Day: November 17, 2021

South Africa head coach, Hugo Broos has shocking said he knew Senegalese referee, Maguette Ndiaye was against his side their defeat to Ghana.

The Bafana Bafana suffered a 1-0 defeat to the Black Stars in the final Group G games of the 2022 Fifa World Cup games at the Cape Coast Stadium.

Andre Ayew’s 33rd minutes’ penalty confirmed a place for the four-time African champions in the final playoffs for a place at the next World Cup in Qatar.

The defeat has since not gone down well with the 1996 AFCON winners who have petitioned the world governing body, FIFA over the penalty award to Ghana.

In a press conference by the South Africa Football Association [SAFA] to provide updates on the FIFA petition on Wednesday, the Belgian trainer said he sensed that referee Ndiaye will be against his side just 15 minutes into the game.

“And then the game started and after 15 minutes, I went to my bench and said to my two assistants ‘forget it, forget it, Ghana will win this game,” he said.

“And in my career, there are those games that you think that the referee is against you,” he added.

Ghana and South Africa finished level on 13 points after six matches but the Black Stars scored more goals [7] as against South Africa’s six to progress to the final playoffs.

Source: Modern Ghana

Tema,- Madam Vida Naa Amele Tagoe, from 2nd Image International Skill College, a vocational training school, emerged winner in the Beauty category of the 2021 WorldSkills Ghana competition.

She defeated two other participants from Phase Beauty Training Institute and FC Beauty College in a stringent competition.

Madam Tagoe would be among the 15 winners from 14 skill areas to travel to Namibia for the Africa WorldSkills competition and finally to the Shanghai WorldSkills International competition.

The national competition had 73 competitors under 14 skill areas which include beauty therapy, hairdressing, fashion technology, cooking, bricklaying, graphic design technology, automobile, and a lot more.

Madam Nikki Boa-Amponsem, the CEO of 2nd Image International Skill College congratulated Madam Tagoe and charged her to work hard towards the competitions ahead.

“This is just the beginning improve upon your skills, learn new skills to enhance your delivery, and read wide on WorldSkills so that you don’t become a novice in other competitions,” she added.

WorldSkills Ghana (WSGh) is a secretariat at the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training established in 2019.

The unit is responsible for organising skills competitions at the Zonal and National Levels and preparing competitors adequately for WorldSkills International competitions.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Stephen Curry scored 37 points, including nine three-pointers, to help the Golden State Warriors beat the Brooklyn Nets 117-99.

Curry’s tally meant he became the second player to pass 2,900 regular-season three-pointers after Ray Allen, who tops the list with 2,973.

The Warriors top the Western Conference with 12 wins and two defeats.

“We’re a good team and we’re off to a great start. We’re building our identity and chemistry,” said Curry.

“It’s a great defensive team that can also put the ball in the basket obviously.”

Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Clippers beat the San Antonio Spurs 106-92, while the Utah Jazz earned a dominant 120-85 victory against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Paul George scored 34 points for the Clippers, with team-mate Reggie Jackson adding 21.

The Sixers were again without Joel Embiid, who has missed five consecutive games because of Covid-19 protocols.

Utah capitalised with Bojan Bogdanovic scoring 27 points and Rudy Gobert registering his 11th double-double.

Source: Modern Ghana

Mansa Nettey, CEO, Standard Chartered Bank PLC has reiterated the Bank’s commitment to maintaining a market and thought leadership role to support Ghana’s aspirations of digitizing the economy to position Ghana as the digital hub of the sub-region.

She made this reaffirmation at the recently concluded 2021 Standard Chartered Digital Banking, Innovation and Fintech Festival held in Accra.

The event was a two-day festival that was held to mark the Bank’s 125th Anniversary Celebration and its commitment to up the ante on its vision to continue leading the banking industry with purpose.

Under the theme, ‘Shaping the next phase of Ghana’s Financial Technology Landscape for the 21st Century,” the event brought together stakeholders within the FinTech space to discuss pertinent issues around how to adopt, leverage and scale digitization, innovation, and technology within the financial sector.

In her remarks, Mansa Nettey, CEO, Standard Chartered Bank Ghana PLC said: “As we celebrate 125 years of Standard Chartered’s presence in Ghana, we do not only seek to take stock of the success and experiences of our operations that have supported Ghana’s economic and financial evolution. We want to showcase our bank’s leadership in innovation and digital platforms.”

“Being the first bank that opened its counters to the Ghanaian public, we have maintained a market and thought leadership role that has supported the aspirations of government, our regulators, peer banks, clients and other stakeholders,” she added.

Commenting on the bank’s milestones that underscore its brand promise Here for Good, Mansa Nettey said: “As a financial institution, we believe that our success is contingent on the success of our community and clients. This is the reason we have remained focused on driving long-term sustainable development and enhancing the wellbeing of our communities and our people by putting our capital where it is most needed, to drive commerce and prosperity with minimal impact to our client.”

On his part, Dr. Emmanuel Kumah, Board Chairman, Standard Chartered Bank Ghana PLC reiterated his belief that the stakeholder engagements held at the two-day Fintech Festival defined the scale of growth and collaboration Ghana should expect and invest in.

“I believe that the FinTech festival will create partnerships and collaborations that will bring significant solutions and generate new lines of fintech products and services that will not only serve Ghana, but our continent and the entire world”, he added.

The Standard Chartered Digital Banking, Innovation and Fintech Festival was hosted in collaboration with Bank of Ghana and SC Ventures, making true the claim that Standard Chartered continues to utilise technology as an enabler, backed by effective partnerships with Bank of Ghana, the Ghana interbank payments and settlement system (GHIPSS), other policy makers, Telcos and Fintechs to drive financial inclusion and a cash-lite society.

“We continue to promote accessible banking at scale and connect clients to opportunities that promote access to finance and economic inclusion. We also aim to support women and small business gain equitable access to financial solutions,” Mansa iterated.

Source: Modern Ghana

The Deputy General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Obiri Boahen has described the NPP as the nose, mouth, eyes and ears of the country Ghana.

His comment follows the directive by Vice President Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia asking the NABCO beneficiaries across the country to return to post as government makes permanent arrangements for them.

The NABCO beneficiaries were earlier asked to go home after their 3-year programme elapsed.

In an interview with this portal on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, there is no other political party in this country that can move the nation forward than the ruling NPP.

Mr Boahen expressed satisfaction with the bold decision made by Vice President.

“As a country is a clear indication of how determined the government is prepared to arrest the issues of joblessness and for me, I applaud the government for this bold initiative and more especially the Vice President for coming out to give this directive,” he stated.

Mr Boahen added, “As for those who were talking about the time limit, whether there is a time limit or there is no time limit, for me the most important thing is that some young Ghanaians are been employed. So that is good, is a good initiative.”

Source: Modern Ghana

Beitar Jerusalem FC striker, Richmond Boakye-Yiadom has said he can be the main source of goals for the Black Stars.

The senior national team has struggled in front of goals since the exclusion of Asamoah Gyan from the Black Stars after the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations [Afcon] in Egypt.

Boakye-Yiadom who made a return to the Black Stars for the final round of game of the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers in 2018 believes he is capable of scoring goals like Asamoah Gyan.

“I know a lot of people have been saying that since Asamoah Gyan left we need a striker. I want to be one of the strikers to help Ghana score goals,” Boakye-Yiadom told Joy Sports in an interview.

“If there was Baby Jet [Asamoah Gyan] then we need Boakye magic, that is my dream now. So I’m going to work towards it.”

The former Juventus and Atalanta forward who featured in Ghana’s game against Ethiopia in the 20222 World Cup qualifiers wants fans to support the Black Stars with prayers to get good strikers to help the team achieve its dreams of a World Cup berth after missing the 2018 edition.

He said, “I wish everyone who loves Ghana will support and pray because the more we have good strikers the more Ghana will move forward.”

Source: Modern Ghana

Ho (VR),- The leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Volta region has extended their heartfelt condolences to the family of the late, Mr Marlon Praise Anipa, District Chief Executive (DCE) for the newly created Guan District.

This was contained in a statement signed by Mr Pope Yao Yevoo, the Party’s Regional Communications Director on Wednesday.

“The NPP Volta led by its Chairman, Mr Makafui Kofi Woanyah, has received with shock and sadness, news of the passing of Mr Marlon Praise Anipa, the first District Chief Executive of the newly created Guan District in the Oti Region.”

“The Party, accordingly, extends its deep sympathies to the wife, children and the bereaved family as well as the good people of Akpafu Todzi and for that matter Oti Region for this great loss,” it said.

The Party described the late patriot who was a former United Kingdom (UK) branch organizer and member of Fund-raising committee NPP-UK and Parliamentary Candidate for the Hohoe Constituency in the 2016 elections as a stalwart of the NPP, and a great source of inspiration to many young men and women of NPP political tradition within Volta and Oti Regions.

“May the Almighty God bless and have mercy on his soul, amplify his good deeds and grant him eternal rest.”

Marlon Anipa was unanimously approved as the first DCE of the newly created Guan District in the Oti region, after his nomination by the President.

He died Tuesday dawn, according to sources .He was 63.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ho,- Dr George Agyekum Donkor, President of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), has noted that agribusiness, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and tourism sectors were catalysts for job creation and enhanced standard of living.

He however said “it behoves all stakeholders to play key roles to optimise the respective value chains.”

Dr Donkor in an address during the official opening ceremony of the 2021 Volta Trade and Investment Fair, urged the government to work towards the provision of appropriate infrastructure.

He said the private sector must invest while the citizens must acquire the requisite skills-set and work hard to encourage more investment and job creation avenues.

Dr Donkor noted that agribusiness was a driving force for development, adding that the food economy accounted for 66 percent of total employment and 40 percent of the value added in the food economy in West Africa.

He said it was worth noting that, agriculture employed approximately 74 per cent of the Region’s economically active population.

Dr Donkor said poverty reduction was higher when growth was driven by the agriculture sector due to the number of people engaged in the sector and its related activities.

He said what remained was the successful transition from farming to take advantage of the entire agribusiness value chain, to bring increased value to players in the industry and required a lot of efforts must be put in the processing and marketing to be possible.

Dr Donkor noted that the Covid-19 pandemic had made ICT more relevant than it had been.

“This is increasingly demonstrated by the new remote work habits, including cloud-based computing as well as web-based and Microsoft meetings.

He said mobile money transactions had also overtaken any form of cash transfer and the financial sector had also not been left behind, with many banks utilising mobile applications and internet banking to good effect.

Dr Donkor noted that the Volta Region was filled with many tourist attractions, which could easily become the backbone of economic activity if given the necessary attention.

“This would then lead to the creation of jobs for the many unemployed youth in the region.”

He said there was the need to focus on the development of enabling infrastructure to encourage while calling on all to get involved, keep their surroundings clean and be nice to tourists as ways they could help boost tourism in the region.

Dr Donkor said the EBID had recognised the importance of agribusiness, ICT and tourism in Ghana’s economy and had dedicated a lot of attention to the sectors.

He hoped the Fair would be successful and serve as a catalyst for development.

The Volta Trade and Investment Fair being the fifth in series is on the theme: “Creating Enabling Environment for Agribusiness, Tourism and ICT Companies.”

Togbe Tepre Hodo IV, President of the Regional House of Chiefs, said the Volta Region was climbing to greatness, adding that “we are number one.”

He said the Fair offered the opportunity for the region to exhibit the potential it had in commerce and industry.

“It is an opportunity for a lot of us to learn new things and improve on the old ways of doing things.”

Togbe Tepre Hodo, also the Paramount Chief of Anfoega Traditional Area said it was also an opportunity to transact business at the regional level and escalate to national and international level.

He commended the organisers of the Fair and called on all to make the event transcend into history of the region as the one “uniting event that will enhance our prospects to move this region forward and move our nation forward.”

Togbe Hodo said the government could engage private investors who would assist in road construction while bemoaning the nature of roads in the region.

The Dean of Volta Municipal and District Chief Executives, Mr Flolu Etornam James, noted that the region was viable for businesses and called for businesses to utilise the opportunities available and invest in the region.

He also touted the tourism potentials of the region and entreated all to visit the sites including the Afadzato Mountain in the Afadzato South District.

High Commissioners and Ambassadors of some Embassies reiterated the importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and pledged their commitment to working among African countries to harness its prospects and development.

They lauded the organisers of the Volta Trade and Investment Fair and hoped its targets were met as well as its continuity.

Source: Ghana News Agency