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Geological Survey Deputy Director charged with fraud

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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Accra Circuit Court

A Deputy Director at the Ghana Geological Survey Authority, Innocent Kakateche, alias Honourable, has been accused together with a tiler, Charles Bijabe, and nurse at the Ridge Hospital, Gideon Tigah, with fraud.

The accused persons were put before the Accra Circuit Court ‘9’, presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah, yesterday. They are standing trial for attempting to commit a crime, to wit defrauding by false pretences, and defrauding by false pretenses.

Charles, aged 28 years, pleaded guilty to attempt to commit a crime, and not guilty to defrauding by false pretences. Gideon, 33, and Innocent, 52, pleaded not guilty to both counts.

The court has granted the Geological Deputy Director and the nurse bail in the sum of GH¢50,000 with two sureties, who are civil servants and earning not less than GH¢2,000 a month each.

Mr. Acquah remanded Charles into police custody and deferred his sentence on the basis that at the time of taking his plea, he had no counsel to represent him.

He encouraged Charles, who is the first accused (A1), to contract a lawyer before the next adjourned date, February 8, 2023.

The facts

According the prosecuting officer, Assistant Superintendant of Police (ASP) Maxwell Oppong, the complainant in the case is one Hector Menero Camara, a Spanish National.

He said somewhere in October 2022, one Javier Henerr, a friend of the complainant, who also lives in Spain, informed him that he was undertaking a gold business in Ghana and needed him to check the genuineness of the gold before he made payment.

Javier Henerr gave the details of Charles to the complainant as someone who was rich and delt in gold in Accra, the capital of Ghana.

ASP Oppong added that on December 10, 2022, Charles sent a Whatsapp message to the complainant introducing himself as Doctor Charles, who worked at the Ridge Hospital, adding “the 1st accused also sent the photograph of Hon. Francis Manu Adabor, the member of Parliament for Ahafo Ano South-East Constituency of the Ashanti Region, as a gold dealer and the owner of the said gold, which turned out to be false.”

He added that a witness in the case became suspicious and alerted the Police Intelligence Directorate of Charles’ activities.

Therefore, on January 19, 2023, the complainant informed Charles that the person to buy the gold had arrived in Ghana, so the accused persons arranged to meet the complainant and his people at his office at the Ghana Geological Survey Authority, where they had been having meeting.

He stated that Charles sent their location to the complainant and later changed the venue of the meeting to the Movenpick Hotel.

Charles and Innocent gave an excuse to the complainant as to why they would not turn up for the meeting, and introduced the nurse to him as Doctor Gideon and the one who would be representing them at the meeting, and to confirm whether indeed the buyer was a Whiteman.

The court was informed that in the course of the meeting, personnel from the Police Intelligence Directorate arrested Gideon, who also mentioned Charles and Innocent as his accomplices.

He added that Charles was lured to the Movenpick Hotel and was arrested, and Innocent was arrested and handed over to the Accra Regional CID.

ASP Oppong added that the accused persons were charged with the offence and brought before the court.

Innocent’s counsel, Eleelis Acquah, while praying the court for bail, said the Geological Deputy Director was a victim of circumstance, and assured the court that in the course of the trial the truth would come out.

Students’ unrest must be nipped in the bud

By
THE CHRONICLE
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Editorial

Students’ unrest is increasingly becoming a common phenomenon in Ghana. Though many resolution mechanisms are being adopted by school authorities to remedy the situation, it still continues to occur as little efforts are done to stop it completely.

Last week, it was reported that students of Krobea Asante Technical and Vocational Institute demonstrated over poor examination results. The students vandalised vehicles, smashed windscreens, destroyed school properties and assaulted some of their teachers.

As a result, the Ashanti Regional Security Council (AREGSEC) ordered the closure of the school.

The Ashanti Region Minister, who is also Chairman of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC), Simon Osei-Mensah, has given the assurance that a five-member committee would be set up to untangle the circumstances that led to the demonstration at the institute. The Regional Minister says causes and cost of the vandalism would be established by the committee. Forty students have been arrested for the rampage and are in police custody to assist in investigations.

According to the Ashanti Regional Ghana Education Service (GES) Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mark Ofori, the students allegedly embarked on the demonstration, because their performance in the previous West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) was horrible. The situation was so dire that the teachers and police officers had to mount a barrier to look out for some of the students who were fleeing campus.

The students, under no circumstance, should take the law into their own hands to destroy school properties. Students need to put much effort in their academic pursuit, and are supposed to be blamed for their poor performance in examinations.

The Chronicle describes the students’ actions as a show of disrespect for authority. We urge the police to ensure that other students involved in the act are arrested and made to face the full rigors of the law.

We at The Chronicle are happy the police have decided not to take the disturbances lightly, but are going to look into it. We will urge the police to get to the bottom of this. They should not just leave it hanging. It is high time some of these recalcitrant students are made to pay the price of insubordination.

Court rescinds  plea of alleged Cape Coast NDC rioter

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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Court

Dauda Mohammed Nazir, one of the alleged rioters at the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Cape Coast Youth and Women Congress, was scheduled to be sentenced yesterday, but that decision has been rescinded by the trial court.

Out of the four counts of prohibition of vigilante groups and activities leveled against him, the accused, earlier pleaded guilty to the second count, which particulars of the offence were that on December 10, 2022, in Cape Coast, Dauda, together with the others, armed themselves with offensive weapons and acting in concert, resorted to the use of violence to further their interests as members of the NDC.

The Accra Circuit Court, presided over by His Honour Samuel Bright Acquah, rescinded the decision to sentence the accused, after having set aside the latter’s guilty simplicita plea.

The court’s latest decision was based on the fact that Dauda, who is standing trial with Abdul Halid Shaibu alias Olu, and Razak Ibrahim alias Oga, prior to his guilty plea, did not have a counsel, and was also challenged by a language barrier.

His Honour added that the latest decision would not cause any injuries to the prosecution, since they had informed the court that they had video evidence of the incident which took place in the Central Regional capital to prove their case.

Mr. Acquah ordered that Duada’s plea should be retaken, and after the facts were once again read to him, pleaded not guilty, which, therefore, went to add that he had pleaded not guilty to all the four counts.

The other accused persons – Shaibu and Abrahim – are facing two counts, but have all pleaded not guilty to the offences brought up against them by the prosecution.

Nonetheless, the court stated that it would not set aside all that had happened in the court, since the inception of the case.

Mr. Acquah also granted all the accused persons bail to a tune of GH¢150,000.00, with two sureties who are civil servants, earning a monthly salary each of not less than GH¢2,000.00, and ordered them to report twice to the police every week.

George Opare Addo, National Youth Organiser, and his contender, Brogya Gemfi, were also present at the court.

Background

The court was informed by the prosecutor, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sylvester Asare, that the accused persons are believed to be members of a vigilante groups operating within the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

According to him, on December 10, 2022, the police received a report of violent disturbances at the NDC’s National Youth and Women’s Congress held in the Central Regional capital, Cape Coast.

He informed the court that upon receipt of the report, the police commenced an investigation into the matter, in which video footages of the Congress viewed during the process uncovered 16 people, including the accused persons, engaged in violence.

The court was told that a police investigation established that while proceedings were ongoing at the Congress, two rival vigilante groups violently clashed, amid the throwing of stones, blocks, and clubs among others, causing injuries to some persons and destruction of properties.

“Further investigation had that [the] 1st (Abdul Halid Shaibu) and 2nd (Razak Ibrahim alias Oga) accused persons and others at large worked for and in furtherance of their own interests, and that of George Opare Addo @ Pablo as the National Youth Organiser of the NDC,” he alleged.

He added that it was also established that Dauda and others at large acted for themselves, and that of Hannah Bissiw and Brogya Gyemfi.

DSP Asare narrated to the court that Shaibu, Ibrahim and others at large were transported from Tamale to Cape Coast to engage in vigilante activities to further the interests of George Opare Addo to win the election.

The prosecutor stated that the accused persons and others at large were given GH¢50.00 each as pocket money, saying: “On same 9th December, 2022, suspect Jango, currently in police custody, organised the rival group, including 3rd [accused person], from Berekum and its environs to further the interests of Hon. Hannah Bissiw and Brogya Gyamfi to win their respective position[s].”

Giving details and account of events, he indicated that police investigation also revealed that the accused persons herein, and others at large, were lodged in separate hotels in Cape Coast and fed.

On December 10, 2022, whilst the Congress was ongoing, the vigilante rival groups, without any provocation, but to further the interests of their respective candidates, resorted to the use of violence, threats and intimidation, which injured some people.

The prosecutor intimated that “some members of the opposing factions involved in the fight got injured and rushed to the hospital for treatment. It was also established that Al and A2 were paid GH¢250.00 each for their services as vigilantes at the Congress for George Opare Addo.

“Thus, A3 and his accomplices also received GH¢200.00 each for their services as vigilantes at the Congress for Brogya Gyemfi and Hannah Bissiw.”

He added that Shaibu and Ibrahim were arrested from their hideouts at Tamale on January 6, 2023, and brought to Accra for investigation.

Dauda Mohammed Nazir was arrested on January 8 at Kintampo.

The court was told that all the accused persons admitted the offence during interrogation.

Ghana receives $4m from World Bank for reducing carbon emissions

By
admin
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Pierre Laporte, World Bank Country Director for Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone

Ghana has become the second country in Africa after Mozambique to receive payments from a World Bank trust fund for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, commonly known as REDD+.

The World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) paid Ghana $4,862,280 for reducing 972,456 tonnes of carbon emissions for the first monitoring period under the program (June to December 2019).

“This payment is the first of four under the country’s Emission Reductions Payment Agreement (ERPA) with the World Bank to demonstrate potential for leveraging results based payments for carbon credits,” said Pierre Laporte, World Bank Country Director for Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. “Subject to showing results from actions taken to reduce deforestation, Ghana is eligible to receive up to $50 million for 10 million tonnes of CO2 emissions reduced by the end of 2024.”

These actions are within a six-million-hectare stretch of the West Africa Guinean Forest, where biodiversity and forests are under pressure from cocoa farming and unsustainable harvesting, and small-scale mining. Ghana is one of 15 countries that have signed ERPAs with the World Bank.

“The many years of dialogue, consultations, and negotiations with local communities, traditional authorities, government agencies, private sector, CSOs, and NGOs have paid off,” said Samuel A. Jinapor, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources.

“This emission reductions payment will further promote confidence in Ghana’s REDD+ process for action to reduce deforestation and forest degradation while empowering local community livelihoods.

The road to global 1.5 degrees cannot be achieved without healthy standing forests, and Ghana is committed to making it possible.”

Ghana is the world’s second-largest cocoa producer. Cocoa drives the economy, but it is also one of the main causes of deforestation and forest degradation in the southeast and western regions of the country.

Stakeholders are working to help some 140,000 Ghanaian farmers increase cocoa production using climate-smart agro-forestry approaches, rather than slash and burn land-clearing techniques that decimate forests.

More sustainable cocoa farming helps avoid expansion of cocoa farms into forest lands and secures more predictable income streams for communities.

The Ghana Cocoa Board is participating in the REDD+ process, as are some of the most important cocoa and chocolate companies in the world, including World Cocoa Foundation members like Mondelēz International, Olam, Touton, and others.

Their combined actions are not only helping bring change to the cocoa sector, but they are also helping Ghana meet its national emissions reductions commitments under the Paris Agreement. This level of collaboration is also reflected in the benefit sharing plan underpinning Ghana’s’ ERPA with the World Bank.

Prepared through extensive consultations with local stakeholders and civil society organisations throughout the country, the plan ensures all participating stakeholders are fairly recognised and rewarded for their role in reducing emissions.

The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) is a global partnership of governments, businesses, civil society, and Indigenous Peoples’ organisations focused on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, forest carbon stock conservation, the sustainable management of forests, and the enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries, activities commonly referred to as REDD+. Launched in 2008 the FCPF has worked with 47 developing countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean, along with 17 donors that have made contributions and commitments totaling $1.3 billion.

 

Data controllers urged to register under section 46/3

By
ERNEST BEST ANANE
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Mrs. Patricia Adusei Poku, Executive Director of Data Protection Commission

Mrs. Patricia Adusei Poku, Executive Director of Data Protection Commissions (DPC) has tasked Data controllers to file and register under section 46/3 as the law requires with the Data Protection Commission (DPC) to safeguard users of information for security purposes.

Speaking at the 2023 Data Protection and Privacy Week celebration in Kumasi, she explained that shifting this year’s celebration to the Ashanti region was to announce the setting up of the Commission’s office in Kumasi to enable holders of data in the region to register, instead of travelling to the nation’s capital.

According to her, the celebration is geared towards educating the people in Kumasi and the region as a whole on their rights to understand data protection law and also to empower them to accept themselves under the law as well as to also scrutinize the work of data controllers in the region.

Mrs. Adusei Poku stated that, Data Controllers must implement in-house privacy programmes that require training of staff, creating of awareness, respecting customers of the service users being accountable with documentary evidence as to how they are managing the data that they are holding.

She underscored that the Data Protection Commission is promoting a national governance strategy that would help the whole nation to understand what we hold as a nation in terms of data and how we can manage it.

Dr. Mrs. Rosemary Coffle at the Department of Human Relations (HR) and Senior Lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), School of Business, said the celebration of data protection and privacy week is an awareness creation to open the eyes and minds of the public and must be embraced for safety and security purposes.

‘High Compliance key to Africa’s Shipping Sector’

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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Tema Port

Engendering high compliance in the African shipping industry would greatly boost the fortunes of the sector, panellists at the Regional Maritime Stakeholder Conference on Global Best Practices in Vessel Clearance have said.

Speaking on the topic: “Positioning our Ports and Terminals for the Blue Economy and the AfCFTA Opportunity”, the panellists agreed that there are vast opportunities to attract more vessels to the continent provided that strict adherence to regulations that govern the operations at the ports would be enforced.

According to them, this would go a long way to reduce delays in cargo and vessel clearance which would then lead to the growth and development of the sector.

At the Stakeholder Conference held on Thursday 19th January 2023 in Accra, the National Coordinator-Port Standing Task Team (PSTT) and Deputy Director of Nigeria’s Shippers’ Council (NSC), Mr. Moses Fadipe said that his outfit has begun reaping the benefits of strict compliance.

He noted that last year, the strict enforcement and high compliance to port regulations by the NSC led to the reduction in the time required for a vessel to get clearance to load or discharge cargo and also carry out other activities. Vessel Waiting Time reduced from five hours (5hrs) to one hour (1hr).

Commenting on the matter, the Head of the Freight and Logistics Department of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA), Mr. Fred Asiedu-Dartey cited the Ghana Shippers Awards as an example where individuals and groups in the sector are honoured for compliance among other things to encourage others to emulate the desirable conduct.

“The Ghana Shippers Award has been instituted and we are putting in some mechanisms to ensure that shippers who are compliant in that regard are duly recognised”, he noted.

He urged other African nations to learn and emulate best practices from each other as operational conditions of the sector are similar.

Agortime to collaborate with churches to promote the gospel, tradition & culture

By
SAMUEL AGBEWODE
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A group picture of the chiefs and members of the ascend Church Of Christ

The Agortime traditional area would soon collaborate with the Church to promote and spread the gospel, as well as promote traditional and cultural practices.

The collaboration would ensure that the celebration of Rata –Twins festival established by the Ascend Church of Christ, would be celebrated by the church and the traditional area, few weeks after the celebration of the Agbamevorza (Kete festival).

The Traditional Priest of Agortime Traditional Area, Togbe Gbedesi Adzakpa made this known at the Rata –Twins festival organised by the Ascend Church of Christ at Agortime-Akpokope in the Agortime-Ziope District.

He observed that there were no much differences between tradition, culture and the Christian way of worshiping God, but only the methods varied slightly.

Togbe Gbedesi Adzakpa said, it was time Christian leaders recognised the fact that tradition and culture are not fetish as some of them always wanted their followers to believe.

The Traditional Priest pointed out that both Christian religion, tradition and culture practices had many things in common including the desire and efforts to promote peace, love and unity in society. He pleaded with Christian leaders to appreciate these facts and stop referring to tradition and culture as evil.

He said the performance of rites for twins, was a traditional practice many decades ago and that it is good that the Ascend Church of Christ had identified the practice as Biblical and established the Rat-Twins festival.

Togbe Gbedesi Adzakpa, therefore, urged leaders of the church to educate their members on aspects of the Bible relevant to their development because most of the teachings in the Bible were practiced as part of tradition and culture before Christianity came.

He stressed that the Agortime Traditional Area would soon join the Ascend Church of Christ to celebrate Rata-Twins festival to help bring the church closer to society, promote peace, love and unity among the people.

The Founder and Leader of the Ascend Church of Christ, Prophet K. Kugbe, said the Church was mandated to propagate the gospel and the leaders also have an assignment of spreading the message.

Prophet Kugbe continued that through the propagation of the Bible, and the help of the Holy Spirit, he established the Rata-Twins celebration to create the needed awareness of the fact that performing rites for twins was Biblical and should not be regarded as evil.

The Founder of the Ascend Church of Christ said, the Bible makes it clear how rites for twins should be performed and failure to do so has negative effects on the twins, their families and the community, hence the establishment of the festival to create the needed awareness.

Prophet Kugbe said, the church in general is performing its duties of propagating the gospel, but in so doing leaders of the church should provide holistic education to the people and should avoid concentrating on preaching prosperity messages alone.

He said prosperity messages were equally good for the soul, but more attention should be paid to salvation and that after prosperity, the soul and spirit should be fed with the word.

The Warlord of Agortime-Akpokope, Nene Nabam III said the time had come for all to contribute meaningfully towards the development of society by upholding tradition and culture.

Nene Nabam commended Prophet Kugbe, for his undiluted propagation of the gospel, which had revealed that God is peaceful, lovely and united in all aspects of creation.

Maritime industry deliberates on effective financing of the maritime space

By
AGNES ANSAH
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Mr Thomas K. Alonsi, Chairman, Committee of Expert, MOWCA and Director-General , Ghana Maritime Authority
Some of the speakers

In order to ensure sufficient financing of the maritime space in West and Central Africa to harness the resources for economic development, stakeholders convened at the 17th Extraordinary General Assembly of the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA) yesterday.

The delegates from the over fifteen countries attending the conference are expected at the end of the conference to agree on a budget and an action plan for the progress of MOWCA.

Delegates are also expected to ensure that there is the promotion of Regional Corporation that will impact socio-political and economic integration of participating countries.

“We are gathered here in Accra once again to consider and make appropriate recommendations as experts protecting the interest of our countries and MOWCA,” Madam Mable Sagoe, the Chief Director at the Ministry of Transport, who represented the sector minister noted.

Stressing on the need to make sound investments in the maritime space, Madam Mabel noted that the maritime space holds enormous potential to develop the economies of West and Central Africa and so it was important to harness those potentials for sustainable development.

“Our maritime domain holds immense resources that when fully tapped, will provide our countries with significant additional resources to strengthen the ongoing development efforts, including food and energy security in our various countries,” she added.

The delegates at the conference

She, however, noted that effective regulation and policing of the space is difficult for any one member country to undertake due to the financial constraints on countries budgets, size of space and other factors hence the establishment of a body such as MOWCA.

She said the organization can help implement strategies that will ensure effective coordination and efficient utilization of resources and assets to grow the maritime space.

The Chairman of the Committee of Experts and Director-General of Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), Mr Thomas K. Alonsi on his part assured that his committee which is in charged with the mandate of budget preparation said the committee ensures that it makes recommendations relevant to the course of the organisation.

“Members would also facilitate decision making on issues relating to the functioning of MOWCA and in the process ensure that the decisions are productive and align with the mandate and the organizations best interest,” Mr Alonsi said.

He also affirmed that the maritime space holds enormous potential to develop economies of member countries and so it is important to harness these potentials for sustainable development through efficient and effective functioning of bodies such as MOWCA.

He said based on the intended goals of the meeting, it was imperative that members of the committee worked in harmony.

The Secretary General of MOWCA, Dr Paul Adalikwu said the meeting very significant because the organizations success in the year 2023 will be dependent on the decisions that are taken.

He expressed confidence in the Committee of Expert by saying he trust they will do a good job that will be beneficial to members states and the maritime industry as a whole.

He said aside the issues of financing; the meeting will also examine how the organisation has performed over the years and reposition it well.

He said it will also be used to discuss activities in the coming years.

He thanked the government of Ghana for giving MOWCA the opportunity to host the meeting in the country.

Black Sherif, Gyakie, 50 Cent, others to perform at 2023 Afro Nation Portugal

By
NANA KWESI COOMSON
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Black Sherif and Gyakie

Black Sherif, Camidoh, The Compozers, and Gyakie are the Ghanaian music stars who have been announced as part of the first wave of performers announced for Afro Nation Portugal 2023.

The musicians join a list of others from across the world including Burna Boy and American hip-hop star 50 Cent, also this year’s biggest breakthrough Asake, Fireboy DML, Ayra Starr who will also make a memorable moment at her Afro Nation debut this June

French-Malian afro pop superstar Aya Nakamura , Djadja, Pookie, and Jolie Nana Gabzy, pls BNXN FKA BUJU, Tyla and more are also billed for the World’s biggest Afrobeats festival.

The event is scheduled for June 28 to June 30, 2023, and will take place at the Algarve, Portimao in Portugal.

Having made a name for hosting all the hottest acts and future stars, whilst representing sounds from every corner of the African continent, Afro Nation Portugal 2023 changes the game again with global stars joining the movement from all around the globe.

Uniting Africa with Europe, the US, Latin America and the Caribbean, it’s a coming together of cultures for the celebration of music, dancing and more – in one truly unmissable party.

This year again, Afro Nation Portugal strikes hard with the ultimate Amapiano supergroup Scorpion Kings, the famous twins Major League DJz and viral phenomenon Uncle Waffles, alongside Musa Keys, Young Stunna, Daliwonga, DBN GoGo, Vigro Deep, Moonchild Sanelly, Tyler ICU and many more.

Tems makes history as she scores first Oscar nomination

By
NANA KWESI COOMSON
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Tems

Nigerian singer-songwriter Tems has secured her first Oscar nomination.

She made history as the first Nigerian musician to be nominated for an Academy Award.

Tems is nominated for her co-writing Lift Me Up for the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever movie.

The song released in October 2022, was nominated for Best Original Song.

She was nominated alongside Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson and Rihanna who also have songwriting credits on Lift Me Up.

Also nominated for the Best Original Song is Applause from Tell It Like a Woman, Hold My Hand from Top Gun: Maverick and Naatu Naatu from RRR.

This is the latest accolade for Tems who has been shortlisted for a Golden Globe and Grammy in recent months.

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