Identical twin girls were last Friday killed when the building in which they slept collapsed on them at Abenabo, a village in the Suhum municipality in the Eastern Region. The twins, identified as Akweley and Akorkor, aged four, were killed instantly when the bricks of the weak thatched structure fell on them following a heavy downpour. Six others who were also sleeping in the same structure, including the twins’ parents, sustained minor injuries and were rushed to the Suhum Government Hospital, where they were treated and discharged.   Bodies under debris Briefing the Daily Graphic, the Suhum Municipal Police Commander, Superintendent Anane Appiah, stated that the bodies of the twins had been deposited at the Suhum Government Hospital. He said the police received a report last Friday that twin girls had been killed by a collapsing building at Abenabo near Suhum. When the police rushed to the scene, they found the bodies of the little girls under the debris of the collapsed building, he said. Too late to save According to him, the mother of the children, Akweley Madzi, told the police that she was sleeping in the same room with the kids when she heard cracking sounds in the building. She, therefore, woke up to check what could be the cause of the cracking. “But before she could open the door, the building caved in and the bricks fell on the kids, killing them instantly,” the police commander stated.  

  SavaNna Signatures, a non-governmental organisation in the Northern Region, is making effective use of information and communication tools to aid pregnant women access important information related to their welfare. The technology, being piloted in four districts of the region, is to help improve maternal health. The NGO is using information and communication tools to implement the Technology for Maternal Health (TMH) project, which started in September 2013 in the Tamale Metropolis, Savelugu/Nanton, Kumbungu districts and the Yendi Municipality. Miss Elizabeth Hariba Jakalia,  the  Project Officer for TMH, said under the project, some computers and software had been donated to four hospitals for nurses and midwives to educate pregnant women, especially on safe delivery. She said SMS messages were sent to the pregnant women who had been registered with the system and that some 1,735 pregnant women received periodic information on nutrition, hygiene, tips on antenatal care, dangerous signs and preparations towards delivery. At the King’s Medical Centre at Bontanga in the Kumbungu District, Mr Nii Otu Ankrah, the Director of Administration, commended the Savanna Signatures for implementing the innovative project but suggested the need for a projector to showcase video documentaries to the pregnant women at antenatal clinics. He said such a documentary would better inform the pregnant women, especially those who could not read and write, stressing that the facility had upgraded the ICT knowledge of the staffMadam Amina Mumuni, a Matron at the King’s Medical Centre said the project would serve as a complementary education about pregnancy to the expectant mothers in addition to what was being provided by nurses and midwives. She said 200 pregnant women in the hospital had so far been registered on the system and received periodic information on their mobile phones. Madam Vida Molah, a pregnant woman, said the technology had helped her to receive timely information which enabled her to understand her pregnancy.  — GNA  

      Some female porters (kayayei) interviewed in a study conducted by ABANTU for Development, a non-governmental organisation, on their access to health care under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) have expressed dissatisfaction about the services they receive in some health centres. According to the study, they complained of being discriminated against anytime they visited health facilities, leading to unnecessary delay in accessing health care, and called for improved services at health facilities. The research, which was conducted in three metropolises, namely Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi, revealed that the ‘kayayei’ complained of discrimination from the hospital staff, particularly nurses whenever they visited the facilities to seek  health care. The research, a STAR-Ghana funded project, was on the topic, “Enhancing Gender and Social Responsiveness of the NHIS: The case of the female porter and senior citizens.” At a stakeholders forum organised by ABANTU for Development, in collaboration with Window of Hope, a local NGO, to disseminate the research report, it also came to light that majority of the respondents expressed their unhappiness about the fact that despite the operation of the NHIS, they sometimes paid for the cost of some drugs  and medical tests, which, according to health officials, are not covered under the scheme. Out of the 303 interviewed in the three metropolises, 71.6 per cent had registered with the scheme with 50.8 per cent having valid NHIS cards, that is, unexpired cards. The study, however, established that female senior citizens who reported at the hospitals were given fair treatment by the hospital staff. Majority of those with valid NHIS cards were found to be female senior citizens and this was because most of them were pensioners, while others fell under the exempt group and as such paid lower than the average subscription premium. The research, therefore, recommended the need for the scheme to do sex disaggregated data to enable it to respond to the specific needs of different groups of women and men. It further suggested that the scheme should collect the mobile numbers of members during registration and find ways of tracking the expiration and renewal dates. That, according to the research, would allow the scheme to partner with the telecommunication companies  operating in the country to send text messages or voice messages to prompt card holders to renew them. According to Ms Afua Gyapomaa of ABANTU for Development, who presented the report, “there is the perception among our respondents that the NHIS covers only the less expensive medicines.” This was confirmed by some of the health officials who attended the programme and claimed it was becoming very difficult to run the facilities due to unavailability of funds and as result, health facilities had to charge the patients for their services. The study established that most of the respondents had a fair knowledge of the NHIS, despite  some few misconceptions and misunderstandings, particularly with regards to renewal.      

  Most of the drainage systems in the Ledzokuku constituency are choked with refuse and other waste materials, a situation which has raised public health concerns. The Member of Parliament for the Ledzokuku constituency, Mrs Benita Sena Okity-Duah, last Thursday led the Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Mr Vincent Oppong Asamoah, and the Ledzokuku Krowo Municipal  Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Seth Badu Tawiah, to inspect the choked drains. Places visited The team inspected drains at Teshie Sangonaa, Nkome Nfa, Teshie Lascala, Sangojor and the GREDA Estates. One common feature identified during the inspection was the stench that emanated from the drains. Blocked drainage systems Mrs Duah said most of the drainage systems had caused flooding in the past, adding that “just a few weeks ago and before Christmas, we experienced a disaster in the constituency”. Mrs Duah also said a lot of structures had been erected on waterways, thereby blocking the flow of water during the rainy season. She called for a change in people’s attitudes, especially in respect of sanitation. In her interaction with residents, Mrs Duah advised them not to throw rubbish into the drains. She also cautioned them about the possible flooding of the area if they did not change their attitude. Demolition exercise Mr Tawiah told the journalists that the assembly had passed a resolution to destroy all structures built on waterways. Though he would not disclose the period the exercise would take place, he said it  would begin after the necessary consultations had been done. Ministry of Water Resources Works and Housing Mr Oppong Asamoah said the ministry of Water, Resources, Works and Housing was working hard to expand most of the drainage systems in Accra. He said the government had made a lot of investments to improve the drainage systems in Accra and gave the assurance that most of the systems in the Ledzokuku Constituency would be cleared by March this year.  

Two magistrates and a circuit court judge were dismissed last year from the judiciary for misconduct. Justice Dennis Adjei, an Appeal Court Judge who made this known, said the move was part of efforts by the judiciary to weed out undesirable elements in the system. Speaking at a forum organised for young lawyers in Accra, Justice Adjei said the General Legal Council which was mandated by law to deal with lawyers whose actions might contradict the ethics of the legal profession had placed an eagle eye on its members to ensure that they upheld the tenets of the profession. He emphasised that  one must have a good moral attitude with no criminal record to qualify to join the bench . Justice Adjei further told the young lawyers that they could apply to work in various capacities in the Judicial Service but cautioned them not to make money their sole inspiration and focus as lawyers. He advised the young lawyers to be good apprentices to their senior partners in order to gradually acquire the needed knowledge and skills attached to the legal profession. Upgrading of skills The Chief Justice, Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, in her address, advised the young lawyers to seek further knowledge by enrolling in post graduate programmes. She said her office was committed to enhancing the capacity of members of the judiciary adding that “to show my commitment to this course, we have sent some judges abroad, to undertake some postgraduate courses”. Young Lawyers’ Forum The President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Nene Amegatcher, said the forum was organised to create a platform for young lawyers to contribute to the progress of the GBA. He added that the forum was established as a platform to enable the GBA members to follow best practices and also afford the young lawyers a platform where their  needs would be addressed. “It is to address these issues bordering on the welfare of young lawyers, which have been impeding their professional growth that led to the proposals to establish the Young Lawyers’ Forum”, he added. He also added that the Young Lawyers’ Forum would be a platform for dynamic and resourceful lawyers to make a difference. Pro bono For his part, the Criminal Justice Advisor to the British High Commission, Mr Roger Coventry, advised the young lawyers to use their legal knowledge to seek justice for the poor and the underprivileged. He told the young lawyers to make themselves available for pro bono or free service cases, to help the underprivileged, adding that “pro bono will also help you sharpen your skills in law”. Mr Coventry also advised the young lawyers not to be afraid of committing mistakes and further encouraged them to be confident in their bid to seek justice.      

  President John Dramani Mahama has underscored the need for Ghanaians to bury the acrimonious past and live together as one people, working for the good of the country. “Whether NDC or NPP; Kusasi or Mamprusi; Alavanyo or Nkonya; Andani or Abudu, we are one people and must not succumb to divisions,” he said. The President made the call at a memorial service in Accra put together by Action Chapel International and the South African Embassy in Ghana in memory of former South Africa President, Nelson Mandela, who died on December 5, last year.  Held at the Action Chapel, the service received high patronage from former President Jerry Rawlings, politicians, members of the Diplomatic Corps and Christians from other churches who joined the congregation of the host church to celebrate the life of the late South African leader. No revenge President Mahama said the South African situation, where Mr Mandela and the Black population never allowed the evils of apartheid to push them into revenge, was worth emulating by Ghanaians and, indeed, the people of other African countries. “Apartheid was the most inhuman form of governance the world ever  witnessed, yet Mr Mandela sought reconciliation. “We should not just eulogise this great African leader but learn from his life,” Mr Mahama said. The President made reference to the sacrifices the late South African leader made for his nation and said it was important that Africa emulated the example. Patriotism Recalling a recent statement by the Council of State that the level of patriotism on the part of Ghanaians had waned, the President indicated that the issue needed to be taken seriously by all in order to correct the wrongs in society. Mr Mahama rejected claims by some people that apartheid was defeated through dialogue, insisting that it was the arms struggle that forced the apartheid leaders to go to the negotiating table with the Africa National Congress (ANC). Archbishop Duncan-Williams At the memorial service punctuated with melodious South African songs and applauses, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, the General Overseer of Action Chapel International, said what made President Mandela stood out and also commanded much respect across the world was that he taught the world three things—forgiveness, respect for human dignity and reconciliation. “These were values he held onto. He lived forgiveness; he demonstrated it. Forgiveness is not a forgotten memory. Forgiveness is memory without revenge; memory without pain,” he said He observed that although the late South African President had the power to pay back all those who mistreated him and other black South Africans, he chose to reconcile the nation. South African High Commissioner The South African High Commissioner to Ghana, Madam Jeanette Ndhlovu, in an emotional tribute, described the life of Mandela as ‘well lived’.    

  It has now emerged that the man who is alleged to have attacked a second-year medical student of the University for Development Studies (UDS) in Tamale is the victim’s cousin. The police have mounted a search for the suspect, who is on the run.  A stethoscope, one of the items stolen from the victim after the attack, has been retrieved by the police. A co-tenant, who allegedly bought it from the suspect, handed the item over to the police.  Meanwhile, the 20-year old victim, Salma Yakubu, is currently responding to treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of the Tamale Teaching Hospital for the multiple injuries she sustained.  Last Monday afternoon, the suspect allegedly attacked the student at her residence at the SSNIT Flats in Tamale.  The Northern Regional Police Crime Officer, Alhaji Mahama Arhin, told the Daily Graphic that when the picture of the suspect, whose name has not been given for security reasons, was shown to the victim on her sick bed yesterday morning, she nodded her head.  Ms Salma is currently unable to speak or answer any questions pertaining to the assault as a result of the severity of her injuries.  Alhaji Arhin explained that the suspect, who is a nephew of the victim’s father, had lived closely with the family till   now.  He said the suspect was enrolled into electrical apprenticeship by his uncle in Accra where the victim and her family resided.  The suspect was subsequently brought back home to Tamale where the uncle rented a room for him to continue his work as an electrician.  He said on the fateful Monday, January 13, 2014, the suspect went to the victim’s apartment where he allegedly demanded to have sex with her. However, she turned down his amorous advances.   The suspect is said to have subsequently attacked her with some sharp implements, resulting in the serious injuries on her head and other parts of her body.  She was left in a pool of blood.  Later, when she gained consciousness, she descended the stairs to the ground floor where she collapsed.  Her condition attracted the attention of her neighbours who had to call in the Ambulance Service to pick her to the hospital.  According to Alhaji Arhin, further investigations were ongoing to ascertain whether the suspect acted alone or with other persons.  He, however, gave an assurance that the suspect was being pursued and “would be captured”.  

      A 13-year-old girl has been paralysed temporarily after she had allegedly been defiled by a first-year student of the University of Ghana, Legon. The girl, whose name has been withheld by the police for security reasons, has been on admission since Tuesday, January 21, 2014. She was rushed to hospital unconscious and has since been receiving medical attention. Girl was drugged  She was said to have been drugged by Hamid Ayiku, the suspect, who forcibly had sex with her while she was unconscious. The incident happened at Anyaa Insunfa in Accra on Monday, January 21, 2014.  Ayiku, who lives with his parents in the same house where the victim and her family live, is said to have forcibly had sex with the girl in his room. Mother Reports to Police  Though the house is a compound one, none of the tenants could tell how the victim ended up in the suspect’s room. The victim’s mother reported the ghastly sexual encounter her daughter had been subjected to to the police. The suspect has been arrested and the Kaneshie Office of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service is handling the case. The Kaneshie DOVVSU told the Daily Graphic that the office was still investigating the matter and would put the suspect before court soon. writer’s email:[email protected]      

Traders at the Makola Number 2 Market at Agbogbloshie in Accra have appealed to the government to come to their aid as their lives are threatened by sewage running through the market. According to the traders, initially, it was only the effluent that passed through the market, but now the stench emanating from it was unbearable. They claimed the situation had forced many of them to abandon their stalls, and all efforts to get the managers of the market to come to their aid had so far proved futile. The traders, who called at the offices of the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, said they had been given a raw deal by the government because it had failed to honour a promise to rebuild the market, which was razed down by fire last year. History of the Market According to them, about 24 years ago, they were trading at the old Makola Number 2 Market until fire razed down the whole market, causing authorities to  relocate them to the new site at the Agbogbloshie Market, where they had been for the past 15 years. Incidentally in 2010, they suffered their first fire outbreak at their present location in which goods worth millions of cedis were lost. At that time, President Atta Mills came to the market to console them, and assured them that the government would to assist them but unfortunately, he passed away. They said just as they were trying to rebuild their lives, another fire razed down the whole market again in 2013, and on that occasion, not a single shop was salvaged. President Mahama After the incident, President John Mahama also came to console them and thereafter, the market was closed for weeks for repairs; but after waiting for while, without any immediate sign of serious repairs,  they moved to the parking lot within the market where they erected makeshift stalls. Unfortunately, the sewage currently flowing through the market has made trading and life unbearable for the traders, as well as their customers. The traders claim they have to sweep the sewage daily before they can display their wares, despite the fact that the stench emanating from it is ‘killing’ them and has made it difficult for buyers to patronise their wares. All attempts by the market women to get the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to solve the problem has so far not yielded any response. Meanwhile, they had to pay GH¢140 to AMA before the stalls were erected and now pay a monthly charge of GH¢12.  Reaction from AMA According to the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the AMA, Nuumo Blafo, the first time the issue of the sewage came to the notice of the AMA, they quickly contacted the Sewage Department of the AMA, which solved the problem.  He disclosed that nobody had contacted the AMA about the latest development, and advised the women to report the matter to the sewage department. In connection with the construction of a new market, the PRO revealed that the market did not belong to the AMA but SSNIT and a private company, and that those two organisations would have to reconstruct it for the traders. He, however, indicated that after the fire outbreak, the company in charge of the market promised to rebuild the market but up to date, nothing had been done. Writers email: [email protected]

Tema, Jan 26, GNA -Ten persons died while 110 others sustained various degrees of injury in industrial accidents in Tema in three years. “In 2011, five people lost their lives while 40 persons got injured but in 2012, the total number of deaths reported decreased to two and injuries increased to 50. In 2013, three lost their lives with 20 sustaining injuries,” Dr Stephen Ankamah-Lomotey, Metropolitan Director of Factories, told the Ghana News Agency, at the weekend.Dr Lomotey said his outfit is intensifying its training programmes to increase awareness in various industrial establishments for workers and managers to know the dangers they are exposed to.He said most of the multinational establishments in Tema comply with the stipulated health and safety rules and regulations but the Indian and Chinese firms put profit above the safety of their workers.According to him, the health and safety environment is dynamic and fast paced and called for resources to upgrade the knowledge of workers to be at abreast of the prevailing circumstances.“We do not have a legal section that can help us compel companies to strictly adhere to the rules and regulations. We need resources to do monitoring because without that people will easily overlook health and safety issues which are serious labour and human rights.”Dr Lomotey appealed to the government to make health and safety a priority, because apart from ensuring that workers work in conducive environments, it could also rake in a lot of revenue.The Factories Inspectorate Division is mandated under Act 328, to inspect all occupations and to make sure that safety standards are observed by ensuring routine inspection and investigating all reportable accidents to prevent reoccurrence.

  The Saharawi Arab Republic Ambassador to Ghana has commended Ghana for its support for his country in its fight against Moroccan colonial rule. Ambassador Mahayub Buyema acknowledged Ghana’s position which supported Saharawi Republic’s right to exist as an independent state in line with the United Nations (UN) resolutions. Currently, there are Ghanaian troops in that country on a peacekeeping mission. Speaking during a courtesy call on the Editor of the Daily Graphic, Mr Ransford Tetteh, the ambassador recounted Ghana’s continuous diplomatic support for the western Saharan country that had been under Moroccan rule since 1976, in spite of a bloody war that ended in 1991. Making a case for an independent Saharawi, he said: “The problem of Saharawi is a problem of colonisation. The resolutions are clear that we want a referendum. If the people of Saharawi want to be independent, that is their right, and it should be their prerogative as well if they want to be part of Morocco; it should not be imposed on them.” The history The Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) was created on February 27, 1976, when Spain abdicated its legal responsibilities and relinquished its control over Western Sahara without organising a referendum. In 1982, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) admitted the SADR as a member, acknowledging its status as the sovereign government of Western Sahara. Morocco annexed Western Sahara after the Spanish settlers pulled out in 1975. The result was a long-running battle with the Polisario Front, a leading Saharawi independent movement, until 1991. Morocco’s claims to the territory relied on the fact that Western Sahara was part of the Greater Maghreb –a  territory in Northern Africa that was historically allied with the Moroccan Sultanate and fought as part of the Moroccan Liberation Army against Spain. The International Court of Justice in 1976 acknowledged such ties but determined that they were not sufficient to prove Moroccan sovereignty over the territory. Although the United Nations (UN)  recognised the occupation of Saharawi as illegal, it failed to speed up the process of independence for Samaria. The UN has maintained a peacekeeping mission meant to hold a referendum on the autonomy of Sahara (MINUS) since 1991, but it has no mandate to monitor human rights abuses, a skeleton staff, and thanks to France’s Security Council veto which has failed to produce a referendum for 23 years now. The issues Under pressure from the international community, Morocco, last year, presented an autonomy plan for the western Saharan country. But Mr Mazur maintained that Saharawi was not a Moroccan territory and its independence should not be at the whims and caprices of Morocco. “The Saharawi people need to exercise their right to self-determination.  The Moroccans and all other interest groups could submit their proposals about settlement but the ultimate decision as to whether to become independent, autonomous or part of Morocco rests with our people.” While the military option is on the table, the leadership of the country, the ambassador said, preferred the political alternative because of the casualties of war. He, however, indicated that the patience of Saharawians was running out and they would pursue all means, including the military option if that was what would ensure their country’s independence. Support for Saharawi Mr Ransford Tetteh, for his part, said the world had become a global village where what was happening in Saharawi Republic should be of concern to all. “All of us must jointly fight together to ensure that Morocco respected the UN resolution so that all of us can contribute to the development of our continent,” he noted. “It is sad that most of the things you can hear about our continent on the international media is about wars, famine, disease and poverty. There are other areas of celebration. Africans are hardworking people, struggling to lift themselves out of these difficulties.  The only way out is for our leaders to bond and fight to ensure that every African is free to determine his or her own future,” he said.  

The Ministry of Trade has secured $5 million from an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) to support small and medium-scale enterprises in the oil and gas sector. The money will be disbursed over a five-year period. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the ministry and the NGO, PYXERA Global, for the release of the money. The sector minister, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, signed on behalf of the Government of Ghana,  while the United States Ambassador to Ghana Mr Gene Cretz, signed for the NGO. Background of the programme Last year, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded a $4.9-million grant to PYXERA Global to implement the programme in the Western Region for a five-year period. The programme strives to increase the capacity of local business service providers relating to the oil and gas sector’s procurement regulations and standards. It is also to create a market linkage between the oil and gas sector and collaborate closely with the Enterprise Development Centre to facilitate the sustainable provision of business development services. Minster of Trade In his remarks at the signing ceremony,  Mr Haruna Iddrisu said the support was in line with the government’s objective to create the necessary environment “that would improve productivity, build entrepreneurial capacity, innovation and access to finance.” He said with the implementation of the industrial sector support programme, the ministry would increase the supply and improve the quality of entrepreneurial and management skills of the SMEs. That, he said, would be achieved through the strengthening of identified and already existing institutions to deliver training programmes that would meet the current and future needs of the manufacturing sector. Mr Iddrisu, therefore, urged members of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), the Federation of Association of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE), and other Ghanaian SMEs to take advantage of the opportunity being offered to support their businesses. US Ambassador The United States Ambassador to Ghana, said the MoU was a visible demonstration of the commitment of the US Government to ensure that Ghanaian businesses had the expertise and the support needed to bid for and, most importantly, win procurement contracts in the oil and gas sector. “There can be no clearer example of our strongly held view that local content is a worthy goal and can be mutually beneficial when there is a cooperative process of consultation and shared understanding,” he said.

  The Ghana Road Transport Operators (GRTO) has announced a 10 percent increase in transport fares across the country. The increment is expected to take effect from Monday 27th of January 2014. The statement signed by the General Secretary of GTUC, Stephen Okudzeto and General Secretary of GRTCC, Alhaji Aliyu Baba said the Road Transport Operators reviewed their prices based on the various elements that go into running commercial transport. “The new road transport fares cover the following types of Road Transport Operations : Intra-City (Trotro), Inter-City (Long Distance) and Taxis Cabs.’’ The statement also advised drivers and members, as well as commuters to co-operate for the ‘’success of these changes’’. The increase in fares comes on the back of recent increment in fuel prices by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA).  

  The Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, Dr Alfred Okoh Vanderpujie, has denied media reports that his official residence and other properties belonging  to the assembly have been auctioned to defray  a GH¢33 million debt it owed the City and Country Waste Limited (CCWL), a solid waste management company. “As far as I know, the government intervened in that matter and I did not know where that information came from,” he stated. It was reported in a section of the media that the official residence of Dr Vanderpujie had been auctioned for GH¢850,000.The reports also alleged that three other properties belonging to the AMA and located at  Ridge in Accra were also  sold for a total of GH¢2,255,000. They included a six-bedroom bungalow in which an official of the assembly resided which was sold for GH¢780,000; and two other bungalows which went for GH¢725,000 and GH¢750,000. Dr Vanderpujie stressed that there was no truth in those publications. Incidentally, he still lives in the same residence today. Though he declined to provide information regarding the status of the situation, Dr Vanderpujie stressed that “ the government has already intervened in the matter and there will not be any auctioning of our properties.” Precedents of CCWL/AMA contract Vans Mart, the auctioneer had been scheduled to publicly sell off the city authority’s assets, which included its head office, the chief executive’s official residence at  Ridge, vehicles and other landed properties on November 7, 2013, but that did not happen. The issues that led to that point dated back to 1997 and it is steeped in a breach of contract by the assembly. The CCWL entered into a contract with the AMA in December, 1997, but the contract was allegedly abrogated in 2001. In the agreement, the AMA was said to have contracted CCWL to provide services for pre-collection, collection and haulage of refuse within Accra. Under the agreement, the AMA was to provide and lease waste collection and haulage equipment to the CCWL for a period of five years, while landfill equipment were to be leased for seven years. The CCWL was to pay user fees to the AMA for the equipment for five years from the inception of the date the agreement came into effect. After the respective periods, the equipment were to become the property of the CCWL. According to a representative of the company, during the duration of the agreement, CCWL submitted various invoices to the AMA for payment in respect of work done, but the assembly paid only a fraction of them. The CCWL, therefore, sued the AMA in 2002, claiming GH¢12 million, being the cost of the services it rendered to the assembly in two years but which was in arrears at the time the contract was abrogated. The Accra High Court granted the reliefs sought by the CCWL and ordered the AMA to pay the amount. Not satisfied, however, the AMA appealed against the judgement but lost at the Court of Appeal. It then proceeded to the Supreme Court where it lost again. The Supreme Court, presided over by Ms Justice Sophia Akuffo, with Dr Justice S. K. Date-Bah, Mr Justice J. Ansah, Mr Justice R. T. Aninakwah and Mr Justice S. K. Asiamah as members, in a unanimous decision on February 13, 2008, ordered the AMA to pay the amount plus interest, which had amounted to GH¢29 million by August, 2008. AMA appeals In May, 2008, the AMA made an application to the Supreme Court to pay the money by instalment but was ordered to pay the initial amount of GH¢12 million by August,  the same year and spread the remainder over one year. Following the Supreme Court’s decision, lawyers for the CCWL filed a writ of possession and officials of the company have since been threatening to enforce the court order. A copy of the court’s order has been posted at the assembly’s head office in Accra, with portions of it mandating the company to seize the assembly’s property for public auction if the AMA failed to take steps to pay the debt. Conclusion The government’s intervention, therefore, brings to an end, the long-standing legal battle between the AMA and the CCWL, and also put to rest, speculations about the auction of the the assembly’s properties. Writer’s email: [email protected]  

  About 20 wooden structures being used as homes by residents of Agbogbloshie Point Seven in Accra were destroyed by fire on Thursday. According to eyewitnesses, the fire started around 5 p.m. when a woman who was heating water with an electric heater left it to take part in a party that was going on in the vicinity. The residents lost their money and belongings, some of which were burnt to ashes. The fire also ruined a thanksgiving party for one Pastor Abraham Dzagbletey, who had invited the Royal Palace Band, made up of blind persons, to entertain the guests. The party and the blind Pastor Dzagbletey said he organised the party as thanksgiving to God for escaping unhurt from a motor accident early this month. The party was underway when the fire started, he said, and explained that the blind bandsmen put themselves in groups of three to escape the fire. Currently, he said, the blind persons were safe but still in shock. The residents appealed to the government to intervene by granting them loans to start their businesses again, since they had lost their incomes and other valuables. Fire Service In an interview, the Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service, Mr Billy Anaglate, said  firemen from the Accra City Fire Station quickly responded to the call that there was fire. The team later had support from the Industrial Area Fire Station to bring the fire under control. Mr Anaglate explained that the fire spread rapidly due to the abundance of gas cylinders, candles and other combustibles owned by the residents. He, therefore, advised the public to keep abreast of fire safety measures.  The fire, he stressed, had primarily been linked to the burning of a plastic container in which a water heater had been plugged and left unattended until all the water evaporated.  

  The country's daily oil production is likely to drop from the current level of 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) to about 70,000 due to delay in the completion of the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant. The project is scheduled for completion on April 30, 2014 but it is likely to delay because the Gamma Ray Scanner, the equipment which is used for testing radioactivity, is yet to be delivered to the Ghana Gas Company (GGC). The order by the GGC for the equipment is yet to be considered by the manufacturers in South Africa. A government source told the Daily Graphic that if oil production, which dipped from 115,000bpd to 100,000bpd, reduced further to 70,000bpd, the government's expected revenue would drop substantially. The production of oil is associated with gas, which has to be flared or collected onshore for processing. Options Regrettably, the Jubilee partners are considering flaring the gas because of the delay in the completion of the Atuabo plant. Another option, according to a source close to the Jubilee partners, is to re-inject the gas into the oil reservoirs. It added that the oil companies were not too comfortable to do that because such an approach could affect the oil reservoirs. It said the partners were, therefore, contemplating reducing production of oil, so that they could also reduce the volume of gas associated with oil production. However, the partners and the government are currently in discussions for a possible remedy to avoid further reduction in production which could lead to substantial revenue loss. Visit Officials from the EPA, the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation have visited the gas processing plant to find out when the project would be completed. Briefing the stakeholders during the visit, the contractor working on the gas project, Sinopec, assured the country that the first gas would be delivered to the Aboadze power enclave in the Shama District on April 28 and 29, 2014. The Project Manager, Mr David Xhu, said the project was more than 90 per cent complete, adding that it was scheduled to be completed in 66 days’ time. He gave an assurance that the technical aspect of the project would be completed by March 3, 20 14.  

  Two top fishermen at the weekend hailed President John Dramani Mahama for appointing Dr Alphonse Kwao Dorcoo  as acting Managing Director of Tema Oil Refinery (TOR). Nii Adjierteh, Mator III, Tema Chief Fisherman, and Nana Kofi Bentum II, Asafohene of Otuam Amanfro in the Central Region, told Ghana News Agency that when Dr Dorcoo was the Production Manager of TOR, he was very instrumental in ensuring that fishermen got pre-mix fuel for their business on time. “During his time as production manager, getting the product for fishing was timely and handy”, Nii Mator said. Nana Bentum said Dr Dorcoo helped the fishing industry in diverse ways and would forever remain grateful to the President for his elevation. The industrial experience of Dr Dorcoo, a chemical engineer with TOR, include General Manager, Production, General Manager, Refinery Development and Training and General   Manager, Commerce.  

    An appeal has been made to the government  to ensure that the three months’ suspension penalty imposed on defaulting clients of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) be abolished. Mr Elvis K. Payin, the former Vice Chairman of the Effutu Municipal Area branch of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU), who made the appeal in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Wednesday, said that would bring relief to premium holders of the scheme. Mr Payin said the suspension penalty introduced by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) a couple of years ago was doing more harm than good to ordinary Ghanaians who were premium holders and must be reviewed as a matter of urgency to bring some respite to people who had embraced the policy. He said most clients did not check the expiry dates on their NHIS identity (ID) cards regularly, adding that besides that millions of illiterate premium holders always fell victim to the default penalty because they did not get people to check the expiry dates of their ID cards for them at the appropriate time except when they reported at the various accredited hospitals for medical attention. Mr Payin said since the national health insurance policy was introduced principally to help the poor in society to secure affordable health care, the government must always ensure that the system was not entangled with tougher regulations and conditions which would deprive the vulnerable in the society of enjoying the benefits which the policy provided. The former TEWU chairman has, therefore, called on the government to impress upon the NHIA to review its stand in the three months’ suspension penalty punishment inflicted on clients of the scheme in order to sustain the interest of Ghanaians in the policy. That way, Mr Payin added, “we will be maintaining the gains the policy has chalked so far and develop it further because the system is good, but we must find a more acceptable means of enforcing the renewal of the ID cards without necessarily subjecting the people to some sort of indirect punishments. He said besides the various branches of the NHIA intensifying their sensitisation activities on the renewal of the ID cards, various religious organisations and district, municipal and metropolitan assembly members must also take it upon themselves to educate the people on the importance of the renewal of the NHIS cards.    

  A Nigerian who is alleged to be one of the criminals in the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) fraudulent money transfer has been arrested and remanded in police custody by the Accra Circuit Court. Tony Abogo, a businessman, is said to have fraudulently transferred GH¢250,000 from the vault of the GCB into the account of his girlfriend at the bank (GCB) and asked the girl to withdraw part of the money. He was charged with conspiracy to steal and stealing. He pleaded not guilty when he appeared before the court yesterday and is to reappear before the court, presided over by Mr Francis Obiri, on February 5, 2014. Facts Presenting the facts of the case, the Prosecutor, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) A. Dery, said the complainant was the branch manager at the Ghana Commercial Bank Spintex Road, Accra while the accused was a Nigerian living at Lashibi near Tema. He said somewhere in December, 2013 the accused fraudulently transferred cash in the sum of GH¢250,000 into his girlfriend's account at the bank. He said on December 24, 2013 the accused asked the girlfriend to go to the bank (GCB) to withdraw GH¢2,000. DSP Derry said the girl was arrested at the bank when the officials realised that the transfer was fraudulent. He said the girlfriend then mentioned the name of Tony Abogo as the one who transferred the money into her account. The girlfriend then lured Tony, who had since been in hiding, to Lashibi Shell Filling Station where he was also arrested. The accused person mentioned someone only as  Wale, alias FBI, as the person who gave him the account details at the bank. Background The GCB has been faced with fraudulent wiring of huge sums of money from its vault into private accounts in recent times. About two weeks ago, a national service person who was alleged to be involved in the fraudulent wiring of huge sums of money from the GCB’s vault into some private accounts was arrested. It is neither yet clear how much money the syndicate succeeded in siphoning from the bank’s vault, nor for how long the crime went on, before the fraud was detected. The operation was allegedly coordinated with the connivance of the bank’s IT department. It has led to the freezing of five accounts belonging to two individuals and two different companies by the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO). The account bearers include Mr Akato Haizel (two separate accounts), Matilda Dankwa Adjoa, B J Net Company Ltd and Osuaka Ventures. A letter signed by the Executive Director of EOCO, dated December 27, 2013 and sent to the Managing Director of GCB at the Bank’s Head Office in Accra and copied to the Head of Banking Supervision at the Central Bank, ordered the immediate freezing of the five accounts. The letter said: “Please take notice that pursuant to the authority conferred on the Executive Director by section 33 of the Economic and Organised Crimes Office Act 2010 (act 804), the Executive Director of EOCO has directed the freezing of the bank account of [Akato Haizel, Matilda Dankwa Adjoa, B J Net Company ltd and Osuaka Ventures] with your branches pending investigations into various crimes.” “This order takes immediate effect. Until this order is revoked or elapsed, your bank shall not allow any transactions on the account without the written authority of the Executive Director.”  

  A former Co-ordinator of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), Abuga Pele, and another were yesterday put before the Financial Division of the Fast Track High Court for causing financial loss of GH¢4.1 million to the state. Pele is alleged to have entered into a contract with the second accused person, Philip Akpeena Assibit, a representative of Goodwill International Ghana (GIG), to engage in activities which have not inured to the benefit of the state. The former Co-ordinator of the NYEP, now known as the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA), faces five counts of wilfully causing financial loss to the state, two counts of abetment of crime and one count of intentionally misappropriating public property. Assibit, on the other hand, faces five counts of dishonestly causing loss to public property, two counts of abetment of crime and six counts of defrauding by false pretence. They both pleaded not guilty to the charges and have been granted bail by the court, presided over by Mrs Justice Afia S. Asare-Botwe, to reappear on February 11, 2014. Snippets of Offence According to the prosecution, Pele and Assibit signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) which gave GIG the mandate to render services without recourse to the Minister of Employment or the Attorney-General. Assibit was said to have given false representation that he had secured a $65-million loan facility from the World Bank for the implementation of the Youth Enterprise Development Programme (YEDP) and had, in the process, employed 250 youth to support the implementation of the YEDP, as well as developed and facilitated the launch of an effectual exit programme for all NYEP modules. Calm Demeanour The accused persons looked on calmly when a Principal State Attorney, Mrs Evelyn Keelson, read out their charges. Counsel for Pele, Mr Thaddeus Sory, prayed the court to grant his client self-recognisance bail on the grounds that Pele was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Chiana Paga and had served in various public capacities and not been found to have engaged in any form of illegality while holding public office. “He has impeccable credentials,” counsel argued, and further reminded the court that Pele had a legislative function to perform as an MP and for that reason the court should grant him bail to enable him to perform those functions. Counsel argued that the facts of the case were not only “fragile but hollow” and, accordingly, prayed the court to grant Pele bail. For his part, counsel for Assibit, Mr Raymond Bagnabu, prayed the court to grant his client self-recognisance bail because his client had complied with bail conditions from EOCO. He further stated that he would lead evidence to prove the innocence of Assibit, who counsel argued was a businessman of international repute and also had a fixed place of abode. He said the number of charges levelled against Assibit were attributable to the uncertainty of the prosecution. Bail Conditions Pele was granted self-recognisance bail, while Assibit was granted a GH¢2 million bail, with four sureties, two to be justified. Both accused persons were directed to report themselves to the investigator in charge of the case at 9 a.m. on Mondays. Background to the case The facts of the case, as presented by Mrs Keelson, were that in 2009, Pele, on assumption of office as the National Co-ordinator of the NYEP, entered into a contract with Assibit. Under the terms of the agreement, the NYEP was described as the ‘host’, while the GIG was tagged as the ‘strategic partner’. According to the prosecution, the parties agreed to combine their labour, properties and skills for the purpose of engaging in resource mobilisation, investor sourcing, management consulting, capacity building, career development, training services, among other jobs. Per the agreement, the GIG was responsible for resource mobilisation and undertook to provide preliminary funds for the development of the programme, while the parties agreed to equally share the profits that would accrue out of the agreement. “Meanwhile, there is nothing on record in terms of business proposals or documents forming the basis of engaging the GIG as a strategic partner,” the prosecution stated. Assibit, between May 2011 and May 2012, “made a number of payment claims for consultancy services he claimed to have rendered to the NYEP, ranging from the provision of exit plan and strategy for all NYEP modules, established a Youth Enterprise Development Project which he claimed to have used in securing approval for a World Bank facility of $65 million for the NYEP and had recruited and trained 250 youth to support the implementation of what he referred to as the World Bank-funded Youth Enterprise Development Programme (YEDP),” it said. False Claims Continuing with the evidence gathered against the accused persons, Mrs Keelson told the court that the representations put forward by Assibit were supported by Pele, who used them as the basis for justifying, recommending and approving a total amount of GH3,330, 568.53, the equivalent of $1,948,626.68, to Assibit, claiming, among others, that, Assibit’s work had directly resulted in a World Bank support of $65 million for the NYEP. “Meanwhile, investigations revealed that all these representations were false,” she pointed out, and further indicated that investigations revealed that the GIG was never appointed a consultant to the NYEP. The prosecution said Assibit had failed to provide any exit plan and strategy for the NYEP modules, adding that Assibit had again not conducted any financial engineering for the approval of a World Bank facility of $65 million, as he had claimed and been corroborated by Pele. “Indeed, there has not been any approval by the World Bank of $65 million for the NYEP,” it pointed out, and said investigations also discovered that in August 2012, Assibit was paid an additional GH¢835,000 under the guise of what was referred to as “tracer studies” for the World Bank as the last requirement needed to be met for the approval of the $65 million facility. According to the prosecution, Assibit’s claims on the tracer studies were also supported by Pele and grounded upon which Pele approved the payment of the amount to Assibit. Pele’s actions, according to the prosecution, had caused financial loss to the state and it was based on those facts that the accused persons had been put before the court.   Writer’s email: [email protected].