Seth J. Bokpe's Ghana Newsreel

Ghana’s Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) has, in two years, frozen $9 million believed to be proceeds from crime, the acting Chief Executive Officer of the centre, Mr Samuel T. Essel, has said. Out of the amount, $2 million has been confiscated to the state. The remaining $7 million is still under investigation. The action followed the centre’s investigation of 248 suspicious transaction reports it received over the two-year period. Additionally, the centre disseminated 107 of the reported cases to the appropriate authorities as intelligence, while investigations continue into the remaining cases. Launching the anti-money laundering/combating the financing of terrorism (CFT) guideline in Accra yesterday, Mr Essel said, “Money laundering/terrorism financing threats confronting the country are real. We, therefore, need to demonstrate our commitment to ensure that the country succeeds in the fight against money laundering and terrorism financing.” Money laundering is a proces

ONE hundred and forty lifeguards and boat operators plying the Volta Lake last Friday graduated from a life-saving skills training programme. The trainees, made up of 107 lifeguards and 31 boat operators drawn from the Volta, Eastern, Northern, Brong Ahafo, Greater Accra and Western regions, underwent the two-week intensive course at the Tema Eastern Naval Base.  A section of the trainees in a jubilant mood    To equip the participants with the needed skills to discharge their duties and contribute to safety on the Volta Lake, they were taken through subjects such as boat work, survival at sea, life-saving, communication, first aid and fire fighting. They also received training in physical training and drill to improve fitness and teamwork. The course forms part of interventions under the Volta Lake Transport Enhancement Programme (VLTEP) rolled out by Zoil Services Limited, in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport. Since its inception, about 300 lifeguards h

Residents of Accra New Town have called on the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to consider, as a matter of urgency, the construction of the big drain that runs through the community from Kotobabi. They contend that failure to construct the drain will amount to inviting malaria and cholera epidemics. The drain in question is filled with garbage, comprising plastic bags, empty water sachets and human waste. The stench from the drain fills the air, making breathing an arduous task and domestic animals are seen always feasting in the drain. A fish-smoking oven and a 'pito' joint sited close to the edge of the drain seem to be struggling for position with the rubbish thrown around. Even though part of the drain which joins a bigger storm drain at Nima has been constructed, the bigger portion has been left unconstructed leaving room for some recalcitrant members of the community to throw their rubbish around while others have turned it into their place of convenience.

 The company's officials at the mill    PRAIRIE Volta Limited, owners of the Aveyime Rice Project, is set to feed the local rice industry with 8,000 tonnes of high grade rice this year. Since the company began its operations in 2009, it has been able to produce some 7,500 tonnes of rice for the Ghanaian market. While 4,000 tonnes have been milled and sold, the remaining has gone into seedlings for other farmers. To further consolidate it gains as the biggest rice farm in Ghana, the company is embarking on an expansion drive and has acquired an extra 2,500 acres of land, bringing its total land size to 5,313 acres.   Currently, the farm is cultivating Jasmine 85 and Sierra (basmati variety) from the United States but is also planning to experiment with some other varieties from Brazil to increase output. When the Daily Graphic visited the farm a vast expanse of green paddy rice was everywhere. While two harvesters were busy harvesting 267 acres, a fleet of t

 The Insurance Commissioner  THE National Insurance Commission is to introduce a new system of supervising insurance companies as part of its efforts to strengthen the regulation of the insurance industry. Known as the risk-based supervision system, the arrangement will replace the existing compliance-based system and will make it possible for the regulator to supervise companies based on the level of risk identified in a particular company. The move, according to the NIC, would also meet the changing needs of the insurance industry in Ghana. The Commissioner of Insurance and Chief Executive Officer of the National Insurance Commission, Mrs Nyamikeh Kyiamah, who announced this at the 50th anniversary celebration of the SIC Insurance Company Limited in Accra on Wednesday, said in view of the decision to change the supervision system, the commission was working on a new solvency and capital adequacy framework to be implemented in the course of the year. The new solvency law

THE General Overseer of the Action Faith Ministries, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, has advised Ghanaians to use track record as the benchmark for voting in the 2012 elections. “We need selfless leaders that care for the people to the extent that they can make sacrifices for the next generation,” he stated. The Archbishop who had an interaction with the media in Accra condemned the insults that had eaten deep into the country’s political fibre. He observed that contrary to claims that politicians were the only people involved in the insult spree, it also had to do with a section of the populace. “Today, it is common for people to just insult and dishonour persons in leadership and authority and it is rampant on our radio and television programmes. It is very sad.” “We are allowing western culture to adulterate our culture, where people in the name of freedom of speech and expression can just say anything and we have no respect for the elderly anymore. We don’t have res

The Greater Accra Regional Police Command Tuesday impounded a Nigeria-bound truck loaded with a cache of arms and several boxes of ammunition. A MAN Diesel truck with the Nigerian licence plate number XA 761-YAB and branded in Coca-Cola colours, was impounded at Achimota in Accra, together with five suspects, including two Nigerians. The vehicle, together with the five suspects — Kofi Aboagye, 52; Sunday Eze, 38, a Nigerian from the Anambra State; Kwesi Asamoah, 29; Kojo Boafo, 38, the owner of the arms, and Samuel Amosu Taiwo, another Nigerian from the Ogun State — was arrested and sent to the Accra Central Police Station. When the Daily Graphic got to the Accra Regional Police Headquarters, police officers were offloading the arms from the truck. The truck had what looked like a compartment, with sheets of metal plate covering the ammunition. A crowd had gathered at the entrance of the Accra Regional Police Headquarters to catch a glimpse of the suspects and the ammunition

THE National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) is urging all students and youth who are members of the various political parties to shun politicians who preach violence as the country girds its loins for the 2012 elections. “We are calling on all students and the youth who are members of the various political parties to always know that their first love is to this nation and not for someone who understands the language of violence. Speaking at a press conference that touched on many issues of national concern, the NUGS President, Mr Ayari Osman Abdulai, said the student body’s message to officials of the ruling National Democratic Congress and party functionaries of the opposition parties was simple. “The students of Ghana will not permit you to make such unguarded statements this year.” While appealing to the Electoral Commission to adequately consult and engage all political groupings in the country for a peaceful election, Mr Abdulai also urged the media to provide equal platfor

A 40-year-old man has found himself at the wrong side of the law for allegedly abducting a 14-year-old girl and possessing military accoutrement without authority. Anthony Cofie, a private security man and self-acclaimed coach, was alleged to have camped the teenager (name withheld) at his Teshie home under the guise of training her and other girls to play football for two weeks. According to the story, confirmed by DSP Margaret Sapati-Agbemabiese, the head of the Nungua Divisional Command Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), the girl, who lives with her grandmother, was sent by the grandmother to buy tomatoes at a nearby shop on December 23, 2011 at around 12 noon but failed to return. With efforts to locate her in the neighbourhood proving futile, the parents conducted further searches at La and James Town where the girl's parents hail from without success. The disturbed parents then reported the matter to the Sakumono Police Station for assistance and al

Some private schools in the country are charging above the approved registration fee for this year's Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). Even though the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) have approved GH¢8.55 as registration fee, some of the schools are charging as much as GH¢107. The phenomenon is particularly widespread among private schools in Accra which hide behind cost incurred during the registration process to add a string of charges to the approved fee. While some public schools charge between GH¢12 and GH¢15, some private schools collect between GH¢30 and GH¢110. For example, at the Holy Family Roman Catholic School at Mataheko, BECE candidates are paying GH¢107; Queen’s Model School at Kotobabi, GH¢60; EP Church School, Mamprobi, GH¢30; Green Pasture Preparatory School at Awoshie, GH¢50; King Edward School at Gbawe, GH¢50; Emmanuel Methodist Preparatory School at Anyah, GH¢40, Holy Cross School at Tetegu n

The Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) says the blackout which hit parts of seven regions of the country on Friday was due to an explosion which occurred during the installation of a new circuit breaker at its Volta Substation in Tema. While almost the whole of Accra and Tema were enveloped in total darkness, parts of the Ashanti, Western, Volta, Central, Eastern and Brong Ahafo regions were affected by the power outage which struck around 6.40 p.m. on Friday. According to officials of GRIDCo, what caused the explosion was not immediately known but they suspected it could have been due to a manufacturer’s defect. They, however, gave an assurance that the situation was under control and that everything possible would be done to ensure that electricity was made available to the public. Explaining events leading to the blackout to the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, Mr Eric Asare, the Director of System Operations, said GRIDCo had embarked on a project to replace some of its obsolete

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has pledged to work in concert with the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) to advance the development of the Accra metropolis and the rest of the country. The two entities committed themselves to open their doors to each other for regular consultations and co-operation in the execution of their mandates and vision. These were the highlights of a meeting between the Chief Executive of the AMA, Mr Alfred O. Vanderpuye, and the Managing Director of the GCGL, Mr Ken Ashiegbey, in Accra yesterday. The meeting was for the two organisations to strengthen their existing relationship and also explore possible areas of co-operation for their mutual benefit. In his remarks, Mr Vanderpuye said in bid to improve academic work in schools, the AMA supplied 17,000 dual desks to basic schools within the metropolis last year. Similarly, the city authority was on course to complete the 38 millennium city school projects it initiated two years ago

GHANA’S ability to further consolidate its democratic gains and economic development hinges on putting leaders with conscience at the helm of affairs, former President John Agyekum Kufuor has observed. “ I am not talking about only political leaders. What we need are transformational leaders who are selfless and have a high sense of societal responsibility to serve. Unless our societies are served by good leadership, we cannot make progress,” he stated. The former President made the observation at a community fund raising event in Accra to gather financial support for the Young Men Christian Association (YMCA)’s intervention programme for 2012-2015. The intervention include programmes based on economic renaissance which seeks to improve upon the economic livelihood of young people by inculcating the culture of entrepreneurship, self employment, savings and investment. While that of civic engagement aims at promoting the participation of young people in decision making and social

THE Children Emergency Ward of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) has been closed down indefinitely, following the outbreak of a bacterial infection known as Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) in the ward. Authorities of the hospital told the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday that so far five cases had been diagnosed among children on admission at the ward for which they were being treated. The MRSA is a type of "staph" bacteria which is resistant to many antibiotics. The staph bacteria, like other kinds of bacteria, normally live on the skin and in the nose, usually without causing problems. However, MRSA infections are more difficult to treat than ordinary staph infections because the strains of the MRSA do not respond well to many common antibiotics used to kill bacteria. Experts say when methicillin and other antibiotics do not kill the bacteria causing an infection, it becomes harder to get rid of that infection. The MRSA, like all staph ba

Ghana's democratic path can only be strengthened if Ghanaians put aside differences that endanger the significant gains made in the country's democratic process, the Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr Ebow Barton-Odro has said. "We may belong to different religious persuasions, speak different languages, belong to different political groups,or might have attended different schools, we however, are essentially Ghanaians with a common destiny," he stated. He said as the country opted for a democratic system of governance, the success of which was firmly rooted in the promotion, protection and respect for the fundamental human rights of groups and individuals, the government had a responsibility to promote and protect the fundamental human rights and freedoms of the citizenry. “We cannot achieve sustainable national development when the environment is not convenient for the people to achieve their legitimate aspirations,” he stated. The deputy m

THREE books on Information Communication Technology (ICT) have been launched in Accra to enhance the teaching and learning of the subject in educational institutions. Authored by an Information Technology Analyst, Mr Bright Siaw Afriyie, the books, “Concise ICT Fundamentals Volume 1 and 2’ and ‘Solution-Answers and Methodologies to Concise Fundamentals’ walk the user through chapters on basic ICT concepts, computer hardware and software, word processing, Internet and keyboarding and mouse review. The “Concise ICT Fundamentals Volume 1’ which is a 416-page book published by the Pacom Publishing Corporation of Korea is compiled into six chapters and each chapter subdivided into three sections, namely text, assignments and quizzes while the ‘Solution-Answers and Methodologies to Concise Fundamentals’ published by the same company contains solutions to assignments and quizzes and instructional methodologies. The Concise ICT Fundamentals Volume 2 on the other hand, which was publishe

Ghana and Turkey will by January 2012 conclude bilateral negotiations for a free trade agreement aimed at increasing trade volumes between the two countries. The Second Secretary and Charge d’Affaires of the Turkish Embassy, Ms Ipek Zeytinoglu, announced this at the opening of the 2nd Ghana-Turkish Export Products Exhibition in Accra Tuesday. Organised by Meridyen International Fair Organisation, the three-day fair, which attracted more than 50 companies from Turkey representing various private sector businesses, ends on December 22, 2012. Among the products on exhibition are industrial machinery, plastic wares, detergents, woollen carpets, floor mats, confectionaries and automobiles. The exhibition comes on the heels of the 2nd Ghana Joint Economic Commission Meeting in Accra in October, which among other things, charged the Trade Ministries of both countries to raise the volume of trade between the two countries to $1billion by 2015. In that regard, Ms Zeytinoglu said althou

The National Forest Plantation Development Programme, which was launched last year, has so far established 20,000 hectares of tree plantations in addition to the creation of 28,000 jobs nationwide. The programme, which is being implemented in all the 170 districts in the country, has a planting target of 50,000 by the end of 2011. The project, among other objectives, is expected to restore Ghana’s degraded forest cover, reduce the country’s degraded forest cover, reduce the country’s wood deficit and also enhance the production of food crops and contribute to food security. The Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Mr Samuel Afari Dartey, announced the progress of the project at the launch of the “Greening Ghana Day”, an initiative aimed at restoring the country’s vegetative cover, at Winneba in the Central Region. In spite of the numerous benefits derived from the forest, including foreign exchange earnings from timber export, storing and recycling of c