Some unemployed nurses comprising Nurse Assistant Clinical (NAC) and Nurse Assistant Preventives (NAP) have hinted at plans to picket at the Ministry of Health (MoH) and Ministry of Finance, on Thursday over the government’s delay in posting them.
According to them, they have been forced to take this action as a series of engagements with the relevant authorities have yielded no results.
Speaking to Citi News, the Northern Zonal Vice President of the Nurse Assistant Clinical and Nurse Assistant Preventives, Francis Mengmi, said they won’t relent on their quest to get their concerns addressed.
Since completing school in 2019, he said his batch had engaged authorities on their posting, but to no avail.
“We are still on our grounds to continue hitting the streets and continue pouring out the frustrations we were going through as a batch after three years.”
“Imagine someone who has been catered to for three years or two years to complete a course then after school, you have nothing to pay back. It is a huge crisis on you,” Mr. Mengmi said.
In the fourth of our World Cup Icons series, BBC Sport tells the story of how Johan Cruyff and the Netherlands’ Total Football captured the world’s imagination in 1974.
It was a summer that played out in an orange haze. One of floppy-haired Dutchmen letting their revolutionary brand of football loose on the world and cavorting their way into the hearts and minds of the adoring public. It was Johan Cruyff’s summer. At least, it almost was.
As he ground-hopped through West Germany in 1974, Cruyff embraced each game with more of a dance than a duel, his every stroke of leather compelling and each balletic movement steeped in vision and expectation.
Just the mention of his name transports you to Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion, 19 June, the 24th minute – the moment Cruyff conjured up an unmistakable turn that bamboozled Sweden’s Jan Olsson and was cast in football folklore.
“The turn wasn’t something I’d ever done in training or practised,” wrote Cruyff in his autobiography, My Turn. “The idea came to me in a flash, because at that particular moment it was the best solution for the situation I was in.”
Yet that piece of skill, the inventive, individual moment of brilliance he is remembered most vividly for, was a beautiful contradiction.
Cruyff was the face of Total Football – a style of play where success blossoms with a collective, almost telepathic understanding of space and movement among all 11 players – but he was also the one star that could break the mould.
Cruyff was the essence of a team who captured the imagination with football as vivid and resplendent as their orange shirts, including leaving their mark on a mesmerised future Arsenal manager.
“I discovered completely new football,” recalled Arsene Wenger at the Cruyff Legacy Summit. “When you speak today about pressing, transition and winning the ball back quickly, in 1974 Holland did that already.
“They were miles ahead tactically. They believed in the way they think about the game and they were not ready to compromise with their ideas: ‘That’s the way we see the game and that is the way football has to be played.’”
It was a concept that began with Ajax, the club based just five minutes from Cruyff’s childhood home in Amsterdam. ‘Jopie’ joined as a 10-year-old, his mother later got a job there as a cleaner following his father’s death, and it was Ajax that helped supplement him leaving school at 15 by faking his age to offer him a “special” youth contract.
Under the guidance of the great Rinus Michels, Cruyff became an integral part of a side that would go on to dominate European football during a boom for Dutch clubs.
Michels, himself influenced by Hungary’s Magical Magyars in the 1950s, developed a style of football that would see Ajax win their first European Cup in 1971 and – after he left for Barcelona later that year – watched as the side he built collected three successive continental crowns.
“Michels made us run less and take over each other’s positions, which was revolutionary,” Ruud Krol, former Ajax and the Netherlands defender, told Uefa.
“It was the first time there was a totally different vision of football. Total Football spread all over the world. It was the only real change for almost 40 years. He stunned the world.”
By 1973 Cruyff, about to claim his second Ballon d’Or, was an Ajax star and an idol for youngsters in the Netherlands at a time of social and cultural change.
Young people related to his practical approach and admired his exceptional talent. He was unwittingly cool – as a teenager he would stub out cigarettes on his boot soles – but he could also be confrontational, demanding and rebellious.
“He said you must do this in a game or you must do that,” team-mate Johnny Rep remembered in David Winner’s book Brilliant Orange. “It was not easy for me to shut my mouth.”
Cruyff wore the Ajax armband, but during a summer training camp the squad voted Piet Keizer in as captain. Furious and feeling undermined, it spelled the end in Amsterdam for Cruyff, who called it a “form of jealousy I had never before experienced”.
He left Ajax to join Michels in Barcelona for a then world-record £922,000 and helped the Catalan side to a first La Liga title in 14 years.
Cruyff experienced problems with some of his former colleagues during the international camps that followed, believing they were complaining about him arriving late from Spain or for not travelling with the team. But those feelings had softened by the time they regrouped to prepare for a tournament that would change many of their lives.
The Netherlands’ record of qualifying for major tournaments was, frankly, rubbish – they had not reached a World Cup finals since before World War Two and had never appeared at the European Championships.
Even for the 1974 tournament they almost made a hash of qualifying, relying on a controversial offside decision in the final game against Belgium to see them through; Jan Verheyen’s 89th-minute winner was chalked off, despite replays showing the Belgian was being played on by a number of Dutch defenders.
Czech manager Frantisek Fadrhonc was replaced by Barcelona boss Michels for the finals. It turned out to be a masterstroke.
Michels’ squad was largely comprised of players with an Ajax connection and those from Feyenoord, who won the European Cup in 1970. But there was a surprise call up for FC Amsterdam goalkeeper Jan Jongbloed – the cigar shop owner who won his only previous cap 12 years earlier and was selected predominantly for his ability on the ball.
The Ajax contingent were well versed in the coach’s pressing style and switching of positions, while the rest of the squad had the system drilled into them during a pre-tournament camp at the leafy KNVB headquarters in Zeist. Michels wanted Ajax 2.0, the ultra-attacking remodel.
It took time to click and they lost a friendly to a second division German team while trying to familiarise themselves with the tactics, but just one week before the World Cup started they enjoyed a morale-boosting 4-1 victory over Argentina.
“Total Football requires talented individuals acting in a disciplined group,” said Cruyff, who had a huge influence on team selection. “Someone who whines or doesn’t pay attention is a hindrance to the rest, and you need a boss like Michels to nip that in the bud.
“Total Football is, aside from the quality of the players, mostly a question of distance and positioning. When you’ve got the distances and formation right, everything falls into place.”
The Netherlands opened their first World Cup campaign in 36 years against Uruguay at the Niedersachsenstadion in Hannover, stepping out in orange shirts trimmed with the iconic three stripes of Adidas along the sleeve. All bar Cruyff’s, that is.
He was contracted to Puma and had already refused to wear Adidas boots when playing for the national team, despite a KNVB deal with the manufacturer. At the World Cup – after a standoff between the brands, Cruyff and Dutch football bosses – it was decided his kit would have one of the stripes removed.
“The KNVB had signed a contract with Adidas without telling the players,” Cruyff wrote in his autobiography. “They thought they didn’t need to because the shirt was theirs. ‘But the head sticking out of it is mine,’ I told them.”
“Those two stripes belong to me,” he later wrote in a column for Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, when the row reignited 40 years later after Cruyff’s clothing company released a replica of his 1974 jersey.
In Hannover, Cruyff was the target of some rough Uruguayan treatment but glided over tackles and carried the Netherlands forward in a move that resulted with Rep giving them the lead after seven minutes, later adding his second to complete an opening victory that provided a glimpse of the side’s potent mix of a smothering press and effortlessly fluid attack.
Four days later the Dutch played out a goalless draw with Sweden – a match remembered for one of the most iconic flashes of brilliance the game has ever witnessed.
Cruyff received a diagonal ball on the left of the Swedish box. His first touch almost let him down but a seemingly elasticated right leg wound it back in again and, once under control, the game of cat and mouse was on.
The shaggy-haired Dutch skipper exaggeratedly shaped to knock the ball back down field with his right foot, luring Olsson to take the bait, and with the Sweden full-back already moving in the direction of the anticipated pass Cruyff wrapped his boot around the ball, dragged it through his legs and was off towards the byline in an orange blur, leaving Olsson floundering in no man’s land.
“There are impulses that arise because your technical and tactical knowledge has become so great that your legs are able to respond immediately to what your head wants them to do,” wrote Cruyff. “Even if that’s nothing more than a flash in the brain.
“I’ve always used feints like that. I’ve never used them to make the opponent look foolish, only as the best solution to a problem.”
Olsson was convinced he was going to take the ball, and then it was gone.
“I do not understand how he did it,” he said in 2016. “Now when I see the video, every time I think I have got the ball. I am sure I am going to take it, but every time he surprises me.”
The move ultimately came to nothing and the Netherlands were unable to find a breakthrough, but Cruyff’s moment of wizardry became the most recognisable image of that – arguably, of any – World Cup.
By the time the final group game against Bulgaria came round, the Netherlands were confident and won 4-1 against a side that included several of the CSKA Sofia team who ended Ajax’s three-year unbeaten run in the European Cup earlier that season.
Cruyff, picked as the focal point in attack but dribbling into the box from the left, won a penalty from which Johan Neeskens put the Dutch ahead, adding another before the break while the captain toyed with and riled the Bulgarians and almost scored following a run from his own half.
Rep made it three after Cruyff sent the black and white tournament ball spinning into the area from a free-kick, before a floated cross from the Barcelona playmaker found a diving Theo de Jong arriving to cap a resounding win.
The Dutch were hitting their stride. Their football was captivating fans on the terraces and those watching from home, and their choir of orange-clad supporters was getting more vociferous with every scintillating performance.
Cruyff talks to reporters at the Netherlands team’s hotel in Hiltrup
The tournament format saw teams progress into a second group stage, with the Netherlands ripping through Argentina in their first game – the opening goal a perfect snapshot of their breathtaking style.
The Dutch recovered possession in the Argentina half and Cruyff plucked Wim van Hanegem’s deft chip out of the air before rounding goalkeeper Daniel Carnevali and sliding the ball into an empty net.
Krol added a second and Rep then headed in a third from Cruyff’s deep cross as boss Michels, raincoat covering his knees, observed from the bench with a flicker of a smile during a downpour in Gelsenkirchen.
The second-half weather could not dampen a display so dominant from the Dutch that goalkeeper Jongbloed touched the ball only once in the entire game. Cruyff added a late fourth with an instinctive volley from a tight angle to further whip up the hype around this team and their seemingly unstoppable captain.
“They said he would have made a good ballet dancer,” Michels once reflected. “Honestly, I think Johan could have become anything he wanted to.”
Jorge Valdano would go on to become a World Cup winner himself – and Argentina would get their revenge four years later in the final in Buenos Aires – but he watched in awe as a teenager as the Netherlands’ number 14 tormented his compatriots.
“Never in my life have I seen a player rule matches like Cruyff,” he said. “He was the owner of the show, much more than his team, the referee or the fans. His grip on what was happening on the field was amazing. He was a player, coach and referee at the same time.”
Cruyff admitted to being tense in the early stages of the tournament but was now wowing the press with his manner off the pitch as well as on it – apart from one Dutch critic who was tossed, fully clothed, into the hotel swimming pool by the squad.
“Cruyff himself was a rapid and remarkable learner,” said esteemed English football writer Brian Glanville. “Surrounded by a polyglot of journalists he dealt effortlessly with them in Dutch, English, German, Spanish and Italian.”
As June rolled into July the Netherlands were continuing to gather momentum and a 2-0 win over East Germany teed up what was essentially a semi-final against reigning champions Brazil.
This was a Selecao without Pele, who had left the national team in 1971 and revealed years later he refused to play in the 1974 World Cup in protest against torture by Brazil’s military regime – instead he spent the tournament working for Pepsi.
Brazil still boasted the likes of Roberto Rivelino and Jairzinho, who missed a golden chance as the South Americans looked to take the initiative in the opening 20 minutes. But with the holders in blue and the Dutch in white, it was more than just their kits that were unrecognisable – it was a hot-tempered, physical battle.
“That was the best game, the hardest game – it had everything,” explained Krol in Brilliant Orange. “There was nice football, nice combinations, dirty football. It was a game on the limits and I like that. Do everything to win.”
Brazil collected three bookings in the first half, the Dutch one. But after the break Cruyff sprinkled some stardust on the skirmish with a pass from the right threaded between a pair of backtracking Brazilians for Neeskens to loop over goalkeeper Emerson Leao with a first-time effort.
Their superior goal difference meant the Dutch only needed a draw to progress, but they made sure of their place in the final with 25 minutes remaining when Cruyff finished off a flowing move down the left by leaping on to a side-footed volley in mid-air. Luis Pereira was sent off for a hack on Neeskens late on as Brazil relinquished their grip on the trophy.
“It all came together in that game against Brazil,” wrote Cruyff. “Until then, no one really knew how good we were, and the game against Brazil was probably the moment you could point to and say that was Total Football.
“When we walked on the pitch we were nervous, because we thought that we were still playing the team of 1970. It took us 30 minutes to realise that we were actually more skilful than them.
“Winning was the consequence of the process we had concentrated on. The first step was to bring enjoyment to the crowd, the next was the win.”
The Netherlands had been so good, so compelling, their confidence was straddling arrogance. In an unusual calendar quirk, boss Michels even jetted back to Barcelona to oversee his club side play the Spanish Cup final mid-tournament.
But before the final there was unease in the Dutch camp as news reached home about a story in German newspaper Bild.
As Auke Kok explained in Johan Cruyff: Always on the Attack, Cruyff found being away from wife Danny and their three children “inhuman” and life at the Waldhotel Krautkramer in Hiltrup was becoming a bit of a drag.
In need of some entertainment, a group of players decided to host a now infamous party following the win over East Germany.
Volendam band The Cats performed, sparkling wine and cigars were enjoyed, and by 2am Cruyff and several others fancied a swim – naked – in the hotel pool, where they were joined by a group of local females.
“Little happened, other than a bit of flirting,” wrote Kok. But unbeknown to the Dutch, there was also an undercover journalist present and the story appeared in Bild under the headline: Cruyff, champagne, naked girls and a refreshing dip. The captain was furious and spent hours on the hotel phone trying to placate his wife.
Cruyff always denied the incident and head coach Michels insisted it was an attempted smear campaign by the German press to unsettle the Dutch should they meet the hosts in the final.
And so they did, on 7 July at the Olympic Stadium in Munich.
Cruyff and his Dutch team-mates were unable to build on their early lead in the final
For many in the Netherlands, the German occupation during the war still carried huge cultural significance – midfielder Van Hanegem lost his father, sister and two brothers in the conflict.
It was, however, the bohemian Dutch who went into the final as favourites and there was huge optimism around the prospect of lifting a first World Cup.
“You could see it in their eyes,” said German forward Bernd Holzenbein in Brilliant Orange. “Their attitude to us was, ‘how many goals do you want to lose by today, boys?’. While we waited to go on the pitch, I tried to look them in the eye, but I couldn’t do it. They made us feel small.”
Dutch preparation was not ideal, compounded by losing their The Cats cassette tape and, the story goes, instead having to listen to David Bowie’s Sorrow.
Cruyff did not sleep well the night before the final and instead sat up smoking in his room. He chewed gum as he stared into the crowd while the teams lined up before kick-off. For the first time, the Netherlands’ huge following was massively outnumbered by home spectators.
The hosts had been booed during an unconvincing start to the tournament that featured a defeat by neighbours East Germany, and they were immediately left stunned by the Dutch as Cruyff went on a surging run, dummying and shimmying his way into the penalty area where he was brought down by Uli Hoeness – all before any German player had even touched the ball.
Neeskens converted from the spot to give Michels’ men the perfect start and, as several players have since conceded, they set about trying to humiliate their hosts with the kind of football that won them so many suitors throughout the tournament – but, crucially, this time without adding to their lead.
“It was a classic case of pride coming before a fall,” wrote Cruyff. “As soon as you’re past that point of over-confidence, it becomes incredibly difficult to turn it around.
“Throughout the match everyone was either a bit too early or a bit too late – never on time. It just wasn’t quite 100%. Sometimes you can lose a game in your head.”
Despite their slow start to the competition, West Germany were also a very good side and moments after a glorious chance for Rep at one end, created by Cruyff, Holzenbein went down inside the box at the other. Paul Breitner levelled from the spot, and suddenly it was Germany’s final.
Cruyff was a false nine long before the term was coined. He was everywhere during the World Cup: dropping deep as a playmaker, arriving late into the box, drifting on to the flanks. He created more chances and completed more dribbles than any other player in the tournament.
But as the Netherlands struggled to wrestle back control, the captain was dragged further away from goal, swamped by white shirts and unable to find space where he was so usually dangerous.
He came in for rough treatment from Berti Vogts, who was eventually booked, but then so was Cruyff for arguing with referee Jack Taylor at half-time after Gerd Muller had given the hosts the lead. There was some internal sniping between the Dutch, too.
A mentally and physically drained Cruyff could not rediscover his spark. He created several chances when restored to a forward position after the break, but nothing would go in for Michels’ team.
“When it was all over, of course, there was a great feeling of disappointment,” wrote Cruyff. “You know you’re the best in the world, but you haven’t won the prize.”
Johan Cruyff meets Queen Juliana with coach Rinus Michels and the rest of the Dutch squad
Back in the Netherlands, the squad were greeted like heroes with a reception at the Royal Palace and celebration on the Stadsschouwburg balcony in Amsterdam. Cruyff later wrote that he got over the disappointment of losing the final quickly.
“Much more important was the vast amount of positivity and admiration for our play that our performances had generated all over the world,” he said.
“We had set an example for billions of people. We had also given hope to all the players who, like me, weren’t big or strong. The whole philosophy of how football should be played was adjusted during that tournament.”
It also changed his individual status. Cruyff had already been twice crowned the world’s best but admitted he did not feel famous until that tournament. When it was over, he was a global superstar and later that year won his third Ballon d’Or in four seasons.
“Cruyff was an optimal player,” said Wenger. “In every situation he found the optimal solution. He had the tools to realise it. The point of his decision making was exceptional.
“You always felt he was a class above everyone on the pitch. There are few players like that. He had that elegance, you wanted to look like him on the football pitch.”
But 1974 would be his one and only World Cup. Cruyff helped the Netherlands qualify for the 1978 tournament in Argentina but made a decision not to play and would not go back on that, later suggesting it was because of a kidnap attempt at the family home in Barcelona.
In many ways, it added to his legend.
Cruyff, in his four weeks on the global stage, was a playmaker-come-coach who gifted the sport a new philosophy. He left a legacy that transcends a flick, a touch, a goal, even a turn – one that has survived long beyond the last tying of his boot laces and donning of the lucky number 14 shirt.
Bibliography
Johan Cruyff: My Turn, The AutobiographyDavid Winner – Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch FootballAuke Kok – Johan Cruyff: Always on the Attack
BBC World Cup icons series
Zinedine Zidane: Face of multi-cultural France and star of Les Bleus’ 1998 World Cup triumphDiego Maradona: Cunning cheat or unplayable genius? Inside
Erling Haaland, a striker from Norway, will support the Senegal national team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, one of the five qualified African nations.
The Manchester City goal machine described Senegal as having a formidable team in an interview with SuperSportTV.
Confident about the quality of the players of the Teranga Lions, Haaland is backing the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Champions to do well at this year’s global tournament.
“I think Senegal will do really well.
“They are a strong team and they have so many strong players. So I think Senegal will do the best out of those,” Erling Haaland shared.
Besides Senegal, other African countries that qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup include Cameroon, Ghana, Tunisia, as well as Morocco.
The upcoming tournament is scheduled to kick start in Qatar on November 20.
Teachers in some basic and senior high schools in the Ashanti Region have been active in class teaching, despite an industrial action declared by three teacher unions.
The strike is in protest against the appointment of Dr. Eric Nkansah as the new Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES).
But some teachers in the Ashanti Region are yet to join the strike.
On Friday, three teacher unions, the Ghana National Association of Teachers, National Graduate Teachers and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers declared an indefinite nationwide strike to register their displeasure over the appointment of the new Director-General of the Ghana Education Service.
But Luv News checks at some primary and second-cycle institutions in the Ashanti Region revealed students participating in class activities including teaching.
Students at Kumasi Academy and T.I. Ahmadiyya senior high schools enjoyed full-class lessons from their teachers.
When the News team visited some basic schools including the State Experimental Cluster of Schools, the pupils were returning from their first break to continue their lessons for the day.
While some classes had their teachers engage them in lessons, those without their tutors participated in personal studies as they ready themselves for their midterm exams beginning on Wednesday.
At the JHS 1 class of the school, the pupils were ready to receive their teacher for the next lesson, Integrated Science.
Some teachers at schools, who spoke on condition of anonymity, indicated that they will be boycotting class if a crunch meeting between the three striking teacher unions and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations doesn’t yield any resolution.
“The teachers are going on strike, not the students. So the school will be open for the students. But it’s the discretion of the teachers to teach the students or not as the strike is not strictly imposed on the teachers. In case the strike is not called off by the close of the day, some teachers here may not be going to class from tomorrow onwards,” one of the authorities at the school told Luv FM’s Emmanuel Bright Quaicoe.
The students are however worried the strike if embarked on by their teachers, would affect their imminent midterm exams.
Aduana Stars maintained their winning run after defeating Legon Cities in matchday 5 of the Ghana Premier League on Sunday at the Nana Agyemang Badu Park.
The fire boys have been in fine form in the new season, winning four and drawing one of their five games so far.
Paa Kwesi Fabin’s team came into the game full of confidence, knowing that a win against the Royals will propel them to maintain their top spot.
The home team shot into the lead in the 32nd minute mark through Isaac Mintah but the second department of the game did not produce any goal as Aduana secure a 1-0 win over Legon Cities on home turf.
The much-anticipated failed to produce goals despite both teams creating numerous scoring opportunities.
Meanwhile, Legon Cities were unable to return to winning ways against the fire boys after sharing the spoils with Berekum Chelsea in matchday 4 encounter.
Legon Cities have managed two wins, two defeats and one draw in their five games so far.
Aduana Stars currently sit top of the table with 13 points whiles Legon Cities occupies 9th spot with 7 points.
Southampton have sacked their manager Ralph Hasenhuttl in the wake of Sunday’s 4-1 home defeat by Newcastle.
Hasenhuttl, who was appointed in December 2018, departs with the club in the Premier League relegation zone with 12 points after 14 games.
Southampton have only one win from the past nine matches.
First team coach Ruben Selles will take charge for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup third round home game against League One side Sheffield Wednesday.
Scoring goals has been a particular problem for Hasenhuttl’s side and the 55-year-old Austrian bemoaned his players wasting opportunities against Newcastle.
Afterwards he said he was not concerned about the risk of losing his job, but the Saints board have decided to act before the midweek EFL Cup game and Saturday’s trip to Liverpool – their final game before the Premier League breaks for the World Cup.
More to follow.
Our coverage of Southampton is bigger and better than ever before – here’s everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a momentEverything Saints – go straight to all the best content
Berekum Chelsea were unable to make their home ground count after suffering defeat against Real Tamale United in matchday 5 of the Ghana Premier League on Sunday.
Christopher Ennin’s team went into the game full of confidence, knowing that a win against the Pride of the North will propel them to a better position on the log.
Unfortunately, Berekum Chelsea suffered a 2-1 defeat at their own backyard in the domestic top-flight.
The visitors shot into the lead after just 11 minutes through captain David Sandan Abagna.
Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta has hinted that the perennial depreciation of the Ghana cedi against its major trading partners will be fixed by the end of 2022.
Delivering a speech at the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) forum in Accra, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta noted that, his outfit, in collaboration with the Bank of Ghana (BoG), is working around the clock to address the continuous cedi depreciation.
He revealed that the BoG, as part of measures to stabilise the local currency, has intensified efforts at addressing speculation, which is fuelling the dwindling local currency.
Again, the initiative by the central bank to crack down on black market foreign exchange dealers, he says, will help with the cedi’s stabilisation.
Expressing his concern about the rapid depreciation of the local currency, he said “as the Minister of Finance, no one needs to tell me the ravages of the cedi depreciation which has become an albatross on the neck of our local industries and the high cost of living for all citizens.”
Ken Ofori-Attaalso called for an all-hands-on-deck approach to dealing with the cedi depreciation.
He encouraged the public to play their part in creating a healthy macroeconomic environment capable of meeting the essential needs of Ghanaians.
Background
The cedi’s depreciation has rapidly deteriorated since the beginning of the year.
According to reports, the demand for the dollar keeps surging, as there are very few dollars in circulation.
At the beginning of October 2022, the local currency was trading at GH¢11.2 against the dollar.
During the same period under review, the persisting demand on the foreign currency pushed the cedi to GH¢12.45.
As of Friday, October 14, 2022, the Ghana cedi had lost 9.03% of its value against the US dollar.
Ghana’s currency further depreciated by 3.3% on Monday, October 17. The cedi was selling at GH¢15.20 to one US dollar.
However, on October 26, 2022, the cedi began to witness an appreciation.
According to financial analysts, the cedi began to appreciate due to the inflows of the first tranche of the cocoa syndicated loan and the expected staff-level agreement between the government and the International Monetary Fund by December 2022.
The Porcupine Warriors after conceding an early second-half goal fought hard to come from behind to secure a 2-1 win against the opponent.
The match between Asante Kotoko and Samartex FC today served as a matchday 5 encounter of the ongoing season.
After a goalless draw first half, Prince Antwi scored four minutes after recess to give Samartex FC the lead.
Pegged behind, it took a display of resilience for Asante Kotoko to get back into the game.
First, Nicholas Mensah equalized in the 78th minute to restore parity for the hosts before Augustine Agyepong also found the back of the Samartex FC net in the 86th minute to seal a 2-1 win for his team.
Slavko Matic, the head coach of Hearts of Oak, has expressed his happiness with the combination that Gladson Awako and Salifu Ibrahim are forming at the team this year.
Matic claimed that he wanted to create a team where there would be competition for positions so that players wouldn’t feel too comfortable playing in a particular role or with a particular player.
Daniel Afriyie Barnieh converted the penalty to score the Phobians’ only goal of the game as they defeated Kotoku Royals to secure back-to-back wins for the first time this season.
“I want to bring competition in the team, I have said I want to get a better option for us, we have a lot of games and every player would play.”
“We want to try the best combination for each game, you saw Gladson Awako and Salifu Ibrahim in the first half with the best combination”, he said after the game.
Ruud Gullit has questioned the decision by Ajax coach Alfred Schreuder not to play Mohammed Kudus as a midfielder for the Dutch champions.
WHAT HAPPENED? The 22-year-old Ghana international has this season been deployed in the attacking role by coach Schreuder, a decision that has seen him end up in competition with Ghanaian prospect, Brian Brobbey.
This has caught the attention of 60-year-old Gullit, who feels the Black Star should play in his original midfield role.
WHAT DID GULLIT SAY? “Why do you carry around with Kudus and he doesn’t play in midfield? It is a mystery to me why Kudus does not play in midfield,” Gullit, who won the Ballon d’Or in 1987 and was named the World Soccer Player of the Year in 1987 and 1989, said during an interview with the Voetbal Zone.
“I think it’s so strange that you’re going to drag him around and he has to be in rush hour. That boy has so much energy, he does his job there too. It’s a midfielder. That’s how he came. In the beginning, he was great, really great.
“Then he got injured, but now he’s back. Why doesn’t he play in midfield?’
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Despite the new role, Kudus has been one of the key lights for Ajax in the current campaign. The Black Star has so far scored five goals in Eredivisie from 11 matches and is ranked joint sixth in the league’s scorers chart, as well as being the team’s third-top scorer.
WHAT NEXT FOR KUDUS? The Black Star will hope to be involved when the Sons of the Gods take on PSV Eindhoven in a top-flight fixture at Johan Cruyff Arena on Sunday.
Uruguay, Ghana’s group opponent at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, is stepping up training this week in anticipation of the impending competition.
The world championship’s start date is now less than a month away after years of anticipation.
Even though several nations’ regular league seasons are still in progress, Uruguay has been able to put together a few backup players in the current national team roster.
As a result, the South American country opened camping last week as part of preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
While the Uruguay squad is dominated by home-based players, the side will by the weekend have more players in camp.
This week, Uruguay head coach Diego Alonso is continuing the work with his available players in camp.
The squad will this week also make the trip to Abu Dhabi where the team will play one last friendly match before moving to Qatar finally for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Besides Ghana, Uruguay will also face Portugal and South Korea in Group H.
The United Nations has pledged to support Ghana with over $500 million under its newly-proposed Cooperation Framework, aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UN Resident Coordinator in Ghana, Charles Abani, explained that “this is a gross increase in the value that comes through the UN system into Ghana.”
He further explained that “the 261 (million) that we announced at the Global Citizens Festival is the core part of that, and that has been secured already.”
Ghana aims to align its development priorities in partnership with CSOs and the private sector to achieve the SDGs together. The Agenda 2030 is said to have five overarching themes, known as the five Ps, namely; People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnerships, which span across the 17 SDGs.
The UN plays a crucial role in supporting countries in their efforts to implement the 2030.
In 2018, the Government of Ghana and the United Nations in Ghana jointly signed the UN Sustainable Development Partnership 2018-2022 (UNSDP), a five-year strategic framework that sets out the collective vision and response of the UN system to national development priorities.
Also, a total of $440 million was expended in assisting the country towards achieving her developmental needs.
Meanwhile, in a recent report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) dubbed “The Impact of the War in Ukraine on Sustainable Development in Africa’, the organisation highlighted the impact of the war on African countries.
It maintained that “Africa is facing a double crisis with the combined effects of the war in Ukraine and of the COVID-19 pandemic – now is a critical time for action.”
However, the organisation indicated that “it is time to intensify efforts and reframe development finance, strengthen resilience in African economies, and foster economic transformation as a key driver for change in Africa.”
Speaking on the report’s specifics, Mr. Abani revealed that the UN is working with Ghanaian organisations to prevent the effects of these foreign variables that impede sustainable development.
“We need to ensure that we are investing in things that matter most. We should work more on strengthening Ghana’s institutions and the capacity of Ghanaians,” he added.
Jojo Wollacott has been Ghana’s first-choice goalkeeper for the past one year with the likes of Richard Ofori, Lawrence Ati Zigi, Danlad Ibrahim and Abdul Manaf Nuudeen playing the role as second goalkeepers on different occasions.
In an interview with the GNA sports, the former goalie explained that based on his consistent appearance for the team in recent times, he stands the best chance to be offered the number one spot.
He said, though football was a game of uncertainties, players were selected based on reliability, consistency, trustworthiness and physical fitness, adding that Wollacot had all the qualities outlined ahead of his colleagues.
“We played the qualifiers and had one goalkeeper who had shown consistencies throughout, that is Jojo Wollacott the most used among all the keepers so far, all things been equal he might be the first-choice,” he stated.
“One of our challenges is that we don’t have goalkeepers who are very gifted in the team in as much as we would not be satisfied with their performances because of comparisons.
“We see other goalkeepers playing for their clubs and their nations performing well so we do comparisons but I’m very positive that we can do well,” he stated.
The Black Stars have been paired in Group H with Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea.
The team would open camp on November 17, before heading to Qatar on November 19.
DStv Ghana has cautioned against public viewing of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
MultiChoice Ghana, operators of DStv and GOtv has set out rules to regulate the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which has been mandated by SuperSport International Holdings Pty Limited.
A press statement copied to the GNA Sports explained that all exhibitors of public viewing events in relation to any matches of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, are advised to comply with the FIFA Regulations on public broadcasting.
The rules states that; an exhibitor must pay to obtain a license or permission from MultiChoice Ghana to mount a stage for public viewing events.
According to FIFA regulations, an event is considered a “Public Viewing Event” if at such event broadcast coverage of the competition is made available for the general public without authorization.
Such public places includes bars, cinemas, restaurants, stadiums, open spaces, offices, construction sites, oil rigs, buses, theatre’s, trains, armed services establishments, educational establishments and hospitals.
It said subscribers of DStv and GOtv must view matches in private dwellings to avoid any arrest or prosecution by the police.
The statement advised event organizers and owners of hotels, bars, pubs, restaurants, guest houses, to contact MultiChoice Ghana to seek authorization for Public Viewing of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
“The general public is assured that our piracy team is working effectively with the police to arrest and prosecute individuals and organizations who flout rules and regulations governing Public Viewing of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022,”it said.
Active DStv and GOtv subscribers can enjoy all 64 matches, including High Definition (HD) coverage on various channels with expert analysis, only on SuperSport.
DStv and GOtv has exclusive rights to all 64 matches from 20th November to 18th December 2022.
NFL powerhouses On November 12, Borussia Dortmund would let Ghana’s coach, Otto Addo, go ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
After this weekend’s round of games, all European teams will have a breather in preparation for the eagerly awaited world championship in the Arab nation.
The final match for Dortmund is against Borussia Mönchengladbach on Friday, November 11.
Otto Addo has already named his 55-man provisional list and the squad will be whittled down to 26 for the tournament which is scheduled for Qatar from November 20 – December 18, 2022.
Black Stars make a return to the tournament after missing out on the 2018 edition in Russia and have been drawn in Group H alongside Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay.
Ghana will take on Portugal in their first game on November 24 before playing South Korea and Uruguay on November 28 and December 2 respectively.
Black Stars will play Switzerland in an International friendly on November 17, before travelling to Qatar for the World Cup.
Partey received 75 touches, completed 52 of 56 passes that were attempted, made all six of his long balls, won five of six ground battles, and made 13 recoveries.
Jacqueline Gyamfi Greene,wife of Grammy-nominated gospel act Travis Greene, on Friday stunned patrons at the 2022 Adom Praiz concert when she took the stage.
Jacqueline grabbed the microphone to minister on Friday midway through her husband’s performance praying with patrons and making some powerful declarations on their lives.
As expected, Mrs Greene’s performance was short-lived but she left the stage with patrons in high spirits and yearning for more of her.
Travis and Jacqueline’s three children also briefly joined the main act on the day to perform.
Black Stars midfielder, Thomas Partey, was on top of his game when Arsenal beat rivals Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge on matchday 13 of the ongoing 2022/2023 English Premier League.
Thomas Partey started and lasted the entire duration of his side’s narrow win over the Blues at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, November 6, 2022.
Gabriel Magalhaes’ close-range finish in the 63rd minute ensured Arsenal secured all points at stake at away in the English Premier League to keep their momentum of winning the title.
Partey completed the most passes and tackles in the game thus outshining the likes of Jorginho and Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the midfield.
The performance of Partey was too glaring to ignore and that excited Ghanaians on social media as they were happy that the Black Stars deputy captain has peaked in time for the World Cup.
The fans voted Thomas Partey as the best player on the day but William Saliba was voted as the Man of the Match by the technical committee.
In a Facebook post, the former President said the crisis has ultimately resulted in the most debilitating living conditions in several decades.
He added that within a space of ten months, our currency, the Ghana Cedi, has depreciated by over 62% against the US dollar.
“In the last few years, our economy has lurched from crisis to crisis, ultimately resulting in the most debilitating living conditions in several decades. Within a space of ten months, our currency, the Ghana Cedi, has depreciated by over 62% against the US dollar, which is the highest in recent memory,” Mahama posted on Facebook today 4th November 2022.
This statement comes after the Former President John Dramani Mahama on Thursday, October 27, 2022, addressed the nation.
Speaking at the UPSA Auditorium, Mahama touched on the current economic hardships sweeping across the land, high inflation rates and the depreciation of the cedi.
Mr. Mahama urged government to cut down on expenditure by reducing the number of appointees and ministers.
Read Also: 3 teacher unions declare strike over new GES Director
He also advised government to abolish or realign state institutions with similar functions while suspending non-essential projects.
The 2020 flagbearer of the NDC also backed calls for the dismissal of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta from office; adding that his removal will not affect the ongoing negotiations between Ghana and the IMF.
“Our public debt is projected to hover around GH¢ 522 billion by close of this year, with a corresponding debt to GDP ratio of above100%. The debt service obligation arising from this, is monstrous and, is making it impossible to finance almost all critical sectors of the economy.”
“The wage bill has gone up due to unbridled recruitment into all sectors of the public service resulting from a poor capacity of the private sector to mop-up the teeming youth graduating from all levels of our educational system.”
“Worse still, Ghana has been classified as the country with the highest likelihood of debt default, which reflects the multiple downgrades by the international credit agencies. As it stands, we remain firmly shut out of the international bond market,” excerpts of Mahama’s speech said.
Seth Ablade, the head coach of the Kotoku Royals, is not pleased with the outcome against Hearts of Oak.
He feels that the decision is unfair and that they should have received at least a point from the encounter.
Daniel Afriyie Barnieh, a danger man for Hearts of Oak, converted the game’s lone penalty shot on Saturday at Cape Coast Stadium.
Seth Ablade claims his team should have gotten a penalty in the encounter with the Phobians. He added that despite the defeat he is happy with the overall effort of his players against a top side like Hearts.
“I am happy about the way the players played today. I think the only thing we need to do better is the quality upfront that is what killed us today. I am disappointed because the penalty was too easy. We should have gotten something out of this game,” he said after the game.
Kotoku Royals is 16th on the Ghana Premier League table with four points after five games.
Montreal police are facing backlash for detaining a Black man accused of trying to steal his own car, and then losing the keys to the handcuffs.
According to a CTV report, Brice Dossa said he was stopped in a commercial parking lot next to his own vehicle by two plainclothes officers who detained him shortly after. Police believed the Honda SUV in question showed signs of attempted theft. Despite wearing plainclothes, Dossa said the officers did not introduce themselves as police, nor explain the situation prior to handcuffing him.
The video of the incident hit social media.
When Dossa was able to prove that the vehicle was his, officers were not able to let him go because they misplaced the cuff keys. The keys were eventually delivered from the nearby police station.
Upon being let go, Dossa told officers, “You’ve humiliated me.”
The SPVM are now facing backlash in what is being labelled as racial profiling following the video circulation of the incident on social media. Francois Bonnardel, Quebec’s public safety minister, released a statement saying that the incident is now being looked into.
Several city officials have come forth commenting on the SPVM’s actions. A member of Montreal’s executive committee for public safety, Alain Vaillancourt, called the incident “disturbing,” while Quebec’s minister in charge of fighting racism says that “[he] has questions.”
The incident is yet another public case in the long history of the SPVM being accused of racially profiling a Black person.
Recently, a Quebec judge ordered an end to random traffic stops in an attempt to curb violations typically affecting minorities that infringe on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Sarkodie has released the tracklist for his much anticipated eighth studio album ‘Jamz’.
In a Twitter post on Monday, November 7, Sarkodie dubbed that album as a DJ’s best playlist.
“#CountDown is on! JAMZ Playlist|| Get ready to update your playlist this Friday … your long drive this weekend is sorted…This project is like enjoying the best playlist by your fav DJ…4 days to go #Jamzalbum,” he wrote.
‘Jamz’ is a 10-track album and has nine artiste featured on it. Track two named ‘Confam’ is the only song that has no feature.
The lead song ‘Labadi’ which has already been released features artiste King Promise.
#CountDown is on ! JAMZ Playlist|| Get ready to update your playlist this Friday … your long drive this weekend is sorted 🔥😊 … This project is like enjoying the best playlist by your fav DJ … 4 days to go #Jamzalbumpic.twitter.com/xg7urDCcy8
Othe notable features include Oxlade (whom Sarkodie worked with on Non Living Thing), Cina Soul, Joeboy, BXBN, Kranium, Lojay, Ink Boy and Black Sherif.
‘Jamz’ is expected to hit streaming platforms on November 11, 2022.
In September, Sarkodie put together a video giving fans a look at what’s to come.
The album he said is inspired by how he feels adding that “these collections of songs are like your favourite playlist now let’s have fun.”
“Ghana is on record as having the highest food inflation in the world at 122%, notwithstanding the much-touted but grossly mismanaged Planting for Food and Jobs programme”, the 2020 flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) posted on Facebook on Friday, 4 November 2022.
“We are grappling with treasury bill rates of about 30% as local investors in our financial instruments suffer huge risks associated with lending to the government. We are also experiencing massive reverse capital flows as investors lose what is left of their confidence in our economy and pull out in droves”, he noted.
As of September this year, however, the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) said the overall year-on-year food inflation was 37.8%.
Specifically, water was 58.9 per cent; milk, eggs and dairy products (49.0%), sugar, confectionery and desserts (48.0%), cereals and cereal products (46.0%), fruits and vegetable juices (45.2%), fish and other seafood (44.5%), fruits and nuts (44.4%), tea, mate and other plant products for infusion (40.0%), oils and fats (39.3%), live animals, meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals (38.8%).
Meanwhile, the ministry of food and agriculture will soon start selling farm produce to the public directly from kiosks to be mounted on its premises, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto has announced.
Speaking at a meeting with farmers in Sefwi Wiaso in the Western North Region, the minister said “the ministry itself is going to take its own initiative.”
“We are going to link up with the farmgate so that we make all the arrangements to ensure that we put up kiosks on our compounds at the ministry, specifically for food from here [Sefwi Wiaso] and we are going to give it a lot of publicity,” he explained.
In his recent national address on the economic crisis, President Nana Akufo-Addo told traders in the markets that he understands their working capital is being eaten away by the high cost of living but has urged them to be moderate in seeking profit amidst the current economic crisis.
“I know that the increasing cost of living is the number one concern for all of us. It is driven by fast-escalating fuel prices at the pumps, which is caused by high crude oil prices on the world market and our depreciated currency. I know that this is putting intolerable pressure on families and businesses. I know that people are being driven to make choices they should not have to make, and I know that it has led to the devaluation of capital of traders and painfully accumulated savings”, he said on Sunday night (30 October 2022).
He added: “Furthermore, the government is working to secure reliable and regular sources of affordable petroleum products for the Ghanaian market. It is expected that this arrangement, when successful, coupled with a stable currency will halt the escalation of fuel prices and bring relief to us all”.
“I hear from the market queens also that another factor fueling the high prices is the high margins that some traders are slapping on goods, for fear of future higher costs”.
“I say to our traders: We are all in this together. Please let us be measured in the margins we seek”, the president appealed.
“I have great respect and admiration for the ingenuity and hard work of our traders, especially those that take on the distribution of foodstuffs around the country, and I would hesitate to join in calling them names. I do make a heartfelt appeal that we all keep an eye out for the greater good, and not try to make the utmost profits out of the current difficulties”, he begged.
Vice President, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, says it is wrong to measure government’s performance only by the current post-COVID-19 economic difficulties.
He said the country’s economy outlook before the onset of the pandemic was positive; thus the reason the government continued to attribute the current crisis to factors emanating from the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.
“Judging government by the development in the global space and not including the performance of the economy when we assumed office in 2017 to 2020 is an anti-climax. And we all know that period gave us a strong economy.”
Dr Bawumia said this in an address at the 60th Anniversary celebration of Hogbetsotsoza at the Anloga park.
According to the World Bank, Ghana’s GDP growth rate was 8.1 percent in 2018 ; 6.5 percent in 2019; 0.5 percent in 2020 and 5.4 percent in 2021.
Dr Bawumia said the government had chalked many successes across all sectors, including school infrastructure, railways, fish landing sites, interoperability, restored teachers and nurses allowances as well as many transformational policies and programmes.
The listing of the achievements was, however, not well received by a small section of the celebrants, who protested audibly.
Nevertheless, the Vice President said these successes were unequal to successive governments’ performance on all fronts.
The Government, he said, was working assiduously to stem the high food and fuel prices and urged Ghanaians to be patient.
He identified with the strong cultural heritage of the Anlo people, which is a panacea for the development of the creative industry, an enabler and a driver for sustainable national development.
He said Keta and Anloga continued to harness a chunk of the tourism traffic and urged the residents to maintain the peace at all times.
Togbi Sri III, the Awoamefia of Anlo, said COVID-19 denied them the organisation and celebration of the festival for two years, the same way its effects were wreaking havoc on the economy.
He said the Russia-Ukraine war had added another dimension to the crisis with escalating fuel hikes, food shortages and high inflation.
He appealed to the people to remain patient with the government for a permanent solution to the difficulties.
The Awoamefia bemoaned the increasing exodus of professionals from the Anlo area, saying they needed their collective support to the development of the area.
He said the time had come for them to redirect their efforts at building a solid Anlo State to serve as a motivation for the young ones.
The Asantehene Otumfuo Osei-Tutu II, said his forefathers and the Anlos forged a military pact, which he wanted to practicalise through development to benefit the two kingdoms for a win-win situation.
He said he had been yearning for an occasion like that to demonstrate to the whole world that Asantes and Anlos were inseparable and could only work to better the fortunes available to them.
He said it was time to maximise the human resouces of the two kingdoms and improve the productivity and creativity of their people.
Daasebre Akuamoah Agyapong II, the Kwahuhene, said he agreed to particiate in the fesitival to forge stronger ties due to the positive mindset of the people towards work and peacebuilding.
King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, the Ga Mantse, who presided, appealed to the Anlos to unite and forge a common front for development to thrive, adding that, they should close their ranks and not allow politicians to divide you.
The festival also known as Hogbeza, which commemorates the legendary exodus of the Ewe-Dogbo folks from Notsie in present-day neighbouring Togo, some 400 years ago.
The festival was held this year after its suspension in 2020 and 2021 in compliance with COVID-19 protocols and was attended by people from far and near, diplomats, politicians and the clergy.
They said the rising cost of food items on daily basis and the high cost of fuel vis-a-vis their stagnant salaries were making living conditions difficult.
According to them, the Cost-of-Living Allowance (CoLA), paid by government, was not sufficient to cushion them from the current economic hardship, insisting that salaries must be increased by 50 per cent across board.
The workers made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in the Bolgatanga Municipality and Talensi District to sample views on the current high cost of living.
Samuel Aniah Awuni, a Public sector worker, told the GNA that “The current economic situation is just unbearable. I bought a bucket of paint for GH₵600.00 and when I returned the following day to buy another bucket, the price had increased to GH₵700.00.
“Cost of fuel is not easy. I used to buy GH₵100.00 for a week just from my house to work and to church, but now I buy GH₵500.00 for the same one week period. There has to be an increment in salaries,” he said.
Ms Lawrenda Lardi Daameba, a student at the University of Ghana, Legon, said even though she was still under the care of her parents, she appreciated the financial burden on them, “My Dad takes care of me.
“I have had to manage with the little he provides; for instance, if I used to spend GH₵50.00 a day, now I have to adjust and make do with either GH₵30 or GH₵20,” she said.
Ms Daameba, who is on internship at the Regional Hospital in Bolgatanga, said she used to spend GH₵4.00 to, and from work, “But now I spend GH₵10.00. I am not working, am on internship, so you can imagine.”
Mr Samuel Adongo, a teacher, said, “We cannot even afford fuel for our motorbikes. I travelled from Winkogo to Tongo, I cannot buy fuel to return.
“Even to feed our children before they go to school is a problem. This is not about politics, ordinary citizens are feeling the economic hardship, so the government must do something to help us,” he said.
Mr Adongo said, “I will advocate for salary increment, in fact it should be up to 50 per cent because cost of items had doubled. A bag of cement is between GH₵93.00 and GH₵95.00.
“So assuming my salary is GH₵1000.00, today, how many bags of cement can I buy? Does that mean I have to keep staying in a rented room till I retire? We need 50 per cent salary increase so we can survive,” the teacher insisted.
Madam Augustina Ajuidiok, a shop owner in the Tongo Township, said the cost of buying provisions from Bolgatanga to Tongo had doubled, owing to the high cost of fuel.
“People are not buying items as they used to. Sometimes I see that they want the items, but they just cannot afford.”
The two Hearts of Oak players on the provisional list are the attacker Daniel Afriyie Barnieh and the defender Dennis Korsah.
Speaking to media after Hearts of Oak won their Ghana Premier League match against Kotoku Royals, Slavko Matic wished the pair the best.
Black Stars coach will trim the 55 man provisional squad to 26 before the entire Ghana contingent flies to Doha, Qatar.
Ghana will play an international friendly game against Switzerland on November 17th in UAE.
Ghana is in Group H with Portugal, South Korea, and Uruguay.
“Now we have two national team players who have had only one training. It is not easy to make compact team we should continue to work we must work harder and our club our players must play much better,” he said.
“They cannot count on them I am sure but with the world cup they improve and this is the decision about head coach and I wish them lot of happiness and good luck for the nation for the World Cup,”
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will lead Ghana’s delegation of climate negotiators to this year’s 27th Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC (COP 27) in Egypt.
COP 27, scheduled for November 7 to 18, would be hosted in the Egyptian city of Sharm El-Sheikh, and will provide the platform for climate activists and negotiators to discuss, propose actions and make decisions towards facilitating the implementation of the various Articles of the Paris Agreement and the Glasgow Climate Pact.
At a Pre-COP media briefing organised by Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation in Accra, Dr Kwaku Afriyie, sector Minister, said Ghana’s team was ready to present the real needs of the African people at the conference.
“Ghana will participate actively at the negotiations, and the Presidency implementation summit and also host a number of events at the Ghana Pavilion.
“We will launch the Article six framework and sign some additional bilateral agreements with Sweden and Singapore. Other sectors will host events relating to their mandate, i.e., energy, forestry, transport, finance etc,” Dr Afriyie stated.
He said Ghana, which host the Presidency of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), would also demand as a moral right, funds from the developed world to address issues of loss and damage being experienced by Africa due to greenhouse emissions from the big polluters.
He said the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change report released in February this year, projected the likelihood of some 118 million vulnerable people in Africa being affected by the impact of climate change by the year 2030 if nothing is done to curb climate issues.
“With regard to loss and damage, Ghana recognises the impact of loss and damage on women, youth, children and other vulnerable groups and calls for the integration of these groups.
“Finance for loss and damage is key…We expect delivery of new climate finance under the New Collective Quantifies Goal on climate Finance… We will follow up with our CVF colleagues and push to ensure that is achieved.”
Meanwhile, altogether, 322 Ghanaian activists from both state and non-state institutions have registered on the government’s portal to attend and participate in COP27.
Dr Afriyie explained that of the total, participants from government institutions account for 226, while those from non-state actors are 72 and those belonging to the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) are 24.
“Half of the number on the government platform are NGOs and partner institutions who decided to go through some institutions to be registered.
Therefore, the actual government staff attending the COP is about 150…People attending this will be participating in diverse programming including negotiations, workshops, side events and bilateral meetings. Sponsorships is also form diverse sources.”
Slavko Matic, the head coach of Hearts of Oak, wants his players to run with the ball. When his team had the ball during their match against Kotoku Royals in match week five, Matic was not pleased.
Daniel Afriyie Barnieh scored the game’s sole goal, converting a penalty to earn the Phobians their first back-to-back victories of the year.
Hearts of Oak moved up to seventh place in the league rankings, but coach Matic was not pleased with his team’s performance in a post-match interview.
“We must play more with the ball like we did in the first half. We created more chances in the second half but we sat back a little we should have changed the system and formation but we did what is necessary for the team,” he said after the game.
“We did what is good which is to keep a clean sheet, but for a better performance for the team, I think we should run more with the ball.”
As the official e-hailing partner, Uber and the Ghana Football Association (GFA) signed a three-year sponsorship agreement on Friday.
According to the agreement, Uber must create services for soccer fans who travel far and wide to witness domestic league games and national team competitions in the Greater Accra Region, Kumasi, Cape Coast, Tamale, Takoradi, and Sunyani.
This will promote football sustainability over the course of the relationship and provide football fans with special services like a designated pick-up and drop-off location, discount coupons, and extremely reasonable discounted rates in addition to giving them an amazing matchday experience.
Uber Country Manager Marjorie Saint-Lot pledged to help GFA supporters at league games and for the national teams.
According to the chamber, the prices of goods are skyrocketing because of the 3 per cent VAT charged on a product.
Due to this, the chamber has called for the abolishment of the new tax policy in the 2023 budget.
“The 3% flat rate VAT review in July 2017 continues to negatively impact businesses as it does not allow for the transfer of the 17.5% to the final consumer which has to be absorbed by businesses,” a report filed by myjoyonline.com said.
“Further, businesses will have to charge 3% output VAT, increasing the price of the product in question. This new VAT regime is making local businesses uncompetitive,” it added.
In a Facebook post dated November 5, 2022, Mahama observed that it was particularly worrying that price of items were going up by the hour in some cases.
“Prices of items including everyday medication, salt, gari and cooking oil, are constantly on the rise. If you do not buy an item at a particular point in time, you are likely to find that the price has significantly increased a few hours later.
“Small entrepreneurs are frustrated as they break their backs to keep their businesses open against great odds. This is not just an installment in cyclical hardships, and we should not pretend that it is,” his post read.
High inflation and a depreciating cedi are two of the most visible signs of a distressed economy.
Mahama has through social media posts and public lectures called on government to take responsibility and reverse the tide in some cases proffering possible solutions.
What Akufo-Addo said about Ghana being in a crisis
Akufo-Addo in his October 30 address on the economy blamed the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war as causes for the country’s economic woes.
“We are in a crisis, I do not exaggerate when I say so. I cannot find an example in history when so many malevolent forces have come together at the same time.
“But, as we have shown in other circumstances, we shall turn this crisis into an opportunity to resolve not just the short-term, urgent problems, but the long-term structural problems that have bedeviled our economy,” he said.
But like before, President Akufo-Addo blamed the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war as causative factors for the economic woes.
Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia spoke about the economy in a speech he delivered at the Hogbetsotso Za festival which is taking place in the Volta Region.
On Saturday, November 5, 2022; Bawumia, leader of a government delegation, arrived at the venue of the grand durbar to cheers but it wasn’t before long that he was subjected to boo and jeers whiles delivering his address.
In a Joy News video cited by GhanaWeb, the Vice President is captured enumerating what he called accomplishments of the government. His listing was punctuated by boos and jeers from a section of the crowd.
It was at the end of his listing that he made comments relating to the state of the economy, admitting among others that times were hard and government had the task of ensuring that relief is brought to the populace.
“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, we have more to do. There is a lot more, Ghanaians are facing a major increase in the cost of living, the cost of fuel prices, food prices and so on. And we have to do more to make sure we can relieve the burdens of Ghanaians,” he stressed.
Bawumia suffers boos
Videos that circulated on social media showed Bawumia’s arrival amid cheers from onlookers who had gathered to celebrate the festival with the Awomefia Togbui Sri II and the people of Ho.
Bawumia did not appear disrupted or disturbed by the incident but it appears he sent a subtle message to the booing crowd at the end of his list of accomplishments.
“This is accomplishments, this is accomplishment. There are many people who don’t like to hear good news but it is good news. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have much more to do.”
Amid an economic downturn, calls for Akufo-Addo to resign has heightened with a November 5, 2022 protest dubbed ‘Kume Preko Reloaded’ making the loudest call as activists and politicians marched in Accra to press home that demand.
The government is meanwhile, grappling with an economic crisis, which along with the galamsey scourge and corruption are the major drivers for the call on Akufo-Addo to resign along with his Vice President, Mahamadu Bawumia.
Akufo-Addo in his October 30 address on the economy blamed the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war as causes for the country’s economic woes.
While admitting that the country was in crisis and rallying support for various government interventions to stem the tide, he said the situation was not peculiar to the country as many nations across the world were also experiencing difficulties.
“We are in a crisis, I do not exaggerate when I say so. I cannot find an example in history when so many malevolent forces have come together at the same time.
“But, as we have shown in other circumstances, we shall turn this crisis into an opportunity to resolve not just the short-term, urgent problems, but the long-term structural problems that have bedeviled our economy,” he said.
But like before, President Akufo-Addo blamed the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war as causative factors for the economic woes.
Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia spoke about the economy in a speech he delivered at the Hogbetsotso Za festival which is taking place in the Volta Region.
On Saturday, November 5, 2022; Bawumia, leader of a government delegation, arrived at the venue of the grand durbar to cheers but it wasn’t before long that he was subjected to boo and jeers whiles delivering his address.
In a Joy News video cited by GhanaWeb, the Vice President is captured enumerating what he called accomplishments of the government. His listing was punctuated by boos and jeers from a section of the crowd.
It was at the end of his listing that he made comments relating to the state of the economy, admitting among others that times were hard and government had the task of ensuring that relief is brought to the populace.
After a list of infrastructure, technological and education sector deliverables of the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led government, he concluded thus:
“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, we have more to do. There is a lot more, Ghanaians are facing a major increase in the cost of living, the cost of fuel prices, food prices and so on. And we have to do more to make sure we can relieve the burdens of Ghanaians,” he stressed.
Bawumia suffers boos
Videos that circulated on social media showed Bawumia’s arrival amid cheers from onlookers who had gathered to celebrate the festival with the Awomefia Togbui Sri II and the people of Ho.
Bawumia did not appear disrupted or disturbed by the incident but it appears he sent a subtle message to the booing crowd at the end of his list of accomplishments.
“This is accomplishments, this is accomplishment. There are many people who don’t like to hear good news but it is good news. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have much more to do.”
Amid an economic downturn, calls for Akufo-Addo to resign has heightened with a November 5, 2022 protest dubbed ‘Kume Preko Reloaded’ making the loudest call as activists and politicians marched in Accra to press home that demand.
The government is meanwhile, grappling with an economic crisis, which along with the galamsey scourge and corruption are the major drivers for the call on Akufo-Addo to resign along with his Vice President, Mahamadu Bawumia.
Akufo-Addo in his October 30 address on the economy blamed the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war as causes for the country’s economic woes.
While admitting that the country was in crisis and rallying support for various government interventions to stem the tide, he said the situation was not peculiar to the country as many nations across the world were also experiencing difficulties.
“We are in a crisis, I do not exaggerate when I say so. I cannot find an example in history when so many malevolent forces have come together at the same time.
“But, as we have shown in other circumstances, we shall turn this crisis into an opportunity to resolve not just the short-term, urgent problems, but the long-term structural problems that have bedeviled our economy,” he said.
But like before, President Akufo-Addo blamed the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war as causative factors for the economic woes.
The Cedi recovered strongly against the dollar, appreciating to 13 from 14.05 at last week’s close after President Nana Akufo-Addo said bondholders won’t suffer losses as part of any IMF bailout.
The recovery was aided by a Bank of Ghana clampdown on illegal FX traders. Dollar demand remains heavy ahead of the Christmas period as importers seek to pay for goods in time for the festive shopping season. We expect the currency’s recovery to be short-lived, with rising inflation and high debt levels driving the Cedi back to the 14 levels in the near term.
Twin priorities for Africa leaders at COP27
With Africa contributing only around 3% of global emissions but devastated by extreme weather, such as recent floods displacing millions and destroying farmland across west Africa, the continent’s leaders have two core objectives at the UN’s COP27 climate conference next week.
The first is that developed nations should pay reparations for the impact that climate change is having on Africa, with the funds used to build infrastructure that will be more resilient against extreme weather and support transition to renewable energy.
The second objective is to strike a balance between calls for a global halt to new fossil fuel projects and the priorities of economic development in Africa and the need for new sources of oil and gas to address energy shortages in Europe. Progress on either of these broad objectives could provide relief for Africa’s economies and currencies.
Naira tumbles to new low as CBN to void high-value notes
The Naira plunged to a new low against the dollar on the unofficial market, trading at 850 from 772 at last week’s close. Nigerians rushed to buy dollars after the central bank said it plans to redesign high value Naira notes by mid-December and void any old notes still in circulation by the end of January next year.
The spread between the official and unofficial rates is now more than 88%, the largest ever gap, according to Bloomberg. The note redesign is intended to mop up excess funds, reduce counterfeit notes and hamper ransom payments from terrorists and kidnappers.
The central bank has expressed concern about the amount of currency in circulation outside of the banking system, reducing the efficacy of its policy levers. With dollar demand continuing to outpace supply, and with no more central bank support in the parallel market, we expect the Naira to lose further ground in the near term.
Rand loses ground on Fed hike
The Rand weakened against the dollar, trading at 18.27 from 18.12 at last week’s close after the US Federal Reserve raised interest rates by another 75 basis points to its highest level in 14 years.
The Rand had been trading even lower at the start of the week, briefly touching 18.40, before recovering slightly amid renewed optimism about China’s economic outlook. Domestic concerns also continue to pile pressure on the local unit, such as ongoing power cuts and uneven taxation (with about 4% of the population being responsible for 84% of the country’s tax receipts).
We expect the Rand to continue trading in the 18s in the week ahead, though it is unlikely to weaken beyond 18.50.
Egypt Pounds plunges to record on flexible FX move
The Pound depreciated sharply against the dollar, hitting a fresh record low of 24.15 from 19.67 at last week’s close after the country signalled it was moving to a flexible exchange rate as part of the $3bn IMF loan deal agreed last Thursday.
The Pound’s weakening is likely to fuel inflation, which hit a four-year high of 15% in September. Egypt’s economy has been struggling from the twin effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and commodity price shocks caused by Russia’s war in Ukraine.
That has sparked a foreign investor exodus that is putting more pressure on the Pound, which we expect to sink further in the weeks ahead as the currency floats more freely and adjusts to market based levels.
Kenyan Shilling at new low set for further losses
The Shilling declined to a fresh record low, trading at 121.35/121.55 from 121.15/121.35 at last week’s close amid the familiar trend of elevated dollar demand from energy and manufacturing businesses that is outpacing supply.
The central bank continued to support the currency using its dollar reserves, preventing a larger slide. FX reserves fell to just under $7.3bn from slightly above a week earlier.
We expect the Shilling to weaken further in the week ahead as the US Federal Reserve’s 75 basis point hike this week strengthens the dollar.
Ugandan Shilling to weaken on debt concerns
The Shilling strengthened against the dollar, trading at 3770 from 3808 at last week’s close. Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu said Uganda plans to start pumping its oil reserves in 2025, with the country likely to court Chinese investment to finance the East African pipeline project.
Meanwhile, African health officials said the Ebola outbreak is under control due to successful contact-tracing efforts. The World Health Organization upped its Ebola risk assessment for the country and the wider region as infections reached the capital Kampala. The currency’s stronger showing may be short-lived.
We expect concerns about Ugandan debt levels will cause the Shilling to depreciate in the coming days.
Shilling stable as Tanzania President visits China
The Shilling was broadly unchanged against the dollar, trading at 2332 from 2331 at last week’s close. Petrol prices dropped for a third month in a row at the start of November, supported by the government’s TZS200bn fuel subsidy.
While that handout is protecting Tanzanians from inflationary strains, there are concerns about the sustainability of the subsidy and the potential long-term effects it could have on the economy. President Samia Suluhu Hassan is visiting China this week as Tanzania seeks to drum up investment for the East African oil pipeline that will pump crude from Uganda through to Tanzania’s Tanga port. We expect the Shilling to be more volatile against the dollar in the days ahead following the US Federal Reserve’s latest rate hike.
A baby who was born weighing less than a loaf of bread at just 535g has finally returned home after battling for her life in the hospital for five months.
The child was born on the 4th of March 2022 after her mother, Lauren Ormston, 27, went into premature labour at just 23 weeks at St Peter’s Hospital, Surrey, UK.
Due to the frailty of her condition, doctors informed Lauren and her fiance, Oliver Dewey, 31, that baby Isla had a 10% chance of survival as she was very small.
After she was born, she was rushed to the neonatal unit where she was later diagnosed with level two bleed on the brain and a hole in the heart.
The new mom, speaking on her experience said,
‘I started getting terrible stomach pains and I just thought the baby was moving around, but when the pain intensified, I knew something was wrong.’
‘They suggested getting transferred to a bigger hospital which would increase the chance to 30%.
‘It was terrifying.
‘But I had to take the chance, and I’m so glad I did.
‘The birth was easy, and I only had gas and air.
‘I could only cuddle Isla for six minutes before she was taken to a ventilator.
‘She looked so small and fragile, like she would snap at the slightest bit of movement.
‘I was so worried, but I knew my baby girl was a fighter.
‘Her skin was transparent, I could see every little vein within her body.
‘I lived each day, never knowing if she would make it, day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute.
‘After six weeks, she came off the ventilator but needed an oxygen mask over her face.
‘We had our first cuddle, and her little hand was barely the size of the tip of my husband’s pinky finger.’
Baby Isla spent five months in the hospital and was finally discharged on July 12th 2022 at 10lb 8oz.
However, she lost one of her eyes during an unsuccessful surgery but Lauren, the new mom, said losing an eye isn’t the worse thing that could have happened to Isla and she’s excited that her daughter survived despite the slim chances.
Cassiel Ato Forson, Member of Parliament for Ajumako Enyan Essiam Constituency in the Central Region has alleged that government went on a borrowing spree in the lead-up to the 2020 polls.
Ato Forson, who is the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Finance Committee said a total of GH¢67 billion was borrowed, an amount which he says the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led government splurged on campaigning.
He said the amount was also shared among members of the governing New Patriotic Party, NPP, like ‘kelewele’ – a local snack made of fried chopped plantain with pepper usually accompanied with groundnuts.
“Because of the elections, they decided to borrow GH¢67 billion, and shared the money to their party supporters. They shared Ghana’s money like kelewele,” Ato Forson claimed in an interview with pro-National Democratic Congress channel, Woezor TV.
The NPP government has serially been accused of overborrowing and reckless spending leading Ghana into financial difficulties.
The government insists that the twin effects of the COVID-19 aftermath and the Russia-Ukraine war are to blame for the headwinds and that measures are being put in place to rectify the challenge.
Government borrowed GH¢67 billion; ‘shared it like kelewele’ – Ato Forson claims
Government borrowed GH¢67 billion; ‘shared it like kelewele’ – Ato Forson claims
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President Akufo-Addo in late October delivered an address on the economy, admitting that Ghana was in a crisis, whiles outlining measures being undertaken to reverse the tide and put the economy on a path of growth and prosperity.
His comments were a reply to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa’s opinion that the president, in his latest address, should have apologised for imposing hardships on Ghanaians.
Speaking on Peace FM on November 1, Oppong Nkrumah disagreed and said the North Tongu MP’s claim was false.
“First of all, it is not true. Akufo-Addo has not imposed economic difficulties on people. If you say the President should say he is sorry for the hardship he has imposed on you, I’m not sure the president and his spokesperson will agree with you,” he said.
He, however, stated that he did not want to engage in partisan politics, especially in these economic times.
Former president John Dramani Mahama has expressed worry over the high inflation rate that has witnessed the price of basic food items increase each passing day.
Mr Mahama has once again called on the Akufo-Addo government to work around the clock and find a lasting solution to the economic crisis. In his public lecture ‘Building The Ghana We Want’ delivered on October 27, the 2020 flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress outlined some measures that can help save the situation.
In a tweet dated November 5, Mr Mahama lamented the current price of salt and gari which has now become expensive to the ordinary Ghanaian under the NPP administration.
“Prices of items including everyday medication, salt, gari and cooking oil, are constantly on the rise. If you do not buy an item at a particular point in time, you are likely to find that the price has significantly increased a few hours later,” read Mahama’s tweet sighted by GhanaWeb.
Meanwhile, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has asked to have faith in his government to turn around the woes of the state.
On Sunday, October 30, the president referenced how the New Patriotic Party managed to properly handle the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana at a time when developed nations were struggling to contain it and assured that they will restore the economy.
“When I said, at the height of the COVID pandemic, that we knew what to do to bring the economy back to life, but not how to bring people back to life, it was not said in jest.”
“We had done it before, and we were on course to doing it again. Ghana’s economy grew by a remarkable 5.4% in 2021, signifying a strong recovery from the 0.5% growth recorded the previous year due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Akufo-Addo.
Speaking to Class 91.3 FM’s Ashanti regional correspondent, Elisha Adarkwah, Mr Poku, who confirmed the increase in the price of caskets, attributed the price adjustment to the prevailing economic situation in the country.
“It’s true because everything that we’re using to do the work has increased by about 50 to 70 percent, that’s why we have also increased the prices,” he admitted.
Currently, an ‘Abenwoha’ coffin that was sold previously at GH¢1,500 sells at GH¢2,500 while a ‘theatre’ coffin which was selling at GH¢3,000 is now priced at GH¢3,700.
The ‘Akyikyideakyi’ coffin has been increased from GH¢3,500 to GH¢4,000 and the ‘Hyedua’ coffin has soared from GH¢4,000 to GH¢5,000.
The least-priced coffin is GH¢1,700, which was previously sold at GH¢1,000.
He justified the price adjustments thus: “For filler, previously it was GH¢150 but now it has increased to GH¢250. That’s why we’ve increased it. As for the paint, half of it previously was GHS40 but now it is GH¢90. For the thinner, it was GH¢70 but now it’s GH¢110, so, that’s why the prices have gone up,” he enumerated.
Sergio Agüero is now just one hat-trick away from Alan Shearer’s all-time Premier League record after his treble against Arsenal last weekend.
The Argentine netted all three goals in a comfortable 3-1 victory over the Gunners to bring up his 10th Premier League hat-trick.
Agüero’s first treble came against Wigan Athletic in 2011 with his 10th coming on his 227th appearance.
A hat-trick against Chelsea on Sunday [February 10] would take him level with Shearer but who else is on the list of Premier League hat-trick heroes?
<a href=”https://dugout.com/spurs/hat-trick-heroes-harry-kane-scores-a-treble-against-west-brom”>Harry Kane</a>: It might not be long before Agüero is at the top of the hat-trick leaderboard, but he could be joined by Tottenham’s Harry Kane in the near future.
The England star already has eight hat-tricks to his name, just two behind Agüero.
Kane’s first hat-trick came against Leicester in a thrilling 4-3 victory in March 2015.
The striker also scored an incredible six trebles in 2017.
<a href=”https://dugout.com/fcbarcelona/hat-trick-heroes-luis-suarez-helps-to-clobber-cordoba”>Luis Suárez</a>: Now an FC Barcelona hero, Suárez made his name at Liverpool, scoring hat-tricks at will during his four years at the club.
Suárez made a habit of scoring against Norwich, netting three of his six hat-tricks against the Canaries.
The Uruguayan currently sits eighth in the Premier League hat-tricks standings and also has 10 hat-tricks in LaLiga for Barça.
<a href=”https://dugout.com/fcbarcelona/hat-trick-heroes-thierry-henry-haunts-valencia”>Thierry Henry</a>: Tied with Kane and Michael Owen, Theirry Henry was devastating in front of goal for Arsenal.
The Frenchman spent eight years at the Gunners, scoring eight hat-tricks and winning two league titles.
His final treble came in the last match at Highbury as Arsenal won 4-2 against Wigan in 2006.
<a href=”https://dugout.com/liverpoolfc/dream-transfers-robbie-fowler”>Robbie Fowler</a>: A cult hero at Liverpool, Robbie Fowler netted 128 Premier League goals for the Reds.
That included eight hat-tricks as well as one treble for Leeds United.
Fowler also scored 21 league goals in 80 appearances for Manchester City.
According to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the government has received 12.8 million euros from Austria to upgrade 10 Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) schools in Ghana.
In order to strengthen the TVET sector, Planet One of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has also invested an estimated 392 million Euros in NVTI infrastructure development.
At a spectacular durbar in Sunyani on Saturday that served as the culmination of the 55th Anniversary celebration of the Sunyani Technical University, President Akufo-Addo made this statement in a speech that was delivered on his behalf by Mr. Michael Okyere Baafi, the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry.
It was on the theme: “STU, 55 Years of Progress and Achievement in TVET Education: Mobilising Excellence for Leadership in Ghana’s Industrialisation Agenda”.
The Government had, since 2007, created a strong foundation for TVET due to its importance to the nation’s socio-economic development, he said.
The rehabilitation and upgrading of laboratories and workshops in technical universities and institutes remained one of the key projects undertaken by the government to uplift skills training in the country.
The project, which cost some 199 million US dollars, was a collaboration between Ghana and its Chinese partners through the AVIC International Holding Corporation of China.
This was to provide state-of-the-art equipment for 13 technical institutes and 10 technical universities to enhance skills training in these institutions.
Professor Kwadwo Adinkrah-Appiah, the Vice-Chancellor of the STU, expressed concern over the deplorable condition of access roads to the University and appealed to the Government to provide an asphaltic overlay on the four-kilometer-long campus road, in addition to the one-kilometer Waterloo section, which remained unpaved.
He appealed for the construction of a pedestrian footbridge across the Sunyani-Kumasi Highway in front of the University to save students from the frequent knockdowns by motorists.
Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah commended President Akufo-Addo for the support, through the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND), to complete the basement of the Science Park Project, but expressed regret over the yearly allocation for the only GETFUND project at the University, saying it was woefully inadequate.
Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Bono Regional Minister, said
technical education remained crucial to the nation’s industrialization agenda, which sought to transform the economic structure from primary to secondary.
“In view of this, the New Patriotic Party-led Government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that technical education is given the needed impetus to drive the transformation to industrialization and accelerated socio-economic development of the country,” she said.
The STU started as the Sunyani Technical Institute (SUTECH) in 1967 to provide Middle School leavers the opportunity to undergo hands-on training in craft programmes.
Those were intermediate block-laying and concreting carpentry and joinery, electrical installation, and motor vehicle mechanics.
The institute was turned into a polytechnic in1997 and 19 years later, (2016), it was converted to the STU, with a new mandate to provide higher education and award its own degrees, diplomas, and other certificates.
The courses include Engineering, Science and Technology, TVET, as well as Applied Arts and related disciplines as enshrined in the Technical Universities Act 2016 (ACT 922 as amended).
Former Ghanaian coach Charles Kwablan Akonnor claims he wasn’t given the necessary support while coaching the Black Stars.
Kwesi Appiah’s contract expired in January 2020, and Akonnor was chosen to take over as the Black Stars‘ manager.
Due to the national team’s lackluster performance, the former Asante Kotoko coach was shown the door three months before the start of the AFCON competition in Cameroon in 2021.
He was then replaced by Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac, who went with the team to Cameroon, where Ghana experienced their worst-ever AFCON performance after amassing just a point.
Speaking to Joy Sports, Akonnor downplayed claims that he landed the Black Stars coaching job too early.
“No, [ I didn’t take the job too early]. I don’t think it was early, what I needed was encouragement and I didn’t get it,” he told JoySports.
“When you look at the atmosphere that I worked, it was a tough one. It got to a time I didn’t know who to trust, or who to speak to.
“I was in the middle of too many things which made it difficult for me, very difficult,” he emphasised.
“Listen,” he began the narration of his journey. “I had been an assistant, U-17, Frimpong Manso, I had been an assistant, Orlando [Wellington], U-20, I was assistant, Black Stars. I have coached Eleven Wise, Right to Dream Academy which is now the biggest Academy in West Africa, Hearts of Oak, big team; Kotoko, AshGold, and I am getting close to 50 [years old] and you say it was early for me?
“You want me to be 70 or 80 years old before I manage the team? It didn’t work as it ought to doesn’t mean it was too early for me,” he said.
Akonnor’s appointment was censured by even former teammates, one he says was very disappointing and discouraging.
“When I first started the job, a lot of people criticised my appointment which was disappointing. A lot of people who have played in the national team before and they know me; it is discouraging. It was more challenging and I was not too favoured. I don’t know what they were looking for.”
Former coach of Ghana Charles Kwablan Akonnor defended his selection as the Black Stars’ manager, claiming it wasn’t too early for him to land the position.
Kwesi Appiah was replaced as the Black Stars’ manager in January 2020 by Akonnor, who’s appointment sparked a contentious debate across the nation. Some Ghanaians felt it was too early to hand the Black Stars to Akonnor.
But the former Wolfsburg captain thinks otherwise, saying it wasn’t too early for him but was of the opinion his didn’t the needed encouragement.
The former Asante Kotoko trainer was shown the exit door three months to start of the 2021 AFCON tournament in Cameroon on the back of an unimpressive performance of the national team.
He was then replaced by Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac, who went with the team to Cameroon, where Ghana experienced their worst-ever AFCON performance after amassing just a point.
“No, [ I didn’t take the job too early]. I don’t think it was early, what I needed was encouragement and I didn’t get it,” he told JoySports.
“When you look at the atmosphere that I worked, it was a tough one. It got to a time I didn’t know who to trust, or who to speak to.
“I was in the middle of too many things which made it difficult for me, very difficult,” he emphasised.
“Listen,” he began the narration of his journey. “I had been an assistant, U-17, Frimpong Manso, I had been an assistant, Orlando [Wellington], U-20, I was assistant, Black Stars. I have coached Eleven Wise, Right to Dream Academy which is now the biggest Academy in West Africa, Hearts of Oak, big team; Kotoko, AshGold, and I am getting close to 50 [years old] and you say it was early for me?
“You want me to be 70 or 80 years old before I manage the team? It didn’t work as it ought to doesn’t mean it was too early for me,” he said.
Akonnor’s appointment was censured by even former teammates, one he says was very disappointing and discouraging.
“When I first started the job, a lot of people criticised my appointment which was disappointing. A lot of people who have played in the national team before and they know me; it is discouraging. It was more challenging and I was not too favoured. I don’t know what they were looking for.”
According to the rating agency Fitch, Ghana has a 50% likelihood of not repaying its debt.
The rating agency warned that a further reduction might bring Ghana’s sovereign credit rating closer to default.
Fitch stated that this might become even more certain should Ghana’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a $3 billion package result in a restructuring of the country’s debts, according to a report by myjoyonline.com.
Remember when Ghana’s Long-Term Local and Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) were lowered by Fitch to CC in September 2022?
Following the economic challenges faced by the country, Ghana began its formal negotiations for the extended credit facility programme with the IMF in September 2022.
It has been the hope of the government that this move would bring some stability in the economy, amid the rapid depreciation of the Ghana cedi and soaring inflation rates.
This was after cutting its 2022 discretionary expenditure by as much as 30%. However, this did not deter investors from dumping Ghana’s Eurobonds.
According to Bloomberg, Ghana was considering restructuring part of its 190.3 billion ($13.6 billion) of local debt, as part of the talks with the International Monetary Fund.
A committee was formed in October 2023 to solicit views from bondholders for a debt management strategy.
This declaration follows a social media post by Sam Nartey George, a member of the Select Committee on Communications and the Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, regarding the current SIM Card Registration.
According to the Authority, they have not issued any such directives to the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) providers.
The lecturer told Starr News that changing the way employees work is the best approach for firms to ease the current economic troubles.
“Employers should implement a hybrid system of working where employees are not required to report to work on a regular basis.
That may aid in cost savings.
especially when it comes to transportation expenses, which account for a sizable amount of employees’ salary.
“Such approach can also help, this is not something new. During COVID a lot of people were working from home. When COVID went down a bit we are seeing employers encouraging employees to be coming back to the office,” the associate professor advised.
He also advised the average Ghanaian to try as much as possible to focus on necessities and not luxury.
Meanwhile, the Economic Fighters League has embarked on the ‘Kum me Preko’ demonstration in Accra over the current economic difficulties.
The demonstration was meant to pile pressure for the resignation of President Akufo-Addo and his Vice Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for non-performance.
Addressing the media ahead of the demonstration, Mr. Kpebu stated that Ghana’s Constitution has made room for smooth elections to be conducted when the President and Vice resign from office.
“We have a duty as stated in Article 41 to ask the President to resign. And this is not the first time the President of Ghana is going to resign. In actual fact in the 60s General Ankrah resigned over a matter of GHC6,000 that he is alleged to have used to bribe somebody to organize an opinion.
“So that he can be declared as the most popular President in Ghana. So ladies and gentlemen where we are as at now in Ghana, the situation is so dire that the best thing is for President Akufo-Addo to take responsibility and resign with his Vice Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia,” Mr. Kpebu indicated.
He continued: “Indeed the Constitution has envisaged the situation. That’s why it has been provided in Article 6 that the President may resign from office, the Vice President may resign as well. So Article 66 says the President may just give his resignation to the Speaker of Parliament.”
Joseph Dindiok Kpemka, a former deputy attorney general, has urged Ghanaians to continue having faith in the government to ease their current financial difficulty.
The former Member of Parliament for Tempane in the Upper East Region, however, issued a warning against making comments that would erode investor confidence and stated, “Let’s not give the image that we’re in a moment of Apocalypse.”
“If we don’t take care, we’re going to continue to hammer certain points and create market distortions then the price increases would continue to be taken advantage of by traders and all of us will be in it,” Mr Kpemka said.
He said this during a discussion on the current state of the economy on a local TV station on Saturday.
He said he was confident that the President’s 12-points policy agenda outlined during his address on the economy on October 30, would make the economy “get back on its toes and take off to the land of glory”.
The former Legislature, therefore, encouraged all Ghanaians to give their support to the President, and said: “I’ve not heard the president say that our cups are flowing with milk and honey”.
“As a country, what we’re supposed to be doing now is to reflect on our past, reflect on our present and chart a good path in the future to rebuild our economy to become the buoyant one that we want it to be as it started in the past,” Mr Kpemka said.
Dr Smart Sarpong, a Political Scientist, asked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to “take complete responsibility [of the current economic difficulty] and help save the situation. ”
He said it had become necessary for the President to make strategic changes in the team handling the economy, including Ministers, noting that such a move would “inspire some additional hope in the people”.
Mr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, a Member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade, called for details of the economic policies and programme solutions the President outlined to be made public to inspire confidence.
“The President addressed us to give us hope, but he may not be able to give us the details in that presentation. The expectation is that after the President’s presentation, his Ministers should be giving us detailed information about what the President meant, instead of telling us that it would be in the 2023 budget,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo in his address last Sunday said the Government would among others, restore macroeconomic stability in about six months with a focus on debt sustainability to promote inclusive growth and protect the poor.
That would be done through the country’s homegrown economic programme with support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan support, and a further 30 per cent cut in salaries of political office holders.
The President also said there would be a review of the standards needed for imports into the country and ensure that enough local production of rice, poultry, vegetable oil, toothpicks, pasta, fruit juice, bottled water, and ceramic tiles was prioritised.
LeBron James has weighed in on the recent controversy surrounding Kyrie Irving.
While speaking to the media following the Lakers’ loss to the Jazz on Friday night, LeBron didn’t shy away from criticizing his former teammate. James declared that Irving, who was suspended by the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday after failing to apologize for sharing an antisemitic film on social media, “caused some harm to a lot of people.”
“It doesn’t matter what color your skin is, how tall you are or what position you’re in,” LeBron said. “If you are promoting, soliciting or saying harmful things to any community that harms people, then I don’t respect it. I don’t condone it.”
James continued, “I hope he understands that what he said was harmful to a lot of people. As humans, none of us are perfect. But I hope he understands what he did or the actions he took was harmful to a lot of people.”
Kyrie sparked backlash last week after posting a link on social media for the documentary Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America, a 2018 film that focuses on antisemitic tropes, including claims that “many famous high-ranking Jews have admitted to worship[ing] Satan or Lucifer.”
When asked about the backlash, Irving downplayed his actions, claiming that he wasn’t promoting anything.
The Nets suspended Kyrie on Thursday, saying the point guard will need to meet a “series of objective remedial measures that address the harmful impact of his conduct” before he can return to the team.
His suspension will last for “no less than five games.” Read the Nets’ statement below.
