Day: September 2, 2021

Kwabena Yeboah believes the ‘Number 12’ documentary by Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ which exposed the rot in Ghana football has changed nothing.

The video that was premiered at the Accra International Conference Centre in 2019 brought football on its knees.

The video implicated over 77 referees and football officials in various acts of alleged corruption.

Following the premiere of the video, the then GFA President, Kwesi Nyantakyi resigned and also lost his positions as FIFA Council Member and 1st Vice President of CAF.

Football in the country was also suspended for over a year, with a Normalisation Committee installed by FIFA to manage the game on an interim basis.

However, Kwabena Yeboah believes corrupt practices still persist in Ghana football despite the fallout from the Anas’ exposé.

“There are people who think Anas has come to spoil our sport but even after the Number 12 exposé some of these things are still going on. It means his work has been in vain,” he said on Starr FM.

“We knew our game was corrupt and rotten. We knew that some of the referees were pure criminals and holding teams to ransom.”

Kwesi Nyantakyi has been slapped with charges of fraud and corruption. He was also charged with conspiracy to commit fraud when he appeared in court in June, alongside the Northern Regional Representative of the GFA, Abdulai Alhassan.

The two former football administrators, however, pleaded not guilty and have since been granted a GHc1 million bail with three sureties to be justified.

Source: Modern Ghana

The upcoming New Patriotic Party’s National Executive contest is going to be tough with certain persons allegedly showing interest in some positions.

One of the positions which is going to be keenly contested is the General Secretary position of the party.

Already the incumbent, John Boadu has sent signals of his desire to seek re-election but the contest is surely not going to be an easy one for him if what ModernGhana News is hearing is true.

Some party members think the ‘breaking the 8’ mantra should not only be a slogan but more work.

“The ruling New Patriotic Party must have a formidable National Executive team which will have to make things easier for the next flagbearer.

“For this reason, we will support the candidature of Mr. Charles Bissue if his alleged interest in the General Secretary position is true,” a Regional Executive who has pleaded anonymity told this reporter.

Even though the Western Regional Secretary has not openly confirmed the rumors of the former Presidential Staffer, Charles Bissue eyeing the General Secretary seat, the support base is already gathering momentum as delegates from across the country are said to be calling on him, declaring their unflinching support.

Also, a survey conducted by one NPP die-hard member on Facebook has tipped Charles Bissue to be the next Chief scribe for the ‘Elephant’ party.

The NPP Western Regional Secretary seems to be the favourite of the masses who claimed the party will ‘break the 8’ with Sir Charles Bissue taking over as General Secretary of NPP.

The survey saw Mr. Bissue leading the polls with an overwhelming comment.

“This time around the GS is coming to the Westside. The best comes from the west. The Name is Sir Charles Bissue the eye of the west for GS,” Royal Gabby commented.

Source: Modern Ghana

Tema,- The Ashaiman District Court has granted bail in the sum of GH¢5,000.00 with one surety to Eric Tawiah, who assaulted Prosper Adzokatse, a City Guard, contrary to section 84 of the criminal offences Act 29, 1960.

The court presided over by Mrs. Eleanor Kakra Banes Botchway, granted the accused bailed after pleading guilty with explanation.

According to the facts of the case, Prosper, 41-years-old, who is the complainant, is a member of the Ashaiman Municipal Task Force while the accused, Tawiah, 25-years-old, is a taxi driver.

On August 12, this year the complainant was on duty with his colleague at the Ashaiman Market area, when the accused on board his taxi cab with registration Number GT 5569-21 committed an offence of unauthorized parking and was arrested.

According to Chief Inspector Samuel Aperwah persecuting, the complainant sat in the taxi of the accused and ordered him to drive to the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly.

Prosecution said on reaching the junction to the Assembly, the accused diverted heading towards Ashaiman roundabout, the Complainant resisted and the accused hit the complainant’s left eye brow with his fist.

Prosecution told the court that, the complainant called for re-enforcement and accused was overpowered, arrested, and detained at Middle East Police Station.

After investigation the accused was charged with the offence and put before the court.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Vogonni (UW/R),– The downpour that caused havoc to road network and farmlands in the Upper West Region three weeks ago had rendered an 86- year-old woman in Nadowli homeless.

Madam Yendorma Domayiri, a widow at Vogonni in the Goriyiri Electoral Area in the Nadowli-Kaleo District, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the only mud house that sheltered her was destroyed by the floods, forcing her to sleep on a veranda.

“I don’t have any place to sleep again. This is where I was staying but look at it now. I am really suffering,” she said.

“I need help from wherever it will come from. I pray God will touch somebody’s heart for the person to come and help me,” Madam Domayiri said.

She said she lost her husband in 2006 and was without a child, but had since lived in that structure, which was put up by her husband.

“The small rice farm I cultivated has been washed away by the floods. I don’t have maize; I don’t have any food. All my things are destroyed, I am finished,” Madam Domayiri said.

She, therefore, appealed to benevolent individuals and organisations to go to her aid by providing her with shelter and food.

Meanwhile Mr Nestor Mwinterebo, the Assemblyman of the area, told the GNA that the community had appealed to the Head Teacher of the Vogonni KG School for Madam Domayiri to be temporarily accommodated in one of the classrooms as the school was on vacation.

“There are vulnerable people in society but some are more vulnerable than others. This woman was married for 30 years but was not blessed with a child. The structure the husband built is the one that has collapsed,” he said.

“Now she sleeps on the veranda. You can imagine when it is raining. The community members are ready to form communal labour to build a room for her if they get the building materials.”

Mr Mwinterebo said the help must be timely to bring some relief to Madam Domayiri.

He said the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) sent some relief items to the community but was woefully inadequate.

It could be recalled that on Thursday, August 12, 2021, an overnight downpour in some parts of the region left some homes flooded, farmlands submerged, and major roads cut off.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has approved Ghana’s request to admit spectators for Ghana’s Group G FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifier against Ethiopia.

CAF did not grant the full 25% request of the Ghana Football Association but approved Two Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty (2,250) spectators for the match.

The approval letter signed by CAF Development Officer Raul Chipenda to GFA General Secretary, Prosper Harrison Addo, Esq. read:

‘’As is it known, we would like to reiterate that the CAF and FIFA covid-19 match Protocols clearly state that all matches must be played behind closed doors. Nonetheless, CAF analysed and assessed your request from a medical, stadium requirements compliance, and safety & security perspective in your venue. Accordingly, a decision has been taken to exceptionally allow the presence of 2,250 spectators in the aforementioned match”.

The letter went on to warn that “we kindly ask your cooperation to fully comply with the above decision, while noting that in case of non-respect, your federation will be subject to disciplinary sanctions by CAF’’.

Per the requirements of the Protocols, the Safety and Security Officer of the GFA, Julius Ben Enumah shall together with all the relevant stakeholders including the COVID-19 Officer, Dr. Christine Baah ensure strict adherence of the directive.

The GFA consequently advise all Ghanaians to obey all the Protocols strictly to first and foremost have a successful match and also to avoid any sanctions from CAF and FIFA.

The Group G encounter between Ghana and Ethiopia will kick off at 1900GMT on Friday, September 3, 2021.

Source: Modern Ghana

Accra,- Isaac Adjatey Ashai, a driver who is accused of dishonestly receiving a Toyota Haice mini bus alleged to have been stolen, has appeared before the Adentan Circuit Court.

Ashai, charged with dishonestly receiving property namely Toyota Haice mini bus, has pleaded not guilty.

Accused told the court presided over by her Honour Sedinam Awo Balokah, that he bought the vehicle from one Red.

According to Ashai, the said Red sold the vehicle as scrap to him and since the vehicle said was not in good shape, he decided to repair and use same.

Accused said Red had told him that he needed money for his ailing wife so he (Ashai) gave him some money as part payment of the vehicle.

The court has admitted Ashai to bail in the sum of GH¢100,000.00 with three sureties who are to be known by the Police.

The court explained the bail condition was to compel accused to be coming to court when needed.

The case Investigator told the court that, when Ashai was admitted to Police Enquiry Bail, he reported only three times and stopped coming to the Police station, so the sureties were compelled by the Police to produce him.

The matter has been adjourned to October 19.

Prosecuting Chief Inspector Maxwell Lanyo narrated that Bonsu Tetteh Abednego is also a driver residing at Adentan.

Chief Inspector Lanyo said on February 23, this year complainant released his commercial vehicle with registration number GS 4349-Z and valued at GH¢15,000.00 to one Ben currently at large to drive and render daily sales.

Prosecution said the complainant’s son one Aaron Bosso, a witness in this case was assigned as the driver’s mate in the said vehicle.

The Prosecutor said shortly after Ben and Bosso took over the vehicle, the complainant called Ben and Bosso to come back with the vehicle so he could fix the vehicle insurance sticker to the vehicle.

On their arrival at the complainant’s house, Bosso alighted and went into the house to pick up the insurance sticker.

Prosecution said Ben smartly drove the vehicle away, so when Bosso returned with the sticker, he could not trace the whereabouts of the vehicle.

The Prosecutor said Ben could also not be reached on his phone.

On February 25, this year, a report was made to the Police and on June 10, this year, the vehicle was retrieved from Ashai at Teshie, Accra.

Prosecution said Ashai was arrested and during investigations, he told the Police that a man whose name was given as Red was the one from whom he bought the vehicle.

The Prosecutor said Ashai could however not lead the Police to arrest Red.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Bolgatanga,- The Director General of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Mr Eric Nana Agyeman-Prempeh says government has mapped out a strategy to respond to any disaster that may occur as result of the spillage of the Bagre and Kompienga Dams from Burkina Faso.

The strategy, according to him brought all the relevant security agencies and NADMO officials together and stationed at vantage places to respond decisively and quickly to any fallout from the spillage of the two dams.

“As a nation, we are much prepared, we have three camps, one at Bazua in the Upper East Region, one at Walewale in the North East Region and one at Tamale in the Northern Region, where the military, the police, the marine and NADMO officials are all stationed, in case there is any disaster we can move in to respond quickly.

“Unlike previously, when we will come and wait until it gets worse before we call in the police or the military, this time round government has decided that we all come together, so we are very much prepared so that in case it happens we will respond quickly,” he said.

The Director General who said this during a courtesy call on Mr Stephen Yakubu, the Upper East Regional Minister in Bolgatanga added that NADMO was also well resourced in terms of relief items to cater for people who may be affected by the spillage and other flooded related disasters.

Mr Agyeman-Prempeh noted that indiscipline and unwillingness to relocate to higher grounds was one of the major challenges in their sensitization drive to get residents out of the danger zones.

“The only problem we have now is some of the indiscipline attitude of some residents who are closer to the White Volta for instance, they live and farm there and trying to convince them to move to higher grounds to live with relatives and friends until the spillage passes becomes difficult and you cannot also force them,” he added

The Director General lauded the efforts of the traditional authorities in the five regions of the North for playing crucial roles over the years in educating their subjects especially those living in the flood prone areas whenever the dams were being spilled.

The Upper East Regional Minister lauded the efforts of NADMO for their sensitization efforts and urged farmers and residents along the White Volta to adhere to the directives to relocate to higher places to avoid destruction of lives and property.

According to SONABEL, the Agency managing the two dams, as at Wednesday September 1, 2021, the upstream level of the Kompienga dam was 174.95 metres with level rising while filling rate was 55.71 percent as against 47.86 percent on the same date in 2020.

For the Bagre Dam, the upstream level was 234.41 metres with the level being stable while the filling was 92.11 percent as against 100.33 percent on the same date in 2020.

SONABEL noted that the water level of the Bagre was stable and opening of the valves would be done when the height is 234.75 metres.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Sandema (U/E),- The Minister for Roads and Highways, Mr Kwasi Amoako-Atta says some of the historic mahogany trees along the road leading into the Sandema Township in the Builsa North Municipality of the Upper East Region will be cut off to solve the perennial flooding in the area.

The mahogany trees on both sides of the road, start from the Apipi junction through the Township to the Sandema Old Primary School at Suwarinsa, a community in the Municipality.

“It may be necessary to cut down some of these trees, we all know the importance of trees, and is not for pleasure that we should cut down some of these trees.

“But if we want to deal with the problem, build strong good roads, widen and raise the topography here, to avoid these perennial experiences, some of these trees must go,” the Minister said.

Mr Amoako-Atta who paid a working visit to the Sandema Municipality to inspect the extent of damage caused by recent floods in the area, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in the Municipality that “The appropriate steps will be taken.”

The sector Minister noted that the trees had some traditional and customary importance to the traditional authorities and the people of Buluk.

“We are aware of that, and we will not just come here one day and start cutting the trees. We shall have the right conversation with our revered Chiefs here, the opinion leaders and the people in Sandema,” he said.

Mr Amoako-Atta emphasized that there would be proper engagement with the Chiefs and people of Buluk and the Technical team from the Ministry on the need to cut down some of the trees.

According to him, felling some of the trees would be “In our common interest to save life and property. We will take steps to resolve this issue once and for all,” the Sector Minister, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Atiwa West Constituency assured the people of Buluk.

The Minister described the distraction on the portion of the road leading into the Township as dangerous, saying “With the next heavy rainfall, there will be a total washout, covering almost a distance of a kilometre up to Sandema Township.

“It is a dangerous, terrible situation that must be salvaged as quickly as practicable. We are experiencing this type of rainfall with great intensity in the Upper West, Upper East, Northern Regions and perhaps North East.

“I am told that this type of rainfall was last experienced in this area at least over 35years ago. So, for the past one and half months, I have been touring these Regions with my Technical team from national and across these Regions,” he said.

Mr Amoako-Atta assured the people of the Buluk and the entire Region that “Government will be up to the task, and attaches seriousness to the disasters which nobody had control over.”

Mr Stephen Yakubu, the Upper East Regional Minister told the GNA during the visit, that the perennial flooding had been experienced in the Builsa North Municipality for several years, “No government dealt with it, the Akufo-Addo’s government wants to deal with it.”

He called on the people of the area to recognise the efforts by the government to deal with the flooding problem in the area and said it was a plus to government, “This is also an issue that Builsa should recognise,” he added.

Source: Ghana News Agency