Local Ghana news headlines today: Tuesday, Jan - 22 - 2019

The families of three girls reported missing and suspected to have been kidnapped in the Sekondi/Takoradi metropolis and Effia Kwesimintsim Municipality of the Western Region are appealing to members of the public to help trace their whereabouts.

The girls are;

• Priscilla Blessing Bentum, 21, who went missing on August 17, 2018 at Kansaworodo in the Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipality.
• Ruth Love Quayson, 18, who went missing on December 4, 2018 at Butumagyebu Junction, popularly called BU-Junction in the twin-city of Sekondi/Takoradi.
• The third is Priscilla Koranchie, 15 years, who went missing on December 21, 2018 at Nkroful.

The police have since arrested and placed in custody, Samuel Udoetuk-Wills, a Nigerian suspected to have been involved in the kidnapping of the girls. He previously escaped from police custody under bizzare circumstances but was recaptured sleeping in an abandoned building.

He has made two appearances in court.

Since his arrest however, the families say the police have made very little progress in tracing the young ladies, while a police search in the vicinity of Udoetuk-Wills hideout, yielded the clothes of one of the girls.

Related article: 7 Policemen given 10-day ultimatum to produce escapee

Police recapture fugitive kidnap suspect Samuel Udoetuk-Wills

The Supreme Court has adjourned indefinitely a ruling on whether or not two houses that the state wants to sell belongs to businessman, Mr Alfred Agbesi Woyome or the defunct UT bank.

The Second Lady, Mrs Samira Bawumia, has underscored the need to make the national fight against Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) and harmful practices more proactive, pragmatic and well-coordinated.

The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has certified the almost completed Kejetia Central Market Project as safe to commence operations.

A 20-year-old head porter, Patience Anane, has been arrested by the police at Kwame Danso in the Brong Ahafo Region for allegedly absconding from Kumasi with a six-month old baby left in her care.

A member of a 20-man gang of suspected land guards who inflicted gunshot wounds on two persons at Katapor, near Amasaman, has been arrested after five days of being on the run.

The family of Ahmed Suale-Hussein, the investigative journalist who was shot dead on January 16, 2019, has said he was killed by people who want to continue to loot the country’s resources and cheat people.

Some stakeholders in the health sector have kicked against a proposal by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) for an increment in the National Health Insurance Levy from 2.5 per cent to 3.5 per cent.

The enskinment process of the Yaa Naa-elect, Abukari Mahama, is on course in spite of attempts by some persons to scuttle the exercise.

The Committee of Eminent Chiefs chaired by His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has congratulated the Yo Na Alhaji Abukari Mahama on his recent nomination as the new Yaa Naa of Dagbon.

The United Nations in Ghana and former President Jerry John Rawlings have expressed revulsion at the blatant murder of undercover journalist Ahmed Hussein-Suale.

Former President Jerry John Rawlings has reiterated calls for the police to unravel the killing of investigative journalist, Ahmed Hussein-Suale.

A former Chief Executive of the Minerals Commission and founder of the African Institute for Extractive Industries think tank, Dr Toni Aubynn says many major mining companies in Ghana have not had their mining leases ratified by Parliament because of the enormous work at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.

One person has been confirmed dead and two others have been arrested with an AK 47 assault rifle in Yendi during curfew hours on Friday night January 18, 2019.

The Ghana Health Service has launched the first-ever national guidelines for effective cancer management and diagnoses in the country.

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and the Bloomberg Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS) yesterday inaugurated enhancement works at the Lapaz intersection of the N1 Highway to improve safety, especially for pedestrians.

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) is collaborating with the Ghana Shippers Authority to weed out criminals involved in diverting transit goods meant for landlocked countries onto the local market and resulting in loss of revenue to the state.

The Ladies Association of the South Birim Rural Bank at Akyem Achiase in the Eastern Region has donated assorted items worth GH¢3,000 to the Good Shepherd Orphanage at Akwatia.

Ghana is exploring the option of sourcing aircraft from Canada and Ethiopia to make up the fleet for the national home- based carrier, the Minister of Aviation, Mr Joseph Kofi Adda, has hinted.

The Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has called for a concerted national effort to tackle fake news head-on as it has the potential to undermine press freedom and the country’s democratic dispensation.