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Gender Minister inaugurates 3 water projects in Agona West

The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Mrs Cynthia Morrison, has inaugurated three water projects to provide potable water to some communities within the Agona West Municipality.

The project formed part of a broad initiative in ensuring that potable water becomes accessible to residents of the area and adjoining communities.

It was part of her ‘Safe Water’ campaign in the Agona West Constituency with support from DirectAid Society, an international non-governmental organisation, and geared towards reducing acute water shortage in the communities.

The beneficiary communities are Agona Samuel, Upper Bobikuma and Otsenkorang.

Mrs Morrison, who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Agona West, in her remarks, said the project was conceived as a priority initiative to the beneficiary communities which she said, had witnessed difficulty in accessing water for a long time.

She said, a total number 20 water projects would be constructed across the constituency to ensure that all residents have access to potable water.

“It is said that, ‘water is life’. So, access to clean water is essential for humanity. My clean water campaign is on the right track in line with the global ‘Water For All’ agenda” she said.

Mrs Morrison said Agona West Constituency had vast land of water bed that would be effective for the provision of mechanised boreholes in every community, adding that, “the government is committed to ensure that social amenities such as potable drinking water, electricity supply, health facilities and good roads, among others, are fairly provided to improve standard of living.”

In his remarks, Ebusuapanyin Kojo Osam, Regent of Agona Otsenkorang, commended Mrs Morrison for fulfilling a promise made to the people which centred on the provision of potable water.

He said members of the community were overwhelmed with the speedy completion of the project, and appealed to the MP to also facilitate processes that would lead to the reshaping of the bad road linking the community to Agona Nyakrom.

The Minister later visited Agona Bosompa to inspect progress of work on a six-unit classroom block being constructed for the community, where the chief of area, Nana Kojo Gyesi I, expressed his gratitude to Mrs Morrison for the prompt response to their request for a school.

The Minister was accompanied by the Agona West Municipal Chief Executive, Mrs Justina Marigold Assan and officials from DirectAid Society.

FROM DAVID O. YARBOI-TETTEH, AGONA SWEDRU

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Ex-GIIF CEO and Prof. Ameyaw-Ekumfi charged over $2m Sky Train fiasco

The Attorney General’s Office has formally charged former Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) CEO Solomon Asamoah and ex-board chairman Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Ekumfi for their roles in the controversial Accra Sky Train project, which allegedly cost the state $2 million without authorisation.

The charges, filed today at the High Court (Criminal Division), include wilfully causing financial loss to the state under the Criminal Offences Act, conspiracy to commit crime through intentional dissipation of public funds, and intentional dissipation of public funds under the Public Property Protection Decree.

Prosecutors allege that in February 2019, the accused authorised a $2 million payment from GIIF to Africa Investor Holdings Limited for preliminary work on the Sky Train project – a system that was never built. The payment was reportedly made without proper board approval.

The Sky Train project, initiated in 2018 as a public-private partnership for an urban rail system in Accra, involved a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Railways Development, Africa Investor Holdings, and GIIF. However, investigations revealed the $2 million disbursement lacked proper due diligence and violated GIIF’s governance protocols.

Attorney General Dr. Dominic Ayine stated the accused acted outside their mandate, causing significant financial harm to the state. “The payment was unauthorised, and the project never materialised. This is a clear case of financial misconduct,” the filing stated.

The case will proceed in the High Court, with the AG’s office indicating some GIIF board members have agreed to testify as prosecution witnesses.

This prosecution forms part of the government’s broader crackdown on financial malfeasance, following earlier warnings of pending charges in the Sky Train and NSS ghost names scandals.

Source: Myjoyonline.com

News

Interdict Sammy Gyamfi immediately to allow for investigations – NPP urges Mahama

The National Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Henry Nana Boakye, has called on President John Mahama to immediately interdict Mr Sammy Gyamfi from his role as acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), to allow for investigations into his conduct following his public gifting of dollars to a self-lifestyle preacher.

The incident in question occurred on Saturday, May 10, 2025, when Mr Gyamfi was seen in widely circulated videos gifting bundles of US dollars to controversial evangelist Nana Agradaa while seated in his Range Rover.

Speaking at a news conference held by the party on Tuesday, May 13, Mr Boakye emphasised the need for consistency in leadership and accountability, pointing to recent controversies involving senior public officials.

“We also call on the President to immediately interdict Mr Sammy Gyamfi as acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board — or at least, he should interdict him pending the conduct of the investigation by the criminal investigation authorities of the state,” Boakye said.

Drawing a sharp comparison with a previous incident involving former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah, Boakye noted that Madam Dapaah was compelled to resign after reports emerged of large sums of money allegedly stolen from her residence, despite her long-standing public service and reputable family background.

“We cannot but remember when huge sums of money were reported to have been stolen from the residence of Madam Cecilia Dapaah, a woman who had worked in high places for over forty years before the incident — an MP since 2001, a deputy minister and a minister — married to a well-known, wealthy architect and consultant with nearly sixty years’ experience,” he remarked.

Boakye highlighted that under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Madam Dapaah stepped aside promptly, enabling thorough investigations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).

“Investigations were duly conducted by the OSP against Madam Cecilia Dapaah and her husband after what the OSP described as seven months of extensive investigation and four months of collaborative inquiry,” he added.

The NPP is now demanding similar action from President Mahama in the interest of transparency, good governance, and public trust.

Source: Myjoyonline.com