Fourteen persons have been confirmed dead in an accident which occurred at Antado near Komenda in the Central region Monday morning. The accident occurred around 11 am. It involved three vehicles, an articulated truck, a Sprinter mini bus and a Toyota pick-up. The driver of the articulated truck was said to have lost control over the vehicle after it burst one of its tyres and run into the Sprinter Bus, which was traveling from Mankesim towards Takoradi.  Two occupants of the Toyota Pick-up escaped death. The casualties were mainly from the mini bus. .....more to follow

The Chief of Tema, Nii Adjei Kraku II has appealed to members of the Presbyterian Church to pool their resources to support the brilliant but needy children in the society. Addressing a congregation at the Nungua North Presby Church on Sunday, he pledged to go the extra mile to help the brilliant but needy children in the community. “I will go every length and breadth to give maximum support to every individual who needs help and promise to help the Church whenever they call on me for financial assistance” he said. He said the Church must recognize that it has an institutional function to fulfill in the society, making sure that everyone has an equal share of whatever comes its way. He added that the poor and needy in our society needs to be supported by the church with material things to satisfy their needs. The chief however called on the leaders and workers of the Church to put in their maximum efforts to help the church to realize its goals and objectives and operate full capacity to help its members out of difficulties. He said the church should not only serve as a ground for prayers and fasting but also a place where the individual can find full satisfaction, peace and happiness. Rev. Joseph Anum Ayitey, the Minister in charge of the Nungua North Congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, said the Church has introduced a scholarship award scheme to help the brilliant but needy children in the Church. The scheme includes a section that provides career guidance and apprentice Scholarship to men and women in the church. The scheme covers your bills throughout your apprenticeship process till you fully become a master. “I believe this would help our members to have a better life and live happily and peacefully as God has created them to.” he said.  He appealed to the church to take full responsibility of their brothers‘ needs and be their keeper,  asking them to provide food, shelter and security for them and let brotherly love and peace dwell among them all. 

  The Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) has initiated a five-year programme to improve the healthcare of mentally challenged people. The programme funded by the Department for International Development (DFID), United Kingdom, seeks to reduce the incidence of stigma, increase access to treatment, care and support towards persons with mental challenges. The Executive Director of the CHAG, Dr Gilbert Buckle, made this known at a seminar organised by the association to discuss the role of religious leaders in solving mental health issues. Challenges   Mentally ill persons who assess healthcare services are usually stigmatised and rejected by their families and the society.   In extreme stages of their predicament, they walk around the roadside naked, picking food from bins and gutters to eat and talking to themselves. At a point, they become resistant to treatment and once they reach that level,  they are believed to be demonised and bewitched. For that reason, the association which includes the Catholic Bishops Conference, Christian Council, Pentecostal Council and the Charismatic Council intends to contribute their quota through sensitisation programmes, capacity building and improve on infrastructure capacity of existing CHAG mental health facilities. According to Dr Buckle, a large number of persons with mental disorders did not receive the care needed to survive the challenge.  He explained that the few health facilties in the country also faced challenges such as inadequate facilities, human resources and lack of medication to deliver mental health care. Programme Recognising the need to help deliver mental healthcare services, Dr Buckle said, the association would provide support to religious leaders to educate the public on stigma and improve awareness on mental challenges. As part of the programme, he said, the association would partner with stakeholders to ensure continuous availability and accessibility of medication for the management of mental challenges. In his presentation, the Executive Director of BasicNeeds Ghana, Mr Peter Badimak, urged religious leaders not to preach only about success and prosperity, but also about suffering and its acceptance. He explained that healthcare in Ghana should move from medications to the use of community resources such as exhibition of love, care, acceptance and help to treat the disease. A Clinical Psychotherapist at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Alfons Amanor SVD, recommended that mental health units should be established in all Christian hospitals and clinics.   

  As it happens on the last day of every year, people would throng chapels and other places of worship on Tuesday night to pray and ask God for guidance and good yields in the new year. And church leaders are looking forward to attract as many patrons  as they can. Most  churches, especially the charismatic ones,  have advertised their watch-night services with various catchy phrases to attract patrons. The principal streets of Accra have been awash with giant billboards forecasting various spiritual expectations of the new year. On the road leading to the Achimota Forest, a billboard of Perez Chapel International, headed by Bishop Charles Agyinasare, promises a “Night of Prophetic Miracles, ”  while Rev. Dr Richard C. Whitcomb, the Head Pastor of the Agape House New Testament Church, has labelled his watch-night service, “Forward 14”.    The Alive Chapel International, presided by Bishop Elisha Salifu Amoako, has named its watch-night service as “Night of Signs and Wonders”. Its billboard has the photograph of the bishop, and the event is taking place at the church auditorium behind Tesano Gardens. The CWC Worship Centre, located near the Institute of Local Government Studies, Madina, has a billboard at Teshie, where other men of God will join hands with the Head Pastor, Rev. Kelvin Kwesi, for the watch-night service dubbed “Capturing in Glory.” The Royalhouse Chapel International holds its “Prophetic Watch-night” on December 31 on  the church premises, as advertised on a huge billboard opposite the Achimota Police Station. Next to the billboard of Royalhouse Chapel International is that of Pastor Gordon Kisseih, who is the General Overseer of the Miracle Life Gospel Church. He will host “Crossover with Jesus” at City of Favour at Achimota, on December 31. Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, the General Overseer of Action Chapel International, will chair an “Impartation Night for New Beginnings” on December 31 at the Action Cathedral on the Spintex Road. Pastor Mensa Otabil maintains his usual trademark on a billboard with the inscription “Crossover” to be held at the Accra Sports Stadium tomorrow. Solid Rock Chapel International has Rev. Dr Christy Doe Tetteh as its Founder/General Overseer.  On a billboard advertising their service on the last day of the year is “Crossover to Recover All”.  It also describes 2014 as “Our year of total recovery”.  The Pure Fire Miracle Ministries, founded by Rev. Enoch Aminu, has described its December 31 night service as a “Crossover night”. The church, which is located on  the Achimota-GIMPA Road, has banners in various suburbs of Accra. The Grace Gospel Ministries located at Haatso is headed by Bishop Edwin Ewusie Brookman. The church will organise what it calls a “Night of Grace”  to usher in the new year. Attractive billboards belonging to churches on the Achimota-Legon road persuade people to worship with them at their various watch-night services. On one of such billboards, which belongs to the Explosive Faith Chapel International, the Senior Pastor, Rev. Daniel Lord-Anim, invites people to attend “Crossover 2013” on December 31.  On the same route is Christ Vision Sanctuary International at Kisseiman, which will hold its “crossover night” at the church’s auditorium. Eagles House Chapel International does not want to be left out in the crave for attention as it prepares to organise what it describes as “Carry Over 2013,” presided over by its General Overseer, Prophet Samuel B. Addison. Some residents of Achimota, Taifa, Teshie and Adabraka that the Daily Graphic spoke to expressed their desire to go to their various places of worship to thank God for sparing their lives, and pray for better prospects and opportunities in 2014.   Click to view more photos

  Leaders of some churches have all spoken about the need for Ghanaians to help build the country in the New Year. The Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Ghana, Most Rev Prof Emmanuel Asante, challenged each Ghanaian to contribute his or her quota for a brighter Ghana in 2014. In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Rev Prof Asante, who is also the chairman of the National Peace Council (NPC), was of the view that leadership that was up to the task and a committed citizenry were elements for the successful year that all were expecting. The development of every nation hinges on good leadership, he explained, adding that citizens also had a part to play in the effort. "If we would all commit ourselves to do our part in the building up of the country and do it well, there would be a brighter year ahead," he said. "However, if we sit back as citizens and only punch holes in the effort of others, then we should all expect nothing better," he emphasised. Rev Prof Asante said each Ghanaian ought to take stock and ask himself or herself what his/her contribution was to national development. The General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church, the Rev Dr Paul Frempong Manso, was thankful to God for keeping the country through the turbulent year of 2013. His prescriptions for 2014 were succinct; first, asking all Ghanaians to unite and build the country, adding that "we must all put any division aside and unite." "We must all endeavour to build the country in any sector one found himself or herself, commit to working hard for the purpose," Rev Dr Manso said in his second prescription for 2014. He finally asked for sacrifice, on the part of citizens, to carry on with the development of the country. "Our founding fathers sacrificed to build the country. We must sacrifice to build it," he maintained. Rev Dr Manso decried the selfishness in society, which resulted in most Ghanaians expecting, rather than giving of their best for the country. He was hopeful that the New Year would bring the urge for all to eschew such tendencies.  

    The ministries of Trade and Industries and the Interior have stated that not all fireworks have been banned by the government. This was contained in the Trade and Industry Ministry’s reply to a request  by Amudalatu Company Limited for clarification on which fireworks had been banned.  The Trade Ministry wrote to the Ministry  of Interior  for the clarification.  According to the reply signed on behalf of the Ministry of Trade and Industry by the Deputy Chief Communications Officer of the ministry, Mr K. A Nyame-Baafi, information from the Ministry  of Interior indicated that the ban had been placed on the following; fire crackers (knock out), display shells, artillery shells and balls and canister shells. “In the exercise of the powers conferred on the Hon. Minister responsible for Interior under subsection five of the Public Order Act, 1994 (Act 491),  an Executive Instrument (EI 21) was passed on the subject on September 9,  1999 after much deliberations among stakeholders”, it said. The following goods were exempted from the ban: Bottle rockets and missiles, floral shells,  handle cylindrical fountains, ground spanners handing wheels, onwards wheel, hand-hold fireworks-sparkles, Roman candles, toys and assorted toy fireworks, as well as single and multiple mines. “It may be of interest  to know as a further clarification that the ministry, in conjunction with the Police Service on December 30,  2003 examined and mentioned  the list of items below as being exempted from the ban:M1--, Chuckoo, King Monkey, 120 Shots, Raging Monster, Happy, Jupiter Missiles, Cornucopia, Cracking Ground, Maximum Charge, Blown and Great Wall. The rest are: Kingguang, Lochness Monster, Calizhutug, Pop, Tube Colour Pearls, Bomber, Whistling Mom Traveler, UR. 1, Assorted Rocket, Assorted U3009, 96 Colour Pearl and Alicja. A visit to the warehouse of Amudalatu Company Limited in Accra revealed huge quantities of unharmful fireworks which have not been banned. Hajia Akweley Opar-Addo, a Director of Amudalatu Company Limited, attributed the problem to the wrong impression created by  a publication which sought to indicate that all fireworks had been banned. She appealed to the authorities to clarify the issues to ensure that Ghana purchased and used safe and legal fireworks, adding  “we are Ghanaians and la- abiding business people and we will not do anything against the law and indulge in illegal activities”.    

  There was a fire scare at the Heritage Towers at Ridge in Accra early Sunday morning when alarm systems installed at the towers alerted the public to a possible fire outbreak. Smoke emanating from a computer in one of the offices triggered the fire alarm system.  Mr Reginald Obeng of Broll Ghana Limited, property managers of the Heritage Towers, told the Daily Graphic that the fire alarm systems on the eighth floor of the towers triggered around 8:10 a.m. as a result of  smoke emanating from a computer system. He noted that security guards stationed at the facility were unable to ascertain the cause of the alert until the fire alarm system triggered again at around 10:52a.m., upon which the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) was notified. “I am sure the security guards were unable to detect the cause of the first alarm  because the smoke was difficult to detect but when the alarm sounded for the second time, the smoke was high in density, thereby making it easy to identify the source of the alert,” he said.  Mr Obeng further stated that personnel from the GNFS arrived within five minutes after they had been called and were able to douse the smoke, thereby preventing a possible fire disaster. According to Mr Obeng, the only destroyed item in the office was the computer device that generated the smoke. He said  the Heritage Towers was adequately equipped and met all fire safety standards.  

  A Korean Missionary, Rev. Bright Lee, has donated 20 computers and accessories to the Apostolic Church of Ghana Computer Training School at Aburi. The school was set up by the Aburi District Head of the church, Pastor Kwabena Ankamah and his wife, Agnes Ankamah, to equip members of the various congregations in the Aburi District and others with computer skills to make them employable. Making the presentation at the school at its first graduation, Rev. Lee said ICT had now become the number one tool in everyday life and children, the youth and the elderly had to be conversant with its application. Rev. Lee, who is also the Principal of the Ghana-German-Korea Computer Training School at Akosombo, expressed the hope that the computers would help train more people and make them employable. The immediate past President of the Apostolic Church of Ghana, Apostle John Adotey, and his wife, Rebecca Adotey, a former MP, witnessed the presentation. He outlined the importance of education and appealed to the youth of the church and those living within the Aburi area to enrol at the school. He appealed to the Aburihene, Otoobuor Gyan Kwesi, to provide land for the construction of a permanent building to house the school which is currently located within the church. He expressed his appreciation to Rev. Lee and Mr and Mrs Ankamah for their desire to improve the computer literacy skills of the students. Pastor Ankamah expressed his gratitude to Rev. Lee, who had also made a similar presentation to the Akuse Prisons for the training of the inmates in ICT. The Administrator of the Ghana-German-Korea Computer Training School, Rev. Josephine Mate-Korle Ankrah, said the school had also donated more than 100 computers to a number of institutions such as the Akuse Prisons, Coastline Assemblies of God Primary and JSS, Agormanya; Akwamu Abuakwa Primary and JSS, Anum Presbyterian School, the Assemblies of God Church, Koforidua, and the Dangme /Tongu Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana.  

  The founder of King Faisal Football Club, Alhaji Karim Grusah, was arrested by the Airport Police in Accra Sunday for allegedly assaulting a flight attendant of Antrak Air. He was granted bail later in the day and asked to report to the police on Monday. According to DSP Freeman Tettey of the Public Affairs Directorate of the Greater Accra Regional Police Command, Alhaji Grusah was billed to travel from Accra to Kumasi on the Antrak Air. Just before he boarded the plane, he was advised by a flight attendant of Antrak Air to switch off  his phone but he allegedly ignored the instructions. For the second time, the attendant told the Alhaji Grusah, who was still speaking on phone, to switch off the device but he refused and before the attendant could say jack, Alhaji Grusah allegedly punched the attendant’s face. Afterwards, Alhaji Grusah went into the aircraft to take his seat but the attendant (whose name is being withheld by the police for technical reasons) called the security personnel to advise the founder of King Faisal to switch off the phone. After he had been forced out of the plane, which had delayed its take-off for 15 minutes because of the stand-off, Alhaji Grusah immediately managed to locate the flight attendant and punched his face again. Alhaji Grusah was quickly arrested and taken to the Airport Police Station for investigation. He was charged with assault and battery and has been given police inquiry bail to report at the station today (Monday) at 2:00 p.m., to enable the police to continue with their investigations.

  A 36-year-old immigration officer, Kofi Quist Defor, was shot and killed by suspected armed robbers at his residence at Mataheko in Tema early Saturday morning. Defor was shot in his living room around 3 a.m., despite pleas by his wife, Ms Kafui Mary Magdalene Tamakloe,  to the robbers to wait for her to go upstairs  and  bring them money if that was their reason for attacking her husband. The suspects, however, are said to have ignored the request of Ms Tamakloe and killed her husband. The robbers took his laptop, Ipad and two mobile phones away. No arrests have been made. Defor had just completed a law course at the Zenith University College at La in Accra and had been transferred from the Permit Issuing Department of the Ghana Immigration Service to Asikuma in the Eastern Region, before his death.  Defor’s murder brings to three, the number of persons murdered in the Tema Metropolitan Area in the last 40 days. A staff of Stanbic Bank, Ms Rosemond Nyampon, 32, was found dead in her house at Batsoona on November 21, 2013, while the Akosombo Manager of Zenith Bank, Mr Kwesi Sakyi Prah, 34, was shot and killed in the early hours of Sunday, December 22, 2013. The Ashaiman Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent of Police, Mr David Eklu, told the Daily Graphic that initial information picked up by the police indicated that five men, one of them armed with a pistol, broke into the apartment of the couple. He added that Defor was ordered to come to the living room and when he did, he was shot in the right shoulder. The robbers then hit his neck with a hoe until he became unconscious. The assailants fled upon hearing the approach of a police night patrol team, who rushed him to the Tema General Hospital, but he  was pronounced dead. Chief Supt Eklu said one used nine-millimetre bullet and another live one were retrieved from the deceased’s house. Meanwhile, the Homicide Squad of the Ghana Police Service is investigating the circumstances under which the 36-year-old Immigration Officer was killed.  

  Christmas is usually a time to exchange gifts with loved ones and show love and affection to all, especially those in need, the aged and the vulnerable. It is in this spirit that the Volta Regional and the Kumasi branch of the Prison Ladies Association (PRILAS)  held end-of-year parties for female inmates in prisons in the Volta Region and Kumasi.  Addressing the programme at the Ho Central Prisons last Friday, the President of the Volta Regional branch of PRILAS, Superintendent Hannah Ewoame, called on well-meaning persons and families to accept ex-convicts into society after they had been discharged from prison  to enable them to put the trade they learnt in prison into practice, writes Tim Dzamboe, HO. She said ex-convicts could be assisted either in cash or in kind with the needed tools or materials to practise the trade or the skills they acquired in prison. That, she said, would empower them economically and facilitate their re-integration into society and also help to reduce the problems associated with stigmatisation and lack of support from their families. Supt. Ewoame said Volta PRILAS decided to organise the party for female inmates because they were often forgotten by their families on such festive occasions. She added: “We want them to know that as officers we are not only interested in their safe custody but as our slogan goes, “We love them, we care for them and we would always support them.” Training She said some of them received training in bread making, weaving of door mats, armrests and pillow making as part of trade training, reformation and rehabilitation programmes. The officer in charge of the Female Ward, Supt. Grace Allan-Gayinah, disclosed that there were 67 female prisoners in Ho and a total of 90 in the whole of the Volta Region. She expressed the hope that the party would revive their spirits and give them confidence for the future. Addressing the main party for members of PRILAS on the theme;  “An empowered woman; A tool for accelerated development”, Supt. Ewoame urged members to take advantage of every available opportunity to upgrade themselves and added: “Let the qualification with which you joined the service be a stepping stone.” She pleaded with their spouses and partners to be behind their female counterparts as a source of empowerment. Supt. Ewoame said PRILAS aimed at promoting the interest of female officers and addressing the needs of female inmates and their children, especially in the case of those who came into custody with babies or those who delivered while in custody. The programme organised by PRILAS for female inmates in Kumasi brought together all the 40 inmates of the female prison, officers of the prison and other dignitaries who took turns to encourage and counsel the inmates about life after prison, writes Felix A. Baidoo, KUMASI. Speaking at the ceremony, Assistant Director of Prisons, Mrs Juana Tackie-Otoo, who is the officer in charge of the Female Prisons, said PRILAS was formed to promote the interest of female staff and take care of their needs. She said they also visited female prisons to encourage, mentor and counsel female inmates and also give them support in many endeavours. Projects  The Ashanti Regional branch of PRILAS in 2012 established a corn mill manned by the female inmates to support the activities of the association, the female inmates,  as well as, other projects. Mrs Tackie-Otoo, who is also the Ashanti Regional President of PRILAS, said Christmas was a period of  sharing and having a good time with families and PRILAS decided to fete the inmates to make them feel at home. Two years ago, PRILAS donated assorted food items worth GH¢300 to the inmates of the Amanfrom Prison Camp and in July, this year, also donated assorted items worth GH¢600 to them again to support their upkeep. Mrs Tackie-Otoo also assured the female inmates that they would continue to support and care for their needs as long as they lived with them and urged them to be of good behaviour and respect authority at all times. She urged them to take the training programmes seriously to ensure that they became economically empowered to fend for themselves after their imprisonment. Commendations Mrs Tackie-Otoo commended the Director General of Prisons, Madam Matilda Baffour-Awuah, for establishing PRILAS in 2006, which had brought some improvement into the lives of female officers in diverse ways. The Ashanti Regional Director of Prisons, Mr Emmanuel Yao Adzator, who was the guest of honour at the function, lauded PRILAS for feting the female inmates and urged them to continue with the good work. He said the Ghana Prisons Service was taking a serious look at issues in connection with both female prison officers, as well as, the inmates they took care of. The regional commander attributed most of the crimes committed by female inmates to lack of economic opportunities and said everything was being done to ensure that the female inmates were helped to be free from the temptation to commit crime.  

  About 3000 needy children in the Ashanti Region, including orphans and the homeless, have been feted by Nhyira FM, an Akan radio station in Kumasi, as part of an annual programme aimed at bringing happiness to unfortunate children during Christmas. Majority of the children were selected from orphanages in the region, while the rest were picked from the streets in Kumasi.       The annual ceremony dubbed: “Nhyira Aboodoo,” was the sixth in the series and had Indomie Instant Noodles as headline sponsors. Held at the Kejetia Terminal last Saturday, the occasion attracted chiefs, including the Asemhene, Nana Ampofo Kyei Baffour, and some benevolent individuals and organisations who donated clothing, footwear and food items to the children. The children danced to music from a live band and also enjoyed food and drinks to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Programmes Manager of Nhyira FM, Mr Benjamin Fiifi Ocran, said the event was part of the station’s corporate social responsibility programmes. “As a responsible station, we have a duty to bring smiles to the faces of unfortunate children who for no fault of theirs, find themselves in such situations,” he said. Mr Ocran commended all individuals and groups that contributed to make the event a success. The Asemhene, who also made a donation towards the occasion, said society had a duty to bring hope to needy children. It was in that regard that he praised Nhyira FM for the programme, which he hoped would continue.  

  The Christmas celebrations for some shop owners around the Tamale Polytechnic were cut short after fire razed down their properties and completely destroyed all their investments in the afternoon of Christmas Day. About 10 shops—salons, provision stores, restaurants and tailoring shops and all their contents such as deep freezers, hairdryers, cooking utensils, among other valuable properties—were all burnt in the inferno. Most of the victims could be seen struggling to salvage whatever item they could lay their hands on while others just looked on helplessly. There were some police officers at the scene to ensure safety of life and also prevent people from looting. A victim, Mr Ubald Sabogu, who had his restaurant completely burnt, said he spent huge sums of money refurbishing the facility just about a week ago. He said he had bought a watertank, a deep freezer, plastic tables and chairs and some cooking utensils. “All these were purchased with a loan and as I talk I cannot even find a trace of any of them, as they are all in ashes,” he stated. Another victim, Ms Miriam Akembula (a hair dresser), said she spent all her investment in buying products for the season but all had been destroyed. “I was afraid that I might spend the money during this season so I used all to buy products and items for my shop but all that investment is this smoke you can see going up the sky over there,” she stated with a false smile. She said her hairdryers, wigs, chairs, shampoos, cream and other equipment used in the training of her apprentices were also destroyed in the fire. Response Speaking to the Daily Graphic at the scene of the fire, the Northern Regional Fire Commander, Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) Douglas D. Koyiri, said his outfit received a distress call around 2 p.m. that some stores around the Tamale Polytechnic were on fire. “We quickly dispatched Pump one to the scene to put out the fire but upon getting there, the pump failed and we had to call for pump two, which was on stand by,” he stated. He said by the time the second pump came, the fire had already spread and although additional water pumps were brought in, most of the items had already been destroyed. According to him, it was too early to establish the cause of the fire. The Northern Regional Police Commander in charge of operations, DSP Ben Aniah, said his men were able to remove the goods from some nearby stores, which were in danger of also catching fire, and put them in a safer place.  

  Blavo and Co Solicitors, a Ghanaian-owned London-based law firm, has presented a cheque for  £8,000 to the Baptist School Complex and Orphanage, located in Suhum in the Eastern Region. The money is to help start a clinic project in the school to serve about 600 inhabitants in the community. Presenting the cheque in Accra, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Founder of Blavo and Co Solicitors, Mr John Blavo, said the gesture was to consolidate the relationship between the school and the organisation. “This is a way of giving back to our community as Ghanaians to help develop the social capital of the country,” he explained. He said the presentation was made possible through the donation of clients and staff of the company in the United Kingdom, and expressed the hope that the money would help support the needs of the school. Receiving the cheque, the founder of the orphanage, Reverend Victor Ofori Amoah, lauded the company for its support over the years. He said the orphanage which started from a humble beginning was now home to about 120 orphans. “Over 30 of the inmate are in senior high schools with others in tertiary institutions,” he added. He said the money would help solve some of the clinical needs of the school, and called on other individuals and organisations to also come to the aid of the school.