Social Security contributions - Limex evades 426.7m cedis
Accra Poly closed down
Drug boss arrested
The Djentu's convicted!
'Dracula' Manifesto
Ghana cries for justice
Sacked MPs warn NDC
Soldiers Go On Rampage
Selassie’s parents thrown in jail
Social Security contributions - Limex evades 426.7m cedis
The lead story of the Daily Graphic says a Kumasi Community Tribunal has ordered the seizure of some assets of Limex Bau, a road construction firm in Kumasi, for a 426.7 million-cedi default in payment of social security contributions of its workers.
An auctioneer has been engaged by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to auction the seized assets to defray the cost.
The order reportedly, follows the failure of Limex to honour 15 million cedis monthly social security contribution by workers of the firm since 1998.
Mr. K. Osei Bempong, Head of Public Affairs, is reported as confirming in an interview that the decision to prosecute employers for non-payment of social security contributions began about 10 years ago.
He said SNNIT's delay in taking action against Limex was because the company had earlier produced certificates from government, which indicated that it was initiating some government projects and was, therefore, expecting payment from government to settle its indebtedness.
Mr. Bempong reportedly stated that SNNIT, as a result decided to allow the firm a breather until it’s persistent neglect forced the SNNIT to seek court action.
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Accra Poly closed down
The Daily Graphic reports in another front-page story that the Accra Polytechnic has been closed down indefinitely with immediate effect following a deadlock in negotiations between the Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana and the Ghana Education Service over improved service conditions.
POTAG members are reported to have been on strike for about two weeks now. The paper says it was told by Nana (Dr) Baah Boakye, Principal of the school on Wednesday that for the past two weeks, the students have not been attending lectures due to the strike and this has compelled the polytechnic council to close down the institution.
The story recalls that POTAG in a memorandum of understanding signed by the two parties last week promised to call its members to work with immediate effect.
Nana Boakye however said he had a phone call from POTAG president, Mr. Joseph Kofi Boakye, on Wednesday informing him that the strike action was continuing.
A number of students that the paper says it talked to reportedly urged the school authorities to reconsider the closure.
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Drug boss arrested
The Ghanaian Times reports that Alhaji Aminu, 40, a Mallam of Akorem, a suburb of Kumasi Metropolis, was arrested by the police last Thursday with about 250 kilograms of heroin, valued at nearly 250 million cedis, found in his room during a search.
The Times says it was briefed by Inspector Dickson Akatsa, officer in charge of the Ashanti Regional Police Narcotics Unit that following a tip-off, a team was despatched to Akorem last Thursday and a search led to the discovery of two neatly packaged parcels of a powdered substance suspected to be heroin.
Alhaji Aminu, the paper says, was arraigned before the Ashanti Regional Tribunal chaired by Mr. Justice K.K. Nyanney, on Tuesday on a charge of illegally dealing in narcotic drug.
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The Djentu's convicted!
The Crusading Guide writes that the trial of Mr. and Mrs. Djentu, parents of Selassie O'sullivan Djentu, the ex-boyfriend of Mr. and Mrs. Rawlings' daughter, Ezanator, entered the penultimate session on Tuesday with a two-weeks conviction for the couple, pending final determination on August 30.
The story says Mrs. Elizabeth Anderson-Yeboah, Presiding Judge of the tribunal, in reading out charges preferred against the couple, said they were charged on three counts of assaulting a public officer, offensive conduct and deceit of a public officer.
The third, according to the paper, was however struck out for lack of evidence.
Mrs. Yeboah is reported to have submitted that the couple's march to the Castle (seat of government) to look for their abducted child (Selassie) was wrong and showed total disrespect and contempt of what the Castle stands for.
The accused, she said, should have taken their case to the appropriate quarters since the Castle is not a public place and their action could have breached its peace.
The Crusading Guide says following the ruling, counsel for the accused, Mr. David Kudoadzi pleaded with the court to grant them bail but she snorted saying, they were now convicts and not accused.
Kudoadzi reportedly told the Crusading Guide that he cannot make any appeal since the final judgement has not yet been given.
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'Dracula' Manifesto
The Accra Mail says a number of individuals have expressed misgivings about President Rawlings' use of blood to autograph a copy of the NDC manifesto.
The paper reports that a visit to the office of the Vice President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills to ascertain whether he, as a Christian, distances himself from President Rawlings' behaviour however turned futile as he could not be reached nor his opinion gathered from his secretary.
The Mail reports however that in a chat with Mr. Dan Botwe, General Secretary of the NPP, he joined those expressing indignation at the NDC leader's behaviour.
"It sends the wrong signals to our children", he reportedly said, challenging "leading members of the NDC to try explaining such action to their children."
The Mail carries also that baffled callers to phone-in programmes on Accra FM stations vent their disturbed minds on President Rawlings' action with the bottom-line being a claim that he loves the supernatural and is bringing the President's office into disrepute.
The paper adds that the major religions of Christianity and Islam, according to scholars that it has contacted do not permit the use of human blood for purposes apart from its role in the human body.
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Ghana cries for justice
The Independent, writing on human rights and justice, in a front-page commentary says it has in recent months given platform to Kwabena Agyepong and the Djentuh family of Ghana who think that their inalienable rights as human beings and Ghanaians have been violated.
Additionally, it has taken issue with the waywardness of Ghana's Presidency, disturbed that the highest authority of the land can arbitrarily order his bodyguards to dispense instant justice.
The paper says last Tuesday an Accra Circuit Tribunal presided over by Mrs. Elizabeth Anderson-Yeboah, remanded Mr. and Mrs. Djentuh in police custody to re-appear on August 30, for an "appropriate sentence" having found them guilty of offensive conduct.
“But for the records and the peril of being subjected to the country's motto of Freedom and Justice we beg to scream that this country is from its glorified motto”, the paper stated.
Giving the background to the Jentuh's case, the paper says a Kangaroo System at the Castle in early January abducted their son, Selassie Jentuh, former boyfriend of Ezenator, the eldest daughter of President Rawlings and kept him in custody at the Castle for three days.
The parents, worried over their son's fate had gone there and made every noise to get him released. They, in reply, got verbal lashing from Mrs. Rawlings, and the state was later brought in to deal with them.
The Independent in questioning the place of Freedom and Justice in the issue, questions who will not shriek and shout like the Jentuh's did if their sons or daughters are abducted and detained anywhere in the world.
According to the paper, it is only the state and its agents who can explain through the law the two weeks remand of the Djentuh's before finding an "appropriate sentence for them".
"That must be Ghana's version of Freedom and Justice for you and me", Independent stated.
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Sacked MPs warn NDC
The Guide says reports reaching it indicate that over 33 deselected Members of Parliament of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), are either fighting back openly or doing so surreptitiously, with bitterness and acrimony.
The MPs including Austin Gamey, Clend Sowu, and Mrs. Clark Kwesi, either stayed away completely from a meeting with the Vice President John Atta Mills on August 7, or came out more embittered than before.
The paper has it that Hon. Clend Sowu, MP for Anlo for instance has vowed not to keep mute but is prepared to drag the party to court should it go ahead and drop his name from the final list next month.
Victor Gbeho, Ghana’s foreign Minister has also expressed interest in the Anlo seat, creating more confusion in the constituency.
Ama Benyiwa Doe, MP for Gomoa West and a strong pillar for the 31st December Women's Movement is also reported to be facing stiff opposition from her Constituency since being selected for re-election.
“We will see who is who in our party, it is not a question of whether you are good or bad MP, it is the decision of the movement”, Guide quotes Mrs. Doe as stating.
The paper reports that while some party functionaries argue that primaries would have been the NDC's best option, hardliners like E. T. Mensah and Tony Aidoo claim the party will at the end of the day be elected since it is the most attractive despite the turmoil.
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Soldiers Go On Rampage
‘The Evening News’ reports that a group of soldiers on Saturday, August 12 allegedly shot a 36-year-old biochemist, in what appears to be an act of retribution.
The event comes barely two months after a group of soldiers exhibited a similar show of military might by visiting severe beatings on some residents of Asylum Down in Accra.
The deceased, a project Manager with Cadbury Ghana Limited was hosting a brother on a visit from the U.K. at the Next Door Beach Resort, near Teshie in Accra when the incident occurred.
The paper quotes an uncle of the deceased as saying Ofori and his brother were having drinks at one corner of the bar when they heard hot verbal exchanges between some ‘guys’ and a barman.
One of the guys reportedly slapped the barman but an intervention by another man saw the group leaving but promising to return to burn down the place. Their interaction with an Army Lieutenant in mufti who instructed them to go back to the barracks revealed them as soldiers.
The paper says a few minutes later, there was an out-burst of gun shots and Ofori who was by then on the dancing floor was hit twice in the abdomen and fell to the ground.
A driver of the Resort was also hurt and the two were attended to at the 37 Military Hospital after nearly one-and-half hours wait at Korle-Bu where he was first rushed, proved futile due to the absence of a doctor.
The Evening News says when it contacted the Kpeshie Police Divisional command at Teshie Nungua in Accra they confirmed the story but indicated that investigation was still going on.
The Commanding Officer of the Military Academy Training School, according to the paper, was not available for comment.
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Selassie’s parents thrown in jail
The parents of the ex-boyfriend of Ms. Ezenator Rawlings, Mrs. Maria O’sullivan Djentuh, 50, a realtor, and Mr. Tony Djentuh, a lecturer at Ghana Telecom Training School, are ambling in the choked compounds of James Fort Prison and the adjoining Female wing, after an Accra Circuit Tribunal convicted them yesterday.
The tribunal chaired by Mrs. Elizabeth Anderson-Yebuah consigned the couple to prison for actual sentencing on August 30.
The paper reports that quashing one of the three-count charges preferred against them, Mrs. Anderson-Yebuah noted that the pair showed disrespect for the Castle and those working there.
Mrs. Djentuh was convicted for unruly behaviour, and Mr. Djentuh for assault on a commando at the Castle, Corporal Tamaklo of the 64th Forces Reserve.
“The Castle is a high security range and the seat of Government. Their presence there is evidence of the total disrespect and contempt of what the Castle stood for and those working there.” Mrs. Anderson-Yebuah said.
She, according to the paper, said evidence before the Tribunal showed that the incident happened at the main gate following initial skirmishes at the outer reception area, which led to the breach of the public peace.
The defence, led by Mr. David Kudoadzi, had argued that the couple went to the Castle in search of their son after being informed by friends that he had been abducted by armed men and detained there.
Defence reportedly argued that the action of the couple, was provoked by alarmist statements made by some commandos who allegedly told them that they will not see their son again. Mr. Kudoadzi said when the second accused heard this she sat on the ground and started wailing and shouting and swore she would not leave without seeing her son.
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