CAPT. MAHAMA ADAM (RTD) URGES GHANAIANS TO WALK THE TALK AGAINST MOB JUSTICE

Captain Dennis Mahama Adam (Rtd) the father of the late Major Maxwell Adam Mahama today joined hundreds of security personnel's and the general public within the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis to walk against mob justice which led to the death of his son some weeks ago at Denkyira Obuasie in the Central Region of Ghana.

"Walk the Talk", an awareness creation initiative by Ahot) 102.3 FM in Takoradi with support from Melody FM also based in Takoradi is to drum home the call against Mob Justice which has been part of our society for some time and is taking the life of many innocent people whiles it denies investigators of accurate evidence.

Captain Dennis Mahama Adam (Rtd) who join in the Two hours walk through the principle streets of Takoradi with his second son Michael Mahama expressed gratitude to the organisers for taking the lead in the campaign against mob justice which "I am going to embark on across the length and breath of this country".

According the retired captain, he believes his son's death will end this whole canker of citizens taking the law into their own hands for one reason or the other.

The General Manager of Melody FM, Ekow Mensah Shalders mentioned that radio stations owe it as a responsibility to the masses to shape every discussion in the country "and that is exactly what we joined hands with Ahot) FM to champion this worthy cause through walking."looking at the health benefits for taking a walk as an exercise, we equally are educating the public to stay away from such a barbaric behavior".

Meanwhile the Acting Manager of Ahot) FM, Mr. Patrick Bismark Mensah noted that the excise is to bring home the issue of taking our evidence to the police as we refrain from taking the law into our own hands to deal with suspects.

He also hinted that the "Walk the Talk" campaign will continue to every part of the country and see to the closure of mob justice in this country.

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TAKORADI CONTAINER TERMINAL PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE TAKORADI SEE PORT TO START

Since the commencement of the Takoradi Container Terminal also known as the Off-Dock Container Terminal by Ibis Tek, residents in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis have raised several concerns with the location of the project and the traffic conjunction it’s about to create on the already busy Takoradi to Sekondi main road. 

As others say there was no public hearing before the project begun in April 2016, some laments the project is a deterrent to the hug traffic on the signal lane Takoradi to Sekondi main road leading to the Effie Nkwanta Regional Hospital.  Among rumor that, the project belong to Ibrahim Mahama the brother of Ghana’s formal President John Dramani Mahama.

At a stakeholders meeting in Takoradi, the mangers of the Takoradi Container Terminal noted that the project is purely Ghanaian investment by a company called Ibis Tek in a partnership with Ghana Port and Harbors Authority (GPHA).

Briefing stakeholders at the terminal yard, the legal advisor for the project Kwame Gyan mentioned that the Takoradi Container Terminal is linked with another project which will be carried out by Ibis Tek in regard to the construction of containerized multi-purposed terminal in the port.

The Ghana Revenue Authority, GCNET, National Security among other institutions he mentioned will now relocate to the Takoradi Container Terminal also known as an Inland Clearing Depot in port parlance to carry out their activities.

This he said among other things provides the opportunity for the reconstruction of the Takoradi Sea Port to start.

According to Lawyer Kwame Gyan, the contract agreement between GPHA and Ibis Tek which was signed on the 29^th day of January 2016 spells out that 25% of the grosses revenue from all handling charges as per GPHA approved fee will be paid to GPHA on the 10^th of every month.

Speaking on the benefit of this project apart from the many job opportunities it brings to the formal and the informal sector, lawyer Gyan however revealed that there is a plan as part of the reconstruction of the Takoradi Sea Port to reconstruct the Railway lines from Takoradi to Awaso, Eyineyin and Hamile in the Northern region.

Sitting on almost 97000 square meter land, the Takoradi Container Terminal can contain up to about 7,500 twenty-footer containers at a time and it is expected that the Takoradi Container Terminal will receive it first batch of cargo on March 4, 2017.

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ABANDONED STATE BUNGALOW DETERIORATE AS DIRECTOR LODGES IN A HOTEL IN TARKWA

The Abandoned Bungalow in Tarkwa

After lodging in a hotel for more than two years, the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Director of Education has finally moved into a two bed room self-contain apartment rented for her by the Municipal Assembly while her abandoned official bungalow deteriorate in it dilapidated state.

For more than two years, the Education Director for the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality has been lodging from one hotel to the other. This is because the formal director who currently went on retirement complained of seeing snakes in the house.

She left the bungalow with her family out of fear thinking that will also allow the assembly to fix the deteriorating wooden decking’s in the house. 

Front View of  the Abandoned Bungalow in Tarkwa

When I visited the abandoned bungalow of the Education Director in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality at Government Hill next to the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) bungalow, I realized that the all the decking’s used in the said bungalow has fast deteriorated and needed to be replaced.

The basement of the bungalow has sadly become a home for squatters.    

The new Director Education for the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality, Anastasia Kuntaa corroborated the story adding that she has been lodging in a hostel in Tarkwa since May 2016 when she took over from her predecessor until December 2016 when she was informed that the assembly has secured a two bed room self-contain for her while she was indisposed. 

The Basement of the Abandoned Bungalow in Tarkwa

She said that, the rented apartment is temporal and because she is fully aware the immediate past Municipal Chief Executive, Christian Cobbina directed the assembly’s engineer to renovate the place for her.

Mrs. Barbie Annan Nunoo

But the Public Relations Officer for the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Assembly, Mrs. Barbie Annan Nunoo disclosed to me that the Assembly needs two hundred and forty-two thousand Ghana Cedis (GHc242, 000) to rehabilitate the official residents of the Municipal Education Director of Tarkwa and the assembly has yet not award that contract for the bungalow to be renovated since the money involve is way too hug for the assembly to bear.

Basement of the Abandoned Bungalow 

However, the assembly according to her will definitely renovate the official bungalow of the Municipal Director of Education because it’s a government property and reminded us that the assembly cannot continue to rent accommodation for the Directors of Education posted to the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality. 

Front View of  the Abandoned Bungalow in Tarkwa

Meanwhile, the current director of Education of the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality, Anastasia Kuntaa is proposing that civil servants staying in government bungalows should be levied towards a periodic maintenance of the government bungalows in which they reside.

She believes that will ensure commitment on the part of these citizenry in protecting state properties.                             

                                                                        
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PREZ. NANA ADDO WILL LEGALIZE GALAMSEY - Mireku Duker.

The Member of Parliament for Tarkwa Nsuaem Constituency, Mr. George Mireku Duker has hinted that President Nana Addo will legalize illegal mining popularly called "galamsey" to help create more jobs for the youth.

Mr. George Mireku Duker

The first time legislator but a formal Municipal chief executive (MCE) for the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality in the Western Region is firmly assuring the people in his constituency especially the youth that the Nana Addo led administration is going to refined the way they have been doing mining in the area as small scale miners and give them prepare training as to how to reclaim the land afterwards.

The assurance comes on the back of propaganda pealed by the NDC in the constituency that the Nana Addo led administration is going to collapse small scale mining business in the town which has been the heartbeat of most household in the Municipality.

“You cannot talk of Tarkwa Nsueam without small scale mining or “galamsey” and I have told the young men that we the NPP have not come to collapse galamsey we will look for a nice way to group them and give them training and license to operate as small scale mining so that they will not destroy our water bodies and the land”.

He mentioned that the 'legalization policy's the small scale mining sector will be mindful of protecting water bodies, forest reserves and proper reclamation of the land on which they mine.

He however seized the opportunity to thank, Chiefs and people of the Tarkwa Nsuaem Constituency for bestowing on him the honor to serve in the August house in their interest.

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BIG AIDOO RUBBISHES PRESS CONFERENCE BY HIS REGIONAL ORGANIZER, JAPHET BAIDOO

The blame game that is bedeviling the NDC since their defeat in the just ended general elections seems not to be subsiding any time soon as the cracks among the rank and file of the party deepens over issues.

The western regional organizer of the National Democratic Congress, (NDC), Japhet Baidoo has openly challenge some parliamentary results in the just ended general elections stating that the regional executives of the party will soon be heading to court with facts and figures available to them on how the NPP rigged the elections.

He mentioned that over voting was recorded in some constituencies like Shama which saw the NPP candidate taking the parliamentary seat from the incumbent NDC candidate and indicated the party's readiness to seek redress in court.

He made these allegation and more at a press conference in Takoradi.

Meanwhile the western regional chairman of the NDC party Michael Aidoo popularly known as "Big Aidoo" has this morning in a sharp turn disassociated the NDC party and the western regional executives of the party from that press conference organized by the regional organizer of the party.

Speaking to METRO NEWS Correspondent, Patrick Ennimil Arthur this morning, the Western Regional Chairman of NDC party, Michael Aidoo stated that the NDC party in the western region which he is the chairman cannot be associated with the press conference organized yesterday afternoon by the regional organizer Japhet Baidoo and supported by the regional deputy communication officer, Kirk Mensah.

He said it can be seen as their personal opinion but not the party’s stands because nobody has commissioned them to put out that communique on be half of the party and he the chairman of the party in the region has no single idea on what went on yesterday.

"I disassociate the NDC party and the western regional executives from the Japhet Baidoo organized press conference and anything said there isn't the position of the party. At the appropriate time you will hear from us".

According to Big Aidoo, the Western Region NDC is still putting together their documents after the just ended 2016 general elections and at the appropriate time the media will be communicated to when necessary.

The NDC in the just ended elections lost eight parliamentary seats to the NPP reducing their current number of parliamentary seats from 18 to 10 as against the 16 parliamentary seats by the NPP.

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AHANTA TRADITIONAL COUNCIL GETS CUSTOMARY LAND SECRETARIAT

The Oil and Gas boom in the western region is said to have tripled the quest for land acquisition especially in the southern belt of the region and this has resulted in pockets of land disputes in almost every Land in the Ahanta Traditional Area.

The establishment of the Customary Land Secretariat is one of the key interventions under the Land Administration Project (LAP) designed by Government as one of the key policy actions and initiatives to ensure reforms in the land sector through a more efficient and decentralized land administration system. 

It is also said to be a policy measure aimed at addressing the challenges associated with land management and administration in this country.

As part of this land administration project, government is to assists and supported traditional owning communities to set up their own customary land secretariat so that they will be able to keep and maintain accurate records for the office of the Administrator of Stool lands to help minimize land related conflicts and disputes that are normally associated with land management and administration.

The Regional Stool Lands Officer from the Office of the Administrator of Stool lands, Ruth Paintsil, believes the decentralized Customary Lands Secretariat in Busua in the Ahanta West District of the western region will promote peaceful development of our communities and help make available information on the land use and rights as well as ownership.

“You and I know that if we have accurate and proper records we will not condone with the purchase of multiple sale of lands”.

She as well mentioned that the Customary Lands Secretariat will also help promote the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) which intends to ease the pressure on the judiciary.   

Ruth Paintsil however advised that all documents on land transactions are to be sent to the Customary Lands Secretariat for records keeping to avoid double sale of lands in the Ahanata Traditional Area.

According to the western regional surveyor, Robert Hackman Antwi, the establishment of this office in Busua certainly makes the end of the frustration surveyors in the region go through just to do a piece of works on a land in the area.

Excited about the establishment of the Secretariat in Busua, chiefs cloud not hide their joy over the fact that the Secretariat affords them an alternative dispute resolution outside the court in the face of pockets of land litigations in almost every traditional area in the Ahanta land.

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GCB OFFERS FREE EYE SCREENING TO RESIDENTS OF SEKONDI-TAKORADI

A little over seven hundred people in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis yesterday benefited from a free eye screening exercise from the Ghana Commercial Bank’s noble gesture of giving back to the resident in Takoradi.

The Effiakuma Roman Catholic Church in Takoradi was this morning packaged with hundreds of people within the sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis and its environs coming to participate in the GCB free eye screening exercise in Takoradi.

Residents were taken through basic eye tests, provision of spectacles and drugs at no cost. Free medication and eye glasses were provided to those with minor eye conditions while those with serious defects were referred to respective specialist clinics within the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis.

7 ophthalmologists, 10 physician assistants as well as 20 volunteers from the Bank helped in the exercise yesterday.

According the Western and Central Regional Manager of Ghana Commercial Bank, Mr. Martin Yaw Abofra, the project forms part of GCB’s corporate social responsibility which was partnered by the Third Eye Care and Vision Centre.

He mentioned that this is the first in the health series for the people of the western region and entreat their customers to keep up the relationship they have with the bank.

Staff of GCB took the opportunity to educate residents on the need for healthy savings and investing for their future.

Some of the residents also took the opportunity to open accounts with the Bank while others commended GCB for bringing their eye care project to their door step.

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