W-H-A-A-T!! ¢500 MILLION DEAL 4 KUMASI RADIO PRESENTERS?

WITH amounts ranging between ¢500million and ¢100 million being dangled before some top radio presenters in Kumasi as enticement fees, two tycoons have plunged the radio industry in Kumasi into the biggest poaching exercise ever to hit the Garden City.
The two men, Mr Kennedy Agyapong, Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North and Mr Kwaku Oteng, Managing Director of Angel Group of Companies, have purchased Ashh FM and Mett FM respectively and are set to turn them into formidable stations in the coming weeks.
Ashh FM is being rechristened Time Radio while Mett FM becomes Angel Radio.
The enticement fees are so attractive that the presenters involved are said to be seriously rethinking their next moves.
Names that have cropped up include Kwame Adinkra of Fox FM's morning show, Fox Morning Drive. A source disclosed to Graphic Showbiz that he has been offered a whopping ¢500million to move to Angel Radio. Joe Laka of the sports desk of Kessben FM, the source said, has also been offered ¢400million to transfer to Angel Radio.
Other names being bandied about include Tweneboa Kodua, Sampson K. Nyamekye, Nana Asabre and Kwabena Bobie Ansah all of Hello FM, Kwadwo Marfo of Kapital Radio, Otwinoko of Nhyira FM, Eugene Adu Poku and Chief Bekoe a.k.a. Star Boy of Kapital Radio. They are all said to be on the lists of the new moguls. The source said the least enticement fee being offered is ¢100 million.
Some of them contacted by Showbiz declined to comment, one of them only stating that we are still at the talking stage.
Owners of the two new stations however appear determined to change the fortunes of their various acquisitions and build huge broadcast businesses out of them, hence the juicy enticement fees.
Mr Agyapong purchased Ashh FM from Mr Wilson Arthur, the brother of the owner of Skyy Power in Takoradi. Mr Agyapong is said to be making feverish preparations to move his new property from Pankrono Estate to Amakom, near the former Edward Nassar Buscuit Company premises. Mr Oteng has also began putting things together for Angel Radio to be housed at Abrepo junction at the former premises of Radio Mercury.
The source disclosed that some presenters have already tendered in their resignation letters to their former employers and are poised to join the new ones. The source was, however, unable to name the presenters who have resigned.
Kwame Adinkra, for instance, went off-air for the Christmas holidays and has not been heard again since on Fox FM.
It was gathered that he is currently on holidays in South Africa and that one of the new employers facilitated the travel to prevent others from contacting him.
On the part of Joe Laka of Kessben FM, it was gathered that he is keen to leave Kessben FM but the stationÕs management is reluctant to let him go because his contract elapses in about five months time. Laka was poached from Fox FM to Kessben FM about two years ago and sources say he was offered about ¢150million by the management of Kessben as an enticement fee at that time.
News of the emerging moguls and their intent to poach good presenters from existing stations have sent shivers down the spines of some owners of existing stations.
Some of them, it was gathered, have already sent various delegations including chiefs to Mr Kwaku Oteng of Angel Radio to ask him to stay away from their presenters.
Two years ago when Hello FM and Kessben FM joined the radio scene in Kumasi, a similar scenario emerged. At that time, station owners who did not want their presenters to leave increased their incentives for them.
The Managing Director of Fox FM, Mr Francis Poku a.k.a. Afro, for instance, had to pay huge incentives to presenters such as Kwame Adinkra and Sometimer Otuo Acheampong for them to stay on.
Despite that, Fox FM lost presenters such as Ohene Djan and Tweneboa Kodua to Kessben FM and Hello FM respectively.

KMA TO DECONGEST CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT OF KUMASI

Trading activities along the streets and pavements of the Kumasi metropolis is now a brisk business.
Street trade, which hitherto was restricted to only the Central Business District (CBD) of Adum now occur in different parts of the entire metropolis.
Most traders locate themselves at strategic points with heavy human traffic, while others walk from one place to the other.
They locate themselves along main roads and streets especially at intersections where there are traffic lights, near shopping centres and offices or at corners where they can be seen easily by pedestrians and motorists.
The traders settle in streets spontaneously without any official allocation. There are some informal methods used in locating and operating within a particular site, especially on the pavements.
A few traders consult the owners of neighbouring yard, while others negotiate with acquaintances and share with friends and colleagues.
Most street vendors in Kumasi have no authorised sites of operation, which results in incidences of confrontation and brutality between them and city authorities.
The authorities do not want to encourage trading on pavements and streets, especially within the Central Business District (CBD) because of lack of space and the resultant congestion.
Again, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) views vending and hawking on streets as illegal and view vendors as responsible for making the city dirty, obstructing traffic and therefore a public nuisance but has on numerous occasions failed to eject them from the streets as a way of enforcing its by-laws.
Rather, the traders have severally been allocated trading sites outside the CBD and in satellite markets in the metropolis but they have rejected to move there, arguing that they are not accessible to customers.
The traders deal in a number of commodities such as foodstuffs, both fresh and processed, fabrics/clothes, shoes, cosmetics, flowers, hardware, electrical appliances and general merchandise such as office stationary, school supplies, books, sweets, brooms and newspapers among others in different locations of the city.
Those on the pavements use different structures, including tables, racks, wheel barrows and handcarts to display their goods.
Others display their goods on the ground over a mat while others especially those who trade on the streets simply carry their commodities on their hands, heads and shoulders.
There are also those that hang their goods such as clothes on walls, trees, fences and an advanced group that construct temporary shades with stands for displaying their goods.
This type of trade is very common on the road between the Kumasi Club and the High Court building, where a few traders started displaying cloths on the walls along the road but has been joined by more traders in the course of time with the city authorities not doing anything about it, making the area to turn into a large market place.
This manner of expanding street trading has been the order of the day in most areas in the metropolis but surprisingly anytime the KMA have had to initiate a move to eject them from there, the assembly is confronted with the issue of finding an alternative place for them to relocate, forgetting that the KMA did not play any role in settling them on streets.
Some residents have blamed city officials for not having the political will to be firm on ejecting traders from the streets.
They have therefore called on the assembly to be upstanding and always try to nib the canker in the bud at its initial stages the moment an area starts to develop into a market centre, rather than waiting for the area to amass more traders before moving in to eject them.
While the KMA view vending sites as temporary, the vendors view them as permanent and that some confrontations have arisen anytime the assembly initiates a move to sack them from the streets.
Kumasi is notably the commercial hub linking the Northern and Southern parts of Ghana. The largest market, the Kumasi Central Market is located at the heart of the city.
As a result almost every trader wants to trade in the heart of the city resulting in congestion at the city centre since there are a lot of products that account for the prosperity of commercial activities in Kumasi.
Because of the persistent harassment by city authorities for them to leave the streets in the CBD, they have developed a new strategy of moving away from the CBD and not to the satellite markets in the metropolis, rather to the periphery of the CBD, especially on roads leading to the CBD.
Although it has been argued that vending attracts those who have limited opportunities for obtaining formal employment and prestigious business, and also minimises chances of social exclusion and marginalisation, street vending is increasingly becoming an option for many citizens.
It is no longer limited to the lower social groups, especially the underprivileged who carve out a living in an environment full of harassment by city authorities.
It would therefore be better for the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly to institute stringent measures to check street trading in order to help avoid possible confrontations with traders in future.
PICTURE SHOWS
The sprawling clothing market on the road in between the Kumasi Club and the High Court in Kumasi

Boost 4 Aquaculture

The Ministry of Fisheries has entered into an agreement with Luye Fisheries in China for assistance in the production of male tilapia fingerlings for distribution to fish farmers in Ghana.
The move is aimed at helping to make high yielding fingerlings always available to fish farmers so as to serve as a boost to aquaculture in the country.
Consequently, the Ministry had allocated the Aquaculture Adaptive Trials Centre at Nkawie in the Atwima District of Ashanti to be used as a pilot station for the development of what they termed, the Super Male Tilapia in the country.
Mrs Gladys Asmah, Minister of Fisheries, on Wednesday, led a team from Luye Fisheries in China to inspect the Aquaculture Adaptive Trials Centre at Nkawie to enable them have first hand information before the project commences.pictture shows-Mrs Asmah (in cap) conducting the Chinese team round the Aquaculture Adaptive Trials Centre at Nkawie.
The male tilapia is noted for growing faster than the female and that it could attain the weight of about 750 grammes within seven months, for harvesting. Hence it is profitable to use male fingerlings instead of female fingerlings in fishfarming.
Mrs Asmah stressed that the government was determined to ensure that aquaculture developed in the Ghana to make the country a major exporter of fish in Africa.
Luye Fisheries in China is one of the biggest tilipia producing companies in the world and was noted for growing the super male tilapia, producing about one billion fingerlings each year for distribution to fishfarmers across China.
Mrs Asmah said aquaculture development in the country was a priority of the Ministry of Fisheries and that having a proper fish seed could help make the country achieve its aim of becoming a major exporter of fish.
She said the tilapia in China originated from Ghana and that after the creation of the Ministry of Fisheries, the Chinese Embassy in Ghana was contacted to assist in the development of an aquaculture base in Ghana for export.
She said as a result, an arrangement was made for some officials from the Ministry including herself to visit China to have first hand information.
She said Luye had pledged to assist Ghana to export about 400,000 metric tonnes of tilapia each year and that with the commencement of the pilot project, the Chinese would teach Ghanaians the technology of producing the super male fingerlings.
The Minister said having just one point of fingerlings production was not enough and added that the project was expected to be extended to other parts of the country.
The leader of the Chinese team, Mr Chen Jianhua, who is from the China National Fisheries Corporation said the climate in Ghana was suitable for tilapia production and noted that there was plenty water bodies in the country suitable for tilapia production.
He said Luye would assist the government to promote aquaculture in the country to help make Ghana a major exporter of tilapia in Africa.
PICTURE SHOWS
Mrs Asmah (in cap) conducting the Chinese team round the Aquaculture Adaptive Trials Centre at Nkawie.

Uniqueness of Ashanti

The Ashanti region is one of the ten administrative regions of Ghana. For political and administrative purposes, Ghana is divided into 10 regions with each headed by a Regional Minister.
It has a total land area of approximately 25000 square kilometres representing about 10 percent of the total land area of Ghana.
Apart from its unique placement in the middle of the country, the region has other significant features such as sharing borders with four regions of the country, Brong Ahafo, Western, Central and Eastern regions. All the other regions shares borders with either three or two regions.
Most of the region’s inhabitants are Asante people, one of country’s major ethnic groups. Majority of Ghana’s cocoa is grown in the region. Aside that, the region is a major site of Ghana’s gold-mining industry as Anglogold Ashanti (AGA), which is regarded as the biggest gold mine in Africa and second to Newmont in the world, is located in the region at Obuasi.
Ashanti is the most populous region in the country with a population of 3,612,950 representing 19.1 percent of the national total of 18.9million, according to the 2000 Demographic Survey of Ghana.
Kumasi the regional capital is centrally located within the national context making the region unique among the other regions.
The region is subdivided into 21 administrative districts, the highest among all the country’s regions. This includes the Kumasi Metropolitan Area, which is Ghana’s second largest metropolis with a resident population of over 1.1million people.
The others are Adansi North, Adansi South, Afigya Sekyere, Ahafo Ano North, Ahafo Ano South, Amansie Central, Amansie East, Amansie West, Asante Akim North and Asante Akim South.
The rest are Atwima Mponua, Atwima Nwabiagya, Bosomtwe Atwima Kwanwoma, Ejisu-Juaben, Ejura Sekyedumasi, Kwabre, Obuasi Municipal, Offinso, Sekyere East and Sekyere West districts.
Politically, the region has 39 constituencies and indeed has the largest representation in Parliament to articulate the aspirations of the constituents. This should be expected since this is the most populous region in the country.
Like other areas in the country, the institution of chieftaincy is very pronounced in the Ashanti region and plays a significant role in its administration.
The region has 33 traditional council areas each headed by a paramount chief and comprising several divisional chiefs, all of whom owe allegiance to the Asantehene. The Asantehene, who is the President of the Asanteman Council is seated at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.
Manyhia Palace is a traditional showpiece which over the years had attracted local and international attention. All the history about the Kings of Ashanti and their works can be found in the Manhyia Museum.
Even though the Asanteman Council extends beyond the borders of the Ashanti Region, the chiefs in the other regions who are deemed to be part of the Asanteman Council all owe allegiance to the Asantehene, a feature which is not existent in other areas of the country, thus making the Ashanti Region unique among the others.
The homogeneity of the people of Ashanti, speaking only one dialect facilitates smooth administration of the area. Through the traditional courts of the Asantehene, chieftaincy issues and land litigations are tackled.
Indeed Ashanti Region’s near central location within the country makes it a nerve centre for commercial and social development.
The region has abundant, skilled manpower and relatively better social and economic infrastructure. The people of the region have high business acumen, which makes Kumasi one of the major commercial centres in the West African sub region.
Ashanti region is perhaps the best endowed region of Ghana in terms of its abundant natural and human resources available for investors.

4 perish in fire in Kumasi

A 45-YEAR-OLD woman at Kwadaso, Kumasi, who had persistently threatened to commit suicide finally carried out her brutal intentions at dawn yesterday, taking with her 14-year-old son, four-year-old grandson and 75-year-old mother. She also allegedly caused the death of the four year-old grandson of her mother.
Residents of the Kwadaso Estate woke up to the fire, which the suicidal woman employed in the bizarre incident and with which the woman, only identified as Konadu, set the family bedroom on fire, killing herself and her JSS Two son in the process.
The fire also killed her mother, identified as Maame Asantewaa, and Maame Asantewaa’s four-year-old KG One grandson, Paa Kwesi, who was attending school at Bethel Preparatory in Kumasi.
The 14-year-old JSS boy, identified as Yaw Anin, was also attending school at Bethel JSS in Kumasi.
Konadu, who was said to be diabetic, asthmatic, hypertensive and an ulcer patient, was alleged to have accused her mother, Maame Asantewaa, as being the principal cause of her woes and had threatened to commit suicide on countless occasions but had been advised by family members to desist from such an action.
According to family sources, Konadu had also threatened that she would also kill her 14-year-old son anytime she committed suicide to prevent him from suffering from any social and financial problems.
She carried out her intentions when she set their two-bedroom apartment at Kwadaso Estate on fire, locked the doors and concealed the keys to prevent anybody from entering to rescue them.
When her 75-year-old mother saw that they had been trapped and had no means of escaping, she attempted to push the four-year-old boy through the windows but he was also trapped in the iron bars in the windows, making it impossible for the rescue team outside to help.
When help finally came, the four-year-old boy, together with Maame Asantewaa, Anin and the arsonist had been burnt beyond recognition.
Their bodies have been deposited at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) mortuary for autopsy.
The police have also initiated investigations into the incident.
Briefing the Daily Graphic on the incident, the landlady, Madam Akua Afriyie, said Maame Asantewaa had been her in-law who had been taking care of their grandson, Paa Kwesi.
She explained that both Paa Kwesi’s father, who is her son, and his wife, have travelled abroad and so catering for the young boy became Maame Asantewaa’s responsibility.
She said two years ago, Konadu started visiting her mother, Maame Asantewaa, in the house at Plot 39, Block A, Kwadaso Estate, and not long afterwards, she started quarrelling with her mother, accusing her of being the cause of her ailment.
She explained that Konadu was at that time suffering from various diseases, including diabetes, ulcer, hypertension and asthma, and was, therefore, hospitalised on countless occasions.
Madam Afriyie said just last Tuesday Konadu again threatened to commit suicide so family members advised her against the threat. But she carried out her threat by setting their family bedroom ablaze.
Explaining, Madam Afriyie said at about 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday, she heard some people shouting and banging the doors that the house was on fire.
She said when the tenants assembled at the main house, they got to know that the four deceased persons had been trapped, since their main bedroom was on fire with the doors locked and the keys removed.
According to the landlady, when the tenants attempted to rescue the deceased family, Maame Asantewaa, who was then alive, shouted that it was Konadu who had set the room ablaze and concealed the keys to prevent any of them from escaping.
She said at that time Maame Asantewaa attempted to push her four-year-old grandson through the windows to prevent him from burning but he was also trapped in the iron bars.
She said by the time personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service arrived on the scene to put out the fire all the four persons had been burnt beyond recognition.
Meanwhile Nana Yaw Barimah reports that the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah accompanied by his Deputy, Mr Osei Assibey Antwi, led the Ashanti Regional Security committee (RESEC) to visit the scene of the trragedy.
The Ashanti Regional Minister was moved when he learnt that the four year-old child who made frantic efforts to escape was later burnt by the fire.
Mr Owusu-Ansah on behalf of the government expressed his condolences to the bereaved family and assured them that the police and personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service would investigate the circumstances that led to the incident.

Accident

These past weeks found me taking abbreviated breaks at work due to extreme business volume combined with my damn near insane work ethic or no break at all.
I took my annual leave from work and went into hiding (hibernation). I fast forward to a ravenous version of me arriving at work on December 27 2006.
I did not celebrate the Christmas in a good mood at all because someone smashed my car on December 24, 2006. I escaped from an injury narrowly but ended up with the car damaged.
The fellow (lady), a learner driver in an attempt to overtake my car because of inexperience lost control over her wheel and banged into my car, scaring the hell out of me, since I never saw her coming.
By God’s grace, I escaped unhurt and doing well but the irony was that, I never had my car to celebrate the holidays since it had to go to the workshop. By God’s grace, I’m ok now and work has resumed and in full gear after the holidays.

City Hotel undergoes rehabilitation

The City Hotel Complex in Kumasi currently undergoing rehabilitation in readiness for CAN 2008. The government finally decided to rehabilitate the hotel after several years of abandonement.
Picture shows the front view of the hotel with scaffolds and safety net around it as construction works go on.

OLD SKUUL REUNION IN KUMASI

(Picture shows left - Asanka Boyoyo, middle- Otwinoko, right- Kofi Adu Domfeh all of Luv FM. This was taken at the old students reunion held at the Ridge Park.
If the maiden edition of the Old Schools Reunion in Kumasi last year was great then this year’s second edition organised at the weekend was something quite greater.The event, which was organised through a collaborative effort of Luv FM and Guinness, was not only a success but also an excitement.More than 50 old students associations of various schools across the country whose number greatly surpassed that of the previous year converged on the Kumasi Ridge Park as early as 8:00am for the fun-filled event. In the previous year’s event, however, only about 30 old students associations participated.This year, there were competitions in various games which evoked memories of participants’ secondary school days. What made the schools’ reunion a good fun was the intensity and the recall of the rivalry that existed among some particular schools in those days.
Most of the old students who gathered at the event sang their schools anthem and the popular “jama” songs during their stay in school.
The participating old students associations were eager and determined to outdo their counterparts in almost every event which included High Jump, 50-metre hurdles, 50- metre dash, gari soaking, a five-aside football gala, table tennis, tag of war, “jama” and dancing competitions. (Picture Shows: Lord Kenya on stage entertaining the crowd)
The Rap Heavy Weight Champion, as he describes himself, Lord Kenya as well as Okyeame Kwame and his Braders were there to give fans renditions from their songs.
Students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology from Unity and Katanga Halls respectively, who appeared on the scene in the nude, also engaged in stone and bottle throwing at each other during the “jama” competition, thus resulting in some injuries which brought proceedings to a temporary halt around mid-day.
But that was short-lived when the five-aside football gala was ushered in.
An exciting aspect of the whole event was the side attraction which saw a coterie of guys gathering at various spots to admire ladies who were in dresses that exposed parts of their bodies. There was also shortage of alcoholic drinks and the organisers had to work out quickly to replenish their stocks.
Many were those who met their old-time school friends whom they never met after school. Prior to the games on Saturday and in studio interactions with various old students associations in the weeks leading to the games, we witnessed scintillating performances from old school folks who seemed not to have forgotten their secondary school days. (Picture shows Anita Akua Kyerewaa of Luv FM)
Old students of Mampong Technical Training College showed their prowess in the “jama” competition to place first, followed by T. I. AMASS, Kumasi, and the Armed Forces Secondary placed at the second and third positions respectively.
Kumasi High came first in the 50-metre hurdles, followed by the Ghana National College (Cape Coast) and Mampong Technical Training.
Kumasi High again came first In the 50-metre dash, followed by Prempeh College and the Armed Forces Secondary. Technology Secondary was first in the table tennis, followed by Kumasi Technical Institute (KTI) and Osei Tutu Secondary School at the second and third positions respectively.
Ghana National College (Cape Coast) came first in the High Jump, followed by St James Seminary Sec. (Sunyani) and Mampong Technical Training, while KTI was first in gari soaking and was followed by Mampong Technical Training and Koforidua Secondary Technical.
OLA Secondary School (Ho) was first in the dancing competition, followed by Anglican Secondary School and Yaa Asantewaa Girls, while Anglican Secondary School again came first in the tug-of-war followed by Prempeh Collegeand Pope John Sec. School (POJOBA).

Kejetia Lorry Terminal deteriorates

Picture shows an aerial view of the Kejetia Lorry Terminal

Kejetia is one name so dear to the hearts of residents in the Kumasi metropolis, visitors and tourists, such that, when the government decided to rehabilitate it some years back, the decision was greeted with so much joy by all stakeholders.

But barely four years after its rehabilitation, facilities at the place, especially pavement blocks have started deteriorating under the very eyes of the managers of the lorry terminal. F. D. Freko Limited.

A number of the pavement blocks have been dented and there seem to be no plan to get the deteriorated pavement blocks rehabilitated inspite of numerous calls by the public to get them repaired.

The situation becomes worse during rainy periods as pedestrians have to meander through floods to board and alight from vehicles.

Big buses, especially the double decker ones belonging to the Metro Mass Transit (MMT) move about in dislocated pavement blocks under dangerous conditions.

Picture shows dislocated pavement blocks at the Kejetia Lorry Terminal with vehicles trying to move through stagnant waters at the place.

In giving out the management of the lorry terminal to a private company, Mr. Maxwell Kofi Jumah, the then Metropolitan Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) explained that the management of the lorry terminal was going to be on contract basis and gave a long list of what was to be expected at Kejetia.

This included the registering of special potters at the place and clothing them for easy identification, a thorough cleaning and monitoring of the infrastructure at the place as well as routine maintenance of the infrastructure.

The managers were to ensure that hawking was not entertained at the place but the direct opposite of what was outlined is being experienced at the place currently.

Employees of managers of the place, F. D. Freko, allegedly take bribes from certain hawkers and allow them to ply their trade at the place.

Aside the deteriorating nature of the place is the present crop of vehicular congestion at the place.

The government decided to rehabilitate the lorry terminal with the intention to find a lasting solution to the problem of the heavy pedestrian population, which competed with vehicular traffic resulting in the confusion in the area as a result of the heavy “go-slow” that engulfed the area then and sprang to the centre of Kumasi.

The idea was to find a solution to the problem once and for all whilst at the same time maintain the natural beauty of the area, thereby separate the market, and the cars from the pedestrian.

It looks as if the problem that existed at the place earlier on is being allowed to repeat itself with the construction of more market stores at the place thus limiting parking and loading points for vehicles.

There is congestion all over the place at Kejetia presently as vehicles struggle to get access to the terminal, which temporarily block traffic to Adum, Ashanti New Town and Manhyia creating confusion at the place.

Indeed no project had ever attracted so much controversy in the history of Kumasi as the Kejetia terminal, and this could be attributed to the secrecy that surrounded the award of the contract at that time.

A clause in the agreement at the time of the rehabilitation debarred the contractor from talking about the project except with the client.

Officials at the Urban Roads Department, which was the client, at that time, referred anyone who needed information on the project to Accra.

It was therefore not surprising that many people read several interpretations into the project until the Roads and Transport Ministry finally intervened and went public.

In its explanation, the Ministry pointed out that the project was in phases- the Kejetia Development Project proper and the Kejetia Lorry Terminal.

The Kejetia Development Project involved the re-alignment of the roads to and from Kejetia, which re-directed vehicular traffic from the roundabout as well as the development of an infrastructure at the Central Market.

Messrs Limex Bau Limited, a German company, executed the Kejetia Development project proper while Messrs G. K. Appiah handled the Kejetia Lorry Terminal project, which involved the rehabilitation of the lorry park.

The two projects were therefore considered as one, which was going to help Kumasi regain its past glory.

Under the terminal project no provision was made for shops in the original plan of 1990.

The design included the reconstruction of the lorry park, passenger sheds, offices, a plaza area around the roundabout with pedestrian alleys and shopping areas for the sale of artifacts.

But what do we see today? New developments and construction of market stores are springing up all over the place.

It would be recalled that a controversy ensued in 1999 between the Kejetia Traders Association who tried to construct market stores at the place and the Ashanti branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU).

The controversy bordered on the authorisation by Nana Akwasi Agyemang, the then Metropolitan Chief Executive for the construction of stores by the traders association.

Kumasi drivers also bared their teeth and threatened fire and brimstone if the buildings were not demolished.

The GPRTU in their argument said the lorry park was already too small to accommodate the heavy vehicular population in Kumasi hence the construction of the stores was not necessary and in any case that was not in the original plan.

The KMA later demolished and prevented the traders association from constructing an 84-shop complex at the terminal following the GPRTU’s objection, claiming that the building was being constructed in the middle of the terminal and would therefore reduce parking spaces.

The KMA stopped the project after it had given the permission for the construction of the shops for displaced members of the Kejetia Traders Association who were affected by the Kejetia project.

The Regional Security Council (REGSEC) later ruled that the building was not properly sited and that it should be demolished and a suitable place allocated to the Association for the construction of a new building.

But it looks as if lessons from the controversies that ensued in 1999 over the construction of the market stores at Kejetia have soon been forgotten.

Picture shows dislocated pavement blocks at the Kejetia Lorry Terminal with vehicles trying to move through stagnant waters at the place

A visit to the area reveals that places designed for taxi ranks have been taken over by stores, which has contributed to limiting parking and loading points for vehicles.

The Kejetia Traders Association in 2004 repeated a call for the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly to explain the rational behind the decision to allow a private developer to construct market stores at the terminal after the Assembly had demolished and prevented the association from putting up similar stores at the terminal in 1999 with the excuse that the stores was going to limit parking spaces at the place.

Surprisingly, there was no response to that effect and the building project, is almost complete, standing on the same foundation, which was ruled as unfit for construction earlier on.

This is only one of the constructions going on at the place, apart from other ones, which have already been completed.

Before the project was implemented various studies were done by the Building Research and Road Institute (BRRI). Several designs, which included the construction of flyovers (interchange), were also considered.

The study by the BRRI indicated that the use of flyover at the area was good, but it was going to be expensive to construct hence the idea of flyover was abandoned.

The final basis for the selection of the present design (without a flyover) was to find optimal solution to the problem of pedestrian and vehicular congestion at the place thereby maximising the use of the available space to improve pedestrian and vehicular movement in view of the limited resources.

Various options were therefore put before the financiers of the project who were the World Bank and OPEC Fund and the present design was selected based on availability of resources.

Traffic from Adum through the then roundabout to Ashanti New Town and Manhyia were diverted through the Children’s Hospital area and the Zoo with the aim to help reduce congestion.

It was later announced that even though the project was being executed nothing prevents the construction of flyovers when funds were available, but how can that be done, with the present market stores construction if there is a decision to construct flyovers.

Due to the central location of Kumasi in the country, most road networks linking the country pass through Kumasi and for that matter Kejetia, which happens to be in the centre of the city.

Studies by the Building and Road Research Institute (BRRI) in 1999 showed that the Kejetia area was the busiest spot in the whole of West Africa.

According to the studies, as many as 13,000 people shuttle between the Kejetia Lorry park and the Mampong road in an hour whilst 18,000 cross over from the lorry park to the central market.

This heavy pedestrian population competed with vehicular traffic resulting in the confusion in the area, which accounted for heavy “go-slow” in the centre of Kumasi.

The intention of government was therefore to find a solution to that problem once and for all whilst at the same time maintain the natural beauty of the area, thereby separate the market, and the cars from the pedestrian.

It looks as if the problem that existed at the place earlier on is being allowed to repeat itself with the construction of more market stores at the place.

If nothing was done about it, the problem would be compounded and it would mean the more market shops, the more human congestion at the place.

Are we to wait and observe our cherished Kejetia lorry terminal deteriorate and get back to the bad state in which it was before the rehabilitation or has the focus for reducing vehicular traffic and human congestion at the place changed?

MESSING UP WATER BODIES BIG TIME IN KUMASI

Picture shows polythene and other waste materials choking up some water bodies at Suame.
The continued pollution of water bodies in the Kumasi metropolis has been a major problem environmentalists have been trying to uproot.
There has been a massive pollution of water bodies in the Kumasi metropolis in the last few years as people dump filth and human excreta into rivers haphazardly at all areas in the metropolis.
Some have even connected their sewerage pipes directly into rivers where excreta from their homes are directly deposited into the rivers which drain into the Owabi and Barekese dams, which provides water supply for Kumasi and other surrounding areas.
Although the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) and the Environmental Health Department of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) have on numerous occasions embarked on campaigns to call on people to desist from such activities, the practice seems to be on the increase.
Save Our Waters Ghana (SOWG), a non governmental organisation in Kumasi has taken a giant step in fighting the canker but its efforts would come to nothing if residents don’t change their attitude towards pollution.
Ghana has been highlighted to become one of the water stress countries in Africa in a few years to come. The recent rationing of pipe borne water by the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), felling of trees along river banks and destruction of forest reserves at dam catchments, developing water bodies for settlements, dumping of refuse at the catchments of water supply and outbreak of water related diseases are all issues which point to a near future water stress in Ghana.
Water shortage causes a lot of problems ranging from domestic, industrial and in government circles as well.
In view of this, it is about time that people became conscious about saving water bodies in order to help avert any water crisis in future.

Vegetables on ground for sale

Picture shows market women selling vegetables and fruits on the bare ground and close to stagnant water and gutters infested with filth at the Dunkirk area in Kumasi near the Asafo Market-UTC Interchange, which is under construction.
This picture depicts an example of conditions under which food stuffs especially vegetables and fruits, most of which are eaten raw are sold on the bare ground in market places across the country.
There have been numerous calls from members of the public for market women to desist from such practices but the calls seem to be falling on deaf ears.
At a recent matriculation ceremony of the Kwadaso Agricultural College in Kumasi, the Principal of the College, Mr Anthony Appiah proposed that District Assemblies should enact bye-laws to compel vegetables and fruit sellers to at least sell on tables.
Such, a move he said would help make vegetables and fruits hygienic for human consumption.

Asafo Market-UTC Interchange Project in Kumasi

The much talked about Asafo Market-UTC interchange project in Kumasi is gradually taking shape. The contractors have given the assurance to complete the project by December this year. It is expected to help ease traffic congestion between Adum and Asafo. The project, which commenced about 24months ago is behind schedule. Residents of Kumasi are upbeat expecting to see the completion of the project so as to help ease congestion.

PICTURE SHOWS - Workmen of Sarrouch Granulati J. V. the contractors executing the project on site.

Welcome to Kumasi

Welcome. Hence I shall be writing about
developments in Kumasi, the second capital city of
Ghana and otherwise referred to as the Garden City of
Africa. I would also try to provide pictures on the
developments as well as feed you on issues in the metropolis. Kumasi is gradually
expanding and a lot more suburbs are spranging up.

THE HISTORY OF KUMASI

Picture Shows Madam Patricia Agyei (right) Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly Chief Executive during her swearing in to office by Mr S. K. Boafo, former Ashanti Regional Minister.

THE HISTORY OF KUMASI
Kumasi, the capital city of the Ashanti region is located in the rain forest region of Ghana and is popularly known as "The Garden City" because of its various species of flowers and plants.It is the second-largest city in Ghana, located in the south-central part of the country, about 250 km from Accra.
Queen Elizabeth II of England gave Kumasi the name Garden City of Africa when she visited the area in the 1960s because of the varied plant life in the area.

Lake Bosomtwe, the largest natural lake in Ghana, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean, is located approximately 32 km south of Kumasi.
While the terrain surrounding Kumasi is relatively flat, the countryside is lush with tropical vegetation.
With over 2.5 million citizens, the city spans a radius of about 18 to 20 miles.
Picture shows: Mr E. A. Owusu Ansah (in tie), current Ashanti Regional Minister in an interaction with pressmen a month after assuming office as Ashanti Regional Minister. On the extreme left is Nana Yaw Osei, Vice Chairman, Ashanti GJA, on the Minister's left is Enoch (myself) and Adu Poku of GNA-Kumasi
The largest ethnic group is the Asantes, but other ethnic groups are growing in size.
Approximately 80 percent of Christians and 20 percent Muslims, with a smaller number of adherents to traditional beliefs.
The city rose to prominence in 1695 when it became capital of the Asante Confederacy due to the activities of the then ruler, King Osei Tutu I.
King Osei Tutu I was known as the Kumasihene and he served as ruler of the Asante Confederacy.
Parts of the city, including the Royal Palace, known as Manhyia were destroyed by British troops in the Fourth Anglo-Ashanti War of 1874.
A relatively young city, Kumasi was founded in the early 19th century by King Osei Tutu. The king named the city after the Kum tree, which he planted as a symbol of victory for the Asante Empire over the British. The Asante region has been independent since 1875 even though Ghana itself only declared independence in 1957. A descendant of King Osei Tutu, Nana Osei Tutu II, is King of the Asantes today, receiving allegiance from the people within the democracy of Ghana. He is said to be the richest King on Africa's West Coast.The King resides in Kumasi, and his home, the Manhyia Palace, is one of the city's most spectacular sights. The city holds an important place in the history of the Asante people as legend has it that a golden stool in the palace descended from heaven, and Okomfo Anokye, an ancient priest received the Golden stool, which signifies an embodiment of the soul of the Asante nation.
Near the palace grounds a copper sword was said to have been driven into the ground by Okomfo Anokye, which no one has been able to remove by any means.
Kumasi remains a royal city, the role of the King has been mainly symbolic. Due to large gold deposits that have been mined in the area, Kumasi has been among the wealthier cities in Ghana. Today's major exports are timber and cocoa. Kumasi has 50 percent of the timber industry in Ghana, with more than 4,000 employed in the business.
Trade, commerce, farming and mining are leading industries in Kumasi. In addition, its region boasts a rich cultural heritage particularly evident in smaller surrounding towns. Other riches abound, with wealth derived from substantial gold deposits and agricultural products. Cocoa and high-quality hardwood (timber) are other major exports
Features of the city include the large Kumasi Central Market, Fort Kumasi (built by the British in 1896 to replace an Asante fort and now a museum) and the Kumasi Hat Museum (Built by the late Nana Kofi Genfi.

Picture Shows Madam Patricia Agyei (right) Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly Chief Executive during her swearing in to office by Mr S. K. Boafo, former Ashanti Regional Minister.

Royal Asante attractions include the Kumasi National Cultural Centre (including the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum with various Asante regalia including a reproduction of the golden stool), the Okomfo Anokye Sword being hosted at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, the Asantehene's Palace (built in 1972), and the Manhyia Palace, dating from 1925, now a museum.
Along with history and legend, Kumasi is a fast-growing, contemporary city. It is filled with avid sports enthusiasts who are especially proud of the soccer team, the Kumasi Asanti Kotoko. The team has won numerous national and continental awards
Kumasi is also home to a zoo, the Kumasi Zoological Gardens, which is next to the Centre of National Culture (CNC), the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology of Ghana (formerly the Kumasi College of Technology).
The Kumasi area has one public hospital (Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, 736 beds), five public clinics and 57 private clinics (1992 figures).
The city's most famous child is the current general-secretary of the United Nations, Kofi Annan. The local football (soccer) team, the Kumasi Asante Kotoko has won several national and continental awards. The Kumasi Sports Stadium was built in 1959 and renovated in 1978 with a seating capacity of 80,000 the largest in the country. It is currently undergoing another renovation in readiness for CAN 2008, which is being hosted in Ghana.
Kumasi is home to numerous educational institutions, including the University of Science and Technology, one of Ghana's premiere facilities of higher learning. English is the official language of Kumasi, and its native language is Asanti (TWI).

Highway slaughter in Kumasi, as 35 perish in motor accident

IN what could best pass as a national tragedy, thirty-four souls perished last Monday night in the worst accident in the Ashanti Region in recent times when an Inter City STC Bus collided head-on with a Mercedez 207 passenger bus at the Akropong Junction on the Kumasi-Sunyani road.
It was a Black Monday night for the Catholic Church in general and the Abuakwa Parish in particular as all but three of the dead, were members of the Parish.
The church members most of whom were choristers were on their way to attend the funeral of their deceased Reverend Father of the Parish at Akwaboa, some five kilometers away when they met their tragic death.
The remaining three included the drivers of the two vehicles, and an officer of the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) who was on board the STC bus.
This morning, the scene at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital where the bodies were sent, was shocking and pathetic.
Relatives, church members and friends tried to identify the bodies of their departed ones as the bodies were lined up at the mortuary.
Some of the bodies were badly mutilated, and the scene sent people wailing uncontrollably.
The Accra-bound Inter-City STC bus with registration number … was said to be traveling from Burkina Faso.
The Akropong junction accident was a near carbon copy of what took place at Santasi last year when 17 members of the Deeper Life Bible Ministry on board a similar 207 bus returning from a funeral lost their lives.
Monday’s accident was said to have occurred a few minutes after 10pm when the driver of the 207 bus, attempted to overtake a Tico taxicab.
Eyewitnesses said the 207 driver lost control and went into a head-on collision with the oncoming Inter-City STC bus.
The STC bus dragged the 207 bus along for some distance killing all on board.
Some of the church members told the Graphic that the Abuakwa Parish of the Catholic Church selected the choir members from various societies within the Parish and that the vehicle moved from society to society to pick them for the wake-keeping.
Police sources said they suspected the 207 bus was overloaded.
Fire Service personnel who responded quickly to the accident spent the whole night trying to cut through the wreckage to remove both the dead and injured persons.
The driver of the STC bus for instance was found dead with the head handing downwards in the bus when the bus was cut open, according to eyewitnesses.
The number of injured persons who were rushed to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) could not readily be ascertained as hospital staff were busy trying to save lives.
The badly mutilated bodies of the deceased, 17 males and 17 females have since been deposited at KATH morgue for autopsy.
Those identified included the driver of the 207 bus, Kwame Acheampong.
Others were Georgina Tiwaa, John Baptish Amosi, Kwadwo Asiedu, Vice Chairman of the Tanoso Union Choir, Cecilia Nyamekye from Tanoso, Eric Boakye, Lawrence Addai Munumkum, a catechist of the Abuakwa Parish, Sister Agyeiwaa, Mary Mensah from Apatrapa, John Mensah, Sepaase Choir master, Sister Alice and Bernard Mensah.
When the Graphic visited the KATH morgue this morning (Tuesday), it was a horrific scene as a large crowd had besieged the morgue’s premises trying to help identify the deceased.
The Member of Parliament for Atwima Nwabiagya, Mr Benito Bioh within whose constituency the accident occurred was at the morgue to show concern for the lost souls and the bereaved families.
The Police were yet to officially comment on the accident.

ANOTHER fatal accident in the Ashanti Region, Ghana

ANOTHER fatal accident in the Ashanti Region within two weeks, once again involving 207 Mercedes Benz passenger buses, has claimed fourteen lives on the spot at Kwadwo Kwapia on the Obuasi - Dunkwa-on-Offin.Eighteen others received various degrees of injuries some very serious.Both the dead and the injured were sent to the Government Hospital at Dunkwa-On-Offin.The accident occurred last Friday when both vehicles were said to be speeding on the road. The accident came at a time accidents involving Mercedez 207 buses had become a source of concern to both the police and other concerned groups and individuals.Just around Easter 14 people were killed at Dadieso on the Accra-Kumasi road, apart from other minor accidents.Police report on the Kwadwo Kwapia accident was not detailed enough.However, eyewitnesses said one of the vehicles, which was bound for Tarkwa tried to overtake another resulting in the head-on collision.According to the eyewitnesses, people within the area of the accident constituted themselves into rescue teams to help remove the dead and injured from the wreckage before sending them to Dunkwa.Among the dead were the drivers of both vehicles.Police named the deceased drivers as Kwasi Owusu and Emmanuel Teye.The identities of the 12 others who were killed in the accident as well as the injured were not immediately known.Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) James Sarfo-Peprah, the Commanding Officer of the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit of the Ghana Police, who briefed the Daily Graphic today said Owusu was driving the vehicle with registration number AS 5731 W, from Kumasi to Tarkwa while Teye was using the bus with registration number AS 3508 W from Tarkwa to Kumasi.On reaching a section of the road near Kwadwo Kwapia the two vehicles collided killing the 14 on the spot.

NIGHT life in Kumasi is dying

SOMETHING is happening in Kumasi before the eyes of all residents, and which is a huge eyesore but very few people seem to talk about it.
It looks like nobody not even the city authorities care about the malfunctioning of streets lights in the metropolis as virtual darkness engulf the streets in the night.
Clearly one of the factors that go into making life in a community especially in the city interesting and worth living is the availability of electric power on the streets.
Street lighting goes to bring life to the community and check crime among other benefits .
Without power many activities cannot go on effectively and the residents and visitors would be the eventual losers.
Quite disturbingly Kumasi is gradually being driven into this situation and the big question is why the authorities look on unconcerned as the situation worsens day after day.
Just take a drive in the city in the night and you will realize the sort of mess that Kumasi finds itself.
The first time visitor to the Garden City in the night would definitely be dumbfounded.
I recently overhead two gentlemen discussing the way night life in Kumasi gad gone dead.
They alluded the situation to a number of reasons including armed robbery and poor lighting system on the streets among others.

exchanging pleasantries after the official openning

Powered by Castpost

ICT

Powered by Castpost

particpants during one of the sessions

Powered by Castpost