Monday, December 24, 2012

Police in Full Control-Top Police Officer assures public

Police in full control
— Top police officer assures public
Story: Mary Mensah
THE Police Administration has assured the public that it is on top of the security situation in the country, spite of the several instances of violent clashes between supporters of the two main political parties in parts of Accra and other places.
It said the police would do everything possible to ensure that the isolated cases of violence did not degenerate into widespread conflict.
The Director-General of Police Operations, Commissioner of Police (COP) Mr John Kudalor, who gave the assurance, said the security measures put in place for the elections were still in full force and that security personnel were also firmly on the ground.
According to Mr Kudalor, the security plan which was put in place for the management of the elections was in three phases, noting that the first two phases had been implemented, while the last phase, expected to take care of post-election eventualities, would be extended beyond the Christmas festivities and the inauguration of the president-elect and thereafter.
He said throughout the country, reports reaching the headquarters indicated that the situation was relatively calm in all the regions, except the national capital and  the Bekwai area where a man had alleged been wounded.
Mr Kudalor said concerning the incident which occurred at the Makola Market in Accra, the police received reports on some clashes there and quickly responded to bring the situation under control
He said people should not be alarmed at what was happening because the security agencies were in control, adding that normal and foot patrols had been intensified throughout the country to nip any violence in the bud.
He said the meeting between security chiefs and the chairmen of the two leading parties should send a signal to their supporters to listen to them to avoid any problem.
“There is no cause for alarm. We have regrettably and unfortunately recorded a few incidents, though, but it isn’t a situation that calls for throwing hands in the air in despair,” he stated.
“People should not be alarmed at what is happening; the security agencies are in control. We shouldn’t let the public feel that the situation has degenerated, as the media make it look or sound,” he explained.
According to Mr Kudalor, at worst, the appropriate measures would be employed to ensure peace and security in the country.
He advised supporters of the two parties to stay out of the streets and remain calm.
Meanwhile, the Metro Security Committee (MESEC) of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has added its voice to the assurances by the police to ensure the safety of all residents in the capital.
The assurance comes in the wake of recent disturbances at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle and the Makola Market, both busy commercial centres in the city.
Addressing the media after hours of a closed-door emergency meeting between the police and MESEC, the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Dr Alfred Vanderpuye, said, “The police are in readiness to protect every individual going about his or her legitimate duties.”
He expressed concern over the rising tension and pockets of criminal activities, including murders and stabbing of innocent residents, following the declaration of the results of the 2012 presidential and parliamentary elections.
An attack on some traders at the Kantamanto Market brought about confusion in the central business district of the metropolis on Thursday, December 13, 2012.
As part of measures to curtail the increasing tension fueled by political rivalry, Dr Vanderpuye said, “All political parties are advised to restrain their supporters from taking the law into their own hands and visiting violence on innocent residents.”
He advised residents to report to the police any group of persons whom they suspected were organising themselves to attack anybody or call 18555 or 191 or 03022773906.

Nima Police investigates alleged burglary of three companies

THE Nima Police have begun investigations into the alleged burglary of three companies on the second floor of the Pyramid House in Accra on Saturday, December 15, 2012.
The companies are Blay and Associates, Precious Minerals Resources Limited and International Commercial Bank, all located in the Pyramid House on the Ring Road.
Already, security men and cleaners who were on duty at the time of the incident have been questioned.
The closed circuit television (CCTV) camera which had been installed in the building will be reviewed to see if it captured the perpetrators of the burglary.
According to the Public Affairs Officer of the Accra Regional Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mr Freeman Tettey, about 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 16, 2012, a cleaner from the Pyramid House went to the Nima Police Station to report that some offices within the building had been broken into by thieves.
Following the report,  some policemen were quickly dispatched to the scene to ascertain the truth or otherwise of the incident.
 On arrival, Mr  Tettey said, the police realised that three of the offices on the second floor of the building had been broken into by thieves.
He said documents and files were scattered on the floor in all the offices.
Further investigations, he said, revealed that one of the offices of Blay and Associates belonged to Ms Gloria Akuffo, a member of the legal team of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
 He said  the police were yet to discover whether things had been stolen because the incident happened on Saturday night when the workers were not at post.
He said information reaching the police indicated that one laptop was stolen from the offices of Precious Minerals Resources Limited.
So far, no arrests have been made.

Youth Advised to Strive for Excellence

The Group Chairman of the AGAM Group of Companies, Mr Rowland Agambiri, has challenged the youth to be innovative and strive for excellence in their endeavours.
He said  the youth must believe in themselves  and begin to change their mindset and that of their communities by creating new opportunities.
Speaking at the end-of-year get-together of the group in Accra on Tuesday, the chairman said the youth must be inspired to be proud of themselves and begin to believe in the Ghanaian dream.
The event was to celebrate the success of the AGAM Group within the year and also give something back to society.
 The AGAM Group comprises seven companies, with the flagship being RLG Communications.
The others are ACI Financial Services, ACI Construction Restoration, Mara Trading and Communications, Evolution Multimedia, CraftPRO and the Azongtaba Cottage Industries and Exchange Programme.
“It is better to start something and fail rather than sit idle and wait  for manna to rain from heaven,” Mr Agambiri said.
 According to him, “it does not matter where you were born or where you come from; the most important thing is what you can do to impact on your generation and those yet unborn”.
Mr Agambiri said today’s world was about the future of the youth and the Ghanaian society was yearning for the youth to create wealth for themselves.
He said his dream of creating one million jobs was still in full force and that he would not rest until that dream had been fulfilled.
He said although the year under review had been very challenging, the group managed to sail through and won several awards, one of which was the Number Two Company Award of  the Ghana Club 100.
He said the AGAM Group intended to take advantage of the many neglected sectors in the country next year to make its dream of one million jobs in the next five years a reality.
The Group Chairman expressed his appreciation to corporate Ghana for believing in the AGAM Group
Mr Agambiri called on the public to be responsible in their celebration of the Christmas festivities, as Ghana needed them alive for the years ahead.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Court ordered BNI to produce Gbagbo's spokesperson

The Human Rights Court has ordered the Director of Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and the Attorney-General to produce Mr Justin Kone Katinan, Spokesperson for Mr Laurent Gbagbo, the immediate past Ivorian leader.
Granting an application for habeas corpus filed on behalf of Mr Katinan by his lawyer, Mr Patrick Sogbodjor, the court gave the BNI Director and the Attorney-General up to August 31, 2012 to explain why the former spokesperson should be held in continuous detention.
Since his arrest at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) by BNI operatives shortly on arrival from Johannesburg, South Africa on Friday, August 24,2012, Mr Katinan has been in detention at the Greater Accra Regional BNI Offices, near the 37 Military  Hospital in Accra.
Mr Justin Kone Katinan was picked up together with Ms Lucie Bourchouymieux, an Ivorian lawyer, who accompanied him from Johannesburg, South Africa to Ghana. Ms Bourchouymieux was, however, released later.
A statement signed by a Deputy Minister of Information, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said Mr Katinan’s arrest was based on a warrant issued by the Ivorian authorities on August 16, 2012.
The statement said President John Dramani Mahama, in accordance with the Ghanaian Constitution, had since asked the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to study the extradition instruments and advise accordingly.
According to Mr Katinan’s lawyer, no reason had been assigned for the arrest and detention of his client.
He said Mr Katinan had been registered as a refugee and had been living in Ghana under that status since April 13, 2011 to date.
He has been travelling in and out of the country until his arrest.
President Gbagbo appointed Katinan his spokesman following his own arrest in April, last year and subsequent extradition to stand trial at the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.
Thousands of Gbagbo loyalists fled to Ghana after the fall of his regime, following the post-election conflict in which some 3,000 people were killed.


Police has put in place measures

THE Police Administration has put in place measures to ensure peace before, during and after the December 2012 parliamentary and presidential elections, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye, has assured.
He said given the pace and rate at which security provisions for the elections were going, the December elections shall be successfully conducted.
At a meeting with the Eminent Persons Group and Members of the Peace Council at the Police Headquarters in Accra yesterday, the IGP expressed optimism that the elections would be totally successful if Ghanaians from all walks of life would once again stand up and rise to the occasion by portraying through their actions and inaction that they were peaceful and willing to promote national cohesion in the interest of democracy, freedom and justice.
He said the police as the lead security agency would be collaborating with other sister security agencies such as the Military, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana National Fire Service, Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), among others, to provide security at all polling stations.
Outlining some of the programmes and activities being undertaken by the police to ensure peaceful elections, Mr Quaye said election task forces had been formed throughout the country to monitor the elections and ensure peace.
He said the unity of purpose and the show of love and commitment to ensure a peaceful and orderly funeral of the late President of the Republic of Ghana, Prof. J. E. A. Mills, reflected the nature and character of the Ghanaian.
He said this singular event did show that Ghanaians were capable of rising above pettiness, divisive tendencies and pride to promote national cohesion, adding that violence in the true sense of the word was alien to the Ghanaian cultural environment.
Presenting the security environment in which the forthcoming elections was to take place, Mr Quaye gave a brief overview of the crime situation in the country.
He indicated that at the beginning of the year 2011, the police set for itself a  target of five per cent reduction of criminal cases reported throughout the country.
He said 423 cases were recorded in 2011 as against 422 in 2010.
Mr Quaye said a review of the three-year period, 2009-2001 showed that there had been a systematic and consistent reduction of criminal cases.
The IGP asserted that apart from the commonly committed offences such as assault, stealing, threat and fraud, special focus was always paid to the four major offences (murder, rape/defilement, robbery and possession, use and distributions of narcotic drugs).
The Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, Commissioner of Police (COP), Mr Prosper Agblor, and the Director-General in Charge of Police Operations, COP Mr John Kudalor, gave presentations on the recent upsurge of communal violence in the country and subsequent police actions in dealing with them and the various preparation stages of the police towards the elections and the way forward to achieving peaceful elections.
For her part, Professor Ewurama Addy, the Chairman of the Eminent Persons Group, said the funeral of the late President showed that Ghanaians were peaceful people.
She said the police administration did an excellent job judging from the short period that they had at their disposal to organise the funeral, which turned out successful.
According to her, the security exhibited during the funeral had given Ghanaians the confidence and hope that the elections would be peaceful.
“We have to showcase once again to the sub-region that we have matured in our democracy,” she stated. 

GHANA will receive $600 million from the Group of 8 (G8)

Story: Mary Mensah
GHANA will receive $600 million from the Group of 8 (G8)  for the implementation of the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition.
The new alliance announced by President Obama at the May 18, 2012  G8 Summit at Camp David is a shared commitment by the G-8 nations, African countries and private sector partners to lift 50 million people out of poverty over the next 10 years through inclusive government.
A Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Nii Amassah Namoale, said at the launch of the New Alliance in Ghana in Accra yesterday  that Ghana’s selection alongside the other two African countries was as a result of its impressive economic growth and poverty reduction performance over the years.
He said the New Alliance focused primarily on catalysing private sector investment across African agricultural value chains and build on the G8 commitments made at L’Aquila in Italy.
The Deputy Minister indicated that the Alliance supported the accelerated implementation of existing frameworks, including AU/NEPAD’s Comprehensive African Development Plan (CAADP), which was known in Ghana as the Medium Term Agricultural Sector Development Plan (METASIP).
He said since the launch of the $977 million METASIP programme in July, 2011 to serve as a framework for pursuing enhanced agricultural performance in Ghana, there had been intensified efforts by the government, its development partners and the private sector to deliver on the programmes of the METASIP.
Nii Amassah Namoale asserted that the broad strategy of the METASIP was to manage food production and demand situations, and that selected communities had been targeted to attain food security and income diversification, especially of resourced  poor farmers.
According him, a selection of major food crops, namely maize, rice, cassava, yam and cowpea that cut across all communities in the country would be given optimum support to attain food security.
He said the new Alliance for Food Security was seen by the government as an opportunity to enhance the focus, level of investment and accelerated implementation of the METASIP.
 He said for decades the G8 and other developed countries had engaged with African partners to address the challenges and opportunities in Africa for sustainable growth and development,but it had been recognised that international assistance alone could not  fulfill the shared objectives which were even more pressing now as Africa’s role in expanding the global economy was becoming more important.
“The private sector is, therefore, a significant partner in the tripartite alliance and opportunities for investment by the private sector’s span from farm production to operations along the agricultural value chain, including input supply, processing, trading, finance, warehousing and transportation,” he said. 

Government will support the security agencies.

THE Minister of the Interior, Mr William K. Aboah, has warned that the government will support the security agencies to deal appropriately with any miscreant who may decide to mar the upcoming electoral processes irrespective of the person’s political persuasion.
He said political violence in whatever shape or form had left imprints of devastation, fatalities, untold hardships and stagnation of economic development on countries which had experienced it.
At the official launch of the Election Training Programme for Law Enforcement Agencies in Preparation for the 2012 General Election at the Police Headquarters in Accra yesterday, the minister said Ghana today was recognised among the most distinguished countries in the world in terms of its multiparty democracy.
He said Ghana’s democratic credentials had placed it in a pole position on the world map and made it a role model in contemporary democratic dispensation, adding that since entering multiparty democracy in 1992, the country had successfully held elections in an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity.
 Mr Aboah attributed this remarkable achievement largely to the profusion of professionalism, vigilance, selflessness, non-partisanship, hard work and commitment of the security agencies.
“Indeed the nation is indebted in gratitude to our security agencies  for the unflinching support they always provide for our beloved country anytime the need arise and it is in this vain that I urge you not to rest on your oars but strive harder in ensuring that this year’s election is registered as an incident-free one,” the minister said.
He said it was the collective desire of every discerning Ghanaian that the December 2012 elections would be conducted successfully without any life being lost or property being destroyed.
Mr Aboah said it was in recognition of this fact that the government found it gratifying, appropriate and timely that the British Government had  in collaboration with other stakeholders  prepared a comprehensive training programme aimed at equipping the police and building the capacity of the security agencies throughout the country to meet all potential security challenges before, during and after the December 2012 elections.
The minister expressed the hope that the participants would take the training seriously for the ultimate benefit of mother Ghana and urged all the security heads to work in harmony and consolidate the very foundation of the nation’s democracy.
 For his part, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye, said training was one of the key requirements necessary for the development of available human resource in any organisation.
He said the training programme was also designed to address the issue of effective harmonisation of the operational strategies and tactics to be employed by all law enforcement agencies in order to reduce internal competition that usually ensued among security agencies during such events.
He asserted that a series of exercises would be conducted to enable participants to map out effective strategies  to avert any such unforseen eventualities before, during and after the elections, adding that the unique programme line-up would help to identify special equipment and election-specific tools needed and how to effectively handle them to ensure smooth operationalisation of election activities.
The British High Commissioner, Mr Peter Jones, said he was proud that the UK was lending its support, both technical and financial, to this programme designed to make a critical contribution to the good conduct of this year’s election.
He said aside this programme, the UK was also supporting several aspects of the electoral and democratic process, including support to the Electoral Commission and the Judiciary, adding that no element was more important than ensuring that the police and other security services and agencies were optimally prepared and equipped to provide the right environment - a safe, secure and fair environment - for the people of Ghana to exercise their democratic right, “to have their say, to make their vote count and to decide the future of their country”.
The High Commissioner indicated that Ghana had earned for itself an enviable reputation as a beacon of democratic best practice to other countries. “The election in 2012 offers another chance for Ghana to show the rest of the world what it can do. I am sure that it will rise to the challenge, and once again set the standard to which others will aspire,” he said.
“Today marks the formal launch of awareness training programme which will extend to all regions of Ghana in the coming weeks. In total 16,000 security personnel drawn from the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Prison Service and the Ghana National Fire Service will benefit from a package that will equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge for them to fully understand their roles and responsibilities in support of the Presidential and Parliamentary elections,” he said.
He said another support would also include a new Aide Memoire card on security officers’ duties and correct roles and responsibilities during the elections, to be issued to personnel for use on election day.
He expressed the hope that this support and programme would help Ghana to again lead the way in electoral best practice.

Experts of Veterinary Services Meets in Accra

Story: Mary Mensah
EXPERTS and Directors of National Veterinary Services from the West African Sub-Region are meeting in Accra to devise strategies for the prevention and control of African Swine Fever (ASF).
The ASF is endemic in most countries of Sub Saharan Africa with outbreaks reported every year from several countries with the most recent case from neighbouring Togo.
The meeting will enable the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and other sub regional partners to address the issue of the ASF and prepare a sub regional strategy for the prevention and control taking into accounts the potential gaps identified.
Opening the meeting, the Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture in charge of Livestock, Dr Alfred Tia Sugri indicated that epidermics when they occur in livestock causes havoc in developing countries.
He said some of these havoc includes the drastical reduction of herds and flocks, cause trade partners to put trade barriers, and the reduction in consumption and demand for livestock which in turn increase the cost of production.
He said ASF was also one of the major Trans-boundary Animal Diseases (TAD) which spread across international borders, and cripple the livelihood of pig producers.
Dr Suguri noted that the major pig producing countries in West Africa were Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Ghana and Togo with a total population of about 12.8 million (FAO 2010) hence threatened with intermittent outbreaks of the ASF periodically.
However, with the interventions from the World Bank with the sum of US$300,000 from the National Livestock Services Project, Ghana contributed significantly to the control of ASF by paying adequate compensation to the pig farmers whose pigs were destroyed.
“This resulted in the success in eradicating the disease in Ghana”, he said.
Dr Suguri however added that the trans-boundary nature of the disease the regional approach for more effective control and for which attempts were made to come up with adequate strategies.
Earlier In a welcome address, the FAO Sub Regional Co-ordinator for West Africa, Mr Musah Saihou Mbenga said currently, there was a rapid human population growth almost everywhere but particularly in urban areas.
He said according to a recent UN report (2010), the current 40 per cent urban population of Africa would grow to 60 per cent by 2050 adding that in the particular case of West Africa, the population of major urban centers such as Ouagadougous would increase by 81 per cent , while the population of  Niamey, Lagos and Bamako were projected to grow between 47 and 57 per cent.
However, he said, one way of improving the availability of food of animal origin was by strengthening the pig sector which contributes 10 per cent of meat in West Africa as a whole.
“Pigs have a short cycle, they grow fast, are profelic and convert agro-industrial by-products and household waste into quality animal protein” he explained.
Additionally, the West African Sub region has about 14 million pigs which is about 43 percent of the pig population in Africa adding that the vast majority of the 13 million were in the hands of small holder producers.
Mr Mbenga recalled that last year, the African Swine Fever (ASF) was reported officially in Cape Verde, which affected two Island and killed numerous animals.
“Just at the beginning of September 2012, an outbreak of ASF killed about 85 pigs in Zanguera, Togo. The disease continues to kill almost all infected animals and there is no treatment or as yet any vaccine to prevent it”, he added.
He expressed optimism that the animal experts gathered at the workshop would put together their efforts and come up with a sound and realistic strategy for the prevention and control of ASF in West Africa.
According to the Animal Production Officer of the FAO, Mr Berhanu Bedane the disease was reported in Cape Verde where the FAO is assisting the country in controlling it and more recently in Togo and given the situation there is a growing recognition globally and in West Africa that measures to address in th eprevention and control of ASF in the sub-region should be initiated immediately taking into consideration the experiences and lessons learnt from other regions
He said the workshop was expected to clarify the current status of the pig value chain and the situation ASF in West African Countries and the opportunities which exist for its prevention and control and chart the way forward.

Latex Foam Company provided funds for fitting of Artificial Limbs

Story: Mary Mensah
LATEX Foam Company Limited has in collaboration with the Ghana National Trust Fund (GNTF) provided funds for the fitting of artificial limbs to 20 amputees.
The programme forms part of the social responsibility programme of the company.
The beneficiaries who were drawn from all regions in the country are registered members of the Ghana Society for the Physically Challenged.
According to the Executive Secretary of the GNTF, Ms Joyce Frimpong, the fund had been providing assistance to a number of institutions, some of which included the Leprosy Relief Assistance, Ghana Society for the Socially Disadvantaged, Society for the Blind, Help Age Ghana, St John’s Ambulance Brigade and the Voluntary Workcamps Association.
She said the trust fund was established by the first President of Ghana, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, in 1958 to cater for the handicapped and the less privileged in the society.
Ms Frimpong said it was supposed to be the nation’s only community chest serving various voluntary organisations, the disabled and the orphans.
She said twice within a year some members from the mentioned institutions were selected for assistance in various areas but this year the fund was focusing on 20 amputees who were to be fitted with artificial limbs.
The first beneficiary group, numbering 10, including four women and the second batch would be fitted with limbs by the close of the year.
The executive secretary indicated that the current project was  being executed alongside a series of other programmes being undertaken by the Ghana National Trust Fund.
She asserted that the fund had been paying the medical bills of people, especially children in the various hospitals whose relatives could not afford the medical bills.
She said the fund recently came out with a scheme under which it offered training to persons with disabilities and provided them with equipment needed in the various vocations yearly on a regional basis. There have been instances where the fund donated either in cash or in kind to orphanages or individuals who appealed to it.
On sources of income for the GNTF, the executive secretary indicated that it did not receive any subvention from the central government hence it had to depend on public spirited individuals, organisations, corporate bodies and churches, among others, to fund its projects.

Security Agencies have undergone a number of training programme

Story: Mary Mensah
 With barely three months to the general election, the security agencies have undergone a number of training programmes, both locally and internationally, to enable them to discharge their duties effectively to ensure that Ghanaians triumph once again at the polls.
The National Security Apparatus has installed a GOTA system, a  communication gadget to promote timely  and efficient exchange of information among the various security agencies.
This will ensure that security agencies are abreast of information to deal decisively with any untoward situation that might occur before, during and after the elections.
The Police Administration has formed a special high powered National Elections Preparations and Planning Committee to ensure peaceful elections in December 2012.
The committee is under the chairmanship of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Alhassan, and co-chaired by  Commissioner of Police  Madam Rose Bio-Atinga, Director General in Charge of Police Operations.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye, has said as the lead security agency tasked to ensure peace in the country, the police will do everything possible to maintain Ghana’s credibility as a beacon of peace.
He said a lot of activities and programmes were currently ongoing, all geared towards preparing the personnel to exhibit high professionalism and to give off their best before, during and after the elections.
Currently the strength of the Ghana Police Service stands at 26,000, but new recruits are under training and they are expected to pass out long before the elections to enable the service to provide sufficient security at all polling stations and collation centres.
According to the IGP, the police administration has also come up with a Joint Regional Security Tax Force, as well as Districts Tax Forces and this will be rolled out as soon as the National Joint Security Tax Force is inaugurated.
Although the Task Force is yet to be inaugurated, a series of meetings to discuss the requisite measures and logistical requirements needed to provide a desirable environment for smooth and successful elections have been held.
A calendar of events for the effective implementation by the National Election Security Task Force, under his chairmanship, has been approved to ensure that the country remains peaceful throughout the electioneering period and beyond. Arrangements have also been put in place to deal with complaints, investigations, the security of ballot boxes and other issues that may crop up before, during and after the elections.
Besides communication gadgets for the personnel , equipment that will enable members of the National Election Security Task Force to monitor the elections, particularly in all trouble-spots, is expected to be installed at the Police Headquarters this month.
For the first time in the history of the service the government has procured 1,000 vehicles to help the police to effectively patrol the country, and the administration has already taken delivery of 274 of the vehicles and the rest are expected before the elections.
The Rapid Deployment Forces have been trained by experts provided by the French, British and German governments on modern crowd control techniques and how to handle emergencies during crowd control, and personnel of the unit are now adequately prepared to meet any untoward security challenges that might arise in the future, especially during electioneering.
According to the IGP, the terrain would be difficult, with the numerous political campaigns which precede the elections and some politicians fuelling violence with their utterances in their attempt to woo voters.
In their quest to improve the confidence level of the police, some personnel have had further training at the Asutsuare and Achiase military training camps, the IGP said.
The SWAT teams which were based at the headquarters to assist in any security challenges that might occur in the future have also been expanded to cover all the regional capitals to curb any attempt to disturb the peace of the country.
Communication is the most effective tool when it comes to the combating of crime or public disturbances and so the police administration, with the help of a Spanish Protocol, have linked all the police regions together through high frequency systems which are complete with VHF for short distances  to link the district and unit commands.
He noted that a state-of- the-art telephone equipment, with enhanced call features that will allow the Police Service to respond to crime reports speedily had been launched in Accra.
The IGP said PABX Telephone System which was presented by VODAFONE Ghana through the initiative of the British High Commission can receive 30 different calls from the public simultaneously and treat in-bound calls with utmost confidentiality.
He said the information room was one facility that was so crucial to effective crime combat and for policing in general as it functioned as the hub of information of the Ghana Police service.
He indicated that with the upcoming general election  police-public collaboration had become even more paramount, and   demanded that more modern gadgets should be procured for the information room as it was the receptacle of the pieces of information, hints, leads and fillers needed to combat crime and to foil any disturbances.
Mr Quaye said the London Metropolitan Police had also provided 7,000 hand held radios (walkie talkies) and plans were far advanced to locate their frequency to enable the personnel to exchange timely information for the advancement of peace .
Desk Officers to receive complaints, investigate complaints and also monitor the status of complaints are to be appointed as part of the measures.
He said the police would count on the support of other security agencies, and that already the sister security agencies were currently working on the number of personnel they could make available for the elections to enable the police to examine how to deploy them.
Mr Quaye said it should be borne in mind that the Ghana Police Service was the lead agency in the election task force and, therefore, all the personnel from the other security agencies would be working under the directive of the police.
He explained that mock exercises would be undertaken to ensure the readiness of the security agencies for the elections, adding that the task force would be meeting political parties and other stakeholders to discuss electoral issues with them.
Concerns regarding the effectiveness of the police on election day have been discussed, and he gave the assurance that “we will not only be on the ground but very effective as well.”
With regard  to the selective investigation and prosecution of cases, he said the desk officers were expected to collate the data of cases for analysis and monitor their status.
He said as part of the measures, the Election Security Task Forces would be independent of the regional and district security committees to check the incidence of interference.
“We will not be considering the shades and colours of electoral offenders but will treat all as equal. This time, it is action and we will prove that to all Ghanaians and the rest of the world,” he said.
The task forces will be engaging the political parties and the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) in particular, the EC and other stakeholders at the national, regional and local levels to ensure that fair grounds are provided to all stakeholders.
The IGP charged the leadership and rank and file of all political parties to equally be prepared to stand  the test since they had a bigger responsibility to play within the rules of engagement.
“This year’s elections are crucial. There is more pressure for Ghana to come out together than divided, in view of the recent bad experiences in a number of African countries after elections,” he said.

Two Boys drowned in an open culvert at Olebu

Story: Mary Mensah
Tragedy struck two families at Olebu near Ablekuma in the Ga Central District of the Greater Accra Region, when two boys were drowned in open culvert in the area.
The bodies of Emmanuel Yankson, alias Junior, aged eight, a class-three pupil of the Thy Mercy International School at Ablekuma New Town and Alhaji Ibrahim aged 10, were found floating at the construction site.
The culvert was dug  by the Chinese company constructing the new Awoshie to Pokuase road and had been there for several months now and despite pleas from members of the community to the company to cover it, the company ignored the plea until the tragedy last Sunday.
According to the father of Junior,  Mr Kwesi Yankson, in the morning, the deceased and his two siblings accompanied their mother to church at about 9 am and on their return he was later spotted playing with Alhaji.
He said young Alhaji was very popular with both kids and adults as he was always seen collecting scraps for sale.
He said when his son did not return home he and his wife, Comfort Asante, started looking for him as it was getting late.
Mr Blankson said he and his wife combed the whole area to no avail and later went to Alhaji’s mother who assured them not to panic because the two boys will return home.
He said this was around 11pm, but unknown to them, the two boys had drowned at about 5 pm and their bodies had already been conveyed by the police to the hospital.
The father said it was early yesterday morning while looking for the boys that they heard that two boys had drowned at Olebbu and armed with this information they rushed to the police station to lodge a complaint. It was there that the police confirmed the incident and took them to the hospital to identify the bodies.
The bodies are awaiting autopsy.
According to some residents, the open drain of about 12-feet attracts dozens of kids who come there to swim.
An official of the construction firm said the culvert was created as part of works being done on that stretch of the road.and could not be covered as construction work was still ongoing.
 This latest incident adds up to a growing list of tragedies recorded at construction sites due to open drains.

Police has set up a Media Monitoring Centre

Story: Mary Mensah
The Ghana Police Service has set up a  Media Monitoring Center to enable the service to come out with appropriate policies, strategies and decisions to serve the public better before and during the elections
This has become necessary because according to the police media monitoring  will afford them  the opportunity to know all the happenings in the election which may not come by traditional sources of information.
Opening a five-day training programme to upgrade the skills of Media Monitoring Personnel drawn from the Public Affairs Unit of the Ghana Police Service in Accra today, Commissioner of Police (COP) in Charge of Administration , Mrs Rose Bio Atinga said the administration appreciates the crucial role information plays in the world today.
She said the Media Monitoring Unit had also been fitted with the state-of-the-art equipment to ensure effective monitoring of the media for a better service.
COP Atinga said the new centre and the training are also some of the measures the police are instituting to ensure a peaceful elections come December as
She said no organisation or institution especially a security one like the police can ignore this vital element and succeed.
She said the media had been virtually taunted as the fourth estate of the realm due to the crucial role they play in democratic states by holding public institutions and servants accountable to the public by serving as the watch-dog for the people.
COP Atinga said this was also a further assurance to the public that the police are leaving no stone unturned in their bid to secure the integrity of the 2012 election and such is the commitment of the police to ensuring a successful elections and all stakeholders are entreated to play their parts.
She urged the participants to take advantage of the opportunity and imbibe with zeal whatever knowledge would be imparted unto them and pass it on to their colleagues.
On his part, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Mr Frank Kwofie, Director of CID Operations said for every institution to make progress in whatever it has chosen to do it was incumbent upon it to keep abreast of time.
He said from time to time there was the need for revision of methods of operation, upgrading of knowledge and skills and overhauling of equipment and the Police Administration acknowledges this fact and continues to put measures in place regularly to enable the service to be of use to the public  that they serve.
He said the police administration considers training and retraining as an essential tool in the provision of better services and attainment of their goals as contained in the strategic National Policing Plan.
ACP Kwofie said the course was therefore in line with the general objectives of the police administration to bring the Ghana Police Service to the levels of international best practices.

GAWU calls for the creation of Child Labour Free Zones in Ghana

Story: Mary Mensah
The General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) of the Trades Union Congress has called for the creating of Child Labour Free Zones in Ghana to curb the incidence of all forms of Child Labour in the country.
Child Labour Free Zones are geographical areas where all children are systematically withdrawn from work and reintegrated into formal full time schools.
The General Secretary of GAWU, Mr Kingsley Ofei Nkansah made the call at the opening of a multi stakeholders forum towards the creation of the child Labour free zones in Accra today.
Twenty five participants drawn from civil society organisations, organised labour,  government of Ghana and Ghana Employers Association attended the forum which aims at appraising the extent of child labour in Ghana and beyond, take stock of the instruments and wide range of initiatives against all forms of child labour and reach some common understanding and roles in the creation of the CLFZ among others..
He said no distinction was made between different forms of child labour because every child has the right to education without which they become losers from the onset and cannot compete with their peers in future.
He said the right to education was as important as the right to food and adults have to share in the dream of the children by ensuring that they are provided with the basic necessities of life.
Mr Nkansah noted that adults have to earn a living in order to support the children to realise their dreams adding that the fundamental rights to a life of dignity was securing the dignity of life of adults as this will help the children in the long run.
He therefore called on stakeholders with a shared commitment to step up efforts to eradicate child labour in the country.
According to him rice farmers and livestock farmers as well as cocoa farmers have been identified as those who engage the services of the children on their farms and majority of this child workers are found in some parts of the Eastern, Northern and the Volta regions.
He said the GAWU has organised a number of interventions in those districts but the children always some return some weeks after their withdrawals.
The General Secretary said to consolidate efforts made there was the need for stakeholders to work towards the creation of Child Labour Free zones throughout the country to eliminate all forms of child labour and to ensure formal and full time education for all children at least until the age of whilst creating safe environment for children from 16 to 17 who are allowed to work by law.
On his part, Mr Andrews Addoquaye Tagoe, Head of Programmes at GAWU said contributing factors resulting in child labour was not only and mainly poverty but other factors like existing social norns, lack of workers and exclusion and discrimination of certain groups.
He said child labour was a denial of a child’s right to education and all child labour was unacceptable adding that it was the duty of governments, international organisations and corporate bodies to ensure that they do not perpetuate child labour.
According to him core labour standards must be respected and enforced to effectively eliminate child labour.
He said the process of creating child labour free zones involves all stakeholders like teachers, parents, children, unions, community groups, local authorities and employers.
Mr Addoquaye indicated that child labour free zones exists in India, Nepal, NGO’s in some African countries and Latin America adding that MV Foundation in India created 1,500 child labour free villages in the process of becoming CLFZs where no child is working and where all children up to 14 years are going to school.
Child Labour is commonly defined as work performed by a child that is likely to interfere with his or her education or to be harmful to their health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development.
Child Labour encompasses every non-school going child-whether engaged in wage or non-wage work, working for the family or for others, employed in hazardous or non-hazardous occupation, employed on a daily or on a contract basis or as a bonded labourer.   
 Presently there are 7, 62I,118 children aged between 5 and iI7 in the country out of which 5,070,023 are  attending school with the remaining 2,55I,095  out of school.
According to  the Population and Housing Census, 20I0  the Northern region had the highest number of children not in school (3I per cent of children ) out of school and engaged in child labour followed by Upper West 25 per cent  Upper East 23 per cent and Brong Ahafo region I3 per cent.
Statistics compiled by the Ministry of  Employment and Social  Welfare in 2003 revealed that there were 3,86I 238  children who were out of school and engaged in economic activities but the 20I0 census had showed that the number had been reduced to  2,55I,095 which meant that the various interventions put in place have achieved some positive results.
Interventions included the school feeding programme and the capitation grant which have helped to increase enrolment of children of school going age into school as well as retaining them.
Out of the two million children who are not enrolled in schools 877,954 were economically active while 696,447 of the children out of school have been fully employed.
 According to the population census I8I, 507 children were neither economically active nor fully employed but were roaming the streets either pickpocketing while some girl children were being wooed into commercial sexual trade exploitation..

Cocoa Farmers called for re-introduction of Akuafo Cheque Payment System

Story; Mary Mensah
The Ghana Cocoa, Coffee and Shea-nut  Farmers Association has called on the government to re-introduce the Akuafo Cheque payment system.
It said the use of the Akuafo cheques should also be made mandatory for all Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs).
This move, according to the farmers, would enable them to derive maximum benefits from their hard work.
At a stakeholders’ meeting on Cocoa Payment Systems in Accra yesterday, the National Chief Farmer, Alhaji Alhassan Bukari, indicated that the current cash payment system had brought a lot of challenges to the farmers and had rather enriched the buying agents while the farmers were made poorer.
The meeting was funded by the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge Fund (BUSAC), which had three funding partners – DANIDA, USAID and the European Union – and attended by all regional heads of the association, officials from COCOBOD and the Bank of Ghana, among others.
But the management of COCOBOD says it has not stopped using the Akuafo Cheque system introduced during the 1982/83 cocoa season, and that the system is being used alongside cash.
It said it was unrealistic to use cheque only, since some of the farmers, especially the small-scale ones, preferred cash while the large-scale farmers preferred cheques.
Responding to the concerns of the farmers, the Public Relations Manager of COCOBOD, Mr Noah Kwesi Amenyah, told the Daily Graphic that “actually COCOBOD has not suspended the Akuafo Cheque system”.
“We would have wished that this (cheque) was the main mode of payment to the farmers because of the issues of attacks and the difficulties that they (farmers) go through when they collect cash,” he said.
According to him, going to the banks has a lot of advantages, as the banks would be able to help the farmers with some soft loans and make their activities more structured.
But, Mr Amenyah said, when the “multiple buying system came in, there was competition among the LBCs as to who gets what from the farmers, since your ability to offer the farmer cash would make it easier for the farmer to offer you the produce”.
“So most of the LBCs then resorted to using the Akuafo Cheque system to draw money in bulk and then use it in paying the farmers as they come,” he said.
Mr Amenyah said because of the difficulties and inconvenience the farmers went through, the LBCs took advantage of and decided that “we would rather give you the cash so they would cash the cheque and give it to the farmers”.
Mr Amenyah said as the situation stood now, the board could not strictly say that nobody should use cash as it would be a difficult decision.
Stressing the concerns of the farmers, Alhaji Bukari also appealed to the government to support the association to establish a bank so that money to members would be disbursed through the bank for easy access.
He said apart from the security of the cheques, the farmers also derived other benefits including getting the real value of the cocoa prices and payment of bonuses on time.
Alhaji Bukari said under the cheque system, any quantity sold would be recorded and bonuses were paid appropriately.
He explained that with the cash payment system, records were often not kept and thus, making the value of bonuses to be paid to cocoa farmers really difficult.
Moreover, he said, the current cash payment system also allowed caretakers of cocoa farms to steal the cocoa beans to sell them for ready cash.
Alhaji Bukari said although there were problems such as delays in payment of the cheques, which allowed some unscrupulous businessmen to cash on it by paying less value of the cheque and later cash it from the bank for more profit, it was preferable to the current situation.
He said due to privatisation a lot of players were introduced and they used their own cash payment systems and this had enriched the buying agents who used their discretion to share government bonuses to the farmers.
The National Chief Farmer said that had brought a lot of hardship to the farmers and their families and the only way of solving this problem was for the re-introduction of the cheque system, which would be more beneficial to the farmers.
He said there were over 600,000 farmers registered as members of the association and almost all of them wanted the old system re-introduced because they were better off with that.
For his part, Mr Charles Nyarko from BUSAC said research conducted indicated that the farmers wanted to revert to the old system.
He said researchers visited all the regions to sensitise the farmers and most of them expressed their frustrations at the cash system, claiming that the credit under the current payment system was very expensive than the Akuafo Cheque system.
He said the farmers were able to cultivate banking and saving cultures under the old system
The Deputy National Chief Farmer, Nana Adjei Darkwa, urged all financial institutions to make mobile banking available in all rural areas to enable the farmers to cash their cheques on time and prevent farmers from travelling long distances to cue at the Agricultural Development Bank or the Ghana Commercial Bank before cashing their money.

Ghana to target tourists

Story: Mary Mensah
THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism is undertaking a needs assessment of tourists in selected countries including China, Korea and Australia with a view to effectively targeting that market.
To this end, Ghana missions abroad have been tasked to research into tourism marketing strategies and the preferences and expectations of tourists from these countries on visits to destinations around the world including Ghana.
The Minister, Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, who announced this in Accra yesterday when he took his turn at the meet-the-press series at the Ministry of Information, said these efforts culminated in the conclusion of a number of important agreements with Ghana’s development partners.
He said in the first quarter alone, the ministry, working through the instrumentality of Ghana missions abroad and in collaboration with the various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) and foreign diplomatic missions in Ghana, succeeded in concluding a number of agreements, including the signing of the $3 billion Master Facility Agreement with the China Development Bank for the development of oil and gas-related infrastructure in Ghana and provision of $250 million for political risk insurance for medical equipment services and infrastructure to benefit up to 100 hospitals throughout the country.
Additionally, he indicated that the Ghana missions abroad coordinated the participation of Ghanaian companies in trade and tourism fairs in their countries of accreditation to promote investments and markets for made-in-Ghana goods.
He said the ministry attached great importance to the policy of good neighbourliness aimed at promoting mutual trust and confidence among the leaders of the sub-region as the basis of addressing common challenges to development across national frontiers which included transnational crimes like money laundering, drug trafficking, child trafficking and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, among others.
He said during the late President’s visit to Togo last year to further strengthen the bilateral relationship that existed between the two countries, negotiations commenced on an agreement for the advancement of the Sogakope-Lome Drinking Water project which was intended to distribute water from Ghana to Togo.
  The minister indicated that economic diplomacy remained a top priority of the government and a crucial aspect of the work of the ministry both at the headquarters and the missions abroad was constantly engaging in activities geared towards the promotion of trade and tourism and attracting foreign direct investment into the various sectors of Ghana’s economy.
He said in doing so the ministry continued to collaborate with the MDAs with a view to achieving the national objective of diversifying and expanding Ghana’s export base and seeking markets for Ghanaian products abroad, adding that the missions abroad in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and Industry and other agencies continued to explore avenues to enable Ghana to take full advantage of preferential arrangements and advantages that could accrue from multilateral trade agreements.
He said the ministry had also initiated a long-term Diaspora Policy to involve the large number of professional and economically capable Ghanaians living outside the country in national development activities.
Alhaji Mumuni said a Diasporan Support Unit was also being established at the legal and consular bureau of the ministry in partnership with the International Organisation of Migration (IOM) to compile a comprehensive database of Ghanaians in the Diaspora and to co-ordinate activities of stakeholders in addressing their concerns.
Alhaji Mumuni asserted that the ministry, in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior, the Ghana Immigration Service and the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, was far advanced in plans to publish a manual on frequently asked questions (FAQ’s) on legal and consular issues.
This, he said, was to enhance the capacity of foreign service officers in handling legal and consular problems facing Ghanaian nationals in a more effective manner and also to promote access to information by the general public. 
 The minister called on Ghanians to ensure that the forthcoming elections were devoid of any violence as Ghana had been the trailblazer for many African countries and the developing world and the next elections should be one of those moments.

IGP Cautions police personnel against all manipulations

Story: Mary Mensah
THE Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye, has cautioned police personnel against all forms of manipulation by politicians to satisfy the whims and caprices of the politicians.
He advised the personnel not to entertain any biases in enforcing the law, since they were law enforcement officials, not politicians.
The IGP was speaking at the opening of the Regional Police Commanders Conference, which was on the theme, “Election 2012 State of Preparedness of the Ghana Police Service”, in Accra yesterday.
He said the Police Administration expected every law enforcement official to exhibit a certain professional standard of behaviour and discipline which distinguished the enforcement agencies as agents of the law.
In the execution of their duties, he said, police personnel must not discriminate against any voter on the basis of gender, religion, language, colour or political opinion,  as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution.
Mr Quaye said as political parties began to embark upon their respective campaigns towards the upcoming elections to win the confidence of the electorate, it behoved all stakeholders, such as civil society, state institutions, the media and particularly the security apparatus, to ensure effective and equitable coverage for those events.
He said it was worth noting that the police were legally endowed with certain powers but also had some limitations and, therefore, when it became absolutely necessary to apply force in controlling election violence, they must bear in mind that the voter had the right to life, security of his person and all the freedoms associated with such constitutional provisions.
According to him, violence, intimidation and coercion hindered public confidence in an electoral process and had the potential of increasing civil unrest as a result of lack of trust and confidence in the state security apparatus, especially the Police Service.
Mr Quaye said the nature, extent and magnitude of communal violence, if not checked in the country, could pose a serious threat to national security, the quest for a peaceful democratic transition, as well as the long-term goal of consolidating democratic governance in the country.
For his part, the Minister of the Interior, Mr William Kwasi Aboah, also cautioned the Police Service not to take it for granted that this year’s elections would be conducted peacefully like the previous ones, since each election year came with its unique challenges.
He said as the lead agency and custodian of internal security, the service had so far demonstrated commitment, zeal and preparedness to defend the country at their peril.
In a speech read on his behalf, the minister said since Ghana entered into multi-party democracy in 1992 under the Fourth Republic, five elections had successfully been held in an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity.
He said there was no gainsaying the role played by the Police Service, in collaboration with other security agencies, in stabilising the country during those election periods.
Mr Aboah was hopeful that the high level of integrity would once again be showcased to overcome the daunting task ahead, come December 7, 2012.
He said the training programme was launched two weeks, ago under the auspices of the British government, to equip and sharpen the skills of about 16,000 security officers across the country to withstand all potential security challenges before, during and after the general election in December.
He advised the personnel to demonstrate professionalism, commitment, non-partisanship and respect the rule of law before, during and after the elections.

Ghana Armed Forces to be provided with modern military equipment

Story: Mary Mensah
THE Ministry of Defence has embarked on an exercise to provide the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) with modern military equipment.
This is to enable the GAF to meet the challenges of the 21st century in dealing with territorial threats and assisting in providing internal security and developmental issues.
Taking his turn at the meet-the-press series in Accra yesterday, the Minister of Defence, Lt General J. H. Smith, said as part of the exercise, a new department had been established at the ministry to deal with research and defence co-operation.
He said in order to enhance the operational capabilities of the GAF, some equipment were recently procured, while a Paratech facility had been built for the Airborne Force (ABF).
He said the Ghana Navy had also taken delivery of one 35-metre boat and a number of 46-metre naval boats, while 58-metre vessels acquired by the government from Germany had just arrived.
According to him, in line with the government’s strategic decision to re-equip and revamp the GAF, the Ghana Air Force had also taken delivery of some Diamond DA42 surveillance aircraft and a CASA 295 transport aircraft, while the construction of a number of hangers at the Air Force Base in Accra was ongoing.
He said there were plans to establish military units, helipads and bases in various areas across the country to improve the GAF’s capability to deal with operational exigencies, especially on the oil fields.
Lt Gen Smith said a seven-member Petroleum Security Co-ordinating Committee (PSCC) had also been established, with the sole objective of providing a safe and congenial operational environment for the oil and gas industry.
He said the committee had been tasked to ensure a safe and secure land, sea and air environment within which oil and gas exploration, extraction, production and marketing companies could operate freely within the confines of international laws and protocols.
 He said the functions of the committee were to co-ordinate all security activities, establish communications network and maintain database on equipment and personnel in the industry.
To help ensure national security and faster response to emergencies, he said, the ministry was committed to establishing permanent garrisons and air strips in each region and cited how the establishment of a garrison in Bawku had contributed to the current peace in the Bawku area.
He announced that Parliament had also passed the Veterans Administration, Ghana Act, Act 844, 2012 to enable the state to tap into the expertise of veterans.
He said the object and functions of the law were to keep alive military esprit de corps, both locally and internationally, and also ensure their welfare, stressing that “this welfare package covers their dependants, widows and the dependants of deceased military veterans”.
Touching on the establishment of Special Forces in the GAF, Lt Gen Smith explained that it was nothing new but part of the restructuring exercise to enable the GAF to improve upon operational exigencies.
“ It is important to note that special forces are not a new phenomenon in the GAF. For instance, the Airborne Force in Tamale was established in 1961 as a special force unit that trains soldiers to be moved by aircraft and ‘dropped’ into an operational theatre. Besides, many of our officers and men/women, for several years now, have been trained as Rangers, Commandos, Freefall Parachutists, divers and many more in countries such as the USA, the UK, India, Pakistan and China, just to name  a few,” he asserted.
Lt Gen Smith said the special forces concept was to train military personnel with uncommon distinctive abilities within the GAF to respond to unexpected scenarios such as attacks on our oil and gas installations, kidnapping and hostage taking by terrorists, militant groups and anti-national forces, as well as more delicate and non-conventional missions in support of the state, adding that there were special forces in both advanced and most developing countries, including some of our neighbours.
He said the need for the GAF to have special forces units was indisputable, particularly now that Ghana’s economy was on the rise and listed among the most preferred destinations for investment.
“The military is committed to ensuring that the special forces concept is fully realised because of the unfortunate notoriety of the West African sub-region as a hub for arms smuggling, drug trafficking, militancy and terrorism,” he stated.

four car-snatching gang arrested

Story: Mary Mensah    
FOUR members of a car-snatching gang operating in the country have been busted by the Accra Regional Police Command in Accra and Aflao.
The gang, which mainly snatches Toyota vehicles, as alleged to have so far snatched five Toyota vehicles but a Toyota Hilux pick-up has been retrieved from Togo, while a Toyota Prado has also been retrieved from Asofan, an Accra suburb.
The suspects are Emmanuel Adu Gyamfi Boakye, alias Medical, 28; Emmanuel Osei, 29; Isaac Anim, alias Ike, 30, and Susuawu Pavis, 33.
Three accomplices of theirs - Yaw Sarpong, 29; Nana Osei, alias Acura, and Eric Adjei - are, however, on the run and an intensive search has been mounted for their arrest.
Briefing the press in Accra yesterday, the Deputy Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP Mr Christian Tetteh Yohonu, said the group had been operating in most of the district capitals in the country and had so far snatched five vehicles: two Toyota Hilux, one Prado, one Highlander and one Corolla.
He said about 12 midnight on September 23, 2012, a couple who were returning home in their Toyota Hilux vehicle were attacked at the entrance of their house at Dome CFC by three armed men, with a fourth one waiting in a car.
He said the robbers managed to dispossess the couple of their vehicle, mobile phones and an amount of money.
DCOP Yohonu said the couple quickly reported the incident to the Mile 7 Police Station in Achimota, after which two policemen, assisted by the patrol team, managed to arrest suspects Osei and Adu Gyamfi at the Neoplan Station at Circle when they were about to board a bus for Kumasi about 1:30 a.m.
He said the two suspects, upon interrogation, admitted robbing the victims and led the police to Sarpong’s house at Asofan but they did not meet him.
The two suspects again took the police to Anim’s house at Alhaji where he was arrested.
The Deputy Commander said further investigations by the police revealed that Anim was the one who received the Toyota Hilux and quickly drove it to Aflao and gave it to suspect Pavis, who in turn took the vehicle to Togo for sale.
He indicated that based on that information, the Accra Regional Command quickly dispatched a team of policemen, together with Anim, to Aflao, where Pavis was arrested at Denu. Upon interrogation, he admitted receiving the stolen vehicle, saying he had taken it to a village called Adidogome in Togo.
DCOP Yohonu said a collaboration between the Aflao and Togo police led to the retrieval of the Toyota Hilux from Togo.
Further interrogation of all the suspects led to their admitting that they had snatched five other Toyota vehicles.
He said following that revelation, the police conducted a search in Anim’s house, where two large boxes of eye and ear drugs belonging to the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital and one driving licence and a passport belonging to the driver of the hospital’s vehicle which was snatched from him at Pokuase, near Accra, were found.
DCOP Yohonu said the same suspects had, on September 3, 2012, snatched one Toyota Prado at Kwabenya but incidentally the vehicle developed a fault and they abandoned it at Asofan and bolted. 

Jamaican arrested for cultivating 400 acres of cannabis

Story: Mary Mensah
PERSONNEL of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service have arrested  a 58-year-old Jamaican for cultivating 400 acres of cannabis (wee)  at Koru in the Alavanyo-Nkonya District in the Volta Region.
Also arrested with the suspect, Wesley Appleton, were 10 suspects including three women who were found on the farm during the police raid. The police also retrieved about five tonnes of cannabis which had been harvested and stored in fertiliser bags and plastic drums in the cottage.  
The other suspects are Kwame Kwadwo, 24, Sumu Kofi, 26, Odame Nelson, 23, Yaw Kudzordzi, 18, Gershon Owusu, 25, Maxwell Tawiah, 20, and Vincent Mensah, 21. The names of the three women are being withheld.
Briefing the press in Accra yesterday, the Director-General of the CID, Commissioner of Police (COP) Mr Prosper Agblor, said the farm was the largest in the history of the country.
He said earlier in 2010 the CID headquarters gathered intelligence to the effect that a Jamaican had acquired a large portion of land in the Alavanyo-Nkonya area and was cultivating cannabis on large scale for export.
He said based on this information the police mounted surveillance on him.
According to the Director General, in June this year, intelligence gathered indicated that the Jamaican, who had relocated to the Nkwanta area of the Volta Region, had acquired about 400 acres of land and had employed some youth, including           schoolchildren to cultivate cannabis.
He said undercover agents were deployed in the area for some months and those agents were able to locate the farm at Koru, a village near Nkwanta, also in the Volta Region .
COP Agblor said on October 2, 2012, a joint team of personnel from the CID headquarters and the Narcotics Control Board and personnel from the National Headquarters Operation Unit went to Koru and conducted a search in the village.
He said during the search, five suspects were arrested with various quantities of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis but the security team did not see the suspect.
He indicated that the team then moved to the farm, which was in the thick forest situated about five kilometres from the Koru village, and managed to arrest Wesley Appleton in his cottage.
The team discovered a cannabis farm with an estimated size of about 400 acres with part of the crop having already been harvested and the plants dried in the farm house. About five tonnes of cannabis which had been harvested and stored in fertiliser bags and plastic drums in the cottage were retrieved.
 The farm and part of the harvested stock were then destroyed. Four locally made cap guns were retrieved from Wesley Appleton’s room. They were all not licensed.
He said five persons who were met sleeping in the cottage were also arrested for investigation. Wesley Appleton claimed ownership of the farm.
The Director-General warned persons engaged in such criminal activities to put an end to them before the long arm of the law catches up with them.
He said police intelligence officers were on the ground and as and when they gathered sufficient intelligence, similar operations would be carried out in other regions of the country.
 Last week Border officers at the Heathrow Airport in the UK made their biggest cannabis seizure in three years after containers arriving on an aircraft from Ghana last Monday September 24, 2012 were found to contain the drug.
According to the London Evening Standard newspaper, the drug, which weighed around 1.5 tonnes and had a street value of 4.3 million pounds sterling, was found in three separate  freight containers filled with fresh fruits and vegetables.
In another incident, a 750,000 pound haul of  cocaine had been intercepted by customs officials  at Heathrow Airport  stashed inside  hollowed-out plantains in a huge shipment of fruit and vegetables from Ghana.

Corporate governance key to grow real estate sector

Story: Mary Mensah
 An expert in the property market has stressed the need for real estate developers to operate their businesses based on corporate governance structures in order to sustain growth in the property sector.
He said it was necessary for developers to do away with the erroneous perception of running their business alone, without mechanisms in place for checks and balances.
Mr K. Dapaah-Siakwan, Managing Director, Vanguard Properties Development Company Limited made this known to the Graphic in an interview in Accra today
He said corporate governance was crucial for the sustenance of any corporate entity today and key to get investor confident in developers as well.
“Just like democracy in any country, corporate governance is the system of getting board of directors, sub-committees, management and all the structures that matter in the corporate entity in place to safeguard the business, especially in the absence of the owner”, he added.
  Mr Dapaah-Siakwan identified lack of corporate governance principles as contributing to the collapse of some major companies in the country and the world over.
 He therefore entreated all business entities to adopt corporate  governance in order to further propel the growth of their businesses and the economy as well.
 On his part, Mr Enoch-Entsua Mensah, General Manager in charge of operations for Vanguard Properties indicated that corporate governance was key to investors and a crucial indicator to even list on the Stock Exchange.
 He indicated that the absence of such corporate governance principles accounted for the inability of the construction industry to propel itself as a key sector of the economy despite huge resources into the sector.
 He said the service sector in Ghana was doing well because of corporate governance , stressing “ no investor would want to partner a sole proprietor whose resources is difficult to account for”.

Ghana Property Awards 2012

Story: Mary Mensah
Property Express Limited, organisers of Ghana Property Awards 2012 will be providing the general public and corporate individuals a free ride to visit various sites of top real estate developers within Accra and Tema metropolis to view over 500 different home designs and offers.
 Dubbed “On-Site Property Viewing 2012 ”, the event was expected to attract large number of  propective home buyers and other individuals.
According to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Property Express Limited , Mr Robert Wegbe the viewing of site was the first of its kind in Ghana, where members of the general public have the opportunity to get first hand information of assorted building offers in the metropolis.
 He said so far PS Global, Regimanuel Estates, Magna Terris, Vanguard Properties, Devtraco, State Housing Company, Lakeside Estates, Koans Building Solutions, Africa Concrete Products (ACP) and ItalConstruct International Limited have registered for their properties to be viewed.
He said the tour had been scheduled for October 20th to 24th 2012.
 Mr Wegbe, asserted that a bus will be made available at vantage points to convey all registered persons to the developer’s site.
 He said this is a wonderful opportunity for all workers to interact with the developers about exclusive offers on how to acquire a home that suits their income levels and expectations.
 “Why rush to buy while you can have this chance to look at all that the market has to offer before making a choice, he added.
 He asserted that sales representatives of the various developers, would be at the site to answer any questions and provide guidance.
 He said participating developers expect that the on-site viewing would provide them a unique platform to market their products to a wide variety of the market which include investors, business executives as well potential home buyers.
 This programme, Mr Wegbe said would provide an exclusive marketing platform for the developers whiles offering a unique opportunity to investors to know where to invest in the property market.
 Property Express is expecting huge patronage from Ghanaians abroad and other Africans in the Diaspora keen on investing in the country’s housing sector or owning a home in Ghana.
 Mr Wegbe stressed the opportunity is open to all interested persons to come on board.

Truck drivers damn operations at Afienya Axle Weigh Checkpoint

Story: Mary Mensah
THE Tema-Accra Tipper Drivers Mother Union has called on the authorities to have a second look at operations at the Axle Weigh Checkpoint at Afienya or they will advise themselves.
It said all appeals to the Minister of Roads and Highways to intervene to ensure that justice and fairness prevailed at the checkpoint for all parties involved had gone unheaded.
Addressing the media and members of the association after calling off an intended demonstration in Accra yesterday, the Chairman of the association, Mr Anthony Mensah Agbemehia, said the group had decided to give the Greater Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP Patrick Timbilla, some time to intervene in the matter.
He said at a meeting with the police commander for permission to embark on a peaceful demonstration to press home their demand, DCOP Timbilla asked the association to give him some time to try to reach the minister and resolve the issue amicably without resorting to a demonstration.
According to Mr Agbemehia, the Tema-Accra mother union sincerely believed in DCOP Timbilla and trusted him as a leader and for that “we will never compromise in any way”.
He, therefore, called on the members of the association not to be discouraged by what Mr Boye Quaynor, an official of the Axle Weigh Checkpoint, had said about the video evidence when he concluded that after watching the video critically he saw nothing criminal in it.
“May be Mr Quaynor had forgotten and I would like to use this medium to remind him of the Highway Heavyduty Truck Drivers guideline that says: ‘Trucks that are above 3.5 tonnes are to be subjected to axle weigh check.’ Does Mr Quaynor know this guideline,” he asked.
 Mr Agbemehia said the appropriate step for him to take would be to petition the Highway director or the minister to terminate the contract of Semgess Limited to save Mother Ghana.
He told the drivers that it was understandably clear that some of them were very angry at the turn of events but assured them that they would overcome all those challenges.
“As peace loving citizens, we shall all live here in peace, while keeping our fingers crossed and hoping that we will hear something fruitful from the police commander. Do not block the Afienya Highway, as has been alleged. We must all work towards peace during and after the December general election,” he said.

IGP Commends Ghanaians for their Comportment

Story: Mary Mensah
THE Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye, has commended Ghanaians for comporting themselves and showing respect for the electoral procedures and regulations during last Friday’s polls.
He said even in the midst of challenges associated with the new voting system, Ghanaians were patient, tolerant and understanding.
Mr Quaye, who is also the Chairman of the 2012 National Elections Security Task Force, told the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday that the calm manner in which Ghanaians turned out to exercise their franchise showed the level to which “we have taken our democracy”.
He said the peace and understanding demonstrated by Ghanaians on election day in particular and their co-operation with personnel of the security services led to the success of the polls.
He commended personnel of the security services for their show of professionalism and dedication to reinforce the message that the security services would be professional and up to the task.
Mr Quaye said the conduct of the security personnel actually won them the hearts of Ghanaians, including those who wanted to “misbehave”.
He assured Ghanaians that the security services were there to protect them and enforce the law with integrity and urged the people to complement the efforts of the security services by respecting the rule of law.
The IGP also commended the Chief of the Defence Staff, Lt Gen Peter Blay, for his co-operation and support in the run-up to the elections and on election day.
He thanked members of the National Peace Council, particularly its Chairman, the Most Rev Prof Emmanuel Asante, for his tirelessness and dedication to ensure that nothing untoward happened to derail the peace and stability of the country.
He said the security plans outlined for the elections and beyond would continue to be implemented and, therefore, urged Ghanaians to go about their businesses in a lawful manner, saying the police were ready to deal ruthlessly with anyone who breached the peace.

Close your Ranks Boni Yayi advises political leaders


Story: Mary Mensah
The Chairman of the African Union (AU), President Thomas  Boni Yayi,  yesterday held separate talks with President John Dramani Mahama, former Presidents J.J. Rawlings and J.A. Kufuor and the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo to impress on them to initiate political dialogue to resolve any differences arising out of the just-ended elections.
Such dialogue, he said, would help ensure good governance and sustain the peace in the country.
He said victory for Ghana was victory for the whole of Africa and urged the government to open a political dialogue to seal all differences that arose after the elections.
The AU Chairman, who is also the President of Benin, congratulated the President-elect and Ghanaians on ensuring peace and stability in the country after the elections.
President Yayi was on a day’s official visit to congratulate President Mahama and explore opportunities for consolidating peace and stability in Ghana.
The NPP is disputing the results of the December 2012 presidential election.
During the courtesy call on President Mahama at the Castle, President Yayi applauded Ghanaians for the peaceful and successful conduct of the presidential and parliamentary elections.
He said the AU, based on the report by international observers, was convinced that the elections had been free, fair and transparent.
He, therefore, urged Ghanaians to remain calm and use judicial means to address any grievances.
He said Ghana was seen as a reference point of democracy in Africa, saying, “I am proud of the people of Ghana.”
President Yayi congratulated the Electoral Commission (EC) on the professional manner it conducted the biometric system of voting.
He commended the political leaders, including Nana Akufo-Addo, for their commitment to democracy.
The AU Chairman asked President Mahama to work towards creating jobs for the youth, growing agriculture, promoting education and providing water for the people.
He again stressed the need for the government to work towards fighting corruption.
President Yayi urged President Mahama to try to move the legacy of Ghana’s First President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, and the late President John Evans Atta Mills.
He used the opportunity to invite President Mahama to the next AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in January 2013.
Responding, President Mahama promised to have an inclusive system where all Ghanaians would be given the opportunity to contribute to Ghana’s development.
“The EC has done a good job. I thank them for consolidating our democracy,” he said.
The President said although it was the first time Ghanaians were using the biometric system of voting, coupled with the technical glitches with the verification machines, Ghanaians had the patience to join the queues and vote.
He said the government had constituted a transitional team, in compliance with the Constitution, which calls for the formation of a constitutional team 24 hours after the declaration of election results.
He said Ghanaians would continue to consolidate the country’s democracy to maintain the country’s enviable democratic record.
When he paid a courtesy call on former President Rawlings at his residence at Ridge in Accra, President Boni said Ghana was a great country and the heart of Africa in terms of democracy, a credential which all Africans were proud of.
President Boni commended former President Rawlings for being a strong pillar in Ghana’s democratic dispensation.
He advised all Ghanaians to endeavour to enjoy the peace and ensure its sustenance for generations yet unborn
For his part, former President Rawlings advised all Ghanaians to make every effort to ensure that the peace they were enjoying was sustained after the elections.
He said the sense of responsibility exhibited by Ghanaians during the elections indicated that peace was deeply rooted in their hearts.
He, therefore, advised the people not to do anything to disturb the peace for which the rest of the world was full of admiration.
He advised the government to take the concerns raised by the opposition seriously and investigate them to the letter.

Two Nigerians Nabbed for Diverting $13,978 belonging to Ghanaian Peacekeepers

Story: Mary Mensah
TWO Nigerians have been arrested for allegedly attempting to divert $13,978 belonging to Ghanaian peacekeepers after they had succeeded in hacking into the e-mails of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
The suspects, Peter Okechukwu, 32, and Emmanuel Ifedi, 31, were arrested by officials of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service at a branch of the United Bank of Africa (UBA) in Accra where they had gone to cash the money.
According to the Director-General of the CID, Commissioner of Police Mr Prosper Agblor, in November this year the two suspects managed to enter the e-mails of Continental African Trading Limited (CATAL) and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) GHANBATT 76 and intercepted all electronic communications between the two parties.
CATAL, an international organisation, had been supplying home appliances to Ghanaian peacekeeping troops on various missions at different locations in the world.
Recently, CATAL was contacted, as usual, by the GAF to supply home appliances to UNIFIL GHANBATT 76 peacekeeping troops in Lebanon.
Mr Agblor said there was correspondence concerning the supply of the items between CATAL and the military through the Internet.
Along the line, he said, the e-mails between the GAF and CATAL were hacked into by the two Nigerians, who intercepted all mails from both ends and replied them as if the replies were coming from the rightful receivers of the e-mails.
He said the two suspects, using the identity of CATAL, sent an e-mail to the GAF instructing it to pay $13,978 into a UBA account number 01011651102235 as part payment for the supply of the goods.
Upon receipt of the information, the GAF transferred $13,978 into the account as instructed by the two suspects.
Mr Agblor said CATAL realised that the GAF had suddenly stopped communicating with the company on matters relating to the transfer of the money and so it followed up with a phone call and detected that the GAF had paid $13,978 into an account number supplied by CATAL.
He said it was at that stage that the two organisations realised that someone had hacked into their e-mails and quickly reported the issue to the Documentation and Visa Fraud Unit of the CID.
Mr Agblor said the Business Development Manager of CATAL reported the case to the police and checks at the bank revealed that the money had not yet been cashed by the suspects.
The police quickly mounted surveillance at the bank, awaiting the arrival of the suspects to cash the money.
According to the CID boss, on November 11, 2012, Okechukwu, who happened to be the owner of the said account, was arrested when he turned up at the bank to cash the amount.
Upon interrogation, the police said, Okechukwu admitted to the offence but mentioned Ifedi as the master brain behind the whole deal and led the police to Ifedi’s house at Ashaley Botwe, an Accra suburb.
 Mr Agblor said investigations were still ongoing, after which the two would be put before court.

Police in Full Control-Top Police Officer assures public

Story: Mary Mensah
THE Police Administration has assured the public that it is on top of the security situation in the country, spite of the several instances of violent clashes between supporters of the two main political parties in parts of Accra and other places.
It said the police would do everything possible to ensure that the isolated cases of violence did not degenerate into widespread conflict.
The Director-General of Police Operations, Commissioner of Police (COP) Mr John Kudalor, who gave the assurance, said the security measures put in place for the elections were still in full force and that security personnel were also firmly on the ground.
According to Mr Kudalor, the security plan which was put in place for the management of the elections was in three phases, noting that the first two phases had been implemented, while the last phase, expected to take care of post-election eventualities, would be extended beyond the Christmas festivities and the inauguration of the president-elect and thereafter.
He said throughout the country, reports reaching the headquarters indicated that the situation was relatively calm in all the regions, except the national capital and  the Bekwai area where a man had alleged been wounded.
Mr Kudalor said concerning the incident which occurred at the Makola Market in Accra, the police received reports on some clashes there and quickly responded to bring the situation under control
He said people should not be alarmed at what was happening because the security agencies were in control, adding that normal and foot patrols had been intensified throughout the country to nip any violence in the bud.
He said the meeting between security chiefs and the chairmen of the two leading parties should send a signal to their supporters to listen to them to avoid any problem.
“There is no cause for alarm. We have regrettably and unfortunately recorded a few incidents, though, but it isn’t a situation that calls for throwing hands in the air in despair,” he stated.
“People should not be alarmed at what is happening; the security agencies are in control. We shouldn’t let the public feel that the situation has degenerated, as the media make it look or sound,” he explained.
According to Mr Kudalor, at worst, the appropriate measures would be employed to ensure peace and security in the country.
He advised supporters of the two parties to stay out of the streets and remain calm.
Meanwhile, the Metro Security Committee (MESEC) of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has added its voice to the assurances by the police to ensure the safety of all residents in the capital.
The assurance comes in the wake of recent disturbances at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle and the Makola Market, both busy commercial centres in the city.
Addressing the media after hours of a closed-door emergency meeting between the police and MESEC, the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Dr Alfred Vanderpuye, said, “The police are in readiness to protect every individual going about his or her legitimate duties.”
He expressed concern over the rising tension and pockets of criminal activities, including murders and stabbing of innocent residents, following the declaration of the results of the 2012 presidential and parliamentary elections.
An attack on some traders at the Kantamanto Market brought about confusion in the central business district of the metropolis on Thursday, December 13, 2012.
As part of measures to curtail the increasing tension fueled by political rivalry, Dr Vanderpuye said, “All political parties are advised to restrain their supporters from taking the law into their own hands and visiting violence on innocent residents.”
He advised residents to report to the police any group of persons whom they suspected were organising themselves to attack anybody or call 18555 or 191 or 03022773906.

Monday, December 10, 2012

Two narcotics suspects wanted by police

Two narcotics suspects wanted by police
Story: Mary Mensah
The Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) has mounted a search for two men said to have aided the shipment of large quantities of Indian hemp and cocaine to the United Kingdom two months ago.
The two suspects, Obed Amevor, 45, from the Aviation Profiling Security Services (APSS) and Frank Amoah, alias Kofi, a 50-year-old freight forwarder, are alleged to have gone into hiding soon after the seizure of the drugs at London’s Heathrow Airport.
According to the Deputy Executive Secretary of NACOB,  Nii Lante Blankson, soon after the seizure of large quantities of cocaine and marijuana in London, the two went into hiding and all efforts to trace their whereabouts had so far proved futile.
He said an Accra Circuit Court had issued a warrant for the arrest of the two suspects and indicated that a handsome reward awaited anyone who volunteered information that would lead to their arrest.
He, therefore, appealed to members of the public with any information that would lead to their arrest to contact the offices of NACOB or the nearest police station.
On September 24, 2012, officials of the Border Force in the UK discovered 1.5 tonnes of cannabis, with a street value of around £4.3 million, in three separate freight containers which had originated from Accra, Ghana.
The seizure was the largest of its kind at Heathrow in several years.
In October, British officials announced that they had intercepted another drug consignment smuggled from Ghana, a day after a similar seizure.
Officials at the Heathrow Airport said a consignment of cocaine concealed in plantains from Ghana was seized a day after the biggest cannabis haul seizure from Ghana at the airport.
The UK Border Force said the cocaine weighed about 7.5 kg. The agency found the consignment on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 hidden inside plantains within a larger freight consignment of fruits and vegetables from Ghana.
 An exporter who allegedly masterminded the trafficking of  the drugs through the Kotoka International Airport to Heathrow was later arrested after thorough investigations.
 The suspect, Francis Kwame Asante, 64,  aka Wofa, was arrested in Accra in a successful NACOB and Bureau of National Investigations joint operation but his two accomplices, Amoah and Amevor, managed to escape.

Ghana Post official arrested with three others for trafficking drugs through the post

Story: Mary Mensah
FOUR persons, including an official of Ghana Post and three Nigerians, have been arrested for allegedly trafficking in narcotic drugs through the post.
The suspects — Ms Philosophina Sackey, 53, a Deputy Manager of Post at Ghana Post; Augustine Nwosu, 53, a food vendor; Samuel Ossy Owuamanam, 39, a trader, and Sunday Ene, also known as Edward Tetteh, 30, a spare parts dealer — were arrested by officials of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) at their various hideouts in Accra on Monday.
According to the Deputy Executive Director of NACOB, Nii Lantey Blankson, the arrest of the four suspects was a collaborative effort between NACOB officials and their external partners in the United Kingdom and the Caribbeans.
He said about two weeks ago, NACOB had information from its partners that some people had been sending drugs through the post.
He said the partners hinted that a parcel containing a quantity of cocaine had been sent by one Solomon Olembe from Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago and that the parcel had been addressed to one Phina Sackey, a member of staff of Ghana Post at the General Post Office in Accra.
He said based on that information, NACOB mounted surveillance at the General Post Office for almost two weeks before the parcel arrived and was delivered to Ms Sackey, who took custody of it and signed for it.
He said she was subsequently arrested and when she was questioned, she mentioned Ene as the owner of the parcel.
Ms Sackey was asked to call Ene and inform him about the arrival of the parcel, which she did, and not quite long after the call Ene arrived at the General Post Office, accompanied by Owuamanam, and the two of them were arrested as soon as the parcel was handed over to them.
Upon interrogation, the two mentioned Nwosu as the real owner of the parcel and quickly led NACOB officials to Nwosu’s house at Mallam, an Accra suburb, where he was arrested.
Nii Blankson said after a search of Nwosu’s room, fake 100 dollar notes totalling $10,000 were found.
Investigations are still ongoing, after which the suspects would be arraigned to answer charges, he added.

Three arrested for issuing fake certificates

Story: Mary Mensah
THREE suspects have been arrested by the police for allegedly issuing certificates of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and some public universities.
The suspects, said to be operating around the Orion Cinema at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, charge their clients between GH¢300 and GH¢400, depending on the type of certificate needed.
They allegedly scan original certificates and change the low grades on them to higher ones and later print them out again as original from WAEC or the various public universities.
The suspects are Righteous Atta Owusu, 43; Evans Danquah Darko, 42, and Albert Ofosu Appiah, 34, a graphic designer.
Briefing the press in Accra yesterday, the Greater Accra Regional Police Commander, Commissioner of Police (COP) Mr Patrick Timbillah, said on November 11, 2012, the Greater Accra Regional CID received information that a group of young men was dealing in fake university and WAEC certificates.
He said some plainclothesmen were subsequently sent to the area to ask for a change of the grades on their certificates.
Mr Timbillah said one of the suspects, Owusu, agreed to meet one of the policemen at the Orion Cinema at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle but Owusu sent Darko to meet the new customer, who happened to be a plainclothes policeman, for the money and the type of certificate he wanted.
According to the regional police commander, as soon as Darko got to the spot to meet the disguised policeman, he was arrested and sent to police station where, upon interrogation, Darko indicated that he had been sent by Owusu.
He said suspect Darko then led the police to a house at Abeka where Appiah, the graphic designer, was also arrested.
A search conducted in Appiah’s room revealed a Dell laptop, a scanner, certificates and results slips issued by almost all the public universities, as well as papers used in printing the certificates.
He said the suspects were currently assisting the police in their investigations and would be arraigned to face the appropriate charges collectively or individually.
In a related development, the Greater Accra Regional Police have arrested a man suspected to be snatching vehicles in Accra and Kumasi.
The suspect, Yaw Afrifa, 32, also believed to be in the drug business, is said to have been on the police wanted list for more than eight months now.
 According to Mr Timbillah, Afrifa was arrested at Dansoman on November 14, 2012 following a tip-off when he arrived from Kumasi to allegedly undertake robbery activities.
He said Afrifa would be transferred to the Kumasi Police where many robbery cases were pending against him.