THE five-member committee of enquiry set up by the Ministry of the Interior to investigate the shooting incident at Ashaiman on June 3, 2008 held its inaugural sitting yesterday at Ashaiman.
The committee, chaired by Mr Justice C.J. Honyenuga, Justice of the Court of Appeal, has as its members Professor Ken Attafuah, a lawyer; Commissioner of Police Kwasi Nkansa (retd); Mrs Adelaide Annor-Kumi, lawyer and a Directoor at the MInistry of the Interior and Prof. Kofi Agyekum, a lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon.
The committee is to investigate the circumstances that led to the incident which culminated in the death of two people and injury to several others and submit its findings in two weeks.
Mr Justice Honyenuga said the committee was a fact-finding one that would expect witnesses before it to give evidence on conscience.
He said the investigative panel on the committee did not represent any interest group and gave the assurance that they would be unbiased and remain honest in the discharge of the task.
Mr Justice Honyenuga disclosed that the committee would allow legal representation, adding that all stakeholders including the transport unions, bereaved families, the police, injured victims, opinion leaders and chiefs would be welcomed.
He said the committee would also accept written documents and memoranda which should be submitted to the secretariats set up at the Ministry of the Interior and the Ashaiman District Assembly.
The Member of Parliament for Ashaiman, Mr Alfred Agbesi, indicated his intention to be counsel for the bereaved family of the 11-year-old boy, Moses Kasim, who died during the incident.
A member of the committee, Prof. Attafuah, explained that Mr Agbesi was one of the eminent people who the committee intended seeking opinions from and therefore requested that he could submit written document to it for reference purposes.
The first witness to appear before the committee was the Secretary of the Ghana Highway branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union, Mr Francis Kwaku Gomi, who gave evidence about what happened on June 2 and 3 when a misunderstanding erupted between the commercial drivers in Ashaiman and the police.
Led in evidence by Prof. Attafua, Mr Gorni said on June 2, after he had closed from work in the evening and was on his way home, he had a call from a colleague, Mr Djangma, who is the second trustee of the GPRTU, that some drivers had been arrested by the Ashaiman police MTTU but he only instructed that they must apply for bail.
Mr Gomi said he did not receive any feedback and therefore concluded that the arrested drivers had been bailed.
When asked by Prof. Attafuah what role he played at the GPRTU, he said his duties included ensuring that all disputes affecting highway members were resolved.
Mr Gomi said on June 3, he was informed on phone to keep away because the drivers were on a ‘peaceful demonstration’ as a result of the arrests the pervious day.
He said he, however, used some routes behind the Ashaiman Divisional Police building, which took him to the GPRTU offices in the Fire Service building.
He was not sure of the number of drivers arrested but said on consultation later the drivers were released at about 1 p.m..
When asked what he saw at the scene of the shooting, Mr Gomi said there were some strange things.
When asked what he meant by strange things, he said “bullets shells, empty water sachets, stones and sticks were scattered around”.
Mr Gorni said the relationship between the police and the drivers had been very cordial before and after the incident but appealed for the provision of adequate lorry parks and parking lots to eliminate illegal imposition of charges on drivers by the police.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
TEMA PARENTS ASSOCIATION MARKS 45TH ANNIVERSSARY (PAGE 11)
THE Tema Parents Association School (TEPAS) has donated assorted items worth GH¢4,000 to the Asutsuare Junction Basic School at Lorlovo in the Dangme West District.
The donation formed part of activities marking the school’s 45th anniversary celebration on the theme: “Holistic education”.
It included jumbo size mats, school uniforms for both boys and girls, tables for learning, shoes, assorted clothing, textbooks on various subjects, food items and beverages.
A playground of various playing materials was also mounted to afford the nursery and lower primary pupils the opportunity to play during break and games period.
The Headmistress of TEPAS, Mrs Leona Nsakie–Kassim, said the school had decided to adopt the Asutsuary Junction Basic School to support it occasionally.
Mrs Nsakie–Kassim spent time with the children at Lorlovo in the company of some students of TEPAS and recalled an earlier visit to the school when some of the pupils sat on the floor during classes and others did not have school uniforms.
She said the school decided to celebrate the anniversary with the underprivileged children who were facing some challenges through no fault of theirs.
Mrs Nsakie–Kassim asked the children to have vision in order to make the best out of the situation in which they found themselves.
The Headmaster of the Asutsuary Junction Basic School, Mr Lovelace Odonkor, expressed appreciation about the gesture of the staff and students of TEPAS and said it would help to alleviate some of the burden on the pupils’ parents.
He said the people of the area were peasants and shepherds who could not afford such needs as pocket money for their children.
Mr Odonkor said the school, which is currently not on the government’s school feeding programme, had a population of 576 pupils as against 455 last year.
He appealed to the authorities to consider including the school on the feeding programme to help solve some of the problems facing it.
Mr Odonkor noted that the poverty level in the area was high.
He regretted the issue of forced marriages that involved young girls from 12 years, a situation which he said contributed to the dropout of school by girls in the area and appealed to civil society to help curb the situation.
Mr Odonkor urged the Parent-Teacher Association of the school to join hands with the teachers to bring development to ensure growth and success of the pupils.
The Member of Parliament for the area, Mr David Tetteh Asorme, appealed to the Energy Ministry to consider the condition of the people and extend power to the area because it was strategically located on the highway to the Volta Region and was just about 18 km to the Kpong Hydro project.
He said he had provided 35 nine-metre electricity poles for almost a year now but the extension project had not been done.
An Assistant Director of Education at the Dangme West District Office, Ms Mercy Lamptey, commended TEPAS for supporting the poor and needy.
Ms Lamptey urged them to work harder, referring to their last Basic Education Certificate Examination results in which a candidate from the school had aggregate eight and won the President’s award for the district.
The donation formed part of activities marking the school’s 45th anniversary celebration on the theme: “Holistic education”.
It included jumbo size mats, school uniforms for both boys and girls, tables for learning, shoes, assorted clothing, textbooks on various subjects, food items and beverages.
A playground of various playing materials was also mounted to afford the nursery and lower primary pupils the opportunity to play during break and games period.
The Headmistress of TEPAS, Mrs Leona Nsakie–Kassim, said the school had decided to adopt the Asutsuary Junction Basic School to support it occasionally.
Mrs Nsakie–Kassim spent time with the children at Lorlovo in the company of some students of TEPAS and recalled an earlier visit to the school when some of the pupils sat on the floor during classes and others did not have school uniforms.
She said the school decided to celebrate the anniversary with the underprivileged children who were facing some challenges through no fault of theirs.
Mrs Nsakie–Kassim asked the children to have vision in order to make the best out of the situation in which they found themselves.
The Headmaster of the Asutsuary Junction Basic School, Mr Lovelace Odonkor, expressed appreciation about the gesture of the staff and students of TEPAS and said it would help to alleviate some of the burden on the pupils’ parents.
He said the people of the area were peasants and shepherds who could not afford such needs as pocket money for their children.
Mr Odonkor said the school, which is currently not on the government’s school feeding programme, had a population of 576 pupils as against 455 last year.
He appealed to the authorities to consider including the school on the feeding programme to help solve some of the problems facing it.
Mr Odonkor noted that the poverty level in the area was high.
He regretted the issue of forced marriages that involved young girls from 12 years, a situation which he said contributed to the dropout of school by girls in the area and appealed to civil society to help curb the situation.
Mr Odonkor urged the Parent-Teacher Association of the school to join hands with the teachers to bring development to ensure growth and success of the pupils.
The Member of Parliament for the area, Mr David Tetteh Asorme, appealed to the Energy Ministry to consider the condition of the people and extend power to the area because it was strategically located on the highway to the Volta Region and was just about 18 km to the Kpong Hydro project.
He said he had provided 35 nine-metre electricity poles for almost a year now but the extension project had not been done.
An Assistant Director of Education at the Dangme West District Office, Ms Mercy Lamptey, commended TEPAS for supporting the poor and needy.
Ms Lamptey urged them to work harder, referring to their last Basic Education Certificate Examination results in which a candidate from the school had aggregate eight and won the President’s award for the district.
Friday, July 25, 2008
GOVT LOSES $9m A YEAR OVER COOKING OIL IMPORTS (PAGE 14)
THE government of Ghana loses about $9 million every year on 40,000 metric tonnes of vegetable oils brought into the country by foods and vegetable importers, according to a Unilever Ghana Limited research.
The research also found out that in March 2008 alone, the state lost $226,440 on imported vegetable oil.
This was made known by the Marketing Director of Unilever, Mr Prince Obeng, when he briefed Members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism who were at the Tema factory of the company to ascertain problems related to the use of crude palm oil for the manufacture of refined vegetable oil in the country as a follow-up to their recent tour of some palm plantations.
Mr Obeng explained that some importers of refined vegetable oil adopted basic tricks of misrepresentation of figures and documents, false declaration at the port and re-routing of the imported goods.
He observed that the importers took advantage of the government and consumers because of the poor consumer protection systems in the country.
Mr Obeng said through underhand deals, the importers were able to reduce the prices of their goods to undercut products of local producers.
Showing members of the committee samples of the imported oils, Mr Obeng pointed out that most of them were saturated and, therefore, had health-related problems.
He said palm oil was the largest and strategic raw material for Unilever with 70 per cent of its turnover produced from it.
Mr Obeng, therefore, appealed to the committee to set in motion an investigative system to ensure that the inadequacies were checked to stop the practice of re-routing, false declaration and smuggling.
The Consumer Development Director of Unilever, Mr Kwaku Boateng, called on the government to consider setting up a palm oil Control Board to regulate quality, standard pricing and market behaviours of the product.
He said this could remove instances of glut of oil on plantations and be able to project and store oil in lean seasons.
Mr Boateng stated that Unilever had doubled its capacity in all departments, doubling production capacity and therefore gave the assurance that it could meet the entire demand of oil in the country.
The Chairman of the Select Committee, Mr J.B. Dankwa Adu, who led the team, said the committee was very concerned about the oil palm industry.
He said there were vast lands that could be cultivated to boost the oil palm sector for local industries to prevent importation of crude palm oil.
Mr Dankwa Adu urged Unilever to invest in the palm plantations to promote and sustain the sector to end the era of importation of refined vegetable oils.
He stated that when the committee visited the plantations, it was discovered that there was a glut on the farms and therefore called on the industries to make efforts to store the crude palm oil at the factory for use in the lean season.
The Select Committee members had earlier been briefed by the Chief Executive Officer of Unilever, Mr Charles Coffie, on the situation at the factory in Tema.
He commended them for visiting the factory even though they were on recess and promised to relate further with the committee to help solve problems in the sector.
The research also found out that in March 2008 alone, the state lost $226,440 on imported vegetable oil.
This was made known by the Marketing Director of Unilever, Mr Prince Obeng, when he briefed Members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism who were at the Tema factory of the company to ascertain problems related to the use of crude palm oil for the manufacture of refined vegetable oil in the country as a follow-up to their recent tour of some palm plantations.
Mr Obeng explained that some importers of refined vegetable oil adopted basic tricks of misrepresentation of figures and documents, false declaration at the port and re-routing of the imported goods.
He observed that the importers took advantage of the government and consumers because of the poor consumer protection systems in the country.
Mr Obeng said through underhand deals, the importers were able to reduce the prices of their goods to undercut products of local producers.
Showing members of the committee samples of the imported oils, Mr Obeng pointed out that most of them were saturated and, therefore, had health-related problems.
He said palm oil was the largest and strategic raw material for Unilever with 70 per cent of its turnover produced from it.
Mr Obeng, therefore, appealed to the committee to set in motion an investigative system to ensure that the inadequacies were checked to stop the practice of re-routing, false declaration and smuggling.
The Consumer Development Director of Unilever, Mr Kwaku Boateng, called on the government to consider setting up a palm oil Control Board to regulate quality, standard pricing and market behaviours of the product.
He said this could remove instances of glut of oil on plantations and be able to project and store oil in lean seasons.
Mr Boateng stated that Unilever had doubled its capacity in all departments, doubling production capacity and therefore gave the assurance that it could meet the entire demand of oil in the country.
The Chairman of the Select Committee, Mr J.B. Dankwa Adu, who led the team, said the committee was very concerned about the oil palm industry.
He said there were vast lands that could be cultivated to boost the oil palm sector for local industries to prevent importation of crude palm oil.
Mr Dankwa Adu urged Unilever to invest in the palm plantations to promote and sustain the sector to end the era of importation of refined vegetable oils.
He stated that when the committee visited the plantations, it was discovered that there was a glut on the farms and therefore called on the industries to make efforts to store the crude palm oil at the factory for use in the lean season.
The Select Committee members had earlier been briefed by the Chief Executive Officer of Unilever, Mr Charles Coffie, on the situation at the factory in Tema.
He commended them for visiting the factory even though they were on recess and promised to relate further with the committee to help solve problems in the sector.
POLICE TO IMPOUND UNREGISTERED VEHICLES (PAGE 31)
Henceforth, all unregistered and unlicensed vehicles that ply the roads between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. will be impounded and the drivers prosecuted, ASP Kwesi Ofori, Director of Police Public Affairs, has announced.
He explained that most arrests made in connection with robbery and kidnapping involved unregistered and unlicensed vehicles.
ASP Ofori, who was addressing a press conference in Tema, said during that period, other vehicles would also be checked for suspicious and illegal movements.
He appealed to the media to help fight crime through education and also unearth some of the societal evils that went on the blind side of the police.
ASP Ofori said the media had a very important role to play to ensure that Ghanaians enjoyed peace and freedom to go about their daily responsibilities as law-abiding citizens.
The Tema Region has become a fertile area for robbers, kidnappers and car snatchers but he said the police in Tema have worked tirelessly to trap them down to bring the situation under control, ASP Ofori declared.
He stated that the police had a duty to perform and therefore they would not hesitate to deliver their services within the confines of the law.
He, therefore, appealed to the media and the public to assist the police to close in on the robbers and get rid of them.
Meanwhile, in their determination to check the use of unregistered vehicles to commit crimes, the Ashanti Regional Police Command has also announced that it will vigorously enforce the ban on the use of unregistered vehicles after 6 p.m., reports Enoch Darfah Frimpong from Kumasi.
DCOP K. A. Opare-Addo, who has just assumed duty as the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, told a press conference that unregistered vehicles such as those using “DV” and “DP” number plates posed a lot of security concerns to the police.
”DV” and “DP” number plates are normally issued by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to garage owners and car dealers.
The “DP” is issued to only assist in transporting a vehicle from the port to the house or a garage and that of the “DV” is used for transporting vehicles to the offices of DVLA for registration and test driving.
It is unlawful to use vehicles with ”DV” and “DP” number plates after 6 p.m. but it is common to see such vehicles plying the streets of Kumasi especially at night.
The commander said some owners of garages might be driving such vehicles to their homes after work but added that his outfit had initiated a series of interactions with operators of various garages in the metropolis to explore common areas of co-operation in the usage of “DV” and “DP” numbers after 6 p.m.
He said his outfit was considering providing owners of garages with ID cards that they would display to save their cars from being impounded at night when they come into contact with the police.
Flanked by the Deputy Regional Police Commander, ACP Kwasi Mensah Duku, who has also just been posted to the region, and the Regional Operations Commander, Chief Superintendent George Mensah, Mr Opare-Addo said his outfit was determined to check robberies in the region to enable the people to have the peace to operate.
He said the crime rate in the region had decreased, explaining that between January and July 2007, a total of 448 robberies were recorded as against 138 recorded in 2008 and urged the public to be security conscious.
He explained that most arrests made in connection with robbery and kidnapping involved unregistered and unlicensed vehicles.
ASP Ofori, who was addressing a press conference in Tema, said during that period, other vehicles would also be checked for suspicious and illegal movements.
He appealed to the media to help fight crime through education and also unearth some of the societal evils that went on the blind side of the police.
ASP Ofori said the media had a very important role to play to ensure that Ghanaians enjoyed peace and freedom to go about their daily responsibilities as law-abiding citizens.
The Tema Region has become a fertile area for robbers, kidnappers and car snatchers but he said the police in Tema have worked tirelessly to trap them down to bring the situation under control, ASP Ofori declared.
He stated that the police had a duty to perform and therefore they would not hesitate to deliver their services within the confines of the law.
He, therefore, appealed to the media and the public to assist the police to close in on the robbers and get rid of them.
Meanwhile, in their determination to check the use of unregistered vehicles to commit crimes, the Ashanti Regional Police Command has also announced that it will vigorously enforce the ban on the use of unregistered vehicles after 6 p.m., reports Enoch Darfah Frimpong from Kumasi.
DCOP K. A. Opare-Addo, who has just assumed duty as the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, told a press conference that unregistered vehicles such as those using “DV” and “DP” number plates posed a lot of security concerns to the police.
”DV” and “DP” number plates are normally issued by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to garage owners and car dealers.
The “DP” is issued to only assist in transporting a vehicle from the port to the house or a garage and that of the “DV” is used for transporting vehicles to the offices of DVLA for registration and test driving.
It is unlawful to use vehicles with ”DV” and “DP” number plates after 6 p.m. but it is common to see such vehicles plying the streets of Kumasi especially at night.
The commander said some owners of garages might be driving such vehicles to their homes after work but added that his outfit had initiated a series of interactions with operators of various garages in the metropolis to explore common areas of co-operation in the usage of “DV” and “DP” numbers after 6 p.m.
He said his outfit was considering providing owners of garages with ID cards that they would display to save their cars from being impounded at night when they come into contact with the police.
Flanked by the Deputy Regional Police Commander, ACP Kwasi Mensah Duku, who has also just been posted to the region, and the Regional Operations Commander, Chief Superintendent George Mensah, Mr Opare-Addo said his outfit was determined to check robberies in the region to enable the people to have the peace to operate.
He said the crime rate in the region had decreased, explaining that between January and July 2007, a total of 448 robberies were recorded as against 138 recorded in 2008 and urged the public to be security conscious.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
GIVE HOTELS MAXIMUM SECURITY (PAGE 29)
THE security agencies have been urged to extend assistance to hotels to combat crime and protect the numerous guests who patronise the facilities, some residents of Tema have advocated.
They were of the view that some “crooked business tycoons” would want to use the hotels as their haven to operate in various illegal activities, noting that the management of the hotels would be able to locate such people.
The Daily Graphic was finding out the role of hotels in the fight against crime and the impact of police swoops on criminals in their hideouts.
It was gathered that hotels, especially obscurely located ones, were possible areas where leads to solve crimes could be got because many suspects were known to seek refuge in such hotels.
The police in Tema have, in recent times, swooped on the hideouts and dens of drug peddlers and made many arrests of suspect who were found with quantities of dried leaves and white substances suspected to be hard drugs. The police also, occasionally, found locally manufactured pistols.
Those interviewed claimed that the Tema Police must also trace the hideouts of robbers who raped, killed and looted personal property because their actions might be the result of indulgence in hard drugs.
Others commented on the springing up of drinking spots which could not be classified as hotels, bars or restaurants but were allegedly operated with only registered members and patronised by a certain class of people, adding that at those places alcoholic beverages were sold at double the real cost to prevent non members from going there.
They were of the view that some “crooked business tycoons” would want to use the hotels as their haven to operate in various illegal activities, noting that the management of the hotels would be able to locate such people.
The Daily Graphic was finding out the role of hotels in the fight against crime and the impact of police swoops on criminals in their hideouts.
It was gathered that hotels, especially obscurely located ones, were possible areas where leads to solve crimes could be got because many suspects were known to seek refuge in such hotels.
The police in Tema have, in recent times, swooped on the hideouts and dens of drug peddlers and made many arrests of suspect who were found with quantities of dried leaves and white substances suspected to be hard drugs. The police also, occasionally, found locally manufactured pistols.
Those interviewed claimed that the Tema Police must also trace the hideouts of robbers who raped, killed and looted personal property because their actions might be the result of indulgence in hard drugs.
Others commented on the springing up of drinking spots which could not be classified as hotels, bars or restaurants but were allegedly operated with only registered members and patronised by a certain class of people, adding that at those places alcoholic beverages were sold at double the real cost to prevent non members from going there.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
TRUST BANK DEMONSTRATES USE OF E-ZWICH (PAGE 29)
THE Lions Club of Tema, made up of professionals and business people, was at the weekend educated on the benefits and the usage of the e-zwich system.
The resource persons drawn from the Trust Bank (ttb), took members of the club through the handling of the point of sale (pos) equipment and the use of the smart card.
According to the Supervisor of the Electronic Funds Transfer Unit of the bank, Mr Ato Kwamina Wilberforce, the system would reduce fraud, eliminate counterfeit from the banking system and provide secured movement and payment of cash.
He gave the assurance that the introduction of the e-zwich system would not automatically remove cash from peoples pockets but will rather encourage the country to achieve its objectives of becoming a middle income one.
Mr Wilberforce said patrons also had the benefits of easy access to money 24 hours daily without any hindrance.
He noted that e-zwich card holders could keep track of their spending at any time, and therefore would remove doubts about further reconciliations.
Mr Wilberforce stated that as business people and professionals they had limited time and therefore writing of cheques could take more time than the use of the e-zwich system. He explained that the use of the e-zwich smartcard saved the card holder from any identification at the time of transaction.
Mr Wilberforce said the e-zwich smartcard frees card holders from carrying cash or cheques books.
He advised them to embrace the new system since cheques were not readily accepted by merchants for fear of fraud and forgery.
Mr Wilberforce said the security features of the e-zwich on the point of sale terminal was unique because the card holder would use biometrics fingerprint verification to access their accounts and every finger had different print, making it difficult for another person to access the account.
He said the account was immediately debited and the amount involved credited to the merchants account.
The Business Manager, Commercial and Consumer Banking of the Trust Bank, Mr Robert Danso-Boakye, observed that all banks in the country had joined the system to create an electronic payment platform after undergoing a successful experimentation.
He noted that it was the first payment system introduced by the central bank to further make banking easy and attractive for everybody.
Mr Danso-Boakye urged them to seek further clarification at any bank of their choice, and that the card had been designed to provide convenience, making purchases wherever the e-zwich smart poster was displayed.
He explained that those referred to as merchants were retailers who had agreed in conjunction with any bank to accept the e-zwich smart card for payment of goods and services.
The resource persons drawn from the Trust Bank (ttb), took members of the club through the handling of the point of sale (pos) equipment and the use of the smart card.
According to the Supervisor of the Electronic Funds Transfer Unit of the bank, Mr Ato Kwamina Wilberforce, the system would reduce fraud, eliminate counterfeit from the banking system and provide secured movement and payment of cash.
He gave the assurance that the introduction of the e-zwich system would not automatically remove cash from peoples pockets but will rather encourage the country to achieve its objectives of becoming a middle income one.
Mr Wilberforce said patrons also had the benefits of easy access to money 24 hours daily without any hindrance.
He noted that e-zwich card holders could keep track of their spending at any time, and therefore would remove doubts about further reconciliations.
Mr Wilberforce stated that as business people and professionals they had limited time and therefore writing of cheques could take more time than the use of the e-zwich system. He explained that the use of the e-zwich smartcard saved the card holder from any identification at the time of transaction.
Mr Wilberforce said the e-zwich smartcard frees card holders from carrying cash or cheques books.
He advised them to embrace the new system since cheques were not readily accepted by merchants for fear of fraud and forgery.
Mr Wilberforce said the security features of the e-zwich on the point of sale terminal was unique because the card holder would use biometrics fingerprint verification to access their accounts and every finger had different print, making it difficult for another person to access the account.
He said the account was immediately debited and the amount involved credited to the merchants account.
The Business Manager, Commercial and Consumer Banking of the Trust Bank, Mr Robert Danso-Boakye, observed that all banks in the country had joined the system to create an electronic payment platform after undergoing a successful experimentation.
He noted that it was the first payment system introduced by the central bank to further make banking easy and attractive for everybody.
Mr Danso-Boakye urged them to seek further clarification at any bank of their choice, and that the card had been designed to provide convenience, making purchases wherever the e-zwich smart poster was displayed.
He explained that those referred to as merchants were retailers who had agreed in conjunction with any bank to accept the e-zwich smart card for payment of goods and services.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
EXTEND MILITARY-POLICE PATROLS TO HOTELS (GRAPHIC, JULY 21, PAGE 29)
Security agencies have been urged to extend their crime combat operations to cover hotels to protect the numerous guests who patronise such facilities in the metropolis, some residents in Tema have advocated.
They were of the view that some ‘crooked business tycoons’ would want to use the hotels as their haven to engage in various illegal activities.
Some of the residents of Tema made the request when the Daily Graphic was finding out the role of the hotels in the fight against crimes and the impact of police swoops on criminals at their hideouts.
They told the Daily Graphic that hotels, especially those located in very obscure places, were possible areas where some criminal activities started and suspects who had been declared wanted also sought refuge.
The police in Tema have in recent times swooped on hideouts and dens of drug peddlers and arrested many suspects who were found with locally manufactured pistols, and quantities of dried leaves and white substances suspected to be hard drugs.
Most residents hold the view that some of the suspects who were arrested but did not have anything on them went back to the hideouts immediately they were released for lack of evidence.
Those interviewed claimed that the Tema police must locate the hideouts of robbers who rape, kill and loot personal properties because they must have engaged in such crimes after indulging in the hard drugs.
Others commented on the springing up of drinking spots, which could not be classified as hotels, bars or restaurants. “Patronage of such spots is limited to only registered members or ‘a certain class of people’ under the guise of going to drink alcoholic beverages, which are sold at double the real cost to prevent non members from going there,” they contended.
The Tema Regional Chairman of the Ghana Hoteliers Association, Nana Kofi Opei V, said support from the security agencies was necessary.
Nana Opei said Tema and its environs, apart from boasting numerous features that attracted tourists, could be a fertile grounds for suspicious characters.
He said as of June 26, 2008 the branch had 148 registered members with six others on its waiting list with eight others yet to make any moves to register.
Nana Opei said people with bad intentions could sneak into the country through the eastern corridor especially with the oil find and leave without being seen.
The hotel business, he noted, was a private sector player, which had provided employment for many people in various spheres of life.
The Meridian Hotel which overlooked the harbour and was abandoned some 40 years ago became the haven for drug addicts and pushers and served as a den for immoral activities.
The state-owned facility had to be abandoned after some leakage were found but could not be remedied because the plan on the project could not be traced.
Investigations led to the discovery that the edifice with its new Malaysians owners had plans to provide a modern restaurant, office complex, shopping mall and swimming pools.
The abandoned structure became a security risk until the Malaysians took over to ensure that people kept away from it.
There are other hotel projects springing up in the metropolis which makes it prudent for the police to take note of all of them and check their books for genuine guests.
The residents of Tema have called for a strong collaboration between the police and the operators of hotels to expose criminals who used their premises to achieve their parochial objectives.
The police have to act to alert criminals that they could not use hotels as their hiding places before many such facilities spring up.
The Deputy Executive Director of the Ghana Tourist Board, Mr Edwin Owusu Mensah, had said at the Second National Executive Council meeting of the Ghana Hoteliers Association that the board would before the end of the year set up an office in Tema to handle all issues pertaining to the hospitality industry.
They were of the view that some ‘crooked business tycoons’ would want to use the hotels as their haven to engage in various illegal activities.
Some of the residents of Tema made the request when the Daily Graphic was finding out the role of the hotels in the fight against crimes and the impact of police swoops on criminals at their hideouts.
They told the Daily Graphic that hotels, especially those located in very obscure places, were possible areas where some criminal activities started and suspects who had been declared wanted also sought refuge.
The police in Tema have in recent times swooped on hideouts and dens of drug peddlers and arrested many suspects who were found with locally manufactured pistols, and quantities of dried leaves and white substances suspected to be hard drugs.
Most residents hold the view that some of the suspects who were arrested but did not have anything on them went back to the hideouts immediately they were released for lack of evidence.
Those interviewed claimed that the Tema police must locate the hideouts of robbers who rape, kill and loot personal properties because they must have engaged in such crimes after indulging in the hard drugs.
Others commented on the springing up of drinking spots, which could not be classified as hotels, bars or restaurants. “Patronage of such spots is limited to only registered members or ‘a certain class of people’ under the guise of going to drink alcoholic beverages, which are sold at double the real cost to prevent non members from going there,” they contended.
The Tema Regional Chairman of the Ghana Hoteliers Association, Nana Kofi Opei V, said support from the security agencies was necessary.
Nana Opei said Tema and its environs, apart from boasting numerous features that attracted tourists, could be a fertile grounds for suspicious characters.
He said as of June 26, 2008 the branch had 148 registered members with six others on its waiting list with eight others yet to make any moves to register.
Nana Opei said people with bad intentions could sneak into the country through the eastern corridor especially with the oil find and leave without being seen.
The hotel business, he noted, was a private sector player, which had provided employment for many people in various spheres of life.
The Meridian Hotel which overlooked the harbour and was abandoned some 40 years ago became the haven for drug addicts and pushers and served as a den for immoral activities.
The state-owned facility had to be abandoned after some leakage were found but could not be remedied because the plan on the project could not be traced.
Investigations led to the discovery that the edifice with its new Malaysians owners had plans to provide a modern restaurant, office complex, shopping mall and swimming pools.
The abandoned structure became a security risk until the Malaysians took over to ensure that people kept away from it.
There are other hotel projects springing up in the metropolis which makes it prudent for the police to take note of all of them and check their books for genuine guests.
The residents of Tema have called for a strong collaboration between the police and the operators of hotels to expose criminals who used their premises to achieve their parochial objectives.
The police have to act to alert criminals that they could not use hotels as their hiding places before many such facilities spring up.
The Deputy Executive Director of the Ghana Tourist Board, Mr Edwin Owusu Mensah, had said at the Second National Executive Council meeting of the Ghana Hoteliers Association that the board would before the end of the year set up an office in Tema to handle all issues pertaining to the hospitality industry.
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