SCORES of soccer enthusiasts in the Harbour City broke out in spontaneous jubilation as they celebrated Ghana’s 2-1 victory over the United States on Saturday which salvaged Africa’s pride after a dismal showing by five of the continent's representatives in the tournament so far.
From Community One through Community Nine, residents staged carnivals amidst drumming and dancing in a street procession which saw several people joining as the march progresse.
The frontage of Adom FM, a Tema-based radio station, was a scene to behold as residents of Community Five who were on a procession danced to music blurring from giant sound speakers mounted at the premises by the station.
At the T-Havanna Park at Community Nine near the Tema General Hospital where fans watched the match on giant screens, they besieged the frontage in jubilation spilling over to the main hospital road connecting Tema and Ashaiman, while drivers tooting their horns drove dangerously on the stretch posing danger to revellers.
Taxi drivers took advantage of the situation and charged exorbitant fares for short distances.
Residents of Michel Camp and its environs were also not left out of the jubilation as they kept a night vigil to celebrate the victory.
A soccer fan, Mr William Denu, who watched the game on television at the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) Club House at Community Six in an interview with the Graphic Sports expressed delight at the victory which he described as the needed victory for Africa.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
DANGME RURAL BANK MAKES PROGRESS (PAGE 29, JUNE 29, 2010)
THE Dangme Rural Bank’s net profit increased from GH¢280,150 in 2008 to GH¢321, 444 in 2009 representing an increase of 25.33per cent over the previous year’s performance.
The Chairman of the bank’s board of directors, Nene Affum Kaafra III, made this known when he presented the bank’s financial statement at its 25th annual general meeting at Prampram in the Dangme West District of the Greater Accra Region.
The bank which currently has seven agencies is also the first Rural and Community Bank (RCB) to be hooked to the ARB Apex Bank computerisation data center.
The Chairman noted that the bank being the only rural facility accessing the Millennium Challenge Account in the region was however struggling to absorb the unbelievable rate of repayment and entreated beneficiary farmers to repay their loans on time to enable other groupings to have access to the funds.
He announced that the creation of three additional agencies at Kpone Junction, Dawa and Afienya under the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) programme would soon commence.
The Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Mr Millison Narh, commended the bank for its impressive performance and challenged management to collectively the utilised its
Mr Narh on the other hand lamented the decision of most rural banks which had over the years channeled about 81 per cent of their loan portfolio to salary workers in order to reduce their risks and maximize their returns.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Managing Director of the ARB Apex Bank, Mr Eric Osei-Bonsu, was optimistic that the bank’s impressive performance in the year under review would propel them to achieve more laurels in future.
The Chairman of the bank’s board of directors, Nene Affum Kaafra III, made this known when he presented the bank’s financial statement at its 25th annual general meeting at Prampram in the Dangme West District of the Greater Accra Region.
The bank which currently has seven agencies is also the first Rural and Community Bank (RCB) to be hooked to the ARB Apex Bank computerisation data center.
The Chairman noted that the bank being the only rural facility accessing the Millennium Challenge Account in the region was however struggling to absorb the unbelievable rate of repayment and entreated beneficiary farmers to repay their loans on time to enable other groupings to have access to the funds.
He announced that the creation of three additional agencies at Kpone Junction, Dawa and Afienya under the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) programme would soon commence.
The Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Mr Millison Narh, commended the bank for its impressive performance and challenged management to collectively the utilised its
Mr Narh on the other hand lamented the decision of most rural banks which had over the years channeled about 81 per cent of their loan portfolio to salary workers in order to reduce their risks and maximize their returns.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Managing Director of the ARB Apex Bank, Mr Eric Osei-Bonsu, was optimistic that the bank’s impressive performance in the year under review would propel them to achieve more laurels in future.
Friday, June 25, 2010
COLLABORATE MORE TO AVERT DISASTERS ...World Bank Director urges govt, assemblies (SPREAD, JUNE 25, 2010)
THE World Bank Country Director, Mr Ishac Diwan, has called for deeper collaboration among the people, the government and metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) to avert future disasters such as last Sunday’s widespread floods.
According to him, the rate of urbanisation and the subsequent springing up of dwelling places in the major cities across the country needed to be tackled by all stakeholders to ensure the proper management of land and other natural resources.
Mr Diwan made the call when he accompanied the Deputy Local Government Minister, Mr Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, and a team of experts on a tour of some of the areas in Tema and Ashaiman which were devastated by Sunday’s floods.
He pledged his outfit’s preparedness to bring on board donor agencies to assist the victims of the disaster.
Mr Afriyie-Ankrah announced that a governmental committee would be set up to investigate the cause of the floods, which claimed 35 lives and left over 20,000 people displaced.
The committee, according to him, would be tasked to take an inventory of the event and also recommend appropriate solutions aimed at reducing its occurrence.
He stated that the World Bank had been a major financier of the ministry’s urban, environmental and sanitation projects, saying that explained the government’s decision to involve officials of the bank in the reconstruction exercise to ensure accurate audit for the displaced persons.
The deputy minister was accompanied by a technical team from the ministry, a Minister of State at the Presidency and Member of Parliament for Kpone Katamanso, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, the Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Kempes Ofosuware, among other assembly officials.
At Ashaiman Jericho, where the team first visited, the deputy minister told Mr Diwan that various buildings sited along the Gbemi stream in the municipality and the subsequent choking of drains led to a spillover of the floods into several homes.
He added that the breakdown of the Katamanso Dam also caused the water to spill over to the Ashaiman irrigation site affecting the entire community.
Mr Afriyie-Ankrah said the Katamanso Dam, which received water from Aburi through Amrahia and Adenta, needed to be dredged.
He commended the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) for taking proactive measures to resettle displaced persons.
Mr Afotey-Agbo reiterated the call for structures on watercourses to be cleared and funding to be secured for the dredging of the Katamanso Dam.
Mr Ofosuware, for his part, expressed regret at the conflicting roles of the assembly and the Tema Development Corporation (TDC), saying that it contributed to the disaster experienced at Tema Community 5 and parts of Sakumono.
According to him, although residents of the affected areas did not have permits that allowed the siting of their structures in the area, they possessed documents that guaranteed that the TDC had granted them entry to the sites.
He called for a collaborative effort from the TDC to ensure that the sale of land and the issuance of building permits were carried out through the appropriate structures.
According to him, the rate of urbanisation and the subsequent springing up of dwelling places in the major cities across the country needed to be tackled by all stakeholders to ensure the proper management of land and other natural resources.
Mr Diwan made the call when he accompanied the Deputy Local Government Minister, Mr Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, and a team of experts on a tour of some of the areas in Tema and Ashaiman which were devastated by Sunday’s floods.
He pledged his outfit’s preparedness to bring on board donor agencies to assist the victims of the disaster.
Mr Afriyie-Ankrah announced that a governmental committee would be set up to investigate the cause of the floods, which claimed 35 lives and left over 20,000 people displaced.
The committee, according to him, would be tasked to take an inventory of the event and also recommend appropriate solutions aimed at reducing its occurrence.
He stated that the World Bank had been a major financier of the ministry’s urban, environmental and sanitation projects, saying that explained the government’s decision to involve officials of the bank in the reconstruction exercise to ensure accurate audit for the displaced persons.
The deputy minister was accompanied by a technical team from the ministry, a Minister of State at the Presidency and Member of Parliament for Kpone Katamanso, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, the Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Kempes Ofosuware, among other assembly officials.
At Ashaiman Jericho, where the team first visited, the deputy minister told Mr Diwan that various buildings sited along the Gbemi stream in the municipality and the subsequent choking of drains led to a spillover of the floods into several homes.
He added that the breakdown of the Katamanso Dam also caused the water to spill over to the Ashaiman irrigation site affecting the entire community.
Mr Afriyie-Ankrah said the Katamanso Dam, which received water from Aburi through Amrahia and Adenta, needed to be dredged.
He commended the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) for taking proactive measures to resettle displaced persons.
Mr Afotey-Agbo reiterated the call for structures on watercourses to be cleared and funding to be secured for the dredging of the Katamanso Dam.
Mr Ofosuware, for his part, expressed regret at the conflicting roles of the assembly and the Tema Development Corporation (TDC), saying that it contributed to the disaster experienced at Tema Community 5 and parts of Sakumono.
According to him, although residents of the affected areas did not have permits that allowed the siting of their structures in the area, they possessed documents that guaranteed that the TDC had granted them entry to the sites.
He called for a collaborative effort from the TDC to ensure that the sale of land and the issuance of building permits were carried out through the appropriate structures.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Nation's worst flood disaster...DEATH TOLL NOW 35 (LEAD STORY, JUNE 23, 2010)
THIRTY-FIVE bodies have so far been retrieved from floodwaters across the country by volunteers and rescue workers who described the havoc after Sunday’s downpour as the worst flood disaster in Ghana’s recent history.
Averaging 24 millimetres (mm) in Accra, 50.1mm and 50.7mm in Tema and Ashaiman respectively and 84.7mm in Pokuase, the volume of the downpour came nowhere near last year’s record figure of 313mm registered at Kaneshie, according to officials of the Meteorological Agency.
Officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), however, described its tragic aftermath as the worst flood disaster in the country’s recent history.
As of press time yesterday, the rescue teams had retrieved 17 bodies from the floods at Ashaiman, two at Tema, one at Dawhenya, four at Nmai Dzorn and 11 at Agona Nyarkrom in the Central Region.
NADMO officials also confirmed that the rains had caused extensive damage to moveable and immovable property at the affected areas and beyond and left hundreds of residents in Ashaiman, Kpone and Dawhenya all in the Tema metropolis, displaced.
Out of the 11 people who died in Nyarkrom in two separate incidents during the rains, seven drowned in the Punu River on the outskirts of the town around 11 a.m on Sunday when their Hyundai Grace Mini bus with registration number CR 522-10 was swept into the river which had overflown its banks, reports Samuel Kyei-Boateng.
Six of the bodies were retrieved and identified as Kweku Agbede, 47, Kwame Ocran 22, Alhaji Bella, Afua Saawah, 52, Charlotte Incoom, 22, Esi Abban, 32.
All the deceased except Alhaji Bella were passengers who were trapped in the vehicle.
Alhaji Bella who went to the scene in an attempt to rescue some of the trapped people in the bus ended up getting drowned in the process.
Divers, however, managed to rescue seven of the passengers on board the bus.
They are Kojo Abraham, 33, the driver of the bus; his mate, Kofi Atta; Mary Baidoo, Rita Enya, Deborah Afezie, Anastasia Arthur and Joshua Ansong.
According to a police source, the minibus, which was fully loaded with passengers, was on its way to Breman Asikuma from Agona Swedru.
It said when the driver reached Agona Nyakrom at about 11 a.m, he realised that the Pumu River had overflown its banks but he risked to cross the bridge spanning it against the advice of people resident in the area.
The source said on reaching the middle of the floods the driver realised that he could not cross the river so decided to return to Agona Swedru but the strong currents of the floods overturned the vehicle.
It said a number of people including the late Alhaji Bella tried in vain to rescue the trapped passengers.
The source said yesterday morning a team of divers managed to retrieve seven bodies leaving one that could not be traced.
Six of the bodies have been deposited at the Agona Swedru Government Hospital.
In the second incident, four men got drowned in the Agona River as the floodwater swept them away with other personal effects.
From Agona Swedru, Kwamena Apponsah reports that about 2,000 people have been displaced as a result of the floods.
No deaths had been confirmed by the police as of press time yesterday.
About 1,500 of the displaced people were from Sabon Zongo, a suburb of the town, and were being housed at the Swedru Town Hall by the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), which was also registering them.
Many houses in Otabilkrom, Kwaladi, Ankyease, Kubease, Nkubem, Mangoase, Desuanim and Nsawam, all suburbs of the town, have collapsed.
All buildings in Salem, also a suburb, have collapsed except the Presbyterian Church, manse and a newly built nursery.
As of noon yesterday, the Central Regional Minister, Madam Ama Benyiwa Doe, was in a meeting with members of the Agona West Municipal Security Council on what steps to take to assuage the suffering of the people.
A resident of Tema, Mr George Darpoh, blamed the chiefs and opinion leaders in the community for the havoc, reports Della Russel Ocloo from Tema.
According to him, several layouts earmarked for drainage construction, as well as other development, by road agencies and the district assembly have been sold to private developers who in turn developed them into residential facilities.
The Minister of Road and Highways, Mr Joe Gidisu, who was in the areas to access the situation, blamed the spillover on the buildings which had been sited on watercourses.
He also attributed the Dawhenya incident to a breakdown of the irrigation dam located in the community and indicated that his ministry together with the Works and Housing and Agric ministries would be engaged in a collaborative overhauling programme aimed at reducing the occurrence.
Mr Gidisu expressed regret at the politicisation of recent demolishing exercises carried out by metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies and charged Ghanaians to take a cue from Sunday’s incident so as to forestall future occurrences.
With clear signs of more disasters to come, the Ghana Police Service has asked the general public to be vigilant and report signs of floods and other disasters to the security agencies in order to ensure a swift response and prevent any such calamity, reports Kofi Yeboah.
It asked the public to reach the police on its hotlines including 0302773695,0302773906, 1855 on MTN short code and 191 on Tigo, Kasapa, Zain and Vodafone.
The Director of the Police Public Relations Directorate, DSP Kwesi Ofori, who gave the advice through the Daily Graphic, urged leaders of flood-prone communities to be alert and raise the alarm for prompt response in such situations.
He said but for the swift response and vigilance of the police to last Sunday’s floods in some parts of Accra and Ashaiman to ensure the protection of life and property, the harm caused by the floods would have been worse.
He particularly commended Lance Corporal Amoo of the Madina Police for doing a yeoman’s job by rescuing a number of people trapped by the flood.
DSP Ofori said police personnel, for instance, had to direct vehicles away from the disaster areas to safe routes, while guiding residents to move to safety.
He said the police shared information with sister security agencies and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) during disasters, adding that in managing last Sunday’s flood, the police had to call upon its security allies for support.
He said it was the responsibility of the police to take note of the deceased and injured persons during the floods and other disasters for the purposes of further investigations.
DSP Ofori stressed the need for district assemblies and security agencies within flood-prone communities to educate the people on what to do during floods.
He also advised parents to educate their children on some precautionary measures they (children) needed to take when floods occurred, especially in their (parents’) absence.
Averaging 24 millimetres (mm) in Accra, 50.1mm and 50.7mm in Tema and Ashaiman respectively and 84.7mm in Pokuase, the volume of the downpour came nowhere near last year’s record figure of 313mm registered at Kaneshie, according to officials of the Meteorological Agency.
Officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), however, described its tragic aftermath as the worst flood disaster in the country’s recent history.
As of press time yesterday, the rescue teams had retrieved 17 bodies from the floods at Ashaiman, two at Tema, one at Dawhenya, four at Nmai Dzorn and 11 at Agona Nyarkrom in the Central Region.
NADMO officials also confirmed that the rains had caused extensive damage to moveable and immovable property at the affected areas and beyond and left hundreds of residents in Ashaiman, Kpone and Dawhenya all in the Tema metropolis, displaced.
Out of the 11 people who died in Nyarkrom in two separate incidents during the rains, seven drowned in the Punu River on the outskirts of the town around 11 a.m on Sunday when their Hyundai Grace Mini bus with registration number CR 522-10 was swept into the river which had overflown its banks, reports Samuel Kyei-Boateng.
Six of the bodies were retrieved and identified as Kweku Agbede, 47, Kwame Ocran 22, Alhaji Bella, Afua Saawah, 52, Charlotte Incoom, 22, Esi Abban, 32.
All the deceased except Alhaji Bella were passengers who were trapped in the vehicle.
Alhaji Bella who went to the scene in an attempt to rescue some of the trapped people in the bus ended up getting drowned in the process.
Divers, however, managed to rescue seven of the passengers on board the bus.
They are Kojo Abraham, 33, the driver of the bus; his mate, Kofi Atta; Mary Baidoo, Rita Enya, Deborah Afezie, Anastasia Arthur and Joshua Ansong.
According to a police source, the minibus, which was fully loaded with passengers, was on its way to Breman Asikuma from Agona Swedru.
It said when the driver reached Agona Nyakrom at about 11 a.m, he realised that the Pumu River had overflown its banks but he risked to cross the bridge spanning it against the advice of people resident in the area.
The source said on reaching the middle of the floods the driver realised that he could not cross the river so decided to return to Agona Swedru but the strong currents of the floods overturned the vehicle.
It said a number of people including the late Alhaji Bella tried in vain to rescue the trapped passengers.
The source said yesterday morning a team of divers managed to retrieve seven bodies leaving one that could not be traced.
Six of the bodies have been deposited at the Agona Swedru Government Hospital.
In the second incident, four men got drowned in the Agona River as the floodwater swept them away with other personal effects.
From Agona Swedru, Kwamena Apponsah reports that about 2,000 people have been displaced as a result of the floods.
No deaths had been confirmed by the police as of press time yesterday.
About 1,500 of the displaced people were from Sabon Zongo, a suburb of the town, and were being housed at the Swedru Town Hall by the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), which was also registering them.
Many houses in Otabilkrom, Kwaladi, Ankyease, Kubease, Nkubem, Mangoase, Desuanim and Nsawam, all suburbs of the town, have collapsed.
All buildings in Salem, also a suburb, have collapsed except the Presbyterian Church, manse and a newly built nursery.
As of noon yesterday, the Central Regional Minister, Madam Ama Benyiwa Doe, was in a meeting with members of the Agona West Municipal Security Council on what steps to take to assuage the suffering of the people.
A resident of Tema, Mr George Darpoh, blamed the chiefs and opinion leaders in the community for the havoc, reports Della Russel Ocloo from Tema.
According to him, several layouts earmarked for drainage construction, as well as other development, by road agencies and the district assembly have been sold to private developers who in turn developed them into residential facilities.
The Minister of Road and Highways, Mr Joe Gidisu, who was in the areas to access the situation, blamed the spillover on the buildings which had been sited on watercourses.
He also attributed the Dawhenya incident to a breakdown of the irrigation dam located in the community and indicated that his ministry together with the Works and Housing and Agric ministries would be engaged in a collaborative overhauling programme aimed at reducing the occurrence.
Mr Gidisu expressed regret at the politicisation of recent demolishing exercises carried out by metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies and charged Ghanaians to take a cue from Sunday’s incident so as to forestall future occurrences.
With clear signs of more disasters to come, the Ghana Police Service has asked the general public to be vigilant and report signs of floods and other disasters to the security agencies in order to ensure a swift response and prevent any such calamity, reports Kofi Yeboah.
It asked the public to reach the police on its hotlines including 0302773695,0302773906, 1855 on MTN short code and 191 on Tigo, Kasapa, Zain and Vodafone.
The Director of the Police Public Relations Directorate, DSP Kwesi Ofori, who gave the advice through the Daily Graphic, urged leaders of flood-prone communities to be alert and raise the alarm for prompt response in such situations.
He said but for the swift response and vigilance of the police to last Sunday’s floods in some parts of Accra and Ashaiman to ensure the protection of life and property, the harm caused by the floods would have been worse.
He particularly commended Lance Corporal Amoo of the Madina Police for doing a yeoman’s job by rescuing a number of people trapped by the flood.
DSP Ofori said police personnel, for instance, had to direct vehicles away from the disaster areas to safe routes, while guiding residents to move to safety.
He said the police shared information with sister security agencies and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) during disasters, adding that in managing last Sunday’s flood, the police had to call upon its security allies for support.
He said it was the responsibility of the police to take note of the deceased and injured persons during the floods and other disasters for the purposes of further investigations.
DSP Ofori stressed the need for district assemblies and security agencies within flood-prone communities to educate the people on what to do during floods.
He also advised parents to educate their children on some precautionary measures they (children) needed to take when floods occurred, especially in their (parents’) absence.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
AFOTEY AGBO SUPPORTS SCHOOL (PAGE 14, JUNE 16, 2010)
THE Minister of State at the Presidency and Member of Parliament for Kpone-Katamanso constituency, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, has donated 100 pieces of dual desks to the Kpone Presbyterian Junior High School and the Ebenezer Hills Schools at Sebrepor, a suburb of Tema.
Mr Afotey Agbo bought the desks valued at GH¢5,000 with part of his share of the Ghana Education Trust fund (GETFund).
The Special Aide to the MP, Mr Anthony Nukpenu, who presented the items on his behalf, stated that the donation was part of the MP’s contribution towards the improvement of education in the constituency.
He said to ensure that children within the constituency accessed quality education, Mr Afortey-Agbo was working in collaboration with the education committee of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) and the Ministry of Education on various interventions aimed at minimising incidents of school dropout rates within the constituency.
Mr Nukpenu lamented the apathetic attitude of some parents and guardians towards the education of their wards, and challenged parents to be committed to matters concerning their children’s enlightenment.
“It is regrettable to see guardians acquiring new clothing for funeral after funeral at the expense of their children’s education,” he lamented.
The Headmistress of the Ebenezer Hills Junior High School (JHS), Ms Dorothy Bulley, who received the items on behalf of the two schools, commended the MP for the gesture.
She appealed for more support for the school, which had lacked logistical support over the last decade owing to neglect by the authorities.
The Assistant Headmistress of the Kpone Presbyterian JHS, Ms Christiana Tawiah, told the Daily Graphic that her school which had not witnessed any major renovation works for the last 30 years, was on the verge of collapse.
She said the classrooms were also overcrowded with over 70 pupils in one class, making teaching and learning difficult, as most of the pupils squat while some sat on the bare floor during teaching hours.
“Several letters to the TMA and the education directorate have been left unattended to while periodic visits by some officials from the Ministry of Education have become cosmetic ones, as they never return to address the problem after such tours,” Mr Tawiah stressed.
She, therefore, called on corporate institutions operating within the Tema Metropolis to extend their social responsibility towards supporting education as they were the main beneficiaries of the human resources produced by those institutions.
Mr Afotey Agbo bought the desks valued at GH¢5,000 with part of his share of the Ghana Education Trust fund (GETFund).
The Special Aide to the MP, Mr Anthony Nukpenu, who presented the items on his behalf, stated that the donation was part of the MP’s contribution towards the improvement of education in the constituency.
He said to ensure that children within the constituency accessed quality education, Mr Afortey-Agbo was working in collaboration with the education committee of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) and the Ministry of Education on various interventions aimed at minimising incidents of school dropout rates within the constituency.
Mr Nukpenu lamented the apathetic attitude of some parents and guardians towards the education of their wards, and challenged parents to be committed to matters concerning their children’s enlightenment.
“It is regrettable to see guardians acquiring new clothing for funeral after funeral at the expense of their children’s education,” he lamented.
The Headmistress of the Ebenezer Hills Junior High School (JHS), Ms Dorothy Bulley, who received the items on behalf of the two schools, commended the MP for the gesture.
She appealed for more support for the school, which had lacked logistical support over the last decade owing to neglect by the authorities.
The Assistant Headmistress of the Kpone Presbyterian JHS, Ms Christiana Tawiah, told the Daily Graphic that her school which had not witnessed any major renovation works for the last 30 years, was on the verge of collapse.
She said the classrooms were also overcrowded with over 70 pupils in one class, making teaching and learning difficult, as most of the pupils squat while some sat on the bare floor during teaching hours.
“Several letters to the TMA and the education directorate have been left unattended to while periodic visits by some officials from the Ministry of Education have become cosmetic ones, as they never return to address the problem after such tours,” Mr Tawiah stressed.
She, therefore, called on corporate institutions operating within the Tema Metropolis to extend their social responsibility towards supporting education as they were the main beneficiaries of the human resources produced by those institutions.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
MAN JAILED FOR ARMED ROBBERY (PAGE 23, JUNE 14, 2010)
A 19-year-old unemployed man, Kwame Frimpong, cried when the Tema High Court sentenced him to 35 years imprisonment with hard labour for armed robbery.
Frimpong, who looked remorseful during the sentencing, pleaded with the trial judge, Mrs Justice Lorinda Owusu to temper justice with mercy as he had had a sober reflection on the incident throughout the period he had been in custody.
The judge, who did not mince words at the conduct of the convict, however, stood her ground and cautioned that she would not hesitate to mete out stiffer punishment to unemployed youths who continued to use brutal means to reap from where they had not sown and endangered the lives of their victims in the process.
Frimpong, who was charged on two counts of conspiracy to commit crime and robbery, pleaded guilty on both counts and was convicted on his plea.
According to the prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Adolphus Otchere, the complainant in the case, is a filling station attendant at Kubekro No 1, a suburb of Ashaiman, while the convict resides in the Ashaiman municipality.
At about 7p.m. on August 22, 2007, Frimpong and two other accomplices, now at large, visited the filling station apparently to rob.
Frimpong kept surveillance nearby, while the two, accomplices entered the premises wielding locally manufactured pistols, matchetes, and other harmful implements and ordered the attendant to surrender the day’s sales.
During the struggle with the assailants, the attendant raised an alarm, but they managed to escape with GH¢100 they had forcefully collected from him after firing indiscriminately into the air.
An eye witness who was on a hunting expedition in a nearby bush, heard gunshots from the direction of the filling station and opened fire on the robbers. He hit Frimpong in the leg as he run out of his hideout, thereby slowing his movement.
Frimpong, who looked remorseful during the sentencing, pleaded with the trial judge, Mrs Justice Lorinda Owusu to temper justice with mercy as he had had a sober reflection on the incident throughout the period he had been in custody.
The judge, who did not mince words at the conduct of the convict, however, stood her ground and cautioned that she would not hesitate to mete out stiffer punishment to unemployed youths who continued to use brutal means to reap from where they had not sown and endangered the lives of their victims in the process.
Frimpong, who was charged on two counts of conspiracy to commit crime and robbery, pleaded guilty on both counts and was convicted on his plea.
According to the prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Adolphus Otchere, the complainant in the case, is a filling station attendant at Kubekro No 1, a suburb of Ashaiman, while the convict resides in the Ashaiman municipality.
At about 7p.m. on August 22, 2007, Frimpong and two other accomplices, now at large, visited the filling station apparently to rob.
Frimpong kept surveillance nearby, while the two, accomplices entered the premises wielding locally manufactured pistols, matchetes, and other harmful implements and ordered the attendant to surrender the day’s sales.
During the struggle with the assailants, the attendant raised an alarm, but they managed to escape with GH¢100 they had forcefully collected from him after firing indiscriminately into the air.
An eye witness who was on a hunting expedition in a nearby bush, heard gunshots from the direction of the filling station and opened fire on the robbers. He hit Frimpong in the leg as he run out of his hideout, thereby slowing his movement.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
ASARE, AMOAH WIN CELEBRITY COCACOLA MEDAL (PAAGE
JEFFERY Asare and Grace Amoah emerged winners in the May edition of the Coca Cola monthly medal played at the Celebrity Golf Club at Sakumono last Saturday beating over 70 golfers.
Jeffery, playing with handicap of 22, secured a net score of 63 to take home the gold trophy in addition to some assorted drinks from the sponsors, Coca Cola. He was closely followed by Hang Tang who scored 68 nets beating Guo D on a countback.
Veteran Grace Amoah in her usual wining form secured a net score of 73 after beating July Zee and Cherly Hammond who secured net scores of 83 and 86 respectively to place second and third in that order.
The competition was aimed at improving the handicaps of golfers ahead of the Spinal Awareness trophy later this month.
The competition, which witnessed a high patronage from the Chinese community in the country also saw the club honouring the outgoing Chinese Ambassador in Ghana, His Excellency, Mr Yu Wenzhe, a member of the club who has over the past six years provided technical and logistic support to the club.
Veteran Allan Chou, one of the oldest members of the club, was also honoured for his contribution to the club.
The President of the club, Dr Kobina Quansah, pledged to transform the course to attract international golfers. He commended the Chinese Ambassador for his contribution towards the club.
The Franchise Manager of Coca Cola, Equatorial Africa, Mr Phillip Ayivor, said the company’s association with the club was in line with its vision of supporting active lifestyle, as well as helps promote grass-roots support for all sports disciplines.
Captain of the club, Mr Pierre Coussey paid glowing tribute to Coco Cola for it’s continues support and challenged members to attract more ladies into the club.
Jeffery, playing with handicap of 22, secured a net score of 63 to take home the gold trophy in addition to some assorted drinks from the sponsors, Coca Cola. He was closely followed by Hang Tang who scored 68 nets beating Guo D on a countback.
Veteran Grace Amoah in her usual wining form secured a net score of 73 after beating July Zee and Cherly Hammond who secured net scores of 83 and 86 respectively to place second and third in that order.
The competition was aimed at improving the handicaps of golfers ahead of the Spinal Awareness trophy later this month.
The competition, which witnessed a high patronage from the Chinese community in the country also saw the club honouring the outgoing Chinese Ambassador in Ghana, His Excellency, Mr Yu Wenzhe, a member of the club who has over the past six years provided technical and logistic support to the club.
Veteran Allan Chou, one of the oldest members of the club, was also honoured for his contribution to the club.
The President of the club, Dr Kobina Quansah, pledged to transform the course to attract international golfers. He commended the Chinese Ambassador for his contribution towards the club.
The Franchise Manager of Coca Cola, Equatorial Africa, Mr Phillip Ayivor, said the company’s association with the club was in line with its vision of supporting active lifestyle, as well as helps promote grass-roots support for all sports disciplines.
Captain of the club, Mr Pierre Coussey paid glowing tribute to Coco Cola for it’s continues support and challenged members to attract more ladies into the club.
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