The minister emphasised the importance of rehabilitation and reintegration programmes

Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, the Minister of Interior, has expressed concern over the inadequate budget allocation for feeding prisoners and assured the Ghana Prisons Service of measures to find a lasting solution to the issue.

He said he would discuss with the Minister of Finance how best to tackle the challenge to ensure a holistic rehabilitation of inmates.

Muntaka said this when he paid a working visit to the Ghana Prisons Service Headquarters in Accra on Monday, February 17, 2025.

The visit, which was aimed at interacting with the management and staff, afforded the Minister the opportunity to gain firsthand information on the Service’s operations.

The minister emphasised the importance of rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for prisoners, highlighting the government’s initiatives to provide skills training and employment opportunities to prisoners, which would enable them to reintegrate into society upon their release.

He acknowledged the crucial role the Ghana Prisons Service played in maintaining public safety and security and commended it for its efforts in providing safe custody, welfare, and rehabilitation of prisoners.

Muntaka stressed the government’s efforts to prioritise the decongestion of the prisons through the implementation of non-custodial sentencing options.

He discussed the need for modernisation of prison infrastructure, including the development of digital record-keeping systems, biometric identification, and security surveillance.

Isaac Kofi Egyir, the Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, commended the Minister for the visit and assured him of the Service’s commitment to delivering effective services to the nation.

The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has announced plans to stage a demonstration on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, in protest against the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) over the withholding and cancellation of results for some students who sat for the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

NUGS has officially notified the Greater Accra Regional Police Command of the planned protest, emphasizing their demand for fairness and transparency in WAEC’s assessment and result management processes.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, February 18, NUGS described WAEC’s actions as unjust and an abuse of discretionary power.

“This demonstration is a protest against what we see as an injustice and an abuse of discretionary power by WAEC. NUGS demands urgent intervention to rectify this situation and ensure that affected students are given a fair opportunity to continue their education.

“We call on all affected students, parents, concerned stakeholders, and all students to join us in this fight for justice,” the statement read.

NUGS strongly condemned WAEC’s handling of the results, stating that the delays and cancellations have “unfairly” impacted thousands of students.

“Even for those whose results have been released, the delay has rendered them ineligible for admission into public tertiary institutions, as all admission processes have now been concluded,” the union added.

The protest aims to pressure WAEC and relevant authorities to take swift action to address the concerns of affected students and prevent similar occurrences in the future.

Former Auditor General Daniel Yaw Domelevo has criticised the widespread non-compliance with asset declaration laws among public officials, singling out members of the judiciary for breaching constitutional requirements.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Tuesday, February 18, he lamented the entrenched culture of corruption and the failure of key institutions to lead by example.

“We are not suspicious of them (public officials), but they have proven time and again that they have been stealing the public funds. That’s the part where the evidence abounds,” Daniel Domelevo said.

“Look at the Auditor General’s report. You see that people holding public funds have been always misappropriating or using the money for their benefit. Put the Auditor General’s report aside. Many of them have been in office for just four years, a maximum of eight years, but see how filthy rich they are.

“They are terribly rich. And if you look at their salaries, I used to tell some of the MPs that as Auditor General, my salary is bigger than yours, but you seem to be 100 times richer than me. How did you make it?” He stressed that the issue goes beyond mere suspicion.

“The truth, on the ground, is that they have been stealing public funds. That is why we want to know how much you had before coming and how much you had on your exit. I’m not saying all of them, but there are some of them who clearly have been abusing their office.”

When asked about his experiences enforcing asset declaration laws, Daniel Domelevo revealed shocking non-compliance within the judiciary itself.

“Yes, I did have some interesting encounters. In fact, when we started, it was clear that even the judiciary, whom we thought should be at the forefront of law enforcement, didn’t declare,” he disclosed.

“In fact, including Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, the former Chief Justice, justices of the High Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court—several of them were not declaring.”

He expressed disappointment in oversight bodies for failing to hold the judiciary accountable.

“When people complained or petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), I was completely disappointed when it just said that, well, there are no punishments prescribed in any law for them or that Act 550 does not prescribe any punishment. So go and sin no more.”

Daniel Domelevo challenged the logic of allowing public officials to assume office without fulfilling constitutional obligations.

“I thought that if the Constitution says you should do something before you can enter office or assume office, and you didn’t do that before coming to office, you are occupying the office unconstitutionally,” he argued.

Drawing a comparison with presidential inaugurations, he asked, “For instance, could President Mahama just wake up on January 7, 2025, and say ‘I’ve been voted for as president, so I’m going to start as president. I don’t want swearing-in?’ No, it cannot happen.

“But how come that we judiciously comply with those requirements, even including the swearing-in of ministers, but then asset declaration, which is supposed to be done by the same Constitution, is neglected?”

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.

Former Minister of Finance, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam

The former Minister of Finance under the Akufo-Addo administration, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, has highlighted the previous government’s efforts to settle bondholders affected by the Domestic Debt Exchange Program (DDEP).

This follows the current government’s announcement that President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Minister for Finance to honor the fourth coupon payment to affected bondholders.

In a Facebook post on February 17, 2025, the former minister emphasised that the payment, due on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, follows three previous payments made by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government between August 2023 and December 2024.

He also provided a detailed breakdown of the payments made under the previous administration.

“This will be the 4th coupon payment, which is due on Tuesday, February 18, 2025. This means the previous NPP government honored three previous payments, both in Payment-In-Cash (PIC) and Payment-In-Kind (PIK), between August 2023 and December 2024.

“The NPP government paid a total of GH¢17.25 billion in PIC and GH¢9.77 billion in PIK to bondholders. Additionally, individuals who did not tender their bonds were paid coupons amounting to GH¢515.17 million at various times between 2023 and 2024, in line with the MoU signed between the government and the Coalition of Individual Bondholders,” he stated.

Dr. Adam emphasised that the NPP government did not default on any coupon payments during its time in office and had built buffers in the Debt Reserves Accounts to support future debt service obligations, including the upcoming fourth coupon payment.

The DDEP, initiated in 2023 as part of Ghana’s broader debt restructuring strategy under an International Monetary Fund (IMF) program, aimed to address the country’s economic challenges and restore fiscal stability.

The program faced criticism from many bondholders, including Ghanaian-born American comedian Michael Blackson, who recently revealed losing part of his $1.2 million Eurobond investment.

Meanwhile, the current government has maintained its commitment to proceed with the fourth coupon payment, underscoring its dedication to continuing the debt restructuring efforts initiated by its predecessor.

The move has been welcomed by stakeholders, who view it as a positive step toward restoring confidence in Ghana’s financial markets.

The completion of the fourth coupon payment is expected to further reinforce Ghana’s credibility on the international stage and support its ongoing engagement with the IMF.

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ID/MA

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Dr. Andy Osei Okrah (M) in a meeting with staff of the Tree Crops Development Authority

The newly appointed Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA), Dr. Andy Osei Okrah, has officially assumed office, pledging to drive the growth and development of Ghana’s tree crops sector.

Speaking during his first day in office on February 18, 2025, Dr. Okrah expressed his gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama, for entrusting him with such responsibility.

He highlighted the potential of Ghana’s tree crops sector, emphasizing its ability to transform lives, create jobs, and contribute significantly to the nation’s economic growth.

According to him, key crops such as cashew, shea, mango, coconut, rubber, and oil palm, underscored the importance of harnessing these resources for national development.

“As the CEO of TCDA, my primary focus will be to regulate and develop the tree crops sector in a sustainable environment, ensuring that our production, processing, and trading activities align with global best practices,” he stated.

He further assured that his leadership would prioritize research and development, capacity building, and market access to enhance the sector’s contribution to Ghana’s economic transformation.

“Together, we will make TCDA an authority of choice and a great place to work and do business with,” he affirmed.

AM/KA

You can also watch Godfred Dame’s full speech on legal case withdrawals below:

Interior Minister Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka has expressed concern over the inadequate budget allocation for feeding prisoners and assured the Ghana Prisons Service of measures to find a lasting solution to the issue. 

He said he would discuss with the Minister of Finance how best to tackle the challenge to ensure a holistic rehabilitation of inmates. 

Alhaji Muntaka said this when he paid a working visit to the Ghana Prisons Service Headquarters in Accra on Monday.  

The visit, which was aimed at interacting with the management and staff, allowed the Minister to gain firsthand information on the Service’s operations. 

The Minister emphasised the importance of rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for prisoners, highlighting the government’s initiatives to provide skills training and employment opportunities to prisoners, which would enable them to reintegrate into society upon their release. 

He acknowledged the crucial role the Ghana Prisons Service played in maintaining public safety and security and commended it for its efforts in providing safe custody, welfare, and rehabilitation of prisoners. 

Alhaji Muntaka stressed the government’s efforts to prioritise the decongestion of the prisons through the implementation of non-custodial sentencing options. 

He discussed the need for modernisation of prison infrastructure, including the development of digital record-keeping systems, biometric identification, and security surveillance. 

Isaac Kofi Egyir, the Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, commended the Minister for the visit and assured him of the Service’s commitment to delivering effective services to the nation. 

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.

Jannik Sinner’s case was “a million miles away from doping”, a senior figure at the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has said.

The men’s tennis world number one was handed an immediate three-month ban by Wada on Saturday after reaching a settlement over his two positive drug tests last year.

Sinner, 23, was cleared of any wrongdoing by an independent panel after testing positive for banned substance clostebol in March 2024.

Wada had been seeking a ban of up to two years after launching an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) following the initial decision by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) not to suspend Sinner.

However, a deal was reached when Wada accepted Sinner was inadvertently contaminated and “did not intend to cheat”.

Sinner has stated that he was inadvertently contaminated by his physiotherapist, who was treating a cut on his hand with an over-the-counter spray, which was later found to contain the banned substance.

The case has divided the tennis world, with some questioning the timing and length of the ban, how the Italian was able to agree a deal and inconsistencies between recent doping cases.

It led to Switzerland’s three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka posting on X: “I don’t believe in a clean sport any more.”

Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Slam winner, questioned the fairness of the process and said there is “favouritism” towards high-profile players.

“This was a case that was a million miles away from doping,” Wada general counsel Ross Wenzel told BBC Sport.

“The scientific feedback that we received was that this could not be a case of intentional doping, including micro-dosing.”

Wenzel rejected any suggestion of special treatment and said the terms of the ban – that some have claimed will have little effect on Sinner – were appropriate for the case and not taken with the tennis calendar in mind.

Sinner’s suspension began on 9 February and runs until 4 May, making him eligible to play at the French Open – the next Grand Slam – which begins on 25 May.

He has not featured competitively since beating Alexander Zverev in the final of the Australian Open on 26 January and could still be ranked number one when he returns to action.

Wenzel said: “Wada has received messages from those that consider that the sanction was too high and, in some respects if you have some saying this is unfair on the athlete, and others saying it’s not enough, maybe it’s an indication that although it’s not going to be popular with everyone, maybe it’s an indication that it was in the right place.

“When we look at these cases we try to look at them technically, operationally and we don’t do it with fear of what the public and the politicians or anyone is going to say.”

Sanctions are ‘blind to the calendar’

Sinner could return from the ban on home soil, with the Rome Masters set to get underway on 7 May – three days after his suspension is lifted.

That would allow the three-time Grand Slam champion the opportunity to get in some competitive action on clay before heading to the French Open.

On Monday, British player Liam Broady said he believed Sinner’s ban had been timed to impact the world number one’s career “as little as possible”, while former British number one Tim Henman said it “seems a little bit too convenient”.

Wenzel insisted that sanctions are “blind to the calendar” and that the ban was executed as swiftly as possible after a resolution had been agreed upon by all parties.

“Once you’ve reached an agreement, what you can’t do is then say ‘oh, but we’re going to have this apply from two months in the future for a period of three months’,” Wenzel said.

“It must come into effect quickly. Of course, once the deal is done, it’s important that it is executed and that it is made public for reasons of transparency.

“So it happened, because of the timing of the CAS proceedings, it happened to be decided last Friday, it was a very late night, and it came into effect immediately, so that is the reason for the timing.

“The sanctions that we impose and the code even says this, they’re blind to the calendar. The correct sanction should be imposed and it comes into effect when it comes into effect and it shouldn’t be modulated or modified to take into account whether the events that are coming up are significant or not significant.”

Wada only introduced the possibility of a case resolution agreement in 2021, allowing it to strike a deal with athletes.

Since adding that provision to Wada’s rules, Wenzel believes about 67 resolution agreements have come into effect.

“I checked this this morning and it might be one or two out, but I counted 67 since the provision came into force in January 2021,” Wenzel said.

“That’s just over four years and there’s been 67 of them and they’ve been applied at different stages, almost all stages of the results management process.

“Some of them have been applied at the beginning, at first instance with Wada’s agreement; others have been applied right at the end of the Cas process, as was the case here.”

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Nana Boakye, National Organizer of the New Patriotic Party

The National Organizer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Henry Nana Boakye, has criticized the West African Media Foundation (WAMF) and its investigative platform, The Fourth Estate, accusing them of engaging in fear and panic journalism over their recent exposé on alleged ghost names at the National Service Authority (NSA).

Speaking on the issue, Nana Boakye described the report as “lazy work”, arguing that the Fourth Estate failed to conduct due diligence on the data they obtained from the NSA.

According to him, a simple verification process could have yielded more accurate and detailed findings rather than what he described as a misleading exposé.

“The NSA recruits service personnel annually from four categories: students from public and private universities, polytechnics (now technical universities), nurses, and teachers,” he explained.

He noted that some students apply for service but do not show up for orientation, and it would be misleading to classify those absentees as ghost names without proper verification.

Boakye further emphasized that the NSA operates a biometric system where all applicants undergo verification through the GIFMIS (Government Integrated Financial Management Information System) platform.

He maintained that cases of applicants failing to report for service could be easily cross-checked using student index numbers.

He concluded by urging The Fourth Estate to adopt a more rigorous and fact-based approach to investigative journalism, rather than publishing reports that, in his view, lack proper verification and create unnecessary panic.

He spoke in an interview with Accra-based Kessben FM on Tuesday, February 18, 2025.

In the meantime, watch as John Jinapor recounts ordeal after leaving office in 2017

The Nurse family is Canada’s first family of sport

The Nurse family is Canada’s first family of sport. Richard Nurse, a former CFL receiver for the Tiger-Cats and Cathy Doucette, a standout basketball player at McMaster University, raised three talented children – Tamika, Darnell and Kia – all three of which have excelled within their respective sports.

Celtic’s Champions League adventure came to a halt in gut-wrenching fashion as Bayern Munich struck in the 94th minute to deny them a stunning victory in Germany and snatch a 3-2 aggregate victory.

Trailing 2-1 after the first leg of the play-off round at Parkhead, Celtic led when Nicolas Kuhn capitalised on Kim Min-jae’s error to give Brendan Rodgers’ side a shock lead just after the hour.

That was after a first half in which Celtic passed up four fine opportunities to score – Kuhn, Callum McGregor, and Daizen Maeda, twice, all going close – while England captain Harry Kane hit the bar before he was substituted at half-time.

Celtic would not be denied after the break, though, when Maeda burst forward and funnelled the ball to Kuhn, who took advantage of Kim’s hesitancy to slip past Manuel Neuer.

Bayern, stunned into action, pushed for a leveller. Leon Goretzka nodded wide; Joshua Kimmich forced Kasper Schmeichel into a fine save; and Leroy Sane drilled a shot just past the post.

Celtic were on the back foot, unable to get out of their own half and counter Vincent Kompany’s side, and eventually – with extra time within sight – they cracked to concede with the last kick of the game.

Michael Olise’s cross was met by Goretzka, whose header was brilliantly saved by Schmeichel. The ball dropped in front of the empty goal, and Cameron Carter-Vickers’ attempts to clear were thwarted by Alphonso Davies, who bundled over the line.

Celtic fight to the brink of history

Football is so often a cruel game, and it was hard not to feel for the Celtic players who lay dejectedly on the turf as their Bayern counterparts ran to the corner celebrating, and no doubt breathing a huge sigh of relief.

All the fight and resolve that they had shown for almost 180 minutes had been sapped from them by the scrappiest, ugliest of goals.

The Scottish champions hustled and harried, and stood up when tested. Schmeichel added more saves to his highlights reel, while his defence headed, blocked and cleared almost everything that came at them.

There were chances. McGregor blazed over in the first half when he should have hit the target. Kuhn had one cleared off the line before his cross to the back post missed Maeda by a matter of inches.

They forced another opportunity when Dayot Upamecano sliced a pass. Kuhn played in Maeda with Neuer off his line, but the Japanese forward chipped wide.

There is a German saying – coming close is also missing it. It feels harsh to be critical given the monumental effort Celtic produced, but they needed to be more clinical.

They were less than a minute from extra time, and who knows what would have happened then? Perhaps more cruelty and dejection. Perhaps immortality among the Celtic annals for years to come.

Although they return to Glasgow beaten, they return with pride.

This looks like a different team from the one battered in Dortmund just a few months ago. They’ve matured considerably and look like growing even further.

Bayern pass tougher inspection than expected

Although Celtic have been flying domestically and did well in the Champions League group stage, Bayern would have been happy with the draw.

After two gruelling encounters, they will just be happy to have made it through unscathed after an almighty scare.

They did pin Celtic back at times, and you don’t take 23 shots – with 10 on target – without putting your opponents on the ropes.

But the longer it went, the more doubts started to grow as to whether the Bundesliga leaders had an answer. Ultimately, they did.

The Celtic goal rocked them. They were forced into near-fatal errors, and more mistakes than they have made in any Champions League game this season.

Their weaknesses were exposed, but having pulled through Kompany can now gird his loins. He knows where he needs to improve and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see this team go all the way to the final.

Match stats

• Bayern have reached the Champions League last 16 in each of the last 17 seasons and in each of their last 21 appearances in the competition.
• They remain unbeaten against Scottish opposition at home in major European competition (P11 W7 D4). Celtic have failed to win any of their 16 away games against German opposition (D4 L12 – including East Germany).
• Kuhn became the first German to score against Bayern Munich in the Champions League since Mergim Berisha for Red Bull Salzburg in November 2020. He is the first to do so in the knockout stages since Lukas Podolski for Arsenal in March 2014 (last 16).
• Bayern have made more errors leading to opposition shots than any other team in the Champions League this season (13 – 5 in the build-up to goals conceded).
• Celtic (28y 40d) named their oldest starting XI for a Champions League game since a 1-0 win against Manchester United at Celtic Park in November 2006 (28y 272d).

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By Iddi Yire

Accra, Feb 18, GNA – President John Dramani Mahama has in accordance with Articles 89 to 92 of the 1992 Constitution inaugurated a 31-Member Council of State. 

The new Council of State is under the Chairmanship of Mr Edward Korbly Doe Adjaho, a former Speaker of Parliament. 

The Council of State in Ghana is a small body of prominent citizens, analogous to the Council of Elders in the traditional political system, which advises the President on national issues. 

The Council of State was established by Articles 89 to 92 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, which states that “There shall be a Council of State to counsel the President in the performance of his functions.” 

The 31-Member Council of State is made of five institutional representatives nominated by the President, 10 other nominees of the President; and 16 elected Regional Representatives from each of the 16 Regions of Ghana. 

The institutional nominees of the President are Mr Edward Korbly Doe Adjaho, a former Speaker of Parliament and Chairman of the Council of State. 

The rest are Justice Sophia Akuffo, a former Chief Justice, Mr Mohammed Ahmed Al Hassan, a former Inspector General of Police, Air Marshal Michael Samson (rtd), a former Chief of Defence Staff and Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi, President of the National House of Chiefs. 

Others are Daasebre Boamah Darko, Chief of Akyem Kukuratumi, Osabarima Kwesi Attah II, Paramount Chief Oguaa Traditional Area, Justice Vida Amankwanua Akoto-Bamfo, a retired Supreme Court Judge, Mankpanwura Jakpa Achor-Ade Borenyi I, Paramount Chief of Mankpan Traditional Area in the Savannah Region, Mr Cletus Apul Avoka, a former Member of Parliament (MP) Zebilla. 

The rest are Dr Eunice Brookman-Amissah, a former Minister of Health, Mrs Betty Mould Iddrisu, a former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Madam Cynthia Komley Adjetey from Greater Accra, Mrs Molly Anim Addo, a former Ambassador, and Nana Saa Gyamfuaa II, Queen Mother of Ayima Traditional Area. 

The 16 elected Regional representatives are Mr Maxwell Boakye, Western, Mr Hakeem Addae, Central, Nene Drolor Boso Adamtey I, Greater Accra, Mr Gabriel Adovoe Kwabla Tanko Kwamigah-Atokple, Volta, Madam Evelyn Korang, Eastern, and Mr Michael Addo, Western North. 

Others are Mr Yaw Okyere, Ahafo, Dr Kusi Boachie Yiadom, Bono, Mr Pimampim Yaw Kagbrese V, Bono East, Mr Richard Kings Atikpo, Oti, Alhaji Muhammed Mumuni, Northern, Mr Abudu Seidu Sampson, Savannah, Mr Michael Kwame Mumuni, Upper West, Mr Thomas More Ditundini Adaili, Upper East, Naa Saaka Abuba, North East and Mr Yaw Owusu, Obimpeh, Ashanti Regions. 

President Mahama in his address said the day marked another significant step in Ghanaians’ collective commitment to the democratic ideals of governance and development.  

He said the framers of the 1992 Constitution in their wisdom envisioned a governance structure that balanced authority with sound counsel, power with prudence and leadership with wisdom. 

He noted that it was in this spirit that the Council of State was established to serve as a reservoir of experience, a fountain of guidance and a bastion of non-partisan insight for the executive arm of government. 

“The Council of State as a distinguished advisory body is composed of men and women of integrity, experience and sound judgment. Your role is not merely ceremonial, it is one of profound responsibility,” the President said. 

“You are expected to offer wise counsel on matters of governance, policy and national development, drawing from your diverse backgrounds and experience. 

“The times we find ourselves in demand nothing less than selfless service, constructive dialogue and unwavering patriotism.”. 

He said the nation faces complex challenges, including economic distress, social cohesion issued and the need to strengthen Ghanaians’ democratic institutions. 

President Mahama said in addressing these issues, the Council’s voices must be heard not in mere rhetoric, but in insightful, actionable and transformative guidance that would propel the nation forward.   

“As you take your oath of office today, I urge you to be guided by the principles of integrity, objectivity and, above all, the national interest,” the President said. 

“Let your deliberations be marked by sincerity, your advice be rooted in wisdom and your service be inspired by the supreme welfare of the people of Ghana.” 

The President drew attention to the heightened expectations of all who served in public office; adding that Ghanaians had indicated their revulsion for poor governance and have come to expect nothing short of quality administration of their affairs.  

“In recent times, the Council of State has come under criticism from an expectant public who perceive their work as unsatisfactory and merely one designed to rubber-stamp executive decisions,” he said. 

“Some have even questioned the very relevance of the Council of State and called for it to be scrapped.” 

The President said he holds out hope that their tenure as Council of State members would convince those who might doubt their functional necessity about their importance and put to rest any such perceptions.  

The President on behalf of Ghanaians, congratulated Members of the Council on their new appointment. 

“I am confident that with your collective wisdom, we will continue to build a nation that upholds justice, progress, freedom and unity,” he stated.  

Mr Edward Korbly Doe Adjaho, the Chairman of the Council of State, on behalf of the Council assured the President that they would work as a team; declaring that “We will support you in the governance structure, in the discharge of our constitutional and statutory responsibilities”. 

GNA  

The Amasaman Circuit Court has sentenced a mason to three years imprisonment in hard labour for causing irreparable damage to a Donfeng Ex-Box car, valued at $35,900, belonging to Hisense Company Limited.

Senyo Awuku, 32, admitted causing unlawful damage to the vehicle and was sentenced accordingly.

However, he denied entering unlawfully into the house of Gad Ebenezer Afranie Kisi, the complainant, to steal the vehicle, as well as an HP laptop computer, valued at GH¢4,300 and a cash amount of GH¢4,000.

He was ordered by the court, presided over by Enid Marful-Sau, to be brought back on March 13, 2025, to face the other two charges: unlawful entry and stealing.

Police Chief Inspector Salifu Nashiru, briefing the court, said the complainant, who works at the Customer Service of Hisense Company Ltd, lived at Danchira Ocloo Farms, whereas Awuku was a mason living at Hobor, a suburb of Accra.

He said on January 30, 2025, the complainant returned home from work and parked his official car, a Donfeng Ex-Box car with registration number GT 4955-24 in his house.

Chief Inspector Salifu said the complainant also put his laptop, the GH¢4,000 and the car key on top of his table in his room and slept.

The next day, at about 0500 hours, the complainant woke up to realise that the items mentioned had been stolen and reported the case to the Danchira Police.

He later put the said car’s pictures on social media informing the public that his car had been stolen.

In the afternoon of February 1, 2025, the complainant received a phone call from a friend that he had seen the car around Amasaman- Three Junction.

Upon receipt of the information, the complainant proceeded to the place and Awuku, then in charge of the vehicle, sped off upon seeing the complainant.

The prosecution said Awuku was given a hot chase, and he drove the car into a container at Ademan, damaging it.

He came out of the vehicle and took to his heels and with the help of onlookers around, he was arrested and handed over to the Danchira police.

After the investigation, the convict was charged and put before court.

Awuku in pleading for mitigation asked for forgiveness and said he regretted his action.

The prosecution prayed the court to consider the fact that the vehicle had been damaged beyond repairs.

In passing judgement, the court considered both the mitigation factor and the extent of damage caused to the car.

It ordered the release of the stolen items: vehicle and laptop computer.

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In an effort to share the progress of the adolescent health check-up programme, Dr. Franklin Glozah, the Deputy country lead of Y-Check Ghana and also a Senior Lecturer at the School of Public Health, University of Ghana, expressed his appreciation for the support received during the implementation phase of the project.

Speaking at the Implementation Progress Meeting with the Y-Check Community Advisory Board (CAB) and Local Stakeholders, on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at the Capital Hill Hotel in Cape Coast, he expressed his elation at being able to screen 2001 adolescents in some selected communities, Senior High Schools and Basic Schools within the Cape Coast metropolis on important health conditions.

Further, he underscored that the project is in its 4-month follow-up phase seeking to ascertain how the 2001 adolescents screened during the implementation phase are faring after 4-months of participating in the screening progrmame. “To reassess their health conditions 4 months after screening, treatment, and referrals”.

So far, it’s been positive”, he stated, “appealing to parents, teachers, and community members to encourage adolescents who participated in the Y-Check implementation to turn up for the follow-up screening”, stressed Dr. Glozah.

He expressed optimism about achieving desired results as the follow-up stage progresses.

Regarding challenges, the Senior Lecturer outlined that the main challenges with the follow-up screening has had to do with reaching all 300 adolescents from the communities (Efutu, Ekon, Amamoma, Abura and Apewosika) to follow up. It has been quite challenging, screening about 10 adolescents in a day, instead of 30 to 35 in a day.

According to Dr. Glozah, this has slowed the pace and prolonged the process. “We encourage parents, guardians, and the adolescents themselves who participated in the implementation to come for the follow-up,” he concluded.

Other Y-Check Investigators and staff who were present at the implementation progress meeting were Prof. Evans Agbeno, Dr. Eric Koka, Dr. Kenneth Adde, Miss Abigail Abban, Mr Meshack Kweku Davies and Miss Christabel Ampofo.

Electroland Ghana has rewarded winners of“Aky3de3 Kese3 Promotion”on Valentines Day.

“Aky3de3 Kese3 Promotion” which rolled out in October 2024 is a customer loyalty reward programme aimed at rewarding customers.

So far, about 2000 customers have been rewarded since the roleout in Ocotber.

The ceremony held at the headquarters of Electroland Ghana on the ring road saw about 55 lucky customers win various prizes.

Speaking at the ceremony, held last Friday, Adiza Ibrahim, Head of Marketing and Media Relations said, they have received a lot of support since the inception of business in Ghana and against this backdrop, this is one of the many ways to express their appreciation.

She was optimistic this would add value  to their customers and make their bond grow even stronger.

According to her no matter what one buys, they stand the chance of entering into the promotion, adding that it is transparent.

The flagship Customer reward scheme dubbed“Aky3de3 Kese3 Promotion” which rolled out in October 2024 is a customer loyalty reward programme aimed at rewarding customers who anything regardless the amount.

This scheme which is approved and regulated by the National Lottery Authority NLA and Caritas offers every customer from across Ghana the opportunity to enter into a weekly pr a monthly draw simply by buying anything starting from small kitchen appliances such as iron, kettle, blender and they will be lucky winners of big appliances such Television, Air conditioner, washing machines, gas cookers, freezers, computers, mobiles phones and more.

Since the introduction of this promotion, customers all over Ghana get to win a thing a two from the four weekly draws and one monthly draw at the end of every month.

 By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme 

Henry Nana Boakye, National Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has strongly criticised the Fourth Estate’s investigative report on the National Service Authority (NSA) scandal, describing it as “shoddy work” and “lazy journalism.”

In an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM on Tuesday February 18, Boakye highlighted the lack of proper verification in the report.

“It’s a shoddy work, it’s a lazy journalism. They didn’t do any proper verification,” he said.

He explained that the NSA conducts four different types of postings each year, including the general posting for all public, private, and technical universities, which is usually announced in August or September.

Additionally, there are postings for teachers in December, and two cohorts of nurses, one starting in April and the other in September.

Boakye argued that the Fourth Estate’s report failed to consider these various postings.

“What they did was that they picked the publication we usually undertake when we are doing the general National Service posting. So for instance in 2018 we announced that we had posted 85,000 people, so they picked that figure,” he stated.

He further explained that the NSA submits a summation of all four types of postings to Parliament.

“We do that for the general posting, the teachers, the nurses one, and the nurses two, and then we submit all of these figures to Parliament,” Boakye noted.

According to him, the Fourth Estate compared the 85,000 figure for general postings to the total sum submitted to Parliament, leading to erroneous conclusions about “ghost names.”

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