According to the youth, during the construction of the dams over 50 years ago, their forefathers were not paid adequate compensation by the VRA, considering that a lot of their crop farms were affected.

They are thus demanding details of the agreement signed between their chiefs and the VRA at the time, to ascertain what benefits have accrued to the towns from the VRA.

They lamented farmers have been left with no option than to lease lands outside the Krobo Traditional Area for their farming activities, adding that some even lease lands outside the Eastern region, a situation that is creating “economic hardships.”

To register the urgency with which their demands should be met, in a letter addressed to the chiefs of Yilo and Manya Krobo, the youth of these towns noted that, they will ensure the suspension of the Kloyosikplemi and Ngmayem festivals if the Chiefs fail to promptly address their concerns.

The Akosombo Dam was completed in 1965 as part of the Volta River Project. Its construction was jointly financed by the government of Ghana, the World Bank, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

In another development, the youth of Yilo and Manya Krobo,  have alleged that, the chiefs mismanage the levies meant to maintain the symbolic mountain central to these festivals. In their view, “the mountain as at now is devoid of any major landmark or relic worthy of celebration.”

This year’s Ngmayem festival is slated for October 26- November 1, while the Kloyosikplemi festival is slated for November 1- November 21.

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By: Marie-Franz Fordjoe/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Photos By: Neil Nii Amartey Kanarku

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This was after some unidentified men claiming to be working with the National Security, stormed the venue to take away the ballot boxes.

The assembly members had on two occasions rejected the MCE nominee, Ebenezer Tetteh Kupualor.

[contextly_sidebar id=”OfLF34TSME5VSsK8Mo1jK32mdlxzBTpW”]Following the incident, there was heavy security  at the assembly’s premises.

Speaking to journalists, the Presiding Member of the Assembly, William Appiansah, said he spoke against some heavily built men who were providing security at the place.

He added that his advice was not taken, as he was rather seen as someone who opposed the MCE nominee.

“The people of Yilo Krobo know that I cannot be moved or corrupted and I stand for the right [thing]. I am very sad because the confirmation of an MCE must not go along with macho men surrounding [ballot] boxes.  It is rather unfortunate,” he said.

The Presiding Member maintained that, providing security for the confirmation exercise should not have been done by “macho men; it should have been just normal people because it will not change anything and that was what I said but nobody took it.”

“But instead, I have been seen as somebody who is preventing the fortunes of somebody,” Mr. Appiansah added.

Assembly Member disputed results

Meanwhile, an Assembly member in the Yilo Krobo Assembly, Joseph who spoke on Eyewitness News on Monday, said the “macho men” and aides of the MCE nominee prevented people from getting to the ballot, adding that “the Police didn’t arrest the men who were disrupting the proceedings.”

“The men didn’t stop the voting; but they took over the counting. The men declared that the President’s MCE nominee had been approved after they counted.”

Joseph said the Regional Minister who was also present at the ceremony failed to call the macho men to order.

“‘I’m not the only Assemblyman in the area who disputed the results,” he added.

Regional Minister denies claims

But the Eastern Regional Minister, Eric Darfour, who also spoke on Eyewitness News discounted the claims.

“I sat with the Presiding Member at the high table but I didn’t see what he’s complaining about. There were security personnel present at the Yilo Krobo confirmation exercise. The security personnel were in uniform and could be easily identified. At the end of the vote, the Presiding Member said he was abstaining, which the assemblymen weren’t happy with.”

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

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Two Ghanaians, including the owner of Le Baron Hotel at East Legon in Accra, David Kwadwo Anim, have been busted at the Heathrow Airport in London for alleged drug trafficking and money laundering.

The other suspect is Kofi Antwi Nkansah, a businessman.

He is also alleged to have serious ties with major drug gangs in Europe, South America and the United States of America.

The two suspects were said to have delivered 500 kilogrammes of heroin to undercover drug enforcement officials on January 22, 2014 without any incident.

Provisional  arrest warrant

Briefing the Daily Graphic in Accra Monday, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB), Nii Lante Blankson, said the arrest was in pursuant to a provisional arrest warrant issued by the United States for the arrest of the two Ghanaians and a Nigerian.

According to him, Anim, Nkansah and Adjayi Akpo, the Nigerian, had each been indicted and charged in the Southern District Court of New York for the violation of United States Drug Enforcement laws.

He said Adjayi was, however, on the run but said an intensive search had been mounted for his arrest.

Nii Blankson said since 2012, the NACOB, in collaboration with its foreign counterparts, had been conducting a joint operation on Anim.

The arrests

He said Anim had been able to escape arrest until April 26, 2014 when he was busted at the Heathrow Airport while going through arrival formalities.

Nii Blankson indicated that the following day, April 27, 2014, Nkansah was also arrested on arrival at Heathrow from one of the Asian countries.

He said the two suspects were to be extradited from the United Kingdom to the Unites States to face trial.

Source: Graphic Online

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