19 Nigeriens busted for entering Ghana through unapproved routes

Immigration Officials at the Hamile border in the Upper West Region have rounded up 19 Nigeriens who were en route to Burkina Faso but were using Ghana as a transit point.

They allegedly entered Ghana using unapproved routes.

Initial investigation by the Ghana Immigration Service revealed the migrants aged between 14 and 43 had planned to sneak into Burkina Faso for farming purposes.

Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Immigration Service in the region in a statement said the Nigeriens have been screened by port health officials and sent back to Kumasi where they settled upon their arrival in Ghana.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that they were in Ghana around Ashanti Region for some time now. The migration was to sneak into Burkina Faso en route Niger for farming purposes. They were screened by the Port Health personnel. They were sent back to Kumasi and its environs on board a VIP bus,” the statement indicated.

Burkinabes arrested 

In a related development, 10 Burkina Faso nationals have been apprehended at the Babile inland checkpoint in the Upper West Region on Friday, May 29, 2020 at about 23:50 GMT.

 

Preliminary investigations by Immigration Officials revealed that the ten had sneaked into Ghana through unapproved routes.

They are made up of seven males and three females with their ages ranging between two and 31.

Onboard a commercial Yutong bus with registration number GT 4356-16, they were destined for Kumasi and Bole respectively.

The arrest was made by the officials during a routine exercise to screen and profile persons in buses in vehicular traffic.

Meanwhile, the illegal migrants have been screened and okayed by the Port Health Officials.

They have since been handed over to the Burkina Faso authorities on the other side of the border at the Hamile post.

Since the border closure, many foreign nationals have been arrested in different parts of the country using unapproved routes to enter the country.

Most of these people, after investigations and tests, are noted to be carriers of COVID-19.

Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has indicated that foreigners who enter into Ghana when the country’s borders have been closed will be dealt with together with their Ghanaian accomplices.

Source: citinewsroom.com

14 more Western Togoland secessionists arrested at Kpando-Aziavi

The 66 Artillery Regiment (Volta Barracks) Saturday arrested 14 persons suspected to be linked to separatists Homeland Study Group Foundation.

The 13 persons, eleven males and two females, were picked at a meeting at Kpando-Aziavi in the Volta Region.

Lieutenant Colonel Bernard Baba Pantoah, Commanding Officer of the 66 Artillery Regiment, told the Ghana News Agency that the operation, which had support from official

He said security personnel seized a document from the group detailing areas they allegedly planned to attack soon.ls of the Bureau of National Investigations was between 0850 hours and 1300 hours.

The Commanding Officer said the 14 persons were escorted to the Regional Police Headquarters for further investigations.

In February this year, the Regiment rounded up 21 persons at a secret training camp allegedly operated by the secessionists group at Kpevedui in the Ketu North Municipality.

The ‘recruits’, made up of 20 males and a female, were busted in a dawn raid and airlifted to Accra for further investigations.

Source: GNA

Ghana’s coronavirus case count now 7,768 with 2,540 recoveries

Ghana’s Coronavirus cases have risen to 7,768 as of Saturday, May 30, 2020.

The number of recoveries has also shot up to 2,540.

According to new figures from the Ghana Health Service, 152 new cases have been recorded while some 128 people have also recovered from the virus.

Meanwhile, one death has also been recorded bringing to 35 the total number of COVID-19 deaths recorded in the country.

Regional Breakdown

• Greater Accra Region – 5,430
• Ashanti Region – 1,183
• Western Region – 405
• Central Region – 381
• Eastern Region – 117
• Volta Region – 71
• Western North Region – 65
• Northern Region – 37
• Oti Region – 26
• Upper East Region – 26
• Upper West Region – 22
• North East Region – 2
• Savannah Region – 1
• Bono Region – 1
• Bono East Region – 1
• Ahafo Region – 0

Source: citinewsroom.com

Murdered Ofankor tenant’s friends storm police station to seek justice

Victor Stephen Nana Kankam (L), Spark Benjamine (R)

Some individuals believed to be friends of the late Benjamin Okyere have stormed the Mile 7 police station in pursuit of justice.

The outpour of comments from these individuals when they gathered in front of the police station to protest, proves the outrage and anger over their friend’s death.

One of the protestors who led the course said they are ready to test the system.

“For once we want to believe that the system works because I am grieved and having a heavy heart”. He told Adom News

He said, the fact that the landlord has confessed to killing his friend out of self-defence upsets him most.

“I was peeved. I think he didn’t understand what self-defence means. When you walk from your home premeditated with a fully-loaded gun with a bulletproof vest? He fumed.

“You only have to be threatened first to say self-defence. My friend wasn’t even aware that he was coming. I was expecting the media to ask more questions.

“We want justice to prevail. We know there is freedom and no justice in Ghana. We were at the court and the case has been adjourned to two weeks’ time. We want him to be jailed, he concluded.

Background

The late tenant was allegedly shot four times by his landlord, Mr. Victor Kankam, after he served the former a notice to move out from his two-bedroom house.

Mr Kankam after his arrest told the police he shot his tenant out of ‘self-defence’.

Source: GhanaWeb.com

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Court dismisses Sam George’s case against EC; fines him GH¢6,000

A case filed against the Electoral Commission by the Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam George, has been dismissed by the Tema High Court.

Sam George had filed an application in court seeking to restrain the EC from hosting a supposed workshop on the new voters’ register at the Escape Hotel in Prampram.

His lawyers; Godwin Dzah and Justice Srem Sai, argued that the EC would be breaching the ban against public and social gatherings if it were allowed to host the said meeting.

He succeeded in securing an interim injunction to restrain the EC from hosting the said event which was to take place from 24th to 29th April 2020.

Sam George in an interview with citinewsroom.com said his lawyers were expected to be in court today, Thursday, May 28, 2020, to discontinue the case but could not get there on time because they had some cases to attend to in Accra.

EC’s lawyers accusations

However, the EC’s lawyers who were present at the court accused Sam George and his counsel of failing to comply with the provisions of Order 55, rule 6 (2 and 3) of the High Court Civil Procedure Rules, 2004 (CI 47), for failing to file a Statement of Case to allow the EC to respond to same.

The EC’s lawyers reportedly added that the applicants filed the instant case on the 24th of April 2020 and as at today the 28th of May 2020, they have not filed their Statement of Case, to that end, the case ought to be struck out.

The Tema High Court presided over by Justice Eugene Nyante Nyadu, agreed with them, struck out the case and awarded a cost of GHS6,000 against the Ningo Prampram legislator.

We’ll apply for the judgement to be set aside

Meanwhile, Sam George in an interview with citinewsroom.com said he has instructed his lawyers to apply to the court to set aside the judgement.

“The basis on which we went to court was no longer existent because the EC was no longer holding the said meeting. So the decision was that we will go to court today, May 28, and notify the court that we wanted to discontinue the case. By the time my lawyers got to Tema, I heard the judge had ruled on the matter. My lawyers are going to apply to the court to set aside the judgement [and if possible review the fine],” he added.

Source: citinewsroom.com

W/R: Newborn baby of woman with COVID-19 tests negative for virus

The baby born to a woman who tested positive for COVID-19 in the Western Region has tested negative for the virus.

The woman with COVID-19 delivered the baby through a cesarean section about two weeks ago.

Dr. Joseph Darko, who led the team of doctors to deliver the woman of the baby at the Tarkwa Apinto Government hospital said the mother has subsequently tested negative and awaiting another negative test to be declared recovered from COVID-19.

“About two weeks ago we successfully delivered a baby to a COVID-19 expectant mother of a handsome baby boy. Soon afterwards we took the sample of the baby and sent to the lab to be tested for SARS-CoV2. The good news is that the result came in this morning and the baby tested negative,” Dr. Joseph Darko said.

“The better news is that the mom’s sample that was taken a couple of days after the surgery also come out negative. We are awaiting a second sample that was taken some days back to also test negative so that we can declare the mom as having fully recovered from COVID-19,” Dr. Joseph Darko added.

This is the first case of a newborn baby to a COVID-19 mother in Ghana hence a lot of public anxiety of the test result of the neonate.

Globally, there is yet to be full consensus on the transmission of COVID-19 infection between a pregnant woman and her baby.

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that the mother and baby can share the same room and breastfeeding can be done while following strict hand and respiratory hygiene.

However, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that mother-to-child transmission of coronavirus during pregnancy is unlikely, but after birth, a newborn is susceptible to person-to-person spread.

CDC states that the family members and doctors should take a call on breastfeeding.

A Chinese expert consensus, however, states that if the mother is positive, she should be quarantined, the neonate should be isolated and breastfeeding should be avoided due to the chances of the mother faltering on ensuring strict hygiene protocols.

Source: citinewsroom.com

EC ready for new voter registration late June

The Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC) says all materials needed for the upcoming registration exercise have been procured.

The Commission on Wednesday, May 27 met political parties, civil society groups and development partners at an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting to update them on its readiness to compile a new register for the December 7 elections.

The meeting was without the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the country’s largest opposition party, while the representative of the People’s National Convention (PNC) walked out at some stage.

The NDC had announced it would not be part of the meeting amid its protest against the compilation of a new register, maintaining that the existing register is credible for the elections.

But the EC appears to have finalised its decision to go ahead with the exercise, scheduled for the last week of June to the end of July.

“The Exercise will start each day from 7:00am to 6:00pm,” the country’s election management body said in a press release dated 27 May, 2020.

“It will take place at the 33,367 polling stations, which will serve as registration centres nationwide.”

Before the exercise in late June, there will be a piloting of the process early June at different locations across the country.

“The [piloting] exercise is aimed at identifying possible problems associated with the new system and find ways of mitigating them,” the release signed by Sylvia Annor, the Acting Director of Public Affairs, said.

“It will also help to study and ascertain the environmental impact on the VMS in respect to the weather (wet, dry, heat, and rust) conditions amongst others.”

The Commission maintains that a Ghanaian passport or a Ghana Card will be required for registration.

“In the absence of the two documents above, an applicant will need TWO (2) GUARANTORS who are registered voters to guarantee his/her application for registration.

“It must be noted that a guarantor can guarantee for up to 10 applicants.”

The Commission has assured that safety measures will be put in place at the registration centres amid the coronavirus disease.

A voter card will be issued instantly after registration except in cases where applications have been challenged.

Source: 3news.com

Ghana’s Covid-19 cases near 7,000

Ghana’s total cumulative case count of coronavirus is now 6,964, according to the Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

Twenty-seven patients more have, however, recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 2,097.

Thirty-two persons have died so far.

Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye made this known on Tuesday, May 26 at the Ministry of Information bi-weekly update.

More to follow. . .

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Boyfriend jailed 3 years for sharing nude videos of his girlfriend

The Circuit Court in Accra, presided over by His Honour Mr Emmanuel Marvin Essandoh, has sentenced a 24-year-old Francis Aggrey, to three years in jail for circulating nude videos of his girlfriend.

Aggrey, a student of the Assin Fosu College of Education, was charged with two counts charges of conspiracy and extortion.

He pleaded guilty to both charges and was convicted on his own plea.

The prosecutor in the case, Detective Frederick Sarpong, told the court that Aggrey cited jealousy as reasons for extorting GH¢3,000 from her girlfriend.

The 24-year-old convict, according to the prosecution, suspected the girlfriend, a policewoman, was cheating on him, hence the plot with his accomplice to extort GH¢3,000 from her.

The accused person was sentenced to three years in hard labour by the court on the charge of extortion.

His sentence on the conspiracy charge was deferred, upon a prayer from prosecution to the court to enable Aggrey to assist them to arrest Christian Donkor, his accomplice, who is being hunted by the police.

Brief facts

The brief facts of the case as presented to the court by Detective Frederick Sarpong were that the complainant in this case is a policewoman while the 1st Accused (A1) person is a student of Assin Fosu Collage of Education.

According to the prosecutor, the complainant and A1 have been in an amorous affairs for some time and on May 15, 2020, A1, who suspected the complainant of cheating on him, created an online chatting account on Telegram with the name ‘Nana N’ and portrayed himself as another person and started chatting with the complainant.

“In the course of the chatting, A1 posted the complainant’s nude pictures and videos to her and demanded an amount of GH¢3,000 else he would circulate the pictures and videos on social media,” Detective Sarpong told the court.

He added that, A1 then forwarded the nude pictures and videos to A2 (Donkor) to press on the complainant to pay the money he demanded.

According to him, “A2, on receipt of the nude pictures and videos, forwaded same to the complainant to hasten with the payment of the money he demanded else he would circulate the videos.

“The complainant”, the prosecutor said, “then reported to her boss who disguised himself and chatted with the accused persons.”

He said “during A2’s chat with the disguised boss, A2 gave the mobile money number 0595063915 to him to pay GH¢1,500 on Friday, May 15, 2020, else he will circulate the nude videos of the complainant.

“On the same day, the complainant’s boss made payment of GH¢1,500 to A2 through the said mobile money account. The complainant’s boss, upon interrogation, suspected that complainant’s boyfriend to be behind A2 and caused the complainant to confront him.

“On May 18, complainant confronted A1 and he admitted and cited jealousy as his reason for doing that.

The prosecutor told the court that A1 was arrested on May 19 and handed over to the Bureau of National Investigation and the National Security.

“During interrogation A1 mentioned A2’s name as his accomplice, having admitted to conspiring with A2 to extort money from the complainant.

The prosecutor said efforts were being made to arrest A2, who is at large.

Source: Ghanaweb.com

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Brutalized student chases CID man over girlfriend

The student who was brutalized by a CID officer for chasing his girlfriend has petitioned the Police Administration to investigate the matter.

The victim, Hayford Osei, wants Detective Corporal Ebenezer Antwi punished severely for unlawfully assaulting a civilian he was supposed to protect.

Detective Corporal Antwi attached to Donkro Nkwanta in the Nkoranza South District Police Command in the Bono Region accused Hayford, a native of the town and a student of University of Education, Winneba, of flirting with his girlfriend whom he has a child.

Hayford has petitioned the Nkoranza South District Police Command and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) for necessary action to be taken against the CID man.

The petition presented on behalf of the family of Hayford by Baffour Akoto & Associates Legal Practitioners and Barristers asked the Police Administration to ensure the case is fully investigated by neutral persons to ensure justice, fair play and the necessary redress addressed or face court action.

They said they were filing the petition because of the “lackadaisical attitude of Donkro Nkwanta Police Station, where the detective corporal works as a CID officer, to investigate the matter when the case was reported there by the victim.”

It said the position taken by the station that the victim deserves the assault because he was in the house of the lady in question (Adwoa Serwaa) for an amorous relationship, is unfounded.

According to the petition, the fact that the CID officer after assaulting Hayford took his (student) mobile phone and flushed it and deleted all information on it in an attempt to conceal the truth that Adwoa was the one who first called Hayford to bring her GH¢5 to buy pampers for her baby showed that the station officer called Inspector Martin Adjei and the police were perverting justice.

DAILY GUIDE also learnt that after the Police Administration had received the petition, there was a meeting between the Divisional Police Command and a delegation of the family of the victim to discuss the issue.

New Twist

According to sources, when the CID man was asked about the issue, he told his superiors that it was a fowl thief he assaulted and not somebody who came to visit his girlfriend.

During the meeting, it was agreed that the police would go for a court order to enable them to get itemized call details from MTN to detect who initiated the phone call between Hayford and the CID man’s girlfriend. After the meeting, the family told DAILY GUIDE that if they did not hear anything from the police within two weeks, they would sue the CID man.

Basic Facts

Hayford’s elder brother used to date the lady at the centre of the issue but broke up with her before the lady dated the police officer with whom she now has a baby.

On May, 7, 2020, at about 11pm, Hayford, who was doing online examination on his phone due to the temporary closure of schools as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak, said he received persistent calls from Serwaa demanding GH¢5 to buy pampers for her baby.

However, the persistent calls from Serwaa were disrupting his work on the phone so he asked her to stop calling him with a promise to go to her house to deliver the money later.

“So, I went to her house at about 11pm and she gave me a chair to sit on. All of a sudden, somebody gave me a hefty slap on my face from behind. I fell down and the person continued to give me hefty blows on the ground till blood streamed on my face, while the lady stood aloof for her boyfriend to brutalize me. I lost my phone in the process. I had to run into the nearby bush to escape death,” Hayford recounted.

Hayford, who suffered multiple cuts on his face, nose, and mouth, is currently nursing his wounds.

Source: Ghanaweb.com

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U/E: All COVID-19 victims at Bolgatanga Regional Hospital discharged

The Bolgatanga Regional Hospital has successfully treated and discharged all persons with COVID-19 at its treatment centre, the Upper East Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Winfred Ofosu has disclosed.

The region recorded 26 positive COVID-19 cases between April and May 2020.

Speaking to Citi News, Dr. Ofosu indicated that 20 out of the 26 COVID-19 patients who were quarantined for treatment at the hospital have successfully recovered and been discharged.

Meanwhile, four of the patients are under self-quarantine awaiting their second tests by close of the week and should the results turn negative, they would be declared, fully recovered.

However, two of the patients passed on before their test results came out as positive.

Dr. Ofosu bemoaned the spate of stigmatization against recovered COVID-19 persons and admonished the public to celebrate them.

“Stigmatization against persons with COVID-19 and recovered persons has been a challenge. There are many people particularly in the communities who do not want to associate with these people who have recovered and shun them and even their businesses. But we continue to tell everybody that these people do no longer have the virus to transmit to other persons. So they are not people we should shun or run away from. They are people we should celebrate as having successfully recovered from this dreadful disease,” he noted.

“So, if we don’t empathize and celebrate with them for their successful recovery, it means that others within the population looking at what is happening to people who get confirmed as COVID-19 cases and treated who have symptoms that are consistent with COVID-19 will not show up. They will remain within the community and go out to all other places that we all go to and spread the virus to all of us,” Dr. Ofosu added.

Of the 26 COVID-19 cases in the region, the Ghana Health Service recorded 11 cases and the Police Service recorded seven.

Source: citinewsroom.com

Ofankor: Tenant allegedly shot dead by landlord for refusing to vacate house

A man has died from gunshot wounds after he was shot multiple times on Sunday, May 24, 2020 at Spot M near Ofankor in Accra.

According to police, the deceased was brought to the police station unconscious by some persons around 1:45 pm.

The complainant alleged that the deceased had been shot by his landlord for refusing to vacate a room rented out to him.

The deceased was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

A visit to the crime scene resulted in the discovery of a pool of blood and four spent shells at the entrance of the main gate of the rented apartment.

“The former reported that on the same day at about 1:33 pm, victim’s landlord, Victor Stephen Nana Kankam shot the victim for refusing to vacate a room he rented from him. Police rushed the victim to Police Hospital, but he was pronounced dead on arrival,” the police said in a statement.

“The district commander DSP MR. George Asare and his team proceeded to the scene of the crime at Spot M and saw a pool of blood at the entrance of the main gate of the deceased’s rented apartment. Four spent shells were retrieved at the scene,” the police added.

Meanwhile, police have arrested suspect, Victor Stephen Nana Kankam at his residence at Spot M, Ofankor.

Two pump action guns loaded with ammunition were retrieved from his house.

Police say he is being held in their custody to assist in further investigation.

“Police again proceeded to suspect Victor Stephen Nana Kankam’s residence at Spot M, Ofankor and got him arrested. A search was conducted in his room and two pump action guns loaded with 7 and 8 rounds of cartridges each and 32 live cartridges were retrieved. The suspect is however detained for further action. Two pump action guns, four spent shells, and 47 live cartridges retained,” the police statement added.

The body of the deceased has been deposited at the Police Hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy.

Source: citinewsroom.com

Coronavirus: South Africa teachers ‘to sue over school reopening plan’

Teachers in South Africa want the planned reopening of schools on 1 June halted, Independent Online news website reports.

Educators Union of SA (Eusa) general secretary Siphiwe Mpungose is quoted as saying that they will file a court application on Monday against the Department of Basic Education (DBE).

The DBE had announced that Grade 7 and Grade 12 will reopen the school on 1 June.

School premises are already being cleaned and sanitised ahead of the planned reopening.

Teachers say the ministry’s position that protective gear will be issued cannot be trusted and the rates of infections are still high.

The teachers’ union last week sent a letter to the education ministry asking officials to reconsider the plan to reopen schools.

Source: citinewsroom.com

MPs’ COVID-19 test results won’t be made public – Medical Services Director

The Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, ordered the immediate mass testing of Members of Parliament and the parliamentary staff for COVID-19.

The directive formed part of measures instituted by the Parliamentary Service Board to prevent an outbreak of the pandemic in Parliament.

As a result of that directive, the samples of some 690 persons in Parliament were taken last week.

The Director of Medical Services in Parliament, Dr Prince Pambo in a Citi News interview said the results of tests will not be made public.

He said the results will instead be made known individually to the persons tested without the involvement of Parliament.

“The exercise was meant not only for members of Parliament but the staff of Parliament as well and other support staffs who have a duty in the parliamentary precinct and the results will be made known to them individually,” he said.

The safety of Ghana’s Parliamentarians amidst the COVID-19 outbreak has become a topical issue with more people making proposals for ensuring that the House can hold proceedings without the risk of infection.

Ghana’s case count

As of Monday, May 25, 2020, Ghana had recorded 6,808 cases of the novel outbreak with 2,070 recoveries and 32 death.

The Greater Accra Region is still leading the chart with 4,836 cases, followed by the Ashanti and Central Regions with 1,062 and 306 cases respectively.

Source: citinewsroom.com