Page 25: June 25, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, the Most Rev Charles Palmer-Buckle, has said Ghanaians must stop attributing the country’s developmental challenges to any particular government or individual.
He said every actor in the country’s political history meant well but things might not have gone the way those actors intended.
It was, therefore, important, he said, that Ghanaians looked at the country’s past and discussed it dispassionately, since the blame game would lead the country nowhere.
The Most Rev Palmer-Buckle was speaking at the launch of a book, “Ghana: Governance in the Fourth Republic”, in Accra on Wednesday.
Published by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), the 415-page book, written by 12 Ghanaian scholars, covers a broad spectrum of governance issues.
It comprises 14 chapters grouped into five parts, namely, the traditional, cultural and ethnic context; political processes; civic engagement; the State’s capacity to deliver and the State and security.
The writers assess the extent to which Ghana’s Fourth Republic measures up to good governance practices, as well as challenges to consolidate what has been achieved.
The Most Rev Palmer-Buckle said what had happened in the past were important historical building blocks which were difficult to wish away.
He said the conduct of some social commentators, whom he referred to as “radiocrats” trying to justify some regimes and denigrate others, should be a thing of the past.
Touching on the forthcoming elections, he said Ghanaians must also not allow politicians and political parties to make the elections a “do-or-die” affair.
“It is Ghana that must win the elections and not any political party or individual,” he stated.
The Most Rev Palmer-Buckle said the whole world was looking at how Ghana would acquit itself at the elections.
According to him, Ghana acquitted itself very well at the dawn of independence without bloodshed and “it will not happen in December”.
The Archbishop said Ghanaians must prove to the rest of the world that the country, and for that matter Africa, was capable of doing anything without the help or influence of the outside world.
He said Ghana was a blessed country and had what it took to improve upon its present status.
He said the theme for the country’s Golden Jubilee celebrations, “Championing Africa’s Excellence”, must continuously remain in the minds of Ghanaians in their daily activities.
The Chairman of the APRM Governing Council, Rev Prof S. K. Adjepong, who launched the book, noted that since its inception five years ago, the APRM had added value to Ghana’s governance processes.
He said Ghana had reached a point in its political history when it must begin to craft a new history, instead of succumbing to history.
He described the book as a good legacy that had been bequeathed to Ghanaians.
The first copy of the book was auctioned for GH¢2,000.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Murder suspect arrested
Page 3: June 27, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Madina Police have arrested a 34-year-old man, Yussif Abdullarahman, who murdered one of his wives in the night of June 18, 2008.
Two other persons, Adizatu Kubira, the other wife of the suspect, and his sister, Hamza Saada, have also been arrested to assist in investigations.
Yussif, alias Imam Yussif, was alleged to have poured acid on the deceased while she was asleep.
Burns were found all over the deceased’s body, with a bruise at the back of her head where she was suspected to have been hit by an object.
The Public Affairs Officer of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, Inspector Joseph Benefo Darkwah, told the Daily Graphic that the deceased had been married to the suspect for 14 months and both of them were residing at House Number M100, Libya Quarters, which belonged to the deceased, Hajia Fati Matam-Mallam, 58.
He said Yussif, a teacher of Arabic, and the deceased were staying in the house with four other tenants, Messrs Kwaku Duah, Mohammed Yussif, both single, Madam Kate Adasi and Madam Jennifer Goka, both married women but whose husbands had travelled outside Accra.
He said about 2.00 a.m. on June 18, 2008, the four tenants were awoken by the screaming of the deceased, who shouted, “You have sprayed tear gas on me while I am sleeping. You want to kill me. What have I done to you? I am in pain, come and rescue me, my husband wants to kill me.”
Inspector Darkwah said based on that, the tenants rushed out of their rooms to find the deceased naked and groaning in pain in the compound of the house.
According to him, the deceased allegedly requested Mr Duah to fetch water and pour it on her to relieve her of the pain but Imam Yussif warned them to stay off because the deceased was a witch.
Inspector Darkwah said the suspect then dragged the deceased back into their room and returned 20 minutes later to inform Mr Duah that the deceased had passed away.
He said Imam Yussif then informed Mr Duah that the deceased had asked him (the suspect) to take charge of her house.
He said the suspect also asked Mr Duah and the other tenants not to divulge any information on the incident to anyone.
Inspector Darkwah said the suspect asked the tenants to inform anyone who sought the cause of death of the deceased that it was due to “high fever”.
According to him, about 11.00 a.m. on the same day, Adizatu, who stayed elsewhere, and the suspect’s sister were arrested by the police.
He said although the suspect admitted killing the deceased, Adizatu and Saada denied any involvement in the crime.
Inspector Darkwah said when the police inspected the couple’s room, it was detected that chemicals had been poured on the student’s mattress on which the deceased slept, with her clothes soaked with the same chemical, suspected to be acid.
He said the suspects were currently on remand pending further investigations.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Madina Police have arrested a 34-year-old man, Yussif Abdullarahman, who murdered one of his wives in the night of June 18, 2008.
Two other persons, Adizatu Kubira, the other wife of the suspect, and his sister, Hamza Saada, have also been arrested to assist in investigations.
Yussif, alias Imam Yussif, was alleged to have poured acid on the deceased while she was asleep.
Burns were found all over the deceased’s body, with a bruise at the back of her head where she was suspected to have been hit by an object.
The Public Affairs Officer of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, Inspector Joseph Benefo Darkwah, told the Daily Graphic that the deceased had been married to the suspect for 14 months and both of them were residing at House Number M100, Libya Quarters, which belonged to the deceased, Hajia Fati Matam-Mallam, 58.
He said Yussif, a teacher of Arabic, and the deceased were staying in the house with four other tenants, Messrs Kwaku Duah, Mohammed Yussif, both single, Madam Kate Adasi and Madam Jennifer Goka, both married women but whose husbands had travelled outside Accra.
He said about 2.00 a.m. on June 18, 2008, the four tenants were awoken by the screaming of the deceased, who shouted, “You have sprayed tear gas on me while I am sleeping. You want to kill me. What have I done to you? I am in pain, come and rescue me, my husband wants to kill me.”
Inspector Darkwah said based on that, the tenants rushed out of their rooms to find the deceased naked and groaning in pain in the compound of the house.
According to him, the deceased allegedly requested Mr Duah to fetch water and pour it on her to relieve her of the pain but Imam Yussif warned them to stay off because the deceased was a witch.
Inspector Darkwah said the suspect then dragged the deceased back into their room and returned 20 minutes later to inform Mr Duah that the deceased had passed away.
He said Imam Yussif then informed Mr Duah that the deceased had asked him (the suspect) to take charge of her house.
He said the suspect also asked Mr Duah and the other tenants not to divulge any information on the incident to anyone.
Inspector Darkwah said the suspect asked the tenants to inform anyone who sought the cause of death of the deceased that it was due to “high fever”.
According to him, about 11.00 a.m. on the same day, Adizatu, who stayed elsewhere, and the suspect’s sister were arrested by the police.
He said although the suspect admitted killing the deceased, Adizatu and Saada denied any involvement in the crime.
Inspector Darkwah said when the police inspected the couple’s room, it was detected that chemicals had been poured on the student’s mattress on which the deceased slept, with her clothes soaked with the same chemical, suspected to be acid.
He said the suspects were currently on remand pending further investigations.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Kidnapped girl kept in two hotels - Police
Page 55: June 26, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Dansoman police today confirmed the eight year-old pupil of Alpha Beta School, who was kidnapped on June 16, 2008, was kept in two different hotels before she was released on June 19, 2008.
The pupil’s school bag was also found at the residence of the principal suspect of the kidnapping, where it was concealed in another bag.
Two suspects, Philip Asiedu, the principal suspect and another person identified only as Miller, are currently in custody assisting the Dansoman police in investigations.
Three more suspects, including a woman, are being sought after by the police.
The suspects were alleged to have gone to the pupil’s school in a taxi to pick up the girl as if they were her parents and drove off.
Soon after the kidnappers had left the school, the mother of the pupil went to the school to pick her, only to be told that some people had already taken her home.
The Dansoman District Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Alex Yartey Tawiah, who confirmed these to newsmen today, said the ransom money paid for the girl’s release was GH¢12,000.
He said the principal suspect was arrested through the hard work of the police and other security agencies backed by intelligence.
He said when the Asiedu was arrested at his house at Mandela, a suburb of Weija, he broke down in tears and confessed to the crime after the pupil’s school bag had been found in his room.
Chief Supt. Yartey-Tawiah said investigations led the team of investigators to the Kinshasha Hotel at Weija where some workers admitted that Asiedu, using pseudoname, Zamba-Lana Birila, checked in the girl as his relative.
He explained that Asiedu’s house was just a distance away from the hotel and visited the hotel frequently while the girl was in there, during which he bought bread and other items for her.
The commander said it was established that two days later, the suspect took the girl to the Riverway Hotel at Hansonic where he dressed her in an Islamic gear with her face virtually covered.
Chief Supt. Yartey-Tawiah said the workers at the hotel also confirmed to the investigative team that Asiedu had brought the girl there on June 18, 2008.
According to him, Asiedu, who the police described as a cyber crime expert, then took the pupil to the gate of her school on June 19, 2008 between 7:30am and 8am in a taxi after it had been communicated to him that the parents had deposited the ransom money at spot around Sakaman in Accra.
He explained that Miller was arrested by the police because he was identified by a witness as the only person who came to the spot where the money was dropped and vanished thereafter.
Chief Supt. Yartey-Tawiah said although the victim denounced seeing Miller as a member of the gang that kidnapped her, the police were able to picked up communication signals between Miller and Asiedu.
“The police reasonably believe that Miller went to pick the money that was dropped. His involvement is circumstential,” he added.
Chief Supt. Yartey-Tawiah said the police have not been able to establish the real motive of the crime but could only describe it as a “case of conspiracy, adoption, kidnapping and extortion” of money.
He said appealed to school authorities to revise their security operations taking cognisance of the sophisticated nature of the crime to avoid a recurrence.
He said both staff and pupils must be sensitised on security matters since all other schools were at risk.
Chief Supt. Yartey-Tawiah described the kidnapping incident as a new hybrid crime committed in hollywood fashion and which could only be attributed to infiltration of uncensored foreign films.
He, therefore, appealed to the Cinematography and Censorship Board to assist fight crime by not allowing such films to come into the country.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Dansoman police today confirmed the eight year-old pupil of Alpha Beta School, who was kidnapped on June 16, 2008, was kept in two different hotels before she was released on June 19, 2008.
The pupil’s school bag was also found at the residence of the principal suspect of the kidnapping, where it was concealed in another bag.
Two suspects, Philip Asiedu, the principal suspect and another person identified only as Miller, are currently in custody assisting the Dansoman police in investigations.
Three more suspects, including a woman, are being sought after by the police.
The suspects were alleged to have gone to the pupil’s school in a taxi to pick up the girl as if they were her parents and drove off.
Soon after the kidnappers had left the school, the mother of the pupil went to the school to pick her, only to be told that some people had already taken her home.
The Dansoman District Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Alex Yartey Tawiah, who confirmed these to newsmen today, said the ransom money paid for the girl’s release was GH¢12,000.
He said the principal suspect was arrested through the hard work of the police and other security agencies backed by intelligence.
He said when the Asiedu was arrested at his house at Mandela, a suburb of Weija, he broke down in tears and confessed to the crime after the pupil’s school bag had been found in his room.
Chief Supt. Yartey-Tawiah said investigations led the team of investigators to the Kinshasha Hotel at Weija where some workers admitted that Asiedu, using pseudoname, Zamba-Lana Birila, checked in the girl as his relative.
He explained that Asiedu’s house was just a distance away from the hotel and visited the hotel frequently while the girl was in there, during which he bought bread and other items for her.
The commander said it was established that two days later, the suspect took the girl to the Riverway Hotel at Hansonic where he dressed her in an Islamic gear with her face virtually covered.
Chief Supt. Yartey-Tawiah said the workers at the hotel also confirmed to the investigative team that Asiedu had brought the girl there on June 18, 2008.
According to him, Asiedu, who the police described as a cyber crime expert, then took the pupil to the gate of her school on June 19, 2008 between 7:30am and 8am in a taxi after it had been communicated to him that the parents had deposited the ransom money at spot around Sakaman in Accra.
He explained that Miller was arrested by the police because he was identified by a witness as the only person who came to the spot where the money was dropped and vanished thereafter.
Chief Supt. Yartey-Tawiah said although the victim denounced seeing Miller as a member of the gang that kidnapped her, the police were able to picked up communication signals between Miller and Asiedu.
“The police reasonably believe that Miller went to pick the money that was dropped. His involvement is circumstential,” he added.
Chief Supt. Yartey-Tawiah said the police have not been able to establish the real motive of the crime but could only describe it as a “case of conspiracy, adoption, kidnapping and extortion” of money.
He said appealed to school authorities to revise their security operations taking cognisance of the sophisticated nature of the crime to avoid a recurrence.
He said both staff and pupils must be sensitised on security matters since all other schools were at risk.
Chief Supt. Yartey-Tawiah described the kidnapping incident as a new hybrid crime committed in hollywood fashion and which could only be attributed to infiltration of uncensored foreign films.
He, therefore, appealed to the Cinematography and Censorship Board to assist fight crime by not allowing such films to come into the country.
Interior Minister meets Police Chiefs
Page 49: June 26, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Interior Minister, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, has charged the police hierarchy to provide answers to police complicity in criminal activities and why the personnel have stopped displaying name tags and service numbers on their uniforms.
Addressing the top hierarchy of the service and regional commanders at a meeting at the Police Headquarters yesterday, Dr Addo-Kufuor said he expected the police to provide him with answers to questions such as whether it was true that some police personnel were directly involved in robbery or provided arms and ammunition to robbers for pecuniary gain, whether police vehicles and personnel were used in support of criminal activities, as well as whether narcotic drugs were carted in police vehicles to avoid detection.
Dr Addo-Kufuor, who was accompanied by his deputy, Mr K. T. Hammond ,and the Minister of State at the ministry, Nana Obiri Boahen, stated that to say the service was currently facing many serious challenges would be a great understatement.
The meeting was to discuss the rampant armed robbery and alleged police involvement, as well as the issue of perceived connivance of the police in the narcotic trade.
Dr Addo-Kufuor said many Ghanaians had lost confidence in the ability of the police to protect the citizenry while there were those who believed that the police were in league with criminals and drug barons.
“Whether these negative perceptions are incorrect or exaggerated, there is no doubt that things are not what they should be in the Ghana Police Service,” he observed.
Dr Addo-Kufuor, however, said there were still many excellent officers in the service who were prepared to lay down their lives in the service of the nation as occurred in Madina on Monday.
The minister said the problems confronting the service were responsible for the low morale in the service leading to ineffective and inefficient service delivery.
Dr Addo-Kufuor said nothing would help the image of the service more than all of them resolving to expose the bad lots in the service and ensuring that they faced the law.
He said the Zwennes Committee report was eagerly being awaited, the recommendations of which would be implemented to ensure the service regained some of its prestige and trust it had lost in recent times.
The Commissioner of Police in charge of Services, Mr Yaw Adu-Gyimah, said the Police Administration had contracted an agency to print the name tags and service numbers of the personnel.
He explained that hitherto the personnel were required to provide the name tags and the numerals themselves.
He said anyone who was found without his or her name tag would be put on service inquiry.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Interior Minister, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, has charged the police hierarchy to provide answers to police complicity in criminal activities and why the personnel have stopped displaying name tags and service numbers on their uniforms.
Addressing the top hierarchy of the service and regional commanders at a meeting at the Police Headquarters yesterday, Dr Addo-Kufuor said he expected the police to provide him with answers to questions such as whether it was true that some police personnel were directly involved in robbery or provided arms and ammunition to robbers for pecuniary gain, whether police vehicles and personnel were used in support of criminal activities, as well as whether narcotic drugs were carted in police vehicles to avoid detection.
Dr Addo-Kufuor, who was accompanied by his deputy, Mr K. T. Hammond ,and the Minister of State at the ministry, Nana Obiri Boahen, stated that to say the service was currently facing many serious challenges would be a great understatement.
The meeting was to discuss the rampant armed robbery and alleged police involvement, as well as the issue of perceived connivance of the police in the narcotic trade.
Dr Addo-Kufuor said many Ghanaians had lost confidence in the ability of the police to protect the citizenry while there were those who believed that the police were in league with criminals and drug barons.
“Whether these negative perceptions are incorrect or exaggerated, there is no doubt that things are not what they should be in the Ghana Police Service,” he observed.
Dr Addo-Kufuor, however, said there were still many excellent officers in the service who were prepared to lay down their lives in the service of the nation as occurred in Madina on Monday.
The minister said the problems confronting the service were responsible for the low morale in the service leading to ineffective and inefficient service delivery.
Dr Addo-Kufuor said nothing would help the image of the service more than all of them resolving to expose the bad lots in the service and ensuring that they faced the law.
He said the Zwennes Committee report was eagerly being awaited, the recommendations of which would be implemented to ensure the service regained some of its prestige and trust it had lost in recent times.
The Commissioner of Police in charge of Services, Mr Yaw Adu-Gyimah, said the Police Administration had contracted an agency to print the name tags and service numbers of the personnel.
He explained that hitherto the personnel were required to provide the name tags and the numerals themselves.
He said anyone who was found without his or her name tag would be put on service inquiry.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Police offer GH¢8,000 reward
Page 3: June 25, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Police Administration has declared an GH¢8,000 reward for information about the armed robbers who attacked the Madina branch of Ecobank, shot and killed a cop guarding a bullion van and made away with GH¢60,000.
It said anyone who provided information that would lead to the arrest of the suspects would be duly rewarded with that amount.
The Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kwesi Ofori, told the Daily Graphic yesterday that the police made an initial offer of GH¢3,000 while a philanthropist who wants to remain anonimous offered GH¢5,000.
He said the Inspector General of Police, Mr P. K. Acheampong, had also issued a directive to all regional, divisional and district police commanders to use all their contacts and intelligence to bring the perpetrators to book.
He said the IGP also asked the commanders to step up their operations against the upsurge in robbery in the country.
DSP Ofori appealed to members of the public to assist and co-operate with the police in bringing the perpetrators to book.
According to him, the incident took place in the full glare of the public and that those who were witnesses should be able to pass on some relevant information about the suspects to the police.
He reminded the public that modern policing was a shared responsibility with the public.
He, therefore, appealed to the public to co-operate with the police in fighting crime.
DSP Ofori said any information about questionable characters in their communities and any threats to lives and property should be reported to the police for immediate action.
He said apart from the emergency line 191 for users of cellphones for residents of Accra, the police could also be contacted on 021-775769; 021-773695 and 021-775765.
For those in Kumasi, Tema, Koforidua and Tema, he said, the police could be contacted on 051-22323; 022-202936/7; 081-22569 and 071-22297.
Gunmen on Monday attacked the Madina branch of Ecobank, shot and killed a cop guarding a bullion van and made away with GH¢60,000.
The scary operation brought activities on the busy streets of Madina to a halt for more than three hours, during which eyewitnesses said the robbers, numbering about five and in a blue-black Toyota Corolla saloon car with no registration number, took positions on the premises of the bank to wait for the arrival of the bullion van.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Police Administration has declared an GH¢8,000 reward for information about the armed robbers who attacked the Madina branch of Ecobank, shot and killed a cop guarding a bullion van and made away with GH¢60,000.
It said anyone who provided information that would lead to the arrest of the suspects would be duly rewarded with that amount.
The Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kwesi Ofori, told the Daily Graphic yesterday that the police made an initial offer of GH¢3,000 while a philanthropist who wants to remain anonimous offered GH¢5,000.
He said the Inspector General of Police, Mr P. K. Acheampong, had also issued a directive to all regional, divisional and district police commanders to use all their contacts and intelligence to bring the perpetrators to book.
He said the IGP also asked the commanders to step up their operations against the upsurge in robbery in the country.
DSP Ofori appealed to members of the public to assist and co-operate with the police in bringing the perpetrators to book.
According to him, the incident took place in the full glare of the public and that those who were witnesses should be able to pass on some relevant information about the suspects to the police.
He reminded the public that modern policing was a shared responsibility with the public.
He, therefore, appealed to the public to co-operate with the police in fighting crime.
DSP Ofori said any information about questionable characters in their communities and any threats to lives and property should be reported to the police for immediate action.
He said apart from the emergency line 191 for users of cellphones for residents of Accra, the police could also be contacted on 021-775769; 021-773695 and 021-775765.
For those in Kumasi, Tema, Koforidua and Tema, he said, the police could be contacted on 051-22323; 022-202936/7; 081-22569 and 071-22297.
Gunmen on Monday attacked the Madina branch of Ecobank, shot and killed a cop guarding a bullion van and made away with GH¢60,000.
The scary operation brought activities on the busy streets of Madina to a halt for more than three hours, during which eyewitnesses said the robbers, numbering about five and in a blue-black Toyota Corolla saloon car with no registration number, took positions on the premises of the bank to wait for the arrival of the bullion van.
NACOB legal head to study in the US
Page 31: June 24, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Head of the Legal Unit of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB), Mr Daniel Amankwaah, is to take a leave of absence to enable him to pursue the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship programme in the US.
A letter dated June 19, 2008 and signed by the Director of Finance and Administration, Mr Michael Addo, noted that Mr Amankwaah made the request to be granted 13 months’ leave of absence, with effect from June 30, 2008, to enable him to attend the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship programme.
He has consequently been asked to hand over all NACOB property in his possession by today.
“In view of this, management requests that you prepare and submit a handing-over note and hand over all NACOB property in your possession to the executive secretary by Tuesday, June 24, 2008,” the letter said, adding, “You are also required to sign a bond in this regard.”
Mr Amankwaah explained that the fellowship was on substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking and that it would enable him to study the criminal justice system in relation to drug convictions, confiscation and policy.
“I will also study things about drug education, treatment and rehabilitation,” he added in his reply of June 20, 2008.
On the conditions of service of workers of NACOB, which was the subject of a recent report in the Daily Graphic, Mr Amankwaah said it was he who prevented the workers from embarking on an industrial action, to enable him to discuss their conditions with management.
He recalled that after the board had approved a new service condition for the staff, the executive secretary, in a letter dated August 30, 2007, wrote to the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, through the Interior Minister, for the implementation of the new salary scale for the staff.
Mr Amankwaah said the Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, Dr A. Akoto Osei, in a reply dated November 14, 2007, asked the executive secretary to direct all such matters to the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission through the Minister of the Interior.
He noted that the workers were later informed by the executive secretary that Cabinet had approved the document and so the board should expect the implementation of the new salaries soon.
He said the chairman of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission wrote to the board on May 13, 2008 requesting it to submit detailed information on the salary structure and other details of wages, allowances and benefits for its staff.
Mr Amankwaah said the management responded to the letter on May 30, 2008, following hints of worker unrest over the poor conditions of service and the delay by government to act on it.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of NACOB, Mr Francis Opoku Amoah, said Mr Amankwaah had been given a June 24 deadline to hand over to facilitate inventory taking.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Head of the Legal Unit of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB), Mr Daniel Amankwaah, is to take a leave of absence to enable him to pursue the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship programme in the US.
A letter dated June 19, 2008 and signed by the Director of Finance and Administration, Mr Michael Addo, noted that Mr Amankwaah made the request to be granted 13 months’ leave of absence, with effect from June 30, 2008, to enable him to attend the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship programme.
He has consequently been asked to hand over all NACOB property in his possession by today.
“In view of this, management requests that you prepare and submit a handing-over note and hand over all NACOB property in your possession to the executive secretary by Tuesday, June 24, 2008,” the letter said, adding, “You are also required to sign a bond in this regard.”
Mr Amankwaah explained that the fellowship was on substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking and that it would enable him to study the criminal justice system in relation to drug convictions, confiscation and policy.
“I will also study things about drug education, treatment and rehabilitation,” he added in his reply of June 20, 2008.
On the conditions of service of workers of NACOB, which was the subject of a recent report in the Daily Graphic, Mr Amankwaah said it was he who prevented the workers from embarking on an industrial action, to enable him to discuss their conditions with management.
He recalled that after the board had approved a new service condition for the staff, the executive secretary, in a letter dated August 30, 2007, wrote to the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, through the Interior Minister, for the implementation of the new salary scale for the staff.
Mr Amankwaah said the Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, Dr A. Akoto Osei, in a reply dated November 14, 2007, asked the executive secretary to direct all such matters to the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission through the Minister of the Interior.
He noted that the workers were later informed by the executive secretary that Cabinet had approved the document and so the board should expect the implementation of the new salaries soon.
He said the chairman of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission wrote to the board on May 13, 2008 requesting it to submit detailed information on the salary structure and other details of wages, allowances and benefits for its staff.
Mr Amankwaah said the management responded to the letter on May 30, 2008, following hints of worker unrest over the poor conditions of service and the delay by government to act on it.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of NACOB, Mr Francis Opoku Amoah, said Mr Amankwaah had been given a June 24 deadline to hand over to facilitate inventory taking.
Parents pay GH¢25,000 ransom for girl's release
Page 32: June 21, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
AN EIGHT year-old pupil of the Alpha Beta School in Dansoman, who was kidnapped on Monday, has been released after her parents had parted with the ransom of GH¢25,000.
Two suspects, one of whom had been identified as Philip Asiedu and the other only as Miller, are currently assisting the Dansoman police in investigations.
The police are currently looking for three more suspects.
The kidnappers had to back-track on their initial demands for $300,000 and had to settle for the GH¢25,000 because the parents said they could not afford it.
The suspects were alleged to have gone to the pupil’s school in a taxi to pick up the girl as if they were her parents and drove off.
Soon after the kidnappers had left the school, the mother of the pupil went to the school to pick her, only to be told that some people had already taken her home.
Sources close to the school and the family told the Daily Graphic that the kidnappers later called the girl’s mother to go to Papaye Fast Food Restaurant at Osu, where they would discuss with her the terms for the girl’s release.
The sources said the kidnappers also threatened to kill the girl should the mother inform the police about it.
They indicated that the kidnappers had accused one of the girl’s parents of being rude to a foreigner, hence the decision to kidnap the girl.
The first negotiation was on Monday at about 6:30pm, the sources added.
They said after the parents had dropped the ransom money, the venue of which they could not tell the Daily Graphic, the police, with the help of other security agencies, managed to arrest Asiedu and later, Miller.
The Dansoman District Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Alex Yartey Tawiah, said he could only confirm that the girl had been released to the parents.
According to him, investigations were just at the preliminary stage and would, therefore, not want to give the details of the operation and the suspects in custody.
Meanwhile, the principal of the school, Mrs Florence H. Adjepong, in a statement, has said what occurred at the school is every school head’s nightmare and a parent’s trauma.
“What happened at Alpha Beta could have happened in any school. It is my social responsibility, therefore, to share this experience and urge school management boards to be diligent in re-evaluating the security measures in place in their respective schools so as to ensure that none of their children and parents are ever subjected to such a traumatic experience,” it said.
According to the statement, if those measures had been taken, the pain and sleepless nights experienced by the parents of the child, the school management and the staff would not have been suffered.
It said since the incident, the school’s security had been dramatically improved.
“A complete overhaul of our security system is being administered under the direction of security experts. A safety awareness programme to sensitise children, staff and parents to the increasing risks of urban living has started,” it said.
It stressed the need for children to be encouraged to be safety-conscious during evenings and at weekends when they might be taking advantage of the freedom of their leisure time.
“There are heinous criminals in our society who have targeted children as their prey. Thanks to the persistence and tireless efforts of our police and the BNI operatives, the perpetrators have been caught,” it stated.
Story: Albert K. Salia
AN EIGHT year-old pupil of the Alpha Beta School in Dansoman, who was kidnapped on Monday, has been released after her parents had parted with the ransom of GH¢25,000.
Two suspects, one of whom had been identified as Philip Asiedu and the other only as Miller, are currently assisting the Dansoman police in investigations.
The police are currently looking for three more suspects.
The kidnappers had to back-track on their initial demands for $300,000 and had to settle for the GH¢25,000 because the parents said they could not afford it.
The suspects were alleged to have gone to the pupil’s school in a taxi to pick up the girl as if they were her parents and drove off.
Soon after the kidnappers had left the school, the mother of the pupil went to the school to pick her, only to be told that some people had already taken her home.
Sources close to the school and the family told the Daily Graphic that the kidnappers later called the girl’s mother to go to Papaye Fast Food Restaurant at Osu, where they would discuss with her the terms for the girl’s release.
The sources said the kidnappers also threatened to kill the girl should the mother inform the police about it.
They indicated that the kidnappers had accused one of the girl’s parents of being rude to a foreigner, hence the decision to kidnap the girl.
The first negotiation was on Monday at about 6:30pm, the sources added.
They said after the parents had dropped the ransom money, the venue of which they could not tell the Daily Graphic, the police, with the help of other security agencies, managed to arrest Asiedu and later, Miller.
The Dansoman District Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Alex Yartey Tawiah, said he could only confirm that the girl had been released to the parents.
According to him, investigations were just at the preliminary stage and would, therefore, not want to give the details of the operation and the suspects in custody.
Meanwhile, the principal of the school, Mrs Florence H. Adjepong, in a statement, has said what occurred at the school is every school head’s nightmare and a parent’s trauma.
“What happened at Alpha Beta could have happened in any school. It is my social responsibility, therefore, to share this experience and urge school management boards to be diligent in re-evaluating the security measures in place in their respective schools so as to ensure that none of their children and parents are ever subjected to such a traumatic experience,” it said.
According to the statement, if those measures had been taken, the pain and sleepless nights experienced by the parents of the child, the school management and the staff would not have been suffered.
It said since the incident, the school’s security had been dramatically improved.
“A complete overhaul of our security system is being administered under the direction of security experts. A safety awareness programme to sensitise children, staff and parents to the increasing risks of urban living has started,” it said.
It stressed the need for children to be encouraged to be safety-conscious during evenings and at weekends when they might be taking advantage of the freedom of their leisure time.
“There are heinous criminals in our society who have targeted children as their prey. Thanks to the persistence and tireless efforts of our police and the BNI operatives, the perpetrators have been caught,” it stated.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
