News
Ho cured lepers complain of starving….Appeal for help
The restriction on large public gatherings is pushing residents of the Ho Cured Lepers’ Village to the brink of starvation.
This is because the churches and various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) which often visited the cured lepers regularly, and brought them food, clothes and detergents, have all put a hold on those benevolent activities, according to Mr Nelson Atito, caretaker of the village.
He said that apart from the churches and the NGOs, various schools and schools’ alumni in the municipality visited the village to present food and other items generously to the cured lepers but that was not the case anymore.
“Now, life is difficult at the village as food has become very scarce to the residents who cannot go to the town in search of jobs to raise some money for food, due to the stigma attached to them,” the caretaker revealed.
To make matters worse, the craftsmen and women at the village can no longer sell their artefacts as their customers in the municipality and beyond do no longer visit the village to buy those items.
Mr Atito made the remarks when the Vicarchie Ghana Limited shopping mall and the Sky Plus Hotel in Ho feasted the residents and also presented them with detergents, toiletries and clothes almost a fortnight ago.
He described the gesture by the mall and the hotel as timely and touching.
Mr Atito said that there were 70 residents at the village, who now wondered where their next meal would come from.
Meanwhile, he said that only one of the three boreholes at the village was functioning and that situation was adding to the woes of the residents.
The untarred road which led to the village had also now become very soggy and scaring off motorists, Mr Atito said.
The caretaker expressed gratitude to Mrs Victoria Letsa, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the mall and the hotel for the concern for the welfare of the village all the time.
Mr Atito said that although the Department of Social Welfare had come out with a financial assistance package for the residents, the lack of proper database on the residents was frustrating the smooth distribution of the package to the residents.
He thanked the Paramount Chief of Kpenoe, Togbe Kotoku XI, for periodically reaching out to the cured lepers with food and other items.
On her part, Mrs Letsa gave the assurance that the donations by the mall and the hotel would be sustained.
“We are committed to helping the cured lepers because they are part and parcel of the society,” she added.
Mrs Letsa commended the people of the village for strictly adhering to the protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and urged them to keep it up.
From Alberto Mario Noretti, Ho
Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has revealed that in the whole of 2024, only GHS 362 million was released to MMDAs in Common Fund.
Contrary to this, In 2025 alone GHS 5 billion was released to the MMDAs with the following breakdown as follows.
The Minister made this revelation when he took his turn at the Government Accountability Series held today.
In breakdown, the minister nonted that 1st Quarter – 790,372,058.40 was released for 2025.
He added that for the 2nd Quarter, 1,464,983,309.60 was released.
3rd Quarter saw the release of 1,188,921,640.80 and
1,592,706,391.20 for 4th Quarter.
The Minister added tha each of the MMDAs were required to undertake the following; at least 2-CHPS compounds, 3 Classroom blocks, 10 Boreholes, and Completion of legacy projects.
Additionally, 25% of the Common Fund was allocated for the Construction of 24-Hour Economy Model Markets.
Ahmed Ibrahim noted that as a result of the timely and unprecedented release of Funds, a total of 494 CHPS compounds, 761 Classroom Blocks, 4,029 Boreholes, and 2,755 Legacy projects are currently at various stages of completion.
Also, he added that 261 24-Hour Economy Model Markets have all been awarded on contracts and construction has begun on many of them.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohuno, together with members of the Police Management Board (POMAB), on April 17, 2026, decorated nineteen (19) senior officers who have been promoted to their next ranks based on the recommendations of the Police Council and approval of the President, John Dramani Mahama.
The ceremony, held at the National Police Headquarters in Accra, forms part of efforts to recognise merit, dedication, and long-standing service within the Ghana Police Service, while strengthening leadership across key operational and administrative levels.
The officers promoted from Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) to Commissioner of Police (COP) are Dr. Luke Asue-In-Yeng Zakpaa, Mr. Frederick Agyei, Mr. Duuti Tuaruka, Mr. Arthur Osei-Akoto, Mr. Darko Offei Lomotey, Mr. Eric Ken Winful, Mr. Barnabas Nambont Nasumong, and Mr. Desmond Owusu Boampong.
The IGP and members of POMAB congratulated the officers and urged them to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity in the discharge of their duties.
