News
Road minister vows to retrieve $30m from foreign contractor for no work done
The Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr. Governs Kwame Agbodza, has registered his displeasure about what he describes as unfair and lopsided contract terms involving a foreign contractor who was paid $30 million for road works after no work done.
The Minister during at interview at Joy fm, a local radio station in Ghana said the contract in question was signed under a suppliers’ credit agreement supported by the Indian Exim Bank.
He noted that such agreements usually allow foreign companies to bring in their own contractors and resources, but expressed concern about the conditions tied to the deal.
According to him, Ghana paid about 20 percent of the contract sum as mobilization to the contractor.
However, he claimed that even on the day a public ceremony was held to mark the start of work, some of the equipment on site did not belong to the contractor, raising concerns about their readiness.
Mr. Agbodza explained that under the agreement, if the contractor raised a second payment request and the government failed to pay within a specified time, the contractor could legally terminate the contract and leave with the funds already paid.
“This particular contract was written in such a way that we paid $30 million, but no work has been done so far. If they do not work up to that value, we will have to get our money back. No amount of meetings or conferences can change that” he said.
The Minister emphasized that while Ghana often entered into turnkey agreements due to limited financial resources, care must be taken to protect the country’s interests in such deals.
He called on professionals involved in the contract process, including lawyers and engineers, to uphold national interest and ensure that agreements signed are fair and beneficial to the country.
Mr. Agbodza stressed that the government would explore all legal means to either recover the funds or compel the contractor to deliver work equivalent to the amount paid.
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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