Gravenberch had been named in the Netherlands U21 side for the upcoming international break for their games against Moldova and North Macedonia in Euro U21 qualifying, but rejected the call in order to focus on Liverpool.
He has just joined the Reds in a £35million move from Bayern Munich on transfer deadline day last week, and told the Dutch FA that he wanted to prioritise adapting to his new club during the Premier League‘s two-week hiatus and therefore made himself unavailable for selection.
Though the news may come as a blessing to Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who will have his new midfielder working at the club while the majority of his team-mates are away, the decision hasn’t gone down well in the Netherlands camp.
Senior manager Koeman said that he was ‘not happy with Ryan Gravenberch refusing to play for his country’ – adding that his assistant Nigel de Jong had contacted the Liverpool man regarding the decision – while U21 assistant manager Michael Reiziger also slammed the decision.
‘I don’t think it’s a good decision, I told him that. I really don’t think it’s good’, Reiziger said via VI.
‘For a national team, for your country, you have to play with your heart. Not with your head. So you really have to want to be there.”
Dr. John Kingsley Krugu, escaped death by hair's breadth
The National Coordinator of the Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Projects, Dr. John Kingsley Krugu, has narrated a chilling account of how he escaped death by hair’s breadth at Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region.
According to him, but for divine intervention, he would have been added to the stories of late Josephine Asante Tandoh, a former Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) staff and Abuakwa North MP, J.B Danquah whose mystery deaths have still not been solved.
He spoke to this reporter in his office in Accra on Thursday, August 31, 2023 during which he narrated how he escaped three-gun shots fired at close range into his bedroom.
Dr. Krugu, who is aspiring to be the MP for Zebilla Constituency on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party, stated that but for his calmness, he might have been hit by the bullets.
NARRATION TO THIS REPORTER
According to Dr. John Kingsley Krugu, we are conducting training of trainers for district mining committees and small-scale miners. We conducted one in Tarkwa, then in Koforidua and this week we are doing one in Bolgatanga for the Northern Sector.
So my team and I arrived in Bolga on Sunday. The training is taking place at the Extee Hotel in Bolgatanga. So, all the participants, including my team members from this office, are lodging at the Extee Crystal Hotel. But I am from Bolga, so I have a house in Bolga.
I decided that I was going to stay in my house with my driver. On Monday night, around 2a.m. I heard a ruffling sound at my window, which woke me up. I turned to look at what was happening and then I saw somebody holding a stick through the window and trying to pull the curtain in order to be able to see me well.
I first saw the stick and realised that below the stick he had put his hand through the burglar proof, and he was holding a pistol. When I saw the pistol, my heart jumped. But I did not panic. I did not make any noise. I moved towards the head of the bed, further away from where the gun was pointing to. The person noticed my movement so he fired the pistol.
I became very frightened and nearly fell off my bed,hitting myself against the wall.To my surprise there was another person standing behind a window and from that angle two gunshots were fired into the room, making it three shots in all.
At that moment, I could not describe the experience or the feeling, so I remained quiet in the room, stacked against the wall and the bed for some time. And then I noticed that the people had moved away. I then called a friend on the phone and when he answered, I dropped the call because I remembered that in basic security you do not talkin such circumstances. So I rather sent him a text.
The police patrol later arrived and rescued me and my driver, who was sleeping next door. The police took pictures of all the empty shells in the room, the stick that was used to pull the curtains up, and then took us to the Bolgatanga Central Police Station where they took my statement. They sent people to patrol the house, but we remained in the police station till daybreak.
INVESTIGATION
The incident, he stated, is under investigation by the Criminal Investigation Division of the Bolgatanga Central Police Station and the Bureau of National Investigations office in the Bolga East District.
He is hoping that the police will be able to have a good outcome from their investigation and not add to the list of investigations with no end in sight.
EXPERIENCE
He described the experience to The Chronicle as “very terrifying,” adding that Ghanaians should be perturbed, citing previous incidents.
“I am aware of the story of Fennec Okyere. J.B Danquah and Josephine Asante who were all allegedly killed,” he recalled.
He was happy for the luck that visited him and for him to be alive to tell the story of that horrific experience, which he would not wish for his worst enemy.
He said Ghanaians should be concerned about such incidents, as they do not augur well for the development of a nation.
Meanwhile, he intends to petition the National Security Minister, the Interior Minister, the Inspector General of Police and possibly Jubilee House over the matter.
He said he was not petitioning for himself only, but for the entire citizenry, as far as security is concerned.
POLITICS
The calm-looking politician could not attribute the issue to anything because “I do not have problems with anybody.”
Though he has filed to contest in the NPP parliamentary primaries in Zebilla, he said it was worrying for him to be allegedly targeted in his desire to represent the constituency democratically.
The presidential candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has served notice that he will appoint lawyers in the NDC to the bench.
His justification is that such appointments would “balance out” the current state of the judiciary, which he alleges is deliberately packed with “NPP lawyers.”
He has since encouraged lawyers in the NDC to prepare for appointments to the bench, once he returns to Jubilee House again, as President of the Nation.
Former President Mahama was addressing NDC lawyers at a conferencevia zoom on Saturday, September 2, 2023.
He alleged that President Akufo-Addo has appointed over 80 judges to the bench and is looking to appoint more to protect the interests of the NPP.
Mahama acknowledged that the NDC lawyers have lucrative legal practices and do not want to leave and go onto the bench, but stressed the need to reconsider that thinking in the interest of the party.
He said, “You can see what the current president has done. He has appointed the biggest number of judges onto the bench. It is more than 80 towards 100 and counting. He has packed the court and we know that they have packed the court because they want to avoid accountability after they have left office.”
Mahama continued, “And so, we must be prepared as NDC legal persons to also go onto the bench so that we can balance out the judiciary. Currently, the judiciary is packed with NPP-inclined judges because this government has carried out a deliberate policy of putting their people on the bench. So, I encourage some of you to look at careers on the bench so that we can balance out what the current situation is.”
REFORM
According to Mahama, the judiciary needs reforms to bolster its reputation and make it “an independent” institution, to build trust especially for foreign investors.He called on the NDC conference to discuss how his government, as executive, and the judiciary could work in tandem, claiming he would not shield corruption.
COMPOSITION
The 1992 Constitution is silent on the maximum number of judges to be appointed to the Supreme Court, but speaks on the minimum and numbers that qualify to be called to the bench.
Article 128 (2) of the constitution says “The Supreme Court shall consist of the Chief Justice and not less than nine other Justices of the Supreme Court.”
The (4) states that “A person shall not be qualified for appointment as a Justice of the Supreme Court unless he is of high moral character and proven integrity and is of not less than fifteen years’ standing as a lawyer.”
According to Article 136 (1) (b), the Court of Appeal shall consist of the Chief Justice and “not less than ten Justices of the Court of Appeal.”
The (3) of Article 136 states that a person shall not be qualified for appointment as a Justice of the Court of Appeal unless he is of high moral character and proven integrity and is of not less than twelve years’ standing as a lawyer.
Article 139 (1) says the High Court shall consist of the Chief Justice and “not less than twenty Justices of the High Court” and such other Justices of the Superior Court as the Chief Justice may request to sit in the High Court for any period.
The (4) states that to qualify to be appointed as a justice of the High Court, one must have high moral character and must have practiced as a lawyer for at least ten years.
APPOINTMENT
Article 144 states that the Chief Justice shall be appointed by the President, acting in consultation with the Council of State and with the approval of Parliament.
The other Supreme Court Justices shall be appointed by the President acting on the advice of the Judicial Council, in consultation with the Council of State, and with the approval of Parliament.
Justices of the High and Appeal Courts and Chairmen of the Regional Tribunal shall be appointed by the President acting on the advice of the Judicial Council.
Dr. Albert Antwi Boasiako, Director-General of Cyber Security Authority
The Director-General of the Cyber Security Authority, Dr. Albert Antwi Boasiako, has revealed that Ghana had a score of 86.69% in Online Security (a key dimension of the index) consistent with the country’s score on the ITU’s Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) for 2023.
According to him, In the Groupe Special Mobile Association (GSMA) Mobile Connectivity Index (MCI) 2023 report, Ghana is ranked 4th in Africa with a score of 51.4% depicting significant progress in connectivity over the past five years.
He made this known during the launch of the National Cyber Security Awareness Month at the Ministry of Information yesterday. It is a global initiative aimed at raising awareness about cybersecurity and promoting best practices for online safety.
He further noted that Ghana is one of 22 countries globally to annually celebrate National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM).
Mr. Boasiako added that the Global digitalisation trends have changed the way businesses are conducted today, created opportunities, and provided enabling environments for economic growth.
“Recent Statistics indicates that more than 62% (4.95 billion) of the world’s population have access to the internet. In Ghana, internet penetration has increased exponentially from 2.31 million in 2012 to 17 million users in 2022 representing 53% of the population”.
“Ghana’s internet penetration rate i.e. internet users in 2023 stands at 23.05 million representing 68.2% of the total population. Out of this, 6.6 million (19.5%) are active social media users contributing to the country’s 13th rank on the list of countries that spend considerable time on the internet,” he added.
The Director-General stated that Ghana started NCSAM in 2017 with the establishment of the National Cyber Security Week which subsequently evolved into a month-long event under the auspices of the then National Cyber Security Secretariat.
To him, each year has been distinctive with relevant themes: 2017 started with the ‘Securing Ghana’s Digital Journey’.
Ghana’s success
On this, Mr. Boasiako reinstated Ghana’s effort at ensuring a culture of digital safety is borne out of the country’s cyberculture and societal dimension derived from the cybersecurity Capacity Maturity Model (CMM) assessment commissioned by the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation in January 2018.
This assessment, he said, was conducted by the Global Cyber Security Capacity Centre (GCSCC) of the University of Oxford in collaboration with the World Bank.
Key among the critical issues captured by the assessment Mr. Boasiako bemoanedis the lack of cybersecurity consciousness and awareness among the Ghanaian public.
“Also, captured were inadequate security measures for government e-services with knowledge gaps in fundamental cybersecurity concepts”, he noted.
Following these shortfalls, his outfit is seeking to leverage the NCSAM 2023 to address the concerns raised in the assessment hence the theme, ‘Promoting a Culture of Digital Safety’.
The theme this year, Mr. Boasiako said, would highlight the importance of cultivating a collective mindset and behaviour that values and promotes responsible online practices, cybersecurity awareness, and the protection of personal information.
In a speech which was read on behalf of the Minister for Communications and Digitalization, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful by the deputy, she said the media launch, as a key component of the NCSAM, aims to address these worrying concerns by promoting cybersecurity awareness in collaboration with government officials, private sector players, business executives, cybersecurity professionals, educationists, representatives from civil society organisations and the media.
“As the flagship of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), the NCSAM launch is expected to further help create a synergy between the public and private sector stakeholder groups to intensify awareness about the importance of cybersecurity and the inherent risks associated with it,” she stated.
The minister believes that the launch will create awareness about the importance of digital safety in the digital world by highlighting the potential risks and vulnerabilities associated with the cyber landscape, educate the public on best practices and guidelines for digital safety, engage stakeholders to intensify their efforts in spearheading a safer digital environment.
The President of the Private Newspaper and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), Andrew Edwin Arthur, has commended the Bank of Ghana (BoG) for its unwavering dedication to the broader interest of Ghana.
Speaking at the Bank of Ghana’s annual financial literacy programme for members of its press corps, Mr. Arthur highlighted the importance of the central bank’s actions and policies in promoting economic growth and stability.
In his address to attendees, Mr. Arthur emphasised that PRINPAG, as a media association, frequently interacts with the management of the Central Bank, and they firmly believe that the Bank always acts in good faith for the benefit of the nation.
He acknowledged that the BoG had faced public criticism on some occasions, but he stressed that all their actions were within the applicable laws governing their mandate as an apex bank, and no money had been lost through their operations in 2022.
The annual financial literacy program, held under the theme “Regaining Confidence in the Economy: The Role of Monetary Policy,” reflects the Bank of Ghana’s commitment to implementing people-centred policies and programs that benefit the country, its residents, and business development.
Mr. Arthur applauded the Bank of Ghana for forging a partnership and collaboration with the Ghanaian media to educate the public about the economy, echoing PRINPAG’s policy of encouraging its members to specialize in their chosen profession.
He credited this collaboration with the media for helping Ghanaians better understand economic issues, thus fostering greater interest in public discussions about the economy.
PRINPAG’s president also acknowledged the positive impact of training programs organized by the Bank, which enhanced media practitioners’ understanding of the Ghanaian economy.
He noted that this improved knowledge had led to more informed and engaging news stories, ultimately boosting readership and changing the trend of low patronage for their newspapers.
In light of these achievements, Mr. Arthur expressed PRINPAG’s gratitude to the Bank of Ghana’s management, led by Governor Dr. Ernest Addison, and called for continued support to further propagate relevant economic information to the public.
Mr. Arthur concluded his address by stressing the pivotal role the media plays in supporting democracy and advancing society, reaffirming PRINPAG’s commitment to its partnership with the apex bank.
The event also saw Presidents of Journalists for Business Advocacy (JBA) and Institute for Financial and Economic Journalists (IFEJ) lauding the Bank for its engagement with the media to deepen the understanding of the Bank’s operations.
This positive collaboration has contributed significantly to the media’s ability to provide accurate and comprehensive reporting on financial matters, thereby enhancing public awareness and confidence in the financial sector.
In response, Dr. Philip Abradu-Otoo,the director of research at BoG, representing the Governor of the BoG, Dr. Ernest Addison, expressed his appreciation for the media’s role in disseminating valuable information to the public and reiterated the Bank’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
He stated: “We believe in the power of the media to educate and inform the public, and we are committed to fostering this collaboration for the betterment of Ghana’s economy.”
The annual financial literacy program continues to serve as a platform for the exchange of ideas and knowledge between the Bank of Ghana and the media, further strengthening their partnership and promoting economic literacy among Ghanaians.
In conclusion, PRINPAG’s endorsement of the Bank of Ghana’s commitment to the broader interest of Ghana reflects the collaborative effort between the central bank and the media to educate the public and boost economic awareness. This partnership serves as a model for promoting transparency, accountability, and economic growth in the nation.
On Saturday, August 26, 2023 a specially selected elite of the New Patriotic Party, called the Super Delegates, gathered to decide which five aspirants among the ten, should qualify to meet the National Delegates Congress, the highest decision-making body of the Party, who choose the flag bearer.
This arrangement, to me does not make free democratic choice of flag bearer a possibility to talk about. And what’s the guarantee that one of those dropped could not win the primaries? I am saying this because of an event in the Holy Bible. Assuming a Super Delegates Congress was held in the house of Jesse, it is very obvious David would not make the first six to even talk about the first five.
I have some problems with this Super Delegates Congress that I want to share.
It is on record that 2,293 delegates out of an electoral college of 2,326, voted during the 2007 National Delegates Congress which chose H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as flag bearer.
After this event, the Mac Manu led National Executive Committee thought that 2,326 people can be easily bought over by any aspirant and that would defeat the true freedom of expression qualities of the NPP. So, the electoral college was expanded to include all executive members of the polling stations. So, in the 2010 primaries, 106,500 delegates voted.
A Super Delegates Congress, made up of some elites was imposed upon the party. Their job is to prune down the number of aspirants to five, if they exceeded that number.
How democratic is this? This does not add up, since the Super Delegates has never exceeded 1,000 people. And, so if 2,326 can easily be bought over, then what can’t happen to less than a thousand people?
By the way, those elite got where they are due to the efforts of the Grass Root. They are what can be described as king-makers. They choose constituency executives who will choose regional and national executives. They also directly choose parliamentary candidates who will become MPs. If we want to agree that the Grass Root always chooses the best for the Party, then why should they be denied choosing which five persons can easily win the presidential elections for the Party?
As it stands now, there are suggestions going round that the decision of the 2023 Super Delegates should conclude the process of selecting the party’s flag bearer. This should never be tolerated. The Super Delegates Congress is only part of the process of selecting the flag bearer. Truncating the process here, will rather tear the party apart with serious divisions that will send the NPP into a long stay in opposition. It is like a case where an electoral officer would decide that voting should end at 2 pm instead of the scheduled 5 pm because the ballot box is getting full.
The Super Delegates Congress is like a heat in athletics or semi-finals in some other sports. No matter how well a competitor performs in the heats or semis, they will only get the gold medal if they win in the finals. And there are lots of cases where those who top the heats never win in the finals.
Also, the Super Delegates Congress forms less than 0.005% of the highest decision-making body of the Party, so it is impossible to imagine how its decision should be used to conclude the selection, where in poll sampling 5% is the least, permissible. Going forward, any such decision, would rather tarnish the reputation of the winner, Dr. Bawumia, and it is going to haunt this fine gentleman throughout his political career. Meanwhile, he is never part of this decision.
I will recommend a polling system where if the number of aspirants exceeds three, they must all visit each constituency, interact with the Grass Root and be elected by only the polling station executives. After this, the top three should be voted upon by the National Delegates Congress which should include the polling station executives as well, to determine who becomes flag bearer.
In this way, it is the Grass Root, who will determine those to go for the main primaries. They need to be given some respect.This whole Super Delegates Congress could one day break the Party.
Talking about Super Delegates and its complications, one is shocked to hear that among this elite group is a more superior group which I will call the Supreme Delegates Congress.
Simply put, everybody knows that when a run-off becomes necessary after an election, it is those who voted in that elections who will vote in the run-off. But today, NPP is saying that is not possible. Another group from the Super Delegates called the National Council will vote in a run-off, how so undemocratic.
I keep wondering that supposing more than two people had tied for the fifth position and the National Council alone is chosen to vote at the run-off, and two or more again tie for the first position, who are going to vote for the second run-off?
This will not have happened if the National Council had listened to reason and centralised the Super Delegates Congress, so that a situation like a run-off would have been resolved before dusk, since all the delegates would have been around.
This Super Delegates and now Supreme Delegates should be scrapped.
Hon. Daniel Dugan
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect The Chronicle’s stance.
On August 15, last month, we carried a story about the collapse of a bridge near Princess Town in the Ahanta West Municipality of the Western Region. The collapsed bridge links Princess Town, Akwidaa, Cape Three Points and other satellite communities to the municipal capital, Agona Nkwanta. The bridge, according to the story, collapsed on June 22, 2023 during a heavy rain storm that hit the area.
Community members who earlier spoke to The Chronicle complained that the collapse of the bridge had seriously affected their standard of living. According to them, they were now paying twice the price they paid commercial drivers before carting their farm produce to Sekondi-Takoradi and beyond.
This development, they narrated to The Chronicle, had occurred because the vehicles would bring the produce from the farm gates to the site of the collapsed bridge, and then offloaded them into another truck waiting at the other side before being transported to the marketing centres.
The Chronicle understands the Divisional Chief of the area, Nana Akwanzi Abroba IV, who is also a member of the Council of State, had visited the site and assured the people that she would use her influence to draw the government’s attention to the problem.
The Ghana Highways Authority (GHA), the Ahanta West Municipal Assembly, and the Western Regional Coordinating Council (WRCC), we are told, are also aware that the bridge had collapsed. As a matter of fact, we have reliably been informed that the GHA actually visited the site to take pictures, but the bridge has still not been fixed.
The Chronicle concedes that the pressure on the Consolidated Fund to make money available to fix problems in the various sectors of the economy is very enormous. Almost every community in Ghana is complaining about bad roads, especially now that the rains have set in, and calling on the government to fix them.
But the truth of the matter is that the demand on the national purse has far outstripped the revenues generated by the state to tackle development projects. But to the tax payer, he or she has fulfilled the obligation of paying taxes to the state, therefore, expect the latter to also honour her side of the bargain. The Chronicle does not disagree with these people because a hungry baby does not care whether the mother or father has money to buy food for him/her or not – all what the baby needs is food to eat.
This is the reason why we are pleading with the Ministry of Roads and Highways to squeeze water out of stone and ensure that funds are secured to repair the collapsed bridge. Since farmers, we all know, contribute substantially to the expansion of our national economy anything concerning their wellbeing must be taken serious.
Apart from this, Ahanta West, like Kasoa, near Accra, is fast expanding because of its proximity to Sekondi-Takoradi. This means most workers commute from the area on daily basis to attend work in Takoradi and its environs. So the collapse of the bridge is not only affecting the farmers, but government workers as well. As we earlier alluded to, the resources are simply not there but The Chronicle is still pleading with the relevant authorities to address the issue as soon as possible.
The 48 Engineer’s regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has, during emergency situations, been constructing bailey bridges for some of our communities. We believe when they are contacted, they will be ready to come in and help. Already, our earlier report suggested that officials of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) had left the residents to their fate because they could not travel to affected communities to attend to their power problems.
This, in our opinion, is a serious problem and that is why we are appealing to the authorities to intervene as soon as practicable to repair the collapsed bridge.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, has called Nana Kwaku Duah II, caretaker chief (Odikro) of Tewobaabi, to order over his claim of ownership of some parts of Heman stool lands.
Heman in the Afigya Kwabre district is bounded by Aboaso, Mampongteng, Ejuratia, Wawase and Adwumakasekese, while Tewobaabi is at Ntonsu.
Nana Kwaku Duah II, (Odikro) of Tewobaabi
At a recent (August 21, 2023) sitting of the Manhyia Traditional Court with Otumfuo presiding, he reiterated a declaration that the Nana Hemanhene, Nana Apau Wiafe Ababio Sanwoansan, was the sole custodian of Hemang stool lands.
The meeting was occasioned by complaints lodged by Nana Apau Wiafe Ababio Sanwoansan, Chief of Heman, about incursions into parts of Heman stool lands by the Odikro of Tewobaabi, who claimed that those parcels of land belonged to him.
The Asantehene also heard that the Tewabaabi Odikro had enstooled a resident, Ankobeahene, to represent his (Tewobaabi Odikro) interests, particularly in the sale of lands at Heman.
Nana Apau Wiafe Ababio Sanwoansan – Hemanhene
Having heard from all the parties, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II declared that Nana Apau Sanwoansan was the recognised chief entrusted with the Heman Stool lands.
He, therefore, cautioned Nana Kwaku Duah to stay clear off Heman lands and went further to abolish any such Ankobeahene by the Tewobaabi Odikro at Heman.
Otumfuo also cautioned the Head of Ekuona Nkoduase Family (Abusuapanin) of Heman, Nana Kwaku Appiagyei, and family members from staking a claim to Heman Stool lands.
“Heman stool lands do not belong to Tewobaabi Odikro, neither do they (stool lands) belong to Butuakwa (Nkoduase) family,” Otumfuo decreed.
The recent declaration by Otumfuo is the second in five years to emphasise the ownership of Heman stool lands.
On May 22, 2017, Otumfuo Osei Tutu sternly and openly cautioned Okyeame Butuakwa, then leader of the Nkoduase Family (the late Kyeame Akoto’s family) and declared that Heman stool lands were vested in the Chief of Heman, Nana Apau Sanwoansan, and that the Nkoduase Family had no business interfering in the management and administration of Heman stool lands.
The Ashanti King was also emphatic that the Nkoduase Family was entitled to Asabi and Adagya lands, and not Heman lands.
It was also explained that the Nkoduase Family of Heman was in charge of the Akyeame Stool and could not claim Heman stool lands.
The royal declaration that the members of the Nkoduase or Butuakwa Family were not members of the Ekuona royal family of Heman, thus bringing an end to the dispute that had raged on for years before Nana Apau Wiafe Ababio Sanwoansan was installed Chief in June 2015.
Nana Kwaku Appiagyei – Abusuapanin of Nkoduase family
The Hemanhene has expressed profound appreciation for the position of the Asantehene in the Heman stool lands issue and said the verdict would go a long way to ensure lasting peace and promote development in the community.
Nana Hemanhene has directed that all persons who had previously acquired parcels of Heman lands from other sources should take steps to regularise their documents for proper documentation.
Nana Sanwansa noted that plots of land had been sold without proper documentation, and asked that all those who had acquired lands at Heman should take advantage of the concession to regularise their documents before sanctions were taken against them.
He said the Hemang Stool would not allow development of any land without proper documentation to avoid any confrontation.
Nana Sarpong Kumankuma Ababio, Akwamuhene of Heman, applauded Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for his wise arbitration in the Heman Stool affairs.
He also commended the Ashanti King for contributing to the growth and promotion of the chieftaincy institution and Ashanti Kingdom on the global map.
Meanwhile, the Abusuapanin of the Bretuo Family of Tewobaabi, Nana Osei Kwabena Marfo, has invoked the Great Oath of Ashanti (Ntamkese) against Nana Kwaku Duah, challenging his position as Tewobaabi Chief.
In another development, the self-styled Ankobeahene of Heman has been apprehended by the Manhyia Police for the destruction of the construction on a piece of land at Heman following a complaint by a landowner.
The stool elders and jubilant indigenes, who thronged Manhyia Palace to witness the arbitration between the Hemanhene and the Tewobaabi Odikro in solidarity, commended their Chief for the remarkable development he had brought to the community since he ascended the Ekuona Apau and Brefo Stool of Heman as Chief on June 22, 2015, succeeding Nana Owusu Brefo II, who died in 1995.
Achievements
The stool elders mentioned a number of developmental projects Nana Apau Wiafe Ababio Sanwoansan had undertaken over his eight year reign, including a magnificent Palace he commissioned on October 8, 2017.
The Hemanhene has also provided a fence wall around the royal mausoleum situated on an acre of land and renovated a six-unit classroom block of the Roman Catholic Primary School at Heman at the cost of GH¢60,000, as well as painted the local Junior High School.
The Chief has also presented 50 dual desks to the school to furnish the renovated block and supplied a quantity of branded exercise books for distribution to schools in the locality.
Nana Apau Wiafe Ababio Sanwoansan has, since 2020, embarked on the construction of a multi-million cedi Gyamadudu Museum at Heman, which project is 90 percent complete.
The Museum, together with a Community Centre, is expected to be commissioned by the close of the year.
When completed, the Museum would add to the existing ones in the Ashanti Region, and Ghana in general, to help preserve the cultural heritage of the people of Ashanti and sustain traditional norms, customs and practices and usage as his legacy.
The Gyamadudu Museum, which sits on a 10-acre piece of land, comprises nine interlinking domes to accommodate precious cultural exhibits, collections and artifacts.
It also has spaces for statutes and images of Ashanti Kings and Queenmothers and eminent personalities, including the occupant of the Golden Stool, Opemsuo Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, Nana Nyarko Kusi Amoah, the first Asantehemaa, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II, and the legendary Nana Yaa Asantewaa of Ejisu.
The Museum also has a place of honour for statesmen like Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President; Nelson Mandela of South Africa; Col. Muamar Gaddafi of Libya, and Emperor Haile Selaisie of Ethiopia, and features prominently images of freedom fighters across the globe within its walls decorated with Adinkra symbols.
Also at the Museum is a the centre for the production of designer Kente cloths and a African stool regalia to add value to such cultural items for packaging and branding.
Nana Hemanhene intends to embark on a water project and the construction of ceremonial durbar grounds in a community centre project which is likely to be commissioned along the Gyamadudu Museum soon.
Three years after Nana Apau Wiafe Ababio Sanwoansan became Chief of Heman, the African Heroes Foundation (AHF) International conferred an honorary doctorate degree on him in recognition of his outstanding dedication and contribution towards sustainable development in Ghana.
Nana Apau Wiafe Sanwoansan has expressed gratitude to Madam Sunderland Adwoa Dawn, Executive Director of Bridge-To-Africa Connection (BTAC), and its circle of partners and supporters for supporting the Museum project, which is now a centre of attraction for all visiting African Americans to Ghana.
The post drew angry reactions from other commentators.
Certified Kim tweeted, “Just football??? I don’t believe this. How will she treat them like this just for playing football? I am boiling now.”
Tubosunn also tweeted, “This woman needs to go to jail for this? And she must be barren to have treat (sic) children like that because can never know the love of children.
“Just hope she is dealt with, plus we’re are the parents of these children?”
Police react
When contacted, the police spokesperson in the state, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the incident, adding that the woman was being prosecuted.
Three persons were confirmed dead while one other sustained injuries when a Toyota Sienna car plunged into the Omo River around Area J4 on the Sagamu-Benin expressway on Saturday.
The Public Education Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ogun, Florence Okpe, confirmed the incident to journalists in Abeokuta on Saturday.
“The accident occurred around 11:55 a.m., and the suspected cause of the crash was excessive speed and loss of control which made the vehicle plunge into the river.
“The vehicle marked APP 830 HX was coming from Benin and heading to Lagos,” she added.
Mrs Okpe added that three male adults were found dead while one person sustained injuries in the lone vehicle accident.
The FRSC spokesperson explained that the injured victim was taken to Hope Clinic J4 in the Ijebu-East Local Government Area of the state.
”Bodies of those dead were deposited at the State General Hospital morgue in Ijebu-Ode,” she said.
Mrs Okpe quoted the State Sector Commander of FRSC, Anthony Uga, as describing the crash as avoidable if caution was considered.
The sector commander said speed limit violations by motorists, especially the commercial vehicle drivers on that route, were the cause of several road traffic crashes.
“In this case, however, the FRSC sector commander appreciated the efforts of local divers for the rescue operation. ”We also sympathise with the families of the victims, just as we advise them to contact the FRSC Ogbere outpost for more information about the crash,” Mrs Okpe said.
