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Confusion in Berekum as Traditional Council enforces century old taboo
A decision by the Berekum Traditional Council (BTC) in the Bono Region to enforce a century old taboo that forbids the rearing of goats in Berekum has sparked confusion among citizens of the area.
The move by the Council, The Spectator gathered was to appease a river god (Asuokoraa) in the area which is said to be angry with the traditional authorities for allowing the taboo to be defied.
The issue has since gone viral on social media, attracting varying views and concerns.
In December 2023, the traditional council announced the enforcement of the taboo which led to the killing of many stray goats before and during the performance of the funeral and burial rites of the late Omanhene of Berekum Traditional Area, Daasebre Amankona Diawuo ll.
Nana Badu Kaakyire, Twafohene of the BTC, who confirmed this to The Spectator said the move was to avert any imminent calamity in the area.
He said the council was serious about the directive and would not spare anyone that flout it.
According to him, the river god was indeed angry with Nananom who were given the directive after consulting it.
He said, as a result, the queen of Berekum has been directed not to visit any community with goats.
The Council’s decision has compelled small holder farmers that engages in the rearing of goats in the Berekum area to close their farms.
One such entity is the Semanhyia Learning and Development Farms, a livestock breeding facility based at Senaase in Berekum.
According to the Chief Executive of the Farms, Mr Frederick Benneh Frimpong, this decision to evacuate about 200 goats made up of exotic and local breeds within two weeks has put him in a fix.
He explained that despite the existence of the taboo, it was not exactly adhered to until the recent development.
He said it was during the funeral of the late chief of Berekum, Daasebre Amankona Diawuo II funeral in December that prompted the slaughter of stray goats to enforce the taboo.
The development, he said, brought about some anger among the people in the area.
“Within three days, a group of young men with machete stormed the community and killed all goats in town,” he narrated.
Providing further details, he said he was invited to the chief’s palace and was ordered to evacuate the animals from the land in two weeks.
He said a plea for more time to prepare was ignored by the Council and recounted investments that was set to go waste.
He told The Spectator that looking at the over GH¢5million project going down the drain makes him very said.
From Daniel Dzirasah, Berekum
News
UNODC partners GFA Foundation on Prison advocacy and mentorship programme
The GFA Foundation and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have agreed to work together to advocate for anti-discrimination and the elimination of stigmatization for prisoners and prisons.
This partnership was agreed, in principle, during a meeting at the Home of Football (GFA Head Office) between the Director of the GFA Foundation and the UNODC Team led by Mr. Christoph Capelle, an Associate Expert in Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and the Coordinator of the prison and penal reform project in Ghana.
Welcoming the Team to the Home of Football, the Director of the GFA Foundation, Mr. Malcolm Frazier Appeadu briefed the team about the GFA Foundation – Ghana Prisons Project which has covered 6 prisons across the country already.
He indicated that the Foundation is liaising with the Ghana Prisons Service to commence the second and third pillars of the project, which are the coaches and referees training programs as well as the advocacy and mentorship initiatives.
He said that the GFA Foundation will welcome partners for the execution of the second phase of the project which will include Ankaful Maximum Security Prison, Kumasi Central Prison, Sekondi Central Prison and three other prison facilities.
In his response, Mr. Christoph Capelle commended the GFA for the GFA Foundation – Ghana Prisons Project which seeks to use the power of football to promote the wellbeing, reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates of Ghana’s prisons into society.
Mr. Capelle said that UNODC is looking forward to a collaboration with the GFA Foundation on possible programs for both the medium and long term to support football and sports jobs and skills development in Ghana’s prisons.
He extended an invitation to the GFA Foundation to be part of an assessment of overall prison rehabilitation programmes including the use of sports by their international consultant at the Ankaful Maximum Security Prison.
There will be a football match and donation of footballs, sports items and equipment to the prison facility.
Present at the meeting were Mr. Kwame Koramoah, an officer at the GFA Foundation and Integrity Office, Helena Adobea Ofori, Associate Programme Officer, UNODC and Caleb Elorm Agodzo, Administrative Officer, UNODC.
It will be recalled that in 2020, The UNODC and FIFA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to tackle corruption and crime in and through sports and pledged to consider ways in which football can be used as a vehicle to strengthen youth resilience to crime and substance use through the provision of life skills training.
The MOU was renewed last year by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
News
Gomoa West: NPP, NDC supporters clash over commissioning of DRIP equipment
Supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Monday morning clashed over the commissioning of machinery for the District Road Infrastructure Project in the Gomoa West District of the Central Region.
According to Citi News sources, the conflict began when NDC supporters questioned the decision to display images of Bismark Basie Nkum, the NPP’s Gomoa West parliamentary candidate on the DRIP machinery.
This disagreement quickly escalated, almost leading to a physical altercation between the two groups.
Baisie Nkum, who doubles as the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Gomoa West, further claimed that the Member of Parliament for the area, Richard Gyan Mensah, brandished a pistol and issued threats against the NPP’s local leadership.
A viral video circulating on social media captured the DCE accusing MP Richard Gyan Mensah of pulling out a gun and threatening NPP supporters during the heated incident.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
