Auditions for the BIG IN GHANA, the biggest talent hunt show in the country is all set to roll with its first audition kicking off on the 4th of August 2012 inside café De paris in the Western Region – Takoradi, 1 pm sharp.

Organizers of the event, Africa Unsigned together with Pidgen Music gave details about the upcoming auditions as: ‘we are on the verge of selecting raw music talents across the country to join the FOKN BOIS, Yaa Pono and Efya on the BIG IN GHANA tour slated for this August and make them the big stars they have always dreamt off.

They mentioned the other audition dates and venue as, 5th August / T.Havana C.9 –Tema, 11th August / Rexmar Hotel – Kumasi, 12th August / Apollo Theatre – Accra FOKN BOIS, the main artistes behind this tour added their voice: “We will not encourage miming because we want real musicians that can go anywhere in the world and blow audiences away with their raw talent.”

According to Organizers the winner who will be selected through SMS votes after the tour will get prize packages worth over 20,000, GHC worth of prizes, including a cash prize of 3,000, a recording deal, publishing deal, professional video, management and promotion.

The FOKN BOIS lamented that “If you have been looking for a manager or producer to help you bring your hit song out then don’t miss this chance. Bring your song and come audition at the Big in Ghana Talent Hunt at any of the audition venues.

The big in Ghana talent hunt and tour is sponsored by Bavaria. Get to know the audition date as it is closer to you now, join the train and start walking your way to fame and stardom.

Ace Ghanaian actor, Fred Amugi, has expressed disappointment at how the movie industry has been given very little attention by colleagues in government both past and present.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Hitz Entertainment News, Fred Amugi stated that colleagues who were once in the industry and are now Members of Parliament and also at government positions have totally neglected the industry.

He said, “No Government has been fair yet to the industry, because we are struggling, the industry is still struggling …if you don’t have your own funds it means you cannot do anything.”

He said although showbiz is fortunate to have some of its personalities in Parliament and in government, they have turned a blind eye to the plights of the industry. Fred Amugi, however, failed to mention names.

The veteran actor stressed that, “We used to have some of our own people in Parliament and they were the very people who were telling the whole world that government is doing nothing for the industry but yet [when] they had the chance to go into Parliament, [they] never said a word.”

Fred Amugi disclosed that due to this, some members of the arts and theatre are coming together under one umbrella to fight for the common good of the industry.

Hiplife artiste Wutah Kobby, known in real life as Morris Daniel Nyarko premiered his new single, 'Chiochioo' on Hitz FM’s Daybreak Hitz, Thursday.

The song is the first new single of his upcoming project after releasing his first 12 track album titled, 'Selfless Bliss' since he went solo from the group Wutah.

Speaking exclusively on Daybreak Hitz with Lexis Bill, Kobby stated that the song “Chiochioo” was inspired by the love he has for his wife and also decided to grow in his music life hence he sang from within and with a lot of emotions. He emphasizes that the insole encompasses all the tenets of love and driven by his personal inner desire to love.

Kobby disclosed that when he is writing his songs, he focuses on how to express the message in the song. “Most of the songs come to me, I don’t struggle to create them because my being is always eager to create and so I just have to deliver it the way I feel”.

Wutah Kobby performed a live guitar rendition of his new single on the show before it was officially out-doored. Host of Daybreak Hitz on Hitz fm, Louis Sakyiamah aka Lexis Bill described the song as a 'timeless piece which exudes the power of love'.

Wutah Kobby revealed that the song is available for free downloads on the Internet. Chiochioo was produced by JMJ.

Renowned gospel icon Sonnie Badu, has taken to twitter and other social media sites to express how immensely sadden he is over the untimely death of Ghana’s president John Evans Atta Mills.

On behalf of himself and the entire Sonnie Badu Ministries family, Sonnie extended his heartfelt condolences to the late president’s family and friends, as well as the entire nation of Ghana.

Speaking from America, Sonnie Badu said:”It was with a very heavy heart that l received the news of the president’s death. I feel I stand on behalf of the whole nation when I say I am grateful for the sacrifice he made to serve his people and that he should be remembered as a honourable statesman and a man who served his country with all he had within him. My prayers go out to his immediate family and the nation as a whole, that God may continue to strengthen us as we bare this huge loss that has left a void in the hearts of many”.

The widely celebrated gospel sensation who is currently touring the US has taken it upon himself to dedicate his final US concert as a tribute to the late president. Sonnie Badu ministries are dedicated to connecting the heart of man to God through authentic praise and worship.

With hit singles like “Covenant Keeping God”, “Baba”, “Adonai” and his recent Album “Colours of Africa”, Sonnie Badu is recognized as one of Africa’s Most Successful International Gospel musician and has received many awards in recognition of his achievements.

Each year, Sonnie Badu Ministries organizes a musical charity event to bring revival to the nations. This year the event will be held in Atlanta-Georgia, on the 11th of August 2012 in honour of the late president and the proceeds of this concert dubbed “Atlanta Alive with Sonnie Badu” will go toward “Thy Dwelling Place," which is a charity project targeted at providing shelters and clean water for orphans in Nsawam, Ghana.

The SBM family invites the people of Atlanta and surrounding areas to come and witness humanity meet divinity through the act of pure undiluted worship. It will be a night of fresh fire, oil and rain as promised by Gods servant, Sonnie Badu.

TRADITIONAL leaders and parents in Chiwundura District want schoolchildren to be given condoms to protect themselves from segxwally transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies.

Speaking at a dialogue workshop organised by Padare and Safaids at Chief Gambiza Township on Thursday, traditional leaders said it was high time Government intervened to stop young people from being infected.

Chief Fred Gambiza said times had changed and schoolchildren were segxwally active at a tender age hence the need for them to be given condoms.

"Now there is Aids that is affecting our children because we have been conservative yet there are measures of stopping them from being infected," Chief Gambiza said.

"Parents are not counselling their children hence these children are being infected and are dropping out of school because of these pregnancies.

"If they are to be given condoms, they won't be infected. Condoms should be given to students who are in high school especially those who are already segxwally active. We cannot continue pretending as if they are not indulging, our children will die young.

"I know the message has been about abstaining, but if they can't abstain, let us look at the alternatives, which in this case are condoms." Chief Gambiza said.

He said he had adjudicated over cases of teenage pregnancies at his courts. Village head, Mr Webster Bidi, said there were so many teenagers in his area that had dropped out of school because of pregnancies.

"Some girls have been impregnated while at school and this trend has been going on for some time now. We have to give them condoms to protect our children, both boys and girls," Mr Bidi said.

Mrs Miriam Dzete said it was inevitable for teenagers to be infected or impregnated because they already indulged in sex.

"Most school going boys especially those in secondary school drink beer and they take drugs. When they are under the influence, they just sleep with women without protection because they are not being availed to them.

"It is important that we protect this generation by making right decisions that are meant to protect them," she said.

Added Mrs Grace Munikwa: "We may continue with the message of abstinence, but we have to be alive to the fact that just speaking will not stop someone from engaging in sex.

"We have to protect our children by giving them condoms especially those who will be in Form Three or Four because if we don't do that, we will regret."

St Patrick's High School Headmaster, Mr Stephen Madehwe, said it was important for parents to exhibit good behaviour at home so that their children can emulate them.

Ministry of Health and Child Welfare health promotion officer for Gweru district, Mrs Irene Zvenyika, said not all students were supposed to be given condoms but those who are segxwally active.

Copyright © 2012 The Herald. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
 

Some group of readers have been bothering me for some weeks now with the question, where is Jackie Appiah’s wedding (marriage) ring since she is NEVER or recently not been seen wearing it…

The fact that Jackie Appiah has not been recently spotted with her wedding ring has sparked speculations that she is no more with her business tycoon husband - Mr Peter Agyeman or probably, she is cheating on him.

When I recently met Jackie Appiah in London for a night hangout, I asked her the same question - Where is your ring and why are you not wearing it? We went into a conversation about speculations that she is no more married to her husband and maybe even cheating on him.

Jackie Appiah told me that, she did not have her wedding ring with her at that time and mostly when photographed on movie sets because; if the role she is playing in the movies is not that of a married woman, there is no way she can wear her ring.

She added that, she used to take the ring to movie sets and then remove it before shoots. However, she feels that it could get lost anytime if she continues doing that and therefore she leaves it safe at home…

So you see, I have pushed this question down the throat of Jackie Appiah before and she faithfully answered it.

I hope this settles the ‘unfounded’ ring rumour!

The Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, says the Mahama-Amissah Arthur ticket, the ruling National Democratic Congress is likely to present for the 2012 general election, is considerably weaker compared to the Mills-Mahama ticket the NDC presented in 2008.

Mr Baako made this known, Thursday, as a panelist on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme. According to Kweku Baako, the Mills-Mahama ticket the NDC presented in the 2008 elections had also been in office for the last 3½ years and therefore could consider itself well-marketed ahead of the 2012 polls.

On the other hand, he stated that the newly-formed Mahama-Amissah ticket is firstly, not a recognizable team on the ground and needs time to be marketed. Secondly, the new NDC team, in his opinion, would find it extremely tough and almost impossible to beat Akufo-Addo/Bawumia.

Throwing more light on this assertion, Kweku Baako explained that the NPP flagbearer and his running mate has, in close to two years, toured every part of this country and by this had achieved nationwide recognition.

The performance of the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia team in its first attempt at the polls, where they obtained 49.77% of the vote, according to Kweku Baako should inform the NDC about the strength of the NPP candidates.

Similarly, some functionaries and activists of the NDC have expressed displeasure at the choice of Mr Amissah-Arthur as running mate as they deem it as the concession of victory to the NP ahead of the December polls.

A group calling itself the NDC Youth Coalition in a statement said, “When we heard he (Amissah-Arthur) had been appointed, none of us could immediately put a face to the name.”

National Organiser of the NDC, Yaw Boateng Gyan, in acknowledging the plight of the NDC in the choice of Amissah-Arthur has said Mr Amissah-Arthur has not yet been endorsed as the running mate for President Mahama.

“It is not yet time for him to select his running mate for the upcoming election, that will be done at congress on 1st September; after he (Mahama) has been endorsed by popular acclamation as the flagbearer. Then he, in consultation with the party, will decide if the same person (Amissah-Arthur) should be as his running mate or whether a different person should be nominated”, the NDC organizer said.

Even though traders have been among the large groups of Ghanaians wailing and mourning President Mills since his death was announced last week Tuesday, the mourning has also not stopped them from making money from his death.

Traders of African print textiles in Accra admitted that sales have been good since the president's death. They attributed the situation to the tagging of some print designs to political parties.

One trader, Christiana Dansoaa, said the ‘se asa’ (It is finished!) cloth has been patronized massively and is currently in short supply at the Makola market. She said the cloth which used to be sold at GHC15 is now selling not less than GHC 36.

Another trader Serwaa Agyeman said she brought 600 yards of the cloth just this week and was able to sell it within a few days. Some government officials like the Director of Communications Koku Anyidoho was seen in a sorrowful mood wearing the cloth.

Asked why that textile print ‘se asa’ was chosen by the NDC for the funeral, the National Women Organizer Anita Desooso responded by saying, “It is finished.”

She said those who consistently attacked the person of President Mills cannot do it again because he is gone and will never return. She attacked the NPP of hounding the president to his death; therefore the name of the cloth is a message to them.

However, in a quick rebuttal, a member of the NPP communication team, Adomako Berfi disclosed that the NPP has equally chosen a textile cloth named ‘Aboa bi beka woa, na efri wo ntoma mu’, to wit, the enemy is within; adding that the answer to the insinuation by the NDC lies in their own party.

He asked them to do an introspection to identify those behind the presidents’ death and stop accusing them wrongly. Serwaa Agyeman confirmed speculations the NPP was going to use the ATL design, ‘Aboa bi beka woa, efri wo ntoma mu’, to mourn the late president.

According to her, though it’s been off the market for a while, they are making arrangements to increase supply.

The Central Regional Communications Director of the ruling NDC, Allotey Jacobs, has expressed concerns about statements made by the Eastern Regional Minister, Victor Smith, on President John Mahama’s choice of a Vice President.

He said the statement has a high possibility of hurting the party during the December general elections. According to him, Mr. Smith’s statements were misplaced and misdirected as Mr. Amissah-Arthur is a staunch member of the NDC.

Mr. Smith on Thursday publicly kicked against the nomination of Mr. Amissah-Arthur as Vice Presidential nominee, arguing that he cannot win a single vote for the National Democratic Congress in December.

The former ambassador said President Mahama is gambling with the fortunes of the party by selecting the Governor of the Bank of Ghana as his partner.

But the former ambassador has rendered an unqualified apology to the President for the comments, arguing he was “misconstrued” in a statement released on Friday.

Speaking on Citi FM’s news analysis programme, Inside Politics, Mr. Jacobs stated that “the NDC delegates have the power to decide whether Mr. Amissah-Arthur is qualified to partner President Mahama as his running mate for the upcoming elections.”

“It is a matter for the congress to decide whether to go along with President Mahama if he should choose Amissah-Arthur as the running mate.”

Mr. Jacobs, however, gave the assurance that if the Eastern Regional Minster has already apologised to the President, “we will thank him for it, forget about the past and forge ahead.”

The Independence Square also known as the Black Star Square has been set as the venue for the funeral ceremony of the late President John Evans Atta Mills.

According to the Funeral Committee set up to oversee a successful burial, the venue was chosen to accommodate the huge crowd that would throng to the grounds.

In a move to control crowd as well as reduce heavy vehicular traffic, giant screens will be mounted at vantage point including the Accra and El-wak Sports stadia for the general public to have a feel of what is taking place at the main grounds.

At a press briefing on Friday, the Chairman of the Funeral Committee, honeypotbi Quakye in outlining the arrangements stated that due to the lack of foresight, the committee experienced challenges in planning the funeral but was quick to add that the committee made its possible best to make the arrangements successful.

A US couple are to remarry - nearly half a century after they were divorced.

Roland Davis and Lena Henderson, both 85, got hitched as teenagers and divorced 20 years and four children later.

Their youngest daughter, Renita Chadwick, herself a grandmother, said: "We are all so ridiculously excited. We're like little children again.

"It's every child's dream, every child who has ever been in a family where divorce has occurred, that your parents would come back together."

The couple met as teenagers in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and were married by a justice of the peace.

This time around, a church wedding is planned, in Buffalo, New York state, followed by a reception at a local restaurant.

"I'm just happy that we're here," said Mr Davis, who recently moved to Buffalo from Colorado following the death of his second wife in January. .

Mr Davis proposed to Mrs Henderson, who is also widowed after re-marrying, over the phone around Easter and she accepted, even though they hadn't seen each other since a family funeral in 1996.

Before that, the two hadn't been face-to-face since splitting up in 1964, though they had stayed in touch and kept up with each other's lives through the children.

Their oldest daughter, Johnnie Mae Funderbirk, had been urging her father to return to New York since his wife's death.

"I had always kind of had that in mind, mostly because of the children," he said. "You never forget someone that you cared for at one time or another."

The Upper West Region has recorded 663 deaths within the past six months and it is feared that the figure will double by the end of the year if care is not taken.

The region recorded similar figures of 586 and 639 in 2010 and 2011 respectively, some of which could have been averted if maximum care was observed, Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, Upper West Regional Minister said this at the 2011 Upper West Regional Health Performance review in Wa, on Thursday.

He said deaths through motor accidents were equally frightening and appealed to the security agencies, especially the Ghana Police to rise up to the task and stem the tide.

He appealed to the health authorities in the region to continue educating their staff riders and drivers, especially at the service delivery points to change their attitudes on the road.

Alhaji Sulemana said the health sector would not relent in providing adequate infrastructure, equipment and transport to enhance healthcare delivery.

He said despite some challenges the health sector in the region faces; it had made several positive strides over the years, especially in the areas of skilled deliveries, containment of outbreaks and surveillance of communicable diseases.

He urged the regional and district authorities to redouble their efforts to enable the sub-districts to be functional, to deliver on their core mandate.

“The sub-districts are the action points as they deliver services directly to the people and all efforts must be directed at supporting them in terms of equipment, infrastructure, personnel and capacity building to enable them to achieve the desired results.

“The unacceptable numbers of maternal and neonatal deaths in the region are a pointer to the weakness of our heath institutions and especially the sub-districts which must be addressed”, Alhaji Sulemana said.

He however commended the Ghana Health Service for instituting a leadership development programme that sought to enhance the capacity of managers at all levels of the health service delivery.

He suggested that priority be given to those at the sub-districts, especially remote areas where accessibility and transportation affect referrals, so that cases could be effectively handled in those areas.

Alhaji Sulemana said modern health service delivery was a shared responsibility and appealed to all actors to take keen interest and support players in the sector.

Dr. Kofi Issah, Deputy Upper West Regional Director of Health Service, said for the rest of the year, the sector would continue to strengthen the human resource base of sub-districts by ensuring that the new polyclinics provided adequate services to the people.

He said sustaining disease control and surveillance and carrying out mass vaccination campaigns for targeted diseases, ensuring clinical audits and the use of protocols and referral systems as well as coaching in clinical skills would also be improved.

He said the regional directorate would link up with training schools to build capacity in new updates of health programmes in the region and provide support systems such as logistics management and scheduled delivery as well as equipment and transport management.

The Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing (MWRWH) would soon clamp down on illegal activities of some foreign and local architects and engineers operating in the Built Environment.

The move is in compliance with the Architects Decree 1969 and Bye-Law of the Architect Registration Council (ARC) that required the professionals to seek licence from the Council before operating in the country.

Dr Hannah Louisa Bissiw, Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, announced this at the 12th Induction ceremony organised for newly registered architects in Accra on Thursday.

She said the Ministry would work in close collaboration with the ARC to provide the appropriate sanctions for offenders.

Dr Bissiw said “Whereas some have complied, others have crept into the country and are cowardly operating without licence".

“The Ministry is urging all such illegal architects to do the right thing by seeking licence from the ARC.”

She stressed that MWRWH would be “At the heels of such unauthorised persons… and would deal with them in accordance with the laws of Ghana”.

Dr Bissiw said the Government was working to ensure that the standards for architectural and engineering designs as well as building code and regulations were developed and enforced through the National Human Settlements Policy and Strategy.

She said a scheme of service in support of the establishment and operations of the ARC had been developed and submitted to the Public Services Commission for Review and Validation.

Dr Bissiw said “When this is through, the ARC would have Operational Units for Practice, Registration and Regulations; as well as Administration, Finance and Human Resource Departments”.

She urged the newly-inducted architects to apply themselves to humility, patience and build a solid foundation for their profession without compromising its principles and ethics.

“You must continue to learn, to research and above all, pay attention to details,” she added.

Mr Henry D.L. Yartey, Chairman of ARC told journalists that the issue of slums in the cities had been hugely politicised, citing the case of Sodom and Gomorrah.

He said past and present Accra Metropolitan Chief Executives had tried to relocate the inhabitants at Sodom and Gomorrah but had been advised against the move because of politics.

Mr Yartey said due to lack of political will on the matter, inhabitants at Sodom and Gomorrah had stalled progress made thus far on the Korle Lagoon Ecological Restoration Project.

He expressed disquiet that the stalled project had caused millions of dollars to “go down the drain” and had deprived the Gas their yearly supply of fresh tilapia which they used to fish from the lagoon, especially during the Homowo festive season.

Other areas where Mr Yartey expressed concern included congestion at the Central Business District, open public drains and lack of maintenance culture of public buildings.

He called on Parliament to pass an Act that would empower the metropolitan assemblies to periodically inspect and certify public buildings to ensure that they were properly and regularly maintained.

Mr Adotei Brown, President of Ghana Institute of Architects, urged the 55 newly-inducted architects to develop the habit for proper record keeping and observe the bye laws of the Institute to enhance their profession.

He advised them to avoid the snares in the profession which included unhealthy competition.

Mr Wiliam Ato Essien, Chief Executive Officer of First Capital Plus, a private firm, urged the inductees to adopt a step-by-step approach towards success in life while putting God first in their endeavours.

The Brong-Ahafo Regional Police Command on Monday arrested five suspects for child trafficking at Kintampo.

The names of the suspects, who were allegedly trafficking 20 teenagers from Walewale in the Northern Region to Kumasi, were not released. Also arrested was Yussif Isaa, the driver of the Benz bus with registration number AS 7685-12, who was conveying the female victims, between the ages of 15 and 20 years.

Narrating the incident to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani on Thursday, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Lydia Acheampong Ntow, Regional Commander of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU), said the Police on Monday July 30, 2012 on its routine checks intercepted the Benz bus at Kintampo.

She said, upon interrogation, the teenagers confirmed they were on vacation and decided to embark on the journey to look for menial jobs to enable them to fend for themselves when school reopened.

The Regional Commander said the Police suspected foul play, and transported the victims and the suspects to the Police Regional Headquarters in Sunyani and placed them on custody. Two days later, she said, the teenagers were sent back to Walewale.

ASP Ntow said investigations were still on-going and noted that poverty was a contributory factor to child trafficking and called on Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to assist needy women to go into economic ventures for their livelihood.

She also appealed to the assemblies to support needy but brilliant students in their education.

ASP Ntow noted with regret that child trafficking was in ascendancy in Brong-Ahafo, Upper East, Upper West and Northern regions and entreated the general public to lend support in fighting the menace.

She appealed to the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and other transport organisations to join hands to help curb child trafficking and the attendant consequences by alerting the Police of any suspicious characters, especially at bus terminals.

We hope that President John Mahama did not mean it when he rained curses on persons he described as enemies and who were supposedly uncharitable with the late President John Evans Atta Mills.

We would like to think that he was referring to political opponents when he made the reference and not enemies.

We believe that the president, who knows the workings of a democratic system, does not have any qualms critiquing a government. But if he now has, then it could be because he is a president and has just taken over from President Mills, leading a party in which unusual things including misrepresentation of conventions are the order.

One of his first remarks as president was plaintive in nature, moaning, as it were, about how the departed head of state was subjected to a barrage of insults, vilified by implication, an ordeal which according to him killed him. They would be dealt with by God, was the implication of his remarks.

His boss, before transitioning to the spirit world, was a democratically elected president who appreciated the importance and role of such critiques in the advancement of democracy.

If the media and political observers were expected to look on as the ship of state listed, in his estimation, when the deceased was in charge, we would have been out of tune with democracy.

The deceased was not hated but the various stakeholders were only doing their work in total consonance with the dictates of democracy, period!

To therefore be picking bones with those who expressed dissatisfaction with some policies and direction of the deceased when he was in charge of the ship of state, as President John Mahama is doing now, is one which would not endear him to the good people of this country, especially the lettered who understand that such critiques are standard practice in democracies.

Counseling his party’s radio station hawkers to sheath their swords when this is not matched by moderation in his public place remarks would present a semblance of double standards.

Taming the NDC hawks, as the president wants us to believe he is ready to do, would be a Herculean task, especially if he himself passes politically unwholesome remarks even on funeral grounds.

Five soldiers and two police officers believed to be members of robbery syndicates operating in some parts of the country are in the grips of the Ashanti Regional Police Command.

They were identified as Lance Corporal Farouk, Lance Corporal Tommy, Private Ahmed Ride-Wan, Private Nasser Gideon and Lance Bombardier Frimpong. Their counterparts from the police were named as Constable Murtala Musah of the Buffalo Unit and G/Constable Bismark Ntow of Zongo Police Station, all in Kumasi.

In the case of the soldiers, while Lance Corporals Farouk and Tommy are with the 4BN in Kumasi, Privates Ahmed Ride-Wan and Nasser Gideon are with the Tamale Air Borne Brigade, and Lance Bombardier Frimpong with the 66 Artillery Regiment in Ho.

They were arrested alongside their civilian accomplices at different mining communities in the Ashanti Region where they had gone to rob their victims, DCOP Augustine Gyening, the Regional Police Commander, stated.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday in Kumasi, Mr Gyening said the service personnel were part of different robbery gangs, with the other civilian members being Stephen Nsor, a Community Protection Assistant, Toffic Iddrisu, Osman Musah, Philip Nyarko, Daniel Agyemang, Solomon Opare, Kofi Djan and Patrick Acheampong.

According to the police chief, following the increase in small-scale mining activities at the Amansie West and Amansie Central Districts, and Nkawie and Konongo areas in the Ashanti Region, some group of persons reportedly attacked and robbed the miners of their gold quartz and monies.

DCOP Gyening narrated that his outfit, upon receiving the information, instituted intelligence-led measures to clamp down on the suspected robbers.

He disclosed that Divisional and District Police Commanders were tasked to intensify patrols in such areas and arrest the culprits, as part of the measures.

The police chief said the outcome of the measures revealed that some police and military personnel were part of the suspected criminals who robbed the miners of quantities of monies and gold quartz at the sites.

On July 21, 2012, DCOP Gyening told journalists that the regional command received information that seven armed men, including a police officer, had attacked some Chinese nationals at their mining sites and robbed them of their mobile phones and GH¢1,910 at Denyire Nyinawusu near Dunkwa-on-Offin in the Central Region.

Officers at the Dunkwa police command, upon receipt of the information, mounted a roadblock, leading to the arrest of Constable Mutala Musah of the Buffalo Unit in Kumasi with service number 43415, and Stephen Nsor, a Community Policing Assistant attached to the Kumasi Central Police Station.

Six other civilians on board the unregistered Nissan Pick-up with trade plate number DV 23959-12 that was being driven by Constable Mutala, 30, were also apprehended.

A search conducted on the vehicle revealed six mobile phones, a pump action gun, six cartridges, one empty cartridge, and two pairs of handcuffs as well as a cash sum of GH¢1,910.

On July 23, 2012 at about 11:30am, DCOP Gyening added that the police, acting on another tipoff, arrested Yaw Nkrumah, a driver who was in charge of a taxi with registration number AW 5187-12, after he and his gang robbed some miners at Fahiakobo near Jacobu.

A search conducted in the cab revealed a military beret and a Nokia phone.

The police boss said some miners of Freeman Gold Mining Company also managed to arrest G/Constable Bismark Ntow of Zongo Police Station in Kumasi, and his civilian accomplices, Solomon Opoku and Kofi Djan three days later.

They had gone to the mining site to rob the miners of gold and unspecified sum of money when they met their match, the police commander intimated.

He said while the police were investigating those robbery incidents, another group of suspected armed robbers with serving soldiers, Lance Corporals Farouk and Tommy, all of 4BN in Kumasi, as well as Privates Ahmed Ride-Wan and Nasser Gideon of Tamale Borne Brigade, together with Ohene Djan Dacosta and Kwaku Francis, both civilians, were also arrested.

Youth of Banka near Konongo attacked and arrested the gangsters when they were busily carting their booty in a Kia truck with registration number AS 2982 X and a Tico cab with registration number AS 6582 P that were driven by Ibrahim Anas and Jonas Nyarko respectively.

The soldiers, in the course of the melee, managed to escape, but lack eluded him and was later arrested and detained at the 4BN guard room, DCOP Gyening said.

Lance Bombardier Frimpong, another soldier with the 66 Artillery Regiment in Ho, and two civilians by names Isaac Asare and John Appiah, were also arrested by the Nyinahin police following a robbery attack on F & T Mining Company at Akonfore near Nyinahin.

Mr. Gyening said all the suspects were in custody assisting in investigations.

According to him, his command would not relent on its effort to arrest and prosecute personnel in the service who were caught to be involved in any form of crime.

A 21-YEAR-OLD unemployed man who could not control his libido and ended up defiling an 11-year-old boy has been handed a 10-year jail term by an Accra Circuit Court.

The convict, Benjamin Sam, admitted to committing the crime by having sex with the boy through his anus, when he was put before the court presided over by Sedina Agbemava.

The trial judge convicted him on a charge of defilement and sentenced him to 10 years. The prosecutor, Chief Inspector I.A.A. Ahor, informed the court that the victim was a pupil living at Chorkor while the accused person was unemployed, also living at Mamprobi.

He narrated that on July 30, 12 at about 1:00pm, the victim went to the seaside to play football with friends.

On his way home, he met the convict who called him. The victim refused to attend to his call and immediately took to his heels.

Sam, who was bent on pouncing on the poor victim, chased him and when he caught up with the victim, he pulled him into a wooden structure, removed the victim’s shorts and inserted his penis into his anus.

Sam, after segxwally abusing the victim, ordered him to leave the scene, immediately.

The victim reportedly started weeping and this attracted the attention of a group of Good Samaritans who apprehended the accused and handed him over to the police. In Sam’s caution statement, he allegedly admitted to the offence and was subsequently charged with defilement.

Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, on Wednesday led a delegation to the residence of the late President John Evans Atta Mills to console the bereaved family.

The delegation, made up of Dr Hannah Louisa Bissiw and Nii Nortey Dua, both Deputy Ministers of Water Resources, Works and Housing, heads of departments and agencies under the ministry and some of their deputies signed the book of condolence.

Speaking to journalists, Dr Bissiw, who was in tears, described the late President Mills as a man who exhibited much confidence in the abilities of many Ghanaian youth and that his death was a huge loss particularly to the youth.

Dr Bissiw paid glowing tribute to the late President Mills saying he was a father, a mentor and led a life worthy of emulation.

Nii Nortey Dua called on Ghanaians to imitate his peaceful nature, adding that the legacy he left behind needed to be protected.

The Ministry donated 20 boxes of filtered water and 20 cartons of assorted soft drinks which were received by Mr Mensah and some family members on behalf of Mrs Mills.

The Koforidua High Court has sentenced four persons to death by hanging after they were found guilty of murder.

The convicts, including three siblings, who had pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit crime and murder were unanimously found guilty by a seven-member jury which returned a verdict of guilty on both counts.

Kofi Bredu Armah, 60; Addy Armah, 40, and Aryee Badu Armah, 35, the siblings, contracted 40-year-old Lartei Tetteh to kill their uncle, Kwame Dartey, 50, who was the caretaker of the family’s vast land at Ntowkrom, near Nsawam.

Tetteh, who hid in a bush, shot and killed Dartey, who was returning home from the farm alone about 7 p.m. on October 12, 2003.

A state attorney, Mrs Priscilla Dikro, had told the court that the three brothers and their late uncle. as well as their accomplice, Tetteh, stayed at Ntowkrom, a village near Nsawam.

She told the court, presided over by Mr Justice Henry Kwofie, that on October 12, 2003, Dartey was on his way home from the farm when he met his cousin, a lady, who was walking alone in the dark with a lantern.

He went to see her off and, as he was returning home alone, he was shot from a nearby bush. But he managed to run for about 15 metres before falling dead.

The prosecutor said the incident was later reported to the police and police investigations led to the arrest of the three brothers.

During interrogations, Addy was said to have confessed that it was his elder brother, Bredu, who had come up with the idea that they should kill their uncle.

The siblings, according to the prosecution, discussed the idea and conspired to kill their uncle to enable them to also have access to the family’s vast property.

After they had agreed to kill their uncle, Bredu contracted Tetteh to execute their plans.

On October 12, 2003, Tetteh left his home for Ntowkrom with a gun hidden under his armpit and, while heading towards Ntowkrom, he saw the deceased with a lady in the dark.

Tetteh then laid ambush and later shot and killed Dartey when he was returning home.

The Bible Society of Ghana has postponed its 2012 Annual General Meeting to Thursday, 30th August, 2012 at 1:00pm.

This has become necessary because of the funeral of our late President John Atta Mills which has been scheduled for 8th – 10th August, 2012.

The venue for the AGM is still at the Evangel Assemblies of God, opposite Avenida Hotel, Kojo Thompson Road, Adabraka, Accra.