dubai in connection with his arrest to gather first-hand information regarding his arrest by the Emeriti authorities.

NAM 1

Nana Mensah shot to prominence in 2017 after his association with Ghana’s creative arts industry with his Zylofon Media Company Limited.

He signed Shatta Wale, Stonebwoy, Becca, Kumi Guitar, Joyce Blessing, all musicians, along with the actor Toosweet Annan and actress Benedicta Gafah, onto his Zylofon Media record label.

Before he ventured into the entertainment industry with Zylofon Media, he had operated the gold dealership firm, Menzgold Ghana Limited.

Nana Appiah is also the CEO of Brew Marketing Consult, Menzgold Espana S.L, T.I.A. Holdings (USA), Brew Energy Company Limited, Brew Realty Company Limited and Cheetah Security Co. Limited.

He is married to Rose Tetteh, who is the CEO of Rozzy’s Collection, a fashion shop in Accra, and they have a son.

Aggrieved customers

In 2017, Menzgold came under fire from two regulators, the Bank of Ghana (BoG) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which fire intensified last year.

The SEC, in a notice published in the Monday, October 2, 2018 edition of the Daily Graphic, informed the public that Menzgold Ghana Limited had “neither been licensed nor its adverts sanctioned by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to carry out any activity in the capital market”.

According to the notice, Menzgold was not a SEC-regulated entity because its operations contravened Section 3 (c) of the Securities Industries Act, 2016 (Act 929), which dealt with the registration, licensing, authorisation and regulation of entities in the securities market.

The BoG also cautioned the public against depositing money with Menzgold because it had not been licensed to take deposits.

However, Nana Mensah called the bluff of the BoG, describing the statement as a joke and a diversionary tactic. Later, the SEC directed Menzgold to suspend its gold trading operations with the public.

Despite initial protests, Menzgold complied with the directive but failed to fully pay its numerous customers whose investments fell due, a situation which later blossomed into a series of protests across major cities such as Kumasi and Accra.

Source: Graphic.com.gh

Mr Kenneth Kponor, Volta Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) said extensive sensitisation would be needed for a successful registration of citizens for the Ghana Card by the National Identification Authority.

He said cursory observations indicated that many people, especially rural dwellers had little knowledge on the exercise and turned up at centres without required documents and information.

Read: NCCE, One Ghana Movement to distribute waste bins to Schools

Mr Kponor in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said the Commission also observed that some people massed up at the Electoral Commission’s offices and limited registration centres by the Electoral Commission for new voters demanding the Ghana Card.

He said vigorous education was therefore needed for the success of the exercise.

Read: NCCE goes after Ofosu-Ampofo over leaked audio, condemns content

The Director said public education was not an event but a process and that the NCCE must be resourced to deliver sustained sensitization ahead of such exercises.

“We need ample time to engage people effectively in their homes, offices and other places”, he stated.

Mr Kponor said independent governance institutions must also be supported to help deepen sensitisations.

The NCCE has been monitoring the limited voter registration exercise across the country, and provided public education when needed.

Source: ghananewsagency.org

The Ga Dangme Shifimo Kpee from Greensboro, United States of America (USA), has presented 37 wheelchairs worth 40,000 dollars to 14 health centres in the Greater Accra Region.

Beneficiary facilities including Pantang hospital, Ofankor clinic, Old Ningo Health Care, Dodowa Health Post, North Gbawe Community clinic and Aboabo Clinic each had four wheelchairs.

Read: MP supports Madina Health Directorate with medical equipment

Others were Akowe Ga West Municipal Hospital, Usher Clinic, James Town Maternity Home, Tema General Hospital, Manhean Polyclinic, Tema Polyclinic and the TMA Maternity Clinic.

Mr Clement Adjatey, Co-founder of Ga Dangme Shifimo Kpee, presenting the items, said the group made up of 30 members thought it prudent to present the medical items to needy health facilities.

Mr Adjatey added that it was their hope that the adjustable wheelchairs would facilitate the mobility of patients in beneficiary health institutions.

He urged the institutions to put them to good use while the group mobilized more medical equipment to help them in future.

Dr Joseph Donkor, Acting Tema Metro Director of Health Services, receiving the items on behalf of the beneficiaries, said health care was expensive and difficult as the sector faced a lot of challenges especially in terms of infrastructure and equipment.

Dr Donkor added that health data of Tema showed that hypertension and stroke were two of the leading conditions that brought about miscomfort and death among residents which he said related to environmental and poor eating habits.

He noted that the wheelchairs were very essential in health delivery especially at the Out Patients Department (OPD).

He said it helped in conveying unconscious and semi-conscious patients as well as women in labour and children adding that when there are no beds, patients use as rest pads as they take infusions.

Source: ghananewsagency.org

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday that issues related to pregnancy are still the leading cause of death among girls aged 15 to 19.

“Around the world, we are seeing pushback on women’s rights, including on essential health services. Issues related to pregnancy are still the leading cause of death among girls aged 15 to 19.

Read: Multiple abortions leading cause of ectopic pregnancy Expert

Gender-based violence, which is rooted in inequality, continues to take a horrific toll,” the UN chief said in his message on World Population Day to be observed on July 11.

Speaking of the overall situation, the secretary-general said that while the world’s population overall continues to increase, this growth is “uneven.”

Read: 7,575 girls drop out of school over pregnancy

“For many of the world’s least developed countries, the challenges to sustainable development are compounded by rapid population growth, as well as vulnerability to climate change.

Other countries are facing the challenge of ageing populations,” he said.

Talking about the trend, Guterres said that “as the world continues to urbanize, with 68 percent of the world population projected to live in urban areas by 2050, sustainable development and climate change will increasingly depend on the successful management of urban growth.”

World Population Day, which seeks to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues, was established by the then-Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989, an outgrowth of the interest generated by the Day of Five Billion, which was observed on July 11, 1987.

This year’s World Population Day calls for global attention to the unfinished business of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development.

Twenty-five years have passed since that landmark conference, where 179 governments recognized that reproductive health and gender equality are essential for achieving sustainable development.

Source: ghananewsagency.org

The former South African President, Nelson Mandela said: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”.

On 1st September 2017, the NPP government led by President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo rolled out a policy that saw the 2017/2018 academic year Senior High School entrants admitted into the various schools they were posted to without paying any fees. This policy is termed “Free Senior High School” program and it aims at eliminating the element of cost which often becomes a barrier to higher education in Ghana.

Read: Stop using Free SHS to coverup your incompetence Hassan Ayariga jabs Akufo-Addo

In the 2017/18 academic year, over 200,000 students benefited from this program. This commendable policy was well-received by the citizens, as it brought a sigh of relief to many parents, especially to the children from financially-challenged homes.

This policy is also commendable in terms of helping Ghana achieve the Sustainable Development Goal(SDG) 4 which is to ensure that “all boys and girls complete free primary and secondary schooling by 2030” and also to eliminate educational inequality in terms of gender and wealth disparities.

Read: Majority, Minority clash over funding free SHS from oil money

The increasing number of students that were admitted into the free SHS program in the 2018/19 academic year necessitated the introduction of the double track system in order to accommodate more students into the program. The double track system was also due to infrastructural challenges faced by the various senior high schools in Ghana, which the government intend to resolve over time.

With about 517,332 candidates who wrote the Basic Education Certificate Examinations this year, the issue of infrastructural challenges is likely to worsen and could deepen the multiple-track system introduced into the senior high schools in the 2018/19 academic year.

One reliable means by which the government can ease the pressure on the infrastructural facilities in the various senior high schools in Ghana is to include private senior high schools in the free S.H.S program. Even though the effort has been made by the government to provide extra classrooms blocks for some senior high schools ahead of the 2019/20 academic year, the inclusion of the private senior high schools in the free S.H.S program will be highly commendable and will provide more room for curbing the temporal double track system in no time.

There are over 500 private senior high schools in Ghana, who are providing various forms of educational programs ranging from business, general and agricultural science, visual and general arts to home economics. Most of these schools are well equipped in terms of infrastructural facilities such as adequate classroom blocks, boarding houses to accommodate students as well as excellent teaching and learning materials. These schools also have qualified teachers who offer excellent tuition to students. This often translates to excellent performance in the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

There are several benefits the nation stands to gain when private schools are included in the senior high school program. Notable among them are:

Less pressure on government in dealing with the infrastructural challenges facing public senior high schools.

The inclusion of private senior high schools in the free senior high school programme will relieve the government of the expected urgency in the provision of extra infrastructural facilities in the public senior high schools in the short term. This is because some private senior high schools are well equipped in terms of infrastructure to accommodate students in the boarding houses and also have quality teachers just the public senior high schools, and therefore have the capacity of providing quality education and contribute immensely towards human capital development in Ghana and the world as a whole. This can help Ghana achieve greater economic growth, just as empirical work has proven that quality education played an active role in the economic growth and development in the Asian countries (Asian tigers) such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and others.

Furthermore, it will help the government in ensuring fiscal discipline, have ample time to make effective decisions to improve the educational sector and also enable the government to channel funds to other sectors of the economy in order to achieve significant growth in all sectors of the economy. It will also help in eradicating the multi-track system, which the government introduced as a short term measure of dealing with infrastructural challenges among the public senior high schools in Ghana.

Prevention of collapse of private senior high school and enhanced growth and employment

According to Ghana Statistical Service, the number of people living in extreme poverty in Ghana increased to 2.4 million as at 2017, with Gini coefficient of 43.0% (GLSS 7) and poverty rate standing at 23.4%. This can partly be attributed to high unemployment rate and lack of sustained source of livelihood. Hence, any policy that can provide employment opportunity is highly recommendable.

The inclusion of private schools in the free S.H.S program is, therefore, one of the means of eradication of unemployment in Ghana, since it will liberate the private schools from fear of collapsing due low intake of students, thereby sustaining employment and huge investment in the private schools in Ghana.

Furthermore, the inclusion of private schools in the free S.H.S program will induce employment of extra teachers by the private school to meet the expected increasing demanding of teachers. This will there result in the employment of teachers beyond the 59,000 the Education Ministry has already employed since 2017.

It will also ensure that private schools do not collapse, as many private schools are on the verge of collapsing due to the decreasing number of student intake.

This will prevent the current private S.H.S employees which include teachers and other staff who are making an immense contribution to the growth of the economy through education, from losing their jobs and source of livelihood, thereby contributing to the reduction in the unemployment rate and ensuring significant growth of the economy of Ghana.

Source: Frederick Richmond Yorke

Having too few “friendly” vaginal bacteria may increase a woman’s chance of ovarian cancer, and swabs can be used to spot this, say researchers.

Read: Defiled 7-year-old girl bleeds from vagina, nose, anus

The team, led by University College London, hope the finding could be used to identify women at high risk of the cancer, which has no screening test.

Read: She wrote a poem about a vagina, it landed her in jail

However, they say that more work is needed to explore this.

It is too soon to recommend women should be given protective doses of the good bacteria, they say.

The work, which is published in the Lancet Oncology, was funded by money from the government’s tampon tax, as well as grants from the EU and the Eve Appeal charity.

About ovarian cancer

More than 7,300 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year in the UK.

Diagnosing it early improves the chances of successful treatment, but the symptoms – bloating and discomfort – can be mistaken for more common, less serious conditions, such as menstrual cramps or irritable bowel syndrome.

Many women are not diagnosed until the cancer has already started to spread.

If your doctor thinks your symptoms could be due to ovarian cancer they will recommend blood tests and scans.

The exact cause of ovarian cancer is unknown, but certain factors increase a woman’s risk: age, a family history of ovarian or breast cancer and being overweight.

Now researchers believe micro-organisms living inside our bodies may also play a role.

Microbiome link

There is growing scientific evidence that the community of bacteria and other microbes that reside inside us – our microbiome – influence our wellbeing and health.

One species of beneficial bacteria that is thought to be particularly important in the vagina is called lactobacillus.

Experts believe it stops other unhelpful or bad microbes from taking up residence and causing harm.

The study involved 176 women with ovarian cancer, 109 with inherited high-risk genes for ovarian cancer (BRCA1 genes) and 295 women with no known genetic risk.

The women were examined and samples taken using the same collection method used in cervical screening.

Lactobacilli levels were significantly lower in the women under 50 with ovarian cancer or high-risk cancer genes.

What do the findings mean?

It is not clear whether this link is causal or if other factors might explain it, or how much of an impact it has on risk.

Helen Callard, from Cancer Research UK, said: “The microbiome is a really interesting area of research and we’re slowly putting pieces together about how our natural bacteria might affect our health. But when interpreting research like this, association doesn’t mean causation.

“There are several factors that could influence the risk of ovarian cancer, and different things that can affect the make-up of vaginal bacteria – and it’s not always easy to separate these elements. So we need to know how vaginal bacteria might directly affect the risk of developing ovarian cancer. Or whether it’s a different factor entirely.”

Alexandra Holden, from Target Ovarian Cancer, said: “Before women become concerned about the bacteria in their vagina, more research is required to better understand how the vaginal microbiome may contribute to ovarian cancer, and find better ways to detect the disease. In the meantime, it is crucial for women to be aware of the symptoms, and to visit the GP with any concerns.”

The investigators believe good bugs provide a protective barrier to other infections, stopping them from travelling up the gynaecological tract to the fallopian tubes and ovaries.

Researcher Prof Martin Widschwendter said: “We do not yet know for sure whether low levels of the beneficial bacteria leads to an increased risk of ovarian cancer, but that is what we suspect.

“It fits with other research. It’s been shown that women who use excessive vaginal hygiene products have lower levels of this bacterium too, and they are at increased risk of ovarian cancer.”

Source: BBC.com

Consuming sugary drinks, including 100% fruit juice, may increase the risk of cancer, a French study has found.

Scientists from the Université Sorbonne Paris Cité monitored the food and drink consumption of more than 101,000 adults between 2009 and 2017.

Read: Boy, 9, drops out of school over cancer

They say although the impact of sugary drinks on obesity and type 2 diabetes is widely studied, the direct association with cancer risk is not as well researched.

They concluded in their study published on Wednesday in the British Medical Journal that “the consumption of sugary drinks was significantly associated with the risk of overall cancer”.

Read: Korle-Bu Teaching hospital performs historic cancer surgery

The team defined sugary drinks as beverages containing more than 5% of simple carbohydrates, which include soft drinks, syrups, milkshakes and energy drinks, among others, as well as 100% fruit juice.

They found that an additional 100 ml of sugary drinks a day increases the risk of cancer by 18% but that artificially-sweetened drinks were not associated with an increased risk of cancer.

Of the 2,193 cancers contracted during the study, 693 were breast cancers, 291 were prostate cancers and 166 were colorectal cancers. The average age at cancer diagnosis was 58.5.

But the scientists tempered their findings by highlighting the study was “observational” and that although the results had also taken into account sociodemographic factors — age, gender, education — as well as lifestyle choices such as whether the participants smoked or exercised, further research is needed to properly establish a causal link.

Source: www.graphic.com.gh