Monday, July 23, 2007

Armed men vandalise village

From Stephen Kwabena Effah,Doboro
Monday, 23 July 2007

A group of armed men, numbering about 30 in the early hours of yesterday(Sunday) allegedly raided Doboro, a village near Nsawam in the Eastern Region causing mayhem and destroying property for a reason that was not immediately clear.

For about 20 minutes, the group which wielded guns and cutlasses took charge of the township as people ran helter- skelter and others hid in their rooms.The attack took place at the chief’s palace area where the group fired indiscriminately and inflicted cutlass wounds on eight people.

They also reportedly destroyed property worth millions of cedis among which were two mini buses one of which is said to belong to the acting chief, Nana Affum.

Other items destroyed were three kiosks and electronic equipment, plastic chairs and a guitar belonging to the Divine Healers Church which was then holding a crusade.

It is unknown where the group came from but it is alleged that they were hired by the ex-chief, Nii Duodu Akowua, also known as Daniel Akowua who was destooled eight years ago.

He has since been arrested by the Nsawam Police to assist in investigations.

Before the operation, the group reportedly shot at the main electricity wires disrupting power supply to the town.

A visit to the town yesterday at 2: 20 pm however revealed calm had been restored but without the presence of the police.The youth had mounted a barrier just about five meters away from the chief’s palace.

Many buildings spotted bullet riddled doors, roofs and windows.

Monday, July 09, 2007

Energy C’ssion To Distribute Free Bulbs

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Saturday, 07 July 2007


The Ghana Energy Commission will from Monday, start distributing the first consignment of energy-saving bulbs imported by the government, to residents in Accra.

Consequently, it is securing vehicles from the Volta River Authority and personnel from the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) for the exercise which was primarily necessitated by the current energy crisis in the country.

Isaac Mintah, Head of Public affairs of the commission, told the Times yesterday that the Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Police Service and the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service have been supplied with the bulbs.

He explained that the exercise started with those state apparatus because their utility bills are borne by government.

He said personnel from the NYEP under the supervision of officers of the commission would move from house-to-house in the metropolis to exchange energy saving bulbs with incandescent ones.

Mr. Mintah said one million of the energy-saving bulbs had so far been delivered in the country, noting that a total of six million of such bulbs were expected.

The distribution, he said, would be extended to other parts of the country when the next batch of the bulbs arrived.

He said the exercise would be carried out with a public education on the need to conserve energy, explaining that compact fluorescent lamps are six times more efficient than the incandescent bulbs.

He also told the Times that officers from the commission were going round inspecting electrical appliances which had no quality control labels, stating that
appliances without such labels would be confiscated and destroyed.