Day: May 9, 2023

Mr Stephen Duah Agyemang, former Finance Manager of the defunct Beige Bank, has denied approving funds transfer during his tenure in office.

The third prosecution’s witness said he was not responsible for approval of funds but reviewed, checked and prepared vouchers for payment that had been approved by Michael Nyinaku, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Beige Bank Group.

It was during a Cross-examination at the Accra High Court presided over by Justice Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, a Court of Appeal Judge with additional responsibility as a High Court Judge.

In the Cross-examination by Mr Thaddeus Sory, defense counsel for Nyinaku, the witness said once the CEO gave his approval, payment was then authorised by the Finance Department, which he headed.

Mr Duah Agyemang explained that once the CEO approved payments, he was satisfied and did not make any further queries.

The witness said that the former CEO of Beige was responsible for payment of everything, but all such payments must start from the preparation of vouchers.

Mr Sory asked the witness whether in terms of authority to make payments, there were various authorities in the process and the payment vouchers were prepared by him (Duah Agyemang).

When questioned about the cost to be incurred because of the transition of Beige Savings and Loans to a Universal Bank, the witness said he had no idea.

The question was about certain approvals of payments bearing the name and signature of the witness.

Mr Sory said Nyinaku, the accused person, had allegedly informed others, including Mr Duah Agyemang of the intended expansion of the Saving and Loans to reflect its status of a universal entity.

The lawyer said the accused person corresponded with the witness and others through emails.

Mr Sory put it to Mr Agyemang Duah that his client made it clear in the email that some expenses had to be incurred in respect of the project and the witness answered yes.

Led by Madam Stella Ohene Appiah, Principal State Attorney, the witness read part of his statement to the police saying, ‘my role was to review all payments. Authority to make payment emanates from the CEO who normally communicate via email. No payment was made without personal feedback.’

Prosecution: ‘You have stated you will identify the various payment vouchers signed off by you with their supporting documents, look through the exhibit A and do the identification to the court.

Witness: ‘I can identify the ones with my name.’

‘PW1 and 12 is payment in favour of Kwame Mensah dated on the 9/8/16 and it was signed by me prepared for the payment,’ he said.

‘PW12 is a payment for property in favour of Kwame Mensah Bonsu. I have the contract documents which is also attached to the payment and signature in respect of Kpatsa property at Airport West. That one too, I have email supporting and approving to make payments on 1/4/16.

”Also, PW4 is another one, which has my name signed 3/4/17, that is payment in respect of expansion project TBG, that one too I have supporting documents attached to the voucher,’ he added.

Prosecution: ‘Now Mr Duah Agyemang, beyond the three exhibits listed to the court, please go through the entire list and tell the court whether there were other vouchers bearing your signature.

‘Yes, there are other vouchers bearing my name and signature,’ Mr Duah Agyemang answered.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Director General of the Ghana Education Service has called for the reinstatement of headmaster of Fijai Senior High School, Kenneth Agbomadze.

The headmaster was asked to stay off official duties when some parents allegedly accused him of collecting some unapproved fees sometime in April this year.

A Committee, led by the Western Regional Director of Education, Mrs Felicia Agyeibea Okai was charged to conduct investigations into the alleged malpropractices.

Mrs Okai, the Committee Chair found him not guilty of the any of the said accusations and after two weeks of intensive search proven that the headmaster did not err.

His reinstatement, effective May 8, 2023, was contained in a statement copied the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday and endorsed by the Committee.

Parts of the statement, ‘I have been directed by the Director General to hand over the administration of the school to you after the committee’s work.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr George Nkrumah, a retired banker, said the Free Senior High School (SHS) Policy is to spur economic transformation and reduce the financial burden on most Ghanaian parents.

The policy had made it easier for students who came from poor back grounds to gain access to secondary education while some had scholarships abroad to positively impact their future, he said.

Mr Nkrumah, a former Assistant Director of the Bank of Ghana, said this during the seventh Speech and Prize Giving Day of the Nyakrom Senior High Technical School at Agona Nyakrom in the Central Region.

The day also coincided with the 40th Anniversary celebration of the school, which saw the exhibition of art works to climax the occasion.

He called on Ghanaians to embrace the Free SHS policy, which had increased enrolment and improved infrastructure in senior high schools across the country.

Mr Nkrumah admonished the students to take their studies seriously and avoid spending most of their on the internet.

He urged parents to endeavor to invest in their children’s education, being the key to success in life.

Mr Elias Arthur, the Headmaster, said the school had performed creditably in both academic and sports, having been moved from a grade D to A school four year ago.

He said in the 2021/2022 academic year, it was ranked 10 among 75 senior high schools in the Central Region due to hard work and dedication of the teaching and none teaching staff.

Currently the school tops four senior high schools in the Agona West Municipality.

Mr Arthur said the boys dormitory project, which was touted as a flagship project in 2019, had stalled and appealed to the Government to ensure the contractor returned to site.

He also appealed to financial institutions, individuals, and old students to help complete an abandoned PTA two-story block, comprising 18 classrooms, which started in 2006, to facilitate teaching and learning.

Mr Richard Ben Debrah, an old boy, who chaired the function, donated 10 ceiling fans to be fixed in the classrooms.

Prizes were awarded to students who excelled in the various subjects.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has urged security stakeholders to safeguard Nigeria’s critical asset and infrastructure.

Aregbesola made the call during the Critical National Asset and Infrastructure (CNAI) and the National Protection Policy and Strategy (NPPS) 2023 Validation workshop in Abuja on Tuesday.

According to him, protecting the country’s assets will ensure development of the nation.

He said that because CNAI was diverse, stakeholders needed to brainstorm on the policies guiding it alongside how CNAI affected the duties of security agencies.

The minister said there was need to checkmate the roles security agencies and stakeholders played in securing CNAI.

He further said that it was imperative to know how security agencies planned to implement the strategies guiding CNAI protection.

“ We expect a fantastic outcome so, your contributions in this workshop must come out of your experience in areas we believe are critical to the well being and security of Nigerians.

“Whether with this government or the incoming administration, the Federation Executive Council will find out if this document has gone through critical evaluation and contribution before approval,” he said.

Earlier in his remarks, Mr Ahmed Audi, the Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) reiterated that the corps was the statutory lead agency in the protection of CNAI.

“ Today’s gathering is aimed at completing the multi-stakeholder engagement process for CNAI-NPPS 2023.

“This document being presented for validation is in full compliance with the dictates of the aforementioned Security Council Resolution.

“We are taking bold steps to reform the legal and policy approaches for the protection of CNAI in alignment with national developmental aspirations, global trends and good practices,” he said.

Audi said that the document was an additional boost which could not have come at a better time considering Nigeria’s emerging security threats.

“ We will strive to bridge this gap and threats to CNAI that takes us two steps backwards when we take one step forward.” he said.

The NSCDC boss further said that the agency would continue to effectively synergise with the Military, Police, sister agencies and other relevant critical stakeholders to adequately safeguard Nigeria’s heritage.

He urged participants to constructively criticise information in the document while productively inputting to collectively tackle insecurity.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the representatives of the Office of the National Security Adviser, Ministries, Departments and Agencies as well as operatives of different security organisations attended the workshop.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

A 23-year-old assistant pastor on Tuesday told an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court how a bishop, Daniel Oluwafeyiropo, allegedly raped her twice.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oluwafeyiropo is standing trial on an amended three-count-charge bordering on rape and sexual assault, to which he pleaded not guilty.

The assistant pastor (name withheld) testified for the prosecution at the bishop’s trial.

She was led in evidence by Lagos State counsel, Mr Babajide Boye.

She told the court that she was an assistant pastor of 1 Reign Christian Ministry founded by the bishop.

She said that she knew the bishop on May 28, 2018, when her friend invited her for a church programme at which the bishop ministered, at Akungba, Akoko in Ondo State.

She said that the programme was tagged “Strictly Supernatural”.

According to her, she subsequently became a member of the church and rose to the position of an assistant pastor.

She said that Pastor Boluwatishe Oladejo took over from Pastor Toyosi Bamise as the Lead Pastor then.

The witness told the court that the bishop, who she regarded as her spiritual father, raped her at his residence on Ikota Villa Estate, Lekki, Lagos State, on June 21, 2020.

The witness said: “I was listening to Pastor Chris’s message when bishop came to the three-seater chair I was sitting on and told me to go naked.

“For the fear of what happened a day before, I went naked, and bishop locked the door, increased the volume of the television and went naked also.

“He pinned me to the chair and raped me. He was bigger than me.”

The witness said that she appealed to the bishop to leave her but he did not.

“He threatened that I would run mad if I should tell anyone; so, I was in the guest room till the following day.

“On June 22, I sent a message to Pastor Boluwatishe and informed him that I had been raped,” the alleged victim testified.

She also told the court that the bishop did not allow her to go out of the house after the first alleged rape.

“He sent the gateman anytime I needed anything. It was at this time that it was dawn on me that this man is a rapist.

“For my safety, I was acting stupid and acted as if I did not tell anyone.

“I was in the room when he came again and said he wanted to have sex but I refused.

“He was very angry; so, I told him I had tears from the previous sexual violation,” she testified.

The witness said that, on June 23, 2020, the bishop also told her that he wanted to have sex with her.

“He said I should count it as a privilege that he had sex with me because many people would love to have sex with him.

“I told him I had someone I was dating.

“That same morning of June 23, he took off my dress and raped me again in the sitting room.

“He told me I would die if I should tell anyone. I bled a second time because of the forceful entry,” she said.

She earlier told the court that the bishop called her on phone on June 5, 2020, saying that it was her turn to come with some other pastors to his house at Lekki, Lagos State.

She added that, on June 19, when she got to the house, the bishop came out from his room and told her that she had a query to answer.

She testified that the bishop told her that she would transcribe his message entitled “Fulfilling My Ministry”.

She said: “The following day, on June 20, only the bishop and I were left in the house after other pastors had left.

“The bishop told me to go on a three-hour prayer work around the estate but I came back 30 minutes before the three hours elapsed, due to rain.

“He questioned why I returned earlier, and I told him that it was due to rainfall.

“I was seated on a couch that same day listening to Pastor Chris’s message when the bishop walked up to me from the dining section and made comments on the teaching I was listening to.”

She testified that the bishop thereafter told her to pull off her clothe but didn’t rape her.

“He said he wanted to know my loyalty and see If I had finally submitted to him.

“I told him I could do anything for him but sex. He tried kissing me but I stopped him; then, he slapped me.

“He ordered me to wear back my clothe, saying that I disappointed him,” the witness said.

She testified that on June 24, 2020, the bishop told her to clean up the house.

“That was when Sister Faith and Pastor Toyosi came to the house.

“I tried to talk to Pastor Toyosi but bishop did not give me a breathing space until he travelled to Ghana and I went home.”

The alleged survivor also told the court that the defendant sent N5,000 to her from Ghana to treat herself because of the tears she had.

“He got back to Nigeria with his two children and wife, and when the wife asked why I could not walk well, bishop told her I contacted a disease from toilet.

“He came to meet me about 3.30 a.m. in the guest room and brought out a rod for me to swear with, that I would run mad if I should tell anyone that he raped me, which I did out of fear.

“He took me to First City Hospital, Lekki, where Dr Tina Clement, a member of the church attended to me, ran some tests, gave me drugs and sent the results to him.

“When the doctor asked what happened to me, bishop told me to tell her I was raped by my friend, and he was with me throughout the tests,” she said.

NAN reports that a computer printout of chats between her and the defendant was admitted in evidence.

NAN also reports that Oluwafeyiropo is also alleged to have had sexual intercourse with one other person and sexually assaulted another, aged 19 years, by forcefully sucking her breasts.

According to Lagos State Government, which is prosecuting the case, the alleged offences contravene Sections 260(2) and 263 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Justice Ramon Oshodi adjourned the case until May 24 for cross-examination of the witness and continuation of trial.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Federal Government is collaborating with a major Automotive manufacturing hub in Turkey to drive Nigeria’s automobile sector.

The Director-General, National Automotive Design and Development Council, Jelani Aliyu, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday.

He said that the commitment was made when he visited the Mayor of Sakarya, Turkey, Ekrem Yuce.

“The visit was to deliberate on potential areas of Turkish collaboration and investment in the Nigerian automotive sector.

“Some of the major areas include improved high performance agricultural tractors, Electric Vehicles and auto components among others,” he said.

NAN reports that the NADDC’s vision is to transform Nigeria into a modern industrialised nation.

It has a mission to design and implement policies, programmes and strategies for an effective, competitive and diversified private sector.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The International African Innovation Digital Conference will be held in Addis Ababa in mid-June, according to Ministry of Innovation and Technology.

The Summit, organized by Ethiopia’s Ministry of Innovation and Technology in collaboration with Extensia Limited, will be held on June 14 and 15, 2023 in Addis Ababa.

Innovation and Technology Minister, Belete Mola, has received the leaders of Extensia Limited in his office and discussed on the issue.

Ethiopia holds the African Innovation Digital Summit every year. Preparations are being made to successfully hold the conference this year too.

Topics related to digital economy will be discussed and many related platforms will also be held on the sideline of the summit, according to the minister.

This conference will not only contribute to the success of the Digital Ethiopia 2025 strategy, but it will also enable investors and intellectuals across the globe to meet, work together, share experiences and exchange ideas, he said.

The conference will also contribute to the development of the tourism sector in Ethiopia by promoting the attractions to visitors, Belete added.

The conference will provide good opportunity to show the guests coming from abroad to see how Ethiopia is the home of the origin of humanity, the hospitality of our people, the history and our cultural values, he said.

At the conference there will be a panel discussion on digital Ethiopia, policies and digital maps as well as about Ethiopia’s journey on digital economy, digital education and creativity, innovations, trade and investment models.

The topic of the panel also includes access to digital technology all over Ethiopia, especially in rural communities, expansion of infrastructure and broadband services, digital investment and wealth creation.

More than 300 ministers from different African and European countries, leaders, industry owners, enterprises that have created jobs and wealth in the fields of digitalization and innovation, and technology companies and professionals are expected to attend the summit.

The event will give an opportunity for companies and investors who are internationally experienced in the field of technology and telecommunication to come to our country and contribute, the minister stated.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

The Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority in coalition with the African Civil Aviation Commission has organized a workshop aimed at accelerating the single African air transport market in Addis Ababa.

The workshop will be held on May 10-11, 2023 under the theme ‘The Acceleration of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) Ethiopian Stakeholders Roadshow.’

Single African Air Transport Market is a flagship project of the AU’s Agenda 2063, which aims at integrating the air transport market of the continent to bring about economic integration and connectivity, thereby enabling the continent’s air transport to be sustainable, efficient and unified.

The Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority said that 100 participants from all African nations will participate in the workshop.

As stipulated by SAATM, aviation plays a major role in connecting Africa, promoting its social, economic and political integration and boosting intra-Africa trade and tourism as a result.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency