Kumasi, Jan 8, GNA – Suspected members of a criminal gang behind a string of robbery attacks on companies dealing in mining equipment in the Bekwai Municipality had been busted.          They are said to have repeatedly raided two companies, “HAS Chinese Company Limited” and “Gyanz hong Equipment Company Limited” at Anwiankwanta and made off with cash totaling about GH¢103,900.00.          The gang also seized mobile phones and pump action guns.          Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Augustine Gyenning, the Ashanti Regional Commander, gave the names of those being held as Godfred Oppong, alias “Goddey”, Nicholas Gyapong, alias “Sparkles”, Rexford Opoku Adarkwah, alias “Tupac”, Fidelis Opoku Ackom, alias “Iceman”, Osei Kwame alias “Tierro” and Atiakra Avero, alias “Vandam”.          Four others, Daniel Owusu, alias “Shaker”, the Senior Prefect of the Dompoase Senior High School (SHS), Nana Boakye, alias “Scorpion”, Koranteng, “alias “Pirato” and Bismark Owusu, however, managed to slip through and are on the run.          DCOP Gyenning said they were also keeping in their custody another suspected group of criminals - Andrew Danso, 18, Kwame Attakora, 31, and Daniel Kwabena, 20, engaged in car-snatching.          They were arrested at Kete-Krachi in the Volta Region when they attempted to run away with fuel they had bought for a “Rav 4” vehicle they had stolen from its owner at gunpoint at Atwima-Koforidua in the Atwima-Nwabiagya District.                   Their accomplice, Emmanuel Asiedu Bonnah, is now at large and the police have mounted a search for him.           They had attacked and robbed Ms Joyce Appiadu of the car in front of her house on November 22 last year at about 2000 hours.          They changed the registration number and colour and drove it to Kete-Krachi.          DCOP Gyenning said the suspects ran out of luck on December 28 when they attempted to flee after fuelling the vehicle at a filling station without paying. The attendants raised the alarm and they were intercepted at a police check-point.          The police retrieved an insurance certificate bearing the name of Ms Appiadu, and when she was contacted, she confirmed the vehicle was stolen.          The Kete-Krachi police therefore referred the suspects together with the vehicle to the Ashanti Regional Police Command which has taken over investigations. GNA

Bolgatanga, Jan. 9, GNA - Sanitation at the Bolgatanga Slaughter House is poor as cleaners engaged to clean the abattoir have failed to deliver, leaving huge heaps of rubbish there.Even though animals are examined before they are slaughtered, the environment still exposes meat to infection and that makes meat from the abattoir harmful to human consumption.Madam Veronica Aganah, Environmental and Sanitation Officer at the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly, told the Ghana News Agency that only two cleaners were assigned to the area and they could not clear the huge rubbish.Mr Tindaanzor Kodoog, Chief Butcher at the Bolgatanga Slaughter House, confirmed the situation and said the Christmas and New Year festivities compounded the problem as rubbish bins overflowed.He said even though the Assembly had emptied the only container allocated to the area, the consistent overflow of refuse from the container had created a dumpsite.Mr Kodoong said Environmental and Sanitation officers were always inspected their animals before they were slaughtered.Responding to reasons why the butchers still remained at the shop when a place had been allocated to them at the renovated Bolgatanga market, he said the place given them could not contain the over 100 registered butchers.Mr Kodoong said they made efforts to go to the renovated market but this left some butchers without shops whilst majority lost their customers and as result the butchers were allowed to operate in both new and old markets to keep them in business.Work on the renovated market was completed in 2012 and efforts by the Municipal Assembly to get traders from the new market to go there were fiercely resisted. The traders gave reasons such as poor sales, inadequate stores and the lack of parking spaces.GNA

Accra, Jan 9, GNA � Ghana and the People�s Republic of China, on Monday held bilateral talks in Accra, aimed at deepening their over 50 year relations.Ms Hannah Tetteh, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration led a high powered delegation of six Ministers from Ghana�s side, while that of China was led by the visiting Chinese Foreign Minister, Mr Wang Yi.Other members of Ghana�s delegation included Mr Mahama Ayariga, Minister of Information and Media Relations, Mr Seth Terkper, Finance Minister, Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, Minister of Education, Dr Joe Oteng-Adjei, Minister of the Environment, Science, Technology and Innovations and Mr Mark Owen Woyongo, Defence Minister.  Ms Tetteh said the spirit in which the nations had conducted themselves over the past fifty years would continue for their mutual benefits.She also lauded the Chinese Government for putting up the edifices of her Ministry and that of the Ministry of Defence.She said they had fruitful discussions covering multiplicities of sectors such as Education, Finance, Science and Technology, among others.She said China is one of the biggest investors in Ghana, adding that Mr Wang�s visit would undoubtedly strengthen their bilateral relations.Ms Tetteh noted that when President Kwame Nkrumah and Chairman Mao Tse-Tung of China started this relationship, it was meant for the mutual benefits of both countries.She said the discussions also covered Africa, and how the best Chinese assistance to the continent could be enhanced.Mr Wang also traced the beginning of co-operation between the two nations back to the days of President Nkrumah and Chairman Mao, declaring that Ghana�s name had become a household word in China.He observed that since the assumption of office by President John Dramani Mahama, the Ghana-China relationship had grown from strength to strength.He said the discussions were very productive, and a new dimension of practical co-operation had been introduced into the relationship of the two countries.He announced that China would be assisting Ghana to develop a solar electricity generating plant to help boost the energy sector.Mr Wang urged other sector Ministers from Ghana to strengthen co-operation with their Chinese counterparts, for the  mutual benefits of both countries.He said China would continue to assist Africa in her developmental agenda, declaring that Ghana is one of the largest recipients of Chinese assistance to Africa.On the issue of Chinese involvement in illegal mining in Ghana, Mr Wang said several delegations were sent to Ghana to help resolve the matter.He explained that to help address the issue, China had tightened the conditions for the acquisition of passports by her nationals.He said Ghana was capable of resolving the issue of illegal mining, adding that �We need to use pro-active means of addressing it�.Mr Wang was accompanied by Mr. Gong Jianzhong, Chinese Ambassador to Ghana.GNA