Over 5,000 additional soldiers will be deployed to help calm tensions in Bawku by close of the week to help maintain peace and security in the face of the ongoing conflict.
Palgrave Boakye Danuquah, the government’s spokesperson on governance and security, stated that the issue is being approached holistically in order to find a long-term solution.
The government’s position, he explained, is for peace to reign in Bawku.
”Our position is that peace must prevail. We have called on the inhabitants of Bawku to ensure that they appreciate peace and appreciate the dialogue and also that they try as much as possible that in their idle time, they do not arouse conversations that will bring disturbances to them.
Asa government, we are deploying by close of this week close to 5,000 military people to be in that area. We already have a military presence in there, but we are adding on just to ensure that peace prevails.”
He added that the government is not only focused on the Bawku conflict but the influx of vulnerable persons from Burkina Faso.
”We are not just dealing with Bawku. We are also dealing with the influx of very vulnerable people that are coming in from Burkina Faso as a result of terrorism whom we are putting into various camps. It bewilders very much on the people of Bawku and the inhabitants to really ensure that peace prevails.”
Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has taken a swipe at NPP stalwart, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, over his comments against former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo.
Sophia Akufo joined pensioners demanding their total exclusion from government’s Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) with Gabby describing her participation in later tweets as a big error on her part.
He also questioned whether there was the need at all to engage in a picket over a DDEP that was voluntary according to the Ministry of Finance.
Reacting to Gabby’s attack on the former CJ, Sam George, defended the Madam Akuffo whiles slamming Gabby for exhibiting arrogance in his reaction to the incident.
He said on TV3’s New Day programme (February 13, 2023) that the issue was more of a family fight referencing the relationship between both actors and their common relative, president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
“Under normal circumstances we would have said this ‘ebusua ntɔkwa‘ (family feud), but we can’t leave them because what they’re fighting over is public welfare, public funds, public monies that have been mismanaged”, the MP said.
He added; “And the arrogance with which Gabby is shouting down the Chief Justice who’s raising critical issues about mismanagement of our economy gets me worried.”
It may be recalled that Sophia Akuffo, joined the retirees picketing the Ministry of Finance in Accra.
The pensioners have been picketing at the premises of the ministry since Monday, February 6, 2023, over the government’s plan to involve their bonds in the DDEP.
Sophia Akufo was captured in a front-seat position at the premises of the Ministry holding a wooden placard.
Her placard read: “We use our bond yields to pay our: rent, medical bills, electricity, and water bills.”
On the other hand, leading member of the New Patriotic Party, Gabby Otchere-Darko, has stated that the gesture by the former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo to picket at the Finance Ministry together with pensioner bondholders was done in error.
According to him, the offer to self-exempt has been given to pensioners, therefore, there is no need to picket when they could just self-exempt.
In a series of tweets on February 12, 2023, he wrote: “The former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, may mean well but she erred big time in her basic appreciation of the issues. Rather than asking the Govt for exemption at this late hour, why did she simply not ‘exempt’ herself from exchanging her original bond for the new one!”
“Why picket over something you don’t like (the improved offer) when you have the right not to sign up? Sorry, but I struggle to get her emotional outburst over exemption! I hope she won’t volunteer to picket tomorrow and on the same issues when the time to sign up has expired,” he added.
Two persons have been arrested by the Ghana Police Service (GPS) following allegations of their involvement in human trafficking activities.
The two, a driver and his accomplice were picked up on Monday (13 February 2023).
The crackdown came after over 20 foreigners including children were caught sheltering near a basic school in the Asokore Municipality of the Ashanti Region, according to a report by Citi FM adding that they have spent three days in Ghana.
Although the nationals were made to believe they were embarking on a trip to Ivory Coast from Niger, the report indicated that the suspect driver and one other person who brought them into the country and said Ghana is the final destination.
Officials of the Asokore Mampong Municipal Assembly took action after their attention was drawn to the case leading to the arrest of the two persons.
Meanwhile, some undocumented West African nationals are believed to have been smuggled into Ghana as beggars. They are however returning to communities in the Ashanti Region after over 700 of them were recently repatriated.
Former deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Obiri Boahen, has condemned NPP stalwart Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko over his recent comments to former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo after she joined some pensioners to picket government’s DDEP.
Obiri Boahen contends that everyone has different viewpoints on various subjects so it is incorrect for Gabby to criticize the former CJ for participating in the February 10 edition of picketing by pensioners against the government’s Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).
Obiri Boahen added that remarks as the one Gabby made of the former CJ won’t benefit the party because they might anger the person involved, thus there is a need for the party to exercise extreme caution while making such comments.
Speaking in an interview with Okay FM, Nana Obiri Boahen said “the former Chief Justice is a human being, if she partakes in a demonstration, I don’t see the reason why people should insult her. “She’s a human being and everyone has different opinions. When the issue came up, you can’t blame the Minister of Finance and the government because they’ve made us understand that where things have gotten to, we’re in dire times so there’s the need for everyone’s help.”
He added “…now, you can’t also blame the Chief Justice and her pensioners also…because they have also invested their money and hope to enjoy the profits.
“The government is also saying because we’re in crisis they need to adjust things to make the economy better. The government hasn’t committed any crime and the pensioners who also went to do the picketing have not committed any crime.
“Because picketing is a form of democracy. There is nothing like pulling a gun, knife, or sword in picketing, they just want to express their displeasure.
“So, I don’t see the reason why someone should attack the former Chief Justice, I don’t understand. Because everyone is expressing his/her views so why do you attack her? I beg to differ I don’t agree with him (Gabby Otchere Darko).
“…she is just expressing her views, so we shouldn’t do that because if we do that it is not good. We should be careful with our communications,” he lamented.
It may be recalled that Sophia Akuffo, joined the retirees picketing the Ministry of Finance in Accra.
The pensioners have been picketing at the premises of the ministry since Monday, February 6, 2023, over the government’s plan to involve their bonds in the DDEP.
Sophia Akufo was captured in a front-seat position at the premises of the Ministry holding a wooden placard.
Her placard read: “We use our bond yields to pay our: rent, medical bills, electricity, and water bills.”
On the other hand, leading member of the New Patriotic Party () , Gabby Otchere-Darko, has stated that the gesture by the former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo to picket at the Finance Ministry together with pensioner bondholders was done in error.
According to him, the offer to self-exempt has been given to pensioners, therefore, there is no need to picket when they could just self-exempt.
In a series of tweets on February 12, 2023, he wrote: “The former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, may mean well but she erred big time in her basic appreciation of the issues. Rather than asking the Govt for exemption at this late hour, why did she simply not ‘exempt’ herself from exchanging her original bond for the new one!”
“Why picket over something you don’t like (the improved offer) when you have the right not to sign up? Sorry, but I struggle to get her emotional outburst over-exemption! I hope she won’t volunteer to picket tomorrow and on the same issues when the time to sign up has expired,” he added.
The search for Ghanaian player Christian Atsu still continues as thermal cameras show proof of life.
Work machines at the site of the apartment block that housed the former Black Stars player Christian Atsu, have halted work whiles miners have taken over in rescue efforts, journalists close to the operation have reported.
The first to provide an update as of February 13, 2023 was one Salim Manav who posted the information on Twitter citing a relative to Atsu’s team manager, Taner Savut who is also believed to be under the rubble.
“Message from Timuçin Aşçıgil (Taner Savut Hodja’s brother-in-law): The Renaissance site was looked at with a thermal camera, 3 different sounds were heard and the miners entered. Let’s support urgently!” his tweet read in part.
The said in-law, Timuçin Aşçıgil, posted videos of a caterpillar at the site of the Renaissance residence in Hatay, along with a number of workers undertaking rescue efforts.
His tweet caption affirmed that the building complex had been subjected to checks by a thermal camera and that it had shown evidence that people were alive under the rubble.
Atsu, who plays for Turkish side Hatayspor was trapped under the rubble after the February 6 earthquake that struck the southern part of the country and parts of Syria.
It has so far claimed the lives of over 35,000 across the two countries with the death toll continuing to mount. Many more thousands have also been injured whiles rescue efforts continue in earnest to find more survivors who may be under the rubble.
Atsu’s case has attracted a lot of interest in Ghana and across the world with his British wife calling on the Turkish and British authorities to expedite action in rescuing the former Chelsea, Newcastle player in an interview with the BBC last week.
The Ghana Cedi is currently trading against the dollar at a purchasing price of 10.7944 and a selling price of GH¢12.60 according to the Bank of Ghana‘s interbank exchange rates for Wednesday, February 14, 2023.
As compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 10.7939 and a selling price of 10.8047. At a forex bureau in Accra, the dollar is being bought at a rate of 12.10 and sold at a rate of 12.60.
Against the Pound Sterling, the Cedi is trading at a buying price of 13.0925 and a selling price of 13.1078 as compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 13.0736 and a selling price of 13.0877.
At a forex bureau in Accra, the pound sterling is being bought at a rate of 14.30 and sold at a rate of 15.30.
The Euro is trading at a buying price of 11.5658 and a selling price of 11.5773 as compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 11.5511 and a selling price of 11.5626.
At a forex bureau in Accra, Euro is being bought at a rate of 12.50 and sold at a rate of 13.50.
The South African Rand is trading at a buying price of 0.6044 and a selling price of 0.6050 as compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 0.6033 and a selling price of 0.6037.
At a forex bureau in Accra, South African Rand is being bought at a rate of 0.50 and sold at a rate of 1.10.
The Nigerian Naira is trading at a buying price of 42.6119 and a selling price of 42.7249 as compared to yesterday’s trading at a buying price of 42.7065 and a selling price of 42.7806.
At a forex bureau in Accra, Nigerian Naira is being bought at a rate of 14.00 Naira for every 1 Cedi and sold at a rate of 19.00.
The song took the world by storm and dominated global charts but according to Camidoh’s manager, George Britton, it took more than the song’s appealing sound to make it an international hit.
In a Facebook post in which he underscored the level of financial commitment required to operate in the current world of music, George Britton revealed that it cost the management close to a million cedis in investments to make the original version of the song and its remix which featured King Promise, Darkoo and Mayorkun; a global hit.
He detailed that the said amount largely went into video shoots and promotions online and on other mediums.
“Camidoh attained global success as one of Africa’s most streamed artists after spending just over GHc975,000 in a year, on one song,” the artiste manager wrote.
Read George Britton’s full post below:
The music industry has evolved into one of the most costly but also most lucrative creative endeavors of our day.
From creation to consuming cost a fortune.
Let me use Camidoh’s Sugarcane original and remix as a case study. JWillz and Rex, two incredible Ghanaian directors, shot and edited two music videos, Sugarcane and Sugarcane Remix, respectively. Promotions were run on both radio and TV in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, the UK, and the US.
Online ad sponsors, social media influencers, and content creators in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, the UK, the US, Tanzania, etc. were equally engaged. Nightclubs and bars in Africa as well as the UK played a significant role.
Camidoh attained global success as one of Africa’s most streamed artists after spending just over Ghc975,000 in a year, on one song.
This feat was achieved by the amazing team behind Camidoh, i.e., Grind Don’t Stop, GB Recz, and Crux Global, not forgetting some amazing support from the media, family, and friends.
To constantly achieve this success and more, the music industry will need a much stronger enabler, i.e., the presence of major record labels, heavy financial support from the government, and angel investors in the music industry to help propel the artists to a global stage.
Bank of Ghana (BoG) Governor, Dr. Ernest Addison, has justified the bank’s decision to fund government spending in 2022 – stating that not doing so would have destabilised the economy.
As of November 2022, broad fiscal deficit exceeded the target of 6.7 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) – standing at 9.8 percent of GDP. With underperforming domestic revenue and no access to the international capital market, there was a risk of default. The central bank’s intervention, Dr. Addison explains, was therefore necessary to prevent an economic standstill.
In all, the central bank’s net claims to government amounted to GH¢44.5billion at the end of 2022.
“It is important to recognise that we could have gone into this crisis much earlier than we did; if the BoG hadn’t stepped in, investors in government bonds were not going to be paid the interest,” Dr. Addison said at the State Interest and Governance Authority (SIGA) annual stakeholder meeting at Kwahu Abetifi in the Eastern Region.
“We need to remember where we were coming from at the beginning of 2022 when we lost access to the capital market,” said Dr. Addison. “This is a government that had access to the capital market for at least US$3billion each year, but we started 2022 with a downgrading of the economy – and therefore the source of financing was not available.”
Governor Addison explained that the situation became unsustainable by mid-2022, leading to government’s decision to seek support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
He added that revenue measures were not successful, leading to financial distress: “In addition to that, the revenue measures were not working – with the revenue projections performing below targets. All those meant that government finances were in trouble, as expenditures needed to be funded but there was no money,” he narrated.
Overwhelmed, he said, government admitted the need for financing from the central bank while it explored other options. “We had been discussing this plan with the IMF over the last three to six months, and finally had a staff-level agreement in December.”
The plan, according to Dr. Addison, involves fiscal consolidation and debt restructuring.
“So when people speak as if we have been reckless, I disagree completely,” he said.
The Bank in an earlier statement issued last week revealed that the GH¢37.9billion overdraft was extended solely for the purpose of addressing auction shortfalls, paying matured bonds and financing critical imports. This was in addition to GH¢7.2billion which represented the bank’s purchase of Treasury bonds from banks to provide them with liquidity; and also GH¢8.9billion as on-lending facilities granted by the IMF for onward lending to government.
The BoG also highlighted the increase in government’s deposit liabilities at the Bank, which recorded an increase of GH¢9.5billion in the course of 2022.
“On a net basis, therefore, putting together all claims and netting-off all deposit liabilities, these transactions resulted in an increase in Bank of Ghana’s net claims to government by GH¢44.5billion,” the BoG said.
One of the IMF programme’s key objectives, according to Dr. Addison, is to ensure that the revenue and expenditure plan for 2023 does not require BoG financing – so as to make the central bank’s interest rate policy more effective.
Before the just-ended weekend, two Ghana players including Elisha Owusu and Alidu Seidu had picked up injuries that had ruled them out of action for weeks.
Unfortunately, the number increased to 3 before SC Freiburg played Stuttgart in the German Bundesliga on Saturday.
Before the game, SC Freiburg issued a press release indicating that Daniel-Kofi Kyereh has suffered a cruciate ligament injury.
After receiving the worrying news, the Ghana FA in a post on social media has sent best wishes to the three players.
“𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗪𝗘𝗟𝗟 𝗦𝗢𝗢𝗡 𝗚𝗨𝗬𝗦.
“Sending our best wishes and a speedy recovery to Daniel-Kofi Kyereh, Elisha Owusu & Alidu Seidu,” a part of a post said on Monday evening.
Rihanna made history on Sunday night when she sang at the Super Bowl for the first time while expecting. The nine-time Grammy winner took the stage wearing a red costume from head to toe, revealing a little baby bump beneath a shiny bandeau.
The 34-year-old billionaire indeed gave a fantastic performance at the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show but she is not going to get paid for it. And it’s not because she is wealthy. Other celebrities who have come before her at the Super Bowl including Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, Shakira, Justin Timberlake, and Bruno Mars also did not take home a paycheck for their performances. And this is because no one gets paid for performing at the Super Bowl halftime show.
Being one of the biggest stages in the world, the benefits artists get from exposure to fans at the show is more than a paycheck. In 2020 when Jennifer Lopez and Shakira performed, the former gained over 2 million new followers across social media. The two singers also saw 267% and 187% streaming gains days after their performance, Billboard said.
Last year when Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, 50 Cent and Kendrick Lamar performed at the Super Bowl halftime show, they also saw a major boost to their catalogs. There was a 183% increase in album sales for Dr. Dre a week after the show. Blige’s album sales also rose 999%.
Rihanna’s performance on Sunday in front of more than 100 million viewers was an opportunity for her to get back into her music career again after being missing from the stage for nearly seven years. During her absence, she grew her beauty brands Fenty Beauty and Savage X Fenty and welcomed her first child with A$AP Rocky. She also earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song for her single “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
“It’s going to be a celebration of my catalog,” Rihanna said of her halftime show performance during a press conference last week. Halftime shows can cost more than $10 million to produce. The NFL and Apple Music are expected to pay for Rihanna’s performance, an NFL spokesperson told Forbes. It is however not known if the singer put some of her own money into the production.
This was disclosed in statement by the ministry announcing the closure of the programme on February 14, 2023.
“The Government’s Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) closed on Friday 10th February 2023 with over 80% participation of eligible bonds. The government wants to thank the people of Ghana for their forbearance and support throughout the very difficult times,” the statement said.
The ministry further emphasised that participation in the programme was voluntary and that the right of bondholders to self-exempt was never in doubt.
“However, under the circumstances, Government at the same time, always made a strong but humble appeal to bondholders to participate in the DDEP; seeing it as a very critical act of burden-sharing in the ongoing national effort to tackle the economic crisis, bring back microeconomic stability and guarantee sustainable growth and prosperity for the people of Ghana,” the ministry said.
While emphasising the significance of the exercise and the impact the economy would have felt if it was not undertaken, the ministry stressed that government’s commitment to honour payments to bondholders who elected not to participate in the exercise.
“We would like to stress that, all individual bondholders, especially our senior citizens should be rest assured that their coupon payments and maturing principles, like government bonds, will be honoured in line with government’s fiscal commitments,” the statement said.
With an economy under heavy stress from rising inflation, currency depreciation and ballooning national debt, the government of Ghana is looking at a US$3 billion International Monetary Fund loan for salvation.
The government in an effort to meet requirements to secure the IMF loan, introduced a debt restructuring programme.
The DDEP programme which aims to tackle government debt on the local front, sought to vary the terms of existing bonds.
The ministry at the commencement of the programme announced a target of 80% or more of bondholders.
The exercise, however, attracted resistance from several bondholders including some pensioners who took to picketing at the premises of the ministry demanding total exemption from the programme.
The Pensioner Bondholders Forum are expected to take their protest to parliament on Tuesday, February 14, 2023.
The National Communication Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has accused the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Ernest Addison, of printing over GH¢45 billion illegally for the government.
he thus has called for the prosecution of Mr Addison.
In a tweet shared on February 9, 2023, Sammy Gyamfi said that the Bank of Ghana has violated the Bank of Ghana (Amendment) Act, 2016 (Act 918) by printing money above the allowed threshold without the approval of parliament.
He added that, that action by the central bank is criminal, as such, Dr. Ernest Addison and another individual who is involved in the illegality should be dealt with by the law.
“This statement from the BoG is an admission of criminality and can suffice as a confession statement. The governor of the BoG and all those culpable are candidates for criminal prosecution under section 67 of the ACT 612 for violating section 30 of ACT 612 as amended by ACT 918,” parts of the tweet read.
The NDC national communications officer was reacting to a justification by the central bank on its decision to print over GH¢40 billion for the government to finance the 2022 budget which is above the required threshold and needs the approval of parliament.
According to the BoG, it was left with no option but to support the government because it’s (the government’s) access to International Capital Market was closed and the domestic market was also struggling.
In a statement issued on Thursday, February 9, 2023, the central bank posited that its action was not wrong since the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2018 which was suspended by the Parliament of Ghana, had not been reinstated.
The statement by the BoG comes after it was heavily criticized by some Ghanaians after a Bloomberg report indicated that it printed GH¢41.9 billion for the government in 2022.
Broadcaster, Dr. Randy Abbey, who was reacting to the Bloomberg report, said that the BoG, which is supposed to be regulating the country’s financial sector, appears to be breaking all the rules in the sector.
“The level of seeming recklessness and lawlessness, and irresponsibility when it comes to the operation of the central bank and the lack of transparency is getting worrying,” he said.
An altercation between a man and a bar attendant has resulted in the death of the man.
According to reports, the man was butchered to death following an argument over the price of fruit juice in a drinking spot at Maakro in the Suame Constituency on Thursday.
The victim identified as Adam Nabil had a heated argument with the bar attendant regarding the exact price of “Don Simon” fruit juice.
The attendant is said to have called eight heavily armed men to attack and butcher Nabil.
According to a Daily Guide report, on February 10,2023, at 11am, Moses Ndandon, brother of Adam Nabil called on the station to inform them about the incident.
A police report on the incident said, “an argument ensued between the drinking spot attendant and his brother about the price of the said fruit juice.
“In the process, the drinking spot attendant went out and called some young men numbering 8, who attacked and injured his brother with cutlasses,” the police report added.
The report added that the victim sustained severe injuries on his neck after the attack as he had deep cuts and was rushed to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
“Photograph of victim lying in hospital bed with plaster on his neck taken,” portions of the police report stated.
Meanwhile, efforts are being made to arrest the suspects.
Court of Appeal sittings in four regional capitals have been suspended by the Judicial Service.
The affected cities are; Tamale, Cape Coast, Ho, and Koforidua.
The decision was communicated in a press release issued on Wednesday, February 8, signed by the Chief Justice, Justin Anin Yeboah.
The release added that all appeals from the Northern Sector of the country, including the Upper East, Upper West, North East, Northern, Savannah, Bono East, Ahafo, Western North and Ashanti regions would be heard in Kumasi. However, all appeals in the Southern sector, including the Western, Central, Eastern, Oti, Volta, and Greater Accra Region will be heard in Accra.
“In view of this, all pending appeals in the Court of Appeal listed above are accordingly transferred to Kumasi and Accra respectively,” the statement concluded.
In celebration of 2023 World Radio Day, Fidelity Bank Ghana has honoured radio stations in Ghana for their profound contribution to stability and national development through accurate and reliable reportage.
The celebration was marked with the Bank giving gifts to 10 radio stations in Accra to recognise their efforts in shaping public perception with narratives that promote peace.
The 2023 World Radio Day, which marks the 12th anniversary of the global celebration, is being observed under the theme, ‘Radio and Peace’ to highlight radio as an integral part of peacebuilding and conflict prevention.
The day is celebrated each year with the objective of raising awareness among the public and the media regarding the importance of radio.
It is also to encourage decision-makers to establish and provide access to information through the radio as well as enhance networking and international cooperation among broadcasters.
Acting Head of Marketing at Fidelity Bank Ghana, Eric Frempong Amponsah, commenting on this gesture, stated that “Every year, Fidelity Bank looks forward to World Radio Day to appreciate radio stations for serving as a powerful medium of relevant and reliable information for a diverse audience.”
He added that Fidelity Bank acknowledges the media’s contribution to national development as well as the Bank’s success in connecting with its stakeholders over the years.
“This simple gesture is to say thank you to all radio stations and to assure them of Fidelity Bank’s continuous support.”
He added that radio has always been an important means of communication, and the Bank believes it is more important now than ever to celebrate its relevance.
Rihanna’s Super Bowl performance was nothing short of perfection.
For her 13-minute halftime show, the 34-year-old singer donned a custom Loewe flight-inspired look in a bright crimson red to pair with the stage set. The brand’s creative director, Jonathan Anderson was influenced by flight gear, with the pieces created to “build volume in step with the dynamic scenography of the show,” according to a press release.
“Defying the norm of performers stripping back layers to reveal another, Rihanna approached the reveal in reverse: starting with a simple catsuit layer, the dancers and choreography visibly construct the additional elements during each musical section,” the press release continued.
The outfit encompassed a catsuit made from silk jersey, a sculpted leather corset, and a flight suit made out of a cotton canvas. “I’m so excited to have been part of this unforgettable moment. Rihanna is a true icon, and working with her to bring these stage looks to life feels like a wild, wonderful dream,” Anderson said in a statement.
She also wore a Jacob & Co. Brilliant Skeleton Northern Lights Watch, which retails at $72,000, as well as the Maison Margiela MM6 x Salomon Cross Low collaboration shoes, which you read more about here.
In addition to the Loewe look, RiRi also paid homage to her longtime friend, André Leon Talley who passed away in January 2022. As her set came to a close, she sang her hit song “Diamonds” and donned a floor-length red leather Alaïa coat, which looked very much like Talley’s scarlet-colored Norma Kamali sleeping bag coat.
Talley’s coat will be up for auction at Christie’s on Feb. 15, alongside many items from the late Vogue editor’s collection, which also includes pieces from Karl Lagerfeld, Andy Warhol, Chanel, Dapper Dan, and more.
Machine Gun Kelly has confirmed that he was electrocuted while performing onstage Friday night in Arizona.
Booked as the headlining act for the Coors Light Birds Nest concert series at Scottsdale’s 2023 Waste Management Phoenix Open, MGK was going about his performance when some sort of static buildup caused the rapper-turned-punk-rocker’s hair to stick straight up toward the sky.
The moment, which was captured by at least one fan in the crowd, circulated social media on Saturday, prompting Machine Gun Kelly to confirm that, yes. he in fact was electrocuted.
MGK reposted the clip on his Instagram Story, as he could barely contain his own surprise at barring witness to the bizarre viral clip. “Yooo,” MGK wrote, “I got electrocuted and my hair stood up.”
TMZ confirms that no medical assistance was needed at the scene, as MGK spent the rest of the night attending Drake’s Super Bowl party with his fiance Megan Fox.
Earlier that day, MGK made sure to thank his fans for selling out the show during such a big weekend.
“I’m playing this PGA golf Birds Nest show tonight, and they’ve been doing it, I think, for like 70, 80 years, or something, and it’s the fastest-selling show they’ve ever had, and you guys did that. That seems to be the theme with all the shows they’ve been announcing lately with us on it,” he said.
“I’m just really, really flattered and honored, because I don’t even post a lot of the stuff, and you guys just find it and spread the word. It makes me really happy and very proud to be with you guys.”
It appears Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly have called it quits.
Rumours of their break up was triggered by Megan Fox’s recent activity on social media.
In a since-deleted Instagram post on Sunday, Fox uploaded a clip of what appears to be an envelope burning in a fire pit. The actress captioned the photo with lyrics from “Pray You’ll Catch Me,” a track from Beyonce’s 2016 album Lemonade.
“You can taste the dishonesty/ it’s all over your breath,” Fox wrote.
As if Fox’s cryptic post wasn’t enough for social media to be convinced that her and MGK are done, fans were quick to notice updates to Megan’s to Instagram that doesn’t bode well for the couple’s future together.
Not long after after posting the clip, Fox deleted all photos and videos of herself and Kelly from her Instagram page, including a post in which the actress celebrated their engagement in January 2022. Making matters worse, Megan unfollowed MGK and now follows Eminem, who has publicly feuded with Kelly for years.
MGK and Fox were first linked as an item around May 2020, when they met on set of the film Midnight in the Switchgrass.
Weeks later, Fox’s estranged husband Brian Austin Green announced he and her had split after ten years of marriage. In July 2020, a month after MGK and Fox were spotted engaging in some PDA outside an L.A. bar, the couple made their relationship Instagram official, before MGK proposed in January 2022.
Ghanaian tactician, Mas-Ud Didi Dramani has indicated that he is excited he has been given the opportunity to continue as an assistant coach for the Black Stars.
In an official statement from the Ghana Football Association (GFA) on Sunday night, it confirmed the appointment of Chris Hughton as the new Black Stars head coach and added that George Boateng and Didi Dramani will stay on to deputise the new head coach.
“The Ghana Football Association has the pleasure to appoint Chris Hughton as Head Coach of the Black Stars following extensive deliberations between the two parties.
“The GFA has also decided to maintain Assistant Coaches George Boateng and Mas-Ud Didi Dramani.
“The three coaches were part of the technical team for the World Cup in Qatar.
“Details about the duration of the contract and terms of engagement would be announced in due course,” an official statement from the GFA said.
Speaking to Oyerepa FM today, Coach Didi Dramani said he is happy to continue serving his country.
“It is service to nation building just as the president has always attributed that we should not act as observers but add to the development of the country and if I have the knowledge in football, why won’t I also contribute to the development and progress of football,” Didi Dramani shared.
Ghanaian socialite Moesha Boduong is out there doing the most.
We do not know what exactly is Moesha Boduong’s motivation to be doing all that she is doing lately, but truly, Moe has turned into a different person in the same body.
A video is causing a major stir as she is seen tw3#king on Yaw Dabo. Moesha is seen giving the Ghanaian midget a lap dance.
In a video, Moesha sat on him with her huge curves which took over Dabo’s body and she was wiggling her waist s*xily.
Moesha is seen looking glammed up and with all smiles whilst she did her her thing.
Yaw Dabo, on the other hand, was held down by notorious Kumawood actor Oboy Siki who is known for his naughtiness.
Though Yaw Dabo confessed he was catching feelings, for some reason, he wanted to escape but was still held down!
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky are expecting their second child together! The singer dropped the big news in grand fashion by showing her baby bump during her epic Super Bowl LLVII halftime performance. Now, let’s take a look at how their friendship turned into a romance.
The two have sparked rumors of a relationship since the two performed onstage together for the first time in 2012, but it wasn’t until almost a decade later that the duo publically became a couple.
The two were longtime friends before they became lovers, which Rocky confirmed by publicly declaring Rihanna as the love of his life in an interview with GQ in May 2021. But before that, both had a few headline-making relationships with other people.
Rihanna was publicly linked to Chris Brown and Drake, whom she reportedly dated off and on from 2009 to 2016. Meanwhile, Rocky was previously linked to Kendall Jenner, Chanel Iman, Iggy Azalea, and Teyana Taylor.
Still, the pair’s romance seems inevitable. From their musical collaborations, similar love of fashion and beauty and their undeniable chemistry, it’s no surprise that they’ve created a beautiful life together and even welcomed a child together in 2022. Keep reading for a full timeline of the couple’s relationship.
Friendship and Frequent Supporters
The pair linked up for their first professional collaboration at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2012, where they performed a remix of Rihanna’s “Cockiness (Love It).”
The FENTY Beauty founder told Vogue in May that her romantic relationship with Rocky was slow-going at first because “people don’t get out of the friend zone very easily with me.”
Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
“And I certainly took a while to get over how much I know him and how much he knows me because we also know how much trouble we can land each other in,” she tells Vogue, revealing that a moment during their first encounter at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2012 was a prime example of what kind of trouble they get into. The singer recalls when Rocky joined her for the performance of her hit single, “Cockiness,” and grabbed her butt as they were dancing side by side.
“That was not part of the rehearsal! I was like, ‘What are you doing!?’” she says, admitting that her team was braced to deal with her anger after the incident but instead, she let it go. “My manager was like, ‘Oh, God, she must like this guy a little bit. She never lets this s**t slide.’”
Throughout the years, the two continued to support each other’s various ventures. In 2013, Rocky joined Rihanna as an opening act on her Diamonds World Tour from March to May and again for a handful of dates in October and November.
In September of that year, Rihanna also appeared in A$AP’s music video for “Fashion Killa,” playing his girlfriend in the foreshadowing video. The song includes the line, “Her attitude Rihanna, she get it from her mama.”
They attended the same events — though never together as a couple. The two notably caused a stir when they appeared on the red carpet at the Fashion Awards together in December 2019, sparking romance rumors after their many years of friendship.
In July 2020, Rocky appeared in Rihanna’s Fenty Skin campaign alongside Lil Nas X.
“To me, in the industry, he is one of the guys who everybody loves [his] skin. I always wanted to know, ‘How the heck do you have better skin than half these girls? I mean, what do you do?’” Rihanna told ET about working with Rocky on the campaign.
“I wanted men to be represented, because this skincare line is gender neutral. I want it to be for everyone, so you don’t get men scared to use skincare,” she continued. “We needed that male representation in the campaign, so Rocky and Lil Nas X… we wanted that representation, so men knew it was OK.”
Friends to Lovers
In August 2020, the duo got flirty in a video for GQ, during which Rocky revealed that the hardest part of working with Rihanna was “not goofing off and laughing the whole time.”
“The hardest part is not having too much fun,” he added.
Another cute moment came when Rihanna asked Rocky about his skin type. “Handsome,” he quipped in response.
Two months later, the pair was spotted with a group of friends at the Beatrice Inn in New York, an eyewitness tells ET. According to the eyewitness, Rihanna and Rocky were joined by a few friends for the outing.
“The restaurant is not at full capacity due to COVID-19 restrictions, but they have a private room in the back for VIPs and private events and Rihanna, A$AP and their friends sat there for more privacy. They also had the curtain closed as they enjoyed their meal. Rihanna and A$AP were lovely and gracious and nice to the staff. Rihanna’s bodyguards were also there. The group all left together,” the eyewitness said.
In December of that year, a source told ET that the duo had begun dating after the “Love On the Brain” singer reportedly split from her boyfriend of three years, Saudi businessman Hassan Jameel.
“They have always had amazing chemistry and Rihanna relates to A$AP and it feels natural, easy and fun,” the source said. “She feels very comfortable around him since they’ve known each other for such a long time and also feels a connection to him because his dad is from Barbados.”
The couple were later spotted celebrating Christmas together on a private yacht in Barbados with Rihanna’s family.
Nearly a year later, Rocky opened up about his relationship with Rihanna for the first time in GQ.
The “F**kin’ Problms” rapper called Rihanna “the love of my life” and “my lady.”
“[Relationships are] so much better when you got the One,” he told the magazine. “She amounts to probably, like, a million of the other ones… I think when you know, you know. She’s the One.”
A source told ET, “Rihanna is A$AP Rocky’s dream girl and has been for a while. He’s so in love with her and they have the best time together. They’re always laughing, but also connect with each other on a deep level. They just get each other whether it comes to their senses of humor or career aspirations and more. They have a crazy connection and chemistry and are such a cute, fun, loving couple.”
In June 2021, the “Wild for the Night” rapper voiced his gratitude for his girlfriend’s support to ET during the Tribeca Film Festival premiere of his new documentary, Stockholm Syndrome.
When asked how important it was to have Rihanna’s support for the doc, Rocky said it was “important having that support in real life, you know?”
“It’s amazing and I’m honestly truly blessed, for real,” Rocky added.
In September 2021, the couple made their Met Gala debut as a couple. Rihanna wore a billowing, black Balenciaga gown with a large, dramatic collar and an ornate, sparkling BVLGARI diamonds.
Rocky joined the songstress and brought all the color in an sizable wrap cloak that resembled a knitted quilt, a nod to the night’s theme, “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” an exploration of the nation’s sartorial identity and a deep dive into American ingenuity.
Starting a Family
In January 2022, a source told ET that the singer and rapper were closer than ever, adding that they continue to be “inseparable.”
“Their relationship is in a good place,” the source said. “After a very busy fall with professional commitments, they took some time to relax and unwind and really reconnect with each other.”
Then, after months of speculation, the couple revealed that they were expecting their first child!
They announced the news with a walk through the snowy streets of A$AP’s hometown of Harlem in New York City. Rihanna showed off her bare baby bump in a pink coat and jeans while she held hands with her beau.
Diggzy / Shutterstock
A source told ET that the couple felt very blessed that they’re having a baby together, and that they already considered themselves a family but having a baby together makes that bond even stronger.
“They enjoyed keeping the pregnancy a secret for as long as they could, but they’re thrilled to be able to share the news with their fans,” the source said.
According to another source, Rihanna and A$AP wanted to shoot their pregnancy announcement in Harlem because that’s where A$AP grew up and it’s a place that brings them both a lot of comfort. “They feel really at home in Harlem,” the source said. “His upbringing in Harlem shaped so much of who he is — and it hasn’t always been easy. This was a happy milestone and it felt right to shoot the photos where it all started.”
The source notes that the photos were taken early Friday morning, and Rihanna is wearing vintage Chanel. “They are such night owls, but they wanted to shoot these pics discreetly,” added the source. “It was important for Rihanna to make this announcement on her terms. She couldn’t really hide it any longer!”
In an intimate interview for Vogue‘s May cover, Rihanna not only bared her baby bump but she also opened up about her relationship with the rapper.
The singer said that although the two had begun dating before COVID-19 struck, it was only during the pandemic’s lockdown that they became truly serious.
“He became my family in that time,” she shared, describing an “epic road trip” they took in the summer of 2020 from Los Angeles to New York. The journey allowed the couple to get away from the glare of public eyes and gave them an intimacy that only comes from domestication.
“I cooked our food on this little janky grill I bought from Walmart,” she remembered. “I still have it, too. It works like nobody’s business. I love the simple things but also the grand adventures. There’s no pretentious my-brand-your-brand bulls**t, it’s just us living. I just feel like I can do any part of life by his side.”
Gucci Milan Fashion Week Live Stream
Her pregnancy is a result of the two “just living,” as the singer revealed that there was no planning involved. “I wouldn’t say planning. But certainly not planning against it. I don’t know when I ovulate or any of that type of sh*t. We just had fun,” she explained. “And then it was just there on the test. I didn’t waste any time. I called him inside and showed him. Then I was in the doctor’s office the next morning and our journey began.”
While there’s no question it’ll be a challenge juggling multiple businesses and a growing family, and Rihanna openly admitted that balance has always been one of her biggest challenges, the mogul is ready to tackle whatever comes her way with a singular focus.
“My mom handled the three of us with not even close to the amount of resources that I have, so I can absolutely do it. What it looks like? I’m not sure,” she said. But she’s excited to embark on the journey!
“They’re going to teach me more than I could ever teach them. And I want them to go for it. I want to see who they are in the world, who they become,” she said of her unborn child. “Because I’m just here to keep them on the rails—a passenger as much as the driver.”
Trials and Tribulations
While Rihanna showed off her keen fashion sense with her baby bump on display and put her twist on maternity styles during date nights, fashion shows and even trips to the Target baby department, rumors began circulating around the couple.
In April, Rihanna’s shoe designer, Amina Muaddi, took to Instagram to vehemently deny having an affair with Rocky, calling the cheating rumors “fake gossip” that was “fabricated with such malicious intent.”
Muaddi, the 36-year-old shoe designer behind the Fenty 2020 collection, said she felt “an unfounded lie” never deserves a response or clarification but, in this instance, she felt compelled to address the rumor because it affected people close to her.
“I’ve always believed that an unfounded lie spread on social media doesn’t deserve any response or clarification, especially one that is so vile,” she wrote in her statement. “I initially assumed that this fake gossip — fabricated with such malicious intent — would not be taken seriously. However in the last 24h I’ve been reminded that we live in a society that is so quick to speak on topics regardless of factual basis and that nothing is off limits. Not even during what should be one of the most beautiful and celebrated times in one’s life.”
“Therefore I have to speak up as this is not only directed towards me but it is related to people I have a great amount of respect and affection for,” she continued. “While Rih is continuing to live her serene, best dressed pregnancy life and I go back to my business — I wish everyone a beautiful Easter weekend!”
Days later, Rocky was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport for assault with a deadly weapon (firearm) stemming from an alleged incident that took place in November 2021. The rapper had just returned from a vacation in Barbados with a pregnant Rihanna. He was later released after posting $550,000 bail.
A source told ET there was no question or hesitation that Rihanna would stand by Rocky. “When she’s in love with someone,” the source told ET, “she’ll do anything for them.”
When it comes to her commitment and trust of him, “Rihanna hasn’t wavered,” the source noted. “She loves him,” the source said. “He’s family.”
However, an arrest was not on their radar. “This arrest was not something they saw coming,” a source previously told ET.
“This drama is the last thing Rihanna needs right now,” that source shared. “She wants to be mellow, relaxed, and focused 100 percent on the arrival of her baby — not stressing out!”
And Baby Makes Three!
Rihanna gave birth to the couple’s first child, a baby boy, in May. A source told ET that Rihanna gave birth to a baby boy in Los Angeles with Rocky by her side, and that the family went to rest at her Los Angeles home.
“They have not left each other’s side,” the source said of the couple. “They are over the moon. She’s been looking forward to motherhood for a long time. This little boy is going to have the best baby fashion.”
“Oh my god, the mornings, like, seeing his morning face! Seeing a baby with, like, little bags and waking up and they’re just, like, startled. They’re trying to figure out where they’re at. It’s the cutest, it’s my favorite part of the day,” the singer told ET’s Rachel Smith.
Rihanna noted that she “cherished” moments like that with her son, also admitting that she has already taken to singing to the baby, making “freestyle” songs whenever she can.
“He’s amazing, he’s a happy baby,” the new mom shared.
In December, Riri took to TikTok to give the world its first look at her baby boy. The singer posted a 45-second clip of her baby, whose name the singer has not yet revealed. In the video, the baby’s sitting in his car seat looking like he’s having the time of his life, laughing and making all kinds of cute baby faces.
It appears Rihanna’s in the background also getting a kick out of the baby’s many expressions. At one point, the baby boy, who is wearing a brown jacket, lets out a cute little yawn and even tries taking the phone away from his famous mama.
A source previously told ET that the Barbados babe always dreamed of being a mom, and she takes so much pride in it that she would love nothing more than to have more children with Rocky in the future.
“Rihanna and A$AP are so in love and have the best time together,” the source added. “They are also a great team when it comes to being parents to their baby boy. Rihanna always dreamed of being a mom and she takes a lot of pride in it. She would love to have more children with A$AP in the future.”
Pregnant With Baby No. 2
Rihanna is pregnant with the couple’s second child together, her rep confirmed to ET on Feb. 12 after she sported a noticeable baby bump during her Super Bowl halftime performance.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation
Ahead of the performance, a source told ET about how A$AP has been there for her.
“A$AP has been very supportive throughout her preparation and has really been stepping up his parenting game while she has been busy with rehearsals,” the source said, adding, “[A$AP] and her son plan to be there supporting her during her big day.”
Indeed, the rapper was spotted supporting his longtime love during her big moment.
A source told ET, “Rihanna adores being a mom and it’s her biggest accomplishment in life. Her and A$AP have always wanted to grow their family and have another baby together. They have been talking about expanding their family for quite some time. Being a mom is a dream come true for Rihanna and she takes so much pride in it.”
Rapper Noah Settles, also known as No Savage, from Washington, D.C., has admitted guilt to four charges related to a shooting at a mall in Northern Virginia.
Per NBC Washington, Settles pleaded guilty to three counts of malicious discharge of a firearm in an occupied dwelling, and one count of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. He has been accused of firing a gun three times following a physical fight on June 8 at Tysons Corner Center. A sentencing date has yet to be set.
No one was injured in the shooting, but in video shown in court Settles could be seen getting into a physical altercation before coming back with a firearm. According to his defense attorney, Settles has maintained that he fired the gun to defend himself from a gang member who he alleged had a firearm. He is facing a mandatory three-year prison term on the firearm in the commission of a felony charge, while he’s facing between two to ten years on the other three charges.
While he pleaded guilty, the plea was entered to concede there’s evidence to convict him but does not mean he’s admitted he’s guilty. As part of the plea deal, three other charges against him were dropped.
Following news of the shooting last year, Settles turned himself in at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.
In the lead-up to his arrest, he streamed himself walking through a police precinct on his Instagram. He was facing up to 43 years in prison at the time of his arrest, but the guilty plea means he’ll likely face a far shorter sentence than that.
Condolences have started pouring in following the demise of David Jolicoeur a.k.a. Trugoy, one third of influential New York rap group De La Soul.
He died at age 54.
The news was first reported by AllHipHop and The Grio. A representative for De La Soul confirmed Trugoy’s passing to Complex. A cause of death has not been revealed. A statement from the group is forthcoming.
The hip-hop community reacted with great sadness.
DJ Prince Paul, who collaborated with De La Soul on three albums, shared some words on Trugoy’s death.
For the past several years, De La Soul has been in the news surrounding the ownership of their masters. In 2021, Reservoir acquired the famed hip-hop and electronic music label Tommy Boy for around $100 million. The deal compromises more than 6,000 masters, including recordings from Coolio, Queen Latifah, Naughty By Nature, House of Pain, and De La Soul.
The deal allowed for the trio to make the announcement in 2023 that their first six albums—including the groundbreaking 3 Feet High and Rising—are finally coming to streaming services. The group began to rollout singles “The Magic Number” and “Eye Know” in anticipation of their full catalog being released on March 3, 2023.
At this year’s Grammy Awards, Posdnuos performed “Buddy” as part of the 15-minute medley spanning decades to celebrate hip-hop turning 50 in August.
Trugoy, known by many as Plug 2, was very open about his health problems and detailed his fight with congestive heart failure. “I’m ready to just get back to the stage,” he said in the opening video for “Royalty Capes.” “I love traveling. I love being around my guys and I want that back.”
Four New Jersey high school students have been charged in the vicious beatdown of a 14-year-old classmate who died by suicide.
The news arrives several days after Adriana Kuch, 14, was found dead in her Bayville home on Feb. 3, less than 48 hours after video of Kuch getting brutally attacked in the hallway of Central Regional High School was posted on social media.
NBC News reports one juvenile is charged with aggravated assault, two other juveniles are charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated assault and one juvenile is charged with harassment.
The four teens, who have not been identified as they are minors, and their guardians were given a copy of the criminal complaint against them. The students were then released pending future court appearances, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer confirmed.
Shortly after the charges were handed down, the Central Regional School District announced Saturday that Superintendent Triantafillos Parlapanides had resigned.
“The Central Regional School District board of Education has accepted the resignation of Dr. Triantafillos Parlapanides, and is evaluating all current and past allegations of bullying,” the district wrote in a statement on its website.
“The Central Regional family continues to mourn the loss of one of our children,” the statement continued.
“The District has contacted the Department of Education and will undergo an independent assessment of the District’s anti-bullying policies and ensure every necessary safeguard is in place to protect our students and staff.”
UEFA has confirmed a minute’s silence will be held at each of this week’s European ties as a mark of respect for the victims of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.
Over 33,000 people are confirmed to have died after high-magnitude earthquakes struck southern Turkey and northern Syria last Monday, and the United Nations’ aid agency on the ground says that toll is likely to double.
Turkey has said over a million people in the country are using temporary shelters after the tremors, while over five million people are estimated to have been made homeless in Syria.
Ahead of this week’s knockout-stage matches in the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League, UEFA has confirmed the details of tributes to show support for those affected.
A minute’s silence will be observed before every fixture across UEFA’s club competitions this week, while a commemorative banner featuring the message, ‘We are together with you’, will be displayed in Turkish and Arabic.
A statement released by European football’s governing body on Monday also confirmed black armbands could be worn at the discretion of teams and referees.
Last week, UEFA confirmed it would donate €150,000 to the Turkish Football Federation and an additional €50,000 to the Bonyan Organization and Tiafi, both assisting in disaster relief.
Trabzonspor are the only Turkish club in action in UEFA’s competitions this week, hosting Basel in the first leg of their Europa Conference League knockout round play-off tie.
Istanbul Basaksehir and Sivasspor advanced to the last 16 of that competition as group winners, while Fenerbahce are into the same round in the Europa League.
Hatayspor and Gaziantep, two clubs based in the region effected by the earthquake, have withdrawn from the Turkish Super Lig.
Former Chelsea, Newcastle United and Everton winger Christian Atsu, who plays for Hatayspor, is still missing.
Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, is skeptical about the New Patriotic Party’s ability to break the eight given the current economic crisis.
The Member of Parliament for Suame believes Ghanaians may turn their backs on the NPP come 2024 if they fail to address the current economic situation in the country.
He was speaking to Captain Koda on the Kumasi based OTEC 102.9 FM’s morning show Nyansapo on Monday February 13,2023.
“Retaining power in the 2024 general polls is not farfetched but the party will have to do more to make the living condition of the ordinary Ghanaian a bit easier “.
“I strongly believe breaking the eight is doable, however we all must accept that, there is hardship in the country and as the adage goes ‘a hungry man is and angry man’, and so we must work hard to turn things around if indeed we want to remain in power”, he said.
He detailed that Chris Hughton had already been chosen as the head coach but the GFA only followed formalities by opening an application for the Black Stars coaching role.
Speaking in an interview on Joynews, Sam George said, “That job has been given to Chris Hughton already. They’ve given it to him because they want someone they can manipulate,” the legislator stated.
“Someone they can use for their business. Someone whose selections they can interfere with. Let’s not waste our time. People are using GFA to feed their families so let’s go and look for money to eat,” he continued.
He stressed that the GFA has been compromised, citing the case of Baba Rahman’s involvement in the World cup.
“Some people are using GFA to feed their families. Have you forgotten what happened at the World Cup,” the NDC MP claimed
“Tell me how Baba Rahman found his way into our final squad in our last game at the World Cup. What ball has he played in the past? Is Baba Rahman’s agent not our GFA president?
“People should not annoy us in this country because we have already powdered our faces and laughing,” he added.
Barely less than a month he made this statement, the GFA announced the former Republic of Ireland international as the new trainer for the team.
He replaces Otto Addo who left his role following the country’s early exit at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
This vindicates Sam George as many doubted what he said earlier.
France’s record goalscorer Olivier Giroud has decided against retiring from international football and hopes that is music to the ears of Didier Deschamps.
The 36-year-old AC Milan striker was toying with halting his career with Les Bleus following their defeat on penalties to Argentina in the December 18 World Cup final.
However, Giroud feels he has still plenty to give his country in an active role, and the man who has netted 53 goals in 120 games will aim to be a part of the group heading into the upcoming European Championship campaign.
It may help Giroud’s cause that Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema has retired from France duty, having missed the Qatar 2022 finals due to injury.
Speaking to French broadcaster France 2, Giroud said: “No, no, it’s not over. Emotions, I hope there will still be some to come.
“I’m not ready to hang up [my boots], to take off this blue jersey which is close to my heart.
“I have the motivation to continue and the physique too, I feel good. For the moment I am still selectable and a player of the France team “
Head coach Deschamps, who was retained after deciding he too was not ready to step away from Les Bleus, saw Giroud score four goals during France’s World Cup run.
They came up just short of a successful title defence, with Giroud grabbing a vital quarter-final winner against England among his contribution.
Giroud overtook Thierry Henry to become France’s top scorer during the World Cup campaign, surpassing the former Arsenal and Barcelona striker’s haul of 51 national team goals.
Captain Hugo Lloris, along with fellow goalkeeper Steve Mandanda and defender Raphael Varane, retired from France duty after the World Cup.
France begin their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with Group B games against the Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland in March.
The government’s attempt to pressure bondholders into accepting a subpar offer through the Domestic Debt Exchange Program (DDEP) has been classified as worrying by investment advisor Harry Yamason.
Speaking on Starr Today with Joshua Kodjo Mensah, Mr. Yamson attacked ministers and government communicators for sending bondholders a signal of uncertainty.
He further noted that it will only require purposeful action by the government and the CST to render their bonds untradeable.
“The government is demanding that the current bondholders surrender their bonds, their rights, their incomes to exchange for very inferior products and a very inferior offer. With no legal guarantees and is suggesting through its spokesperson and Ministers that the value will be destroyed, and tradability will not be one of the value benefits that will accrue any longer.
“I think this is very unfortunate for the government to be promoting these narratives. The bonds as they currently exist are tradable instruments. There is actually no reason for them not to be tradable going forward. There is no legal reason for the bonds not to be tradable,” Mr. Yamson stated.
He continued: “If the offer by the government is so superior then the government should not be worried about what decisions individuals take as to whether to sell or buy the old bonds. The matter should be left to individuals and the government should not intervene.”
Meanwhile, Minority Leader, Cassiel Ato Forson has assured Pensioner Bondholders and others that parliament will move swiftly to address the burning issues related to the ongoing domestic debt exchange program.
Pensioner Bondholders’ meeting with Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta on Friday, February 10, 2023, ended inconclusively as the government insists the retirees should consider voluntary exemption.
In a tweet, the leader of the opposition frontbench said the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta is billed to appear before the House to deal with the concerns of investors in the debt restructuring programme.
“It is disheartening to see our dear pensioners including a former Chief Justice picketing at the MOF over the domestic debt restructuring. I wish to assure her & the rest; parliament is dragging the Finance Minister before us next week and we will represent their interest fully!” a tweet by Ato Forson said.
The Rebels had a good start to the encounter. After recovering possession of the ball in the final third, Josh Jackman saw his shot stopped on the edge of the box.
The majority of the football was then played in the centre of the field, which was very difficult for either side to play football on, and the game was quite cagey.
Alan Julian blocked Johnny Goddard’s effort as Slough played excellent defense in the penalty area to start the second half.
Hampton also had opportunities to go in front. Will Dennis made an outstanding stop to parry Dan Wishart’s stunning free kick.
And with 69 minutes played, Slough took the lead thanks to the brilliance of Francis Amartey.
A magnificent ball was played over the top towards Amartey who sprinted through on goal and he kept his cool, rounding Julian and blasting the ball into an empty net.
Slough had an extra man advantage till the end of the game as Tommy Davis was shown a second yellow card and sent off.
Ahead of the 66th Independence Anniversary Celebration planned to take place in Ho, the Volta Regional Capital, a delegation led by the Minister for Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, has visited the Airport to inspect it.
The team paid a working visit to the Airport to examine sections of the airport including the Arrival and Departure halls, Air Traffic Control, Fire Station, and Emergency Operations Center, among other things, with the Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Letsa.
Kwaku Ofori Asiamah was given the assurance that the airport would be ready to welcome guests and dignitaries who would be passing through the airport for the celebrations.
The Minister was accompanied by Hon. Emmanuel Bossman, Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr Paul Adom-Otchere, Board Chairman of GACL, Board Members of GACL, Mrs. Pamela Djamson – Tettey, Managing Director, GACL, Mr Daniel Acquah, Deputy Director General, Technical, GCAA and other officials of Ghana Airports Company Limited and Ghana Civil Aviation Authority.
The Ho Airport was constructed to boost tourism and trade in the Volta Region.
Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering knee ligament damage.
The Uruguay international opened the scoring for Spurs in their eventual 4-1 Premier League loss to Leicester on Saturday before limping off.
Bentancur collided with Leicester counterpart Nampalys Mendy shortly after the hour mark and required oxygen on the pitch.
Tottenham confirmed on their official website on Monday that the 25-year-old “ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and will be out of action for the remainder of the campaign.” He will undergo surgery before beginning his rehabilitation.
Bentancur has played in 26 of Tottenham’s 32 games this season, forming a strong midfield partnership with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
The former Juventus man’s lay-off has come at a bad time for Spurs, with fellow midfielder Yves Bissouma out indefinitely after undergoing ankle surgery on Friday.
Captain Hugo Lloris is also out for two months, while Hojbjerg is suspended for Tuesday’s Champions League last-16 first leg away at Milan.
Tottenham’s defeat to Leicester leaves them two points behind fourth-placed Newcastle United, who also have a game in hand.
Antonio Conte’s side are still in the FA Cup, with a last-16 tie against Sheffield United to come at the start of March.
Popular Ghanaian businessman cum investor, Kofi Abban has lashed out at Kojo Antwi for opening a GoFundMe account, targeting a whooping £1,000,000, in memory of his late father.
Over the weekend, the popular highlife musician held a remembrance ceremony in honor of his late father who reportedly died on January 7, 2023.
Afterward, a link to a GoFundMe account, purportedly created by ‘The Music Man’, was circulating on social media amidst reactions from netizens online.
The description box of the fundraiser indicated that proceeds will be used to fund a scholarship and disability scheme for the less privileged.
“In memory of my late kind father, this GoFundMe is for scholarships and care for a selection of orphans and the disabled in Ghana from now up till they graduate or learn a trade. – With love and togetherness from The Maestro Kojo Antwi,” it read.
However, in reaction to this, Mr. Kofi Abban angrily called out Kojo Antwi for what he described as soliciting money for his father’s funeral.
Mr. Abban shared a link to the GoFundMe account with the caption,
“Kojo Antwi is a complete joke!!! You want £1,000,000 to bury your late dad, Have you ever done a free concert for your loyal fans in Ghana??? Sell three of your properties in Accra to fund your dad’s funeral,” his comment read.
Kofi Abban’s post has since generated several responses from individuals who have asked him to refer to the details in the description box, which highlights that the proceeds will be used for a different purpose.
Others have also joined him in lambasting the high-life singer for soliciting such an amount which they have termed outrageous.
He says Ghanaians should anticipate at least a decrease of GHS 1 decrease in pricing at the pumps.
Speaking on the development, he explained that the reduction will depend on the delivery of additional consignment of gasoline and diesel from government’s Gold-for-Oil policy.
The BOST MD stated that “the first consignment of the diesel has arrived in the nation, and we are looking at bringing two cargoes of gasoline and two cargoes for diesel for February” in an interview with Accra-based Asaase Radio, which GhanaWeb Business was listening to.
“In March, we will ramp it up to five cargoes and depending on how the economic indicators work out in the country where demand and supply will determine how whether we ramp it up to more cargoes…but I can tell you for a fact that we are working on the pricing with the National Petroleum Authority where there will be a huge reduction of at least GH¢1 at the pumps for petrol.”
Touching further on a possible reduction for diesel, Edwin Provencal said that although a 50 pesewas reduction has taken effect in the first pricing window of February [2023], consumers should further expect some reduction in the price of the commodity.
Meanwhile, prices of petroleum products have begun to surge at various pumps across the country again after the appreciation of the cedi against the dollar during the 2022 festive season into the New Year.
Government however believes that the full implementation of its Gold-for-Oil programme would help address the cedi’s depreciation against the US dollar as well as allow consumers to purchase fuel at reduced prices.
Kylian Mbappe has returned to training ahead of Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League clash with Bayern Munich, raising the prospect of the forward featuring after he was thought likely to miss the game.
Mbappe sustained a hamstring injury in PSG’s 3-1 win at Montpellier on February 1, leading the French giants to announce he was likely to be sidelined for three weeks.
PSG boss Christophe Galtier has stressed the need to carefully manage Mbappe’s injury, while Bayern counterpart Julian Nagelsmann accused the Ligue 1 champions of “playing poker” regarding his availability.
On the eve of Tuesday’s round-of-16 first leg between the two European giants, PSG were handed a boost as Mbappe was pictured in training with his team-mates.
Mbappe’s potential return could be pivotal for a PSG side that has struggled in his absence, exiting the Coupe de France against Marseille last week before being beaten 3-1 by Monaco in Ligue 1.
Since making his PSG debut in 2017, Mbappe has recorded 57 goal contributions (34 goals, 23 assists) in 50 Champions League appearances – no other player has managed 20 goals and 20 assists in the competition during that span.
Lionel Messi was also absent for PSG’s dire defeat at Monaco, though Galtier maintained he would return to training on Monday, and the World Cup winner was seen alongside Mbappe as the side stepped up their preparations for Tuesday’s game.
Akrobeto has recounted how Christian Atsu gifted him money despite not meeting him before.
Akwasi Boadi popularly known as Akrobeto has recounted how footballer Christian Atsu gifted him money despite not meeting him before.
Updating the public on the current state Christian Atsu on the Real News on UTV, he talked about how Atsu has been kind to him in the past despite not being friends with him.
Akrobeto said he’s never met Christian Atsu before except watching him on television but the footballer thought good of him and gifted him money.
According to Akrobeto, Kwaku Manu went to visit Christian Atsu in Europe and he gave him €800 to be given to him just to appreciate his talent.
The footballer said to Kwaku Manu that he watches the Real News as he finds Akrobeto entertaining so he should give him €800.
This isn’t the only benevolent act of Christian Atsu as he’s helped freed hundreds of prisoners, paid fine for the poor and rented rooms for many throug the Crime Check Foundation.
Former Hearts of Oak midfielder and 1978 Africa Cup of Nations winner, Mohammed Polo has charged Black Stars new coach Chris Hughton to end the AFCON trophy drought which has prolonged to 41 years.
Ghana have come close to ending the trophy drought in the last decade, 2010 Angola losing to Egypt in the finals and in 2015 Equatorial Guinea- Gabon as the Stars lost to Ivory Coast on penalty shootout.
The Ghana FA announced the former Newcastle United and Brighton manager as the new coach of the national team on Sunday.
He replaces Otto Addo who resigned after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
In an interview with Koforidua-based Bryt FM, Polo charged Hughton to think about ending the country’s trophy drought.
“I think he knows the players; we should listen to him about he is bringing on board because we need nothing than to return to winning ways. The AFCON trophy has eluded us for a longtime and it’s long overdue, we’ve been marking time for long”
“To me is a task for him to win the trophy. They’ve taken the decision to appoint him because he’s been in the terrain for sometime now, so winning AFCON should be a priority under Hughton”
Hughton worked with the national team as technical advisor during the World Cup playoff against Nigeria and was part of the team at the tournament in Qatar.
The former Brighton boss first assignment will be the AFCON 2023 qualifiers when Ghana takes on Angola next month.
Jurgen Klopp has reiterated he is “100 per cent committed” to Liverpool and dismissed comparisons to his previous jobs as he tries to turn around a dismal season.
The Reds have been knocked out of both domestic cups and sit 10th in the Premier League ahead of Monday’s Merseyside derby against Everton at Anfield.
Klopp’s men were beaten 3-0 by Wolves last time out and questions have been asked about his future, but the German does not want to go anywhere and is determined to solve the problems himself.
“I will not and I cannot go,” he told reporters. “I have too much responsibility and I want to sort it… if people believe in me then we have to go through this together because then when we come out [of it], we will have great times again.
“Maybe the difficult times are a bit too long already, for me as well… but I don’t think about these kind of things. I am here, 100 per cent committed.”
The 55-year-old has cut a frustrated figure in recent weeks, having seen his team win just one of their last seven games (D2 L4), and he attempted to explain why he was particularly irksome following the Wolves defeat.
“How I said before, if we win, I feel like I was part of it. If we lose, I feel 100 per cent responsible and I was always in my life like this, and you can imagine how big the responsibility l am feeling at this moment is,” he said.
“We will do absolutely everything to get through this and prepare the very positive future again, but I cannot change that we lost the last game the way we lost it.
“There is one moment I am really emotional and that is immediately after the game and you face me then, but apart from that I am completely clear and can do the job I always did, I am experienced enough to know that you can get through this.”
Comparisons have been made to Klopp’s time at his two previous clubs, Mainz and Borussia Dortmund, with the German spending seven years at each before moving on.
Currently in his seventh full season at Liverpool, it has been theorised that Klopp is enduring a similar trajectory, but he rejected that notion, saying he did not leave Mainz for the same reasons he left Dortmund, and adding the situation at Liverpool is completely different again.
“When I left Mainz it was a career step,” he said. “When I left Dortmund I was really exhausted in that moment, it was a lot and I thought we have to change something, it was time to do something else, [but] neither-nor in this moment, neither-nor. I am completely here.
“I understand that people think: ‘look at that, seven years, seven years,’ it’s nothing to do with it. The situation is difficult for different reasons, but this is not one of them.”
Celebrated Ghanaian gospel singer Sonnie Badu has discouraged the eating of pork.
His reasons were that the meat from a pig is unwholesome and spiritually unclean for consumption.
Sonnie Badu intimated when a person eats such spiritually unclean foods, they are susceptible to witchcraft and demonic attacks.
He then went on to mention, snails, and other kinds of seafood as unclean which the Bible does not encourage people to eat.
In Facebook post that has generated divergent views, Sonnie Badu wrote: “Once they discover that you ate something unclean. Your spirit automatically gets subdued. So once you got to bed, that’s when they came because you gave them the access,”
The reverend also said it’s simple for devils to attack you while you’re sleeping if you don’t pray before eating. He clarified that some restaurant and food vendor cooks are witchcraft agents that introduce demons into the cuisine.
“They don’t come in the daytime. Daytime, you are alert. They come when the body is tired. Midnight. From 12:00 am to 3:00 am. So whilst you are in bed, they jump in and begin to be you.”
However, many have disagreed with the explanation that God has given everyone the liberty to consume whatever they deem fit.
Three out of four persons facing trial for not declaring their income and property have been granted bail by the High Court.
The fourth person was absent due to ill health.
The four accused persons are Issah Seidu, James Keck Osei, John Abban & Peter Archibold Hyde.
The case has been adjourned to 13th March 2023 for continuation.
The victims if found guilty for failing to declare property and income are liable to a jail term of not below two years and not more than four years or a fine of not less than five hundred penalty units or both.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor in a statement dated Friday, 10, 2023, said Mr Siedu works with the National Insurance Commission while James works with the Office of the Vice President as an administrator.
According to the Office of the Vice President, they confirmed that Mr. Keck Osei is a Civil Servant with many years of working experience at the Jubilee House “dating back to periods before this government came into force.”
However, the Vice President’s Office in a statement has stressed that “the facts as disclosed by the charge sheets suggest it is a personal matter, unconnected to the Office or his role in the Office.”
Winger Francis Amuzu has been named in Sofascore’s team of the week after his outstanding performance for Anderlecht in match week 25.
Amuzu provided an assist in Anderlecht’s 3-1 victory against St. Truidense in the Belgium Pro League on Sunday.
Just six minutes into the first half, Benito Raman scored to give RSC Anderlecht a deserved lead.
While St. Truidense would attempt to equalise to get back into the match, the team failed to find the back of the net.
In the second half, the contest got more exciting and produced three goals. Francis Amuzu led his team to an impressive showing and assisted Islam Slimani to net the second goal for RSC Anderlecht in the 81st minute.
Two minutes later, Anders Dreyer also got his name on the scoresheet to make it 3-0 for the home team.
In the final minutes of the game, Giani Bruno scored the only consolation goal for St. Truidense as the team succumbed to the 3-1 win at full time.
Francis Amuzu was substituted in the 89th minute in the encounter against FC Eindhoven.
Social media influencer and #FixTheCountry originator, Joshua Boye Doe, popularly known as KalyJay, has opened up on circumstances that led to his backing out of the ‘FixTheCountry’ protest.
He cited fear that engulfed his family to the point of urging him to quit a campaign he started, as the reason behind his decision to not join a demonstration that was staged as part of the call on the government to fix the country.
In 2021, KalyJay via Twitter initiated the hashtag #FixTheCountry. This was received by many Ghanaians who craved a new society founded on justice. It consequently sparked a national conversation over the course of the country and the prospects for the future.
As the campaign gained momentum, several thousands of protesters marched on the streets of Accra on August 4, 2021, to demand accountability, and better living conditions, among others from the government.
But KalyJay, known to have founded the campaign, was missing in action. Explaining his absence, the 26-year-old said “I didn’t join because there was tension and my family members and some of my friends made me hide in the shadows for a while”.
The young man who appeared on The Delay Show aired on February 12, 2023, indicated that his decision to quit the campaign was not because he did not have the balls to finish what he started. According to him, he had to listen to his family especially when the campaign became polarized.
“It’s not about me having balls,” he said. “When I started the campaign, it was non-partisan, it was to call for change in the lives of the normal Ghanaian. Along the line, it became politicized; I realized the whole campaign was losing its motives. So, I just had to withdraw. I’m not a political person.”
Touching on how the campaign began, KalyJay said he used to tweet about football and issues that had nothing to do with politics until he realized how influential he was. Having assessed his strength and the challenges the Ghanaian people were facing coupled with the government’s posture, he decided to express himself.
“I hammered on social issues. I used my platform to talk about what ought to be changed,” he remarked. “I believe if you have the voice, you have to sometimes speak for the people who don’t have the voice. You see schools under trees, hospitals without beds… Whenever I hammered on it, it’d pick up; along the line, ‘fix the country’ was born. I started it on Twitter.”
Graham Potter has acknowledged the need for Chelsea to snap out of their frustrating run of form quickly, saying: “long-term doesn’t exist in this job”.
Potter has come under pressure amid a difficult period for the big-spending Blues, who recorded three successive Premier League draws for the first time since 2012 after Saturday’s 1-1 stalemate with West Ham.
Chelsea have won just one of their eight games across all competitions since the turn of the year (D4 L3), and the Champions League now represents their only chance of avoiding a trophyless season.
With a trip to Borussia Dortmund for the first leg of an enticing last-16 tie on the horizon, Potter is aware of the need for things to change at Stamford Bridge.
“You can’t talk about the long-term because that doesn’t exist in this job,” he told reporters.
“You have to acknowledge there’s a long-term but there’s a short-term and medium-term that is challenging for us in terms of results.
“The experienced players know what we’ve been through. You’re talking about some top professionals who know football.
“While people on the outside may have an opinion on things, these guys have been around and know the challenges we’ve faced.
“They know the situation the club has been in and what’s happened. So then it’s about helping them get through it, the inevitable frustration because they want to win. We all do and the supporters do. That’s where it’s been challenging.”
Chelsea’s two previous Champions League titles were delivered during campaigns which saw them struggle in the Premier League, and while Potter is excited by the start of the knockout stages, he is taking things game by game.
“In a knockout competition, anything can happen, that’s the thing,” he said. “It’s two games. I don’t think it’s valuable for us to look past Dortmund.
“We have the capability to beat Dortmund but they are also a strong side with the capability to get a result as well. We have to understand that, go to Dortmund with humility, with respect, and try to get the result.
“[This squad] has won the Champions League. They’ve experienced it. They’ll want to fight for the game, that’s for sure, and that’s exciting for us.”
Despite Chelsea’s domestic struggles, Potter is unbeaten in his five Champions League games at the helm, winning the last four.
Victory in Dortmund on Wednesday would therefore make Potter the first English coach to win five successive matches in the competition.
One week after the devastating earthquake hit Turkey, teams are still rushing to save victims that could be alive under the rubble — even as aid agencies and authorities warned the chances of finding survivors are becoming increasingly unlikely.
After 167 hours, a man was rescued from the debris in Antakya, in southern Turkey’s Hatay province, video from CNN affiliate CNN Turk shows. The man is seen being hoisted up by rescue workers, who he then embraces and grasps hands with.
Earlier Sunday, a 55-year-old woman was pulled from the rubble after 159 hours buried, while an 85-year-old woman was rescued after 152 hours trapped in what her nephew described as a cavity around 30-40 centimeters (11-16 inches) wide, according to CNN Turk.
Two people — a 25-year-old Syrian man and a child — were also rescued in Hatay some 151 and 152 hours after the quake hit, local officials said Sunday.
The man was rescued after response teams detected noises beneath the debris while conducting a sound survey in the ruins of an apartment building in Antakya, according to officials.
The technology was also used by the teams to find the child, whose age was not disclosed.
At least 41 people were rescued from under the rubble in Turkey between the 141st and 163rd hours after the quake hit, state-run news agency Anadolu reported Monday.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/5PSfdDj98cs
Death toll: More than 36,000 people have been confirmed dead across Turkey and Syria, where relief efforts have been complicated by the long-running civil war. Rescue operations are over in rebel-held areas of northwest Syria, the White Helmets volunteer organization said Friday.
Chris Hughton, who was recently named head coach of the Black Stars, has joined a long list of coaches who have previously served as head coach of Ghana’s senior men’s team.
On Sunday, February 12, 2023, the Ghana Football Association announced that Chris Hughton had been chosen to replace Bruce Arena as the Black Stars’ head coach.
Otto Addo resigned as the Black Stars’ head coach in December 2022, following the team’s elimination from the Qatar-hosted 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Chris Hughton who was formerly the Technical Advisor of the Black Stars would be assisted by Mas-ud Didi Dramani and George Boateng who have been maintained.
The new Black Stars coach becomes the 29th coach in history to have been appointed and also the 11th Ghanaian to take charge of the team.
Out of the tall list of coaches, only two have won the AFCON with the Black Stars.
Legendary coach CK Gyamfi won the AFCON three times with Ghana in 1963, 1965 and 1982 whiles Fred Osman Doudu won the title with Ghana in 1978.
Newly-appointed head coach of the Black Stars, Chris Hughton has joined a tall list of coaches to have coached Ghana’s senior men’s team in the past.
The Ghana Football Association announced the appointment of Chris Hughton as the new head coach of the Black Stars on Sunday, February 12, 2023.
The Black Stars’ coaching job became vacant following the resignation of coach Otto Addo in December 2022 after the Black Stars exited the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Chris Hughton who was formerly the Technical Advisor of the Black Stars would be assisted by Mas-ud Didi Dramani and George Boateng who have been maintained.
The new Black Stars coach becomes the 29th coach in history to have been appointed and also the 11th Ghanaian to take charge of the team.
Out of the tall list of coaches, only two have won the AFCON with the Black Stars.
Legendary coach CK Gyamfi won the AFCON three times with Ghana in 1963, 1965 and 1982 whiles Fred Osman Doudu won the title with Ghana in 1978.
Southampton supporters on social media have praised Black Stars winger, Kamaldeen Sulemana for his standout performance in their home league defeat to Wolves.
The Saints despite taking an early goal lead in their week 22 home game, couldn’t hold on as 10-man Wolves fought back to snatch the points with a 2-1 victory.
Kamaldeen Sulemana who made his full debut at the Saint Mary’s Stadium stood out in the game and his performance was noticed by the fans.
He was unplayable in his full debut as he showed the home team a glimpse of what they are going to see for the next three and a half years.
The fans took to Twitter to single him out for praise while calling on the other players to up their game in their bid to escape the relegations.
The Black Stars winger lasted the entire duration of the game as his side lost 2-1 leading to the sacking of Nathan Jones who took over from Raph Hasenhuttl before the 2022 FIFA World Cup break in November.
He set a record as the player with the most dribbles in the season – eight
Check out some of the reactions below:
Kamaldeen Sulemana reflects on defeat at St Mary's:
The Ministry of Education has reacted to calls for the Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum to be indicted over the school placement scandal.
The Ministry says such calls are absurd.
It follows reports that placement fraud has been traced to the office of the Minister of Education as some officials allegedly took GHC7,000 to place students at Wesely Girls and Achimota Senior High School.
Speaking to Starr News, the Spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, Kwasi Kwarteng said such reports are untrue.
“If you look at the placement arrangement, 90% of vacancies go to students through the automatic system. The remaining 10% is shared between the schools and the general public respectively. When it comes to that which goes to the general public, it takes the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service, TVET, and other agencies to do the distribution. In the process of the distribution, there is the possibility that because you have a human interface people may compromise the system.
“But at the end of the day, it is almost impossible or very difficult that any list presented to the Minister, he would be able to know that somebody took a or b amount of money. So if any person is to conclude that because there’s a suspicion that some of the school placement was secured through monetary consideration and for that matter the Minister should be indicted, it is so absurd, so unreasonable and very untenable,” he continued.
A police officer has admitted to touching the breast of a 14 year old girl who was allegedly defiled.
When G/CPL Emmanuel Duah, 46, appeared before a Ho Circuit Court on February 1, 2023, he pleaded not guilty to the charge of defilement.
The accused is standing trial for allegedly defiling a class five pupil, now 14, at Ave-Xevi in the Akatsi North District on September 29, 2021, in a yet-to-be-commissioned police station while on duty there.
The court heard that the accused, a police officer popularly known as Bob Marley, requested from the victim who had gone to fetch rain water from a silver basin at the frontage of the police station to go buy him water, a request the victim declined and insisted on going to first inform her parent before she could run the errand for the accused.
The court was told, “the accused person then took the basin from her and forcibly held her hands, covered her mouth and carried her into one of the rooms at the police station and forcefully had sexual intercourse with her.”
The prosecution also told the court that, G/CPL Emmanuel Duah in a caution statement taken at the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Tongu Division in Sogakope, when he was first arrested, admitted that “he held the hand and touched the breast of the victim” but denied having sex with her.
The prosecution has since filed the weighing card and a medical report of the tests conducted on the victim on the night of the incident in the case docket.
Upon taking a plea from the accused, the court granted him a GHS50,000 bail with two sureties; one of whom must be a public servant is expected to reappear in court on February 22, 2023.
