On the Interbank forex rates from the Bank of Ghana as of November 7, 2022, the Ghana Cedi is trading against the dollar at a buying price of 13.0012 and a selling price of 13.0142.
As compared to Friday’s trading of a buying price of 13.0017 and a selling price of 13.0147. At a forex bureau in Accra, the dollar is being bought at a rate of 13.30 and sold at a rate of 14.00.
Against the Pound Sterling, the Cedi is trading at a buying price of 14.6862 and a selling price of 14.7034 as compared to Friday’s trading at a buying price of 14.5346 and a selling price of 14.5517.
At a forex bureau in Accra, the pound sterling is being bought at a rate of 14.50 and sold at a rate of 15.50.
The Euro is trading at a buying price of 12.6818 and a selling price of 12.6945 as compared to Friday’s trading at a buying price of 12.6818 and a selling price of 12.6945.
At a forex bureau in Accra, Euro is being bought at a rate of 12.65 and sold at a rate of 13.55.
The South African Rand is trading at a buying price of 0.7217 and a selling price of 0.7225 compared to Friday’s trading at a buying price of 0.7065 and a selling price of 0.7071.
At a forex bureau in Accra, South African Rand is being bought at a rate of 0.65 and sold at a rate of 1.10.
The Nigerian Naira is trading at a buying price of 34.0122 and a selling price of 34.0644 as compared to Friday’s trading at a buying price of 34.0301 and a selling price of 34.0862.
At a forex bureau in Accra, Nigerian Naira is being bought at a rate of 14.50 Naira for every 1 Cedi and sold at a rate of 18.50.
Whiles experts have advised employers to adopt the hybrid working system to allow employees to heave a sigh of relief amidst the economic crisis, the Ghana Medical Association has said otherwise.
According to the General Secretary of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Dr. Titus Beyuo, the value of their salaries have reduced by 50 per cent.
He stated that it will be prudent for the government to peg their salaries and allowances at a dollar rate to avoid further shocks.
Speaking to rainbow radio, Dr Beyuo called on the government to devise strategies to stabilize the wobbling economy.
“The government must try to stabilize the economy because the real value of our salaries has reduced by about 50 percent and, even if in dollar terms, we are earning less. So in future negotiations, if the government does not stabilize the economy, we have no choice but to ask for our salaries and allowances to be pegged at the dollar rate so that, they do not lose value,” he said.
Against the Pound Sterling, the Cedi is trading at a buying price of 14.6862 and a selling price of 14.7034 as compared to Friday’s trading at a buying price of 14.5346 and a selling price of 14.5517.
Uruguay is continuing with its camping ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup this week.
The Ghana opponent for the 2022 FIFA World Cup started early camping to train for the upcoming world cup last week.
While head coach Diego Alonso is yet to settle on his final 26-man squad, he has already assembled some home-based players in his 55-man squad submitted to FIFA to start early training.
Today, country hero Luis Suarez is part of the squad of players that has trained and is expected to be involved in various sessions this week.
“Luis Suárez, Giorgian De Arrascaeta, and Sergio Rochet joined the reserved training sessions,” part of a statement by Uruguay said on Monday, November 7.
Besides Ghana, Uruguay will also face Portugal and South Korea in Group H. The Uruguay squad is expected to travel to Abu Dhabi to continue with the camping this week.
He contends that the Oil Marketing Companies and Bulk Oil Distributors’ ongoing increases in the price of petroleum goods must in part be attributed to the BoG.
On November 5, Alex Mould complained about the Central Bank’s alleged refusal to give OMCs and BDCs accurate foreign exchange figures during Citi TV’s Big Issue segment.
“The price build-up we see today, I am told some of the BDCs use between GH¢ 18-GH¢19 per a dollar as exchange rate, and that is why you are getting a price of GH¢23.49 per a litre of diesel. The market rate was about GH¢14 per dollar, and this is the commercial rate. Nobody uses the BoG rate,” he is quoted by Citinewsroom.com
“BoG rate I don’t know what type of rate it is, because it is not the rate the banks trade with themselves or trade with their customers. BoG needs to be more proactive and give us realistic and practical rates and stop fooling the people of Ghana that, this is the exchange rate of the market. Everybody knows that nobody uses the BoG exchange rates,” he stressed.
Alex Mould also said the BoG must address the situation where some commercial banks do not go by the central bank’s rate when dealing with customers.
Touching further on the fuel price hikes, Alex Mould urged for structural solutions to address problems in the exchange rate market.
“The challenge is that these BDCs don’t know where they are going to get forex from, and two, they don’t know what the price will be. There’s a structural problem in the market and I think it needs to be addressed,” he noted.
The sector minister for agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, declared last week that the produce intended for the “agricultural market” would help keep food prices down and guarantee availability in the nation’s capital.
All regional capitals will receive similar interventions.
A technical committee was debating efficient ways to convey the produce and “critical inputs” for the program, a source at the Ministry told the Ghana News Agency.
The source said the Ministry was also considering the option of transporting farmers to Accra for direct sales.
It said the “agriculture market” was likely to start in December to ensure abundance of food during the yuletide.
The situation, he said, was creating artificial food shortage in the country.
“The prices of food in Greater Accra are so high. One of you said the price of plantain from the farm gate to Sefwi Wiawso here increases about 3 folds. How about when they are taken to Accra?
“It increases in about 10 folds. So those in Accra think there is no food but there is a lot of food as you know. We only have to ensure that we get the price reduced for the people in Accra,” he stated.
The Year-on-Year inflation rate for September 2022 based on the 16 administrative regions was 37.2 per cent.
The transition focuses on the pricing index and rate of inflation with a new reference period of 2021.
The computational considerations transitioning from 10 to 16 administrative regions are readjustment of regional weights, replacement and inclusion of markets and outlets, variation in price reterence years and representative of items across regions.
Prof. Samuel Kobina Annim, the Government Statistician, said for the month of September 2022, the general price level was 37.2 per cent higher than in September 2021.
Mr Annin said Eastern Region had the highest regional inflation rate of 47.1 per cent, while the Upper East Region had the lowest regional inflation rate of 22.9 per cent.
He said the year-on-year inflation for September 2022 had domestic inflation of 35.8 per cent and imported inflation of 40. 7 per cent, food inflation of 37.8 per cent and non-food inflation of 36.8 per cent.
The 2.0 per cent month-on-month inflation for September 2022, comprised of food inflation of 2.2 per cent and non-food inflation of 1.7 per cent.
Prior to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Mustapha Ussif, the minister of youth and sports, has passionately urged Ghanaians to support the Black Stars.
The West African nation will be participating in the World Cup for the fourth time after being unable to attend the most recent edition, which was held in Russia in 2018.
Ussif claimed that the team’s training was proceeding in accordance with a plan created by the government and the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to guarantee the team’s best performance.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Yagaba-Kubori Constituency in the North East Region also said Ghanaians needed to contribute financially via Mobile Money donation to cushion the team and motivate them to achieve success in Qatar.
Black Stars 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.
The team will open camp on November 10 in Abu Dhabi. Otto Addo, who is the head coach of the side will name his final 26-man squad on November 14.
Black Stars will play Switzerland in an international friendly on November 17, before traveling to Qatar for the World Cup on November 19.
Broadcast journalist, Bridget Otoo, has reacted to a tweet shared by her employers, Metro TV, wishing the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, a happy birthday.
Retweeting the post, she captioned it with a rhetorical question, asking the TV station, “You and who?”
The original post by the station read, “All of us at #MetroTV wish Ken Ofori-Atta a happy birthday. Enjoy today Sir.”
Bridget joins the tall list of celebrities fanning for the minister to be discharged of his duties for how poorly he has performed in his role as the chief financial employee of the government.
The country has experience unprecedented economic downturns since the stated of the year, in what many have described as ‘the worst time in our economic history’.
Aside from that, calls for the dismissal of the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Ken Ofori-Atta, have heightened in the last couple of weeks following the wobbling state of the economy.
Although netizens have taken to social media to whine and call for the dismissal of the finance minister, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has mounted a spirited defence of his appointee, indicating that he needs three weeks for him to finalise the International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal.
The loss of the Black Stars coaching prior to the start of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, according to former Ghanaian coach Charles Kwablan Akonnor, wounded him.
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 on Joy Sports, the former Ghana midfielder who had the dream of leading the Black Stars at the AFCON tournament says his dream was shut down but was unable to disclose it.
“[Being the head coach at the 2021 AFCON] was a dream but one way or the other, somebody shut it down, who that person is, I don’t know,” he said on Joy Sports’ Prime Take.
“I wouldn’t say so [I would have done better than what Milovan Rajevac did], but I had a plan and if that plan had worked, maybe we would have done better than we did.
“At least, the FA should have allowed me to go to the AFCON and come back because my contract was even running out. I was hurt but I am better now.”
Ghanaian businessman and entrepreneur, Nana Kwame Bediako, popularly known as Cheddar,has given Kanye West an alternative on how his millions of dollars can be used to save some African countries whose currencies are losing to the dollar.
In a tweet he put out on November 6, 2022, Cheddar told the rapper that World Bank was holding some African countries at ransom for the economic crisis they are going through.
“@kanyewest IMF and the world bank are holding countries at ransom for economic crisis in Africa.
@kanyewest IMF and the world bank are holding countries at ransom for economic crisis in Africa Ghana my country is one of them. My advice for you is if they don’t want your billions in their banks then use some of the funds to save countries in Africa with currency depreciation
“Ghana, my country, is one of them. My advice for you is if they don’t want your billions in their banks then use some of the funds to save countries in Africa with currency depreciation,” he shared.
This comes after US banking giant, JP Morgan Chase, cut off its ties with the rapper and designer, who presently goes by the name Ye.
The bank gave Mr West until November 21, 2022, in the letter, to move his business.
Mr West had recently taken to social media to condemn JP Morgan’s administration and said they wouldn’t give him access to the bank’s CEO, Jamie Dimon.
The move by JP Morgan comes as Mr West’s business organizations have gone under expanded examination.
The Black Stars are participating in the global championship for the first time after being excluded from Russia 2018, where France won.
On behalf of the President of the West African nation, Harold Agyeman, Permanent Representative of Ghana to the UN, handed the jersey to the UN Chief on Friday at the Headquarters.
Guterres’ who is from Portugal will see his side face Ghana in Group H of the tournament on November 24,2022.
“This jersey is a gift from President Akufo-Addo. I’m sure the value will go up when we win the World Cup,” Harold Agyeman told Mr. Guterres amid laughter.
In response, the Secretary-General said “the color of the jersey is just like that of (Portuguese club) Benfica, the team I support.”
Ghana has been housed in Group H at the mundial against Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea.
The Black Stars will open their World Cup account against Portugal on November 24 before taking on Uruguay and South Korea respectively.
The biggest soccer mundial has been scheduled for November and December this year, with 32 countries set to battle it out for the covetous trophy in Qatar.
Talented singer, performer, and song writer, Emmanuel Essel-Ackom popularly known as Jah Lead believes A-list artistes in Ghana have been overly protected and pampered to occupy the number-one spot.
According to the “Lonely” hitmaker, the Ghanaian music space is not challenging enough to create tough competition in taking over the number-one spot.
Speaking to Sir Roy on Omy Tv, Jah Lead calls for an equal opportunity for artistes doing great like himself to prove their worth and not limiting the scope to the ‘top 3s’.
“I think they’ve been pampered a bit, I think, I think, honestly in other jurisdictions an artiste travels, covid comes in, you are stuck there, by the time you come there are multiple of artistes that you cannot even… you will always have to come and compete again to find the space.
But unfortunately, in our country people have been so protected like… they can go, stay, no matter the years come back and still occupy that number-one spot, it’s not challenging enough, I think we are not challenging them enough” Jah lead said.
Admitting the difficulties, “well if it was just like going to the studio and building a good song, I don’t think it would have been that difficult to take someone from the number-one spot. But here we go it’s a whole industry on its own, you have Tv stations in there, you have radio stations in there, you have bloggers in there… and then it looks like everybody has been directed to look here, finish… you are not being allowed to turn,” he added.
The ‘Marry Me’ singer said, he deserves to be monitored and followed up for his good works whiles urging Ghanaians to break from following the choices of a selected few.
“Once an A-listed artist is getting premium there if I am a younger artiste you’ve never heard before… you hear my song and it is that good, that classic, I mean I merit to be there, I merit to get a follow up again, I merit to be monitored as an artiste too” the Reggae/Dancehall & Afrobeats artiste urged.
He revealed his intentions to dominate love-prone occasions and ceremonies with his music.
Jah Lead is a Ghanaian singer, songwriter, and performer. He is a Reggae, dancehall & Afrobeats artist but also takes inspiration in the indigenous highlife …
With assurance from the Bank of Ghana that the recent appreciation will see a further improvement, given the measures it has rolled out and coming from the cocoa syndicated loan that has provided the needed buffer, the country’s troubled currency has not experienced a weekly loss in value against the US dollar for the first time in memorable weeks.
According to data from the Bank of Ghana, the cedi has not lost any value against the dollar over the last week. This is in contrast to October, when it lost 25.2 percent of its value against the dollar alone, going from GH9.6 to GH13 at the beginning of the month.
At the close of business on Friday, November 4, 2022, the exchange rate between the local currency and the US dollar remained at GH13 to 1.
Speaking in an interview with the B&FT, Head of Other Financial Institutions Supervision Department at the Bank of Ghana, Yaw Sapong, said the cedi’s strength against the dollar can be attributed to actions recently taken by the central bank to crack down on illegal forex activities, popularly known as black market operations, together with the closure of some forex bureaux which were not playing according to rules of the game.
“Our efforts are yielding results because we have noted that there is increased traffic to forex bureaux. People who hitherto would look elsewhere for foreign currency are now using forex bureaux. We have also noticed that the hotspots where some of the illegal forex operators were doing their activities openly are no longer in existence.
“We have also seen that the cedi is doing better than before. Over the last few days, the cedi has appreciated against the dollar. Speculation has also reduced drastically, and that is one of the successes we can say comes as a result of measures from the Bank of Ghana,” he said.
He further stated that the cocoa syndicated loan coming will also provide the bank with enough buffers to address the forex needs of big-ticket transactions, while the forex bureaux will focus on serving individuals with lesser need for forex.
Mr. Sapong is upbeat that the cedi’s appreciation against the dollar will persist in the coming weeks, given the Bank of Ghana’s measures being implemented and proposed programme with the IMF, adding that the speculation must stop.
“We think the cedi will further appreciate with the efforts we are putting in, and the cocoa syndicated loan in addition to the proposed IMF programme. So we believe the cedi will strengthen further, and we are urging people to stop the speculation,” he said.
Market-watcher Aza Finance, in its weekly report, acknowledged that the cedi’s performance against the US dollar results from measures introduced by the regulator.
“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,” the market-watcher stated.
Ghanaian player Inaki Williams, was given his name in honor of Iaki Mardones, a Catholic priest who was crucial in assisting his parents’ relocation to Spain.
The forward was selected for the 55-person Black Stars provisional team and is likely to be included on the final rosters for the World Cup in Qatar.
Felix Williams and Maria (Mary) Arthuer, the 28-year-parents, old’s crossed the Sahara and, after arriving in Morocco, leapt the border fence to reach Melilla, one of two Spanish cities in North Africa.
The Guardian reported that, on the advice of a lawyer, they said they were from Liberia to apply for political asylum. They ended up in Bilbao, Spain, where the then-Deacon Iñaki Mardones, was instrumental in helping them when they arrived in Bilbao.
“I went to pick them up at Abando (railway) station,” Mardones told La Provincia, a Spanish magazine. At the time, Maria was seven months pregnant.
“I remember them with the suitcase and the uncertainty on their faces,” Mardones told La Provincia. The report on them said they understood Spanish, “but when I started to speak they looked at me without understanding anything. When I switched to English they sighed in relief.” He helped them to an apartment used by Caritas, and even helped them get to the hospital for their child’s birth.
Iñaki Williams, born June 15, 1994, was named after Mardones, who later baptized him and gave him his first soccer uniform.
“That’s where we put the seed,” Mardones told La Provincia.
Williams, a striker, is one of the newly called-up players of the Black Stars. The 28-year-old has made more than 200 appearances for Spain’s Athletic Bilbao club team and has scored more than 40 goals.
Around the time of his Spain debut in 2016, Williams was being watched by a Spanish scout from Ghana’s national team
In 2021, he told The Guardian he would not play for Ghana because “I feel Basque and can’t con anyone.”
“And my mum knows how people live football there: It’s quite something, and she’d be worried about me,” he said.
However, on July 5, 2022, Williams announced that he was making himself available to Ghana in time for the World Cup. FIFA rules stipulate players can switch countries if they have not played more than three matches for a country before the age of 21 and have not played in a World Cup or continental tournament.
In announcing that he would play for Ghana, Williams said his parents “taught me to embrace life” and that he was working to evolve personally and professionally.
“That’s why I feel the moment has come for me to find my origins within myself and with Africa and Ghana, which means so much to me and my family. I want to return a small part of everything it has given to us, because Ghana has played a significant part of becoming who I am as a person, as a son and as a brother.”
In September, he received his first call-up to Ghana’s national team, for friendlies with Brazil and Nicaragua.
Williams’s switch comes as a boost for Ghana ahead of this year’s World Cup. Ghana has been grouped with Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea in the first round, which begins Nov. 20.
Ernest Buamah, a former youth leader of the Archdiocese of Accra and CEO of Green Sports Academy, told Catholic News Service he has been watching Williams play club ball and play for the Black Stars.
“He has some qualities that can make us compete competitively at the World Cup,” he said.
In order to address the long-term depreciation of the Ghanaian cedi and achieve self-sufficiency, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has reiterated the government’s view that imports of goods that may be produced domestically should be stopped.
Because of the country’s reliance on importing finished goods and exporting raw materials, there is a persistent lack of domestic foreign currency supply and a constant need for foreign currencies.
This is the reason behind the Ghanaian cedi’s long-term drop in value in comparison to important trading currencies.
Stating some of the imported items that could be affected by the new government stance, the minister said: “Self-sufficiency and export of items such as rice, poultry, vegetable oil to fix pasture, fruit-juice, bottled water and ceramics is at this moment an urgent priority, and government is prepared to support our local industry players with this effort.
“Only when we achieve this feat can we guarantee a stable currency and secure a high level of predictability for citizens and the business community,” he stated.
Between 2017 and 2020, the country is reported to have spent as much as GH¢6.9billion on the importation of rice. Within the same period, the country has also imported some GH¢4billion of fish and another GH¢1.9billion of chicken and some GH¢487million of meat.
“I don’t know how we can continue to do this. You know, in effect, the poor cocoa farmer weeds and produces cocoa and we get some US$2billion from them – and then we use it to import these things and insist that we need benchmark value reduction. So, this is where we are. We must ask ourselves where our sovereignty lies,” the minister said.
Dr. Humphrey Ayim Darke, AGI President, expressed industrial concerns over a complete reversal of the benchmark policy, as the finance minister had hinted before passage of the 2022 budget.
“However, given the aforementioned context, one of our concerns is that this should apply to finished items rather than raw materials – which are our primary import for value addition.
In a format of intermediary costs or value addition, it’s very relevant for this policy issue to be taken into consideration; including zero-rated duty for industrial raw materials. This advocacy is on, and we fervently plead its implementation for the purposes of creating sustainable jobs, generating revenue for government, and charting the path of industrialisation,” the AGI President said.
Effective January 2022, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) began implementing government’s policy directive on reversal of the reduction of values of imports on selected items, otherwise known as the ‘benchmark values’.
For general merchandise, the discount policy was changed from 50 percent to 30 percent, and for autos it was changed from 30 percent to 10 percent. In order to help stabilise the pricing of imported goods on the market over the last three years, government had to forego up to 40 percent of its anticipated revenue.
The “Black Panther” star died in 2020 at the age of 43 after a private battle with colon cancer.
“It was been the most challenging two years I have ever had in my life,” Ledward Boseman said of how she’s processing the loss of her late husband.
She described how grateful she was to have been by his side, saying she couldn’t “believe that I was so lucky.”
“I can’t believe that I got to love this person and I also got him to love me too,” she told Goldberg.
“The View” moderator asked Ledward Boseman if there had been fear prior to his death over news that had come out that Boseman may have been ill.
“It was Covid when things really started to spiral and that meant that everybody was in their house,” Ledward Boseman said. “And there was no pressure for anyone to go outside. It seemed like ‘Is this a crazy coincidence that we actually get to be inside, we get to be here with family…together.’”
Things have ebbed and flowed since her husband’s passing.
“Some days I’m doing worse than I’m really willing to acknowledge and other days I’m doing better than I feel comfortable admitting,” she said. “The grief really, it moves in.”
Ledward Boseman spoke of keeping her husband’s legacy alive through a scholarship program at his beloved alma mater, Howard University in Washington, DC, which renamed its fine arts program after him.
“Taking this mantel and we are carrying it to as many voices as we can,” she said.
The full interview will air Friday as part of “20/20 Presents Black Panther: In Search of Wakanda.”
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is in theaters November 11.
Richard Nunekpeku, managing partner at Sustineri Attorneys, has stated that in order for startups to outlive the short average lifespan for startups and grow into formidable businesses, their founders and managers must be willing to give up a portion of their equity holdings to providers of essential services.
He argues that this is the reason why many businesses fail within their first five years: managers of startups frequently choose to take on jobs they lack the expertise for and ignore the advice of experts when faced with a lack of funding and the necessity for specialized advisory services.
Speaking to the B&FT subsequent to his appearance on a panel discussing the future of finance at the recently-concluded 11th edition of the Ghana Economic Forum (GEF), he said: “The sustainable path to ensuring that there is right service at the right price and quality for fintechs must begin with founders and managers understanding and appreciating the value of service providers.
“If you are not able to pay upfront for some of the services you need as a startup, how do you leverage the equity you have in a business that at the moment does not have too much value and acquire service providers which can supply the services you need to grow and expand?
“I appreciate the fact that in their early stage finance is always a challenge, so these businesses are not able to pay commercial value for the services that are provided. So they must begin to re-orient themselves as to how they can trade their equities for services on a long-term basis,” added the lawyer, whose expertise is in digital finance and technology.
“What this does is ensure that you are able to win long-term commitment from the service provider, as the service provider then recognises he is providing value to a venture in which they own a part,” he further stated.
Available data suggest that, on average, startups across the globe typically last between two and five years; with as much as 90 percent of them surviving the first year. The number drops dramatically to 69 percent for those that survive two years, with the expectation of having reached profitability at this point. However, 50 percent of startups will have ceased operating by the fifth year – a situation that is most dire on the continent owing to a range of other factors.
The reluctance of founders to part with a portion of their company has been an issue of concern for many stakeholders, as it limits the companies’ ability to scale.
The Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE), which has met much resistance in trying to get small and medium-sized enterprises onto its Ghana Alternative Market (GAX), has attributed the phenomenon to some owners’ desire to control every aspect of the business – as well as a fear of the rigours of transparency by others, who prefer funding their businesses through debt from banks, venture capital and related vehicles.
“It is high time they moved away from this mindset toward partnership for growth. It is one of the best ways of reducing operational costs,” Mr. Nunekpeku noted.
Ghanaian player Kudus Mohammed, is off the view that for the Black Stars to win the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, personal glory must take a second seat.
The Black Stars are participating in the global championship for the first time after being excluded from Russia 2018, where France won.
Kudus, who has been playing well for Ajax, was selected for the 55-man preliminary team and will probably travel to the Asian nation for the competition.
According to Kudus, the success of the West African powerhouse is key over personal achievement and has set sights on helping the country progress to the knockout face.
“It feels really good to be honest [going to my first world cup] but it will be better with better performances and leaving a mark over there [in Qatar]. The goal is not just to play at the World Cup. The goal is to leave a mark as a nation and we really want to do well,” Kudus Mohammed told TV3
“My personal goal comes with the team and it’s because if the team doesn’t go far then the personal goals don’t come in. Like I said before, the main goal is to help the team get out of the group. The further we go, the more they see the individuals.”
“I think it’s one step at a time. Right now the main focus is to get out of the group and the next challenge comes,” he added.
Ghana has been housed in Group H at the mundial against Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea.
The Black Stars will open their World Cup account against Portugal on November 24 before taking on Uruguay and South Korea respectively.
The biggest soccer mundial has been scheduled for November and December this year, with 32 countries set to battle it out for the covetous trophy in Qatar.
He added it is concerning that certain products are imported into the nation, leaving local companies stranded and unable to compete as a result of pricing disparities.
“People look at import licencing as a barrier, but an import licence justifies why we need to allow you to spend our valuable foreign exchange on importing that commodity or product. It is needed in the country. A situation exists wherein we have things available and people are still bringing them and cutting the prices so that the local people cannot even compete, that’s why it’s necessary to put import licencing in place for some areas. We don’t have to impose it on all things, but we have to limit our exposure,” he said.
He added that though the economic situation is gloomy, it requires partnership, employing the technical competence of businesses, monitoring and evaluating circumstances and finding ways to scale up.
He said this during an interview with the media in Accra, where his outfit and partners launched the 2022 Youth Entrepreneurs Summit & Expo slated for December 7-11, 2022 in Kumasi.
“Considering the nation’s target of becoming an entrepreneurial nation, this event will bring together various stakeholders – including young entrepreneurs, policymakers, the private sector and researchers – to explore, ideate, collaborate and generate new approaches which respond to the ever-changing needs, challenges and dreams of young entrepreneurs.
“As we all may be aware, our country is faced with the unbearable and worrisome phenomenon of unemployment and its attendant consequences of high dependency, low productivity and a general decline in the outlook of our economy,” he said, urging policymakers, governments and technocrats to fashion strategies and policies to deal with the situation.
Themed ‘Empowering Youth Enterprises for Sustainable Industrialisation’, the summit seeks to among other things bring together a minimum of 200 young entrepreneurs with established and existing businesses from across the country.
It is aimed at providing leverage for them to build successful business brands and models that can contribute to primarily cutting down the rate of unemployment, as well as impacting the economic outlook positively through the value chain.
The four-day event will comprise presentations by carefully selected technocrats and professionals, panel discussions, focused group discussions, and question and answer segments.
“The summit will mobilise and empower Ghanaian young entrepreneurs for sustainable industrialisation, discuss lessons and share success stories of youth trade activities with the AfCFTA in perspective, and promote green business concepts.
“It will also promote knowledge-sharing as an essential driver of policy dialogue, good policy planning and implementation, while serving as a platform for policymakers and private sector operators to meet and accelerate youth inclusiveness in sustainable development.”
The summit will also serve as a platform for young entrepreneurs to exhibit their products, services and innovations.
The launch also saw the opening of a Help Desk at the PEF, where individuals can get information on businesses and assistance in line with their business operations.
The game is afoot (again) in “Enola Holmes 2,” a wonderful showcase for Millie Bobby Brown that this time manages to work the character’s famous brother, Sherlock, more organically into the mix. Throw in fact-based underpinnings about horrid working conditions during the time and you have the makings for a very polished sequel – one that makes the whole thing look elementary, and a whole lot of fun.
“Some of what follows is true,” the on-air script notes at the outset, as Enola (Brown) – Sherlock’s very independent sister – takes up the cause of young girls working in a matchstick factory who are inexplicably falling ill. The point of entry involves one of them going missing, making the teenage detective the logical person to investigate, after the frustration of dealing with adults put off by her youth, one of whom asks, “Might your brother be free?”
Happily, said brother, the renowned Sherlock Holmes (Henry Cavill) at a more youthful and physically fit phase of his life, is on a confounding case of his own, which will eventually collide with the one that Enola is pursuing. The cryptic clues, moreover, suggest the work of a master criminal, giving the sleuth an adversary worth of his intellect.
Again directed by Harry Bradbeer and written by Jack Thorne, this “Enola Holmes” doesn’t deviate from the winning formula derived from the books, and Enola continues to regularly break the fourth wall to share asides and witticisms with the audience, interrupting an early sequence to say, “Perhaps I should explain.”
The not-so-secret ingredient remains Brown (who also produces these films), the “Stranger Things” star who Netflix has wisely realized is a major asset. Indeed, when Enola attends a lavish ball that reunites her with the dashing and wealthy Tewkesbury (Louis Partridge), it’s hard not to think that as busy as her dance card is likely to become, the streaming service should book her as often as her college-bound schedule will allow.
“Enola Holmes 2” contains a considerable amount of action – a bit too much, frankly, given the more cerebral aspects of the character. The film fares better when Enola is using her wits, not her fists, “seeing” events in a kind of animation that nicely illustrates her well-honed powers of perception.
Sherlock Holmes has gone through numerous iterations through the years, evidence of the character’s durability while underscoring how difficult it is to bring much new to Baker Street.
In that sense, the matchstick analogy proves especially apt, since Brown’s exuberant take feels like just the spark that the franchise needed. Either way, the roots of the main character’s name notwithstanding, it’s unlikely Netflix will want to leave Enola alone for long.
Leeds United of the English Premier League may sign Alexander Djiku, a Ghanaian international, according to Footballghana
The 28-year-old is presently playing for Strasbourg in the last season of his contract, and when it expires in the summer, he is anticipated to leave the team.
According to Guardian reporter Ed Aarons, Leeds United who have been poor defensively this season will be looking forward to signing the tough-tackling Ghana defender.
In an interview with GiveMeSport, Aarons said, “He’s been doing pretty well. He almost went to Hoffenheim in the summer, I think.
“There’s a problem that he might have with an injury, they’re just waiting to see what happened over the weekend, but he’s in the Ghana preliminary squad. Another really good player, a good solid defender who’s a good age as well at 28 now.
“I don’t think he’s ready for sort of the top-level in the Premier League yet, so somebody who is sort of down the lower end will probably be looking at him, maybe Leeds or somebody like that.”
Djiku has been named in the Black Stars provisional squad list for the 2022 World Cup to be staged in Qatar.
He came close to joining Bundesliga side Hoffenheim but the deal collapsed
In a statement praising creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, HBO lauded the show for taking viewers on “a mind-bending odyssey, raising the bar at every step.” (HBO, like CNN, is a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery.)
“We are tremendously grateful to [Nolan and Joy], along with their immensely talented cast, producers and crew, and all of our partners at Kilter Films, Bad Robot and Warner Bros. Television. It’s been a thrill to join them on this journey,” the statement said.
“Westworld” ends after a four-season run, the most recent of which came to a close in August.
During its run, the drama notched 54 Emmy nominations and won nine, according to HBO.
The creators had previously expressed a desire for a fifth season to wrap up current storylines.
The show starred Evan Rachel Wood, Thandiwe Newton, Ed Harris, Jeffrey Wright, and Tessa Thompson, among others.
David Adikah, a former executive member of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), claims that the oversupply of inexpensive imported goods on the Ghanaian market is to blame for the increase in the cost of commodities.
He asserts that the rise in imports, particularly of food products, has made it more challenging for Ghanaians to buy locally produced food.
“There are quality rice on the Ghanaian market which are produced right here in Ghana. The issue is that our markets are saturated with cheap imported brands making it hard for the public to purchase the local ones,” he said.
“The local rice in Ghana is mostly exported to Nigeria. There is no issue of security in Ghana. Prices of goods will fall if locally made ones are patronized,” Mr Adikah added.
His comment comes on the back of a statement released by the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) advising Ghanaians to stock up their homes ahead of the yuletide as prices of goods may increase again.
“If the government does not address the depreciation of the cedi immediately, Ghanaians would buy their Christmas goods at expensive prices,” part of GUTA’s statement read.
More than a dozen people were killed early Saturday after a firetore through a Russian nightclub.
According to the Associated Press, the incident took place at around 2:30 a.m. at Polygon—a single-story venue located in the city of Kostroma. Shortly after the blaze broke out, about 250 people were evacuated from the building, which is also used as a bar and cafe bar. Authorities say the blaze left at least 15 people dead and five others injured.
Local outlets say the roof of the venue collapsed during the fire, while emergency personnel attempted to extinguish the flames, treat victims, and search for a suspect. Investigators say they believe the fire began after a patron shot a flare gun after a woman rejected his advances.
“He was spending time in the bar with a woman, ordered her flowers, with a flare gun in his hands,” a witness told TASS news agency, as reported by Al Jazeera. “Then he went to the dance floor and fired it.”
Police have reportedly identified and detained the suspect.
“As a result of complex operational-search measures, police officers identified and detained a suspect in an unlawful act in one of the entertainment establishments in the city of Kostroma, which caused a fire and death of people,” the Ministry of Internal Affairs Media said in a statement.
“Currently, the suspect has been handed over to the investigating authorities.”
Russia’s emergency ministry officials said the building has not had a recent a fire safety inspection, as it’s considered a small business.
Amy Schumer’s Saturday Night Live monologue was edgy to say the least.
Schumer was full of jokes on the upcoming midterm elections, her past pregnancy, being married, and more. You can watch it below.
Schumer also made a joke about Kanye. “It used to be called Asperger’s, but then they found out, this is true that Dr. Asperger had Nazi ties, Kanye.” After she tapped her microphone, she joked, “That was weird.”
This week’s episode marked Schumer’s third time hosting the comedy sketch show. The 41-year-old comedian made her SNL debut in October 2015 and secured her second hosting gig in May 2018. Schumer returned to Studio 8H about a year ago, when she made a cameo during the KimKardashian-hosted episode. The reality TV star later confirmed Schumer had helped craft her SNL monologue.
Amy Schumer Reveals Alec Baldwin ‘Rust’ Joke She Was Told Not to Say at Oscars
Schumer’s sketch show, Inside Amy Schumer, was recently revived in Paramount+ after a six-year hiatus. The show’s fifth season kicked off last month with weekly episodes dropping on Thursdays. She’s also in the midst of a U.S. comedy tour that began last week. The trek will include stops in Chicago, Las Vegas, Oakland, and San Diego, before concluding on Dec. 10 In Los Angeles.
Earlier this year, Schumer released her Hulu series Life & Beth, starred in the Universal Pictures comedy Bros, made a guest appearance on Only Murders in the Building, and co-hosted the 94th annual Academy Awards alongside Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes.
I’ve been thinking about mixing it up when it comes to this newsletter, but I’d like to hear from you. What would you like to read about? Are there some sections you like more than others? Do you feel like I’m missing something that will liven up your brunch conversations?
Drop me a line and let me know.
In the meantime, let’s get to this week’s round-up.
‘Blockbuster’
True confession: I have my old Blockbuster membership card somewhere around here.
I was a regular at my neighborhood store in Baltimore which is why I was thrilled when I learned of this new comedy series based on the #throwback movie rental chain.
In the eponymous show, Randall Park plays Timmy Yoon, “an analog dreamer living in a 5G world” who manages the last Blockbuster location out there. He’s out to prove his store provides “something big corporations can’t: human connection.”
What a great message. The series is streaming on Netflix now. Yes, you read that right – you can now stream a show about movie rentals.
‘Hip Hop Homicides’
Sadly, with the recent death of rapper Takeoff, this new WEtv show feels more timely than ever.
Produced by 50 Cent and Mona Scott-Young, and hosted by Van Lathan, the series will be “taking a ‘big picture’ look at the epidemic of violence in hip hop.” Given that at least one rapper has lost his life every year to gun violence since 2018, the topic is ripe for examination.
The first episode, which looks at the 2020 murder of rapper Pop Smoke, is available on WEtv.
‘Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me’
Celebrity confessionals are popular for good reason.
They serve as a reminder that, no matter how young, rich, famous or good looking you may be, life can still be a challenge.
That appears to be the message within Selena Gomez’s new documentary “My Mind & Me,” in which she gets vulnerable about her world and her mental health. In my opinion, this sort of first-person advocacy is one of the best uses of a celeb’s platform – because it can help others to realize that they are not alone.
“Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me” is streaming on Apple TV+.
‘Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me’
A strange phone call reveals a question from beyond the grave – was The Godfather of Soul murdered?
Almost 40 years ago, a songwriter found herself in musician James Brown’s inner circle, though the relationship would nearly destroy her career. Decades later, she finds herself trying to solve the mystery of Brown’s death. When she makes a call to CNN reporter Thomas Lake, the two stumble into a world of secrets, intimidation, and suspected foul play.
“The James Brown Mystery” podcast is currently streaming on CNN Audio.
Spice up your life!
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of their second album’s release, the iconic British girl group have curated a new version of the record, “Spiceworld25,” bringing together the hits, their favorite B-sides, some live concert recordings and a “Spice Girls Party Mix” mash-up.
It’s kind of wild that Melanie Chisholm, Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown, Geri Halliwell and Victoria Beckham have been around that long, but it’s also an opportunity to reminisce about how caught up in their girl power so many of us were – and still are it seems.
The album is out now.
By far my favorite story of this week was the tale of how Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King paid the hospital bill for Julia Roberts’ birth. It was the perfect combination of “Wait, what?” and “How cool is that?”
The story itself has been here and there on social media since Roberts shared it with journalist Gayle King in September as part of the History Channel’s “HISTORYTalks” series, but gained traction in particular during fans’ celebration of Roberts’ 55th birthday on October 28.
No matter how the story broke through, I’m glad it did.
“Welcome to the Jenaissance” read the headline of a recent Vogue magazine story on Jennifer Coolidge, and I think that perfectly captures it.
“The White Lotus” star is having a moment – and we love to see it.
Not only did Coolidge win an Emmy in September for her work on the hit HBO show, but she also has a role in the buzzy Netflix series “The Watcher.”
Coolidge is getting a kick out of it as well. She told CNN’s Don Lemon this week that, “It’s way more enjoyable if you never expected the moment to happen.”
“It’s the surprise of it all that makes it so fun,” she added during an interview which aired Wednesday on “CNN This Morning.” “I truly believe if I expected all this to happen it never would have.”
In Hollywood, being 61 and still killing it on screen continues – sadly – to be a rare triumph. But Coolidge is an institution, having appeared in so many movies that have helped define pop culture, from “American Pie” to “Legally Blonde” to “Best in Show,” to name just a few.
Long live her reign as the actress most likely to steal all the scenes.
Ahead of the midterm elections on Tuesday, Saturday Night Live opened its latest episode with JamesAustin Johnson’s President Biden addressing the Democratic Party’s current lack of star power.
“My fellow Americans, this Tuesday, our midterm election will determine the fate of our democracy and let’s just say Big Yikes!” Biden said. “I guess the Democrats’ message just isn’t getting through.”
“Folks, I’m trying like Hell, I promise,” Austin Johnson added. “I’m on the Peloton every morning tempting fate.”
To bring more “sizzle” to the Democratic Party, Austin’s Biden then introduced a roster of celebrities to replace key candidates: Guy Fieri (Molly Kearney), Tekashi 6ix9ine (Marcello Hernandez), porn star Stormy Daniels (Cecily Strong), Azealia Banks (Ego Nwodim), Tracy Morgan (Kenan Thompson).
“America is hungry for change,” Fieri said. “But do y’all want Dr. Oz’s crudites or a full plate of paid family leave dripping in donkey sauce?” Next, 6ix9ine is introduced as “your next senator from Ohio,” before the polarizing rapper shares his “I want no cap on social security, no cap. Democrats, baby, treyway,” Tekashi said.
Finally, Strong’s Stormy Daniels sheds light on her willingness to put her sketchy past behind her. “I may be a former adult star currently on Season 7 of ‘The Surreal Life,’ but I am willing to debase myself and enter U.S. politics,” Daniels said.
“I can work with anyone, and I’m willing to reach around the aisle to get things done.”
They claim that despite a little price increase—it is now retailing for GH 100 per gallon—the product was hard to find.
Francis Kwofie Jr., Secretary of Canoe Owners in Axim, questioned why fisherman struggle to obtain premix fuel, a necessity for their livelihood, in a report submitted to Daily Guide.
The issue is negatively affecting our fishing adventure, he stated. Why should it be so difficult for fishermen to always find a sufficient quantity of fuel?
Speaking in the same vein, Vice President of the Canoe Owners Association at the Sekondi Landing Beach, Paa Solomon said fisherfolk have in the past two months not been supplied premix fuel by government.
“For close to two months now, fishermen at the Sekondi Landing Beach have not received any supplies,” he said.
Due to this, fishermen have resorted to the use of mixing petrol with engine oil to fuel their canoes to go by their daily duties.
In spite of that, Deputy Minister in Charge of Fishery, Moses Anim, on October 5, 2022, refuted claims that there was a shortage of premix fuel in the country.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Tema, Mr. Anim said government spends between GH¢150 and GH¢200 million to subsidize premix fuel for fishermen.
The Ghana National team are participating in the global championship for the first time after being excluded from Russia 2018, where France won.
The AL Sadd star thinks Ghana, despite being the lowest-ranked (61st) of the 32 nations going into the World Cup, can pull off shocks if they have a healthy roster free of injuries.
“I believe in the players that we have, I believe in the squad we have, especially if everyone will be there and there are no injuries and we have a full squad. I think we can create surprises, but it’s only on that grass that will speak. But we have to accept and respect the fact that we are not favourites,” said Andre Ayew, team captain.
Ghana has been housed in Group H at the mundial against Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea.
The Black Stars will open their World Cup account against Portugal on November 24 before taking on Uruguay and South Korea respectively.
The biggest soccer mundial has been scheduled for November and December this year, with 32 countries set to battle it out for the covetous trophy in Qatar.
Following calls for his dismissal, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, a former finance minister, wants Ken Ofori-Atta, the current finance minister, to quit.
According to him, the Minister is facing a strong wave of public outrage and needs to stand down right away so that someone else can take over.
“It’s unfortunate, but I don’t understand why he should have that position given that he has been rejected by both sides, the majority and the minority.
When your own people are demanding your resignation as a minister, there is no value in continuing in that position.
The former governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) indicated on Ghana Kasa on Kasapa 102.5 FM that quitting now would be the wisest course of action for him.
Parliament will on Thursday, November 10, 2022, begin the debate on the motion of censure filed by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, for the removal of the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.
Presenting the Business Statement for the week on the floor of Parliament last Friday, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said Ofori-Atta’s removal remained a key feature for the week.
Reports say the whole NPP caucus in parliament now supports calls for the Finance Minister to resign or be sacked.
“Even though the issue started with a group of 80-plus, the caucus meeting aligned with the decision of that group.”
“So it is no longer the cause of the 80-plus group. It is the agenda for the entire caucus,” Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu told journalists in Parliament.
WHAT HAPPENED?Aubameyang started against Arsenal in his first match against his former club since leaving in January for Barcelona – but it didn’t quite go to plan.
The forward struggled up front on his own, achieving just eight touches before being hooked after 64 minutes.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Arsenal have the second-best defensive record in the league so it is perhaps no surprise that Aubameyang struggled up against the centre-back partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba.
WHAT NEXT FOR AUBAMEYANG?
Chelsea face Manchester City in the EFL Cup next week before their final Premier League match before the World Cup break against Newcastle.
The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), has asked the government to consider some raft measures associated with the reversal of the benchmark value and implementation of zero-rated import duties on industrial raw materials.
The request comes on the heels of the government’s intention to engage stakeholders ahead of the 2023 Budget presentation aimed at restoring and sustaining macroeconomic stability.
Speaking to the media after a dialogue between the association and the finance minister, President of the AGI, Humphrey Ayim-Darke said he is optimistic that Ghana’s dire economic situation will improve if these measures are considered.
In order to improve the operations of its members, he declared that the association would continue to bring up crucial concerns, including the demand for international verification and benchmark discount value, among others.
Regarding challenges in conducting business, Mr. Ayim-Darke emphasised the need for government to enhance mechanisms that will make it simpler for companies to import raw materials for processing.
“We want the budget to look at issues like the VAT, zero-rated import duty on industrial raw materials to help rejuvenate the private sector,” he stressed.
He added that granting tax exemptions would significantly contribute to job creation and economic growth.
“If we could get some rejuvenation with some tax exemptions, some interventions like the zero-rated on raw materials and these reversals of the VAT and policy rate, we could help the government rejuvenate and create jobs in the private sector.
Wicks has also pledged to walk 30 miles in an ultra-marathon challenge for the charity on Friday 18 November.
Image source, Food Envy PhotographyImage caption, Joe Wicks MBE will also be taking on an ultra-marathon walking challenge for BBC Children in Need this year
The fitness coach rose to fame with his online workouts during the Covid-19 pandemic and was awarded an MBE for his work.
“One of the things I really connected with during lockdown was walking, getting outside,” he said.
“Before that I didn’t have much time for it – but what I realised was when you get outside and you’re with your friends, your family, having a chat – it’s almost like you’re walking your stress away.
“Being in nature is so good for your mood and your energy. I always say you never regret a workout and going for a walk is a great time to connect and actually communicate and talk about things that you might have on your mind.”
The events are all in partnership with Parkrun, and Wicks said he hoped to meet as many people as possible at the events across the UK.
Image caption, Hundreds of people turned up for the event, with some at the start line running the parkrun route and other walking with family and friends
Claire Hoyle, from BBC Children in Need, added: “We know times are really uncertain for everyone, which is why now more than ever it’s so important that we all pull together to support one another.
“Walk with Joe gives people a really easy way to do this, and at the same time, make a life-changing difference to children.”
Image caption, The fitness coach had some help from Pudsey to take people through a warm-up before the walk
Wicks’ ultra-marathon walking challenge will see him set off from MediaCityUK and aim to finish in ten hours to reach the BBC Children in Need Great Spotacular Appeal Show.
Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, has stated that the One District, One Factory (1D1F) programme would be scrapped if the National Democratic Congress (NDC) wins the 2024 elections.
Speaking to the media on Saturday, November 5, the NDC legislator stated that the effort is, according to him, nothing more than a slogan that is failing to produce the expected outcomes.
He argued that, due to the initiative’s poor structure, most factories funded under the project are not operating as they should.
“It is nothing but a slogan, the 1D1F is something that when the NDC takes over we will throw out. The way it is in this form is not helping,” he added.
On August 25, 2017, President Akufo-Addo launched the 1D1F programme at Ekumfi in the Central Region.
The 1D1F initiative has received backlash ever since it was implemented; however, the government has said that the programme aims to industrialise Ghana by establishing additional industries in order to increase job prospects.
Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Trade and Industry Committee, Yusif Sulemana, has underperformed over the past four years.
Mr Yusif Sulemana alleged that, majority of the businesses sponsored by the initiative were initially supported by the NDC administration, therefore, the government shouldn’t claim credit for them.
“Most of the projects they claim they have done got support from Mahama’s administration. I worked with EXIM Bank, hitherto, EDIF. We gave so much support to these companies. We didn’t name them as 1D1F.
“If we were to separate that from the total number of factories, they claim they have done, then you will see they have done nothing,” he added
Meanwhile, on Friday, September 2, President Akufo-Addodisclosed that about 125 businesses have benefited from the project, which has so far resulted in the employment of 160,823.
According to him, when the project fully achieves its vision, it will employ roughly 295,725 Ghanaians nationwide and provide a well-paying employment avenue for Ghanaians.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fostering the expansion of private businesses in order to forward the industrialization program.
Big Brother Naija star Kim Opara, also known as KimOprah, has given an explanation for why she hasn’t found a husband yet.
According to her estimation hinged on the above, the current social environment is problematic because she wants to fall in love and be genuinely happy in a relationship free of toxic behaviour.
On her social media page, KimOprahemphatically mentioned that true love does not exist in today’s dispensation. She posted thus;
”I just wanna be in love and happy. Like true love, no toxicity but true companionship.
Love is dead in this era, unfortunately.”
When a fan reminded her by suggesting that she’s not searching for ‘the one’ properly, the BBNaija 2019 alumnus of Big Brother Nigeria offered the reply below;
”I laugh when someone says you looking in the wrong places. That sentence is so flawed. Is there a mall to go shopping for a partner? Lol, please.”
The English Premier League team, owned by Fenway Sports Group (FSG), is available for sale.
The FSG are currently open to offers after first debating the sale of the club, according to a report by The Athletic.
According to a statement from FSG to the Athletic, “There have been a number of recent changes of ownership and rumors of changes in ownership at EPL teams and naturally we are questioned constantly about Fenway Sports Group’s ownership in Liverpool.”
The FSG stated that although they are willing to sell the club, they will only consider a good offer.
“FSG has frequently received expressions of interest from third parties seeking to become shareholders in Liverpool. FSG has said before that under the right terms and conditions we would consider new shareholders if it was in the best interests of Liverpool as a club.”
“FSG remains fully committed to the success of Liverpool, both on and off the pitch,” the statement concluded.
FSG has been in charge of Liverpool for 12 years running since they bought the club from George Gillett Jr. and Tom Hicks in October 2010.
Liverpool has not been the best version of themselves as they sit 8th on the English Premier League table with 19 points after 13 games.
However, in the UEFA Champions League, they managed to progress from the group and will face Real Madrid in the round of 16.
Negotiations between pre-tertiary teacher unions and the Labour Ministry are expected to continue today, Monday, November following failure of both parties to reach an agreement on Friday, November 4, 2022.
The teacher unions are calling for Eric Nkansah, the New GES director’s appointment, to be revoked, with a claim that he is unfit to hold that position since he is a banker and not an education.
However, the Labour Ministry called for a meeting with the aggrieved teachers. After deliberations, they could not reach an agreement.
The Unions requested time to consult the grassroot and meet with the Labour Ministry on Monday.
Making their case, the teacher unions argued that the director general’s position was the preserve of educationists and had been occupied by educationists since its creation in 1974 to date, adding that 17 director generals had been appointed to serve at the GES since then with five of them being Professors from academia known to have operated in the education space.
President of NAGRAT, Rev Isaac Owusu, representing the teachers said the other Director-Generals were all higher officers of the GES even under military regimes, thus, the appointment of a banker instead of an educationist was a manifestation of the lack of confidence in teachers to manage their own affairs and disregard for an established scheme of service and progression within the GES.
“We have been compelled under the current circumstances to publicly communicate to Ghanaians our intention to go on strike, having reached the November 4 deadline we gave the government.
Consequently, we have decided to embark on a strike starting today, Friday, November 4, 2022.
Additionally, they raised concern about the one-year contract extension given to a Deputy Director General, Anthony Boateng, stressing their opposition to the said contract extension.
“We sounded a note of caution that we would vehemently and vigorously resist any attempt to bring him (Boateng) back into the system and that the consequences of any such attempt may be too dire to handle,” he emphasised, and that it finally cautioned that “should the government fail to heed our call, leadership of the teacher unions would not be able to control the actions or inaction of their members.”
Dr Nkansah was appointed Director-General of the GES on Wednesday, October 19, 2022.
His appointment came barely 48 hours after the previous Director-General of the Service, Prof Opoku-Amankwa, was relieved of his duties.
A letter issued by the Presidency announcing the appointment said Mr Nkansah’s appointment took effect on October 19, 2022. He was given fourteen days to accept or reject the appointment.
“I am pleased to inform you that the President has appointed you to act as the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (the Service) pending receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the Governing Council of the Service, given in consultation with the Public Service Commission,” the letter signed by the Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante, said.
The appointment is also “Pursuant to Section 19 (1), (2) (a) and (b) of the Pre-Tertiary Education Act, 2020 (Act 1049),” the Presidency added.
The ‘money man’ Shatta Wale has caused a massive stir on the internet after dashing Medikal’s daughter Baby Island a handle of cash after gifting her father a brand new BMW X6.
Last Saturday, Shatta Wale paid Medikal a surprise visit and in the course, dashed him a brand new BMW X6.
A video that surfaced on social media showed how Medikal and his wife Fella Makafui warmly received Shatta’s gift as they beamed with smiles when Medikal was handed the wonderful gift.
Duran Duran’s original guitarist Andy Taylor has been diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer.
The musician revealed the diagnosis in a letter read by his former bandmates as they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday.
The event was meant to be as a reunion for the band, whose classic line-up has not played together since 2006.
Taylor said he was “massively disappointed” to miss the show, and had “bought a new guitar” for the occasion.
Singer Simon Le Bon read Taylor’s letter to the audience, which read: “Just over four years ago I was diagnosed with stage four metastatic prostate cancer.
“Many families have experienced the slow burn of this disease and of course we are no different; so I speak from the perspective of a family man but with profound humility to the band, the greatest fans a group could have and this exceptional accolade.”
Taylor, who was born in Tynemouth, wrote that he was receiving “sophisticated life-extending treatment”, but had recently suffered a “setback,” that prevented him travelling to Los Angeles for the ceremony.
“Although my current condition is not immediately life-threatening there is no cure,” he added.
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Duran Duran were one of the biggest pop bands of their era
Formed in Birmingham, Duran Duran were one of the biggest pop bands of the 1980s, known for their lavish videos and danceable, synthesized pop singles.
They were first band to be inducted at this year’s Hall of Fame concert, and opened the show with a hit-packed medley that included Girls On Film, Hungry Like The Wolf and Ordinary World.
Dolly Parton, Eminem, Lionel Richie, Eurythmics, Pat Benatar, Eminem, Carly Simon, Harry Belafonte and Judas Priest were also added to the Hall of Fame roster.
Parton, whose hits include Jolene, I Will Always Love You and 9 To 5, initially rejected her nomination, saying she didn’t think country music was eligible, but later relented.
“I’m a rock star now!” she said during her acceptance speech.
“Back when they said they were going to induct me into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I didn’t really think that I’d done enough to deserve that. I didn’t understand at the time. But this is a very, very special night for me.”
Afterwards, the singer performed a star-studded version of Jolene, joined by Pat Benatar, Eurythmics’ singer Annie Lennox, Simon Le Bon, Brandi Carlile, and Judas Priest’s Rob Halford.
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Parton is now a member of both the country and the rock and roll halls of fame
Eminem was inducted by Dr Dre, who said almost everyone he knew had tried to discourage him from working with a white rapper.
But “I knew that his gifts were undeniable,” Dre said. “Each of us was what the other one needed – and I was willing to bet my entire career on it.”
Eminem, real name Marshall Mathers, used his speech to namecheck the rappers who had influenced him, from pioneers Tupac, Chuck D, Outkast and Snoop Dogg to more underground names like Lord Finesse and JJ Fad.
He did so partly to highlight the Hall of Fame’s lack of recognition for hip-hop (he is only the ninth rap act to be inducted alongside Run DMC, NWA, Jay-Z, LL Cool J, Biggie Smalls, Tupac Shakur, Public Enemy, Beastie Boys and Grandmaster Flash).
“Those were my rock stars, man,” said the musician. “And I just want to say, those are just a few of the names that I hope will be considered in the future for induction. Because without them, a lot of us wouldn’t be here. I know I wouldn’t.”
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Eminem performed a miniature greatest hits set at the ceremony
Eminem went on to perform his hits My Name Is, Rap God and Sing for the Moment – the latter accompanied by Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, who was sampled on the original song.
He then brought out Ed Sheeran for a live rendition of Stan.
“I’m not supposed to be here tonight,” said Eminem following his set. “One, I’m a rapper; two, I almost died from an overdose; and three, I really had to fight my way through… I’m a high school drop-out with a hip-hop education.”
Janet Jackson inducted her long-time collaborators, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
The duo started out in the Prince side project The Time before becoming one of America’s most prominent production teams, writing hits like the SOS Band’s Just Be Good To Me, Mary J Blige’s No More Drama, Usher’s U Remind Me and almost all of Jackson’s singles, including What Have You Done For Me Lately, Rhythm Nation, That’s The Way Love Goes and Together Again.
“I feel like we broke through the music industry together,” said Jackson “They taught me so much, and I learned their lessons well.
“When I went to work on what became Control in their hometown of Minneapolis, there was pressure. We felt like we were kids in a sandbox… We talked and laughed so much that sometimes it didn’t even feel like we were making a record.”
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Jackson recreated the look from her breakthrough 1986 album Control as she inducted her friends and mentors Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
British metal band Judas Priest took the stage with estranged guitarist KK Downing, who in 2011, playing classics like You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’, Breaking The Law and Living After Midnight.
“I’m the gay guy in the band,” said frontman Rob Halford.
“We call ourselves the heavy metal community, which is all-inclusive, no matter what your sexual identity is, what you look like, or what you believe in or don’t believe in. Everybody’s welcome.”
Eurythmics were inducted by U2’s the Edge, Lionel Richie by Lenny Kravitz, and Carly Simon by Sara Bareilles.
Simon, whose two younger sisters both died in recent weeks, declined to perform, but Barailles took her place, singing Nobody Does It Better, followed by Olivia Rodrigo who delivered a strutting version of You’re So Vain.
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Olivia Rodrigo was on hand to induct singer-songwriter Carly Simon
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Eurythmics reunited for a rare performance, playing Missionary Man, Would I Lie to You? and Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Ed Sheeran performed a surprise duet with Eminem
English Premier League side, Southampton, have announced that they have parted wats with their first team manager, Ralph Hasenhüttl.
This comes after a string of bad results in the ongoing English Premier League season but the Saints pulled the triggers on Ralph Hasenhüttl after their 4-1 embarrassing defeat at home to Newcastle.
The announcement ends Ralph Hasenhüttl’s four-year stay at the Saint Mary’s Stadium having joined the club in 2018 from Germain Bundesliga side, RB Leipzig.
First Team Lead Coach Rubén Sellés has been appointed as the interim manager to take charge of the club’s matchday 14 game against Liverpool.
Read the full statement below:
Southampton Football Club can confirm it has parted company with Men’s First Team Manager Ralph Hasenhüttl.
First Team Assistant Coach Richard Kitzbichler has also today left the club.
Hasenhüttl, who was appointed in December 2018, departs having made a significant contribution to the club, overseeing some memorable results and also playing a key role in the development of our club infrastructure, identity and playing squad.
However, we now believe it is an appropriate time to make a change.
Everyone involved with the club would like to express their sincere thanks to Ralph for all of his efforts, as well as the unwavering commitment he has shown throughout his time as manager.
First Team Lead Coach Rubén Sellés will take charge of the side on an interim basis for our game on Wednesday night. The club will be announcing a permanent replacement in due course.
Some of the most famous images of the punk era have gone on display at Belfast’s newest art gallery.
Ulster Presents is a custom-built exhibition space and part of the Ulster University’s new city centre campus.
Its first exhibition – Taking Liberties! – features the work of the famed punk provocateur Jamie Reid.
Reid is synonymous with The Sex Pistols after he created their iconic God Save the Queen logo in the 1970s.
The exhibition gathers Reid’s most iconoclastic protest work from that era onwards.
Taking Liberties! is part of Belfast International Arts Festival and features work designed to grab the public’s attention.
Image caption, I’m Lovin It / I’m Hatin It – Reid’s response to McDonalds use of ‘punk’ style graphics for their adverts
Spearheaded by Cian Smyth, Ulster Presents is another addition to the city’s Cathedral Quarter.
Mr Smyth says the gallery plans to present six shows a year from a mixture of international and local artists, many of whom will have graduated through Ulster’s art school.
“We just wanted to develop an audience for the visual arts, alongside the other galleries in the city of course. We always like to bring in somebody that might attract an audience that might not have been here before,” he said.
Image source, BBC SportImage caption, Curse English Heritage was Jamie’s direct message to the organisation as he protested for access to public land
He said he had been trying to bring Reid’s work to the city for five years: “I obviously knew his work since I was a young person, I knew this really needs to be in Belfast.
“In his work you get to see over five, six decades, how the visual aesthetic is sort of developed, and you actually see where a lot of protest language comes from. People in protest marches, a lot of their visual language is partly influenced by Jamie I think.”
Reid’s work is famous for its ransom-note style and political activism.
He has highlighted campaigns including the anti-Poll Tax protests, Russian-activists Pussy Riot, the Criminal Justice Bill and Clause 28.
Image caption, Stop Demonising Our Future (2006), A Brick Will Do The Trick Brixton Version (1981)
He perhaps most famously caused controversy when designing artwork for The Sex Pistols album God Save The Queen by taking a Cecil Beaton photograph of Queen Elizabeth II and adding safety pins and swastikas to her eyes.
Originally issued during 1977’s Silver Jubilee, the artwork and song were subsequently banned by the BBC. It officially reached number two in the UK charts, despite this, and is believed by some to have been the “real” number one, allegedly outselling its nearest rival by two to one.
Attitudes towards the anti-Monarchy work have since changed with The Observer newspaper in 2007 branding it “the single most iconic image of the punk era”.
Image caption, The Evil Ones (2003), Folk The Banks (2012)
Looking towards the future of the gallery, and the Belfast arts scene overall, Mr Smyth said: “At the moment, I’m doing stuff next year around art and activism. It’s such a small community, around this area in particular, that it’s hard not to be a part of that.
“There’s like a whole new demographic, a younger demographic. Back in the day, a lot of them would have left, they certainly wouldn’t have existed in central Belfast, it’s nice to be part of whatever that’s becoming,” he added.
Taking Liberties! exhibition is in the new building of Ulster University, Belfast Campus, until 26 November.
Comedian Peter Kay has announced his return to stand-up with his first live tour in 12 years.
The 49-year-old has been largely absent from the spotlight since he cancelled his 2017 tour due to “unforeseen family circumstances”.
Announcing his new live dates, Kay said: “It’s good to get back to what I love doing best, stand-up comedy.”
His comeback was announced during an ad break in the series launch of ITV’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
DJ Chris Moyles, rugby player Mike Tindall and singer Boy George were all seen entering the jungle in Sunday’s opening episode, but the former health secretary Matt Hancock will not appear until later in the series.
During the commercial break, Kay was seen carrying a rolled-up carpet into a house while confirming to nearby fans he will return to stand-up comedy next month.
The comedian will embark on a new UK arena tour, spanning from December to August 2023.
What is it like seeing Peter Kay live 38 times?
Peter Kay announces his first new live stand-up tour in 12 years!
Back in 2010 I worked as a yellow blazer-wearing steward (“no filming of the stage, please”) at the Manchester Arena – something Peter Kay himself had previously done – and it was there that The Tour That Doesn’t Tour Tour was on for 20 nights.
It later did go on tour, and returned for a further 20 shows.
Fans would cry tears of laughter at his opening gambit about those in their seats being his employer for the night, along with his impressions of people using an “I’m ill” voice to call their boss and bunk off work for the day.
He’d reference his old jokes as well: “Every time I go to an Italian restaurant, they give me free garlic bread… it’s why my new catch-phrase is plas-ma… plas-ma….” (because he wanted a free TV set).
While the routine was largely the same every show, I still laughed out loud each time, along with those seeing it for the first time. His observational comedy was something everyone could relate to.
“Have we got any teachers in?” he’d ask. There’d be a cheer. “Woah, woah, woah, no shouting out, put your hands up, one rule for one…”
But it was his encore which proved he’s a true showman. He’d impersonate Freddie Mercury, using a shovel as a make-shift guitar, belting out the hits he and audiences loved.
After a near two-hour comedy gig he became a rock star and people would be on their feet wanting more and they’re finally getting it.
I didn’t get to keep my yellow blazer when I traded it in for a BBC lanyard, but given Peter Kay sometimes wore one to show his fans to their seats, he might get one dry-cleaned, just in case.
The dates will mark Kay’s first live tour since 2010, when he scored the Guinness World Record for the biggest selling stand-up tour of all time, playing to more than 1.2 million people.
The advert concluded with the fans asking Kay whether he had finally bought his mother a bungalow – a reference the comic’s previous Mum Wants A Bungalow tour. Kay replied that he had, explaining that his mother now wanted a new carpet to go in it.
In a statement, the Bolton-born comic said: “It’s good to get back to what I love doing best, stand-up comedy, and if there’s ever a time people need a laugh it’s now.
“And with the cost of living at an all-time high, ticket prices are starting from £35 – the same price they were on my previous tour in 2010.”
Image source, ITVImage caption, The 10 initial campmates entered the jungle on Sunday, with Matt Hancock set to follow later in the series
Kay will begin his tour on 2 December at the Manchester AO Arena before visiting locations including Birmingham, Liverpool, Sheffield, Belfast, Newcastle, Glasgow and Dublin.
His run will end on 11 August at the Sheffield Utilita Arena. London was absent from the tour locations listed in the advert.
A poster for the event featured Kay holding a sign reading, “Better late than never” and described a ticket to his shows as an “ideal Christmas gift”.
Kay has kept a low profile in recent years. He notably returned to the stage in August 2021 for two special charity events to raise money for Laura Nuttall, a then 20-year-old with an aggressive type of brain cancer called glioblastoma multiforme.
There was also a brief return in January 2021 when he appeared on BBC Radio 2 for a conversation with Cat Deeley – who was filling in after Graham Norton left the station – about his love of music, mixtapes and the musical Mamma Mia.
He also made a surprise appearance at a charity screening of his series Car Share in 2018.
The German national football team player Boateng had appealed an initial conviction. He was found guilty of assaulting his former partner following the team’s disqualification from the 2018 World Cup.
German footballer Jerome Boateng was ordered to pay a fine of €1.2 million ($1.17 million) on Wednesday, after a German court upheld his conviction of assaulting his former girlfriend in 2018.
Boateng was initially sentenced to a fine of €1.8 million in 2021. He had denied the accusation and appealed the sentence.
The Munich court confirmed he was guilty of the assault on Wednesday, but his fine was reduced in line with the defendant’s drop in net income since the original sentence.
The prosecution had sought an 18-month suspended prison sentence, the defense had argued for acquittal.
A further appeal is still possible, but the process must begin within a week.
What happened during the assault?
The assault for which Boateng has been convicted took place on a luxury holiday in the Caribbean with his former girlfriend, following Germany’s knock-out of the 2018 World Cup’s group stage.
She accused the footballer of punching her during an argument, causing her to momentarily lose her breath. The court on Wednesday said it considered this claim accurate.
“To the court’s conviction, the accused threw a cooler bag in the direction of the co-accuser causing them pain during an argument on a holiday visit to the Caribbean. In the further course of this evening, the accused caused an eye injury to the co-accuser during a physical altercation and caused further injuries. In these instances, the co-accuser was also insulted,” the court ruling read.
In Boateng’s favor, the court pointed to his clean past criminal record and the fact that the incident took place some time ago.
The couple share two twin daughters.
Boateng was part of the German football team which played in the 2014 World Cup, which Germany won, and the 2018 World Cup.
Boateng’s football career thrived for a decade with the German Bayern Munich club, before he moved to the French club Lyon in 2021.
The Minority caucus in Parliamenthas slated Thursday, November 10, 2022, to move its vote of censure motion against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
This comes after the Speaker admitted the motion filed by the minority group on Tuesday, October 25, to censure Ken Ofori-Atta over the country’s current economic hardship.
The group accused the minister of a despicable conflict of interest in ensuring that he directly benefits from Ghana’s economic woes as his companies receive commissions and other unethical contractual advantages, particularly from Ghana’s debt overhang.
Among other things, Mr Ofori-Atta is also accused of making unconstitutional withdrawals
from the Consolidated Fund, supposedly for the construction of the president’s cathedral.
Addressing the Parliamentary press corps on Friday, the Deputy Minority Chief Whip, Ahmed Ibrahim, blamed the current hardship on the poor management of Ghana’s economy by the Minister.
According to him, the country has lost confidence in Ofori-Atta’s ability to manage the economy and he, therefore, should be stripped of his post.
But before the legislative arms of government can impeach the Finance Minister, Article 81 (1) of the 1992 Constitution states that “Parliament may, by a solution supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds of all the members of Parliament, pass a vote of censure on a Minister of State.”
As such, the minority group needs 180 MPs to pass a vote of censure on Ken Ofori Atta.
The minority group, with the exception of MP Assin North, who is battling a dual citizenship court case, has 136 MPs., while the majority in parliament has 137MPs including an independent candidate.
This means that the minority will need support from some MPs on the majority side.
Already, 80 majority MPs have called for the sacking of Mr Ofori-Atta and also that of the Deputy Finance Minister, Charles Boahen.
This means the finance minister may be on his way out if the 80 majority legislators follow
through with their demand.
With almost a hung parliament, Mr Ahmed Ibrahim has sent a word of caution to all the 136 NDC MPs to be present in Parliament in order to oust the minister from office.
“All 136 minority MPs must be in the chamber on Thursday, so any member who absents himself does so at his own risk.”
If a vote of censure is successfully passed against the Finance Minister, President Akufo-Addo would be compelled to revoke the appointment of Mr Ofori-Atta.
Mr Ofori-Atta, however, has a right to defend his case as the parliament decides his.
Nick Carteris mourning the loss of his brother Aaron, who was found dead at his homeon Saturday.
The Backstreet Boys member took to social media on Sunday to share a heartbreaking tribute to his younger brother.
“My heart has been broken today,” Carter captioned a series of photos on Instagram. “Even though my brother and I have had a complicated relationship, my love for him has never ever faded. I have always held onto the hope, that he would somehow, someday want to walk a healthy path and eventually find the help that he so desperately needed.”
The post continued, “Sometimes we want to blame someone or something for a loss. But the truth is that addiction and mental illness is the real villain here. I will miss my brother more than anyone will ever know. I love you Chizz., now you get a chance to finally have some peace you could never find here on earth….God, please take care of my baby brother.”
Hours after the news broke on Saturday, Hilary Duff hopped on Instagram to share an emotional tribute to Carter, who in 2001 appeared on an episode of Duff’s Disney Channel show Lizzie McGuire.
“For Aaron – I’m deeply sorry that life was so hard for you and that you had to struggle in-front of the whole world,” she wrote.
“You had a charm that was absolutely effervescent…boy did my teenage self love you deeply. Sending love to your family at this time. Rest easy.”
Dozens of students at an El Paso high school might have to re-take the SAT after their exam results flew out of a UPS truck.
NBC affiliate KTSM-TV reports the El Paso Independent School District said the test sheets were lost in transit after they were “securely submitted to UPS.” The district has recovered all but 55 SAT sheets.
“El Paso ISD is working closely with the College Board to determine a remedy for the El Paso High School students whose SAT exams were lost in transit after they were securely submitted to UPS. The incident affects students who took the exam on Oct. 27 on campus,” EPISD spokeswoman Liza Rodriguez said in a statement.
According to the College Board, which is responsible for administering standardized tests like the SAT and PSAT, they’ve experienced incidents in which tests are lost in transit.
“When such instances occur, we work with the school to ensure that students are able to retest as soon as possible,” the organization told the news station. “We are currently working with El Paso High School to provide options for the impacted students.
Meanwhile, UPS has apologized for the inconvenience, as a spokesperson for the company told NBC News that employees are still trying to locate as many misplaced tests as possible.
“We will work with the school to resolve the situation,” UPS said.
“The driver’s actions in this case are not representative of UPS protocols and methods, and we are addressing this with him. Safely meeting our service commitments is UPS’s first priority.”
Speaking at the “Kume Preko Reloaded” protest on Saturday, November 5, 2022 in Accra, he noted that the President has failed the country and must resign.
“Akufo-Addo has nothing good to offer Ghanaians. He has broken the oath he swore to Ghanaians on December 7. He’s ruling like he’s doing Ghanaians a favor. In the midst of the pandemic and the economic crisis, this is the time he charters private jets for his travels,” he said.
Mr Odike, dressed in a black shirt over a black pair of shorts, marched in solidarity with the other protesters and bemoaned the current economic situation.
“Even if we offer him 100 years he can’t offer Ghanaians any good thing,” he stressed. “The President “can’t help the country. So he should step down for someone to come and continue with the work,” he added.
He also accused the president of poor accountability, emphasising that the president could not account for the COVID-19 fund.
Kume preko reloaded
Dubbed ‘Kume preko reloaded’ the demonstration was to protest the current economic crisis, as was seen in 1995 when Charles Wereko-Brobby led some Ghanaians (including Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who is currently the President) to contest the economic hardship under the Rawlings regime.
Not even an ongoing church service at the Independence Square could stop the Kume Prekodemonstrators from conveying their message to the President, his Vice, and the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
Their message was simple; the aforementioned individuals must resign over the current economic hardships or risk being impeached.
The protestors could not fathom why a man who played a key role in the 1995 Kume Preko demonstration would be in power, and supervise the collapse of the economy.
They had been marching from the Obra Spot at Kwame Nkrumah Circle and were hoping to end their march at the Independent Square, as agreed with the Ghana Police Service.
To their utter surprise, there was an ongoing church service at the Independence Square when they got there; a situation that did not sit well with the protestors. There was a little commotion, with some protestors hooting at the church members, however, calm was soon restored.
This incident did not stop them from relaying their message to the president. They converged around the statue of the soldier facing the Independence Arch, and outlined their plights; key among them was a call on the President to immediately “slash the prices of fuel by 50%.”
They lamented the failure of the government to redeem Ghanaians from the situation, as President Akufo-Addo promised.
According to the protestors, the President has plunged the country into extreme poverty, citing the hikes in prices of goods, the fall of the cedi, the astronomical surge in fuel prices, etc.
Some prominent personalities who graced the occasion included Private Legal Practitioner, Martin Kpebu, who was the convenor of this demonstration, #FixTheCountry convenor, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, and a host of others.
Former Asante Kotoko coach, CK Akonnor, said he has no regrets about serving as the Black Stars‘ head coach.
Kwesi Appiah was succeeded by Akonnor in January 2020 on a two-year contract.
After Ghana’s dismal start to the 2022 World Cup qualifications, the former Hearts of Oak and Dreams FC manager was fired.
Despite describing the environment he worked in as toxic, he insists leading the four times African Cup of Nations champions was a dream fulfilled.
According to him, he harbors no regrets during his year-and-a-half stay.
“No, I can’t say that. Working as Black Stars coach? It’s the biggest [for any coach],” he told JoySports Prime Take.
“It is the environment which was not conducive. I wish it had been better so that I could use my knowledge to help the nation, but I didn’t get it.
“It didn’t work out doesn’t mean I regret coaching the team,” he said.
When Akonnor was sacked in September last year, pundits said there could be a second tenure just like Kwasi Appiah, and he wouldn’t rule out that, but for now, his focus is to grow his technical skills.
“I can’t say for now,” he said.
He continued “I am still a coach and I am working on improving my skills, but I still want to get more knowledge about the game. Now, I am looking at doing the Technical Director thing, in terms of improving, scouting, and all those things, not necessarily the coaching aspect, but I want to improve more and be better,” he stated.
Akonnor scouted for the Black Stars during the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Ramses Ja and Quinton Ward, two Blackactivists who own the rights to “White Lives Matter,” are willing to sell the phrase to Kanye West for a hefty price tag.
As previously reported, Kanye sparked outrage in October when he debuted the “White Lives Matter” designs during the YZY Season 9 fashion show. Last week, Ja and Ward, who host the nationally syndicated radio show Civic Cipher, revealed they were gifted the trademark from an anonymous benefactor sometime in September, shortly before Kanye unveiled the shirts.
While speaking with TMZ this weekend, the radio hosts admitted that, though they’re not looking to sell the trademark, they’d surely consider doing so should someone propose an enticing offer. “Any potential buyer would have to come up with a $1 billion offer to even make them consider selling,” the outlet notes.
The news comes on the heels of Ja and Ward’s recent conversation with ABC News, in which the pair maintained that no one in America can legally sell any “White Lives Matter” products without receiving their authorization. In other words, anyone who was trying to generate a profit from the phrase would have to enter negotiations with the pair’s legal team, and potentially face a lawsuit.
“I recognize that one of two things could happen. Someone could come to our lawyer or us and say, ‘Hey, you have the exclusive right to make and sell those clothes in the United States of America. I would like to buy the trademark for millions of dollars,’” Ja told Capital B News.
“If we were to sell that trademark, for whatever amount of money, we could donate that money to causes that we feel would benefit Black people, like the NAACP or Black Lives Matter organizations. Because, realistically, we cannot stop the shirts from being made right now. We can write cease and desist to people selling these shirts right now, but that is a big monster that requires teams of lawyers and thousands of dollars that we do not have.”
Snoop Dogg took to Instagram Sunday to hopefully set the record straight, once and for all, about the amount of weedhe smokes in a day.
“Bitch said I smoke… bitch, this is all in a day’s work. Stop lying,” Snoop said. “Fuck I’ma smoke all that weed in one day. What am I, a fuckin’ machine? Bitch, this is the roaches. See… roaches.”
Snoop decided to present visual evidence two days after denying the claim that he smokes “roughly” 75 to 150 blunts a day, writing, “The bitch is conning u man.”
According to the New York Post, Renegade Piranha, who identifies herself as Snoop’s personal blunt roller, claimed he smokes half a pound of weed every day during her appearance on the Australian radio show The Kyle and Jackie O Show.
A Snoop Dogg Lullaby Album Is on the Way
“I calculate it at over 450,000,” she added.
Back in 2013, Snoop revealed on Twitter that he smoked 81 blunts per day, leading many to believe that her estimate seemed about right.
Snoop spoke about his PBR, or professional blunt roller, during a 2019 appearance on The Howard Stern Show with Seth Rogen. “That’s his J-O-B—his occupation,” Snoop reassured Stern. “On his resume, it says, ‘What do you do? I’m a blunt roller. P-B-R, professional blunt roller.”
“He knows how to gauge the look on someone’s face when it seems like they want a blunt and if they do, he gives you one,” said Rogen, who, according to HipHopDX, was hired by Waka Flocka Flame to be his professional blunt roller in 2014.
In June, Snoop revealed his PBR had been given a raise due to inflation. The rapper wouldn’t disclose their exact salary, but the UberFacts Twitter account claimed their annual salary was somewhere between $40,000 to $50,000.
Snoop revealed on Stephen A. Smith’s Know Mercy podcastthat he and Dr. Dre have spent the last two months working on an album tentatively titled Missionary. He said they hope to release the project later this month.
In a tweet in response to former presidential spokeswoman Koku Anyidoho, Terpker, who served as Minister of Finance throughout the Mahama administration, stated that the idea was incorrect.
The former minister claimed that he had repeatedly challenged anyone to make cutlasses and condoms available if they had any proof that such taxes had been imposed or that such taxes had been repealed by the current administration. However, this challenge had received no answer.
Anyidoho had tweeted: “Who taxed condoms and cutlasses in this country when he was President?” reference to claims that Mahama had at a point taxed the two products.
“Wrong!! My good brother. I have been challenging anyone to cite the provision in the Customs Act and relevant Tariff # that imposed such taxes. He or she can also cite the “amendments” by the current administration. None to date but still on standby,” Terkper hit back.
Find Terpker’s tweet below:
In the run up to the 2016 elections, the then running-mate of the flagbearer of the then opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, accused the government of undermining economic growth by overburdening businesses with taxes.
He said: “You have a government where you have cutlasses being taxed; condoms being taxed…. When you become desperate, this is what happens; and when you mismanage the economy into this hole then, anything sounds great to you. You don’t have any option and this is the problem.
“Anything that is taxable and that can feasibly be taxed, they are trying to impose tax on them. All of these are hurting the economy and therefore you are not going to get the growth, and when you don’t get the growth, you will not get the revenue, and when you don’t get the revenue, you go back to increasing taxes to get the revenue, and then you are in a cyclical downward spiral. So they have it wrong and we’ll change that particular policy.”
