L' Observateur Burundi

The Tarkwa circuit court has sentenced a 47-year-old man to 10 years imprisonment in hard labour for assaulting his 13 – year-old daughter after accusing her of having sexual intercourse with men.?

The convict, John Ansah, who is the biological father of the victim pleaded guilty to the charges of causing harm, indecent assault, and female genital mutilation.?

Police Superintendent, Juliana Essel-Dadzie, earlier told the court presided over by Mrs Hathia Ama Manu?that the complainant was a supervisor at the Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL), and resident of Agona Nkwanta, while Ansah, was?a charcoal producer.?

She said the convict who was a single parent lived with his children including the victim at Kwapong located within the GREL plantation.?

The court heard that Ansah had been subjecting the victim to all kinds of abuses with the allegation that she was going after men and was having sexual intercourse with them.?

Prosecution said on Sunday, March 24, 2024, at about 20:00 hours Ansah?tied the legs
and hands of the daughter with a rope at their bamboo house and put two cutlasses into fire and pushed same in the victim’s vagina in turns, and she sustained severe burns around her vagina and thighs.?

Superintendent Essel-Dadzie explained that the victim cried out for help while Ansah was torturing her until she became weak but was left tired up with the rope until the next day when she managed to free herself.?

After the act, Ansah became frightened that the victim might sneak from the cottage and expose him, he, therefore, started monitoring her.?

The prosecutor said on March 26, 2024, the victim managed to escape from the cottage and was rescued by a witness in the case, who rushed her to the Nsuaem Government Hospital where she was admitted for treatment.?

The case was reported at the Nsuaem police station, and a medical form was issued to him on behalf of the victim for endorsement and same was returned to the police.?

Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said the complainant later led the police to arrest
Ansah and handed him over to the Regional Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) to aid investigations.?

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Gorgisberg Fiagbenu, the Chairman of the Juapong/Adidome Transport Union, has rallied support from local authorities and representatives in a move to safeguard commuters’ safety and ensure seamless transportation in the enclave.

Concerns were raised about the detour route from Adidome to Juapong, passing through Sakpatekope in the North Tongu District, due to an unfinished culvert construction works, which poses an imminent threat to commuters, when it rains.

Mr Fiagbenu appealed to the leadership of the North and Central Tongu District Assemblies, along with Members of Parliament, to prioritize the completion of the culvert.

Recognizing the urgency of the matter, the Chairman emphasized the need for swift action with a deadline set for the end of May, this year, especially with the uncertainty surrounding the reconstruction of the collapsed Sayikope Bridge on the Aklakpa river.

Some of the Juapong/Adidome Transport Union members told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the completion of the culvert would
ensure the safety of the commuters and foster socioeconomic activities in the two districts.

‘The situation is dire, and we need urgent support from our local authorities to complete the culvert as soon as possible because we’re in the rainy season and that’s our only route now,’ they noted.

The members were also hopeful that the government would support them in reconstructing the collapsed Sayikope bridge before the year ends.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ms Felicia Edem Attipoe, Ghana’s First Female Aircraft Marshaller, has been nominated as the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Tema West Municipal Assembly (TWMA) by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Ms Attipoe’s appointment would have to be confirmed through voting by the Assembly members of TWMA before she could assume office as the MCE.

The nomination was contained in a letter dated April 24, 2024, from the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation, and Rural Development and signed by Mr Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, the representative of the President.

It stated that the President, in accordance with Article 243(1) of the 1992 Constitution and Section 20(1) of the Local Government Act, 2016 (Act 936) nominated her to the position pending approval by the Assembly.

Ms Attipoe, when confirmed, would replace Ms Anna Adukwei Addo, who had run the affairs of the TWMA since the last quarter of 2021.

The Ghana News Agency (GNA) gathered that the MCE nominee was born on April 21, 1975, and had o
ver 20 years of experience in the aviation industry.

The multifaceted nominee played a pivotal role in supporting and mobilising members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Atiwa Asiama, Adenta, and Tema West, where she served as the former constituency women’s organiser and contested the Greater Accra Regional Women’s Organiser’s election.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Some petty traders and business owners in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region have expressed their concerns on the adverse effects of the ongoing power outages on their businesses.

The residents disclosed their plight to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after many of them realised massive losses in their businesses due to intermittent power outages in these enclaves.

Madam Mabel Nyekor, a cold store operator told the GNA that she lost a significant portion of her perishable goods worth GHS3,600 due to prolonged periods of outage in a week.

‘It is not easy to do business nowadays. Everything has changed but we are managing, yet the frequent power outage is another challenge that is hitting us very hard. Our petty businesses are sinking,’ she cried.

Mrs. Tandzi Grace, a hairdresser, stressed similar sentiments and highlighted the difficulties she also faces in serving her clients effectively during power cuts.

The situation is not isolated to the South Tongu District alone but extends to neighboring ar
eas, including Central and North Tongu.

Mr Wisdom Nyamordey, a bar operator in the North Tongu District also shared that most clients do not patronize his services due to the power cut crisis.

The residents in these districts have reported a significant disruption to their daily lives and businesses whenever the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) initiates power cuts.

They appealed to the government to address the root causes of the power outage crisis and implement sustainable solutions to alleviate their plight and salvage their businesses.

Further investigations by the GNA revealed that some of these local entrepreneurs demonstrated resilience by exploring alternative means to sustain their businesses.

About thirty per cent of these business folks in the three Tongu districts have invested in backup power sources, while others adapted their operations to minimize losses during power outages as they await swift intervention from the government.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A 36-year-old trader, Patience Kofi, has been sentenced to a fine of GH?120 by the Ashaiman District Court for stealing her employer’s GH?3,200.00.

The convict, who was also asked by the court to refund the stolen money to the complainant, would serve six months of imprisonment if she defaulted on paying the fine and obeying the court’s instructions.

The court, presided over by Mr Derick Pardden Eshun, sentenced the accused person after she pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful entry and stealing.

Inspector Henry Tetteh Nartey, prosecuting the case, said the complainant, Madam Vida Tetteh, is a cook and lives at Kakasunanka number two.

He added that the accused person, who was residing at Somanya, started assisting her at her canteen located at the Ashaiman roundabout.

He stated that on January 11, 2024, at about 0800 hours, she stole the complainant’s house keys and went to her house at Kakasunanka number two, where she entered her room and made away with cash in the sum of GH?3,200.00.

The prosecut
or added that the following day, Madam Tetteh was about to wash her clothes when she detected that her money had been stolen, adding that upon enquiring from neighbours, she was informed by her landlord that her employee was seen entering the room, but they did not question her because she was using the key.

The court heard that she was subsequently arrested, and an investigation caution statement was obtained from her in which she confessed that she stole the money.

She was, therefore, charged and put before the court after an investigation.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Tourism Society of Ghana (TOSOGHA) has paid a courtesy call on the tourism minister, Mr Andrew Egyapa Mercer, in Accra.

The call was to congratulate him on his new appointment and to discuss ongoing initiatives and campaigns of the Society aimed at boosting domestic tourism, particularly among the youth.

Mr. Ahmed Nahman, Board Chairman, TOSOGHA said the society was embarking on several key projects, including the revitalization of tourism clubs in educational institutions, the Liberty Card Project, and the National Youth Skill Acquisition and Training Scheme.

The initiatives, he explained, were intended to stimulate the interest of the younger generation in Ghana’s rich cultural heritage and unique attractions.

Mr. Mercer commended TOSOGHA’s efforts to strengthen the industry and assured the Ministry’s full support.

He said the government was committed to fostering sustainable tourism growth and development across the country.

Mr Joseph Amartey, President of TOSOGHA, expressed gratitude at the mini
stry’s continued support for the society, saying, ‘With the Ministry’s backing, TOSOGHA aims to further amplify its efforts in promoting domestic tourism and empowering Ghanaian youth to explore and appreciate the wonders of their own country.’

Source: Ghana News Agency