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30 graves looted at Takoradi cemetery; residents demand improved security
Residents of Sekondi-Takoradi are calling on the managers of the metropolis to tighten security at the Takoradi cemetery after about 30 graves were ransacked by unknown persons.
Some relatives, who rushed to the site after reports of the desecration were aired on radio on Wednesday, expressed their dissatisfaction with the maintenance of the cemetery and the lack of security measures.
Relatives were seen fixing the graves of their loved ones at the time of Citi News’ visit to the site on Thursday.
“An uncle heard that there had been a raid at the cemetery, and I came and saw my mom’s grave in that state. So, I came here this morning to repair it. When I heard about it, I was a bit skeptical, but unfortunately, I came and saw my mom’s grave in that state. The authorities should come in and provide security here because when you look around, you can see that the place is in a mess, and they should tidy it up because that is the reason why the people had the chance to do what they did,” one resident said.
In a reaction, the Environmental Health Officer of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, Abdul Karim Hudu, told Citi News that the assembly is yet to identify the motivation behind the ransacking or the items stolen from the graves.
He further assured that security would be provided to secure the cemetery.
“We have boys at the cemetery during the day who normally sit there to take care of those who want to weed around the graves of their dead. But in the evening, they are gone, so I suspect that they did that in the night because there is no security.”
“The measures that we want to take are to go and weed the place and make sure that we have security there, and we have informed the police to be patrolling there so that those who do that can be arrested when they come back again.”
Source: Citinewsroom.com
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
