TIG Post

Tag: Community

  • Ofori-Atta drags National Security operatives to court over home raid

    Ofori-Atta drags National Security operatives to court over home raid

    Former Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has taken legal action against National Security operatives, accusing them of unlawfully entering his home and infringing on his privacy.

    The lawsuit is based on an incident that occurred on February 11, when a group of 12 individuals, including military personnel and plainclothes officers, reportedly conducted a raid at his Cantonments residence.

    The High Court writ targets two senior police officers, DSP Bismark Boakye Ansah and Chief Inspector Mensah, alleging they were responsible for the unlawful entry and invasion of Ofori-Atta’s private property.

    At the time of the raid, Ofori-Atta was out of the country receiving medical treatment, with his household staff witnessing the event.

    The group, which included nine armed soldiers, is said to have entered the property without prior consent or a warrant, searching personal spaces like bedrooms, the kitchen, and closets.

    Additionally, one of the officers allegedly filmed the entire operation, further violating the privacy of the former minister.

    “did not produce any form of warrant nor indicate to the Plaintiff’s domestic staff the basis for the search but warned the domestic staff to desist from using their mobile phones throughout the entire period of the unauthorized operation.”

    Ofori-Atta contends that the raid left his domestic staff severely shaken and distressed. He also claims the incident has damaged his reputation, leading to public mockery and tarnishing his standing both locally and internationally.

    “Plaintiff says further that the raid on the property which gained notoriety both domestically and internationally has not only exposed him to public ridicule, resentment and scorn but also portrayed him as a criminal and this has negatively impacted his hard earned reputation in the international community,” parts of the document read.

    Despite multiple attempts to seek clarification from the National Intelligence Bureau, the Chief of Defence Staff, and the Inspector General of Police, no response has been received regarding the legitimacy or intent behind the raid.

    In his legal action, Ofori-Atta is requesting several forms of redress, including a declaration that the officers’ actions were unlawful, compensation for trespassing and privacy violations, and an injunction to prevent future interference with his property. He is also seeking aggravated damages and court costs.

    The two officers named in the case, DSP Bismark Boakye Ansah and Chief Inspector Mensah, have been directed to respond within eight days of being served the writ.

  • N/R: Hundreds left homeless in Demonayili after devastating storm

    N/R: Hundreds left homeless in Demonayili after devastating storm

    A violent storm struck the Demonayili community in the Nanumba North Municipality of the Northern Region on Wednesday evening, causing extensive damage.

    Over 50 houses were destroyed, leaving nearly 200 residents displaced.

    The storm also wiped out food supplies and valuable belongings, deepening the struggles of affected families. Powerful winds tore off roofs, brought down buildings, and triggered power outages, plunging the community into darkness.

    Among the losses were essential foodstuffs like maize and cassava, as well as personal property. When Channel One News visited the scene, residents were seen making efforts to rebuild despite limited resources.

    The local Assemblyman, who also suffered losses, described the devastation as severe and urged authorities to provide urgent support. Women and children, being the most vulnerable, were hit hardest, with some sustaining injuries during the storm.

    In response to the disaster, affected residents have appealed to the government, philanthropic individuals, and organizations for immediate aid to help them recover and rebuild.

  • 4-year-old boy drowns in uncovered water pit at Berekum

    4-year-old boy drowns in uncovered water pit at Berekum

    The tragic passing of a four-year-old boy has plunged the Berekum-Amangoase community into mourning and disbelief.

    According to reports, the child, identified only as Nana, is said to have accidentally fallen into an abandoned water-filled ditch near his home, leading to his drowning.

    The heartbreaking incident, which took place on the night of Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at approximately 8:00 PM, has sparked widespread concern, with many residents questioning how the young boy was left unattended at that time.

    By the next day, Wednesday, February 12, grief-stricken family members and sympathizers had gathered at the boy’s residence to console his devastated parents, who were inconsolable.

    Speaking to GNA, Kwaku Ronney, the Assemblyman for the Amangoase Electoral Area in Berekum, confirmed that the police had been alerted. Officers later retrieved the boy’s body from the pit and transported it to the mortuary.

    Residents also voiced concerns about the location of the pit, as it is near a popular play area for children. They have urged the Berekum Municipal Assembly to urgently seal it off to prevent future tragedies.

  • Govt launches Gushego Water System to address shortages in the North 

    Govt launches Gushego Water System to address shortages in the North 

    The government has launched the Gushego Water System project to address the persistent water shortages in northern Ghana.

    The new initiative aims to provide clean, reliable drinking water to the communities of Gushegu, Bulugu, and Nyensung.

    The project, which was officially launched over the weekend, is being funded by the government at a cost of GH₵1.23 million ($80,655.74) and is managed by the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA). 

    Per reports, the project is designed to meet the water needs of approximately 53,954 people for the next 20 years, with an estimated daily demand of two million gallons (7,570,823 liters).

    The system will feature two mechanized boreholes in Bulugu and two activated boreholes in Nyensung, all powered by solar energy and grid electricity.

    Water will be transported through 9.3 kilometers of pipelines to a high-level steel tank with a capacity of 35,200 gallons (around 133,246 liters), from which it will be distributed to local residents via 32 public standpipes.

    The Member of Parliament for Gushegu, Hassan Tampuli, has stressed the importance of the project, describing it as a crucial step towards addressing the long-standing water supply challenges in the region.

    “Perennial water challenges serve the people for a long time. From now to April next year we were likely to suffer a severe water shortage in Gushegu and its communities because of the drought we suffered in the Northern Region,” he stated.

    This new initiative complements the two solar-powered water systems commissioned by the US Government in April, which are expected to serve over 20,000 residents in the Gushegu Municipality and Nanton District.

    Funded by USAID at a total cost of GH₵10 million ($877,546), these systems are part of the US Government’s Global Water Strategy and USAID/Ghana’s High Priority Country Plan, which seeks to provide climate-resilient water solutions to 500,000 Ghanaians by 2027.

    Meanwhile, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) has received a $3.6 million donation from the US and the UK to support 70,000 drought-affected people in northern Ghana. 

    This funding will help provide cash transfers to families, enabling them to purchase food as prices rise due to reduced agricultural production caused by the drought.

    Around one million people across eight regions, including Bono and Upper West, are struggling with severe drought conditions, making access to food a significant challenge as seasonal crops and livestock have been devastated.

  • The Ghanaian village where phone calls are a luxury: How Abuorso residents wait once every 3 days to get network signal

    The Ghanaian village where phone calls are a luxury: How Abuorso residents wait once every 3 days to get network signal

    A secluded farming community of Abuorso, Eastern Region, 1,500 residents face persistent challenges due to irregular mobile network coverage, forcing them to gather under a specific tree in a bamboo shed to make essential calls.

    Situated 25 kilometres from Begoro, the community experiences distress as vital services and economic activities heavily rely on mobile communication, leaving them isolated from the outside world.

    The makeshift communication hub, a bamboo shed under the tree, becomes a focal point where residents eagerly await network signals to make crucial calls.

    Privacy concerns arise as calls must be put on loudspeakers to avoid losing the signal if the phone is moved.

    The network outage not only inconveniences the residents but significantly impacts critical services such as healthcare delivery, requiring costly transportation to access the call centre due to the lack of connectivity.

    Furthermore, the absence of reliable mobile coverage has emboldened armed robbers, terrorising commuters on the Abuorso to Dedeso road for over a decade.

    Residents, like driver Opanyin Kwaku Kyere, attribute the increased criminal activity to the ongoing network issues and plead for urgent government intervention: “We are pleading to the government to help us get a network to enable us to communicate with our friends and family. We feel disconnected from the rest of the country.”

    In light of the Sustainable Development Goal nine, emphasising increased access to information and communications technology, Abuorso residents are urging the government to address connectivity challenges swiftly, putting an end to their communication struggles and enabling them to lead connected lives.

  • Tiny village totally wiped out by falling mountain

    Imagine residing in a community that might literally vanish off the face of the planet at any moment.

    The inhabitants of a gorgeous Swiss hamlet are currently in a terrible position that sounds like something out of a far-fetched catastrophe film.

    Pictures of charming Swiss villages often resemble Brienz because of its picturesque surroundings, vivid blue lake, and high mountains in the distance.

    But it’s those very mountains that have this entire village on the brink of annihilation.

    Two million cubic metres of rock is coming loose from the mountain it sits under and an imminent monster rockslide could completely obliterate the tiny village any day now.

    Every single one of the 84 residents have now been evacuated from Brienz, which sits in the eastern canton of Graubunden and is known for its dramatic Alpine scenery.

    Swiss authorities ordered people to get out by Friday last week over fears it could soon be buried beneath the collapsing mountainside.

    Alpine rock looming over Brienz could continue to break even further loose and spill down in coming weeks (Picture: AP)
    Authorities in eastern Switzerland have ordered residents of the tiny village of Brienz to evacuate because geology experts say a mass of 2 million cubic meters of Alpine rock looming overhead could break loose and spill down in coming weeks.
    Village dairy farmer Giorgin Bonifazi says rocks bouncing down the side of the mountain sounded ‘like a train’ (Picture: AP)

    The last man to leave was dairy farmer Giorgin Bonifazi who has been forced to move into his mother in law’s house with his wife Annette, and their 15-year-old daughter, while his 32 cows have been temporarily housed at a communal barn.

    His flock of sheep have been left to fend for themselves in the fields around Brienz while the father-of-four and the rest of the community pray from afar for the mountain to crumble slowly to limit damage.

    Giorgin, who has lived in Brienz his whole life, said: ‘The destructive power that the mountain could bring is terrifying to think about and so we have taken the advice of the authorities and left – only a madman would stay.

    ‘At night you could hear the rocks bouncing down the side of the mountain, they sounded like a train but after a while you got used to them but not this time.’

    Danger zones have been blocked off after huge rocks started falling down into the village (Picture: AP)

    He said the rocks have started tumbling down more frequently and in larger quantities and that some have even landed in the field at the back of his house.

    He told MailOnline: ‘If the mountain gives and the rockface comes down it will come through like an avalanche and destroy everything.

    ‘The problem is no one knows when we will be able to go back, it’s just a question of waiting and watching and hoping that when it does come down the village is spared.’

    The rumble of shifting ground, the sporadic crackle of rocks colliding, and the remains of dead trees and dirt sliding down the mountain facade last week brought an eerie sense of impending potential catastrophe.

    The massive crumbling mountain dauntingly towers over the little hamlet (Picture: EPA)
    Locals have all been forced to evacuate the village - not knowing if their homes will be there in a few weeks
    Locals have all been forced to evacuate the village – not knowing if their homes will be there in a few weeks (Picture: EPA)

    Farm workers could be seen loading cows onto a truck and heading out of the deserted village last week in anticipation of the mountain collapse as locals were urged to leave by 6pm on May 12.

    Areas have been cordoned off with yellow warning signs in five languages that read: ‘Attention rockfall.’

    A strict exclusion zone around Brienz is being manned by police and civil protection units with roadblocks in place. 

    Switzerland’s Federal Office for Civil Aviation has also issued a no-fly zone order over the area as part of the safety operation. 

    A road block in front of the village Brienz
    Roadblocks are in place stopping anyone from entering the village (Picture: EPA)

    Geology experts say the rockslide has the potential to power through at more than 120 mph wiping out everything in its path.

    Christian Gartmann, a member of the crisis management board of Albula, said: ‘We expect it to fall towards the village within the next few days or weeks.

    ‘The rock can come down in sections, which would be the most favourable solution.

    ‘It can also fall all at once, which would be disastrous for the village.’

    Village mayor, Daniel Albertin, admitted getting everyone and everything out of Brienz has not been easy. He said: ‘This is a huge task for the entire community.’

    Climate change is putting Switzerland at increased risk of natural hazards, including an increase in erosion due to higher temperatures, Swiss authorities say.

    The extent of the damage that could fall upon Brienz remains to be seen and its future lies firmly in nature’s hand.

    Elsewhere, a man who lives in ‘Britain’s Chernobyl’ says he will not leave despite it being earmarked for demolition.

  • Pastor expelled for impregnating 10 church members

    Pastor expelled for impregnating 10 church members

    A Nigerian pastor has been expelled from Umuidoko Ogrute in Enugu Ezike, Enugu State for allegedly impregnating at least 10 church members.

    The self-acclaimed miracle pastor was paraded in the community by angry residents when they learnt of his escapades with female church members.

    According to reports, the yet-to-be-identified cleric was apprehended on Friday, April 28, when one of his female members revealed to her family that her pastor was responsible for her pregnancy.

    According to a source, the nabbed pastor often took the women to a mountain under the guise of special prayers as most of them were said to be looking for miracles.

    It was gathered that he built a small hut on top the mountain where he carried out the condemnable act of sleeping with them on a rotational basis.

    The pastor has allegedly been prophesying that they will clinch rich men for marriage, and believing his words, they succumbed to his request.

    The source also said that when the ladies inform him that they are carrying his child, he asked them to terminate it the pregnancy.

    Outraged by his actions, members of the community razed down his church and sent him packing.

    A source said; “This man has a church and goes to the mountain with his female church members for prayers. It was revealed that 99% of his church members are women who aren’t from the community. He always gives them visions to help them get married to rich men. The women desperate for a miracle, visit his church for solution and never return home to their families.

    Unfortunately for him, one of his victims was accosted by her family members and she explained how she got pregnant. Her revelation made irate youth pay the church a courtesy visit.

    They got there and found other victims whom they set free from the pastor’s bondage. They razed down the church and helped him pack his items advising him never to return to the village.”

  • Five interesting facts about African Jees you need to know

    Five interesting facts about African Jees you need to know

    Jews lived on the Arabian Peninsula, which is located northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plate and contains nations like Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), before Christianity and Islam took hold there. Trade allowed Judaism to spread to Africa.

    African Jews, also called the Beta Israel community, believe they are descended from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. There are many interesting and little-known facts about them. Here are five interesting facts about this interesting group:

    1. African Jews have a long and complex history.

    Some historians think that the Beta Israel community is made up of the descendants of ancient Israelite tribes who moved to Ethiopia, while others believe they may have become Jewish in the Middle Ages. What is certain is that the Beta Israel have lived in Ethiopia for many centuries and have kept their own culture and religion even though they have been persecuted and treated badly for many years.

    1. African Jews have their own unique traditions and practices.

    Even though they believe and act in many of the same ways as other Jewish groups around the world, the Beta Israel have made their own traditions over the centuries. For example, they use a version of the Jewish calendar that is different from what Jews use, and they have their own language for worship called Ge’ez. They also have a long history of folk music, dance, and stories. These things are important parts of their culture.

    1. African Jews faced significant persecution and discrimination.

    Even though the Beta Israel have lived in Ethiopia for a long time, the Christian and Muslim groups that make up most of the country have often ignored and mistreated them. In the 1970s and 1980s, they were treated very badly by Mengistu Haile Mariam’s communist government. Many of them were moved to cities against their will and were not allowed to go to school or get a job.

    1. African Jews have experienced a mass migration to Israel.

    In the 1980s and 1990s, tens of thousands of Beta Israel moved to Israel. Under the Law of Return, they were given citizenship. But moving to Israel and becoming part of Israeli society was not always easy, and many African Jews had a hard time getting used to life in a new place.

    1. African Jews are making important contributions to Israeli society.

    With many of its members holding significant positions in politics, business, and the arts, the Beta Israel community in Israel is now well-established and flourishing. The history and customs of African Jews have recently attracted increased interest, and groups like the Association for the Research of Ethiopian Jewry and the Center for Jewish Ethiopian Heritage are seeking to protect and advance this unique cultural heritage.

  • Heavy rainfall collapses Community Center at Bawdie

    Heavy rainfall collapses Community Center at Bawdie

    The Bawdie Community Center in the Wassa Amenfi East Municipality has been destroyed by Wednesday’s downpour.

    Community members wonder how a community center that was roofed about two months ago could collapse after heavy rainfall.

    Information gathered by GhanaWeb indicates that the strength of the columns raised was not commensurable to the roofing trusses used as roofing frames.

    The columns raised were too slim to carry the heavy metal trusses on which the roofing sheets slept.

    A resident of Bawdie, Ebenezer Appiah who witnessed the disaster quizzed, “How can you raise these tiny columns for this huge building that can take about four thousand people?”

    “Buildings of such nature need big columns that can hold heavy metals and roofs, and not these small ones,” he added.

    Narrating how the incident happened, Ebenezer Appiah said he was at the community center with six other people and some school children when the rain started with the storm.

    According to him, “All of a sudden, one side of the building collapsed, so we all ran out of the place, but the school children were still there. We decided to go and get the children under the roof. As we were evacuating them, the other side also came down.”

    Another victim, Samuel Mensah described it as a near-death incident as they could have died if the whole building collapsed on them.

    He noted that this is a community project which must be of high quality in order to last longer.

    He urged community leaders to put more money into such projects to reap the benefits.

  • Muslim communities in Nima receive items from Palgrave Boakye Danquah

    Muslim communities in Nima receive items from Palgrave Boakye Danquah

    Muslim communities in Nima have received over 200 packaged items from government’s spokesperson on Governance and Security Palgrave Boakye-Danquah.

    Among the donated items are bags of sugar and cartons of tea bags.

    The donation is one of many ways Palgrave Boakye-Danquah says he wants to support the community.

    He said it was not the first time he has made such presentation to the community.

    Palgrave Boakye-Danquah asked Muslims in the community to pray for leadership at all levels so they can give off their best for the people.

    “Pray for the community, the country, and leaders at all levels so they can give off their best for the people.”

    A local Imam who received the donation on behalf of the community expressed his gratitude to the Government Spokesperson on Governance and Security.

  • Sissala East gets new ‘tricycle Ambulance’

    Sissala East gets new ‘tricycle Ambulance’

    In order to increase improved safety, Madam Emily Young, the Chief Executive Officer of the non-governmental organization Moving Health Ghana, has renovated some tricycle ambulances for use by communities in the Sissala East Municipality of the Upper West Region.

    The tricycle ambulances will help reduce referral time, thereby improving access to health care in real-time.

    The communities are Kong, Bugubelle, Banu, Bawiesebelle, and Nabugubelle.

    The Moving Health ambulance is a low-cost three-wheel vehicle that has provided access to safe, affordable, reliable emergency transportation to geographically neglected areas.

    Madam Young announced this at Tumu at a workshop to relaunch and hand over the refurbished ambulances to the five communities.

    She said other old ones would be refurbished for the benefit of other communities, which would bring the number to 10 in the Sissala East Municipality.

    “The ambulances will be kept in the Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds to improve emergency health care,” she added.

    “Our goal is to expand nationwide, and we think the system we have been able to design in Sissala East is applicable to many places in Ghana, Africa, and other parts of the world”.

    The design was community-led, and it would be expanded to Wa East and other parts of the region and the country to respond to health emergencies.

    Mr Isaac Quansah, the Country Director of Moving Health Ghana, said the NGO decided to improve upon the existing tricycle ambulances, launched in 2019, after complaints on their usage to effectively assist pregnant women to access emergency services.

    “We have now built a multi-purpose new fabrication centre in Pulima near Tumu, where these emergency ambulances are designed and fabricated by artisans from the local area.”

    “I am proud to say we can produce these refurbished ambulances here for any community that needs them.”

    The ambulances come with improved ventilation, spacious with seats for four persons, a stretcher suitable for pregnant women and the sick, a locker to keep medicines, windows, fan, and lights bright enough to carry out emergency care.

    They also have public address systems and serine to send out information.

    Mr Quansah said the tricycles were robust and could function smoothly on “the bad road networks in the area” to reduce the delays in accessing emergency health care.

    Madam Maria Johana Yourpor, the Regional Coordinator, Northern Development Authority, commended the organisation for taking up the challenge to solve women’s issues and promised an effective collaboration for the success of the project.

    Mr Mohammed Issah Bataglia, the Country Director of Virtue Foundation, a partner to Moving Health, recalled an encounter he had with a pregnant woman in labour and later depicted that experience in a photograph, captioned: “Why must a woman die giving birth to a human being, can’t we do something about this?”.

    This received attention from other partners and they started the idea to use the local emergency ambulances to help women in labour to reach health facilities faster.

    He appealed to the communities to take good care of the ambulances to sustain them.

    The Sissala East Municipal Manager of the National Ambulance Service, Mr Mohammed Yakubu, said the vehicles had been out of commission since October, 2022 and appealed to the Assembly to help repair them.

  • Golden Star Wassa Mine clash: 33 persons arrested

    Golden Star Wassa Mine clash: 33 persons arrested

    According to reports, 33 individuals have been detained for last week’s demolition of Golden Star Wassa Mine properties in Benso,Western Area.

    The company’s employees were forced to flee for their safety after the illegal miners reportedly set 12 vehicles on fire, including pick-up trucks, ambulances, and excavators.

    The Head of Group Corporate Affairs of the company, Gerard Hillary Osei Boakye earlier narrated to Citi News, how they were attacked.

    “We usually do our patrols to protect our concession which is required of us by law to be responsible for our boundaries and also prevent incursions, to make sure that community people, hunters, and farms are safe. On one such occasion which was Thursday, March 16, we encountered some illegal miners encroaching, we engaged them as part of our modus operandi and told them to move away”.

    “They were interested in that area, so they came back and when they came back, we tried to ward them off with the help of the police. They dispersed again and apparently unconfirmed report reaching us is that they may have been injured in the cause of being dispersed. That probably infuriated them, and they came back to torch our vehicles and ran our security post down, destroyed our offices, basically burnt things down,” he explained.

  • Group requests recompense for victims of military violence

    Group requests recompense for victims of military violence

    A pressure organization, Ashaiman Lives Matter, has urged President Akufo-Addo to swiftly form a committee to look into the brutality certain soldiers committed against Ashaiman residents.

    The group is also demanding compensation for victims assaulted by the soldiers.

    The invasion followed the death of a young soldier who was stabbed to death by some unknown assailants in the community.

    “We are currently in a constant state of fear for our dear lives because the soldiers told the residents that it is a Month’s Operation and they have instructions from above to put the fear of God in them to avenge the murder of the fallen soldier.

    “Ladies and Gentlemen of the press we the people of Ashaiman condemn the beastly acts of the Ghana Armed Forces and we also call for President of the Republic of Ghana His Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo Danquah, the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces to do same and render an unqualified apology to the Good People of Ashaiman for the criminal acts of his troops.”

    The group also called on the media, civil society, the Ghana Bar Association, and the clergy among others to condemn the violence and criminal acts of the soldiers.

  • Ashaiman military brutalities: Should other professionals also resort to vigilante justice? – Kwesi Pratt

    Ashaiman military brutalities: Should other professionals also resort to vigilante justice? – Kwesi Pratt

    The managing editor of Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jr., has expressed his views on the military’s actions on Tuesday in Ashaiman.

    Speaking to the media on March 8, he questioned the severity of the military’s presence and the penalty meted out to the residents of Ashaiman.

    Pratt argued that if every member of the public sector responded to the death of one of its members in the same manner as the military, Ghana would not be a somber nation.

    He added, “So if doctors are killed, should they put down their tools and take their syringes to the community and inject poison? What kind of lawless society are we building? This statement is in bad taste.”

    He pointed out that the military’s duties exclude investigations pertaining to murder cases; therefore, the government should bring the perpetrators to book instead.

    Pratt also noted that the press statement from the security agency justifying its actions is baseless. He asked, “When did the military begin to investigate murder? Is that the remit of the military?”

    On Saturday, March 4, 2023, some unknown individuals killed 21-year-old soldier Trooper Sherif Imoro in Asahaiman.

    Following this, there was a heavy military presence in the area, and videos circulating on social media showed some military men brutalizing some residents.

    In a press statement dated Tuesday, March 7, 2023, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) said the operation was to apprehend some criminals and not to avenge.

    The security agency maintained that the military operation was sanctioned by the Military High Command.

  • Dabozesi chief: I won’t allow new buildings without toilet facility

    Naa Mankwa Salifu Baba, the chief of Dabozesi in the Mamprugu Moaduri District has said going forward the traditional council will not allow anyone to put up a new building without a toilet facility.

    The chief, who was enskinned in 2021, has charged all landlords in the community without toilet facilities in their homes to consider having one and to also ensure that the Dabozesi community is open defecation free.

    “I want my community to be open defecation free,” Baba told Asaase News on the sidelines of a sanitation durbar in the community organised by the Catholic Relief Services (CRS).

    “So, if you intend to build a new house in this community and you are not ready to add a toilet facility, I will not allow you to build the house. I don’t want my community to look dirty. I don’t want sanitation-related diseases in this community,” the chief said.

    Baba expressed gratitude to his elders for their support in getting all households to have a toilet facility.

    “If you intend to do something with people, the first thing you need to do is to have that kind of patience and tolerance in you. When I first started the sanitation campaign in the Dabozesi community, they didn’t want to take it but I pursue them with patience. I will continue to push to ensure that children don’t get sick anyhow,” he added.

    The Dabozesi community was adjudged the cleanest community in the Mamprugu Moaduri District by the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in collaboration with the environmental health and sanitation agency in the North East Region.

  • Fuel tanker runs over an eight-year-old boy at Ahwetieso in Tarkwa

    An eight-year-old boy met his untimely death at Ahwetieso in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality after a fuel tanker knocked him down and ran over his head.

    Joel Nana Baidoo, who is a pupil of Ideal College in Tarkwa was crossing the road to the other side when the tanker moving from Takoradi towards Tarkwa knocked him down on Tuesday morning.

    Cars have been knocking people down all the time at Ahwetieso and this has become a concern for the citizens in the community who have expressed their displeasure on the recurrent incident.

    This accident angered youth of the community who blocked the road to prevent cars from moving. This caused huge vehicular traffic on the road which took the intervention of the Tarkwa Police Commander for a free flow of traffic.

    Some community members who spoke to GhanaWeb indicated that” we have called for speed rumps for so many years now, but nobody listened to us, and this boy has died just like that”, we shall find a way of doing our own speed rumps, to prevent our children from dying.

    This has made community members call for speed rumps on that stretch of road in the community to stop this menace.

    Speaking to GhanaWeb in an interview, Assembly Member for the Area Hon Fuseini Rashid Amadu noted that this is not the first time this is happening, adding that “two months ago, another person was knocked down in the Ahwetieso school, hence the agitations by the youth for speed rumps”.

    He said he reported the intention of the youth to create their own speed rumps to the assembly where he was assured that the assembly will find a temporal measure to reduce speed on the road.
    He added that the assembly has decided to put ropes on the road as temporal speed rumps while they wait for a discussion with the Ghana High Way Authority on a permanent solution to the problem.

    The remains of the boy which was deposited at the morgue yesterday is expected to be buried today.

    Meanwhile, the Municipal Chief Executive for Tarkwa Nsuaem, Hon Benjamin Kessie has visited the family to commiserate with them.

     

  • Atwima Kwanwoma MP presents modern medical equipment to Trabuom Health Centre

    Member of Parliament for Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency Kofi Amankwa-Manu, who also doubles as Deputy Minister of Defence, has presented a set of medical equipment valued at $60,000 to the Trabuom Health Center.

    The procurement of the medical equipment was funded by the Latter Day Charities through the MP’s initiative.

    This is the second social intervention project executed by the Member of Parliament this year.

    The first phase saw some deplorable schools turned into model ones in the Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency in the early part of this year.

    Needs assessment are the driven vehicles for the MP’s community support project.

    Trabuom Health Center is the latest community to receive support.

    The community has been handed over modern medical equipment like Nebulizer, Suction machine, Chemistry analyzer, Vaccine fridge, Maternity beds, Baby’s crib, Full Blood Count analyzer, Delivery sets, Urine centrifuge, etc, all worth the equivalent to over GH¢780,000.

    Experts say with the coming on board of these equipment, the Health Center is in a better position to undertake all necessary medical laboratory services including liver and kidney analysis.

    “The medical equipment will help us provide an enhanced medical care. The issue of the community members especially, pregnant women seeking maternal care outside Trabuom will be a thing of the past,” the District Medical Director, Comfort Suglo, said.

    The Deputy Defence Minister and MP for Atwima Kwanwoma, Kofi Amankwa-Manu, said “the medical equipment like these demand a befitting environment, hence my office, prior to the donation of the equipment, also renovated the laboratory block to a befitting status”.

    “It is my desire that the management of the facility will take good care of these equipment to the benefit of the country.”

    Gabriel Kojo, a representative from the Latter Day Charities under the Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also stated: “Our vision is to support the needy, and the MP applied to our organisation for help. We have been working together for sometime now. All these you see were made available after we also came down to make an assessment after the Member of Parliament reached us for support.”

    In attendance were the District Chief Executive, Prince Karikari, and his Coordinating Director, Presiding Member, Nananom, Representatives of the Latter-Day Charities, some Assembly Members, my Constituency Executives and a host of ruling party faithfuls.

  • Addaekrom: The community where sachet water is like gold

    Gold is considered one of Ghana’s most priced minerals which in recent times is being exploited by many even through illegal means.

    In the case of Addaekrom, an island community in the Eastern Region of Ghana, their gold is a most unimaginable basic need: good drinking water.

    Sad as it sounds, that appears to be a major worry for the people of the small community.

    Speaking with youtuber; Nana Tea Was Here Some, one of the teachers in the community who are revolutionalising education, Godfred Nyarko, explained that students, for instance, only use sachet water when they are unwell.

    “The river is where we fetch water from but as for us the teachers, we buy bags of pure water when the boat is going to Tokor, Kpando… water is not a problem but if they can get us a pipe, that will be fine.

    “Sometimes when they are sick, that’s when they come to us for pure water. So, pure water here is like gold. When they are sick, the nurses will tell them to take the medicine with pure water and so they’ll come to us for pure water,” he said.

    The Addaekrom community of a little over 1000 inhabitants, has only one school that is riddled with many challenges.

    Godfred Nyarko explained that whenever it rains, school activities automatically have to come to a halt.

     

     

     

  • Ga Central MCE’s vehicle impounded for driving against traffic, using strobe lights

    The vehicle of the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Ga Central, Bashiru Mohammed, has been impounded for driving against traffic and using strobe lights.

    He was driving along the airport bypass on Tuesday when he was intercepted by Citi TV’s War Against Indiscipline team.

    He was expected in court on Friday, October 7, 2022, together with other road traffic offenders, but has since failed to show up.

    The War Against Indiscipline team has impounded six more vehicles at the Community 18 Junction on the Accra-Tema motorway for wrong U-turns and posing danger to other motorists and their own lives.

  • Chieftaincy dispute heightens tension, fear at Sakyikrom after palace coup

    Residents of Sakyikrom a suburb of Nsawam Adoagyiri Municipality in the Eastern region say they are gripped with fear following the heightening chieftaincy dispute in the community.

    The Queen mother of Sakyikrom, Nana Agyarkwabea, and a few palace Elders allegedly staged a palace coup by enstooling a new chief Nana Sakyi Agyarkwa known in private life as Percy whilst the substantive Chief Nana Osei Anka IV had traveled abroad for medical intervention in 2020 before COVID-19 lockdown.

    The return of Nana Osei Anka IV to the community has since heightened tension as the Queen mother and her cohorts of chiefs aided by the security have allegedly hijacked the palace denying the alleged destooled chief access.

    According to residents armed police and some plain cloth security operatives have been marauding in the town under the guise of maintaining law and order but say it is rather causing more fear and panic.

    “When they come, they fire warning shots indiscriminately. We are all afraid. Our children, our wives are all afraid to go out. The last time they beat the assembly member mercilessly and he was rushed to the hospital “a resident said.

    Tension was high Sunday, October 2, 2022, during the celebration of Akwasidae as both factions performed customary rites to observe the day.

    Oheneba Nana Asante Okodie, the Apegyahene of Sakyikrom said, “this community is no longer safe because of the weapons being paraded in town. But I must emphasize that the Queenmother can’t destool a chief so the so-called destoolment by the Queenmother is illegal, null, and void”.

    The embattled Chief of Sakyikrom, Nana Osae Anka IV explained that he was legitimately enstooled in 2013 but whilst abroad for medical treatment in 2020, he was informed by Abusuapanyin Kofi Owusu, the Queenmother was enstooling a new Chief.

    Nana Osae Anka IV has since petitioned the Eastern regional House of chiefs as well as the Regional Police Command for the law to take its course rather than using violence to liberate the palace and his personal properties.

    “We are peace-loving people so deposit having the numbers to face them squarely I have told my followers to remain calm. We are using the legal means to regain the stool and librate the palace” Nana Osae Anka IV.

    The Mawerehene Nana Sakyi Ankomea, however, denied allegations of indiscriminate shooting in the community.

    He admitted to the presence of security personnel during events due to the chieftaincy dispute in the community but said the security is to maintain law and order.

    “We don’t fire warning shots. Whenever you hear gunshot that is from the musket during procession of chiefs to an event or ceremony so it is absolutely malicious to say we fire gunshots indiscriminately. There is serious chieftaincy dispute in the community so I have asked the factions several times to sit and resolve the feud for peace to prevail to stimulate development,” Nana Sakyi Ankomea, Mawerehene said.

  • 22-storey Airport building roads minister vowed to halt almost completed

    The 22-storey building that courted the anger of the Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Attah, in December 2019, vowing that he would ensure the construction is halted, is near completion.

    The minister gave the order for the demolition of the structure at the Airport Residential Area after there were several complaints from residents in the community about the project.

    During a personal visit to the site and on seeing the work being undertaken there in 2019, the minister was incensed with anger.

    In the heat of the moment, he ordered the security personnel he was accompanied with, to arrest some three foreign nationals who were supervising the project, which is just adjacent to the Association International School in Accra.

    Captured on video, the minister minced no words when he called for the men to arrested, calling for an immediate stop of work.

    “The chief executive of this area must be questioned. Not even the president will do this. And I don’t care which political power, economic power or traditional power that person has, this will not be allowed and we will not allow this,” the minister fumed.

    However, a recent tweet shared by C-Real on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, shows that the project is near completion.

    The photo shared with the tweet showed the building at full height, needing only some finishing touches for it to be completely done.

    “Remember a minister raised all hell one bright afternoon swearing he would shut down this construction project near Association International? Well. They’re almost done,” the tweet read.

    See the post below. Also, the 2019 video of the minister is shared below for reference:

    Remember a Minister raised all hell one bright afternoon swearing he would shut down this construction project near Association International?

    Well. They’re almost done.

    ☺️???? pic.twitter.com/RVTrtiTlJf

    — C-Real (@C_RealMC) October 4, 2022

  • 10 Zongo youth awarded in 1st Season of Zongo Shark Tank

    Ten youth entrepreneurs from Zongo communities across Ghana have been awarded prizes in the first season of a business reality programme for young people in Zongo communities dubbed Zongo Shark Tank.

    Zongo Shark Tank, which is being spearheaded by ZongoVation Hub and ZongoVation Capital, seeks to encourage business development among the Zongo youth as part of efforts to help resolve the growing unemployment rate in the country.

    Under the initiative, three brilliant and sustainable ideas will be selected to receive a cash grant of GH¢10,000 and other business support opportunities, including mentorship from some of the top business experts and entrepreneurs in Ghana.

    The winners are to be selected from Zongo youth across the country with the best business pitches on how they can expand their businesses.

    Jibril Yakubu, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tanko’s Enterprise in Attakrom, a small community in the Oti Region, was adjudged the winner of the first season of Zongo Shark Tank.

    Jibril Yakubu, while receiving the award, could not hold back his happiness and shed some tears of joy.

    In an interview with GhanaWeb, Yakubu said that he shed tears because of the magnitude of responsibility that had been bestowed on him.

    He added that he will be using the GH¢10,000 he has won to expand his business, which will help him save more money for his education.

    Aside from the CEO of Tanko’s Enterprise, the other top three winners were the representatives of Eco Period and Oskhalim Food Processing.

    The seven remaining finalists were given GH¢5,000 each, a certificate plus other items.

     

  • Military arrest 12 suspects in connection with a land dispute in Gambaga

    12 persons believed to be land guards including a private developer have been arrested by the military led by the North East Regional Minister over a land dispute between a private developer and the youth of Gambaga.

    The private developer, Tanko Fatau Alias Balewa allegedly encroached on several plot lands in the Gambaga community belonging to the District Assembly.

    The victims were subsequently handed over to the East Mamprusi Municipal police command in Gambaga for further interrogation.

    Tanko Fatau in 2021 had challenged by the youth of the community in order not to put up the structure but he went ahead to develop the land which was later demolished by the angry youth.

    The case was sent to court hence, the private developer was supposed to reappear in court next month, 13 October 2022, before he was arrested with the land guards by the military.

    Following the agitations from the youth to prevent the private developer from developing the land, he (Tanko Fatau alias Balewa) brought some land guards from Tamale in the Northern Region to guard the land.

    It is said that two persons from the community received some gun wounds after they exchanged gunshots with the land guards yesterday, 27 September 2022.

    After the arrest, two AK 47 rifles, two Pump action guns, one pistol, and 1001 live ammunition were retrieved from the victims by the military.

    Meanwhile, the North East Regional Minister and the Regional police command have declined to comment on the issue.

    However, they have both assured that they will address the media at the appropriate time.

  • Chief denies banishing woman found in pit latrine

    The Chief and Elders of Enyan Asempanyin in the Ajumako Enyan Essiam Central Region have disputed the assertion that the community expelled a woman who went missing and was later discovered in a pit latrine.

    Per the Chief and the Elders’ account, the woman was reportedly transferred from the Enyan Asempanyin Community by her own family in order to receive the proper medical attention.

    Also, in an interview with Kasapa News the Ebusuapanyin of Enyan Asempanyin, Buabeng Essel, explained that the victim’s landlord, Yaa Prah, rather ejected her from her residence, forcing her family to transport her to her homeland, and not the Chief, who expelled her from the village.

    He on behalf of the Chief and Elders of the town appealed to the general public to disregard the claim that they banished the woman for ‘drowning’ in a pit latrine.

    Background

    If will be recalled that Kasapa News Yaw Boagyan reported on August 31st, 2022 that a woman who had gone missing for three days had been found in a public pit latrine at Enyan Asempenyin in the Ajumako Enyan Essiam District of the Central Region.

    She was rescued after a young man who had gone to use the public toilet heard the voice of a woman screaming for help.

    He’s said to have rushed and informed the community members about the incident following which a distress call was placed to the Breman Essiam Fire Station after which officers arrived at the scene, and broke the hole at the top to create a wider opening for her to come out.

    The woman who claims she was traveling was rescued with her bag containing money.

    The Fire Commander for Ajumako Enyan Essiam District, DO3 Augustine Cudjoe in an interview with Kasapa News Yaw Boagyan expressed on how it was possible for the woman to ‘drown’ in the 12-feet pit latrine since the hole is narrow for her to go through.

    She was given a good bath after she was removed as she was smeared with feces.

    The woman is currently receiving treatment at the Ajumako Government Hospital, while the Ajumako District Police Command commences an investigation.