News
‘Restore pontoon service at Tsyome-Sabadu’
The collapse of pontoon services at Tsyome-Sabadu has become a major disincentive for farmers in the area as they are compelled to leave their produce to rot on their farms, due to the lack of transport to convey their produce to the market.
The farmers who mostly cultivate yam, cassava, sweet potatoes, pepper, garden eggs, okro, tomatoes and other vegetables have therefore appealed to the government to as a matter of urgency restore pontoon services in the area.
The assemblyman for the area, Mr Amedor Senyo Dzamposu who disclosed this to the ‘Ghanaian Times’ here on Saturday said the people of Tsyome-Sabadu were displaced from their old town by the Volta River, Tsyome-Tornu, as a result of the construction of the Akosombo Dam in 1964.
That, notwithstanding, they maintained their fertile farmlands at the old site, eight kilometre away, said the assemblyman.
He said that it was initially easy for the farmers to transport their crops to Kpando and beyond with the vibrant pontoon services on the river.
However, with the recent collapse of the pontoon services, the farmers could no longer market their produce and that was unleashing hardship on them, as well as the entire community.
According to Mr Dzamposu, the farmers could not convey their massive harvests to the community by foot, and so they only brought home what they consumed.
He revealed that some uncompassionate middlemen took advantage of the situation and turned up on the farms to purchase the crops at ‘next-to-nothing’ prices.
“Now, some farmers are so frustrated that they want to give up tilling the soil,” the assembly man told the ‘Ghanaian Times’.
Similarly, he said, local fishermen who could no longer sell their stock left them to rot, in the absence of market.
Mr Dzamposu said that farming and fishing were the mainstay of the Tsyome-Sabadu, “but we are now losing our livelihood.”
Apart from the collapse of the pontoon service, he said that the 11 kilometre road from Tsyome-Sabadu to Awate where there was market for crops, was in a deplorable state; and that was not helping matters for the local farmers.
The assemblyman renewed his appeal to the government to intervene as a matter of urgency, to restore pontoon services in the area and also fix the roads.
FROM ALBERTO MARIO NORETTI, TSYOME-SABADU
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.
