The Agona Swedru Circuit Court has sentenced a Kasoa-based driver, Kojo Dadzie aka Joe-Joe, to a two-year jail term for threatening to kill two members of the neighbourhood watch committee at Agona Abodom. Dadzie pleaded guilty to the two counts of threat of death with an explanation. According to him, he issued those threats under the influence of alcohol.  The presiding judge of the Akyem Swedru Circuit Court, Mr Yaw Atta Sampong, doing additional duties at the Agona Swedru Circuit Court, however, convicted Dadzie on his own plea. Police Inspector S. Opoku-Mensah, the prosecutor, said Kwame Arko Forson and Daniel Baffour, as well as Dadzie, were natives of Agona Abodom but Dadzie was a driver based at Kasoa. According to the prosecutor, Dadzie, who travelled to Abodom on October 24, 2013, became alarmed about the death of one Kofi Abbam after his (Abbam’s) release on bail after his arrest in connection with a narcotic case. Inspector Opoku-Mensah said Dadzie accused Forson and Baffour of being behind the death of his master (Abbam) and threatened to kill the two members of the neighbourhood watch committee.    

  For stealing, a 25-year-old mason, Isaac Doker, has been jailed 36 months with hard labour by the Odumase Krobo Circuit Court, presided over by Mr Asmah Akwasi Asiedu. Mr Asiedu, in passing the sentence said he took notice of the fact that the phone and the bag that Doker had stolen had been retrieved and that mitigated his punishment. Chief Inspector John Akuetteh, the prosecutor, said the complainant, Eunice Odonkor was a trader at Atimpoku while Doker was a mason and also resided at Atimpoku. He said on November 22, 2013, at about 11:30 a.m. at Powmu-Tuskei near Akosombo, Odonkor was on her way to pay his younger brother’s school fees. According to the prosecutor, on the way, Odonkor met Doker, who was coming from the opposite direction of the road leading to the school. Chief Inspector Akuetteh said immediately Doker passed by Odonkor, he quickly snatched her bag hanging on her shoulder containing a mobile phone worth GH¢300, GH¢400 cash and other personal items worth GH¢100 and fled into a nearby bush. The prosecutor said Odonkor shouted for help and some masons who were working around chased Doker and arrested him. He said when Doker was searched, a mobile phone and cash of GH¢20 was found on him.  He later led Doker and the men who arrested him to where he had hidden the handbag but the GH¢400 cash was not in the bag except the other petty items. Doker was sent to the police station at Akosombo where he admitted the offence in his caution statement but denied any knowledge of the cash of GH¢400. The court ordered the police to hand over the bag and the items in it to the complainant.   

  The Madina Magistrate Court, presided over by Mr Ernest K. A. Adjanor, has acquitted and discharged Mawuli Alordey and Kwame Anim on charges of conspiracy and stealing. However, Alordey was convicted by the same court on the charge of assault and was fined GH¢360 or in default serve four months in prison with hard labour. According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Patience Mario, the complainant, Mr John Tetteh, is a businessman who lives at Madina and owns a second-hand goods and cassette shop at the Madina taxi rank. DSP Mario said Alordey and Anim also lived in the same area. The prosecutor said on December 9, 2010 at about 9pm, Mr Tetteh left his desktop computer in front of his shop to remove an amplifier from a nearby container for another customer. However, the prosecutor said, when Mr Tetteh came to pick the desktop computer, it was nowhere to be found. DSP Mario said Mr Tetteh was later informed by a witness that he saw Alordey and Anim carrying the computer away. According to DSP Mario, Mr Tetteh later met Alordey and when he questioned him about the computer, he got offended and assaulted him.  DSP Mario said Mr Tetteh, therefore, lodged a complaint with the police and Alordey and Anim were arrested and the computer retrieved from Anim.  

  A Kumasi Circuit Court, presided over by Mr William Boampong, has sentenced a 36-year-old carpenter to nine months’ imprisonment for defrauding a police officer and a banker. Yaw Anthony Kyeremeh was also ordered by the court to pay the amount he collected from the complainants after serving the sentence. He pleaded guilty to the charge of defrauding by false pretence and was convicted on his own plea. The Prosecutor, Chief Inspector Gulliver Tenkorang, said that the complainants in the case were Eric Oduro, a police officer and George Odei, a banker. He said somewhere in February, Oduro contracted Kyeremeh  to design 14 doors for his house at Sutreso in the Kumasi Metropolis. Kyeremeh, according to Chief Inspector Tenkorang, charged GH¢920 for the doors after he had taken the measurement, which the complainant paid. According to the prosecutor, during the month of July, Kyeremeh sent some pictures of the doors to Oduro and told him that he had finished with the work. Based on the assurance Kyeremeh gave to Oduro, he  introduced him to his friend, Odei, who also engaged Kyeremeh to make door frames for him. According to Chief Inspector Tenkorang, on November 13, 2013, Oduro and Odei invited Kyeremeh to Kumasi where he was taken to the site of  Odei to take the measurement for the door frames. After taking the measurement Kyeremeh, according to the prosecutor, charged GH¢1,100 for the frames and  was paid by his client. He also charged an additional GH¢600 to supply ceiling joints to Oduro and Odei and was also paid an additional GH¢200 to take care of his transportation. After that transaction, nothing was heard from Kyeremeh again. According to Chief Inspector Tenkorang, on December 8, 2013, the two friends travelled to Bibiani in the Western Region to look for Kyeremeh but they could not trace him. He said Oduro and Odei again travelled to Bibiani on December 19, 2013, after they became suspicious of Kyeremeh’s behaviour to look for him. The prosecutor said the two later got information that Kyeremeh had gone into hiding when he had the information that Oduro and Odei had been looking for him. A surveillance was placed on him and with the help of an informant, he was later arrested.  

  The 1989 year group of the OLA Secondary School has launched a crusade to solicit funds to support the treatment of a 14-year-old boy, who is paralysed and bed-ridden. On Thursday, August 22, 2013, Senanu Glagoh, a resident of Klikor in the Ketu South Municipality in the Volta Region, who also provided support for his father, a carpenter, was returning the tools and materials to his room when he slipped and fell. A sharp rod, which formed part of the spindle, pierced his side deeply and the father had to use some measure of force to pull it out. There was a gush of blood, following which he had to be transported over a distance of 187 kilometers to the 37 Military Hospital in Accra for medical assistance, where an amount in excess of GH¢1,000 was spent. This expenditure depleted the savings of his dad whose work as a carpenter does not pay much. His father, after expending all his resources, returned to Klikor with Senanu and left him to his fate. The younger of two sons, Senanu had always told his mum that she did not have to worry, as he would grow up to become one of the best medical doctors in the world with enough resources to take care of her and other members of the family. However, when the disaster did strike, death also laid its icy hands on his mum. The family was devastated but the blow dealt to Senanu was immense. The heavens might have heard his prayers when a member of the Ketu South Assembly got wind of Senanu’s predicament and vowed to solicit for help to support him. The Assembly member, Mrs Yvonne Osei-Tutu, a past student of the OLA Senior High School in Ho, took Senanu’s issue with her former schoolmates on Facebook and has succeeded in raising some funds.    This is mainly to provide for his upkeep and other essentials while on admission at the Aflao Municipal Hospital, awaiting transfer to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for a major surgery and physiotherapy. Senanu urgently needs money for his surgery at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. An account has been opened in his name with Access Bank. It has Senanu Glagoh as the account holder of account number, 0091632426121.  

  A Kumasi-based prophet, Stephen Adom Kyei-Duah, has  called on President John Dramani Mahama and the security agencies to be on red alert to prevent high-profile assassinations and other criminal activities such as fraud and robbery cases this year. Delivering his watch night prophetic message on December 31, 2013 that ushered the country into the new year on the church premises, Prophet Kyei- Duah, who is the founder of the Believers Worship Centre (BWC) at Kenyasi, near Kumasi Antoa in the Ashanti Region, said it was also important for religious leaders in the country to religiously  seek the face of God for the Holy Spirit’s intervention to prevent such problems. According to the prophet, “crimes, including high-profile assassinations, robbery and fraud, among others, perpetrated by Ghanaians with the connivance of others from neighbouring countries, will be on the increase in Ghana in 2014.” During a similar programme last year, Prophet Kyei-Duah prophesied the sudden death of high-profile personalities in the country, intense fire outbreaks and increasing fatalities through vehicular accidents in the country. “What was revealed to me by God in 2013 came to pass and this year the message is that our leaders in Ghana and the security agencies should be on red alert because some criminals are planning to carry out high-profile assassinations to undermine the peace being enjoyed in the country,” Prophet Kyei-Duah revealed. He also said incidents of sudden deaths among high-profile chiefs were likely to occur in the country this year and therefore urged Christians to join him to seek the face of God for an intervention. “Fire outbreaks, vehicular accidents and suicide cases will also continue to rise across the country  just as it occurred  in 2013,” he cautioned. He said this year would also witness a lot of divorce cases, especially among Christian couples, so it was important for Christians to be tolerant and accommodative to  maintain their marriages. “Just as it happened in 2013, Ghanaians are likely to protest against high cost of living in 2014, so it is important for the security agencies to put measures in place to contain such protests so that they do not escalate into violence to undermine the peace being enjoyed,” he stated. “According to Prophet Kyei-Dua, this year many fetish priests and priestesses will also come out boldly to make false prophetic utterances with the view of marketing themselves, and Ghanaians should not take them serious. This is  because their messages  are not the works of God.” On the positive side, the prophet said the country “will witness very good rainfall, so farmers should take advantage to till the land for them to have bumper harvest and generate revenue that will enhance their standard of living”. “Just as the prodigal son sought the face of God after he realised that the life he was leading was likely to cause his destruction, Ghanaians should seek the face of God for the intervention of the Holy Spirit. Without divine intervention 2014 will not bring much prospects to us as a country,” he admonished. 

  A 19-year-old second year student of the Emit Electronic Institute in Accra has hanged himself in his room at the Old Habitat residential area within the Assin Fosu Municipality. Gideon Bansah left no suicide note but the motive behind his action was believed to be a rift he had with his father on that day. Briefing The Mirror,  the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kwabena Owusu-Bempah, the Assin Fosu District Commander of the Ghana Police Service, said Bansah was found hanging on a nylon sponge in his room. ASP Owusu-Bempah said Bansah travelled from school to Assin Fosu on Thursday, December 12 and later left for town in the evening but never returned to the house until the following morning. He said when Bansah returned home, his father was said to have rebuked him and advised him not to engage in those nocturnal escapades again. According to the district commander, Bansah, apparently not satisfied with the father’s rebuke, entered his room and was never seen again. It was when some of his siblings realised that he had kept too long in his room and decided to find out what the problem was that they found him hanging. ASP Owusu-Bempah said the family informed the police who removed the body for autopsy at the St Francis Xavier Catholic Hospital at Assin Fosu.  

  Annual statistics on registered marriages for both customary and ordinance, compiled by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), have revealed that over 19,154 marriages have been registered during the past three years. According to the report, 5,473 marriages were registered in 2010, while 6,616 were registered in 2011 and 7,066 in the year 2012. Interestingly, while the number of marriages is increasing, the number of divorce cases keeps wavering. For instance, in 2010, 455 marriages were dissolved and in 2011, 504 marriages suffered a breakdown. In 2012, however, 468 marriages could not hold together In an interview with The  Mirror, the Head Registrar of the AMA, Mr Fred Lumor, said besides his office which registered marriages in the Accra Metropolis, the Registrar General’s Department (RGD) was the other establishment that also officiated marriages in the city. However, he said it was the sole mandate of the law courts to dissolve marriages. Under the circumstance, he said, many divorce cases did not get to the attention of the AMA. At the RGD, it had over the last three years also recorded thousands of marriages. In 2010, there were 2,983 recorded marriages. In 2011, 3,295 marriages were registered and in 2012, the number of marriages that went into the register of marriages was 3,422. Marriage in general is considered as a union between two consenting adults who are ready to cohabit or live together as husband and wife. In Ghana, our society accepts customary marriage which is the traditional way of marriage. Marriage by ordinance is regarded as the orthodox, Christian or Islamic marriage. Several factors, notable among which is the lack of communication between couples, have been identified as key issues that affect marriages in our society. Others are intemperate language, spousal abuse, lack of empathy on the part of both parties in the marriage, lack of intimacy and proper planning prior to the long-term relationship and selfishness.  

  A suspected armed robber was last Monday killed in a shootout with the police at the Bonwire Junction in the Ejisu-Juaben Municipality. The deceased, believed to be in his mid-twenties and of Fulani extraction, together with his accomplices, allegedly blocked the road  and robbed motorists of their valuables. Personnel of the Police Mobile Patrol Unit, who responded to a distress call, returned the fire of the suspected armed robbers, resulting in the death of the suspect, who is yet to be identified. Briefing Briefing newsmen in Kumasi yesterday, the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Augustine Gyening, said items retrieved from the scene included four spent AAA cartridges and a jack knife. He also said the other suspected armed robbers managed to escape. He has, therefore, appealed to the public to be on the lookout for any suspicious character within their vicinity and to quickly inform the police. Kidnapping With the exception of an alleged kidnapping case which turned out to be a hoax, Mr Gyening said the metropolis recorded no major crime during the yuletide. Throwing more light on the kidnapping incident, he said the alleged victim, a 17-year old senior high schoolgirl in one of the popular schools in the metropolis, went to her boyfriend and tried to play a prank by claiming that she was kidnapped. He said a day before the school vacated, the girl’s guardian called to know when to pick her up, but she was said to have told him that the school had been organising a carol’s night and that she wanted to attend it. The following day, when the guardian called again, she allegedly told him that she was on a metro mass bus on her way home. Mr Gyenning said later when the guardian called again, she told him that she had been kidnapped and that the kidnappers were asking for GH¢3, 000.00 before they release her. He said the family later contacted the police who managed to get to the girl and “from our interrogation, we realised that she had not been kidnapped but was rather with her boyfriend.”  

  Three hundred farmers are taking part in a project to eliminate child labour in cocoa-growing communities in the country. During the 30-month project period,  the farmers would be introduced to other economic ventures such as beekeeping, grass-cutter rearing, poultry, soap making and trained in business management. The GH¢80,568.00 project is an initiative of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), with the collaboration of the General Agriculture Workers Union (GAWU), the National Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour (NPECL), International Cocoa Institute (ICI) and GLORI, a non-governmental organisation, as implementation partners. Launching the project at Manso Amenfi in the Amenfi Central District of the Western Region, the Project Co-ordinator of the ILO, Mrs Charity Dodoo, said child labour was unacceptable because “it prevents children from benefiting fully from education.” She expressed the hope that the initiative and support would help empower the 10 selected communities to be model communities to other communities. The Western Regional Industrial Relations Officer of the GAWU, Mr Anthony Boakye, said the union was to take the farmers through training on occupational safety, health and good practices to improve the yield of their produce, and added that “agriculture without child labour is possible.” The Project Co-ordinator of GLORI, Mr Sid Michael Amponsah, entreated the beneficiary farmers to adhere to the education they were receiving on how to improve their produce and use the tools given them for the intended purpose. The District Chief Executive of Amenfi Central, Mr Peter Yaw Kwakye Ackah, said inasmuch as the government was poised to provide electricity, water and other social amenities, it welcomed support from NGOs whose projects or initiatives were complementing the efforts of the government. He pledged his support for the programme and called on parents, particularly those in cocoa-growing communities to enroll their children in schools since the  knowledge they gain at school could help in a profitable venture like agriculture.   

  The Ghana Institute of Linguistic, Literacy and Bible Translation (GILLBT) a non-profit organisation, has said it is committed to spread ing the Gospel in the country through the translation of the Bible into local languages. The GILLBT, which translates bibles into minor languages, has, since its inception in  the 1960s, translated 29 New Testaments of the Bible into local languages. It is estimated that there are about 60 language groups and dialects in the country and the minority languages are spoken by a population of about 50,000. The languages translated include Bimoma, Kokomba and Tanpruma, which were spoken in the Northern Region, Ntchumuru spoken in the Brong Ahafo region and Frafra spoken in the Upper East regions.  Furthermore, four additional translations into Nafana (Brong Ahafo), Sisala (Upper West Region) Kasim (Upper West Region) and Lelemi (Volta Region) will be dedicated in 2014. Challenges  A Translator and Comprehensive Planning Coordinator of GILLBT, Mr Sylvester Kwame Nkrumah, said the main challenge of the organisation was  funding. He, therefore, called on the public, churches and companies to support the effort of GILLBT to get the Gospel to as many Ghanaians as possible.   Mr Nkrumah explained that the Bible translation process started with the teaching of the people in the community to be literate in their mother tongue. As part of the Bible translation process, he said, teaching aids were also developed to facilitate the teaching of the local people to read and write their native language. The total cost for the production of a full Bible is about $500, 000 but most of the costs are unpaid for as a result of voluntary work by the missionaries. Currently, he said, more than 90 per cent of the organisations funding sources were from outside Ghana, with local churches contributing less than 10 per cent.  Processes and Accuracy  Another translator, Naana Nkrumah, explained that finding the right equivalence in bible translation was a major challenge and that a lot of research was carried out while in some cases the consultants were required to import items “so the people could have a picture of the exact thing being talked about for better translation.” For accuracy, she said, each Bible passage was taken through 12 steps. “The script is checked by consultants and they compare the Greek and Hebrew with what has been translated to ensure that by the time it reaches the final stage the meaning is not lost.”  

  An Akyem Oda-based mobile phone dealer, Mr Samuel Nyarko, on Christmas Day donated 300 fowls to 300 widows from the Birim South, Akyemmansa and Birim Central districts. He also presented 50 of the fowls to police personnel at Akyem Oda. Making the presentation to the widows at a ceremony at Oda, Mr Nyarko said the gesture was part of his annual donation to the beneficiaries at Christmas, as their husbands who were to give them the fowls are dead. He said he also provided transport fares to the widows who travelled far from Oda to collect the fowls. Last year, Mr Nyarko donated 600 fowls to 600 widows in the three districts.  He promised to increase the number of birds next year for the benefit of more widows. Presenting the fowls to the police personnel, Mr Nyarko said he was moved to assist them due to the sacrifices they made to ensure the area was  peaceful. The Oda Municipal Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Issah Mohammed Cantona, who received the fowls on behalf of the personnel, praised Mr Nyarko for the gesture.  

  Female head potters (kayayei) at Dagomba-Line near Oforikrom in Kumasi, have benefitted from a free  medical screening, that was organised under the initiative of the Member of  Parliament for Oforikrom, Mrs Elizabeth Agyemang. The exercise, which lasted three days, for over 6000 female head potters, was funded by philanthropists, with support from the Common Fund Administrator, some members of Parliament,  namely Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, the Majority Chief Whip and MP for Asawase, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Minority Leader and MP for Suame, M&G Pharmaceuticals, Spintex, Lymenx, Kama, Danny and Ernest chemist – which provided the needed medication for the exercise – and Tobinco Pharmacy which supported with funds.  A total of 17 medical doctors, 28 nurses and eight pharmacists selected from the various health facilities in Kumasi and Accra took part in the exercise. The head potters were screened of various health conditions after which those found with critical health conditions were referred to the Kumasi South, Manhyia, Tafo and the Komfo Anokye Teaching hospitals.  Sixteen of the potters who were diagnosed with glaucoma were referred to the KATH, while  251 with high blood pressure were provided with drugs and advised to seek medical care at regular intervals. About 700 were identified with malaria and other parasitic diseases, while others were treated for respiratory problems, skin diseases and worm infestation, among others. Briefing the Daily Graphic after the exercise, Mrs Agyemang said her decision to organise the exercise was as a result of her visit to the kayayei which revealed that they needed medical care. She described their areas of residence as appalling, as there was no proper drainage system with poor sanitation conditions which  she said exposed them to various health hazards. The MP said she would soon register some of them with the National Health Insurance Scheme to enable them to access health care and also gave an assurance to liaise with various state agencies and ministries to help improve their living conditions. Mrs Agyemang said some of the potters had expressed interest in furthering their education and indicated her preparedness to support them in that respect, with support from the various stakeholders in the country. A Senior Lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Dr Gabriel Boakye, who led a team of doctors to undertake the screening, called for urgent attention to save them from  imminent epidemic and  appealed to the government, through the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, to initiate measurers to improve their standard of living.  

  The Wenchi Police have established the identity of the man behind the gruesome killing of the station officer of the Badu Police Station on December 30, last year. Forty-year-old Kofi Fofie, also known as Kofi Hyia, who was a native of Susuapa, a village near Badu in the Tain District in the Brong Ahafo Region, hacked Inspector Awusi Yakubu, 59, to death at the local police station, where he had gone to lodge a complaint. The Wenchi Divisional Crime Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mr Vincent Adotey, who confirmed this to the Daily Graphic in a telephone interview, said Fofie was a father of three. He said as part of investigations to unravel the mystery behind the action of Fofie, the police visited Susuapa, and interactions they had with people who knew him indicated that he was a calm and gentle person without a mental record. Mr Adotey said Fofie’s compound was found deserted when the police visited there. He said further investigations indicated that it was the first time that Fofie had called at the Badu Police Station and he was also not known to the station officer until that unfortunate incident. It would be recalled that the assailant who had called at the Badu Police Station to lodge a complainant at about 7.30 p.m, rather hacked the station officer, Inspector Yakubu, to death with a machete he had in his possession. A police constable at the station who wanted to protect himself from Fofie, believed at the time to be mentally deranged, shot and killed him. The bodies of Inspector Yakubu and Fofie have since been deposited at the morgue of the Wenchi Methodist Hospital.  

  The police have beefed up security in the Tema Region in order to unravel the mystery surrounding the killing of the 36-year-old immigration officer at Mateheko in Tema. The officer, Kofi Quist Defor, was shot by suspected armed robbers at his residence in the early hours of Saturday, December 28,  2013.  Speaking to the Daily Graphic  in Tema, the Tema Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police Maxwell Atingane, said the members of the investigating team were drawn from Accra, Tema  and Dodowa. He also said the police were following clues gathered at the crime scene and cautioned the public to take measures to ensure their personal security, explaining that doors and windows must be secured to make it difficult for intruders to enter their premises. DCOP Atingane said the robbers could not  be scared or detered by the presence of dogs because they had many ways of taming the the dogs. He also said the police would soon come up with their findings following the collaboration of the teammates from Accra, Tema and Dodowa, assisted by  family members and close associates of the deceased.  

The watch-night service of the Assemblies of God Church at Madina in Accra on December 31, 2013  turned tragic when a member of the church died minutes after ‘crossing over’ into the New Year. Ms Patience Tetteh, who was said to be in her early 30s, died when she sat on her seat after the church had sung and danced to usher in the year 2014. Some members of the church expressed shock at her death, since she had actively participated in song ministrations. A member of the Assemblies of God Church, who pleaded anonymity, told the Daily Graphic that Ms Tetteh was hale and hearty when she went to the church for the watch-night service. According to the member, who also attended the service, Ms Tetteh joined other members of the church in singing and dancing. However, not long after that, she was seen motionless with the back of her head resting on the chair. That attracted members of the church to her seat but, unfortunately, she was  found dead. Her body has been deposited at a morgue in Madina. Solemn The East Legon residence of the late Ms Tetteh was quiet and serene when the Daily Graphic got there. Ms Tetteh’s younger sister, Ms Beatrice Tetteh, declined to speak to the Daily Graphic despite persistent efforts to get her to narrate the circumstances that led to her sister’s demise. Friends and sympathisers continued trooping to the house to express their condolence to the bereaved family, while clergymen from the church were also at  the house to pray for the family. 

  Mr Samuel Afari Dartey, Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission (FC), has stated that the six-member strategic development committee mandated to develop a roap map and modalities for the development of the Achimota Forest into a major ecotourism destination, had submitted its report. The report, which was accompanied by a strategic business plan, has been ratified by cabinet. “Currently, erection of sign posts and construction of the main entrance have started as part of the implementation plan”, he said. He made these remarks when he addressed the Board of Commissioners and staff of the commission in Accra. Priorities for 2014 Mr Dartey stated that the FC,  in 2014,  would focus on human capital development through training and refresher programmes for staff of the commission as well as the facilitation of forest and wildlife development and management across the country. Priority, he said would also be given to the development of the timber industry. Protection of staff and reserves Touching on the security of staff and forest reserves, Mr Dartey said the commission had established eight rapid reponse teams to fight illegal timber operators and poachers.   “Teams of the Rapid Response Unit have been deployed to some forest districts including Sefwi-Wiawso, Bole, Kumawu, Buipe/Damongo and Nkwatia”, he said. Mr Dartey expressed concern about the attack on staff by poachers and illegal timber operators and recalled that last year, two forest and wildlife guards were murdered in cold blood while carrying out their duties. Many other forestry personnel had been assaulted and injured by these illegal timber operators, he added.  Illegal exports According to Mr Dartey, the European Union (EU) had enacted some regulations which sought to restrict access of illegal timber to member countries in the EU. He also said that the regulation would ensure that exporters procured credible documentation on their consignment. Mr Dartey cautioned staff of the FC against any malpractice that might impede the achievement of goals set by the Commission. According to Mr Dartey, any staff found culpable of breaching the commission’s regulations would be rigorously dealt with.  

  The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has increased the minimum monthly pension by 100%. In a statement signed by Evangeline Amegashie, Corporate Affairs Manager of SSNIT, and issued to GNA disclosed that, the increase is from GHC100.00 to GHC200.00. The statement said no SSNIT pensioner, both old and new will receive a monthly pension amount less than GHC200.00. “The new minimum pension is by far higher than national monthly minimum wage of GHC141.48”, it added. According to the statement, all pensions shall be increased by 10% in addition to a flat amount of GHC9.62 which shall be an overall indexation rate of 20%. The statement further explained that, the Trust continuously re-evaluates its investment strategy because the Social Security Pension Indexation thrives on prudent investment and uninterrupted receipt of workers’ contributions. The statement said, in their quest to ensure sustainability of the Fund, the Board of Trustees and Management of the Trust are embarking on aggressive investment reorganization, in order to enable the Trust exit from non-performing investments and also now, use portion of its investment to benefit contributors. “We shall continue to count on the support of all stakeholders of the Trust to manage the fund in the supreme interest of all contributors”, the statement added. The statement said the Trust promises to manage the Fund in order to uphold its adequacy, equity and sustainability to assure contributors of their future security, as well as adopting all legal methods to collect all contributions and arrears. The statement added that, benefit payment has been extended to 75 years as compared to the shorter benefit period, 20 to 15 years.  

  More than 52 persons were killed through motor accidents nationwide between December 23 to December 29, 2013 assistant Superintendent of Police, Augustine Akrofi has revealed. According to him the dead were made up of 16 females two of whom were below 18 years and 36 males, five of whom were below 18 years. The regional breakdown are; Accra - six, Tema - three, Eastern - nine, Central - six, Western - one, Ashanti - six, Volta - two, Northern - three, Upper West - one, Upper East - three, and Brong-Ahafo - 12. ASP Akrofi Staff Officer to the Commander of the Central Motor Traffic and Transport Unit, said within the same period in 2012, 37 persons lost their lives through motor traffic accidents, adding that 201 persons were injured in 2013 while 233 persons suffered motor traffic injuries in 2012. The regional distribution of the injured in 2013 were Accra - 67, Tema - 18, Eastern - 35, Central - 29, Western - nine, Ashanti - eight, Volta - five, Northern - nine, Upper West - nine, Upper East - one and Brong-Ahafo - 11. ASP Akrofi said during the period, 306 motor accident cases were reported nationwide and that the number of motor bikes, commercial and private vehicles involved was 58, 204 and 210 respectively. The regional statistics for accident cases were Accra 130, Tema 32, Eastern 34, Central 34, Western 11, Ashanti 25, Volta 10, Northern eight, Upper West three, Upper East four, and Brong Ahafo 15. He said of the 306 motor accident cases, there were 44 fatalities, 79 serious and 183 minor cases. He said 48 pedestrians were knocked down during the festive period of which Accra recorded 17, Eastern nine, Central nine, Western one, Ashanti two, Volta two, Northern three, Upper West nil, Upper East one and Brong-Ahafo four. This compares with 50 pedestrians knocked downs in 2012. ASP Akrofi lauded the MTTU officers for ensuring that traffic was decongested during the yuletide period in the major cities like Accra, Kumasi and Secondi-Takoradi. “This year we will not relent in our efforts to decongest traffic and we will continue to enforce our strategies to instill discipline on our roads,” he said. He appealed to vehicle owners and the public to join hands with the police to ensure that motor accidents were reduced.  

  The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA ) has taken delivery of two new mobile harbour cranes valued at 9.2 million euros  to facilitate the clearing and discharge of cargo at the Tema Port. Two more cranes are expected to be delivered in the first quarter of 2014. Already, the authority has four cranes working but the volume of cargo at the port has made the four inadequate. In an interview, the Marketing and Public Relations Officer of the GPHA, Mr Paul Asare Ansah, said the delivery of additional cranes would help shorten waiting time for vessels and enhance the efficiency of the operations at the port. With such an improvement, GPHA expects to increase its cargo tonnage from 830,000 to one million tonnes. The authority has projected to receive and discharge about two million containers in 2015. Expansion works Currently, the authority is gearing up for a major expansion of the port. The expansion involves dredging, reclamation of land from the sea, construction of terminals for cargo and also sea passengers. Other works are the extension the of  the breakwater, oil rig, roads and flyover on the Sakumono lagoon. Mr Asare Ansah said very soon, bids would be opened for those interested in contracts under the expansion programme to compete the various aspects of the project.   He said with the delivery of the cranes, there was every indication that there would be a number of changes in the operations of the Tema Port to serve the public better. Mr Asare Ansah said the law  regulating the operations of the port authority would be reviewed to take account of the emerging trends in port administration. He was optimistic that a well-co-ordinated enforcement of laws and regulations at the port would help curtail delays at the port.