The Presiding Judge of the Odumase-Krobo Circuit Court, Mr Asamah Akwasi Asiedu, has remanded a Beninios citizen in custody for allegedly raping a woman. Mahamadu Balik’s plea was not taken and he is to reappear in court later. Chief Inspector Monica Anku, the prosecutor said the victim is a native of Lolonya, a town near Ada in the Dangme East District, while Balik comes from Benin. She said the incident happened on December 27, 2013, when the victim was returning from Ada to Gemeni, where she worked. According to the prosecutor, on reaching Kpong, the victim realised that it was too late for her to continue the journey and therefore decided to pass the night at the Kpong lorry station. Chief Inspector Anku said at about 2:30 a.m., whilst sleeping, Balik, who was also passing the night at the lorry station, pounced on the victim and forcefully had sexual intercourse with her. The victim, according to the prosecutor, raised an alarm and that attracted some people to the scene who helped in arresting Balik and sent him to the Kpong police station. The victim was issued with a medical form to report for further action, while Balik was later transferred to the Domestic Violence Victims’’ Support Unit  (DOVVSU ) at Akuse. Balik, according to the prosecutor, disputed the allegation and claimed in his caution statement that he was only passing the night at Kpong to enable him continue his journey the following day only to be arrested for raping the victim. According to the prosecutor, the police is waiting for the victim to submit the medical report to enable them prepare the docket.  

  Activities of illegal stone, sand and gravel winners in the Kpone Katamanso District in the Greater Accra Region have been identified as a major security threat in the area. As a result, the assembly has placed a ban on the activities of all contractors engaged in the business in the area. The District Chief Executive (DCE), Alhaji Antiye Tetteh, disclosed this at a workshop on streamlining operations of sand, gravel and stone winners in the area organised jointly by the Minerals Commission and the assembly at Kpone. He said since the ban was imposed, the situation had stabilised and helped to reduce the tension, but admitted that some persons had gone underground and were operating illegally, and warned that the security agencies would deal with anyone caught flouting the ban. The workshop brought together officials from the Minerals Commission, chiefs, contractors, assembly members and members of the District Security Committee to deliberate on the various laws supporting mining operations and how to streamline the act. Alhaji Tetteh said though the assembly was aware of the repercussion of the ban on the economy of the district and, by extension, the survival of the operators in the industry and the residents, the assembly had also considered the lives and security of the people as superseding whatever gains were accrued from the industry. A senior mines inspector at the Minerals Commission, Mr Joseph Frimpong, in a presentation, enumerated the various laws governing mining, and urged the chiefs and contractors to arm themselves with the regulations in order to protect the environment. He maintained that acquiring mineral rights and licence was simple and appealed to all stakeholders to get involved to eliminate illegalities in the small-scale mining industry for a safe, judicious, sustainable and friendly green environmental mineral mining in the country. Mr Frimpong advised the Kpone Katamanso District Assembly to set up a mining desk as a first step to co-ordinating mining activities in the district and also called for the cessation of the collection of taxes from contractors who engaged in illegalities. A member of the Council of State, Mr Emmanuel A. Annang, said the non-enforcement of laws governing mining and the ease with which persons in authority compromised their position played a major role in the wanton destruction of the environment. The Chief of Oyibi, Nii Borlabi Kukubi Okanshan VI, commended the district assembly for bringing all the stakeholders together to discuss the menace and agree on the role each of them had to play to preserve the peace of the area. The first National Vice Chairman of the Association of Sand, Stone and Gravel Tipper Truck Users, Mr Frank Ashidan,  bemoaned the ban imposed on the extraction of the products in the district, and said it had affected the livelihood of the members. He expressed the hope that the assembly, after such an elaborate sensitisation, would open itself up for dialogue and have the ban lifted. Writer's email: [email protected]  

  A durbar of chiefs and people from Asokore-Mampong in the Ashanti Region heralded the presentation of a brand new BMW saloon car to a 34-year-old fruits seller, Hajia Fati Issaka, who won the Airtel Supa Star promotion. The ceremony, held in Kumasi, was preceded by a float by the recipient and her family members, as well as management staff of Airtel Ghana through some principal streets of Kumasi to showcase the new BMW saloon car. Presenting the keys to the car to Hajia Fati, the Head of Corporate Communications and External Affairs of Airtel Ghana, Mr Donald Gwira, reiterated the company’s commitment to provide its customers with the best customer experience. Mr Gwira said the Supa Star promotion launched in August 2013 had since rewarded over 15,000 airtel subscribers with five BMW cars, Samsung Smartphones, shopping vouchers and airtime prizes. The prizes for the promotion, estimated to cost GH¢650,000, will also take care of six winners who will enjoy a trip to Brazil to watch the World Cup which starts in July, this year. The Marketing Director of Airtel Ghana, Mr Rajan Manu, said the company would continue to be responsive to the customer and would also continue to roll out attractive services and promotions designed to meet the desires and expectations of current and prospective customers. Receiving the keys to the car, Hajia Fati said she did not believe at first when she had a call from Airtel that she had won the car. She said although she was not well, the news made her recover and she started screaming in amazement. She commended the company for the package and promised to continue using its products.  

Some areas in Accra have been flooded following a rainfall on Friday afternoon. Reports indicate areas such as Kwame Nkrumah Circle, parts of Asylum down and Kaneshie have all been flooded. The downpour which lasted about an hour, has submerged many streets resulting in heavy vehicular traffic. Commuters have been left stranded as a result of the vehicular traffic. Below are some images gathered from social media platforms.  

  The Agona Swedru Circuit Court has handed a 10-year jail term to Emmanuel Kwevi , a farmer, for sleeping with his stepdaughter.  Kwevi, who looked older than 60 years but claimed to be 48, was convicted on his own plea of guilty but the Swedru District Magistrate, Mr Kwaku Baah Frempong, deferred the sentence due to the district court’s lack of jurisdiction. When he appeared before the Agona Swedru Circuit Court on Thursday, January 17, 2014, the presiding judge of the Akyem Swedru Circuit Court, Mr Yaw Atta Sampong, doing additional duties, slapped Kwevi with 10 years’ incarceration with hard labour. Kwevi pleaded guilty to the charges of incest and defilement, prompting Mr Sampong to hand him the custodial sentence. Kwevi reportedly threatened to kill his victim spiritually; he claimed that he was a spirit who was trailing her (victim) anywhere she went so if she decided to tell anyone about her ordeal, she would die instantly. Those threatening words from Kwevi after each sexual encounter, reportedly, scared the girl and prevented her from revealing her ordeal until she informed a friend in school about the pains she felt after each sexual act with Kwevi.  

  More than 30,000 people in 11 communities in the twin districts of Ellembelle and Jomoro in the Western Region now have potable water, thanks to Kosmos Energy Ghana and Safe Water Network, with support from the Community Water and Sanitation Agency. Kosmos sponsored the provision of a water treatment plant  with the capacity to produce more than 100,000 litres of potable water a day at Beyin. It installed two overhead reservoirs, a distribution network with five remote kiosks and 15 standpipes in seven communities. The facility will benefit communities including the stilt village of Nzulezu, Eikwe, Anochie, Ngalekyi, Ngalekpoley, Krisan and Baku. Those communities hitherto had no source of safe drinking water and depended on streams and stagnant water which were also the sources of drinking water for stray and domestic animals in the communities. The first phase of the project, which was completed in April 2013, provided clean drinking water for more than 6,000 people at Beyin, Ngelekazo, Ekebaku and Atuabo. The Vice-President and Country Manager of Kosmos Energy Ghana, Mr Ken Keag, said he was proud that Kosmos had played such a pivotal role in bringing water to the people of Nzulezu and the other communities. Kosmos Energy, he said, was committed to maintaining strong and supportive relationships with its stakeholders and communities to create value and lay the best foundation for sustainable business. Mr Keag said the company’s partnership with Safe Water Network and the communities was aimed at providing cost-effective, community-managed and affordable safe water and improved hygiene solutions for several coastal communities in the region. He recalled that during interactions with the communities to outline the company’s plan for the beneficiary communities, the Paramount Chief of the Western Nzema Traditional Area, Awulae Annor Adjaye III, appealed for potable water for the communities, citing the case of Nzulezu which is built on water but, ironically, has no potable water. The Chief Executive Officer of Safe Water Network, Kurt Soderlund, said preserving Nzulezu’s unique character presented the project’s greatest challenge, which was overcome by running 6.2 kilometres of underground pipe through marshes and waterlogged terrain to reach the town. He said in addition to making the much needed investment in infrastructure, the partnership between Safe Water and Kosmos had begun implementing health and hygiene education programmes to improve health outcomes and ensure programme sustainability. “Kosmos Energy is a critical partner in our mission to improve the health and livelihoods of communities in Ghana, and by building local capacity and capability for communities to own and manage their water systems, we are implementing a truly sustainable model for safe water delivery,” Mr Soderlund said. Members of the community expressed their gratitude to Kosmos Energy for the support and noted that the provision of water would boost tourism at Nzulezu. They said even though the stilt village was one of the best and most popular tourist destinations, the lack of basic facilities such as water and electricity discouraged many tourists from going there. With the extension of electricity and water to the community, tourism was expected to be boosted to transform the local economy, they opined.  

  The Madina Magistrate Court,  presided over by Mr Ernest K. A. Adjanor, has remanded Nii Kwame Lomotey, 39, unemployed;  Kwasi Mensah, 49, a mechanic; and Samuel Nii Armah, 45, a painter, in custody to reappear before it today January 31, 2014. The three were charged on three counts of conspiracy to commit crime, stealing and causing unlawful damage. According to the prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police Mary Esinam Ahafianyo, the complainant, Reverend Alexander Kwadwo Agbozo, sent his sick wife to the Pentecost Hospital at Madina, a suburb of Accra, at about 9 p.m. and parked his car behind the wall of the hospital. ASP Ahafianyo said while Rev. Agbozo was inside the hospital, he heard a loud noise outside so he came out, only to find out that the glass of the front passenger door of his vehicle had been broken and his black handbag containing important items and documents taken away. During investigations, it came to light that a taxi driver who plied the Madina Estates Road had spotted two men breaking into the complainant’s vehicle and taking a black handbag which they threw into a private saloon car and sped off. The said taxi driver, according to the prosecutor, alerted the security men on duty and chased the men with his taxi. Along the line, ASP Ahafianyo said, the  the robbers’ car ran into a ditch around the Accra College of Education and they were arrested by their pursuers and the stolen handbag was retrieved.  

  A normal hunting expedition by two popular hunters in the Ebuano Forest in the Jomoro District in the Western Region turned tragic when one of the friends mistook the other for a game, shot and killed him. The two, according to the police, were childhood friends and hunted together but on the night of Tuesday, January 21, 2014, one of the celebrated hunters returned to the community in tears to tell how he inadvertently shot and killed his colleague. The victim, Allefe Nkrumah, 42, did not die in the bush but on the way to the hospital, while Sai Ackah, the suspect, was escorted to the police station where an official report was made. He has consequently been remanded in custody to help the police in their investigations. Narrating the incident, the Jomoro District Police Commander, Supt John F. Dzineku, Ackah said when they  got deep into the forest for their usual hunting expedition, they took different directions after a short interaction. Supt Dzineku said, according to Ackah, while combing the forest for a game, he threw his light on a section  of the bush where he saw some movements. The District Commander said Ackah took position and assuming that he had found a game, fired at it and rushed towards the direction of his shot, only to realise that he had fired at his friend. Supt Dzineku said Ackah then carried Nkrumah who was still alive and in pain from the bush to the community and called for help. Some members of the community assisted him to send Nkrumah to the hospital but died before arrival at the hospital. He said after depositing the body, the elders of the community handed Ackah to the police. The District Commander said even though the report was that the victim was mistaken for a game, the police had to investigate to establish what transpired, as the case involved human life.  

  An 11-year-old primary four pupil of Adomanu Roman Catholic Primary School has been installed chief linguist at a well-attended ceremony at Adansi Adomanu in the Adansi-North District of Ashanti. His stool name is Nana Akyina Kwarteng II. Known in private life as Yaw Kwarteng by his parents and Christian Adjapong by his schoolmates, the new chief  linguist succeeded  Nana Takyi,  who was installed at  the  age of  14 but passed on a year ago after  serving  for  38 years  as  Adomanuhene’s  chief   linguist. It  was  a memorable occasion at  the  Adomanu  palace  as a large  crowd, made up  of chiefs, old men and women and schoolchildren, witnessed  the  teenager swearing the  oath of  allegiance to the Adomanuhene, Nana  Asirifi Asare II. Nana Asirifi  Asare  advised  the  new  chief linguist  to take  keen interest in his education,  as  well as  his “ new position  as chief linguist”.  The Adomanuhene stressed that “at  your tender  age,  you should  not  take  pride  in  your  traditional  position  to the  neglect of your academic pursuit”. Nana Asirifi Asare gave  the fullest  assurance  that Nananom  would  join  hands with  his parents  to sponsor  his education to the height  that he wanted to reach. He,  however, warned Nana Akyina Kwarteng II  not to be following  any sub chief  to a function of which he  was not aware because “you are my chief linguist  and not to any sub chief”. Nana Akyina Kwarteng II in a short message thanked the traditional leaders for the honour done him and pledged to serve the chiefs and people with devotion.  

    The Christ Apostolic Church International Family Worship Centre (CACI-FWC) at Sakumono has donated assorted items worth GH¢800 to the Teshie Orphanage in Accra. The items included bags of rice, cooking oil, assorted soft drinks, filtered water, powdered soap, toilet rolls, biscuits and some loaves of bread. The Minister in Charge, Reverend Osei Yaw Danquah, made the presentation on behalf of the church and said the gesture formed part of the church's social responsibility as it celebrated its first anniversary in the Sakumono community. Rev. Danquah expressed regret that the society had neglected families and the less privileged and said contrarily, the CACI-FWC believed in the holistic development of its members covering the spiritual, physical, economic and social facets of their lives. “The divine mission statement of the CACI-FWC in totality is anchored on the objective of contribution to the social and economic development of its members and other needy groups or communities. It is against this backdrop that the CACI-FWC is presenting a token as its social and moral contribution to the Teshie Orphanage,” Rev Danquah said, and gave the assurance that the church would be committed to its social responsibility to help the needy. Other activities earmarked for the celebration included talks on health and entrepreneurship, concert and food bazaar. The celebration would be climaxed with the dedication of the church.    

  Godwin Fumeti, a 32-year-old carpenter, has been sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment with hard labour by the Odumase-Krobo Circuit Court for stealing 200 cement blocks, which belonged to his father, Fred Fumeti. Fumeti had earlier pleaded guilty to the charge. Presenting the facts of the case to the court, presided over by Mr Asmah Akwasi Asiedu, the prosecutor, ASP Richmond Akwasi Yeboah, said the father, a farmer and his son resided at Kpong. He said on December 7, 2013 at about 3 p.m. Mr Fumeti had information through a witness who is a driver that his son had engaged him (driver) to cart 200 pieces of cement blocks from Kpong to Juapong. He said when he, the driver, got to Ahudzo, a suburb of Kpong, Godwin ordered him to offload the blocks on one Moses Atiapa’s land without any explanation. The prosecutor said the driver suspected foul play and reported the case to Mr Fumeti who also reported to the police. The prosecutor said when the police visited the scene, they saw the 200 pieces of blocks valued at GH¢502. The police consequently arrested Godwin and during interrogation, he admitted the offence with the explanation that he took GH¢45 from  Atiapa to design a door for him but he could not do it and when Moses demanded a refund of his money, he decided to use the cement blocks as collateral with a promise to pay in the shortest possible time. The court, however, ordered the police to release the blocks to the owner.   

  Last Sunday, January 26, 2014, marked World Leprosy Day. It is a day which is set aside internationally on the last Sunday of January every year to help increase public awareness of the disease. In Ghana, the day was observed at the Weija Leprosarium where under the auspices of the Lepers Aid Committee, chaired by Very Rev. Fr Andrew Campbell, who has for long championed the cause of lepers, the inmates interacted  with other members of the public.  The special guest was the wife of the Vice-President, Mrs Matilda Amissah-Arthur. Mrs Amissah-Arthur presented some items which included bags of rice, cooking oil, mats, buckets, cups and bowls to the lepers. Commenting on the need to integrate cured lepers into the society, she urged Ghanaians to accept the cured lepers into their midst since the disease was not contagious and was curable. She said the continuous rejection of lepers by their families and communities had an effect on the activities at the Leprosarium in terms of high operational costs and advised families of  such people to visit and give them hope. According to Fr Campbell, the Cummist USA supported them with $52,000, which was used for infrastructure and maintenance.   

  A programme that seeks to promote public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources has been launched in the country. The programme will engage citizens in the use of a test kit called  “World Water Monitoring Challenge Test Kit” to conduct basic monitoring of their local water bodies. Targeted beneficiaries of the programme are: governmental institutions, schools, communities and youth groups in Weija, Daboase and Aprakoso in the Greater Accra, Western and Ashanti regions respectively. The programme is part of the European Union-African Caribbean Pacific (EU-ACP) water facility project aimed at building capacity in quality water  monitoring and surveillance in Ghana. The water monitoring project is being supported by the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL). Benefits of the test kit In a speech read on his behalf at the launch in Accra, the Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing (MWRWH), Mr Collins Dauda, said the programme would contribute towards addressing the issue of water quality that had become a global concern. Mr Collins explained that the components of the projects would focus on improving the quality of Ghana’s water bodies by raising awareness among relevant institutional stakeholders, communities and schoolchildren. According to him, the government’s vision of providing water for all by 2025 would be defeated if the quality of water was poor. He said, “ It is, therefore, imperative to ensure that in our drive towards 100 per cent water coverage, quality is not sacrificed.” Mr Dauda observed that with the increasing number of people moving to urban areas, the water supplied by the GWCL was not sufficient to meet demand. “Many of the inhabitants in these urban areas have no option than to rely on water from sources whose wholesomeness cannot be guaranteed,” he added. Mr Dauda, however, urged stakeholders to team up and work towards improving the quality of potable water in the country. Challenges facing the GWCL The Managing Director of the GWCL, Mr Godwin Kweku Dovlo, mentioned the pollution of water bodies through illegal mining (galamsey) as a major problem that affected the operations of the company. He said the GWCL, over the past years, had spent huge sums of money to purchase chemicals to treat water and make it safe for drinking, adding; “ we buy around 15,000 metric tonnes of alum to treat water annually.” Mr Dovlo, therefore, called for concerted efforts by all stakeholders to fight against illegal mining, since it pollutes the water bodies in the country.  

  The Government of Ghana is to terminate two projects signed between the Savanah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) and the Asongtaba Cottage Industries (ACI). The projects – the guinea fowl rearing and processing project and the afforestation and tree growing project- have been considered for termination following a report by the Minister in charge of Development Authorities, Dr. Ahmed Mustapha regarding the two projects. According to a statement signed by the Senior Communications Adviser at the Presidency, Ben Dotsei Malor, the report submitted by the minister noted that although the projects were viable and held the potential for the creation of a significant number of jobs in the three Northern Regions, “SADA had not established the systems and mechanisms for the monitoring and supervision of these projects to ensure that the state received value for money.” The statement said the report further noted that sufficient expertise still existed within the Savannah Research Institute and the University of Development Studies to re-design and implement a strategy that could properly harness the potential of the guinea fowl industry and turn it into a major income earner for the people of the Savannah belt. President John Mahama has, thus, instructed the Board of the SADA to act in consultation with the Attorney General to terminate the two contracts it entered into with Asongtaba Cottage Industries, the statement said. The statement further said President Mahama has requested the SADA Board to hold consultations with the Forestry Commission and the Ministry of Local Government to work out a strategy for the proper implementation of the afforestation and tree growing project, on a decentralized basis. “The President has further instructed the SADA Board to immediately strengthen SADA's systems of accountability, to ensure that the Authority is able to account for any resources committed by the Government for the accelerated development of the savannah areas,” it noted.  

  The future of meat production in the country is under threat due to the rejection of animal breeders from various communities in the country. The Vice-Chairman of the Cattle Dealers and Breeders in Kumasi, Mr Mohamed Muntakar Iddrissu, who disclosed this, explained that the current situation whereby chiefs, opinion leaders and communities were rejecting, sacking and refusing to give land out to the breeders was very dangerous. According to Mr Iddrisu, “currently, a little over half of the animals sold in the country were brought from nearby countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali and Cote d’Ivoire which shows  that there is the need for the nation to boost its own production of meat since any break in supply from those foreign sources can be very disastrous to the nation.” He said the expansion in the local production of animals in the country did not only enhance meat production but also create jobs at various levels in the country in the area of animal farming, animals sales and the sale of meat, as well as improving the quality of meat supplies in the country. The Vice-Chairman said the land tenure system in the country posed a threat to the rearing of animals as most stakeholders were not ready to release parcels of land for the establishment of kraals in their communities. He, therefore, appealed to the various stakeholders and opinion leaders in the country to take a critical look at the situation to avoid a disaster in the production of meat in the country. Another dangerous situation was the fact that most commercial farmers were just raising the animals in large numbers just for fame and were not ready to sell them. He explained that if care was not taken, in the next 10 years, it would be very difficult to get meat raised from the local market, citing the high foreign exchange rate which also made it very difficult to buy the imported animals as the dealers had to deal with the various police barriers where they had to pay huge sums of money to prevent their trucks from unnecessary delays. Mr Iddrissu said apart from the unnecessary delays at the barriers, when the animals are delayed, it usually led to the death of some due to suffocation and heat in the trucks and to avoid those conditions, the dealers were forced to pay huge sums of money demanded at the barriers. That, in the long run, leads to an increase in the prices of meat products on the market, a situation which, to them, is not good for the nation.  

  The Mamprobi Police is confident that with the support of community members, crime in the area can be reduced. Statistics released by the police indicate a reduction in crime levels over a period of three years using the month of December as reference point. In December 2011, the number of crimes committed included assault, stealing, unlawful entry, offensive conduct, fraud and issuance of false cheques which totalled 112. In December 2012, the number reduced to 95 and to 70 in December 2013. Briefing The Mirror at the Station last Tuesday, January 21, 2913, Superintendent Peter A.K. Ayirezang, the Mamprobi District Police Commander, said among the cases recorded for December 2013, nine had been sent to court while 61 were still under investigation. Supt Ayirezang said his unit was working hard in the face of a number of challenges that was affecting the smooth discharge of its duties. He indicated that one major challenge had to do with the lack of accommodation for personnel. The district commander said newly posted personnel to the station had to share quarters with personnel from other police units and that was affecting morale and control. “There is not enough accommodation and so they live in transit quarters with other police personnel from the Korle Bu and Dansoman police stations and because they do not directly serve under me, it makes it difficult to instruct,” he said. He said the Mamprobi Police Station could also do with more personnel in view of the increasing cases of domestic violence and motor accidents in the area. “Considering that there are as many as 14 traffic intersections including the ones at the Radio Gold, Mamprobi and Zongo junctions, the current number of only seven traffic management staff is inadequate and so we will need more men to manage the emerging situation effectively,” Superintendent Ayirezang explained. He said an increase in the number of officers would improve patrol duties, visibility duties, snap check duties as well as investigations. In addition, the district commander said his outfit would need more vehicles as the single vehicle currently there was reserved for patrol duties. “In fact, under the circumstances, we are able to undertake only two snap checks instead of five each day”. According to Superintendent Ayirezang, the station was also in dire need of a female and juvenile cells. At present, he said, both female and juvenile suspects were sent to cells at Dansoman and the Korle Bu Police stations. He expressed the hope that the police administration, which was aware of the situation, would soon resource the station. He acknowledged the enormity of the problem and appealed to the general public for assistance. He advised the public, especially assembly members, to organise sporting activities periodically so as to engage the youth in their leisure since it would go a long way to reduce crime in the area.  

  The Ghana Mineworkers’ Union (GMWU) has welcomed the announcement by President John Mahama that Ghana is seeking international co-operation to venture into the processing of mineral resources. The union agreed with the President that over the years, over-reliance on primary production had denied the country the expected benefits from mining. In a statement signed by the General Secretary, Mr Prince William Ankrah, the GMWU said the non-processing of mineral resources created the impression that the country could only generate money from raw gold, bauxite and other minerals. “The union, therefore, supports the President’s programme for secondary production for value addition to be actualised as soon as practicable. Arguably, this can become a major  special presidential initiative of our generation,” it said. Determination & commitment The statement said moving into the processing of mineral resources required political determination and conviction, adding, “We have no doubt the President has such conviction.” According to the statement, the gold refinery notion had died over the decades, “especially when one looks at how Kwame Nkrumah’s vision for the establishment of a gold refinery at Tarkwa could not be actualised. It is in this light that the GMWU thinks that all interest groups should give their maximum support to enable the President to bring renewed energy, as well as new thinking into the structure of the mining sector,” it said. Legal provision The statement also said best practice elsewhere, such as Botswana, had shown that the best way to derive maximum returns from mining was through the processing of mineral resources. It called for a legal provision that would ensure that at least 20 per cent of raw gold produced in the country was retained for processing. “It is sad that countries without natural mineral resources like those of Ghana can boast amazing factories processing gold and diamond into jewellery,” the statement noted, citing Thailand and Dubai. It also indicated that putting up an aluminium smelting factory in Ghana for bauxite, for instance, would be immensely helpful to the country, since it would increase revenue and promote a vibrant manufacturing sector. The statement said similar processing factories could be established for diamond and other mineral resources. “Cumulatively, this can have a great job opening for our struggling economy and help boost the economic activities in the host communities,” it said. Better investment negotiation The statement stressed the need for better investment negotiation based on good research to derive the maximum benefit from the mining sector because “the investor will not come as a benevolent person.” It added that corporate greed had now become the norm, however unethical, and so “there is the need for adequate and detailed analytical preparations during such business negotiations”. “Our governments across the continent need to take a bold position on issues of investments with multinational companies and go in for a balanced deal.  

  An Accra circuit cCourt has remanded a fisherman in police custody for allegedly possessing firearms and ammunition without authority. Nene Asare Sackitey pleaded not guilty and has been remanded to reappear before the court presided over by Mr Francis Obiri on February 5, 2014. Facts of the case The prosecutor, Deputy Superintendant of Police (DSP) P.A. Morkeh, told the court that on December 8, 2012, the police received information that some men were having in their possession one AK 47 assault rifle and a quantity of ammunition. He said the police proceeded to the New Vision Hotel near New-Weija and spotted a Kia taxi cab parked at a drinking bar with the driver seated behind the steering wheel. He said the driver then approached the Police team and informed them of the suspicious nature of the occupants of his taxi. DSP Morkeh said the police searched the car and saw a bag containing one AK 47 assault rifle with serial number AZ 7437, magazines loaded with 48 rounds of ammunition and 41 rounds of 9mm ammunition. According to the prosecutor, on seeing the police, the accused person took to his heels and escaped. He said on August 6, 2013, based on intelligence gathered, Nene Sackitey was arrested at his hideout at Agomenya, Odumasi Krobo. He admitted the offence in his caution statement.   Writer's email:[email protected]  

  The Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) has supported the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) with computers and their accessories worth GH¢11,060. According to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GIFEC, Mr Kofi Attor, the computers will assist in information gathering and also enable the service to  be abreast of the modern trends in firefighting. Mr Attor was speaking at the inauguration of the GNFS Information and Communication Technology (ICT) laboratory at the GNFS headquarters in Accra. He said for the GNFS to function effectively, there was the need to make use of modern technology. The CEO said the idea was not just to supply institutions with computers but also to encourage them to make maximum use of the equipment. The Acting Chief Fire Officer,Brigadier General J.B.E. Guyiri, said the computers from GIFEC had been distributed to some of the GNFS stations in the regions and ,  including Wa, Nandom and Ho. He said considering the daily occurrences of fires and road accidents, the ICT laboratory  would facilitate rapid communication and information gathering for immediate responses. “Once ICT is well structured in an institution, carrying out activities becomes easier and faster,” he said He urged all the officers to make good use of the ICT laboratory in order to achieve its intended purpose.  

  The only alternative source of water for the people of Bramkrom, a community in the Birim North District, near Nkawkaw, River Nwin, has been heavily polluted by illegal miners, who have placed their ‘chanfan’ machines in the river to mine gold. The ‘chanfan’ is the machine used in digging the sand from the riverbed. The situation is even more precarious as nurses at the Community Health Planning Services (CHPS) Centre, face serious challenges getting water for their work, especially during deliveries. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Bramkrom, the Odikro (chief) of the community, Nana Kwabena Chartey-Bram, said during the dry season, water became very scarce in the area. Nana Chartey-Bram disclosed that on December 29, last year, when he heard of the illegal mining on the river, which is their only source of water, he reported the matter to the Nkawkaw District Police Command, which has jurisdiction over the area. He said the police quickly went to the scene and arrested two of the operators and seized some of their mining equipment. However, ‘it seems the police is reluctant in prosecuting the case; as the last time I visited the police, the crime investigator told me to withdraw the case and settle it amicably with the illegal miners’.  When the GNA contacted the District Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Seth Yirenkyi, he said he was not aware his crime investigator had made that suggestion, and that his outfit was still pursuing the case. He said he rather expected the complainant to report back to him about his displeasure concerning the investigator and not to go to the media. DSP Yirenkyi said they arrested two suspected illegal miners, as the others bolted at the sight of the police. According to him, the two suspects had since been granted police enquiry bail, pending further investigations. Nana Chartey-Bram said the community was heavily starved of water and that the little water from the only borehole flowed late in the night, ‘sometimes a bucket full’, which is shared amongst households, especially to those in dire need. According to him, the River Nwin, which serves as the alternative source of water, had now been polluted by ‘galamsey’ miners so they were unable to use it.