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UGMS 1997 year group hands over refurbished hostel to alma mater

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The 1997 year group of the University of Ghana Medical School (UGMS) has renovated and handed over a hostel facility at Danfa in the Greater Accra Region to the school.

The project which cost GH¢182,000 was completed within two months.

It was fitted with 45 durable metal beds with mattresses, 15 sets of tables and chairs, curtains, plumbing and retiling of the washrooms and two sets of ironing boards and irons.

It was in response to the school’s call on alumni to support in the provision of infrastructure to enhance effective teaching, learning and research.

Additionally, the group donated GH¢5,000 worth of medical supplies to the Danfa Clinic.

A member of the year group, Dr Angela El-Adas, said it was important to renovate the hostel to make it more comfortable for students to have the peace of mind to learn.

She mentioned that “along the line, we received some challenges the school was facing and decided as a year group to renovate it to give the students sound mind and a conducive ambience to aid their studies.

She said some of her colleagues have specialised in public and community health owing it to their stay and study at the Danfa Community and Health Centre.

After a tour of some facilities such as hostels and the Basic Sciences building at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Dr El-Adas said there was a need for continuous support for the school, adding that “these facilities at Korle-Bu needed some investment.”

The Acting Dean of UGMS, Prof. Yvonne Dei Adomako, said the year group has demonstrated love to the school that nurtured them by giving the hostel at Danfa a facelift.

She said the facility was used by the school for its district rotation by the level 500 students as part of their community health rotation.

She said the hostel for several years had not seen any facelift, stating that it had deteriorated with the beds and mattresses needing replacement while the washrooms required refurbishment.

Due to the poor state of the hostel, some students, she said finds accommodation elsewhere when they are asked to come for rotation.

“We called on the alumni to help with various projects and this was one of the projects and the 1997 year group decided to take it on,” she said.

She called on other alumni to come together and support the school in order to attract students in and out of the country.

The outgoing president of the year group, Dr Kojo Cobba Essel urged other year groups to emulate the example by responding to the school’s distress call.

By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu

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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