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Nana Agradaa to spend 15 years in prison in hard labour
Founder of the Heaven Way Champion International Ministry at Weija, Patricia Asiedua, also known as Agradaa has been sentenced to 15 years in prison in hard labour by the Accra Circuit Court.
This was after the court presided over by Evelyn Asamoah found her guilty on multiple counts of defrauding by false pretence and charlatanic advertisements in newspapers.
The self-styled evangelist used her church to defraud members of the public under the guise of “money doubling.”
Before passing sentence, the judge ordered that pregnancy test be conducted on her.
Prosecuting, Assistant Superintendent of Police(ASP) Emmanuel Haligah told the court that on October 10, 2022, the complainants reported to the police that Mrs Asiedua demanded and received money from them under the pretext of giving them various sums of monies in return.
He said upon the receipt of the report, police commenced investigations into the matter which led to the arrest of the convict.
ASP Haligah told the court that investigations established that on October 5, 2022, Asiedua advertised on Today’s Tv and other social media platforms that she was organizing an all-night service on October 7, 2022 at Heaven Way Champions International Ministry where she was going to share an amount of GH300.000.00 to all participants who needed money to fund their business or pay rent.
The court heard that the self-styled evangelist displayed the bundles of money during the advert and encouraged members of the public to attend the service for a share of the money.
The prosecutor stated that investigations also established that due to the said false representation made in the adverts on media platforms, complainants and other members of the public came from all walks of life to attend the said all night service.
ASP Haligah said that during the all-night service, Asiedua directed the congregation to form groups of 20 members and each member was to pay an amount of money ranging from GH 1000.00 and any amount.
“She made the representation that if the first group of 20 could each pay GH 1000.00 each, she would give them GH50,000.00 to share,” ASP Haligah added.
He said the convict continued in that fashion and promised the next group to pay GH900.00 each and get a sum of GH40,000.
The prosecutor told the court that some of the complainants found themselves in the group of 19 paid GH500.00 and more.
ASP Haligah said Asiedua represented to them that she would give that group GH25,000.00 to share.
“Based upon this representation, the complainants parted with various sums of money, Accused after obtaining the monies did not fulfil her promise to give them the sums of money in return and rather left them in the church premises stranded,” the policeman said.
The prosecutor said further investigations established that the self-styled evangelist undertook the charlatanic advertisement with intent to defraud unsuspecting complainants.
He said during interrogations, the convict admitted complainants’ assertions were true.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
News
Prioritise affordable treatment of sickle cell treatment —Health Expert
Health experts have urged Ghana to prioritise affordable and accessible treatment for sickle cell disease (SCD) as advanced, but costly curative therapies remain out of reach.
SCD, an inherited blood disorder, affects about three in every 100 newborns in Ghana.
Globally, around 1,000 babies are born with the condition daily, with three-quarters in sub-Saharan Africa.
The disease causes severe complications including chronic pain, anaemia, infections, strokes and organ damage, often leading to shortened life expectancy.
In recent years, gene therapy has been developed as a potential cure.
However, its cost—running into millions of dollars per patient—makes it financially and technically inaccessible in Ghana.
According to Dr Lawrence Osei-Tutu, a Sickle Cell and Childhood Cancer Expert at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, “the country must instead focus on practical, lower-cost interventions such as hydroxyurea”, a decades-old cancer drug proven to reduce painful episodes, hospitalisation and life- threatening complications in SCD patients”.
Taken orally, the medicine improves red blood cell function and is considered safe and effective.
“Hydroxyurea therapy is as good as the cure and a low-hanging fruit to pluck, we must bring a cure to our sickle cell warriors, but do so sustainably.” he urged.
In a chat with The Spectator here, he said to create awareness on the disease, the expert noted that despite its benefits, “hydroxyurea is not widely accessible in Ghana.”
Stressing that, “many patients either cannot afford it or struggle with irregular supply through the health system.”
Moreover, he argued that scaling up access would provide immediate relief while the country builds the infrastructure, trains specialists and secures funding needed to support curative therapies in the future.
With an estimated 15,000 babies born with sickle cell disease annually in Ghana, Dr Osei Tutu cautioned that “failure to improve access to effective treatment will leave many patients vulnerable to preventable complications and early death.”
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
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Let’s reintroduce Cultural Studies to complement educational reforms — Tourism Minister
Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, has emphasised the importance of reintroducing Cultural Studies in schools as part of Ghana’s broader educational reform agenda.
She said Cultural Studies would complement existing efforts to reposition Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to promote digital literacy and expand Creative Arts education.
Speaking at the 2025 Homowo Festival of the people of Ningo-Prampram, held on the theme: “Education: The Best Legacy for our Children,” Madam Gomashie said cultural education was critical to national identity and development.
She noted that the festival’s theme aligned with the Government’s vision to transform education in Ghana and encouraged the youth to embrace it not only as a means of personal development but also as a way of preserving traditional values.
These values, including patience, wisdom, and hard work, were at the core of the Homowo celebration, the Minister said.
“Cultural festivals like Homowo are vital instruments for strengthening cultural identity, preserving historical memory, and fostering national unity. Additionally, festivals serve as platforms for educating the youth through storytelling, music, dance, and other traditional practices, while also providing opportunities for community engagement.”
Madam Gomashie highlighted the strong foundation that Ghana’s tourism was built on, which included culture, traditions, and the creative industry, collectively contributing to over GH¢4.8 billion to the economy.
“Festivals give tourists reasons to visit our country. Therefore, with the right infrastructure and the development of all the domains, the sector can do more than what has been recorded,” she added.
Mr Sam Nartey George, the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram and Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, commended the community for their vibrant participation in the festival. He announced plans for the construction of a new nursing training school in Ningo, aimed at expanding access to healthcare education in the area.
Nene Osroagbo Djangmah XII, Paramount Chief of Great Ningo Traditional Area; King Dr Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, Ga Mantse; Nene Tetteh Wakah III, Paramount Chief of the Prampram Traditional Area; Prof. Odaifio Welentsi III, Paramount Chief of the Nungua Traditional Area; Naana Dugbakuwor Dugba II, Paramount Queen Mother of Great Ningo; and Mr. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, Special Envoy on Religion and Inter-Faith Affairs, who represented the Chief of Staff, were among dignitaries at the festival. -GNA
