The Ghana Medical Association has served yet another warning of possible industrial actions beginning March 3, 2014, to press home their demands for its members in the public sector to be paid a Conversion Difference. The warning, contained in a statement by the GMA, follows what it says are the reluctance or clear lack of will by state institutions - National Labour Commission (NLC) and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) - to pursue the matter.The statement which was copied to President John Mahama and the Health Minister among a tall list of recipients, accused the NLC and FWSC of evincing a clear intention to ensure that members of the GMA are denied their rights while the NLC itself has deliberately failed to ensure enforcement of its own ruling.It said this is because for almost 9 months, a motion for enforcement of the said ruling was not moved by the NLC culminating in same being dismissed by the High Court at the instance of the FWSC when on January 31, 2014, the NLC failed to appear in Court to move the motion.“This situation is grossly unfair/unacceptable to the GMA especially when we are reliably informed that the Legal Teams of NLC and FWSC had earlier agreed to go to Court on a later date instead of on January 31, 2014, at the request of FWSC. It is also not in tune with the letter and spirit of the Labour Act.”The GMA said it believes the conduct by both NLC and FWSC is a calculated attempt to frustrate and deny its members their rights under the pretext of working through the Courts. But the Association said it will not allow this to happen.“The GMA hereby urges the NLC to as a matter of urgency ensure that the situation is corrected and the case relisted for hearing.“The GMA also takes this opportunity to formally notify the NLC of the Association's decision to put in place a series of measures including possible industrial action(s) effective March 3, 2014, to press home our demands since the state institutions are clearly failing or working against our common good per their conduct.”

The Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide, Mr Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, has described members of an armed robbery gang, which calls itself 'Armed Robbers Association of Ghana (ARA)', as “a bunch of useless criminals”. Mr Baako slammed the modus operandi of the association, which had given the residents of Agape in Accra a deadline of December 30, 2013 to pay not less than GH¢500 per tenant to avoid being robbed. The association posted notices on their walls, gates, electricity poles and other places, directing them to pay the said amount through MTN mobile money. The notice, which was issued by the President of the association, had the MTN number 0544133436 as the number to which the residents were to pay the money. After paying the amount, the residents were also expected to call the same number to inform the association that the money had been paid and also indicate their house numbers so that they could be pruned off a list of places to be robbed. Some residents of Agape, however, made a report to the Anyaa and Odorkor Police, which sent officers to the ground and intensified their patrols. Police investigations soon led to the arrest of Samiru Salifu, who is suspected to be the kingpin of the association. Salifu who had been on the police wanted list for five years, was picked up from his hideout at Ablekuma Fan Milk, near Agape, on Thursday, January 2, 2014, after exchanging gunshots with the police. He was arrested from his hideout at Ablekuma Fan Milk, near Agape, on Thursday, January 2, 2014 on a tip-off. Speaking Wednesday on Accra-based Peace FM, Mr Baako said it was foolish for the robbers to have announced their intention to rob ahead of time and then go ahead to advertise a channel of funding. He said the robbers should have known that such a move would prompt the security agencies to carry out intelligence gathering in the area until they (the robbers) were arrested. Mr Baako said: “If serious armed robbers form an association, the mode of operation won’t be like this.” “I’m not surprised that you say they’ve been arrested,” he added.

The Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) is entreating the general public to conserve electricity because it is facing challenges in the supply of electricity across the country. A statement signed by the Head of Public Relations, Albert Quainoo said increased demand for electricity and the non-availability of some generators in the power system has resulted in the occasional curtailment of power across the country. It said, the annual peak demand for electricity grew from 1,729MW in 2012 to 1,943MW in 2013 which is a growth of over 12%. “Forecast demand now is 1,980MW at peak. With the current available generation capacity from the power producers at 1,965MW, there is therefore supply inadequacy especially during the peak periods,” the statement said. It noted that at present, six generators at the Akosombo Power Plant, four generators in Kpong and another two generators at Bui were available and even though all the three units at Bui had been commissioned, power evacuation facilities for one of the units is yet to be completed at the Sunyani substation. It further said expansion and maintenance works were ongoing at the TICO and TAPCO plants at Aboadze respectively and was expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter to increase the capacity of the TICO plant from 220MW to 330MW. “The Mines Reserve Plant in Tema which has been out of service for over a year was restored to service on February 3, 2014, adding 40MW to the system. In all, about 422MW of installed generating capacity is currently not available from various generators across the system because of the above stated reasons,” the statement noted.   

A member of the Constitution Review Implementation Committee (CRIC), Dr Gheysika A. Agambila, has called on the government to prosecute district chief executives (DCEs) who indulge in corruption. He said it was sad that since the inception of the Fourth Republic in 1992, no government had prosecuted any DCE for corruption, in spite of the numerous allegations of financial malfeasance levelled against many of them. “It’s a sad thing that no DCE has ever been prosecuted since 1992, although corruption is rife at the local level,” he told the Daily Graphic in Accra Tuesday on the sidelines of a public forum on the Constitution review process. Any evidence? Dr Agambila dismissed suggestions that successive governments might not have prosecuted DCEs for corruption for lack of evidence, insisting that “if the government wants to find evidence, it will find it”. “So don’t tell me to bring the evidence,” he submitted. Dr Agambila alleged that many DCEs entered office with ‘empty hands’ but by the time they left office they would have acquired many properties. “It’s important to find out how they acquired them (properties); very simple. The government has the means to find the evidence, and it can find it,” he remarked. Election of DCEs During the Constitution review process, many Ghanaians recommended an amendment to the 1992 Constitution to allow for the election of DCEs, instead of their being appointed by the President under the current constitutional arrangement. But, in Dr Agambila’s opinion, partisan politics at the local level had the potential to further polarise the country. “If you elect DCEs on a partisan basis, you risk dividing the country permanently along political lines,” he contended, adding that partisan elections at the district level would divert focus from development to partisanship. Dr Agambila said a middle ground and better approach to addressing the issue was captured in the recommendations of the Constitution Review Commission (CRC), which provided that the President nominate five people for consideration as DCE. The five nominees would then be vetted by the Public Services Commission (PSC), after which three of them would be shortlisted to contest an election for the position of DCE. CeDRA forum The Constitution review forum was organised by the Centre for Development Research and Advocacy (CeDRA), in collaboration with the British High Commission, as part of its Constitution Dialogue Series. It provided a platform for students, trades organisations and other groups in the Odododiodoo Constituency to share their thoughts on some pertinent issues relating to the Constitution review process. The aim of the Constitution Dialogue Series, according to the Project Lead of CeDRA, Dr Kobby Mensah, was to mop up the concerns of targeted communities into the proposed constitutional amendments, while educating the constituents on the proposed amendments. The Chairman of CRIC, Professor E.V.O. Dankwa, briefed the participants on the work of the committee, saying, “We are doing our best to discharge our functions.” Asked whether a referendum would be organised this year on some of the entrenched provisions in the Constitution, as recommended by the CRC for amendment, he said the committee was working towards that end. He, however, pointed out that the Electoral Commission had the responsibility to organise a referendum. Writer’s Email: [email protected]

President John Dramani Mahama has paid glowing tribute to the late Bolga Naba (Paramount Chief of Bolgatanga), Naba Martin Adongo Abilba III, for being an advocate of peace for his traditional area in the long period of 41 years that he reigned. He said Naba Abilba stood for peace and development and expressed the hope that the succession plan laid down by the family and elders would be carried out peacefully to honour the memory of the departed traditional leader. President Mahama paid the tribute when a delegation of family members, chiefs and people of the Bolgatanga Traditional Area informed him of the demise of the Paramount Chief at the Flagstaff House yesterday. Naba Abilba died on September 26, 2013 at the age of 68. Education Praising the paramount chief for his interest in education, President Mahama said that interest portrayed him as a chief who had the development of his area at heart. The President also said Naba Abilba was very accommodating, a trait that manifested in the way and manner he received everyone, irrespective of their political, ethnic or religious backgrounds. "He was like a father to some of us and we shall greatly miss him," he said. He promised that the government would join the chiefs and the people of the area to accord him a  fitting funeral. Leader of delegation  Briefing the President on the Naba’s death, the leader of the delegation, the Chief of Yorogo, Naba Awuni Azebire Johnson, said Naba Abilba did his best to uplift the traditional area through improved education, especially in the area of girl-child education. "He brought into fruition the Bolgatanga Traditional Area Girl-Child Education Fund, which supported many girls. That gave a true picture of him as an educationist,” he said. Female Genital Mutilation Naba Azebire said the late paramount chief also abolished some traditional practices that were at variance with modern situations, citing female genital mutilation as a typical example. That initiative won the recognition of the United Nations, he said. He said a regent in the person of Mr Raymond Alafia Abilba, the first son of the late paramount chief, had been appointed. "Hopefully, he will continue to provide peaceful guidance in these very difficult times in the absence of his father," the leader of delegation said. The late Naba Abilba left behind eight wives, 45 children and many grandchildren. His funeral arrangements, the family said, would be announced later.

Members of the Association of Second-hand Tyre Dealers have called on the government to remove the ban on the use of second-hand tyres in the country. They have, therefore, threatened to hit the streets in demonstrations and resolved not to give the government "a break" until their demand is met. A bill banning the use of sub-standard tyres in the country was passed into law by Parliament in 2012 as one of the means of ensuring road safety in the country. However, at a news conference in Kumasi, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the association, Mr William Sarpong, noted that about 90 per cent of tyres used on the road in the country were second-hand. He said the second-hand tyres industry employed thousands of people in the country and the ban, if not removed, could cause major unemployment problems, saying that second-hand tyres were being used in the farming and mining sectors also. Apart from that, he also said the ban, if not removed, would place a huge financial burden on the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs), which had been taxing the second-hand tyre dealers.  He blamed authorities of the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) for not consulting members and the executives of the association before making the recommendation for the bill to be passed into law. Mr Sarpong debunked the notion that second-hand tyres were responsible for road accidents and stated that never had it appeared before in the annual statistics of the NRSC that road accidents, in even a quarter of the year, were caused by used tyres.  He added that though a few people and government officials were using new tyres, they also got involved in road accidents. He rather said most of the road accidents had been attributed to human error and that banning second-hand tyres would not curb road accidents.  He pointed out that second-hand tyres were being used in the advanced countries and mentioned Italy, Spain and Britain to buttress his point and stressed that a developing country such as Ghana was not above the use of second-hand tyres. The chairman of the association, Mr S. A.  Adomako, called on members of the association to calm their nerves and continue their business till the government resolved the impasse.

Ghana is still confronted with serious and complex environmental challenges, despite the various interventions by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the last 40 years. These challenges include waste management, illegal mining, logging, deforestation, noise, water and air pollution. This was contained in a keynote address read on behalf of the Vice-President, Mr Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, at the launch of the EPA’s 40th anniversary in Accra. EPA stakeholders The Vice-President urged the EPA to engage the assemblies, the private sector and other key stakeholders in addressing the waste management problem in Ghana. He applauded the agency for raising awareness of environmental issues and securing the commitment of some individuals, communities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to initiate sound measures to protect and enhance the environment. “I am aware of the AKOBEN flagship programme of the agency known as the Environmental Performance Rating and Public Disclosure Programme, the first of its kind in Africa, aimed at promoting environmental compliance and the adoption of best practices in the manufacturing industries and large mining sectors,” he added. Expectations from 40th Anniversary  He said it was his wish that the 40th anniversary of the agency would be used to intensely highlight and soberly reflect on environmental challenges. Mr Amissah-Arthur said he expected the agency to commit itself to strengthening compliance enforcement strategies and actions at all levels. The Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Joe Oteng-Adjei, said deforestation, coastal and marine resource degradation, the destruction of biodiversity, desertification, climate variability and change, pollution of all forms, the proliferation and mismanagement of chemicals, illegal mining, among others, were challenging Ghana’s environmental management capacity. He said that challenge had exposed institutional shortcomings at all levels. New environmental policies approved Dr Oteng-Adjei said the government had approved the new environmental and climate change policy and he expected that the EPA would be guided by that key policy document in its operations. He said the agency should also facilitate the effective co-ordination of the implementation of the document by all relevant stakeholders. Government subventions  He said the EPA was one of the public sector institutions that had been directed to self-finance itself and invariably go off government subventions within the next two years from 2014. Dr Oteng-Adjei promised his ministry’s continued support to the EPA in that regard to ensure that it lived up to its mandate. EPA’s collaboration The Executive Director of the EPA, Mr Daniel Amlalo, said 40 years in the life of the EPA was a long period that came with achievements, challenges and lessons which called for an occasion like that to reflect, celebrate and plan for the future. He said the launch, under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment, Science,Technology and Innovation, was on the theme: “40 years of Environmental Protection in Ghana”. Mr Amlalo said the agency would collaborate with public and private sector institutions to implement projects that would add value to waste governance. Writer’s e-mail: [email protected]

The Superintendent Minister of the Wesley Methodist Cathedral, Kumasi, the Very Rev. Christopher Nyarko Andam, has advised the inmates of the prisons to pray to God for true repentance when they finish serving their terms in prison. He stressed that the predicament in which they found themselves should not be seen as the end of their lives. The Very Rev. Andam gave the advice in a sermon delivered at a church service organised for the inmates of the Kumasi Central Prison when he led a congregation of the Wesley Methodist Cathedral to pay a visit to the prison. He cited the instance in the Holy Bible when Joseph was imprisoned but later turned out to become one of the best personalities in society. He  stressed that Daniel was also put in the lions’ den but he was released by God, emphasising that God was the only saviour.  He noted that many of the  prisoners who came out of the Nsawam Prison were now pastors and urged the prisoners to refrain from acts that could jeopardise their lives or compound their problems when they came out of prison. The Very Rev. Andam, on behalf of the church, presented food items, including 16 bags of rice, three bags of gari, six cartons of second-hand clothing, toilet rolls and mouth wash to the inmates.  The Chaplain of the Kumasi Central Prison, Rev. Fr Martin Padi, on behalf of the inmates, thanked the Wesley Methodist Cathedral for the assistance and assured the church that the items would be put to good use. The inmates, using their band, entertained the congregation.

Fifty-four pig farmers in the Ellembelle District lost GH¢350,000 as a result of the outbreak of African Swine Fever (AFS) in the district. The swine fever claimed more than 1,500 pigs. Currently, the situation has been brought under control, although the Veterinary Services Department is continuining with a disinfection exercise to prevent another outbreak. Veterinary Services The Deputy Director of the Veterinary Services Department in the Western Region, Dr Christopher Tagoe, told the Daily Graphic that his outfit had carried out a first and second disinfection exercise of various pig farms in the district. He said there would be a third spraying of the communities to ensure that all viruses were completely destroyed. “A healthy pig from another part of the country will be brought to the affected areas and if the virus still exists, within a short time it will affect it again. If it does not, then the area will be declared safe for the farmers to continue,” he said. Compensation He said initially, there was no plan for compensation, but the district assembly had submitted a report and made some recommendations as to how best to address the plight of the farmers. Dr  Tagoe could, however, not confirm the exact support that would be given to the farmers. DCE The District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, Mr Daniel K. Eshun, said pig farming was one of the most vibrant economic activities of the people along the coastline. He said it was important, therefore, not to ignore them, considering the level of cooperation received from them during the outbreak and the amount they invested in the business.

A member of the Kuapa Kokoo Farmers Union in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, Madam Cecilia Appianim, is the future of smallholder and family farming. She ran for election and won the position of National Financial Secretary of the cooperative.  She has taken two trips to the United States to promote Divine Chocolate, Kuapa Kokoo’s own brand, and she enjoys financial security and independence as a woman in a country where men hold most positions of power. As 2014 has been designated as the International Year of Family Farming by the United Nations, and as we look forward to it, it is important to consider all the ways in which opportunities for smallholder and family farmers can be improved.  Supporting female participation in smallholder agriculture – particularly in positions of leadership – could be a huge step towards improving the lives of more than one million food insecured Ghanaians.  Women more sensitive Study after study shows that when women make more money, household food security and nutrition are improved. A landmark study from the World Bank in 2008 showed that women were more likely than men to put their income towards buying food for the family, rather than on personal needs or material goods. Women make up more than 42 per cent of the farmers in Ghana, but lack many of the resources of their male counterparts, including access to extension services, land and credit. Women farmers produce less than their male counterparts.  Research from the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has indicated that if women had the same access to resources that men had, global malnutrition could be reduced by at least 12 per cent. Breaking barriers Farming cooperatives can break down some of these barriers for women. Kuapa Kokoo, for example, established a Gender Programme in 1998 to support women in income-building activities, including leadership training, instruction in specialised skills such as milling and fabric-making, and access to credit without requirement of any collateral— many rural women lack the resources to come up with any kind of backing for a loan. Women in positions of leadership and instruction in agricultural organisation can improve participation of women in farming. Studies from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and World Bank show that the low participation of women as extension service officers results in fewer women farmers getting the information they need about farming technologies. This service is intended to provide smallholder farmers with valuable information about new technologies. Women as extension officers As a recent survey of family farmers in Ghana commissioned by the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) showed, farmers (both men and women) actually prefer women officers in the agricultural extension service because they take more time to explain issues in farming than their male counterparts.  The recommendations of the survey were that rates of female extension officer training should be increased tenfold, from the current rate of five per cent to 50 per cent. Not all of the ways to support women in smallholder agriculture need to happen through major policy changes, though even seemingly small efforts make a difference. For example, Vivus Limited, a social enterprise in Accra, is working to provide women in the Nkenkasu Organic Vegetable Growers Association in the Ashanti Region with bicycle-driven carts.  These will help women farmers transport the fruits and vegetables that they grow much more easily – the standard method of transportation is for them to carry their produce on their head. The bicycle carts will not only help them transport more at a time but also alleviate pain and discomfort.  Small-scale women farmers carry the potential to nourish the world’s hungry. During the International Year of Family Farming and beyond, policy makers in Accra, farmers, researchers and donors across the world all need to work together to make sure this becomes a reality.  By giving women the tools they need to take the reins, progress will be made in reducing poverty, feeding the hungry and promoting equality. When nourishing the world is what is at stake, there’s no time to wait. The article was written by Danielle Nierenberg, co-founder of Food Tank and Eve Andrews a former Food Tank Research Director.

The Financial Division of the High Court in Accra will on February 19, 2014 decide whether or not to cite the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and a manager of UT Bank for contempt of court. Capt Prince Kofi Amoabeng (retd) and the Manager of the Airport Branch of UT Bank risk jail terms or fines or both should they be found guilty of contempt       of court.  The applicant, Kayode Alade, is praying the court to imprison the CEO for failing to adhere to a December 20, 2013 court order directed at the bank to pay an amount of $391,250. He wants them in prison until they purged themselves of contempt.  Arguments in court Counsel for the applicant, Mr Charles Tetteh, moved the application for contempt and set out the cause why the respondents should be cited for contempt of court. According to counsel, the respondents had demonstrated more than enough grounds to be cited for contempt. But counsel for the respondents, Mr Chris Archer, held a different view and argued that the applicants had failed to show cause why his clients must be held liable for contempt of court. He said the respondents had not exhibited any form of willful disobedience to the court to warrant their conviction for contempt. In any case, counsel argued that there was not sufficient amount in the accounts. According to Mr Archer, the account of Auxesia was “near debit.” The presiding judge, Mr Justice John Ajet-Nasam, asked counsel what the bank did after realising that the account was near debit, to which counsel said the bank wrote to the court on that issue. Mr Justice Ajet-Nasam then queried counsel if that was the appropriate thing to do, to which counsel conceded a motion should have been filed instead. Affidavit of applicant According to the applicant, his company rendered service to Auxesia Energy and a cheque dated April 4, 2013 was issued by Auxesia to the applicant’s company. An affidavit in support of the applicant’s motion for contempt said EOCO froze the account of Auxesia Energy and secured a confirmation order to that effect from the court. It said “before the orders of the court suspending payment and freezing of the said account, the interested party which I represent as its Designated Person Ashore (DPA) had rendered services to Auxesia Energy and issued with a cheque for payment.” According to the applicant, his company could not access the account because it had been frozen and for that reason it applied to the court for a review of the freezing order and the subsequent payment of money owed by Auxesia Energy. Court grants motion Following the applicant’s request for a review of the court’s order, the Financial Division of the High Court, presided over by Mr Justice  Ajet-Nasam, reviewed its orders and directed the UT Bank to pay $391,250 to the applicant’s company with immediate effect. “The order was served  the bank the same day but UT Bank, Airport branch, and its managing director have failed, refused and or neglected to pay the said amount as ordered by the honourable court,” the affidavit in support said. A reminder notice, according to the applicant, was served the bank but the applicant did not receive the desired response.  That posturing, according to the applicant, amounted to “blatant disrespect to the court and the sanctity of the judicial system.” The applicant said it had evidence to the effect that the company had more than $1 million at the time its account was frozen. “By  that, UT Bank has evinced an attitude of contempt of the honourable court and ought to be dealt with under the cohesive arm of the law,” the applicant submitted. Writer’s email: [email protected].

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, was Tuesday given a rousing welcome when he returned to Kumasi after a short vacation in South Africa. A large number of chiefs from the Ashanti Region, including the occupant of the Silver Stool, Mamponghene Daasebre Osei Bonsu II; the Omanhene of Offinso,  Nana Wiafe Akenten; the Omanhene of Tepa, Nana Adusei Atwenewa Ampem I, and the Omanhene of Kokofu, Barima Offe Akwasi Okogyeasu II, converged on the Kumasi Airport to welcome the Asantehene, who was rumoured to have died in South Africa. Clad in white cloths and waving white handkerchiefs, the chiefs and the people shouted with joy when the stairway was lowered for the Asantehene to disembark from the plane. The tarmac was nearly turned into a durbar ground as people from all walks of life, including the Metropolitan Chief Executive of Kumasi, Mr Kojo Bonsu; the Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Yaw Adusei, and the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Augustine Gyening, turned up at the airport to accord the Asantehene a royal welcome. The visibly teary-eyed Asantehene and his security officials had a hectic time going through the crowd that had gathered at the airport. The security detail  had to literally push people, including some chiefs, aside to make way for him to enter his Rolls Royce. In a calm composure, he waved at the people and intermittently wiped what looked like tears from his eyes. He was later taken through some principal streets of the metropolis in a convoy comprising chiefs and well-wishers to announce his arrival and to reassure the people that he is alive. As early as 2:30 p.m, the airport was filled to full capacity. People who could not gain access to the airport stood near its walls to catch glimpses of the king. The Akyempimhene, Oheneba Adusei Poku, said the rumours about the king’s death were unfortunate and unethical and asked Ghanaians to stop spreading such rumours about people.  He wondered what the motive of the person who began the rumour was but denied suggestions that the Asante deity, Antoa, would be invoked to deal with the fellow. The Asantehene has been outside the country since January 11, this year. There were rumours that he had passed away but the Manhyia Palace denied them. Click to view more photos of the King's arrival

The Institute of Chartered Accountants   (ICAG),  last Monday, donated office furniture valued at  GH¢7,3500 and a cheque for GH¢2,650 to the Demonstration School for the Deaf at Mampong Akuapem. The Chief Executive Officer  of ICAG, Mr Fred N.K. Moore, said the ICAG had selected the Kumasi Children’s Home, Tamale Children’s Home and the School for the Deaf to benefit from their donation. He also advised the school authorities to maintain the furniture periodically. Mr Moore encouraged corporate bodies to adopt any of the institutions caring for the less privileged in the society and help them. The headmistress of the Demonstration School for the Deaf in Mampong, Mrs Regina Danquah, who received the items, expressed her gratitude to  the ICAG for its kind gesture and added that the items had come at the right time. She also appealed to other societies to emulate the example of the ICAG.

The Commissioner of Insurance, Miss Lydia Lariba Bawa, has expressed her appreciation to the Ghana Police for their support to the insurance industry over the years. Miss Bawa said this when she paid a courtesy call on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Mohammed Alhassan, to familiarise herself with the operations of the Ghana Police Service.  As the supervisory authority of the insurance industry, the National Insurance Commission (NIC) works hand-in-hand with law enforcement agencies such as the Ghana Police in many areas of its operations.  “The commission has and continues to rely heavily on the Ghana Police in terms of the enforcement of compulsory insurances such as motor and fire,” she said.  Miss Bawa called for deeper collaboration between the NIC and the Ghana Police in the years to come.  She mentioned the enforcement of the compulsory insurance of commercial buildings, including those under construction, as one of the areas that the NIC would be seeking to work closely with the Ghana Police.  The IGP assured the commissioner of the preparedness and commitment of the Ghana Police to support and cooperate with institutions such as the NIC to ensure compliance with the law.  He also solicited support from the insurance industry to enable them effectively perform their duty. 

A day's workshop has been held for small and medium-scale timber operators in Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region. It aimed at supporting intermediaries with information and guidance to comply with Timber Legality Assurance System (TLAS) and also engage participants in policy advocacy on domestic market reform in Ghana.  Speaking at the opening ceremony, Alhaji Musah Abu-Juam, Technical Director of Forestry Division of  the Forestry Commission, said over the years the country had been losing its forest reserves, contributing to the low revenue from timber industries. He attributed the degradation of the country’s forest cover to the illegal logging and other disadvantages of illegal logging including chainsaw milling. Alhaji Abu-Juam commended Tropenbos International Ghana for its contribution to the development of the Forestry Division and gave the assurance that the ministry would continue to provide the necessary support for the improvement of the forestry sector in the country. 

Residents of Agape near Accra are living in fear because of threats from a gang which calls itself the Armed Robbers Association (ARA). The gang had given the residents of the community a deadline of December 30, 2013 to pay not less than GH¢500 per tenant in each household to avoid incurring its wrath. But the residents have failed to meet that deadline, for which reason the gang continues to harass them. “We don’t know what to do. We are living in fear because we do not know when they will attack us,”  one resident told the Daily Graphic yesterday. Deadline  One day in December, 2013, the residents woke up to find notices posted on their walls, gates, electricity poles and other places, directing them to pay the said amount through MTN mobile money. The notice, which was issued by the President of the ARA, had the MTN number 0544133436 as the number to which the residents were to pay the money. After paying the amount, the residents were also expected to call the same number to inform the association that the money had been paid and also indicate their house numbers. The notice indicated further that the decision to solicit money from the residents was taken at a board meeting of the association. A copy of the typed notice, titled Armed Robbers Association and printed on an A-4 sheet, read:  “We thank God for your life’s. The year have ended and we want every body to celebrate the New Year in peace.(sic) “ARA went for a board meeting and we decided that all tenantes should pay something small to us, but no less than five hundred Ghana Cedis (GH¢500.00). (sic) Mobile Money  “Please send the money to MTN mobile money number: 0544133436.” Beneath the notice was a handwritten note in red ink which said, “If you send your money, call us and give us the number of your area.” Calls made by some residents to the mobile number were sometimes answered by a man who described himself as the president of the ARA, while in some cases the phone was switched off. Resident speaks  A resident of Agape told the Daily Graphic that the landlords association of the area organised an emergency meeting to discuss the way the issue could be addressed after the notices were seen. She said initially the residents agreed to ignore the threat, but the gang sent a second threat that its operation would start with the burning of cars and property. Another resident, who said he moved to the area after completing his house in 1995, said, “Most of us have enforced security in our home. But we cannot tell if we are safe.”  The Police  The issue was immediately reported to the Anyaa and Odorkor Police, which sent officers to the ground and intensified their patrols. However, the threats persisted and the Odorkor Police Command, therefore, re-enforced its search for the members of the gang. The Odorkor Police District Commander, Superintendent Abraham Acquaye, confirmed the incident to the Daily Graphic. He said investigations had established that there were about 80 members of the association.  He assured the residents that “the police are on top of the issue. We are working around the clock to ensure that they are safe”. Kingpin Arrested  The Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Mr Christian Tetteh Yuhuno, told the Daily Graphic that the police had arrested a man suspected to be the kingpin of the association. The suspect, Samiru Salifu, who had been on the police wanted list for five years, was arrested after exchanging gunshots with the police. He was arrested from his hideout at Ablekuma Fan Milk, near Agape, on Thursday, January 2, 2014 on a tip off. The 27-year-old unemployed had been on the police wanted list for allegedly engaging in robbery at residential areas and filling stations, and for other violent crimes. Items retrieved from the suspect included two pump action guns, a pistol, a long dagger, 60 rounds of pistol pellets, six rounds of AA cartridges and three mobile phones. writer’s email: [email protected]

The Eastern regional office of the Domestic Violence and Victims’ Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, recorded more cases of domestic violence in 2013 than in 2012. The unit in 2013 recorded a total of 1,929 cases as compared to 1,502 cases recorded for the same period in 2012. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mrs Eunice Annor, the Regional Coordinator for DOVVSU, disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency  (GNA) in an interview in Koforidua on Tuesday. She said the highest number of cases reported at the unit were non-maintenance 744, assault 472, threat of death and causing harm 154, defilement 145 and offensive conduct 68. The others included unlawful child removal 49, stealing 42, abduction 42, rape 41 and indecent assault, 10. According to DSP Mrs Annor, as a result of intensive education on domestic violence, most people, especially women, had been enlightened to freely report cases at the unit for redress and for amicable settlement. “This year, we intend to extend the education to special schools, orphanages and to the remotest areas in the region as we are opening more district offices,” she added. DSP Mrs Annor lauded the media for their committed role in championing the welfare of the vulnerable in the society. She, however, appealed for continuous collaboration with the media to step up the sensitisation activities this year to ensure that domestic violence was reduced to the barest minimum. GNA