The late Christian Atsu was married to Marie-Claire Rupio and had three beautiful children with his wife.
The duo tied the knot in 2012 after meeting Portugal when Atsu played for FC Porto. Definitely, love tied the two down together all these years.
But his demise has left a huge vacuum in his wife’s heart.
“I see all the messages, but as you all can understand, this is [a] very hard time. This was the father of my three children,” Rupio recently wrote.
Due to the deep love they both shared, we take a trip down memory lane when Christian Atsu professed how much he loved his beloved wife.
In July 2021, during an interview on Tv3 sports, the late Black Stars player said his love for Rupio is unquenchable especially when they have three children together.
“I met my wife in Portugal and you can see we have a beautiful family. We’ve been together for nine to ten years and I just love her,” said the skillful winger.
But now Rupio and her children are coming to terms with his death.
A one-week observation in memory of departed Ghana international, Christian Atsu, has been scheduled for Saturday, March 4.
Meanwhile, the family has asked for space to mourn its son.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a warning that the air quality in Accra, Ghana’s capital city, has reached hazardous levels due to pollution.
The agency reports that the air has been contaminated by dust from the nearby Sahara region, which has made it unsafe for inhalation.
Breathing in the contaminated air can cause various health issues, including eye, nose, and throat irritation, according to the EPA.
Eye irritation can lead to blurred or double vision, headache, sore neck, shoulders, or back, increased sensitivity to light, called photophobia, and difficulty concentrating, as reported by the Mayo Clinic.
Individuals with an irritated nose may experience continuous sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, as well as itchy, red, and watery eyes, per the UK’s National Health Service.
A woman blowing her nose| Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
Throat irritation can make it difficult to swallow, cause swelling of glands in the neck or jaw, and produce a hoarse or muffled voice, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Those at greatest risk are people with asthma, lung disease, older adults, children, and pregnant women, according to the EPA.
To protect themselves, the agency advises people to use nose masks, goggles for eye protection, or air purifiers. Additionally, it is recommended to reduce outdoor activities, including physical exercise, and avoid open burning of waste and other materials.
The EPA’s warning emphasizes the importance of taking action to protect public health and preserve lives. It is crucial that individuals take these precautions seriously to avoid potentially serious health consequences.
Ghana’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has revealed that the quality of air in the country’s capital, Accra is harmful.
The country is currently experiencing the harmattan season and as such Ghanaians are observing blurred visions due to the presence of fog.
Accra’s air is presently polluted, thus unsafe for respiration, and according to the EPA, this is because there is a lot of dust in the atmosphere raised from the Sahara region.
The EPA arrived at this conclusion based on satellite images from the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMET).
According to the Agency, “this dust is being transported by low level strong winds into the country” thus the very dry and dusty weather being experienced over the northern, transition zones and part of the south.
The Agency noted that this is not a peculiar situation since it is a natural phenomenon that occurs in the harmattan season and can be corroborated by data on particulate level gathered over the period by its team.
Data on the quality of air
Between February 1-19, 2023, Accra’s air quality was largely moderate except for February 15-16 when it increased to unhealthy for sensitive groups.
Between February 17 and 19, 2023, the pollutant levels worsened to “ very unhealthy” status (PM2.5) exceeding the national limit and World Health Organisation (WHO) interim target 3 values of 35 and 25μg/m3 respectively.
The air quality index was recorded at the EPA’s Monitoring Site located at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Meanwhile, GMET has noted that the entire country will remain hazy during the start of the week. From midweek into the weekend, improved visibility and moist conditions are expected especially within southern Ghana.
Ghana’s economy will collapse in the coming week should Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, be unable to restructure the country’s debt to receive a credit facility worth $3 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Addressing Pensioner bondholders who were displeased over their inclusion in government’s Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) on February 6, 2023, the minister said “We need to be mindful that we really need to be successful in going to the fund by this March to avoid what we all experienced last year which we all don’t want to experience again.”
In 2022, Ghana’s economy was characterised by high inflation, doubled depreciation, hiked fuel prices and transportation fare. The economy has been in crisis since then and government needs to restructure its debt to stabilise the economy.
Government has relatively much to do in order to successfully implement its DDEP launched in December 2022.
Last week, government managed to address its issues with pensioners, who had been picketing at the Finance Ministry for about two weeks, by excluding them from the programme.
However, government is yet to resolve its challenges with the Individual Bondholders Forum.
According to the forum, the government is yet to pay them over GH¢4 billion in interest and principal on which the government defaulted. These outstanding bonds matured on February 6, 2023.
The forum announced that they would be picketing at the Independent Square from February 20-24, 2023.
As of Monday and Tuesday, members of the Forum were not sighted at the said venue.
It is unknown whether they are making headway in their engagement with the government since Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has assured that all outstanding coupons will be paid after February 21, 2023.
Also, it is February 22, and there are no reports of the outstanding matured bond being paid.
In the meantime, the government of Ghana is working on having China cancel its debt.
The 30th anniversary celebrations was launched by the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin.
The theme for this year’s celebration is “Thirty (30) Years of Parliamentary Democracy under the Fourth Republic: The Journey Thus Far”
It is significant to note that the current Speaker has participated in all 8 Parliaments, serving in various leadership capacities and as 2nd Deputy Speaker in the Seventh Parliament and finally as Speaker in this 8th Parliament.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is an American basketball player who has been celebrated for his many achievements.
Up until now, he held the all-time scoring record (38,387) in the NBA. After 39 years, he lost the title to LeBron James who keeps making strides in his career.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar during his youth
Kareem is no doubt an icon in the basketball world, but what many do not know is his interest in other matters which do not necessarily deal with balls and baskets.
Here are five fun facts about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar:
1. Kareem studied martial arts from the late Bruce Lee, his mentor and friend, in the 1960s.
2. The septuagenarian featured in Game of Death, which was produced by Raymond Chow R and Bruce Lee in 1978.
Game of Death featured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the late Bruce Lee
3. The civil rights and social justice activist co-produced the documentary, “Black Patriots,” that focuses on the black American heroes of the Revolutionary War.
4. Kareem authored several New York Times bestsellers including Giant Steps, Kareem, Black Profiles in Courage, A Season on the Reservation, and Brothers in Arms.
5. He was nominated for an Emmy in the Outstanding Narrator category for his narration in the hour-long “Black Patriots: Heroes of the Revolution” documentary.
Records are being broken every year thanks to the Champions League, which has hosted some of the biggest clubs and names in football since 1992.
Being dominant on Europe’s greatest stage at the peak of club football is a surefire way to go down in football history.
We take a look at the competition’s all-time leading goalscorers to see which star has shone the brightest.
5. Raul (71 goals)
Raul won the Champions League three times with his hometown club
Real Madrid and Spain legend Raul sat comfortably at the top of the scorers’ table with 71 goals when he retired.
But in recent years the Spaniard has been knocked down to fifth on the list, most recently by Frenchman and fellow Los Blancos star Karim Benzema.
Raul had a highly-decorated career, winning the Champions League three times with his hometown club and being named the illustrious competition’s top scorer twice.
4. Karim Benzema (88 goals)
Karim Benzema’s progress has been hampered by injury this season
Benzema is the fourth-highest scorer in Europe’s top club football competition and a superb double against Liverpool has him closing in on the top three.
Now 35, the Frenchman scored for Lyon on his tournament debut when he was just 17 years old.
His goals have helped Real be crowned European champions five times but, with three prolific marksmen ahead of him, Benzema may not retire in the top three.
3. Robert Lewandowski (91 goals)
Robert Lewandowski could note fire Barcelona into the knockout stage
Bayern Munich great Robert Lewandowski reached the 80-goal mark in record time after taking just 100 games — two fewer than the next man on this list.
The Pole’s 15 goals in the 2019-2020 edition saw him take the Golden Boot and lead his side to the title.
But he will not have a chance to close in on his century with Barcelona failing to reach the knockout stage this season.
2. Lionel Messi (129 goals)
Reigning Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi has continued his goalscoring exploits at Paris Saint-Germain
Argentine maestro Lionel Messi has graced the Champions League plenty of times since 2005 and is third in the all-time appearances list.
Spending the majority of his career playing for his childhood team Barcelona, he has racked up a century of goals and lifted the famous trophy four times.
And he has kept up his exploits at Paris Saint-Germain where he is looking to break the French outfit’s duck.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo (141 goals)
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored numerous important Champions League goals
Cristiano Ronaldo is an undisputed goalscoring machine.
The Portuguese international has netted 141 times for three clubs, with the majority coming during his time at Real.
Ronaldo has appeared in 187 games in the competition since debuting for Manchester United in 2003.
With four Champions League titles under his belt from his time Madrid and another from the Red Devils, the striker is one of the most decorated players ever.
Ex-Juventus star Ronaldo, 38, also became the first-ever player to score in two finals for two different winning teams — bagging the opener for United in 2008 and a 120th-minute penalty for Real in 2014.
Pep Guardiola announced that Kevin De Bruyne and Aymeric Laporte will miss Manchester City’s away game against RB Leipzig due to illness.
Surprisingly, De Bruyne and Laporte did not travel with the City team for the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 match.
Yet after they arrived in Germany, Guardiola was able to confirm the nature of their issues.
The City boss was doubtful whether either of the players, who both started against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, would be available for this weekend’s match at Bournemouth due to recent sickness.
These absences will force Guardiola to make decisions about his starting lineup, albeit he had previously aroused some interest by selecting midfielder Bernardo Silva for the left back position.
Previously, that role was covered by Fabian Delph and Oleksandr Zinchenko, but Silva struggled against Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and then seemed to be at fault for Forest’s equalizer on Saturday.
Guardiola said he was “not so stupid to think Bernardo is a full-back” as he explained his thought-process.
“People say we conceded the goal on the left side because Bernardo’s playing there, but people don’t realise – the view is like he’s a left-back who has to defend in that position,” he said.
“Bernardo helped us to do what we had done against Nottingham Forest. Without Bernardo, it was not possible to concede [only] one counter-attack and one or two actions at the end and [have] the amount of control of the game.”
On Tuesday, 21st February 2023, President Akufo-Addo handed over 700 vehicles to the Ghana Police Service to assist their mandate in ensuring safety in the country.
He presented 100 pick-up vehicles, 600 motorbikes and 6 Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) vehicles, in addition to commissioning the National Police Headquarters facelift project.
Police Pick-up vehicles
The president noted that all regions across the country are soon going to benefit from the services of this specialised unit.
“These Regional Formed Police Unit (FPUs) will be spread across 140 bases in various communities. Without any doubt, their presence will enhance greatly security, law and order in the country,” he added.
Armoured Personnel Carrier
Until recently, the FPU was only stationed in Accra, but through support from government, the Unit was extended to Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
Currently, government is working on providing the remaining regions an FPU.
Ghana has received the second batch of crude oil under the Gold-for-Oil policy, according to the Bulk Oil Storage and Transport Company (BOST).
Chief Executive Officer of BOST, Edwin Alfred Provencal, noted that over the weekend (Sunday, February 19), another 40,000 metric tonnes of oil arrived at the Tema port.
While addressing the press last week, Mr Provencal stated that Ghana will take delivery of four separate gasoline cargoes by the end of February.
“The next shipment will arrive on Sunday [February 19th]. It’s 35,000 tons of gasoline. The following week, another 40,000 tons will arrive, followed by another 40,000 tons that same week, and then another 40,000 tons in the last week of February. So, God willing, there will be four by the end of February,” he said.
In January this year, government received the first consignment of oil purchased under the gold-for-oil policy introduced by the Akufo-Addo-led government.
However, instead of paying with gold as expected, government procured the oil with cash, dollars.
Deputy Minister for Energy, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, disclosed that SCF YENISEI, the company the government traded with, did not have the capacity to exchange its oil for gold.
Ghana received 40,000 metric tonnes of petroleum valued at $40 million which was discharged into the receptacles of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST) to be sold to bulk distributing companies (BDCs) across the country.
According to the deputy minister, “international oil trading companies that do not have a commodity wing to deal with gold on their behalf will be excluded from the gold-for-oil policy.”
Should the government be unable to engage with companies who have the capacity to receive gold as payment for oil, it may fail to check the growth of the dollar against the cedi, the main reason it instituted the gold-for-oil policy.
This has raised concerns by some stakeholders in the energy sector.
Executive Secretary of Chamber of Petroleum Consumers, Duncan Amoah, has therefore called on the government to be transparent about the true specifics of the policy.
In response, the Energy Minister, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has assured that his ministry will keenly monitor every step in the gold-for-oil value chain.
According to him, this will start from the ship that brings the oil, through delivery to the BDCs, to the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and to the pumps.
So far, the government has received a total of 80,000 tonnes of oil under the policy.
Some former players of the Black Stars on Tuesday visited the family of the late Christian Atsu to sympathise with the bereaved.
Asamoah Gyan together with Sulley Muntari, Emmanuel Agyemang Badu, Baffour Gyan and Haminu Dramani signed a book of condolence for their deceased colleague.
They were all draped in black outfits during their visit.
Asamoah Gyan signs book of condolenceAsamoah Gyan with Atsu’s twin sisterAgyeman Badu with Atsu’s twin sisterSulley Muntari, Emmanuel Agyemang Badu, Baffour Gyan and Haminu Dramani (Not in any particular order)
On Monday, the Ayew family visited the share to extend their condolence and support in such trying times.
Christian Atsu was reported dead over the weekend after being trapped under a rubble following an earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023.
His remains have been transported into the country and the government, as well as his family are working to give him a befitting burial.
MP for Ashanti Region’s Effiduase Asokore Constituency, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie is optimisitc that Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia would become the NPP’s standard bearer (NPP).
He claimed that the Vice President is supported by the Ashanti Region, the party’s heartland.
He claims that Dr. Bawumia has significantly superior talents and competencies as compared to other candidates running for vice president.
“Ashanti region has gone for Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia. And most times if you realize, when a whole region moves towards a particular direction, then it means that their decisions are solely based on what the grassroots are saying.
“So, I’m not surprised that Mahamudu Bawumia has won the primaries already. It’s my humble opinion and is based on history. To the extent that Ashanti MPs determine the president, and since there hasn’t been any change, Mahamudu Bawumiahas won the election.
Dr Ayew Afriyie
“When you go to parliament, majority of the MPs, when you take out about 18 out of the 128 that I have circled out, about 108 is green for him,” he said.
Touching on the Ashanti region’s relevance and role in electing Bawumia as flagbearer, the Effiduase Asokore legislator stated, “Adu Boahen won the Ashanti region and went on to win the national election. Kufuor won support from the Ashanti region before winning the national election…he got the majority of MPs and support from the Ashanti region and we went on to win. Akufo-Addo got MPs and Ashanti region support and went on to win the elections.”
The lawmaker continued by saying that the majority of NPP lawmakers from the Ashanti region and almost all NPP MPs had thrown their support behind the vice president.
In the Aberdare Mountain Range in central Kenya, wildfires have damaged more than 40,000 acres (16,000 hectares) of forest.
Despite hundreds of firefighters being sent to the area to attempt and put out the flames, which were initially spotted in the woodlands of the Aberdare National Park two weeks ago.
On the second day, as they raced to the scene, two Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) rangers were murdered when their vehicle rolled.
The BBC was informed by Bakari Mungumi of KWS’s Mountain Conservation that the cause of the fire was still under investigation.
Long periods of drought on the moorlands and forests leads to dry brush, which is a risk if a fire starts.
“Rising temperatures and dry matter are causing flare-ups on the moorlands, hence making it difficult to put out the fires,” Mr Mungumi said.
This is not the first fire in the region. In 2012, a fire destroyed more than 70,000 acres of the forest.
Aberdare is the third highest mountain range in Kenya, reaching a summit of around 4,000m (13,100ft).
Lawyers for National Cathedral Board Secretary Fr. Victor Kusi Boateng have been instructed by the Accra High Court to serve Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa with their writ using the proper procedure.
The cleric attempted to sue the Member of Parliament, but the court finds the correct procedure was not followed.
In court today, Mr Okudzeto filed a response to the contempt application claiming that even though he has not been served, he saw a copy on social media and he has responded to that.
Mr Okudzeto’s counsel suggested that the hearing is adjourned, a move that was opposed by lawyer for the respondent who argued that his client wants to waive personal service of the court application.
The judge directed that the plaintiffs properly serve the North Tongu MP through the Speaker of Parliament, in order for the process to commence.
According to court correspondent Joseph Ackah-Blay, the plaintiff’s lawyers said efforts were made to that effect but were declined by some officials at Parliament.
Meanwhile, scores of people who say they are constituents of North Tongu MP massed up at the court complex.
The group insisted that they will not look for what they describe as an attempt to gag and intimidate Mr Ablakwa plays out.
According to them, there are attempts to use the judiciary to settle political scores and prevent their MP from performing his whistle-blowing and anti-corruption duties.
One of the lawyers for Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor believes that the judge’s assertion leaves the contempt application rejected.
Substantially, the allegations relate to the alleged transfer of state funds meant for the construction of the National Cathedral into a supposed bank account of a company said to be owned by Rev Kusi Boateng.
But according to Rev Kusi Boateng, although the claims are misleading, it has enjoyed wide readership, garnering 581 reactions, 135 comments and 126 shares as of January 25, 2023.
The leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was also represented at the court by General Secretary Fifi Kwetey, Prof Naana Jane Opoku Agyeman, and Deputy Minority Leader, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah among others in solidarity with the MP.
According to Botswana, rhino poaching has increased significantly, with the country losing about one-third of the rhinos there.
Although numbers drastically decreased last year, tourism minister Philda Kereng informed parliament that 138 rhinos had been slain during the previous five years.
According to statistics, only two animals were stolen in the five years leading up to 2017.
The minister ascribed the increase to the persistent demand for rhino horn on the world market, particularly in East Asia.
She also brought up the fact that poaching groups have been expelled from other southern African nations.
Botswana had less than 400 rhinos, according to conservationist estimates for 2019.
Four soldiers and an immigration officer are among the 13 people who have been detained at Konongo in the Ashanti Region for allegedly participating in illegal operations at Mantin in the Bosome-Freho District of the Ashanti Region.
On Friday, they were taken into custody by National Security Operatives with the help of the Konongo Divisional Police Command along with a Chinese citizen they had already taken into custody before being approached.
The immigration officer was identified as Assistant Immigration Control Officer Emmanuel Acheampong, while the four soldiers have been named as Warrant Officer (WO) Boateng, Corporal Otibu Dacosta, Private Bruce Afful, and L. S. Asomay.
Furthermore, the civilians including those in military uniforms were, Bernard Nyarko, Nana Amoako Arthur, Odei Michael, Nana Danquah, Prince Boakye, Asare Francis, Appiah Francis, Darkey Michael, Atitsogbe Bismark and Eric Addo.
A source at the National Security headquarters in Accra told the Ghanaian Times that a search conducted led to the seizure of three locally manufactured single barrel guns, one pump action rifle, three knives, two heavy duty batteries, one pepper spray, dummy taser and cash amount of GH¢18,870.00 from them.
The source further noted that the suspects were transported to Kumasi and were currently being held in close custody at 4 Infantry Battalion and Headquarters Central Command guardrooms with the exception of the GIS officer and the Chinese national, who were handed over to GIS HQ in Kumasi.
It noted that the involvement of soldiers in unauthorised operations and the use of military uniforms by civilians were becoming rife in recent times despite efforts by the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to clamp down on the menace.
“It is expected that a thorough investigation will be conducted into the activities of the group and disciplinary action taken against them if found culpable to serve as deterrence to others,” the source said.
Meanwhile a statement issued by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) in Accra yesterday and signed by Chief Superintendent of Immigration, Michael Amoako-Atta, head of Public Affairs, said the service had taken note of the widely circulated incident in which a group of persons including an immigration officer was alleged to have been terrorising miners within mining communities in the Ashanti Region.
The statement said the officer whose service identity card went viral on social media had been identified and was assisting in investigations.
“The GIS wishes to dissociate itself from the misconduct of the said officer if investigations prove that he was involved in the incident.
Management wishes to assure the general public that investigations has begun and the said officer or any other person involved in the incident will not be spared if found guilty,” the statement stressed.
Pantang Hospital owes its suppliers who provide it with necessities like food and chemicals for daily operation to the tune of GH2.8 million.
Since last year, it has forced some of the hospital’s most dependable and devoted suppliers to stop providing their services, while other ones are threatening to take legal action to compel the hospital to pay off its debt.
The hospital was owed money to about 25 suppliers, including some well-known companies like Ghana Oil Limited (GOIL), Microfinance and Small Loans Center (MASLOC), Alliance Waste Limited, Auto Clinic, and 2D Laboratory, according to checks made by the Daily Graphic in response to concerns expressed by some of the affected suppliers.
It followed the inability of the government to release the full budgetary allocation for the health facility.
For instance, the hospital received only GH¢700,000 out of the GH¢2.3 million budgetary allocation for last year to run and execute its strategic plan.
When contacted, the Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Frank Baning, confirmed the development and stated that the attention of the Ministry of Health (MoH) had been drawn to the situation.
He said MoH, subsequently, directed the hospital to write to the Ministry of Finance to settle the suppliers involved.
“And so, the hospital has done as directed by its parent ministry and we are, therefore, hopeful that Finance Ministry will settle suppliers soon in order for them to resume their work efficiently,” he said.
Factors
However, Dr Baning explained that a number of factors accounted for the hospital’s indebtedness to its suppliers.
Beyond the difficulties with release of the budget allocation, the hospital also provided free psychiatric services to the majority of patients.
That, he said, was because the enactment of the Mental Health Act, 2012 (Act 846) made mental health services free of charge in the country.
Although the Act also established a mental health fund, it had not been operationalised to underwrite mental health service bills to ensure they were free.
“Although per the law mental services are to be free, patrons still pay at facility levels due to some operational challenges. So, what we actually do is to charge those who can pay and the money used to take care of those who cannot pay,” he said.
CHRAJ petition
The director noted that relatives of a patient who was charged for mental services had petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).
“Their concern is that the law makes it totally free and so, we need not charge but we cannot provide the services without financial support.
“And so we have also responded to their petition against us at CHRAJ,” he added.
Mental health under NHIS
Dr Baning appealed to the government to move mental health services under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to enable such patients to access adequate care.
He stated that the free drugs for patients under the mental health programme were generally unavailable and, therefore, patients were burdened with paying for them.
“We are appealing to the government to move mental health services under NHIS to reduce the financial burden on the national purse. Under the NHIS, we can make claims for every patient that seeks services at the facility,” he added.
The Pantang Hospital medical director noted that caring for patients who were mentally unwell was more costly than general illnesses.
Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah, who is the Minister-designate of State at the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development has been vetted by Parliament’s Appointments Committee.
Yesterday, Mr Kobina Tahir Hammond, the Minister-designate of Trade and Industry faced the panel chaired by Joseph Osei Owusu.
The Lands Commission needs assistance from the government to create a detailed digital map of Ghana, according to the Ghana Institution of Surveyors.
It said that the country had not had a contemporary mapbase built since 1974, and that as a result of recent advancements, it has grown antiquated and out of date.
The agency claimed that the paucity of digital map data was forcing some governmental entities to obtain and analyse their own data in addition to having an impact on geoinformation distribution.
It said that the predicament annoyed development actors and presented difficulties with accuracy and compatibility.
The Vice-President of the institution, Sulemana Dauda Mahama, was speaking at the launch of the 18th Surveyors’ Week celebration and the 54th annual general meeting of the institution in Accra yesterday.
He added that although the Lands Commission had initiated moves to develop a digital map for the country, “it lacks the financial muscle to come up with a map that can be used by all actors”.
The celebration, which will be on the theme: “Transforming land administration in Ghana: the role of the surveying professional,” will end on February 26, 2023.
Significance
Mr Mahama further said that the establishment of a digital map would ensure the development of an integrated land information system and database to facilitate the speedy delivery of secure and credible land titles.
It will also provide the requisite information to bodies such as local assemblies and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to facilitate revenue collection from property owners.
Mr Mahama also said that apart from the Lands Commission offices in Accra and Kumasi, the other regions did not have the required infrastructure for digital mapping to ensure an efficient and effective land administration system in the country.
He said it was for these reasons that his outfit was pushing for the promulgation of a Surveying Council Bill to improve standards in the sector.
Launch
Launching the week-long activities, the President of the institution, Rosemagaret Esubonteng, said the event was to enable the about 3,000 members congregate and deliberate on issues regarding the profession and the built environment.
Among activities are a young surveyors networking, orientation and induction of newly qualified members and elevation of class of fellows and women in surveying activities.
The conference will begin on Thursday, February 23, 2023, with a presentation of papers and a presidential lecture.
Other activities are a health walk, a medical talk, corporate social responsibility activities, a presidential ball and an inter-religious thanksgiving service.
Responsibilities
The institution, the president said, was a professional body responsible for the training and certification of surveyors in the country and comprised three disciplines – quantity surveying, valuation and estate surveying, and land surveying.
According to her, a good and robust land administration system provided security of tenure, easing of doing business and revenue mobilisation, among other benefits.
“The land administration scene is tremendously weak in its contribution to gross domestic product (GDP). This is critical because revenue from land-related sources in the country amounts to just about 0.03 per cent of the nation’s GDP according to a recent World Bank Report,” Mrs Essubonteng said.
She said while the EU recorded an average of four per cent GDP, three per cent in USA and two per cent in Japan, other countries such as Gambia, Mauritius and South Africa property rates contributed an average of 0.5 per cent, 1.0 per cent and 1.5 per cent of GDP, respectively.
The assets under management (AUM) of the Mines Income Investment Fund (MIIF), which are measured from December 2022 to December 2023, increased by 87.4%, from GH1.7 billion to GH3.2 billion.
In 2022, the fund saw an annualized end-year return of 6.13 percent.
Foreign exchange volatility and effective treasury management of funds also had an impact on the return.
According to MIIF, the growth was principally supported by creative approaches that increased royalties income, expanded the sources of royalties, and generated investment income.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the fund, Edward Nana Yaw Koranteng, told the Daily Graphic in an interview that MIIF mobilised GH¢1.3 billion in 2021 and GH¢1.8 billion in 2022, representing a 36 per cent growth over the previous year, a major factor in growing the AUM.
“We have been able to do this because of an inter-agency framework we put in place last year which has seen us collaborating with more agencies,” he said.
Mr Koranteng mentioned some of the agencies as the Ghana Standards Authority, the Economic and Organised Crime Office and the Minerals Commission, the regulator of the minerals sub sector.
“We have also adopted innovative technologies such as geo-mapping all mining sites in Ghana and also creating a real-time dashboard for all royalties contribution from every mine in the country,” the MIIF CEO added.
Mr Koranteng further said the Fund put in measures to expand the royalties stream by adding sand winning and salt to the list of royalties- paying minerals which helped with diversifying the royalties base away from gold.
Investment activities of MIIF started in March 2022 with a $20 million acquisition stake in Ashanti Gold Corporation, a Canadian and German listed company which has assets in Bibiani, Chirano, and Kubi.
MIIF subscribed to 14,514,286 ordinary shares in the company, representing 4.62 per cent of the entity at the time of purchase.
MIIF also closed a GH¢25 million deal in a Ghana/Africa small and medium enterprise (SME) focused fund.
More investments
The company, which invests the state’s share of mineral royalties in viable assets, is ready to invest in lithium and salt of up to $60 million and a small-scale mining incubation support programme of up to $60 million this year.
MIIF also plans to develop a gold- backed Exchange Traded Fund (ETF), with the support of the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) to be traded on the Ghanaian bourse and possibly the Johannesburg and Toronto stock exchanges.
Mr Koranteng expressed optimism that MIIF would, in a few years, become the lever that would help the country through volatile economic periods and offer the stability needed in the economy.
“MIIF will seek to diversify its funding and investment portfolio sources, including capital market transactions, a gold trade desk which has already been set up which will definitely be a source of foreign exchange for the country,” he said.
The MIIF CEO added that the fund would explore risk participation in high-yielding projects with top-grade financial institutions.
“We are a young fund, however, we are focused on getting it right. We plan to hit the $500 million AUM by January 2024 and $1 billion by 2027,” Mr Koranteng stated.
He said the fund had made investments in Ashanti Gold and was also targeting some gold exploratory companies, lithium and salt as well as lithium by-products such as feldspar and silica to start the ceramics and fibreglass industry.
About MIIF
The Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) is Ghana’s minerals sovereign fund.
It was established pursuant to the Minerals Income Investment Fund Act, 2018 (Act 978) as amended to receive royalty payments from mineral production activities in Ghana and to manage government’s equity interest in mining companies.
The University of Ghana has launched three postgraduate genetics programmes to prepare specialists to treat diseases like sickle cell, breast, and prostate cancer there.
Master of Science (MSc) in Genetic Counseling, Master of Philosophy (MPhil), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in Medical Molecular Genetics are the latest programs.
They are an essential component of the university’s West Africa Genetic Medicine Centre (WAGMC), which was established in August of last year and is run by the GhGenome project.
Seven students began the MSc in Genetic Counseling in January of last year, making it the first program of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa.
And this academic year, six students have been admitted to pursue the programme.
The Director of the centre, Prof. Fiifi Ofori-Acquah, who disclosed this in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra, also said a Genomic Medicine Complex building was being constructed at the university to support the training of more health professionals in genetics.
“We hope by the end of the initial funding of the centre in 2025, we would have trained close to 100 students with master’s degrees in various aspects of genetics, about 45 PhDs in different areas of genetics, as well as help develop the consciousness of citizens about genetics,” Prof. Ofori-Acquah, who is also a former Dean of the School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences of the university, said.
He added that “we don’t have genetic counselling training in the country. There are other health professionals who have some knowledge to help you understand your genetics but they are not genetic counsellors,” he said.
Prof. Ofori-Acquah also said that the country did not have free standing genetic health clinics except for sickle cell, breast cancer and prostate cancer.
What is genetics?
Prof. Ofori-Acquah, who is a world-renowned researcher and academician in sickle cell disease and genetics, further explained that genetics was a branch of biology that focused on inheritance.
It is about things inherited from parents such as height, colour of skin and length of fingers, he said. Genetic counsellors are geneticists who interact with patients to explain the process to them, while medical molecular geneticists are people who work in the laboratory.
Prof. Ofori-Acquah said one of the things the centre would do was to mobilise enough funds to ensure that the training programmes were sustained beyond 2025 when the initial funding from the World Bank would have ended.
GhGenome project
The GhGenome project, according to Prof. Ofori-Acquah, who is credited with developing the first mouse model of acute chest syndrome in sickle cell disease, was to increase awareness of genetics and its role in well-being, general health and diseases.
It was also to help build the capacity of the country to provide services in genetic health.
Prof. Ofori-Acquah said as part of the awareness process, the centre provided free screening for diseases such as sickle cell disease, breast cancer and prostate cancer.
The Genome scientist further said that the country had not done enough on awareness creation of citizens testing to know their genetic status.
He, therefore, called on the people to take the GhGenome Pledge to find out their sickle cell status before marriage, get their newborn babies tested for sickle cell disease before their first immunisation and also find out the risk of getting breast cancer, among other diseases.
Following a successful Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), Ghana has advanced to the next level of managing the government’s international debts and has started discussions with China about Ghana’s debt.
Because China owns the majority of the external bonds, negotiations with China are crucial, according to Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to Citi News.
According to Mr. Ofori-Atta, he will head a mission to China to make a case for debt forgiveness.
“The big elephant in the room is China, we will be visiting China by the end of the week to really discuss how they come into the envelope as quickly as possible. So we are looking at that support from them. China represents about a third of the $5.7 billion loan and so it is important that we engage them,” he said.
In January 2023, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) says it is working towards a debt cancellation programme for Ghana and other countries amid a global economic recession scare this year.
The other countries are Ethiopia, Zambia, Chad, Lebanon, Surinam, and Sri Lanka.
The move, Madam Kristalina Georgieva, the IMF Managing Director, said was to avert any “bad surprise” on the global economy, out of which 25 percent had its trade in emerging markets territories.
“We’re working hard to press for debt resolution for these countries, and we’ve engaged with the traditional creditors, the Paris Club, the non-traditional creditors, China, India, and Saudi Arabia. Our call is very simple: Urgently we have to act,” she said in an interview.
Black Stars midfielder Mubarak Wakaso has disclosed that he spoke with Christian Atsu, a bossom buddy and teammate, on the day that Atsu got trapped in earthquake debris, an occurrence that ultimately resulted in his death.
It was a typical talk between them, but Wakaso claims that the focus of their conversation was primarily on him making fun of the deceased Hatayspor winger for scoring the game-winning goal late the day before in a league game.
“It was the same day. He scored in their match and he shared the video on his social media pages. So I called him and I was teasing him that ‘you are not allowing us to have peace because of the cheap goal you scored’ and we laughed over it,” Wakaso told Accra-based Peace FM in an interview.
In their parting words, Atsu promised to call him back. Nonetheless, that ended their last exchange as friends.
Wakaso is left with just memories that he shared with Christian Atsu. His brother is no more.
Atsu was confirmed dead on Saturday, after being pulled of a debris he was stuck under for 12 days since the devastating earthquake struck Turkey and Syria.
Ben Chilwell acknowledges that the players at Chelsea are entirely to blame for the team’s dismal string of performances.
Graham Potter was under even greater pressure after Saturday’s shocking 1-0 home loss to Southampton, and some Stamford Bridge supporters heckled the team at the end of the game.
Chilwell, who came out following the game to thank the fans who remained till the final whistle with fellow England international Mason Mount, believes the team is to blame.
After being sunk by a first-half James Ward-Prowse free-kick, the left-back said: “It is easy to say but we really do have to work hard and turn this around. The only people that can do that is ourselves.
“It is never nice for a very competitive group that wants to win stuff. Some of us a few years ago tasted winning a major trophy [the Champions League] and to be in this situation now does not feel good at all.
“It is understandable the fans are not happy. They expect Chelsea to win matches, which we also expect.
“I can stand here and say we created chances but it doesn’t really mean anything. We need to win these games.
“We need to work hard. It is a pretty flat dressing room at the moment.
“It is hard to get into it, in terms of what we did right and wrong, but we have time now until our next game to work hard.”
To compound matters for Potter’s struggling side, who currently sit 10th in the Premier League, skipper Cesar Azpilicueta was rushed to hospital after being kicked in the head by Saints sub Sekou Mara.
The Spaniard received lengthy treatment on the pitch but was able to clap the home support as he was given a standing ovation while being carried off on a stretcher.
And Chilwell, 26, was delighted to learn his team-mate was in good spirits after the worrying incident.
Hi everyone! Thank you all for your love and messages of support! My family and I would like to thank everyone who has been looking after me since yesterday’s incident… pic.twitter.com/suBCdIQbj6
He added: “I was one of the closest players to it and I saw it in real time, it definitely was not a nice situation.
“Thankfully us as players, and then the staff that came on, acted very quickly and tried to give him the best help we could.
“We found out he went off to hospital to do the necessary procedures in this situation.
“He is also in contact with his wife and is stable, which is a positive to take. We are all thinking of him and it is one of those things bigger than football. We are all here for him.”
Having picked up just two victories in their last 14 games in all competitions, Chelsea visit London rivals Tottenham on Sunday in what is fast becoming a must-win game.
Renowned footballer Abedi Ayew Pele and his family have commiserated with the family of Christian Atsu over his passing.
In a picture circulated on social media, the 58-year-old visited the family house of the late Atsu with his wife, Maha Ayew following the arrival of the body of the late winger.
Also present was the family’s spokesperson, Fiifi Tackie. They were all cladded in black and looked sorrowful as they joined the many bereaved family members and sympathizers.
Prior to their visit, Andre Dede Ayew issued a statement expressing his deepest condolences to the family and paying tributes to his late national team colleague.
Also, Jordan Ayew wore a shirt with the inscription “RIP Atsu” to show support to his late friend.
The remains of Christian Atsu, who was trapped in a debris in Turkey on February 6, 2023, and was found dead 12 days after, landed in Accra, Ghana on February 19, 2023.
Meanwhile, the family is yet to disclose the date for his burial. According to the government, the former Black Stars player will be given a befitting burial.
A campaign to improve the working environment and circumstances for midwives in Ghana has been launched by the Centre for Health Development and Research (CEHDAR), an NGO that strengthens the health system.
The campaign, “Midwives’ Voices, Midwives’ Demands,” emphasizes how conducive working conditions help employees feel motivated and at ease, which in turn improves their performance.
The campaign was distinguished by the 16 midwives who represented the 16 areas displaying flashcards with messages regarding their challenges in the line of duty.
Some of the messages on the flashcards bordered on accommodation, scholarships and exchange programmes, salary, capacity building, equipment and working resources, among others.
The campaign was in partnership with the Ghana Health Service, the Ministry of Health, and two other NGOs: What Women Want and White Ribbon Alliance.
In attendance were representatives of nurses and midwives from regional, teaching hospitals and the private sector, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and World Health Organisation, among others.
At the launch in Accra last Thursday, the President of CEHDAR, Dr Jemima Dennis-Antwi, said the campaign was borne out of a survey in all 16 regions where midwives were asked to point out what they needed most to enable them provide what women wanted so far as their duty was concerned.
Capacity building
Dr Dennis-Antwi added that evidence in many studies had shown that where a midwife was well-trained, regulated, resourced and supported, she was able to address over 80 per cent of pregnancy-related complications that arose.
“However, they can only succeed if a professional enabling environment is available.
In Ghana, the most challenging roles have been rural posting to community-based health planning and services (CHPS) zones, as well as the bedside, and we want better conditions.
These demands are not new; they are in consonance with the provisions of many global and local Ghana-based policies of the health sector,” she said.
Strategic and policy-related issues
The Director of Human Resource of the GHS, Peter Obiri Yeboah, stated that Ghana’s health sector had in diverse ways worked with midwives to address notable strategic and policy-related issues.
“We had to invest in producing more midwives through the re-introduction of direct-entry midwifery education to contribute to the achievement of the set target of reducing maternal mortality ratio by 75 per cent by 2015.
“Through multi-strategic approaches such as the introduction of free maternal health services, national health insurance scheme, CHPS and midwifery education served to increase access to skilled birth and to reduce some of the inequities to health care,” he said.
“Today, we have thousands of midwives graduating from our many institutions ready to impact our maternal and newborn indices to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals aimed, among others, to reduce global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births, and to end preventable deaths of newborn and children under five years of age,” he said.
Commendation
Mr Yeboah commended midwives for their contributions and dedication.
“However, there is still more work to be done if Ghana is to achieve the set targets, which can only be achieved when women are able to utilise the full continuum of maternal healthcare irrespective of location, socio-economic or demographic traits.
“We are concerned that a greater section of women in Ghana are unable to meet these recommendations due to several setbacks such as poverty, limited or no education, rural residency, as well as the socio-cultural beliefs and convictions that sometimes dissuade women from accessing these quality services,” Mr Yeboah added.
Several Burkinabes who are seeking asylum in Sapeliga, in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region, have promised never to go back to their home country again because their safety and security cannot be guaranteed there.
They claimed that this was as a result to the murder of their family members, which made the nation unsafe for them and other people.
“The atrocities and killing of innocent citizens by Jihadists and terrorist groups have made the country unsafe for everyone.
“Since the security of the country has been compromised, our safety cannot be guaranteed when we return,” they intimated.
The Burkinabe refugees made their decision known when the Country Representative of the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, Esther Kiragu, visited them at their camp.
She was accompanied by the Executive Secretary of the Ghana Refugee Board (GRB), Tetteh Padi, and some officials of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS).
Visit, observation
The team’s visit to the temporary camps at Kare and Burgila was to assess the situation on the ground and to inform them of measures being taken to respond and support after fleeing to Ghana due to Jihadist attacks.
At the Kare camp, the Daily Graphic team observed that they have only one borehole and three toilets constructed by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), serving more than 200 people.
As a result, on a daily basis, there are long queues of people who want to use the facilities.
No intention
Speaking through an interpreter, the leader of the asylum seekers, Madi Bukari, said: “We want to officially inform you that we do not intend to go back to Burkina Faso, but want to stay in Ghana to continue our lives.
“We saw with our eyes how the Jihadists besieged our communities, entered our houses and killed our family members with no provocation.
“The terrorists and Jihadists shot and killed our mothers, fathers and siblings in front of us. We don’t feel it will be safe for us if we return to our country and our communities at this moment,” Mr Bukari emphasised.
He stated that they were yet to overcome the torture and emotional trauma they went through after their relations and neighbours were gruesomely murdered by the Jihadists.
Feeling at home, help needed
Mr Bukari described Ghana as a haven for them, intimating that the chiefs and people of Sapeliga had been hospitable towards them since they fled to the town over terrorist attacks in their country.
“We feel safe here and the chiefs and people wholeheartedly received us into the community, shared their houses and food with us and made us feel at home by giving us a land to put up temporal structures,” he said.
He appealed to the UNHCR and other institutions to quicken the process to provide them with urgent support since they needed basic items and facilities to make life a bit more comfortable for them in their new settlement.
Additionally, he asked for support to enable them to engage in dry season farming to grow some crops to sell to earn income to support their lives.
On behalf of the women, Zeinabu Zabre, said aside from food, they urgently needed clothing since they left all their belongings and fled to Ghana.
Further, she called for the provision of hands-on skills for the women in some trades to enable them to set up small businesses to support their upkeep.
Increased numbers
Ms Kiragu underscored the need for urgent support to enable them to live comfortably in the community.
She said the visit was a follow-up to an earlier one ostensibly to find out if more of the asylum seekers had fled to the community.
“Obviously, based upon the figures now, your numbers have increased, which required immediate material support since you fled to this community,” she stated.
Mr Padi said the GRB and its partners would put in place the needed measures to accordingly respond to the needs of the asylum seekers from Burkina Faso who were living in communities in the area.
Resolution
During a courtesy call on him at his palace, the Chief of Sapeliga, Naba Emmanuel Ayagiba Abangiba, said since the Burkinabes had resolved not to return, his community was ready to integrate them into it.
“Since they have expressed interest in farming, we will make lands easily available to them to cultivate crops to sell to earn income,” he added.
By doing so, he said, they would be able to generate some income in the interim to cater for some of their basic needs.
The late Christian Atsu whose death has taken Ghana by shock is known to be close to his twin sister, but reports show Christiana Atsupe Tswasam is not the player’s only sibling.
Christian Atsu born by Yonah Akami Twasam as father and Sarah Afiko Dzuvor-Twasam and mother, had 10 other siblings.
Christian Atsu’s eldest brother, Ofoe Peter Tswasam
According to one Derek Katey Caesar, a Facebook user whose relation with the family is unknown, the eldest of the 12 children is Ofoe Peter Tswasam, who is followed by Patience Tswasam and Solomon Tswasam.
Patience is the second child
Rose Twasam of beloved memory was the fourth child.
Solomon is the third born
The remaining children in the order of birth are Isaac Yeye Tswasam, Peace Tswasam, Anna Tswasam, Abraham Tswasam, Emmanuel and Ezekiel Tswasam.
Rose, the fourth child is no more
Christian Atsu was the 10th child. He died at the age of 31 while in Turkey after being trapped in a rubble following an earthquake on February 6, 2023.
Isaac is the fifth childPeace is the sixth childThe seventh child is Anna Abraham is the eighth childEmmanuel is the ninth bornEzekiel is the tenth childChristian Atsu is the eleventh childChristian’s twin sister, Christiana Atsupe Tswasam
The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has disclosed that its investigations into dual identity claims against an Executive Council Member of the National Cathedral reveals that Victor Kusi Boateng and Kwabena Adu Gyamfi could be two different individuals.
In a letter to the MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the GRA noted that the said individuals have two distinct Tax Identification Number (TIN) records.
At the time of the registration for Kusi Boateng (August 13, 2013) and Adu Gyamfi (March 15, 2016), “the registration system was not biometric and did not have any facial recognition features for the detection of duplicate faces,” the letter said.
It went further to explain that it had started investigations into the claim by Ablakwa that the two individuals were one and the same person, who was using the double identity for criminal reasons.
Ablakwa shared the GRA letter as part of his court papers opposing a contempt suit brought against him by Kwabena Adu Gyamfi, alias Victor Kusi Boateng, who happens to be the secretary to the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral of Ghana.
In the document which was contained in an 85-page affidavit filed by Ablakwa’s lawyers to buttress his reasons that the plaintiff was engaged in a vexatious exercise with the contempt suit.
Ablakwa, was cited for contempt of court for his handling of a restraining order document barring him from publishing personal information and other documents of Rev. Kusi Boateng.
The motion for contempt, which was filed by Rev Kusi Boateng, indicated that the reasons Ablakwa gave for rejecting the document were not tangible.
Among the “inappropriate” donations given to earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria, pole heels, filthy lingerie, and torn and damaged apparel were found.
Volunteers are shown in videos posted to TikTok going through crates of help and taking stuff out, including 10-inch latex heels.
Another video displayed lingerie being dragged out, a brown-stained towel, and a silver disco crop top.
‘Clothing collection drop-offs are not a place where you can empty your trash,’ a comment read.
‘Those people also have pride. Does your conscience not hurt at all? It is enough for God’s sake. Please, enough.’
Volunteers working around the clock as part of the relief efforts have appealed for ‘dignity in charity’.
A pair of ripped old leggings donated to victims of the earthquakesThere were also boxes of 10-inch heelsSome blankets were stained or ripped
Erim Metto, CEO of the Turkish Cypriot Community Association, based in London, told Metro.co.uk that a fifth of all donations were ‘inappropriate’ or ‘unusable’.
‘We were very clear about what donations we would accept. We did say we would not accept any inappropriate clothing,’ he said.
‘For example, no thin-layer clothing, dresses or high heels. When donations come through, we do a two-stage cycling system.
‘The first stage is removing any second-hand, no-good-for-anything donations.
‘Our volunteers filter these through and they are discarded – for example, hygiene products that are only half-full and have been used.
Hundreds of bags of donations were accepted by the TCCA (Picture: Turkish Cypriot Community Association)Volunteers have been working around the clock to sift through it and pack it (Picture: Turkish Cypriot Community Association)
‘This is not appropriate. Such donations are thrown away.
‘Once we get through that first stage, anything that is again not appropriate for the location we are gathering donations for, but is still usable, we would package separately and give to Trade.’
The sheer magnitude of the two earthquakes led to the deadliest natural disaster in the region in the last 100 years.
According to Turkish authorities, more than 36,000 people have been killed, and the death toll continues to rise.
Meanwhile, the Syrian government and the United Nations say more than 5,800 victims have been recorded across the border.
The TCCA stopped accepting donations because of the influx of clothes (Picture: Turkish Cypriot Community Association)
The world has watched in horror as hundreds of thousands of people in the two countries have been left without shelter and warm clothes in as low as 0°C.
Mr Metto, a filmmaker from Turkish-Cypriot descent, said donations were far higher than in the past.
On the day the earthquakes took place, TCCA received more than 240 phone calls from people desperate to help.
To put this in perspective, the association normally registers between 30 and 40 at the most.
‘We have done a lot of donation schemes in the past to help the homeless, people in Ukraine and we supported the community during Covid,’ the CEO said.
London mayor Sadiq Khan visited the TCCA earlier in the week (Picure: Turkish Cypriot Community Association)
‘But this time the donations were far higher than we expected. By Wednesday, we had already retracted our appeal for donations.’
Most organisations have stressed that money is the best way to help the victims of the catastrophic event.
What may be well-intentioned efforts to donate items such as clothing, becomes a logistical nightmare when having to be transported across the border.
Mr Metto said a number of organisations have been collecting anything they can without a system of sifting through it.
He said large lorries, which are independent from any official charities, have been transporting aid to Turkey and ‘dumping it on the side of the road’ because there are no available storage facilities.
‘He was very keen that they were part of the concert.’
They added to Mail on Sunday: ‘There is a team set up to get the talent signed up so they approached the two of them, but got replies saying that they were unavailable, which was a massive disappointment.
The King’s Coronation takes place on May 7 (Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
‘They are titans of the showbiz industry and are quintessentially British but also known across the globe.’
‘It’s such a shame,’ the insider claimed.
Thinking Out Loud hitmaker Ed, 32, does in fact have commitments around the time of the Coronation.
A representative for Ed also told Metro.co.uk that neither the star nor his team has even been ‘approached’ about a possible performance.
Ed actually has a show in Texas the day before the Coronation gig, meaning it would be pretty hard (not to mention tiring) for him to make the trip back home.
Ed has a show in the States the day before the Coronation gig (Picture: AAPIMAGE)Adele is currently performing in Vegas, but her May diary is unknown (Picture: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for AD)
However, since Ed has used a private jet in the past, insiders claim it would be possible for him to do so again for the nine-hour journey.
Meanwhile, it’s unknown what Adele, 34, will be doing around the time of the Coronation.
Parliament’s Appointments Committee is currently vetting President Akufo-Addo’s ministerial nominees.
Minister-designate for Trade and Industry, Kobina Tahir Hammond, who is the Member of Parliament for Adansi-Asokwa, is first to face the Committee chaired by Joseph Osei Owusu.
MP for Nhyiaeso, Stephen Amoah, the Deputy Trade Minister nominee and Mr Bryan Acheampong, the MP for Abetifi Constituency, expected to head the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, will face the Committee today to justify their nomination.
In response to a “catalogue of errors,” the parents of an amateur football player who died from a flesh-eating infection criticized the NHS.
East Hunsbury resident Luke Abrahams passed away on the surgery table at Northampton General Hospital after initially expressing discomfort in his throat.
Last month, the 20-year-old complained of feeling poorly, and his doctor at Penvale Medical Centre prescribed medicines for tonsillitis.
The railway engineer started experiencing worsening leg discomfort a few days later, and his alarmed parents rushed him to the hospital.
He was sent home but his condition only intensified, and he begged his parents to call 999, saying he ‘couldn’t take the pain’ any longer.
A post-mortem examination revealed Luke had been suffering from septicaemia, Lemierre syndrome – a form of bacterial infection, and necrotising fasciitis – a flesh-eating disease.
His heartbroken parents Richard Abrahams, 60 and Julie Needham, 49, have now launched a legal bid to discover why so many mistakes were made.
Luke died on the operating table on January 23 (Picture: SWNS)Luke with his younger brother Jake, 16 (Picture: SWNS)
The claim doctors missed a string of opportunities to potentially save their older son.
Richard, a manager at Currys, said: ‘No one has taken any responsibility over his death.
‘When he first went to the doctors and then started complaining about a pain in his leg, he should have been given more tests.
‘What is the point of over the phone consultations with the doctor? Doctors need to see you in person to give a correct diagnosis and that is why he was misdiagnosed.
‘In the end he was an emergency case, but they did not see that as they thought he just had tonsillitis and sciatica.
Luke on his 18th birthday out in Northampton with his dad Richard (Picture: SWNS)Luke with his mum Julie a few months before he died on a trip to London (Picture: SWNS)
‘I cannot say whether he would definitely be here now, but they cut corners and misdiagnosed him.
‘Whichever way you look at it, none of the healthcare providers did their job properly. W are just left with “what ifs”.’
When Luke’s leg pain only worsened, spreading to his left buttock and leaving him unable to get out of bed, his mum rang 999.
Julie insisted her son’s condition was critical, begging for an ambulance to be sent, but her plea was refused.
Despite calling Penvale Medical Centre to organise transport to take him to A&E, no one called her back.
The 20-year-old pictured with his dad and younger brother at a West Ham game (Picture: SWNS)
An ambulance eventually arrived at the family’s home but paramedics said Luke’s high heart rate and temperature was down to him fighting an infection.
Two days later, on January 22, he told his mum, ‘I can’t take the pain anymore’ and the family called 111 again who sent an ambulance.
Julie added: ‘They took him into hospital for further checks and that was it.
‘We got a call at 1am from Luke saying “can you come down, they want to see you,” and that is when we were told he has a 50/50 chance of survival.
‘The doctors said he is really poorly, he has got this bacterial eating infection and it is a life-threatening situation.
‘We were shocked but thought to ourselves, “they can save him”, we put our trust in them.
‘They said this is a life-threating operation and we might have to amputate his leg.
It is was heart wrenching scene at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) when the remains of the late Christian Atsu arrived on Sunday night.
There was wailing by all who had gathered, particularly his family and fans. However, not all who had wished to be at the Airport managed to get there.
They in turn, turned to social media to extend their condolence and mourn the former Black Stars player.
God,as human as we are,so do we think.On this humanness note,l am sure,you understand our thoughts and questions,when we are in pain💔.Lord,we humbly ask for your comfort and foresight to understand the signs,even in times of difficulties.🙏#RIPCHRISTIANATSU#RIPChristianAtsu🕊️
My heart goes out to the family, friends n the entire football fraternity following the untimely death of one of the greatest footballer @ChristianAtsu20. He was a talented player who brought joy n excitement to fans around the world. He will be deeply missed. #RIPChristianAtsupic.twitter.com/sXBT0tTpPU
Until he passed away on Saturday, February 18, 2023,Ghanaian professional football player, Christian Atsu Twasam, spent time with Hatayspor of Turkey’s top division.
While he may have spent the majority of his career playing on loan, Atsu had a pretty successful career playing for renowned clubs in Europe.
He had a special talent and was a great football player. He earned the nickname “Ghana Messi” for his amazing dribbling abilities.
Youth Career
Christian Atsu was born in Ada Foah in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. He attended the Feyenoord Football Academy in Gomoah Fetteh, now the West African Football Academy in Sogakope in the Volta Region of Ghana.
He later joined Cheetah FC for GHC3,000 from Feyenoord in 2009.
Senior career
Patrick Greveraars, a manager scouted him after he arrived at Porto at the age of 17. He was called by first-team manager André Villas-Boas for a Primeira Liga match against Marítimo on May 14, 2011, but he did not leave the bench.
Christian Atsu was sent on loan to fellow league side Rio Ave for the 2011–12 season. On August 28, 2011, he made his debut against Olhanense in a 0–1 home loss. He opened a score at Estádio da Luz against Benfica in the 24th minute, but the hosts eventually won it 5–1 on 16 December 2011.
The Ghanaian landed the first big move in his career in 2013 when he completed a £3.5 million transfer to English Premier League side, Chelsea.
He was sent out on a season-long loan right after the transfer to the Dutch side Vitesse Vitesse. He scored 5 goals in 25 games in the 2013-2014 season.
Atsu signed a five-year contract with Chelsea and spent all five years on loan at other clubs.
After the Vitesse loan deal, he was sent on another season-long loan to Everton, then to Bournemouth, and Malaga before spending the last year of his Chelsea contract at Newcastle United.
Newcastle secured the Ghanaian on a permanent deal in 2017 for £6.2 million from Chelsea. He spent four years at the club before joining Al-Raed as a free agent in 2021.
He played only 8 games for the club before joining Turkish side Hatayspor in September 2022 on an initial one-year contract.
He played three games and scored just one goal. His only goal for the club was a 90th-minute winner from a freekick against Kasimpa a night before the earthquake occurred in Turkey.
International career
Atsu won his first senior cap for Ghana on 1 June 2012 against Lesotho, scoring in the process. He was described by the BBC as an “excellent prospect”, whilst ESPN added he was “quick and technically impressive”, and a potential future star for his national team.
The following year, he was in the Ghanaian squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. He started the first match, a 2–2 draw against DR Congo, and as a substitute in the following 1–0 win over Mali.
He returned to the starting line-up in the last group match against Niger in Port Elizabeth, scoring the second goal of a 3–0 win which put his country into the quarter-finals as group winners.
Atsu featured in the rest of Ghana’s matches as they came forth, scoring in their penalty shootout elimination by Burkina Faso.
Atsu was selected for the 2014 FIFA World Cup squad, starting in all the matches as Ghana was eliminated in the group stage.
At the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, Atsu scored twice in a 3–0 win over Guinea in the quarter-finals. He helped the team to the final, where they lost in a penalty shootout against the Ivory Coast.
At the end of the tournament, he was awarded both the Player of the Tournament and the Goal of the Tournament for his strike against Guinea.
Personal life
Atsu was a devout Christian who shared Bible verses on social media. He was married to a German, Marie-Claire Rupio, with two sons and a daughter.
Honours
Primeira Liga: 2012–13
Supertaca Candido de Oliveira: 2012
EFL Championship: 2016–17
Africa Cup of Nations runner-up:2015
Vitesse Player of the Year: 2013–14
Africa Cup of Nations Player of the Tournament: 2015
Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament: 2015, 2017
Africa Cup of Nations Goal of the Tournament: 2015
According to a post Mark Zuckerberg made on Instagram on Sunday, Meta is developing a subscription service that would let users of Instagram and Facebook pay to become verified.
“Meta Verified” will start at $11.99 a month on the web or $14.99 a month on iOS, and the company will begin releasing it in Australia and New Zealand this week and “more countries soon.”
Further benefits of the service include increased defense against impersonator accounts and easy access to customer service.
Customers who desire the blue badge must present a government ID that matches their profile name and photo in order to prevent false accounts. Moreover, users must be older than 18 to qualify.
“This new feature is about increasing authenticity and security across our services,” Zuckerberg wrote in an Instagram broadcast channel.
In a statement, Meta clarified there will be no changes to accounts that are already verified. Verification was previously for users who are “authentic and notable.”
“We are evolving the meaning of the blue badge to focus on authenticity so we can expand verification access to more people,” a Meta spokesperson said. “We will display follower count in more places so people can distinguish which accounts are notable public figures among accounts that share the same name.”
Meta joins other platforms, like Discord, Reddit and YouTube, who have their own subscription-based models.
Twitter relaunched its own verification subscription service, Twitter Blue, in December, after an onset of fake “verified” accounts forced it to pull the feature. The check mark options now have different colors to differentiate between accounts: gold checks for companies, gray checks for government entities and other organizations, and blue checks for individuals, whether or not they are celebrities.
Twitter Blue costs $11 a month for iOS and Android subscribers, part of owner Elon Musk’s attempt to raise its subscriptions business after buying the platform for $44 billion.
As part of its most recent effort to bring peace back to the nation, the African Union is organizing a meeting for national reconciliation in Libya.
At the conclusion of a two-day summit in Addis Abeba, the statement was made by Moussa Faki Mahamat, chair of the AU commission.
He stated that the AU was collaborating with all parties to choose a time and location for the summit.
Recent reports from the UN claimed that the two Libyan governments had reached an agreement on a plan to remove foreign troops and mercenaries from the nation.
Yet, they have been unable to produce a departure schedule. The African Union in 2011 lifted its suspension of Libya’s membership.
Following their 2-0 derby victory over West Ham, Tottenham called for action in response to “utterly reprehensible online racist abuse” directed towards Heung-Min Son.
Son was benched for West Ham’s visit on Sunday, but he scored as a second-half substitute after Emerson Royal’s opening goal in an easy victory for Spurs.
The South Korean international reportedly faced online racial abuse following Tottenham’s victory that put them in the top four despite having played one more game than Newcastle United, who were in fifth place.
“We have been made aware of the utterly reprehensible online racist abuse directed at Son Heung-min during today’s match, which has been reported by the club,” a Tottenham statement read.
“We stand with Sonny and once again call on the social media companies and authorities to take action.”
It is not the first instance of concerning abuse directed towards 30-year-old Son, who allegedly suffered similar last season against Chelsea.
Football clubs have called for greater action from social media companies to combat such incidents, with Brentford’s Ivan Toney and Birmingham City’s Troy Deeney subject to racial abuse this month.
A warning of a severe tropical cyclone approaching Mauritius has caused disruptions to fights and public transportation.
The Mauritius Meteorological Services said at 07:00, a “very intense tropical cyclone Freddy was centred at about 275 km to the north-east of Mauritius”, moving west at a speed of 30km/h (18mph)
It estimated that wind gusts near its centre was about 300 km/h.
“On this trajectory, Freddy continues to dangerously approach Mauritius and represents a direct threat,” it said.
The weather agency warned people not to go to the sea and advised the public to follow all precautions and stay in safe places.
South Asian-native mosquitoes that are resistant to insecticides used in Africa have been found by Kenyan researchers.
Anopheles stephensi was the mosquito that experts from the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) detected during a regular monitoring in the northern Marsabit county.
Even though it was not the typical season for the disease because local mosquitoes don’t perform well in arid locations, data from hospitals there also revealed an increase in malaria cases.
This invasive mosquito can spawn anywhere and flourish in both dry and wet weather. Its larvae have been discovered in urban water containers in several nations.
Experts are concerned that malaria transmission will now continue all year round instead of being seasonal.
“Unfortunately, this detection in Kenya may translate to higher malaria transmission in urban and peri-urban settings in the country and could reverse gains made in the fight against malaria,” said Kemri’s director-general, Dr Samuel Kariuki.
It will also make it difficult to eradicate malaria, which is one of the top killers of children below five years.
The researchers are urging Kenyans to use available malaria control tools such as sleeping under treated mosquito bed nets, use of repellents and wearing long-sleeved clothing to prevent mosquito bites.
In Africa, the mosquito was first detected in Djibouti 10 years ago and has now been spotted in Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia and Nigeria.
The family of Christian Atsu and the government of Ghana are in possession of his remains following his passing over the weekend, February 18, 2023.
Earlier on Sunday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration announced that the player’s remains will be transported to Ghana.
The remains of the former Black Stars player were accompanied by his family and Ghana’s Ambassador to Turkey on a Turkish airline flight which arrived at 7:40pm in Accra.
The former Black Stars player had been missing since February 6, 2023, when a 7.8 earthquake struck Turkey and Syria.
But on February 18, 2023, the 31-year-old was reported dead after being rescued from a rubble in Turkey.
According to the ministry in its statement, “the elder brother and twin sister of Christian Atsu and an Officer of the Embassy were present at the site when the body was recovered.”
The Ministry in a statement dated February 18, extended its condolence to the bereaved family and promised to update the public on further developments.
Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has led many individuals and institutions in paying tribute to the late Black Stars player.
According to him, “Ghana football has lost one of its finest personnel and ambassadors, one who will be difficult to replace” adding that “he will be sorely missed.”
On behalf of Ghanaians, the president also extended his sincere, heartfelt condolences to the widow, children and family of Christian Atsu.
FIFA, Chelsea, Atsu former club, Hatayspor, former players of the Black Stars including Mohammed Wakaso, Michael Essien, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) have all eulogised the player.
The manager of Manchester United claims that Erik ten Hag and his team don’t have time to worry about rumors of a possible takeover at Old Trafford.
Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS and a Qatari group led by banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Al Thani submitted bids for United before a “soft” deadline this week.
There seems to be an end in sight to the Glazer family’s mainly unpopular ownership of the team, but United has a lot of attention to devote to the field right now.
Ahead of Sunday’s match against Leicester City, Ten Hag‘s side are third in the Premier League going into a huge week that includes a Europa League second leg against Barcelona and the EFL Cup final against Newcastle United.
For that reason, takeover talk is of little concern.
“There’s movement around the club, but it’s not up to me,” Ten Hag told Sky Sports.
“The owners of the club are taking this stuff – I have to manage the team, make sure the team is performing and we get the right results in.
“Every third day we have a game, so I don’t have time to get involved in stuff like this.”
He added: “It’s not distracting us. We’re focusing on football. We’re focusing on our games, preparing and training. That is our job to do. It doesn’t distract us. So far, so good.”
While United have a relentless schedule, Wembley opponents Newcastle have a clear week ahead of a long-awaited final appearance.
But Ten Hag said: “It’s a big advantage for us, I would say. We are used to playing big games. That will be a huge advantage for us.”
Sure to be key to United’s hopes against both Barca and Newcastle is Marcus Rashford, who has scored a remarkable 14 goals since returning from the World Cup in December.
The England forward is out of contract at United at the end of next season, and his future will have to be a top priority for any new owner.
“Of course it’s a priority,” Ten Hag said. “We will work on that. Sit, wait, but in the background, we’re working hard.”
President Nana Akufo-Addo has urged the international community to send a clear message to coup plotters that coups have never been, and will never be durable solutions to Africa’s political, economic and security challenges.
According to President Akufo-Addo, “Statements condemning coups alone without corresponding action will, however, achieve little or nothing, as witnessed in recent times. This problem requires collective agreement, effective deterrence, bold action and, equally important, adequate preventive measures.”
Delivering the keynote address at a side event organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, in Munich, Germany, on Friday, 17th February 2024, he stated that “there are those who still hanker after authoritarian, personal rule, because they claim Africa is underdeveloped and democracy is cumbersome, and we need to get things done in a hurry.”
Quoting from the 2019 Annual Risk of Coup Report, he indicated that Africa has experienced more coup d’états than any other continent, which, he said, is “an unsavoury statistic”.
Citing the case of Ghana, President Akufo-Addo noted that political instability described much of the early decades of the nation’s life as an independent nation, and Ghana became notorious for sampling every and any type of political experiment.
“The one-party-state of the First Republic was overthrown in our first military coup, and the Second and Third Republics, which were practising democratic governance, were also overthrown by coup d’états. My father, President of the 2nd Republic, was overthrown some 51 years ago, on 13th January 1972. Kutu Acheampong’s coup brought his stay in office to an end,” he said.
The President continued, “the instability instigated the collapse of the economy and led to the exodus from the country of many citizens and professionals. We have probably not still recovered from the tendency to want to leave the country as the answer to difficult situations.”
He noted, however, that for the past 30 years of our 4th Republic, Ghana has enjoyed political stability under a multi-party constitution, and the longest period of stable, constitutional governance in our hitherto tumultuous history.
The President told the gathering that the separation of powers is now a real phenomenon in Ghanaian life, promoting accountable governance. Efficient public services are now within reach.
“We have, in this period, experienced, through the ballot box, the transfer of power from one ruling political party to another on three occasions in conditions of peace and stability, without threatening the foundations of the state.
“The Ghanaian people have manifested in this era their deep attachment to the principles of democratic accountability, respect for individual liberties, human rights and the rule of law. It has also brought with it more or less systematic economic growth, and boosted immensely our self-confidence,” he added.
Condemn all Coups
The reappearance of coups in Africa, the President stated, in all its forms and manifestations must be condemned by all, since it seriously undermines “our collective bid to rid the continent of the menace of instability and unconstitutional changes in government, as currently defined by the frameworks enshrined in the Lomé Declaration, the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, and other important regional and continental instruments”.
In as much as drivers of unconstitutional changes are largely domestic, President Akufo-Addo noted that the international dimension cannot be overlooked.
“Foreign involvement in fomenting unconstitutional changes, often in favour of repressive governments, foreign economic interests and other would-be geo-political benefits, are contributory factors. Some foreign entities regard coups in African countries as a means of enhancing their regional ambitions,” he said.
He continued, “As such, they engage in all sorts of disinformation campaigns in a bid to disparage the authority of democratically elected governments and instigate opposition protests against incumbents.”
In implementing existing continental and regional instruments and protocols, the President noted that defaulting Member States are condemned and suspended from the activities of continental and regional bodies, and individual coup-makers are sanctioned.
“However, the reality is, these sanctions have not been applied uniformly. Whilst we are quick to sanction military coup leaders, civilians, who achieve similar ends via the manipulation of constitutions to remain in power, for example, go without sanctions, although their actions are clearly prohibited in our legal instruments. This means that the existing frameworks need to be strengthened to capture such infractions,” he added.
At his Georgia home, former US President Jimmy Carter will stop receiving medical treatment and transition to hospice care, his foundation announced on Saturday.
The Carter Center stated that Mr. Carter has made the decision to “spend his remaining time at home with his family,” but did not provide any other information.
Recent health problems for Mr. Carter, 98, included a melanoma that metastasized to his liver and brain.
He served as the nation’s oldest living president from 1977 until 1981.
Mr. Carter encountered numerous foreign policy difficulties while serving as president, and the Democrat lost to Ronald Reagan in the race for reelection.
“He has the full support of his family and his medical team. The Carter family asks for privacy during this time and is grateful for the concern shown by his many admirers,” the Carter Center said in a statement on Saturday.
Terminally ill patients may seek hospice care instead of going through further medical treatment. The priority is not to provide further treatment, but to provide comfort towards the end of a patient’s life.
Mr Carter’s grandson, Jason Carter, a former Georgia state senator, tweeted that he visited “both of my grandparents yesterday.”
“They are at peace and – as always – their home is full of love. Thank you all for your kind words,” he said.
In 2021, Mr Carter and his wife Roslyn celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary. They have four children together.
Born in Georgia in 1924, Mr Carter entered politics in the 1960s when he was elected as state senator, before becoming the state’s governor in 1971.
Five years later he defeated the sitting Republican President Gerald Ford to become the 39th commander-in-chief.
But problems quickly mounted for Mr Carter as president.
At home, an oil crisis produced high inflation and unemployment, and he struggled to persuade Americans to accept the required austerity measures.
The high-point of the Carter years was the signing of the Camp David Accords in 1978 in which Egypt formally recognised the state of Israel. He also signed a treaty returning control of the Panama Canal to Panama.
But in 1979 the last Shah of Iran was overthrown and 66 Americans were taken hostage in Tehran in the aftermath. Mr Carter cut off diplomatic relations with Iran in response and introduced a trade embargo.
However, the public did not believe he was being tough enough and his popularity slumped as the US hostages were held for 444 days. His approval ratings took a further hit after an attempt to rescue the hostages failed and eight US military members were killed.
Iran then delayed the release of the hostages until after Ronald Reagan was sworn in.
Image caption,Carter defeated the sitting Republican President Gerald Ford to become the 39th president
Since leaving the White House, Mr Carter has remained active, carrying out humanitarian work with his Carter Center.
He led a delegation that sought to persuade military leaders in Haiti to surrender power in 1994 and he brokered a ceasefire in Bosnia that helped pave the way for the future peace treaty there.
He went on to gain an international reputation for his work in promoting human rights, winning a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
With Nelson Mandela, he founded The Elders, a group of global leaders who committed themselves to work on peace and human rights.
He also travelled extensively – well into his early 90s – and took part in annual trips to build homes with the Habitat for Humanity charity.
But the former president has also battled a host of health issues in recent years. In August 2015, Mr Carter had a small cancerous mass removed from his liver.
The following year he announced that he needed no further treatment, as an experimental drug had eliminated any sign of cancer.
He has frequently expressed a striking calmness when dealing with his health challenges.
“I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015. “I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.”
Mr Carter celebrated his most recent birthday in October in Plains, the tiny Georgia town where he and his wife were born between the First World War and the Great Depression, and where they returned when he left office.
A host of senior US politicians – including Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer, New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock – offered their thoughts and prayers to Mr Carter’s family as news broke on Saturday night.
“In this tender time of transitioning, God is surely walking with him,” Senator Warnock tweeted. “May he, Rosalynn & the entire Carter family be comforted with that peace and surrounded by our love & prayers.”
Honorary Vice President of IMANI Africa, Bright Simons, claims that the government’s 85% participation rate in the domestic debt exchange programme does not accurately reflect the amount of debt that needs to be treated in order for the government to be able to pay off its debt in a sustainable manner.
He noted on JoyNews on Saturday that while the government had first stated that it was attempting to restructure 137.2 billion cedis in debt, on the 7th of February, as the program’s deadline drew near, the sum had been reduced to 130 billion cedis.
However, after the deadline, when participation had been finalized the government announced that the debt to be treated had once again been reduced to 97 billion cedis.
“Now what we’re saying is that these are gimmicks in a way and it’s nice to tell a good story and it’s true that this government has hit 85%. But the truth of the matter is that that was only because we reduced the total amount of bonds that you claim you now need to fix or you’re able to fix which is called the eligible debt.
“So you only get the 85% if you don’t use the final adjusted number which is the 130 billion, but if you use the 97 billion,” he explained.
He noted that while the 85% paints a good picture for the government’s programme, the drastic reduction in the debt base to be treated poses a big problem.
“The reason why that is important to the whole purpose of that exercise is because we can’t pay the debt. So if you’re only treating a small percentage of the problem then the bigger problem remains. So that is the key issue at stake.
“That 85% participation rate, it’s a good-looking number but it doesn’t reflect the reality of how much debt the government felt at the end of the programme, not at the beginning, at the end of the programme on 7th February was critical to be treated in order for the government to be able to continue to service its debt. That’s the argument that we are making,” he said.
The goal of a new sovereign debt panel of creditors and borrowers, which is scheduled to meet on Friday, was stated by the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) strategy director on Tuesday.
The panel’s aim is to try and come to consensus on common standards, principles, and definitions for how to restructure distressed country debts.
The Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable will address some of the more general obstacles that have been holding up such relief, according to Ceyla Pazarbasioglu, director of the IMF’s Strategy, Policy and Review Department, in a statement to reporters.
The panel, organized by the IMF, the World Bank and India, this year’s leader of the Group of 20 major economies, is due to hold its first virtual meeting on Friday, Feb 17. This will be followed by an in-person meeting on Feb. 25 on the sidelines of a G20 finance leaders meeting in Bengaluru, India.
Participants include officials from creditor countries China, India, Saudi Arabia, the United States and other wealthy Group of Seven democracies.
Pazarbasioglu said the roundtable also will include the Paris Club of official creditors, the Institute of International Finance, the International Capital Markets Association and other private sector creditors that she declined to identify.
She said six borrowing countries that have recently sought or been through debt restructurings would participate, but declined to name them.
On Monday, three sources had told Reuters that these would include three countries that had requested debt treatments under the G20 common restructuring framework –Ethiopia, Zambia and Ghana — as well as Sri Lanka, Suriname and Ecuador.
“So it’s basically to discuss issues that have been impeding reaching a timely debt restructuring process, and the lessons from the cases that we had in the recent past, and to come up with technical solutions to address these shortcomings,” Pazarbasioglu said.
Zambia requested a debt restructuring under the G20 process more than a year ago, but has been held up by major creditor China’s insistence that local debt owned by foreign investors be included and that the multilateral development banks agree to reduce debt principal along with Beijing.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has been urging China to move faster on restructurings and to set aside these demands from country-specific debt talks and address them through the roundtable.
Haircuts vs Concessional Loans
She said the group will try to identify key impediments to restructurings and come up with standards and processes to address them. It will try to reach consensus on the notion that highly concessional loans or grants from multilateral development can achieve the same goals as a debt principal “haircut,” she said.
Other concepts the group hopes to define more precisely include common parameters for analyzing debt sustainability, timing for issuing debt service suspensions and comparable treatment of creditors, Pazarbasioglu said.
According to US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, China is considering sending Russia arms and ammunition for the conflict in Ukraine.
According to Mr. Blinken, CBS News has learned that Chinese businesses are already giving Russia “non-lethal support” and that Beijing may do so in the future.
He warned that this escalation would have “severe ramifications” for China.
China has refuted claims that Russia has asked for military hardware.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and is yet to condemn Russia’s invasion – but he has sought to remain neutral in the conflict and has called for peace.
Mr Blinken was speaking to CBS after he met China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, on Saturday at the Munich Security Conference.
He said that during the meeting he expressed “deep concerns” about the “possibility that China will provide lethal material support to Russia”.
“To date, we have seen Chinese companies… provide non-lethal support to Russia for use in Ukraine. The concern that we have now is based on information we have that they’re considering providing lethal support,” he said.
He did not elaborate on what information the US had received about China’s potential plans. When pressed on what the US believed China might give to Russia, he said it would be primarily weapons as well as ammunition.
The US has sanctioned a Chinese company for allegedly providing satellite imagery of Ukraine to the mercenary Wagner Group, which supplies Russia with thousands of fighters.
Mr Blinken told CBS that “of course, in China, there’s really no distinction between private companies and the state”.
If China provided Russia with weapons, that would cause a “serious problem for us and in our relationship”, he added.
Relations between Washington and Beijing were already poor after the US shot down an alleged Chinese spy balloon in early February. Both sides exchanged angry words, but equally both sides appeared embarrassed by the incident and seemed ready to move on.
But if China were to deliver weapons to help Russian forces in Ukraine, then US-Chinese relations would deteriorate much more severely.
Mr Blinken’s warning seems to be clearly designed to deter China from doing that.
Mr Blinken also said the US was worried about China helping Russia evade Western sanctions designed to cripple Russia’s economy. China’s trade with Russia has been growing, and it is one of the biggest markets for Russian oil, gas, and coal.
Nato members, including the US, are sending a variety of weapons, ammunition and equipment to Ukraine, including tanks. They have stopped short of sending fighter jets, and Mr Blinken would not be drawn on whether the US would help other countries supply jets.
“We’ve been very clear that we shouldn’t fixate or focus on any particular weapons system,” he said.
He did, however, say that the West must ensure Ukraine had what it needed for a potential counter offensive against Russia “in the months ahead”. Russia is currently trying to advance in eastern regions of Ukraine, where some of the fiercest fighting of the war has taken place.
Mr Wang said in Munich yesterday that China had “neither stood by idly nor thrown fuel on the fire” for the Ukraine war, Reuters reported.
Image caption,Chinese foreign affairs Minister Wang Yi delivered a speech in Munich on Saturday
China would publish a document that laid out its position on settling the conflict, Mr Wang said. The document would state that the territorial integrity of all countries must be respected, he said.
“I suggest that everybody starts to think calmly, especially friends in Europe, about what kind of efforts we can make to stop this war,” Mr Wang said.
He added that there were “some forces that seemingly don’t want negotiations to succeed, or for the war to end soon”, but did not say who he meant.
The Chinese President, Mr Xi, is scheduled to deliver a “peace speech” on the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Friday, 24 February, according to Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani.
Mr Tajani told Italian radio that Mr Xi’s speech would call for peace without condemning Russia, Reuters reported.
During their meeting, Mr Blinken and Mr Wang also exchanged strong words on the deepening row over an alleged Chinese spy balloon that was shot down over the US.
Mr Blinken said during the meeting that the US would not “stand for any violation of our sovereignty” and said “this irresponsible act must never again occur”.
Mr Blinken told CBS that other nations were concerned about what he called China’s “surveillance balloon program” across five continents.
Mr Wang, meanwhile, called the episode a “political farce manufactured by the US” and accused them of “using all means to block and suppress China”. China has denied sending a spy balloon.
And on Sunday morning, Beijing warned that the US would “bear all the consequences” if it escalated the argument over the balloon. China would “follow through to the end” in the event “the US insists on taking advantage of the issue”, it said in a foreign ministry statement reported by Reuters.
Following Vinicius Junior’s performance in place of Karim Benzema, Carlo Ancelotti praised him as an “extraordinary player.”
During the trip to Osasuna on Saturday, Madrid’s LaLiga leading scorer Karim Benzema was rested in preparation for Tuesday’s Champions League match at Liverpool.
Vinicius assisted Federico Valverde as Madrid defeated El Sadar 2-0 to decrease Barcelona’s lead at the top of the Premier League to five points. Vinicius twice had goals disallowed for offside at El Sadar.
To the satisfaction of coach Ancelotti, the Brazil winger gave Los Blancos a team-high three chances.
“It is clear that Vinicius is a player who makes a difference,” the Italian said at his post-match press conference.
“He played an outstanding game. He is an extraordinary footballer.”
Ancelotti was less impressed with the manner of Madrid’s victory, though, after waiting until the 78th minute for Valverde’s opener before Marco Asensio sealed the points 14 minutes later.
“What I liked least is that we have done in the second half what we could have done in the first,” he added.
“What I liked most is that the team has not lost its mind and has been patient [in the final stages].
“The team has played well. They have had to suffer when they had to suffer and we are very satisfied with that.”
Toni Kroos also missed the visit to Osasuna, as well as Aurelien Tcouhameni, but Ancelotti assured Madrid will be prepared for the first leg at Anfield in Europe.
“We had a last-minute problem with Tchoaumeni, but we’re fine,” he continued.
“We will go into Tuesday’s game with good dynamics. The players are recovering and we will arrive with all the confidence in the world.”
Marcus Rashford added to his incredible run of goals on Thursday night in Barcelona.
In the 2-2 draw at Camp Nou, the 25-year-old attacker increased his season total to 22, matching his previous highest goal-scoring campaign in 2019–20.
This stands in stark contrast to United’s performance from the previous season, when the No. 10 only managed to score five times, representing a disastrous year under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick.
Ahead of the Red Devils’ Premier League clash with Leicester at Old Trafford this afternoon, we take a look at Rashford’s renaissance.
Making his Marc
Rashford has delivered 29 goal contributions in 35 games this term, registering 51 shots on target, a devastating output.
His form before the World Cup was promising enough for Gareth Southgate to include the United striker in his squad for Qatar, where Rashford shone, most notably notching a brace in the 3-0 win over Wales.
Since his return to Manchester, his game has reached new heights, bagging 14 goals in just 16 games, with Crystal Palace, Reading and Nottingham Forest the only three opponents to keep the lethal marksman at bay.
Marcus Rashford has been Manchester United’s chief attacking threat this term
Beaming boss
Rashford has become an emblematic figure for United’s improvement under Erik ten Hag and the Dutch manager believes there is still more to come from the 51-cap international.
Ten Hag, 53, said: “He has the skills. I was convinced from the first moment and I was really excited to work with him.
“I thought that I could get more out of him. He has so many skills and such high potential that I think there can be even more.
“When he works well, he will even score more goals because he can score with his left, right and his head.”
Marcus Rashford has dominated Manchester United’s play this term
Stepping up
Rashford has thrived on the left flank in Ten Hag’s favoured 4-2-3-1 formation, dovetailing well with Antony out on the right and Bruno Fernandes through the middle.
The presence of Real Madrid legend Casemiro at the base of midfield has had a stabilising effect on United, providing a solid platform on which their attacking talents can shine.
And after his latest showing at the Camp Nou, Rashford garnered further praise from ex-United defender Rio Ferdinand.
The six-time Premier League winner, 44, said: “Marcus Rashford is on smoke.
“He is on a new level, a level he hasn’t been at until now, a level of consistency he hasn’t been able to stay at until now.
“A fit, focused, direct, confident, deadly and potent Rashford is not to be messed with.”
Marcus Rashford has scored 12 Premier League goals this season
Title tilt
United’s goal for this season will have been to qualify for the Champions League and they are on course to do exactly that.
The Red Devils sit seven points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham while an EFL Cup final to look forward to next Sunday will provide further cause for positivity.
Leaders Arsenal and chasing Manchester City had seemed to be too far in the distance for Ten Hag’s charges to catch but the gap to the stumbling Gunners is now only five points ahead of Matchday 24.
Should Rashford continue his blistering form, do not rule out an unexpected title push from the club who last lifted the Premier League trophy in 2012-13.
Foxes trap
The challenge for Rashford and his team-mates will be to maintain their momentum in both league and European competition.
Leicester, who they face next, are exactly the kind of side they should dispatch with confidence.
But the Foxes have won three on the bounce, including last weekend’s 4-1 victory over Spurs, and could provide a banana skin at Old Trafford when United return from Catalonia.
Only bottom two Bournemouth and Southampton have a worse defensive record than Brendan Rodgers’ side however, so more chances should fall to Rashford.
If the Three Lions ace can continue to fire, United are sure to end their season well.
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&w=707&quality=100)
&w=707&quality=100)
&w=707&quality=100)
&w=707&quality=100)
