Fraudster arrested in Kumasi

A forty-four-year-old man, who is alleged to have defrauded a number of people of various sums of money running into millions of Ghana cedis, has been arrested by the police. Victor Osei Sarfo who was arrested last Thursday after an 18-hour trail by the police in Kumasi, allegedly operated in various parts of the country. He was said to have posed as the son of Ambassador D. K. Osei, the President’s Secretary, and in some instances impersonated ACP Bright Oduro, Second in Command of the Greater Accra Regional Police. He also variously posed as a police detective, a BNI operative, an aide at the Castle, as Ambassador D. K. Ose himself on telephone and also impersonated a number of other personalities including Members of Parliament to defraud his victims. He again posed as a friend of high ranked police officers as well as politicians. Some of the names he used in his operations were Osei Kwadwo and Nana Osei but when he was arrested by the police he gave his name as Victor Osei Sarfo. Osei is said to have preyed on individuals and police officers, convincing them he could help them secure promotion in their various places of work as well as secure visas for them to travel outside the country especially to the United States of America (USA). Four mobile phones, two of which he used in his activities as belonging to Ambassador Osei and ACP Oduro were retrieved from him when he was arrested. A number of his victims had been showing up at the Asokwa Police to lodge complaints against him since he was arrested last Thursday. Police in Accra had demanded for his transfer to Accra to assist in investigations in similar cases involving him. The Crime Officer in charge of the Asokwa District of Police in Kumasi, ASP David K. Gyabaa, told the Daily Graphic that preliminary investigations had revealed that the suspect was an ex-convict who was jailed for 10 years. He was also said to have jumped bail while facing trial in a court of law and was being sought for adding that investigations had revealed that the suspect had a serious criminal record. ASP Gyabaa said the suspect was arrested after he attempted to defraud a police officer at the Asokwa Division of Police. He said police officers at Asokwa had known Osei who was also known as “Boga” as a self styled informant who had given information to the police on numerous occasions leading to the arrest of criminals. He said it was through such activities that the suspect came into contact with one of the officers at the Asokwa Police station whom he assured that he was a friend of ACP Oduro and that he could speak to him on his behalf for him to facilitate promotion for him. He said the suspect later pretended to be ACP Oduro and called the victim with one of his four mobile phones, telling him the victim that Osei had discussed his case with him, and that he was discussing the issue with Police Commissioner Adu Gyimah. He later asked the victim to give GH¢150 to Osei for onward transmission to him to facilitate the promotion. ASP Gyabaa said at another time, the suspect called the victim again under the name of ACP Oduro and informed him that Osei had given him the money to work on the promotion. He said the suspect after that incident called the victim and told him he had already given the money to ACP Oduro on his behalf so he should hurriedly arrange to get him the money. The police officer said the victim suspected Osei to be a fraudster and thus discussed it with his senior officers who agreed for them to call ACP Oduro directly on the purported telephone number he had used to call him. When they did the police officers detected that, the voice on the other side was not that of ACP Oduro. Hence they arranged with the victim to raise the GH¢150, recorded all the serial numbers on the notes and gave it to the victim for onward transmission at the Ultimate Drinking Spot near the Asokwa police station where the suspect had agreed to meet with the victim to collect the money on Thursday August 14, 2008. The Police officers laid ambush and picked him at about 7pm on that day when he showed up to collect the money. ASP Gyabaa said a number of complainants started showing up after his arrest to lodge complaints of fraud against him. He said the Police called Ambassador Osei to find out his relationship with the suspect and Ambassador Osei denied categorically ever knowing the suspect. He said Ambassador Osei informed them that he had received information that someone had been going round posing as his son to defraud a number of people. The police officer said complaints received on the suspect as of now includes a GH¢450 he had allegedly collected from a woman to ensure that her daughter was enlisted in the Ghana Armed Forces for which he had given the woman a prospectus indicating that the girl was about to be enlisted. Again, there has been a complaint from a youngman whom the suspect collected GH¢200 to assist him enlist in the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS). Another one was from two nurses at the Atasemanso Hospital, whom he had allegedly collected GH¢1500 and GH¢2900 respectively to assist them secure visas to travel to the USA. There were also three nurses whom he allegedly collected GH¢4400 and a doctor also at the Atasemanso Hospital, whom he duped GH¢3000 to help secure USA visas for some members in his household to enable them travel to the USA. Yet another one was a man from whom he collected GH¢400 to help secure a USA visa for him. ASP Gyabaa said the victims cut across and described him as a confident trickster, fraudster, slippery, intelligent and a radical who had the phone numbers of many supposedly big men in society on his phones and could imitate their voice on telephone. He said the suspect had in some instances introduced himself to his victims as a “commando” in the PNDC regime who was trained in Cuba. The suspect had since been put before court on charges of impersonation, defrauding by false pretences and extortion and remanded into prison custody while police were conducting further investigations on him.

Barman testifies against Loving Cee. In fraud case

A prosecution witness in the case involving William Des Bordes a.k.a. Loving Cee, a Kumasi based radio presenter who is facing trial for defrauding by false pretences has told the Ashanti New Town Circuit Court that, the accused physically attacked the hotel manager by pushing her off when she demanded that the accused settled all his bills before leaving the hotel premises on the day he was checking out.
Gyasi Muller, a bar man at the Cedar Crescent Hotel who was testifying when the case came up for hearing on Monday August 18, 2008 said that the accused was checking out of the hotel on June 19, 2008 when the incident happened.
He said the accused arrived at the hotel premises in the company of a friend who was driving a pick-up vehicle in which they packed the accused’s personal belongings.
He said the manager of the hotel; Ruth Naa Bekoe demanded payment after the accused had appended his signature to his bills.
He said he was at the bar when he heard exchanges between the manager and the accused over the unpaid bills since the bar was close to the reception.
He said he went to the reception and heard the accused saying that the hotel manager would hear from him later since his mother’s house was nearby and close to the hotel and that there was no way that he would abscond.
He said the accused retorted that the hotel would hear accordingly from him but said the manager also replied that she did not know the accused in person and since he checked in as an individual at the hotel, he needed to settle all his bills before he moved out of the hotel.
The witness said the accused then moved towards the car park and the hotel manager followed suit but said the accused pushed the hotel manager away and threatened to beat her up.
He said the accused then zoomed out of the hotel premises in his car and after that, the hotel staff tried to prevent the friend of the accused from also driving off with the pick-up, in which the accused’s personal belongings had been packed into.
The witness said the friend of the accused forcibly screeched the car out of the hotel premises causing a stone to roll from the tyres of the car to hit an eight-month-old daughter of the hotel manager, resulting in a cut on the cheek of the little girl.
During cross examination, counsel for the accused wanted to know how long the witness had worked at the hotel to which the witness answered he has worked there for two years.
Counsel put it to the witness that he only worked at the bar and was not the one who determined the bills of customers at the hotel.
The counsel also said that the accused had been civil in all his dealings at the hotel and that he never said the hotel manager would hear from him later on the day he was checking out of the hotel.
Counsel said the accused was rather challenging the manager that a quantum of the payments he had made at the hotel had not been deducted from his bills.
He said the accused never pushed the hotel manager and also never said that his mother’s house was nearby and that he would not abscond and that they would hear from him later.
The case was adjourned to September 5, 2008.
William Des Bordes a.k.a. Loving Cee is in court answering a charge of defrauding by false pretences after he lodged at the Cedar Crescent Hotel in Danyame, Kumasi between December and June 2008 with his wife and two children. He is said to have piled up a substantial bill for the six months stay at the hotel, deceived the hotel management and paid part of his bills leaving him with part. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
On his first appearance in court, he was remanded into one week prison custody by the Ashanti New Town Circuit Court.
He however spent only one night in prison following an appeal filed by his lawyers at the High Court to secure bail for him the following day.

Cocaine: Man, 34, Under Guard At Hospital

A 24-hour police guard has been placed on a 34-year-old man at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, where 73 thumb-size pellets of a whitish substance suspected to be cocaine were removed from his stomach.

Mohammed Joojo Gyimah, a native of Achiase in the Kwabre District of the Ashanti Region and a labourer in Barcelona, Spain, reported at KATH with stomach pains after swallowing the pellets.

Doctors on duty quickly alerted the police before performing surgery on him to remove the pellets when he was rushed there.

All the pellets have since been removed and he is still on admission. It was detected that two of the substances burst in his stomach, which caused the discomfort.

The suspect reportedly told the police that he attempted to smuggle the substance to Barcelona in Spain but had to abort his plans upon arriving at the Kotoka International Airport, since he experienced severe stomach upset and felt dizzy.

He said he came to Ghana from Spain about five months ago and that a lady friend of his in Spain asked him to send the substance along on his return.

He said he met one Asare, a native of the Brong Ahafo Region, at a place near the Prempeh College in Kumasi where the said Asare supplied him with the substance to be taken to Barcelona for a fee of 2000 euros, while his airfare was taken care of.

He said Asare accompanied him to Accra and on their way to the airport, they stopped somewhere for him to swallow the substances but when he arrived at the precincts of the airport, he experienced severe stomach upset and felt dizzy so he aborted the journey and quickly returned to Kumasi in an attempt to get the pellets removed.

He said he was not successful in getting someone to help him until he collapsed and was rushed to KATH by members of his household.

The Ashanti Regional Police Commander, DCOP Kwaku Ayesu Opare-Addo, who confirmed the story, said the Drug Law Enforcement Unit of the police received the information about the incident on Wednesday, August 13, 2008 and quickly rushed to the hospital.

He said when they arrived, the suspect was in critical condition under observation at the Intensive Care Unit.

He said a 24-hour guard was placed on the premises of the hospital until all the pellets were removed the following day.

Inculcate reading habit in children

Newly appointed Kumasi Metropolitan Director of Education, Mrs Gladys Amaning says her vision was to promote reading skills at the basic level of education in Kumasi.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic Mrs Amaning said improving reading at the primary level was very instrumental in enabling pupils to have a grasp over the English language.
“I believe if we are able to inculcate reading in the children at their preliminary stages, then we stand the chance of making them excel in all fields of their endeavour”.
Mrs Amaning spoke to the Daily Graphic on her vision as a new Kumasi Metropolitan Director of Education. She assumed office in June 2008.
There have been calls for intensified supervisory activities in schools, so as to eliminate all impediments that contribute to falling standards.
A new methodology for the teaching and learning of the English language has been launched by the International English Language Teaching Commission. The commission seeks to replace the present methodology which it considers cumbersome and full of technicalities.

The falling standards in the English language and education in general have been attributed to the inability of students to express themselves in simple English and understand examination questions posed.
Mrs Amaning said teachers’ inability to instruct properly in the language makes the situation even more alarming.
“For a start, we are beginning cluster based training for all teachers in September and I know for sure that in a year’s time we would start seeing results”, she said.

Mrs Amaning who started her teaching career in 1976 after completing a Diploma in Home Economics at the Specialist Training College in Winneba, now University of Education Winneba (UEW) said it had always been her conviction to help improve upon reading skills of students thus leading to an improved spoken and written English language.
She said science students for instance hold the conviction that they needed to be excused a bit when it came to English language.
This is a wrong perception since all students need to be able to express themselves in simple English and understand examination questions posed, she said.
Mrs Amaning’s first posting in her teaching career started at the Bagabaga Training College in Tamale where she spent a year and later moved to the Ashanti region.
She thought as a home economics tutor at the Atwimaman Secondary School (now Afua Kobi Senior High) from 1977 to 1980 and at the Technology Sec School from 1980 to 1992.
She was promoted to the position of an Assistant Director in Ghana Education Service (GES) and posted to the Ashanti regional office as a Home Economics Organiser where she served from 1992 to 1994.
She went back to school to obtain a Bachelor in Home Economics in 1997 and returned to the Ashanti regional education inspectorate division where she claimed she realised a falling standard of education at the basic school level.
“I saw there was a great challenge at the basic school level. Supervision was very low and it was as if no one cared about the falling standards”, she said.
She said she told the then Ashanti Regional Director of Education that she wanted to be posted to the basic level to go and help.
“At that point many people did not understand why I wanted to move from the regional office to the basic level but I embraced myself and was posted to the State Experimental School”.
“My vision was to find out the reason for the falling standards and I saw it was because of poor supervision. The students could not read so I decided to create a library on campus and asked each student to buy a story book “.
It wasn’t easy at that time I faced a lot of opposition and there was even an article in The Pioneer newspaper with allegations that I was squandering monies at the State Experimental School so I was invited by the BNI.
Mrs Amaning said she managed to move on with her vision and within one term, a student had read about 100 story books. “The children became interested in reading and within the eight years that I spent at State Experimental, standards improved tremendously at the school”, she said
She continued her education at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) where she pursued a Masters in Education Administration and completed in 2006. She was then posted to the Sekyere West in Ashanti as a District Director of Education, becoming the first basic school head to rise directly to the position of a Director.
She continued her campaign of promoting reading there and went to London to learn about methodologies in teaching English language at the basic level.
From there she came back to Mampong, formed a team of teachers to start teaching kindergarten pupils on how to read based on the experiences she had in London.
“I was shocked to see how the KG pupils were attacking words when we introduced the methodology to them”.
It was whiles serving at Mampong that she was transferred to Kumasi as Metro Director. Mrs Amaning, 56, is a native of New Tafo in the Eastern region and is married with six children.

"Wee" dealer arrested

The police in Kumasi have busted a suspected Indian hemp “wee” woman dealer who was conveying a large quantity of the stuff from Kumasi to Bolgatanga in the Upper East region.
The woman, Joyce Nketia was apprehended at the Bolga Lorry station at Krofrom on Monday in possession of the dried leaves suspected to be “wee”.
The stuff were in three separate travelling bags.
The suspect was arrested upon a tip off to the Tafo police that someone was trying to transport Indian hemp to Bolgatanga.
The police proceeded to the Bolga Lorry station at Krofrom and saw three travelling bags on the ground.
When the police asked for the owner, Joyce Nketia owned up and on interrogation as to the contents, she stated that the bags were given to her by one Akwasi of Kwadaso to be taken to Bolgatanga.
Inspector Yusif Mohammed Tanko of the Ashanti Regional Police Public Relations Unit said she was subsequently arrested for investigations and when the three bags were forcibly opened, they were found to contain quantities of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis.
He said the suspect later took police to a wooden kiosk at Kwadaso where she claimed the supplier lived but Akwasi was nowhere to be found.
The Police Inspector said the exhibits would be sent to the Police Forensic Laboratory for analytical examination.

Lover butchers girlfriend in ksi

A KUMASI-based carpenter who could not bear the pain of losing his lover to another man is alleged to have butchered the woman with a machete at Fante New Town in Kumasi. A few weeks before the gruesome murder, the deceased, Sabina Amoh, 23 and a seamstress was said to have separated from the boyfriend, whose name was given as Kofi Saul Campbell, and the deceased’s pastor was intervening for her to give the boyfriend a second chance. However, when Sabina heard a knock on her door this morning (Friday) and opened the door to find Kofi, little did she know that the he had hatched a plan to kill her. Relations of Sabina told the Daily Graphic that the deceased responded to Kofi’s call after the latter had knocked on her door at about 5am and the two moved out of the house. Moments later, Sabina’s body was discovered lying nearby a refuse dump, close to the house bleeding profusely. She had sustained deep machete wounds on both ears and cheek and was lying in a pool of blood with little life in her. She was rushed to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) where she was pronounced dead. The body had since been deposited at the mortuary and the matter reported to the police. Campbell who was said to be a coffin maker at Fante New Town near the Labour offices where the incident happened was yet to be apprehended by the police for questioning.
He is said to be a native of Enyan Manmu whilst the deceased was also a native of Mankessim, all in the Central region.
Lydia Amoh, a senior sister to the deceased, said the two had been going out for the last two years and coexisted happily until a misunderstanding erupted between them recently. She said the matter was however sent before Sabina’s pastor who was trying to solve the issue amicably.

Loving Cee returns from prison to yob

Kumasi radio presenter, Loving Cee, could not have told a bigger lie when he denied on various radio stations last week that he had never been to prison.
Indeed, according to prison sources, Loving Cee a.k.a. Willian des Bordes, was taken to Kumasi Central Prison on Wednesday July 16, 2008 to begin a one week remand prison term slapped on him by an Ashanti New Town Circuit Court when he made his first appearance on a fraud charge.
Loving Cee however spent only one night in prison following an appeal filed by his lawyers at the High Court to secure bail for him the following day.
When he eventually resurfaced in court last week Wednesday, Loving Cee was to answer a charge of defrauding by false pretences after he lodged at the Cedar Crescent Hotel in Danyame, Kumasi between December and June 2008 with his wife and two children. He is said to have piled up a substantial bill for the six months stay at the hotel, deceived the hotel management and paid part of his bills leaving him with GH¢5940. He is also alleged to have engaged the hotel manager, Ruth Naa Bekoe, in a row over his unpaid bills on the day he was checking out of the hotel. The matter was reported to the police and subsequently sent to court. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecution, led by Inspector Margaret Anhwere Mensah told the court presided over by Mr Owusu Afriyie that the accused (William Des Bordes) enjoyed various services at the hotel including laundry, food and drinks.
Giving evidence in court Ruth Naa Bekoe, the hotel manager said that the accused checked in at the hotel on December 25, 2008 and stayed there with his wife and two children (boys). The witness said even though the hotel rooms at Cedar Crescent went for GH¢70 and GH¢65 respectively per day, she agreed to give the room to the accused at a discounted rate of GH¢55 to which the accused made a deposit of GH¢100 with the explanation that he was staying for three nights. She said the accused did not leave the hotel when the three nights elapsed and continued to stay there till January 20, 2008 piling up a bill of GH¢2017.20 which included food and drinks as well as accommodation. The witness said she however asked the accused to pay just GH¢2000 to offset all his indebtedness as of that time to which the accused paid. However, the witness said the accused did not check out of the hotel and continued to stay there with the explanation that he had been detailed by Deutsche Welle (DW) Radio to cover the 2008 African Cup of Nations, hence he would stay for a while.
The accused further told the hotel management that DW Radio would be paying his bills so they should give him some time to take the money from them for onward payment.
The witness said she told the accused that, he checked in as an individual and that the hotel did not have any contract with DW Radio or the accused person’s current employers, Angel FM, so he should be paying his bills himself.
She said Des Bordes later paid GH¢500 and GH¢400 respectively on separate days in February to offset part of his indebtedness but he continued to stay at the hotel. She said the accused did not pay any money to the hotel from then on until May 10, 2008 when he paid GH¢1000 and June 3, 2008 when he paid GH¢500.
Prior to that, she said anytime they demanded money from him, he requested that one of the hotel staff should go with him to the office or to town for him to get money for them but on all occasions the hotel staff returned to the hotel without any money.
She said the accused on all the occasions abandoned the person he went with to town and the person had to find his way back to the hotel without the money. The witness said at the end of the month of May, she told the accused that she had received a contract to rent out all the rooms at the hotel and that the people who had rented it would be checking in on June 21, 2008 so she would want the accused to vacate his room by then. She said the accused subsequently asked her to prepare his bills for him so as to enable him settle it before he left to which she did and presented him with a bill of GH¢6940 as of June 18, 2008 to which the accused accepted and put his signature against the bill. The witness said the following day on June 19, 2008 the accused came to the hotel with a pick up and a friend and started packing his stuff into the car. She claimed she went to enquire about the payment of the bill and the accused responded that he would sort it out later but she claimed she refused to accept that explanation saying she needed to collect the money since the accused checked in at the hotel as an individual and needed to settle all his debts before he moved out. She said the exchanges resulted in a row and the friend of the accused moved the pickup out of the hotel premises, screeching in a manner that caused a stone to hit and injure an eight-month-old daughter of the witness. The witness said the matter was reported to Ridge Police Station and a medical form was issued for the little girl to be taken to hospital.
She said the matter was later transferred to the Central Police station where the accused did not accept the bill presented to him and felt he was being cheated. She stated that the police commander at the Central Police Station tried to resolve the matter and asked that if the accused claimed he did not accept the bill, then he should go back to the hotel and sit down with them and go through the bill to iron out the rough edges. She said the accused later paid GH¢1000 to the police as part of his indebtedness and boycotted all other meetings to resolve the matter until the matter came to court. Last Wednesday (August 6, 2008) when the matter was called in court the manager of the hotel, Ms Ruth Naa Bekoe who had earlier given evidence was cross examined by counsel for the accused, Mr Kwabena Poku Mensah. The counsel contended that the witness did not provide receipts for all payments made in respect of the accused's stay at the hotel. But the witness disagreed with him and said receipts were issued. The witness said she was waiting for the accused to make full payment of his indebtedness so as to issue him with a VAT receipt. Counsel: Are you aware he is an employee of Deutsche Welle (DW) and that DW was responsible for paying his bills. Witness: No. He did not tell us at the beginning that DW was responsible for his bills. He came in as an individual and that it was only when we demanded payment from him that he told us that he would take the money from DW and give it to us. The counsel contended that that the witness knew that the accused was a radio presenter and had worked with DW Radio, hence she threatened to tarnish his image. The counsel maintained that the witness asked the accused to pack his belongings out of the hotel and that the accused did not go out on his own volition but the witness disagreed with the counsel and said she gave the accused three weeks’ notice to move out. The prosecution said it has three more witnesses to call. The case was adjourned to August 18, 2008.
Des Bordes recently returned from Germany where he worked with Deutshe Welle (DW) Radio for five years. He has since been signed on to work with Angel FM in Kumasi after his work contract with DW Radio expired and was not renewed for him and subsequently asked to move to his homeland Ghana.
Meanwhile information gathered by Graphic Showbiz indicates that last Tuesday (August 5, 2008) des Bordes, in the middle of his programme rushed out of the studio of Angel FM with a mixer and crushed it on the ground to the surprise of staff and onlookers including drivers and passengers who were driving past the front of the radio station.
The cause of des Bordes’ action was not clear but it was learnt that technicians at the station had just done a new setup at the studio with the mixer.
Instead of calling for a technical assistance when he tried to use the mixer and it was not working for him, he got angry and removed the mixer from the studio and crushed it outside on the car park.
When contacted, officials of Angel FM refused to comment on the incident.

Three held over rape

The police in Kumasi have arrested three young men who allegedly gang raped an eighteen-year-old lady in a bush at Pankrono Estate at the weekend.
The suspects, Kwadwo Apau, 23, Kwaku Asiamah, 18 and Kwaku Dwumfuor, 20 were said to have kidnapped the young lady, sent her to Pankrono Estate and raped her in a bush.
They were said to have picked her at the Suame roundabout on Saturday August 9, 2008 in a taxi with registration number AS 2296 Q and sent her to Pankrono Estate for the ordeal after which they abandoned her and fled.
The driver of the taxi, Ofori Atta, 19 was arrested afterwards and led the police to arrest the three suspects.
The driver claimed he was innocent but the three other suspects admitted having sex with the lady and said the lady wilfully agreed to have sex with them at a fee.
Inspector Yusif Mohammed Tanko of the Ashanti Regional Police Public Relations Unit said the police were still investigating the incident.
He said the complainant told the police that she had gone to visit her boyfriend whom she named as Stephen and was on her way back to her house at Bantama at about 12am when she came across the suspects.
Inspector Tanko said the lady was picked by the driver of the taxi, which had the three suspects in it at the Suame roundabout bus stop with the intention of taking her to Bantama.
But he said the occupants kidnapped the lady and threatened to kill her with a locally manufactured pistol if she dared made noise drove her to Pankrono Estate and branched into a bush after seizing her mobile phone and GH¢40 she was holding at the time.
Inspector Tanko said the three suspects allegedly had sex with the lady in turns and later abandoned her in the bush.
The victim was said to have later came across a neighbourhood watch committee and after narrating the incident to them, the members of the committee became suspicious of a taxicab they had seen the driver pushing so they rushed back to the scene and arrested the driver and handed him over to the police at Old Tafo.
According to the police the driver told them that he had picked the three suspects in his car because he knew one of them.
He said whilst moving with them, his gas got finished so he decided to go and refill but when he returned the occupants were nowhere to be found and that it was during his attempt to restart the car that the neighbourhood watch committee members arrested and handed him over to the police.
Picture shows
From left to right Kwadwo Apau, 23. Kwaku Asiamah, 18 and Kwaku Dwumfuor, 20.

Poor drainage halts train services in Kumasi

Picture shows rail tracks submerged in floods with a locomotive trying to pass through it.
RUNOFF water always engulfs the rail tracks at Kaase after the slightest drizzle due to a major drainage problem in the area of the rail tracks.
The problem has gradually contributed to inactivity at the main Kumasi Railway terminal.
This is because the rail tracks get submerged under volumes of water at the Kaase level crossing area at the slightest rainfall in Kumasi.
As a result trains are unable to cross the Kaase portion of the rail tracks anytime it rains. This has resulted in erratic operations of the sleeper, commuter and haulage trains, leading to public disinterest and low patronage.
There are no intercity services currently running. The sleeper and commuter trains are no more functioning with the exception of intermittent haulage of goods such as cocoa. The railway station in Kumasi is currently engulfed with weeds as a result of the inactivity at the place.
Information gathered by the Daily Graphic indicates that many of the staff have been moved from Kumasi to Tema and Awaso where activity in the sector is slightly vibrant than Kumasi.
The Kaase portion of the main route from Kumasi to Takoradi is not accessible during rainy days as the rail tracks get engulfed by drainage water at the slightest incident of a rainfall.
The drainage problem at the Kaase level crossing has come about as a result of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly’s (KMA) inability to extend the concrete lining of the Subin River from Kejetia to Kaase and beyond to the Suatrem River as a result of what the Assembly terms as insufficient funds.
The KMA in its attempt to ensure free flow of water in the Subin River lined the base of the river with concrete from Kejetia to Kaase but refused to extend the project beyond Kaase to the Suatrem River, with the excuse that it had run out of funds.
As a result, when it rains, the rain water flows smoothly in the concrete drains from Kejetia and adjoining areas to Kaase. But when it gets to Kaase, the water is unable to travel with same speed as a result of silt in that portion since there is no concrete lining at that portion thus the area gets flooded.
Trains are normally unable to move through the volumes of water that accumulate on the tracks. When they do, the traction motors, which is the power house under the locomotive and are very expensive gets submerged under water and become defective.
Investigations at the Railway offices in Kumasi have indicated that this has led to the destruction of many locomotives, which tried to move through the water.
Railway services have not developed much beyond what was established during the colonial period to cart cocoa and timber from the hinterland to the ports at Takoradi hence Kumasi is served by railway lines to Accra and Takoradi. Because of the barrier mountain range just to the north, the rail system does not yet go further to the north.
A source as the Kumasi railway station told the Daily Graphic that for them to run the commuter service, they need a regular and punctual time.
However because of the perennial problems with flooding, trains from Takoradi were many of the times held at Bekwai or Aduadem, which is the nearest substation to Kaase till the level of water subsided.
At times it could happen for days and there was no way you can run a shuttle service with this problem of perennial flooding and inconsistency in the service, the source said.
It said the public has gradually lost confidence in the Ghana Railway Corporation (GRC) with its train service and has opted for road transport. This is because when passengers are unable to be carried to Kumasi by the train, they spend an extra cost on road to get to Kumasi, when they are held at Bekwai or Aduadem as a result of flooding on the tracks.
The source said the Takoradi sleeper service has been suspended as of now because passengers are most of the times brought to Bekwai or Obuasi for them to continue the rest of the journey on road as a result of flooding on tracks between Bekwai and Kumasi.
It said the level of train activity in Kumasi has gone down tremendously in the last two years and that there was the need to find a solution to the flooding situation at Kaase so as to enable smooth running of the trains.
The source indicated that the KMA had been contacted to come to the aid of the railway system with respect to the flooding but the assembly was yet to respond positively.
Information also gathered by the Daily Graphic indicates that the Ministry of Ports, Harbours and Railways was aware of the problem of the perennial flooding and the sector Minister had paid a visit to the flooding site but the Ministry was yet to also respond positively to the problem.

Cocoa production to go up

Ghana’s cocoa production was poised to increase to one million tonnes per year by the year 2010/2011, Mr Isaac Osei, Chief Executive of the Ghana Cocobod has said.
He said major reforms in the cocoa sector aim to boost total production from current levels of around 700,000 tonnes in order to achieve the target.
He said expansion in the cocoa and forestry sub-sectors, policy changes and good weather had in recent years led to improved production, from 300,000 tonnes before year 2001 to 700,000 tonnes currently.
He said the government’s prudent economic policies and support to cocoa farmers would ensure the tremendous increase in production.
Mr Isaac Osei was speaking at a handover ceremony of a new communal sanitation facility built by ADM Cocoa Ghana Limited for residents of Kaase, where Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) Company International is establishing a cocoa processing plant to produce cocoa liquor.
ADM turns crops into renewable products to meet the demands of the growing world. It has more than 240 processing plants around the world that convert corn, oilseeds, wheat and cocoa into products for food, animal feed, chemical and energy uses.
The new communal sanitation building was built by ADM as its first social responsibility project in Kaase where constructional works on the-state-of-the-art cocoa processing plant was still underway.
Mr Jack Sinclair, General Manager of ADM Cocoa Ghana Limited said the communal sanitation building was to help improve the quality of life of the village of Kaase.

He said the factory would offer employment for the youth so that they would not idle about when it was commissioned somewhere in March 2009.
He said when ADM started building its new state-of-the-art cocoa processing plant in Kumasi, it noticed that the neighbouring villages of Kaase on the edge of the site were missing basic hygiene facilities.
“Being new to the area, we thought that providing support to the community was an excellent way to get to know and help our neighbours as a way of exemplifying ADM’s commitment to good citizenship around the world”, explained Pieter Frieling, Deputy General Manager.
“At ADM, we firmly believe that supporting the economic and social development of the communities in which we operate is vital, and is an integral part of our commitment to make the world a better place”, he said.
The Kaasehemaa, Nana Abena Konadu II said the community was pleased to have the new toilet and showering unit adding that the facility would help reduce the risk of disease and increase the quality of life in the village.
She expressed appreciation to Nana Boakye Samuel, Chairman of the Cote d’Ivoire New Patriotic Party Overseas Branch through whose instrumentality ADM was able to secure the Kaase sight.
The communal sanitation facility was handed over to the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) who will have the responsibility to maintain and operate the unit on behalf of the villagers. The area previously used by the village would be landscaped and planted with local tropical vegetation including cocoa trees.

1. The Kaasehemaa, Nana Abena Konadu II (left), Mr Isaac Osei (middle) and Jack Sinclair, General Manager of ADM Cocoa Ghana Limited (extreme right).
2. Inset is the sanitation building.

Suame Magazine In Industrial Breakthrough

The Suame Magazine Industrial Development Organisation (SMIDO), the development unit of Suame Magazine, has led mechanics at Suame to manufacture chain links to service the mining industry.

The chain links, hitherto imported by the mining companies, form a key component of the machinery used in the transport of raw materials.

When the Daily Graphic visited the workshop, the artisans were busily working on offers from the Ghana Bauxite Company (GBC) at Awaso in the Western Region.

SMIDO has established a workshop at Suame Magazine, which it intends to turn into a major chain link manufacturing factory.

Mr Kwabena Boateng, Manager of the SMIDO Chain Link Workshop, said the mining companies he had approached so far had expressed satisfaction with their innovative products in terms of quality and time of delivery.

He said their activities were not limited to the chain links but they hope to expand their capacity to manufacture as many types of equipment that were currently imported to service the mining industry.

Speaking with the Daily Graphic, Mr Nyaaba-Aweeba Azongo, the consultant to SMIDO, indicated that the chain link project was part of the planning process towards the integration of Suame Magazine into the major economic sectors of the country.

He noted that the prospects of building a modern industrial village for Suame Magazine would remain a tourist exercise, if it were not consciously planned to service the needs of the industrial sectors of the country.

According to him, the best social corporate responsibility role the mining companies could play in the country would be to support the development of the largest informal sector of Suame Magazine, which serves as a source of livelihood for many youth in the informal sector.

He said the current initiative to build a modern Industrial Village for Suame Magazine would be given a significant boost if the mining companies showed interest in Suame Magazine’s products to generate income to support the project.

KMA fails in decongestion exercise again. But this time accuse media of failure of exercise

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly has once again back-pedalled on the decongestion exercise it claimed it was embarking on a sustainable base to evict traders who have taken over walkways in the Central Business District of Kumasi.
This time around the Chief Executive of KMA, Ms Patricia Apiagyei has accused the media of not supporting the Assembly in the exercise resulting in the failure of the exercise.
Answering a question on the fate of the decongestion exercise at the NPP’s 16th anniversary press conference in Kumasi, Ms Appiagyei said before the KMA embarked on the decongestion exercise, it appealed to all residents of Kumasi and the media to support the exercise.
However, she said some sections of the media criticised the KMA and that explained why the exercise had been stalled.
“Some media men criticised us as well as politicised it that is why we have relented on the exercise. We thought we were in partnership with you but we were wrong. You find people back on the pavements because the media did not support us”, she said.
This accusation has however been denied by some media personnel, who have described the Chief Executive’s accusations as baseless and unfounded.
“Why should the Chief Executive be bothered about criticisms if the assembly was treading a just course by enforcing the bye-laws of the Assembly”, Mr Kojo Marfo of Angel FM said as he responded to the accusation.
He said the accusation of the city mayor cannot be wholly true. “Some of us supported the exercise to the letter and praised it”.
“We cannot understand why she is probably categorising criticisms from one or two persons to be a general criticism by the media. Besides as an authority in the city, she should be prepared to enforce the law and go about good initiatives for the city and shouldn’t be bothered so much about critics once the initiative was a good one”, Mr Marfo said.
Last year, the KMA embarked on the exercise to decongest the CBD of traders who had indiscriminately taken over the streets and the pavements and millions of cedis were spent on the exercise, yet the hawkers are still on the streets doing brisk business with its attendant socio-economic problems.
Assurances were given by the KMA that the exercise was not going to be a nine days’ wonder but would be sustained to enable residents to appreciate the need to comply with the directives of the KMA.
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, at one of the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs meetings charged the authorities of the KMA to gather the necessary political will to sustain the ongoing decongestion exercise in the metropolis.
Otumfuo told the leadership of the Assembly not to be afraid of the political consequences of the exercise but rather muster the courage to demolish all buildings and structures cited on waterways and unauthorised places to ensure sanity in the city.
He equally urged chiefs in Kumasi to support the Assembly to ensure the successful decongestion exercise in the city.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu then mentioned that the time had come to tell the people the truth that they could no longer do things the way they wanted but should follow right procedures in order to promote discipline in society and called for a passionate discussion on the decongestion exercise, while urging residents to desist from politicising the issue.
It is not clear what might have compelled the KMA, which in 2006 “blew” some GH¢100,000 on a similar abortive ejection exercise, to go back on its word in 2007, but the lack of political will, as the case has always been, cannot be ruled out.
However, Ms Appiagyei said, “we are not scared we would lose votes if we go back to sack the people”.
“It is because I was the only one under criticism. KMA needs the support of the entire residents of the metropolis and the media must be reminded that it has a role to play in that direction”, she said.
The activities of the hawkers, who have taken over pavements in the city centre, have compelled pedestrians to walk on the roads, putting them at great risk.
The irony of the whole situation is that the KMA collects daily tolls from these hawkers, whose very presence in the Central Business District is illegal, according to the bye-laws of the same KMA, thereby legalising an illegality in the process.
The decongestion exercise at its introduction was tailored to keep the hawkers out of the streets as there was going to be an influx of visitors to the city for the Ghana @ 50 celebrations and also for the 2008 Cup of Nations which saw Kumasi as one of the venues for the continental soccer fiesta.
Many were those who concluded at the time of the introduction of the exercise that, with this year being an election year, the decongestion exercise would be elapsed after the Ghana @ 50 and soccer fiesta celebrations.
Mr Edward Amedor of the Independent newspaper said he expected the KMA Chief Executive to face realities and admit that the decongestion exercise had hit the rocks instead of playing the blame game and shifting it on the media.
A huge number of petty traders have virtually hijacked the business district of the city which is seriously impeding the free flow of vehicles and pedestrians.
These lawless individuals have completely taken over all the pavements in the city centre and are busily going about their ‘normal’ duties as if there were no laws to bring them to order.

When NPP went gospel dancing in Kumasi

Thousands of gospel music fans and political campaigners flocked to the Jubilee Park in Kumasi on Sunday night in a special gospel concert in support of Presidential hopeful, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as well as celebrate the 16th birthday of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The political concert, which featured top gospel music artistes, had been organised by the NPP to whip up support for the party.
It was on the theme, “To God Be the Glory” as it afforded the NPP the opportunity to say "thank you to God" for staying with their party in the last 16years in a peaceful atmosphere.
Over 15 top gospel music artistes mounted the stage at the Jubilee Park to entertain fans and supporters of the NPP in what could go for one of the biggest gospel shows to be witnessed in Kumasi in recent times as the crowd was indeed thick.
The concert started on a beautiful note, starting at a time Kumasi Asante Kotoko had just qualified into the money zone of the CAF Confederation Cup. Fans from the stadium together with the gospel music fans and political campaigners trooped to the Jubilee Park in their numbers to have fun.
The show got underway at about 7pm on the arrival of Nana Addo who had pulled out all the stops in his effort to appeal to religious voters and uniting top gospel artists on his campaign trail.
Pastor Josh Laryea, who led the organising team, Africa Media Core Promotion set the ball rolling with an opening prayer after which MCs for the night, James Oberko of Luv FM and Akosua Ago Banahene of Hello FM took over.
Their message was simple and clear, a night of good music where music was going to be used to preach peace before, during and after the December polls.
With many political stalwarts present at the event, the night was indeed a radical departure from the usual gathering of political campaigners amidst political talks.
“We have come here to listen to good music and give praises to God and not to be making speeches” was what Nana Addo said when he took the microphone.
Gifty Osei warmed the stage with Aseda, followed by Lady Prempeh, Noble Nketia and Danny Nettey.
When Kwaku Gyasi took his turn and he unleashed “Onyame Aseda ye bebree”, Nana Addo was kicked off his seat unto the dancing floor. He was joined by Alan Kyerematen, Dr Konadu Apraku, Kan Dapaah and many others as the place went agog.
Joe Beechem and Moses OK followed up, but Moses OK was indeed a delight to watch as he jumped and waved the crowd on. He humbly sung a rendition from the song, “This is how far you have brought me”, which was a special request from Nana Addo to usher him on the stage to give a terse speech.
After Nana Addo’s speech, the place was set agog with the NPP’s campaign soundtrack - Go High – by Phillipa Baafi. The song was rendered by Phillipa Baafi in a manner that moved the entire arena to resort to the “kangaroo dance”, which has come to be noted with the song and the NPP.
Joined by party stalwarts in the persons of Peter Mac Manu, Nana Ohene Ntow, Alan Kyerematen, Kan Dapaah, Hajia Alima Mahama, Boniface Abubakar Saddique, Isaac Osei, Gloria Akufo, Sheik I. C. Quaye, Dr Konadu Apraku, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto and many others, Nana Addo danced the kangaroo dance with excitement as Phillipa Baafi rolled out the song.
When she took her turn on the stage, Christiana Love was a delight to watch. She first took off her high hill shoes, hopped and jumped into a dancing mood.
She invited Nana Addo and Mr Kyerematen once again to the dancing floor and did her own thing with them with the song, “We are moving forward through Jesus Christ”.
As if that was not enough, she moved closer to Mr Kyerematen after the duo had taken their seats, boogied by squatting amidst twisting her waist in front of the “fine gentleman” as she shouted “Alan Cash eeeiii”.
Christiana Love indeed shook the place with her moves and as if she was lobbying for Alan Cash for the position of the vacant Vice Presidential slot in the NPP, she kept mentioning Alan Cash’s name in the song anytime she mentioned that of Nana Addo.
This indeed went down well with the crowd, who also cheered in appreciation of her performance.
The night was indeed full of excitement as other musicians in the persons of Fred Oware Junior, No Tribe, OJ, Soul Winners and Ohemaa Mercy took their turns.

Radio

Gospel musicians descend on Kumasi

Kumasi would this weekend witness one of the biggest gospel shows in recent times when over 15 top gospel music artistes mount the stage at the Jubilee Park to entertain fans.
The occasion would be part of the 16th anniversary celebrations for the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The show which would be free of charge to the public is scheduled for Sunday July 27 and expected to start at 5pm till day break.
Artistes billed for the night are Ohemaa Mercy, Josh Laryea, Christiana Love, No Tribe, Soul Winners, Pastor Joe Beechem, Fred Oware Jnr, Amy Newman, Moses O.K. and Noble Nketia.
Others are Danny Nertey, Phillipa Baafi, Gifty Osei, Grace Ashi, Kwaku Gyasi and Lady Prempeh.
Josh Laryea who is leading the organising team, Africa Media Core Promotion told the Graphic Showbiz that the programme was being organised to help promote a peaceful elections in the December polls.
He said it was also to afford the NPP the opportunity to say thank you to God for staying with their party in the last 16years in a peaceful atmosphere.
He explained that the musicians were expected to use music as an instrument to preach peace before, during and after the December Presidential and Parliamentary elections and would attempt to bring together all political parties and their supporters.
The Kumasi show was expected to kick start a series of other musical concerts in other parts of the country all aimed at promoting peace in the country during the elections.
Kumasi’s show would be an opportunity to use music effectively as a unifying force across barriers of conflicts as well as bridge ethnic and religious barriers.
The concert is to serve as a reference point for peace through the medium of music and peace building as a shared concern and a better way of getting everybody on board as music appealed to people's senses.
Patrons would have the opportunity to dance to good gospel music aside saying a prayer to God to guard against any form of ethno-political sentiments likely to threaten the peace and stability in the country.
The various artistes are expected to warn against foul language, insults, inflammatory, preaching of violence, disrespect for institutions of state and authorities, blackmail and lies to the unsuspecting public when they mount the stage.

Work on Oforikrom-Asokwa carriageway starts

President John Agyekum Kufuor at the weekend cut the sod for work to commence on a €37million dual carriageway from Oforikrom to Asokwa in Kumasi.
The project being jointly funded by the Government of Ghana and France forms part of government's move to handle the traffic situation in the city of Kumasi for easy vehicular movement.
The project, which will include the construction of an interchange at the Timber Gardens at Asokwa and improvement of the Lake road, is expected to be completed in two years.
It is being executed by a South Korean company, M/S Shinsung Engineering and Construction Limited.
The construction of the Oforikrom-Asokwa Bypass follows the near completion of the Sokoban Wood Village project, which is a key component of the project where wood workers at Anloga (who are carrying out their activities in the right of way for the road works) are to be relocated to give way for the construction of the road.
There would be a construction of another interchange at the Anloga traffic lights.
President Kufuor said that development of the Kumasi arterial road networks is on course in fulfilment of the government's promise made in November 2006 to undertake the Kumasi Road and Urban Development Project.
Roads earmarked for expansion in Kumasi are the Sunyani road from the Komfo Anokye roundabout to Abuakwa, which works had already started and scheduled for completion in 2010.
The Mampong road from the Suame roundabout to Ahwia and the Western Bypass from Sofoline to Santasi roundabout. The rest are the southern Bypass from Santasi roundabout through Ahodwo roundabout to Timber Gardens and the Eastern bypass from Timber Gardens to Oforikrom junction.
President Kufuor noted the significant aspect of the project was the outer ring road which is a 70 kilometre road around the city which would divert non Kumasi bound traffic away from the city.
Already a route location survey has been completed and properties which are to be affected have been assessed for compensation.
The President appealed to property owners to be patient with government and stop further developments of their properties while the acquisition processes proceed since any property development on the earmarked roads would greatly affect the progress of the project.
President Kufuor repeated the government's resolve to expand the country's transport infrastructure to support investment in the productive sectors of the economy, specifically agriculture, tourism, education, health and internal trade.
“Without doubt, investments in these sectors are critical to achieving a middle-income status and attaining the Millennium Development Goals,” the President said.
He stated that heavy government investment in the road infrastructure development has expanded the road network from 38,000 kilometres in 2001 to 63,000 kilometres as of 2007 and that from a rating mix of 27 percent good, 17 percent fair and 56 per cent poor in 2001, the road network now shows 46percent good, 35percent fair and only 19percent poorer as of 2007.
He disclosed that US$90million has been secured to rehabilitate the railway line.
The Minister of Roads and Transport, Dr Richard W. Anane said €10million has also been secured for the Anloga interchange and work would soon start for it to be done concurrently along the lines of the Oforkrom-Asokwa Bypass.
He said the construction of the project would further reduce human and vehicular traffic congestion in the city.
The French Ambassador to Ghana Pierre Jacquemot said his country would continue to support Ghana in her developmental efforts because of good governance, stability and cooperation existing between the two countries.
Daasebre Osei Bonsu, Mamponghene, who represented the Asantehene, said Otumfuo Osei Tutu II was very happy about road developments in Kumasi.
The Mamponghene appealed to the government to ensure the implementation of all projects that were on the drawing board for the metropolis.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, in an address read for him by his deputy, Mr Osei Assibey Antwi, said the government was dedicated in the development of the Kumasi's infrastructure to match its growth.
He said Kumasi was strategically located at the heart of the country and the nerve centre of the road network which undoubtedly enhances commerce, tourism and business activities.

Lady Julia to spearhead redevelopment of Kumasi Children's Park

After years of neglect, the Kumasi Children’s Park is now going to be redeveloped under the initiative of Lady Julia Osei Tutu II, wife of the Asantehene.
Lady Julia announced her intention to assist with the redevelopment of the facility when she toured the facility on Thursday to have firsthand information on the state of affairs at the park, which has completely been abandoned in the last eight years.
She explained she was going to raise money with the help of the public to see to it that the main children’s park in the metropolis, which was now in a very bad shape and not in use, bounces back to life to help serve the interest of children.
As her contribution towards providing a more serene environment for children to interact, read, play and learn, Lady Julia said she would ensure that the park was redeveloped to a modern status.
She said the present state of the beautiful large tract of land at the park was indicative of the lack of maintenance culture in the country and called for the need to institute a well laid plan for the development and management of the place.
A team of architects has since been put together to fashion out a plan for the redevelopment of the facility.
A member of the team, Mr Edward Botchway said they would be looking at an estimated GH¢3million for the first phase of redevelopment. He however said about GH¢9million would be needed for the entire development of the facility.
He mentioned a modern electronic library, conference facility and internet cafe as some of the facilities they hope to add to the children’s park.
He expressed worry that a facility of that sort, which was sitting in the middle of the metropolis had been allowed to go waste unattended.
The Kumasi Children’s Park, which was developed in 1989 to serve as a recreational and learning centre for children in the Kumasi metropolis and beyond has since year 2000 been completely abandoned, putting the place in a deplorable state.
The facility had become a den for thieves and drug addicts and a place for church services and funeral celebrations.
The state of affairs has turned to discourage rather than attract children to patronise the facility for which it was established.
The place is totally dark in the night and has become a den of robbers and drug pushers.
Since the place has become a dangerous place to tread, residents in surrounding areas, such as Afful Nkwanta, Amakom, Oforikrom who normally use the park to access other areas no longer uses it after 7pm.
There have been numerous calls on individuals and organisations to collaborate efforts to maintain the Children's Park and library, hence the decision by the Asantehene’s wife to lead in the redevelopment of the park has been welcomed by Kumasi residents.
The Metropolitan Chief Executive, Ms Patricia Appiagyei, who accompanied Lady Julia on her inspection tour.

Crazy shorts galore at Luv FM's pool party

It was fun galore at the Luv FM – Smart Energy Drink Crazy Shorts Pool Party, as ladies of different shades converged at the Miklin Hotel in Kumasi and paraded what was described as the craziest shorts of all times in the Garden City.
The atmosphere was indeed packed with lots of excitement as patrons ‘fed their eyes’ on ladies wearing shorts of different types.
The organisers of the pool party, Luv FM had requested lady patrons to appear at the function in shorts and indeed shorts of different shades were paraded at the event.
Activities lined up for the day included swimming competition, rap competition, dancing as well as crazy shorts exhibition among ladies.
Both young and old patrons had fun as the event was packed with exciting activities.
A lady from Tafo, Murabel Antwi emerged as the winner for appearing in the craziest shorts of all time and she took home a carton of Smart Energy drink, a T-Shirt and souvenirs from Luv FM.
Winners of other competitions also took home cartons of Smart Energy Drink and souvenirs provided by Luv FM.
Artistes in the persons of 4x4, Lord Kenya, King Ayisoba and Okyeame Kwame entertained patrons with tunes from their various songs.

OTSUNOKO SPEAKS: “I will expose fake pastors”

POPULAR radio talk show host, Kwabena Asare, aka “Otsunoko”, has stated categorically that he will never stop exposing the negative activities of fake pastors so long as he remains in the radio business.
This, however, does not mean he has any sinister motives against pastors or churches.
The anchorman of, “wiase mu nsem”, on Nhyira FM in Kumasi, perhaps the most listened to programme in the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions, said, “I am only interested in helping to expose wrong doings in society”.
In a wide-ranging interview with the Graphic Nsempa in Kumasi, Otsunoko said what he was doing amounted to pastoral work only that he had not received the calling yet.
For many in Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions, Otsunoko is one of the finest presenters in the radio industry who has been contributing greatly in exposing wrong doings in society.
Ironically, his name “Otsunoko” in Ga language literally means “do something”. Therefore Otsunoko has taken it upon himself to expose some of the false prophets, activities of witches and wizards as well as marital problems and other social vices on his radio programme, which is aired on Nhyira FM between Mondays and Fridays from 7pm to 10pm. Numerous revelations bordering on witchcraft, wonder stories, marital problems and some bad activities of certain pastors are made known on the programme. He claimed he has been studying the Bible very well and is presently involved in a research on the genesis of sin, which he was undertaking with the help of a collaborating institute in the United Kingdom. He therefore does not agree with people who think that he was personally interested in attacking pastors on his programme. “It would surprise you to know that many members of the churches, whose pastors cheat them and practice all sorts of negative activities come to me with their own stories”, he said.
Otsunoko said his interactions with many of the pastors had indicated that many of them make numerous promises to their flocks, mainly the women, some of whom they have sexual relations with.
“So when it gets to the point where the women feel cheated, they rush to the media and to be precise, Otsunoko’s programme for exposure of the pastors. ”Before the stories are aired, the pastors are contacted for their versions and it is interesting listening to the explanations of some of them on air as many of them end up exposing themselves the more”, he said. Whilst some pastors have achieved fame with their appearance on Otsunoko’s programme, others have lost theirs as a result of exposures made about them on the programme. According to Otsunoko, it was through his instrumentality that the fetish priest at Akomadan, Nana Kwaku Bonsam, has become very popular in media circles in recent times. Adding, he said, although, Nana Bonsam had been around for some time, “he was operating on the quiet without media attention until he appeared on my programme”. Otsunoko described himself as someone who had since his infancy yearned to help expose wrong doings in society. “I was a very troublesome boy during my childhood days but I always insisted on the truth”, he stressed. He claimed there was a prophecy about his birth and that the prophecy was that, he was going to be a strong boy, who would insist on nothing but the truth and would also save lots of people from trouble and from being cheated. This prophecy was said to have come from three people at a time Otsunoko's mother, Madam Martha Agyeiwaa, a businesswoman, had given birth to two children and was earnestly looking for a third one which was not forthcoming. The last prophecy was said to have been made by one Prophet Mary of Kyebi in the Eastern region. “So all that I am doing now is a prophecy come true”, he said. On how he ended up in the radio industry, Asare said he entered the industry at about 10 years ago at Otec FM in Kumasi as a panel member on discussion programmes and was motivated by listeners to take up job as a radio presenter on full time basis because of how he made positive contributions on air as a presenter of highlife, gospel and reggae music on part time basis. In 2003, whilst still working at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) hospital as a laboratory technician, he secured another part time job at Classic FM in Techiman and worked only on weekends as a presenter. After a year’s sojourn at Classic, he moved to Kumasi to work with Radio Mercury on full time basis where he played highlife, reggae and gospel music. At Mercury there was a programme called “Nsem Pii”. The concept of the programme was to broadcast foreign wonder stories, superstitious stories and stories on witchcraft with occasional broadcast on local witchcraft stories. The host of that programme, ‘Sir’ Richard was one time physically attacked at the Radio Mercury premises by a group who claimed he had exposed their diabolic activities on the programme. Sir Richard was said to have been frightened by the physical attack and decided not to host the programme again. That marked the turning point in Otsunoko’s career as he was asked to take over the programme. When he took over, he discarded the idea of broadcasting mainly foreign stories and veered into the local scene where he invited so called wizards and witches to the studios to tell stories about their activities. The programme “Nsem Pii” became very popular in Ashanti and beyond and attracted many listeners to Radio Mercury. People started rushing to the station for their stories to be broadcasted. There were times that Otsunoko travelled to shrines, interviewed fetish priests and invited some of them to the studio. Perhaps the story that enabled Otsunoko to attract more attention was the Sefwi Yaw Donkor murder case in 2004 where he managed to convince Donkor, a suspected murderer then, to the studios of Radio Mercury to tell his story on the murder case. Donkor’s account on radio gave the police a clue to the fact that, he was the brain behind the murder and was subsequently apprehended from where he led the police to exhume the body of the deceased, which he secretly buried in the bush. From then on Otsunoko organised a durbar at the Cultural Centre at where a number of supposed witches and wizards from various parts of the country converged and recounted their stories which was broadcasted live on air. He left Radio Mercury for the new Nhyira FM in 2006 after the death of the Chief Executive of Radio Mercury, Nana Kwabena Poku. At Nhyira, he introduced the programme “Wiase mu nsem”, which had the same concept as that of the “Nsem Pii” programme. A native of Nsuta in Ashanti, Otsunoko was born in Accra some 40years ago to the late Sergeant Owusu Bediako a.k.a. Akatapore of the Ghana Police Service and Madam Martha Agyeiwaa, a businesswoman. He schooled briefly and moved to Koforidua Anglican Primary as his father was on transfer there, then to Tamale Anglican Middle School and Duayaw Nkwanta Anglican Middle School. He had his secondary education at the Duayaw Nkwanta Secondary School where he completed his ‘O’ Level in 1990. From there he took some private courses and obtained a certificate in laboratory technology, worked for two years at the KNUST Hospital and later to Rophi Clinic at Akwatialine before taking up radio on full time basis. Otsunoko claims his hobby is travelling and has travelled to many Asian countries including India. He claims he does not like food very much but prefers taking tea at all times and does not like making friends. He is married to Naana and they have three boys.
The talk show host s also a philanthropist who occasionally make donations to various orphanages as well as assisting needy people who come on his programme.

Paa Joe Appiah's tomb vandalised

Unknown persons at the Tafo Cemetery in Kumasi have desecrated the tomb of the late Mr Joe Appiah, a renowned politician and statesman who died 18years ago.
Family members were shocked on Tuesday morning as they discovered that the tomb had been desecrated.
A cleaner was going to clean the tomb when he discovered that it has been broken into from one of the edges.
However that of his wife, Peggy Appiah, who died two years ago, which lay next to his husband’s tomb was not touched.
An inspection of the tomb revealed that the casket had been opened with the cover lying sideways. The bones had been scattered and some parts of them were missing, together with jewellery and a rich kente cloth which were used in burying him in 1990.
The skull together with parts of the bones and a blanket which the bones laid on were however intact, except that they were scattered in the casket.
A shocked Ms Abena Appiah, one of the daughters of the late statesman described the act as disgraceful.
She wondered why someone would attack the tomb of her father after 18 years saying, “This is indicative of the act of wicked minds”.
“It is pathetic as it makes it look like a restage of his whole death”, Abena told the Daily Graphic in Kumasi.
The matter has since been reported to the Police and investigations have been instituted into it.
Inspector Yusif Mohammed Tanko of the Police Public Relations Unit confirmed to the Daily Graphic that investigations had been instituted into the matter.
He said the family members claimed that some jewellery they used in burying the late statesman were missing.
Some people in Kumasi have however attributed other sinister motives to the whole incident saying it goes beyond ordinary robbery.
Some have read political motives into it saying whoever took the bones was probably going to use it for juju so as to be able achieve political victory.
“You know, this is an election year. Anything can happen”, an auto mechanic at the Tafo cemetery said.
The Tafo cemetery has no security at night and has no fence wall as well.
Thieves quite often break into the graveyard at night, open the tombs and steal just any items they can lay their hands on.
The Cistern of the cemetery, Mr Frimpong told the police after this latest incident that he was unable to stop criminals from going there because he was the only person around.
The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly had, on numerous occasions, announced plans of fencing the cemetery so as to stop it from being used as a hideout for criminals.
“People under the cover of darkness walk out of the place with caskets and other items on their heads," an elderly man, who resides near the cemetery, said.
The late Joe Appiah was a Ghanaian statesman and politician who was born in 1918 and died in 1990. He had relations with the Manhyia Palace and was closely involved with the West African Students' Union (WASU), eventually becoming its president in the United Kingdom.
Through his involvement with WASU, he came to know many of the main players in the fight against imperial rule in Ghana and elsewhere in Africa among whom were Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President to whom he became very close.
Dr Nkrumah was Joe Appiah's first choice for best man at his wedding to Mrs Peggy Appiah (nee Peggy Cripps) a British Royal in 1953. Mrs Appiah, who died in 2006 has her tomb next door to her husband at the Tafo Cemetery.
Joe Appiah, a renowned lawyer and his young family returned to Ghana in late 1954.
Soon after, his friendship with Dr Nkrumah was ruined; he joined the National Liberation Movement (NLM) party and won the Atwima-Amansie seat in 1957.
After the coup that overthrew Nkrumah in 1966, he was asked to explain the new regime's motives to Ghana's friends and neighbours. Joe Appiah was intermittently involved in public life as a diplomat and a government minister from then on until his retirement in 1978.
He returned to Kumasi, where he continued to fulfil his duties as a clan elder. He was remarkable for the consistency of his moderate nationalism, his Pan-Africanism, his cosmopolitanism and the steadying role he played in post-independence Ghanaian politics. His autobiography is an important source for the late colonial/early post-colonial period in Africa.