The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, has hit the ground running 48 hours after his election by attempting to set some records straight.
In an interview on the Point of View on Citi TV, the former Transport Minister dismissed claims by the officials of the New Patriotic Party that the power crisis popularly known as ‘dumsor’ that bedevilled the country during the tenure of former President Mahama was fixed by the governing party.
Mr Kwetey said those claims are completely erroneous and must not be entertained by any right-thinking Ghanaian.
“We [NDC] actually solved dumsor, there is no debate about that. It is not even about Dr Donkor, NDC actually solved it. When I hear things about a debate [about dumsor], that tells me that you the journalists are doing a lousy job because you should be able to set the records straight.
“You should do the fact-check for the NPP to run away from even daring to actually claim that dumsor was not solved in 2016.”
The former Ketu South MP also said the NDC will in the coming days expose the president and the various corruption scandals in the last six years.
“This team will be a team that will be setting the records straight, that will be exposing the deception, that will be exposing the degeneration in this government, that will actually expose that this is the most corrupt and depraved government in our history.
“They have a team led by his cousin who is nothing but the embodiment of degeneration and corruption, I think that he is worried that this team is coming to absolutely expose big-time the total moral collapse that we see in our country, collapse not only in the economy but the leadership of this country… So clearly I can see why Gabby will be quaking because what is coming they better get ready,” Mr Kwetey told sit-in host Selorm Adonoo.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has pledged his government’s commitment to work with Ghanaians to resolve the country’s economic crisis.
Ghana’s recent economic crisis characterized by high debts, inflation, currency depreciation and externalities from the Russian-Ukraine war is adversely affecting Ghanaians.
A cross-section of Ghanaians, including some Members of Parliament, have called for the head of Finance Minister, Ken Offori-Atta, for the mismanagement of the economy and admonished government to take measures at restoring macro and micro stability.
But speaking at the Buluk festival celebrated in Sandema, in the Builsa North Municipal in the Upper East Region, President Nana Akufo-Addo, promised to assuage the plight of Ghanaians in these difficult times.
“My government stands strongly with you in these difficult times that we are all going through. But with courage and with vision and with unity amongst us all, we will come out of these difficulties and get our country back into a good place. That’s the firm promise that I’m making to you”.
He further donated an amount of GH¢50,000.00 to support activities of the festival.
Paramount Chief of the Buluk traditional area, Nab Azagsuk Azantilow II, commended government for its pro-poor policies that have greatly impacted the socio-economic development of the area.
Nab Azantilow II, appealed to government for infrastructural and logistics support for the Azantilow and Sandema senior high schools.
He also appealed for the construction of Agricultural and Nursing training colleges in Fumbisi and Sandema respectively to train professionals for the development of the area.
Nab Azantilow II, further made a passionate appeal to government to ensure the completion of the Navrongo-Chuchuliga-Sandema-Fumbisi road following the unfortunate demise of the contractor.
He commended government for the construction of a district hospital in Fumbisi under the agenda 111 projects and the award of the Chuchuliga-Sandema-Fumbisi-Wiesi road for bitumen surfacing.
Nab Azantilow II, called on investors to invest massively in the area’s rice value chain to boost local rice supply, create jobs and reduce importation of rice.
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for North Tongu, Divine Osborne Fenu has lamented the sad loss of innocent residents of Battor in the Volta Region during the recent clash between two factions resulting from the injunction on the Hogbetsotsoza festival.
According to Mr Fenu, his life is being threatened by some people of Battor even though he has never had any interest whatsoever in the planning of the festival that led to the unfortunate incident.
He noted that the series of attacks on him is worrying and frustrating despite his efforts as the DCE to help resolve the issue with the appropriate authorities.
According to Mr. Fenu who doubles as the Chairman of the North Tongu District Security Committee (DISEC), he finds it extremely difficult to understand why Togbega Patamia Dzekley VII would blame him for the avoidable incident which has claimed precious lives of persons in the Battor township.
The visibly worried DCE noted that Torgbega Patamia Dzekley VII is well aware of the mediation roles the North Tongu DISEC played in the Battor Paramountcy disagreement that was before the Volta Regional Security Council initially.
“The Paramount Chief knows that I am a very loyal citizen and law-abiding and that there is no way I can take sides in the Battor Paramount Chieftaincy issues since I do not have the capacity to,” Mr Fenu said.
He pleaded with the two parties not to tag him in their issues because he is not a royal of the paramount stool but can only perform his role as the DCE.
Mr Fenu was reacting to a call made by Togbega Patamia Dzekley VII to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, Chief of Defence Staff, as well as the Chief of Staff, Madam Akosua Frema Osei-Opare to immediately relieve the Aveyime District Commander, Superintendent George Aboagye and the District Chief Executive (DCE) for North Tongu District Assembly, of their duties in the district.
In a petition to the IGP, Togbega Patamia Dzekley VII who doubles as the Vice President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs noted that the DCE and the senior law enforcement officer have shown gross incompetence in the North Tongu District that has resulted in the unfortunate loss of five lives at Battor on Friday December 16, 2022.
But in a quick rebuttal, the DCE stressed he is innocent, adding that the opening statement of the petition is instructive, and that meetings were arranged to address the dispute between the two factions.
According to Mr Fenu, he championed these meetings because “by nature, I am passionate about peace development of North Tongu and indeed in the Battor Traditional area.”
“When injunctions were secured against the festival, Togbega knows I played a pivotal role in talking to the stakeholders to give peace a chance. It is unfortunate that the organisers, from Togbega’s office, gave fuel to the celebration, against security advice and court injunctions, and so on,” the DCE stated.
According to Mr Fenu, the North Tongu DISEC picked intelligence that “the usual enthusiasm of the people for the cherished Hogbetsotsoza festival, was taken advantage of by some elements to preach hate against him as the DCE and the security, to the extent that they were willing to attack and visit mayhem on any officers seeking to restrain Togbega’s planning committee and his team from flouting the court order.”
He indicated that “from security intelligence, I was advised to stay off for my safety since they had formed their prejudices already.”
The DCE noted that Togbega Patamia Dzekley VII has been resolute, not willing to compromise on anything except his demands that the security should agree with him that the alleged removal of the stool father was absolute.
According to the DCE, the security technocrats made it clear that the North Tongu DISEC was unable to arrogate to itself the nonexistent power to adjudicate a chieftaincy dispute between him and his stool father.
“Both claim their respective purported destoolments were nullities. So how do I, a humble public servant, restrain one side and encourage another?
“It is extremely regrettable that this issue, which could have been resolved peacefully, has led to the loss of precious lives.”
He lamented that it was unfair that he is the one being blamed for the issues despite his innocence in the whole case.
“It is unfair to suggest that the DCE is the one to blame for our failure to give peace the chance. If the organisers had listened to DISEC advice, obeyed court orders, heeded security instructions, and so on, we would have averted the unfortunate disturbances,” he said.
Mr Fenu noted that investigations are still ongoing, people are in police custody and due process is being followed and those whose actions have led to the breach of the peace, when found culpable, will face the full rigours of the law.
It would be recalled that five persons including a citizen of Battor who is the Chief of Havorkope in Dzemeni in the South Dayi District were shot dead while several others sustained various degrees of injuries.
The bloody incident follows a clash between some disgruntled members of the Dzekley Royal Family of Kpele and the stool father of the Battor Traditional area in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region.
The incident which has left in its wake insecurity, tension and confusion in the Battor Traditional Area and its adjoining communities, allegedly happened after the purported destoolment of the paramount chief of the Battor Traditional Area.
At a press conference held on November 27, 2022, the stool father, Zikpitor Korsi Hottor announced that he has destooled the Paramount Chief of the Battor Traditional Area, Togbega Patamia Dzekley VII.
The stool father alleged that the Paramount Chief had breached the customs and traditions of the Battor Traditional Area hence his destoolment.
During a gathering on Friday, December 16, 2022 for the firing of musketry in the Battor township ahead of a festival, aggrieved supporters of the destooled paramount chief allegedly clashed with some supporters of the stool father which led to the swath of five people and several persons injured.
Dean of the University of Cape Coast School of Business, Professor John Gatsi has said that he is unsure if the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta will release the 40% of the 2023 budget to sensitive areas of the economy.
Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show, the Professor expressed his doubts given the shortfalls that characterized the 2022 budgetary allocations.
According to him, the country is likely to continue experiencing shortfalls given the Finance Minister’s way of managing affairs.
“We are likely to see more of that in 2023. I’m not sure we’re going to see about 40% release of funds for goods and services. I’m not also sure we’re going to get about 40% of release or allocations made in the budget release by the Finance Minister in the very sensitive areas,” he said.
The Dean said it would take some sort of force to compel the minister to release those funds because “for him, we present the budget in a particular way but the way to sustain the execution of the budget, is to ensure that some releases are not made to certain sectors of the economy.
In his view, even any kind of force is unlikely to compel the minister because “you need to juxtapose that with the strength of the Finance Minister. I think the Finance Minister is on his own. If he decides to do something, that is what he’ll do. So I’m not sure that they will be able to push him so hard.”
He said that the Minister’s posturing as described has been his approach to “managing the budget over the years.”
There have been concerns about what may seem like a disproportionate allocation of government budget to sectors, with the education sector being the most affected.
SEND Ghana, a subsidiary of SEND West Africa in its 2022 report, revealed the shortfalls of budgetary allocation that has hit the education sector. Thousands of school going children and educators have had to suffer the consequences.
Thousands of cedis are said to be needed for the renovation and construction of some sector infrastructure to enhance effective teaching and learning.
The Finance Minister is looking forward to reviving the economy, having introduced a number of measures through the 2023 budget. Latest approach to that course has been a Staff-Level agreement reached with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The success of the deal is not set in stone as the government has to ensure the success of other internal measures.
“Ghana has an opportunity to truly strengthen our anti-corruption fight through the Conduct of Public Officers Law.
“We are confronted with corruption. Only legislation will give us a fighting chance,” Beauty Emefa Narteh, GACC Executive Director has said.
Mrs. Narteh who was speaking at a symposium to mark International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD) celebrations in Ghana organised by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).
Speaking on the theme: “Curbing Corruption in Ghana through a Robust Conduct of Public Officers Law: Perspectives of Civil Society,” Mrs. Narteh appealed to stakeholders especially the Legislature and Executive not to dilute the Conduct of Public Officers Bill before passage.
Mrs. Narteh also adjudged that publication was another asset declaration programme, stressing that “publication is provided by the Bill from the last Parliament.
However, according to the GACC Executive Director, the Bill referred to the publication of names of public officers who have declared and those who have defaulted and that the declared information be kept confidential.
Mrs. Narteh described the publication of declared assets as an anti-corruption tool that would require that the names of public officers and their assets and liabilities are published and kicked against any attempt to keep the declared assets confidential.
“Publication invites the public to offer another layer of verification. A publication of assets and liabilities could lead to potential whistleblowers from the community informing the relevant authorities of missing assets and liabilities from the publicized declaration,” she said.
Mrs. Narteh, however, acknowledged the legitimate concerns of privacy when it comes to the issue of the publication, stressing “we take the issue of privacy very seriously.
“Nevertheless, considering the prevalence and pervasiveness of corruption in this country, we need to ask ourselves, on which side do we wish to err? Confidentiality or Anti-Corruption?
The GACC Executive Director revealed that in some African Countries, provision was made for the disclosure of information with few limitations sometimes upon application and payment of a fee.
She cited Tanzania where the particulars of a declaration were kept in a register accessible to the public and in South Africa, the register has two parts: a confidential part and a public part. Liabilities of public office holders are recorded in the confidential part of the register.
Mrs. Narteh, therefore, affirmed that the existence of a register was a common feature of countries that allow public disclosure.
According to him, it came as a surprise to realize that the government is using its reserves to strengthen the dollar.
In a tweet on December 19, 2022, he wrote: “Okay, I was wrong. I told folks at various times that the govt of Ghana will not suspend payments on the external debt until it formally engages creditors on a plan next year. I did not anticipate that it will burn thru its reserves to reinforce a run on the dollar.”
The Ghana cedi has, in the last two weeks, gained about 63% against the dollar. The currency raced from behind to become the strongest performer against the dollar in the past week.
The government has associated the appreciation with the announcement of the debt exchange programme and the staff-level agreement reached with the International Monetary Fund.
Meanwhile, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has stated that the appreciation of the cedi against all major trading currencies is a result of deliberate policy interventions introduced by the government over the last few months.
The CPA wants retailers and transportation companies across the nation to reduce prices at the same rate at which they have been raising products and transportation costs.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, December 20, 2022, the CPA said it decided to “take a ‘wait and see’ attitude about measures put in place to mitigate the cost of fuel and the depreciation of the cedi to the dollar, unfortunately, after these measures were put in place, cost of consumer goods hasn’t been reduced as of today.”
The CPA noted that it “expects the transport unions and GUTA to use the same speed and alacrity to increase prices to reverse the prices downwards.”
It further noted the country operates a free market so it “understands and appreciates the importers & retailers and transport unions but that doesn’t give them the advantage to not adhere to the same principles when it favours them and when it favours the consumer there shouldn’t be a challenge.”
The CPA reminded businesses that consumers wield a weapon that can be used against them which is “their purchasing power” and urged them to put this into consideration in order to “encourage the free flow of commerce in the country because the worse situation is for consumers to either reduce their consumption or stop patronising their businesses.”
This, it stressed, “is not healthy for the economy.”
President Nana Akufo-Addo made a similar call to traders and transport operators a few days ago.
“I believe this is not only a fair request, but also a just one, and I urge all of you to join me in this clarion call so we can all have a more pleasant Christmas,” the president said on Sunday, 18 December 2022, when he delivered an address at the centenary celebration of the Ga Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, held at the Black Star Square, Accra.
Addressing the congregation, which included the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rev. Prof. Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante, he stated that with appropriate policy, determination and hard work on the part of the government, things are beginning to turn around.
Transport fares are expected to go down by 15.3 per cent on Monday, 19 December 2022.
According to President Akufo-Addo, “the strengthening of the cedi has not happened by chance, but through the implementation of deliberate policies by government, in collaboration with the Bank of Ghana.”
These measures, he said, include “cedi liquidity tightening measures, resulting in the offloading of forex, as a store of value, by speculators; the improvement of forex flows from remittances and the mining sector; and the reaching of a staff-level agreement with the IMF for a US$3 billion package.”
The cedi keeps making significant gains in value against the dollar and other currencies of international trade right after the International Monetary Fund and the government of Ghana announced a staff-level agreement for a US$3-billion extended credit facility for the gold-producing West African country whose economy has been on a downward spin since the beginning of the year.
The cedi fell by more than 54% against the dollar this year.
Some few weeks ago, a dollar hovered around ¢15.
However, it started rallying in the lead-up to a joint announcement by the government of Ghana and the IMF on Tuesday, 13 December 2022 that a staff-level agreement had been reached for a three-year IMF-supported programme for Ghana.
According to the Bank of Ghana, the dollar is currently selling at ¢8.0055 from Thursday’s ¢9.3047 and Wednesday’s ¢10.4052 and being bought at ¢7.9975 from Thursday’s ¢9.2954 and Wednesday’s ¢10.3948.
Within a matter of two weeks, the cedi became the best-performing currency in the world after being the worst performer for a few months.
At the end of the mission, Mr Roudet issued the following statement: “I am pleased to announce that the IMF team reached a staff-level agreement with the Ghanaian authorities on a three-year programme supported by an arrangement under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) in the amount of SDR 2.242 billion or about US$3 billion”.
“The economic programme aims to restore macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability while laying the foundation for stronger and more inclusive growth. The staff-level agreement is subject to IMF Management and Executive Board approval and receipt of the necessary financing assurances by Ghana’s partners and creditors”, Mr Roudet said.
“The Ghanaian authorities have committed to a wide-ranging economic reform programme, which builds on the government’s Post-COVID-19 Programme for Economic Growth (PC-PEG) and tackles the deep challenges facing the country”, he added.
He said: “Key reforms aim to ensure the sustainability of public finances while protecting the vulnerable. The fiscal strategy relies on frontloaded measures to increase domestic resource mobilisation and streamline expenditure. In addition, the authorities have committed to strengthening social safety nets, including reinforcing the existing targeted cash-transfer program for vulnerable households and improving the coverage and efficiency of social spending”.
Additionally, he noted: “Structural reforms will be introduced to underpin the fiscal strategy and ensure a durable consolidation”.
“These include developing a medium-term plan to generate additional revenue and advancing reforms to bolster tax compliance. This will help create space for growth-enhancing measures and social spending”.
Efforts, he mentioned, “will also be made to strengthen public expenditure commitment controls, improve fiscal transparency (including the reporting and monitoring of arrears), improve the management of public enterprises, and tackle structural challenges in the energy and cocoa sectors. The authorities are also committed to further bolstering governance and accountability”.
To support the objective of restoring public debt sustainability, Mr Roudet said “the authorities have announced a comprehensive debt restructuring. Sufficient assurances and progress on this front will be needed before the proposed Fund-supported programme can be presented to the IMF Executive Board for approval”.
He stressed: “Reducing inflation, enhancing resilience to external shocks, and improving market confidence are also important programme priorities”, noting: “Accordingly, the Bank of Ghana will continue to strengthen its monetary policy framework and promote exchange rate flexibility to rebuild external buffers”.
“As part of the authorities’ debt strategy, a domestic debt exchange has been launched. The authorities are committed to taking the necessary mitigation measures to ensure financial sector stability is preserved”, the Bretton Wood institute delegation head pointed out.
He said the IMF staff held meetings with Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, and Bank of Ghana Governor Ernest Addison, and their teams, as well as representatives from various government agencies.
The IMF team has also continued to engage with other stakeholders.
The staff expressed their gratitude to the Ghanaian authorities, Parliament’s Finance Committee and all the private sector, trade union, and civil society representatives for their open and constructive engagement over the past few months.
For his part, Ken Ofori-Atta told journalists that the deal, once approved by the IMF Board, will help Ghana restore economic stability, tackle inflation and strengthen the Ghana cedi, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has said.
Addressing journalists at a press conference on Tuesday, iDecember 13, 2022, following the staff-level agreement, Mr Ofori-Atta said: “Truly, the eventual conclusion of the programme will assist us in our efforts to restore stability, tackle inflation, and strengthen our currency.”
“That is why the various ingredients of the programme should be supported by all Ghanaians and all stakeholders.”
Addressing a Press Conference, the Chief Executive Officer, Kofi Kapito, said the call is a just and fair request, as prices of fuel have gone down.
“When yours was going up you took advantage, fine, so now it’s coming down in our favour, we want to see some reduction,” Kofi Kapito told reporters in Accra.
“When it was time for them to increase they didn’t wait, they increased it. So when things are also in favour of the consumers, we expect them also to act with the same speed as they did when they wanted to increase,” the CPA Boss argued.
In a similar vein, President Akufo-Addo recently joined calls by Ghanaians asking manufacturers, traders, and transport operators in Ghana to reduce their prices as the Cedi stabilizes.
“I add my voice to those of GUTA, GRTCC and others, to appeal to manufacturers, traders and transport operators, that with the height of the cedi’s recent depreciation and increased prices of goods and services, to reduce their prices of goods and services now that the cedi is regaining much of its strength. I believe this is not only a fair request but also a just one.”
Source: Ghanaweb
The government has paid out GH667,793,936.27 to settle contractors’ unpaid invoices from the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund).
As of the end of November this year, the entire claims and certificates issued and raised were partially paid using the funds provided through the GETFund.
The release and payments were in fulfillment of a promise made by the Administrator of GETFund, Dr. Richard Ampofo Boadu, on Tuesday, November 8, during a stakeholder engagement forum held in Accra, according to a statement released in Accra and signed by Mr. Isaac Asiedu-Dei, the Fund’s Public Relations Officer.
“The Administrator indicated how payments were going to be made via the mix of the funding sources; proceeds from Daakye Plc bond issuance and the government releases through the Controller and the Accountant General Department (CAGD) to the coffers of the fund,” the statement said.
It said the processes for the payments actually began in mid-October 2022 with the signing of novation agreements with contractors covering 867 claims ended in November 2022 with the accounts of all contractors duly credited.
Meanwhile speaking to the Ghanaian Times, Mr Asiedu-Dei said the paid claims covered 271 projects executed for basic schools between 2017 and 2022.
The projects he said accounted to about GH¢ 40,925,832.5. While the payments for second cycle schools covered 351 project certificates with a total sum of GH¢ 434,732,042.82.
Furthermore, he said a total of 242 tertiary sector claims were paid and this amounted to GH¢188,845,374.61.
He explained the tertiary claims covered about 92 per cent of certificates on legacy projects inherited by the current administration, received and prepared on or before September 30, 2022, by the fund.
“GETFund will like to assure its owed contractors that plans are in place to settle all outstanding certificates in an effort to complete stalled projects in our schools within the next three years,” he assured.
Kenya’s only ice hockey team must overcome many obstacles to get back on the ice and back into competition after COVID.
Benjamin Mburu is the captain and assistant coach of Kenya’s Ice Lions, the only ice hockey team in East and Central Africa, which had competed internationally until the COVID pandemic hit. The team was grounded and the only ice rink in the country closed – but this did not deter him.
In Kenya Ice Lions, filmmaker Moses Obuye follows Benjamin as he rallies the skaters and finds innovative ways to keep their skills and finances alive, showing a rarely seen side of Kenyan sporting life.
Moses Obuye is an experienced short film director from Kenya. His work with CNN won an Emmy and Headliner award and he has made several short films for Al Jazeera as well as other global news channels.
Three Kenyan athletes have been banned for a collective period of eight years after breaking anti-doping rules.
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has banned marathon runners Alice Jepkemboi Kimutai and Johnstone Kibet Maiyo for three years, and sprinter Mark Otieno for two.
Otieno, 29, tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid Methasterone moments before the 100m heats at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
It meant he was not allowed to compete.
Otieno, a three-time national 100m champion, will have his ban backdated from the Games and end in July 2023.
The suspension for November’s Porto marathon winner Kimutai – who tested positive for the male hormone testosterone – began on 16 November.
Maiyo’s ban started on 20 July for returning a positive test for erythropoietin (EPO).
Last month the east African country avoided a sanction by governing body World Athletics – despite having 55 athletes serving suspensions – after committing to spend $25m over the next five years to combat doping.
Kenya’s sports minister Ababu Namwamba then announced they intended to criminalise doping in athletics in an attempt to bring an end to a string of cases in the sport.
The committee is a representation of a wide range of institutional investors, including hedge funds, family offices, mutual funds, asset managers, insurance companies, and hedge funds.
Abrdn, Amundi (UK) Limited, BlackRock, Greylock Capital Management, and Ninety One are among the steering committee’s members.
The committee in a statement said it is focused on the orderly and comprehensive resolution of Ghana’s debt challenges recognising that such resolution will require fair burden-sharing and collaboration among the Ghanaian authorities, private creditors, both domestic and international, and official sector creditors.
The committee noted that a process of good faith negotiation would avoid unilateral actions and would require, inter alia, the timely exchange of detailed economic and financial information among the committee, the Ghanaian authorities and the IMF, and would need to be anchored in reasonably feasible economic adjustment by the Ghanaian authorities.
In this regard, the committee has endorsed the Institute of Intentional Finance’s Principles for Stable Capital Flow and Fair Debt Restructuring, which provides meaningful guidance for successful sovereign debt restructurings.
The committee said it stands ready for a swift engagement on that basis.
It added that it aims at securing an outcome that is both equitable to creditors and responsive to the economic and social challenges facing Ghana.
According to the Eurobond holders, a key factor in measuring the success of Ghana’s debt resolution would be the timely restoration of international market access, which remains critical for Ghana to meet its development objectives.
The committee has appointed Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP as legal advisor and Rothschild & Co as financial advisor.
The much-discussed Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM) will be completely operational by the first quarter of 2023, according to the National Petroleum Authority (NPA).
The NPA claims that this is done to stop the operations of gas stations that are related to the gas explosion at Atomic Junction in the Greater Accra Region.
The Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) station at Atomic Junction in the Madina Constituency of the Greater Accra Region experienced a large-scale explosion on October 7, 2017, when a petrol truck discharging products at the state-owned Ghana Oil Company (GOIL) station caught fire.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NPA, Dr Mustapha Hamid announced the phasing out of the gas filling stations at a press soiree held in Accra.
In addition to the 17 death sentences, the court sentenced two suspects to life in prison and 14 others to various prison terms, according to the same source. The nationalities of those convicted were not specified.
The 17 men were found guilty of committing “acts associated with” the EI and “undermining the state and social peace, adopting violence and armed action in the western city of Sabratha and its surroundings,” the prosecutor’s office added in a statement.
They were accused of “killing 53 people, destroying public buildings and making dozens of people disappear,” the source said.
Libya descended into chaos after the uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011, with rival powers, a myriad of armed militias and foreign mercenaries scattered across the country, amid foreign interference.
Taking advantage of the absence of the state, the iE has established itself in several Libyan cities, making Sirte its stronghold in June 2015 before being driven out in 2016. The jihadists who were not killed in the fighting or were arrested retreated to the desert but also to cities in western Libya.
EI fighters had briefly occupied the centre of Sabratha in February 2016 before government forces retook the city.
Libya voted in 2010 against a UN General Assembly resolution calling for a global moratorium on capital punishment, but no official statistics are available on the number of executions in the country.
The one-day summit brought together stakeholders in the local production sector to discuss and offer workable strategies to increase consumption and patronage of locally made goods and services to spur the country’s growth. The summit’s theme was “Building Strong Ghanaian Brands for Global Competitiveness.”
He said government’s primary commitment to this agenda is the flagship One District-One Factory programme, which has been designed to decentralise industrial development in order to ensure an even spread of manufacturing industries across all districts of the country.
“A major part of the solution we seek to solve the current crisis of cedi depreciation and rising inflation has been known to us all along – which is the need to look within and build Ghanaian manufacturing businesses with products that can compete anywhere in the world,” he emphasised.
According to the minister, the Made in Ghana Summit was a good platform to discuss the opportunities and challenges of building strong Ghanaian brands for global competitiveness; and further pledged government’s support to provide an enabling environment to make this a reality.
The summit also unveiled top Ghanaian entrepreneurs drawn from the local manufacturing and services sectors who have shown strong commitment to the Made-in-Ghana agenda with reputable businesses in key industries – including manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, maritime logistics, automobile and aviation.
Criss Waddle is pissed as to why R2Bees made up of Paedae and Mugeez failed to turn up to support his AMG Connect Concert last weekend and launched an attack on them and King Promise.
According to him, he is surprised the manager of King Promise can allow the musician to perform at Gyakie‘s concert but couldn’t ask him to pass through his concert because he is family.
He explained that Ohene crushed his brand-new car the same day he bought the car but he never asked him to fix it or anything but rather came through for him because he had crushed into the car of a lawyer’s wife and the case was sent to court.
At the court, Ohene was remanded in police custody but he(Criss Waddle) called people and paid to make the case a foolish case.
Criss Waddlecontinued that after that event, he has countless times come through for him including even paying $7k for his visa to the US for the first time when he brought in a connection man.
The said connection man ended up scamming him(Criss Waddle) but he never got angry with Ohene despite knowing the whole thing was a set-up between Ohene and the connection man.
He took to his Snapchat handle to expose the manager.
A 33-year-old mother of two succumbed to her injuries after she got caught up in the crowd crush that happened outside London’s O2 Academy Brixton on Thursday night. According to PEOPLE, the melee outside the venue happened during a concert that NigerianAfrobeats musician Asake was slated to perform.
The deceased, identified as Rebecca Ikumelo, passed away at a hospital on Saturday, Metropolitan Police said, adding that two other individuals who also sustained injuries are still in critical condition.
Eight people were initially admitted to the hospital as a result of “injuries believed to have been caused by crushing.” On Friday, four of the injured persons were said to be in critical condition. Two other people who sustained minor injuries received medical treatment at the scene.
In a statement, Ikumelo’s family described the deceased nursing student as “an adorable mother of two children who loved working with kids.”
“She was well respected in the family for her care, kindness and love,” her family added. “Her parents call her Tosin (short for Oluwatosin) meaning ‘Lord is Worthy’.”
The O2 Academy Brixton also shared a statement commiserating with Ikumelo’s family. In the Saturday statement that was shared on Twitter, the venue said it was “deeply saddened by the news of the tragic death of Rebecca Ikumelo.”
“We send our heartfelt condolences to Rebecca’s family and friends, and our thoughts are with everyone affected by this devastating news at this extremely difficult time,” the venue added.
Largely regarded as Nigeria’s breakout star of 2022, Asake was performing at the venue when the confusion happened outside. Police said they responded to the scene after “reports that a number of people had been injured after a large crowd attempted to gain entry without tickets.”
A video of the incident showed a crowd forcefully trying to make their way into the venue and demanding that the gates be opened. Other people in the crowd were also heard screaming. Police were also seen using force against the concertgoers in other videos that were shared, PEOPLE reported.
“I would ask people to be sensible about what they share, and not to post material that will be upsetting to those affected by this incident,” Met Police Gold Commander Ade Adelekan said in the wake of the incident. Adelekan also described the incident as “extremely upsetting.”
“Where force has been used by police officers, those officers know they have to be accountable for their actions,” Adelekan added. “The Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards will view all material, including body-worn video footage from the officers at the scene. In relation to a clip being widely shared, I can confirm that no police dogs were deployed to the location.”
Adelekan also said that an investigation into what occurred at the venue has since been launched. “The scene will be examined by specialist officers, CCTV will be viewed, every witness that we can make contact with will be spoken to and all other lines of inquiry will be followed,” he said.
Asake discontinued his performance some ten minutes after he mounted the stage. He later shared an Instagram post expressing sympathy to attendees who sustained injuries and others who experienced “any form of discomfort.”
The Afrobeats star also shared another Instagram post on Saturday, saying he was “devastated” after hearing the news of Ikumelo’s passing. “I am overwhelmed with grief and could never have imagined anything like this happening,” Asake, who also said he had spoken to Ikumelo’s family, added. “My team and I are still awaiting the full debrief back from the venue management and the police to determine what exactly led to all the disruption caused and ultimately [led] to Rebecca’s passing. If you have any relevant information, please do reach out to the Metropolitan Police.”
“Rebecca had her whole life ahead of her and on behalf of all Londoners, I would like to extend my condolences to her family and loved ones,” London Mayor Sadiq Khan shared on Twitter. “My thoughts remain with everyone affected by this dreadful incident. It’s vital that the investigation into what happened concludes as soon as possible. City Hall are in contact with venues and authorities across London to ensure nothing like this happens again.”
A network marketing entrepreneurship beauty contest called The Marketing Queen has been introduced in Accra with the goal of reducing graduate unemployment in Ghana.
The Marketing Queen is a distinctive beauty contest that offers women a renowned stage to showcase their entrepreneurial marketing expertise and business concepts for employment development.
Developed by PGW-GH, a leading marketing partner of Longrich International, a consumer product manufacturing conglomerate, the pageant has the objective of helping young female graduates use their beauty to develop business ideas for job creation.
More than 200 ladies are expected to benefit from the objective of the pageant which requires the contestants to exhibit their intelligence in various fields.
Apart from the benefit to the contestants, the pageant aims to create public awareness on network marketing opportunities which the youth can explore for wealth creation.
Kennedy Amoako, Chief Executive Officer of PGW-Ghana, speaking at the grand launch, said, “we believe that a project such as an entrepreneurship pageantry will seek not only to resource and empower the pageants but also provide a platform to educate the general public to understand and embrace the opportunities that network marketing businesses provide towards the growth of the economy.”
He explained that contestants would be funded to create personal business and community projects in addition to receiving business coaching.
The contestants will be given network marketing-related challenges weekly to perform, and the winners will be rewarded weekly, with the top 10 finalists going into the grand finale TV reality show. The ultimate winner takes home a Honda saloon car, while the other finalists get various business start-up packages.
Kumawood actor Komfo Kolegae has expressed gratitude to all his colleagues who helped him in the sad task of burying his wife.
In a new post on social media, Kolegae gave them a special mention for their help and expressed his heartfelt gratitude.
The bereaved actor also thanked his fans and any other industry players who helped him in his tough times.
He wrote on Facebook on Tuesday, December 20th 2022: “Dear fans, industry players, fellow actor and actresses, Having you by our side during the funeral of my late wife brought me much-needed comfort and solace. I read every single words of your condolences and i must say i do appreciate all of that. Thank you. ”
Check out his post below…
Kolegae laid his late wife and unborn child to rest in Kumasi over the weekend.
He lost both during childbirth in a tragic turn of events.
He became devastated and could be seen in inconsolable tears during the funeral.
With that behind him now, Kolegae is on the road to recovery.
Hearts of Oak head coach Slavko Matic has announced his squad ahead of their Ghana Premier League clash against Nsoatreman FC on Tuesday.
The Phobians will look to to continue their upward trajectory with a win in their match week nine counter at Nana Kronmansah Park.
Hearts are currently 6th on the league table with 13 points, three points behind leaders Bibiani Gold Stars who have played a game more after beating Real Tamale United 1-0 on Monday.
Nsoatreman FC lie 7th on the log, same points as the former Premier League winners after eight matches played so far.
Hearts of Oak will be without the services of Daniel Afriyie Barnieh, Suraj Seidu, Konadu Yiadom and Gladson Awako due to international assignment with the Black Galaxies of Ghana.
Below is Hearts of Oak’s squad to face Nsoatreman FC:
GOALKEEPERS: Eric Ofori Antwi, Richmond Ayi
DEFENDERS: Samuel Inkoom, Rashid Okine, Zakaria Yakubu, Caleb Amankwah, Robert Addo Sowah
MIDFIELDERS: Glid Jeordon Otanga, Eric Esso, Amankwaa Baafi, Ibrahim Salifu, Eric Asubonteng
ATTACKERS: Kwadwo Obeng Junior, Isaac Mensah, Yassan Ouatching, Gideon Asante, Benjamin Yorke
Nsoatreman Football Club forward, Samuel Ofori is confident his side will secure all three points against Hearts of Oak on match week nine of the Ghana Premier League.
The Phobians will look to to continue their upward trajectory at Nana Kronmansah Park. Hearts are currently 6th on the league table with 13 points, three points behind leaders Bibiani Gold Stars who have played a game more after beating Real Tamale United 1-0 on Monday.
Nsoatreman FC lie 7th on the log, same points as the former Premier League winners after eight matches played so far.
“I really respect Hearts of Oak but then I’m pretty sure we will beat them and I do have a goal tomorrow by God’s grace.”
The game will kick off at 3:00pm.
Ofori has made eight appearances for Nsoatreman Football Club so far this season and scored one goal in the process.
He has been one of the standout players for his side this campaign.
On Monday, December 5, 2022, the government announced the commencement of the domestic debt exchanage program, which aims to restructure the nation’s domestic debt to assure sustainability.
This program is especially pertinent given Ghana’s present economic difficulties, which include high inflation and interest rates, a declining cedi, and recent multiple credit rating downgrades as a result of a worsening economic climate.
Overall, government’s policy for investors in this domestic debt exchange programme appears to be focused on minimising the impact on individual bondholders and assuring them that their investments will not be affected.
Government states that it will not implement a principal haircut on eligible bonds and that Treasury bills will be completely exempted from the exchange programme. Individual bondholders will not be affected and will be able to exchange their existing bonds for new ones with longer maturities and stepped-up interest rates.
Government also emphasises that this domestic debt exchange programme is part of a broader agenda to restore debt and financial sustainability, and that it is working toward a restructuring of its external indebtedness. It is also seeking support from the International Monetary Fund.
Leading Indicators
Inflation in Ghana has been on the rise in recent months, reaching an annual rate of 50.3% in November 2022. This has put pressure on the country’s central bank to raise interest rates to curb inflation.
The monetary policy committee (MPC) of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) concluded its last MPC meetings of the year in November 2022 by raising the benchmark interest rate another 250bps to 27.0% – continuing its fight against surging inflation and re-anchoring inflation expectations. This brings full-year rate increases to a historic 1,250bps (12.50%) in 2022.
A higher benchmark rate is targeted at reducing demand for goods and services, thus slowing the rate of inflation. However, this can also have negative consequences for the financial market as higher interest rates can make it more difficult for businesses to access credit, which could in turn slow economic growth and job creation.
Headline inflation is expected to peak in Q1-2023 and settle around 25% at end of Q3-2023 in their baseline scenario. However, implementation of the 2.5% increment in VAT and the pass-through effects of exchange rate losses remain significant risks.
The cedi, Ghana’s currency, has also been struggling in recent months – depreciating against the dollar and other major currencies. The cedi lost 0.73 against the greenback on the BoG’s interbank market in Nov 2022.
Cumulatively, the local currency has depreciated by some 52% this year, rendering imported goods more expensive and reducing the purchasing power of businesses. This has also made it more difficult for government to repay its foreign debt, as it must use more cedis to buy the same amount of dollars or other foreign currencies.
Per 2023 budget, the Public Debt-to-GDP ratio stood at 75.9 percent at the end of September 2022; largely reflecting the impact of currency depreciation. The external debt as a percentage of total debt stock was 58.1 percent as at end of September 2022, up from the 48.4 percent recorded in 2021.
The sharp growth in external debt stock was largely on account of the local currency’s sharp depreciation. The Ghana cedi’s depreciation added GH¢93.86billion to the external debt stock compared to the transaction effect of GH¢7.55billion.
Overall, the rate of debt accumulation increased from 20.7 percent at end-December 2021 to 32.7 percent for end-September 2022; reflecting the impact from depreciation of the Ghana cedi on external debt.
Impact on the financial market
Against this backdrop, the Domestic Debt Exchange programme can be seen as a potentially positive development for the financial market in Ghana. By swapping high-interest domestic bonds with lower-interest ones, the programme can save government millions of dollars in interest payments, which could be used to help boost the economy and address other challenges such as inflation and the depreciating cedi.
However, the DDE programme could also have negative consequences for the financial market which might be complex and very much uncertain. While it has potential to improve the country’s fiscal health and reduce the debt burden, it could also lead to increased volatility in the market.
The proposed interest rate being offered in this domestic debt exchange programme is 10% per year, with a stepped-up schedule starting at 0% in 2023, 5% in 2024 and 10% from 2025 until maturity. This proposed interest rate may have a number of impacts on investors.
Instructively, one potential impact of the DDE programme is on attractiveness of the new bonds compared to existing ones. Given that the current interest rate on existing bonds hovers around 38.82% for the 2-yr note and 48.71 % for the 20-yr bond, the proposed interest rate of 10% per year may be seen as less attractive to investors.
The debt restructuring programme’s details further dampened investor sentiment and sent investors into a quandary, as there could be a potential loss on their investment in the long term. Signals from the secondary market as of Friday, December 9, 2022 showed selling interest remained elevated while buying interest was elusive.
Trading activities hovered around the medium- to long-term papers. At the far end of the curve, Jul-2033 (Coupon of 11.65%) was actively traded and settled at 40.50%, while Nov-2026 (Coupon of 19.00%) at the belly of the curve cleared at 39.03%.
The market very much expects yields to continue their upward trajectory as participants offload their holdings to reduce exposure amid elevated risk due to the proposed debt exchange programme.
In the context of Ghana’s current economic challenges – including elevated inflation, a depreciating cedi and interest rate increases – it will be important to closely monitor the effects of the DDE programme and make any necessary adjustments to ensure its success.
It is worth noting that the exchange programme is not the only measure being taken by the government of Ghana to address the country’s economic challenges. For example, government has also implemented measures to increase revenue and reduce spending, such as increasing taxes and cutting subsidies.
Additionally, government has been working with international organisations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to obtain financial assistance and support as the staff level agreement (SLA) has been achieved in record time, marking a significant milestone in Ghana’s quest for policy support for its post-COVID-19 economic recovery efforts.
Disputes over the proposed DDE programme
Despite any possible success the domestic debt exchange programme could make, it has faced opposition from some groups within the financial sector and the public at large. These groups have argued that the programme is not sustainable in the long-term, and that it exposes investors to significant risks.
One of the main concerns raised by opponents of the programme is lower interest rates on the new instruments being offered as part of the exchange. These lower rates may not be sufficient to compensate investors for the risks associated with holding Ghanaian debt and may make the new instruments less attractive to investors. This could limit the programme’s overall success, and hence make it more difficult for government to attract investors’ participation.
Another concern raised by opponents of the programme is its potential impact on the country’s credit rating. The programme will successfully reduce the overall cost of Ghana’s domestic debt, but has led to further a downgrade of the country’s credit rating since it was first announced. This could make it more difficult and expensive for government to borrow in the future and could have negative consequences for the country’s economy.
Despite these concerns, government remains committed to the domestic debt exchange programme and continues to believe it is a necessary and effective tool for addressing the country’s economic challenges.
The programme has been adjudged appropriate for reducing overall cost of the country’s domestic debt, and improving investor confidence and liquidity in the domestic debt market. This, when fully completed, will afford government some fiscal space to operate – as it envisages reducing, particularly, the domestic interest cost in 2023; which is estimated at GH¢31.29billion out of the total GH¢52.55billion.
These could lay the foundation for a more sustainable financial market in Ghana, and also contribute to overall stability of the country’s economy.
Addressing investors’ concerns
Government can take steps to address concerns about the programme’s potential impact on the country’s credit rating. These could include implementing policies that improve overall sustainability of the country’s debt and reduce the risks associated with holding Ghanaian debt. By taking such steps, government could help convince the financial sector that the domestic debt exchange programme is a worthwhile investment and can help attract more investors.
Overall, Ghana’s government will need to take a proactive approach to address the concerns raised by opponents of the domestic debt exchange programme. By implementing policies that increase the attractiveness of new instruments being offered as part of the exchange, and which provide investors with greater confidence in the programme’s long-term sustainability, government can convince the financial sector to join the programme and support the country’s economic growth and development.
What’s next?
In conclusion, the Domestic Debt Exchange programme is a significant initiative that has potential to improve the country’s fiscal health and reduce its debt burden. The proposed interest rate may have an impact on the overall level of interest rates in the economy.
If government is successful in attracting a large number of investors to participate in the exchange programme and the new bonds are widely held, this could lead to an increase in overall supply of government bonds in the market. This, in turn, could put downward pressure on interest rates more broadly, as the increased supply of bonds may lead to a decline in their prices and a corresponding increase in their yields.
On the other hand, if government is unable to attract sufficient investor interest in the new bonds, this could lead to a decline in the supply of government bonds – which could put upward pressure on interest rates.
However, it is important to carefully monitor its implementation and effects and take any necessary steps to ensure its success. By working together, government, the financial market and other stakeholders can help to support the stability and growth of Ghana’s economy.
It is also worth noting that success for the DDE programme will not depend only on the actions of government and the financial market. The broader economic environment will also play a role in determining the programme’s success. For example, factors such as global economic conditions and commodity prices could impact Ghana’s economy, and in turn effectiveness of the DDE programme.
Furthermore, the DDE programme’s success will also depend on the willingness and ability of Ghanaians to support and participate in it. For example, individual investors and institutions holding domestic bonds will need to willingly exchange their bonds for new ones with different terms for the programme to achieve its goals.
To support the DDE programme’s success, it will be important for government to communicate clearly and transparently with the public about the programme and its benefits. By providing clear and accurate information, government can help build trust and support among the public – which will be essential for the programme’s success.
After a slow start to Qatar 2022, Africa’s five representatives delivered the continent’s finest World Cup in history.
A record seven wins in the group stage – with all five sides winning at least one game – was enough to propel two teams, Morocco and African champions Senegal, to the knockout phase for only the second time, and first since 2014.
The Atlas Lions added icing to the cake by becoming the first African side to reach the semi-finals, ultimately undone by 2018 champions France.
After suffering its worst World Cup just four years ago, when Africa failed to reach the second round for the first time since 1982, the continent has rebounded in spectacular fashion.
“I’m delighted with the standard of African football because for many decades now, we’ve been talking about the development of African football and when their time will come – I think their time has come,” said Fifa president Gianni Infantino.
So what exactly did the continent learn from Qatar 2022?
‘The Miracle of Morocco’
Morocco’s Sofyan Amrabat was one of the players of the tournament with his unending energy in midfield
It was the African story of the World Cup – unfancied Morocco nearly going all the way. They topped their group, beating Belgium and Canada before dispatching Spain and Portugal to finally reach the last four.
Appointed in August, Coach Walid Regragui recalled outcasts, brought in youngsters and nurtured a spirit that made the Atlas Lions one of the top four teams in the world.
“We are much more of a family, more of a club side than a national team,” said Regragui. “I think that’s what’s given us this great strength.”
“The whole world is proud of this Moroccan team. We showed desire, played hard and have given a good image of Morocco and African football.”
Prior to Morocco’s sensational run, Africa – which officially finished fourth – had never gone past the quarter-finals, with only Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010) having reached that stage before.
Door ever wider for female officials
Salima Mukansanga – the first female fourth official in World Cup history – ushers on Kylian Mbappe during France’s shock loss to Tunisia
For the first time in World Cup history, three women were among the 36 selected for the elite group of referees with three more acting as assistant referees.
Rwanda’s Salima Mukansanga, Stephanie Frappart of France and Japan’s Yoshimi Yamashita were the refereeing trailblazers, even if only Frappart made history when officiating a game in Qatar from the middle.
Nonetheless, Mukansanga achieved her own piece of history when becoming the first female fourth official at a men’s World Cup in France’s 4-1 defeat of Australia, prior to handling three more games, two of which included Tunisia.
Having been the first woman to referee a men’s Africa Cup of Nations clash in January, the 34-year-old’s elevation provides yet further inspiration for the next generation of African officials, with Fifa saying it is selecting the best referees regardless of gender.
“It means you’re going to open the doors for other women, especially in Africa,’ said Mukansanga.
“The opportunities are there – it’s up to us to take them.”
Africa is slaying giants again
Vincent Aboubakar exited Qatar in sensational style, scoring the goal that beat Brazil before ruefully smiling at his red card for taking his shirt off in celebration
Africa is no stranger to sinking defending champions, with Cameroon and Senegal beating Argentina and France in 1990 and 2002 respectively, but it had been some 20 years since such a feat.
On this occasion, Tunisia ensured their early elimination finished on a high after stunning a weakened French side thanks to veteran Wabhi Khazri’s strike.
“Of course we are disappointed to be going out – because we didn’t do enough in the first two matches – but we have made the Tunisian people proud,” the Tunisia captain said afterwards.
This seismic shock was soon followed by another as Cameroon became the first African side to ever beat five-time champions, and tournament favourites, Brazil at the World Cup.
Vincent Aboubakar’s 93rd-minute goal was not enough to keep the Indomitable Lions in Qatar, as with the Tunisians, but he delivered a weighty punch about the state of the African game.
“I didn’t even realise it was such a historic victory,” admitted coach Rigobert Song. “My players should be congratulated and they’ve shown they could have done better. We are going to keep working to improve.”
‘Home support’ in the Middle East
Moroccan fans hold up a replica of the World Cup during their historic Qatar 2022 campaign
The continent’s North African teams enjoyed massive support in Qatar, where there are sizeable Moroccan and Tunisian communities already, with the fans making a real difference to their team’s fortunes.
After Tunisia’s opening game – a hard-fought and gutsy 0-0 draw with Denmark – coach Jalel Kadri was appreciative of the tumultuous backing.
“The fan factor was very positive for us, it mentally gave us a great lift,” he said.
Nonetheless, it was ultimately Morocco’s supporters who made the biggest impression and who were, behind champions Argentina’s legions of fans, the second-best followed.
Tens of thousands joyously descended on Qatar as the Atlas Lions roamed further in the World Cup than any African or Arab side before.
“This is a night I’m going to tell my children and grandchildren about,” supporter Soufiane Megrini, who had just witnessed the quarter-final win over Portugal, told the BBC.
Ghana recruitment yet to bear fruit
New Ghana defender Mohammed Salisu scores in the Black Stars’ 3-2 win over South Korea, the 2010 quarter-finalists’ sole win in Qatar
Ghana squeaked into the tournament with an away goals win over Nigeria in the World Cup play-offs but it was clear they needed more quality ahead of the World Cup itself.
So alongside technical director Chris Hughton, they set about persuading players with Ghana heritage to join the project – with defenders Mohammed Salisu and Tariq Lamptey and forward Inaki Williams among those coming in.
Recruiting players with dual nationality after World Cup qualification itself raised questions in Ghana both before and after the finals, especially with the Black Stars exiting in the group stages – even if they did at least gain revenge on their 2010 foes when helping knock out Uruguay.
“Football is beautiful, sometimes it is ugly – it was ugly for us today,” said coach Otto Addo after the costly loss. “I’m very sure we will learn from this.”
Yet Addo soon resigned, leaving behind a World Cup squad built for the future with 12 players aged 23 or under – including Brighton and Hove Albion’s Lamptey and Bristol City forward Antoine Semenyo.
There is none finer however than one of Africa’s outstanding youngsters – Mohammed Kudus, 22 – with the attacking midfielder’s class shining through and resulting in two goals in Ghana’s solitary win.
African champions’ costly lack of depth
Senegal celebrate Ismaila Sarr’s penalty strike against Ecuador
Senegal were dealt a massive blow when star striker Sadio Mane – named the world’s second-best footballer two months ago – had to withdraw on the eve of the finals through injury.
It handcuffed Aliou Cisse’s carefully-laid plans, since the coach clearly had no replacement anywhere near the same level – despite the best efforts of Ismaila Sarr, who scored twice, Bouna Dia and Iliman Ndiaye, who is one to watch.
The final group game win over Ecuador secured a second knockout appearance twenty years after their first but without Everton’s Idrissa Gana Gueye, who was suspended, and fellow midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate, injured in the group stage, the Teranga Lions struggled to contain England and crashed out.
“In all countries in Africa, there is a real sports policy in place,” said Cisse after the Round of 16 exit. “We have to keep that up if we want to win these tournaments.”
Having gone further than ever, the continental confidence collected in Qatar has prompted Morocco’s inspirational coach Walid Regragui to say a first African title is less than two decades away.
Three significant irrigation sites have been redeveloped by the Ghanaian government and the World Bank to accommodate various sorts of crops.
The Kpong Left Bank near Torgome in the North Tongu district of the Volta region is one such location.
To avoid the negative effects of climate change, agricultural enterprises would be protected year-round here, as they would be everywhere else.
Now that the Torgome region has access to a necessary component for crop farming, it resembles the nectar described in the Bible as the land flowing with milk and honey. A call for prospectors received more responses than it could handle, yet 14 of the agribusinesses were chosen.
The first to start operations on the Kpong Left Bank Irrigation is a French company that is cultivating bananas on approximately one-fifth of the 2,500 hectares of the serviced plots. The additional works had doubled cultivable lands.
The French company, which speedily moved to the site, is aware of the potential. It is set to mark the 20th anniversary of similar operations on irrigated lands on the Kpong Right Bank. Its sole interest is banana farming on a commercial scale for export to Europe. On the left bank, newly planted crop seedlings are expected to gestate in 8 months.
The Cameroonian farm manager, Jean-Marie Tchonang names labour and the painstaking agronomy associated with banana cultivation as the main challenges, but that which stands to be overshadowed by the rush on the produce once they hit the international market.
He invited the Traditional ruler (Mankralor), Torgbui Gidi to meet with him for further discussion on how best the local population may be integrated into the project.
French investors, Messrs Benjamin Rich and Olivier Chassang are not looking back on this mission on account of the country’s political stability and fertile lands. It is projected that the new site could offer 600 jobs, adding up to the existing 3,500 on the right bank. 100,000 tons of bananas are expected to be lifted in annual banana exports.
The Banana Exporter guarantees the use of its export terminal at the Tema harbour by other food produce exporters, for good turnaround time and as a cost-cutting measure.
Adding his voice, the Coordinator of the Ghana Commercial Agriculture Project, GCAP, Mr Osei Owusu Agyemang said, if what you are seeing and hearing whets your appetite, it is time for you as a Ghanaian to brace up for the opportunity and become worthy partakers. He said agriculture is a very serious venture that requires that significant operators are given prestigious titles on the label “Ghanaian Farmer” as pertains in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and other places. The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, he told Ghanaians.
Cameroon and Cote D’Ivoire are the other locations of French Banana farms in Africa.
Prophet Nicholas Osei, also known as Kumchacha, the founder and head of Heaven’s Gate Ministries, has said that speaking the name of Jesus while experiencing a sexual orgasm is wrong and insults the name of the Most High.
According to him, God disapproves of people having sex while mentioning His name, and this is the worst possible situation.
In his view, there is no need for people to shout God’s name when receiving their orgasms adding that, the name of the man should rather be mentioned.
He based his argument on the Bible scripture, Exodus 20:7 which reads: “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.’
“You are not serious if you mention Jesus’ name, the Holy Spirit’s name during the process of getting your orgasm, it simply means you are not a serious person. You don’t mention Jesus’ name in such duties, the bible says don’t mention His name in vain. Jesus is not the person sleeping with you. We don’t use God’s name in such a disrespectful manner. Jesus has nothing to do with having your orgasm” he said on Okay FM’s Best Entertainment Show.
Relationship Counsellor, Revered George Lutterodt on the same show however disagreed with the Man of God.
He advised Prophet Kumchacha to apologise for offending sexually active persons.
Counsellor Lutterodt added that mentioning God’s name, Jesus’ name, using words such as “oooh, aaah, wooo” during the orgasm stage enhances one’s sexual performance.
“That lie preached by pastors and men of God is harming God’s children which He blessed with sex. Jesus’ name is used in everything including sex. There’s no restriction in using God’s name. How can you say that when somebody is enjoying sexual intercourse and mentions Jesus or God, they will go to hell for sinning against God, what is wrong with you?” he fumed.
Hearts of Oak skipper Fatawu Mohammed has unconditionally apologized to his fans for his most recent remarks in an interview.
Mohammed made various claims in an interview with Sports Obama TV that the club’s supporters found to be unfounded.
He claimed his salary at the club for the years was only good for hand-to-mouth movement. He also stated that although he sacrificed and gave his all to the club, he didn’t even get a bicycle from the club.
The right-back advised his teammate and Black Stars forward Daniel Afriyie Barnieh not to renew his contract with the club.
Supporters of the club expressed their displeasure and Mohammed has come out to apologise to them.
“I apologize for all my negative comments against Hearts of Oak because I really love the club,” Fatawu Mohammed told Asempa FM.
Mohammed, who started his career with Red Bull Academy now West African Football Academy (WAFA) joined Hearts in 2013 and has made over 100 appearances for the club.
The inaugural Made-in-Ghana Summit was organized by the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Ghana (EFG) to further the discussion about the need to encourage the purchase and consumption of Ghanaian goods and services, with the overarching goal of creating locally produced, competitive brands that can spur national development.
The one-day summit, on the theme ‘Building Strong Ghanaian Brands for Global Competitiveness’, convened stakeholders in the local production space to discuss and proffer workable strategies to improve the consumption and patronage of locally-made products and services to drive the nation’s growth.
In a speech read on his behalf, Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyeremanten reiterated the need to build resilient and competitive local brands to underpin the country’s sustainable development.
He said government’s primary commitment to this agenda is the flagship One District-One Factory programme, which has been designed to decentralise industrial development in order to ensure an even spread of manufacturing industries across all districts of the country.
“A major part of the solution we seek to solve the current crisis of cedi depreciation and rising inflation has been known to us all along – which is the need to look within and build Ghanaian manufacturing businesses with products that can compete anywhere in the world,” he emphasised.
According to the minister, the Made in Ghana Summit was a good platform to discuss the opportunities and challenges of building strong Ghanaian brands for global competitiveness; and further pledged government’s support to provide an enabling environment to make this a reality.
The summit also unveiled top Ghanaian entrepreneurs drawn from the local manufacturing and services sectors who have shown strong commitment to the Made-in-Ghana agenda with reputable businesses in key industries – including manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, maritime logistics, automobile and aviation.
The Ministry of Finance has extended the Domestic Debt Exchange Program (DDEPexpiration )’s date from Monday, December 19 to December 30 of this year, with a Friday, January 6, 2023 settlement date planned.
The ministry believes that this development will give the required time to conduct the required consultations and analyses to meet the demands of domestic and international institutional bondholders while maintaining the integrity of the Debt Sustainability Analysis and the Staff-Level Agreement (SLA).
“Over the last 10 days, we continued the consultation efforts that we initiated with all stakeholders ahead of the launching of the offer, including regulators, bankers, pension funds, asset managers and insurance companies.
“Complementing the efforts on the structure of the offer, we are working with the Bank of Ghana and other regulators (SEC, NPRA and NIC) in the financial sector and our advisors and including input from various institutions and the unions,” it said in a release.
The release said the ministry also fully considered feedback from the financial sector in relation to the need to secure internal and executive board approvals which were necessary considerations for their participation in the exchange.
“This in some instances may require emergency board meetings, etc. The extension also 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 Debt Sustainability Analysis.
“Considering these developments and taking cognisance of the festive season, we have decided to extend the expiration date of the voluntary offer to Friday, December 30, 2022, with a contemplated settlement date of Friday, January 6, 2023,” it said.
The release further explained that the extension came on the heels of the announcement of an SLA with the IMF on December 13, 2022.
On December 6, 2022, the domestic debt operation, formally referred to as the Invitation to Exchange, was launched.
No takers
Almost two weeks after the launch of the programme, checks have revealed that there were no takers for the offer.
Sources said the Central Securities Depository (CSD) was waiting for the consent of institutional bondholders willing to participate in the DDEP that required them to postpone their interest in return for full payment of the principal at a later date.
As of Monday, December 12, no investor had communicated to the CSD of its intent to participate in the historic exercise.
Launched by the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, the DDEP requires institutional holders of the eligible bonds to agree in writing to the CSD to swap their current holdings for the new ones.
Interested investors had up to 4 p.m today, December 19, to confirm their willingness to participate, according to the Minister of Finance, who said the exercise was an avenue for Ghana to bring its debts to sustainable levels to be able to qualify for financial support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The paper was also hinted by sources close to the transaction that it was possible that the banks and brokers, which interfaced for the depository and the investors, were collating the lists in bulk to be forwarded to the depository later.
Given that the CSD does not deal with individual investors, the sources said it was not unusual for the depository to record no takers for the debt exchange programme in the early days.
Agitations
Since the announcement of the programme, fund managers, labour unions and pensions fund managers among others have fiercely resisted the move, citing the threat it posed to pension funds in particular.
They also blamed the government for what they claimed to be an imposition of the programme without deep consultations to embrace their suggestions and views.
The groups strongly held the view that their suggestions could make the programme better and more appealing to the IMF and hasten the process towards reducing the country’s debt to sustainable levels.
It is not yet clear what the expiration of the deadline will mean for the entire government /IMF negotiation.
Presently, the government is racing against time to secure IMF management and board approvals to unlock some $3 billion in balance of payment support.
With the announcement of an SLA which seems to be a contributory factor to the appreciating cedi since last week, analysts are also wondering whether this can be sustained in view of the latest development.
By winning the World Cup on Sunday, many fans believe Lionel Messi has settled the GOAT debate between him and Cristiano Ronaldo.
And on the social media front, the 35-year-old has outdone his rival – who has more than 500 million followers – with his latest Instagram post, too.
Soon after becoming a world champion, Messi shared an image of him holding the World Cup trophy during Argentina’s celebrations.
“CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD!!!!!!!,” he posted. “So many times I dreamed it, so much I wanted it that I still don’t fall, I can’t believe it…… Thank you so much to my family, to all who support me and also to all who believed in us.
“We prove once again that Argentinians when we fight together and united we are able to achieve what we aim.
“The merit is of this group, which is above individuals, is the strength of all fighting for the same dream that was also the one of all Argentinians… We did it!!! LET’S GO ARGENTINA DAMN!!!!!We’re seeing each other very soon.”
The picture, as of Tuesday morning, has received more than 55 million likes on Instagram, which is now the most for a sportsperson on the site.
It has surpassed Ronaldo’s post of the duo sitting together at a chessboard for a collaboration with Louis Vuitton ahead of the World Cup, which stands at almost 42 million likes.
However, Messi’s is still not Instagram’s most successful ever post.
World record egg currently holds the title with 56 million likes, but Messi could find himself topping the charts very soon.
Messi played a captain’s role in Argentina’s win over France on Sunday, the South Americans’ third World Cup title and first in 36 years.
Messi scored twice, while Kylian Mbappe netted a hat-trick as the two sides drew 3-3 in extra time to send it to penalties.
Argentina would go on to score all four of their spot-kicks, stealing the crown from the reigning champions, who missed two of theirs.
Messi posted another Instagram picture with him holding the World Cup on Monday afternoon as he travelled back to Argentina on a plane with the Jules Rimet trophy.
The government has temporarily stopped paying a number of foreign obligations to organizations that have extended loans to the nation.
The category of debts includes dollar-denominated bonds issued on the international market (Eurobonds), the country’s commercial term loans and most of its bilateral debts and debts mostly granted by friendly countries to Ghana.
It is to enable the government to again restructure the varied Eurobonds and the commercial loans on the country’s books, including those of state-owned enterprises, to make them more orderly and their servicing sustainable.
A statement issued by the Ministry of Finance yesterday said holders of the affected debts would be engaged in due course in order to be presented with restructuring proposals for their consideration.
It, however, stressed that the suspension would not affect the repayment of multilateral debts — loans procured from large institutions that lend to countries, such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the European Development Bank, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
It would also not affect all types of new debts contracted after yesterday or debts related to certain short-term trade facilities, it added.
“We are also evaluating certain specific debts related to projects with the highest socio-economic impact for Ghana which may have to be excluded.
“This suspension is an interim emergency measure, pending future agreements with all relevant creditors,” the statement explained.
Rationale
The suspension is to enable the government to restructure the external debts to make their servicing sustainable, while providing some leeway for government finances.
It is part of a raft of emergency measures to prevent a further deterioration in the economic, financial and social situation in the country.
Engagement
The statement added that the government was ready to engage in discussions with all its external creditors to make Ghana’s debt sustainable through a fair, transparent and comprehensive debt restructuring exercise, in line with international best practices.
“The Ministry of Finance will hold an investor presentation at a date to be announced at a later stage,” it said.
Receiving the buy-in of the country’s creditors is one of the cardinal conditions precedent to securing the approval of the management and the Executive Board of the IMF for Ghana’s extended credit facility programme with the fund.
The statement explained that the financial resources of the country, including the Bank of Ghana’s international reserves, were limited and needed to be preserved at this critical juncture.
Background
The government secured an IMF staff-level agreement on December 13, this year for a financing programme aimed at restoring macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability and preserving financial stability, while protecting the most vulnerable.
Prior to that, the Ministry of Finance had launched a Domestic Debt Exchange Programme and invited institutional domestic debt holders to voluntarily exchange them for four new bonds that would mature between 2027 and 2037.
While the principals of the domestic bonds would be paid in full on maturity, no coupon (interest) rate will apply or be paid next year, but five per cent would be paid on all four beginning 2024, up to 10 per cent in 2025 and until maturity.
By the last check last Monday, five days to the deadline for the voluntary submission of bonds, the Daily Graphic found out that no investor had taken the government’s offer, which was launched on Monday, December 5, this year.
At the launch of the debt exchange, the ministry had said details on the external debt would be announced later, the first of which is the suspension of servicing of selected debts.
Update
The objective of the debt restructuring is to reduce the country’s current debt burden and its servicing implications on the economy.
It is also to create a much more orderly, transparent, efficient and expedited manner critical to restoring macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability.
Providing updates on the economy yesterday, the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, said the government team had continued to dialogue extensively with various stakeholders, including regulators and representatives across the pension funds, banking, asset management and insurance sectors.
“We have discussed with them the rationale behind the domestic debt exchange programme, understood their perspectives and taken their feedback,” he said.
He said the staff-level agreement with the IMF had already started yielding results, shown through the cedi appreciation.
Mr Ofori-Atta urged Parliament to support the gains made with the passage of the Appropriations Bill for the 2023 fiscal year.
“We also urge Parliament to support in particular new revenue measures outlined in the 2023 budget which aim to improve revenue mobilisation. We cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of 2022,” he said.
The beneficiaries were chosen after they passed the strict standards established by the GEA, the World Bank, and other government development partners.
The beneficiaries are mainly owners of small businesses in agro-processing, food and beverage, healthcare and manufacturing and cut across the country.They are receiving between GH¢20,000 and GH¢300,000 grant to support their operational costs, including the purchase of raw materials and equipment.
Build resilient businesses
At an orientation and signing agreement ceremony for the beneficiaries in Accra on December 19, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the GEA, Kosi Yankey-Ayeh, said the grant was designed purposefully to ensure that businesses were resilient and ready to help transform the economy.
She said the main objective of the grant was to strengthen the economy, build industries and rebuild the business ecosystem to deal with unforeseen shocks or challenges in the future.
She said the government negotiated with the World Bank and came up with the access to finance component dubbed; the Ghana Economic Transformation Project to support these businesses, especially those impacted heavily under the early COVID-19 era.
“Today, we are signing off the third batch of 89 beneficiaries of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) under the COVID-19 Response Grant Programme.
“This batch of beneficiaries is being supported with over GH¢37.8 million, and it is indeed a privilege for me to be here for the third time under the current phase of the programme,” she said.
COVID impact
The CEO stated that the new round of the stimulus package was introduced by the government to cushion micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
He said the new phase was targeted at firms that export or have the potential to export; female-owned enterprises; businesses owned by persons with disability, and those owned by young people between the ages of 18 and 40.
In line with the government’s agenda to support MSMEs and strengthen women-owned businesses, she said beneficiaries of the grant initiative have created a minimum of 1,500 new jobs within the period.
She said the government sought to make the Ghana Economic Transformation Project a vehicle to transform the economy and support more SMEs to grow.
She added that applicants who made it to this point were those that demonstrated their preparedness and desire to grow their businesses to make an impact and create more jobs.
Nigerian music-giant, Davido, has personally responded to an unwarranted tweet by Ghanaian social media commentator, Bongo Ideas, who pointed accusing fingers at him over the death of his 3-year-old son, Ifeanyi Adeleke back in October.
Bongo, in a series of tweets, described Davidoas a carefree father whose actions led to the unfortunate death of his beloved son with his then-fiancée, Chioma Rowland.
In the viral tweet which caught the attention of Davido and other social media use, Bongo wrote: “Davido has always been careless and care-free. Blame him for the sudden death of his son.”
Following backlash from concerned individuals who reprimanded Bongo for his insensitive comment, the Ghanaian social media commentator stood his ground and defended his comment.
“Calling out Davido for his lukewarm fatherly attitude is not judgement,” he wrote.
On December 19, Bongo, took to Twitter to share screenshots of a private message sent to him by Davido.
The famous singer only prayed that the unfortunate incident that happen to his family never befalls Bongo who was quick to judge him.
Following the tense connection between the player and his club, Hearts of Oak skipper Fatawu Mohammed has exploded against his team.
Asante Kotoko, a fierce rival of Hearts of Oak, is the team that Fatawu Mohammed claims he has always supported because his entire family also does.
The defender extended his contract with Hearts of Oak on the last day of the year 2021 by two years and has one more year to run on the contract.
But the club has informed the player that he does not feature in the plans of the club and is free to leave Hearts of Oak in the January transfer window.
Since that news surfaced the player has gone on a tirade against the club as he has made a lot of unguarded comments about his current employers.
“I’m not a Hearts of Oak fan. I support Asante Kotoko. In my house everyone supports Asante Kotoko,” Fatawu Mohammed said in an interview with Sports Obama TV.
Among others, the Hearts captain claims his salary at the club is nothing to write home about.
Fatawu Mohammed, 30, is one of the longest-serving players currently at Hearts of Oak and helped them end their more than a decade-long trophy drought with the league and FA Cup two seasons ago.
He joined Hearts of Oak in 2013 from Real Tamale United.
In celebration of Argentina’s triumph over France in the World Cup final on Sunday, December 18, Lionel Messi carried the trophy while donning a black cloak.
The championship game of Qatar 2022 was a game to remember, with Argentina winning on penalties after the score was tied 3-3 after 120 minutes of thrilling action.
A penalty from Messi and Angel Di Maria’s strike put the Alibceleste in charge of the final as they went 2-0 up at half time.
They appeared to be cruising to a convincing win before Kylian Mbappe levelled for France as he scored twice in the space of 97 seconds – the first a penalty and the second a brilliantly taken volley.
Messi then struck early in the second half of extra-time but he and Argentina were pegged back once again with another Mbappe penalty.
The final was then decided via a dreaded shootout and Argentina came up trumps as Emiliano Martinez saved Kingsley Coman’s spot-kick and Aurelien Tchouameni fired wide. Argentina scored all four of their penalties.
Messi won the Player of the Tournament award before getting his hands on the trophy that had eluded him throughout his career.
Before the iconic moment he exchanged pleasantries with FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who put a robe on him just before the trophy lift.
The cloak Messi was wearing is a Bisht, which is a traditional men’s cloak that’s popular in the Arab world and is understood to date back thousands of years.
A Bisht is worn on special occasions such as weddings or celebration of festivals such as Eid, the religious holiday celebrated by Muslims that marks the end of the month-long dawn-to-sunset fasting of Ramadan.
Dr Mustafa Baig, a lecturer in Islamic Studies at the University of Exeter, said: “Only a select few people would actually wear the bisht.
Speaking about Messi wearing the garment, Dr Baig said: “They basically honoured him by putting it over his shoulders.
“It’s like a mark of honour, and just kind of a cultural welcoming and a cultural acceptance.”
BBC presenter Gary Lineker felt the decision spoiled what should have been a “magic moment”.
The former England striker said: “This is a magic moment. It seems a shame in a way that they’ve covered up Messi in his Argentina shirt.”
Ex-Argentina defender Pablo Zabaleta agreed, saying: “Just why? No reason to do that.”
It may have been a bizarre sight to those not familiar with the custom, but it was not as strange as Infantino’s white trainers.
While nothing odd about the footwear, the fact he had them customised so ‘FIFA’ was printed on the side of them.
Davido’s uncle, who doubles as the Governor of Osun State in Nigeria, Mr. Ademola Adeleke, has hailed the singer for what he described as an impressive show at the closing ceremony of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
In a video shared on his social media platforms, Mr. Ademola Adeleke was captured in the company of some individuals grooving to Davido’s performance which took place in the presence of thousands of spectators gathered in the stadium.
He shared the said video with the caption;
“Myself and the beautiful people of Osun love you, Davido. We all watched your performance live and you put a smile on our faces. Thank you for representing the nation yet alone the state of Osun.”
However, the ‘Jowo’ hitmaker was supported by fans all over the world after he made his return to the stage, months after the demise of his three-year-old son.
The Nigerian Afrobeats superstar was among a host of artistes who entertained the audience at Lusail Stadium after Argentina’s clash with France in the World Cup final.
The 30-year-old singer performed the 2022 World Cup theme song alongside Dana, Aisha, Ozuna, Gims, Nora Fathi, Balqees, Rahma Riad, and Manal.
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar caused domestic football to be suspended for a month. The title sponsor of the Ghana Premier League, betPawa, has expressed their excitement following the return of domestic play.
On Monday, the top flight began with Bibiani Gold Stars defeating RTU to move to the top of the league standings and Samartex FC drawing 1-1 with Accra Lions.
The Premier League went on break after eight round of matches that saw two-time champions Aduana Stars lead the table with 16 points, one point richer than Accra Lions who are in second place with 15 points.
Ghana had been drawn into Group H of the Qatar World Cup 2022, where they played Uruguay, Portugal, and South Korea, with two players from the betPawa Premier League, namely Daniel Afriyie Barnieh and Ibrahim Danland, who represented the country as part of the Black Stars.
betPawa’s Country Consultant, Jesse Agyepong further commented, “Ghanaian football has a lot of strong rising talent – one only needs to look at the performance of Mohammed Kudus at the World Cup to see what’s ahead. This is why at betPawa, we are passionate about the game. We believe that by investing into the betPawa Premier League, we are providing opportunities to change lives. We look to do this in ways that uplift and touch as many people as possible.”
betPawa’s Head of PR and Sponsorship Nii Armah Ashong-Katai commented, “The betPawa Premier League is important to young players, and a chance to achieve their dreams of playing on the international stage which was clearly evident in this year’s World Cup. We can’t wait to have the players and the fans back in the stadiums and enjoying the games with us. The World Cup brought in renewed passion for football and demonstrated that African players have the potential to play competitively.”
Medical doctor and relationship coach, Dr. Isaac Newman Arthur, has disclosed men are more active in relationshipthan women.
Speaking with Nana Yaw Odame on e.tv Ghana’s Men’s Lounge show, he said, “we are more activity driven where as women are more relationship driven. A man may just be in a relationship with someone just because of an activity and that activity is the focus, and any other thing is okay.”
He furthered men are totally different adding that it creates complications when women find it difficult to understand them. “That is where it sometimes creates that difficulty between a man and woman kind of relationships.”
The medical doctor mentioned that one aspect of relationships which invites problems in a relationship is when a woman is expected to behave like a man and a man expected to behave like a woman. Therefore “if you are having a relationship with a woman, a man must be expected to be a man and a woman must be expected to be a woman, and we are expected to express ourselves.”
He highlighted that men and women are different in terms of response to things hence when people believe a man and a women must behave in a particular manner is absurd.
Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia, wants the crimerate, particularly those associated with terrorism to reduce drastically during this festive season.
As a result, the Vice President has called for an effective collaboration between civilians and the security agencies to combat crime and flush out criminal element in the country.
He said for Ghanaians to maintain a safe and peaceful community, it was imperative to report suspicious characters and activities in the communities to the security agencies for prompt response.
“We must all be guided by the mantra: “See Something, Say Something,” Dr Bawumia added.
Vice President Bawumia gave the advice when he reviewed the parade and commissioned graduating officer cadets of the Ghana Prisons Service at the Prisons Training School in Accra. There were 203 officer cadets, comprising 157 males and 46 females.
Dr Bawumiaencouraged the public to be more conscious of suspicious activities within their communities and workplaces and charged every Ghanaian to be observant and report any unusual activities to the security agencies.
“The Ghana Prisons Service is an integral part of the security architecture of this country and also an important facilitator to criminal justice delivery,” he said.
“Therefore, the interdependence of the various components of the criminal justice system gave compelling reasons for government to equitably resource those components to function effectively,” the Vice-President stated.
Dr Bawumia said the recent recruitment of 2000 men and women into the service was part of various interventions by the government to strengthen the Service’s capacity to deliver on its mandate.
“The graduation parade is therefore a climax of six batches of new entrants from the unprecedented figure of two 2000 entrants.
Vice-President Bawumia emphasised that a comprehensive programme to resource and retool the Service was tabled and, thus, working towards providing more operational vehicles and tools for inmates’ rehabilitation to actualise the objectives of the programme.
Funds were also released for the continuation and completion of the Remand Prison at Nsawam as well as the first phase of the maximum security prison at Ankaful in the Central Region.
He, thus, lauded the contributions of faith-based organisations, particularly the Church of Pentecost, which was putting up a number of prisons as well as other corporate bodies for the growth and development of the Prisons Service in recent time.
Dr Bawumia expressed joy over the major rehabilitation programmes the Service was undertaking in its quest to better equip inmates for life after prison and cited the agricultural enterprises being run by the service.
The Vice-President lauded the graduates for their efforts and believed that the expertise and skills acquired during the training would be utilised to reinforce inmate welfare and reformation.
The hall mark of security or regimented institution was discipline and professionalism and urged them to abide by those tenets in all their endeavours.
The Overall Best Graduand Senior Under Officer Desire Mawutor Klutse received the Commandant’s Sword of Honour for his hard work and dedication to duty.
Attached below is a copy of the Press Statement issued by the Ghana Statistical Service to mark International Migrants Day.
Findings from the 2021 Population and Housing Census indicate that there are 11,717 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ghana.
The reasons for internal displacement are socio-political1 factors (55.2% of IDPs) or natural disaster2 (44.8% of IDPs). One in every ten (10.7%) of the IDPs have stayed less than one year in their current place of residence with six in ten (60.8%) having been displaced for 5 years or more.
More than half of (57.3%) of IDPs reside in four regions: Greater Accra (19.2%), Northern (14.1%) Ashanti (13.7%) and Central (10.2%) regions.
The adult literacy rate for IDPs is twice that of persons that are not displaced: four in every ten (41.3%) IDPs aged 15 years and older are not literate compared to two in every ten (21.9%) non-IDPs.
The percent of children aged 4 to 17 years who have never been to school is three times higher for IDPs (15.2%) than non- IDPs (4.8%).
The census also provides statistics on international migrants in Ghana. The leading drivers of immigration to Ghana is employment (36.9%), settlement (22.7%) and marriage or family unification (25.0%).
For males, getting employment (49.8%) is the most frequent purpose for migration while for females, it is migration for marriage or family unification (46.9%).
A greater share of migrants is male (60.5%) compared to females (39.5%). Almost half (48.3%) of international migrants have lived in Ghana for five years or more.
These statistics were released on International Migrants Day which is commemorated annually on 18th December to highlight the contribution of migrants and the challenges they face.
Celebrities have taken to their social media to praise M.anifestfor a successful 2022 Manifestivities.
Last night, Sunday, December 18, 2022, at the Bukom Boxing Arena, Accra, Ghanaian star rapper M.anifest held his annual Manifestivities.
Headlined by the multiple award-winning artiste, the music concert hosts local and international musicians, rising and already-established stars.
This year’s edition featured stars such as Kwesi Arthur, Gyakie and Nigeria’s Highlife sensation The Cavemen.
In the attending-crowd were some of Ghana’s creative arts notables who shared their experience after the event.
Media personality and actress Naa Ashorkor wrote: “@manifestive #Manifestivities22 I waaaaayyyy too much fun.”
Rapper Ko-Jo Cue wrote: “Chale the crowd at #Manifestivities22 were the real heroes… Energy for everyone, from start to finish. You do all.”
Activist and actress Lydia Forson wrote: “Last night was nothing short of EPIC!! Thanks for such an amazing show. @manifestive #Manifestivities22.”
Singer and record producer Yung Demz wrote: “Big up @manifestive [for] lending me a stage at #manifestivities22. We rocked it!! And all the girls that got a friendship bracelet… call me. xx [phone and kiss emoji].”
Boomplay Ghana General Manager Elizabeth Ntiamoah, alias Lyza, wrote: “Manifest is dancing?? [fire emojis] Ayee #Manifestivities22.”
In response to these messages and other noting the sound and aesthetic quality of the event, the entrepreneur and rapper has left this on his Twitter timeline: “I’m so thankful for you all. Love Always [orange heart emoji]. M.”
M.anifest’s latest project is a 6-track extended play (EP) titled ‘The E.P.ilogue’. It features a surprise feature from Nigerian rap star M.I Abaga.
Ghanaian actress Beverly Afaglo has reminded trolls that celebritiesare also human beings.
In a Graphic Showbiz report, she mentioned that she’d like to know what goes through the minds of trolls when they write derogatory things about celebrities.
“Celebrities are not demigods. We are also flesh and blood, just as every other person, and the negative things people say to us, in the name of trolling, badly affect us. Some people say it comes with being a celebrity or it comes with the job so just as you enjoy the positive side, accept or live with the negatives too, but it’s not that easy because we are humans.
“Sometimes, I sincerely want to know why these people, who sit behind their computers or use their phones, feel when they insult or make derogatory remarks about others on social media,” he said.
Beverly claimed that she would be interested in seeing how her trolls would fare if the roles were reversed and they were put in her place.
She continued by saying that although she had grown to expect to be teased, she wouldn’t take it well if her family were to be involved.
“I always say that should the tables turn and they find themselves in our shoes, will they be able to take what they throw at us? The times that we live in seem to be defined by celebrity abuse, directed at them via social media.
“There is just no escape from trolling and the worst part is that people today need no reason to peddle hate, especially at celebs. I have come to accept the happenings and I’m getting used to it. But what I won’t accept is when trolls drag my family into it,” she added.
Furthermore, she stated that she is constantly saddened when trolls draw her family into their cruel comments and that it has a psychological impact on them.
“It really hurts me when my family, siblings, children and husband are dragged into that kind of a mess. Yes, my husband is also a celebrity but when trolls feel they want to be on my case because of an issue that has happened, I would very much appreciate it if my family is left out.
“It is really psychologically draining to watch your family being subjected to public ridicule and insults just because you are a popular figure and people feel entitled to be part of your life. I’m the one in your face. So, do whatever you want to do with me just don’t attack my family, children and siblings,” she disclosed.
Ghana’s music star of international repute Wiyaala has announced her concert for the festive season.
The award-winning singer-songwriter and guitarist said so on Facebook on Sunday, December 18, 2022.
“31st December is getting more exciting!” she exclaimed, revealing the date for the event. “See you all there!”
Dubbed ‘Wiyaala: The Lioness Concert’, it features legendary Reggae/Dancehall star Samini Dagaati and Pobee Mwintombo, eulogised as Africa’s ‘Soul Poet’.
According to the promotional flyer, the event will introduce the Chin-Chinga Band and will take place in at the First and Last Garden, Wa, Upper West, Ghana.
Check below for more details.
In August 2022, Wiyaala was honoured with a Citation of Merit from the office of the President of the Borough of Bronx, Vanessa L. Gibson.
She earlier performed on the SummerStage music event at the Crotona Park in New York, the USA, on Saturday, August 13.
Ghanaian gospel group, Agape incorporated, in partnership with Roger Roller Evangelistic Association presents “AGAPE PILL 2022” dubbed, “From my heart”.
In an exclusive with the organizers, this year’s Pill is about showing gratitude to God and showing gratitude glorifies God and helps us to see him.
It opens our spiritual eyes, and aligns us squarely in God’s will.
This edition of Agape Pill is a testimony and gratitude night.
The said program has been slated on Monday, 26th of December, 2022 at exactly 4:00pm at the forecourt of Kumasi City Mall.
According to the Agape Group, God has been faithful in fulfilling the great work he begun 39 years ago.
This spirit filled program has the honour to host Rev. Emmanuel K. Musatapha as the main speaker for the program. He will be sharing life changing testimonies and emphasize on the peace that God brings by knowing Him.
Gospel artistes to grace the event include, Minister Kofi Owusu Peprah, Minister Quame Gyedu who will both feature local highlife songs with a mix of contemporary songs, and to climax it is the Agape jointheirs and the Agape juveniles.
The rate is free unlike the ticketed 2021 edition and so all should come and let’s give thanks to God from our innermost being.
Bibiani Gold Stars midfielder Samuel Amofa was adjudged Man of the Match following his impressive performance in their 1-0 win over Real Tamale United on match week nine of the Ghana Premier League.
Amofa helped his side secure a vital point to go top of the league table with 16 points on Monday at Dun’s Park.
The clash between Bibiani Gold Stars and RTU gave a good account of themselves.
However, it was that solitary strike from Noah Martey in the 29th minute of the first half that settled the contest.
Gold Stars after amassing the maximum three points are now temporarily top of the Ghana Premier League standings.
Meanwhile, RTU have moved down to 12th on the league log after the defeat.
There will be matches tomorrow and on Thursday to conclude matchday nine of the ongoing Ghana Premier League season.
Real Tamale United remain 11th on the table as they host Kotoku Royals on New Year’s Day fixture.
Canadian rap star Drake predicted Argentina’s hard-won victory at the FIFA World Cup finale yesterday, Sunday, December 18, 2022, but still lost his $1 million bet.
Drake had bet in the 1×2 market, which meant he was confident Lionel Messi and his side’s victory would come within the 90 minute period of the showdown.
The lacklustre game, with Argentina completely dominating France with possession and a 2-0 scoreline, suddenly turned into a nail-biting clash some minutes into the second half.
By end of 90 minutes and 8 minutes added time, the French star Kylian Mbappe had found the net three times, twice by a penalty, bringing the scoreline to 3-3.
This signalled that the ‘God’s Plan’ hitmaker had lost on his bet.
With France finding their rhythm and confidence heading into 30 minutes of extra time, it seemed the South Americans were on their way to becoming the latest victims of the Canadian rapper’s curse; almost always, when Drake, alias Drizzy, supports or bets on a sports figure, he or she loses their game.
After a demanding 30 minutes extra time, with Rodrigo De Paul crying on the bench, the Qatar 2022 climax came to penalities.
Argentina edged out France during the shootout, 4-2, to lift the World Cup.
Gonzalo Montiel scored the winning penalty for Argentina.
Had Drake’s Sunday morning bet and prediction proven accurate, he would have won $2.75 million.
The much anticipated ‘Kizz Daniel Live’ concert which was slated for Friday, December 23, 2022, at the Untamed Empire Event Garden, Spintex has been cancelled.
Four days to the event, Accra-based JoyNews has reported that organisers have cancelled the anticipated event by the ‘Buga’ hitmaker due to circumstances beyond their control.
The music event was organised by Play Network Africa and Pepperdem Ministries.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, December 17, via tweet, the singer and businessman thanked his fans in Lagos, Nigeria, for a successful ‘Kizz Daniel Live’ concert in their city, a day prior.
Three days after the release of the Nigerian’s official music video for his ‘Cough’ viral song with EMPIRE, it has more than 2 million views.
FIFA World Cup Champions, Argentina, arrived home to jubilant scenes early Tuesday morning.
Thousands of fans lined up on the streets of Bueno Aires to cheer the team, the historic feat achieved on Sunday in Doha.
Captain Lionel Messi stepped off the plane first, holding the gold trophy aloft, followed by his triumphant team onto a red carpet at the airport, greeted by reporters, officials and a live band.
A sea of supporters in the national colours of blue and white reportedly swarmed the team bus as it drove out of the airport, waving flags and singing and dancing.
The fans are expected to line the streets of the capital later on Tuesday, which has been declared a national holiday, for the team’s victory parade following their thrilling penalty shootout victory over France in Qatar on Sunday.
The team will first spend the night at the Argentine Football Association’s training ground, according to state media agency Télam.
Argentina won its third World Cup trophy after beating France 4-2 on penalties on Sunday following a three-all stalemate after extra time.
In a game of two halves, Argentina took an early lead in the first half courtesy of Lionel Messi’s penalty and Angel Di Maria breathtaking counter-attacking finish, but France roared back in the second half through Kylian Mbappe’s double in the final 12 minutes, reaching a 2-2 tie that forced the match into extra time.
Messi scored his second goal of the match to restore his team’s lead, but Mbappé scored a second penalty to grab his hat-trick, becoming the first player to score a hat trick in a World Cup final since 1966 to take the game to a penalty shootout, which ended with triumph for Argentina after France missed two shots.
Road accidents, fatalities, and injuries have decreased steadily over the past 11 months for the first time in decades. With only one month left in the year, statistics from the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) show that from January and November of this year, the number of fatalities from traffic accidents decreased by 18.2%, from 2,654 in 2021 to 2,171.
Within the same period, road crashes reduced by 7.2 per cent — from 14,734 in 2021 to 13,675 this year.
Additionally, there is a marginal improvement in the number of people who sustained injuries in road crashes as 14,239 were injured this year compared with 14,393 in 2021.
Pedestrian knockdowns also reduced by 9.6 per cent from 2,693 in 2021 to 2,435 this year.
Vehicles involved
In terms of vehicles, the statistics showed that 23,529 cars were involved in road crashes as against 25,130 within the same period last year, representing a 6.4 per cent reduction in the number of vehicles involved in the crashes.
A breakdown of the figures indicated that 7,925 commercial vehicles were involved in road crashes this year compared with 8,791 last year, representing a decline of 9.9 per cent.
Similarly, 10,628 private cars were involved in crashes this year as against 10,748 within the same period last year, indicating a marginal reduction of 1.1 per cent.
The statistics further revealed that motorcycles witnessed the biggest reduction in road crashes of 11 per cent from 5,591 in 2021 to 4,976 this year.
Analysis
The figures further revealed that 298 persons were killed in the road crashes this year.
The statistics also showed a relatively high road traffic death ratio (6:1) for adults as compared to children within the period.
The Director-General of the NRSA, David Osafo Adonteng, told the Daily Graphic that the development could be attributed to the high risk of exposure of adults to traffic incidences as compared to children.
In terms of the sex distribution of road traffic fatalities, the statistics indicated that 1,708 were males, representing 79 per cent of total deaths, as compared with 463 females over the period.
Action
Although there is improvement in road crashes, deaths and injuries, Mr Adonteng said the progress was not enough to achieve the target of halving road crashes and related deaths by 2030.
He said it was in that regard that the NRSA had ramped up efforts to stem the tide.
Mr Adonteng said the authority had started engagement with key stakeholders in the road safety ecosystem to help to reduce the crashes and deaths on the road.
For instance, he said, for the past two weeks, the NRSA had held discussions with the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) on how to strengthen the enforcement of road traffic regulations to address carnage on the road.
“We had very fruitful discussions with the IGP and explored ways by which we can work together to make our roads safe and I am sure that we will begin to see results,” he said.
He also said the NRSA had started visiting transport operators to solicit their support for road safety education.
“We have visited transport operators such as OA, PM Express and Royal VVIP to ask for their support. From tomorrow, we will continue to VIP, Intercity STC Coaches Limited, Metro Mass Transit and the Ghana Private Road Transport Union. We want all of them to play their roles well so that we can jointly deal with road crashes,” he said.
Ghanaian rapper and hiplife artiste, Jason Gaisie, popularly known as Pappy Kojo, has disclosed that he discovered his music career as early as his days in primary school.
Born in Italy, Pappy Kojo was sent to Ghana by his parents in 1990 to live with his grandmother in the city of Takoradi, for ten years for which he found and developed his passion for music.
He said his music career actually started in primary five.
“Music started while growing up in Takoradi” he reiterated. Two musicians that he admired while growing up he stated were Reggie Rockstone and Obrafour.
The “Awoa” hitmaker revealed in an interview on a 24-hour digital channel segment, Culture Daily, that he attained his elementary, and primary education at Ridge International School during his stay in Ghana. The 33-year-old rapper reminisced about his time at Ridge International and tagged it as fun, free and careless.
“Every time I go to Ridge International, I break down, there are so many great memories there; If I was given the chance to go back in time to spend ten minutes back at Ridge International, I would take it. Rap was rap, the competition, the messing, everything was genuine,” he said.
The Hiplife artiste revealed that he was known as “Teifour Weezy” back in the day. The origin behind that name being was one of his iconic artistes, Obrafour and the title “Weezy” a name he considered suitable to complete his search for a stage name.
“In Takoradi what Tei means is you take too much of it and I liked the “four” in Obrafour, so I picked it.”
He later made it known that being inspired by an autobiographical film which contains elements of globally known American rapper, Eminem titled “8 Mile” made him start making demo and records at studios as well engaging in rap battles.
