Category: General

The Police have asked an Accra Circuit Court to review the bail conditions of one of the three persons accused of embezzling GHC328,221, being depositors’ funds, from a church credit union.

Superintendent of Police Augustus Yirenkyi, said Esther Ofori, a cashier and one of the accused persons was a flight risk because she now resided at Kumasi instead of Accra.

According to the prosecution, details of the bail conditions pertained to Accra and that the Police did not know her current location in Kumasi.

The prosecution also prayed the court to order Esther to furnish the court with her medical report for the court’s consideration.

Mr Michael Tetteh, defence Counsel for three accused persons, said Esther would furnish the court with her medical report by Tuesday March 19, 2024.

Mr Tetteh told the court that Esther was currently undergoing treatment and that she should be excused.

The court presided over by Mrs Kizita Naa Koowa Quashie maintained that Esther should come to court and counsel should repeat
his prayer before the court on March 19, 2024.

The court at its last sitting ordered defence counsel to produce Esther Ofori, the third accused person who was absent in Court,

The two other accused persons are Joseph Acheampong, a Consultant/ Manager and Kenneth Osei-Ansong, a Recovery Officer. The three accused persons worked at Christian Pentecostal Church (CPC).

The accused persons have been charged with conspiracy to steal and stealing. They have denied the charges and are on bail.

Meanwhile, the court has taken the evidence of Apostle Daniel Obeng, the first prosecution witness, and was being cross-examined by defence counsel, Mr Tetteh.

In Apostle Daniel Obeng’s evidence-in-chief, he admitted knowing the accused persons and that he made a complaint against them.

According to Apostle Obeng, the complainant, and head pastor of CPC, when the matter was brought to court, the prosecution assisted him to put together his witness statement dated June 22, 2022.

The court admitted the Apostle Obeng’s witn
ess statement in evidence and defence counsel did not oppose it.

Answering questions under cross-examination , Apostle Obeng denied that he gave the Police at Hong Kong, near Kwashieman in Accra, a gift (a Police signpost).

The case has been adjourned to March 19, 2024, for continuation.

Prosecution’s case is that Apostle Daniel Obeng, the head Pastor, CPC, is the complainant.

According to prosecution, in 2015, Acheampong joined the CPC and persuaded the leadership to establish the CPC Credit Union.

Prosecution said Acheampong convinced them that he was a banker and would successfully help CPC establish their credit union.

Acheampong was therefore given the mandate to set up and run the credit union, and he employed the two other accused persons, who visited church members at their homes and offices to collect contributions.

In 2018, prosecution said Kwabena Yeboah and Frank Mensah Bonsu, depositors at the Christian Pentecostal Credit Union, attempted to collect funds lodged with the credit union but w
ere unsuccessful.

Prosecution said they raised the issue to the complainant and then reported the matter to the Police. Police investigation revealed that the accused persons collected GHC382,212 from other depositors and failed to repay them.

The prosecution said Acheampong was arrested, and the Police retrieved documents from the credit union as well as GHC3,100 in cash during a search at his residence.

Apostle Daniel Obeng, the complainant, confirmed in his statement to the Police that the accused persons oversaw the operations of the credit union.

Prosecution said some statements were also taken from depositors.

Acheampong has denied any wrongdoing and explained that the credit union ran into ‘liquidity difficulties.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), with its collaborator, Akuafo Nketewa Company Limited, have met to discuss a pre-season award ceremony to recognize farmers contribution to agriculture in the Upper East region.

The day, slated for March 27 and 28 in the Navrongo Municipality of the Upper East Region, is also expected to award deserving sorghum farmers and aggregators.

It is on the theme: ‘The role of the small holder farmer in addressing food and climate change challenges in Ghana.’

The programme is the brainchild of the PFAG and Akuafo Nketewa Company Ltd, aimed to honour farmers and agribusiness owners for the immense role they play in agriculture development in the country.

Dr Charles Nyaaba, former National President, PFAG, and now the Board Chair of Akuafo Nketewa Company Ltd, who spoke to the media on the sidelines of the meeting, said it was to whip up and sustain interest of the youth in farming.

Dr Nyaaba, in an earlier presentation, said some major innovations would be launched
on the awards day, comprising a farmers pension scheme and a cooperative and credit union to help farmers and agribussinesses to save and rely on those savings in times of need.

He said access to financial services was a challenge and the new schemes would help the farmers, in urgent need, to withdraw their savings to cushion them.

‘One of the things we have observed is that farmers toil to till the land to produce food to feed the nation but during old age how they fund their medical expenses is a problem,’ Dr Nyaaba said.

The farmers, while still producing, could put some savings aside for future use.

As part of government’s plans to roll out the phase two of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJs), the leadership of the farmers educated members on the new programme and outlined the objectives of the Phase Two.

This includes to promote agriculture development, food security, increased productivity and job creation through adoption of holistic value chain approach.

Dr Nyaaba encouraged members to share t
he information with other farmers and encourage them to actively get involved in the registration process and participate in it.

He said the second phase promised better intervention including mechanisation services , extension and provision of inputs more than the first phase.

Some of the members shared some of the challenges experienced under the Phase One, which included low farmer- extension-officer ratio, and hoped the new phase would be able to address those problems.

Source: Ghana News Agency

In a bid to support Ghanaian exporters to build and expand their operations across the African continent and the world, Ecobank Ghana has organised a forum to provide information about requirements and the changing trends in the export market.

The Forum, which is a collaboration between Ecobank and the Ghana Export Promotion Authority, discussed ways to improve and provide further support to promote export business in the country.

Mrs Abena Osei-Poku, Regional Executive, Anglophone West Africa and Managing Director Ecobank Ghana, underscored the importance of exports to the Ghanaian economy, underlying the bank’s decision to provide the needed assistance to businesses in the sector to thrive.

The export sector supports many Ghanaian households and sustains livelihoods through job creation across various sectors of the economy, while foreign currency proceeds from export businesses also remain critical for the country’s trade balance and balance of payment positions.

Despite the immense potential of the s
ector, Ghanaian exporters, within the traditional and non-traditional sectors, had over the years faced various challenges, including limited access to finance, which then affects their ability to scale and increase production capacity, inadequate collateral, stringent international trade restrictions, limited access to innovative technology, among others.

Notwithstanding these challenges, the export businesses in Ghana continue to work with determination and perseverance to make positive impact on the national economy.

Ghana ended 2022 with some USD20billion in export revenue, mainly to the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, United States, India, and China. Conspicuously missing from this list of the main export destinations is export within the continent of Africa.

‘Our goal is to provide solutions, which will enhance and enable scalability of export businesses and equip you to take advantage of the numerous opportunities out there. As collaborators, we ought to be ready to meet increasing demands by bui
lding capacity to position our export industry, so they can compete favourably in the global marketplace,’ she stated.

Mrs Osei-Poku said the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) presented huge opportunities for Ghanaian exporters, adding Ecobank Ghana was strategically positioned with an array of products and services which are, convenient, reliable, and accessible to support exporters across the continent.

‘Our aim is to dialogue with you to enable us better understand your true needs and expectations, so we can serve you better. Let us use this platform to build mutually beneficial business relationships, and also to support the national economy,’ she said.

Mrs Osei-Poku encouraged the exporters sign onto the Ecobank Single Market Trade Hub, a single platform, which can connect them with other businesses in one big African market with some 1.4 billion people.

Mr. Abdallah Z. Khalifa Banda – Head of Trade in Services Export, Manufactures and Petrochemicals Department of the Ghana Export Promoti
on Authority (GEPA) explained to exporters some of the new requirements from overseas markets.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Kahlid Boudali, the Presiding Officer, Economic, Social, and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC), has called for media partnership with the African Union (AU), to disseminate positive reportage to transform the African continent.

He said ECOSOCC underscored the importance of partnership and dialogue and that it was through united efforts that new grounds could be broken and address the challenges that faced the continent.

The Presiding Officer said this at a press briefing in Accra to announce the commemoration of the AU ECOSOCC 20th?anniversary scheduled for Wednesday, July 04, 2024.

Mr Boudali said ‘today marks a significant milestone in the collective journey which began two decades ago, with a vision to integrate the voices of civil society into the AU’s decision-making processes, thereby fostering a continent driven by its own people.

He said over these 20 years, ECOSOCC had been at the forefront of promoting Pan-African values and leading socio-economic and cultural development across Africa.

‘Our work,
rooted in the belief that civil society is pivotal to the continent’s progress, has aimed at creating a more inclusive, prosperous, and united Africa,’ he added.

The Presiding Officer said, ‘let us reflect on the achievements we have collectively garnered, our commitment has not only brought us closer to realising the aspirations of Agenda 2063 but has also ensured that the African Union resonates more with the citizens it serves.

‘Let us pledge to continue working together for the betterment of our continent and its people, together, let us envision and work towards a future that is even brighter than the past we celebrate today,’ he added.

Mr William Carew, the Head of Secretariat at ECOSOCC, said the 20th?anniversary coincided with the roll-out of the second 10 years Implementation Plan of Agenda 2063, recalling the vision of the AU.

The commemoration also marked an era of unprecedented progress in the life cycle, and that at the first quarter of 2024, significant progress had been made in reviewing EC
OSOCC’s legal instruments.

Mr Carew said 2024 also marked the roll-out of the much-awaited ECOSOCC National Chapters in AU Member States and the increasing importance of the Council with the adoption of the AU harmonised accreditation mechanism.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Eastern Nzema Traditional Council in the Western Region has demanded a special scholarship slot from the Ghana National Gas Company (GNCG) for Nzema students in tertiary institutions in the country.

Awulae Amihere Kpanyinli III, the President of the Council, said the GNGC need to institute separate and special scholarship packages for prospective students from Nzema, which was the hub of Ghana’s gas and other energy resources.

The special slots, he said, should not include the already established 40 per cent scholarship quota allocated to prospective tertiary students from Nzema.

Awulae Kpanyinli said this when Mr Daniel Essien, a staff at the GNGC, on behalf of the Community Relations Department of the Company, donated GHC10,000 and assorted drinks to support the Eastern Nzema Traditional Council during its maiden meeting for the year 2024, at Atuabo.

Interacting with the chiefs, Mr Essien explained the scholarship package to them and how eligible students could apply.

Apart from the 40 per cent sc
holarship slot for potential Nzema students, they could also access the 60 per cent allotted to students in other parts of the country.

Mr Essien encouraged prospective students to log on to the Ghana National Gas Company’s portal to access the scholarship package.

He said the Company would ensure that communities in its operational enclave benefitted from the oil and gas industry as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility.

Source: Ghana News Agency

An Accra Circuit Court has ordered that a businessman, who allegedly swindled another of his Range Rover Sport vehicle 2019 model, be kept in police custody.

Nana Ohene Djan Aggrey Bentil has also been charged for issuing a dud cheque with the face value GHC350,000.00 to Mr Richard Owusu, the complainant, as part payment of the GHC696,000.00 being the cost of the car.

Bentil was again arraigned for forging forms A and C of Driver’s Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to register the said car.

He has denied all the charges and he will be brought back to the Court Two on April 3, 2024.

The Court presided over by Mr Isaac Addo asked Prosecution to comply with all the rules of disclosures by filing and serving their witnesses’ statements by the next adjourned date.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kofi Anane,prosecuting, said Mr Owusu, the complainant, dealt in home used cars at Richmen Motor, garage located at Tesano, whilst Bentil, the accused person, was a businessman, aged 54.

He said on June 23
, 2022, the accused called one Mr Richard Boama , a witness in this case, to enquire from him if he could get him a Range Rover to buy.

Mr Boama, prosecution said, did not have a Range Rover car but decided to inform the complainant about it, thus, complainant drove his unregistered Range Rover Sport 2019 Model, accompanied by Mr Boama to Bentil’s residence at Taifa for inspection.

ASP Anane said Bentil after inspecting the car, feigned interest in buying it at USD87,000.00 with its Ghana cedi equivalent at GHC 696,000.00 at a prevailing rate of GHC 8.00 in 2022.

The Court heard that the accused promised to pay for the unregistered Range Rover 2019 model within a month, hence, he demanded for the original documents covering the car, to enable his bankers conduct valuation before payment was made.

ASP Anane said Bentil then promised to return the original documents upon the completion of the valuation by his bankers and that when he completed payment in a month as promised, he would then demand for the tra
nsfer of ownership of the Range Rover into his name.

Bentil, under the pretext of valuating the car by his bankers, he impersonated one Mr Singular Kwesi-Sey, the importer of the unregistered Range Rover Sport 2019 and fraudulently registered same in the name of the importer without the consent of the complainant and also forged a transfer letter in the name of the importer and did transfer ownership of same into his company’s name N.O.B Djan Company Limited on June 24, 2022, with a registration number GC 2265-22, the Police said.

Prosecution said the next day, complainant went to the accused person’s residence at Taifa together with his colleague car dealer Mr Boama to demand for his Range Rover Sports and its original documents but Bentil informed the complainant that although he had not heard from his bankers, he still was interested in the Range Rover Sports and immediately issued a postdated cheque to the complainant with a face value of GHC350,000.00 for same to be drawn on June 29, 2022 at First Atla
ntic Bank.

He also handed over GHC100,000.00 to the complainant, adding that when the cheque was presented at the bank, it bounced and same returned to drawer for insufficient of funds.

ASP Anane said Bentil later went to Kumasi on July 01, 2022 with the Range Rover and used same as a collateral for a loan of GHC275,000.00 from one Mr Kofi Agyei to be repaid within a month and failure for him to meet the deadline of the repayment he, Mr Agyei should use the Range Rover Sport 2019 model to defray the cost of the loan.

Prosecution said intelligence led to the arrest of Mr Agyei in Kumasi on November 19, 2022, and he admitted that Bentil used the car as collateral for a GHC275,000,00 loan and based on the conditions set, he automatically assumed ownership and sold same to defray the debt, to one Mr Stephen Tayi Kyere.

ASP Anane said the accused had failed to pay the complainant the full amount of the car.

Source: Ghana News Agency