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Witnesses not willing to testify in Opuni trial -Deputy A-G

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, Deputy Minister for Justice and Attorney-General

Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, Deputy Minister for Justice and Attorney-General (A-G), says prosecution witnesses are not willing to testify in the trial of Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni and two others.

Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni

According to him, not only are the prosecution witnesses unwilling to testify in the case, but some are also on retirement.

This, he said, was preventing the prosecution the chance of filing witness statements, as ordered by the court at the last adjourned date, April 4.

Mr. Tuah-Yeboah, therefore, prayed the court to give the prosecution 30 more days to enable them file the witness statements.

He explained that some of the witnesses refused to testify, because they had mounted the witness box for two years.

The Trial High Court, presided over by Justice Kwasi Anokye Gyimah, hearing the case ‘de novo,’ ordered the prosecution and defense sides to file statements of their witnesses and accused persons.

However, on the return date, which was yesterday, Tuesday, April 25, 2023, the prosecution failed to do so, hence, the explanation from the Deputy A-G.

Justice Gyimah granted the Deputy A-G’s prayer and scheduled the next hearing date to June 7, 2023.

At the last trial heard by Justice Clemence Jackson Honyenuga (rtd), the prosecution called seven witnesses, while the first accused, Dr. Opuni, called seven out of eight defence witnesses.

The second and third accused persons, Seidu Agongo and Agricult Ghana Limited, indicated that they would be calling about 35 witnesses.

However, it is not clear whether both the prosecution and the accused persons would be calling the same number of witnesses this time round.

Dr. Opuni was the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and Seidu Agongo is a businessman and CEO of Agricult Ghana Limited.

Agricult Ghana Limited was the supplier of the controversial Lithovit Foliar Fertiliser, which was supplied to COCOBOD at the cost of GH¢271.3 million.

The three have been charged with 27 counts of defrauding by false pretence, willfully causing financial loss to the State, money laundering, and corruption by public officers in contravention of the Public Procurement Act.

The accused persons have all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Allow parents, stakeholder engagement on Free SHS policy

By
THE CHRONICLE
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Editorial

Graphiconline yesterday published a story about the General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Thomas Musah, who called for a stakeholder engagement to discuss how parents could contribute to the Free Senior High School (FSHS) programme. According to the story, there was the need to consider parents’ input towards the effective implementation of the programme, especially in relation to prevailing challenges in the system.

Speaking on a wide range of issues concerning the Free Senior High School, Mr. Musah claimed that the government’s subvention for the Free SHS was in arrears for over three years now.

“The free SHS is a very good policy, it is an excellent policy and we all embrace it and we think that it is the way to go, but the implementation is a challenge. The cash flow challenges are having a ripple effect at the basic education level, and as we speak now, the Capitation Grant for basic education is in arrears for over two years,” Mr. Musah added.

In a related development, The Chronicle has carried a story on its center pages that School Feeding caterers from across the 16 regions of the country, under the various Metropolitan, Municipality and District Assemblies (MMDAs), have sworn never to go back to the various schools to cook for the pupils, until their conditions of service improve and their arrears paid by the government.

Madam Gifty Asamoah, Convener of the group, at a news conference organised by the aggrieved caterers in Kumasi, noted that until all payments due them were made through the School Feeding Secretariat and the Ministry of Finance, they would maintain their stance. Madam Asamoah explained that the government owes them arrears from 2017 to date.

Last year, there were reports of food shortages in some public Senior High schools in the country, leading to a situation where some heads considered shutting down their schools if the government failed to intervene.

The Chronicle is fully behind GNAT’s position and we hold the view that it is high time the government reviewed some of its interventions in the education sector, especially the feeding component of the Free Senior High School policy.

There is the need to take stock and review ways to make government interventions in the education sector better, and that parents must be allowed to support the system. The current system should be critically looked at to allow parents who can afford to pay to help meet the government halfway.

As we know, the government cannot do it all alone, so there is the need to address challenges in the policy to help find the right solutions to it. In order to do this, the government has to go back to the people to seek their input on how to address them.

Parents and guardians play significant roles in the lives of children, so there is the need to engage them when there are any challenges with the policies. Today we have a lot of old students who are supporting their alma mater and other stakeholders who are ready to help and, therefore, inviting them to get their input would be significant to the success of the programme.

Okyenhene has no hand in the sale of royal cemetery … Amanase Chief sets the records straight

By
ISAAC AKWETEY-OKUNOR
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The acting Chief of Amanase in the Ayesuano district of the Eastern Region Obenfo Addo Agyekum I addressing the media

The acting Chief of Amanase in the Ayesuano District of the Eastern Region, Obenfo Addo Agyekum I, has stated that the Overlord of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area, Okyenhene Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin II, had no hand in the sale of the royal cemetery in the community to an investor.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, the acting Chief disclosed that a document on the sale of the old cemetery had shown the sale was made by the late Chief of the community, Nana Asamoah Dakwaa, under the witness of Osabarima Asamoah Asare Ampofo, Abena Asamabea and one Teacher Offei in 2012.

He further clarified that the only time the Okyenhene appeared in the transaction was a ruling he passed in favour of the developer following initial litigation over the sales and subsequent appearance before the Judicial Committee of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council.

“Based on this evidence available, I want to categorically state that Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin has no hand in the sales of the old Amanase cemetery,” adding that “It was not true with what is circulating in the media that the Okyenhene was behind the sale of Amanase old cemetery land.”

Nana Addo Agyekum I explained that the sale of the old cemetery generated a dispute between the chiefs and the investor recently, of which the case was heard by the Akyem Abuakwa Judicial Committee, which further gave a verdict in favour of the investor, therefore, they needed to exhume the bodies.

He said: “Because of the ruling, we decided to exhume the bodies, especially those who are royals to rebury them. We sent the fresh bodies to the Suhum Government Mortuary, and we did mass burial for others.”

The Chief, who has been in the news for keeping dead bodies and skeletons at the Palace, explained that “there was an issue at Suhum Government Mortuary, so we kept some of the skeletal parts of our demised royal chiefs in the palace, so that we immediately acquire land which will solely be for the burial of the skeletal remains of our royal chiefs and elders.

“After the old cemetery was sold, I offered my 10 acres land to be used as the new cemetery, but under a condition that the old cemetery shouldn’t be sold, or the new cemetery I offered to them when it is full, the land be returned to me, but they also refused to add that clause in the document.

“Due to the delay in acquiring the land; due to the keeping of the skeletal remains in the palace; but now that we have acquired the land we will perform the necessary rite and bury them and have a good rest.”

It would be recalled that the Suhum District Police Command, on Thursday, April 21, 2023, stormed the Amanase Chief’s Palace to retrieve skeletons of exhumed human bodies being kept there.

The bodies were exhumed from the royal cemetery in the community, after it was reportedly sold to an investor to be used for the construction of a fuel filling station.

The bodies exhumed include late chiefs and royals. Two of the exhumed bodies were freshly buried, while one of the fresh corpses had been reburied, and the other had been kept at the Suhum Government Hospital morgue.

However, the Gyaasehene of Amanase, Obenfo Addo Agyekum, who doubles as the acting Chief of the community, decided to keep the exhumed skeletons of their late chiefs in a room at the palace.

This created an uproar recently among some royal family members and the residents of the community.

Farmers attack Akyem Apedwahene …over alleged illegal sale of farmlands

By
ISAAC AKWETEY-OKUNOR
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0
A cross-section of demonstrators displaying their placards

Hundreds of peasant farmers in Akyem Apedwa, a farming community in the Abuakwa South Municipality of the Eastern Region, last Friday poured on to the principal streets of the town to register their displeasure with their Chief, Osabarima Asante Frimpong Manso II, over the alleged sales of about 6,000 acres of farmland to private developers.

The affected peasant farmers, who are not happy with their Chief, alleged that Osabarima Asante Frimpong Manso II had amply demonstrated intentionality to wrongfully and illegally take over their lands for real estate developers and sand-winning companies.

The angry demonstrators displayed various placards with inscriptions such as “Give us our lands”, “Money-minded Chief”, “Greedy Chief stop selling our farmlands,” to drum home the magnitude of their displeasure.

Speaking to the media shortly after about three hours of demonstration, the Spokesperson for the group, Ampaw Acheampong, indicated that the Chief and his cohorts were denying the farmers their sources of livelihoods.

He explained that the Chief and his cohorts were using land guards with sophisticated offensive weapons to chase them (farmers) from their legally acquired farmlands anytime they made an attempt to go to their farms.

Responding to the various allegations raised against him, Osabarima Asante Frimpong Manso II noted that there was no family land in the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area.

He opined that the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council was the allodia custodian of all Okyeman Stool Lands, and was, therefore, surprised that the farmers were crying out for nothing, when they well knew that there was no family in Akyem Abuakwa that owned land.

Taking the demonstrators to school on the state of the farmlands, he, however, admitted leasing the farmlands to a private developer whose name he did not disclose at the time of filing this report.

“The farmlands in question have not been sold, but rather leased to the private developer over a period of time,” he stressed.

Demonstrating how he had used the proceeds from the sales, Osabarima Asante Frimpong said he had embarked on some developmental projects, including the construction of a modern Junior High School classroom block among others from the lease of the land.

We won’t call off nationwide strike -School Feeding caterers resolve 

By
ERNEST BEST ANANE
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Madam Gifty Asamoah, leader of the caterers addressing the media

School feeding caterers from across the 16 regions of the country, under the various Metropolitan, Municipality and District Assemblies (MMDAs) have emphasised their position never to go back to the various schools to cook for the pupils, until their conditions of service improve and their arrears paid by the government.

Madam Gifty Asamoah, Convener of the group, at a news conference organised by the aggrieved caterers in Kumasi, noted that until all payments due them are made through the School Feeding Secretariat and the Ministry of Finance, they will maintain their stance.

She said no amount of threat from the MMDCEs would send them back to the kitchen, unless their condition of service improves and all arrears paid.

According to her, the government and the School Feeding Secretariat are hiding behind the MMDCEs to threaten them with job losses if they do not rescind their decision to call off the strike.

Madam Asamoah explained that government owes them arrears from 2017 to date and that, like other professionals such as Teachers, Nurses, Police and Civil Servants in the country, the government cannot not deny them salary for a single month, let alone starve the caterers for a number of months without pay.

She stressed that they are workers like other Public Servants and deserve to be paid.

According to her, the caterers live in disgrace because they owe their creditors

huge sums of money.

She stressed that, all the caterers are members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and would not want the party to go to opposition for refusing to address their grievances.

The Convener stressed that the caterers, as members of the NPP cannot campaign vigorously for the same New Patriotic Party that is starving them of what is due them, and cautioned the party to forget about breaking the eight (8), if the government would not address their concerns.

According to her, caterers cannot be made a laughing stock, impoverished and very miserable and seen as beggars.

The Race to Immunisation Agenda 2030: We Need to Catch Up

By
admin
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Opinion

A world where everyone, everywhere, at every age, fully benefits from vaccines for good health and well-being. This is the Immunisation Agenda 2030 (IA2030) vision over the next decade (2021 – 2030). IA2030 positions immunisation as an integral asset, and investment in the future for the enjoyment of the best achievable physical, social and mental well-being, to create a healthier, safer and more prosperous world.

The WHO-UNICEF Estimates of National Immunisation Coverage (WUENIC) was the first to reflect the recent major global disruptions to vaccinations due to COVID-19 and other factors. The statistics were reflective of the lack of confidence in vaccines that played out through misinformation, vaccine hesitancy and a general distrust of vaccination exercises.

In 2021, the number of children worldwide who missed routine immunisation increased by 2 million compared to the previous year, and a staggering 6 million more children who missed out on routine immunisation in 2019.

The data collected by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Africa also showed a decline in immunisation coverage rates for various essential vaccinations between 2019 and 2020, with rates falling below the target of vaccination coverage set at both the African regional and global levels.

Building confidence in vaccines in Africa is an essential step in the process. It requires a multifaceted approach that involves not only providing accurate information, involving communities and influencers, as well as fostering partnerships but also strengthening healthcare systems and supply chains. At Niyel, we are taking active steps to increase education and drive awareness through empowered influencers and CSOs – ultimately positively impacting vaccination rates, protecting people against preventable diseases, and saving lives.

The risks of not catching up

The IA2030 provides a sustainable strategic framework to inspire and align the activities of stakeholders within the communities, nationally, regionally and globally, as well as a vision that ensures that the benefits of vaccines extend to everyone everywhere.

The benefits of vaccines are enormous, including health and non-health benefits. Vaccines save lives by preventing diseases and deaths in individuals and disease outbreaks in communities. These diseases also result in negative educational, economic and social consequences for individuals, families and communities.

The recent repercussions include diphtheria, cholera and measles outbreaks across various African countries; deepening a critical need to work towards raising demand for vaccines, ensuring adequate supplies (including supporting local and regional vaccine manufacturing) and strengthening primary healthcare to deliver immunisation programs.

Overcoming Obstacles to Catch Up

Building confidence in vaccines is critical to increasing vaccination rates and ensuring people are protected against diseases. However, vaccine hesitancy and misinformation have been significant challenges that have led to low vaccination rates and the resurgence of preventable diseases. Through the Safe and Secure: Achieving Immunity Together campaign (previously known as Power Up Health and Immunisation), Niyel is working to build confidence at every level. Our aim is to:

  1. Provide accurate information: This includes information about the safety and efficacy of vaccines, as well as the benefits of vaccination. By engaging governments, civil society organisations and healthcare actors, we execute campaigns and media activations that emphasise the importance of vaccination and address common misconceptions about vaccines in a relatable manner.
  2. Involve influencers and communities: Engaging communities in the decision-making process is essential. To build confidence, community leaders, the traditional and new media, and other influential individuals need to be involved in promoting immunisation and dispelling myths and misconceptions. Community-based health workers also play a critical role in promoting vaccination and addressing concerns. The data collated from the various engagements have informed subsequent activities around the issues and nuanced them to each community and region.
  3. Foster partnerships: Building partnerships between governments, health organisations, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders helps to deploy solutions at scale. By working together, stakeholders can develop comprehensive immunisation strategies and ensure that vaccines are delivered to those who need them, and on schedule.

At the core of our ethos at Niyel, we care about the well-being of Africa, Africans, and the world. We remain committed to encouraging people to get involved in changing the negative prevailing African narrative, including the misinformation about vaccines in Africa, by providing the right tools to understand, influence and change harmful practices, and policies.

By Dr. Obinna Ebirim, Senior Advocacy Officer at Niyel

Source: African Media Agency (AMA)

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect The Chronicle’s stance.

EFCC Arraigns Ondo Speaker, Two Others Over Alleged Fraud

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admin
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Speaker of Ondo State House Of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Bamidele Oloyeloogun

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday arraigned the Speaker of Ondo State House Of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Bamidele Oloyeloogun before the State High Court in Akure over alleged fraud.

The lawmaker representing Akoko South/West Constituency 1 at the Ondo State House of Assembly, Felemu Bankole, and a civil servant, Segun Oyadeyi Bankole was also arraigned along with Oleyeloogun.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the allegations levelled against them.

Counsel to the EFCC, Kingsley Kudus, prayed the court to remand the defendants at the Olokuta Correctional Facility in Akure.

He argued that though they had pleaded not guilty, the defendants were still in the hands of the court while the trial continues.

Counsel to the defendants, Barrister Femi Emodamori, told the court that he was fully prepared for the commencement and continuation of the trial.

He asked the court to strike out EFCC’s prayer for remand, saying the administrative bail application on the defendants was still active.

He explained that the second defendant (Oleyeloogun) was having a health challenge that needed urgent medical attention.

Emodamori also asked the court to caution the nominal complainant, a former Deputy Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon. Iroju Ogundeji,  in the case, for allegedly sending annoying messages to Oleyeloogun.

According to Emodamori, if Ogundeji does not desist from such action, he would be prosecuted.

In his ruling, Justice AdegboyegaAdebusoye asked the defendants to grant the defendants administrative bail till the next hearing.

The judge, therefore, adjourned the case till May 18, 2023, for a proper hearing.

Credit: channelstv.com

After four weeks vacation, Tinubu returns to Nigeria

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admin
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Bola Tinubu stepping out of the plane to a cheering crowd at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja

President-elect Bola Tinubu has returned to Nigeria after a four-week vacation in France.

Mr Tinubu arrived at the/ Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Monday at about 4:15 p.m.

He was received at the airport by his running mate, Kashim Shettima, and some other party faithful.

Mr Tinubu left Nigeria on 21 March. His handlers later said he would be in France, the UK and Saudi Arabia for the lesser hajj.

“The President-elect decided to take a break after the hectic campaign and election season to rest in Paris and London, preparatory to going to Saudi Arabia for Umrah (Lesser Hajj) and the Ramadan Fasting that begins Thursday,” spokesperson Tunde Rahman said in a statement.

Mr Tinubu’s frequent travels overseas continue to fuel speculations on his health status. He made several trips to the UK and France before the commencement of campaigns in 2022.

In October 2022, he spent 12 days in the UK. At a point, he had to release a short video clip of him walking out to address the speculations on his health.

He and his team have, however, said he is healthy enough to be president.

Mr Tinubu is due to be sworn in on 29 May.

Credit: premiumtimesng.com

Lawyer asks Appeal Court to stop Tinubu’s inauguration

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admin
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Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu

A fresh motion on notice seeking to stop Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu from being inaugurated as Nigeria’s new President on May 29, 2023, has been instituted at the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

The fresh suit marked CA/CV/259/2023 is instituted by a Presidential candidate in the 2019 Presidential election and constitutional lawyer, Chief Ambrose Albert Owuru and his political party, Hope Democratic Party (HDP).

Owuru, who was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1982, is praying the Court of Appeal in Abuja to prohibit President Muhammadu Buhari, Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from inaugurating the 2023 President-elect on May 29.

The politician, who participated in the 2019 presidential poll on the platform of Hope Democratic Party (HDP) wants Buhari, the AGF and the INEC stopped from taking any further steps on the 2023 presidential election that produced Tinubu as winner.

Owuru, who claimed to be adjudged constitutional winner of the 2019 presidential election predicated his grouse against inauguration of Tinubu or anybody else as successor to Buhari on the ground that he is the constitutionally adjudged winner of the 2019 election and has not spent his tenure as required by law.

Among others, Owuru insisted that President Buhari has been usurping his tenure of office since 2019 because the Supreme Court has not determined his petition filed in 2019 in which he challenged the purported declaration of Buhari as the election winner.

In his motion on notice marked CA/CV/259/2023 just filled at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, Owuru applied for “An order of prohibitory injunction compelling Buhari, AGF and INEC, their servants, agents and privies to preserve and give due cognizance and abstain from any further undertaking or engaging in any act of usurpation of adjudged acquired Constitutional rights and mandate as winner of the 2019 presidential election.”

He also applied for another order directing and placing on notice that any form of handover inauguration, organized and Superintended by Buhari on 29th May 2023 outside the adjudged winner of the 2019 presidential election, subject of the pending appeal, remains and is viewed as an “interim place holder” administration pending the hearing and determination of his substantive appeal on constitutional interpretation thereof.

Listed as respondents in the motion on notice are President Muhammadu Buhari, Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 1st to 3rd, respectively.

The motion on notice filed on his behalf by Mr Odion Peter has been served on President Buhari and AGF through their counsel, Mrs Maimuna Lami Ashiru of the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja, while that of the INEC was served through the Head of Legal Department and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Mr S. O Ibrahim.

DAILY POST observed that the motion is supported with an 8-paragraph affidavit praying the Court of Appeal for expeditious hearing before the inauguration of Tinubu.

The affidavit deposed to by an Abuja based legal practitioner, Adebayo Anafowode and filed at the Court of Appeal in Abuja expressed apprehension that Owuru’s suit against Buhari would be rendered nugatory unless given quick hearing.

Meanwhile, no date has been fixed for hearing of the suit by the Court of Appeal.

Credit: dailypost.ng

AngloGold Ashanti scaling up 10-year development plan

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admin
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AngloGold Ashanti, Obuasi Mine is scaling-up infrastructural development within its operational areas as part of its 10-year Socio-Economic Development Plan (SEDP) launched in July 2022.

Work is progressing steadily on the construction of an ultra-modern nine-unit school complex for Sanso, a District Police Headquarters at Bidiem, both in the Obuasi Municipality, and a 20-seater toilet facility at Anyimadukrom in the Obuasi East District.

They form part of a plethora of infrastructural development projects contained in the 10-year SEDP. Mr. Emmanuel Baidoo, Senior Manager Sustainability, AngloGold Ashanti, Obuasi Mine, expressed satisfaction at the progress of work after a tour of the various project sites.

“I am particularly excited for the fact that the contractors for the Sanso school and the police station are both Obuasi based, and the quality of work done means that they are making a strong case for local contractors which is part of the objectives of our 10-year SEDP to enhance local participation,” he observed.

On the importance of the projects, Mr. Baidoo said when completed the GH¢5 million Sanso school project, which was the first of its kind in Obuasi, would contribute to enhancing access to quality education in Obuasi.

It comes with a staff common room, head teacher’s office, sickbay, kitchenette, library (book and e-library), computer lab stocked with computers and a beautiful landscape with a water fountain.

Mr. Baidoo said the construction of District Police Headquarters was in line with the company’s commitment to partner government and the local authority in enhancing security which was considered as an indispensable tool for sustainable growth and development of any community.

“We at AngloGold Ashanti are upbeat about the impact of this GH¢1 million police headquarters project in supporting the police to fight crime and ensure total security in Obuasi”.

Mr. George Alfred Koomson, Obuasi Municipal Director of Education, was positive that the completion of the Sanso school project would help address low attendance in the school.

So, it is our hope that this magnificent project will serve as a morale booster for the kids to enable them stay in school,” he reiterated. He lauded AngloGold Ashanti for their support towards the promotion of education in Obuasi over the years.

Mr. Thomas Ofori, Assembly Member for Sanso commended AngloGold Ashanti for the school project and urged people in their operational areas to support the mining company to enable it deliver on their commitments towards making their communities better.

By Yussif Ibrahim 

Source: GNA

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