Category: General

Mr Ian Tabalor Okwei, the Protocol and Administrative Officer, Tema Development Corporation (TDC) Ghana Limited, has called on Ghanaians to conduct a thorough investigation before buying properties from real estate companies.

He said it was crucial to first know which state agency had jurisdiction over the land in question to enable the buyer to check with either the Lands Commission or the TDC on whether the real estate company was the legitimate owner of the land before any transaction could take place.

Mr Okwei, speaking with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview, explained that it was important to check the necessary land documents and be abreast of the procedures to transfer the property into the buyer’s name.

‘If those relevant questions are not answered by the real estate company, it means that although they are real estate companies, they don’t have the requisite capacity to transfer the facility to you,’ he stated.

He said it was worrying that a lot of people had acquired properties with n
o legal documentation, making them illegitimate owners of what they assume they owned.

‘Don’t be deceived by their company’s name; the fact that they are real estate companies does not mean that they are registered landowners within the TDC database,’ he said.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Rabies killed six people in the Bono Region in 2023, Dr. Donald Joachim Darko, the Bono Regional Director of the Veterinary Services Department (VSD) has said.

Comparatively, he said the deaths marginally declined because the Department recorded eight deaths in 2022.

Rabies is a deadly virus transmitted through the saliva of infected animals and some symptoms include fever, headache, excessive salivation, muscle spasms, paralysis and mental confusion.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani, Dr. Darko said the Department vaccinated 4,402 domestic animals in 2023. More than 8,171 domestic animals, including dogs were vaccinated in 2021 and about 3,606 animals in 2022, he added.

Dr. Darko said the Department was working hard to achieve the World Health Organisation’s target of ensuring rabies free deaths by 2030 and called for support from the general public.

He said until 70 per cent of the pet and domestic animal population were vaccinated three consecutive times, it would be difficu
lt for the country to achieve the WHO target.

Just about six years to go, Dr. Darko called for effective collaboration between the Municipal/ District Assemblies, Ghana Health Service and the VSD towards intensifying public education as well as accessibility and affordability of vaccines to achieve the 2030 target.

He also urged the public to endeavour to bring their cats, dogs and other pets for vaccination at least once a year to help prevent diseases and needless deaths.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The families of Shai states in the Greater Accra Region have called on the government and security agencies to intervene in the encroachment and illegal sale of their family stool land in Kodiabe and its environs.

The Shai states comprised of three divisions: Hiowe-Doryumu, Lekpeje-Kordiaba and Hiowe-Agomeda.

Jaase Tetteh Adabang II, Head of the Saisi Clan, Kordiabe, said in a press briefing that the intervention of the appropriate authorities would restore order and avoid an unforeseen situations in the community.

Jaase Adabang alleged that some people, who hailed from Manya-Dodowa, were illegally selling their lands in the communities.

He advised the public not to buy any land from anyone in the area other than the rightful families and that they did that at their own risk.

Jaase Adabang said the current land size of the Terkpehnor Agblezey family was over 150,000 acres.

He said the plan covered lands in Jorpanya all through the entirety of Kordiabe, Agomeda, Luom, Bondase, and portions of Doryumu.

S
ource: Ghana News Agency

The Ashaiman District Court has granted bail in the sum of GH?5,000 with one surety each to Obaa Yaa Annan and Lydia Koomson for fighting in public.

The court, presided over by Mr Derick Parden Eshun, granted the two persons bail after they pleaded not guilty to charges of disturbing public peace.

Police Inspector Kwajo Danso, prosecuting, said Annan, a 41-year-old trader, and Koomson, 25, a hairdresser, both resided at Nkansa, close to Downtown Ashaiman.

On August 7, 2023, at about 0930 hours, there ensued a misunderstanding between the two on the proper disposal of wastewater, leading to a fight between them.

The two fought in the open (at the sight and hearing of the public), injuring themselves and Annan then went to the Katamanso Police Station to make a complaint, where she was given a medical form to attend hospital and return the form after treatment, prosecution said.

Koomson was subsequently arrested for investigation, which revealed both the initial complainant and the supposed perpetrator en
gaged in a fight in a public place to disturb the peace of others.

The two accused persons both bit each other during the fight and they were, therefore, arraigned and charged with the offence.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Eastern Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), together with the 33 Municipal and District Chief Executives (MDCEs) and their Coordinating Directors, have signed the 2024 performance contract as a clear manifestation of their commitment to duty.

Mr Seth Kwame Acheampong, the Eastern Regional Minister, at the signing ceremony in Koforidua, said the performance contract formed part of the Performance Management System (PMS), which aimed to ensure improved productivity at the regional and district levels.

He said it was a key mechanism in the PMS to set goals, bearing in mind that the contract had become a force for the management and staff of the RCC and the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies to know what was expected of them.

He highlighted the importance of them going back and arranging meetings in their respective assemblies, where staff would be guided through the indicators for achieving the deliverables.

Mr John A. Donkor, the Chief Director at the RCC said the Local Government Servic
e in 2015 implemented performance contract and subsequent assessments had been conducted to identify areas that required immediate attention.

Mr Ndinga Nborinyi, the Dean of the Municipal and District Coordinating Directors in the Eastern Region, was confident that with the support of the MDCEs and other staff, as well as the requisite resources, they could achieve their best.

The 33 municipal and district assemblies that took part in the event included Birim Central, Birim South, Asuogyaman, Atiwa East, Denkyembour, New Juaben South, Fanteakwa North, and Kwahu East.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A 50-year-old security guard accused of having sex with a nine-year-old girl in Abeka has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.

Winfred Nyefene is alleged to have offered the victim GHC2 after his last sexual encounter with her.

Nyefene was charged with defilement. He pleaded not guilty.

Mrs Susuana Eduful, the relieving judge, admitted Nyefene to bail in the sum of GHC100,000 with two sureties, one of whom must be a family member and the other a public servant earning at least GHC2,000.

The court has adjourned the matter to March 13, 2024.

The court further advised Nyefene to seek the services of a lawyer from the Legal Aid Commission.

The prosecution argued that the complainant is the mother of the victim, a class four pupil.

It said the parties in the case are co-tenants residing at Abeka, Accra.

On January 8, 2024, at about 1800 hours, a witness in the case saw the victim coming from Nyefene’s room.

The prosecution stated that a witness who had previously observed the victim leave the room bec
ame ‘highly suspicious’ and alerted another relative, who then informed the complainant.

It said the complainant examined the victim, who disclosed that Nyefene had sexual intercourse with her on several occasions, the most recent being January 8, 2024.

According to the prosecutor, the victim mentioned the most recent incident, in which Nyefene offered her GHc2.00 for having sex with her in his room.

On January 9, 2024, the Tesano DOVVSU received a report on the matter and issued a medical form for the victim to be examined and treated.

In the victim’s statement to the police, she indicated that Nyefene had had sex with her on five separate occasions.

The prosecution said Nyefene was arrested but denied the offence in his caution statement.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Ghana are to benefit from a partnership that will unlock their full potential and pave the way for innovation and job creation to build a brighter future.

The partnership between the African Guarantee Fund and the Zenith Bank will focus on strategically important sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, trade, and education aligning with Ghana’s development goals and maximizing economic impact.

Mr. Henry Onwuzurigbo, MD/CEO of Zenith Bank (Ghana), speaking at the signing event, said it was not just a celebration of a partnership but to mark a pivotal moment in their collective journey towards empowering the true heroes of the economy.

The partnership agreement aimed at providing access to finance to empower MSMEs in the country.

While estimates vary, there is evidence that highlights the enormous contributions of MSMEs to job creation, income generation, trade, and inclusive growth and they form the bedrock of the economy.

The World Bank indicates that MSM
Es represent about 90 per cent of businesses and more than 50 per cent of employment worldwide.

He said formal SMEs contribute up to 40 per cent of national income in emerging economies and these numbers were significantly higher when informal SMEs were included.

The CEO/MD said in Ghana, MSMEs were crucial drivers of the economy, employing over 80 per cent of the workforce and contributing to more than 70 per cent of the private sector output, surpassing global averages.

‘The domestic MSME sector, consisting of 2.1 million businesses, predominantly comprises 1.7 million micro-enterprises, creating 1-2 jobs each,’ he added.

He said Small enterprises, numbering 320,000, generate approximately six jobs per enterprise, while medium enterprises, though fewer at 85,000, contribute significantly with an average of around 46 jobs each.

‘These statistics underscore the vital role of MSMEs in fostering employment and sustainable economic development in Ghana,’ he said.

He said that despite their undeniable impor
tance, MSMEs face significant challenges, chief among them being access to finance, which has resulted in a huge financing gap.

He said several reasons have been proffered for this financing gap, financial services providers readily attribute their risk aversion stance for not lending to MSMEs to demand-side constraints, such as the lack of managerial capacity, inadequate collateral, poor record keeping and many others.

He said the road to success was with collaboration beyond Individual efforts and that was why ‘we are incredibly excited to announce our partnership with the AGF.’

He said with extensive experience and vast financial resources, AGF was a strong shoulder for them to lean on in their quest to empower MSMEs.

Mr Onwuzurigbo said the partnership was a powerful force multiplier and through it, ‘we unlock a multitude of benefits for MSMEs risk sharing with the Fund, through which we can offer loans to businesses that previously struggled to meet collateral requirements.’

He said through AGF’s Af
firmative Finance Action for Women in Africa programme, they would offer discounted rates and increased guarantee cover for women-owned businesses.

Mr Onwuzurigbo said recognizing the importance of sustainability, they would provide special incentives for environmentally friendly enterprises, promoting responsible growth and a healthier planet.

Mr Bendjin Kpeglo, Director General, AGF West Africa, said the agreement was a testament to a shared responsibility of supporting SME development in Ghana.

He said as part of the support, they would provide increased access to funding and technical assistance to these SMEs and the Bank itself, while boosting the economy of the country.

He said women-led businesses would be given some discounted rates and increased guarantees.

The partnership will provide financing support for 100 MSMEs at the initial start but will be scaled up to 300 based on their performance and review.

Mr Sampson Akligoh, Director, Financial Sector Division, Ministry of Finance, commended the
two institutions for supporting the MSMEs sector to grow.

He said the government would continue to support MSMEs and women-led businesses to contribute to the growth and development of the economy.

Mr Ismail Adam, Deputy Director, Banking Supervision Department at the Bank of Ghana, expressed the hope that the initiative would serve as a catalyst that would birth more strategic partnerships between AGF and the Banking sector to support more SME lending to help build inclusive, sustainable, and resilient economy.

He urged the parties to ensure that a lot more SMEs benefit from the initiative and ‘l expect that even lower interest rates will be offered to SMEs in time.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Christopher Lartey, the Principal Programmes Officer, Department of Children, has called on professionals to refrain from taking advantage of their positions to engage in sexual activities with the vulnerable in society.

It was imperative for all professionals to abstain from using their ‘gowns’ for sexual exploitation or abuse since doing so was against nature and national laws, he said.

Mr Lartey, at a training to build the capacity of the Regional Child Protection Committee in Ho, stated that victims of such acts suffered emotional distress and lost of faith in the profession of the perpetrators.

The majority of people, unfortunately, did not take sexual exploitation and abuse seriously, giving room for weaker members of society to be taken advantage of, which was unlawful, Mr Lartey said.

He told the Ghana News Agency that the Child and Family Welfare Policy placed a high value on traditional and religious leaders as essential partners in child protection and, therefore, urged them to assist in pr
otecting children.

He said safeguarding children’s rights was the Department’s responsibility, and that it would keep working to provide an atmosphere that allowed children to reach their full potential to ensure a secured future for them.

Mr Augustus Awity, the Chief Director, Volta Regional Coordinating Council, noted that members of the Committee needed to develop their capacity to carry out their mandate effectively.

He tasked the Committee to do everything within its power to advance and defend children’s rights for the benefit of the nation.

Mr Israel Akrobortu, the Volta Regional Director, Department of Children, said they were poised to ensuring that the rights and wellbeing of children were promoted and protected.

Madam Eyram Thywill Kpe, Volta Regional Director, Department of Gender, said gender relations had been identified as one of the main contributing factors to child marriage.

UNICEF and the United Nations Population Fund came out with the Gender Transformative Accelerators to change gen
der relations to address these relationships and stop child marriage.

Madam Kpe revealed that due to Ghana’s constant handling of child marriage, it was one of the 12 countries implementing the global programme to tackle the issue.

The country still needed to do more to combat child marriage because one in five girls currently got married before turning 18 years, she added.

Source: Ghana News Agency