News
‘Machomen’ attack Queen mother?
Some “machomen” caused a stir when they attacked the queen mother of Adum-Afrancho in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of Ashanti Region and disrupted the celebration of her 94th birthday.
The men, allegedly stormed the palace, vandalised the main gate and charged into the bedroom of the queen mother and manhandled her after they had assaulted some of the people around.It all happened on Sunday, September 6, 2020 when the queen mother was getting ready to celebrate her birthday which coincided with the celebration of the Akwasidae, of the Asante kingdom.
Surprisingly, the ‘machomen’ were said to have capped their hostility by consuming the queen mother’s drinks for the celebration, and also made away with a sheep meant for sacrifice during the Akwasidae celebration.
Unit Committee Chairman for the area, Nana Sarfo Adjei Kantanka, confirmed the incident, saying the attacked persons were rushed to the hospital for treatment.
At a press conference held on Monday, September 7, 2020, the Unit Committee Chairman accused the chief of the community, Nana Osei Yaw, for being behind the attacks and said the residents since the incident were living in fear.
He, therefore, appealed to the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to intercede to ensure that the lives of the inhabitants were protected.“What I can say is that President Akufo-Addo, we are pleading with you to come and help us. We are also pleading with Otumfuo, this is his father’s town, he should come to our aid.
I can’t sleep at home, because this guy rolls with ‘machomen’, he can come at any time,” he said.But, the chief of the town, denied ever hiring ‘machomen’ to cause any mayhem in the town.
He explained that as a result of some chieftaincy dispute in the area, he had sent a letter to the Trede Police, two weeks earlier, informing them of the celebration of the Akwasidae.Nana Osei Yaw, indicated that the queen mother had no right to celebrate the Akwasidae once he is the chief who is supposed to organise it.
He mentioned that the Trede Police contacted him of an earlier letter from one Yaw Antwi, son of Nana Yaa Agyeiwaa, in view of the Akwasidae and birthday celebration of the queen mother, claiming that there was no chief in the town.
As part of the celebration, the chief said, Yaw Antwi had organised a military band to grace the occasion that Sunday. According to the chief, the police realised, following a preliminary investigation, that Yaw Antwi was trying to foment trouble, and as such, was arrested and detained at the police station on Saturday.
The chief said that on Sunday, he, together with some of his subjects, were given an escort by the police from Trede to the palace and that “I did not go there with any machomen.”He added that the police were there to the end of the Akwasidae and no one touched the old woman, whom he said was even, not the queen mother, but her daughter, Nana Ataa Agyeiwaa.According to Nana Yaw Osei, he could not even slaughter the sheep for the Akwasidae rituals as the stool and other materials were nowhere to be found and as such he had reported a case of missing stools to the police.
He said no one consumed the drinks or took away the sheep of the old lady but “I rather handed over my sheep to the family because I could not use it for the rituals.”
From Kingsley E.Hope, Kumasi
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.
