Both traders and hawkers in and around the Takoradi Central Market are operating in a very hazardous condition which poses serious threat to the health of unsuspecting consumers.
This is due to the unauthorised extensions that have been made in the market. The market is so crowded and the gutters are very dirty. Others who did not get space in the market are selling on the huge drains outside.
Interestingly, the Apremudo and Sekondi markets which were supposed to be alternative market places for the metropolis is actually under-utilised by traders.
A visit to the central business area indicated that the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly appears to be focusing on revenue mobilisation without a corresponding effort at providing infrastructure.
The description of the sanitation situation in the market currently is not the best to serve as a trading area for the public to buy foodstuffs for consumption.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
BAR OPERATORS DEPLORE COCGA/MUSIGA TACTICS (PAGE 18, NOV 23, 2010)
Bar operators in the Sekondi/Takoradi have deplored the move by the Western Regional Musician Union of Ghana to collect what it terms Copyright Licence Fees for playing their music at their bars.
The bar operators said there was no prior notice about the intended fee which has been fixed at GH¢500.00 and that they do not make profit to that effect even in a year round operation.
It said initially a letter was sent to the operators which stated that, “The interim Copyright Management Team (ICMT) is a body set up by Honourable Attorney-General and Minister of Justice in accordance with the Copy Right (Amendment) Act, (2009) Act 788 to manage the affairs of COSGA.”
Then the next day, COSGA members stormed their premises with police to enforce the law to pay or have their businesses closed down.
According to some of the operators, the approach adopted by the COSGA/MUSIGA Western Region was not the best.
They said the claim by COSGA/MUSIGA was good and they would be ready to contribute to the development of music in the country but, “it was wrong for COSGA/ MUSIGA to invade our premises with police to close our businesses down.”
One of the operators, Esther Hagan, called on the COSGA/MUSIGA Western Region to educate the people so that a compromise could be reached but not to employ what she described as dictatorial tactics to achieve their target.
She said from the letter that was given to them, requesting the payment of copyright licence fees, part of it stated that “The ICMT hereby requested you to settle your bill immediately.”
Ms Hagan said, unfortunately, there had not been any meeting to agree on anything only to give them letters and the next day .
When contacted, the Chairperson of the Western COSGA, Rev Lititia Anim-Wiredu, said they had taken into account the concerns of the bar operators and would pass the message on to Accra.
At the moment, the operations have been suspended.
The bar operators said there was no prior notice about the intended fee which has been fixed at GH¢500.00 and that they do not make profit to that effect even in a year round operation.
It said initially a letter was sent to the operators which stated that, “The interim Copyright Management Team (ICMT) is a body set up by Honourable Attorney-General and Minister of Justice in accordance with the Copy Right (Amendment) Act, (2009) Act 788 to manage the affairs of COSGA.”
Then the next day, COSGA members stormed their premises with police to enforce the law to pay or have their businesses closed down.
According to some of the operators, the approach adopted by the COSGA/MUSIGA Western Region was not the best.
They said the claim by COSGA/MUSIGA was good and they would be ready to contribute to the development of music in the country but, “it was wrong for COSGA/ MUSIGA to invade our premises with police to close our businesses down.”
One of the operators, Esther Hagan, called on the COSGA/MUSIGA Western Region to educate the people so that a compromise could be reached but not to employ what she described as dictatorial tactics to achieve their target.
She said from the letter that was given to them, requesting the payment of copyright licence fees, part of it stated that “The ICMT hereby requested you to settle your bill immediately.”
Ms Hagan said, unfortunately, there had not been any meeting to agree on anything only to give them letters and the next day .
When contacted, the Chairperson of the Western COSGA, Rev Lititia Anim-Wiredu, said they had taken into account the concerns of the bar operators and would pass the message on to Accra.
At the moment, the operations have been suspended.
SEKONDI POLICE ARREST FOUR ROBBERS (PAGE 18, NOV 23, 2010)
The Sekondi Police have arrested four suspected armed robbers, who robbed passenger buses and shot one passenger dead at Yawbrea-Nkwanta in the Aowin Suaman District of the Western Region.
They were arrested within 24 hours after the robbery.
The robbery took place in the early hours of November 1 and 7, 2010, and according to the leader, in each operation, they had GH¢1,400.00 as their share of the booty.
The leader of the group said to be an ex-convict confessed to the police that they were responsible for the two robberies.
Their names were given as Ebenezer Anima Bulu aka. Nolie 36; Kwesi Amo, Philip Buabeng, aka Allo, 23 who is the leader, and Shaibu Mumuni, aka Wahabu, 25.
According to the Western Regional Police Commander, DCOP Alhaji Hamidu Mahama, the robbers attacked and killed one passenger aboard a Ford Bus with registration number AS 3655-10 heading towards Kumasi from Enchi.
He said the robbers used a 207 Benz Bus to block the road and robbed the passengers of the buses of all their money and mobile phones
The Regional Commander said, Buabeng told the investigators that they were responsible for the first and second robbery and they shared the booty and had GH¢1,400 from each operation.
The commander said it was sad that the passenger had to die after he had unmasked one of the robbers and held him until he was hit by another robber who shot him in the process.
He said while the deceased was holding the robber, he fired more than 47 bullets before the magazine fell off the gun but it was later fixed by the robber leading to the killing of the passenger.
He said after killing the passenger they were not able to rob the remaining passengers as “the four then took to their heels and run into the bush, but police intelligence with the support of the public led to their arrest within 24hours,” he said.
He explained that when Buabeng was arrested, he mentioned the names of the remaining three leading to their arrest.
Currently, the police are trying to recover the locally manufactured gun and the AK47 that was used in killing one of the passengers.
Alhaji Hamidu said their problem used to be logistics, but at the moment, the Inspector General of Police had allocated armoured vehicles that would be deployed to the danger zones to ensure that the region was made a no go area for armed robbery.
They were arrested within 24 hours after the robbery.
The robbery took place in the early hours of November 1 and 7, 2010, and according to the leader, in each operation, they had GH¢1,400.00 as their share of the booty.
The leader of the group said to be an ex-convict confessed to the police that they were responsible for the two robberies.
Their names were given as Ebenezer Anima Bulu aka. Nolie 36; Kwesi Amo, Philip Buabeng, aka Allo, 23 who is the leader, and Shaibu Mumuni, aka Wahabu, 25.
According to the Western Regional Police Commander, DCOP Alhaji Hamidu Mahama, the robbers attacked and killed one passenger aboard a Ford Bus with registration number AS 3655-10 heading towards Kumasi from Enchi.
He said the robbers used a 207 Benz Bus to block the road and robbed the passengers of the buses of all their money and mobile phones
The Regional Commander said, Buabeng told the investigators that they were responsible for the first and second robbery and they shared the booty and had GH¢1,400 from each operation.
The commander said it was sad that the passenger had to die after he had unmasked one of the robbers and held him until he was hit by another robber who shot him in the process.
He said while the deceased was holding the robber, he fired more than 47 bullets before the magazine fell off the gun but it was later fixed by the robber leading to the killing of the passenger.
He said after killing the passenger they were not able to rob the remaining passengers as “the four then took to their heels and run into the bush, but police intelligence with the support of the public led to their arrest within 24hours,” he said.
He explained that when Buabeng was arrested, he mentioned the names of the remaining three leading to their arrest.
Currently, the police are trying to recover the locally manufactured gun and the AK47 that was used in killing one of the passengers.
Alhaji Hamidu said their problem used to be logistics, but at the moment, the Inspector General of Police had allocated armoured vehicles that would be deployed to the danger zones to ensure that the region was made a no go area for armed robbery.
DON'T CONVERT JUBILEE PARK INTO CAR PARK (PAGE 18, NOV 23, 2010)
RESIDENTS in the Twin-City of Sekondi/Takoradi have expressed concern about the decision of the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) to convert part of the Jubilee Park into public car park.
They are of the view that the Jubilee Park which was constructed at over GH¢450,000 for national and public ceremonies would eventually be converted into a car park.
The STMA recently announced that it would convert part of the park into a car park in its bid to clear the metropolis of congestion.
The residents say converting the Jubilee Park for use by cars would defeat the purpose for building the facility.
Mr Kojo Nti, a resident, argued that like the Independence Square in Accra, the Jubilee Parks in the various regions should not desecrated fo any other purpose.
A search by the Daily Graphic indicated that, as a result of indiscriminate allocation and sale of land acquired by the government during the construction of the Takoradi Harbour, there is very little land left for any meaningful development.
Now that the need for land has become one of the biggest issues in the metropolis due to the discovery of oil in the region, there is an urgent need for the Regional Lands Commission and the chief of Takoradi to coordinate to ensure that some space is allocated for a car park.
Some residents are also questioning the rationale behind the sale of governement residential quarters for private people to convert into private offices and car parks at a time when the metropolitan authorities are having difficulty in finding appropriate space for a public car park.
There has been an increase in the number of corporate bodies and the population in the metropolis.
As a result, private homes in the metropolis have been converted into offices and shops and tenants are been ejected from their rented premises without prior notice.
This is because of the competitive offers coming from the corporate world to convert these buildings into offices, which are so enticing that landlords can not resist.
The tenants or the poor workers in the metropolis would have had some respite if the assembly had gathered some will to eject the tenants at the railways quarters which some companies have expressed interest in the place. Some of these companies have expressed their willingness to build alternative accommodation for the current occupants of these quarters.
At the moment, there are many applications, before the Metropolitan Assembly for the relocation of the people to ensure the construction of modern office includings multi-purpose car parks.
But successive Chief Executive failed to take these laudable initiatives to change the face of the metropolis.
Another issue of concern which is the talk among residents here is the provision of toilet facilities at the Takoradi Central Market. At the moment, there is neither a toilet nor urinal at the market, therefore most women who sell in the market and shops in the central business district have cups or chamber-pots which they use and empty their contents into gutters in front of their shops.
It is the hope of the residents that the assembly would find ways to solve the congestion problem rather than the conversion of the national symbol into a car park.
They are of the view that the Jubilee Park which was constructed at over GH¢450,000 for national and public ceremonies would eventually be converted into a car park.
The STMA recently announced that it would convert part of the park into a car park in its bid to clear the metropolis of congestion.
The residents say converting the Jubilee Park for use by cars would defeat the purpose for building the facility.
Mr Kojo Nti, a resident, argued that like the Independence Square in Accra, the Jubilee Parks in the various regions should not desecrated fo any other purpose.
A search by the Daily Graphic indicated that, as a result of indiscriminate allocation and sale of land acquired by the government during the construction of the Takoradi Harbour, there is very little land left for any meaningful development.
Now that the need for land has become one of the biggest issues in the metropolis due to the discovery of oil in the region, there is an urgent need for the Regional Lands Commission and the chief of Takoradi to coordinate to ensure that some space is allocated for a car park.
Some residents are also questioning the rationale behind the sale of governement residential quarters for private people to convert into private offices and car parks at a time when the metropolitan authorities are having difficulty in finding appropriate space for a public car park.
There has been an increase in the number of corporate bodies and the population in the metropolis.
As a result, private homes in the metropolis have been converted into offices and shops and tenants are been ejected from their rented premises without prior notice.
This is because of the competitive offers coming from the corporate world to convert these buildings into offices, which are so enticing that landlords can not resist.
The tenants or the poor workers in the metropolis would have had some respite if the assembly had gathered some will to eject the tenants at the railways quarters which some companies have expressed interest in the place. Some of these companies have expressed their willingness to build alternative accommodation for the current occupants of these quarters.
At the moment, there are many applications, before the Metropolitan Assembly for the relocation of the people to ensure the construction of modern office includings multi-purpose car parks.
But successive Chief Executive failed to take these laudable initiatives to change the face of the metropolis.
Another issue of concern which is the talk among residents here is the provision of toilet facilities at the Takoradi Central Market. At the moment, there is neither a toilet nor urinal at the market, therefore most women who sell in the market and shops in the central business district have cups or chamber-pots which they use and empty their contents into gutters in front of their shops.
It is the hope of the residents that the assembly would find ways to solve the congestion problem rather than the conversion of the national symbol into a car park.
EPA MUST CHECK SITING OF LPG STATIONS IN TWIN-CITY (PAGE 18, NOV 23, 2010)
Operators of some liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stations which have found a huge market in private and commercial vehicles have ignored all safety measure thereby exposing the lives of public and the environment to great danger.
One of these gas stations located on the Sekondi/Takoradi main highway is a potential danger to lives and property.
Tropic Gas is located in a welding and fabrication, auto mechanics workshop, whose operations in proximity to the gas station is dangerous.
That aside, next to the this gas station is a Shell Fuel Station and another workshop in close proximity. In case of fire, there will be a disaster, since the petrol station, the houses, a timber company Primewood, a school and hotel around it may not be spared.
When the Daily Graphic visited the station at about 8a.m. on November 16, 2010, there were many commercial and private vehicles and although discharge of gas was ongoing, owners were eager to buy gas, oblivious of the dangers.
There was also a long queue of domestic users with their cylinders waiting to be served. This reporter entered the yard as a normal customer and did not find any fire extinguishers in the immediate vicinity.
While the gas was being discharged, the level of gas escape became a concern to many around, prompting the manager of the Shell filling station to come out of her office to express her displeasure at the activities of the gas station.
When an official was asked if they had fire extinguishers, he replied in the affirmative but was not able to show this reporter any of the extinguishers since they were not positioned as required by EPA.
When contacted, an official of the Western Regional Office of the EPA, Mr George Diawuo said the agreement for issuing permit to the Tropical Gas was based on the condition that, the owner would relocate the welders and other artisans on the land but till date nothing had been done.
It said even the permit for the operating this particular station had expired and yet to renew it, therefore, the place was to cease operation.
Mr Diawuo, said apart from Tropic Gas and Nab Gas many others dotted around the metropolis were operating against the requirements of the EPA.
He said what the EPA was trying to do was to first educate them and then move in to enforce the law.
Officials of the Ghana National Fire Service also deplored the operations of these fuel stations and said the safety practices were far below the required standard and in case of fire the effect would be difficult to contain.
One of these gas stations located on the Sekondi/Takoradi main highway is a potential danger to lives and property.
Tropic Gas is located in a welding and fabrication, auto mechanics workshop, whose operations in proximity to the gas station is dangerous.
That aside, next to the this gas station is a Shell Fuel Station and another workshop in close proximity. In case of fire, there will be a disaster, since the petrol station, the houses, a timber company Primewood, a school and hotel around it may not be spared.
When the Daily Graphic visited the station at about 8a.m. on November 16, 2010, there were many commercial and private vehicles and although discharge of gas was ongoing, owners were eager to buy gas, oblivious of the dangers.
There was also a long queue of domestic users with their cylinders waiting to be served. This reporter entered the yard as a normal customer and did not find any fire extinguishers in the immediate vicinity.
While the gas was being discharged, the level of gas escape became a concern to many around, prompting the manager of the Shell filling station to come out of her office to express her displeasure at the activities of the gas station.
When an official was asked if they had fire extinguishers, he replied in the affirmative but was not able to show this reporter any of the extinguishers since they were not positioned as required by EPA.
When contacted, an official of the Western Regional Office of the EPA, Mr George Diawuo said the agreement for issuing permit to the Tropical Gas was based on the condition that, the owner would relocate the welders and other artisans on the land but till date nothing had been done.
It said even the permit for the operating this particular station had expired and yet to renew it, therefore, the place was to cease operation.
Mr Diawuo, said apart from Tropic Gas and Nab Gas many others dotted around the metropolis were operating against the requirements of the EPA.
He said what the EPA was trying to do was to first educate them and then move in to enforce the law.
Officials of the Ghana National Fire Service also deplored the operations of these fuel stations and said the safety practices were far below the required standard and in case of fire the effect would be difficult to contain.
ELUBO RICE IMPORTERS GIVEN GREEN LIGHT (BACK PAGE, NOV 25, 2010)
Rice importers have now received the green light from the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to clear their imported rice, which has been locked up at the Elubo Border Entry Point.
Official correspondence from the Office of the Commissioner General in Accra to customs officials at the Elubo Border endorsed the initial agreement between the rice importers and officials of the GRA to clear the rice at $0.75 per kilogramme instead of $0.97.
A fax message signed by Mr George Bankson, Commissioner General, giving the go-ahead to the Assistant Commissioner at the border to proceed to clear the goods indicated that after clearing the impounded rice, the customs officials at the border post should revert to collecting $0.97 per kilogramme on imported rice.
That was because the $0.75 per kilo being duty charged now on the rice was only a special dispensation from the Customs Division to the rice importers.
For more than a month, truckloads of imported rice have been locked up at the Elubo Border as a result of the inability of the small-scale importers of the commodity to pay the appropriate tariffs imposed by the Customs Division of the GRA.
Some of the importers claimed they had been unable to raise the money because what Customs Division was asking them to pay was higher than what pertained at the Tema Port.
Commenting on the problem in an interview, the Commissioner of the Customs Division of GRA, Mr E.D. Larnyo, said that if the local importers wanted to attract lower tariff valuation, then the importers should consider consolidating their consignment.
“Under the consolidation, they all give their required quantities to one person, who will travel to the suppliers in Cote d’Ivoire or their country of choice and import it and pay the required tariff, which is likely to be lower based on the world market price,” he said.
Mr Larnyo said if the importers adopted the approach where everybody wanted to import rice in smaller quantities, then the Customs Division would be left with no option than to apply retail valuation of $0.97 per kilogramme.
He said they would hold series of education programmes for the importers to understand the system and that all the customs officials wanted was to ensure that the needed tariffs were collected for the state.
Meanwhile, the local importers have expressed their gratitude to GRA and the government and promised to engage customs officials to ensure that lasting solution is found to the impasse.
“We have lost millions in revenue and interest on our loans, so for now we will like to clear what we have here and pay off our loan and then we can take it up from there,” they said.
Official correspondence from the Office of the Commissioner General in Accra to customs officials at the Elubo Border endorsed the initial agreement between the rice importers and officials of the GRA to clear the rice at $0.75 per kilogramme instead of $0.97.
A fax message signed by Mr George Bankson, Commissioner General, giving the go-ahead to the Assistant Commissioner at the border to proceed to clear the goods indicated that after clearing the impounded rice, the customs officials at the border post should revert to collecting $0.97 per kilogramme on imported rice.
That was because the $0.75 per kilo being duty charged now on the rice was only a special dispensation from the Customs Division to the rice importers.
For more than a month, truckloads of imported rice have been locked up at the Elubo Border as a result of the inability of the small-scale importers of the commodity to pay the appropriate tariffs imposed by the Customs Division of the GRA.
Some of the importers claimed they had been unable to raise the money because what Customs Division was asking them to pay was higher than what pertained at the Tema Port.
Commenting on the problem in an interview, the Commissioner of the Customs Division of GRA, Mr E.D. Larnyo, said that if the local importers wanted to attract lower tariff valuation, then the importers should consider consolidating their consignment.
“Under the consolidation, they all give their required quantities to one person, who will travel to the suppliers in Cote d’Ivoire or their country of choice and import it and pay the required tariff, which is likely to be lower based on the world market price,” he said.
Mr Larnyo said if the importers adopted the approach where everybody wanted to import rice in smaller quantities, then the Customs Division would be left with no option than to apply retail valuation of $0.97 per kilogramme.
He said they would hold series of education programmes for the importers to understand the system and that all the customs officials wanted was to ensure that the needed tariffs were collected for the state.
Meanwhile, the local importers have expressed their gratitude to GRA and the government and promised to engage customs officials to ensure that lasting solution is found to the impasse.
“We have lost millions in revenue and interest on our loans, so for now we will like to clear what we have here and pay off our loan and then we can take it up from there,” they said.
RICE WAR NOT OVER (1B, NOV 24, 2010)
TRUCKLOADS of imported rice are still locked up at the Elubo Border, a week after the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) slashed the duty on the commodity from $0.97 per kilogramme to $0.75.
The tariff reduction was to pave the way for small-scale rice importers to clear thousands of bags of rice locked up at the Ghana-Cote d’Ivoire border.
With the directive not yet adhered to by customs officials, several bags of rice which have been heaped at the border for the past four weeks have started going bad due to excessive heat and intermittent rains.
At the time the Daily Graphic got to the border last Monday, more than 138 bags of rice that were emitting an offensive odour were being prepared for destruction.
The GRA, in apparent reaction to complaints over high tariffs by small-scale rice importers, on November 15, 2010 slashed the duty at the Elubo Border from $0.97 per kilogramme of rice to $0.75.
This was as a result of a meeting between officials of the GRA and local importers of rice at Elubo.
Border officials told the Daily Graphic that they had not complied with the directive from the GRA because they had not received any official communication from the Authority.
They said they needed official letters from the Commissioner General of the GRA and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to be able to comply with the directive.
“What happened at the meeting was just verbal. We would need an official fiat for us to go ahead,” one of the officers said.
Some of the importers told the Daily Graphic that they were at the verge of losing their capital.
When contacted, officials at the CEPS Headquarters in Accra said they were waiting for the directive from the Commissioner General before they could allow the goods to be cleared.
The tariff reduction was to pave the way for small-scale rice importers to clear thousands of bags of rice locked up at the Ghana-Cote d’Ivoire border.
With the directive not yet adhered to by customs officials, several bags of rice which have been heaped at the border for the past four weeks have started going bad due to excessive heat and intermittent rains.
At the time the Daily Graphic got to the border last Monday, more than 138 bags of rice that were emitting an offensive odour were being prepared for destruction.
The GRA, in apparent reaction to complaints over high tariffs by small-scale rice importers, on November 15, 2010 slashed the duty at the Elubo Border from $0.97 per kilogramme of rice to $0.75.
This was as a result of a meeting between officials of the GRA and local importers of rice at Elubo.
Border officials told the Daily Graphic that they had not complied with the directive from the GRA because they had not received any official communication from the Authority.
They said they needed official letters from the Commissioner General of the GRA and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to be able to comply with the directive.
“What happened at the meeting was just verbal. We would need an official fiat for us to go ahead,” one of the officers said.
Some of the importers told the Daily Graphic that they were at the verge of losing their capital.
When contacted, officials at the CEPS Headquarters in Accra said they were waiting for the directive from the Commissioner General before they could allow the goods to be cleared.
MAN'S HAND CHOPPED OFF (PAGE 3, NOV 22, 2010)
A caretaker at a building site at Mpatado in the Sekondi/Takoradi metropolis who suspected a man of stealing five iron rods has done the unthinkable by chopping off the suspected thief’s right hand.
Egya Kojo Mensah, the caretaker, later took the victim, Kofi Badu, to the police station.
For carrying out this Sharia-like justice, Egya Mensah has been placed in police custody, while the victim is currently on admission at the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital and is said to be responding to treatment.
Apart from his right hand, Badu sustained multiple cuts at his back and chest as a result of the attack on him by Egya Mensah.
Badu told the Daily Graphic on his hospital bed that he had been mistaken for a thief, explaining that he was an auto mechanic and that he had visited his aunt who lived in the area where Egya Mensah is the caretaker of a building.
Egya Mensah told the police that the stealing of iron rods from the site had been going on for some time, for which reason he decided to deal with anybody he caught.
According to the Kwesimintsim District Commander of Police, Deputy Superintendent of Police P. Ayamga Akolgo, Egya Mensah said he is the caretaker of a building project at Mpatado, where he had lost many iron rods.
He told the police that immediately he realised that a quantity of iron rods had gone missing, he and another man decided to search the whole area but they did not find the culprit.
The district commander said the suspect and the other man who is currently being sought for by the police later saw Badu in the area and gave him a hot chase.
He said Egya Mensah first slashed Badu’s back and later chopped off his right hand, before taking him to the police station.
Egya Kojo Mensah, the caretaker, later took the victim, Kofi Badu, to the police station.
For carrying out this Sharia-like justice, Egya Mensah has been placed in police custody, while the victim is currently on admission at the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital and is said to be responding to treatment.
Apart from his right hand, Badu sustained multiple cuts at his back and chest as a result of the attack on him by Egya Mensah.
Badu told the Daily Graphic on his hospital bed that he had been mistaken for a thief, explaining that he was an auto mechanic and that he had visited his aunt who lived in the area where Egya Mensah is the caretaker of a building.
Egya Mensah told the police that the stealing of iron rods from the site had been going on for some time, for which reason he decided to deal with anybody he caught.
According to the Kwesimintsim District Commander of Police, Deputy Superintendent of Police P. Ayamga Akolgo, Egya Mensah said he is the caretaker of a building project at Mpatado, where he had lost many iron rods.
He told the police that immediately he realised that a quantity of iron rods had gone missing, he and another man decided to search the whole area but they did not find the culprit.
The district commander said the suspect and the other man who is currently being sought for by the police later saw Badu in the area and gave him a hot chase.
He said Egya Mensah first slashed Badu’s back and later chopped off his right hand, before taking him to the police station.
Monday, November 22, 2010
RICE HEAP AT ELUBO -- For non-payment of tariffs (LEAD STORY)
Truck loads of imported rice have been locked up at the Elubo Border for the past four weeks as a result of the inability of the small-scale importers of the commodity to pay the appropriate tariffs imposed by the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS).
Some of the importers told the Daily Graphic at the border that they had been unable to raise the money because what CEPS was asking them to pay was higher than what pertained at the Tema Port.
They claimed that CEPS had directed them to pay a unit price of $0.97 per kilogramme for the imported perfumed rice, while broken rice attracted $0.42 per kilogramme.
According to the importers, their counterparts who imported through the Tema Port were made to pay $0.41 per kilo for perfumed rice and $0.39 per kilo for broken rice.
They said as a result of the disparity, some importers had resorted to smuggling, thereby denying the State the much needed revenue.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, the Chairman of the Association of Small-Scale Importers, Mr Solomon Kojo Kwesi, demanded an explanation from CEPS as to why all importers, whether using Tema or Elubo, would not be given the same rates.
According to a document sighted by the Daily Graphic, smuggling eased significantly before the introduction of the new tariffs and that as of the end of September this year, revenue for the State at the Elubo Border was 67 per cent above the annual target.
From the document, total revenue collected for the State by CEPS from January to September 2010 when the directive was given amounted to more than GH¢4.3 million, compared to GH¢1.4 million which was collected in 2009 when smuggling was at its peak.
There is a chaotic situation at the Elubo entry point, as the importers who entered the country thinking they would pay the same tariffs as applied at the Tema Port could not go back with their goods, since that would amount to re-exporting, which they said they could not afford.
The small-scale importers said the new development was outrageous and uncompetitive, describing it as a deliberate attempt to ruin their businesses.
When contacted, CEPS officials said they were working on the situation and would soon resolve it.
Some of the importers told the Daily Graphic at the border that they had been unable to raise the money because what CEPS was asking them to pay was higher than what pertained at the Tema Port.
They claimed that CEPS had directed them to pay a unit price of $0.97 per kilogramme for the imported perfumed rice, while broken rice attracted $0.42 per kilogramme.
According to the importers, their counterparts who imported through the Tema Port were made to pay $0.41 per kilo for perfumed rice and $0.39 per kilo for broken rice.
They said as a result of the disparity, some importers had resorted to smuggling, thereby denying the State the much needed revenue.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, the Chairman of the Association of Small-Scale Importers, Mr Solomon Kojo Kwesi, demanded an explanation from CEPS as to why all importers, whether using Tema or Elubo, would not be given the same rates.
According to a document sighted by the Daily Graphic, smuggling eased significantly before the introduction of the new tariffs and that as of the end of September this year, revenue for the State at the Elubo Border was 67 per cent above the annual target.
From the document, total revenue collected for the State by CEPS from January to September 2010 when the directive was given amounted to more than GH¢4.3 million, compared to GH¢1.4 million which was collected in 2009 when smuggling was at its peak.
There is a chaotic situation at the Elubo entry point, as the importers who entered the country thinking they would pay the same tariffs as applied at the Tema Port could not go back with their goods, since that would amount to re-exporting, which they said they could not afford.
The small-scale importers said the new development was outrageous and uncompetitive, describing it as a deliberate attempt to ruin their businesses.
When contacted, CEPS officials said they were working on the situation and would soon resolve it.
Ghanaian delegation gets inside look at U.S. Africa Command headquarters
STUTTGART, Germany - A delegation of media representatives from Ghana visited U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) headquarters as part of an orientation program to offer an in-depth look at the command's mission, February 22-26, 2010.
The group consisted of four prominent Ghanaian journalists, an information officer with the Ghanaian Ministry of Information, a public affairs officer from the Ghanaian Navy, and a media specialist from the U.S. Embassy in Accra.
The weeklong visit to the command, in which they met with senior staff members to discuss the command's programs and activities, culminated in interviews with the deputy to the commander for military operations, Vice Admiral Robert Moeller, and the commander of U.S. Africa Command, Gen. William Ward.
Ward told the group he was pleased they were able to visit the command.
"(It is), for us, a command that we want you to know; we don't want you to be wondering about it. We want it to very well understood," Ward said.
The delegation received in-depth briefings on the command, its programs and how it conducts military-to-military activities with Ghana and other African nations.
Ward was also able to clarify misunderstood issues about the command, such as how it works with the militaries in Africa and basing.
"We recognize, we appreciate and we respect the sovereignty of our partner nations," Ward explained. "In no way do we envision directing the navies of Africa, the armies of Africa, the air forces of Africa, the governments of Africa to do anything that they would not do for themselves. We have no design, no intent of telling you what to do, absolutely not."
One journalist, Samuel Appiah Darko, of Ghana's Joy FM radio, indicated that his listeners still wonder "what AFRICOM is all about" and whether it intends to establish bases in Africa.
Since the command was created more than two years ago, it has been widely misrepresented that it would establish American bases in Africa. In that period of time... Ward said, "We have done absolutely nothing that would substantiate that impression, and we're not going to do anything. There is no intention of setting up bases in Africa."
Explaining the Africa Partnership Station (APS) maritime program was a key focus area of the visit. APS, in its third year, focuses on building cooperative partnerships with African nations' maritime services in order to achieve common international goals.
The 2010 program brings together an international team of maritime experts from 21 nations - nine European, 10 African, and one South American -- to offer assistance in addressing maritime safety and security challenges such as unlawful, unregulated and illegal fishing, piracy and illicit trafficking. It is expected that more than 1,700 maritime experts will participate in dozens of workshops seminars and professional exchanges.
Ghana is serving as a main hub for the APS flag ship, the USS Gunston Hall. The Gunston Hall will spend the month of March in Ghana, working with the Ghanaian Navy and neighboring countries' navies on various maritime training and familiarization activities. A Ghanaian officer is embedded on the staff, and when Gunston Hall arrives in Sekondi, Ghana, and will take on trainees and ship riders from navies of neighboring nations.
George Nayken of the Ghana News Agency has covered previous United States ship visits to Ghana. He said he was thankful to the command for hosting the group and for the access they were provided.
He said there has been "a lot of suspicion and fear about the command. But I believe if more public education were to take place, people would not fear the command.
"We need more education on the command," added Nayken, who has covered previous United States ship visits to Ghana. "The U.S. military is not trying to impose itself on Africa."
During the week, the visitors traveled to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, to meet Major General Ron Ladnier, U.S. Air Forces Africa and 17th Air Force commander. They also toured American Forces Network-Europe studios in Mannheim, Germany, and met with the European Stars and Stripes staff in Kaiserslautern, Germany. In addition, they met with Ambassador J. Anthony Holmes, U.S. Africa Command's deputy to the commander for civil-military activities.
This summer, Ghana is hosting Exercise Africa Endeavor, U.S. Africa Command's annual communications exercise that focuses on interoperability and information sharing among African partner nations. The goal is to develop command, control, and communication tactics that can be used by the Africa Union in support of humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and peacekeeping missions. In 2009, the exercise was held in Gabon, with 25 African nations participating.
"It's been a very good experience ... getting to know things first hand," said Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, a journalist with the Graphics Communications Group, which publishes the largest daily newspaper in Ghana, the Ghana Graphic, during his visit to AFN-Europe.
He said before visiting the command, he didn't know what to believe and indicated there is "so much misinformation out there. We've received the message; the command is not what people say (it is)."
Ghana is the largest African peacekeeping contributor nation to multinational peacekeeping operations, and the sixth-largest among all peacekeeping contributing nations. It is supporting peacekeeping missions in Liberia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Darfur, the Central African Republic, Chad, and Cote d'Ivoire.
Ghana is one of eight African nations that participate in the U.S. National Guard's State Partnership Program, in which the Ghanaian military conducts partnership, training and familiarization activities with the North Dakota National Guard. Since this program was inaugurated in 2004 with Ghana, the two nations' militaries have shared well over 70 events together.
Ghana is also home to the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Center, which focuses on conflict prevention and peace studies. U.S. Africa Command has a liaison officer at the center and conducts a logistics seminar there called Partnership for Integrated Logistics Operations and Tactics, or PILOT. It is a joint Canadian government/U.S. Africa Command initiative aimed at building long-term operational logistics planning capacity within the African Union Standby Force.
The delegation members were:
Samuel Appiah Darko - Joy FM
R. Harry Reynolds - New Times Corporation
Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu - Graphic Communications Group
George Nayken - Ghana News Agency
Lieutenant Commander Veronica Arhin, Ghanian Navy
Gordon Deku Zaney - Information Services Department, Ministry of Information
Joyce Okyere Asiedu - US Embassy-Accra Media Specialist
The group consisted of four prominent Ghanaian journalists, an information officer with the Ghanaian Ministry of Information, a public affairs officer from the Ghanaian Navy, and a media specialist from the U.S. Embassy in Accra.
The weeklong visit to the command, in which they met with senior staff members to discuss the command's programs and activities, culminated in interviews with the deputy to the commander for military operations, Vice Admiral Robert Moeller, and the commander of U.S. Africa Command, Gen. William Ward.
Ward told the group he was pleased they were able to visit the command.
"(It is), for us, a command that we want you to know; we don't want you to be wondering about it. We want it to very well understood," Ward said.
The delegation received in-depth briefings on the command, its programs and how it conducts military-to-military activities with Ghana and other African nations.
Ward was also able to clarify misunderstood issues about the command, such as how it works with the militaries in Africa and basing.
"We recognize, we appreciate and we respect the sovereignty of our partner nations," Ward explained. "In no way do we envision directing the navies of Africa, the armies of Africa, the air forces of Africa, the governments of Africa to do anything that they would not do for themselves. We have no design, no intent of telling you what to do, absolutely not."
One journalist, Samuel Appiah Darko, of Ghana's Joy FM radio, indicated that his listeners still wonder "what AFRICOM is all about" and whether it intends to establish bases in Africa.
Since the command was created more than two years ago, it has been widely misrepresented that it would establish American bases in Africa. In that period of time... Ward said, "We have done absolutely nothing that would substantiate that impression, and we're not going to do anything. There is no intention of setting up bases in Africa."
Explaining the Africa Partnership Station (APS) maritime program was a key focus area of the visit. APS, in its third year, focuses on building cooperative partnerships with African nations' maritime services in order to achieve common international goals.
The 2010 program brings together an international team of maritime experts from 21 nations - nine European, 10 African, and one South American -- to offer assistance in addressing maritime safety and security challenges such as unlawful, unregulated and illegal fishing, piracy and illicit trafficking. It is expected that more than 1,700 maritime experts will participate in dozens of workshops seminars and professional exchanges.
Ghana is serving as a main hub for the APS flag ship, the USS Gunston Hall. The Gunston Hall will spend the month of March in Ghana, working with the Ghanaian Navy and neighboring countries' navies on various maritime training and familiarization activities. A Ghanaian officer is embedded on the staff, and when Gunston Hall arrives in Sekondi, Ghana, and will take on trainees and ship riders from navies of neighboring nations.
George Nayken of the Ghana News Agency has covered previous United States ship visits to Ghana. He said he was thankful to the command for hosting the group and for the access they were provided.
He said there has been "a lot of suspicion and fear about the command. But I believe if more public education were to take place, people would not fear the command.
"We need more education on the command," added Nayken, who has covered previous United States ship visits to Ghana. "The U.S. military is not trying to impose itself on Africa."
During the week, the visitors traveled to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, to meet Major General Ron Ladnier, U.S. Air Forces Africa and 17th Air Force commander. They also toured American Forces Network-Europe studios in Mannheim, Germany, and met with the European Stars and Stripes staff in Kaiserslautern, Germany. In addition, they met with Ambassador J. Anthony Holmes, U.S. Africa Command's deputy to the commander for civil-military activities.
This summer, Ghana is hosting Exercise Africa Endeavor, U.S. Africa Command's annual communications exercise that focuses on interoperability and information sharing among African partner nations. The goal is to develop command, control, and communication tactics that can be used by the Africa Union in support of humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and peacekeeping missions. In 2009, the exercise was held in Gabon, with 25 African nations participating.
"It's been a very good experience ... getting to know things first hand," said Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, a journalist with the Graphics Communications Group, which publishes the largest daily newspaper in Ghana, the Ghana Graphic, during his visit to AFN-Europe.
He said before visiting the command, he didn't know what to believe and indicated there is "so much misinformation out there. We've received the message; the command is not what people say (it is)."
Ghana is the largest African peacekeeping contributor nation to multinational peacekeeping operations, and the sixth-largest among all peacekeeping contributing nations. It is supporting peacekeeping missions in Liberia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Darfur, the Central African Republic, Chad, and Cote d'Ivoire.
Ghana is one of eight African nations that participate in the U.S. National Guard's State Partnership Program, in which the Ghanaian military conducts partnership, training and familiarization activities with the North Dakota National Guard. Since this program was inaugurated in 2004 with Ghana, the two nations' militaries have shared well over 70 events together.
Ghana is also home to the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Center, which focuses on conflict prevention and peace studies. U.S. Africa Command has a liaison officer at the center and conducts a logistics seminar there called Partnership for Integrated Logistics Operations and Tactics, or PILOT. It is a joint Canadian government/U.S. Africa Command initiative aimed at building long-term operational logistics planning capacity within the African Union Standby Force.
The delegation members were:
Samuel Appiah Darko - Joy FM
R. Harry Reynolds - New Times Corporation
Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu - Graphic Communications Group
George Nayken - Ghana News Agency
Lieutenant Commander Veronica Arhin, Ghanian Navy
Gordon Deku Zaney - Information Services Department, Ministry of Information
Joyce Okyere Asiedu - US Embassy-Accra Media Specialist
MAN'S HAND CHOPPED OFF (P3.)
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Kwesimintsim
A caretaker at a building site at Mpatado in the Sekondi Takoradi metropolis who suspected a man of stealing iron rods has done the unthinkable by chopping off the suspected thief's right hand.
Egya Kojo Mensah, the caretaker, later took the victim, Kofi Badu, to the police station.
For carrying out this Sharia-like justice, Egya Mensah has been placed in police custody, while the victim is currently on admission at the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital and is said to be responding to treatment.
Apart from his right hand, Badu sustained multiple cuts at his back and chest as a result of the attack on him by Egya Mensah.
Badu told the Daily Graphic on his hospital bed that he had been mistaken for a thief, explaining that he was an auto mechanic and that he had visited his aunt who lived in the area where Egya Mensah is the caretaker of a building.
Egya Mensah told the police that the stealing of iron rods from the site had been going on for some time, for which reason he decided to deal with anybody he caught.
According to the Kwesimintsim District Commander of Police, Deputy Superintendent of Police P. Ayamga Akolgo, Egya Mensah said he is the caretaker of a building project at Mpatado, where he had lost many iron rods.
He told the police that immediately he realised that a quantity of iron rods had gone missing, he and another man decided to search the whole area but they did not find the culprit.
The district commander said the suspect and the other man who is currently being sought for by the police later saw Badu in the area and gave him a hot chase.
He said Egya Mensah first slashed Badu's back and later chopped off his right hand, before taking him to the police station.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
JUBILEE PARTNERS FUND TWO HOSPITALS (PAGE 19, NOV 13, 2010)
TWO health institutions in the Sekondi/Takoradi metropolis have received a total of GH¢850,000 for the construction of a maternity ward and the completion of an accident and emergency unit.
They are the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital and Essikado Government Hospital.
The funds were provided by the Jubilee Partners, a group of oil and gas companies operating in the Western Region, to support healthcare delivery of the two hospitals, which take care of more than 400 communities in the metropolis and beyond.
Out of the amount, GH¢600,000 will be used for the construction of a seven-ward maternity block for Essikado Hospital.
The Jubilee Patners, led by Tullow Ghana, have decided to provide modern equipment for the Essikado Hospital after the completion of the maternity block, which will comprise four main wards and three side wards.
The remaining GH¢250,000 will be used to complete the accident unit at the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital, whose construction has stalled because of lack of funds.
The Medical Director of the Effia-Nkwantah Hospital, Dr Paul Ntodi, said the move by the oil companies to help provide facilities at the regional hospital was welcoming to the management.
He said the current state of the emergency unit at the hospital was very bad, particularly because it had a limited space and was not in a position to handle serious emergency cases.
“Therefore, the completion of the project at the new unit will not only help to ease congestion but also create the avenue for the expansion of the current out-patient department,” he said.
At Essikado, the acting Medical Superintendent, Dr N.K. Ametewee, commended Jubilee Partners for the support.
The Head of Public Affairs of Tullow, Dr Tony Aubynn, said the company was committed to the improvement in the lives of the people in its operational areas.
He gave the assurance that the Jubilee Partners would make every effort under their corporate social responsibility to assist the two health institutions.
They are the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital and Essikado Government Hospital.
The funds were provided by the Jubilee Partners, a group of oil and gas companies operating in the Western Region, to support healthcare delivery of the two hospitals, which take care of more than 400 communities in the metropolis and beyond.
Out of the amount, GH¢600,000 will be used for the construction of a seven-ward maternity block for Essikado Hospital.
The Jubilee Patners, led by Tullow Ghana, have decided to provide modern equipment for the Essikado Hospital after the completion of the maternity block, which will comprise four main wards and three side wards.
The remaining GH¢250,000 will be used to complete the accident unit at the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital, whose construction has stalled because of lack of funds.
The Medical Director of the Effia-Nkwantah Hospital, Dr Paul Ntodi, said the move by the oil companies to help provide facilities at the regional hospital was welcoming to the management.
He said the current state of the emergency unit at the hospital was very bad, particularly because it had a limited space and was not in a position to handle serious emergency cases.
“Therefore, the completion of the project at the new unit will not only help to ease congestion but also create the avenue for the expansion of the current out-patient department,” he said.
At Essikado, the acting Medical Superintendent, Dr N.K. Ametewee, commended Jubilee Partners for the support.
The Head of Public Affairs of Tullow, Dr Tony Aubynn, said the company was committed to the improvement in the lives of the people in its operational areas.
He gave the assurance that the Jubilee Partners would make every effort under their corporate social responsibility to assist the two health institutions.
ARMED ROBBERS KILL PASSENGER ON TARKWA-KUMASI BUS (BACK PAGE, NOV 13, 2010)
Armed robbers yesterday shot dead a passenger during an attack on a Tarkwa-Kumasi-bound bus.
The robbers struck at Yawbrea-Nkwanta in the Aowin Suaman District of the Western Region and one of the passengers, Asua Mesu, 30, a sand contractor and farmer who attempted to disarm one of the robbers of an AK47 rifle, was shot at close range.
The incident occurred after the armed robbers had allegedly robbed passengers on a 207 Benz bus and used the bus to block the road at Yawbrea-Nkwanta.
According to Mr Bafour Asare, a driver of one of the buses that was attacked, his was the last vehicle to stop at the blockade. He said, “the robbers came to my car and ordered the passengers and I to come out of the vehicle, which we did”.
He said the robbers made him lie on the ground after collecting GH¢400.00 and a mobile phone from him, They then conducted a search on the passengers but got only a few mobile phones and money.
Suspecting that the passengers might have hidden the money on the bus, the robbers moved into the bus to search it. In the process, Mesu jumped on the robber holding the AK47 rifle and struggled with him and just when he (Mesu) was about overpowering the robber, another robber hit his head with a club, sending him sprawling to the ground.
“The magazine containing the ammunition fell from the gun, but the robbers managed to pick and fix it, cocked the gun and shot him in front of the other passengers,” he said.
The driver confirmed that there had been armed robbery attacks on the road recently but his colleagues convinced him that the police were patrolling the road and so it was safe to travel, adding that he least expected the attack because at the time of the incident, it was almost 6 a.m.
Mr Asare said after shooting the passenger, the robbers then aborted their intention to rob more vehicles and fled into the bush.
The Enchi District Police Commander, Mr Isaac Akligbe, who confirmed the incident said the attack was the second in less than 12 days.
He said as a result of that the police in the district had intensified its intelligence gathering and extended its patrol hours in the Enchi area.
Mr Akligbe said the police had patrolled the area throughout the night and returned to base but just when they were preparing some suspects for court, they had a distress call that there had been an attack on a passenger bus.
He assured the public that the police would do everything possible to apprehend the suspects and also ensure more police presence on the road.
He, however, appealed to the public not to struggle with armed robbers because they risk losing their lives when they did so.
The robbers struck at Yawbrea-Nkwanta in the Aowin Suaman District of the Western Region and one of the passengers, Asua Mesu, 30, a sand contractor and farmer who attempted to disarm one of the robbers of an AK47 rifle, was shot at close range.
The incident occurred after the armed robbers had allegedly robbed passengers on a 207 Benz bus and used the bus to block the road at Yawbrea-Nkwanta.
According to Mr Bafour Asare, a driver of one of the buses that was attacked, his was the last vehicle to stop at the blockade. He said, “the robbers came to my car and ordered the passengers and I to come out of the vehicle, which we did”.
He said the robbers made him lie on the ground after collecting GH¢400.00 and a mobile phone from him, They then conducted a search on the passengers but got only a few mobile phones and money.
Suspecting that the passengers might have hidden the money on the bus, the robbers moved into the bus to search it. In the process, Mesu jumped on the robber holding the AK47 rifle and struggled with him and just when he (Mesu) was about overpowering the robber, another robber hit his head with a club, sending him sprawling to the ground.
“The magazine containing the ammunition fell from the gun, but the robbers managed to pick and fix it, cocked the gun and shot him in front of the other passengers,” he said.
The driver confirmed that there had been armed robbery attacks on the road recently but his colleagues convinced him that the police were patrolling the road and so it was safe to travel, adding that he least expected the attack because at the time of the incident, it was almost 6 a.m.
Mr Asare said after shooting the passenger, the robbers then aborted their intention to rob more vehicles and fled into the bush.
The Enchi District Police Commander, Mr Isaac Akligbe, who confirmed the incident said the attack was the second in less than 12 days.
He said as a result of that the police in the district had intensified its intelligence gathering and extended its patrol hours in the Enchi area.
Mr Akligbe said the police had patrolled the area throughout the night and returned to base but just when they were preparing some suspects for court, they had a distress call that there had been an attack on a passenger bus.
He assured the public that the police would do everything possible to apprehend the suspects and also ensure more police presence on the road.
He, however, appealed to the public not to struggle with armed robbers because they risk losing their lives when they did so.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
OIL TO POUR — FIRST DROP NEXT MONTH (1B, NOV 15, 2010))
INSTALLATIONS between the seabed and the Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) platform which will lead to the commencement of gradual oil production on the Jubilee Field are about 99 per cent complete.
This makes it certain that Ghana’s first oil will be poured in the first week of next month, as installations have almost been completed, the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has given the assurance.
The final installation works, including inauguration and testing, which has to do with the gradual opening of the production valves for full production, are also ongoing.
The company working on the offshore subsea installations, Technip, is confident that work on the subsea installation is within schedule.
The Engineering Manager of the GNPC, Mr F.B . Ackah, who made this known in an interview with the Daily Graphic, said there would be gradual production, which would not be up to 120,000 barrels per day, after the subsea installation.
He said there was the need to ensure that the facility was not forced to produce at full capacity immediately but made to carry out gradual opening after current ongoing testing.
The Country Manager of Technip, Mr Stephanie Solé, said the installation would be ready for the commencement of production by the end of November 2010.
At the moment, the company is in the process of putting what it described as finishing touches to what it started since the arrival of the Deep Pioneer, a multi-purpose deepwater support vessel which carried out the subsea installations.
Mr Solé assured Ghanaians that after the completion of the installations, systematic production could start in a very safe manner.
Under Phase I of the Jubilee Project currently ready for production, 17 wells were drilled, out of which nine were for production, two for gas injection wells and six for water injection wells.
Since the arrival of the Deep Pioneer, there has been the installation of seven miles of umbilicals, 42 rigid jumpers (6.25 to 12.75”), 29 miles rigid flow-lines, 19 Christmas trees, 26 PLETs, 91 electrical flying leads, 24 hydraulic flying leads, as well as eight manifolds and two risers bases.
The Phase I of the Jubilee Project has more than 800 million barrels of world-class sweet crude oil and has an upside of 1.5 billion barrels, with accompanying ratio of 1,000 to 1,200 gas-to-oil ratio.
This makes it certain that Ghana’s first oil will be poured in the first week of next month, as installations have almost been completed, the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has given the assurance.
The final installation works, including inauguration and testing, which has to do with the gradual opening of the production valves for full production, are also ongoing.
The company working on the offshore subsea installations, Technip, is confident that work on the subsea installation is within schedule.
The Engineering Manager of the GNPC, Mr F.B . Ackah, who made this known in an interview with the Daily Graphic, said there would be gradual production, which would not be up to 120,000 barrels per day, after the subsea installation.
He said there was the need to ensure that the facility was not forced to produce at full capacity immediately but made to carry out gradual opening after current ongoing testing.
The Country Manager of Technip, Mr Stephanie Solé, said the installation would be ready for the commencement of production by the end of November 2010.
At the moment, the company is in the process of putting what it described as finishing touches to what it started since the arrival of the Deep Pioneer, a multi-purpose deepwater support vessel which carried out the subsea installations.
Mr Solé assured Ghanaians that after the completion of the installations, systematic production could start in a very safe manner.
Under Phase I of the Jubilee Project currently ready for production, 17 wells were drilled, out of which nine were for production, two for gas injection wells and six for water injection wells.
Since the arrival of the Deep Pioneer, there has been the installation of seven miles of umbilicals, 42 rigid jumpers (6.25 to 12.75”), 29 miles rigid flow-lines, 19 Christmas trees, 26 PLETs, 91 electrical flying leads, 24 hydraulic flying leads, as well as eight manifolds and two risers bases.
The Phase I of the Jubilee Project has more than 800 million barrels of world-class sweet crude oil and has an upside of 1.5 billion barrels, with accompanying ratio of 1,000 to 1,200 gas-to-oil ratio.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
UNIDENTIFIED EXPATRIATE WASHED ASHORE (MIRROR, PAGE 21, NOV 13, 2010)
From Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu,
Half-Assini
The police in the Jomoro District of the Western Region are struggling to determine the nationality of a young expatriate lady whose body was found at the coastline of the district.
The police said because the deceased could not be identified, she would be buried without any ceremony.
The body was washed ashore with almost all her hair off, exposing parts of her skull and parts of the body suspected to have been eaten by fish.
The police said they tried to locate either friends or establish the nationality of the lady but there was no identity card or any clue on her.
They said they went to hotels and guest houses in the area to find out if there was any missing guest or any foreigner who had not returned to their facility but there was no information to that effect.
The police said they were left with no option than to seek a court order for the burial of the deceased at an identifiable location where in future her grave could be identified if they had information on her.
The police are keeping the clothes the lady wore before her death, which could also be a clue to identifying the body if the family should show up one day.
Asked who would be responsible for the burial, the police said they had to take care of any expenses and that for the sake of international diplomacy, the police had to ensure the burial was decent.
Half-Assini
The police in the Jomoro District of the Western Region are struggling to determine the nationality of a young expatriate lady whose body was found at the coastline of the district.
The police said because the deceased could not be identified, she would be buried without any ceremony.
The body was washed ashore with almost all her hair off, exposing parts of her skull and parts of the body suspected to have been eaten by fish.
The police said they tried to locate either friends or establish the nationality of the lady but there was no identity card or any clue on her.
They said they went to hotels and guest houses in the area to find out if there was any missing guest or any foreigner who had not returned to their facility but there was no information to that effect.
The police said they were left with no option than to seek a court order for the burial of the deceased at an identifiable location where in future her grave could be identified if they had information on her.
The police are keeping the clothes the lady wore before her death, which could also be a clue to identifying the body if the family should show up one day.
Asked who would be responsible for the burial, the police said they had to take care of any expenses and that for the sake of international diplomacy, the police had to ensure the burial was decent.
UNDERGROUND WATER POLLUTED (PAGE 21, MIRROR, NOV 13, 2010)
From Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Busia Beach
Traces of heavy metals and arsenic substance have been found in underground water and river bodies in the Western Region, putting the lives of residents who depend on them at risk.
The Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) which announced this at Busua attributed this to the activities of illegal miners.
The Water Supply Engineer of CWSA, Mr Joseph Jona, said increase in these illegal mining activities in the region did not only threaten the lives of water consumers but also threatened the existing water bodies and underground water.
He said there was the need to ensure that such activities were curbed immediately to safeguard lives and underground water reserves.
Mr Jona said other major challenges facing the CWSA were the delays in payment of bills by offices of ministries, departments and agencies in the districts.
He said the delays made it impossible for them to access ready funds to improve their services.
The supply engineer said as a way forward, they were developing a comprehensive documentary on the water situation in the region, where more than 70 per cent of the population was dependent on their services.
He said the total coverage for the region in terms of water to deprived communities was 44.20 per cent as of the end of December, 2009.
“However water supply coverage on successful completion of ongoing projects by the end of this year is estimated to increase to 56.70 per cent,” he said.
Mr Jona expressed his gratitude to other stakeholders such as World Vision International, Water Aid, R&C, an Italian NGO, Care International, the government through the assemblies and some mining, as well as cocoa companies, and support from the donor community.
The Chairman of the Water Board, Mr Francis Yaw Gyarko, acknowledged the challenges and the dangers posed by the activities of illegal miners in the region.
Members of the board were later conducted round some of the facilities in the Agona West District.
Traces of heavy metals and arsenic substance have been found in underground water and river bodies in the Western Region, putting the lives of residents who depend on them at risk.
The Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) which announced this at Busua attributed this to the activities of illegal miners.
The Water Supply Engineer of CWSA, Mr Joseph Jona, said increase in these illegal mining activities in the region did not only threaten the lives of water consumers but also threatened the existing water bodies and underground water.
He said there was the need to ensure that such activities were curbed immediately to safeguard lives and underground water reserves.
Mr Jona said other major challenges facing the CWSA were the delays in payment of bills by offices of ministries, departments and agencies in the districts.
He said the delays made it impossible for them to access ready funds to improve their services.
The supply engineer said as a way forward, they were developing a comprehensive documentary on the water situation in the region, where more than 70 per cent of the population was dependent on their services.
He said the total coverage for the region in terms of water to deprived communities was 44.20 per cent as of the end of December, 2009.
“However water supply coverage on successful completion of ongoing projects by the end of this year is estimated to increase to 56.70 per cent,” he said.
Mr Jona expressed his gratitude to other stakeholders such as World Vision International, Water Aid, R&C, an Italian NGO, Care International, the government through the assemblies and some mining, as well as cocoa companies, and support from the donor community.
The Chairman of the Water Board, Mr Francis Yaw Gyarko, acknowledged the challenges and the dangers posed by the activities of illegal miners in the region.
Members of the board were later conducted round some of the facilities in the Agona West District.
JEALOUSY...Farmer kills girlfriend's ex-husband (LEAD STORY, MIRROR, NOV 13, 2010)
From Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu,
Sefwi-Fuachiekrom
A settler farmer at Sefwi-Fuachiekrom in the Western Region caused a stir in the town when he shot and killed the ex-husband of his girlfriend in the full glare of the girlfriend and his stepdaughter.
After killing his rival, Kwesi Atta-Kwame, 25, a Beninois, and a friend, Theophanous Tawiah, also 25, reported to the police that they had fought with an unknown person and shot him in the process.
According to the Western Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Chief Inspector Olivia Adiku, who briefed The Mirror, the two men claimed they had seen Ameyaw Atamuda, the deceased, on their farm and a fight had ensued, during which the deceased had pulled a knife which scratched Atta-Kwame.
After investigations, however, the police discovered that the deceased had been killed by the two and his body dumped in a bush near his cocoa farm.
According to Chief Inspector Adiku, investigations also showed that the deceased’s ex-wife and his daughter, who were traumatised by the incident, had since left the town for an unknown destination.
She said before the discovery of the body, the suspects had been asked to lead the police to the scene but they took the investigators to a different location.
She said the body of the deceased was found in a state of decomposition, with multiple gunshot wounds on it.
“We combed everywhere but we could not find the body. The suspects said the deceased had bolted after he had been shot and could not tell if he died or not,” the police said.
According to the police PRO, it was after the discovery of the body that it was realised that Atta-Kwame and his accomplice had actually killed the ex-husband of his girlfriend.
The unregistered shotgun which was used in the act has since been retrieved.
The suspects have been remanded by a court to reappear on December 7, 2010.
Sefwi-Fuachiekrom
A settler farmer at Sefwi-Fuachiekrom in the Western Region caused a stir in the town when he shot and killed the ex-husband of his girlfriend in the full glare of the girlfriend and his stepdaughter.
After killing his rival, Kwesi Atta-Kwame, 25, a Beninois, and a friend, Theophanous Tawiah, also 25, reported to the police that they had fought with an unknown person and shot him in the process.
According to the Western Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Chief Inspector Olivia Adiku, who briefed The Mirror, the two men claimed they had seen Ameyaw Atamuda, the deceased, on their farm and a fight had ensued, during which the deceased had pulled a knife which scratched Atta-Kwame.
After investigations, however, the police discovered that the deceased had been killed by the two and his body dumped in a bush near his cocoa farm.
According to Chief Inspector Adiku, investigations also showed that the deceased’s ex-wife and his daughter, who were traumatised by the incident, had since left the town for an unknown destination.
She said before the discovery of the body, the suspects had been asked to lead the police to the scene but they took the investigators to a different location.
She said the body of the deceased was found in a state of decomposition, with multiple gunshot wounds on it.
“We combed everywhere but we could not find the body. The suspects said the deceased had bolted after he had been shot and could not tell if he died or not,” the police said.
According to the police PRO, it was after the discovery of the body that it was realised that Atta-Kwame and his accomplice had actually killed the ex-husband of his girlfriend.
The unregistered shotgun which was used in the act has since been retrieved.
The suspects have been remanded by a court to reappear on December 7, 2010.
HELP IDENTIFY CORPSE OF DROWNED WHITE LADY (PAGE 46, NOV 10, 2010)
THE police in the Jomoro District have been struggling to establish the identity and nationality of a young white woman whose body was washed ashore at Jomoro in the Western Region, on October 16, this year.
According to the police, the body of the woman, believed to have drowned, was washed ashore with almost all her long hair pulled off and parts of the body eaten by fish.
The police said their efforts to unravel the identity or nationality of the lady had been undermined by the fact that no identity card or anything to provide a clue was found on her.
They said they had enquired from hotels and guest houses in the area whether any guest had gone missing or any foreigner had checked in and not returned to their facility but there was no information to that effect.
The police said they were left with no other option than to secure a court order to bury the body.
They were of the view that the body had been in the water for more than three days and could not be kept any longer.
They said the police would, however, keep the clothes found on the body for further investigations.
According to the police, the body of the woman, believed to have drowned, was washed ashore with almost all her long hair pulled off and parts of the body eaten by fish.
The police said their efforts to unravel the identity or nationality of the lady had been undermined by the fact that no identity card or anything to provide a clue was found on her.
They said they had enquired from hotels and guest houses in the area whether any guest had gone missing or any foreigner had checked in and not returned to their facility but there was no information to that effect.
The police said they were left with no other option than to secure a court order to bury the body.
They were of the view that the body had been in the water for more than three days and could not be kept any longer.
They said the police would, however, keep the clothes found on the body for further investigations.
COCOA NO GO AREA (1B, NOV 10, 2010)
THOUSANDS of bags of cocoa and large quantities of foodstuffs are locked up in the northern part of the Western Region following perennial rains that have virtually rendered most of the roads in the area non-usable.
This has heightened fears that cocoa farmers in the area may send their produce to neighbouring Cote d’Ivoire for sale.
At the moment, the Enchi-Elubo road, which is used to transport cocoa and other farm produce from the area to buying centres, is cut off as a result of the rains, while the road from Samreboi through Mumuni-Camp to Prestea is not usable.
The most affected areas include Aowin Suaman, Amenfi West and East, Tikobo, Enchi and Elubo.
Other roads which have timber logs serving as bridges on them have been declared unsafe to be used because the logs are rotten.
On its visit to some of the affected areas, the Daily Graphic found that some of the roads had been completely swept away, leaving trenches in the middle of the roads.
Although the district chief executives in the affected areas managed to rally some support for the roads to be reshaped, the rains would not permit the contractors to undertake any serious work.
Even the roads that were awarded on contract by the Ministry of Roads and Highways could not be completed because of the bad weather.
The District Chief Executives (DCEs) in those cocoa-producing areas have, therefore, called on the sector ministry to intervene to help save the situation.
“The situation is now beyond our control and we need support from the national level,” they said.
Asked if the situation would not spark off the smuggling of cocoa to Cote d’Ivoire, the DCEs said the producer price announced recently by the government had significantly discouraged the practice.
They said the best thing to do now was to ensure that the roads were in good shape to help move the produce to the ports for shipment.
This has heightened fears that cocoa farmers in the area may send their produce to neighbouring Cote d’Ivoire for sale.
At the moment, the Enchi-Elubo road, which is used to transport cocoa and other farm produce from the area to buying centres, is cut off as a result of the rains, while the road from Samreboi through Mumuni-Camp to Prestea is not usable.
The most affected areas include Aowin Suaman, Amenfi West and East, Tikobo, Enchi and Elubo.
Other roads which have timber logs serving as bridges on them have been declared unsafe to be used because the logs are rotten.
On its visit to some of the affected areas, the Daily Graphic found that some of the roads had been completely swept away, leaving trenches in the middle of the roads.
Although the district chief executives in the affected areas managed to rally some support for the roads to be reshaped, the rains would not permit the contractors to undertake any serious work.
Even the roads that were awarded on contract by the Ministry of Roads and Highways could not be completed because of the bad weather.
The District Chief Executives (DCEs) in those cocoa-producing areas have, therefore, called on the sector ministry to intervene to help save the situation.
“The situation is now beyond our control and we need support from the national level,” they said.
Asked if the situation would not spark off the smuggling of cocoa to Cote d’Ivoire, the DCEs said the producer price announced recently by the government had significantly discouraged the practice.
They said the best thing to do now was to ensure that the roads were in good shape to help move the produce to the ports for shipment.
Friday, November 12, 2010
RESIDENTS REMOVE ROAD SIGNS, CULVERTS (PAGE 23, NOV 8, 2010)
MOST road signs in the Sekondi/Takoradi metropolis, especially, the central business district have been removed, while markings on the road have been blocked by traders who have displayed their wares on the road.
The shop owners have displayed their goods in front of their shops on the pavements an action which forces pedestrians to walk on the road, which is also risky.
Some shop owners have also erected canopies to cover the road signs, causing road safety problems for motorists.
All the signs on the road in front of Avor Hotel in Takoradi, had been removed while the one alerting motorists of a traffic light ahead has been covered with a canopy in front of a shop. Obviously, the shop owners do not see the importance of these road signs.
Some of the shop owners who spoke to the Daily Graphic said since they paid tax to the assembly, they had to operate their businesses in a manner that would enable them to accrue maximum profit to enable them to pay their taxes.
The shop owners have displayed their goods in front of their shops on the pavements an action which forces pedestrians to walk on the road, which is also risky.
Some shop owners have also erected canopies to cover the road signs, causing road safety problems for motorists.
All the signs on the road in front of Avor Hotel in Takoradi, had been removed while the one alerting motorists of a traffic light ahead has been covered with a canopy in front of a shop. Obviously, the shop owners do not see the importance of these road signs.
Some of the shop owners who spoke to the Daily Graphic said since they paid tax to the assembly, they had to operate their businesses in a manner that would enable them to accrue maximum profit to enable them to pay their taxes.
OIL FIND PRODUCES MIXED RESULTS (PAGE 23, NOV 8, 2010)
THE oil find could be said to be a blessing for the country.
Residents of the Twin-city of Sekondi/Takoradi, can however talk about some worrying issues when discussing the oil find.
Although the oil find has revitalised the long-lost vibrant economic activities in the metropolis, it has also resulted in increase in the cost of living which they have described as too high above the reach of the ordinary man.
There has been at increase in rents, prices of goods and services, while congestion has been created resulting in pressure on limited social amenities.
The rent of a three or two-bedroom house which used to be about GH¢50 and GH¢60 respectively, now is about GH¢100 with landlords demanding rent advance for three or four years, while other landlords charge rents in dollars.
Apart from utilities such as water, electricity and telephone, the prices of goods and services are determined by traders based on their profit margins.
The price of fish has also gone up. At the Sekondi landing beach, only takes the presence of oil service providers in their T-shirt to trigger the prices for fish.
Kojo K. Nsiah, a security man said he and other tenants were forced out of their house because the area was to be rehabilitated and rented out to an oil company.
“I was forced to separate from my family because I cannot compete, I have to perch with a friend to go to work and my salary is not more than GH¢90.00 so raising money to pay rent is a problem,” he lamented.
A drive through the metropolis indicate that most roads in the city are full of heavy duty trucks of oil companies, which are carting pipes and other logistics to the Navy Port at Sekondi or Takoradi Port.
One can count about eight different companies and other oil service providers located from the Paa Grant road to Nkrumah Roundabout.
There are other similar companies at the Shipper’s Authority Roundabout leading to the Takoradi Port.
City authorities seem to be overwhelmed by the situation and have not been able to come out with a solution to the problem of congestion.
Some residents have therefore appealed to the metropolitan assembly and the city authorities through its town and country planning unit to work effectively to ensure sanity on the roads and other commercial areas in the Twin-city.
They said that was necessary to ensure a conducive atmosphere in the central business district for other commercial activities.
Residents of the Twin-city of Sekondi/Takoradi, can however talk about some worrying issues when discussing the oil find.
Although the oil find has revitalised the long-lost vibrant economic activities in the metropolis, it has also resulted in increase in the cost of living which they have described as too high above the reach of the ordinary man.
There has been at increase in rents, prices of goods and services, while congestion has been created resulting in pressure on limited social amenities.
The rent of a three or two-bedroom house which used to be about GH¢50 and GH¢60 respectively, now is about GH¢100 with landlords demanding rent advance for three or four years, while other landlords charge rents in dollars.
Apart from utilities such as water, electricity and telephone, the prices of goods and services are determined by traders based on their profit margins.
The price of fish has also gone up. At the Sekondi landing beach, only takes the presence of oil service providers in their T-shirt to trigger the prices for fish.
Kojo K. Nsiah, a security man said he and other tenants were forced out of their house because the area was to be rehabilitated and rented out to an oil company.
“I was forced to separate from my family because I cannot compete, I have to perch with a friend to go to work and my salary is not more than GH¢90.00 so raising money to pay rent is a problem,” he lamented.
A drive through the metropolis indicate that most roads in the city are full of heavy duty trucks of oil companies, which are carting pipes and other logistics to the Navy Port at Sekondi or Takoradi Port.
One can count about eight different companies and other oil service providers located from the Paa Grant road to Nkrumah Roundabout.
There are other similar companies at the Shipper’s Authority Roundabout leading to the Takoradi Port.
City authorities seem to be overwhelmed by the situation and have not been able to come out with a solution to the problem of congestion.
Some residents have therefore appealed to the metropolitan assembly and the city authorities through its town and country planning unit to work effectively to ensure sanity on the roads and other commercial areas in the Twin-city.
They said that was necessary to ensure a conducive atmosphere in the central business district for other commercial activities.
POLICE IMPOUND 250 RICKETY VEHICLES (PAGE 23, NOV 8, 2010)
THE Western Regional Police Command has impounded more than 250 rickety vehicles with expired road worthiness and insurance certificates.
Some of the vehicles were impounded for fixing improvised seats, cracked windscreen, weak carriers on top of their vehicles and overloading. Others also had worn-out tyres
The operation was led by the Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Alhaji Hamidu Mahama. He expressed shock at the state of some of the vehicles and said it was important for vehicle owners and drivers to note that maintenance was very important in the transport business.
“From what we are seeing here, it appears that the people are only interested in how much money they make at the end of the day instead of the lives of innocent passengers,” he said.
Alhaji Hamidu said “This is what happens when the safety of the people is neglected to satisfy their profit motives.”
He said the police would continue with the exercise to ensure that the vehicle owners did the right thing by taking the rickety vehicles off the road to avert loss of lives.
“The vehicle owners should not see the exercise by the police as a bother but rather a proactive measure to ensure that life and property were protected” the commander said.
He said it was important for drivers to note that the lives of passengers and pedestrians were critical, hence the need to protect human lives.
He said the police would ensure that the exercise was carried out in all commands and divisions and districts of the police.
Some of the vehicles were impounded for fixing improvised seats, cracked windscreen, weak carriers on top of their vehicles and overloading. Others also had worn-out tyres
The operation was led by the Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Alhaji Hamidu Mahama. He expressed shock at the state of some of the vehicles and said it was important for vehicle owners and drivers to note that maintenance was very important in the transport business.
“From what we are seeing here, it appears that the people are only interested in how much money they make at the end of the day instead of the lives of innocent passengers,” he said.
Alhaji Hamidu said “This is what happens when the safety of the people is neglected to satisfy their profit motives.”
He said the police would continue with the exercise to ensure that the vehicle owners did the right thing by taking the rickety vehicles off the road to avert loss of lives.
“The vehicle owners should not see the exercise by the police as a bother but rather a proactive measure to ensure that life and property were protected” the commander said.
He said it was important for drivers to note that the lives of passengers and pedestrians were critical, hence the need to protect human lives.
He said the police would ensure that the exercise was carried out in all commands and divisions and districts of the police.
4 GHANA POST OFFICIALS IN FAKE DEAL (PAGE 23, NOV 8, 2010)
THREE out of four officials of the Ghana Post Company in Takoradi, who allegedly printed fake receipt books which enabled them dupe the company to the tune of more than GH¢16,000.00, have been arrested by the Takoradi Central Police.
The fourth suspect is however on the run and the police have mounted a search for his arrest.
The three officials are, Bismark Munkoh, Stephen Lirase, and Philip Boateng, with Kwesi Hagan, the Vaults Manger, on the run.
The suspects printed their own fake receipt books, which they issued to cover transactions with unsuspecting clients of the company between the period of January 1, 2009 and July 30, 2010. They also shared all proceeds from bulk mails after issuing the fake receipt to the clients.
Where a cheque was issued in the name of Ghana Post, the suspects would replace the cheque with fiscal cash from the vault with the connivance of the vaults manager, and share the money.
According to the police, Munkoh, who is the quality control manager had established close links with more than 35 clients of the company.
The police said when they receive bulk mail, he (Munkoh) would call the clients personally to inform them of their parcels. Sometimes, the corporate bodies and institutions called him that they were expecting such a bulk mail.
The police said when the group went for the mails of their clients, they would issue fake receipts to the clients as evidence of payment.
To continue with their deals, the police said, the four, led by Lirase who was the mail officer would sort the mails into the boxes without appropriate documentation from the counter.
According to the police, the company decided to carry out an audit when it realised that the sales from the Takoradi office was dwindling and that led to the discovery of the deal.
A total of 35 corporate bodies and other schools which were targets of the four, were visited during police investigations.
The police said when Munkoh, who was the principal suspect was interrogated, he admitted the offence and disclosed that the remaining leaflets in the said receipt book they were using was in the possession of Hagan who is currently at large.
The police said the three had been granted bail while they had intensified their search for Hagan.
The fourth suspect is however on the run and the police have mounted a search for his arrest.
The three officials are, Bismark Munkoh, Stephen Lirase, and Philip Boateng, with Kwesi Hagan, the Vaults Manger, on the run.
The suspects printed their own fake receipt books, which they issued to cover transactions with unsuspecting clients of the company between the period of January 1, 2009 and July 30, 2010. They also shared all proceeds from bulk mails after issuing the fake receipt to the clients.
Where a cheque was issued in the name of Ghana Post, the suspects would replace the cheque with fiscal cash from the vault with the connivance of the vaults manager, and share the money.
According to the police, Munkoh, who is the quality control manager had established close links with more than 35 clients of the company.
The police said when they receive bulk mail, he (Munkoh) would call the clients personally to inform them of their parcels. Sometimes, the corporate bodies and institutions called him that they were expecting such a bulk mail.
The police said when the group went for the mails of their clients, they would issue fake receipts to the clients as evidence of payment.
To continue with their deals, the police said, the four, led by Lirase who was the mail officer would sort the mails into the boxes without appropriate documentation from the counter.
According to the police, the company decided to carry out an audit when it realised that the sales from the Takoradi office was dwindling and that led to the discovery of the deal.
A total of 35 corporate bodies and other schools which were targets of the four, were visited during police investigations.
The police said when Munkoh, who was the principal suspect was interrogated, he admitted the offence and disclosed that the remaining leaflets in the said receipt book they were using was in the possession of Hagan who is currently at large.
The police said the three had been granted bail while they had intensified their search for Hagan.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
MAN SWINDLES EMPLOYERS (MIRROR, PAGE 34, NOV 6, 2010)
From Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Takoradi
BARELY 40 hours after being appointed as the sales and marketing officer of a firm in Takoradi, a young unassuming man has been arrested by the police for stealing.
Eric Essuman, is alleged to have broken into the vaults of his employer and made away with cash and cheques amounting to thousands of Ghana cedis.
After making use of the cash of more than GH¢5,000, Essuman was said to be in the process of cashing the cheques through a third party when he was apprehended.
According to the police, Essuman went to the bank to cash one of the cheques, but was asked to bring his identity card due to the face value.
To avoid detection, he then went home and asked a mobile phone prepaid card retailer near his house to go to the bank and cash the money on his behalf using her identity card since he could not find his.
Upon reaching the bank, and unknown to him and the phone card dealer, the bank manager had called the customer to confirm the issuance of the said cheque before payment.
The customer, according to the police, confirmed issuing the cheque but not to an individual but a company. The customer also informed the manager that he had informed the company not to present the cheque, since his outfit would be paying in cash.
The police said the customer then phoned the employers of Essuman, who told him that the cheque together with others in their vaults had been stolen.
The bank manager, according to the police, called for the arrest of anyone who presented the cheque to the bank.
After her arrest, the phone card dealer was made to call Essuman to go for the money.
He quickly rushed to the place for the money and he was arrested by the police.
About 25 different cheques issued to his employers with a face value close to more than GH¢15,200 was retrieved, but he could not account for the cash he stole.
He has since been remanded in prison custody to re-appear before court on November 15, 2010.
BARELY 40 hours after being appointed as the sales and marketing officer of a firm in Takoradi, a young unassuming man has been arrested by the police for stealing.
Eric Essuman, is alleged to have broken into the vaults of his employer and made away with cash and cheques amounting to thousands of Ghana cedis.
After making use of the cash of more than GH¢5,000, Essuman was said to be in the process of cashing the cheques through a third party when he was apprehended.
According to the police, Essuman went to the bank to cash one of the cheques, but was asked to bring his identity card due to the face value.
To avoid detection, he then went home and asked a mobile phone prepaid card retailer near his house to go to the bank and cash the money on his behalf using her identity card since he could not find his.
Upon reaching the bank, and unknown to him and the phone card dealer, the bank manager had called the customer to confirm the issuance of the said cheque before payment.
The customer, according to the police, confirmed issuing the cheque but not to an individual but a company. The customer also informed the manager that he had informed the company not to present the cheque, since his outfit would be paying in cash.
The police said the customer then phoned the employers of Essuman, who told him that the cheque together with others in their vaults had been stolen.
The bank manager, according to the police, called for the arrest of anyone who presented the cheque to the bank.
After her arrest, the phone card dealer was made to call Essuman to go for the money.
He quickly rushed to the place for the money and he was arrested by the police.
About 25 different cheques issued to his employers with a face value close to more than GH¢15,200 was retrieved, but he could not account for the cash he stole.
He has since been remanded in prison custody to re-appear before court on November 15, 2010.
TAKORADI AIRPORT GETS AVIATION FUEL STORAGE FACILITY (BACK PAGE, NOV 4, 2010)
A facility to provide adequate aviation fuel at the Takoradi Airport in anticipation of increased air traffic due to the commercial production of oil and gas has been inaugurated.
The facility which has the capacity to store 180,000 litres of aviation fuel as well as a reservoir which can contain 13,500 litres of water was constructed jointly by the Ghana Air Force, GOIL and Tullow Ghana at the cost of $480,000.
Inaugurating the facility, the Minister of Defence, Lt Gen Henry Smith, said with the increase in traffic there was the need for uninterrupted fuel supply to ensure smooth flights .
To ensure security in support of the country’s newly found oil and gas, he said the government had set up a ministerial committee on oil and gas which has been entrusted with ensuring the strategic direction of security in the sector.
He said the committee had developed plans to provide a framework for safety and security in the oil and gas industry in the country.
Lt. Gen. Smith said the committee had establisheded a petroleum security co-ordination centre to work closely with stakeholders in the industry by monitoring offshore and onshore facilities.
“In this view I call on the oil companies and other stakeholders in the oil and gas industry to be ready to assist the government and security agencies to acquire the basic equipment needed to ensure maximum security in this sector,” he said.
The facility which has the capacity to store 180,000 litres of aviation fuel as well as a reservoir which can contain 13,500 litres of water was constructed jointly by the Ghana Air Force, GOIL and Tullow Ghana at the cost of $480,000.
Inaugurating the facility, the Minister of Defence, Lt Gen Henry Smith, said with the increase in traffic there was the need for uninterrupted fuel supply to ensure smooth flights .
To ensure security in support of the country’s newly found oil and gas, he said the government had set up a ministerial committee on oil and gas which has been entrusted with ensuring the strategic direction of security in the sector.
He said the committee had developed plans to provide a framework for safety and security in the oil and gas industry in the country.
Lt. Gen. Smith said the committee had establisheded a petroleum security co-ordination centre to work closely with stakeholders in the industry by monitoring offshore and onshore facilities.
“In this view I call on the oil companies and other stakeholders in the oil and gas industry to be ready to assist the government and security agencies to acquire the basic equipment needed to ensure maximum security in this sector,” he said.
NON-PAYMENT OF BOPS AFFECTS STMA'S REVENUE (PAGE 18, OCT 30, 2010)
OFFICES of seventy-seven companies operating in the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Area are likely to be closed down for defaulting in payment of their 2010 Business Operating Permits (BOPs).
A defaulters’ list made available to the Daily Graphic show that the companies are owing amounts ranging between GH¢1,200 to GH¢12,000 which have accumulated to the tune of GH¢338,431.50 making it impossible for the assembly to raise enough money internally to support its development projects.
The advertising unit of the assembly has also threatened to prosecute telecommunication companies which have failed to pay fines and penalties amounting to about GH¢258,000 imposed on them for painting private residential facilities with their colours and logos.
The Acting Public Relations Officer of the assembly, Mr Opoku Boateng, said the assembly’s bye-laws stipulated that “the assembly may close down any business or suspend its activities until the appropriate fee is paid for the grant of a permit for the operation of businesses.”
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Sekondi, the Metropolitan Co-ordinating Director, Mr Zakaria Abdulai, said failure to pay those debts was affecting the assembly’s internally generated fund.
He said the assembly expected all those, who were supposed to pay taxes and all other forms of levies to the assembly, to do so to ensure the mobilisation of funds for the assembly’s projects.
He explained that aside from the common fund of the assembly, it depended so much on its internally generated funds for the execution of projects to meet the expectation of the people.
The acting public relations officer, therefore urged the defaulters to pay their Business Operating Permits and fines in support of the assembly’s revenue generation efforts.
A defaulters’ list made available to the Daily Graphic show that the companies are owing amounts ranging between GH¢1,200 to GH¢12,000 which have accumulated to the tune of GH¢338,431.50 making it impossible for the assembly to raise enough money internally to support its development projects.
The advertising unit of the assembly has also threatened to prosecute telecommunication companies which have failed to pay fines and penalties amounting to about GH¢258,000 imposed on them for painting private residential facilities with their colours and logos.
The Acting Public Relations Officer of the assembly, Mr Opoku Boateng, said the assembly’s bye-laws stipulated that “the assembly may close down any business or suspend its activities until the appropriate fee is paid for the grant of a permit for the operation of businesses.”
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Sekondi, the Metropolitan Co-ordinating Director, Mr Zakaria Abdulai, said failure to pay those debts was affecting the assembly’s internally generated fund.
He said the assembly expected all those, who were supposed to pay taxes and all other forms of levies to the assembly, to do so to ensure the mobilisation of funds for the assembly’s projects.
He explained that aside from the common fund of the assembly, it depended so much on its internally generated funds for the execution of projects to meet the expectation of the people.
The acting public relations officer, therefore urged the defaulters to pay their Business Operating Permits and fines in support of the assembly’s revenue generation efforts.
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