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Achimota Circuit Court has sentenced Nicky Isabella, a 22-year-old hairdresser, to five years in prison for trafficking two Nigerian women into prostitution.

Isabella, who lured the victims under the guise of offering jobs in Ghana, forced them into prostitution upon their arrival.

The victims, aged 22 and 23, were promised supermarket jobs in Adjiringanor, Accra, but upon arrival, Isabella seized their earnings and coerced them into swearing an oath on a Bible, threatening them with rituals using pieces of their pubic hair if they disobeyed her orders.

The prosecution, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Isaac Babayi, emphasized the premeditated nature of Isabella’s crime and urged the court to impose a stringent sentence.

Isabella’s accomplice, Nelly, remains at large and is being sought by the police.

Despite Isabella’s young age and status as a first-time offender, the judge noted her lack of remorse and the severity of her crime.

Isabella broke down in tears when the sentence was read, while the victims have been rescued and are receiving psychosocial support.

The Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Ghana Police Service is continuing investigations to apprehend Nelly. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) William Ayariga, Director of the Unit, reaffirmed the commitment to pursuing traffickers, stating, “Ghana is not a safe haven for human traffickers, and justice will prevail.”

Court documents revealed that Isabella admitted to exploiting the victims, collecting their earnings, and using intimidation tactics, including a notebook with records of proceeds and human hair.

The Coalition of Actors for Public Health Advocacy (CAPHA) has commended the Government of Ghana for prioritising maternal and child nutrition in its newly announced 2025 Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Commitments, which were presented at the recently concluded N4G Summit in Paris.

CAPHA noted that the government’s pledges align closely with its December 2024 public appeal, urging action on critical issues such as stunting, anaemia, low birth weight, and poor dietary diversity among vulnerable groups.

The coalition welcomed the ambitious targets outlined in Commitment 1, including halving stunting in children under five, reducing anaemia in women of reproductive age by 50%, lowering low birth weight by 30%, and increasing exclusive breastfeeding to 70%.

CAPHA described these targets as bold steps in line with the World Health Assembly Nutrition Goals, marking significant progress in Ghana’s fight against long-standing nutrition challenges.

In addition, CAPHA praised the government’s Commitment 7 to implement evidence-based strategies to tackle micronutrient deficiencies, notably making multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) a standard part of antenatal care.

The organisation highlighted the potential of this intervention to greatly improve maternal and fetal health outcomes.

Another key highlight is Commitment 5, which seeks to extend maternity leave from 12 to at least 18 weeks across all sectors. CAPHA called this a “progressive shift” that supports exclusive breastfeeding, enhances maternal recovery, and ensures better early childhood care.

Commitment 2 was also acknowledged for its focus on fully implementing Ghana’s National Food-Based Dietary Guidelines, which include public education campaigns, professional training, eliminating industrial trans fats, and adopting nutrition labelling systems to improve food environments, particularly for pregnant women and children.

However, CAPHA emphasised the importance of swift and sustained implementation to achieve tangible results.

The coalition urged the government to ensure adequate funding, as outlined in Commitment 9, which promises at least USD 6 million annually for nutrition commodities.

“We call on the government to move beyond declarations and walk the talk. Strong intersectoral coordination and accountability systems will be crucial,” CAPHA stated. The organization reaffirmed its support for the government and its resolve to advocate for maternal and child nutrition as a national development priority.

The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Agbodza, has directed an immediate investigation into the deterioration of parts of the newly reconstructed Tarkwa-Agona Nkwanta Road.

The 66-kilometre stretch, which cost €95 million, has shown visible signs of damage just months after completion.

This discovery was made during his inspection tour of key infrastructure projects in the Western Region on Friday.

Project Manager Joaquim Ferreira explained that the early damage was primarily due to excessive overloading by heavy-duty trucks transporting manganese, bauxite, and other mining-related materials.

He warned that if such overloading continues, the lifespan of the road would be drastically shortened, undermining the significant investment made by the government.

In response, Minister Agbodza and his team conducted an unannounced inspection at the Apimanim axle load station, where five trucks were apprehended for carrying loads far beyond the permissible limit, with some exceeding the limit by up to 20 tonnes.

“There is no doubt that overloading is damaging our roads, and the axle load programme is problematic,” Agbodza stated during the visit.

To address the issue, the Ministry has established a five-member committee to investigate the operations of the axle load programme nationwide.

Agbodza stated that the committee’s findings would guide government efforts to reform the system and better protect the country’s road infrastructure from preventable damage.

Former Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has entreated political leaders and actors to shift away from what he terms “slash and burn” politics to collectively drive national development.

According to him, the ideas of opposing parties should not be rejected solely because a ruling government disagrees or seeks to score cheap political points.

Dr. Adwutum observed that some political opponents often criticise government policies and projects, not because they are inherently bad, but to score political points.

“Sometimes, your opponents know what you’re doing is right, but they may say it’s bad in order to score political points. I’ve always said that E-blocks were a good thing, but if the location is not suitable for a Day School, I will add a dormitory block so that the building becomes useful to the community,” he said.

Speaking to JoyNews during a TEKTALK event organised by the Students’ Representative Council of the KNUST, Dr. Adutwum suggested a bipartisan approach to critical national initiatives.

“If we have some critical national commissions in the future, let’s look at how we can do bi-partisan representation, where if the party in power selects three people, the party that is not in power can select two,” he proposed.

The TEKTALK event was under the theme: “Pioneering National Transformation through Politics, Finance, and Entertainment”.

Sharing his thoughts on the role of politics in driving national transformation, the Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe emphasised that politics can be a “force for good” and explained how he used his political career to make a difference.

“I sponsored 150 students in my constituency to become engineers and doctors. I also championed STEM education, and now STEM is a household word. And so, politics can be a ‘force for good’ for national transformation,” said Dr. Osei-Adutwum.

Founder and CEO of 3Music Network, Baba Sadiq Abdulai Abu, also spoke on the role of the entertainment industry in driving national transformation.

According to him, politics plays a foundational role in creating an environment for economic growth.

“Politics sets the tone and avenue for national transformation. Creating a political environment is the genesis of having a very strong economy. If politics sets the tone, everything else can be built on it, including finance,” said Baba Sadiq.

A 25-year-old man, Richmond Owusu Kankam, has been found dead under mysterious circumstances in Ahwiaa, a suburb of the Kwabre East Municipality in the Ashanti Region.

Richmond’s lifeless body was discovered on the roadside near the Ahwiaa RC School on the morning of Sunday, 6th April 2025, sparking tension and sorrow within the local community.

The deceased, who lived with his grandmother in Mamponteng, was last seen on Friday when he left home to run errands at the market. His mother, Nana Yaa, recounted receiving a distressing phone call later that day.

“One of my siblings in Accra called to ask if I had heard that Rich had been killed,” she said.

Worried, Nana Yaa visited his workplace, only to find it closed with no sign of her son’s presence. She then visited various locations he frequented in an attempt to find him, but her search was in vain. Desperate, she filed a report with the Mamponteng Police.

“They told me he might have spent the night at his girlfriend’s house,” she said, expressing frustration over the lack of urgency in the response.

The next day, determined to continue her search, Nana Yaa set out again. While traveling in a tricycle, the rider mentioned that a body had been found nearby. Trusting her instincts, she visited the site and was heartbroken to identify the body as her son’s.

The discovery has left the community in shock, with residents calling for a swift and thorough investigation into the circumstances of Richmond’s death.

Police have yet to release an official statement regarding the case.

In a shocking turn of events, National Security operatives have uncovered several official Bank of Ghana (BoG) cash boxes at a crime scene in Sapeiman, Ga West Municipality, Greater Accra, raising serious concerns about their connection to a sophisticated counterfeit currency syndicate.

The discovery of the genuine BoG cash boxes follows the bust of ten 40-foot containers filled with counterfeit Ghana cedi and US dollar notes in February 2025.

During a tour of the site on Sunday, Richard Jakpa, Director of Special Operations at the National Security Secretariat, confirmed that the boxes were not replicas but genuine BoG property.

Authorities are now investigating how these state-sanctioned financial assets found their way into the hands of the criminal network behind the counterfeiting operation.

The discovery has raised more questions about the extent of the syndicate’s reach and how long it may have been operating undetected.

Meanwhile, Mr. Jakpa disclosed that a manhunt is underway for the alleged kingpin behind the sophisticated counterfeiting syndicate.

The elderly man operating as a front, known locally as the “Battery Doctor,” is believed to have served as a cover for the real activities—namely, the mass production of counterfeit currency and fake gold bars.

Investigators are currently pursuing a man known only as “Alhaji,” who is suspected to be the mastermind behind the operation.

Jakpa revealed that authorities have solid evidence linking Alhaji to the crime scene and to a broader network of illegal activities.

“We are confident that it is only a matter of time before he is apprehended,” Jakpa stated, assuring the public that National Security is determined to bring the individuals behind this illegal operation to justice.