Krachi East MP’s Radio Station Fined GH¢38k For illegal Connection

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January 14, 2020

BY: News Desk | Voltaonlinegh.com |

Owners of a 2-storey facility, which houses a radio station – Kanor 90.5 FM at Dambai, the capital of the Oti region have been slapped with GH¢38,000 fine for power theft.

According to information gathered by Volta Online, a team from the Revenue Protection Unit of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), last Wednesday detected the illegal extension of power from an ECG pole to the building, which they consequently disconnected.

Mr Benjamin Antwi, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the ECG-Volta told the Ghana News Agency, checks from the their database indicated that no application had been tendered for power, yet the building had lights, with seven air conditioners and the radio transmitters functioning.

Though no arrest has been made yet, the power distributor has surcharged owners of the facility an amount of GH¢38,000.00, as they continue with investigations to unravel the culprits, the PRO stated.

Meanwhile, Volta Online checks in the area revealed that the said building together with the radio station partly or wholly belong to the NPP Member of Parliament for Krachi East and Deputy Minister for Water Resources and Sanitation, Mr. Michael Gyato.

According to sources, the facility which is in close proximity with the Dambai Office of ECG, was constructed in the later part of 2019, while the station begun transmission in December.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

33-Year-Old Man Electrocuted At Kpando

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Volta Online

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January 13, 2020

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Kpando electrocution — The lifeless body handing on the Pole

BY: Lambert Atsivor | Voltaonlinegh.com |

A 33-year-old electrician, Joseph Ademi has met his untimely death Sunday when fixing streetlights at Kpando.

‘Togoo’, as he is popularly known in the town, was electrocuted when he climbed the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) transmission pole opposite Top Man Wood shop in the Kpando township to to replace a malfunctioning streetlight.

ECG officials removing the deceased from the Pole.

Benjamin Obeng-Antwi, the Public Relations Officer of ECG-Volta, in a release copied Volta Online stated that, the deceased who worked for a private contractor, was found hanging on the pole at about 6:30am by some residents, who quickly reported to the Kpando ECG office.

“Further investigation by the Kpando District Office has revealed that the deceased climbed the pole to replace streetlights without any authorization from the ECG district office, isolation request and proper safety apparels,” the statement noted.

The incident attracted alot of onlookers

It further revealed that, the deceased has previously had his climbing shoes and belt seized by ECG officials at Kpando when he unlawfully entered the power distribution network in the later part of 2019.

His body has since been deposited at the Margaret Marquart Catholic Hospital morgue in Kpando, as Police in the area commence invetigations into the incident.

The statement however concluded with an appeal to the general public to desist from unlawful entry into ECG networks.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Free SHS: Peki SHS Mgt Fingered In Alleged Diversion Of Food Items [VIDEO]

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Volta Online

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January 10, 2020

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Peki SHS (3) — The items loaded in a Pick-up vehicle

BY: Lambert Atsivor | Voltaonlinegh.com |

But for the vigilance of an informant and the swift response of the Deputy Volta Regional Minister, Rev. Johnson Avuletey, food items and some educational materials meant for students of the Peki Senior High School in the South Dayi district would have ended up in the home of an auditor who has been going through the books of the school in the last few days.

Information available to the Volta Online revealed that, management of the school on Friday allegedly dispatched a pick-up load of food items and stationery to the house of the yet-to-be identified auditor in Ho, when it was intercepted by the Deputy Regional minister and a team of police upon a tip off.

The items,comprising two gallons of 25 litre cooking oil, bags of corn, beans and rice; cartons of tomato paste, mackerel, milk, tom brown, cocoa powder as well as branded exercise and note books were being conveyed in the school’s official Ford pick-up vehicle when it was impounded by the deputy minister and his team at Sokode-Lokoe.

The case has since been handed over to the Regional Police Command for investigation.

Rev. Avuletey later told the media at the Police headquarters that, the interception was as a result of a surveillance network he deployed across the region to monitor activities in the various Senior High Schools, following complaints he had about the alleged diversion of food items and other logistics meant for the free SHS programme by some unscrupulous managers.

He therefore warned that no school authority would be spared if they attempt to sabotage government by hoarding and diverting items meant for the smooth implementation of the free SHS programme in the region.

Watch Rev. Avuletey Briefing the Media

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Nat’l Security Will Deal with Media Houses Propagating ‘Western Togoland’ Agenda – Dr. Letsa

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Volta Online

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January 8, 2020

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BY: Lambert Atsivor | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The Volta Regional minister, Dr. Archibald Letsa has served notice to media houses propagating the agenda of the Western Togoland secessionist movements in the region that, they would not be spared by the state security apparatus.

He said national security was on high alert against the activities of the Homeland Study Group Foundation led by the 85-year old, Charles Komi Kudzordzi alias Papavi Hogbedetor, and as such would not hesitate to crack the whip on any media house found to be promoting an agenda which threatens the safety and security of the country.

Dr. Letsa who is also the chairman of the Regional Security Council (RegSec) gave the caution at a Press Soiree in Ho on Tuesday, where he reprimanded Radio Tongu, a community radio station at Sogakope in the South Tongu District for being a ‘threat to national security.’

According to the Minister, “The Western Togoland issue has been a major security matter for us in the region in 2019 and we have had complaints about some radio stations giving these people platforms to promote their evil agenda against the country.

… But I want to sound a word of caution to the owners and the presenters there, that they will be held liable when national security is taking action against the group.”

He therefore entreated the media to be extremely circumspect in its coverage of the secessionist group as steps are taking to deal ruthlessly with their treasonable conduct.

Background

The Homeland Study Group Foundation in November 2019 declared the Volta region and parts of the Northern, North East and Upper East regions along the eastern border of Ghana into an independent Western Togoland state.

Dozens of supporters of the group have since been arrested and put before court for various charges including. treason felony. While, their octogenarian founder and leader, Papavi Hogbedetor who made the declaration at the public event in Ho has also been declared wanted by the Police.

A recent joint security operation led by the 66 Artillery Regiment in the Hohoe municipality led to the arrest of a lot more members of group, some of who were seen in viral photos claiming to be a militia wing of their supposed Western Togoland nation.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

GHS To Vaccinate Over 140K Children Against Polio In Oti Region

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Volta Online

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January 7, 2020

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BY: Lambert Atsivor | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) is set to commence a special Polio Vaccination exercise in the Oti region from Wednesday, 8^th to Saturday, 11^th January 2020.

The exercise, which is in partnership with the US Centre for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF would cover over 140,000 children under the age five across all eight districts of the new region.

Speaking at a media briefing in Ho on Monday, Dr. Yaw Ofori Yeboah, Deputy Regional Director of Health for Volta/Oti, said the vaccination campaign was triggered by recent suspected cases recorded in parts of the country, including the Nkwanta North district in November, 2019.

He indicated that, a team of experts upon a thorough assessment of the case recommended the special polio vaccination exercise in order to avoid a possible polio outbreak in the area.

As result, an initial vaccination exercise was carried out in the Nkwanta North and South districts between December 18 and 21, 2019, Dr. Yeboah stated, and added that the campaign was being extended to cover the entire region so as to ensure there was no relapse in the country’s polio eradication gains.

Coverage Area for the Polio vaccination Programme

Mr. Anthony Pani, the Regional Coordinator for Expanded Programme for Immunization (EPI), said personnel for the campaign have been trained and adequate vaccines and logistics have also been made available to ensure a successful exercise.

He added that, a Regional Emergency Operational Centre would also be set up at Jasikan to monitor and coordinator the exercise to achieve the desired result.

Regional Health Promotion Officer, Patricia Mawufemor Baku said social mobilisation activities including public education have been intensified in the various communities to ensure parents avail their wards for the exercise.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

#DLEs2019: Fewer Women, PWDs Contest Local Gov’t Elections In Volta

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Volta Online

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December 17, 2019

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BY: Lambert Coffie | Voltaonlinegh.com |

Voting in the 2019 District level Elections (DLEs) is underway across all 18 municipalities and districts of the Volta region with a total of 1,482 and 2,998 candidates contesting the assembly membership and Unit committees’ elections respectively.

The process which runs from 7:00am to 5:00pm would see the election of one assembly member and five Unit committee members for each of the electoral areas in the various districts in the region.

According to statistics from the Regional Directorate of the Electoral Commission, only 88 women are in the assembly contests while that of the Unit committees had just 332 female aspirants.

Similarly, 18 Persons with Disability are in the in the assembly contests as against the 15 in the unit committee elections.

Out of the 18 the MMDAs in the region, the Ho West district has the highest of 10 female assembly aspirants with South Dayi having as much as 38 female candidates in the Unit committees’ elections.

However, the Ketu South municipality has the highest number of candidates for both the Assembly and Unit Committee elections, with 159 and 358 candidates respectively.

Monitoring

Meanwhile, a tour of some polling centres in the Ho municipality by Volta Online revealed voting has been smooth so far but with low enthusiasm on the part of electorates.

For instance, at the STC Terminal voting centre in the Toviadzi Electoral Area, where there are three polling stations, only 181 persons out of a total of 2,235 registered voters have voted as of 10:30am.

The situation was not different at the ‘Ho Bankoe L/A JSS’ polling stations ‘A’ and ‘B’, as only 52 out of a total of 1,141 voters cast their ballots by 10:45am.

Similarly, 17 out of 656 persons voted at the Ho Bankoe E.P Primary School, while 19 out of 333 voters also cast their votes at the Ho High Court polling station as of 11:00am.

Voting however at the ‘Ho Poly Primary’ polling centre at the Ho Technical University campus delayed for a while due to the siting of the voting centre at a different location rather than the usual place. The process later begun at about 8:30am after the relocation.

Throughout the tour, Volta Online noticed the presence of security personnel and agents of candidates at the various voting centres visited.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

House of Chiefs Condemns Volta Separatists; Reaffirms Allegiance To Ghana

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Volta Online

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December 9, 2019

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By: KALD | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The Volta Region House of Chiefs has distanced itself from activities of the Homeland Study Group Foundation, the separatist group which recently declared parts of the region and territories stretching to Northern Ghana as an independence Western Togoland state.

In a statement issued by the house at the end of its last sitting for 2019 in Ho, members of the House unanimously reaffirmed their allegiance to the sovereign state of Ghana.

Excerpts of the statement signed by President of the house, Nana Soglo Alloh IV read, “The membership of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs has received news of the declaration of independence of a Western Togoland that is alleged to include parts of the Volta and the Oti regions and some part of the Northern Region”.

“The Volta Regional House of Chiefs wishes to make it categorically clear that the Volta and the Oti regions and their chiefs and people remain a part of the sovereign state of Ghana, and, as such, continue to be and remain Ghanaians, and will continue to owe their allegiance to the sovereign state of Ghana.”

According to a Graphic Online report, the chiefs held that the group had no basis at all to declare independence, as some of the areas, such as the southern part of the Volta and the Oti regions like Peki and Tongu areas were not even part of the Western Togoland.

The statement further questioned the locus of the group as they could not hold themselves to be the mouthpiece of communities that fell under the said Western Togoland, since they had not expressed any desire to be independent.

Background

The Homeland Study Group Foundation led by its octogenarian founder, Charles Komi Kudzordzi alias Papavi Hogbedetor on Saturday November 16, 2019, declared their independence from Ghana at a public gathering in Ho.

Consequently, seven of the group members have been arrested by the police and charged with treason felony, while their leader is still at large.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Suspect Remanded For Transporting ‘Wee’ In Gas Cylinder

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Volta Online

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December 7, 2019

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BY: Lambert Coffie | Voltaonlinegh.com|

The Ho circuit court has on Wednesday remanded into prison custody, a 26 year old music producer for transporting alleged narcotic substances.

Ola Adanekan Kabiru, who was arrested at Aflao in the Ketu South municipality with a 28kg gas cylinder stuffed with dried leaves suspected to be India hemp or ‘Wee’; is expected back in court on December 19, 2019.

A release from the Public Affairs Unit of the Volta Regional Police Command and copied Voltaonlinegh.com, said the suspect was apprehended by the Aflao district police with support from the Revenue Taskforce of Ketu South Municipal Assembly.

The suspect’s modus operandi, the release stated, was to ‘cut open the base of the 28kg gas cylinder, stock it with the suspected dried leaves, seal the cylinder and finally spray the surface to avoid detection.’

The suspected dried leaves stocked in a Gas cylinder

Police investigations also revealed the suspect had succeeded in transporting a similar consignment to Nigeria in October 2019.

While the suspect is being taken through the judicial process, the Police cautioned others who may be engaged in such illegal enterprises to desist henceforth as they would be fished out and prosecuted.

The statement concluded by entreating the citizenry to collaborate with the police to ensure an incident free yuletide.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

HTU Graduates Over 1000 Students At 20th Congregation

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Volta Online

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December 7, 2019

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By: Lambert Coffie | Voltaonlinegh.com|

The Ho Technical University (HTU) has held its 20th congregation on Saturday, where some 1126 students graduated.

The graduands comprises 56 Bachelor of Technology (B-tech) and 1063 Higher National Diploma (HND) students, who successfully completed their programmes study in the 2018/19 academic year.

Of the total number, 109 of them obtained First class, a little over 400 obtained Second class Upper and the rest settling for Lower and Pass.

Ms. Florence Kwadade is Overall Best Graduating Student

Ms. Florence Kwadade, a graduand in HND Purchasing and Supply was adjudged the Overall Best Graduating Student with a CGPA of 4.77.

This congregation was a shift from the status quo, as it was the first time students were graduating in the same year of successfully completing their programmes of study. A feat, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Ben Q. Honyenuga said would be sustained as he commended faculty and staff for their contributions to the paradigm shift.

The Vice Chancellor in his address said HTU was making tremendous progress in pursuit of its mandate to train highly competent human resource through career focused education, skills training and research, in partnership with stakeholders.

He said the university was undergoing reforms to position it as global player in teaching, research and extension services.

‘Our current focus to make HTU a global player resulted in training and exchange programmes for Faculty, staff and students in partner universities and industries worldwide.’

Additionally, the university has embarked on other programmes aimed at improving teaching, learning, research and innovation at HTU, Prof. Honyenuga stated.

He commanded the graduands for their sacrifices during their period of study and urged them to justify their skills and knowledge in the world of work, while being worthy ambassadors of the university.

Prof. James Flolu, HTU Council chairman on his part assured that the university would continue to work with all stakeholders to deepen its reputation as the reference point of Technical Education in Ghana and beyond.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

2018 Best Cocoa Farmer, Charles Gyamfi Is National Best Farmer for 2019

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Volta Online

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December 6, 2019

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Best Farmer (1) — Mr. Gyemfi walking majestically to receive his award. (C) Skef Photos

BY: Lambert Coffie | Voltaonlinegh.com|

A 58-year old farmer, Mr. Charles Gyemfi was on Friday adjudged the 2019 National Best Farmer at the 35^th edition of the annual Farmers Day celebration held at the jubilee Park in Ho.

Mr. Gyemfi, who hails from the Tano North district of the Ahafo region, has been farming for the past 25 years, producing hundreds of acres of food crops and cash crops as well as poultry and livestock, among others.

The father of five who was the 2018 National Best Cocoa farmer, took home a cheque of GHc536,000 sponsored by the Agricultural Development Bank, a GHc500,000 worth of insurance cover from Glico Insurance, and other packages from sponsors.

President Akufo-Addo presented the prizes to the winner and decorated him with the coveted 2019 National Best Farmer sash.

President Akufo-Addo congratulating the Mr. Gyemfi. *(C) Skefs Photos*

Key Highlights

- Gyamfi was the National Best Cocoa Farmer in 2018.
- He is a Secondary School graduate and has been farming for 25 years.
- He employs over 150 workers on his farms.
- He is very diversified, and involved in value addition to some of the produce.
- He has 500 acres of cocoa, 75 acres of cashew and 20 acres of teak.
- He also has 10 acres of cassava, 4 acres of yam, 20 acres of cocoyam, 60 acres of maize, 16.5 acres of garden eggs, 10 acres of oil palm, 30 acres of plantain, and 25 acres of citrus
- Gyamfi has 75 cattle, 28 goats, 2,000 layers, 5 beehives, 3 fishponds and 1,000 snails.
- He takes over from James Obeng Boateng who won the 2018 edition.

Other Winners

The first and second runners up for the 2019 national award were, Nana Yaw Sarpong Serebour, from the Ashanti Region and Abdulai Atiku Seidu from the Upper West Region, respectively.

They both took home various prize packages including insurance cover from Glico worth Ghc300,000 and Ghc200,000 respectively.

The National Best Female Farmer award went to Philomena Tenge from the Eastern Region, while Ayuba Jibrila from the Ashanti Region walked away as the National Best Youth farmer.

Winners of the Regional categories in all 16 regions were also awarded at the ceremony by their respectively Regional Ministers.

The ceremony which was chaired by the Awoamefia of Anlo, Torgbui Sri III has in attendance several dignitaries, including traditional and religious leaders, government functionaries such as all 16 Regional ministers.

Source: www.Voltaonlinegh.com