Day: December 30, 2021

Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen has cancelled a planned trip to Italy to assess his cheekbone injury after contracting coronavirus for a second time.

The 23-year-old returned a positive test in Nigeria ahead of his trip to Naples but is asymptomatic according to a statement by the Serie A outfit.

“Consequently, the local authorities have ordered that Osimhen self-isolate and the check-up will be rescheduled after he has tested negative and his period of isolation ends,” Napoli’s statement added.

Osimhen, whose latest positive test comes just 12 days before Nigeria’s opening game at the Africa Cup of Nations, will isolate for at least one week in line with public health protocols.

He first caught Covid-19 during Italy’s winter break last season.

BBC Sport Africa understands that the player, included in his country’s final 28-man squad after declaring himself fit to play in the continental showpiece event, is still expected to join up with the Super Eagles ahead of the trip to Cameroon.

Osimhen suffered facial fractures after a clash of heads with Inter Milan’s Milan Skriniar on 21 November and required titanium plates and screws to be affixed to his cheekbone and eye socket.

Napoli’s initial assessment was that the player would be out for three months but the forward returned to training two weeks ago wearing a protective mask, giving him a chance of making the Nations Cup.

The former youth international was in a good run of form prior to his injury, with nine goals and two assists for Napoli this season as well as four goals for Nigeria in 2022 World Cup qualifying.

Osimhen is the latest Cameroon-bound player to suffer a coronavirus-related setback ahead of the tournament, which kicks off on 9 January.

Spanish giants Barcelona announced Morocco forward Abde Ezzalzouli is self-isolating after testing positive, while holders Algeria and Ivory Coast have announced cases at their pre-tournament training camps in Qatar and Saudi Arabia respectively.

Source: Modern Ghana

Tunisia coach Mondher Kebaier unveiled on Thursday 30 December 2021, his final squad that will participate in the 2021 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations, which is scheduled to start on January 9 in Cameroon.

Carthage Eagles squad included 28 players, and the most prominent absentees were Ferjani Sassi of Qatari side Al Duhail, and Al-Moez Hassan, Club Africain goalkeeper, in addition to Saudi Abha midfielder Saad Beguir and Pyramids of Egypt forward Fakhredine bin Youssef.

There was a place for Arsenal young defender Omar Rekik, and young Manchester United star Hannibal Mjebri, who excelled with Carthage Eagles the recently concluded FIFA Arab Cup.

Tunisia reached the FIFA Arab Cup final before losing after extra time to eventual champions Algeria.

Carthage Eagles play in Group F along with Mali, Mauritania and Gambia.

Goalkeepers: Farouk bin Mustafa (Esperance), Bashir bin Said (US Monastir), Ayman Dahmane (Sfaxien), Ali Jamal (Stade Tunisien)

Defenders: Dylan Bronn (Metz – France), Muntasir Talbi (Rubin Kazan – Russia), Bilal Ifa (Club Africain), Osama Haddadi (Yeni Malatyaspor – Turkey), Omar Rekik (Arsenal – England), Mohamed Dragger (Nottingham Forest – England), Mohamed Amin bin Hmida (Esperance), Hamza Mathlouthi (Zamalek – Egypt), Ali Maaloul (Al-Ahly – Egypt), Ali Al-Abedy (Caen – France)

Midfielders: Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane (Esperance), Issa Aidouni (Ferencvaros – Hungary), Elias Skhiri (Koln – Germany), Ghilane Chaalali (Esperance), Seifeddine Khaoui (Clermont – France), Anis Benslimane (Brondby – Denmark). Hannibal Mjebri (Manchester United – England), Firas bin Arabi (Ajman – UAE), Wahbi Khazri (Saint Etienne – France), Hamza Rafia (Standard Liege – Belgium), Naim Sliti (Al-Ittifaq – Saudi Arabia)

Forwards: Seif El Din Jaziri (Zamalek – Egypt), Yoann Touzghar (Troyes – France), Youssef Msakni (Al Arabi – Qatar)

Source: Modern Ghana

Bawku (U/E),— Mr Ebenezer Kojo Kum, the Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, has called on residents of Bawku and surrounding communities in the Upper East Region to embrace peace for accelerated socio-economic development and transformation.

He said the promotion and maintenance of peace in the area should not be left in the hands of the government alone but must be supported by stakeholders, including the factions involved in the conflict.

“I, therefore, call on all the factions in the Bawku communal violence to mount a vigorous and persistent campaign against these forces of darkness and enemies of progress and development.

“We are one people and we should not allow anything to destroy us and the future of our children and those unborn,” he said.

The Minister, who was speaking at the celebration of the 34th Samapiid festival of the chiefs and people of Kusaug Traditional Area, made the call in connection with the recent reemergence of chieftaincy conflict in the area.

The disturbances led the government, through the Ministry of the Interior, to impose a curfew while the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council banned the wearing of smock in the Bawku Township and its environs.

The celebration was on the theme: “Promoting socioeconomic and cultural development of Kusaug; the role of Kusaal literacy and cultural tourism.”

The Minister said Bawku, which in the past was the hub of economic activities in Northern Ghana, was gradually losing its attraction due to persistent communal conflicts.

“Our children’s education was jeopardized, teachers and other workers preferred to work in other places outside Bawku and it also led to huge expenditure to maintain peace at the expense of development in this area,” he said.

Mr Kum noted that violence had collapsed many economies around the world and called on stakeholders, including the traditional and religious leaders, the media, concerned citizens and youth to spread the message of peace and harmony.

He said citizens should report suspected characters, especially those in possession of weapons and other ammunition, to the security agencies, adding, “this should, however, not be done on basis of unchecked information, rumours and malicious fabrications.”

He appealed to the interethnic peace committee to work together to counter disturbances that might arise and ensure sustained peace and development.

Pe Dituudini Adiana Ayagitam III, the President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs, said politics had infiltrated the violence in Bawku and appealed to stakeholders to work with the security agencies to fish out the miscreants to face the law.

Zug-Raan Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II, the Overlord of the Kusaug Traditional area, urged residents to embrace peace and support the implementation of the government’s flagship programmes to improve livelihood of the people.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ho,- Mr Dela Gadzanku, Chairman of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) in the Volta, Eastern and Oti regions, has called for more patronage of locally produced goods during the yuletide.

He said there was an increasing variety of locally made products, following recent industrialisation efforts.

Mr Gadzanku, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the patronage of locally made goods would help the producers,trepreneurs and industry stakeholders, working to create an independent local production ecosystem.

“We need to patronise and consume made in Ghana goods during the Christmas as part of efforts to boost local industries.

“If we consume made in Ghana products it goes a long way to even motivate the industries to work harder as they know Ghanaians have accepted their products. But when we continue to choose more foreign products over the local ones, it’s a disincentive,” he said.

Mr Gadzanku said the Volta, Eastern and Oti regions had several locally made products on the market such as wines made from cashew, cocoa and coffee, among other products.

He said the Volta Region was home to over 20 different rice products and at least two coffee brands.

Local produce from the three regions also included snacks and food products, home utensils, and industrial materials such as paints and coatings, cast masonry and roofing products.

He noted that the AGI continued to pursue its vision of minimising dependence on imports and that the government’s recent action on benchmark values provided significant cover in that regard.

He gave the assurance that the Association would continue to work with stakeholders towards the establishment of one-stop shops for local produce, adding that the Ho Airport was expected to host one such outlet.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Kumasi,— The Kumasi Central Prisons has received more than GH₵20,000.00 as payment of the fines of 17 inmates, who are serving various prison terms at the facility.

The courts imposed fines on the convicts, who are petty offenders but could not raise the money to pay and were ordered to serve various prison terms.

The money was raised through the contributions of listeners of the Oyerepa Breakfast Show (OBS) Charity Project “Help Me Pay My Fines” and the management of the radio station in Kumasi.

Mr Joel Nana Yaw Mensah, the morning show host of OBS, presenting the cash to the prison officials in Kumasi, said the producers of the show felt the need to assist these petty offenders to be given a second chance in society.

He said some of these offenders were in prison for minor offences.

Mr Mensah said the Project had come to stay and would work closely with Ghana Prisons Service to ensure that justice was served to deserving persons.

The Project would also work to ensure the freed convicts lived changed lives by resourcing them with start-up capitals in petty trading.

He said the OBS sought the audience and approval of the management of Oyerepa FM/TV and this gave way for listeners to contribute their quota towards the project.

He commended the listeners of the show for contributing to the project and called for more support to sustain the project.

Assistant Director of Prisons (ADP) Mr Ousmane Tasembedo, Deputy Commander of the Kumasi Central Prison, commended the project initiators for the immense support and said the beneficiaries were going to be released immediately.

He said there was congestion at the prison cells and the release of the 17 persons would create some space for other inmates.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra,- The Greater Accra Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has lifted the ban on beaches in Accra effective Thursday, Dec 30, 2021.

The Council, on Friday December 24, 2021, imposed a ban on all beaches in the capital as part of measures to control the spread of the COVID-19.

It attracted calls from some beach resort managers and holidaymakers who asked the REGSEC to reconsider its decision and lift the ban.

They claimed the timing of the ban was wrong and that the decision was taking a toll on businesses.

The Council, in a statement signed and issued by Mr Henry Quartey, the Greater Accra Regional Minister and Head of REGSEC, said the ban was lifted following a meeting held on Thursday, December 30, 2021, to review the directive.

The statement said patrons of the beaches would have to show proof of vaccination before being allowed entry.

It also urged the Ghana Health Service to mount vaccination points at all beach facilities to vaccinate persons who were not vaccinated.

The statement also tasked beach operators to ensure strict adherence to all COVID-19 safety protocols at the beaches, adding that operators must ensure that entry points were separated from exit points to avoid overcrowding.

“Operators of beaches are to ensure that they collaborate with the Ghana Health Service, the Security and Intelligence Agencies led by the Ghana Police Service, and their respective Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to ensure strict adherence and enforcement of this directive,” the statement said.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Koforidua (E/R),– The Eastern Regional Director of Fisheries Commission, Mr Francis Barnes, has urged citizens to invest in fish farming, especially catfish farming.

He said all the necessary conditions, weather, water, soil and market required to produce catfish were available in the Eastern region.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, he said, “there is a big potential to develop the catfish industry.”

Mr Barnes said Eastern Region contributed 40 per cent of 24,240 metric tons of aquaculture production in the country, comprising mostly Tilapia.

Most farmers engaged in tilapia production along the Volta lake, where they produce in cages.

Catfish contains high Omega-3 fatty acids than Tilapia which lessens the likelihood of heart attack, reduces the chance of abnormal heart rhythm and promotes lower blood pressure.

Mr Barnes said to promote the catfish industry, the directorate in Koforidua set up a fingerlings production facility to serve as a free learning centre for farmers and to help those without the facility to produce fingerlings.

He said about 35,000 fingerlings of catfish were distributed to farmers this year to promote catfish production.

He said catfish were easy to produce as they were generally stronger than tilapia and took five to six months to mature.

Mr Derek Adjei-Sika, the Executive Director of Black-Gold Farms, said there was high demand for catfish in the market.

“I look forward to establishing a restaurant, which serves catfish foods very soon,” he said.

However, he noted, that he lost 3,000 catfish due to frequent power cuts, explaining that he used electricity to pump fresh water into the pond.

However, Mr Barnes observed that the catfish pond must have the right number of catfish in it with the right level of water.

There is no need to change or flash out water in the pond when all conditions in the pond are good, he noted.

Even so, the water in the pond must be changed when the fish tend to lose appetite and refuse to eat, he said.

Mr Barnes said “catfish serves as economic relief” as it is a means to break unemployment in the region.

He said early next year, the directorate would unveil a new fish processing technology called “Ahoto oven” to process fresh fish into smoked fish.

Mr Barnes observed that the traditional means of smoking fish had health implications due to the smoke from firewood.

He encouraged all potential catfish farmers to visit or call on the directorate for advice or training.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Sunyani,- The Children’s Ministry of the Church of Pentecost, Sunyani Central, has presented medical devices, including finger-tip pulse and infrared forehead thermometers and syringes, to the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Regional Hospital in Sunyani.

The Ministry also donated similar equipment, including digital baby scales, disposable insulin syringes and automatic hand dryer to the NICU at the Sunyani Municipal Hospital.

Elder Emmanuel Boamah, a leader of the Children’s Ministry, said it remained the Ministry’s responsibility to promote the wellbeing of newborns.

The Ministry has more than 1,000 children and aside ensuring their spiritual development, it also prioritises the healthy life of children and newborns.

Dr Robert Arko, the Medical Superintendent in-charge of Maternity at the Sunyani Municipal Hospital, commended the ministry for the assistance and appealed for more support.

He said the NICU required additional incubators, monitors and other equipment for quality healthcare delivery and appealed to the public to go to their aid.

Mrs Mary Ameyaw, the Women Leader of the Sunyani Central Church of Pentecost, gave the assurance that the Church would continue to support the Units to function effectively.

Source: Ghana News Agency