Confusion has erupted at the Safe bond yard at Tema after members of the asset retrieval task force stormed the premises to retrieve some vehicles they suspect belong to the state.
According to Starr News sources, the task force embarked on the move upon a tip-off.
Attempts to retrieve a Toyota V8 vehicle with registration number GS 9427 – Z sparked the confusion leading to an assault on the driver of the vehicle by members of the task force.
The team is expected to visit many selected, but undisclosed venues at Tema, where they believe the state cars are being hidden.
The task force which include members of the military and national security, has been set up by the Akufo-Addo government to retrieve state properties in the hold of former government appointees and other individuals.
It was established after the seizure of some vehicles belonging to NDC national organiser Kofi Adams by some state security officials.
The Otumfuo Mawerehene Baffour Osei Brentuo Hyiaman V has failed in his bid to represent the Ashanti region on the Council of State.
The famous Mawerehene could only manage five votes as against the winner who is a sub-chief Nana Owusu Akyew Brepong (45 votes) with one other candidate Yaw Amankwa polling 10 votes, according to Ultimate FM’s Isaac Bediako.
CENTRAL REGION
Meanwhile, the paramount Chief for Twifo Mampong Nana Appiah Boamah II will be representing the Central region, having won the election.
Kweku Baah-Acheamfour reports that the 56-year-old educationist who is also the vice president of the Central Regional House of Chiefs polled 11 votes out of 37 to beat off competition from five other contenders including one time member of the council of state Prof. Ato Assumang. A former Chairman of the Ghana Football Association from 1993-1997 Nana Sam Brew Butler had seven votes.
EASTERN REGION
In the Eastern region, Kojo Ansah reports that the chief of Kwahu Asakraka and Apegyahene of Kwahu Traditional Area, Nana Somuah Mireku Nyanpong III, came first to represent the region.
He polled 26 out of the 52 votes cast with his close contender Mr. Afare Apeadu Donkor garnering 23 votes.
UPPER WEST REGION
Tumu Kuoro Richard Babini Kanton, a 59-year-old paramount Chief of the Tumu Traditional Area, was elected to represent the Upper West Region in the Council of State. The election which was held at the conference room of the regional EC office saw two of the five candidates stepping down for three to compete to represent the region.
The winner polled 13 out of the 22 valid votes cast while the two others Abubakari Sadik and Naa Jamaa Mataarah II polled seven and two respectfully, according to Starr News’ Musah Lansah.
VOLTA REGION
Francis Albert Seth Nyonyo, CEO of Fraga Oil won the election to represent Volta region on the Council of state. The 50-year-old businessman, secured 29 out 50 votes to take the single slot from 18 other aspirants at the polls held at the regional office of the EC in Ho, Lambert Atsivor reports.
GREATER ACCRA REGION
The President of Groupe Ideal Dr. Nii Kotei Dzani won the Greater Accra Council of State election.
The other candidates failed to attract a single vote.
NORTHERN REGION
Eliasu Tanko reports that a 74-year-old chief of Bogu in Nanton and a retired educationist, Naa Professor Yakubu Nantogmah has been elected Northern region representative of the Council of State. He defeated nine other people to win the slot. He said improving agriculture and conflicts resolution will be his priority.
Nantogmah won with 20 out of 52 votes.
WESTERN REGION
A 52-year-old business woman Eunice Jacqueline Buah polled 24 votes out of 44 to beat five other aspirants to represent the region.
MTN Ghana Foundation in collaboration with the National Blood Bank on Tuesday organized a blood donation exercise in Kumasi to augment blood and other blood products at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).
The exercise dubbed “MTN Save a Life Campaign” was the sixth of the annual blood donation exercises organized by the telecom giant.
About 200 residents in the metropolis donated blood to support activities at the hospital and other peripherals.
James Basintale
The Northern Sector Manager for MTN Ghana, James Basintale told Ultimate Business’ Patricia Bonsu that MTN believed in saving lives, hence their involvement.
“The annual Save a Life Campaign by MTN is motivated by the fact that MTN cherishes life and that is why we have set aside this day to be able to mobilize all our stakeholders, staff and the general public to be able to able to donate blood so that we can save lives.
“Every pint that you donate goes to save the life of a pregnant woman, an accident victim or somebody who has no one else to donate blood to save them”, Basintale remarked.
The blood donation exercise was replicated across other regions in the country as MTN hoped to collect about 2,017 pints of blood for major and other peripheral health facilities.
“In 2016 we targeted ourselves to raise 1,200 pints of blood but at the end of the day we had raised 1,640 pints of blood.
“In 2017, we also set our target to do 2,017 pints of blood and we hope we will be able to do it because beyond the 3 regional centres that we have always organized it in, this year we are organizing it in all the ten regional capitals.
“That is to ensure that we will be able to make the 2,017 pints of blood and I am hopeful that by the end of the day we might even exceed this target”, the MTN Northern Sector Manager added.
Arsenal have completed the signing of talented left-back Joel Lopez. The La Masia graduate had been heavily linked with a move to the Gunners. Lopez has signed scholarship terms and will turn professional once he is 17
Arsenal have finalised a deal for highly-rated Barcelona youngster Joel Lopez. A left-back who was previously playing for Barcelona’s Juvenile B side, Lopez turned down the chance to stay at La Masia and has instead elected to move to Arsenal, where he has signed a scholarship contract.
Lopez will sign a professional deal when he turns 17 in March next year and will go into Arsenal’s U18 squad to begin with, although it is anticipated that he could break into the U23s before the conclusion of the campaign.
It has been a busy summer for Arsenal in terms of first-team transfers and the same applies at academy level, with goalkeeper Karl Jakob Hein having signed from Nomme United, while forward Sam Greenwood joined from Sunderland.
A player who is excellent technically, Lopez’s signing was a necessary one for Arsenal, who needed a new left-back at U18 level following Dominic Thompson’s promotion to the U23 squad.
Lopez (far right) will initially go into Arsenal’s U18 team but could break into the U23 squadThis season Lopez will be able to feature in the FA Youth Cup and could even get into the squad for the Checkatrade Trophy, with Arsenal’s U21 side entering the competition for the first time.
Lopez will hope to follow in the footsteps of Hector Bellerin, who joined Arsenal from Barcelona’s academy at the age of 16 in 2011 and is now established as a first-team regular for the Gunners.
Other players to leave Barcelona’s academy for Arsenal include Fran Merida, Jon Toral and Julio Pleguezuelo.
A former lawmaker of Ningo-Prampram, E.T Mensah, has disclosed he pulled out of the Council of State race in the Greater Accra region because of the insults hurled at him.
The former Minister of Sports announced his withdrawal a few hours before polls opened nationwide, citing “personal reasons.”
However, in an interview with Accra-based Citi FM, Mr. Mensah revealed his grandchildren could no longer stomach the invectives coming at him through social media, and had to prevail on him to withdraw.
“When I read that thing [threats and insults from the Ga-Dangbe Youth] I was appalled and because of it my grandchildren sent me a plea to review [my decision],” the former Mayor of Accra remarked.
The leading member of the opposition National Democratic Congress, however, denied reports in a section of the media that he is bitter, having lost an internal poll prior to the 2016 parliamentary elections.
“Don’t mind the rumours going round,” Mr. Mensah opined.
According to him, he had the backing and endorsement of the party, specifically the “NDC Greater Accra Regional Council of Elders” during a meeting before going public with his intention.
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ideal Financial Holdings Dr. Nii Kotei Dzani has won the Greater Accra region Council of State election.
Dr. Dzani who was voted the Banking & Finance Entrepreneur for the year 2015 at the sixth Ghana Entrepreneur Awards polled 20 votes followed by Nene Kanor Attiapah with 12 votes.
The other candidates failed to attract a single vote.
Ghana’s referee Daniel Laryea will lead his other countrymen to officiate in the CAF Champions League match between Rivers United and AS Real Bamako in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
Laryea will be assisted on the lines by Eric Nantiere and David Agyin in the second leg after the two teams drew goalless last Sunday at the Stade Modibo Keita in Mali, the return leg comes off at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Port Harcourt.
The first leg was handled by Benin referee Gustave Eugene Comlan Tohouegnon.
The president of Groupe Ideal Dr. Nii Kotei Dzani has won the Greater Accra Council of State election.
Dr. Dzani who was voted the Banking & Finance Entrepreneur for the year 2015 at the sixth Ghana Entrepreneur Awards polled 20 votes followed by Nene Kanor Attiapah with 12 votes.
The other candidates failed to attract a single vote.
Nii Kotei Dsani will be representing the Greater Accra region on the Council of State.
“I want to thank the various district assemblies for supporting me… I’m going to bring my entrepreneural skills to bring to the fore. I will hold a press conference tomorrow to outline all my vision,” he said during his victory speech.
A former Youth and Sports Minister and Accra Mayor E.T Mensah of the opposition National Democratic Congress pulled out of the race at the last minute.
Dr. Nii Kotei Dzani’s profile
Dr. Dzani is an entrepreneur and businessman par excellence, with extensive business experience as an economist and business owner with a proven record of successful entrepreneurship with the establishment of over 8 companies within five years.
The former Barclays Bank and Canal Capital Executive was also voted Emerging Man of the year 2014 by Accra based VIASAT1 Television. Dr. Dzani has a rich and enviable experience in strategic innovation, business strategy and marketing; branding and human resource management coupled with his in-depth expertise in SME advisory service, asset management, development and financing of projects.
In addition, he has carried out extensive research on microfinance and commercial banking. Dr. Dzani is an accomplished individual, a motivated self-starter and excellent negotiator with the credibility to engage and influence business at all levels.
Educational background
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana and an Honorary Doctorate from Oral Roberts University, Oklahoma, USA. He also holds an MBA in Corporate Governance & Finance from University of Hull, United Kingdom. He is currently undertaking a professional law degree.
The deputy Ashanti Regional Police Commander ACP Ampofo Duku has stated that police officers were justified in brutalizing dozens of students of the Kumasi Technical Institute, which left about 20 of them on admission at the hospital.
The police have been widely condemned for losing control after they opened fire and tear gas to disperse the angry students.
Education Minister, Mathew Opoku Prempeh who also condemned the action called for investigations into the incident.
However, in an interview with Ultimate FM’s Isaac Bediako Justice, ACP Duku, challenged persons accusing the police of unprofessional conduct to back their claims with evidence.
“If people are accusing the police for being unprofessional then they must come forward and say what the Police did that constitutes unprofessionalism.
“If somebody commits an offence and is running away into his house, do you leave him? Had they not committed an offence, were they in their school and the police pounced on them…something might have taken place earlier and what took place was criminal.
“They caused damage to other people’s cars, assaulted other people and so police had to come in…so if police wants to arrest you and you resist arrest what should be done to you; because you are students you should be left untouched?” ACP Duku told Bediako Justice.
Over 20 students of KTI were hospitalized after the standoff with the police officers Tuesday night.
The officers were called in to ward off the students who were said to have been on rampage blocking portions of the Amakom-WAEC road.
They were returning from the Baba Yara Stadium after participating in the Inter schools competition in the region.
In case you missed out on today’s edition of the Morning Star which discussed the withdrawal of anesthesia service by doctors at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, here’s an opportunity to download and listen:
The Association of Gold Exporters, Ghana has raised red flags over the activities of Gold scammers in the country.
According to the association, activities of these scammers are tainting the credibility of genuine members.
The chairman of the association, Kwabena Asante Asare told Starr Business persons interested in Gold transaction should contact recognized bodies to avoid falling victims to such people.
“These scammers in the system are more than the genuine gold exporters and sometimes I tend not to blame the scammers….these are businessmen coming from outside with funds and if you come to Ghana and you say you want to buy 1 ton of gold or 1000kg, AngloGold Ashanti they don’t have that but then a small Ghanaian sitting in front of you and negotiating 1 ton of gold with you when market price is around $45,000.00 he is offering you $20,000 and you cannot even make that profit in Cocaine so is worst”.
