In order to boost farmers’ access to credit facilities and fund their agricultural production and enterprises in the agricultural value chain over the next six years, the European Union (EU) has invested EUR2.5 million in Ghana’s agricultural industry.
The Sinapi Aba Savings & Loans (SASL), a non-banking financial institution that focuses on rural areas and women and offers loans and savings products to people and Micro-Small-Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), will be in charge of managing the fund.
The idea was introduced in Wa during a brief ceremony to hand over motorbikes to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture by Mrs. Paulina Rozycka, Head of the Infrastructure and Sustainable Development of the EU Delegation to Ghana (MoFA).
Mrs Rozycka observed that farmers and agricultural MSMEs were often excluded from the formal financing systems and had to deal with informal lenders or aggregators and having to bear higher interest rates.
“This line of credit will increase the number of smallholders (in the agricultural value chain) benefitting from loans and financial products by more than 25,000 borrowers.
More farmers will now benefit from small loans to finance agricultural inputs or equipment with technical assistance”, she explained.
Madam Seozuma Saanuuri, a smallholder farmer at Yeliyiri, a community in the Wa West District, said women farmers in the community were hard-hit with financial constraints in financing their farming activities.
“We (women) are suffering a lot. This year we were not able to buy fertilizer for the farm. Getting a tractor too was difficult for us, so we did not get anything from our farms to feed our children.
“So, we would have been happy if the government or any organization could help us with loans during the farming season to farm and cater for our children”, she appealed.
The situation was not different in the Biskan community in the Wa East District, where farmers said due to the high cost of fertilizers this year, they had to divert from cultivating high fertilizer demanding crops like maize to producing soybeans that needed minimum fertilizer to yield.
Mr Seidu Abdullai, a farmer in the Biskan community, said the high cost of farm inputs and tractor services coupled with the lack of financial support to farmers was rendering the agricultural sector unattractive to the youth.
“It has not been an essay task working with farmers; however, we are doing all that we can to serve them anytime they knock at our doors,” he said in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Wa.
Mr Zaato said any business or activity within the agricultural value chain was qualified to request financial support from his institution saying, “From today, any time you visit our branches you will be served.”
Falling in love is blissful when the feeling is reciprocated, but what about when it isn’t?
As much as we may wish it to be otherwise, some people may not want to be with us in the way we want them to be with them.
Yet some women find themselves facing the harsh reality of unrequited love not just once, but in a pattern of attraction and toxic relationships that repeats itself over and over and over again.
Why do some women keep falling in love with men who don’t return their feelings?
Unrequited love is awfully difficult for some people to accept, no matter how obvious it may be.
4 Common reasons why you only like the guys who don’t like you back
1. You’re projecting what you want to be true.
Projection is a term that’s often used in psychology to describe the ways in which we tend to see things in another person that don’t apply to them.
In old fairy tales, projection was depicted by pixie dust or other sorts of magic that would charm characters and awaken their feelings of true love.
In real life, projections operate more strongly when we are admiring a person from a distance. We don’t get to see the “flaws” that would become more obvious if we were to live with the person day-to-day.
2. You unconsciously enjoy the drama.
Some people become attracted to the chase. It can become so intoxicating that they prefer the pain of unrequited love to the sacrifices involved in a real relationship. The fantasy becomes more important than its fulfillment.
The culmination of a love relationship can bring us back to a sobering sense of reality. The glamour fades and mundane life sets in again.
This is the appeal of unrequited love for some people. If they prolong the chase, they don’t have to face the anticlimactic sense of coming down off of the romantic high. It stimulates high drama, providing the ideal antidote to any boredom that may be lurking around in our lives.
3. You have a fear of intimacy.
Some people make a habit of avoiding real love as a way of protecting themselves. They shy away so they won’t get hurt.
Prolonging the search for love — in this case, pursuing it when it’s unrequited — becomes a way of keeping the sensation of being in love without the risk.
Chasing after the impossible person turns into a bargain where we satisfy our longing for connection and our need to protect our vulnerable feelings at the same time.
Remaining fixated on someone who doesn’t love us allows us to feel the intensity and passion involved in a relationship without the risk of commitment.
4. You’re stuck in the past and are avoiding moving forward.
Often times a fear of love is rooted in our past. It can involve painful experiences and disappointments.
It can reflect the negative impact of sexual and/or emotional abuse. It can even be a byproduct of peoples’ inborn sensitivity.
Any of the conditions noted above can bring allure to a situation involving unrequited love.
Caught in its painful cycle, we can taste passion without being swept away by it. We can nurture our desires by always keeping ourselves one step away from fulfilling them.
If you are pining over someone who is not returning your love, I urge you not to waste your time anymore.
If you really desire a relationship, remember that it will not happen without two people having the same feelings at the same time. It is difficult but necessary to take a look at yourself know what is holding you back from finding love.
Take a risk, be vulnerable and take a chance on real (and reciprocated) love.
There is nothing like having a partner to share your life with whom you can count on, is emotionally available to you and more than willing to love you back.
Global online gaming brand, Betway, is gearing up for the greatest football competition on the calendar, giving all sports betting fans the chance to win big in a one-of-a-kind promotion that only appears every four years.
To kick off the tournament, Betway will give customers the chance to win an incredible GHS 30,000 every matchday. All entrants need to do is opt into the promotion and make correct score predictions on WC games to enter the daily draw. Betting on these selections will give them even more entries. And if their predictions are correct? They’ll get to enjoy huge daily cash and Free Bet prizes.
As the stakes of the tournament begin to rise, the prizes from Betway’s Free Predictor will also get larger. Fans will have the chance to predict the correct score of the knockout rounds, from the Round of 16 to the Finals, and stand to win a share of GHS 50,000 every matchday in addition to the daily draw. Overall the promotion will give customers a chance to win up to a staggering GHS 3 million.
Kwabena Oppong-Nkrumah, Country Manager at Betway Ghana, explained that the leading gaming brand is known for creating innovative and exciting offerings to reward their players and keep them entertained, “At Betway, we continually seek to thrill and excite our players, and we have been committed to developing innovative promotions with the aim of creating a world-class gaming experience for them. I am excited about the launch of the ‘Cup in Qatar’ promotion as we continue to bring value to our players.”
Betway’s “Cup in Qatar” promotion will run for the entirety of the tournament, starting from 20 November and ending on 18 December when the new world champions will be crowned. Visit their site for more details of this, and other exciting promotions that are running.
If you want to get successful at business, look at those who already nailed it, watch, and learn their strategies and habits, and attitude. If you want to get good at running, take advice from runners who have already gone through it all. There are great lessons in someone else’s success, and even if not all of them can be applied to your life, the main points will be something to learn from.
Similarly, when it comes to relationships, we can learn a lot from those around us who made them. Those friends who are still together after everyone else already divorced, those that managed to keep the fire, and those who still talk kindly to each other even after an argument.
There are only a few basic notions that need to click in a relationship, the rest is commitment and hard work from both parties.
But there is one more thing I noticed, observing the well-functioning couples around me — in my family, and among my friends. Although the sample I am looking at is far from complete, what I observed is that in each (cisHet) relationship that is successful and has the potential to last forever, it’s always the man who is more interested.
It’s not that the women aren’t, they are too, but there is a slight imbalance between the two. And this imbalance has been there from the first second.
In the relationships I see thriving, it was always the guy wanting it more, it was him pursuing, him wanting to commit, him wanting to get married and have kids and settle down forever. These are the guys who talk about their wives as “my beautiful wife”, and “love of my life” instead of calling them wifey and my partner.
These are the guys who are proud of what she accomplishes. These are the guys who stand up to their mothers and prioritize family over their friends. The guys who love more.
Editor’s Note: This is a part of YourTango’s Opinion section where individual authors can provide varying perspectives for wide-ranging political, social, and personal commentary on issues.
Traditional relationship roles
Even my feminist friends, those who deeply believe in equality and demand it from their partner and from everyone around — them in their relationship are going for the traditionally more feminine role. The one to be taken care of — now not financially but emotionally. The one that receives — and not only provides. The one that likes to give over the driving seat in their romantic lives — as they are making enough decisions in the professional ones.
This caters to the masculine needs of men, to be in control, to show they can provide, and to take care of the one they love.
The strange thing here is that this should be the normal setup in every relationship, this kind of equality and balance. Yet if the man is not as committed to it as the woman, the woman will be perceived as bossy, needy, and controlling. It takes a man in love to understand that his girlfriend is not emasculating him but is participating in the relationship with thoughts, decisions, and conversations.
Men are willing to grow — but not for everyone.
There have been quite a few studies recently that single men have a hard time keeping up with single women. The latter are healing their traumas and traumas of generations, they work on themselves, they go to therapy, they learn to communicate assertively — and they don’t need a man but want a partner. Women go through self-development for themselves.
Men (not all men, but most) usually go through self-development when it comes to business and productivity, not relationships.
They often fail to acknowledge that they would need healing or therapy, so they fall into the routine of looking for external approval from different sources — such as binge-dating. Unless they find someone that they are really interested in (in love or even obsessed with) they wouldn’t change even for their committed partner, as they get the necessary feedback and they don’t push themselves further — from an emotional maturity point of view.
Relationships need growth, from both parties, especially because women tend to grow and men need to keep up. If the man is unwilling, the woman will quickly outgrow him and the conflicts will never stop.
Men are willing to listen — but not to everyone
Why do you think there is a saying that there is no one on earth paying more attention to you than the man who hasn’t yet had sex with you? Because there is an unquenched thirst from his side that makes him want more, know more, and hear more. And it’s a really great feeling.
This doesn’t necessarily go away after the first sexual encounter, but this wanting and incessant attention only stays if the man is really interested, and more interested than the woman. It probably helps too, if she is out of his league a bit. It is not about women playing hot and cold — but guess what, they do it to keep him wanting more, otherwise he leaves or disappears.
But if he wants, he listens. If he cares, he asks those questions. If he wants to be in her life, he is making her a priority. They will listen, and they will pay attention — but in the long run only if they are more in love.
The thrill of the chase
My theory is that it is because of the thrill of the chase, the appeal of the uncertain and unattainable — even within a committed relationship. Being afraid to lose someone is the biggest motivator to better yourself, listen and pay attention. Being scared to fall out of the good graces of someone you are invested in can stop you from being ignorant and uncaring.
If they are too comfortable and getting everything they need without having to fight for it (there are different ways to fight, not only chasing) the value decreases, and their interest wanes.
And this is when women get too clingy. This is when we are labeled needy. This is when we get ghosted. And this is exactly why a lot of women play too hard to get. This is why we play hot and cold. Because if you give everything without men having to achieve it, they just lose interest and jump to the next subject which is more of a challenge.
Might be a blanket statement, but men only go out of their way to learn the other’s love language, and their ways of preferred being if they care enough to. They only commit if they are interested enough. It’s not good or bad, it just is.
And yes, not all men. I am pretty sure that there are a few exceptions — and pretty sure they are taken and happy in their relationship, where they build a brilliant life with a woman they are still madly in love with — more than she is in lovewith them.
If there is anything to take away from this, is that for women, it is beneficial to look for a slight emotional imbalance in the relationship, and find a guy who is more invested than they are. A guy who loves more. From the get-go.
Men feel more alive and willing to do more if they have to face a challenge. If they are in love. If they have to fight for the woman.
The problem is that women also want to feel alive, and madly in love. They want to give everything. And that chemistry and those fireworks… aah. But my opinion is, that a woman can grow to love a man who she only likes, but a man can only commit to a woman if he is obsessed enough from the very first minute.
It’s not fair. But it’s good to know.
[Disclaimer: I do not want to hurt anyone’s feelings with anything I write. I do reserve the right though to have my opinion, and it’s fine if you don’t agree.]
Football fans who have shelled out for expensive hospitality suites at the Qatar World Cup will not be affected by the last-minute stadium beer ban.
It comes after the sale of alcohol at stadiums in the country was banned just two days before the tournament.
Initially, fans were due to be able to buy Budweiser – a sponsor of the tournament – within each of the eight World Cup stadiums, but a last-minute U-turn means alcohol can no longer be consumed within stadium perimeters.
Supporters will still be able to consume alcohol in designated fan zones.
However, it has emerged that the only people exempt from the stadium alcohol ban will be those in pricey corporate hospitality.
MATCH Hospitality, the worldwide provider of the FIFA World Cup 2022 official hospitality programme, confirmed that its hospitality suites will not be affected by the ban.
In a statement, it said: “Please note that those in corporate areas of the stadiums, which include official hospitality spaces, will be served alcohol as per the product inclusions of the product purchased.”
More than 240,000 hospitality packages have reportedly been sold, ranging in luxury and price. One suite, which can accommodate 44 people, sold for £2.1 million, according to Metro.
Perks of corporate hospitality packages can include glass-fronted boxes, access to stadium seats, as well as a dedicated concierge, live chef stations and multi-course menus.
MATCH Hospitality also offers ‘MATCH House’, a venue which allows people to watch live-streamed matches for specific games without having a suite, and include beer and wine.
Packages for the venue, which is at the FIFA Fan Festival site, can be booked by game and range from $450 per person to $1,145.
Some fans have forked out for private suits for the tournament. (MATCH Hospitality)
The alcohol ban in stadiums is believed to have come after pressure from Qatar’s rulers, including the Gulf state’s Emir, and reportedly led to crisis talks between FIFA and Budweiser’s beer’s brewer, AB In-Bev.
The last-minute U-turn sparked anger from the Football Supporters’ Association, who accused organisers of a “total lack of communication”.
“Some fans like a beer at a game and some don’t, but the real issue is the last minute U-turn which speaks to a wider problem – the total lack of communication and clarity from the organising committee towards supporters,” a spokesperson said.
“If they can change their minds on this at a moment’s notice, with no explanation, supporters will have understandable concerns about whether they will fulfil other promises relating to accommodation, transport or cultural issues.”
In a statement FIFA said: “Following discussions between host country authorities and FIFA, a decision has been made to focus the sale of alcoholic beverages on the FIFA Fan Festival, other fan destinations and licensed venues, removing sales points of beer from Qatar’s FIFA World Cup 2022 stadium perimeters.
“There is no impact to the sale of Bud Zero which will remain available at all Qatar’s World Cup stadiums.
“Host country authorities and FIFA will continue to ensure that the stadiums and surrounding areas provide an enjoyable, respectful and pleasant experience for all fans.”
Speaking shortly after the news broke, England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale said he thought travelling fans would find a way of enjoying themselves despite the ban.
He said: “I think the fans will find some way of having a beer, I don’t think you need to do it so much at the game.
“Hopefully, with them not being able to drink we can perform on the pitch to give them that excitement and buzz. But we also have to respect the rules and continue to work, we will put pressure on ourselves to entertain from the football pitch.”
The Innovation and Excellence Awards and the Ghana Credit Excellence Awards 2022 are two legitimate awards programs that have recognized Bank of Africa-Ghana (BOA-Ghana) as the “2022 Trade Finance Bank of the Year.”
The International Centre for Strategic Alliances (ICSA) and the Chartered Institute of Credit Management, two reputable organizations, are responsible for organizing the awards (CICM).
Both recognized BOA for its outstanding work advancing international trade and funding small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs).
The bank’s management claims that, given that it was also named “Trade Finance Bank of the Year” at the 2021 Ghana Accountancy and Finance Awards the previous year, the recognition by these two organizations confirms the bank’s status as a specialist Trade Finance Institution.
The Executive Director for Business Development, William Boateng, reiterated the deliberate efforts and product lines developed by the bank to position it as a lead trade finance bank on the continent, leveraging on its existing infrastructure and presence in over 20 African countries as well as other continents.
He mentioned that in these challenging times when the whole trade ecosystem on the continent is under threat – due to currency depreciation and high inflation rates among others – the ability to still support businesses and keep them sustained is what stakeholders consider. Therefore, to be recognised for the bank’s contribution toward Trade is an affirmation that the initiatives and inputs are yielding results and show how firm the bank’s foundations are.
“What has enabled these successes chalked up over the past few years is that we realised our capacity in terms of our Group network on the African continent, Asia and America, and then decided to leverage on it to make Trade a key pillar of the bank’s strategy. The basic infrastructures were present and the foundation was solid, hence the important task then was to bring onboard the necessary skills and expertise to harmonise all the competitive advantages – which was done competently. The recognition by our stakeholders and customers in such a ‘back-to-back’ honour is not something achieved out of a vacuum; rather, it is a fruitful result of expertise and footprints of our commitment to serve clients to satisfaction,” he said.
Head of Cross-Border Trade & Business Synergy, Musah Abdul-Rahman, on his part mentioned that a key factor to its success is the bank taking keen interest in receiving feedback from customers. “We use these feedbacks to analyse the impact and value of our products and services. The bank’s inability to meet certain needs of our customers is considered an assignment to go back to the drawing board and find solutions which later feed into the bank’s strategic development.”
SME Financing
According to the Executive Director for Business Development, BOA-Ghana has been supporting Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs) and exporters over the years with trade financing. He indicated that SMEs form the majority of businesses in Ghana’s economy and tend to bear the brunt of any economic crisis, thus BOA is ready to advance more funding into the SME space.
“This is a better time to support SMEs more, and we are ready for them in terms of trade finance support. We want all of them to come onboard and rest assured of our support. In 2023, we are restructuring some of our branches to be SME-friendly and give special attention to SMEs which walk in for trade finance support, business advisory assistance and other technical support required,” Mr. William Boateng stated.
Mr. Abdul-Rahman reiterated that the bank’s commitment to SMEs is a journey and not a one-off event. “We want every SME customer that visits us to be satisfied with our services and become our ambassador, telling other businesses about how supportive and tailor-made our services are. So, we have deliberate plans in the coming year dedicated to anchoring SME businesses,” he said.
He urged SMEs to adhere to international standards, and producers of similar goods to collaborate to have good economies of scale and competitive advantage in cross-border trade.
As an African bank with global reach, trade support to essential sectors of the economy – including SMEs, oil & gas among others – has been a key focus of the bank; and with the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) now in progress, the bank has maintained its commitment to supporting SMEs and businesses penetrate the market.
Mr. Boateng mentioned that to facilitate cross-border trade for both exporters and importer, BOA-Ghana is integrating the Pan African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) system into the system of the Bank.
Additionally, he mentioned that the bank has been supportive of the AfCFTA since its inception and will continue to work and collaborate with the secretariat to implement initiatives that promote cross-border trade for a prosperous Africa.
In his message to customers of BOA-Ghana, Mr. William Boateng said: “We want our customers to be proud of being part of the BOA brand. We assure them that we will continue to be Strong as a Group and as Close as a partner”.
Do the words climate change light a fire in your heart? Or has sustainability never quite been on your mind? Is your favorite aesthetic environment-friendliness? Or do long-winded speeches about eco-consciousness serve as the perfect alternative to sleeping pills?
The world is changing. For many of us, it took a pandemic to make us realize just how much is at stake. The Amazon forest is burning. The turtles need to be saved. And it turns out that permafrost is permanent no more. Not long ago, it was considered a fad that teenagers like Greta Thunberg were screaming about from podiums. But what was once a snooze-fest is now a real concern for many. But does that really have to put a dampener on things?
What if eco-friendliness didn’t spell boredom but perfect, romantic bliss? What if you could take the worry that’s been boiling in your stomach and turn it into something effective, something good? And what if you could do it with the love of your life.
Is Eco-friendliness The New Sexy?
Who said saving the planet together cannot be romantic?
A passion for eco-friendliness can be just the thing that gets you both out of bed – brimming with the need to do something to help. In fact, it can be the thing that saves or spices up your love life. After all, is there anything fiercer or more rebellious than saving the world together?
But can a sustainable lifestyle truly sweep you and your boo off your feet? How can using bamboo brushes and rejecting plastic together ever be considered sultry? Is the effect worth the effort?
A healthier alternative
Leading an eco-friendly lifestyle is not just about saving the environment. It lets you both make healthy, wholesome choices. Organic food and locally sourced products may not sound exciting, but they do remove the pesky effect pesticides have on you. The result? Hot, healthier bodies that are primed for passionately long nights under the sheets, against the wall, and atop the kitchen counter.
Eco-friendly choices for hotter, healthier bodies
The perfect wingman
Gone are the days when a picture of a puppy in your arms and a fancy car in your background would leave people swiping right on your profile at the speed of lightning. Material success is secondary. Climate change awareness is the new sexy. And dating apps like OkCupid prove just that.
For World Earth Day 2021, the app let users flaunt a Climate Change Advocate badge on their profiles and even went as far as to create a separate category for climate-conscious users. So, in case you are still on the fence about whether sustainability can really affect your love life, now you know.
A couple that saves the world together, stays together
No, we are not talking about marches and bringing down barricades together. Although, that feeling of danger and breaking rules does have its sultrier perks. But, for couples not into the clamor and cries of protests, quieter, softer sustainable practices are the way to go.
Go shopping together. Make a day of it. Compete on who can find the cheaper yet eco-friendly alternatives. Cook together and see who makes less waste. Then pack your lunches, lose yourself among nature, and remind yourself why you are doing this. Love is for the living. A planet that thrives breeds, breathes love. And love is what you are fighting for.
Admire, Awe, Adore
It is not all about being suave in the streets and freaky in the sheets. Passion is great. Passion keeps relationships alive and sets them afire. But to admire your partner, to be able to look at them with awe, adoration, and sheer, unadulterated respect – that does not come easy.
Saving the planet together may not be a cakewalk, but neither is sustaining a sizzlingly strong relationship. Practicing an eco-friendly lifestyle together can remind you that, deep down, you are both good, kind people – people who are ever ready to put their own comforts at stake for the sake of others. And that warrants and commands respect for your partner.
And we, for one, think that being smashed silly by someone you look up to just hits different, doesn’t it?
Cassava is grown in large quantities throughout the nation, but according to Sarpei Kwadey, the chief executive officer of Bankyekrom Limited, only a small portion is processed.
He claims that while 18 million metric tonnes of cassava are produced year, 10 million metric tonnes go unharvested, placing the nation among the top five producers of the tuber in Africa.
However, only a pitiful 0.5 percent of this material is handled.
“We need huge tracts of land to cultivate cassava on a large scale, as well as skilled labour, mechanisation and planting materials,” Mr. Kwadey said at the maiden Cassava Multi-Stakeholder Forum held in Accra and organised by the Ghana Incentive-based Risk-sharing System for Agriculture Lending (GIRSAL) in partnership with the Development Bank, Ghana (DBG) and Ghana Industrial Cassava Stakeholder Platform (GICSP).
The forum was held to identify opportunities and key challenges facing the national agenda of industrialising the cassava ecosystem, and the key interventions that would support solutions for an effective and efficient value chain pivoted around major, small and medium processors.
Chairman of the GICSP, Chris Quarshie, noted that the high starch content in cassava root is an important characteristic that makes the crop a potential industrial cash-crop. However, lack of varieties in cassava prevents starch production in large quantities; and, therefore local ethanol-consuming industries use imported raw materials for production due to inadequate supply.
He said: “This country consumes about eight million tonnes of cassava annually, and records 10 million tonnes of annual surplus that is un-harvested and left in the ground to rot. We have cassava, but we need to get the variety that is high in starch, high-yielding, and will be of interest to industries”.
Mr. Quarshie added that cassava has a low risk-profile and matures between 20 and 24 months, depending on the variety. He therefore called for proactive policies, financing and capacity building for players in the industry.
On his part, Mr. Duker of the Development Bank Ghana assured that the bank will collaborate with key stakeholders to help fund and support businesses to grow the cassava value chain.
“This we will do through our holistic approach to combine finance, capacity-building and market development.”
Mr. Duker explained that DBG focuses on four key sectors: agribusiness, manufacturing, ICT and high value services.
“The importance of unlocking value within key agriculture value chains must not be understated. So, that explains why we are here today as a sponsor for this event.”
He added that DBG’s mandate is to grow the private sector, and unlock growth for the economy by working constructively with stakeholders to address the finance gap for long-term capital in a catalytic way – while delivering a beneficial Ghanaian credit market that works for everyone sustainably.
He called for urgent action through a joint effort to address challenges faced in the cassava sector. “We need to do it differently. What does this mean? We need to collaborate on setting new standards together, and this requires that we have authentic conversations. We are here this morning to roll-up our sleeves and work together to come up with solutions which allow us to take the important next steps.”
Ahead of Ghana’s opening game at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Black Stars midfielder, Mohammed Kudus says he is motivated to do more for the national team.
Since making his debut for the Black Stars under Kwasi Appiah, Kudus has netted five goals in 18 appearances for the senior national team.
Despite being of Ghana’s key players in the last few years since his first appearance, Kudus says Ghanaians are yet to see his full potential as there is a lot in stock.
“What you see now is just the beginning,” he said on Star Connect.
“I am motivated to do more because I believe I can do more than I am doing now. There is still a part of my game that I can improve.”
The 22-year-old made his debut for the national team in November 2019, coming off the bench to score in Ghana’s win over South Africa during the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
“For me to make my debut and score, the feeling was unbelievable and most importantly we won,” he added when quizzed about playing his first game of the Black Stars.
After missing out on the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, Kudus will be playing in his first major tournament with the national team at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations.
He asserts that these current economic difficulties are putting Ghana as a nation to the test and that now is the moment for a coordinated and cohesive response to the crisis.
“I beg our chiefs, elders, and churches to take up the torch and speak in a universal tongue.
On Friday, November 18, Ken Ofori-Atta addressed the eight-member committee looking into the accusations made by the Minority against him. “Let us all work as one country to support labor negotiations, find a way out of the impasse in Parliament, and rise above witch-hunting and entrapment,” he said.
He added that these are not ennobling and progressive for a society seeking transformation.
“God willing, we shall come out of these difficult times too. Ghana, will, and must rise again,” Ofori-Atta noted.
Censure Motion
The minority moved a censure motion to get the Finance minister out of office on the following grounds
-Despicable conflict of interest ensuring that he directly benefits from Ghana’s economic woes as his companies receive commissions and other unethical contractual advantages, particularly from Ghana’s debt overhang.
-Illegal payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts, in flagrant violation of Article 176 of the 1992 Constitution:
-Deliberate and dishonest misreporting of economic data to Parliament 5. Fiscal recklessness leading to the crash of the Ghana Cedi which is currently the worst-performing currency in the world:
-Alarming incompetence and frightening ineptitude, resulting in the collapse of the Ghanaian economy and an excruciating cost of living crisis;
-Gross mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy which has occasioned untold and unprecedented hardship.
The next 2023 budget, which will be read in parliament on Thursday, November 24, 2022, according to Dr. John Kwakye, director of research at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), needs to concentrate on the nation’s macroeconomic stability.
In 2023, he urged the government to raise the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to at least 15 to 16%.
Dr. Kwakye also urged the nation’s economic controllers to reduce poverty and establish the framework for long-term sustainable growth.
He stated at an Accra press conference that “it must break from the past and chart a new route to restore macroeconomic stability while building the groundwork for long-term sustainable growth and poverty alleviation.”
“The 2023 budget must break from this unacceptable past. We believe that we should be able to increase tax revenue/Gross Domestic Product to at least 15-16% in 2023 and further to 18-20% in 2024. At the same time, total revenue/GDP could be increased to 18-20% in 2023 and 22-25% in 2024”, he stressed.
This will allow the Finance Minister to review the budget statement and economic policy of the government and supplementary estimates for the 2023 financial year.
Earlier, the Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, had hinted that the presentation of the 2023 budget statement might delay due to the ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.
The government is requesting $3 billion from the Bretton Woods institution to help stabilize the economy.
Office romances may seem clichéd to some, but they are quite common. It is common to feel warmth for someone when you spend practically all of your time with them. So do you want to go on a date with your coworker? Are you wondering how to ask a colleague out? If they say yes, would it only be a passing fling?
From Jim and Pam to Amy and Jake we have seen office romances blossom on screen, but in reality, things may not always end well. It’s important to strike a balance between your personal and professional lives, especially when they run concurrently. According to research, Dillard and Witteman (1985) found almost 29% of respondents had had a romance in the workplace and 71% had either had a workplace romance themselves or had observed one. Many companies are amenable to office relationships. However, there may exist a few regulations, so make sure you read them before you start thinking about how to ask a colleague out.
13 Respectful Ways To Ask A Coworker For A Date
It can be quite a task to ask a coworker out without making it awkward for both of you. Make sure your feelings and intentions are crystal clear before you make your move. The key is timing! You can’t just casually enter a room and ask someone out on a date without preparation or context. In the same way, you can’t randomly ask a coworker out over a text or in person. It will make things uncomfortable for you both.
We promise this, though. It is not as tough as it seems. Here is your trustworthy guide to how to ask a colleague out.
1. How to ask a coworker out? Wait for the right opportunity
The first step is to ascertain whether they are single or not. This will help you avoid embarrassment. You can look them up on social media to see if they are dating someone. You can also approach a common friend who you can trust for assistance. Ask them if they are aware of the relationship status of the coworker you wish to ask out.
Start a casual conversation about this subject if you and this colleague are close enough. A good way to start a conversation is to find out what they are doing on the weekends and whether they have any plans with their partner. If they claim not to be seeing anyone, you can shoot your shot. However, if they say they are seeing someone, it is your cue to stop and move on.
2. Dress your best
If you are prepared to ask your coworker out on a date after learning that they are single, know what to wear – look your best. On your big day, it’s acceptable to take an additional 10 minutes in the shower. Wear your best cosmetics, best perfume, best hairstyle, best shoes, and make sure your attire is appropriate for the workplace. Also, groom yourself! You may make a favorable impression by doing this. Carry some mints or mouth fresheners before you approach them.
Be careful not to overdo it though. Your other colleagues may ask you what’s so different about today, and that is not something you want.
3. Rehearse: Know what you are going to ask in advance
If you are certain that you want to go on a date with your colleague, make plans in advance. Don’t go and make an impromptu plan. It will be easier for you to plan something fun if you are aware of their interests, hobbies, and favorites. Make it as casual as you can. Impress them on your date, this may be your last chance.
You can ask them out to see a play if you know they enjoy theatre. It won’t be difficult to ask your coworker out on a date if you are well acquainted with them. For instance, our 26-year-old reader Aiden knew that his colleague, Betty, enjoys going for plays on her days off. He mentioned it casually during a conversation one day in the break room by stating, “Hey Betty, I’ve been wanting to watch a play for a while, and now it’s coming to our town this weekend. Do you wish to accompany me?”
Also, before you ask your coworker out, rehearse. Write things down or make mental notes so that when it comes time to ask a coworker out without making it awkward, you don’t blow your chance.
4. Where to ask them out? Somewhere quiet
How to ask a coworker out and where you do it, are both really important. It is also very important to be sure if you can handle dating a coworker as there are many risk factors involved. Find a place where you both feel secure and at ease. Ask them to meet you somewhere with few or no people at all. They might feel pressured to say no or yes if you ask them out when they are surrounded by other colleagues. This is your only chance to ask them out, so ideally, you don’t want to blow it.
If you can see they are busy, that’s not the right time to pop the question. You don’t want them to pay less attention to you when you ask them out on a date. Take your time, but try not to take too long. (You don’t want your coworkers to suspect you, do you?)
If you can’t find any apt place in the office grounds and meeting them outside is not a possibility, you can always ask a coworker out over a text.
5. If you’re thinking about asking out your boss/subordinate, don’t
Workplace romances, as exciting as they sound, can quickly turn into nightmares. It’s risky enough to ask a coworker out, but if the person you want to ask out is your boss or subordinate, it’s a no-no.
If your boss is attractive and you have feelings for them, keep them to yourself. Things could go wrong in more ways than you can think since you are not in an office romantic drama. No one would want to engage in casual or intimate conversations with you as they’ll worry that the boss will find out. Dating your boss could make you a pariah. Also, they hold the authority here, therefore if you choose to mix personal and professional lives, it may risk your livelihood. Workplace awkwardness is something we don’t want if your supervisor rejects you.
It’s worse to ask out a coworker who is your subordinate. Because you are the employer, your employee may feel pressured to comply in order to keep their job. Overstepping the line between employer and employee is not acceptable. You don’t want your employee to keep searching if their boss likes them romantically in the working hours, do you? This could be a source of harassment for your subordinate and foster an unsafe and hostile work environment for them. Additionally, it is incredibly disrespectful and highly likely to ruin your reputation and business.
According to research, women were more cautious and less motivated than men about their involvement in workplace romance. Men had a more favorable attitude toward it. Studies also illustrated that workplace romance in the form of mutually committed relationships positively affected employee performance. The partners worked hard to create a favourable impression on their employer.
It’s worse to ask out a coworker who is your subordinate
6. Be yourself
Your coworker spends a lot of time around you, just like you do. Even if you have never spoken, they are aware of you and at the very least have noticed you. If you try to act fake around them, they will notice. So, the best course of action here is to be yourself. It’s quite normal and acceptable for you to feel anxious, but don’t mask it. Dealing with a crush at work can be a little difficult.
Simply take a deep breath if you are feeling anxious and keep going. They must be experiencing the same feelings at the moment if they are also interested in you. Asking someone out on a date requires confidence.
7. Here’s how to ask them out on a date
Here it comes, the hardest part. You might feel a lot of anxiety and trepidation. The process may be daunting. But you don’t have much to lose, though, in the end. The worst-case scenario is that they will graciously decline your request and say ‘no’.
Here’s how to ask a colleague out: “How’s your day going?” is a good way to start a conversation. Ask “What are your weekend plans?” If they seem free, go ahead with – “Would you like to go on a coffee date this weekend?” or “Do you want to go watch some movie over the weekend?” If they are interested, continue with “Great, what time would you like to meet?” or “Great, let us plan it out”.
Let them know it’s okay if they are busy or uninterested before you excuse yourself gracefully.
8. Ask a coworker out for lunch or coffee – but casually
You can always choose to ask them out discreetly if you believe that asking them out directly will lead to awkwardness between you two. It can be helpful to ask a coworker out for lunch or coffee(Trust me coffee date is the best idea for the first date, it will help you to chat and there will be near to zero awkwardness), go to a movie or museum on the weekends, or just ask them if they’d like to attend any local festivals with you – without making it sound like a date.
You can ask a female coworker to hang out with you if they do not have any plans for the weekend. You can ask a male coworker out too. Additionally, getting to know them and socializing with them outside of work could be helpful in taking things forward (and can also be counted as an unofficial date).
9. Here’s how to ask a coworker out: Have friendly conversations first
Your ability to comprehend them, their likes and dislikes, and their hobbies will improve the more casually you converse with them. Your relationship with them can grow stronger by engaging in polite conversation with them over coffee or lunch breaks. The more time you spend talking, the more you learn about them and vice versa. You may be able to ask them out eventually as a result of these amicable conversations.
Don’t hesitate to ask a coworker out for drinks if you are friends. But make sure you are a little casual about it. Our reader, Nathan, a 29-year-old medical technician, likes Pat, but they never really hung out after work. He shares, “So one day, I decided to ask Pat if he wanted to chat over a coffee after work. It worked, he said yes, and we talked for hours.” You can also ask if they want to celebrate a project’s completion with a few drinks this weekend. Keep it as casual as possible so that if they say no, neither of you will be embarrassed.
10. Don’t rush anything
Make sure you understand what you are getting involved with. Finding a balance will be necessary if you discover that even the coworker is interested in you. Although it’s not against the law, some ground rules must be established before dating is initiated at work. Office romance can go sour at any moment, you never know. Don’t expect them to answer you immediately. They might need time to process your feelings and align them with the fact that you’re colleagues.
The risk of dating at work must be carefully considered by both of you. If things start to go south, it might have an impact on your career development, therefore it’s important to be smart about it. Don’t rush things for the sake of a moment’s excitement. That’s our most important tip on how to ask a colleague out.
11. Don’t let your feelings affect your work
If you are interested in someone, they are always on your mind but in your case, they are always around you too. It is very normal to feel butterflies when someone you are interested in passes by. Will things work out? Will things remain the same if they don’t? ‘How to ask a colleague out’ becomes your mental refrain. You must not allow your emotions to compromise the caliber of your work. As it may hinder your professional development, make a very conscious effort to keep your mind and heart on opposite poles. Office affairs can spell trouble for you.
Jules, a 24-year-old software developer, went through a rejection recently when she asked out a coworker. She shares her lesson, “There may be a time when you don’t want to see or speak to your coworker because you tried to ask them out and it didn’t work out. But treat their ‘no’ as professionally as you can, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. You can’t not interact with them if they are on your team. So don’t let this interfere with your professional life.”
On the flip side, they may have said yes. In that case too, don’t hover around their desk to talk to them when they’re trying to work (and when you should be working too), don’t gaze into each other’s eyes during office meetings, don’t flirt with them in front of others all the time. Maintain their and your own dignity at work.
12. Don’t discuss work on a date
You may have mutual acquaintances from the office and belong to the same professional network, but when you ask a coworker out for drinks, keep your workplace or team gossip to yourself on the date. Your time with them right now is personal.
It’s crucial to maintain a healthy work-life balance. You could come across as having no life outside of work if you spend your date talking about work or colleagues or your boss. Moreover, it is somewhat off-putting.
13. Know when to stop
Leave it alone if a coworker tells you they are not interested in you. You can’t make someone fall in love with you by repeatedly asking them out. Additionally, it will create a hostile or unpleasant work environment. You only get one chance to take a shot, so if it doesn’t go well, it doesn’t go well. Don’t take it as a challenge and start bugging or flirting with them. Not only is this an indecent thing to do, you also risk losing your job if they file a complaint with the HR. Can a “No” mean something else? NO. its a very straightforward answer.
Just smile and tell them you accept their response. Don’t make them anxious about your reaction. They deserve to have a safe environment to come and work in. Although it is initially painful, ease the tension between you two by being as polite as you can and carry on with your normal behavior after this.
Key Pointers
Casually asking a coworker on a date
Know your company’s policies before taking any decision
Keeping your personal and professional life separate, know when to stop
Do not take advantages of your position in the company to harass your subordinates
Remember to check your company policies before you make a move on a coworker. It is not worth risking your job for a casual fling.
FAQs
1. Is it appropriate to ask a coworker out?
It is not inappropriate to ask a coworker out but if it’s your subordinate or your boss, it is better to stop. It consists of its own set of risks and as long as you are ready to take them and if it’s truly consensual, it is alright. Keep in mind that the power dynamics between you two are skewed, and if you know it’s only a fling, it’s not worth jeopardizing your job.
2. How long should you wait to ask a coworker out?
If you keep wondering how to ask a coworker out, but are not sure ‘when’ to do it, wait until you are completely sure about your feelings. Once you think it’s the right time and place and an opportunity arises, you can ask out your coworker. The results may not always be positive so it is better if you are prepared for the aftermath.
3. How do you know if a coworker likes you?
You would know when someone is interested in you from their body language and the way they talk to you or behave around you.
If you are still unsure, you can talk to mutual friends or ask the colleague directly.
The Black Stars took their turn in the official FIFA photoshoot for the 2022 World Cup on Sunday, November 20, ahead of their opener against Portugal on Thursday, November 24.
Ghana has been in Doha since November 18, a day after beating Switzerland in an international friendly in Abu Dhabi.
The photos, released on Monday show the players in a joyous mood ahead of their first game of the tournament on Thursday.
Dr. John Kwakye, director of research at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), has stated that the country’s macroeconomic stability should be a priority for the next 2023 budget, which will be read in parliament on Thursday, November 24, 2022.
Dr. Kwakye also requested that economic controllers build the foundation for the nation’s long-term sustainable growth and reduce poverty.
He stated, “It must break from the past and chart a new route to restore macroeconomic stability while building the groundwork for long-term sustainable growth and poverty alleviation,” at a press conference in Accra.
The presentation of the budget in parliament is in pursuance of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921).
This will allow the Finance Minister to review the budget statement and economic policy of the government and supplementary estimates for the 2023 financial year.
Have you ever had those nights where he just can’t stop snoring and you wake up the next morning ready to lash out at whoever crosses your path? Or maybe, she can’t stop moving around while she’s sleeping, and you’re left groggy all day. Perhaps one of you gets up at freaking 5:30 am and the other likes to sleep in? We bring to you a solution you’ve definitely considered before, at least in your own mind: sleep divorce.
Sharing a bed is seen as one of the most intimate things a couple can do. On the other hand, a couple sleeping in different rooms often sparks all sorts of malicious gossip. We’re all so used to the idea that couples have to sleep in the same bed, but what if it starts resulting in poor sleep or no sleep at all?
No, sleep divorce is not you dreaming about a divorce. It simply means sleeping in a different bed from your partner or even in a different room if required. That sounds like a great idea, right? No longer will you need four cups of coffee to get you through the day. Say goodbye to your dark circles. But wait, will your marriage suffer?
To answer all your questions, we’ve turned to psychologist Ridhi Golechha (Masters in Psychology), who specializes in physical, mental, and emotional health counseling, for insights. We break down everything to do with this new trend so you can make your decision without too many sleepless nights.
What Is Sleep Divorce?
As mentioned, sleep breakup means sleeping in two separate beds whether they are in the same room or different according to the convenience of you and your partner. Now, if someone told you, “My husband and I sleep in separate rooms,” you’d immediately question the strength of their marriage, right? Well, maybe you shouldn’t. Signs of a bad marriage are completely different.
Think about it, who even told you that you absolutely have to sleep in the same bed as your partner, every single night? Especially if it’s affecting your sleep. Thoughts like, “That’s just how it’s always been!” and “Those who sleep apart grow apart” might be rushing to your mind right now. But did you know that David and Victoria Beckham practiced solo sleeping too? And they seem to be doing pretty well.
A survey run by a bedding company found out that 1 in every 12 participating American couples has already given sleep breakup a shot. This kind of sleeping arrangement has helped a lot of people. When you don’t have to hear the deathly loud snores or the meticulously acted-out dream by your sleep-talking partner, who wouldn’t fancy a marriage of solo sleeping? Are you telling me you aren’t even a little curious?
How Common Is Sleep Divorce?
Not only do the Beckhams prove that it’s a healthy practice for cohabitating couples, but Britain’s Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip never slept in the same bed. And their marriage lasted 74 years. Also, television’s famous face Carson Daly recently talked in an interview about splitting beds with his wife, “We both, admittedly, slept better apart”. If royalty and celebrity stories don’t inspire much confidence in you, maybe science and statistics will.
Let us give you a reality check. According to a survey, 75% of Americans admitted that sharing a bed with their partner affects their quality of sleep and 25% reported that the situation has worsened since the pandemic. In another similar poll run in America, 19% of 2000 respondents blamed their live-in partners for a disrupted sleeping condition. In a survey of 3000 Americans, 30% of the participants admitted their desire to file for a sleep divorce.
Is it time for you to get your own bed?
So, if you are feeling guilty in your mind for secretly wanting a sleep breakup with your spouse/partner, don’t. It shows you genuinely care about this relationship and are willing to make adjustments to sustain it. We get it, it’s a big decision. You may still be on the fence about this one. Plus, there’s probably an awkward conversation you’d have to have with your partner.
But, Studies claim that sleeping separately can improve the quality of sleep because of fewer disruptions. It doesn’t necessarily suggest that your relationship has fallen into a pit and couples should be open to having a healthy conversation in this regard. If executed sensitively, this can be a blessing for your marriage.
How To Ask For A Sleep Divorce?
Before you make up your mind to jump on the sleep divorce trend, it’s important to understand how you should go about asking your partner for one. After all, you don’t want your partner to be anxiously awake the entire night, wondering about the health of your relationship. “I’m not getting enough sleep, let’s sleep separately” might easily be misinterpreted as “I don’t like sleeping with you, I want to sleep alone” as a result of poor communication in your relationship. Instead, you can say,
“Honey, we both know this disturbed sleeping pattern is hampering our everyday routine. We get cranky, we are always tired. I have a proposal that might solve this problem. But before I say anything, you must know that it’s not coming from a place where I love you any less or don’t find you attractive anymore. Will you be open to the idea of sleeping in two separate beds from now on?”
Telling us how we should go about asking our partners for a sleep divorce, Ridhi shares a few important points to consider, “When you are about to have this discussion, make sure your relationship has good stability and bonding. If either of the partners is insecure, asking for a sleep separation might trigger the insecurity even further.
“If either of you has an anxious attachment style, you need to approach such a proposition delicately. The most important thing to consider is that your partner doesn’t take this as a sign of rejection and starts feeling unwanted. The solo sleeping arrangement should be opted when you both feel secure and loved in your bond.”
How to make sleep divorce work without hurting your partner
Understandably, asking your partner for a sleep breakup is a tricky prospect. Even though this practice is on the rise, the stigma attached to the act of sleeping apart is still enough to warrant a few judgmental looks from people you know. Even so, if it feels like the right thing to do, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t follow this sleep divorce trend.
But before you do, have a game plan ready to make sure the situation doesn’t go out of hand in case your partner’s reaction is very disapproving. At this point, it’s your holy duty to clarify that you are not pushing the love of your life away just for the sake of a good night’s sleep. Depriving yourselves of physical affection is so not the intention of this plan. Here’s what Bonobology suggests to strike a balance between your sexual health and personal space:
Don’t verbally attack your partner for ruining your sleep cycle
Use ‘we’ pronouns instead of ‘you’
Reassure them that it has nothing to do with your emotional or physical bonding
If the problem is not about snoring, you may consider two single beds in the same room
Keep some time before you go to sleep for cuddling, feeling each other’s touch, lovemaking, and intimate conversations
Ask your partner to name their terms instead of forcing your wishes on them
9 Ways A Sleep Divorce Can Help Your Marriage
We’re not saying you strictly have to sleep away from your beloved significant other every single night. You can hop into bed with your partner whenever you want. Stay the night even, it’s cold outside of the blanket anyway (and we all know how important sex is in a relationship). But if the snoring or the kicking starts, you know you always have your own bed to go to. And here’s why you should get your own bed:
1. You get to miss your partner
Ever since the pandemic, working from home has become a way of life which basically means you’re spending most of your time with your partner. And we’re sure every couple would agree that constantly being together can get a bit much. You need personal space in a relationship to survive and grow, and being joined at the hip for 24 hours isn’t going to do you any favor.
Ridhi says “Absence makes the heart grow fonder. That saying holds more truth than we care to admit. You must’ve noticed that when you or your partner are away on trips, you start missing them more. Your rational brain starts thinking about gratitude and all the good things in your dynamic, instead of constantly thinking of the shortcomings.
“Once the spotlight from the negatives of your bond shifts to the positives of it, the distance ends up creating a healthier attachment. When you turn to separate beds before falling asleep, you definitely get a chance to miss your partner which in turn can lead to you focusing more on the positives,” she adds.
Spending the nights apart will not only make for more peaceful sleep but will also give you time to yearn for your partner to be with you. If you get through the night without climbing into their bed, you’ll be able to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea with your partner the next morning, with no resentment over lost sleep. We bet by now you’re starting to believe a bit in the whole sleep divorce trend, aren’t you.
2. You’ll finally get enough sleep to survive the day
The number one reason why you should throw ‘those who sleep apart grow apart’ into the trash is that you’ll finally be able to get enough sleep. You won’t be putting salt in your coffee and sugar in your eggs. You’ll be waking up refreshed instead of heavy-eyed and grumpy.
And you won’t be looking over to the other side of the bed with disgust, planning a murder in your head. Instead, you might just go over and hug your partner good morning. Heck, you may even feel like bringing them breakfast in bed. When was the last time you did that as a way of showing affection? Whoever said “You can’t make others happy unless you are happy” was damn right!
3. Studies say it helps the marriage
Is solo sleeping a healthy strategy for marriage or couples who are living together? The data seems to be backing us up. Research claims that getting better sleep increases the overall quality of marital life. And, there are also studies pointing out that a lack of sleep may result in nastier fights.
We already told you how sleep divorce is on the rise and with good reason too. We’re not saying it’ll all be smooth sailing, though. You will need to ease into it with your spouse. Maybe surprise them with a bunch of roses, spice up the makeout sessions, cuddle before saying goodnight, and hop into your own bed for a peaceful sleep, minus the snoring/grunting/kicking. Trust us, you’ll like your partner so much more in the morning.
4. The time you spend together will be a lot more fulfilling
Often in relationships, we end up chasing the amount of time spent together rather than focusing on what we’re both doing during those precious hours together. If you’re with each other all day, chances are you might just end up taking each other for granted, since the humdrum of life might translate into your dynamic as well.
Ridhi tells us how sleep separation may be able to rectify, dare we say it, a boring relationship. “Often we look at the time with our partner from a perspective of quantity over quality. It’s always about “How much time are you spending with me?” and not necessarily about “What are we doing in this limited time that we’re spending together?”
“When you change the focus from spending more time together to spending quality time together, it’ll have a positive impact on your relationship. In this day and age, couples are busy and have a very hectic ‘hustle culture’ life. That’s the reason their sleep quality and the quality of their relationships need to be at the top of their game and sleeping apart can help with both,” she says.
5. No more “You’re on my side!”
When you were dating, you couldn’t wait to see your partner for all the hugs and cuddles. And now, it has come down to this – their immovable leg on ‘your’ side of the bed makes you super angry. You both have your own pillows and blankets and yet almost every night, one person hogs all of the space, and the other struggle to not fall off hanging on the edge of the bed.
When you’re sleeping on your own bed, these problems will never bother you again. No longer will the eight inches of the bed be ‘your’ side. Bed solutions for couples don’t get easier than this and the other common relationship problems will be curbed as well. Instead of figuring out what to do with your arms all night, you’ll finally be able to focus on sleeping.
6. It’ll improve your cuddling and sex life
If you’re sharing a bed but anticipating a restless night, a visual representation of your bedtime with your partner probably wouldn’t feature romantic music in the background or you lovingly staring into your partner’s eyes. It would feature both of you saying goodnight, finding a comfortable position, and trying to sleep. Without even a hint of cuddling.
When sharing the same bed, you might sometimes just have sex/cuddle for the sake of it. When you’re sleeping in separate beds and you start missing your partner, you’ll go over to cuddle because you actually want to. You’ll initiate sex more passionately and willingly. Can you think of any better way to keep the spark alive after ten years of married life?
8. Stay married longer by being healthier
It’s no surprise that getting a full night of quality sleep for at least 7 hours results in multiple health benefits. Studies show that when you get a good night’s rest, your muscles get a chance to recover. You feel well-rested and your overall sleep schedule gets better. If you tend to feel anxious or depressed or suffer from some other mental illness, a whole host of studies claim how crucial it is for you to be getting a good night’s rest.
Wake up refreshed after a good night’s rest!
An average person spends 25 years of their life asleep, make sure you’re not just twisting and turning but actually sleeping for those 25 years. When your body feels fully rested, your mind will feel at ease too. It’ll be easier to put things into perspective and tackle your problems one step at a time. All thanks to sleep breakup, you can do that without popping sleep medicine every night or visiting a sleep specialist.
“Do I need a sleep divorce?” – Take this quiz to find out
Sleep separation can turn out to be a very sensitive issue for many people. Even professional therapists don’t outright prescribe it to couples with troubled sleeping situations. Rather they would lay down the positive and negative aspects of this arrangement and leave the rest to the couple to decide what works best for their marriage. In case you are not sure what warrants you to ask your partner to sleep separately, this quiz might help you prioritize your needs:
Does your partner’s excessive snoring annoy you too much? Yes/No
Do they keep kicking you off the bed throughout the night? Yes/No
Do they come to bed very late waking you up? Yes/No
Do they have a habit of scrolling their phone or working from the bedroom till late? Yes/No
Do you feel anxious before going to bed? Yes/No
Are getting more and more dependent on sleeping pills? Yes/No
Does your partner’s body heat under the sheets bother you? Yes/No
Do you always need a drink before bed to help you fall asleep? Yes/No
Is your sex life taking a serious hit due to the lack of sleep? Yes/No
Are you and your partner fighting a lot throughout the day? Yes/No
If you tick on more than 6 ‘yes’, you should seriously consider shifting to a separate bed. Remember, the problems may lie with you too. Be attentive if your partner is facing similar troubles sleeping beside you.
Key Pointers
Sleep divorce isn’t an actual separation between two partners; it only suggests sleeping in different beds
Several sleep disorders or different sleeping times and bedtime habits of one or both partners might lead to this arrangement
The idea is to get good sleep to keep yourself sane and save your marriage from falling apart
Sleep separation shouldn’t arise from any serious conflicts between two partners
You should set aside some time for physical intimacy and bedtime conversations before going to sleep
Be very sensitive and choose your words carefully when you are asking your partner for a sleep breakup
At the end of the day, if you’re struggling with getting enough sleep and feel groggy the next day because of the pressure to sleep on the same bed as your partner, sleeping solo will most definitely come to your rescue. Considering how sleep divorce is on the rise, we’re pretty sure the stigma attached to sleeping apart will soon fade away too. What are you waiting for? Go buy those two single beds you’ve always wanted but were too shy to bring up. Just send your spouse this article, and they’ll get the hint.
This article has been updated in Oct, 2022.
FAQs
1. Is it OK for married couples to sleep apart?
Yes, it is absolutely okay for married couples to sleep apart. Given that you both realize that this isn’t done as a sign of resentment and is being done only to sleep properly. If one of the parties involved is not happy about sleeping separately, it should be avoided. But if both parties are willing, a sleep breakup can have a whole lot of benefits. You’ll sleep better, feel physically and mentally better, you’ll get a chance to miss your partner and your sex life may just improve too.
2. How do I know if it’s time for a sleep divorce?
If you’re racing to fall asleep first, if your partner’s snoring/kicking about keeps you up all night, and if you directly blame your partner for not being able to get sleep, it’s probably time for you to split the beds. Other signs include you can’t go to sleep without putting earplugs in, having a drink prior to bed, or taking sleeping pills. Sleeping naturally is the best way to do it, and since the solo sleeping trend is on the rise, you could try it out.
3. What are the cons of sleep divorce?
If one partner is not fully sold on the idea of sleep splitting, he/she could develop feelings of resentment. It’s important to make sure that all the partners are completely on board.
As long as that’s taken care of and sexual and intimacy needs are properly communicated, there aren’t many cons to a sleep breakup. Except, of course, having to clean double the number of sheets.’
England’s World Cup campaign opened in thoroughly convincing fashion as they outclassed Iran in Doha.
The game was played out against the backdrop of more off-field controversy here in Qatar after England were forced to ditch plans to wear the OneLove armband promoting diversity and inclusivity under threat from Fifa of players being cautioned should they carry out the gesture of support.
Gareth Southgate’s side strolled to victory, with Iran’s hopeless plight made worse by the early loss of goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand to concussion after a clash of heads with a team-mate.
Jude Bellingham got England off the mark in this World Cup with a soaring header from Luke Shaw’s cross 10 minutes before the break and the game was wrapped up before half-time thanks to Saka’s fine strike and Raheem Sterling’s classy volley with the outside of his foot from Harry Kane’s cross.
Iran’s supporters were given a moment of real delight when Mehdi Taremi scored a fine goal after 65 minutes but it only produced a ruthless response from England as Saka scored his second and substitute Marcus Rashford scored with his first involvement – both smooth, composed strikes.
To put the gloss on an incredibly dominant display, Jack Grealish slotted home from close range after a good run and pull back by Callum Wilson.
Iran did pull another back in injury time when Taremi slotted in a penalty after a John Stones foul.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria locked horns with the Black Stars of Ghana in the final round of the African qualifiers for the mundial.
Unfortunately, for Nigeria, the national team suffered a defeat to Ghana on aggregates and missed out on booking a place in the tournament.
With the mundial starting on Sunday, November 20, it has come to light that the Nigeria FA has missed out financially and is feeling disappointed for not making it to the tournament.
In addition, several businesses have been hard hit after losing a lot of money.
A businessman living in Qatar, Ekene Romeo has disclosed that he pre-ordered 20,000 Nigeria jerseys hoping to cash in when Nigeria beats Ghana to qualify for the World Cup.
With the Super Eagles failing the Black Stars test, he has not lost massively with the jerseys not being sold at the rate he anticipated.
“I had placed an order for 20,000 Nigerian national team jerseys, which I knew would be in high demand. I was also making plans to host the first ever Nigerian entertainment and fashion week here in Qatar during the World Cup,” Romeo told Al Jazeera.
Meanwhile, Bukola Aliu who is the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) Lagos zone has admitted that the failure of the Super Eagles to qualify for the World Cup has adversely affected business.
“Many people expressed interest in touring Qatar as well. The demand has reduced because most people are no longer interested,” he told Aljazeera when contacted in Nigeria.
Did you know that the divorce rates for people over 50 have doubled since the 1990s, and tripled for people aged 60 and above? Well, a Pew Research Centre report says just that. The reason we begin with stats is to tell you that no matter how overwhelmed you might be feeling, you are not alone. Divorce at 50 is becoming increasingly common and we have many famous couples to vouch for that.
Bill and Melinda Gates caused quite a stir when they announced their separation in May 2021. A divorce after 25 years of marriage! In a Twitter statement they said, “We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue our work together at the foundation, but we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives.” Even a cursory glance at the statement may pull you in at the “next phase of our lives” part.
It’s true! With increased life expectancy, there is an entire phase of your life that you have to look forward to. Among other reasons, this is primarily why divorce has become a viable option for people unhappy in marriages irrespective of their age and the length of their marriage. However, age does make divorce for quinquagenarians and above a different sort of challenge. Let us explore how to survive a divorce after 50 to help better your chances at dealing with it in a healthy manner.
“Gray Divorce” or “Silver Splitters” is now part of common parlance when talking about divorce of people over 50, roughly speaking. That there are more terms to describe this occurrence shows its increasing frequency as well as the reducing social stigma surrounding divorce of mature men and women.
Lisa, homemaker, and ex-teacher, 58, split up with her husband Raj, businessman, 61, much later in life, after both their children were married and living with their respective families. She says, “It was not some deep, dark secret that Raj kept hidden from me or even an extramarital affair. Raj appeared very quiet but has always been extremely possessive and aggressive. Not that he hit me or anything, it was just that he thought he owned me.
“When my kids were young, it made sense to put up with all this. But when I found myself an empty-nester I just wondered why I should put up with it any longer. Besides, we had no common interests. Even if I never found anyone else to share my life with, at least I could enjoy it without someone’s constant glowering and interference,” she added.
People over 50 may get divorced for various reasons. Like Lisa, midlife divorces are mostly the result of loss of love. Marital dissatisfaction or discord, or a low-quality partnership affecting a person’s mental and physical health is universal no matter the kind of relationship– (same-sex/opposite sex), age, ethnic background, region. But there may be various factors affecting the rise in cases of divorce in older marriages. Some of them are:
Empty Nest Syndrome: If the glue that held a couple together was merely a shared responsibility of raising children, the moment they are gone, a couple may find it difficult to find a reliable anchor to tether them to the marriage together
Longer life expectancy: People are living longer. They are more hopeful of the remaining years of life, often seeing it as a new phase rather than a grim tale of waiting for the end
Better health and mobility: Not only are people living longer, they are leading fitter, more active and youthful lives. Hope for the future makes people want to live happier lives, follow adventures, pursue hobbies, alone or with a new partner
Financial independence for women: More women are financially independent than before. They may no longer “need” a partner for financial stability, making a bad or unsatisfactory relationship more disposable
New definitions of marriage: There has been a shift in the dynamics of marriage. More people may be coming together in holy matrimony for reasons based in love in comparison to more “practical” or traditional reasons based in patriarchal forward movement of the family structure. Loss in affection and intimacy, therefore, naturally becomes an increasingly decisive factor for divorce
Reduced social stigma: It has just become easier to find more support for your decision to end a marriage than ever before. Society understands it slightly better. Offline and online support groups for divorce are to vouch for the same
Divorce After 50 – 3 Mistake To Avoid
Dissolution of marriage can be daunting at any stage of life but even more so when you get a divorce at 50 or beyond. Companionship, security and stability are the things people crave the most when heading into the sunset of life. So, when life throws you a curve ball at that stage, starting over is no walk in the park. Yes, even when you’re the one who wants out.
If you are seeking divorce over 50, here are 3 mistakes to avoid:
1. Don’t let emotions get the better of you
Whether you’re the one who wants to move on or the decision has been thrust upon you, getting divorced at this stage of life can leave you feeling overwhelmed with emotion. No matter how taxing this reality feels, don’t let your emotions get the better of you and cloud your judgment. The desire to get it over with as quickly as possible is understandable.
However, when you lose sight of the bigger picture or long-term stakes, you risk jeopardizing a secure future. It is important to not view your divorce as a war that you need to win. To make sure you have all your bases covered, you have to set aside the brimming emotions and approach it as a calculated business transaction. Even if the divorce is by mutual consent you must prepare yourself to look out for your future.
2. Not negotiating smartly can be a mistake
Divorced and broke at 50 can be the worst combination. By this age, you’re likely to be financially stable and leading a comfortable life, thanks to years of hard work, meticulous financial planning and savings. By not negotiating smartly, you risk losing it all in an instant. After all, finances are one of the most overlooked effects of divorce.
You don’t want to be staring at starting a new career at a time when you’d be planning a retirement. Besides, factors such as medical conditions and ageism can get in the way of your ability to build a life for yourself from scratch. So, make sure you negotiate smartly for a fair division of retirement accounts, social security benefits, assets as well as securing alimony, if applicable.
3. Losing control
All the documentation and legal jargon can be hard to navigate and make sense of. Even so more so, when you’re not in the best emotional state. While your legal counsel or divorce lawyer will be there to guide you at every step of the way, you must not lose control of the process.
Don’t tell your lawyer to handle it all and tell you what to do. Do your research, talk to people, get advice from different reliable sources and draw up a mediation checklist to make sure you know exactly what you’re in for during a divorce proceeding. Let your lawyer be the expert who guides your decision and not the one who steers them.
Once the storm of legal proceeding has passed, you may find yourself struggling to pick up the pieces and surviving divorce after 50. As long as you look at it as a chance for a do-over, you can reclaim your life and steer it in any direction possible. From embracing the liberating new-found independence from a long, stifling marriage to getting back on the dating scene again, the world is your oyster.
1. Allow yourself to grieve
Leaving your husband in your 50s is not easy. No matter how frequent it is becoming, leaving your wife in your 50s is not an everyday occurrence. You have seen a lot and are a tough cookie, we get it! But you don’t need to be hard on yourself. No matter if you were the one who was caught by surprise in the divorce, or the one to initiate it, you are allowed to feel everything that you are feeling.
Recognize your emotions. Fear, overwhelm, betrayal, anger, tiredness, or something else. Ask yourself, “I am divorced and alone at 50. It’s not easy. What am I feeling?” Denial is the biggest disservice you can do to yourself. Recognizing your emotions is the first step to taming them. It’s a battle half won!
2 . Let the bitterness dissolve
If you want to learn how to start over after divorce at 50 plus, you must begin by letting resentments and blame go. If you are consumed by bitterness, you might find it difficult to focus on the inevitable- life after divorce. You can try the following to manage negative thoughts:
Practice journaling to jot down your thoughts
Practice gratitude listing. Research has shown gratitude positively affects psychological well-being
Practice daily affirmations. If you have faith in new age spirituality, find solace in the practice of manifestations and Law of Attraction
Approach trusted friends or family members and share your feelings with them
Seek help from a mental health counselor or therapist for guided and supervised release of negative emotions
3. Review your definition of relationships
You must switch your viewing glasses if you are thinking of your past marriage as a failure. There is tendency to see divorce, breakup, or a separation as making a relationship incomplete. This mentality makes it more difficult to let go of the resistance and embrace the new phase that is awaiting you.
Nothing is eternal. You must remember, in one way or the other, everything comes to an end. That it ended doesn’t mean it was incomplete. See your divorce as nothing more than a milestone. A satisfactory end to an important phase in your life and the beginning of a new one.
4. Rediscover yourself
Ending decades-long marriage can bring with it confusion and disorientation. The pace and tone of life, satisfying or not, does become familiar and comfortable. To tackle that disorientation, you will have to reacquaint yourself with “You”. You will not only need to depend on yourself from here on but you will also be spending a lot of time with yourself. Make sure to rebuild your relationship with yourself before worrying about how to rebuild life after divorce at 50. Try the following ways of self-love:
Take a vacation
Revisit an old hobby
Reacquaint yourself with food that you liked. Individuals in-charge of cooking in the household tend to overlook their personal taste and choices in food
Try mixing up your wardrobe, or repainting your home
See if you would like to meet new people
5. Prepare yourself for dating in your 50s after divorce
Talking about meeting new people, you will eventually want to date other people later in life. It is possible that you are not at that stage right now, and think you never will. That is completely normal. It is completely understandable to not want to go through the same ordeal once again after spending a long time with a single person.
But even if you were not looking for romantic connections, you may eventually have the mental bandwidth to forge new friendships. Companionship may even be helpful later in life. Studies have shown that as people grow older they begin to find more value in activities with friends as compared to family members. When dating in your 50s after divorce be mindful of a few things:
Be wary of rebound relationships: First heal yourself before seeking companionship. Do not try to fill a void
Avoid comparison with your old partner: Don’t approach people with the same lens smudged by your past experiences. Let this be a new start
Try new things: The dating scene would have changed by the time you get another chance at it. Don’t be afraid of exploring new venues for dating. There are a lot of options if you look in the right places. Look for mature dating apps and sites such as SilverSingles, eHarmony and Higher Bond.
6. Focus on yourself – health and finance
Surviving a divorce at 50+ in a healthy way is only possible if you vowed to keep your health and happiness in the center. You can enjoy the next phase of yourself if you are physically, emotionally and financially fit to take care of yourself. See your divorce as as the best motivation to get your affairs in order.
Things to do to take care of your health after divorce post 50
Develop and follow an exercise routine. Visit local gyms and fitness centers. Don’t forget to approach other exercisers or the training staff. Not only do they provide a good company, they also ensure that your follow proper technique. This is especially important as the body ages
Try other avenues for movement, such as swimming, a weekly city walking group, dancing etc. It may also help you develop a community
Pay attention to your diet. Visit your GP and get yourself thoroughly tested. Consult a dietician to come up with diet plan that suits your body requirements
Consider seeking support in online support groups for divorce or offline ones in your vicinity. With your divorce truly leave the miserable husband syndrome tag behind
Things to keep in mind to take care of finances in a divorce after 50
Make sure you have an inventory of your assets and liabilities as a couple. Don’t forget joint credit card debts. Track your retirement savings and life insurance policies
Think of the house. Are you keeping it? If yes, will it be financially viable to upkeep it with a single person’s income. Are their mortgages and other associated costs
This is a reminder. Community property laws in nine US states make one spouse half partner in all debts of the other spouse, known or unknown. Consult a family law attorney to make sure you know what are you a part of
Check the clause in your health insurance specially if you were sharing it with your spouse until now. Where do you stand now?
Key Pointers
Divorce after 25 years of marriage is difficult. Yet the divorce rate for people over 50, or gray divorce, has doubled since the 1990s and tripled for people aged 60 and above
Midlife divorces are mostly the result of empty nest syndrome, longer life expectancy, financial independence, reduced social stigma, better health and mobility
Don’t lose control of your emotions, and the entire divorce process and negotiate smartly when getting a divorce at age 50 or later
Allow yourself to grieve, let the bitterness dissolve, rediscover yourself and review the purpose of marriage and companionship for starting over after divorce at 50
Prepare yourself for dating after 50. Keep your health and finances in order
We understand, life after divorce for a man over 50 can be challenging. It can be an ordeal for a divorced at age 50 woman. If handling your gray divorce is becoming too overwhelming for you to manage, consider seeking support from a separation and divorce counselor. Should you need it, Bononology’s panel of experts is here to help you.
Since the release of the undercover investigation documentary by Anas Aremeyaw Anas, many have questioned why the undercover investigative journalist will entice his culprits with money and persuade them to accept the money as a gift.
This modus operandi by Anas Aremeyaw Anas has been described by many as entrapment but the celebrated undercover journalist has been explaining why he exposed Charles Adu Boahen in his latest undercover investigative documentary dubbed ‘Galamsey Economy’.
According to him, his Tiger Eye P.I. decided to investigate people like Charles Adu Boahen, the dismissed Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, who have the power of the state to make deals that are attractive for investors.
He said in an article published on Monday, November 14, 2022, that corruption has been a major factor that is killing investor confidence in the country, therefore, it is appropriate to go undercover and expose all those making Ghana unpopular to investors and also expose those who have decided to cut deals at the expense of the state.
“Tiger Eye investigates the highs and the mighties. This time, our cameras infiltrated the impermeable underworld of the handlers whose seals make the deals that make Ghana attractive for investors or not.
“Many reports have cited corruption as the number one killer of investor confidence in Ghana. The banking sector crisis further exacerbated the already fragile situation of investor confidence.
“Who are those making Ghana unattractive for investment? What’s their modus operandi? Where do they operate from? Tiger Eye penetrates and exposes the handlers who cut deals at the expense of the state,” Anas Aremeyaw Anas explained in a post on his Facebook timeline.
Charles Adu Boahen, Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, was by the president fired for reportedly negotiating an ‘appearance fee’ with ‘investors’ on behalf of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
In Anas’ documentary, the former minister among other things alleged that Dr. Bawumia will require about USD200,000 as an appearance fee from an investor to get his backing and influence in establishing a business in Ghana.
“You mean, like appearance fees and stuff?” the investigators asked, to which Adu Boahen responded: “I mean he, himself (the Vice President), if you give him some (USD) 200,000 or something as a token, as thank you, appreciation, that’s fine. He’s not really, he’s not really (like) that. All he needs is to worry about his campaign money in 2020,” he said.
But Dr. Bawumia in a statement on Monday, November 14, denied the accusations and called for an investigation into the allegations.
Meanwhile, a statement from the Presidency announcing the dismissal of Adu Boahen as a Minister of State said, “After being made aware of the allegations levelled against the Minister in the exposé, ‘Galamsey Economy’, the President spoke to Mr Adu Boahen, after which he took the decision to terminate his appointment, and also to refer the matter to the Special Prosecutor for further investigations.”
The statement signed by Eugene Arhin, Director of Communications added that the President thanked Mr Adu Boahen for his strong services to his government since his appointment in 2017 and wished him well in his future endeavours.
What Kweku Baako said about Anas’ undercover investigation.
Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, defended the modus operandi his protégé, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, employs in his undercover investigations.
To him, Anas will continue to use the undercover methodology to unearth any and all negatives within society whether it pleases his critics or not.
Addressing the Anas Aremeyaw Anas and Tiger Eye P.I. modus operandi in a Facebook comment, Kweku Baako agreed, however, that it is ok for those who do not agree with Anas and his methodologies to ask questions.
“People are entitled to ask questions of Tiger Eye and its “methodologies”. That’s fair game. No problem. Tiger Eye will continue to unearth any and all “negatives” applying its “methodologies” whether its critics like it or not!” he wrote.
As compared to Friday’s trading of a buying price of 13.0991 and a selling price of 13.1123. At a forex bureau in Accra, the dollar is being bought at a rate of 14.50 and sold at a rate of 14.90.
Against the Pound Sterling, the Cedi is trading at a buying price of 15.6128 and a selling price of 15.6297 as compared to Friday’s trading of a buying price of 15.4216 and a selling price of 15.4462.
At a forex bureau in Accra, the pound sterling is being bought at a rate of 16.60 and sold at a rate of 17.20.
The Euro is trading at a buying price of 13.5692 and a selling price of 13.5839 as compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 13.5266 and a selling price of 13.5470.
At a forex bureau in Accra, Euro is being bought at a rate of 14.60 and sold at a rate of 15.10.
The South African Rand is trading at a buying price of 0.7598 and a selling price of 0.7605 as compared to Friday’s trading of a buying price of 0.7512 and a selling price of 0.7524.
The Nigerian Naira is trading at a buying price of 33.7657 and a selling price of 33.8992 as compared to Friday’s trading of a buying price of 33.7632 and a selling price of 33.8898.
At a forex bureau in Accra, Nigerian Naira is being bought at a rate of 17.00 Naira for every 1 Cedi and sold at a rate of 21.50.
For the CFA, it is trading at a buying price of 48.4208 and a selling price of 48.4939.
At a forex bureau in Accra, CFA is being bought at a rate of 19.70 CFA for every 1 Cedi and sold at a rate of 23.50 CFA for every 1 Cedi.
Our forex bureau rates are provided by Afriswap Bureau De Change in Osu, Accra.
Former Ghana international John Paintsil has advised Black Stars player to approach the 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament with a winning mentality.
The Black Stars who are returning to the global showpiece after missing out in Russia 2018 has been housed in Group H against Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea.
On Thursday, Ghana will open their account the European giants before they face South Korea and Uruguay respectively.
“My advice is simple, the team has to go all out with a mindset of winning mentality and also from the technical men to the players speaking the same language. I believe government and the FA has also done well to motivate the players because that is very important in the game
“Although the boys are ready and World Cup is every player dream to play in the World Cup and World Cup gives you a lot of opportunities going forward”
“I believe that our youth and experience stars will make us all proud by reaching the semifinal” he said.
The Black Stars having missed out in the last edition hosted in Russia in 2018 will be hoping to improve their performance in Qatar after exiting the group phase during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Only three sides from the continent have ever progressed to the quarter-finals; Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010.
Ghana will be hoping to progress from the group stage at this year’s tournament.
The present 1.50 percent fee, levied on all electronic transfers over GHC 100 in a day, should be decreased to 0.50 percent, says Dr. John Kwakye, director of research at IEA.
He explained that the action will involve everyone, including tax evaders, and enhance government efforts to raise income.
Dr. Kwakye remarked, “We advise cutting the rate from 1.50% to 0.50%,” during a news conference in Accra.
By doing this, it would deter people from attempting to avoid paying the tax, and the government might wind up collecting more money than the current 1.50% rate.
The tax policy was a move by the goverment to widen the country’s tax net but has since courted controversy and widespread backlash since its announcement and subsequent implementation.
The charging entities for the E-Levy are telecommunications companies, commercial banks, special deposit-taking institutions and Payment Service Providers (PSPs).
Government hoped to rake in about GH¢7 billion from the collection of the 1.5 percent levy on mobile money and other electronic transactions, but the figure was revised downwards to about GH¢4 billion recently.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in October this year noted that a total of GH¢328 million in revenue has been accrued from the E-Levy so far.
Former Ghana international Dan Quaye has predicted doom for the Black Stars ahead of their group opener against Portugal.
The Black Stars who are returning to the global showpiece after missing out in Russia 2018 has been housed in Group H against Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea.
On Thursday, Ghana will open their account the European giants before they face South Korea and Uruguay respectively.
In an interview, the former Hearts of Oak star was clear Ghana cannot beat Portugal considering their squad depth at the moment.
“It will be difficult for Ghana to beat Portugal, even at the time we had matured and experienced players we couldn’t beat them. If I were to be a betting company, I would have given Ghana (1,000 odds) and Portugal (500) because we cannot beat them”
“Look at the squad depth of Portugal, I know football is full of uncertainties but this time I believe the best team will win. Pepe is playing but in Ghana, we consider Jonathan Mensah and others as old player” he said.
The Black Stars having missed out in the last edition hosted in Russia in 2018 will be hoping to improve their performance in Qatar after exiting the group phase during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Only three sides from the continent have ever progressed to the quarter-finals; Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010.
Ghana will be hoping to progress from the group stage at this year’s tournament.
Fantana’s mother, Dorcas Affo-Toffey, who doubles as the MP for Jomoro Constituency has won the election petition case against her eligibility as an elected MP over her alleged Ivorian citizenship.
At a court hearing on November 21, 2022, the MP was pronounced eligible and this was on the basis that she lost her Ivorian citizenship at the very time she acquired her Ghanaian citizenship.
Justice Dr. Richmond Osei Hwere who presided over the case at the Sekondi High Court dismissed the petition.
Background
It can be recalled that sometime in 2021, one Joshua Emuah Kofie challenged the eligibility of Dorcas Affo-Toffey who contested as an NDC MP for the Jomoro constituency.
According to the applicant, the MP holds multiple nationalities including American and Ivorian citizenships, an act, which breaches the 1992 Constitution.
Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva downplayed tension around the national team ahead of Ghana clash on Thursday.
The Black Stars will play the European giants in Group H opener at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The Black Stars who are returning to the global showpiece after missing out in Russia 2018 has been housed in Group H against Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner and all-time top international goalscorer in men’s football lashed out at his club Manchester United and coach Erik ten Hag earlier this week when speaking to TalkTV.
But Silva who plies his trade for Manchester City has refused to comment about the issue, saying Ronaldo is motivated and focused ahead of the group opener.
“The news from England has nothing to do with the national team,” said Silva.
“It also has nothing to do with me, so I won’t comment. I’m not a Manchester United player, even if I were, I wouldn’t answer. They’re a rival club, it’s nothing to do with me.”
However, repeatedly asked about Ronaldo and whether there was any tension in the camp after he appeared to share a frosty interaction with club teammate Bruno Fernandes, Silva responded.
“I don’t see any strange atmosphere in our team between Cristiano and another player,” he said.
“It is his matter that he has to resolve individually with the right person.”
“I see a motivated and focused Ronaldo, like everyone else, and he is another player here to help our country and the national team.
“There is a lot of talk about this topic, but we have a World Cup to play. I don’t understand the persistence because there is nothing there.”
Portugal shone in their 4-1 win over Nigeria without Ronaldo, but Silva said it was normal that the team could function well without their talisman.
“He’s part of the team, obviously, but when he’s not there, we know how to respond. Whenever he wasn’t there, we responded well. We’re ready.
“There are 26 of us, it doesn’t matter if it’s one person or another (playing).”
According to the most recent data from the United Nations COMTRADE database, Ghana imported raw sugar worth US$151 million in 2020 alone, ranking as the 45th highest importer of the good internationally.
The product is also among the top ten most imported goods into the nation, with the cost of importing Ghana’s staple foods rising year over year and now totaling US$2 billion, according to the finance ministry.
The statistics also showed that Mexico, Brazil, the United States, Guatemala, France, and India were the top importers of sugar and sugar confectionery in 2019, with imports totaling US$158.3 million.
Data from the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) show that the country consumes about 370,000 tonnes of sugar annually, with domestic production currently at an all-time low.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry has further projected that domestic consumption of sugar in Ghana could rise to 872,000 metric tonnes in 2030.
Similarly, the West Africa sub-region – which is also forecast to experience rapid growth in sugar consumption – also presents a potential sugar export market for Ghana. Amid these market potentials and existing congenial climatic and lithospheric conditions, production of sugar remains at zero.
The Sugar Industry in Ghana>/b>
Ghana’s sugar industry is virtually fully dependent on imports. Local production remains negligible at a mere 150 tonnes in 2013 according to the UN data, and there’s a mere 6,000 hectares of sugar plantation in existence.
With two sugar mills in Asutsuare and Komenda, these facilities have been lying idle since 1983 largely due to inefficient management. However, the Komenda Sugar Factory was revived in 2015 and 2016 – but was shut down shortly after due to lack of raw materials.
Attempts to revive Komenda sugar factory
In 2016, government secured a US$35million loan from the Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of India and invested it in the factory. An additional US$24million was set aside to support out-grower farmers.
The factory, which was inaugurated on May 31, 2016 to produce sugar, became stillborn due to a multiplicity of factors that were touted as technical and operational challenges.
On June 3, 2020, however, Trade and Industry Minister Alan Kyerematen announced in parliament that Cabinet had officially approved Park Agrotech Limited as a new strategic investor to operate the factory.
Nevertheless, a number of plans, according to the trade ministry, are also underway to develop sugar-cane plantations for a second revival of the Komenda sugar factory.
Also, plans by multinational trading house Cargill to build a sugar refinery in Tema are a possibility.
GEPA’s NEDS projections
Meanwhile, GEPA through the National Export Development Strategy (NEDS) has designed a blueprint for harnessing the full potential of sugar production to curb the rising imports.
In the NEDS, the Authority has projected revenues from the export of sugar by 2029 to be US$1.2billion.
“Our view is further informed by the fact that previous periods of significant exchange rate weakness in Ghana all lasted roughly 12-14 months suggesting that the cedi will continue to depreciate into the Q123 period,” Fitch stated in its most recent article on Ghana, which was published on November 14. (the current sell-off started in January 2022).
As a result, living standards suffer and public support for the government declines, keeping inflation high.
“While we expect to see an uptick in protests against austerity measures that would likely be implemented under an IMF programme, we do not believe they will threaten the overall stability of the government. This is factored into our Short-Term Political Risk Index, in which Ghana scores 62.0 out of 100 (a higher score implies lower risk), above the Sub-Saharan African average of 50.3,” Fitch added.
Fitch Solutions also projected that in the possible event of the removal of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund will not be affected.
According to Fitch, this is because the next person tipped to be Ofori-Atta’s replacement is Mark Assibey-Yeboah who it believes “would take a more accommodative approach towards negotiations with the Fund.”
Portugal midfielder Ruben Neves has insisted Cristiano Ronaldo is in spectacular form ahead of their opening game against Ghana.
The Black Stars who are returning to the global showpiece after missing out in Russia 2018 has been housed in Group H against Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea.
Ghana will open their campaign with a clash against former European champions Portugal before taking on South Korea and Uruguay in subsequent games.
According to Neves, Ronaldo looks like his old self and has therefore warned the Black Stars to be warry of the 37-year-old.
“From what I’ve seen in training, he’s in spectacular shape,” Neves told a news conference in tournament host Qatar on Sunday. “He doesn’t worry us at all, we as a team know perfectly well what we need to work on so that each individual stands out on game day.”
“If we’re good as a team, Cristiano will be phenomenal.”
Neves also says the legendary footballer’s interview that has dominated headlines recently has no effect on the Seleçao ahead of their World Cup campaign.
Ronaldo has been the most talked about footballer in recent days after an astonishing interview with TalkTV presenter Piers Morgan, with series of remarkable claims about Manchester United causing a lot of stir.
However, midfielder Neves insists the interview has not distracted Portugal’s preparations towards the World Cup in Qata
“Sure, it’s impossible for us to walk around without been asked about the controversy, but I don’t think there’s any controversy at all between us in the changing room,” added 25-year-old Neves. “We have a spectacular environment right here.”
After missing Thursday’s friendly against Nigeria in Lisbon due to a stomach problem, the former Real Madrid has trained with the group and look set for the Ghana clash.
A tall list of Ghanaian musicians have released Black Stars anthem to call for support for the team and also encourage footballers to play their hearts out at the football tournament which commenced on Sunday, November 20 at the Lusail Stadium in Doha.
Music lovers have been blessed with a number of Black Stars anthems from the camp of Kweku Flick, Akwaboah, King Promise, and a host of others.
The Black Stars will face off with Portugal in their first game in the Group H match on Thursday, November 24.
GhanaWeb has put together some of the popular tunes that have made waves ahead of the big game.
1. Kweku Flick and Smallgod – Blackstars
In October this year, Kweku Flick and Smallgod released ‘Black Stars’ to celebrate the team’s qualification for the World Cup and also shower praises on the players representing the country.
The song has gradually become a favourite of many and has garnered over 380,000 views on YouTube.
According to Samini, the song qualifies to be the official song of the Black Stars although the Ghana Football Association settled on a song from a different artiste.
In a tweet sighted by GhanaWeb on November 20, the legendary Dancehall musician wrote: “@KwekuFlick did the joint already… thot they would have called the young man and just done the right thing. Simple. Maybe this will make sense to you. It’s not about me. It’s the track oooooo Tom. 3ny3 d3 baako s3i. But we go learn am Chale … ok bye.”
2. Akwaboah – Bring Back the Love
Ghana’s award-winning songwriter and singer, Akwaboah in his song titled ‘Bring Back The Love’ sounded a warning to the rest of the national teams competing for the trophy.
According to him, the Black Stars are coming with fire into the competition and urged Ghanaians to rally behind the team.
3. King Promise – Black Stars (Bring Back The Love)
King Promise in collaboration with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) released the official anthem for the team in a song titled ‘Black Stars’.
The song names some of the team’s best players tipped to make the nation proud.
4.The Kentos Band – Ghana Osey
The Kentos Bar has also outdoor what is termed as the official Black Stars anthem in their song titled ‘Ghana Osey’.
The music band with the support of the Ministry of Sports has unveiled the video of ‘Ghana Osey’ which featured some of Ghana’s legendary footballers including Sulley Muntari, Stephen Appiah, John Mensah, Laryea Kingston, John Paintsil, and Derrick Boateng.
According to the band, “The song is to whip up support for the Stars ahead of the games at Qatar. It will also be the Stars’ official song during the entire tournament, a simple and catchy melody that would remain on the lips of Ghanaians as they cheer on the Black Stars at the World Cup.”
5. Mr Parb and King Ayisoba – Ghana Black Stars
Young Hip Hop and rap artiste, Mr Parb featured King Ayisoba on his Black Stars tune titled ‘Ghana Black Stars’ released weeks ahead of the Qatar World Cup.
The musicians called on the entire country to support the players as they compete at the World Cup.
6. Samini – Win Africa Win
Samini is the latest to release a song to support the Black Stars, this time with focus on the entire African continent.
Five African countries, Ghana, Cameroon, Morroco, Senegal, and Tunisia are competing at the World Cup.
The Dancehall and Reggae singer released ‘Win Africa Win’ on November 21 after calling out the GFA for outdooring a “wack” anthem for the national team.
His tweet dated November 19 read: “The new black starts [stars] song tho, do we have to learn it before the world cup ? whoever chose it probably wrote it too. Eiiiii track na 3y3 ya saaa no! Hmmm a few of us could have done a better job at that Chale anaa meeb)dam lol. but vim still for the boys. Go Ghana.”
The 50th anniversary of Francis Ford Coppola’s long-revered masterpiece The Godfather has rightfully been celebrated in a variety of ways all year long. Fans would be hard-pressed, however, to find something as befittingly extravagant as what Jacob and Co. has done with its recently unveiled new Opera model.
The watch, first revealed in Sicily last month, is priced at $500,000 and features (among other fan-pleasing design touches) the ability to hear the film’s main theme booming tastefully from an internal music box. In a statement, Jacob and Co. CEO Benjamin Arabov called this project a “dream come true” due to Coppola’s film being one of his personal favorites.
“Jacob introduced my brothers and I to this movie when we were 14, 15, 16 years old,” he said in comments provided to Complex. “To be able to integrate some of those scenes into a watch is just amazing. We’re setting the boundaries very high here, in terms of integrating a movie into a watch. There’s other brands that have done movie watches. But this integration is special.”
For Benjamin, the barrels of this anniversary-celebrating piece are his favorite part.
“They’re so fucking cool,” he explained, adding that the design enables wearers to have the experience of seeing “beautiful hidden messages” from the film.
The Opera Godfather 50th Anniversary is limited to a run of 50 pieces. Get a closer look at the watch, as well as at the accompanying pen and decanter, via the selection of official product shots below.
An election petition case against the Member of Parliament for the Jomoro constituency, Dorcas Affo-Toffey, has been struck out by the Sekondi High Court.
This comes after a citizen, Joshua Emuah Kofie, went to court to challenge the eligibility of the MP to contest as a representative of the people in the constituency on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on grounds that she had multiple nationalities, including American and Ivorian citizenships, which is against the 1992 Constitution.
The Sekondi High Court presided over by Justice Dr. Richmond Osei Hwere dismissed the case on grounds that the MP was eligible to contest as she lost her Ivorian citizenship at the very time, she acquired her Ghanaian citizenship.
In regards to her American citizenship, the MP denied having American citizenship.
The case has been in court for over 20 months since she was elected to represent the people of Jomoro constituency.
In response to a motion for censure submitted by the Minority, he declared that the accusation of knowingly misreporting economic facts to parliament was utterly untrue.
He stressed – using the Budget document as evidence – that these payments were reflected in the budgetary framework, in contrast to the position of others who claimed that the ministry did not reflect the Finsec payments and the energy sector IPP payments.
The Minority based their accusation of deliberately misreporting economic data to parliament on grounds that the financial sector clean-up and energy sector Independent Power Producers (IPP) payments were excluded from public debt.
According to the Minority, by treating these debts differently the fiscal deficit is reduced to make economic indicators look good.
He said the ministry included the energy sector Independent Power Producers (IPP) payments in the ‘amortisation’ line in the Fiscal Framework during 2018-2021.
Energy Sector Excess Capacity payments of GH¢17billion relate to a legacy of take or pay contracts that saddled the country’s economy with annual excess capacity charges of close to US$1billion.
Government had to pay around US$500million a year in excess capacity charges for power the previous administration negotiated – which the country did not need and does not use.
Government directly spent GH¢25billion to save the banking and SDI sector – preventing a near-collapse of the financial sector; saving close to 5,400 direct jobs and 12,000 indirect jobs; and ensuring that 4.6 million depositors were protected.
Mr. Ofori-Atta explained that these are extra-ordinary payment items which need not be mixed-up with traditional fiscal operations
He explained that these are largely bonds, and capturing them above the line will imply recognising their payments now and again when they fall due in the future – a possible double counting.
The Finance Minister stated that the Energy sector IPP payments were reflected in the fiscal framework as part of the Amortisation line under the Financing part of the fiscal table.
He noted that these are debts of State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) that have been assumed by government and are largely contingent liabilities that have crystalised for payment.
Ofori-Atta said the Finsec bailout exercise is largely completed, and therefore ceases to be an extraordinary budget item
On the other hand, he said IPPs payments are expected to be made over the medium-term; and given that they have become explicit contingent liabilities, appropriately budgeting for them “above the line” ensures resources are duly allocated for their settlement
He stated the ministry agreed with the Finance Committee of Parliament in 2021 that going forward from 2022, both the Energy IPP payments and Finsec payments will be treated “above the line” in the fiscal framework for the following reasons.
According to him, the agreed style of reporting to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was to show a deficit including the Finsec clean-up and another one excluding it.
According to him, under this government there have been significant improvements in the accurate reporting of public finances; and Ghanaians are enjoying greater accountability and transparency in management of the public purse than during any other period before.
Ghanaians will recall that in support of data presented by the Ministry of Finance in May 2020, Dr. Albert Touna Mama – the then-country representative of the IMF – came on Joy FM’s News File Programme to state that there was no misrepresentation of data by government as was being alleged. Dr Touna Mama said government was not the one that presented the figures which the IMF published in its statements.
He explained that the difference in figures was as the result of a difference in methodology of calculation, adding that the figure in fiscal deficit in their statement was a figure they generated themselves from the data government presented to them – having added financial and energy sector payments in line with their methodology, which is different from government’s methodology.
The national teams of Portugal and Ghana are both geared up for the opening clash in Group H later this week.
In the build-up to what will be a tough match for the Black Stars, we make a prediction of the starting eleven likely to play for the Portuguese national team.
Spoiled for choice with a lot of quality players at his disposal, Portugal coach Fernando Santos will have a bit of a headache in choosing his first eleven.
In the expert analysis by the footballghana team after following the training sessions of Ghana’s opponent, we have settled on the probable lineup for Portugal.
Despite the uneasiness surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo after his recent explosive interview, expect that his name will be the first on the team.
He has the full trust of his coach who has relied on him for several years. The Manchester United attacker should be deployed as the lead attacker with support from talented Rafael Leao and Andre Silva.
Check out predicted Portugal starting eleven below. Feel free to leave a comment below. What team should Ghana start?
When the Bible said that “the thief only came to steal, kill and destroy….”, we often send our minds on a wild goose chase and pray against a certain Satan whom we don’t know as the cause of our woes forgetting how the Europeans came to Africato steal, kill and destroy us.
Could the white man be the devil that the Bible mentioned as the thief who came to steal, kill and destroy us? I think they are. If I look at the present state of Ahanta, I am of the firm conviction that the Europeans were actually the devil that came to Africa to steal, kill and destroy and for Ahanta, they succeeded in robbing us of everything including our identity as people and it is the reason why we have the people of Shama constantly say that they are not Ahantas.
Today, it is taboo in Shama to say that they are Ahantas. If luck is not on your side, they will lynch you to death but can we blame the people of Shama for this? I don’t think so.
Whether Shama is Ahanta or not, one needs to look at the Ahanta state prior to the arrival of the Europeans and then we can put all the arguments in their right contexts and perspectives.
Early European explorers like Jean Barbot and William Bossman and others who toured the coast of Guinea referred to Ahanta as a country that lies between river Pra, Bonsa, Ankobra, and the Atlantic Ocean.
By their definition of what was then the country of the Ahanta people, Shama certainly falls within its territories, and even when Jean Barbot was mentioning the major Ahanta towns in writing “Source for Slave Coast of West Africa”, he mentioned Shama as one of them so how come that the people of Shama say they have never been Ahantas?
Shama was at the centre of affairs as far as European invasion was concerned. The Europeans maintained a constant eye on Shama for one reason – gold. In fact, Shama is on record to have been the first place in the history of Gold Coast where the Portuguese undertook large-scale mining before eventually settling at Elmina. After facing hostilities in Shama, they resorted to building their castle in Elmina but kept eye on Shama until they built Fort Sebastian there in 1523.
The presence of Fort Sebastian in Shama began the “Fantenazation” of Shama and by the mid-18th century, Fante had become a popular language more than the native Ahanta language due to the ongoing trade at the time. The sighting of Fort Sebastian by the Portuguese in Shama made the Portuguese indirectly administer Shama from Elmina and when the Dutch dislodged the Portuguese and took over their Fort and Castles, they also continued to administer Shama and Axim from Elmina as well.
But what is the position of Shama in the oral traditions of Ahanta prior to the arrival of the Europeans? This year, I interviewed Nana Badu Bonso XV, Paramount Chief of the Ahanta Traditional Area as part of a research project and he referred to Shama as “Ɛsa”, the place where all Ahantas came before finally moving to their respective destinations.
If that is really the case, why then do the people of Shama still insist that they are not Ahantas? I guess the rhetorical question is becoming too many but they are necessary for emphasis.
Ahantas are believed to have migrated from Sudan around 1070 AD and finally crossed the Pra River around 1229 and settled in their present locations. Soon Ahanta was going to become a target for attacks by other tribes who were also migrating and were looking for places to settle in order to survive the incessant attacks, they organized themselves and formed a kingdom that though smaller in size, defended their territories and managed to prevail over attempts by other tribes to subdue them.
In oral Ahanta narrations, the people of Shama had a distinctive role to play and they were to ensure that the king of Ahanta never lack food in his palace. Why so? It was so because they were asked to stay close to the Pra and the sea so that they can watch on Ahanta from attacks from the east and so farm the fertile lands to feed their relatives at Owulosua now Owusua or Busua.
It is also said that when Ahantas got to where it is called Shama today, the leader at the time said that it will not be wise for them all to go into the forest as they do not know what lies there, so some were selected to remain as others move ahead.
The idea was that if they go to the forest areas and do not find the place habitable, they would come back and join their relatives at what is presently knowns as Shama but also if they find a place suitable, they would come back for them to join them wherever they may be.
So, Shama was strategically placed by our forefathers to watch over Ahanta. Those were the days when the whole of Ahanta was under the authority of the king who ruled from Owulosua and it is said that during the days of Kwamnla Kokolor, he divided Ahanta into three blocs for military reasons.
The people of Shama who are direct relatives of the people of Owulosua fell under the Sekondi bloc and gradually they were drifting from Owulosua and were reneging on their roles of ensuring that there is always food in the palace of Ahanta kings. They thus felt more responsible for themselves than in their old roles of bringing food to the palace of the king.
It said during the “war of destiny” which was fought at present-day Anoe near Kojokrom or Kojosua, it was Oduku Nyanke from Shama who offered his blood as a sacrifice just for the people of Shama in particular and Ahanta in general. It is said that the war got intense so when the oracles were consulted, it came apparent that Ahantas were to perform some sacrifices and nobody was prepared to do so until Odoku Nyanke placed his sword down and offered himself.
In the end, Ahanta succeeded in overrunning the enemies and drove them away but that could not have happened without the blood of Oduku Nyanke from Shama hence the name war of destiny. For many years Ahanta was celebrating the sacrifices of Oduku Nyanke until the advent of Christianity because it was considered to be fetish and evil.
In 1656, Ahanta chiefs signed the Butre Treaty and then all the land areas including Shama which were considered to be the country of the Ahanta people came under the administration of the Dutch.
Then in the 1830s Badu Bonso II assumed the reigns of Ahanta as the king and realized that the towns with Castles and Fort of Europeans were claiming their independence of Ahanta. They were refusing to recognize him as the king of Ahanta.
Towns like Sekondi, Shama, Axim, and others were going to claim that they have never been under the rule of Ahanta kings and so that made Badu Bonso II begin to protest the terms and conditions of the Butre Treaty and he was going to go on execution spree for people who would go against his directives. He was going to ban the sale of guns and gunpowder from Ahanta. Badu Bonso II became dreadful and ruthless.
Eventually, a dispute arose between Badu Bonso II and the chief of Sekondi and it altercated into a full-blown war between Ahanta and the Dutch who were then instigating the people of Sekondi against Badu Bonso II. In the end, the Dutch mobilised forces from Shama, Axim, Sekondi, and other neighbouring tribes and attacked Badu Bonso II and had him killed.
After the death of Badu Bonso II, the Dutch disbanded the office of Ahanta kings and dealt with individual chiefs, and appointed some paramount chiefs whom they would trade with until 1871 when the Dutch sold all their trade possessions in the Gold Coast to the English and left the Gold Coast for good.
The English also refused to recognize successive Ahanta kings as true rulers of Ahanta and to settle this, the English appointed F.G Growther to tour the whole of Ahanta and study the people and make his recommendations.
Growthier found the people of Shama to be more Fantis and also found the people of Axim to be more Nzema but failed to recognize that the proximity to these tribes and colonial influence might have caused changes in their language.
In 1912, F.G Growthier recommended that Axim, Shama, Sekondi, and Dixcove be made paramount chiefs independent of Badu Bonso and so it was made. F. G Growther’s report of 1912 eventually disintegrated Ahanta and was the nail that drove Ahanta into its grave.
In spite of all these, some of us remember the sacrifices of people like Oduku Nyanke placed their lives on the edge of the sword for Shama and Ahanta.
After multiple failed attempts to re-establish a new national airline with Accra as its base, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta announced the new airline will launch this year when presenting the 2022 budget to Parliament in November 2021 of the previous year.
“The Ministry is in the final stages of discussions with the chosen strategic partner for the development of the home-based carrier as part of the Government’s effort to make Ghana the aviation hub for the West African Sub-region.
According to Mr. Ofori-Atta, the negotiations are anticipated to be completed and the airline will be launched in 2022.
Contrary to proposals in the budget, AviationGhana’s analysis of past agreements and current state of affairs show that it is improbable for the proposed airline to take to the skies next year as stated.
A key recommendation, gleaned by AviationGhana, is for government to look inward and find the funds required for the project. Other proposed alternatives include partnering an existing local airline or local investors to establish the airline.
A combination of unclear policy direction, contradictory agreements and challenge with funding sources over the last 10 years, makes the enterprise a difficult proposition to get over the line next year.
The policy proposition was that ‘Ghana would own no more than 10 percent of the company’. Ghana was also to retain the rights to routes assigned to the operator of the carrier
PwC, which got the nod as transaction advisers, in 2015 presented its interim report on the proposed national carrier to government. There was a firm promise that the airline will launch in March 2015 with the Government of Ghana (GoG) holding only a 10percent carried interest in the new entity.
This, however, changed in 2017–government was willing to hold majority stake in the new entity (51 percent) while the strategic partner controls 49 percent. Government’s 51 percent stake was then to be made available to local investors.
Indecision about a strategic partner
For almost a decade, government has been indecisive on the choice of a strategic partner. A host of world-renowned airlines have all been mooted as partners at one stage or another, only for a change of mind months later.
Qatar Airways, South African Airways, Air Mauritius, Ethiopian Airlines, EgyptAir, Boeing, and Africa World Airlines (AWA) have all been mentioned at one stage or the other.
The recent attempts saw Ghana engage Ethiopian Airlines ostensibly to establish the new home-based carrier with ET as the strategic partner, given the East African-based airline’s experience and technical know-how. Indeed, a Memorandum of Understanding to guide the initial talks and future discussions was signed in Addis Ababa.
Despite the signing of an MoU with Ethiopian Airlines to actualise the vision of a new home-based carrier, the deal was held back due to what government described as a lack of agreement over key issues such as routes, funding, and tenure of the management contract among others. Then enters Boeing.
Ghana signed Letters of Intent on Day 3 of the Dubai Air Show 2019 for the acquisition of the three Boeing 787-9 planes with a list price value of $877.5 million and three Dash8-400s for the start of the country’s new flag carrier.
The financial arrangements for the acquisition of the planes were either a leasing arrangement with a third party funding it and regular payments made by the new carrier or an outright purchase with funding from investors or central government.
While the deal, at the time of signing, was a statement of intent by Ghana that it wants to see its national flag back in the skies, it was good press and show of confidence for Boeing, which was going through difficulties because of issues surrounding the fatal crashes with the 737 Max
However, this proposed partnership with Boeing and D-Havilland remained an ‘intent’ and was not pursued further.
Lack of funds
After an expensive banking sector clean up that cost the in excess of GH¢ 10billion, unplanned expenditure to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on those below the poverty line—through absorbing of electricity and water bills for a short period and distribution of cooked and raw food items—central government has no fiscal room to maneuver let alone set aside some US$5-10million to start an airline.
Exim Bank and SSNIT have been mooted in some quarter and meetings held to convince them to fund the project as in the case of EXIM Bank. However, AviationGhana sources say, due to the capital intensive nature of airline operations, the time it takes to break even, and the small margins, these two potential sources are unwilling.
These issues have conspired to make the new home-based carrier project unattractive to many would-be suitors. It remains to be seen what Cabinet will decide next.
The current political climate in the NDC after the just-ended regional elections nationwide paints a picture of a silent revolution slowly unraveling in the party of Rawlings.
As far as I can tell, there’s a growing realization by Mahama’s heaps of rabid followers that they might have been completely and utterly duped by the bubble they’ve been living in.
Oh yeah, until today, everyone thought Mahama had the NDC flagbearership slot in the bag – but now, that’s not the case. The pendulum swung too far in the other direction in the regional executive elections – The stunning wins by relatively unpopular candidates in regions like Greater Accra, Central, Western and Volta make the case that, the NDC is ready to move on without Mahama.
In the Ashanti Region, where the NDC status quo and the Mahamacult waged a campaign of vilification against the incumbent chairman, Augustus Andrews Nana Kwasi still weathered the storm and came out victorious against all the odds. The same scenario played out in the Western and Northern Regions.
On the whole, the so-called anti-Mahama candidates fared slightly better than those who had the covert backing of the former President.
Of course, given the fall of most of the preferred candidates of Mahama, and the drubbings suffered by them in the regional elections, coupled with the fact that the trend looks likely to continue in the forthcoming national executive elections, it is clear the center of gravity of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the party crown may pass on from old king to a new one ahead of election 2024.
Crucially, what this loud and clear repudiation of Mahama allies really tells us is that the NDC rank and file are beginning to get it. Some have already seen the light, others now think there is a bit of a chance they could weather a tricky change in the main aim of politics: away from cult following and towards working really hard for a viable alternative to Mahama.
In other words, the Mahama elephant in the room needs to be hauled from the shadows and painted in bright colors so we can all as activists finally talk about the damage he has wrecked in the cold light of reality – The NDC keeps losing and losing and losing under his leadership – Essentially, the NDC can’t win with him in the helm of affairs.
This is why the party needs to move on and get behind a leader that can close the deal in 2024. It’s time for major electoral changes – we need someone who can score over 50% in the next elections. A winnable candidate, not just a flagbearer – A leader that will make the NDCelectable once again.
He may still be popular in the National Democratic Congress(NDC), but then, a move away from Mahama’s leadership appears to be gathering momentum.
Former Nigeria lawmaker, Shehu Sani has urged Nigerians to support the Black Stars to excel at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The Super Eagles were denied the chance to represent the African continent by their eternal Black Stars rivals.
In March, perennial rivals Ghana eliminated Nigeria in a final World Cup playoffs on the away goals’ rule after both teams recorded a goalless draw in Kumasi before a 1-1 draw in Abuja.
In a post sighted by Footballghana.com, Shehu Sani called on Nigerians to support the Black Stars at the World Cup.
“Nigerians should support Ghana to win. I know it’s difficult to do so. They didn’t deny us the chance of going to Qatar. They simply assembled their best players and played better. I don’t know if the ones who played for us were our best. #FIFAWorldCup.” He tweeted.
The Black Stars who are returning to the global showpiece after missing out in Russia 2018 has been housed in Group H against Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea.
Ghana will open their campaign with a clash against former European champions Portugal before taking on South Korea and Uruguay in subsequent games.
Florence Otedola, popularly known as ‘DJ Cuppy‘ has gotten engaged to her British lover, Ryan Taylor, at an award ceremony in Abu Dhabi.
In videos making rounds on social media, the 30-year-old professional boxer went on his knees and asked Cuppy to be his wife.
In astonishment, Cuppy wasted no time in saying yes amidst a resounding applause from the audience present at the venue.
The couple was captured in a warm embrace and they shared a kiss after.
However, it appears that 2023 will be a busy year for the Otedola family as Temi and Cuppy’s weddings have been scheduled for that year
Read some reactions below
_donnalinda955 said: “So cuppy has been deceiving us abt being single,,, omo na today this single life pain me reach my bone ,,,, congratulations sweetheart,, God will do mine too soon.”
favee_ said: “Awwwwwnnnnnn Cuppy has shown us there’s a difference between Real life and Social media, know how to separate those those two lives. There’s Cuppy and there’s Florence the part we never know about her.”
ladyv_foods said: “Wow congratulations I knew she will not marry a Nigerian she feels Nigerian guys are after her father’s money .”
realpreshchinah.o said: “Everybody saying I thought you were single DJ cuppy…na so life suppose be, always make ur enemies confuse, put them in a guess and boom the result will be announced to them just like DJ cuppy did today by surprising all of us congratulations DJ cuppy .”
adejumola_olamide said: “Hmm cuppy dey part of the women Wey dey claim single for social media dey cuddle for night..Na so God go dey expose Una congratulations.”
The Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement has been promoted among importers and exporters in the Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, and Ahafo Regions.
The GSA’s action is a part of its endeavor to inform and update stakeholders in the shipping and logistics industry on
In a speech read on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer, Benonita Bismarck, Head of the Shipper Services and Trade Facilitation Department of the GSA, Monica Josiah said that the forum will, among other things, “help our importers and exporters to better appreciate the dos and don’ts of AfCFTA as they seek to take advantage of the large single market the agreement provides”.
The participants, who were made up of importers, exporters and shipping service providers, raised concerns about the difficulties they face in gaining access to the Integrated Customs Management Systems (ICUMS), obtaining export certification, high cost of acquiring raw materials from the Free Zone enclave, among others.
An Assistant Commissioner, Trade and Tariffs – Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Yao Akoto Fechin, addressed their concerns and took the participants through the benefits to be derived from the AfCFTA.
He also touched on the registration processes for companies and products, and export procedures under the agreement.
The participants expressed their appreciation to the GSA for organising the forum.
They were hopeful that the government will work to smoothen the bottlenecks along the transport corridor to ensure that non-tariff barriers to trade are reduced to the barest minimum.
Elizabeth Holmes, founder of the now defunct blood-testing start-up Theranos, has been sentenced to prison on four counts of criminal fraud for deceiving investors.
The Wall Street Journal reports Holmes on Friday was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Edward Davilato to 11 years and three months in federal prison. Davilato preceded over Holmes’ months-long criminal trial.
Back in January, Holmes was found guilty on four of 11 charges of defrauding the company’s investors and patients by being dishonest about the accuracy of the technology they were using.
Holmes faced up to 20 years in prison, along with a fine of $250,000 plus restitution for each charge, which amounts to $1 million in fines, and nearly $804 million in restitution. Meanwhile, Holmes’ legal team requested 18 months of house arrest to compensate for the four counts of criminal fraud charges.
“I still believe that she holds onto the hope that she can make contributions to the lives of others, and that she can, despite mistakes, make the world a better place,” Senator Cory Evans said, per CNN.
Theranos, which Holmes founded after she dropped out of Standford at 19, was once estimated to be worth $9 billion, but later dropped after investors were misled. Holmes falsely claimed that Theranos could diagnose hundreds of diseases with just a few drops of blood.
Holmes stood up in court on Friday and read a statement on her own behalf.
“There is so much I have wanted to say. I want to thank the court for the respect you have shown me. I stand before you taking responsibility for Theranos,” she said.
“I loved Theranos, it was my life’s work. My team meant the world to me. They worked tirelessly. Every day I have felt deep pain for what people went through because I failed them. I am so, so sorry. I gave everything I had to building and trying to save our company. Looking back, there are so many things I would do differently if I had the chance,” she said.
1998 World Cup winner, Marcel Desailly says Ghana are in a difficult group but qualification is still possible.
Ghana have been paired with Portugal, South Korea, and Uruguay in Group H at the ongoing 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The Black Stars have been tipped to exit the tournament at the group phase.
However, the France legend says the team must start the tournament on a strong note.
According to him, starting tournaments such as the World Cup steadily builds confidence for a team to excel as the campaign progresses.
“It is not going to be an easy group for Ghana but there is a chance if the team can start on a bright note,” he told Graphic Sports.
“It is very important to start steadily and grow into the tournament in such competitions because the e you need the stability to reach far and I believe it can be achieved.
“Portugal stand tall in the group because they won the Euros recently and in terms of experience they are ahead, but Ghana should not be ruled out from the group,” he added.
Ghana will open their campaign against Portugal on November 24 at Stadium 974 in Doha.
Four days later, the Black Stars return to action with a clash with South Korea at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.
Ghana will wrap up their group stage adventure with their much-anticipated encounter with Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.
The bank additionally urged Ghana to fulfill its goals regarding climate change by restoring macroeconomic stability and creating an environment that allows the private sector to operate effectively.
Following the release of the World Bank Group’s new Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) for Ghana, Lorenzo Carrera, Sector Leader, Sustainable Development at the World Bank Ghana branch, made this plea in an interview with News Ghana.
In order to reduce the impact of Climate Change on the poor, Carrera said “Ghana should focus on improving responsive social protection systems and safety nets for vulnerable groups, strengthen financial inclusion, and build skills for new green jobs and livelihoods.”
Commenting on the report, Carrera said at least one million more people could fall into poverty and poor households and could lose as much as 40 percent of their incomes by 2050 due to climate shocks if urgent climate actions were not introduced.
“The report points out that Ghana’s economic and human development is vulnerable to climate change. But it also demonstrates that Ghana can simultaneously pursue its long-term development and climate goals, if it adopts a strategic approach,” said Carrera.
To achieve this, he said the government should consider reviewing incentives for the private sector, developing green taxes, start developing green projects and allowing Foreign Direct Investments into areas where climate actions were needed.
It will need some investments and it is estimated in the report that the investment needed for climate action only for new climate actions not retrofitting the existing infrastructure is around 2-3 percent of GDP per year until 2050, more or less of it will come from the private sector and the rest will come from the public sector, he added.
“Implementation of these can spur development. Ghana needs to grow and grow fast and sustainably,” he stated.
Aaron Carter’s fiancée is calling out the late singer’s manager for shedding light on Aaron’s declining health leading up to his death.
Earlier this week, Carter’s manager Taylor Helgeson spoke to Page Six about his last encounter with Aaron, which took place two days before the former pop star was found dead at his home at the age of 34.
“He looked thin. He was extremely tired,” Helgeson said. “He just looked like he needed to be doing anything but working. He looked like he needed to be taking care of him.”
On Friday, Carter’s fiancée Melanie Martin took to her Instagram Story to issue a scathing response to Helgeson’s interview.
“This man did nothing to help Aaron,” Martin wrote. “He enabled him so much. All he did was put a wedge between Aaron and I for the party to start,” Melanie wrote. “He tried to take over and brought him things that should have NEVER been brought to anyone. Let alone an addict.”
She also accused him of taking advantage of Aaron. “He overworked him when he was not well. He used him in life and now he’s still using him after death getting paid for interviews! This man wanted to get Aaron‘s career back but this wasn’t the time to do so,” she said. “Aaron needed help and needed rehab to be sober before he could revive his career.”
“This man was no hero. He had a hand in his relapse,” she said.
Carter passed away Nov. 5 inside his Lancaster, California home. Law enforcement responded to a call around 11 a.m. that a male had drowned in the bathtub.
No foul play is suspected, and an official cause of death is unknown.
Tennessee police have made another arrest in connection to Young Dolph’s murder.
According to WREG, Jermarcus Johnson surrendered to authorities on Friday afternoon, just hours after he was publicly identified as a suspect. Police said Johnson was wanted for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and called on the public to help locate the 25-year-old man.
The arrest came one year after Dolph—born Adolph Thornton Jr.—was fatally shot on Nov. 17 2021 at Makeda’s Homemade Cookies in his hometown of Memphis. Two suspects, Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith, were taken into custody shortly after; and a third suspect, Hernandez Govan, was arrested on Thursday, which marked the one-year anniversary of Dolph’s death. All three men were hit with multiple charges, including first-degree murder.
Authorities say Justin Johnson and Smith carried out the shooting, which was allegedly ordered by Govan. They believe Jermarcus Johnson helped Justin Johnson evade police following the attack.
“We’re alleging that he helped one of the shooters escape and he helped one of the shooters receive money for the solicited murder,” Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy told NBC affiliate WMC.
Justin Johnson, Smith, and Govan have pleaded not guilty to the charges. Govan’s next court date is scheduled for Dec. 16. The other two suspects are expected to return to court in January. It’s unclear if the co-defendants will be tried together.
Ghana international Abdul Baba Rahman has revealed he missed out on a chance to join English Premier League side, Arsenal due to visa issues.
Despite his failed Arsenal move, the enterprising defender had the opportunity to feature for a fellow Premier League side, Chelsea.
The left-back joined Chelsea from Augsburg in the 2014/15 season on a £14 million deal after explosive display in the German top-flight.
Speaking to Nazaar Kinsella’s YouTube channel, Baba Rahman disclosed he missed out on a trial at Arsenal after being denied a visa to the United Kingdom at the time.
“I was flying at the time, (on loan) at Schalke,” Rahman recalls. “It was a horrible feeling. I was 22 and now, boom, I’m 28! I still have these flashbacks; you know?
My first (operation), the surgeon literally said to my agent that I should be happy if I get back to playing because of the complications in the knee.\
“When I arrived in Germany, I was just going up, up, up. Then, all of a sudden; down, down, down. It was difficult to get back, you have an injury that was meant to be, like, eight months and you end up doing years (out of the game).”
“I missed out on the trial because I didn’t have a visa to the UK,” Rahman adds, explaining why a potential dream move to Arsenal slipped through his fingers while still a teenager. “I got denied a visa. But, one way or another, I found myself in London.”
The defender is currently on-loan from Chelsea at Championship club Reading FC.
Rahman, who has 48 caps for Ghana is expected to play a huge role at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
He is expected to start when Ghana face Portugal on Thursday in Group H opener.
After successfully executing a sold-out concert inside New York’s Madison Square Garden, Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, known globally as WizKid is set to replicate this feat on a larger scale with his first-ever headline concert in the nation’s capital, Accra this December.
As earlier publicized, the 10th December WizKid Live Concert inside the Accra Sports Stadium will be supported by several of his Ghanaian industry friends as well as a few other surprise acts who are sure to be global music heavyweights.
Be ready for top-notch performances from R2Bees, Efya, Darkovibes, and King Promise, among several others who will set the tone for a historic night with the world’s biggest Afrobeats sensation.
Coming off a completely sold-out Madison Square Gardens event, Big Wiz is set to make a quick stop in Amsterdam for a concert, and then, GHANA, he’s all yours!
Patrons should expect an exclusive treat as the event will see the multiple award-winning act give a first-ever live performance of songs off his upcoming album; “More Love Less Ego”.
It would be his debut performance of the new album in Africa and a historic bookmark that occurred nowhere else but in Ghana, the gateway to Africa and the world’s most preferred Christmas holiday destination!
Nevertheless, comparing this week’s auction to that of last week, the bills performed slightly. This may show an increase in investor confidence in the country’s financial instruments.
Former Spain international Inaki Williams has vowed to do everything possible to repay Ghana for the opportunity given him to feature for the national team at the World Cup.
Williams, who was born in Bilbao, confirmed in June that he would play for Ghana and will make his debut at this year’s World Cup in Qatar
“I’m going to try to enjoy the moment, my roots, and try to give back to Ghana the opportunity it has given me,” Williams said.
The 28-year-old has made three appearances so far, including his debut against Brazil and was involved in Ghana’s pre-World Cup friendly victory over Switzerland last week.
The Athletic Bilbao striker should have scored in that game, but he failed to direct a free header towards goal. It, however, didn’t matter because the Black Stars won 2-0 thanks to goals from Antoine Semenyo and Mohammed Salisu, sending the team to Qatar full of confidence.
Williams is expected to start Ghana’s Group H opener against Portugal on Thursday.
The Black Stars who are returning to the global showpiece after missing out in Russia 2018 has been housed in Group H against Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea.
Ghana will open their campaign with a clash against former European champions Portugal before taking on South Korea and Uruguay in subsequent games.
Newly released bodycam footage shows Arkansas policearresting the Tyson Foods executive who last week broke into a stranger’s home and fell asleep in their bed.
On Nov. 7, Tyson CFO John Tyson was arrested after being discovered passed out drunk in a stranger’s house. “A college-age female was very alarmed that a male who she did not know was inside of her residence uninvited,” police said. Tyson was booked into the Washington County jail and charged with public intoxication and criminal trespass.
On Friday, ABC 40/29 obtained bodycam footage from the Fayetteville Police Department. The 30-minute video shows authorities attempting to wake up Tyson, who’s snuggled beneath the comforter in his underwear.
“John, I need you to wake up and talk to me before I drag you out of here butt naked,” a police officer says in the footage.
Tyson then sits up, while trying to pull the sheets back over him, as he tells the officers that he’s going back to sleep.
“No you’re not, you’re going to jail. You’re in the wrong house,” an officer replies.“The girl who lives here doesn’t know you. Came home to find you asleep in her bed.”
Tyson apologized to investors during a quarterly earnings call this week. “I’m sure you have seen the news about the recent incident involving me,” he said. “I’m embarrassed, and I want to let you know that I take full responsibility for my actions.”
“This was an incident inconsistent with our company values as well as my personal values. I just wanted you guys to hear this directly from me and that I’m committed to making sure this never happens again.”
Tyson Foods’ CEO Donnie King said that company’s board is going to oversee an independent and “thorough review” of this matter.
