THE Trinity Congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana at Mampong-Akuapem has donated assorted items worth GH¢2,500 to the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital at Mampong-Akuapem.
The items, meant for the both patients and staff of the facility, included several bags of rice, loaves of bread, cartons of milk, biscuits, provisions and toiletries.
The donation, which was aimed at assisting the beneficiaries to also share the joy of the Yuletide, formed part of activities to mark the church’s 150th anniversary.
Presenting the items, the Chairman of the Akuapem Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rev. Dr J. O. Y. Mantey, said the members of the church decided to give to the beneficiaries as part of their contribution to make the celebration of the festivity “a meaningful one for them”.
“Since God chose to give His best gift to mankind, Jesus Christ, we have also decided to give to the patients and staff of the hospital as required of us as Christians to support our fellow human beings to put a smile on their faces during the Christmas festivity,” Dr Mantey said.
Receiving the items, the Administrator of the hospital, Mrs Devine Narteh, thanked the church for the support to the patients and staff of the hospital, noting that the gesture would make the celebration of the Yuletide an enjoyable moment for them.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
ORGANIC FARMING...GOPDC shows the way (PAGE 20, DEC 23)
TODAY, more than ever before, a growing number of health-minded consumers, especially those dealing with chronic illnesses, are switching to organic food.
A key motivation for consumers to eat such food is the belief that it is simply better and healthy for them.
It is widely believed that the use of organic fertilisers ensures that food items produced are free from harmful chemicals. As a result, end-consumers who eat these organic products are less prone to diseases such as cancer, strokes, heart diseases and skin disorders as compared to those who consume food items produced by using chemical fertilisers.
In spite of the countless health benefits of the production of organic food today, most food growing industries, in the rush to produce more crops to satisfy a growing demand, have resorted to using a lethal cocktail of pesticides to control diseases and insect attack.
This unfortunate situation, though admittedly has solved food crisis across the world, has significantly resulted in most cases in the production of poor quality food, which though appears attractive are harmful to the health of consumers.
A recent medical research has revealed that if one consumed an average fruit, say an apple or an orange, one would be eating over 30 pesticides, even after the fruit has been thoroughly washed. In another report, the quality of food has definitely gone down since the Second World War. For instance, the levels of vitamin C in today’s fruit bear no resemblance to the levels found in wartime fruit.
The report stated emphatically that pesticides residues in food have been linked to many diseases such as headaches, cancer, obesity, Alzheimer’s, some birth defects, tremor, lack of energy, depression, anxiety, poor memory, dermatitis, convulsions, nausea, indigestion and diarrheoa with dietary intakes of pesticides, mostly common in inorganic produce.
Unlike organic food that is known to contain 50 per cent more nutrients, minerals and vitamins, inorganic produce that has been intensively farmed with the application of artificial fertilisers may appear otherwise, though science is yet to confirm that.
Consequently, according to the research, one would have to eat more fruits nowadays to make up for the deficiency but that means one eating more chemicals, which is detrimental to the health of consumers who rather consider eating something that should be good for them.
Again, a Belgian medical research has found that women diagnosed with breast cancer are six to nine times more likely to have the pesticides DDT or hexachlorobenzene in their bloodstream compared to women who did not have breast cancer.
Given the various negative health implications of the consumption of inorganic produce, the nagging question that should engage the minds of every Ghanaian who is serious about good health is “how can it be possible to eat chemicals and not expect some form of reaction in your body since our bodies are delicately balanced wonderful machines which habour any form of foreign chemicals that are bound to irritate them at the least?”
Encouragingly, health consciousness among Ghanaians lately has been complemented by some farming organisations in the country, not the least in the oil palm plantation.
Now, some of these organisations have taken a sustainable approach to organic oil palm production and have been applying organic fertilisers.
Today, palm oil is the most widely used oil in the world, for both food and medicine. As a natural vegetable oil, it contains no trans fatty acids or cholesterol and is currently being used by health institutions to treat specific illnesses and improve nutritional status.
One of the companies in the country that has become a pioneer in sustainable agriculture and the leading grower of commercial organic oil palm plantation has been the Ghana Oil Palm Development Company (GOPDC) which is today proud to have created a sustainable model for the oil palm industry.
The company’s plantation at the Kwae and the Okumaning estates in the Eastern Region are all certified organic as no chemicals, pesticides or herbicides are used, resulting in a healthy superior quality product that attract a bonus on the world and the local market.
The products include crude palm oil, palm kernel oil, palm kernel cake, refined bleached deodorised oil, refined palm kernel oil, free fatty acid, olein and supper olein and stearin.
With its plantation cultivated on a 21,000-hectre land, GOPDC has integrated its palm production from seeder to farming, harvesting, mechanical pressing, physical refinery and finally to end products.
The company, which has been able to sustain its lead in the field of oil palm cultivation in the country started to reduce its agro-chemical usage in 1999. In 2002, the company received its first organic certificate from ECOCERT in France,a wordwide organisation that certifies organic produce.
As part of its focus on maintaining its market lead in the oil palm industry, every year inspectors from ECOCERT carry out an inspection round the plantation that covers its Kwae and the Okumaning estates as well as its over 5,000 outgrower and the smallholder farmers, the mills, refinery and its tank farm at Tema, which are all certified.
According to the Environmental, Health and Safety Manager of the compay, Mr Emmanuel Wiafe, his outfit strictly applies organic fertilisers and follows the rules of integrated pest management (IPM), which is a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical and as a last resort chemical tools in a way that minimises economic, health and environmental risks.
He indicated that GOPDC, which receives annual certificate from the ECOCERT, as part of its biological pest control ensures that every pest is monitored throughout the year to ensure that the population of the species is below the threshold of becoming a pest, hence no need to apply pesticides to control their growth.
In addition, he said, as a measure to protect some of the animal species, some biodiversity plots have been created within the company’s concessions which are left untouched, a move that has also contributed to the control of pests as they form a habitat for predators mostly birds.
“The company also maintains buffer zones along the mainstreams in the plantation and agro-forestry activities are undertaken to enhance biodiversity”, he added.
In his opinion, in exceptional cases when all methods have failed to manage a serious pest outbreak, the company will resort to the use of registered agro-chemicals in restricted plots of which the company keeps records of all the plots that received the agro-chemicals. These plots, he added, go into a conversion period of three years and that the entire fresh fruit bunch collected from such plots will not be considered as organic for three years.
“After three years, no residues are left in the field and the plots become organic again”, he said, indicating that at the processing mill, the organic and inorganic fresh fruit bunch are separated upon arrival and that each time organic processing will take place, the cleaning procedures for mill, refinery and that tank farms are followed and all the activities are documented.
Given the consistent successful track record of the GOPDC in the sustainable production of organic produce over the years, the government should lend the necessary support to other industries in the country to also take a cue from the success of GOPDC and venture into the production of healthy organic produce as part of their contribution to ensuring the health and well-being of Ghanaians.
Surely, the cost of organic production is expensive but the long-term benefits should be given a priority over profits since it is widely believed that the health of the people always drives the economy.
A key motivation for consumers to eat such food is the belief that it is simply better and healthy for them.
It is widely believed that the use of organic fertilisers ensures that food items produced are free from harmful chemicals. As a result, end-consumers who eat these organic products are less prone to diseases such as cancer, strokes, heart diseases and skin disorders as compared to those who consume food items produced by using chemical fertilisers.
In spite of the countless health benefits of the production of organic food today, most food growing industries, in the rush to produce more crops to satisfy a growing demand, have resorted to using a lethal cocktail of pesticides to control diseases and insect attack.
This unfortunate situation, though admittedly has solved food crisis across the world, has significantly resulted in most cases in the production of poor quality food, which though appears attractive are harmful to the health of consumers.
A recent medical research has revealed that if one consumed an average fruit, say an apple or an orange, one would be eating over 30 pesticides, even after the fruit has been thoroughly washed. In another report, the quality of food has definitely gone down since the Second World War. For instance, the levels of vitamin C in today’s fruit bear no resemblance to the levels found in wartime fruit.
The report stated emphatically that pesticides residues in food have been linked to many diseases such as headaches, cancer, obesity, Alzheimer’s, some birth defects, tremor, lack of energy, depression, anxiety, poor memory, dermatitis, convulsions, nausea, indigestion and diarrheoa with dietary intakes of pesticides, mostly common in inorganic produce.
Unlike organic food that is known to contain 50 per cent more nutrients, minerals and vitamins, inorganic produce that has been intensively farmed with the application of artificial fertilisers may appear otherwise, though science is yet to confirm that.
Consequently, according to the research, one would have to eat more fruits nowadays to make up for the deficiency but that means one eating more chemicals, which is detrimental to the health of consumers who rather consider eating something that should be good for them.
Again, a Belgian medical research has found that women diagnosed with breast cancer are six to nine times more likely to have the pesticides DDT or hexachlorobenzene in their bloodstream compared to women who did not have breast cancer.
Given the various negative health implications of the consumption of inorganic produce, the nagging question that should engage the minds of every Ghanaian who is serious about good health is “how can it be possible to eat chemicals and not expect some form of reaction in your body since our bodies are delicately balanced wonderful machines which habour any form of foreign chemicals that are bound to irritate them at the least?”
Encouragingly, health consciousness among Ghanaians lately has been complemented by some farming organisations in the country, not the least in the oil palm plantation.
Now, some of these organisations have taken a sustainable approach to organic oil palm production and have been applying organic fertilisers.
Today, palm oil is the most widely used oil in the world, for both food and medicine. As a natural vegetable oil, it contains no trans fatty acids or cholesterol and is currently being used by health institutions to treat specific illnesses and improve nutritional status.
One of the companies in the country that has become a pioneer in sustainable agriculture and the leading grower of commercial organic oil palm plantation has been the Ghana Oil Palm Development Company (GOPDC) which is today proud to have created a sustainable model for the oil palm industry.
The company’s plantation at the Kwae and the Okumaning estates in the Eastern Region are all certified organic as no chemicals, pesticides or herbicides are used, resulting in a healthy superior quality product that attract a bonus on the world and the local market.
The products include crude palm oil, palm kernel oil, palm kernel cake, refined bleached deodorised oil, refined palm kernel oil, free fatty acid, olein and supper olein and stearin.
With its plantation cultivated on a 21,000-hectre land, GOPDC has integrated its palm production from seeder to farming, harvesting, mechanical pressing, physical refinery and finally to end products.
The company, which has been able to sustain its lead in the field of oil palm cultivation in the country started to reduce its agro-chemical usage in 1999. In 2002, the company received its first organic certificate from ECOCERT in France,a wordwide organisation that certifies organic produce.
As part of its focus on maintaining its market lead in the oil palm industry, every year inspectors from ECOCERT carry out an inspection round the plantation that covers its Kwae and the Okumaning estates as well as its over 5,000 outgrower and the smallholder farmers, the mills, refinery and its tank farm at Tema, which are all certified.
According to the Environmental, Health and Safety Manager of the compay, Mr Emmanuel Wiafe, his outfit strictly applies organic fertilisers and follows the rules of integrated pest management (IPM), which is a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical and as a last resort chemical tools in a way that minimises economic, health and environmental risks.
He indicated that GOPDC, which receives annual certificate from the ECOCERT, as part of its biological pest control ensures that every pest is monitored throughout the year to ensure that the population of the species is below the threshold of becoming a pest, hence no need to apply pesticides to control their growth.
In addition, he said, as a measure to protect some of the animal species, some biodiversity plots have been created within the company’s concessions which are left untouched, a move that has also contributed to the control of pests as they form a habitat for predators mostly birds.
“The company also maintains buffer zones along the mainstreams in the plantation and agro-forestry activities are undertaken to enhance biodiversity”, he added.
In his opinion, in exceptional cases when all methods have failed to manage a serious pest outbreak, the company will resort to the use of registered agro-chemicals in restricted plots of which the company keeps records of all the plots that received the agro-chemicals. These plots, he added, go into a conversion period of three years and that the entire fresh fruit bunch collected from such plots will not be considered as organic for three years.
“After three years, no residues are left in the field and the plots become organic again”, he said, indicating that at the processing mill, the organic and inorganic fresh fruit bunch are separated upon arrival and that each time organic processing will take place, the cleaning procedures for mill, refinery and that tank farms are followed and all the activities are documented.
Given the consistent successful track record of the GOPDC in the sustainable production of organic produce over the years, the government should lend the necessary support to other industries in the country to also take a cue from the success of GOPDC and venture into the production of healthy organic produce as part of their contribution to ensuring the health and well-being of Ghanaians.
Surely, the cost of organic production is expensive but the long-term benefits should be given a priority over profits since it is widely believed that the health of the people always drives the economy.
Monday, December 21, 2009
'TOTAL CARAVAN FOR SAFETY' PROGRAMME LAUNCHED (PAGE 3, DEC 21)
A PROJECT aimed at educating members of local communities along major highways in the country on the dangers associated with stealing petroleum products from accident tankers has been launched at Asuboi in the Suhum-Kraboa-Coaltar District.
The initiative, dubbed “Total Caravan for Safety”, is aimed at using effective communication tools such as drama and other strategic media in local languages to bring about attitudinal change among the people.
It is hoped that it would help to discourage the people from rushing from their homes to scenes of accidents involving fuel tankers and siphoning fuel from them, which in the event of a fire outbreak claim many lives.
In addition, the campaign is also being used to educate members of the targeted communities on how to reduce domestic accidents due to poor storage and use of hydrocarbons in local communities.
The project, which was targeted at members of communities along Nsawam-Suhum stretch of the Accra-Kumasi Highway, would also be launched at three key highway routes in the country, namely the Accra-Aflao, the Accra-Takoradi and the Kumasi-Tamale Highways.
It is being sponsored by the Total Petroleum Ghana Limited and supported by other stakeholders such as the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Transport, the Ghana National Fire Service, Road Safety Limited, National Disaster Management Organization, Motor Traffic and Transport Unit and the Ghana Police Service.
In an address last Friday, the Managing Director of Total Petroleum Ghana Limited (TPGL), Mr Jonathan Molapo, said his outfit decided to specifically launch the campaign at Asuboi because of the spate of accidents along the Nsawam-Suhum stretch of the Accra-Kumasi Highway, which have claimed many lives.
He indicated that since the spate of road traffic accidents mostly intensified, especially during festive occasions, “we could not have chosen a better time than now to launch the “Total Caravan for Safety Project” to ensure the safety of lives and property on the roads.
“Our leadership in a highly competitive industry of over 50 Oil Marketing Companies placed a greater responsibility on Total to deliver not only top notch services to its customers but also to ensure that we are socially responsible to all manner of stakeholders in our communities,” the MD stated.
According to him, the highly volatile nature of products the company transported across the length and breadth of the country made it imperative to take the necessary steps to carry out “all activities with safety as the overriding principle”.
In his view, many safety measures taken by the company, such as the establishment of the Programme for Improvement on Overseas Road Transport (PATROM) and Road Safety Limited, a school meant to train its drivers, and inspect and maintain its trucks, were already yielding encouraging results.
“By these safety undertakings, we have been able to significantly reduce the number of accidents and the levels of their severity,” Mr Molapo added.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Minister of Transport, Mr Joe Gidisu, said the transport sector, being a major driver in the Ghanaian economy, continued to face major challenges, especially in the area of road safety.
“Records at the ministry indicate that 30,351 heavy goods vehicles, including bulk road vehicles, were involved in road traffic crashes with 213 recorded fatalities”, he said, adding that “8,802 of these casualties occurred in rural areas”.
He recounted the accident on the Accra-Winneba Road involving the transportation of hydrocarbons, which claimed several lives when the victims attempted to siphon fuel from the tanker but were burnt to ashes when the tanker caught fire.
Mr Gidisu, who expressed the delight of his outfit to be associated with the good works of TPGL, said as part of measures to ensure the highest safety standards in the transport sector, the ministry had, in partnership with other stakeholders, launched a massive road safety campaign dubbed “Arrive Alive” along the major highways and communities in the country.
In an address read on his behalf by his deputy, Mr Baba Jamal, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, noted that since road safety was a shared responsibility, other stakeholders should also intensify their education on road safety to protect lives and property on the roads.
He also urged the MTTU of the Ghana Police Service to intensify its checks on the roads and apprehend drivers who flouted road traffic regulations.
The initiative, dubbed “Total Caravan for Safety”, is aimed at using effective communication tools such as drama and other strategic media in local languages to bring about attitudinal change among the people.
It is hoped that it would help to discourage the people from rushing from their homes to scenes of accidents involving fuel tankers and siphoning fuel from them, which in the event of a fire outbreak claim many lives.
In addition, the campaign is also being used to educate members of the targeted communities on how to reduce domestic accidents due to poor storage and use of hydrocarbons in local communities.
The project, which was targeted at members of communities along Nsawam-Suhum stretch of the Accra-Kumasi Highway, would also be launched at three key highway routes in the country, namely the Accra-Aflao, the Accra-Takoradi and the Kumasi-Tamale Highways.
It is being sponsored by the Total Petroleum Ghana Limited and supported by other stakeholders such as the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Transport, the Ghana National Fire Service, Road Safety Limited, National Disaster Management Organization, Motor Traffic and Transport Unit and the Ghana Police Service.
In an address last Friday, the Managing Director of Total Petroleum Ghana Limited (TPGL), Mr Jonathan Molapo, said his outfit decided to specifically launch the campaign at Asuboi because of the spate of accidents along the Nsawam-Suhum stretch of the Accra-Kumasi Highway, which have claimed many lives.
He indicated that since the spate of road traffic accidents mostly intensified, especially during festive occasions, “we could not have chosen a better time than now to launch the “Total Caravan for Safety Project” to ensure the safety of lives and property on the roads.
“Our leadership in a highly competitive industry of over 50 Oil Marketing Companies placed a greater responsibility on Total to deliver not only top notch services to its customers but also to ensure that we are socially responsible to all manner of stakeholders in our communities,” the MD stated.
According to him, the highly volatile nature of products the company transported across the length and breadth of the country made it imperative to take the necessary steps to carry out “all activities with safety as the overriding principle”.
In his view, many safety measures taken by the company, such as the establishment of the Programme for Improvement on Overseas Road Transport (PATROM) and Road Safety Limited, a school meant to train its drivers, and inspect and maintain its trucks, were already yielding encouraging results.
“By these safety undertakings, we have been able to significantly reduce the number of accidents and the levels of their severity,” Mr Molapo added.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Minister of Transport, Mr Joe Gidisu, said the transport sector, being a major driver in the Ghanaian economy, continued to face major challenges, especially in the area of road safety.
“Records at the ministry indicate that 30,351 heavy goods vehicles, including bulk road vehicles, were involved in road traffic crashes with 213 recorded fatalities”, he said, adding that “8,802 of these casualties occurred in rural areas”.
He recounted the accident on the Accra-Winneba Road involving the transportation of hydrocarbons, which claimed several lives when the victims attempted to siphon fuel from the tanker but were burnt to ashes when the tanker caught fire.
Mr Gidisu, who expressed the delight of his outfit to be associated with the good works of TPGL, said as part of measures to ensure the highest safety standards in the transport sector, the ministry had, in partnership with other stakeholders, launched a massive road safety campaign dubbed “Arrive Alive” along the major highways and communities in the country.
In an address read on his behalf by his deputy, Mr Baba Jamal, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, noted that since road safety was a shared responsibility, other stakeholders should also intensify their education on road safety to protect lives and property on the roads.
He also urged the MTTU of the Ghana Police Service to intensify its checks on the roads and apprehend drivers who flouted road traffic regulations.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
KOREA DONATES AMBULANCES TO TWO DISTRICTS (PAGE 15, DEC 19)
THE Government of the Republic of Korea has presented two new Stavic ambulances and a pick-up worth $2 million to the Yilo Krobo and the Upper Manya district assemblies in the Eastern Region.
The ambulances, equipped with all the necessary life-saving gadgets, are to support health facilities in the beneficiary districts to respond to emergency cases in their remote areas, especially women in labour.
The initiative, which is under a project dubbed, “Supporting Mother and Children Health Care in the Eastern Region”, is expected to help reduce maternal and infant mortality and improve health delivery in the two districts.
Presenting the keys to the vehicles, the Korean Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Lee Sank-Hak, said the presentation of the vehicles was an indication of the Korean Government’s commitment to supporting health facilities in the country to reduce the high incidence of maternal and infant mortality.
According to him, Korea over the past four decades had a similar high infant mortality rate which was around 12 per cent; one of the highest in the world. Korea, he said, was, however, able to overcome this problem due to the support other countries gave to the country and the support of the Korean Government.
Receiving the keys to the vehicles on behalf of the two beneficiary districts, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, thanked the Korean Government for its commitment to improving healthcare delivery in the country.
He recounted how one of the Ophthalmologists at Koforidua who underwent a knee surgery at the St. Joseph Hospital, Koforidua passed away since there was no ambulance with life-saving gadgets at Koforidua to transport her to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
He, therefore, appealed the Korean Government to help provide an ambulance at Koforidua to service all the health facilities in the area.
The ambulances, equipped with all the necessary life-saving gadgets, are to support health facilities in the beneficiary districts to respond to emergency cases in their remote areas, especially women in labour.
The initiative, which is under a project dubbed, “Supporting Mother and Children Health Care in the Eastern Region”, is expected to help reduce maternal and infant mortality and improve health delivery in the two districts.
Presenting the keys to the vehicles, the Korean Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Lee Sank-Hak, said the presentation of the vehicles was an indication of the Korean Government’s commitment to supporting health facilities in the country to reduce the high incidence of maternal and infant mortality.
According to him, Korea over the past four decades had a similar high infant mortality rate which was around 12 per cent; one of the highest in the world. Korea, he said, was, however, able to overcome this problem due to the support other countries gave to the country and the support of the Korean Government.
Receiving the keys to the vehicles on behalf of the two beneficiary districts, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, thanked the Korean Government for its commitment to improving healthcare delivery in the country.
He recounted how one of the Ophthalmologists at Koforidua who underwent a knee surgery at the St. Joseph Hospital, Koforidua passed away since there was no ambulance with life-saving gadgets at Koforidua to transport her to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
He, therefore, appealed the Korean Government to help provide an ambulance at Koforidua to service all the health facilities in the area.
JOURNALISTS TOLD TO ABIDE BY CODE OF ETHICS (PAGE 19, DEC 19)
THE President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr Ransford Tetteh, has called on media practitioners to abide by the code of ethics of the profession in the discharge of their duties.
He urged them to strive to be balanced, accurate, fair and objective in their reportage to enable the media to effectively contribute to the country’s democratic governance.
Speaking at a press soiree in Koforidua on Thursday, Mr Tetteh reminded the media practitioners that “it is only when we abide by the code of ethics of our profession that we can win the goodwill of the public and uphold politicians, businessmen and individuals alike accountable”.
The event, which was organised by the Mac Dic Royal Plaza Hotel in Koforidua, was attended by members of the Eastern Regional branch of the GJA.
It was aimed at creating a flexible atmosphere for members of the inky fraternity to interact with the management of the hotel.
According to Mr Tetteh, members of the public had lately had concerns to express strong reservations about the negative attitude and reportage of the media and its practitioners, a situation which he said was gradually making the media to lose the goodwill of the public.
He indicated that as the Fourth Estate of the Realm, the media reserved a great power to hold members of society including politicians, businessmen and individuals accountable for their actions and conducts.
“However, we can only be in a better position to hold these public holders and individuals accountable when we ourselves behave professionally by being accurate, balanced, fair and objective in our reportage,” said the GJA President.
He told members of the association not to cultivate the habit of destroying the hard-earned reputation of businessmen and individuals.
“Rather, we must hasten slowly to cross-check every information with our sources and endeavour to partner businessmen to develop their businesses to create wealth and jobs for the people.”
He also told media practitioners to be prepared to admit and apologise when they erred in their reportage, saying that “as human beings, we are likely to make mistakes, but when we do, let us be prepared to apologise for our wrongs and make sure that we do not repeat them,” he added.
For his part, the Eastern Regional Chairman of the GJA, Mr Edmund Quaynor, appealed to members of the association to help champion the development of business entities in the region.
He, however, urged other corporate bodies to join hands with the media to ensure the socio-economic progress for their mutual benefits.
The Managing Director of Mac Dic Royal Plaza Hotel, Nana Kofi Twinin, who briefed media practitioners on the commencement, successes and challenges of the facility, indicated the readiness of his outfit to co-operate with the media to grow business in the New Juaben Municipality to create more employment for the people.
He acknowledged the power of the media in the socio-economic development of the country, adding that “we must use this power to team up with business entities to ensure their successful growth”.
He urged them to strive to be balanced, accurate, fair and objective in their reportage to enable the media to effectively contribute to the country’s democratic governance.
Speaking at a press soiree in Koforidua on Thursday, Mr Tetteh reminded the media practitioners that “it is only when we abide by the code of ethics of our profession that we can win the goodwill of the public and uphold politicians, businessmen and individuals alike accountable”.
The event, which was organised by the Mac Dic Royal Plaza Hotel in Koforidua, was attended by members of the Eastern Regional branch of the GJA.
It was aimed at creating a flexible atmosphere for members of the inky fraternity to interact with the management of the hotel.
According to Mr Tetteh, members of the public had lately had concerns to express strong reservations about the negative attitude and reportage of the media and its practitioners, a situation which he said was gradually making the media to lose the goodwill of the public.
He indicated that as the Fourth Estate of the Realm, the media reserved a great power to hold members of society including politicians, businessmen and individuals accountable for their actions and conducts.
“However, we can only be in a better position to hold these public holders and individuals accountable when we ourselves behave professionally by being accurate, balanced, fair and objective in our reportage,” said the GJA President.
He told members of the association not to cultivate the habit of destroying the hard-earned reputation of businessmen and individuals.
“Rather, we must hasten slowly to cross-check every information with our sources and endeavour to partner businessmen to develop their businesses to create wealth and jobs for the people.”
He also told media practitioners to be prepared to admit and apologise when they erred in their reportage, saying that “as human beings, we are likely to make mistakes, but when we do, let us be prepared to apologise for our wrongs and make sure that we do not repeat them,” he added.
For his part, the Eastern Regional Chairman of the GJA, Mr Edmund Quaynor, appealed to members of the association to help champion the development of business entities in the region.
He, however, urged other corporate bodies to join hands with the media to ensure the socio-economic progress for their mutual benefits.
The Managing Director of Mac Dic Royal Plaza Hotel, Nana Kofi Twinin, who briefed media practitioners on the commencement, successes and challenges of the facility, indicated the readiness of his outfit to co-operate with the media to grow business in the New Juaben Municipality to create more employment for the people.
He acknowledged the power of the media in the socio-economic development of the country, adding that “we must use this power to team up with business entities to ensure their successful growth”.
Monday, December 14, 2009
99-YEAR-OLD MAN GRADUATES FROM PRESBY UNIVERSITY (PAGE 11, DEC 14)
NINETY students, including a 99-year-old man, graduated at the 3rd congregation of the Presbyterian University College (PUC) held at Abetifi in the Eastern Region at the weekend.
The 99-year-old graduate, Mr Akasease Kofi Boakye Yiadom, a veteran who fought in the Second World War enrolled in the university at the age of 96, to read Business Administration.
In an address read on his behalf by the Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr Alex Segbefia, President John Evans Atta Mills advised graduates of tertiary institutions to stay in the country to apply the skills and knowledge they had acquired in the nation’s re-building process initiated by the government.
He said rather than migrating to other countries to become part of the common unskilled labour done there, they should use the skills in such areas as Information and Communication Technology (ICT), among other professions, to contribute their quota to the country’s socio-economic development.
The President reminded products of tertiary institutions that “since education at such higher levels had equipped them with the requisite knowledge and skills of critical thinking and creativity, they must strive to apply such skills to enable them to become self-employed”.
He reminded the graduates that “nation-building calls for hard work, dedication and the desire to achieve something for your country”.
“Remember the church, the nation and others have sacrificed to make you what you are today. You must arise and join the government to build this nation to realise our dream of a better Ghana”, said Prof. Mills.
On government education policy, the President said his government had put in place structures and measures which would, in no doubt, transform the educational system to produce “men and women who will positively impact on the search for solutions to the numerous challenges confronting our developmental agenda”.
He mentioned the provision of school uniforms for basic school pupils, starting from December this year, the abolition of all extra fees at the basic education level, increase in Capitation Grant from GH¢3 to GH¢4.5 per child and the improvement on the quality of teaching and learning with, incentive packages for teachers in deprived areas as part of the policy.
Prof. Mills also gave an assurance that the government would continue to subsidise the Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) registration fees by 70 per cent, adding that in 2010, additional 415 school buildings would be provided in schools whose pupils attended classes under trees.
The President acknowledged the role being played by private tertiary institutions in the country, noting that the increase in the enrolment of students in tertiary education from approximately 10,000 in 1990 to 100,000 currently had been attained through the involvement of private tertiary institutions.
To enable the nation to enjoy the full benefit of the expansion of her tertiary educational system, he said the government was critically examining its tertiary education policy and its financing, adding that “we remained committed to its policy of cost sharing”.
Prof. Mills commended the Presbyterian Church of Ghana for playing a significant role in the educational system of the country from basic to tertiary levels, and appealed to the management of the PUC not to ignore the church’s noble principle as enshrined in the Presbyterian educational philosophy, but to inculcate it in its students.
Earlier in his welcoming address, the Principal of the PUC, Prof. K. Sraku-Lartey, said as part of the strategic plans to reposition the institution to become a centre of academic excellence and a pacesetter in tertiary education delivery, the University Council had approved plans to enable the institution to obtain a charter by 2013 and introduce new demand-driven programmes, which would meet both local and international requirements.
He announced plans to increase student population to at least 1,500 in five years and to at least 3,000 in the next 10 years, indicating that there were plans to establish a School of Agriculture, which he said would be backed by a viable commercial agriculture and take advantage of the University of Ghana’s College of Health Science Biomedical School to establish a medical school
On the challenges facing the institution, Prof. Sraku-Lartey expressed concern over the lack of accommodation for both staff and students, the lack of water on all campuses, lack of computers and accessories to run ICT programmes, and books for its library, and called on the government and well-endowed individuals to assist the institution.
The 99-year-old graduate, Mr Akasease Kofi Boakye Yiadom, a veteran who fought in the Second World War enrolled in the university at the age of 96, to read Business Administration.
In an address read on his behalf by the Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr Alex Segbefia, President John Evans Atta Mills advised graduates of tertiary institutions to stay in the country to apply the skills and knowledge they had acquired in the nation’s re-building process initiated by the government.
He said rather than migrating to other countries to become part of the common unskilled labour done there, they should use the skills in such areas as Information and Communication Technology (ICT), among other professions, to contribute their quota to the country’s socio-economic development.
The President reminded products of tertiary institutions that “since education at such higher levels had equipped them with the requisite knowledge and skills of critical thinking and creativity, they must strive to apply such skills to enable them to become self-employed”.
He reminded the graduates that “nation-building calls for hard work, dedication and the desire to achieve something for your country”.
“Remember the church, the nation and others have sacrificed to make you what you are today. You must arise and join the government to build this nation to realise our dream of a better Ghana”, said Prof. Mills.
On government education policy, the President said his government had put in place structures and measures which would, in no doubt, transform the educational system to produce “men and women who will positively impact on the search for solutions to the numerous challenges confronting our developmental agenda”.
He mentioned the provision of school uniforms for basic school pupils, starting from December this year, the abolition of all extra fees at the basic education level, increase in Capitation Grant from GH¢3 to GH¢4.5 per child and the improvement on the quality of teaching and learning with, incentive packages for teachers in deprived areas as part of the policy.
Prof. Mills also gave an assurance that the government would continue to subsidise the Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) registration fees by 70 per cent, adding that in 2010, additional 415 school buildings would be provided in schools whose pupils attended classes under trees.
The President acknowledged the role being played by private tertiary institutions in the country, noting that the increase in the enrolment of students in tertiary education from approximately 10,000 in 1990 to 100,000 currently had been attained through the involvement of private tertiary institutions.
To enable the nation to enjoy the full benefit of the expansion of her tertiary educational system, he said the government was critically examining its tertiary education policy and its financing, adding that “we remained committed to its policy of cost sharing”.
Prof. Mills commended the Presbyterian Church of Ghana for playing a significant role in the educational system of the country from basic to tertiary levels, and appealed to the management of the PUC not to ignore the church’s noble principle as enshrined in the Presbyterian educational philosophy, but to inculcate it in its students.
Earlier in his welcoming address, the Principal of the PUC, Prof. K. Sraku-Lartey, said as part of the strategic plans to reposition the institution to become a centre of academic excellence and a pacesetter in tertiary education delivery, the University Council had approved plans to enable the institution to obtain a charter by 2013 and introduce new demand-driven programmes, which would meet both local and international requirements.
He announced plans to increase student population to at least 1,500 in five years and to at least 3,000 in the next 10 years, indicating that there were plans to establish a School of Agriculture, which he said would be backed by a viable commercial agriculture and take advantage of the University of Ghana’s College of Health Science Biomedical School to establish a medical school
On the challenges facing the institution, Prof. Sraku-Lartey expressed concern over the lack of accommodation for both staff and students, the lack of water on all campuses, lack of computers and accessories to run ICT programmes, and books for its library, and called on the government and well-endowed individuals to assist the institution.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
OSABARIMA PINKOR FINALLY SHOWS UP IN COURT (PAGE 19, DEC 12)
THE Chief of Akyem Apinamang in the Eastern Region, Osabarima Oware Pinkro III, last Thursday appeared before the Koforidua High Court, in obeisance of the court’s order to purge himself of contempt of the court.
The court, presided over by Mr Justice Kossi Efo Kaglo, last Monday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the chief, following his refusal to appear before it to explain why he should not be convicted for contempt.
He was granted bail in the sum of GH¢200,000 with two sureties to be justified.
Granting the bail, the court also ordered Osabarima Pinkro, who doubles as the Commandant of the Ghana Police College in Accra, to make available to the registrar of the court two recent passport pictures for the purposes of identification in case he absconded.
Prior to the granting of the bail, the court indicated that it could have remanded Osabarima Pinkro in police custody until December 15, 2009, the next adjourned date, warning him not to show any form of defiance to the court again.
When Osabarima Pinkro appeared in court, his counsel, Mr Kofi Asante, prayed the court to rescind the bench warrant for the arrest of his client, since he had made himself available to the court.
This position was supported by the plaintiff’s counsel, Mr K. Amoako Adjei, who also prayed the court to grant the defendant bail on condition that he would continue to make himself available to the court.
J.B. Dartey Mining Limited, a small-scale mining company, filed a motion on notice at the court, praying for an order to commit the chief for contempt for wilfully and spitefully interfering in the administration of justice.
The company instituted contempt proceedings at the court against the chief for allegedly preventing execution of the court’s order.
According to an affidavit in support of the motion filed by J.B. Dartey Mining Limited, the court, in an earlier judgement, restrained two traditional rulers, including Osabarima Pinkro and two others from entering or working on the concession granted to the company per an agreement between the Government of Ghana and the company.
According to the affidavit, after the judgement, the moveable properties of one of the judgement debtors, Victor Odonkor, a miner at Kobriso, were attached.
It said as a result, three armed policemen, led by a police officer, a court bailiff, an auctioneer and drivers who were to drive the attached vehicles to the court premises, went to Kobriso for the execution.
The affidavit said in the process of the execution, Victor Odonkor called Osabarima Pinkro, went to the scene and invited the auctioneer and the bailiff to Victor’s residence.
According to the affidavit, the auctioneer, Mr James Ampah, invited the Police Officer, Chief Inspector Djokoto, to accompany them to hear whatever the respondent had to say.
It said Osabarima Pinkro told the group that he would not allow them to execute the court order and that blood would be shed if they attempted to execute the order.
It averred that the chief further offered GH¢1,000 to the group that went to Odonkor’s residence, but it was refused.
The affidavit stated that the respondent further invited the group to his own palace at Apinamang, but members of the group declined, and out of fear for their lives, they returned to Koforidua.
According to the affidavit, as a result of the conduct of the respondent and the threat of death, the officers of the court and the others concerned were unable to execute the order.
“The conduct of the respondent, who is a chief and senior police officer, and who by his position is expected to train and instil discipline into the Police Service, has brought the administration of justice into disrepute,” it contended.
The court, presided over by Mr Justice Kossi Efo Kaglo, last Monday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the chief, following his refusal to appear before it to explain why he should not be convicted for contempt.
He was granted bail in the sum of GH¢200,000 with two sureties to be justified.
Granting the bail, the court also ordered Osabarima Pinkro, who doubles as the Commandant of the Ghana Police College in Accra, to make available to the registrar of the court two recent passport pictures for the purposes of identification in case he absconded.
Prior to the granting of the bail, the court indicated that it could have remanded Osabarima Pinkro in police custody until December 15, 2009, the next adjourned date, warning him not to show any form of defiance to the court again.
When Osabarima Pinkro appeared in court, his counsel, Mr Kofi Asante, prayed the court to rescind the bench warrant for the arrest of his client, since he had made himself available to the court.
This position was supported by the plaintiff’s counsel, Mr K. Amoako Adjei, who also prayed the court to grant the defendant bail on condition that he would continue to make himself available to the court.
J.B. Dartey Mining Limited, a small-scale mining company, filed a motion on notice at the court, praying for an order to commit the chief for contempt for wilfully and spitefully interfering in the administration of justice.
The company instituted contempt proceedings at the court against the chief for allegedly preventing execution of the court’s order.
According to an affidavit in support of the motion filed by J.B. Dartey Mining Limited, the court, in an earlier judgement, restrained two traditional rulers, including Osabarima Pinkro and two others from entering or working on the concession granted to the company per an agreement between the Government of Ghana and the company.
According to the affidavit, after the judgement, the moveable properties of one of the judgement debtors, Victor Odonkor, a miner at Kobriso, were attached.
It said as a result, three armed policemen, led by a police officer, a court bailiff, an auctioneer and drivers who were to drive the attached vehicles to the court premises, went to Kobriso for the execution.
The affidavit said in the process of the execution, Victor Odonkor called Osabarima Pinkro, went to the scene and invited the auctioneer and the bailiff to Victor’s residence.
According to the affidavit, the auctioneer, Mr James Ampah, invited the Police Officer, Chief Inspector Djokoto, to accompany them to hear whatever the respondent had to say.
It said Osabarima Pinkro told the group that he would not allow them to execute the court order and that blood would be shed if they attempted to execute the order.
It averred that the chief further offered GH¢1,000 to the group that went to Odonkor’s residence, but it was refused.
The affidavit stated that the respondent further invited the group to his own palace at Apinamang, but members of the group declined, and out of fear for their lives, they returned to Koforidua.
According to the affidavit, as a result of the conduct of the respondent and the threat of death, the officers of the court and the others concerned were unable to execute the order.
“The conduct of the respondent, who is a chief and senior police officer, and who by his position is expected to train and instil discipline into the Police Service, has brought the administration of justice into disrepute,” it contended.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
ZAIN DONATES TOWARDS OKYENHENE'S EDUCATION FUND (SPREAD, DEC 10)
MR Amit Agrawal, the Country Head of Olam Ghana Limited, a leading cocoa buying company and leader in the packaged food business, has predicted an appreciable growth in the Ghanaian business environment in 2010.
He said the stability achieved in the economy, backed by other favourable economic indicators, pointed to Ghana growing its business environment next year.
Mr Agrawal was speaking with the Daily Graphic at a business development dinner organised by the company for distributors of its packaged foods from the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo and Northern regions in Kumasi.
The occasion was to take a retrospective look at business activities for the year and chart a path for further progress in 2010.
Mr Agrawal said the company was taking advantage of the economic climate to build a world-class consumer business in the country.
"Ghana deserves the best and this is what OLAM is doing to meet the needs of the people,” he said.
He said the company, which also dealt in cashew, shea-nut and cotton, was well alive to its responsibilities and would never turn back.
The country head commended the distributors for their hard work, which enabled the company to see a significant growth in the business for the year and expressed the hope that they would continue to work hard in the coming years.
He said the stability achieved in the economy, backed by other favourable economic indicators, pointed to Ghana growing its business environment next year.
Mr Agrawal was speaking with the Daily Graphic at a business development dinner organised by the company for distributors of its packaged foods from the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo and Northern regions in Kumasi.
The occasion was to take a retrospective look at business activities for the year and chart a path for further progress in 2010.
Mr Agrawal said the company was taking advantage of the economic climate to build a world-class consumer business in the country.
"Ghana deserves the best and this is what OLAM is doing to meet the needs of the people,” he said.
He said the company, which also dealt in cashew, shea-nut and cotton, was well alive to its responsibilities and would never turn back.
The country head commended the distributors for their hard work, which enabled the company to see a significant growth in the business for the year and expressed the hope that they would continue to work hard in the coming years.
Friday, December 4, 2009
24 ALLEGED RIOTERS GRANTED BAIL (PAGE 3, DEC 4)
TWENTY-FOUR people who were arrested for engaging in violence during the recent chieftaincy dispute at Krobo-Odumase in the Lower Manya District were on Wednesday granted bail by the Odumase circuit court.
The accused persons were first remanded by the court on November 20, this year for breaching public peace that resulted in gunshots in which six persons sustained various degrees of injury.
They were granted bail in the sum of GH¢10,000 each with two sureties.
The release of the accused persons came when the prosecutor, Chief Inspector Emelia Kessie Ebeheakey, prayed the court to warn them to be of good behaviour and desist from engaging in acts that could stir up violence in the area.
The court, presided over by Mr Asamah Kwasi Asiedu, consequently cautioned the accused persons to comport themselves while on bail, failure of which the bail would be revoked.
The suspects, who are yet to be charged, are to reappear before the court on December 22, 2009, while investigations into the chieftaincy dispute continue.
According to the facts of the case, the suspects were arrested when some youth joined opposing royal families in the Piengwa chieftaincy dispute and clashed with youth supporting the incumbent chief, Nene Tetteh Zogli III, at the Yokwenor Palace on November 20, 2009.
The prosecutor said the enstoolment of Nene Zogli three years ago had been opposed by the three royal families — the Zogli Kwabla We, the Angmortey Zogli We and the Tetteh Akora We — who had called for his destoolment, since he was not a royal but rather a “Sipim”, a king maker.
She said the three factions set up a committee that confirmed that the chief was not a royal.
They petitioned the Paramount Chief of Manya Krobo, Nene Sackitey, against the enstoolment of Nene Zogli as the chief of the Piengwa Division, but Nene Sackitey did not approve of their call for the sitting chief’s destoolment.
Angered by the disapproval by the paramount chief, the three opposing royal families, going by the findings of the committee, insisted on destooling Nene Zogli.
According to her, the police received reports that the three opposing factions had confined one Staff Sergeant Martin Odjidja of the 37 Military Hospital to be installed but Nene Zogli confronted them at the main palace, resulting in the gunshots in which six persons from the opposing royal families sustained injuries.
She said the police immediately intervened and arrested the youth belonging to the three opposing royal families and those who attempted to destool Nene Zogli without notifying the police.
The accused persons were first remanded by the court on November 20, this year for breaching public peace that resulted in gunshots in which six persons sustained various degrees of injury.
They were granted bail in the sum of GH¢10,000 each with two sureties.
The release of the accused persons came when the prosecutor, Chief Inspector Emelia Kessie Ebeheakey, prayed the court to warn them to be of good behaviour and desist from engaging in acts that could stir up violence in the area.
The court, presided over by Mr Asamah Kwasi Asiedu, consequently cautioned the accused persons to comport themselves while on bail, failure of which the bail would be revoked.
The suspects, who are yet to be charged, are to reappear before the court on December 22, 2009, while investigations into the chieftaincy dispute continue.
According to the facts of the case, the suspects were arrested when some youth joined opposing royal families in the Piengwa chieftaincy dispute and clashed with youth supporting the incumbent chief, Nene Tetteh Zogli III, at the Yokwenor Palace on November 20, 2009.
The prosecutor said the enstoolment of Nene Zogli three years ago had been opposed by the three royal families — the Zogli Kwabla We, the Angmortey Zogli We and the Tetteh Akora We — who had called for his destoolment, since he was not a royal but rather a “Sipim”, a king maker.
She said the three factions set up a committee that confirmed that the chief was not a royal.
They petitioned the Paramount Chief of Manya Krobo, Nene Sackitey, against the enstoolment of Nene Zogli as the chief of the Piengwa Division, but Nene Sackitey did not approve of their call for the sitting chief’s destoolment.
Angered by the disapproval by the paramount chief, the three opposing royal families, going by the findings of the committee, insisted on destooling Nene Zogli.
According to her, the police received reports that the three opposing factions had confined one Staff Sergeant Martin Odjidja of the 37 Military Hospital to be installed but Nene Zogli confronted them at the main palace, resulting in the gunshots in which six persons from the opposing royal families sustained injuries.
She said the police immediately intervened and arrested the youth belonging to the three opposing royal families and those who attempted to destool Nene Zogli without notifying the police.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
EDUCATION OFFICERS DON'T JUST FIND FAULTS (PAGE 11, DEC 2)
THE Eastern Regional Manager of the Presbyterian Educational Unit, Rev. Samuel Yeboah Antwi, has appealed to teachers to regard education officers as partners in the delivery of quality education and not as people who just wish to find faults with them.
According to him, the general perception among teachers that education officers were people who went round to various schools only to find faults was seriously undermining efforts at improving the standard of education in some Presbyterian basic schools in the New Juaben Municipality.
“The visits by the educational officers, as part of the educational focus of the church, are aimed at encouraging teachers to offer their best and work with them as partners in the delivery of quality education at the basic levels, but not to find any fault,” Rev. Antwi stated.
Rev. Antwi made the appeal at a one-day capacity building workshop for 50 Mathematics, Integrated Science, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Basic Design Technology teachers drawn from the Presbyterian junior high schools (JHS) in the New Juaben Municipality at the weekend.
The workshop was to equip the participants with the requisite knowledge and skills to enable them to proficiently teach the subjects to improve educational standards at the Presbyterian basic schools in the area.
It was organised by the Presbyterian Education Unit in Koforidua.
Rev. Antwi said the frequent visits by the education officers from the Presbyterian Education Units to various basic schools of the church in the New Juaben Municipality were aimed at ensuring that teachers put in their best, were punctual, prepared their lesson notes and gave assignments to their pupils.
He, however, expressed worry about the perception among some teachers who had often considered such visits by the education officers as “a fault-finding mission to be used to punish them”.
This negative perception, according to him, was seriously undermining efforts by the education unit to work closely with teachers so as to improve educational standards at the basic schools in the area.
According to him, the general perception among teachers that education officers were people who went round to various schools only to find faults was seriously undermining efforts at improving the standard of education in some Presbyterian basic schools in the New Juaben Municipality.
“The visits by the educational officers, as part of the educational focus of the church, are aimed at encouraging teachers to offer their best and work with them as partners in the delivery of quality education at the basic levels, but not to find any fault,” Rev. Antwi stated.
Rev. Antwi made the appeal at a one-day capacity building workshop for 50 Mathematics, Integrated Science, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Basic Design Technology teachers drawn from the Presbyterian junior high schools (JHS) in the New Juaben Municipality at the weekend.
The workshop was to equip the participants with the requisite knowledge and skills to enable them to proficiently teach the subjects to improve educational standards at the Presbyterian basic schools in the area.
It was organised by the Presbyterian Education Unit in Koforidua.
Rev. Antwi said the frequent visits by the education officers from the Presbyterian Education Units to various basic schools of the church in the New Juaben Municipality were aimed at ensuring that teachers put in their best, were punctual, prepared their lesson notes and gave assignments to their pupils.
He, however, expressed worry about the perception among some teachers who had often considered such visits by the education officers as “a fault-finding mission to be used to punish them”.
This negative perception, according to him, was seriously undermining efforts by the education unit to work closely with teachers so as to improve educational standards at the basic schools in the area.
OKORASE MURDER CASE: TWO REMANDED (PAGE 3, DEC 2)
THE District Magistrate Court in Koforidua yesterday remanded in prison custody the spiritualist who is alleged to have murdered a popular 30-year-old businesswoman at Okorase, near Koforidua.
The accused, Joseph Tetteh, 35, alias Mallam, was remanded together with his landlord, Derrick Ameyaw, 28, alias Papa Yaw, whom he suspected to have killed the deceased.
Tetteh and Ameyaw, who have been provisionally charged with murder, are to re-appear on December 17, 2009.
The premises of the court, which was presided over by Mrs Priscilla Yeboah, were filled to capacity by black-clothed relatives and friends of Rita Baah’s, alias Afia Atta, the businesswoman who was murdered on November 15, this year.
The prosecutor in the case, Inspector Patrick H. K. Sackitey, had prayed the court to remand the accused persons in prison custody to enable investigators to carry out further enquiries into the case.
He was of the opinion that the two-week remand would enable investigators to take the two suspects to the Police Hospital in Accra for fluid tests to be conducted on them.
However, counsel for the accused, Mr Alfred Agyei-Mensah, opposed that and rather prayed the court to remand the two in police custody to ensure that he had easy access to them.
The court, considering that the police had recently become a target of public criticism over the frequent death of suspects while in police custody, agreed to put the two in prison custody.
Counsel also prayed the court to prevail on the prosecutor to make available the charge sheet of the case to him to enable him to study it to ensure proper defence of his clients.
Prior to the court sitting, some female relatives of the deceased were seen pointing fingers at Tetteh and verbally threatening him.
According to the facts of the case, the deceased was a trader and resident of Osabene at Mile 50, a suburb of Koforidua, while the suspects lived at Domeabra Junction at Okorase.
The prosecutor said about 1.30 a.m. on November 15, 2009, Nana Semanshia Ohene Ansah Akofa II, the Chief of Ahwerease, called the Koforidua Central Police Station to report that he, in the company of four colleagues of his, was in a vehicle from Akropong-Akuapem to Suhum and that on reaching Okorase he spotted Tetteh with a dead body tied to his motorbike.
He said when Nana Semanshia and his colleagues attempted to confront and arrest the suspect, he abandoned his bike, with registration number GN 8843 Z, and the body of the deceased and ran into the bush.
According to him, investigations revealed that the deceased had been consulting Tetteh for spiritual assistance to enhance her business and marriage.
The prosecutor indicated that on November 14, this year, Rita visited the spiritualist upon a previous appointment to undergo spiritual cleansing at the shrine.
He told the court that Rita was killed by Tetteh about 10 a.m. at the shrine in a house owned by Ameyaw, who also lived in the house.
“The spiritualist waited until 12.50 a.m. on November 15, this year when he wrapped the body of the deceased in a bed spread, tied her onto his motorbike and was going to dump the body near where her fiancé, one Samuel Kwasi Asamani, lived at Osabene at Mile 50, near Koforidua,” Inspector Sackitey stated.
However, Nana Semanshia and his colleagues saw him and attempted to arrest him but he managed to escape to the house to clean the traces of blood in the house. However, on hearing a crowd approaching the house, Tetteh again escaped, but he was arrested at Tei Nkwanta by a mob who nearly lynched him.
He denied killing the deceased, whom he claimed had rather been killed by his landlord and his friend, one Martin, adding that the deceased had earlier informed him that the landlord had proposed to marry her but she refused and he had since been harassing her.
Meanwhile, Rita will be buried in Koforidua on Saturday, December 5, 2009.
The accused, Joseph Tetteh, 35, alias Mallam, was remanded together with his landlord, Derrick Ameyaw, 28, alias Papa Yaw, whom he suspected to have killed the deceased.
Tetteh and Ameyaw, who have been provisionally charged with murder, are to re-appear on December 17, 2009.
The premises of the court, which was presided over by Mrs Priscilla Yeboah, were filled to capacity by black-clothed relatives and friends of Rita Baah’s, alias Afia Atta, the businesswoman who was murdered on November 15, this year.
The prosecutor in the case, Inspector Patrick H. K. Sackitey, had prayed the court to remand the accused persons in prison custody to enable investigators to carry out further enquiries into the case.
He was of the opinion that the two-week remand would enable investigators to take the two suspects to the Police Hospital in Accra for fluid tests to be conducted on them.
However, counsel for the accused, Mr Alfred Agyei-Mensah, opposed that and rather prayed the court to remand the two in police custody to ensure that he had easy access to them.
The court, considering that the police had recently become a target of public criticism over the frequent death of suspects while in police custody, agreed to put the two in prison custody.
Counsel also prayed the court to prevail on the prosecutor to make available the charge sheet of the case to him to enable him to study it to ensure proper defence of his clients.
Prior to the court sitting, some female relatives of the deceased were seen pointing fingers at Tetteh and verbally threatening him.
According to the facts of the case, the deceased was a trader and resident of Osabene at Mile 50, a suburb of Koforidua, while the suspects lived at Domeabra Junction at Okorase.
The prosecutor said about 1.30 a.m. on November 15, 2009, Nana Semanshia Ohene Ansah Akofa II, the Chief of Ahwerease, called the Koforidua Central Police Station to report that he, in the company of four colleagues of his, was in a vehicle from Akropong-Akuapem to Suhum and that on reaching Okorase he spotted Tetteh with a dead body tied to his motorbike.
He said when Nana Semanshia and his colleagues attempted to confront and arrest the suspect, he abandoned his bike, with registration number GN 8843 Z, and the body of the deceased and ran into the bush.
According to him, investigations revealed that the deceased had been consulting Tetteh for spiritual assistance to enhance her business and marriage.
The prosecutor indicated that on November 14, this year, Rita visited the spiritualist upon a previous appointment to undergo spiritual cleansing at the shrine.
He told the court that Rita was killed by Tetteh about 10 a.m. at the shrine in a house owned by Ameyaw, who also lived in the house.
“The spiritualist waited until 12.50 a.m. on November 15, this year when he wrapped the body of the deceased in a bed spread, tied her onto his motorbike and was going to dump the body near where her fiancé, one Samuel Kwasi Asamani, lived at Osabene at Mile 50, near Koforidua,” Inspector Sackitey stated.
However, Nana Semanshia and his colleagues saw him and attempted to arrest him but he managed to escape to the house to clean the traces of blood in the house. However, on hearing a crowd approaching the house, Tetteh again escaped, but he was arrested at Tei Nkwanta by a mob who nearly lynched him.
He denied killing the deceased, whom he claimed had rather been killed by his landlord and his friend, one Martin, adding that the deceased had earlier informed him that the landlord had proposed to marry her but she refused and he had since been harassing her.
Meanwhile, Rita will be buried in Koforidua on Saturday, December 5, 2009.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
SUPRISO-SUHUM GETS POTABLE WATER (PAGE 20, DEC 1)
THE Rotary Club of Accra Ring Road Central, in partnership with the Hunger Project has constructed an $8,050 water project at Supriso in the Suhum-Kraboa-Coaltar District of the Eastern Region.
The Supriso Epicentre Water Project, which comprises a borehole connected to a 7,000-litre water tank with a submersible pump and a generator, is to provide clean drinking water for 150 residents of the area and surrounding villages.
Members of the beneficiary communities frequent the epicentre building for their health care services, education, banking services as well as food storage and processing facilities.
The Supriso Epicentre of the Hunger Project supports villages surrounding the epicentre and is aimed at ensuring food security and enabling them to emerge from abject poverty within five years.
In an address read on her behalf at the inaugural ceremony of the project, the President of the Rotary Club of Accra Ring Road Central, Nana Okyerewaa Asiedu-Addo, said the provision of clean water would drastically reduce the incidence of water-borne diseases and enable young girls to engage in productive ventures instead of walking long distances to fetch unsafe water on a daily basis.
According to her, the construction of the facility was made possible through the support of the Rotary Foundation, the Rotary Clubs of Accra Ring Road, Rotary Club of Wakiki and other partners
The National Programmes Officer of the THP, Mr Isaac Olesu-Adjei, said until the completion of the Supriso Epicentre Building in 2008, health personnel were reluctant to move into the nurses’ quarters and work at the clinic due to the absence of potable water and electricity.
He noted that before the construction of the water project, the nurses were operating under difficult conditions and, therefore, expressed happiness that the provision of clean water would be a relief to the health workers and people in the community.
“The provision of clean water is consistent with THP’s aim of supporting partner communities to meet the Millennium Development Goals”, Mr Olesu-Adjei stated.
For their part, Messrs Samuel F. Kwarbi and Frederick Opare-Ansah, the District Chief Executive for the Suhum-Kraboa-Coaltar District and the MP for the area respectively, commended the Rotary Club of Accra Ring Road Central for the support given to the people. They urged the beneficiary communities to take good care of the facility to enable them derive the intended benefits.
The Supriso Epicentre Water Project, which comprises a borehole connected to a 7,000-litre water tank with a submersible pump and a generator, is to provide clean drinking water for 150 residents of the area and surrounding villages.
Members of the beneficiary communities frequent the epicentre building for their health care services, education, banking services as well as food storage and processing facilities.
The Supriso Epicentre of the Hunger Project supports villages surrounding the epicentre and is aimed at ensuring food security and enabling them to emerge from abject poverty within five years.
In an address read on her behalf at the inaugural ceremony of the project, the President of the Rotary Club of Accra Ring Road Central, Nana Okyerewaa Asiedu-Addo, said the provision of clean water would drastically reduce the incidence of water-borne diseases and enable young girls to engage in productive ventures instead of walking long distances to fetch unsafe water on a daily basis.
According to her, the construction of the facility was made possible through the support of the Rotary Foundation, the Rotary Clubs of Accra Ring Road, Rotary Club of Wakiki and other partners
The National Programmes Officer of the THP, Mr Isaac Olesu-Adjei, said until the completion of the Supriso Epicentre Building in 2008, health personnel were reluctant to move into the nurses’ quarters and work at the clinic due to the absence of potable water and electricity.
He noted that before the construction of the water project, the nurses were operating under difficult conditions and, therefore, expressed happiness that the provision of clean water would be a relief to the health workers and people in the community.
“The provision of clean water is consistent with THP’s aim of supporting partner communities to meet the Millennium Development Goals”, Mr Olesu-Adjei stated.
For their part, Messrs Samuel F. Kwarbi and Frederick Opare-Ansah, the District Chief Executive for the Suhum-Kraboa-Coaltar District and the MP for the area respectively, commended the Rotary Club of Accra Ring Road Central for the support given to the people. They urged the beneficiary communities to take good care of the facility to enable them derive the intended benefits.
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