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‘Restore pontoon service at Tsyome-Sabadu’

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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.

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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.

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“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.

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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

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Police arrest former boxer Ayitey Powers over alleged death threat on NSA boss

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The Accra Regional Police Command has arrested former professional boxer Michael Ayitey Okai, popularly known as “Ayitey Powers,” over an alleged threat of death against the Director-General of the National Sports Authority, Yaw Ampofo.

According to the Police, the 46-year-old former boxer was arrested on Monday, August 24, 2026, in connection with the alleged threat.

The Police said the arrest followed a video circulating on social media in which Ayitey Powers is alleged to have issued the threat against Mr Ampofo.

He is currently in Police custody and is assisting with investigations.

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The Accra Regional Police Command said investigations are ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged threat and determine the appropriate action to be taken in accordance with the law.

The Command has urged the public to refrain from sharing unverified information about the matter while the investigation continues.

By: Jacob Aggrey

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Afenyo Markin sues Sammy Gyamfi, Multimedia for alleged defamation

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Minority Leader in Parliament Alexander Afenyo Markin has sued the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, and Multimedia Group Limited over alleged defamatory comments made against him on the Newsfile programme.

In a writ filed at the High Court in Accra, Mr Afenyo Markin is seeking GH¢15 million in damages, an apology and retraction of the statements, among other reliefs.

The suit follows comments allegedly made by Mr Gyamfi during the Saturday, August 22, 2026 edition of Newsfile, hosted by Samson Lardy Anyenini.

According to the statement of claim, Mr Gyamfi described Mr Afenyo Markin as an “extortionist” while responding to a question about GoldBod’s reported profits and its position on losses arising from its operations.

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The plaintiff claims that Mr Gyamfi repeated the allegation when the host sought clarification on whether he stood by the description.

Mr Afenyo Markin further claims that Mr Gyamfi challenged him to sue him and insisted that the allegation was true.

The plaintiff argues that the statements created the impression that he engages in extortion, uses his political influence to put improper pressure on public institutions and officials, and conducts himself in a manner inconsistent with the standards expected of a lawyer and public office holder.

He denies the allegations and maintains that he is not an extortionist and has never engaged in the conduct alleged by Mr Gyamfi.

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The Minority Leader also argues that the comments were made maliciously and were presented as facts without evidence being disclosed.

He claims the statements have damaged his reputation, professional standing and public image, particularly because of his position as a senior political figure and legal practitioner.

The suit also names Multimedia Group Limited as a defendant because, according to the plaintiff, the alleged defamatory comments were broadcast through JoyNews and subsequently circulated on social media platforms, including X, Facebook and YouTube.

Mr Afenyo Markin claims Multimedia failed to stop the comments or deactivate Mr Gyamfi’s microphone after the allegations were made.

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He is therefore asking the court to award him general, aggravated and exemplary damages, as well as GH¢15 million in compensation and legal costs.

He is also seeking an order compelling the defendants to issue a full, unconditional and unequivocal retraction and public apology.

The plaintiff wants the apology and retraction to be given similar prominence and reach as the original publication, including through JoyNews and the social media platforms where the comments were disseminated.

He is further seeking a permanent injunction preventing the defendants from repeating the alleged defamatory statements or words with a similar meaning.

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The writ requires the defendants to enter an appearance within eight days after being served.

It warns that failure to do so could result in judgment being entered in their absence.

The case was filed by lawyer Paa Kwesi Abaidoo of Dehyena Chambers on behalf of Mr Afenyo Markin.

By: Jacob Aggrey

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