The Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah, has requested that the Kejetia market be closed for the next three working days.
This comes after the Ashanti region’s central market was destroyed by fire on March 15, 2023.
According to Mr. Osei-Mensah, the three-day period will allow market management and the technical team to assess the extent of the damage caused by the fire outbreak and implement corrective measures.
According to a Starr FM report, the Ashanti Regional Minister said this while speaking to the press after touring the market on Thursday, March 16, 2023.
The Kejetia market which was ravaged by fire had a cloud of thick smoke emanating from parts of the building.
The Ghana National Fire Service has noted that about 30 shops were severely damaged.
Following a fire that destroyed portions of the market on Wednesday afternoon, Wednesday March 16, the New Kejetia Market has been temporarily shut down by its managers.
This is to allow appropriate authorities assess the facility for more investigation after the fire that tore through parts of the enclave on Wednesday.
According to eyewitnesses, the fire started on the first floor in a section where combustible materials are sold.
It took firefighters several hours to fully control the situation.
The Ashanti Regional Director for the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Frank Duodu says traders should allow the closure for proper assessment of the incident.
“Activities at the market cannot be carried out today until 12pm. That is what we are recommending for proper works will be carried out so I am not sure business can go on in the early hours”, he said.
In an interview with Citi News, Ashanti Regional Fire Commander ACFO 1 Henry Giwaa advised traders and members of the public to be cautious when dealing with combustibles.
He also emphasized the importance of calling the Fire Department early, in the event of a fire.
“Averagely, we have counted about 33 shops that have been affected. Investigation is underway. It started right after we arrived here. So, when we are done, we will let the public know. Just as we have been educating every now and then, the public should immediately call as soon as there is an outbreak because even with this incident, the call came in from our National Headquarters in Accra before we were able to dispatch when we are just here.”
The fire comes barely a week after some parts of the market got flooded after a downpour.
The member of parliament for Asawase in the Ashanti Region, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, has filed a defamation lawsuit against 11 local NDC branch executives.
The 11 individuals have been accused of publishing and disseminating remarks deemed libelous against the MP.
The Asawase MP is demanding GH¢10 million in damages against the defendants.
A Kumasi High Court has also directed the defendants and other media houses that published the said defamatory material to retract and render an unqualified apology in a national newspaper.
Some members of the NDC in the Asawase Constituency led by the 11 branch executives issued a Press Statement on March 10 2023 which contained the said defamatory remarks.
Counsel for the defendants declined comments on the development when Citi News contacted him, but said he is working to defend his clients in court.
According to Prof. Samuel Kobina Annim, the government statistician, the Volta Region has the most net migration.
This was the difference between people moving into the region and people moving out of the region, according on data from the 2021 Population and Housing Census.
Sharing this via his Twitter handle, Prof. Samuel Annim indicated that in the Greater Accra Region, over 1.1 million people had moved to the region.
That figure, he explained, is more than five times the number in the Ashanti Region.
“Greater Accra gained over 1.1 million persons through net migration, over five times higher than Ashanti, the region with the second highest net migration. Ten regions had negative net migration, with Volta recording the highest net loss of almost half a million persons,” he wrote.
Brother of the deceased, Kofi Owusu, says efforts to get the suspect released were unsuccessful.
“Our Uncle had gone to the station on Saturday to seek bail for him but was unsuccessful. They told us it was a weekend so they can’t admit him on bail. We were there on Sunday as well. The police again refused us bail on Monday 6th March since it was a holiday,” he said.
The family was called on Tuesday to the police station to the news of the demise of their relative.
The family says the police claim that their relative committed suicide is untenable.
Kofi Owusu added, “My uncle went to the police cells to meet his lifeless body hanged dead. He had cuts on his chest but we don’t believe it was suicide. They said he used a bed sheet in the cells to commit the suicide.”
Meanwhile, the body of the deceased has been deposited at the morgue.
People with Disabilities (PwDs) in the Ashanti Region have protested the government’s refusal to construct a clinic for their orthopedic care.
According to the group, government has over the years reneged on its promises to provide quality healthcare for PwDs.
The current facility for treatment is dilapidated, wears an old painting, benches and tables as furniture, and completely dysfunctional equipment. An uneven road worsens their access to the facility.
Members of the group took to the streets of Kumasi in their prosthetics legs, wheel chairs and crutches to register their displeasure and present a petition to the Ashanti Regional Director of Health Services.
Speaking with JoyNews on Friday, Group lead, Vera Kusi Asamoah, who described the situation as disheartening said, “the situation over here is not good at all, we don’t have technicians well trained and committed and lack of mechanism to operate.”
She complained that the road leading to orthotics and prosthetics centre is terrible, thus hindering their access to the already dilapidated structure.
Madam Asamoah said the equipment at the centre are all malfunctioning, “we don’t have chairs to sit on… over here we don’t have any good chairs, we sit on benches which is not good for us,” she lamented.
Receiving their petition, the Director of Health Services, Dr Emmanuel Tenkorang admitted that the region could not boast of a facility for Persons with Disability.
He therefore assured that plans are afoot to improve the quality of health delivery.
“We don’t have a good centre in Ashanti Region, it is so dilapidated and its not good for purpose. So, we took a decision that we will use part of the old Bekwai hospital as a new centre at least for orthotics and prosthetics.
“We have started the process, I have sent a couple of letters to the Director General to see whether we can indicate a new centre, because the one we have in Ashanti region is not good for purpose,” he said.
He assured the PWDs to expect swift response from the government.
“I believe that we have to get at least a new orthopedic hospital as part of agenda 111, so if we can convert some of the orthopedic hospital to support you.
“We will take your petition and put a covering letter on it and send it to our Director General and I believe he will follow it up,” he assured.
After the Accra Central Mosque, the renovated Kumasi Central Mosque can be regarded as the second-largest mosque in Ghana.
Today, Friday, March 3, 2023, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia will dedicate the 7,000-seat mosque, which also has a 100-person ablution center and 30 underground restrooms.
The Vice President alone provided the funding for the Mosque’s reconstruction and upkeep, making it one of Kumasi’s most up-to-date structures and fulfilling a promise he made to the Muslim population in the Ashanti region.
In addition to 11 equipped offices, the mosque also features a conference room with a capacity for 500 people, two-bedroom flats, and other exquisite electrical fixtures.
On Friday, March 3, Vice President Alhaji Dr. MahmudBawumiawill unveil the renovated Kumasi Central Mosque in the Ashanti region.
The renovation and refurbishment of the Mosque, which is now one of the most modern edifices in Kumasi, was solely financed by the Vice President in fulfilment of a promise he made to the Muslim community in the Ashanti region.
The Kumasi Central Mosque is now the biggest and most spacious Mosque in the whole of the Ashanti region with a seating capacity of 7,000 congregants with 30 underground washrooms.
It is fully air-conditioned with 100 capacity ablution centre and 11 furnished offices.
Additionally, it has a 500-capacity conference hall, and a two-bedroom apartment, among other electrical fittings.
Ahead of the grand commissioning, groups of women from some Zongo communities have embarked on a clean-up exercise on the compound of the Mosque.
The clean-up exercise, involving Muslim women from the various political divide in the region, according to the organizers, demonstrated the unity among the women to undertake a just course in spite of their political differences.
It was also to sensitize the people in the Zongo communities to be sensitive to their environment and undertake regular clean-up exercises and imbibe in them the culture of maintenance in their communities.
Former Deputy Minister for Works and Housing,Eugene Boakye Antwihas questioned why Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has remained in that position despite prior calls for his resignation or removal.
Mr. Boakye Antwi, who is also theMember of Parliament for the Subin constituency in the Ashanti Region, cannot fathom why Mr. Ofori-Atta is still leading negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a $3 billion bailout package, although there are competent persons within the party to handle such duties.
Speaking on Face to Face on Citi TV, the Subin MP who has in the past mounted a campaign to get Mr. Ofori-Atta kicked out asked: “what is so special about Ken Ofori-Atta that the ordinary NPP member doesn’t have?”
The Subin Member of Parliament said running a bank cannot be equated to successfully running an economy of a country such as Ghana.
“We cannot all run banks but some of us have common sense, that is why we are Members of Parliament.”
“When I go to subin, I see poverty, I see hardship, and I see people suffering and all these are due to the economy and the person running the economy,” he told Umaru Sanda Amadu on Face to Face.
The National Women’s Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Hanna Bisiw, has slammed Gloria Huze for picking up Dr. Kwabena Duffuor’s presidential nomination form in the name of the party’s Ashanti Region Women’s wing.
In a statement copied to GhanaWeb, on Thursday, February 23, 2023, Bisiw Louisa said that the action taken by the Ashanti Regional Women’s Organiser, Gloria Huze, was totally intolerable.
She added that no executive of the party can use the wing of the party for their personal businesses.
“My attention has been drawn to a deplorable and unacceptable action by the Ashanti Regional Women’s Organiser, Gloria Huze, in the upcoming Flag bearer race.
“She is on record to have led a delegation to pick up the nomination form for a Presidential Candidate Aspirant in the name of the Ashanti Regional Women’s Wing.
“I vehemently and categorically disassociate the wing from her conduct and wish to state emphatically that her conduct is not in any way a representation of any parts of the wing either in the Ashanti Region or across the other 15 regions in the country,” parts of the statement read.
The National Women’s Organiser added that the disciplinary committee of the NDC’s women’s wing has been notified about Gloria Huze’s action and will take the necessary steps to bring her to book.
Gloria Huze, together with some staff of NDC presidential hopeful, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, picked his nomination for the party’s presidential primaries, which is scheduled for May 2023, on Thursday at the party’s headquarters in Accra.
Read the full statement below:
NATIONAL WOMEN’S WING ISSUE A STATEMENT ON ASHANTI REGIONAL WOMEN’S ORGANISER PICKING FORMS FOR DUFFOUR
DISCLAIMER
My attention has been drawn to a deplorable and unacceptable action by the Ashanti Regional Women’s Organiser, Gloria Huze, in the upcoming Flag bearer race.
She is on record to have led a delegation to pick up the nomination form for a Presidential Candidate Aspirant in the name of the Ashanti Regional Women’s Wing.
I vehemently and categorically disassociate the wing from her conduct and wish to state emphatically that her conduct is not in anyway a representation of any parts of the wing either in the Ashanti region or across the other 15 regions in the country.
The women’s wing will sanction any such persons who seek to use the mandate of the wing to run individual businesses.
The disciplinary Committee of the women’s wing have been duly notified. The necessary steps shall be taken for the greater good of the wing and interest of the party.
MP for Ashanti Region’s Effiduase Asokore Constituency, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie is optimisitc that Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia would become the NPP’s standard bearer (NPP).
He claimed that the Vice President is supported by the Ashanti Region, the party’s heartland.
He claims that Dr. Bawumia has significantly superior talents and competencies as compared to other candidates running for vice president.
“Ashanti region has gone for Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia. And most times if you realize, when a whole region moves towards a particular direction, then it means that their decisions are solely based on what the grassroots are saying.
“So, I’m not surprised that Mahamudu Bawumia has won the primaries already. It’s my humble opinion and is based on history. To the extent that Ashanti MPs determine the president, and since there hasn’t been any change, Mahamudu Bawumiahas won the election.
Dr Ayew Afriyie
“When you go to parliament, majority of the MPs, when you take out about 18 out of the 128 that I have circled out, about 108 is green for him,” he said.
Touching on the Ashanti region’s relevance and role in electing Bawumia as flagbearer, the Effiduase Asokore legislator stated, “Adu Boahen won the Ashanti region and went on to win the national election. Kufuor won support from the Ashanti region before winning the national election…he got the majority of MPs and support from the Ashanti region and we went on to win. Akufo-Addo got MPs and Ashanti region support and went on to win the elections.”
The lawmaker continued by saying that the majority of NPP lawmakers from the Ashanti region and almost all NPP MPs had thrown their support behind the vice president.
A seven-bedroom residential apartment in Nkontwima, Tafo Municipality,Ashanti Region, has been destroyed by fire.
The children and some adults who were in the house when the fire started at about 9 am on February 18 drew the attention of neighbours who came to help contain the situation.
Fire officers were later called in when the fire became intense and spread to other rooms in theapartment.
Narrating the incident to Citi News, Bremang Fire Commander, D.O 3 Selase Prosper Avevor blamed the cause of the fire on a deep freezer “which had most of their food items and was connected to an extension board and the socket to which that extension board was connected to had a fault which was being worked on. It resulted in sparks and because there were many materials in the room that was combustible, the sparks triggered and ignited the fire and because there were no gabbles in the house too, the fire quickly spread to other rooms in the house.”
D.O 3 Selase Avevor also indicated that the fire was able to cause that much damage because the residents in the apartment tried to fight the inferno all by themselves until it was too late to call the Fire Service.
“They were trying to tackle the fire on their own without drawing our attention. If they had called the Fire Service early, we would have been here to contain the fire.”
He advised the public to be careful how they handle naked fires and electrical faults and cautioned that high voltage-consuming gadgets shouldn’t be passed through extension boards so as to prevent such fire outbreaks.
At Konongo in theAshanti Region, 13 National Security operatives have allegedly been detained.
The syndicate is said to have been illegally operating within the Asiwa enclave, extorting monies from small-scale miners.
At around 12:00pm on Friday, the main Kumasi-Konongo high street was blocked by a police patrol team to halt a speeding Land Cruiser said to be occupied by the supposed National Security operatives.
“We had a tip-off that some people from National Security have been operating in some mining communities in the Bosome Freho District,” a source told Media General‘s William Evans-Nkum.
“We quickly informed our commander who also ordered that we hunt them down.
“We heard they were driving towards Accra from Bomfa junction, so we quickly mounted a barrier in the main street and arrested them.”
There was a face-off, however, with six of the men dressed in military uniform which attracted civilians.
“The soldiers involved initially wanted to resist arrest.
They even threatened our commander to strip him off his rank because they are reporting to a high authority.”
A rifle, single bar guns, and and some gold stones were retrieved from them.
Reports say the , Albert Kan Dapaah, also came around soon before the men were taken to the 4BN in Kumasi.
A joint police and military statement is expected to be issued on Monday, per reports.
At least one person is has been shot dead after an altercation between workers at theAsanko Gold Mine and youth from the Amansie South District in the Ashanti Region.
According to a news report by UTV, the person shot was one of the youth of Amansie South, and this resulted in further clashes between the miners and the youth.
The District Chief Executive of Amansie South, Clement Opoku Gyamfi, who confirmed the incident in an interview with UTV that was monitored by GhanaWeb, said that the youth who was shot had been taken to the hospital.
“Some of the youth enter one of the pits of Asanko Gold to mine in order to find something to eat. And they were confronted by the security of the mining company, which led to a clash and some gunshots being fired.
“One of the youths was hit by a gunshot, and he is now in the hospital getting treatment. The news of one of the youth being shot resulted in reprisal attacks, which led to one of the trucks of Asoka Gold being completely burned, and other vehicles and facilities of the company being damaged,” he said in the Twi dialect.
Opoku Gyamfi called on the youth to remain calm as the incident is being investigated.
The General-Manager of Asanko Mines, Ahmed Muhadeeni Yahaya, also said the youth who entered the mining pit were illegal miners.
He added that the policemen protecting the pit only opened fire on them because they (the youth) started attacking them with cutlasses.
Government has presented a total of GH¢1,218,897 to three individuals injured during the Ejurariots in the Ashanti Region.
Awal Misbaw, 17, whose leg was amputated as a result of the shooting, received GH¢678,519.00, while 22-year-old Louis Ayikpa and 31-year-old Nazif Nuhu received GH¢347,953.00 and GH¢192,425.00 respectively, for gunshot wounds.
This came after the government, through the Interior Ministry, paid compensation to the deceased relatives in accordance with the Justice Koomson Committee’s recommendations.
When military officers opened fire on protesters who went on a rampage following the death of a social media activist, Ibrahim Mohammed, also known as Kaaka, two people were killed, and three others were seriously injured.
Adelaide Annor-Kumi, the Ministry of Interior’s Chief Director, handed out cheques to the families on Wednesday, explaining that the compensation amount was determined by the severity of the victims’ injuries.
The Chief of the Ejura Traditional Area, Barima Osei Hwedie II, praised the government and urged the Attorney General to track down the killers of Kaaka.
Some residents in Obuasi vehemently resisted police authorities who were deployed to the area to conduct a demolition exercise.
Over 400 residents of PTP, a suburb of Obuasi in the Ashanti Region have been rendered homeless following a demolition exercise undertaken by the Obuasi East District Assembly.
According Despite Media’s Stephen Sekyere, the assembly undertook the demolition exercise to reclaim some lands for the purpose of constructing hostels to house students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology – Obuasi Campus.
A video of the exercise sighted by GhanaWeb shows some of the affected residents engaged in a heated confrontation with some security officers.
In the midst of the confrontation, multiple gunshots were fired by the police.
According to the affected residents, the District Chief Executive Officer for Obuasi East, Faustina Amissah led the demolition exercise without offering them a chance to evacuate or relocate.
The DCE, however, has denied the claims by the victims. According to her, ample time was given to the residents to relocate from the said land.
Meanwhile, the affected residents have threatened to file legal action against the Assembly.
At Sokoban Ampayoo, Atwima Kwanwoma District, in the Ashanti Region part a gas tanker has crashed and caught fire.
According to a report by the Daily Guide newspaper, the accident, which happened on Thursday, February 9, 2023, was as a result of one of the tyres of the speeding gas tanker bursting.
The report indicated that the tyre burst when the speeding tanker got to a sharp curve which led to the driver losing control of the vehicle and it crashing into a gutter.
It added that the tanker caught fire after crashing, but the driver and his conductor managed to escape with minor injuries and were taken to a health facility by residents of Sokoban Ampayoo.
The community members then fled the scene of the accident fearing a possible gas explosion and called for the help of the Ghana National Fire Service.
An eyewitness, Kofi Boateng, is reported to have said that but for the timely intervention of the personnel of the fire service, the tanker, which was fully loaded with gas, will have exploded.
“I must confess, the firefighters have done a yeoman’s job today and they deserve to be applauded and appreciated for their hard work,” he said.
Another eyewitness, Adwoa Konadu, also said “but for the timely intervention of the firemen, surely the blaze would have exploded and caused massive destruction.”
The report added that the accident caused traffic on the Ampayoo to Sokoban road as cars from both directions had to wait for hours for the fire to be doused.
At Sepe-Boukrom in Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti region, a 21-year-old teenager has killed a 60-year-old woman.
Body of the deceased was discovered in her bathroom in a three-storey building after she was stabbed by the suspect on Monday, February 6, 2023.
The deceased, Rose Gyaah was stabbed eight (8) times with a knife by the suspect.
The suspect, identified as Koo Baah, according to eyewitnesses, threatened to eliminate any person who attempted to arrest him with a gun after committing the heinous act on Monday morning.
However, the fearless angry youth in the Buokrom Community overpowered the suspect and handed him immediately to Kumasi Airport Police Command.
Narrating how the incident occurred, a co-tenant to the deceased, Hamidu Issah explained,
“We heard the deceased Maa Rose shouting while mentioning the name Koo Baafi who happens to be an errand boy for her, so we thought it was a normal call which she normally does, but we realized the deceased’s voice was getting faint, so we rushed to her room at the last floor of the three-storey building.
“When got there, we saw blood stains all over the place, so we began following the blood stains and discovered the woman had been dragged to the bathroom by the suspect.
“We immediately called the police for assistance but the woman was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.”
The unfortunate incident has thrown the entire community into a state of shock and mourning.
In the Sekyere East District of the Ashanti Region, at Agona, a 40-year-old cab driver’s body has been discovered in a cocoa estate.
The deceased identified as Clement Asiedu was reportedly found on the farm with his legs and hands tied with a rope.
Speaking to OTEC News’ Jacob Agyenim Boateng on Friday, February 3, 2023, the brother of the deceased, Yakubu Yahaya, disclosed that, the lifeless body of the driver suspected to have been murdered by unknown assailants was discovered by some passersby with his mouth taped with glue.
“He went out to work with Toyota Vitz commercial taxi cab with registration number As-7304-22 on Wednesday, February 1, 2023 and never returned”
He added, “Prior to his demise, I spoke to him, he told me he was dropping a customer at Agona on the Mampong road but he took more than enough time to return”.
“We went to the area in search of him only to be told by police in the area that, he has been found dead”
A motorbike accident at Yaw Bronya in the Bosome Freho District of the Ashanti Region has claimed the lives of three individuals.
Per reports, the motorbike, which moved at top speed, lost balance after hitting a pothole on the road and ran into a female pedestrian who was crossing the road.
The victims – two males, Augustine Annor, a lotto agent and Kwame Reuben, an ‘okada’ rider and an unidentified female victim, believed to be in her late sixties, died at the spot.
Sources say Augustine Annor engaged the services of Kwame Reuben to transport him to Foase in line of duty.
Meanwhile, the bodies of the deceased have since been deposited at the morgue for autopsy and preservation.
According to Assembly member for Tebeso Electoral Area, Adomako Mensah, the area has recorded a series of motorbike accidents due to over speeding.
He says many motorists ignore road safety precautions.
“They refuse to wear the helmet. Most of these deaths could have been avoided by the use of helmets,” he said.
A road accident at Yaw Bronya, a suburb of the Bosome Freho district in the Ashanti region, Bosome Freho claimed the lives of three people.
The deceased include a woman and two others, both men.
Sir Kenneth, an eyewitness who explained the incident to GhanaWeb’s Ashanti Regional Correspondent, Nana Peprah, said the tragic incident occurred on Thursday evening when two males on a motorcycle crashed into the unknown woman after she had crossed their path.
He said the two males who drove from Tebeso and were heading to Ofoase crashed the woman in Yaw Bronya, a town before Ofoase.
The source further stated that the three people died on the spot due to the rate at which the motorbike was speeding.
Amoako Mensah Yeboah, an assembly member for the Tebeso electoral area who confirmed the incident to GhanaWeb, said the crash happened at Yaw Bronya around 6:50 p.m. on Thursday when the two male adults were riding to Ofoase to present their final lotto report for the day.
He claimed that the accident was so severe that one of the victims’ helmet cracked into pieces.
He disclosed that the woman’s identity has still not been revealed since she is not from her electoral area.
Amoako Mensah revealed the identities of the two males, Annor Augustine, the motor rider, and Reuben, aka Teacher Gala.
According to the assembly member, police came to the scene, and the three deceased have since been deposited at a hospital morgue for autopsies and investigations.
Over 95 percent completed Mahama’s E-Block has been abandoned in the bush at New Edubiase Apagya in the Ashanti region.
The facility, which is yet to see the light of day, has been left to rot.
The almost completed project is at the mercy of the weather.
Weeds have taken over major portion of the facility. Years of neglect have led to the roof falling apart.
The development is a worry for residents in the area.
Chief of Apagya, Baffuor Gyankokor II believes the completion and operation of the project will bring enormous benefits to the area.
“I seem not to understand why the facility is not operational looking at the amount of money sunk into putting up such a project. We don’t have a senior high school in this area and for that matter, our children have to continue their second-cycle education elsewhere. At least, the operation of this school will open up this area and boost economic activities as well. Government should finish up the work and make the facility operational”.
At the time of the visit, some members of the opposition National Democratic Congress were seen clearing the weeds around the facility.
National Organizer of NDC, Joseph Yammin said they will go around the country to protect the legacy of the party.
He chastised the NPP for neglecting the educational facility.
“Since 2017, nothing significant has been done to complete the project. It’s even difficult to identify the building from the roadside. So since it’s our legacy and the NPP is adamant about completing and making it operational, we will continue to protect the facility from further rotting away. We will see to the completion of the school as soon as we return to government”
Until work resumes on the project, the facility will continue to rot.
According to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), a fire outbreak at Abuakwa in the Ashanti Region’s Atwima Nwabiagya town started because of a mosquito coil. Three people died as a result of the fire.
It says, “an unattended lit mosquito coil in close contact with room combustibles caused the heart wrenching fire which claimed 3 lives and resulted in the destruction of three (3) bedrooms and their contents including roofing sheets, doors, utensils, furniture, household appliances and personal effects which run into several thousands of cedis”.
A mother,28, her daughter, 9, and her granddaughter, 6, were burnt to death on Wednesday, February 1.
The deceased got trapped in their room, suffocated by the heavy smoke and burnt to death by the fire.
Fire fighters believed the fire started at about 2:00am on the said day.
The Ashanti Regional Fire Command said an unattended lit mosquito coil in close contact with room combustibles caused the fire which claimed 3 lives.
“Fortunately, two (2) other tenants in the affected house managed to escape unhurt from the ruinous fire,” the Duty Officer, ASTNO Osei Gyamfi, explained.
He said “late call-up to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) for help, as a result of late detection of fire and wrong address provided to the fire scene and poor road network led to the destruction of three (3) bedroom and their contents”.
New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential hopeful, Alan Kyerematen has made a strong case for the delegates of the party to choose him as their candidate for the 2024 elections.
Speaking in an interview on Angel FM on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, Alan said that the party needs a candidate who can win not less than 80 percent of the votes in the Ashanti Region.
The former trade and industry minister added that not only can he win the party over 80 percent of the votes in the Ashanti Region but he can pull a good number of votes for strongholds of the largest opposition party, the NDC.
“We are not just looking for a flagbearer, we are looking for someone who can help the NPP retain power… Everybody knows that the Ashanti Region is the backbone of the NPP… And so for a difficult election, which I perceive is going to happen in 2024, you need a candidate that is going to win at least 80 percent of the votes in the Ashanti Region to guarantee us victory.
“You need a candidate who can do two things, consolidate your base and reduce the strength of your opponent. We all know that the base of the NDC is the Volta Region but many people have been asking why Voltarians like me so much.
“Everybody in Ghana knows that the people of the Volta Region have taken me to be one of them. I believe that I am the candidate who can win 80 percent of the votes in the Ashanti Region and also compete with the NDC in the Volta Region for their votes to be reduced,” he said in Twi.
Alan added that he has name recognition and he is known in every corner of Ghana.
“I have been working with Akufo-Addo all these years and there is no village where Akufo-Addo is known where I’m not known,” he said.
The former Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen, is expected to face stiff competition from the likes of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and former Food and Agriculture Minister, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, for the flagbearership position of the NPP.
One person has been confirmed dead with another missing after two teenagers allegedly fell into a galamsey pit at Anwiafutu near Nyinahin in the Atwiman Mponua District of the Ashanti Region.
The deceased has been identified as Kwabena Anane, 17, while Ata Derrick, 18, is still missing in the pit.
The teenagers according to residents fell into the river after some security men suspected to be forest guards chased them while searching for gold in an abandoned pit.
The sad incident according to residents occurred on Monday, January 30, 2023.
One of the community members who witnessed the incident narrated the story to OTEC News.
“They were five boys who went to the area in search of gold in some abandoned pits in the forest, we were told that some forest guards chased them out of the forest forcing two of the boys to fall into the pits.”
“Although the boys had the skill to swim out of the pits, the forest guards allegedly pelted the boys with stones forcing the two to drown; now we have retrieved the lifeless body of only one of the two who fell into the pit”.
“The body we retrieved had serious cuts confirming claims that the forest guards attack the boys with stones while trying to get out of the pit.”
Meanwhile, residents in the community have vowed to deal drastically with any forest guard who will come to the area if nothing is done about the situation.
A residential fire at Abuakwa in the Atwima Nwabiagya Municipality of the Ashanti Region have claimed the lives of a family of three.
The unfortunate incident involves a 28-year-old mother, Abigail Manu, and her two daughters, Nora Yeboah and Philipa Yeboah who were 9 and 6 years respectively.
According to eyewitnesses, two other family members in the house were able to escape, but the three were trapped inside and were burnt to death in the process.
The intervention of officers prevented the fire from spreading to neighbouring houses.
The affected house has been completely destroyed.
An eyewitness, Stephen Wundomor told Citi News “we heard the victims screaming and calling for help but were only able to rescue two out of the five persons who were trapped in the fire.”
This comes a few weeks after a police officer and his family perished in a similar fire incident at Apromase in the Ashanti region.
Fire has gutted 3 houses in the Kwadaso-Siloam community in the Ashanti region.
Residents say the fire started around 7am on Saturday morning.
When personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service arrived at the scene, the fire had already assumed a dangerous dimension which left residents running for cover.
All 12 persons inside the buildings at the time the fire started, were moved to safety, with no casualty recorded.
The fire outbreak also destroyed several personal belongings and property, including 5 newly-acquired vehicles parked in one of the houses.
The cause of fire is yet to be established.
The security service has been ensuring calm in the community as the fire service struggles to douse the fire.
A gang has reportedly killed a 30-year-old man popularly known as “Candy” at Krofrom in the Kumasi Metropolis of the Ashanti Region.
The Assembly Member for the area, Patrick Kwame Frimpong, said the deceased was murdered in retaliation for an attack on one of the members of the gang.
Patrick Kwame Frimpong said the deceased was stabbed multiple times during the attack, which occurred at about 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 25, 2023.
The classesfmonline.com report added that he was pronounced dead on arrival after he was referred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
The police have so far arrested two of the gang members to assist with investigations.
The body of the deceased has been deposited at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy.
This is a directive of the Ghana TVET Service after some students went on a rampage on Sunday morning, protesting the poor results of their predecessors in their final examination.
About 40 of them have been arrested for causing damage to school property.
About four government vehicles, including a Mahindra and an Isuzu pickup trucks, a Nissan Patrol and a school bus were vandalised.
A Toyota Vitz vehicle owned by the Senior House Mistress was also damaged.
The students also turned over another salon car owned by a teacher.
In a statement signed by the Ghana TVET Service Director-General, Mawusi Nudekor Awity, the closure was “upon the advice of the Sekyere East District Security Council and the Ashanti Regional Security Council.”
Students have been directed to vacate the school premises with immediate effect.
“The Security Services will be on hand to evacuate all the students to protect lives and properties. Parents are advised to take steps to pick up their wards from the school,” portions of the January 22 statement read.
According to reports, two people have died after a speeding car collided with a stationary truck on the Offinso-Kodie route in the Ashanti Region.
The accident occurred Friday dawn when a Yutong bus with registration number AW-621-17 rammed into a DAF cargo truck with registration number AS-1756-X which had broken down along the road at Denase.
The driver’s mate, and a male passenger according to reports died on the spot. The Yutong bus was travelling from Zebila when the accident occurred.
Police from Kodie in the Afigya-Kwabre South district rushed to the scene to control traffic.
The injured victims have been rushed to hospital for medical attention.
Some traders within the Kejetia market in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region have begun closing down their shops over what they describe as exorbitant electricity bills.
The traders have on several occasions clashed with the management of the Kejetia market over the decision to use one bulk meter for the over seven thousand (7000) shops in the market.
Traders over the years complained that they pay exorbitant electricity bills due to the failure of the management of the facility to provide separate meters for shops within the market.
It appears the situation is not likely to be resolved anytime soon as the leadership of the traders has blamed the management of the facility for the closure of their shops.
President of the Federation of Kumasi traders, Nana Akwasi Prempeh, said some traders have been forced to close down their shops since they are not able to pay the huge electricity bills.
Nana Akwasi Prempeh also blamed the management of the facility for the delay in providing individual meters to shops.
Meanwhile, the management of ECG has revealed that the facility owes over five million Ghana cedis in arrears.
ECG is thus insisting that the failure of the facility to pay its arrears is what has caused the delay in providing the individual meters.
Prior to the facility becoming operational for scheduled and charter flights later this year, the continued test run is essential.
The Kumasi Airport project, which is estimated to cost $300 million, includes extending the runway from 1,981 metres to 2,300 metres so that it can accommodate Boeing 737-800 series aircraft, building a new, state-of-the-art terminal with two stories, adding more aprons, restaurants, shops, and parking spaces, and building a ring road around the airport.
Kumasi, the Ashanti regional capital, is the busiest domestic destination and it is served by both PassionAir and Africa World Airlines (AWA).
Ghana Airports Company Limited data show that for 2022 more than 800,000 people traveled by air domestically; with the Kumasi Airport receiving the second largest passenger throughput.
Tourism in Ashanti Region
The Ashanti Region is the most populous and one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, with an estimated population of 4 million.
Kumasi, the Ashanti regional capital, has historically been an important reference for the use of Adinkra symbols and craftsmanship. With sprawling vegetation cover, the city is an important tourist destination noted for its commerce, mining and handicrafts.
Over the past two decades, there has been rapid growth in commercial activities in the city, chiefly because of its ideal location in the middle belt of the country. After Accra, Kumasi is the second-largest city in Ghana in terms of size and population.
Traders, farmers and cattle owners from Brong Ahafo and the northern parts of Ghana bring their wares to large markets in Kumasi to sell every day.
According to officers of the Ghana National Fire Service, the fire started at about 8:30 pm on Friday.
Although there were no casualties, the fire affected properties after it spread through the structures.
The officers are pointing to a fire that was left unattended to by a woman who was cooking close to the structures although they are yet to conclude investigations.
Ashanti Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service, D.O 3 Peter Addai who narrated the incident to Citi News said the timely intervention of his personnel prevented the fire from spreading to other shops.
The Ashanti Region and the Greater Accra Region are considered to have Ghana’s deadliest and most dangerous roadways, respectively.
This is supported by data on the amount of mishaps and fatalities in these two regions’ cities, particularly in the capital cities of Accra and Kumasi.
Data from the Road Safety Authority of Ghana shows that the two regions recorded the most accidents and fatalities for 2022 and this has been the story for years.
In 2022, Greater Accra Region, for instance, recorded the greatest number of accidents in the country with nearly 46 percent of the total number of accidents recorded in 2022. It recorded some 6658 accidents followed by the Ashanti Region which recorded 3372 accidents, representing over 23 percent of accidents in Ghana.
The Oti Region recorded the lowest number of accidents in 2022 with only 0.64 percent of the total accidents recorded in 2022. Three other regions including the North East, Savana and the Upper West contributed less than 1 percent each to the total number of accidents recorded in 2022.
In terms of death and injuries, the two regions recorded the highest in the country with Greater Accra recording 485 accident deaths (25.01 percent of total road accident deaths) and 1989 injuries while the Ashanti Region recorded 382 deaths and 1202 injuries.
But does this mean that Greater Accra and Ashanti are the regions with the deadliest roads in Ghana?
The two regions according to statista.com host more than one-third of Ghana’s population so it should not be surprising if they see more road accidents and deaths. To check the rate of accidents and casualties, cases recorded are conventionally measured per 100,000 population.
The number of accidents per 100000 people in all the regions shows that the Greater Accra and Ashanti have the highest rate of accidents in Ghana.
The Greater Accra Region recorded approximately 123 accidents per 100000 population while the Ashanti Region recorded approximately 62 accidents per 100000 people.
However, when it comes to road accident deaths, the two regions with the highest rate of accidents, do not have the highest rate of deaths.
The Eastern Region has the highest rate of accident deaths in Ghana with approximately 11 deaths per 100,000 population compared to Greater Accra which has 9 road accident deaths per 100,000 population.
The Ashanti Region, which has the second highest rate of road accidents in Ghana, has a lower death rate (7.03 deaths per 100,000 population) compared to regions like the Western North (7.44 deaths per 100,000 population) and Ahafa (8.33 deaths per 100,000 population) which have lower accident rates.
So, it can be concluded that even though the Ashanti and Greater Accra Regions have high rates of accidents, they do not necessarily have the most dangerous roads in Ghana.
Bekwai Circuit Court in Ashanti Region presided over by His Honour Mark Diboro has sentenced a 31-year-old farmer, Michael Nhyira Cobbina to 20 years imprisonment in hard labour for robbing a woman of her itel mobile phone worth GH¢500.
Michael Nhyira Cobina was convicted on his plea of guilty to offence of robbery.
The prosecutor, Chief Inspector Eric Twum told the court that the complaint Bernice Yeboah and the convict live in Aduabin community in the Bosomtwi district in the Ashanti region.
One Thursday, December 1, 2022 at about 9:00pm, Michael Nhyira Cobbina, armed with knife attacked the complainant who was sleeping with her two children in a room.
The traumatized children started screaming for help but could not be heard due to the remoteness of the house.
Under knife point the convict threatened and demanded the complainant to give him money but the complainant had no money hence gave him her itel mobile phone which contained GH¢2000 e-cash in mobile wallet.
Days later, a witness in the case who bought the mobile phone for the complaint saw the wife of the accused in possession of same stolen phone.
The witness gave the complainant a tip off which she quickly reported the case at Feyiase police station on December 8, 2022.
Police trailed and retrieved the mobile phone. A search on the phone saw the pictures of Michael Nhyira Cobbina together with his wife.
Cobbina was immediately arrested by the Police.
He admitted robbing the woman during interrogation and led police to his room to hand over exhibits.
Michael Nhyira Cobina was charged with robbery contrary to section 149 of the criminal offences Act, Act 29 of 1960 and arraigned.
Undoubtedly, 2022 will be one of the most difficult years Ghanaians have ever experienced, especially for those who did not experience the 1980s drought.
Many expect the father of the country, the president, to give hope to the citizenry with his public pronouncements. Unfortunately, some statements President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo made added insult to injury for many Ghanaians.
The president’s comments that annoyed Ghanaians were mostly made during his tour of some parts of the country.
Here are three statements by Akufo-Addo that did not sit well with many Ghanaians:
To those of you saying bad things about me in the Ashanti Region, I will shame you all – Akufo-Addo
President Akufo-Addo, while speaking during a sod-cutting ceremony for the Suame Interchange on October 18, 2022, as part of his Ashanti Region tour, berated his political detractors in the region.
According to him, these people will be shamed one by one for the numerous things he has done for the people of the region, which is considered the ‘political world bank’ of his party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
President Akufo-Addo stated that for the past six years that he has been in office, the people of the Ashanti Region have benefitted enough from his government; therefore, his detractors cannot say otherwise.
“And to those of you going around saying bad things about me in the Ashanti Region, one after the other, they are all going to be shamed convincingly today, tomorrow and the day after.
“In spite of our present difficulties, which I know will be gone as soon as possible, I continue to be excited about the future prospects of the nation, and I urge all Ghanaians to join hands in building the Ghana that we want, we can realize it if we all work at it,” he said.
Your threats to vote against the NPP don’t frighten me – Akufo-Addo
The president once again raised eyebrows in an interview on OTEC FM during his tour of the Ashanti Region when he stated how unfazed he was about the NPP losing the next general elections.
He explained that while there are threats to vote against them, he is unmoved, adding that the intimidation of voting against the NPP due to unfulfilled promises or lack of development under his tenure is a voter’s personal decision he cannot be bothered about.
“People make those kinds of threats; they don’t frighten me. Somebody votes for you, and somebody supports you. It’s because they want you to do certain things for them. I understand that. But there is no need for people to say that if I am unable to do this and that… those are their own issues to deal with. Of course, I will do it (the road).
“But if it comes to the election and you choose to vote for the NDC, that is your own issue; that is not my worry because nobody holds your thumb to vote; it is your own work. The important thing is that I understand my responsibility, and we will deal with it,” the president said.
I’m not so sure if Aisha Huang was deported – Akufo-Addo
In September 2022, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo contradicted statements by some of his appointees that illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) kingpin, Aisha Huang, was deported from Ghana in 2018.
Speaking in an interview on Stone City Radio in Ho during his tour of the Volta Region, which GhanaWeb monitored, Akufo-Addo expressed uncertainty about whether Aisha Huang was deported.
According to the president, it is likely that the ‘galamsey’ queen was never deported but fled the country in 2018.
“… I am not still sure whether she was, in fact, deported or whether she fled the country the first time and has now come back or whatever. There still seems to be some uncertainty about it.
“Whichever way it is, she has become a sort of nickname for all that the ‘galamsey’ represents and also, unnfortunately, for the involvement of Chinese nationals in this illicit trade,” he said.
Oppong Nkrumah’s shocked expression after Akufo-Addo said Aisha Huang wasn’t deported.
A Chinese national, Aisha Huang, who is currently on trial in Ghana for allegedly conducting mining operations without a permit, was allegedly responsible for the damage of the River Offin, according to a witness in the case.
The witness, Timothy Teye Ali, a farmer at Sukuumu, Bepotenten, in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region, who is the fifth to appear before the court so far, made this known through a written statement read on his behalf in court.
He added that the mining activities of Aisha Huang also led to the destruction of other water bodies in the Ashanti Region, a report by graphic.com.gh has said.
Timothy Teye Ali told the court that in 2017, he was contacted by one James Ogbey over his interest in purchasing land to mine gold.
He added that after an assessment of what he had to offer, they came to an agreement on GH¢28,000 as the final charge.
He continued that he was then informed by Ogbey that the accused, Aisha Huang, was on that day elsewhere and for which reason she could not be present with them.
Timothy added that although they had an agreement for Ogbey to make full payment before the land was released to him, the four-acre farmland was cleared the following morning.
Upon confronting him, Timothy, through his statement that was read by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Yvonne Atokora Obuobisa, said that Ogbey then paid him GH¢3,000, GH¢4,000 and GH¢5,000 as part payments for the land that had already been cleared.
“The accused person continued to work on my land without fully paying me until she was arrested for illegal mining,” his statement said.
Timothy explained further that following Aisha Huang’s arrest in 2017, together with his family members, they went to meet James Obey (Aisha’s foreman), to demand the rest of his money, but he only got the assurance from Ogbey that even if convicted, Aisha Huang’s properties would be enough to be sold off to make up his money for him.
“The galamsey activities of the accused person led to the destruction of the Offin, Nkyingo, Afraso, and Kobri rivers at Sakuumu, Bepotenten,” he added.
Timothy Ali will be cross-examined in court on Wednesday, December 21, 2022.
Aisha Huang (En Huang) is standing trial for being deeply involved in galamsey (illegal mining).
In 2018, she was deported from the country after the state decided to discontinue her trial, in which she was accused of engaging in small-scale mining without a license.
It was later discovered that the Chinese national had found her way back into the country and returned to mining.
The Deputy National Women’s Organiser of the ruling political party, N.P.P, Hon Mimi Duah on Sunday, 18 December upon her chain of political engagements at Bono East and Ashanti Region still made time to attend an orientation section organized by the Kwadaso Constituency Women’s Organizer, Madam Jenet Awuah.
During her Media engagement, a journalist asked if the re-election of Dr. Hanna Louisa Bissiw as the National Women‘s Organiser for the opposition NDC poses any threat to Madam Kate Gyamfuah.
Hon Mimi Duah replied, “Our mother Kate Gyamfuah worked against the same person during the last election. We all witnessed her abysmal performance as a failed national women organizer for NDC and a Parliamentary candidate for Tano North.”
Her constituency even rejected her, it is only the NDC that Ghanaians as of today know they are not a better alternative that will re-elect Dr. Bissiw to marshal women. She is the same old Bissiw we know “Dada no a”.
Obaatanpa Kate Gyamfuah as she is affectionately known by all has demonstrated great leadership in leading the NPP Women’s Wing across the nation. Statistics rightly prove women’s votes increased in the last election which made the NPP government to retained political power. NPP Women and women in Ghana know what is good for their children’s future and it is better with the NPP.
Obaatanpa Kate Gyamfuah through her ambition to get in touch with every woman in NPP has authorized all constituency women to organize an orientation workshop for all polling station women organizers in their constituencies.
When Hon Mimi Duah was speaking to the polling station executives gathered, she humbly extended greetings from the party’s national executives, especially the National Women’s Organizer.
She wished them a merry Christmas and a prosperous new year ahead of 2023.
She further thanked them for showing up in their numbers to listen to what their leaders had to tell them and also to acquire knowledge to help the constituency women organizer and other executives to achieve the target of the party which is to Break the 8!
She encouraged them to continue working harder for the sake of the party and talk to their community members about policies of the NPP government that have helped the poor in society. She further asserted that the party can only fulfill the Ghanaian’s expectations and individual needs if only the party stays in power for a longer period.
“Let’s all work hard to support our Constituency women organizer by talking about the party’s programs and policies to our neighbors, the party cannot satisfy everybody at the same time unless we work hard to keep the party in power for a longer period. You did not get the positions by chance, the people trust and voted for you or gave you the mandate with the other executives to win political power.”
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Kwadaso Constituency, Hon Dr. Kingsley Nyako, the constituency executives, and many more dignitaries attended the program to empower and support the women in the constituency. Some media houses were also there to capture the event.
An ex-Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the Ejisu-Juaben Municipal Assembly in the Ashanti Region has identified causes for the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) defeat Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo.
According to Afrifa Yamoah Ponko, the delegates voted against the outgone National Chairman because of his dealings with some elements in the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He stressed that delegates were just not enthused about the administration of the outgone chairman.
“And the delegates were resolved to show him (Ofosu Ampofo) the exit,” he stressed.
“We vehemently registered our protest against his administration by massively voting against him,” he said.
“Some of us knew he (Ofosu) was going to lose to the current Chairman,” he added.
He noted that delegates were not ready to forgive the outgone chairman for the harm he had caused the party in the 2020 general elections.
He explained that the delegates were angry with the former National Chairman’s mismanagement of the party.
He accused the previous NDC administration under the watch of the outgone National Chairman of hobnobbing with the NPP.
“At the congress grounds, delegates were just waiting for the whistle to be blown by the Electoral Commission for them to vent their spleen on Ofosu-Ampofo’s administration,” Mr Ponko claimed.
He said the vote against Ofosu-Ampofo was a protest vote against the way and manner the chairman, handled the affairs of the party.
The former MCE and a stalwart of the party in the Ashanti Region assigned the above reasons to the National Chairman’s defeat while speaking in an interview with Odehyieba Kofi Essuman, host of Accra 100.5 FM’s Ghana Yensom Morning show on Monday, December 19, 2022.
He said at the grounds, delegates made it clear they needed a new direction for the party going into the 2024 general elections.
He said that many of the delegates held the view that the NDC won the last elections but victory was snatched from the party because of the ineptitude of some officers of the party.
“Some of these officers failed to live up to the expectations of delegates,” he argued.
As part of his effort to engage his stakeholders, Prof. Otchere Addai-Mensah, the acting CEO of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), made a courtesy visit to Hon. Sam Pyne, the head of the Kumasi Metro.
The visit was to enable him formally introduce himself as the new CEO of the sole tertiary health facility in the Ashanti Region.
In his remarks, Prof. Addai-Mensah said KATH occupies a unique position in the healthcare delivery system of the country as it is saddled with the burden of treating tertiary healthcare referral needs of about 13 regions in Ghana.
He said with such an arduous responsibility, the hospital will require the support and assistance of all stakeholders to enable it effectively meet the expectations of the public.
“Unlike the Greater Accra Region which can boast of several specialist and referral facilities like Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, the Police Hospital, the 37 Military Hospital and University of Ghana Medical Center among others, the same cannot be said of the Ashanti region.
“KATH as a sole tertiary facility serving virtually the same population as Greater Accra will, therefore, require the maximum assistance of all stakeholders including the KMA in order to enhance its capacity to meet the growing specialist healthcare needs of the 13 regions out of the 16regions in the country” he emphasized.
Hon. Sam Pyne expressed confidence in the ability of the new CEO to turn around the fortunes of the hospital. He said KATH was a highly sensitive institution, but he was hopeful that given the caliber of Prof. Addai-Mensah, the hospital will witness a turnaround during his tenure of office. He pledged the readiness of KMA to support the management of the hospital in its drive to improve the operations of the hospital.
Prof.Addai-Mensah was accompanied on the visit by some members of his management team.
Kwaku Adinkra, a 43-year-old pastor at Divine Favour Ministry in Asante Bekwai, has been detained in police custody on suspicion of stealing goods valued at GH2,500.00 from his girlfriend, Ms. Sophia Yeboah, a hairdresser from Assin Atonsu in the Assin Fosu Municipality of the Central Region.
The accused was charged with theft in violation of section 124 (1) of the criminal and other offenses Act 29 before the Assin Fosu District Court, which was presided over by Mr. Abdul Majid Illiasu (60).
He admitted to the accusation, and the case was postponed until Monday, December 12, 2022, when the verdict would be rendered.
The complainant visited her parents in Kumasi on Tuesday, November 8th, 2022, according to Inspector Benjamin Doe Kuwornu, the prosecution, and when traveling back, she saw the defendant in an Assin.
The accused proposed love to the complainant and she agreed and the two exchanged contacts.
The accused paid a visit to the complainant’s house and workplace and the two started living as lovers.
During his stay, the accused told the complainant that he had a bad dream concerning where she worked.
He later asked the complainant to buy a spiritual oil for him to perform some rituals so that the complainant could attract more customers to her workplace.
On Saturday, November 26, 2022, while the two were at the complainant’s shop, the accused told his lover that he was going to town.
Unknown to the complainant the accused secretly took one key belonging to her, went home, and stole five pieces of wax print cloths, one piece of Kente cloth, three new towels, one Iphone six plus, one home theatre system, a standing fan, a bag of five kg rice and five sachet spaghetti valued at GH¢2,500.00 and left for Bekwai.
The complainant, upon arrival at home, discovered that the said items had been stolen and when she contacted the accused, the accused confessed to the complainant that he was the one who stole the items.
On Saturday, December 03, 2022, at about 14:00 hours, the accused was spotted in town by a friend of the complainant who informed her, and they lodged a complaint to the Police leading to his arrest.
The Police, during investigation, retrieved the Kente cloth, home theatre system and the iphone six plus from him.
Member of Parliament for the Nhyiaeso constituency in the Ashanti Region, Stephen Amoah, has asserted that revenue mobilization is the only way to solve the problems facing the Ghanaian economy.
The former Chief Executive Officer of Microfinance and Small Loan Centre (MASLOC) is of the view that the Ghanaian economy will see a facelift should government generate enough taxes.
“Today if we want to develop, the only thing we can do is for the government to generate revenue through taxes, and then cut down expenditure on discretionary spending arm items, things that the government believes are not that important. But if you say you want to generate revenue, Ghanaians are saying no, they won’t agree, because there is hardship,”.
“…but if we don’t generate revenue, the country will collapse, so I will beg Ghanaians.
“…for now, we need to take taxes to reduce the debt to GDP to consolidate fiscal space so that the credit rating will rise, and the country can develop, this is the only solution, no professor can change this,” the MP said while speaking on Okay FM’s ‘Adea kye Bia’ show.
Stephen Amoah further urged Ghanaians to collaborate and reason with the government in restructuring the Ghanaian economy to tackle the current crises.
I will beg Ghanaians to understand because this is the best alternative option ever, he said and added that the same administration implemented social interventions like the free SHS, and school feeding among others, so Ghanaians should bear with the government in these difficult times.
The National Service Scheme Director in the Ashanti Region, Alex Opoku-Mensah, who has been caught in the middle of an altercation that he had with a nurse at the Manhyia Hospital, has issued an apology.
This follows a viral audio that captured the NSS director on tape verbally attacking a staff nurse at the Manhyia District Hospital.
In the audio recording of the incident, Mr. Alex Poku-Mensah is heard hurling insults and threats at the nurse for allegedly intimidating his daughter, who is a house officer at the hospital.
But in an apology shared on his Facebook page, Alex Poku-Mensah stated that what happened was not his style.
“I understand the disappointment and appreciate the inconvenience my action has caused the general public as well as the nursing fraternity and Manhyia Hospital.
“This has never been my style but for a genuine reason to mediate a persistent issue between my daughter (doctor) and a colleague nurse who I as well consider my daughter,” he wrote.
He described what happened as a ‘mishap’ and asked for forgiveness.
“I do apologize for any mishap and assure all, there shall not be a repetition of such. I look forward to maintaining a cordial relationship between any affected person,” he added.
Read his full statement below:
Background:
The Ashanti Regional Director for the National Service Secretariat, Mr. Alex Poku Mensah, has been captured on tape verbally attacking a staff nurse at the Manhyia District Hospital.
In the audio recording of the incident, Mr. Alex Poku Mensah is heard hurling insults and threats at the nurse for allegedly intimidating his daughter, who is a house officer at the hospital.
According to multiple reports, the said nurse is said to have called Mr Poku Mensah’s daughter on phone to inform her about the need for her to return to the facility to update a patient’s record on the hospital’s patient management system.
But the regional NSS director, in the company of his daughter, stormed the hospital to accuse the nurse of intimidation.
Mr. Poku Mensah, in a heated exchange with the nurse, is heard verbally attacking her while touting his position and threatening to transfer the nurse from the hospital.
“If she does anything, come and inform me; I will use my power to ensure she is removed from here. I’ve introduced myself; I am the National Service Regional Director,” Mr. Opoku is heard shouting at the nurse.
The nurse in return is heard saying, “do you also know me? Do you know my father?” To which a furious Mr. Opoku retorted, saying, “Fool, does the work belong to your father?”
Meanwhile, the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association GRNMA has called for the sacking of Mr Alex Poku from office.
According to the association, the conduct of the Regional NSS Director at the Manhyia Hospital makes him unfit to occupy the position.
The association has warned that it will recall the services of its members at the hospital if the government fails to heed the demand for his dismissal within 72 hours.
“We wish to state categorically that if the government does not relieve Mr. Alex Poku Mensah of his duty as Ashanti Regional Director of the National Service Scheme within 72 hours, nurses and midwives of Manhyia Hospital will be called upon to lay down their tools, followed by the whole of Ashanti Region and then it will be escalated to the whole nation,” the Association said in the statement dated November 29, 2022.
Kennedy Agyapong, the Member of Parliament for Assin Central, has taken his campaign for flagbearership of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to the Ashanti Region.
He delivered an address to a cross-section of traders at the Race Course market in the region, calling for their support and outlining plans that he had to support their business and welfare.
“There is hope, let’s keep hope alive. I will consult with all relevant stakeholders to see how best we can help you. When I come to a place like this, I try to avoid politics.
“But I am being told to share my aim for this visit. All I am saying is that, come 2024, I will lead the NPP,” he said to loud applause.
The KenCity Media boss also underlined his credentials as someone with a background in trading: “Leaders have come and gone, none of them had a mother who was a trader. My mother sold things at Okaishie.
“I know your struggles and how you suffer to cater for your children, so I am a product of trading and of the street. So, I will do all it takes to protect the interest of women,” he stressed.
He also promised to support the market with 200 pieces of streetlights and poles to beef up security in the area as well as lobby the Roads Minister to look into the plight of traders relative to the nature of roads.
He also promised to look into the issue of MASLOC loans that had not reached a section of the traders. Agyapong was well received at the premises by hundreds of traders who cheered him.
Police in the Ashanti region is on a manhunt for some unscrupulous persons who allegedly murdered a police officer.
The deceased, whose name has been withheld, was attacked by a gang of armed robbers on November 25, 2022.
The attack is said to have occurred between Miminaso No. 2 and Nyamebekyere on the Ejura-Nkoranza road in the Ashanti region.
One person has so far been arrested in connection with the crime. The suspect, Salifu Adams, is currently in police custody, assisting with investigations.
In line with police standard operating procedure, the name of the deceased has been withheld until his family is formally notified of his demise.
Meanwhile, the suspect currently in the grip of the police will soon be arraigned to face justice.
This adds to the number of brutalities meted out against
police officers. Some police have lost their lives in the line of duty.
They are sometimes shot during a gun battle with these armed robbers.
These brutalities often undermine the work of the
service. Recently, an alarming trend that raised a lot of concern was the attacks on officers who were escorting bullion vans to their respective destinations.
In February of this year, there was an attack on a bullion van in the North Industrial area. Eyewitnesses said the officers escorting this vehicle narrowly escaped death.
Also in July this year, a young officer, aged 25, was reportedly
killed while on duty.
He was escorting a bullion van that was transporting an undisclosed amount of money from Adedenkpo, a suburb of Jamestown in Accra, when a group of armed robbers attacked the van.
He, together with a hawker by name, Afua Badu, were
pronounced dead at the spot.
Following these occurrences, there were incessant calls on
the Ghana Police Service to act on the matter.
Investigations revealed that two policemen were involved and
masterminded the bullion van attacks.
They were subsequently killed during a gun battle with other officers.
This is in line with the Police’s standard operating procedure and in line with Ghanaian tradition.
The suspect is in custody and will be arraigned before the court to face justice.
The Police have also commenced a manhunt for the remaining suspects.
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has begun investigation into the killing of a nursing mother allegedly by some military personnel at Manso Datano in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region.
The deceased, Felicia Donkor, sustained gunshot wounds after being hit by a stray bullet.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Arhin Kwasi Annor, Deputy Ashanti Regional Police Commander, on Monday, visited the crime scene and commiserated with the deceased’s family.
A police source at the Regional Command which disclosed this to the Ghanaian Times said investigation into the incident had started.
The incident, it was gathered, took place on Saturday during the funeral of one Kwasi Nkrumah, also known as Simon, who died after falling into a mining pit some three months ago.
Simon was said to have been chased by some security personnel protecting some mining companies in the area.
In the process, he was said to have been hit with club and he fell into a mining pit.
During the funeral on Saturday, the youth in the town were said to have mounted a barrier in the middle of the road leading to the cemetery.
When the military got there, there was a misunderstanding between them and the youth which saw the military firing warning shots and the nursing mother being hit.
The Assemblyman for the area, Kwame Amponsah, corroborated saying, “we were having a burial service for a young man who died three months ago.
“There was a military patrol at a nearby village, upon reaching my community, they saw the people in the community jubilating and singing.”
Staff of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region have served notice that they will reject any appointment of non-permanent staff of the Hospital as Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
This comes on the back of speculations within the premier hospital that the President in consultation with Ashanti Regional Executives of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) is considering announcing the appointment of Prof. Okyere Addai Mensah as a successor to the retired CEO Dr. Oheneba Owusu Danso.
The said notice from the staff read: “No KATH staff, No CEO; We are capable of managing our own affairs”
Dr. Oheneba Owusu Danso retired last week after serving the referral facility for over 3 decades.
Details are emerging about how Chinese national, infamous for Galamsey activities, began in the country.
The state prosecution’s third witness, a director of a mining prospecting company disclosed at an Accra High court that the 47-year-old started her operations by encroaching on his concession in 2015.
Submitting documents including maps and receipts from the Minerals Commission Nana Sarfo Prempeh told the court that he obtained a permit to undertake prospecting of minerals in areas in the Ashanti Region.
According to Nana Sarfo Prempeh sometime in 2015, Aisha Huang entered his concession and started undertaking mining activities, this he said took a toll on his company and impeded them from carrying out explorations.
The witness further explained that in an attempt to halt the activities of Aisha he wrote letters to the Regional Security Council, filed a complaint with traditional council and the Police headquarters in Accra but all proved futile as the accused continued with her mining operations.
He ultimately filed an injunction at the Bekwai District Court which was granted and the accused was barred from continuing her operations.
“I know the accused person. My knowledge of her bothers her illegal activities at the Volta resources concession. In 2015, she commenced her mining operations at the concession of Volta resources.
“She later moved to another part of our concession at Bepotenten where her Chinese workers were arrested in May 2017
“From that period of 2015-2017, we made all efforts to evict her from the land and stopped her illegal activities which all proved futile.
“I hereby state that her activities were illegal because my company Volta resources limited had been granted a prospecting license so there is no way she could possibly have a mining license over the same piece of land.
“I reported the case of her encroachment and illegal mining to REGSEC and also to the chiefs and traditional leaders of Bekwai. That also proved futile. I wish to tender into evidence a letter dated 3rd June, 2015 from Volta Resources Ltd to REGSEC as proof of our complaints about the encroachment activities of the accused person.
“In February 2016 VRL made a formal complaint at the Police HQ. A team of investigators were assigned but nothing came out of it.
“On April 11, 2017 VRL filed a writ of summons against En Huang at the Bekwai circuit Court. Edward Koranteng was the plaintiff in behalf of VRL against Aisha Huang of Kumasi.
“Volta Resources Ltd also caused to be published in the media the encroachment and devastating effect of the illegal mining activities of the accused person in its concession and the effect on host the communities.
“Letter dated 8th June 2017 with the subj being petition to IGP regarding the land seizure of excavators, machinery and equipment relevant to the case of the republic vs En Huang but nothing came out of it.
The accused person has caused tremendous devastation to the resources of VRL”
A beheaded body of an unidentified man believed to be in his late 40s was found in a bush at Abam near Sekyedumase in the Ejura-Sekyedumase Municipality of the Ashanti Region on Thursday.
Some indigenes of the area found the body of the yet-to-be-identified deceased covered in a black polythene bag and circulated the information in the community.
Police later moved to the scene, inspected the body, and conveyed it to the morgue.
Officers of the police service also found traces of gunshots in parts of the body, which was without the head.
Assembly Member for the Dapaafo Electoral Area, Emmanuel Tweneboah Koduah said the deceased is not an indigene of the area.
He however called for intensified police patrol in the area to curb such crimes.
