News
Togo truck with Ghana fertiliser impounded at Nyive border post
Personnel of the various security agencies at the border town of Nyive in the Ho Municipality on Tuesday impounded a mini cargo truck loaded with 46 bags of fertiliser and other items on the frontier.
The security personnel were suspicious of the truck with a Togolese registration number, BA 0619, which was parked and was facing the Togo direction after sunset.
It was impounded in the joint operation by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) and Bureau of National Investigations (BNI).
Senior Revenue Officer (SRO) William Allotey, Officer in-charge of the Customs Division of the GRA Nyive Border Station, said that the Nyive Assemblyman, Mr Percival Komla Kpodo also played a major role in the operation.
The labels on the fertilisers indicated that they were meant for the ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ programme.
He said that the driver, Yao Dormle, 52 and his mate Komlavi Agoende, 51, were arrested together with another man, Humanor Tsenuo, 39, who claimed ownership of the drinks and medications.
SRO Allotey said that the suspects, all Togolese, were handed over to the nearby Tokokoe Police Station.
The driver later told this reporter at the Tokokoe Police Station that he was only contracted by a trader to convey the bags of fertiliser to Togo but could not disclose the identity of the trader, saying he fled before the security personnel arrived at the scene.
The MCE, Mr Prosper Pi-Bansa, who was at Nyive on Wednesday to ascertain the facts, said that the country’s frontiers were still closed, and warned that anyone who flouted the closure would suffer swift and ruthless consequences.
From Alberto Mario Noretti, Nyive
News
Craze for x’mas shopping: Crowded markets, low patronage
Vendors of food and other wares associated with the Christmas celebration have expressed surprise at the low patronage despite the increased number of visitors to some of the major markets across the capital.
Four days to the celebration(Christmas), the markets are filled with various products ranging from food, clothing, livestock and many other stuff, but according to the vendors, patrons are doing more ‘window’ shopping.
The Spectator on visits to some of the markets in the capital, notably the Odawna, Makola, Accra Central Business District, New Town and others made similar observations as shoppers crowd them but did little in terms of purchases.
The paper also observed that majority of vendors, originally selling other wares have switched to product related to the festive season.
What it means is that there are a lot more clothes, food and vegetables, livestock and poultry, toys, firecrackers, drinks of different types and many others on display.
The markets have also stretched to the pedestrian pavement, leaving very narrow spaces for commuters to move about freely.
That, in addition to a few of the female vendors dressed in coloured attires to reflect the occasion, has heightened the euphoria, leaving the low sales as the only headache for the vendors.
Speaking with this paper, they sounded very optimistic, believing that sales would improve in the last few days to the yuletide.
According to them, there was the opportunity to sell beyond Christmas as the New Year celebration offers similar opportunity to trade the same wares.
They urged patrons to throng the markets to shop since prices were quite moderate and products affordable for all.
News
Retirement service for Elder John Ackom-Asante,3 others
Retired Deputy Editor of The Spectator, Elder John Ackom-Asante, was last Sunday honoured by the Church of Pentecost Windy Hills District in Kasoa in the Central Region, with a retirement thanksgiving service, after serving for 26 year as an Elder of the church.
He was honoured with a citation and certificate of service along with three other elders who served in the capacity for various years.
Elder Ackom-Asante was baptised at the Darkuman Central Assembly in 1979 and ordained as an Elder in 1997.
The citation read “Your selfless service, zeal, willingness to relate wholeheartedly and your desire to effect change has gone a long way to shape the lives of many people in the church and the nation over the 26 years of your dedication to the service of the Lord.”
Elder Ackom- Asante held many positions at the Darkuman Central Assembly, Obuasi in the Ashanti Region and Tema, serving in various capacities as youth and evangelism ministry leader and marriage counsellor.
He was the founding member of the Darkuman Christian Fellowship, a member of the Greater Accra Christian Fellowship; member of Bible Society of Ghana; founding member Obuasi Chapter Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International and founding member of New Times Corporation Christian Fellowship and Chaplain, Methodist University Tema Campus 2009- 2010.
As a professional journalist, Elder Ackom-Asante combined effectively and efficiently his duty as a member and elder of the church and the demands of his profession, with admiration from the church, kith and kin, till his retirement on December
From Alhaji Salifu Abdul-Rahaman, Kasoa
