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WA brainstorms to counter violent extremism
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The Upper West Regional Crime Officer of the Ghana Police Service, Chief Superintendent Reynolds Manteaw has encouraged community members to form watch committees to complement the efforts of the police in ensuring security in the region.
He indicated that though security forces in the country were putting the best strategies in place to protect the citizens, they would need the collaboration of all in order to make their mandate more feasible.
“Through vigilance, these watch committees can monitor and report activities of suspected persons in the community to the police for further action”, he said.
C/Supt Manteaw who made this known at a Regional Inter-party Dialogue Committee Meeting organised by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) at Wa on Monday, explained that with the knowledge and guidance of the police, the community members could put themselves into these groups to safeguard the security of their respective communities.
The meeting sought to create a platform for dialogue among the stakeholders on effective ways of identifying early warning signs of extremist violence through community surveillance and also develop measures to counter radicalisation of the youth.
The Crime Officer used the opportunity to encourage community members to decline invitation to join groups that sought to foment trouble in society and said they should rather report such suspicious groups to the police for immediate action.
The Deputy Regional Director of the NCCE, Mr John Yibile also urged the public, particularly the youth to stay away from individuals or political activists who sought to recruit them into vigilante groups and entice them to cause mayhem.
He stated that violent extremism was becoming a threat to peaceful coexistence and social cohesion and said there was the need to ensure that citizens were sensitised to the nature and prevention of activities of such groups in the region.
The meeting formed part of a project dubbed ‘Preventing Electoral Violence and Providing Security to the Border Regions of Ghana (NORPRESEC)’ funded by the European Union.
Representatives of various political parties, traditional authorities, staff of the Electoral Commission, people living with disabilities, among others attended the forum.
From Rafia Abdul Razak, Wa
General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, has filed his nomination to contest the position of General Secretary again as the party begins its rebuilding efforts ahead of the 2028 general elections.
He was accompanied by party stalwarts and supporters who were in high spirits, expressing confidence that he is the right person to hold the position.
Speaking after filing his nomination, Mr Kodua Frimpong assured the rank and file of the party that he would not disappoint them.
“I can assure you that the faith the rank and file of the party have had in me, I will never disappoint them,” he said.
He also pledged to run a clean campaign devoid of personal attacks.
“I can assure you that our internal campaign will be devoid of personal attacks,” he told his fellow contestants and the rank and file of the party as he seeks to retain his position.
His tenure has seen the party through the 2024 general elections, where the NPP lost power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after eight years in government.
The party is currently in a rebuilding phase, with internal elections scheduled to elect new national executives to lead its reorganization towards the 2028 polls.
The General Secretary position is considered one of the most influential in the party’s administrative structure, responsible for the day-to-day running of the party secretariat and implementation of party decisions.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has disputed claims made on social media by comedian Michael Blackson concerning the treatment given to his late mother, saying a review found that the allegations did not accurately reflect what happened during her stay at the hospital.
In a statement issued in Accra on August 5, 2026, the management of UGMC expressed condolences to Mr. Blackson and his family over the death of his 83-year-old mother, who died at the facility on July 16, 2026.
The hospital said it had taken the concerns raised by Mr. Blackson seriously and conducted a thorough review in line with its clinical and administrative procedures.
According to the statement, the facts presented by Mr. Blackson on social media contained “numerous inaccuracies” and did not accurately reflect the medical care provided to his mother.
UGMC explained that she was referred to the facility from another hospital and received treatment there from May 27 to July 16, 2026, a period of about eight weeks.
The hospital stated that it would not release details of her diagnosis, treatment, medical records or other aspects of her care because it had a duty to protect patient confidentiality, even after death.
It said the decision was intended to respect the dignity of the deceased and the privacy of her family.
UGMC further stated that all clinical decisions at the facility are made by qualified healthcare professionals based on medical judgment, established standards of care and the best interests of the patient.
The statement added that such decisions are made in consultation with authorised family representatives where necessary and that billing and financial procedures are governed by institutional policies and are separate from clinical decision-making.
The hospital noted that it values feedback from patients and their families and considers both positive and negative comments important for improving the quality of care.
Mr. Blackson had earlier used social media to criticise the care his mother received at UGMC, prompting the hospital’s response.
By: Jacob Aggrey
