TIG Post

Author: Chris Kodo

  • Foreign aid groups halt work after Taliban ban on female staff

    Five top non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have halted work in Afghanistan after women were banned from working for them by the Taliban government.

    Care International, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and Save the Children said they could not continue their work “without our female staff”.

    The International Rescue Committee also suspended services while Islamic Relief said it was stopping most of its work.

    Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban have been steadily repressing women’s rights.

    The latest edict on NGOs came just days after the Taliban banned women from attending university.

    Abdel Rahman Habib, spokesman for the Taliban’s ministry of economy, accused female workers at the foreign aid groups of breaking dress codes by not wearing hijabs.

    The Taliban threatened to cancel the licence of any organisation that did not swiftly comply with the ban.

    A number of aid groups have since spoken out, demanding that women should be allowed to continue working for them.

    The leaders of Care, the NRC and Save the Children said in a joint statement the organisations “would not have jointly reached millions of Afghans in need since August 2021” were it not for their female staff.

    “Whilst we gain clarity on this announcement, we are suspending our programmes, demanding that men and women can equally continue our lifesaving assistance in Afghanistan,” their statement added.

    Separately, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) – which employs 3,000 women across Afghanistan – said its ability to deliver services relied on “female staff at all levels of our organisation” and if women could not be employed, they could not deliver to “those in need”.

    Islamic Relief said it had taken the “difficult decision to temporarily suspend non-lifesaving activities in Afghanistan” including “projects that support impoverished families to earn a living as well as education and some healthcare projects”. Life-saving healthcare, it added, would continue.

    “Islamic Relief is calling on the Afghan authorities to immediately lift the ban on female NGO workers,” the organisation said.

    “The ban will have a devastating humanitarian impact on millions of vulnerable men, women and children across the country. We are dismayed that this ruling comes just a few days after increased restrictions on Afghan girls’ access to education.”

    Ramiz Alakbarov, the United Nations’ top humanitarian coordinator, said the UN was trying to get the ban reversed and that it was a “red line for the entire humanitarian community”.

    The United Nations could stop humanitarian aid delivery in Afghanistan if the Taliban authorities do not reverse their edict banning women aid workers, the official told the BBC.

    But Mr Alakbarov said it was still unclear what the Taliban meant by its edict.

    He said the Taliban’s minister of health had told the UN the agency should continue its health-related work and women could “report to work and discharge their services”.

    Other ministries had also contacted the UN directly to say work in the areas of disaster management and emergencies should continue, he added.

    Jan Egeland of the NRC said nearly 500 of the aid group’s 1,400 workers were women, and that female staff had been operating “according to all traditional values, dress code, movement, [and] separation of offices”.

    He said he hoped the decision would be “reversed in the next few days” and warned that millions would suffer if NGOs’ work was obstructed.

    NGOs also expressed concern about the effect the ban would have on jobs “in the midst of an enormous economic crisis”.

    Female Afghan NGO workers acting as the main earners in their household previously told the BBC of their fear and helplessness following the ban.

    One asked: “If I cannot go to my job, who can support my family?” Another breadwinner called the news “shocking” and insisted she had complied with the Taliban’s strict dress code.

    The ban triggered international outcry, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warning it would “disrupt vital and life-saving assistance to millions”.

    Since seizing back control of the country last year, the Taliban have steadily restricted women’s rights – despite promising its rule would be softer than the regime seen in the 1990s.

    As well as the bans on NGO workers and female university students – in the case of students, now being enforced by armed guards – secondary schools for girls remain closed in most provinces.

    Women have also been prevented from entering parks and gyms, among other public places.

  • The benefits of intermittent fasting the right way

    Intermittent fasting is championed by celebrities and CEOs alike for its weight loss and health benefits. While there is promising evidence that fasting can help our bodies repair and perhaps extend our lifespans, it might not be the best approach for losing weight, and dietitians urge caution before cutting out meals.

    Intermittent fasting is a type of time-restricted diet in which fasters leave a long gap between their last meal of one day and first of the next, compressing their meals into a shorter period during the day. Typically, fasters try to leave a gap of 16 hours without food and eat during an eight-hour window. Intermittent fasting is not the only type of time-restricted diet. Others like the 5:2 diet (in which dieters eat a normal amount of food for five days before two days of eating only 25% of their usual calorie intake) focus more on the amount of food consumed, rather than the time between meals.

    “Time-restricted feeding is used as a weight loss tool, but it’s not my favourite approach,” says Rachel Clarkson, founder of London-based consultancy The DNA Dietitian. “You reduce calories but you don’t learn the essential behaviour change around what you’re putting into your body.”

    Clarkson says that without learning what a healthy diet looks like people gain weight again when they stop fasting. “If it means you are feeling starved and restricted then the next day you might over-eat.

    So, intermittent fasting might not be the right approach for people seeking weight loss, but there might be other reasons to change your eating patterns. Fasting is linked to a process called autophagy, which is attracting a lot of interest for its potential health benefits.

    Autophagy is the process by which the body starts to recycle the structures inside its cells, including the nucleus, where DNA is stored, the mitochondria, which synthesise the chemical our cells use for energy, and lysosomes, which remove waste from our cells. In doing so, the cell can remove defunct structures, freeing up new raw materials from which new cellular structures can be built. Some of the new raw material might be used to make cell-protective proteins that further extend the lifespan of cells.

    There is interest in whether autophagy can increase the lifespan of whole organisms, too – though so far this has only been replicated in animals, like 1mm-long nematode worms and mice, and not humans (inhibited autophagy has also been linked to early-onset ageing). Until there are longitudinal studies of human intermittent fasters, it is too soon to say that it will extend our lifespans.

    But, other animal studies have linked autophagy to improvements in immune system memory. The fact that autophagy is essential to maintain cell health has also generated interest in its role in cancer suppression. There might be more reasons than increasing lifespan to take interest in autophagy.

    For most of us, autophagy occurs in our sleep, but it is also brought on by exercise and starvation. Could controlled fasting help to trigger it?

    Unlike calorie-restrictive diets (which have also been linked to longevity), the purpose of intermittent fasting is to increase the amount of time between the last meal of one day and the first of the next. (In theory, an intermittent faster could eat the same amount of calories as normal, though in practice Clarkson says most people reduce their intake slightly.) This could help to promote autophagy, but to understand how we should look at what happens to us after we eat.Eating even a small bite before bed extends the "fed state", meaning you may never achieve ketosis before your next meal (Credit: Getty Images)

    Eating even a small bite before bed extends the “fed state”, meaning you may never achieve ketosis before your next meal (Credit: Getty Images)

    “When you stop eating at 19:00 you will still be in the ‘fed state’ until 22:00 because you will still be digesting nutrients,” says Clarkson. “Any carbohydrates in your diet will give you a nice supply of glucose, our premium source of fuel, for a few hours.”

    The fed state is when your body uses glucose in your blood as its source of energy. Once this energy source is used up, the body switches into a catabolic state – usually around three hours after eating. In this phase, glycogen stored in the liver and muscles is broken down into glucose. When we have depleted the glycogen stores, the body switches from glucose to ketones, which are made in the liver from fatty acids. It’s at this point, a stage called ketosis, that autophagy is triggered.

    “We don’t know exactly when we shift from glucose to ketones,” says Clarkson. “It depends on so many things; genetics, health, lifestyle. How much glycogen you have will be based on how much you have eaten and how much energy you have burned.”

    Someone who has a high-carb diet might never move beyond the catabolic state as they will always have a reserve supply of glycogen. However, someone with a low-carb diet and who regularly exercises might move through it very quickly (the “keto diet”, in which you cut out almost all carbs to maintain low blood glucose levels and glycogen stores, works in the same way).  “I would move away from intermittent fasting for fat loss, and if you want to adopt it think about the health benefits,” says Clarkson.

    How to fast

    “To fast you have to downregulate the feeling of hunger,” says Clarkson. Hunger is felt when ghrelin, a hormone released from our stomach, triggers the production of two other hormones, called NPY and AgRP, in the hypothalamus.

    While these three hormones generate feelings of hunger, there are a multitude more that suppress it. Sometimes called the “satiety hormones”, one of the key ones is leptin which is released from fat cells to suppress the production of ghrelin – basically telling the body “there is fat here that you can burn”.

    Ghrelin is sometimes called the short-term hunger response because it is released when the stomach is empty and there is less pressure on the stomach wall. It can be overridden to a certain extent by drinking water. Leptin meanwhile works over the long term.

    “Our hunger hormones are regulated by many things, genetics being one of them,” says Clarkson. “But thinking about the nerves that are attached to our stomach and digestive tract – if your stomach is not distended your body will think it is hungry.” She adds that staying hydrated can help with the early feelings of hunger until your body has adjusted. “The first couple of weeks will be tough, but you get used to it.”

    For most people, ketosis occurs 12-24 hours after eating, so if you have your evening meal between 18:00 and 20:30, the fed state would end between 21:00 and 23:30 and ketosis and autophagy might occur by 06:00 to 08:30 the following morning. “But the majority of people are sitting down and opening a packet of something else after dinner,” says Clarkson. “Snacking or sugary drinks and beer extend the fed state for three hours. If you finish snacking at 21:30-22:00, the fed state is being taken to 01:00-03:00,” she says. This might mean ketosis never occurs before you next have a meal.

    “If you can make the informed decision of eating the evening meal an hour earlier and not snacking, you may be getting into that ketosis state by morning, versus someone who is having the high-carb evening meal and snacking, waking up at 06:00 and never getting into that state,” she says. Clarkson suggests starting by eating earlier on a Sunday evening, or having breakfast an hour later and starting from there, building up from one or two days each week.

    With a careful approach, intermittent fasting might help your body to perform its own repairs and recoveries. Autophagy appears to decline with age, so giving yourself a boost later in life might be useful. But be aware that it might not be the right strategy for weight loss, and there is no replacement for a balanced diet.

    * William Park is a senior journalist at BBC Future and is @williamhpark on Twitter.

  • Conversation about Efya buying Moesha’s car at cheaper price resurfaces

    One issue that courted controversy in July 2021 was a claim that Efya had bought Moesha Boduong’s car at a cheap price but the socialite has said the musician only served as an intermediary between her and the buyer.

    A few days after Moesha announced she was a born-again Christian, the actress and socialite did not only burn some amount of money she had earned; she also gave some of her items to the needy as “directed by God” and sold her Range Rover Vogue because she “wanted to change it to get a better one”.

    Rumors were rife that Moesha sold her Range Rover at a cheap price to Efya, a situation that engendered controversy.

    In her interview with Deloris Frimpong Manso on the 2022 Christmas edition of The Delay Show, however, Moesha defended Efya as she refuted the claim.

    According to her, Efya did not buy the car but got her a buyer.

    “Efya was the only one that got me a good buyer and she was really happy because she knew I didn’t like the car. Efya was the one that got me the best price,” said Moesha in the interview monitored by GhanaWeb.

    It will be recalled that when the issue was tabled for a discussion on Peace FM’s Entertainment Review in July 2021, Kofi Asamoah, a filmmaker and close associate to Moesha said Efya did not buy the car; rather a musician who works with Efya.

    “The Range Rover Vogue was not purchased by Efya. Efya only served as a ‘middlewoman’ for whoever bought the car. Efya is not the owner of the car. It was another musician. It was another artiste who at the time was working with Efya. She didn’t buy the car for herself as many people think.”

    Although Kofi Asamoah refused to reveal the true identity of the artiste who has acquired Moesha’s Range Rover, he stated that: “As for the person who bought the car, we are withholding his identity for now. We’ll reveal his or her identity at the right time.”

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • ExGlo Foundation goes beyond donations; embark on Skills Development Training

    In a spirit of giving and teaching how to fish, ExGlo once again stepped out into the regions. This time around, the beneficiaries were the Tamale Girls Senior High School in the Northern Region & Srafa D/A Basic School/community, in the Central Region. As an organization operating on the principle of meeting the real needs of people, the activities in these two regions were based on a needs assessment conducted earlier in the year.

    ExGlo has previously been involved in paying school fees for students from deprived communities, donating school supplies such as tables and chairs for staff and students, health screenings and talks, career guidance, and equipment for processing raw materials such as shea nuts, among other things. The foundation continues to strive in diversifying its impact projects and supporting livelihood ventures.

    Excited Students welcome ExGlo Foundation

    The needs assessment found that young girls in Tamale had a high tendency to start their own businesses after high school when they are not able to continue their education. However, with little to no skill acquisition, this desire did not always materialize for people who lacked financial resources. ExGlo was there to fill that hole by teaching these girls for free.

    A Student of Tamale Girls SHS exhibit her product

    The situation for the Srafa community was different yet precarious. In a farming community, girls unable to pursue higher education join their parents on the farms to support themselves and their families; and given that farming is a seasonal occupation, the women become idle when the season is over. With most women being housewives, skills acquisition could put them on the path equip to financial freedom.

    The ExGlo team visited these two regions on different dates; on the 12th of November 2022, students of Tamale Girls Senior High School received their skills training in Liquid Soap and Bead making.

    The ExGlo team later traveled to the Central region on the 18th of November, 2022 to visit the Srafa Community. The visitation was in 2 phases. The first phase was the donation of some essential needs of their basic school to facilitate learning as well as the provision of materials to enhance good menstrual hygiene. Items donated to the school included markerboards, sanitary pads, towels, soaps, African print cloths (to cover themselves with it in the washroom when changing), dozens of panties and a cupboard where all these

    Pupils of Srafa D/A & ExGlo Foundation

    menstrual hygiene items can be kept. ExGlo foundation also repaired the spoilt hand wash basin in the washrooms and fixed the markerboards as well.

    The second phase involved the entire community, but primarily the women. They were taught how to make shampoo, liquid soap, and pastries, which was a huge success. The women were equipped with these skills to help them generate extra income to support themselves and their families.

    This year’s Skills Development Training was sponsored by St John’s Hospital and Fertility Centre, Tantra Hill roundabout, as part of their corporate social responsibility, Best Western Premier, Accra Airport Hotel, and other benevolent people, ExGlo once again moved to impact lives. Special thanks to all who supported making sure these two programs were a success, especially Mr Michael Sandow Ali (the chairman of the board), Mr Abeiku Aggrey Santana, Prof. Joshua Y. Abor, Prof. Mrs Vera Fiador, and other family & friends.

    Despite targeting the Central Region, Northern Region, Upper East Region, and Upper West Region for the Skills Development Training of 2022, ExGlo had to limit the number of locations to 2 due to financial constraints. However, the organization continues to seek support from the general public, other NGOs, and organizations to help execute this cause and reach out to more beneficiaries.

    ExGlo has been dedicated to ensuring that vulnerable people in the rural areas of Ghana, especially the Central Region, Upper East, Upper West, and Northern Regions, enjoy access to decent education, healthcare, and sustainable livelihood projects to improve their lives. This mantle it has carried since 2012 has always been timely and ingenious.

    This year’s Skills Development Program was coordinated and led by Ms. Nancy Abena Manko, the project manager for the foundation, with oversight provided by the Executive Director, Dr. Patience Aseweh Abor.

    Volunteers for this year’s projects were;

    Ms.Priscilla Wiah

    Ms. Hannah Ampomah

    Ms.Winifred Bakari Soale

    Ms. Rahama Issahaku

    Ms.Jennifer Yaa Andorful Wilson

    Nana Tawiah Gaisie

    Mr. Kwesi Ohene-Djan

    Mr.Samuel Quansah

    Mr. Moses Quarshie

    Ms. Alberta Koffuah

    For support, donate, or seek further information, please contact;

    infoexglo@gmail.com

    0264234016/0245581612

    www.exglo.org

  • First-ever audited reports are produced by 50 SOEs.

    Joseph Cudjoe, the minister for public enterprises, claimed that 50 state-owned companies (SOEs) were able to compile and deliver an audited report that was dependable enough to access their performance for the first time ever, a feat he called amazing.

    Out of a total of 128 SOEs, he said that only around 17 were able to successfully deliver a report in 2017, but now about 50 have.
    The minister acknowledged that there is still work to be done, but said that the secretariat is doing everything possible to reach the desired result.

    Additionally, some SOEs that were consistently making losses have made profits for the first time and declared a dividend, a reason why he said the secretariat is in engagement with the government to get some SOEs listed on the stock market for the public to partake and benefit.

    According to the minister, measures implemented since the establishment of the Public Enterprise Secretariat with the aim of transforming the SOEs from loss-making entities to dividend payment entities are gradually yielding results but logistical constraints for the secretariat and lack of capacity on the part of some of the SOEs are major challenges.

    “We are committed to the transformation of SOEs from loss-making to profit-makers, and so we have initiated several reformative measures to support capacity-building and digitalisation of operations to reduce workload and slow pace of production which usually causes inefficiencies. We are working to provide an opportunity for Ghanaians to participate in owning parts of selected state-owned enterprises that are doing well. It is the intention of the government to list qualifying SOEs on the Ghana Stock Exchange,” he said.

    He mentioned that the performance contract signing initiative introduced by the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA) has been leveraged to initiate the Public Enterprises League Table (PELT) to introduce competition and provide a standard for highlighting performances.

    Chief Director of the Public Enterprise Secretariat (PES), Christina Edmund, emphasised that the PES has collaborated with other stakeholders to develop the state ownership policy, drafted the code of corporate governance for all state enterprises (SEs), trained board secretaries of SEs, and organised capacity-building workshops, among others initiatives, with the focus of making them productive.

    Gov’t to dispose of collapsed SOEs

    The minister indicated that some key SOEs in the 1960s and 70s that have collapsed or become defunct over time are still in the books of the government; meanwhile, the state has no use for them, hence, the need to dispose of them. “The verification of these assets has been undertaken and it is time to dispose of them to stop the unproductive costs we incur to keep these defunct assets. We intend to request Cabinet approval for this effect,” he said

  • ‘I don’t know the girl’ – Moesha’s comment on her relationship with Salma Mumin

    A year after accepting Christ and making a comeback on social media, Moesha Bodoung has claimed that she doesn’t know who Salma Mumin is, adding that she doesn’t wish to talk about her in her conversation.

    Moesha Buduong made this known in an interview with Delay when the television presenter asked about her current relationship with Salma and her former personal assistant, Samuel Nelson.

    “My PA is out of my life, and I don’t know the girl you are talking about. I don’t want to mention her name so much…I don’t know her, I quite don’t remember. All I know is Moesha,” she stated.

    In 2021, when actress Moesha Budoung was reported to have had a breakdown, a leaked audio conversation between her former friend, Salma and Samuel Nelson, caused a stir on social media.

    Nelson was heard making damning allegations against Moesha as Salma listened on.

    According to him, Moesha badmouthed her (Salma) to some friends over an alleged body enhancement surgery in Turkey.

    He also alleged that actress Sandra Ankobiah was among Moesha’s victims.

    It was rumoured that Salma leaked the audio, which put Moesha in a bad light.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Ghanaian YouTuber Wode Maya surprises Kenyan wife with SUV on Christmas Day

    A few months after their wedding, Ghanaian YouTuber, Wode Maya surprised his Kenyan wife Miss Trudy with an SUV.

    Wode Maya made the decision to make this Christmas special by giving her a Toyota Fortuner on Christmas Day.

    In a YouTube video, the content producer reveals how he surprised Trudy with the new SUV.

    Maya, who wed Trudy in September, recalled that he had different ideas when he left the house in the morning after promising his wife he was going jogging.

    He went to a vehicle lot instead, where he purchased a new Toyota Fortuner for almost KSh 9 million.

    “We met four years ago and we’ve been through it all. Trudy has never asked for money for hair, dresses, or anything. It is time to give husbands out there pressure. I don’t need a car as I will miss interactions with people I meet and Uber drivers.”

    Then Maya called Trudy, who had moved to Ghana to prepare for him, and said they were going to see his mother.

    Maya informed her that he had scheduled an Uber for them when he got back home.

    But when he got outside, he showed off the black SUV with the ribbons. With her eyes wide open, Trudy assumed her husband was playing a practical joke on her.

    “Babe thank you so much I can’t believe this. This is crazy. I have always wanted big cars like this. Do you know they are rich people’s cars?”

    Maya clarified that he purchased the car so Trudy could tour Ghana. When Trudy saw how far they had come, she said:

    “He had nothing when we met but over the years he has done a lot for his family and many other people. When you meet a boy don’t judge him because of where he is at the moment but where he could be in future.”

    To commemorate the event, the two popped a bottle of champagne.

    “Getting a car was not a priority as we first wanted to build a home. God bless.”

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • 2023 will see a global economic downturn – Research

    Despite the fact that the global economy topped $100 trillion for the first time in 2022, policymakers are attempting to rein in rising costs before 2023.

    The Centre for Economics and Business Research predicts that the world will experience a recession in 2023 as a result of rising borrowing prices designed to combat inflation and the contraction of certain economies (CEBR).

    According to the British consultancy’s annual World Economic League Table, the global economy passed the $100 trillion mark for the first time in 2022 but will stagnate in 2023 as policymakers continue their fight against rising prices.

    “It’s likely that the world economy will face a recession next year as a result of the rises in interest rates in response to higher inflation,” said Kay Daniel Neufeld, director and head of Forecasting at CEBR.

    The report added that, “The battle against inflation is not won yet. We expect central bankers to stick to their guns in 2023 despite the economic costs. The cost of bringing inflation down to more comfortable levels is a poorer growth outlook for a number of years to come.”

    The findings are more pessimistic than the latest forecast from the International Monetary Fund. That institution warned in October that more than a third of the world economy will contract and there is a 25% chance of global GDP growing by less than 2% in 2023, which it defines as a global recession.

    Even so, by 2037, world gross domestic product will have doubled as developing economies catch up with the richer ones. The shifting balance of power will see the East Asia and Pacific region account for over a third of global output by 2037, while Europe’s share shrinks to less than a fifth.

    The CEBR takes its base data from the IMF’s World Economic Outlook and uses an internal model to forecast growth, inflation and exchange rates.

    China is now not set to overtake the US as the world’s largest economy until 2036 at the earliest — six years later than expected. That reflects China’s zero Covid policy and rising trade tensions with the west slow, which have slowed its expansion.

    CEBR had originally expected the switch in 2028, which it pushed back to 2030 in last year’s league table. It now thinks the cross-over point will not happen until 2036 and may come even later if Beijing tries to take control of Taiwan and faces retaliatory trade sanctions.

    “The consequences of economic warfare between China and the West would be several times more severe than what we have seen following Russia’s attack on Ukraine. There would almost certainly be quite a sharp world recession and a resurgence of inflation,” CEBR said.

    “But the damage to China would be many times greater and this could well torpedo any attempt to lead the world economy.”

    It also predicted that:

    -India will become the third $10 trillion economy in 2035 and the world’s third-largest by 2032

    -The UK will remain the world’s sixth largest economy, and France seventh, over the next 15 years but Britain is no longer set to grow faster than European peers due to “an absence of growth-oriented policies and the lack of a clear vision of its role outside of the European Union.”

    -Emerging economies with natural resources will get a “substantial boost” as fossil fuels play an important part in the switch to renewable energy.

    -The global economy is a long way from the $80 000 per capita GDP level at which carbon emissions decouple from growth, which means further policy interventions are needed to hit the target of limiting global warming to just 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels.

  • Paris shooting: Suspect admits ‘pathological’ hatred of migrants

    The man accused of a deadly attack against the Kurdish community in Paris has admitted to a “pathological” hatred of migrants, French prosecutors say.

    The 69-year-old told investigators he had planned to kill “non-European foreigners” as he embarked on his shooting spree on Friday, they say.

    The suspect was placed in psychiatric care after being questioned by police.

    He is accused of opening fire at a Kurdish cultural centre, killing three people and wounding another three.

    The man, retired train driver named as William M., told police he had become “depressed” and “suicidal” after his home was burgled in 2016, the office of the Paris prosecutor said on Sunday.

    He admitted that since then, his hatred of foreigners had “become totally pathological”, the statement added.

    It said that on Friday he first went to Saint-Denis, a high-immigration suburb in northern Paris, in order to kill “non-Europeans” – but found few people there.

    He then travelled to the Ahmet-Kaya Kurdish centre in Paris’s 10th district, where he carried out the attack.

    The man resented that community because Kurdish militiamen involved in the Syrian conflict had “taken prisoners during their fight against Islamic State instead of killing them”, the prosecutors say.

    A nearby restaurant and a hairdresser also came under fire before the man was arrested without a fight.

    He was detained on suspicion of murder, attempted murder, and acting with a racist motive.

    He has a history of weapons offences and it has emerged that he was released on bail days before the assault.

    Last year he was charged with racist violence over a sword attack at a migrant camp in the French capital.

    The shootings sparked unrest on Friday and Saturday. Demonstrators started fires in the streets, smashing car windows and clashing with police.

    The violence unfolded after Kurds had gathered peacefully in the Place de la République to pay tribute to the victims.

    In the aftermath of the shootings, Kurds have renewed calls to the French authorities for better protection. Community leaders met the Parisian police chief on Saturday.

    Friday’s attack came almost 10 years after the murder of three Kurdish women activists in the French capital – an unresolved crime.

    The community was again “afraid”, having been “traumatised” by the January 2013 murders, said a lawyer for the Kurdish democratic council in France (CDK-F).

  • Wolves complete Christmas Day signing of Cunha 

    Matheus Cunha has completed his move from Atletico Madrid to Wolves.

    Cunha, a Brazil international who joined Atleti from Hertha Berlin in 2021, is the first signing of the Julen Lopetegui era at Molineux. 

    The 23-year-old has joined on loan, though the transfer will automatically become permanent should certain clauses be triggered.

    Lopetegui had already confirmed the transfer on Friday, though the club made the official announcement on Sunday.

    Cunha will officially join on January 1, subject to a work permit.

    A member of Brazil’s gold medal-winning side at the Tokyo Olympics last year, Cunha scored six goals in 29 LaLiga appearances for Atleti in the 2021-22 campaign, but has failed to find the net this season.

    “He’s a good player. I know him, and I think he’s a good signing for us for the present and also for the future,” Lopetegui said of Cunha at his pre-match press conference ahead of Wolves’ trip to Everton.

    “He is a very complete forward. He has a good condition, good skills, not only technically but physically. This is England, and in the Premier League you have to be a very complete forward if you want to survive.

    “I think he has this profile to play here for a lot of years. Of course, we are going to help him to develop his strengths in the future.”

  • Friends gave me ‘wee drink’ – Moesha talks about hallucinating before encounter with God

    Barely a year after becoming a born-again Christian, changing her name, and deleting all her risqué photos on her social media pages, Moesha Boduong is back with more racy photos and videos amidst claims that her ‘born again’ chorus was just for showbiz.

    The socialite, however, has maintained she was touched by God but that encounter, according to her, was after she drank alcohol mixed with hard drugs.

    In an interview with Deloris Frimpong Manso on The Delay Show aired on December 25, 2022, Moesha admitted to hallucinating at home after drinking the substance.

    “I had a few drinks with some friends that made me see things in a different way,” said Moesha in the interview monitored by GhanaWeb. “All I felt was that I realized I was really seeing so many things that were not really making sense to me. And all of a sudden, I just started weeping.”

    “And I felt this spirit all over my body and all of a sudden, I started feeling closer to God and God just kept making me feel powerful and special. And I just started speaking about God, called all my family members preaching to them… I just started seeing things, saying things to my family members and friends that were their real stories and I knew that God was really inside me.”

    Disputing suggestions that her reaction was under the influence of the substance she took, Moesha vehemently mentioned that God indeed touched her.

    “The drink had hard drugs. I read something like it had weed; they just say hard drugs. Everyone that had that drink had similar reactions and everybody got better. I felt the presence of God and it’s been like that till now,” she said while stating her statement is not an endorsement of hard drugs but feels God saved her that very moment.

    Moesha also traced the genesis of her encounter with God to a bad relationship experience.

    She said: “I was in a relationship with somebody that I was not supposed to be in a relationship with. And God touched me. And I went to Victoria Michaels’ brother’s church. And I felt the presence of God and it was so deep. I never felt like that in any church before. All I know is that God lives in that church and God touched me.”

    In June 2021, a video clip of Moesha at the Revelation Church renouncing her sins and announcing her newfound love for Jesus Christ went viral as many expressed shocks over the decision. Others, however, doubted its veracity, stressing that it was a stunt.

    The actress, known for her racy lifestyle, also announced she had changed her name from Moesha to Maurecia.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • They blackmailed my lover – Moesha opens up about relationship with pastor

    Socialite Moesha Boduong who once disclosed she was dating a pastor who was assisting her to build a house at East Legon has said that she made this public because some people were blackmailing the preacher.

    She mentioned on The Delay Show that she aimed at clearing the air, a target she successfully executed.

    “I realized that people were using a lot of stories they’ve heard about me to extort and blackmail him because he is a target to so many women,” said Moesha who donned a black attire.

    Meanwhile, Moesha has explained that a house located at East Legon that went viral after her birthday was not hers but a rented apartment.

    She denied ever inviting bloggers for an unveiling as she stressed, she only held a birthday party there. According to her, the narrative that the house was hers came from bloggers.

    “I own my own house but that house was not mine. That’s a rented house,” she clarified. “But it’s literally mine. Sometimes, I tell people that it’s mine. It’s not like I own it.”

    Asked how she classified a rented apartment as hers, Moesha explained that “when you rent a place, you own the space for that time. But I never said it was mine. I have my own home at Ajiringanor… It was my birthday and bloggers were all over my house.”

    “They recorded me and I just found myself all over social media.”
    In June 2021, a video clip of Moesha at the Revelation Church renouncing her sins and announcing her newfound love for Jesus Christ went viral as many expressed shocks over the decision. Others, however, doubted its veracity, stressing that it was a stunt.

    The actress, known for her racy lifestyle, also announced she had changed her name from Moesha to Maurecia.

    A year after, she is back to her old lifestyle causing people to wonder what went wrong.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Mzbel celebrates her 43rd birthday with new photos

    Highlife singer, Belinda Nana Ekua Amoah, known chiefly as Mzbel, marked her 43rd birthday on December 26, 2022.

    The ’16 Years’ singer took to her social media platforms to declare how grateful she was for the gift of life.

    Adorned in a green and gold kente playsuit, Mzbel gave her best poses in her birthday photos.

    The photos, which have attracted several wishes from fans on social media, read: “God has given me another year to live, to laugh, to learn and to love and that is the best thing I could ever receive. Happy Birthday to me!”

    Mzbel made headlines this year for the release of her much-anticipated single titled ‘Asibolanga’ which became a street anthem.

    Check out the photos below:

  • You used to be a socialite with class – Delay lashes Moesha

    Television personality Deloris Frimpong Manso (Delay) has observed that Moesha Boduong’s brand as a socialite has deteriorated considering the manner in which she portrays herself lately.

    Although Moesha announced in 2021 that she was a born-again Christian and consequently ditched her ‘ungodly’ ways to win souls for Christ, the actress and socialite is back in the news for wearing what some have described as indecent dresses. Recent video clips of her seductive dance moves at pubs have also been in circulation.

    All these and more have culminated in making some people conclude that Moesha is back to her old ways and is doing worse than before her encounter with God.

    Deloris who interviewed Moesha on The Delay Show aired on December 25, 2022, could not fathom why Moesha appears to have lowered the bar for herself making the TV show host ask the socialite the reason behind her actions.

    “You’re moving from one club to the other dancing and throwing yourself on the floor; what is all that about?” Delay said.

    “I love dancing,” Moesha responded, triggering another question from Delay.

    “Can’t you dance decently? You have to be all over the place? When they post the video, people are like ‘oh, Moesha needs help, she’s going through a mental breakdown’. Truly that’s not who you used to be. Even though you were a socialite as you put it, you were a socialite with class. Today, you’re standing at a chop bar and dancing. What is that?” Delay asked.

    Responding to the question, Moesha said she intends to leave Ghana for the United States of America to become an “exotic dancer” so as to earn money.

    She said: “Do you know everything you said about me has made me realise that the world really saw me to be that girl? Because you just described Moesha in a very beautiful way, the world can just listen to this interview on how Ghanaians saw me but you guys just want to tear me down and lie and tarnish my image.

    “I did this to see the feedback. I know what I want to become. I really want to leave this country and really direct my brand to the US because I really get invitations to go to the US for a lot of events and I’m trying to really build my brand to be an exotic sexy dancer to make money off that.”

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Did Shatta Wale and Medikal fill the 40,000-capacity Accra Sports Stadium?

    Shatta Wale and his showbiz brother Medikal on December 25 recorded a mind-blowing turnout at the second edition of the Freedom Wave Concert.

    The joint show which happened at the Accra Sports Stadium witnessed die-hard fans of the two artistes spending hours waiting to witness their performances.

    The big question on the lips of many including social media users is whether or not Shatta Wale and Medikal were able to realise their greatest dream of filling the Accra Sports Stadium.

    The Freedom Concert sold the most affordable tickets which were as low as GH₵20.00 and GH₵50.00. VVIP tickets were sold at GH₵100.

    Many have argued that this ‘free-to-all’ move allowed fans to buy and attend the show, resulting in an impressive turnout.

    GhanaWeb’s reporter, Paula Amma Broni who was on the ground from late afternoon to daybreak surmised that this year’s edition recorded double the number of attendees as the maiden event where only a section of the stadium was occupied.

    Although some seats were left empty, it can not be compared to the number of occupied seats.

    Members of the Shatta Movement and Meditant brigade widely circulated scenes from the stands on social media by Shatta to prove their point their favorite artistes indeed filled up the Accra Sports Stadium.

    Performances

    Although it took forever to see the main acts on stage, music lovers who turned up at the 40,000-capacity stadia were served with back-to-back performances from the likes of Wendy Shay, OV, Larruso, Keche, Edem, DopeNation, La Meme Gang, FBS, Fotocopy, Captan, Kofi Kinaata, Kofi Jamar and many others

    The big stage also afforded up-and-coming artistes a platform to exhibit their talent and sell their music to the huge crowd.

    The loud cheers and chants multiplied anytime an artiste mounted the stage.

    Shatta Wale moved the crowd like no other, cementing his name as of Ghana’s greatest artistes who has no issue commanding a large fanbase.

    The Dancehall musician’s performance which lasted for over two hours witnessed appearances from Medikal and Nigerian musicians Mr Eazi and AV.

    Security

    Fans on social media have been sending congratulatory messages to the two, for a successful show which had tight security until the later parts when fans forced their way through the gates unto the football pitch just to get up close with Shatta Wale.

    There was a heavy deployment of security personnel on the grounds, in the stands, pitch and backstage where the artistes waited in line for their performance. A few arrests were made by the Ghana Police Service for various petty offences at the show.

    Also, an Ambulance was on standby at the Accra Sports Stadium.

    Source: Ghanaweb.com

  • Skiers rescued after avalanche in western Austria

    All ten members of a group of skiers caught in an avalanche near the resort of Lech-Zuers in western Austria on Sunday have been rescued, police say.

    Helicopters, searchlights and avalanche dogs were used in the operation to locate the missing people after initial fears they had been buried in the snow.

    “According to our current information, it can be assumed that no more people are missing,” police said later.

    No details were given of the nationalities of the skiers.

    The avalanche happened at about 15:00 local time (14:00 GMT) at an altitude of 2,700m (8,858ft).

    Source: BBC

  • Kathy Whitworth: Golfer who broke record for wins dies at 83

    Kathy Whitworth – the professional golfer with the most trophies – has died aged 83, America’s Ladies Professional Golf Association has said.

    “Her 88 LPGA victories are the most ever on a professional tour,” it said.

    The Texan took six more trophies than her rival Mary Kathryn “Mickey” Wright, as well as men’s game joint record-holders Sam Snead and Tiger Woods.

    She died suddenly on Saturday night while celebrating Christmas Eve with family and friends, her partner said.

    “Kathy left this world the way she lived her life, loving, laughing and creating memories,” said Bettye Odle without providing any further details.

    Whitworth won six majors during her decades-long career, and came very close, being a runner-up in 1971, to winning the US Women’s Open – the most prestigious trophy.

    In 1981, she became the first woman to earn $1m (£829,000) on the LPGA tour.

    “I would have swapped being the first to make a million for winning the Open, but it was a consolation which took some of the sting out of not winning,” she said at the time.

    Her last professional title was in 1985 – 23 years after she triumphed for the first time.

    Paying tributes, LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan said Whitworth was “one of the most incredible women”.

    “Kathy was a champion in the truest sense of the word, both on the golf course and off,” she said in a statement.

    Source: BBC

  • Al-Shabab: 14 Iranian fishermen freed years after abduction

    Fourteen Iranian fishermen have returned home after years in captivity by al-Shabab militants in Somalia.

    They were freed after “lengthy negotiations with government officials, tribal chiefs and Somali elders,” Iranian news agency ISNA reports.

    They were flown back to Iran late on Saturday before being taken to their hometown of Chabahar, in the south.

    Some of them had been held for as long as eight years after being kidnapped in international waters close to Somalia.

    The fishermen were freed almost a month after Somali police said they had found 20 foreigners – 14 Iranians and six Pakistanis – near land controlled by militants.

    According to the AFP news agency, police said at the time that some of the fishermen had been seized by al-Shabab in 2014 and others had been kidnapped in mid-2019.

    The group of fishermen was welcomed by family members in a ceremony at the main international airport in Tehran on Saturday night.

    The Islamist militant group al-Shabab has carried out several attacks in Somalia in recent months, including twin car bomb explosions in the capital Mogadishu in October, in which 120 people died.

    The government has launched a large-scale offensive against al-Shabab, working together with local clan militia.

    Al-Shabab militants have been active in Somalia for more than 15 years, have control over large rural areas and continue to mount attacks in urban centres.

    Source: BBC

  • Pope Francis says world suffering a ‘famine of peace’

    Pope Francis has said the world is suffering from a “famine of peace”, in his annual Christmas Day message from the Vatican.

    He called for a end to the “senseless war” in Ukraine, condemning what he said was the use of “food as a weapon” of war.

    Ukraine shipped about 30% of the world’s wheat and prices have jumped since the Russian invasion in February.

    It was Pope Francis’ 10th Christmas Day address since he assumed the papacy.

    While the war in Ukraine occupied much of his 10-minute speech, he spoke of “a grave famine of peace also in other regions and other theatres of this Third World War”.

    He singled out conflicts and humanitarian crises in the Middle East, Myanmar, Haiti, and the Sahel region of Africa.

    The pontiff also prayed for “reconciliation” in Iran, where mass anti-government protests have swept the country for more than three months. The protests there have been met by a crackdown, with more than 500 people, including 69 children, killed, human rights groups say.

    Speaking from a balcony at the basilica overlooking St Peter’s Square, the 86-year-old Pope lamented the human cost of war. He urged not to forget those “who go hungry while huge amounts of food daily go to waste and resources are being spent on weapons”.

    “The war in Ukraine has further aggravated this situation, putting entire peoples at risk of famine, especially in Afghanistan and in the countries of the Horn of Africa,” he said.

    “We know that every war causes hunger and exploits food as a weapon, hindering its distribution to people already suffering.”

    The Pope said “those who hold political responsibilities” should lead the way to make food “solely an instrument of peace”.

    His message was followed by the customary Urbi et Orbi (To the City and to the World) blessing, recited in Latin and traditionally in many other languages as well.

  • This administration is borrowing endless amounts of money – Pianim

    Kwame Pianim, a prominent economist and member of the New Patriotic Party, bemoaned Ghana’s borrowing rate.

    He remarked, “This administration is borrowing endlessly. It must be paid for by someone.
    My grandkids will cover the cost of any bonds you take out instead of me.

    “You succeeded in dividing the nation more sharply than ever before.
    Who will listen to you if there are fights in the House of Commons?

    We don’t need every member of parliament or party member to be macho in order to demonstrate how strong he is for the party.
    We want jawing,” he said.

    The Akufo-Addo administration is currently borrowing as though there is no tomorrow, an Economist and New Patriotic Party (NPP) stalwart, Mr. Kwame Pianim, has said.

    He accused Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta of badly managing the economy and also plunging the country into debt.

    Speaking on the New Day show on TV3 with host Berla Mundi on Wednesday, December 221, he said “COVID-19 should have taught us that cut your coat according to your cloth. There is no father Christmas.

    “This government is borrowing as if there is no end. Somebody has to pay for it. If you take a bond, I am not going to pay for it, my grandchildren are going to pay for it.”

    Making a projection for the next year, he said “You managed to divide the country in a way it has never been so divided. Fisticuffs in Parliament, who is going to listen to you?

    “Every parliamentarian, every foot soldier of the party wants to show how strong he is for the party by being macho, we don’t need that. We want jaw jawing.”

    Asked about his view on whether or not Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta has managed the economy better, he answered “No, he hasn’t done a good job, he is over-borrowing, we are not getting value for money.

    Mr. Painim also rejected the E-levy proposal in the budget statement for the 2022 fiscal year.

    “There is so much money you tap into, don’t go and touch technology,” he said.

  • South Korea accuses North of drone incursion

    South Korean military officials say North Korea has flown several drones across their mutual border.

    The “unmanned aerial vehicles” violated South Korean airspace in the border areas around Gyeonggi province, said the country’s joint chiefs of staff.

    One of the drones flew as far as the capital Seoul, according to reports.

    The South Korean military said it had fired warning shots before sending up jets and helicopters to shoot them down.

    One of the warplanes, a KA-1 light attack aircraft, later crashed, but its two pilots escaped unhurt.

    The plane fell to the ground in Hoengseong County, east of Seoul, soon after take-off from an air base in the nearby city of Wonju, according to the air force, quoted by Yonhap news agency.

    South Korea also suspended planes taking off and landing at its Incheon and Gimpo airports for about an hour.

    The last time a North Korean drone crossed the border was five years ago in June 2017.

  • World standard cycling velodrome to be constructed in Ghana

    The President of the Para-cycling Commission of Africa, Mohammed Shaban, has disclosed that Ghana would soon have a world standard cycling velodrome constructed by South Korean investment firm, DerbyWheel Pro Keiren.

    Mr Shaban noted that the new velodrome would complement the efforts of cyclists and para-cyclists in the country to help them learn the technicalities involved in the sport.

    “The building of a cycling velodrome is very important since we can now practise the sport to meet the standard of the international community as prescribed by the International Cycling Union (UCI),” he told Daily Graphic in an interview.

    He also disclosed that Ghana would host the African Road Paracycling Championship would be held in February.

    “The hosting of this event in Ghana will offer the platform for more para-cyclists to get classified by the visiting team from the world body,” he said.

    He noted that the championship which is the first time to be hosted in Ghana is aimed at preparing cyclists and para-cyclists for the African Games next year and the Olympiad Games in 2024.

    The DerbyWheel project is estimated to cost over US $60m. It will serve as a backup for other sporting disciplines such as table tennis, athletics, basketball, volleyball and badmint

  • Rohingya refugees reach Indonesia after month at sea

    Dozens of Rohingya refugees – all men – have drifted on to a beach in western Indonesia in a wooden boat with a broken engine, local officials say.

    They are described as hungry and weak after spending a month at sea. At least three men were taken to hospital.

    It is not clear if they are part of a group of at least 150 Rohingya who became stranded at sea weeks ago.

    The Rohingya are a persecuted ethnic minority in their original home in Myanmar (Burma).

    The wooden boat with 57 men on board landed on Sunday morning in Aceh province, local police spokesman Winardy told AFP news agency.

    “The boat had a broken engine and it was carried by the wind to a shore in Ladong Village in Aceh Besar [district],” the spokesman said.

    “They said they have been drifting at sea for a month.”

    A local immigration official told AFP the refugees would be temporarily placed at a government facility.

    Other media reports say 58 men arrived in Aceh.

    It was not immediately known where the migrants had sailed from, though many live in refugee camps in Bangladesh, about 1,200 miles (1,900km) away.

    Residents of Indonesia's Aceh province look at the boat that carried the Rohingya refugees. Photo: 25 December 2022
    Image caption,The boat that carried the refugees had a broken engine, Indonesian officials say

    Last week, the UN urged countries around the Andaman Sea in South East Asia to assist a small fishing boat carrying at least 150 Rohingya refugees which had been drifting without power for two weeks after leaving Bangladesh.

    People on the boat who were contacted via satellite phone said at the time that a number of passengers, including children, had already died. They said that food and water supplies had run out.

    The UN on Sunday expressed fear that the fishing boat might have sunk.

    Many Rohingya Muslims fled to Bangladesh in 2017 to escape a campaign of genocide launched by Myanmar’s military.

    In recent months, they have been trying to escape from overcrowded refugee camps in southern Bangladesh by taking high-risk sea journeys at this time of year, after the monsoon in the region has passed.

    Their numbers have grown because of deteriorating conditions in the camps, while more Rohingya who are still in Myanmar are also trying to leave following the military coup there last year.

    At least five boats are known to have left in the past two months.

    Source: BBC

    • Get Vim Soccer Fiesta set for January 1st at East Legon

      The annual soccer match hosted Get Vim Foundation is set to come off on the 1st of January, 2023 in East Legon.

      The match which is aimed at bringing unity and peaceful cohesion among the people in the area is exclusively for men aged between 25 and 40 years.

      Speaking in an interview Makqash Abrantie disclosed that the match is a community fun soccer match that is expected to attract friendship, business contacts and other benefits.

      “Every year we come together for an end-of-year soccer match as a form of reuniting us” he expressed.

      He said Get Vim is all about encouraging and motivating people to improve.

      The match will be between TEAM GET-VIM and JUNGLE AVENUE 11, which comes off at the Adjringanor Astro Park.

      Football fans are welcome to see the skills of people who love football, can play the game very well, but are not amateurs or professionals.

      The Get Vim boss is a patriot and keen supporter of the Black Stars. He watched the Ghana team at the recent FIFA World Cup in Qatar and feels the Black Stars did well.

    • South Africa fuel tanker explosion kills 15 near hospital

      At least 15 people have been killed, and about 40 injured, by a huge fuel tanker explosion near a hospital east of Johannesburg.

      The tanker appeared to have got stuck under a low bridge on Saturday morning in Boksburg city, about 100m from Tambo Memorial Hospital.

      Patients were evacuated from the hospital’s casualty after part of the roof collapsed following the blast.

      The truck was carrying liquid petroleum gas.

      “Apparently, a gas tanker drove under the subway bridge and got stuck in there, and due to friction, it caught alight,” emergency services spokesperson William Ntladi was quoted as saying.

      As firefighters tried to put out the blaze, there was a huge second explosion – captured on amateur video – that destroyed a fire engine and two motor vehicles.

      There are fears the death toll could rise, as 19 people are in critical condition and 15 others are stable but seriously hurt, AFP reports.

      Eyewitness Michael Kulinji described the blast as “more like a bomb” and told the Reuters news agency that he had seen the fire under the bridge.

      Another witness, Jean Marie Booysen, said that she saw “immense flames at about 06:35 local time (04:35 GMT) and thought “this feels like 6.5 on the Richter”, according to Reuters.

      Footage apparently taken in the immediate aftermath of the blast shows a number of dazed and burned people stumbling around a residential area near the epicentre.

      Source: BBC

    • Ghana defeats Nigeria in a ceremonial game

      Nigeria had a chance to defeat Ghana on Friday, December 23, 2022 when a select team from the nation played a Ghanaian select team in a ceremonial basketball game after Nigeria lost to Ghana in the World Cup play-off in March thanks to a Thomas Partey goal.

      Unfortunately for Nigeria, their squad was unable to achieve any success as they fell short of Ghana by a single point.

      At the end of the highly-patronized match played at the Bukom Boxing Arena, the Ghanaian team won 33-32 against Nigeria.

      Prior to the fiercely contested game, the basketball team for the Ghana Immigration Service had overpowered a select team from France with a 33-30 victory.

      The GIS team came from behind to snatch victory from the French who made a blistering start to the match.

      The event which was christened African Basketball Festival was organized by RITE Sports under the auspices of the Beyond the Return secretariat.

      The festival was a blend of entertainment, fashion, and sport as musician Edem and dancer, Kobby Rana entertained the crowd with some good music.

      Bloom by Edziban, Beatiful Beneath and Elikem Kumordzie provided fashion lovers with some excitement on the night.

      Speaking to the press after the event, Yaw Sakyi Afari, the Chief Executive Officer of RITE Sports commended the partners, stakeholders and patrons for their role in helping his outfit deliver a great show.

      He indicated his satisfaction with the event saying ‘ We are happy with the performance of the teams, officials and all partners. Looking at the excitement generated from the second edition, we are confident next year which has more countries participating will be more fun and rewarding for both teams and patrons with a number of days of extended ‘.

      “We thank our sponsors, fashion houses, musicians, Ghana Basketball Association, Beyond The Return office, Team Coordinators and all who played a role in ensuring the success of the show”.

      The festival also enjoyed support from GLICO, Ebony Condoms, Sprite , Caveman Watches and the French Embassy.

    • Farmer enthusiasm in groundnut planting is rekindled – SARINUT2

      In the Bawku Municipality of the Upper East Region, where he was raised, Chief Bukari Issah was born into a family known for growing groundnuts. He carried on the tradition but recently abandoned it due to low yields and the difficulty to make a profit after harvest.

      He learned about SARINUT 2, a brand-new groundnut type, in 2019.
      In his neighborhood of Gentiga in the Bawku Municipality, he purchased some (SARINUT 2) to grow an acre of land.
      He was taken aback by the four-fold increase in yields beyond what he typically saw from his previous variety.

      He told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that “The major variety I am doing now is SARINUT 2. We were growing the old varieties, which were not helping us but when we moved to SARINUT 2, we have seen improvement; if you harvest one acre, you can get almost 24 bags, but other varieties will only give you less than four bags. So, SARINUT 2 is helping us. That is why I am using it.”

      He added that “In the olden days, our forefathers started with groundnuts. You know groundnuts look like a beautiful lady; anybody who sees it is happy, but people decided to reject them when we were not getting yields. So, when SARINUT 2 came to my community, people were harvesting, and they were happy. So, a lot of farmers in the area now go for SARINUT 2. So, as for SARINUT 2, we want all farmers at Bawku to cultivate it so that we can harvest more to feed the nation.”

      Mr Mwinipuoba Simon, a young farmer from Nadowli-Kaleo District in the Upper West Region, also shared his experience saying “I have benefited a lot from SARINUT 2. The yield is high, and I will advise farmers to patronise SARINUT 2. I bought four sheep through it, which have increased to six.” He said “I used to farm other varieties, but SARINUT 2 is far better. When I farm one acre using SARINUT 2, I get more than three times the yield compared to what I get from other varieties. I now cultivate only SARINUT 2 because it is a good variety for farmers.”

      Ms Maria Johana Yuorpor, Chief Executive of Mara Foods, a processor of indigenous foods at Nandom in the Upper West Region, said “I have been processing SARINUT 2 for the past two years and I will say that it is nutritious compared to others. Besides, it gives me an extremely high product yield and quality. It is tasty and delicious. It comes out crispy and nice when I process it into peanut butter chips.” She added that “The women farmers in my area whom I buy my raw groundnut from for processing like to cultivate it too. They say it matures early and it is resistant to diseases.”

      The testimonies of Chief Bukari, Mr Mwinipuoba and Ms Yuorpor are just a reflection of what many farmers and agro processors in the northern part of the country, who have shifted to cultivating SARINUT 2, are experiencing.

      Many of the farmers in the northern part of the country, who embraced the SARINUT 2, told the GNA that not only did it mature early, but it also gave them high yields.

      They said their living conditions had improved since they started cultivating SARINUT 2 as the high yields led to improved incomes and household nutrition through increased sales and consumption of the crop.

      Importance of groundnuts

      Groundnut is one of the most important legume crops grown in the semi-arid areas of the West African region for food, feed and use in cropping systems.

      In Ghana, groundnut is an important source of income for farmers. Groundnut is a major cash crop for many rural households accounting for up to 50 per cent of cash income, and it is a nutritious food rich in protein, oil, and micronutrients such as iron and zinc that contributes to improved nutrition and health of the rural population.

      It also contributes to soil fertility through biological nitrogen fixation and using the haulm after harvest. The haulm is also a useful source of animal feed.

      Challenges associated with groundnut cultivation

      Despite its importance, the cultivation of groundnuts in Ghana is confronted with many problems such as the effects of climate change, climatic factors, diseases and pests, low soil fertility coupled with poor agronomic practices, poor access to quality inputs including excellent quality seeds, and institutional and socio-economic challenges.

      These constraints result in low productivity of groundnut to about 60 per cent of the world average. Among these constraints, the low access to inputs especially quality seeds is crucial because the seed is known as one of the most key factors influencing crop productivity; the use of quality seeds alone can contribute to a 15-40% increase in crop production.

      What is SARINUT 2, and how did it come into the system?

      Bearing in mind the importance of good seed to crop productivity, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in partnership with the national agricultural research systems has undertaken intense breeding programmes to develop and promote groundnut varieties aimed at mitigating the effects of production constraints, since the 1980s.

      Unfortunately, these efforts have not fully yielded the expected results since many farmers continue to use old and poorly performing varieties. It is against this backdrop that the “Upscaling improved groundnut varieties through integrated seed systems for improving income and nutrition in dryland of Ghana and Mali (NWO-WOTRO groundnut)” project came into being.

      The NWO-WOTRO groundnut project was implemented from 2019 to 2022 by a consortium led by the ICRISAT, with Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen (KIT), Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), Institute of Rural Economy (IER), Mali, Heritage Seeds Ghana, and SAPROSA Seed Company, Mali as members.

      The project sought to improve the groundnut seed systems for the upscaling of improved groundnut varieties for enhancing the incomes and nutrition of men, women, and youth smallholder farmers in the dryland of Ghana and Mali. Through the project, SARINUT 2 groundnut variety, (which is high yielding [2.4 t/ha], early maturing [95 days (about 3 months) to maturity], disease tolerant with bold tan seeds and adapted to the Sudan and Guinea Savannah Agroecologies) was demonstrated and promoted among farmers for cultivation.

      Perspectives of the research institutions

      Dr Francis Kusi, Director of CSIR-SARI, speaking at the close-out workshop on the NWO-WOTRO groundnut project in Tamale, said it was one of the successful projects implemented by the CSIR-SARI saying most farmers in the northern part of the country were now cultivating the variety.

      He said “I gave a bag of the variety to one of our serious out-growers in the Upper East Region to try. He planted it and during harvest, he invited some members of his community to assist him. When those assisting him realised that the variety was good, during the process of harvesting, every day they pocketed some. The following season, they also planted it, and some even came to CSIR-SARI to request it. That is the beauty of seed dissemination and upscaling.”

      He expressed appreciation to donors and partners for their support in implementing the project, underscoring the need for successes chalked under the project to be scaled up to reach many more communities for sustainability.

      Dr Haile Desmae, Principal Investigator of the project at ICRISAT, Mali, speaking in an interview with the GNA on the sidelines of the close-out workshop on the NWO-WOTRO groundnut project in Tamale, said the project had increased awareness on improved varieties and had reached many farmers through different approaches including demonstration of technologies.

      He said now that SARINUT 2 was highly sought by farmers, “We will build on the success and extend the variety to other communities so that we create a bigger impact.”

      The way forward

      The 2020 Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Analysis (CFSVA) undertaken by the Ghana Statistical Service and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture with technical and financial support from the World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organisation revealed elevated levels of food insecurity amongst the population with elevated levels of malnutrition amongst rural households in the northern part of the country.

      However, it is gratifying that the SARINUT 2, which is proven to be highly nutritious, has been well promoted amongst farmers in the northern part of the country, where the soil is suitable for groundnut cultivation. While the acceptability of the SARINUT 2 has been encouraging so far, it is important that many more farmers in the northern part of the country join the party by adopting the variety (SARINUT 2) for increased cultivation.

      There is also need for stakeholders such as seed producers, research institutions, the government and other industry players to strengthen their collaboration to ensure that the SARINUT 2 is readily available in every community in the north to make it easily accessible to farmers for cultivation.

      This way, farmers will record high incomes and consume it with their households to improve their nutritional status to ensure a healthy population while improving the fertility of the soil.

    • American couple could face death penalty for allegedly torturing foster child in Uganda

      An American couple living in Uganda accused of torturing their 10-year-old foster child could face the death penalty if convicted of their latest charge, prosecutors said.

      Nicholas Spencer and Mackenzie Leigh Mathias Spencer, both 32, were arrested and charged earlier this month with aggravated torture, which carries a life sentence if convicted, for alleged abuse spanning two years.

      This week, they were also charged with aggravated child trafficking, which carries the death sentence if convicted, Joan Keko, an attorney with the Ugandan state prosecutor’s office, confirmed to ABC News.

      The Spencers previously pleaded not guilty to the aggravated torture charge, The Associated Press reported. They will be able to plead to the new charge once the case moves to a higher court, according to the AP.

      The two are being detained at a maximum-security prison in Luzira, a suburb of the capital of Kampala, and were not granted bail after being determined a flight risk, Keko said.

      The couple allegedly “constantly tortured” the foster child between 2020 and 2022, which “attracted the attention of neighbours,” who notified Kampala Metropolitan police, according to a statement from the Uganda Police Force.

      American couple could face death penalty for allegedly torturing foster child in Uganda
      PHOTO: American couple Nicholas Spencer and Mackenzie Leigh Mathias Spencer, both 32, stand in the dock at Buganda road court, where they were charged with torturing a 10-year-old, in Kampala, Uganda, on Dec. 14, 2022. (Abubaker Lubowa/Reuters)

      The child was allegedly locked in an empty room, without clothes, food or water, and a medical report showed beating marks on his body, according to Kampala Metropolitan spokesperson Luke Owoyesigire.

      Police received video evidence from a neighbor and nurse who were checking on the child, a Kampala police source told ABC News.

      he Spencers are originally from South Carolina, according to Keko. They moved to Uganda in 2017 as volunteers, police said.

      The couple fostered three children in 2018, including the one they were alleged to have tortured, from an organization called Welcome Ministry, in Jinja City, police said. The couple then joined a private company and moved to Upper Naguru, a neighborhood in Kampala, police said.

      Their work permit expired in 2021, according to Keko.

      Source: BBC

    • Otto Addo told me football isn’t all about goals and assists – Joseph Paintsil

      Black Stars and KRC Genk winger Joseph Paintsil says former Ghana coach Otto Addo told him that there is more to football than just providing assists and scoring goals something at which Paintsil was excelling at.

      Paintsil was named in the provisional 55-man squad list that was released on 2nd November 2022 by the Ghana Football Association (GFA).

      Prior to the World Cup, the winger was among the most in-form Ghanaian players playing in Europe but then Black Stars coach Otto Addo did not fancy him.

      Paintsil was snubbed by Otto Addo in September 2022 when Ghana played two friendly matches against Brazil and Nicaragua which they lost 3-0 and won 1-0 respectively.

      The former Tema Youth winger has six goals and seven assists in 13 games across all competitions this season for Genk.

      According to the player, Otto Addo denied him the opportunity to play at his first-ever World Cup by not selecting for Ghana despite his scintillating form in Belgium.

      “His decision was unfair,” Paintsil disclosed in an interview with Belgium-based Newspaper Belang van Limburg.

      ” He gave me no valid reason to explain my absence. I told him the same thing during a phone conversation. He told me that there were players ahead of me in the hierarchy. Among them, there were guys who, like me, play in the Jupiler Pro League . They didn’t have couldn’t present the same stats, but Addo said football isn’t all about goals and assists.”

      He added on his exit: “I’m happy about it. The World Cup was a fantastic opportunity to show me to the world, but he took it away from me. I’m now patiently waiting to see who the next national coach will be. , because I will always be available for the national team. Hoping for him that he continues to shoot on the ground as he does behind a microphone.”

      Ghana exited the 2022 FIFA World Cup at the Group stage after a win over Korea and defeats to Portugal and Uruguay.

    • King Charles’ first Christmas speech reflects cost-of-living crisis

      King Charles has used his first Christmas message to reflect on the cost-of-living crisis.

      He spoke of the “great anxiety and hardship” for those struggling to “pay their bills and keep their families fed and warm”.

      There were images of food banks and help for the homeless alongside the speech, recorded by the King in St George’s Chapel, Windsor.

      He paid tribute to his mother Queen Elizabeth, who is buried in the chapel.

      The late Queen pioneered the televised royal Christmas Day address, and used what was to become her final message last year to speak of “passing the baton” to the next generation.

      The themes of the King’s speech touched on some of his causes and beliefs – concern for the disadvantaged, the importance of public service and supporting a multi-faith approach to religion.

      Only “working royals” appeared on screen in the King’s broadcast, including the Queen Consort, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Earl of Wessex and the Princess Royal.

      That meant that Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, were not mentioned. The Duke of York was also not included.

      At a time of industrial strife and financial pressures, the King’s message focused on those supporting people in need.

      “I particularly want to pay tribute to all those wonderfully kind people who so generously give food or donations, or that most precious commodity of all, their time, to support those around them in greatest need,” said the King.

      The message was accompanied by pictures of charities giving food to the homeless and volunteers helping at a food bank.

      Buckingham Palace has said funds donated after the death of the late Queen were being given to a charity helping those unable to pay energy bills.

      The King has gathered with other senior royals at Sandringham, Norfolk, for Christmas, and earlier attended the traditional Christmas Day service for the first time as monarch.

      King Charles' first Christmas speech reflects cost-of-living crisis
      Last year the Queen spoke of “passing the baton” to the next generation

      The King praised the emergency services who “worked tirelessly to keep us all safe”, teachers and health and social care staff.

      Last year proved to be the late Queen’s last Christmas message, and the King remembered the “love and sympathy” that followed her death in September.

      “Christmas is a particularly poignant time for all of us who have lost loved ones. We feel their absence at every familiar turn of the season and remember them in each cherished tradition,” said the King.

      Standing “close to where my beloved mother, the late Queen is laid to rest with my dear father”, he spoke of his mother’s faith in God and also her “faith in people”.

      The message highlighted the community work of faith groups, and the King, as well as asserting his own Christian belief, extended this to other religions.

      He spoke of the “heartfelt solidarity” shown by “churches, synagogues, mosques and gurdwaras”.

      The King described how moved he had been to go to the birthplace of Christ in Bethlehem: “It meant more to me than I can possibly express to stand on that spot.”

      The King’s speech continues a tradition going back 90 years, with the first royal Christmas broadcast delivered on the radio in 1932 by George V. The first televised broadcast was presented by Elizabeth II in 1957.

      In terms of changes in style, the King delivered his first message standing up, rather than a formal address from behind a desk, and his themes addressed more current social issues.

      But there was much that was traditional. This was a Christmas Day message delivered in a chapel with a choir singing, touching on themes of faith, hope and the importance of serving others.

      The choir finished, as it had last year for the Queen’s last message, singing the carol O Little Town of Bethlehem, with the King highlighting its message of “light overcoming darkness”.

      Source: BBC

    • The lowest Christmas sales ever, – Traders

      For Ghanaians, 2022 has been a difficult financial and economic year. As of November 2022, inflation is currently at a rate of above 50%.

      Over the course of the majority of the year, the Ghana cedi depreciated by over 63% until beginning to appreciate versus the dollar around two weeks ago.

      Although it has become a cliché for business owners to lament their inability to generate enough revenue each year, the reality this time around is quite different.

      A quick survey by GhanaWeb Business at some major shopping centers and markets showed that the increase in the prices of goods and services throughout the year has led to a reduction in the shopping enthusiasm that is usually connected to the festive season.

      At the Makola market, it was evident that people were in town, but whether that reflected in the sales of vendors was a question we sought answers to.

      According to the traders, patronage was low. They added that even though there were numbers in the market, the prices usually discouraged them from buying as much as they would have.

      Speaking to a fresh fish vendor, she said “People are not buying because this year has been hard. In January, schools will resume and parents do not want to spend much on Christmas so much. The price of fuel has also been so high that the price of redfish, tilapia, etc keeps increasing.”

      “Last year, we bought it for 800 but now it is 1700, 1800 and 2000. So, I sell 3 tilapias for 50 and 4 big ones for 100 cedis. People are not buying this Christmas at all. They are in town but they are not buying,” she added.

      “One gallon of oil was 700 and 800 cedis but now it is 500cedis, 550cedis because of the CFA and the dollar. One Olonka of gari used to be 12 cedis but it is 18cedis and 20cedis now. Last year 1 litre oil was 50cedis but 90cedis so sales are low,” an oil seller told GhanaWeb Business.

      Meanwhile, the Vice President of IMANI Africa, Bright Simons, makes a comparison between Christmas this year and those in previous years.

      “Is this the driest Ghanaian Christmas on record? I’m shocked by the absence of queues in major supermarkets all this week. Or is it that shopping habits have changed? E-commerce? A return to informal markets?” he asked on his Twitter page on Christmas Eve.

    • World suffering a ‘famine of peace’ – Pope Francis

      Pope Francis has said the world is suffering from a “famine of peace”, in his annual Christmas Day message from the Vatican.

      He called for an end to the “senseless war” in Ukraine, condemning what he said was the use of “food as a weapon” of war.

      Ukraine shipped about 30% of the world’s wheat and prices have jumped since the Russian invasion in February.

      It was Pope Francis’ 10th Christmas Day address since he assumed the papacy.

      While the war in Ukraine occupied much of his 10-minute speech, he remarked that “a grave famine of peace also in other regions and other theatres of this Third World War”.

      He singled out conflicts and humanitarian crises in the Middle East, Myanmar, Haiti, and the Sahel region of Africa.

      The pontiff also prayed for “reconciliation” in Iran, where mass anti-government protests have swept the country for more than three months. The protests there have been met by a crackdown, with more than 500 people, including 69 children, killed, human rights groups say.

      Speaking from a balcony at the basilica overlooking St Peter’s Square, the 86-year-old Pope lamented the human cost of war. He urged not to forget those “who go hungry while huge amounts of food daily go to waste and resources are being spent on weapons”.

      “The war in Ukraine has further aggravated this situation, putting entire peoples at risk of famine, especially in Afghanistan and in the countries of the Horn of Africa,” he said.

      “We know that every war causes hunger and exploits food as a weapon, hindering its distribution to people already suffering.”

      The Pope said “those who hold political responsibilities” should lead the way to make food “solely an instrument of peace”.

      His message was followed by the customary Urbi et Orbi (To the City and to the World) blessing, recited in Latin and traditionally in many other languages as well.

      Source: BBC

    • Ghana attacker Joseph Paintsil makes shocking revelation about coach Otto Addo

      Ghana international, Joseph Paintsil has opened up on what Coach Otto Addo shockingly told him after excluding him from the 2022 FIFA World Cup squad of the Black Stars.

      According to him, after his unfair axing from the final 26-man squad of Ghana, coach Otto Addo told him that football is not all about goals and assists/

      “His [Otto Addo’s] decision was unfair. He gave me no valid reason to explain my absence. I told him the same thing during a phone conversation,” the KRC Genk attacker told Belang van Limburg.

      Joseph Paintsil added, “He told me that there were players ahead of me in the hierarchy. Among them, there were guys who, like me, play in the Jupiler Pro League.

      “They didn’t have couldn’t present the same stats, but Addo said football isn’t all about goals and assists.”

      With the World Cup now over, Joseph Paintsil is fully focused on club football and hopes the next Ghana head coach will give him the chance to return to the Black Stars for the next national team assignment.

    • Dumelo applauds Cedi’s achievements

      John Dumelo, a businessman, has praised the strengthening of the cedi against the dollar.

      He hopes the cedi keeps rising so that forecasts for 2023 will be helped.

      This was announced by John Dumelo via a tweet.

      “I can see the cedi has made big gains against the dollar,” he remarked.
      I hope it keeps going like way.
      For the estimates for 2023, we require some forex stability.

      According to the Bank of Ghana’s currency rate, the dollar is now trading at GHC8 and GHC7.

      It is difficult to pinpoint the cause of the cedi’s continuous rise against the dollar, but it may help to recall that Ghana’s vice president had anticipated significant gains for the currency.

      At a function where he spoke, he said government was putting in place measures to ensure that the cedi makes huge gains.

      He was optimistic that fuel prices will also drop drastically adding that living standards will come to normalcy.

    • Shell to pay $16m to Nigerian farmers over oil damage

      Shell has agreed to pay $16m (£13m) to four Nigerian farmers and their communities to compensate for damage allegedly caused by pollution coming from leaks in its oil pipelines.

      The sum was agreed in negotiations between the oil company and campaign group Friends of the Earth.

      But it is being given on the basis of “no admission of liability”, a joint statement says.

      Nigeria’s oil industry has been a major source of environmental damage.

      The oil spills in this case happened from 2004 to 2007 and the pay out follows a decision last year by a Dutch court that the Nigerian branch of Shell was responsible for the damage.

      Shell had argued that the leaks were a result of sabotage.

      Shell’s headquarters were in the Netherlands until early this year. Campaigners hailed the 2021 court decision as the first time a multinational had been deemed legally responsible for what a subsidiary did.

      “Thanks to this compensation we can build up our community once again. We can start to re-invest in our living environment,” Eric Dooh, the son of one of the farmers who launched the case in 2008 alongside the Dutch branch of Friends of the Earth, said.

      The money will be going to communities in Oruma, Goi and Ikot Ada Udo.

      Although the amount of compensation is not huge, this development is seen as a milestone for rural communities across the Niger Delta region and environmental activists, the BBC’s Ishaq Khalid reports.

      Oil pollution continues to damage the health and livelihoods of many in the area.

      The four farmers who began the case – Barizaa Dooh, Elder Friday Alfred Akpan, Chief Fidelis A Oguru and Alali Efanga – said the leaks from underground oil pipelines had cost them their livelihoods by contaminating land and waterways.

      Mr Efanga and Mr Dooh have died since the case was first filed so their sons pursued the case instead.

      As well as compensation, last year’s court ruling ordered Shell to set up a leak early detection system. This has now been installed, the joint statement by Shell and Friends of the Earth said.

    • You vowed to transition Ghana from taxation to industrialization, but instead you’re driving us out of business – Association

      The current administration, according to the executive secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association, has fallen short of its pledge to move Ghana from taxes to industrialization.

      Samson Awingobit claims that if no action is taken, more firms will fail because the government has taxed them out of existence.

      According to Mr. Awingobit, businesses in Ghana are already having a hard time surviving, and now the government has approved a 2.5 percent increase in the value added tax.

      He described the increment as insensitive to both businesses and consumers.

      “We strongly believe that the government has been unjust to the business community,” he said. I can tell you with certainty that, since 2018, all of the promises they made to us have not been fulfilled. Their policies have derailed our businesses, eroded our interests, and impacted our capital.”

      Samson Awingobit warned that in 2023, Ghanaians should be prepared to pay more for what they buy following the increase in the VAT.

      He said, “if you want to know how this government has failed the community, just analyze this, never in the history of Ghana have businesses in Kumasi, and other parts of the country closed their shops in protest of an unfavourable business environment.”

    • US storm: Dozens dead as big freeze grips North America 

      At least 38 deaths have now been linked to a severe Arctic freeze that continues to pummel the US and Canada.

      Officials say 34 people died across the US, with the worst-hit area being the city of Buffalo, in New York state.

      Four fatalities occurred in Canada when a bus rolled over on an icy road near the town of Merritt, in the western province of British Columbia.

      The scope of the winter storm has been unprecedented, stretching from Canada as far south as the Rio Grande. 

      Forecasters say the storm will ease off in the next few days but the advice remains to avoid travelling unless essential.

      The storm has wreaked havoc for days but power has been steadily restored after earlier blackouts.

      Fewer than 200,000 customers were without power as of Sunday afternoon EDT, down from a peak of 1.7 million, the Associated Press reports.

      Thousands of flights have been cancelled, preventing many people from reaching their families at Christmas. 

      More than 55 million Americans remained under wind chill alerts on Sunday.

      The “bomb cyclone” winter storm – which occurs when atmospheric pressure plummets, causing heavy snow and winds – has disrupted travel across the US.

      New York State Governor Kathy Hochul – a native of Buffalo – said : “This will go down in history as Buffalo’s most devastating storm.”

      “It is [like] going to a war zone and the vehicles along the sides of the roads are shocking,” she told reporters on Sunday evening.

      Residents still faced a “very dangerous life-threatening situation” and anyone in the area should remain indoors, she said.

      Twelve deaths were confirmed in Erie County, with some victims found dead in cars or snow banks.

      Storm-related deaths were also reported in Vermont, Ohio, Missouri, Wisconsin, Kansas, and Colorado. South Florida’s temperatures dropped so low, that iguanas froze and fell from trees.

      The western US state of Montana is the worst hit by the cold, with temperatures dropping to -50F (-45C).

      In Canada, the provinces of Ontario and Quebec are bearing the brunt of the storm.

      In Quebec almost 120,000 customers were without electricity on Sunday. Officials say it some could take days for some households to be reconnected.

      Source: BBC

    • How can Ghana’s Black Queens return to African women’s elite?

      Ghana were pioneers when it came to women’s football in Africa, with the Black Queens’ early years making it look like the side would always be continental heavyweights.

      After playing their first international in 1991, a valiant and skilful squad was graced with players like Alberta Sackey, Genevieve Clottey and Adjoa Bayor and enjoyed success in its first decade.

      Runners-up in three of the first five editions of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon), the Black Queens‘ also featured at three successive World Cups.

      “When we started women’s football here in Ghana, many countries hadn’t yet started,” Habiba Atta, who founded the country’s first women’s club and spearheaded the birth of the national side, told BBC Sport Africa.

      “It was after we began that others caught on.”

      Although Ghana did not win major silverware, supporters found solace in the team’s style of play.

      However, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) failed to capitalise on the momentum or build a strong structure for the team, meaning performances on the continental stage began to dip from 2008 onwards.

      A third-placed finish at Wafcon in 2016 was the highlight amidst four group-stage exits out of five – one of which came about on home soil in 2018.

      In recent years, the likes of Morocco, current Wafcon holders South Africa and Zambia have all invested hugely in women’s football, so leaving the Queens to hark back to former glories for comfort.

      After being eliminated by arch-rivals Nigeria in qualifying, Ghana were absent from this year’s Wafcon – which also determines Women’s World Cup qualification – in Morocco and so will miss next year’s finals in Australia and New Zealand.

      The question is: where did Ghana go wrong in building on the foundations that Atta imposed?

      • Coaching changes and scandals
      Ghana's Rebecca Atinga reacts during a match at the Under-20 World Cup

      Ghana suffered a group-stage exit at the Under-20 World Cup in August

      “The problem is that the authorities don’t believe in continuity,” Isaac Paha, Black Queens coach from 2004 to 2008, told BBC Sport Africa.

      “Once you reach a certain level, they bring in another person to take over. As a coach, when you take a team and start preparing younger players to join, you realise you have a better opportunity to take them forward than a new coach.”

      In the final year of Paha’s stint in charge, the GFA appointed Graham Potter – who is now manager of Premier League club Chelsea – as technical director of the Black Queens.

      “He was made to believe he was coming to take over and challenged my style of coaching,” Paha claimed.

      Despite the addition of Potter, Ghana suffered heavy defeats against Australia, Canada and Norway at the 2007 World Cup, and Paha was dismissed six months after the tournament in China.

      Ghana have not appeared at a World Cup finals since.

      • Friendly rows

      Paha says the GFA made few provisions for incoming national coaches, failing to provide reports of coaching styles, structures or philosophies of predecessors, but the GFA responded by saying coaches are required to make reports on each tournament they go to before then making recommendations.

      After two years as assistant coach, during which time Ghana failed to qualify for the 2012 Wafcon, Yusif Basigi became head coach of the Black Queens in 2013.

      Having led the squad to the All-Africa Games title in 2015 and then third place at the 2016 Wafcon, he was surprisingly dismissed the following March.

      “At times, we’d be in training camp for long periods, but we were not given the needed platform of international friendlies,” Basigi said.

      A GFA spokesman pointed out the Black Queens played in the Turkish Women’s Cup in 2020 and the Aisha Buhari Cup in September 2021, prior to facing Morocco ahead of this year’s Wafcon.

      “We have done our best in the last two years with at least four different high-profile friendly matches,” the spokesman said. “Unfortunately that wasn’t enough to take the team to Wafcon.”

      Major scandals – namely the bonus row at the men’s World Cup in 2014 and Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ Number 12 expose in 2018 – have also upended the Queens’ path.

      In the first instance, Ghana’s government sent over $3m in cash to Brazil to save face after the Black Stars threatened to boycott their last group match, while four years later corruption among GFA officials was exposed.

      The scandals had a domino effect on every aspect of football in the country – grassroots, development and leagues – while pay equality for women’s sides has also been a long-running topic of discussion.

      Bonuses for the Queens’ 2015 and 2016 achievements remained unsettled for several years, with unfulfilled promises mangling any ounce of passion players had for the national badge.

      In 2020, the squad had to stage a protest at Ghana’s Sports Ministry, with threats to sleep at the premises and boycott national matches if they were not paid an outstanding debt of $12,000.

      After the team’s series of protests, the money was eventually paid.

      • An uncertain future

      The Black Queens will not see growth without a hierarchy of youth football structures put in place, but Habiba Atta thinks the GFA are making progress.

      “This current GFA [administration] is doing amazing for women’s football compared to the previous ones,” she told BBC Africa Sport.

      However, disappointment and humiliation still abounds.

      In July, the Confederation of African Football (Caf) found Ghana guilty of age-cheating at Under-17 level, banning the Black Maidens from the next two editions of the U17 Women’s World Cup and handing the GFA a $100,000 fine.

      At this year’s U20 World Cup in Costa Rica, Ghana failed to reach the knock-out stages for the sixth consecutive time.

      The Black Princesses squad were without captain Evelyn Badu, who suffered an injury in training, but the forward said their preparations were far from ideal.

      “My absence did affect the tactical prowess of my teammates,” Badu told BBC Sport Africa.

      “I don’t want to compare the women’s game to the Black Stars but we all know how we are treated. Women’s football needs to be polished, tactically and technically.

      “We were in camp for four months preparing for qualifiers but we couldn’t play even one international friendly match. We were playing against local teams like Faith Ladies, Army Ladies, and sometimes with boys’ academy sides.”

      Alberta Sackey celebrates a goal for Ghana at the 2003 Women's World Cup

      Alberta Sackey featured in Ghana’s first two Women’s World Cup appearances, in 1999 and 2003, but the Black Queens have not qualified for the finals since 2007

      After what Badu describes as an “uphill battle” to beat Zambia in their first qualifier, they lost 4-1 against France in their sole senior-friendly before heading to Costa Rica.

      “I believe a series of international friendlies should be organised for our national teams before we play major competitions, otherwise our players will be rusty,” Badu added.

      Badu starred as Hasaacas Ladies reached the final of the inaugural Women’s African Champions League last year, but the club were unable to qualify for the second edition in Morocco last month, with Ampem Darkoa Ladies also missing out.

      On the brighter side, the Ghana Women’s Premier League is taking shape, with new broadcast and sponsorship deals.

      A plethora of reasons can account for the crumbling of an international legacy, with the GFA and the Ghanaian government appearing to have failed women’s football.

      A GFA spokesman said it is committed to dedicating more attention to the grassroots game, while a technical directorate has been formed to suggest solutions to the challenges facing the various national sides.

      The future hangs by a fine thread, with the wait ongoing for the GFA to truly commit time and resources to revive the Black Queens’ once-venerated status.

    • Ukraine war: Drone attack on Russian bomber base leaves 3 dead 

      A Ukrainian drone attack on Engels bomber base in south Russia has left three people dead, Moscow says. 

      Air defences reportedly shot down the drone but falling debris caused the casualties in the overnight attack. 

      Russia accuses Ukraine of carrying out a similar attack on the airfield, home to strategic bombers, on 5 December. The base lies about 500km (310 miles) north-east of the border with Ukraine.

      The Ukrainian military has not officially commented on those attacks.

      Russia’s defence ministry says its air defences shot down the Ukrainian drone flying at low altitude at about 01:35 local time on Monday (22:35 GMT Sunday).

      Three Russian servicemen died of injuries caused by drone debris, it adds.

      Earlier, social media users posted videos where what sound like blasts and air sirens can be heard at the Engels airfield.

      The governor of Saratov region said there was “no threat to residents” of the town of Engels itself.

      In the previous reported attack on 5 December on the airfield and another air base in the Ryazan region, three servicemen were also killed by debris from a downed Ukrainian drone, Moscow said at the time. Two aircraft were lightly damaged.

      The Ukrainian military made no comment on the reported attacks. 

      The Engels air base has been repeatedly used by Russia to carry out missile strikes on various targets in Ukraine since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion on 24 February.

      The Kremlin has accused Ukraine of attacking its territory before, but the alleged attacks in December are deeper into Russia than previous ones. 

      A number of military experts in Ukraine and the West have described the reported strikes as embarrassing for the Russian military.

      Source: BBC

    • Due to the chaotic economy, students cannot afford the 15% fee increase – Dr. Apaak

      Students in higher education cannot afford the 15 percent increase in tuition costs at public universities, according to Dr. Clement Apaak, the deputy ranking member of the Select Committee on Education.

      His remarks follow the approval by Parliament of a 15% maximum increase in university tuition for the upcoming academic year.

      The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has expressed disapproval of claims that some universities charge 30%, nonetheless.

      NUGS says the move is unacceptable considering the prevailing economic hardship in the country.

      Throwing his support for the students, the lawmaker stated the challenges have to do with the GETFUND capping.

      “Students cannot afford a 15% fee increase in this shambolic economy, universities are struggling to function due to inadequate funding so want to charge students more than 15%. The de-capping of GETFUND is the solution, universities will get support, and the government must do the needful,” Dr. Apaak stated.

      Meanwhile, the University Students Association of Ghana (USAG) has also opposed the increase in the fees of public universities for the 2022/2023 academic year.

      In a statement, the USAG stated that “the recent astronomical hikes in school fees of public universities in the country, will make access to education become increasingly difficult.

      “The procedure for approval of Public University fees is very clear, and this approval does not stop at Management or at University Councils. Our universities are supposed to send their proposed fees to Parliament through the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission and the Ministry of Finance. Subject to the passing of the recent Fees and Charges Act, 2022, the final approving authority is not the university management but Parliament.”

    • Can Africa Super League improve club game on continent?

      Morocco may well have broken barriers for African football with the country’s historic run to the World Cup semi-finals, but the club game on the continent is still lagging well behind the standards in Europe.

      As such, Confederation of African Football (Caf) president Patrice Motsepe is hoping the launch of the Africa Super League next year will change that.

      The South African described the new competition as “one of the most exciting developments in the history of African football” when he unveiled the latest plans in Tanzania in August.

      Flanked by the the boss of world football’s governing body, Fifa president Gianni Infantino, Motsepe stressed it was all about pumping more money into club football in Africa, with $100m available as prize money and the winners getting $11.5m.

      The tournament had been mooted to kick off in August 2023, with plans to involve 24 clubs from 16 countries, although recent reports suggest that there may only be eight teams now.

      However many there are in a format that may well follow the European Champions League, the plan is to culminate in a ‘Super Bowl-like’ final in May 2024.

      The intention is the Africa Super League will run alongside the existing African Champions League, which features 16 teams in its group stage but has been dominated by North African sides over the past decade.

      Caf is promising a huge investment of $200m in total – not only for the participating clubs, but also for the development of the women’s game and youth academies in its 54 member countries.

      Too good to be true? Some people think so.

      ‘Opaque’ club selection

      “We’ve not been consulted once,” bridles John Comitis, the chairman and owner of Cape Town City FC, which competes in South Africa’s Premier Soccer League (PSL).

      The former striker has been involved in African football for almost 40 years and is not happy about what he calls “the opaque selection process” of the clubs for the new Super League.

      Comitis says he received a couple of lists of the clubs which would be included, and believes that the chosen ones are “politically positioned clubs, owned by certain rich individuals or by the state”.

      State ownership of football clubs is still quite common across Africa, although that is not the case in South Africa itself.

      Comitis’ biggest concern is the effect the new continental competition might have on the PSL, which he describes as “very efficient and professional” in terms of funding and broadcasting rights.

      “The infrastructure nightmare of Africa is unprecedented,” he says, highlighting how his team travelled to DR Congo for a game and could not get there and back in less than five days and describing the costs of the journey as “outrageous.”

      In this context, Comitis believes it will be almost impossible to fit Super League games into the existing schedule and that national leagues will undoubtedly suffer, potentially losing broadcast money if the top clubs are fielding B-teams in domestic games.

      “At the end of the day, we are protecting our businesses and South African football,” he concludes.

      Some may call that sour grapes, as Comitis has clearly indicated that his team was not one of the chosen 24 once earmarked for the Super League.

      It is still unclear where the planned $200m prize and development fund will come from, especially after Caf reported a loss of over $40m in its most recent audited accounts., even if Motsepe continually talks of significant interest from the commercial sector.

      A Caf spokesperson said Motsepe, elected as Caf boss in March 2021, “has the best interests of African football at heart”.

      There is, meanwhile, no doubt that mining billionaire Motsepe has invested a lot of his personal fortune into the game as owner of the reigning South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns.

      Making African game more competitive

      Should they actually happen, the sums involved would make the African Super League more valuable than the Africa Cup of Nations, which has always garnered international attention and culminated in a final which pitted then-Liverpool team-mates and global icons Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah against each other when Senegal beat Egypt in February.

      Osasu Obayiuwana, a Nigerian football journalist, believes the concept for the new club competition was not designed in Africa, but was, in fact, the brainchild of Infantino.

      “There is a belief outside of Africa that Africans need to be led like babies. I find this highly insulting,” Obayiuwana said.

      Just like Comitis, Obayiuwana is concerned the football calendar will become far too congested.

      Should 24 teams take part, the Africa Super League would feature 24 match days over a season – a lot to fit in alongside domestic campaigns spread across around 38 weeks and African Champions League commitments.

      Add to that the logistics of extra travel across the continent, which presents a challenge in itself, and the scale of the task is clear.

      “You can imagine the amount of pressure that will be on the players,” Obayiuwana added.

      Home support

      Caf says details of the Africa Super League are still being ironed out but, amid a lot of criticism and unanswered questions, the new competition does have its big-name supporters.

      South Africa’s record goalscorer Benni McCarthy played in Africa and Europe, winning the European Champions League with Jose Mourinho’s Porto in 2004, and is now first-team coach at Manchester United after spells managing in his homeland at Cape Town City and AmaZulu.

      He thinks the new Super League will provide more earning potential for clubs and a better platform for players which could be transformative.

      “I would love to see an African player compete against the best players in the world because it’s been too long since we had an African win the Ballon d’Or,” the 45-year-old said, referencing Liberian George Weah’s victory in 1995.

      “African football is brilliant but it is not on the same level as European football. The speed and the technical side are different to what players are used to in Africa.

      “I think the Super League will remove that barrier by making African football more competitive.”

      That is the hope, but, in reality, if the new Africa Super League is to have a fighting chance of succeeding it will need to attract TV money, which is the lifeblood of football in Europe and helped make England’s Premier League the most financially successful league in the world.

      But, as Obayiuwana points out, African broadcasters spend more money on the European game than African football – with their argument being that the product is not deserving of their investment.

      So, how do you resolve this chicken and the egg situation? Without TV money and sponsorship, it will be a struggle to develop the quality of the football on show.

      Obayiuwana believes Caf should build local leagues first, promote them on the continent and make them into brands.

      Then, just as with the Champions League in Europe, fans will “get to know the players and clubs and will be invested in them, which is not the case in Africa”.

      It starts with people actually being able to watch matches across the continent, which in many countries is a real issue.

      “It is easier for me to watch the Europa League in Lagos than to watch a match between Esperance and Raja Casablanca in the African Champions League,” the Nigerian said.

      Despite the progress by African sides at the World Cup, improving the club game could prove a tougher challenge for Motsepe.

    • Reduced transportation costs in the Volta region

      In accordance with guidelines endorsed by the government and the unions, major commercial human carriers in the Volta Region have lowered their rates.

      The Ghana News Agency (GNA) conducted spot checks and found high compliance despite some complaints that the lower fuel costs had no impact on the cost of spare parts or other inputs.

      To make up for the required 15% decrease, the GPRTU and the Ho Cooperative Transport Society Limited have both lowered the cost of the air-conditioned bus to Accra from GHc 73 to GHc 62. The non-air-conditioned bus ticket has also been reduced from GHc 70 to GHc 60.

      “The fare reduction is a directive from the government and so we have to comply although the prices of spare parts engine oil, and tyres have not changed,” Oliver Nelson Osei, Treasurer of the Ho Cooperative said.

      “It is affecting us seriously, but we have to adjust ourselves,” he added, saying that vehicles owners have threatened to recall their vehicles over of the present industry outlook.

      Mr Osei went on to lament how passenger flow during the season had reduced to less than 40 per cent compared to the same period last year.

      “It’s 1:30 pm and only three Ashaiman cars have loaded. Last year at this time, ten would have been delivered by now,” he said.

      Speaking on measures to ensure safe travel during the season, the Treasurer said a meeting had been called the week prior, where drivers were advised to be cautious and disciplined on the road.

      He said drivers were reminded of the poor visibility of the season and were asked to comply with the Cooperative’s traffic regulations on tyres and other essential systems.

      Mr. Osei said drivers were also asked to comply with the National Road Safety Authority’s rules and guidelines.

      He used the medium to draw Government’s attention to the bad nature of roads linking the Region to the nation’s capital and said road repair works must be properly done to protect the longevity of their vehicles.

      Mr Osei said more police visibility would be required along the eastern corridor as the activities of highway robbers were on the increase and said passengers should help maintain safe speed limits to safeguard lives.

    • Rumour Has It: Monaco defender Benoit Badiashile emerges as Chelsea’s top January target

      Chelsea have reportedly made Monaco centre-back Benoit Badiashile their top defensive target in the January transfer window.

      They have been strongly linked with RB Leipzig and Croatia standout Josko Gvardiol, but Fabrizio Romano believes Chelsea will have to break the record for the most expensive transfer fee paid for a defender to get a deal done.

      Instead, the Stamford Bridge club are said to have pivoted to 21-year-old Monaco powerhouse Badiashile, who stands at six-foot-four and has racked up 106 club appearances since debuting at the age of 17.

      Badiashile also earned his first senior caps for France this year, playing a full 90 minutes in UEFA Nations League fixtures in September against Austria and Denmark before ultimately missing out on the World Cup squad.

      With just over 18 months remaining on his contract, Monaco will need to decide if they can tie him down up long term, otherwise it may be time to cash-in.

      TOP STORY – CHELSEA TARGET YOUNG MONACO TALENT

      According to The Athletic, Badiashile is a player who has been on the Premier League radar for some time, noting a £22million bid from Manchester United back in 2020.

      The report claims Badiashile was in no rush to leave back then as he was already a first-team regular, but he has since opened up to the idea of moving on to take the next step of his career.

      Chelsea are said to be preparing a £35m offer for the man who has experience playing in a back-three, which would be less than half of the potential asking price for Gvardiol.

      ROUND-UP

      – Fichajes is reporting Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has no interest in retaining Argentinian World Cup hero Emiliano Martinez, and would prefer to replace him with Sevilla and Morocco star Yassine Bounou for a fee in the range of £40m.

      – Chelsea are in the best position to land 23-year-old West Ham midfielder Declan Rice as he enters the final 18 months of his contract, per The Athletic.

      – Journalist Nicolo Schira is reporting Atletico Madrid have agreed to personal terms with 26-year-old Leicester City centre-back Caglar Soyuncu, and he could be allowed to join the club in January despite his contract not expiring until the end of the season.

      – Atletico will allow Joao Felix to join a Premier League club on loan in January if their financial demands are met, per the Mirror.

      – According to Teamtalk, Liverpool and Tottenham are included in the Premier League sides prepared to offer a contract to 27-year-old Inter centre-back Milan Skriniar for when he becomes a free agent at the end of the season.

    • National Cathedral is an occult Centre – NDC Deputy General Secretary

      The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Lawyer Barbara Serwaa Asamoah, has said that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is so keen on completing the National Cathedral of Ghana not because he wants to honour God as he has been saying.

      According to her, Akufo-Addo, as suggested by Rev Isaac Owusu Bempah, wants to complete the Cathedral because of a covenant he has entered that has nothing to do with God.

      Speaking in an Ahotor FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, the NDC deputy general secretary alleged that the National Cathedral of Ghana is only being built for occult purposes.

      “… this Cathedral is not being built for God, it is for another reason. Yesterday, I listened to a tape of the president’s pastor, Rev Owusu Bempah and this made me understand that Nana Addo has used his life to enter a covenant that requires that he builds the Cathedral to save his life.

      “If you observe the way NPP members are trying to promote LBGT activities, and you look at all the things that have transpired and you added what Owusu Bempah said yesterday, my conclusion is that the Cathedral is an occult centre.

      “It has something to do with some occultism that if Nana Addo fails to build, they will punish him for it,” he said in Twi.

      She added that her claims are the only logical explanation because if not so, the president will not set aside GH¢80 million in the 2023 budget for the construction of the Cathedral despite the fact the country is facing an economic crisis.

      Meanwhile, Parliament’s Trades and Industry Committee has suspended the approval process for an amount of GH¢80 million allocated for the construction of the National Cathedral.

      Tamale Central Member of Parliament, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, who disclosed the development to Accra-based JoyNews on December 13, said the suspension will be in place till justification for the allocation is made.

      “What the Committee decided was that we cannot just approve this GH¢80 million, we must know how the other GH¢339 million was spent. What did it constitute?

      “The GH¢80 million you want us to approve, how did it find space in the budget line of the Ministry of Tourism when the Minister and the directors could not speak to the questions we were asking? What constitutes the GH¢80 million, they should give us a breakdown,” he stressed.

    • Individual bondholders are included in the government’s debt exchange program

      As part of efforts to restructure its debt, the government modified its GHC137.3 billion domestic bond exchange program to include people.

      This is done in order to get the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Management and Executive Board to approve a $3 billion loan support package to help Ghana out of its current economic crisis.

      A release issued by the Finance Ministry and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Saturday noted that in addition to foregoing extensions the government was “expanding the type of investors that can participate in the Exchange to now include individual investors.” 

      Other modifications to the debt exchange programme included the setting of a non-binding target minimum level of overall participation of 80 per cent of aggregate principal amount outstanding of eligible bonds. 

      The release also said that: “Offering accrued and unpaid interest on eligible bonds, and a cash tender fee payment to holders of eligible bonds maturing in 2023.” 

      There would also be eight new instruments to the composition of the new bonds, for a total of 12 new bonds, one maturing each year starting January 2027 and ending January 2038. 

      However, the ministry said the modifications would be set forth fully in an Amended and Restated Exchange Memorandum, expected to be published in the week of December 26, 2022. 

      “Conforming changes (including adding and modifying defined terms) in respect of the above amendments and modifications to cure ambiguity, omission, defect, error or inconsistency may be included in the Amended and Restated Exchange Memorandum,” the Ministry added in the release. 

      The government has further extended the deadline for voluntary participation in the debt exchange programme to January 16, 2023 from the previous December 30.

    • Black Sherif’s sought-after unreleased song performed at Mozama Disco

      Fans who had convened at the Mozama Disco Concert on Wednesday, December 21, did not expect it.

      A very sought-after song that he had never released was performed to the elation of the audience.

      About a year ago, Black Sherif had gained notoriety for drooping hits once a snippet filmed usually by himself pops up online.

      At that time, if he uploaded a clip of his freestyle onto Twitter, the growing fans knew to expect a banger in the next couple of days.

      He had adopted similar strategies for his breakthrough First Sermon and Second as well.

      But there was one freestyle in between which never saw the light of day.

      The actual song of the amateur video posted on March 28, 2021, was never released.

      But Blacko seems to have been keeping it for a rainy day.

      On Wednesday, during his debut Ghana concert, he decided to share it with his fans.

      Though it has been over a year and a half since he teased it, the lyrics were still fresh in the fans’ minds.

    • Black Galaxies to begin training session today in Cairo

      Black Galaxies will hold their first training session today in Cairo, Egypt as they continue preparations for 2022 TotalEnergies African Nations Championship( CHAN) tournament which will be staged in Algeria next month.

      25 players, including Technical staff and management members left Accra on December 24 and arrived in Cairo on Sunday.

      Coach Annor Walker’s side have been camping at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram since November and will step up preparations during their 18-days stay in Cairo.

      The team will play a number of friendly matches in Cairo to smooth out the rough edges before travelling to Algeria for the biennial championship which will commence on January 13.

      Ghana’s Black Galaxies are in Group C alongside Madagascar, Sudan and Morocco in Group C.

      The Black Galaxies who have been absent from the tournament since 2014 will announce their return in their opening match against Madagascar on January 15 in Constantine, Algeria.

      Meanwhile, Hearts of Oak midfielder Gladson Awako has been confirmed as captain of the side ahead of 2022 CHAN tournament.

      Awako, who has been acting as captain of the side during the qualification stage for the CHAN tournament will be assisted by club teammate Daniel Afriyie Barnieh as 1st vice-captain and RTU midfielder David Sandan Abagna as 2nd vice-captain.

    • Domestic Debt Exchange: Government delays expiration and modifies terms

      The domestic debt exchange program’s parameters have been modified by the Ghanaian government, who have also delayed the program’s expiration from this year’s end to early next.

      The government today announces its decision to extend the expiration date of the invitation from Friday, December 30, 2022, at 4 p.m. (GMT) to Monday, January 16, 2023, at 4 p.m., according to a press release from the ministry of finance dated Saturday, December 24, 2022.

      “The Settlement Date for the Invitation is now expected to occur on Tuesday, January 24, 2023, or as soon as practicable thereafter, but no later than the Longstop Date which is now scheduled for Tuesday, January 31, 2023, unless further extended by the government under the Invitation”, the ministry added.

      “The Announcement Date is now expected to occur on or about January 17, 2023,” the statement further announced.

      Also, the government has modified the terms of the programme as follows:

      Offering accrued and unpaid interest on Eligible Bonds, and a cash tender fee payment to holders of Eligible Bonds maturing in 2023;

      Increasing the New Bonds offered by adding eight new instruments to the composition of the New Bonds, for a total of 12 New Bonds, one maturing each year starting January 2027 and ending January 2038;

      Modifying the Exchange Consideration Ratios for each New Bond. The Exchange Consideration Ratio applicable to Eligible Bonds maturing in 2023 will be different than for other Eligible Bonds;

      Setting a non-binding target minimum level of overall participation of 80% of the aggregate principal amount outstanding of Eligible Bonds; and

      Expanding the type of investors that can participate in the Exchange to now include Individual Investors.

      “These modifications will be set forth fully in an Amended and Restated Exchange Memorandum which is expected to be published during the week of 26th December 2022. Conforming changes (including adding and modifying defined terms) in respect of the above amendments and modifications to cure ambiguity, omission, defect, error or inconsistency may be included in the Amended and Restated Exchange Memorandum,” the ministry noted.

      The government launched the programme on December 5, 2022.

      Accordingly, the government invited holders of approximately ¢137.3 billion of the principal amount outstanding of some of Ghana’s domestic notes and bonds issued by the Government, E.S.L.A. Plc or Daakye Trust Plc to exchange their Eligible Bonds for a package of new bonds to be issued by the government.

      The government then extended the expiration date to Friday, December 30, 2022, and the settlement date to Friday, January 6, 2023.

      Per the memorandum, the government “reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to extend the timetable for the Invitation at any time and to make amendments to the Invitation at any time”.

      “Any Eligible Holders whose Eligible Bonds are held on its behalf by a broker, dealer, bank, custodian, trust company or other nominees must contact such entity if it wishes to participate in the Invitation, as such entities may establish an earlier deadline to receive instructions to tender Eligible Bonds,” the Finance Ministry said.

      It noted at the time: “In making this decision to extend and the modifications described herein, the Government considered feedback from the financial sector about the need to secure internal approvals”.

      “Further, this extension affords the Government of Ghana the opportunity to consider suggestions made by all stakeholders with the aim of adjusting certain measures acceptable within the constraints of the Government’s Debt Sustainability Analysis.”

    • Man dies, family injured after head-on collision at Abakam

      A man, traveling with his family, died Thursday evening in an accident when his vehicle collided with an oncoming truck, with a foreign number, on the Cape Coast-Elmina stretch of the Accra Highway.

      He reportedly drove his nephew to the Kotoka International Airport in Accra and was some two kilometers away from home when the accident occurred at Abakam, near the University of Cape Coast.

      His widow and children, who were injured are being treated at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, while his body has been deposited at the morgue. An eyewitness told the Ghana News Agency that the man was blinded by the light of the truck, leading to the accident.

      A police source confirmed the accident but did not give details.

    • ECG Krobo Office embarks on campaign against fake energy meters 

      The Krobo Office of the Electricity Company of Ghana Limited, located in Somanya, has embarked on a campaign against fake energy meters in a bid to protect customers from issues associated with the use of such meters.

      The office has for the past few weeks, displayed a number of fake meters alongside original ones on a notice board at the office, where customers are constantly engaged and educated so as to become aware of the various types of fake meters in the system.

      This campaign was necessitated during routine monitoring exercises.

      The ECG said it became apparent that a number of customers had fake meters installed at their premises.

      “Customers are being continually scammed by vendors of fake meters who pose as ECG workers, approach potential customers and then eventually give them these fake meters”, said Ing. Tetteh Apan, the Engineer in charge of the office.

      He added that “customers are usually caught unaware by these vendors of fake meters who are made to seem like they are from ECG”.

      He added that the nameplates of the meters are changed to often mimic that of original meters. 

      Some of these fake meters work all right but as they are not part of the ECG system, customers will often not get bills.

      However, once the meter is seen by the ECG, the total amount of energy it has consumed is determined and the user is billed accordingly.

      The energy supply of the user is also cut off and they are asked to report to the ECG office to start the process of acquiring a meter correctly.

      The ECG encouraged potential customers and the general public to ignore such fake meters to avoid problems.

      Monitoring and auditing of energy meters and other equipment are part of the core activities undertaken by the ECG. These are done to ensure the integrity and to ensure that they meters are working as they should.

      In instances where fake meters are seen, they are seized by the ECG.

      ECG pleaded with the public to inform the power distribution company about such fake meters whenever they come across.

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