Afia Schwar: Case on whether she goes to prison adjourned to January 31

 

Date: Jan - 17 - 2023

 Afia Schwarzenegger (2nd from Right) entering the courtroom

 

 

The case involving socialite, Valentina Nana Agyeiwaa, popularly known as Afia Schwarzenegger has been adjourned to January 31, 2023. The Tema High Court was scheduled to determine her fate, today (January 17, 2023) as to whether she should is to go ahead and spend the 10 days imprisonment for contempt of court but a clerical error on the docket caused the court to adjourn proceedings for two more weeks. Afia Schwarzenegger is standing trial for a case of contempt filed by the New Patriotic Party (NPP)'s Ashanti regional chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako also known as Chairman Wontumi. Afia Schwarzenegger, who was also a panelist on the United Television’s(UTV) entertainment programme, United Showbiz broadcast in July 2022. during which she and the other panel members made commentary on a case pending before the court.

She was sentenced to 10 days in prison for contempt of court on December 1, 2022 However, Afia Schwarzenegger was absent on the day of pronouncement. She made an appearance on Tuesday December 20, 2022 in the company of her lawyer, Adrian Duke Amaning who moved a motion on notice for a variation of the sentence. Coming under Order 50 Rule 4(1) and Rule 5 of the High Court (Civil Procedures) Rules which deal with suspension of an order and discharge of a person committed, respectively, he prayed the court to suspend the sentence. Order 50 Rule 4(1) states that the court, which makes an order of committal, may by an order direct that the execution of the order of committal shall be suspended for such period or on such other terms and conditions as it may specify, while Rule 5 (1) states that the court may, on the application of any person committed to prison for contempt of court, discharge the person. Mr Amaning further indicated that his client had shown remorse and had since published her apology to the court. It would be recalled that Chairman Wontumi had dragged Afia Schwarzenegger and other contemnors including UTV to court after they ran commentary on a case pending before the court during an entertainment show, United Showbiz, broadcast on UTV in July 2022. The three contemnors namely Felicity Ama Agyeman, aka Nana Ama Mcbrown, Kwame Asare Obeng, alias Kwame A-Plus and Emmanuel Barnes alias Mr Logic were fined GH¢60,000 each (5,000 penalty units), a fine they have since paid. A fourth person, Fadda Dickson Narh, an Executive Producer of UTV, was pardoned by the court after the court held that he showed remorse by apologising on UTV before the case was brought to it. 

 

LINK  https://www.graphic.com.gh/entertainment/showbiz-news/afia-schwarzenegger-case-on-whether-she-should-go-to-prison-adjourned-to-january-31.html

TDCL rolls out plan for affordable housing

Date: Jan - 16 - 2023

Edward Boateng (left), Director-General of the State Interests and Governance Authority, interacting with Fatimatu Abubakar (right), Deputy Minister of Information, and Alice Abena Ofori-Atta (middle), Managing Director, TDC Company Limited, after the news conference. Picture: MAXWELL OCLOO 

 

 

 The TDC Company Limited (TDCL) has expressed its unwavering commitment to bridge the housing deficit in the country through the construction of affordable houses for the public. The Managing Director of the company, Alice Abena Ofori-Atta, said the Community 26 Kpone affordable housing project and the Community 22 housing scheme, among other projects, were some of the areas that the company had chalked up some successes in the drive to offer affordable accommodation to the public. Ms Ofori-Atta said this when she took her turn at the Meet-The-Press series of the Ministry of Information in Accra yesterday. She said the construction of affordable housing units had yielded positive results since the inception of TDCL, adding that in the over 70 years history of the company, each project delivered by TDCL was as a result of decades of experience and expertise in building and providing housing. Ms Ofori-Atta said the company would continue to do its best to ensure that it achieved its noble mission of creating and managing unique and sustainable urban settlements to meet the evolving needs of our residents, businesses and other stakeholders.

Completed works The Manager in charge of Corporate Planning of the company, Akwasi Boachie, in a presentation, said in terms of affordable housing, the company recently completed a gated-community at Community 26 in Kpone. The apartments of that community comprise studio apartments, one-bedroom standard, one-bedroom special and two-bedroom facilities numbering over 2,000 housing units. He said the project — started in 2007 — was handed over to the TDCL in 2015 for completion, and was solely financed by TDCL through internally generated funds. Mr Boachie said for a record time, they had sold almost half of the anticipated 2,000 housing units. He said the company also embarked on a 204 housing units at Tema Community 22 under the National Homeownership Fund, which was inaugurated by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in October 2020, constituting the first phase of the project. A second phase, he said, was underway, and would comprise a total of 201 housing units made up of two and three-bedroom apartments. He said with the deployment of flexible payment platforms, it was easier for potential home owners to access their houses and make payment with ease. Housing deficit The Director-General of the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), Edward Boateng, said in spite of the existing huge housing deficit that still confronted the country, the TDCL had played its part in helping to address the situation by managing to deliver and bridge the gap, especially for the middle and lower income earners. He said a look at the revenue mobilisation drive of the TDCL suggested that it was no wonder that the company emerged the best performing state-owned enterprise in the maiden Public Enterprises League Table Awards. The Public Enterprises League Table is an innovation by the minister of public enterprises to assess the performances of specified entities regarding compliance. Haphazard development The General Manager in charge of Operations of the TDCL, Samuel Asante, responding to a question of haphazard development in Tema, said although the master plan for the development of Tema was in place, there were some miscreants in the society who operated on the blindside of the TDCL to circumvent the system. He said that notwithstanding, the TDCL — through its development taskforce — had been conducting regular exercises to check the activities of encroachers. The Deputy Minister of Information, Fatimatu Abubakar, commended the management of the TDCL for striving to be self-sustaining, and encouraged the public to patronise the TDCL in order to access affordable housing units. 

 

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/tdcl-rolls-out-plan-for-affordable-housing.html

Hope, thankfulness...As Christians usher in New Year

Christians across the country ushered in the New Year with watchnight services that attracted thousands of patrons. The watchnight services travelled into January 1, 2023, with congregants offering prayers of thanksgiving to God for protecting them and wishes of breakthrough and divine favour in the coming year. There was heavy security at the designated worship centres, with the police and other security officers on guard against possible attacks and criminal activities. Central themes that ran through messages from the clergy ranged from hope, forgiveness, love, optimism to renewal of mindset. Greater Accra From the Greater Accra Region, Juliet Akyaa Safo reports that members of the Liberty Centre Assemblies of God Church at Abeka filled the 2,500-capacity chapel for the occasion. In his sermon, the Senior Pastor of the Church, Reverend Dr Sam Ato Bentil, called on Christians to renew their minds and heart to receive a transformation in the New Year. He said that would enable them to know the perfect will of God. Rev. Dr Bentil also urged the church members to reflect on the word of God and have the confidence that they would succeed in anything they put their minds to. From the Perez Chapel International, Emmanuel Bonney reports that the Founder of the church, Archbishop Charles Agyinasare, gave the assurance that God would be faithful to His people this year. He said although 2022 was eventful with issues such as the Russian-Ukraine war, floods and natural disasters, global economic crisis and the depreciation of the cedi against the dollar, God kept His word in the midst of the challenges. "The God who kept His word in 2022 would surely do it again the coming year,” he said. Archbishop Agyinasare told the congregants that they should trust in God because He would surely make His word come to pass in their lives. “God will be faithful to fulfill His promises and covenants, be faithful to preserve them from evil, be faithful to answer their prayers, keep them from overwhelming temptations, trials and tests, and forgive their sins,” he said. The General Overseer of The Lord’s Pentecostal Church International, Apostle Eric Essandoh Anim Otoo, said “We are grateful to God for ushering us into the new year, 2023. “The Lord has been gracious and merciful to us in all ways, and we need to be grateful to Him. We can look forward in hope for a fruitful year despite the seeming challenges that surround us,” he added. He said this could be possible if the society put its trust in the Lord. “As we prepare for general election next year as a nation, we need to prepare ourselves for a very peaceful election by conducting ourselves very well and be guided in our utterances with seasoned words,” he said. Praise, adorations At the Hope Congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana at Sakumono Estates, worshipers welcome the New Year with prayers, praise and adorations to God for seeing them through the previous year, reports Benjamin Xornam Glover. In a sermon titled: "More Than Conquerors”, Rev. Mrs Sylvia Emily Akuffo Anning Bonsu reminded the congregants that irrespective of the challenges in the previous year, God had gone ahead of them and won victory. "You are entering a new year with confidence because the Lord is with you. You are more than a conqueror. God will surely give you victory in 2023," she said. The Sakumono District Minister of the PCG, Rev. Daniel Amoako Nyarko, also in a New Year message, expressed appreciation to the congregants for the massive participation in activities of the church, especially outreach events, prison and hospital visitation, among others.

Ashanti Region From Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, Emmanuel Baah reports that the General Overseer of the Calvary Charismatic Church (CCC), Reverend Ransford Obeng, cautioned the citizenry to be wary of the craze for quick wealth. He observed that although people aspired to make progress in life, it ought to be done in “a more decent manner”. “All the wealth that is made on a silver platter cannot last,” he said, while delivering the sermon during the New Year service at the church’s auditorium at Ayigya. He also advised unemployed youth to tread cautiously in their quest to seek employment “because rushing for non-decent and dangerous jobs which guaranteed quick successes today would rather dwindle your fortunes and ruin their lives”. During the service, Rev. Obeng laid hands on some ‘Christmas babies’ and prophesied that through Christ, they would live to see nothing but victory. Central Region From Shirley Asiedu-Addo in Cape Coast, there were exciting church services for the Christmas Sunday, the watch night service and and New Year’s Day. In a sermon titled “Repositioning ourselves for the new thing God will do” at the Abura District of the Cape Coast Area of the Church of Pentecost, the Area Head Pastor, Apostle Samuel Yaw Antwi, urged Christians to increase their devotion with the Lord. He admonished Christians to remain resolute in the walk with God going into the New Year, and advised them to see God as their redeemer. The Head Pastor of the Redemption Baptist Church in Cape Coast, Rev. Dr Isaac Mills-Owoo, said despite the economic challenges, the Lord would guide Christians and provide for them. Upper East Residents in the Upper East Region, especially those in Bolgatanga, celebrated Christmas and welcomed the New Year with joy and excitement after attending services in their respective churches, reports Gilbert Mawuli Agbey. As Christmas Day fell on a Sunday, many residents flooded various churches to give thanks and praises to God for his protection and blessing throughout the year. During the 31st watch night, churches in the regional capital held services to usher in the New Year, with many filled to capacity, and some congregants compelled to stand outside to take part in the service. Volta Region Alberto Mario Noretti reports that churches in Ho in the Volta Region kept vigil to usher in the New Year, with intercessory prayers for the nation. At the Dela Cathedral of the Eangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana, at Ho-Kpodzi, the scene was reminicent of a carnival. Some members of the congregation followed the service on a giant screen on the forecourt of the chapel, which was filled beyond capacity. The Moderator of the General Assembly of the church, Rt Rev. Dr Lt Col Bliss Divine Agbeko (retd), called on Ghanaians to “demonstrate gratitude to God for bringing us this far”. “Let us continue to pray for wisdom for leadership to make the right decisions for the nation,” he said. LINK: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-news-hope-thankfulness-as-christians-usher-in-new-year.htmlJan - 04 - 2023  

 

230 Babies ‘arrive’ on Xmas, New Year

Jan - 04 - 2023

Ghana recorded 230 new births in nine major health facilities across the country on Christmas, Boxing and New Year days over the Yuletide. Female babies formed the majority of 126, with the males numbering 104. At the country’s premier hospital, the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Augustina Tawiah and Maclean Kwofi report that 82 births were recorded on the three ‘special’ dates. Eight of the births — three males and five females — were recorded on New Year’s Day, while 14 babies of eight females — including a twin set — and six males were recorded on January 2. Sixty deliveries were recorded at the hospital on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. According to the Public Relations Unit of the hospital, the first child delivered on New Year’s Day, a female, was at 1:20 a.m. From Sunyani, Biiya Mukusah Ali reports that 10 babies — made up of six females and four males — were delivered at the Sunyani Regional Hospital on Christmas and Boxing days. Seven of the babies, comprising five females and two males, were born on Christmas Eve, while two males and a female were also delivered on Boxing Day. All the 10 babies and their mothers were in good health when the Daily Graphic visited the facility during the period. Some of the mothers and their babies had since been discharged. A midwife in charge of the maternity of the hospital, Mrs Rebecca Asare, advised pregnant women to visit the nearest health facility as soon as they conceive. The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi recorded 23 babies on both Christmas and New Year’s Day, reports Kwadwo Baffoe Donkor from Kumasi in the Ashanti Region. While 14 babies — six males and eight females — were delivered on Christmas Day, nine — six males and three females — were recorded on New Year’s Day. Koforidua From Koforidua, Haruna Yussif Wunpini reports that 30 babies were delivered at the Eastern Regional Hospital and the Koforidua Polyclinic during the Yuletide and on New Year's Day. They were made up of 16 males and 14 females. Out of the number, 13 were delivered normally, while the remaining 17 were through caesarean section. Of the 30 new deliveries, the Eastern Regional Hospital recorded 27 new births, while the Koforidua Polyclinic recorded three. Lower deliveries The Senior Staff Midwife in charge of the afternoon shift of the Delivery Ward of the regional hospital, Faustina Donkor, said this year's number of deliveries was lower than that of last year. She explained that education on family planning, especially to women, had led to the reduction in pregnancies and subsequent new births. Municipal division At the Koforidua Polyclinic, a medical officer, Ruby Dornyo, attributed the low number of births during the festivities to the carving out of a new municipality, the New Juaben North Municipality from the original New Juaben Municipality. She explained that as a result, some expectant women opted to deliver at the health facilities in the newly created municipality. Thirty-eight new babies were delivered at the Bolgatanga Regional and the Bongo District hospitals on Christmas and the New Year days, reports Gilbert Mawuli Agbey from the Upper East Region. Eighteen of the babies were delivered at both health facilities on Christmas Day, while the remaining were delivered on New Year’s Day. They were made up of 20 females and 18 males. Two mothers, who successfully went through delivery on Christmas Day, Mary Nyaabila and Clementia Ayine, thanked God for seeing them throughout their period of pregnancy and safe delivery. From Cape Coast, Shirley Asiedu-Addo reports that 22 babies were born on Christmas and the New Year days at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital. Thirteen babies, made up of eight males and five females, were born on Christmas Day, while nine, made up of four males and five females were born on New Year’s Day. There was no maternal or baby mortality on the days at the hospital. The Public Relations Officer, Fred Nyankah, said the babies and mothers were doing well. Meanwhile, MTN Ghana Foundation has presented 25 hampers to babies born on Christmas Day and Boxing Day at the Cape Coast Teaching and the Cape Coast Metropolitan hospitals. The gesture was to show love as part of the telecommunication company’s social responsibility activities. The hampers contained baby dresses, pomade, powder, socks, diapers, scratch cards, toiletries and other baby essentials. At the Tema General Hospital, the facility recorded 17 births on Christmas Day, consisting of six males and 11 females, reports Benjamin Xornam Glover. Statistics obtained from the Labour Unit of the hospital indicated that six of the deliveries on Christmas Day were through Caesarean section. On Boxing Day, eight more deliveries of six females and two males were recorded at the facility, bringing the total deliveries for the two days to 25 compared to 27 deliveries recorded in 2021. 

 

Link: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/230-babies-arrive-on-xmas-new-year.html

Nightlife rebounds; low observance of safety protocols

Date Published Aug - 08 - 2020 , 15:01 BY: The Mirror Weekend nightlife in Accra has suddenly rebounded with low observance of the COVID-19 safety protocols at various pubs and drinking bars. Since March 22, 2020, all public and social gatherings remained banned as part of the government’s intervention to stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact of the ban on the socio-economic lives of the citizenry has been dire. During the President’s 14th address to the nation on measures taken to ease the spread of the coronavirus last Sunday, July 26, he said open-air drinking bars could reopen but gave a red line that they had to enforce all the safety protocols. No safety measures Over the weekend and the public holiday last Tuesday, many bars, particularly in Osu, were bubbling with activities while the various protocols such as physical distancing and compulsory wearing of nose masks were all disregarded, reports Joshua Bediako Koomson. Many bars, be it the very small ones by the corners of streets which serve local communities, or the bigger and more popular ones and pubs had all attracted patrons. Several people were seen drinking, singing and dancing together while having close conversations and engaging in other activities which could possibly cause the spread of the virus. Although some police patrol teams were seen patrolling the various streets, they looked on while such unlawful acts continued to ensue. Efforts by bar operators A bar operator who only gave his name as Okocha said he had tried everything possible to ensure the observance of the safety protocols “but you know it’s not easy to control someone who is drunk.” For instance, he said he had put up notices with the safety protocols inscribed on them while he also made sure the DJ periodically reminded them of the physical distancing directive. It was party time for the patrons “Aside that we also make sure the spacing is wide enough to avoid any spread. Few hours ago, I had to personally walk some guys out because they wanted to change the sitting arrangement by getting some of the chairs closer,” he said. “Although we want to make money particularly in these times that the COVID-19 had adversely affected our business, we have to make sure our staff and customers are safe,” he stated. Staff protection Aside the disregard for the safety protocols, some pubs and drinking bars also failed to ensure protection among their staff. A staff at one of the pubs in Osu said: “I came to work today expecting that my management was going to provide us with some safety gears but to my surprise, we had to buy them ourselves.” “We are being told to use the sanitiser anytime we serve and we have to change our nose masks every day. This means I have to use part of my salary for these items aside the burden of transport fare. All my colleagues are complaining, but our boss will not take it likely if we should approach him with this issue,” she said. A visit to some drinking spots and pubs in the Tema Metropolis revealed that while some customers were adopting a wait-and-see approach, operators have indicated that they are ready to receive clients and have made provision for social distancing for patrons, reports Benjamin Xornam Glover. Some of the popular hangouts visited in the metropolis were George's Pub in Community Two, Location Pub and Grill, Monte Carlo in Community 10, Ritz Pub as well as Starbites both located in Community Eight. Some pub operators who spoke to The Mirror said apart from making provision for physical distancing seating arrangements, clients who call in are expected to wash their hands and use sanitisers. However, this reporter who spent a few hours at some of the bars observed that while operators made provision of handwashing equipment, including soap, water, tissue and waste bins at the entrances, patrons were not using them and there was no one to prompt them. Patrons walked in and mingled freely without covering their mouths with the masks while some had their masks hanging loosely on their chin. Others also came in without their masks and clustered while talking loudly, seemingly forgetting about their risk of picking droplets from each other. A patron at one of the bars at Community Nine, who gave his name as Mr Ashittey, said it would be extremely difficult to observe the COVID-19 safety protocols in such an environment. “As you can see, under such environment, how will patrons exhibit minimum contact?” he queried. Others told this reporter that they had recalled some of their waiters and waitresses who were sent home in the wake of the pandemic in Ghana. Maame Esi, a waitress at one of the pubs, told this reporter that she was happy to be back to work after staying home for two months. “I know some patrons are hesitant about mixing in larger groups but with time, the business will pick up,” she stated. No physical distancing There were mixed scenarios at the Purple Pub bar, Africa Power Cocktail Special, Container Spot at Osu and Vienna City at Circle, all in Accra, reports Lydia Ezit. At the Purple Pub and Africa Power Cocktail Special pubs, The Mirror noticed that there was no spacing in the seating arrangement. Although management had positioned Veronica buckets at the entrances, patrons ignored the buckets as they entered the pub. The patrons were spotted dancing, some crowded around tables and food joints without adherence to the physical distancing protocol, while others gathered around obscure corners in the pubs amidst puffing of shisha. A bar attendant at Purple Pub who gave her name only as Naa explained that it was difficult getting customers to adhere to protocols as some were quick to snob them. The popular Container Spot opposite the Papaye Restaurant in Osu was very quiet and virtually empty with only two patrons drinking. The usual bustle which accompanies brisk soliciting business by prostitutes at the Vienna City, near Kwame Nkrumah Circle, was missing when The Mirror visited the place. There were no customers, mainly prostitutes, although the place had been operating since the restrictions were lifted. Security men at the Vienna City told The Mirror that the spot had lost customers since the government announced measures to curb the novel COVID-19 pandemic. Though they had been operating, they explained that only few people walked in to patronise their service. Previously, they said the car park was full but these days there was little work to do. At Achimota Mile 7 in Accra, Sarah G. Dah reports that drinking spots and pork joints were full to capacity on the night of the Founders Day. However, the safety protocols were thrown to the wind, as most of the patrons came in without observing them. There were also no Veronica buckets at the entrance for handwashing. The Mile 7 Park Drinking Spot which used to be busy for party-goers before the outbreak of the virus seems to be picking up, at least during the holiday. Patrons enjoyed themselves as they mingled and partied all night long, as they seemed to be telling one another that ‘to hell with the virus.’ They gathered in groups of fives, sevens and 10s around different tables with different kinds of alcoholic beverages, accompanied by khebab. At some point, people put on their dancing shoes to enjoy tunes from highlife legends. A waitress told The Mirror that “it was because of COVID-19, but now that it is gone, we are back to business. You can see that everyone is seated.” Meanwhile, Justtouch, a popular joint at Kwabanya, Accra, which used to be crowded, is still not back to its normal operations, as TheMirror observed that only a handful of people were hanging around. Although the Veggies Restaurant at Ashongman Estate, was not functioning as it used to be, some people were spotted waiting for their orders, with each table far from the other https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/nightlife-rebounds-low-observance-of-safety-protocols.html

Mother allegedly poisons 2 two children for not being able to cater for them

BY: Benjamin Xornam Glover Date: Jul - 31 - 2020

A mother said to be finding difficulties in raising her two children has allegedly poisoned them at Tema New Town in the Greater Accra Region. The incident which happened on Thursday has resulted in the death of the two children, reports Graphic Online's Benjamin Xornam Glover. The suspect, Abigail Agbubla Tetteh, 28, was arrested by the Tema Police Command to assist in investigation after she allegedly administered a yet to be determined drug to the children and fled. The bodies were retrieved in the home of the suspect by the Police on Thursday, July 30, 2020. The deceased children, a boy and a girl aged two and eight months respectively, were found dead on a bed and locked up in their rooms, after residents became suspicious of their whereabouts. Crowd The incident attracted a crowd to the scene where the children laid motionless on their bed wearing only diapers with foam on their lips and nostrils. The suspect initially fled the scene but was arrested by some residents who handed her to the police. Naawoo Amerley, a traditional priestess in the area said the suspect who had run to her house in the early hours of Thursday, after committing the heinous crime, tried bolting after her deed was uncovered. Meanwhile the suspect has since been arrested by the police. The acting Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Tema Regional Police Command, Chief Inspector Stella Dede Dzakpasu, said that at about 5:30 pm on Thursday, the Tema Regional Criminal Investigations Department (CID) had information that, a mother had allegedly killed her two children at Tema New Town. She said a team of investigators and the the Crime Scene team visited the scene at Tema Manhean and saw the motionless bodies of two children in a wooden structure. No assault marks Chief Inspector Dzakpasu said the team conducted an inspection on the bodies and found no marks of assault however their mouths and nostrils were foamy. She said that it was suspected that the children might have been poisoned adding that some liquid substances in bottles were retrieved by the police. The mother of the children was arrested and detained while the bodies were conveyed to the police hospital and were confirmed dead by a medical officer. Writer's email: benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/mother-allegedly-poisons-2-two-children-for-not-being-able-to-cater-for-them.html

Digital petroleum monitoring rakes in GH¢1bn(Daily Graphic April 12, 2021

 

https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/digital-petroleum-monitoring-rakes-in-gh-1bn.html