News
ADRA, UNHCR create market opportunities for refugees in WR
The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Ghana Refugee Board has organised a ‘product fair’ for refugees in the Western Region.
The exhibition, held last Tuesday at Aiyinase, was to create a market for products and services of refugees and enable them to become self-reliant, following their skills acquisition in agriculture and agro-processing, handicraft, petty trading, among others.
Themed “Providing Customer Experience: The Work of the Refugee,” the fair brought together about 16 participants from the Ampian and Krisan refugee camps who displayed variety of consumables and provided other services.
According to the organisers although a number of refuges had acquired skills, they were still unable to “penetrate local markets” due to language barriers, lack of effective marketing skills and limited spaces at the markets.
It is for this reason that the fair sought to create opportunities for the asylum seekers to strengthen their relationship with the local traders and clients and make their products more visible to the public.
The participants prepared and served local dishes at the Aiyinase Market, one of the biggest markets in the Western Region, while displaying other items such as cucumber, fresh eggs, chicken, sandwiches, which were patronised by the public.
Mr. Edward Acquah-Imbeah, Marketing Officer UNHCR-ADRA Livelihood Project, expressing satisfaction about the event, said the fair would be organised quarterly to help more refugees to exhibit their creativity.
He said other activities would be organised regularly to increase social interaction between the refugees and the host communities.
Ms. Christiana Badoo, UNHCR Livelihood Associate, also said more refugees would be supported so they could continue to live meaningful lives in various communities, and called on other stakeholders to support the self-reliance activities of refugees.
By Spectator Reporter
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
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