Day: May 10, 2024

Separatist Fighters in Eyomujock subdivision in Manyu, South West region, ambushed and killed six government forces including a Brigade commander.

CNA sources hinted that someone cornered Gendarmes that Separatists were on their way to block the Eyomujock-Mamfe road. The brigade commander placed two elements in a truck that pretended to transport goods through the area while he was following them behind with four men.

Separatists ambushed the truck, killed one occupant but one escaped.

They also attacked the vehicle that was trailing the truck, killing the Brigade Commander and four men.They later set the bodies on fire, a security source said.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Maritime stakeholders from Ghana, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, and Niger have participated in the eighth module of the Support to West Africa Integrated Maritime Security (SWAIMS) Project at the Regional Maritime University.

Module eight of the project sought to address the complexities of safety and security in marine space.

The participants were drawn from the Navy, Maritime Administration, Port Authority, Marine Police, and judges.

The SWAIMS project, funded by the European Union, has nine modules, comprising an introduction to the maritime security environment, the maritime security functional areas, legal and policy frameworks for advancing maritime security, the blue economy and maritime environment, and maritime crisis management.

Mr. Augustus Addy-Lamptey, an engineer and the coordinator of the SWAIMS Project, stated that the modules were to help maritime industry actors understand the consequences of maritime crimes.

He said that because shipping carries about 90 per cent of international trade, there
would be a challenge when anything untoward happened in the sector, stating that during the COVID-19 crisis, the world depended on the shipping industry to let the wheels of industry run.

He added that the programme was therefore formulated to ensure that the actors in the maritime industry appreciated the main effect of maritime crime, especially kidnapping for ransom.

He said the module promotes collaboration and cooperation among inter-agency sector players along the value chain.

Mr Jewel Ahiable, an electrical engineer and a former piracy captive sharing his experience with participants, said he was a captive for 1000 days after their vessel was hijacked by Somalian pirates in the Gulf of Guinea.

Mr. Ahiable recalled that ‘we realised that our captain tried to do defensive manoeuvring, and within about 15 minutes, everything subsided, and our bosun came shouting, colleagues come out, come out, your ship has been hijacked by Somali pirates, and we came out from our hideout.’

He added that they climbed
to the officers’ deck, and on their way to the bridge, they saw one of the pirates wielding an AK-47, and he instructed them to put their hands on their heads.

‘So, after two years, nine months-that is, 1,000 days-for the first time we stepped foot on land on December 23, 2012,’ he narrated. 

He stressed that the need to enhance security and safety in maritime space cannot be overemphasized. 

The former captive stated that some dangers that were likely to happen in the maritime space were fire, ship grounding, sinking, explosion, collision, armed robbery, and piracy.

‘In marine space, there are a lot of happenings: there is an amputation, electrocution, corrosion, and man falling overboard. Some of the major happenings are fire, grounding of the ship, sinking of the ship, and collision,’ he said.

He therefore urged vessel crew members to always adhere to security measures while on board.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken strides to donate educational resources to support some schools that were affected by the Akosombo Dam spillage in the country.

The items donated were EPA- branded exercise books, teachers’ notebooks, textbooks, sanitation materials amongst others to promote quality education and hygiene in the flood-affected areas across the country.

Mr Hope Smith Lomotey, the Volta Regional Director of EPA led the delegation to make the donation on behalf of Dr. John Kinsley Krugu, the Executive Director of the Agency.

The EPA supported various schools in Asugyaman District, Lower Manya Municipality, North Tongu District, South Dayi, and Ada East Districts.

Mr Lomotey stated that the donation formed part of the EPA’s commitment to promote quality education in areas which were most affected by the floods.

He said that the Agency was poised to promote higher standards of education and would go a long way to ensure that students in the country were offered the best reso
urces to foster education.

Mr Lomotey indicated that the EPA would continue to extend its maximum support to the affected schools in the country.

‘We’re dedicated to supporting our students. Our Executive Director has great plans for the students who were affected by the Akosombo Dam spillage and more resources would be provided to revamp the education sector in affected areas,’ he said.

Mr Charles Dagbah, the Headteacher of Mepe Roman Catholic Basic School, received the items on behalf of other Schools in the country.

He lauded the EPA and its leadership for their benevolence.

He gave the assurance that the educational materials would be used purposefully.

Mr Dagbah however called on corporate Ghana to keep extending their support to the schools to promote quality education.

In total, 3,000 Exercise books, 280 Teacher’s Notebooks, 100 copies of sanitation materials and 300 copies of other environmental materials were donated to the five Municipalities and Districts in Volta and Eastern region.

Sourc
e: Ghana News Agency

Rainforest Alliance, an international non-profit organisation implementing a project aimed at eliminating forced and child labour in selected cocoa and mining communities, has reminded stakeholders that the exploitation of a child to work denies an adult an income.

The future of such children, according to the organisation, is also traded for immediate financial gains by perpetrators and called on stakeholders to collectively stand against any practice that could jeopardise the future of children.

Mrs Joyce Poku-Marboah, Senior Project Manager of Rainforest Alliance, made the observation at a quarterly meeting of stakeholders involved in the project at Nyinahin in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region.

With funding from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), Rainforest Alliance is implementing the ‘Tackling Forced and Child Labour in Ghanaian Cocoa and Gold Mining’ in Atwima Mponua, Atiwa East, Bibiani-Anwiaso-Bekwai and Wasa Amenfi West Districts.

Under the project, stakeho
lders across the cocoa value chain and gold mining associations are engaged in the fulfilment of commitments of government and companies in addressing human rights, gender issues and child labour to create more resilient farming and mining communities.

The project has over the past three years, provided adequate support for government agencies in social protection and law enforcement, cocoa companies, traders, cooperatives, farmer groups, and gold associations to implement measures to help prevent, identify and address forced and child labour in their operational activities.

Other key state institutions such as the Ghana Education Service (GES) the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), and the District Assembly are also playing diverse roles in protecting vulnerable children and adults under the NORAD-funded project.

Some participants during the quarterly meeting called for steps to build a school at Ampenkro to save children in the community from the daily routine of trekking several kilometres
to attend school at Nkromah.

They argued that the situation put their children at high risk of child labour.

Three mining companies including Golden Mining Company, Taassato Mining Company and Yiadom Company Limited were on hand to share their perspectives on the fight against child labour.

They took turns to recount various support they had provided communities including toilet facilities, community centres and remediation kits for in-school children to reduce child labour.

Mrs Poku-Marboah underlined the need for Assemblies to incorporate child labour and child protection issues in their medium-term plans.

They must also make commitments captured in their long-term plans available to communities at no cost to enable them to monitor the implementation with keen interest.

She encouraged the NCCE and other stakeholders to keep communities informed about opportunities such as scholarships and free apprenticeship training that were available to them in the district.

Madam Aba Oppong, Executive Director of
Rights and Responsibilities Initiative Ghana (RRIG), local partners of the project, said 15 schools in the project communities had been selected to be equipped with children’s rights and responsibilities education.

She said 30 women had also been selected by their communities to be trained in income-generating activities to support economic independence for their communities.

The establishment of Village Savings and Loans has helped women mobilise their own funds to support the education of their

Source: Ghana News Agency

Dr Mabel Oti Boadi, a Clinical Psychologist and Lecturer at the University of Ghana, has advised parents of children with special needs not to give up on their children.

‘Your efforts will pay off,’ she said, expressing admiration for the special needs parents for their effort and hard work to keep their children going.

Dr Oti Boadi gave the advice when she donated assorted items, including rice, diapers, detergents, boxes of tin fish and tin tomatoes, clothing, shoes among other items to the Special Mothers Project, an advocacy and awareness creation programme on cerebral palsy issues.

The donation was to celebrate her birthday.

Dr Oti Boadi, accompanied by her husband, her mom, her friends and mentees, interacted with the parents, sharing words of encouragement with them.

‘I had a childhood friend who has cerebral palsy, she is now a lawyer, your efforts will pay off,’ she said She told the Ghana News Agency that her interest in Special Needs peaked when she did her thesis in that area.

‘For the past
eight years, I have used the occasion of my birthday to donate to the special needs community and today, I decided to share it with you, parents,’ she said.

Mrs Hannah Awadzi, Executive Director of the Special Mothers Project, who received the items, expressed gratitude for the gesture.

Occasions like this make parents feel appreciated that at least someone is thinking about them, she said and added that the major aim of the Special Mothers Project is to advocate for policies that supports parents or families of children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities.

‘We want the government to put in place programmes and policies that support respite, caregiving, education and health to take the full burden of responsibility off the shoulders of parents,’ Mrs Awadzi said.

She expressed her appreciation to all the special needs parents who came to grace the occasion.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Amasaman Circuit Court has granted GHC50,000.00 bail with two sureties to a 25-year-old air-conditioning technician who was caught on a Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) camera during an alleged theft at his previous employer.

Richard Abeo is accused of unlawfully entering his previous employer’s offices, LeCountry Water Company Limited, and taking GHC27,542.00 as well as an HP laptop computer.

The sureties should deposit their valid National identity cards with Court’s registry.

He denied the charges and was ordered by the court, presided over by Ms Enid Marful-Sau, to return on May 11, 2024, for a case management conference.

The prosecution is to furnish Abeo with disclosures before the next adjourned date.

Police Chief Inspector Frederick Awuah-Ansah told the court that the complainants are Messrs Wilfred Tetteh-Larbi, Operations Manager, and Daniel Adufu Abrakwa, Head of Administrations of Le-Country Mineral Water Company in Shikpontele, behind the China Mall near Amasaman.

He said Abeo, an air-
conditioning repairer who lives in Opah, was a former employee of the Le-Country Mineral Water Company.

Chief Inspector Awuah-Ansah said that on March 24, 2024, at about 1830 hours, Abeo, who had been dismissed from the company, went to its premises and met the security guards on duty, Annie Baffour Patrick and Godfred Osei Bonsu, and collected the office keys from them with the false explanation that he had been asked to repair the company’s air conditioners.

According to the prosecution, Abeo broke into the facility, damaged the company’s safe in the administrator’s office, and stole GHS27,542.00.

He then went into the operations manager’s office and stole an HP laptop computer from the company, the value of which is unknown.

Chief Inspector Awuah-Ansah said the accused, who was caught on CCTV camera after the act, went into hiding until May 3, 2024, when he was arrested.

Abeo admitted to entering the premises and company’s office in his cautioned statement to the police but denied the theft. Chief Ins
pector Awuah-Ansah said after the investigation, he was charged with the offences and brought to court.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), William Ayaregah, Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, has called for the establishment of an emergency fund to fight human trafficking in Ghana.

DSP Ayariga, who is also the Head of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit at the Headquarters of the Police Service, made this known during the closing ceremony of the European Union-funded project to support the fighting of human trafficking in the states of the Gulf of Guinea.

The project is implemented by Expertise France Ghana in collaboration with the Human Trafficking Secretariat under the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection.

He said an imprest should be given to the three agencies fighting human trafficking in the country, which are the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Immigration Service, and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), monthly to fast-track their activities.

DSP Ayaregah cited an example of the unavailability of funds in a past situa
tion that almost marred their operations in Akropong, noting that the swift intervention of an organisation led to the rescue of three people with the apprehension of the suspect who was put before the court.

He explained that if funds were readily available, they would not have to appeal to individuals and organisations to support them in emergencies, stressing that limited resources have always been an impediment to their activities. 

He said minor issues faced in the anti-human trafficking unit of the Ghana Police Service and other agencies could end if emergency funds were made available.

DSP Ayaregah mentioned that human trafficking continued to be a human rights violation and a threat to the development of society and must be eliminated with all efforts.

Expertise France trained some agencies and institutions, including the Ghana Police Service and some members of the Judiciary Service, among others, on human trafficking.

He mentioned that the training was a step in the right direction as trained o
fficers had impacted hugely on the activities of personnel, stressing that it improved their detective, investigating and evidence gathering processes.

He said the training had also had an impact on the judicial system, as heavier sentences were now being given to perpetrators, revealing that a man and his wife were convicted for 18 and 16 years, respectively, due to human trafficking, a testament to the result of training the judiciary on the impact of human trafficking.

DSP Ayaregah appealed that police prosecuting officers be added to the next phase of training to give them skills in their detective work.

Source: Ghana News Agency