Statement: Minister's Briefing By Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah

"Opening Remarks

Good afternoon and thank you for honouring our invitation to this Press Briefing.
This afternoon there are three (3) briefs we have for you.

1. Government condemns gruesome murder of undercover Journalist Ahmed Husein, urges Police to speed up investigations into his killing.

2. Yendi gets 30 million dollar Water Supply Project following the peace process.

3. Government condemns insensitive Politicization of Menzgold Saga.

*Government condemns gruesome murder of undercover Journalist Ahmed Husein, urges Police to speed up investigations into his killing.*

Government’s attention has been drawn to the gruesome killing of Ahmed Husein, an undercover journalist who worked for the Tiger Eye PI organisation headed by Ace Investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
The sad incident happened on Wednesday 16th January 2019 at Madina, a surburb of Accra. Ahmed Husein is alleged to have been gunned down by unknown assailants while he drove home.

Government condemns this heinous and barbaric act. We are aware the Police have begun investigations into the incident. We however urge the security agency to quicken their investigations and bring the perpetrators to book. Violence against Media Practitioners and Journalists must not be tolerated.

Government also wishes to express our deep heartfelt condolences to the Family of the victim, the Organisation he worked for and the Media fraternity in general.

*Yendi gets 30 million dollar Water Supply Project following the peace process.*

Cabinet has approved a 30million dollar water supply expansion project for the people of Yendi in the Northern Region.

The development is coming on the back of a successful roadmap on the peace process in the area in relation to the funerals of Ya-Na Mahamadu Abdulai IV and Ya-Na Yakubu II.

The project is to be financed through a credit facility agreement between the Government of Ghana and the Indian Exim Bank.
The Yendi Water Supply system serves the Yendi municipality and other surrounding towns and villages. The system takes it raw water from River Daka which flows through a water treatment facility built in 1961.
However as a result of the population and economic growth in Yendi Municipality, it has become necessary to expand the existing water supply system to meet the demands of beneficiary towns and communities.

The expansion of the water supply system is also in line with government’s policy to ensure that by 2030 all people living in Ghana have potable water. The provision of potable water to over one hundred and thirty-three (133,000) people through the Yendi project would be a giant step towards achieving this objective.

Government is delighted about this project because the Yendi Municipality among other things contributes to the Agric sector through the production of food and cash crops in large scale and the presence of iron ore deposits in the catchment area. The supply of potable water would therefore be an impetus to increase production and boost the mining potential.

*The scope of work for this water supply project will include;*

❖ The construction of a 15,000m3/day (3.3MGD) Conventional water treatment plant.

❖ Construction of a 25km transmission pipelines.

❖ Construction of water booster station

❖ Construction of reservoirs and rehabilitation and extension of distribution networks, approximately 50km.

The duration of the Yendi Water Supply Project Expansion is expected to take 30 months.

It is our expectation as a government that the current peaceful air blowing in Yendi after the successful roadmap will help speed up the implementation of this project for citizens in the area.
Further development projects are planned for the area and will be announced in due course.

*Government condemns insensitive Politicization of Menzgold Saga.*

Government expresses disgust at the insensitive and partisan politicization that has characterised discussions of the Menzgold Saga and wishes to reiterate its earlier expression of sympathy with customers and clients of the embattled Menzgold Company.
Government remains focussed that the security agencies having received reports from customers that they believe to have been defrauded by false pretences shall employ all powers of the state including the issuance warrants of arrest, extradition, etc to find the accused persons investigate the allegations and ensure that the law takes its course in this matter.

Citizens are urged to remain calm, political parties are advised to refrain from desperate attempts to score nonexistent political scores, the media is encouraged to prioritise the issues of concern to the customers and interrogate those matters and avoid the pollution that appears to be characterising the discourse".

Thank you.