Five communities benefit from oil palm seedlings
* Source: GNA


Some 2,500 people from five communities in the Pestea/HuniValley District will be supplied with 1.34 million oil palm seedlings to help to reduce the number of people engaged in illegal mining.

The seedlings will be free of charge and beneficiaries will come from Huni Valley, Amoanda, Himan, Bogoso and Nsuta-Nbiasi.

Mr. Richard Kofi Afenu of the Minerals Commission said this at Amoanda on Wednesday when Mr. Mike Hammah, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources visit the Prestea/ Huni Valley and Tarkwa Nsueam districts.

The project which started in 2007, will cover 20,000 hectares of land.

Mr. Afenu said initially the development partners cleared the farms for the beneficiaries but due to the increasing number it had been suspended.

In addition to the seedlings, free agro chemicals and wire mesh will be provided to the farmers to protect the seedlings from being destroyed.

He said the Alternative Livelihood Programme would support mining communities in the long term after mining companies in the area had closed down.

Mr. Afenu said the Minerals Commission had made advanced marketing plans with Unilever Ghana Limited to buy the palm fruits from the farmers when harvested.

Mr. Hammah appealed to the Minerals Commission to acquire appropriate technology in the near future that could add value to what the farmers produce.

He said the technology should be the brand that will suit the local community.

Mr. Ben Ayei, Chief Executive Officer of Minerals Commission, said the delay in releasing funds for the project had been their major challenge and appealed to development partners to release the funds on time to enable the Commission run the project effectively.

Mr. Kwame Gyasi Sarpong, one of the 30 beneficiaries of the project at Bompieso, commended the development partners and the Minerals Commission for instituting such programme.

He appealed to the supporting agencies to assist them with more fertilizers.

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Government urged to support farmers to increase production
* Source: GNA

Mr. George Osei-Asibe, Techiman Zonal Coordinator of Root and Tuber Improvement and Marketing Programme (RTIMP) of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, has called for plans to support and encourage farmers to increase farm yields to ensure national food security.

He stressed the need for the promotion of irrigation projects to ensure the cultivation of food crops throughout the year to help improve the living standards of farmers.

Mr. Osei-Asibe was addressing more than 100 stakeholders of the RTIMP in Nkoranza South District at a day's forum at Nkoranza.

The forum, organised by the Ministry, discussed success stories chalked by RTIMP stakeholders and challenges they faced so officials of the Ministry could initiate strategies to address them.

Mr. Osei-Asibe said the RTIMP, initiated by the government in 1999 with funding from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) was aimed at offering financial support to farmers in root and tuber cultivation, such as cassava, yam, sweet potato and cocoyam.

He said credit facilities had been arranged for the farmers and others engaged in the processing and marketing of the crops, including other farmers, input dealers, bankers, processors, traders, equipment fabricators, transporters and the media.

Mr. Mac Lawrence Ahiadu, Nkoranza South District Director of Agricultural Services commended the stakeholders for embracing the programme to enhance their living standards.

He urged the yam farmers to produce more yam seeds for marketing, saying it was a very lucrative venture that they could engage in every yam growing season.

Mr. Ahiadu announced that yam cribs had been constructed for some selected farmers at Dandwa, Baabiani, Brahoho and Akumsa-Domase under the RTIMP to prevent their yams from being destroyed by pests.

Mr. Richard Okoe, Project Manager of Kwabre Rural Bank, commended IFAD for supporting the government to boost the production of root and tuber crops in the country.

He deplored the negative practice by some farmers who refused to pay back loans they took from banks, saying the attitude blackmailed other businessmen and women.

The project manager advised farmers to form groups and do serious transactions with the bank to build up a capital that would enable them to contract loans to expand their activities for improved livelihood.

Mr. Raymond Gbedoah, Nkoranza South District Coordinating Director, who presided at the forum, called on agricultural experts and scientists to devise appropriate measures for the processing of food crops to check post-harvest losses and also to promote food security.


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Mining sector contributes GH¢1.645 billion in tax revenue
* GNA

The country’s mining sector in 2011 contributed a total of GH¢1.645 billion in tax revenue; Dr. Tony Aubynn, the Chief Executive of the Ghana Chamber of Mines has announced.

The figure was made up of internal revenue and corporate taxes.

The sector is ranked as the number one taxpayer and highest contributor to the Ghana Revenue Authority.

During the period, the mining companies also supported communities within their areas of operation to the tune of GH¢43 million.

Dr. Aubynn was speaking at a day’s seminar held for some selected journalists in Kumasi by the Chamber to highlight the body’s critical role to the growth of the nation’s economy.

Foreign Direct Investment inflows into mining from 1983-2011 is put at $6.2 billion and this came from producing, exploration and support services companies.

He said since 2000, the sector had remained the leading foreign exchange earner, accounting for an annual average of 38 per cent.

Significantly, most of the mines continue to return well in excess of the statutory 20 per cent of foreign exchange earnings into the country.

He said, last year for example, the companies returned about $3.1 billion, representing 75 per cent of mineral revenue through the Bank of Ghana and the Commercial Banks.

Dr Aubynn cautioned against excessive taxation of the mines, saying, that could be disruptive and “kill the hen that lays the golden eggs.”

“Mining is highly complex and capital intensive, interruptions through review of existing fiscal regimes (especially without due consultations) distorts the free flow of operations which is detrimental to the mining business.” He said.

National resources by their nature, he noted, are not replaceable and that is why they should be exploited for the benefit of the nation and future generation.

Dr. Aubynn said mining should therefore be seen “as a catalyst for development and not just an exclusive industry that provides fiscal imports. It needs to be fully integrated into the local economy”.

Dr. Aubynn paid a courtesy call on the Ashanti Regional Minister Dr. Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah, where he re-affirmed the Chamber’s preparedness to support the government to bring progress to the people.

He appealed for adequate security protection to enable the mining companies undertake their activities without hindrances.

Dr. Agyemang-Mensah advised the mines to live up to their social responsibilities to the communities.


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Use of Mobile phones while driving banned
* Citifmonline

... ... No hands-free either

A new law banning the use of mobile phones while driving is now in force in Ghana. Drivers caught sending text messages or using ear piece will be made to face the law, according to the new Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (L.I 2180) passed by Parliament.

One of the main aims of the law is to “eliminate certain practices by drivers that lead to avoidable road accidents.”

The practices, according to the new law, include the use of mobile phones and the operation of television monitors on the dash board of vehicles when driving.

Beginning from Friday, July 6, “the use of hand held communication devices such as mobile phones to make or receive calls, send or receive messages or access the internet while driving will be illegal,” the law states.

Personnel of the security agencies were exempted due to the nature of their business.

“Officials of the security agencies would be permitted to use mobile phones and other similar devices when driving in the execution of their duties.”

The Committee on Subsidiary Legislation of Parliament in its report stressed that “the use of devices such as mobile phones when driving is likely to impair the concentration of drivers and may lead to accidents. It is believed that the prohibition of the use of the devices would greatly minimize accidents on the roads.


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“Unstable approach” caused plane crash – C’ttee’s report
* Source: Citifmonline

The committee set up to investigate the recent plane crash at the Kotoka International Airport has said in a terse preliminary report that “an unstable approach” led to the overrun on the runway.

The five-member committee chaired by Capt. Alec Grant Sam, was tasked to ascertain the cause of the June 2, 2012 plane crash involving an Allied Air Boeing 727-200 (DHV 111) near the El-Wak Sports Stadium.

The committee fell short of releasing further details but said the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has initiated actions to replace the Instrument Landing System destroyed by the aircraft.

Meanwhile, the Accident Investigation Bureau has approved the removal of the wreckage while investigations continue.

On June 02, an Allied Air Cargo plane overshot the airport’s runway and crashed into a mini bus, killing nine passengers on board and a motorbike rider.

The Black Box of the plane has been flown to the United States to “obtain data which will assist in the determination of the probable cause(s) of the accident.


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It's official: Nana Konadu forms new party
* Source: JoyOnline

It is no longer a rumour that former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, together with other former members of the National Democratic Congress has formed a new political party.

A former General Secretary of the governing NDC, Dr Josiah Aryeh has confirmed to Joy FM that Nana Konadu is a key member of the National Democratic Party (NDP).

The Electoral Commission has also confirmed it received documents from the leaders of the new proposed party and were assessing the colours and symbols of the new party to ensure they do not conflict with those of existing political parties.

According to Josiah Aryeh, who is the NDP's Interim Chairman, the party had a national spread and did not revolve around the former first family.

The former NDC General Secretary stated that the ideology of the newly formed party is to protect Ghanaians with emphasis on the under-privileged in the society.

The NDP has a logo which portrays a white rising dove, against a red breaking dawn. It has three colours, red, white and black.

Josiah Aryeh, maintained the primary objective of the NDP was not to deliberately hurt the electoral fortunes of the governing NDC. Rather, he says that the NDP was a party that had come to stay.

But pollster, and Editor of Daily Dispatch newspaper Ben Ephson told Joy FM that the aim of the founders of the NDP is to cause the NDC the 2012 elections rather than win themselves.

According to him, what the founders of the break away NDP ought to have done was to stay in the NDC and fight their cause rather than moving out, which he says would be seen as a selfish act.

Ben Ephson noted that it would not be surprising if Mrs Rawlings resigns from the NDC to join the NDP.

He, however, believes a similar move by the founder of the NDC, Mr. Rawlings himself would amount to Mr Rawlings throwing away his legacy.


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Ghana criminalises migrant smuggling
* Source: GNA

President John Evans Atta Mills has assented to the Parliamentary bill to bring into effect an amendment in section 52(2) of the Immigration Act, 2000 (Act 573) to criminalizes migrant smuggling in the country.

The new law, Immigration (Amendment ) Act, 2012, has since 29th June, 2012 been gazetted.

Article 3 of the United Nations Protocol Against the Smuggling of Migrants define “migrant smuggling” as “Procurement , in order to obtain, directly or indirectly a financial or other material benefit, of the illegal entry of a person into a state Party of which the person is not a national of a permanent resident”.

“It was necessary to criminalise migrant smuggling because it is a predicate offence for money laundering under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2008 (Act 749)” Mr. William Kwasi Aboah, Minister for the Interior said on Thursday.

With the amendment so effected, Ghana’s Immigration Act was now compliant with international standards on money laundering.

Opening a two-day conference on Human Smuggling and trafficking organized by the Ghana Immigration Service ((GIS) in Accra, Mr. Aboah in a speech read for him by Mr. Kobby Acheampong, Deputy Minister for the Interior, thanked members of Parliament for passing the Bill under a certificate of urgency.

The conference is on the theme: “Building Partnerships to Counter Human Smuggling and Trafficking in Ghana” and is being attended by personnel of the Service nationwide and other participants from Nigeria, Diplomatic corps and journalists.

It aims at building the capacity of officers of the GIS and its partner agencies in the use of information-gathering, expertise in intelligence-gathering and skills, as important tools for effectively tackling criminal networks that operate behind organised irregular migration.

Mr. Aboah noted that with the world becoming a global village, it was faced with the implication of migration since its linked together by a web of interdependence, co-operation, collaboration and collective endeavours in many human activities.

This means no particular continent, regional or sub-regional group or country could operate alone or survive on its own in dealing with migrants smuggling and human trafficking, which had become issues of alarming concerns in contemporary times.

The Sector Minister therefore called for collaborative efforts in combating the phenomena of migrants smuggling and human trafficking as “a twin global canker”.

“Considering the sophisticated nature of how the twin crimes are perpetrated with perfection an impunity, we all need to adopt multi-faceted partnership approaches if we are to achieve any remarkable successes in the fight against human smuggling and other forms of irregular migration in Ghana.

He said strategies should also be put in place to eradicate the phenomenon by dismantling the syndicated organizations that operate clandestinely behind the inhuman business of human smuggling and trafficking.

Mr. Aboah assured the GIS of government resources and support to ensure that it delivered on its stator objectives of controlling and managing migration in Ghana effectively and efficiently with socio-economic development and national security interests as major concerns.

Dr Peter Wiredu, Acting Director of Immigration Service and Strategic Programme Manager, Thematic Programme, said human trafficking which had an ancient origin had become a serious global menace imparting negatively on both victims as well as most developed and developing countries.

“What makes the phenomenon more serious is its potential to occasion the loss of precious lives of poor innocent people who are often unduly taken advantage of by smugglers in their quest to seek the so-called greener pastures and employment in developed countries”.

Dr Wiredu explained that human trafficking had the element of force or deceit with victims having no choice and are forced across territorial borders to be exploited.

Migrant smuggling is aimed for smugglers to obtain short-term financial or material benefit. The general practice refers to consensual transactions where the transporter and the transportee agree to circumvent immigration control for mutual advantageous reasons.

Dr Wiredu said there was evidence that Ghana qualifies as a source, transit and destination country in the context of migrant smuggling and human trafficking, adding that the recent Libyan crisis and its subsequent mass evacuation of about 25,00 Ghanaians attest to the fact that Ghana was really a source country.

He said between January 2010 and May 2012, 124 cases involving migrant smuggling were dealt with, through interception by Immigration Officers at various entry points, especially at the Kotoka International Airport.

He said the conference would therefore serve as a way forward for Ghana as a country to curb the disturbing emerging trends in migrant smuggling and human traffic king which was an inhuman menace.

Mr. Claude Maerten, Head of the European Union Delegation in Ghana, said trafficking of human beings was an extremely serious crime and a gross violation of human rights which could be classified as a modern form of slavery and that the issue had become a priority for the EU.

He said there was currently a global approach between EU Countries and Non-EU countries based on the common identification of common interest and challenges of human trafficking.

“Through the sharing of experiences, challenges and best practices on fighting the crime, this conference would provide the framework for sustaining the progress made on the menace into the future”, Mr. Maerten added..

Madam Morgane Nicot, Associate Expert on Organized Crime and Illicit trafficking branch, UN Office on Drugs and Crime, said Ghana had to notify the UN for ratifying the Immigration Amendment law to become the 131st country out of the over 200 countries which had ratified the law.

She stressed on the need for the country to see to the implementation of the law to dully punish traffickers to deter others from engaging in the practice and to continue to protect the victims.

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NPP will address disparity in access to education - Nana Akufo-Addo
* Source: GNA

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has said his administration would help address the wide disparity between the rich and the poor in accessing tertiary education in the country.

He said his government would embark on massive expansion of educational infrastructure at the basic school through to the tertiary level across a 10-year period as well as establish a school to serve each community across the country.

Nana Akufo-Addo was responding to a question by a participant at an interaction with some members of professional bodies in Sunyani as part of his campaign tour in the Brong–Ahafo Region. The tour is dubbed "RESTORING HOPE".

The NPP flagbearer’s team is also scheduled to hold meetings with the electorate in parts of the region.

The tour to the Region, which started on July 3, has taken the NPP Presidential candidate to Mehame, Dadiesoaba, Nkaseim, Fienkyemu and Hwidiem. It is expected to end on July 8, 2012.

The meeting with members of the professional bodies was aimed at tapping their inputs and sharing ideas on how to move the nation forward.

Nana Akufo-Addo reiterated the need to find lasting solutions to the “age old tradition and practice” of polytechnic teachers embarking on strikes to back their demands for better conditions of service.

“It is important to ensure a systemic overhaul of the whole structure, an important challenge that requires the NPP replacing the NDC in government to effect the right and necessary changes on the way things are done”, he said.

Nana Akufo-Addo indicated there was a critical need to address the longstanding impasse between teachers, especially those in polytechnics and the government, as their roles and contributions were very significant and paramount to the industrial transformation of Ghana’s economy.

He said upon assumption of power, the NPP government would transform the polytechnics into colleges of technology and put special emphasis and premium on such institutions by bringing new changes and improvement in areas such as budget control and syllabus.

The NPP flagbearer called for a discussion to enable the people to build consensus and find new perspectives to help address pertinent issues and concerns bordering on polytechnic education in the country.

He said it was also his objective to nip in the bud the phenomenon where access to quality education was restricted to a selected few who could afford, have the contacts and connections with some individuals and institutions.

He noted that these practices only helped to manage and enforce the class nature in the educational sector thereby denying the poor good quality education.

Nana Akufo-Addo emphasized his administration would ensure education was made accessible to every child in Ghana, irrespective of economic and financial standing.

“Free Senior High School is important for the future of Ghana. We are fully committed to broadening access to education at first and second cycle institutions and how to motivate the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and other professional teachers, including their terms and conditions of service so children can have the requisite training in education”, he said.

Nana Akufo-Addo added, it was part of the NPP’s manifesto and gave the promise that teachers would be assisted by the central government to buy personal houses for use during retirement as part of their meritorious contributions and service to the nation.

He stated that the NPP when voted into power would do all it could to resource farmers with credit to enable them to improve their businesses and channel funds to where they were needed to avoid wastage in the system.

Nana Akufo-Addo said the current happenings at the Ministry of Justice and Attorney’s General Department where a sector Minister and his deputy have different stances on the payment of judgment debt in the Woyome saga, was an “aberration” in President Mills' administration.

He emphasized the need to strengthen state legal systems to help entrench the rule of law, adding “there is the urgent need to adequately expand, resource and recruit the scope of the people there”.

Replying to a question on the increasing cost of production and its adverse effects in the poultry industry, Mr. Akobour Debrah, MP for Tano North, said there was the need to modernize the industry in order to reduce cost of production.

“This is vital because the world has become a global village and if that is not done, one cannot compete effectively on the international market”, he said, stressing the need to add value to the production of broilers to make up for the high protein consumption, which stood at 20 to 35 per cent.

Mr. Kwadwo Adjei Darko, former Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, asked Ghanaians to disabuse their minds about furthering their education at the university level after pursuing polytechnic education.

“Such attitude turns to make the universities superior to polytechnics and defeats the purpose for which the polytechnics were set up and the law establishing them since they (polytechnics) are practical-oriented institutions designed to run at par with the Universities.

“All that we want to do is to try as much as possible to enable people who want to attain as high as obtaining a PhD degree at the polytechnic to do so and not necessarily switch over to a public university”, he added.

Nana Akufo-Addo is to continue his tour to Goaso and Mim in Ahafo part of Brong–Ahafo Region.

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20 Gallopers Missing
* Source: Daily Guide

Information reaching DAILY GUIDE indicates that the controversial Hyundai Gallopers parked at the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS) are almost 20 vehicles short of the original 86 stated by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Deputy Minister of Information.

Officials of ILGS are tight-lipped over the shortfall and for an unknown reason, the perimeter around the parked Gallopers has been sealed from prying eyes, virtually declaring the place a security zone.

According to sources at the Madina-based ILGS, the area around the Gallopers has been declared a no-go area. Indeed, attempts by DAILY GUIDE to double-check by counting the number of Gallopers still grounded at the institute was firmly prevented by security officers.

“I don’t know why people are quoting all sorts of figures; some are saying 100, others are saying 86. In fact, the cars parked over there (pointing in the direction of the parked Gallopers) are not up to 86,” stated the head of security of ILGS while herding DAILY GUIDE out of the vicinity of the vehicles.

There is a general hush around the vehicles, as officials of ILGS refused to make any comment about the shortfall.

An attempt to get verification from the Administrator of ILGS, Priscilla Ampong, was quickly parried as she directed DAILY GUIDE to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural development and the Ministry of Information.

Apparently, earlier attempts to capture the Gallopers on camera by state broadcaster GTV and Metro Television (Metro TV) were squashed by overzealous security personnel at the ILGS.

When contacted on telephone yesterday to enquire about the shortfall, Mr. Ablakwa told DAILY GUIDE that the issue relating to the shortfalls was coming to his attention for the first time. “This is coming to my attention for the first time, I will have to check,” he said. He never got back as he promised as at press time last night.

Last week, Okudzeto Ablakwa broke the news that Ghana might be courting another huge judgment debt over the contentious Hyundai Gallopers allegedly imported by African Automobile Limited (AAL) around 2000.

The deputy minister announced in a state-run newspaper, Daily Graphic, that Ghana might incur a whopping $1.5 billion judgment debt for an alleged negligence blamed on the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

According to him, even though the Gallopers were imported by the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC), when the NPP government came into office in 2001, it ignored outstanding contractual agreements between the government and AAL; hence incurring one percent interest charge on the vehicles monthly with accompanying demurrages.

Government estimates the outstanding cost at around $1.5billion.

Government officials have however indicated that they had gone to the negotiation table with AAL to beat the cost down to about $500 million.

Officials from the previous government have strongly dismissed these claims, saying that the Mills government is plotting to use the Gallopers as one of its “trademark” judgment debt claims to siphon money from the national coffers.

According to Okudzeto Ablakwa, the NPP refused to honour an agreement between government and African Automobile Limited (AAL) for the supply of 109 Hyundai Galloper vehicles to be distributed to the various district assemblies in 2000.Former Local Government Minister under the Kufuor administration, Kwadwo Adjei-Darko, had strongly denied any negligence necessitating the alleged judgment debt.

The Gallopers were planned to be swapped for Toyota Pajeros being used by the assemblies and some ministries under a deal brokered by then Local government Minister, Kwamena Ahwoi, before his replacement by Mrs Cecilia Johnson, in dying embers of the first NDC government.

According to the NDC, an initial 23 Gallopers were subsequently supplied before the NDC government, under Jerry John Rawlings, was voted out of office.

However, it is believed that the NPP government refused to accept the deal because, according to Mr Adjei-Darko, there was no documentation covering the said transaction. The vehicles were allegedly abandoned in a warehouse until the present NDC government paid the cost and the interest accruing before transporting them to the Institute of Local Government Studies at Madina, Accra.

“I know nothing of any contract between Government and African Automobile. Throughout my tenure, no court order was served, so I’m surprised at the judgment debt. The head of AAL never showed any contract between his company and government. The Ministry did not officially take delivery of the Gallopers,” insisted Adjei -Darko last week, when he spoke on the raging issue.

According to him, a prominent member of the NDC at the time had warned him against getting involved in the deal when he took office because it was fishy.

The Mills government appears to be convinced about the legitimacy of the transaction, as its officials claim the existence of an explicit contract binding the transaction.

They hinted that the documentations would be released “at the right time

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Families of Axim blast victims cry for help - 19 dead
* Source: JoyOnline

The families of the two remaining survivors of the recent pre-mix fuel blast in Axim have made a passionate appeal for help in paying the hospital bills of their loved ones.

19 persons have so far died after a premix fuel tanker exploded on Friday June 22. The explosion is believed to have been caused by a generator which was being used to provide power for the distribution of pre-mix due to power outage. Witnesses say an exposed cable burst into flame, leading to the explosion.

The two survivors are on admission at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. Family members say they are finding it well-nigh impossible to foot the huge bills. An average of GHc 500 (five million old cedis) is required per day, according to the family members.

Adom FM, as part of our social responsibility, is coordinating efforts to raise some money for the families. Kindhearted souls should please call Adom FM’s front desk on 0303-204585 or 0303-204354 for details.

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Kwamena Ahwoi wades into $1.5 bn ‘galloper saga’
* Source: CitifmOnline

A former Minister for Local Government and Rural Development under the first NDC administration, Kwamena Ahwoi, has waded into the debate over the importation of some 110 Gallopers into the country in 1999.

The importation was facilitated by African Automobile Limited and the company has dragged government to court for the abrogation of a contract which it signed with the then National Democratic Congress government.

According to Mr. Ahwoi, the contract was terminated by the former New Patriotic Party (NPP) government. Ghana now faces a $1.5 billion claim which is interest that has accrued over the period on the $17 million the company incurred for the importation of the vehicles on behalf of government under the said contract.

Prof. Ahwoi in a statement advised that the case be settled out of court or risk paying yet another judgment debt which has become a major issue for discussion in recent times.

(PDF-Press statement - link > left from HEADLINES)

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Man fathers five children with daughter
* Source: Daily Graphic

A 47-year-old farmer who fathered five children with his biological daughter is in the grips of the law.

Yao Hatekah impregnated his daughter, known as Baby, when she was 11 years old and subsequently had children aged 14, 12, 3, 2 and a month-and-a-half-old with her.

Hatekah, who pleaded guilty to the charge of incest on June 20, 2012, changed his plea to not guilty when he reappeared before the Sogakope Circuit Court Wednesday.

According to him, he had one child with his daughter and was not responsible for her other children.

The court, subsequently, remanded him to reappear on July 12, 2012.

Prosecuting, Inspector Emmanuel Atsor of the Sogakope Police told the court that Hatekah began having an affair with his daughter after his wife died.

His alleged incestuous act was brought to the attention of the police by the Chief of Gonu Ashiagborkorpe, near Dabala in the South Tongu District in the Volta Region, TorgbeSekpetey II.

It said the residents of the community had known of Hatekah’s incestuous act all these years but were afraid of him because of his threat to kill anybody who dared to criticise him.

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Kofi Wayo calls for Hanna Tetteh’s removal
* Source: JoyOnline

A Board Member of Energy Commission, Charles Kofi Wayo has called on the President John Evans Atta Mills to sack the Trade and Industry Minister Hannna Tetteh.

Kofi Wayo who doubles as the presidential candidate for the United Renaissance Party said, the Minister failed to consult the National Security and other bodies before taking the decision to close shops of foreigners who do retail business in the country.

Speaking in an interview with Asempa fm’s Ekosii Sen on Wednesday, Mr. Wayo stressed that “even the timing of the exercise is wrong as the country is heading towards our general elections.

"This will make President John Evans Atta Mills feel bad and that of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as a whole", he said.

He noted that in the first place sacking foreign retailers from the country is not the job of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, “the job of her Ministry is to create Industries in the country”, and has therefore described the exercise by the ministry as immature.

A task force under the ministry on Tuesday shut down a number of retail shops owned by foreign nationals close to market centres.

The exercise saw the closure of six shops belonging to Chinese nationals at the Makola market. The exercise is expected to be replicated across the country.

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Hannah Bisiw In ‘Million Dollar’ Love Fight! …With Pastor
* Source: Searchlight

Deputy Minister for Works and Housing Hannah Bissiw gave travelers at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) the shock of their lives recently when she created a scene at the Ghana’s only international airport last week.

The Deputy Minister had gone to the airport to seize the passport of one Odeefuo Richard Waye to prevent him from travelling outside Ghana because of dispute between the two of them over monies reputed to be running into the millions of dollars.

One version of the allegations doing the rounds is that the Deputy Minster has parked over a million dollars in the accounts of the Man of God, because they allegedly have a longstanding amorous relationship. But with the man of God traveling out of the jurisdiction, the Deputy Minster was afraid that that would be the last time she sees any of her dollars.

But speaking to Richard Waye, who lives at DuayawNkwanta, Hannah Bissiw had requested him to allow her to park a sum of about $9 million dollars into his account, a demand the man of God said he had refused to comply with, leading to the animosity between him and the Deputy Minister for Works and Housing.

According to Waye, the Deputy Minister had called him on phone to threaten him after he had refused to allow her transfer the gargantuan sum of money into his account.

According to Daniel Waye, he was the one who prophesied that she will become a Minster and he has always prayed for her in all her endeavors.

Pastor Richard Waye told the Daily Searchlight that Hannah Bissiw told him thus, “The money is too big and if I put it in my account they will suspect it so I want to transfer it to your account.”

Pastor Waye said that after Hannah Bissiw seized his passport, he, together with the DuayawNkwanta Presby District Pastor went to Hannah Bissiw to plead for his passport to be given back to him, but according to our source Hananah Bissiw did not even look at them and told the policemen guarding her at her house to drag them out of the house.

Odeifoo Richard Waye told this paper that he had known Hannah Bissiw, the Deputy Minister for Works and Housing for close to 9 years and he was shocked to the teeth when the Minster started acting rudely towards him.

“I am a man of God and led many people, so it will be unfair for me to allow myself to be used to cover a deal that contravenes the principles of God. Also when I do that God’s angriness will come upon me,” he said emotionally.

Odeifoo Richard Waye again said he does not want to stretch this matter because through the intervention of his lawyer, Mrs. Joyce Atafah, Hannah Bissiw has released the passport for them and that is what they want.

“Since I got my calling no one has ever humiliated me like this but I know with God all things are possible and if she dares to threaten me again or harass me I will bring out many issues,” said Odeifoo Richard Waye.

Deputy Minister Hannah Bissiw did not respond to several calls and text messages to her phone by our Editor in-Chief.

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Prophet grabbed for sodomising 3 boys
* Source: JoyOnline

A self-styled prophet has been picked up by the Weija police for allegedly sodomizing three boys at Obum near Nsawam.

Isaac Twum is said to have invited the boys into his room and forcibly had anal sex with them in turns.

One of them reportedly collapsed shortly after he had been sodomized.

They spoke about their ordeal to a security officer at the Obum Zonal Council, Mumuni Osmani who later caused the arrest of the prophet.


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NDC condemns ‘All die be die statement"
* Source: GNA

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) said it has taken notice of yet another needless and reckless justification of the call to violence by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Election 2012 Presidential Aspirant, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in the build up to the polls.

A statement signed by Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, NDC General Secretary copied to Ghana News Agency in Accra on Thursday said, “At a time when well-meaning Ghanaians including religious leaders have roundly condemned his 'all die be die' mantra, and called for the use of measured and non-violent language, one would have thought that Nana Addo would yield to the overwhelming public opinion by not only retracting and apologizing for the unfortunate statement but also offer the required leadership to his party by guarding his subsequent statements and rein in adherents of his call to violence.”

It said on the contrary, in his latest pronouncement during a recent visit to Wa in the Upper West Region, Nana Akufo-Addo sought to justify his violent rhetoric by accusing Ghanaians, including religious leaders, who have questioned his commitment to peace, of hypocrisy and double standards.

The statement said at the same function, he repeated his call on the youth of his party to resort to violence as a way of addressing perceived electoral grievances in December.

It said, “This obstinate posture has emboldened other functionaries of the NPP, who have in turn made equally incendiary statements in the run up to the elections.”

The statement said it was clear that Nana Akufo-Addo’s belief in the use of violence for the attainment of political ends has rendered him bereft of the requisite moral authority to condemn, restrain or sanction his party functionaries who conduct themselves in this way.

It said, “The NDC wishes to remind Nana Akufo-Addo of his responsibility as the leader of NPP to conduct himself in a manner that does not undermine the peace and stability of the nation.

“Beyond the needless tension that such unguarded utterances generate within the body politic lies the larger question of the sort of image that such conduct carves for Ghana on the international scene.”

The statement said, at a time when Ghana has won international acclamation for its exemplary democratic path and the giant economic strides it has made over the last few years, it was regrettable that Nana Akufo-Addo consistently acted in a manner that sought to project Ghana as unstable and violent-prone in the eyes of unsuspecting external observers.

It said, Nana Akufo-Addo’s recent incitement and violent pronouncements had brought him to the notice of such international institutions as the US-based think tank, The Centre for Strategic and International Studies, which had singled him out in a June 2011 report as a Ghanaian politician whose utterances posed a threat to the peace and security of the country.

The statement said the report noted on pages 16 that “The role of the NPP leader and expected Presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, will be crucial and early signals suggest reason for worry. Akufo-Addo is desperate to mobilize support and he has played the ethnic card, referring to the NPP as ‘we the Akans’, urging his supporters to ‘all die be die’ – that is they should be willing to die to ensure the NPP’s victory’’.

It said, “the NDC, however, wishes to assure the public that it is committed to upholding and maintaining the peace and stability of the country before, during and after the General Election.

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CPP salutes Algeria on its 50th anniversary of independence
* Source: GNA

The Convention People’s Party (CPP) on Thursday saluted Algeria on its 50th anniversary of independence.

A statement signed by the General Secretary of the CPP, Mr. Ivor Kobbina Greenstreet, to Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, copied to Ghana News Agency in Accra said “The Convention People’s Party and Algeria's National Liberation Front (FLN) share a lasting friendship based on strong historical ties” that “We worked together to confront colonialism and achieve independence for our people.”

The statement noted that after “Algeria’s independence on 5 July 1962, the relationship between our peoples continued to grow stronger until the overthrow of Ghana’s first President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s government in 1966, an event which set back the continued drive for African emancipation.

It said, “Today, the histories of Ghana and Algeria, which were born out of our conviction for the total political and economic liberation of the African continent must remain friends to work for economic liberation within an integrated Africa. This is the only way we can overcome our numerous challenges including; economic marginalisation, inadequate representation in international affairs and a scramble for Africa’s natural resources to the detriment of our people.”

The statement wished the FLN and people of Algeria a happy, peaceful and prosperous years ahead.

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NDC will win by 54%
* Source: NDC

The NDC aspiring Member of Parliament for the OKaikoi North Constituency, Mr. Andrew Nii Okaikoi, has predicted a 54% victory for the NDC in the December polls.

He was speaking to party supporters during his door-to-door campaign at Fadama in Accra yesterday.
Mr. Okoikoi said, “From what our polls and other surveys show, NDC is winning massively by 53%- 54%.” The NDC, he said, is winning the 2012 general elections as the president and his team have delivered on their promises and have brought smiles on the faces of Ghanaians.

“My people, apart from the free SHS that the NPP is talking about, can u tell me what their campaign message is?,” he asked, adding that, “NPP and Nana Addo have no message because President Mills has done all that they can think of and we are going to do more in the next four years.”
The NDC Okaikoi North Parliamentary Candidate said he was not at least enthused about the lies and insults that the NPP is peddling around.

Mr. Okoikoi was particularly upset about the comments made by Sheikh I.C Quaye that the NDC are bunch of thieves.
Who are more thieves than the NPP, he queried, stating that falsehood and insults will not win any political party the December election.
“The election will be won based on the achievements of a party for which this government has the upper hand,” he said.

As an aspiring Member of Parliament for Okaikoi North, Mr. Andrew Okaikoi rallied the people t