“How dare you put an injunction on a government policy to make Akyem Kukurantumi the capital of Abuakwa North Municipal Assembly without petitioning the chiefs of the land. This action is a gross disrespect to the traditional council,” he said.

Government could not inaugurate the Assembly last Thursday because two residents namely Agyei Boateng and Addo Sarpong had secured an injunction from a Koforidua High Court to stop the ceremony arguing against the decision to make Akyem Kukukurantumi the Municipal Capital instead of Akyem Tafo.

The plaintiffs contend that, Akyem Tafo is more qualified as a municipal capital than Kukurantumi considering the number of governance offices and infrastructure at Akyem Tafo.

This action prevented the Minister of Defence Dominic Nitiwul who had been sent to represent the president from performing the inaugural ceremony.

Speaking at the first State Council meeting for 2018 at Kyebi in the East Akim Municipality today [Saturday], March 17, 2018, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori-Panin said the action of the two to mar what he described as a welcoming government policy with a court action has dented the image of the entire Abuakwa Traditional Council since the chiefs of Akyem Tafo (Osabarima Adusei Peasah iv) and Akyem Kukurantumi(Dasebre Boamah Darko), were not informed before the unfortunate thing happened.

“Who are those two who went to that extent to disgrace themselves, disgrace chiefs of Tafo and Kukurantumi, myself and even our president who is from Abuakwa. They have disrespected and disregarded our authority with impunity because they did not even see the need to inform the chiefs,” the Okyehene fumed.

Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori-Panin therefore charged Osabarima Adusei Peasah iv, Akyem Tafohene, to furnish the traditional council with information on the plaintiffs for the necessary steps to be taken.

Nitiwul slams Abuakwa North residents over injunction

Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul, had also slammed the two plaintiffs for the court action.

“…You have struggled since 1957, and if the almighty God and the people of Ghana and blessings of the almighty God have blessed you with your son as President, all you can do is to help him succeed and not pull him down. We are inaugurating all district assemblies [nationwide] and only in the president’s hometown somebody had decided to take the matter to court. Who do you think you are disgracing? Not the president, you are disgracing yourselves,” he fumed.

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By: Neil Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post How dare you place injunction on Abuakwa North Assembly – Okyehene fumes appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

About a fortnight ago, a contingent of armed military personnel set fire to the equipment used for sand winning in the Dalun River, a tributary of the White Volta.

The action was allegedly taken by the military after several warnings to sand winners to stop their illegal activity close to the river yielded no results.

Mr. Nitiwul had indicated on the floor of Parliament that action was undertaken to bring an end to the menace of sand winning.

He said the soldiers had to resort to such an action to deal with the recalcitrant illegal miners.

“Their aim was to arrest the illegal miners, illegal sand winners and prosecute them like they have been doing elsewhere, but each time the people run away and they even dug more. Even those who were legally given the license were asked to stop and they have, but in this case it was worse off because they did not even have any permit to go there.”

“They were operating illegally. They did not have the permit. The Military went there for the fifth time and decided that they were sending a very strong signal to anyone who decides that they will take the law into their own hands,” he explained on the floor of Parliament.

Mr. Muburak, in a rebuttal on Eyewitness News condemned the move, saying the Minister failed to resort to due processes in bringing sand winning activities in the area to an end.

The MP believes the move was disrespectful to the affected persons and constitutes a violation of their human rights.

“What has happened is an egregious violation of human rights of people who are working hard to fend for their families. It was a complete disrespect for the people in the area because one would think that the chiefs, who are custodians of the land will be consulted in any matter that had to do with a military operation in the area. Nothing like that happened!”

“Also, the Minister of Defence had challenged persons who were unhappy about the move to go to court, but I am wondering whether he knew that we had laws in the country before sending the military to go and destroy the 14 tipper trucks. Why did he not resort to the laws that he asked others to resort to?”

Mr. Mubarak said the affected persons will soon file a suit challenging the decision, saying “We are engaging lawyers and you know that in such a case one has to gather a water tight case.”

“We believe that this is not the way to run a country especially in the 21st century. They are taking us into the dark age where things were done arbitrarily,” the MP added.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The 40-year-old woman was shot dead following some sporadic gunfire that rocked the troubled town on Tuesday.

[contextly_sidebar id=”2qadOjE6DtoINd9iirsZIoaXwdzJvEGi”]The deceased’s 14-year-old daughter was also injured in the attack.

“Because of the troubles in that area, I think some people keep some ammo in places they shouldn’t keep [it]. So when the fire hit it the ammo started exploding so people thought it was gunfire and in the process, somebody actually went to murder that woman,” the Minister explained on Eyewitness News.

He offered up the reward as he urged the police do all it could to arrest the perpetrators of the crime.

“I am saying to the security agencies that you should do everything and anything possible under the sun. in fact, I am pledging GHc 10000 of my personal money… if somebody can give information to get the perpetrator of the heinous crime, I will give the person GHc 10, 000.

“That woman should not have been murdered. She has not committed any crime. she has done nothing for somebody to just go and murder her in cold blood for no reason. I think that was callous,” he lamented.

Police in the Bimbilla district have commenced investigations into the Tuesday shooting and picked up some AK 47 ammunition from the area of the crime.

The Bimbilla township has over the last few years been considered a crime hotspot leading to series of violent clashes involving the use of ammunition.

Last week, the celebration of the annual Damba festival in Bimbilla was suspended to prevent any potential conflict.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Nitiwul offers GHc10,000 for capture of Bimbilla woman’s killer appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

He said, “it will not be in your interest to do so.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”mw1c6kr0tMkqdEp30aMuwZ3ZAilTSotf”]The joint team is expected to clamp down on the illegal activity in the Ashanti, Eastern and Western Regions.

Dominic Nitiwul in an address at the launch of the anti-galamsey operation coded “operation vanguard” said the state was behind the task force hence the team must not be challenged.

“I will make it straight to the people who are daring the task force not to do that because the country is behind the task force. Don’t dare them. It will not be in your interest to dare them… They will do everything and anything to make this mission a success,” he said.

The Minister lamented that illegal mining has destroyed many water bodies in the country and lands meant for farming and must not be allowed to continue.

He added that previous efforts at addressing the problem involved troops sent on a few day’s mission but the “operation vanguard” are to stay in the affected arrears and execute the charge to the letter.

“I hope that when we tell this story, it will be a story of success…You are being tasked to go and stay and stop this. I know that the men and the women of the Ghana Armed Forces are professional, and the men and women of the Ghana Police Service are professional and you will do a professional job… We believe that this group will stop illegal mining and stop it forever.”

The deployment of the joint military and police team is another major step in the fight against the illegal activity that has become of great concern to many Ghanaians.

Many have expressed the belief that the involvement of the military in stopping illegal mining popularly known as galamsey, will achieve more results and ultimately help stop the menace across the country.

Dominic Nitiwul has in the past expressed his desire to authorize the deployment of military personnel to stop the activity.

He said at the launch of the operation that the government will provide all the necessary resources to ensure that the team succeeds in the operation.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Don’t dare anti-galamsey soldiers – Nitiwul warns appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Capt. Mahama met his untimely death on Monday morning when some angry youth in Diaso attacked him, claiming to have mistaken him for an armed robber.

[contextly_sidebar id=”fhpobRNJFwQg58kuhYtXhOJN1xgrj9dI”]He was said to be on his regular jogging routine in civilian clothes with a gun, when the unfortunate incident occurred.

Dominic Nitiwul in a statement copied to citifmonline.com, said the deceased; an Officer of 5th Battalion of Infantry, had just finished his exams for a promotion to the rank of a Major.

He said “to lose a life is a very serious matter to us in the military.”

He however denied that the deceased was in the town to protect some illegal miners as claimed by the District Chief Executive of the area, calling on Ghanaians to exercise patience as security agencies work to unravel the truth surrounding the unfortunate incident.

Read the minister’s statement below:

MINISTER OF DEFENSE STATEMENT ON LYNCHED SECURITY OFFICER.

Our condolences go out all those affected by the death of Capt. Mahama. Capt. Mahama had just finished his exams for a promotion to Major. This is very unfortunate.The Chief of Army Staff and the Police commander is expected to visit the town today. To lose a life is a very serious matter to us in the military. This is clearly a criminal matter. We will not rest until all the facts have been established.

The Armed Forces is not protecting illegal mining activities. No military person will of his own accord go and defend an illegal mining site. The military have put themselves in harm’s way for the nation. All they ask for is decorum and respect. We ask for patience from Ghanaians. I can assure that we will not rest till we get to the bottom of this lynching

– Dominic Nitiwul, Minister of Defence

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Renewed chieftaincy clashes in the town left many homes burnt, while several others sustained gunshot wounds.

Fifteen people were arrested earlier, and the Police say two more have been apprehended.

[contextly_sidebar id=”SmkvzeotlZcEm8IU9QLKvbp6xxwljhqW”]The District Crime Officer for Bimbilla, ASP Ebenezer Peprah, said the suspects were named by some victims who survived the shooting, and have since been transferred to Tamale to be arraigned.

“Those people arrested were pointed out by survivors and they have been transferred to Tamale Regional CID. The case is being handled by the regional CID. Everything is going on normally. There is only one person on admission now at the Bimbilla hospital. The rest have been discharged.”

Curfew reviewed

The Interior Ministry has since reviewed the protracted curfew on the Bimbilla Township from 4:00 pm to 6:00am, following the shootings.

Security Council visits Bimbilla

The Northern Regional Security Council visited the Bimbilla Township last Saturday, to ascertain the extent of damage the clash caused.

The team was led by the Northern Regional Coordinating Director, Alhaji Issahaku Alhassan, who is currently acting as the Northern Regional Minister. They also visited the regent of Bimbilla, Yakubu Andani Dasana Nyeliboligu Naa.

I’ll ensure Bimbilla clashes do not reoccur – Nitiwul 

Meanwhile the Minister for Defense and Member of Parliament for the Bimbilla constituency, Dominc Nitiwul, has pledged to ensure that chieftaincy disputes and related clashes in the constituency do not recur.

“I’ll be sending reinforcement to ensure that it never happens again. It is a challenge; but I believe that challenge we can surmount it. It just calls for me and my team to ensure that this problem is solved once and for all; because we cannot continue like this so that everyone has peace. Children have to go to school not something like this.”

Such sporadic eruptions of violence has been recorded in Bimbilla since 2014, after one of the persons in the longstanding kinship dispute between members of the Gbugmayili gate was assassinated.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

The post Two more arrested over deadly Bimbilla clashes appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

He says this is in line with current arrangements within the mission to reduce the number of soldiers there, due to the success of the international Community in persuading long time leader Yahya Jammeh to leave that country.

“In line with the downsizing, Ghana’s troop contribution will be cut to 50 men and the highest officer will remain with the 50 men,” Mr. Nitiwul said while reporting on the progress of the mission in Parliament on Wednesday.

Ghana contributed 208 soldiers to the ECOWAS mission with a mandate to keep the peace in the Gambia in the midst of the country’s post election impasse.

Mr. Nitiwul further stated that, the Ghanaian soldiers had discharged themselves creditably, adding that Ghanaians in Gambia were safe.

“I can report to this House that our troops have taken advantage of their presence in The Gambia to visit and secure all the Ghanaian people or people of Ghanaian descent.The Ghanaian community in The Gambia are well secured and safe. Ghana’s deployment has been successful because of government’s prompt decision and approval of the financial support that the troops needed. It is envisaged that 158 men  will be arriving on the 20th and 21st, leaving 50 men in The Gambia.”

Mr Jammeh was defeated in the December’s election by Adama Barrow, but refused to step down after he lost, forcing ECOWAS to deploy troops from Ghana, Senegal and other African countries to compel him to hand over.

Mr. Jammeh later decided to step down after talks with the presidents of Guinea and Mauritania.

He subsequently left The Gambia for Guinea, paving way for the new President, Adama Barrow, who had been sworn into office in neighboring Senegal, to return to the country.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The NPP then in opposition, had raised concerns about the decision to bring the two into the country.

President Nana Addo, who was Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the time, had described the decision as yet another example of the failure of leadership on the part of President John Mahama.

He argued that, the two should not have been allowed into the country since they pose a security threat to the country.

“Ghanaian people may well have been spared the disquieting anxiety, in this time of justifiably heightened fear of global terrorism, that we are being led by a President who, ostensibly in the name of compassion, prefers to ignore laws designed to defend the most sensitive area of all, our nation’s security,” Nana Addo said.

But taking his turn at the vetting of ministerial nominees on Friday night, Minister Nominee for Defence, Dominic Nitiwul , said government will take some factors into consideration before making a definite decision on the two.

“If you have a very peaceful country, what many people would not want to do is to invite trouble to themselves and that’s why I think that at the time his Excellency the President Nana Addo Akufo Addo made that statement, he made it in the light that there was no need to invite trouble for us to put ourselves on the terrorist map in that particular period when Ghana didn’t need to do that.

“We have done one year now, intelligence will change, the situation will change. As we sit today, the government at that time analysed intelligence and took a decision. It is the same way this government is going to analyse all the intelligence related to this particular people and take a decision. As I sit now, intelligence will lead us as to the best way the government will take the decision regarding this particular thing.”

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The post We’ll take a decision on Gitmo 2 – Nitiwul appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Multiple sources within the New Patriotic Party have disclosed to Citi News that co-founder of Databank, Ken Ofori-Attah, Member of Parliament for Bimbilla, Dominic Nitiwul and former deputy Attorney General, Ambrose Dery have all made it into Akufo-Addo’s ministerial list.

Whereas Ofori-Attah will be the Finance Minister, Dominic Nitiwul and Ambrose Dery will also head the Defense and Interior ministries respectively.

Akufo-Addo who was elected the President of Ghana on December 7, 2016 earlier this week asked for more time from the NPP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) in order not to rush in announcing his proposed ministers.

He is expected to officially take over the administration of the country on January 7, 2017.

Citi News earlier reported that there was massive consensus around Prof. Oquaye for the Speaker position.

Under Ghana’s Constitution and the rules of Parliament, for a candidate to emerge as Speaker, he or she must have been elected by members of the House or persons who are qualified to be elected as a Member of Parliament.

Ghana’s amended presidential transition act also requires that the new speaker should be elected 24 hours before the inauguration of a new president after national elections.

NPP insiders, both in Parliament and the party, say there is a firm degree of certainty that has been established around the idea of Prof. Oquaye as the country’s next Speaker and that he is upbeat about accepting the role.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Ocquaye for Speaker, Nitiwul for Defence, Ofori-Atta, Finance appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to him, claims by the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) that the president satisfied all laws were not accurate.

He explained in an interview with Citi News that gifts are taxable by law and since the president confessed that the car was a gift he ought to have been paid taxes on it.

“In Ghana when you receive a gift from any source and once you term it a gift you must pay some form of taxes on it. So when the CHRAJ says that the President erred on a policy, it was not a policy it is a law. If somebody is claiming that the President had paid all the taxes it is not true, it is just an afterthought maybe it is a corrective measure that somebody has taken because that person is in CHRAJ, it is a bribe but CHRAJ is trying to say that it is a gift. It is very unethical.”

“I can tell you clearly that if there is a God that is watching us, that God can testify that the President did not pay that gift tax. When this matter broke up if the Presidency had that information because these were the questions everybody was asking that information would have been brought out long time,” he added.

CHRAJ report

CHRAJ in its report released on Thursday after investigating the Ford gift saga, stated that President Mahama breached the gift policy, when he accepted the gift from a Burkinabe contractor as Vice President in 2012.

CHRAJ said the gift in question, formed part of acts prohibited under the ‘Gift Policy’ under the Code of Conduct, and that although the evidence shows that President Mahama subsequently surrendered the gift to the State, the action nonetheless contravened the gift policy. It however noted that, it did not find the President guilty of bribery, fraud or conflict of.

CHRAJ report shames critics

But the Co-ordinator of the 2016 National Democratic Congress (NDC) campaign, Kofi Adams argued that the CHRAJ report vindicates the president.

“Today is a day of shame for them, they [critics] have been exposed that they are only trying to destroy a gem, a pearl that we have,” he said.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

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