He said so on November 24, 2022, following the unveiling of the 2023 budget by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
For the fiscal year 2023, the finance minister also unveiled a number of measures to reduce spending.
But addressing journalists after the presentation, Adongo said, “For an economy where people are struggling to make ends meet, an economy where people’s businesses are collapsing, an economy where families are struggling to keep their families together, you have a government that says I’ll still put my hands in your pocket and put twice as much as I took in 2022. Even if your businesses are dying, I’ll take 120% more than I did last year.”
According to Adongo, instead of the government reducing its expenditure, it has increased its expenditure which will further exacerbate the current economic conditions.
“Yet when you look at the expenditure, the minister is moving from 109 billion this year to 205 billion,” he said.
The government introduced 13 expenditure-cut measures as listed below in its 2023 budget statement.
1. All MDAs, MMDAs, and SOEs are directed to reduce fuel allocations to Political Appointees and heads of MDAs, MMDAs, and SOEs by 50%. This directive applies to all methods of fuel allocation including coupons, electronic cards, chit systems, and fuel depots. Accordingly, 50% of the previous year’s (2022) budget allocation for fuel shall be earmarked for official business pertaining to MDAs, MMDAs, and SOES;
2. A ban on the use of V8s/V6s or its equivalent except for cross-country travel. All government vehicles would be registered with GV green number plates from January 2023;
3. Limited budgetary allocation for the purchase of vehicles. For the avoidance of doubt, the purchase of new vehicles shall be restricted to locally assembled vehicles;
4. Only essential official foreign travel across government including SOEs shall be allowed. No official foreign travel shall be allowed for board members. Accordingly, all government institutions should submit a travel plan for the year 2023, by mid-December for all expected travels to the Chief of Staff;
5. As far as possible, meetings and workshops should be done within the official environment or government facilities;
6. Government-sponsored external training and Staff Development activities at the Office of the President, Ministries, and SOEs must be put on hold for the 2023 financial year;
7. Reduction of expenditure on appointments including salary freezes together with suspension of certain allowances like housing, utilities, and clothing, etc.;
8. A freeze on new tax waivers for foreign companies and review of tax exemptions for the free zone, mining, oil, and gas companies;
9. A hiring freeze for civil and public servants;
10. No new government agencies shall be established in 2023;
11. There shall be no hampers for 2022;
12. There shall be no printing of diaries, notepads, calendars, and other promotional merchandise by MDAs, MMDAs, and SOEs for 2024;
13. All non-critical projects must be suspended for the 2023 Financial year
Sergey Artemyev is a Russian artist who specializes in oil on canvas and pastel on canvas paintings, including some of the best optical illusionswe’ve ever seen.
When creating painted replicas of real-life objects, depth and thickness are some of the toughest things to pull off, which makes sense, as creating painted renditions of three-dimensional objects is anything but easy.
Still, we’ve some pretty impressive optical illusions in the past, so it’s definitely doable, but few can do it better than Sergey Artemyev. The Russian artist is so confident in his ability to paint hyperrealistic replicas of various objects that he places them right next to his artworks and you still can’t tell which one is real.
Born in 1960 in Leningrad, Sergey Artemyev graduated from the Physics and Mathematics School No. 30 in his home city, then he entered the Engineering and Economic University. It was here that he began exploring his artistic side. He signed up for painting classes under Solomon Epstein and eventually decided to pursue an artistic career.
For most of his career, Artemyev focused on painting portraits and landscapes, and had several dozen exhibitions, both in Russia and abroad. However, it was only recently that he managed to appeal to a young audience online, with the help of his impressive optical illusions.
Using the skills that he had developed over decades, Artemyev began drawing realistic copies of mundane objects, from spoons to lollipops and grapes. To make his creations even more impressive, he always displays them right next to the actual object that inspired them, showing them from the front and from the side.
Looking straight at the artwork from the front, it’s often impossible to tell which one is the real object and which is the painting. It’s only when seen from the side that you realize the level of Artemyev’s skills at depicting 3D objects with brush strokes.
Apart from the quality of his optical illusions, Sergey Artemyev has also been praised for the speed with which he paints. While some artists spend days, sometimes weeks creating hyperrealistic paintings, the Sankt Petersburg native takes a couple of hours on average to finish one of his mind-blowing optical illusions.
For more of Sergey Artemyev’s eye trickery, make sure to check out his TikTok and Instagram.
Muntari came off the bench in the second game running to score for Qatar after Boulaye Dia and Famara Diedhiou had scored to give the Teranga Lions a 2-0 lead after 48 minutes played.
The forward’s goal gave hope to the hosts of a possible comeback but were unable to level proceedings as Bamba Dieng added Senegal’s third six minutes away from full time.
The 28-year-old was born and raised in Kumasi before moving to Qatar as a youngster and naturalised for them.
He received a call-up to the Qatar national team in December 2014, and on December 27, 2014, he made his debut against Estonia in a friendly match, scoring his first goal.
Muntari was a trainee at Nii Odartey Lamptey’s GloLamp Soccer Academy.
Government has announced a 50% cut in fuel allocations to all political appointees and heads of MDAs, MMDAs, and SOEs.
This, according to the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, forms part of measures “toward expenditure rationalisation.”
Addressing Parliament while presenting the 2023 budget statement and economic policy on November 24, 2022, the Minister announced that the directive takes effect from January 2023.
“Mr. Speaker, as a first step toward expenditure rationalisation, Government has approved the following directives which takes effect from January, 2023:All MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs are directed to reduce fuel allocations to Political Appointees and heads of MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs by 50%.
“This directive applies to all methods of fuel allocation, including coupons, electronic cards, chit systems, and fuel depots. Accordingly, 50% of the previous years (2022) budget allocation for fuel shall be earmarked for official business pertaining to MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs,” he said.
Additionally, measures toward expenditure rationalisation include a ban on the use of V8s and V6s by government officials (except for across country travel).
Government has also announced a limited budgetary allocation for the purchase of vehicles.
“For the avoidance of doubt, purchase of new vehicles shall be restricted to locally assembled vehicles,” the Minister said.
“Only essential official foreign travel across the government, including SOEs, shall be allowed,” he added.
These directives come at a time when the country has been plunged into an economic crisis.
Amidst the crisis, there have been calls for the government to cut down on its expenditure.
An Associate Professor of Political Science and a former Director of the Centre for European Studies of the University of Ghana, Prof Ransford Gyampo was one of the active voices championing this course.
In line with the calls, the government initially announced a 30% slash in the salaries of some of its appointees. Subsequently, it has announced a 50% slash in fuel allocations to all political appointees.
Meanwhile, the prices of goods and services continue to soar. Inflation currently stands at 40.4%, and fuel prices continue to surge, making life unbearable for the average Ghanaian.
Nonetheless, the government is confident that the measures outlined in the 2023 Budget will “redirect us on the path of macroeconomic stability and growth.”
David Walliams‘ future on Britain’s Got Talent is “very much up in the air”, according to the show, after a report that he is to step down as a judge.
The Sun has claimed he will leave the show’s panel after 10 years.
It comes weeks after the comedian and author apologised for “disrespectful comments” he made about two contestants during a break in filming in 2020.
A BGT spokesperson said: “The judging panel for Britain’s Got Talent 2023 will be announced in due course.”
They told the PA news agency: “It’s still very much up in the air at the moment on whether David is going to take part in next year’s show.
“No decision, though, has been made as yet.”
IMAGE SOURCE,PA MEDIA
Image caption,
Walliams with fellow BGT judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon
Auditions in front of the judging panel are not scheduled to start for another two months, and no-one is currently contracted to appear on next year’s series.
Walliams, who has been on the show since 2012, has not yet responded to the report. The BBC has asked his spokesperson for a comment.
Earlier this month, he said sorry after The Guardian published a leaked transcript of a recording, which it said showed the talent show judge making derogatory and sexually explicit remarks about contestants.
“I would like to apologise to the people I made disrespectful comments about during breaks in filming for Britain’s Got Talent in 2020,” he said.
“These were private conversations and – like most conversations with friends – were never intended to be shared. Nevertheless, I am sorry.”
At the time, a spokesperson for Thames TV, which produces the show, said the company regarded Walliams’ comments as private, but that his use of language was “inappropriate”.
They added: “Even though it was private, those involved have been spoken to and reminded of their responsibilities and the show’s expectations as to future professional conduct.”
A Frenchman has won the legal right to be boring at work, after a court in Paris ruled his employer was wrong to fire him for not going out with colleagues enough.
Cubik Partners, a management consultancy, says it uses a ‘fun’ approach to its team building — encouraging staff to head straight to the pub after work.
But Mr T, whose real name was not disclosed, didn’t want to take part in the team-building exercises.
He said he was entitled to ‘critical behaviour and to refuse company policy based on incitement to partake in various excesses’.
The company decided to fire him in 2015 for ‘professional inadequacy’, accusing the employee of being boring, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Cubik Partners also argued that Mr T was a poor listener and difficult to work with.
But in a ruling made last week and revealed Thursday, Paris’ Court of Cassation decided the man had a right to refuse to party — ordering Cubik Partners to pay out £2,574 to the former employee.
The company wasn’t allowed to make him ‘forcibly participate in seminars and end-of-week drinks frequently ending up in excessive alcohol intake, encouraged by associates who made very large quantities of alcohol available’, the court said.
The ‘fun’ events sometimes included sharing a bed with colleagues alongside the excessive drinking.
He had a fundamental right to dignity and respect of private life, said the court, adding that the employee was expressing his freedom of expression by not taking part.
The court went further, adding that the company engaged in ‘humiliating and intrusive practices regarding privacy such as simulated sexual acts, the obligation to share a bed with a colleague during seminars, the use of nicknames to designate people and hanging up deformed and made-up photos in offices’.
Mr T has demanded another £395,630 in damages, which the court is set to examine in a follow-up hearing.
After several deliberations, organised labour has rejected the government’s offer of a 12% salary increment.
This was after the meeting between organised labour and the government to negotiate a 60 percent increment in the single-spine salary structure for 2023 ended inconclusively.
Addressing the media after the crunch meeting, representatives of the unions indicated that the 12% offer by the government is not enough to alleviate their plight amid the current economic crisis.
President of Teachers & Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU), Ambrose Yaw Kwadwodzah stated that “this year’s conditions are far worse than last year’s when we negotiated for salary increment. We believe that what is left in the coffers is not being shared equitably amongst us.”
“The so-called Article 71 office holders, one of their allowance is more than someone’s basic salary and that is not fair at all,” he noted.
Organised labour insists that they will not back down on the proposed 60%.
However, the Deputy Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Bright Wereko-Brobby, said the government does not have the means to meet the 60 percent increase in base pay being demanded by organised labour.
According to him, the government is only willing to offer organised labour a 15 percent increase in their base pay.
Mr Wereko-Brobby stated that “If we could meet that we would have given it and this banter won’t be happening. We have tabled 15 % for now, that is what we have tabled. I am not part of those who do the mathematics and all that, but that is what we have tabled.”
Meanwhile, another meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, November 23.
From January through June of this year, the sector expanded by an average of 4.9% as opposed to 8.9% in 2021.
Despite the monetary and fiscal policy interventions implemented this year, the government blamed the situation on the rapid exchange rate depreciation, unmanageable debt load, excessive inflation, fiscal stress, and external sector shocks.
Whilst industry grew by 1.8 per cent, the services sector had a growth rate of 5.4 per cent in the first half 2022 compared to a growth rate of -3.1 per cent and 8.0 respectively in 2021.
The budget statement said the rise in inflation was driven by both food and non food prices, influenced by prices of local and imported goods.
The elevated public debt burden was said to have a total gross debt of Gh¢ 467, 371.32 million, representing about 75.9 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as of September 2022, impacting the sectoral performances of the economy.
The Ghana Cedi also depreciated cumulatively by 54.2 per cent against the US dollar as at November 23, this year, compared to 4.1 per cent at the end of December 2021.
Meanwhile, the budget highlights indicated that the structure of the economy remained unchanged from previous years.
It said: “The Services sector continued to lead by contributing an average share of 46.2 per cent in the first half of 2022, the agriculture sector contributed 21.7 per cent while the industry sector recorded 32.1 per cent.”
The 2023 budget was named “Nkabom Budget” and themed: “Restoring and Sustaining Macroeconomic Stability and Resilience through Inclusive Growth and Value Addition”.
Former UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson has been awarded by Ukraine for his contribution and support towards the country during its war with Russia.
Johnson has been awarded the title of the honorary citizen of Kyiv, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko.
Klitschko posted on Telegram on Friday, November 25: “The Kyiv City Council approved a decision to award Boris Johnson, a great friend of Ukraine, the title of honorary citizen of Kyiv.
“Boris visited the Ukrainian capital several times – both in peacetime and in the most dramatic time of our struggle against the Russian aggressor.
“Johnson has done and, I am sure, will continue to do everything possible so that Great Britain and world leaders provide the necessary assistance to Ukraine. We thank you for your support! We are waiting for you in Kyiv again to present this honorable award!”
Mr Johnson was previously given the title of Doctor Honoris Causa by The Academic Council of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv.
The Greek Island of Ikaria in the Aegean Sea is home to numerous camouflaged houses built under giant rocks to make them harder to spot by pirates.
Nowadays, Ikaria is a popular tourist destination famous for its sandy beaches, picturesque villages and pristine natural landscape. But it wasn’t always the slice of paradise it is today.
Hundreds of years ago, Ikaria was a prime target for the pirates who called the Aegean their home, so to protect themselves from their raids, the locals started building ‘anti-pirate’ homes deep into the mountains, to make their island look uninhabited from the sea.
At one point, the entire population of Ikaria concealed itself in rock houses that didn’t attract attention unless you literally walked past them.
Historical records show that piracy plagued Ikaria and other islands of the Aegean since the 1st Century BC, but things only got worse with the passing of time. Raids of the island occurred both under Roman and Byzantine rule, and in the 14th century, after the island became a part of the Republic of Genoa, piracy got so bad that the locals destroyed their own ports to deter incursions. But that wasn’t enough.
It was only after Ikaria was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire that the people of Ikaria decided to take desperate measures. The lax rule of the ottomans only encouraged pirates to attack and raid islands like Ikaria, and locals didn’t have many options to deal with the situation. They could either stand their ground and probably die, or leave their ancestral home and move somewhere safer. They chose the third option…
With no real hope of successfully resisting pirate invaders, the people of Ikaria abandoned their homes on the coast of the island and migrated inward, into the mountains, making it seem like they had abandoned the island entirely. Many moved in modest, stone-built homes that lacked the comfort of their village houses, but offered perfect camouflage.
Known as “anti-pirate houses”, these dwellings incorporated natural features of the island’s mountainous landscape, such as boulders, rocks, cliff overhangs and thickets, thus making them harder to spot from long distances.
“It was a total reversal of the sort of structure most people associate with Greece,” local Eleni Mazari told the BBC. “The age of grand temples was over. Ikarians were building homes designed to be seen by no-one, and to do it they had to go high up into the wilderness where they could not be observed from sea.”
“It was a total reversal of the sort of structure most people associate with Greece,” local Eleni Mazari told the BBC. “The age of grand temples was over. Ikarians were building homes designed to be seen by no-one, and to do it they had to go high up into the wilderness where they could not be observed from sea.”
Ikarians would continue to build and live in anti-pirate homes for about three decades, a period commonly known as “piratiki epochi” or “the pirate era”. Ghost mountain villages like Lagkada still feature stone dwellings from that time, many of which are as hard to spot today as they were back then.
To avoid attracting attention, houses would generally have just one level, lower than the boulder or cliff camouflaging it and they would have no chimney, to prevent columns of smoke. Locals would mostly interact at night and avoid using fire or any sources of light, and they didn’t even keep dogs, for fear that their barking would attract unwanted guests.
Interestingly, despite the hardships endured by the locals over the centuries, Ikaria is known as Greece’s land of longevity, where one in three people ends up living well into their 90s, and many become centenarians. It’s one of the world’s rare “blue zones”, places where people regularly manage to outlive the rest of us by 10 years or more.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Debt Exchange Programme through aggressive tax mobilization, the development of local export capability, and the Social Protection Programme to offer a safety net for the underprivileged are some of these programs.
He stated that the administration thought the action would reduce the
Commenting on the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy presented by Ken Ofori-Atta, the Finance Minister, to Parliament on Thursday, John Kumah said: “The government is going on an aggressive revenue mobilisation path thereby raising VAT by 2.5 percent and bringing the E-levy down from 1.5 percent to 1 percent.”
The property rate tax is also ready for implementation to support the Debt Exchange Programme.
Providing a safety net and social protection programmes for the poor were major projects to be enhanced by increasing the current beneficiaries of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) at 320,000 to 450,000 with a corresponding increase in their GH¢45 monthly payments to Ghc95 bi-monthly, he said.
The LEAP provides cash transfers to very poor people, particularly in households with orphans or vulnerable children, the elderly, and people with extreme disabilities.
Other social protection programmes would also be reviewed to ensure efficiency, including increment in the school feeding rates for caterers, Mr Kumah said.
“Government is committed to expanding coverage to all 2,500,000 extremely poor individuals as estimated by the Ghana Living Standards Survey (GLSS 7) by 2024,” he quoted from the Budget Statement.
He said the expansion of the programme would have a long-lasting impact on the development of the human resource base of the country and improve living standards of the vulnerable.
Established in 2008, the LEAP aimed to support the poorest families in Ghana to better meet their basic needs, prioritise health, enrol children in school and improve their attendance, increase savings, work and invest more to pull themselves out of poverty.
Currently, it supports 1.5 million extremely poor Ghanaians from 344,023 households across the country while providing support for the elderly aged 65 and above, and the severely disabled.
Borussia Dortmund striker Sebastien Haller has announced that a second operation to remove a testicular tumour was a success.
‘A new step ticked off. Operation number two went well! A big thank you to the medical team for their daily help,’ the 28-year-old wrote on Twitter on Thursday November 24.
The 28-year-old has been undergoing chemotherapy after being diagnosed with testicular cancer in July.
Haller spent 18 months with West Ham after joining in 2019 for a then club-record £45million from Eintracht Frankfurt.
He moved to Ajax in January last year and signed for Dortmund this summer.
After feeling unwell during Dortmund’s pre-season tour of Switzerland, he underwent tests that revealed a malignant tumour.
Haller is yet to make his debut for the Bundesliga giants and has previously opened up about the treatment he has undergone.
Speaking to UEFA last month, he revealed he has spent ‘five days at a time at the hospital, where I am hooked up 24/7’ and cannot get out of bed while the treatment is injected. He then has a two-week rest period.
‘That’s one phase, and I have to do that four times. Four phases of chemotherapy lasting roughly three weeks each,’ he added.
‘After that, depending on how my cancer is progressing and how it is spreading, I may be forced to undergo surgery.
‘A lot of people are asking me when I will be back, but there’s a lot to take into account so it’s hard to give them a straight answer.
Some of them who spoke to Class 91.3 FM’s Elisha Adarkwah said they would have been better off buying some of the foodstuffs in the open market instead of going to the Ministry’s much-touted affordable commodities market.
The Regional Director of Agriculture, Rev John Manu, however, said patrons were exaggerating about the prices.
He noted that patrons complained about the cost of local rice carefully packaged selling at GH¢70.
The worst finance minister in the history of the nation’s financial administration, according to him, was Ken Ofori-Atta.
“He has done nothing; he is the worst financial manager in the history of the nation. He is not helpful, and I view that as being courteous to all citizens, he said.
In an interview with Don Kwabena Prah on Happy98.9 FM’s “Epa Hoa Daben” socio-political talk show, he alleged that individuals with first grade in accounting or financing will appreciate the intensity of the cedi depreciation due to demerit decisions by the Minister.
“We must be told that even a first-degree holder in accounting or financing knows better that his bad decisions brought the cedi here and not because the citizens are dumb,” he stressed.
He indicated that the presence of traditional elders and government leaders to support him during his censure made the situation disgusting and unconscionable.
“What disgusts me most is the Chiefs and Ministers being paid with taxpayers’ money appearing to support him, we say we do not want him and you’ve left your work there to support him,” he bemoaned.
“If we had leaders who were responsive, the president would have demoted them. You leave your work to support Ken Ofori-Atta at the expense of the country, with the country’s car, fuel and salaries. This should tell you the calibre of people we have elected, very bad appalling and insulting to the Ghanaian intelligent” he added.
After defeating Qatar on Friday, November 25, Senegal became the first African nation to win at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Boulaye Dia, Famara Diedhiou, and Bamba Dieng scored all of Aliou Cisse’s team’s goals as they bounced back from their defeat to the Netherlands in their opening match.
Mohammed Muntari scored a consolation goal for the home team after coming off the bench, but it wasn’t enough to earn them a point.
Despite this, Qatar is again in danger of being eliminated after losing their first match to Ecuador last Sunday.
Dia broke the scoreless stalemate four minutes before halftime to make up for Boualem Khoukhi’s poor clearing.
Three minutes after halftime, former Bristol City striker Famara Diedhiou rose to flick in a superb header, ending Qatar’s hopes of regaining the lead.
On his 50th game, Ismaila Sarr of Watford wasted an early chance to score, and Idrissa Gueye of Everton’s rasping drive just missed the target.
During the first half, Akram Afif was tripped by Sarr, and Qatar believed a penalty should have been given. To the chagrin of the home supporters, Antonio Lahoz merely gave out a goal-kick.
Edouard Mendy of Chelsea made amazing reaction saves to deny Almoez Ali and Ismail Mohamad goals, but he was helpless to stop Mohammed
Qatar was looking for an equalizer after two games, but Bamba Dieng’s goal demoralized the home audience and sent their
Asamoah Gyan, a former captain of the Black Stars, praised Andre Ayew’s contribution to Ghana after the team’s opening match at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Ayew scored in the Black Stars’ 2-3 loss to Portugal in their opening Group H match before being substituted and Jordan Ayew taking his place.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored from the penalty spot, and Ayew responded by scoring off a ball from Mohammed Kudus. Goals from Joao Felix, Rafael Leao, and Osman Bukari then ensured a 3-2 victory.
Gyan described Ayew as a big game player when serving as a pundit on Supersport, taking into account his national team’s goal-scoring records.
“I think he is the man for the big occasions. 24 goals and he’s not even a centre-forward, I think that is impressive,” he said.
The Al-Sadd forward has now scored three goals for Ghana in the World Cup after the goal against Portugal, and he will try to increase that total against South Korea and Uruguay in Ghana’s upcoming matches.
During Ghana’s football match with Portugal on November 24, 2022, at the FIFA World Cup Games in Qatar, former British Ambassador to Ghana, Jon Benjamin gathered some Ghanaians living in Mexico to watch the game with him.
Counting well over nine heads seated in the Ambassador’s private chambers in Mexico, where he is currently stationed, were some nationals clad in Ghanaian jerseys, beaming with smiles.
Jon, on the other hand, couldn’t hide his excitement when he took selfies featuring these Ghanaians who looked ready for the game without knowing what the outcome was going to be at the end of the game.
A caption accompanying his post on Instagram read, “Currently hosting the small resident Ghanaian community in #MexicoCity for the #PORGHA #WorldCup game.
“Tenemos de visita en casa a la comunidad ghanesa de #cdmx para ver el partido de su selección los #BlackStars ???????????????????????? de #Ghana.”
With all the enthusiasm and zeal the former ambassador started the game with, it ended quite sorrowfully when Ghana lost to Portugal at the end of the game.
Although many spirits were crushed, some Ghanaians are still optimistic about the next game.
They believe Ghana will scale through to the next stage when they play with Japan.
After losing to Portugal in the ongoing 2022 FIFA World Cup, it appears that a new spark of positivity has been ignited in some core football fans, including former French Ambassador to Ghana, Anne-Sophie Avé.
In a post shared on Twitter, Ms. Anne-Sophie Ave established that the Black Stars did incredibly well adding that it is the first Sub-Saharan country to score two goals at the FIFA World Cup.
Look at it this way. Out of 3 subsaharian African teams, Ghana 🇬🇭 is the only one who scored 2 goals. And against Portugal 🇵🇹 Sad of course but still proud they fought honourably.
The French Ambassador stated that although the country might be currently disappointed, she believes the team fought hard to prove themselves.
“Look at it this way. Out of 3 Subsaharan African teams, Ghana is the only one that scored 2 goals. And against Portugal. Sad of course but still proud they fought honourably,” she said on November 24, 2022.
Ms. Sophie Ave’s post has since amassed scores of social media reactions from netizens who sided with her, while others thought the team and coach could have levelled up.
A user said, “If you all could realise, there is only one person who caused the mistakes and the goals came and it’s all from the changes the Coach made. He shouldn’t repeat this again we beg him.”
Another expressed, “This is western consolation. We should have won. There’s no silver lining in this. Also, typical of the West, we were conspired against. So I’m sorry madam, we won’t look at it that way. Mere scoring isn’t enough for us.”
“The ref was biased and performed awfully. That said, I believe Ghana will do in the remaining games and progress,” another cited.
Former Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors, Senyo Hosi, has suggested to President Akufo-Addo five financial experts who should head the Finance Ministry instead of Ken Ofori-Atta.
The personalities suggested include; First Deputy Governor, Bank of Ghana (BoG), Dr. Maxwell Opoku Afari, Former Ecobank Group CEO, Mr. Albert Essien, Former President of GAB and current Chairman, ESLA PLC, Mr. Simon Dornoo, Former Governor, BoG, Dr. Paul Acquah and Tax Policy Expert, Lawyer, Economist & Lecturer, Dr. Abdallah Ali-Nakyea.
In an open letter to the president, Mr Hosi, stated categorically that a replacement has become inevitable since “none of your current MPs and Ministers can offer what this market needs.”
According to him, the country requires appointees who will uphold fiscal discipline against party political considerations, which is currently not the case.
“It is time for a technocratic and meritocratic appointment of one truly respected and accepted by the financial markets and across the political divide,” he added.
Mr Hosi noted that there are other equally competent candidates the President can choose from, nonetheless, “I urge you to consider the guiding principle expatiated above – put the national interest above all else. Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.”
Following his submission, he told the President “the power is yours,” a catchphrase by Captain Planet, his favourite cartoon character.
His request comes at a time when several Ghanaians, including the Minority in Parliament, have voted a no confidence in Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, who is supposed to ensure the smooth running of the economy.
Mr Ofori-Atta risks losing his job as he is currently facing a censure motion filed by the minority in Parliament.
Meanwhile, Mr Hosi wants the President to consider some five personalities for the role of Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, a position formerly held by Charles Adu Boahen.
The five are Mr. Kwamena Asomaning – CEO, Stanbic Bank Ghana Limited, Mansa Nettey – CEO, Standard Chartered Bank Ghana, Alex Emmanuel Asiedu – Head of Investments, Africa Region, Standard Bank, Prof. Festus Ebo Turkson – Economist & Lecturer, University of Ghana and Josephine Anan-Ankomah – Group Executive- Commercial, Ecobank Group.
Mr Adu Boahen was dismissed by the President after he was accused by investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, of corruption-related activities.
The matter is being investigated by the Office of the Special Prosecutor, headed by Kissi Agyebeng.
Some 256 teachers have sued the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Attorney General over their mass failure in the December 2021 promotional examinations.
The teachers, who are on the Assistant Director Grade II position, sat for the Assistant Director Grade I promotion examination at the Ada Training College Centre.
Mr. James Enu, counsel for the applicants (teachers), told the Ghana News Agency that none of the 256 teachers, who wrote the exams at that centre passed, adding that, such an occurrence was bizarre.
Mr. Enu said even though the applicants petitioned the GES to investigate the issue, they were informed that nothing untoward was found in the circumstances leading to their failure.
He said the applicants, however, believed that the GES did not conduct any investigations into the issue, therefore, he wrote on behalf of his clients to the Service to request for their scripts and scores, but no response was received to that effect.
He added that it was also worrying that the pass mark for the exams was not disclosed to the candidates before they sat for it but rather, they were informed after the examination that they had all failed the paper.
He said it was based on these that the applicants took legal action against the GES seeking the court to set aside the results of the exam to GES to furnish the applicants with their exams scores and scripts, as well as put an injunction on the defendant to prevent them from organizing other exams until the determination of the case.
Mr. Oheneba Akyea Mensah, a representative of the teachers, said the issue had affected them psychologically, emotionally, and physically, making it difficult for them to properly discharge their duties as teachers.
Mr. Mensah said during the exams, some of the applicants did not have index numbers and were asked to use their staff numbers, adding that one was also absent while another got involved in an accident but all of them were declared as failed.
He said they wanted to set a precedent, as this was not the first time such an incident had occurred.
Meanwhile, the Tema High Court ‘B’ presided over by Justice Emmanuel Ankamah, has set December 12, 2022, for the movement of the application.
The Minority Leader in Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, has described the President’s visit to the Black Stars in Qatar as the best motivation offered to the players.
President Akufo Addo paid a visit to the National Football Team in Qatar ahead of their game with Portugal, which has been criticised by some Ghanaians.
But in a statement on the floor of Parliament, a day after the 3-2 defeat of the team by Portugal, the Minority Leader said the gesture by President Akufo-Addo was encouraging and showed the love of the country to the players.
“It was encouraging the president in camp with our players, that is that best motivation they could get,” Mr Haruna Iddrisu said on Friday.
Portugalbeat Ghana 3-2 in their World Cup opener, with Ronaldo netting from the spot after going down under a challenge from Mohammed Salisu.
Many viewers disagreed with the decision, thinking Salisu got the ball and that Ronaldo went down easily.
“The defender clearly plays the ball,” former Premier League referee Mike Dean said after the game adding, ‘Ronaldo then touches the back of the defender, goes down, instigated contact.
“It’s not the referee’s fault – he’s given the decision on the field of play. The VAR, in my opinion, should have got involved and invited the referee over to have a look at it.”
He added: “It’s scary, I have to say. I’m just astounded. I like to back referees all the time but you can’t support stuff like that. You can’t defend the indefensible.”
The 8-member Ad-hoc Committee set up by Parliament to investigate the minority’s censure motion against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori- Atta, has laid its report before the House.
This comes a week after the committee concluded its work. The chairman of the committee, Speaker Alban Bagbin, gave the committee a seven-day ultimatum
to present their findings for debate in the House.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a member of the committee, expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace of dealing with the committee’s report and making
a final decision on the Finance Minister.
He said, “I was unhappy about the laissez-faire attitude… the heart of this issue is that Article 82 has been triggered. It says that during the
debate, the minister facing a vote of censure must be heard, and that has been done. I thought that in the business statement for next week it would have been specifically and clearly programmed so that we would have a day set aside for the debate”.
His view is that the longer the Finance Minister remains in office, the greater the hardships Ghanaians will suffer.
“Every single day that Dr Ofori Atta continues to stay and operate from the Finance Ministry, we see more
downgrades, inflation begins to get through the roof, the cost of living crisis is becoming debate more unbearable, nothing new except the imposition of taxes” the MP emphasized.
Mr Ablakwa believes that once the minister has been heard as stipulated by Article 82, “it is now time for a full-blown debate, and most importantly, the Ghanaian people are looking up to us,” adding that this assignment must be completed so “Ghanaians can know where their MPs stand.”
The North Tongue MP also invited NPP MPs to join them in removing the Finance Minister, warning that if Mr Ofori-Atta remained in office, MPs would have abdicated their responsibility.
“I hope that we meet the two-thirds threshold if only our colleagues on the other side will just show some principles and consistency…” he
said.
“To the extent that he doesn’t want to resign and the President does not want to dismiss him, the onus is on us MPs and I do hope that my colleagues will value public opinion, will respect the will of the people and will remember that it is the Ghanaian people who elected us and brought us here, and we must at all times reflect what they expect,” Mr Ablakwa added.
Renowned investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, has refuted dismissed allegations of extortion and blackmail against him after releasing his latest exposè the “Galamsey economy”.
A statement signed by the Ghanaian journalist said “some persons have resorted to mudslinging and lies” against its CEO Anas following the release of the undercover documentary that led to the dismissal of a Minister of State at the Finance Ministry Charles Adu Boahen.
Mr Adu Boahen was sacked after the investigative prior to the airing of the investigative piece. He is currently the subject of an investigation by Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng.
“Tiger Eye PI notes, that, these are antics by the perpetrators of corruption and their collaborators, to distract from the facts of our recent exposé…we challenge anyone with evidence of crime against Anas Aremeyaw Anas, to without hesitation, make same available to the relevant state authorities.”
“To reiterate without equivocation, Tiger Eye PI has NEVER, either through its agents or third parties, demanded monies from persons busted by Tiger Eye PI in the cause of our work, including the Number 12 and Galamsey Fraud exposés for the stories to be dropped.
“Per the internal operating procedures and integrity mechanisms within Tiger Eye, it’s IMPOSSIBLE for any of our agents to demand bribes to drop a story. The sheer frivolity and incoherence of these allegations have been exposed times without number by Tiger Eye PI.”
Below is the full statement:
TIGER EYE RESPONDS TO ALLEGATIONS OF EXTORTION AND BLACKMAIL
Following the release of the Galamsey Economy exposè which focused on exposing the pervasive rot that is affecting the economy and investor confidence in Ghana, some persons have resorted to mudslinging and lies against the CEO of Tiger Eye PI, Anas Aremeyaw Anas. A video, made up of rehashed allegations from 2018 have been circulated on social media networks and other messaging platforms. Tiger Eye hereby responds to the contents of the said video, containing details which we have refuted on countless occasions.
Tiger Eye PI dismisses all the allegations including extortion and blackmail against Anas Aremeyaw Anas. These allegations are imagined and fabricated, with no basis in reality. Tiger Eye PI notes, that, these are antics by the perpetrators of corruption and their collaborators, to distract from the facts of our recent exposé. It also merits the question: why do such allegations only surface when there is an exposé?
In the said video, Mr Kwesi Nyantakyi’s wife is seen and heard, sometime in 2018 on Metro TV, alleging that some persons had contacted her husband to pay some amount of money ($100,000) in order to drop the #12 exposé. When this allegation was first made, Anas Aremeyaw Anas challenged Mr Nyantakyi and his wife to sue him or whoever did what they’re alleging, or report him/her to the police for extortion if they think their stale allegation is true (https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Sue-me-for-extortion-blackmail-if-I-asked-for-100k-bribe-Anas-dares-Nyantakyi-s-wife-703414). It’s however important to note that, she, as well as the trumpeters of the said allegation, fail to mention anyone’s
name. As we speak, Mr Nyantakyi is standing trial for fraud and corruption. If this allegation were true, it would be absurd that he would not go any length to put whoever made those demands for bribes before the law especially when through Tiger Eye’s anti-corruption operations, he has lost his job.
It’s important to note that, the champion of these spurious allegations, Mr Kennedy Agyepong (also seen in the video), who splashed the photos of the late Ahmed Suale on his NET 2 TV prior to his assassination, is in court with Anas Aremeyaw Anas in a defamation suit. When he challenged the professional integrity of Anas as a lawyer at the General Legal Council, he was handed a defeat. Again, he has already lost the first round of defamation suit against him by Mr Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, where the court found his allegations to be unfounded and empty.
In the video, portions show Mr Charles Bissue’s false claims. Tiger Eye refuted his false claims recently, extensively. (https://www.myjoyonline.com/full-text-anas-vs-charles-bissue-on-galamsey-deals/). We reiterate that those claims of demands for bribes to drop the Galamsey Fraud exposé, are false and without merit.
It’s interesting that whenever these claims are made, those alleging fail to mention specific names nor produce evidence to buttress their claims. They don’t also take bold steps to report such things to law enforcement agencies for them to be dealt with per law. This should alert every watcher, that, these claims are wanton and must be treated as such.
In the video, a man in a cornrow whom another claimed was Anas, was being accused of land grabbing. On humanitarian grounds, we wish to iterate that circulating videos of persons and tagging them as ANAS could put innocent persons at risk as they might get caught up and targeted in a case of mistaken identity. We further wish to state for the record that Anas Aremeyaw Anas, CEO of Tiger Eye has NEVER forcefully or illegally dispossessed anyone of his/her land and hasn’t been involved in an altercation as being purported. No court has found him guilty of illegal land expropriation.
Tiger Eye is fully aware that this particular allegation is being championed by one Kweku Annan who was sacked from NET 2 for professional misconduct. Suffice to say, Kweku Annan was exposed by Tiger Eye demanding bribes to spew lies about Anas Aremeyaw Anas (https://www.adomonline.com/fallout-from-12-radio-broadcaster-admits-taking-money-accuses-anas-of-bad-faith/). Subsequently, Tiger Eye took him to the National Media Commission (NMC) for redress on his allegations (https://www.graphic.com.gh/sports/sports-news/video-anas-petitions-nmc-to-investigate-hot-fm-presenter-for-unethical-media-practice.html), where he couldn’t substantiate a single claim, leading to the issuance of a restraining order against him by the NMC. Once again, we challenge anyone with evidence of wrongdoing in the nature of unlawful expropriation of lands to proceed to the appropriate State agency for further action.
To reiterate without equivocation, Tiger Eye PI has NEVER, either through its agents or third parties, demanded monies from persons busted by Tiger Eye PI in the cause of our work, including the Number 12 and Galamsey Fraud exposés for the stories to be dropped. Per the internal operating procedures and integrity mechanisms within Tiger Eye, it’s IMPOSSIBLE for any of our agents to demand bribes to drop a story. The sheer frivolity and incoherence of these allegations have been exposed times without number by Tiger Eye PI.
Tiger Eye PI, has at all times, after its investigations, taken extra steps to assist relevant State authorities to investigate the findings of our investigations. Anas Aremeyaw Anas has testified in courts, has been cross examined, and has been a subject of multiple suits for his works. None of these suits, since the over two decades of dedicated service to uncover crimes, has been successful.
We challenge anyone with evidence of crime against Anas Aremeyaw Anas, to without hesitation, make same available to the relevant State authorities.
Tiger Eye PI remains unwavering in its commitment to fight graft and crimes using sting operations (Anas principle), and absolutely nothing, be they threats or baggage of spurious allegations, will stop us from holding duty bearers accountable in the interest of God and Country.
Government on Thursday, November 24, 2022, announced a 2.5% increase in Value Added Tax (VAT).
The Association of Electrical Dealers at Opera Square in the central business district of Accra has been reacting to the content of the 2023 budget.
The leadership is concerned about the increase in the Value Added Tax (VAT) insisting it will make life unbearable for already ailing businesses.
Speaking to JoyNews, the Association’s Chairman, Henry Arhin bemoaned the situation and asked government to reconsider its decision.
“Because of the dollar exchange, businesses are collapsing so if the VAT is also going up then definitely it won’t help us.
“If we want people to pay VATthen they should moderate it for us,” he told Emefa Apawu.
The resistance is not peculiar to the Association of Electrical Dealers alone.
Spare parts dealers in Abossey Okai are also worried the VAT increment will adversely affect their market.
They claim the upward adjustment will further weaken their trade.
In the Ashanti Regional capital Kumasi, while some residents remain confident about the turnaround of the country’s economic fortunes, others are dissatisfied with the increase of the VAT.
“Wasn’t he the same person that organised Kumepreko some years ago because of the VAT, so why has he increased it? He should even scrape the tax policy,” one resident told Luv FM’s Emmanuel Bright Quaicoe.
Yesterday, Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta announced government’s decision to increase VAT by 2.5 per cent.
Revenue raised from this increment, he claimed, will be used for road projects and the digitisation agenda.
The Saudi government would “certainly support” private Saudi bids for Manchester United and Liverpool, according to the country’s minister of sports.
Both Premier League clubs’ owners are looking into possible sales.
Following a takeover supported by the Saudi Public Investment Fund that was completed in October 2021, Newcastle United already has Saudi Arabian owners.
There is a lot of “interest and appetite,” according to Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, for United and Liverpool.
He said to BBC Sport: “I can’t speak for the private sector, but there is a great deal of curiosity, enthusiasm, and passion about football.
“It’s the most-watched league in Saudi and the region and you have a lot of fans of the Premier League.
“We will definitely support it if any [Saudi] private sector comes in, because we know that’s going to reflect positively on sports within the kingdom.
“But if there’s an investor willing to do so and the numbers add up, why not?”
Little more than 12 months since their takeover, Newcastle are third in the Premier League table and unbeaten in all competitions since 31 August.
The Magpies have spent more than £200m on players since the takeover, breaking their transfer record to sign Swedish striker Alexander Isak in the summer.
“They’ve done an excellent job,” added Prince Abdulaziz.
“They still have a long way to go – they’ve brought the right people on board.
“I’m sure they have targets to win the league and the Champions League and so on because they strive for the best and always bring the best on board, so I think it’s going to be a bright future for Newcastle.”
Ronaldo to Saudi Arabia?
Prince Abdulaziz also said he would “love” to see Cristiano Ronaldo join a Saudi club following his departure from Manchester United.
The Portugal forward left the Old Trafford club with immediate effect on Tuesday following a controversial interview in which the 37-year-old criticised United and said he had “no respect” for manager Erik ten Hag.
In the interview with TalkTV, Ronaldo also said he turned down a £305m deal to join a Saudi Arabian club in the summer – a move that would have seen him become the highest-paid footballer in the world.
Spanish newspaper Marca reported that Al-Hilal had offered him a two-year deal.
“Anything is possible, I would love to see Ronaldo play in the Saudi league,” said Prince Abdulaziz.
“It would benefit the league, the sports eco-system in Saudi and it will inspire the youth for the future. He’s a role model to a lot of kids and has a big fanbase in Saudi.”
Ronaldo is currently playing at what is likely to be his last World Cup, a tournament Prince Abdulaziz would be keen to bring to Saudi Arabia.
The state is in the running to host the women’s and men’s Asian Cup in 2026 and 2027 respectively and, if the bids are successful, he believes it will “for sure” increase the chance of Saudi bidding for the World Cup.
“Why not? Who wouldn’t want to host the World Cup?” he added. “We host a lot of events in the region.
“Any country in the world would love to host the World Cup. It’s an amazing tournament and it’s good for every country to host such an event.
“We need to uplift some of our venues. We have a lot of stadiums that meet the requirement that we need, but hosting such an event is not just about the stadiums, it’s about the infrastructure, the people, about preparing everyone to such an event
“And making sure that when you’re ready to host this competition the whole nation is behind that.”
‘We will always be criticised’
Through its hosting of major sporting events, including Formula 1 races, world title boxing fights and golf tournaments, Saudi Arabia has been accused of sportswashing – the act of using sport to improve its reputation and project a positive image of a country.
Like current World Cup hosts Qatar, campaigners say sport is being used as a soft power by the Saudi government to hide long-standing issues, including women’s rights abuses, the treatment of the LGBTQ+ community and the restriction of free speech.
“We were criticised in Saudi before we hosted such events, that we don’t host these events, and now that we are now, we’re criticised for hosting them,” said Prince Abdulaziz.
“We look at the facts – the numbers don’t lie – when you look at participation in boxing, from six gyms in 2018 to 57 gyms today. A 300% participation increase, 60% are women, which was a shock for us.
“When you see appetite from the youth, men and women, they learned from it. So, at the end of the day if it’s making the country better and fixing a lot of the social issues we have in terms of participation then that’s a benefit for us and that’s what we look at.
“I think we will always be criticised but we have to look at what’s best for our country and our people, and what is actually developing our youth towards the future.”
Speaking in Doha following Saudi Arabia’s “unbelievable” shock win over Argentina, the prince defended the late decision by World Cup organisers to ban alcohol at stadia.
He also said Qatar had done an “amazing” job in organising the event. The two countries restored diplomatic ties last year after a three-year-long dispute, and he said he hoped the tournament can “showcase that people are willing to work together.”
In line with efforts to cut down on its expenditure, the government has placed a ban on the use of V8s and V6s by government officials, except for cross-country travels.
This was announced by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta during the reading of the 2023 budget and economic policy.
The ban takes effect from January 2023 until further notice.
Additionally, there would be a limited budgetary allocation for the purchase of vehicles. “All government vehicles would be registered with GV green number plates from January 2023,” the minister added.
He also emphasised that “the purchase of new vehicles shall be restricted to locally assembled vehicles.”
Also, only essential official foreign travel across the government, including SOEs, shall be allowed. No official foreign travel shall be allowed for board members, the Minister stressed.
All government institutions are therefore expected to submit a travel plan for the year 2023 by mid-December of all expected travels to the Chief of Staff.
The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, presented the 2023 budget to parliament as part of his constitutional mandate. The budget was dubbed the “Nkabom” to wit, “togetherness.”
This budget, according to the Minister, “reflects the country’s resolve to reset the economy and restore macroeconomic stability. But to do so, we need the support of the people of Ghana and the cooperation and approval of this Parliament.
“Our goal now is to significantly enhance revenues, significantly cut down the cost of running government, significantly expand local production, invest more to protect the poor and vulnerable, continue expanding access to good roads, education, and health for every Ghanaian everywhere in Ghana and the diaspora,” he said.
Two hundred and ninety-six One District OneFactory (1D1F) projects are at various stages of implementation, out of which 126 are operational, 143 are under construction, and 27 being pipeline projects.
In 2023, the Government will intensify support to existing and new manufacturing enterprises with technical assistance, credit facilitation, and access to electricity and other infrastructure.
Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister of Finance made this known when he presented the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy in Parliament.
He said 1D1F Initiative continued to make remarkable progress in 2022.
The Minister said the recent global crisis had severely disrupted inorganic fertilizer supply chains.
He said this had resulted in sharp increases in prices, making it difficult for farmers to access the commodity and thus threatening food security.
Mr Ofori-Atta said the Ministry of Food and Agriculture was intensifying efforts to promote the local production and use of organic fertilizers.
He said further to this, under the subsidy programme, the Ministry had increased the quota for organic fertilizer suppliers to cover the shortfall in supply of inorganic fertilisers.
“The Government is facilitating the establishment and the expansion of local organic fertilizer production plants with support from the EXIM Bank,” he added.
After the game, he praised the team’s efforts in a Facebook post, calling it a “gutsy performance.”
He claimed that despite the team’s inability to score the requisite points, they nevertheless showed their mettle and demonstrated their capacity to overcome any other challenge.
On that point, he asked Ghanaians to support the Black Stars, reiterating his belief that Ghana can advance to the competition’s next round.
“The Black Stars gave a brave showing against Portugal tonight. I’m so happy for the whole team. They have demonstrated that they are capable of blending it and living to fight another day.
“Looking forward to the next game against South Korea, and I urge all Ghanaians to rally strongly behind the team. I am confident we can qualify from this group. #GoBlackStarsGo”, he added.
The Black Stars’ performance against Portugal in their initial Group H matchup has been praised by many as being “spirited.”
However, the Portuguese managed to win by a slim margin of three goals to two after the whole 90 minutes.
Some football fans and analysts claimed that Ismail Elfath, a US referee, was biased, which contributed to the Europeans’ triumph. Elfath has since come under fire for his “bad officiating.”
Mike Dean, a retired English official, has questioned the refereeing in Ghana’s 3-2 defeat to Portugal on Thursday in the 2022 World Cup.
Mohammed Salisu was given a penalty by American referee Ismail Elfath for making the least amount of contact with Cristiano Ronaldo, who has now reached two World Cup semifinals.
Elfath should have been given the opportunity to review the event at the pitch side Video Assistant Referee (VAR) monitor, according to Mike Dean, but that was not done.
Even though he normally supports officials, he claimed he could not defend the decision to award Portugal the penalty.
“The VAR, in my opinion, should have gotten involved, should’ve invited the referee over to have a look at it,” Mike Dean told beIN Sports after the game.
He continued, “I like to back referees all the time, but you can’t support stuff like that. You can’t defend the undefendable.
“For me, it should’ve been overturned, he should’ve gone to the screen…100% it was wrong.”
Ghana head coach Otto Addo also described the penalty as a gift from Ismail Elfath while expressing his disappointment at the performance of the referee.
However, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has petitioned FIFA over the key decisions of the referee that affected the outcome of the game.
Ghana will shift focus to Monday’s encounter against South Korea in their second Group H game.
Just in:
The Ghana Football Association petitions FIFA about the conduct of US referee Ismail Elfath after his key decisions – including a penalty awarded Portugal and failure to check VAR – cost the Black Stars points in their World Cup opener.#MGLQatar2022pic.twitter.com/VCXKb0bmDl
The Black Stars lost to the European powerhouses 3-2 on Thursday, and the Brighton and Hove Albion defender came on as a substitute.
With his second-half penalty giving Portugal the lead, Cristiano Ronaldo made history by becoming the first player to ever score five goals at a World Cup.
Andre Ayew of Ghana then tied the score, but Portugal won and topped Group H despite Osman Bukari’s late winner with to two goals in three minutes from Joao Felix and Rafael Leao.
Speaking after the game, the Brighton defender expressed their destiny is in their own hands, saying they have to concentrate in the remaining group games after Portugal defeat.
“We just take each game as it comes, it’s still in our hands so, we just concentrate on one game at a time”
The 2016 European Champions currently sit top of Group H with three points.
Meanwhile, the defeat means Ghana are bottom of Group H after Uruguay and South Korea played out a goalless draw earlier on Thursday.
The Black Stars will now turn their attention to their upcoming matches against South Korea and Uruguay on November 28 and December 2, respectively.
The Black Stars lost to the European powerhouses 3-2 on Thursday, and the Brighton and Hove Albion defender came on as a substitute.
With his second-half penalty giving Portugal the lead, Cristiano Ronaldo made history by becoming the first player to ever score five goals at a World Cup.
Andre Ayew of Ghana then tied the score, but Portugal won and topped Group H despite Osman Bukari’s late winner with to two goals in three minutes from Joao Felix and Rafael Leao.
“We worked hard in training, we believed in ourselves and we knew we could get something positive from the game but unfortunately we couldn’t get anything from the game”
“We will take the positives and build on it for the next game” he said.
The 2016 European Champions currently sit top of Group H with three points.
Meanwhile, the defeat means Ghana are bottom of Group H after Uruguay and South Korea played out a goalless draw earlier on Thursday.
The Black Stars will now turn their attention to their upcoming matches against South Korea and Uruguay on November 28 and December 2, respectively.
Rapper Kanye Westhas declared his intention to contest in the 2024 US presidential race, despite facing several scandals over his recent behaviour.
The star, who has legally changed his name to Ye, posted a video of his campaign logo to social media, alongside the caption Ye 24.
He also claimed to have asked Donald Trump to be his running mate.
West previously ran for president in 2020, but that campaign flopped, attracting a meagre 70,000 votes.
His latest claims came in a video posted after West was spotted at Trump’s Mar-A-Lago golf club earlier this week, accompanied by Nick Fuentes, a prominent white nationalist.
West said his request for a running mate left the former president, who recently launched his own re-election campaign, “most perturbed”.
In a video titled Mar-A-Lago Debrief, West claimed: “Trump started basically screaming at me at the table, telling me I’m going to lose. Has that ever worked for anyone in history?”
West previously appeared to be on good terms with Trump
As he continued to make anti-Semitic comments online and in television interviews, the 45-year-old was dropped by his talent agency, while fashion companies including Gap, Adidas and Balenciaga said they would no longer work with him.
The musician later commented that he had lost “2 billion dollars in one day”.
Earlier this week, Rolling Stone magazine reported claims that West had used “porn, bullying and mind games” to create a “toxic environment” among Adidas employees working on his Yeezy brand shoes.
The company said on Thursday it had launched an independent investigation into the claims.
When West ran for president in 2020, he announced his campaign too late to appear on the ballot in at least six states.
He held only one rally, in which he broke down in tears as he discussed abortion, and funded two television adverts. In the end, he was only listed as a candidate in 12 states.
For his 2024 bid, the rapper suggested he had enlisted alt-right commentator Milo Yiannopoulos as his campaign manager.
A former editor at the right wing publication Breitbart, Yiannopoulos was largely shunned by mainstream conservatives after a video emerged in 2017 of him appearing to condone paedophilia. He said the comments were “gallows humour” and stated his “disgust” at the sexual abuse of minors.
Most recently, Yiannopolous worked as an intern for Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene.
What happened:Portugal were awarded a penalty in the 62nd minute when Cristiano Ronaldo was knocked over by Mohammed Salisu.
VAR decision: Penalty stands, scored by Ronaldo.
VAR review: This only required a quick check by the VAR, United States referee Armando Villarreal.
Replays showed that Ronaldo definitely got to the ball first ahead of Salisu before there was contact on the Portugal striker’s boot and upper body.
Even though this could certainly be considered a soft penalty, we have to look at it in VAR terms; it would not be seen as a clear and obvious error by the match referee, fellow American official Ismail Elfath. Equally, if the referee hadn’t given the penalty, it’s unlikely the VAR would have advised a spot kick.
If Salisu had gotten to the ball first before Ronaldo, this would have been grounds for a full review, but unfortunately for the Ghana defender, he failed to do so.
Ronaldo also thought he had scored in the 31st minute, but the referee had already blown for a foul against him for a push on Alexander Djiku. The VAR is unable to review anything after the referee’s whistle, so he cannot look back at the foul to award the goal.
Micro, small, and medium-sized companies (MSMEs) have made a commitment to supporting their growth as they attempt to lead the nation’s post-COVID-19 economic recovery efforts.
Given the above, stakeholders and players in the micro-credit sector have resolved to open their doors for MSMEs to access financial support in the form of loans to aid in their upscaling and growth – in order to take full advantage of the prospects and opportunities offered by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA), which will play a key role in economic recovery efforts.
The micro-credit sector’s gross loans and advances amounted to GH¢312million as at December 2021. This amount represented a growth of 15.13 percent compared to the 8.3 percent recorded in 2020. The higher growth in gross and net loans and advances reflects the higher credit demand by micro, small and medium enterprises.
“We appreciate the fact that globally, and in our country, we are all facing serious economic challenges which have also impacted the micro-credit sector. It is not in doubt that small loans play a critical role in supporting MSMEs. We therefore call for greater support and engagement to drive the sector,” Chairman of the Micro-Credit Association Ghana (MCAG), Wilberforce Ofori, stated during the Association’s 13th Annual General Meeting.
Acknowledging the negative impact of recent downgrades by rating agencies like Fitch and Moody’s on the ability of MSMEs to attract foreign investments, Mr. Ofori said the micro-credit sector is poised to lead the acceleration of inclusive and sustainable economic transformation with the MSMEs through accessible and cheaper loans.
“Access to credit enables businesses to expand, create jobs and reduce inequality. Financial inclusion is the bridge between economic opportunity and social outcome,” he stated in his speech at the AGM, themed ‘Building Partnerships and Synergies to Strengthen the Micro-Credit Sector’.
Meanwhile, the micro-credit sector posted massive gains in 2021 – with total assets increasing by 146.79 percent year-on-year to GH¢410million as at end of December 2021 compared to 36.3 percent growth in 2020.
The increase in asset growth was attributed to the gradual rebound in economic activities after COVID-19, and the increase in number of members reporting.
Again, shareholders’ funds continue to drive the funding of total assets with robust growth of 74.33 percent to GH¢304.8million as at December 2021, relative to the 74.14 percent growth recorded in 2020; with total borrowings reduced by 16 percent in December 2021 compared to 24 percent growth in the previous year, according to the report by MCAG.
Giving highlights of the sector’s performance as captured by the report during the AGM, Mr. Ofori said the Association’s accumulated funds stand at GH¢1.9million with actual revenues being GH¢1.2million, compared to a total budget revenue of GH¢1.4million at the end of 2021. The key revenue items were subscriptions, licence & licence processing fees, membership registration fees and training fees.
He said total expenditure amounted to GH¢780,340 as compared to a budgeted expenditure of GH¢1.24million, with the key expenditure items being on-site inspection and supervision expenses, personnel emoluments, governing council expenses, and general administrative expenses.
Attributing the sector’s performance in the year under review to good corporate governance, Mr. Ofori said the Association’s corporate governance structure has seen a healthy improvement with its balance of skill and experience – which has been extremely beneficial to the sector, particularly at a time when the country is reeling from acute economic challenges.
“This is buttressed by a comprehensive framework based on integrity, transparency and consensus building,” he stated, adding: “It is a reflection of the Association’s diverse competencies and expertise.”
An Economist, Prof Godfred Bopkin, has expressed dissatisfaction over the content of the 2023 budgetdubbed “Nkabom Budget.”
He explained that government failed to give Ghanaians an honest update on the state of the economy.
”I will say I was disappointed, but not surprised. I’m disappointed because we are on course to create a financially repressed society.
“They created the impression that what independent-minded people were putting out there was not true. They created the false confidence and hope, that things weren’t as bad as the data suggested,” he said on JoyNews’ AM Show.
Prof Bokpin further added that the government’s supposed ‘interventions to stabilise the economy’ are unidentifiable. This, he argued made the economic prospects of the country bleak, adding that “I fear for Ghana”.
He explained that, “private sector competitiveness would be undermined, as the country goes deeper into the implementation of the African Continental Free-Trade Area. And as a result of the government’s failure, the populace will have to bear the consequences.”
Prof. Bopkin also criticised government’s decision to increase Value Added Tax (VAT), and argued that government could have explored efficiency within the tax size.
He said that the increment would be a drawback that would rather restrict growth.
“It will contribute to a high productive cost base of doing business and defeat every attempt to build savings mobilisation.
“If you look at it effectively, the implications of the VAT and the treatment of the straight levies effectively puts burden on the consumer in excess of 20 per cent.”
President Akufo-Addohas congratulated the Black Stars of Ghana, following the team’s World Cup opener against Portugal.
In a Facebook post after the match, he described the team’s efforts as a ‘gutsy performance’ worthy of commendation.
According to him, even though the team could not secure the necessary points, they still proved their mettle and displayed their ability to withstand every other opposition.
On that note, he urged Ghanaians to throw their weight behind the Black Stars; stressing that he believes Ghana can progress to the next stage of the competition.
“Gutsy performance by the Black Stars in today’s match against Portugal. Very proud of the entire team. They live to fight another day, and have shown they have what it takes to mix it up against any team in the tournament”, Akufo-Addo remarked.
“Looking forward to the next game against South Korea, and I urge all Ghanaians to rally strongly behind the team. I am confident we can qualify from this group. #GoBlackStarsGo”, he added.
On Thursday, the Black Stars put up what many have described as a ‘spirited performance’, in their opening Group H game against Portugal.
however after the end of 90 minutes, the Portuguese managed to carry the day by a slender lead of three goals to two.
According to some football fans and pundits, the victory of the Europeans was aided by the bias of US referee, Ismail Elfath, who has since been heavily criticised for his ‘poor officiating’.
Manager of the side, coach Otto Addo also believes that the referee did his team a lot of damage with some questionable decisions.
In a post match press conference, he described the penalty which gave the Portuguese the opening goal, as a ‘gift from the referee’.
He therefore berated the referee for his officiating on the day.
The Black Stars currently sit at the bottom of Group H with no points to their name.
Meanwhile, the team will play South Korea on Monday, in their second Group H encounter, as they seek to grab some points to enhance their chances of progressing to the next stage of the competition.
The match against the Taegeuk Warriors of South Korea will be played at 1:00pm on Monday 28th November 2022, at the Education City Stadium in Doha, Qatar.
There have been calls for Ken Ofori-Atta to step down as finance minister, but he has stated that given the current economic climate, now is not the time to do so.
Ghanaians received assurances from the finance minister that the local economy would soon normalize.
Speaking on the floor of parliament on Thursday, November 24, 2022, Ken Ofori-Atta said, “Mr. Speaker, let us not squander the opportunity to turn around, and reset our economy and create a bright medium-term for our country and its people. This is the time to rebuild, not to destroy and tear down. Let us work together for our collective benefit as is said in Nehemiah 2:18, with unity of purpose, service to the Republic, and the abiding grace of God.”
” Mr. Speaker, I repeat, Mr. Speaker, N) fiaa n) baa hi,” he added.
The presentation of the budget in parliament is in pursuance of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921).
This allows the Finance Minister to review the budget statement and economic policy of the government and supplementary estimates for the 2023 financial year.
Iran defeated Wales 2-0 on Friday, November 25, taking a significant step toward the 2022 FIFA World Cup‘s knockout round.
In the opening match of Group B at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the Asian nation suffered a heartbreaking 6-2 defeat to England.
Iran started playing again today, eager to get a win to improve their chances of avoiding an early tournament exit.
For the Asian nation’s benefit, players performed admirably today and even seized the lead in the 16th minute. Even though the goal would be disallowed for offside, the performance was outstanding considering how poorly Wales played.
In the second half, both teams fought hard but it was Iran that had the last laugh after scoring two late goals.
Wales had to finish the game with 10 men after goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey was shown the red card for fouling the last man in the 85th minute.
In stoppage time, Ramin Rezaeian and Roozbeh Cheshmi both scored to steer Iran to a delightful 2-0 victory to amass the maximum three points.
Iran must now prepare for a final Group B contest against the USA.
Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has announced the government’s decision to review a number of its domestic initiatives to enable it to generate enough revenue to meet the demands of citizens.
The Electronic Transaction Levy (e-levy) implemented in May 2022, at a rate of 1.5% has been slashed by 0.5% to one per cent.
Alongside a reduction, the GH¢100 threshold as the base for the tax charge is no longer applicable, the Finance Minister revealed while presenting the 2023 budget statement in Parliament on November 26, 2022.
This implies that, with the new rate, transactions as low as GH¢5 will attract a charge of 5 pesewas.
The reduction comes at a time when experts have bemoaned the negative impact of a 1.5% e-levy on the financial market.
Since some Ghanaians remained opposed to the implementation of the levy, they reduced the number of transactions made, thereby affecting the revenue the government expected to generate.
Government expected to raise GH¢4 billion, but since its implementation, less than 10% of the target has been generated.
For the government, its decision to peg the rate at one percent and engage in further consultation will help draw more Ghanaians into engaging in electronic transactions.
Government may be able to meet its target as it has widened its tax base, although it has reduced its rate.
Although the rate of the levy has been reduced, the government may still rake in more revenue if the consumption of electronic transactions increases.
In contrast, the Value Added Tax (VAT), which is atax applied on the value added to goods and services, has been increased by 2.5 percentage points.
Prior to increase, VAT – standard rate was at the rate of 12.5%, National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL), 2.50%, Ghana Education Trust Fund (GFL), 2.50%, 1% COVID-19 Levy, 1%, (VAT) on NHIL and GFL and 1% COVID-19 Levy was 0.75%.
From a total of 19.25%, VAT will now hit 21.75%.
According to Mr Ofori-Atta, the increase in VAT is expected to yield GH¢2.70 billion, which will be used to augment funding for road infrastructure development.
“This will be complemented by a major compliance programme to ensure that we derive the maximum yields from existing revenue handles,” he added.
He explained that the current economic challenges have made it difficult for the government to meet the demand for roads, which has become the cry of many communities.
Ghana has seen a reduction in revenue generated.
According to the Finance Minister, total revenue and grants amounted to GH¢65,399 million (11.0 percent of GDP), compared with a target of GH¢67,307 (11.4 percent of GDP) and the GH¢49,108 million (10.7 percent of GDP) recorded in the corresponding period in 2021.
“Domestic Revenue for the period amounted to GH¢64,601million (10.9 percent of GDP), falling below the target of GH¢66,503 million (11.2 percent of GDP) by 2.9 percent,” he added.
The outturn for total revenue and grants represents a shortfall of 2.8 percent compared to the period’s target and year-on-year growth of 33.2 percent.
Mr Ofori-Atta attributed the shortfall in revenue to the less robust performance recorded in all the revenue handles for the period.
The current adjustment made to the e-levy and VAT will exacerbate the current economic hardships Ghanaians are facing.
Goods and services at every production phase will now become more expensive with an increased VAT rate.
In an interaction with Municipal Chief Executives and District Chief Executives within the Accra East operational region, Ing. Jonathan Asare, Regional Operational Manager of ECG, made a presentation on behalf of Ing. Bismark Otoo, General Manager of Accra-East ECG.
According to Ing. Asare, it is now essential to provide accurate information and instruction on power distribution and supply.
“I want to call on MCEs to especially partner ECG in customer education on the streetlight levy and the need to be vigilant and report vandalism, thefts and damages.”
“It is also vital for MMDAs to assist by providing information on streets, their names and lengths which would form the basis for compiling a more credible streetlight data. This information would also enable the assemblies to promptly assess and provide their streetlight needs,” he noted.
Touching further on other collaborative measures to adopt, the Accra East ECG boss urged MMDCEs to inform the power distribution company in advance before installing streetlights in their various areas.
“We have to also educate the citizenry on the need for streetlights to be off during the day and I call on MMDAs to invest in capacity building of electrical staff for installation and maintenance of streetlights,” Ing. Otoo added.
Providing some updates on revenue measures to improve the commercial operations of ECG, Ing. Jonathan Asare said it is working assiduously to reduce commercial losses through a number of strategies.
“One popular strategy that has gained more momentum recently is the door-to-door audit of all meter connections for our customers by the special taskforce and the Visibility team. We have also started a pilot project of QR codes for our meters and other installations,” he disclosed.
Meanwhile, the MMDAs and DCEs present during the interaction expressed their willingness to form collaborative partnerships with the ECG towards improving the country’s power distribution network.
Present during the interaction with ECG were MMDCE’s and their representatives from various constituencies and areas which include; Ga East, Shai Osudoku, Korle Klottey, Ayawaso North, Ayawaso East, Ayawaso Central, Ayawaso West, La Nkwantanan, Ledzorkuku, La Dadekotopong, Akwapem North, Akwapen South, Okere and Adentan.
The captain of the senior national team, the Black Stars, Andre Ayewhas admitted that they paid for their mistakes in their opening game against Portugal in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar on Thursday.
Ghana lost 3-2 to Portugal after conceding two quick goals within two minutes in the last quarter of the game.
In a post-match interview, Captain Ayew said, the penalty awarded against them affected the morale of the team and changed the course of the game, adding that they were also unable to recover from the second goal from Portugal.
“In football you would always pay for your mistakes, and that is what happened to us.
“We made some errors, and they punished us for that. The last two goals from Portugal were so quick we could not recover, but we have always survived difficult conditions and we would come back good,” he explained.
Ayew, however, noted that, they would be able to change their fortunes in the next game; adding that, they had always come out of difficult situations.
“We qualified for the world from a very difficult group and conditions. I know this team we always get out of very difficult conditions.
“I am convinced we would return good in the next game. We showed good character in the game against Portugal, and we can make things better in the next game,” Captain Ayew stated.
Meanwhile, Ghana would take on South Korea in their second group game on Monday, November 28.
Former Ghanaian midfielder, Bernard Dong Bortey has expressed his discontent with Baba Rahman’s starting position for the Black Stars.
The defender from Chelsea on loan played the entire time as Ghana lost 3-2 to Portugal in the Group H World Cup opener on Thursday.
With his second-half penalty giving Portugal the lead, Cristiano Ronaldo made history by becoming the first player to ever score five goals at a World Cup.
Andre Ayew of Ghana then tied the score, but Portugal won and topped Group H despite Osman Bukari’s late winner with to two goals in three minutes from Joao Felix and Rafael Leao.
In a post sighted by The Independent Ghana, the former Hearts of Oak star lauded the Black Stars team despite defeat but raised concerns about Baba Rahman’s starting role.
Great great performance but as I said at this stage concentration level should be 200% but no matter how Baba Rahman plays at training he should always be a sub not a starter. My personal opinion
“Great great performance but as I said at this stage concentration level should be 200% but no matter how Baba Rahman plays at training he should always be a sub not a starter. My personal opinion” he tweeted.
The 2016 European Champions currently sit top of Group H with three points.
Meanwhile, the defeat means Ghana are bottom of Group H after Uruguay and South Korea played out a goalless draw earlier on Thursday.
The Black Stars will now turn their attention to their upcoming matches against South Korea and Uruguay on November 28 and December 2, respectively.
Retired English referee, Mike Dean, has questioned the officiating in Ghana’s 3-2 defeat to Portugal in the 2022 World Cup on Thursday.
American referee, Ismail Elfath, penalized Mohammed Salisu for the least contact with Cristiano Ronaldo to award the two-time World Cupsemi-finalists a penalty.
Mike Dean believes Elfath should have been invited to review the incident at the pitch side Video Assistant Referee (VAR) monitor, but that was not done.
He said the decision to give Portugal the penalty was something he cannot defend, though he usually tends to back referees.
“The VAR, in my opinion, should have gotten involved, should’ve invited the referee over to have a look at it,” Mike Dean told beIN Sports after the game.
He continued, “I like to back referees all the time, but you can’t support stuff like that. You can’t defend the undefendable.
“For me, it should’ve been overturned, he should’ve gone to the screen…100% it was wrong.”
Ghana head coach Otto Addo also described the penalty as a gift from Ismail Elfath while expressing his disappointment at the performance of the referee.
Joy Sports understands the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has petitioned FIFA over the key decisions of the referee that affected the outcome of the game.
Ghana will shift focus to Monday’s encounter against South Korea in their second Group H game.
According to Samuel Acquah, Chief Risk Officer at First National Ghana, “shopping sprees are characterized by an increase in attempts to swindle naïve consumers by bad actors using tactics and scams.”
Therefore, whether you’re buying in-person or online, it’s imperative to maintain a high level of caution.
Samuel offers security advice to assist you safeguard your funds from criminals waiting online:
Beware of tricks and gimmicks
Cybercriminals occasionally create bogus online stores with malicious links that claim to sell hard-to-find items like beauty cosmetics or the latest gadgets. Some even place adverts on websites and social media to lure clients with product photographs, descriptions, reviews, a shopping cart, and a payment process to look credible.
If you purchase from one of these rogue stores, your money, payment information, and personal information will be exposed to criminals. The best way to avoid such scams is to shop from trusted providers and platforms. Additionally, always verify any delivery notifications from retailers by calling them or the courier company directly. Never click on links in these notifications.
“First National Bank identified some common fraud schemes and typologies customers fall victim to. These include phishing, fishing, and smishing which eventually serve as tools for fraudsters in obtaining your banking login and/or card details.” Samuel says. “Avoid responding to texts, phone calls, or emails that require such confidential information.”
Never disclose sensitive information such as passwords and PINs to anyone>/b>
Fraudsters often impersonate bankers, fraud investigators, and customer service consultants to scam consumers. Their goal is to gain access to sensitive information, such as customers’ usernames and passwords as well as the One-Time PIN (OTP) required to authenticate transactions or credentials to access your bank accounts.
The golden rule is to keep in mind that no reputable institution will ask you to disclose such information to their representatives. It is critical to never share such sensitive information with a third party. “First National Bank will never ask you to process another transaction in order to reverse a wrongful or fraudulent transaction, “Samuel says. “In addition, First National Bank will never ask you for your OTP or confidential information such as your banking password.”
Immediately report suspected fraud
When transacting, consumers should always exercise caution to protect themselves from possible fraud. This can help prevent financial losses and compromising of personal financial information. Precautionary measures include paying attention to financial institutions’ safety guidelines and taking personal responsibility to ensure that safety is always a priority.
When you suspect that you have been a victim of fraud, you must notify your financial institution immediately. Our customers can use the First National Bank App to temporarily block, cancel, or replace their cards if they suspect fraud.
Use safer and more convenient ways to pay
To limit the risk of fraud when shopping online, the bank encourages customers to choose the safest payment methods. “Avoid using Instant electronic funds transfer (EFT) payments that require you to expose sensitive information to third-party providers to complete a payment,” says Samuel.
“Protecting yourself is not simply limited to your bank card, but also involves being observant and practicing safe banking behavior all-round, online, on ATM machines, and over the phone. To help prevent fraud, First National Bank has invested resources to inform, educate and support customers on how to bank safely without falling victim to fraud.
General banking safety is a two-way street that requires consumers to exercise caution to avoid falling victim to fraudulent activities,” Samuel concludes.
That appears to be the case, at least according to many fans, following a one-word tweetshared on Tuesday night. In the tweet, JT said, simply, “SINGLE!” and notably provided no additional context. At the time of this writing, Uzi had not publicly addressed the tweet.
Complex reached out to reps for Uzi and JT, respectively, for comment on this presumed development. In a response, Uzi’s rep said they had no comment.
Image via JT on Twitter
As recently as Monday, JT was retweeting praise for Uzi’s “Just Wanna Rock” video. Also on Monday, she told fans she may be in Philadelphia for the Thanksgiving holiday. Philly, of course, is Uzi’s hometown.
In February of last year, Uzi appeared to confirm their then-rumored relationship with the City Girls member, telling fans they love her “and y’all will too.” In the months since, there have been signs of temporary pauses in the relationship, including an instance this April in which Uzi said JT had broken up with them due to “dumb ass shit.”
Earlier this month, JT linked up with Nicki Minaj for an i-D chat featuring word that the latter’s fifth studio album was indeed slated to be released “soon.” In September, JT was among the artists enlisted by Minaj for the official Queen Mix of her “Super Freaky Girl” single.
Uzi, meanwhile, recently made an appearance at the 2022 edition of ComplexCon in Long Beach. For a full breakdown of some of the most memorable moments from this year’s festivities, hit this link.
Ghana’s defender Alidu Seidu, has responded to the Black Stars’ 2022 World Cup loss to Portugal on Thursday.
With his second-half penalty giving Portugal the lead, Cristiano Ronaldo made history by becoming the first player to ever score five goals at a World Cup.
Andre Ayew of Ghana then tied the score, but Portugal won and topped Group H despite Osman Bukari’s late winner with to two goals in three minutes from Joao Felix and Rafael Leao.
The Clermont Foot defender stated the club will push forward despite losing to Portugal in a post.
.He wrote, “We keep pushing, appreciate your support constantly.
With three points, the 2016 European Champions are presently in first place in Group H.
In the meantime, the loss places Ghana at the bottom of Group H following Thursday’s goalless stalemate between Uruguay and South Korea.
The Black Stars will now concentrate on their upcoming games on November 28 against South Korea and December 2 against Uruguay.
Ghanaian forward Osman Bukari has stated that the team is focusing on the upcoming group match against South Korea on November 28th.
The match will start at 13:00 GMT at Education City Stadium. Following his “SIU” celebration after scoring a consolation goal in Thursday’s 3-2 loss to Portugal, the Red Star Belgrade forward made headlines by imitating Cristiano Ronaldo.
“Alhamdulillah, we focus on the next game,” wrote Osman Bukari after the game on his official Instagram page.G
After the goalless first half, former Manchester United attacker Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring for Portugal via the penalty spot after a dubious call by the Moroccan-born American referee.
Ghana improved after Portugal scored and netted the equalised through skipper Andre Ayew from close range in the 73rd minute.
But Portugal responded with two goals in two minutes to seal the points – Joao Felix converting a delightfully clipped finish and substitute Rafael Leao scoring another controversial goal.
Osman Bukari who came on to replace Mohammed Kudus headed in a late consolation for Ghana in the 89th minute.
After scoring, Bukari mimicked Ronaldo’s trademark celebration to the delight of the fans at the stadium.
The Nov. 23 episode of The Masked Singer was Fright Night themed and featured some scary good performances—and a beloved horror legend leaving the competition on her own.
It might be turkey time, but The Masked Singer dialed it back to spooky season.
The Nov. 23 Fright Night-themed episode brought the arrival of two new celebrity competitors—and a self-imposed early exit for one of them.
The festivities kicked off with a performance by Sir Bugaboo, who made his Masked Singer debut with his rendition of “Devil With a Blue Dress On” by Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels. Bugaboo’s clue package included a film reel and a phone covered in question marks. After his performance, Bugaboo revealed that he had previously worked with panelist Nicole Scherzinger.
Up, next Scarecrow hit the stage with a performance of Steve Miller Band‘s “Abracadabra.” Her clue package included a gold globe, figure skates and a reference to horror director Wes Craven.
Finally, it was time for Snowstorm, who advanced on the Nov. 16 episode, to return for a performance of “Sweet But Psycho” by Ava Max. Snowstorm’s new clues were a picture of a house and a creepy doll inside a box.
That’s when things got turned on their head.
While waiting for the initial fan vote, Scarecrow announced that she wanted to excuse herself from the competition.
“I came to share how much I love you and what you have done for the world and family entertainment,” she said with her giant Jack-o-Lantern head still attached. “But I would like to officially bow out and unmask and let these two incredible competitors go on.”
As the crowd and panelists protested, Scarecrow said, “These two competitors are the real deal. I just came to bother Ken [Jeong].”
Scarecrow then unmasked to reveal The Exorcist star Linda Blair.
That left Sir Bugaboo and Snowstorm to go head-to-head in the Battle Royale, where they each performed their version of “Somebody’s Watching Me” by Rockwell.
Ultimately, Snowstorm won for the second week in a row, earning a spot in the semi-finals alongside Harp and The Lambs.
Despite a valiant effort, Sir Bugaboo was unmasked to reveal Ghostbusters theme song writer and performer Ray Parker. Jr.
Getty Images
Don’t miss The Masked Singer semi-finals when they air at a special time, Nov. 24 at 8 p.m. on Fox.
For a full rundown on all of this season’s contestants, keep scrolling.
KnightThe Knight made his debut in the season eight premiere, singing “Puttin’ on the Ritz” by Fred Astaire. His clue package indicated that he was an actor who has done “stage, TV and starred in movies and worked with George Lucas.” He then pointed to a solar system, indicating that it meant some significance to him.So, we weren’t surprised when the Knight was revealed to be Star Trek legend William Shatner.
HedgehogHedgehog made a stylish appearance in The Masked Singer‘s season eight premiere. Before singing “Love Me Do” by The Beatles, a clue packaged teased that the celebrity was a British icon who was in one of “the biggest groups of all time.” The Hedgehog said that, with his group, he sold out the Hollywood Bowl and participated in the Olympics.He called Elon Musk, Jimmy Fallon and Tina Fey fans of his. A knight statue indicated that he’s also a member of the Order of the British Empire.Hedgehog was eliminated second and revealed to be Monty Python legend Eric Idle.
HummingbirdHummingbird said he was “excited for the kick off” of the show, hinting at a connection to the NFL. He later said that he knew “a thing or two about competition,” as it was in his DNA and that he “dominated the Super Bowl” with his team.Hummingbird also teased that he got his career started thanks to Shaquille O’Neal.His night one performance was a rendition of “I Don’t Want to Be” by Gavin DeGraw.At the start of the Sept. 28 episode, The Hummingbird was revealed to be N’ Sync‘s Chris Kirkpatrick.
Panther
The Panther called himself a “weekend warrior” and had a clue package featuring a basketball, Beyoncé, and VHS cassette tape. Oh, and the hint that everybody once thought he was dead.
After a performance of Nina Simone‘s Feeling Good and a Battle Royale loss to The Harp, The Panther was unmasked in week two as “This Is How We Do It” singer Montell Jordan.
Pi-RatPi-Rat debuted with a performance of Elton John‘s “Crocodile Rock” after a clue package that included puppets, the phrase “Dinner For Dummies” and the hint that he followed his dreams to Hollywood.After a fan vote, Pi-Rat was unmasked in week two as ventriloquist Jeff Dunham.
MummiesThe Mummies made their first—and last—appearance on the Oct. 5 episode. After a clue package featuring a beach ball, a teen magazine and a reference to an iconic house and a performance of The Monkees theme song, the gold and glittery Mummies were revealed as The Brady Bunch stars Barry Williams, Christopher Knight and Mike Lookinland.
Fortune TellerThe Fortune Teller’s clue package was all over the place on the Oct. 5 episode, with references to the Kardashians, business cards and angel figurines. After falling to The Harp in the Battle Royale, The Fortune Teller was revealed as Shark Tank‘s Daymond John.
MermaidThe Mermaid debuted on the Oct. 19 episode with a performance of “Any Dream Will Do” from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Her clue package included two doves, a vinyl record, the knowledge that she had once been involved in a horrible accident and the fact that one of her songs had been inducted into the Library of Congress.After falling to Robogirl in the Battle Royale, The Mermaid was revealed to be “I Will Survive” singer Gloria Gaynor.
MaizeMaize impressed the panelists with his rendition of Heaven on Their Minds from Jesus Christ Superstar on the Oct. 19 episode. His clue package featured a microphone, a small bird and the Statue of Liberty.After losing the studio audience vote, Maize was revealed to be Sex and the City star Mario Cantone.
Robo GirlOn the Oct. 19 episode, Robogirl performed “Bad Cinderella” from the upcoming musical of the same name. Her clue package included a surfboard, jars of honey and connections to both Missy Elliott and Pharrell Williams.Robogirl returned on the Oct. 26 episode with a performance of Queen‘s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Her new clue revealed a connection to Lindsay Lohan. After falling to The Lambs in the Battle Royale, Robogirl was revealed as Vampire Diaries star Kat Graham.
BeetleThe Beetle made his debut on the Oct. 26 episode with a performance of Frank Sinatra‘s “The Way You Look Tonight.” His clue packaged included a courtroom, coffee beans and the knowledge that he had a history of public service.After losing the initial fan vote, Beetle was unmasked as Jerry Springer.
WalrusThe Walrus debuted on the Nov. 6 episode with a performance of “Two Princes” by Spin Doctors. His clue package included a flannel shirt, screaming fans at a mall, a cat named Jenny and the knowledge that he coined a popular TV catchphrase.After losing the initial fan vote, he was unmasked as Blossom star Joey Lawrence.
MilkshakeThe Milkshake brought his unique flair to Sir Mix-a-Lot‘s “Jump On It” on the Nov. 6 episode. His clue package included peach pits, orange juice, an ice cream sundae and a rocket.He advanced to the Battle Royale, where he fell victim to The Lambs. The Milkshake was unmasked as former NFL running back and recording artist Le’Veon Bell.
Venus Fly TrapVenus Fly Trap debuted on the Nov. 9 with a performance of “Get Ready” by The Temptations. His clue package included a gold medal, a horseshoe and the Orion’s Belt constellation.After the initial fan vote, Venus Fly Trap was revealed to be two-time heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman.
GopherThe Gopher performed “It’s Your Thing” by The Isley Brothers on the Nov. 9 episode, preceded by a clue package including purple hair, a spaceship and a corgi.After falling in the Battle Royale, Gopher was revealed as funk music icon George Clinton.
BrideThe Bride surprised by the panelists by being a man under the the costume during his performance of Walk The Moon’s “Shut Up and Dance.” His clue package on the Nov. 9 episode included a globe wearing a crown, a rose and a snake.On the Nov. 16 episode, Bride performed “White Wedding” by Billy Idol. His new clues included hints about a movie career and the fact that he likes to show off his chest. The Bride was unmasked as professional wrestling legend Chris Jericho.
AvocadoAvocado performed “Hit The Road Jack” by Ray Charles on the Nov. 16 episode, preceded by a clue package that included a bald eagle, podcasting equipment and a history of working in construction. He was unmasked as radio host Adam Carolla.
Sir BugabooSir Bugaboo debuted on the Nov. 23 episode with a performance of “Devil With a Blue Dress On” by Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels. His clue package included a film reel and a phone covered in question marks. Bugaboo also revealed that he once worked with panelist Nicole Scherzinger.After falling to Snowstorm in the Battle Royale, Bugaboo was revealed as Ghostbusters theme song writer and performer Ray Parker Jr.
ScarecrowScarecrow performed “Abracadabra” by Steve Miller Band on the Nov. 23 episode, which was preceded by a clue package including a gold globe, figure skates and a reference to Wes Craven.Before the initial fan vote, Scarecrow excused herself from the competition and was revealed to be The Exorcist star Linda Blair.
LambsThe trio of Lambs impressed with their performance of Katy Perry‘s “Hot N Cold.” Their clue package included a pair of jeans with the word “famous” written on the back, golf, a huge diamond ring and that they grew up as “Beverly Hills besties.” After their performance, they also revealed that they once worked with Paul McCartney.They advanced in the competition after defeating Robogirl in a Battle Royale set to Blondie‘s “Call Me.”On the Nov. 6 episode, they advanced to the Battle Royale with a performance of “Ironic” by Alanis Morissette. Once there, they moved onto the semifinals with their take on Haddaway‘s “What Is Love.”Their new clue was a film roll and clapperboard.
HarpHarp performed first on The Masked Singer‘s season eight premiere. Not only did she sing “Perfect” by Pink, but she teased that she once auditioned for “biggest show in the world” as a teen. And thought she “didn’t fit the mold,” her uniqueness landed her the “opportunity of a lifetime.”In week two, Harp wowed the panelists with her performance of Whitney Houston‘s “I Have Nothing.” A new clue emerged in the form of a CD that said “Night Night.” Harp further stumped the panelists by telling Nicole Scherzinger it was nice to see their names together again.On the Oct. 5 episode, The Harp impressed once again with her rendition of “Thank You For Being a Friend” from Golden Girls and advanced on to the semifinals. Her new clue was a cupcake with Santa on top.
SnowstormSnowstorm debuted on the Nov. 16 episode with a performance of Ariana Grande‘s “thank u, next.” Her clue package included speed dating, roasting chestnuts and the fact that Snowstorm broke through in a traditionally male-dominated industry. It was also revealed that she has a history of working with Rob Lowe.She earned a spot in the semi-finals on the Nov. 23 episode with a performance of “Sweet But Pscyho” by Ava Max. She won the Battle Royale against Sir Bugaboo with a rendition of “Somebody’s Watching Me” by Rockwell. Her new clues were a picture of a house and a creepy doll inside a box.
Captain of the Ghana Black stars Andre Ayew, has stated that despite their loss on Thursday, the Black Stars will still advance to the next round of the 2022 World Cup.
The Black Stars lost to Portugal 3-2 in their opening match of the Mundial at the 974 Stadium.
As Ghana prepares to play South Korea in their second Group H match on Monday at the Education City Stadium, with kickoff set for 13:00GMT, captain Andre Ayew believes his team has what it takes to advance.
“We were selected for the world in a highly challenging group and environment. I’m aware that this team always manages to overcome challenging situations, he added following the game.
The win takes Portugal top of the group but the 0-0 draw between South Korea and Uruguay earlier in the day means today’s loss might not prove to be too costly for the Black Stars.
Ghana will wrap up their group stage adventure with their much-anticipated encounter with Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.
The Black Stars are aiming to play the next round after exiting at the group phase in 2014 in Brazil.
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