News
6-day Presidents’ Leadership Retreat by SGUC ends
The Southern Ghana Union Conference (SGUC) of the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church has held a six-day Presidents’ Leadership Retreat conference of presidents under its jurisdiction.
Held from May 18-23 at the SDA College of Education in Koforidua, the retreat was themed: ‘Enhancing the Quality of Church Leaders.’
It brought together church leaders to engage in training, dialogue, and strategic planning.
In his opening remarks, the President of SGUC, Pr. Dr Thomas Techie Ocran, stated that the retreat aimed to equip leaders to handle pressing challenges while fostering unity and foresight in their leadership roles.
He said that the event served as a platform for sharing experiences, gaining insight, and improving leadership capabilities.
As the church prepares for its upcoming elections, Pr. Dr Ocran encouraged leaders to remain united and focused on their mission of preparing God’s people for Christ’s second coming.
He stressed the importance of mutual support among leaders, regardless of election outcomes, reminding them that leadership was a divine appointment.
He urged the pastors not to be emotionally distressed if they are not elected, but to continue serving faithfully.
Also addressing the participants was the President of the West-Central Africa Division (WAD) of the SDA Church, Pr. Dr Osei Bonsu, who challenged ministers to pursue personal growth and deeper understanding to effectively meet the spiritual and practical needs of their members.
He warned that errors made by gospel ministers could have far-reaching and eternal consequences.
The retreat featured a lineup of distinguished facilitators and speakers, including:
Prof. Opoku Boateng, former Vice President of the West-Central Africa Division,
Chaplain P.O. Mensah, former President of the SDA Church, Dr Pascal Brenya, Human Resource Expert and Consultant, Dr Mrs Stella Agyenim Boateng, Public Services Commission, Pr. Nana Kofi Nimako, Col. P.N.K. Duodu, and Pr. Mark Hado, Directors at SGUC and Prof. Vincent Mensah, Principal of the SDA College of Education.
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
A 30-year-old man has been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment with hard labour by the Bekwai Circuit Court for his role in a 2022 robbery at a mining site at Manso Akwasiso in the Ashanti South Region.
The convict, Dominic Ofori, also known as Fanta, was arrested on 16th February 2026 after years on the run. He pleaded guilty before the Bekwai Circuit Court to robbery contrary to Section 149 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 Act 29, and was accordingly sentenced to 25 years imprisonment with hard labour.
On March 20, 2022, the Manso Adubia District Police received intelligence that a group of armed men from Manso Abodom were planning to attack a mining site at Manso Akwasiso to rob the owner of gold concentrate. Acting on the information, police mounted a coordinated operation and laid an ambush at the site.
At about 5:30 pm the same day, four-armed men arrived at the site, fired indiscriminately, and robbed the miners of their gold concentrate. The police team on surveillance intervened, resulting in an exchange of gunfire.
Three of the suspects, Abu Abubakar, Musah Latif, and Gideon Takyi, sustained gunshot wounds and were pronounced dead on arrival at St Martins Catholic Hospital at Agroyesum. Dominic Ofori escaped at the time but was later arrested and put before the court.
The Ashanti South Regional Police Command has assured the public of its continued commitment to combating violent crimes and bringing offenders to justice.
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has arrested 45-year-old Isaac Boafo, also known as “Duabo King,” for allegedly publishing false news intended to cause fear and panic.
Police said the arrest follows a viral TikTok video in which Boafo claimed that four officers at the Central Police Station in Kumasi engaged in inappropriate conduct with commercial sex workers during night patrols in Asafo.
Officers from the Police Intelligence Directorate (Ashanti Region) apprehended Boafo after receiving intelligence about the video.
During questioning, he admitted to creating the video to attract views and engagement online, and acknowledged that he could not prove the allegations.
Boafo also admitted making comments about the President of the Republic for content purposes and could not defend those statements.
He has been formally charged and is in detention as investigations continue.
The Ashanti Regional Police have warned the public against publishing or sharing false information on social media, noting that such acts can cause fear, panic, and damage reputations.
They said anyone found engaging in similar conduct will face legal action.
By: Jacob Aggrey
