News
Man arrested for GIS recruitment scam
Mr Kojo Sakyi, a 53-year-old man, was on Monday arrested by the Western Regional Command of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) for engaging in a recruitment scam, involving GH₵5,000.00.
The suspect has since been referred to the national headquarters of the GIS for further investigations.
A statement signed by the Western Region Public Affairs Officer of the GIS, Assistant Inspector Moses Manford Akakpo, and copied the Ghanaian Times, said Sakyi was arrested at the AGIP filling station, near the Takoradi Jubilee Park.
It said the suspect had lured one of the victims to the said location, with the intension of collecting GH₵5,000.00 from him, after the victim had forwarded his certificates and other relevant documents to his (Sakyi) WhatsApp number MTN-0540520459.
The GIS said the suspect in a caution statement, admitted the offence of defrauding a number of unsuspecting youth.
Further investigations proved that Sakyi charged GH₵5,000 for cadets officers and GH₵3,500.00 for recruits, the GIS statement explained.
It referred to the GIS publication, dated October 25, 2019, in which the GIS cautioned the public against such criminals, and asked for information that could lead to the arrest of suspects.
The statement said, “The GIS, has since last year, been meticulously on the heels of these miscreants since the story broke out on social media.”
The GIS mentioned that it was currently not recruiting personnel, and urged the public to disregard social media platforms and publications.
It also advised the public to use its traditional mediums through which advertisement for recruitments are communicated to the public, including news papers and the Ghana Immigration Service website (www.gis.gov.gh).
The statement stated: “The command, is by this release re-echoing, for the information of the general public that, GIS does not have assigned agents, social media platforms or mobile money accounts through which such recruitments are made.
“The general public, is therefore being encouraged to continually, be on the lookout for such criminal elements within our society and report their conduct to the appropriate quarters (GIS/POLICE) for immediate arrest and prosecution.”
It said, “We further urge all those who may have received such recruitment messages or fallen victims to such unscrupulous schemes to assist with investigations by providing credible information to our offices dotted across the country.”
FROM CLEMENT ADZEI BOYE, SEKONDI
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
