Day: June 25, 2024

Reverend Harry Nii Kwatei-Owoo, Chief Director of the Oti Regional Coordinating Council (ORCC), has appealed to stakeholders in the region to support the Ghana Police service and other security agencies to arrest recalcitrant citizens tarnishing the hard-won image of the newly created Region.

He said the society should stand behind the Service to weed out the miscreants, adding that, opinion and religious leaders, academicians, and influential people in the society to use their positions to champion the cause of gender-based violence (GBV) in the respective traditional area.

Reverend Kwatei-Owoo made the call during capacity building programme organised by Oti Regional Coordinating Council (ORCC) in collaboration with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) of Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) for security officers in Oti Region.

He said that SGBV is the most pervasive human rights violations in Ghana and calls for a multi- dimensional approach by all stakeholders, including strengthening t
he capacity of DOVVSU to discharge its mandate effectively.

He told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the workshop was a training of trainers’ programme for coordinators drawn from the various Divisional and District commands in Oti Region and expected to impact others positively with the new knowledge and skills acquired.

Mr Kwatei-Owoo said, the coordinators, investigators and prosecutors had received training in Victim Trauma Management, Effective Handling of Gender Based Violence Survivors, Effective Investigations and Prosecution of Gender Based Violence Cases.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Oti Regional Coordinating Council (ORCC), in collaboration with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has organised a day’s training workshop against sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and harmful practice with the aim of decreasing it.

As part of the programme, the Ghana Police Service had a capacity building programme for Regional, Municipal and District Coordinators of DOVVSU, who have a direct mandate and are primary stakeholders, in terms of prosecuting offenders and protecting victims of sexual and gender-based violence.

Ms. Esther Hammond, the Oti Regional Director, Department of Gender, used the opportunity to create awareness of GBV, which would help the officers to properly document evidence, how to conduct interviews with victims and witnesses and file comprehensive reports that could lead to more effective investigations and prosecution of perpetrators.

She said understanding the diverse manifestation GBV cases was crucial for effective prevention and interventions efforts, adding it
could manifest in the form of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, forced marriage among others.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Mr. Lawrence Wiafe, Crime officer at Nkwanta South took the participants through initial reporting and documentation processes of GBV cases, investigation and evidence gathering, legal procedures and prosecution.

He explained that it was more important to establish regular follow ups with GBV victims in collaboration with other relevant Institutions to help assess the victim’s physical and emotional well-being.

ASP Wiafe said it was important to ensure that the victims’ safety and security were continually monitored including regular assessment of their living conditions and any potential threats from the perpetrators.

Reverend Harry Nii Kwatei-Owoo, Chief Director of Oti Regional Coordinating Council urged stakeholders and state Institutions to collaborate with the police to be impactful in society.

He said the police would succeed and make an impact when the c
itizens and key Institutions collaborated effectively and worked together for an impactful outcome.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Eight students of the Assin Manso Senior High School Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Club have won the best robot game organised by the First Lego League National Robotics.

The students, however, appealed to the old students of the school, philanthropists and civil society groups to construct a STEM block to enhance teaching and learning of those subjects.

Nineteen senior high schools and eight basic schools from across the country participated. They coded a robot to perform specific functions.

The events showcased the immense talents and ingenuity of young minds who eagerly embraced the challenges posed by robotics and its applications in science and technology.

Mr Eric Nyarkoh, the Headmaster of the school, said the world was now driven by technology, especially with inventions like Artificial Intelligence (AI), and it was important for parents and guardians to properly check and control their children and wards against its negative usage.

He applauded the efforts of the students
and the teachers for winning the award.

Mr Nyarkoh admonished parents to engage their children on the importance of STEM education and be particular about teaching soft skills such as patience and positive attitudes.

The school was grateful to Rev Ntim Fordjour, the Deputy Minister of Education, for his support, especially during the training of the students towards the competition.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ada Youth Organisation (AYO), a youth development group, has held its national conference at the Ada Community Centre to prepare for the upcoming Asafotufiami Festival in August this year.

The conference is aimed at making this year’s event historic for indigenes, citizens and visitors.

The AYO, officially established in 1961 to unite all natives of Ada, has executed many development projects in the Traditional Area, including building the community centre, and remains committed to doing more.

Mr Samuel Teye Kabutey, the Chairman of the group, noted that road reconstruction, the building of a palace for the Ada Traditional Area, unemployment issues, chieftaincy disputes and managing conflicts surrounding the Songor Lagoon, among others, were high priority issues for the youth.

He told the Ghana News Agency that the youth had collaborated with security personnel to enforce a ban on indecent dressing during the festival, as those practices were alien to the culture of the area.

Mr Kabutey called on the
Asafotufiami Planning Committee to ensure that the schedules were strictly followed for a beautiful and successful celebration.

‘Most of the time, our chiefs arrive at the durbar grounds very late, and this prevents us from performing some of our cultural dances, which is disappointing,’ he added.

Mr. David Kpodo, the Public Relations Officer of AYO, said Ada needed more police posts and stations to facilitate the reporting of crime for swift intervention.

‘When robbery is going on in the neighbourhood and we want to report it to the police, the thieves leave before the police arrive due to the distance.’ he said.

‘So, if we can get as many police stations as possible, it will help us. We want the police to work diligently in the area to curb the menace of theft, smoking, attacks, and other social vices and to maintain peace, especially as the Asafotufiami is approaching.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Amasaman Circuit Court has granted a GHC70,000.00 bail with two sureties to a 74-year-old pensioner, who allegedly deceived public officers.

Abraham Kwashie has denied the offence.

Two persons: Tawiah Kwashie, electrician, 30 and Mawuli Olegbe, machine operator, 20, who were arraigned with him were also granted a GHC70,000.00 bail with two sureties, each.

They pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to cause damage, unlawful entry and causing unlawful damage.

The three were ordered by the Court presided over by Ms Enid Marful-Sau to make their next appearance on August 1, 2024.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Frederick Awuah-Ansah told the Court that Mr Godfred Owusu, the complainant was a software developer and resident of Sarpeiman Faase near Amasaman, together with Frank Jackson, Empire Destiny and Dorcas Akosua Babe Zaah, all witnesses.

He said the accused persons, Abraham, pensioner, Tawiah, electrician and Olegbe, machine operator, were also residents of Sarpeiman Faase.

Chief Inspector Awuah-An
sah said on April 21, 2024, a witness in this case, Empire Destiny, engaged the services of Abraham to massage his wife Rita Francis, who fell down from a staircase at East Legon and had a problem with her waist.

Abraham, he said, informed the witnesses that he could not travel to East Legon to massage the wife and suggested he transported her to Sarpeiman Faase where he lived.

The Court heard that the witness did as suggested and took his wife to the complainant’s house near where Abraham lived and invited him.

But Abraham, after a while, left them in the house without massaging the woman.

Chief Inspector Awuah-Ansah said Abraham ‘left the room, came outside and without waiting for the main door to be opened, tried to escape from the house without attending to the sick woman. He jumped over the fence wall with the aid of a bench.’

The police said unfortunately, he fell and sustained some injuries.

He, thereafter, went to the community and raised false alarm that he was attacked by the complainant, the
Court was told.

The youth of the community numbering about fifteen led by Tawiah and Olegbe armed with stones and cutlasses, rushed to the house of the complainant and the witnesses.

They allegedly pelted stones at the house, and used the cutlasses and other offensive instruments to cause damage to glass windows, a metal gate, a security door, laptop computers, mobile phones and a plasma Television set.

The prosecution said the complainant and the witnesses called a police patrol team which went to the scene, but the accused persons fled.

Chief Inspector Awuah-Ansah said Abraham falsely reported to Sarpeiman police that the complainant and the witnesses had harm.

A formal complaint was later lodged by the complainant at Amasaman police station leading to the arrest of the accused persons.

After investigation, they were charged with the offences and put before court.

Source: Ghana News Agency

In a bid to promote a free and fair December 7 electoral process, the youth have been cautioned against registering for voter ID cards under any form of coercion.

The warning comes amidst reports of alleged forced registrations in various parts of the country.

With the upcoming general elections just around the corner, concerns are mounting about the integrity of the electoral process.

The Atiwa West District of the National Commission for Civic Education sent out the word of caution to the youth to desist from being coerced by anyone to go register for voter’s identity cards if they have not reached the eligibility age, which is 18 years.

Mr Joseph Owusu Koranteng, the Atiwa West District NCCE Director said this during its annual citizenship week celebration on the theme, ‘Children, Let’s Build Ghana Together’.

The team visited Banso R/C and Presbyterian Junior High Schools and Bomaa D/A JHS to educate and motivate them to be responsible young citizens of the country.

Addressing the pupils, Mr Owusu Ko
ranteng gave a brief history about successive governments since Ghana’s independence till the current 4th Republic.

He said every citizen had a role to play in the development of the country and therefore, there’s the need for each pupil to be focused and study hard for the collective good of the country.

He said to build the country together, they ought to practise the slogan, ‘See something, say something’ to help curb societal vices.

He encouraged the pupils not to engage in galamsey, theft, smoking, and alcoholism but rather be studious to achieve good grades and become exemplary citizens.

He therefore urged the pupils to be focused and determined to make it in life without being deterred by their poor home backgrounds or surroundings.

Mr. Paddy Amponsah Douglas, the District Chief Executive of the Atiwa West District Assembly and Superintendent Harold Yammoah Ponkor of the Ghana Police Service of the District joined the session as resource persons.

Their presence served as inspiration to the young
ones and motivated them to be responsible young citizens.

Source: Ghana News Agency