OXFAM International, a civil society organisation, has emphasised the need for transparency, accountability and the judicious use of the country’s resources. The President of Oxfam America, Mr Raymond Offenheiser, who made the call in Accra during a media interaction, said the mining sector must be committed to the development of the towns in which they operated. Mr Offenheiser observed there was a growing interest by citizens in the role extractive industries played in driving development in Ghana. He said there was a general view around the world that extractive industries abused the rights of citizens as they carried out their activities, and called on them to ensure that measures were put in place to protect the rights of citizens.  He noted that the whole world was looking at how Ghana would utilise its wealth in the petroleum industry and, therefore, challenged the government and other regulatory bodies to put in place policies that would ensure that revenue accrued from the sector benefitted the population. He indicated that donor organisations always looked out for countries that were prepared to mobilise and utilise their resources to the benefit of its citizens before offering any assistance. “Will Ghana manage and spend its new wealth responsibly? Will it channel those monies into sectors such as education, health, among others on behalf of the citizens?” Mr Offenheiser asked. Mr Offenheiser applauded Ghanaians for their demand for good governance from their leaders, adding that such an act always ensured that the government acted responsibly. The President further commended Ghana for allowing a lot of civil society organisations to thrive. He, therefore, called on such organisations to step up their advocacy role in ensuring that the ordinary Ghanaian was adequately informed on governance issues to facilitate full participation. For his part, the Country Director of Oxfam Ghana, Mr Sebastian Tiah, said  the organisation was also involved in developing agriculture in Ghana, especially in the three northern regions. He said the aim was to alleviate poverty and ensure food availability and its production in the country.  Mr Tiah said Oxfam Ghana was also working with some farmers to educate them on the need to adopt new methods that would boost crop yields. Mr Offenheiser, who led a team into the country on a five-day visit to major mining sectors in Ghana, also paid a courtesy call on the Deputy Minister of Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, to discuss issues involving public finance and transparency in the management of the Ghanaian economy.  

  The Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) has embarked on a demolishing exercise to rid the central business district of the metropolis of illegal structures. The exercise, which started late Monday afternoon, saw the removal of various illegal extensions, as well as structures placed at unauthorised places such as pavements (to already existing structures). Areas noted for these illegal structures included the central business district (especially the Takoradi Central Market) and would be extended to Sekondi and Apremdo, among others. The assembly said it was wrong for people to site structures without recourse to the existing rules and regulations of the assembly. Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) of Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, Captain Anthony Cudjoe (Rtd), said prior to the demolishing exercise, the assembly had carried out a survey to identify the locations of the illegal structures. He said the metropolis was designed in such a way that made it easy to detect any illegal structures that had been erected by people. The MCE deplored the attitude of some residents of the metropolis who obtained permits from assembly members who, according to the MCE, were not recognised bodies or individuals to issue permits. He added that the city could not be run when people decide to act without recourse to the law and that “the assembly is not going to allow the people to hold the metropolis to ransom in the name of politics. The assembly has to do what is right.” He said the assembly had space for everybody to do business in places such as Apremdo, only if the people in the central business district would agree to move there instead of erecting illegal structures in the central business district. He said the STMA would continue to monitor all the structures that were put up in the metropolis, to ensure that illegal structures were not built. Some residents in the metropolis whose structures were demolished, expressed dismay at the exercise that was being carried out by the STMA. They said though they were aware that a demolishing exercise would be carried out in the metropolis, they were not told the exact date it would be carried out and that, to most of them, the exercise had been a huge surprise. When the Daily Graphic walked through the metropolis, every available space - from pavement to frontage of shops and offices - had been taken over by petty traders (Prior to the exercise). Central Business District of STMA appeared suffocated with illegal structures; in that most people who had stores had erected illegal extensions for their stores, which came close to the road. Other traders too had erected makeshift stores on pavements around the Central Business District, notably the inner perimeter around the Takoradi central market popularly known as Market Circle, which was constructed for motorist who were going to shop at the market. These illegal structures do not only dent the beauty of the metropolis but also impede on movement of people and vehicles in the metropolis, thereby causing massive vehicular traffic in the Central Business District during the peak hours of the day.  

  The Deputy Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Mrs Rachel Florence Apoh Opoku, has advised couples to always show love and respect to each other and take the necessary steps to resolve their differences.She said that was a necessary tool for them to take care and train their children since broken homes tend to have negative impact on their upbringing. Mrs Apoh Opoku, who is also the Member of Parliament for the Gomoa Central Constituency in the Central Region, gave the advice when she addressed a durbar of the chiefs and people of Gomoa Manso and Aboso during the celebration of their annual Akwambo festival last Saturday. She said her ministry had received some reports concerning misunderstandings between couples whose marriages broke up with some of the women not allowing the fathers access to their children while some fathers also refused to take care of their children. This usually brings untold hardship on mothers who might not be financially capable to take care of the needs of their children in the absence of husbands. She said fathers as heads of family should be encouraged to perform their responsibilities irrespective of the state of the marriage so that the children would be given the best of care in order to become responsible adults. The Member of Parliament called on the chiefs to resolve all chieftaincy disputes so that together, they would initiate projects towards the development of the Gomoa area, adding that what was stalling progress in the district was the numerous chieftaincy disputes pertaining in the area. Mrs Apoh Opoku presented medical equipment worth GH¢30,000 to the Gomoa Aboso CHPS compound to enable the health facility to start operating. The Gomoa East District Chief Executive, Mr Isaac Kingsley Ahunu-Armah, bemoaned the lack of unity among the chiefs in the area and urged the chiefs to have a united front and offer the necessary support to the assembly to develop the district. The Chief of Gomoa Aboso, Nana Afedzie Mensah VI, appealed to the assembly to assist them to construct the bridge to the cemetery. Nana Okyeadze of Gomoa Manso lauded the assembly and the government for the many development projects in the town, but appealed to the government to rehabilitate the main road to the town.  

  About 500 female head porters (kayayei) at Dagomba-Line, near Oforikrom, in Kumasi have complained about their inability to pay for decent accommodation, making them sleep in kiosks and open spaces. Aged between 12 and 35, most of the head porters migrated from Wulensi, Bimbilla, Kumbungu, Zabzugu, Nakpanduri, Yendi (all in the Northern Region) to Kumasi in search of jobs. Speaking to the Daily Graphic about their plight, the spokesperson for the head porters, Madam Nimattu Dawuda, said currently, most of them lived in kiosks which accommodated between 20 to 70 people, with serious congestion. They said that was because of their inability to pay Gh¢2 per person (for one week) for rooms with light and electric fan and Gh¢1 per person (for one week), for kiosks without light and fan. That, according to Nimattu, exposed most of them to rampant rape and robbery by unknown assailants, who took advantage of their plight and attacked them. They were also exposed to mosquito bites among other hazards. Interacting with them after a recent visit by the Member of Parliament for Oforikrom, Madam Elizabeth Agyemang, to the area during which they were provided with free medical care, the porters said they spent 50 pesewas and 40 pesewas to buy hot or cold water for bathing and using the bathhouse, respectively. A little over 6,000 of the 9,500 head porters in the area had the opportunity to be screened for various health conditions in an exercise which lasted three days and was funded by philanthropists, with support from the Common Fund Administrator and some Members of Parliament.  

    The Wa Municipal office of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service in the Upper West Region recorded 155 criminal cases last year. This shows an increase of 14 cases over what the office recorded in 2012. Out of the number, 26 cases were sent to court and eight convicted. Presently, nine cases are still being tried, while another nine have been discarded.  Another 77 cases are under investigations and 52 have been closed. The Wa District Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mr Stephen A.B. Tetteh who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic in an interview at Wa yesterday, said during the year under review, there were 15 defilement cases; six rape cases, one incest and 68 assault cases. DSP Tetteh also said there were 13 cases of abduction of females under 18 years with 12 threats of death and added that the others were two abortions, nine stealing, three causing harm, one unnatural carnal knowledge and one compulsory marriage cases. On sexual and domestic violence, DSP Tetteh called on the public to assume full responsibility and go beyond condemning the behaviour to taking concrete steps to end it, to make it socially unacceptable and recognise it as a criminal issue. "Rape and violence rob women and girls of their full potential and causes untold human suffering. It impedes economic development and full participation in civil life. For all of the children who have witnessed this brutality, we must do better", he said. Challenges  He mentioned inadequate staff, funding for sensitisation programmes and lack of shelter for traumatised victims of domestic violence as some of the challenges facing the unit. According to DSP Tetteh, there are no juvenile cells for children who flout the law or counselling rooms. Also there has not been in-service training for the 16 personnel to update their knowledge and skills with regard to current DOVVSU activities. He asserted that in spite of these challenges, the unit had gained a lot of confidence from the public through some sensitisation programmes carried out during the celebration of the 16 days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence; World AIDS Day, International Day for Persons with Disabilities and the Montreal Massacre. The District Commander called on the general public to readily approach the unit  since it was there to serve them. He also said they were ready to enhance and guarantee domestic security in order to protect children and help them develop their potentials.    

  One of the aspirants contesting the position of the General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Kwabena Agyepong, has expressed his commitment to decentralise the administration of the party. He explained that  he would ensure that party dues and filing fees remained in the constituencies to be used in running the affairs of the party."  Mr Agyepong was speaking during a two-day campaign tour of the Upper West Region last Friday. He visited Jirapa, Nandom, Nadowli, Lawra, Gollu, among others and interacted with the delegates of the NPP prior to the forthcoming national congress. Briefing the Press at Wa, Mr Agyepong said he had told the delegates that he saw himself as the most suitable candidate to occupy the position because of his past and continuous meritorious contributions and services to the development of the party. The aspirant mentioned that he had been a press secretary to former President John Agyekum Kufuor between 2001-06, a member of the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) of the Electoral Commission and had been working consistently at the grass root level since 1991-92, among others. Mr Agyepong assured them of his readiness to work with the executives in the 275 constituencies to rejuvenate and ensure that they reached out to the people to make them join the NPP, and also win their confidence in their quest to wrest the seat from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in 2016. He noted that the NPP was the only party that could salvage the economy, return the country to its past glory and redeem the suffering masses from untold hardships. He said since elections were won at the constituency level, he would ensure that all bottlenecks were removed to allow more people to join the party. He said he stood for the restoration of the party to its values and principles which were service, sacrifice, selflessness and tenacity of purpose.  Mr E. K.Tizzala, one of the aspirants contesting for the position of First Vice-Chairman in the Upper West Region, who was with him, called for the expansion of the electoral college to enable all card-bearing members to vote and elect all executives of the party at the constituency and regional level.  He also advocated that same must be applied when electing parliamentary candidates and national delegates. That, he said, would reduce the expenses involved, ensure an increase in the membership drive and generate a healthy competition among both the members and the executives.   

  A ceremony has been held to mark the construction of a new residence for the Paramount Chief of the Gbi Traditional Area at Hohoe. The original residence of Togbega Gabusu VI was damaged during communal violence that erupted between the Zongo community and the indigenes of the traditional area at Hohoe in 2012. A construction firm, C.W. Construction Works of Hohoe, is executing the GH¢254,561.25 project which is expected to be completed in six months. Two persons lost their lives and several stores owned by the Zongo community were burnt in that conflict. Background Hostilities erupted between the two factions on June 11, 2012 as a result of the exhumation of the body of the Chief Imam of Hohoe Zongo, which was found lying by the side of the road that leads to Santrokofi. The Zongo community, in a reprisal attack, invaded the residence of the paramount chief and burnt down three vehicles and some of his personal property, while stores belonging to members of the Zongo community were also razed. A committee was subsequently set up to investigate the causes of the conflict and come out with recommendations to help prevent a recurrence. Ceremony Addressing the Gbi Traditional Council prior to the ceremony, the Volta Regional Minister,  Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo, said one key recommendation made by the committee was the reconstruction of the residence of the paramount chief. He said the construction of the new residence was also in fulfilment of the government’s pledge and commended security personnel deployed to the area for maintaining law and order since the conflict erupted. Togbega Gabusu For his part, Togbega Gabusu VI expressed appreciation for the solidarity shown to him and his people by stakeholders during the crisis and thanked President Mahama for his concern and assurances.  

  Five new officers of the Methodist Girls Fellowship of the Bethel Methodist at Kasoa in the Central Region have been inducted. They are: Sisters Lilian Juliana Arthur, Connexional Caretaker; Cecilia Arhin, President; Gifty Aba Pratt, Secretary; Esther Afrakoma, Treasurer and Lily Lartey, an executive member. Instruments of office, including the Bible and the Methodist Church Hymnal were presented to guide them in their day-to-day activities as they steer the affairs of the fellowship. The Bishop of the Winneba Diocese of the Methodist Church, Rt Rev. Dr John Kweku Buabeng Odoom, who performed the induction, congratulated the officers on their assumption of office. In his sermon, he said God had called them to help turn the destiny of the young girls in the church around. He said it was by the grace of God they were called and not because of how beautiful, knowledgeable or competent they were. Rt Rev. Odoom reminded the members of the task in handling girls, adding that they should not underrate them since some of the girls knew things they the leaders  did not know. “Don’t assume they don’t know anything. I can assure you that they know more than you know,” he said. He asked the officers to be patient, encourage the young ones, preserve and have courage as they went about their work.  

  Some members of the Graduates Initiative Africa (GIA), a civil society group, claim they have started a hunger strike, to compel the National Service Council (NSC) and the Ministry of Education (MoE), to deduct the financial contributions of its members, who are service personnel, at source. The group set up a “Graduates Fund” the GIA Fund, which it uses to support members who set up their own businesses. The objective is to reduce graduate unemployment and promote entrepreneurship among unemployed graduates. When they gathered at the MOE at about 9.30 a.m. yesterday to present a petition, the group, numbering 10, had hung around their necks, placards with the inscription: “On hunger Strike till we see a change,”  Request Last year, the GIA submitted a request to the NSC to facilitate the deduction of  the dues of its national service members at source. According to the founder of the GIA, Mr Malcolm Asamoah, the NSC rejected the application on the grounds that such a request was against its auditing regulations. “I am ready to go on this hunger strike for as long as possible until the right thing is done. A life is at stake here and this shows that we are prepared to protect the interest of the youth”, he added. Education Ministry When contacted,  Mr Paul Krampa, the Director of Public Relations at MoE, said upon the receipt of the group’s petition, an official of the ministry was tasked to assess the request and added that the ministry had written to the NSC to reconsider its decision, Mr Krampah also said implementation of  the request was difficult and, therefore, advised the group to consider other options for paying their  dues.  

The Kpeve Water project is saddled with  problems that threaten  water supply to the regional capital, Ho,  and its surrounding communities. The existing floating intake is currently operating with three pumps instead of the required five. The pumps have also developed defects including rust, which could affect normal operations if the dry season should prolong. Activities of fish farmers around the intake source have  also become a threat to safe water delivery because the use of feed laced with chemicals has resulted in an increase in the quantity of  chemicals used in the  treatment of water. The Kpeve Water project,  which was installed 20 years ago,  was designed to deliver 4.5 million gallons of water a day . It has never achieved maximum production  because it is operating  six filters instead of eight, and currently supplies about 2.5 miilion  gallons a day.  The Regional Director of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Mr Anthony Alomatu, disclosed the state of the waterproject when the Volta Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo,  accompanied by his deputy, Mr Francis Ganyaglo,  and Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dayi, Mr Edem Asimah,  visited the Kpeve Water project last Monday. According to him, two new pumps were urgently needed to augment the strength of the deteriorated pumps to meet the increasing demand for water. He explained that the water project, which was commissioned in 1993, was designed to serve a population of 100,000 but said the attendant growth in the metropolis had made it difficult to meet the water demand. Mr Alomatu, therefore, justified the present rationing of water supply to Ho and advised residents to invest in water storage facilities.  Mr Afotey-Agbo advised that all proposals for upgrading, rehabilitation and expansion should be sent to his office to enable the Volta Regional Co-ordinating Council to make the necessary recommendations to  the government for immediate action to forestall more problems.

  Two brothers were found dead in a ‘galamsey’ pit last Sunday at Prestea. The two, who are twins, have been identified as Fuseini Adams and Alhassan Adams, both 35. According to the Prestea Huni-Valley District Crime Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Emmanuel Nwinsori, Fuseini left his Prestea residence  last Saturday but did not return. The crime officer said in the afternoon on Sunday, his twin brother, Alhassan,  in the company of his friend, Abubakari Jibriel, also left for an abandoned ‘galamsey’ site called “I Trust” to look for the brother. Upon reaching the site, the two friends carried out a fruitless search for Fuseini. Mr Mwinsori said Alhassan, therefore, decided to check the pit and asked Abubarkar  to wait for him. He  said Jibriel, who reported the case to the police, indicated that he waited for more than 30 minutes without Alhassan returning from the pit.  According to him, Jibriel said he also went underground to check what was going on in the pit only to discover the two bodies lying side by side in a wave of heat. The crime officer said Jibriel, therefore, rushed out of the pit and hurriedly went to inform the family of the twins about what had happened. He said with the help of members of the community, the two bodies were retrieved and deposited at the Prestea Government Hospital.  

The first edition of the monthly intercessory prayers for Ghana under the auspices of Aglow International comes off on Saturday, January 18, 2014, at 7 a.m. at the Black Star Square, Accra. A statement issued by the group said the programme, which was dubbed, “Re-dedicating Ghana unto God”, would be used first of all to thank God for Ghana’s peaceful transition into 2014 since it was neither by our might nor power but by His Spirit. “So as Ghanaians, we ought to say “not unto us but unto You be all glory, honour and adoration.” The programme is on the theme, “The Lord has been mindful of Ghana so He will bless us”, Psalm 115:12. The statement stressed the need to rededicate Ghana to God and ask Him for His involvement and direction in the governance of our motherland for a bright and secure future. It urged Ghanaians to participate fully either in person or via GTV at 10 a.m. The attire would be white. Similar prayer sessions would be held at the Jubilee Parks in Kumasi, Sunyani, Takoradi, Tamale, Bolga and Wa. Cape Coast: Wesley Hall, Koforidua: Jackson Park and Ho: RTC Park.

    The Government has signalled its determination to stem corruption in the country, with the termination of all contracts between the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA) through the Ministry of Youth and Sports on one hand and its service providers, on the other. Rlg Communications’ training module, the Asongtaba Cottage Industry and Exchange Programme (ACI&EP) and the Better Ghana Management Services Limited, a subsidiary of Jospong Group, the parent company of Zoomlion, are some of the casualties.    Termination letters The service providers signed the contracts on July 23, 2012 with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and GYEEDA to provide services for GYEEDA. Copies of the termination letters made available to the media and signed by the Chief Director of the ministry, Alhaji Abudulai Yakubu,indicated that the letters were  addressed to the chief executive officers of  the service providers.  It said that “On the basis of the agreement reached between the Ministry and the Company at the said meeting(s), I am directed to officially convey to you government’s decision to discontinue or terminate the contract with immediate effect”. The letters were dated January 9, 2014 and copied to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, the Minister of the Youth and Sports and the Executive Director of GYEEDA. “You are hereby requested to kindly continue to have engagements with the Attorney General’s Department and the Ministry of Justice on your liabilities to GYEEDA and ensure the refund of same to government,”  the letter further stated. Committee and recommendations The Government’s decision followed public outcry over the financial impropriety and malfeasance committed by the service providers. Subsequently, an investigative committee was set up by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, to look into the concerns raised. The committee, at the end of its investigation, made a number of recommendations, including the cancellation of some contracts it felt should never have been awarded in the first place. The report further recommended that the companies refund some money to the state. The President assured Ghanaians that the government would implement the recommendations of the report to the letter after due diligence. Reactions A source at Rlg Communications Ltd said three companies under the AGAMS Group had been affected and listed them as the Asongtaba Cottage Industry & Exchange Programme, the Rlg Communications Training Module and the CraftPro Ltd. The source indicated that it was not the Rlg Communications Training Module that would be grossly affected, but the thousands of beneficiaries made up of young people, who were taking advantage of the module to pursue ICT education. “What is the fate of the thousands of young people lining up to take advantage of the training that we offer,” the source queried and said since 2006, more than 50,000 young people had benefited from the training. The source also said as a responsible company, Rlg had cooperated with the government and all the agencies involved in resolving the issue since the issue came up, and said the company had taken note of the directive. It also said Rlg Communications Ltd, according the report, had been asked to refund GH¢55 million as overpayment and explained that on the aspect of service providers being paid for no work done, “It is GYEEDA that is supposed to provide the people to be trained and if the service providers are not given the people to train, that cannot be their fault.” When the Jospong Group of Companies was contacted, an official said the information had not been made available to him and that he was outside Accra so he would study the development when he returned before he could make a comment. Commenting on the termination, Mr Afriyie Ankrah said it took immediate effect and explained that before the termination, the ministry had had a series of discussions with the service providers and that currently there were no beneficiaries undergoing training. He also President Mahama had directed that “We pay the beneficiaries to exit to enable us to start on a clean sheet,” adding that no service provider could therefore, claim to be providing training for the beneficiaries. Giving the background, Mr Afriyie Ankrah said, for instance, when the GYEEDA programme was established in 2006, it had no legal backing and it had so many loopholes in its administrative and management structures. He wondered why a programme with such huge numbers could operate manually and was hopeful that the termination would enable GYEEDA to put in place all the necessary structures, including a biometric system, to ensure that “We are paying only those under the programme.” Writer’s email: [email protected]    

  A National Security Officer Wahab Nakpah has been nabbed over the murder of Dome Kwabenya Constituency Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Patrick Opoku Baah after robbing him at his residence in Taifa in 2009. Alhaji Martey Tei Korley, aka Mohammed aka Commando, the main architect, who was in court with Nakpah have been accused of robbing the deceased of jewellery, single barrel gun, and cash of GH 3,500 cedis  and a mobile phone. They also robbed the deceased’s visitor Claus Timman, a German of his mobile phone, GH 1,000 cedis and 3,500 Euros after shooting him (Timman). Earlier Korley was arraigned on charges of murder and possession of narcotic drugs. However, when the case was called on Monday, prosecuting Chief Superintendent of Police Duuti Tuaruka withdrew the charge sheet involving Korley and substituted it with another. In the new charge sheet, Korley and Nakpah were jointly held for conspiracy to commit crime, two counts of Robbery and Murder. Korley was facing an additional charge of possessing narcotic drugs without authority. They have pleaded not guilty to the charges and the court presided over by Mr Francis Obiri has remanded them into custody to reappear on January 27. The court has denied a bail application put in by counsels, Mr Kofi Bonney and Mr Jah Josiah who represented them. Meanwhile a duplicate docket has been forwarded to the Attorney General’s office for advice. The case of prosecution was that the complainant was the deceased’s son who lived with the father (the deceased) in the same house at Taifa in Accra. The accused persons reside at Nima in Accra. On June 16, 2009, the deceased received a friend, one Claus Timman, a German in his house. On June 18, 2009 at about 1:00am three armed men attacked Patrick Opoku Baah, now deceased and his wife in their bedroom and robbed them of their jewellery mobile phone and cash in the sum of GH 1,000 cedis and 3,500 Euros. Prosecution said as the robbers were about to leave the room, the deceased tried to pick his pump action gun and the robbers shot at him three times and he fell on his bed. According to prosecution, the robbers took along the gun and went into the next room and attacked and shot Claus Timman and bolted with his cash of GH 1,000 cedis and 3,500 Euros and a Nokia Mobile phone. Mr Baah and Timman were rushed to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital but Mr Baah was pronounced dead. Timman who was however treated and discharged, left for Germany three days later. Chief Supt. Tuaruka said the Police intensified their investigations and Korley was heard telling people on November 16, last year that he was one of the people behind the killing of Mr Baah on June 18, 2009. Prosecution said Korley described himself as a contract killer. Unknown to Korley his conversation was recorded and forwarded to the Police by a witness. In the said conversation Nakpah and others were mentioned as accomplices. Korley was therefore arrested on November 17, last year and when he was searched a wrapper of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis was found in his pocket. Prosecution said efforts were being made to apprehend the rest of the accomplices  

  Government has terminated all service contracts between the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Agency (GYEEDA) and its service providers. The contracts that have been cancelled include Rlg Communication's training module, Asongtaba Cottage Industry & Exchange Programme (ACI&EP) and the Better Ghana Management Services Limited, a subsidiary of Jospong Group, the parent company of Zoomlion.  The decision to cancel the contracts was reached following a series of meetings between government and the parties, a letter signed by the Chief Director of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Alhaji Abdulai Yakubu, and addressed to the service providers said. The letter dated January 9, 2014 read in part, "I am directed to convey to you, Government's decision to discontinue or terminate the contract with immediate effect.” "You are hereby requested to continue to have engagements with the Attorney General's Department and Ministry of Justice on your liabilities to GYEEDA and ensure the refund of same to Government,” it added. Following allegations of questionable partnerships between GYEEDA and some service providers, the government set up a committee to investigate its operations. The committee, in its report, which was presented to President Mahama, recommended the cancellation of some contracts it said should never have been awarded in the first place and the refund of some monies to the state. An action paper on the report further proposed the drafting of a GYEEDA Bill for consideration by cabinet, and accordingly, the Chief of Staff, Mr Prosper Douglas Bani, was instructed to coordinate work on the exercise. The action paper also asked the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the Attorney General’s (AG) Department and the Police Criminal and Investigative Department to assume full responsibility for investigation of all persons and organisations cited in the Ministerial Committee Report in respect of financial and administrative improprieties, as well as retrieval of monies to the state.  

Professor Marian Ewurama Addy, the first woman professor of Science at the University of Ghana is reported dead. A family source told Accra based radio station, Citi FM that the professor of Biochemistry died Tuesday morning after a short illness. As a resource person for science education programmes in Ghana, Prof Addy became very popular as the host of the Science and Maths quiz  television programme - Brilliant Science and Maths Quiz. She contributed immensely to science education by making the subject interesting to Ghanaians of all ages with her role as the Quiz Mistress of the national weekly science and maths quiz programme, . It is believed that her quiz mistress role inspired many female students to study science. She was 72 years old. Biography  Prof. Marian Ewurama Addy was a Professor of Biochemistry. In January 2008 she was appointed President of the Anglican University College of Technology, a newly launched private initiative for higher technical education in Ghana. She is currently Chair of the Policy Committee on Developing Countries (PCDC), a Committee of the International Council for Science, (ICSU), Chair of Ghana’s National Board for Professional and Technicians Examinations (NABPTEX), member of WHO Regional Expert Committee on Traditional Medicine, advisor to the International Foundation for Science, Stockholm, Sweden and Founder and First Executive Secretary of Western Africa Network of Natural Products Research Scientists (WANNPRES), established February 2002. In the seventies, she took leave from the University of Ghana to become the Director of Programmes for the Science Education Programme for Africa (SEPA), a pan African programme for pre-tertiary science education, which was based in Accra Ghana.  Her experiences in academia were mainly in teaching biochemistry, both basic and applied, to undergraduate, post-graduate, dental and medical students at the University of Ghana, Legon and at Howard University College of Medicine in Washington DC. Her main area of research was the science of herbal preparations used by Traditional Medical Practitioners, especially their safety, efficacy and how they work.  She was a member of the Kwami Committee, a Technical Committee on Polytechnic Education set up by the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE), to study and make recommendations that was to guide the NCTE to formulate policy and advise government on polytechnic education. She was also a member of a four-man UNDP Consultancy Team in Ghana set up in 1994 to formulate a National Action Program for Science and Technology Development.  Professor Addy was educated at the University of Ghana, where she studied towards a degree in Botany, and at the Pennsylvania State University, where she obtained Masters and Doctorate degrees in biochemistry. As head of unit or department in various institutions, Professor Addy was responsible for initiating projects, running workshops and sourcing for funds for these activities as well as for younger scientists in training.  Professor Addy’s interest and extension activities were in bridging the gap between scientific and indigenous knowledge and in the popularisation of science. She was often called upon to be a Resource Person and/or Role Model for programmes in female science education. She was the first Quiz Mistress of the popular weekly televised National Science and Mathematics Quiz programme, primarily aimed at improving the learning of science and mathematics for secondary school students. She hosted the programme for seven years and was responsible for its popularity.   Professor Addy received many awards including: The Millennium Excellence Award for Educational Development at the turn of the millennium; UNESCO Kalinga Prize for the popularization of science in 1999; The Africa-America Institute’s Distinguished Alumna for Excellence in 1998 and Marketing Woman of the Year, in 1995, for marketing Science.  She was made a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts & Sciences in 1999.

  About five students of the Nyaneba Health Assistant Training School in Tema are currently on admission at the Tema General Hospital after a gas explosion at the school. The five according to reports were badly burnt in the explosion which happened last night. An eyewitness who helped in taking some of the injured students to the hospital told Citi News, that the timely intervention by the Ghana Fire Service helped the situation. Narrating the incident, he noted that “I was in my house, which is adjacent to the Nursing training school when I heard a voice over there screaming help me, help me so I quickly went for a fire extinguisher and rushed to the building.” Meanwhile, the Ghana National Fire Service has launched investigations into the fire. According to the Chief Metro Fire Officer at the Tema Metropolis, William Abeka, three people were immediately rushed to the hospital while the other injured person who was later discovered after a roll call was also rushed to the hospital later.  

  A national security operative was yesterday put before the circuit court in Accra for an alleged robbery and murder of the then New Patriotic Party (NPP) Vice-Chairman of the Dome Kwabenya Constituency, Mr Patrick Opoku Baah. Wahab Naakpah, who appeared together with Alhaji Martey Tei Korley, alias Mohammed, displayed open grief when the court declined to grant him bail. They were said to have committed the crime at Taifa in Accra, on June 18, 2009 and robbed the deceased of his jewellery, a single-barrelled pump action gun and GH¢3,500 cash. Both face four counts of conspiracy, robbery and murder. Korley, who is also known as ‘Commando’, faces an additional charge of possessing narcotic drugs without lawful authority.  They both pleaded not guilty to all the charges. Refusing them bail on the grounds that the offences were not bailable, the court, presided over by Mr Francis Obiri, remanded the two in custody to reappear on January 27, 2014. Meanwhile, the docket on the case has been forwarded to the Attorney-General's office for advice. Facts of the case The facts of the case as presented by the prosecution were  that the son of the deceased, who is also the complainant in the case, lived together with his parents at Taifa. Around 1 a.m. on June 18, 2009,  three armed men attacked  Mr Baah, his wife and son and robbed them of their belongings and GH¢3,500. Mr Opoku Baah was shot three times in the chest when he attempted to pick up his pump action gun after the robbery. They then took his gun and went to a room which housed the deceased's visitor from Germany, shot him also and robbed him of GH¢1000, 3,500 euros and a Nokia cellular phone. The robbers bolted immediately after the robbery, while Opoku Baah and his German friend, Mr Claus Timmann, were rushed to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for treatment. Unfortunately, Mr Baah was pronounced dead on arrival. Mr Timmann was treated and  he left for Germany three days after the incident. Arrests On November 16, 2009, Korley was overheard by a witness telling people he was contracted to kill the deceased. A witness in the case recorded Korley's confession and forwarded it to the police. Naakpah was cited with another in the recordings as being one of the accomplices in the robbery. Korley was subsequently arrested on November 17, 2013 and a search on him revealed one wrapper of Indian hemp in his pocket. Naakpah was picked up on January 9, 2014. The police are making efforts to arrest a third accomplice. Writer’s email: [email protected].  

  The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) failed to meet its revenue target of GH¢15.61 billion for 2013, the Commissioner-General of GRA, Mr George Blankson, has said. He said the authority fell below its target by 17 per cent, which, therefore, puts the revenue collected last year at GH¢12.96 billion. Mr Blankson added that analysis conducted by the organisation revealed that revenue collected in 2013 was, however, 14 per cent above that of the GH¢11.7 billion figure realised in 2012, contending that “the failure to meet the 2013 target isn’t for want of effort”. Mr Blankson was speaking at a ceremony in Accra to honour staff of GRA who brought their services to an end in 2013. In all, 120 retirees from the 10 regions were honoured for the dedicated services and sacrifices they made to the company. The retirees were presented with plaques and undisclosed amount of money. Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Commissioner-General said the authority would provide detailed information on the 2013 target at the appropriate time. He also declined to give reasons for GRA’s inability to meet the 2013 target.  Achievements in 2013 Speaking on the successes chalked up by the GRA in 2013, Mr Blankson said beyond revenue generation, the authority was in the process of transforming its procedures and processes, among others, to enhance effectiveness. He stated that the GRA was able to set up the medium and small taxpayer offices and also integrated the operational wings of the former VAT Service and the Internal Revenue Service, creating one-stop-shop offices in many parts of the country. “In Africa, not many countries have been able to achieve this feat; even many of those countries who have engaged in this integration reforms for many years have not been able to roll out this project. This is an achievement we are proud to celebrate,” he added. The GRA, he said, was also able to establish the populace transaction concept, which was successfully implemented in Takoradi and at the Kotoka International Airport ((KIA); an achievement he attributed to the hard work of the retirees. On the Automation of Domestic Tax Revenue, Mr Blankson said GRA was able to develop the automation process to an advance stage and was on the verge of completing it. Advice to Staff Mr Blankson advised staff of GRA to put measures in place to ensure their comfort after retirement. According to him, retirement came with age and as such, no one could stop it, explaining that in less than two years the entire management of the GRA including himself would go on retirement. Mr Blankson also advised staff to accord the needed respect to one another and their clients adding, “this office you are occupying is temporary”. On behalf of the organisation, he thanked the retired staff for their services and pledged management’s commitment to put in place effective measures to ensure that their welfare was secured.  

  Asafosa, an ancient tradition of which the chiefs and people of Mamfe-Akuapem drank palm wine from a single pot, was perfectly enacted over the weekend when all the divisional chiefs of Akuapem joined in the drinking. Under the process, which forms part of the activities to celebrate the Ohum Festival, each of the chiefs and clan heads, as well as the queens of the town brings a pot containing fresh palm wine which is poured into a giant pot after which libation is poured. The chief of Mamfe first drank the palm wine before it was distributed to everybody present amid traditional drumming and dancing. No ill feeling The ritual is a sign that none of the chiefs or the people has any ill feeling towards one another and that all of them have united for a common purpose. This year’s gathering - the biggest in recent times - brought together all the divisional chiefs of Akuapem or their representatives and some sub-chiefs from other paramountcies such as Akyem Abuakwa and Kwahu. The Omanhene of Akwamu, Odeneho Kwafo Akoto II, was also present with large retinue mostly warriors and executioners displaying their prowess in war and other traditional practices to the delight of the gathering. Also present were the Eastern Regional Minister, Mrs Helen Adjoa Ntoso, her deputy, Miss Mavis Ama Frempong, the immediate past Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, a former Minister of Health, Mr Nuamah Donkor, and a former Eastern Regional Minister, Dr Kwasi Akyem Apea-Kubi. Ansa Sasraku speaks Sitting in state to receive the visiting chiefs and government officials, the Mamfehene, who was also the Kyidomhene of Akuapem, Osabarima Ansa Sasraku, said the large gathering of the chiefs and people had demonstrated unity and togetherness and that the re-unification of Akuapem was an added impetus to accelerate the traditional area’s development. ICT training With regard to the development of Mamfe, the Mamfehene, who was instrumental in the setting up of an ICT and Skill Training Centre in the town, was hopeful that the youth in the town, as well as Akuapem would take the advantage to acquire ICT skills to improve their lot. The town is currently enjoying good drinking water but its roads are not the best and as such the Mamfehene called for government assistance in reshaping them. Osabarima Ansa Sasraku expressed his appreciation to all who helped to make the gathering a grand one. Helen Adjoa Ntoso In response, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mrs Helen Adjoa Ntoso, enumerated a number of government initiatives - particularly in education - of which over 4,000 laptops had been distributed to pupils and students in the region. A number of roads in the region, she also indicated, had been awarded on contract while unemployment was also being tackled through the Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Programme. She praised the Mamfehene for his able leadership that had led to the improvement of the living standard of his people.