Story: Nana Konadu Agyeman, Koforidua
GRIEF struck Akyem-Tafo in the Eastern Region last Tuesday when two siblings were killed in a fatal motor accident involving a Hyundai bus and a Yutong bus at the accident-prone Bunso Junction in the Eastern Region.
The deceased, identified as Christiana Dansoa Antwi, aka Nana Ama and her younger brother, Kelvin Frimpong, died when the Yutong bus rammed into the rear of the Hyundai bus on which they were travelling.
Nana Ama died instantly, while her brother was rushed to the Kyebi Government Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Nine other passengers on board the Hyundai bus, including the mother of the deceased and three other separate family members named as Gladys Tetteh, 23 and her siblings John Tetteh, five and Jonathan Tetteh, eight, also sustained serious injuries.
They were also rushed to the same hospital where the bodies of the two victims had also been deposited pending autopsy.
According to the police, the two dead children travelled together with their mother for a funeral at Anyinam and were returning to Akyem Tafo when the accident occurred at about 3.30 p.m.
Briefing the Daily Graphic, the Eastern Regional Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), Superintendent James Sarfo Peprah, said the two drivers were careless because the accident could have been avoided.
He said if the driver of the Yutong bus, identified as Daniel Owusu, had “managed to slow down and swerved to the other side of the road, it would not have run into the Hyundai bus”.
According to him, Nana Ama and her younger brother and their mother joined the Hyundai bus with registration number GJ 6249 Y at Anyinam.
The bus was travelling from Anyinam to Koforidua, while the Yutong bus with registration number GN 2674 10 was from Accra to Nkawkaw.
Supt. Sarfo Peprah said on reaching the Bunso Junction, the driver of the Hyundai bus wanted to branch off the main road to Koforidua but instead of taking the out lane, he mistakenly took the inner lane, which was already being used by a taxi which was also about to join the main road.
“Since the Hyundai bus was in the lane of the taxi, the driver had to stop for the taxi to reverse but unfortunately, the Yutong bus, which was travelling at top speed, smashed the rear of the Hyundai bus, killing Nana Ama instantly and injuring others,” he stated.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Dan Botwe appeals for calm between Abiriw and Dawu (PAGE 12, JAN 31, 2011)
Story: Nana Konadu Agyeman, Abiriw
THE Member of Parliament for Okere in the Eastern Region, Mr Dan Botwe, has appealed to the chiefs and people of Abiriw and Dawu to exercise maximum restraint to ensure peaceful co-existence among them.
He said the exemplary tolerance, maturity and respect for the rule of law that the people of the two neighbouring towns had demonstrated in the wake of the shooting incident that claimed one life had helped sustain peace and unity among the people.
“Since we are one people with a common destiny and aspirations, we should not in any way allow what happened to cause any deep misunderstanding among us and disturb the peaceful environment we are all currently enjoying,” Mr Botwe stated.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in an interview at Abiriw on Saturday, the MP also urged the chiefs and the people to co-operate with the police to bring to book those behind the shooting incident that nearly marred the peace in the two towns.
To facilitate peace in the area, Mr Botwe also called on the police to expedite investigations into the incident, noting that “the ability of the police to bring to book the perpetrators will instil a sense of confidence of the people in the police”.
“Once the youth have heeded to the advice of the elders of the two towns to wait for the law to take its course, it is my hope that the police will do everything within their ability to effect the arrest of those who committed such a heinous crime,” the MP stated.
Mr Botwe expressed his profound gratitude to the chiefs, the people and the police for jointly helping to contain the disturbance that occurred on Wednesday, January 26, 2011, from escalating, adding that “our collective resolve must be sustained to expose those behind the incident to forestall any future recurrence”.
THE Member of Parliament for Okere in the Eastern Region, Mr Dan Botwe, has appealed to the chiefs and people of Abiriw and Dawu to exercise maximum restraint to ensure peaceful co-existence among them.
He said the exemplary tolerance, maturity and respect for the rule of law that the people of the two neighbouring towns had demonstrated in the wake of the shooting incident that claimed one life had helped sustain peace and unity among the people.
“Since we are one people with a common destiny and aspirations, we should not in any way allow what happened to cause any deep misunderstanding among us and disturb the peaceful environment we are all currently enjoying,” Mr Botwe stated.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in an interview at Abiriw on Saturday, the MP also urged the chiefs and the people to co-operate with the police to bring to book those behind the shooting incident that nearly marred the peace in the two towns.
To facilitate peace in the area, Mr Botwe also called on the police to expedite investigations into the incident, noting that “the ability of the police to bring to book the perpetrators will instil a sense of confidence of the people in the police”.
“Once the youth have heeded to the advice of the elders of the two towns to wait for the law to take its course, it is my hope that the police will do everything within their ability to effect the arrest of those who committed such a heinous crime,” the MP stated.
Mr Botwe expressed his profound gratitude to the chiefs, the people and the police for jointly helping to contain the disturbance that occurred on Wednesday, January 26, 2011, from escalating, adding that “our collective resolve must be sustained to expose those behind the incident to forestall any future recurrence”.
Five arrested over Abiriw shooting incident (PAGE 3, JAN 31, 2011)
Story: Nana Konadu
Agyeman, Akropong.
FIVE persons suspected to be behind the shooting incident that took place at Abiriw in the Eastern Region last Wednesday that claimed the life of one person and injured two others have been arrested by the police.
The suspects, whose identities are being kept for security reasons, are in custody on the orders of the Akropong Divisional Police Command.
It would be recalled that one person was shot dead, while two others sustained gunshot wounds, when a long-standing land dispute between the people of Abiriw and Dawu turned violent on Wednesday, January 26, 2010.
Kwabena Adu, 35, and Kwadwo Adu, 36, both from Abiriw, were said to be working on their farm when they were allegedly attacked by a group from Dawu and shot in the chest and the hip, respectively.
A third person, Asiamah Bekwin, 40, also from Abiriw, was allegedly kidnapped in the process and his body was found in the bush 24 hours later.
Briefing the Daily Graphic on the arrests, the Akropong Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Ernest Owusu, said the police had information on Saturday that some of the key brains behind the shooting incident were hiding in villages near Dawu.
He said a team of policemen deployed to look for the suspects arrested the five persons at Dawu and its surrounding villages, including Krutiase, Sanfo and Abenahyia.
He said the five suspects, who are currently assisting in police investigations, would be screened and those found culpable put before court to face the full rigours of the law.
Agyeman, Akropong.
FIVE persons suspected to be behind the shooting incident that took place at Abiriw in the Eastern Region last Wednesday that claimed the life of one person and injured two others have been arrested by the police.
The suspects, whose identities are being kept for security reasons, are in custody on the orders of the Akropong Divisional Police Command.
It would be recalled that one person was shot dead, while two others sustained gunshot wounds, when a long-standing land dispute between the people of Abiriw and Dawu turned violent on Wednesday, January 26, 2010.
Kwabena Adu, 35, and Kwadwo Adu, 36, both from Abiriw, were said to be working on their farm when they were allegedly attacked by a group from Dawu and shot in the chest and the hip, respectively.
A third person, Asiamah Bekwin, 40, also from Abiriw, was allegedly kidnapped in the process and his body was found in the bush 24 hours later.
Briefing the Daily Graphic on the arrests, the Akropong Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Ernest Owusu, said the police had information on Saturday that some of the key brains behind the shooting incident were hiding in villages near Dawu.
He said a team of policemen deployed to look for the suspects arrested the five persons at Dawu and its surrounding villages, including Krutiase, Sanfo and Abenahyia.
He said the five suspects, who are currently assisting in police investigations, would be screened and those found culpable put before court to face the full rigours of the law.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Youth organisers show solidarity with Baba Jamal (Jan 28)
Story: Nana Konadu Agyeman, Koforidua
THE Eastern Regional Youth Organisers of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have appealed President John Evans Atta Mills not to change Mr Baba Jamal as the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister.
This, they believed, would enable him to partner the new Eastern Regional Minister, Dr Appiah Kubi, to handle political and socio-economic developments effectively in the region.
“We are of the conviction that Mr Baba Jamal has what it takes to partner Dr Appiah Kubi to handle the region politically and development wise,” the youth organisers stated.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Deputy Eastern Regional Youth Organiser, Mr Yaw Antwi, and all the 41 Youth Organisers and their deputies and issued at Koforidua yesterday.
The statement followed the quarterly meeting of the party’s youth organisers and their deputies from all the 21 constituencies in the Eastern Region.
The statement indicated that it had come to the notice of the youth organisers that the Eastern Regional Executive of the NPP and some faceless persons were fighting hard to get Mr Jamal out of the region, out of fear and for their own selfish ends.
“We the youth and many more members of the party have total confidence in Mr Baba Jamal and pray the President to keep him here in the Eastern Region for the sake of our party, NDC, and the 2012 general elections,” the statement added.
THE Eastern Regional Youth Organisers of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have appealed President John Evans Atta Mills not to change Mr Baba Jamal as the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister.
This, they believed, would enable him to partner the new Eastern Regional Minister, Dr Appiah Kubi, to handle political and socio-economic developments effectively in the region.
“We are of the conviction that Mr Baba Jamal has what it takes to partner Dr Appiah Kubi to handle the region politically and development wise,” the youth organisers stated.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Deputy Eastern Regional Youth Organiser, Mr Yaw Antwi, and all the 41 Youth Organisers and their deputies and issued at Koforidua yesterday.
The statement followed the quarterly meeting of the party’s youth organisers and their deputies from all the 21 constituencies in the Eastern Region.
The statement indicated that it had come to the notice of the youth organisers that the Eastern Regional Executive of the NPP and some faceless persons were fighting hard to get Mr Jamal out of the region, out of fear and for their own selfish ends.
“We the youth and many more members of the party have total confidence in Mr Baba Jamal and pray the President to keep him here in the Eastern Region for the sake of our party, NDC, and the 2012 general elections,” the statement added.
LAND DISPUTE TURN VIOLENT...One shot dead, 2 injured (1B Jan 28)
Story: Nana Konadu Agyeman, Abiriw
ONE person was shot dead, while two others sustained gunshot wounds, when a long-standing land dispute between the people of Dawu and Abiriw in the Eastern Region turned violent on Wednesday.
Kwabena Adu, 35, and Kwadwo Adu, 36, both from Abiriw, were said to be working on their farm when they were allegedly attacked by a group from Dawu and shot in the chest and the hip, respectively.
A third person, Asiamah Bekwin, 40, also from Abiriw, was allegedly kidnapped in the process but his body was found in the bush 24 hours later.
Kwabena and Kwadwo were rushed to the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital in Mampong where they are responding to treatment.
Asiamah’s body was found with some gunshot wounds in the stomach by a search team comprising policemen and youth from Abiriw.
He and six others had gone to their farms on the Abiriw-controlled side of the disputed land between the two neighbouring towns.
Intensive rescue efforts mounted by the police and some of the youth from Abiriw to search for him and seek his release proved futile until his body was discovered in the bush.
The body has been deposited at the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital morgue awaiting autopsy.
When Asiamah’s death made the rounds in Abiriw, irate youth massed up to avenge their friend’s death but they were reported to have been stopped by a heavy police presence in the area.
Meanwhile, police reinforcement has been dispatched from Accra and Koforidua to maintain peace between the youth of Abiriw and Dawu.
Police sources said when news of the shooting and kidnapping got to Abiriw, the youth from the area massed up in front of the Abiriwhene’s palace and on the main street. They blocked the main road leading to the town to search every passing vehicle to vent their anger on passengers suspected to be from Dawu.
But they were quickly dispersed by armed policemen sent there from Akropong.
Briefing the Daily Graphic at Dawu, the Akropong Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Ernest Owusu, said when he received information on the shooting, he quickly deployed a team to the scene where the victims were found abandoned.
He said his men rushed them to the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital.
Chief Supt Owusu said to prevent any clash between the youth from the two towns, the police went to the Abiriwhene’s palace and appealed to him to advise the youth of Abiriw to refrain from carrying out any violent retaliation.
The police, he said, again went to the acting Dawuhene’s palace to plead with him to prevail on the youth to release the kidnapped person but that had not been done.
Just after that, he said, a reinforcement from Koforidua and Accra was called in to ensure peace in the area.
The armed policemen continue to patrol the streets of the two neighbouring towns to avert any violent clash between the youth of the towns.
An emergency meeting has also been held at the Abiriwhene’s palace between the District Security Committee (DISEC) and the traditional leaders of Abiriw to find an amicable solution to the problem.
ONE person was shot dead, while two others sustained gunshot wounds, when a long-standing land dispute between the people of Dawu and Abiriw in the Eastern Region turned violent on Wednesday.
Kwabena Adu, 35, and Kwadwo Adu, 36, both from Abiriw, were said to be working on their farm when they were allegedly attacked by a group from Dawu and shot in the chest and the hip, respectively.
A third person, Asiamah Bekwin, 40, also from Abiriw, was allegedly kidnapped in the process but his body was found in the bush 24 hours later.
Kwabena and Kwadwo were rushed to the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital in Mampong where they are responding to treatment.
Asiamah’s body was found with some gunshot wounds in the stomach by a search team comprising policemen and youth from Abiriw.
He and six others had gone to their farms on the Abiriw-controlled side of the disputed land between the two neighbouring towns.
Intensive rescue efforts mounted by the police and some of the youth from Abiriw to search for him and seek his release proved futile until his body was discovered in the bush.
The body has been deposited at the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital morgue awaiting autopsy.
When Asiamah’s death made the rounds in Abiriw, irate youth massed up to avenge their friend’s death but they were reported to have been stopped by a heavy police presence in the area.
Meanwhile, police reinforcement has been dispatched from Accra and Koforidua to maintain peace between the youth of Abiriw and Dawu.
Police sources said when news of the shooting and kidnapping got to Abiriw, the youth from the area massed up in front of the Abiriwhene’s palace and on the main street. They blocked the main road leading to the town to search every passing vehicle to vent their anger on passengers suspected to be from Dawu.
But they were quickly dispersed by armed policemen sent there from Akropong.
Briefing the Daily Graphic at Dawu, the Akropong Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Ernest Owusu, said when he received information on the shooting, he quickly deployed a team to the scene where the victims were found abandoned.
He said his men rushed them to the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital.
Chief Supt Owusu said to prevent any clash between the youth from the two towns, the police went to the Abiriwhene’s palace and appealed to him to advise the youth of Abiriw to refrain from carrying out any violent retaliation.
The police, he said, again went to the acting Dawuhene’s palace to plead with him to prevail on the youth to release the kidnapped person but that had not been done.
Just after that, he said, a reinforcement from Koforidua and Accra was called in to ensure peace in the area.
The armed policemen continue to patrol the streets of the two neighbouring towns to avert any violent clash between the youth of the towns.
An emergency meeting has also been held at the Abiriwhene’s palace between the District Security Committee (DISEC) and the traditional leaders of Abiriw to find an amicable solution to the problem.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
BANK THIEF JAILED 22 YEARS (1B, JAN 26, 2011)
A FORMER employee of the Akim Oda branch of SG-SSB Bank who embezzled GH¢592,000 belonging to the bank has been sentenced to 22 years’ imprisonment with hard labour by the Koforidua High Court.
The convict, Francis Tetteh, who had been in custody for the past 13 months, was found guilty on four counts of stealing, each of which attracted 22 years. The sentences are to run concurrently.
Tetteh, who pleaded not guilty to all the charges, used his position as chief cashier to manipulate the bank’s computer system to steal the money in tranches of GH¢361,000, GH¢231,000 and GH¢170,000 between July and October 2009.
The facts of the case, as presented to the court, presided over by Mr Justice G.S. Suurbaareh, were that on October 8, 2009, officials of the Inspectorate Division of the bank in Accra went to the Akim Oda branch on official duties and detected that the convict had stolen GH¢592,000.
A report was lodged at the Akim Oda Divisional Police and, in the course of investigations, Tetteh admitted stealing GH¢531,000 and not GH¢592,000.
Some time between July 29 and the first week of August the same year, the convict failed to balance his papers after the day’s work and, after checking, the branch manager detected shortage of GH¢231,000 caused by the convict.
The manager confronted Tetteh, who confessed that he had taken the money, which he had given to some people for a gold business in Accra and Kasoa, and promised to refund it after the transaction.
The branch manager, after consultations, decided not to report the theft to the bank's head office in Accra.
He, however, informed the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) outfit in Akim Oda and decided to update the bank’s books to agree with the money the convict had embezzled so that when it was retrieved, the anomaly would be corrected to reflect the right account status.
While the branch manager was waiting for the convict to retrieve and produce the money, the bank received an e-mail from the head office Accounts Department to the effect that a questionable transaction of GH¢361,000 had been detected in one of the suspense accounts and that the branch should investigate and reverse it.
In the course of investigations, it came out that the convict had manipulated the computer system and stolen another GH¢361,000 and when he was contacted, he admitted stealing the money, which he claimed he had given to some people in Accra.
The convict requested the assistance of the BNI and the police to travel with him to Accra and Kasoa to retrieve the money from those he had given the money to.
Passing sentence, Mr Justice Suurbaareh said the actions of the convict, who was in a position of trust, could seriously erode public confidence in the banking sector.
According to the court, the sentence should be deterrent enough to prevent other bank staff from committing such offences.
The convict, Francis Tetteh, who had been in custody for the past 13 months, was found guilty on four counts of stealing, each of which attracted 22 years. The sentences are to run concurrently.
Tetteh, who pleaded not guilty to all the charges, used his position as chief cashier to manipulate the bank’s computer system to steal the money in tranches of GH¢361,000, GH¢231,000 and GH¢170,000 between July and October 2009.
The facts of the case, as presented to the court, presided over by Mr Justice G.S. Suurbaareh, were that on October 8, 2009, officials of the Inspectorate Division of the bank in Accra went to the Akim Oda branch on official duties and detected that the convict had stolen GH¢592,000.
A report was lodged at the Akim Oda Divisional Police and, in the course of investigations, Tetteh admitted stealing GH¢531,000 and not GH¢592,000.
Some time between July 29 and the first week of August the same year, the convict failed to balance his papers after the day’s work and, after checking, the branch manager detected shortage of GH¢231,000 caused by the convict.
The manager confronted Tetteh, who confessed that he had taken the money, which he had given to some people for a gold business in Accra and Kasoa, and promised to refund it after the transaction.
The branch manager, after consultations, decided not to report the theft to the bank's head office in Accra.
He, however, informed the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) outfit in Akim Oda and decided to update the bank’s books to agree with the money the convict had embezzled so that when it was retrieved, the anomaly would be corrected to reflect the right account status.
While the branch manager was waiting for the convict to retrieve and produce the money, the bank received an e-mail from the head office Accounts Department to the effect that a questionable transaction of GH¢361,000 had been detected in one of the suspense accounts and that the branch should investigate and reverse it.
In the course of investigations, it came out that the convict had manipulated the computer system and stolen another GH¢361,000 and when he was contacted, he admitted stealing the money, which he claimed he had given to some people in Accra.
The convict requested the assistance of the BNI and the police to travel with him to Accra and Kasoa to retrieve the money from those he had given the money to.
Passing sentence, Mr Justice Suurbaareh said the actions of the convict, who was in a position of trust, could seriously erode public confidence in the banking sector.
According to the court, the sentence should be deterrent enough to prevent other bank staff from committing such offences.
Monday, January 24, 2011
INITIATE YOUTH-MENTORING PROGRAMMES (PAGE 51, JAN 24, 2011)
THE Mamfehene, Osabarima Ansah Sasraku, has advocated the development of sustainable youth-oriented mentoring programmes that will unearth the potential of the youth in the country.
That, he said, would motivate young people to appreciate their God-given talents and potentials to grow up to become more useful to themselves and society.
“Our most precious natural resources are not found in our gold, diamonds, cocoa, timber and manganese that our economy has depended on for many years but in our ability to unearth the talents of our children into indispensable resources for our progress,” he stated.
Speaking at the annual Ohum Festival of the chiefs and people of Mamfe in the Akuapem North District in the Eastern Region last Saturday, Osabarima Sasraku stated that “hidden in the hearts and minds of our children are the hopes, dreams and aspirations of our towns, regions, nation and the world as a whole”.
The event, which was held on the theme, “Mentoring as a means of transferring knowledge to the youth”, attracted a large gathering of people from all walks of life, including the outgoing Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo; the Member of Parliament for Akropong, Mr William Ofori Boafo, and the District Chief Executive for Akuapem North, Mr George Opare Addo.
Dwelling on how the country could nurture the youth into responsible adult citizens, the Mamfehene, who is also the Kyidomhene of the Akuapem Traditional Area, said for many years the country had placed little attention on the institution of youth-oriented programmes and investments to empower the youth.
“Much of our attention has been devoted to the exploitation of the country’s natural resources which are not our most precious natural resources for our development aspirations,” he stated.
“How do we, as a nation, provide guidance and the support needed so that the youth do not only receive formal education provided by our educational system but also get help to develop their self-esteem and become emotionally and spiritually mature?” he asked.
As a way of providing mentoring programmes for young people of Mamfe and its environs, Osabarima Sasraku called on the chiefs and people of the area to support the initiation of youth mentoring programmes to empower the people.
For his part, Mr Ofosu-Ampofo noted that though the youth constituted the largest segment of the population, they were the most affected by unemployment, while their potential had often been misdirected into wrong actions such as indiscipline, hooliganism, alcoholism, drug abuse and other social vices.
To address that, he said since education was now considered a right and not a privilege, the government would ensure that quality education was accessible to all children.
That, he said, would motivate young people to appreciate their God-given talents and potentials to grow up to become more useful to themselves and society.
“Our most precious natural resources are not found in our gold, diamonds, cocoa, timber and manganese that our economy has depended on for many years but in our ability to unearth the talents of our children into indispensable resources for our progress,” he stated.
Speaking at the annual Ohum Festival of the chiefs and people of Mamfe in the Akuapem North District in the Eastern Region last Saturday, Osabarima Sasraku stated that “hidden in the hearts and minds of our children are the hopes, dreams and aspirations of our towns, regions, nation and the world as a whole”.
The event, which was held on the theme, “Mentoring as a means of transferring knowledge to the youth”, attracted a large gathering of people from all walks of life, including the outgoing Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo; the Member of Parliament for Akropong, Mr William Ofori Boafo, and the District Chief Executive for Akuapem North, Mr George Opare Addo.
Dwelling on how the country could nurture the youth into responsible adult citizens, the Mamfehene, who is also the Kyidomhene of the Akuapem Traditional Area, said for many years the country had placed little attention on the institution of youth-oriented programmes and investments to empower the youth.
“Much of our attention has been devoted to the exploitation of the country’s natural resources which are not our most precious natural resources for our development aspirations,” he stated.
“How do we, as a nation, provide guidance and the support needed so that the youth do not only receive formal education provided by our educational system but also get help to develop their self-esteem and become emotionally and spiritually mature?” he asked.
As a way of providing mentoring programmes for young people of Mamfe and its environs, Osabarima Sasraku called on the chiefs and people of the area to support the initiation of youth mentoring programmes to empower the people.
For his part, Mr Ofosu-Ampofo noted that though the youth constituted the largest segment of the population, they were the most affected by unemployment, while their potential had often been misdirected into wrong actions such as indiscipline, hooliganism, alcoholism, drug abuse and other social vices.
To address that, he said since education was now considered a right and not a privilege, the government would ensure that quality education was accessible to all children.
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