Category: General

Nana Akua Anokowa I, the newly installed development Chief of the Edelesuazo community, has called on residents in the community to rally behind her to foster peace and unity to accelerate development in the area.

She said unity was the surest way through which they could realise the development they desired as a people; hence it was necessary for them to be united for that purpose.

As the development chief, she would lead the people to more developmental projects to modernize the community.

Nana Anokowa I, known in private life as Madam Judith Korsah, a professional nurse, made the call during her installation ceremony at Edelesuazo in the Nzema-East Municipality of the Western Region.

Touting some of her development initiatives, she indicated that she had so far rolled out an apprenticeship programme for about 20 young girls to equip them with self-employable skills in the community among others.

Nana Anokowa I, thanked the family and community for the confidence reposed in her to champion the d
evelopment of the community and said she would do more to help grow the area.

Madam Catherine Abenlemah Afeku, a former Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, charged the newly installed development chief to channel more efforts into girl-child education with special reference to Technical, Vocational, and Education Training.

She donated 10 sewing machines as part of efforts to support apprenticeship training for young girls in Edelesuazo.

Mr Isaac Kofi Sorpka, Nzema-East Municipal Police Commander, encouraged the newly installed development chief to work assiduously to ensure peace and development in the area.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The 18-year-old in the Kasoa Teenagers’ murder case has denied that he and the 15-year-old accused person discussed how to seek spiritual assistance to make life comfortable.

The 18-year-old also denied that on April 4, 2021, when the 15-year-old spent the night at his place and discussed how difficult life was because money was hard to come by.

According to the 18-year-old accused person, it was not true that they discussed how to make life comfortable by consulting a spiritualist at Amasaman in the Greater Accra Region.

Answering questions under further cross-examination administered by Nana Adomah Osei, Assistant State Attorney at the High Court on Monday, the 18-year-old accused person said he had informed the first accused (15-year-old minor) that he was traveling to his hometown for the Easter festivities and that was the only information discussed.

The two teenagers have been charged with conspiracy and murder of 11-year-old Ishmael Mensah Abdallah at Kasoa on April 3, 2021.

‘We never discussed an
ything about seeking spiritual help,’ he told the Court presided over by Mrs Justice Lydia Osei- Marfo.

‘The truth I know about this case is what I’m telling the court,’he stressed and denied the Investigation Caution Statement dated April 4, 2021, he allegedly told the 15-year-old minor that if the Amasaman spiritualist could not help, then he would be sending him to his hometown in the Volta region.

The 18-year-old told the court that if the State Prosecutor had audio in relation to the conversation, he had with the 15-year-old minor, same be played in court.

‘ I’m saying that I did not have any discussions concerning the Amasaman spiritualist. That is why I’m also saying that for the truth to come out the audio should be played. The time this issue occurred I did not have any gadget or phone to record anything,

‘It is not true that we both planned to visit a fetish priest to seek spiritual powers and to acquire wealth,’ the 18-year-old accused person maintained.

The accused person denied that he knew
that the 15-year-old minor was a close friend to the deceased.

‘ I don’t know that the deceased (Ishmael) was a close friend to the first accused person – the 15-year-old boy-, but I know the deceased lived in the same area with him.

Prosecution: ‘I put it to you that, you actually planned and that was not the first time you had planned to kill someone and successfully did so.

Second accused person: ‘I know nothing about what you are saying. You are also saying this is not the first time we planned to kill, if you have any evidence to show this to the court then show it because I know nothing about that.’

The matter has been adjourned to February 14. 2024

Source: Ghana News Agency

Bolgatanga: Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong, the Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies (JGC), says success is not dependent on one’s location but determined by the will of God.

He, therefore, urged Christians not to relent in their faith in God while dispelling the belief that it was only in the urban centres, especially in Accra, that the youth could succeed.

Dr Agyepong said this when he visited the Desert Pastures, a branch of the Fountain Gate Chapel in Bolgatanga, the Upper East Regional capital.

‘Today, I have come here to just testify to you that the blessing of the Lord can locate you wherever you are. And my second point is that I have come here to learn something from Reverend Eastwood.’

He said the Upper East Region was the first to accept Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of the JGC.

‘This is the region that blessed Zoomlion, it is the region that accepted Zoomlion. So, from here, we moved to Kumasi, and then the Otumfuo blessed it. Accra was the last place that accepted it,’
he recalled.

He said some regions in the country did not accept the initiative to use tricycles to convey waste in its major cities and towns, but the Upper East Region accepted the initiative, and Zoomlion Ghana Limited started in that region.

‘May the same Lord who revealed Zoomlion to me and enabled me to get to this level, establish and anoint you,’ Dr Agyepong told the congregation.

‘You will never lack, may the Holy Spirit grant you ideas, give you revelations and innovations. When the Holy Spirit establishes something, it works.’

The Executive Chairman said the Company stood the test of time over the years, continued to thrive, and attributed its achievements and successes to God.

Reverend Eastwood Anaba, the President of the Eastwood Anaba Ministries (EAM) and the Founder of the Fountain Gate Chapel, thanked Dr Agyepong for his visit to the Church and contributions to waste management in the region and country.

The renowned preacher prayed for God’s blessings and protection for the E
xecutive Chairman, his companies and staff.

He said Fountain Gate Chapel was the gatekeeper in the northern part of the country and called on his congregation not to relent in prayers.

‘There is a lot happening in the Upper East Region. Our region is shaking, and one of the things that is preventing it from erupting is your prayers. So don’t take the prayers for granted,’ he urged the congregation.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Access Bank Womenpreneur Pitch-A-Thon programme has graduated 50 women and women-led entrepreneurs in the agriculture value chain, equipped with knowledge to take their businesses to another height.

The Womenpreneur Pitch-A-Thon, now in its fifth season, aims to empower female entrepreneurs to improve on their businesses.

Of the 50 women who graduated, the top three received GHS100,000.00 each.

They were Madam Ruth Wewura Guribie, Chief Executive Officer, Sava Shea Company Limited; Madam Rosemond Afua Afful of Ayden Ventures, and Madam Augustina Akosua Asor Tufuor, Founder/Manager of Tropical Snacks.

The Access Bank MD’s special award of GHS20,000.00 for the most eco-friendly business went to Madam Hannah Aidoo of HA Farms.

Madam Pearl Nkrumah, Executive Director for Retail and Digital Banking, Access Bank Ghana, extended her heartfelt wishes to the finalists of season five and assured them of their unwavering support on their entrepreneurial journey.

She commended the partners, GIZ and Gopa AFC, fo
r their dedication and support towards the success of the programme.

She said last year’s edition focused on supporting women entrepreneurs in the agriculture and agri-related sectors; saying: ‘I’m proud to share that approximately 130 women-owned businesses have benefited from this programme.’

She announced a groundbreaking initiative – the Mastercard Foundation Bridge-in-Agric Loan, to solve the challenge many women entrepreneurs faced in accessing funds.

It would offer affordable loans at highly discounted rates, providing a crucial steppingstone to scale up their yourinesses, she said.

‘In our commitment to your success, we will continue to leverage strategic partnerships to develop your skill sets and create platforms for you to engage with equity investors for further business growth,’ she said.

‘We are excited to unveil the W Marketplace (Women in the Marketplace), an e-commerce platform that will connect you with buyers and enhance your market reach.’

Madam Matilda Asant-Asiedu, Group Head, Reta
il Banking, Access Bank Ghana, said: ‘Today, as we celebrate this graduation, let it be known that this isn’t the culmination of our shared journey.’

‘At Access Bank, we value not just transactions but transformational relationships. Your continuous growth is our priority, and to solidify our commitment, we proudly introduce the Womenpreneur Alumni group.’

Mr Christoph Pannhausen, Project Lead, GIZ AgriBiz Programme, said the GIZ was happy to be part of the empowering women initiative.

He assured the beneficiaries of the programme that each one of them would be assigned individual business coaches, who would be assisting them to grow their businesses.

Madam Ellen Ayensuaa Agyepong, CEO of El Food Services and Class Representative of the Season Five Pitch-A-Thon, expressed gratitude to Access Bank Ghana for empowering them.

‘Entrepreneurship is a lonely journey. Let’s continue to use the knowledge we have acquired to ensure that our businesses survive.’

Madam Guribie, one of the top three awardees, in an
interview with the Ghana News Agency, commended Access Bank Ghana for supporting and empowering their businesses.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Akatsi Police in the Akatsi South Municipality of the Volta Region, has arrested three suspects for allegedly killing a 31-year-old man at Wlitey-Agamakope

The deceased, Christopher Alavi, who lived at Ziope, until the revelation, went missing after he left home to attend a family meeting at Lume Ahugakope on September 7, 2023.

Mr Agbenyega Klaye, the regent of Wlitey-Gamakope, a suburb of Akatsi, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that Simon Dorve, the prime suspect, aged 41, is a fetish priest and resident in the area.

He expressed surprise about the alleged act, in which the suspect himself had since confessed to having murdered the deceased, with his head and both legs removed for some ritual purposes.

A Police source has confirmed the arrest of Mr Dorve and his other two accomplices to the GNA.

The source revealed that a complaint was made to the Akatsi Police about the missing of the deceased.

The source revealed that upon further investigations, two suspects, namely Godfred, a stude
nt, and Ahomey Gbeti, also a fetish priest, were arrested for having in their possession, some belongings of the deceased.

‘After interrogation, Ahomey Gbeti confessed to having committed the crime with the main suspect, whose custody the deceased’s motorbike and body was found, with some body parts buried,’ the source said.

Mr Dorve was subsequently arrested on Saturday dawn, February 10, at Wlitey-Gamakope to assist in investigations.

It was disclosed to the GNA that the Police would proceed to the community on Monday, February 12, where the crime was committed to exhume the remaining body for further action.

The suspects, who were arraigned at the Akatsi Magistrate Court on Monday, have been remanded into Police custody and will reappear on March 13.

The crime, added to two, within a space of a week in the Municipality, after a similar one was committed by another fetish priest at Dzuefe, where he was alleged to have killed his son.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Police have commenced investigations into the death of Mr Eric Johnson, the Chief Executive Officer of Cossy Hill Hotel at Jirapa in the Upper West Region.

The deceased was found dead on February 11, 2024, lying in a pool of blood in one of the rooms at the Hotel.

A news brief from the Police said the Regional Crime Scene Management Team had visited the scene of the incident.

It said one person had since been detained to assist the investigation.

The brief said Dr George Akuffo Dampare, Inspector-General of Police, had deployed a team of investigators and experts led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Faustina Agyeiwaa Kodua Andoh-Kwofie, Director-General, Criminal Investigation Department, to work with the Upper West Regional Police Command to ensure a thorough investigation into the incident.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A once-feared army general, who ruled Indonesia with an iron fist for more than three decades, has a message for voters ahead of upcoming elections – from beyond the grave.

‘I am Suharto, the second president of Indonesia,’ the former general says in a three-minute video that has racked up more than 4.7 million views on X and spread to TikTok, Facebook and YouTube.

While mildly convincing at first, it’s clear that the stern-looking man in the video isn’t the former Indonesian president. The real Suharto, dubbed the ‘Smiling General’ because he was always seen smiling despite his ruthless leadership style, died in 2008 at age 86.

The video was an AI-generated deepfake, created using tools that cloned Suharto’s face and voice. ‘The video was made to remind us how important our votes are in the upcoming election,’ said Erwin Aksa, deputy chairman of Golkar – one of Indonesia’s largest and oldest political parties. He first shared the video on X ahead of February 14 elections.

The party is one of 18 competing
in this year’s race, which will see more than 200 million voters head to the polls. Golkar is not fielding its own presidential candidate but has thrown its support behind frontrunner Prabowo Subianto, a former army general under Suharto’s military-backed regime – and also his former son-in-law.

By bringing a long dead leader back to life just weeks before the vote, Golkar’s intentions were clear: to encourage voters to throw their weight behind the party synonymous with Suharto.

‘As a member of Golkar, I am very proud of Suharto because he successfully developed Indonesia,’ Aksa wrote on X. ‘He brought a lot of success. We must respect it and remember his services – Golkar was there.’

But online critics decried the act of using a dead man’s face and voice, especially for political propaganda. ‘This is the state of our country today – bringing dead dictators back to life to fool and scare us into votes,’ wrote one Indonesian on X.

‘Since when did it become ethical to create deepfakes out of dead people? I
t feels so morally wrong,’ said another.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Fisherfolks along the coastal belt of Anloga, Keta, and the surrounding fishing communities in the Volta Region have experienced some level of bumper harvest in crabs and shrimps.

The abundance of catches, according to them, was a result of the periodic opening and closing of the flood control gate at Azizadzi in 2023.

Mr Setreakor Dzila, a fisherman at Tetekope, a suburb of Keta, in an interaction with the Ghana News Agency, stated that they have never experienced such an increase in catches for decades.

‘The fact is that our catches have increased daily for the past one month which really boosted our economic gains and as we never experienced before.’

Mr Dzila further disclosed that the unexpected increase in their harvest has impacted the economic challenges many fishermen faced in recent times.

He said traders at Keta, Anloga, Akatsi, Denu, Agbozume, and other communities have also witnessed an increase in crabs and shrimp supply which led to easy accessibility for a lower price of products.

‘For so
me years now, we have never experienced such an increase in harvest and my fear is that the bumper catch we have now would not affect our fishing business soon.’

Some other Fisherfolks and traders at Anloga, who spoke to the GNA also expressed happiness over the catches and thanked Mr Emmanuel Gemegah, the Keta Municipal Chief Executive, the engineers, and other authorities for opening and closing the floodgate.

Meanwhile, in October 2023, engineers opened the Azizadzi floodgate and the sand bar which allowed the Lagoon to flow easily into the sea that had reduced the flooding situations in the communities along the coastal belt due to the spillage of the Akosombo Dam.

The floodgate was later closed by engineers who did thorough consultation and studies after the water level in the flooded communities receded.

The communities are, however, appealing to the authorities responsible for the maintenance and preservation of the control gate to do so.

Source: Ghana News Agency