Gov’t borrows $554m so far
Robber hacked to death by K'si mob
Man's belly sawed
Miss Ghana 1999 getting prepared to go Airborne
Ex-convict at it again
Gov’t borrows $554m so far
Government has borrowed a total of $554.1 million through 11 concessionary loans from multilateral sources from March 29 to July 27, this year.
Out of the amount, 65 per cent is grant, leaving the 35 per cent as the debt to be paid in future, Finance Minister Yaw Osafo-Maafo said.
The Daily Graphic reports him as saying that documents on nine out of the 11 concessionary loans, which were approved by Parliament, were prepared by the defunct NDC government while the remaining two were initiated by the government.
Mr Osafo-Maafo, who disclosed this in an interview, said the government will, as a matter of policy, seek concessionary loans to develop the country, since such loans normally have grant elements.
He was reacting to reports that the NPP government has, within eight months of assuming power, borrowed a total of ˘6 trillion.
Mr Osafo-Maafo stressed that sourcing loans for development is in itself not a bad thing. "The problem in the past was what the monies were used for."
The minister wondered why the former government did not push through the nine concessionary loan agreements, which could have helped to revitalize the economy. "It still beats my imagination why the concessionary loans were not sourced", Mr Osafo-Maafo said.
He said the government has been able to bring down inflation from 32 per cent to 25 per cent and "I must say that most foreign embassies and missions are happy with the way the economy is going".
GRi…/
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Robber hacked to death by K'si mob
An unidentified man, suspected to be a robber, was grabbed by a mob in the early hours of Friday, stripped, tied to an electric pole near the Stadium Traffic lights here, and hacked to death, according to The Ghanaian Times.
There was a deep cut on the forehead and multiple wounds on the body. The Asokwa Police removed the body and deposited it at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Mortuary for autopsy.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Ohene Bosompem, Asokwa District Police Commander, said that investigations were being conducted into the case.
He condemned the practice of lynching suspected criminals, and said that it did not augur well for effective police investigations.
"Once a suspect is killed, the police automatically lose vital information that could facilitate their investigations," he stated.
An eyewitness account indicated that the deceased was arrested when he attempted to break into a house in the area.
GRi../
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Man's belly sawed
When Samuel Quao's car developed a mechanical fault around Teshie in Accra sometime in July this year, he decided to push the car to a safe place until the following day.
Quao, having spotted a welding shop in the area, walked into the yard and after telling his story to the owner, Richard Boatkye Dankwah, agreed to Quao's request to keep the car in his shop. With the help of Dankwah, they pushed the car to the shop.
But some days later, Quao had his abdomen sawed with a carpenter's tool when he refused to pay only ˘5,000 to the welder who watched over the car, the Osu Community Tribunal, where Dankwah was arraigned, heard last week Thursday.
Dankwah who has been charged with assault and causing bodily harm, pleaded not guilty to the charge and was remanded into prison custody to appear again on Thursday, September 20, writes the Spectator.
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Miss Ghana 1999 getting prepared to go Airborne
Sugru Bugri, Miss Ghana 1999, has had an eventful post-contest life and has really lived up to expectation as an ambassador of her dear country wherever she sets foot, according to the Spectator.
After surviving a plane crash in Ghana after being crowned Miss Ghana '99, Mariam decided to become a pilot herself.
Mariam is currently at 43 Airschool in Port Alfred, South Africa, where she undertaking a one-year training course to become a pilot.
The Spectator says she is currently moving to Stage Two of her course, which is Night Flying.
Mariam is expected to receive a Private Pilot License upon the completion of her course. GRi…/
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Ex-convict at it again
Barely 24 hours after being set free from jail, an unemployed young man, Richard Akisu, embarked on another unholy expedition, this time to the house of God, writes the Mirror.
Akisu who was said to have been released from prison on Saturday, September 8, joined other worshippers at the Apostolic Faith Mission International (FMI), near Odorkor, Accra, the following day at about 1pm, and allegedly stole money totaling about ˘100,000 from a lady's hand-bag.
He was immediately arrested by some members of the congregation and handed over to the General Overseer of the church, Apostle de-Graft Osei Kwame, who prayed for him, gave him an amount of ˘30,000 and asked him to go and sin no more.
According to a source close to the church, just as Akisu was about to leave, more drama unfolded when some prison officers who had been invited by the church to receive some donated items on behalf of prisoners, identified Akisu as an ex-convict who had been release from jail the previous day.
Apostle Osei Kwame told The Mirror that he decided not to hand over Akisu to the police because while praying for him he saw some demons around him and that he believed they had pushed Akisu to commit the crime.
Apostle Osei Kwame said the actions of Akisu were too daring and that he believed he had not done that out of sheer criminal intent but was under the influence of the devil.
GRi…/
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