DCE cited in alleged school feeding fraud in Nabdam District
Signals of possible anti-government street protests in Nabdam, a district in the Upper East Region, are getting stronger by the day over an alleged involvement of the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, Agnes Anamoo, in a purported Ghana National School Feeding Programme (GNSFP) fraud. Angry residents of the district are accusing the central government of deliberately failing to have the DCE further investigated and put on trial after a report said to have been delivered by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) months ago on a GNSFP scandal in the district reportedly found her liable for scam. According to the agitators, the names of two women, Grace Assibi Kasere and Denicia Afifi, were added to a list of GNSFP caterers in the district by the DCE without the knowledge of the two women. One of them, Grace, is said to be a relation to the DCE. Grace was assigned to the Zanlerigu Primary School and Denicia to the Zanlerigu Kindergarten. Neither of the two public schools was served by either of the two ‘ghost’ caterers, but the government paid them both continually for no job done through some E-zwich accounts opened for them. It is also alleged that the two women, one of whom reportedly can neither read nor write, often took the monies to the DCE upon payment and withdrawal and the cash would be divided amongst them with a purported lion’s share going to the DCE. This reported underhand deal, they say, went on until the state’s intelligence agency (NIB) caught the three women ‘pants down’ and blew their cover. It is said that Grace and Denicia had acted in ignorance all along because the DCE allegedly had only deceived them from the beginning that the monies they were withdrawing from E-zwich (which actually were monies government was paying for no service rendered to the two hungry government schools) were meant to cater for some orphans. Grace and Denicia did not know they were ‘caterers on paper but not caterers on the ground’ until the NIB reportedly exposed what they allegedly were being used for in the dark and without their knowledge. About Gh¢30,000 reportedly had been paid to the accounts of the two ‘ghost caterers’ before the secret deeds were brought to light. “The biggest disappointment is that after the BNI (initials of the name formerly used by the NIB, Bureau of National Investigations) exposed this big scandal, we did not hear anything further,” said a resident, Moses Bogre. “All we heard was that the money they received was taken back from them. No further investigation, no prosecution. Is that how things are supposed to be in a country of law and order? We are asking for answers from the government. We’re poised to protest this silence.” Your agenda won’t work― under-fire DCE fires back at agitators Checks reveal that the Zanlerigu Primary School and the Zanlerigu Kindergarten currently have an enrollment of about 350 pupils and 110 preschoolers respectively. Only recently (in 2019) did caterers officially arrive and settle at the schools to feed the pupils, according to Ghana Education Service (GES) authorities. The alleged feeding by the ‘ghost’ caterers― the catering service that reportedly never was― “took place” before 2019 but after 2017. In her response to the allegations, the DCE told Starr News on Monday she never was involved in any school-feeding fraud. She explained that the GNSFP headquarters actually approved Grace and Denicia as caterers for the cited hungry schools but a prominent executive member of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), whose name she mentioned to Starr News but said she did not want published for now, hijacked the slots to himself, thereby dislodging the two caterers from their rightful contracts with the government. According to her, the GNSFP headquarters mistakenly paid money into Grace’s and Denicia’s E-zwich accounts later for no work done but the monies, she added, were repaid to the government through her efforts after she had learned that wrong payments, which she said probably were meant for different caterers elsewhere in the district, had been made. She said there were documents at the Nabdam District’s office of the GNSFP, and that she would make them available, to show how her efforts had led to the wrong payments being reversed. “There was no fraud as they have mentioned. The allegation is wrong. The [GNSFP] Desk Officer is aware. The Regional School Feeding Coordinator is aware. The BNI (NIB) is also aware. I am in the race (for appointment as DCE) and if they are bringing this to tarnish my image, that is it. I don’t know anything about fraud. I did the right thing. You can call any person in Nabdam about things I have done. I have been open. “They even did research on all DCEs; I was the best DCE. Because the season (for DCE appointments) is due, they want to do something to just tarnish my image for me not to be appointed. I did not spend any pesewas. I don’t own any school in Nabdam as I sit. They just want to tarnish my image. This is what they are looking for. They have an agenda; it won’t work. I have documents. Everything is there. So, it won’t work. I’m ready to work with everybody. I’m just pleading: let us come together. Nabdam is just small and we need to work together to move the district forward,” she said. By Edward Adeti, Upper East Region – Daily Mail GH Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
BREAKING: NDC Deputy National Youth Organizer attacked
The car of a deputy National Youth Organizer of the opposition National Democratic Congress Ruth Dela Seddoh was attacked by suspected robbers on her way from the Western North. The second Deputy National Youth Organizer said the incident happened around the Nkawkaw stretch when an assailant threw a heavy stone at her vehicle ostensibly targetting the glass but smashed the side door. The stone’s impacted caused some dents and scratches on the ash private car in which the NDC executive was traveling. She posted: “Hello guys, insecurity in this country is really at its scary height. On my way back from Western North, a stone was thrown into my car on the Nkawkaw stretch by unknown attackers. I really give thanks to God, it didn’t hit the window. It was so intense that it would have broken the window and hit me. Grateful I escaped this. Let’s all take our security seriously and protect ourselves, we are all not safe.” It appears this trick is a common attack trick these days to make drivers stop on the highway. Weeks ago, the Achimota School District Police Command arrested a 43-year-old Richard Bokor for attempted robbery on the GIMPA road using the same stoning method. According to police, the suspect smashed the side glass of a vehicle in an attempt to rob its occupant. —MyNewsGh.com Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Headmaster beheaded in Ashanti Region
The decapitated body of an adult male has been found at Feyiase in the Bosomtwe District of the Ashanti Region. A search party of the police and community members led to the retrieval of the head about 20 metres away from the location of the body. The circumstances leading to his death are not known. A woman in the area is said to have heard a loud cry nearby which ceased briefly prior to the body being found. Some residents later found the fresh body of the deceased dumped on a pathway in the area. The attention of police was drawn to it immediately and a group of police and residents went looking for the head. See also Angry wife poisons husband, chops off his manhood after discovering he was dating her best friend It took few minutes to find the head together with a mobile phone and wallet containing cash. Assembly member, Samuel Kwai, said the deceased’s name is Israel Agyei Manu and he was 33. According to him, Israel was a headmaster but uses his private white Toyota Vitz vehicle with registration number GE 3170-21 as Uber during weekends. The head was found with many machete cuts. The area is under development, with many uncompleted houses. Residents, who saw this for the first time, fear for their lives as one family is already packing out immediately. A white Toyota Vitz vehicle with registration number GE 3170 -21 was retrieved from the scene. Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
High ranking British Army advised govt to create jobs, because gun don’t hear English (HOT VIDEO)
A High ranking British Army Member has sent a very strong message to the leaders of Ghana Per his advice, the British Army admonished government to create equal job opportunity for the rich and poor to help minimize the growing robbery and fraud in the system. Watch the video below: Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Landlords To Be Jailed 2yrs If They Charge More Than 6-months Rent – Rent Control Warn (VIDEO)
Rent Control Department of Ghana have warned landlords for flaunting the rent control laws. The law states that no one should be charged more than 6 months rent advance for a long tenancy agreement. Under Section 25:25 of the Rent Control law, “Any person who has a condition of grant renewal or continuance of a tenancy demand in a case of monthly or short tenancy the payment in advance or more than a month rent or in a case of a tenancy exceeding 6 month, the payment in advance of more than 6 months rent shall be guilty of an offense and upon conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding 500 penalty unit (equivalent to GH¢6,000) or a term of improvement not exceeding 2 years or both” On Saturday morning Newsfile on Joynews, the head of Public Relations, Emmanuel Hovey Kporsu said they have lined up some landlords before court for flaunting the law. ‘I have lined up some landlords before the court for taking more than six months rent advance’ – Head, Public Relations, Rent Control Department, Emmanuel Hovey Kporsu. Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Ghanaians naturally born with evil mindset, desist from the ‘Pull Him Down’ attitudes – Bishop Boateng to Ghanaians
Founder and leader of the Gospel Revival Church of Christ located at Kumasi Sofoline in the Ashanti Region, Bishop John Nana Kwame Boateng has attributed the downward trend of the country to some citizens who always find it a pleasure to destroy people who are struggling to make it in life. The man of God noted that since independence in 1957, many Ghanaians have thwarted any good initiative been undertaken by some good responsible citizens to develop the country. Speaking to this reporter in an interview, the bespectacled man of God cited how some leaders plot to bring down the late Dr. Osagefo Kwame Nkrumah. He stressed that the same “pull him down” syndrome was used to overthrow Dr. Abrefa Busia, Brigadier Akwasi Amankwaa Afrifa, Kutu Acheampong and Dr. Hills Liman. The clergy opined that Ghanaians are naturally born with an evil desire to humiliate, vilify or destroy a people whilst in God’s wisdom, jealousy, hatred, and discrimination are non-existence. According to Bishop Boateng, the sad aspect of the matter is that government in power always refuse to engage opposition members in decision making, let alone sharing ministerial and another national appointment with them. The clergy noted that attitude of “pull him down syndrome” coupled with jealousy has led many to become greedy, selfish, witches and wizards fighting against people without any cause. In order to ensure a united, peaceful, and well-developed country, Bishop Boateng called on Ghanaians to shun negative behaviour that could derail the progress of the country. —Modernghana Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Insecurrity everywhere, Ghanaians are not safe under you — PPP Presidential Candidate blasts Akufo-Addo
The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) presidential candidate for 2020 general elections, Brigitte Dzogbenuku has taken a swipe at President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over the recent robberies and killings in the country. She said the President must take urgent steps to solve the growing insecurity in the country. Speaking in an exclusive interview to Joyce Ohenewaa Kwapong on TodayGhanaNews TV’s EMPOWERMENT HOUR show, on Friday 2nd July 2021, she said, “the insecurity we are starting to feel right now in Ghana is frightening and the president must ensure our security.” Commenting on the recent massacre of three young men at Ejura in the Ashanti region who protesting for justice for the slain social activist, Ibrahim Kaaka Mohammed, the PPP presidential candidate noted that though she has been out of the country for over a week, “I don’t know what the President has said, yet no amount of apologies will bring back those people who have died but they must be rendered all the same”. She called on the president to punish severely the security personnel who committed those heinous crimes. “So, the president should sit up and look into the security services and find out who actually sent them (the Military) to go and kill those young men at Ejura,” she posited. She added, “there is no sense in ruling a country with fear. Then it becomes a normal dictatorship where people in the country are afraid to speak out because when they do, they will be attacked or killed. “I don’t think there’s any form of compensation that is going to bring those dead people back but what they must do is reinstates a sense of security in the whole country and ensure that the security services can be trusted.” Brigitte Dzogbenuku recalls in 2014 when they went for the Occupy Flagstaff House demonstration where they were allowed to demonstrate peacefully without military or police intimidation. “The policemen were all over the place, they had their water cannons they were fully kitted to the hilt but they went along with us peacefully, we didn’t do anything to endanger their lives and they didn’t touch us, they walked with us and they make sure that we behaved,” she added By Sylvia Happy Annang Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
We built a resilient economy before Covid-19 – Ofori-Atta
The Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has said the government built a resilient economy before the country was hit by the deadly Covid-19 pandemic. “Ghana went through the headwinds and built a resilient economy which grew at an average 6% in the three consecutive years prior to the pandemic,” he told CNN’s Richard Quest in an interview on Friday. Amidst the global pandemic, Mr Ofori-Atta said the Ghanaian economy has leapt to become a hub for investment in the region. “Ghana has been a pillar of stability, a legacy Nkrumah started in 1957. We are currently the headquarters of [the] African Continental Free Trade Area, which is the next wave of independence with regard to trade and investment. And you note that Twitter was able to come here [Ghana] as a result of this type of aggressive outward position that we’ve taken. “We know Twitter decided to come here because of the aggressive outward position. We will continue to create a great business environment where assembling and manufacturing of VW and Toyota cars solidify our position as the gateway to Africa,” he told Richard Quest. —Kasapafmonline Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
1,065 students kidnapped, 6 killed, 273 held in seven months
No fewer than 1,065 students of schools across the country have been kidnapped in the last seven months, investigation by Vanguard has shown. Also during the period under review, six students were killed by their abductors, while 273 others are still being held as at press time. Two polytechnic lecturers and one other staff member are still being held by their captors. Though relatives of victims and the government do not publicly disclose how much is paid as ransom, hundreds of millions of naira had been paid to secure the release of victims. Recall that on December 11, 2020, 344 students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State, were abducted, but released about two weeks later. Also, on December 20, 2020, 80 students of Islamiya Schools in Mahuta, Katsina State were kidnapped and were later released, while on February 17, this year, 27 students of Government Science College, Kagara, Niger State, were kidnapped and later released. Similarly, on February 26, 2020, 317 students of Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, Zamfara State were abducted and 279 released and 38 are still being held, while on March 11, this year, 39 students of Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Nando, Niger State, were kidnapped and all later set free. On April 20, this year, 20 students of Greenfield University, Kaduna were kidnapped and five were killed by their captors and 15 set free after the payment of ransom. It was the bloodiest abduction so far. On April 26, three students of Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State were abducted and later released, while on May 30, 136 students of Salihu Tanko Islamic School, Tegina, Niger State were kidnapped, none has been released and on June 11, five students of Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic, Zaria, Kaduna State were killed alongside two lecturers and another staff member of the institution. None has been released. On June 17, 94 students of Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, Zamfara State were abducted, one was killed and only nine have been released. Commenting on the development, the National President of the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria, NAPTAN, Alhaji Haruna Danjuma, described the development as a blight on education in the country. “It is more than being described as unfortunate. This is not the way our education sector should be known to the world, we should not be known as a country where pupils and students are no longer safe in schools. When students and teachers are not safe in schools, is that an incentive? “We are waiting for the words of hope from the government and our security people that those still being held are safely and in good health will be reunited with their families. Also, we want to see proactive steps that will not allow a recurrence of such ugly developments again in our schools. “We just pray that those involved in the criminal act would have a change of heart and stop all this,” he said. On his part, the National President of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, Mr Anderson Ezeibe, said his union is awaiting the release of abducted members. “Last month’s attack on the Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic, Zaria, Kaduna State was the third in recent time. After the two previous attacks, nothing was done to safeguard the school. The polytechnic has no perimeter fence and it is just like throwing it open for attack. “During my last discussion with the management of the school and members, I was told the abductors said they would get across to the school concerning negotiation, but there has not been any update on that ” We hope the government will do the needful and ensure the protection of lives and properties of the citizens,” he said. –vanguard Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093