News
Ziblim Iddi withdraws from Gushegu primary
Dr Ziblim Iddi, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Gushegu Constituency in the Northern Region has withdrawn from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primary.
He made this known to the constituents when he sent a letter to that effect to the general secretary of the party and copied to regional and constituency executives at the weekend.
“I write to formally inform your good office that I do not intend to contest as a candidate in the parliamentary primaries scheduled for June 20, 2020 in the Gushegu constituency,” Dr Iddi wrote.
The withdrawal of Dr Iddi, who is also the deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, from the primary has thrown the constituency into total shock as nobody within the rank and file of the party in the constituency thought of it.
Dr Iddi had filed to contest the primary and was campaigning vigorously and all of a sudden stepped down and his withdrawal from the contest has been the talk in the Gushegu constituency and its surrounding as supporters, members and well wishers of the party were seen in groups discussing the unfortunate decision.
There have been rumours by the constituents that big wigs in the party might have forced him to step down while others also blamed it on the internal bickering and wrangling in the constituency.
However, Dr Iddi in the said letter stated that the decision was personal and that there were no external forces insisting that “I arrived at this painful decision after a very broad consultation and deep introspection so I entreat the leadership of the party and electoral directorate of the NPP to remove his name and picture on the ballot paper and the Notice of Poll.
Dr Iddi called on his supporters, sympathisers and well wishers not to be disturbed about his withdrawal and that his loyalty to party was intact and appealed to them to continue their support and assistance to the party and not create disaffection.
FROM YAKUBU ABDUL-MAJEED, GUSHEIGU
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
