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President John Dramani Mahama has visited the scene of a devastating fire at Adum-Kumasi, where an early morning blaze destroyed several shops and properties.

Mahama, who was in the Ashanti Region for a separate engagement, diverted to assess the situation firsthand.

He was welcomed by the Ashanti Regional Minister, who had earlier toured the affected area.

Briefing the President, fire service officials explained that the market’s layout posed significant challenges in containing the fire, leading to extensive damage.

Mahama assured victims that discussions were already underway with the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the Chief of Staff to coordinate relief efforts.

He emphasized the need for both immediate and long-term assistance to help traders recover from their losses.

Addressing the affected traders and market operators, he cautioned against using gas cylinders in the market, citing the fire risks they pose.

He further assured that a full report on the fire would be awaited to determine appropriate measures, including restructuring the market to prevent future incidents.

The former Executive Director of the National Service Authority (NSA), Osei Assibey Antwi, is the latest to be questioned by the (NIB) as it probes the ghost names scandal that reportedly occurred under the former managers.

He’s the next past official to be interrogated after a former Deputy Director in charge of Finance and administration, Gifty Oware-Mensah, was picked up for questioning upon her arrival into the country from abroad.

Before Gifty Oware-Mensah, the NIB detained and questioned Kwaku Ohene Djan, also a former Deputy Executive Director of the National Service Authority, over the raging allegations.

According to sources, Mr. Osei Assibey appeared before the NIB on Thursday, March 20, accompanied by his lawyer after an invitation was extended to him to appear before the investigative body.

He was reportedly quizzed for several hours over the alleged fraudulent enlistment of non-existent personnel onto the NSA payroll.

It is not clear whether he was immediately released after the probe.

The NIB launched its investigations following an exposé by The Fourth Estate, which uncovered widespread irregularities within the scheme.

The NIB probed allegations that thousands of ghost names were used to defraud the state of millions of cedis in allowances.

The government says it has uncovered a significant discrepancy in the National Service payroll, revealing 81,885 suspected ghost names.

This figure represents the difference between the actual number of active personnel and the payroll data submitted by the previous management of the National Service Authority (NSA).

According to the latest findings, there are currently 98,145 active service personnel, a stark contrast to the 180,030 names presented for allowance payment in 2024.

“This figure is 81,885 less than the 180,030 names presented by the previous management of the Authority for allowance payment in 2024,” a government statement said.

The 81,885 names that have been flagged as potentially fraudulent or inflated could represent a major misuse of public funds.

The alleged payroll fraud is reported to have cost the state a staggering GH₵50 million each month. It is unclear how long the alleged scheme went on.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), COP Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has declared an all-out war on illegal mining, commonly known as “galamsey,” describing it as a serious threat to national security and the environment.

Speaking at the Regional Police Commanders’ Conference, the IGP emphasized the need for intensified efforts to combat galamsey, particularly highlighting the escalation of activities in the Western North region.

COP Yohuno revealed that armed criminals involved in illegal mining operations have carried out brutal attacks on innocent civilians, including forest guards, without justification.

“This lawlessness must not be allowed to continue. We are declaring war on illegal mining, and I expect every regional commander to take decisive action to bring perpetrators to justice,” he declared.

A 42-year-old farmer, Kofi Nkrumah, has been remanded into police custody by the Bibiani Magistrate Court for attempting to murder his ex-wife, Grace Akose Akowuah, at Sefwi Chirano in the Western North Region.

Presiding over the case, His Lordship Delvin Essandoh ordered that the accused remain in custody for two weeks and reappear before the court on April 3, 2025.

Reports indicate that Nkrumah and Akowuah were married for 15 years but recently separated due to unresolved conflicts.

Allegedly, the suspect lured his ex-wife into a bush, where he inflicted severe cutlass wounds on her and abandoned her beside a river, assuming she was dead.

However, she was later rescued and resuscitated.

Upon learning that his ex-wife had survived, Nkrumah attempted to flee but was apprehended by security personnel of the Ghana Bauxite Company at Awaso after family members of the victim alerted them.

He was subsequently handed over to the Awaso Police and later transferred to the Bibiani Police Command for further investigations.

Following police interrogation, Nkrumah was arraigned before the Bibiani Magistrate Court, where he was remanded pending further proceedings.

Meanwhile, the victim recounted her ordeal to Adom News as she continues to recover from the attack.

Five people have been killed in a tragic accident at Juaso-Yawkwei on the Accra-Kumasi highway.

Four of the victims died on the spot, while the fifth, who was critically injured, passed away after being rushed to the Yawkwei Steward Hospital.

The accident occurred around 1 p.m. on Friday, March 21, 2025.

It involved a Toyota saloon car with registration number GW 532-11 and a cargo truck with registration number AW 2808-22.

An eyewitness, Kofi Saviour, told Adom News that the tipper truck driver attempted a wrongful overtaking, which resulted in the collision with the saloon car.

Reports indicate that the driver of the Toyota vehicle was a policeman stationed at Asante Akyem Agogo, and all the deceased were passengers in the vehicle.

The bodies have been deposited at Yawkwei Steward Hospital, and the tipper truck driver and his mate have been arrested.

Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, Minister of Interior, has disclosed that 107 foreign nationals involved in illegal mining (galamsey) and other fraudulent activities have been repatriated.

He emphasized that any foreigners arrested in future operations will be deported without hesitation.

Speaking at the Police Regional Commanders’ Conference on Friday, March 21, the Minister reiterated the government’s firm stance against illegal mining and foreign involvement in such activities.

“I have written to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) that from now on, any equipment found at galamsey sites or in forests must have its tax details traced to the owners,” he stated. “If you are renting out your bulldozers or other equipment to galamsey operators while staying at home, we will track the tax records and come for you.”

On the matter of foreigners involved in illegal activities, the Minister reaffirmed the government’s strict approach.

“The foreigners we find in our forests, what do we do with them? Since I became Interior Minister, we have repatriated well over 107 foreign nationals caught in fraud and galamsey operations,” he added.

He further clarified that any foreigner found in Ghana’s forests should be immediately reported to immigration authorities for deportation.

“Our first option is always to send them back to their countries, and we will not compromise on this.”

The Minister also warned police officers who fail to comply with these directives.

“I have written to the IGP, and I insist that if any commander fails to forward arrested foreigners for repatriation, it will mean they do not want to be part of this regime,” he cautioned, adding that such officers would be reassigned to areas where they would not have to deal with galamsey or illegal activities.