News
4 schools benefit from ICI, Nestle, ETG Beyond Beans project in cocoa c’nities
Four schools in cocoa growing communities in the Ashanti Region have benefited from new infrastructure through the efforts of the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI), in partnership with Nestle and ETG/Beyond Beans.
The project is to enhance students’ access to quality education and provide water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities.
At Ntinanko R/C ‘A’ Basic School in the Bekwai Municipality, a new three-classroom block was commissioned, furnished with 120 mono desks, four teachers’ tables and chairs, office, storeroom, and staff common room.
The school also received a five-seater water closet (WC) and a mechanised borehole with overhead tank.
Similarly, Pewodie D/A Basic School in the Adansi North District had a three-unit KG/ Nursery and office renovated and furnished.
The school received 100 tables and chairs each for the KG, three cupboards, four tables, and eight chairs for teachers, as well as a four-seater WC toilet and mechanised borehole with overhead tanks.
Agogooso D/A Basic School in the Adansi North District also benefited from the project, with a two-unit classroom block and office refurbished and furnished.
It received a five-seater WC toilet, mechanised borehole with overhead tank, and 50 tables and chairs.
Agyeikrom D/A Basic School received a refurbished three-unit classroom block, furnished with 80 mono desks and three sets of teachers’ tables and chairs.
The project was implemented by the ICI and funded by Nestle through the Nestle Cocoa Plan. The plan aims to improve cocoa farmers’ livelihoods, ensure long-term sustainability of cocoa farming, and promote responsible cocoa sourcing.
Ms. Salome Azevedo, Nestle’s Central and West Africa Business Executive Officer, stressed Nestle’s commitment to the well-being of communities linked to their operations.
“We are committed to enhancing the well-being of communities directly linked to our operations. We deeply appreciate the tireless efforts of the farmers who supply us with the finest cocoa for our production”, she mentioned.
Ms Azevedo urged the pupils to make the most of the upgraded school environment, complete with improved WASH facilities, and fully dedicate themselves to their studies.
Mr Mike Arthur, Country Director of the ICI, noted that the initiative was an example of how to reduce child labour and poverty in cocoa growing communities.
Mrs Leticia Obeng, Bekwai Municipal Education Director, praised the initiators of the project and pledged to ensure the facilities would be highly maintained.
Mr. Stephen Kofi Akomaning, Head teacher at Ntinanko R/C Basic School, expressed appreciation to the initiators of the project and also promised to see to the maintenance of the facility.
Mr. Charles Ofosu Ansong, Project Manager, ICI, noted that research has shown that the presence of schools in cocoa growing areas has significantly increased school enrolment and reduced child labour.
From Kingsley E. Hope,
Kumasi
Ahyiresu and Abofrem, two quiet communities in the Atwima Mponua District, have been shaken to the core by a chilling midnight drama that reads like a nightmare.
A pastor and a young mother stand accused of attempting to bury a five‑month‑old baby girl alive, a crime that has ignited outrage and disbelief across the township.
According to police, Apostle Richmond Akwasi Frimpong, 36, Head Pastor of the Anointed Grace Prayer Ministry at Kuffour Camp, conspired with his uncle Emmanuel Appiah, 53, and the child’s mother, 23‑year‑old Beatrice Agyapomaa, to dispose of the infant, Anaya Achiaa, under the cover of darkness.
A fourth suspect, Emmanuel Donkor, remains on the run.
The suspects were caught near a refuse dump around 10 pm on April 9, 2026, after a vigilant resident, Akwasi Twezor, noticed their suspicious movements.
When confronted, they claimed the child was already dead and had palace approval for burial. But Twezor’s instincts proved right—the baby was still alive, gasping faintly for breath.
Chief Linguist, Nana Yaw Badu, later confirmed that Frimpong had misled him earlier in the evening, securing permission for burial by falsely declaring the child dead.
The infant was rushed to the Abofrem Clinic, where she is now responding well to treatment. Police described her as “very beautiful.”
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Evelyn Yitamkey, Commander of DOVVSU in Bibiani, confirmed that the suspects have been provisionally charged.
Frimpong faces attempted murder and conspiracy charges, while Agyapomaa and Appiah are charged with conspiracy and abetment.
They were remanded by the Bibiani Circuit Court, presided over by Judge Frank Asiedu Nimako, to assist investigations.
The docket has been forwarded to the Attorney General’s Department for advice, ASP Yitamkey indicated.
The attempted crime has provoked fury among residents, many suspecting ritual motives aimed at bolstering the pastor’s influence.
Crowds attempted to attack the suspects outside court, but police intervention prevented mob justice.
The Assembly Member for Ahyiresu, Yusuf Suleiman, has assured residents that justice will be pursued swiftly.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
The forecourt of the African University of Communications and Business (AUCB) in Accra came alive on Friday with colour, creativity and innovation, as Level 300 students transformed the space into a lively exhibition of ideas.
Under the theme “Building meaningful brands beyond the logo,” the students invited patrons into a world where ordinary products were reimagined through storytelling, design and purpose.
From scented candles to innovative food concepts, each stand told a unique story, one that went beyond aesthetics to capture identity, value and human connection.
For many of the students, the event was more than just an academic exercise; it was a moment to dream out loud.
Guided by their lecturer, Peter Wonders, they explored what it truly means to build a brand in today’s competitive world where trust, consistency and experience matter just as much as logos and slogans.
Chairman of the occasion, Nana Kum Gyata VI, in his remarks said a brand is what people say about you when you are not present.
At the end of the presentations, awards were presented to deserving groups with Vida Nyaneba emerging as the overall best branding student.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
Follow our WhatsApp Channel now! https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAjG7g3gvWajUAEX12Q
