The government’s “Big Push” initiative is set to kick-start the reconstruction of the Sunyani-Techiman-Wenchi-Wa-Hamile road corridor in the third quarter of this year.
Kwame Agbodza, Minister for Roads and Highways, made this announcement while embarking on a three-day inspection tour of the Bono, Bono East, Ahafo, and Western Regions.
To ensure the project’s timely completion, Agbodza has directed the Ghana Highways Authority to conduct engineering studies and designs for sections of the corridor not currently under construction.
“This entire corridor, all the way to Hamile, is part of the ‘Big Push’ initiative. It is one of the major projects we aim to award in June this year. Therefore, those involved in the studies and designs need to expedite their work. We don’t have enough time,” he emphasized.
The Minister highlighted the government’s commitment to prioritizing road infrastructure development, despite financial constraints. “No matter what we want to achieve—whether in farming, education, or healthcare—roads are critical. Our economic development cannot take shape if we do not address the challenges in the road sector,” he stressed.
During his tour, Agbodza inspected the 10.20km Terchire bypass, constructed by Newmont Ghana, and is expected to assess other ongoing road projects, including:
A tragic accident on the Sunyani-Kumasi highway in the early hours of Wednesday, March 26, has claimed five lives.
The crash involved a commercial KIA truck and a Toyota RAV4 near the Fire Academy and Training School (FATS).
Emergency responders from the Bechem Fire Command arrived at the scene shortly after the incident, discovering seven victims, four of whom were trapped in the mangled vehicles. A reinforcement team from Duayaw-Nkwanta later joined the operation, working tirelessly to extricate the victims from the wreckage.
Four individuals were found lifeless at the scene, while three others, sustaining various degrees of injuries, were rushed to Saint John’s of God Hospital and Bechem Government Hospital. Unfortunately, one of the injured victims succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment, raising the death toll to five.
Authorities are yet to determine the cause of the accident as investigations continue.
The Commanding Officer of the 3rd Infantry Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Kofi Akoto Appau, convened an all-ranks durbar at St. Theodore Catholic Church within Liberation Barracks, Sunyani.
The interactive session allowed personnel to share their concerns and propose solutions aimed at enhancing the battalion’s operational effectiveness for the year.
Addressing the troops, Lt Col Appau emphasized adherence to the Rules of Engagement and warned against unauthorized operations.
He also encouraged personnel to exercise restraint in their interactions with civilians, reinforcing the importance of discipline and professionalism in military service.
Tragedy struck on the Berekum-Sunyani road early Saturday morning when a head-on collision between an O.A. bus and a motorcycle claimed the lives of two individuals.
The accident occurred near Amanfoso, involving an O.A. bus with the registration number GT 5768-18 and a motorcycle with the registration number M-22-BA-2109.
According to Kofi Yeboah, an eyewitness who was driving a Toyota Rav4 at the time, the O.A. bus was en route from Accra to Berekum when it attempted to overtake his vehicle.
During the overtaking maneuver, the bus collided with Yeboah’s car and then crashed head-on into the approaching motorcycle, resulting in the immediate deaths of the two riders.
Bugri Elijah, the Sunyani Manager for O.A. buses, confirmed that some passengers sustained minor injuries in the accident.
While those with minor injuries have been treated and discharged, five others are still receiving medical care. Elijah assured that O.A. Transport Company is covering all medical expenses for the injured passengers.
In a tragic accident in Sunyani Mantukwa, Sunyani West Municipality, Bono Region, seven young men have died after their tricycle, known locally as “Pragya,” collided with a Toyota RAV4.
The collision, reported by EDHUB on X, resulted in the immediate death of all seven individuals on the tricycle.
An eyewitness revealed that the driver of the Toyota RAV4, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle, fled the scene to avoid potential mob retribution due to the horrific nature of the crash.
“A tricycle (Pragya) occupied by seven (7) boys collided with a Toyota RAV4 at around 10 PM last night at Sunyani Mantukwa in the Sunyani West Municipality of the Bono Region, reportedly killing all seven boys on the sp0t.
“According to an eyewitness who reported to the EDHUB, the driver of the Toyota RAV4 was the only occupant of the vehicle and quickly fled the scene to avoid a mob due to the horrific nature of the incident,” the report stated.
Sunyani Senior High School and defending champions St. James Seminary are set to clash in the grand finale of the 2024 Goil Regional Championship of the National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) later today, Friday, June 14.
This final match promises to be a repeat or revenge scenario, as St. James Seminary had previously thwarted Sunyani SHS’s chances of lifting the trophy in a landslide victory.
The rivalry between these two schools dates back to the 2023 finals, where St. James Seminary emerged victorious over Sunyani SHS with a 14-point margin.
Determined to avenge their defeat, Sunyani SHS is back with more knowledge and readiness to match their opponents “boot for boot,” as expressed by one of the Sunyani contestants.
Despite a shaky start in the championship, St. James Seminary remains unfazed by the challenge. Although they had hoped for a more masterful win in their earlier contest, the school’s quiz coordinator believes that they have the capability to retain their title.
However, the competition is not just between Sunyani SHS and St. James Seminary. Mount Carmel Girls’ Senior High School is also in the mix, showcasing resilience after initially losing their regional qualification contest.
They have secured a seat in the grand finale and are determined to become the first female school in the zone to win the championship.
“We are ready to pepper them. They should come along with bottles of water because they will drink,” the Mount Carmel team confidently proclaimed.
Meanwhile, students from Kintampo SHS are also eyeing the trophy, hoping to lift it for the city of waterfalls. The stage is set for an intense and thrilling finale as these schools compete for the prestigious NSMQ Goil Regional Championship title.
A massive explosion at the Fosu gas station near the Petrosol filling station, close to Nana Bosoma’s palace in Sunyani Asufufu, has led to a destructive fire impacting nearby houses.
The explosion, which occurred earlier today, has created significant alarm among residents in the area.
Reports indicate that personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) were on the scene, actively working to bring the situation under control. The cause of the fire remains unknown at this time.
Fortunately, there have been no reported casualties as a result of the explosion and fire.
Residents in the affected area have been compelled to evacuate due to the highly flammable nature of the situation.
Further details regarding the incident, including the extent of the damage and ongoing efforts to manage the situation, are expected to emerge as the situation develops.
The administration of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in Sunyani has confirmed the tragic death of a student during a robbery targeting a group of students returning from a field trip.
The incident occurred in the vicinity of Boffourkrom within the Sunyani West Municipality of the Bono Region.
According to a statement issued by the Deputy Registrar, Alfred Appiah, the University Management expressed deep regret over the incident, which took place on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, at 7 p.m.
Armed robbers attacked approximately 300 and 400 BSc Renewable Energy Engineering students as they returned from a field trip to the Bui Power Authority.
The statement sadly revealed that one student lost his life during the ordeal, and the university has extended its condolences to the bereaved family.
“The University Management wishes to inform the general public and parents that an unfortunate incident happened yesterday, Tuesday, 16th April 2024 at 7 p.m. as a group of armed robbers attacked some 300 and 400 BSc Renewal Energy Engineering students during their return from a field trip to the Bui Power Authority.”
“Tragically, one student lost his life as a result of the incident. The family of the deceased has been notified, our thoughts are with them during this difficult time.”
The remaining students received medical treatment, were discharged, and are presently undergoing necessary counseling sessions.
Furthermore, the statement urged residents in the vicinity of the incident to promptly report any suspicious activities to the police. However, the Sunyani Police command has already arrested one suspect in connection with the robbery.
A group of approximately 80 Renewable Engineering students from the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) were ambushed by armed robbers, resulting in the death of one student who was shot.
The students had just completed a field trip to the Bui Dam late last night when the tragic attack occurred.
During the incident, the students were robbed of their money, phones, and laptops.
Meanwhile some students were subjected to sexual and physical assault.
Watch video footage below:
Armed robbers attacked a group of about 80 Renewable Engineering students of the University of Energy and Natural Resources(UENR), leaving one student dead after being shot. The students were returning from a field trip at the Bui Dam late last night when the tragic incident… pic.twitter.com/yIVzQPWev6
The Member of Parliament for Sunyani East, Kwasi Ameyaw-Cheremeh, has been put forward as the Presiding Speaker for the upcoming parliamentary session on Friday.
This nomination occurred due to the absence of the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, and his two Deputies, Joseph Osei Owusu and Andrew Asiamah Amoako.
In adherence to the updated standing orders, the Clerk of Parliament conducted the nomination process for Kwasi Ameyaw-Cheremeh as the Presiding Speaker.
The proposal for this nomination was made by the Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, and seconded by the Minority Chief Whip, Governs Agbodza.
A devastating collision on the Sunyani-Drobo road has claimed six lives, including that of a pregnant woman, according to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS). The tragic accident involved a Toyota Corolla and an Opel Astra.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, November 29, the GNFS reported that, amidst the tragedy, two individuals were successfully rescued from the scene.
“Fire Service Rescuers from the Berekum Fire Station bravely responded at 1132 hours to a devastating accident involving an Opel Astra cab (GT 5597-12) and a Toyota Corolla car (AS 150-22).”
“The two cars collided head-on and veered off the road into a nearby bush causing severe damages to both cars,” the Service noted.
Meanwhile, the GNFS is working to ascertain the cause of the tragic incident.
A forest guard affiliated with the Leopard Unit in the Asukese Forest Reserve, who vanished while on a mission to combat illegal logging in the Asukese Forest within the Suyani Forest District of the Bono Region, has been miraculously located alive.
Reports indicate that a driver from Zoomlion Ghana Limited stumbled upon the missing forest guard, Vitus Yourdong, in a distressing state near a refuse site in Nkawkaw, Eastern Region. His service uniform lay in tatters, both legs were bound with a rope, and his hands were handcuffed to his back, leaving investigators puzzled and the community in deep concern.
Saza Agbotiyao, the driver from Zoomlion Ghana Limited, reported that they came across him in that condition and unresponsive during the early hours of Monday, July 24, 2023, near the Asona refuse site while they were on their way to dispose of waste.
“We found him unconscious near the Asona refuse site when we went to dispose of rubbish with his legs tied and his hands handcuffed at his back”.
Narrating events leading to his disappearance, the victim disclosed that he was captured by three illegal operators after he left his other colleagues to ease himself in the forest.
“We went to Sunyani for an operation but after the operation, I told my other colleagues I wanted to ease myself so they said they will wait for me but I was captured by three men who harassed me and took me hostage”.
Sounded very surprised when his rescuers told him he was in Nkawkaw, he added that his captors took him to a different part of the forest and kept him there for over two weeks so he thought he was still in Sunyani.
“When they captured me, they took me to a different place, a cocoa forest and they only dump me here but I have been told here is Nkawkaw and I am surprised because I thought I was in Sunyani”.
Meanwhile, the victim is currently responding to treatment at the Nkawkaw Holy Family Hospital.
On July 2, 2023, Vitus Yuordong was reported missing along with his equipment, including a pump-action gun with registration number AFOO63604, a machete, and a handbag prompting an extensive search in the reserve and nearby communities to find him.
Disgruntled New Patriotic Party (NPP) members in Sunyani East Constituency have take action by securing the Bono Regional and Constituency offices, expressing their dissatisfaction with the executive members’ non-compliance with a court ruling.
The aggrieved members threatened to deal drastically with anyone who dared to open any of the barred offices for work, because, per the Court ruling, the Constituency did not have executives.
A press release signed by Mr Stephen Kwarteng, an Assembly Member of the Atoase Electoral Area near Sunyani and copied the Ghana News Agency, said the members had earlier petitioned the Party’s regional and national secretariats.
It said this was during the polling station executives and electoral area coordinator’s election exercises in February last year, to ensure that the right thing was done but, the petition had fallen onto “deaf ears.”
The release said those exercises were suspended following an injunction placed on it by the Court when vetting of prospective candidates had commenced.
It said the Court agreed with the petitioners that there had been no Polling Station Coordinators’ elections in Sunyani East, so, the Party should delete any purported album of the Constituency from its national data.
The release added that no new executives had been elected for the Sunyani East, thus, Mr Musa Damtal, the incumbent remained the Chairman and any attempt to force any illegitimate executives on the Constituency would be resisted.
It reminded the Party’s national executives and elders that Sunyani East remained a stronghold of the NPP, saying, the situation required urgent attention to save the Party from losing the seat.
They appealed to the national executives to intervene as a matter of urgency, to allow for the conduction of the Constituency polling station coordinators and executives’ elections.
This would enable the Constituency to participate in the Party’s decision-making process at the regional and national levels.
The Ministry of Health has initiated a project in collaboration with French pharmaceutical multinational Sanofi, aiming to provide specialized training in diabetes care for selected healthcare professionals.
This effort is part of a broader strategy to manage the disease burden in Ghana.
The project, known as the “Access to Diabetes Care Program for Ghana Patients,” was launched in Accra. It includes continuous medical education for 80 doctors and 170 nurses, dieticians, and educators who primarily serve individuals with diabetes.
The program’s focus encompasses diabetes prevention, diagnostics, care delivery to remote patients, training, affordable access to high-quality insulin, and health promotion. Through an agreement signed in April, the country will have the opportunity to acquire affordable, high-quality Sanofi analogue insulin products for individuals living with diabetes.
The partnership between the Ministry of Health and Sanofi includes the implementation of diabetes management solutions at diabetes centers in Accra, Sunyani, and Tamale.
These centers will benefit 500 healthcare professionals through a targeted medical training program.
Furthermore, Sanofi will collaborate on the development of a digital solution aimed at enhancing support for over 5,000 individuals living with diabetes.
This solution will assist physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and community healthcare workers in their efforts to provide improved care.
The training project is being conducted at four facilities located in the Greater Accra, Bono, and Northern regions.
The Bono Regional Health Directorate in Sunyani has received a walk-in cold room, worth GH¢320,000, funded by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
The facility, equipped with two large cold room refrigerators, is located at the Disease Control Unit premises.
The Bono Regional Director of Health, Dr. Kofi Amo-Kodieh, expressed gratitude to UNICEF and highlighted the region’s enhanced capacity for vaccine storage and distribution within the region and the West Africa Sub-Sahara region.
“We now have the capacity to store and preserve vaccines for onward delivery to neighbouring countries, including Togo, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast”.
With Ghana’s pursuit of vaccine development and production, the Bono Regional Director of Health expressed optimism that the Bono Region would play a crucial role in the distribution of those vaccines.
Dr. Amo-Kodieh also expressed concern over the lack of maintenance culture among Ghanaians. However, he reassured that the directorate had implemented plans to ensure regular maintenance of the facility.
TheGhana Health Service (GHS) Bono Regional Directorate is concerned about what it describes as a failure on the part of doctors to accept postings to the area.
Regional Director, Dr. Kofi Amo Kodieh, said out of 32 doctors posted to the region, only 9 showed up for work.
Speaking at a health forum in Sunyani, Dr. Kofi Amo Kodieh said the situation is getting dire appealing to stakeholders to ensure that incentives are put together to attract medical officers to the region.
“32 doctors were posted to this region, unfortunately, only 9 of them reported because Bono is not deemed to be one of the affluent regions to attract doctors. We would like to urge our stakeholders to as a matter of urgency put together incentives that will attract medical doctors to this region,” Bono Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service said.
The family ofImoro Sherrif, a dead soldier, has been asked to maintain peace and trust in the state security apparatus to bring about justice for the slain soldier.
Imoro Sherrif was discovered dead with stab wounds at Ashaiman Taifa on Saturday, March 4.
Defence Minister,Dominic Nitiwul made the appeal when members of the defence and interior committees of Parliament paid a visit to the deceased’s family at Ashaiman Zongo Laka to express their condolences.
“Don’t take revenge as a family and people of Ashaiman. The gods of Ghana will answer you. I know that it is difficult for all of us, but God has a way of defending the defenceless and Ghana will defend this family and the people of Ashaiman and in doing that, we will do what is right in accordance with the law. We at the Ministry of Defence are there and will support you”, he assured.
The 22-year-old soldier with the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) band in Sunyani in the Bono Region was stabbed to death by unknown attackers.
The soldier was said to be returning from his girlfriend’s house in Ashaiman-Taifa and heading toward his residence when the unfortunate incident occurred.
He has since been buried with persons believed to be his killers arrested.
The mother of the officer whose death triggered military brutalities in Ashaiman says she is devastated by the death of her son.
Afia Kyerah says she had no idea her son was visiting Ashaiman after taking a sick leave from his base in Sunyani in the Bono Region.
The death of Sherrif Imoro sparked the serious brutalization of residents of Ashaiman by the military on Tuesday, March 7.
Speaking to journalists, Afia Kyerah said justice should be served.
“Sherrif didn’t have any friends, he was always with me, some neighbours were always teasing me for turning him into a mummy’s boy. I had no idea he was coming to Ashaiman, I had no idea he will die like this, his death is so painful, I’m sad and devastated,” the mother said.
They claimed that would stop traders and other service providers from escalating prices of goods and services arbitrarily to thwart government efforts to stabilize the economy. They claimed that even a small increase in the value of the US Dollar relative to the Ghana Cedi would prevent them from doing so.
It would be recalled in the past few months, the country was hit with economic challenges, which resulted to the rise in inflation and the Ghanaian Cedi facing its worse performance on the forex market and other factors that contributed to the sharp rise in prices of goods and other services across the country.
The respondents believed the Cedi had started appreciating against the major foreign currencies, but “the prices of most goods and services are still at the hiked levels.”
Madam Elizabeth Yeboah, a public servant sharing her experience indicated, ”I am shocked prices of some commodities are still the same though the price of fuel has come down considerably and the Cedi is doing well against the foreign currencies in recent times.”
Mr George Ofori, also a public servant, appealed to the government to enact a law to compel wholesalers, retailers, and other services providers to regulate prices of goods and services as and when necessary.
He said that would be the determinant factor to control prices of commodities and services, saying, “we must have price floors and price ceilings” to control the system and not anybody randomly increasing prices of items because the foreign currencies had gone high.
Christian Ahianyo, a Senior High School student observed most people, especially traders and those who rendered services like drivers were becoming insensitive in the country because, “all they care about is increasing the prices of items and lorry fares without considering the plight of consumers.”
”I hope that they would heed the call of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo by reducing prices of goods and services to make socio-economic lives more bearable for Ghanaians,” he added.
But some of the respondents such as Madam Grace Afia Brago, a trader at the Sunyani central business district however, explained that a factor causing delay in reduction of commodities’ prices was that most of the commodities were purchased when the foreign currencies were high and therefore those stocks must finish before consumers could experience a better price drop.
Speaking to several of the drivers on Suncity Morning Drive, they lamented that the high cost of products and services, notably spare parts and vehicle maintenance, prevents them from lowering transportation costs.
However, Sunyani residents are requesting an immediate decrease in transportation costs to match fuel prices.
Ms. Gifty Nyarko, the Sunyani West Municipal Physical Planning Director has called for strict adherence to section 98 (sub-section 1-5), sections 97 and 113 of the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, Act 925 (2016) which stipulates that “a person shall not dispose of land or property to a prospective buyer unless that the land has been zoned or rezoned for which it is being let or acquired or otherwise disposed of.”
“This legal provision is further reiterated by section 103 sub-section 1-3 of the Local Governance Act, Act 936, 2016 to help solve the rate of uncontrolled and haphazard developments in the country,”
According to her, evidence of title to lands such as Lease, statutory declaration, indentures and allocation notes does not imply development permits and that developers should adhere to Land Use and Spatial Planning Regulations which she is optimistic, would reduce most of the economic, social and environmental problems in the country.
She indicated that people usually assume that once they have evidence of title to land, they have the power to develop without due regard to planning regulations and standards, a practice she urged the public to refrain from it since it’s the Assembly that has the sole authority when it comes to the issuance of development and planning permits but not Chiefs and Landowners.
Ms. Gifty Nyarko attested to the fact that Chiefs are the custodian of land however; the power to develop the land for a specific use is the exclusive mandate of the Assembly but not Chiefs or landowners.
She noted that most of the time, the allocations made by Chiefs and landowners contradict that of the local plans, and attempts by physical planners to explain to prospective developers always result in heated arguments and conflicts.
She, therefore, entreated prospective developers to apply for development and planning permits before the commencement of physical developments and to also adhere to the laid down principles and rules regarding the acquisition of land to help prevent any misunderstanding that might occur between legally mandated land sector institutions and land users.
She disclosed that developers most of the time get frustrated due to the bureaucratic nature of the permitting process even though the new Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, Act 925,2016has simplified the process.
Madam Gifty Nyarko on this note appealed to the various Assemblies to adhere to the new permit flow chart by adhering to the 30 working days mandated duration for permit approval to fast-track the process for applicants. This according to her will go a long way to reduce the rate of uncontrolled and haphazard physical developments in the country.
After learning that Accra is the second most expensive city in the world, he made the remarks.
“If Accra becomes congested, it would be wise to designate Sunyani as the capital of Ghana given its position and tranquility.
The location is strategic for businesses and clean and orderly, according to him.
“Considering the location of Sunyani and the peaceful nature of it, it will be prudent we make Sunyani the capital of Ghana if Accra is congested. The place is neat and tidy as well as strategic for businesses”, Executive Director of the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBRE), Newlove Asamoah noted.
According to Newlove Asamoah which is the world’s largest cost of living database, a crowd-sourced global database of reported consumer prices, the classification is due to the property price to income ratio.
Newlove Asamoah also revealed that Accra has the world’s highest Mortgage percentage income ratio, followed closely by Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Tehran (Iran) in second and third place, respectively.
Speaking to the development, in an interview, MyNewsGh.com monitored, the economist is of a strong view that, it is time for the government to move Ghana’s capital from Accra to other regional capital to ensure development cuts across the border.
“It is undeniable facts economic hardship and congestion in Accra are unbearable. Things can be well if we decide to decentralize the governance system and move the capital from Accra to other regions. That could be Sunyani or Eastern Region the capital of Ghana”.
“Comparing the living standard of Ghanaians living in the capital Accra to other places, it is undeniable facts that the survey is real and factual which the government must take urgent steps to address”, he urged.
“We’ve made everything centred in the capital. Everything we have to travel to Accra and we put pressure on the limited resources there. Housing, transportation etc become burdensome for us”, the Executive Director of CEBRE pointed out.
The government’s Green Ghana Project (GGP) remains a realistic intervention to mitigate the effects of climate change in the country, Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Bono Regional Minister has said.
The project, she said, had for the past two years planted more than 27 million varieties of tree species to restore the nation’s degraded forest and vegetative cover.
Madam Owusu-Banahene, therefore, implored everybody to help nurture and grow the trees to help tackle the nation’s vulnerability to climate change and its impacts.
The Regional Minister was speaking at a climate justice promotion capacity building and knowledge sharing workshop in Sunyani, organised by the Sunyani Zonal Chapter of the Ghana Institute of Planners (GIP) with support from the G2 Foundation, a non-government organisation.
Under the theme “Climate Change, Iniquities and Building a Local Resilience: Promoting Climate Justice through Planning Activism”, the workshop was attended by development planners drawn from the 12 politically administrative districts and municipalities in the Bono Region.
It sought to empower participants including traditional leaders and students to adapt climate mitigation systems and strategies, as well as helping to put climate issues on the forefront of policy formulation and implementation at district and regional levels.
Mad Owusu-Banahene emphasised the government’s commitment towards implementing policies and programmes directed at mitigating the effects of climate change in the country.
The government has committed the Forestry Commission (FC) to ensure six million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions reduction under the Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ programme with the World Bank since 2019, she added.
She, therefore, stressed the need to strengthen the competencies of development practitioners for effective and efficient formulation and implementation of programmes aimed at achieving climate justice set targets.
“Agriculture, water, energy and the extraction of mineral resources are essential drivers of development in our countries, but at the same time, are characteristically sensitive to changing climate,” Mad Owusu-Banahene indicated.
Dr. Michael Addaney, lecturer at the University of Energy and Natural Resources, observed that climate change was well felt in the country, and called for concerted efforts to tackle unscrupulous human activities contributing to global warming.
Earlier, in a welcoming address, James Ata-Era, the Sunyani Zonal Chairman of the GIP, called on the Municipal and District Assemblies in the region to strengthen by-laws on environmental sustainability.
He called on everybody to support the fight against illegal mining, logging, sand winning and the indiscriminate dumping of plastic waste.
A total of 13, 209 delegates are expected to vote to decide the fate of some 466 aspirants in the Bono Regional National Democratic Congress (NDC) Party’s constituency election this weekend.
In all, that region has 12 constituencies.
Mr Richard Blay, the Party’s Bono Regional Director of Elections, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Sunyani that Banda was the only constituency among the 12 that had all its aspirants going unopposed and therefore, would settle for acclamation on Saturday.
He said that aside, the Berekum East constituency would hold the election on Sunday, but the rest would have theirs on Saturday.
Giving the constituency breakdown, Mr Blay explained that in Sunyani East Constituency, 43 aspirants were seeking to be elected with 2,295 delegates expected to vote, whereas in Sunyani West, 1,700 delegates would be voting for 40 aspirants.
At the Berekum East constituency, 1,204 delegates would be voting for 47 aspirants, whereas Berekum West has 46 candidates with 561 expected delegates.
The Dormaa West constituency has 39 contenders and 540 delegates, Dormaa East, 36 candidates and 807 delegates and the Dormaa Central, 42 aspirants but 1,247 delegates.
The Jaman North and Jaman South constituencies have 41 and 47 aspirants, with 1,014 and 1,211 expected delegates, respectively.
The Wenchi constituency has 50 aspirants and 1,256 delegates with the Tain constituency having 35 aspirants and 1,372 delegates.
Mr Blay expressed satisfaction with the election process in all the 12 constituencies, saying everything was on course for a successful, free, and fair election, indicating security on the day was well-assured for the safety of everyone.
The 466 candidates are contesting Chairman, Vice- Chairman, Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Organiser, Deputy Organiser, Treasurer, Deputy Treasurer, Communication Officer, and Deputy Communication Officer positions.
The other positions are Women Organiser, Deputy Women Organiser, Youth Organiser, Deputy Youth Organiser, One Youth Representative, Zongo Caucus Coordinator and eight other Executive members.
He explained that it was rather two nozzles of the station that were locked during a random exercise organised to check malpractices in the dispense of fuel to the general public.
Mr Appiah said it was also not true that a the Engen Fillng Station near the Bono Regional Coordinating Council had been closed since apart from the four nozzles that had been locked others were still operating.
He added that during its random checks it was found that one of the nozzles at the Goil Filling Station was over dispensing fuel to its customers to the detriment of the station.
Related article: 3 fuel filling stations in Sunyani caught cheating consumers
What happened?
The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) locked 13 nozzles of three filling stations in the Bono Region for cheating consumers (under delivery).
The stations were Frimps at Penkwase, Eusbett Goil and Engen, all in Sunyani, the Bono Regional capital.
In the case of Frimps, all the seven nozzles functioning at the time of the visit by NPA officials were under delivering (short-changing).
Goil had two nozzles locked while Engen had four nozzles locked.
The exercise jointly undertaken by the Bono Regional Office and the Consumer Services and Security and Intelligence directorate, observed that some of the nozzles were over delivering, hence drew the attention of the managers of the stations.
Clarification
But speaking later to Graphic Online’s correspondent in Sunyani, Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah about the incident, Mr Appiah stated, however, that all the eight nozzles of the Frimps Filling Station at Penkwase had been locked for under delivery of fuel to customers.
He said even though the Frimps Filling Station would not be allowed to sell fuel for some time, it could operate to sell other products such as lubricants to its customers.
Sanctions
Mr Appiah explained that the NPA would impose a fine of not less that GH¢5,000.00 per each nozzle that had been locked.
“Depending on the gravity of the situation at each of the filling stations, the managers would be made to sign a bond to be of good behaviour.
According to Mr Appiah officials of the oil marketing companies would had to let their mechanics to repair the locked nozzles after which the Ghana Standards Authority would conduct an inspection to verify their authenticity.
He said even after certification by the GSA, NPA would had to conduct its own checks before the locked nozzles were unlocked.
Advice
Mr Appiah advised drivers to be vigilant when they visited filling station by making sure the they got the value of the exact amount of money they requested for.
He said it was also important for drivers to prompt the attendants to make sure that served with the right product they requested for, that petrol and not diesel or diesel and not fuel.
Mr Appiah urged drivers to demand receipts from attendants of filling stations whenever they purchased fuel to make it possible to make a case when they were cheated.
He said report should be made within 48 hours since further delays would make it impossible for NPA to conduct investigations to ascertain whether a complaint had been cheated or not.
Interest of consumers
Mr Appiah said Section Two of the NPA Act, Act 691 (2005) mandated the authority to protect the interests of consumers and monitor the service providers.
He said it was on that basis that an the Bono Regional Office of the NPA organised an education programme for drivers and traders at the Nana Bosoma Market last Wednesday.
He said the exercise was also used to educate market women about the handling of gas cylinders and the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
The Most Reverend Professor Emmanuel Asante, the former Chairman of the National Peace Council (NPC), has called on the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism to promote dialogue among various ethnic groups in the country.
This would greatly enhance social cooperation, foster and deepen the unity required for national progress, he said.
Prof. Asante made the call when he was speaking at a forum to mark the 2022 International Peace Day in Sunyani.
In 1981, the United Nations General Assembly declared the third Tuesday of September as International Peace Day to strengthen the ideals of peace around the world.
The Bono Regional Secretariat of the NPC organised the forum attended by school children, Islamic scholars, civil society organisations and political party representatives.
Speaking on the topic: “Ethnicism on Sustainable Peace in Ghana”, Prof. Asante said concerted efforts must be made to make Ghanaians understand the need to tolerate each other’s ethnic values and diversities to deepen national peace, tranquility and social cohesion.
He emphasised God created human beings with ethic and cultural differentiations, saying “any attempt to deny who we are impedes our co-existence, growth and social progress”.
However, Prof. Asante said internal conflicts, which remained the bane of Africa’s development, were often characterised by ethnicity, tribalism and religion, and thereby threatened societal peace, required for national growth and development.
Prof. Asante said humans were social beings with diversities, hence the need for Ghanaians to accept and forbear each other’s cultural backgrounds and avoid ethnocentrism that turned to divide the people.
Ethnocentrism, he explained, was the tendency to judge others culture as inferior, and expressed worry that ethnocentric politics in the country continued to undermine and threatened the prevailing peace of the nation.
Professor Emmanuel Asante
Prof. Asante said politically Ghana was practicing a multi-party democracy that enjoined everybody, irrespective of ethnic or tribal background to join a political party of his or her choice, saying “our differences must not impede our healthy growth because reality is diverse”.
”This country must cautiously and deliberately practice ethnic balancing in areas of social and political endeavours, including employments and allocation of national resources in order not to exacerbate latent tensions in the country”, he added.
In speech read on his behalf, Rev. Father William Kyere, the Chairman of the Bono Regional Peace Council, expressed appreciation to all stakeholders, including traditional authorities for their support towards promoting peace in the region.
Earlier, Alhaji Suallah Abdallah Quandah, the Bono Regional Executive Secretary of the NPC, said the members of the Regional NPC had ended their service, saying a new council would be re-constituted.
He urged the people to continue to support the NPC to tackle the diverse problems that threatened the peace of the region.
Alhaji Quandah mentioned perennial chieftaincy disputes and land litigation as some of the pressing challenges and called on the judicial committee of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs to facilitate adjudication of the cases to sustain the prevailing peace in the region.
Bono Regional Minister, Madam Justina Owusu Banahene, has highlighted the importance of domestic flight operations in Sunyani.
According to her, the Sunyani Airport would enhance the region’s economic fortunes and spur rapid socio-economic growth.
“This would improve the livelihoods of the people of the region and beyond”, Mad. Owusu-Banahene said.
She said domestic airline operations would open the region and attract investors to harness its viable economic potential for development.
Madam Owusu-Banahene indicated the region’s enormous tourist attraction sites would also be tapped to boost ecotourism too.
“The inclusion of the Sunyani in the flight route of PassionAir undoubtedly added our dear region to the rapid worldwide air transportation network. This will make the Bono region essentially one stop global commerce centre in Ghana and west Africa”, Mad Owusu-Banahene said at an inaugural flight ceremony held at the Sunyani Airport.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo inaugurated the first phase of the rehabilitation and expansion of the Sunyani airport on August 03, and assured his government’s commitment to release funds for the second phase of the project to begin next year.
In 2015, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority closed the facility to pave the way for the rehabilitation and expansion works for the airport to meet the required standard for domestic flight operations.
“I am fully convinced and highly optimistic that air and road transport system will complement each other to accelerate the economic growth of the region by stimulating trade and investments” Mad Owusu-Banahene added.
Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, the Minister of Transport, noted high patronage would not only sustain the operations of the airline, but also engender strong competition in the aviation industry in the region, saying that would justify the need for work to begin on the second phase of the project.
He, therefore, called on the people to patronise, and asked PassionAir to “respect and treat customers with respect and decorum”, saying that was the surest way passengers would buy its products.
Okokyeredom Sakyi Ako II, the Paramount Chief of the Drobo Traditional Area and the Vice President of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, commended President Akufo-Addo for the work done at the Airport and urged the people to patronise operations of the airline.
“The government has contributed its quota by providing the airport; PassionAir has also done its part and so we must also do our part and patronize the services so that the airline will remain in business in our region”, he said.
Okokyeredom Ako II appealed to the President to facilitate the construction of a dual carriage road linking the Sunyani Central Business District and the Airport.
According to the company, the flight heralds the launch of Passion Air’s Sunyani route, which will operate three times each week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and Sundays for a GHS600 cost.
Speaking at an event to welcome Passion Air’s maiden commercial domestic flight to the Bono regional capital, Managing Director of Passion Air, Samuel Ato Hagan said the airline’s Sunyani flight would reduce time spent travelling from Accra to the region to just an hour.
“The airline industry is an important contributor towards economic development and must be protected. It has increased easier and faster movements of goods and passengers within the country as well as creating jobs both directly and indirectly for the populace.
Air transport is no longer a luxury but an important component of economic development where time is of essence. The journey time by road between Sunyani and Accra is about 6 – 7 hours, by air this is within an hour. That saves a whole lot of product hours which could be utilized elsewhere productively,” he said.
He bemoaned the impact of the cedi’s continuous loss in value against major trading currencies and the high cost of fuel on the cost of air fares.
“Just when we were beginning to get some respite from the effects of the pandemic, we encountered, two very strong head winds in the form of the depreciation of the Ghana Cedi against the major foreign trading currencies and the continuous increase in aviation fuel prices. This has had adverse effects on us as a business. Our ticket sales are in Cedis but over 98% of our transactions with vendors and suppliers are in foreign currencies. The price of aviation fuel seems to be flying just as high as our aircraft. The price of aviation fuel has increased by 112% from the beginning of this calendar year. This is a major challenge for us as a domestic operator,” he noted.
He commended the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) and the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) for taking steps to ensure continued operations in the sector despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The recipients were made up of 36 males and 14 females from five prison stations such as the Sunyani Central and Female Prisons in the Bono Region, Yeji Prison Camp in the Bono East Region and the Duayaw-Nkwanta and Kenyasi Prison camps in the Ahafo Region.
The medals were awarded to staff of the service, who had served for 16 years and above and exhibited good character throughout their operational duties.
Professionalism
Speaking at the medal ceremony, the Bono Regional Minister, Justina Owusu-Banahene, advised prison officers to avoid unprofessional behaviours that would bring the image of the service into disrepute.
She urged them to maintain highest standards of respect and professional conduct at all times and be mindful of the nature of their work as it involved taking care of people who had been deprived of their liberties and, as a result, were psychologically and emotionally deprived.
She said awards were pivotal in the lives of workers “as we are all aware, the slightest recognition in work, serves as a great motivation for the individual and encourages him or her to work even harder and sincerelyâ€.
Ms Owusu-Banahene said recognising efforts of officers with awards made them to stand out and be motivated to work harder.
Commitment
The Bono Regional Commander of the GPS, Deputy Director of Prisons (DDP) Benedict Bob-Dery, said despite the numerous challenges facing the command, the awardees had served with great dedication, commitment and exhibited high sense of professionalism.
He said it was a fact that the service was going through hard times, as it was encountering severe constrains in implementing its mandate of safe custody, welfare, reformation and rehabilitation of inmates.
DDP Bob-Dery, who is also in-charge of Bono East and Ahafo regions, said there was a huge accommodation problem facing the command.
He said the command had inadequate furniture, making its work very difficult, adding that the Sunyani Central Prison, which was constructed for about 400 inmates, currently had more than 900 inmates.
DDP Bob-Dery said the overcrowded nature of the prison had resulted in the outbreak of communicable diseases and also posed security challenges.
DDP Bob-Dery also expressed concern about the GH¢1.80 feeding rate, explaining that “the amount was last increased in 2011 and had remained so even in the face of increase in food prices. The amount is woefully inadequate to ensure proper feeding of inmatesâ€.
A shop in the market is rented for GH20 per month, but the occupants have refused to pay.
The tenants, according to the Assembly, owe up to GH800,000.
Mr Ansu Kumi, the Municipal Chief Executive for Sunyani East Assembly, devised a beneficial payment arrangement to relieve the traders’ burden, but the majority of traders refused to pay.
“You will be surprised to note that as we speak, the amount the Assembly charges for these stores monthly is GH20. Most of them have refused to pay. I have had a series of meetings with the leadership of those occupying the stores. The assembly agreed that we need to start from somewhere. So, every one who occupies this store needs to pay GH1000 – at least part of the debt so we can begin on a fresh page. This one too, most of them decided not to pay,†he told Citinews.
Tenants who are unable to pay their debt, Mr Kumi said, will have their stores seized by the Assembly.
“We decided that we will pursue this matter vigorously with all the seriousness that it deserves. We are giving them a month and this is an ultimatum I am giving – that we are giving them a month and whoever owes the assembly, we will seize the stores from them.â€
Mr Ansu Gyeabour Agyiri, Secretary for Nana Bosoma Market Tenants Group says the Assembly has been unable to meet some of their demands.
“We told the Assembly to get money and give a face-lift to the market but they told us they do not have that money.
“We agreed that we will pay GH1000 so that they can use that money to improve security here and also produce toilet and other facilities here. But they gave us up to the end of February…â€
He stated that the Assembly and traders had yet to meet to discuss the matter.
He claimed that due to the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana’s strike, the Group was unable to meet with the Assembly (CLOGSAG).
Fire has razed to the ground a 16-bedroom house and rendered 45 occupants homeless at Baakoniaba, a Sunyani suburb.
The fire, which started around 1035 hours Wednesday, destroyed property and personal belongings running to millions of Ghana cedis.
No casualty was reported and the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) said it was working to ascertain the cause.
Linus Dapilah, a victim, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the fire started from a locked wooden kitchen which contained liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders attached to the house.
Divisional Officer Grade III (DOIII) Ignatius N-Noekor, the Bono Regional Fire Operations Officer, who led the team, said the fire tender developed a pump failure when the team arrived.
“We tried calling the Abesim and Nsoatre fire stations for assistance, but the fire had already burnt the entire house,†he stated.
Vulganizers operating in the Sunyani Municipality have imposed new charges on vehicle servicing, citing the current economic situation in the country as the cause.
But, the new charges, according to some commercial drivers and motorists were too much, and appealed for some downward adjustments.
During a Ghana News Agency (GNA) survey, the new charges ranged between Gh¢2.00 and Gh¢50.00, depending on the nature of the vehicle.
Abubakari Ussif, a popular Vulgarizer along the Abesim-Sunyani stretch, told the GNA their decision to impose new charges were due to the current economic situation in the country.
He said they now charged GH¢2.00 fee for an inflated saloon car tyre, instead of Gh¢1.00 fee, while charges on commercial vehicles and heavy-duty trucks ranged between Gh¢5.00 and Gh¢15.00 per tyre.
“Tyre fixing is also going between Gh¢5.00 and Gh¢50.00 depending on the nature of the vehicleâ€, he added.
But, charges on puncture repairs were also ranging between GH¢5.00 and Gh¢50.00.
Another Vulcanizer along the VRA-SSNIT road spoke to the GNA on condition of anonymity and explained that Vulcanizers in the Municipality held a meeting and agreed on the new charges.
Some of them said they had procured digital pressure gauges, inflators and puncture repair kits to provide quality services to clients.
But, Emmanuel Kofi Ansu, a taxi driver who plied the Sunyani-Abesim stretch, admitted that the vulcanizers had justification for the new charges, the increment was exorbitant, and something ought to be done about it.
The Ahafo Regional Organizer of the ruling New Patriotic Party, Michael Osei Boateng, has asked members of the Sunyani Technical University chapter of the Tertiary Education Students Confederacy (TESCON), the student wing of the NPP, to not relent on their core mandate of supporting the government to succeed.
Addressing the general meeting of TESCON-STU, which event also welcomed freshers of the institution, the aspiring National Youth Organiser of the NPP affirmed that, as a most vibrant wing of the party, the student wing has always led the way in carrying the message of the party across to the people, wherever they may be, and by every means possible. This, according to the former SRC President of the same institution, is borne out of unwavering commitment students have always attached to their service to the party, and accounts for why TESCON has been able to resource the party with leaders at all levels of the mother party.
Michael Osei Boateng, known in the political circles as POPE, recounted many instances in the past in which TESCON-STU prosecuted the campaign of the NPP in constituencies others termed as hard to reach places – Techiman North, Asutifi South, Sene West, the former Pru constituency among others.
“We have to sacrifice; we have to commit ourselves to the game. TESCON is not all about coming for programs, coming for orientations, and going back to your hostels. As you are here now, you have to be the embodiment of NPP on campus; let people see the NPP in you, the NPP in your face. Let them see you!” Pope admonished.
The national youth organizer aspirant minced no words when he asked the freshers to refine their attitudes when on campus, and support the government at all times. He shared with them periods when, as the breeding ground for intellectuals, the party fell on the wing to lead its advocacy – on the grounds, in the mainstream media, as well as social media. According to him, for the party to live the ‘Break the 8’ mantra, TESCON would have to work extra harder. This, he charged them with and expressed his readiness to lead the student wing in that direction.
The Corona Virus Disease has killed 37 people in the Sunyani Municipality from January to April this year, Dr Prince Quarshie, the Municipal Director of Health said on Thursday.
This puts the Municipal death toll to 38 after one person died in late 2020, he stated, when speaking at a stakeholders review meeting on the COVID-19 in Sunyani.
He said the COVID-19 Municipal fatality rate stood at 2.7 percent and there were only nine active cases out of the 444 new cases recorded in the Municipality from this year.
Dr Quarshie added 40 of the cases were recorded among students and appealed to education institutions to strengthen the COVID-19 precautionary measures to prevent a possible spread of the disease.
Care International, an NGO organised the meeting in line with the implementation of its “Stop COVID-19 Initiative” and attended by health workers drawn from the various municipals and districts in the Bono and Ahafo Regions.
With funding from Mars Incorporated, the project aimed at mitigating the impact of COVID-19 in selected cocoa-growing communities in the country.
According to Anala JB Marshall, the Project Manager of Care International, the project further sought to enhance the livelihoods of cocoa-farmer households in 60 communities in Bono, Ahafo, Ashanti and Western North Regions.
Dr Boakye Boateng, the Ahafo Regional Director of Health, said the nation did well in managing the COVID-19 pandemic and attributed the success to many government interventions.
That notwithstanding, he appealed to the public to maintain the good health practices of handwashing with soap, use of alcohol-based hand sanitisers, wearing of nose masks and observance of social distancing.
Dr Kofi Amo-Kodieh, the Bono Regional Director of Health, expressed regret that many people were disregarding COVID-19 health safety protocols, which could trigger the spread of new infections.
Despite the increase in awareness, Dr Amo-Kodieh noted many people had still not accepted the existence of COVID-19 because of theories and myths surrounding the pandemic.
He, therefore, advised the public to disregard those unfounded theories and obey the protocols to protect themselves and the people around them from contracting the disease.
Cases of maternal deaths saw drastic reduction at the Bono Regional hospital in Sunyani with the facility recording only three cases in 2020 compared to 20 cases in 2019.
The Supervisor at the Antenatal Clinic of the hospital, Mrs Joval Nyarko-Ababio told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that anaemia, eclampsia and sickel cell contributed to most of the deaths.
She therefore appealed for monitors, BP apparatus and more doctors, assuring that the facility would not record any maternal death in 2021 if the needs were provided.
Earlier, the Bono Regional Minister, Mrs Evelyn Ama Kumi Richardson, visited various wards and feted patients on admission.
The Minister supplied the patients with Christmas packages including tin tomatoes, cooking oil, rice, spices and beverages.
Mrs Kumi-Richardson urged the patients to adhere to advice from health workers and take their drugs to facilitate their healing processes.
The Midwife in-charge of maternity at the hospital, Mrs Vida Tiwaa, said nine babies comprising four boys and five girls were born on December 31, 2020.
As of 12:00 G.M.T., five babies had been delivered, she said adding that some pregnant women were also in labour.
Mrs Tiwaa appealed to pregnant women to attend regular ante-natal clinics to protect themselves and their unborn babies.
Ghanaians have been urged to patronise locally produced rice to boost the local market.
Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive Officer gave the advice when she addressed the Municipal celebration of the 36th National Farmers Day held at Atronie in the Municipality.
She said local rice had rich nutritional content and high patronage and consumption would create domestic markets and motivate farmers to produce more to enhance food security.
Mad. Owusu-Banahene indicated that despite the COVID-19 Pandemic, farmers in the Municipality produced enough rice and foodstuff to meet local demand.
The celebration was held on the theme: “Ensuring Agribusiness Development in COVID-19: Challenges and Opportunities”.
Mad. Owusu-Banahene noted the COVID-19 pandemic had changed had affected every aspect of social life slowing down business activities in the Municipality and advised farmers to take advantage of the Planting for Food and Jobs programme, register and expand their farming activities.
She congratulated farmers, particularly the award winners for their hard work, and appealed to them to ensure proper application of agro-chemicals to guard against food poisoning.
Mad. Owusu-Banahene said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s government had made agriculture attractive and advised the unemployed youth in the Municipality to engage in farming as a commercial entity to improve on their socio-economic livelihoods.
He also called on the farmers to vote for President Akufo-Addo and Mr Kwasi Ameyaw-Cheremeh, the incumbent Sunyani East Member of Parliament in the December 7 general election.
Mr John Ofosu Denkyera, the Municipal Director of Agriculture noted rice production in the area had increased tremendously saying, very soon the government would provide storage facilities for the produce.
He told the awardees to preserve their certificates because that could aid them to access loans from financial institutions.
Mr Kwaku Takyi, 52 years, won the Municipal best farmer and received a certificate, tricycle, spraying machine, cutlasses, wellington boots, and some agro-chemicals.
Mr Samuel Boateng, 29, was the first runner up and he had a certificate, double-decker refrigerator, spraying machine, cutlasses, and wellington boots.
Other 21 deserving farmers were also honoured and received prizes ranging from radio sets, cutlasses, wellington boots, spraying machines, wax prints, bicycle and other farm inputs.
President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is expected to be interviewed live on Sunyani based Kingdom 99.3 FM on Sartuday September 12, 2020 at 3pm GMT.
The interview will enable him to interact directly with the people of Ghana and explain to them the contributions of his administration to the development of the country since taking over from John Dramani Mahama’s National Democratic Congress on January, 7 2020.
The scheduled interview will be aired on all Kingdom Fm stations across the country, Kingdom TV and also live streamed on www.Kingdomfmonline.com.
Unique Kingdom Communication Limited, operators of Kingdom 107.7 FM (Accra), Kingdom Plus 101.9 FM (Accra), Kingdom 100.1 FM (Kumasi), Kingdom 99.3 FM (Sunyani), Kingdom 105.7 FM (Nkawkaw), Kingdom 96.9 FM (Cape Coast), Kingdom 106.1 FM (Mankessim), Kingdom 107.5 FM (Takoradi), Kingdom 105.9 FM (Ho), Kingdom 105.7 FM (Tamale), Kingdom TV and www.Kingdomfmonline.com will provide viewers up to the minute reportage on the much awaited interview.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sunyani-based Suncity Radio, Mr. Ransford Antwi has bemoaned what he says is the age-old neglect of a modern or standard sports stadium for the Sunyani municipality.
Mr Antwi, an indigene of the area, noted with sadness, the persistent neglect of the Bono regional capital by successive governments (both NPP and NDC) in providing this all important facility, for the development of football and other sporting disciplines in the area.
The CEO was contributing to Suncity Radio’s flagship programme, “Suncity Sports” anchored by Akosua Frimpomaa and Kofi Asoma Reagan.
He observed that if there was any regional capital in Ghana that needed a modern sports stadium, it was the Sunyani municipality- the capital of the Bono Region.
“The Bono region has produced great sporting talents like Agyemang Gyau, Atta Kwame, Adansi Fofie, Barnie Jnr, Barnie Snr, Kwasi Owusu, Dan Owusu, Saara Mensah, George Arthur, Kwasi Appiah, among others, and serves as the food basket of the nation. It’s very sad and pathetic how the area continues to lag behind when it comes to the provision of infrastructural projects and programmes by both NPP and NDC presidents, Regional Ministers, MPs, MCEs and the host of other political and public office holders”, he lamented.
He said considering the immense contributions of Sunyani and the entire Bono region towards the socio-economic and political development of Ghana, it is very sad and disheartening to treat the area and its people this way.
Mr. Antwi therefore called for an equitable distribution of the national cake, stressing that politicians in Sunyani and the Bono region have not been fair to the people of the area. “A child cannot attack responsible parents before being fed. It’s the parent’s duty to know the number of children or mouths they have to feed fairly.”
The media magnate who spoke passionately, appealed to chiefs, opinion leaders and politicians to rise up to the urgent call so that they will not be condemned by posterity.
Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Sunyani, Owusu-Banahene Justina, has affirmed that the dis-infestion and disinfection exercise of the Sunyani Military Barracks (3 Battalion) will spur military personnel on to continue to support the government’s fight against Covid-19.
She made the remarks at the launch of the dis-infestion and disinfection of military facilities in the Brong Ahafo Region.
According to her, as one of the front-runners in the war against Covid-19, it was crucial that homes and offices of military officers were safeguarded against the new coronavirus.
This, she said, will not only protect them from getting infected, but will also encourage them to enforce the Covid-19 preventive protocols spelt out by the President.
“Looking at the role championed by the Army in ensuring the safety of the populace, it is expedient that as one of the Frontline workers–the military–have their homes safe from the virus,” she said.
In the view of Mrs Owusu-Banahene, Covid-19 has come to stay with us, adding that it will take a concerted effort to mitigate its effects.
On her part, the Regional Manager of Zoomlion Ghana Limited (ZGL), Esther Abayeta Asadoo, said the exercise was expected to be replicated in all military facilities and installations in the Brong Ahafo to ensure the safety of military personnel.
Commanding Officer of the 3 Battalion at the Sunyani Military Barracks,Lt.Col J.Y. Kwarten , intimated that the exercise will be done in all military offices and homes across the region.
Efforts being made by city authorities in Sunyani to stem the spread of the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are creating brisk businesses for the youth in the Municipality.
Several young men and women have taken advantage and engaging in the sale of locally made nose masks to make ends meet.
This follows a directive by the Municipal Assembly that ensures mandatory wearing of nose mask, particularly among traders, food vendors, commercial drivers, motor riders, hawkers and market women.
The Assembly has accordingly set up a task-force to enforce the directive aimed at protecting the public from contracting the disease.
Almost all financial institutions and transport unions operating in the Municipality would not do business with clients and passengers who failed to wear nose masks.
They have posted inscriptions such as “no nose mask no entry” and “It is now compulsory to wear nose mask” on their vehicles and at the premises of their offices.
The traders told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in a random interview in Sunyani on Tuesday that the nose mask business had become lucrative.
Many of them said they sold sanitizers as well but regretted that the sanitizer business had gone down drastically.
Leticia Osei, a trader, explained that prices of nose masks ranged between GHC3.00 and GHC10.00 cedis depending on the quality saying some were reusable and others were not.
She said the factory price for the mask ranged between GHC2 and GHC8.
Meanwhile, the Masks Ambassadors, a local advocacy group that campaigned the wearing of nose masks, as a remedy to stem the spread of the COVID-19, has appealed for nose masks from local manufacturers and fashion designers.
The eight-member advocacy group, made up of journalists and health workers, noted that some people could not afford to buy the nose masks but were willing to use them, adding that such needy class in society ought to be supported with masks.
Mr Francis Owusu Ansah, a leading member of the group, told the GNA that the campaigners were to ensure the aged, head potters, people with disability, wheelbarrow and truck pushers, as well as coconut sellers had the mask and wore them.
“The aged are vulnerable and high risk population and it is always disturbing to see some of them on the street using their handkerchiefs as nose masks. I think we have to do something to support them to acquire some of the masks to protect themselves and their immediate families,†he said.
Mr Ansah emphasised that the Mask Ambassadors were building collaboration with all relevant institutions towards ensuring that majority, if not all of the populace in the Municipality, wore nose masks and adhered to other safety protocols on the COVID-19.
He commended the Sunyani Municipal Assembly for setting up the task-force, which was making huge impact in the fight against the disease.
He praised Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Chief Executive, for her passion in controlling the spread of not only COVID-19 but all communicable diseases in the Municipality.
A 50-year-old man guarding an ATM farm at the Sunyani Technical University campus has been killed in a suspected robbery operation.
Sumaila Dambila was found dead Thursday dawn seated in a wooden chair with his legs and hands tied to the chair with nylon ropes, and the mouth and nose tied with a white and blue jacket, a police report said.
Although the suspects managed to break into a GCB Bank ATM room, they could not open the safe in which monies had been stored.
Attempt to break into another ATM belonging to the Barclays Bank was unsuccessful.
“…The ATM office of Barclays Bank had been tampered with in an attempt to force it opened but the culprits were not able to break into it,†the police said.
No one has been arrested yet but the police crime scene experts have been able to lift “finger impressions†from the scene.
Head of security at the Sunyani Technical University, Badiwe Mohammed reported the incident to the Police at about 5:30 a.m. Friday.
He was said to have told the police that Sumaila who is an employee of Thomas Security Limited was found dead at about 4:30 a.m. at his duty post at the ATM farm on the University Campus wearing his uniform.
The Police rushed to the scene where evidence and pictures were taken for investigations.
The body of deceased “was photographed, removed and deposited at the Regional Hospital mortuary†after it was certified dead by Dr Akoto Bamfo.
Postmodern is expected to be conducted on the body soon, the police said.
The Bono Regional Coordinating Council in collaboration with the Sunyani Municipal Education Directorate have declared Friday, October 18, 2019, a holiday for schools in the Sunyani township.
This was due to the one-week funeral observation rite of the late Nana Yaa Nyamaa Puduo II, the Paramount Queen of the Sunyani Traditional Area.
A notice to that effect from some schools in Sunyani to parents and guardians said the decision had been taken “for security reasons†and that normal classes would resume on Monday, October 21, 2019.
Nana Puduo II, a mother of four -two males and two females- ruled for 46 years and died at aged 64 on Thursday, August 1, 2019, at the Sunyani Regional Government Hospital of an undisclosed ailment.
Known in private life as Helena Akosua Yeboaa, she was enstooled as the Queen of Sunyani at the age of 18, when she had completed first cycle education.
