Burna Boyin the past week was hosted on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
The Nigerian Afrobeats star spoke openly about his musical path and his collaborations with artists for his new album, “Love Damini,” including Ed Sheeran.
He also discussed how he came up with the stage moniker Burna Boy.
The musician mentioned that he formerly drew comic book figures like Spiderman and others.
But unlike other young people, he wanted to be his own superhero, so he created a superhero that represented him. Burna Boy was the only name he could come up with for the superhero.
Burna Boy Later performed his hit song off ‘Love, Damini’ album ‘Last Last’.
With less than two weeks until the end of the SIM card re-registration period, the National Identification Authority (NIA) has revealed that it will be unable to register all Ghanaians before the September 30, 2022, deadline.
Addressing the media at a press conference on Friday, September 16, 2022, Executive Secretary of
the NIA, Prof. Kenneth Agyeman Attafuah, explained that the authority has been saddled with financial and logistic difficulties in registering and issuing the Ghana card, which is the sole identification document for the SIM card registration.
Prof. Attafuah mentioned that currently there “is only one office in a district and there are 4 people
in that district office. At the 200 registration centres, you may have about 16 NIA officials serving the people.”
“That is not how the physical and logistical system has been designed to respond. We cannot do that. There is no way that the NIA can register those people. It is technically, physically impossible. We had said way back in March that it was impossible. I have said it is like expecting a maiden to make a baby every three months,” he added during a press conference on Friday.”
The aforementioned challenges bedevilling NIA, according to Prof Attafuah were communicated to the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the Ministry of Digitalisation and Communication before they announced the deadlines for the re-registration of SIM cards.
Despite describing the September 30 deadline as unfortunate, he said “it is not for NIA to proffer advice on that as it falls outside its mandate. However, I can say on authority that we have engaged actively with the National Communications Authority, and with the Minister [of Communications and Digitalisation] since last year.”
As of September 9, 2022, the NIA has issued 15,859,251 Ghana cards and is yet to print 528,360 cards as well as issue 763,877 cards, according to Director of Corporate Affairs, Dr Abudu Abdul Ganiyu.
The NIA, however, says it is working hard to clear its backlog before the stated deadline.
Nonetheless, the NCA has issued some punitive measures against mobile network subscribers who have failed to register their SIM cards.
These subscribers on September 5, 2022, were prohibited from using specific services, such as data and all outgoing voice calls once a week.
Some Ghanaians who are facing the brunt of NCA’s punitive actions have lamented that the stipulated time frame will not only affect subscribers but businesses as well.
A Pressure Group, the People’s Project, have sued the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the Attorney-General (A-G) over the ongoing SIM card re-registration exercise.
The group is asking the Supreme Court to declare the deadline for registration and the associated punitive measures for non-registration null and void, arguing of gold has in the long run destroyed Ghana’s water bodies and farmlands.
Unwavering about the concerns of Ghanaians, the Minister for Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu- Ekuful has stated that SIM card registration will help minimize fraudulent activities.
She iterated that defaulting subscribers who fail to meet the
September 30 deadline will have their SIM card deactivated.
However, individuals whose SIM cards will be blocked after the September 30 deadline will be given a six-month grace period to reclaim their SIM cards after registering.
Additionally, he has worked for the IMF in a number of departments in places including the Middle East, Central Asia, and its African Department, mainly in Ghana and Mozambique.
Before joining the IMF, Dr. Leandro Medina worked as an international consultant at the Inter-American Development Bank, participating in Portfolio Review and Policy Dialogue missions to Argentina and Uruguay.
Dr Medina comes to the position at a time that Ghana is seeking US$3 billion from the fund to help stabilize the economy which has been impacted by both internal and external factors such as the depreciation of the cedi, revenue generation constraints, the COVID-19 pandemic, Rausia – Ukrain war and among others.
Following that, between July 6 and July 13, a delegation from the Fund led by Carlo Sdralevich traveled to Ghana and spoke with pertinent parties.
Kristalina Georgiva, the IMF’s managing director, recently stated that her organization is committed to reaching a deal with the Government of Ghana before the end of this year.
She continued by saying that so far, positive negotiations for a potential economic support program had taken place with Ghanaian officials.
Contrary to reports of a looming food shortage in Ghana this year, the Association of Concerned Farmers claims there is plenty of food in the country.
This, according to President of the association, Nana Oboadea Boateng Bonsu II, is because there was a bumper harvest this year.
“This very year, we had a bumper harvest and we are yet to get more. We even have plantains that are in the stage of getting rotten because when it gets to the market, people are not buying it in time so there is enough food in the system,” he said.
In July 2022, the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana and the National Seed Trading Association of Ghana, two groups within the country’s food production value chain, predicted that the country would be faced with a food crisis, if measures were not immediately taken to resolve challenges related to food production in the country by the end of the year.
These reports were, however, dismissed by the government.
Government’s response
The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, refuting the claims, said that food inflation being experienced in the country is not a function of food shortage, but among other things overpricing by traders.
Dr. Afriyie Akoto insisted that there was enough food on the market.
“I am coming from the field. Every year I go around the 16 regions to observe for myself and formulate realistic policies. I just came back 8 days ago from a tour of five regions. Ashanti, Ahafo, Bono, Bono East, and Eastern Region which are the main forest belts.”
“Per my checks and interactions with stakeholders, there is enough food out there. I went with all the 13 directors at the headquarters. Our directors were deployed to major markets in these regions. Data from nine major markets in the Ashanti and Bono East regions revealed that the volume of maize in the last 10 days was 27,000 metric tonnes. There is enough food in the system.”
Subsequent reactions
In the same vein, the Association of Concerned Farmers has allayed the fears of Ghanaians over a looming food shortage.
“We want to assure the general public that there is enough food, they shouldn’t panic, there is more food and it is going to get cheap,” Nana Oboadea Boateng Bonsu II, said in a press conference in Accra.
Touching on other issues, the association explained factors that have contributed to the hikes in food prices. Nana Boateng Bonsu clarified that this is not as a result of a lack of bountiful harvest, but
the results of middlemen and market women who wanted to make abnormal profits.
“Even though the price of fuel is high, some of the prices, which some of our produce is being sold for in the market, are shocking”, Nana Bonsu II added.
Nonetheless, the association said transportation of foodstuffs from some areas of the country has become difficult due to poor road networks.
“The only challenge we are facing now is transportation. There are some places where the road network is very bad, making conveying food from such places very hard.
“But even with those areas, there are contractors working on it and all we’ll tell them is to do it quickly so that food will come to the cities for people to enjoy,” he added.
To address this, the association has entreated the government to urgently implement its truck system to eliminate middlemen in foodstuff trading.
The system, according to Nana Bonsu II, would be in charge of getting food from farm gates and farming villages straight to individuals living in cities and urban centres.
Ghana international Alexander Djiku has opened up about his future at Strasbourg following interest from several clubs.
Djiku came close to Strasbourg‘s departure in the summer due to his outstanding performance last season but a deal was not reached.
After failing to secure a move, the tough-tackling defender has opened up on his future at the French Ligue 1 outfit.
“I have individual goals for my career and I hope to achieve them. But my head was never upside down (…) I was looking for an ambitious, European but also a fulfilling project for my family and it didn’t show up (…) Hoffenheim came up with something, we studied the proposal but I didn’t sign there. It wasn’t a big disappointment. I will have other opportunities” he said.
The 28-year-old’s current contract will expire in June 2023.
Djiku has featured 8 times in all competitions for Strasbourg, scoring 1 goal in the process.
He is expected to fly to France to join the Black Stars ahead of the friendlies against Brazil and Nicaragua this month.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports has launched a promo dubbed ‘Stars 4 Qatar Promo’ in Accra to whip interest and raise funds for the senior national team, the Black Stars ahead of the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Other initiators of the promo are the Ghana Football Association (GFA) National Lotteries Authority and Zenith Bank.
Dr. Osman Haruna Tweneboah, the Chief Accountant of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, who represented the Minister, said the winners of the draw would be given free air tickets, match tickets, and accommodation to watch all Black Stars games in Qatar.
He urged the football fraternity to use the shortcode * 899# to generate funds to support the national team.
Mr. Tony Aubynn, an Executive Committee member of the GFA applauded the corporate entities National Lotteries Authority and Zenith Bank for coming on board to support the GFA and the Ministry.
The Marketing Manager of the National Lotteries Authority, Bernard Mensah assured Ghanaians that the draw would be free and fair and encouraged the public to participate massively.
The promo would run for seven weeks, with three draws each week, and patrons need GHC 2 to be part of the promo.
In September 2017, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo declared that the government would purchase a research vessel to aid in the monitoring of the nation’s fish stocks.
To assist in the monitoring of our fish stock, the government plans to purchase its own research vessel, though it won’t be as large as the Fridtjof vessel, he said.
In order to aid in the monitoring of the nation’s fish stocks, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the president of Ghana, has pledged that the government will soon purchase a research vessel.
“Government intends to acquire its own research vessel not of the size of the Fridtjof vessel though, to help in the monitoring of our fish stock”, he announced.
Nana Addo made the promise when he welcomed the new marine research vessel RV Dr Fridtjof Nansen, owned by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) which made her first call to the Port of Tema.
The President expressed worry over the depletion of the country’s fishing stock, adding that government has put in place a fisheries, management plan to ensure long term conservation of the country’s waters and marine stock.
“Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing methods are depleting our fish stock. Our beautiful coastal wetlands are threatened by high volumes of plastic and metal waste that choke breeding habits for fish. This must not be allowed to continue. To this end, an inter-ministerial approach to curb this menace is in the pipeline,” he added.
The main goals of this strategy, according to her, are to lessen undue strain on fish stocks, ensure effective fisheries legislation, promote participatory decision-making, as well as fulfill regional and global duties in the field of fisheries.
The research vessel in Ghana is outfitted for operations in developing nations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It is there to gauge the abundance of marine life in the country’s waterways.
Her main responsibilities are on fishing research operations and ecosystem studies.
In order to enhance its standing in the public eye and improve its reputation, the Ghana Police Service is putting into action plans to root out and expel from the force dishonest individuals and lawbreakers who pose as police officers.
Director-General at the National Patrols Department of the Ghana Police Service, Mr Paul Manly Awini revealed this at the passing out parade of the 2022-second batch of 230 police recruits at the Ghana Police Service Training School, Tesano, Accra on Friday September 16, 2022.
“Police administration, in pursuit of this avowed aim, will not countenance any acts of bribery, extortion, corruptible activities and worse of all, Police personnel involvement in violent crimes such as robbery.”
COP Awiniexpressed optimism that the recruits would work hard, be disciplined, and serve as true ambassadors of the current policing training model.
The Director-General of the National Patrols Department noted that emerging crimes such as terrorism, cyber-related crimes, changes in the modus operandi of criminals had been a challenge to the service.
According to him, “these have translated into an increased demand on the personnel of the Ghana police service to deliver services that were more diverse, complex, skilled, and specialized to deal with the current crime trend.”
He said that explained why the Inspector General of Police had introduced a paradigm shift in recruits’ training modules and the service was changing its focus in policing in the country.
Some of the modules he mentioned included; police accountability, adherence to human rights standards, ethical conduct of personnel, abhorrence to corruption, client management, and customer care.
COP Awini said the police administration had also introduced some soft skills to complement the field and practical activities.
He mentioned those activities as riding, driving, swimming, crowd control, incident and disaster management, radio communication, arrest, and search procedures.
COP observed that the increase in police motorbike patrols introduced in recent times had reduced the fear of crime and incidence of crime.
“Very soon you will see the intensification of the Police motorbike patrols at every nook and cranny of the country as part of measures to revitalize Police visibility and accessibility patrols.”
On terrorism, COP Awini said the act had become a global threat,
adding some neighbouring countries had experienced some form of terrorist attack.
“We cannot, therefore, fold your arms and wait for the worst to happen. It has, thus, become imperative to prepare our personnel to adequately respond to this threat.”
Policewoman Recruit Gifty Boahemaa Kwapong was adjudged the overall National Best Recruit, while Samuel Adu Bechie emerged as the best Graduate Recruit.
Nine recruits were given various awards such as Best Drivers, Best in Conduct, and others.
Barcelona defender, Jules Kounde is trending on Twitter after hitting back at Ghanaian influencer, Kaly Jay, who asked about the player’s salary.
Kounde initially posted sad emojis on his Twitter page. Kaly Jay quoted the tweet and savagely asked about the cause of the player’s post in a manner that triggered Kounde to reply.
“You haven’t received your salary yet?” Kaly Jay, who is a staunch Chelsea fan wrote in the quoted tweet.
The French international in reply wrote: “Salary has been paid in full, thanks for your concern my G.”
Kounde’s reply has gone viral and has triggered several reactions from Barcelona fans who have lauded the player for his reply.
Jules Kounde who was a prime target for Chelsea, snubbed the London side to sign for Barcelona, at the time the Spanish Club were in financial difficulties.
Below are some reactions
Jules Kounde has mudded Kalyjay, another win for Barcelona against Chelsea.😭😭😭
This year’s third-quarter sales to authorized dealers were $270 million less than the sale, which is a component of the central bank’s Foreign Exchange Forward Auction.
However, it was noted that just $60 million would be up for auction in September 2022 to licensed foreign exchange traders.
The auction calendar further said there will be a bi-monthly sale of $60 million each in October 2022, November 2022 and December 2022 respectively.
It is expected that the improved auction sale will boost US dollar supply in circulation and address the depreciation of Ghana cedi against major trading currencies, especially the US Dollar.
Meanwhile, the BoG said in accordance with the Foreign Exchange Forward Auction Guidelines, bids are invited as per the prescribed format to purchase United States dollars against Ghana cedis, separately on each auction date.
The central bank announced that it will also post a quarterly auction schedule for the foreign exchange forward auction on its website.
The Competitive Multiple-priced Foreign Exchange Forward Auction will follow the standards published on the Bank of Ghana website for central banks.
Prolific Ghanaian rapper and lyricist, Amerado Burner, has displayed the awards he won at the recently held Ghana Music Awards (GMA) France.
The maiden edition of the prestigious awards show was held in Toulouse, France, on 23 July 2022, in an exquisite style at a colourful ceremony.
The aim of the awards scheme sought to highlight and celebrate Ghanaian artists as well as international artistes, while promoting Ghanaian music in France.
Amerado was not present at the ceremony, so he was not able to receive his awards on stage. However, when he received them in Ghana, he flaunted them on his social media pages.
He won three awards; Hip Hop Song Of The year, Rapper Of The Year, and the EP Of The Year.
Captioning the post, he appreciated the awards scheme for delivering his plaques safely to him by tagging them and using the heart emoji to express his gratitude.
Many congratulate Amerado on his major win
@JusticeRucker:
Tortorfinfin awards nkoaa that’s why ayongo no time to congratulate him
@Larbi_SarkCess:
“Ayongo no time to for France plaques anymore cos I get three now. Grammy next target” Congrats K.A
LuckyBurner1:
Win win @Amerado_Burner Congratulation
@quasipinkrah:
Somebody’s tower, you have take do award and give to ayongo.
@KwobbyCartel:
A clear example of Action Speaks Louder than Words Congratulations @Amerado_Burner
Vehicles belonging to the Eastern Regional Director of the Ghana Education Service have been impounded to finance a judgement debt of over GH¢3 million to 102 teachers in the region.
The vehicles were forcedly acquired after the GES failed to pay over 5 years of salary arrears to the teachers, who sought legal redress as agreed.
This is not the first time such a thing has taken place.
In February this year, the Director’s vehicle, with registration number GC 5985-20 and other vehicles were impounded by the police, who assisted the court’s bailiffs in executing the Writ of Fieri Facias issued by the Koforidua High Court.
Twenty-seven vehicles belonging to the GES were to be auctioned to settle a judgement debt of over GH¢3 million.
The vehicles were, however, released as the directorate, together with the Attorney General’s department, signed an undertaking to settle the debt within a week.
According to reports, the two parties, however, failed to fulfil their obligations, which compelled the lawyer of the plaintiffs to secure another writ through which the vehicles of the GES Director, Regional Sports Director, New Juaben South Municipal Director, and Kwabeng Anglican Senior High/Tech have all been impounded.
One of the plaintiffs, Eric Effah, who spoke to the media, said, “they are on the hunt to impound a total of 27 vehicles.”
The academy boys have pulled the plugs on their involvement in the zonal Division One League following a directive to relocate the relegated team to Gomoa Fetteh, as exclusively revealed by the country’s leading football website.
But according to reports, WAFA has rescinded the decision following further stakeholder engagement with the Ghana Football Association.
WAFA have now agreed to relocate to Gomoa Fetteh to participate in the National Division One League zone two.
WAFA, which qualified to the elite division as a Zone two team, have been playing their home matches in Sogakope – current location for zone Three teams in the country’s second-tier.
Officials of the club had been pushing to maintain their Sogakope base for home matches in the Division One but that has been outrightly rejected by the governing body.
With most of their juvenile players in school, the club believe relocating to Gomoa Fetteh will be counter-productive.
WAFA officially notified the football association over the decision to pull out of the league this season.
Multiple sources are told GHANAsoccernet.com that owners are considering retaining the club as solely as an academy.
WAFA got relegated last season after six years in the Ghanaian top-flight.
Lady Gaga had only six songs remaining when she was forced to abruptly end her performance in Miami on Saturday night due to inclement weather, according to People.
Before leaving the stage, Gaga explained that the decision to suspend the remainder of her set was out of abundance of caution for the concertgoers, as well as everyone on her team.
Lady Gaga addressing the audience after the announcement of the show’s cancellation. pic.twitter.com/eQM1YTXghw
TMZ reports lightning in the area was what ultimately convinced Gaga to cut her show at Miami Hard Rock Stadium short, an unfortunate conclusion on the final stop of The Chromatica Ball Summer Stadium Tour.
A tearful Gaga posted a video message on Instagram where she apologized for halting the show while also opening up about the regret she would have carried, if she chose to push through to the end. “I’ve always wanted to be like that hardcore, bad bitch, but what I really want is to also be responsible and loving and I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to anybody in the audience or to any member of my crew, my band, my dancers,” she said.
An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced Gabriel Gyamerah Sarpong, a staff of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, to 15 months imprisonment over fraud.
Sarpong had collected over GH¢200,000 from illegal miners to be given to Mr George Mireku Duker, deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources.
Appearing in court last Friday, Sarpong pleaded guilty to defrauding by false pretences.
The court presided over by Mrs Evelyn Asamoah convicted Sarpong on his own plea.
Sarpong however denied the charge of falsely pretending to be a public officer.
The court therefore adjourned the matter to October 12 and ordered the prosecution to file its disclosures in respect of the charge of falsely pretending to be a public officer.
Mr Muda Ade Lawal, defence counsel in praying for a non-custodial sentence, said Sarpong was a good citizen and IT specialist until the devil pushed him to the vice.
“If given custodial sentence he will be mixed with hardened criminals and will come out worse,” counsel submitted.
According to counsel, the convict was sober and he has regretted his actions hence his admission of guilt.
“Tamper justice with mercy to hand him non-custodial sentence,” he prayed the court.
Defence counsel opined that the convict had a wife and two children and if given custodial sentence, his wife and children would suffer.
Assistance Superintendent of Police (ASP) Evans Kesse told the court that the complainant was George Mireku-Duker, a Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources.
He said sometime in December 2021, the convict contacted a witness in the case to meet so they could talk about a business deal.
The prosecution said the following week, the witness met the convict and told him that the business was about mining and since the witness had been to various mining sites in the country, he could best execute the task.
He said same month, the convict called the witness on phone and told him that the Deputy Minister had authorized that the witness could mobilise his men to operate as such.
The prosecution said the convict then gave a fake MTN number as the Deputy Minister’s contact number, through which he could call when he needed him.
The witness then mobilised his men and went to Obuasi, met the police and called the MTN number accused gave to him as the Deputy Minister’s number.
Prosecution said the convict, who responded as the said Deputy Minister, told the Obuasi Divisional Commander to offer the team any assistance it needed.
The prosecutor said the witness after their operations realised over GH¢200,000 and sent same to the convict who had impersonated the Deputy Minister.
ASP Kesse said the witness after operating at Obuasi decided to proceed to Manso Nkwanta for another operation and met the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), where the witness told the MCE about his mission there and tried reaching out to the Deputy Minister on the MTN number given to him by the convict but there was no response.
The Manso Nkwanta MCE then alerted the witness that it would be in his own interest to come down to Accra to meet with the Deputy Minister and verify if the Deputy Minister had really sanctioned their task.
On September 13,2022, the witness met with the Deputy Minister and disclosed that he had been working at the mining sites on his authorization.
The prosecution said the Deputy Minister denied knowledge of it and sent for the convict whom after questioning was handed over to the police.
The convict in his investigation caution statement admitted to the offence and indicated that he used part of the money he received from the witness to purchase a black Elantra saloon vehicle and invested part of it into his building located at Amasaman.
In the upcoming weeks, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will send another mission to Ghana, according to Gerry Rice, the IMF’s director of communications, who made the announcement at a media event.
“In July, an IMF staff delegation visited Accra to start preliminary negotiations with the Ghanaian government.
And we defined that mission as positive, launched the procedure, and established the framework for involvement, which is still going strong today.
“Our IMF Mission Chief recently returned to Accra to meet with important peers.
I don’t have a certain date for you, but we’re aiming for another visit in the upcoming weeks.
As the economy struggles against the backdrop of greater inflation, tighter financial conditions, and poorer growth, Ghana is in a race against time to get a bailout program.
In August, the country’s inflation rate reached its highest point in 21 years as a result of the cedi’s decline.
From 31.7% in July to 33.9% in August, consumer prices increased.
To support its economy, Ghana needs a $3 billion package from the fund.
Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, MrSamuel Abu Jinapor, on Friday, September 16, 2022, presided over a meeting of the Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Illegal Mining, to review various strategies and measures to combat illegal small-scale mining.
At the meeting, it became clear that much progress had been made in the fight against the illegal mining operation, despite the stubbornness of some of the individuals involved.
The Committee praised those who came forward with information on illegal mining to help combat the threat, but claimed that the same people later posted old videos of the activities online to stoke public discontent.
According to a statement issued by the Public Relations Unit of the Lands Ministry, after an extensive review of the operations, the stakeholders agreed that the river bodies and forest reserves should continue to be red zones.
It was stated that no mining operations should be allowed near or within any river body in the nation and that exploration, prospecting, and/or reconnaissance should still be prohibited within forest reserves, save in exceptional cases.
Operation Halt II would ramp up its support for the various measures being implemented to clamp down on illegal mining.
The statement also said enforcement efforts would be pursued relentlessly without regard to any political, social, or economic standing of the people involved.
“This will be done transparently and with the highest standards of integrity, candour, and utmost good faith.”
It also said any equipment used in connection with illegal mining, otherwise known as ‘galamsey,’ or any product derived from illegal mining operations, would be seized and handed over to the police, in accordance with section 99 (8) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended.
The statement said, that for any reason that particular equipment could not be moved from its location, it would be demobilized and/or decommissioned to prevent it from being used for illegal operations.
“The Ghana Police Service will work closely with Operation Halt II to gather relevant information to aid in the prosecution of people involved in illegal mining.”
It noted that the Committee would meet regularly to review the measures being implemented
and adopt additional ones where necessary.
Therefore, the Ministry appealed to the public, in particular the media, chiefs, and residents of the host villages, to support the government and security forces in their efforts to combat the threat and preserve the environment for future generations.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, September 15, 2022 a total of 164 suspected illegal foreign miners were arrested by a military anti- galamsey task force, Operation Halt II, at Anyinam and Mampong in the Eastern Region.
A woman, aged 41, has drowned along with her three children in a pit dug in the Keta Lagoon at Laklevikope, near Aflao, in the Ketu South Municipality.
The deceased, Madam Yawa Apenu on Saturday fell off into the pit together with her two children, Bridget Amewu, 14, Daddy Amewu, 10 and another child, who stayed with the family, Sitsofe Ahiawor, 8, while they reportedly went fishing.
Of the five, who went fishing, Mr Atitso Amewu, husband to the deceased woman was the only person who managed to escape death.
Some residents, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), suspected that the pit that claimed the lives of the four might have been the creation of Seven Seas Salt Limited, which had uncompleted a dyke on its concessions in the area.
Barely two months ago, two people reportedly drowned along the stretch of the lagoon, while they attempted to fish.
Mr Victor Ayaku, Assembly member for the area, in an earlier interview with the GNA following the first drowning incident in early July, complained that “there’s no form of protection around the dykes, no demarcation and it’s almost like a death trap” to unsuspecting residents who might want to go fishing in the lagoon.
Mr Adams Mensah, the Public Relations Officer, Seven Seas Salt Limited, in a reaction, noted that the Company was not responsible for Saturday’s disaster.
He said the pit was outside the company’s concession and that it was a fish pond, belonging to an individual and not known to the Company.
Regretting the loss of lives, he disclosed that the salt mining company was ready to support the family of the deceased.
He underscored the need for collaboration between them and stakeholders, especially Assembly members of communities in which the Company had concessions to forestall such avoidable deaths.
Mr Mensah said though the Company had constructed danger signposts, which it would start mounting on its concessions from Monday to ward off people and fishers from deep pit areas, there was still the need for education for the people to use sticks to test the depth of the water while fishing to avoid unfortunate situations because there was individual fish ponds created in the lagoon.
Meanwhile, a Police source, who confirmed the incident, said the bodies have been deposited at the morgue for preservation, while a meeting is scheduled with the family of the deceased Sunday afternoon to help in investigations.
United States President Joe Biden told Scott Pelley in his 60 Minutes interview on Sunday that the Covid-19 pandemic is “over.”
Biden and Pelley were walking through Huntington Place, the site of this year’s Detroit Auto Show, when the president was asked if the pandemic is over. “The pandemic is over,” Biden responded. “We still have a problem with COVID. We’re still doing a lotta work on it …but the pandemic is over. If you notice, no one’s wearing masks. Everybody seems to be in pretty good shape. And so I think it’s changing. And I think this is a perfect example of it.”
Joe Biden in Detroit, with 60 Minutes: “The pandemic is over. We still have a problem with COVID. We’re still doing a lot of work on it. But the pandemic is over.” pic.twitter.com/zkgSwJ79Wf
Two administration officials told Politico that saying the pandemic is over wasn’t part of Biden’s planned remarks heading into his 60 Minutes interview.
His declaration comes less than a week after Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, struck an optimistic tone about the state of the Covid pandemic, but wouldn’t go as far as to say it is over. “Last week, the number of weekly reported deaths from Covid-19 was the lowest since March 2020,” Ghebreyesus said, per CNN. “We have never been in a better position to end the pandemic. We’re not there yet, but the end is in sight.”
According to data collected by Johns Hopkins, there were 2.2 million cases and over 13,600 deaths in the United States due to Covid this past month.
Cecilia Fiaka is one of the 10 finalists of MTN Heroes of Change Season 6. A social entrepreneur, Cecilia Fiaka left her banking career to set up the Nneka Foundation, a non-profit organization aimed at providing social support, literacy, mentoring, career development and empowerment opportunities to the youth and women as well.
Through her outreach and economic empowerment projects, Cecilia supported in mitigating the impact of COVID-19 pandemic by empowering the people of Ve Agbome community with education and vocational skills training. She mobilized resources through her foundation to train community members in producing PPEs and tippy taps for handwashing. She also equipped several women and girls with vocational training to provide income for them. She secured ready market in Accra for beneficiaries to sell their products because it was difficult transporting their goods during the peak of the pandemic.
To prevent students from being idle because schools had been shut down, Cecilia organized coding and ICT training sessions for them.
Through her COVID-19 pandemic awareness project over 900 households within Afadjato South, Jasikan District, Shai- Osudoku District and Ningo Prampram had benefitted from the initiative.
Khadidjah Mahamah Isah who nominated Cecilia described her as a passionate and committed woman whose contributions to community development over the years and especially during the COVID-19 pandemic needs to be recognized.
The National Identification Authority (NIA) reports that the majority of non-citizen national identity cards (Ghana cards) issued in Ghana are held by Chinese nationals.
Executive Secretary of the NIA, Prof. Kenneth Agyeman Attafuah, Executive Secretary, said this at a press conference in Accra on Friday, September 16, 2022, to commemorate this year’s International Identity Day.
This comes in the wake of the recent controversy surrounding the re-entry of Huang En, also known as Aisha Huang, a Chinese citizen with a non-citizen Ghana card, who was repatriated in 2018 for alleged illegal mining.
According to the NIA, 34,712 non-citizen Ghana cards have been issued to Chinese nationals in Ghana. This figure represents 22% of Ghana’s 161,007 immigrants from 202 different countries.
With a total of 25,873 cards, Nigerians were the second-largest group of foreigners with non- citizen Ghana cards, followed by Indian citizens (20,110).
Per the figures provided by NIA, the cards issued to Germans constituted 4,329; Lebanon, 4,324; United Kingdom (UK), 4,133; South Africa, 3,194; 2,222; Cote D’Ivoire, 2,150 and Gabon, 1,958 cards.
Prof Attafuahstated that as of September 15, 2022, a total of 17,163,081 people had been enrolled onto the NIA system, with 16,627,326 cards printed and 15,869,026 cards issued.
The Executive Secretary stated that the Authority had implemented a robust system to verify all cards of Ghanaians for the purpose of transacting business with banks, as well as non-citizens who would use the card to apply for or renew their residence permit, open or run a bank account in the country.
Prof Attafuahasked African countries to step up efforts to ensure that the citizenry had legal identity to foster social, economic, and political inclusion. Prof. Attafuah urged African countries to step up efforts to ensure that citizens have legal identities in order to foster social, economic, and political inclusion.
He stated that the country would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the Ghana card became “the single source of proof,” noting that the Authority had implemented a verification system that required
banks to authenticate individuals who used the card for various transactions since January 2021.
“With this verification system, if you go to the bank with or without your Ghana card, with your fingerprint, the bank is able to verify your identity as part of KYC (Know Your Customer) and give you a service,” Prof Attafuah noted.
The Executive Secretary hinted that the NIA would begin registering Ghanaians abroad in November 2022 and begin registering children in the country between the ages of
four and 15 in December 2022.
Meanwhile, Prof Attafuah stated that registration for the refugee identification card will begin next week.
He said continuous registration would also be carried out in all 16 designated regional and all 275 district offices of NIA.
He also promised that all 275 NIA district offices and all 16 NIA regional offices would participate in the continuous registration process.
Mawuli Gavor, a Ghanaian actor best known for his work in Nollywood films, recently shared some pre-wedding images with Remy.
After several years of dating, the couple is getting married.
The soon-to-be couple appeared smitten in each other’s embrace in pictures taken by Ghanaian photographer King Kweku Ananse and released online. They were both dressed in white.
In the pictures that have garnered a lot of attention, they couldn’t get enough of one another.
The popular actor known for his striking looks has kept his love relationship with Remy private until the announcement of their union.
Mawuli, known to be a lady’s man who is admired by many for his looks and talent has received congratulatory messages from fans on social media as well as on African wedding blogs.
For two minutes today the drumming will cease, the pipers will fall silent, the march of boots on procession routes will still.
For two minutes today, at the end of the funeral service in Westminster Abbey, before the national anthem is heard, before the coffin is taken away for committal and burial at Windsor, there will be silence.
And a door will swing shut.
A reign of seven decades will come to a close. For 10 rather bewildering days we have spoken of the Queen and the new king as if they could somehow both be with us.
Today that long week of transition comes to an end.
In the earliest years of her reign, a new Elizabethan Age was proclaimed by some. Such was the excitement over the young queen, the marvels of technology and the new prosperity, after the grinding grey of the depression years, the sacrifice of World War Two and the hard road of recovery after it.
She – wise in her earliest decades to fickle fashion – dismissed all that talk. But if this was not an age – and who are we to contradict her? – then it was an era, the Elizabethan Era.
Over decades of wrenching change, she was constancy, for a largely still-conservative country. That profile on the stamps, that voice at Christmas, that bowed head on Remembrance Sunday.
Today the door swings shut on that.
It swings shut too on “Prince” Charles, on his many decades as Prince of Wales.
His staff always bridled at the idea of him as an understudy or apprentice, pointing to his decades of achievement, of carving out a distinct role.
His challenge, once Royal Mourning is over, is in part to enjoy – and show that he enjoys – the role of monarch.
His mother understood that part of the job was to rally people – to take people’s minds off bills and dull jobs and complaining relatives, to entertain and divert and sometimes delight.
That he did good work as prince, transforming so many lives for the better, is unquestionable. But often, alongside, the impression given was that things were grim, that there was a lot of cause for complaint. The word “appalling” seemed to come up a lot.
Now the door swings shut on that. Britons want to see the best of themselves reflected in their sovereign.
And, as the silence stretches out across Westminster, across the capital and the country, the door swings shut on Elizabeth, on the woman known to so many and never really known at all, on the little girl known to her grandpa as Lilibet.
Ghanaian sports journalist and consultant, Ernest Koranteng has graduated with a Doctor of Business Administration degree from the Toulouse Business School in France.
After four years of studying and producing applied research thesis in France, the former head of sports at Multimedia group and Metro TV graduated on Saturday, September 17 in Toulouse, France. His research focused on Organizational Resilience in strategic management.
In a colourful ceremony held by the Toulouse Business school, Ernest thanked his supervisors, family, friends and business partners for their immense support throughout his study in France.
Dr Ernest Koranteng currently works as Chief Executive of a Ghanaian startup strategic management consulting firm, The BAC group. The BAC group organized the novel All-Star Game which saw the Blackstars led by captain Andre Ayew, play with a select side from Ghanaian football agency, Arthur Legacy Sports in June 2022 at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Dr Koranteng and The BAC group are consulting for some organizations based in Europe and Ghana. With a significant sports business interest, the company is also working with sporting clubs, federations, individuals and organizations to improve sports business.
To prevent and combat violent extremism, terrorism, and organised crime in Ghana, the European Union (EU) has launched the third phase of a security programme dubbed: “Preventing Electoral Violence and Providing Security to the Northern Border Regions of Ghana (NORPREVSEC)”.
The project seeks to strengthen security and resilience in the Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Savannah, and the North East regions.
Over the next 27 months, the project will focus on reducing the risk of political violence, building the capacity of police officers in intelligence gathering, peace building, and taking steps to prevent radicalization and violent extremism.
This would be established in three areas of action: decreasing the likelihood of political violence, promoting peace and early warning systems, and bolstering the Ghana Police Service’s intelligence, counterterrorism, and violent extremism prevention capabilities.
The EU Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Irchad Razaaly who spoke during the launch in Tamale, said empowering civil society and local NGOs through their involvement in NORPREVSEC would help tackle violent extremism and radicalization, especially among the youth.
Despite the fact that no terrorist attacks had been reported in the country, recent changes in regional and global dynamics have exposed it to new security risks.
This has necessitated the programme, under which national and international experts would cooperate to minimize the terrorist threats in the five regions of the north, build resilience and secure peace, he said.
The launch was attended by the relevant security agencies, representatives of civil society organisations, local government authorities, community stakeholders, and international actors such as Interpol, Europol, and Frontex.
It will be funded by the EU and implemented in parallel by three actors to combat terrorism from every conceivable angle.
These actors include the National Commission for Civic Education, leading the process of public awareness, COGINTA, a Swiss non-governmental organisation supporting government and non-governmental actors to resolve conflicts and reduce violence, and the Foundation for Public Policies and Administration, a Spanish cooperation entity.
Also speaking at the Launch, Spanish Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Jose Javier Gutierrez also stated that “NORPREVSEC will contribute to peace and stability in the northern regions of Ghana and prevent violent extremism and terrorism.”
“This a threat of growing concern, particularly because of the spill-over from the Sahel. Spain is committed to fighting against this scourge in Ghana, in the region and globally.”
The Northern Regional Minister Alhaji Shani Alhassan Saibu lauded the programme, saying it had come at the right time when national efforts at maintaining security needed to be strengthened.
The Ministry for National Security
launched a citizens’ awareness campaign “See something, say something” aimed at protecting the country against terrorist attacks on May 25 2022.
The campaign is part of efforts to help deal with the terrorist threat in the West African sub-region.
This means any person who notices anything unusual about the security situation should inform the various agencies by dialling 999 or using any of the security agencies’ phone numbers or social media handles.
Security agencies have announced that those who do not want to be identified for fear of being labelled as snitches can file complaints anonymously.
You can also report to assembly members, District Chief Executives, chiefs, opinion leaders, presiding members, and community leaders.
Before the Middle East-Africa Rugby League Championship slated for 27th September – 2nd October 2022, the Rugby League Federation Ghana released their squad list for the tournament.
Amongst the 21 players are Accra Majestics Development Officer and Helenburg Tigers player Isaac Akuoko and Captain Yakubu Suleman.
Isaac made his debut in the Western Sydney Academy of Sport Harold Matthews Squad in 2016. He later moved to Sydney Independence Combined Colleges Squad in 2017/18. In 2018, he made it to the Manly Jersey Flegg Train-on squad.
Currently, he plays for the Helensburgh Tigers in the Illawarra Cup!
Isaac shared his thoughts on being selected to represent his country.
“Such an honour to play for Ghana. I got so much love for the culture. You can expect me to give my 100% when I put that jersey on!”
According to Akuoko, his highlight of the Rugby League was playing for Africa United in 2018. To him, that was special.
Yakubu Suleman, who is currently the Captain for Accra Majestics, played his first ever Rugby League match in 2019 with Ghana Skolars. He also played for Union teams, namely Accra Rugby Club and Madina Panthers. Despite all odds, his love for Rugby League keeps growing.
“I was very very happy when I got the call up to the National Team. I’m grateful to God for the opportunity again, as due to circumstances beyond my control, I wasn’t able to join the National Team in 2019, although I had a call-up. I’m going to put out my best to make my country, my parents, and my Manager, Rachel Ankomah, proud,” Yakubu said.
For decades, the blueprint for a Black show has hit similar notes — a stable, middle class family based in New York or Los Angeles.
Of course, sometimes the family consisted of a group of friends, as seen on “Girlfriends.” And other times, the city was in the Midwest, as seen on “Family Matters” (Chicago) or “Martin” (Detroit).
But rarely did a mainstream show featuring Black people take place in the South. And rarely did they portray struggles outside the middle class existence.
A look around recent television offerings, though, points to something new. “P-Valley” on Starz, HBO Max’s “Rap Sh!t,” FX’s “Atlanta,” and OWN’s “Queen Sugar,” the latter two of which both began their final seasons this month, are some of the buzziest shows on TV.
Their characters are not doctors or lawyers — they’re strippers, rappers, farmers, or, simply put, hustlers. And the shows all take place in the South.
Southern stories are not new
Telling Southern stories, though, isn’t new. In some ways, television is simply following the lead of other spaces in culture, said Aisha Durham, a professor of communication who studies Black popular culture at the University of South Florida.
In music and film, the South has been portrayed for decades with nuance and intentionality, Durham said, referencing films like “Eve’s Bayou” and, more recently, “Moonlight” — both movies where the Southern setting, Louisiana and Miami respectively, play a crucial role.
At the same time, new sounds and music genres have emerged from the South, she explained, like trap. And artists like Beyoncé and Megan Thee Stallion have incorporated Southern Black aesthetics into their fashion and music videos.
“You have new bodies, new people, new experiences and I think it invites us to look at the South differently,” Durham said. “I would say that TV is almost, especially in terms of dramatic series, a little late.”
The South has also been top of mind in other areas of our culture, often receiving national attention — as seen with this year’s runoff votes in Georgia.
For a long time, many people thought of Southern stories only in the context of the civil rights movement and segregation, Durham said. But the South is a bedrock of every aspect of American popular culture, she said. And now, many are looking back at the region and thinking of the other stories that can still be told.
“We’re now seeing some of the vividness and vibrancy that has always been a part of the South,” Durham said. “We have known that in the South, it’s just that everybody else is catching up.”
Current shifts reflect the shifting entertainment industry
If there has been a shift, it’s been a business one, argued Tracey Salisbury, professor of ethnic studies at California State University, Bakersfield.
It’s not that perceptions of the South are changing, or have changed — but that the industry has shifted locales, Salisbury said, making Atlanta a major hub for entertainment rather than just New York or Los Angeles.
Tyler Perry, whose work is polarizing to some, has based his production studio in Atlanta, and has long set his film and shows in the South. He also has a partnership with the Oprah Winfrey Network, which produces “Queen Sugar.”
There are also simply more Black creatives who have a voice in television, Salisbury said, which allows for the telling of new and interesting stories.
“These stories have been present and these stories have been previously pitched, I just think now there’s a significant talent base and a significant audience … to drive Hollywood to support these stories,” she said.
Still, Salisbury is hesitant to call the uptick a trend. She pointed to Quinta Brunson, the creator of ABC’s hit show “Abbott Elementary,” about an elementary school in Philadelphia, as an example. Before “Abbott Elementary,” Brunson created comedy sketches on Instagram, eventually moving to BuzzFeed and YouTube, until she finally got a shot at a network show. Then, she knocked it out of the park, winning an Emmy for writing earlier this week.
“I think that’s still what Black creatives have to do,” Salisbury said. “If you don’t knock it out of the park, you have to start all over again.”
In the past, Black shows like “The Cosby Show” and “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” were made for mainstream consumption, Salisbury said. Bill Cosby, at the time, was considered “America’s Dad,” not Black America’s dad.
The difference with these new shows lies in the intent: They are made by Black people, for Black people. Uncle Clifford, the nonbinary owner of the strip club in “P-Valley,” is not America’s Uncle, Salisbury said — but his grandmother reminds her of her own.
These series finally show the richness of the South
If most Black shows in the past took place outside of the South, these new shows then become a type of homegoing — back to the place where everything started, Salisbury said.
In other shows, these Southern characters may have been used as a joke. In the ’90s “Fresh Prince,” for example, Uncle Phil’s childhood on a farm in the Carolinas is viewed as almost a primitive existence compared to life in Bel-Air. But in these shows, the South and its characters refuse the bumpkin stereotypes and embrace all the aspects of the South.
Salisbury used “P-Valley,” which takes place in the fictional town of Chucalissa, Mississippi, as an example. From the fashion aesthetics of the show and its marijuana-infused wings to the very specific MemphisSsippi accents, the show is deeply rooted in the South — and even takes some hits at Black Southern religious traditions, Salisbury said.
But it’s done with respect, she noted. That’s why it works.
“We’re not laughing at these people, we’re laughing with them,” she said.
New York City and Los Angeles are often already presented as cosmopolitan, diverse spaces on television. The South, though, is often seen as stuck in the past, Durham said, an already knowable space that lacks the diversity of other regions.
These shows reject those notions.
Durham used “Rap Sh!t” as an example. (HBO Max, which streams the show, and CNN share parent company Warner Bros. Discovery.) The characters in the show live in and around the Little Haiti neighborhood in Miami, she said, allowing for discussions of Caribbean and Haitian culture and of African Americans as an ethnicity alongside other ethnic Black people in the South.
“There are whole ways in which we are having to reimagine Blackness in the South,” Durham said.
Then there’s the question of class. In earlier periods of television, the assumed class was always middle. This newer crop of shows displays something different, Durham said, highlighting more economically vulnerable people simply trying to make it in the world.
These characters are portrayed with depth and sincerity — the strippers in “P-Valley,” for instance, are not simply aesthetic bodies in a trap music video. Paper Boi from “Atlanta” and Shawna from “Rap Sh!t” are not simply rappers soundtracking the background. Audiences are instead invited inward.
“We’re actually invited to see what the experiences are of the people who produce the culture,” Durham said. “We love the culture but do we know these women and men? These shows give us a way to see that.”
These shows, then, challenge existing perceptions of the South — allowing for a layered and complex narrative of the region to form, Durham said.
As these shows point out: There are queer communities in the South. There’s sex work; there’s class struggle; there’s diversity; there’s joy. There are people, not simple caricatures, just trying to survive.
In the Madrid derby played on Sunday, September 18, 2022, Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo Goes, and Eder Militao were racially abused by fans of Atletico Madrid.
In and outside the Wanda Metropolitano which is Atletico’s home, videos of fans hurling monkey chants at the Brazilian players trended on social media.
Hundreds of Atletico supporters could be heard singing “Vinicius, you are a monkey, you are a monkey”.
Local media also reported that monkey noises and chants of “Vinicius, die” were heard throughout the game.
The latest racism act from the Atletico Madrid fans follows a video in which Vinicius spoke out against racism after players of Real Mallorca hit out at him for dancing and showboating during a game.
As the conversations waged, football agent Pedro Bravo, a guest on a Spanish TV show made racist remarks referring to Vinicius as “monkeying around”, and invited him to leave the dancing to the “Sambadrome”.
In the game, Real Madrid defeated Atletico 2-1. Rodrygo shot Madrid in the lead inside 18 minutes before Valverde added the second. Hermoso grabbed the consolation for Atletico.
The racist chanting aimed at Vinicius outside the Metropolitano tonight is disgusting, depressing and, sadly, entirely unsurprising. Atleti have had a major problem with this group (who are literal Nazis) for years and chosen not to act. Until they do so, it will keep happening.
A kilogramme of pork, which is currently sold at GH¢14, will now be sold at GH¢18.
The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Pig Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), Daniel Yaw Siaw, while speaking at an event to induct new regional executives of the Association in Kumasi, said the new development is a result of the spike in the cost of feed and animal husbandry, among others.
According to him, the prices of pig feed have been increasing amidst the African swine disease which farmers have to battle with.
As such, Mr Siaw stated that the sector needs upward adjustment as one of the practical steps to boost its operations.
“The industry suffered a setback with the outbreak of the swine fever. Businesses which could not access compensation for culling their animals have not been able to bounce back,” he added.
He also petitioned the government to extend a helping hand to farmers who have lost their pigs to diseases.
Mr Siaw further urged pork lovers to accept the new adjustment while efforts to expand the pig farming sector are ongoing.
Meanwhile, the President of the PFAG, Kwame Appiah Danquah, has explained that the carcass of a pig would be sold for GH¢ 28 per kilogramme.
He, however, added that the premium quality pigs and pork will sell higher than the benchmark minimum farmgate prices.
“Ifyougotothefarmandapigis 100 kilogrammes, it means it would cost you GH¢1,800 from next week. In May, we did a price increase of GH¢ 15 and GH¢ 23 and we have increased it by 20% which brings it to GHS18 for the live weight and GH¢ 28 for the carcass, “he added.
For many years, pigs have been raised as the primary livestock in numerous countries and have long been consumed by people in the form of freshly cooked, preserved, or processed meat.
The hazards of bacterial, viral, parasitic, and other illnesses; the causes of cancer and heart disease; and bacterial resistance are a few of the key arguments made by those who oppose the consumption of pork.
Her elder siblings have strong relationships with their father because he lived with them, but in her situation, the story has not been the same.
Odehyieba Priscilla claims that she has been abandoned so frequently that in her sixteen years of existence, she has only had two encounters with her father, Kofi Agyemang.
She is determined to meet him in order to ask him questions and, if possible, try to make things right.
She first encountered her father at Wasa Akropong, and she did so again in her adolescent years, after she had achieved famous. She was launching her idea at the time and was twelve years old.
Although she didn’t invite the father, he made it to the Kumasi event.
“After the event, he came to our house and said we should let bygones be bygones but my mother rejected it on the grounds that she was not informed of his coming. There was an altercation and he left,” she said while adding “I know he is at Pankrono but I don’t know where exactly the house is.”
Born at Wasa Domeabra in the Western Region, Odehyieba Priscilla, a teen gospel musician, said she moved to Wasa Akropong with her mother at a tender age. She had no idea who her father was although she was informed, that he was based in Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi. The marriage between the father and mother, according to Priscilla, was said to have collapsed when she was a year old.
During her interview on the Delay Show aired on September 18, 2022, monitored by GhanaWeb, Odehyieba Priscilla was emotional. She shed tears profusely in answering some of the questions and in a few instances, she flashed a smile.
A pained Priscilla responded in the affirmative that her father is the reason she weeps whenever she speaks because there is every indication he has abandoned her. She, however, expressed the desire to mend the broken relationship.
Asked why she would continuously wallow in pain when the father appears to not want to have anything to do with her anymore, she emitted, “we want to go and have a conversation with him. He hasn’t stated categorically that she doesn’t want me as a daughter.”
“If he wouldn’t look for me, I’ll go look for him… It hurts me that my older siblings are welcomed but I’m not. I don’t even know my father’s family members.”
Priscilla continued that but for the advice a clergy gave her, she wouldn’t have looked for her father. She pleaded with her father to do the needful because she was eager to meet him.
With tears flowing down her cheeks, she appealed: “Even if it’s my mother’s mistake, you have to let it go and look for me. You don’t even know where I live but you know you have a child. I told myself I would never look for him but Bishop Adonteng Boateng told me that I have to. So, I’m waiting for the day I’ll meet you.”
Construction works on some of the stalled factories, under the government’s One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) projects across the country will resume soon.
Many of the factories have experienced funding shortages and the government is working hard to draw resources from the Exim Bank for work to resume.
Member of Parliament (MP) for Tano North Constituency, Dr Freda Prempeh, in the Ahafo Region, made this known when she inspected the Tanoso Brick and Tile factory under the 1D1F in the region.
She indicated that the government had prioritised the 1D1F programme and was determined and committed to facilitate the completion of the factories across the country to boost industrial drive.
“The programme has the potential to create jobs and wealth for the youth and to boost the national economic growth and development and residents in the catchment area of such projects should exercise restraint since they will be completed by the end of the year.
“The government has not abandoned the programme but prioritising them due to lack of funding even though contractors have not been on site the government is determined and committed to have them completed,” Dr Prempeh noted.
According to her, the project was 60 per cent complete, on completion the factory would create 3,000 direct and indirect jobs in the area, and the construction of the administration blocks created job opportunities for1, 800 locals.
Dr Prempeh disclosed that machines and other equipment for the factory were ready in Italy and expressed the hope that the Exim Bank would release funds to the government by the close of 2022, so that they would be installed within the first quarter of 2023.
“The large deposit of clay in the Tanoso enclave places the enterprise in a competitive position to contribute positively towards construction of affordable housing for Ghanaians and on completion, the factory is expected to use raw materials to produce durable products such as bricks, roofing tiles, terracotta, wall tiles and panels to promote the local construction industry,” she assured.
“Government intends to acquire its own research vessel not of the size of the Fridtjof vessel though, to help in the monitoring of our fish stock”, he said.
The President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has promised that government will soon acquire a research vessel to help in the monitoring of the country’s fish stocks.
“Government intends to acquire its own research vessel not of the size of the Fridtjof vessel though, to help in the monitoring of our fish stock”, he announced.
Nana Addo made the promise when he welcomed the new marine research vessel RV Dr Fridtjof Nansen, owned by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) which made her first call to the Port of Tema.
The President expressed worry over the depletion of the country’s fishing stock, adding that government has put in place a fisheries, management plan to ensure long term conservation of the country’s waters and marine stock.
“Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing methods are depleting our fish stock. Our beautiful coastal wetlands are threatened by high volumes of plastic and metal waste that choke breeding habits for fish. This must not be allowed to continue. To this end, an inter-ministerial approach to curb this menace is in the pipeline,” he added.
The Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Elizabeth Naa Afoley said government is committed to ensuring long term conservation of fish stock to ensure food safety.
“The key objectives of this plan is to reduce excessive pressure on fish stock to ensure effective fisheries legislation to strengthen participatory decision making and also to meet regional and international obligations in fisheries,” she said.
The research vessel which is in Ghana to assess the marine stock levels in the country’s waters is equipped for operations in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Her primary duties include ecosystem studies and emphasising fishery research operations.
The International Monetary Fund(IMF) is set to deploy another mission to Ghana in the coming weeks, Gerry Rice, the Director of Communications for the IMF, said at a media engagement.
“We had an IMF staff team in Accra in July to begin initial discussions with the Ghanaian authorities. And we characterized that mission as constructive, kickstarted the process, and laid the groundwork for engagement, which now continues.
“Our Mission Chief for the IMF also recently visited Accra, again, to meet with key counterparts. And we’re hoping for another visit in the coming weeks; I don’t have a date for you, but in the coming weeks.”
Ghana’s economy races against time to tie down a bailout programme as the economy struggles against the backdrop of higher inflation, tighter financial conditions, and weaker growth.
The country’s inflation rate climbed to the highest level in 21 years in August, fueled by a slide in the cedi. Consumer prices surged 33.9% in August from 31.7% in July.
Ghana needs a $3 billion package from the fund to shore up its economy.
The well-known singer will now be known as Chief Ugo Nma Empress Gifty in accordance with the customs of the Igbo tribe, which has its headquarters in Ghana.
Her adored husband Hopeson Adorye, who provided his whole support, was present at the colorful ceremony.
At the occasion, which also celebrated their tenth anniversary in Ghana, the Nigerian Igbo communityshowcased flair and culture.
In an acceptance speech, Empress declared her preparedness to serve the West African tribe adding that she now identifies as one of them.
Gifty was adorned in an emerald green traditional outfit that was complimented with Nigerian coral beads on her neck and waist. She held in her hand, a customized title men fan that had the inscription ‘Chief Empress Gifty’.
The ‘Eye Woaa’ singer wore her crown with pride as she danced her heart out at her coronation.
“I am more than thrilled to be part of history as the Igbo Community in Ghana marks 10th anniversary on the throne today. This honour by extension would deepen the cultural and economic ties between Ghana and Nigeria. For this reason, I would avail myself for this cause, because we stand gain a lot by working together as Africans. From today, I am one of you. DAAAAAAAAAAALU,” Empress wrote in an Instagram post published on September 18.
History repeated itself at the Baba Yara Stadium on Sunday when Kumasi Asante Kotoko suffered early elimination from the CAF Champions League after losing 1-3 to Burkina Faso champions, RC Kadiogo, on penalties after a 1-1 aggregate score.
Kotoko went into yesterday’s clash bolstered by a 1-0 win in the first leg match in Cotonou, Benin, last Monday. However, playing without their top marksman, Franck Mbella Etouga, Kotoko failed to make their home advantage count yesterday as they allowed the visiting side to take the lead in the 15th minute through Dramane Kambou, and went into the half-time break with a slender 1-0 lead.
Despite having Burkinabe coach Seydou Zerbo directing affairs, the Porcupine Warriors failed to threaten their opponents for much of the second half as Kadiogo held onto the lead to push the encounter into a tie-breaking penalty shoot-out after a 1-1 aggregate stalemate at the end of regulation time.
To the dismay of their fans, Kotoko’s Solomon Sarfo Taylor, Osei Bonsu and Enoch Morrison missed their kicks after Yussuf Mubarik scored for them during the shoot-out, even with their goalkeeper Danlad Ibrahim saving one of Kadiogo’s kicks.
However, it was a case of lightning striking the same place twice, as an old penalty curse came back to haunt Kotoko in the same manner which saw Kadiogo eliminate the Ghanaian giants in a continental competition in 1979.
Accra Hearts of Oak’s new-found stalwart, Konadu Yiadom, won the hearts of the club’s followers after scoring a late goal which saved his side from another embarrassing defeat to city rivals, Accra Great Olympics in the betPawa Premier League at the Accra Sports Stadium yesterday.
His 88th minute piercing header secured a vital point for the Phobians who conceded an early goal and were just minutes away from suffering a third straight loss at the hands of their rivals.
Hearts, who suffered an opening week loss to Aduana Stars, went down as early as the seventh minute when Yusif Abdul Razak shot the Wonder Club into the lead. However, the vociferous supporters rallied behind their side late into the game as Coach Samuel Boadu’s players fought like wounded lions to ensure that they split the points with Olympics.
With substitute Denis Nkrumah Korsah, Daniel Afriyie Barnieh and Junior Kaba failing to connect numerous goal scoring opportunities that came Hearts’ way, Yiadom became the unlikely hero yesterday as the tall defender joined the attack during a corner-kick and connected the ball with a header that hit the back of the net before Olympics goalkeeper Benjamin Asare could react.
Spontaneous reaction
The equalising goal sparked a spontaneous reaction from the relieved Hearts supporters who had sat on tenterhooks for a greater part of the match, which was dominated by their opponents.
With former Black Stars players, Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu and Samuel Inkoom, playing against each other for Olympics and Hearts, respectively, there was a lot at stake in the Mantse Derby, especially with the Wonder Club aiming at a rare hat-trick win over their local rivals.
Hearts started the match in a businesslike fashion as they pushed more men into attack for an early goal to unsettle their opponents. They came close to scoring as early as the second minute when Yassan Ouatching was offered a fine chance to put the Phobians into the lead but he squandered the opportunity.
Olympics continued to soak up attack after attack and responded with quick counter-attacks which forced the Hearts defenders to fall back to keep the Olympics attackers in check. In one of their attacks in the seventh minute, a defender of Hearts pushed the ball back to goalkeeper Erick Ofori Antwi who fumbled with his clearance and allowed Razak, who was hovering around the Hearts goal area, to pounce on the ball to break the deadlock.
Hearts accepted the challenge and started attacking from the flanks with Gladson Awako, Barnieh, and Eric Esso combining in attack but found the Olympics defenders unyielding.
In the 42nd minute, disaster hit Hearts when Yassan got injured and was replaced by Suraj Seidu who started harassing the Olympics defenders but failed to make any meaningful impact .
The second half saw the two teams bringing in fresh players as Olympics resorted to building strong defence and relying on counter-attacks with Hearts pushing more men into attack and exploiting openings in the Olympics defence.
Their persistence finally paid off in the 88th minute when they forced Olympics to concede a corner kick from which Yiadom headed home the equalising goal to share the points at
Mim Ahafo Community Co-operative Credit Union (MACCCU) as part of its corporate social responsibilities has supported the construction of police check point on the Bediako-Kasapin road in the Ahafo Region.
It had earlier donated 10 buckets of paint to Mim Senior High School (SHS) and a packet of roofing sheets to Mim Municipal Junior High School (JHS).
The Board Chairman of MACCCU, Frank Kyei Baffour, who disclosed this at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the credit Union, on Tuesday at Mim, said it also supported sporting activities of schools with cash prizes.
Mr Baffour assured that MACCCU would continue to contribute its quota to the developmental and infrastructure agenda of the area, to ensure the socio-economic development of the people.
The Board Chairman noted that the Credit Union existed to offer competitive financial services to its members to improve their living standards by instilling the habit of savings among the people.
Mr Baffour indicated that MACCCU has reduced manual work to about 35 per cent of its operations, and has acquired a new software that will integrate its operations in and outside the office.
He said the Youth Savings Programme of the Credit Union saw major improvement, adding that “1,371 members were able to save GH¢ 229,477.20 as of June last year”.
Mr Baffour expressed appreciation to traditional authorities in its operational areas, members, management and staff of the credit Union, for their contribution to the progress of MACCCU.
The General Manager, Mr Eric Owusu of the Union, implored Ghanaians to cultivate the habit of saving for the future and an unforeseen circumstances in life.
He noted that “all forms of savings protect money from thieves, domestic fires, unplanned expenses, misappropriation and inflation among other benefits.
“With savings, you accumulate enough funds to achieve financial goals such as buying a car and building a house or meeting sudden needs for cash”.
Mr Owusu reiterated the commitment of the management and staff of the credit union to project MACCCU to a global stage, through its unique service delivery and good customer care.
“House of the Dragon‘s” fifth episode is actually significant for logistical reasons, essentially marking the end of the chapter before the show time jumps ahead, featuring older versions of some characters and somewhat shuffling the deck.
However, the horrible death that took place in the hour could generate just as much excitement, provoking discussions about long-standing worries and wounds about how LGBTQ characters are treated — and more specifically, killed off — in TV dramas.
The advancements in more inclusive storytelling have coincided with disagreements over how those characters are represented and their outcomes, giving rise to the hotly debated cliche known as “Bury Your Gays.”
The expression alludes to a historical trend in which LGBT characters have frequently perished as plot devices, giving the impression that they are more disposable in the eyes of writers.
Given that, the “Game of Thrones” prequel potentially waded into controversy with its most recent episode, subtitled “We Light the Way,” which again demonstrated, among other things, that in Westeros not much good ever happens at weddings. (The series plays on HBO, which, like CNN, is a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery.)
As part of the plot, Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) agreed to a marriage of convenience to Laenor Velaryon (Theo Nate) — a royal merger designed to fortify their respective lines’ hold on power, where they can indulge their “appetites” elsewhere.
Knowing that Laenor is gay, Rhaenyra — having been reminded by her uncle Daemon (Matt Smith) that marriage is merely a political arrangement — reassured him that they would essentially live separate lives, allowing him to continue his relationship with Ser Joffrey Lonmouth (Solly McLeod). Rhaenyra, meanwhile, had been dallying with a knight of her own, Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel).
At the wedding feast, Joffrey let it be known to Criston that he is aware of the knight’s relationship with Rhaenyra, which clearly unsettled and disturbed him. When the event chaotically erupts in violence a short while later, Criston is on top of Joffrey, brutally pounding him to death during the melee. He then flirts with taking his own life, before Rhaenyra’s budding political rival, Alicent (Emily Carey), intervenes.
Martin’s vision is of a medieval world where life is often cheap. That includes everything from orgies to incest, and from the horrors of childbirth to securing regal succession even if that means marrying off under-age girls.
Still, introducing the relationship between Laenor and Joffrey only to dispatch the latter so quickly and horribly almost immediately prompted questions on Twitter on Sunday night about whether the “Bury Your Gays” trope applies here. Notably, past discussions of the practice have often surrounded science fiction and fantasy series, including “The 100” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” and more recently, BBC America’s dark spy thriller “Killing Eve.”
It’s also worth noting that during “Game of Thrones’” heyday some asked if the show had a “gay problem,” as Vulture put it in a 2016 piece citing the number of LGBTQ characters who, up until that point, had met a violent end.
The arc of Laenor’s character doesn’t conclude with the latest episode. How that story unfolds could potentially offset or soften this latest turn of events in the eyes of those who would criticize it.
For now, though, based on the high-profile nature of the franchise that magnifies almost everything about the series, “House of the Dragon” could face some near-term heat.
The event comes off after the successful preceding 6th edition in 2019 which featured the participation of 87 exhibitors from 17 countries presenting dedicated solutions for hundreds and hundreds of trade visitors, investors and buyers from Ghana and neighbouring West African countries.
The exhibitors came from Belgium, China, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Italy, Jordan, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tunisia and Türkiye.
“For the agrofood part of the trade fair, it is indeed true that the West African market for agricultural technology becomes ever more important as imports of agricultural technology reach around €200 million annually, whilst West Africa heavily invests between €496 million in 2015 to €641 million in 2020 in food & beverage technology. (VDMA).”
“There have also been significant prospects in the areas of food trade. With well over 420 million inhabitants, which according to the World Bank will rise to 800 million by 2050, West Africa is a huge food market. West African food imports have reached around US$16 billion and exports US$14 billion. Thus, food trade with West Africa is a US$30 billion business. (WTO),” said the organisers of the fair in a statement.
The statement added that: “When it comes to the plastprintpack part of the event, the trade show is based on the following facts. West Africa invested in plastics technology for €217 million in 2020, in printing and paper technology worth €95 million and in packaging technology for €309 million, up 3.3% compared to 2019 – steady growth even in the Corona year 2020. (VDMA).”
According to Geovision Services Ltd., local agent for fairtrade, between 80 and 90 exhibitors from 15 to 20 countries are expected to attend the 7th International agrofood & plastprintpack Trade Show in Accra between 29 November and 01 December 2022 at the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Centre.
About fairtrade
Founded in 1991, fairtrade has long been one of the leading organisers of professional international agrofood & plastprintpack trade fairs in Africa and the Middle East.
Over the decades, more than 36,000 exhibitors and 1.5 million trade visitors have expressed their confidence in fairtrade. fairtrade takes innovative ways to connect emerging markets with solution providers from across the globe. Facilitating valuable business contacts between exhibitors and trade visitors, that‘s what fairtrade stands for.
ISO 9001:2015 certified and a member of UFI The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, fairtrade strives for high customer satisfaction with excellent service and innovative products.
As Arsenal breezed past Brentford with an emphatic 3-0 victory on Sunday, September 19, 2022, a product of the Gunners’ well-renowned academy was making history as the youngest footballer to play in top-flight English football.
By subbing him on in the 91st minute, Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta made Ethan Nwaneri the youngest player to ever kicked a ball in a Premier League match.
With 15 years and 181 days, Nwaneri has etched his name in English football history as the youngest player ever.
The attacking midfielder has been a constant feature for Arsenal’s under 18 and Under-21 and has been billed to take football by storm.
Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta says he listened to his ‘guts feelings’ by adding him to the squad and bringing him on to make history.
“It was a pure gut feeling, I met the kid and I liked what I saw. He has trained a couple of times with us and I had a feeling yesterday that if the opportunity came I would do it. But I think it sends a strong message about who we are as a club. I told him yesterday he would be with us and he had to be ready. He is ready. When he went on I said ‘congratulations and enjoy it. I don’t know what it is. When I met him, when I looked at him, I had that feeling.”
The Spaniard said: “We want to give opportunities When there is talent and personality and when players love what they do, and when they have no fear, the doors are open for them to explore where they can go.
“All the decisions that we take, that I take, are for the club. It’s not for me, it’s not for the player. It’s because we believe he has a talent that has to be developed incredibly in the next few years and we’ll see how we manage that. Normally it’s not us, normally the players tell you and they mind you, how far you can go on that.”
Who is Ethan Nwaneri
The attacking midfielder was born on March 21 2007 and has risen through the Arsenal academy rapidly.
He made his under-18s debut aged 14 and scored. Last month, he scored for England’s under 17s after coming off the bench.
The youngster is believed to be of Nigerian descent with his parents being Nigerians.
To Ms. Lola, who owns and manages a provision store at Awoshie, a suburb of Accra, the days of using charcoal to cook for the family were long gone. It has been years, she says, and so it wasn’t surprising that she had to search her storeroom for hours before finding her coal pot when she went back to charcoal a couple of weeks ago.
But why did she go back? The answer lies in the sustained price increments in the alternative, Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG). Since the turn of the year, LPG prices have increased so much so that users are now forced to either switch to alternatives such as charcoal, or now purchase the fuel in bits when hitherto, they usually just fill up their cylinders.
Ms. Lola isn’t alone in this rather dire predicament. Many households the B&FT has spoken to have expressed similar frustrations with regards to the rising price of LPG.
Gladys, a single mother with three children, who also lives at Awoshie, said: “I own one of these small cylinders, but I have not filled it in a while. It is hard to fend for me and my three children, especially my little boy because I sell pure water on the street.
“So for me, anytime I am ready to cook, I get at least GH¢3 charcoal, and I am able to cook. Using charcoal is stressful but that is what I am able to afford due to the price of the LPG”.
In January, a kilogram of LPG sold at GH¢8.93, which meant the regular 14.5kg cost GH¢129.49 to fill. In May, the same kilogram was selling at GH¢11.18, translating into GH¢162.11 for the 14.5kg. Currently, it goes for GH¢170, and this does not include the cost of transportation.
Meanwhile charcoal and wood fuels, unlike LPG, are readily available at various prices and sizes/weight in every neighbourhood across the country, which means that with the heightened economic situation, more people would opt for it as they look to cut down cost to cope with the tough times.
Commenting on this during the launch of a pilot study on ‘Promoting ethanol as a clean cooking alternative in Ghana’, Executive Director of Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), Benjamin Boakye, said the switch back to charcoal will draw back the progress being made toward clean fuels.
“Already, people have started switching to charcoal and wood fuels for cooking, and that raises the need to look at others that can be domesticated. The dependence on the global commodity market has implications for how sustainable the use of LPG and other fossil-based sources that are considered to be cleaner are. We need to consider alternatives locally that we can use instead of going back to wood fuels.
“We are going to create a bigger market for charcoal and firewood; so, it is a real danger. With the kind of price scenario, we are seeing currently, if we don’t get some solution and some alternatives immediately, we may see many people switching from LPG to wood fuels,” he said.
The country, in 2017, set a national goal to ensure more than half of the population use LPG for cooking by 2030 instead of the traditional wood fuels which have endured generations.
However, with rising cost of LPG due to happenings on the international crude market and depreciation of the cedi, there are fears that the worst is yet to come thus putting the government’s goal, as well as the United Nation Sustainable Development Goal Seven, in jeopardy.
On the other hand, the World Health Organisation also estimates that about 4 million deaths occur annually due to indoor air pollution-related diseases. These diseases include pneumonia, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and lung cancer.
Rapper Post Malone reportedly crashed during his performance in St. Louis on Saturday, breaking his ribs in the process, according to his management.
“Thank you everyone for all your well wishes! @postmalone didn’t break 3 ribs lastnite [sic] thank god,” the rapper’s manager, Dre London, wrote on Instagram on Sunday. “We did X-rays @ hospital after the show & they declared he had bruised his ribs!”
Post Malone was performing at the Enterprise Center in downtown St. Louis when he fell.
Concert goer Tana Cantrell told CNN that the accident happened about an hour into his performance.
“At the time from my angle, it looked like he just collapsed on stage, grabbing the middle of his chest,” Cantrell said. “You could see in his face and body how much pain he was in and that’s when I knew this was serious. His legs were trembling from the pain.”
“From other angles you could see that there was a hole in the stage that he had fallen through when they lowered his guitar down and they did not get the floor put back up in time,” Cantrell added.
After about 10 minutes, Post Malone got up with help from others, and went to take a break, according to Cantrell. Once he returned to the stage he repeatedly apologized before finishing the show, Cantrell said.
Dre London commended the rapper for finishing the show “in true Posty fashion.”
“I truly don’t know any artist like him,” the Instagram post continued.
On Sunday, the rapper apologized and thanked his St. Louis fans in a video also posted to Dre London’s Instagram. He confirmed Cantrell’s account that he fell through a hole that was meant to hold his guitar stand.
“We just got back from the hospital, and everything’s good,” Post Malone said in the video. “They gave me some pain meds and everything, so we can keep kicking ass on the tour.”
Stakeholders of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme have lauded the foundation on its decennial anniversary.
The $500 million programme which began in 2012 was to identify talented young people from economically disadvantaged and hard-to-reach communities, primarily in Africa, and supported their secondary and higher education as well as leadership development.
Patrick Awuah, President and Founder, Ashesi University said the programme had put beneficiaries on a level playing field, and completely changed the game for those students that needed the support.
Ann Cotton, Founder and Trustee of CAMFED International said their partnership with the programme was exceptional and had enabled them fulfill their vision for the post-secondary school years.
“Every child matters and the Foundation looks at justice in the broadest possible sense, from the most impoverished and marginalised child to the most powerful institution with whom they work. And there is authenticity at every point on that trajectory,” she added.
An alumni of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme, Faith Kipkemboi, said the initiative was driving transformation in her country, Kenya.
She said it had enabled her community-based organisation, Cactus Mama, deliver evidence-based, high-quality, and affordable mental health services in remote areas, especially for women.
“We hope to create a better Kenya; a healthier Kenya,” she added.
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme began with a strong focus on secondary education, working with partners such as CAMFED, BRAC, Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), the African Leadership Academy (ALA), and the Equity Group Foundation (Wings to Fly) to provide young people with access to high school and improve completion rates —particularly for girls.
President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Mastercard Foundation, Reeta Roy said that the foundation through its network of partners was enabling thousands of bright and deserving young people to access quality education and develop as leaders who gave back to their communities and helped to improve the lives of others.
“Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni are leaders and innovators; activists and entrepreneurs; tackling everything from climate change to health inequity. Their collective impact will be felt for generations to come,” she added.
Ms Roy said alumni of the programme had become entrepreneurs, creating over 16,000 jobs.
“In addition, 40 percent of university graduates say they are now supporting the education of their siblings,” she stated.
“Importantly, Mastercard Foundation Scholars unanimously express a strong commitment to giving back to their communities, which is a core principle of the programme,” she added.
Ghana is ranked 4th in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with the highest private savings, a report by the International Monetary Fund on “Private Savings and COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa’ by the International Monetary Fund (IMF)” has disclosed.
Despite the challenges facing the economy, the report stated that private savings in Ghana grew from about 24 per cent in 2019 to about 30 per cent in 2022.
Again, oil exporting and middle-income countries such as Ghana, are the highest savers in the region.
The report further added that private disposable income in the country had gone up considerably.
“The private saving rate in SSA has increased during the last two decades to an average rate of 17.3 per cent in 2019 from 11.5 per cent in 1983.
However, there is significant heterogeneity across the SSA countries. Oil exporters and middle-income countries (MICs) are the highest savers in the region. Private saving rates, as expected, are particularly low in fragile states and low-income countries (LICs),” it pointed out.
The World Bank in its recent Global Findex Report said though the share of adults in Ghana having an account at a financial institution remained mostly stagnant since 2017, mobile money account ownership increased to 60 per cent from 39 per cent in 2017.
Again, the July 2022 Banking Sector Development Report by the Bank of Ghana also revealed that deposits recorded a robust growth of 19.1 per cent to ¢131.3 billion as of the end of June this year, albeit lower than the growth recorded a year earlier.
Meanwhile, Gabon is the number one country in Sub-Saharan Africa with the largest private savings of about 34 per cent.
After struggling for regular first-team minutes under Thomas Tuchel, Hudson-Odoi took a chance and left Chelsea to join Bayer Leverkusen on loan for the 2022-23 season. The 21-year-old has now revealed that Boehly was involved in the final decision and made sure that a buy option wasn’t included so that he can still have a long-term future at Stamford Bridge.
WHAT HE SAID: Speaking to the Daily Mail, Hudson-Odoi said: “When a club is trying to get a player [on loan], they always want that option to buy at the end of the season. Todd was saying: ‘Listen, we want you back here.’ You’re still on the radar of being wanted by the club. The way he’s trying to set it up, there are a lot of young players he’s trying to buy for the next few years. It shows he wants to integrate the players into the team and help them develop.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Hudson-Odoi may fancy his chances of breaking into Chelsea’s first team when he returns in July next year. New boss Graham Potter has been appointed by Boehly, who has made it clear that he will be focusing on the development of the club’s youth, with Hudson-Odoi in line to benefit despite the fact his current contract is due to expire in 2024.
WHAT NEXT FOR HUDSON-ODOI? After an impressive display vs Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, Hudson Odoi will be looking to continue in the same vein of form when Leverkusen face Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich on September 30, before their focus switches to a European clash against Porto.
The late Queen Elizabeth II‘s body will begin its final journey as part of a grand state funeral later after spending days lying in state. It will first travel to Westminster Abbey for a religious service in front of thousands of people, then move on to Windsor Castle for a more personal committal service, and finally, a private burial.
It will be a day filled with emotion, grandeur, and ceremony unseen since Winston Churchill’s last state burial over 60 years ago.
The Queen’s lying-in-state at Westminster Hall in the heart of London, where people queued for hours to view her coffin, has now come to an end. A short distance away, at Westminster Abbey, the doors have opened for guests to start arriving ahead of the funeral service at 11:00.
Heads of state from across the world have been flying in to join members of the Royal Family to remember the Queen’s life and service. Senior UK politicians and former prime ministers will also be there.
Members of royal families from across Europe, many of whom were blood relatives of the Queen, are expected – Belgium’s King Philippe and Queen Mathilde and Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia will be there.
At this point, the ceremonial part of the day will begin in earnest, as the Queen’s coffin is lifted from the catafalque where it has been resting since Wednesday afternoon, and taken to Westminster Abbey, for her funeral service.
She will be carried on the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy, drawn by 142 sailors. The carriage was last seen in 1979 for the funeral of Prince Philip’s uncle, Lord Mountbatten and was used for the Queen’s father, George VI, in 1952.
Senior members of the Royal Family, including the new king and his sons Prince William and Prince Harry, will follow the gun carriage in procession.
The Pipes and Drums of the Scottish and Irish regiments will lead the ceremony, along with members of the Royal Air Force and the Gurkhas.
The route will be lined by the Royal Navy and Royal Marines and a guard of honour will stand in Parliament Square made up of all three military services, accompanied by a Royal Marines band.
The Queen’s funeral service, expected to be attended by 2,000 guests, will begin at Westminster Abbey.
It will be a state funeral – an event typically reserved for kings or queens, which follows strict rules of protocol, such as a military procession and the lying-in-state.
The abbey, hosting the funeral service, is the historic church where Britain’s kings and queens are crowned, including the Queen’s own coronation in 1953. It was also where the then-Princess Elizabeth married Prince Philip in 1947.
There hasn’t been a monarch’s funeral service in the abbey since the 18th Century, although the funeral of the Queen Mother was held there in 2002.
The service will be conducted by the Dean of Westminster David Hoyle, with the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby giving the sermon. Prime Minister Liz Truss will read a lesson.
Towards the end of the funeral service the Last Post – a short bugle call – will be played followed by a two-minute national silence.
The national anthem and a lament played by the Queen’s piper will bring the service to an end at about midday.
Following the service, the Queen’s coffin will be drawn in a walking procession from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch, at London’s Hyde Park Corner.
With the route lined with military personnel and police, Big Ben will toll at one-minute intervals as the procession moves slowly through the streets of the capital. Gun salutes will also fire every minute from Hyde Park.
People can watch the procession in person from designated viewing areas along the route.
The procession, led by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, will be made up of seven groups, each with its own band. Members of the armed services from the UK and the Commonwealth, the police and the NHS will also be involved.
Once again the King will lead members of the Royal Family walking behind the gun carriage bearing the Queen’s coffin.
Camilla, the Queen Consort, the Princess of Wales, the Countess of Wessex and the Duchess of Sussex will join the procession in cars.
Once at Wellington Arch, at about 13:00, the coffin will be transferred to the new State Hearse for its final journey to Windsor Castle.
The castle, continuously inhabited by 40 monarchs across almost 1,000 years, had special significance to the Queen throughout her life. As a teenager she was sent to the castle during the war years as London faced the threat of bombing, and more recently she made it her permanent home during the coronavirus pandemic.
The hearse is expected to arrive for a walking procession up Windsor Castle’s Long Walk. The three-mile (5km) avenue will be lined with members of the armed forces.
Members of the public will be allowed access to the Long Walk to watch the procession pass.
The King and senior members of the Royal Family are expected to join the cortege in the Quadrangle in Windsor Castle a little later.
The castle’s Sebastopol and Curfew Tower bells will be tolled every minute and gun salutes will be fired from the castle’s grounds.
Then the coffin will enter St George’s Chapel for a committal service.
St George’s Chapel is the church regularly chosen by the Royal Family for weddings, christenings and funerals. It is where the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan, were married in 2018 and where the Queen’s late husband Prince Philip’s funeral was held.
Attended by a smaller, more personal congregation of about 800 guests, the committal service will be conducted by Dean of Windsor David Conner, with a blessing from Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.
The service will include traditions symbolising the end of the Queen’s reign.
The Imperial State Crown and the Sovereign’s orb and sceptre will be removed from the top of the coffin by the Crown Jeweller, separating the Queen from her crown for the final time.
At the end of the last hymn, the King will then place the Queen’s company camp colour, or flag, of the Grenadier Guards on the coffin. The Grenadier Guards are the most senior of the Foot Guards carrying out ceremonial duties for the monarch.
At the same time, the Lord Chamberlain, former MI5 chief Baron Parker, will “break” his wand of office and place it on the coffin. The snapping of the white staff will signal the end of his service to the sovereign as her most senior official in the Royal Household.
The Queen will then be lowered into the royal vault and the Sovereign’s piper will play before a blessing and the singing of God Save the King. The performance by the piper at Windsor was something the Queen had personally requested, Buckingham Palace said.
The committal service will come to an end and the King and members of the Royal Family will leave the chapel.
That evening, at a private family service, the Queen will be buried together with her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, at the King George VI memorial chapel, located inside St George’s Chapel.
Her marble slab will be engraved ELIZABETH II 1926-2022.
The Black Stars will open camp on Monday, September 19, 2022, in France ahead of the International friendly against Brazil on Friday.
The home-based back-room staff and other officials departed Accra on Saturday and arrived in Paris on Sunday to team up with the rest of the staff and players.
The team will hold its first training at 17Hrs on Monday as preparations get underway for the match against the five time World Champions in Le Harve on Friday.
Both countries will use the match to access their strengths they build up to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 finals in November/December.
Brazil are paired with Switzerland, Serbia and Cameroon in Group G while Ghana face Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay in Group H.
Bayern Munich have come under heavy criticism from a cross-section of fans after forward Sadio Mane failed to score in their 1-0 Bundesliga defeat against Augsburg on Saturday.
The 30-year-old Senegal international started in the fixture at Augsburg Arena but he could not help the Bavarians as they suffered their first defeat of the season courtesy of Mergim Berisha’s well-taken effort in the 59th minute.
Mane, who moved to Bayern from Liverpool, cut a frustrated figure throughout the match, and was booked in the 39th minute for a tripping challenge before he was withdrawn for Cameroon international Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting in the 78th minute.
The Lion of Teranga has now gone for seven matches in all competitions without finding the back of the net. He last scored a brace in the 7-0 win against Bochum on August 21 while his first of the campaign came against Eintracht Frankfurt in a 6-1 victory.
Supporters have now descended social media to blame manager Julian Nagelsmann for Mane’s “dry spell”, insisting the forward is being played out of position while one particular fan wondered why they could not sign Erling Haaland, if their target was to bring a number nine.
“Sadio Mane isn’t a striker. Bayern is pretending he is one. Why didn’t they sign Haaland?,” Kwabena opened the debate on Twitter while Swot posed a question: “Who plays Sadio Mane as a lone striker? Who on earth makes such a blunder?”
Benhito Bankz wrote: “Sadio Mane is not a striker so, Bayern stop playing him as false number nine,” he said, adding: “If you need a proper goal scorer go for Cristiano Ronaldo.”
Vincent Brian stressed the point home: “Sadio Mane is never a striker, allow Thomas Muller to do the job and let Mane be a free man from the wings.”
The Trivela Effect defended Mane, insisting he will turn things around soon. “It makes me sad how quickly people have turned on Sadio Mane,” he said, adding: “I believe he, Nagelsmann, and Bayern as a whole will figure things out. Let’s give it time.”
His sentiments were echoed by Tunde Westside, who said: “I don’t know why people are acting surprise about Sadio Mane form, we Liverpool are already used to it.”
Westside added: “He normally plays rubbish at the start of the season then pick his form towards the end of the season.”
Last season, Mane appeared in 34 games for Liverpool in the Premier League, scored 16 goals and provided two assists.
In total, he made 196 league appearances for the Reds, scoring 90 goals and providing 29 assists.
Lady Gaga was forced to halt the final show of her Chromatica Ball tour in Florida after a fierce storm descended.
The star was approaching the end of her show when lightning started to strike around Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.
“We just got to stop the show for a minute,” she told the 65,000 fans at the show, advising them to “really calmly move to the inside area”.
Although she had hoped the storm would pass, the concert ultimately had to be called off.
The star later posted a tearful apology to fans on her Instagram account.
“We really tried to finish the show tonight in Miami but we couldn’t because even when the rain stopped there was lightning striking right down to the ground so close to us,” she said, still wearing her stage outfit, and wiping rain from her face.
“I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to anybody in the audience or to any member of my crew.”
The singer then picked up a bouquet of roses that a fan had tossed onto the stage and said she would “cherish them forever”.
The Hard Rock Stadium is home to American football team Miami Dolphins and only has a partial roof.
Before the show was cancelled, fans gathered under the sheltered portion of the venue and sang Gaga’s hit Rain On Me – punctuated by terrifying claps of thunder.
Fans who attended the show said Gaga was “clearly upset” by the cancellation.
“It was surreal and really sad when she came out and told us to go home,” wrote one on Reddit. “You could tell how heartbroken she was.”
The Hard Rock stadium posted a statement on Twitter, reading: “Tonight’s Lady Gaga show couldn’t continue after a show pause at 10:50 pm in the interest of fan safety due to inclement weather that included lighting. Thank you for your understanding.”
The Chromatica Ball tour began in Dusseldorf, Germany, in July before visiting Sweden, France, the Netherlands, the UK, Japan and North America.
With a setlist including Bad Romance, Poker Face, Born This Way, Edge Of Glory and Stupid Love, the show has won rave reviews for its combination of dramatic set-pieces and a running narrative about surviving trauma.
The Guardian called it a “hit-stacked show that also creates an intimate human connection”; while Rolling Stone magazine said it served as “a reminder that she’s one of the greatest living musical performers”.
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The Miami show was the last stop on Gaga’s Chromatica Ball world tour.
The tour was confined to just 20 shows, with several rest days between concerts to help Gaga cope with the medical condition fibromyalgia.
The condition often leaves her in chronic pain, and resulted in the cancellation of the last 10 dates of her previous world tour in 2018.
“It took so much in my heart to get back to a place where I could perform and be healthy,” she said on Instagram after the Miami concert.
“Part of why I decided not to finish the show was because I am healthy. It’s a healthy decision for all of you and for myself as well. So I love you… and I’ll see you next time on stage.”
