The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has jumped to the defence of his Deputy, George Mireku Duker who has been hit with allegations of involving himself in illegal mining activities.
According to the minister, he has no reason to believe such allegations as he is confident that his deputy would not be involved in such illegality.
“I think that the matters are still at play and the minister has denied it flatly. I have full confidence in the minister in my ministry and I don’t think he will ever be involved in any such conduct,” the minister told the press on Tuesday, October 11, 2022.
Amidst public calls on the government to take drastic measures in the fight against galamsey, George Mireku Duker and some members of the current government, as well as members of the ruling New Patriotic Party, have been accused of being involved in galamsey.
But the minister for lands and natural resources emphasised that it will only be through an investigation that the allegations against his deputy can be established or otherwise.
“They have denied it and if there is any substance to any such allegations, I think the best way to proceed is to conduct investigations,” he said.
Mr Jianpor who was addressing the press after alleged Chinese galamsey kingpin, Aisha Huang was brought to the Accra High Court noted government’s commitment to fight galamsey by all means possible, including through prosecutions.
“As you can tell, this Aisha Huang lady, the government of President Akufo-Addo is committed to bring her and other persons who are involved in illegal mining to face the full rigours of our laws in this country,” he said.
Aisha Huang remanded indefinitely for trial
Chinese National, Aisha Huang, who is in court for her involvement in illegal mining activities (galamsey) in Ghana, has been remanded to police custody by the Criminal Division of the Accra High Court.
Presiding Judge Lydia Osei Marfo, during a sitting on Friday, October 11, 2022, refused the plea of her lawyer, Nkrabea Effah Dartey, after the latter argued that his client deserved bail.
According to the judge, all arguments previously made against his plea for bail, including his client’s flight risk, remain and will not be changed.
She added that his constant presence in court with his client would be the only way to ensure the case is heard accordingly for the determination of his client’s fate.
State Prosecutor Godfred Dame, on his part, reiterated government’s commitment to ensuring the case is duly heard and that the accused are prosecuted if found guilty.
Aisha Huang is in court over charges of mining without a license and engaging in the sale and purchase of minerals, four other charges, including undertaking a mining operation without a license.
She is also facing four other charges, including undertaking a mining operation without a license, facilitating the participation of persons engaged in a mining operation, illegal employment of foreign nationals, and entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry were filed at the Criminal Division of the Accra High Court on Friday, September 16, 2022.
Her case has since been adjourned to October 24, 2022, for case management.
Eleven newly constructed school buildings with ancillary facilities, have been handed over to the people of Ellembelle in the Western Region by the Offshore Cape Three Points partners (OCTP).
The project initiated by the OCTP partners such as Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, Vital Upstream Ghana Limited and took 16 months to complete was funded by Eni Ghana Exploration and Production Limited.
The beneficiary schools are Anyanzinli D/A Basic School, Bakanta Catholic Primary School, Sanzule/ Krisan Basic School, Eikwe Catholic Primary School, Eikwe Catholic JHS, and Ngalekyi/Baku Basic School,
The rest are Anokyi Methodist Primary School, Anokyi D/A JHS, Atuabo Methodist Primary School, Atuabo Methodist JHS and Asem-Nda Suazo Methodist Primary School
The new school buildings have facilities such as canteens, staff common rooms, libraries, toilet facilities and AstroTurf parks.
Also the schools have been installed with solar panels to enjoy uninterrupted power supply and connected to water supply to improve sanitation.
The event was attended by Country Manager of Vitol Upstream Ghana Limited, James Thorburn, Deputy Minister of Energy, Andrew Kofi Egyapa Mercer and District Chief Executive (DCE) for Ellembelle, Kwasi Bonzoh, was also witnessed by representatives from the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, Petroleum Commission and the World Bank Group.
Addressing the chiefs and people of the Eastern Nzema Traditional Council to hand over the facilities to them, the Managing Director of Eni Ghana, Valenti Giuseppe, said the renovated school facilities would help improve teaching and learning in the schools in the district, adding that the new school would provide a good learning environment for the school children to learn.
Mr Giuseppe applauded the OCTP Partners, World Bank and the Chiefs and people of beneficiary communities for their contribution in ensuring the buildings were in line with their needs, while charging them to put the infrastructure to good use and well maintained.
The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah expressed gratitude to Eni Ghana and the OCTP Partners for investing in Ghana and the region in particular through their corporate social responsibility activities.
Awulae Amihere Kpanyinli III, Paramount Chief of the Eastern Nzema Traditional Council commended Eni and its OCTP partners for financing the renovations of the schools and urged other companies operating in the area to emulate the example of Eni and OCTP partners.
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Jomoro, Dorcas Affo-Toffey, was the subject of an intense cross-examination at the Sekondi High Court on Monday, October 10, 2022.
The MP, whose citizenship at the time of filing her nomination for parliamentary election is being challenged in court, was subjected to questioning over documents of her Ivorian citizenship renunciation presented to the court.
Counsel for the petitioner in the case, Bright Agyekum, sought to present to the court that the MP’s attempt to allude to the documents renouncing her Ivorian citizenship is nothing less than an afterthought.
Challenging the MP’s testimony, Mr Agyekum argued that the documents of renunciation alluded to by Dorcas Affo-Toffey did not exist before the commencement of the trial against her.
The lawyer for the petitioner referenced a letter dated January 24, 2019, in which the MP wrote to the Attorney General of Ivory Coast that she was renouncing her citizenship.
The lawyer further mentioned another letter dated January 29, 2019, in which the Ivorian Attorney General’s Office acknowledged receipt of the letter issued by the Jomoro MP on January 24, 2019.
“I am putting it to you that both letters were complete afterthoughts,” Mr. Agyekum is quoted in a report by Dailyguidenetwork.com in his argument that Affo-Toffey did not qualify to run for the Jomoro seat as MP in 2020.
The petitioner’s lawyer also questioned Dorcas Affo-Toffey on why she had to remind the Ivorian authorities in March and April 2021 about her intention to renounce her citizenship way back in 2019.
The defendant, in response, said she was minded to do so because of the case in court.
“So the Ivorian authorities issued you with an attestation on April 12, 2021,” the petitioner’s lawyer further questioned, to which the MP responded in the affirmative.
Bright Agyekum further said that the stamp appearing on the documents attached to her witness statement was not an original one emanating from the Ivorian Justice Ministry, but the MP disagreed with the assertion.
In her case, Madam Affo-Toffey alluded that her Ivorian citizenship renunciation was automatically effected by her showing of interest in doing so. This, she said, was provided for in Article 48 of the Ivorian Nationality Code.
But the petitioner’s lawyer, during his cross-examination of the MP, suggested that the provisions she alluded to do not cover her.
“I cannot answer. I will leave it with my lawyer to answer that question,” she responded.
Background
A resident of the Jomoro Constituency, Emuah Kofie Nuba-Mpataba, in 2021 filed a suit accusing Dorcas Affo-Toffey of not being a Ghanaian citizen at the time of filing her parliamentary contest nomination.
According to the petitioner, the NDC MP, by the provision of Ghana’s electoral laws, was not qualified to contest in the 2020 parliamentary election because she held dual citizenship.
A manager and a fuel station attendant of the Kwabeng branch of Ready Oil in the Eastern Region have been sentenced to a total prison term of 15 years for stealing GH¢102,000.
According to asaaseradio.com, the manager, Emmanuel Ohene Amankwah, 27, and the fuel attendant, Douglas Twumasi, 25, were found guilty of stealing and conspiracy to commit a crime and will serve prison terms of 8 and 7 years, respectively.
The prosecutor, Chief Inspector Joseph Damfei, told the court that the complainant in the case, Samuel Kwaku Owusu-Manu, the CEO of Ready Oil Limited, indicated that the two accused persons had been siphoning fuel from the Kwabeng branch of the company.
The prosecutor explained that the CEO reported that he found a driver siphoning fuel and, after several interrogations, found that the two accused persons were behind the crime.
Inspector Joseph Damfei said that the complainant, after the interrogations, also found that daily sales for May 20, which was supposed to be GH¢48,000, was only GH¢17,617.
He added that the CEO also found petrol and diesel shortage in the underground tank valuing GH¢19,109.50.
Kwaku Owusu-Manu then called for an audit which revealed that revenues for fuel sold on credit to some customers amounting to GH¢53,800 could not be accounted for.
In addition to the custodian sentences the two suspects received, the judge also directed that an unregistered Toyota Camry the manager had bought should be sold to offset part of the cost.
The Central University chapter of the Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana (GRASAG) swore in new Executives for the 2022/2023 academic year on Sunday, October 2, 2022, at the University’s Christ Temple campus.
The names of the executives are Mr. Eugene Senumape Adonu, President; Mr. Wisdom Agorsor, Vice President; Mr. Mensah Gademor, General Secretary; Mr. Emmanuel Yaw Marb-Organizer; Mr. Saviour Ahiataku, Financial Secretary and Ms. Nana Ama Frimpomaa, Women’s Commissioner.
The ceremony was attended by Dr. Gloria Dzeha, Dean of Students at the University, Dr. Evans Sokro, GRASAG Patron, and Mr. Emmanuel Owusu, GRASAG National PRO, who presented Mr. Thomas Elorm Tagbortor, GRASAG National President.
In her speech, Dr. Gloria Dzeha charged the new executives with creating programs that are relevant to the needs of graduate students. She emphasized the importance of publicizing GRASAG programs and activities as a means of projecting the Central University Graduate School.
Mr. Abednego Quarshie, the outgoing President, thanked his team for their cooperation and unity, as well as the Dean of Students and the GRASAG Patron for their immense support during their tenure. Some of his administration’s accomplishments included uniting and coordinating graduate students from the three University campuses; Miotso, Christ Temple, and Kumasi, and producing some souvenirs to generate revenue for GRASAG activities.
Mr. Eugene Senumape Adonu, President of GRASAG, congratulated the outgoing President, Mr. Abednego Quashie, and his team on their commendable efforts, dedication, and commitment to making GRASAG Central University vibrant during their tenure.
He also emphasized the importance of graduate education, saying, “Mr. Chairman, Graduate students form a unique group of individuals who defy all odds to pursue further education in the quest to gain knowledge that can transform their lives, careers, and the country.”
He assured the audience that his administration will ensure the continuation of previous projects started by his predecessors and improve GRASAG’s image on campus and beyond.
Dr. Evans Sokro, the patron, also congratulated the outgoing and new executives. He advised the executives not to let their leadership responsibilities interfere with their course work because that was the primary reason they were in school. He assured the executives of his unwavering support and his availability for consultation on their intended programs.
Mr. Emmanuel Owusu the GRASAG National PRO delivered a speech on behalf of the National President, Mr. Tagbortor. In his speech, he hinted at projects the national secretariat is currently working on to benefit postgraduate students in Ghana.
Some of these projects include; a Laptop Project with unlimited data for academic work, job opportunities for postgraduate students through a private HR firm, and the recently rolled out Graduate Research Trust Fund.
This fund will sponsor policy-oriented research for national development. He also encouraged the new executives to be involved in the activities of GRASAG National.
The program ended with the Dean of Students, the Patron, outgoing executives, and some key University staff receiving awards and citations.
A 28-year-old lady identified as Amelia Pounds has unfortunately died whiles undergoing a liposuction surgery.
Plastic Surgery, Liposuction, cosmetic surgery, collagen injections, BBL (Brazilian Butt Lift), etc are some of the professional terms used to describe the process of going under the knife to enhance one’s body parts.
From what we gathered, the beautiful young lady happens to be a socialite and businesswoman from Nigeria. According to reports, Amelia died in New Delhi, India as a result of complications following the liposuction surgery.
The VAT Invigilation taskforce inspecting the receipt and sales books of one of the businesses.
Operators of eight cold stores at the Takyi Yard Cold Stores Enclave in Tema on Friday closed their stores and absconded before officials of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), undertaking a Value Added Tax (VAT) inspection exercise, arrived at the premises.
The VAT invigilation taskforce was in the area to conduct the exercise following an intel that the operators, although registered to issue VAT receipts, were not issuing to customers.
The very busy enclave, usually characterised by brisk business on Fridays, turned into a ghost town when news went round that the GRA taskforce was conducting a VAT invigilation exercise.
Earlier, the Taskforce locked up The Underbridge, a popular event centre at East Legon, Accra, for failing to register and issue VAT invoices to customers.
Also, the operators of Josnartey Ventures, Isaac Glavi Trading Enterprise, Perez Frozen Foods, all at Tema, were arrested and taken to the head office of the GRA to answer why they failed to issue VAT invoices to their customers.
Sales and receipt books belonging to the operators were also confiscated for VAT assessment.
Mr Joseph Annan, Area Enforcement Manager of Accra Central, GRA, who led the exercise, said the taskforce would review its invigilation strategy at areas where business operators absconded to ensure they all complied with the VAT provisions.
He said the arrested business operators would be investigated and charged for their actions.
Mr Annan stated that they would be assessed preemptively and investigated to pay the taxes lost before a full audit was undertaken to determine the full impact of their actions on other levies they were expected to pay.
He noted that they would then be prosecuted by the GRA legal unit for failing to comply with the tax law.
“Once VAT is under-declared, other taxes will be affected. The investigations will help to determine the impact of their actions so the expected sanctions are applied,” Mr Annan added.
He urged businesses registered for VAT to issue the VAT invoice at all times as required by law to avoid facing the sanctions and prosecutions.
“We are in town enforcing the issuance of VAT invoices. I urge all businesses to do the right thing as expected of them. We will continue the exercise until all businesses comply with the law,” he stated.
Mr Annan further advised the public to demand the VAT invoice whenever they make purchases to support government’s efforts to raise revenue.
Ghana is ranked 1st by the World Bank with the highest food prices in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2022.
According to the Bretton Wood institution’s October 2022 Africa Pulse Report, food prices have since January 1, 2022, gone up by 122 per cent.
Since the start of 2022, food prices have increased sharply in many countries, largely due to the Russian/Ukraine war.
According to the Food Price Index in Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, Ghana has recorded very sharp prices in food on the African continent.
Food inflation in Ghana has been high, recording a year-on-year inflation of 34.4 per cent in August 2022, the Ghana Statistical Service disclosed.
On month-on-month basis, inflation was even higher.
The drivers of food inflation in Ghana are oils and fats (67 per cent); fish and other seafood (42.9 per cent); water (42 per cent); cereal products (40 per cent); milk, dairy products and eggs (39.7 per cent), fruits and vegetable juices (37.7 per cent) and live animals and meat (34.5 per cent). All of the items recorded inflation rates higher than the national average of 33.9 per cent.
Overall, the World Bank said inflation breached the ceiling of the central bank target bands for all countries with an explicit nominal anchor.
In Nigeria, headline inflation started the year above the central bank limit of 9.0 per cent and accelerated to 20.5 per cent in August 2022 – the highest since September 2005. Food and fuel prices were the key factors behind the rally in inflation.
Meanwhile, Senegal followed Ghana closely with food price increases of 110 per cent
Uganda is 2nd with 107 per cent increase in food prices.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kojo Kyeremateng has commended the McDan Group for acquiring cargo planes and sea trade vessels to facilitate trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The commendation came at the back of the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of McDan Group, Daniel McKoley and the AfCFTA Agreement to signify the beginning of a partnership which will facilitate trade among African Countries.
Speaking at the launch of the AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiative which was held at the McDan Private Jet Terminal in Accra, the Trade and Industry Minister singled out Dr Daniel McKorley for praise for making the long dream of free movement of goods in Africa a reality.
He expressed the confidence thatthe agreement would enhance the contribution of the private sector in building a robust economy among African Countries.
“Let me commend one business man who has taken a bold step to make the dream of AfCFTA a reality, Dr Daniel McKorley who tonight signs an agreement with AfCFTA to commence cargo services within Africa.
This is exemplary and other businessmen on the continent must take a cue from this,” he said.
On his part,Dr McKorley said the company had acquired two cargo planes and one vessel worth over $100M to facilitate trade among African countries.
The Secretary-General of AfCFTA, Wamkele Mene encouraged Africans to support small and medium scale enterprise to alleviate poverty in Africa.
He was optimistic that in 15 years, AfCFTA would succeed in lifting many Africans out of poverty and hence the need for Africans to support indigenous businesses.
The ex-Deputy Minister of Finance, Fifi Kwetey, has accused the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) of being full of selfish individuals who do not have the country’s interest at heart.
According to him, the party has never supported policies or agendas that will lead to the country’s development which they will not benefit from.
In an XYZ TV interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Fifi Kwetey added that the party can be akin to the woman in the Bible who, after killing her child, wanted the child of another woman divided because they would rather see Ghana destroyed than implement the much-needed policies that do not benefit them.
“The larger spirit that drives our friends in the NPP is the spirit that does not hold well for the country. They opposed independence. They opposed our effort to become a republican state. As far as they are concerned, if we are not going to have it, then nobody should have it.
“You know the story of King Solomon and the two women, where one of the women slept on her child, which caused his death while the child of the other woman was alive. And the one who had slept on her child said the baby alive was hers and should be divided. Unfortunately, the NPP represents that woman that wanted the child to be divided.
“NPP, unfortunately, has that behaviour; if we are not going to get it, let it be killed, let it be destroyed. So, they opposed the Akosombo Dam, they opposed that Motorway, in 1992, they opposed the Constitution of Ghana, they opposed VAT, they opposed GetFund, they opposed ESLA. It is like once we are not in charge, we don’t want it,” he said in Twi.
The Bono Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe, a.k.a. Abronye DC, has said that the government is failing in the fight against illegal mining because it has not stopped the factors that encourage it.
Abronye said that one of the main things that fosters ‘galamsey’ is the easy access to mercury in Ghana.
He added that if the government is serious about fighting illegal mining, it has to ban the import of mercury.
“We say we want to stop galamsey, but people have easy access to mercury, which is used for galamsey. Without mercury, illegal mining will cease. Where do they get the mercury from? Does it fall from the sky for them to go and collect it?
“We import the mercury from other countries. So, if we really want to stop galamsey, one of the main things we can do is to make sure that mercury is not imported into this country.
“If mercury continues to be imported into the country, whether we like it or not, illegal mining will continue. So, if the lands minister is serious about fighting galamsey, he should make sure import of mercury into Ghana is curtailed,” he said in Twi.
He also said that the soldiers and other people who have been tasked with stopping the menace are not taking it seriously because they know nothing will happen to them if they fail.
Speaking in a Neat FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, the NPP regional chairman added that the government should make sure the taskforce charged with stopping the menace swears an oath by the gods.
“I said that from day one, the taskforce to fight galamsey should be made to swear by the gods. I said this because the members of the committee that was set in 2013 to fight galamsey have all of a sudden become rich. The committee that was set by this government has also been dissolved.
“Soldiers are sent to protect water bodies, but the waters keep getting polluted, and nothing happens to them,” he noted.
The Bolewura Sarfo Kutuge Feso (I) has made a bold and emphatic prediction about the political future of the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Welcoming the Vice President to his Palace in Bole on Monday October 10, 2022, the Bolewura commended the Vice President for his service and care to the region and nation, and capped his complimentary words with a bold statement on the future of the Vice President.
“Your Excellency, this is the 3rd or so time that you have familiarised yourself with this Palace. The first time you came here during the campaign, I gave you only one sentence; that victory is a foregone conclusion. So victory for you is a forgone conclusion,” the Bolewura boldly told Dr. Bawumia.
“Take that sentence from this place. Your victory is a foregone conclusion,” the Bolewura added.
Dr. Bawumia, who briefed the Bolewura on a number of projects the Government is undertaking in the Savannah Region, thanked the Bolewura for his warm words and encouragement.
The Vice President was accompanied by a number of ministers of State, including the Minister for Works and Housing and MP for Damongo Abu Jinapor, Minister for Interior Ambrose Dery, Minister for Defence Dominis Nitiwul, as well as some senior Government officials.
The Vice President and his delegation were given a rousing reception into Bole, which is the hometown of former President John Mahama.
Your victory is a forgone conclusion – Bolewura tells Dr. Bawumia
Dr. Bawumia, who briefed the Bolewura on a number of projects the Government is undertaking in the Savannah Region, thanked the Bolewura for his warm words and encouragement.
Prosecutors told an Accra Circuit Court that it is false that the embattled founder of Heavenway Champion International Ministry, Evangelist Mama Pat, popularly known as Nana Agradaa, voluntarily turned herself in.
The former fetish priestess was in court over an alleged new scam after scores of her church members cried foul recently about an advertised money-doubling service that did not go as planned.
After many calls for her arrest, the police began investigations into the matter and on Sunday, October 9, 2022, she was arrested.
Making her first appearance in court on Monday, October 10, 2022, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Maxwell Oppong told the court that they had to block all access to Nana Agradaa’s hideouts upon intelligence it received.
He explained further that it was only because of this that the accused was forced to report herself to the police, knowing very well that she had no fixed place of abode.
A report by The Chronicle newspaper said that the police “virtually had to block the airport to prevent the accused from taking a flight out of the country.”
On how they arrested her, the prosecutor told the court that they had to resort to tracking her phone because she was not available in all of the places they thought she would be.
The video purported to be the genesis of Agradaa’s new scam:
A report shared by GhanaWeb on Saturday, October 8, 2022, showed how scores of people who went to her church, Heavenway Champion International Ministry, were crying foul in what they described as a scam by the repented woman.
In several short video clips that have since gone viral, a number of the victims were seen running away from the church building of Evangelist Mama Pat and raising alarm that they had been deceived and scammed.
GhanaWeb’s further checks showed that the people were at the church in their numbers on the day because the repented priestess had earlier advertised through her television channel that she was going to give out monies to people.
She is also alleged to have advertised that she would double monies that are brought to her church, Heavenway Champion International Ministry, on the day.
GhanaWeb eventually sighted the said video that advertised the church service, resulting in the alleged scam.
In the one-minute, fifty-six seconds video from her TV station shared by a Facebook user, the repented fetish priestess is seen calling on people to throng her church on October 7, 2022.
“This month is spiritual transformation month and that is why Heavenway Champion is donating 3 billion in the church. Come this Friday for the all night. If you want money for a job, if you need rent money, startup money, you need money to take care of your health, so, if you miss this Friday all night, then you are really going to miss out,” she said in Twi.
Municipal Chief Executive for Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Assembly, Benjamin Kesse, has denied any involvement in galamsey activities within his municipality.
The MCE was accused by Nana Nyowah Panyin IV, the Chief of Dompim-Pepesa in the Tarkwa municipality of engaging in galamsey activities.
In an interview with Joy FM, the Chief indicated that he has evidence to prove that the MCE together with Member of Parliament for the area, George Mireku Duker and Kobby Okyere Darko Mensah, the Western Regional Minister are all involved in polluting the water bodies with their galamsey activities.
But in a response, the MCE noted that the accusations smack of malice.
The MCE explained that the Chief is accusing him and two others because they did not support his bid as a Chief, hence this allegation when he got an opportunity on national radio.
“It is not true. Whatever he said is a lie, a total lie…There is an issue here in Dompim and it is purely chieftaincy; and he knows that we do not support his bid so he started this long ago about three years ago and he has been running around.
“Today, he knows that the President is very much particular about the fight against galamsey so he feels that he is taking the opportunity to make this wild allegation so that he will get a hearing for what he is saying. So that the President will call somebody and disappoint the person. I have documentation to the effect that he wrote to the President not to appoint me. He has done everything,” Benjamin Kesse stressed.
What the Cheif said about the MCE
Nana Nyonwah Panyin IV, on Monday, October 10, 2022, to Joy FM that he has incontrovertible evidence to implicate the trio in galamsey activities.
“I know not of any company but I know of the very people who are behind the operations of ‘galamsey’ in my area. First and foremost the Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah is involved.
“The MP for the area, Tarkwa Nsuaem, Honorable George Mireku-Duker is also involved and the MCE, Benjamin Kessie is also involved. I have told you I am not going to disclose my arsenals to you.”
He did not state the exact nature of their involvement in galamsey, which has become an issue of national concern with increasing pressure on government to curb its growing spread.
“They said they were going to sue, so let them sue. I’ll let out my arsenals at the right time,” Nana Nyonwah Panyin IV alleged.
Kwadwo Abdulai, a 19-year-old corn mill operator, has sustained a severe injury on his right hand after being stabbed by thugs who attacked occupants of the Suame market corn mill base.
An eyewitness disclosed that the sad incident happened on Sunday morning after a group of thugs numbering over 15 stormed the area occupied by the corn mill operators.
The attack was said to have been perpetrated by an unidentified group who later demolished the entire place.
According to the victims, the thugs attacked them with offensive weapons before destroying their corn mill machines and subsequently demolishing the entire place.
The 19-year-old Abdulai, narrating his ordeal, said he was asleep when he heard shouts that some attackers were coming after them.
“We all started running since we didn’t know what was happening, and in the course of running, I met some of these macho men, some of them holding offensive materials. One of them tried stabbing me in the stomach with a knife, but I was able to prevent the action with my hand, hence the stabbing on my hand,” he said.
According to him, about three of the boys were known persons from Tafo.
Mr. Abdullah Amoako, one of the victims and a corn-mill operating machine owner, told GhanaWeb that the occupants owning the place have legal documents.
Mr. Akwasi Ofei, another victim showing his documents, revealed that the place was given to them by the Otumfuo Sanaahene with all the requirements.
Meanwhile, most of the victims have accused the Suame MCE, Maxwell Ofosu Boakye, of being the person behind the attacks.
Backing the claims, they said, the MCE for the last two months had been threatening with an eviction on several occasions.
They, however, appealed to the authorities to immediately investigate the issue and bring perpetrators to book.
Reports further reveal that the police are now investigating the issue.
The Member of Parliament for the Madina Constituency, Francis-Xavier Sosu, October last year led residents of La Nkwantangang-Madina Municipality to demonstrate over the bad roads on the Ayi-Mensah, Danfa, and Otinibi stretch.
The protest which was to call for immediate attention and work on the road almost led to the Madina MP’s arrest by the Ghana Police Service.
In an account by Lawyer Sosu, he narrated how he was manhandled adding that his car was also damaged by the police in their attempt to arrest him over the protest.
Despite all the efforts and cries by the affected communities and their legislator in getting their roads fixed, authorities are yet to commence work on the busy stretch.
According to people living in Danfa and its environs, the terrible state of their road is affecting lives and business, especially with the current heavy downpour.
In a news report by GhanaWeb’s Paula Amma Broni, residents pleaded with authorities not to politicize the construction work but instead deploy a constructor to start work on the deplorable road.
Rosemond Amasa, a resident of Danfa highlighted the effect their road has had on business.
“Our roads are in terrible condition. The rains have even worsened the situation. It has affected business, especially with the heavy downpour. I am not exaggerating; you should see it for yourself. We need the government’s support now more than ever,” she said.
Lord Dzokoto also admonished the Madina MP not to give up on his effort in getting them help despite the many failed attempts.
“This used to be a preferred route for the people living in Amamfrom, Oyibi and its environs. They no longer use this road due to its bad state. There is always traffic on the Amamfrom road. I hope my request gets to the president, come and fix the Danfa road. It is terrible,” he told GhanaWeb.
Two big names for a big party position, is the kind of story headline that is fit for this kind of political race that is expected in Ghana’s current, biggest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
On either side, both Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, and Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo have credits of giant political achievements to ride on, but now, the two men have to face it off for the top position of Chairman of the NDC.
While there is no official final list from the party, it already looks like there is going to be a straight fight between the two personalities: Asiedu Nketiah as the longest-serving General Secretary of the NDC, and Ofosu-Ampofo as the one-term Chairman seeking re-election.
In this political pedigree article by GhanaWeb, we take a look at all of the things that put either of these two candidates ahead of each other, as well as what NDC delegates might be looking out for when they go to the polls in November 2022.
Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo:
Currently the Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo has declared his intention for re-election.
This is due to the fact that his election as chairman in November 2018 comes to an end soon and he would need a reaffirmation of his performance through another endorsement from his party members.
But it has been a long political career for him, starting off in this trade in 1994, when he was appointed as the District Chief Executive for the Fanteakwa North District of the Eastern Region, by Jerry John Rawlings.
In 1996, he run for parliament on the ticket of the NDC in the same district and won, representing the people of the constituency until he lost his third re-election bid in 2004 to the New Patriotic Party’s candidate, Kwadwo Agyei Addo.
Having served in the second and third parliaments of the fourth republic of Ghana, Ofosu-Ampofo again tried his shot at the parliamentary seat in 2008 but got unlucky once more.
His next political job came when he won the National Organiser position of the NDC but on the assumption of power in 2009, John Evans Atta Mills appointed him the Regional Minister for the Eastern Region.
Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo then moved on from there to serve as Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, his last political portfolio before he was elected as the NDC’s National Chairman in 2018.
Under his tenure, he was unsuccessful in helping the party and John Dramani Mahama in wrestling power from the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government in the 2020 general elections.
But that loss gave the country a historic win: the first time parliament is hung, with a split of a perfect number of Members of Parliament, as well as the Speaker of Parliament being a member of the opposition for the first time ever.
Speaking in a Ghanaian Times report, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo stated that one of his achievements is that that the party had become more attractive under his leadership.
He has also likened himself to the biblical Jesus Christ.
“The delegates must look no further than Ofosu-Ampofo as I am prepared to take the NDC to the Promised Land because you do not change the team that turned around the fortunes of the party after it suffered a humiliating defeat in 2016 and I liken myself to Christ when he was asked by the disciples if he is the Messiah.
“Jesus said to them, the blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear, what more do you want to see? I am the National Chairman of NDC and the party was in disarray due to our humiliating defeat in 2016 since it was not attractive at the time but I played key roles together with my team to turn the around fortunes of the party during the 2020 elections,” he said.
He has also stated that but for the use of state-sponsored security personnel, the NDC would have won more parliamentary seats in the 2020 elections, including Techiman South, Tarkwa Nsuaem, Zabzugu, Essikado-Ketan, and others.
“I have what it takes to bring the NDC back to power again however, I believe together with my team, we also managed to snatch seats that have never been won by the party in a long time, including Tema East, Ayensuano, among others, which demonstrates our competence and I am hopeful members, supporters, sympathisers, faithful and well-wishers of the party to renew my mandate to serve for another four-year term,” he appealed.
Johnson Asiedu Nketiah:
Asiedu Nketiah, the man popularly known as General Mosquito, is the face of the other main contender for the National Chairman position of the party.
As the current General Secretary of the NDC, he is one of the most powerful people in the party, having served in the role since 2005.
Born on December 24, 1956, at Seikwa in the Brong Ahafo Region, he trained in petty trading, Akpeteshie distilling, palm wine tapping, and a drinking bar.
After educating himself at the University of Ghana, he practiced as a banker before entering into politics.
His entrance onto the political scene came when he contested and won the Wenchi District Assembly elections of 1989, following which he was elected to the Consultative Assembly in 1992.
He held that position for 12 years, being part of the team that drafted Ghana’s current constitution – the 1992 constitution.
In 1992, he entered parliament as the Member of Parliament for the Wenchi West constituency and served for 12 years.
During his time in parliament, he served on several committees such as the Appointments Committee, Finance Committee, Public Accounts Committee, Chairman Mines and Energy Committee, and Minority spokesperson on Food, Agriculture, and Cocoa Affairs.
From 1997 to 2001, Asiedu Nketiah served as a Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture (Crops).
After he decided to say goodbye to parliamentary work, he stood for the General Secretary position of the NDC and won overwhelming in the 2005 party elections.
As the third General Secretary of the party, he led the party to win the 2008 and 2012 elections, giving the country presidents John Evans Atta Mills and John Dramani Mahama.
There have been several achievements accorded to his credit, including the same glory his other contender, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo boasts of: giving Ghana its first hung parliament and first Speaker of Parliament from the opposition party.
After serving as General Secretary of the NDC for 17 years, he had announced the hanging of those boots and the desire to continue to lead the party, but this time as the National Chairman.
The pedigrees of both Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo and Johnson Asiedu Nketiah would play massive roles in the decisions of National Democratic Congress delegates when the party goes to the polls later this year.
Founder of the United Peoples Party (UPP), Akwasi Addae Odike, has hinted that he will be petitioning Ghana’s international partners over illegal small-scale mining activities, popularly known as galamsey.
He listed three institutions that the UPP will be petitioning to put pressure on the government to take more decisive steps in combatting the ever-growing scourge of galamsey.
In an interview on Joy News channel, October 10, 2022; Odike stressed that from where he sat, the government was still not taking the galamsey fight seriously hence the need to employ external pressures.
“We want to send a petition to United Nations, European Union and International Monetary Fund, IMF, we want this to be part of the conditions, the strings attached to the bailout. I am imploring the IMF to bring galamsey issues as part of the conditionalities to secure this bailout.
“This will push the government harder, to take decisive decisions to mitigate this menace. United Nations Security Council too must come in, because now the effect of illegal mining is creating a health hazard,” he submitted.
He also cited the issue of security submitting that people into galamsey “are possessing a lot of guns, apart from that, HIV/AIDS is on the ascendency at these mining areas,” he alleged insisting that he had evidence to back the claims.
He is also worried about the fact that galamsey was gradually posing a health threat, especially to tubers that are grown in affected areas.
“It is contaminating our food, the tubers. You are sitting in Accra here and unbeknownst to you, you buy a yam which has been contaminated with cyanide and you will have a kidney or some infection,” he added.
Galamsey has become topical in recent months with the resurgence of news on its continued negative impact on the environment.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at a recent meeting with the National House of Chiefs and selected Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, MMDCEs, restated his resolve to root out the canker.
The issue has also been given impetus following the rearrest last month of a notorious galamsey kingpin in the person of Aisha Huang.
The Chinese national who had as of 2018 been repatriated from Ghana after the state discontinued a criminal trial against her for galamsey, reentered the country on the blind side of the authorities.
The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, has set the record straight on the NDCs decision to withdraw from the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency by-election in 2019.
The decision by the NDC to withdraw from the by-election came after people believed to be National Security operatives allegedly caused harm to scores of voters who were at polling stations to exercise their franchise.
In an interview with Citizen Kofi Owusu, the host of the Adekyee Mu Nsem Morning Show on Ahotor 92.3 FM, Mr. Ampofo said, “for the first time state security agencies with police cars, wearing police uniforms, with assault rifles were attacking ordinary civilians who are coming to vote.”
While attempting to paint a picture of the gory scenes of the day, the NDC Chairman said, “people were injured and admitted to the hospital, people with broken legs. In the candidate’s house, it looked like a war zone with blood on the ground.”
Narrating the series of engagements and incidents that followed the brutality that was meted on the voters, the National Chairman said both the General Secretary of the NDC, Mr Asiedu Nketia, and former President John Dramani Mahama were widely consulted.
“When we assessed the situation, we were like we should give ourselves time to see how things will go. There was a man who didn’t get the reason why he should leave his home to go and vote,” Mr Ampofo said.
He said security experts were marshalled to assess the situation and advice on the way forward for the party.
“I never just got up to say that we were pulling out completely,” he continued adding that the candidates also decided against going to their polling station to cast their ballot based on the security situation at the time.
“President Mahama was busy, so I called him and explained everything to him. I consulted him, and he said that if that was going to save lives, we should take a decision,” Mr Ampofo said.
“There was a major consultation before that decision was taken,” he added, further explaining that though the General Secretary of the party was out of the country at the time, Mr Asiedu Nketia was still consulted to advise on the necessary steps that ought to be taken.
“I have never regretted my decision,” he stated categorically, arguing that “if people are saying I’m weak, then so be it, but it was not a weak decision because as a result of that decision, the whole world’s attention was brought to Ghana.
Mr Ampofo claimed that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was forced by the international community to take action. “They were forced to set up a commission of inquiry, and he didn’t use the report for anything. He quickly passed a law to outlaw vigilantism and other related offences, and it attracted world attention,” he said.
Based on what the NDC has experienced in the past, the National Chairman said the party was “doing those things that are necessary to ensure that this does not occur in 2024.”
“There are a number of urgent actions we are taking to ensure that the use of military and police brutalities on election day will be outlawed through our parliament and through laws, and through advocacy with other key international and national civil society organizations and diplomats,” maintained.
Barely three months after performing free reconstructive surgeries in Yaounde Cameroon, R.E.S.T.O.R.E. Worldwide Inc., the Foundation for Reconstructive Surgery led by renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Michael K. Obeng is currently in the Volta Regional Capital, Ho on a humanitarian mission.
The team of selfless and dedicated health officials arrived in Ghana on October 8 and are expected to conduct some 120 free reconstructive surgeries within the one-week period.
Screening of patients at the Ho Teaching Hospital began Sunday, October 9.
The mission will be the team’s third medical mission this year after successful programs in Gambia and Cameroon early in the year.
This will be the 15th year that the R.E.S.T.O.R.E. team has embarked on such a humanitarian mission. The team of selfless volunteers has visited and performed reconstructive surgeries in Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, Laos, Mexico, Nigeria, Senegal, and Vietnam.
CEO of the Ho Teaching Hospital Dr. John Tampuori expressed gratitude for R.E.S.T.O.R.E.’s medical mission.
He pledged his full commitment to the initiative and called on other Non-Governmental Organisations to emulate such humanitarian initiatives.
R.E.S.T.O.R.E. at 15
Dr. Michael K. Obeng recently announced that R.E.S.T.O.R.E. Worldwide Inc., The Foundation for Reconstructive Surgery reached its 15th anniversary this year.
As founder and CEO, he looks back at those years with nostalgic fondness and is proud of the continuous expansion and growth, all made possible with the assistance of a strong donor base that helped RESTORE reach the milestone.
Since its inception in 2007, R.E.S.T.O.R.E. and its dedicated group of admirable volunteers have completed missions in 11 different countries on three continents. The team has performed over 1,600 surgeries all free of charge, with a great humanitarian aim to change people’s lives, and was not afraid to tackle complex reconstruction cases.
The monetary value of surgeries performed has exceeded well over $80 million USD. Moreover, a countless number of patients of all ages have indirectly benefited from the foundation’s work through non-surgical management and the education and training of local doctors.
As R.E.S.T.O.R.E. races towards its 15th anniversary, Dr. Obeng states he is not only keen on replicating the same success, but also envisions reaching new horizons with a goal of raising $2.5 Million USD in a year to make even greater impact. He says it is no secret that there is strong demand and constant requests for R.E.S.T.O.R.E. missions in new regions and countries, all unfulfilled because of the heavy weight of logistical costs associated with providing medical and surgical supplies and transporting the team. While some donors provide value by donating time and volunteering, the non-profit needs donors to provide crucial financial support.
This past June, R.E.S.T.O.R.E. completed a mission to Cameroon and has upcoming trips that include the Volta Region of Ghana in October and Senegal in December. If RESTORE reaches its fundraising goal, it can envision expansion to Central and South America, as well as Southeast Asia, and grow to become one of the leading non-profit, charity organizations across the globe.
Dr. Obeng says that any support, great or small, helps RESTORE to get closer to its very special goal to change lives and give hope, function, and aesthetic form to those in need. He is deeply grateful for everyone’s generosity and hopes it will inspire others to make the same move, by supporting R.E.S.T.O.R.E.’s noble cause.
Dr. Obeng says that any support, great or small, helps RESTORE to get closer to its very special goal to change lives and give hope, function, and aesthetic form to those in need.
He expressed dee gratitude for everyone’s generosity and hopes it will inspire others to make the same move, by supporting R.E.S.T.O.R.E.’s noble cause.
He made special mention of Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa , Member of Parliament for North Tongu, the management of Volta Serene Hotel in Ho, Ms. Penelope M. Jones-Mensah, lawyer and founder of the 40 Roses Foundation, Labadi Beach Hotel, Accra and Mr. Yaw Boakye, CEO of West One Ghana Limited for their support and generousity of spirit.
On his part, Okudzeto Ablakwa expressed excitement that the R.E.S.T.O.R.E mission is in the Volta Region this year. He applauded Dr. Michael K. Obeng and the team of volunteers for their humanitarian assistance to the people of the Volta Region and urged them to continue touching lives with their incredible benevolence.
About R.E.S.T.O.R.E. Worldwide Inc.; The Foundation for Reconstructive Surgery
RESTORE is an acronym that stands for Restoring Emotional Stability Through Outstanding Reconstructive Efforts. It is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit medical service organization that provides free reconstructive surgery and related medical services to children and adults with disfiguring deformities from birth, accidents, and diseases involving not only the head and neck region, but also the trunk, breasts, extremities, and genitalia. It was founded in 2007 by Dr. Michael K. Obeng.
As part of its mission, R.E.S.T.O.R.E. also educates and trains local medical professionals on the latest techniques and safety measures in plastic and reconstructive surgery, effecting change long after the R.E.S.T.O.R.E. team leaves these communities.
About Dr. Michael K. Obeng
Dr. Michael K. Obeng, popularly known as The Surgeon’s Surgeon is a Harvard-trained, board-certified plastic surgeon.
In March this year, Dr. Obeng reached an agreement with Sushen Medicamentos PVT LTD. to build a $50 million WHO GMP-certified first-class pharmaceutical plant in Akwamu in the Eastern Region of Ghana to curtail the importation of fake drugs into the country.
He also runs Global Health Solution, a consulting firm that is bridging the gap between “morbidity and healthy living” in developing countries.
Dr. Obeng is among the rare few plastic surgeons in the world to successfully reattach a limb and remove ribs to streamline the waist. He specializes in cosmetic surgery and complex reconstruction, hence the nickname, “The Surgeon’s Surgeon” as dubbed by his colleagues.
The Ghanaian-born surgeon gained global recognition in 2021 after successfully removing Gorilla Glue from the hair of “internet sensation” Tessica Brown by using bio-friendly chemicals he put together in less than 48 hrs.
He is a father, an award-winning motivational speaker, a philanthropist, a humanitarian, and a global health strategist.
Dr. Michael K. Obeng was named among “America’s Top Plastic Surgeons” by the Consumer Research Council of America in 2011 and 2014.
The Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry (GhCCI) says the government’s inability to pay monies owed to local contractors is compounding the unemployment situation in the country.
Speaking on the Morning Starr with Francis Abban the Chief Executive Officer for the Chamber, Mr. Emmanuel Cherry indicated that the government is collapsing the few jobs created in the system through the nonpayment of debts owed them.
“The contractor has employed the services of artisan, suppliers and what have you. So just imagine how many employment just one contractor has generated. So if you deliberately decide to punish them by not paying him just imagine how many jobs have been lost.
“Today most of our frontline contractors have laid off workers. I know a contractor who has over 900 full-time employees. He has laid off over 500 and he is still going through the list to lay off more. Already we are struggling with unemployment in the country,” Mr. Cherry stated.
He continued: “Now with the contractor who has laid off 500 workers, he may not be able to pay tax for his workers. Which means the government has lost directly. You have lost a lot of revenue from there and the contractor’s withholding tax, service taxes that he is supposed to pay you will also not get it.”
Mr. Cherry added that the local banks are also suffering because contractors are unable to pay their debts owed to these banks.
“There are a lot of debt portfolios in their books. They are chasing contractors here, left right center. What kind of business is this, is this the kind of governance we elected our leaders for? Let’s change the status quo and look at national development with a national lens,” he stated.
The High Court in Accra presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo has admonished a seven-member jury panel selected to try the two boys standing trial for the ritual murder of a 10-year-old Ishmael Mensah Abdallah to stay away from the influence of money.
According to the judge, as jurors, “you are the accredited representatives of the society,” and “You are expected to be present in court at all times to listen, to see and hear the witnesses that will be called by the prosecution in their quest to establish the guilt of the accused persons.”
The court said the accused persons have both been charged with conspiracy to murder and murder for which reason if they are found guilty their punishment is to suffer death.
The two ‘Kasoa boys’, a 15-year-old juvenile and an 18-year-old young offender have been held for the murder of Ishmael Mensah and are facing the charge of murder.
In court on Monday, October 10, the jurors were empaneled after the pleas of the accused persons were taken on two charges of conspiracy and murder.
Though the 15-year-old accused pleaded guilty to conspiracy, he denied the charge of murder.
But, the law allows the court to enter a not-guilty plea for him and allow the case to be tried by the jury. For the 18-year-old young offender, he denied charges.
Justice Marfo who was addressing the jurors after their empanelling urged them to do their work diligently without any external influence.
“It is a duty that has been conferred on you by the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana. The accused persons have both been charged with conspiracy to murder and murder for which reason if they are found guilty their punishment is to suffer death,” the court admonished the jurors.
“The same Constitution places a duty on the court to have them tried by a seven-member jury. This is the reason why you have so carefully been selected. Note that, you are the accredited representatives of the society. You are expected to be present in court at all times to listen, to see, and hear the witnesses that will be called by the prosecution in their quest to establish the guilt of the accused persons.”
She added: “You are supposed to arrive at a verdict which is unanimous and your verdict is binding on this court. In other words, if your decision is that of not guilty it has to be unanimous, and if your decision is that of guilty, it has to be unanimous.
“You are not supposed to be influenced by anything you hear or see in relation to this matter on social media or society. You are only bound by the evidence that you hear or see in this courtroom.
“You are expected to comport yourselves inside and outside of the courtroom diligently. You must not be influenced by money or any other consideration whatsoever. No discussion about the case in which you are involved outside of this courtroom.
She said, “the court expects maximum cooperation from you as far as timing and dates are concerned. The court will not hesitate to apply the needed legal sanction to any recalcitrant juror.
“You are going to be judges of the trial of fact in the case and anything legal is left to the court and you will be directed as and when the same comes up during the trial,” the court urged.
The case has been adjourned to October 24 for prosecution and defense lawyers to address the jury.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has called on the Judiciary to take keen interest in investigating criminal cases and delivering impartial justice.
The former President, in a tweet on Sunday, was not excited about the execution of works by some institutions while asking them to do better.
“A judiciary owes it a duty to deliver impartial justice to the people; an Ombudsman owes a duty of care to the people to investigate all issues of malfeasance; a police force should exist to serve the people and not rein terror on them.”
In the same tweet, he added that the Electoral Commission (EC) must also take responsibility to include citizens in the electoral processes and desist from satisfying the interest of the incumbent government.
“An electoral commission owes a sacred duty of care to the people by ensuring they are included in the electoral process & not excluded in the interest of the incumbent administration; an independent media owes it to the people to not only report facts without bias, but to hold the government of the day accountable.”
In Africa, we need ethical and moral uprightness as guiding principles, and a stoic fidelity to the truth and to do right by our people above all other considerations. pic.twitter.com/SITGKSatSw
— John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) October 9, 2022
Absolute accountability, not just by government but by the institutions of state in service to the people and not themselves, will go a long way to remedy many of the systemic problems that affect our African people. pic.twitter.com/AbtNHvO2TH
— John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) October 9, 2022
A judiciary owes it a duty to deliver impartial justice to the people; an Ombudsman owes a duty of care to the people to investigate all issues of malfeasance; a police force should exist to serve the people and not rein terror on them; an electoral commission owes …
1/2 pic.twitter.com/PIWJYsZ1tS
— John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) October 8, 2022
Absolute accountability, not just by government but by the institutions of state in service to the people and not themselves, will go a long way to remedy many of the systemic problems that affect our African people. pic.twitter.com/AbtNHvO2TH
Anti-corruption campaigner, Vitus Azeem, has urged the government to prosecute those responsible for payrolls that have ghost names on them.
His comments come following the suspension of the salaries of some public workers.
On October 3, 2022, a letter by the Controller and Accountant General indicated that the September salaries of some public sector workers had been suspended.
“As a result of the quality assurance and other validation processes undertaken by the Controller and Accountant General Department, there has been the need to suspend the payment of September 2022 salaries to some employees whose bank names are mismatched on the GOG payroll system whiles others had invalid bank account numbers on the system,” the letter stated.
The Controller and Accountant General noted, “For employees whose bank names are mismatched, kindly arrange for the employee to report to the payroll coordination unit of the GAGD at block ‘A’ room 32 with the under-listed documents under a cover letter from the MDA confirming they are at post.”
Employees with invalid bank account numbers were urged to submit their correct bank account numbers to the PPSs for an update.
Speaking on Atinka TV’s morning show, Ghana Nie with Ekourba Gyasi Simpremu, Mr. Vitus Azeem questioned what the Controller and Accountant General was doing about the ghost names and those who were in charge of the payrolls.
“You don’t have to come out and say that you have removed 500 ghost names from the payroll, what have you done to the people who have put those names on the payroll, what have you done to the people who are the ghosts that have been claiming those monies?” he quizzed.
Mr. Vitus Azeem continued, “If somebody legally puts a name on the payroll, it must be a Controller and Accountant General staff. There are sanctions, they should be punished, suspended, sacked, or even prosecuted for putting those names that are not supposed to be there. And then those whose names are there, and they are not supposed to be there, maybe for no fault of theirs, at least efforts should be made to recover the monies from them. That is where you say that they are working, but for several years now, anytime you will come out to say that you have identified 500 ghost names on the payroll, what have you done to the people, have you recovered the monies? How about somebody responsible for the payroll? How did the names get onto the payroll?”
Drama ensued during proceedings in an Accra Circuit Court on Monday, October 10, 2022, when the founder and leader of Heavenway Champion International Ministries was brought before the court.
Evangelist Patricia Oduro Koranteng was put before the court on charges of defrauding by false pretence and charlatanic advertisement in the media.
According to Angel FM’s court correspondent, Ama Brako Ampofo, the suspect took exception when the prosecutor mentioned her name while reading out her charges in court.
“When she was brought in, her name was mentioned as Patricia Oduro but when she entered the box, she objected that she is not Patricia Oduro Asiedu but her name is Reverend Doctor Patricia Oduro,” the correspondent narrated.
Charged on counts, Agradaa is said to have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The court which denied her bail has scheduled her reappearance for Thursday, October 13, 2022.
The campaign aims to improve road safety consciousness among commercial drivers and motorcyclists to help ensure the reduction of road accidents involving public transport vehicles.
As part of the campaign, Vivo organized training sessions for the drivers on best practices in driving and first aid among others.
Speaking to commercial drivers at the launch of the campaign in Accra, on Thursday, the HSSE Manager of Vivo Energy, Joseph Kankam, said that the campaign will abreast drivers with the needed knowledge they will need to ensure that they continue to drive safely.
He added that Vivo will be sharing the best practices its drivers have been using to transport their products with the commercial drivers.
“Because we transport our product on the same road as you (commercial divers). We want to collaborate with you so that today together with the National Road Safety Commission, the DVLA and other partners, we can resolve the major challenge on our roads which is road accidents and its related deaths and injuries.
“This campaign will enjoin on us the need to drive safely so that we can avoid needless deaths and injuries on our roads,” he said in Twi.
As part of the programme, the drivers were also taken through an eye screen exercise.
A clinical Psychologist at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr. Isaac Newman Arthur says suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in the world, especially among 15 to 29-year-olds, with the majority occurring in low and middle-income countries.
According to him, about 1,500 suicide cases are reported annually.
Dr. Arthur stated that death by suicide among men are dominant than in women, stressing that many men who go through depression and traumatizing situations do not try to seek help. He said several, rather choose to commit suicide to salvage the situation rather than opening up and seeking support.
Dr. Arthur who was speaking on the GTV Breakfast Show during the celebration of World Mental Health day encouraged people to be each other’s keepers.
He emphasized that among all professions in Ghana, health practitioners stand a higher risk of suicide due to overly stressed work and addictive behavior regarding clinical-related issues coupled with their personal problems.
Former Member of Parliament for Tema East, Titus Nii Kwartei Glover, has blamed elements within the ruling New Patriotic Party for the government’s failure to defeat illegal mining.
According to the former MP, while some members of the party are embroiled in the galamsey menace, those appointed at the local level to fight the menace have failed to discharge their mandate.
“The difficulty is our own people in there. My own NPP people. Do you think I am afraid to talk about it? It is my own NPP people who are making the fight against galamsey difficult. It is a fact. The law says don’t mine on our river bodies.
“If the soldiers are sent in to drive away the galamseyers and they leave, the District Security Council led by the MCE what do they do? The Regional Security Council is also responsible for security at that level what do they do? So every time soldiers have to be moved from Accra to these areas to fight the menace? That is not good,” he said on Adom TV’s morning programme.
Rampant illegal mining activities have resulted in the degradation of several forest covers and the pollution of various water bodies.
This has resulted in a renewed public discussion on illegal mining activities.
Various calls have been made for the government to take drastic steps to curb the menace.
Last week, President Akufo-Addo met with members of the National House of Chiefs and MMDCEs in galamsey areas.
The meeting by the president was to fashion out some solutions to the galamsey issues.
An Accra District Court on Monday, October 10, 2022, remanded the founder and leader of Heavenway Champion International Ministries, Evangelist Patricia Oduro Koranteng.
Charged with defrauding by false pretence, Agradaa, as she is popularly known, was denied bail by the court, which asked her to reappear on Thursday, October 13, 2022.
While being taken away into custody, the evangelist, who has denied the allegation of defrauding her church members, led a moment of worship and praise as she sang Mama Esther’s Nedin Ni Yehowa (His Name is God).
She was joined by some of her church members and junior pastors who had come to the court premises to solidarize with her.
Agradaa’s loud voice is heard singing away while security officers bundled her into a waiting vehicle.
Agradaa was arrested on Sunday for alleged money doubling, defrauding
The Ghana Police Service on Sunday, October 13, 2022, arrested repented fetish priestess, Nana Agradaa, now known as Evangelist Mama Pat.
This was announced in a statement by the service and shared via its social media handles on Sunday, October 9, 2022.
“The Police have arrested Patricia Asiedua alias Nana Agradaa following allegations of money doubling scam levelled against her by some members of the public. The suspect is currently assisting police investigation,” the statement said.
Nana Agradaa’s arrest comes on the back of allegations made by scores of her church members, who claimed that she had scammed them after an all-night service.
The former fetish priestess had advertised in a viral video that she was going to give out monies to people who would attend her all-night church service on Friday, October 7, 2022.
Things, however, did not go as planned for many of the people who attended the service as many of them cried foul that they had given out monies to her but she failed to keep to her side of the agreement.
She is eventually reported to have sent the people away from the church, prompting the alarms they raised online.
The police have since called on all persons affected by the supposed scam to report to the Accra Regional Police Command to help with the investigations.
“Anyone who is a victim of the alleged money doubling scam should report to the Accra Regional Police Command for further action to assist the investigation,” it added.
Tidal waves have washed away a man believed to be in his early twenties at Anomabo in the Mfantseman Municipality of the Central Region.
The unidentified, man is reported to have visited the town for the festival and went to attend the nature’s call at the beach when the incident occurred.
According to an eyewitness, he was deterred from defecating in the sea, but he did not heed the advice.
The man insisted indicating that he felt good while defecating in the sea because of the sea breeze.
Strong tidal waves hit and washed him away into the sea.
Confirming the incident to Class News’ Nana Tawiah, the Best Fisherman for the Anomabo Community Nana Kwame Sankah, disclosed that this is not the first incident to have occurred in the community.
He expressed surprise at how the deceased was able to go that far to sit on the boulders to defecate.
Mr Sankah further condemned the act of open defecation into the sea and called for an end to the practice.
He disclosed that the community will perform rituals in the sea, to seek forgiveness for the deceased to enable them to retrieve his body.
Despite the number of fishermen who have been to sea to search for the body of the deceased, the search has not yielded any results yet.
The incident has since been reported to the Anomabo Police Station for investigations.
President Akufo-Addo has disclosed that Ghana’s capital town, Accra, has been named the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) world book capital for 2023.
In a series of tweets shared on October 10, the president said that this honour is an acknowledgement of the country’s progress in its development process.
He added that it also means that Accra is now part of prestigious cities in the world which have been UNESCO world book Capital
“I am happy to inform you that Accra has been named the UNESCO world book capital for 2023, making our vibrant city part of the prestigious world book capital cities network.
“This is an acknowledgment of the giant strides that Ghana and Africa are making in developing our book and creative art industry and we thank you for your diverse contribution that made this possible,” he said.
According to UNESCO, the World Book Capital programme is used to acknowledge cities’ commitment t promoting books and fostering reading
It added that cities designated as UNESCO World Book Capital undertake to carry out activities to encourage a culture of reading and diffuse “its values in all ages and population groups in and out of the national borders”.
Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo, while addressing the 215th Meeting of the Executive Board of UNESCO, on Monday, October 10, 2021, charged member states of UNESCO to ensure that education remains a priority in the common development agenda of countries.
“At this moment, we cannot pick and choose between funding guns and education. We cannot pick and choose between the interests of the present generation and the future of our girls and boys.
“We cannot choose geopolitical concerns over preserving our cherished cultural heritages, lest we perish universally,” he said.
Read the President’s tweets below:
This is an acknowledgement of the giant strides that Ghana and Africa are making in developing our book and creative art industry and we thank you for your diverse contribution that made this possible.
The paramount chief of Cape Coast, Oguaamanhen Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, has posited that the central government has too much power.
According to him, the powers of chiefs, who had complete control of their territories before the colonial era, have almost been completely taken away by political authorities.
Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II said that chiefs nowadays have to seek permission from politicians in the capital town of Ghana, Accra, before they are allowed to do anything on their own land, asaaseradio.com reports.
“With the advent of politics as we see it today, chiefs as it were, are relegated to the background. The position they held and the part they played is not the same today; where you had the power to do certain things, you do not have the same power now.
“You have to channel certain decisions to Parliament and even to the government before you implement certain things and I wouldn’t say it’s an affront, but it subjects the chief to either the government or to Parliament and that was not the case in the past. It is a nuisance; it’s a delay in the resolution of matters in your own environment,” he said.
“For example, if you are chief, that land of which you are the chief belongs to you [hold it in trust for the people] and therefore, anything whether minerals or whatever there is in that land, you should have control. If you are misusing it your people are there to check on you,” the chief is quoted to have said by asaaseradio.com.
He added that “Why should I go to Accra to get a permit before I can explore what is in my own land? … you can have your treaties but leave my land for me.”
The Oguaamanhen’s comments come following conservations on the role chiefs play in leasing lands for mining activities in the country.
Many Ghanaians have said that chiefs are complicit in the menace of illegal small-scale mining, otherwise known as ‘galamsey’, in the country.
But the chiefs have maintained their innocence, saying that they are not the ones who give out mining licenses to prospective miners.
Tamale North MP, Alhassan Suhuyini says it is unthinkable that people will fall prey to the alleged money-doubling scam by Patricia Asiedua popularly knowns as Nana Agradaa.
“This is total rubbish to me. They deserve each other. Both Agradaa and her victims, the Tamale North MP, Alhassan Suhuyini said on GH Today on GHOne TV on Monday, October 10, 2022.
Police have arrested Patricia Asiedua alias Nana Agradaa following allegations of a money-doubling scam levelled against her by some members of the public.
She’s expected to be arraigned today following her arrest on Sunday.
A statement issued by the police said: “Anyone who is a victim of the alleged money doubling scam should report to the Accra Regional Police Command for further action to assist the investigation.”
This comes on the back of a viral video on social media of victims recounting their losses.
Some of the victims say they went to the church of Nana Agradaa after she advertised on her TV program that she will be doubling money during Friday’s all-night service.
Speaking on GHOne TV, the Tamale North lawmaker brushed aside the conversation and refused to sympathize with any of the victims saying the ‘Agradaa episode’ is complete rubbish.
“I cannot say it’s lack of education because sometimes you find very schooled people, maybe it’s lack of education but not lack of schooling. You find people with certain levels of certification, and they also fall prey to some of these things. And I think it’s perhaps a problem with our educational system, we tend to just think that it’s okay for people to pass through classrooms and sit in front of teachers and that is considered education. Education is much more than reading and writing. But when you train people to just chew, pour, pass and forget it doesn’t impact their cognitive abilities to think and decipher and analyse issues. And I think it’s a very big problem that we have in this country.
“But the bottom-line line is we need to regulate some these things as a people.”
Some local farmers numbering about 700 have had their farm crops destroyed by the Bagre dam spillage in the Talensi district of the Upper East Region.
Their produce namely millet, cassava and watermelon among others have been washed away.
The farmers say they have lost everything to the water spillage.
Some of them who spoke with Class 91.3 FM’s Upper East regional correspondent Moses Appiah complained about how they have lost everything they invested into the farm as a result of the unannounced spillage.
The District Director of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Alpha Robert, speaking in an interview noted that his outfit has begun doing some assessment-based reports to ascertain the levels of the danger of the spillage on farmland.
He added that the assessment is only for record-keeping and not to seek relief items for the affected farmers.
President Akufo-Addo has charged Member States of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to ensure that education remains a priority in the common development agenda of countries.
As the recently appointed Domestic Financing champion of the Global Partnership for Education, President Akufo-Addo sought the co-operation and support of UNESCO “to work towards developing sustainable homegrown financial solutions, so we can develop the educational system for the future we want in our various countries.”
Addressing the 215th Meeting of the Executive Board of UNESCO, on Monday, 10th October 2021, in Paris, France, the President noted that the world does not have the luxury to pick and choose which crises it wants to fix.
“At this moment, we cannot pick and choose between funding guns and education. We cannot pick and choose between the interests of the present generation and the future of our girls and boys. We cannot choose geopolitical concerns over preserving our cherished cultural heritages, lest we perish universally,” he said.
Due to global instability, however, President Akufo-Addo noted that, education has become one of many competing priorities of domestic budgets, with development aid to the education sector also seriously under pressure.
“Indeed, countries reduced their spending on education after the onset of the COVID-19, and, at the same time, direct aid to education by bilateral donors fell by some three hundred and fifty-nine million dollars ($359 million), which is not compatible with the objectives of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda for financing sustainable development and the goals of the SDGs,” he said.
The President continued, “We are further informed that prospects for reaching funding target, through voluntary contributions, are uncertain as several long-term donors have already reduced significantly their voluntary contributions to UNESCO due to a change in development cooperation priorities, thereby significantly impacting our planned programme implementation.”
In spite of these challenges, President Akufo-Addo commended UNESCO for the lead role it played in ensuring the success of the Transforming Education Summit, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September this year.
Necessitated by the seminal “Futures of Education” report from UNESCO, the President indicated that the Transforming Education Summit, and, indeed, the pre-summit held here in Paris, have been extremely successful in getting the world to reflect deeply on the trajectory of educational systems, and how to addresses the challenges of our time.
Touching on Global Priority Africa Programme, which has been adopted by the UNESCO General Conference at its 41st Session, President Akufo-Addo was delighted that UNESCO has made Africa a Global Priority, and was delighted to see UNESCO’s flagship programmes as being relevant to achieving the objectives of the Africa Union’s Agenda 2063, i.e. “The Africa We Want”.
He also urged UNESCO’s Executive Board to help win the fight against Climate Change, especially as the planet is heading towards a dangerous tipping point as a result of climate change.
In furtherance of this, he commended UNESCO for the effort to strengthen the “Man and Biosphere Programme”, whose goal is to help protect nature and biodiversity loss globally, through the Biosphere Reserve Concept.
“I urge UNESCO Member States to strengthen measures, at their respective national levels, that recognise formally the contribution of Biosphere Reserves, and designate more biosphere reserves and geoparks as a sure way for solving the climate crisis”, he added.
In concluding, the President informed the Executive Board of the news that Accra has been named as the UNESCO World Book Capital for 2023, making Accra part of the prestigious World Book Capital Cities Network.
This, he stated, is an acknowledgement of the giant strides Ghana and Africa are making in developing Ghana’s book and creative arts industry.
“The year-long programme to celebrate this honor done us by UNESCO will commence from 23rd April 2023, which is celebrated globally as the World Book and Copyright Day. I wish to use this opportunity to invite you all to join Ghana in this year-long celebrations,” the President added.
The Ashanti Mampong District Police Command of the Ghana Police Service have arrested a 14-year-old boy and 10 other suspects in two communities in the Ashanti Region for possessing illegal drugs.
According to a Daily Guide, the 11 suspects were arrested at ‘wee’ joints during a police swoop at Akyeremade, Zongo, and Tunsoum in the Ashanti Region.
The Daily Guide indicated that a police document it cited said that the police found some illegal drugs, including cannabis, popularly known as “wee”, during the arrests.
“The suspects were arrested with 4 pieces of partially smoked substances suspected to be Indian hemp,” it said.
Also, the Ashanti Mampong District Police Command said that the arrests form part of efforts to stop the sale of narcotics and their use in the area.
It stated that the 10 suspects included Richard Brako, 24; Mohammed Mubarak, 18; Allah Mohammed, 19; and Amin Rashwan, 19.
It added that the other suspects are Isaac Acheampong, 40, Kwame Okyere aka ‘Palapa, 36; Tutu Collins, 22, Stephen Kwabena, 42; Ibrahim Yakubu, 26, and Yeboah Rehand, who is aged 24.
The police further stated that the 14-year-old boy has been released to his parents and will be brought to the police station occasionally to assist with the investigation.
“The rest of the suspects are in police custody as exhibits have been retained. Suspects will be screened, profiled, and those found culpable will be put before the court,” it added.
The Breast Care Center at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in the Kumasi Metropolis of the Ashanti has raised red flags over the high prevalence of breast cancer in the region.
According to the center, breast cancers are on the astronomical rise in the Ashanti Region affecting hundreds of both men and women.
A Nursing Officer at KATH‘s Breast Care Center, Mariama Amadu said 90 percent of people who reported to the center for biopsy in the last three years turned out to be serious breast cancer cases.
Mariama Amadu was speaking on the Kumasi-based OTEC 102.9 FM’s Health show, “Apomuden Ahotoso” on Sunday, October 9, 2022.
“The rate at which we are recording breast cancer in the past few years is frightening and should be of concern to all stakeholders”. She told host of the show, Kate Appiah Boateng (Radio Nurse).
Medical Check Up
Mariama Amadu urged Ghanaians to regularly do a self-examination of their breast and seek early treatment if they detect any anomalies.
“Early detection was the surest way to win the fight against breast cancer infections”.
She stressed the need for individuals to report any changes in their breasts at health facilities to ensure early treatment.
The nurse however pleaded with men to support their wives when they notice any changes in their breasts and not to abandon them.
The Founder of Heaven Way Church in Accra, Patricia Asiedua formerly known as Nana Agradaa, who has been arrested for allegedly scamming some members of her church, has accused some men of God of plotting her downfall.
She said her enemies have made all manner of accusations against her which include burying her own child in the church. But she, said, God is on her side.
Nana Agradaa indicated that she never defrauded anyone.
“I announced to Ghanaians that I was going to give out cash to members of my church to invest in their businesses and that anyone who needed cash support should come. If you aren’t a church member, the first thing to do in order to benefit from this gesture is to register to officially to join us.
“I did the all night event and distributed the money to members of my church and so if you only registered that day and couldn’t get a share of the cash, that cannot be fraud, I have not offended you in any way.
“In every church we have offertory, I am the only one who does this on camera. This was a fundraising exercise which I announced to everyone that it was starting from 1000 Cedis to Coins,” she said in a recorded video which has gone viral on social media.
She added “Everybody in Ghana knows that people are plotting my downfall, they want to destroy my ministry , there were demonstrations against me when I was being ordained , people even accused me of burying my own child to grow the church but God is with me.”
The Police arrested her on Sunday October 9 following allegations of money doubling scam levelled against her by some members of the public.
She is currently assisting police investigation.
“Anyone who is a victim of the alleged money doubling scam should report to the Accra Regional Police Command for further action to assist the investigation,” the Police said in a statement on Sunday October 8.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has said it has commenced an investigation into suspected corruption and corruption-related offences in respect of illegal small scale mining (Galamsey).
A statement issued by the OSP on Monday October 10 said the investigations targets some officials of the Ministry of Lands and natural Resources and the Forestry Commission.
It also targets the activities and expenditure of the dissolved Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), especially in respect of seizure and management of excavators, machinery, road vehicles and gold nuggets.
“The investigations include the active and ongoing inquiry into allegations of use of public office for profits against Charles Bissue during his tenure as Secretary to the IMCIM arising from an investigative documentary titled ‘Galamsey Fraud Part 1, published by Tiger Eye PI.
“The investigations further target activities of the Akonta Mining Limited and other companies nationals of foreign countries allegedly involved in illegal mining and allegations of corruption and corruption related offence against Municipal and District Chief Executives political party officials.”
This comes just few days after Charles Bissue descended heavily on Anas Aremeyaw Anas for recently revisiting his issue on galamsey.
Charles Bissue, a former Western Region Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), had been mentioned by the National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as a candidate of imprisonment over his involvement in small-scale illegal mining as captured in the work of Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
The former Presidential Staffer then replied Sammy Gyamfi, accusing him and the NDC of misleading Ghanaians.
But Anas’s Tiger Eye PI then revisited the issue.
It was this that goaded Mr Bissue to issue a statement dated Friday, October 7, 2022.
He sought to clarify the content of the 2018 investigative documentary.
“I did not demand any money from the applicant with promise of fast tracking or facilitating the process,” he refuted Anas’s allegations, describing his work as “corrupted”.
“The money in question was a donation from Bernard Antwi Boasiako [alias Chairman Wontumi] for a party activity. I did not grant the company any rights to resume mining when at the time, the ban was in force as published by Tiger Eye P.I.”
He added: “For the record, I don’t consider your work as an entrapment. In fact, it is hollow and a failed attempt to smear my reputation with lies, just as you’ve done to your victims in the past.
“I dare say, and I repeat that you are a liar, and should Ghanaians entertain your deceitful antics, this fight will never yield any results.”
The founder of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Akwasi Addai Odike, has said that Ghana is currently experiencing what he describes as “environmental terrorism” under the government of Akufo-Addo.
He said that President Akufo-Addo is looking on as illegal miners (galamseyers) terrorize the country by stealing its natural resources.
He added that the galamseyers are also destroying its lands and water bodies, and to an extent, the lives of Ghanaians.
Speaking in an Onua TV interview monitored by GhanaWeb, on Friday, October 7, Odike added that the environmental terrorism in Ghana is worse than the terrorism, coups, and other upheavals in countries in the West African sub-region because it is not only killing Ghanaians but it is also denying the country the needed resources to develop.
“You (Akufo-Addo) you are superintending evil; you are superintending environmental terrorism. When there are coups in West Africa, you come out and say that they (the coups) are not good, but what you are doing is worse than coups.
“Our lands that you are destroying is worse than someone organizing a coup. Because, despite the coup in Burkina Faso, their lands will still be intact. If they stop the coups, their lands will still be there for them.
“There hasn’t been any coup in Ghana but our lands are being destroyed, and we don’t have portable water. Who is better off between us and Burkina Faso? The Rwandans had a conflict, nobody destroyed their land and now that they have resolved their issues, they are using their resources to develop their country,” he said.
Odike also berated Akufo-Addo for failing to go to any of the ‘galamsey’ sites across the country to see for himself the devastating effects of menace.
“… have you seen Akufo-Addo visiting any of the galamsey areas? As a president whose lands and water bodies are being destroyed by galamsey, Akufo-Addo has never visited any of these sites,” he noted.
Meanwhile, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has travelled to France to receive an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Sorbonne University on Monday, October 10, 2022.
According to myjoyonline.com, the president left Ghana on Saturday, October 8, 2022, and will be conferred with an Honorary Doctorate Degree and an Award of Honoris Causa as part of the activities for his six-day working visit to France.
A statement issued on Sunday, October 9, 2022, said that before receiving the award, the president will address the 215th Session of UNESCO.
“Prior to receiving the Honorary Doctorate from Sorbonne University, the President will address the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) at its 215th Session,” Joy News quoted part of the statement.
It further stated that Akufo-Addo will also address the Asia Society Forum on the theme, “To Act in Troubled Times: new perspectives from France, Asia, Africa and the world”.
The statement also indicated that the president will commission the refurbished Chancery building of Ghana’s Embassy in Paris.
The Oti Regional Minister, Joshua Gmayenaam Makubu has reiterated the government’s intentions of adding value to the region’s recently discovered iron ore deposits.
According to him, the government is determined to ensure Ghana realizes the full benefits of the iron ore deposit and at the same time, make sure its full value chain is retained in the Oti Region.
He said this when he took his turn at the State of the Region Report, a platform put together by the Ministry of Information for Regional Ministers to brief the media on developments in their respective regions on Sunday, October 9, 2022.
“Recently, the Region has discovered large quantities of Iron Ore. The Ghana Geological Survey Authority led the discovery of large quantities of Iron ore deposits. The iron ore is 55.22 weight percent (fe) and of a higher grade
“Government is determined to provide value addition to its raw commodity and would ensure that the Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development work closely with the GGSA and the communities to ensure that full value chain is retained in the region and the country,” he said.
The large iron ore deposits were discovered in Akokrowa, a farming community in the region,
Mr. Makubu described the discovery of the iron ore as good news for the region and urged the chiefs and people to work in harmony to drive development to the area.
He maintained that the exploration and the business of the Iron will create jobs and wealth for the people of Oti and the country in general.
Already, 10 local and foreign investors have expressed interest in mining the iron ore. None of the investors according to Mr. Makubu will exclusively own a concession but will rather sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation (GIISDEC) and the host communities to mine within a specific period to benefit the region and the country at large.
Roads
Touching on the kilometres of road constructed in his since 2017, Mr. Makubu said a total of 587km of road have been constructed and a further 185.7km are under construction. It includes the rehabilitation of the 21km Nkonya Wurupong to Kwamekrom road, the 30km reconstruction of the Hohoe to Jasikan road, the Jasikan to Dodo Pepeso road, upgrading of the 26.8km Kete Krachi to Buya road and several others.
Health
On health, he said 10 projects have been completed in the region while 8 are still under construction. He said these projects include the CHPS compound at Dadease in the Nkwanta South Municipality, the CHPS compound at Azua market in the Nkwanta North District and the CHPS compound with nurses’ quarters at Nkonya Asakyiri in the Biakoye District.
Administrative Officers in the Local Government Service are likely to lose their jobs in the coming days, Head of the Local Government Service, Dr. Nana Ato Arthur has disclosed.
According to him, the Service is taking steps to undertake an exercise to lay off some Administrative Officers because the sector is bloated and the number of Administrative officers in the various Assemblies has resulted in ‘poor quality service delivery’ within the sector, the Chronicle reports.
He further noted how worrying it is that sometimes, such officers numbering up to 10 or more are employed to work in one District or Municipal Assembly alone, leaving a situation where there are more staff than work to be done.
Dr. Ato Arthur disclosed this in a speech read on his behalf at the third National Conference of Ghana National Association of Local Govt Service Administrators (GALGA) at Tamale in the Northern Region recently.
Reacting to this, however, immediate past Secretary of GALGA, Andrew Asare Bediako indicated that the Association will resist any such attempts to dismiss its members from work, the Chronicle reports.
According to him, the Administrative Officers cannot be blamed for over employment considering they have no hand in the employment of Local Government Service workers and therefore should not bear the brunt.
Mr. Asare Bediako further suggested that training workshops are rather organized for Administrative Officers to ensure productivity and enhancement of their skillset.
Students of the University of Education Winneba (UEW) will today, Monday, October 10, 2022 embark on another demonstration against the management of the school.
The students have been agitating over the management’s failure to resolve concerns about their Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA).
Authorities of the school were given an October 7, 2022 ultimatum to settle the outstanding issue, but have failed to do so.
The students say they will protest to demand a resolution to their concerns.
In addition, the agitated students say they will not partake in an exams scheduled for them this week.
“What they are doing is just to frustrate us. They are telling us to write a re-sit on Monday. We are not going to write the exams. If things are not done in order, we will retaliate,” one of the affected students spoke to Citi News on condition of anonymity.
Last Friday, students on the Southern campus of the university protested to express their outbursts.
Students have been complaining that the school had not been updating their GPA records
The agitation came with the students expected to graduate in the next few weeks. The school is also setting up a help centre to receive complaints.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor has commenced investigations into suspected corruption and corruption-related offences related to illegal small-scale mining, also known as galamsey, in Ghana.
“It also targets the activities and expenditure of the dissolved Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal
Mining (IMCIM), especially in respect of the seizure and management of machinery, road excavators, vehicles, and gold nuggets.”
The investigation will include the active and ongoing inquiry into allegations of use of public office for profit against Charles Bissue, during his work at the IMCIM, to an investigative documentary titled Galamsey Fraud Part I, published by Tiger Eye P.I.
The investigation further targets the activities of Akonta Mining Limited and other companies; nationals of foreign countries allegedly involved in illegal mining; and allegations of corruption and corruption-related offences against some Municipal and District Chief Executives and political party officials.
Traders within the Central Business District in the Kumasi Metropolis in the Ashanti Region have closed down their shops to protest what they say are exorbitant taxes imposed on businesses by the government.
Most of the locked-up shops had red bands tied on them as traders say the protest will last for three days.
The traders are also kicking against a decision by the Ghana Revenue Authority to station their officers at each shop to record Value Added Tax (VAT) on products they sell.
The affected shops are for traders who deal in groceries and are situated at Pampaso and PZ in the Central Business District.
Some of the shop owners who spoke to Citi News want the government to reduce the taxes on businesses.
The Department of Energy of the United States of America (USA) has called for strengthened partnership with Ghana to enhance environmental protection through sustainable exploration of mineral resources and adoption of clean energy.
Deputy Secretary of Energy, David Turk, explained that all countries have an active role in efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change, hence the need for partnerships towards protecting the environment.
He was speaking in Accra on Thursday when he led a delegation from the USA to pay a courtesy call on officials of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
The delegation, including the USA Ambassador to Ghana, Ms Virginia E. Palmer, and other senior officials from the Department of Energy, were received by the two Deputy Ministers of the Ministry, Mr George Mireku Duker, and Mr Benito Owusu-Bio.
Mr Turk noted that the two countries could contribute to the protection of the environment through the adoption and promotion of clean energy methods as well as sustainable exploration and use of mineral resources.
On the part of the USA, he said their commitment towards environmental protection had resulted in the passing of a clean energy legislation which would ensure the country invest US$500 billion into clean energy projects.
Mr Turk explained that the USA would not only discuss issues about clean energy but would also provide adequate support to countries, including Ghana, to save the environment.
As a country with a thriving democracy, he said the USA was convinced that Ghana should make their own decisions and be active participants in discussions about climate change and environmental protection.
Mr Turk said the USA was committed to strengthening its relationship with Ghana in the areas of energy to promote the enactment of legislations that controlled the energy sector, and discourage methods and practices which would harm the environment.
In his response, Mr Duker also highlighted the co-operation and rich history between Ghana and the USA, resulting in many achievements in the country.
He commended the USA for leading the fight to protect the climate, saying that Ghana would adopt the measures necessary to reduce emissions and safeguard the climate.
Ghana, he noted, was ready to partner with the USA for the exploration of the recently discovered lithium for shared benefits.
On his part, Mr Owusu-Bio applauded the USA’s efforts in seeking to actively transition to new and clean energy practices.
The Principal of Agogo Presbyterian Women’s College of Education (APWC), Rev. Dr Mrs Grace Sintim Adasi, has made a passionate appeal to philanthropists, NGOs and entrepreneurs to intervene in the security situation at Agogo Presbyterian Women’s College which has been occasioned by land encroachments and the lack of adequate residential facilities on the campus.
Speaking to the media at the launch of the Homecoming and Maiden Founders’ Day ceremony under the theme ‘Enhancing the Presbyterian values through the provision of Quality female Teacher Education’, the principal indicated that due to the encroachment on the school lands, which has resulted in a merger of the indigenous community and the student body of the school, a serious security situation exists and needs to be addressed urgently.
She also said the students are unsafe on campus because they do not have enough walls around the school compound.
The Principal further stated that the College would appreciate the construction of a 24-seater toilet plus disability friendly facilities on campus by Ghana Gas.
According to the report, the two are close friends who do everything together in the community, including the consumption of abandoned dead animals.
Information gathered by Adom News‘ Augustine Boah suggests they always look for a dead animal, prepare and share it among themselves.
The assemblyman for Paboase electoral area, Simon Okom, said a misunderstanding, however, ensued between them over a recent dead goat a resident gave to them.
Azulay felt cheated because his suck was used to carry the dead goat and was expecting to get a greater share of the meat.
The matter, which many thought had been resolved, came up again after he went to the deceased’s house to take his suck during which they reportedly attacked each other with cutlasses and sticks.
Unfortunately, Azulay struck Buley’s head with a stick, causing him to be unconscious but was later pronounced dead by the medics at the Sehwi government hospital.
The corpse has been deposited at the Sehwi Wiawso government hospital morgue.
Meanwhile, the suspect, Azulay is said to have fled the town after committing the crime.
Dubbed “Innovation, Research, Extension and Advisory Coordination Hub” (iREACH), it is aimed at encouraging farmers to adopt the improved agricultural technologies to increase productivity and quality.
It is under the sponsorship of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)with support from the Kansas University in the United States of America, West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF) and Africa Rising.
The technologies include improved crop varieties of cowpea, maize, soybean and peanuts.
Among the varieties of the peanuts are CRI Yenyawaso, CRI Dehyee and CRI Obolo.
They have early maturity period between 85-90 days and are tolerant to aflatoxin and high oil content and resistant to rust.
The other improved varieties are roots and tubers such as yam, cassava and sweet potatoes, among others.
At the demonstration, improved agronomic practices and insect pests and diseases management strategies to cultivate the improved crop varieties to increase productivity were also presented to the participants.
Dr P.V Vara Prasad, Director of Collaborative Research on Sustainable Intensification at the Kansas University, indicated that about 30 per cent of food was lost during harvest, after harvest and storage in both developed and developing countries in the world.
That, he said, had been estimated that about 9.5 billion people worldwide were affected and not having food to eat.
“This means that there is the need to increase and provide access to food for all,” he said.
He urged farmers to use the improved technologies to boost production as he called for effective collaboration between government and non-government institutions, and the need for human and institutions capacity building towards food security.
“We should bring all these together to make sure that the technologies are showcased and disseminated to farmers and entrepreneurs for adoption,” he mentioned.
He advised the youth to take up agricultural production because “agriculture is food, technology, business and health”.
The Project Coordinator, Prof. Emmanuel Otoo, chief research scientist at the CSIR-CRI, said a good number of technologies had been developed which needed to be disseminated to the end users.
However, funds to do that remained a great constraint to the institute, and therefore, appealed to other companies and donors to partner with them to help disseminate the technologies towards food security in the country.
Prof. Moses B. Mochiah, Director, CSIR-CRI, used the occasion to appeal to government to help do away with obsolete machines/equipment to ensure higher productivity.
Some of the farmers noted the technologies had broadened their knowledge and could be applied to cultivate several crops even throughout dry seasons.
About 50 to 60 percent of suspected cases of breast cancer has been recorded during a breast cancer screening for over 250 women at the Kaneshie Medical Centre(KMC) during the breast cancer month-long campaign.
This was disclosed by the Medical Officer of the Kaneshie Medical Centre, Dr Obed Boamah,in an interview with the Ghanaian Times in Accra on Friday.
Organised by the New Times Corporation (NTC) in partnership with other organisations such as Kaneshie Medical Centre, Unichem Ghana Group, World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Kaneshie Polyclinic, the exercise was to create awareness about breast cancer, leading to low mortality rate.
When the Ghanaian Times got to the Medical Centre at the Kaneshie Market Complex, it observed that some women who had made their way to the place were seated patiently waiting to go through the screening process.
The women were also educated on the disease by the nurses who were attending to them while ensuring that the screening process went on smoothly.
According to Dr Boamah, those who had suspicious cases were recommended to visit scanning centres depending on their proximity and later report back to the Medical Centre.
Additionally, he said the screening would also afford the Medical Centre the opportunity to determine who needed urgent attention based on the medical report after the scan had been done.
Dr Boamahnoted that illiteracy was proving a challenge in the fight against the disease as he asserted that through his interaction with the women,it came to light that most of them had little or no knowledge about the disease.
This, Dr Boamah indicated, called for intensified awareness creation by showing images of the disease on various media platforms including broadcast, print and online media and the use of a language that would be understood by the women.
Heappealed to government to include breast cancer screening such as mammogram and ultra-sound screening to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) as most clients found it costly.
For his part, the Acting Head of Clinical Service at the KMC, Dr Seth KwabenaMawuena, lauded NTC and its associate partners for the exercise, describing it as impressive considering the enthusiasm with which it had been received by the women.
He said through the exercise, breast cancer cases and other health-related cases that would have gone unnoticed had been detected with the appropriate medical assistance being offered.
Dr Mawuena noted that early detection was key in the fight against breast cancer, saying “early detection is very important because when there is late detection it becomes complicated and there is a high chance of death.”
He, therefore, urged the public, especially women, to take advantage of breast cancer screening in order to know their status.
Some women whom the Ghanaian Times spoke to expressed high level of satisfaction about the whole exercise and called for intensified awareness creation about the disease.
They also urged women not to wait until the cancer became severe before visiting the health centre for treatment but rather make frequent check-up a habit.
