Category: General

The Volta Regional Police Command Tuesday found an inmate hanged in the Akatsi Police cells. Simon Doeve, accused of murder, was going through committal at the Akatsi District Court and was remanded to go back to the Court on March 13, 2024, but hanged himself ahead of the court date. The Police suspect no foul play as the body had no marks of assault. His body has been deposited at the Ho Teaching Hospital for preservation and autopsy. Police brief said Doeve was remanded into Police custody on February 12, 2024, and on the same day, he hanged himself. Investigation revealed that at about 0350 hours, the counter non-commissioned officer sergeant Gideon Ndsuga visited the cells and detected the accused person was not part of the inmates. When he enquired, he was told Doeve was in the washroom, only to find him hanged on the fan hook on the ceiling with a duster used for the cleaning of the washroom. The brief said the family of the deceased was informed by Deputy Commissioner of Police Mr Andrews Boadu Ekumah, the Regional Police Commander. Afterwards, the family was allowed into the cells to identify him. Source: Ghana News Agency

Paris, Feb. 29 (TAP Correspondent Rakia Selmi)- Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani met on Thursday evening at the Tunisian Embassy in Paris with the heads of Tunisian consular missions and representatives of accredited Tunisian institutions in France, in the presence of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Tunisians Abroad Nabil Ammar and Minister of the Economy and Planning Feriel Ouerghi Sebai. The Prime Minister listened to the concerns of the heads of consular missions. He commended the significant role played by diplomatic and consular missions in addressing the needs of Tunisians abroad, stressing the need to improve the quality of services offered to Tunisian expatriates. The Premier also had talks with representatives of accredited Tunisian support bodies in France, calling them to seize opportunities made available in various sectors. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Plan International Ghana has equipped artisans in four communities in the Akuapim North Municipality of the Eastern Region with start-up kits as part of the 'Be Smart, Learn, and Stay Protected' initiative. Artisans in the communities of Kwamoso, Aboabo, Okorase, and Timber-Nkwanta have been provided with equipment to improve their craft and boost their quality of life. With funding from Nivea, the initiative has already sparked great enthusiasm as it would offer artisans the opportunity to attain self-sufficiency, create a better future, support their families, and contribute to socio-economic development. During the presentation at Tinkong, Mr Mahmoud E. K. Nantomah, the Coordinator of the Be Smart, Learn, and Stay Protected Project, said the artisans were grouped into two; young adults who had already acquired skilled trade, and those yet to undergo apprenticeship in bakery. Those already trained and working as plumbers, dressmakers, and hairdressers received a range of tools and equipment, including d rilling machine, shovel, pickaxe, industrial sewing machine, knitting machine, hairdryer, hair basin, rollers and gallons of hair conditioner and shampoo. Mr Nantomah said experts from the Business Resource Centre (BRC) at the Municipal Assembly were invited to provide beneficiaries with a comprehensive two-day training on entrepreneurship and business management. The artisans received training in marketing, financial management, and bookkeeping to enhance productivity and guarantee sound financial practices in their businesses. The second group of young adults, who took part in the training session, would soon begin a three-to-six-month apprenticeship in baking and receive support to launch their businesses after completing the programme. He said a community-level structure, called Champions of Change, and the child protection committee working with the project in the communities would help to monitor the judicious use of the machines presented to the first cohort of the livelihood beneficiaries. Mr Ble ss Kofi Vieku, the Project Manager of the Be Smart, Learn, and Stay Protected Project, said it aimed to empower young adults, particularly adolescents, with skills and tools for income-generating activities to reduce their vulnerability to sexual and gender-based violence. The project, which commenced in 2021, currently operates in 20 communities in the Eastern and Oti regions and now in its second phase of implementation, which would end in March 2025, he noted. Mr Samuel Adjinbaruk, the Deputy Director, Akuapim North Municipal Assembly, on behalf of the Municipal Chief Executive, commended Plan International Ghana for the economic empowerment of young adults in the area. Ms Gifty Sabla, a seamstress, who received an industrial sewing machine, assured the organisation of her commitment to putting it to good use. Source: Ghana News Agency

The Mankessim Circuit Court has sentenced a 24-year-old herbalist to 30 years imprisonment for robbery at Asuokor, near Breman-Asikuma in the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District of the Central Region. The convict, John Awila also known as 'Nana Kojo Agbeko', also claimed to be a reporter with Onua TV and Passion TV. He pleaded guilty to three counts of robbery and pleaded for leniency but the court presided over by Mrs Veronique Abena Praba Tetteh, convicted him for the offences. The Attorney General is also preparing advice on a docket to prosecute the convict for possible murder and illegal possession of firearms. Detective Chief Inspector Alhassan Iddrisu, told the court Mr Elijah Addo, a Teacher and the complainant gave his red and yellow Toyota Yaris Taxi cab with registration number CR-5569-21 to Mr Ishmael Assan, a driver to work and render sales. The Prosecutor said on Friday, February 9, the convict hired the driver to Breman-Asikuma but on reaching the Towoboase-junction at Breman-Jamra, the convict instructed the driver to turn and drive towards Towoboase of which he obliged. However, when they passed the Asuokor community leading to Towoboase town, the convict asked the driver again to drive back to Asuokor. Along the Asuokor stretch, the Prosecutor said the convict again ordered the victim to branch through a nearly unmotorable road and in the process, the convict told the driver to park the car and follow him to a nearby village where his mother lives. According to the Prosecutor, they both took to the footpath and along the way, the convict turned hostile suddenly pulled out a pistol from his bag, pointed at the driver, and ordered him to surrender every valuable at his disposal. Out of fear, the Prosecutor said the driver gave out his bag containing a sum of GhS4400.00 and his mobile phone Techno Spark 8C which is valued at GhS1000.00 to the convict. The convict, notwithstanding, demanded the ignition key of the vehicle, and the driver who appeared helpless gave it out. Regardless of the driv er's pleadings for mercy, the convict shot the driver in his left ear, causing the victim to fall, bleeding profusely from the left eye. Realising danger, the prosecutor said the convict left the victim in the wilderness and quickly bolted with the car. Nearly an hour later, the Prosecutor said the victim managed his way to the main road, where he met an old woman and narrated his ordeal to her. The old woman assisted him by calling some taxi drivers from Bremen-Jamra who swiftly rushed the driver to the Our Lady of Grace Hospital at Bremen-Asikuma. The case was subsequently reported to the police and on Thursday, February 22, at about 1600 hours, the convict was arrested at Bremen-Brakwa while driving the taxi of which he had changed the colour to Ash and also removed the number plate. The police then took the convict to his residence at Bremen-Asikuma where they retrieved a pistol with three live cartridges from his bedroom and after a thorough police investigation, he was charged with the offences. Source: Ghana News Agency

Higher Education and Scientific Research Minister Moncef Boukthir on Wednesday held talks with CEO of the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) Valérie Verdier, on the monitoring of structuring research projects. These projects include joint international laboratories, which will help boost Tunisian-French cooperation in the scientific research field, notably in water resources management, environmental protection, renewables and technology transfer and development. The meeting focused on the prospects for bilateral cooperation through the development of a joint action plan that defines the two countries' shared priorities in the scientific research and innovation fields. The goal is to set up joint research teams and create new mechanisms to scale up Tunisian-French cooperation under international and European programmes such as Horizon Europe, PRIMA and Blue Med, in compliance with the framework agreement signed between the Higher Education and Scientific Research Ministry, the IRD and the Agricultural Research Centre for Development. The meeting was an opportunity to underline the need to boost South-South cooperation by multiplying initiatives aimed at building the capacity of African researchers. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse