The officers from the Authority, who had gone to the makeshift structure in a bid to ascertain whether the facility was being used as a brothel as had been alleged before closing it down, took to their heels when the irate women realized their intentions.

According to sources close to the facility, the brothel operates 24 hours daily and is reportedly a hotspot for some  Senior High School boys who skip classes and pay as little as GHC 5.00 to patronize the services of the sex workers.

The alleged prostitutes, numbering 6, hurled insults at the officials from the Authority and shrieked at them when they tried to enter the structure.

A 36-year-old woman, believed to be one of their leaders, followed the officials from the brothel to the main Suhum-Koforidua road hurling abusive words at them and shouting “it’s my private parts, not yours. I have a right to my body and I choose what I want to do with my body. What is your problem if I choose to engage in prostitution.”

In an interview with Citi News, the Eastern Regional Manager of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Mr Frederick Adjei Rudolph, indicated that he has referred the matter to the Eastern Regional Security Council (REGSEC).

“The hostility that we were greeted with at the place did not even allow us to carry out our business. They revealed and confirmed they engage in prostitution which is illegal in this country, the place is a makeshift structure which makes it difficult for us to shut down because they are not operating as a hotel but rather they rented it from a landlord”.

“I have written a formal letter to the Eastern Regional Minister Eric Kwakye Darfour who is the head of REGSEC. The Eastern Regional Police Commander has also been served with a letter, same as the Municipal Chief Executive of Suhum. Now we will heavily rely on the police in the region to take the necessary steps and take immediate action to cause their arrest for operating illegally and in prostitution.”

The Chief of Suhum, Osabarima Ayeh Kofi, when contacted by Citi News at his palace stated that the operations of the brothel have not been brought to his attention.

“I must say I am not aware of any acts of prostitution in any part of Suhum. If something of that sort exists then it has not come to my attention, but I will call on my elders to follow up on it and help the police do their job”.

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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Suhum: Prostitutes ‘protect’ brothel, chase away Tourism Authority officers appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The market for over thirty years, has been without a toilet facility, an unpleasant situation that both traders and visitors to the market have painfully endured.

A joyful Queen-mother and leader of the market women, Nana Ama Obohyen, in a Citi News interview expressed their profound appreciation to the MCE and the assembly for coming to their aid.

“I stand here proud today and on behalf of all market women in the central market we say (ayekoo) to our able municipal chief executive for the honour done us today.”

The Queen mother recounted their struggles in finding a place of convenience.

“I personally have been trading in this market for more than 30 years and there are other women I came to meet here. When you feel uneasy and want to use the place of convenience, you would have to try and hold it in and board a taxi to your home and use your toilet, and this has been the practice here for several years.”

She continued, “It made life a bit difficult here doing business and what worried us most was our clients and customers who frequently found themselves in difficult positions wanting to use the toilet. We complained several times to past mce’s but nothing materialized till we were blessed with Madame Comfort Asante a woman who also understands the plight of other women.”

The municipal chief executive Madame Comfort Asante however pleaded with the leaders of the market to ensure cleanliness and frequent maintainer of the facility.

“Am glad we have been able to finish this project for the market women today, when you try to put yourself in their shoes you will feel the struggles and anguish they endured whenever they were in need of a place of convince.”

“We are committed at the Assembly to make sure residents of New Juaben live in peace, unity and happiness, and we will go all out to ensure that. I want to encourage them to put the facility to good use, keep it clean and neat at all times and ensure it is regularly maintained.”

Madame Comfort Asante, together with other officials,  later inaugurated a newly constructed maternity block at the Medical village health centre at Adweso, and a 6-unit classroom block with a library, an office, a store and a 2-seater KVIP for the Koforidua Municipal Assembly Basic School at Apenkwa junction.

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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Koforidua Central Market gets toilet facility after 30-yrs appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The family, who are emotionally traumatized after the baby who was playing with his twin brother on their corridor mysteriously disappeared, are afraid their hopes of seeing the boy alive soon will fade if police delays with their investigations.

[contextly_sidebar id=”Lt84kWJB53qKkAosnfpeTzZPDgXyFRNm”]Three children have within a month allegedly gone missing in Kyebi in the East Akyem Municipality, a situation which has caused fear and panic among residents living in and around the area.

The father of the missing child, Frederick Zikpli, in a Citi News interview at the family house where the child was abducted, expressed worry over the slow pace of police investigations.

“It has not been easy at all; I must be frank with you. I was in Aburi last week when my wife called to inform me the junior among the twins cannot be found so I had to rush here and truly too when I arrived I met a lot of people here in my house searching the whole area and behind the back of our house to check if they can see my son”.

“My wife has been crying since last week, she stays up to dawn and cries throughout the night, our lives as a family have not been the same again and we are afraid that as the days pass and we do not hear any news we may not see him again so am calling on the police and CID to really speed up with their investigations as early as possible because I do not know what we can do without the boy,” he said.

Demand for ransom

Mr. Zipkli further disclosed how some criminals are trying to take advantage of their situation to dupe them into paying money as ransom supposedly for his missing child.

“I received a call yesterday [Monday] from a strange number who asked if was the father of the missing child which I confirmed I was, he then told me he has my son so I should pay GHC 5,000.00 if I wanted to see my son again. I quickly went to the police station to inform the crime officer and at that very moment, he called again in the presence of the crime officer demanding that I now pay GHC 1,000.00 to a mobile account number. The crime officer then took the contact number and I’m sure they are investigating”.

Police being sluggish

Opanyin Kwasi Amoako, 65-year-old victim and a resident of Kyebi who also lost his 17- year old son a month ago, has threatened to petition the Eastern Regional Police Commander on what he describes as the sluggish manner in which the Kyebi Police has handled the disappearance of his child when he first reported the case.

In an interview with Citi News, Opanyin Kwasi Amoako said he has lost trust in the police at Kyebi.

“I cannot hide it from anyone, I have no confidence or hope in the police here, I have lost trust in them and I do not trust their abilities because for over 40 days now when my wife and I went to lodge the complaint at the station about the disappearance of our son, not even a single personnel has called to say anything about the case or even come to our house to say something so I have decided to go to Koforidua this week to inform the regional Police Commander about my case and the attitude of his men here”.

When Citi News visited the East Akyem Municipal Police Station with Opanyin Kwasi Amoako, the officer whom the case was first reported to, could not retrieve the date and other information he wrote in their book, but the Police Commander assured residents of their safety.

“I want to assure every one in Kyebi of their security and safety. The police here will work effectively to make sure we bring the perpetrators of this horrible acts to book”.

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By: Niel Amartey Karnaku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post E/Region: Family of missing child call for speedy investigations appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to the police, they commenced investigations into the matter when the claims were first made and are poised to proceed with the probe with the cooperation from parties involved.

In a Citi News interview, the Eastern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh indicated their commitment to protecting lives and properties of every Ghanaian.

“The Eastern Regional Police Command wishes to clarify the issues making rounds in the media circles with an allegation that the Police in the region are refusing to investigate an issue in Somanya where it has been alleged that a teacher in one of the schools has been sodomizing his school children.”

“When the issue came up initially police, without any complaints, invited the teacher at the centre of this allegation to the station, took his statement to which he denied knowledge of the act. Subsequently police wrote to the school authorities to provide the children and any other evidence which can help the police but all our efforts yielded no results”.

He also stated that efforts to get the parents of the alleged victims to allow their wards to speak to the police have been rebuffed.

“Again we followed up to parents of the students who are alleged to have been sodomized by the teacher to also help the police by bringing the kids for their side of the story since they are minors and their parents should be present before we talk to them but through it all it has proven futile,”ASP Ebenezer Tetteh added.

“So we want to use this medium to clarify all the misleading reports circulating around that the police is doing nothing about the issue. I want to state emphatically that we acted professionally and promptly when the issue came up and we are willing to go further to continue the investigations if we receive the necessary assistance from the people involved.”

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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Police deny ignoring sodomy claims against Somanya teacher appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The deceased pupils, Kwaku Bright and Jonas Aryeetey, both under age eight, went with a third person, Francis Dzifa, went to swim in the pit located in an area called Jobs Crama.

[contextly_sidebar id=”QeiAj9UOonmD48ARUPqBeDVGwNL7Niiz”]According to the Eastern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, preliminary investigations revealed no physical cuts or marks on the bodies of the children when they were retrieved.

He added that the bodies have since been deposited at the Akim Oda Government Hospital while police continue their investigations.

“On March 4 at about 10:00 am, one Kofi Yeboah came to the station and reported that at about 10:30 am, three pupils of Methodist Primary School at Akim Takorase, whose ages were given as 7, 7 and 8 years respectively, went to a place called Jobs Crama, a recreational facility where people go to have fun. So whilst they were swimming, Kwaku Bright and Jonas Aryeetey drowned,” ASP Ebenezer Tetteh narrated.

“On receipt of the information, Police quickly went to the scene with the complainant, and with the help of the divers at the facility, the bodies were removed. On-the-spot inspection of the body revealed no visual marks on them. The bodies have been deposited at the Oda government hospital for preservation and autopsy while investigations continue.”

55-year-old drowns

A 55-year-old man, William Soga, also drowned at Nketepa on Saturday while transporting traders across the Volta Lake from Kwahu Tafo area to Asaseboama in his outboard motor-powered canoe.

The Eastern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, who confirmed the incident to Citi News said the deceased, William Soga, was reported by eyewitnesses to have fallen from his canoe.

According to ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, the body of the deceased is still yet to be retrieved from the lake.

“[The deceased’s wife] Stella, narrated to police that at about 6:00 am, the deceased ferried some traders across the Volta Lake to trade on the other side of the lake. He returned at about 9:30 am and collected fares from the passengers. It was alleged that he suddenly fell into the lake. When the inhabitants of the town heard the news, they quickly organized themselves, went to the scene and conducted a search but he could not be found and is therefore believed to have drowned,” he narrated.

“Efforts were made by a search party to retrieve the body but to no avail. The man is believed to have drowned but a body has not been discovered yet so the search party is still looking” he said.

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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku & Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post E/R: 2 pupils drown in galamsey pit at Akyem Takorase appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

This brings the number of related arrests to six.

The Eastern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, confirmed this development to Citi News.

“This was a robbery attack that took place at a gas filling station. They were so merciless that they actually brutalized their victims because the information was that attempted resisting the robber so they were subject to severe beatings.”

“We want to encourage residents to continue to volunteer vital information that will lead to the arrest of the other syndicate. We believe that there are still other groups who are operating in the municipality,”

These arrests come in the wake of Tuesday’s armed robbery attacks on residents of Koforidua Okurase where victims were robbed of their valuables which includes wedding rings, television sets, laptops and huge cash sums at gunpoint.

ASP Ebenezer Tetteh also called for stiffer court sentencing to deter others as those who have been arrested were all on-court enquiry bail standing trial for similar offences.

He appealed to community members, private companies and benevolent individuals in the Eastern Region to assist the police with vehicles and motorbikes to enable them to patrol the new areas intensively to reduce the high robbery attacks as the police are under-resourced.

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By: Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Three more arrested over New Juaben robberies appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Citi FM, noted for its rich content and dedication to promoting the local tourism industry, fended off serious competition from other media houses to win the coveted award.

Addressing the prestigious gathering at Mac Dic Royal Hotel where the ceremony was held, the Eastern Regional Manager of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Frederick Adjei-Rudolph, was full of praise for Citi FM, and asked other media houses to emulate the good steps taken by Citi FM to promote the tourism industry.

“I must say Citi FM has been very outstanding in promoting tourism in our country, with the series of reports they file across the country trying to bring out government’s attention to the challenges confronting our tourist sites, quality radio discussions on tourism and their programs, and events like the celebration of Heritage Month, Heritage Caravan where opportunity is given to patrons to tour tourist destinations in the 10 regions on a road trip for a week, all contribute to developing and promoting tourism in this country, and I will encourage other media organizations to emulate this and also sell the country and our tourist sites to the international community.”

Frederick Adjei-Rudolph, also appealed to the government to give tax cuts to hoteliers, reduce electricity charges and repair the roads in deplorable conditions leading to various tourist sites in the country to boost their patronage and operations.

Citi FM’s Eastern Regional Correspondent, Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku, who received the awards on behalf of Citi FM, assured Ghanaians of his organization’s continuous dedication in promoting tourism with innovative and exciting programs.

Second tourism award for 2017

Earlier in February, the Ghana Tourism Authority adjudged Citi FM to be the Greater Accra Region’s Tourism-oriented Radio Station of the Year for 2017 at the Greater Accra Regional Tourism Awards.

Citi FM was specifically awarded because of its efforts towards the growth of the tourism sector through its flagship road trip, the Heritage Caravan.

Citi FM’s Heritage Caravan

This award comes ahead of the 3rd edition of Citi FM’s exciting tourism initiative dubbed the Heritage Caravan, which will come off from 4th to 10th March 2018.

The Heritage Caravan will see patrons of the trip tour all ten regions of Ghana in seven days visiting scenic sites in the country.

In 2017, patrons had a very wonderful experience visiting places such as the Mole National Park, the Military Museum in Kumasi, the Slave Memorial at Assin Manso, the crocodile pond at Paga among others.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Citi FM adjudged best tourism oriented radio station in E/R appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The 18 suspects, aged between 20 and 36, were rounded up at 1:30am on Thursday, February 8, in a dawn swoop by a police patrol team at vantage points in the regional capital, Koforidua, where they ply their trade.

The Eastern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, who confirmed the incident to Citi News indicated that they are still investigating the matter.

“At about 1:30am, police patrol team in the New Juaben Municipality conducted a swoop on prostitution joints in Koforidua and 18 female suspects were arrested in the process, their ages range from 20 to 36 years. They have all since been granted police inquiry bail for investigations to continue, they were arrested for soliciting for sex at various vantage points in the capital city.”

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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post 18 sex workers granted bail in New Juaben appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The 5 are among 200 youth of Akroso who besieged the house of Frank Anim Bediako the NPP chairman of the Constituency, to disrupt a meeting with other party members.

The Eastern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, who confirmed the incident to Citi News indicated that the Police Command has begun investigations into what led to the shooting.

“On January 19th at about around 4 o’clock, Frank Anim Bediako the NPP Constituency Chairman for Asene-Manso-Akroso,  called to inform Police that he returned from Accra to Akroso and was having a meeting with some members of his party in his house and soon after the start of the meeting he noticed that the some youth of Akroso numbering about two hundred besieged his house”.

ASP Ebenezer Tetteh added, “according to the Chairman, the youth started pelting stones at the house and causing damage. He also alleged that they even fired a weapon at the house and his visitors who were in the meeting with him at that time also fired a Pump Action in return, and in the process injuring five persons namely Margaret Buabeng aged 18, Appiagyei Maxwell aged 38, Faustina Amoako aged 52, and an 11-year old boy who is said to have been referred to a Hospital in Koforidua because of the seriousness of his injuries”.

He said Police rushed to the scene, and with the support of a team of soldiers from Achiase Jungle Warfare School managed to bring the situation under control.  He said some damage was caused to the roofs of two adjourning houses, and to an unregistered Chrysler Private Car belonging to the Chairman.

ASP Ebenezer Tetteh cautioned the public not to resort to violence, saying the police will not spare any law breaker.

“Personnel have been deployed at the residence of the Chairman, and we have begun investigations into the matter, but I will use this medium to caution everyone to use the right and proper channels to have their challenges addressed and not to use violence because the police will not relent in our efforts but enforce the laws of the land”.

There have been several of such political attacks since the NPP came into office in January 2017, but in most cases, many of the suspects have gone unpunished.

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By:Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post 5 injured in shooting at NPP Chairman’s house in Akyem-Akroso appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Young girls between the ages of 10 and 16 years actively engage in sexual relationships with their peers and older men at Akyem Sekyere, catchment areas like Abekoase, Subriso, Ahenkrasu and parts of Monsie.

Statistics available to Citi News indicate that, between January and December 2016 alone, as many as 26 adolescent girls in basic schools at Akyem Sekyere dropped out of school due to teenage pregnancy.

That number increased to 32, between the same period in 2017.

This was revealed in an interview with Citi News by Afua Serwaa Bonsu, a Senior Physician Assistant at the St. Monica’s Health Centre in Akyem Sekyere.

“The rate at which teenage and adolescent girls are getting pregnant is very alarming and it is going out of hand here in the Atewa District. It is becoming normal to the people here and some kind of fashion which I do not understand, girls as young as 11 years are getting pregnant here and this is mind-boggling,”she said.

“They visit our facility with a headache, fever, weakness and dizziness, but after careful observations, checking of vital signs and running of tests, we get to know they are pregnant sometimes 3 months that they themselves are not even aware of.”

This problem has taken a huge toll on education and the performance of students, especially young girls in the District.

District Education Director blames situation on illegal miners

The Atewa District Education Director, Isaac Kojo Okyere, in a Citi News interview, attributed the high number of teenage pregnancies to the presence of illegal miners in the Atewa District who he said, entice the young ladies with money.

“I blame the high number of illegal miners who invaded the district to mine in the Atewa forest and other lands in the district. During the peak of the galamsey period, they came here in their numbers to destroy the environment and in causing destruction to the farmlands and water bodies, they also ended up luring the young girls and enticing them with money to have sex with them, and this has largely contributed to the high number of girls who drop out in the basic schools here,” he lamented.

Kojo Okyere, however believes government’s ban on small-scale mining and the ongoing campaign against galamsey will help reverse the trend.

“We at the Education Service are very worried about these developments in the sense that how can you have 32 adolescent girls dropping out of school because they are pregnant? What then happens to their education as future leaders of this country? So personally I’m very excited about government’s decision to end illegal mining in the country, and I hope the situation will improve as the miners have left the areas.”

This position is re-echoed by Efua Serwaa Bonsu, the Physician Assistant. She revealed how some parents push their own teenage daughters to these illegal miners for money.

“In some of our engagements with these pregnant teenage girls, they tell us that some of the parents forcibly send them out to go and get money from the illegal miners. The Akyem land is rich with a lot of mineral resources such as gold, and a lot of people came to the district to mine. The Atewa District was one of the worst hit with the activities of illegal miners during the heat of the galamsey period and these miners had money to spend lavishly on them”.

Fathers impregnating their daughters

Diana Twumasi, the Founder of Sister’s Diary, a Non-Governmental Organization which empowers girls, revealed to Citi News how some fathers also engage in sexual intercourse with their own daughters.

“I engage the young girls occasionally, and they tell me things they do not tell their parents and also share deep thoughts and secrets with me. After a recent interaction with a group of them, one came up to me to tell me a problem which she said was eating her up and it was about how her own father who was constantly actively engaging her in sexual intercourse. Afraid and worried as she is, she is not able to tell her mother about the affair with her father because she is aware several colleagues of hers also have the same problem with their fathers at home and this is really affecting them academically and psychologically”.

Parents are also to blame

Some parents Citi News interacted with at Akyem Sekyere, were not surprised at the turn out of events blaming themselves for the increasing spate of teenage pregnancy in the community.

“It is true, teenage pregnancy is very common in this town, so if you have been informed about it then it is the truth. Some young girls do not even complete school, but give birth in SHS 1, break from school and give birth again, and continue school so before they complete SHS they have given birth to 2 kids”.

“Some of the fault also come from us the parents, the money we give to kids to school is not much, we have to give them enough money that will not push them to engage in sexual activities but some of the children too are also very bad regardless of the amount of money you give them, they still engage in sexual activities because as they leave home to school we do not follow them and they end up in rooms of guys without our knowledge”, a parent lamented.

Eno Kwakyewaa, a parent who’s young daughter is pregnant for the second time, in an interview with Citi News blamed the lack of support from some fathers in the community for the sad state of affairs.

“Our husbands are also part of the problem, they do not assist us financially in taking care of our daughters. If your daughter is sacked from school and your husband supports you the child will go back to school and not end up in a man’s room to look for assistance”.

Eno Kwakyewaa said not all parents push their children to illegal miners for money.

“It is never true that we all push our girls to men, my daughter has given birth and I asked her to go back to register because there is free SHS now, but to my surprise she is pregnant again. I am really sad and in pain. I attended PTA at her school at Anyinam Presby and asked her to come home with me but she refused. Later when she came, I realized she was pregnant again so now what do I do, I can’t sack her from home neither can I abort the pregnancy for her so, I will allow her to deliver and after that, if she wants to continue her education I will let her do so. I wasn’t successful growing up in life so why should I push my kid into a behaviour which did not help me”.

Gloria Akplaku, the Girls Education officer for the Atewa District in an interview with Citi News, also called for urgent attention and a vigorous community participation to end the trend.

Teenage girls could get infected with HIV/AIDS

With the high teenage pregnancy cases recorded in the Atewa District, the Ghana AIDS Commission is alarmed.

Madame Golda Asante, the Technical Coordinator of the Ghana AIDS Commission in the Eastern Region believes residents in the Atewa District are at risk of contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

“If 30 young girls are getting pregnant and dropping out of school then this is very serious. It is serious in the sense that if they got pregnant, it is because they had unprotected sex which may not be with single partners but several others and this makes them and the whole community vulnerable to contracting and spreading sexually transmitted diseases including HIV”.

She however indicated that the Ghana Aids Commission will intensify its already existing community education and outreach programs in the district to deal with the challenges.

“We have already established AIDS clubs in the district and we also have district focal persons there. What the Commission is going to do is to prioritize our activities in the district, we will concentrate more in the district and let our presence be felt in the entire communities around. We are going to engage the members in series of community education programs to help prick their knowledge on this important sensitive health issue and I believe this will go a long way to help sanitize the entire community”.

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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Akyem Sekyere: 32 pregnant teenage girls drop out of school appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.