GRi Press Review Ghana 06 - 09 - 2001

Daily Graphic

Inflation falls …Interest rate expected to follow suit

Communal Labour Bill for Parliament shortly

Siamese twins undergo successful operation

The Crusading Guide

Ghana Telecom fires back!

Evening News

Greek, others dupe Ghana ¢500 Million

The Daily Guide

P.V. Obeng bounces back

I don't want to go to hell

Ghanaian Democrat

Mills accepts Canadian offer

The Independent

Hawa speaks out again

Ghanaian Voice

Increase in constituencies for 2004 elections to favour NPP?

Accra Mail

ECOWAS TC to bounce back

The Ghanaian times

Agyewodin on murder charge

Two armed robbers lynched in Kumasi

UK to participate in Medicare Fair

The Chronicle

Vice-Chancellor’s son stabs colleague

Fast Track Court for chiefs advocated

Africa Sports

Goldfields to dismiss Africa Sports at Len Clay

Okwawu’s protest victory, hope for Kotoko’s case against Arsenals

P & P

70 year-old woman raped

 

 

Daily Graphic

Inflation falls …Interest rate expected to follow suit

 

The rate of inflation in Ghana has come down from the July figure of 34.9 per cent to 32 per cent at the end of August according the Daily Graphic.

 

A Statistical Service newsletter on Consumer Price Index for August this year published in Accra said the non-food rate, which was 52.9 per cent last January, has come to 38.3 per cent, whiles that of food has come to 23.6 per cent from 26.3 per cent.

 

Under the prevailing development, yield on the 91-day credit should not be more than 38 per cent, and a source close to the central bank said it expects that the banks would respond to the prevailing conditions.

 

The stability of the national currency, the cedi, has been a critical factor in the developments, said the source. Watchers of the monetary policy indicate that tight monetary policy is yielding dividends. The mopping up of excess liquidity in the system through open market operations (OMO) has contributed enormously to the development.

 

Records show that by August last year, less than ¢700 billion had been mopped, as against ¢1.7 trillion at the end of last month.

 

The source said, “the fiscal performance has also not been bad this year at all, in line with the government’s declaration that it would not spend when it does not have the money”.

 

Even though orders for imported goods take effect from September, the signs are that the pressure would not be too much since the Ghanaian now gives premium attention to the cedi, which is scarce, as against the dollar, it said.

 

Signs are that should the prevailing development continue, the 25 per cent end-of-year rate of inflation target could be met without much problem.

More…/

 

Communal Labour Bill for Parliament shortly

 

A Member of the Council of State, Nana Prah Agyensiam VI, has declared his intention to sponsor a private member’s Communal Labour Bill in Parliament. When enacted, anybody who refuses to attend communal activities without a reasonable excuse would be prosecuted.

 

Addressing a meeting of the Central Regional House of Chiefs at Cape Coast on Monday, Nana Agyensiam said the punishment, it is hoped, shall include imprisonment, fine or both.

 

He said the role of chiefs in national development is crucial, and this makes it important to empower them with separate laws to accelerate the development process.

 

“If there is a breach of custom, there should be a breach of the constitution, and the consequences should follow,” he said.

More…/

 

Siamese twins undergo successful operation

 

A team of surgeons has successfully separated female Siamese twins in a three-hour operation at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra. The babies are said to be doing well.

 

According to the Graphic, this is the second time Siamese twins have been successfully separated at the hospital, the first of such operation took place last year.

 

A source at the hospital told the Graphic that the Siamese who were born prematurely, were incubated for sometime before being separated last Monday.

GRi…/

 

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The Crusading Guide

Ghana Telecom fires back!

 

The Crusading Guide says the Ghana Telecom (GT), reacting to a story in the August 21 - 27, 2001 edition of the paper, says, “Allowances paid ex-Board chairman and members were legitimate and not as ‘fat’ as alleged,” by the paper.

 

The GT’s rebuttal was contained in a rejoinder by Mr J. Tetteh-Addy, Head/Corporate Communications (for Managing Director) and faxed to the office of the paper on September 3, 2001.

 

The paper had reported that GT’s “previous board members were feeding fat on its revenues citing the chairman, Major-General Henry Anyidoho collecting ¢10 million a month as allowance with other members pocketing a monthly figure of ¢9 million.

 

The paper had stated also that the company had in February and March this year, bought 16,459 wooden poles, costing ¢2.2 billion from Takoradi based Nobco Ltd, and that two of GT’s senior accounts officers were close to the owners of the timber firm. The poles, according to the story, are lying idle in a bush. 

 

The GT in its reaction maintained that although the company by its policy does not allow the disclosure of allowances/salaries paid its Board of Directors and Employees of the company other than the parties involved, “we wish to assure our stakeholders that all allowances paid the ex-Board Chairman and other members were duly approved by the shareholders in accordance with the Companies’ Act (Act 179 of 1963) and that they were not as ‘fat’ as was alleged.”

 

Reacting to allegations of supplying free mobile phones to a particular party, GT said, it had made supplies to some corporate bodies, business houses and other identifiable groups including some members of the NDC when conducting a test transmission before commercialising its ONEtouch GSM mobile service.

 

The statement said, the recipients, after the exercise, were given the option to purchase the sets and settle the bills arising out of the usage adding that, “we find nothing wrong with this normal business promotional practice”.

 

The GT said in relation to the wooden poles also that in July 1998, it opened to tender the supply of telegraphic teak and Nobco and another company, Oguapem, out of nine bidders won, upon which they were awarded the contract on October 30 that year.

 

“Both contractors executed the contract. Thus simply put, Nobco and Oguapem were chosen out of merit and not because they had some links with senior officials of the company,” the GT stated.

 

However, in a full publication of an intercepted letter which the paper described as ‘documentary proof of “Fat Allowances” meant for the Chief Inspector of Taxes, the Crusading Guide revealed that H.K. Anyidoho took ¢40.392 million after tax deductions for the period January to April, 2001.

 

For other members of the board in the same period, S.A. Mills-Robertson had ¢30.392 million after tax, Dato Muhammad Razdi Mansor, ¢25.704 million; Joseph Salang, ¢25.704 million; Alhaji Seidu Sulemana, ¢2.448 million and Lai Ki Tong ¢2.448 million.

GRi…/

 

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Evening News

Greek, others dupe Ghana ¢500 Million

 

The Evening News reports that a Greek national and five Ghanaian collaborators will soon appear before court for their role in the transfer of ¢500 million into a non-existent sugarcane production company.

 

Again, Victor Selormey, former Deputy Finance Minister, who is currently facing trial in the LEEBDA affairs, is at the centre of the transfer deal.

 

Their names are, Lakis Papastavrous, the Greek national who is an Agricultural Engineer at the VRA Townsite, Akuse, Dr John William Oteng, and Thomas A. Quaicoe, an Agricultural Economist, both at the University of Ghana Agricultural Research Station (UGARS).

 

The rest are, Solo Cudjoe-Seshie, an economist and Mr Emmanuel Tetteh-Bio an agronomist both with the VRA Townsite, Akuse and Ms Agnes Batsa, an officer with Trade and Investment Programme (TIP).

 

They are alleged to have transferred the ¢500 million from the Trade and Investment Programme (TIP) funds to set up a company known as Rural Sugar Production Company (RUSCO) to establish between 500 and 700 acres of sugarcane plantation. The proposed site for the plantation is yet to be known.

 

According to the paper, its investigations revealed that a letter dated May 13, 1998 signed by Selormey with no reference number, authorized the transfer of the amount, paid in two instalments of ¢250 million, from TIP account to RUSCO. 

 

An approval letter was given by the Acting Controller and Accountant General, Mr R.K. Tufuor to the Bank of Ghana on May 15, 1998 and payment was subsequently effected.

 

The deal reportedly, was to enable the Research Station of the University of Ghana to, in collaboration with the Kpong Farms, set up a sugarcane plantation but was later found out to be fraudulent.

 

The Evening News says its search showed that TIP’s programme is meant to support non-traditional companies to pre-finance their export and not for outgrowers or for the development of new ventures, hence the conclusion was that Mr Selormey misapplied the TIP fund of ¢500 million.

GRi…/

 

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The Daily Guide

P.V. Obeng bounces back

 

Mr Paul Victor Obeng, a former member of the (P)NDC regimes, last Saturday, September 1, 2001 held the entire dignitaries at the Banquet Hall of the State House, spellbound for several minutes, says The Daily Guide.

 

Mr Obeng, a son of Adansi in the Ashanti Region, who is renowned for his eloquence, particularly during the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) regime, and the early part of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government, did not fail to catch the attention of audience in the filled to capacity Banquet Hall of the State House. 

 

He dazzled them (the audience) with a series of oratorical, linguistic, fluid and fluent delivery of the Queen's language (English) when he was invited to the podium by Mr Kweku Sekyi Addo, to come and launch an appeal for funds for the Otumfuo Education Fund (OEF).

 

While the two Master-of-Ceremonies for the evening, Sekyi Addo and ‘Amansan Kyeame’ Ohene Agyekum largely succeeded in keeping the night alive, Mr P.V. Obeng was the one who stole the whole show.

 

Speaking extempore, Mr P.V. Obeng used a potpourri of Akan proverbs intermingled with wise-cracks and wise sayings to virtually daze, enchant and solicit the benevolence of the audience toward contributing generously toward the Otumfuo Education Fund.

More…/

 

I don't want to go to hell

 

The Managing Editor of the Weekly Insight, Kwasi Pratt Jnr, has stated that he will never allow any pastor to lay hands on his head to pray for him, noting that most pastors are not holy enough to pray for him. "Some of these pastors, if they pray for you you'll go to hell, after your death and I don't want to go to hell", he said on “Kweku-One-On-One”, a GTV programme hosted by Kweku Sekyi Addo, last Sunday.

 

Mr Pratt said he attends church only, when there is a wedding ceremony. He expressed the belief that religion is a private affair, and it should be kept as such.

GRi…/

 

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Ghanaian Democrat

Mills accepts Canadian offer

 

Professor John Evans Atta Mills, former Vice-President, has accepted an offer for a one-year appointment as a Visiting Scholar at the University of British Columbia in Canada, reports the Ghanaian Democrat. 

 

He will double as a Senior Associate at the Lui Centre for the Study of Global Issues at the same University. Both programmes will last for one year.

 

The Democrat says a letter of invitation addressed to Professor Mills, said the Lui Centre believes that during the tour of duty, Professor Mills will "provide timely and quality support to the Lui Centre's operations as well as raise the low awareness of African affairs across Canada."

 

In addition the Lui Centre is of the view that the appointment will allow the former Vice-President "to reflect on the challenges of governing in Africa and make these thoughts available for scrutiny and benefit by Africa and partner nations and organisations."

 

The focus of Professor Mills' work at the Lui Centre would be on governance, leadership, human security and conflict; and provide Canadians with a different perspective of the challenges and promise of Africa.

 

The results of Professor Mills' research and analysis will be highlighted in various publications, seminars and outreach materials for the benefit of a larger audience in Canada and abroad.

 

While he is away from Ghana, the former flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will keep in touch with his constituency and supporters in Ghana and in North America, help them maintain their enthusiasm and activism for the leadership and hope that has characterized his stewardship, reports the paper.

GRi…/

 

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The Independent

Hawa speaks out again

 

The Independent, taking on Hawa Yakubu’s remarks about the recently held National Delegates Congress of the ruling NPP reports that Hawa claims her concerns raised at the Congress have been grossly misconstrued by a section of the media, and describes their comments as most unfair.

 

Nonetheless, the Minister of Tourism would not renege on her utter disappointment at the election of Lord Commey, as the new National Organizer of the ruling party instead of Northern favourite - Alhaji Alhassan Yeremia, although she would stop at nothing lauding Commey, claims The Independent.

 

"I do not have anything personal against Lord Commey, I think he is youthful and capable of doing the job", Hawa said in a telephone interview with the paper last Monday, in her reaction to a front page comment carried in the August 27 issue of The Independent- "Crying the Ethnic Wolf".

 

Hawa however said her concerns were based on principles. According to her, as in any election of officers for political parties, there were underground arrangements for various positions in the party at the NPP delegates’ conference.

 

These, she said were done after many considerations, among them the need for regional balance. It was based on this that it was agreed that the position of National Organizer should go to the Northern territory, which includes the Northern, Upper West and East Regions, she said.

 

Hawa disclosed that it was agreed that the position of the party Chairman should go to the Central Region with Greater Accra, Volta and Brong Ahafo Regions picking the first, second and third vice-chairmen slots. The party, Hawa said was unanimous in retaining the General Secretary at the Eastern Region whilst Ashanti was earmarked for the National Treasurer.

 

Hawa said the three Northern Regions were therefore left with the position of National Organizer, which incidentally was picked by Lord Commey of the Greater Accra Region.

 

She said, naturally people from that part of the country felt betrayed and her sentiments were only a reflection of disappointment of the larger Northern delegates. Was the pre-arrangement unprecedented in the history of NPP delegates Congress? 

 

Hawa, the Independent says, answered in the negative and revealed how she personally went underground to work for the election of Major (rtd) Courage Quarshigah as the National Organizer of the NPP ahead of the much-favoured Alhaji Issaka Innusah in the 1998 delegates congress.

 

"I personally persuaded the mother-in-law of Abedi Pele who by the virtue of her position as a Parliamentary candidate was a delegate, and one other Northern delegate to vote for Quashigah", Hawa hinted.

 

According to Hawa, she worked against a fellow Northerner because of the repercussions that the party might have had in the aftermath of the election of NPP national executives without a Voltarian.

GRi…/

 

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Ghanaian Voice

Increase in constituencies for 2004 elections to favour NPP?

 

The 2004 Presidential and Parliamentary results may tilt in favour of the Ashanti dominated NPP if proposals being debated now are accepted and approved by parliament, writes The Ghanaian Voice.

 

The paper says its sources have revealed that the International Federation of Electoral Systems (IFES) commissioned a look into the existing constituencies, their sizes, their populations and format and agreed that some constituencies were being discriminated against in terms of number of registered voters and the number of constituencies.

 

What came out specifically was the statistics for the Northern part of this country, the number of their constituencies and their population.

 

The paper says it was discovered that in spite of the fact that the Northern sector occupies 40 per cent of the landmass of the country, it is sparsely populated. But the constituencies in the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Greater Accra, Eastern and Central Regions, if you put them all together cannot match the sizes of the three Northern regions in geographical coverage. However, in terms of population they will be about 6 times more.

 

Ideally, the proposal, mentioned that the whole country should compose of 250 constituencies but if the space of parliament cannot accommodate that a way could be found to pack between 220 to 230 members of parliament.

 

A tacit endorsement of this new line of thinking was given by the deputy British High Commissioner, Mr Craig Murphy on an Accra radio on Tuesday August 7 when he gave the indication of re-aligning the boundaries and that ideally a constituency should have about twenty thousand voters.

 

If this goes through places like Banatama, Manhyia will have more seats and places like Lawra/Nandom, Bole will be affected.

 

The Guide says knowing very well the base of the NPP and where they have their bread buttered, they will vehemently push for the adoption of this new found "Gold" with their numerical advantage in parliament.

GRi…/

 

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Accra Mail

ECOWAS TC to bounce back

 

The future of the ECOWAS Travelers' Cheque looks bright when the proposed West African Common Currency takes off in 2003, writes The Accra Mail.

 

Six Anglophone and one Francophone West Africa countries, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Liberia and Guinea are hoping to use a single currency by 2003.

 

All things being equal if the dream of a single currency is achieved the volume of business among the six-member countries could increase and open avenues for the use of the West African Clearing House (WACH).

 

The ECOWAS Monetary Cooperation (MCP) had a short-term goal of facilitating payments system through the WACH, established in 1976 to promote the use of national currencies in intra-regional trade but run into problems because of low transactions, build up of arrears and the civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

 

The success of WACH would have paved the way for an ECOWAS Travellers' Cheque (TC) in line with ECOWAS' aim of establishing a common market, an economic monetary union and the creation of an enabling environment for private sector-led growth. Since its formation in 1975 ECOWAS has come nowhere near achieving these goals. 

 

Momodu S. Foon, of the Macroeconomics Department of the West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM) explained that the initial market for TC in the proposed monetary union could be in excess of US$12 million. 

 

"The success or failure of the TC however rests on the volume of business transactions among member countries with over 200 million people", says Foon, adding that it would be expanded exponentially as West Africa integrates.

GRi…/

 

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The Ghanaian times

Agyewodin on murder charge

 

Professor Agyewodin Adu-Ampem, Omanhene of Acherensua Traditional Area in the Brong-Ahafo Region, will tomorrow appear before a Sunyani Community Tribunal in connection with a murder case, during a chieftaincy cash.

 

The appearance will enable the tribunal to rule whether he should stand trial before a High Court, according to the Ghanaian Times.

 

The accused, who was the immediate past chairman of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Governing Council, was said to have opened fire on a crowd of youth on April 17, at Acherensua, on suspicion that they were agitating for his destoolment. As a result, one person, Nii Atuquaye, was killed whilst six others were seriously injured.

 

The Omanhene was subsequently arrested and put before the tribunal charged with murder and causing unlawful harm. His plea was not taken and he was remanded in prison custody.

 

After some adjournments, the accused was granted bail by a Sunyani High Court in the sum of 40 million with sureties to be justified. He was also ordered to surrender his passport to the court.

 

According to the Prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Alex, Yartey Tawiah, the duplicate of the docket on the case was sent to the Regional Attorney General’s Department, which directed that the accused should be charged with murder.

 

On July 12, Agyewodin Adu-Ampem was served with a copy of a bill of indictment to appear before the tribunal for committal proceedings. However, on August 17, he failed to turn up on health grounds.

More…/

 

Two armed robbers lynched in Kumasi

 

Two unidentified young men, suspected to be members of a gang of armed robbers, were lynched by a mob at Tanso near Kumasi last week Sunday after an abortive daylight robbery. They were said to have attempted to raid the residence of a private medical practitioner.

 

Police sources told the ‘Times’ on Wednesday that the robbers had within the past couple of weeks, made several unsuccessful attempts to raid the doctor’s residence.

 

Last week Sunday, a gang of armed robbers, numbering about five, who had been monitoring the movement of the doctor and his family, saw them going to church at about 9 am local time and took advantage of that to strike. They managed to enter the building through a window, but a woman washing her clothes in a nearby house, spotted them and raised the alarm.

 

With a lightning speed, three of the robbers escaped but their two colleagues were chased, arrested and beaten to death, reports the Time.

More…/

 

UK to participate in Medicare Fair

 

Trade Partners UK, a brand name for British Government Services provided by British Trade International is to participate in the Medicare Trade fair slated for September 10 to 16, 2001 at the Ghana International Trade Fair Centre.

 

The British Government’s services which are to promote and develop trade between the United Kingdom and the rest of the world, is carried out in Ghana by the Commercial Section of the British High Commission.

 

Its range of services include providing linkages with UK suppliers, assisting to identify local agents for UK companies and assisting to establish joint British/Ghanaian ventures.

 

During the fair, the British High Commission’s Commercial Section would display a selection of innovative “Millennium Products” in the health care sector. Prior to the millennium, the British Prime Minister Tony Blair, launched a Design Council Initiative to identify the most innovative, well designed products and services in the UK and through that about 1,012 innovations were recognized and announced as millennium products.

GRi…/              

 

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The Chronicle

Vice-Chancellor’s son stabs colleague

 

An attempt by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Prof. (Rev.) S.K. Adjepong, to cover the crime of his son, a second year student of UCC who stabbed another student with a bottle, has taken a new twist.

 

The V-C and the university authorities had frozen action for months on the criminal act of Mr Kwame Amankwa Adjepong Jnr. while dispensing prompt sanction against students for expressing their indignation over the grading system.

 

The new dimension came about when the police started investigations into the matter, according to the Chronicle.

 

The paper says it gathered that on May 6, this year, a group of students met at a popular ‘Singapore’ spot in the evening to cool off and welcome their colleague-Mark Adjei, alias Cool J. who had returned from abroad.

 

While some students were on the floor dancing, Adjepong Jnr. emerged from nowhere and started exchanging words with the host, Cool J, accusing him of trying to snatch his (Adjepong’s) girlfriend from him.

 

The paper says before Cool J could open his mouth to utter a word, Adjepong Jnr. picked one of the bottles from the table threatening to stab him. “I can stab you and go scot-free if you don’t know....”, Adjepong  Jnr. reportedly boasted.

 

At this stage, other students around tried to calm him but before the dust could settle, he stabbed Cool J sending him sprawling to the ground with blood oozing from his head. “He has killed me. Oh what have I done? He has killed me,” the victim screamed. Adjepong Jnr. bolted, leaving the victim and his colleagues.

 

The friends and the owner of the spot rushed Cool J to the hospital on the campus. Some of the students were then dispatched to Rev. Prof Adjepong’s house to inform him about the incident. The Vice-Chancellor duly accompanied the students to the hospital, to see the damage his son had caused.

 

After acquainting himself with the situation, Prof Adjepong promised to compensate the victim and the students whose shirts and cloths were stained with blood. The Vice-Chancellor’s office confirmed the story when Chronicle called last week.

More…/

 

Fast Track Court for chiefs advocated

 

Nana Agyeinsam, an elected member of the Council of State and chief of Assin Kushea in the Central Region on Tuesday went to town in Cape Coast while addressing the Central Regional House of Chiefs.

 

He poured out his heart at what he said he had discovered after a 10-day tour of the region, the unimaginably high evidence of chieftaincy and land disputes that have divided and stifled development.

 

A lawyer by training, Nana put it to his peers that a special fast track chieftaincy court should be created to settle those disputes that have lingered for years after they had failed to be resolved by the house of chiefs.

 

Continuing, he said that they should justify their elevation to society because they are chiefs by virtue of a traditional hereditary system. “Most of us are here simply because we came from a particular woman’s womb and not because we are the best managers or the wisest individuals in our kingdom.

 

“I am a chief mainly because of a traditional hereditary system of selection. There was no general voting where everyone had the right to vote or be voted for,” he said.

GRi…/

 

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Africa Sports

Goldfields to dismiss Africa Sports at Len Clay

 

Obuasi Goldfields can confidently pat themselves for being the only Ghanaian side still battling for continental honours, says the Africa Sports paper.

 

The bi-weekly carries that with the shocking elimination of Champion Club Accra Hearts of Oak in Congo DR, Goldfields' assignment assumes national proportions, which calls for unalloyed backing from all Ghanaians.

 

Goldfields versus Ivorian club Africa Sports, an anytime, any day is a mouth-watering prospect followers of the game would yearn for.  Not only are the two teams professionally run, they have their own pedigree on the African continent.

 

Africa Sports under the technical directorship of Ibrahim Sunday won the Africa Cup as well as the Super Cup in the mid-80s having won the Ivorian championship on a number of occasions. Goldfields are yet to win any continental title but command a lot of respect in Africa as one of the best-run clubs.

 

The ‘Miners’ too came close to winning the Champions League in 1997 when they played Raja d’ Casablanca in the grand finale. They did not embarrass themselves as they lost narrowly on penalties.

 

Goldfields have a way of silencing their critics as they proved when they played against Angola's Alvacao at the one-sixteenth stage.

 

The Miners only managed an unconvincing 1-0 victory at their favourite Len Clay but Skipper Yaw Owusu and his colleagues flew to Angola and shocked all the critics with a 2-2 draw, which kept them in the competition.

 

The ‘Aboa Kese’ lads therefore enter the pitch on Sunday with this morale booster and there is no way Africa Sports can spoil the party. 

 

Skipper Yaw Owusu, Isaac Boakye, Princeton Owusu-Ansah and Kofi Amoako have what it takes to offer adequate cover for goalkeepers Campoare or Robertson in the posts.

More…/

 

Okwawu’s protest victory, hope for Kotoko’s case against Arsenals

 

The Disciplinary Committee had thrown away Asante Kotoko’s protest against Berekum Arsenals for fielding an unqualified player, George Brown, in their 1-1 drawn game played at Berekum. But Okwawu United persevered on a similar issue between them and Obuasi Goldfields, and proceeded to the Appeals Committee where after a careful study they were declared winners and subsequently credited with three points and two goals.

 

Goldfields had used Tony Baffoe who was deemed unqualified and therefore lost six points. Okwawu's victory offer great hope to Asante Kotoko who have also challenged the ruling of the Disciplinary Committee and proceeded to the Appeals Committee. The case is yet to be heard.

GRi…/

 

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P & P

70 year-old woman raped

 

The P&P says that the residents of Alogboshie near Achimota in Accra, are in a dilemma and are yet to come to terms with what could have prompted a 41 year-old energetic man, Francis Konovie, to allegedly sneak into the room of a weak 70 year old woman, while she was asleep, and rape her mercilessly.

 

Both Konovie and the victim live in the same vicinity, and Konovie, a driver, usually parks his vehicle close to the victim's house each day after work according to an official of the Women and Juvenile Unit (WAJU) of the Ghana Police Service.

 

On the day of the alleged incident, at about 11 pm, while the children of the old lady had gone out, Konovie took advantage of the quiet atmosphere, entered the room secretly and jumped on her, subjecting her to the ordeal of rape.

 

While Konovie was allegedly humping himself to ecstasy, the victim who was unable to contain the situation, shouted for help, which attracted neighbours to the scene, but by the time they arrived, he had already assaulted her sexually.

 

A report was immediately made to WAJU, but upon his arrest, Konovie maintained that the old lady was his lover, and that she consented to the act. "This is not the first time," he is quoted to have told police officers.

 

Even though he claimed the victim was his girlfriend and that they have been together for well over a month, he failed to mention his "sweetheart's" name. 

 

Konovie has since been arraigned before an Accra Circuit court for the alleged offence, and remanded in custody to reappear at a later date.

GRi…/

 

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