Ghana Football: This nonsense must stop!!

The state-owned Graphic Sports has reported in its Friday edition that the Ghana U-17 Team that is set to play in the African U-17 Championship next week in Gabon have decided to stage a boycott of the tournament by refusing to embark on the trip.

A source close to the team, morale of the boys has sunk and they have vowed not travel for the tournament until their qualification bonuses are paid.

According to my checks, the players were promised $2,000 each by the GFA and ministry if they qualify but the promises have not yet been met with days to the grand competition.

Reading the story, gathering pieces from my sources and recollecting previous episodes of this all too common drama, I just cannot help but cringe. I cannot fathom why we claim to have so many healers but this nation so sick especially in football. We easily lose our head when it is football and no one seems to have seen or care about the impending danger.

This heinous system of singling out money as the only tool for motivation must be arrested, but more importantly, the brain behind this weakly concept must be arrested as well.

How on earth did we get here and where on earth are we heading to? That you actually have right thinking adults and honourable minister believing that they need to promise 14 and 15 year-old school boys money to wear the national colours and play their heart out for the nation?

To the extent these school boys find nothing proud and enthusing in flying in airplanes on state tickets, sleeping in hotels at the expense taxpayer and above all, the prestige of being selected to represent the nation.

They have none of that, and so are brave enough to gather the minutest of gut to threaten a boycott of that privilege done them by the state? This bonuses they demand are not for winning the FIFA gold cup like was done in 1991 and 1995, but for just qualifying to play in the Africa division of the championship?

This and many reasons account for why football alone continue to blow away the sports ministry’s insufficient budget resulting in the crippling of the other 44 sporting disciplines. Useless and extraneous expenses culminating in astronomous budgets from the GFA who sit comfortably to prepare because they won’t be the body to foot it. All have to be sadly borne by the public via a sportingly ignorant government.

I’m not against rewarding footballers for their sweat, but at age 16, must we shape the thinking of these lads that the nation has only money as the source of motivation? Must we shape these kids into growing to become money-grubbing adults?

Those of us who witnessed the Starlets 91 feat have come to appreciate what a national reward means. Then President Rawlings asked for specific streets in the hometowns of the victorious team members to be named after the squad. So in Accra, there is the “Starlets 91 Street” which still stands as a long standing reward for the team. There’s also a Starlets 91 street in Sunyani to honour the captain Alex Opoku,who was a native of Sunyani.

I still think that, it is not about the crazy crave for money at the turn of this generation, but more of the scarcity of right thinking leaders.

It is time somebody in authority gets brave enough to reinvent the wheels of our football and eradicate this crazy structure. It is high time somebody speaks sense, clear sense into the skulls of football officials who prepare budgets that includes money bonuses in the regions of thousands of dollars to be borne by the tax payer.

How should learned Ghana FA officials hold a meeting with an honourable minister of state to discuss and arrive at a conclusion that, the government, aside providing accommodation, feeding, per diem, training equipment, flight tickets, must also set aside dollars as winning bonuses for the kids. I mean how?

The idea behind these junior competitions is to assemble, groom, grow, discipline and guide a team of youngsters into a construction of a winsome adult side.

If your country is one that imbibes the culture of “money does all” into these innocent lads, why won’t they grow into adults who’ll draw a dagger to demand money before they play for the country – even under the watch of global cameras?

If your country unfortunately have leaders of the sort, whose fad are driven by money, nothing else motivates and excites anyone in the land.

There is this documentary of the 2006 U-17 World Cup in Nigeria I watched on a Swiss TV, the Stadt Zuerich. The Switzerland U-17 team of Pajtim Kasami, Granit Xhaka and Haris Seferovi? had just beaten Nigeria Eaglets in Abuja to claim the FIFA U-17.

Upon the team’s return to Zurich, the players, all of them elementary school pupils, were given the best of rewards any teenager could get in Switzerland. The then head of the Swiss Confederation (President) Hans-Rudolf Merz invited the team to the Federal Palace on a Sunday evening, and then each of these lands given a presidential handshake on live TV by the man they had only seen on TV, and read in books. The lads were visibly awe-stricken,and filled with joy. The newspaper explained that, the ceremony was held on Sunday evening to allow the classmates of these boys to watch their pals on TV having the honour of exchanging handshakes with the president. Also noteworthy that, Switzerland had never won a world cup at any level before in their history and so judging by their flourishing economy, one expected the president to hand over car keys to the boys, and also plots of land, like Ghana did in 2009.

But that was it. Presidential audience and handshake plus live broadcast on national TV. That was all. The kids were urged to aim higher and hit the top of their career. They were not handed dollar cheques, cars and houses to make them believe life was over. They had to make most of the privileged national team selection to seek individual career improvement. The pride.

This is a sharp contrast to what pertains in our part of the world. It is a sad spectacle and need be for it to be critically addressed. The trend, apart from being unsustainable for our frail economy, is a very dangerous one that has the potential of ruining the game. That is if it has not done already.

In the last three years, Ghana has come under negative spotlight due boycotts, mutinies, sit-ins and shameless protests staged by various national soccer teams demanding financial promises. These promises are subconsciously made by the football association, and to be paid by an uninformed government.

There’s no organised football federation in this world that makes school boys in junior national team have the slightest of thoughts that they play to make money from the state at that age. It is an absolutely wrong picture that will be painted by only brazen and unembarrassed leaders.

There are many things gravely sickening with Ghana football, chiefly amongst them, the money-making ideology.

Brazil didn’t change us and I’m not sure anything else will. Until there’s a proper overhaul of ideas in the management of our game from the sports ministry to the football association, we will continue to ruin ourselves, the game and ultimately, the future kids we pay to play.

If the Starlets team was promised of bonuses and they qualified due to that, pay them from wherever funds are available after subsequently, there needs to be an immediate reversal of this despicable convention.

There should not be n debate over this. There is no need to have a committee to look into this. The institution of monetary rewards at junior national team levels must be immediately and immediately disbanded.

Christian Atsu on target for Newcastle United in win over Cardiff City

Ghanaian international Christian Atsu continued his blistering form for Newcastle United by scoring his fifth goal of the season as they defeated Cardiff 2-0 in the English Championship on Friday evening.

The winger scored from a superb free kick in the 55th minute of the game.

Atsu curled from the edge of the box to give his side the lead.

Isaac Hayden got the second for Rafa Benitez’s side with a wonderful strike in the 65th minute.

The on-loan Chelsea player has been inspiring for Newcastle United this season with reports indicating the Megpies could be signing him on a permanent deal.

Black Starlets cry for unpaid bonus

Black Starlets cry for unpaid bonus

Almost seven months after the Black Starlets qualified for the Under-17 Africa Nations Cup, players of the team are yet to receive their qualification bonus from the Ghana Football Association (GFA). Graphic Sports investigations indicate that the players were promised $1.500

» read more

Former MP to sue UK High Commission over Visa fraud claims

Lawyers for embattled former MP for Asunafo South constituency, George Boakye have asked the British High Commission to reverse its travel ban imposed on the former legislator.

According to the lawyers, the grounds for the imposition of the ban were unfounded. The British High Commissioner, Jon Benjamin, in a letter leaked to the media earlier this week, announced that 4 legislators including the former MP have been banned for 10 years from entering the UK by capitalizing on their diplomatic passport privilege to undertake various illegal immigration actions including helping supposed relatives overstay their visas in that country.

But in a letter addressed to the British High Commissioner, Jon Benjamin, and the Commission, lawyers to George Boakye said he did not travel on his diplomatic passport as the High Commission alleged.

“In respect of the period in question, my client traveled to the UK with a normal Ghanaian passport with passport number H1050729, and not a diplomatic passport. My client was granted two years UK visa from 14/9/12 to 14/9/14 with visa number 011164422.” The lawyers noted that, it was wrong for the High Commission to blame the MP for his daughter’s long stay, especially as she is an adult and both applied for their visas independently.

“The purpose of the visit to the UK by the client and his 37-year-old daughter was a private one. My client returned as scheduled. His daughter, who is an adult failed to return as scheduled.

My client cannot in any way be blamed because his adult daughter overstayed her Entry Permit into the UK.” The lawyers further suggested that, the Commission peddled falsehood in its letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Oquaye on the matter, urging it to “in the interest of justice and fairness” to “put out the true story.”

“My client has not engaged in any form of visa fraud. All documents presented by the client were genuine, and he made the application directly to the UK Commission and not through any supposed third party. He has not abused the privileges and responsibility as a Diplomatic Passport Holder.”

The lawyer further threatened to drag the High Commission to court over the matter if it fails to publicly clear the former MP of any wrongdoing.

“We are expecting that based on the information we have provided, we expect your high office to reverse any travel ban imposed on my client and also come to the public domain to clear the issues. Youth failure to do so will compel my client to use all legal means to appeal against any decision to impose a travel ban on him to the UK and also clear his name”.

Meanwhile, the former MP, George Boakye, has told Citi News that his 37-year-old daughter tricked him into taking her to London under the pretext of going to see her uncle, but disappeared on their arrival in the UK.

According to him, although he knew he was being irresponsible by not reporting his daughter’s disappearance once he couldn’t find her, he feared a report to security officials would have had her incarcerated. His daughter, in a separate interview with Citi News said that she should be blamed for her father’s woes.

According to her, she deliberately cut contact ties with her father after she told him she was leaving the house to visit an uncle in London, ahead of their scheduled departure date. She appealed to Ghanaians to forgive her, although her story doesn’t seem to add up. “I am pleading with my father and Ghanaians to forgive me. When I arrived, my father and I went to see the British High Commissioner and we pleaded with him too,” she said.

George Boakye’s offense 

According to the British High Commission, “On 11/09/2012, the then Honourable and now former MP for Asunafo South George BOAKYE applied for visas for himself and his 37-year old daughter, Joyce BOAKYE to visit a friend in London for 17 days The visas were granted on 14/09/2012. On 17/01/2013 Joyce BOAKYE travelled to the UK with her Honourable father. Joyce BOAKYE did not leave the UK with her father, but remained until 06/01/2017.

In other words, she finally returned to Ghana just this month, having been in the UK illegally for over three years, and only then at our strong urging of Mr Boakye to bring her back.

Mr Boakye is highly unlikely to be issued any further visas to visit the UK in the next ten years for his role in facilitating his daughter’s travel to the UK, including should he be re-elected to Parliament in a subsequent election.

MP visa fraud: Ablakwa slams Jon Benjamin’s ‘colonial mentality’

The ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has castigated the British High Commission for exhibiting what he calls a colonial mindset in the handling of the suspected visa fraud case involving some current and former Members of Parliament.

Mr. Ablakwa in a statement on his Facebook page, said upon his perusal of the letter written by the British High Commissioner to the Speaker of Parliament outlining the allegations, he could not “help but notice a rather regrettable colonial mindset.”

In his view, the British High Commissioner, Jon Benjamin, overstepped his boundaries by “lecturing our Speaker, our President through his Secretary, our Chief of Staff and our Foreign Minister on how diplomatic passports ought to be used and retrieved.”

The allegations of visa fraud were revealed in the contents of the letter, indicating that three sitting MPs and one former MP, breached British visa regulations by facilitating the entry of some of their supposed relatives to the UK using their Diplomatic Passports.

The letter cited Richard Acheampong, MP for Bia East in the Western Region; Joseph Benhazin Dahah, MP for Asutifi North in the Brong Ahafo region; Johnson Kwaku Adu, MP for Ahafo Ano South West in the Ashanti Region and George Boakye, former MP for Asunafo South in the Brong Ahafo.

What the letter said

In the letter, British High Commission said it will henceforth only prioritize requests for visas from MPs if they are made through the parliamentary protocol office.

The Commission believes this will ensure there is an official and parliamentary reason for the proposed visit.

It also said MPs wishing to make private visits to the UK or to be accompanied on official visits by non-official relatives, must apply online and through the Visa Application Centre at the Movenpick Hotel like regular applicants.
To cap it off, the Commission said the alleged actions of the MPs contributed to raising the bar of suspicion against other MP applicants.

Disrespect to Parliament unacceptable

But in Mr. Ablakwa’s view, Jon Benjamin sees issuing visas to MPs as a favor and a reward for good behavior.

“Therefore, because three sitting MPs may have misconducted themselves, all 275 MPs must now face the Head Master’s (if not the colonial Governor’s) wrath and sanctions. Such utter disrespect for our Parliament and our country regardless is most unacceptable.”

He further chided Jon Benjamin for exaggerating the idea of former MPs possessing Diplomatic Passports because the passports expire after five years.
“The exaggeration was totally uncalled-for. He also knows that by practice, these diplomatic passports are withdrawn upon ceasing to hold public office even if the retrieval is fraught with some challenges as all human institutions encounter.”

Find below Mr. Ablakwa’s full statement

I have followed media discussions of British High Commissioner Jon Benjamin’s letter to the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament with much interest as the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs.

In contrast to those who have questioned why the said confidential letter was leaked to the media, I take a different view. I am elated this letter is now available to the media and the general public for open and frank discussions in the true spirit of transparency and good governance. This must be good for our country.

In any case, before this leak, this was the most poorly kept secret by the British High Commission as many of us including journalists have known about this for a considerable period of time perhaps even before the said 20th January, 2017 letter was written and dispatched to the Right Honourable Speaker.

The other poorly kept secret is the claim that there are some MPs holding dual citizenship in violation of Article 94 (2) (a) of the Constitution of Ghana. 
Again, I will contend that it’s better to see some swift concrete action on this particular issue instead of it being used by some people for smear and blackmail within diplomatic circles. This definitely raises larger issues of how Parliamentary Candidates are vetted within our political parties and the collaborative role of the Electoral Commission, National Security and Diplomatic Missions; a discussion we will have to return to at a later date.

It must be understood very clearly, that if confirmed, what the three sitting Members of Parliament (MP) and a former MP are alleged to have done cannot be endorsed and must deserve strong condemnation and possible sanctions if need be. It is therefore commendable that Mr. Speaker has taken a serious view of this matter and has instituted the needed investigations. This is what is expected of working democracies just as the US Congress is currently doing in the case of General Michael Flynn.

Reading through Jon Benjamin’s letter however, one cannot help but notice a rather regrettable colonial mindset. He writes:

“Given what has transpired, the British High Commission would request the Ghanaian Parliament to be aware of the following:

a) we will henceforth only entertain and prioritise requests for visas from MPs, if they are made through the parliamentary protocol office who should verify that there is an official, parliamentary reason for the proposed visit;
b) however, MPs wishing to make private visits to the UK or to be accompanied on official visits by non-official relatives must apply online and through our Visa Application Centre at the Movenpick Hotel like any other applicant;

c) could you kindly confirm whether and why it is legitimate for ex-MPs to continue to possess and use diplomatic passports, in some cases for many years after they have ceased to be parliamentarians? In that regard, we would humbly like to ask, Mr Speaker, what procedures are in place to ensure that diplomatic passports are removed forthwith from all those 133 former Members who have just ceased to be MPs?

d) the net effect of such visa fraud by a very few Honourable MPs as outlined in this letter is to raise the bar of suspicion against all such applicants, which is of course regrettable to the huge disadvantage of those very many MPs who do act honourably at all times.”

Quite clearly, to Mr. Jon Benjamin, issuing visas to Ghanaian MPs is such a great favour and a reward for good group behaviour. Therefore, because three sitting MPs may have misconducted themselves, all 275 MPs must now face the Head Master’s (if not the colonial Governor’s) wrath and sanctions. Such utter disrespect for our Parliament and our country regardless is most unacceptable.
If this is Mr. Benjamin’s mindset even in dealing with the people’s representatives, then one can begin to wonder how he treats the applications of the people of Ghana.

Never mind that visa application processes are not free and that the high fees most Ghanaians complain about are not refundable to applicants. Never mind that Ghanaians including thousands of fee paying students who travel to Britain do so with our own money which must be of some use to the British economy, Never mind that the UK Parliamentary Expenses Scandal of 2009 involved more than 300 MPs, (NOT 3 as in Ghana’s case), with at least 6 of these UK MPs going to jail and yet no bar of suspicion has been raised by any Ghanaian “Head Master” in extending diplomatic courtesies to UK MPs but I guess that is the world we live in.

Mr. Jon Benjamin amazingly had no diplomatic difficulties whatsoever in over stepping boundaries and lecturing our Speaker, our President through his Secretary, our Chief of Staff and our Foreign Minister on how diplomatic passports ought to be used and retrieved. Absolutely unbelievable! And by the way, Mr. Benjamin cannot be right when he asserts that MPs continue to use diplomatic passports “MANY YEARS” after they cease to be MPs when he knows that these diplomatic passports are valid for only five years while admittedly an MPs term is four years. The exaggeration was totally uncalled-for. He also knows that by practice these diplomatic passports are withdrawn upon ceasing to hold public office even if the retrieval is fraught with some challenges as all human institutions encounter.

Even though many of us have had concern about the modus operandi and non-diplomatic tendencies of the top-most British diplomat in Accra, I will not advocate hostility or reciprocal action on British MPs who will require visa services to visit Ghana as some have suggested because it is entirely possible that Mr. Benjamin’s conduct and social media pontifications may not represent official British Government position. Fortunately, we have some good recent experience as a country in containing interesting High Commissioners since the days of Craig John Murray and more significantly, we should never forget that their postings to Ghana are not the least permanent.

What is permanent and which we must all continue to cherish is the unique bond of history and friendship that exists between our two countries which must constantly remind us that in the final analysis only mutual respect and equal rights triumph.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (MP)

Ranking Member, Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament.

Jon Benjamin is a 'media whore' – Apaak

Former Presidential staffer, Clement Apaak

A former presidential staffer under the John Mahama administration, has described the British High Commissioner to Ghana, Jon Benjamin as a “media whore” who enjoys being the center of discussions in the media.

According to him, the diplomat deliberately leaked a letter he sent to the Speaker of Parliament informing him of the UK’s decision to slap a travel ban on 4 parliamentarians, including a former member for allegedly engaging in various forms of illegal immigration practice.

“What is the import of putting this in the public domain if indeed Jon Benjamin respects our country as a sovereign nation? Who else could have done it? Work was being done to remedy this situation. We [Parliament] have the mechanisms and processes of correcting whatever wrong and investigating whatever accusations would have come against us. And I can guarantee you that, I will find it very difficult to suspect anyone of us [MPs].”

“You know he [Jon Benjamin] has the knack to be involved in any aspect of national discourse in Ghana… Simply put, he is a media whore. He wants the limelight. His time is due and I think this is the last thing that he wants to do and quite clearly he could not have found any other entity to malign than the august house of Parliament,” he said.

Speaking on Eyewitness News on Friday, Clement Apaak, who is also the MP for Builsa South Constituency, said the allegations by the High Commission against the legislators cannot be held as sacrosanct and therefore must be independently investigated by Parliament itself.

“Just because the British High Commissioner has leveled an allegation against 3 sitting Members of Parliament and one former Member of Parliament does not mean his allegation is sacrosanct. Of course he is a diplomat, he has a role to play and he also represents a country, but we are also a sovereign nation… This has come up, those who have been accused have refuted in their own commentaries one way or the other that the allegations leveled against them and the punishment meted out to them certainly is not justified,” he noted.

He further revealed that, the Speaker of Parliament has attached importance to the issue and is determined to look into it to unravel the truth. According to him, the Speaker while addressing first-time MPs of the new Parliament in January this year, said he was ready to investigate it, and thus cautioned the new MPs to conduct themselves in a manner that would not bring the name of the house into disrepute.

Bad leaders have misled Ghanaians to be corrupt - Victor Smith

Bad leaders have misled Ghanaians to be corrupt - Victor Smith

 The immediate past Ghana’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom Victor Smith has stated that corruption is endemic in Ghana due to bad leadership the country has had. He said leaders have preached anti-corruption and integrity at every turn but many turn around to do otherwise to undermine the high moral >> more

GPL Preview: Bolga All Stars vrs Hearts of Oak- Struggling newboys looking for a lift

Bolga All Stars will host giants Hearts of Oak at the Tamale Utrecht Academy park on Wednesday as their survival hopes hangs in the balance. 

They second from bottom with just a point above Ashanti Gold SC who are last on the league ladder.

A win will be a huge boost in their quest to move out of the drop zone before the end of the first round.

The Stars of the East made it to the round of 32 in the FA Cup after beating Northern rivals Real Tamale United 4-3 on penalties last Sunday at the Tamale stadium.

Baba Nuhu Mallam will have full squad at his disposal for Wednesday's crucial game since right back Emmanuel Acquah has recovered from an injury he sustained against Liberty Professionals.

Hearts of Oak go into the game with an idea of maintaining their position on the league table.

A win or draw will still see them lying 3rd but with an increase in points build up.

The Phobians advanced to the last 32 of the FA Cup last Sunday when overcome regional rivals Sporting Mirren with another man of the display from Winful Kwaku Cobbinah.

He has been man of the match in the last three home games for Hearts of Oak.

These could see him start against the newcomers this Wednesday.

Stalwart centre back Inusah Musa has recovered from his injury and is available for selection.

Malik Akowuah is still out. He is nursing an injury.

MATCH FACTS
HEAD TO HEAD
Total league meetings = 0
Bolga All Stars wins = 0
Drawn games = 0
Hearts of Oak wins = 0
~ Bolga All Stars have lost only one of their last five matches in the premier league.
(W2 D2 L1)
~ Bolga All Stars have recorded only one loss in their six home fixtures in the premiership this season.
(W3 D2 L1)
~ Hearts of Oak have won only one of their last six premier league matches as visitors.
(W1 D2 L3)
~ This is the first ever top flight clash between the Stars of the East and the Phobians.
~ Bolga All Stars have kept just two clean sheets in their twelve premiership games this campaign.
~ Hearts of Oak have managed to keep only two clean sheets out of their six away premier league matches this term.

Talent Tavern: Bolga All Stars 16-year-old brace hero against Hearts Rahim Alhassan

Bolga All Stars teenager Rahim Alhassan has earned rave reviews for his man-of-the-match display against Hearts of Oak.

The 16-year-old came off the bench to score two goals for his side in their 3-3 home draw on Wednesday.

Alhassan was introduced after 23 minutes when midfielder gem Samuel Norgbey picked up an injury and could not continue play.

He was later named Man of the Match after his side earned a point.

Liberty Professionals out to test WAFA’s Phenom

The scientific soccer lads – Liberty Professionals will on Wednesday, April 26,2017 put the West Africa Football Academy [WAFA] boys to a football test at the Red Bull Arena in Sogakope as the Ghana Premier League returns after a week break.

WAFA have simply been phenomenal this season, picking three wins on the road for the first time since joining the elite division.

Apart from achieving this phenomenal feat, the soccer physicians [WAFA] have also kept their enviable home record intact, which has seen them on top of the Ghana Premier League table [26 points] for three consecutive weeks.

On the other hand, Liberty Professionals have suddenly become draw expert, having split points in their last five games:

Liberty Professionals 0-0 Wa All Stars

Elmina Sharks 1-1 Liberty Professionals

Liberty Professionals 1-1 Aduana Stars

Bolga All Stars 1-1 Liberty Professionals

Liberty Professionals 0-0 Great Olympics

With this back-to-back draws, Liberty Professionals are ninth on the league ladder with 14 points. 

Ironically, the catch phrase of Liberty Professionals reads - ”Simply the Best,” but their attacking midfielders are not creating enough goal scoring opportunities for their strikers to bang in the goals.

WAFA is singing exclusive melody this season and I don’t see Liberty Professionals finding the note of their rhythm at the Red Bull Arena where the soccer physicians are just unstoppable.

Bolga All Stars coach praise club owner after playing in Hearts of Oak draw

Bolga All Stars coach Baba Musah Mallam says club owner Abdulai Alhassan made a huge impact in his cameo against Hearts of Oak on Wednesday in the Ghana Premier League. 

Alhassan was introduced after 65 minutes and helped his side to take a 3-2 lead before surrendering that position to draw 3-3 in the end.

The 30-year-old, who was registered during the second transfer window, has decided to play to help the club stay afloat.

''He is still young even though he is into administration i still think that he has some football in him we can benefit because in our Ghanaian league that is what the media has been complaining about,'' Mallam said.

''We don’t have that experience players in the league, when somebody wins the best player of the season, the next season, he will be out of the country.

''We want people who have played in the game, he has played outside and he is back, definitely it will be our wish to see more of these players who have played outside to be playing in the league.

''So it is good that he has found himself back in the team and i will be expecting more from him in the second round.''

It’s clear Nana Addo nominated incompetent people as DCEs – NDC

The Northern Regional branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) says the skirmishes that have characterized the announcement of 212 chief executives demonstrate the incompetence of the president’s appointees. 

In the view of the NDC, members of the NPP are protesting against the nominees because they see them as not being competent. In some areas, the angry NPP supporters burnt vehicle tyres and destroy property to express their displeasure. 

The Northern Regional Police Command was allegedly forced to grant bail to 11 supporters of the NPP from the Sagnerigu Constituency who were picked up on the evening of Wednesday for engaging in unlawful demonstration. 

The 11 were among some supporters who burnt car tyres at the Tamale Sports Stadium Roundabout in protest against President Akufo-Addo’s nominee for the Sagnerigu District. 

Speaking in an interview on Onua FM’s Ghana Dadwene on Thursday, the NDC Northern Regional Secretary, Tanko Komputer said “they have left the competent people to choose others who are not competent that is why their members are demonstrating against the nominees”. 

Election of DCEs 

The NDC regional scribe said “it is the NPP that is destroying Tamale, else Tamale is cool. What is happening is a departure from their promise because they promised to vote the DCE but they have failed that is why people are agitated”. 

Tanko Komputer said the NPP disregarded even the chiefs in the region and “it is an insult of the highest order. They did not consult the chiefs”. 

Meanwhile, the Northern Regional Police Commander, ACP Patrick Adusei Sarpong, has denied media reports that he was forced by the Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Daniel Bugri Naabu, to release 11 suspects.

ACP Adusei Sarpong told host of Ghana Dadwene, Nana Yaw Opare that the NPP Chairman has never been to the police station ever since he [ACP Sarpong] assumed office as the regional commander.

Football administrator Takyi Arhin hits out at Sports Minister Isaac Asiamah

The CEO of Berlin FC, Takyi Arhin who is known in the sports arena as ‘’Tender’’ has mounted a circumscribed attack on the minister of Youth and sports Hon. Isaac Asiama following his [Isaac Asiama] consistent voice in the media and on the radio.

The Member of Parliament for Atwima Mponua constituency has been talking about the activities of the GFA especially the GNPC sponsorship package for the Black Stars for the past two weeks and Takyi Arhin who is very critical and passionate about Ghana sports believes the Hon. Sports minister has made talking override his duties .

In an interview with Asempa FM, the astute football administrator explained that Hon. Isaac Asiama criticized the immediate past sports minister, Hon. Nii Lante Vanderpuye destructively for talking too much on radio at the expense of discharging his duties when he was at the opposition but he Isaac Asiama has now rather been talking more than Nii Lante did with a lot of ‘’lip services’’ just three months he was being sworn in as the new sports minister.

’’ I think Hon. Isaac Asiama is talking too much than he is performing his duties and I’m surprised because when Hon. Asiama was at opposition, he was consistently criticizing Nii Lante Vanderpuye for talking too much on the radio but right now he is talking more than Nii Lante did. I think the sports minister should lower down his talking and give the GFA a peace of mind to do their work’’. He told Asempa FM Sports morning show.

Hon Isaac Asiama is working tirelessly to get the GNPC sponsorship back for the Black Stars.

Government to support fifty companies

The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI) has selected 50 companies that will be provided with a stimulus package to revive them. They were among more than a 100 businesses which applied for assistance under the package.

The stimulus package is meant to revive local businesses which have been struggling over the past four years due to the power outages, popularly referred to as ‘dumsor’.

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Alan Kyeremateg, announced this at the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) Ghana business executive meeting in Accra yesterday.

The event brought together members of the association and business experts, who shared their views on various business and economic issues in the country.

Diagnostic exercise

Mr Kyerematen explained that all the selected businesses were taken through a diagnostic exercise and screening, before they were finally accepted.

“We have managed to screen over 100 businesses using a diagnostic exercise and have selected about 50 of them, which will be receiving the assistance very soon,” he said.

Stimulus package

The 2017 budget states that “a National Industrial Revitalisation Programme with a stimulus package for industry will be established.”

The package, according to the budget, will provide technical and financial support for companies that are distressed or facing operational challenges but are deemed to be viable.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr Kyerematen stated that $50 million had been allocated as seed fund, with an additional $150 million, to help the companies manage their debts.

Agenda for transformation

He said the government had also outlined a 10-point agenda for business transformation in the country.

Key among them is the ‘One district, one factory’ (ODOF) policy. Others are the creation of strategic anchor industries by developing the petrochemical and iron and steel industries.

“We have manganese and iron in abundance and want to establish an integrated aluminium industry, with strong collaboration from the private sector,” he added.

Mr Kyerematen further stated that the government also had in its plans to establish an industrial park, diversify the country’s export and import base, as well as develop the small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) sector.

Call to govt

The Vice President of AMCHAM Ghana, Mr Felix Addo, called on the government to create an enabling environment to help businesses to thrive.

He expressed the belief that all the programmes outlined by the government would not remain paperwork but rather become a reality to turn the economy around.