By Charles Tawiah 

Akropong (Ash), June 7, GNA – A 27-year-old Satellite Installer has been remanded into police custody by the Asante Akropong Circuit court in the Atwima Nwabiagya North District for defiling three girls at Atwima Agogo. 

Emmanuel Bonsu pleaded not guilty to the charge of defilement and will reappear before the court on June 17, this year. 

Police Chief Inspector Evans Ayimbisah, prosecuting, told the court presided over by Mrs. Gloria Mensah Bonsu that the cases happened at Atwima Agogo. 

He said, on November 29, 2024, the first victim, a 14-year-old form two pupil, was washing her clothes outside the house while her mother had gone to town. 

He said the accused who was passing by lured her into an uncompleted building, pulled out a screwdriver, pointed it at her and ordered her to touch his nipples, for which she complied. 

The accused person forcibly had sexual intercourse with her, took to his heels after the act, and left the victim bleeding from her vagina. 

 Prosecution said on February 2, this year at about 1500 hours, the second victim, a 15-year-old second year senior high school student visited her friend after classes and when returning home met the accused person who held her hand, dragged her into an uncompleted building. 

This time, he pulled out a knife and instructed her to obey his instructions to avoid any harm. 

He undressed her, inserted his penis into her vagina and forcibly had sexual intercourse with her, cleaned the victim’s vagina with a rag after which he ordered her to leave. 

On April 28, the third victim, an 11-year-old junior high school pupil, was home with her other siblings when a witness in the case sent her on an errand, the prosecution told the court. 

On her way, she met the accused who sexually abused her by spitting on his penis before inserting it into her vagina. 

 Chief Inspector Ayimbisah explained that the complainants who were mothers of the victims reported the cases to the Abuakwa police leading to the arrest of the accused on May 16 at Atwima Agogo.  

An identification parade was conducted, and the victims identified the accused person as the one who defiled them. 

In his caution statement, he denied the offence but after further investigations he was charged and brought before the court. 

GNA 

Edited by Yussif Ibrahim/Kenneth Odeng Adade 

June 7, 2025 

In a heartwarming display of dedication and commitment to his alma mater, Minister of Defence, Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, has facilitated the construction of an asphalt overlay on the roads at Pope John Senior High and Minor Seminary in Koforidua-Effiduase, Eastern Region.

The project, undertaken by the Mahama government ahead of the school’s upcoming 67th anniversary, has brought new life and excitement to the campus and beyond. The road network, previously in a deplorable state, now boasts a smooth and durable surface, facilitating easy movement for students, staff, and visitors.

Dr. Omane Boamah, an alumnus of the prestigious institution and a Cabinet Minister in the President John Dramani Mahama administration, facilitated the project, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to giving back to his community.

“The aim is to fix the deplorable nature of the road network to facilitate the free movement of staff, students, and visitors, smooth traffic control, whilst improving productivity,” he explained.

The project has also benefited adjoining facilities, including the St. Joseph Hospital and the regional office of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, as the construction extended from the school campus to the main Effiduase road.

As the school prepares to celebrate its 67th anniversary, this gesture serves as a testament to Dr. Omane Boamah’s enduring connection to his alma mater.

The anniversary celebrations, scheduled for June 13 to 15, promise to be a grand affair, featuring a Founders Day Mass, speech and prize-giving day, and a homecoming event.

With prominent government functionaries, clergy, past students, and academia expected to attend, this milestone celebration will undoubtedly be a memorable one.

Dr. Omane Boamah’s contribution has set a shining example of what it means to give back to one’s community, inspiring others to follow in his footsteps.

 

 

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play videoIsaac Boamah-Nyarko is MP for Effia and member of Parliament’s Finance Committee

The Member of Parliament for Effia and a member of the Finance Committee of Parliament, Isaac Boamah-Nyarko, has criticised the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the John Dramani Mahama administration over the newly-approved 1% energy levy on petroleum products, describing it as a betrayal of public trust.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb’s George Ayisi, Boamah-Nyarko added his voice to criticisms from energy experts and some Ghanaians who argue that the levy unfairly adds to the financial burden of already struggling consumers.

While recognising the financial difficulties facing Ghana’s energy sector, particularly the growing debts of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the MP stressed that these inefficiencies should not serve as a justification for imposing extra taxes on the public.

“We all agree that the debts are huge and we need to do something about it. The energy minister said they were discussing with the IPPs to revise some of the charges downwards. He said they are trying to reintroduce some partnership to ECG and bring in the private sector. If there is a need to create some monetary space to pay for the energy sector debts, do we need GH¢1 per litre?” he asked.

Parliament, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, passed the Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, which introduces a GH¢1 charge on every liter of petroleum product.

The Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, said the levy is expected to generate GH¢5.7 billion to support the energy sector and sustain electricity supply nationwide.

However, Boamah-Nyarko argued that the levy could lead to a surge in prices of goods and services, further worsening the economic hardships faced by citizens, describing the tax as unexpected, which could eventually undermine confidence among Ghanaians.

“The Ghanaian won’t believe the politician or the government, because the government said it is going to reduce taxes, now it is increasing more taxes. Prices were coming down, because of this, prices would either remain the same or go up. The impact is real, nobody should chicken out. If we don’t put our acts together, this would be one of the decisions to bring the confidence of the people down,” he stated.

Watch his full interview below:

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Africaweb – Ghana

The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the National Vaccine Institute (NVI), Dr Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey, has disclosed that the NVI is making giant strides in its quest to achieve vaccine self-sufficiency in the country’s health delivery.

He said the NVI was mandated to coordinate and supervise research, develop and manufacture vaccines and sera, and for related matters nationally, according to its ACT 1097 2023, in response to the vaccine nationalism that characterised the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr Sodzi-Tettey said this during the recent JEAM Leadership Lecture Series, in memory of late President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, instituted and organised by the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS).

The Lecture Series was under the theme, “Advancing Quality Health Systems in Ghana Amidst Global Disruptions.”

He disclosed that vaccines have saved millions of lives from time immemorial, with only one per cent of vaccines used being manufactured in Africa, and described the government’s decision to establish the NVI as bold and forward-thinking.

On its second anniversary, in May, this year, Dr Sodzi-Tettey acknowledged its modest gains as organizational set up, supporting the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to become a World Health Organisation (WHO) Maturity Three Regulatory Agency for vaccine manufacturing and selected two private companies to lead on vaccine manufacturing through a public, private partnership (PPP) model.

He said the NVI facilitated technology transfer for vaccine manufacturing in Ghana between foreign entities and local vaccine manufacturers and established useful partnerships with the European Union, the German Economic Development and Cooperation, GIZ, World Bank, Africa CDC, WHO, and Universities home and abroad, among others.

He indicated that after months of testing, quality assurance and safety checks, the Ghana FDA issued market authorisation to Atlantic Life Sciences (ALS) Limited for the manufacturing of Snake Venom Anti Serum in commercial quantities.

An average of 9,600 snakebite cases were reported between 2015 and 2019 annually, in the country alone, with a fatality rate of 3 per cent, and lifelong disabilities such as amputations and chronic wounds affecting survivors, according to research.

Again, in sub-Saharan Africa, an estimated 1 million snakebites result in a mortality between 10,000 and 30,000.

Dr Sodzi-Tettey said plans are advanced for NVI and the ALS Ltd to produce vaccines to meet national expectations and hopefully a continental supply of Snake Venom Anti Serum by producing what Atlantic Life Sciences describes as “a locally produced, affordable, and multi-species targeted polyherbal anti-venom derived from Ghana’s rich biodiversity.”

“NVI aim is to stop the importation of Snake Venom Anti Serum.”

Again, the National Vaccine Institute has convened a meeting of the Atlantic Life Sciences, DEK Vaccines Limited and Noguchi Memorial Institute to kickstart planning towards developing a ‘fill and finish’ product of Tetanus Diphtheria Vaccine, which is most likely to be the first groundbreaking, locally manufactured vaccine.

“The assurance therefore is that the National Vaccine Institute is alive to its mandate and will proactively play its role in support of the President’s vision for effective management of public health emergencies.”

The Ag CEO of NVI disclosed a partnership with UHAS due to its capacity, human resource and infrastructure towards vaccine research and development as recent visit with a team of experts from the European Union and GIZ shows promising partnership.

“To put it mildly, we were all super impressed. So much so that the team has mobilized initial support to enhance R&D capacity under the PharmaVax project financed by the EU and BMZ.

“We are hopeful that the human resource capacity available here at UHAS will be tapped efficiently to support other institutions across the country,” he added.

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

Sammy Gyamfi is the CEO of Goldbod

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board, Sammy Gyamfi, has reiterated Ghana’s efforts in combating gold smuggling, particularly in the Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) sector.

In an interaction on CNBCA Africa, Gyamfi stated that the Gold Board has deployed a robust national aggregation system aimed at capturing nearly all ASM gold production, a move he described as a game-changer in securing the country’s mineral revenue.

“We have intensified the fight against gold smuggling like never before. Effective aggregation networks and systems have been rolled out across the country to mop up almost all ASM gold produced,” he stated.

He noted that the era in which a substantial portion of ASM gold was lost to smuggling, along with associated revenue and environmental degradation, is now over.

“Today, the state is mopping up ASM gold responsibly. We are exporting it and bringing in the corresponding foreign exchange to support the economy,” he added.

He further emphasised the Gold Board’s commitment to financial integrity and transparency.

“To obtain a Gold Board license, companies must pass Know Your Customer (KYC) and due diligence checks conducted in collaboration with the Bank of Ghana and the Financial Intelligence Centre.

“We are committed to promoting anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regulations. That’s why we work closely with the Bank of Ghana and the Financial Intelligence Centre to ensure compliance,” he added.

Watch CNBCA Africa’s interaction with the CEO of GoldBod Sammy Gyamfi ( Esq.) . The interview focused on the sucesses of the GoldBod so far . pic.twitter.com/AK1GU37PIp

— Ghana GOLDBOD (@GhanaGOLDBOD) June 7, 2025

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#TrendingGH: Drivers react to government’s new GH¢1 energy levy on petroleum products

The Ministry of Works, Housing, and Water Resources has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with S.E.D.A Farminc Ghana Limited, a Czech company for technical cooperation for water exploration in the country.

The company will use a technology to map out areas of groundwater to assist agencies in the water provision sector to address water supply challenges in the rural and peri-urban communities.

The project would start from the Northern Region, and some of the cities and communities that would benefit from the first phase include Tamale, Tumu, Wa, and Damongo.

The cooperation will also provide a platform for joint project development, capacity building, groundwater resource enhancement, and technology transfer.

The Minister of Works, Housing and Water Resources, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, said the signing of the MoU would pave the way for smarter and more resilient water service delivery across the country.

“Today marks the beginning of a structured and forward-looking collaboration to strengthen Ghana’s water sector through technical expertise, knowledge sharing and sustainable investment.

“It is a significant milestone as we seek practical solutions to long-standing challenges in the delivery of safe, reliable and climate-resilient water supply to all.”

Mr Adjei pointed out that the sector faces numerous constraints, including limited infrastructure, the impacts of climate change, inefficient systems, and financial shortfalls.

“Government cannot address these challenges alone hence the partnership like this one is critical,” he stated.

The Minister noted that the country’s groundwater potential remains under-explored, poorly mapped and in some cases, over-exploited without adequate recharge.

“This creates an unsustainable situation that threatens the long-term viability of water sources, especially in drought-prone and climate-stressed zones.

“Through this partnership, we aim to undertake a more scientific and comprehensive mapping of groundwater aquifers, establish robust data systems for monitoring groundwater quality and yield and enhance the technical capacity of our local hydrologists and engineers,” he stated.

He said the data from the exploration would support better planning, drilling efficiency and protection of critical underground water resources.

“Reliable groundwater mapping is essential if we are to provide lasting water access in hard-to-reach areas, reduce borehole failure rates and plan water schemes that can endure climate shocks.”

Mr Adlei said also the partnership would help to explore avenues for blended financing, including concessional loans, donor support, climate funds and private capital mobilisation.

“We believe that S.E.D.A Farminc Ghana Limited’s technical and investment networks can be leveraged to develop viable project proposals and bankable concepts that will attract external funding for high-impact water projects.

“We must move towards a model where water infrastructure is not only built but sustainably maintained and where innovative financing models such as Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and results-based financing become part of our strategy,” he stated.

The Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of the SEDA Africa Group, Martin Habart, said the signing of the agreement was a continuation of the project they had already started in the Eastern Region, with the establishment of a water treatment plant.

He said the cooperation would help establish a training centre in Accra to impart the technology to Ghanaians and that a technical taskforce team would be set up to support the Ministry and key agencies such as the Ghana Water Company Limited.

“The team will give technical advice on all the projects in the water infrastructure,” he stated.

Mr Habart assured the Ministry that they would bring the best experts to Ghana to assist to find solution to the water challenges in the country while helping to mobilise funding by working to attracting investors and donors.

The SEDA Africa were led by the Czech Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Pavel Bilek in the signing of the agreement.

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

The Tree for Life programme, targeted at restoring over seven million hectares of degraded land across the country, took off last Thursday with President John Dramani Mahama rallying all citizens to plant at least one tree within the month.

The President planted a commemorative tree at the Kwabenya Community Senior High School in Accra to mark the commencement of the month-long exercise, with a target to plant 30 million trees.

Key stakeholders such as government officials, traditional rulers, members of the diplomatic corpss and development partners gathered to lend their support to the national exercise.

“I entreat everyone in Ghana to actively participate in this important national task for the benefit of current and future generations,” President Mahama declared, urging all citizens to unite and save the environment.

One Child, One Tree    

The commemorative tree-planting event, which coincided with the World Environment Day (WED), was used to launch the One Child, One Tree initiative, an intervention under the Tree for Life programme designed for students to actively participate in revegetating the country’s degraded landscape.

Present at the event were the ministers of Land and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah; Environment, Science, and Technology (MEST), Dr Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed; Education, Haruna Iddrisu; and Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie.

The Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of the Forestry Commission, Dr Hugh Brown; Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Prof. Nana Ama Brown Klutse respectively; as well as some Members of Parliament (MPs), members of the diplomatic corps, and development partners also participated in the event.

The President explained that the “One Child, One Tree” initiative was part of the larger Tree for Life Programme, which sought to empower every child in Ghana to plant and nurture a tree.

He said under the initiative, each student would receive a seedling of a native species suited to the various ecological zones, and plant it on school grounds or in their community.

Transformative initiative

For his part, Mr Iddrisu said the One Child, One Tree initiative was a transformative step towards instilling environmental consciousness in children at an early age.

He said the Ministry of Education would work closely with MEST, Land and Natural Resources, Forestry Commission, and other stakeholders to ensure the distribution of seedlings to all schools across the country for planting.

Again, he said the Ghana Education Service (GES) would implement a new instruction module that focused on instilling environmental consciousness in schoolchildren.

Modalities for planting

Dr Brown explained that the trees would be planted in urban centres, rural communities, school compounds, farmlands, riverbanks and on degraded forest reserves.

He said the tree-planting activities had been categorised into components, with the amenity planting by the public to be undertaken from June 5 to June 30.

Aside from the planting by the public, he said there would be the establishment of 10,000 hectares of forest plantation under the Modified Taungya System (MTS) through collaboration between Forestry Commission and local communities.

Again, he said there would be direct planting of 2,000 hectares by the Youth Forest Champions recruited under the Tree for Life Reforestation initiative while tree seedlings would also be distributed to farmers for planting within farms.

Additionally, he said 500 hectares of mine-out lands had been earmarked for reclamation as part of this year’s exercise, which would also see enrichment planting within degraded forest reserves.

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, urged members of the public to actively engage in efforts aimed at addressing the menace of plastic pollution.

She underscored the need for every Ghanaian to get involved in the Tree for Life initiative to help revegetate the environment.

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Richmond Rockson is the PRO at the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition

The Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, Richmond Rockson, has defended the absence of a sunset clause in the Energy Sector Levy Act, stating that the government’s priority is to address longstanding inefficiencies in the sector.

Speaking on The Key Points on June 7, 2025, as monitored by GhanaWeb Business, Rockson explained that the levy remains necessary as the sector continues to grapple with critical structural and financial challenges.

“There were huge inefficiencies in the energy sector. There is no sunset clause on the levy because we want to focus on fixing the challenges first,” he said.

His comments were in response to calls from private legal practitioner and energy expert, Kwame Jantuah, who urged the government to clearly communicate when the fuel levy would be phased out.

Jantuah, who also appeared on the programme, emphasised the need for transparency and accountability in the management of the levy.

“Ghanaians will not object to this, we just want to know when it will end,” he stated.

The Energy Sector Levy Act, introduced to address debt and inefficiencies within the energy sector, has faced criticisms over the years, particularly regarding its indefinite nature and impact on fuel prices.

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