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Ketu News Network, Lowcost, Aflao (2024)

30/12/2022

The brazilian football legend is gone.

19/12/2022

We are back this morning. Some newspaper headlines making up the news in Ghana 🇬🇭

11/03/2021

Ivory Coast Prime Minister Hamed Bakayoko dies from cancer in Germany

Ivorian Prime Minister Hamed Bakayoko died from cancer at a hospital in Germany on Wednesday. The 56-year-old had seen his health deteriorate sharply in recent days.

He had terminal cancer and had been hospitalised at the American Hospital in Paris since the beginning of March and was transferred to a hospital in Freiburg, Germany on Saturday, to undergo an experimental treatment.

"Our country is in mourning," said President Alassane Ouattara on Twitter. "I have the immense sorrow to announce to you the death of Prime Minister Hamed Bakayoko this Wednesday, 10 March, in Germany following cancer", Ouattara said, adding, he was "a great statesman, a model for our youth, a personality of great generosity and exemplary loyalty ”.

A transfer to Turkey, where there was talk of the Ivorian Prime Minister undergoing an emergency transplant, had also been considered for last Thursday. But doctors said he was no longer operable.

Bakayoko received treatment in France on February 18.

In recent months, he had contracted coronavirus and malaria.

During his first stay in Paris at the end of January, he had performed a series of medical tests at the American Hospital without any precise diagnosis. Alassane Ouattara went to his bedside visited the prime minister on March 3 in Paris. During a dinner with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace, the Ivorian president expressed concern about the health of his prime minister.

07/03/2021

Football: Agbozume Weavers FC inaugurates a new board of directors

The first division side, Agbozume Weavers FC from Ketu South has inaugurated a new board of directors tasked to steer the affairs of the club for the next two years. .

At the meeting at Omega Hotel in Agbozume yesterday Saturday, the inaugurated board of directors has also elected Mr. Rowland Dorkenoo as it's Chairman. In his acceptance remarks, Mr Dorkenoo pledged to work and ensure the club remains competitive in the division one league and to bring the club back to winning games

The team will be playing their home game with Accra Young Wise FC today at Sogakope .

04/03/2021

NDC Members of parliament(MP's) 'betray' their grassroots supporters

In what appears as a bargain vote, some NDC members of Parliament voted this dawn to approve some controversial ministerial nominees who were referred to the plenary due to lack of consensus by the vetting committee. The midnight to dawn vote was by secret ballot .

There are claims by NDC party activists that these were done in return for favours and promises.

Some opposition MP's do deal with their counterparts in government through influence lobbying in terms of contracts and allocation of employment slots to their constitutents

The NDC online activists have condemned this move by their representatives. They described it as a betrayal and complete waste of their energies and sacrifices.

These controversial nominees were ministers who were involved in thuggery and promoted violence during the 2020 elections. Some others were allegedly involved in corruption

04/03/2021

Politics: Akuffo Addo boots out the 'Togolese pensioner' Mr. Daniel Domelevo out of the audit service

The President of the republic Akuffo Addo has exercised his powers in terminating appointments and has forcibly retire the corruption fighter Mr. Daniel Domelevo.

The President in a letter signed by his executive secretary , Nana Asante Bediatu claimed his decision is based on information provided by the audit service board of Ghana on constitutional age limits that formally retires the feared anti- corruption fighter.

The President has earlier forced the Director-General of Ghana Audit Service to take a mandatory accumulated leave just when he was pursuing a case of corruption involving the senior minister in the kroll and associates payment surcharges saga. The Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo had indicted the Ministry of Finance and the Senior Minister for paying a UK firm, Kroll and Associates Limited, in 2017 to recover assets from identified wrongdoers, among others, without verifying outcomes.

The 'retired' Auditor General has also exposed several ghost names draining public funds through salary payments for no work done. He has been considered as a thorn in the flesh of Nana Akuffo Addo. The audit service board in an information released described Mr. Domelevo as a Togolese with a false date of birth. These are claims Mr. Domelevo has denied.

03/03/2021

Football: Agbozume Weavers FC poised to stay in Division one league

Agbozume Weavers FC managers have vowed to do all it takes to stay in the first division league of Ghana. The team is one of the two representing the Volta region in the tough division one league.

The team currently stands a row above the bottom with only three points after 10 games. The team will come back strongly in the next games, according to the expectations of the technical team. The team lost this afternoon to Prampram Uncle T FC in a match that witnessed very biased officiating against the visiting Weavers FC.

The management of the club is re-enforcing both the management and technical sides of the team with an interim coach onboard and a new board of directors that is set to be inaugurated this weekend in Agbozume.

24/02/2021

Dzodze: St Anthony's Hospital suspends Health care service as part of measures to control Covid-19

The surge in covid-19 infection in the Ketu North Municipality has forced the hospital administration to suspend Out Patient Services and the emergency unit has been partially closed with immediate effect according to an official release yesterday.

This is to enable the hospital to do a disinfection exercise in line with continuos quality improvement policy at tacking covid-19 in the facility and municipality

The release said some of the positives cases were people the hospital has handled and have received treatment at the facility.

Some staffs have also tested positive from KNN sources in the hospital making the move by the hospital necessary .

24/02/2021

Breaking: Covid-19 Vaccines arrived this morning into Ghana.

18/02/2021

Breaking: Nurse in Ketu South Hospital succumbs to Covid-19 this afternoon. Husband also died a week earlier

A nurse who works at the Ketu South Municipal Hospital dies of covid-19 complications.

The nurse's condition worsened whilst being managed at the district hospital and had to be transferred to Ho Teaching Hospital for intensive care. She lost the battle this afternoon to the illness.

Her colleague staffs had to contribute money for her healthcare. A situation that raised concerns in the local radio stations about the lack of support and insurance packages to health workers battling the pandemic.

A week earlier the nurse's husband also died at the municipal hospital of same condition according to sources.

18/02/2021

Editorial: The war of words must cease among stakeholders in Some Traditional Area's salt land compensation disputes

The impasse between the chiefs, the Ketu South municipal assembly, Six ssemblymen, opinion leaders and youth groups over the compensation by the salt mining company in the area by name Seven Seas must cease .

We can recall assemblymen from six electoral areas from Ketu South's salt mining communities have expressed reservations on the mode of disbursement of funds to the affected people. In a press statement, the six assemblymen called on the Seven Seas Company, the municipal chief executive and the chiefs to explain to them who was responsible for paying the consultant that worked on the settlement packages, the rightful signatories to the accounts and rightful holders of the payment cheques to the community accounts.

Blekusu Youths have earlier on also threatened Chiefs and Seven Seas Salt Company.
The youths of Blekusu have threatened to block operations of Seven Seas Salt mining Company if the chiefs do not return the packages received from the company to them.

There were posters in town and on social media sending warning to the chiefs and the company. The youths were threatening to use violence and to make the area out of bounds to the company.

There were reports that some properties of the company have been tampered with and the police investigations ongoing to know those behind the threats and thefts.

The chiefs have in a release demanded that the community should stop according respect and recognition to the six assemblymen who they described as not respectful to the traditional authorities. In response the six assemblymen have also questioned the understanding of the chiefs on the provisions of the chieftaincy act and their powers.

KNN is of the opinion that these developments are unfortunate and will further re**rd the progress of these communities. It is important all parties cease from any settlement of the issues in the media. All parties and stakeholders must re-open negotiations and settle all disagreements through mutual respect for all.

The youths and the communities must also be consulted and engaged extensively.

These are matters that can be settled through bargaining and going by the laws of the land and respecting the agreements signed by all parties.

There are a lot of work to be done in Somé areas. The chiefs and assemblymen must work together for the interest of all communities. The youths must know that violence and criminal acts cannot be accepted in our communities. The company must not suffer any attack on its workers or its assets. All parties can have a win-win deal if negotiations are re-opened and agreements by all parties as signed are respected. Let all stakeholders work in achieving peace and development in Some Traditional Area.

15/02/2021

Israeli study finds 94% drop in symptomatic COVID-19 cases with Pfizer vaccine

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel’s largest healthcare provider on Sunday reported a 94% drop in symptomatic COVID-19 infections among 600,000 people who received two doses of the Pfizer’s vaccine in the country’s biggest study to date.

Health maintenance organization (HMO) Clalit, which covers more than half of all Israelis, said the same group was also 92% less likely to develop severe illness from the virus.
“It shows unequivocally that Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine is extremely effective in the real world a week after the second dose, just as it was found to be in the clinical study,” said Ran Balicer, Clalit’s chief innovation officer.

He added that the data indicates the Pfizer vaccine, which was developed in partnership with Germany’s BioNTech, is even more effective two weeks or more after the second shot.

Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science, who have been tabulating national data, said on Sunday that a sharp decline in hospitalisation and serious illness identified earlier among the first age group to be vaccinated - aged 60 or older - was seen for the first time in those aged 55 and older.

Hospitalisations and serious illness were still rising in younger groups who began vaccinations weeks later.

Israel has been conducting a rapid vaccine rollout and its database offers insights into vaccine effectiveness and at what point countries might attain herd immunity.

15/02/2021

Ziorme: A simple three unit classroom block started since 2009 in Ziorme remains uncompleted with weeds and bushes growing in it.

Ziorme is a fast populating community in rural Aflao not far from one of the many Ghana-Togo border stretches in Ketu South.

The project was started by a former member of Parliament( MP) of the constituency, Hon Albert Zigah from his share of the common fund in 2009. Surprisingly the project remains uncompleted after twelve solid years. Hon Albert Zigah exited after his second term in Parliament in 2012. All attempts by the community to push for continuity from successive MPs and Municipal Chief executives have not yielded any results. The people have raised funds from their own communal contributions to even bring the project to its current level.

Prospects of the project

This project when completed can help lot of kids in the area to have education at their door steps instead of walking to other schools in nearby communities. The town has more land available to extend the project into more classrooms.

Appeal for support

The citizens have gathered into a group known as Ziome Development Association with the motive to advocate and lobby for development for the area. The area lies on a road not too far from Diamond Cement Company and also close to the Community Day Senior High School under construction. A leader of the group Desmond Gomado speaking to KNN encouraged stakeholders to help roof and complete the building in order to develop the area. This coming Saturday the community intends to kickstart a new round of self-help fundraising to complete the project. The community seeks supports from all stakeholders to help complete this 12 year old project .

Advertisement

ZIORME DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
----------------------------------------
Dear sir/madam,
The Elders and Youths of Ziorme wish to invite you to their first general meeting in the year 2021.
Agenda:To raise fund for roofing materials for Ziorme School Block.

Venue:Ziorme Football park

Date:Sunday, 28th February,2021

Time:3pm
Thank you for your support.

Sign:Desmond Tsevi Gamado.(0505828190/0246897464)

14/02/2021

Health: Ketu South Municipal Hospital on high alert over coronavirus

The Ketu South Municipal Hospital has increased its combativeness on Covid-19. This comes after some staffs of the hospital tested positive after a general screening of all staffs.

A visit by KNN reporter to the hospital revealed that consultations and clinical care are ongoing normally under covid-19 precautionary protocols.

The staffs who have tested positive have been asked to stay in isolation whilst going through treatment.

The situation has increased lot of worries in town with unproved rumours that a lot more people may have the virus asymptomatically.

Staffs of the hospital are agitating quietly to put down their tools if government does not send more PPE's and support to them. This was after the staffs had to contribute money among themselves to financially support one of their colleagues who contracted the virus probably on duty to undergo a needed emergency treatment.

Government is struggling nationwide to supply facilities with the needed logistics and supplies to fight the pandemic.

12/02/2021

Nyonyo Agboada re-elected as Volta Region's member on the Council of state.

Mr. Francis Albert Seth Nyonyo has been re-elected to serve as the Volta Region's representative on the council of state. Mr. Nyonyo was first elected in 2017 as the region's representative.

The council of state is a constitutional establishment of body of prominent citizens who counsel the President on the performance of his functions.

The election which was held today in Ho, saw Mr. Francis Albert Seth Nyonyo, a legal energy expert , polling 19 votes as against his fiercest contender Mr. Robert Castro Mediale, a businessman polling 17 votes. All other seven contenders did not get any vote.

11/02/2021

Education: Aflao Sepenukope Basic School cries for infrastructural support

Teaching and learning in Sepenukope Basic School is seriously being affected by lack of good educational infrastructure in the school.

A six unit classroom block that has been constructed in an old fashion design several years ago is without windows and the heat and poor lighting in the classrooms make it a 'hell' and a 'darkroom' affecting quality classroom works.

The school's enrollment has increased thereby making the situation dire as the school tries to observe covid-19 prevention protocols.

Teachers have to be running out to seek some fresh air intermittently during the classroom hours due to the excessive heats.

The pupils have no option but to endure the severe heat and very horrible ventilation in the classroom daily especially during the hot afternoon sun strikes.

The stakeholders of the school especially the Parent And Teachers Association, the Past students' Association and the School Management Committee have in the past tried to take some actions on some of the classroom blocks in the upper level classrooms.

The stakeholders are calling for support from the Municipal Assembly, non-governmental organisations, past students' and individuals to help address these challenges.

10/02/2021

Ministerial Vetting: What a petition against the nominee for health minister Hon Kwaku Agyeman Manu?

09/02/2021

Denu : Residents flared up against alleged premix fuel proceeds mismagement

The residents of Denu beaches are complaining against the premix fuel managers over what they described as mismanagement of the proceeds from the premix fund.

The assemblyman of the area Hon Israel Bossman who was on a radio station this morning added his voice to the calls for accountability and transparency on management of the proceeds. He insisted the proceeds should be used to develop the community in a transparent manner.

Premix fuel are highly subsidized fuel purposely meant for the fishermen as government's support to their industry. Profits from the sales of the premix fuel are to be used to undertake developmental projects in the respective communities. The Landing Beach Committees established by law is responsible for the administration and distribution of premix fuel and managing of proceeds in the various fishing communities.

From Blekusu to Abeliakope in Ketu South constituency there are 14 landing beaches. Some of the communities have used their proceeds to construct classrooms blocks, nurses quarters, community centres and other projects. However some communities are yet to boast of such projects . Denu landing beach is one of such communities.

The concerns of the people are that an attempt to do a shed project currently is fraught with issues of corruption . From sources in the community a recent meeting organised among the stakeholders revealed there are unaccounted for expenditures and misappropriation of funds.

There were issues of embezzlement of the funds in the past and the people involved were made to sign an undertaking and monies refunded later in the same community.

08/02/2021

South Africa calls off AstraZeneca vaccine roll-out

South Africa on Sunday suspended plans to inoculate its front-line health care workers with the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, after a clinical trial suggested that it isn't effective in preventing mild to moderate illness from the variant dominant in the country.

The country received its first one million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine last week and was expected to begin giving jabs to health care workers in the middle of this month.

But preliminary data from a small study suggested that the AstraZeneca vaccine offers only “minimal protection against mild-moderate disease" caused by the variant in South Africa.

The study, which hasn't yet been peer-reviewed, involved 2,000 people, most of whom were young and healthy. The volunteers’ average age was 31.

Salim Abdool Karim, chairman of South Africa's COVID-19 advisory committee, said there wasn't enough data on how well the vaccine protects against severe disease caused by the variant.

"The AstraZeneca vaccine rollout needs to be put on temporary hold while we get the clinical efficacy information," he said.

He added that there would only be a wide scale rollout of the jab if new data on could show "acceptable" hospitalization rates.

Other vaccines have shown reduced efficacy against the variant, but have provided good protection from serious disease and death.

Health minister Zweli Mkhize said discussions were being held to explore available alternatives.

"There are discussions going on on Sputnik, Sputnik V. There are discussions going on about Sinopharm, the department and the ministerial advising committee are dealing with that. There are discussions that are going on with Moderna. And we will also need to explore on Novavax, that one there had not been much of discussion. So the discussion on all of them remains open", said Mkhize.

06/02/2021

Covid-19: Ketu South. Total case count 80, Recoveries 57, Active cases 20, deaths 3.

06/02/2021

Covid-19: 20 active cases recorded in Ketu South. Be responsible. Take precautions serious.

04/02/2021

Aflao: Easter in Aflao Youth Festival loading

Easter Festivals in Aflao are important occasions for communities and they are celebrated with lots of programs targeted at development of families, youth groups and society at large.

Aflao youths from diverse background do not want to be left behind this year's Easter. The West Empire Incorporation , an events planning firm is finding innovative and legitimate means to organise a mega show even in the face of the Covid restrictions

The purpose of the festival according to the organisers is to brand Aflao as a perfect town for business investments

Festival concept

The organisers have drawn the programme in a way of a festival. It will be a three day event starting from Easter Friday and ending on Sunday. The activities planned for the festival are centered around the local economy and culture. The plans range from cultural exhibition, product marketing , music and other talents exhibition.

Covid-19 rules compliance

The organisers have plans ready to take care of all covid-19 concerns in order not to breach the law. It is their expectations that when it gets critical some of the concepts will be reviewed and for the festival to go on even if it is going to be virtually.

Home of talents

Aflao can boast of lots of youth with talents in the business, arts, footbal , music and entertainment. It is a buoyant town where the youths are creative and with so much confidence in their arts. The challenges faced by the youths is unavailability of sponsorship and platforms to push their works.

Business Destination

Aflao being a border town with a huge population is a perfect place for business. There are lot of fine beaches, hotels, restaurants and a perfect tourist destination.
The covid-19 has slowed lot of activities and it is the expectation of the organisers that the festival will play by all health safety precautions whilst promoting the town, the youths and the Aflao economy.

03/02/2021

Ketu South : Blekusu Youths threatens Chiefs and Seven Seas Salt Company

The youths of Blekusu are threatening to block operations of Seven Seas Salt mining Company if the chiefs do not return the packages received from the company to them.

There are posters in town and on social media sending warning to the chiefs and the company. The youths are threatening to use violence and to make the area out of bounds to the company.

The company recently came into agreements with the chiefs and people on the surface rights compensation issues that has created conflict in the area in the past five years.

There have been disagreements over how the surface rights compensation paid by the company should be disbursed.

Last week six assemblymen in a press release demanded for transparency and answers from the stakeholders as to the rightful managers of the compensation fund.

03/02/2021

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03/02/2021

Ketu South: Police made dozens of arrests on Covid-19 restrictions breaches

The police in Ketu South has made a number of arrests of people who breached the covid-19 rules in the municipality.

Dozens of people have been arrested , warned and discharged this morning in a surprise patrol swoop by the police.

Information picked by KNN suggests that the municipality has recorded some active positive cases with one death in a lastest surge in infection.

Recently the government has raised the restrictions levels due to the rising number of new daily infections and hospitalisations nationwide.

Ketu South stands as a high risk area due its geographical location as a busy border town in the sub region. A lot of travellers use unapproved routes daily as the government continues with the official closure of land borders.

In neighbouring Togo, a spot fine of 3,000 CFA equivalent to 40 GHC is paid on nose-mask Covid -19 rule breaches. In Ghana, the Imposition of restrictions Act 2020(Act1012) imposes 12, 000 to 60,000 or 4 to 10 years imprisonment on flouting the law.

Many people have described the rules in Ghana as too harsh and not enforceable.

01/02/2021

(KNN) : Military stages Coup d'etat in Myanmar.

Myanmar’s military has seized power and declared a state of emergency for one year following days of escalating tension over the result of November’s parliamentary elections.

Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s de facto leader, President Win Myint and other senior members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party have been detained in the capital, Naypyidaw, on Monday.

A video broadcast on military-owned television said power was handed to Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, citing “huge irregularities” in November’s vote.

The power grab came as Parliament – in which the military is given 25 percent of the seats – was set to open in Myanmar.

(Sourced from Al-Jazeera)

31/01/2021

Ketu South: Municipal Chief Executive celebrates birthday with inmates

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Ketu South , Hon Elliot Agbenorwu has celebrated his birthday last friday with inmates of police cells in the area.
He shared food and drinks with them and exchange words with the inmates and officers . This move by the MCE is a welcome one as it afforded him the opportunity to interact with inmates and officers and to appreciate their concerns better. The MCE who is also a minister of the gospel may just also be practicing the christian doctrine of prison visitation as the scripture advised. Belated Happy birthday to the MCE.

30/01/2021

Ketu South: Assemblymen, chiefs and effected residents in the salt mining communities in disagreements over disbursements of surface rights compensation.

Assemblymen from six electoral areas from Ketu South's salt mining communities have expressed reservations on the mode of disbursement of funds to the affected people. In a press statement, six assemblymen are calling on the Seven Seas Company, the municipal chief executive and the chiefs to explain to them who is responsible for paying the consultant that worked on the settlement packages, the rightful signatories to the accounts and rightful holders of the payment cheques to the community accounts. The six assemblymen are from Amutinu/Salakope, Blekusu, Kpedzakope, Nogokpo/Atiwuta, Adina and Agavedzi electoral areas.
This latest development is brewing tension in these affected areas as residents are planning series of protest against the stakeholders.
There have been series of violent demonstration in the past by the people who complained that their sources of livelihood and environment has been damaged by the salt mining activities of the company. There were series of engagements and consultations leading to an agreement to pay compensation to the affected communities. Documents sighted shows that there was a memorandum of understanding as to the formula and guidelines on the disbursement and management of the funds accruing from the payments of the surface rights to the communities. However, these agreements are not being followed according to the assemblymen who seek clarity and transparency to avoid unrests in their communities.