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Caritas Ghana supports Old Fadama squatters

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Caritas Ghana, the Relief and Development Agency of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has  supported 160 families made up of 630 people who were recently rendered homeless after their places of abode were demolished to pave way for the dredging of the Korle Lagoon.

Each displaced family received a token amount ranging between GH¢ 100.00 to GH¢ 200.00 at a ceremony held at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Derby Avenue in Accra.

The total disbursement with support from Star Ghana Foundation was GH¢ 20, 000.00

Old Fadama has been renamed City of God by the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra to replace what was popularly known as Sodom and Gomorrah.

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Prior to the demolition on April 15, 2020, fire swept through the slum destroying hundreds of structures leaving over 800 people homeless.

Mr Samuel Zan Akologo, the Executive Secretary of Caritas Ghana, presenting the token to the beneficiaries, said the donation was part of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference’s COVID-19 National Response Plan to the vulnerable.

He said the plan was also to address the psychological and emotional needs of people and help provide authentic information about the pandemic together with the Ghana Health Service and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

He, however, described the demolishing exercise by the Assembly as unfortunate and prayed government and other organisations would support the needy.

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“My wish is that these internally displaced persons from the recent demolitions in Old Fadama will eventually make the voluntary decision to return to their home communities.

“The misery and indignity that these families now live in Accra is just too painful to contemplate for any human being. Moreover, most of them have lost their jobs here in Accra due to the adverse impact of COVID-19,” Mr Akologo said.

“I am happy that Caritas Ghana can accompany and resettle them in their respective home communities. This is an opportunity to retrain them in new skills for more decent jobs in the future,” he added.

Rev. Fr. George Mensah, the Director of Caritas Accra admonished the beneficiaries, to make good use of the token presented to them and advised them to always ensure they wore face masks and practise social distancing to prevent them from contracting the coronavirus.

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Yussif Alhassan Antabayim, the leader of the victims of the demolition thanked Caritas Ghana and Star Ghana Foundation for the support. The beneficiaries were mainly head potters and ‘okada’ riders.

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OSP to assess extortion allegations against Afenyo-Markin

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The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has taken note of public allegations of extortion and related conduct made against the Minority Leader of Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin.

The allegations were made by the Chief Executive of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi.

In a brief statement, the OSP said it has also received a joint petition submitted by two persons, as well as two separate petitions from other persons, in relation to the same allegations.

“Given the nature of the allegations, the OSP will assess the case and determine whether it falls within its statutory mandate and whether further investigative action is warranted,” the statement said.

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The development comes amid a heated public feud between the Minority in Parliament and the leadership of GoldBod over the operations of the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme.

The Minority, led by Afenyo-Markin, has accused GoldBod and the Bank of Ghana of causing a loss of over $1.7 billion, citing the International Monetary Fund’s August 2026 report. The Minority has vowed to pursue the matter as Parliament has reconvened for an emergency sitting.

GoldBod, on the other hand, has rejected claims by some NPP MPs, including Tano South MP Dr Gideon Boako, that it owes the Bank of Ghana GH¢1 billion in overdrafts, describing the claim as “false and malicious.”

In the latest twist, GoldBod CEO Sammy Gyamfi has accused the Minority Leader of extortion and related conduct, an allegation that has triggered petitions to the OSP.

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The OSP is mandated under Act 959 to investigate and prosecute specific cases of alleged or suspected corruption and corruption-related offences involving public officers and politically exposed persons.

By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme

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Justin Kodua Frimpong files nomination to seek re-election as NPP General Secretary

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General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, has filed his nomination to contest the position of General Secretary again as the party begins its rebuilding efforts ahead of the 2028 general elections.

He was accompanied by party stalwarts and supporters who were in high spirits, expressing confidence that he is the right person to hold the position.

Speaking after filing his nomination, Mr Kodua Frimpong assured the rank and file of the party that he would not disappoint them.

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“I can assure you that the faith the rank and file of the party have had in me, I will never disappoint them,” he said.

He also pledged to run a clean campaign devoid of personal attacks.

“I can assure you that our internal campaign will be devoid of personal attacks,” he told his fellow contestants and the rank and file of the party as he seeks to retain his position.

His tenure has seen the party through the 2024 general elections, where the NPP lost power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after eight years in government.

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The party is currently in a rebuilding phase, with internal elections scheduled to elect new national executives to lead its reorganization towards the 2028 polls.

The General Secretary position is considered one of the most influential in the party’s administrative structure, responsible for the day-to-day running of the party secretariat and implementation of party decisions.

By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme

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