Day: June 1, 2024

Three former officers of the Ankaful Main Prison have donated a array of items to assist in caring for the inmates.

Ex-Lance Corporal Joseph Adams, ex-Sergeant Stephen Jojo Ampah, and ex- Senior Chief Officer Samuel Asiedu Akoto donated fridges, medical sterilizer and supplies, as well as medication to help in the upkeep of inmates.

Others are kickstand karaoke speakers and second-hand clothing worth hundreds of Ghana Cedis.

Previously, the group renovated some offices at the Main Prison Camp and provided equipment to match the expected standards.

Ex-Lance Corporal Adams, who led the team, said the challenges faced by the Service compelled them to give back to the institution that had nurtured them over the years.

‘We once served here with dedication to both God and our nation, striving to perform to the best of our abilities,’ he said.

‘The Service has supported us, and it is our duty to reciprocate the kindness shown to us. We hold the Service in high regard and will continue to offer our genuine supp
ort whenever needed.’

Assistant Director of Prisons (ADP) Dr Arron Agbo, Overseer of the facility, commended the group for their generosity and asked for more assistance.

He emphasised that the obstacles in service delivery notwithstanding, they remained committed to their duty of ensuring the secure custody, well-being, transformation, and reintegration of inmates.

He said their role was crucial in the nation’s Criminal Justice System, significantly contributing to overall public safety.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Effective July 1, 2024, household and industrial consumers will be paying more utility tariffs for electricity and water, following a second quarter upward review under the Quarterly Tariff Review Mechanism.

The sector regulator, the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), has announced a 3.45 per cent increase in electricity tariffs for lifeline consumers (0-30kWh).

An increase of 5.84 per cent are to be incurred by all other residential electricity consumers who are not part of the lifeline category bracket (31 kWh and above) as well as the non- residential category.

For those in the industrial category, the Commission has sanctioned a 4.92 per cent increase for electricity consumers, effective July 1, 2024.

On the other hand, water tariffs will experience an increase of 5.16 per cent for all customer classes for the period under review, PURC stated in the quarterly review.

The changes are to last between July 01, 2024, to September 30, 2024, PURC indicated in the second quarter tariff announcem
ent.

‘These reviews are undertaken to maintain the real value of the tariffs, thereby keeping the utility service providers financially viable to enable them deliver on their services to consumers,’ the Commission stated.

The Commission explained that the decision to increase electricity and water tariffs for the period under review tracked and incorporated movements in key uncontrollable factors.

The factors were the exchange rate between the US Dollar and the Ghana Cedi, domestic inflation rate, the electricity generation mix, and the cost of fuel, mainly natural gas.

The Commission said it also considered the competitiveness of industries and the general living conditions of the Ghanaian before arriving at the new increment in tariffs.

The sector regulator stated that during the period under review, there was no change in the generation mix between hydro and thermal.

The weighted average cost of gas (WACOG) increased by 5.23 per cent moving up from US$7.6426/MMBtu to US$8.0422 /MMBtu.

However, the C
edi depreciated against the Dollar by 20.80 per cent between the first and second quarters of the year, moving from GHS12.1349 in the first quarter to GHS14.6584 in the second quarter.

Inflation eased marginally from 28.27 per cent in the first quarter to 24.38 per cent in the second quarter of 2024, the Commission observed.

During the first quarter review, there was no change in electricity tariff for lifeline consumers, an average reduction of 6.56 per cent for consumers within the consumption bracket of 301kWh and above.

However, those who consumed more than 301kWh had an average reduction of 4.98 per cent.

Water tariff for the first quarter of 2024 remained 0.34 per cent, the same for the fourth quarter of 2023.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Apostle Dr. Kadmiel E. H. Agbelanyo, Founder and Leader of Seventh Day World Theocracy Congregation has called on church leaders to organize bible lessons on frequent basis for their congregations to enable them to learn to be truthful.

Apostle Agbelanyo made the call during a one-day sabbath bible lesson organised for his congregation on the theme ‘Behaviour before’ at Shallom-Otiakrom near Aburi in the Eastern Region.

In his sermon, he noted that because of sins and lies about 14,700 people died by earthquake when Moses was sending the Israelis from Egypt to Canan.

He also stated that Ananias and his wife Safaria also died by the Holy Ghost because of not saying the truth after the sale of a land for the construction of a church building. (Acts 5: -1-11).

He said all churches belonging to God the Holy Spirit only needed truthful persons to worship in them and not those who tell lies, saying Numbers 26:10 stated that over 250 persons died by fire when challenging the Holy Spirit.

Apostle Agbelanyo calle
d on the youth of the church to take the lessons seriously, to grow to become good future leaders who would speak the truth and not lies, because lies were against the Holy Ghost.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A sales officer with of E-NAT Mineral Water, Solomon Amoako, has been sentenced to six months imprisonment in hard labour by the Tarkwa District Magistrate’s Court Two for stealing his employer’s GHS2,450. 00.

The convict, popularly known as Sky, pleaded guilty to the charge of stealing.

Prosecuting, Police Sergeant Patrick Essien, told the court, presided over by Mr Charles Owusu Nsiah, that the complainant, Belinda Ghartey, is a miner and the owner of E-NAT Mineral Water and lived at Akyempim with Amoako, his employee.

He said on Saturday, March 23, 2024, Amoako and two other employees, Kwabena Asare and Kofi Amoah, both witnesses in the case, packed 350 bags of sachet water, valued GHS 2,450, into a Kia truck for sale at Esuaso, a suburb of Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality.

Sergeant Essien said on Sunday, March 24, at about 1300 hours, Amoako and his colleagues had sold all the 350 bags of sachet water but Amoako kept the money.

The convict, who had earlier planned to abscond with the money, told Asare and
Amoah to wait for him in the truck as he was going to buy something, Sergeant Essien said, adding that they waited for several hours but Amoako did not return.

They, however, went home to park the truck after all attempts to locate Amoako’s whereabout failed.

He said Asare and Amoah, who became anxious that the complainant would arrest them, proceeded to Amoako’s hometown at Twifo Praso to look for him.

The court heard that on March 27, the witnesses, with the help of a community police officer, arrested Amoako at Twifo Himan and handed him over to the police.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Nene Agudey Obitchere III, the Manklalo (Elder) of the Ada State, has called on indigenes to be ambassadors of promoting the various tourist sites and recreational potentials of the town.

Nene Obitchere made the call in a welcome address at the launch of the 87th Ada Asafotufiami Festival.

He said the people of Ada could tell others of the estuary where the Volta River joined the sea and the beautiful islands created by the huge volumes of water washing their way right from Burkina Faso and entering Ghana from the north, all the way to the lowest point in southern Ghana.

‘There is also an abundant spread of tourism and hospitality facilities in the area, with some offering horseback riding, jet skiing, kayaking, canoeing, cycling, and whale watching,’ he said.

The Manklalo commended the Aqua Safari Resort, Treasure Island, and Heartland Hotel for their immense contributions towards projecting the town and supporting the celebration of the festival.

He acknowledged that the current operations in the Songo
r salt mine by Electrochem Ghana Limited could also be projected to attract people into the area, explaining that it was modernising salt production.

‘The salt industry we have been blessed with has the potential to be the highest producer of salt in Africa in a few years,’ Nene Obitchere said.

The 87th Asafotufiami would begin on August 1 and run for 8 days, with activities including homecoming, visits to the sacred forest, grand durbar, royal walk, and sporting activities.

These would showcase the culture, customs, and traditions of the people of Ada.

The festival is celebrated to remember the wars fought by the ancestors to claim and protect the land for the indigenes.

Source: Ghana News Agency