Day: December 14, 2023

Chief Justice Getrude Torkorno has described the late Anthony Akoto Ampaw, as the ‘heart of the community,’ one who impacted social thinking and social dynamism.

Eulogising the astute lawyer and human rights activist, she said she had ‘a personal benefit’ of knowing the multi-dimensional personality for many years in the law profession and other circles.

‘As a lawyer in the court room, his processes were always well-researched, well-articulated and relevant. His work had absolute integrity and his citations could be relied on.

‘I believe I speak for all of us when I say ‘Sheey Sheey’ impacted social thinking, social conscience, and social dynamism by his sheer intellectual exertions.

‘We share the sorrow of his family because we have all been affected and we know we will continue to be affected because he had so much to give,’ she said at a remembrance event at the National Theatre in Accra.

The late Akoto Ampaw, nicknamed ‘Sheey Sheey,’ would be laid buried this weekend after final funeral rites are pe
rformed at the forecourt of the State House in Accra,

Chief Justice Torkonoo, who joined family, friends, colleagues at the bar and members of Civil Society Organisations at the event, prayed for the repose of his soul.

Dignitaries from diverse backgrounds took turns paying glowing tribute to the renowned practitioner who made significant contributions within and beyond the legal profession.

Dubbed an evening of Reminiscences, Testimonies, Tribute, and Performances, the audience were engaged with soothing rhythms by the Winneba Youth Choir, poetry by Nana Asaase, an invocation by Prof Kofi Anyidoho and the National Dance Company.

The remembrance event was organised jointly by Star Ghana Foundation, CCD Ghana, National Media Commission, Ghana Integrity Initiative, Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), the Ghana Bar Association, and other supporting organisations.

Ms Princess Fatiah Nkrumah, a relative, said Mr Ampaw had a heart of compassion and was an embodiment of ‘strength and discipline.’

‘He neve
r hesitated to give us advice… In his workaholic life, he still found time to celebrate with us. It was in our darkest hours that his love shined brightest.

‘He had a rare gift of making everyone feel valued regardless of their age,’ she stated, adding the late Akoto Ampaw’s legacy will live in the family and in the lives of everyone he interacted with.

Mr Kwesi Pratt, Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, stated it was ‘impossible to say goodbye’ to Mr Ampaw as he ‘planted so many human seeds’ in different fields of endeavour.

He recalled various exploits of Mr Ampaw as a political activist and many other initiatives he took in recruiting the leadership of the Movement for Freedom and Justice in the 1980s.

Mr Pratt praised the hard work of Mr Ampaw and his pursuit for knowledge even during incarceration at the Tamale prison.

‘He was the engine of the Alliance for Change. He wrote more than 90 percent of the statements issued, including those read by Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo. He worked so hard to
keep the moment going.’

‘He [Ampaw] was an amazing character; he loved to read anything and everything. He was not afraid of prison; he saw prison as an opportunity to improve his knowledge and skills in French and felt disturbed that the authorities who had detained him were in a hurry to release him,’ Mr Pratt stated.

Prof Kwame Karikari, Executive Director, MFWA, said Mr Ampaw’s life would ‘inspire those he left behind to pursue the noble cause he lived for.’

The leadership of Star Ghana, Trades Union Congress (TUC), Right to Information Coalition (RTI), all hailed Mr Ampaw’s contributions and impact on their activities over the years, as well pro-bono services he rendered during his practice.

Mr Suleiman Brimah, Executive Director MFWA, commended Mr Ampaw’s role in the establishment of the organisation, describing the lawyer’s passing as a loss to the media fraternity, as he defended many media practitioners in various instances.

In attendance were Mr Yaw Graham, Coordinator, Third World Network Afri
ca, Justice Emile Short, Former Commissioner of CHRAJ, Mr Samuel Awuku Okudzeto, Member of the Council of State, Prof Akilapa Sawyer, Ms Ndey Tapha Sosseh, Former President of The Gambia Press Union, colleagues from the Akufo-Addo, Prempeh and Co Chambers, and other prominent figures and associates of the deceased.
Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ashanti Regional Health Directorate is seeking to vaccinate 88,315 people against COVID-19, as the nineth National COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign begins on Saturday, December 19 to Wednesday, December 20.

The region, which recorded the second highest cases in Ghana during the peak of the global pandemic is leaving no stone unturned in the impending exercise ahead of the yuletide.

‘Protect Yourself, Protect Your Family, Get Vaccinated Against COVID-19 Now,’ is the theme for the campaign being spearheaded by the Ghana Health Service and its partners across the country.

People of 18 years and above are being targeted in all the 43 districts in the Region during the five-day exercise.

Mobile vaccination teams would move to schools, markets, churches, bus stations and other public places where people converge in their numbers, to vaccinate eligible people.

The public can also visit nearest health facilities and designated vaccination posts to take their jabs.

Dr. Emmanuel Tinkorang, the Regional Director
of Health Services, told the Ghana News Agency that the COVID-19 vaccination was for protection and not treatment and urge Ghanaians to get vaccinated while they were healthy.

He said though the cases had reduced drastically, the virus was still around and stressed the need for people to protect themselves and their families by participating in the exercise.

The Regional Director encouraged those who had already received the vaccine to talk to their health providers on the need for a booster dose.

He underlined the need for people to continue observing the COVID-19 prevention protocols, especially frequent hand washing under running water and usage of alcohol-based hand sanitisers.

‘If you feel anything unusual after the vaccination, report to the nearest health facility,’ he advised.
Source: Ghana News Agency

Three persons who beat up a taxi driver, tied his neck with a rope, and robbed him of his vehicle at Gbawe in Accra have been jailed for 44 years.

Kwabena Bandoh, a car wash attendant, who has been in lawful custody because he had no fixed place of abode, was sentenced to 14 years.

His accomplices Kingsley Adjei, an electrician and Alex Oppong, a dispatch rider, were sentenced to 15 years imprisonment each.

The three accused persons were held on charges of Conspiracy to commit crime and robbery.

The three pleaded not guilty but the court presided over by Mr Isaac Addo found them guilty at the end of the trial.

The case presented by Chief Inspector Jonas Lawer is that the complainant James Andoh is a driver residing at Weija SCC while the convicts resided at Circle and Ablekuma, respectively

Prosecution said the complainant was in charge of a Toyota Vitz with registration number GW 5160- 23.

On June 21, 2023, prosecution said at about 12:40 am, the accused persons engaged the service of the complainant
.

Prosecution said the accused persons who were at Odorkor, asked the complainant to take them to Mallam-Gbawe Police Station.

On their way, prosecution said, they reached a Police snap Check point, and they informed the Police that they had a case at the Gbawe Police Station.

Prosecution said a few meters to the Gbawe Police Station, the accused persons asked the complainant to take the right road, but he (complainant) took the left.

The convicts began assaulting the complainant with slippers and tied his neck with a rope and smeared a hot ointment into his eyes.

According to prosecution, a struggle ensued, and the convict pulled the complainant out of the car.

Prosecution said the complainant became unconscious and the convicts succeeded in robbing him of his vehicle.

The court heard that Bandoh drove the car to the Kwame Nkrumah Circle and parked it behind the Ghana Commercial Bank where he was looking for a buyer.

On the same day, the prosecutor said, the complainant reported the matter to the Pol
ice, and he was given a police medical form.

Prosecution said the complainant later led the Police to the crime scene and his pair of slippers was retrieved from the scene.

Police intelligence later indicated that the accused persons were at Circle with the vehicle, offering the car for sale.

Prosecution said some Police officers were dispatched to Circle where Bandoh and Agyei were arrested while they were in the process of selling it.

The prosecutor said in the accused persons’ caution statements, they admitted the offence and indicated that they were three of them robbed the complainant.

On July 1, 2023, the Police arrested Oppong at his hideout.

Prosecution said Bandoh and Agyei identified Oppong as their ‘gang leader.’
Source: Ghana News Agency

The rerouting of haulage and heavy-duty trucks from Techiman through Fulfulso – Damongo to Sawla instead of Techiman through Bole to Sawla following the collapse of the Doli Bridge has brought extra costs and additional responsibilities to shippers, and customs officials, respectively.

Mr Abdul-rasheed Braimah, National Vice Chairman, Ghana Haulage Truck Drivers Association, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency at Bole on the situation when the

news team visited the Doli Bridge site to ascertain the extent of damage, said they (haulage and heavy-duty truck drivers) spent additional day on the roads because the new route or corridor was far longer than the old corridor.

He said in view of that, they spent more money on fuel to cover the distance, adding some portions of the new corridor were also not in good shape resulting in slowing down of movement and frequent breakdown of their trucks, which also had its challenges depending on the nature of goods they carried.

He added that the Damongo to Sawla stretc
h was sparsely populated making it difficult for them to get artisans to fix their trucks when they developed fault along that stretch.

He said they were now spending more days on the roads to arrive at their destinations, which were neighbouring countries to the north, appealing to authorities to expedite work on fixing the Doli Bridge to enable them to return to the old route.

The Doli Bridge in the Bole District of the Savannah Region, which connects the southern parts of the country to the Upper West Region and other neighbouring countries including Burkina Faso, was washed away on September 17, 2023, following a downpour, which forced a dam by the side of the bridge to break its banks.

Following the incident, traffic was diverted to other routes whilst authorities moved in to pour boulders on the stretch as a temporary measure to allow only smaller cars and buses to use the area, which was narrow with steep slope, whilst efforts were being made to mobilise resources to reconstruct the bridge.

However
, articulated trucks started using the bridge, and due to its narrow and slopy nature, an articulated truck slipped on it (bridge) on October 04, 2023, blocking traffic in the area again.

Following this, authorities banned articulated trucks from using the bridge, and directed them to use only the new route, which is Techiman through Fulfulso to Sawla.

Meanwhile, when the GNA visited the site of the collapsed Doli Bridge, there were iron rods to indicate efforts to begin the actual reconstruction of the bridge, but no serious work had started.

The GNA’s visit to the area and its interaction with other duty-bearers in the Bole District have revealed that the use of the new route has also presented additional responsibilities to officials of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) at Bole as they work to ensure that goods in transit to other countries are not sold on the country’s market.

A source at the Customs Division of GRA at Bole told the GNA that they found it difficult to get offic
ers to monitor trucks that broke down along Damongo to Sawla stretch because the distance from the corridor was too long.

The Ghana Shippers’ Authority, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and other stakeholders have been embarking on trade mission to neighbouring countries to increase trade volumes by getting more cargo to the country’s ports.

These engagements saw cargo transit increase from 500 tonnes in 1994 to one million tonnes currently.

Shippers prefer the country’s ports because of the minimum cost they incur in transporting their cargoes to neighbouring countries.

Mr Frederick Atogiyire, Tamale Branch Manager, Ghana Shippers’ Authority, in an interview with the GNA on the effects of the challenges being faced by the haulage and truck drivers following the collapse of the Doli Bridge, said the situation was worrying as it increased costs for shippers.

He said if the situation persisted, some shippers could decide to relocate to ports in other neighbouring countries, which could affect trade f
acilitation and revenue for the country.

He added his voice to calls for the bridge to be fixed on time to reduce shippers’ cost of transporting cargo out of the country.

Meanwhile, some artisans at Bole, who rendered services to trucks on transit, said their businesses had taken a nosedive as the trucks did not pass the area again.

Mr Mohammed Abdul-Latif, a Vulcanizer at Bole, told the GNA that he mended car tyres and blew air cleaners for the trucks, adding that since the rerouting of the trucks away from the area, he could barely make meaningful amount of money to take care of his family.

Mr Abdul-Rahman Razak, a Mechanic at Bole, said he serviced the trucks and sold spare parts to the drivers, however, that had stopped, which had affected his daily sales, making it difficult for him to raise enough income for his needs.

Madam Veronica Alele Heming, Bole District Chief Executive told the GNA that the situation was negatively affecting economic activities in the district as artisans and other business
es, who served the trucks and their drivers, were not operating at optimal levels.

She spoke about efforts being made to repair the bridge, saying iron rods were sent to the site, adding that work would soon start as the rains were over.
Source: Ghana News Agency

The GCB Bank PLC has launched a new mobile application to provide customers with enhanced banking and non-banking services and to promote financial inclusion in the country.

The ‘Recoded’ application, which includes encryption and multifactor authentication security features such as password, fingerprint, facial recognition, pin, and security questions, will supplement the bank’s traditional ‘brick and mortar’ and online service delivery.

Among others, the application enables users to open instant bank accounts, deposit and transfer money, access loans, and pay electricity, water, and DSTV bills, school fees, and request for check book, bank letter, and statements for travel visas.

Speaking at the launch in Accra on Wednesday, Mr John Kofi Adomakoh, Managing Director, GCB Bank, said the bank’s move is ‘to put banking in the palms of customers.’

That, he said, the bank would achieve by offering customers unlimited access to banking services through a secure mobile app from any location.

‘This app serves
as a commitment to our customers and would be customers to know that GCB, despite having the largest branch network, recognises the limitations in that network when it comes to how technology is going to be.

‘So, where the branch can’t go, technology can, and through this app, we’re going to combine our physical branch network and technology to leave our customers with pleasurable experience,’ he noted.

Mr Adomakoh pledged the bank’s commitment to being at the forefront of Ghana’s economic digitisation in the financial sector, by providing customers with more digital platforms, products, and business services that are both convenient and secure.

He explained that the app was created in response to consumer feedback and research into what customers want as well as where the bank wants to go.

Mr Daniel Tweneboah Asirifi, Interim Board Chairman of GCB Bank PLC, underscored the new app’s relevance to enhancing customer experience by bringing financial services closer to them.

He stated that the bank was embr
acing the future and positioning itself as the country’s digital banking leader by delivering innovative solutions to customers, and in turn, bring strong returns for shareholders.

‘Our goal is to make an enduring positive impact in the lives of our customers by providing them bespoke solutions and make banking simple, accessible and convenient,’ the Interim Board Chairman of GCB Bank said.

‘This app launch is a testament of our continuous evolving nature, staying relevant with the times, and providing services that meet the needs of our esteemed customers,’ he noted.

Mr Asirifi assuaged clients’ concerns about using the app considering rising cyber threats by stating that the bank has invested heavily in a world-class security centre that detects and proactively resolves such threats.

Dr Ernest Addison, Governor, Bank of Ghana (BoG), commended GCB Bank for prioritising digital services to customers with the launch of the app, which he described as ‘customer centred.’

He stated that because mobile bankin
g had become the preferred method for financial transactions, it was critical for financial institutions to adopt new digital advances in their operations in a secure manner.

Dr. Addison said the Central Bank had enhanced cyber security infrastructure, as well as education and the use of advanced machine learning to combat cybercrime.

He assured the public of the BoG’s commitment to ensuring the necessary regulatory framework for financial institutions, particularly banks, to provide the best services to clients while also contributing to economic development.
Source: Ghana News Agency

A 31-year-old driver has been sentenced to three years in prison for stealing a pump action shotgun and other heavy industrial machines worth GHC87,000.

Abu Mohammed was found guilty by an Accra Circuit Court on the charges of stealing.

Mohammed, who is also a housekeeper, pleaded not guilty before the court presided over by Mr Isaac Addo.

However, at the end of the trial he was found guilty and sentenced by the court.

‘A Toyota Yaris vehicle bought by the accused person through the proceeds of crime was to be released to the complainant Samuel Sintim -Yabbey,’ the court said.

The prosecution led by Chief Inspector Jonas Laweh said the complainant is a Ghanaian working in the United Kingdom, and Mohammed lived in Baatsona.

According to Chief Inspector Laweh, in 2019, Sintim-Yabbey sent his parents abroad for medical treatment and entrusted his house to Mohammed.

However, in early 2021, Sintim-Yabbey and the parents ordered Mohammed to vacate their home after receiving information about theft involving
their belongings.

The prosecutor said Sintim-Yabbey and his mother returned to Ghana in November 2022 and discovered that his late father’s pump action shotgun with registration number ASHP/7674/02, valued at GHC15,000, had been stolen.

The prosecution further stated that welding, washing, drilling, and grinding machinery, among other items worth GHc87,000, had been stolen.

When Mohammed was arrested, he told the Police that he had sold the machines to scrap dealers and denied knowledge of the pump action shotgun.

During investigations, the prosecutor said a Toyota Yaris with registration number GN6282-22 registered in Mohammed’s name and suspected of having been acquired through the crime was retrieved.

The prosecution said investigations showed that the vehicle was registered on August 23, 2022, and ownership of the vehicle was transferred to Regina Atiah on the same day.

It said Mohammed however failed to lead the Police to the said Regina Atiah.

The prosecution said the vehicle was impounded by the
Police.
Source: Ghana News Agency