Day: June 1, 2022

Pokuase (GAR), June 1, GNA- The chiefs, elders and youth of the Nii Dodoo Clottey Family of Pokuase in the Ga West Municipality have appealed to the Government, to revert the idling piece of land called Agric Land to the family.

“Now, since the purpose for which it was acquired was abandoned, a large portion of it has been lying idle for about 70 years now.

“As a family, we deem it proper that in such cases, the land must be reverted to the allodial owners, the Nii Dodoo Clottey Family of Pokuase, and for this reason, the family has applied to the Lands Commission for the regularization of same,” Mr Albert Amponsah Dodoo, Principal Secretary and Family Elder, said in Pokuase.

Leading a press conference, attended by elders, youth and some members of the community at the Pokuase Palace, Mr Dodoo traced the history of the acquisition of the land, which he said was done by the then Government of the Gold Coast in the late 1940s and measured 532.47 acres.

He indicated however that an agricultural project, which involved the rearing if pigs, could not “come on due to the destructive effects of tsetseflies in the area.

And a “small portion of the land was however allocated to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for plant and animal research, so the place came to be known as “Agric Land.”

The Dodoo Clottey Family said that in its journey to regularise its land, the Abola Piam Family, a division of the Ga Traditional Council, ”is trying seriously to lay claim to Agric Land”

It also fingered some Government elements allegedly from the Presidency and Police Headquarters trying to lay claim to the land.

The Family announced that it had established Nii Dodoo Clottey Family Lands Trust, mandated to act on behalf of the family in all land and land related issues.

“The trust also has identifiable and trained task force in uniform, and with ID cards who will sometimes be deployed to specific assignments on the lands,“ Mr Dodoo said, adding that “in view of this, we are using the opportunity to have the public informed that any form of transaction regarding lands at Pokuase and for that matter the Nii Dodoo Clottey Family must be directed towards the Trust which has its offices at the Pokuase Palace.”

NII Ofei Nkwantabisa IV, Dzasetse (Head of Council of Kingmakers) said the Pokuase community is in dire need of a market, a Senior High School and a hospital, and appealed to the Government to use the said portion of land to develop such facilities rather than giving to private individuals.

Nuumo Gbelenfo III, Gua Wulomo (Chief Priest of the Gua Shrine) said the family cited a number of parcels of land belonging to the family that were now named within adjoining communities.

He said the family, for the sake of peace had taken the matter in its strides, but would no longer itself to be deprived of the Agric Lands.

Irate youth, wearing red bands at the neck and wrists, chanted war songs, one of which refrained “Wo hinmei etsu waa” to wit, “we are very bitter angry, and later addressed the media on the said Agric Lands.

Mr Michael Nii Dodoo Snr, the Leader of the Task Force fingered the Municipal Chief Executive for Ga West in fencing the said Agric Lands and having some construction heavy duty machines at the site.

The youth gave a 21-day ultimatum for the machines to be cleared from the place, or they would advise themselves.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ho, June, GNA- A Delegation from the family of the late Emmanuel Torli, a 17-year coconut seller who was struck by lightning in Ho on Monday, has been sent to Nogokpo, a shrine at Ketu South Municipality.

One Mr Nicolas Nfodjo, who described himself as a grandfather of the deceased, disclosed this to the media that the delegation was sent to the shrine on Tuesday to find out what led to the lightning incident.

He said the family believed the shrine would give knowledge of what happened and would provide appropriate steps to be taken to convey the body.

Mr Aaron Kofi Amedzo, Ho Municipal Environmental Health Officer, who was at the scene with his officers told the media his outfit was making efforts to contact family members to convey the body from the scene.

He said the rumour in the air was that the incidence had some spiritual dimension, the reason the body was still left at the scene.

“When we explain the scientific aspect of the incident to them in a respectful manner, I believe they will listen to us,” he said, noting that it was important to convey the body before it begins to decompose.

The deceased, Emmanuel Torli, a student of the Sokode Senior High School, was struck to death during a sparse rainfall around 1630 hours at a point opposite the Regional Office of the Electricity Company of Ghana under a mango tree, where he used to ply his trade.

According to eyewitnesses, the deceased, who was hawking coconut by the roadside as he normally does after school hours and on weekends, was left dead on the trail by a loud lightning strike.

Two other persons who were carrying out their economic business near the victim were also affected by the force of the lightning and were conveyed by personnel of the Ambulance Service for medical attention.

Hospital sources said they were recuperating at the Ho Municipal hospital, while the body of the deceased was still lying in a position covered with plantain leaves.

Deaths caused by lightning could be because of the wrath of a thunder god, the reason for consultation by the deceased family.

This seems to have been reinforced in a post on the official Facebook page of the Nogokpo Shrine, a popular deity.

The shrine reacted to media inquest saying, ‘There is a thunder God that strikes, and it is true. It is never a superstition.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

Adidokpui (V/R), June 1, GNA-Mr. Charles Agbeve, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Agortime-Ziope Constituency, has called on the citizenry to be security minded, by exhibiting vigilance.

He also advised them to report suspicious characters in their midst to the security agencies to avert terrorist attack.

He said terrorist attacks in Benin and the northern part of the Republic of Togo should be enough signals that terrorist acts were close.

Mr. Agbeve said this in an engagement with the people of Adidokpui, a farming community in the Agortime-Ziope District of the Volta Region.

The lawmaker asked them not to touch suspicious items found in church premises, funeral grounds, market squares, lorry parks or even on the streets as explosives materials could be planted in them.

He advised them to involve the police when they are organising conventions, funerals, weddings, among others for them to provide them with security.

Mr. Agbeve said the Government of Ghana has launched the “See Something, Say Something” campaign to sensitize the public on security consciousness.

The legislator asked the people to check the background of their visitors as most terrorist camouflaged themselves and carried out their activities unaware.

Citizens should also call the hotline number 999 for help when attacked.

He said the security of the state should be a matter of all, so they must be security minded at public gatherings since terrorists’ target those places.

Present were Mr. James Gunu, Volta NDC Regional Secretary, Mr. Alfred Odikro, Agortime-Ziope Constituency NDC Chairman, Awadada Adzaho Vizaze, Warlord for Ziope Traditional Area, among others.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Bolgatanga, June 1, GNA – The Bolgatanga High Court has sentenced a 38-year old traditional spiritualist, Mbawona Tindana, for killing his wife and daughter and sacrificing them to his idols.

Tindana, charged with two offences of murder under section 46 of the Criminal Offences Act of 1960, Act 29, pleaded not guilty.

But the Court presided over by Mr Charles Adjei Wilson, Regional Supervising High Court Judge, with unanimous decision from a seven-member jury Tindana himself selected, found him guilty and sentenced him to death.

Prosecuting Senior State Attorney, Mrs Joyce Debrah said Tindana is a self-acclaimed traditional spiritualist from Kulpeliga in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region and the husband and father to the deceased, 25-year Talata Abigail Kurug and two-year old Nyapoka Mbawona Tidana.

According to Prosecution, Tindana had accused his wife and daughter of being witches.

Prosecution said on June 27, 2019, at about 1630 hours, deceased wife who had gone out of the house, was told by their son that the Tindan who is also the ‘Tindana’ for the area had killed his sister and sacrificed her to the gods.

Prosecution said the deceased then rushed back to the house and saw the daughter lying dead, in a pool of blood with the brains scattered.

The Prosecution said out of shock, the deceased collapsed and the accused pounced and hit her with an axe and a machete on the head, thereby killing her in addition to their daughter.

He also hit his son with the matchet but the son managed to escape and was saved by young people who were playing football near their house and later took him to the hospital for treatment.

Prosecution said an eyewitness who saw the action could not save them due to axe and matchete Tindana was holding, so she hid herself and later alerted the police who came and arrested the accused person.

Police report said two deceased were found dead in a pool of blood and discovered an axe and a matchete stained with blood lying on the ground beside the deceased.

A medical report also indicated that the deceased were hit by strong objects causing serious head injuries that led to their death.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Kadjebi (O/R), June 1, GNA-Members of Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana (CLOGSAG) in the Kadjebi District of the Oti Region, have by popular acclamation elected new District CLOGSAG executives.

The new executives included Mr. Emmanuel Doe, Chairman; Ms. Valeria Emefa Doh, Secretary; and Mr. Gideon Enyo Klu, Organiser all of whom would serve a four-year term each in office.

Mr. Doe, on behalf of the executives, thanked the delegates for the confidence reposed in them.

He said they were ready to work together with members of the association for the betterment of their conditions of service and living conditions.

Engaging the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr. Doe urged all members of the Association to be calm, resolute and wait for the November 2022 promise in respect of the payment of the Neutrality Allowance.

He also advised them to chart consciously since they were essential workers in the country. Joseph Atango, the Oti Regional Secretary of CLOGSAG asked members to have hope since they were in a transformational stage.

Mr. Atango said the management of the Association was working hard to improve their poor working conditions to improve their standards of living.

He said their 20 per cent Neutrality Allowance would be paid in November 2022 because he had confidence in leadership of the Association.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra, June 1, GNA – Mrs Elizabeth Kwatsoe Tawiah Sackey, the Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly has paid a working visit to Ga-mashie and advised the residents to keep their surroundings clean to avoid diseases.

The tour forms part of the activities of the mayor to sensitise the people in the metropolis on environmental cleanliness ahead of the Homowo festival.

Mrs Sackey, who was accompanied by officials of the Assembly and some Assembly members educated the residents on the need to keep their environment clean, especially the drains always to prevent outbreak of communicable diseases and flooding.

She stressed on the #BorlaInDrainsMustStopNow and called on women in the community to play a pivotal role in maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in their communities.

“When you see somebody throwing refuse into drains or any open space, it is your responsibility to call the person to order and report to the Assembly for action. This is our beloved country. This is our motherland…,” she said.

Mrs Sackey interacted with some Ga traditional priests in the area and solicited their support to help combat the issue of insanitary conditions in the vicinity.

She urged the indigenes of Accra to uphold and respect their traditions, especially during the ban on drumming and noisemaking as part of customs to be observed ahead of the Homowo festival.

At the Accra Central Business District (CBD), Mrs Sackey inspected an ongoing decongestion exercise and revealed that the AMA as part of efforts to decongest the city was wooing investors to aid in expanding the markets.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra, June 1, GNA – Country Head of Olam Agri in Ghana, Amit Agrawal, was named ‘Overall Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Year’ in the private sector at the Sixth Ghana CEO Summit.

Mr. Agrawal received the Excellence Award in recognition of his business leadership and the role he has played in transforming the agriculture industry in Ghana and West Africa, an official statement issued to the Ghana News Agency, in Accra on Wednesday, has said.

The event was held at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra on Monday, May 30.

Organised by the CEO Network Ghana, the Summit is a high-profile annual business leadership forum that attracts industry leaders, Chief Executives, policymakers, and investors.

It is committed to unlocking the country’s potential by championing private-sector-led growth and leading discussions around innovative public policies and best growth-oriented business practices.

The annual forum also provides an avenue for discussing Ghana and West Africa’s economic transformation and the essential role of both private and public sectors and recognises individuals who exemplify business excellence, leadership, and vision.

Candidates must also demonstrate a high standard of ethical practices and professionalism, and promote investment and job creation in Ghana.

This year’s theme was ‘Digital Leadership for the Digital Economy’.

“I am honoured to receive this accolade from my peers and the government of Ghana. I attribute this to the hard work and dedication of our over 1,500 extraordinary colleagues in Ghana who work tirelessly to grow our business while contributing to the socio-economic prosperity of the country,” said Amit Agrawal, Country Head of Olam Agri in Ghana.

During the Summit’s panel discussion, which focused on “Radically Transforming your Business and Becoming an African Multinational Company”, Mr. Agrawal explained: “Olam’s success story is the result of the strong and sustainable relationship it has maintained with both its external and internal stakeholders over the years.

“It’s also based on our ability to understand local markets and innovate. We operate across multiple locations, from buying stations to warehouses, from factories and mills to offices.”

Olam Agri is a market-leading, differentiated food, feed, and fibre agri-business with a global origination footprint and processing capabilities with a deep understanding of market needs built over 33 years.

The company has a strong presence in high-growth emerging markets and products across grains & oilseeds, animal feed & protein, rice, edible oils, specialty grains & seeds, cotton, wood products, rubber, and commodity financial services.

The Special Guest of Honour at this year’s Summit was Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia.

Also present were Dr. Ernest Addision, Governor of the Bank of Ghana, and some Cabinet Ministers, including Mr. Joseph Cudjoe, the Minister for Public Enterprises.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra, June 1, GNA – Mr Kofi Ofori, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Ablekuma North has urged residents to make conscious effort to always ensure environmental cleanliness.

He said the Assembly was investing a lot in waste management to ensure that the municipality was kept clean and tidy.

Mr Ofori gave the advice during the First Ordinary Meeting of the Third Session of the Second Ablekuma North Municipal Assembly at Asoredanho in Accra.

He said the Assembly had chalked tremendous success in environmental sanitation and waste management, and all should put their shoulders to the wheel to maintain its status.

To ensure effectiveness and efficiency in solid waste collection, the MCE said the municipality had been divided into three different service providers, namely Asadu Royal Waste, Zoom Alliance and Metropolitan Waste and Allied Services.

On Operation Clean your Frontage campaign, which was launched few months ago, Mr Ofori disclosed that 250 notices have been served, 57 cases have been successfully prosecuted with 25 suspects fined.

He said 15 cases were pending before the Sanitation Court for determination.

Mr Ofori impressed stakeholders to continue to sensitise residents on the need to ensure a clean environment.

On revenue, he said, the Assembly had mapped out strategies to ensure that the target was achieved including expanding the night toll collection across the municipality.

“This year the Assembly projected a total collection of 4.4 million Ghana cedis from all sources,” the MCE stated.

Source: Ghana News Agency