Category: General

Katariga (N/R), July 05, GNA – Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) has launched Child Marriage-Free Community Alert Campaign (CM-FCAC) to mobilise support to end forced and early child marriages in the Northern Region.

The campaign, being implemented with funding support from the UNFPA, also seeks to create awareness about the consequences of child marriage and how communities could join forces to end the practice.

Mr Adam Azabre Abugbila, PPAG Projects Coordinator, Northern Zone, who gave details of the campaign during its launch at Katariga in the Sagnarigu Municipality, said child marriage was gradually becoming a major obstacle to sustainable development due to its impact on young girls and communities.

He noted that “This obstacle does not only negatively make their lives difficult but also continue to perpetuate cycles of poverty, low social status, illiteracy and poor adult lives.”

He noted that “To address child marriage and its multifaceted causes such as poverty, gender inequality and discrimination, unhealthy social norms and cultural practices amongst others in communities, a multi-sectoral action is required, and we are contributing to this through the CM – FCAC.”

Mr Maxwell Ayamba, the Project Field Officer, UNFPA Tamale, said child marriage was fast becoming a common practice in most communities, adding that it was a human rights abuse, and must be stopped.

He said, “These young girls need to be educated to make life choices. They need to be taught lifesaving skills and career development paths to contribute meaningfully to the development of their families, our communities and to nation building.”

Tindan Paga Memunatu Issah, the Queen mother of Katariga, pledged her commitment to ensure that girls were not given out in marriage in her community.

She urged traditional authorities to collaborate with other stakeholders to institute measures to stop child and forced marriages in their communities.

Mr Mutawakilu Fuseini, the Health Information Officer, Tamale Metropolitan Health Directorate, advised parents to invest in the education of young girls to stop the practice.

Similar campaigns were held at Kulnyavila and Tuunayili communities in the Sagnarigu Municipality.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra, July 5, GNA – A lady Pastor and a trader have been put before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly defrauding two hairstylists of GHC 33,000.

Vivian Norman, the Pastor and Isaac Asare, a trader, are alleged to have collected the money to aid them obtain Albanian visas for the two hairstylists so they could travel to any of the European Countries for greener pastures but failed.

Asare has been charged with two counts of defrauding by false pretenses.

Vivian is facing a charge of abetment of crime.

They have pleaded not guilty to the charges and are on GHC30,000 bail with two sureties to be justified.

They are expected to reappear on August 2 before the court presided over by Mrs Afia Owusua Appiah.

Narrating the facts of the case, Inspector Wisdom Alorwu, said the complainant Sedro Esinam Venessa and Celestine Kpetsigo were hairstylists residing at Abelemkpe, Accra.

The prosecution said Asare resided at Ablekuma and Vivian lived at Oyarifa.

It said in June 2021, the complainants wanted to travel to any of the European countries in search of greener pastures.

The prosecution said the complainants approached Vivian who was their pastor and she informed them that she knew Asare as someone who assisted prospective travelers to travel abroad.

It said Vivian then introduced Asare to the complainants and he assured them of securing Albanian visas at a cost of GHC50,000 per applicant.

The prosecution said the accused persons convinced the complainants to make payment for processing of their visas, which would be ready in a month.

It said Asare collected GHC22,800 and GHC10,200 from Esinam and Celestine respectively.

It said Asare, after collecting the money failed to secure the visa and went into hiding.

On December 16, 2021, the accused persons met the complainants at the church premises and the two accused persons had a written undertaking that their visas would be ready in a month.

But the accused persons could not fulfil their promise and on February 7, this year, a report was made at the Regional Criminal Investigations, Accra.

The prosecution said Asare was involved in a similar matter and was remanded at the Accra Central Police Station where he was identified by the complainants.

When Asare was nabbed, he mentioned one Isaac Asante as his accomplice.

Vivian was lured and nabbed by the Police.

The prosecution said efforts were being made to arrest the said Asante.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra, July 05, GNA – Mr Godfred Yeboah Dame, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, has stressed the need for a fair, honest and efficient justice system in the country.

He said a justice system that guaranteed all elements of the rule of law and assured a speedy and efficient resolution of disputes would produce a business operating environment characterised by transparency, certainty and fairness.

Mr Dame said this at the launch of the National Baseline Assessment Report on business and human rights, on Monday in Accra.

The report was compiled by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) in collaboration with the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), with funding support from the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR).

He said the relationship between business and human rights was of utmost importance in the increasingly globalised economy.

He noted that on the African continent, for many years, business had been linked to gross violations of human rights, and as such, the importance of a national baseline assessment report on the interaction between business and human rights could not be overemphasised.

“Human rights are basic rights and freedoms that protect all. They are based on dignity, fairness, equality and respect. Businesses have a significant impact on the way we live our lives and enjoy these human rights, whether as an employee or a customer or simply living alongside companies that share our cities and towns.”

Mr Dame said the development of the baseline assessment report had constitutional grounding in Article 36 of the Constitution of Ghana on the economic objectives of the country.

“Clauses 2, 4, 6, 7 and 10 of article 36, in particular, lay down firm imperatives for the State in the building of an economic order, which guarantees ample opportunity for individual initiative and provides a fair, realistic remuneration as an incentive for continued production and higher productivity.”

He said the ownership and possession of property as well as the encouragement of foreign investment within the constraints of regulations enacted by the State are primary concerns of articles 36, 18 and 20 of the Constitution.

He said the promotion and observance of human rights of the business community was a collective role of both public and private sector, hence businesses must endeavour to do the right thing by respecting human rights.

Mr Joseph Whittal, Commissioner, CHRAJ, said during the third Cycle Review of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the Human Rights Council in 2017, Ghana accepted the recommendation to “integrate and apply the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to all its relevant policies, including licensing extractive business.”

He said for that to be achieved, there was the need to undertake a national baseline assessment of business and human rights situation in Ghana to identify gaps in the application of the Guiding Principles and subsequently develop a National Action Plan that would propose specific interventions or policies to deal with the gaps and the adverse human rights impacts by business enterprises.

Mr Whittal said as part of measures to ensure that Ghana achieved the recommendation that it supported on business and human rights during the UPR, the Commission conducted the assessment to evaluate the implementation of the UNGPs in Ghana.

The Commissioner said the assessment focused on four critical sectors of the economy: Petroleum, Finance, Telecommunication, and Mining.

“Overall, it was found that although some government policies, laws, treaties, and institutions meet the standards set by the UNGPs, there remains some gaps that require urgent attention to enhance the State and businesses’ protection of and respect for human rights, and remedy to human right violations in Ghana. The gaps as identified are discussed in the report across the three pillars of ‘Protect, Respect and Remedy’ framework.”

He said the Commission was committed to the process and would take all necessary steps to support the Government in achieving its target and called on stakeholders to support the process by way of both technical and funding support.

The Minister later inaugurated an 18-member steering committee to develop a national action plan on business and human rights.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Duncan Amoah, Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) Ghana has paid a courtesy call on the Energy Media Group (EMG) at its SSNIT Emporium office, Airport City, Accra.

EMG, a media firm solely dedicated to activities and persons in the energy sector, is the main organizer of the distinguished Ghana Energy Awards and publishers of the Energy Ghana Magazine.

Leading a delegation from the Chamber, the call was to extend their congratulations to the EMG on how far it has come in its operations, particularly in redefining excellence in the country’s energy sector.

COPEC is an independent organization whose work lies majorly in protecting the petroleum consumer in Ghana. It has been a participant in the EMG’s flagship Ghana Energy Awards.

This involvement in the event, the Executive Secretary said, had been instrumental in propelling the Chamber forward. They are, thus, part-takers in the several value additions that participating organizations benefit from the Awards Scheme.

“We are not surprised at how far the Energy Media Group, organizers of the prestigious Ghana Energy Awards has come. The Scheme is credible, and we have been witnesses to the stringent procedures employed to obtain their results,” Mr. Amoah noted.

He added that he believes in the work that the Energy Media Group has set out to do, so much that he had to shelve a similar idea of the awards because the current scheme has fulfilled his intentions in this regard for the sector.

Moreover, he indicated the Chamber’s continued support to EMG in terms of data, research, and other input for the latter’s activities.

Ing. Henry Teinor, Chief Executive Officer of the Energy Media Group, appreciated COPEC for the call. He noted that his outfit is in constant pursuit of excellence and has consistently strived to attain distinction in its operations. He further acknowledged Mr. Amoah’s support over the years up to this point.

Attributing the company’s growth to the Almighty God’s benevolence, he added that the mindset of excellence in the organization and an attitude of service have been key.

Meanwhile, the call, he said, was timely as the journey toward this year’s Awards event is set to commence with a Media Launch on July 14, to officially open nominations and unveil the theme.

This is to be ensured by a lineup of activities including various exhibitions, the Energy Personalities Outreach Programme (EPOP), for the apex award winners to interact with students of second cycle institutions; and the GEA Streetlight Installation Initiative-SII.

Others are Courtesy Calls on industry partners; Nominees’ Announcement; Site Visitation to Prospective Nominees’ Project Sites to ascertain the veracity of claims made by nominees on the ground. This makes the GEA one of few schemes which insist on field verification to ensure awards won by players at the close of the review period are duly deserved. These activities will successively lead the event proper to come November.

He, therefore, encouraged players in the energy industry to look forward to a bigger and better event this year.

Ing. Teinor, on behalf of the Energy Media Group, used the opportunity to present to the delegation its latest Special Edition of the Energy Ghana Magazine which features an exclusive interview with Ing. Emmanuel Antwi-Darkwa, CE of VRA.

Source: Ghana Web

Accra, July 05, GNA – An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a 25-year-old man to 20 years imprisonment in hard labour for snatching a Hyundai Accent Taxi valued GHS37,500.

Emmanuel Tetteh has denied conspiring with Peter Mintah, his accomplice, now at large, to rob Prince Kyei, the complainant, of his cab but he was found culpable after trial.

Meanwhile, his accomplice has ran away with the cab with the registration number GW 6088 22.

Police Chief Inspector George Nana Akomeah had earlier told the Court presided over by Mr Kwabena Koduah Obiri-Yeboah that Kyei, the complainant, was a taxi driver residing at Ablekuma whilst Tetteh, unemployed, resided at KI School, Kaneshie.

He said on April 12, 2022, at about 1930 hours, the complainant was driving a Hyundai Accent taxicab with registration number GW 6088-22.

On reaching TV Africa area heading towards Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra, the convict and his accomplice, Mintah, now at large, engaged the services of the complainant to take them to Dansoman, the prosecution said.

It said on reaching the SSNIT Flats, Mintah who was sitting at the front seat, asked the complainant to stop the car and he obliged.

The prosecution said suddenly, the convict seized the ignition key, turned off the engine, and started struggling with Mintah over the ignition key.

It said Tetteh got out of the car to support the convict with the convict stabbing the complainant with a pair of scissors.

The Court heard that the complainant continued to struggle with the convict and shouted for help.

It said those around rushed to the scene and arrested Tetteh, but Mintah managed to run away with the car.

The prosecution said the convict was sent to the Police Station whilst the complainant was rushed to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for treatment.

During investigation, the accused admitted the offences and stated that he and Mintah had been snatching cars for the past two years.

He said that all the cars they had snatched were sold to one “Virus,” who lived in the same house with Mintah at Dansoman, adding that “Virus” had workers who worked on the cars at a workshop.

The Court heard that the convict led the police to the house and the workshop, but they could not find “Virus” and all efforts made by the police to trace him had failed.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra, July 05, GNA – The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has made an upward review of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) medicine and service tariffs to expand the coverage of health services to all citizens.

It includes treatment of newly added four Childhood Cancers, Clinical Family Planning services, Hydroxyurea for Sickle Cell Anaemia, and other new formulations.

In accordance with the National Health Insurance Act 852, (Act 2012), a statement from the Authority, copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the reviewed tariffs signed by the NHIA’s Chief Executive, Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye, became operational on July 1, 2022.

The review, it said, was done in consultation with the NHIA-credentialled healthcare service providers and other critical stakeholders in the health sector.

“Per the mandate of the NHIA, the reviews are done periodically, following a very rigorous scientific process and the current reviewed Medicines List contain a total of 546 formulations,” the statement said.

It noted that a national survey of medicine prices was undertaken using the methodology of the World Health Organization and Health Action International (HAI).

Pricing data was collected from manufacturers, wholesale distributors, private pharmacies, government, mission, and private health facilities located in all the 16 regions in the country.

The output of the Framework Contract Agreement of the Ministry of Health was also factored into the pricing of the formulations within the contract arrangement, the statement disclosed.

The prices are, therefore, those agreed upon by the NHIA and stakeholders as the reimbursable price for medicines supplied under the Scheme and show a 30 per cent increment of the data collected.

The NHIA Board also commissioned a multi-stakeholder team to conduct a costing exercise of healthcare services that would inform the next service tariff review.

The costing exercise, the statement said, was used to determine the reviewed tariff rates.

In line with standard practice, all key stakeholders were involved in the process of review and the average impact of the service tariffs across all provider types in the public sector was about a 35 per cent increment from the previous service tariffs.

“These adjustments have been made in consultation with all stakeholders, taking into consideration all economic indices. These considerations will improve the availability of all medicines on the NHIS medicine list nationwide.

“Furthermore, it is expected to minimise out-of-pocket payments (unauthorized fees) charged to NHIS members at the point of healthcare delivery and increase the public’s confidence in the Scheme,” it explained.

“Management of the NHIA wishes to assure all Ghanaians that the NHIS continues to be the vehicle and the road towards the attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC),” the statement added.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Adamsu (B/R), July 5, GNA – Opinion leaders at Adamsu, a farming community in the Jaman South Municipality of the Bono Region, have set up a Community Watchdog Committee to control rising Open Defecation (OD) in the area.

During a visit, the Ghana News Agency (GNA) gathered that some residents, mostly youth, had turned the local Presbyterian Primary School to a place of convenience, messing up the classrooms.

The situation, according to Mr Atta Agyapong, the Assemblyman for Adamsu Newtown, was so bad that school children had to clean up the mess every morning before academic work could begin.

In an interview with the GNA, Mr Agyapong said some of the residents also defecated in polythene bags, worsening the situation in the area, saying if the issue was not tackled it could lead to an outbreak of cholera as the rains set in.

He attributed the practice partly to inadequate toilets in the town, saying there was only a communal toilet in the town that served more than 7,000 people.

Mr Agyapong said the people had made persistent appeals to the Municipal Assembly to no avail because the Assembly had shifted attention from constructing communal toilets to the provision of household ones.

That notwithstanding, he said residents had no justification to defecate openly, and warned that anyone caught defecating openly would not be spared.

Mr Agyapong, therefore, appealed to non-governmental and charitable organisations, natives living abroad, philanthropists and corporate organisations to support the town as the opinion leaders intensify efforts to curtail the menace.

He also appealed for additional classrooms for the Adamsu Presbyterian JHS ‘A’, saying because of the deplorable condition of the school, the community had moved the JHS students to join the Presbyterian JHS ‘B’, creating congestion in the classrooms.

The Assemblyman said the classrooms of the JHS ‘B’ currently contained between 80-90 students, instead of 45 students in a class, thereby affecting effective teaching and learning.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra, July 5, GNA- Franklyn Crentsil, a painter who was nabbed for misbranding some alcoholic beverages in his residence at Darkuman in 2017 has been sentenced to a fine of GHC12,000 by an Accra Circuit Court.

Crentsil charged with misbranding of alcoholic beverage products, deception of consumers and nonregistration of premises, pleaded not guilty.

The court presided over by Mrs Susana Eduful, however, found him guilty on the charges and convicted him accordingly.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Christine Bansah, narrated that the complainants were officials of the Food and Drugs Authority.

Chief Inspector Bansah said in April 2017, the complainants received information that the accused person had been producing misbranded alcoholic beverages at his residence without authority.

The prosecution said the complainants informed the Police about the conduct of the accused and on April 19, 2017, the complainant together with the Police laid surveillance on Crentsil and he was nabbed at his residence in the act of misbranding alcoholic beverages.

It said the police found 168 bottles of misbranded Joy Dadi Bitters, one carton of Adonko Bitters, Empty bottles of Joy Dadi and Adonko, gallons with local herbs and labels of Agradaa and Amingo bitters.

The prosecution said Crentsil admitted the offence and in his caution statement said he did that to get money.

The prosecutor said when two samples of the supposedly same product were taken to the Food and Drugs Authority, they were found to be different.

Source: Ghana News Agency