News
Curbing piracy: Report suspicious persons to security agencies
The treat of pirates on the Coast of West Africa is of concern to the traditional rulers and people living along the Coasts of Ghana.
To this end, the Paramount Chief of Essikado Traditional Area in the Western Region, Nana Kobina Nketsia V, has asked fishermen along the nation’s coasts to promptly report suspicious characters to the navy or the security agencies for action in the fight against piracy
He said, the passage of such information twould help check the activities of pirates which were a threat to the security and safety of the West African sub-regional maritime domain.
“Let’s all be alert and collaborate with our security personnel to check piracy at sea,” he said.
Nana Nketsia made the appeal last Saturday during the official opening of the 2021 closed season at the Albert Bosumtwi Sam (ABS) fishing harbour, at Sekondi.
He said, the collective effort of all stakeholders was key to the protection and conservation of the marine resources.
He, however, told the gathering that selfishness and greed were critical issues that had undermined Ghana’s fisheries sector and believed that the enforcement of the fisheries laws would instil discipline in the sector, devoid of partisan politics.
“If you flout the rules, the law must take its course. The laws must be allowed to work in the interest of all stakeholders. Let’s embrace the closed season because we are one people”.
Historically, Essikado Omanhen noted that Ghana’s shores hauled abundant herrings especially during July and August , bringing joy to the fishing community, but, today, due to poverty, these potentials had eluded fishers.
“If we say on Tuesdays, there should be no fishing, it’s no fishing. But, because of greed and selfishness, we don’t comply. You are destroying your own future. We are destroying what our forefathers bequeathed to this generation.T hey knew why they declared that the sea must rest on that day,” he said.
Nana Nketsia called on stakeholders be resolute and check the activities of foreigners who engaged in illegal fishing to ensure discipline in the fisheries sector.
“Ghanaians are legally mandated to use the sea not Koreans or Chinese. It’s our future. Some of them come here fishing and depleting our fish stock. We need to be resolute on this issue.” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Mr Jojo Solomon a National Executive of the Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council, applauded the success of the 2021 closed season and believed that with the cooperation of all stakeholders, Ghana was on the path of restoring sanity in the marine environment.
From Clement Adzei Boye, Sekondi
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
