Day: April 21, 2024

Two siblings have been put before the Awutu Breku District Court on charges of two counts of conspiracy? to commit crime, publication of false news and assaulting Sampson Nii Annan Oku, an artist over claims that he caused the disappearance of someone’s penis.

They are Ugochukwu Chilota a 20-year-old trader and Favour Chilota, a 24-year-old sales girl.

Ugochukwu is facing additional charges of causing unlawful harm and stealing.

They have pleaded not guilty before the court presided over by Mrs Naomi A.A.Kuntour.

The court has remanded them into police custody till May 2, 2024.

Meanwhile the Court has ordered the prosecution led by Assistant Superintendent of Police Thomas Sarfo and Chief Inspector Bernice Wei Kpuusuu to file their disclosures and?serve same?on the accused persons.

The prosecution told the court that the complainant was an artist working with Indomie Ghana Company, who was in Kasoa for a project.

It said the accused persons were siblings residing at Kasoa Pink FM area.

On April 14, 20
24, at about 8:30 pm,? the accused persons were walking together at Kasoa Overhead while the complainant and his brother, a witness in the case, were also walking behind?them in search of footwear to purchase.

In the process, the prosecution said the complainant accidently touched Ugochukwu.?

It said Uogochukwu suddenly claimed his manhood?had disappeared as a result of the touch.

The prosecution told the court that the accused persons suddenly rushed on the complainant? and Favour held the neck of the complainant? and together with Ugochukwu demanded that? the complainant?restored his penis.

The court heard that the complainant denied the allegation and the two accused persons began beating him and as a result, the complainant lost his TechnoKeypad valued at GHC100.

The prosecution said people, who trooped to the scene joined in assualting the complainant.

The court was told that? the accused persons brought the complainant to the Kasoa CBD Police Station and reported the matter.

The prosecution said
immediately? Chief Inspector Kwabena Gyasi, Station officer of Kasoa CBD and Detective Sergeant Eric Edumadzie physically? examined Ugochukwu’s?manhood and found it intact and they arrested the two accused persons to assist in investigations. ?

The prosecution told the court that a medical form was issued to the complainant? to seek medical treatment.

According to the prosecution, Ugochukwu was examined by Dr Patrick Bediako of Saint Gregory Hospital and he described Ugochukw’su manhood as ‘normal in size? with no deformity’.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC) has met the members of the Nzemamanle Traditional Council to brief them on the Company’s Corporate Social Responsibility within its catchment areas.

The annual meeting also afforded the traditional rulers the opportunity to elicit feedback from the Company as to how their operations had impacted towns and communities.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr Stephen Donkor, the Senior Manager in charge of Community Relations, outlined some of the major developmental projects initiated and completed by Ghana Gas within the catchment areas following a request made by the Council at last year’s annual meeting.

He said Ghana Gas had given approval for a contractor to start work on a doctors’ bungalow in the Jomoro Municipality.

According to him, the Company had expanded the Aiyinasi Health Center in Ellembelle, and commissioned a Nursery and 24-seater mechanized toilet facilities.

Mr Donkor said that approval had been given for the construction of five Community Centres along the coa
stal belt in Ellembelle.

He again stated that they had approved the construction of a VIP Hostel at the Axim Government Hospital.

He assured the Omanhene of Lower Axim Traditional Area that the Company would meet the demands of the Axim Vocational Girls School this year.

In the Gwira Traditional Area, he said Ghana Gas had given the green light for the construction of Boys’ and Girls’ dormitory to accommodate about 600 students, and an Astroturf at Bamiango.

Mr Donkor said the Company had also given the green light for a Health Centre to be constructed at Apetaim.

On what the Company had done so far, he mentioned that 68 students in the three districts and seven paramountcies in the Nzema area benefitted from Ghana Gas scholarship packages.

On land compensation, he stated that Ghana Gas had paid 60 per cent of claims to traditional authorities, while efforts were being made to clear bottlenecks that impeded payment for the rest.

Chairman of the Nzemamanle Council, Awulae Amihere Kpanyinli III, called i
n his members to form a committee on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism to withdraw numerous land cases pending before the law courts for speedy and amicable settlements.

Awulae Kpanyinli III, also the Paramount Chief of Eastern Nzema Traditional Council, asked Chiefs and Queen mothers to channel land disputes cases and grievances through their Paramount Chiefs for them to bring them to the Council for amicable resolution.

Vice President of the Nzemamanle Council, Awulae Attibrukusu, lauded the efforts of Ghana Gas on their corporate social responsibility in the area, but, however, appealed to the Company for more projects and social interventions in the Nzema area.

Paramount Chief of Nsein Traditional Area, Awulae Agyevi Kwame, urged Ghana Gas Company to continue to engage the Council and factor their concerns and grievances into their strategic corporate plans.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, Finance Minister, says Ghana will in May 2024 sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with its official bilateral creditors as a draft of the agreement is soon to be shared with the country.

This MoU is in relation to the restructuring of some US$13 billion external debt to meet IMF’s debt sustainability parameters, with the country reaching an agreement in principle with official creditors in January 2024.

‘Essentially, we’ve agreed to all that we need to do for the [second review programme] to go to the Board, with the only outstanding issue being the draft of the MoU from official creditors, expected in May 2024,’ Dr Amin Adam said.

‘If we have that [the draft MoU], there won’t be any lengthy negotiation because we’ve already agreed to the offer they gave to us in principle since January. So, we don’t expect any hurdles to cross as far as that’s concerned,’ he added.

This is expected to further boost the country’s chance to access a third tranche of US$360 million when the IMF E
xecutive Board meets in June this year over Ghana’s second review programme.

The Minister said this at a press briefing to wrap up Ghana’s activities for the 2024 International Monetary Fund (IMF)/World Bank Group (WBG) Spring Meetings in Washington, US.

The briefing, held on Sunday, April 21, was monitored by the Ghana News Agency.

When it reached a staff-level agreement with Ghana last week, the IMF staff mission team stated that the next step was for the country to have an MoU with the official bilateral creditors.

However, at the just ended Spring Meetings, Mr Abebe Aemro Selassie, Director, African Department, IMF, clarified that the signing of the MoU would not be a prerequisite for the disbursement of funds to Ghana.

On this development, Dr Amin Adam noted that the Official Creditors Committee had shared a draft of the MoU with their members regarding the country’s external debt restructuring.

The Minister added that, ‘… they’re about sharing it [the draft MoU] with us. As soon as we get the draf
t and we’re fine with it, that we will mean that we have an agreement on the MoU.’

He expressed confidence about Ghana securing the third tranche of US$360 million in June.

‘We do not have any reason to suggest that the Board well miss this because essentially, we’ve agreed to all that we need to do… so, I can tell you, we’re very optimistic.’

Ghana is implementing a three-year Extended Credit Facility (ECF) programme with the IMF, supported by a homegrown Post-COVID-19 Programme for Economic Growth (PC-PEG).

This programme is aimed at restoring macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability, build resilience, and lay the foundation for stronger and more inclusive growth.

The spring meetings, served as a platform for the government to engage with creditors, and other development partners in respect to the country’s economic stability and resilience endeavour.

One of the major developments during Ghana’s participation of the 2024 spring meetings was the announcement of the procurement of some one millio
n modern meters into the country.

The meters would be procured through the World Bank’s Programme-for-Results initiative to help improve revenue collection amidst current power outages in the country, largely attributed to liquidity challenges in the energy sector.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Traders and commercial drivers, who plied the Koforidua-Ada-Asesewa road in the Eastern Region, have expressed discomfort about the worsening condition of the stretch and appealed to the government to reshape it to facilitate their movements and economic activities.

The traders, who made the appeal through an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said the bad nature of the road had not only slowed down their economic activities, but had a devastating effect on their health and wellbeing.

Madam Afrane, a market woman at Nkurakan, a farming community in the area, told the GNA that she had been buying painkillers whenever she used the road and returned from the market.

Bright Narh, popularly known as ‘Anyemi,’ a commercial driver who plied the Adukrom-Oterkporlu-Asesewa-Nkurakan portion of the stretch remarked that it was uncomfortable to ply the road, which was always dusty in the dry and muddy in the wet seasons.

‘We only spend our daily sales to repair our vehicles due to the nature of the road,’ he
said.

During a visit, the GNA noticed the Nkurakan-Apesua-Huhunya-Klo-Agogo-Obawale-Sikabeng-Oterkporlu-Asesewa stretch was in a bad shape.

The untarred road had developed several potholes, posing threats to the life of commuters, motorists, passengers and drivers, as hundreds of traders and market women used the stretch mostly on Mondays and Fridays, being the market days at Nkurakan, Akate, Klo-Agogo and Asesewa.

Checks showed the same stretch connects to the Boti and Akaa WaterFalls, as well as ‘Umbrella Rock,’ and other beautiful tourist destination sites in the Yilo and Manya Krobo areas.??

As one of the busiest roads in the region, the stretch further links towns and communities within the Upper Manya, Lower Manya, Yilo Krobo Municipalities as well as the Asuogyaman and Okere Districts to Koforidua, the Eastern regional capital.

Some passengers also used the road connecting the Northern and Southern parts of the Volta Regions, Tema and parts of the Greater Accra Region.?

Due to the dusty nature of
the road, many shops at Apesua, Kwasi Diaka and Huhunya communities, as well as some fuel filling stations had stopped operating.

Mary Tamatey, a provision shopkeeper, told the GNA that ‘We only inhale the dust emanating from the road when we come to work. Our daily sales have gone down and we plead with the government to do something about the road’.

The GNA gathered that several operators of food joints, and hairdressing salons along the road had also closed their shops contemplating relocating their businesses.

Mr Joseph Lawer, a dealer in hardware at Nkurakan confirmed the road had been awarded on contract, the contractor had not been seen on site for years.

Some students of the Apesua Community Senior High School along the stretch said the dusty nature of the road was affecting their health.

When contacted, Mr Emmanuel Tetteh Kwao, the Assemblyman for Nkurakan Central Electoral Area, alleged that because the contract was awarded at the national level, they were unable to trace the contractor.

He sa
id his outfit had written officially to Mr Eric Tetteh, the Municipal Chief Executive, and urged the residents and users of the road to remain calm, as he followed up with the letter.

Mr Kwao said the bad nature of the road was having a negative effect on revenue mobilisation, saying it was difficult for revenue collectors to collect taxes at the markets, communities and businesses along the stretch.

He said Mondays and Thursdays were market days at the Nkurakan market, Tuesdays and Fridays at Klo-Agogo markets, Wednesdays and Saturdays at Akate market and Fridays at Asesewa market, saying the assembly could mobilize more revenue for development if the road was put in good shape.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Eleven students from the Department of Social Work at the University of Ghana have donated 10 plastic chairs to the Ashaiman Municipal Office of the Social Welfare and Community Development Department.?

According to the students, who were on an eight-week internship at the office, they identified a problem, which was the inadequate chairs at the department, and interacted with Dr. Vyda Mamley Hervie, Lecturer and Academic Field Supervisor, University of Ghana, on the issue.

They were motivated by their supervisor to find a solution to the challenge, thus presenting the chairs.

They described the department as the best place to gain practical knowledge and paid critical attention to the formulation and implementation of policies to support individuals and groups in need of various social services.

Mr. Ibrahim Talata Saru, the leader of the interns, handed over the chairs to the department, saying the internship was a tremendous real-life work experience that would help them make a difference in their futur
e careers.

He said the field experience gained would build their confidence and give them a?sense of purpose by developing a deeper understanding of the courses they were studying.

Ms. Anita Gyan, another leader, said that their activities focused on child non-maintenance cases, which included court work, family welfare, Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), and daycare supervision, among others.

She added that the valuable work experience gained would expand their job network, help them explore interests, and help them form their personal career goals.

Mrs.?Jemima Agyeman, the?Principal Social Work Development Officer, Ashaiman Municipal?Assembly,?commended the students for their kind gesture and being one of the best interns?posted to the assembly to gain practical knowledge.

She explained that the eight-week stay was vibrant and productive as they were ready to learn, accepted their mistakes, and listened to corrections, stressing that these were character traits expected to ensure an enablin
g work environment, paving the way for them to give out their best in teaching them.

‘We are surprised; all along we didn’t know they were even planning to do this, which means that wherever they are, they can identify problems and find solutions to them,’ she stated.

?

Mrs. Agyeman asked for God’s blessing for the students for their support and selfless act.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The management and staff of the Forestry Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-FORIG), have organised a send-off ceremony for its immediate past director, Prof. Daniel Aniagyei Ofori, after 33 years of an illustrious career with the institute.

The ceremony, which coincided with his 60th birthday, was to appreciate his dedicated service and immense contributions to the progress of the Institute over the years.

After joining the Institute in 1991 as a Research Assistant Officer, Prof. Ofori rose through the ranks to become its Director in 2015, providing an outstanding leadership until his retirement.

During his stint with CSIR-FORIG, he acquired his master’s and PhD degrees, authored 183 publications and was conferred a full professor in 2017.

Having spent virtually his entire career with CSIR-FORIG, the management recognised the need to put together a befitting send-off ceremony as he exited an institution he served with passion and commitment.

Staff of the Instit
ute, friends, former directors, and other well-wishers who were in attendance presented various packages to the outgoing Director.

Some of them took turns to extol his qualities as a scientist and their working relationships with him and wished him well for the next chapter of his life.

Prof. Ofori acknowledged that the CSIR-FORIG had been a good place of work for him, having built his capacity as a young scientist to become a professor.

‘It has been a wonderful experience, both technically and socially. Managerial skills, self-confidence, purposefulness, knowledge, practical skills and sense of direction among other virtues would not have been attained without CSIR,’ he noted.

He said he saw the position as Director a call to duty and urged the staff not to bury their talents but make optimum use of them to project the image of CSIR-FORIG and corporate CSIR.

‘Let us use our knowledge and skills to turn the fortunes of the Institute into reality and also cultivate the ability to decrease the gap between
vision and action,’ Prof. Ofori advised.

He recounted several successes achieved during his tenure as the Director with the tacit support of the staff and other stakeholders and thanked them for their respective roles in the journey.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mrs Patricia Obo-Nai, Chief Executive Officer, Telecel Ghana, has asked parents to allow their girl children to pursue courses and careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) which are currently shaping the world.

She said women in STEM or those who wanted to take up such programmes must be encouraged as there were many opportunities in the sector.

Mrs Obo-Nai was speaking at the Pascal Gally’s ‘Choc Des Legendes’ event held in Accra to celebrate ‘women leadership, commitment and legacy to humanity’.

Hosted for the first time in Africa, the celebration captioned: ‘Praise of Women’, brought together female participants from diverse backgrounds, including the First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo.

Mrs Obo-Nai, in her address, emphasised equal opportunities for women and men in STEM education and on the job market.

‘There would be more digital jobs than qualified people so if we are still spending time training just the men, then we are letting our women down because there will be few women w
ho have the opportunity to take up jobs.

‘There will be more jobs in the digital world so [parents] please allow your ladies to pursue what the future holds which is Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics,’ she stressed.

The Chief Executive Officer again encouraged employers across industries to give female employees the chance to take up projects, which would ‘build their confidence’.

She said women must be considered for senior managerial roles.

Conversations at the forum highlighted the essence of women being the best version of themselves as they continue to contribute positively to national development.

Although men continue to exert their authority in key decision making processes, Ghana’s Ambassador to France, Ms Anna Bossman was of the view that ‘women can have it all if they believe in themselves’.

She, however, observed that the ‘failure’ of women to support one another tended to ‘hurt’ the cause of women empowerment in all spheres of life.

‘If men are not supporting women, I unders
tand…but if women are not supporting women and lifting them up, I accuse them…Women are letting themselves down by not believing in their magnificence or believing in the power they hold.

‘…It is women who bring up children and therein lies your power…My anger comes from the disappointment that women fail to see that they hold humanity in their hands,’ she stated.

Ms Bossman, therefore, urged women across sectors to support one another and speak against socio-cultural practices which affected the progress of women and the girl child.

Mr Evangelos Kyriakedis, Executive Director, Heritage Management Organisation, also called for more support for African women as the population of women on the continent continued to grow rapidly.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Abuakwa South Municipal Assembly has held its annual Town Hall Meeting at Kyebi to render accounts to the citizenry.

The programme was organized in partnership with Advocates for Community Alternatives (ACA), a not-for-profit organization, as part of efforts to ensure transparency, accountability and deepen local governance in the area.

Mrs Akosua Asabea Annoh, Abuakwa South Municipal Chief Executive, commended ACA for collaborating with the Assembly to execute community-driven projects in some towns in the area and called for the inclusion of more communities.

She gave the assurance that the assembly would continue to partner with ACA to bring development and local governance to the doorsteps of the people.

The Municipal Planning Officer, Mr Aaron Addo Yirenkyi, in a presentation, said that most of the developmental projects were in the areas of infrastructural, economic, agriculture, health, education, sanitation and economic support to some Persons Living with disabilities among others.

Mr Godfred
Osei Nimako, ACA’s Project Manager, emphasized the importance of community members’ involvement in sustainable development initiatives as it was cost-effective and created a deep sense of project ownership and cooperation among the people.

He noted that the Facilitated Collective Action Process (FCAP) is the main tool being used by ACA to execute projects in partnership with local authorities in the Bono East and the Eastern Regions.

Following a successful piloting in seven communities in Bono East and Eastern regions, FCAP is being rolled out in a 100 more communities, with 55 beneficiary communities at various stages of completion of their selected projects.

The Project Manager was, however, worried about the inability of some community members to meet periodically as required under the FCAP implementation process and called for a renewed commitment by the beneficiary communities to improve their living conditions.

Source: Ghana News Agency