Former Talented Kids star, Foto Copy, has caused a stir in the music industry after expressing his resentment towards high-life and afrobeat superstar, Kuami Eugene.
According to sources, Kuami Eugene refused to collaborate with Foto Copy because he didn’t think he had the required fanbase.
During an interview on Bryt TV, Foto Copy, who initially wanted to remain silent, finally spilled the tea by declaring, “In the whole industry, he is the artiste that I hate.”
If Kuame Eugene really said this to this Little Kid Fotocopy, then he didn’t try koraa. I hear say the Kid Cried saa on that day. Oh ☹️☹️ pic.twitter.com/JFth88qpzF
Kuami Eugene is yet to respond to the allegation levelled against him, but fans are eagerly waiting for his reaction.
Despite this setback, Foto Copy has not let it stop him from making waves in the industry.
Since appearing on Tv3’s kids show, he has released several hit songs and even collaborated with South African legend Uhuru on his latest track, “Tomorrow.” Not to mention his banger, “School Dey Be,” which features dancehall artiste, Shatta Wale.
We can’t wait to see what Foto Copy has in store for us next, and who knows, maybe Kuami Eugene will have a change of heart and give him that much-awaited collaboration after all.
Chris Hughton, the coach of the Black Stars, has given an explanation for why captain Andre Dede Ayew was left out Ghana’s starting XI in the game against Angola.
The Black Stars defeated the Palancas Negras of Angola 1-0 on Thursday, March 23, 2023, at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi with captain Andre Dede Ayew sitting on the bench.
After the game, the absence of the Nottingham Forest star dominated the headlines, despite Thomas Partey taking over the captaincy duties and leading the club to victory.
Chris Hughton, who emphasized the captain’s qualities when discussing his decision to bench Andre Ayew at the post-game press conference, said that he made the right choice for the team.
“As a head coach, you have to make difficult decisions. You know the quality that Andre possesses, but you also know the quality of the rest of the squad,” Hughton said.
“Ultimately, it was my choice not to play him, but that doesn’t reflect on his abilities as a player. He remains a valuable member of the team.”
The Black Stars after beating Angola 1-0 are now on top of the Group E table with 7 points ahead of the return leg in Luaanda on Monday, March 27, 2023.
Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has drawn the attention of the European Union to its unfavorable cocoa pricing legislation.
Chief Executive Officer of the Board, Mr Boahen Aidoo, while engaging a four-member delegation from the European Union in Accra this week, stated that the right price must be paid for Africa’s cocoa.
For him, a revision is imperative since “cocoa is the only crop which has preserved Ghana’s forest and supported global effort.”
Ghana is the second largest supplier of cocoa in the world. The Anglophone country is ranked after Côte d’Ivoire.
A review of the cocoa pricing legislation by the EU is key since it is the largest importer of cocoa, accounting for 60% of world imports.
The National Buffer Stock Company in 2022 revealed that of the $130 billion global chocolate industry, cocoa exported from Africa rakes in only a small slice.
On his part, Head of Cooperation, EU delegation to Ghana, Massimo Nina, who led the delegation, admitted that the present current pricing framework does not ensure the wellbeing of cocoa farmers as they are not able to rake in enough profit.
He gave the assurance that the European Union would take the necessary steps to improve the livelihoods of farmers it receives cocoa from.
In November 2022, the EU contributed €25 million to enhance the economic, social and environmental sustainability of cocoa production in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Cameroon.
With regards to pricing, COCOBOD has introduced the Living Income Differential (LID) policy to mitigate poverty among cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.
Again, the Board has put in place the Cocoa Management System (CMS) to ensure cocoa traceability and sustainability, an initiative that has received commendation from the European Union.
“I must say your processes towards ensuring sustainability, traceability and elimination of child labour within the sector are on a good track,” Massimo Nina said.
Meanwhile, COCOBOD has assured its commitment to maintaining its status as the best producer of premium quality cocoa in the world, while ensuring that cocoa cultivation is devoid of deforestation and use of services of children in cocoa farms.
Bola Tinubu, the incoming president of Nigeria, has traveled to France and the UK to “relax” and organize the transition process before his inauguration on May 29, 2023.
The president-elect left the country on Tuesday, according to a statement released on Wednesday by Mr. Tinubu’s spokeswoman, Tunde Rahman.
The president-elect, according to Mr. Rahman, would later perform the Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
“The president-elect decided to take a break after the hectic campaign and election season to rest in Paris and London, preparatory to going to Saudi Arabia for Umrah (Lesser Hajj) and the Ramadan fasting that begins Thursday,” Mr Rahman said.
He added that Mr Tinubu is expected back in the country “soon”.
The president-elect’s frequent travels overseas continue to fuel speculation about his health.
He made several unannounced trips to the UK and France before campaigns started in 2022.
He is also facing legal battles over his victory in last month’s presidential election.
An Accra Circuit Court has jailed a factory worker to 180 days in prison for touching a 10-year-old girl’s breast and requesting her to suck his genitalia.
After the court found Emmanuel Mbachu, 26, guilty of the charge of indecent assault, this occurred.
The complaint was made by a businessman who lived at Palladium in Accra, according to the prosecution, which was led by Superintendent of Police Agnes Boafo.
The victim and the accused, who has since been found guilty, share a home in Korle-Gonno.
On January 29, 2023, at about 10:00 am, the complainant who is the victim’s uncle, came to Korle-Gonno to visit the victim’s father, but he did not meet him or the victim in the house.
The prosecution said as the complainant was still waiting, the victim’s father had called the complainant and asked him to check on the victim for him.
It said the complainant then asked the children playing in the house whether they had seen the victim around.
The prosecution said two children informed the complainant that they saw the victim entering the accused person’s room.
It said the complainant knocked at Mbachu’s door but there was no response.
It said a Police medical report form was issued to the complainant to seek medical care for the victim.
Dr. Kwabena Duffour, a former finance minister, has submitted his nomination papers required to run as the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) flag bearer.
Dr. Duffour was surrounded by supporters when he delivered the documents to the party’s Accra headquarters.
“The grassroot, the foundation of our party should be resourced, should be made stronger than it is now so that they can fight the elephant to go into the bush,” he said.
The forms were received by NDC General Secretary, Fifi Kwetey in the company of some party executives.
The NDC officially will close nominations for both Presidential and parliamentary contests today.
According to the party, the exercise has been peaceful so far without any incidence.
Chairman of the NDC’s Elections Committee, Kakra Essamuah said the vetting for the flagbearer aspirants will take place from March 28 to 29.
Subsequently, the elections to find a flagbearer will come off on May 13, 2023.
Sanitary products such as pads, tampons and menstrual cups are essential for maintaining good menstrual hygiene.
However, the high cost of these products in Ghana has led to many adolescent girls and women being unable to afford them, which can have negative effects on their reproductive health, primary health care and education.
In this article, we will examine the impact of the hike in the prices of sanitary products on adolescent reproductive health, primary health care and education in Ghana, and provide statistical analysis to support our findings.
Background
Ghana has a population of over 30 million, with adolescent girls making up a significant percentage of the population.
Menstrual hygiene management is a significant issue for adolescent girls in Ghana, as many cannot afford to purchase sanitary products.
According to a report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), about one in ten girls in sub-Saharan Africa miss school during their menstrual cycle due to a lack of access to menstrual hygiene products.
In Ghana, it is estimated that about 95 per cent of girls cannot afford sanitary products, which leads to poor menstrual hygiene management and an increased risk of reproductive health problems.
Impact on Adolescent Reproductive Health
The inability to afford sanitary products can have a negative impact on adolescent reproductive health.
Poor menstrual hygiene can lead to infections such as bacterial vaginosis and urinary tract infections.
According to a study conducted by SMART HUB, a youth-led group registered with the Volta Regional Youth Authority in Ghana, poor menstrual hygiene management was associated with an increased risk of vaginal discharge, itching, and bad odour.
The study also found that adolescent girls who could not afford sanitary products were more likely to reuse pads, which can increase the risk of infection.
Impact on primary health care
The high cost of sanitary products can also have a negative impact on primary health care.
Many adolescent girls and women in Ghana cannot afford to purchase sanitary products, which means they are more likely to miss appointments for check-ups and screening tests.
This can lead to delayed diagnoses and treatment of reproductive health problems, which can have serious consequences.
Impact on education The inability to afford sanitary products can also have a negative impact on education. Many adolescent girls in Ghana miss school during their menstrual cycle due to a lack of access to menstrual hygiene products.
This can lead to poor academic performance and increased dropout rates.
According to a study conducted by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), girls who miss school during their menstrual cycle are more likely to drop out of school altogether.
Statistical analysis
To examine the impact of the hike in the prices of sanitary products on adolescent reproductive health, primary health care and education in Ghana, SMART HUB surveyed 500 adolescent girls aged between 10 and 19 years from different regions of Ghana.
The survey was conducted between January and March 2022, and the data were analysed using SPSS version 27.
The results of the survey showed that 80 per cent of adolescent girls in Ghana could not afford sanitary products, and 60 per cent of them reported missing in school during their menstrual cycle due to a lack of access to menstrual hygiene products.
The survey also found that 70 per cent of the girls who could not afford sanitary products used old rags or clothes during their menstrual cycle, and 50 per cent reported experiencing infections such as bacterial vaginosis and urinary tract infections.
Conclusion
The high cost of sanitary products in Ghana has led to many adolescent girls and women being unable to afford them, which can have negative effects on their reproductive health, primary health care and education.
The inability to afford sanitary products can lead to poor menstrual hygiene management, increased risk of reproductive health problems, delayed diagnoses and treatment of reproductive health problems, poor academic performance and increased dropout rates.
It is, therefore, essential for the government and stakeholders to take action to reduce the cost of sanitary products and increase access to menstrual hygiene products for adolescent girls and women in Ghana.
The writer is a Level 400 student physician assistant, (TEIN-UHAS General Secretary) email: mkleyram@gmail.com
DISCLAIMER: Independentghana.com will not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article. The views expressed in the article are solely those of the author’s, and do not reflect those of The Independent Ghana
In a criminal defamation lawsuit, Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has been given a two-year prison term.
The Gujarat state court found Mr. Gandhi guilty for remarks he made in 2019 during an electoral rally regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s last name.
He was given a 30-day bail and will appeal the conviction, so he won’t be going to jail right away.
A year before the scheduled general elections, the punishment hearing was attended by the Congress party MP.
Speaking at an election rally in Karnataka state in April 2019, ahead of the last general election, Mr Gandhi had said: “Why do all these thieves have Modi as their surname? Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, Narendra Modi.”
Nirav Modi is a fugitive Indian diamond tycoon while Lalit Modi is a former chief of the Indian Premier League who has been banned for life by the country’s cricket board. Mr Gandhi argued that he had made the comment to highlight corruption and it was not directed against any community.
The case against him was filed on the basis of a complaint by Purnesh Modi, a lawmaker from India’s governing Bharatiya Janata Party, who said that Mr Gandhi’s comments had defamed the entire Modi community.
But some have said they are puzzled by the order.
Legal scholar Gautam Bhatia tweeted that “references to a generic class of persons” – surnames in this case – are not “actionable unless an individual can show a direct reference to themselves”.
“If a man says ‘all lawyers are thieves’, then I, as a lawyer, cannot file a case against him for defamation unless I can show its imputation aimed at me,” Mr Bhatia said.
India’s criminal defamation law is British-era legislation under which there can be a maximum prison sentence of two years, a fine or both.
Free speech advocates have often argued that the law goes against the principles of freedom and that it is is used by politicians to silence their critics.
In 2016, some top Indian politicians including Mr Gandhi filed legal pleas arguing for defamation to be decriminalised. But India’s Supreme Court upheld the validity of the law, saying that the “right to free speech cannot mean that a citizen can defame the other”.
The Congress party tweeted that Mr Gandhi would appeal and said “we will fight and win”.
Mr Gandhi has not commented publicly yet but has tweeted a quote in Hindi from India’s independence leader Mahatma Gandhi: “My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God, and non-violence the means to get it.”
His lawyer, Kirit Panwala, told BBC Gujarati that Mr Gandhi had told the judge after the order that he had made the speech “in favour of democracy”.
He also said that their defence of Mr Gandhi was based on four points: “Firstly, Mr Gandhi is not a resident of Gujarat and so, before the complaint, an inquiry should be conducted. Secondly, there is no community named Modi. Thirdly, there is no association of people with Modi as their surname and lastly, there was no ill intention behind Mr Gandhi’s speech.”
Some have raised questions over Mr Gandhi’s status as a member of parliament after the conviction.
Defamation, by itself, cannot be a ground for disqualification in India. An MP can be disqualified from the office for offences ranging from promoting enmity, and election-related fraud. But they can also be disqualified if sentenced for two years or more for an offence.
Mr Gandhi is the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty, which has given three prime ministers to India. His great-grandfather, Jawaharlal Nehru, was the first and longest-serving prime minister of India. His grandmother, Indira Gandhi, was the first female prime minister of the country, and his father, Rajiv Gandhi, was India’s youngest prime minister.
Their party, the Congress, governed India almost continuously – except for a few years – from independence in 1947 to 2014, when Narendra Modi’s BJP swept to power by a landslide. Since then, the Congress has become a shadow of its former self, and was routed again by the BJP in the 2019 general election.
Member of the Minority Group in Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced the possibility of the caucus rejecting the budgetary allocation made to the Electoral Commission (EC) over the recent appointment made by the president.
The North Tongu MP in a Facebook post on Thursday asked Ghanaians whether it would be morally right for the Minority to shortchange the Commission over the appointment of Dr. Peter Appiahene, who is alleged to be a New Patriotic Party (NPP) faithful.
“With Prez Akufo-Addo’s unpatriotic & extremely reckless determination to convert Ghana’s Electoral Commission into an NPP HQ annex, would NDC MPs in Parliament be wrong in refusing to approve the budget of the EC until TESCON Patron Dr. Peter Appiahene is dropped? Your thoughts, please,” Mr Ablakwa wrote.
TESCON (Tertiary Students Confederacy) is the student wing of the New Patriotic Party(NPP) of Ghana that is instrumental in the party’s student and grass-root engagement and mobilisation.
Mr. Ablakwa felt it necessary to ask this question because the government has allocated an amount of GH¢386,047,606 to the Electoral Commission to be spent in 2023, which is yet to be approved by parliament.
The money, according to the 2023 budget statement, is to be used for compensation of employees, purchasing of goods and offering services, as well as upgrading or maintaining physical assets (CAPEX).
Background
President Akufo-Addo inaugurated the Electoral Commission’s new members on Monday, March 20, 2023.
Among the newly appointed commissioners are Dr. Appiahene, a TESCON patron, Salima Ahmed Tijani, and Rev. Akua Ofori Boateng.
While the government praised the new appointments as a move towards strengthening the Commission’s capacity, the minority has expressed concerns about the EC’s integrity.
Following the ceremony, pictures and videos implicating Dr Peter Appiahene of being involved in partisan politics emerged.
He is reported to be actively engaged in TESCON activities at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR).
Dr. Peter Appiahene, whom Akufo-Addo has appointed to the Electoral Commission with two others is a card-bearing @NPP_GH juggernaut. Its a plan!
He’s TESCON-UENR Patron, was once among considerables for Bono Regional Minister & had represented the NPP on several political shows. pic.twitter.com/1VzH6TeQN2
This revelation has infuriated members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) who assert that the president is working to turn the Electoral Commission into an annex of the ruling party.
Director of the NDC’s International Relations Directorate, Alexander Segbefia, stated that Ghana’s democracy hangs in the balance as the government is allegedly working to alter the decisions made by Ghanaians when they exercise their franchise.
“It is clear that in a situation like this, it’s imperative that partisan colours for certain positions in this country should not be or cannot be overtly shown to have been demonstrated in the past because it means that on every decision that person is involved in, it will be scrutinised 10, 15, 20 times more than it should be, because there is already a fear and a belief that that person doesn’t approach it in a fair manner or a neutral position.
“And that, whether right or wrong, is the perception that is created, by allowing somebody who is clearly very overtly partisan but is coming into the position of a referee to actually hold such an office. I think it’s so obvious that I don’t know why it keeps being done.
“It has the ability to threaten our very democracy, elections in Africa are some of the most tense periods in the democratic dispensation of countries and any step that you take that is going to heighten that tension is not advisable within the African context,” he told JoyNews.
On the matter, former President John Dramani Mahama has pledged to amend Article 43(2) of the 1992 Constitution to provide Parliament with power to approve new commissioners.
“Of course, the appointments of known party activists onto the Electoral Commission by our current President may require an amendment of Article 43(2), to provide for parliamentary approval of new Commissioners to the Commission. Let me assure you once again, I remain committed to these reforms,” he said.
He made the statement at the launch of his JM 2024 Campaign fundraising app at UPSA on Wednesday, March 22, 2022.
Article 43(2) of the 1992 constitution states that “ The members of the Commission shall be appointed by the President under article 70 of this Constitution.”
Tyson Fury’s scheduled fight with Oleksandr Usyk was canceled, and Anthony Joshua will not “sit around and wait” to approach him.
The negotiations between Usyk and Fury for a heavyweight unification match at Wembley on April 29 have broken down, Usyk’s camp said on Wednesday.
Eddie Hearn, Fury’s promoter, then disclosed that he was trying to restart talks with Joshua about a later this year all-British fight.
Joshua, though, is not interested in further protracted conversations after failing to reach an agreement on bout terms twice before, most recently at the conclusion of last year.
“I was supposed to fight him before I fought Usyk, the first time, and he pulled out due to his legal case, the arbitration, with [Deontay] Wilder,” Joshua said.
“Then we had the one for this December [when talks also broke down]. Will the fight with me and him get made? I don’t know.
“Look at all the s*** they are going through now with this Usyk stuff. It’s just crazy. I don’t publicise things, so it’s actually good that people are starting to see what goes on.
“It’s good that people can actually see the s*** that people have got to put up with to make a fight. But Me and Usyk got two successful fights done.”
Joshua added: “I cannot say I am just going to sit around and wait for this geezer [Fury]. There are other great fights out there I can have.
“Without Fury on my record I will not wake up tomorrow and regret my whole boxing career. If he is on it, I am on it, if he is not, he is not. Whatever.”
Joshua is scheduled to meet Jermaine Franklin in London on April 1 as he looks to respond to back-to-back losses to Usyk.
Lazio has declared that some of its supporters who made fascist salutes against AS Roma on Sunday have been permanently barred.
Several Lazio supporters were observed giving fascist salutes and chanting anti-semitic phrases during the game, which Lazio won courtesy to a single Mattia Zaccagni goal.
In viral video, a fan was also seen sporting a Lazio shirt with the words “Hitlerson” and the number 88 on the back.
Lazio claimed in a statement issued on March 22 that they had been working with law enforcement and had been able to identify those responsible. Three supporters received lifetime bans as a result.
The statement read; “In the course of Sunday’s match, Lazio v Roma, and in the days immediately following, three people were identified who were the protagonists of behaviour that had nothing to do with supporting and which manifested forms of discrimination and anti-Semitism.
“Thanks to the collaboration between Società Sportiva Lazio, its own security service, stewards and the police, also through the use of the surveillance cameras at the Stadio Olimpico, it was possible to quickly identify a person wearing the shirt with the number 88 bearing the inscription “Hitlerson” and two others who ostentatiously made the gesture of the Roman salute”.
It is not the first time anti-semitism has dominated the Rome derby, with references to Jewish prisoner of war Anne Frank often abhorrently referenced by Lazio supporters to their Roma neighbours.
The founder of the Perez Chapel International was extoled by the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, in a Facebook post.
The MP prayed for God’s continuous anointing for the man of God.
Sam George, Archbishop Charles Agyinasare and two women close to the pastor
“Dear Archbishop Charles Agyinasare, as you mark your 61st birthday today, I join the body of Christ to celebrate you and your ministry. It is my prayer that the LORD continues to hold you in the hollow of His hands. May He cause you to do exploits like never before. May the oil upon your commission overflow,” Mr Nartey George wrote.
He referred to Archbishop Charles Agyinasare as his spiritual father, adding that he has been a blessing to him.
“Happy birthday, Daddy! I and the family love you dearly,” he added.
Meanwhile, Archbishop Charles Agyinasare has brought out a movie that reveals his journey from a life that was not pleasing to God to one that is worth emulating by every Christian.
Ghana’s Eddie Nketiah who plays for Arsenal as a striker on Wednesday presented customized shirt of the club to Kim Kardashian.
The American socialite, media personality, and businesswoman was handed over the Arsenal shirt with number 1 and name ‘Kim Kadarshian’.
Before presenting the shirt, Eddie Nketiah said “We have a lovely little shirt for you!” Arsenal shared footage of the presentation on its TikTok account.
After the presentation, the 24-year-old take a photo with Kim and some children who are in the room where the presentation takes place.
He later gives the model a hug as they exchanged pleasantries.
Kim Kardashian was at the Emirates Stadium recently to watch Arsenal take on Sporting Clube de Portugal in the Europa League. Arsenal lost the fixture on penalties.
She was also accompanied by four children, each wearing Arsenal shirts – two with names of men’s players and two with names of women’s players, including Republic of Ireland captain Katie McCabe.
The invitation to join the Ghana U23 team for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches has been declined by US Cremonese forward Felix Afena-Gyan.
The 20-year-old was called up to strengthen the Black Meteors team ahead of back-to-back matches against Algeria for a spot in the U23 Africa Cup of Nations this year.
After being invited to join the rest of the team by his club, the former AS Roma youth turned down the offer.
Afena-Gyan was an instrumental member of the Ghana squad that saw off Nigeria in the 2022 World Cup qualifying playoff in March last year.
He was then snubbed for the final World Cup tournament in Qatar after he was omitted from the final squad list named by Otto Addo.
Afena-Gyan joined the newly-promoted Serie A side Cremonese in the summer from Roma for around US$ 7 million in a permanent deal.
He is yet to score in the Italian top-flight this campaign having provided one assist after 16 appearances.
He has scored twice in three matches in the Coppa Italia where Cremonese have reached the semi-finals after eliminating Napoli and Roma in the process.
Ahead of today’s game, Chris Hughton noted that his side is prepared for whatever the Palancas Negras’ throw at them.
“I look at my involvement in the team, the squad and association was before I was made head coach so I was aware of course as soon the campaign started and the draw was made that we will play against Angola. So yes, as each coach will do, I have studied them in their last five, six, seven games.”
“They are technically a very good team and obviously with Portuguese influence and a lot of good technical players so I am in no doubt that they are strong and tough opposition so we have to plan for that as we will do for any opposition. But certainly they have the capabilities and very much aware that they can cause us a lot of problem and we have to be prepared for that,” he said on Wednesday while addressing the press.
The Baba Yara Sports Complex in Kumasi was packed when Black Stars coach Chris Hughton conducted his penultimate practice before the match against Angola.
On Thursday, March 23, the Black Stars will welcome the Angolan Palancas Negras in Kumasi for the opening leg of a doubleheader to qualify for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Chris Hughton’s house was finished with Abdul Salis Samed’s arrival, who was unable to meet up with his international teammates in Ghana on time due to a delay at the airport in France.
After having less time to train under the new management, Abdul Salis Samed participated in team training, although it is unclear if he would start the match against Angola.
Goalkeeper Jojo Wallacott who got injured after the goalpost fell on him during the session on Tuesday, March 21, also took part in the final training after he was cleared by the medical team.
Mohammed Salisu was the only player who couldn’t complete the final training session after he was escorted to the dressing room over injury concerns.
The Southampton defender is now a doubt for the game against the Palancas Negras according to head coach, Chris Hughton.
The late Christian Atsu and Emmanuel Adebayor had an encounter in 2015 during the Stars Soccer Fiesta where football stars, musicians and movie stars gathered.
It is unconfirmed whether this was the very first engagement between the duo. Atsu was 23 years old while Adebayor was 31 years old when they met in Kumasi.
Christian Atsu and Emmanuel Adebaypor eight years ago
None of the two expected that eight years down the line, death would come knocking at the door.
Adebayor, now 39, on March 17, 2023, arrived at the fore court of the State House in Accra bid farewell to Atsu who got trapped under debris for 12 days after Turkey and Syria got hit by an earthquake on February 6, 2023.
Adebayor arrives at the State House
The Togolese pained by his friend’s passing doffed his hat to the 31-year-old laid in state.
Emmanuel Adebayor here to pay his last respects to Christian Atsu.#INDNews#INDViral Burna Boy | Europa League | AC Milan | Sevilla | Former Black Stars | Champions League pic.twitter.com/CpfQqZsx0x
— The Independent Ghana (@independent_gh) March 17, 2023
He stood for close to 10 seconds lost in thought as to how a young man with so much talent could leave the world so soon.
Adebayor standing close to the remains of Christian Atsu
This was the last time the two met, however, not an occasion to make merry.
A day after Atsu was buried, Adebayor penned a brief tribute.
In an Instagram post on Saturday, he wrote: “Rest in peace, Christian Atsu. Your talent on the pitch and your kind heart off the pitch will always be remembered. You will be missed.”
Managing Director of the Electricity Company Ghana (ECG), Samuel Dubik Mahama, has revealed that some individuals in the political space and friends have called to register their displeasure with the ongoing mass disconnection by the company.
Barely 48 hours after the ECG began the exercise, Mr Samuel Dubik Mahama said he had received numerous calls for him to halt the initiative.
When asked if the calls came in from politicians, power brokers and friends by JoyNews’ Evans Mensah, he said “It cuts across. (they say) can you hold off? No, hold off as to what?”
“Please let’s just do the right thing because I don’t even have the moral right after sending somebody out of the office to pick up the phone and call him and say ‘hello, can you cut X, Y and Z slack? No’ then what is the moral of the exercise?” the ECG boss added.
According to Mr Mahama, the ongoing revenue mobilisation exercise being carried out by his out is not politically motivated.
Samuel Dubik Mahama says concerns that the exercise is being targeted at some party’s political base are unfounded and should be treated with the utmost contempt.
He stressed that he has no intention to politicise his office or mandate.
“I don’t see myself as doing politics, I see myself now as a technocrat. The biggest mistake we could ever do is to politicise the work done by this office.
“So for me, your electricity bill doesn’t have a party colour…your electricity bill is red, gold, and green with a black star in the middle, that’s your electricity bill. So believe me, as I said, the status quo balances straight out,” he said.
According to the new edition of the UN World Water Development Report focuses on twin themes of partnerships and cooperation, two billion people do not have safe drinking water.
The report also adds that 3.6 billion lack access to safely managed sanitation. It was launched ahead of the UN 2023 Water Conference.
Published by the UN Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the report highlights collaborative ways actors can work together to overcome common challenges.
“There is an urgent need to establish strong international mechanisms to prevent the global water crisis from spiralling out of control,” said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. “Water is our common future, and it is essential to act together to share it equitably and manage it sustainably.”
The global urban population facing water scarcity is projected to potentially double from 930 million in 2016 to between 1.7 and 2.4 billion people, in 2050.
The rising incidence of extreme and prolonged droughts is also stressing ecosystems, with dire consequences for both plant and animal species, the report said.
‘Global crisis’ looms
Richard Connor, the report’s editor-in-chief, told reporters at a press conference at UN Headquarters ahead of the launch that “uncertainties are increasing”.
“If we don’t address it, there definitely will be a global crisis,” he said, pointing to rising scarcity that reflects reduced availability and increased demand, from urban and industrial growth to agriculture, which alone consumes 70 per cent of the world’s supply.
Building partnerships and cooperation are key to realizing human rights to water and overcoming existing challenges, he said.
Explaining the landscape of such shortages, he said economic water scarcity is a big problem, where governments fail to provide safe access, such as in the middle of Africa, where water flows. Meanwhile, physical scarcity is worst in desert areas, including northern India and through the Middle East.
Answering reporters’ questions about possible “water wars” in the face of a global crisis, Mr. Connor said the essential natural resource “tends to lead to peace and cooperation rather than to conflict”.
Strengthening transboundary cooperation is the main tool to avoid conflict and escalating tensions, he said, noting that 153 countries share nearly 900 rivers, lakes and aquifer systems, and more than half having signed agreements.
Up and downstream
Detailing experiences – both good and bad – of partners’ efforts to collaborate, the report explains how accelerating progress on achieving related 2030 Agenda goals hinges on enhancing positive, meaningful cooperation among water, sanitation, and broader development communities.
Innovations during the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic saw partnerships form among health and wastewater authorities, who were together able to track the disease and provide critical real-time data, he said.
From city dwellers to small holder farmers, partnerships have produced mutually beneficial results. By investing in agricultural communities upstream, farmers can benefit in ways that help the downstream cities they feed, he said.
Running dry
States and stakeholders can cooperate in such areas as flood and pollution control, data sharing, and co-financing. From wastewater treatment systems to protecting wetlands, efforts contributing to reducing greenhouse gas emissions should “open the door to further collaboration and increase access to water funds”, he said.
“However, the water community is not tapping into those resources,” he said, expressing hope that the report and the conference can trigger productive discussions and on-the-ground results.
Johannes Cullmann, special scientific advisor to the president of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), said “it’s a question of investing wisely”.
While water resources and how they are managed impact almost all aspects of sustainable development, including the 17 SDGs, he said current investments must be quadrupled to meet the annual estimated $600 billion to $1 trillion required to realize SDG 6, on water and sanitation.
“Cooperation is the heart of sustainable development, and water is an immensely powerful connector,” he said. “We should not negotiate water; we should deliberate on it.”
Water, after all, is a human right, he said.
Common good, not commodity
Indeed, water should be “managed as a common good, not a commodity”, a group of 18 UN independent experts and special rapporteurs said in a joint statement on Tuesday.
“Considering water as a commodity or a business opportunity will leave behind those that cannot access or afford the market prices,” they declared, adding that progress on SDG 6 can only happen effectively if communities and their human rights are at the centre of discussions.
“It is time to stop a technocratic approach to water and consider the ideas, knowledge and solutions of indigenous peoples and local communities who understand local aquatic ecosystems to ensure sustainability of the water agenda,” they said.
The commodification of water will “derail achievement of the SDGs and hamper efforts to solve the global water crisis”, the experts said.
Lionel Messi appears not to have plans of retiring anytime soon as anticipated by social media users.
Recently, many big names in the sports world have retired from football. In January 2023, Gareth Bale, 33, retired from professional football. On March 21, 2022, Emmanuel Adebayor, a 39-year-old Togolese retired.
Today, March 22, 2023, Mesut Ozil, 34 retired, linking his decision to injuries.
For some reason, football fanatics are expecting 35-year-old Messi to follow suit, but that may not be the case.
With all the retirement news springing up, fans of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are imagining how it would feel should any of the two athletes described as “Greatest Of All Times” retire from professional football.
I’m not ready for the days when both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi retire 💔 pic.twitter.com/ufQRs96LrA
All areas of life are impacted by climate change, but those that depend on the environment are most vulnerable. One example is rural areas with farms.
Economic and non-economic effects of climate change on farmers are the two categories into which they are most frequently divided. Losses that may be calculated or assessed in monetary terms are considered economic consequences.
Losses that cannot be assessed or quantified in monetary terms are referred to as non-economic impacts. Loss of indigenous knowledge, cultural heritage, and a sense of location and belonging are a few examples.
Research and policy strategies have focused on understanding and addressing the economic effects of climate change. Less so the non-economic aspects. I study food and agricultural systems in Ghana. In a recent paper my colleagues and I sought to understand the non-economic effects of climate change on farmers in Ghana.
Our findings have implications for climate change adaptation strategies and policies across the global south.
It is important to note that our research is not in any way suggesting that climate change is the only process driving changes in the farming systems and local culture in Ghana. But, based on the interviews we did, we argue that climate change is playing a role.
Our research and its findings
We conducted 30 in-depth interviews and a focus group with farmers in Offinso, a farming area in southern Ghana. Offinso is traditionally known for both food and cash crops production in Ghana. Farmers in the area produce crops that include maize, vegetables, pawpaw and cocoa. Agriculture in the area is largely rain-fed.
Farmers were asked to describe the weather patterns over a 30-year period. Their responses showed that they had experienced variable weather patterns, a situation that is affecting their farming activities.
For example farmers were no longer able to predict rainfall patterns and farming seasons. Farmers indicated that 30 years ago, the rains were constant during specific months of the year. This enabled them to plan and organise themselves for their yearly farming activities, as they were able to predict rains and start of the farming season.
But rainfall patterns have become very variable.
A consequence of this was that farmers could no longer exchange labour in a system known as Nnoboa. Farmers explained that when they could predict the farming season, they organised themselves at the start of the farming season for Nnoboa. This is often based on the principle of helping one another on the farm as a way of building social bonds. Nnoboa was largely practised at the start of the rainy and farming seasons, when land preparation and planting of crops are required.
But the variable nature of the rains had distorted the farming seasons and organisation of Nnoboa – communal labour. Instead farmers were relying on their nuclear families or hired labour. This reflected a much more individualist – as opposed to a communal – approach to farming.
We also asked farmers to describe how climate change affected their mental well-being. We asked them to describe climate change effects that made them anxious, depressed, grief, helpless, hopeless and sad.
They explained that extreme weather events such as storms and droughts destroyed their crops, leaving them emotionally distressed, helpless and sad. It was clear from the responses that extreme weather events are not new to farmers. Nevertheless, they expressed the view that major changes in weather patterns had become more frequent.
Way forward
Global efforts are underway to curb carbon emissions. Nevertheless changing weather patterns, drought and storm conditions continue to pose both economic and non-economic effects on vulnerable people.
The neglect of the non-economic aspects of climate change in research and policy threatens to worsen the vulnerability of farmers. This gap needs to be filled so that appropriate conventional and local adaptation strategies and policies can be designed to address the effects of climate change in developing countries.
This article is republished from The Conversation Africa under a Creative Commons license.
Ghana is facing a severe economic crisis and seeking a $3 billion credit facility from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to avoid a potential collapse.
However, securing the support of its creditors is essential to obtain the IMF loan, and China is a significant creditor of Ghana.
As a result, Ghana’s President Akufo-Addo has appealed to Germany’s Finance Minister Christian Lindner to encourage China’s participation in the country’s economic recovery programmes.
Germany’s Finance Minister Christian Lindner
“We have good relations with China. We would like you to encourage China to participate in these programmes as quickly as possible,” President Akufo-Addo said.
In response, German Ambassador to Ghana, Daniel Krull, advised that Ghana reduces the size of her government to reflect the current economic challenges.
“I can only compare with the other countries like mine and I can come to the conclusion that there is a huge number, the number is much higher than in my country, so that may bring me to the conclusion that there is room for improvement,” he said.
Ghana’s Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta also initiated talks with China in February 2023 to discuss the former’s debt situation and explore possible solutions.
Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta
However, some experts are sceptical that Ghana’s engagement with China will be productive due to the country’s unique debt circumstances.
According to Dr. Ishmael Hlovor, an international development expert, Ghana’s debt situation is more complicated than the debt of the 27 countries whose debts China cancelled in 2019.
These debts were getting to maturity, and there was something small left on them, whereas Ghana’s debt has more commercial lending components.
“In 2019 for instance, about 27 countries’ debts were cancelled. But if you scrutinise those loans, they were loans that were getting to maturation and there was something small left on them, but our situation is a little bit complicated because of commercial lending,” he told JoyNews.
Therefore, Ghana should lower its expectations about debt cancellation and seek other ways to restructure its debts, such as extending the repayment period, lowering interest rates, or swapping debts with other creditors.
Moreover, there is another school of thought that believes that Ghana’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine war could further complicate its negotiation with China, given China’s friendly relationship with Russia.
On February 24, 2023, Ghana supported a UN General Assembly resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, along with Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Egypt, and Kenya.
UN General Assembly
President Akufo-Addo emphasized that “great powers trampling on small nations is not something that we welcome,” and Ghana would continue to hold its position. However, China has not directly condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or otherwise and called for a cease-fire and peace talks instead.
Prior to this, President Akufo-Addo ratted out Burkina Faso, accusing the neighbouring country inviting in mercenaries from Russian firm Wagner.
“To have them operating on our northern border is particularly distressing for us in Ghana,” he said in December 2022.
China has close ties with Russia, as evidenced by the “no limits” partnership agreement signed between Beijing and Moscow in February 2022. More interesting is Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia and their subsequent signage of another partnership agreement that seeks to deepen China-Russia relations.
Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin
It remains uncertain how China will respond to Ghana’s request for debt relief.
However, Ghana’s engagement with China could provide an opportunity for both countries to strengthen their economic ties and collaborate on infrastructure and development projects.
Ghana could leverage China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to promote trade, investment, and connectivity between China and countries along the ancient Silk Road, to enhance its transport, energy, and communication infrastructure.
Nonetheless, Ghana must balance its engagement with China’s economic interests and its foreign policy objectives and ensure that it pursues sustainable and equitable development.
For many, this might come as a surprise – a collaboration between Medikal and Teephlow.
The Ghanaian hip hop musician while engaging the media on Wednesday noted that he no longer holds a grudge against Teephlow, therefore would be willing to work with him, as well as any other artistes in the future.
“I will do music with everybody (including Teephlow). Yeah, I don’t mind. He did something in the past but I slept over it,” he said on Tv3.
However, 24 hours before his comments, Medikal stated that he has not plans of engaging Teeplow as he has proven to be a envious individual.
“I don’t see myself doing music with Teephlow. He is envious of me, he is jealous of me, he hates me, he doesn’t wish me well, he wishes to be in my position.”
“Teephlow made a statement way back in covid-19… in an interview he said ‘which artiste can play shows and get money to buy a range over’, so he was trying to say I am doing something illegally.”
“When you put me in that position, what are you trying to say? He was my guy, we play games in my house together” he said on #3FMDrive on Tuesday.
But in less than 24 hours, Medikal has made a U-turn and his justification is “me, my mind dey fit change right now. That be how I dey.”
The contention between the two artistes began some months ago on Twitter when Teephlow said Medikal is not doing real music and the monies he flaunts on social media are not from music.
For now, no one can tell if Medikal would backtrack once again over his “no-beef” with Teephlow as he is prone to change his mind.
The majority of people either look forward to or consider staying at a hotel as part of a vacation or larger excursion.
But what if I told you there’s a good possibility the hotel room isn’t as clean as it might seem to the untrained eye. And just because a room is pricey doesn’t necessarily mean that it is any less unclean.
There will undoubtedly be bacteria, fungus, and viruses all over the furniture, carpets, drapes, and surfaces in the room from previous guests. How thoroughly hotel staff cleans your room will determine how much of these germ deposits are still present.
Typically, assessment of hotel room cleanliness is based on sight and smell observations — not on the invisible microbiology of the space, which is where the infection risks reside. So let’s take a deep dive into the world of germs, bugs and viruses to find out what might be lurking where.
It starts at the lift
Before you even enter your room, think of the hotel lift buttons as germ hotspots. They are being pressed all the time by many different people, which can transfer microorganisms onto the button surface, as well back onto the presser’s fingers.
Communal door handles can be similar in terms of germ presence unless sanitised regularly. Wash your hands or use a hand sanitiser after using a handle before you next touch your face or eat or drink.
The most common infections people pick up from hotel rooms are tummy bugs – diarrhoea and vomiting – along with respiratory viruses, such as colds and pneumonia, as well as COVID-19, of course.
Toilets and bathrooms tend to be cleaned more thoroughly than the rest of a hotel room and are often the least bacteriologically colonised environments.
Though if the drinking glass in the bathroom is not disposable, wash it before use (body wash or shampoo are effective dishwashers), as you can never be sure if they’ve been cleaned properly. Bathroom door handles may also be colonised by pathogens from unwashed hands or dirty washcloths.
Beware the remote
The bed, sheets and pillows can also be home to some unwanted visitors. A 2020 study found that after a pre-symptomatic COVID-19 patient occupied a hotel room there was significant viral contamination of many surfaces, with levels being particularly high within the sheets, pillow case and quilt cover.
While sheets and pillowcases may be more likely to be changed between occupants, bedspreads may not, meaning these fabrics may become invisible reservoirs for pathogens – as much as a toilet seat. Though in some cases sheets aren’t always changed between guests, so it may be better to just bring your own.
Less thought about is what lives on the hotel room desk, bedside table, telephone, kettle, coffee machine, light switch or TV remote – as these surfaces aren’t always sanitised between occupancies.
Viruses such as the norovirus can live in an infectious form for days on hard surfaces, as can COVID-19 – and the typical time interval between room changeovers is often less than 12 hours.
Soft fabric furnishings such as cushions, chairs, curtains and blinds are also difficult to clean and may not be sanitised other than to remove stains between guests, so washing your hands after touching them might be a good idea.
Uninvited guests
If all those germs and dirty surfaces aren’t enough to contend with, there are also bedbugs to think about. These bloodsucking insects are experts at secreting themselves into narrow, small spaces, remaining dormant without feeding for months.
Small spaces include the cracks and crevices of luggage, mattresses and bedding. Bed bugs are widespread throughout Europe, Africa, the US and Asia – and are often found in hotels. And just because a room looks and smells clean, doesn’t mean there may not be bed bugs lurking.
Fortunately, bed bug bites are unlikely to give you a transmissible disease, but the bite areas can become inflamed and infected. For the detection of bedbugs, reddish skin bites and blood spots on sheets are signs of an active infestation (use an antiseptic cream on the bites).
Other signs can be found on your mattress, behind the headboard and inside drawers and the wardrobe: brown spots could be remains of faeces, bed bug skins are brownish-silvery looking and live bed bugs are brown coloured and typically one to seven millimetres in length.
Inform the hotel if you think there are bed bugs in your room. And to avoid taking them with you when you checkout, carefully clean your luggage and clothes before opening them at home.
As higher-status hotels tend to have more frequent room usage, a more expensive room at a five-star hotel does not necessarily mean greater cleanliness, as room cleaning costs reduce profit margins. So wherever you’re staying, take with you a pack of antiseptic wipes and use them on the hard surfaces in your hotel room.
Also, wash or sanitise your hands often – especially before you eat or drink anything. And take slippers or thick socks with you so you can avoid walking barefoot on hotel carpets – known to be another dirt hotspot. And after all that, enjoy your stay.
This article is republished from The Conversation Africa under a Creative Commons license.
Ghanaian hip hop musician, Medikal, is rooting for Black Sherif ahead of the 24th Vodafone Ghana Music Awards.
Black Sherif has been nominated for many categories. However, all but one has caught the eye of many, especially Medikal.
Black Sherif is competing against Stonebwoy, Sarkodie, King Promise, Camidoh, Kidi, Piesie Esther and Joe Mettle for the Artiste of the Year award.
According to Medikal born Samuel Adu Frimpong, he wishes the award goes to Black Sherif, whom he says has been phenomenal.
Speaking on Tv3, he said “I saw that he (Black Sherif) has been nominated for artiste of the year. I’d be so happy if he wins.”
“Black Sherif should keep doing his thing. I pray he wins the Artiste of the Year award,” Medikal added.
Lynx Entertainment signer, KiDi won the Artiste of the Year at the 2022 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards. He beat stiff competition from Black Sherif, King Promise, Kuami Eugene, Sarkodie and Joe Mettle to emerge winner.
Former President John Dramani Mahama and Vice President Dr. Bawumia have expressed their joy over the harmony and peace in the Gonja Traditional Kingdom.
The pair reacted to the outdoor celebration for the new King of Gonja at Damongo, in the Savannah Region.
Nyanget, the former capital of Gonja, witnesses the inauguration of Bikunuto Jewu Soale as the 34th Yagbonwura.
Speaking at the ceremony, former President Mahama expressed his pride in being a Gonja and was that his tribesmen peacefully undertook the enskinment process.
He, therefore, appealed to the new Overlord to continue the good works and tradition of Gonjas in Gonjaland and also calls on the government to support the Gonja kingdom for development.
Moreover, Vice President Dr. Bawumia in his speech commended the monarchy for promoting peace.
Despite their political differences, he continued, they are still brothers from the North and must coexist in harmony for the growth of northern Ghana.
Dr. Bawumia continued by saying that the government would continue to assist the development of the Gonja kingdom and the king’s palace in the Yagbonwura’s address.
Benkurowura Saaka Mahama, the Secretary to the Overlord, spoke on behalf of the overlord Be-Kunuto-Jewu Soale in an address from the Buipe traditional territory.
“I thank the vice president and former president John Dramani Mahama for honouring the invitation for the outdooring of the new Overlord.
He added that, the new Overlord is ready to work hard for peace and development in the traditional area.
He, however, urged government to support Gonjaland and also help to resolve the few chieftaincy disputes in the kingdom.
The NDC will retire Patrick Boamah, the member of parliament (MP) for Okaikoi Central Constituency, according to Samuel George Nartey, MP for Ningo-Prampram.
He gave the assurance while speaking at the NDC Okaikoi Central Parliamentary Candidate and entertainment and media entrepreneur Abdulai Abu Sadiq’s campaign kickoff.
Sam George claims he was forced to declare his candidacy in the Okaikoi Central parliamentary contest this year because it was time for current MP Patrick Boamah to step down.
“I have lived in this constituency for seven years and last year I gave my blessings to both parliamentary aspirants. But this year, because I have absolute confidence that Baba Sadiq is the man to take this constituency to the next level, I am taking sides” he said.
Sam George also bemoaned the constant “Skirt and Blouse” outcome of results in the constituency, attributing it to disunity in the Party.
“In Okaikoi Central, NDC always wins the Presidential polls but keeps loosing when it comes to the Parliamentary. This is because there is disunity and backbiting in the party,” he added.
“Today, must mark the beginning of the retirement of Patrick Boamah!!!”, he declared.
The launch was graced by party stalwarts including former deputy information minister, James Agyenim-Boateng, 2020 NDC Spokesperson on the Creative Industry, Rex Omar, Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Constituency, Members of the Council of Elders, 2016 and 2020 Parliamentary Candidate, former G/A Deputy youth organizer of the NDC Council of Zongo Chiefs.
The Ghana Football Association has disclosed that goalkeeper Joseph Wollacott is fit and healthy to engage in preparation towards Ghana’s match against Angola come Thursday.
The goalie hobbled off during training on Tuesday evening after suffering a soft tissue contusion of the right big toe.
According to the GFA, he was immediately assessed by the medical team and given emergency treatment.
Wollacott was later reassessed in the medical room at the team hotel and currently, there are no major medical worries since the player is almost pain free.
“The medical team would like to assure the football public that Wollacott will be available for selection as he has been cleared to train on Wednesday,” the GFA added.
The national team of Angola has arrived in Kumasi for the opening leg of the two-match qualification series for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations against Ghana.
The Palancas Negras arrived at the airport in Kumasi directly from their headquarters in Algeria, where they were camped out in preparation for the two games.
After replacing the trio of Nurio Fortuna, Zito Luvumbo, and Nelson Da Luz with Augusto To Carneiro, Loide Augusto, and Geraldo Costa Bartolomeu, respectively, Pedro Goncalves has the complete complement of players he invited to play against the Black Stars.
Goncalves has acknowledged that the game against Ghana will be challenging, therefore his team must play well, and they are prepared for that.
“We know the difficulties we are going to encounter, but we are ready to play a good game in Kumasi,” he told reporters
“It is obvious that Ghana has changed coach but I believe there won’t be much change in what from their performance at the World Cup.”
The Black Stars host the Palancas Negras at the Baba Yara Stadium this Thursday, March 23 before the second leg Tuesday, March 27, 2023, at Estadio 11 de Novembro in Luanda.
Black Stars head coach, Chris Hughton, will address the press today ahead of Thursday’s TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Ghana and Angola
The engagement will take place at the media centre of the Baba Yara Sports stadium from 16:45 to 1700.
Ghana will play Angola on Thursday, March 23, 2023 at Baba Yara Stadium at 1600.
According to the Ghana Football Association, the first 15 minutes of the training session will be open to the media.
Meanwhile, the Angola national team have arrived in Kumasi.
Israel Amewu, a winger for Tema City FC, has received a last-minute call-up from Black Satellites head coach Samuel Boadu.
One of the third group of players to receive a last-minute call-up to the Satellites team is Peter Amewu, the Member of Parliament for the Hohoe Constituency and Minister of Railways.
On Wednesday, March 22, at 1pm, the third round of invited players should go to Prampram’s Ghanaman Centre of Excellence for training and screening.
When looking for players to make up the core of the Black Satellites, coach Samuel Boadu and his technical staff have already accessed two distinct batches.
Israel Amewu will also have an opportunity to impress Samuel Boadu and his team to be able to secure a place in the final squad.
On Tuesday, March 21, 2023, as the Black Stars were in training, goalie Jojo Wollacott experienced a frightening incident when the goalpost collapsed, injuring his leg.
The goalkeeper, who had just recovered from a long-term finger injury, was escorted from the field and unable to finish the practice.
In a statement, the Ghana Football Association stated that Wollacott’s right toe was hurt as a result of the incident.
The training goalpost, which is smaller than the ones used in real matches, brutally toppled on the goalkeeper in a video seen by GhanaWeb Sports without any sign of a force majeure.
Although the event seemed to be concerning, the GFA clarified in a release that the injury is not significant; as a result, he will be ready for training on Wednesday before the 2023 Africa Cup qualification match against Angola.
The match is set for 16:00 GMT kick-off time at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on Thursday, March 23, 2023.
Large portions of Pakistan and Afghanistan were shaken by a strong earthquake that have left at least 12 people dead and more than 200 injured.
Buildings were damaged by the 6.5-magnitude earthquake, which also caused landslides and forced residents to flee into the streets.
It happened on Tuesday night and was centered in a hilly area in northern Afghanistan, close to the Pakistani border.
India was affected by the tremors coming from the isolated Jurm valley.
“It was a terrifying tremor. I had never felt such a tremor before in my life,” Kabul resident Khatera told AFP news agency after rushing out of her fifth-storey apartment.
Nine of the confirmed deaths were reported in the valley region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan.
Three others were killed in Afghanistan, the country’s health ministry spokesman said. A child was among those killed in the Laghman province near the country’s border with Pakistan, AFP reported.
Many families had been out of their homes celebrating the Persian New Year or Norwuz when the quake hit.
But the damage found so far had been less than feared, emergency workers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa told AFP.
However the remoteness and rugged terrain of affected areas is likely to slow relief and rescue work.
Many in the affected regions braved near-freezing temperatures to sleep outside after the quake – fearing aftershocks. Some had dashed out of their homes barefoot when they felt the shaking.
In the capital of Islamabad, a vast multi-storey residential block was evacuated after huge cracks appeared in the building.
Phone lines have been affected, and in Pakistan the highway in the worst-hit Swat area has been blocked by landslides.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has asked disaster agencies to take emergency measures to help people.
Tremors were felt over a 1,000-km area that spans India, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.
Earthquakes are more likely in this region because it lies at the juncture of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates.
In June last year more than 1,000 people were killed after a 5.9-magnitude quake struck Afghanistan’s Paktika province, the country’s deadliest in nearly a quarter of a century.
At least three persons have been killed by a drone strike on a residential area in the Kyiv region as a result of Russian forces attacking multiple Ukrainian cities.
In the early hours of Wednesday, two residential buildings in the nearby city of Rzhyshchiv suffered damage to their upper floors.
According to rescue services, one of the victims was 11 years old.
Separately, officials in the Crimea that Russia has annexed said that a drone attack by the Ukrainian military had been repelled.
Residents of the port city of Sevastopol reported hearing explosions.
There was no comment from Ukraine’s military, which said earlier this week it had destroyed missiles destined for the fleet at a rail hub in Dzhankoi in northern Crimea.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had launched more than 20 “killer drones”, as well as missiles and shells.
Referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s departure from Russia hours earlier, he said that every time “someone tries to hear the word ‘peace’ in Moscow,” another order was given to launch attacks.
On Tuesday President Vladimir Putin said that many provisions of a 12-point Chinese peace plan “can be taken as the basis for settling of the conflict in Ukraine, whenever the West and Kyiv are ready for it”.
The plan makes no specific proposals and does not call explicitly for Russian forces to leave Ukraine’s sovereign territory.
In a separate Russian attack, three people were wounded in the southern city of Odesa, when a three-storey building was hit in the grounds of a monastery, presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak said.
Drones were also fired at the north-western region of Zhytomyr, but no-one was reported hurt. Ukraine’s military said 16 of the 21 drones launched on Wednesday were shot down.
Air raid sirens rang out across Ukraine hours afterwards, amid reports that Russian warplanes carrying long-range missiles had taken to the air.
Former President John Dramani Mahama will on Wednesday March 22, 2023, launch a fundraising platform at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA).
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential hopeful will also hold a public lecture on political party financing in Ghana.
It is believed that Mr Mahama will use the funds to support his campaign, as well as aid other party activities just as he did in previous years.
In January 2020, the former president launched a fundraising platform to financially support his candidacy for the general elections.
Meanwhile, some party stalwarts and bigwigs such as Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, General Secretary Fifi Kwetey, among others are expected to grace the occasion tomorrow.
On Tuesday, as part of his preparations towards the NDC primaries scheduled for May, Mr John Mahama filed his nominations to contest the flagbearership position.
The filing of nomination was done by his campaign team led by a leading member of the NDC, Prof Joshua Alabi.
They submitted the required documents as well as fees at the party’s headquarters in Accra on Tuesday March 21, 2023.
Prof Alabi gave a strong indication to the Electoral Commission ahead of the 2024 general election that they will not tolerate any level of compromise that will be disadvantageous to their candidate.
The former president will come up against former Mayor of Kumasi, Kojo Bonsu and businessman, Ernest Kwaku Krobea, as well as former Finance Minister, Dr. Kwabena Duffour, in his quest to run on the ticket of the NDC come 2024.
Ghana’s objective to receive a credit facility worth $3 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) by the end of March seems to be on tenterhooks.
This is because, on the IMF Executive Board Calendar, the Fund has not made room for a discussion on Ghana’s request for economic support.
From March 22 to 29, 2023, the IMF will be in Papua New Guinea, Peru and Colombia.
In Papua New Guinea, the IMF Board will be looking at the Request for the Extended Credit Facility/Extended Fund Facility.
The IMF Board will have a 2023 Article IV Consultation Meeting and 2023 Article IV Consultation with Peru and Colombia respectively.
The IMF Board per the calendar has no official business up until March 27, 2023, when it engages Burkina Faso over its Request for Disbursement Under the Rapid Credit Facility.
The Board’s final engagement in March happens on March 29, 2023. It will be providing a World Economic Outlook; Global Financial Stability Report; Fiscal Monitor.
According to the IMF on its website, its calendar is subject to change, however the agenda for each meeting is typically finalized the day before the meeting.
President Akufo-Addo has assured that Ghana would receive support from the IMF by the end of this month.
While presenting the State of the Nation’s Address on March 8, he said “we are on course for the IMF Staff to present to the IMF Executive Board Ghana’s programme request for a $3 billion extended credit facility by the end of the month.”
The Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, is however, pessimistic about Ghana making headway in its engagement with the Fund.
He argued that Ghana is yet to receive financing assurances from its creditors, hence his posture on the subject.
“We need to get China to give Ghana financing assurance that they are ready to accept a haircut. Aside that, we are also expected as a country to get financing assurance from the Paris club, including Germany, who are telling us to go and cut down the size of our government and reduce government expenditure yet we don’t seem to care,” he said.
It has been eight months since the Akufo-Addo-led government reached out to the IMF – believed to be the seventeenth time Ghana has gone to the Fund.
Meanwhile, Finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta will travel to Beijing on Wednesday to meet Chinese officials to discuss a proposed restructuring of Ghana’s debt.
On February 6, 2023, President Akufo-Addo announced China’s relevance in steps towards the recovery of the Ghanaian economy.
Engaging the Finance Minister of Germany, Christian Lindner, the President asked that he put in a word for Ghana to convince President Xi Xinping to assist the West African country.
“We have good relations with China. We would like you to encourage China to participate in these programmes as quickly as possible,” President Akufo-Addo said.
Fifteen days later, reports emerged that Ghana had personally initiated talks with China.
Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta planned to visit China, which it owes about $1.7 billion according to Reuters, and holds $5.7 billion of its external bonds by the end of the week (February 26).
Due to the National People’s Congress of China meeting scheduled for March 5, 2023, the meeting was postponed.
On Monday, March 20, 2023, Mr Ofori-Atta left Ghana for China to resume discussions on a debt cancellation.
Nigerian singer Davido has returned to the spotlight after five months of mourning.
The record producer had been in the shadows while he grieved over the death of his son, Ifeanyi, on November 1, 2022.
On Tuesday, March 21, 2023, Davido revealed that there is time for everything; indicating that he has grieved and is ready to step into a new chapter in his life.
According to the “Aye” hitmaker, who expressed appreciation to all who stood by him during those trying times, he is ready with a new album – “Timeless” which will be out on March 31, 2023.
“There is a time for everything. A time to Grieve and a time to Heal. A time to Laugh and a time to Dance. A time to Speak & A time for Silence. Thank you to everyone out there for your love and that has held me down. My next album TIMELESS is here, March 31st. Preorder in bio,” he wrote.
There is a time for everything. A time to Grieve and a time to Heal. A time to Laugh and a time to Dance. A time to Speak & A time for Silence.
Thank you to everyone out there for your love and that has held me down.
Five Western Togoland secessionists have been given a total sentence of 25 years in prison by the Criminal Division of the High Court in Accra, which is presided over by Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh.
After sandbagging the Aveyime route from Accra and attacking the Aveyime and Mepe Police stations in the Volta Region, the five were detained by the police in September 2020.
The Banned Organizations Act of 1976 was violated by the five defendants, who were found guilty on March 17 by the High Court (Supreme Military Council Decree/SMCD20).
The first two of the four charges under SMCD20 proffered against the accused were:
Attending meetings of a prohibited organization contrary to Section 2(1)(b) of SMCD20, and Making contributions to the funds of a prohibited organisation contrary to Section 2(1)(g) of SMCD 20.
The third and fourth charges were participating in the campaign of a prohibited organization, contrary to Section 2(1)(d) of SMCD20, and being a member of a prohibited organization, contrary to Section 2(1)(i) of SMCD20.
Mitigation by defence lawyer
In his mitigation argument for the accused persons, defence lawyer Andrew K. Vortia called on the court to consider the fact that pending the completion of the trial, the accused persons were in custody for two years and six months.
Additionally, he noted that the accused persons are all below the age of 35 years and they according to the prosecution are not known quantities to the security apparatus of the state.
In view of this, he called on Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh’s court to take into consideration the issues raised before handing the accused persons their custodial sentences.
State Attorneys’ counter argument
State Attorneys, in opposition, argued that the accused persons premeditated the crimes they committed. They also shot a police officer and seized a police vehicle.
The accused persons according to State Attorneys showed no remorse throughout the trial which lasted over one year and so claims by the defence lawyer that his clients have shown remorse can simply not be accurate.
Against this background, the State Attorneys called on the court to hand the accused persons a custodial sentence that will act as a deterrent to other persons who may be contemplating similar actions in the future.
By Court
The Court after hearing the arguments of the parties sentenced, the accused persons to a total of 25 years.
The first accused, Ebenezer Gblorkpor who was found guilty and convicted on counts one, two, and four was sentenced to five years in prison in hard labour (IHL).
The second accused, Afetorgbor Kpogo, who was found guilty and convicted on the first count only was sent to five years in prison in hard labour.
The third accused (Joseph Nyamewu), fourth accused (Wisdom Kuvor), and fifth accused (Israel Bessah Kpexor) who were all found guilty and convicted on counts three and four were also handed five years in prison in hard labour.
Representation in Court
The Republic was represented in court by Adoma Osei, a senior state attorney in the Office of the Attorney General, Derrick Ackah-Nyamike, Assistant State Attorney, and Watkins Adamah, a State Attorney.
Brief facts
The Homeland Study Group (HSG) is an organization with the primary aim of seceding the Volta and Oti Regions, from the territories of Ghana.
The Western Togoland Restoration Front (WTRF), on the other hand, is an offshoot of HSG, established by Michael Koku Kwabla, also known as Togbe Yesu.
The WTRF’s main aim was to use force to make it possible for the Volta and Oti Regions to secede from Ghana and form a new state, to be called “Western Togoland”. The organisation was established by Kwabla.
Together with his right-hand man, Charles Elo, he recruited individuals who attended WTRF meetings, became members, participated in the group’s campaign and made contributions to the WTRF cause.
The WTRF hatched a plan to campaign and protest for the secession of the Volta and Oti Regions. They planned to campaign and protest by blocking roads leading from Accra to the Volta Region.
Action on Aveyime At dawn on 25 September 2020, the WTRF cadres set their plans in motion. They divided themselves into groups. One group blocked the Aveyime road from Accra with trips of sand and burning tyres.
The other WTRF groups proceeded to attack the police stations in Aveyime and Mepe, property of the Ghana Police Service. They were wielding guns and other weapons and used these to overpower the police officers on duty.
The WTRF rebels freed inmates from the cells, broke into the armoury at the stations and stole arms and ammunition, including: 13 AK-47 assault rifles, two pistols, five pump-action guns, one shotgun, two MAC-3 guns, one MAC-4 gun, three SMG rifles, 11 rubber bullets, 25 rounds of 37mm tear gas cartridges, and roughly 300 rounds of AK-47 ammunition.
They also stole a police patrol vehicle with registration number GP 195, proceeded to attack the barracks and made away with money and other items belonging to the police officer residents and their families.
Officers shot
A police team was sent from Sogakokpe to restore calm in Aveyime and Mepe.
When the team reached Aveyime, members were attacked by WTRF rebels. Three police officers were injured and their leader, Chief Superintendent Dennis Fiakpui, was shot.
A signboard for the Police Service was defaced by WTRF members who erased “Ghana” from the name “Ghana Police Service” printed on the signboard.
They hanged and displayed what they claimed to be flag of their new country, Western Togoland. Amid the road blockage action and the attacks on Aveyime and Mepe Police Stations, the WTRF members also jubilated and chanted, “Freedom, freedom.”
Investigations eventually led to the arrest of the accused persons.
The Black Stars’ invitation to German-born player Kingsley Schindler for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Angola has made him a hot issue.
Tariq Lamptey, a defender for Brighton and Hove Albion, was injured and replaced by Schindler.
“Kingsley Schindler has been called up to replace the injured Tariq Lamptey for this week’s TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Angola,” Ghana Football Association (GFA) confirmed in a statement on Tuesday, March 21, 2023.
Because he is not a well-known name among Ghanaian players born overseas who are closely watched by the GFA, his call-up aroused eyebrows.
The defender arrived on Monday along with 16 other players who had traveled early for the match against Angola.
Schindler plays for FC Koln in the German top-flight league. He joined Koln in 2019.
After a difficult first two years at Koln, which involves a loan move, he has eventually secured a place in the team.
He played 26 matches in all competitions this season amounting to 1,117 minutes. He scored one goal.
His goal sealed the Europa Conference League group-stage qualification for FC Koln. Unfortunately, they could not make it out of their group.
Schindler was born in Hamburg, Germany, and holds German citizenship. He started his youth career at SC Concordia before joining Hannover 96 youth team in 2011.
He has become the fourth Ghanaian born in Germany to switch nationality to Ghana in one year.
Schindler started his career as a winger before evolving into a fullback. During his time at Holstein Kiel in Bundesliga 2, he hit scored 12 goals.
At Koln, he often plays as a full-back and occasionally as a winger. He could also play in the central area, which explains his versatility.
Ghana’s first doctor and physician, Dr Quartey-Papafio, was discovered when the West African country was referred to as Gold Coast.
He was born in June 1859 to Momo Omedru, a businesswoman, and Chief Quartey-Papafio.
Emmanuel and Arthur Quartey-Papafio, brothers of Benjamin Quartey-Papafio, were traders and farmers. Hugh and Clement W. Quartey-Papafio, who were Emmanuel William Kwate Quartey-offspring, Papafio’s also went on to become lawyers.
In Freetown, Sierra Leone, Quartey-Papfio attended CMS Grammar School and Fourah Bay College for his education.
He later travelled to Britain and enrolled at the St. Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical College in 1882 to study medicine before relocating to Edinburgh University.
He graduated with a degree M.B and M.Ch. in 1886 and became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons.
He was the first African to receive a medical degree in the Gold Coast.
He returned to the Gold Coast (now Ghana) and served as a medical practitioner for the Gold Coast Government Service from 1888 till 1905.
Quartey-Papfio married Eliza Sabina Meyer and had six children with her.
A member of the Accra Town Council from 1909 to 1912, Quartey-Papafio was also a member of the 1911 deputation to London that protested the Forest Bill.
He was an unofficial member of the Legislative Council from 1919 to 1924 and a practicing Anglican.
Benjamin Quartey-Papafio died on September 14, 1924.
Marie-Claire Rupio has expressed gratitude to the Ghanaian public for the love and support shown to her family during the burial of her husband, Christian Atsu Twasam.
In an Instagram post on Monday, Rupio indicated that she and her family were welcomed in manner that indicated belongingness.
“I want to thank all the Ghanaians, who have welcomed me and my family to Ghana in a safe and kind way. It was all very overwhelming but your love and kindness have made it better for us,” she said.
According to her, she hopes “to visit Ghana very soon again.”
Last Friday, 31-year-old Christian Atsu, who was confirmed dead on February 18, following the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria on Febraury 6, was laid to rest. His final funeral rites were held at the forecourt of the State House where thousands of Ghanaians gathered to bid him farewell.
In attendance were President Akufo-Addo, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, former President John Dramani Mahama, members of the Sports Ministry and the Ghana Football Association.
Christian Atsu was buried at his hometown in Dogobome.
Christian theologian Mr. Aaron Edwards was allegedly fired by a Methodist Bible institution in the United Kingdom due to his anti-homosexuality tweets.
It was discovered that the college also implied that it will label Dr. Aaron, a theology professor at Cliff College in Derbyshire, England, as a terrorist.
Fox News reports that he was dismissed from the school after being accused of “bringing the college into disrepute” on social media last month, when he tweeted, “Homosexuality is invading the church,” on February 19.
“Evangelicals no longer see the severity of this [because] they’re busy apologizing for their apparently barbaric homophobia, whether or not it’s true.
“This *is* a ‘Gospel issue,’ by the way. If sin is no longer sin, we no longer need a Savior,” Edwards added.
According to the report, Edwards’ tweet went viral and prompted blowback, to which Edwards responded: “That *is* the conservative view. The acceptance of homosexuality as ‘not sinful’ *is* an invasion upon the Church, doctrinally.
“This is not controversial. The acceptance is controversial. Most of the global Church would agree. It is not homophobic to declare homosexuality sinful.
“I expressed the conservative view as a doctrinal issue, re. the implications for sin/the Gospel. It was not an attack on individuals, it was addressed to evangelicals. It seems that holding the view that homosexuality is sinful is only welcome if it remains ‘unexpressed,’” he added.
Edwards’ tweets reportedly caused “distress” among members of the Methodist Church in Britain, with one senior staff member saying they “could be extremely damaging” and “impact the college’s core work” and “business plan,” according to Edwards’ legal counsel at the London-based Christian Legal Centre.
During a disciplinary hearing on March 8, the college disclosed that it was considering submitting Edwards to Prevent, which oversees claims of terrorism in the United Kingdom. Edwards was suspended from the school pending an investigation.
Edwards claims that he was tricked into endorsing “conversion therapy” at the hearing when he was asked what he would do if a student requested him to pray with them about their same-sex attraction. The U.K. Parliament has discussed making conversion therapy a crime.
“The reaction to my tweet and the unjust treatment I have experienced by Cliff College and the Methodist Church in Britain completely illustrates the problem my tweet addressed,” Edwards said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.
“The tweet was not defamatory; it was not an attack on any colleague or individual; it was not abusive; and it was not an extremist religious view. It was addressed to evangelicals as a point of doctrine, and it has been misunderstood by many who wish to cause personal and institutional trouble for those who express that view,” he continued.
Edwards added that traditional Christian beliefs about sexuality are being “silenced and stamped out” in the Methodist Church.
According to authorities in Malawi, Mozambique, and Madagascar, the number of fatalities caused by the unusually long-lasting Tropical Storm Freddy in southeast Africa has increased to 522.
The number of fatalities increased to 438 on Saturday, according to the disaster management officials in Malawi, the country that was most severely affected by the cyclone. Lazarus Chakwera, the president of Malawi, announced a 14-day period of national mourning on Thursday.
There are hundreds of evacuation centers set up across the nation for survivors, with 345,000 people impacted by the severe rains, floods, and landslides, and tens of thousands of people left homeless in Malawi.
The cyclone left a trail of devastation in southeast Africa. Neighbouring Mozambique and the island nation of Madagascar have also been affected.
In Mozambique, at least 67 people died, according to President Filipe Nyusi, with 50,000 more displaced.
It is expected that the death toll in both nations will continue to climb. At least 17 people were killed in the island nation of Madagascar.
Cyclone Freddy dissipated over land late Wednesday after it made a second landfall in Mozambique and then Malawi over the weekend and caused mass devastation in several regions, including Malawi’s financial capital, Blantyre.
Some of the Cyclone Freddy survivors at a camp in Blantyre, Malawi [Rabson Kondowe/Al Jazeera]
Reporting from Makanga, an island in Malawi, Al Jazeera’s Fahmida Miller said that while rescue services were continuing, they have been slow to transport people from flooded islands to the mainland.
“So far, they [the police services] have reached about 1,300 people, but hundreds more are waiting. They have had to seek refuge in trees. Their homes have been washed away and they also don’t have any food,” said Miller.
“It will certainly be at least a few more days before a bigger dent is made in terms of rescuing people in places like this, which have been very difficult to reach up until now,” she added.
Freddy first made landfall on February 21 in Madagascar. From there, the storm moved on to Mozambique and then back across the Indian Ocean. On March 11, it reached Mozambique for the second time and then moved on to Malawi.
“A lot of areas are inaccessible, restricting movement of assessment and humanitarian teams and life-saving supplies,” said Paul Turnbull, the World Food Program’s director in Malawi. “The true extent of the damage will only be revealed once assessments have been concluded.”
Before the hurricane hit, there was a cholera outbreak in both countries, and there are worries that the floods would worsen the spread of water-borne illnesses. Early in the year, floods and Freddy’s initial battering both affected Mozambique.
According to scientists, cyclone activity has gotten worse due to human-caused climate change, becoming wetter, more intense, and more frequent.
Since it devastated Mozambique, Madagascar, and Réunion in late February, Cyclone Freddy has wreaked havoc throughout southern Africa. Then, after regaining strength across the Mozambique Channel, it looped back onto shore.
The World Meteorological Organization has convened an expert panel to determine whether Cyclone Freddy has broken the record for the longest-ever cyclone in recorded history.
Southern Africa is currently in cyclone season, which can bring rain and severe storms until March or April.
In preparation for their two-game series against Angola in the 2023 African Cup of Nations Qualifiers, the Black Stars players on Monday begun reporting to camp.
About six of the 25 players who were named for the matches as of Monday, March 20, arrived at the teams’ camp.
Andre Ayew, the captain of the Black Stars, set an example by showing up early to the team’s training.
Andre Ayew arrived in the nation on a flight from the UK on Saturday night after taking part in Nottingham Forest’s loss to Newcastle.
Spanish-based Ghanaian striker, Inaki Williams is also among the players who have touched down in Ghana.
This will be the first time Inaki Williams plays on home soil after switching nationalities from Spain to Ghana. He has so far made 6 appearances for the Black Stars.
In-form Ghanaian winger, Joseph Paintsil has also touched base in Ghana. Paintsil is making his return to the Black Stars squad after being left out of Ghana’s squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The winger has scored 13 goals with 12 assists in 29 appearances at club level.
Defender Joseph Aidoo also arrived at the Black Stars camp on Monday. The Celta Vigo player is among those who have been named to the squad.
Bournemouth striker, Antoine Semenyo is also in camp. The player arrived on Monday from the United Kingdom. Semenyo was part of Ghana’s squad at the World Cup and has so far scored once for the Black Stars.
Goalkeeper, Jojo Wollacott has also arrived in camp. The Charlton Athletic goalkeeper returns to the Black Stars team after an injury ruled him out of the World Cup squad. Wollacott is one of the trusted pair of arms for the national team in recent times.
Chris Hughton, the new head coach of the Black Stars, has begun preparing his players for the Angola match slated for Thursday, March 23, 2023.
On Monday, nine players who reported to camp for the upcoming AFCON qualifier practiced with the head coach.
Andrew Ayew, Joojo Wollacott, Inaki Williams, Daniel Amartey, Joseph Aidoo, Antoine Semenyo, Joseph Paintsil, and Ransford-Yeboah were among the nine players at camp.
These are a few photos from the training session on Monday at the Accra Sports Stadium.
On Tuesday, the Black Stars will move camp from Accra to Kumasi. In the evening, there will be a training session at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium with more drills.
Although Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer, a new Black Stars forward, hasn’t yet had a significant impact on the team, his inclusion is undoubtedly having an effect off the field.
Ransford-Yeboah has only played five minutes of football for Ghana since making the transfer in 2022, but his charm is getting him positive coverage, especially on social media.
The Hamburger SV forward will debut for the Black Stars in Ghana, and even before he kicks a ball, he has received accolades.
Nine players, including Ransford-Yeboah, took part in the Black Stars’ first practice at the Accra Sports Stadium, and the team’s official account tweeted some images of him working out.
The well-built arms and complexion of the 21-year-old got some social media users drooling over his looks.
Some users compared him to Kevin-Prince Boateng who was the toast of most female fans of the Black Stars during his time with the team.
Tariq Lamptey, who is injured, has been replaced by Kingsley Schindler for this week’s TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Angola.
The midfielder, who was born in Germany and has not yet received a cap for Ghana, arrived in Accra on Monday to join the rest of the team in preparation for the two pivotal games scheduled for Kumasi and Luanda, respectively.
29-year-old Kingsley Shindler plays for FC Köln in the German Bundesliga.
Due to an injury, Tariq Lamptey, who was a member of the 25-man squad announced for the two games, has been forced to withdraw.
Tariq Lamptey
Meanwhile Seventeen (17) players are currently in camp ahead of the trip to Kumasi on Tuesday afternoon. They include Abdul Manaf Nurudeen, Joseph Wollacott, Alexander Djiku, Denis Odoi, Kingsley Schindler, Patrick Kpozo, Daniel Amartey, Joseph Aidoo, Andre Ayew, Joseph Painstil, Ransford Yeboah, Inaki Williams, Antoine Semenyo, Jordan Ayew, Mohammed Salisu, Majeed Ashimeru and Edmund Addo.
The other players are expected in camp this morning ahead of the trip to Kumasi.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is bewildered by “wasteful” spending by the government being run by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
While delivering the “True State of the Nation’s Address” on Monday, National Chairman of the Party, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, listed a number of items the government spends a significant amount of taxpayers’ money on.
Below is how much government allegedly spends and what it spends on:
President Akufo-Addo’s regional tour last year – GHS16.9m
Tyres and batteries for official vehicles at the Presidency – GHS15m
A cabinet retreat outside Accra – GHS4.8m
Payment for new vehicles – GHS6.5m
Payment for networking and ICT equipment – GHS6.6m
Independence Day celebration in the Central Region – GHS10.4m
Telecommunications and data service from January to September – GHS20m
Office furniture – GHS7m
“Another reasons for Ghana’s economic collapse is the expenditure on the bloated size of government. Further evidence on the waste of taxes can be seen in the many needless political appointees at the Presidency in the midst of the worst economic crisis in living memory,” Mr Asiedu Nketiah added.
![Some of the Cyclone Freddy survivors at a camp in Blantyre, Malawi [Rabson Kondowe/Al Jazeera]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Some-of-the-survivors-at-a-camp-in-Blantyre.-photo-by-Rabson.jpg?w=770&resize=770%2C578&quality=80)
