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Support Street Academy to Break Cycle of Poverty in Society — Odododiodioo MP

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Nii Kotey Ashie
Nii Kotey Ashie

Mr. Alfred Nii Kotey Ashie, the Member of Parliament for the Odododiodioo Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, has assured the Accra Street Academy of his support in achieving its mission of uplifting vulnerable children within the community to break the cycle of poverty. “Without the needed support, your efforts may go round in circles due to the enormity of the task. This should not be left on the shoulders of the Academy alone. You need support from both government and the private sector. With that, the Academy would be in a good position to shape the future of these children on the streets,” he said.

The Accra Street Academy, originally formed in 1985 as a boxing arena, now serves as a school for deprived children, with most of its population numbering hundreds of pupils being neglected children from the streets of Jamestown and its environs. Mr. Alfred Nii Kotey Ashie made these remarks at the annual stakeholders’ meeting and fundraising event held over the weekend under the theme “Empowering Street Children: Health and Wellness.” The event is one of the Academy’s annual programmes, organized to raise funds and other forms of support to aid the school in catering to the needs of the children and holding its Christmas get-together.

According to the MP, it is worth noting that these children are taught and provided with two meals and a snack daily through the support of benevolent members of society. In view of this, he promised to facilitate the acquisition of documents needed for the construction of an Astroturf within the school’s premises. He noted that “every child has the right to play, and therefore I pledged to do my best to secure the needed documents” for the project to commence.

The legislator disclosed that over the years, the academic programmes of the Accra Street Academy have transformed children surviving on the streets into successful adults. He therefore urged other members of society to partner with the school to “help pupils rise higher for a better Ghana.” In the 2025/26 academic year, 22 pupils were absorbed by the Accra Metro Education Directorate as they transitioned into various Junior High Schools, while still returning to the Accra Street Academy for academic support.

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Ms. Yvonne Abba-Opoku, a chartered governance advisor and senior executive in the nonprofit and charity sector, stated that the best gift to give a child was education.

By Spectator Reporter

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Man convicted for stealing church instruments

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The Volta North Regional Police Command has secured a conviction of a 27 year old man Mohammed Rafiu for making unlawful entry and stealing church musical instruments at Hohoe in the Volta Region.

On June 5, 2026 the accused was observed near the Faith International Ministry Church carrying a sack containing various items rushing to hail a car.

The witnesses suspected his action and approached to check the content in the sack. The following items were found, One (1) Amplifier, One (1) equalizer, One (1) mixer and
Cross-over Machine all belonging to the church.

The accused was arrested and brought to the Hohoe Police District where he admitted to police to the charges leveled against him.

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On Monday June 8, 2026 the accused was put before the Hohoe circuit cout where he pleaded guilty on two counts and was convicted and sentenced to three (3) years for unlawful entry and four (4) years of stealing.

Both sentences are to run concurrently.

The Volta North Regional Police Command has urged the general public to immediately report any suspected criminal activities to the Police for action.

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Dome-Kwabenya MP, Ga East MCE tour flood-prone areas in the constituency, assure victims of support

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The Member of Parliament (MP) for Dome-Kwabenya, Elikplim Akurugu, together with the Municipal Chief Executive for the Ga East Municipal Assembly, Edmund Agboh, and officials of the assembly, have toured several flood-prone communities in the constituency to identify the causes of recent flooding and inspect structures obstructing waterways.

The inspection made on the Monday, 8th June, 2026 formed part of efforts to assess the extent of the flooding, identify structures built on waterways, and develop plans for their demolition to prevent future occurrences.

Some areas visited during the tour included Christian Village, Sesemi, Abokobi Station, Falaku and the Pure Water area, all of which were affected by the recent floods that hit parts of the constituency.

Speaking to the media after the inspection, the MP expressed sadness over the destruction caused by the floods, noting that although no lives were lost, many residents had suffered significant property damage.

She attributed much of the flooding to human activities such as indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drains and the construction of buildings on waterways and drainage channels.

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The MP appealed to residents to change their attitudes towards sanitation and environmental management, stressing that the country did not have a deficit of prayers but rather an attitude deficit.

She assured residents that the assembly and its technical team would immediately begin work to address some of the drainage challenges identified during the tour.

Ms. Akurugu sympathised with residents whose homes and businesses were affected by the floods and assured them that efforts were being made to secure relief items to support them.

The Municipal Chief Executive of the Ga East Municipal Assembly, Edmund Agboh, said the inspection was intended to take stock of the causes of the recent flooding, which he described as unprecedented.

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According to him, the assembly wants to be proactive by identifying and addressing the factors responsible for the flooding before the next rainy season.

Mr. Agboh blamed part of the problem on the increasing number of structures being erected on waterways and drainage paths, as well as the failure of some residents to comply with building regulations.

He disclosed that many of the structures identified during the inspection would be marked for demolition after the necessary procedures had been completed.

The MCE further announced plans to intensify inspections, particularly on weekends, explaining that some developers often undertake unauthorised construction works on Saturdays and Sundays when assembly officials are not at work.

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He said the assembly would collaborate with neighbouring jurisdictions and deploy additional resources to improve drainage systems and reduce flooding in the municipality.

The MCE assured that the assembly will use the findings from the inspection to implement immediate and long-term measures aimed at reducing flooding and protecting lives and property in Dome-Kwabenya.

The Director of Works at the Ga East Municipal Assembly, Engineer Justine Glover, said the team inspected several critical locations along the Dakobi River and other flood-prone areas.

He explained that at Pantang Village, officials directed contractors to excavate and open blocked culvert outlets to allow the free flow of water during rainfall.

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At Sesemi, he said the team observed extensive damage caused by upstream developments and the absence of proper drainage infrastructure.

Engineer Glover added that officials recommended dredging drainage channels at Abokobi Station to improve the performance of existing culverts.

He further revealed that some structures identified on waterways at Falaku had been earmarked for demolition as part of efforts to restore the natural flow of water.

In addition to the inspection, the MP and the MCE visited residents affected by the floods in the Pure Water area to offer words of encouragement and assure them of support.

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The tour also revealed that many residents had constructed buildings on waterways, while several structures lacked the required building permits, a situation officials said had contributed significantly to the flooding experienced in the constituency.

By: Jacob Aggrey

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