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Saturday downpour: …Parts of Accra flood again
A torrential downpour in the early hours of Saturday caused flooding in some parts of Accra particularly the Kaneshie Market area, First Light, Abossey Okai, Adabraka.
Worst hit was the ObetsebiLamptey Interchange where motorists had to use alternative routes to avoid the vehicles being swept by the raging floods.
The New Times Corporation was also hit by the floods.
Some communities at Tema and their environs within the region also experienced flood.
Choked gutters in the metropolis worsened the situation, as the rain water had no pathway to flow into the main drains.
Vehicles were seen trapped in the flood, creating inconvenience for commuters and traders who were on their way to work that morning.
Drivers parked their vehicles to wait for the level of the flood to reduce, while commuters in commercial vehicles got down to wade through the flood.
Some squatters in the area took advantage of the situation to make money-they carried people, especially women and children, on their backs to cross the flood for a fee.
Affected residents who had lost properties were seen wadding through the flood, trying to salvage any property they could find after the downpour.
The flood left huge piles of refuse at the affected communities. However, no death, according to an official at the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), had been recorded.
Trading activities at the Central Business District in Accra delayed for several hours due to the rain and the floods.
The Ghana Meteorological Service had earlier issued a statement warning residents in the region of an imminent rainstorm in the region.
Despite the hours of early downpour, sunshine broke in the afternoon, and people were able to go about their normal duties.
Shops in Accra opened to traders and business activities after the rain, however, residents in some communities were unable to go out due to the flood.
Ghanaians have expressed anger over how a little rainfall could cause flood, especially in the capital.
The flood was one of the topical issues trending on social media on Saturday morning, with people sharing videos and expressing concern over the issue.
They called on the government and city authorities to help address the situation by clearing choked gutters and creating pathways for rain water.
Flood has become perennial concern in the country. Many lives are lost annually, with several properties destroyed as a result of flood.
On June 3, 2015, about 126 people passed away in a flood and a fire explosion at the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange.
However, the city continues to record flood every year.
Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, Sammy Awuku, has expressed deep sorrow following the sudden passing of Isaac Batsa, the constituency secretary for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker issued a statement on Tuesday reacting to the news, which has shocked the local political community.
Mr.Awuku praised the late NDC secretary for his bipartisan approach to local governance.
He noted that despite their different political affiliations, Batsa consistently rose above party lines to serve the constituency with diligence.
The MP revealed that the news was particularly shocking given that he had last interacted with Batsa just three days prior on Saturday.
Concluding his statement, Sammy Awuku extended his heartfelt condolences to Batsa’s family, the constituency and regional executives, and the entire NDC fraternity, wishing the deceased peaceful eternal rest.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
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Attorney General charges Chairman Wontumi and two others over alleged GH¢18.7 million Ghana Exim Bank fraud
The Office of the Attorney General has charged Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, and two others over the alleged fraudulent acquisition of funds from the Ghana Export-Import Bank for a farming project.
The charges were brought against Chairman Wontumi, Thomas Antwi-Boasiako, who is currently at large, and Wontumi Farms Limited.
According to court documents released by the Attorney General’s office, Chairman Wontumi, identified as the first accused person, allegedly approached the Ghana Exim Bank in January 2018 for financial support to undertake a large-scale farming project.
The prosecution said he applied for a GH¢19 million facility on behalf of Wontumi Farms Limited and claimed that the company had secured a 100,000-acre parcel of land for the proposed farming venture.
The Attorney General alleged that documents submitted together with the application contained false information.
According to the prosecution, one of the documents presented as a board resolution letter was dated January 23, 2018, but referred to a board resolution supposedly passed on December 9, 2017, four days before the company was officially incorporated on December 14, 2017.
The prosecution further stated that the accused persons also submitted a project proposal claiming that 2,500 hectares of the proposed farm would employ about 6,000 families, representing nearly 38,000 individuals.
Court documents indicate that the Ghana Exim Bank later approved an GH¢18.7 million facility made up of loans and grants for the project.
The facility was reportedly intended for the purchase of agricultural machinery, working capital, staff costs and consultancy services.
According to investigators, the bank disbursed more than GH¢14.3 million to the company between January and March 2018.
However, investigations by the Economic and Organised Crime Office of the Attorney General allegedly found that the proposed farming activities were never carried out.
The prosecution said the accused persons neither purchased the agricultural machinery nor secured the land they claimed to own for the project.
Investigators also alleged that Chairman Wontumi later submitted a document to the bank as proof that the company had purchased agricultural machinery worth GH¢4 million.
However, investigations reportedly established that the document was originally a pro-forma invoice from KAS-SAMA Enterprise and not an actual receipt.
According to the Attorney General’s office, the inscription “Pro-forma Invoice” was allegedly altered and replaced with the word “Receipt” before it was submitted to the bank.
The prosecution further alleged that Chairman Wontumi withdrew large sums from the company’s accounts and used the funds for personal expenses and investments in other businesses.
The Attorney General stated that attempts by the bank to recover the money were unsuccessful.
The Economic and Organised Crime Office reportedly began investigations into the matter in March 2025.
Chairman Wontumi was later arrested, cautioned and officially charged on May 14, 2026.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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