He claims that the existing Fitch Ratings rating has made it challenging for economic managers to scale up the economy, which is currently looking for an IMF bailout program.
“When you reach this level of trash status, it will probably take you at least five to six years to recover since scaling up is quite difficult.
I hope the nation does well.
“Now beyond the economic programme to be presented to the Fund, I think government will also have to look at some governance reforms and productivity reform that should be pursued concurrently with an IMF programme which also will entail some kind of revision to our constitution. Certainly, we couldn’t get to this level without the support of the constitution.”
Sharing his view on how to address the severe economic situation, Prof. Bokpin reiterated the downsizing of government’s machinery which he believes will send a positive signal to investors.
“Again, we also have to look at the size of the government. It is not good news going into any negotiation table with that size of government. We have said that right from the beginning of the year.”
He continued, “It is not as though downsizing the government will save huge billions of dollars, but the signal and the confidence that it will generate. When it happens that way, whatever you put on the table, it will be harder for people to infer genuine commitment and that you yourself will appreciate the situation; and you are taking steps to internalize the austerity before you ask others to come on board.”
IMF bailout
Government has routinely explained that recent economic headwinds are attributable largely to the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and the banking sector clean-up.
The rippling effect has been an increase in the cost of living, record high inflation rates and downgrades of the economy by rating agencies such as S&P and Fitch – a situation which has dealt a heavy blow to government’s ability to access the international capital market.
The Cedi has also been on a free fall compelling the Bank of Ghana to resort to hiking its monetary policy rate to deal with the situation.
The worsening economic situation compelled the government in July to initiate contact with International Monetary Fund for an economic support programme.
Ghana is targeting an amount of US$3 billion over three years from the Fund once an agreement on a programme is reached.
Government hopes to complete negotiations by end of this year in order to receive the funds in the first quarter of 2023.
It appears that Moesha Boduong who earlier announced to the entire world her newfound Christian faith has picked up her old cloak.
Some have argued that with the sort of seriousness with which she started preaching the gospel, she may have perhaps formed a ministry by now or attained a higher level with her new calling.
But it seems the popular Ghanaian socialite has run back to her old lifestyle, observers have said.
In a video making rounds on social media which appears to be an update on how she has been faring while in hibernation, Moesha was captured in a pair of tight trousers and a crop top whiles twerking and rigorously wiggling her butt to Rema’s ‘calm down.’
She was vibing and maneuvering her sexually suggestive dance moves during a visit to Ghanaian actor cum fashion designer, ‘Elikem the Tailor’.
The video was spotted on his Instagram page with the caption;
“Looked who passed by today.”
The comment section to this particular post has since been filled with all kinds of wild reactions from netizens who are equally shocked to see Moesha return to her old groove.
People have questioned whether this was really the prophetess they saw months back preaching the gospel on social media.
According to Cassiel Ato Forson, a former deputy minister of finance, Ghana’s public debt to GDP is currently close to 100%, making debt restructuring inevitable due to the country’s unsustainable debt.
The MP from Ajumako revealed in a tweet that as part of the IMF negotiations, the administration has now been compelled to add all the necessary components to the calculation of public debt as a percentage of GDP.
“Govt has finally consented as part of the IMF agreement to add the ESLA and GETFund bonds, plus cocoa bills and Sinohydro, to the public debt after calling the minority names because I urged they add them!
Tweeted him.
The Ministry of Finance on Monday announced that the IMF delegation is currently undertaking a comprehensive debt sustainability analysis of the country.
“the Government of Ghana is putting together a comprehensive post-Covid-19 economic programme which will form the basis for the IMF negotiations.”
“The programme seeks to establish a macro-fiscal path that ensures debt sustainability and macroeconomic stability, underpinned by key structural reforms and social protection.”
“Government remains committed and shall continue to actively engage all stakeholders, both public and private, in a clear and transparent manner as we seek to fast-track this process.”
According to the GRAMMY boss, to win a GRAMMY, one needs to live in the United States of America and be a part of the GRAMMY Academy.
“In order to win a GRAMMY, first, you’ve got to be part of the Academy and then the membership of the Academy will vote for you.
“If you are a member of the Academy, you’ve got to be a professional in the United States, for now, the United States,” he disclosed.
He also noted that once an artiste makes music and will live in the US, he can now submit his works to the GRAMMY Academy board which is made up of different artistes.
When the submission is finished, he referenced that these artistes assess their own companions and get to pick whose music they like better.
“Right now, if you are a working professional in the United States, you become a member of the Recording Academy, once you are a member of the Recording Academy, all the music is submitted, the members listen to it and you are evaluated on the quality of the art.
“Not the sales, not the streams, not the how many fans, not the how many followers but purely on the opinion, and it’s very hard. As you all know because it’s subjective,” he added.
He, moreover, expressed that artistes needn’t bother to be with a recording label or have a huge fanbase, simply their unadulterated ability is sufficient to win them an award with the GRAMMY.
“So Best Song, Best Record, just the opinion of the membership in that particular year and that’s how you win a GRAMMY.
“That’s it, the vote is the vote. There’s no committee, there are no journalists, no labels, just music professionals voting for their peers. Period,” he noted.
Present at the dinner were the likes of Efya, Sarkodie, Tems, Edem, MOG Music among many other artistes.
According to Bullgod who was guesting on Accra-based Hitz FM on Monday, 26 September, 2022, the booing the Ghanaian President received some time during his address at Saturday night’s Global Citizen Festival was an ample indicator.
“Look, what happened that day, if we were going to the ballot box that day he would lose. Trust,” he declared.
Earlier, he opined the Ghanaian leader was at the wrong place when he came to address the audience and thus was booed.
“That environment is not for him,” had shared before giving the impression Mr Akufo-Addo has failed his people and not shown empathy for their hardship.
“If you are leading a people, you need to listen to them. You need to feel what they feel. You need to make their lives better. That’s why we elect leaders,” he said.
“So if you’re in leadership and your followership is not in the right space, the right frame of mind, conditions are harsh, chale, what do you expect them to do? This is the only way [they could register their displeasure],” he stressed.
Bullgod, an entertainment pundit, also opined about 90 per cent of the crowd present at the event booed Akufo-Addo.
The Daybreak Hitz team led by Andy Dosty challenged him on this but he maintained his stance and added “This is the youth and not even a political crowd. So if these youth are seeing this, or they are doing this, you should know where the country is going.”
In its tenth year, the Global Citizen Festivalheld a simultaneous event in Central Park, New York City, New York, USA and at the Black Star Square, Accra, Greater Accra Region, Ghana on Saturday, 24 September, 2022.
He said this to TV personality Berla Mundi during a meet-and-greet organised on Sunday, 25 September, 2022, for him, a day after his sterling performance.
“By the way, it was so hard to pick the songs,” he first divulged to Ms Mundi as they conversed as seen by Class News’ Prince Benjamin in an Instagram video posted by the handle @berlamundi.
“And then, by the way, we made a change right before the show started to try and add more things,” Usher elaborated.
“This was just a warm up,” he added before assuring, “I’ll come back, of course.”
“I’m gonna manage to create some things…” he went on.
As a headliner for the tenth Global Citizen Festival which took place in Accra, Ghana, and simultaneously in New York City, USA, Usher started his set with his ‘Caught Up’ hit.
During his near-hour singing and dance set, he invited on stage Nigerian stars Oxlade, Tiwa Savage and Pheelz to also entertain the crowd with their hits.
The climax was when he was joined by dancers from the biggest urban dance school in Ghana called Dance With A Purpose Academy, alias DWPAcademy, to put up an electrifying performance.
They ended the dance session with the shot below before exiting the stage.
What the dancers started as a normal ‘jamma’ chant, invited the Hollywood A-Lister to join the group to mime the song as though he knew what they were singing about.
At a point, they stopped singing but were motivated by Usher to continue singing while some of them took turns hugging the artiste.
Usher arrived in Ghana last week with SZA to perform at the Global Citizen Festival.
On September 24, 2022, the show came off with tens of thousands of people in attendance at the Black Star Square.
With two stages in New York City’s Central Park and the Black Star Square in Accra, Ghana, fans who attended the events said they had not seen anything like it before.
Artistes who were billed to perform aside from Usher and SZA were Stormzy, Sarkodie, Gyakie, and Stonebwoy among others.
Stephanie Benson’s better half, Jonathan Benson, has owned up to his significant other that he at times thinks about different women while having intercourse with her.
In a video the songstress shared on Instagram, she asked her husband, “When we make love, have you ever thought about somebody else?”
Jon answered with a ‘yes’ which got Stephanie to respond with shock conceding she was stunned by Jon’s response.
As indicated by Jonathan, he has thought about Hollywood actresses Charlize Theron and Halle Berry before, when having sex with the mother of five.
The husband and father likewise tossed a similar inquiry at Stephanie and with certainty, she mentioned that she has never at any point thought about some other man besides her husband while having intercourse with him.
“Never ever have I thought of another man, never ever have I had another man’s face in my head. It is weird. Because I mean, you an old man, this old man’s face is what I see,” she added.
Broken-hearted Stephanietold her husband, “I don’t fantasise about another man’s penis” while Jon stared at her for a moment before the couple continued on the topic.
The couple shared a kiss after their heart-to-heart and open conversation which had some social media users commend her husband for being an honest man.
Usher came to the West African country billed as a performer for the tenth edition of the Global Citizen Festivalwhich took place simultaneously in Accra, Ghana and New York, USA, on Saturday, 24, September, 2022.
At a meet-and-greet event organised a day after for the American celebrity, he and Berla who was an MC at the Saturday night programme conversed.
Expressing her profound love for Usher and his repertoire, Ms Mundi bantered, “Everybody knows you’re my husband.”
“Maybe we have to have a wedding here before you go,” she added chuckling.
The two hugged and took a picture together.
The encounter was sighted by Class News’ Prince Benjamin in a video the popular TV personality shared on her Instagram page on Sunday, 25 September, 2022.
The video was captioned: “It was an absolute pleasure meeting Global Citizen Festival ambassador Usher after that incredible performance on stage last night!”
As the only Ghanaian female artist to perform on the Global Citizen Festival stageat the Black Star Square last night, Gyakie did an incredible job representing the country and doing her part in being a contributing voice for global change.
The fast-rising singer started her performance with the reggae song Waka Waka off her recently released “My Diary” EP. An unlikely song intro to her performance, Gyakie delivered a fantastic live rendition of the song with the help of the Ghana Army regimental Band. At the same time, the Ghana flag and branded Gyakie flags were waved behind her: A statement of who she is and where she is from.
Fitting that she is referred to as Queen by people in the industry and her fans, Gyakie showed up on stage, resplendent in a bedazzled outfit by Eleanore, thrilling fans with “Far Away” and her hit single, “Forever” the remix, before ending with her current hit, “Something”.
Gyakie’s band, backing vocalists, and instrumentalists were testament to the fact that she has come a long way since her first performance as an artist, and the future is promising for what she is capable of in the coming years.
In a statement from the Songbird on stage, Gyakie revealed the source of her consistency, hard work and achievements were the young girls around the world, who look up to her. She said: “Before I do anything, I try to picture two or three girls that look up to me. I have their faces etched in my mind as a reminder of my responsibility to show up in a way that inspires them and lets them know they can be anything they want to be, no matter the odds against them.”
The Global Citizen Festival is the world’s longest-running global campaign calling for an end to extreme poverty. Through the Festival, the organization brings together millions of people to amplify the message to #EndPovertyNow and this year, in celebrating 10 Years of impacting change, the event was split into two locations:
Accra and New York with artists like Sza, Usher, Tems, Sarkodie, and Stonebwoy performing while dignitaries from around the world including his Excellency, President Akuffo-Addo delivered speeches calling for leaders and persons around the world to take action to #EndPovertyNow.
On September 24, 2022, these two beautiful Ghanaian women dazzled many in the most fashionable way possible when they appeared to host and present at the festival.
Berla Mundi wore a two-piece suit and pants coloured bright red with classy make-up and long shiny hair extension.
Her looks screamed ‘International Woman’ when she appeared next to American-Zimbabwean actress and playwright, Danai Gurira, popularly known for her role in ‘Black Panther’ on the Global Citizen stage.
While Berla Mundi hosted the show, Joselyn interacted with the stars and crowd who attended the festival looking like a billion-dollar lady with her dress.
The actress wore a sparkly golden dress above knee length, she finished with a transparent heel and blonde hair extension tied in a bun on top of her head.
In some pictures they have recently shared on social media, the actresses have had some applause coming their way for the amazing job they did at the festival.
The Former Deputy Finance Minister noted that the country’s debt position has been tolerated long overdue such that it is now unsustainable.
Speaking on Top Story, Monday, the Ajumako Enyan Esiam MP said the debt restructuring situation presents dire consequences to the economy as the country has never experienced any debt restructuring of the sort.
“Our debt position has been tolerated. I can tell you that we cannot avoid debt restructuring…if Ghana does not go through debt restructuring, I may not even continue as a Member of the Finance Committee. Our debt is simply unsustainable…the entire envelope of government bond is going to go through some form of haircut,” he told Evans Mensah.
The MP is also worried as he believes the country “has no expertise” to do a debt restructuring.
According to Dr. Ato Forson, the government has poorly handled the communications surrounding its decision to debt restructure.
He contended that the unwavering impact of such a decision on the country’s economy needed the IMF to make such an announcement after its debt sustainability analysis.
“The communication around this matter has been extremely poor. Our country is in trouble because of the people who are in charge. The level of ineptitude is just too much, the way they handle issues is just unacceptable. The communication around this has been poorly done. It should have been the IMF after doing debt sustainability analysis that they will find a better way to announce it and get it done properly…the strategy has failed and it is going to cost this country a lot more,” he added.
Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced that its economic programme with Ghana will focus heavily on debt sustainability.
This was captured in a Question and Answer statement issued by the IMF as it begins deliberations with the Government of Ghana on an Economic Programme aimed at stabilising Ghana’s economy.
The IMF also added that the programme will support the credibility of government policies, restore confidence in the central bank’s ability to manage inflation and accumulate foreign exchange reserves to help the local currency withstand headwinds.
According to a principal state attorney at the Upper West regional office of the Attorney General’s Department, Saeed Abdu-Shakur, while eight of the suspects have been granted bail by the Wa circuit court, 10 are still on remand.
On Tuesday, the police in Wa recovered another male adult buried in a shallow grave at Bamahu, a suburb of Wa.
A statement issued by the Upper West regional police command said the yet to be identified body was uncovered by the special purpose intelligence and investigation team as part of their surveillance on Monday, September 19, 2022.
This brings the number of murdered victims to eleven in the last five months.
Meanwhile, the police have announced a GH¢100,000 reward for information that will lead to the arrest of any individual or group involved in the killings in Wa.
The police have also assured the residents of their safety as investigations are underway to apprehend the perpetrators.
The Association in a correspondence asked for the release of the three students that have been remanded in police custody,
According to them, the trio were held without charge for over 48 hours and only arraigned before the court.
This, the Association believed, was unlawful since “they are considered innocent until proven guilty by a court of the land.”
Last week, three more students of the KNUST were remanded into police custody in connection with the violent clashes on the campus.
The three are Emmanuel Appiah Amoah aka Soldier Ba, Eugene Nuamesi and Kwabena Kwarteng Amaniampong aka Zongo Chief.
This brought the total number of students arrested to five.
However, the Association believes this incarceration is a knee jerk reaction to the issue pertaining to the frequent Katanga-Conti clashes.
“We believe your drive for new ways of educating the Ghanaian youth places you in a unique position that makes you appreciate the dynamism of today’s Ghanaian youth.
“We pray you to ensure the immediate release of these students held by the police while a thorough impartial, open investigation and a fair hearing for these young students are held,” parts of the petition read.
The Association further called for a national dialogue on recent happenings resulting in violence on campuses.
“We are convinced that you are the best person to intervene to resolve this matter with the urgency it deserves,” they stated.
Nico Williams has disclosed their trip to Ghana in the summer influenced his senior brother, Inaki Williams to switch allegiance to play for the Black Stars.
The Athletic Bilbao duo arrived in Ghana for vacation in June to spend time with their family.
It was their first visit to Ghana, having spent their entire lives in Spain, where they were born to Ghanaian immigrant parents.
Whiles Inaki has decided to play for Ghana, his younger brother Nico Williams has opted to represent Spain.
The 20-year-old debuted for the Spanish national team in the UEFA Nations League match against Switzerland.
The striker came off the bench in the 63rd minute as Spain lost 2-1 against Switzerland.
Inaki Williams also debuted for Ghana when they lost 3-0 to Brazil in a friendly in France.
According to Nico, his brother’s decision to play for Ghana was influenced by their trip to the West African country in the summer.
“My brother thought a lot about that, about whether to go with the national team or with Ghana, but what marked him was the trip we made there in the summer. Seeing all the people made him take the big step of opting for the Ghana national team, assuming that role in which I hope he will do well and score many goals.”
Ghana coach Otto Addo is almost through of getting his squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The Black Stars is returning to the global showpiece after missing out in Russia 2018.
The West African powerhouse has been paired in Group H against Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea.
According to Otto Addo, 70% of the players he invited for this month friendlies will be in Qatar provided they stay healthy.
His comment come after being asked about how he sees Hamburg’s forward Ransford Yeboah Königsdörffer.
“My training impressions from Ransford Königsdörffer were good. He did it properly. He’s still very young. But it was our intention to bring young players into our squad. We want to build a strong squad for the future.”
“Ransford is a very good player with great potential. I can’t say yet if he’ll definitely be at the World Cup. 70 percent of the players who are here right now will come to Qatar if they stay healthy. The remaining 30 will be tight decisions. We’re watching the players closely for the next few games to see who could play for Qatar in October.”
Asked if Königsdörffer have a chance at the World Cup, he said, “Of course, otherwise he wouldn’t be here.”
Hamburg forward Ransford Yeboah Königsdörffer is likely to make Ghana squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The forward, who has been instrumental in the Bundesliga 2 for Hamburg was handed his debut call up for Ghana’s September friendlies against Nicaragua, Brazil.
Ransford Yeboah was part of the players that switched nationality in June to play for Ghana.
Ghana coach Otto Addo speaking to the Bild confirmed 70 percent of the players invited to the squad will make the final squad for the World Cup.
Asked if Königsdörffer have a chance at the World Cup, he said, “Of course, otherwise he wouldn’t be here.”
“My training impressions from Ransford Königsdörffer were good. He did it properly. He’s still very young. But it was our intention to bring young players into our squad. We want to build a strong squad for the future.”
“Ransford is a very good player with great potential. I can’t say yet if he’ll definitely be at the World Cup. 70 percent of the players who are here right now will come to Qatar if they stay healthy. The remaining 30 will be tight decisions. We’re watching the players closely for the next few games to see who could play for Qatar in October.”
The Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC) says it has resolved 1,036 out of the 1,064 customer complaints received in the Western Region against the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Ghana Water Company between the period of January to August 2022.
Speaking to Citi News on the sidelines of PURC’s Customer Service Clinic in Takoradi, the Western Regional Manager of PURC, Jonathan Akwetey, said through its commitment to addressing customer concerns against the utility service providers, the PURC also secured compensation for some customers.
“The breakdown is that ECG received a total of 966 complaints, and then they were able to resolve 958. Ghana Water received 75 of such complaints, and then they were able to resolve 72 of the complaints”.
He said when such complaints are brought, investigations are carried out “to convince ourselves that what the customer is complaining about is true, and then we resolve them. Under the period, compensation to customers who suffered damages to their equipment, we can talk of TV set, we can talk of fridges, we can talk of microwaves and what have you. During the period, two TV sets were replaced for a customer which were about 45 inches and there was one big washing machine that was repaired for a customer. There was also one flat screen TV repaired for the customer”.
The Western Regional Manager of the PURC, Jonathan Akwetey, however, shed light on complaints filed against customers by utility providers.
“Now the LI 2413 also allows the utility service providers to lodge complaints against defaulting customers. So in the period under review, the commission received 23 of such complaints, and then we were able to resolve six of them. The rest are pending because of the technical nature because they are issues bordering on billing, and we need to carry a thorough investigation into those allegations of default or non-payment. So those complaints are pending and in due course, we will be able to resolve those ones,” he added.
While urging the consuming public to be responsible customers of the utilities, Mr. Akwetey also urged the public not to hesitate to go to the PURC offices with their concerns.
Alfred Duncan, the Fiorentina midfielder, has a few days off before returning to Florence for the start of training.
The former Black Stars player spent some time with Marco Materazzi, a former Inter defender who spent the weekend in Salento, Masseria Corsano at the Ghanaian player’s property.
The two former Inter Milan players met in a place where many other celebrities choose to relax and enjoy the beauties of Puglia.
Duncan began training with Inter Milan in the summer 2010. But due to FIFA regulations, he formally joined Inter in March 2011, after his 18th birthday. He made his Serie A debut for Inter in August 2012.
Duncan represented Ghana at the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey playing four games during it. He made his full international debut on 14 November 2012 against Cape Verde.
Ghanaian youngster, Nico Williams has dedicated his debut appearance for Spain to his parents.
According to him, his parents have given their all to ensure he gets to where he is today and deserves to be happy.
“I dedicate it to my parents above all, to my entire family. They deserve everything and more,” Nico Williams said after coming on as a substitute in the game against Switzerland over the weekend.
Nico Williams, 20, further disclosed that he gets his strength to continue going from his parents.
“I’m very grateful for everything my parents have done. It’s vital, they give you strength and it’s what pushes you to be better. This shirt is for my mother. They’re very happy that she was able to make her senior debut, it’s the everyone’s dream,” the Spain-born attacker said after his debut for Spain.
Nico Williams is in line to feature for Spain again on Tuesday when the team takes on Portugal.
The official line from government is no comment on market movements. The baptism of fire for the chancellor after his budgetary statement continued in the early hours of Monday morning, when the pound fell to a fresh 37-year lows in early Asian trade, and then plummeted to an all-time lows against the dollar.
The pound has since regained some ground, but whatever is said in public, behind the scenes, the government will be deeply concerned about the weak pound as well as the surge in UK government borrowing costs, in particular.
The moves reflect a combination of Britain being charged more for larger borrowings and the Bank of England now predicted to raise interest rates much more aggressively.
These rates will effectively be passed on to household and commercial borrowers of fixed-term loans. While the injection of cash from tax cuts should help temper the recession, very fast rate rises could make that worse.
It is an unusual and concerning sign that these borrowing costs are going up at the same time as the value of sterling has fallen sharply.
Some financial markets are now indicating a one-in-four chance of one pound being worth less than a dollar. It is effectively the lowest value for sterling against the dollar in the history of the US currency.
The last time the value of the pound was anywhere near $1.05 was in February 1985. Back then, the official line from Downing Street was also that the government was unworried by a slide in the pound, and that it was mainly the result of a strong dollar and speculation.
In private, official papers from that time, reveal that Mrs Thatcher was seeking answers from President Reagan, and imploring the Treasury to set a trap for those speculating against the pound. Eventually the Bank of England raised interest rates to protect the value of sterling.
While the dollar has been very strong as its central bank the Federal Reserve has hiked interest rates aggressively, sterling has also been weak against other major currencies such as the euro. Some economists and traders anticipate the government or Bank of England could have to intervene in some form to shore up confidence.
Athletic Bilbao youngster, Nico Williams has noted that he is elated after playing his first match for the Spain senior national team.
Speaking in a post-match interview after coming off the bench to play against Switzerland, the talented forward expressed appreciation to coach Luis Enrique for the chance.
“It’s an indescribable feeling, all players dream of this moment. The coach has given me the opportunity I needed, I am very grateful and hopefully I can add more to the cause,” Nico Williams said.
The youngster added, “I am very happy to be here, to contribute to the cause, very happy to learn from the best and I hope I can have more opportunities.
“I feel very good with them, they have welcomed me very well. There are kids of my age, of my generation, who have made everything much easier for me.”
Tomorrow, Nico Williams will be hoping to get another chance to play for Spain when La Roja takes on Portugal.
A renowned business executive, Sam Jonah, is of the belief that Ghana has the capacity to produce entrepreneurs who will invest in the country’s business ecosystem.
According to him, the change Ghana seeks can be achieved if it eschews the mentality that investors can only be foreigners.
He cites a number of successful businesses that have sprouted from talented youth in Ghana, which if given the right support can push the country toward its desired direction.
“Unfortunately, it reflects in the attitudes of governments and it doesn’t matter how far back you go to think that investors are whites and they are foreigners, if we start believing that all of us are investors in the country, there are people who have built a chain of hotels, there are people who have built radio stations, the likes of Yussif Ibrahim, Ibrahim Mahama.
“There are huge people who are hugely talented entrepreneurs, who, given the opportunity, given the encouragement, the incentives who by the way are easily given to foreigners, the economy will be different,” he said.
Sam Jonah has also bemoaned the low ownership stake of Ghanaians in major business firms in the country.
According to him, retention of profit in the country can help solve a majority of the economic challenges the country is facing.
Residents and commercial drivers who reside and ply the Akuse-Asutsuare-Osuwem and Volivo roads on Monday demonstrated to register their displeasure over deplorable roads in their communities.
The protesters who bemoaned the poor road network linking the communities expressed dissatisfaction with successive governments for failing to upgrade their poor roads, which they say are negatively affecting all facets of their lives.
Clad in red and black apparel with placards, the residents and commercial drivers burnt tyres and blocked sections of the roads, obstructing the free flow of traffic in the communities.
Some of the angry protesters spoke about their predicaments.
“They should come and fix the road for us. If they don’t come, we won’t stop. Nobody will work. Even the bankers will not have access to their office,” one said to Citi News.
Some also complained about the lack of support from companies in the area.
“We have several companies here, but they are not doing anything for us… We are pleading to the government to come to our aid,” another resident said.
Speaking to Citi News on the matter, the District Chief Executive for Shai Osudoku, Fred Offei assured of the government’s resolve to fix the roads in the area as soon as possible.
“The minister has sent contractors on site to do spot improvements and tar some of the places, but the contractor hasn’t been to site for some time now,” he explained.
The Athletic Bilbao duo arrived in Ghana for vacation in June to spend time with their family.
It was their first visit to Ghana, having spent their entire lives in Spain, where they were born to Ghanaian immigrant parents.
Whiles Inaki has decided to play for Ghana, his younger brother Nico Williams has opted to represent Spain.
The 20-year-old made his debut for the Spanish national team in the UEFA Nations League match against Switzerland.
The striker came off the bench in the 63rd minute as Spain lost 2-1 against Switzerland.
Inaki Williams also debuted for Ghana when they lost 3-0 to Brazil in a friendly in France.
According to Nico, his brother decision to play for Ghana was influenced by their trip to the West African country in the summer.
“My brother thought a lot about that, about whether to go with the national team or with Ghana, but what marked him was the trip we made there in the summer. Seeing all the people made him take the big step of opting for the Ghana national team, assuming that role in which I hope he will do well and score many goals”
According to Mr. Abdul Noor Wahab, Manager of Generations and Systems Planning, Volta River Authority, Ghana has transitioned from having a 100% hydro capacity to having a mix that is currently 63% thermal sources.
He claimed that as of the end of 2021, natural gas continued to be the leading cost factor for Ghana, followed by hydro, liquid fuel, and other sources.
Speaking at the Gas Accountants Business Summit, which was put on by the Energy Sector Recovery Programme (ESRP), Mr. Wahab claimed the potential of hydro was constrained. His topic was “Ghana’s Energy Generation Mix and the Future Outlook.”
He explained that after Pwalugu’s 60 megawatts, Juale-90MW, and Western River’s about 340MW, available hydro potential in the country was limited.
He said there was potential for solar in almost every part of the country adding that its potential on average was at 15 to 18 percent capacity factor without battery storage.
Mr Wahab however noted that the cost of generation would increase significantly when four to six hours of battery storage was added.
He said wind potential was limited as the best wind speeds were along the coast, noting that the cost of generation from wind could be 10 US cents/kWh if funding at five percent or lower were available.
Mr Wahab said thermal had the highest prospect, easy to deploy, had combined cycles that required water for cooling, and could now be cooled by air, in addition to having competitive cost.
He said nuclear also had the potential to play an important role but has a high capital cost which was likely to affect its quantity in the future generation mix and thermal generation would dominate by 2040 with a component of about 88 per cent of the mix.
The Gas Accountants’ Business Summit was organised to discuss the natural gas business in Ghana and its related issues to achieve a financially sustainable energy sector.
The summit was on the theme; “The Role of Natural Gas on Ghana’s Sustainable Future,” which brought together accountants, lawyers, commercial experts, and other professionals within the energy sector.
Other presentations during the summit covered the Cash Waterfall Mechanism’s concept, accounting and implementation, Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC), natural gas prospects for economic transformation, the future of Africa Gas in the global economy, and the outlook of ECG’s billing processes, and many others.
The administration claims that a thorough Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA), a crucial prerequisite for obtaining an IMF-supported program, is currently under way.
To make sure Ghana’s debt is managed in a sustainable way, this is a crucial prerequisite.
The government of Ghana is putting together a thorough post-Covid-19 economic blueprint, which would serve as the foundation for the IMF negotiations, according to an announcement from the ministry of finance on September 26, 2022.
The program aims to create a macro-fiscal path that guarantees debt sustainability and macroeconomic stability and is supported by significant structural changes and social protection.”
The IMF mission that arrived in Ghana on September 26, 2022, is currently in talks with the Ministry of Finance and The Bank of Ghana.
“Government remains committed and shall continue to actively engage all stakeholders, both public and private, in a clear and transparent manner as we seek to fast-track this process,” parts of the release read.
Ghana is seeking at least $3 billion from the Bretton Woods Institution to shore up its reserves and deal with the depreciating cedi and fund its infrastructure projects.
Ghanaian international, Baba Alhassan says he is honoured by the attention he is receiving in Romania.
Before the international break, the midfielder displayed top form in the Romanian Superliga where he plays for FC Hermannstadt.
Speaking about the attention that has attracted to him, Baba Alhassan says he wants to continue working hard to help his team.
“Yes, I am honored by all this attention, but my main goal is to play football. I love this sport and give it my all on the field. That’s all that matters! If we are happy and treat the
phenomenon with the respect it deserves, then the supporters and all those who watch us either from the stands or on TV are also happy,” the FC Hermannstadt midfielder said.
Baba Alhassan added, “There are a lot of terrible things happening in the world, so it’s worth enjoying moments of happiness. We do and will do our duty. At the moment we are doing well, so we can be optimistic. We have a homogeneous team, with a coach who gives us confidence.
This season, the Ghanaian midfielder has made 10 appearances for FC Hermannstadt in the Romanian Superliga and has six goals and one assist to his name.
The Black Stars conceded all 3 goals in the second half before Otto Addo made changes in the second half, with Williams brought on for his Ghana debut.
The changes in both personnel and system brought about an improved performance in the second half, where the team did not concede and hit the cross bar with an attack of their own.
“Yeah it was not good match because Brazil is a good team. I think the second half, if Ghana is to play like Ghana, this is the line to continue and I am very happy to stay here,” Inaki told 3Sports.
“I am very happy, my parents are very happy, my grandpa is very happy Ghana is jumping to me and I am very very happy. The match is not good but I am going to put everything to put Ghana at the top.”
The Black Stars face Nicaragua on Tuesday September 27 in Spain in another preparatory game ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in November in Qatar.
Dr. Williams Peprah, a financial expert, claimed that despite Ghana’s recent downgrading, the government is still in a strong position to be able to service its debts.
He claims that the nation has previously proven its capacity to make sure it does not fall behind on debt repayments.
He said this after Fitch, a global rating agency, reduced the nation’s creditworthiness rating from CCC to CC, increasing the likelihood that it will default on its debt.
Dr. Williams Peprah, a financial expert, claimed that despite Ghana’s recent downgrading, the government is still in a strong position to be able to service its debts.
He claims that the nation has previously proven its capacity to make sure it does not fall behind on debt repayments.
He said this after Fitch, a global rating agency, reduced the nation’s creditworthiness rating from CCC to CC, increasing the likelihood that it will default on its debt.
Ghanaian management company, Resource Intermediaries Limited, Ghana has donated GH₵5,000 to St. Elizabeth’s home (formerly known as Lighthouse Christian Children’s Home) as part of activities to mark its 11th anniversary.
The management and staff of the company visited the orphanage to donate the sum as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility.
Anniversary
RIL-GH launched its 11th anniversary in Accra on Friday, September 23, 2022, under the theme, “Celebrating Success Story”.
The CEO of RIL-GH, Mr Emmanuel Boateng, extended his gratitude to God for a successful journey and experience throughout the birth and conception of the company.
“Let me say that it has not been an easy journey but with God on our side, we’ve been able to get this far”.
“We are here celebrating 11 years of success which means a lot to us. Not forgetting, my team who have always been available and served diligently to the great course of RIL-GH, I say thank you”.
Ghana captain Andre Ayew has said the Black Stars will fight to make impact at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The West African powerhouse is returning to the global showpiece after missing out in Russia 2018.
Ghana has been paired in Group H against Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea at the World Cup.
Asked about Ghana’s chances of progressing from the group, the Al Sadd star said, “We have a chanc
e. Nobody sees us as favourites, which is expected. So we know we’re not going into any of the matches as favourites but we’re there to fight and make an impact. No doubt it will be a very difficult group for every team and all we have to do is be ready, focused, determined, full squad and have a bit of luck.
If we have our full squad, we can seriously disrupt a lot of teams. I am not concerned because I know what Ghana is capable of” he told Al Jazeera.
The Black Stars are preparing for the World Cup and will face Nicaragua on Tuesday after last Friday’s defeat to Brazil.
Citi TV’s War Against Indiscipline has generated GH¢24,000 from 16 drivers who appeared in court in the last two weeks of the operation.
Out of 25 vehicles impounded on the East Legon stretch, 16 drivers appeared before the La motor court with seven pending cases, while the court has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of two drivers who failed to show up in court for various road traffic infractions.
This morning, the War Against Indiscipline team arrested seven drivers again for engaging in wrong U-turns on the motorway.
The drivers called on road authorities to block all unauthorized U-turns and erect road signs on the motorway in order to deter them from the illegalities.
The War Against Indiscipline campaign aims to raise awareness among road users, which will, in turn, avert the increasing loss of lives to road crashes.
Officials of the World Bank have stated that the interventions initiated by the management of Ghana Tech Lab have started to yield the intended results of improving on digital skills training, among others.
In a surprise visit to the Ghana Tech Lab office in Accra, on Friday, September 23, 2022, the Regional Director of Infrastructure, West and Central Africa, Franz Drees-Gross expressed the gratitude of the World Bank to Ghana’s management for their sterling efforts in improving digital education in the country.
The leader of the World Bank delegation said Ghana Tech Lab management over a short period of time has strategised to equip young individuals and organizations with the necessary skills to increase productivity for growth and development.
“We are really impressed by the works of the Ghana Tech Lab towards the technological growth of Ghana’s economy,” he said.
World Bank Program’s Leader Infrastructure to Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, known as Dhruva Sahai also noted that the world is growing fast in terms of technology and was happy that the Ghana Tech Lab was working hard to instill technological knowledge into the teeming youth of the country.
He described such intervention as one that every developing nation should apply to bring new innovations that improve systems, in addition to more entrepreneurship programs.
The World Bank Officials further called on Ghanaians to embrace the technological interventions implemented by Ghana Tech Lab for its success.
The Managing Assistant of the Ghana Tech Lab, Mr. Edward Akani on his part thanked the World Bank Officials for the recognition of their work and assured their readiness to continue to work to perfection.
He said his outfit has trained over twenty thousand youth into Information Technology (IT) and was optimistic more people would benefit from the initiative.
Ghana Tech Lab, Mr. Akani said has trained people within all the Sixteen (16) Regions of the country with the main aim of instilling the knowledge of IT in the youth in Ghana.
Mr. Akani also said the Ghana Tech Lab has other special programs that aim at promoting businesses in the country.
“In equipping the youth across the country we have supplied furniture and Laptops to participants of our various programs in the country” he disclosed.
The Ghana Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors has assured the nation that there are sufficient stocks of all petroleum products to satisfy national demand well into the New Year.
It has therefore dismissed reports about the pertinent fuel shortage, describing it as “unfounded”.
“We have more than enough petroleum products at the depots and in the ports ready for discharge. These products, ranging from petrol and diesel to kerosene, premix and aviation fuel, are available in sufficient quantities to meet national demand beyond the Christmas holidays”, Chief Executive Officer of CBOD, Dr. Patrick Ofori said.
Dr. Ofori said the nation’s strategic fuel stocks have been maintained and replenished through policy intervention by the Bank of Ghana (BoG) and nationalistic “sacrifices” by the bulk oil distribution companies.
He explained that the BoG has allocated 120 million US dollars every month until the end of the year for the importation of all essential petroleum products into the country.
“For this we are very grateful to the Central Bank, which has been working with us to assist our members, the bulk distribution companies, to secure foreign exchange forwards to meet the nation’s petroleum import bill,” Dr. Ofori said. “With the BoG’s intervention, the forex challenges we faced around the middle of the year have been stabilized to some extent and there is little, if any, cause for alarm”, he explained.
He further added that “what the BoG is providing, however, is just a fraction of what the BDCs need to meet their medium- to long-term foreign exchange liquidity demands and CBOD is hoping that more will be done soon to shore up foreign exchange liquidity in the country.
Dr. Ofori also commended the bulk distribution companies for placing the national interest above their commercial interests to help ensure adequate petroleum supplies in the country.
He pledged the continuous support and co-operation of CBOD with all the relevant national agencies to ensure adequate supplies of petroleum products to keep the engines of the Ghanaian economy running.
Johnny Depp is in no rush to settle down—at least, that’s what several sources say.
According to TMZ, the 59-year-old actor is now dating Joelle Rich—the UK attorney who represented Depp in his 2018 lawsuit against The Sun. The rumored romance made headlines earlier this week with insiders claiming the two were romantically linked. But sources have since told TMZ that Depp isn’t quite ready for monogamy.
“Johnny and Joelle are NOT exclusive,” the outlet reported. “In fact, a source connected to Johnny’s new movie tells us he’s recently been spotted on set getting cozy with a new woman while filming over in France.”
The news conflicts with previous reports about the nature of Depp and Rich’s relationship. One insider told Us magazine that the couple was quite “serious.”
“Their chemistry is off the charts …,” the source claimed. “They are the real deal.”
However, TMZ reports Depp is hesitant to start anything serious, unlike his rumored new flame. According to the outlet, Rich was so dedicated to the actor that she spent two months in Virginia to attend his trial against Amber Heard. Sources say she was not part of Depp’s legal team, and was simply there to show her support. The attorney, who resides in the UK, reportedly left behind two children and her estranged husband.
“There was no professional obligation for her being there. It was personal,” a source told Us.
Depp and Rich have to publicly confirm the status of their relationship.
A 26-year nurse, Eunice Maame Adwoa Boatemaa Adu-Phoku, has emerged winner of this year’s Miss Ghana UK held at the Gaumont Palace (DC) The Broadway, High Road, Wood Green.
Held on September 10, 2022, Ms Adu -Poku staved off competition from10 other beautiful ladies to take the coveted crown. She also won Miss Eloquence on the night alongside both 1st and 2nd Runners up.
Adwoa Boatemaa Adu -Poku won for herself £1000 cash, ticket to Ghana (Easter 2023), a trip to Dubai sponsored by Koppan Hospitality, Outfits from Nelles, products from House of Hair, UKG Heritage, Natural Skincare by Viva CBV beauty treatment from LCMP and she automatically is the Face of MGUK Foundation.
First runner-up went to Miss Margherita Melody Nana Adwoa Boatemaa Oppong. She also won the Miss Eloquence award and went home with £500 cash, products from House of Hair, UKG Heritage, Natural Skincare by Viva CBV and beauty treatment from LCMP.
Additionally, Miss Manuella Ann Adwoa Awini won second runner-up and also Miss Eloquence award. She went home with £250 cash, products from House of Hair, UKG Heritage, Natural Skincare by Viva CBV and beauty treatment from LCMP.
The other award winners were Margherita Melody Nana Adwoa Boatemaa Oppong who won the Best Traditional Wear award, Best Personality award went to Miss Glenda Nana Adwoa Serwaa Gaspard and Miss Social award went to Miss Esmeraldah Afiyoh Nague.
The judges for the pageant were, Gina Haick nee Cave-Lathbridge -Manger for Coach Tapestry Brand Ambassador, Denise Hanson – Miss Ghana UK 2010, Papa Kow Bartell – Head of Trade and Investment Ghana High Commission UK and Ireland, Yvonne Abba- Opoku ACG- Director at Heartfelt Philanthropy Network and Chartered Governance Advisor and Mamaga Abu Buiekpor II of Anlo State.
Prior to the main event, the contestants embarked on a number of activities including, mental health and wellbeing session, cultural dancing, etiquette training, cooking session, MGUK Foundation Life Skills Training and Coaching, cake decorating challenge among others.
Speaking to the Co-Director of Miss Ghana UK, Ms Mavis Osei, she noted gratitude is all she has to render.
“I thank God for giving us the strength to do this. Relieved that we managed to put this phenomenal show on in 2 and half months.
The feedback has been extremely positive, one of the best Miss Ghana UKs ever. This was only made possible with funding from all our sponsors and more so the Miss Ghana UK team without everyone this would not have been possible,” she said. Massive thank you to all sponsors, Supporters and Media Partners.
Event organization is an arduous and complex terrain. From conceptualization to the composition of a team, to resource mobilization, to marketing, to delivery, it is such a mammoth task which requires grit. Some people presume event organization as an easy task until they have first-hand experience.
Unfortunately, the smooth ecosystem in Ghana to facilitate event organization is virtually non-existent. While industry players and ‘ordinary’ citizens strive to see a miraculous change in new event organizations, a new yardstick has been created – the Global Citizen Festival.
What is this new yardstick?
Over the weekend, the Global Citizen Festival (GCF) came off as one of (if not) the best-produced entertainment event in Ghana. Everything was perfect, from the artist lineup, promotions, performances, light, sound, set up, audience control, extra support for attendees (charging ports, free refillable water stations), and live stream. In the past few decades, I have witnessed many events as a physical and a virtual audience. However, I have not even caught such a flawless piece of work.
During and after the event, many netizens in Ghana concur that the GCF has set a benchmark for rating future shows organized by our ‘local’ entertainment bigwigs. That’s fair enough. Barring any other noteworthy piece not directly mentioned, I am convinced that the event’s success rested on a large pool of resources – human and capital.
Expertise and sub-substandardness of local production:
Getting experts to run successful events in Ghana has been a severe bane to event organizations. British Advertising Tycoon David Mackenzie Ogilvy once said, “Hire people who are better than you are, then leave them to get on with it. Look for people who will aim for the remarkable, who will not settle for the routine”. Unfortunately, one of Ghana’s significant shortfalls is the lack of technical know-how. Not to say that we don’t have people who have experience in handling events in Ghana. But, the challenge is those who have ‘experience’ are stuck to a particular mundane routine over the years and ‘refuse’ to learn or grow.
Why do I say that? First, it was fascinating to see that our ‘experienced guys’ such as Mr Rudy Kwakye(served as a team lead), Mr Frank Kwakye (sound), and Derrick Ankomah, alongside other production crew members, played impressive roles in the successful organization of the GCF. Yet, these same people offer services to event organizers in Ghana and produce negligible differences yearly. Correct?
So the big question is, what different methods did organizers of the event rely on to pull off such an incredible event? The answer is simple. Our ‘experienced practitioners’ were led/directed by ‘experienced professionals’ (foreigners essentially) assigned by the GCF organizers. For instance, the OB Van (owned by a Ghanaian) used to operate the control room was handled by “outsiders/foreigners”. Not to take anything away from us, but we are just so accustomed to a particular norm.
Thus, pulling off a spectacular production is challenging unless there’s a direction from an “outsider”. Our experienced guys would not take a word from you (as a local) if you tried to suggest other creative ways to get the job done. You will likely hear statements such as, “do you know how long I have been doing this? This is my job; let me handle it”. But do they say the same to “outsiders”? Your guess is as good as mine.
We need skilled individuals to thrive in every facet of our industry. But how will we learn new techniques and improve when there is an institutional and financial lapse? When the people themselves are used to the same routine and are unteachable – unless it is a foreigner?
Finance:
On finance, while going through the feeds on Facebook and Twitter, I saw how some netizens went hard on events such as the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards – calling them out to take a cue from the GCF and do better. But one missing link was that very few considered (or consider) the level of capital investment that went into the production of the GCF. The budget, if disclosed, would shock the bone marrow of ordinary Ghanaians who lack insight into what goes into the production of a successful event. I, therefore, ask, when will corporate Ghana and the government understand that the creative arts industry can drive tourism and help accrue millions of dollars into the Ghanaian economy?
On this side of the sun, event organizers will go arm’s length to secure sponsorship only to be given a paltry of it (that is when they successfully get any). Lack of financial support leads to inadequate funds to pay for “experts” and acquire advanced equipment to run a flawless event. While the sound guy is underpaid, the light guy is taking his share. As a result, everyone is de-motivated right from the onset, leading to poor production year in and year out. I must also mention GSF employed a large pool of Human resources to see the event’s efficiency. It won’t be surprising that the cost of paying the crew alone can be the entire budget of several “big events” in Ghana. Capital is thus critical in acquiring the tools and human resources needed to man these tools.
Impact on economy:
Notably, the creative arts industry contributes significantly to counties’ gross domestic product (GDP) worldwide. For instance, in 2020, Media and entertainment contributed a whopping $2 trillion annual economic impact globally and some $500 billion in the United States. It is estimated that about 5 million people are employed within the audiovisual space alone in the creative arts industry, bringing in about $5 billion annually. Sadly, we do not have precise data on the influence of the creative art industry on our economy.
Way forward:
Consequently, I hope that while we set the GCF as a benchmark for future events in Ghana, funding bodies and the government will open their arms wide to support the creative industry. I still consider it an untapped sector. We need to do more. Also, event organizers need to stop underpaying creatives – all in a bid to make so much for themselves. If the resource is available, it is better to pay creatives well, as it would lead to the success of the events. What’s the return on this? Better sponsorship packages for subsequent events.
Additionally, our ‘experts’ need to take it upon themselves to outgrow their comfort zone. It is time for them to plug themselves into international productions to acquire enhanced skills and knowledge to change the fortunes of event organizations in Ghana. On the flip side, I believe our ‘experienced guys’ learnt a thing or two about production while working with these “foreign experts”.
I would use this opportunity to congratulate all the acts who performed, especially our Ghanaian acts, for their stellar performances. Big shouts to Stonebwoy, Sarkodie, Gyakie, DWP Academy, Kwesi Arthur and Yaw Tog. You made us proud.
Artiste manager Kwesi Ernest has urged Ghanaian artistes to recognise the efforts made by investors in improving their craft.
Speaking to Roselyn Felli on Prime Morning Friday, he stated that investors have experienced a torrent of ungratefulness from most artistes in Ghana’s music industry.
According to him, some musicians become ungrateful to investors after becoming famous.
“It is important that our musicians recognise the effort of investors. I see that the issue that came about has to that most of the investors were a bit emotional and so they did not involve contractual obligations into their activities,” he said.
He believes that engaging in contractual agreements will enable the Ghanaian music industry to become healthier while admitting that everyone will receive an equal share of the benefits.
Also, the entertainment pundit admonished musicians to stop being proud when their music is invested in and to express gratitude to the executive producers for their works.
“Once you get an opportunity and somebody is putting money on you, don’t ever imagine that you’re the best singer Ghana has ever produced or that your voice is the sweetest…” he added.
Kwesi Ernest affirmed that the fame of recently trending musicians, including Black Sherrif, Wendy Shay, and Camidoh, among others, is dependent on the effort of investors.
According to him, artistes who fund their own songs have testified that investors are doing excellent work in establishing upcoming musicians.
He indicated that the emotional nature of some investors is also a contributory factor to musicians expressing ungratefulness.
He further urged music investors to put money into the craft of innovative and talented artistes.
“Let’s invest in creative people. Let’s invest in talent. Do not go to invest in an artiste in the name of ‘I’m going to help you. No, you can’t help any musicians. It’s business,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Kwesi Ernest, who is also the head of events for the 6th edition of the Ghana Music Awards UK 2022, has announced that the event is open for sponsorship.
The GMA UK 2022 comes off on Saturday, October 29, 2022, in London.
The Upper West regional police command has arrested a total of 18 persons so far in connection with the killing of 11 persons by unknown men in Wa, the regional capital.
Confirming the arrests to Citi News, a principal state attorney at the Upper West regional office of the Attorney General’s Department, Saeed Abdu-Shakur, disclosed that eight of the suspects have been granted bail by the Wa circuit court.
The remaining 10 have been remanded in police custody for further investigations into the killings that occurred in Wa in the last nine months.
Police had announced a GHC 100,000 bounty on persons behind the killings in Wa.
Police have special purpose intelligence and investigation teams working with members of the community.
Ghanaian international, Baba Alhassan has opened up about his love for Ivorian football legend Yaya Toure.
According to the FC Hermannstadt central midfielder, he is a big fan of the former Manchester City hero and hopes to reach his level in the future.
“Premier League (England) and Yaya Toure. I love the football there, especially for the dedication and involvement in every game, and as for Yaya…Yes, he is the best,” Baba Alhassan said in an interview for LPF.ro.
The youngster further disclosed that this season, he wants to improve his goal involvement at FC Hermannstadt.
“Personally, my goal is to help the team and score goals. If the assists come, so much the better! Here we are like a family and we take care of each other. We respect each other a lot,” the midfielder said.
Prior to the international break, Baba Alhassan displayed fantastic form. This season, he has made 10 appearances in the Romanian Superliga where he has contributed six goals and one assist.
The Upper West regional police command has arrested a total of 18 persons so far in connection with the killing of 11 persons by unknown men in Wa, the regional capital.
Confirming the arrests to Citi News, a principal state attorney at the Upper West regional office of the Attorney General’s Department, Saeed Abdu-Shakur, disclosed that eight of the suspects have been granted bail by the Wa circuit court.
The remaining 10 have been remanded in police custody for further investigations into the killings that occurred in Wa in the last nine months.
Police had announced a GH¢100,000 bounty on persons behind the killings in Wa.
Police have special purpose intelligence and investigation teams working with members of the community.
You can count Tyler, the Creator as among those having some fun with ASAP Rocky’s viral mosh pit footage.
The footage in question stems from Rocky’s appearance at this weekend’s Rolling Loud New York, marking a performance he billed as his “last show until the album.” In a clip from the show, Rocky is seen getting caught up in an excited crowd, resulting in some promptly shared and widely memed screenshots.
One such screenshot, in fact, later managed to become Tyler’s Instagram profile pic.
Of course, Tyler and Rocky have a long collaborative history, complete with numerous prior examples of similar acts of hilarity. In May of last year, for example, Tyler playfully roasted his friend in connection with a GQ cover story shoot.
After his Rolling Loud set, Rocky shared a statement to Twitter in which he apologized to fans for the show having been, in his words, “everything it was and everything it wasn’t.” Per Rocky, the show had initially been designed to signal “a turning point” in his live performances but fell short of its intention.
“I was unfortunately not able to bring my vision to fruition and I’m hurt about that and I want to apologize to all of my fans and continued supporters,” Rocky said.
Below, get a closer look at Rocky’s Rolling Loud set.
Image via Rolling Loud/@HenryHwu
Image via Rolling Loud/@itchyeyephotos
Image via Rolling Loud/@jamesbaxter
Image via Rolling Loud/@ChrisAllmeid
Rocky’s upcoming new album will be his first since 2018’s “Praise the Lord”-featuring Testing. The album, at least as of May of last year, could wind up featuring appearances by Morrissey.
Winger Francis Amuzu’s thigh injury from last weekend does not appear to be serious. He did not pull himself into a muscle tear, according to Het Laatste Nieuws.
There was too much liquid in the area of the injury.
The injury blocked the winger’s chance to link up with the Belgian national team during the international break.
Francis Amuzu has a good chance of playing against Charleroi again in six days.
However, the diagnosis is not yet final, according to the Flemish newspaper.
Francis Amuzu is set to sign a new contract with the Belgian outfit. His current contract expires in 2024.
Government says it is putting together a post COVID-19 Economic programme which will form the basis for negotiations with the International Monetary Fund. This was captured in a press statement released by the Finance Ministry on 26th September, 2022.
According to the ministry, the programme seeks to establish a macro-fiscal path that ensures debt sustainability and macroeconomic stability underpinned by key structural reforms and social protection.
The statement maintained that the Ministry of Finance, and the Bank of Ghana have commenced discussions with the IMF for an IMF-supported programme.
“A key prerequisite for a programme is confirmation that Ghana’s debt is on a sustainable path; this will require a comprehensive Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA), which is currently ongoing” the Finance ministry added.
It also disclosed that “government negotiations with respect to the IMF-supported programme is commencing this week and we are optimistic about making progress in our discussions”.
“Government remains committed, and shall continue to actively engage all stakeholders, both public and private, in a clear and transparent manner as we seek to fast-track this process”, it added.
American RnB sensational, Usher Raymond, on Friday received a rousing welcome at the Cape Coast Castle in commemoration of the Global Citizen Festival’s anniversary celebration.
The festival was on Saturday, September 24, at the Black Star Square, in Accra.
Scores gathered in front of the Cape Coast Castle as others climbed up buildings to catch a glimpse of the music legend who has won a total of 333 awards and 618 nomination’s visit to Ghana for the first time.
Amazed by the turn of events, the multiple award winner took turns to chat and had photo opportunities with fans.
Before his historic visit to Cape Coast, the talented singer visited some schools and toured the Chorkor community in Accra, the national capital, alongside SZA , an English rapper, interacted with students and Chorkor residents in Accra as the people cheered on.
He was ushered into the Castle through the “door of no return” which was the last door slaves went through to cross the Atlantic Ocean.
The Castle was used to hold enslaved Africans before they were loaded into ships and sold in the Americas and the Caribbean.
The historical monument has hosted numerous international celebrities and political figures, including former President of America, Barrack Obama and First Lady, Michelle Obama and Marian Shields Robinson, mother of Michelle Obama, and son, Craig Robinson, a basketball executive.
Also, former US First Lady Melania Trump visited on her trip to Africa, Gillian White, Actress, and wife of actor, Jai White, a Hollywood celebrity, and children among others.
A source at the Castle said: “Like Steve Harvey and host of others in the Diaspora shed tears upon visiting the Cape Coast castle, the RnB artist was heavy-hearted after being taken on a tour in the dungeons of the Castle and was briefed of the brutal act of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and how the activity was carried out. ”
The Global Citizen’s Festival has grown to be one of the world’s largest movements of action-takers and impact-makers who are calling for urgent change to protect and uplift the World’s most vulnerable.
Police in Nigeria have arrested a suspected notorious kidnapper known for flaunting his wealth on social media.
Many knew John Lyon as a banker whose posts always advised people to work hard and to stay safe, local media reports.
A spokesperson for the police in the southern Bayelsa state told the BBC that Mr Lyon was in their custody.
The suspect was transferred to the state after being arrested in the capital, Abuja, said Asimi Butswat.
“When they get the money they go to Abuja to live lavishly,” Mr Butswat told the BBC.
At least ten kidnappings for ransom in Bayelsa state had been traced to his gang, the authorities say. But he is not the group’s leader.
Many Nigerians have expressed dismay over the development with some describing the suspect as a generous person who was fond of giving gifts.
Mr Lyon has not yet commented publicly.
But a video reportedly of him while in police custody has surfaced on social media. In the short clip, the detained man is seen asking for forgiveness after his arrest.
The police are expected to give further updates on Monday afternoon.
The North East Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has deployed a special taskforce to flush out all illegal miners from the Mamprugu/Moaduri District.
To stop the illegal mining activities from continuing to destroy the environment and resulting in the loss of lives, the REGSEC has also started engaging all illegal miners and residents of the mining communities on the need to form cooperatives to secure permits from the Minerals Commission for community mining.
These measures have been taken following the collapse of a galamsey pit at Nangruma, a mining community in the Mamprugu/Moaduri District, which resulted in the loss of five lives last Monday.
Sanitising mining
The North East Regional Minister, Yidana Zakaria, in an interview with the Daily Graphic, said the move would not only sanitise the mining industry in the area but also help the region reap the full benefits of mining activities.
“Even before the incident occurred last Monday, REGSEC had engaged the community members on the effects of illegal mining activities and we are fully committed to fighting the menace,” he said.
He indicated that some Chinese had mined at the site and left behind deep uncovered pits and gullies, which were now being mined by the illegal miners.
Mr Zakaria, however, stated that “due to the nature of the pits created, it would need national effort to be able to cover up the area because the assembly didn’t have the resources.”
Incident
Five illegal miners were last Monday trapped to death in an illegal mining pit at Nangruma in the Mamprugu/Moaduri District.
The deceased have been identified as Kwaku Noah, Issahaku Osman, Mohammed Ibrahim, Salifu and Aliu Waliu.
The illegal miners were said to be prospecting for gold when the pit collapsed and killed them. The bodies were subsequently retrieved from the collapsed pit by a rescue team and handed over to their families for burial.
Akon has revealed that he and Michael Jackson had plans to open music schools across Africa prior to his death in 2009.
“It started off as a concept, me and Mike was actually speaking about creating music universities all throughout Africa,” he told TMZ in a recent interview. “I’m giving them the tools, the instruments, the knowledge of the business. Just kind of help them with facilities that help them polish up their skills, because Africa got so much talent. This is one of the main motivations when I went into Nigeria back then, the whole start and support all those young artists for afrobeat and things like this.”
Unfortunately, the two were never able to realize their plans when Jackson died suddenly from cardiac arrest in June, 2009. At the time of his death, he was planning an extensive series of comeback shows across the globe.
“The schools haven’t happened yet, it was just a conversation that we had but it’s something I do want to follow-up on,” Akon added, upon which he was asked if he would still want to go through with the schools because of MJ’s complicated legacy. “If people knew who he really was and understood the story behind it, that wouldn’t be a legacy question like you know what Mike did for the culture. It shouldn’t even be a thought, but ultimately the powers that be in America work a little different when it comes to Black and brown people.”
While Jackson’s legacy as far as his contributions to music is difficult to dispute, his place in pop culture was called into question following the airing of Leaving Neverland in 2019. The documentary looked at the accusations that Jackson sexually abused two men, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, when they were children. During his career, Jackson faced allegations of child sexual abuse in the mid ‘90s and the early ‘00s.
Jackson settled a lawsuit with an accuser in ‘93, and later went to trial over charges he abused then 13-year-old Garin Arivo in 2005. He was found not guilty at the time.
Akon previously spoke of the plans to open music schools in Africa in a recent interview with HipHopDX. He said he plans to build a school in Akon City, his in-development $4 billion city in Senegal. “Even in Akon City in the educational district the first one will be built in there and I’m naming it after the Michael Jackson Foundation,” he said. “So I’m gonna be naming it MJ University.”
