News
Labour minister launches Ashanti regional health and safety taskforce
The Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment, Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo has launched the Ashanti Regional Taskforce on Health and Safety Compliance to improve workplace safety and strengthen adherence to national labour laws.
At the launch, Dr Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, affirmed government’s commitment to protecting the health, safety and dignity of workers across the country.
He noted that every workplace accident carries both a human and national cost.
He stressed the need for stronger monitoring systems and full compliance with laws such as the Labour Act and the Factories, Offices and Shops Act.
Dr.Pelpuo described the new taskforce as an important decentralised structure that brings workplace safety enforcement closer to communities, enterprises and workers.
By setting up the regional taskforce, he explained, the ministry is moving part of its operational strength from the capital to the regions to ensure quicker response, stronger oversight and clearer accountability.
The minister outlined the responsibilities of the taskforce, including supporting labour officers with inspections, improving coordination at the district level, guiding employers and workers on safety standards and ensuring that enforcement is practical and sustainable.
He encouraged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives to take an active role, noting that their leadership is essential to the success of the system.
Dr Pelpuo also urged employers and workers to treat workplace safety as a shared responsibility.
He explained that employers must back their legal obligations with real action, such as training, safe equipment and regular checks, while workers must follow safety rules and report hazards.
The Chief Director of the Ministry, Hamidu Adakurugu, stressed that workplace safety is a national priority that requires collective effort.
He praised the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council and local authorities for their support and thanked regulatory bodies, the private sector and civil society for their collaboration.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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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