Crime & Punishment of Friday, 18 March 2005

Source: GNA

Three suspected armed robbers arrested

Kumasi, March 18, GNA-Three persons suspected to be armed robbers were arrested by the Kumasi police patrol team on Thursday. They are David Agavina, Ibrahim Amidu and Mohammed Namani.

Briefing newsmen on the state of crime and robbery in the Kumasi metropolis, ACP Kweku Ayensu Opare-Addo, Ashanti Regional Deputy Police commander, said the three were apprehended between Buokrom and Duase Junction, suburbs of Kumasi at about 11 pm

He said the arrest was made possible through tip-offs and information from a section of the public that fateful day.

He said in response to the tip-off, a police patrol team was dispatched to the vicinity where they heard gunshots and later spotted the three robbers.

According to ACP Opare-Addo, one of the robbers who was carrying a bag at his back took to his heels on seeing the police. The patrol team however, pursued and arrested him together with the other two persons.

When they were searched, one locally manufactured pistol loaded with ammunition, three cartridges, a pair of scissors, spanners, a cutter and empty sacks were found. They will soon be put before court after investigations, he added.

2.9 billion cedis to solve Buokrom and Pankrono water problem Kumasi March 18 GNA---The government through the HIPC Fund has made available 2.9 billion cedis to help end the acute water shortage residents of Buokrom and Pankrono in Kumasi have over the years been grappling with.

The money has enabled the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) to build a ground reinforced concrete reservoir with the capacity for holding 50,000 gallons of water, the installation of an overhead tank and a pump house at Buokrom.

At Pankrono, another 50,000 gallon-capacity concrete ground reservoir had been constructed and pumps installed. Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyeman, Minister of Works and Housing, on Thursday inspected the two projects as part of his official working visit to the Ashanti Region.

Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, the Regional Minister, Mr S.G.O. Lamptey, Managing Director of the GWCL, and some Chief Managers of the Water Company accompanied him.

Officials of the GWCL assured the Minister that the projects would be ready for inauguration next month.

They said contractors working on them were now connecting the transmission pipelines and the ground level reservoirs. "We will soon begin the test-running of the system", they added. Mr Owusu-Agyeman repeated the government's determination to make sure that people in all parts of the country have access to safe and good drinking water.