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Fairtrade Premium Committee inaugurates creche facility for Golden Exotic ladies

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Fairtrade Premium Committee(FPC), a global movement which addresses the injustices of conventional trade by supporting small holder farmers and workers in plantations, has opened a creche facility for female workers of Golden Exotic Limited (GEL), Ghana’s largest exporter of Banana at Kasunya in the Shai-Osudoku area of the Greater Accra Region.

The inauguration is not only a fulfilment of a promise made to the workers but also fulfills an important tenet of the charter of GEL’s parent company, Compagnie Fruitiere.

It also fulfills GELs gender equity policy which aims to provide a congenial atmosphere at the workplace for all women.

The event, which was organized to coincide with International Women’s Day also marks a call to action to accelerate women’s equality in all spheres of human endeavor.

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The GEL Fairtrade Officer, Mr. George Kporye in his address said the facility would give the workers peace of mind knowing that their children would be well taken care of whilst they are at work.

He said facilities in the creche include three spacious classrooms with modern teaching aids, washrooms, a sick bay and a breastfeeding room. It also includes teachers and nurses restrooms, headmistress office and a visitor’s waiting room, with an outdoor canteen to be added later this year.

The FPC has also provided a 30- seater bus exclusively for the use of the creche which will bring the mothers from their workplaces during break to the creche to feed their children and return them quickly to work.

He said recruitment of staff to man the facility is ongoing and should be completed soon for children to start school in May after all training, certifications and approvals have been done.

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In his keynote address, the Managing Director of GEL, Mr. Benedict John Rich said an educationist has been recruited who shall be responsible for the daily running of the facility,  three trained teachers in childhood education and three class attendants for the respective classes.

According to him, in 2017, GEL commissioned research into finding out the reasons for the low numbers of women employed in GEL.

Following the research, he said policies were developed to improve conditions of engagement and of work particularly for women after a consultative meeting.

He expressed confidence that the FPC would continue to apply the premium resources to similar projects in the future to enhance the general welfare and economic well- being of all GEL workers.

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In a solidarity message, the Municipal Chief Executive for Shai-Osudoku, Hon. Fred Offei said the inauguration of the facility provides a significant opportunity for the women folk who would essentially remain in the organization and have access to reliable childcare for the business to benefit from a workforce that is focused, engaged and productive.

He said by providing access to childcare solutions, employers would eliminate a major source of stress, worry and distraction for their employees.

Around the globe, he said the lack of quality childcare has continued to be a major barrier to allowing parents, particularly women, to participate fully in the workforce.

He appreciated the effort of FPC at making childcare an important part of their employee effectiveness strategies

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NPP condemns acquittal of former MASLOC CEO Sedinam Tamakloe Attionu

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The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has strongly criticised the decision of the Court of Appeal to acquit and discharge former Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedinam Christine Tamakloe Attionu.

In a statement issued on July 30, 2026, the party described the ruling as a “travesty of justice” and claimed it was politically motivated.

The Court of Appeal on Thursday overturned her conviction and 10-year prison sentence, which had been imposed by the High Court in April 2024 on charges including stealing, causing financial loss to the state, money laundering and breaches of the Public Procurement Act.

According to the NPP, the former MASLOC boss was tried for five years and convicted after the High Court examined evidence relating to alleged financial irregularities during her tenure between 2013 and 2016.

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The party noted that she left Ghana while the trial was ongoing and was later extradited from the United States, arriving in Ghana on June 9, 2026.

The NPP argued that the trial court had found that her actions caused a loss of nearly GH¢90 million to the state and that the evidence against her was substantial.

It questioned why the conviction was overturned barely seven weeks after her return to Ghana.

The party further accused the Attorney-General of using state institutions to protect people connected to the governing party.

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It claimed that several cases involving persons affiliated with the government had been discontinued since January 2025 and that the acquittal of Madam Tamakloe Attionu was part of that pattern.

The NPP linked the decision to the ongoing case involving its Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.

It called for his immediate acquittal and discharge, arguing that his conviction was also politically motivated.

The party demanded that the Attorney-General publish details of all cases involving persons linked to the governing party that have been withdrawn, discontinued or otherwise terminated since January 2025, including the reasons for those decisions.

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It called on the Judicial Council and the leadership of the Judiciary to take steps to restore public confidence in the justice system.

The NPP said it would pursue all lawful avenues, including a possible review at the Supreme Court where applicable, to ensure accountability in cases involving public funds.

The party maintained that the fight against corruption must not be selective and that public resources belong to all Ghanaians.

By: Jacob Aggrey

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Godfred Dame disagrees with Sedina Tamakloe acquittal, urges Attorney-General to appeal

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Former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame has disagreed with the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit former MASLOC Chief Executive Officer Sedina Tamakloe Attionu, insisting that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Mr Dame made the remarks after the Court of Appeal unanimously overturned her conviction and 10-year prison sentence.

He maintained that the evidence presented by the prosecution during the trial was credible and sufficient to support the conviction.

According to him, Ms Tamakloe absconded after she had been confronted with evidence led by the prosecution.

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Mr Dame questioned the basis for the acquittal and suggested that the current Attorney-General should explain what led to the Court of Appeal’s decision.

He wondered whether the appeal had been strongly opposed by the state.

When asked whether he would advise the Attorney-General to challenge the ruling, Mr Dame answered in the affirmative.

“Oh, definitely,” he stated.

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The former Attorney-General spoke about the ongoing criminal case involving former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.

He indicated that an application for stay of proceedings filed at the High Court had been dismissed, and that a fresh application had been filed at the Court of Appeal.

Mr Dame argued that the charge sheet in the case was defective and that the appellate court should determine the issue before the trial proceeds.

He further criticised the decision to hear the case during the legal vacation, describing it as an “unjustified haste” and saying such trials had not been conducted during vacation periods in the past.

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Mr Dame said his legal team would formally protest the directive allowing the case to proceed during the vacation.

The Court of Appeal’s ruling in favour of Ms Tamakloe has become a major legal and political issue, with the Attorney-General’s Department already announcing plans to appeal the decision at the Supreme Court.

By: Jacob Aggrey

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