The Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah has rejected claims that he received an amount of $5 million to supposedly influence a court case.

He has subsequently petitioned the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to probe the allegation made against him by one Ogyeedom Obranu Kwesi Atta IV and his lawyer, Akwasi Afrifa.

“His Lordship has directed that a formal complaint be made to the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service for investigations and the necessary action,” the petition signed by the Judicial Secretary, Justice Cynthia Pamela Addo said.

Akwasi Afrifa had alleged that the Chief Justice had demanded a US$5 million bribe to allegedly influence a court case against his client, Ogyeedom Kwesi Atta IV.

The lawyer made this allegation in response to a petition filed against him by his client at the disciplinary committee of the General Legal Council (GLC).

Chief Justice responds

But the Chief Justice has debunked the bribery claims.

“His Lordship is saddened that, without any shred of evidence, his name has been dragged into this sordid and potentially criminal matter. His Lordship confirms that he does not know the plaintiff and has not met or seen him anywhere, except in the courtroom when he rises to announce his name when his case is called. His Lordship asserts that he has had no personal interaction either with the plaintiff or his lawyer on this matter or in any other matter,” the Chief Justice said in the petition.

The Chief Justice has also directed that a petition should be lodged with the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council in respect of the specific matter.https://www.youtube.com/embed/nEnAuo4P2xU

The client – Ogyeedom Obranu Kwesi Atta IV dragged Akwasi Afrifa to the GLC for allegedly taking US$100,000 from him but failing to ensure he gets a favourable judgement on his case as promised.

Akwasi Afrifa in his response denied these claims, saying his client rather asked him to refund an amount of GH¢300,000 paid as legal fees to enable him to raise a US$5 million bribe for the Chief Justice in order to get a favourable decision in a pending legal dispute – an allegation the latter has denied.

Some public school teachers have lashed out at President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over his comment that teaching is not a profession for persons hoping to be millionaires.null

The President made the statement while addressing the leadership of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) at the Jubilee House, Accra last week.

He said, “we understand that, but nevertheless, I don’t think that there’s anywhere in the world that people go into teaching expecting to become millionaires and make money. If you want to do that, you do other things.

“You only do teaching because you want to make a contribution to the welfare of the society and you’ve done that very well.”

But teachers who spoke to Starr News in reaction to the comments made by the president are unhappy.

A teacher at Adaeso in the Eastern region, Adjei Ansah, said “for me, I was shocked when I heard the president’s statement and I asked myself whether it’s a crime to be a teacher. I think the president should apologize to Ghanaians and all teachers as well.”null

Another said, “if this should continue in the next ten to twenty years to come, no one will want to go to a training college to become a teacher since the person would want to be a billionaire and not to be a poor teacher who would even be insulted when the person asks for a better condition of service. It’s best if he apologizes”.

“As a teacher, I must say I am highly disappointed in the president for saying this. I don’t know where it is a crime to be a teacher. I don’t know why in our part of the world we tend to look down on teachers this way. I am highly disappointed. I don’t know what to say but at this point, I regret being a teacher,” a third teacher lamented.

The fourth teacher from Tema asked the president to come again saying “Mr president should come again. I mean if today you’re telling us my work is a sacrificial job, it’s mostly on service, fine, it’s the hard truth, but is this what you tell teachers? The timing and the tone, I’m forced to advice myself.”

He added, “so, this time the extracurricular activities I do, since its a sacrificial job, it’s voluntary.”

Source: starrfm.com.gh

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor on Friday inaugurated the newly reconstituted 50-member Ashanti Regional Lands Commission with a call on members to, as a matter of urgency, put in their maximum support and effort to accelerate the needed reforms in land administration.

He said the move, will help boost public confidence in the Lands Commission and push further the socio-economic development agenda of the country.

The Minister explained that, “Our quest to transform our national economy, to bring about the much-needed development and prosperity, cannot be achieved if we fail to anchor an effective land administration.”

He also bemoans the encroachment on the Barekase and Owabi Dams, which serves as the main sources of water for the Kumasi township and its environs, some of the encroachers have resorted to the use of poisonous chemicals in the water bodies, dumping of refuse, and deforestation among others.

The Sector Minister reiterated his directive to the Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission and the CEO of the Forestry Commission to take immediate steps and reverse the situation in the region, adding that, “I expect this to be rectified in a matter of weeks and not months.”

He also thanked the outgone members of the Ashanti Regional Lands Commission for their dedicated service and congratulated the New Chairman and members of the Commission on their appointment to the very important office.

The Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon. Simon Osei Mensah said, most landowners in the region do not have valid land titles and called on the Lands Commission to facilitate public education on the need for landowners to have their title registered after securing allocation notes.

In a speech read on his behalf, he commended the Ashanti Regional Lands Commission for their sterling performance within the last four years stating that, “I am reliably informed that the turn-around time for land Service delivery in the region has significantly reduced.”

Asokore-Mamponghene and Representative of the Asantehene, Nana Boakye Ansah Debrah pledged the support of Nananom to the Lands Commission and government and called for education on the New Land Act particularly for Nananom in the region to help solve some of the land-related challenges.

The Ashanti Regional Chairman, Nana Nsuase Poku-Agyeman III, on behalf of the Regional Lands Commission, expressed his appreciation to the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and the government for the opportunity given them to serve.

Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/isaac@peacefmonline.com

Ghana has settled the $42 million debt it owed Nigeria Gas Company (N-Gas), making it possible for the two countries to start on a fresh page.

The settlement of the debt, among other things, enhances the country’s quest to use clean fuel for its power generation and gives the two countries an opportunity for further discussions going forward.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of N-Gas, Mr Aliyu Aminu, said settling the debt was a testament of the Ghana government’s commitment to deepen its long-standing relationship with the company and Nigeria.

 At a meeting with Ghana’s Energy Minister, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Mr Aminu commended the leadership of the minister, saying, “Since he took office in March, the Nigerian petroleum company has experienced a deeper collaboration with the Ministry of Energy.”

He said it was a great relief that N-Gas’ debt of $42 million had finally been settled, adding that “We are confident the relationship between Nigeria Gas and Ghana would continue to thrive under your tenure as minister.”

For his part, Dr Opoku Prempeh expressed the government’s commitment to key partnerships with all stakeholders and that the Ministry of Energy was resolved to work assiduously in that direction.

“The payment of this legacy debt was crucial because it provides the basis for a clean state for fresh negotiations which are scheduled to take place in the coming weeks,” Dr Opoku Prempeh noted.

He expressed the hope that the current synergy was a sign of good future between Ghana and Nigeria with regard to gas and its role in Ghana’s development, the minister urged N-Gas to continuously improve the reliability and integrity in their service delivery.

Background
 
The accumulation of the debt owed N-Gas started in 2014 due to the inability of VRA to pay the company.

By the end of 2016, the accumulated total debt stood at $169 million.

However, in 2017 through strategic government intervention programmes such as ESLA, tranches of payments were made to the company.

Ghana at the Committee of Ministers meeting in Lome, Togo, in December 2020 made a commitment to settle the remaining debt this year and, therefore, on the back of that, on assumption of office, Dr Opoku Prempeh ensured full payment was made.

 
 

Source: graphiconline.com

 Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah

The NIA has begun talks with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) to get two separate certifications to make the Ghana Card move a reality

Ghanaians will soon be able to use the Ghana Card as a passport for travelling across the globe, the National Identification Authority (NIA) has said.

The NIA has begun talks with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) to get two separate certifications to make the move to the Ghana Card a reality.

Professor Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah, the executive secretary of the NIA, who announced this move during an interview with Kojo Mensah on The Asaase Breakfast Show on Monday (12 July), said: “We had a beautiful meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs last Friday. We are talking about the modalities for getting two things done.

“One is the onboarding of the passport, data integration with the Passport Office and also even how you get to use the Ghana Card to travel.

“I indicated that the Ghana Card is a powerful tool. It already has an electronic passport on it which is valid for travel within West Africa.”

Attafuah added: “The conversation we had with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and NITA is to get the appropriate certification and International Standardisation Organisation certification and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) certification, so that the Ghana Card itself can be a valid passport for travel to Europe, the American countries.”

He also revealed that his authority is poised to begin registration of Ghanaians abroad for the Ghana Card.

“There are about 55 … Ghanaian missions abroad. We are going to work with the missions to register through the ministry to register Ghanaians abroad.

“We are going to do so using staff, as we are required by the laws of these missions.

“So we will train them, provide the equipment, and they will carry on with the business of registering Ghanaians abroad,” Attafuah said

The leaders of three political parties and a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), have endorsed the approval of salaries for Presidential spouses.

According to them, “the spouses of the Presidents and Vice Presidents play a vital role not only in encouraging and supporting the two gentlemen of the country but also garnering the support of the local community to address social issues through their foundations.”

The parties are Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), the All People’s Congress (APC), the People’s National Convention (PNC) and Mr Razak Kojo Opoku, a member of the NPP.

Interview

Speaking in an interview with the Daily Graphic, the founder and leader of the LPG, Mr Percival Kofi Akpaloo, explained that since the First and Second Ladies of Ghana under the Fourth Republican constitution were already receiving allowances from the state, formalising it would promote accountability and transparency.

He said unlike previously when no one knew how much was given out as allowance, Ghanaians would now know how much the state paid to presidential spouses and would be better positioned to demand accountability.

“It will give the nation an opportunity to ask them to declare their assets like all Article 71 office holders. As it is now, no one can compel them to declare their assets and the President, who is mandated by law, may decide to channel his/her assets to his wife in order to avoid declaration but now that their spouses are being paid, both will be required to declare their assets.”

Valuable advisers

For his part, Mr Ayariga said spouses of presidents had a stake in building the nation.

“They have contributed so much to the development of the nation. Most of them, one way or the other, assist the President in decision-making but it is just because we do not see what they do, we do not get to appreciate the role they play.

“Spouses play a key role in governance through the advice they offer to their partners even before it gets to Cabinet for deliberation, therefore, paying them salaries is in order. They are making some sacrifices, the trauma the President has to go through will affect the family so I do not see anything wrong when the state decides to pay them,” he stated.

PNC

The PNC in a statement signed by its General Secretary, Janet Asana Nabla, in support of the recommendation to pay salaries to Presidential spouses, stressed that the First and Second ladies were being taken care of by the state in the form of allowance provisions since the inception of the Fourth Republic thus the move to regularise the allowances now was in order.

“We rather see this to be an issue of gender parity on the part of those who are against it. It is disheartening to see some civil society organisations, NGOs, political parties and individuals kicking against the first and second ladies being on salary and citing a section of the Constitution to buttress their point when they have contributed in disregarding sections that advocate for gender equality,” the statement said.

It said opponents of the scheme should know that they were not fighting against the First and Second ladies of the land but the economic status of women in Ghana and the Affirmative Action Bill.

Razak Opoku

In a related development, a Member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Razak Kojo Opoku, while supporting the payment of salaries to the First and Second ladies, proposed that the government should present an official Bill (1st & 2nd Ladies Salaries Bill) to Parliament for deliberations, consensus building and subsequent approval.

“Through the Bill, we will be able to fine-tune the proposal and get the necessary backing from Ghanaians. We will also be able to outline in detail the job description, roles and responsibilities of First and Second Ladies under the Fourth Republican Constitution,” he said.

Source: graphiconline.com

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has kicked against the payment of salaries to the wives of President Nana Akufo-Addo and Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia.

There is public outcry over the agreement of parliament to pay the First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo and Dr Bawumia’s wife, Mrs Samira Bawumia, salaries equivalent to that of cabinet ministers.

The salaries have also been backdated to January 2017.

Adding its voice to the many groups and individuals that have condemned the move, the TUC, in a statement, said the spouses of presidents and vice-presidents are not specified under Article 71 of the Constitution of Ghana and, therefore, wonders why they should receive salaries pegged to emoluments and privileges for officeholders specified under Article 71.

“It is true that salaries of some presidential staffers not specified under Article 71 receive emoluments that are the level of ministers or even higher, in accordance with the Presidential Office Act, 1993(Act 463), Legal Service Act and other acts. But it should be noted that the duties and responsibilities of Article 71 officeholders and all jobholders in the public service, including presidential staffers, are clear. The spouses of presidents and vice-presidents have not been officially assigned any such duties and responsibilities. Therefore, they are not qualified to receive salaries from the public purse,” the statement said.

The TUC stated that although Ghanaians appreciate what the first and second ladies are doing to support women’s rights, child rights, and other noble initiatives towards social and economic development of the country, neither the Constitution of Ghana nor the laws of land assign them any official duties and responsibilities. “Therefore, the Trades Union Congress cannot support the payment of salaries to the spouses of presidents and vice presidents even if the Ntiamoa-Baidu’s Committee recommended the payment of such salaries.”

The statement added that “it is simply not right for anyone who has not been officially assigned duties and responsibilities in the public service to receive monthly salaries.”

The TUC has, thus, advised President Akufo-Addo to use all the powers accorded him by the Constitution of Ghana, first, to stop the payment of the salaries to his wife and the wife of the Vice President immediately, until they are officially assigned duties and responsibilities.

Below are details of a statement by the TUC:

We have followed the ongoing spirited public debate on the payment of salaries to spouses of presidents and vice presidents.

Here are the facts we have gathered so far:

1) The payment of allowances to spouses of presidents and vice presidents was introduced by the first Government of 4th Republic under the late former President Rawlings.
2) These allowances have been handled administratively by the Office of the President.
3) The Presidential Emoluments Committee chaired by Professor Ntiamoa-Baidu recommended that, henceforth, the wives of presidents and vice presidents should be paid monthly salaries at the level paid to cabinet ministers, as part of the privileges recommended for presidents and vice presidents.
4) The 7th Parliament, which was dissolved on 6th January 2021, approved the recommendation by Ntiamoa-Baidu’s Committee to convert these allowances to monthly salaries.
5) Salary arrears dated back to January 2017 have since been paid to the wives of President Akuffo-Addo and Vice-President Bawumia, in accordance with the Committee’s recommendation which was approved by NDC and NPP Members of Parliament.

The spouses of presidents and vice presidents are not specified under Article 71 of the Constitution of Ghana. The question is: why should they receive salaries pegged to emoluments and privileges for officeholders specified under Article 71?

It is true that salaries of some presidential staffers not specified under Article 71 receive emoluments that are the level of ministers or even higher, in accordance with the Presidential Office Act, 1993(Act 463), Legal Service Act and other acts. But it should be noted that the duties and responsibilities of Article 71 officeholders and all jobholders in the public service, including presidential staffers, are clear. The spouses of presidents and vice presidents have not been officially assigned any such duties and responsibilities. Therefore, they are not qualified to receive salaries from the public purse.

Ghanaians appreciate what the first and second ladies are doing to support women’s rights, child rights, and other noble initiatives towards social and economic development of our country. But neither the Constitution of Ghana nor the laws of land assign them any official duties and responsibilities.

Therefore, the Trades Union Congress cannot support the payment of salaries to the spouses of presidents and vice presidents even if the Ntiamoa-Baidu’s Committee recommended the payment of such salaries. It is simply not right for anyone who has not been officially assigned duties and responsibilities in the public service to receive monthly salaries. The Committee probably sought to regularize the payment of allowances which were being paid already. But you cannot regularize the payment of allowances which has no legal basis.

The ongoing passionate debate indicates clearly that this issue is very important to Ghanaians. We would like to advise President Akufo-Addo to use all the powers accorded him by the Constitution of Ghana, first, to stop the payment of the salaries to his wife and the wife of the Vice President immediately, until they are officially assigned duties and responsibilities. The President should also ensure that all such payments made to his wife and the wife of the Vice-President are refunded immediately.

When the time comes for spouses of presidents and vice presidents to be assigned official duties and responsibilities that will qualify them to receive salaries from taxpayers’ money the executive arm of government should remember the spouses of the Speakers of Parliament (the heads of the legislative arm of government) and the spouses of Chief Justices (the heads of the judiciary arm of government). They can also perform some official duties.

We would also like to advise the President to initiate a process towards the establishment of a Committee/Commission made up of experts from various fields to advise the government on salaries for all jobholders in the entire public service to ensure fairness. The current system appears to favour politicians at the expense of other jobholders in the larger public service in terms of salaries, allowances and other job-related privileges. Under no circumstance should sections of the public service receive unfair advantage over others in the same public service. The wrongs that have been perpetuated over nearly past three decades at the blind side of taxpayers must stop now.

[SIGNED]
DR. YAW BAAH
SECRETARY-GENERAL
TRADES UNION CONGRESS (GHANA) 11TH JULY, 2021, ACCRA

A suspect who had been arrested for alleged rape has escaped from custody while receiving treatment at the St. Anthony Hospital at Dzodze in the Ketu North Municipality of the Volta Region.

The suspect who escaped last Saturday morning, July 10, 2021 has been identified by sources in the hospital as 26 years old Mawuli Adzitso. He was receiving treatment under Police guard.

Daily Guide understands that until his escape, Mawuli was on remand at the Dzodze Central Police station over rape charges, until Monday, July 5, 2021 when he complained of chest pains.

He was rushed to the hospital for treatment, but escaped on Saturday morning, when his police guard permitted him (Mawuli) to use the washroom.

A police wireless message sighted by Daily Guide says the hospital alerted the police at about 3:30pm, several hours after the escape.

Apparently, the police guard, one G/Constable Stephen Kobi who was assigned to the suspect at the hospital had not reported the incident to the station as yet.

He was subsequently contacted and he confirmed that the prisoner escaped at about 9:00am last Saturday.

The constable explained that the suspect requested to attend nature’s call. To this end, he removed the handcuffs from the hands of the prisoner for that purpose.

After waiting for some minutes, he could not locate the suspect, who had escaped.

“As a rule, the constable has been given ten days to search and recapture the prisoner,” the message pointed out.

From Fred Duodu, Ho (k.duodu@yahoo.com

The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has assured the Ghanaian public that “no one will be left behind” as it has scheduled a mop-up exercise for the 2021 Population and Housing Census from July 12 to July 18.

Some Ghanaians have complained that they have not been counted in the ongoing exercise.

The GSS initially scheduled the exercise for March 2020 but rescheduled it to June 2020 and later postponed to 2021 due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Updating Ghanaians on the progress of the census so far at a press conference on Sunday, 11 July 2021, Government Statistician Prof Samuel Kobina Annim said “data has been received on 80% of the expected households as at the 12th day of enumeration with 12 out of the 16 regions above 80%. This ranges from 97% in the North East to 55% in Greater Accra.”

He, however, said the completion rates in some districts based on the data received by the 12th day indicate that the enumeration will have to continue.

Explaining why there are low enumeration in some districts, Prof Annim said there is “some reluctance of residents in specific households to participate in the census” as well as “unwillingness of entire communities to participate in the census due to boundary issues, inaccessibility of respondents (persons leaving early for work and returning late in urban areas, farming and mining communities)” coupled with “larger-than-expected number of structures/population in rapidly expanding urban areas”.

He also noted that “whenever a member of the public calls with questions/concerns about the completeness and content of the interview, an investigation must be conducted which involves the enumerator and supervisor being pulled from the field”.

He noted that members of the public who have not been counted should contact the census call centre on the toll free number 0800-426-426 or on 059- 147-6893, 059-147-6895, 059-476-884, or 020-685-0157

Below is the full speech delivered by Prof Annim:

2021 POPULATION AND HOUSING CENSUS

Press Briefing

Ghana Statistical Service

| 11th July 2021 |

1. Ghana Statistical Service expresses its appreciation to the public for their cooperation with census officials during the period.

2. The interest of the general public in being counted is high. The call centre has received over 2,000 calls from the public with concerns of not being listed or enumerated; questions about the exhaustiveness of the interview, and concerns about enumerator identity. In some cases, they are also calling the District Census Officers, Regional Statisticians and other Census Officials directly.

3. Data has been received on 80% of the expected households as at the 12th day of enumeration with 12 out of the 16 regions above 80%. This ranges from 97% in the North East to 55% in Greater Accra.

4. To put these figures in context, the numbers are based on the data that has been transmitted electronically to Headquarters. In some areas, Enumerators are unable to transmit their data due to poor or absent internet connectivity.

5. Out of the 272 statistical districts, 181 are on course to complete data collection today.

6. Currently the completion rates in some districts based on the data received by the 12th day indicate that the enumeration will have to continue.

These include: a. Ga West

b. Ga North

c. Ayawaso West Municipal

d. Adentan Municipal e. Ga East

f. Ledzokuku

g. La Nkwantanang-Madina Municipal

h. Kpone Katamanso i. Shai Osudoku

j. Tema West

7. Reasons for the below expected pace of work in selected areas

a. Reluctance of residents in specific households to participate in the census b. Unwillingness of entire communities to participate in the census due to boundary issues

c. Inaccessibility of respondents (persons leaving early for work and returning late in urban areas, farming and mining communities).

d. Larger than expected number of structures/population in rapidly expanding urban areas

e. Whenever, a member of the public calls with questions/concerns about the completeness and content of the interview, an investigation must be conducted which involves the Enumerator and Supervisor being pulled from the field 8. Field closure activities have begun in Supervisory Areas where work has been completed.

9. An initial mop-up period of 12th to 18th July has been scheduled to complete the work in the outstanding enumeration areas.

10.GSS wishes to assure members of the public who are yet to be counted that no one will be left behind. Members of the public who have not been counted should contact the census call centre on the toll-free number 0800-426-426 or on 059- 147-6893, 059-147-6895, 059-476-884, or 020-685-0157

11.Census Management is appealing to the members of the public who are unwilling to be enumerated to cooperate with Enumerators. 12.To persons yet to be counted, please make yourselves available by using the call back card or informing your neighbours when you will be available

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Sunday, 11th July 2021, commissioned the 85-bed Central Gonja District Hospital, located in Buipe, in the Savannah Region, at the start of his 2-day tour of the Region

The Buipe Hospital, whose construction commenced in 2018, is one of six (6) medical installations for which Government secured an 80-million-euro facility from Raiffesen Bank of Austria.

The hospital, together with five (5) others in Somanya, Sawla, Bamboi, Tolon, and Ketu North, was constructed by Vamed Engineering GmbH of Austria, with President Akufo-Addo, on 20th October 2020, commissioning the sixty (60) bed Ultra-Modern Hospital for Weta, in the Ketu North District.

The Buipe Hospital is an 85-bed hospital which is fitted with an out-patient department, Radiology unit, Laboratory, Pharmacy, Dental Unit, male and female wards, as well as paediatric and maternity units.

Indeed, prior to the construction of the hospital in Buipe, its residents had to rely on the Teaching Hospital at Tamale, or the Holy Family Hospital in Techiman. Considering the distances to be travelled from Buipe to Tamale or to Techiman, it had become imperative that Government constructs a health facility in Buipe to take of the health needs of the people of the Central Gonja District.

The President was hopeful that the hospital will help improve the health needs of the people of the district.

Indeed, in addition to the newly constructed Buipe District Hospital, President Akufo-Addo also revealed that Government has constructed health facilities in Mpaha, Digma and Tosinape and Kigberipe, all in the Central Gonja district.

Earlier in the day, the President paid a courtesy call on the Overlord of Gonja, the Yagbonwura, Tutumba Boresa Sulemana Jakpa, to thank him and the Region for the support offered the New Patriotic Party in the 2020 elections.

Touching on the request for potable drinking water made by the Yagbonwura, President Akufo-Addo indicated that he had already cut the sod for the construction of the Damongo Water Supply to address the problem.

He explained that COVID-19 had delayed the implementation of the project, “but I am happy to inform you that by the first week of August the contractor will be moving to site to begin work.”

Reiterating his commitment to construct some 1,500 kilometres of asphalt roads in 2021, he assured the Yagbonwura that the Savannah Region will be a beneficiary of this project, and re-assured the Overlord of Gonja that the construction of the Savannah Regional House of Chiefs will also commence in earnest.

New RCC Building
President Akufo-Addo also visited the site of the construction of a new 3-Storey Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) Administration Block for the Savannah Region, located at Damongo.

The RCC building is currently 70% complete, with concrete works, blockwork, plastering works, roofing, door frame, electrical pipework and cabling and plumbing pipework all completed.

Indeed, in line with directives of the President to ensure a spatial allocation of state institutions in the newly created regions, a 2-Storey Administration block for Regional Education Directorate is also being constructed at Damongo, a 2-Storey Administration block for Regional Health Directorate at Daboya, a 2-Storey Administration block for Regional Agric Directorate at Bole, and a 2-storey Administration block for Regional Feeder Roads Department at Salaga

Former Head of Monitoring Unit of the Forestry Commission, Charles Owusu, has hit hard at NPP Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, and NDC MP for Ningo Prampram, Sam George, over their threats to sue government over the official decision to pay First and Second Ladies’ salaries.

Parliament has approved that wives of the President and Vice President should receive salaries but this has been vehemently condemned by the two politicians and a section of the general public.

Kwame Baffoe, popularly called Abronye DC, has dragged the Attorney General to the Supreme Court praying the court for a “declaration that, the approval by Parliament to pay salaries to the First and Second Ladies is inconsistent with ARTICLE 71 CLAUSES 1 AND 2 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and consequently be declared null, void and unenforceable’’ and an order that “per Articles 108 and 178 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana; parliament cannot, on its own accord, initiate or approve payment of any such emoluments; which would necessarily be paid from public funds; without a bill to that effect emanating from and introduced by the Government and dully passed into law’’.

Sam George, also threatening a law suit, argues that the First and Second Ladies are not Public Officers, therefore the Parliamentary approval is in breach of Article 71 of the constitution.

“As far as I am aware there was no arrangement for that, the President’s wife and the vice President’s wife are not article 71 holders.”

“I am a Member of Parliament, I personally do not subscribe to that, whether it is an NDC President or an NPP President, your wife is not a Public Officer, you wife is your wife. Are we also going to say that the Spouse of the Chief Justice , the spouse of the Speaker must also be paid? Where do we draw the line? Already they get allowances, they get protection from the state at the expense of the taxpayer and I don’t have a problem with that”, he said in an interview on Neat FM.

Addressing the issue on Peace FM’s ”Kokrokoo”, Charles Owusu rubbished the law suits asking ”if we cancel the payment to the First Ladies, what will happen in this country? Will it cause people to die or have life?”

”Today, this or that person is going to court saying we won’t accept it…The thing is also that they are being paid already and the fact that you’re going to court doesn’t mean the government will decide today that it won’t have a budget for the First Lady’s office and the office of the Second Lady. Then we should close the office. Then we should propose that it’s not necessary to give an office to the First and Second Ladies any longer”, he expressed his disappointments.

He argued that ”just as we pay their husbands, they must also be paid. If they work, then we must pay them”.

To him, it is petty for any person to come against the salaries.

”Let us love ourselves. The pettiness is too much”, he therefore advised.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/tITmwx7HdW8

Source: peacefmonline.com

President Nana Akufo-Addo is expected to tour the Savanna Region from today, Sunday, 11 July 2021.

The president will start the two-day tour from the regional capital, Damongo.

He will pay a courtesy call on the overlord of the Gonja traditional area, Yagbonwura Tuntumba Boressah at the Jakpa palace.

The president will later be hosted by Damongo-based community radio station PAD FM, for an interview.

Subsequently, the president will inspect ongoing construction work on the office complex of the regional coordinating council.

Later, he will move to Buipe to inaugurate an accident and emergency centre.

On the second day of his working tour, Mr Akufo-Addo will inspect water and road projects at Kpembi and Salaga.

In Salaga, the president will also open AstroTurf and then proceed to inspect the ongoing Bunjai-Fufso road project.

Nana Akufo-Addo will leave the Savanna Region for Tamale, the capital of the Northern Region on Tuesday

Senior Presidential Advisor, Yaw Osafo Maafo says the debate over who takes credit for the construction of the Pokuase Interchange is not relevant.

Mr. Osafo Maafo, who cut the sod for the construction of the project three years ago, argued that governance is a continuous process.

President Akufo-Addo on Friday, July 9, 2021, commissioned the 4-tier Pokuase Interchange in Accra.

Already there is a raging debate over who takes the credit for the project with many saying the Mahama administration played a major role before handing it over to the NPP administration.

“Governance is a continuous process. There is nothing static about governance. Therefore someone will have to start and another will implement it. The government started before independence. Osagyefo brought that independence. We cannot talk about government as a singular action.”

“Yes, it is important to congratulate the government that initiated it. But somebody must take it through the implementation process, and that is what this government has done.”

He however said the Akufo-Addo administration should be given a pat on the back for maximising the resources allocated for a three-tier interchange and producing a four-tier interchange.

“This government managed the budget for a three-tier interchange and produced a four-tier one. This is something worth noting. And I think that the government should be commended for protecting the public purse.”

About the project

The Pokuase Interchange is a four-tier interchange situated at Pokuase junction, connecting motorists to Awoshie, Kwabenya, Amasaman and Achimota.

The project is being undertaken by Messrs China Zhongmei Engineering Company Limited.

The sod-cutting ceremony for work to start was done in July 2018, with the project initially expected to be completed in October 2020, but that was changed to March 2021.

The government, in May 2021, promised that the project would be completed in the first week of July 2021

Amidst the inquiry into the violence in Ejura, the Editor-In-Chief of the New Crusading Guide, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Jnr., says it is imperative that the source of the bullets that killed two persons is established.

“It’s a critical requirement that the bullet that killed them must be available because then we’ll be able to tell which gun shot that bullet,” Mr. Baako said on Joy FM’ Newsfile on Saturday, July 10, 2021.

Though gunfire from soldiers are believed to have killed two men protesting after the death of a social activist, the Commander of the 4BN of the Ghana Armed Forces, has suggested that some protesters armed with guns may have wounded or killed some protesters.

But Mr. Baako expressed his doubts about the suggestion from the military.

“If it were true, they would have done that crime scene management and in the process would have located shells that would be part and parcel of their defence. They don’t have it. They didn’t send it because it doesn’t exist.”

He further said the state may have to consider exhuming the body of the deceased protesters so as to unravel the truth.

“If we are not going to get the bullets that killed them because of a certain emergency situation, so we’ve buried the bullets together with the human bodies, my goodness, what are we doing? This is an exercise in futility then.”

But ultimately, Mr. Baako stressed that he did not believe that the protesters opened fire on the military.

“It cannot be true. Look, we’ve seen different types of videos. They were armed, maybe machetes, knives, sticks, but nobody can convince me that they were armed with weapons firing at the military and the police. So I cannot be convinced,” he said.

Source: Citinewsroom

Mr Alan Kyeremanten, the Minister of Trade and Industry, has assured victims of the Makola Market fire that Government will find means to alleviate their plight.

“We have told them to take their time to salvage a few more of their goods … and itemize everything and bring their lists so that we can compile and bring it to government for compensation,” he stated.

Mr Kyerematen said this when he visited the fire scene to assess the situation.

He said it was unfortunate that another fire outbreak was experienced in the central business district at a time the traders were recovering from the ‘blows’ of COVID-19, but assured of Government’s support.

Mr Kyerematen said Government had set up a committee to look into the cause of the fire incidents for more permanent and practical solutions to address them.

He said Government was reviewing the report and working closely with the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) to develop a policy framework to deal with the issues.

Dr Joseph Obeng, President of GUTA, described the recent fire incident as unfortunate and demanded the release of all investigative reports on previous fire incidents, particularly in the country’s commercial centres to enable authorities to guard against future occurrences.

He said, “we want the Government to submit the reports of forensic audits from previous fire outbreaks. That way, a committee can be set up to find a lasting solution to the issue.”

The Monday morning fire outbreak razed over 50 shops.

Source: GNA

The Criminal Division of the Accra High Court presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo has been told that the Lead Investigator at the CID Headquarters who investigated the kidnapping case of the two Canadian girls is dead.

Samson Agharlor, alias Romeo, Jeff Omarsar, Elvis Ojiyowe and Yusif Yakubu have been charged among other things for unlawful imprisonment.

They have pleaded not guilty and are standing trial for the offenses.

In court on Friday, July 9, Detective Corporal Augustine Dery, one of the investigators told the court that, the lead investigator Chief Inspector Matthew Anokye died on May 4, 2021.

Detective Dery made the decision known when he was giving his Evidence-In-Chief as the 11th Prosecution Witness in the ongoing trial.

The Witness told the court that, he is a police officer with the Ghana police service stationed at the Anti-Armed Robbery Unit of CID headquarters in Accra.

He said, he been at the unit for six years, but has been a police officer for 12 years.

“I was part of a team of investigators who investigated a kidnapping case of the accused persons and others.

“My Lord, Myself and Chief Inspector Chief Matthew Anokye who was the Lead Investigator. Chief Inspector Anokye is dead. He died on May 4, 2021. I have with me the invitation to the funeral of Chief Inspector Anokye and identified the Invitation Card to prove that, the Chief Inspector was dead,” he told the court.

“We had a good working relationship as we were in the same unit. aside from investigating this case as a team, we have also worked together in other cases,” the witness said of the late Chief Inspector.

The witness also told the court, “I have had a professional working relationship with him for six years.”

Signature and handwriting

He told the court that, he was “familiar with the signature of the late chief Anokye as well as his handwriting.”

According to him, by way of investigating this case, the late Chief Inspector Anokye was the Lead Investigator, and so he did most of the investigative work.

‘My Lord, he was the one who cautioned and obtained further investigations cautioned statement of the accused persons and others after the BNI has handed over to us.

According to him, the late Chief Inspector “forwarded the 10 mobile phones to the Cyber Crime Unit for Forensic Analysis. Again, he forwarded the weapons to the ballistic experts for examination. I know that he gave a statement on investigations and followed it up by giving the witness statement to the office of AG.”

“What I have stated is not exhaustive of all that he did. what I have mentioned is what readily comes to me.

Evidence Act

The State Attorney prior to tendering the statement through the witness, made reference to Section 118/116 of the Evidence (Act1975) NRCD 232 to tender the statement of Chief Inspector Anokye through the investigator on the box.

BNI investigations

Touching on how investigations were done, the witness said, on June 17, 2019, “BNI handed over the accused persons and others and some exhibits to my unit for investigations.”

Regarding the said others, he told the court that, “the accused persons before you, there were others that we brought along with the accused and they are Sofianu Abubakar, Abdul Nasir, Seidu Abubakar MBA, and Abdul Suleiman alias Wofa.”

The case has been adjourned to July 16, 2021

• Politicians are killing to rise to and stay in power

• According to Assin Central MP, the practice is unacceptable

• Kennedy Agyapong slammed the media for engaging in acts that could destabilize the country

Kennedy Agyapong, Member of Parliament for Assin Central, has slammed fellow politicians who use unconventional tactics to arrive in and maintain power.

According to him, there are politicians who will kill their fellow human beings if that is what it takes to get power.

GhanaWeb monitored comments he made when he was interviewed on the July 6, 2021 edition of Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana talk show.

“Politicians are also part of the problem because they don’t care killing human beings to come to power but the Bible says: ‘What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his life?’”

He expressed disgust at such politicians who he said acted as though they were not going to die themselves: “You want to come to power, so you kill brothers, sisters because of power? And when they are talking like that, they forget that one day they are also going to die,” he added.

He had earlier in the programme slamed the media asserting that the kind of reportage that some of them churn out on sentitive national issues could plunge the country into a state of war.

Asked whether he was concerned about the security situation in Ghana as has played out recently, he replied: “very concerned, about the media. I have always said that if Ghana will go to war, if Ghana will be destroyed; it will be from the media. The comments they make.”

“Typical example is the case in Ejura, a brother kills a brother and it is reported out there that #FixtheCountry advocate has been killed because he was talking about fixing the country,” he submitted.

Agyapong said, he was in Turkey when he read the news of Kaaka’s death, adding, he felt bad about the supposed political reasons reported by the media, “… until I came back to Ghana and I got to know the true story of it. Who is causing problems?

“Other people have died because of false reportage, we are all losing the facts because we are not looking at where the problem started. The problem is from the media,” he stated adding that it was the reports that infuriated the youth to protest leading to more deaths.

“We have to be careful in this country, the way we give information especially with social media. I don’t write anything, I don’t have time,” he added.

Agyapong, however, said he will mark the state of Ghana’s security as nine over ten because compared to other countries mentioning especially Nigeria, Ghana was in a state of peace and security.

He slammed the main opposition National Democratic Congress, submitting that, the party had no legitimacy to comment on Ghana’s security situation because they are notorious mismanagers of security whenever they were in office.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

The Chief Executive of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Joseph Boahen Aidoo, says Switzerland can strengthen its existing economic ties with Ghana by supporting the effort of the Ghanaian government to expand the local cocoa processing and value addition sector.

Such support, he explained, can be in the form of partnerships to establish more processing factories in Ghana to feed the international market with finished or semifinished processed cocoa.

He added that other avenues which can be explored together include the promotion of organic and sustainable practices on cocoa farms; the modernisation of cocoa farming, particularly, through the provision of irrigation systems; and advocating for farmers to earn a decent income from their produce.

The COCOBOD Boss made this call when he joined a team led by the Swiss Minister for Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications, Simonetta Sommaruga, to tour the Yayra Glover warehouse and FairAfric chocolate factory at Suhum, in the Eastern Region.

The tour was organised as part of a four-day working visit to Ghana by the Swiss Minister.
Also on the tour was a delegation from the Swiss Embassy in Ghana, including the Ambassador, Philipp Stalder.

Mr Aidoo said the visit by the Swiss Minister was timely because it coincided with the period when Ghana is engaged in discussions with the European Union (EU) on sustainable cocoa production.

He noted the policies of COCOBOD are aligned with the global common agenda to maintain and improve forests.
As such, COCOBOD is championing the practice of agroforestry in Ghana. Cocoa trees, he stated, are forest trees which grow best in the company of other forest vegetation and that is why farmers grow other crops on their farms and as well, grow tall permanent shade trees.

Satellite images reveal that the parts of Ghana which have lost most of their vegetation over the years are parts where cocoa is not grown but through cocoa agroforestry, these parts can be made green again and their vegetations restored, he said.
COCOBOD, Mr Aidoo added, also teaches farmers the advantages of organic cocoa farming. The use of pesticides and weedicides on cocoa farms have also been banned because of their negative effect on biodiversity.

The Swiss Minister, Simonetta Sommaruga, acknowledged the importance of Ghana’s cocoa sector to Switzerland. She stated with the growth in global demand for more organic products, it is important that Ghana continues to encourage more organic cocoa cultivation.

She said, she was in the country because Ghana and Switzerland have signed an agreement on climate change which means that her country will invest in climate protection projects in Ghana. “This agreement is good for both Ghana and Switzerland”, she noted, “and for sustainable investments. I’m very glad because cooperation between our two countries works very well.”

Government spent over GHC I billon Ghana cedis in 2020 to import fertilizers, Minister of Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has disclosed

According to him, this alone demonstrated the government’s commitment towards the development of agriculture across the country.

Dr Afriyie Akoto made the disclosure while addressing farmers, inputs dealers, regional agriculture directors, district agricultural directors at Ahinsan in the Ashanti Region last Thursday as part of his regional tour.

It was in reaction to calls by especially the farmers on government to reduce prices of fertilizers.

He said government in its quest to make farmers richer has subsidised fertilisers in particular, by 40% stating “this means the farmer has extra money for savings.”

At the Amanfrom prison, the Commandant, ADP Francis M. Yelpuo, said the prison has a total of 40 acres of oil palm plantation which gives a year round harvest.https://a045521780ca592bba0330757997356f.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

He said the facility has a 45 sow piggery with current total of 373 pigs, offering a comprehensive practical training to inmates and officers.

He also said the prison could boast of 73 sheep and 59 rabbits in addition to a 2-acre vegetable farm.

He continued that the prison can also boast of a 40-acre of maize and 10-acre swamp land, the multiplication of taro suckers for the ministry of food and agriculture (MoFA) for onward distribution to farmers.

The commandant appealed to the minister for a 3000L Polytank and nipple drinkers to improve the health of the animals.

But Dr Afriyie Akoto entreated the command to concentrate on projects they can commercialise to resource others

“I can’t promise you free tractors but I can offer you one with 40% reduction and that’s what we can do,” he added.

Later the minister called on the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II at the Manhyia Palace.

At the Manhyia Palace, Otumfou Osei Tutu II acknowledged the efforts of government in raising the level of agriculture in the country, particularly in the Ashanti Region.

He pledged his support to sustain the gains made in the agriculture sector.

Source: atinkaonline.com

Nine years after the demise of the late President John Evans Atta Mills, his emoluments have not been paid.null

According to the Founder and Chief Executive Officer Of Atta-Mills Institute, Koku Anyidoho, the late former President would have been paid monthly salaries, given an office and other benefits but these have not been done since the demise.

Mr. Anyidoho made these revelations in an interview with Onua TV and Onua FM’s Maakye on Friday hosted by Captain Smart.

“President Mills’ entitlements have not been paid. If he were to be alive, he would have been entitled to an office as a former president, entitled to emoluments and all these have not been done. There are issues,” the former aide to the late Mills added.

Reacting to the news on the payment of allowances to spouses of Presidents and Vice Presidents, Mr. Anyidoho said “It’s an issue of the 1992 constitution. It’s a very critical issue because after 8-years of Rawlings, after 8-years of Kufour, when Prof Mills came, he said if we don’t do something about the 1992 Constitution, it will haunt us because it’s a living document.”

He said “President Mills wanted us to review it and that was why there was the Constitutional Review Commission.”null

“The report was ready and just after President Mills died, where is the report? Why did they issue only the white paper? Where is the report?”

Mr. Anyidoho added that “there was work in progress when the late president died so on the issue of first and second ladies we have to discuss it passionately. It’s a matter of fact that they have to be given office by the state.”

“They are already officials of the state who are being paid. They have police who are also being paid so if you don’t know, you will think they are not being paid…but they are already being paid but the committee thinks they are being paid so they are just regularizing it”.

“Husbands don’t pay their wives…its part of their duties and President Mills never sent anything like that to Parliament for approval.”

Source: 3news.com

• Kweku Baako suspects that some of the persons who appeared before the committee were not candid with their testimonies

• He does not believe the story that the Ejura youth had guns

• He is worried that the falsehood being peddled could destroy the integrity of the report

Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, Editor-In-Chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper has rejected claims by the police and military that the protesting youth of Ejura among other weapons wielded guns.

Baako whiles speaking on Metro TV on Thursday, July 8, 2021 said he has no reason to trust the allegations being made against the youth by the two institutions.

He said that if the police indeed made such recoveries, they should have made it public and not wait till the committee to make such disclosures.null

He warned that the peddling of falsehood could impugn the integrity of the institutions they represent as well as the committee.

“The point about the people were armed and shooting. Maybe I should be careful but I don’t believe it. I have to be honest and I know what I’m doing may not be the best but I don’t believe that story. The story that people the people had guns and shot, I don’t believe it. I’m told they had machetes, knives and sticks but if you told me that they had guns and fired …

“With forensics there should have been some evidence by now. Integrity of such enquiries are critical and integrity of institutions who testify are very critical so if there is a split-second doubt, that is the end of the integrity of the findings the committee will make. If the people were shooting, some of all these videos, you’d see signs,” he said.

The assertion that the youth of the Ejura carried guns was first made by the Commander of the 4th Infantry Battalion and re-echoed by the District Police Commander of Ejura, DSP Hammond.

Taking his turn before the three-member ministerial committee probing the incident, DSP Hammond said he did not set eyes on the gun but heard shots that he is convinced were from a pump action gun.null

He disclosed that aside the guns, the protesters also had stones, machetes and other missiles which were targeted at the police.

“The angry mob were charged, they started throwing stones, missiles, offensive weapons and sound of a pump-action gun was also heard. I moved the Police to the scene because they were under my command. They were moved from the Regional Command, so on the grounds, they were under my command,” he said.

“Did you personally see the youth or demonstrators or rioters holding these weapons?” a member of the Committee asked.

DSP Philip Hammond replied stating: “I didn’t see but I heard the sound. They were firing, I heard the sound of the pump action gun but the missiles, stones and other offensive weapons, they were throwing them.”

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

The family of the slain Ibrahim Kaaka says it will not testify before the committee probing the killings in Ejura.

In a statement, the family said even though they are grateful for the establishment of the three-member committee, they do not believe the focus of the committe of will bring them the justice they require.

“In addition, having sought and obtained independent legal advice as to the work of the Committee, and our rights vis-à-vis the Committee, we have become apprehensive of the substantive and procedural regularity of the Committee’s work. We are also now concerned that the Committee’s work does not provide the appropriate framework for a full, faithful and impartial inquiry, as envisaged under Article 278 of the 1992 Constitution. In this connection, we note, in particular:

“(1) Our regret with the decision to not establish this inquiry using the powers provided for under Article 278 of the 1992 Constitution. We are concerned that the failure to institute a proper Commission of Inquiry under Article 278, means that this Committee of inquiry does not have the powers, rights and privileges of the High Court or a Justice of the High Court at a trial. As such, the Committee has no power to (a) enforce the attendance of witnesses and examine them on oath,” the statement said.

It added: “Watching the proceedings over the past few days, we have found the Committee’s inability to enforce the attendance of witnesses and examine them on oath as well as to compel any documents, to be very puzzling. We are also concerned that these restrictions put the Committee in a position where it can neither vet, validate nor substantiate any statements made before it; nor cross-examine the testimonies of the witnesses on the basis of facts independently procured”.

Meanwhile, the three-member Ministerial Committee probing the killings has asked for more time to complete the assignment.

The Committee chaired by a High Court judge Justice Koomson is asking for an extension of its 10-day mandate.

In a statement, the committee requested that their deadline is extended by six days to enable them to complete the work given them. It is hoping to complete its work by July 16,2021.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Chief Executive for Ejura in the Ashanti region Mohammed Salisu Bamba has denied reports that two out of the three individuals arrested in connection with the killing of Ibrahim Kaaka are his bodyguards.

When asked if the suspects were his bodyguards by the three-member committee probing the killings in Ejura, he retorted: “Not at all. They are our polling station executives. My house is such that anytime any political figure comes to the area, a lot of people come to the house and everybody knows that”.

The MCE who appeared before the Committee Thursday also confirmed that Kaaka is a known member of the ruling party who attends party meetings and events.

So far three people including the brother of the Kaaka have been picked up in connection with the murder

It has emerged that government will absorb 60% of the loan being granted to Members of Parliament and Council state to purchase vehicles.

The state will also pay the interests that will accrue on the loans to be given to these public officeholders under Article 71 of the constitution.

This means both the Members of the 8th Parliament and Members of the Council of State will have to pay back only 40% of the loans without interest.

This was contained in the emolument committee report which has been approved by Parliament. According to the document, each member of these two bodies is to receive a loan of $100,000 for the purchase of a vehicle.

The government on Tuesday laid before parliament the $28 million interest-free facility with the National Investment Bank for lawmakers.

The MPs are supposed to repay the loan within four years.

A $3.5 million separate facility from the same bank has also been laid for the purchase of vehicles by members of the council of state.

“The repayment of the facility by the beneficiaries shall be made from deduction at source by the Parliamentary Service of Ghana to the NIB. The repayment by the beneficiaries and the Government of Ghana shall be made at the end of every month for the duration of the agreement,” the loan agreement presented to Parliament by the Finance Minister said.

Commenting on the development, Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare said the state is giving the public officials a gift and not a loan.“Government gives the beneficiaries $27,500,000 (i.e., $100,000 * 275) and the beneficiaries pay government $11,000,000 ($40,000 * 275) over 45 months. The difference of $16,500,000 plus the interest of $4,561,666 are non-taxable wealth transfer from government to the beneficiaries.”

“You cannot give someone $100,000 plus interests and ask that they give you $40,000 over 4 years and call that a loan. Plainly, you are giving the person a non-taxable gift of $60,000 plus interest structured to disguise its substance. Let us call a loan a loan and a gift a gift”

The largest aircraft in the world, “Antonov An-225 Mriya” has landed at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra.

Only two of such aircraft were built.

The current Antonov An-225 Mriya, which is the only one in operation, according to Aviation Ghana, flew from Leipzig and successfully landed at KIA shortly after 4pm on 7 July 2021.

It is a six-engine plane.

The arrival of the aircraft gives credence to the fact that Ghana’s Kotoka International Airport is capable of hosting all types of aircraft.

The Antonov An-225 Mriya is a six engine, strategic heavy lift cargo transport aircraft designed and manufactured by the Antonov Design Bureau (ADB) of Ukraine. The term Mriya refers to the word dream or inspiration in English. Its NATO reporting name is Cossack.

The aircraft was derived from the An-124 Ruslan (NATO: Condor). Cossack is the heaviest fixed wing aircraft in the world to carry 640t of cargo. It is bigger than an Airbus 380 airliner, the An-124 and the Boeing 747 Freighter.

Source: www.dailymailgh.com

The Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Eric Kyei-Baffour, a Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting as a High Court judge, has acquitted and discharged Ms Kate Quartey-Papafio, the Managing Director of Reroy Cables Limited, in the ongoing trial with three others (William Ato Essien, founder of the now-defunct bank; Rev. Fitzgerald Odonkor, the Managing Director of the bank and Mr Tettey Nettey, the Managing Director of MC Management Services, a company said to be owned by Essien) accused of conniving to steal some GH₵620 million of liquidity support given to Capital Bank by the Bank of Ghana, which led to the bank’s collapse.

They all pleaded not guilty to charges of stealing, abetment to stealing, conspiracy to steal and money laundering.

Ms Quartey-Papafio’s lawyers, however, filed an application of no-case resulting in her acquittal and discharge.

Her role, in the scheme of things, was also described as childish by the judge.

According to Justice Kyei Baffour, the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against Ms Quartey-Papafio to warrant a defence, since no evidence showed she intended or acted in a way to steal money from the bank but was just a trustee for another person who wanted to purchase shares from the bank but had no knowledge that the said money was part of the liquidity support.

Also, the court held that the GH₵70 million in question was still in the custody of the Consolidated Bank and had not been appropriated or stolen by the businesswoman.

“A prima facie case has not been established against her. Rather, she acted childishly in the deal. The law does not punish the fool but the one with evil intention,” the court ruled.

The court, however, ruled that the three other accused persons have a case to answer since the prosecution successfully established a prima facie case against them.

The three were, thus, ordered by the judge to open their defence.

Capital Bank went under in 2017 during the Bank of Ghana’s onslaught on struggling banks

The Baastona police command has rescued 10 Nigerians from their traffickers at Coastal Estates Down on the Spintex road.

The police said on 6 July 2021 at about 4 pm, a distress call indicated that someone needed help from a house at Coastal Estate Down.

The police followed up to the scene anddiscovered that one Amas Ekhosuehi, 24, a Nigerian and his five accomplices, also Nigerians, had lured 10 Nigerian young men into Ghana through the closed borders to engage them in cyber fraud.

The young men, who looked pale and malnourished, according to the police, had several marks of assault on their backs.

The victims claimed they were lured in batches to Ghana to seek greener pastures but camped in a house and prevented from going out once they arrived.

They were also physically abused each time they requested food or failed to swindle unsuspecting victims to send money, the police noted.

The five other suspects gave their names as Apostle Sunday, 27, from Akwa Ibom State; Monday Echeh, 25, from Edo State; Aboki O.C, 21, from Edo State; Patrick Odez, 26, from Cross River State; and Henry Ochuko, 26, from Edo State.

Their victims are between the ages of 21 and 24.

The police retrieved 14 laptops from the house where the victims had been camped.

The suspects are in police custody and being processed for court.

The Ghana Immigration Service and the Human Trafficking Unit are being involved to assist the police with the investigation

DCOP David Agyemang Adjem

The Ashanti Regional Police Command say they were overwhelmed by the events that led to the death of two persons during the June 29 Ejura youth protest, which turned violent.

Ashanti regional Deputy Regional Police Commander Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) David Agyemang Adjem, , told the Ministerial Committee investigating the Ejura Disturbances that the Command did not anticipate the event, in the Ejura-Sekyedumase District in the Ashanti Region, to degenerate into such violence.

Four other persons were injured in the incident, which followed the burial of Ibrahim Muhammed, alias Kaaka Macho.

Kaaka, 45, described as a social media activist, died at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Hospital, on Monday, June 28, while receiving treatment from injuries he sustained from attacks by some unknown assailants, when returning home on his motorbike on Sunday dawn.

DCOP Agyem said though the Police had intelligence that there could be a protest after the death of Kaaka, they did not expect the situation to get out of hands, especially with the presence of the military.

He said the Police had assumed that the presence of the military would have scared the protesters and stated that the assumption was miscalculated.

Answering questions on why his men on the field did not use teargas and other safer riot control mechanisms, he responded that the team did not have teargas on that particular day.

He said both the Police and the Military did not deploy personnel to Ejura to kill anyone but to protect lives and property, therefore, it was unfortunate that two lives were lost.

He said despite the professionalism exhibited by the security personnel, the angry youth pelted them with every object they could lay their hands on.
This, he explained, forced the Police to retreat for the Military to take over the operation.

The Police operations, according to the Deputy Regional Commander, focused more on protecting vital government installations, such as the Municipal Assembly’s building and the Police Station because they had picked intelligence that the youth were targeting those facilities.

Abdul-Nasir Yussif and Mutala Mohammed died from gunshots during the incident.

This sparked public outcry over the deployment of the military in domestic riot control operations and the use of safe but effective riot control mechanisms.

Meanwhile, three persons have been remanded by the Asokwa District Court following their arrest over Kaaka’s death.

Issakar Ibrahim, also known as Anyas, Fuseini Alhassan and Iddi Mohammed, the brother of Kaaka, are facing two charges – conspiracy to commit crime and murder.

The three-member Ministerial Committee investigating the Ejura disturbances, is chaired by Justice George Kingsley Koomson, a Court of Appeal Judge, with Prof Vladimir Antwi-Danso, a security analyst and Ms Juliet Adiema Amoah, Executive Director of Penplusbyte, a civil society organisation, as members.

The sittings, which started on July 6, are held at the Prempeh Assembly Hall in Kumasi.
The Committee has 10 days to present its report after their investigation.
GNA

Lordina Mahama, the wife of former President Mahama, was a businesswoman. My sources close to the former first family say, at a point in the life of her husband’s political career, proceeds from her business were what kept the family.

Could she still have been a businesswoman when her husband became the President of Ghana? Could she have put in bids for government or private contracts without having an undue advantage over her competitors or being cited for conflict of interest?

What about the important roles they play and the projects, programmes and causes they champion? Are those roles not useful to Ghanaians?

If we have forgotten what former first ladies did, what about what is happening now? Yesterday, we were praising Rebecca Akufo-Addo for mobilising resources to build critical healthcare facilities. Samira Bawumia, on the other hand has undertaken projects, including a literary project that saw the award of handsome prizes to young writers across the country.

Today, I hear people saying the first lady does nothing. That is not true. The “witches” of Gambaga should still remember the role the Lordina Foundation played in their lives.

I am strongly in favour of paying salaries to the wives of the President and Vice President if it is done according to law.

I have read well-reasoned arguments from the likes of H Kwasi Prempeh on the matter. I agree that in the current loose arrangement, it will be illegal to include them in Article 71 bracket. We cannot also pay them like public office holders without any well-defined roles and accountability.

But what is the reality currently? If those opposing the paying of salary knew the amounts of resources that are channeled into the running of the Office of the First Lady, they would want the office normalised with spelled out functions and avenues for accountability.

What we cannot stop, let us regulate, especially when the argument that “they don’t do anything” isn’t true.

The presidential spouses, beyond the projects and programmes we see them undertake, also play very important roles using soft power and diplomacy to resolve certain grievances. They have international engagements and are sometimes required to follow their husbands on official trips, and we spend on them.

Properly defining their role and paying them while they are in office will help us to hold them accountable. We may be getting value for money instead of the current arrangement appears very opaque and can be abused easily.

I am in favour of paying them, but it should be done within the confines of the law.

• Kennedy Agyapong has reiterated that he has no presidential ambitionsnull

• The Assin Central MP believes the 2024 elections could be won by the NDC

• He says if he ever becomes president, he will be an effective and thorough leader

The Assin Central Member of Parliament has reiterated that he is not interested in becoming president of Ghana but if that possibility presents itself, he will discharge his duty with ruthless efficiency.

According to Kennedy Agyapong, as president of the republic, he will heed to calls to fix the country and that he will do so in a space of 24 months.

GhanaWeb monitored comments he made on the Good Evening Ghana show on Tuesday, June 6. He said: “If I want to be president, I will be president in style ooo, I will whip you good.null

“You want to fix the country? You will see that in two years Ghana has been fixed. Even if your tie is crooked, I will let you know and ask you to straighten it, because that is what we need,” he stressed.

He added that the 2024 presidential election was for the ruling New Patriotic Party to lose if they do right by Ghanaians.

He is quick to point out that the party will have to to deal with the 8-year cycle where a ruling party is traditionally kicked out of office.

He said all known aspirants who were pushing their candidacy in subtle ways were not helping the cause of the party and the government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Meanwhile, you can nominate personalities and organisations for the GhanaWeb Excellence Awards, the people’s choice award scheme aimed at acknowledging personalities, groups, and organisations who have contributed immensely to the development of Ghana.null

Nominations are unlimited and end on August 31, 2021.

Below are the seventeen categories and their criteria to guide your nominations.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

 Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah

Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has explained that the payment of allowances to spouses of Presidents and Vice Presidents is not a new phenomenon.

According to him, the allowance payments were instituted under the Kufuor administration, but were only being formalised by the current government.

“President Kufuor, in his wisdom, instituted this because of the bad situations of some spouses of some former heads of states then. President Mills and Mahama even increased the rates of these benefits during their time.”

This issue is gradually dominating discussions in the country following claims that President Akufo-Addo had given approval for his wife, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, and the wife of Dr. Bawumia, Mrs. Samira Bawumia to receive the same salaries as Cabinet ministers.

Oppong Nkrumah told Daily Graphic that those claims were misleading.

“The President does not approve salaries and benefits for the Executive. Under Article 71, the First Lady and Second Lady are not office-holders, so no one can determine their benefits under that article.”

“However, a committee [on emoluments] only recommended that an arrangement for the spouses be made formal and that received approval from Parliament,” he indicated.

The Information Minister in the interview disclosed that: “The truth of the matter is that, all surviving spouses of Heads of State, current and former, have always received salaries. Lordina Mahama, Naadu Mills, Matilda Amissah-Arthur, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, Faustina Acheampong, Fulera Liman etc have all been receiving salaries since President Kufuor’s time.”

“What has happened now is that the arrangement has been made formal, but that was done legally based on the recommendation by the Emoluments Committee [in 2019],” the Information Minister clarified.

The Emolument Committee

The five-member emolument committee was set up in June 2019 by President Akufo-Addo to make recommendations to him and to Parliament on the salaries and allowances payable, and the facilities and privileges available to article 71 officeholders.

Under the chairmanship of Prof. Ntiamoa-Baidu and which also had former Majority Leader and former Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Abraham Ossei Aidooh, the Chief Executive of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, Dr Edward Kwapong, the current Director-General of the Internal Audit Agency, Dr Eric Oduro Osae, and a former Managing Director, Donewell Life Insurance Co. Ltd, Mrs Stella Segbawu, the committee had two terms of reference.

They were charged to make recommendations in respect of emoluments and other privileges for article 71 officeholders, as specified under the Constitution; and also to examine any other relevant matter which the Committee deemed appropriate to its work.

Similar committees set up in the past were at various points chaired by Prof. Miranda Greenstreet, Mrs Mary Chinery-Hesse, Mr Ishmael Yamson, Prof. Marian Ewurama Addy, and Prof. Francisca Edu-Buandoh.

Source: citinewsroom.com

The Vice-Chairman of Finance Committee of Parliament Patrick Yaw Boamah has described as unfair and misplaced criticisms against a $28million facility for procurement of vehicles for lawmakers in the 8th parliament.

According to the Okaikoi Central MP, the Legislature is the only arm of government where individuals purchase and fuel their own vehicles.

The government on Tuesday laid before parliament a $28 million interest-free facility with the National Investment Bank for lawmakers to purchase vehicles.

The MPs are supposed to repay the loan within four years.

A $3.5 million separate facility from the same bank has also been laid for the purchase of vehicles by members of the council of state.

The development as always has generated public outcry.

Speaking to the media Mr. Yaw Boamah asked his colleagues to reject the deal so the state is compelled to purchase official vehicles for MPs just as it does for ministers and other members of the executive and judiciary.

He told parliamentary correspondent Ibrahim Alhassan “if I have the power I’ll ask my colleagues to reject the facility. The simple reason that all the other arms of government, vehicles are procured for them without having to go through this process where the media is always on the back of MPs for contracting a loan.”

“I don’t see the reason why we should be the subject of this public bashing. Because it’s a loan agreement that the finance ministry contracted with the Investment Bank of Ghana for MP’s and members of the council of state.”

He stressed: “like you rightly said, it’s done after every four years but I’ve never heard of anybody talking about why we procure loans for members of the Council of State. Because MPs are easy targets, it’s a necessary evil.”

“But nobody has asked of why the state from the executive and the judiciary are given vehicles without having to procure a loan. That’s why I’m saying that if I have my way I’ll ask MPs to reject the loan and ask the government to procure vehicles for us to use in the performance of our duty. After four years we leave the vehicle for them.”

He added, “before I started taking my salary in the eighth parliament, I was given a notice that from February a certain amount of money will be deducted from my salary in anticipation of this loan which is yet to be approved in July.”

“So, from February this year, I started paying even though I hadn’t s seen the loan. That one nobody saw anything wrong with 

The police in Bawku in the Upper East Region has arrested one Solomon Alima, 28, and Mumuni Bawa, 33, for stealing and dishonestly receiving, respectively.

Suspect Alima, according to the police, sold a stolen motorbike to Bawa and when they were exchanging the bike for cash on the dawn of Sunday, 4th July 2021, they were arrested upon a tip-off.

A search at the residence of Bawa at Gingande, a suburb of Bawku, led to the retrieval of another motorbike and eight fake motorbike registration numbers.

Several notes of dollars (USD), suspected to be fake, were also retrieved.

Bawa admitted to regular purchasing of stolen motorbikes from different persons and selling same at Bawku and the surrounding communities or at Dapango, a community in neighbouring Togo.

In another exercise, suspect Atampulgri Akolgo, 44, was arrested for the robbery of a motorbike by the regional police command.

The police has warned of the sale of stolen motorbikes to innocent purchasers and encouraged the buyers to come forward to assist with the investigation.

Seasoned journalist, Kweku Baako has commended the Police and the ”March for Justice” organizers for a peaceful protest on Tuesday, July 6, 2021.

Some members and supporters of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) hit the streets of Accra to convey their grievances to the President of the Republic, Nana Akufo-Addo.

They protested against the killing and citizens’ brutality by security forces.

Clad in red, the protesters held placards with various inscriptions including “Akufo-Addo, you are a dictator“, “Kum Yen Preko“, “We feel your silence Akufo-Addo and Bawumia“, “Ghanaian lives matter”, “Ahmed Suale deserved to live“, “No justice for the dead“, “no peace, #WeAreAllKaaka” among others.

Discussing the protest on Peace FM’s ”Kokrokoo”, Kweku Baako expressed delight that the protesters were allowed to exercise their right to demonstrate in a peaceful and lawful manner.

”I was very happy that the demonstration took place and that it was peaceful…I was pleasantly happy when I heard the Police had agreed to allow the organizers of this NDC youth demo to come off on the 6th and these are the routes…I was damn happy and what is more is it was also peacefully done. It went so good. Perhaps, they laid the foundation for the [you know] continued relaxation of the restrictions”, he said.

To him, the cooperation between the protesters and the Police sends a right message about Ghana saying ”the organizers and the Police collaborated well and cooperated very well, and, at the end of the day, it’s a plus for Ghana; a plus for our democratic consolidation exercise. I’m damn, damn happy…I salute the Police, Ghana Police. I salute the organizers of the demonstration as well; fantastic job done!”.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/mk5Yr5FZ5LA

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has submitted to Parliament for approval a loan agreement of US$28 million pending consideration by the Finance Committee.null

This is for the purchase of 275 vehicles for members of the 8th Parliament.

Parliament has also approved a US$200 million World Bank loan to buy COVID-19 vaccines.

The amount which was approved on Tuesday, July 6 will also be used to cater for other activities to strengthen the health system.null

A report by the Finance Committee indicated that out of the US$200 million, UA$137.15million will be spent specifically on vaccine procurement.

Portions of the report read “The committee was informed that each dose of the vaccine is estimated to cost US$10.55.”

The report added that, “this financing would provide improved access to affordable and equitable COVID-19 vaccines, strengthen the system for effective deployment as well as enhance preparedness and response to the Ghana COVID-19 strategic preparedness and response programme.

”Source: 3news.com

Government is set to endorse a comprehensive National Integrated Maritime Strategy that will enhance interagency cooperation and thereby boost the collaboration among Land, Sea and Air Forces and key stakeholders in the country, Vice President Bawumia has disclosed.

The Strategy is part of ongoing efforts by government to put in place a framework, in collaboration with other stakeholders across the world, to address the surge in attacks by Pirate Action Groups (PAGs) and increasing incidences of Kidnapping For Ransom (KFR) in the Gulf of Guinea, a key maritime highway for international commerce. 

Addressing participants at the ongoing International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (IMDEC ‘21) in Accra on Wednesday, 07 July 2021, Vice President Bawumia said government is determined to modernize and re-equip the Ghana Navy and other sectors of the Ghana Armed Forces as well as key stakeholders to scale up their level of readiness to face the growing challenge.

“For a start, the government is acquiring Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), Fast Patrol Boats and Crafts. In addition, the government is making funds available for the timely completion of the Forward Operating Base at Ezinlibo and there are plans to establish similar bases on our coastal frontiers.  The government will also see to training and welfare of the Naval Personnel to put in their best and to remain professional in the discharge of their duties.

“Other stakeholders are not being left out of the task as the Ghana Maritime Authority, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, the Fisheries Sector, the various institutions in the oil and gas sector and the entire maritime industry, are being supported and encouraged for their own transformation. 

“That is not all, government is set to endorse a comprehensive National Integrated Maritime Strategy that will enhance interagency cooperation and thereby boost the collaboration among Land, Sea and Air Forces and key stakeholders in the country. This is required because securing the maritime domain for a developed blue economy entails coordinated actions among all key stakeholders in the country” he emphasized. 

Citing statistics, including a 34% increase in actual and attempted pirate attacks in 2020 in the Gulf of Guinea, as well as a rise in the number of cases of Kidnapping for Ransom (KFR) and hostage-taking, which indicate that in 2020, 130 out of 135 persons kidnapped globally were reportedly abducted in the Gulf of Guinea alone, Vice President Bawumia reminded participants that criminals are not bothered by international boundaries. 

“It is important to remind ourselves that the threats to maritime security and safety transcend borders. They affect international trade. A threat to one coastal nation is a threat to others. The sea is the super highway for global trade and Africa’s quest for a Continental Free Trade Area cannot be successful without a secured maritime domain. 

“A more serious concern is the fact that the criminals at sea are evading counter-piracy measures and have even become emboldened thereby scaling up the insecurity and threat profile in the Gulf of Guinea.  Reports indicate Pirate Action Groups have increased their operational range while the spread of attacks has also changed from the primary enclave in the Niger-Delta extending both westwards and south-eastwards to the whole of the Gulf of Guinea region.

“The Ghana government therefore deems it important to ensure effective cooperation and positive collaboration among Regional Navies through coordinated maritime law enforcement activities especially the integration of the Naval and Air Forces’ efforts in suppressing insecurities in the maritime sector, building trust among partners through information-sharing and application of best management practices

The commanding officer of 4BN, Lieutenant Colonel Kwasi Ware Peprah, has told the three-member committee investigating the Ejura disturbances that led to the shooting to death of two protesters who were marching to demand justice for slain social media activist Ibrahim Kaaka Mohammed, that he suspects the bullets that killed the marchers could have been from their colleague gun-toting demonstrators.

“The aim was not to kill”, he told the committee, adding: “It was just unfortunate”.

“If the aim was to kill, I would have gotten not less than 100 people dying”, Lt. Col. Peprah told the committee.

“As a matter of fact”, he noted, “I even suspect the weapons that fired from the protesters might have killed one of them”.

According to him, “the soldiers started firing into the air” but “If you are not a professional and there’s another rifle firing, you wouldn’t know and that is how come some people are saying that they were not handling weapons”.

“When an M16 rifle fires, I know. When a G3 rifle fires, I know. But the ordinary civilian doesn’t know. The media wouldn’t know. All you hear is gunshots into the air and it started when the soldiers came, so, you assume that it’s only soldiers who are firing”, Lt Col Peprah said.

Earlier, another military officer told the committee that some of the Ejura protesters started firing first at the security personnel before they also responded by targeting those who shot at them.

Brigadier General Joseph Aphur, General Officer Commanding Central Command told the committee that the security personnel first issued verbal warnings and fired warning shots but that did not deter the angry youth.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-4549410436183225&output=html&h=250&slotname=4705176708&adk=1921530005&adf=520316108&pi=t.ma~as.4705176708&w=300&lmt=1625671004&psa=1&format=300×250&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmobile.classfmonline.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2FBullets-from-gun-toting-Ejura-protesters-may-have-killed-their-colleagues-4BN-C-der-25691&flash=0&wgl=1&dt=1625671003356&bpp=4&bdt=1094&idt=965&shv=r20210630&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D55f561b29627dbae-22c4318063c90069%3AT%3D1625670130%3ART%3D1625670130%3AS%3DALNI_MaPOZ4fBUuwMEFPM6xoz6_3yPT7Ig&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x250%2C300x250&nras=1&correlator=5341844063708&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=1797350425.1625670129&ga_sid=1625671004&ga_hid=110651958&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_java=0&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=56&ady=2352&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=44&eid=31060474&oid=2&pvsid=13533390887820&pem=924&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2F&eae=0&fc=1920&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C412%2C0%2C412%2C797%2C412%2C797&vis=1&rsz=%7Co%7CEebr%7C&abl=NS&pfx=0&fu=0&bc=31&ifi=4&uci=a!4&btvi=2&fsb=1&xpc=yNQWloMHDJ&p=https%3A//mobile.classfmonline.com&dtd=985

He said they had no choice but to fire into the crowd targeting those who were firing gunshots at them.

Brigadier Aphur explained: “When we got to the general area of the cemetery, and they [protesters] started issuing warning threats to the police and military team, we started giving verbal warnings, which we do in the military, but they didn’t listen”.

“So, we fired warning shots, and we realised that some shots were also fired from the crowd. At that stage, it was becoming too bad for civilians to be firing at the security personnel.”

“I think the commander, at that stage, then had to use minimum force by ordering his personnel to begin firing at those who were firing from the crowd to maim them”.

“After our fire, we didn’t have instant deaths. They were evacuated to the hospital, where we later heard two died”, he said.

“But, at the instant of our fire, the crowd withdrew and everything came under our control,” he added.

He further told the committee that the situation could have been worse if they had not taken those steps.

“Of course, when you [security personnel] fire warning shots, and you see people firing from the crowd, certainly you have to use live ammunition to maim them because after, we also arrested two persons with weapons that we have reported to the police.”

Wednesday is day two of the committee’s sitting.

The Minister for the Interior, Mr Ambrose Dery, under the instruction of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, appointed the three-member committee on Thursday, 1 July 2021, to enquire into the circumstances that led to the shooting of two civilians by military personnel during a demonstration by angry youth of Ejura, following the murder of Ibrahim Mohammed aka ‘Kaaka’, a social media activist

After requesting for the presence of the Military at a civil protest in Ejura as Chairman of the Ashanti Regional Security Council, Mr. Simon Osei-Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, says he does not know the identities of the soldiers who shot and killed two protesters and injured four others.

According to him, a preliminary investigation conducted into the matter is yet to reveal the identities of the operatives.

Two residents of Ejura, Nasir Yussif and Murtala Mohammed, were shot dead by soldiers during a protest against the killing of another native of the town, Ibrahim Mohammed alias Macho Kaaka.

Out of the four other persons who sustained gunshot wounds, one of them, a sixteen year old boy, has had one of his legs amputated at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

Taking his turn at the ministerial committee hearing in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional Minister justified the inclusion of the military during the operation to restore calm in the town.

“…As I was informed, the military moved forward for the police to be behind them because their method to disperse the crowd failed. It was during that period that I was told the shooting incidents or whatever took place, but as to who gave the shots, I have not been informed yet or to say it has not been established yet.”

Mr. Osei-Mensah, however, defended the military involvement in the protest.

According to him, he needed to restore calm to save lives and property, and does not think the collaboration between the two agencies should end. He said he acted in line with the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, 1030.

“I’ve used this strategy all this while. This is the first time we have casualties, and I think we should continue with it,” Mr. Osei-Mensah said.

Background

The violence occurred during protests that followed the death of Ibrahim Muhammed.

Ibrahim Muhammed, alias Kaaka, died after he was attacked by a mob on June 27 while returning home.

He’s believed to have been killed because he was critical of the government.

The 45-year-old was noted to be vocal on both local and national issues using his Facebook page.

Police in the Ashanti Region have since arrested three persons in connection with his death and put them before the court.

Ibrahim Muhammed was buried on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, alongside the two others who died in the protest.

Source: Citinewsroom.com

The Ashanti Regional Police Command has arrested five persons for their involvement in the Ntonso-Aboaso clashes on Monday, July 05.

The skirmishes, said to have been sparked by tension between two youth groups in the kente-weaving community, located within the Kwabre-East District, resulted in the damage to property, with minor injuries to some members of the feuding factions.

Vehicles were smashed and some shops vandalized in the heat of the confrontation, which necessitated a police reinforcement to maintain law and order.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Godwin Ahianyo, the Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), briefing the media in Kumasi, said after screening by the Command, three out of the five suspects were charged with rioting with weapons.

They include Nantogma Shau, a barber, 20, Ernest Boakye, a driver’s mate, 22, and Kwadwo Manu, a driver’s mate, 23, who are all expected to be arraigned on Wednesday, July 07.

The other two persons, according to the Police PRO, had been cautioned and granted police enquiry bail.

A visit by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) to Ntonso-Aboaso on Tuesday, saw a police patrol team on duty to deal with any emergency.

There had been an uneasy calm amongst some youth groups in the area recently, a development which reportedly ignited the clash.

Source: GNA

Metropolitan Chief Executive of Accra, Mohammed Adjei Sowah, says government will investigate the cause of the fire incident at Makola on Monday morning and reach out to the victims.

The MCE who visited the fire scene to assess the situation said it was unfortunate that another fire outbreak was experienced in the central business district, but assured of government’s support.

The fire, which started around 7:30am on Monday was brought under control after about five hours.

Firefighters had to be moving to Alajo, Ministries, and Nkrumah Circle to refill their fire tenders to control the inferno, which razed two floors of a four storey building trading centre.

The Mayor noted that the major challenge to the firefighting exercise was low pressure hydrants in the business district and said, “Moving forward, we have to work closely with the Ghana Water Company to look closely into the water pressure but alternatively we are thinking of looking at a bore hole in some of these strategic areas to see if they can help in getting enough water to fight fire within the central business district.”

Mr Sowah said the population and trading activities made the place a high risk area, needing constant attention.

Member of Parliament for Odododiodoo Constituency, Nii Lantey Vanderpuiye, commended the GNFS for saving parts of the building and other shops around.

He said after dousing the fire, a structural integrity assessment would be done for the building to know if it was fit for occupancy.

Earlier, a Fire Officer who sought anonymity told the GNA that congested access was hindering firefighting activities.

The source said dozens of firemen had a hard time extinguishing the fire and only managed to control it after five hours of fighting, with the main challenge being congested access.

The GNA gathered that 10 fire tenders, including; one from the Military, were used in controlling the inferno.

Divisional Officer II, Ellis Robinson Okoe, the Head of Public Relations, GNFS, told the media that it was difficult for personnel of the Service to save two floors of the storey building.

He said the GNFS had a distress call at 0900 hours and arrived at the scene within 10 minutes but had difficulty accessing the place.

The PRO also noted that all fire hydrants at the Makola Market did not have the needed pressure for, which reason they had to go to Alajo, Nkrumah Circle, and the Ministries to refill their water tanks.

He observed that though many shops at the Market had fire extinguishers, the shop owners could not use them when the fire started because they did not know how to operate the extinguishers.

“…But at the moment, we have been able to bring the fire under control and we are going to break the containers to ensure pockets of fire are completely doused,” he stated and asked traders and shop owners to be patient.

The incident affected trading activities at the Central Business District with many shops closed.

Some traders blamed the Fire Service for allowing the fire “to get out of hand before acting.”

Madam Cecilia, a trader, said the fire started around 0730 hours and claimed they called Fire Service but they allegedly underestimated it.

The police were called in early to cordon off the area for safety and effective firefighting.
The cause of the fire is unknown.
GNA