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Suhum Municipal Assembly distributes 50,000 free oil palm seedlings to 120 farmers
The Suhum Municipal Assembly has distributed a first batch of 50,000.00 free oil palm seedlings to 120 farmers within the municipality for cultivation.
The oil palm seedlings for the first phase exercise were nursed within six months at a cost of GH¢65, 000.00.
Each beneficiary received 416 seedlings to cover about seven acres of land.
In total, more than 8,000 farmers within the municipality were expected to benefit at the end of the phase two of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture five-year flagship programme dubbed ‘Planting for Export and Rural Development’ being implemented by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
Distributing the seedlings to the farmers, the Municipal Chief Executive, Mrs Margaret Darko said the government recognised the important role of agriculture in the growth and development of the country.
She said the Planting for Export and Rural Development programme was initiated to commercialise farming in the rural communities and to support farmers within the municipality as part of the government’s commitment to alleviating poverty.
She said enhancing the capacity of farmers to cultivate more farm produce to feed their families, Ghana and for export to help build a stronger economy had been the desire of the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The MCE indicated that the New Patriotic Party government recognised the contribution of agriculture towards growth and development of the nation and had since been implementing flagship programmes, including Planting for Food and Jobs, Rearing for Job and Export.
She advised residents of the municipality to eschew politics and support all government developmental programmes.
Mrs Darko commended the government for the initiatives which were farmer-friendly and had the potential of alleviating poverty in the country.
For his part, the Suhum Municipal Director of Agriculture, Mr Samuel K. Dzisah said the seedlings were procured from the Soil Research Institute at Kusi and nursed in two separate communities at Okurase and Zor for distribution to the beneficiary farmers and advised the youth to take advantage of the all-important opportunity to enrich themselves.
He said the Department of Agriculture remained resolute to provide any needed assistant to all farmers to reap the benefits of the project.
He indicated that farming was a lucrative business which the youth must endeavour to engage in, adding that it was not a means of punishment as portrayed by some Ghanaian youth.
FROM DAVID KODJO, SUHUM
A 30-year-old man has been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment with hard labour by the Bekwai Circuit Court for his role in a 2022 robbery at a mining site at Manso Akwasiso in the Ashanti South Region.
The convict, Dominic Ofori, also known as Fanta, was arrested on 16th February 2026 after years on the run. He pleaded guilty before the Bekwai Circuit Court to robbery contrary to Section 149 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 Act 29, and was accordingly sentenced to 25 years imprisonment with hard labour.
On March 20, 2022, the Manso Adubia District Police received intelligence that a group of armed men from Manso Abodom were planning to attack a mining site at Manso Akwasiso to rob the owner of gold concentrate. Acting on the information, police mounted a coordinated operation and laid an ambush at the site.
At about 5:30 pm the same day, four-armed men arrived at the site, fired indiscriminately, and robbed the miners of their gold concentrate. The police team on surveillance intervened, resulting in an exchange of gunfire.
Three of the suspects, Abu Abubakar, Musah Latif, and Gideon Takyi, sustained gunshot wounds and were pronounced dead on arrival at St Martins Catholic Hospital at Agroyesum. Dominic Ofori escaped at the time but was later arrested and put before the court.
The Ashanti South Regional Police Command has assured the public of its continued commitment to combating violent crimes and bringing offenders to justice.
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has arrested 45-year-old Isaac Boafo, also known as “Duabo King,” for allegedly publishing false news intended to cause fear and panic.
Police said the arrest follows a viral TikTok video in which Boafo claimed that four officers at the Central Police Station in Kumasi engaged in inappropriate conduct with commercial sex workers during night patrols in Asafo.
Officers from the Police Intelligence Directorate (Ashanti Region) apprehended Boafo after receiving intelligence about the video.
During questioning, he admitted to creating the video to attract views and engagement online, and acknowledged that he could not prove the allegations.
Boafo also admitted making comments about the President of the Republic for content purposes and could not defend those statements.
He has been formally charged and is in detention as investigations continue.
The Ashanti Regional Police have warned the public against publishing or sharing false information on social media, noting that such acts can cause fear, panic, and damage reputations.
They said anyone found engaging in similar conduct will face legal action.
By: Jacob Aggrey
