As part of the overall strategy to prevent accidents, especially during this festive season and beyond, the Police have introduced an initiative to check the insecure loading of vehicles across the country.
The initiative, dubbed Operation PAILES (POLICE ANTI-INSECURE LOADING ENFORCEMENT STRATEGY ) is aimed at ensuring that cargo carting trucks do not take goods beyond their legally permitted limits, a practice that has become one of the major causes of accidents in the country.
According to the Police, following a piloting of the strategy in the Eastern Region over the past three months leading to the arrest and successful prosecution of over 50 insecurely loaded trucks (pictures attached), the implementation of the strategy is being rolled out across the country.
“As part of the implementation of the strategy, the Police are engaging relevant stakeholders such as the cargo association, charcoal, and timber drivers unions across the country to educate and caution them on the dangers associated with insecure loading and the need to adhere to the required legal loading limits,” a statement issued by the Police said.
“We would like to take this opportunity to urge the public to support us in our efforts to ensure strict compliance with the Anti-Insecure Loading Enforcement Strategy to make our roads safe and secure during this Christmas season and beyond,” it added.
A man believed to be in his 70s has been burnt to death in an inferno that gutted a house at Akyem Asuboa community in Eastern region last night.
The fire outbreak occurred at about midnight.
The assembly member for Asuboa Salam, Andrews Sir Doe told Starr News the man identified as Yaw Donkor was sleeping when the fire gutted the room.
Four other victims in nearby rooms were however rescued by residents and fire personnel who doused the fire.
“The fire outbreak started at midnight. The cause of the fire is not known but the house is connected to electricity. In fact, the man was sleeping alone in the house so he was burnt to death. I tried hard before getting Fire service personnel to come around to help extinguish the fire. They broke into other rooms to rescue four others including children”
The charred body has been wrapped and taken to the morgue for preservation pending further investigation.
The Eastern Region recorded 279 fire outbreaks within the first quarter of the year. The figure comprised 167 bushfire outbreaks and 112 domestic fire incidents.
Armed robbers on Friday (2 December) killed a woman at Aprawhem in the Eastern Region, an official police statement said.
According to the police, the gang of armed robbers also robbed a gold dealer of some valuables during the attack.
In a terse statement, the police gave assurance to the general public that the armed robbers will be arrested to face justice.
“The police have since last night embarked on a special operation to arrest a gang of armed robbers who shot a woman at Aprawhem on 2 December 2022 and also robbed a gold dealer of some valuables.
“We would like to assure the public that we will surely get these thugs arrested to face justice,” the statement said.
Alex Tenge, a carpenter has allegedly killed his mother and grandfather at Okorase in the Akuapem North Municipality in the Eastern region.
The suspect beheaded the about 90-year-old grandfather Tenge Sodzado, and cut it into pieces before pursuing and butchering the mother Rita Agbabli Tenge, 40, in the compound of the house for raising alarm.
The incident occurred Thursday, December 1, 2022, at about 11:30pm. The suspect is alleged to have committed the heinous crime after allegedly drinking Sobolo laced with wee.
He has reportedly told the Police.
Starr News visit to the family house observed a solemn meeting by the family members as they receive sympathizers.
The widower who’s the son of the deceased old man Francis Tenge said the family is devasted by the incident.
“I left my wife and father home Thursday morning to my hometown, I arrived 9:30 pm. Then I had a call from my wife that Alex(suspect) had gone to a nearby house and attempted to entangle the neck of a girl in the house so the father was going to report at the police station”. Francis Tenge told Starr News.
He narrated further, “I tried calling back for an update on the police case but my wife didn’t respond to the phone calls. I was later told that my son Alex has killed my wife and father. It was very difficult for me, so I set off the next day to come home. Now I need psychological help, I need your prayers and support. My son has never misbehaved like that. I don’t know what came to him. I am told he informed police that someone gave him sobolo”.
Kwasi Gboha, an Elder in the family said they are collaborating with the police for further investigation after which the body will be released to them for burial.
Late Rita Ababli Tenge was a Christian with Leaders Light International Ministry, Okorase branch. She had returned from church on the fateful night before being gruesomely killed.
Two Pastors of the Church – Pastor Frank Aki and Pastor Ebenezer Awuah on Saturday morning visited the bereaved family to commiserate and motivate them with scriptures.
Rita Tenge left behind four children made up of two boys and two girls with the older child now 14 years of age whilst the last born is 9 months old.
Meanwhile, the suspect is in police custody assisting investigation whilst the bodies have been deposited at the morgue of the Eastern Regional Hospital.
Addressing the media, some concerned youth in Aburi noted with disdain that transportation fares in Aburi to any part of nearby areas are high compared to other places despite having good roads.
The youth in Aburi cited that, while a 23km road from Aburi to Madina now costs Ghc13.60, a 26.9 km road from Madina to Dodowa costs Ghc10.
The youth argued that transport fares from Aburi to Madina shot up during the reconstruction of Tetteh Quarshie to Mamfe road two decades ago due to the diversion of the road through Kitase -Brekuso to Kwabenya.
However, drivers failed to reverse the Ghc2 additional increment as agreed with passengers after the road construction rather keeps increasing the fares unfairly.
This they say is worsening the plight of the people and also affecting businesses and tourism.
Fred Odei Addo Duodu, Secretary to the youth group demanded an immediate reduction in transport fares else the youth will rise.
He further stated that “it is our fervent prayer that our demands today on paper must translate into a renewed action by the transport unions to expose those unscrupulous drivers who charge exorbitantly based on their own discretion, push for bolder policies to flush out drivers who disregard the approved general pricing principle by the transport unions”.
Some opinion leaders in the community said they have made several efforts to petition the Greater Accra Regional GPRTU executives and Akuapem South District Chief Executive but the GPRTU have failed to act on their grievances.
Residents have given a one-week ultimatum for the fares to be reduced else will stage massive demonstrations and subsequently expulsed recalcitrant drivers from plying to Aburi township.
However, some of the drivers told Starr News, they can’t be blamed because they only implement fares approved by GPRTU.
Former President John Agyekum Kufuor says it is time Ghana abolished the Council of State concept in its governance structure.
He said the Council has outlived its usefulness in the current democratic dispensation.
“I have had a chance to express my views on the Council of State, very honourable distinguished institution, well-meaning. But, I can say I don’t think it is fit for purpose given the state of development of our country and given the fact that the nation is committed to practicing democratic governance.”
The former President said this at a seminar organised by the Professor Mike Oquaye Centre for Constitutional Studies at the Institute for Economic Affairs (IEA), in Aburi, Eastern Region, on Tuesday.
The seminar formed part of a series of engagements the Institute is undertaking to solicit input toward a possible review of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
The former President proposed that, instead of the Council of State, the country should set up a second chamber of Parliament to play the advisory role to the government.
In recent times, the relevance of the Council of State has been questioned with some political commentators, academia and civil society organisations suggesting that the body has outlived its usefulness, thus should be abolished.
Former President Kufuor explained that though the framers of the Constitution thought it wise to set up such a body to advise the President, the Council is no longer useful.
He said: “… We limit the uses of Council of State to advising just the President,” and that often, the President decided whether or not to take the advice.
“So, I have gone through all these periods and I have come to a conclusion, perhaps, what our Constitution should have to temper the extremes of democracy is not a Council of State, but a second chamber. A second chamber well composed not on basis of democracy so much. Democracy should always be implied in there though, but not entirely democratically but more on experience, prove in public spiritedness, prudence, maturity, care for the nation, inclusive.
“If we do that, and allow this second chamber to operate openly, in the full glare of publicity, then the wisdom that would be issued from their deliberations would impact not only the President… ,” he added.
The former President added that the term of the second chamber must not be tied to the tenure of any government to ensure that there is continuity in the provision of development for the people.
On limiting the appointing powers of the President, the former President said the country must practice the checks and balances in its pure form, especially among the lead organs of State.
He called for the amendment of sections of the Constitution that empowered presidents to appoint about 50 percent of Ministers from Parliament.
“The legislature should be apart, people being elected there should be encouraged to professionalise themselves as legislators so they will play the guard dogs or watchdogs on the executive,” he said.
The former President also urged that political parties should be allowed to participate in elections at the local level.
The Eastern Regional National Democratic Congress delegates conference, which was originally scheduled for November 19, 2022, has been slapped with a court injunction.
In a letter sighted by Citi News with the heading, Notice of Interlocutory Injunction Eastern Regional Conference, signed by the regional chairman, John Owusu Amankra and copied to all constituency chairmen in the region and all media houses, the party indicated that the regional office has been served with a writ of summons from the court placing an interlocutory injunction on the regional conference.
“We are therefore by this means communicating to the entire region, particularly the delegates, that the regional conference is on hold and shall not be held on November 19 till further directives from the NDC legal team. We apologize for the inconvenience caused”.
In the writ “the plaintiff Fia-Tes Valentine Confidence by the motion prayed for an order of interim injunction restraining the defendants, their agents or privies whatsoever from organizing, convening and conducting or convening the Eastern Regional Conference of the National Democratic Congress to be organized, convened and conducted at the Koforidua Technical University on the 19th day of November 2022, pending the determination of these applications.”
“The affidavit in support of the plaintiffs indicated that the party fixed the 19th day of November 2022 to hold the Eastern Regional Conference at Anagkazo Bible and Ministry, Mampong Tutu, and that for no justifiable reasons, some unseen hands in the party have alleged a change in venue from Tutu Akwapim to the Koforidua Technical university. That I am advised by counsel verily believing the same to be true, that this does not auger well for our young democracy. If after a decision has been settled upon by the majority of us, just a few members of the party could not change it. That a grant of the application would ensure that at the end of the day, after the court makes a determination, no party is shortchanged to enjoy the fruit of the judgement”.
Customers of the Electricity Company of Ghana in the Lower Manya and Yilo Krobo Municipalities of the Eastern Region have expressed divergent experiences over the use of prepaid meters.
Backed by the military, most parts of the Krobo area have been successfully rolled onto the new meters by the ECG after several months of hostilities between the power distributors and their customers over the deployment of the meters.
Months after some communities have been rolled onto the new billing system, GhanaWeb interacted with some residents and business operators on their experiences with the meters.
For Georgina Ametepey Ghalley, the meter was installed at her shop in August 2022. A seamstress at Somanya said purchasing Ghc50 worth of credit is always enough to last her for over a month compared to her average monthly bill of Ghc 70 on the postpaid meters. To her, the meter has proven to be a better option as she’s in a position to monitor her consumption.
“My experience so far, the prepaid meter is okay, not like the postpaid. At times the bills that will come are very high at times too they say it’s a network problem so the prepaid is better,” she said. “Because I can check my balance, what I’ve used for the day and everything so I think the prepaid is okay.”
Having used this type of meter before, she had no fears prior to its deployment, contrary to the reservations of most people in the locality.
According to her, she still uses the same items and does not have cause to adjust their usage in any way.
Auntie Victoria Mamle, a waakye (rice and beans) seller and also a resident of Mampong had the meters installed for her some three months ago.
Admitting that she was one of many opponents to the introduction of the new meters, she said her reservations were over buying of credit, adding that her fears were being confirmed.
“We didn’t want it because of the credit you’ll buy,” she said. “If we had the old one, we can get the money to pay for the monthly bills but this one if you don’t have money today and it is finished, you’ll go off.”
Expressing her frustrations over the situation, Auntie Mamle complained that she buys about Ghc200 worth of credit in a month, twice her monthly bill on the postpaid meters. She said, “I think the old one is good because since I got this meter, if I buy the credit like Ghc50, I don’t even get one week and it’s finished so I think the old one is good because with the old one, in a month, I get a bill of between Ghc90 and Ghc100.”
Some customers however believe the ECG is using the new meters to defray its old bills.
Though the power consumer assured the residents that the old bills would not be passed onto the new meters, some of the residents believe the ECG is subtly defraying the existing bills on the old meters with the deduction of what it calls service charges.
According to them, the service charges of about 15% of the amount bought, are deducted with the remaining credit lasting them relatively shorter periods compared with the postpaid meters.
Auntie Doris Odonkor, a fishmonger at Ayikpala, a suburb of Kpong owns three meters in her house. She explained that the service charges being deducted were mere smokescreens behind which the Company hides to deduct the accumulated bills on her meters.
“When the meters were fixed, they were each credited with Ghc10.00. The ten cedis ran out after three days and I bought an additional Ghc100. Out of this Ghc15 was deducted,” she said.
According to her, the charges were explained as processing and maintenance fees, adding that these deductions were repeated when she returned to buy more credit.
The elderly woman furthered that her fears that she would struggle to understand how the meter works due to her poor education were manifest.
Assemblyman for Kpong Ahudzo, honorable Raymond Gborson observed that there was very little difference between the postpaid and prepaid meters.
Estimating his monthly expenses on the prepaid meters compared to the postpaid bills, the Assemblyman said his consumption was around the same amount.
“Using this for a month, I don’t see any difference between this one and the postpaid ones. This one is paying as you go, the only difference is that if you don’t have credit on it, you can’t use it as compared to the postpaid ones that you can use as and when you have money,” he said.
Contrary to complaints of deductions from some consumers, Hon Gborson said he only paid the statutory charges through the deductions whenever he bought credit although he admits he had unpaid bills on the postpaid meters.
To him, the agitations that greeted the proposed installation process stemmed from the low education ahead of the deployment of the meters.
He added that following the instructions on the meter was easy and called for understanding and acceptance by all and sundry.
He noted: “The agitation of people before the installation of the prepaid to me has been that proper and vivid education has not taken place…for years, decades Krobos and for that matter we Ghanaians were used to the postpaid meters.”
The awardees were made of six categories namely kindergarten, primary, junior high school, senior high school, non-teaching and administration.
The awards ceremony was dubbed: “Promoting holistic education in the post-COVID era: The role of the teacher and school administrators”.
Awardees
The Overall Best Teacher award went to Prince Asirifi Nyarko of Begoro Salvation Army Junior High School, who received a 43” television set and a certificate.
Other prizes given out were table top fridges, home theater sound system, rice cookers, table top burners, gas cylinders, blenders and wall clocks.
Appraisal system
A former Director of Basic Education of the GES, Emmanuel Acquaye, said the role of the teacher in holistic education delivery, and the core roles of teachers and school administrators in any category were to contribute to institutional governance, manage for transformation and to institute and implement an appraisal system that led to holistic results-based management.
He explained that for all children to receive the high quality of pre-tertiary education that would prepare them to be productive in a rapidly changing world, instruction and instructional materials would need to be matched to the learner.
“Meeting the challenge of diversity requires decisions about educational policy with special references to parenting and management of schools in general, pedagogy and collegiality at the school level and allocation of resources that will make the difference between stagnation and growth,” Mr Acquaye stressed.
Passion needed
The Member of Parliament for Fanteakwa North Constituency, Kwabena Amankwah Asiamah, who sponsored the programme, entreated teachers to have passion for the teaching profession.
Mr Asiamah said Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education needed to be intensified in the schools in the district, and urged the teachers to put efforts into the teaching and learning of STEM-related subjects.
The District Director of Education, Mrs Gloria Aggrey Kilson, lauded the teachers and the awardees for their dedicated service but stressed that there was room for improvement.
She commended the Fanteakwa North District Assembly for building a new office for the district directorate to promote supervision of quality teaching and learning in the district.
The acting Begorohene and Akyem Benkumhene, Osabarima Bosompem Ayirepe II, who chaired the function, pledged the support of the traditional council to promote quality education in the area.
Farmers in the Kwaebiberem Municipality in the Eastern Region have attributed the low monetary returns from their farms as the reason they exchange their farmlands for illegal mining also known as galamsey.
The farmers, who are mostly cocoa farmers, want the producer price of cocoa increased to cushion them taking into consideration the current economic mishaps.
Already, cocoa farms in Kwaebiberem have been left with large pits by illegal small-scale miners.
But these farmers say the government’s investment in the sector will help end the menace.
“If the government wants the cocoa sector to thrive, it has to increase the price at which cocoa is sold. Some farmers hand over their lands to illegal miners because they are offered good sums of money. Transportation alone takes so much of our proceeds. How do we survive and cater for our children’s education? Something must be done, otherwise we will import cocoa other than export”, one of them lamented.
The youth in the area are said to be engaged in illegal acts because most of the town’s cocoa farmlands have been sold by family members for illegal mining (galamsey) use.
A visit by Citi News to the area revealed cocoa farms have been left with large pits by illegal small-scale miners.
Residents said unknown persons came from outside the community to prospect and eventually destroy the land with their illegal mining activities.
Some of the pits in the area had been left for up to eight years.
Despite the government’s rhetoric in the fight against illegal mining, illegal miners were still at work in this particular district.
A resident who spoke to Citi News noted that the situation has become dire.
“This is the most dangerous aspect. People have their cocoa farms, they sell them and after taking the money, that’s all. Some invest the money in other businesses, but that is not favourable for everyone.”
On Monday, October 31st, Diallo Sumbry was enstooled as the Nkosuohene (Chief of Development) in Nyame Bekyere, a community in the Eastern Region of Ghana approximately 1.5 hours away from the capital city of Accra.
Diallo whose title became Nana One (Nana is used as the title of a monarch to signify their status) was recognized by the village elders for his consistent work in the community of Nyame Bekere and his efforts to build bridges between Ghana and the global African diaspora as a Tourism Ambassador to Ghana, co-architect/founder of The Year of Return, Director of Partnerships at African Ancestry, author of The Smart Repatriation Guide to Ghana, and CEO of The Adinkra Group, a cultural resource organization which has organized Birthright Journeys to Ghana for over 1000 African Americans since 2019.
After being enstooled, Sumbry’s first order as a new Chief was performing a naming ceremonies for 8 members of African Ancestry Homecoming who traced their lineage to Ghana through DNA as well Dwayne, Gabrielle Union and Kaavia Wade who were also in attendance at the enstoolment along with over 300 members of royal families, government officials, media, family, friends, and local residents of the community.
Following the naming ceremony, Sumbry, the Wade Family and other guests participated in a ribbon cutting and unveiling for a 3 story library and community center Diallo has developed in the town which also featured a live performance go-go band, Black Alley from Washington DC who were in Ghana for the festivities.
“As a creative and cultural community leader for the past 25 years, I have dedicated my life and work to showing the beauty and relevance to African and African American culture. Since coming to Ghana, I have been committed to bridging the gap and allowing both sides to experience and learn from each other. It is an honor to be bestowed the title of a Chief/King, however I believe that like a fruitful harvest, greatness requires a supportive environment that will provide the necessary elements to produce ripe fruit. That is my vision for Nyame Bekyere and I and invite others to join me here to support the development of this community and other communities I build and work in Africa and in the US,” shared Sumbry.
In December 2018, Sumbry was appointed US Ambassador for Tourism for Ghana in recognition of his impact on the country’s cultural and tourism sectors, and his role as one of the architects of The Year of Return. He is the first African-American to receive this title.
Despite President Nana Akufo-Addo’s warnings to his Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executive (MMDCEs) to frown on illegal mining activities or risk being sacked, the youth and opinion leaders of Asaman Tamfoe in the Atewa East Constituency of Eastern Region are accusing the District Chief Executive (DCE), Lawyer Kwabena Payin Nkansah, of dabbling in the illicit activities also known as galamsey in the name of community mining.
The two groups are accusing the DCE of dereliction of duties in the declared fight against galamsey in the area. They accused the DCE of turning a blind eye to galamsey activities in the area.
In September, 16 persons were arrested in connection with a shooting incident at Asaman Tamfoe in the Atewa East District of the Eastern Region.
A statement signed by Police Superintendent Ebenezer Tetteh of the Public Affairs, Eastern Region, said the incident occurred between some persons believed to be illegal miners and a community anti-galamsey taskforce on September 29, 2022, when they clashed in the area.
The DCE vehemently denied this allegation speaking in an interview with Emmanuel Quarshie (The Hitman), the host of Ghana Yensom morning show on Accra 100.5 FM on Wednesday, November 2 2022.
According to the DCE, he is not aware that galamsey activities are ongoing in the Asaman Tamfoe area.
He was categorical to say there were no galamsey activities in the area.
“I don’t know if there are any galamsey activities ongoing in the area.
“My attention has not been drawn to any such activities in the area,” he said.
He maintained that the people who are making the allegations should have called on his office to inform him of any galamsey activities in Asaman Tamfoe rather than coming on the radio.
He expressed his displeasure about the issues of galamsey in the area adding that he is rather aware of community mining which has not even started since it was launched in July in the area.
“I‘m aware the people making the allegations have all been against me in the area.
“What I know is what I’m telling you, I don’t know anything about galamsey in the area,” he stressed.
Wofa Yaw Owusu, an opinion leader at Asaman Tamfoe insists the DCE and the chief of the area, Osabrima Kwame Kuh II, are complicit in the activities of illegal mining in the area.
He alleged that the chief has allocated a stool land for galamsey activities in the area.
According to him, they know what the DCE and the chief are doing concerning galamsey activities so they have refused to answer queries from the media any time they are called upon.
A youth leader, Ernest Butha also told The Hitman that the youth in the area have registered their displeasure about galamsey activities in the area because it had destroyed the main source of water named Tamfoe.
When The Hitman further called up the chief, he flatly denied the activities of galamsey in the area adding that he was rather aware of community mining in the area.
To guarantee a seamless delivery of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) cash grant to beneficiary households in Ghana, the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection has organized workshops on the LEAP payment process and performance for key stakeholders in Volta and Eastern Regions.
The LEAP programme disburses cash grants to beneficiary households to reduce poverty by smoothening consumption and promoting human capital development.
The workshop ensured stakeholders at the national, regional, and district levels have an enhanced understanding of the Programmes Payment processes, objectives, guiding principles, and goals.
As part of the LEAP payment process, the LEAP Management Secretariat will employ zoning strategies to engage sub-national level structures tasked with implementing LEAP at various levels.
It is expected that stakeholders in the LEAP Payment process will understand payment targets, measure the performance of the payment delivery chain and obtain inputs to renew the payment contract.
Participants from the Greater Accra, Oti, Volta, Western, Central, and Eastern Regions were drawn from the Ministry of Finance, Controller and Accountant Generals Department, and the Department of Social Welfare.
The rests are representatives from Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GHIPSS) and Participating Financial Institutions (PFI).
The World Bank funded the stakeholders’ engagement workshop under the Ghana Productive Safety Net Project (GPSNP).
Teacher trainees at Mount Mary College of Education in Somanya in the Eastern region are agitating over attempts by management of the college to allegedly embezzle Ghc279,104 supposed to be reimbursed to them.
The students say they paid for their feeding for four months waiting for reimbursement from government, however when the fund was released by the Student Loan Trust Fund for onward disbursement to the students with GHc 784.00 for each student management has refused to pay the amount to them.
The students numbering 356 said authorities are supposed to refund an amount of GHc 279,104.00 but claimed they have not received any amount.
However, the students say they have evidence that their colleagues from other colleges like Gbewaa College of Education, Bagabaga College of Education, St. Joseph College of Education, Enchi College of Education among others have received theirs.
The students accused the SRC of conniving with the management on the alleged embezzlement.
They also complained of poor feeding despite the payment by government through the student loan Trust Fund.
The Okyenhene, Amoatia Ofori Panin II is first on Ghana Twitter trends following his comments and descriptions of people criticizing President Akufo-Addo as ‘villagers’ and ‘witches.’
Speaking at the inauguration of Archeaconry Service held at the St. Martin Anglican Church in Kyebi in the Abuakwa South Municipality of the Eastern Region on Sunday, October 23, 2022, the traditional leader called on Ghanaians to appreciate the significant contribution of the president to the development of the country.
He explained that the numerous policies of the government, such as the Free Senior High School, are reasons Ghanaians should be grateful to the government.
“We must appreciate the feat of the president and show him appreciation for what he has done for Ghana. We must defend and protect him.
“… those insulting the president are children of villagers. They are uncivilized. No well-nurtured person will insult an elderly. If you were raised in the church, you will not insult an elder. If you are not a villager then you may be a witch or wizard,” he said without mincing words.
Following that, a number of online users have flooded Twitter to share their sentiments about the chief’s comments.
One user, Abena Nsia Nyarko, stated that it appears it is because of the direct benefits the Okyehene receives from the continuous stay of the president in office that he is speaking this way.
“This is why the Okyenhene is calling us villagers, witches & wizards. Because, so long as Nana Akufo-Addo stays in office he continues to benefit hugely from the state. Hence the insult for demanding our Constitutional Right against the economic quagmire we’re facing today,” she tweeted.
President Akufo-Addo says he is hopeful the outcome of the International Monetary Fund ( IMF) negotiations would tackle the high cost of living in the country.
He admitted the cost of living was high but was optimistic that the package of measures which would accompany the IMF programme would address the economic issues successfully and reduce the hardship on Ghanaians.
“Yes we are going through difficulties but at the same time we trying to do well in other areas, the fundamentals of government policy is working. We have about 120 One District, One Factory completed and 300 of them in the pipeline,” he said.
President, Akufo- Addo made these statements at Nkawkaw in the Eastern Region on Friday when he spoke to the media as part of his three-day tour of the Eastern Region.
Speaking on concerns made by some persons to review the free Senior High School (SHS) policy, the President said he was a bit skeptical about it.
He argued “I have to confess my attitude when I hear the word review I hesitate because, first people who spoke about the review are people who opposed the policy in the first place and so if someone who did not want the policy comes to tell us that we should review it then my understanding is that he is to review the policy to reverse it.”
According to the President, the two fundamental thrust of the policy which was to expand access that has been dramatically achieved.
“The other was to include quality outcomes of education and I must say The outcomes of the free SHS graduates are a major improvement on the free SHS data that we have whether it is mathematics or integrated science, english across the board.”
President Akufo-Addo added that each of these areas of study has seen a significant increase in the results of the students.
President Akufo-Addo said reviewing these two thrusst of the policy and the improvement made will somehow be compromised, adding the country cannot tamper with the two fundamentals.
He said “as a country, we have ensured that nobody in the country, no matter their social origin and financial background should be denied access to good quality secondary education and added that for the past five years, the implementation of the policy has been established.”
He indicated that so far, his government have been able to financially sustain the free SHS policy and would continue to sustain it.
The President later attended an official opening of the NPP National Executives and directors Training and Orientation Conference at Rock City in the Abetifi Constituency.
He then proceeded to Nkawkaw to inspect the construction of the Nkawkaw-Abirem- Ofoase -Akim Oda road Project.
President Akufo Addo later paid a courtesy call on the Chief of Ofoase, inspected the construction of the Ofoase-Ayirebi Agenda 111 hospital project and departed to Akyem Asuboa in the Asene Manso Akroso constituency to inspect a similar project.
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.
Customers adversely affected by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG)’s prepayment system vending failure will today begin processing claims forms to be submitted to the ECG District Offices for compensation.
This follows an engagement between the PURC and ECG regarding the compensation of clients affected by ECG’s Prepayment System in the Volta Region, Accra, Central Region, Western Region, Ashanti Region, and Eastern Region, among others.
Dr. Ishmael Ackah, Executive Secretary, PURC, in a statement signed and issued and copied to the paper in Accra on Friday, said the ECG, under PURC’s regulatory oversight, shall investigate and analyse the information contained in submitted forms and compensate affected customers accordingly.
“Only customers whose electricity supply was interrupted due to the vending failure will be considered for compensation,” he added.
Dr. Ackah used the opportunity to assure all stakeholders that the Commission was committed to protecting the interests of both utilities and consumers.
Meanwhile, ECG, at a presser recently in Accra, said it could not undertake a wholesale compensation payment to all customers of the company as directed by the PURC for the recent power crisis.
Instead, the company noted, it was prepared to abide by the laid down procedure to pay compensation to affected customers on a case-by-case basis.
Managing Director of ECG, Samuel Dubik Mahama, said his outfit was preparing to engage the PURC on the need to alter the directive to make case by case the basis of payment of compensation.
Senior Presidential Advisor, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, has said persons who are eying the presidency and are labeling President Akufo Addo as incompetent have nothing to offer Ghanaians.
According to him, the critics have not provided any alternatives to salvage the current economic crisis to prove their competence.
Addressing a durbar at Ofoase in the Eastern Region, Osafo-Maafo said, “Those who are seeking to govern this country, I don’t understand them. They aren’t providing any alternative. They actually don’t have anything to offer.”
His comment comes at the back of backlashes from Ghanaians and key industry players for the country’s economic woes.
Osafo-Maafo noted that he was optimistic the economy will bounce back despite its wobbling state.
“We all know the economy is not in good shape,” he is quoted by 3news.com to have said in vernacular.
“The economic challenge is not from Ghana. If something is not from you, you have to take your time to strategically resolve it. It won’t keep long and we will work on the economic challenge,” he added.
The former Finance Minister added that voting for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is not the alternative to solving the economic woes as some Ghanaians have suggested, 3news.com reported.
President Akufo-Addo has commissioned an inmate skills acquisition and reformation center at Nsawam to begin day two of his 3-day working tour of the Eastern Region.
The 320-bed capacity facility constructed and donated by the Church of Pentecost is the second of the 5 model prison camp, which forms part of the 5-year strategic vision of the church to decongest the country’s prisons.
Speaking at a durbar to commission the facility, the Director of Prison Services Isaac Kofi Egyiri who commended the Church for the collaboration indicated that the service will expand prison agriculture to obtain food security at the prison.
President Akufo-Addo who also lauded the exemplary efforts of the Church of Pentecost in tackling issues of congestion at the prisons indicated that government will provide the necessary support to the service to realize the vision of attaining food security.
It is now illegal to manufacture, distribute or sell chanfangs(the machines used on river bodies for illegal mining), President Akufo-Addo has said.
In an interview during his recent 3-day tour of the Eastern Region, the president noted that the move is part of his government’s anti-galamseymeasures.
He also said: “We have increased significantly, the level of sanctions against people who engage in galamsey.”
“Today, Ghanaians who get involve will get a 15-year minimum sentence if convicted and foreigners will get as long as a 25-year imprisonment if convicted,” President Akufo-Addo stated.
He noted that “in a democratic dispensation if you want a change, the first thing to do is advocacy to change public opinion.”
Also, he said the anti-galamsey team, ‘Operation Halt’, has been given a boost to undertake its task.
“The problem was that we disengaged too quickly, once the first plot has gone through, this year we have decided to use the whole year to maintain Operation Halt, especially, the fight on our river bodies,” he said.
“Surveyors have taken charge of impactful machines, excavators and chanfang and they are being destroyed because it is our major problem in our mining.”
The chiefs and people of Otoase Odentenkromand Otoase Amanfrom near Coaltar in the Eastern Region have appealed to the Government to stop the operations of illegal mining companies in the area.
They said the mining companies operated at night with gun-wielding security guards, polluting the River Koran with their activities, the only source of potable water for the people.
Mr Samuel Aye Paye, former Member of Parliament for Ayensuano, made the appeal on behalf of the chiefs and people, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency after a communal labour to clear the surroundings of the river.
He said the pollution of the river had deprived the communities along its banks of potable water with its health implications.
That had compelled them, especially women and children, to travel far distances in search of water, which was affecting the education of the youth, he said.
Barimah Kwesi Nyari, the Chief of Otoase Odentenkrom, called on Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, the Okyenhene, and the Water Resources Commission to take immediate action to stop all illegal mining in the area to protect the water bodies and save the people from water-borne diseases.
Ghanaians have vented their frustration on the government, accusing the authorities of being incompetent, as a result of the country’s crippling economic situation.
In a video sighted by GhanaWeb, some residents can be heard booing the president and his entourage as they drive on a stretch riddled with potholes in a town reported to be Akyem Akroso, in the Eastern Region.
The president received boos due to the appalling condition of the area’s roads, according to a Twitter user going by the name @PrinceHenry_PHK.
Skyrocketing fuel prices, ever-increasing food market prices, bad roads, and a high cost of living among other factors have driven Ghanaians to resort to booing the president at any given chance.
The first time was at the Global Citizen Festival, an international event held at Ghana’s Independence Square, where he was jeered as he took the platform to make his speech.
The incident drew a lot of criticism, with some chastising the youth and labelling them impolite for engaging in such behavior on an international platform.
A few days ago, while the president toured the Ashanti region to commission some projects, several market women and men also booed at him and his entourage as they drove through Adum.
The number of times Ghanaians have publicly shown their anger with the current administration in recent weeks now stands at three following the most recent booing episode in the Eastern region.
President Akufo-Addo has expressed optimism over the ability of his government to remedy recent economic headwinds the country is facing.
In an interview on Republic 97.5 FM, the president said the solutions being sought will fix the fundamentals of the economy and by so doing justify the government’s aspirations.
“I am confident that where our economy is now, we will find a solution to it and with that, the whole world will see that the fundamentals of the Ghanaian economy, the things we set out t do, we were right in identifying those things.”
He identified specifically the areas of food security and industrial development and expansion as major planks of the new economy being built.
On the causes of the current crisis, Akufo-Addo, who is currently touring the Eastern Region, put it down to the inability this year to raise funds on the capital markets.
“One of the most fundamental is our capacity to raise money on the international capital markets, this year that has been compromised. Largely as a result of issues in the global economy, which meant that all budgets of countries have been thrown out of gear,” he stated.
The economy is facing major headwinds that have been characterized by galloping inflation, consistent depreciation of the cedi and general high cost of living and of doing business.
The government is hoping to reach a deal with the International Monetary Fund, IMF, for an economic support programme aimed at shoring up the economy and easing the burden on ordinary Ghanaians.
Eastern Region is one of the mining regions in Ghana Chinese sneaking to engage in illegal mining.
Dozens of these Chinese illegal miners have been arrested in the last five years but only three have been imprisoned.
As part of the fight against the menace, Chief Justice designated the Koforidua High Court 3 and Circuit Court B, to deal with illegal mining cases in the region.
Recent statistics by the Eastern Regional Office of the Attorney General Department headed by Chief State Attorney Mrs. Emily Addo-Okyireh detailed that, a total of 187 illegal miners charged in 48 cases have been convicted and sentenced to various terms of imprisonment in the Region since 2017.
The 187 convicted persons include 29 nationals of Niger, seven Nigerians and three Chinese.
A majority of the accused persons were tried and sentenced under the old section 99 of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703). Section 99(1) of Act 703 prescribed a penalty of a minimum fine of three thousand penalty units or imprisonment for a term of not more than five years for the offence of buying or selling minerals without a licence.
For the offence of undertaking a small-scale mining operation without a licence or acting in contravention of a provision of Act 703 in respect of which an offence is created, section 99(2) of Act 703 stipulated a penalty of a minimum fine of one thousand penalty units or to imprisonment for a term not more than three years.
In spite of the provision not being punitive enough, the Office of the Attorney-General says it succeeded in ensuring the application of maximum or near maximum custodial sentences allowed under imposed on the accused persons in 40 of the cases with the court exercising the discretion to impose a fine the rest of the cases.
The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has called on President Akufo-Addo to suspend his regional tours immediately.
The MP, in a tweet on Thursday, October 20, 2022, stated that the president cannot travel around the country as the citizens’ hardships continue to worsen.
The MP, who was particularly worried about the current rapid rate of depreciation of the Ghana Cedi, said the cedi’s performance should be treated as a national security threat.
He added that Akufo-Addo should, as a matter of urgency, fire his finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, and start consultative engagement with all stakeholders across the political divide to help find solutions to the difficulties Ghanaians are going through.
“The total crash of the Cedi must be seen as a major national security threat.
“Prez Akufo-Addo should immediately suspend his regional booing tours, sack his Finance Minister, dissolve his failed EMT & convene a non-partisan emergency economic rescue forum to harvest fresh ideas,” the tweet the MP shared read.
On Friday, October 21, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo began a three-day tour to the Eastern Region to commission completed projects, inspect ongoing ones and interact with traditional authorities of the area.
The Eastern Region tour comes days after the president’s tour of the Ashanti Region, which made news headlines after Akufo-Addo was hooted at by some factions in the party’s stronghold over the economic hardship in the country.
President Akufo-Addo and his government have come under heavy scrutiny for failing to address the current economic challenges in the country.
The prices of goods and services have been continuously rising all year round, with inflation currently hovering over 37 per cent.
The Ghana cedi has been ranked the worst currency in the world among 148 currencies tracked by Bloomberg, overtaking Sri Lanka’s rupee, having depreciated by nearly 50 per cent so far in 2022.
President Akufo-Addo will begin a three-day working visit to the Eastern Region today to commission completed projects, inspect ongoing ones and interact with traditional authorities of the area.
President Akufo-Addo will attend the official opening of the NPP National Executives and Directors Training and Orientation Conference at Rock City in the Abetifi constituency and hold an interview session on Rock City Radio.
He will then proceed to Nkawkaw to inspect the construction of the Nkawkaw-Abirem-Ofoase-Akim Oda road project.
President Akufo-Addo will later pay a courtesy call on the Chief of Ofoase, inspect the construction of the Ofoase-Ayirebi Agenda 111 Hospital Project and depart to Akyem Asuboa in the Asene Manso Akroso constituency to inspect a similar project there.
Day two of the tour will begin with the commissioning of a 1D1F Beverage Factory, a 24-Unit Classroom Block at St. Martins SHS, as well as an accommodation complex inside the Nsawam Camp Prison, all in the Nsawam-Adoagyiri constituency.
He will proceed to Kwabeng to inspect work on the Agenda 111 hospital project and the Buntaa Farms, followed by the commissioning of the Model STEM Senior High School and the Abomosu bridge, and well as an inspection of the Abomosu Polyclinic in Atiwa West.
The final day of the President’s tour will begin in the Abuakwa South constituency with the inauguration of the Archdeaconry at St. Mark Anglican church in Kyebi.
He will proceed to the Yiadom Hwedie Palace in Koforidua to pay a courtesy call on the Omanhene of New Juaben Traditional Area, Daasebre Kwaku Boateng III, and commission a 24-Unit Classroom Block at Pentecost Senior High School.
He will commission the newly constructed New Juaben South Municipal Assembly in Koforidua to end the tour of the region.
Some residents in the Eastern Region town of Apinamang are intimidated and frustrated as they are being forced out of their homes by illegal miners.
Activities of illegal mining popularly called ‘galamsey’ is beginning to wreak havoc and is threatening the livelihoods of residents.
In the case of Joyce Wowornyo, the ‘galamseyers’ have dug around her house in a bid to take over her land in search of gold.
She lives far in the Apinamang forest and has witnessed the terrible effects of illegal mining firsthand.
The miners offered to buy her out of her land.
“One day, the miners came and asked me to pack out. I refused. So they excavated the land around us. They made a circle round my house. Now my farm land has been destroyed. I put all my energy into it,” Joyce lamented.
The 43-year-old mother of five recounted that her experience with the illegal miners was scary.
“Many times they threatened me. They even told me they had already bought the land from someone. I still didn’t move. Sometimes, I would be cooking in my kitchen and they would digging just in front of me.”
The illegal miners leave the mining pits uncovered
Joyce Wowornyo says she is being threatened by the illegal miners because she refused to sell her land to them.
Touring some illegal mining sites in the area with the Christian Council, JoyNews discovered that Joyce Wowornyo is not alone in the Apinamang forest.
A galamsey site in the Apinamang forest
Many small households are seen abandoned with the lands excavated.
The chief of the area, Osabarima Bibiarawonemere Oware Asare Pinkro III, noted that activities of illegal mining is getting out of hand.
“I am helpless. If you go to check the extent of damage caused by these illegal miners and how they have left the pits uncovered, you will be sad. I will not, and cannot be part of the galamsey activities.
Osabarima Bibiarawonemere Oware Asare Pinkro III
“The streams and all the water bodies have been polluted,” he bemoaned.
Members of the Christian Council of Ghana also visited the area to assess the level of devastation caused by illegal mining as they prepare to take a stand against activities of galamsey.
Houses left abandoned in the Apinamang forest
Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has given yet another verbal assurance his government will stop the illegal mining menace.
He was speaking at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi at the start of a four-day tour of the Ashanti region.
A 46-year-old man, Kwabena Mawuli, has been arrested for allegedly raping and killing his former wife at Suminakese in the Kwahu District of the Eastern Region.
The victim, Yaa Kesewaa, and the suspect were married for five years without a child and have been divorced for the last five years.
According to a report by Onuaonline.com, a nephew of the deceased, Kwasi Ofori, said Kwabena Mawuli, on Friday, October 14, 2022, went to his farm where he shares a boundary with his ex-wife.
The suspect waited for Kesewaa to arrive and pounced on her, and forcibly had sex with her. The suspect, fearing that his victim would file a complaint, subsequently slashed the back of her neck with a cutlass.
Mawuli then sneaked back home but was spotted by some residents who were sceptical about his unusual early return from the farm.
The suspect, however, confessed to committing the crime after being picked up and interrogated over the death of his former wife.
Over 6000 youth passed out on Friday (14 October 2022) under the Youth Employment Agency’s (YEA) Community Health Worker (CHW) module across the 16 regions of Ghana.
For the very first time, the beneficiaries are going to receive a monthly allowance of GHC500, an improvement on the GHC250 that was received by their previous cohorts.
CHW is a module of the YEA that is focusing on the selection of young indigenes of the various communities, trained and posted to work in selected districts, sub-districts and communities across the country to assist community health officers, nurses and midwives in their health service delivery, particularly in the area of health promotion, disease surveillance and disease prevention.
The current CHW module, in partnership with the Ghana Health Service, is an improved version of previous ones with a new focus of improving the impact of beneficiaries in their communities, improve the wellbeing of citizens, and most importantly contribute immensely towards supporting the beneficiaries to identify their career paths.
Speaking at the national passing out ceremony in the Eastern Region on Friday, the CEO of YEA, Kofi Baah Agyepong, announced that for the first time, formal arrangements have been made with the Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service to give a special dispensation to the beneficiaries during admissions into nursing training schools, premised on the requisite field and practical knowledge.
He eulogised President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his commitment to youth employment and development, and further dedication to the sustainable development goals. He said even in the face of severe economic hardships, both locally and globally, funds to run the CHW and other modules have been made available by the government to ensure that the youth have jobs.
The visibly elated beneficiaries praised President Akufo-Addo for the opportunity, especially the 100% increment of their allowance.
Agyepong admonished the beneficiaries nationwide to be very hardworking and diligent in their work as the agency will not countenance truancy, laziness and misbehaviour during their engagement period.
Agyepong also hinted that over 15,000 personnel will also be recruited in the YEA’s Community Protection Assistants Module in the coming months.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong, assisted by some MCEs praised the government for the numerous interventions geared towards creating more opportunities and alleviation or reducing the impact of the current global economic crises on Ghanaians, especially the youth.
The national event took place in the Eastern Region, hosted by the Eastern Regional Director of the Youth Employment Agency Jerry Osei-Poku and his team, whilst all other regions held
The Christian Ecumenical Bodies of Ghana have denied reports that the clergy visited galamsey sites in the Eastern Region last Friday to pray against the illegal menace.
Speaking on The Asaase Breakfast Show on Monday (17 October 2022), the president of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) Rev Prof Paul Frimpong Manso, said they went to the sites solely on a fact-finding mission.
The clergy came under severe backlash on social media over a viral video of them praying and singing praises at the sites for the illegal activities to cease.
Reacting to the claims, Rev Prof Manso described such conclusion as irresponsible.
“Some of your colleagues are irresponsible, destructive and they are a disaster to the profession,” he told the host Kwaku Nhyira-Addo. “I have been very angry this weekend to read that the pastors went there to pray.”
“These are the people who are nation wreckers. We can pray in our rooms and our churches and will not mobilise journalists to galamsey sites to go and pray. We are not children… The Bible says ‘you cannot talk about what you have never seen and heard’. We’ve seen a lot of things trending on social media and others. As a church we have fought individually and it’s not working, so we said we want to come as a collective body to ascertain the facts,” Rev Prof Manso said.
Purpose of visit
He said as religious leaders, it was incumbent on them to begin every activity with a prayer, so they decided to commit the day’s activity into the hands of God when they got to the site.
“The purpose was not to go and pray. We mobilised ourselves to the site and when we went there the first thing we did was to pray then followed by other things. But irresponsible journalists and irresponsible politicians who have lost their moral conscience come and be saying ‘this is not what to do’.
“We prayed before we did everything and that is the logic. We went there to ascertain the facts ahead of our press conference [today]. We went there to convey the right message to Ghanaians. And the message is that galamsey is a disaster,” he added.
Among the clergy who visited the sites were the immediate past chairman of the Christian Council of Ghana, Bishop Dr Paul Boafo, and the chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Ghana Apostle Eric Nyamekye.
Although Ghana requires permits to mine on a small scale, it is estimated that about 70% of small-scale miners are unregistered and operate illegally. They are known locally as galamsey, meaning to “gather and sell”.
While illegal mining supports livelihoods, it has caused severe damage to the environment. It is blamed for destruction of farmlands and pollution of water bodies. It also denies the state revenue: an estimated US$2.3 billion in 2016, reports The Conversation.
A total of 187 persons charged with different mining offences have been convicted and sentenced to various terms of imprisonment in the Eastern Region since 2017.
They include 29 Nigeriens, seven Nigerians and three Chinese.
The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Godfred Yeboah Dame told journalists that prosecution was conducted by the Eastern Region Office of the Attorney-General headed by Chief State Attorney, Mrs Emily Addo-Okyireh.
Mr Dame said since the designation of the High Court 3 and Circuit Court B, in Koforidua as courts to deal with illegal mining cases by the Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah, the Office of the Attorney-General prosecuted all cases on illegal mining brought to its attention.
He said most of the cases were tried in Circuit Court B, Koforidua presided over by Mrs Mercy Adei-Kotey, now a Justice of the High Court.
The Attorney General said that most of the accused were tried and sentenced under the old section 99 of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703).
The Section 99(1) of Act 703 prescribed a penalty of a minimum fine of three thousand penalty units or imprisonment for a term of not more than five years for the offence of buying or selling minerals without a licence.
For the offence of undertaking a small scale mining operation without a licence or acting in contravention of a provision of Act 703 in respect of which an offence is created, section 99(2) of Act 703 stipulated a penalty of a minimum fine of one thousand penalty units or to imprisonment for a term not more than three years.
Mr Dame said in spite of that provision, prosecutors succeeded in getting custodial sentences imposed on the accused in 40 out of the 48 cases being prosecuted, with the court exercising discretion to impose a fine in eight of the cases.
Under the new law, Mr Dame noted that 33 of the convicted persons including 11 foreigners were convicted and sentenced under the new Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995) between August 2021 and September 2022 and are currently serving various prison terms of 15 years, 20 years and 18 years together with fines imposed in the various cases in which they were convicted.
Mr Dame, however, expressed displeasure with the decision of the Circuit Court to impose sentences between three years and five years on the accused in five of the cases involving the trial of 47 persons, which were filed before the passage of Act 995 but which were determined after the Act had come into force on August, 19, 2019,
This, he said, was contrary to the law as Act 995 substituted the punishment regime provided for under Act 703 with a new punishment regime which increased the penalty for engaging in illegal mining operations and illegal trading in minerals.
In the view of the Attorney-General, the substitution of the former section 99 of Act 703 with a new section 99 under Act 995 implied that a court of law engaged with the conduct of a case pending before it, was obliged to apply the new penalties provided for by the law rather than applying the old penalties existing under the law which was no longer in force.
The Attorney-General indicated that of the 48 cases tried in the Eastern Region since 2017, in respect of which convictions have been secured, only one is on appeal.
He said that there were currently about 43 new cases involving the trial of about 250 persons including Chinese at Circuit Court B, Koforidua.
The Attorney-General said an update on the prosecution of illegal mining cases in other regions, particularly, Ashanti, Western and Greater-Accra Regions will be provided in due course.
The Chief Executive of the SnB Group, Odelia Ntiamoah, has charged businesses to adopt a holistic approach to maximize customer experiences.
According to her, when customer experience becomes a priority for the entire brand, revenue will be generated even in difficult times.
Speaking at the 2022 CPX Ghana Conference, she noted that even though most companies think about money when it comes to delivering good customer experiences, strategy is the most important step to take.
She said “There are so many institutions that we have engaged in recent times then again coming back to the research and what we have seen is that they are not engaging their customers, it’s not money now it’s about strategy.
“So, for example, if these companies are sitting on digital platforms how are they engaging their customers within that space. Most of the time we have left that sort of engagement sitting with the CopiComs department. If the customer experience and the customer engagement are not left in one department but it becomes a holistic responsibility of the whole brand it will surprise you that our behaviours and how we decide to treat customers will bring us even the revenues in difficult times,” she noted.
The Minister for Justice and the Attorney- General, Godfred Dame, has disclosed that up to 187 illegal small-scale miners (galamseyers) have been jailed in the Eastern Region since 2017.
According to him, out of the 187 illegal miners jailed, 29 were nationals of Niger, seven Nigerians and three Chinese with the remaining 148 being Ghanaians.
The Attorney-General indicated that most of the ‘galamseyers’ were given a minimum fine of three thousand penalty units or an imprisonment term of not more than five years for the offence of buying or selling minerals without a licence under Section 99(1) of Act 703 of the 1992 Constitution.
He also indicated that some of the illegal small-scale miners were sentenced for the offence of mining without a licence and were given a minimum fine of one thousand penalty units or an imprisonment term of not more than three years under Section 99(2) of Act 703.
Also, the AG indicated that 33 persons involved in small-scale mining were convicted under the new mining laws, the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995), between August 2021 and September 2022 and are currently serving various prison terms of 15 years, 20 years and 18 years.
The AG, who disclosed these details at a press briefing, added that 11 of these 33 people are offering nationals.
He also indicated that his office has secured convictions for 48 new cases with only one on appeal.
Dame added that 43 new cases are being trialled in courts in Koforidua with 250 other cases which involve some Chinese pending.
The AG further stated that details of the prosecution of illegal miners in other regions, particularly, the Ashanti, Western and Greater-Accra Regions will soon be provided.
The Chrematin Agro Company Limited, a private agro-processor and exporter over the weekend held a free health screening exercise for Akwasi Fanti residents in the Afram Plains South district of the Eastern Region.
The exercise, undertaken in collaboration with the Holy Spirit Polyclinic, formed part of the corporate social responsibility of the company.
More than a hundred persons were screened for ailments including Hepatitis ‘B’ malaria, typhoid fever and had their full blood count and blood sugar levels also checked.
A Physician Assistant, Dr Abdulai Ali, who led the team of health care givers of the Holy Spirit polyclinic to screen the beneficiaries said persons who tested positive for malaria or any of the medical conditions checked were given medications whiles those whose conditions were severe, referred to the health facility for further investigations to be conducted.
He stated that it was very necessary for the public to be health conscious by adopting healthy lifestyles and going for medical check-up at least once every six months.
Some chronic medical conditions, he said did not present any symptoms at the early stages, adding that this was why routine medical check examination was very important “because in many cases patients only visit the hospital when their conditions have deteriorated making treatment difficult or impossible.”
Dr Ali expressed gratitude to Chrematin Agro for the gesture and called on other capable organisations to emulate the act.
A representative of Chrematin Agro, Mr Emmanuel Yeboah on his part said his outfit embarked on the exercise in efforts to give back to the community.
He mentioned that many people resort to unapproved methods of treating ailments due to financial constraints therefore coming out occasionally to help the needy was something the company found necessary.
“We cannot operate here and overlook the needs of the people so this is one of the reasons why we are providing the free health screening for them today. It will not be the last kind gesture from Chrematin Agro because we will keep ensuring we add value to the lives of all the needy people we can afford to help,” he added.
According to Mr Yeboah, plans were far advanced for the construction of a health centre and classroom blocks within the area, to support the educational and health needs of the people.
Currently, he revealed that Chrematin Agro had employed more than 200 workers to man the company’s farms, saying the development had contributed significantly to a reduction in the rate of unemployment among the youth in the Afram plains.
Deplorable roads in some parts of Afram Plains in the Eastern Region is affecting healthcare delivery and farming activities in the area.
The Holy Spirit Polyclinic which is the main health facility in the Afram Plains South District that serves more than 3,000 people cannot be reached by patients most of whom are pregnant women.
Farmers said the poor roads made it difficult for them to visit the health facility when the need arose, especially when they were referred from CHPS compounds to the Holy Spirit Polyclinic, and were required to get a vehicle to convey them.
The situation, they said also made it difficult for them to sell their farm produce as many drivers refused to ply the roads due to its terrible condition.
They are, therefore, calling on authorities to fix the roads as a matter of urgency, to protect lives and their farming activities which served as the only means of livelihood for many within the Afram Plains enclave.
One management member of the Holy Spirit Polyclinic, Sister Margaret Nyame, told the Ghanaian Times that the situation had even prevented many pregnant women from continuing with the required antenatal appointments.
While some of them skipped appointments, others, she said completely stopped visiting the health facility with the excuse of difficulty in getting vehicles to bring them to the facility.
She said others also complained that travelling on the bad roads for antenatal care made them very uncomfortable.
Ms Nyame added her voice to calls for a swift intervention to address the situation which she described as “very serious.”
“Vehicles get stuck on the road often so many drivers refuse to drive to this place making movement from far and closer areas to our facility for healthcare extremely difficult for some people,” she added.
With regard to how the bad roads was affecting farming activities in the area, a resident of Akwasi Fanti, Victoria Gbowinor, stated that she and her husband owned a yam farm, but most of their produce were going bad because people stopped coming to the area in search of food commodities due to the bad roads.
She said her husband had to sell the remaining tubers of yams, which were more than 200, at cheaper prices to avoid further loss.
“Apart from we going in search for customers to buy our foodstuffs, there are many people who come here to buy and not all of them prefer using the pantoon boat. Many pass through Juaso and Agogo to this area but now the bad roads are scaring them away and it is affecting our livelihood, we need help,” she lamented.
A resident of Donkorkrom, also in the Kwahu Afram Plains North District, Florence Ansah also complained of low patronage of farm produce in the area, adding that fixing the bad road would bring back their customers.
Assembly member for the Akwasi Fanti electoral area, Mr Bukari Maasu, said the bad roads had negatively affected the people, adding that the situation got worst any time it rained.
A manager and a fuel station attendant of the Kwabeng branch of Ready Oil in the Eastern Region have been sentenced to a total prison term of 15 years for stealing GH¢102,000.
According to asaaseradio.com, the manager, Emmanuel Ohene Amankwah, 27, and the fuel attendant, Douglas Twumasi, 25, were found guilty of stealing and conspiracy to commit a crime and will serve prison terms of 8 and 7 years, respectively.
The prosecutor, Chief Inspector Joseph Damfei, told the court that the complainant in the case, Samuel Kwaku Owusu-Manu, the CEO of Ready Oil Limited, indicated that the two accused persons had been siphoning fuel from the Kwabeng branch of the company.
The prosecutor explained that the CEO reported that he found a driver siphoning fuel and, after several interrogations, found that the two accused persons were behind the crime.
Inspector Joseph Damfei said that the complainant, after the interrogations, also found that daily sales for May 20, which was supposed to be GH¢48,000, was only GH¢17,617.
He added that the CEO also found petrol and diesel shortage in the underground tank valuing GH¢19,109.50.
Kwaku Owusu-Manu then called for an audit which revealed that revenues for fuel sold on credit to some customers amounting to GH¢53,800 could not be accounted for.
In addition to the custodian sentences the two suspects received, the judge also directed that an unregistered Toyota Camry the manager had bought should be sold to offset part of the cost.
The Bible Society of Ghana has launched a new revised Akuapem–Twi Bible at Akropong Grace Presbyterian Church in the Eastern Region with a call on Christians to study the Bible in their mother tongue, so as to
apply it daily.
A retired Minister of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rev. Charles Ahwireng who made the call further charged Christians to see the Bible as a true spiritual book of God.
The Akuapems are the second group of people to have the Bible translated.
He urged everyone to seek Christ in all their endeavors and always worship God in truth and diligence.
The General Secretary of the Bible Society of Ghana, BSG, Rev. Dr. Enoch Aryee-Atta urged Ghanaians, especially Christians to patronize the work of the society and participate in their programmes in order to increase awareness of the activities of the society.
Rev. Dr. Aryee-Atta further advised Christians to procure the newly translated version of the Akuapem Twi Bible.
According to him, the Bible Society of Ghana has successfully translated the Bible into nine major Ghanaian Languages namely, Asante Twi, Akuapem Twi, Ga, Mfantse, Ewe, Dagbani, Dangme, Nzema and Esahie- Sefwi.
The Bible Society of Ghana set out to revise all three Akan languages, looking out for general issues such as language, grammar and syntax.
Some of the new features include Genesis which has now been revised to Gyenesis or ‘Mfitiase’ Awurade now AWURADE in block letters, Deuteronomy now Mmara no Ntimu, among others.
Northern Region representative Teiya Ayisha Dahamani has won the crown, cash and car of 2022 Ghana’s Most Beautiful competition. She was followed closely by Aiko from Oti Region, who took second place, with Central Region’s Asiedua coming in third place.
Teiya took home Ghc10,000 cash, one year’s supply of GTP fabric, Ghc20,000 medical insurance and spa treatment, a new techno phone, all-expense paid international trip and hampers from sponsors.
Aiko Adade coming in at second place for the Oti region received a Ghc8,000 cash prize, six months’ supply of GTP fabric, Ghc15,000 worth of medical insurance and spa treatment, all-expense paid trip and souvenirs from Airtel-Tigo.
Eastern Region’s Amoani took fourth place with a Ghc5,000 cash prize, one month’s supply of fabrics from GTP, and one month’s supply of data on Airtel-Tigo mifi and hampers from sponsors.
Xornam from the Volta Region came in fifth place taking home 3,000 cash price and hampers from sponsors.
Executive Secretary to Ghana’s president, Nana Asante Bediatuo, says Kwahu, in the Eastern Region of Ghana, is one of the blessed regions that the country should be proud of.
According to him, Kwahu is Ghana’s Switzerland because of its good weather, development, and the kind nature of its people.
“I always say Kwahu is Ghana’s Switzerland. Those who have not been to Kwahu are the ones who don’t know it. Here is Ghana’s Switzerland. The weather is very good, the people are also good and the people of Kwahu have united to develop the place. Kwahu is like travelling abroad,” he told Kwahu Ambassador in an interview sighted by GhanaWeb.
Nana Bediatuo, to reiterate his points, added that it is for this reason that the president of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has been spending his Easter holidays in Kwahu, for the past fifteen years.
He added that it is so because the president sleeps better when in Kwahu because of its peaceful environment.
“Even the president, Akufo-Addo, celebrates the Easter festival at Kwahu. He has been doing this for fifteen years. He feels at peace and he sleeps better when he is in Kwahu,” he told the presenter.
Background
The Kwahu or Okwawu are hardworking mountain-dwelling agriculturalist and the famous business-oriented Kwa-speaking people that forms a subset of the larger Akan ethnolinguistic group living in the south-central Ghana, on the west shore of Lake Volta in the Eastern Region. The Kwahu live specifically on part of the Kwahu sandstone plateau, with the Afram Plains to the north, Akim Abuakwa to the south, Ashanti Akim to the west, and the Volta River forming an approximate boundary to the east.
Kwahu people speak a Twi-dialect of Akan language, which is within the Kwa language group (Twi, Sefwi, Mfantse, Chokossi, Nzema, Ewe, et al), but also falls in the larger Niger-Congo phylum. The derivative of Kwahu-Twi spoken in indigenous Kwahu towns such as Abene, Abetifi, Pepease, Atibie, Nkwatia, Obo, Bepong, Tafo, Akwasiho, Obomeng, Twenedurase, Nteso, Nkwakwa, Mpraeso, Asakraka, Aduamoa, Pitiko, Sadan, Burukuwa, Nkwantanane, Ahinasie and Donkorkrom is slightly different from Asante-Twi, Akwapim-Twi and Akyem-Twi. According to Linguists Kwahus are fond of using the syllabi (La), (hunu) and the like. Thus they end their speech and pronunciation with words that end with “La” sound. In most cases, you will find that instead of “saa” the Kwahu ends it with “Saala” (that’s it), “yei ala” (just this). Therein dwells the distinction, and the Kwahus especially Obos are noted for such trend in speech delivery. The Kwahu slogan is Asase Aban, Yεnte Gyae (Protectors of the Land, We don`t quit) and also Oboכּ (Rock) or Oboכּba (Child of the Rock).
The beautiful Kwahu Scarps, their residential polity has received platitudes from historians and anthropologists alike. Historians Macmillan and Kwamena Poh (1965) describe the wonderful climate of their mountainous town, Abetifi as “… the Switzerland of West Africa, with nights as cool as May nights in Europe”.
The people are very wealthy and successful traders who were the first to utilize their interior middlemen role to emerge as strong local business gurus.
Six people have died on the spot in an accident that happened at Apirede mountain in the Okere District- Eastern Region on Friday, 7 October 2022 around 1:30 Pm.
The accident involved a Benz sprinter bus with registration number GY 1570-13 carrying some passengers from Koforidua attending a funeral at Aflao.
According to an eye witness who is also a driver named TT, he signaled the driver who was overspeeding to reduce the speed due to the nature of the road but he ignored it.
“The driver should be blamed, he was over speeding and I told him to reduce it but he did not even look at me so I was not surprised it happened. The car somersaulted severally” he stated.
About a month ago, students from the University of Education Winneba who were on an educational trip had an accident on the Apirede mountain which claimed four lives.
Flood waters at Weija and its environs have begun to recede, revealing the extent of devastation caused following the opening of the spill gates of the Weija Dam last week.
The recession of the flood waters is as a result of the opening of the Weija estuary and a reduction in the volume of water from the Eastern Region into the Weija Dam.
Consequently, residents who abandoned their homes for fear of their lives have gone back to clean up and salvage remaining personal effects and other items.
The first casualty of the flooding has also been found at Tetegu — a 55-year-old man known as Addi Kwashie, aka Chocholotso.
His body was discovered by the Weija Police around 12:30 p.m.
Kwashie had reportedly run to take cover in a nearby house but ended up getting drowned.
Visit
This came to light when the Daily Graphic visited areas affected by the floods when the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) opened four spill gates of the Weija Dam to allow for the flow of excess water from the facility to save it from collapse.
At New Weija, Tatop, Tetegu, White Cross, Oblogo, among others, there were traces of the levels the flood waters had reached in homes, shops, schools and other facilities.
Some of the traces were at the ground, window and door levels.
There were also traces of refuse and debris in the homes of people at the various places.
On standby were the Marine Police, with their boat; personnel from the Weija Divisional Command of the Ghana Police Service, members of the Ghana Ambulance Service and the Ghana National Fire Service.
At Tetegu, for instance, for the first time in three days, the asphalted road leading to the town could be seen as residents cleaned their shops and homes.
Due to the power outage in the affected flooded areas, people who had generators switched them on to operate their businesses.
Recovering
A victim of the flooding at New Weija, Emmanuel Afari, told the Daily Graphic that with the water receding, he and his family were now trying to test whether or not their electrical gadgets would work.
He said their clothes would all be washed, since Kente and other materials were all submerged in the flood.
Another resident, Alhaji Seidu, said he had lived in the area for 25 years but had never seen anything like the recent flood.
“I have not been home for the past three days and I am now going to see what is left in my house. We had to temporarily relocate when the flood came to our home,” he said.
Zenabu Azumah, another victim, said apart from losing her personal belongings, her business too had been badly affected, as bags of beans for ‘waakye’, cartons of fish and a new fridge were destroyed by the flood.
“I lost all my clothing and all I have left is what I wore on that day. I am still wearing it,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Weija-Gbawe Municipal Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Emmanuel Adu-Boahen, told the Daily Graphic that the organisation was assessing the extent of damage and the number of people displaced.
For his part, the Public Relations Officer of the Weija-Gbawe Municipal Assembly, Julius Sarpei, said the assembly members had been tasked to identify people who had been affected and displaced by the flooding, since they were with them on the ground.
He said as of 11 a.m. yesterday, the assembly was yet to take delivery of relief items from NADMO.
Businesses
While on the rounds, the Daily Graphic team observed that vulcanisers around Tetegu, Tatop and Weija were not working due to the power outage.
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) had indicated that until it was safe to restore power, it would not do so.
Yaw Opoku of Tatop Company Limited, manufacturers of concrete products, said the company could not work as a result of the flooding of its yard.
Sumaila, a vulcaniser, who was seen sitting idle, said he could not work because there was no light to power the machine.
He said he could only hope that the flood waters would recede further for the light to be switched on, since he had not worked for the past four days.
At the Talented Royal School where some staff members were seen clearing the debris left by the flood, the Headmaster, Anthony Torgorme, said nothing was destroyed, except for the debris that was left on the compound.
The school, he said, had to be closed, since they could not access it because of the flood.
Support
At Tetegu, members of the National Council of Zamarama Chiefs had gathered to visit some of their members who were hit by the flood.
The President of the council, Chief Musah Yahaya Yandu, said between 80 and 90 per cent of its members lived at Tetegu and so they were at the place to assess the impact of the flood in the homes of those members.
Once that was done, he said, “then we will see how best to assist them”.
Prior to the interment, the late musician will be laid in state for viewing and filing past on Friday, October 7, 2022, also at the forecourt of the State House.
The remains of the king of highlife will be taken to his hometown at Obo Kwahu in the Eastern Region on Saturday, October 8, 2022, for interment.
Nana Kwame Ampadu passed on at the age of 76 on Tuesday, September 28, 2021, after he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) in Accra.
On Thursday, November 11, 2021, Nana Akufo-Addo, announced his decision to honour the late legendary Ghanaian highlife musician, Nana Kwame Ampadu, with a state-assisted burial for his contribution to the growth of the Ghanaian music industry.
The Director of Communications for the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, made the announcement during a Jubilee House Press briefing.
Nana Ampadu was one time President of MUSIGA and was also the leader of the African Brothers Band, formed in 1963.
The legendary highlife musician has been credited with several popular highlife tracks.
He is known to have composed over 800 songs.
He came to prominence in 1967 when he released his song Ebi Te Yie (“Some Are Well Seated”), a song that was seen as critical of the then-governing National Liberation Council (NLC) which toppled Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah.
The song disappeared from the airwaves, only returning after the end of military rule.
In 1973, he won a nationwide competition in Ghana and was crowned the “Adwontofoohene,” or King of Singers.
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.
Five basic schools in New Juaben North Municipality in the Eastern region have been closed due to the flood disaster.
The schools were flooded destroying teaching and learning materials.
Addressing the media, the Municipal Chief Executive Comfort Asante said measures are being put in place for the BECE candidates preparing to write their exams this month.
One person died while 2686 made up of 977 children and 1708 adults were affected by the floods.
203 households have either collapsed completely or partially damaged.
The MCE said the assembly has mobilized relief materials to be distributed to the affected persons being sheltered in churches, mosques, and community centers.
The assembly is however appealing to groups, NGOs, and religious bodies to come to their aid.
Four days of torrential rains have caused havoc in Akyem Odain the Eastern Region.
The rains led to flooding in many parts of the town, destroying over 100 houses and rendering more than 400 people homeless.
Some of the victims are currently putting up in classrooms, while others are staying with relatives, friends and sympathisers.
The affected areas are Oda Zongo, Towobotom, New Sakumono, South Town, Annow, Community Two and Community Six.
Visit
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Oda, Alexander Akwasi Acquah; the Birim Central Municipal Coordinating Director, Haruna Amadu; the Oda Constituency executive of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and staff of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) visited the disaster victims and inspected the extent of damage to properties in the area yesterday.
The MP donated relief items, such as student mattresses, plastic buckets and bowls, as well as mosquito nets and mosquito coils, to the victims.
He also provided some of them with breakfast.
The Oda Zongo Chief, Alhaji Sulemana Adamu, and the Assembly Member for the Kyeremim Number Two Electoral Area, Nuhu Ayara, conducted Mr Acquah and his entourage round the damaged buildings.
Addressing victims of the disaster at Oda Zongo, who were the worst hit, Mr Acquah assured them of the government’s preparedness to assist them repair their damaged buildings.
He attributed the flooding of the area to the Birim River which overflowed its banks as a result of the many days of continuous rainfall.
The MP advised the people to desist from dumping refuse into gutters, saying that was a contributory factor to flooding.
Director of NADMO in the Eastern Region Kwame Koduah,, said ten people are still missing in the Nsawam Adoagyiri area following Saturday’s floods.
At least five people have been confirmed dead following last weekend’s floods in the Eastern Region, the National Disaster and Management Organisation (NADMO) confirmed on Tuesday (4 October 2022).
The Eastern regional director of NADMO, Kwame Koduah, said ten individuals are still missing in the Nsawam Adoagyiri constituency after Saturday’s floods.
“The severity of the flooding has left the Eastern Region in a … devastating situation,” said Koduah, speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Tuesday. “Seventeen districts have been affected, including Ofoase Ayirebi.
“We’ve lost five lives in the Eastern Region as a result of the devastating nature of the flooding. In Nsawam Adoagyiri ten people are missing now. It’s catastrophic and devastating.
“Over 100 houses were submerged in the river and 750 people are displaced and are now being accommodated at church halls and community centres,” Koduah said.
River Densu breaks its banks
Meanwhile, close to 2,000 residents of Nsawam, also in the Eastern Region, have been made homeless after floods swept away their homes over the weekend.
The River Densu overflowed its banks after the downpour, forcing residents of the area to abandon their houses, livestock and other property.
The zongo community was worst affected, including areas such as Gyankrom, Lanteh, Adoagyiri and the main Nsawam lorry station.
Addressing the media, the MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, said: “We will all continue to monitor the situation and see what we can do. We appeal for calm.”
A decision taken by the traditional authority during Akwasidae stated that ” all corpse should not be conveyed from the mortuary before 6:00pm”.
The statement issued by Maxwell Asante , Registrar on behalf of the Omanhene Daasebre Kwaku Boateng III further stated that “no corpse should pass around the Omanhene’s palace at Srodae, Koforidua when taken from mortuary”.
The traditional council also took a decision reducing time for observation of one-week funeral from 6:00 am to 12:00noon instead of 6:00 am to 6:00 pm.
The statement entreated all subjects to comply with the directives to avoid serious sanctions.
Flood waters from River Densu and other tributaries in the Eastern Region have displaced over 2,000 residents of Nsawam with the Zongo community being the worst affected.
Other affected areas include Gyankrom, Lanteh, Adoagyiri, Okobeyeyie, Owireku, and the lorry station among others.
The rains which started on Saturday through to Sunday caused the River Densu to overflow its banks, forcing residents in the area to abandon their houses, livestock, and other properties.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Hon. Frank Annoh-Dompreh who was in Accra at the time of the incident quickly rushed to the scene to solidarize with the victims and see how best he can help them.
A 16-year-old class six pupil, name withheld, allegedly was raped by a 50-year-old Opanin Kwame Nkrumah.
Maame Pokua and Mr Kwaku Osei, aka Dwen Wo Daakye, mother and father of the victim, narrating the incident to Class 91.3 FM’s correspondent said upon seeing the signs of rape, they interrogated their daughter and she disclosed that she had indeed been raped by the suspect.
The case was forwarded to the chief’s palace for the necessary actions to be taken, while he, Nana Abredu Somuah II, the chief of town, had travelled.
Nana Osei Wiafe, one of the chief’s elders who stood in his stead, settled the rape case and awarded a GHS 1,000 cost for the suspect to pay for allegedly raping the class 6 pupil.
Nana Somuah Abredu upon hearing this after returning from his journey was very angry with his elders for mishandling the case.
He has therefore called on the police to intervene and make the necessary arrests to deter others in the area from such actions.
The suspect has taken to heels upon hearing of the recent decision by the chief.
