News
Assembly to construct 142 stores at Ho market
A total of 142 stores are to be constructed at the Ho market in two separate projects which will commence simultaneously in three weeks, under the Ghana Secondary City Support Programme.
The projects would come with 36 water closet toilets, a banking hall and a post among other ancillary facilities.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Ho, Mr Prosper Pi-Bansa, disclosed these to the Ghanaian Times in Ho on Tuesday.
He said that the move was in response to Ho’s status as a rapidly growing municipality, and also to promote more robust business activities in the regional capital.
Mr Pi-Bansa said that the first lot of the project involved the building of 58 stores, whilst 84 lockable stores would be constructed under the second lot.
According to him, seven contractors had put in their bids for the first lot, whilst five had tendered for the second lot.
The projects, the MCE said, were scheduled to be completed in 10 months.
On the project cost, the MCE explained that although the projects would be funded by the assembly through a World Bank facility, the exact cost of the projects could only be determined after they had been awarded on contract.
“We first need to look at the bids and give the jobs to the best qualified bidders,” he added.
Already, the Ho Market has 191 stores and lockable stores.
The fire station, police post and clinic at the market were commissioned about a fortnight ago.
FROM ALBERTO MARIO NORETTI, HO
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
