14/7/09
Story: Mary Mensah
The Ministry of Trade and Industry in conjunction with the United Nations Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Ghana (PMAG), today held a roundtable discussion for the improvement of the pharmaceutical sector in the country.
The discussion formed part of UNIDO’s ongoing global project financed by the German government on strengthening the local production of essential generic drugs in developing and least developing countries.
The project aims at supporting small and medium enterprises in selected countries to manufacture drugs that will fight HIV/AIDs, Malaria and Tuberculosis.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Hanna Tetteh, who opened the meeting commended PMAG for taking the initiative to come up with a strategic document for further development of the country’s pharmaceutical industry.
She said working with the pharmaceutical sector, it should be possible to translate the document into a national pharmaceutical development strategy.
“We also believe that it should also be necessary to have consultations with various government department and agencies who are concerned with the management of the health sector,” she said.
The Minister indicated that Ghana’s pharmaceutical manufacturing industry which was still very much an infant industrial sector has some formidable challenges to overcome.
She said there was the need to invest considerable amounts of resources into the acquisition of equipment, development of quality control systems and the training of personnel to be able to meet the needs of the industry at every stage of the manufacturing process.
Ms Tetteh said the pharmaceutical industry by its nature has to be researched and development oriented in order to create new medications for the treatment of various strains of infection and diseases as some medical conditions become resistant to available medications.
Dr Michael Agyekum Addo, President of PMAG said Ghana had a relatively well developed pharmaceutical industry compared to most other sub-Saharan African countries.
He said with more than 20 active companies, Ghanaian manufacturers were able to supply the country’s needs for finished products on the restricted list as well as various other treatments, while some companies were exporting a limited volume to other countries in the ECOWAS region.
He said, however, that the capital intensive nature of the industry, the high cost of capital in Ghana and the advantageous context of international competitors suggested that to be sustainable parallel initiatives on the business reality would need to be implemented simultaneously in order to enable the local manufacturers to progress.
On his part, Mr Francois d’Adesky, UNIDO Interim Representative in Ghana and Togo urged the participants to see the meeting as an opportunity for stakeholders to identify the main issues and to agree on mechanisms for working together to explore the challenges and to develop a shared strategy.
He said developing the pharmaceutical industry was a complex task that would need to factor in issues such as market opportunities, access to finance, quality requirements, human resource development, cost considerations and impact on the public health agenda.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
TWO NABBED FOR PRODUCING FAKE PAYMENT ORDER
14/7/09
Two Nabbed (Commodi)
Story: Mary Mensah
TWO persons who allegedly managed to produce a fake Ghana Commercial Bank payment order and succeeded in withdrawing GH¢27,050 from a bank in Accra have been arrested by the police.
The suspects, Najib Darus, 19, and Ibrahim Lambo, 25, were arrested at their hideout at Maamobi, an Accra suburb, following a tip-off.
A third accomplice, Sylvester Annor Barnieh, 45, who is believed to have masterminded the whole operation, is, however, on the run.
Sylvester was described by the police as a notorious bank fraudster who has about three similar cases currently pending before the law courts.
According to the Commander of the Commercial Crime Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department, Superintendent Yaa Tiwaa, on July 9, 2009, an investigations officer of Ecobank Ghana Limited called at the CID headquarters and reported that Najib Darus together with other accomplices had managed to produce a fake GCB payment order and had presented it to a number of banks including the bank within the metropolis.
They presented four of the fake payment orders to the Osu, Nima, Abeka Lapaz and Haatso branches of the bank and succeeded in withdrawing GH¢27,050.
When the first transaction went through the suspects waited for a few days before striking again and on July 9, 2009, Najib Darus went to the Ring Road branch of the bank to do another transaction.
Unknown to him, the bank had detected that the payment order was fake and had alerted its branches to be on the lookout for the criminals.
The commander said as soon as he presented the payment order, the bank called the police and a team of detectives led by ASP Ebenezer Nketiah were detailed to the bank and they had Najib arrested.
He told the detectives that he was given the fake payment order by one Ibrahim who lived at Maamobi and led the police there where he was also arrested.
Ibrahim confirmed giving the payment order to Najib and mentioned Sylvester and one Baba as the main sources of the orders and explained that anytime they cashed money they were given GH¢1,000 for their services.
Two Nabbed (Commodi)
Story: Mary Mensah
TWO persons who allegedly managed to produce a fake Ghana Commercial Bank payment order and succeeded in withdrawing GH¢27,050 from a bank in Accra have been arrested by the police.
The suspects, Najib Darus, 19, and Ibrahim Lambo, 25, were arrested at their hideout at Maamobi, an Accra suburb, following a tip-off.
A third accomplice, Sylvester Annor Barnieh, 45, who is believed to have masterminded the whole operation, is, however, on the run.
Sylvester was described by the police as a notorious bank fraudster who has about three similar cases currently pending before the law courts.
According to the Commander of the Commercial Crime Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department, Superintendent Yaa Tiwaa, on July 9, 2009, an investigations officer of Ecobank Ghana Limited called at the CID headquarters and reported that Najib Darus together with other accomplices had managed to produce a fake GCB payment order and had presented it to a number of banks including the bank within the metropolis.
They presented four of the fake payment orders to the Osu, Nima, Abeka Lapaz and Haatso branches of the bank and succeeded in withdrawing GH¢27,050.
When the first transaction went through the suspects waited for a few days before striking again and on July 9, 2009, Najib Darus went to the Ring Road branch of the bank to do another transaction.
Unknown to him, the bank had detected that the payment order was fake and had alerted its branches to be on the lookout for the criminals.
The commander said as soon as he presented the payment order, the bank called the police and a team of detectives led by ASP Ebenezer Nketiah were detailed to the bank and they had Najib arrested.
He told the detectives that he was given the fake payment order by one Ibrahim who lived at Maamobi and led the police there where he was also arrested.
Ibrahim confirmed giving the payment order to Najib and mentioned Sylvester and one Baba as the main sources of the orders and explained that anytime they cashed money they were given GH¢1,000 for their services.
CALL FOR DRASTIC REFORM IN POLICE SERVICE
7/07/09
Story: Mary Mensah & Lindsay Robinson
a lecturer at the Faculty of Law of the University of Ghana, Legon, Dr Raymond A. Atuguba, has called for a drastic reform in the Ghana Police Service to enable it to perform its duties creditably.
He said if care was not taken, the police would be practising “apartheid policing”, where citizens' level of security would be determined by their social class.
He was speaking at a one-day seminar on “Policing in Ghana” which was organised by the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), in collaboration with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, as part of its monthly “Reflection on Security” series.
He said, for instance, that fewer policemen were assigned to the areas that needed them most, such as Nima and Ashaiman, while people deemed to be more important were afforded private bodyguards.
Dr Atuguba said the type of public policing being experienced in the country now was historically determined by the continuity of colonial institutions for the protection of the political and economic classes and the enforcement of the rule of law.
He said the Constitution had identified the Police Council as the reformer of the service but reform had been slow in materialising because the council had no reform agenda, was more political than technical and had too few sources of information on the Police Service outside of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
Dr Atuguba, who has written extensively on reforms in the service, indicated that it must be reformed through “small, smart, micro reforms with macro effects” in which it would undertake manageable tasks and ensure their effective completion.
He also called for the “shock-wave methodology” to implement the much-needed reforms in the Police Service, adding that that would entail undertaking reforms, regardless of how politically unpopular they might be, since some political actors might prefer the status quo for the wrong reasons.
“We can either think our way into action or act our way into thinking,” he said, adding that for him only the second option was viable, since actions spoke for themselves and over-thinking would lead to delays, stalling and bickering.
Dr Atuguba stated that an IGP who was a reformist could “counter the hegemony of the officers and men” in terms of their desire to maintain the status quo. That is, an “external change agent” was needed to shake things up because change could not come from within.
He mentioned other issues facing the Police Service as image problem which had taken a beating because of bribery, corruption and drug scandals, adding that there was also a severe lack of resources and a “crucial” need for training in the areas of crime detection, evidence gathering and preservation, among others.
Dr Atuguba led a study between 2002 and 2005 in which he collected the frank assessments of numerous police officers on a range of topics in order to ascertain the strengths and shortcomings of the Police Service and determine the likelihood of success for various reform strategies.
For his part, a former national security co-ordinator, Mr K. B. Kwatson, indicated that simply appointing a reform-minded IGP would not solve the problems of the police because “there must be political will to reform and the IGP must be given a mandate and guidelines for what he has to do and be subject to an annual appraisal to determine if he is fulfilling that mandate because that is the only way to ensure accountability.
The seminar forms part of an ongoing series on topical issues of national and international peace and security.
Story: Mary Mensah & Lindsay Robinson
a lecturer at the Faculty of Law of the University of Ghana, Legon, Dr Raymond A. Atuguba, has called for a drastic reform in the Ghana Police Service to enable it to perform its duties creditably.
He said if care was not taken, the police would be practising “apartheid policing”, where citizens' level of security would be determined by their social class.
He was speaking at a one-day seminar on “Policing in Ghana” which was organised by the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), in collaboration with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, as part of its monthly “Reflection on Security” series.
He said, for instance, that fewer policemen were assigned to the areas that needed them most, such as Nima and Ashaiman, while people deemed to be more important were afforded private bodyguards.
Dr Atuguba said the type of public policing being experienced in the country now was historically determined by the continuity of colonial institutions for the protection of the political and economic classes and the enforcement of the rule of law.
He said the Constitution had identified the Police Council as the reformer of the service but reform had been slow in materialising because the council had no reform agenda, was more political than technical and had too few sources of information on the Police Service outside of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
Dr Atuguba, who has written extensively on reforms in the service, indicated that it must be reformed through “small, smart, micro reforms with macro effects” in which it would undertake manageable tasks and ensure their effective completion.
He also called for the “shock-wave methodology” to implement the much-needed reforms in the Police Service, adding that that would entail undertaking reforms, regardless of how politically unpopular they might be, since some political actors might prefer the status quo for the wrong reasons.
“We can either think our way into action or act our way into thinking,” he said, adding that for him only the second option was viable, since actions spoke for themselves and over-thinking would lead to delays, stalling and bickering.
Dr Atuguba stated that an IGP who was a reformist could “counter the hegemony of the officers and men” in terms of their desire to maintain the status quo. That is, an “external change agent” was needed to shake things up because change could not come from within.
He mentioned other issues facing the Police Service as image problem which had taken a beating because of bribery, corruption and drug scandals, adding that there was also a severe lack of resources and a “crucial” need for training in the areas of crime detection, evidence gathering and preservation, among others.
Dr Atuguba led a study between 2002 and 2005 in which he collected the frank assessments of numerous police officers on a range of topics in order to ascertain the strengths and shortcomings of the Police Service and determine the likelihood of success for various reform strategies.
For his part, a former national security co-ordinator, Mr K. B. Kwatson, indicated that simply appointing a reform-minded IGP would not solve the problems of the police because “there must be political will to reform and the IGP must be given a mandate and guidelines for what he has to do and be subject to an annual appraisal to determine if he is fulfilling that mandate because that is the only way to ensure accountability.
The seminar forms part of an ongoing series on topical issues of national and international peace and security.
NIGERIAN ARRESTED FOR INTERNENT FRAUD (Page 31)
28/6/09
Story: Mary Mensah
A 30-year-old Nigerian who placed an advert on the Internet claiming he has been tasked by Emirates Shipping Line of Dubai to recruit people to work on a vessel, has been arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.
The suspect, James Arday Harrison, was arrested in Tema where he had gone to collect $150 processing fee from a security man who applied for a position on the vessel.
According to Supt Yaa Tiwaa, Head of the Commercial Crime Unit of the CID, the victim, a security man at the Kotoka International Airport, was browsing the net when he came across a website named Emirates Group Carriers.com.
She said on the website was an advert placed by Quick International Shipping Line with a business address stated as Forest Road Feltham Middlesex TW13 7DY, United Kingdom.
The advert stated that a tourist passenger ship by name MV Freedom of the Sea, which operates around Europe and Africa, had docked in Togo's sea port and harbour to recruit people for a monthly basic salary of $1,500.
There were several positions but the victim applied for a deck officer by filling an online application form that had been provided by the company.
According to Supt Tiwaa a week after his application, he received a mail that he had been appointed and that his appointment would take effect from July 1, 2009.
Consequently he was directed to travel to Togo and pay a processing fee of $150.
While he was preparing to travel to Togo for the payment of the money, he had a call from the suspect, who claimed that a lot of applications came from Ghana so the managers of Quick International Shipping Line would be in Tema to process the Ghanaian applicants and, therefore, there was no need for him to travel to Togo.
Two days later he met with the suspects and two others but after paying the $150 to them, they asked him to look for people who wanted to stow away.
They promised to pay him on commission basis depending on the number of people he would be able to recruit to sign onto the stowaway business.
The victim later narrated the incident to his brother, who told him that he believed the deal was fraudulent so he should go to Togo and verify whether a ship had docked there recruiting people.
Supt Tiwaa said the victim travelled to the Togo sea port to verify the claim, which turned out to be a hoax.
He, therefore, returned to Accra and reported the incident to the police.
He was advised to feign more interest in the deal and on June 19, 2009 ASP Ebenezer Nketiah led a team of personnel to Tema where the victim had arranged to meet the suspects with more people.
Two of the suspects managed to escape but James was arrested and he is currently assisting the police in their investigations after which he will be put before court.
Story: Mary Mensah
A 30-year-old Nigerian who placed an advert on the Internet claiming he has been tasked by Emirates Shipping Line of Dubai to recruit people to work on a vessel, has been arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.
The suspect, James Arday Harrison, was arrested in Tema where he had gone to collect $150 processing fee from a security man who applied for a position on the vessel.
According to Supt Yaa Tiwaa, Head of the Commercial Crime Unit of the CID, the victim, a security man at the Kotoka International Airport, was browsing the net when he came across a website named Emirates Group Carriers.com.
She said on the website was an advert placed by Quick International Shipping Line with a business address stated as Forest Road Feltham Middlesex TW13 7DY, United Kingdom.
The advert stated that a tourist passenger ship by name MV Freedom of the Sea, which operates around Europe and Africa, had docked in Togo's sea port and harbour to recruit people for a monthly basic salary of $1,500.
There were several positions but the victim applied for a deck officer by filling an online application form that had been provided by the company.
According to Supt Tiwaa a week after his application, he received a mail that he had been appointed and that his appointment would take effect from July 1, 2009.
Consequently he was directed to travel to Togo and pay a processing fee of $150.
While he was preparing to travel to Togo for the payment of the money, he had a call from the suspect, who claimed that a lot of applications came from Ghana so the managers of Quick International Shipping Line would be in Tema to process the Ghanaian applicants and, therefore, there was no need for him to travel to Togo.
Two days later he met with the suspects and two others but after paying the $150 to them, they asked him to look for people who wanted to stow away.
They promised to pay him on commission basis depending on the number of people he would be able to recruit to sign onto the stowaway business.
The victim later narrated the incident to his brother, who told him that he believed the deal was fraudulent so he should go to Togo and verify whether a ship had docked there recruiting people.
Supt Tiwaa said the victim travelled to the Togo sea port to verify the claim, which turned out to be a hoax.
He, therefore, returned to Accra and reported the incident to the police.
He was advised to feign more interest in the deal and on June 19, 2009 ASP Ebenezer Nketiah led a team of personnel to Tema where the victim had arranged to meet the suspects with more people.
Two of the suspects managed to escape but James was arrested and he is currently assisting the police in their investigations after which he will be put before court.
ALLEGED FRAUDSTER NABBED BY POLICE (PAGE 28)
June 26, 2009
Story: Mary Mensah
A 50-YEAR-OLD alleged fraudster, described by the police as very notorious, has been arrested by the Commercial Crime Unit (CCU) of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service for bank fraud.
Niko Ahmed Ganyo, the suspect, was arrested at the Tesano branch of The Trust Bank where he was said to have gone to open a bank account with fictitious documents.
Superintendent Yaa Tiwaa, head of the unit, told the Daily Graphic that on June 18, 2009, at about 2.30 p.m., Niko went to the bank for a transaction and around that same time ASP Ebenezer Nketiah, who is in charge of operations at the CCU, also entered the bank.
On seeing the officer, Niko told the bank official that he had left something in his car which he wanted to pick, and quickly left the banking hall.
She said ASP Nketiah became suspicious that Niko might be up to something so he approached the bank official who attended to Niko to find out Niko’s mission at the bank.
It turned out that Niko had gone to the bank to open a new bank account but when the documents were presented to the bank official, he detected that Niko was opening the account with a different name.
He had used the name Christopher Adzrah and presented a passport bearing the name with his picture and a company registration document from the Registrar General bearing the name Clearing House Limited with Niko as the director of the company. Niko also presented a tenancy agreement document bearing the same name.
Supt Yaa Tiwaa said as soon as the police officer left the bank, Niko returned to continue with the process but he was arrested by the policemen on duty and handed over to the CCU for further investigations.
During interrogation Niko admitted that all the documents were fraudulent and that he was asked to open the account by a friend who was expecting some money from a business partner abroad.
Story: Mary Mensah
A 50-YEAR-OLD alleged fraudster, described by the police as very notorious, has been arrested by the Commercial Crime Unit (CCU) of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service for bank fraud.
Niko Ahmed Ganyo, the suspect, was arrested at the Tesano branch of The Trust Bank where he was said to have gone to open a bank account with fictitious documents.
Superintendent Yaa Tiwaa, head of the unit, told the Daily Graphic that on June 18, 2009, at about 2.30 p.m., Niko went to the bank for a transaction and around that same time ASP Ebenezer Nketiah, who is in charge of operations at the CCU, also entered the bank.
On seeing the officer, Niko told the bank official that he had left something in his car which he wanted to pick, and quickly left the banking hall.
She said ASP Nketiah became suspicious that Niko might be up to something so he approached the bank official who attended to Niko to find out Niko’s mission at the bank.
It turned out that Niko had gone to the bank to open a new bank account but when the documents were presented to the bank official, he detected that Niko was opening the account with a different name.
He had used the name Christopher Adzrah and presented a passport bearing the name with his picture and a company registration document from the Registrar General bearing the name Clearing House Limited with Niko as the director of the company. Niko also presented a tenancy agreement document bearing the same name.
Supt Yaa Tiwaa said as soon as the police officer left the bank, Niko returned to continue with the process but he was arrested by the policemen on duty and handed over to the CCU for further investigations.
During interrogation Niko admitted that all the documents were fraudulent and that he was asked to open the account by a friend who was expecting some money from a business partner abroad.
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