Day: December 28, 2023

Klicks Africa Foundation, an organisation that supports teens and youth on the Autism Spectrum has donated GHS100,000 to Madam Mary Yawo Grunitzky, a 75-year-old Special needs mother.

Madam Mary Grunitzky, a widow and a single mother, has a 44-year-old son with cerebral palsy and has engaged in all kinds of jobs in addition to solely taking care of his son to be able to survive daily.

Mrs Mary Amoh Kufuor, Founder and Executive Director of Klicks Africa Foundation who made the presentation to Madam Grunitzky said she was tagged on Facebook by the Special Mothers Project, an advocacy programme for families of children with cerebral palsy with Madam Grunitzky’s story.

She said she was touched by the plight of the aged woman knowing how difficult it was to nurture a child with disability and thus decided to raise funds to support the woman.

‘The woman is old and needs support, she cannot do much to support herself,’ she told the Ghana News Agency.

Mrs Kuffuor expressed gratitude to her Facebook followers f
or believing in her and supporting her to support the aged special needs Mom.

Madam Grunitzky who was visibly surprised by the donation, could only utter ‘God bless all who donated to me abundantly.’

Mr Agbeko Awadzi, co-founder of the Special Mothers Project, also expressing gratitude to the donors, said Madam Grunitzky reached out to the Special Mothers Project calling for help.

‘The Special Mothers Project took to social media to share the story of Madam Grunitzky and the results has been positive.’

He expressed special thanks to Mrs Kuffuor for taking the issue up.
Source: Ghana News Agency

The Sacred Heart Charismatic Renewal has feted more than 300 street children and vulnerable women within the Bolgatanga Municipality in the Upper East Region with hot meals and assorted soft drinks.

The gesture by the Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR) group of the Sacred Heart Cathedral Parish in Bolgatanga led by its Women and Children’s Ministries in collaboration with the Centre for Child Development of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Catholic Diocese was part of activities marking this year’s Christmas.

Apart from the food, the street children and the vulnerable women were given used clothes and underwent free health screening for various diseases ranging from malaria, typhoid, blood sugar level and hypertension, among others.

The ‘Christmas on the Street’ event is an annual programme of the group in which they share the love of Jesus Christ to the less privileged and vulnerable, particularly, those on the streets and inculcate in the children the spirit of alms giving.

Mr Daniel Amoyea, the Leader of the C
CR, Sacred Heart Cathedral Parish, explained that the move was aimed at extending the joy of Christmas to the less privileged on the streets, particularly the children.

He said there were many vulnerable people on the streets, who found it difficult to survive and seek medical attention hence it was imperative to extend the celebration to the street to ensure inclusiveness and love.

‘Christmas is about show of love and it is because of love that Christ came all the way from heaven to this earth. These children are learning how to give back this love that Christ has given to them to others in this way, inculcating in themselves the love for neighbour and support for the vulnerable,’ he said.

Mrs Juliana Amoh, the Women’s Ministry Coordinator, CCR, Sacred Heart Cathedral Parish, indicated that the core mandate of the children of God was to put the joy of Christ on the faces of the less privileged and underscored the need for people to imbibe in themselves the spirit of sharing.

‘The me and myself alone spir
it is eating too much into us lately because of the hard times which is actually disheartening, so I think that as children of God, as Christians we have been called upon to be our brother’s keeper and that should drive us on,’ she added.

Mr Stephen Adongo, one of the teachers of the Children’s Ministry, CCR, Sacred Heart Cathedral Parish, noted that due to vulnerabilities there were some people particularly children who could not afford to be part of the Christmas celebration, therefore, the event is meant to help lift their spirit to be part of the festive season.

Mr Frederick Felix Amenga-Etego, the Project Manager, Centre for Child Development, explained that through the health screening children, who have been identified and needed support would be recruited by the Centre and given the necessary attention to help them to live dignified lives.

‘Last two years, we had a child who had a chronic sore on the leg and currently she is living in our residential care programme, there are others we have recruit
ed on different programmes that we run,’ he said.

He said the Centre targeted and supported children it discovered on the street who needed some support to either reunite with their families or live in the residential home.
Source: Ghana News Agency

The Right Reverend Dr Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye, Moderator of the General Assembly of The Presbyterian Church, has asked the Electoral Commission, Political Parties and Civil Society Organisations to work towards peace in the upcoming General Election.

He said the citizens also had a crucial role to play to maintain the peace the nation enjoyed, saying that was the only way to demonstrate the peace and love of God.

Rev. Kwakye who made the call in his Christmas and New Year message, said Christians were celebrating the Yuletide at a time when many people were troubled and were without peace.

He said the people of Jesus’ homeland were in wartime and many children and vulnerable adults were losing their lives in the Israel-Hamas War.

The Russia-Ukraine War is also almost two years old with hundreds of thousands of people dead.

‘In our own country, there are pockets of war in some communities and economic hardship threatens the livelihood of many. There is no peace.

‘As we consider the ‘dog eat dog’ world
in which we now live, one cannot help but wonder when Isaiah’s prophecy will come to pass. Christmas is a reminder of the song of the angelic multitude – Peace on earth, goodwill towards men,’ he said.

The Right Reverend Dr Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye, Moderator of the General Assembly of The Presbyterian Church

Rev. Kwakye said the love that compelled God to send His Son to die for humanity must be the love that directed everyone’s thoughts, words and actions.

‘That incredible love is the true essence of Christmas. It is a time to demonstrate love towards all people, including those who have offended us as we enter into a new year,’ he said.

The Moderator called on all in true ‘Jesus fashion’, to concentrate on rebuilding and repairing relationships with God, and between themselves and their fellow human beings; which he said were central to the celebration of Christmas.

‘On behalf of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, I wish the entire world a peaceful, meaningful, joyful and Merry Christmas. May the year
2024 bring us peace, prosperity, and fruitfulness through hard work. I pray that the Lord will guide all of us to be sons and daughters of the Prince of Peace,’ he added.
Source: Ghana News Agency

An Accra Circuit Court has granted bail to five security operatives and two others accused of robbing a deputy director of operations of a firm in Accra.

They are Alex Anim, a 42-year-old National Security Operative alleged to be stationed at Jubilee House, Ernest Amankwah, a 40-year-old police officer, and James Awinimari Adocta, a 42-year-old Police Officer who has been interdicted.

The others are Edwin Ansah, a 27-year-old Military officer, Kelvin Prince Boakye, a 49-year-old National Security operative, Stephen Adu, a 44-year-old businessman and one John aka Na Today, who is currently at large.

Six out of the seven accused persons have been admitted to bail in the sum of GHC200,000 with three sureties, one to be justified.

This was after they pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, extortion, and possession of forged 176 pieces of $100 bill.

The court presided over by Mr. Samuel Bright Acquah ordered that the two other sureties of the accused persons should be ord
inary citizens.

It further ordered the accused persons to report once a week to the Police.

The matter has been adjourned to February 5,2024.

When the matter was called Superintendent of Police Augustine Yirenkyi held the brief of Deputy Superintendent of Police Maxwell Oppong.

According to the prosecution, the complainants are Robert Mbroh, a deputy Director of Operations for an unnamed organization, and David Kofi Dadzie, a building contractor.

The prosecutor said on August 3, 2023, Mbroh asked Dadzie to assist him to obtain $20,000 from a foreign exchange dealer.

The prosecution told the court that Dadzie contacted an acquaintance, one John, alias Na Today, for some assistance.

According to the prosecutor, John met the two complainants (Mbroh and Dadzie) on the same day at Achimota Mall, where they agreed that the complainant should pay GHC80,000 and 10,000 Euros in exchange for $20,000.

The prosecution said the complainants, as part of their commitment, made an initial deposit of GHC80,000 to John
whiles he (John) mobilised the rest of the money the following day.

The prosecutor said on August 4, 2023, John called the complainants to inform them of the change of venue from Achimota Mall to Tantra Hills in Accra.

The prosecution said the complainants went to a spot at Tanta Hills, near Our Lady of Assumption School.

It said John gave the complainants $20,000 in $100 bills, in two bundles, beginning with serial number PG40131659 B, which ran serially, and PL57737565 A that also ran serially in the bundle.

The prosecution said as soon as the said John left the scene, a Toyota Landcruiser with registration GR 1853-23 arrived and parked in front of ‘Wash n Go’ laundry, where Ernest Amankwah was seen wearing a police uniform and armed with an AK47 rifle alongside Stephen Adu.

The prosecutor said Anim and Adocta alighted from the vehicle and immediately accused the complainants of engaging in illegal foreign exchange transactions.

The Prosecutor said five of the accused persons marched the two complaina
nts into the vehicle.

It said while in the vehicle, Adocta searched Dadzie and removed the two bundles of dollar notes totaling $20,000.

The prosecution said Adocta claimed the money was not genuine, thus the complainants should either contact a bank or forex bureau for confirmation.

It said the accused persons instead took the complainants to Sowutuom Police Station Premises and asked them to wait outside the station.

The prosecutor told the court that Adu and Anim informed the complainants that they had spoken to the Sowutoum Police Command and decided to resolve the matter.

The accused persons then demanded 1,000 Euros so they could set the complainants free.

The prosecution said after hearing the story, the station officer at Sowutuom ordered the arrest of Adu Anim and Ansah for further investigations.

On September 2, 2023, Adu mobilized some boys, and they arrested Kelvin Prince Boakye.

‘In the cause of investigations, the accused persons volunteered to refund the amount involved and made a down
payment of GHC30,000.’

The prosecution said, ‘efforts have been intensified to arrest other accomplices involved.’
Source: Ghana News Agency