Category: Politics

Tema Manhean fishermen say they can no longer get good catches because the sea is becoming warmer.

They said they toiled day in day out on their fueled boats, in search of fish, but ended up coming home empty handed with empty fuel tanks.

The issue came up during an engagement on Just Energy Transition organised by Abibinsroma Foundation, a Non-government organisation in Tema.

Those who attended the engagement included fishermen, fish mongers and other persons who make a living in the local Fisheries sector.

They appreciated the fact that climate change was having a toll on their trade as temperature rise was affecting habitat, breeding patterns, and food sources of fishes.

It has also led to ocean acidification, which harms marine life. It’s a big deal for ecosystems.

Another obvious fact was the impact of sea erosion at Manhean, eating away land, houses and the shore.

The sea surges constantly, washing away heaths, smoked fishes placed by the shore for drying by fish mongers.

The folks complained of
poor or no sea defenses, saying the expansion of the Tema Port was a major cause of their predicament.

In their desperation, they have resorted to dumping refuse at the shore to build a sort of sea defense, hoping that it will stop the sea from taking away more land.

Mr Bob Amiteye, Convenor, Abibinsroma Foundation, pointed out that the building of new sea defenses for only Tema would not end the sea erosion unless neighbouring towns were also protected from the sea’s onslaught.

He said a just energy transition could reduce greenhouse gas emissions, slowing these changes and helping protect the ocean and its creatures. ‘It’s a step towards healing our planet.’

The people of Manhean were motivated and were ready to try these renewable energy sources like the solar energy instead of fuel or electricity.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A two-day workshop aimed at building the capacity of some selected community champions on climate change adaptation and mitigating factors has been held in Tamale.

The workshop was also to introduce participants to some local and international guidelines and key concepts on climate change and how the youth could leverage those guidelines to advocate for the protection of lands and other water bodies in their communities.

It was organised by the Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-GH) in partnership with the Northern Regional Chapter of Activista Ghana, both NGOs, with funding support from the Embassy of Denmark in Ghana.

It formed part of the implementation of the project dubbed: ‘Building Bridges: Empowering Youth as Green Champions for Climate Resilience in Northern Ghana,’ which targeted about 25 youth groups in the region.

Participants included selected leaders of youth advocacy organisations in Tamale, Sagnarigu and Savelugu Municipalities.

Mr Oseni Kabiru, Project Lead, Building Bri
dges: Empowering Youth as Green Champions for Climate Resilience in Northern Ghana, speaking during the workshop, said it was to empower participants on how they could actively participate in preserving the natural resources in their communities.

He called on young people not to relent in their efforts to bring about change on climate change issues adding that its impact was posing an existential threat to their overall well-being.Mr Abdul-Mumin Yussif, Member of the United Force for Development and Climate Reality Fellow, educated participants on some of the national and international frameworks on climate change, and how the youth could take advantage of the existing policies to help increase awareness on climate change issues.

He recommended the use of renewable energy saying it helps in reducing carbon emissions and air pollution.

Mr Issahaku Abdul-Latif, Northern Regional Coordinator of Activista Ghana, expressed the need for a united voice among young people to help advocate for the implementation of
various policies and programmes that best safeguarded the environment.

Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed, Executive Director, SWIDA-GH, said it was unfortunate that Ghana was signatory to numerous policies on climate change but had failed to implement them to enhance the livelihoods of the people.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr John Tia Akologo, a former Minister of Information under the President John Evans Atta Mills’ regime, has passed on at age 69.

He died on Sunday morning, March 24, at the Upper East Regional Hospital in Bolgatanga after a short illness.

Mr Salifu Abdallah, the Upper East Regional Director of Communications, National Democratic Congress (NDC), who confirmed the sad news to the Ghana News Agency, said he was taken to the hospital on Saturday for medical check-up but died on Sunday, unfortunately.

‘He was not sick, even yesterday, he was with us at a programme, very active engaging in some activities of the party and we never expected this. So, his demise is a very big blow to us as a party,’ he said.

Mr Abdallah described the late former Minister as a counsellor whose experience from various fields had contributed to strengthening the NDC and development discourse of the country.

Mr Akologo, who was also a journalist, had been involved in grassroots politics since the 1980s.

In 1982, he became the Pres
s Secretary of the Upper East Regional Secretariat of the Peoples Defence Committees and Workers Defence Committees set up by the Provisional National Defence Council.

He was elected the Member of Parliament for the Talensi Constituency in the 1992 general election on the ticket of the NDC and retained the seat in subsequent elections until 2012, when he lost to Mr Robert N. Doameng Mosore, an independent candidate.

The late Akologo was appointed Minister of Information in 2009 and in 2014, and later as Ghana’s Ambassador to Cuba by former President John Dramani Mahama, where he served until 2016 when the party lost power.

He also worked in various fields including the Bolgatanga office of the Ghana News Agency.

Until his demise, he was a member of the National Council of Elders representing the Upper East Region.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The interim Central Planning Committee of the Keta Central Easter Homecoming Festival, has unveiled a lineup of activities to mark the 2024 Easter festivities.

The six-day fun-packed programme, which included sporting, educational, tourism and health awareness activities has the theme: ‘Setting the Foundation Stones Right for Keta’s Total Reformation.’

The Committee said the programme was being organised by the Keta Youth Association and Channel Seven7 Networks, an event and media consultancy company, in partnership with the office of the Assembly member for the area and his Unit Committee members.

Mr Gabriel Dzikunu, Assembly member for the area and Chairman of the Planning Committee, outlining the activities to the Ghana News Agency, charged natives to embrace the idea to make it an annual festival.

‘I’m calling on all natives to embrace this idea to make this one of the best social festivals. Keta has so many assets that we have to sell to the public and by so doing, we will restore the town to its pas
t glory.

‘I’m so grateful to Channel Seven7 Networks Company and our Youth Association for this. And I’m also happy with how our opinion leaders and traditional leaders are supporting us,’ he said.

The programme is scheduled to commence on Wednesday, March 27 with a cleanup exercise and later a quiz competition between the two public basic schools in the town (Keta EP and Keta AME Zion Basic schools), then a ‘borborbor’ night to welcome natives coming from abroad.

The next day, there would be a health screening and health talks for market women and, a community awareness carnival in the morning and later, indoor games in the evening.

On Friday, March 29, there will be a health walk in the morning, a football tournament for four football clubs in town and a bonfire and historical night later in the evening at the forecourt of Fort Prinzeinsten.

Saturday, March 30 will be a grand durbar of traditional leaders, religious leaders, youth, natives, guests and leaders of all institutions in the town for dialogu
e on Keta Central’s progress and with a music jam at the Emancipation Beach later evening.

A thanksgiving service will be held on Sunday at the Global Evangelical Church, Keta followed by final games for the football tournament.

There will be a beach picnic on Monday, April 01 at the Royale Beach Complex for all religious and social groups to enable natives to make merry and play games such as beach volleyball and beach soccer amidst playing music.

Mr Benard Worlali Awumee, Keta Youth Association President and Secretary to the Planning Committee, explained that the aim of the festival was to revive a once vibrant Keta.

‘Keta is gradually losing its social and econnomic status and as its youths, the best we can do is to utilise our resources and energy for a better community.’

‘As a youth leader, one of my aims is to mobilise my members and the entire youth for community service and the Assembly member shares the same dream with us and it is a beautiful experience trying to institute this. The aim is to u
se this edition to raise awareness among the public and to establish the festival formally,’ Mr Awumee said.

Keta Central, the capital of the Keta Municipal Assembly and former capital of the Volta Region was once a major commercial hub in the region but has now almost become a ghost town due to destruction caused by the sea to most of its coastline settlements.

Currently, the town is home to the main market, major beach resorts, and a nursing training college with other public and commercial businesses.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Godfred Nti Anewu, New Patriotic Party’s (NPP), Parliamentary Candidate for Assin Central, has donated 40 packets of roofing sheets and 10 bags of cement to assist victims of a devastating rainstorm that hit Assin Fosu recently.

The rainstorm affected 130 residents, destroyed 21 houses, five public buildings including schools, churches, the chief’s palace and some electricity poles, rendering some parts of the town in total darkness.

Properties estimated at GHS227,000 were destroyed while two persons were injured during the disaster.

Mr Anewu, who together with the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), toured the community to ascertain the extent of damage, said, the gesture was to help reduce the suffering of the victims as some had no rooms to lay their heads.

In addition, he noted that the items would cushion them to repair their houses and happily live with their families again.

Mr Samuel Kwakye, Municipal Director of NADMO, said though the disaster was natural in some areas, others c
ould have been prevented.

He cautioned the public to take weather warnings seriously, adopt strict maintenance culture and desist from indiscriminate cutting down of trees that served as wind breaks to avoid unforeseen eventualities.

Some of the beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the Candidate for coming to their aid.

Source: Ghana News Agency

An Accra Circuit Court has remanded three drivers who allegedly conspired to rob and kidnap a student.

Christopher Adjetey, Bernard Aminamah and Aziz Abu, alias Aziz Father, have denied the various offences.

They will be brought before the Court presided over by Mr Jojo Hagan on March 26, 2024.

Meanwhile, one Emmanuel believed to be part of the gang is on the run.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Daniel Ofori-Appiah said Basilisa Esi Asangono was the complainant, a student and resident of Darkuman.

Adjetey and Aminamah are drivers and residents of Amanfrom and Kasoa respectively.

Abu, he said was also a driver living at Kaemebre, Kasoa.

Chief Inspector Ofori-Appiah said on September 14, 2023, at about 2200 hours, at Crispol City, the complainant, who was waiting by the roadside to board a taxi to Kasoa, saw a Nissan Versa taxicab with registration NO. GE: 4907 – 20, being driven by Abu with Adjetey and Aminamah on board approaching.

The Court heard that the complainant stopped the cab and indicated
that she was going to Kasoa and was asked to board.

On reaching Kasoa, Abu refused to stop the cab for the complainant to alight and drove the cab to a spot near the Ngleshie Amanfrom and stopped.

He said Aminamah, who was seated with the complainant demanded for her iphone 7 valued GHC6,500.00, adding that when she resisted Adjetey gave her a slap and subjected her to severe beatings.

He also threatened to kill her and snatched the phone from her, with Abu allegedly using a screwdriver to stab her back.

The prosecution said Aminamah forcefully collected the complainant’s handbag containing GHC900 and GHC 600.00 on her other phone and gave same to Abu.

Chief Inspector Ofori-Appiah said he then forced the complainant to reveal her mobile phone account pin number, transferred the GHC 600.00 and threw the phone away.

Thereafter, the Court heard that, the accused persons demanded that she called someone to send ransom of GHC10,000.00, or else they would take her to a nearby river, kill her and dump her body
.

He said the complainant was forced to call a witness in the case for the ransom and when she failed, they subjected her to more beatings.

Abu got angry and used a chain brought by Adjetey to assault the complainant, resulting in injuries on her face and at her back.

The accused persons, prosecution said, intentionally drove the complainant round waiting for the ransom, whilst they continued to torture her.

On reaching Ngleshie Amanfrom Basic School they met a Police patrol team and were signalled to stop.

The prosecution told the Court that the accused persons and their accomplices failed to stop and sped off and were given a chase till they were involved in an accident.

Abu, the Court was told, managed to escape as Adjetey and Aminamah were arrested and the exhibits- chain, the iPhone as well as the screwdriver were retrieved.

Chief Inspector Ofori-Appiah said the complainant made a report and was issued with medical form to seek treatment.

Adjetey and Aminamah, in their cautioned statements admitt
ed the offence in the presence of an independent witness and they mentioned Abu and Emma as the accomplices.

On October 23, 2023, information was received from the Central East Police Regional Headquarters that Emma and Abu were involved in a similar case, but Emma managed to escape whilst Abu was arrested and detained, later, Abu was escorted to the Accra Regional CID, where he was cautioned.

The police said Adjetey, Aminamah and Abu also confessed to having committed several robberies at Legon, Lapaz, Choice-Weija and Ashaiman through the same modus operandi.

The prosecution said investigations were ongoing to arrest all accomplices.

Source: Ghana News Agency